DRAGON designs

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Book Review - Death of the American Investor

About the Book
In The Death of the American Investor: The Emergence of the New Global eShareholder (NetWorth Publications), President and CEO of NetWorth Services, Nico Willis, helps readers optimize their investments for the new year, while giving them a jump on the upcoming tax season by re-emerging as New Global eShareholders. This book accomplishes what other books have failed to do by fearlessly addressing the drastic social and economic changes that effect today's investment system as well as offering solid practical solutions that empower individual investors.
Never before has an investment book provided such an in-depth and insightful look at what motivates the market. Influences from the past, present, and future are explored to allow average American investors to invest like professionals. It is must read for every investor, financial institution, and average American. Death of the American Investor is both a warning and a solution to the complexity of investing strategies, especially in the current economic climate; it will ultimately become the handbook of intelligent investing.

Coinciding with current economic events that have changed the landscape of investing, Death of the American Investor was inspired by the troubles of average American investors and people concerned about the future of investment. By carving out a roadmap for investors to succeed through the transitioning economy, the book reveals the hidden pitfalls that have lead some investors to altogether abandon the market. The author also gives an insightful glimpse into the future of investing, leading readers down a road of recovery and future wealth building.

In 1997, Willis founded NetWorth Services, Inc., which offers a suite of cost basis and financial solutions that have been adopted by many leading financial institutions, government agencies, Fortune 500 organizations, universities and endowments, as well as individual investors. Willis leverages his 15 years of experience in the financial services industry to oversee the strategic growth and development of the company. Before founding NetWorth, Willis was an investment broker and held the title of vice president for various well-known financial institutions including Prudential Securities, UBS Paine Weber, and Piper Jaffray. He managed over $90 million in assets for individual investors. Willis co-created and co-hosted a radio talk show called “The Wall Street Hour,” which featured financial news and influential guests.

Death of the American Investor is available in bookstores everywhere and online. For more information visit: www.networthpublications.com.

My Take on the Book
I have to say that when it comes to investing, I am a novice. I typically go to a professional, or at least a friend that has more knowledge than I to make decisions. I guess it has a lot to do with the fact that this is my money and I don't want to screw anything up.

This book was a great book for the novice and expert alike. It provides so much information and is simple to understand. The author does a great job of explaining thing so that the reader can understand what has changed in investing and allows the reader to better understand what they can do to become more savvy in the investing climate of today.

The book is well written and the real life examples contained within it make it even easier to understand and relevant to the reader. A great book and one that I would highly recommend!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New to the Divadom?

Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader

Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Best free online services for meeting new year resolutions

If your new year’s resolution involved getting organized, taming finances or just being a better you in 2011, start by cleaning up your digital life. Make a commitment this year to meet your resolution goals, using the following tools:

·         Dropbox – Streamline files and sync devices (the average American has 2+) to access documents anytime, anywhere. If you have photos and files scattered between laptop, desktop, smartphone, and tablet, you’ll be able to access that parental approval form saved on your PC via your smartphone, and share photos of the kids with in-laws just by loading them on your computer. DropBox does the rest so you can get what you need any time anywhere from any device.

·         Cozi – Cut the paper clutter and move the family calendar and to-do lists online. Sync the Cozi calendar with your Outlook calendar, and connect with family members to coordinate hectic schedules in one central location via this free web and mobile service that aims to simplify busy family life.

·         Mint.com – Clean up your finances, get rid of old receipts, and streamline spending by syncing your bank account (it’s completely secure) with Mint.com. You can set goals and see exactly where your money is going with services like free budget tracking, money software, free online money management, and more.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Child Piano Sensation Ethan Bortnick Gives Kids With His Musical Time Machine Contest

Ten-year-old pianist, composer, entertainer Ethan Bortnick will be taking his Musical Time Machine on the road for his first national headlining tour starting January 14^th and is asking kids across the country to show their talent for an opportunity to join him on stage. Whether their talent is singing, dancing or playing an instrument, kids can enter a video at http://www.kidzbop.com/contests/KBK-ethan/Ethan-Bortnick-s-Musical-Time-Machine-Contest- until January 13^th. Entries will then be voted on from January 14^th through January 23^rd and KIDZ BOP will select a winner out of the top 3 most popular videos. One talented grand prize winner, announced on January 24^th, will receive roundtrip airfare and two nights hotel accommodations to a selected city on Ethan's Musical Time Machine Tour to perform with him on stage.

While visiting the KIDZ BOP website, kids can also check out Ethan's new web show "Ethan, Play Me a Song." Each week Ethan chooses a song out of submitted fan requests to play on his web show. The show has become wildly popular, receiving thousands of requests and featuring Ethan's take on hits by such artists as Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Train. Fans can view each episode and submit requests for upcoming shows at http://www.kidzbop.com/my-channel/KBK-ethan/webshows.

Earlier this year, Ethan was one of the youngest musicians to have his own PBS concert special. Filmed at the historic El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, Ethan Bortnick and His Musical Time Machine puts Ethan center stage as he delivers a trip through music's history from classical to pop and many genres in between. Special guests include legendary trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, disco queen Gloria Gaynor and the Canadian Tenors. The concert special was released on CD and DVD on October 26^th through Razor & Tie with bonus footage including a special interview with music industry icon Quincy Jones and five performances not seen on the televised PBS special.

Ethan celebrated the release with a return visit to Good Morning America and an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show. He also recently appeared on The Fran Drescher Show and helped spread holiday cheer as part of the Fox & Friends holiday show. No stranger to national television, Ethan has previously appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (four times), The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart Show and many others.

On January 14^th, Ethan will kick off a national headlining tour that will take him to over 20 cities throughout North America, including a stop at the Best Buy Theater in New York City and two hometown dates at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, FL. On the tour, Ethan will play songs from the PBS special and beyond as he brings to life some of music's most well known classics and biggest hits from every era and genre, from Mozart to rock 'n' roll and the Beatles to Justin Bieber.

Beyond his amazing talent as a musician, Ethan has made a name for himself as one of the world's youngest philanthropists. Through his appearances at benefits and charity galas, he has helped raise millions of dollars for charities around the world including the Miami Children's Hospital, Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night, Matt Damon's ONEXONE, The Starkey Hearing Foundation and many others.

For more information on Ethan, visit www.ethanbortnick.com.

Ethan Bortnick and His Musical Time Machine Tour Dates

Fri 1/14 Naperville, IL Wentz Concert Hall

Sat 1/15 Pittsburgh, PA WQED Studios - PBS Pittsburgh

Thu 1/20 Nashville, TN The Belcourt Theatre

Fri 1/28 Grand Prairie, TX Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

Sat 1/29 Houston, TX Stude Concert Hall at Rice University

Fri 2/4 San Francisco, CA The Regency Ballroom

Sat 2/5 Cerritos, CA Cerritos Center

Wed 2/9 Seattle, WA Benaroya Hall

Thu 2/10 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater

Sat 2/12 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre

Tue 2/15 Kansas City, MO The Midland by AMC

Wed 2/16 St. Paul, MN The Fitzgerald Theater

Fri 2/18 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre

Sun 2/20 Washington, DC GW Lisner Auditorium

Mon 2/21 Philadelphia, PA Keswick Theatre

Tue 2/22 New York, NY Best Buy Theater

Thu 2/24 Raleigh, NC Meymandi Concert Hall

Fri 2/25 Atlanta, GA Gwinnett Performing Arts Center

Wed 3/2 Toronto, Ontario George Weston Recital Hall

Fri 3/4 Orlando, FL The Plaza Theatre

Sat 3/5 Hollywood, FL Hollywood Central PAC

Sun 3/6 Hollywood, FL Hollywood Central PACCenter

Sun 4/11 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre

Make a New Year's Resolution To Help Your Pet Lose Weight With Alison Sweeny-- Chance to Win $1,000,000

Alison Sweeney and the millions of owners that struggle to help their pets shed pounds now have a simple and effective solution. Introducing the Hill’s® Science Diet® Weight Loss System – the first pre-packaged meal and biscuit plan that eliminates the guess work of feeding the right portions to help dogs lose weight in just 30 days.

“Making sure that my family leads a healthy and active lifestyle is very important so I was really upset to find out that my dog Winky was overweight,” said Alison Sweeney. “But helping Winky lose weight was so easy with the Hill’s® Science Diet® Weight Loss System. After just one month I could see a difference in Winky and she was even outlasting the entire family on long walks around the neighborhood.”

Winky is back on track to being a healthy, active dog but there are still an estimated 51.5% of dogs and cats in the United States that are either overweight or obese[1]. That’s why Alison Sweeney is asking America to make a New Year’s resolution to help pets lose weight and take the 2011 Hill’s PetFit™ Challenge.

To enter, owners should schedule a weight consultation with their veterinarian and inquire about a Hill’s® Science Diet® weight management food that is right for their pet’s needs. Then visit www.petfit.com from January 1 through March 31 and share their success story for a chance to win a trip to New York City to meet Alison Sweeney or take home up to $1,000,000.

In addition, www.petfit.com offers pet owners access to the Hill’s Weight Management Center for free cat and dog weight loss tools that include:

· Interactive body conditioning scoring that shows the proper body shape of a cat or dog

· Weight and treat comparisons that translate pet weight gain and feeding into human terms

· Calorie Burn chart that highlights the caloric burn of various activities

· Digital Weight Loss diary to track a pet’s progress

· Pet weight loss success videos – including Alison Sweeney and Winky – for inspiration

· Exclusive coupons for Hill’s® Science Diet® weight management products

About Hill’s Pet Nutrition

Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. manufactures Hill’s® Prescription Diet® brand pet foods, therapeutic pet foods available only through veterinarians, and Hill’s® Science Diet® brand pet foods sold through veterinarians and finer pet specialty stores. Founded more than 60 years ago with a unique commitment to pet nutrition and well-being, Hill’s is committed to its mission to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets. Hill’s produces high-quality, great-tasting pet foods owners can trust and give to their canine and feline companions as part of a veterinary health care team recommendation. This ultimately improves patient health and the health of the practice. For more information about Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc., and Hill’s Evidence-Based Clinical Nutrition™ visit HillsPet.com.

About Alison Sweeney

Alison Sweeney is busy juggling two jobs - host for NBC’s hit reality series “The Biggest Loser” and the award-winning Sami Brady on NBC’s hit daytime drama “Days of our Lives” - with her roles as a producer, author, wife and mother. Her latest book, The Mommy Diet, reveals the “diet” of nutrition, fitness and self-care that women can follow to look and feel fantastic – before and during pregnancy and after giving birth. Sweeney also is on the Entertainment Council of Feeding America and is an Ambassador for Stand Up To Cancer. She resides in Los Angeles, California with her husband Dave and their two children Ben (5) and Megan (almost 2).

[1] Association for Pet Obesity Prevention - 2009 Pet Obesity Study

Pets Nationwide Need to Shed Pounds

· In the United States there are a total of 77.5 million dogs and 93.6 million cats^{^[1]}

· An Estimated 51.5% of Dogs and Cats in the United States are either overweight or obese^{^[2]}

o An Estimated 45% of US dogs are overweight or obese = 35 million dogs

o An Estimated 58% of US cats are overweight or obese = 54 million cats

How Do Extra Pounds Stack Up for Pets?

· Five extra pounds on a medium size dog like a Beagle is the equivalent of nearly 20 pounds on an average woman

· Two extra pounds on a small size dog like a Chihuahua is the equivalent of nearly 60 pounds on an average woman

· Five extra pounds on a medium size cat like an American Shorthair is the equivalent of nearly 37 pounds on an average woman

· Two extra pounds on a small size cat like a Siamese is the equivalent of nearly 25 pounds on an average woman

Treat Translator

· If you feed a 20lb dog one ounce of cheddar cheese it’s the equivalent of a 5’4” woman eating one and a half hamburgers or one chocolate bar

· If you feed a 10lb cat one cup of milk it’s the equivalent of a 5’4” woman eating four and a half hamburgers or five chocolate bars

[1] American Pet Products Manufacturers Association - 2009 US Pet Population

[2] 2009 Association for Pet Obesity Prevention - Pet Obesity Study.