Category Archives: General Investing

General Investing

Investing And Finance For CD Rates

Leave a comment

CD Rates are fairly low at the present. While the banks are getting practically free money from the Federal Reserve, they are giving low rates. The highest rate at around 2.5 percent can be obtained at many banks, but this might not be a wise decision. Inflation is expected to rise and your rate will fall far below that of inflation within this time span.

A CD (certificate of deposit) is money that is parked until a better use can be found for it. Many on fixed incomes use this exclusively, because they do not have the money to risk on investments that are uninsured. A CD is insured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) and the U.S. government stands behind them.

CD Rates are higher than ordinary savings accounts because they are time deposits. You commit the money for a set period of time and are not supposed to withdraw the money. If you do, there is usually a penalty of one month’s interest. A single CD can be purchased, or multiple CDs if that is your choice. Only the amount withdrawn is subject to a penalty, so it is not necessary, as some say, to buy more than one. The minimum amount for this type of deposit is not high as some other investment instruments.

CD Rates remain the same for their duration, and if not renewed the lowest interest rate available will kick in. Keep an eye on when they mature. These instruments should be purchased for periods of under a year, so

General Investing

Valcent Prod Inc – Verticrop

Leave a comment

Valcent Products Inc (OTCBB:VCTZF) @ValcentProdInc On Twitter Morning Notes Publisher: Michael A. Berry

1. FOOD: THE NEXT BIG DISCOVERY SPACE If you have any doubt about the value of discovery you only need to examine the food space. The price of protein is skyrocketing as are grain prices. Prices for raw foods (agricultural products) rose 22% on average in 2007. US consumers are paying at least 6.0% more for their food than 1 year ago. Click on the link below for the rest of the article. File: 239 KB, approx. 45 seconds at 56.6Kbps March 31, 2007 Dr. Berry’s Discovery Investing Presentation Publisher: Energy Security Author: Michael A. Berry, Ph.D. Michael Berry has been a portfolio manager for both Heartland Advisors and Kemper Scudder where he successfully managed small and mid cap value portfolios. Dr. Berry has specialized in the study of behavioral strategies for investing and has been published in a number of academic and practitioner journals. His definitive work on earnings surprise, with David Dreman, was published in 1995 in the Financial Analysts Journal. Previously, Dr. Berry was a professor of investments at the Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia and has also held the Wheat First Endowed Chair at James Madison University . Dr. Berry is a respected and dynamic speaker. He regularly presents around the world on topics such as value investing, the role of Austrian Economics in investment management, behavioral investing strategies and is a specialist in developing case studies to teach investors how to invest. While a professor, he published a case book, Managing Investments: A Case Approach. He has also focused on the role of precious metals and energy exposure in the asset allocation of the individual and institutional investor. Dr. Berry publishes Morning Notes by Michael Berry, Ph.D. daily. This publication is distributed to clients worldwide to identify current market opportunities and behavioral anomalies. Click on the link below for the rest of the article.

General Investing

Security Benefits of Double Glazing Windows

Leave a comment

Your home is your castle. It’s a place where you feel safe, comfortable, protected and at ease. A similar statement is true of your business. It’s the building where you provide goods or services to your clients and have belongings of value that are associated with that business. In both cases, you want to be sure that your possessions are safe from theft and damage that can result from acts of nature.

Whether you have just a few well-placed windows in some of the rooms on the street level of your home or there are many rooms with a variety of windows, the investment into double glazing for all of these windows is worth it. The difference between single pane and double glazing panels is that you have two security panels that provided added measures of keeping your home safe.

When it comes to security, the ability to keep summer heat and winter winds out of your home is definitely a form of security that also helps to lower the cost of your utility bills. You can also avoid the expensive replacement of single panes when they get accidentally broken. Double glazing can be on security glass which means burglars will be in for a surprise when they attempt to break these sturdy windows.

Being away from home is natural when it comes to work, vacation or just running errands around town. You shouldn’t have to worry about your home being safe while you are away. Investing in ways to beef up the security on your home can start with the windows. Many times a beautiful window is admired by passersby and taken special note of by deviants. Your gorgeous picture windows in the living room deserve to be double glazed and to provide you with the safe, secure and beautiful view that you’ve grown accustomed to.

Some insurance companies also realize the value of double glazing windows. You may be eligible for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance just because you have these windows with the extra security measure built in. The same holds true for your place of business; especially if the building is located in an area that is prone to high crime or frequent break-ins.

There are many different styles and types of double glazing windows available. The best way to start your search is to take advantage of the Internet resources. You can see many of the choices available in virtual tours that let you get a close up look at the various materials and features. Additionally, many contractors belong to organizations or have affiliations that allow you to gain access to many individuals all through one location.

Make sure that you take very accurate measurements for online quotes or those that can be provided over the phone. This will ensure that the prices you are quoted reflect the proper amount. Get as many quotes as possible, include those from contractors who are willing to come to your home and take the measurements themselves. The best price may not be a local contractor but it will be someone who guarantees their work and can show references from satisfied customers.

General Investing

Convert Your Fireplace and Save

1 Comment

If you have a home where some or all of the heat comes from your fireplace or wood stove, you may want to consider investing the money in a conversion or improvement to get the most out of your fuel. There are a number of ways to do this. Some of them may require an outlay of cash, but they will end up saving you many times that amount in heating bills, wood purchase and time.

The first way to improve your fireplace’s efficiency is the simplest: clean it! Chimneys blocked by creosote and soot not only endanger your home through the risk of chimney fires and dangerous gas emissions into the home, they also prevent the fire from getting the oxygen it needs. Consequently, it takes more energy for the fire to provide heat to a room or home.

You might think that chimney sweeps disappeared with the Industrial Revolution, but the profession is still alive and well. A professional chimney sweep can clean your chimney and give you some good advice on how to keep it cleaner. If you choose to clean the chimney yourself, be prepared for several hours of dirty, hard work! Take some measurements of your fireplace and chimney with you to the fireplace/wood stove supply store or online to get the correct size cleaning tools.

A “draft eliminator” is an inflatable balloon that you can pop inside your fireplace when it’s not in use. This will save you a good chunk of money when it comes to stopping cold air from entering your home through the chimney. It can also guard against wildlife paying you a visit through the chimney. The inflatable nature of the product enables it to effectively seal most of the chimney and stay secure. It is not as efficient as a damper, but it is cheaper and a great temporary solution to a broken damper.

Installing a damper is a really good permanent solution to drafts from the chimney. It is more efficient than a draft stopper and more suitable for a home where the fireplace is used frequently. With regular maintenance, a damper can virtually seal your fireplace and chimney from drafts and unwanted pests and will be serviceable for years.

An outside air intake next to the fireplace can help the fire get oxygen without pulling cool air from all areas of the house to the fireplace. It can also reduce drafts and your gas/wood usage. An easy source of cool air will make the fire heat your whole house more efficiently.

By installing an    outside air intake next to your fireplace you can reduce the amount of space that the cool air has to travel through the home and reduce uncomfortable drafts. Just like any fire, your fireplace requires oxygen for the wood to burn. When in use, your fireplace will draw inside air to combust the fire. Whether it be heated air sitting dormant in your home or pulling in outside air from the small cracks in your doors    and windows, this situation is very inefficient. The best way to solve this problem is controlling where the outside air is drawn in from to eliminate uncomfortable drafts and high gas bills.

A fireplace insert is one of the best ways to improve your fireplace’s efficiency. With a radiant glass door, fireplace efficiency can be improved up to 90%. Plus, a glass cover means you can enjoy the warmth and beauty of fire without worrying about sparks and the influx of dirt. EPA-certified inserts are even more efficient at containing warmth and toxic fumes.

If you really want to up your fireplace’s efficiency and don’t mind how you do it, an EPA-certified wood stove may be a good solution. Inserting an energy-efficient wood stove into your fireplace can instantly pay off in terms of heating and emission control. Plus, as wood and pellet stoves become more popular, there are more options for converting your fireplace to accommodate a good stove. Plus, you’ll have something to warm hot chocolate up on!

There are many ways you can up the efficiency of your fireplace. With a wise outlay of money, you could find yourself using significantly less fuel and heating your home for longer using this form of sustainable heating.

General Investing

The Power Of Dyslexia about Famous Dyslexics

25 Comments

www.thepowerofdyslexia.com This video is about Dyslexia, Famous Dyslexics. The Power Of Dyslexia video is to create awareness of a educational and collaborative community the power of dyslexia .com The Power Of dyslexia is dedicated to serving the dyslexic community by providing a Free online community where dyslexics and those touched by dyslexia can post questions, provide advise and chat with other community members. Famous People with Dyslexia Albert Einstein is one of the most well know and respected scientists. Tom Cruise is one of the top five movie starts of all time Charles Schwab heads one of the largest investment firms John Chambers CEO of Cisco Systems, Inc. Henry Winkler from the hit show happy days Vince Vaughn is one of Hollywood’s biggest names in comedy Jay Leno host of the tonight show Muhammad Ali is one of the greatest fighters of all time Thomas Edison is one of the most prolific inventers of all time Paul Orfalea is the founder of Kinko’s Salma Hayek is a Mexican actress, director, and television and film producer Whoopi Goldberg is a great American Actress and Comedian Orlando Bloom is a famous English actor Richard Branson founder of virgin enterprises Henry Ford was the inventor of the modern day assembly line Winston Churchill is one of the greatest leaders in all of history General George Patton one of the most popular American military generals