This Girl Loves To Take Selfies. Later After, She Received Her Reward.

It is impossible nowadays not to be so familiar to the term “selfie,” unless if you don’t have any social media accounts like Facebook, and if you do, you might be one of those who is doing it too. Social Medias and mobile webs have given a rise to this strange phenomenon, Immersed mostly to the younger crowd because teens are heavier digital users compare to other older counterparts.

Narcissism. Indeed, perhaps the selfie and its wordless ability to inform an audience isn’t quite as self-centered as we make it out to be. Just like in this video that you are about to watch below. Selfie here and there, a viral video of a couple having their dinner date is spreading over the internet. Instead of spending their time with each other, what the girl is doing is somehow so irritating. Doing some several poses and actions while taking herself a picture, her boyfriend noticed it and she suddenly received an award of a hit on the hit indicating her to stop the madness about taking selfies.

Source: http://viralityfacts.com/

Tongue-tied on Thanksgiving Day? Advice on saying grace, giving a blessing

For many, giving thanks is part of an annual Thanksgiving Day tradition - especially just prior to a big Thanksgiving meal.

It's all about having "an attitude of gratitude," said Episcopalian Bishop Gladstone B. "Skip" Adams, of Otisco.

"Being a Christian person, the bottom line of spirituality is gratefulness -- thanksgiving," he said. "Being able to come at life with a grateful heart affects everything else in a positive way. That doesn't mean life is not heard, but being grateful carries us through the hardest times."

But not everyone is Christian. Still, there's the urge present in many to give thanks for what one has, or what one has been through the past year.

"As Muslims, we thank God every day for guiding us to the way He wants us to worship Him and to obey Him," said Mohamad Khater, president of the Islamic Society of Central New York. "We recognize His endless favors and blessings upon us, our families, our communities and on the whole humanity. Thanking people who are kind to us is part of our being thankful to God.

"The more we thank God, the more He will give us of His bounties and blessings: "And when your Lord proclaimed: If you give thanks, I will give you more" (Quran 14:7)," he said.

Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport, of Chabad-Lubavitch of Central New York, said the Thanksgiving story about the Pilgrims and Native Americans getting together is well known. Rapoport noted the Pilgrims were very religious people and read the Bible carefully. He added what many are unaware of is the fact that the gathering had its roots in Jewish tradition.

"Thanksgiving was modeled after the biblical holiday of Sukkot, which takes place in the fall and is the time to give thanks to Almighty G-d for the noted the bounty of the harvest," he said. 'The original Thanksgiving (involving the pilgrims) was actually in October. It is only fitting that a prayer thanking G-d be said at our Thanksgiving dinner."

Several local clerics and persons of faith were asked to give advice on what to say - in a brief, and meaningful way -- prior to reaching for the turkey and stuffing (or whatever else one serves on Thanksgiving Day).

Joellyn Tuttle, pastor at Skaneateles United Methodist Church:

"We have a short family grace: 'God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food - and the people we eat it with.'
"Then we go around the table and everyone says one thing they're thankful for."

Catholic Bishop Robert Cunningham, of the Syracuse Diocese:

"God our father, we give you thanks for the many gifts you've given us. The gift of life and faith, family and friends and our country. And, the fruitful harvest and the good food that we're enjoying today."

Rabbi Rapoport:

"A recommended grace before the meal which gives us the right to partake of G-d's world: 'Blessed are you Almighty G-d, master of the universe, by whose word all things came to be.
"A recommended grace after finishing the meal: 'Blessed is the G-d, master of the universe, from whose bounty we have eaten."

Rachel Levens, church secretary of Tucker Missionary Baptist Church:

My recommendation would be to realize the true Thanksgiving emphasizes the giver rather than the gifts. I'd say, "Thank the Lord, for life, health and strength."

The Rev. Jennifer Hamlin-Navias, of the The First Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse:

"We don't have a book of common prayer, so what we'd say prior to eating on Thanksgiving would vary, and vary much, table to table - which we would value and encourage.
"If it was me and my family, I would ask folks to think about what they're thankful for and have them say that - and that would suffice as the blessing before the meal."

Source: http://www.syracuse.com/

4 Benefits of Equipment Leasing

So, you’ve decided to start a business. Congratulations! Wherever you are in your journey, there will always be new equipment that can help you to build your business so that it will truly flourish. But did you know buying that equipment, isn't your only option? Here are four key benefits of leasing equipment for your business.

1. Conserve and Control Cash. Equipment leasing saves your working capital (bank lines) for day-to-day business expenses, business expansions, or unexpected business related expenses. In addition to saving your working capital, with a lease you have a pre-determined monthly line item, which can help you budget more effectively. With predictable monthly expenses you can develop long-term plans for your business with confidence and get your business set up with the equipment you need, while keeping your cash flow available for other expenditures.
2. Upgrade outdated Equipment. Depending on your business type, equipment leasing can help you stay on top of the latest advances in equipment and technology. How long do you plan to keep the asset? If you're only planning to keep it for the short term, you may find that leasing is a better alternative than buying it and trying to resell it when you no longer need it. You can also determine the length of your lease, so if you work with technology that changes rapidly, you can take on a short lease to ensure you’re always at the cutting edge in your industry. 
3. Tax Benefits. Lease financing presents your business with potential tax benefits. In many cases, leasing not only provides businesses with a full deduction of lease payments against current earnings, but also preserves working capital that you wouldn’t have access to if you had to purchase your equipment up front. It’s always a great idea to check with your tax advisor to determine the benefits for your business.
4. More Attractive Balance Sheet. Monthly lease payments are viewed as a business expense instead of long-term debt. Having little debt on your balance sheet helps you secure financing to fund your business. And who doesn’t love a sexy balance sheet? 

Ultimately, a few simple rules of thumb may help you decide to lease or buy. If your equipment requirements are relatively small and you have the money--or can get a low-interest loan--then just buy it. You'll save money in the long run. However, if you require a substantial amount of equipment, such as computers for your new company's 10 employees, leasing may be a better option. After all, why tie up a large amount of cash--especially when you could use that money to establish or grow your business?

All the Self-Help You’ll Ever Need

    Yes, you can live a better, happier, more fulfilling, wealthier life. You actually can do that.

    Want to know how?

    It’s really simple, and I’m going to tell you. For free. This is how.

    Decide to actually do, that which it will actually take, to actually achieve what you want.

    There you go. I just saved you $10,000+ each for seminars and prayer breakfasts and self-empowerment weekends and whatever. However, like most people, you probably think that’s way, way too simple for you. It doesn’t appeal to your inner attraction to complication, and you need it explained in more detail. I’ll throw that in, ‘cos I like you and want you to succeed. (Yes, I really do.)

    Think about yourself in five years. Where do you want to live? What do you want to be doing? What do you want to have? Who do you want to be? Now write all that down in detail.

    Next, back-port that, a year at a time, to a year from now. If your life plan doesn’t make sense, or there isn’t enough time to achieve what you want, or whatever, edit it. It’s only ever a draft. Stuff will come up that necessitates re-drafting it; inability to accept that we cannot precisely determine the course of our lives is one of the major barriers to self-improvement. It will help with this if you subdivide your life plan into areas such as family, career, fun, money, health etc; whatever makes sense to you. You can google for example goal-setting lists.

    The purpose of this exercise is to clarify what you want, and in turn, clarify exactly how, as in by what real actions, you are going to get what you want. If there’s a logical gap, fix it.

    Having done this, frequently review your plan. You need to become somewhat obsessive about it. Your subconscious is powerful but it is lazy; unless you become subconsciously driven to achieve something, you probably won’t. You’ll find excuses to avoid it.

    The “Law of Attraction” is a mystical name for what are basically three real things. The first thing, is clarity of intention. If you’re sitting around wondering who you are and what you’re going to do, thousands of opportunities and possibilities will pass you by unnoticed. The second thing is confirmation bias: if you’re clear that you want this, any opportunity that you see that in some way approximates to this, you will notice. Same way that if you drive a red Honda, you will see red Hondas everywhere. They were there all along; you just didn’t care. The third thing, is motivated action. The scope of your possible actions is enormous. You are overwhelmed with choices and consequent analysis paralysis. If you just pick something you want, even if it’s a bit silly, and it’s motivating enough to prompt you to some action, then you will greatly increase your chances of getting it.

    There you go. Simple as that. If you don’t get it, or having got it, wish that there were some “easier way”, by all means pay the snake oil salesmen to re-explain it to you with different metaphors and in greater detail and including money. Also it is a proven fact that most humans value their experiences and possessions more, the more they paid for them, regardless of their actual utility, and accordingly paying a snake oil salesman thousands of dollars to receive advice you could get from reading an internet forum, may actually have the genuine and real effect of making you more likely to take that advice.”

Source: http://andywibbels.com/

Win a Trip to Hawaii

Win a trip for two to Hawaii or $5,000!

For more details, please visit: http://anytimefitness.zuberance.com/offersV2/index/90873712

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years and older, and legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the legal age of majority in their province/territory of residence. 1 prize ($7,000 USD approximate retail value). Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Skill-testing question required for Canadian residents. Void elsewhere and where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends October 7, 2014. Subject to complete Official Rules.

This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Twitter. You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor and not to Facebook or Twitter. Your personal information will only be used in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy and as permitted by law.

Glossary of Money Terms

The best way to start on the right path to financial wellness is to learn more about personal finances. Here are some of the most common terms you’ll encounter as you learn more about managing your personal finances.

AssetA personal financial asset is something you own, and includes cash, savings accounts, and personal property. In a balance sheet, assets such as the value of your home are offset by liabilities, such as your current mortgage.

Balance sheet
A balance sheet is a financial statement that shows your financial assets (such as your savings account and home equity) against your financial liabilities (such as your mortgage, credit card debt).
 
BudgetA budget is a document that shows your spending goals for the month or year.

Compound interestCompound interest is interest that is earned on interest that was earned in prior periods. For credit cards or other loans, compound interest is interest charged on interest that was charged in prior periods.

Financial plannerA personal financial planner can help you with your personal financial situation, including investments and savings goals. Fee-only financial planners are paid for the appointment, and do not receive a commission for your purchases.

Gross incomeGross income is the total amount of money that you make, before subtracting expenses and taxes.

LiabilityA personal liability is the amount that you owe. For example, many households have their home loan, car loans, credit card bills, and student loans as their liabilities.

Net incomeNet income is your earnings after subtracting out expenses (for self-employed individuals) and taxes.

Net worth
You net worth is the difference between your financial assets and your financial liabilities. If you are in debt, your net worth is likely to be negative.

Tax advisorA tax advisor is a tax professional who can help you in planning a tax strategy, and can prepare your tax returns for you.

Teaser rate
A teaser rate is an introductory interest rate offered by credit card companies. When the introductory period is over, the rate typically increases dramatically.

Source: http://www.moneymanagement.org

MSP earns high grades for small-business friendliness

On July 1, in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, online business directory Thumbtack released its annual small business survey of U.S. cities. Minneapolis-St. Paul finished in eleventh place and earned an overall "A" rating, falling behind several cities in Texas and smaller Mountain West towns like Colorado Springs and Boise.

The Thumbtack-Kauffman survey subjected the Twin Cities to more than a dozen measurements, based on responses from surveyed small business owners.The region earned an "A" grade for ease of starting a business and an "A+" for the availability of training and networking programs. It earned decent"'B+" grades for environmental and zoning regulations, and a "B" for health and safety. Licensing rules and employment, labor and hiring protocols came in at the '"B-" mark, with the local tax code and ease of hiring scoring "C+"

The Cities' rankings showed marked improvement over the past two years. Minneapolis-St. Paul's overall rating was "B+" in 2013 and "'B" in 2012. The change in availability of training and networking programs was particularly noteworthy, with a jump from "C-" to "A+" between last year and this year. The overall regulatory environment and ease of hiring improved significantly as well.

Although the Twin Cities could have scored higher in some areas, the region fared great next to some well-known locales. Buffalo, Providence, Sacramento, and San Diego earned "F" grades for overall business friendliness, and many other East and West Coast cities failed to clear the "D" bar. At the state level, California, Illinois and Rhode Island earned failing grades.

The survey also sourced subjective opinions from business owners across the Cities. Some of these were glowing: A Minneapolis-based designer reported that "I'm in a great location and have a lot of room for growth." Others were more skeptical of local governments' role in business, with a Minneapolis pet sitter complaining about the state sales tax on dog-walking services.

Relatively high taxes, coupled with byzantine regulations, were a common complaint. But some respondents actually argued for a more hands-on approach by local regulators, including a Minneapolis voice teacher who complained that hands-off licensing was creating room for scam artists in the field.

Thumbtack's survey collected reponses from about 12,000 U.S. small business owners (in the Lower 48 only) over a two-month period in early 2014. For a copy of the full report, contact jon.lieber@thumbtack.com.

Source: http://www.thelinemedia.com

Wisconsin Makes Minnesota Offer On Tax Reciprocity

 Wisconsin’s latest income tax reciprocity offer to Minnesota does not include an additional payment of up to $6 million a year that its neighbor wanted, a demand that the head of Wisconsin’s Revenue Department derided Thursday as “unprecedented.”

Still, Revenue Secretary Rick Chandler and Wisconsin lawmakers who live on the border with Minnesota said they hoped the two states could reach agreement for the 2015 tax year before a Sept. 30 deadline.

An agreement would simplify income taxes for the roughly 80,000 who live in one state and work in the other. Currently, those people have to file tax returns in both states. A deal would allow them to file just one, but the two states have been unable to reach an agreement since Minnesota canceled a 40-year agreement in 2009 because it was losing money.

Minnesota made an offer to Wisconsin in June that would require Wisconsin to pay up to $6 million more a year to make up the difference. But Chandler, in a statement announcing Wisconsin’s latest offer, said Minnesota’s demand for $6 million more was unreasonable.

“We hope Minnesota will put taxpayers first and not block a new agreement with an unprecedented new condition,” Chandler said. “We’re close to a new agreement, so let’s come together.”

Minnesota Department of Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans said the state’s latest offer to Wisconsin, made in June, trimmed $1 million from its prior request. Minnesota lawmakers authorized the cut last session in an attempt to reinstate reciprocity.

“We’ve seen no effort by Wisconsin to deal with the revenue lost by Minnesota,” Frans said.

Chandler said Wisconsin’s latest offer means payments from Wisconsin to Minnesota would increase from the $58 million paid for tax year 2009 to $87 million for tax year 2015. Future payments would be made based on a study both states completed in 2013.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin urged Minnesota to accept the offer.

“Taxpayers lose precious time and money each year because we have not reached an agreement to restore reciprocity,” state Rep. Dean Knudson, R-Hudson, said.

An estimated 56,000 Wisconsin residents work in Minnesota. About 24,000 Minnesotans commute to jobs in Wisconsin.

Source: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com

Financial Fraud Deja Vu

It's surprising to find that most people really don't understand what fraud is. Sure, they hear about it, usually on a grand scale, but they don't understand what really happens and the devastating effect it has on people, companies and economies. My discussion of the 57 varieties of fraud is eye opening and thought provoking; this is not your usual speech about ethics. Looking for where fraud is most likely to occur is a key discussion - knowing where fraud is likely to occur can be the first step in learning how to avoid it.

It's time we start publicly talking about fraud; what it is and what it does. Knowing and understanding white collar fraud helps employers, workers, students and teachers come to the realization that fraud will most certainly happen again. It's time to get serious in learning about fraud, to begin developing a knowledgeable attitude and the position that it's "not happening here".

Sometimes people can't resist the temptations, be they the CEO, CFO or the employee working on the dock, because fraud doesn't always occur at the top. We're lead to believe this mostly by the media, so we only get to hear or read about the really big ones, since they make the biggest news. Fraud is all around us every day.

Financial Fraud Déjà Vu, a coming 'round again, why can't we see it coming? To deal with and combat fraud, we need to begin accepting that we can eliminate it no more than we can get rid of all the germs in the world. Most people are unaware of what fraud is and what they should be looking for. There is a screaming need for awareness concerning fraud. And as a result, we seem to choose to overlook how it may affect us personally; as relationships are hard hit, strained to the max, loss of character then faith, disbelieving that it could happen here, to each of us.

We have a lengthy, recent history of frauds perpetrated by individuals and companies, but whatever the name they all have in common the drastic financial effect on innocent people; who, suddenly find themselves on an involuntarily trip down harm's way. We must begin to face the reality that some form of financial fraud is occurring under our noses now, even though ethical procedures and policies are in place "acting" as preventatives.

Every company, every college classroom, every club, society and association can benefit by knowing what fraud is, how it happens, why it happens and how to avoid it. Financial Fraud Deja Vu, keeps coming 'round and 'round.

Email Marketing - A Powerful Tool for Any Business

When it comes to marketing today, the Internet is by far the most sought after platform, as companies and businesses acknowledged the fact that consumers are no longer using traditional outlets to search for products or services, but are solely relying on the Internet. And even within this field, there had been many discoveries and marketing strategy approaches, from bulk email marketing to social media and banner promotion, all in the attempt of catching the eye of the consumer and attracting him. Email marketing has been among the very first types of Internet marketing and has allowed companies to advertise their products and services quickly and in a targeted manner. However, as social media platforms appeared and became amazingly popular among consumers, many turned their attention in that direction and didn't want to buy email lists anymore and promote their business that way. Nevertheless, social platform advertising, as enticing as it may have seemed at the beginning, failed to convert into sales, which determined many companies to come back to email marketing and resort to steady support, such as companies that offer email data and software.

There are many benefits to bulk email marketing and it has been proven to be a very powerful tool that still works, regardless of the many changes that have occurred in the online world, consumer behavior and market trends. One of the greatest advantages of this type of marketing is that the email hits the customers' inbox instantly, which means fast promotion and quick generation of sales. Furthermore, if you buy email lists in bulk, you are able to advertise your products and services to thousands of potential customers, not to mention that it is a very inexpensive manner to build and maintain a large contact database for your company. Last year, 90% of all major companies online made use of email promotion for branding and the results were more than satisfactory. By using email lists, companies were able to target consumers by state or city and even promote their business internationally, which significantly helped with performance improvement.

It is very important for companies that choose to buy email lists and take advantage of the great opportunities that bulk email marketing offers to find a reliable and professional email data and software provider, in order to benefit from fresh and updated lists with outstanding deliverable data. It is also essential for the lists to include not only the email address, name, city and state of the targeted consumer, but also IP address, website source, verification date and time, in order for companies to make sure they are using new, fresh data, compiled from live feed. There are several such providers on the web and companies should do a thorough research before choosing to collaborate with one or another, as email marketing seems to be here to stay and this collaboration might turn into a long term partnership, which is why it's so important to find a good provider.

Source: http://emailflow.com

5 quick-hit history facts about the 4th of July, aka Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July! Happy birthday to the United States of America!

It's been 238 years since the founding fathers declared independence from Great Britain and formed a country of 13 colonies.

You know that, of course. But it's been a while since history class. So here's a quick-hit history lesson on the holiday.

We should be celebrating on July 2.

Representatives of the 13 colonies, called the Second Continental Congress, actually voted on July 2, 1776, in Philadelphia to declare independence.

John Adams believed that day would be marked with celebrations throughout the nation's history.

But it wasn't until two days later that a congressional committee approved the final draft. And it wasn't until Aug. 2 that delegates signed the document.

But when it went to the printer, July 4 was affixed in big letters at the top of broadsheets. 

You probably haven't memorized the first line.

Thomas Jefferson, a Virginian delegate who became the nation's third president, wrote the declaration as a formal explanation of why the colonies should secede in June 1776. Adams, later the second U.S. president, and Benjamin Franklin edited.

Its first sentence is a doozy:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

The second sentence is a much catchier – and better known: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The Revolutionary War started before independence was declared.

The declaration did not kick off the Revolutionary War.

The battles of Lexington and Concord, in April 1775 in Massachusetts, achieved that. (That's when Paul Revere made his midnight ride.) Though at that point, most colonists still hoped for reconciliation with Britain.

The Constitution came a decade later.

During the Revolutionary War -- which eventually involved Spain, France and the Netherlands and ended in 1783 -- the colonies were governed by the Articles of Confederation. In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was created to give a central government more power. (That's the "We the people" you remember from grade school.)

We don't call it Independence Day.

Why Americans refer to the holiday as simply the Fourth, rather than Independence Day, is a question for the ages. We don't wish our neighbors happy October 31 while trick-or-treating, or a happy Jan. 1 while singing Auld Lang Syne.

At first, the new country hardly recognized an Independence Day. But after the War of 1812, copies of the Declaration of Independence began circulating again. The deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, may also have helped to promote the idea of July 4 as a date to be celebrated, according to Slate.

Independence Day was officially made a national holiday in 1870, as part of a bill that officially recognized several holidays, including Christmas.

Some history just can't be explained.

Minnesota exports rise 2% to $5 billion in 1Q

Minnesota’s manufactured exports rose 2 percent to $5 billion in the first quarter, though sales to its two biggest markets faltered.

The uptick alleviated worries that the increasingly critical export market might falter as it did during several months last year.

Sales to Minnesota’s top trading partner, Canada, fell 12 percent to $1.2 billion as orders lagged for mineral fuels, machinery, beverages, ore and vehicle parts, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) said Thursday.

Companies such as snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle maker Arctic Cat recently reported that 30 percent of their revenues were negatively affected by Canada’s difficult currency exchange rates. Company officials said the problematic currency translation rate is expected to hurt that company for the rest of this year. But it was not clear from the report by DEED if other companies have similar concerns about Canada.

Minnesota’s second-largest trading partner, China, also bought less during the first quarter. Exports to China fell 2 percent to $523 million.

On the upside, Mexico, Japan, ­Belgium, Germany and Australia gobbled up Minnesota goods at a hearty rate, with percentages increasing from 23 percent to 49 percent from the first quarter of last year.

Mexico, which is Minnesota’s third-largest trading partner, bought $433 million worth of goods, up 49 percent. That increase was driven by an uptick in demand for Minnesota-made machinery, vehicle components and electrical equipment.

Exports have become an increasing part of Minnesota’s economy and helped boost the state’s beleaguered manufacturing sector during and after the Great Recession.

State and civic leaders have pushed small- and medium-size businesses to consider selling their goods overseas and have set up teams to assist them in exploring possible market opportunities. In several cases state officials have set up satellite trade offices in other countries to help Minnesota businesses more easily make connections.

“Minnesota exporters saw strong gains in our traditional markets during the first quarter,” DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben said in a statement. “But they also made headway into newer markets for Minnesota products, with exports growing 11 percent in the Middle East and 16 percent in the Australia-Pacific region.”

Source: http://www.startribune.com

Stop Accepting Advice

According to the weather app it's 57 degrees and mostly cloudy. I was hoping to sit outside, get some work done and soak in some vitamin D.

I looked outside. Not a cloud in the sky and the sun was warm. Obviously the weather app was wrong.

Can you guess where I am right now? Outside on the deck!

I'm glad I didn't take that expert advice at face value.

There is so much expert advice being offered to business owners.

It could be about a "sure fire step-by-step system" that absolutely needs to be followed or you will never fill your next workshop. Or the 5-key elements that every single website must have and if not, don't even bother having a website at all. Or the exact script to use in a sales call because if you don't use it nobody will ever buy anything from you and you will be broke.

Most of these experts, unlike the weather app I was using, know what they are talking about and absolutely offer valuable advice. The question to ask yourself is: is the advice you are being offered right for you AND your business right now?

Did you notice that I highlighted the word AND in that last sentence?

Let me explain. Sometimes there is something that you could do for your business that is exactly right for where you want your business to go, but it doesn't work with who you are or what you are willing to do at that time. Sometimes the reverse is true. Advice is offered to you that works with your schedule, what you want to be doing, how you want to be doing it, but won't yield the results you want.

It's vital that whatever you decide to focus your time and energy on is what's right for you AND your business, and if it's not that you rethink your priorities and shift your plan and expectations so that it does.

Here's a suggestion to help you check in with your own reality and decide what advice to follow and what to let pass you by. Take a few minutes to create a vision for yourself of what you want your business to look like and especially get clear about what you want to be doing on a day-to-day basis.

Once you understand that assess all of your decisions based on that vision and determine if accepting that advice, doing that program, attending that event, marketing in that way is what's right for you and your business.

Source: http://carriegreenecoaching.com/

New Minnesota Zoo exhibit swarms with Big Bugs!

It's going to be buggy this summer at the Minnesota Zoo -- very, very buggy.

The Apple Valley zoo opens its Big Bugs! exhibit Saturday with 13 giant animatronic insects on display along the Northern Trail. The exhibition runs through Labor Day and is included with zoo admission.

The robots were created by Billings Productions, which brought animatronic dinosaurs to the zoo last year. While they are a spectacle, there's an education purpose to the exhibit, too.

Insects are typically an unnoticed and often unwanted part of peoples' lives, and the exhibit tries to open a window into their fascinating world, said Jessica Madole, interpretive program developer.

"We want to highlight the fact that bugs are all around us," Madole said.

Black ants, bombadier beetles, giant devil's flower mantis, orb-weaver spiders, giraffe stag beetle and a jungle nymph walking stick at the Minnesota Zoo.
"When they're this big, you can't ignore them."

Insects pollinate much of our food, break down dead plants and animals and help control the populations of other insects.

"Your breakfast plate would look one-third empty without pollinators," said Erik Runquist, butterfly conservation biologist. The exhibit includes information on how residents can "plant for pollinators" by limiting pesticide use and installing native plants in their landscapes.

The sheer size of the animatronic creatures makes it easier to learn about them as they flap their wings, close their pincers or slurp imaginary nectar. Visitors can even control the movements of a stag beetle and watch a bombardier beetle shoot gas from its backside, although it's technically referred to as the "lower abdomen."

There also are live insects on display both behind glass and in the hands of zoo workers and volunteers. Most of the live bugs are big, too; many come from the warm, wet climate of the South Pacific.

Jamie Ries, bird supervisor, said early visitors to the Big Bugs! exhibit were excited to interact with both the animatronic and real insects.

"It put all the work into perspective," Ries said. "It was the icing on the cake."

Besides their ecological value, Cale Nordmeyer, butterfly conservation specialist, hopes visitors will appreciate insects for their intrinsic value.

"They're beautiful," Nordmeyer said while holding a jungle nymph, a green stick insect about 10 inches long. "That's the whole purpose of this exhibit, to get people to think about bugs."

Christopher Magan can be reached at 651-228-5557. Follow him at twitter.com/chris_magan.

IF YOU GO

The Big Bugs! exhibit opens Saturday and runs through Labor Day. Zoo admission is $18 for adults and $12 for children and seniors. Parking is $7.


Source: http://www.twincities.com

Stunning view of the Americas on Earth Day

Today, April 22, 2014 is Earth Day, and what better way to celebrate than taking a look at our home planet from space.

NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this stunning view of the Americas on Earth Day, April 22, 2014 at 11:45 UTC/7:45 a.m. EDT. The data from GOES-East was made into an image by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

In North America, clouds associated with a cold front stretch from Montreal, Canada, south through the Tennessee Valley, and southwest to southern Texas bringing rain east of the front today. A low pressure area in the Pacific Northwest is expected to bring rainfall in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, stretching into the upper Midwest, according to NOAA's National Weather Service. That low is also expected to bring precipitation north into the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Another Pacific low is moving over southern Nevada and the National Weather Service expects rain from that system to fall in central California, Nevada, and northern Utah.

Near the equator, GOES imagery shows a line of pop up thunderstorms. Those thunderstorms are associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The ITCZ encircles the Earth near the equator.

In South America, convective (rapidly rising air that condenses and forms clouds) thunderstorms pepper Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and northwestern and southeastern Brazil.

GOES satellites provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. Geostationary describes an orbit in which a satellite is always in the same position with respect to the rotating Earth. This allows GOES to hover continuously over one position on Earth's surface, appearing stationary. As a result, GOES provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes.

When Strategies Are Not Strategic

Modern business planning owes it origins to two very different parents.

The first is the obligation to prepare a "Prospectus" when floating a company, outlining the "prospects" of the new venture. Although an early prospectus has little in common with a modern business plan, it might well have contained elements that might find their way into such a plan - a statement of purpose, a "vision" of where the new company intends to be in a few years, an analysis of opportunities and threats, and so on.

A prospectus is primarily a legal and financial document, but it is also a marketing tool to sell the new company to investors. What it is not is a strategy.

The second major influence on business planning is military planning. Many of the early pioneers of business planning were professional soldiers or naval officers who were retired or who found themselves surplus to requirements between wars. They brought the techniques they had learned in the services into the world of commerce.

There is a saying to the effect that "When amateurs talk about war, they talk about strategy; when professionals talk about war, they talk about logistics."

There is much truth in that. The key to winning wars is less actual fighting than being able to move men and material at short notice and under pressure to the place where they are most needed. The army that does this most effectively will usually win the fighting.

Since professional soldiers devote a great deal of their time and thought to this, they tend to get good at it. Experience has taught them a few simple techniques that are usually very effective in practice. Although there are many famous logistical failures, they are famous because they are exceptional. This is the military efficiency that proved so useful in the private sector.

However, the downside of professional soldiers being good at logistics because they talk about the subject more than strategy is that they are not so good at strategy.

Career soldiers are not necessarily expert strategists. The skills that make them good at logistical detail rarely come with a view of the bigger picture. Experienced commanders have often made elementary strategic errors that even a well-informed amateur would have foreseen and avoided. Whatever one's view of the policies of the West in Iraq and Afghanistan, no one can deny that the implementation of those policies has been full of avoidable strategic errors.

Many of the fine military minds that influenced the development of business planning were characterised by the same combination of logistical skill and strategic blindness.

Here then is the great gap between the two sources of business planning: neither was particularly interested in actual strategy.

Those who could draft a good prospectus might be able to conjure up an enticing picture of how things could be, and those in the military tradition could deal with the nuts and bolts of running a business, but the problem of turning the pretty picture into the nuts and bolts was never addressed.

There were plans and plans but no real strategy.

This original problem has never quite been resolved. One sees it reflected in too many business plans today. They are big on the broad vision and sound on the operational details, but have no strategy to turn one into the other - which, one would have thought, was the whole point of a business plan in the first place!

Long Term Strategy Growth For Your Business

The opportunities that are available to you when you are starting an online business are almost endless. You need to consider all of the factors that go into opening an online business before you do so, however, as that will give you a better opportunity of being successful. What are some of those options that need to be considered and how can you give yourself the running start that is necessary to make a success of your business and to continue to do so for the long term?

One of the first things that you are going to need to do is to make a determination that you will treat your business properly. If you are simply going to treat the business as you would a hobby, it is unlikely that you are going to give it the attention that it needs. Many online businesses tend to fail because they are not given the proper attention, especially when you expect the business to run itself from the start. There may be a time when you can walk away from the business to a certain extent but that is not going to happen until it is established and running properly.

You also need to consider the type of products that you are going to offer to your customers. One popular option is to sell electronic products, such as e-books or software. If you're going to do this, try to narrow the niche of your product to the tightest extent possible. That will help you to reach a very specific audience that will be more interested in what you have to offer. It is also important for you to verify in advance that somebody is looking for what you are selling. That is another problem that many online businesses experience, selling in a market that is not buying.

If you are going to be selling physical items, you should consider everything that is involved. After all, many small businesses do not have the funds that are necessary to stock the items so that they can continually ship them to customers. That is why you should look for dropship suppliers that will house the items for you and ship them once the orders start rolling in. If you find wholesale dropshippers, that would be ideal because they will give you the price that you need along with taking care of your customers through the shipping process.

One other thing that you should consider is the way that you are going to be selling the product or service online. Some people are going to want to start a website or may even sell it through social media and email marketing. Another option that is open to you is to sell your product through an online auction website, such as eBay. Although it does make a difference where you are going to be selling the product, it makes more of a difference that you are consistent in your efforts. Once you decide which way you are going to go, continue to push forward in that direction and you will find it much easier to be successful.

Source: https://www.doba.com/

Tourism At Apostle Islands Brings In $24M, Creates Over 300 Jobs

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A new report shows just how much national parks benefit the local economy.

The National Park Service report from 2012 showed that the 163,419 people that visited the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Bayfiled, Wis. spent a collective $24 million during their visits.

Additionally, 330 jobs were created in surrounding communities.

This was all before the ice caves on Lake Superior were accessible.

“This new report shows that national park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested, and funding generated by national parks has a swift and direct positive impact on local economies,” park superintendent Bob Krumenaker said.

According to the report, visitors spend the most in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores at 39 percent. Lodging and other recreation follow close behind at 27 and 20 percent respectively.

Already this year, more than 60,000 people have visited the caves.

Source: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com

Putting a Plan Into Action

Small business consulting companies offer a wide variety of services. These services can be utilized before a company begins to operate. In order for a business to be successful, there are many things that should be done from the start.

The small business consulting, research, planning and training can be done in any area of the business. A consultant is considered an expert in the area they specialize in. The services and advice they offer are based on experience and knowledge. It is important for a company to work with a consultant that knows what they are doing.

Customer service is probably one of the most important areas of a business. If a company doesn't have customers, then the business ceases to exist. One of the small business consulting services that can be offered focuses on the customer. A consultant can offer customer service training and customer loyalty training. Some people may think there isn't a difference between the two, but the truth is, there is a huge difference. Customer service helps get a business off the ground, and customer loyalty helps keep it that way. To put it bluntly, a customer will pay their payment, but a loyal customer will make their payment on time.

Another important small business consulting service is branding. A consultant can help with the branding of a company, which will create public awareness of the business and their product. When branding is done properly, it can provide consistency in advertising and marketing. Branding can also help a company's product standout against their competition.

Every business needs an excellent leader. Developing good leadership can be obtained with the use of small business consulting. The consultant can provide leadership training, management team development and employee training. All of these things go hand in hand when it comes to having great efficiency. When a company is run by a person with great leadership, this can allow the company to stay ahead of the competition.

Even after small business consulting services have been used and results are obtained, they can still be used as a method of prevention. For example, a company used small business consulting for employee training and leadership development. By continuing to use these services, the company can increase their chances of profitability and growth.

Procurement is another area that can be handled with small business consulting. A company needs to make sure that they are getting the product they asked for at the right price and in the time they need it. Procurement is practically handled on a daily basis. A consultant can help with things such as developing a procurement strategy, cost reduction, and value purchasing. By assessing procurement, a company be assured that they can provide their customers with the product they offer, at a fair price and have it there when they want it.

Small business consulting involves problem solving. Consultants are often referred to as problem solvers. When a company has a problem that arises, it needs to be handled as efficiently and as quickly as possible. Many problems may go unnoticed because the person in charge has a lack of time. A small problem can turn into a huge one very quickly. It is wise for a company to have someone on hand that can address problems as they occur to keep this from happening. If a company has someone to help with potential problems before they even open, this could help them in the future. A business needs to start out with as few problems as possible. A consultant can help with the problematic areas of the company, giving the manager or owner the time they need to focus on other areas of the business.

Small business consulting services can be used either short-term or long-term. It really depends on the nature of the business and how many issues exist. Either way, having a consultant as a right hand man can be very beneficial for any business. Many business fail because due to lack of knowledge and experience. These are two key components that a consultant has. Small business consulting can help a company rise to the top. It can ensure that the company has all of their ducks in a row, so to speak. If a person owns a company that is having issues or if a person is looking to open their business, it would be a wise investment to seek assistance from a small business consultant. By having a consultant on their side, it is sort of like having their own little insurance policy. A consultant can ensure the company that they will do everything to reach the goals the company has set. The company's mission then becomes that of the consultant.

Source: http://rcbryan.com/

The DIY Cyborg

Humanity just made a large, DIY step towards a time when everyone can upgrade themselves towards being a cyborg. Of all places, it happened in the back room of a studio in the post-industrial town of Essen, Germany.

It's there that I met up with biohacker Tim Cannon, and followed along as he got what is likely the first-ever computer chip implant that can record and transmit his biometrical data. Housed in a sealed box with a battery that can be wirelessly charged, it's not a small package. And as we saw, Cannon had it implanted directly under his skin by a fellow biohacking enthusiast, not a doctor, and without anesthesia.

Called the Circadia 1.0, the implant can record data from Cannon's body and transfer it to any Android-powered mobile device. Unlike wearable computers and biometric-recording devices like Fitbit, the subcutaneous device is open-source, and allows the user full control over how data is collected and used.

Read more about Tim over at Motherboard.

More about cyborgs on VICE:

Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water Workshop

Thursday, February 27

Come and see great examples of native gardens, raingardens, and shoreline stabilizations while learning of their benefits at this fun and informative workshop. Learn about resources available to assist residents and community groups with design and installation too. Call 651-480-777 or 952-953-2462 or visit www.BlueThumb.org to learn more.

Source: http://www.ci.apple-valley.mn.us

Are You With the Dumb Money or the Smart Money?

Market observers often divide investors into “smart money” and “dumb money.” Our research shows there may be a way to figure out which group you are in.

The first place to look is prices, which reflect the interaction of smart money and dumb money and may contain valuable information about the proportion of either in the market. In other words, the price knows which category we belong to. The trick is to extract that information.

Consider a simple example of a simple market: betting on a horse race. Say there are two horses, A and B. And there are two types of bettors, smart money and dumb money. We place our bet on horse A because we think it is more likely to win. It turns out that 75 percent of the money is on horse B, and 25 percent is on A. These “prices” can help us learn whether we are more likely to be the dumb money or the smart money.

We want to compare the probability that we are the dumb money given the market price to the probability that we are the smart money given the market price. We can write this as P(dumb|market)/P(smart|market). If this ratio is greater than one, then it is more likely that we are the dumb money. Less than one, we are more likely to be the smart money.
Horse Race

Bayes’ Rule tells us how to figure this out. P(dumb|market)/P(smart|market) = [P(market|dumb)/P(market|smart)] x [P(dumb)/P(smart)]. In words, the odds in favor of us being the dumb money given the market price is the relative likelihood of the market price if we are the dumb money multiplied by the prior odds that we are the dumb money. Notice how we are using the market price -- in this case, the amount bet on each horse -- to help us figure out where we belong. We do this by asking if these prices are more likely to occur if we are dumb or if we are smart.

Suppose we believe that there is much more dumb money than smart money at the track today. If we are dumb money, we’d expect to be betting in the direction of the relatively larger group. Yet we’re in the minority. That’s pretty unlikely to be the case if we’re the dumb money, given our beliefs about the proportion of each type of bettor at the track.

By contrast, if we are smart money, we’d expect to be betting with the minority. And that’s exactly what we see. So [P(market|dumb)/P(market|smart)] <1, which pushes us in the direction of thinking we are the smart money.

Now, turn to the prior odds. Let’s say we are pretty confident that we are smart money. That means [P(dumb)/P(smart)] <1. Overall, combining the two, we think it is more likely that we are the smart money than the dumb money. The market prices helped us figure it out.

We wish we could say that it is this easy to determine in circumstances other than this hypothetical race between two horses. It isn’t.

We need to have pretty accurate beliefs about how much dumb money is in the market. If there is actually much more smart money at the track than dumb money, then these prices are much more likely if we are the dumb money.

Also, it may be hard for us to even consider the possibility that we are the dumb money. Often, the identifying characteristic of members of the dumb group is thinking too strongly that they are the smart money. Are we making that mistake here? If so, it may prevent us from learning that we are the dumb money.

Costanza Rule

There is an episode of the television comedy “Seinfeld” in which George Costanza complains: “My life is the opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have, in every aspect of life, be it something to wear, something to eat ... It’s all been wrong.” Jerry Seinfeld persuades George that the answer to his predicament is to do the opposite of everything he’d normally do. By doing so, George enjoys great success.

Can dumb money also learn that it is dumb and by doing the opposite enjoy the benefits of being smart? The awareness that we are part of the dumb money can lead us to change the direction of our bets: We might go long instead of going short, bet on no default instead of a default, sell Facebook Inc. (FB)’s shares instead of buying them.

Unfortunately, deciding to do the opposite of what one normally does is difficult. After all, George only pulled it off for a single episode.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com

Love Tour

Our annual Valentine event is a perfect way to spend a romantic evening out. This year’s event will again provide a glimpse into the private lives of a variety of animals. From courtship to breeding, our furry, feathered, and scaly, indulge in exotic romantic rituals. For adults only (ages 21 +) the Love Tour is a one of a kind experience. After the tour enjoy a sumptuous dinner with music provided by Café Mélange.
Date:

Friday, February 14
Time:Tours start 5:45 p.m. and run every 15 minutes until 7:15 p.m. (Each tour is approximately one hour).

Dinner seating’s at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Price:

$180.00 per couple

Includes appetizers, tour, and dinner.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Minnesota Zoo’s Conservation Programs.

Source: http://mnzoo.org

Apple Valley Introduction

Apple Valley, a city in Minnesota, is the home of picturesque rolling hills and pristine lake fronts. Located in northwest Dakota County, this community outside the Twin Cities personifies the idea of suburbia, yet the metropolitan luxuries of theater, shopping, and fine dining have barely put a dent in real Midwestern friendliness. It's a city with a swagger, but without the surliness or even the fake smiles found in other cities of its size.
As the hub of the south metro, Apple Valley is easy to find — its scenic landscape leads to a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and priceless public art. Apple Valley has grown rapidly, and some central parts are creaking under the strain of coping with the number of visitors.
With a wealth of iconic sights and neighborhoods to explore, there's enough to fill a visit of minutes, hours, or even a whole day without ever seeing the end. Achieving euphoria is easy in this virtual Xanadu. Be sure to dress warm in the winter, and prepare to cover a lot of ground: the meaning of Apple Valley is only found in movement, from sight to sight, in the pride of tired feet and eyes raised to the sky.

Source: http://wikitravel.org/