Urkel is back baby! Steve Urkel is really groovin’ in his new video “Cry Baby”. Do The Urkel Dance! Well, actually I think it’s Cee Lo Green doing the singing from his album called The Lady Killer (Deluxe Version). Isn’t he one of the judges on the singing TV show The Voice?
Urkel Does Cry Baby
US Debt Crisis 2011 Causes Panic
In the year of 1929, the United States witnessed the most devastating stock crash in its history. The hopes and dreams of many investors were crushed on “Black Thursday”, October 24, 1929. Desperate citizens would spend a lifetime trying to offset the catastrophic losses. Unfortunately, some never did fully recover.
William C. Durant, a pioneer of General Motors and Chevrolet, was one of the players that lost a great deal in the stock crash. Durant had amassed a fortune from getting credit and creating investments that became very profitable. The stock crash of 1929 was the one gamble that Durant miscalculated severely. After making millions in the car industry and suddenly losing it, he would spend the remaining part of his life managing a bowling alley in Flint, Michigan.
The famous comedian Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers lost virtually all of his savings in the following week after Black Thursday. Groucho was grieved by his financial losses. However, Groucho would always have a joke about it.
Roger Babson, a noted economist, had forewarned investors about the financial storm that was to come. On September 5, 1929, Babson gave a speech saying, “Sooner or later a crash is coming, and it may be terrific.” Babson was indeed correct. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted as much as 12.82% in one day during the crash.
Stocks plunged 512 (4.31%) points on Thursday last week, and 634 points (5.55%) today. The stock drops are starting to resemble the crash of 1929. Economists are trying to refrain from total alarm, but the stock market earthquake is shaking the ground in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere around the world.
The opinion is strongly shared in Europe that the political division in the United States is incurable. A writer of Der Spiegel summed it up: “The U.S. is a country where the system of government has fallen firmly into the hands of the elite.”
Noam Chomsky
Chomsky’s expressed view is exactly what the majority of Americans have asserted, and they are very upset with the way government is being run in Washington. A recent Washington Post poll discovered that 80% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way federal government is being handled. After several weeks of wrangling over the debt ceiling, now the market has dropped precipitously. The carnage continues.
The motto that stockholders are now chanting is sell, sell, sell. The world has lost confidence in President Barack Obama and a dysfunctional government in Washington.
Has the panic of 2011 finally set in? “Sooner or later a crash is coming, and it may be terrific.”
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Great Computer And TV Combo
You’re looking for a new desktop computer and you would like to have HDTV to go with that? Just want the basics and don’t want to invest a fortune in the setup? No problem. Here is a great combo that would be hard to beat for the price. Here’s a video to give it a test drive.
1. Samsung 40″ 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV LN40C630 — For diehard sports fans that are addicted and can’t get enough. Could be the best TV you’ll ever own. (Out of stock? Also at Amazon — Samsung LN40D630 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Black)
The Samsung C630 Series features 1080p picture quality that’s so lifelike, you have to see it to believe it. A 120,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio enhances the brilliant picture with vibrant whites and deep blacks. And if action is your passion, you’ll never miss a piece of it with Samsung Auto Motion Plus 120Hz™. It virtually eliminates blur so nearly every scene is filled with clarity. Take all of that and add our unique Touch of Color™ design which adds a hint of beautiful color to the bezel, and you have one truly remarkable HDTV.
2. Samsung 40″ 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV LN40D550K1F — A cheaper alternative for sports fans on a budget. (In stock. Also at Amazon — Samsung LN40D550 40-Inch 1080p 60Hz LCD HDTV (Black)
ConnectShare Movie lets you watch videos, play music or view photos from a USB drive. Simply plug your USB directly into your Samsung TV’s USB port and watch on the big screen with friends and family.
3. Acer AspireRevo AR3700-U3002 (Also at Amazon — Acer AspireRevo AR3700-U3002 Slim and Compact Desktop – Blue
The AspireRevo is a revolution in computer size, shape, design and affordability. This is an ultra-slim and compact PC that can either stand alone or snap to your monitor, streamlining your personal space while giving you the home infotainment center you always wanted!
Perfect for connecting your HDTV, DVD/Blu-Ray players, gaming systems, and other home theater/entertainment components. You can’t go wrong with this one.
6. Samsung WIS09ABGN LinkStick Wireless LAN Adapter
7. Roku XDS Streaming Player 1080p
8. Logitech Revue Companion Box with Google TV and Keyboard Controller
9. McTiVia Wireless PC or MAC to TV (up to 8 computers)
10. Western Digital WD Elements 3 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
Brazil Counteracts Currency War
The weakened U.S. dollar has firmly affected currency rates in other countries around the world. In Brazil for example, the Super Real has gained 50% over the dollar in the past three years.
While not intending to alarm its foreign trading partners, Brazil has enacted the Buy Brazil Act, which is equivalent to the “Buy American Act”, instated by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.
Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, has initiated several measures, including $16 billion worth of temporary tax cuts for certain sectors.
Brazilian Minister Fernando Pimentel defended the act in a statement: “We’re implementing, with many years of delay, the Buy America Act. That isn’t protectionism”.
The real fear for Pimentel is the increase of imports from China. Brazil faces a painful predicament — while the economy keeps expanding rapidly, imports are outpacing the expansion. This has troubled the Brazilian business community.
The de-industralization of Brazil has concerned officials.
As the U.S. economy appears to be deteriorating back into recession levels, other countries are preparing to jump on the bandwagon to lower their currencies. The currency wars have escalated to a new stage.
Fed Chairman Bernanke addressed the U.S. economic situation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, at a symposium. Bernanke said that if necessary, options would be available to provide additional stimulus. Is Bernanke alluding to hopes of QE3?
Additional stimulus could further contribute to the currency wars. As quoted by Minister Pimentel in the MercoPress: Who can compete with the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve?
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eReader Sales On The Increase
A recent Pew Internet report has confirmed that the market share for eReaders has doubled — from 6% in November of 2010, to 12% in May of 2011.
The report claims that since the beginning of tracking in April 2009, this is the first time that the e-book reader has reached double digit sales in the United States.
What’s an e-book reader? The Amazon Kindle
are basic examples, while there are many other types of eReaders on the market. The e-book reader is primarily a portable electronic device which is designed to read electronic books, newspapers, and periodicals. The obvious advantages of the reader over a book are weight, convenience, and portability.
Tablet computers such as the iPad, have not been selling as well as eReaders in the previous months. There was a difference of four percentage points in the report. However, this does not imply at all that the iPad is not selling well, because it has become a very hot seller for Apple. It simply means that more eReaders are being sold than tablets.
The eReader price wars are bound to weigh in on the sales of the reading device. Price drops have continued, most likely due to the posing threat of the digital tablet. Barnes & Noble recently announced the price drop of the Nook, with Amazon quickly responding to the challenge.
The iPad could potentially become a major problem for Amazon. While the iPad is still fairly expensive, its versatility is very attractive to buyers. The price difference between the two could prove to be an advantage for the Kindle
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Three Tips To Make Your Computer Faster
You are enjoying the day browsing online, but for some odd reason your computer won’t let you on Facebook. Sometimes it lets you on Facebook and you keep getting pop-up dialog boxes. Your laptop just simply refuses to work with Facebook anymore. Is your computer operating too slowly?
Here are three tips that are guaranteed to make your personal computer much faster:
Download and install Google Chrome
1. Why use Google Chrome? There are many reasons to use Google Chrome, and for many the number one reason is speed. If you have used Internet Explorer during your computer experiences, you’ll be delighted to know that there is an alternative available — a faster alternative. It’s called Google Chrome and it’s free for the download.
I’m not knocking Microsoft Internet Explorer at all, in fact you can use both web browsers using separate windows. There may be some instances where Internet Explorer works better for you. If you spend a lot of time on Facebook and are not pleased with performance, I strongly suggest that you try Google Chrome. It works!
The Google Chrome browser helps load pages more quickly. There is a big difference. At first it may seem a little awkward if you’re used to IE, but you can work with both browsers until you get the feel of Google Chrome.
Delete files using Disk Cleanup
2. You should delete your files using Disk Cleanup at least once a day. Unnecessary files can take a toll on your computer’s speed, especially storing photos on your hard drive. If you aren’t sure how to get to this, follow these steps:
Start → Accessories → System Tools → Disk Cleanup
After opening Disk Cleanup, check mark the files that you wish to clean. Most of these files aren’t necessary to keep and can be erased, but if there is reason to keep them don’t check mark them. Take caution and read the descriptions to know what files you’re trashing.
Once check marking the files you wish to clean, hit OK and then hit Delete Files. And you’re done. Since deleting your files often is recommended, you might want to right click on Disk Cleanup from the start menu and click on “Pin to Start Menu” or “Pin to Taskbar” for easier access to it.
Store files using a Flash Drive
3. Having too many files on your computer can really drag your system down. You can free up space on your hard drive by transferring your files to a flash drive.
Saving your files to a flash drive is an easy process. All you need to do is plug in your flash drive to the computer, select the files you want to transfer (multiple files can be selected at a time by holding down the ctrl key and clicking on the files), right click on them, hover over Send To, and hit Removable Disk (make sure you send it to the drive being used by your flash drive and not some other device). Once you send your files to a flash drive you can delete them off your computer by right clicking on them and hitting Delete.
Putting your files on a flash drive not only speeds up your computer, but also keeps your files safe if your computer crashes or gets a virus. It’s also handy to have them on a flash drive to access them from other computers.
There is another option for storing files if you are always on the run and you have hundreds of files that need a home. That option is called Amazon Cloud Drive
Amazon allows you to store all of your files on the cloud. This includes: pictures, music, videos, documents and more. Your cloud will come with 5 GB of free storage—enough space to store up to 1000 songs. There is no charge for the service at this time. Upgrades come with a fee but the prices are very reasonable.
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A Closer Look At Cybercrime
Mikko Hypponen: Fighting viruses, defending the net
It’s been 25 years since the first PC virus (Brain A) hit the net, and what was once an annoyance has become a sophisticated tool for crime and espionage. Computer security expert Mikko Hyppönen tells us how we can stop these new viruses from threatening the internet as we know it.
The Future Of The Long Tail Strategy
Reflections on the idea of The Long Tail. The concept was made popular by Chris Anderson, the editor of Wired Magazine and the author of Long Tail, The, Revised and Updated Edition: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
There are a few key points that Anderson makes throughout the book. Basically, the main theme analyzes the one-hit culture and the general trend to move away from that culture. The hypothesis that Anderson has brought to the table has proven to be valid.
Eric Schmidt of Google argues that the vast majority of revenue remains in the head. Schmidt said in an interview — “You need the head and the tail to make the model work.”
Anderson studiously suggests that there is limited shelf space at retail stores, limited hours of programming on TV, and limited movie choices at theaters. The ethos of the average consumer has always focused on the idea that if a bulky box store doesn’t carry a product, then the product is somehow not worthy of consideration. That’s not the case in the Long Tail world.
Nevertheless, what if there is a demand for products that do not set on the shelves of big box stores? It’s not infrequent to see niche products that find their way into the marketplace on a daily basis.
On television, e.g., you have reality singing programs that are incredibly popular. The performers are usually not that well known, and are normally categorized in a niche role.
American Idol, a program which seeks new solo recording artists, has become one of the most popular series in the history of American television. Again, it’s all about the niche game. While American Idol
This is what Anderson is referring to; the ongoing quest to find new material. The internet culture offers technology that provides the audience with a rich variety of alternatives. Scarcity is no longer an issue. While some would find this wide array of choices a bit overwhelming, the majority of consumers today strongly desire to sift through thousands of opportunities.
The one-niche product is the new standard. The niche product doesn’t have to be embraced by every circle. And why should it?
Take a look at iTunes, RealNetworks
, Netflix, Yahoo!
, and Amazon
As Anderson distinctly points out in his works, liquidity is the key factor. If you want to write a book, Amazon now offers a service to self-publish your book. It’s that easy. If you want to record a hit song, iTunes makes it possible for you to do just that. If you want to deliver your talent to the world, simply grab a camera and showcase your performance in a YouTube video.
The psychology of selling is as unique as the Long Tail concept itself. Just look at campaigns that are used today to sell products. For instance, you have the popular author Seth Godin
As reported by All Things D, you have Amazon practically giving away Lady Gaga’s album, Born This Way
What’s happening here? Amazon is promoting one of its products, the Amazon Cloud Player
While some areas of the music industry have suffered by the internet age, other areas have flourished. There’s no question about it, sometimes the competition can be brutally fierce.
The future of the Long Tail business strategy continues to be about having more of less…
Weibo: China's Style Of Tweeting
Sina Weibo literally means “Sina microblogging” in the Chinese language. More commonly called Weibo, it claims 90% of the market share and includes more than 140 million users. Weibo is the most popular microblogging site in China.
Weibo is very similar to Twitter. Some call it a hybrid between Twitter and Facebook. You can share your intimate information with 140 Chinese characters. Some Weibo sites have photos and videos.
Weibo was launched in August of 2009 by the SINA Corporation (NASDAQ:SINA). SINA is an online media company and MVAS provider in the People’s Republic of China and for the global Chinese communities.
By August of 2010, there were 466 mainstream news agencies and 41 government departments that used Weibo.
China’s Weibo has become as popular as Twitter and Facebook has in the United States. Weibo claims 56.5% of the market share of active users, competing with Tencent and Baidu. Weibo has 5,000 companies and 2,700 media organizations that have climbed aboard.
To give an example how rapidly social media has spread around the world, Weibo had reached 40 million users in a little more than a year. No other media can even come close to this powerful stream of social networking.
To those who argue that China has not yet won the battle over censorship, social media has begun to break down those gigantic barriers hidden behind the Great Wall. The high-speed train crash in Wenzhou (Zhejiang province) in July proved that the censhorship bastion can be shattered into a million pieces.
Social media has even created an impact on the Communist Party in China, and has adequately affected the media. Citizen journalism has become quite a competitor to traditional jornalism because of the speed and the sheer volume of netizens on any given day. Since the train crash occurred, 26 million posts have been made about it!
We have finally reached golden the age of microblogging, the magnifying glass that has effectively eroded Chinese censorship.
Protecting Children Or Spy Bill?
The Protecting Children from Internet Pornographers Act of 2011 (H.R. 1981) will require ISP companies to store internet data for up to a year. The proposition is that the act would protect children from pornographers. The House panel has already approved the bill.
The ISP snooping bill will give access to your emails, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, IP addresses, and who knows what else is on the list.
Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) sponsored H.R. 1981.
Opponents believe that the law would permit the U.S. government to further become a police state. This is another move by Congress to initiate an extension of power on Americans’ right to privacy.
Retrieving public data isn’t necessarily a recent advancement. For years the government has obtained information from your social security card, your phone bill, drivers license, etc. There have been tools in place for some time now.
Laws were enacted when George W. Bush was in office to obstruct terrorism, only now they’re saying it’s to protect the community from child pornography. The truth is — the Patriot Act was going to die this year if nothing was done about it, and now government has just extended the same policy. U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren voted against the measure.
Whatever the case may be, Big Brother has been listening more than you think.
You would expect the military to gather intelligence when there is a real threat to the nation. Is spying on innocent citizens helpful or healthy for the nation? Who’s going to pay for all of the manpower and equipment? The debt ceiling nation?
Wired Magazine gave us clues about expenses in 2007:
Despite its ease of use, the new technology is proving more expensive than a traditional wiretap. Telecoms charge the government an average of $2,200 for a 30-day CALEA wiretap, while a traditional intercept costs only $250, according to the Justice Department inspector general. A federal wiretap order in 2006 cost taxpayers $67,000 on average, according to the most recent U.S. Court wiretap report.
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