Amazing how the Occupiers of……. are being misled by the Moveon.org group

I received an email this morning from the folks at Moveon.org. After reading it, I had to provide this comment.

Based on the lack of factual content of this email, I write this blog to try and correct the misinformation presented.

In summary, they are blaming (incorrectly, in my opinion) the bad economy and lack of jobs on Congress. Yet just yesterday, PrezBO punted (or as he’s done in the Senate, voted “present”) on the oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf, basically putting another nail in this economic coffin. To me, he lacks the leadership ability (has never really had any) to pull this country out of the economic recession its in.

Here’s the email-
______________________________________________________________

Dear XXXXXXXXXXXXXX,

They just don’t get it. Ordinary people are rising up and demanding that our country work for the 99%, but Congress is still acting like nothing has changed.

In less than two weeks, the Super Committee will unveil their deficit reduction plan. And instead of focusing on creating jobs and making the rich pay their fair share, all indications are that Congress will once again protect the 1% at the expense of the 99%—unleashing up to $1.2 trillion in vicious, job-killing cuts that could hit Medicare, Social Security, and other programs the middle class relies on.

We’ve got just 12 days left to stop them—and our only chance is massive, coordinated action to let them know we will not stand for more of the same disastrous policies.

So we’re joining with Occupy Wall Street, and progressive allies like SEIU, AFL-CIO, and many more for a “We Are the 99%” day of action on November 17. Together, we’ll demand that Congress and the Super Committee tax Wall Street to create millions of jobs and rebuild our economy for the 99%. But if we’re going to stop this terrible deal, these events need to be big—really big. Can you join us?

I’ll stand up for the 99% on November 17 in XXXXXXXXX.
I can’t make this event, but keep me up-to-date on the campaign.

Democrats on the Super Committee have already offered $500 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, even though Republicans still refuse to raise taxes on the wealthy.1 And any deal that the Super Committee reaches will be incredibly dangerous. Part of the debt ceiling deal this summer was that the Super Committee’s report would get a straight up-or-down vote in both houses of Congress immediately—making it very hard to stop once the train has left the station.

Our plan for November 17 is to hold events at the very places where Congress could be creating jobs to get Americans back to work: crumbling bridges, understaffed schools, and other examples of critical infrastructure in disrepair. We need to remind Congress—and our fellow community members—that there’s plenty of work that needs doing in America, if only Washington would focus on the right things. And we need to show Congress how huge the backlash will be if they push through yet another disastrous deal.

Can you join us in XXXXXXXXXX to stand up for the 99%?

I’ll stand up for the 99% on November 17 in XXXXXXXXX.
I can’t make this event, but keep me up-to-date on the campaign.

Thanks for all you do.

–Lenore, Joan, Ryan, Wes, and the rest of the team

_____________________________________________________________

I hope those that read this recognize the deceit, misinformation and mis-leadings promoted by the Moveon.org group, Michael Moore and the George Soros machinery.

I do not agree with their attempt to turn this country into a socialist republic.

PressBO on raising debt ceiling circa 2006 Amazing idiocity

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America ’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government can not pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America ’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”

— Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006

Why your website needs to be mobile ready!

By Giselle Tsirulnik, Senior Editor at Mobile Marketer

Mobile hacking sets off security gold rush- Rueters Summit

Reuters Summit – Mobile hacking sets off security gold rush

By Leila Abboud and Marie Mawad

PARIS | Wed May 18, 2011 3:38pm IST

(Reuters) – Hackers are increasingly aiming attacks at smartphones, touching off a race among software giants, start-ups and telecom operators seeking to cash in on ways to help consumers protect themselves.

As the previously fragmented smartphone market coalesces around big operating systems like Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android, it has become a more attractive target for hackers seeking to maximise damage with one hit.

That’s creating a big business opportunity for everyone from traditional antivirus players like Intel’s McAfee to mobile operators like France Telecom and handset makers like Nokia.

Market research firm Infonetics forecasts sales of mobile security software will grow 50 percent a year through 2014 to hit $2 billion.

“The mobile security market will one day be bigger than that of computers,” Neil Rimer, co-founder of Geneva-based fund Index Ventures, said at the Reuters Global Technology Summit. “It’s a no-brainer that people will pay to protect their devices, and the market will not be owned by one big player.”

Rimer’s fund has invested in three-year-old start-up Lookout Mobile Security, which has racked up more than 2 million users by selling its software on Google’s Android Market and via partnerships with operators like Verizon.

Hackers attack mobiles in a myriad of ways. They can force phones to send hundreds of texts to paying services, steal account information when a person uses their bank website, or make fake phone calls to long distance numbers.

The `app’ craze in which people download small bits of software to do everything from play games to search movie times has also opened up new opportunities for cyber-criminals to infect phones.

Unlike Apple, which reviews and approves all the offerings on its App Store, Google’s Android Market allows developers to post their apps directly. That more open approach could leave Android more vulnerable to attack, according to security experts.

The first significant security breach hit the Android Market in March when hackers added malicious code, known as a Trojan, to 58 popular apps and quickly infected 250,000 phones. According to a blog post from Google’s Android security head, the company was forced to use its ‘kill switch’ to remotely erase the apps from users’ phones and issued an update to its Android Market to patch the hole the hackers exploited.

A recent study by telecom gear maker Juniper Networks (JNPR.N) found a fourfold increase in malware targeted at Android’s operating system from June last year through January, while overall mobile attacks more than doubled.

“We’ve seen issues on all platforms, Nokia’s Symbian, Apple’s iOS and Android,” said John Hering, Lookout’s founder.

Some industry executives believe that the creators of operating systems bear much of the responsibility to safeguard smartphones.

“The platform itself needs to provide a sufficient level of security then we can help with software,” said Florian Seiche, who heads the European region for Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC.

Meanwhile telecom operators are also trying to take a piece of the mobile security pie. Some 40 telecom operators including Vodafone and TeliaSonera have signed deals with mobile security specialist F-Secure to offer anti-virus software and anti-theft protections to smartphone customers.

“Operators are very interested in offering security as a service to their customers as a way tpo generate revenue and promote customer retention,” explained Sean Obrey, F-Secure’s head of operator business development.

These packages can cost anywhere from 5 to 10 euros a month, said Obrey.

Eric Edelstein, head of Internet and mobile security at France Telecom (FTE.PA) said the group was tailoring its mobile security products and services to its different markets.

The group, which markets its services under the brand name Orange, pre-packages security software on some smartphones in Britain, sends text messages to users with infected phones in Poland, and offers security services to its French customers for 3 to 9 euros a month.

But some think it will take a major virus or worm on mobiles before consumers will be willing to pay extra for security protection on their phones as they do on their personal computers.

“When you start asking them what’s your willingness to pay for a solution, if they’re not a little frightened, their willingness to pay is nothing,” said John Stankey, the head of AT&T’s enterprise business.

AT&T plans to start marketing a security offering to consumers next year, Stankey said at the Reuters summit.

“It’ll take a little time for this to go mass market.”

(Additional reporting by Sinead Carew; Editing by Hans Peters)

Congress Introduces Leasehold Depreciation Legislation

Legislation that would permanently reduce the timeline for depreciating leasehold improvements to 15 years was recently introduced in the 112th Congress. In the House, H.R. 1265 is sponsored by two members of the Committee on Ways and Means, Reps. Jim Gerlach (R–Pa.) and Richard Neal (D–Mass.). In the Senate, S. 687 is sponsored by Senators Kent Conrad (D–N.D.) and John Cornyn (R–Texas).

BOMA continues to work with the Depreciation Fairness Coalition to obtain additional cosponsors for both bills. In today’s uncertain political and economic climate, it is necessary to demonstrate significant support for a permanent reduction to even be considered by congressional leaders. Absent congressional action before year’s end, the 15–year depreciation schedule that is currently in place will revert to 39 years on January 1, 2012.

Thank you to all the BOMA members who met with their U.S. senators and representatives on this important issue during the National Issues Conference. We ask that you please take the time now to follow up with your legislators with a call, email or letter. Please visit the Legislative Action Center at www.boma.org for a sample letter that you can send automatically or copy into a personalized letter or email.

Medicare Part D “Donut hole” gap rebate! Do you get one?

Medicare Part D Coverage Gap “donut hole” Rebate

The Affordable Care Act provides a one-time $250 rebate in 2010 to assist Medicare Part D recipients who have reached their Medicare drug plan’s coverage gap. This payment is not taxable. This payment is not made by the IRS. More information can be found at http://www.medicare.gov.

Employer-Provided Health Coverage — Not Taxable; Reporting is Voluntary for All Employers for 2011 and Small Employers for 2012~~~~ How to eat an elephant (one bite at a time)

Employer-Provided Health Coverage — Not Taxable; Reporting is Voluntary for All Employers for 2011 and Small Employers for 2012

Starting in tax year 2011, the Affordable Care Act requires employers to report the cost of coverage under an employer-sponsored group health plan. To give employers more time to update their payroll systems, Notice 2010-69, issued last fall, made this requirement optional for all employers in 2011. IRS Notice 2011-28 provided further relief for smaller employers filing fewer than 250 W-2 forms by making the reporting requirement optional for them at least for 2012 and continuing this optional treatment for smaller employers until further guidance is issued. Notice 2011-28 also includes information on how to report, what coverage to include and how to determine the cost of the coverage.

The 2011 Form W-2 is available for viewing on IRS.gov. This is the W-2 that most employees will receive in early 2012. The form includes the codes that employers may use to report the cost of coverage under an employer-sponsored group health plan.

This reporting is for informational purposes only, to show employees the value of their health care benefits so they can be more informed consumers. The amount reported does not affect tax liability, as the value of the employer contribution to health coverage continues to be excludible from an employee’s income, and it is not taxable.

For more information, see the 2011 Form W-2, IR-2011-31, Notice 2010-69, Notice 2011-28 and our frequently asked questions.

Learning about Cloud Computing from my friend Kim Komando @ Komando.com

Understanding cloud computing

9/25/2010

Q. Could you explain cloud technology? And what provider do you recommend? What are the plusses and minuses? Thanks.
—Mark from Waterloo, IA, listens to my national radio shown on KXEL 1540 AM

A. The “cloud” is a buzzword that has been around for a number of years. But it is finally going beyond the realm of techies. That means more people are hearing it and wondering what it is.

Simply put, “the cloud” is a fancy term for the Internet. “Cloud computing,” therefore, is computing that happens in the cloud. In other words, the computing takes place on the Internet. It doesn’t take place on your computer. Your computer is just used to view the result.

This actually isn’t a new concept. Back in the old days it was called a client-server system. And many businesses still use this model today.

The idea is that you have one powerful computer called a server. Servers can also be a collection of computers hooked together. It runs all the company’s programs and stores all its data.

Connected to the server are client computers called terminals. These terminals let people access the server. Terminals are inexpensive, basic computers. All they do is access information on the server. They don’t have to process or store much.

The benefit to business is that terminals are inexpensive. You can add as many as you need at little cost. Plus, they don’t store any information. A terminal can die and you don’t lose any data.

This worked fine for business, but it didn’t work well for home computing. Back when personal computers first appeared, there was no Internet. Or at least it wasn’t the Internet we know today.

Remote network connections were incredibly slow. There was no way for a client-server system to exist. So the personal computer became its own stand-alone system. And that’s how we think of personal computers to this day.

Now, however, there is broadband Internet. This means the client-server model is viable again. The Internet acts as the server. And a home computer acts as the terminal. The terminal can actually be any electronic gadget, including a smart phone.

The benefits are the same as they always were. Data processing and storage is done on the Internet. That means you don’t need an expensive stand-alone computer. You just need an inexpensive gadget with a fast Internet connection.

Everything is accomplished online. When the gadget breaks, it is inexpensive to replace. (At least in theory, that is.) And you don’t lose any of your data. Plus, you can access your data from multiple gadgets.

So what are some examples of cloud computing? There are hundreds available. Here are a few common ones.

The most obvious example has been around forever. You probably use it every day. I’m talking about Web-based email.

Then there are office programs like Google Docs and Office Web Apps. These let you create, store and share documents online. You can access the documents from anywhere.

There are full graphics suites. Or places to upload, store and share photos. There are video editors, audio programs and presentation creators popping up.

My advertiser Carbonite is also a cloud computing program. You back up your information remotely. And you can access your data from anywhere.

Another advertiser, Trend Micro, recently launched its Titanium security software. This service moves your security software into the cloud. Trend Micro’s servers scan Web traffic before it gets to your computer. Your computer doesn’t have to process anything.

Some upcoming gadgets are going to use cloud computing principles. Apple TV and Google TV both stream content from the Internet. Content is no longer downloaded before it is played. Current online streaming TV services already do this.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. What I listed above doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. And that is the direction most of the computer industry is headed.

I’ve already explained the pluses of the system. So what about the drawbacks? Well, there are a few unfortunately.

The first one is privacy and security. You are entrusting your information to another party. How do you know the company isn’t going to abuse it? Or how do you know their security procedures are adequate?

I know Carbonite is secure because I’ve checked it out thoroughly. But how can you tell with a random new service? At this point, there is no easy answer. Even Facebook, with 500 million users, has security and privacy issues.

The second concern is one the original client-server model didn’t face. Back in the olden days, terminals were clunky machines that stayed put. And they were wired directly to the server.

These days, our gadgets are usually mobile. We have cellular broadband and Wi-Fi hotspots. That lets us access the Internet from almost anywhere, but not everywhere. So what happens when you can’t connect?

What if your Internet goes down? What if the service’s server is temporarily unavailable? How do you access your data? Unless you have a local file backed up, you’re out of luck.

These are two concerns that will have to be worked out. The prospects are already better than they were a few years ago. I remember Web services going out of business overnight. And security procedures were generally abysmal.

These days Web services tend to be much more stable. And most are implementing proper security. Plus, Internet is available in more places than a few years ago. It remains to be seen how much better things can get.

I recommend giving cloud services a try. They can be incredibly useful. Just take into account the potential drawbacks and plan accordingly.

Cloud computing is just one of many interesting concepts floating around. Here are some other technical concepts you should know about:

A Web site is good for business. But it helps if it shows up in searches. Learn how to get your business a good rank in Google’s search results.
RAID is an option on some desktop computers. It is promoted as a backup solution. Find out what it really is and why you don’t want it.
Larger-capacity hard drives are appearing monthly. But you may not see all the storage space the box promises. Get details on why that happens and find out if it’s a real problem.

How to get your website rated higher on Google- From my friend Kim Komando @ Komando.com

Get your Web site in Google search results

11/9/2010

Q. I run a Website for a small company. My boss would like it to show up higher in Google searches. It should ideally be at or near the top. I talked to a company in California that said it could help. How do I know if it’s legitimate or ripping us off? Do you have any suggestions? Thank you very much.
—Cathy from Indianapolis, IN, listens to my national radio show on WIBC 93.1 FM

A. These days, it isn’t enough for your business to build a Website. You have to rank high in Google searches to attract customers.

This has led to companies specializing in Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. These companies will help you optimize your site so it appears high in Google rankings.

There are a lot of SEO companies out there. The legitimate ones help you set up your Website properly. They then monitor your ranking, Website traffic and other related statistics. And you can get their help with advertising and online marketing.

And then there are the other guys. They try to inflate a Website’s rank artificially by working the system. That can be briefly effective, but Google doesn’t like it. Your Website could be banned from Google entirely.

You need to be very careful when selecting an SEO company. Google doesn’t mess around when it comes to shady SEO practices. Several years back, it dropped car manufacturer BMW from its index. Google said the company used deceptive practices to get good search results.

So, let me give you a little advice for hiring an SEO expert. Rule number one: If a company promises you the top spot for a search, run. No company can absolutely guarantee this claim. Likewise, if a company promises immediate results, look elsewhere. SEO takes time.

As with any decision like this, you need to check references. A legitimate SEO company won’t be afraid to share them with you. Call the references to check that the company is on the up and up.

Whatever you do, do not give a company complete control of your site. Should the business relationship sour, things can get very ugly. You always need to have administrative privileges for your site. The SEO company should have fewer privileges than your company. In other words, you should be able to lock it out if need be.

Likewise, your company needs to maintain the domain name registration. It should also control the Website hosting. Shady SEO companies have been known to damage former clients’ sites. You don’t want your site to go dark—or worse—if you fire the company.

Don’t expect to see flat rates for SEO. A company will want to evaluate your business and its needs. It will do this before quoting a figure. The estimate will be based on a number of things. The search terms you want your site optimized for play a big role. The size of your site and business also factor in.

That said, legitimate SEO services are quite expensive. Some companies spend thousands of dollars a month on SEO. In many markets this can be essential for survival.

I hope all this doesn’t lead you to believe that all SEO experts are shady. There are plenty of ethical ones that will do right by you. But, for many people, SEO is a mystery. And there are plenty of cons who will take advantage of the situation. They give the whole industry a black eye.

Now, I wouldn’t rush to hire an SEO company just yet. You may not need an expert. There are a lot of things you can do on your own. And you can do them for free.

Google keeps its search algorithm closely guarded. This is what determines sites’ rankings in searches. It says that you should design sites for people, not search engines. This means that content is king. If your content doesn’t provide value, you’ll never get good results.

Of course, there’s more you can do than just write content. I’ve covered SEO in the past. Click here for help improving your search rankings. Once you read my handy advice, you should get to work. It can take several months to see changes in your search rankings.

Even if you want to hire an SEO company, be sure to read my tip. You’ll know how to spot shady SEO practices. You’ll also know how to spot a company that isn’t up to the task.

While you’re working on SEO, you should buy Google ads. You can associate your ad with certain keywords. Your company name will appear when people search for those words. This should bring business to your site. It will also help you choose keywords for your site.

The ad price varies by the popularity of the words. Depending on your business, it could be an inexpensive advertising method. Finding little-used keywords can also suggest new business avenues.

Google isn’t the only way to advertise. Social media is on the rise as a marketing platform. Get more information about how to promote your business with social Websites for free.

The money you save on SEO can be used elsewhere. Radio advertising, for example, is a solid investment. Click here to find out more about advertising with my show.

Advertising is essential for any business. But there are other things that need to be done first. Learn more about setting up a business:

Every business needs an online presence. Find out how to make a Website for your business the easy way.
Attracting customers isn’t any good if you don’t get money. Get free billing software for your business.
Not every business is the same. Find out what it takes to build a Website for a musician.

Be careful who you use as hiring manager/contractor….embezzlement could be right around the corner

AJC article Mar 2010 Atrium Fol embezzlement