credit: _Fidelio_
(Is this some sort of sign from Zeus that our crazy American economy is chugging back to life?)
Archive for the ‘Spend Page’ Category
Gourmet ice. You heard it here first.
Monday, January 31st, 2011Here Isn’t An Offer From Groupon: Shares Of Stock!
Saturday, January 29th, 2011“Groupon Inc., which last month rejected a $6 billion takeover offer from Google Inc., isn’t convinced it will sell shares in an initial public offering anytime soon, said Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mason.
The biggest daily deal website’s commitment to proceeding with an IPO this year is ‘less than 100 percent, that’s for sure,’ Mason said in an interview at the Digital-Life-Design conference in Munich. ‘An IPO is something we are considering, but we’re just trying to learn more about the option at this point and understand the benefits and drawbacks.’ ”
What do you think?
Is Groupon missing an opportunity to dominate the market now that it’s turned down a $6 billion buyout from Google AND put off becoming a publicly-traded company? When was the last time you suffered from hesitating? Was hesitating ever the right thing to do?
IRS Blows Minds By Building An App For That (Where “That” = “Your Taxes”)
Friday, January 28th, 2011“Taxpayers waiting on a refund from the Internal Revenue Service can now check on its status using a smartphone.
The application for Apple Inc.’s iPhone and Google Inc.’s Android operating system also will give taxpayers daily tax tips during the filing season, the U.S. tax collection agency said today. Smartphone users may download the “IRS2Go” app for free, the IRS said.”
What do you think?
Would you use an app to check your tax refund status? What will be the next government-made mobile app??
“Women want to tame him, but he has loved once, and now is lost…” Romance Publisher Harlequin Offering Personal Finance Books
Friday, January 28th, 2011
Our Canadian friends at The Globe and Mail reveal the latest trend in financial education:
Making personal finance books pink. You know, so girls will read them.
Harlequin, publisher of such romance classics as Alaskan Heat and Surrender to an Irish Warrior*, has already put out one book (The Frugalista Files: How One Woman Got Out of Debt Without Giving Up the Fabulous Life) and plans to publish more in the future.
Okay, we know men and women spend differently and even think about money differently. But will coloring personal finance books pink and talking about shoes really make finance matter for the ladies?
What do you think?
*Trahern MacEgan—his body is honed for fighting, his soul is black and tortured. Women want to tame him, but he has loved once, and now is lost. – eharlequin.com
India May Eliminate Tax Returns For Salaried Citizens
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
credit: vlima.com
Someone must have heard about the 6.1 billion hours Americans are spending slaving over their tax returns every year, because India is considering whether or not to simplify its tax system and allow roughly 17.5 million taxpayers to skip the tax return filing from now on.
Of course, this break wouldn’t apply to everyone. To qualify, taxpayers would have to be salaried (which means you are paid annually, not hourly, so that your employer and bank can accurately report your earnings to the government), and you must have no additional source of income.
In the U.S., people spend a lot of time trying to reduce their taxes by claiming deductions for things like charitable donations and education expenses. If India eliminates this process for half of its taxpayers, does that mean they don’t offer the same kind of tax breaks?
”Child Labor” at the Ad Agency
Wednesday, January 26th, 2011“JWT, a WPP ad firm that works for advertisers such as Unilever, kicked off a reverse-mentor program late last year where children ages nine to 14 of JWT executives are brought in to work on specific projects for clients, with the thinking that young people understand the digital world better than many in the work force.”
What do you think?
Is this cool or creepy?
From the department of how you spend your time… 6.1 billion hours spent filing taxes every year!
Wednesday, January 26th, 2011Scary stuff. Really makes you appreciate the accounting profession, right?
Have you ever filed your own taxes? How long did it take you?
What Company Logos Are Really Trying to Tell You
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011
You know how things aren’t always what they seem? Well, take a look at these companies’ logos.
A company creates a logo to help you remember their product, but also to make sure you think of it in a certain way – whether you know it or not. This is one of the ways that a company helps build their brand, which is what makes them different from everyone else who’s selling the same thing.
Check out the link to see what we’re talking about!
Filmmaker Kevin Smith Calls For “Indie 2.0” With A New Self-Released Film And A Lot Of Free Publicity
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011“(Reuters) – Film director Kevin Smith has unveiled a plan to self-release his new “Red State” at the Sundance Film Festival, after facing down protesters that brought him publicity money can’t buy.”
What do you think?
Do you think Kevin Smith can bring back the low-budget independent film – now that “indie” has become overrun with expensive actors and spendy producers?
2010 Health Care Law Being Challenged In Congress
Friday, January 21st, 2011
credit: Waldo Jaquith
The health care act of 2010 was revolutionary in its scope, but are its days numbered?
- One of the first things Republican representatives did in the House this year was schedule a vote to repeal the sweeping health care bill passed last year.
- Their effort to repeal the law isn’t likely to succeed, because of the power Democrats currently wield in Washington. But each party has made promises to its constituents, and keeping or destroying the health care bill is at the center of their obligations.
- The official name of the proposal to end the health care act (in the House, anyway) is “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act.”
Facts & Figures
- The health care bill aims to cover 32 million uninsured Americans
- 26% of Americans want to repeal it
- 25% want to repeal select parts of it
- 41% want to keep the law as it is or expand it
What do you think?
How do you feel about the cost of implementing the health care bill? Would you be affected if you could no longer be on your parents’ insurance plan until age 26?