Chief Prognosticator » 2008 » April
Here’s another bold prediction out of the Chief Prognosticator lair — the next Mini-Mac won’t be mini anymore, it will be nano!
With the release of the MacBook Air, the ultra-thin laptop, it only makes sense that the next Mac mini will be a lot smaller. Sure it’s small now, hence the “Mini” tag, but Apple is known for going from Mini to Nano in a blink of an eye. Watch for this prediction to come true!
[Photo from APPLE.COM]
What makes blackjack so interesting? Well part of it is the quick action and big payouts. Another is the chance for being an instant winner by hitting a blackjack on the first two cards. Also blackjack is probably the best odds casino games out there where you are closest to the house. Out of all these great reasons, I think of one more — it’s one of the few games where you can *legally* cheat! How? It’s called card-counting and it’s perfectly legal. If the casinos suspect you of it, they can’t call the police — they can only kick you out.
Did you see the new movie “21″ — it’s loosely based on a true story of a team of card-counters from MIT winning big in Vegas. It was a rather cool movie starring Kevin Spacey. Now Backgammon Masters is capitalizing on the success of the movie by enlisting the MIT “21” Movie Blackjack Team to test their onlie games. The team will try out the system to see how real it comes to the game in person.
It’s this passion for realistic play that has made Backgammon Masters one of the best gaming sites on the web. You can play backgammon, poker and blackjack on their site for free. Give it a try and see what the online backgammon hype is all about. Free fun, available 24/7, which can actually help you get better and make real money once ytou go to Vegas. Yup, online backgammon can make you a better player and have fun while you are doing it!
Here’s a great idea I came up with — how about if Apple Inc. partnered with XM or Sirius Satellite radio? How would it work? Well all the songs you purchased in iTunes would be made available to play on your satellite radio receiver. The music could be streamed live or downloaded (temporarily) on demand to your car and enjoyed. Another feature would be to hear a song on XM, press a button, and buy it with iTunes seamlessly! How about that?
Get an instant loan for between $100 and $1500 in a matter of minutes with PerfectCashAdvance.com. This is how easy it is — you fill out the form online (100% online, no fax, no mail needed!), get approved for a loan, and receive the money the next business day. That’s all it takes for you to get the cash you need when you need it. All you have to do to qualify is — earn at least $1,000 per month and have a bank account that can accept direct deposits (most checking accounts do!). Short term pay day loans are a way to close the cash gap when you are days away from your next paycheck. Don’t take out a cash advance payday loan for longer than a few days or at most a week — otherwise the interest is too much. But as a short term bridge, they are a tool available at your disposal. It can be much better to take out one of these short term loans in a pinch rather than take cash advances on your maxed out credit cards or to draw equity from your home (Trust me — now is not the time to take any equity out of your home!)
Did you know that the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a nearly 4-month high yesterday? How is this possible with all the financial markets turmoil? Is the worst over? Or is this a bounce? Closing at its highest point since Jan. 3, 2008, the Dow has recovered almost all its losses this year. So what’s this all about? I have no idea! Oil is over $115 a barrel and many states now appear to be firmly in recession. How can the market still be so strong? Any ideas?
Doesn’t that sum up everything you’d want in a business data connectivity system? When it comes to telnet and ssh space, there is no more proven leader than Pragma Systems. With 2100 corporate clients in over 62 countries Pragma Systems is a proven leader. Whether you need a Telnet Client system deployed across your enterprise or a custom ssh space for secure data sharing, look no further than the top.
(I wrote this post as I sat in the middle seat of Delta Flight 252 from Mexico City to Atlanta and first published it a month ago. It’s reposted because it’s a really great idea!).I am currently sitting in the most dreaded part of the airplane — the middle seat. Luckily the two people next two me, on my right and on my left, are not overweight. With obesity as an epidemic in America, this is becoming an exception instead of the rule. The middle seat stinks — you don’t have the view of the window seat and you don’t have the space and openness of the aisle seat. On top of that you have a human being 6 inches away from either side of you. You must ask permission to use the toilet and ask permission to adjust the window shade. So what to do to alleviate this problem?
Here’s the best idea I’ve come up with week — Make The Middle Seat A Few Inches Wider!
It has to be possible somehow. And I wouldn’t keep it a secret either. It could be a selling point. I can see the commercials now. “We have no bad seats!”. Publicize it — imagine people might actually be asking for the middle seat. Obese people might be major users of the Middle Seat 2.0. More space for all. Help me spread the word by writing about this or commenting on it. I don’t have contacts with the airlines, but maybe you know someone who does. As always, my ideas on the Chief Prognosticator are free to use — just consider some compensation if the idea is used! The dreaded middle seat could become the best seat on the plane.
What can we say about home health? Well I guess we’ve all heard the adage about indoor air quality being far worse than outdooor (”fresh air”) air quality. But it goes even deeper than that. Do you know that your basement could be making you sick? Yup, wet and damp basements can induce mold growth which can be horrible for your health (and your resale capabilities). Make sure your basement is dry and safe.
The best basement waterproofing companies use the B-Dry® System Wet Basement Waterproofing Process. It’s a proven effective way to lock out moisture and keep basements dry. Wet basements are no fun and can even be dangerous — make sure your home is safe.
Google has made some small progress in providing free wireless Internet blanketing over major American cities. It makes sense for Google to do it — the hardware is cheap, the access is too and they would get the unrestricted ability to show their advertisements on this network. Think of it as the Internet 2.0, one where Google makes all the money! Why haven’t they pushed this initiative more?
It looks like there’s just one city with it — that’s Google home base of Mountain View, California. The hometown gets free WiFi thanks to the Internet giant as a sort of thank you. Now what about more cities?
Information technology provides some of its most potent advantages when its applies to supply chain management and warehouse management. Why? It’s really simple — keeping track of inventory levels, automating the order fulfillment process, and reducing cycle time for reorder. All of them are possible with Cadre Technologies Warehouse Management Software. Their integrated supply chain software program will immediately show results. Imagine being able to take orders of the web and then fulfill them in an automated process. This means better inventory control and quicker turnaround times. It also helps you keep your staff costs down — just think about the applications!
Right now I say that the Blackberry still reins supreme in the mobile email world, especially when it comes to corporate email applications. But here’s an interesting post from the Apple 2.0 blog about how “How the iPhone will get corporate e-mail“. That’s the killer app when it comes to business and how the Blackberry has remained on top. Millions and millions of corporate clients use the Blackberry exclusively and that creates a huge loyal following. The post illustrates how Apple and iPhone seeks to improve it’s corporate email capabilities including reliability.
Here’s some potentially uncommon wisdom to absorb — shop for a credit card like you would for a car. That means doing extensive research, weighing all the costs and benefits, before making a decision. Does this really make sense? Yes! If you use your credit card like I do — to the tune of $10,000 to $50,000 a year, your decision could mean hundreds or thousands of dollars in differences. Visit Credit-Card-Online-Offer to find all the information you need to make an informed decision. They have info on different card offers and also personal credit things like credit scores, credit reports, and credit history. Not only can you learn but you can also ask questions on the site and get direct answers! Be an informed consumer and get the right card for you. It will help you decide whether you need a zero interest credit card (e.g. when you sometimes carry a balance) or a high rewards card (when you pay in full every month).
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Press Release
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It’s not a secret that tastes differ. However, when people search for the proper plastic, they have something in common. Most cardholders look for credit cards that come with low APR. These credit products are the most popular ones, as people want to minimize their expenses associated with credit.
There is no doubt that getting a plastic with low interest rate, you may feel protected against heavy credit card charges. However, sometimes this fact isn’t true, and low rate plastics are not so advantageous as they are supposed to be.
Credit cards with low interest rate are created mostly for people with good or excellent credit history. They are really great for those people who tend to carry a credit balance from month to month. But even these credit products can have pitfalls.
Remember that creditors are not so generous to offer an extremely low interest rate for every cardholder whose credit history id good enough. Read the terms and conditions of low APR cards and you will find out that some interest rates are not so low.
Usually, we are interested in the low interest rate on balance transfers and purchases. But we forget that there is an interest rate for cash advances. And it is rather high in comparison with other rates. So, carrying a low APR plastic, we can mistakenly use it for taking cash withdrawals. And it can cost us a lot.
In fact, there are several traps that can be hidden in the fine print. The fact is that many people don’t read the fine print, and, as a result, they face different financial problems.
If you don’t have enough knowledge about this or that type of credit cards you can visit websites where you can get the necessary information. For example, there are many websites where you can ask any questions about credit cards and get answers to them. Such sites are rather helpful for cardholders, as people can get free credit card advice on these sites.
Buy low and sell high, right? Well its actually impossible over the long run. Can you, or anyone for that matter, time the stock market? Many believe that they can and make large bets with their assets in one way or the other. But the truth of the matter is that unless you have illegal inside knowledge of a major event about to occur, there is little to no chance that you can time the market any better than a total guess. Just like any guess, you can sometimes get it right, but that’s the exception to the rule.
We’ve all heard the management-mumbo-jumbo about team building, but what is it really all about? Is it just getting some people to work together nicely or is there something more. Actually there is a whole science behind team building, one based on sociological, organizational behavior, and management techniques. This is why you should entrust only professionals when it comes to that magic thing called team building. TeamWorx is a management leadership training specialist. They have proven science behind their techniques and are the right professionals to increase your company’s productivity and overall employee satisfaction. Give them a call — they will take it from there!
Should some of these crazy Price-to-Earnings ratio multiples be a sign to someone out there that a stock “might” be overvalued? I mean take Chinese Internet Company Baidu.com. It has a PE ratio of… say it with me… 130! That’s crazy. The company’s market capitalization is somewhere around $8 billion. So what are you getting for that money? A measly $20.9 million in quarterly profits! No that wasn’t a type — not $209 million or $2.09 billion — but $20.9 million bucks! And that makes the company worth $8 billion? Ha! Yet investors seem to keep piling on. Go figure.
What’s so great about EBay Motors? The deals! Have you ever checked out the site? There are great deals on both new and used cars alike. Looking for a limited release car (like the Ford Shelby Cobra) or a great used deal on a luxury ride? Well you can find it there! The only problem is getting the car to your house. It might end up being from a dealership 3000 miles away. So what to do?
This is where National Auto Shipping comes in. With over 10 years experience, they have the nationwide coverage to get your vehicle from anywhere to anywhere. Now that’s a great idea — buy a car anywhere in the country and have it transported to your home or business. Not only to they transport from dealers but from any home or business address. Have multiple cars and are moving cross country? Use National Auto Shipping and only have to travel once yourself. They are fully Insured, Licensed and Bonded auto shipping company so you know your vehicle is in safe hands.
In estimating, PERT is an averaging technique used to estimate the duration or cost of an activity. It is commonly used in project management. The equation is simple:
Estimate = (Pessimistic + ( 4 x Realistic ) + Optimistic ) / 6
This way your different guesses on a task’s duration are taken into account. Let’s say a piece of work could take between 2 to 12 weeks to do, depending on efficiency, skill of resource, and other factors. But the most likely estimate, based on previous experience is 4 weeks. The PERT estimate would be:
(12 + (4 X 4) + 2) / 6 = 5 weeks.
Use 5 weeks and you have hedged your bet a little. This technique is welll accepted in the PM community and can be useful when estimates on tasks vary.
With the U.S housing market in a crunch, now is the best time to scoop up properties for a great deal. The only trick is that you need to be in the position to capitalize on it. If you are in debt or don’t have knowledge about real estate, then you can’t get in on the action. Foreclosures, Repossessions, even 1031 exchange deals can get you great properties with little impact to your financial situation — you just need to know how and be financially solvent. But there still might be time to get with the program. I predict the current housing crunch to last at least through 2009. This means you still have time to educate yourself about real estate transactions and get financially on your feet. There hasn’t been a housing market this bad in decades — it could really be a “once in a lifetime” chance to build a real estate empire. Get on track financially, save a nest eggs for down payments and/or application fees, and learn all you can about real estate and financing. Within a year you too could be ready to buy low (and sell high later). And if you are lucky or smart enough to be in the position to buy now, then all the more power to you!
Here’s an amazing website-slash-service I just randomly found Googling myself…. workFRIENDLY.net! What is it? Well it looks a lot like a search engine but what it does it a lot cooler. Just enter in the URL of a site you want to visit and workFRIENDLY masks it into looking like a MS Word document! Now you can read your favorite websites while at work with reduced chance of getting caught by the boss. There is even a “boss” button to quickly switch out the content. Check it out for yourself!
Will the credit crunch lead to a rise in personal loans? I think it just might. A rise in home foreclosures and bankruptcies will leave many good people with bad credit. But since the world revolves around credit, these folks will need to still be able to get loans to function in society. Personal Loans Pros specialize in providing High Risk Personal Loans to all individuals even those with bad credit. Their Personal Loans are provided through a nationwide network of sources, providing you the most choice and the lowest fees. It’s as simple as that!
What does it take to train business professional effectively in the 21st century? Multi-channel training! What is this? Well this means offering professional training services through multiple avenues and methods, both in real-time and on-demand. Companies like Global Knowledge have this multi-channel strategy done right. Over the web, in training centers, or with on site (your office), they can meet your training needs. From Cisco training to Project Management, they have you covered. Business professionals are hard to nail down for any period of time — to schedule a week of training for an entire group is nearly impossible. This is why a multi-channel strategy works — it enables the training to take place as available!
Do you own a business or are in the position to hire people for your company? Well then you need to seriously consider the services of a criminal background check service like SentryLink. Their service applies to so many industries and services — just try to think of one. Child care at your gym? Yes! Purchasing agent for your corporation? You bet! There are thousands of situations where Criminal Background Checks just makes common sense. SentryLink gives you the ability to view all records for an individual in a single search function. From criminal records to sex offenders, SentryLink has a powerful database to assist you in uncovering the truth before you make a costly mistake. They have over 200 million records in their criminal database. Aside from criminal records, they also have an extensive database of all sorts of important data like driving records, credit reports, and many other pre-employment screening Background Checks. In the age of information technology there is no excuse not to use a Criminal Checks service like this — it just makes plain business sense and can also protect yourself from liability later on. Ah, I bet you didn’t think about the liability aspect, now did you? I saw a perfect example just the other week at my gym — a new prospective member asked the owner if he did background checks on the child care staff. The owner said he didn’t and that was that. He had not even thought about it!
Music has really made a lot with the Internet. I’d say its a match made in heaven. There are MP3, music blogs, lyrics websites, and places to get hip hop news 24/7. The big new thing in free music 2.0 are the music blogs out there like Tha Rap Up and Rawkus, to name a few. Look for leaks, exclusive tracks, and even entire albums to try before you buy!
It’s never to soon to plan for Halloween! No seriously, I absolutely love Halloween. This year Halloween will fall on a Friday which makes it a great time to have a big party! Check out these amazing Costumes online. These Adult Costumes are certainly not for kids! Have I got you inspired to throw a bash this October 31? Well then send out an Evite and mark your calender. And don’t forget to shop for your costume early! You only have like 200 days left to plan it! Whether you buy now or just look for later, check out the site and see things like this:
Photo thanks to InCostume.com.
Have you heard the rumors? Are you ready for the real deal? Well it’s true — Midway and DC have officially announced they are going to release a new video game — Mortal Kombat vs. DC. Imagine being able to take those Mortal Kombat loons and pit them against the World’s Greatest superheroes. Want to watch a clip of game play between Sub-Zero and the Dark Knight? Well check it out here on the Games Radar website. Look for it on the XBox360 and PS3.
Ever been in a pinch? You know the situation — you find yourself short of cash in a serious way and just have no way around it? You could have had a few unexpected expenses before payday or maybe just overspent a little with your debit card. In any case, you need some cash, quick, but just long enough to get your financial house back in order. For the quickest way to cash loans, check out Easy Payday Today on the web. How easy is it? Well in most cases, the process in entirely online, with no forms to fill out and fax in, or prolonged credit investigations. Instead you just use their 128-bit SSL encryption technology and get your loan processed quickly. A payday style loan is not for everyone or for every circumstance, but if you find yourself short a few days before your next pay check, a loan like this can be a great way to close the gap and stay on top of your creditors. If you meet these minimum requirements, you too can be qualified quickly:
- Over 18 years old
- U.S. citizen
- Earn at least $1000 dollars a month
- Have a checking or bank account that accepts receiving direct deposits.
Check out this article from the Times Online website:
Surgeons give hope to blind with successful ‘bionic eye’ operations
Now that’s amazing! And it also means that the future is here (or at least just around the corner) when it comes to the subject of bionics and medical implants. I see a future where organs like the eye, liver, heart, and kidneys can be either grown in the lab to match your body perfectly or augmented with technology in a bionic way. Research continues in the field of cloning and growing (re-growing) specific body parts and organs in the lab. There is even the subject of Neurogenesis which is, get this, the regrowth of human brain neurons! That’s right — regrowing the human brain! Now that’s the next brave step in the direct of human immortality.
You turn on the news and what do we hear about? What are all the celebrity news shows about and even a couple of reality shows on? Drug Rehab! What’s the reason behind this and is it a good or bad thing? Well we all can understand how drug and alcohol abuse can ruin lives and families, but until now it has usually been a family secret, something too painful to talk about. It destroy families and kills thousands of Americans every year, so why was it so taboo? I gues sit has to do with changing cultural norms and it’s the rise of Celeb Addicts and Reality TV which has made the subject less taboo and I’d like to argue that that’s a good thing!
I think the public attention, no matter how misplaced it has been (why the intense focus on celebrities?), has been good in helping people in distress to seek out proper drug rehab care. It has also lead many people in seeking out help using the Internet to connect. The Internet has become a great resource in learning about and locating a Drug Rehab clinic.
With all the media attention, I’d go so far as to bet that most of you actually know the name of some
So there is a bright side to this media and pop culture attention to rehab and that is people in need around the country are able to talk about their problem openly or seek help for a loved one without as much shame as before. Finding a Drug Rehab Clinic with qualified doctors, caregivers and therapists is the first step to recovery and needs to be an informed decision. Use the power of the internet to seek the care needed and take that first step in confidence. Thanks Hollywood! Now go and get the help you or your loved one needs!
So what’s the reason behind the resurgence in gaming? I think it has a lot to do with the amazingness of the current generation of video game consoles. 
Video game sales jumped 51% year over year. Even more amazing has been the resurgence of the the XBox 360 which now is the 2nd highest seller, leaping ahead of the PS3 and fighting against the Nintendo Wii. How many consoles do you own and what’s the biggest attraction for you?
Have you heard about LifeLock? Well maybe you’ve seen one of their advertisements in magazines. You know — it’s the company that protects your identity and helps you in case of theft. Their CEO does the boldest move my publishing this:
My name is Todd Davis
My social security number is 457-55-5462
Yeah, that’s the company! Amazing huh? They even have a $1 Million Service Guarantee which guarantees their product and services against defect. They are experts in protecting your ID and handling everything in case something goes wrong. All these things make LifeLock a winner. It’s wonder they are expanding and hiring. Check out these lifelock jobs. Their great product and the success it has brought them also has brought in high profile partners and clients like US Airways, Heartland Credit Union, and AAA New Jersey Automobile Club just to name a few.
Check out LifeLock, whether you are looking for a job or looking for some serious ID theft protection. Either way it’s a win!
Have you heard of something called Floating Architecture? Floating Architecture is not about floating in the air — no, it’s about floating on water! As land becomes more scarce, architects are looking to the water to create new spaces. Just think about what’s going on in Dubai right now:
So what’s so special about Floating Architecture? Lots! First of all there is the special design techniques and construction to make living on a man-made island seem as stable as living on dry land. Secondly there is the difficulties in pumping water, electricity, and waste water to and from the island. I bet you didn’t know how interesting this is!
It’s really amazing how Las Vegas has become the home of “current superstars” instead of just the place where the washed up go. Although the trend was already in place, it was Celine Dion’s 2002 return to music at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas which made it cool again to be performing in Sin City. Celine’s four year stay on the strip was a record-breaker in both ticket sales and reviews. So who’s the next big start to hit Las Vegas? Cher!
Cher at the Colosseum, the show replacing Celine, will debut on May 6, 2008 and run for at least three years. She will not be performing as many shows as Celine Dion though. This means it will be tough to get Cher Tickets at Caesars Palace without advance planning and notice. Did you know about this yet? Well now you do!
With a career in the limelight of fame for over 43 years (yeah, since her 1965 Sonny and Cher TV show), Cher is one of the biggest stars around. Her stay in Vegas will no doubt be one for the ages. Look for a “farewell tour” probably immediately after it! Who’s coming to Vegas with me?
With so much attention on getting more MPG, some are starting a counter-culture and living it up with low MPG vehicles. The 14 MPG GMC Acadia is one, but will the “death of the SUV” mean the end to giant trucks? No way — those who need or just can afford them will continue to buy them. Just check out this F-650 monster by Ford. Now that’s a giant ride! I think it’s the same with horsepower — we will just not see a decline in the 300, 400, and 500 HP engines out there. No matter how expensive gas gets, people are just not willing to give up these prize machines. Drive them less? Maybe. Abandon them altogether? No way!
It may seem to many non-devotees that the football season just ended with the Superbowl not too long ago, but to true fans it’s been a long dry spell without pro ball. Don’t worry — the NFL Draft is coming up quick, April 26-27 in New York City. Get ready and ramped up by checking out the best nfl picks at addictsports.com. Yes, a new football season is before us… time to get ready!
Well pretty much anything you can think of can be a world record. How about this one — “Backgammon Masters Applies for Guinness Gamer World Record in Farthest Backgammon Dice Toss”. What’s the story here? Well imagine a giant backgammon board about an acre in size and giant games pieces too! Not bad? Well then imagine two world renown backgammon players playing the game from a helicopter about 300 feet in the air above the board! Yeah, that’s crazy.
The two world-champion players will throw the dice from the helicopter onto the “board” and play an entire backgammon match! The winner gets to keep the dice which are valued at over $1000! Amazing, but is it a record? Well that’s really up to Guinness to figure out. If you have a crazy idea for a world record attempt, leave a comment and let me know about it. And if you love backgammon, checkout the links and get the full story on this crazy world record attempt to be. Sports themed world record> attempts seem to be in vogue these days, so what can you think about? How about the furtherest soccer goal kick in the world?
I’ve just read this great post over at Cracked.com titled 10 Scenes of Brutal Violence Guaranteed to Make You Laugh. There are some seriously ridiculous movie scenes here that you don’t want to miss. How about this crazy one from Star Trek… it’s not really “violence” more so than stupidity. Oh Kirk!
Why? Because “Great Sales People — Made not Born!” It is said that great sales people are just born that way. I say “No way!” Sure some people have natural talents and abilities, but for 99% of the people out there working in Sales and Marketing, the skill is one which is learned. In my life, I have come across good sales people, poor sales people, and, sometimes, amazing sales people. The difference between the latter and the other two is nothing less than shocking. In fact, not only do these sales people make a lot of sales, but they do so in a way which the buyer wants to come back for more! No buyers regret here.
What is the one source of real physical wealth? The Stock Market? No way! It works but those bubbles can be deadly. Gold? Nah, that’s so 1800s. What it is? Real Estate. Think about it — when you own land, property or buildings, you own something of real worth. Unlike Gold, all the land out there has already been discovered. Unlike stocks, there is actually a limited supply. Buying and selling real estate has been the single greatest source of wealth for hundreds of years. It’s also one of the few assets which can create a permanent flow of income. When you rent or lease your property, you get paid continuously without having to part with anything! If you want to get started you need to start reading and start saving. Start investing in the one real source of wealth and build your own empire.
If you get hurt at the hands or negligence of someone else, it is right to sue or otherwise seek Accident Compensation? Yes! I think it makes sense as long as you really have a serious claim. It’s all about the old adage — “adding insult to injury” — which resonates strongest for me. If someone else was at fault and has acted negligently, then they should compensate you for your injury.Don’t get me wrong — I am totally against frivolous lawsuits like “hot coffee from McDonald’s” or “donuts made me fat” — but when there is a real basis for claim, then it is your right to do it. I studied law in my Masters degree program and I found the subject fascinating. The logic and philosophy of law can be a thing of beauty.
When you are looking for an accident claim law firm to represent you, look for one that makes claims like “If we don’t win, it costs you nothing”. This means there is little risk for you and the firm might even work harder to win, as opposed to if they are making money by the hour no matter what. Real protection and real compensation — thats what compensatory law can do for you.
Look, I justed signed the petition for Microsoft to keep Windows XP as a released product. Need I say more? What you say? Why? What a silly question to ask…. Oh, let me tell you in the off-chance you don’t know:
No seriously, it really, really does. Let me name a few ways. I have on a new Dell machine I bought in May and it has been a nightmare:
The holy grail for U.S.-based social networking sites has been cracking into the Asian market. You see, although MySpace and Facebook were invented in the U.S. and are wildly popular here, no site has been able to make it in Japan or Korea. Why? Leave it to the simple fact that these Asian markets are some of the most tech-savvy in the world and that they already have their own, home-grown social networking sites.
Using exclusive features to the Korean market, the new MySpace will have:
- Minilog
- Stationary-type backgrounds
- All-Korean text
Will it succed when others have failed? Only time will tell.
Sure the iPod Touch (an extension of the iPhone technology) is hot, but has the screensize reached its limit? No way — just think in 3 dimensions! So what’s next from Apple? Well I think one of my previous predictions can be merged with Apple’s creativity to create something really cool — the iScreen. First read my prediction here on my original Chief Prognosticator blog.
Now think of a pocket sized screen like the iPod Touch, maybe smaller, which you can unfold into a 2×2 array of touch screens! Then the device would play movies on a “large screen” from internal storage or off the Internet. It would be a truly portable 15? video player, less than a quarter of an inch thick!
Sure, $2000 timepieces are a thing of beauty, but what are you going to wear while doing sports? This is where a rugged, durable watch is exactly what you need. When I think rugged and high tech, the one casio watch that comes to mind is the Casio G-Shock. The shocks I’m talking about here are drops, bangs, shakes, and accelerations and the G-Shock handles them better than the rest. Those are some tough watches but they are also severely high tech! The Atomic Timekeeping and Tough Solar Technology features on some models are amazing. Imagine, a watch they never needs batteries and can honesty keep up using just solar power. The on board power gauge tells you how much juice is remaining. Also the watches will never get out of sync thanks to constant calibration using atomic clock radio signals. Brilliant!
Did Sony perform their Risk Management properly? It doesn’t look like it. I’m talking about the demise of the HD-DVD format of high definition home video. Reports are that Sony might have troubles producing enough Blu-Ray disks this year due to increased market demand. When the HD-DVD died, the Blu-Ray format took all the market share. If Sony had of planned for this risk event, they could have had a response plan in place to ramp up production or already have been increasing inventory as the HD-DVD news got worse in the market!
When you run out of ink, which is the cheaper route to follow? Buy new ink or buy a new printer? Ok, that was a little facetious, but you understand my frustration. Ink cartridges can be very expensive and, in the case of home printer, perhaps more expensive than the price you paid for the printer. Here’s a site which can help alleviate your troubles — InkjetDeals.info. What can you find at InkjetDeals.info? Oh not much, JUST the info you need to save up to 80% off your ink cartridge and toner costs! Yeah, that’s a big deal. Find online coupons for inkjet, laser toner and multi-function machine supplies. The site is full of the latest deals on buying ink online. Look at their Inkgrabber Coupons, 123Inkjets Coupons, or any one of the others and see the deepest discounts out there. InkjetDeals.info spends their time scouring the web for the best deals in ink cartridges and then reports on them to you. What’s the cost of this service? Free, of course! Their deals cover all the major printer brands including HP, Canon, Lexmark, Dell, Brother, and Xerox. Check out their Seven Tips for Saving Ink and maximize the ink you already own. When you finally run out, visit InkjetDeals.info and find replacement ink for less!
Have you noticed the total disappearance of HD-DVD advertising? Maybe you haven’t — and that speaks volumes to how popular the format was… Here’s where I caught it. In TV commercials for new home video releases for Hollywood movies, they always end the mini-trailer / promo with a shot where they say “Available on DVD and Blu-Ray everywhere starting December 21″, with maybe an image of the cases of those products. Well up until the demise of the HD-DVD format, that scene always included the third format. Now its totally gone…. funny, huh?
Check out this great site with over 1300 unique content articles — really useful stuff. From must know topics like Hard Drive Removal and Installation to more specialized issues like Understanding Audio HDTV, this site has the information you need. But it goes one step further. If you have a website, you can subscribe and use their articles to generate fresh content for your readers. Their articles are all SEO-friendly, meaning they are easily crawled and indexed — when it comes to improving your search engine results exposure, Web-Articles.info can be your best friend! With hundreds and hundreds of articles to choose from, you have a virtually endless supply of fresh content.
Do you rent your home? Well you could be in for a nasty surprise. Why? The mortgage meltdown crisis! Thousands of Americans around the country are being evicted from their rental home with little notice. Why? Their landlord has defaulted on their mortgage! If they financed the property using questionable methods (adjustable rate mortgage! or worse), then they could be in danger of defaulting. This means you will be kicked out in to the street! Anther scenario which is occurring is that the landlord is informing the resident that their rent is going up…. How much up? Double!!! In these cases the landlord is passing along the cost to the renter… otherwise its “default-city”. This has lead to a novel idea in the renters market — performing a credit check on the landlord, instead of the usual other way around!
That’s the question when it comes to where the next big medical breakthrough will come from. Its easy to think that it will be cooked up in a chemistry or biomedical research lab considering all the scientific breakthroughs we’ve seen from large pharmaceutical companies. But let us not forget the power of nature. Remember the re-discovery of Hoodia in the African plains? Yup that was huge! Now there’s the word just getting out on Emu oil! Yes, the bird. What can Emu oil supposedly do? Well it has been linked to:
- Regrowing Collagen naturally
- Healing external wounds
- Relieving pain when applied
Emu oil can be found in just a few product lines now since its just now breaking into the news. Look for it from Dremu Skin Care. The anti-aging products from dremu can be your secret fountain of youth. You can buy the straight 100% Pure Triple-refined Emu Oil in pure form or a variety of targeted products for different areas like wrinkle-reduction, pain relieve and skin care. Try their all natural moisturizing skin cleanser and add it to your daily routine. They all come with a 60-day money-back guarantee so give it a try now and see the results for yourself.
Have you noticed recently that YouTube is now offering a choice between low-resolution and high-resolution videos?
This option shows up on some videos now:
Quality Setting: Standard High
Cool, huh? I think YouTube is preparing to have it’s content played on home TVs instead of just computer screens. Planning for the jump to living room viewing is what’s going to keep YouTube hot. Maybe Apple TV will catch on and provide higher def outputs.
Halo, Counter-Strike, Rainbow Six 3, Gears of War — these great combat games can keep you in the action for hours at a time. You have the headset, now why not complete the immersion by gearing up with authentic threads. Check out the stuff you can buy from L.A. Police Gear, Inc. This tactical clothing is authentic and awesome. From BDU Pants to Tactical Jackets, they have you covered. The site is secure and the shipping is fast — get ready for your next contest in style with L.A. Police Gear.
Nintendo Wiis have been in short supply ever since launch over a year ago, so what gives? Will Nintendo ever be able to make enough to satisfy demand? Well, actually, they already can! What? If they can make enough of these awesome gaming consoles, why are they still hard to find in the U.S.? Simple — the U.S. dollar sucks! Why would Nintendo sell all their Wiis in the U.S. in exchange for worthless American Dollars, when they can sell more in Europe and Asia for much better exchange rates! Yikes! Now that’s an econ lesson you can take home and cry over.
Why go computer geeks need a blog post devoted to them? Well let’s just say I have a vested interested in this knowledge. If you’ve spent the long winter months inside your room sitting in front of the faint glow of a 22″ LCD computer screen, you probably are looking pretty pale right now. When you head out into the sun this summer (perhaps on your way to the nearest GameStop), make sure you cover up with UV Natural Sunscreens. Containing only natural ingredients, this sunscreen will keep you free of burn. Built-in moisturizers make this all natural zinc sunscreen from uv natrual a great choice to keep you in action.
Hurry… Your Chance to Win an Easy $25 is Ending Soon. I wrote a few months ago about a quick way to win $25. Now here’s a second chance but you only have a few days left to enter this super easy contest:
Check out the contest over at TheGuru.com and read the rules. It’s easy! Just make a post and leave a comment… that’s all it takes. In fact, your looking at my entry in the contest right now! Easy, huh?
When your IT or automation equipment starts to fail, you have two options. First, you can rip it all out and upgrade! That’s fancy but usually expensive and a major capital investment project. The second option is to repair or maintain the existing hardware. This is done usually through the use of spare parts. But what if spare parts are hard to find? That’s where a company like Performance Data Resources comes in. They specialize in providing new and refurbished computer equipment to help you extend your IT and IS infrastructure for years to come. They specialize in IBM AS/400, iSeries and i5 servers and have made it their business cornerstone to only provide the best equipment available from trusted pipelines. Check out just how an affordable IBM iSeries eServer can help your business at Performance Data Resources.
Join the Chief Prognosticator links directory. It’s been open for several months months now and already has around 60 sites listed. As the directory grows, the popularity and PageRank will follow, providing you more traffic and more publicity to your site. Choose from a variety of categories and get your site listed today! It’s free to join with a link exchange. One note, if you have a Blogger accounted pointing to your own URL, the automatic process will not work. You need to click on contact and send me a note and I will add your site myself. Otherwise the process is completely automatic and you will receive an email when your site is approved (less than 24 hours). Join today before the next Google PageRank update and get the full benefit of being listed!
Free information is what the Internet is all about. It is really a paradigm shift in how information is gathered, stored, accessed and shared. Here’s a site I really like to find great articles and “How To” tutorials from — Howto.fm.
Howto.fm is simply that, a site where you will find great “How To” articles. It’s a free article submission service and portal with hundreds and thousands of articles for the perusing and using. Covering diverse topics like “OpenSSH instalation in Red Hat Linux” to “Setting Up An Account with a Stockbroker”, this site has it all. From the simple to the simply complicated, learn how to handle it using Howto.fm.