Chief Prognosticator

Computers and simulation programs are becoming more and more powerful. What’s the apex for this field of engineering and computer science? Computers which can model the real world, in real time! Think of it as one step away from The Matrix.

Here’s a great example. Flomerics, a leading computer simulation engineering firm which specializes in fluid flow and heat transfer simulations (some of the hardest stuff around!), recently used their powerful FLOVENT software to model the effects of wingsuits used for base jumping. This sort of software is not just cool but is extremely valuable too. Companies use it to figure out stuff from how to cool computer processors and electronics to how to build better skyscrapers (which are under extreme wind pressure constantly). Amazing!

OK, liked my list of countries with gasoline cheaper than it is in the US? No, it made you angry? Me too — especially since China was only around $3 a gallon. But here is something to make you feel better (if you live in the USA) — a list of countries that pay more, a lot more, than the US for gasoline:

Look its a horrible situation to be in — you figure out one day that no matter how hard you try, you can’t pay your bills and won’t be able to dig yourself out of debt. Whether its due to a job loss or a bad sub-prime mortgage deal, you too can find yourself facing bankruptcy. So what can you do? Panic? Sure, but that won’t solve anything. What you needs is someone like Richard S. Feinsilver, ESQ, a bankruptcy and debt consolidation expert. Learning about the bankruptcy and real estate process is the first step to finding your way back on track. If you find yourself in this situation, visit the website of an expert like Richard S. Feinsilver, ESQ, New York debt consolidation and bankruptcy guru and get back control of your finances and life!

When you think about it — the minimum wage rate has really taken a beating as compared to the price of a gallon of gas. If you are making minimum wage and must drive 15 miles to work, you could lose almost one hour of wages after taxes! Think about it!

The federal minimum wage in the United States has been $5.85 per hour since July 2007. In that time, the price of a gallon of gas has increased from $2.60 a gallon to over $4.00!

Debt management is not only important for your financial well-being but also your mental health. No seriously — being in debt, whether a little or a lot, can weight heavily on your mind 24 hours a day. This is why Debt Management Plans are crucial when it comes to getting on your feet. A debt management plan is a personal roadmap on how to:

• Keep from increasing your debts. Learn how not to spend more than you make and how to use emergency funds for when you really need them.
• Payoff debts (smaller ones first / highest interest ones first). When reducing your debt, you need to do it in a strategic manner. Payoff the highest interest debts first. If they are all the same interest rate, go for the smallest balance one first. This way you feel a sense of accomplishment sooner when its paid off.
• Work towards a debt-free life. Live the plan and slowly see your debt erased. It won’t be overnight and it won’t be easy but you can do it if your stick to the plan.
• Learn not to get into debt again! Learn how not to live beyond your means and how to use savings to put away money for life’s unexpected moments.

Sounds great right? Well I should know about this stuff. I’ve been in debt before and it was not fun at all. It really would be something I’d think about at night. You can’t live in debt for long without it taking a toll — get a plan and live it. Its the only way to get debt free and stay that way for the rest of your life.

Do big numbers scare you? If so, stop reading right now!

Ok, I just read this scary article on CNN Money titled “The 44th president’s $4 trillion headache” and it gave me the creeps. The $4 trillions comes from two major tax issues the next president will have to face. The first is the 2001 and 2003 “temporary” tax cuts that Bush signed. Those are set to expire soon which means that taxes will go up to where they were before. If the president makes those cuts permanent…. poof! $2 Trillion in debt over the next 10 years. And the other $2 Trillion? That’s the projected cost to fix the AMT (Alternate Minimum Tax) — that sneaky little part of the code which is now haunting millions of middle class taxpayers. To fix it back to where it should be — preventing the super-wealthy from not paying any taxes — will mean a $2 trillion shortfall over the same period.

Does it ever make sense to make extra payments on your mortgage? Well according to a Consumer Reports article I read today, it doesn’t. They compared paying $100 extra every month versus investing $100 a month in the S&P500 INDEX. What happened? Well if you looked at 15 year rolling periods, the stocks outperformed the prepayment return on your money 100% of the time! That’s food for thought.

I can think of a hundreds different scenarios where you would want to track someone or something on GPS. Now imagine being able to do this from the comfort of your own computer or other web-enabled device. LiveViewGPS offers real time GPS tracking of vehicles for business and personal application. The movement is updated every 10 seconds which means you can track things with both ease and precision. From teenage kids to entire transportation fleets, live GPS tracking is like a dream come true. This advanced technology is easy to use and will pay for itself in peace of mind and cost savings in no time. Check it out.

Pop quiz — when do you think about car rental? On as vacation? Yes. On a business trip? Sure. What about a long weekend? No? Well its a good idea worth considering. Just check out the cars available from advantage.com. They are having a special offer — up to a 50% discount on Luxury and Convertible car rentals. Think about it — rent a convertible in your hometown for the long weekend. It’s like a mini-vacation — people will wonder if you’ve won the lottery or something.

Advantage Rent-a-Car has great offers in your hometown and the best vacation spots around the country. Imagine a trip to Vegas where you have your own Escallade or Lambo! Too big? OK, well check out their Special Offers page and find deals as low as $1 a day in Florida. Wherever it is you’re headed or if you are staying local, Advantage has must-see deals on great rental cars.