Goggles captures business information easily.

On August 24, 2010, the L.A. Times published a photo of a man who had just stolen a  $9,200 Rolex gold watch from Classic Design, a store in the California, Glendale Galleria mall. The Glendale police department requested help in identifying the man in the photo. As this photo circulates the Internet and reaches more and more people, it will likely reach someone who can identify this person and help apprehend him.

Technology probably could in the near future identify this man with the use of Goggles by Google. Although David Petrou, a project lead of Google Goggles, claims that for privacy reasons, Google does not do facial recognition, one could see that it would certainly be helpful in catching criminals.

Currently, the new Goggles software allows cell phone users to snap photos and send them to  Google’s cloud services. Computer vision algorithms organize search results and provide you with  information about what you are seeing. In order for Google to identify the correct information in the picture, it has to compare it with an existing database. They already have 150,000 images for landmarks which give correct results only 50% to 60% of the time. Goggles can also be used with  logos, contact info, artwork, businesses, products, barcodes, or text.

The primary use for Goggles is in language translation,  helping people traveling in foreign countries. The user can photograph signs, menus, and other text related items and the output will be in the users native language. Goggles can translate English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

Given the rapid development of technology in the last fifteen years, one wonders what life will look like in 2030. Will someone have developed the Goggle technology to be accurate 99% of the time?  Will society agree to allow law enforcement officials to  use a perfected facial recognition software in their pursuit of criminals? Will people be able to snap a photo of you and find out instantly where you are from? What does the future hold for us?  What do you think?

Roy W. & Elizabeth E. Simmons Entrepreneurial Center

There are some hidden treasures for business entrepreneurs in Kaysville, Utah. Entrepreneurs have access to a beautiful 16,000-square-foot building and a team of supportive staff to help them with their businesses.

Entrepreneurs are sometimes a disconnected group of people. Entrepreneurs need somewhere to go for support, networking and help without overspending. The Roy W. & Elizabeth E. Simmons Entrepreneurial Center center solves that problem.

The idea for creating this type of center came from the business teachers at the Davis Applied Technology College. They thought that it only made sense to build the center and have the staff supported by the proceeds of renting the building out to various companies and small entrepreneurs who need a small office arrangement without huge overhead fees.

Thanks to a generous donation from the Roy and Elizabeth Simmons, the $2 million dollar building itself is completely paid off and runs using that very business model.

History of Roy and Elizabeth Simmons

One may wonder how these people were able to offer such a generous contribution, so a little background history on this family is helpful. Roy Simmons began a career in banking in 1938. He worked for his father-in-law, L.E. Ellison, at the First National Bank of Layton, Utah. His career in banking skyrocketed and by 1952 he had organized the Bank of Utah. By 1955, he and his partners gained controlling interest in Zion’s First National Bank. Roy was named President and CEO of Zion’s and served until 1990.

This family was able to make significant contributions to the welfare of their community. They created The Simmons Family Foundation which contributed almost $3.5 million to the community. One of their contributions was the Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Trauma and Emergency Services Center at Intermountain Medical Center. It  is a state of the art facility and one of the  largest and best-equipped trauma centers in the area.

Northfront Business Resource Center

Services Provided By The Center

One of the services that they provide is a private consultation for you about any aspect of your business you need help with. They have gone through training to counsel with you and have experience running their own businesses.

This is where the Davis County Chamber of Commerce has their headquarters.

The center provides office space for people to rent and rooms to use for making presentations. There is a beautiful meeting room that has a view of the valley below. It is large enough to hold a hundred people.

The meeting rooms can hold up to 30 people and people are using it all the time. Be sure to find  their schedule of presentations. You may want to attend a meeting.

The administrative staff helps you get oriented to their building and services. They are completely supported by the revenues of the building and are very happy to be there.

For any entrepreneurs in the Utah area, be sure to take time visiting this incredible resource.

Roman Coins Found By Dave Crisp

In April of 2010, Dave Crisp was allowed to use his metal detector to search for metal on a neighbors land.  He started to hear some odd noises from his metal detector and began digging in that area.  As he dug down about a foot, he started to find small coins about the size of a dime.

“I put my hand in, pulled out a bit of clay and there was a little Radial, a little bronze Roman coin. Very, very small, about the size of my fingernail,” said Dave Crisp.  “I’ve been detecting for twenty two years and I’ve never had a hoard before this weekend.” A hoard is two or more coins that are over 300 years old at the time of their discovery.

When he continued digging he could see some sort of pot and more coins. At this point that he made a critical decision to stop digging and notify professional excavators.  He called archaeologists from the Somerset County Council to come out and take a look.  Historians will be able to learn more because these coins were excavated by archaeologists. They were able to photograph and document the process of excavating these coins.  When excavating was completed, they found approximately 350 pounds of Roman coins in a large clay pot.

Roman Coins Found In England

Generally, the landowner and the finder come to some sort of agreement as to what they will do with anything that is found before any metal detecting begins. The country’s laws need to be considered as well. England’s Treasure Act of 1996, states that anything found in the earth that is considered an artifact belongs  to both the land owner and the finder.  They must, however, offer the find for sale to the British Museum at a price determined by the Treasure Valuation Committee.  The value of this particular find has been estimated at around $5 million. The proceeds will be shared by the land owner and Dave Crisp.

Worldwide interest in the historical find has inspired the creation of a documentary. The BBC TV is creating a movie called, “Digging for Britain,” which will be released in August of 2010.

Before you go out and buy yourself a metal detector, be sure to study the laws regulating your finds. There are Federal and State laws that help protect and preserve artifacts. You don’t want to find yourself in jail because you found something and inadvertently broke the law.

Mortgage rates have fallen again to a near record low. You would think that people would be rushing out to refinance their mortgages and to some extent they have been. Applications for refinancing grew by 9.2 percent last week.

The dilemma is that people who would benefit by these lower rates are not the ones that are getting the new loans. With record unemployment rates, people have gotten into the situation where they now don’t qualify for these loans. Even if they have managed somehow to keep  current on all payments due to lenders and credit card companies, their employment history knocks them out of the game.

If you have changed professions, which many people have been forced to do, you need a two year record of proven income to be considered for refinancing. Even with record-low mortgage rates, there just aren’t a lot of qualified borrowers.

Rates From Mortgage Bankers Association

In California, one homeowner has not made a mortgage payment for seven months and has not been subject to foreclosure yet. “We have 19 million vacant housing units in the United States, and I’m afraid it’s going to put some more of them on the market,” says Ted C. Jones, chief economist for Houston-based Stewart Title.

Financial analysts predict that mortgage rates will rise soon over the next week. Mostly because they feel it really can’t go much lower.

Four Major Credit Card Stock Prices

The last five days of growth for Discover Financial Services (DSF), located in Riverwood, Illinois has been well above their credit card competitors, Visa, American Express and Mastercard. Why has this happened? David Nelms, CEO of Discover since 2004 says, “Our very strong results this quarter were driven by a significant improvement in the credit performance of our loyal customer base along with continued solid growth in cardmember spending.”

During the fiscal second quarter, Discover reported a record sales volume at $23 billion. Discover topped their prior year statistics by 6%. Where are the profits coming from?

Discover has three payment services Pulse, an ATM/debit network, Affiliate Banking and Diners Club. Together these services process billions of financial transactions a year.

PULSE is one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks, currently serving more than 4,500 banks, credit unions and savings institutions across the country and they have just partnered with MoneyPass which offers thousands of surcharge-free ATMs. It is now the company’s biggest money maker.

Diners Club International was acquired by Discover in July of 2008. Diners Club card entitles consumers to exclusive savings on travel, dining, and entertainment.

Struggling with the new banking rules which prohibit charging late fees over $25, Discover will be loosing between $80 to $90 million a year. To help make up for that they will be focusing on their consumer banking division to make up for lost profits. They have two bank affiliates, Discover Bank and Bank of New Castle. In addition to the credit card division, they also offer personal and student loans, online savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts.

David Nelms, CEO of Discover Financial Services

With David Nelms as the CEO, this company seems to be doing better and better. In fact, the earnings statement for Mr. Nelms is staggering. For 2009, his salary was $1 Million dollars, restricted stock awards $4,627,613.00, other compensations at $17,150.00 and pension valued at $39,750.00 for a grand total of $5,684,513.00 – over 5 1/2 million dollars a year. Looks like his MBA from Harvard Business school served him well.

The two most significant reasons he gives for the recent improvements have to do with how you and I have improved our credit reliability and continued to use Discover Card for purchases. Some employees from Discover have even suggested ways of making money through the significant rewards program they offer. If you are dedicated to watching your spending and able to actually pay off the monthly balance, you can earn money on what you spend. But that is only for the very self-disciplined spenders. This practice could leave you with nothing more than a huge credit card bill so be wary.

Gulf shores of Alabama

The catastrophic nature of the Gulf spill has affected 14 million residents of the Gulf Coast and could ultimately affect nearby Latin American and Caribbean shores.  Predictions have been made that the spill could reach the Mexican coast by December, followed by Cuba, the Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands.  The Gulf oil spill has far reaching effects beyond the U.S. borders.

Such a huge disaster has everyone wondering why it happened and how we can prevent it from ever happening again.  There are numerous liability issues surrounding the spill. BP’s oil spill cleanup response costs have hit $2.35 billion. It has been speculated that BP could eventually be fined $258 million a day. This would be in addition to payments for cleanup costs and economic damages to businesses.

There is no doubt that the regulatory systems in place for overseeing  offshore oil and drilling failed.  That system is controlled by an agency called the Minerals Management Service (MMS).  It has been reported that they allowed BP to run the oil rig without demonstrating the ability to shut off the flow of gas and oil.

With fingers pointing to the MMS and pressure mounting, the head of the MMS,  Elizabeth Birnbaum, resigned from her position.  Michael R. Bromwich, a former Justice Department prosecutor and inspector general, has been appointed by the President  to  restructure the agency to make it a more effective regulator. There is now an independent commission investigating the Gulf oil spill that has been given subpoena power so that better regulating systems can be developed.

Is the United States accepting help from other nations?  There may be offers made that haven’t been accepted however there are skimming systems and other assets accepted from Mexico, Norway, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. The President has also authorized the use of 17,000 National Guard members to help with the clean up.

Massive efforts by various non-government organizations have been taken to clean birds  drenched in oil. Some question the wisdom in this.  According to German biologist Silvia Gaus, it would have been better if they put the birds to sleep instead of cleaning them since most aren’t likely to survive long term. Experts from other countries also say that this is a better way to treat the animals since they will be suffering liver and kidney failure after ingesting oil.

The economic impact of the oil spill in the Gulf is devastating. The fisheries in the area have been declared as a disaster zone making the seafood-producing states lose money with many businesses failing. Louisiana’s seafood industry supplies up to 40% of the United States’ seafood supply and the price of seafood has risen. Apart from this, wildlife in the area have suffered. Tourism is affected as well since many hotels have reported cancellations in reservations.The toll on a wide variety of human health issues has not even begun to be studied.

Many scientists are hopeful something good will come from this oil catastrophe.  Americans have gained a better appreciation for their environment. We have turned to scientists to help answer the questions of why this even happened and how to prevent it in the future. People  recognize the importance of  a healthy marine ecosystem to our economy, culture and way of life in the Gulf Coast.

Trends For Interest in Writing Press Releases

Over the past two years, interest in writing press releases has decreased according to Google Insights for search. Prior to that there was a considerable amount of interest in press release writing. With the economy improving, interest has picked up a little. Learning how to write a good press release may be the key to whether you and your family dine at McDonald’s'  or at the Outback Steak House.

The benefits of writing a good press release and submitting it to press release websites are numerous. Widespread distribution of your announcements can build relationships, trust and hopefully more revenue. There are many sites that allow you to submit your release and the cost varies from free up to several hundred dollars.

If you follow these basic tips, you can get past writer’s block and start producing something people will want to read.

1. Research your topic.
2. Write professionally. Avoid exaggerations.
3. Answer the question, Why should anyone care?
4. Make your press release timely and unique.
5. Choose to highlight something unusual.
6. Discuss a study or real life example.
7. Clearly state the problem your company solves.
8. Highlight compelling industry trends.
9. Use real life examples.
10. Make the headline a summary.
11. The first paragraph should clarify your news.
12. Use the body of the press release to provide the details.
13. Tie your news release to current events, recent studies, trends and social issues.
14. How does your product or news satisfy desires?
15. If possible, provide a killer news hook for your story.
16. Attach images, videos, links, pdf document or any other materials that enhance your release.
17. Celebrate an anniversary, new president, or new employee.
18. Announce a new product line or service.
19. Promote community events.
20. Write it. Proofread it. Print it. Proof again.

According to www.prweb.com, a popular press release website, Amy Mauzy with Malibu Boats says:

• Building A Lean-To On The Side Of The Shed – Last year, before we moved into our new house, I bought a shed. I really like the shed. It’s nice and big and has plenty of space for all of my tools. I just have one problem -. I also have a lawn mower. …
• Reliability – Is It Just A Feeling? – I have a Saturn. A 2001 Saturn L300 that we bought used in 2004, to be exact. The Saturn is completely paid off. And there ends my list of nice things I have to say about it. Those who have been long-time readers of the blog know that …
• My Get Out Of Debt Success Story – $70000 In Four Years :The Happy … – My Get Out Of Debt Success Story – $70000 In Four Years. Posted by The Happy Rock on May 15, 2007.  The title of the site mentions gaining freedom through personal finance, so it is about time that I share some of our …
• What does getting out of debt “buy” you? :The Happy Rock – What does getting out of debt “buy” you? Posted by The Happy Rock on May 16, 2007. freedom.jpg So we battled for three years to get rid of our $70000 dollars in debt….so what! Here are the benefits that being debt free(besides the …
• comment on 15 ways to establish and improve your credit history … – […] diligence, you can protect your credit rating from adverse affects due to errors, but it is up to you to make sure that they are taken care of […]
• Pay Off Credit Card Debt – Despite unemployment, my husband and I managed to pay off our credit card debt completely.
• DIY Debt Consolidation Options – The quickest way to get out of debt is to never get into debt in the first place. The next quickest way to get out of debt is to throw as much money as possible at your loans until they are gone. Unfortunately, that may not be quick …
• 10 Ways to Pay Your Debt Off Faster – 10 tips to pay your debt down faster and use your money for better things – like growing wealth!
• 5 Key Strategies For Getting Out Of Debt The Happy Rock – Being debt free has been more amazing than I thought, and I want others to be able to share in a similar joy. For those who are trying to get out of debt or entertaining the thought, here is some ammunition. Find Your Passion Finding your passion is my number tip for anything that requires a large amount of energy and commitment.
• If You’re Going to Consolidate Debt Then You Have to Stop Using Credit – When it comes to paying off debt there’s one useful tool that can not only simplify your finances but also reduce the amount of interest you pay. Debt.
• Build an Emergency Fund, Pay Off Debt, or Save for Retirement … – Should You Save for Retirement or Build Up Savings? And What About Debt? What does building up an emergency fund, paying off debt, and saving for retirement.

Feel free to add your debt story here.

Walt Disney, an extraordinary human being, an avid cartoonist and storyteller constantly worked for perfection in every way imaginable. He hired the best artists in the country, often recruiting talent from well known art schools and provided in house training for them. His working environment was more like a college campus, complete with guest artists as instructors.

One night, he gathered his team together and enchanted them by telling the story of Snow White, a three hour ordeal. He acted out each and every character. Although it was a long evening, he was beginning to prepare them psychologically for the two long years ahead of them. Just exactly how Snow White should look and what type of personality she would have, took months and months of discussions. Everything about the production took longer than expected. There were over 150 women interviewed to be the voice of Snow White. Walt would never see the person before her voice was heard so that he would not be influenced in any way with her appearance.

The creation of the seven dwarfs was also a time consuming project. Each dwarf needed to be a character with their own peculiarities and distinct personalities. Months were spent on names, what people each dwarf would be based on and what voices they would have.

The film was completed and shown for the first time to a private group. The audience’s reaction was highly favorable. Walt Disney’s four year-old daughter Diane, had to be escorted out of the movie because she started crying in reaction to some of the scenes. Others cheered, laughed and cried during parts of the movie. People who watched this first screening of Walt Disney’s film, knew that they had just witnessed something that would be historic. Animation had reach an artistic level that was previously unknown.

The love for Snow White’s feature film had journalists writing things like, “It was among the genuine artistic achievements of this country.” It was the story of young people overcoming hurdles in an adult world and becoming responsible and mature. It was the story of life and it’s challenges. It is no wonder that so many people loved Snow White, the first Disney Princess.

Snow White, the first full length animated film brought in $6.7 million dollars by May of 1939. It was the highest grossing American film to that point, had run in over 49 countries and had been translated into 10 different languages. It truly set the stage for the birth of many new Disney Princesses to be introduced to generations of fans.

© 2010 Sherry Tingley

Information source = “Walt Disney, The Triumph of The American Imagination,” by Neal Gabler.

Tiffany Wagner - Certified Credit Counselor for AAA Fair Credit Foundation

Generally this help is needed at a time where there isn’t any money left over for additional expenses. Some people seek debt settlement companies. They can negotiate and reduce amounts owed, but they also get into trouble by advising you to stop paying your bills.

Where can you turn to get help from a non-profit organization? The AAA Fair Credit Foundation, founded by Preston Cochrane of Salt Lake City, Utah provides personal financial credit counseling at no charge. They give people help with budgeting and showing them the options they have to improve their lives. They have helped thousands of people learn to live debt free when they practice what the credit counselors advise them to do.

One of their counselors, Tiffany Wagner, was interviewed and gave some good insight into the financial problems many people have and how they overcome them. Read the results of the interview below.

Why Do People Seek Credit Counselors?

Sixty to seventy percent of the people who come in have dug themselves into a hole they feel they can’t crawl out of.  Most people come to see a credit counselor because they don’t budget carefully and they live beyond their means. They don’t know how to manage their money properly. Many people make a decent amount of money or they make enough to live within their means. Their problem is generally a lack of budgeting.

People get into trouble when they think they don’t have enough money and then they start to live off their credit cards.  They haven’t taken a critical look at their budget to see where they could save money. They haven’t identified the expenditures they could live without.

Economic factors like losing a job brings people in. Construction workers seem to be especially hit hard with the lack of building and remodeling going on.

What Are Considered ‘Worst Financial Habits’?

Some people bring in their unopened bills hoping to get help in organization and finding out where they are financially. Some of these bills have been unopened for six months. The consequences of not paying attention to your bills are astounding. Ignoring bills might seem like the most comfortable option but it is never a good strategy for building wealth.

What Are Your Best  Personal Finance Tips?

The best thing we do is to give people a budgeting plan to get themselves out of debt. Their success really depends on the person and  how motivated they are to get out of debt. A lot of people are not willing to give up their life style and cut back on expenses. If they aren’t willing to give up something, whatever it may be for that individual client, then there is not a lot we can do to help them.

When you go to a doctor and get a cancer diagnosis are you going to do anything about it?  Will you seek treatment? Will you change the way you live? What will you do? Financial problems aren’t typically a life or death situation, but there are some similarities. The solution requires you to act and make changes.  Your success depends on what you are willing to do to get yourself out of the situation. A lot of people are not willing to give up anything. If you don’t act on getting your budget within your means, the hole you are digging will get deeper and deeper.

How Many People Take Credit Counseling Advice?

About one out of five people actually do something with the information they are given. They are the people that make credit counseling rewarding. They are the ones who say, I wish I had known about you six months ago.

Where Can I Find A Credit Counselor?

AAA Fair Credit Foundation offers services in forty-four out of 50 states. You can go to their website to find a counselor near you.

The benefits of seeking help can give you a feeling of personal relief and improved family life, by reducing the tension and stress of debt problems. Do something about your problems today.