Calculating Total Return
From USA Today: Figuring Total Return…provides a great math lesson for all of us!
Checking Fees are Getting Worse
USA Today article, sources bankrate.com, for Checking Account Charges Get Nastier…let’s see, so if I don’t keep track of my finances and overdraw my account I will get charged. Duh! Who cares if this fee is at a “near record”. Follow the rules in your account agreement, keep track of your checking account, and don’t get charged. Is that too hard? I don’t think so.
American Made: New CNBC TV Show
A new show, American Made, premieres on CNBC tonight (4/17/06) at 8pm EST. Billed as, “Celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit that drives the nation, “American Made” goes beyond the boardroom to delve into individual perspectives, personalities, and motivations of some of America’s most successful entrepreneurs.” Hmm, in case you didn’t know or forgot, I reviewed the last show I watched on CNBC and wasn’t too favorable in my opinion. (Crappy TV – Jim Cramer’s Mad Money). While I like the daily financial content on CNBC, some of their, shall we say, Prime-time shows, haven’t really enlightened me. Let’s see how this one does.
The first episode of American Made is a profile of Howard Schultz, Chairman of Starbucks. According to CNBC’s press release, “The program traces Schultz’s compelling story from his childhood in the poor housing projects of Brooklyn, N.Y. to running the respected worldwide company that operates coffeehouses in the United States and in over 35 countries outside the U.S. In a series of probing interviews, Schultz and Vanderveldt discuss his strategy for the company, the challenges and the philosophy behind the Starbucks’ success.”
I find this to be a very interesting concept. Learn from some of the best business leaders, how they started and grew to become a very powerful person in the business world. Some of the episodes in the future are going to profile Red McCombs (Clear Channel, former owner of Minnesota Vikings), Christie Hefner (Playboy, daughter of Hugh), John Mackey (Whole Foods) and the Maloof Brothers (owners of The Palms Hotel and Casino and the Sacramento Kings). I really hope that this will be a very insightful learning experience for viewers. Not some 20/20 type interview.
I will be watching, will you?
4/24/06: Anybody notice how annoying the background music is in each segment? Sometimes it gets hard to hear the dialogue.
Personal Finance and Going Green
One thing I have always been fascinated with is the concept of sustainable living. That is to say, buying land, living in a house, “off the grid”. This would include growing your food, solar power, etc.
I happened to be perusing the vast world wide web and found the carnival of the green (22nd edition of carnival of the green). Some very interesting content at these carnivals, at least for me. Perusing the 21st version of the carnival of the green, I came across “How to Green Your Life”. At this point in time, it was the mother lode of information of how to get your toes wet into the “Greener” life.
Most of the 30+ points of how to green your life, actual read like a personal finance site recommending how to make your paycheck last a little longer. Things such as, turn off the lights when you leave a room, or yet my favorite, “Put a brick or plastic bottle of water in your toilet cistern to save water.” Imagine that, by taking a stance to save costs (to achieve the old adage: spend less than you earn), you can actually be making our world a better place (yes, a greener planet is a better place to me)! Maybe, I’m lame, but it put a smile on my face to realize this!