tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68776551279442050112024-02-19T18:06:51.897-06:00All Arkie ArmyA blog to keep up with the goings on of Arkie bloggers (and those with Arkansas ties, too!)HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.comBlogger615125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-15227012925514592682014-01-29T23:17:00.001-06:002014-01-29T23:17:47.833-06:00Doing business in a global economy?<p>There was a time, not long ago, when one could get by just fine in business by knowing only one language. Those times are changing as dealing with clients around the world is becoming more of a norm than the exception.</p> <p>To keep up in such a competitive environment, one can either learn a few languages or get a good interpreter or translator. Keeping those cats on staff can get expensive, so what’s one to do? How about a little outsourcing.</p> <p>That’s right – it can be efficient to get outside companies to handle <strong><a href="http://www.iaflindia.com/" target="_blank">interpretation</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.iaflindia.com/" target="_blank">translation</a></strong>. Let’s say, for example, you want to do some business in the growing market of <strong><a href="http://www.iaflindia.com/" target="_blank">India</a></strong> – interested in a dedicated company that is local to that continent, responds quickly to your needs and can deal with the many languages of that continent?</p> <p>Click on one of the aforementioned links and you’re on your way, ace.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-78529313834688048392014-01-20T02:01:00.001-06:002014-01-20T02:01:40.942-06:00What’s going on with eBay?<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeGpy7zCvFHnOTN3x45tEYUstL5hwClRFVt2_H5hRYIRIlDiKZmeV8D1C7c0xhS4DzWE4K8OjgKpQjmx7z8GO7zfNdvX8gobDIEit663tdwlELSK1CnwNkkiB52c4hWIurhoa6ymrCiI/s1600-h/mzl.yamvwrka%25255B2%25255D.png"><img title="mzl.yamvwrka" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="mzl.yamvwrka" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtybONV-diCdjWTy7UQ91e2T-xch0GnR5qMw5IMwHGHD3ISfdNQKhEUs4_GE4qwDXcyCSbB40h7OIiktGt5GxSBiVRwWtT2KY-tprQvxQrtXCmFcLbije6d51JoB30UxegMpfHWr7Ua4/?imgmax=800" width="204" align="left" height="92" /></a></p> I used to have a lot of fun with eBay, but my experiences with buying and selling over there have been altogether odd lately. Have I just hit a run of bad luck or are things going downhill over there? <strong><a href="http://naturalhawg.blogspot.com/2014/01/come-on-ebay.html" target="_blank">Click here</a></strong> to read on and decide for yourself. HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-21454066228375177762014-01-20T01:30:00.001-06:002014-01-20T01:30:21.843-06:00Grab some New Balance online<p><a href="http://www.schulershoes.com" target="_blank"><img title="logo_1_" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="logo_1_" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKS2kIgiAGM6V47_GSITlJ3Q7ZmsrFQCbvMpJxX3YrCSi234B-6WT-Sf7PEO6EG51yphgJEgymbBQJThOwmaxE_cmjPLTJTQv9BRDhFhO1IN9rO1tmvJkJLlsCTUzw6a9hPASYPnjAmU/?imgmax=800" width="240" align="right" height="105" /></a></p> <p>For years, my athletic shoes of choice have been made by New Balance. Why? They are comfortable, well made, durable and more than a few of them are manufactured here in the United States. Those are all good things, right?</p> <p>Here in central Arkansas, we’ve got a great New Balance store in Little Rock that treats its customers right. However, there are times when it would be nice to simply fire up a Web browser and buy a pair of <strong><a href="http://www.schulershoes.com/Mens" target="_blank">mens New Balance shoes</a></strong> online. You know – browse through all the styles, see the prices, get good deals and all of that.</p> <p>Click the aforementioned link, pilgrim, and you can do just that over at Schuler Shoes. You’ll get good service, the shoes you want and a deal or two. Not bad, huh?</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-60846071287086908342014-01-20T00:46:00.001-06:002014-01-20T00:46:17.803-06:00Your one-stop-shop for mail and telemarketing lists<p><a href="http://www.listgiant.com/" target="_blank"><img title="LG_logo" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="LG_logo" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvuA3AdoDjB70dIq8tFmBbEpf20vQVYWxSvbqKerFFXMe_jTrq647xr0JhdCrjnB9Br58lSPQKH_W_iScW7fPgT8vXuTqkyYh9qeAMuEONBe-s2kgeIZOWE5R13tYnYoxtBujS2G3yLA/?imgmax=800" width="244" align="right" height="97" /></a></p> <p>Let’s say you’ve got a small or medium-sized business and you’ve decided the most efficient way to grow your customer base is through direct mail or telemarketing.</p> <p> Where should you start? How can you focus on the demographic that is most likely to respond to what your company has to offer? How can you get your list quickly? Do you need to speak to an expert who can help meet your needs or do you feel comfortable enough to use an Internet site with some good tools to help you assemble your list or lists?</p> <p>Ready to enjoy the true definition of “bang for the buck” and get up and running in a hurry? Just <a href="http://www.listgiant.com/" target="_blank"><strong>click here</strong></a> and you’re on your way. Hit that link and you’ll find a company that specializes in direct mail and telemarketing links and is available to you whenever you need it.</p> <p>Ready to expand through aggressive, effective marketing? You’ve got the tool to help you achieve your goal – use it.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-30725898072124111352014-01-20T00:27:00.001-06:002014-01-20T00:27:43.459-06:00A good real estate site is a rare thing<p><a href="http://www.cliffstevenson.com/Home.php" target="_blank"><img title="CSG" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="CSG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAosjgV56gBJ16RtOziAhTLEjh7NxMzmIuMqnYIb4qsaspF617Z_UB80RjtdY4JyWWuOOxZrS7YiRrZfab11DhkvTewOPMmuFhG_K8wVfH2lKgccLaFOdqrRE5ZwENIawwNlJ6AUydTs/?imgmax=800" width="204" align="right" height="111" /></a></p> <p>As some of you may know, I’ve worked in the real estate industry in one capacity or another for some time. I’ve seen some great real estate sites that give good information to shoppers using the Internet for information on how to buy and sell a home and I’ve seen some rotten ones, too. A lot of rotten ones, in fact.</p> <p>In fact, trying to find a good real estate site is somewhat difficult for one, simple reason – a lot of agents, for better or worse, view a presence on the Internet as a “back burner” project. They want to have one, but Internet sites are often minor components of larger marketing campaigns.</p> <p>For those shopping for <strong><a href="http://www.cliffstevenson.com" target="_blank">Calgary real estate</a></strong>, however, you’re in luck – just click on the aforementioned link and you’ll see what I mean. Instead of just getting a site that lists off <strong><a href="http://www.cliffstevenson.com" target="_blank">Calgary real estate agents</a></strong>, you’ll find some very useful tools for anyone looking to buy or sell a home. The site is full of useful information, including an MLS search engine that actually works and some great tips that will help sellers position their homes and buyers find what houses they need.</p> <p>Give it a shot, kids, and dig the difference.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-17380762177417801982013-07-08T15:41:00.001-05:002013-07-08T15:41:40.456-05:00Could debt relief help you?<p>It’s no secret that Americans have been having trouble with consumer debt for years now. Want proof? Have a look at the bankruptcy filings in just about any jurisdiction and you’ll find there is no shortage of people who have let their debts rage out of control.</p> <p>Here’s the thing about bankruptcy, however – it can ruin your credit for up to 10 years and all but the most impoverished debtors will wind up having to pay back at least a portion of their debts. There is, however, a very good alternative to bankruptcy – <a href="http://www.debtreliefcenterofamerica.com/Credit-Loans-Miami.htm" target="_blank"><strong>debt relief</strong></a>. </p> <p>What is debt relief? Well, it comes in many forms. There are times when debt relief means simply negotiating payment schedules with creditors. There are still other times when it means taking out a <strong><a href="http://www.debtreliefcenterofamerica.com/" target="_blank">credit loan</a></strong> that will keep the bill collectors at bay. The important thing about debt relief is to find a personalized plan put together by professionals that know what they are doing so that both you and your creditors come up with a plan that works out for everyone.</p> <p>And, here’s something else about going the debt relief route – there are plenty of proven programs out there that will help you not only pay off your debts, but rebuild your credit rating in an acceptable amount of time.</p> <p>Need some help with your debts? Click one of the links in your post for a start.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-89760933889793920082013-06-10T22:50:00.001-05:002013-06-10T22:50:38.856-05:00Music Monday–The Darling Buds<p>A tragically overlooked band, the Darling Buds released three albums and then called it quits in the early 1990s after years of trying to get attention. That’s a shame, too. Let’s see. Plenty of guitar hooks? Check. Pop sensibilities mixed with some edgy guitars? Check. Hot blonde lead singer? Double check. I’m still not sure why this band never caught on with the listening public. Oh, well.</p> <center><iframe height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nYM6Sn70Jh8" frameborder="0" width="480" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></center><center> </center> <div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://theladyjava.com/2008/09/music-monday-just-take-my-heart-when"><img alt="" src="http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo122/LJMisc/MM.png" /></a></div> Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave <span style="font-weight: bold; color: #ff0000">ONLY</span> the <span style="font-weight: bold; color: #ff0000">ACTUAL LINK POST </span>here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at <a href="http://javaura.com/">LadyJava's Lounge</a> Please note these links are <span style="font-weight: bold">STRICTLY</span> for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice. <!-- start InLinkz script --><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=282745"></script><!-- end InLinkz script -->  PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you! HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-53147041570390820102013-06-10T22:36:00.001-05:002013-06-10T22:36:55.749-05:00Need an employment attorney?<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtprJmXd-qMnPhvujBF-y0oBuNJAATjTK_30QrXEhsmV7Y70rwJVfOjf186Mu2KLxee7BZH5GlOGxfMW_fxFQ0Pfw8tVUIYYxFf4n3K6Myl8WzpaQ5Lv57OF32VeyWXBMyVWBz1xP6Pk/s1600-h/gavel_and_justice%25255B42%25255D.jpg"><img title="gavel_and_justice" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="gavel_and_justice" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWMmUZAm5HOOgIBRoyD_sP3iPjmW7Nq4bGU_87NJd3gMSkUm3Ddz6n0tRIA-nIkM27SNCMERBWhbMMKw6soIpRV7cpf1lJZ5cfwBh2JpZxb_RPcWBu5Dq3py-i15ONQT35rH4F5tbchc/?imgmax=800" width="204" height="136" /></a></p> <p>As I’ve mentioned a time or two on this blog, <strong><font color="#000000">The Hawg</font></strong> used to be an attorney. During the four years I spent practicing law, I was witness to plenty of treachery, injustice and downright unethical behavior.</p> <p>Some of the worst cases I saw involved someone getting hurt on the job and then cut loose because, well, they worked for large companies that just kept their employees around until it was no longer convenient.</p> <p>Here’s the thing – if you’ve been hurt on the job through misdeeds or negligence by someone else, you are owed compensation. Some companies will do the right thing by their employees, while others will simply fire them – or at least threaten to do so -- instead of lending a helping hand. Unless you work for a company that looks out for its employees, you will need a good <strong><a href="http://www.gargandassociates.com/Employment-Attorney-The-Woodlands-TX.htm" target="_blank">employment lawyer</a></strong> to get what you are owed.</p> <p>When it comes to employment law, the chances are you’re going to have to have some very good representation, too. When it’s “big guy vs. little guy,” the little guy had better come prepared or get ready to be hammered in court. Where can a wronged employee find competent representation? If you need an employment <strong><a href="http://www.gargandassociates.com/" target="_blank">attorney in Woodlands TX</a></strong> area, you might give Garg and Associates a look – good track record, according to the firm’s Website so check them out.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-36234645229317258152013-04-25T00:31:00.001-05:002013-04-25T00:31:31.282-05:00Ubuntu 13.04 due out today<p><a href="http://www.ubuntu.com/" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="http://firstarkansasnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ubuntu.png" /></a></p> <p>That's right, Linux fans – a <strong><a href="http://firstarkansasnews.net/2013/04/ubuntu-13-04-due-out-on-thursday/" target="_blank">new version</a></strong> of Ubuntu is due out today.</p> <p>If you already have Ubuntu, your system should tell you when the update is available. If not, launch the update manager in Ubuntu and it will search for the new operating system for you.</p> <p>If you simply want to switch to Ubuntu, head over to <strong><a href="http://ubuntu.com" target="_blank">Ubuntu.com</a></strong>, hit the download tab and follow the directions. Bear in mind that you can have Ubuntu running alongside your current operating system or you can put it on a USB drive or DVD so you can test drive it instead of installing it on your system.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-65652853873520513272013-04-24T23:12:00.001-05:002013-04-24T23:12:03.674-05:00Is your Internet site really helping your business?<p><a href="http://www.speak2leads.com/" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="speaktoleads" border="0" alt="speaktoleads" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMic8rZmpl5v0k3jp_Raw7lGZvKtPpE4n6sc89sBxsnH9IRbYpVaZMXuXgUMDdbRMltQF6FOVPkYW_ImPSABjLK0S44Qf5Nr5veBOqcBG94HqOJXZE9AK4VObIr0iyoJ2FR8CpKhRYAU/?imgmax=800" width="229" height="81" /></a></p> <p>A couple of years ago, I was in the market for a Ford Mustang. There are two local dealerships that sell those – I’ll refer to them as Dealership A and Dealership B.</p> <p>Like a lot of consumers, I started researching Mustangs on the Internet by visiting the sites of both dealerships. I found cars that met my requirements on both sites and asked for more information about those vehicles. Dealership B got back to me in a hurry while Dealership A responded much later. I bought my Mustang from Dealership B because that lot got back to me first. Both dealerships had similar cars and there wasn’t much difference in price.</p> <p>The only difference between them is that one responded to me before the other one did – the quick company made a $28,000 sale, whereas the slow one lost a customer to a competitor.</p> <p>What can we take from this? Response time matters and anyone who doesn’t realize that simple truth is living in a fool’s paradise.</p> <p>Now, that all makes sense, and there’s data to back up that notion. A <strong><a href="http://www.speak2leads.com/" target="_blank">Kellogg study</a></strong> proving that the odds of connecting with a lead increases 100 times if contact is made within five minutes rather than within 30 minutes. Here’s something else – leads contacted within five minutes are 21times more likely to become customers than leads contacted within 30 minutes.</p> <p>The name of the game, then, is <strong><a href="http://www.speak2leads.com/" target="_blank">lead generation</a></strong>. You can spend a ton of time and cash putting together a snazzy site that gets people interested in your business, but you’re not doing yourself any favors if a slow response time means you don’t <strong><a href="http://www.speak2leads.com/" target="_blank">convert leads into paying customers</a></strong>. You can have great content and an attention-grabbing <strong><a href="http://www.speak2leads.com/" target="_blank">call to action</a></strong> button that potential customers click like crazy, but all of that is wasted effort if your response time is so slow that interest leads wander to sites run by your competitors.</p> <p>If you need some help in that area, you’re in luck – there’s a company called <strong><a href="http://www.speak2leads.com/" target="_blank">Speak2Leads</a></strong> that specializes into helping you turn those leads into paying customers.</p> <p>That’s why your company started an Internet site to begin with, isn’t it? The whole point of putting your company on the Web is to find people interested enough to pay you money. If your company isn’t responding quickly enough to inquiries from potential customers, then what’s the point of its Internet site?</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-11413268613761760152013-04-24T22:11:00.001-05:002013-04-24T22:15:15.055-05:00Why not take it easy on yourself?<a href="http://www.taskbullet.com/" target="_blank"><img align="right" alt="TaskBullet" border="0" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktaGSrOFCQa4dsLw4lzaQ5zPVvMryh_AYcN06W6TWLifszmoOD78kOJbRgmUdqKNDkbc-DXTyPrZgwsKl3tYwzNheHXW7XhTra5YCatKypDLPzMy_GvBVF_bwinpNocIyj8JhiABzN6s/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px 15px;" title="TaskBullet" width="229" /></a>Do you want to know the worst part of owning your own business? All the piddling tasks that you have to deal with on a day to day basis.<br />
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Well, those tasks aren’t exactly piddling – they have to be done. We’re talking about stuff like billing, customer support tasks, answering email, scheduling appointments, bookkeeping, etc. If those tasks don’t get done, you’ve got some real problems just waiting to jump up and bite you.<br />
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While those tasks are important, they keep you from doing the things that made you decide to open your own business in the first place. I know about this firsthand from the days I was an attorney. I didn’t get a law degree, pass the bar and open an office so I could spent most of my time paying bills, checking my post office box and dealing with salesmen who wandered into my office. No, I opened a law firm so I could spend my time suing people and growling at other attorneys. In other words, I loved the freedom of owning my own office, but hated the day-to-day office stuff for which I had no training and no interest.<br />
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In my case, I wound up hiring a secretary to take care of everything from scheduling appointments to putting together bankruptcy petitions. The problem with a full time employees is that they are expensive, want benefits and may or may not show up to work on time. Now, I don’t want to bash my secretary – she was great and was great at keeping me from having to deal with the tasks that need to be done but which bored me to tears. However, she was expensive and cut into my profit margin like crazy.<br />
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If I had to do it all over again, I’d avoid hiring a secretary altogether and turn to <b><a href="http://www.taskbullet.com/" target="_blank">virtual assistant services</a></b> instead. Why? A virtual assistant can cost half of what a regular employee does and they handle those necessary tasks you don’t want to do and that frees you up to work on the large tasks you dreamt of when you started your business. Also, you can scale your workforce at will – grab some more assistants if you have a large project requires more help and then trim your workforce back as needed (in other words, there’s no full time employee drawing a salary when there’s no work to do).<br />
<br />
By the way, hit the aforementioned link if you want to hire virtual assistants from an American company that has no shortage of professionals with university degrees. Oh, and you can hire those smart assistants for one of the lowest rates in the industry. Not bad, huh?HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-55335954847101253662013-04-24T02:04:00.001-05:002013-04-24T02:04:12.826-05:00Wordless Wednesday–‘Mine!’<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNNzGq-saPgQdOtNwxO4WrZR4OGoo8oPZix-dlUjTs-2m8zCwQehBxZ337srPpVTuoWmUW-MAAWF9yM_oU-zFBNlrmN1bW4lWiO_ai9ekeITJci-C6BC5pZ_HiiQG2CbjPhcDzugwOIw/s1600-h/mine%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="mine" border="0" alt="mine" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtX7uIoxovC7N0GQ4B0Nfv97OjWXMB8qtvT2Z-9_AiqjpdDzN8lHLD27NLn9EocufQ7xynKaoDma9Ya3PJIqEuPETSjmr5uybIW0TX9AMO36opncqDgtjL1LUEz0Nuj1PSbHtLpF5BXo/?imgmax=800" width="504" height="379" /></a></p> <p>Click here for more <strong><a href="http://wordlesswednesday.blogspot.com/2013/04/april-24.html" target="_blank">Wordless Wednesday</a></strong> entries.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-22733605028029429882013-04-24T01:23:00.001-05:002013-04-24T01:23:01.841-05:00A dentist for people who don’t like dentists?<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWwgkkBgt2bEgp4cU3fEWXQyyO1liMTeO-5duBbU333FMFgoHK05BmIjBMO0VcYSIR8XLXguAeUPXt4yB6g6k3O-LuEUnu6HKe60jrV3mkEyABIlFkE1hek34ZOATaeQEbKMvTlLSnbE/s1600-h/Haymore%25255B2%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Haymore" border="0" alt="Haymore" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ntSCiJ1gh_snS84DgkLarFkF44NJnxJsw7u92CSjXnKJTf_Rd0eQKV6yl07RhEOf5-VY9WYFC2a-JTPDc8MNCXB3B5VlO2kFX9o3jaTlPOZgPsF7DrWDgPkbcr1fWjGrWN3_Td1KwYo/?imgmax=800" width="231" height="54" /></a></p> <p>If you don’t have a horror story or two about dentists, the chances are good you know someone who does. As for me, I’ve been through serial extractions, wisdom teeth removal, braces and a number of things that have left me with a distinct dislike of dentists.</p> <p>So, when you run across one that talks about “gentle” dentistry, it’s time to pay attention. That’s doubly true if the dentist has patient testimonials on hand to back up his claims. The great thing about the Internet, of course, is that researching is very easy – finding a painless dentist (or anything else) has become much easier than it used to be.</p> <p>At any rate, I’m about to make that research a bit easier for you good people in Las Vegas. Forget about running searches for “<strong><a href="http://www.haymoreendodontics.com/" target="_blank">dentist Las Vegas</a></strong>” or “<strong><a href="http://www.haymoreendodontics.com/root-canal-las-vegas" target="_blank">root canal Las Vegas</a></strong>” and simply click, click, click one of those two aforementioned links to visit the site of a dentist who promises to be gentle with patients.</p> <p>Now, any dentist on the planet can make that claim, but how can you tell if the dentist is telling the truth? Fortunately, you’ve got some testimonials on that site that back up the dentist’s claims. In the words of one client who submitted a review, “…fast, efficient root canal. Did not hurt at all and face did not swell up.”</p> <p>That’s good stuff. Haymore Endontics backs that claim up further by showing off an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Something else in the dentist’s favor is the ability to make an appointment online in about 30 seconds. You can even make an emergency appointment on the site.</p> <p>That, folks, is the epitome of convenience. In this day and age where people are in a hurry and money is tight, good customer service is essential – if you’re going to pay for something, you want to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth, right? That fast-loading, informative site is indicative of a professional who knows the value of good customer service. That speaks volumes, folks.</p> <p>Again, one of the advantages of the Internet is that doing some research on dentists or anything else is easy. I wish such a tool would have been available back when I was a kid and my parents were searching for a good dentist for me. I wound up with a dentist who evidently subscribed to a philosophy that suggests that causing a patient pain is merely an unavoidable consequence of getting dental work done. It’s nice to see a dentist bucking that trend, isn’t it?</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-85300502834682886342013-04-23T22:46:00.001-05:002013-04-23T22:46:27.465-05:00Looking for a business lawyer in Lafayette?<p>Back in my 20s, I went to law school, passed the Arkansas Bar Exam and then went to work as an attorney. While I don’t practice law anymore, I do understand what the most difficult thing was about finding an attorney was hiring one that wasn’t awful.</p> <p>What’s the best way to find a solid, competent attorney? Do some research. If you’re looking for a <strong><a href="http://stubbslawfirm.com/Business-Lawyer-Lafayette.htm" target="_blank">business lawyer in Lafayette</a></strong>, La., just click on the aforementioned link and you can start your research immediately. What will you find there? The firm’s philosophy, areas of focus and everything else you might need when wondering where to find a good business lawyer in the area.</p> <p>If you want to move past the business lawyer area, make sure to read up on the <strong><a href="http://stubbslawfirm.com/index.php" target="_blank">Lafayette lawyers</a></strong>’ areas of practice. Remember – attorneys are expensive. If you need one, you’d better hire a good one as a bad one costs about the same and can really leave you in a world of hurt.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-69577005225905804922013-04-23T22:32:00.001-05:002013-04-23T22:32:56.540-05:00A time-tested, online travel site<p><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="travel_logo_small" border="0" alt="travel_logo_small" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN030OKYzctxW6jZX5vS2sAOEFQw-v750E7d2fBk8vQAVTkqP2BCCa80JJRIwkU-LOP2YF3ERjRvq7TydWdiCrmdWGyCIf9NX62u0wc5_tliTOhApl47C88RJgsIuYZMl5-_b9aGQ6uyY/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="68" /></a>What can you say about a site that’s been online in 1997? It’s ancient by “dot com” standards and, as such, must have something going for it.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/" target="_blank">Travel.com.au</a></strong> has been around since 1997 and has managed to survive the shakeups that killed a lot of online companies. I particularly like this site because I’ve always wanted to visit Australia for one reason or another (possibly because there are some areas of that country that stay between 50 degrees and 70 degrees all year long and Arkansas isn’t exactly like that).</p> <p>If you’re planning a trip outside the country, the chances are good that you’ll need a little help with <strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/flights.html" target="_blank">international flights</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/flights.html" target="_blank">international airfares</a></strong> and those sorts of things, right? If you’re a cheapskate like I am, you’ll probably want to find some <strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/flights.html" target="_blank">cheap flights</a></strong>, too. So, I tested out the site and tried to figure out what <strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/flights.html" target="_blank">flights</a></strong> were available from Little Rock, Ark. to Sydney, Australia, on June 1 from the Little Rock National Airport.</p> <p>Within seconds, I got to see which flights I could take, how much each one cost, how long my travel time would be and in which airports my flight would layover. That’s very convenient and the site does a great job of listing every relevant provider – you might be looking for <a href="http://www.travel.com.au/international-airlines/singapore-airlines.html" target="_blank"><strong>Signapore Airlines</strong></a>, <strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/australian-airlines/jetstar.html" target="_blank">Jetstar</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/international-airlines/united-airlines.html" target="_blank">United Airlines</a></strong> or <strong><a href="http://www.travel.com.au/australian-airlines/qantas.html" target="_blank">Qantas</a></strong> (just a few examples) and you can see where each of those airlines fits into your international flight (or, indeed, if they are included at all).</p> <p>That’s what we call convenience, folks. Check out the site if you’re in the mood to travel.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-87043710196681864912013-04-23T20:29:00.001-05:002013-04-23T20:29:50.639-05:00Take your music underwater<p><a title="Underwater iPod" href="http://www.underwateraudio.com/" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="smush_p_mega" border="0" alt="smush_p_mega" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50m2MZwSCuUaAdfyY2J7139h6SOWUuZRJuL-hWwfShlGD8fvEG8M38PU1qELyGBGG-WVs7cc93mZE-TRS0ytOFH0P_2CgFL5lBaKtLi3lNl3dGDGp4AjXNvOnrbgLhWScVdCZvg4es4U/?imgmax=800" width="174" height="89" /></a></p> <p>Every wanted to take your music underwater? Ever worried that you’d ruin your iPod by taking it in a swimming pool with you? Have you ever thought that a <a href="http://www.underwateraudio.com/" target="_blank"><strong>waterproof iPod</strong></a> might cost you a fortune even if such a thing existed?</p> <p>Well, fear not – you can have your very own underwater iPod for around $165. Yes, we’re talking about a legitimate iPod Shuffle that comes complete with <a href="http://www.underwateraudio.com/" target="_blank"><strong>waterproof headphones</strong></a> and everything you need to take your music with you wherever you go.</p> <p>Folks, that’ significant. Think back to the 1980s (well, think back to those days if you’re old enough to remember that particular decade) when the Sony Walkman came out. It was revolutionary simply because it allowed people to take their music with them just about anywhere and listen to it in anywhere. Music became portable and very individual. For a low price, you could listen to music on the bus, in your office, in your house in such a way that you wouldn’t annoy your family with it and – as I said – go anywhere with it.</p> <p>Well, you couldn’t take it underwater. That was a major limitation when you consider that three-fourths of the world is underwater.</p> <p>That underwater barrier, folks, has been shattered. The iPod was limited in that regard the same way the Walkman was, but that is no longer the case. Now you can pick up an iPod Shuffle for a low price and truly take your music wherever you want.</p> <p>What do you get for your money? How about a legitimate Apple device that has been improved (as mentioned) and comes in a variety of colors? How about a one-year warranty and a guarantee that the device will be waterproof up to 200 feet? It’s a pretty cool device to be sure and it is backed by a company that will give you your money back if the waterproof iPod doesn’t work as well as advertised.</p> <p>Think about that for a second – a little waterproofing makes a device that was once revolutionary but has become fairly common a revolutionary music player once again. Here’s another benefit that will be recognized by anyone who has had an iPod ruined by water – you can drop this thing in the kitchen sink and it’ll be OK. That, alone, is well worth the price of admission. Have a look at the waterproof iPod, folks – when you think about all the uses for it, it’ll just become that much more attractive.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-56262476565564713952013-04-14T00:03:00.001-05:002013-04-14T00:03:28.284-05:00Weekend OTR–Gunsmoke<p><img style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="http://firstarkansasnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/GunsmokeConrad.jpg" /></p> <p>Yes, the Weekend OTR series is back and as great as ever at <strong><em><a href="http://firstarkansasnews.net" target="_blank">First Arkansas News</a></em></strong>.</p> <p>Yes, the series took a bit of a vacation due to the fact the editor of the site (uh, that would be me) dealt with health problems and had a slew of freelance assignments that actually paid me money.</p> <p>So, now that things have calmed down a bit, it’s time to get back to work on <em>First Arkansas News</em>. So, one of my favorite series’ is back and you can catch a dandy episode of <em>Gunsmoke</em> (one of the best old time radio westerns) by <strong><a href="http://firstarkansasnews.net/2013/04/weekend-otr-gunsmoke-chesters-mistake/" target="_blank">clicking here</a></strong>.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-61074904035207967612013-04-13T23:52:00.001-05:002013-04-13T23:52:56.789-05:00Need a criminal lawyer?<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_PQ_x4RBPkSdpOCdBajaIBnsBDmbQcJ0z3awMfOFB1Deo9hI9k_XJz-ah7bQe156ZXxQdGYufhPdN4McALReUpYf6JOzQj4w1549enyF4IQ_S_2znYpWbDOrrtZrxeCZ3QjrsUNXpLg/s1600-h/gavel%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="gavel" border="0" alt="gavel" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtp1K0KEv3vcsYyf00U8dSzixSgRX8ZJ96ey3m-W9zyMvasEFVvLMUi6O9qgzdY2vPkRwPLEUHPnficl_sRfiXBXV6baEeSCgIlFCrKuRscOHmOqtG44ef8SLHRmT2uoW19-XWPQP_LEs/?imgmax=800" width="154" height="154" /></a></p> <p>Years ago, I made my living as an attorney in northwest Arkansas.</p> <p>I learned a thing or two during the four years when I was a lawyer and one of the most important ones was this – there are times when someone accused of a crime was actually innocent. There were other times when someone accused of a crime was actually guilty of a lesser crime – a misdemeanor instead of a felony, for example.</p> <p>Here’s the thing – the guilty and not guilty faced similar fates if they weren’t represented by a good, hardworking <strong><a href="http://criminallawyer.ms/" target="_blank">criminal lawyer</a></strong>. While there were a lot of hard-working, knowledgeable public defenders available in the counties where I practiced, they were often overwhelmed by the sheer case load that got dumped on their desks daily.</p> <p>Look at it this way – if a good attorney is simply overworked, how likely is it that lawyer will be able to give a client the necessary attention? Sadly, I saw a lot of cases in which someone who warranted a great defense simply didn’t get it because they had an overworked lawyer.</p> <p>The same was true when it came to inexperienced attorneys. Sure, they had time on their hands, but they often didn’t know the judges or prosecutors that well and, as such, didn’t have a great working relationship with them. Such a relationship is necessary in these matters – a prosecutor who has worked a few cases with a defense lawyer is more inclined to listen seriously when it comes to working out decent plea bargains or dropping cases entirely.</p> <p>The point of all this? If you need a good <strong><a href="http://criminallawyer.ms/Criminal-Lawyer-Jackson-MS.htm" target="_blank">criminal lawyer</a></strong> and you happen to be in Jackson, MS, click the aforementioned link and you might just find one.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-54336880142175987982012-12-30T14:41:00.002-06:002012-12-30T14:41:42.959-06:00Land of The Freebies, Home of the Enslaved<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiWDmft2wJbfoweQHLueVIZjbqQFKt56u1j3jUlkE6HtNtie5SD0IuUwSMCfmPUQMgvKRtwQ5_jvHez2e3B_31U2o2I4h3angp_XhkGj3QRe53dCa0GbpzdNpqJP_geVOJqifgcfS2Q4/s1600/GGW-Wide-Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiWDmft2wJbfoweQHLueVIZjbqQFKt56u1j3jUlkE6HtNtie5SD0IuUwSMCfmPUQMgvKRtwQ5_jvHez2e3B_31U2o2I4h3angp_XhkGj3QRe53dCa0GbpzdNpqJP_geVOJqifgcfS2Q4/s200/GGW-Wide-Logo.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://youtu.be/mSYy3ZYOfgQ" rel="nofollow" target="new"><b style="color: black;">Government Gone Wild!</b></a>:Watch this SHOCK video about our government's "cradle to the grave" entitlement society!<br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/mSYy3ZYOfgQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/mSYy3ZYOfgQ?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<hr /><b style="color: black; font-size: small;">Tags:</b> <b style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: small;">United States, government, freebies, land of freebies, enslaved, home of enslaved, Government Gone Wild, education, video, </b> <b style="font-size: small;"><i>To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the <a href="http://arranewsservice.com/" target="new"><b style="color: maroon;">ARRA News Service.</b></a> Thanks!</i></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-36652796313004903112012-11-16T14:55:00.002-06:002012-11-16T17:32:36.075-06:00Justice for Chevron<i>This is a guest post by Terri Huggins </i><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How
many times in your life have you been told that life isn’t fair? Other
than hearing it all the time you’ve probably experienced it first hand
from the time your little brother spilled milk in the kitchen and you
had to clean it up. We’ve all be there before. And whenever we fought
it, we were told life isn’t fair. Well, it turns out, here in the 21st
century, life can be fair sometimes. Why? Because there is justice in
the justice system. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For
all you skeptics out there I’d like to turn your attention to the
Chevron versus Ecuador case. <a href="http://chevronecuadorjudgment.incwebstats.com/" target="_blank">Chevron was sued</a>-+ for causing environmental
damage to the Ecuadorian rain forest. Environmental experts were
questioned to confirm the supposed wrongdoing done by Chevron. In
addition, the plaintiffs were able to construct a video comprising
footage detailing the destruction Chevron caused to the Ecuadorian
environment. With so much “evidence” pitted against Chevron by the
plaintiffs, things weren’t looking good for the top company. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Suddenly
the tables have turned, and Chevron is starting to see a glimmer of
hope regarding the judgment in Ecuador. Why? Because the Chevron Ecuador
judgment turned out to be based on lies, deceit, and hidden money. For
starters, that <a href="http://chevronecuadorjudgment.incwebstats.com/">video of “evidence”</a>
the plaintiffs used in the case shows complete wrongdoing on the
plaintiff’s part and is now being used against them. In addition, it
seems as though that “third party and independent environmentalist
expert was paid of by the plaintiffs. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
tables have been turned and now Chevron may get justice after all. Only
time will tell their fate, but so far it is looking good. Now there
really is proof that life can be fair…</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>This is a guest post was brought to you by Chevron</b></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-23722056952605746252012-11-03T09:11:00.000-06:002012-11-03T09:11:00.153-06:00This is Our Moment | This is Our America<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/l_oJZtLNi34?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKRVeS5bj5Gma7bFksNb_ZAdD6ClDWo2ugPNwV9i-mD8Nq8-vHI2uIk5sMFgH0j4AgCgSsGPwhnwDmQFdvruDLmlDIputiwsDL-BXUmgnVegIXYC7yCHU65BSrJB0Dzrg_Sp8xkQ4JNk/s1600/notlikethelast4yrs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKRVeS5bj5Gma7bFksNb_ZAdD6ClDWo2ugPNwV9i-mD8Nq8-vHI2uIk5sMFgH0j4AgCgSsGPwhnwDmQFdvruDLmlDIputiwsDL-BXUmgnVegIXYC7yCHU65BSrJB0Dzrg_Sp8xkQ4JNk/s320/notlikethelast4yrs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://youtu.be/l_oJZtLNi34" rel="nofollow" target="new"><b style="color: black;">NRCC</b></a>: For generations, we've understood that with a little hard work, nothing was beyond our grasp. It's time we had a government that worked with us, and not against us. The "This is Our America" campaign shares stories from candidates and regular Americans around the country who are fired up about the 2012 election and have faith that America is bigger than it's challenges.<br />
<hr /><b style="color: black; font-size: small;">Tags:</b> <b style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: small;">election 2012, Our Moment, Our America, NRCC, video, Vote, Mitt Romney, Vote Republican for Congress</b> <b style="font-size: small;"><i>To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the <a href="http://arranewsservice.com/" target="new"><b style="color: maroon;">ARRA News Service.</b></a> which shared this video!</i></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-33535392708017009602012-10-16T01:09:00.001-05:002012-10-16T01:09:13.148-05:00Finding an ‘ethical’ smart phone<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt62f7-cvTVAOH4-X10kHTVF26ARwNJzmNIzjZWMd9o4QX1GTV1pHbujMMAxHEkSaRjFxgWWbpfBWykiuFHL48y4KqbPoj2L6Z4phf7V79fwujjdRtLKYWMowPL29ga1NgFJT66AQ3sFc/s1600-h/ChildLabor%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="ChildLabor" border="0" alt="ChildLabor" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRps03CDY87G1ouDLd9ESYQwuATdtaYjhIilnBmfcjFl1FJdyowmX5kNjbB-Bve6Akrlz2dhwiy_2sOxQTaP0FrG2goAfIt2BeT6CNCSPc_fcUFdE0n8qdhPOx6QcB1avfDGNlHG6ss4/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p>Yes, we’ve all heard the rumors by now – Foxconn is apparently up to no good.</p> <p>Foxconn, of course, is the Taiwanese subcontractor that makes a ton of electronics. Check out <strong><a href="http://makeitfair.org/en" target="_blank">MakeITFair</a></strong> for reports on horrid Foxconn labor conditions in China, forced internships, riots, suicides, child labor and all sorts of awful things.</p> <p>While most of the shenanigans in Foxconn’s Chinese factories are associated with the iPhone 5, singling out Apple isn’t entirely fair. Foxconn makes a lot of electronics for manufacturers all over the planet and, no, the company just doesn’t supply cheap labor for smart phones made by Apple.</p> <p>Here’s the problem – is there such a thing as an “ethical” smartphone? You know – one that isn’t made by indentured servants under awful working conditions? That question is hard to answer.</p> <p>Before I go farther, I’ve got to confess I’m a bit biased. I’ve had an iPhone 4. Hated it. I’ve got an iPhone 4S. I hate that one even more. The chances are very good that I’ll hate the iPhone 5, too – I’ve played with one, but not long enough to inspire that “I ought to throw this thing out of my car window” hatred that I’ve developed for every iPhone I’ve owned. In other words, searching for an ethical smart phone is easy enough for me. I’m not buying another Apple product when I’m due for a renewal with AT&T in a few months, so trying to find something that’s not put together by virtual slave labor isn’t a problem for me. I’m not tied into Apple by any means, so I’ve got some options.</p> <p>By the way, there’s a certain irony in the fact that the most easily exploitable labor in the world appears to be in the largest communist regime on the planet, but I’ll leave that discussion for another time.</p> <p>At any rate, finding that ethical cell phone is quite difficult as it seems electronics are manufactured by the cheapest labor available by most companies. Want proof? Have a look at <strong><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/mobile/2012/10/how-evil-is-your-smartphone.php" target="_blank">this article</a></strong> and notice how virtually all of the companies listed seem to have a lot of evil in their supply chains. Apple scores horribly on the report referenced in that article while RIM (the failing manufacturers of Blackberry) comes out near the top of the heap. If you don’t want to be stuck with a dying line of phones, you’ll notice that HTC – which makes pretty solid lines of Android and Windows phones – comes out OK.</p> <p>Yes, <strong><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57389858-1/are-any-smartphones-not-made-in-china/" target="_blank">it seems</a></strong> that HTC – a Taiwanese company – is doing what it can to keep most of its manufacturing at home where labor laws are actually enforced by the government. There’s always the argument that Apple is an American company and, as such, buying from it is better for the U.S. economy. That’s a curious argument, to be sure, as it appears Apple seems to hoard its profits and dole out some cash to American employees and investors.</p> <p>If Apple really wanted to boost the U.S. economy and dodge those nagging accusations of using easily exploitable labor, perhaps the company should take a page from HTC’s book and actually building the things in its home country. Yes, there’s always the argument that American companies would be forced to jack up the prices of their stuff if they used domestic labor, but there’s something curious about that claim.</p> <p>Here’s the thing – according to this article, it costs Apple $167.50 to build a 16GB iPhone 5. While it costs a cell phone customer $199 to get that same iPhone under contract, bear in mind that the build of the phone is paid off throughout the length of that contract. Customers actually wind up paying $649 for the phone (that’s the cost you’d pay if you bought an unlocked one direct from Apple). That adds up to a profit for Apple of $481.50 per phone. So, here’s the question – that’s a lot of room for a solid profit. Why not pay some American workers a bit more and realize a profit of, say, $100 or $200 per phone?</p> <p>Perhaps that old line about U.S. manufacturers having to resort to cheap, foreign labor in order to keep costs to consumers down is a bunch of nonsense. It may be more likely that they’re mostly interested in maximizing profits to an obscene degree at the expense of the U.S. economy.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-47446972722703563552012-10-16T00:30:00.001-05:002012-10-16T00:30:33.313-05:00Good market for luxury homes?<p><a href="http://seasidepropertiesgroup.com/" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="SPGlogo" border="0" alt="SPGlogo" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9kfuLE-KFmhFZJHcgsaIEzaDx2YrJcHqtFrDBiurpcmDL4ZeqwtN1tgzQIL4T05GSsu8K_LT83Nv6_lNBfiy04zWUrJqtU8RdI-0TmLxg4n14dDGkpCjdBXLGVtJkLSsarrhTjV756Q/?imgmax=800" width="145" height="87" /></a></p> <p>Yes, the rumors are true – real estate markets are still in the doldrums (just like everything else in the current economy, seemingly).</p> <p>Ah, but that does create some opportunities for both buyers and sellers in certain markets. Seaside Properties Group maintains that sellers are in good shape in the luxury market in south Florida due to a lack of supply and buyers are attracted by historically lower prices. Also, it seems that builders are struggling to keep up with demand for high end properties in the area – a sure sign that a housing market is improving. You can weight the facts for yourself about the market for <strong><a href="http://seasidepropertiesgroup.com/" target="_blank">luxury oceanfront condos at Acqualina</a></strong> by clicking the aforementioned link.</p> <p>When you do head to that link, you’ll find a site that’s full of information about the luxury condo market in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas. Judge for yourself how things are going down there and whether this is, indeed, a good time to buy or sell waterfront, high dollar real estate. Check out, for example, some testimonials from customers who used the site to research upscale properties such as <strong><a href="http://seasidepropertiesgroup.com/about/testimonials" target="_blank">luxury oceanfront condos at One Bal Harbour</a></strong>.</p> <p>You want more? OK. Let’s say you’re interested in <a href="http://www.seasidepropertiesgroup.com/blog/" target="_blank"><strong>luxury oceanfront condos at Bal Harbour</strong></a>. You’ll find a blog that is updated regularly that discusses the markets in south Florida at length and serves as a resource for people interested in real estate in that area. Pay it a visit – it’s free to visit and you just might find something you like.</p> HawgWyldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749940044190568834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6877655127944205011.post-67238893737076564922012-07-19T18:37:00.000-05:002012-07-19T20:41:24.991-05:00Sacrifice for Obama - Give Money (satire)<a href="http://youtu.be/0NNUToFNZ9E" rel="nofollow" target="new"><b>Her Bunk:</b></a> Barack Obama's fund raising efforts. Audio from the archives of the Rush Limbaugh Show.<br />
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<b style="color: black;">So pencil in your own remembered examples of Obama's murky past and less than favored associations in the comment section. If Obama were not president, by now the FBI would be tracking his past activities because ...</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.conservativedailynews.com/2012/07/from-the-depths-of-chicago/" target="new"><b style="color: black;">AF "Tony" Branco</b></a>: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQYbzvB03MdphEgSmWC8SXyGHnlZxanwL_f7ZzmixEGGmmzIJGD9hNqf8HrFzMwZtuulE6eYCzdlfYPKqJ6LOOYSzLvFlUFxOTTDgKZJU55T7Zfqufsu490A8x5RArstC9qJp2j5LzJRY/s1600/Felony-Blain-590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQYbzvB03MdphEgSmWC8SXyGHnlZxanwL_f7ZzmixEGGmmzIJGD9hNqf8HrFzMwZtuulE6eYCzdlfYPKqJ6LOOYSzLvFlUFxOTTDgKZJU55T7Zfqufsu490A8x5RArstC9qJp2j5LzJRY/s1600/Felony-Blain-590.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: black; font-size: small;">Tags:</b> <b style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: small;">AF Branco, political cartoon, Chicago politics, Barack Obama, felon, scandals</b> <b style="font-size: small;"><i>To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the <a href="hhttp://arkansasgopwing.blogspot.com/2012/07/from-depths-of-chicago-politics.html" target="new"><b style="color: maroon;">ARRA News Service.</b></a> Thanks!</i></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0