The Federal Reserve Board meets on Tuesday, and markets are watching with baited breath to see which option they choose. Image: Flickr/Craig Hatfield

The Federal Reserve, the board that sets overnight loan rates for banks, is mulling possible actions to help the economy grow. These changes could be as simple as maintaining course, or as aggressive as risky stimulus moves. Markets around the world have been trading slowly, waiting for the Fed to announce its decision, which is expected late Tuesday.

Federal Reserve option one

The first option in front of the Federal Reserve is the most common – maintaining or dropping interest rates. The interest rates set by the fed are used to determine rates for everything from mortgages to internet loans. By keeping these rates at their current historic lows or dropping them, the Fed would be encouraging the use of credit. The risk, however, is that deflation could stifle whatever gains might be made.

Federal Reserve option two

The second option the Fed has in trying to stimulate the economy is purchasing government debt. The Fed does have some cash on hand to offer a personal cash loan to the government. The mortgage investments that created this income could be turned around to purchase government debt, driving long-term interest rates down. The risk, though, is that this would not stimulate any borrowing.

Federal Reserve option three

The riskiest move, and the one with the most payoff, would be for the Fed to start purchasing securities again. In 2009, the Fed bought more than $1 trillion in securities from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Though this helped encourage lending, Fannie and Freddie are still in trouble. Any large purchase would help guarantee any of this debt and (theoretically) increase the amount of money lent out by businesses. The risk, though, is that this move would be seen as a verification that the economy is in very bad shape, driving investors out of even the best payday loan opportunities.

This was the headline today as a trading error left the DJIA reeling. Image from Flickr.

Any trader watching the stock market today just about needed a shock to the heart as the DJIA – Dow Jones Industrial Average – plummeted almost 1,000 points because of a trading error. The DJIA nosedive, set off by a Proctor and Gamble sell-off, reverberated through the New York Stock Exchange as well. Talk about a big trading error; perhaps some Citigroup individual is about to start looking for internet loans — or a new job?

The DJIA and NYSE drops raise trading error questions

In just a few short hours today, because of a trading error, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and New York Stock Exchange both lost almost 1,000 point – nearly 10 percent of their value. Between about 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. today, the plunge triggered worries about market volatility, financial downfall and more in a market already shaky from the economic downturn. This DJIA drop was due mostly to a huge sale of Proctor & Gamble stock. So what happened?

Trading error to blame for DJIA tumble

Many financial news sources are now saying that the stock market today was reacting to one wrong letter in a trading error. A Citigroup employee erroneously entered a “b” rather than an “m” in a trading program – selling off billions (rather than millions) of Proctor & Gamble stock futures. In just two minutes, 16 billion futures were sold.

Citigroup denies DJIA trading error

Citigroup, which is launching an investigation into the DJIA trading error, has said “At this point we have no evidence that Citi was involved in any erroneous transaction.” Whether Citigroup was involved or not, the center of the Dow Jones’ plummet today was definitely the falling Proctor & Gamble stock.

Electronic trading exacerbated trading error

The trading error, in and of itself, was bad enough to send the DJIA into a tailspin. What made the NYSE and Nasdaq join in the all-out tumble, though, is a story of automated trading. While there is still plenty of stock trading that happens on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, most trades are electronic, and many are automated. When the price of Proctor and Gamble stocks started to nosedive, automated trading programs jumped on the bandwagon. Programmed to sell when a stock hits a particular price, these programs started selling off hundreds of millions of shares.

Trading error heightens fear of DIJA fall

Though the tumbling DJIA today was the result of a trading error, it is heightening fear of another financial crisis. Riots in Greece combined with doubts about global economic recovery are leaving many investors very nervous. In the end, the trading error may have been a human error – but it is one that doesn’t do much to restore confidence in the financial industry.

Sources:

CNBC
CNBC

Below is a short guide that will help you in your own decision on which instant online approval loans company to choose.

Steps to finding the right instant online approval loan agency:

1. Find a company online that you are comfortable with handling your transaction.
2. Research online companies that are reputable and easy to understand.
3. Look at customer reviews and check the Better Business Bureau to get more information about a company.
4. Make sure they tell you all to be expected, when it comes to fees and terms of service.

What are the benefits of instant online approval loans?

This is a great question. The benefit it provides is simple; it’s a convenient way to borrow money from the comfort of your home without having to deal with waiting for an uncertain bank loan. The other benefit is many online approval loans don’t necessarily need you to have great credit in order to extend these loans to you.

How easy is it to sign up for an instant online loan? It is very easy; all you have to do is fill in basic information about yourself and the online application form will guide through the rest.

Instant Online Approval Loans | Start HERE

Slickdeals offers sale specials and deal tracking for anybody on the internet. Image from Flickr.

Slickdeals may sound a bit greasy, but it’s a coupon web site that can actually get you pretty good deals. Slickdeals relies on other customers to share the deals and coupons that they have already found, vetted and used. Slickdeals is a free service, and can get you free, cheap, or reduced prices on everything from TCBY ice cream cones to internet loans.

Slickdeals | How it works

The system that Slickdeals uses to find and report  coupons is relatively simple. Users sign up for accounts on Slickdeals.net Any user can post a deal that they find anywhere on the web or in real-life shopping. You can also get Slickdeals sent to your phone or on a feed to help you find a deal on something you are shopping for. As users post and report deals on Slickdeals, they can gain or lose reputation points. The better the user, the more reliable the reported deal.

Are Slickdeals real?

The biggest question most people ask is whether the deal they find on Slickdeal is real. Some of the deals just seem too good to be real. The answer is, most of the time. Slickdeals are user-reported deals, which means that sometimes they expire, and sometimes they are inaccurately reported. Slickdeals’ reputation points are the first line of defense. If a deal seems too good to be real, then you can flag or comment on the Slickdeal to report it as functioning or not.

Slickdeals a part of the couponing blitz

Using coupons is quickly re-emerging as a popular cost-savings move. Many people use coupons for everything from debt survival to saving cash for a big purchase. There are many free and low-cost coupon web sites. Web sites such as Slickdeals offer coupons that help customers save money. Many people also double or triple up on coupons, doing everything from matching manufacturer’s coupons with store coupons to simply organizing their shopping list based on the deals they can get. Slickdeals.net is only one coupon web site – but it offers deals that are already tested, which is very useful.

That's Dr. Joseph Mengele – correctly spelled Josef – in the middle. (Photo: Picasa)

Dr. Joseph Mengele may be a misspelling of the name of Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele, but there’s no doubt any student of World War II and history knows that Josef Mengele performed some of the most notorious experiments on human beings in history. Now that food coupons and other Nazi documents have been found in a house outside the former death camp at Auschwitz, the name Dr. Joseph Mengele has been revived and people want to more about the “Doctor of Death,” although not as much as they want Internet loans.

Dr. Joseph Mengele ate his schnitzel one bite at a time

But when he was done, he conducted horrible experiments in hypothermia, among other things. The nearly 300 food coupons, death certificates and maps document the lives of Nazi doctors like Josef Mengele, Horst Fischer and Fritz Klein. The latter two were executed for war crimes after the Allies liberated Poland, according to the Washington Post, but Dr. Joseph Mengele lived until 1979, when he apparently died of natural causes.

Adam Cyra of the Auschwitz Memorial Museum considers the discovery of these documents in the basement of a home in the town of Oswiecim “sensational” in value. The homeowner, who wishes to remain anonymous, just recently released the documents to the museum. He or she isn’t looking for publicity or armed forces loans.

The documents don’t document the war crimes

But they are still quite valuable from a historical standpoint, not just those documents tied to Dr. Joseph Mengele, but all of them. They are of course written in German, and while they serve the purpose of filling in daily procedural details that some might find mundane, the documents do breathe renewed life into a horrific time in human history. The survivors of Nazi death camps will never forget that over 1 million people – primarily but not exclusively of Jewish heritage – died at Auschwitz alone between the years 1940 and 1945. This has been widely verified. Our role in history is not to repeat such barbaric mistakes as to allow wholesale executions based upon race, religion or anything else. Sadly, many of us are failing this historical imperative.

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Statue of St Patrick in Aghagower, County Mayo, Ireland. (From Wikimedia Commons)

Top of the morning to you — or maybe not, if it isn’t morning when you read this.  Today is March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, and I thought everyone could use a quick lesson on St. Patrick’s Day history.  St. Patrick was born sometime in the late 4th century CE, and died sometime, depending on the source, between 420 CE (Common Era; we history geeks use that notation, but it’s the same thing as AD) and 495 CE – long before electricity, internet loans, or penicillin – or hops in beer, for that matter.

He is acknowledged and revered as the Patron Saint of Ireland. March 17 has been celebrated for a long time, and is one of the most widely celebrated of all saints’ holidays.  There are some interesting historical tidbits about St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s Day, so let’s get down to business.

First, about Saint Patrick

Patrick (Padraig) was actually born in England, kidnapped by Irish raiders as a young man, and taken back to Ireland as a slave.  He was put to work as a shepherd, fled to Gaul (France), became a priest, went back to Britain and, while there, decided to set about converting the Irish. The hitch about primary sources (earliest writings of a culture) is you never know how accurate they are. So, the essence of St. Patrick is that he made a lot of early converts to Christianity in Ireland, including a lot of the nobility (there’s the rub!), and then there was that whole bit with the Shamrock and The Trinity. Dates of his death vary, and he was reportedly buried in Downpatrick, just outside of Belfast in County Down, a pilgrimage site to the present. I’m sticking to the short version here, so I apologize if my brevity is mistaken for irreverence.

St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t actually celebrated until the 17th century at the earliest.  St. Patrick had long been the most important figure in Irish Christianity for centuries and was suggested for a holy day by Luke Wadding, a Franciscan priest born in Waterford. (Waterford, as you might guess, is in Ireland.)  It became a day of obligation for Irish Catholics during the season of Lent, as it typically would serve as a day of feasting, an obligated respite during a fast.

Green, as we’re all aware, is the color of Ireland, but the color associated with St. Patrick is actually blue. (There is, in fact, a shade known as St. Patrick’s blue, a slightly darker shade of Sky Blue.)  Wearing green was a display of Irish nationalism, and it started out as wearing a green ribbon or shamrock.  Irish expatriates would often don green clothing of some sort on St. Patrick’s Day, to commemorate the land of their birth that they had departed from.

But why is it so popular?

Well, the short answer is that the Irish emigrated to just about everywhere.  If you had to endure the conditions forced upon them by the English, you’d think about getting some payday loans if need be and getting on a boat to – well, anywhere – yourself.  Irish communities were common throughout North and South America, and all over the continent of Europe, and thus, with so many people of Irish heritage of some sort, many note the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day. Erin Go Bragh!

This sculpture is known by many names, including "Big Butter Jesus". Image from Flickr.

When you’re driving I-75 in Monroe, Ohio, be prepared to encounter the Big Butter Jesus. The Big Butter Jesus is actually a 62 foot tall statue, commissioned by the non-denominational Solid Rock Megachurch. While there are no official statements of how much Big Butter Jesus cost to build, the church most likely had to look into the cheapest personal loans to finance the project. And while this statue has lovingly become known by the moniker Big Butter Jesus, as made famous by Heywood Banks, he is also lovingly known as “Touchdown Jesus,” “Melting Jesus,” “Drowning Jesus” and (as named by 75% of Monroe residents) “Eyesore Jesus”.

Big Butter Jesus isn’t actually butter

The Big Butter Jesus sculpture, unfortunately, isn’t actually made of butter. That nickname developed after the sculpture was completed in 2004. The creamy yellow color and oversized scale of the Jesus sculpture simply make it look like butter. While there is a long and illustrious Wikipedia history of butter sculpting in the United states, the logistics of making a 62-foot outdoor sculpture out of this melty medium would be very difficult. Not to mention that tourists constantly taking chunks of Big Butter Jesus home would mean that the sculpture would have be constantly rebuilt using funds from internet loans.

Big Butter Jesus sculpted by a big name

When the Solid Rock church decided they wanted to create the “symbol of devotion” that would become known as Big Butter Jesus, they commissioned a truly big name in sculpting. Artist James Lynch had previously done well-known works in Las Vegas – the large Neptune in Caesar’s Palace – and for Disney World. He first created a metal frame of the giant Jesus, then covered it with Styrofoam and fiberglass, giving it the buttery yellow color it has become known for.

Big Butter Jesus inspires artists

The Big Butter Jesus sculpture in Monroe has inspired more than just jokes about spreading the statue on toast. Musician Heywood Banks penned a devotional song to Big Butter Jesus, and debuted it on the Bob and Tom show three years ago. Searching “Big Butter Jesus” on YouTube results in over 100 results – with everyone from fire dancers to ukulele players. Watch the original Big Butter Jesus song video below:

Will Big Butter Jesus end up in the Guinness Book?

As reported by Roadside America, the members of Solid Rock church have submitted the Big Butter Jesus for consideration by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “World’s Largest Christ”. However, the fact that this sculpture is half-buried may disqualify it. The Guinness Book of World Records has yet to officially rule on the fate of Big Butter Jesus, but keep your eyes open – or at least pull off the highway in Monroe to say hello.

Weakened incomes plus increased spending equals increased consumer debt

Although there are signs that things are picking up, many experts believe recent economic growth cannot be sustained without increased spending by consumers. Consumers may be doing just that, thanks in some part to payday lenders.

The Federal Reserve has reported that in January 2010 U.S. consumer debt increased for the first time since January 2009. According to MarketWatch, in January 2010 the total seasonally adjusted debt (a measure of total debt incurred by individuals) rose at an annual rate of 2.4% and increased by $4.96 billion, for a total of $2.46 trillion.

A minority opinion is borne out

Based on a survey of economists, MarketWatch had expected a $6 billion decline in January. Instead, January 2010 marked the largest increase in consumer debt since January 2008. Not all the experts agreed with the forecasted decline and a few even predicted an increase.

According to MarketWatch, Ed McKelvey, an economist for Goldman Sachs believed that weakened incomes combined with recent reports of increased consumer spending could only mean that consumers were purchasing more items on credit. The Federal Reserve report concerning the January 2010 debt increase now bears that out.

Personal loans are the main source of the increase

Non-revolving debt rose by 5% or $6.62 billion to make up the lion’s share of the overall debt increase. Non-revolving debt includes such things as such as auto loans; personal loans including easy cash loans, overnight loans, and other types of internet loans; auto financing; and student loans. Not surprisingly, given all the recent consumer-unfriendly changes concerning credit-card borrowing, such as reduced lines of credit and higher interests rates, credit-card debt decreased. In fact, January 2010 was the 16th consecutive monthly decrease in overall consumer credit-card debt. Credit-card debt dropped by 2.4% for a healthy decrease of $1.67 billion, bringing the national total down to $864.4 billion.

If it were only that simple, Mr. No Child Left Behind. Think again.

Central Falls, Rhode Island is reeling from a firestorm of student, parent and teacher protest. Central Falls High School wasn’t making the grade with its standardized test scores and graduation rates, so the school board voted to fire the entire teaching staff. The 88 teachers are some of what may be many unfortunate casualties as American public education struggles to right itself.

Do they need money now?

That’s the standard bureaucratic response to these kinds of situations. If kids are failing, build better schools, develop more programs, buy more books, etc. While keeping education safe and state-of-the-art is no doubt valuable, there are others who argue that this fails to address the real problem. But before I get to that, let’s consider the Rhode Island teachers who were fired.

“I’m after school every day, I’m always available. I’m heartbroken. I’d do anything for this school system, I’ve done everything I can,” said teacher Frank Delbonis to NECN Rhode Island. This seems to represent what many of the teachers are feeling. The local media reports they’ve even shared tears with their frustrated students.

No Child Left Behind at work

The Central Falls district – which not coincidentally is an economically disadvantaged area of Rhode Island – has consistently ranked in the bottom five percent of academic performance in the state. Superintendent Frances Gallo was given few choices by the federal government if the school was to continue receiving funds. These choices were:

1. Close the doors
2. Become a charter school
3. Go the “transformation model” path, which would lengthen school days and make other changes
4. Fire every teacher and start over

The teachers’ union felt their charges were doing everything they could in a difficult situation, so they wouldn’t sign off on option three. Gallo obvious chose option four, and the Rhode Island teachers were fired. They’d been making gains with students, but the government considered these to be too modest.

All of the teachers can reapply at Central Falls or go elsewhere, but part of the restructuring requires that no more than 50 percent can be rehired at the same school.

Are they all missing the point?

There are very convincing arguments that drilling for standardized tests, metal detectors in schools, armed guards and the like are not the solution. They certainly don’t seem to be the way to produce well-rounded, productive, creative adults. One teacher by the name of C. Johnson argues that teachers have lost power in the classroom and students know this. Thus, the students most in need of help have no incentive to listen.

C. Johnson’s idea involves a radical restructuring of schools across America into three physically separate groups: those for disruptive students (RUDE schools), highly motivated learners (CALM) and those in between who are close but need some direction (MEDIAN). The ideas are quite interesting and I recommend you check them out if you’re into a common-sense solution to a problem that affects most of America. Instead of more incidents like the Rhode Island teachers being fired over self-important numbers, we might see more students receiving the attention they need. The restructuring may require Internet loans and other bonds, but it will be worth it. The system is broken and will not fix itself if we just throw money around.

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Is that the name of a new Hollywood blockbuster? No, it’s a fact. Years ago when the World Wide Web was introduced, one never imagined that this fact could be a reality with time. This fact has also entered our everyday lives in a way that makes it indispensable. Banks, institutions and lenders too have realized this and have started offering online payday loans to people who are looking for them.

Why Go Online for a Loan?

Imagine a situation where you need money but are unable to visit your local bank. There could be a number of reasons why you wouldn’t want to make the visit. Lack of time, bad credit or just the thought of exposing your financial condition could be some of those. You may want to make an application from the comfort of your home in privacy. Well, perhaps you have made the right choice in looking for an online payday loan.

What Should You Expect?

Now that you have decided to make an application for an online payday loan, be prepared to spend a little time to research on the Web. You will be surprised to find a number of reputed lenders who will be looking to offer you a loan. Surf around and you will find a good deal that is ideal to your needs. But at the same time beware, because there are scams out there. Take due precautions before you submit an application to any lender.

How Do These Companies Work?

Most lenders offering online payday loans do not differ in the requirements that they have. You will find that almost all of them ask for proof of age, employment, bank account and citizenship. An application for the loan is provided for you to complete with the details mentioned above. Once you have completed the application, you can expect a call from a loan officer of the lender with a few questions. This call will be to verify your credentials and confirm the application made. Be absolutely truthful. You will receive a decision about your application within a couple of hours of the application being submitted. The money could well be on its way to you in the same time as well.

Different Types of Online Payday Loans Available

As you look to apply for online payday loans, don’t restrict your thinking about the types of loans that may or may not be available. Lenders have widened the scope of loans that they make available online. Short term loans are perhaps the most popular, as amounts advanced are small, as is the loan duration. It is not at all impossible to find loans that are offered for longer periods and against security. These may take a little while longer to process, but are nevertheless available. Interest charges on online payday loans are known to be higher, but there is enough competition in the market to regulate prices. Looking around on a number of Web sites, you are sure to get a good deal on online payday loans.

Apply for Online Payday Loans HERE!

Watch out, cubs! You may not be getting or giving what you bargained for. (Photo: stayawayfromtools.blogspot.com)

Relationships are a tricky business. Whether we meet people out and about or online (in between searching for internet loans), we all have a social side of ourselves that is longing to connect with others. When it comes to companionship, we tend to seek out those who are either most compatible with us or who stoke our physical desire. The second of these is fleeting, of course, but feeling attracted to your mate (and vice versa) is still very important. The trick to all of this is in keeping yourself open to possibility while at the same time maintaining a strong sense of identity so that when the time comes that your heart is broken, you won’t lose yourself beneath the waves. Keep your chin up and keep swimming; that’s the way that the world goes round.

How low can you go, limbo ladies?

Another tricky element of dating and relationships is age. Should partners be of the same age group, or is a difference in age permissible – and by how many years? The answers will vary wildly there, yet some older women who know they prefer younger men aren’t waiting around for anyone’s approval. They’re known (for better or worse) as “cougars,” and they’re on the prowl. And if the recent Miss Cougar USA convention is any indication, they’re becoming a more accepted part of mainstream America.

A recent Examiner article reports that Palo Alto, California hosted the National Single Cougars Convention. Cocktails and appetizers gave way to various presentations from sponsors and finally a “Cougar Ball” where “cubs” (younger men) came to mingle with the den of cougars. The evening climaxed with the crowning of the first Miss Cougar USA (actually, Miss Cougar America), Gloria Navarro.

But it wasn’t all about tiaras and acceptance

Judging by a blog account of the event that appeared on the San Francisco Gate’s Web site, the Miss Cougar USA convention was both a “sausage fest” and a den of “sexual frustration.” While some cougars met interesting men, many more went away empty. While some might say something “catty” like “they got what they deserved” or something equally impolite, I think the general lack of coupling success that the Gate reporter witnessed had a lot to do with the age gap. Older women may be physically attracted to younger men, but when it comes to a long-term relationship, a large age gap most frequently means that the cougar and cub have nothing in common – nothing meaningful to hold a conversation together for long.

What were the cougars looking for?

The Gate reporter’s interviews uncovered similarities. They dressed younger than women their age normally would, drank and listened politely while the young men (who outnumbered them five to one) talked at them, rather than with them. By nature of being male, they wanted to steer the social interaction, but being young, they didn’t have much gas in the tank yet. The penthouse units weren’t fully occupied. Apparently wisdom and experience are important, even to cougars. Humans may be animals – and cougars are animals – but humans operate on more than just physical instinct. They told the interviewer they wanted men who were willing to “do things,” and by that I don’t just mean intimate things. Cougars believe that as a whole, cubs are willing to try new things bears aren’t. And I don’t mean hairy men who like other men when I say “bear.” I simply mean older men.

They “know what they want” and “don’t play games”

That’s what the cubs told the reporter. However, what the cougars wanted wasn’t young men who couldn’t hold intelligent conversations about mature things. This was frustrating for the men, and the alcohol flowed at a healthy clip. Thankfully the convention was held at a hotel, so nobody was hopping in their cars to leave. The wrecked vehicles would have required lots of internet loans to make them whole again. That’s to say nothing for the possible injuries or death.

Don’t wait for your cougar to pay… get internet loans!

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So the whole Miss Cougar USA thing, as well as the cougar “movement,” may have mixed success. People have to be compatible if long-term relationships are the goal. Cubs shouldn’t bite at the first cougar they see if they’re in it for superficial reasons. Yes, all some people want is short-term fun, but some men go for cougars because they think they’ll be their “sugar momma,” or something like that. The reality is that you have to be able to stand on your own two feet. If you find yourself in a difficult financial situation, apply for internet loans. There’s no regret the morning after for people who have a conscience for such things.

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