Microsoft Earnings Gives Bill a Reason to Smile

$299 Dell Dimension 2400 Desktop and $545 Dell Inspiron 1200 Notebook after instant savings from Dell Home. Some offers end 7/13. Click for details. more…

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On tap: 401(k), version 2.0

July 25th, 2005

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Coming soon to a retirement plan near you: big changes. more…

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July 24th, 2005

According to a Pew Internet study conducted via telephone, 87% of Internet users don’t know what podcasting is, and 91% don’t know what RSS is. Lee Rainie, director of the Pew project, called the results of the study “a sobering reality check.” I’m not sure that this necessarily means podcasting and RSS is overblown and won’t eventually go wide. I’d bet 91% of Internet users didn’t know what an

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Washington Post to Monetize RSS?

July 24th, 2005

For awhile, people have been wondering whether there's a wayto make money off of RSS feeds.
	
Washingtonpost.com today announced that it will introduce advertisingin its RSS (Real Simple syndication) feeds, making it the first majornews site to offer ad units in its syndication streams.
	
Jeremy Pepper is spot on with his comment:

This is great that the first large media site is going to push ads via RSS. And, this is terrible, because the first large media site is going to push ads via RSS.

Well - I suppose that’s the first shoe dropping - now let’s see if RSS becomes as ad-riddled a channel as e-mail or if it can stay relatively useful as companies begin to cash in.

Technorati tags: RSS


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				Print version of dailies aggregated online
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
NewspaperDirect has launched an online tool called PressDisplay that allows the user to view online the print versions of 270 newspapers from 50 countries.  The list of newspapers in their database is impressive, if not yet comprehensive.
What makes this interesting is that this isn’t just text and photos in HTML, but the entire publications in their original formats and layouts, delivered through a PDF-like interface. The company even claims to post some newspapers online before they hit the newsstands.
	NewspaperDirect is offering a free 7-day trial. The trial limits the number of newspaper pages you can view, but the product is really quite impressive. Pricing for a full subscription ranges from US$9.95 per month for access for up to 31 different newspaper issues, to US$29.95 for up to 120. Each additional issue beyond these monthly limits costs US$.75. 
   This could potentially be an excellent and cost-effective way for PR folk to instantly share with clients a bit more than the online text version of a print article - regardless of geography. Definitely worth a look.
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				Editors as Chefs
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
Last evening, I was dining at one of my favorite local restaurants when a thought occurred to me.
	Often, people enjoy a particular restaurant because of that restaurant’s specialties. Great steak, delicious key lime pie, unbelievable gnocchi, etc.
	But I think one of the things that makes a great restaurant is a chef who really understands the best interplay among flavors and textures and then creates meals that provide interesting combinations I might not ever think to try on my own.
	Sure, I know that I like beef more than chicken, asparagus more than carrots, etc. But what I don’t necessarily know is that the taste of ginger-dashed carrots might bring out interesting flavors in the salmon I’m planning on ordering. When ordering a la carte, I’d probably go with a more pedestrian potato dish, since I know I like potatoes, and miss out on the experience. It’s even possible I could really enjoy beets or yams with a particular entree, despite the fact I generally don’t like either.
	What occurred to me is that a great editor acts much like a great chef. Talented editors don’t just serve up solid articles, but select a mix of stories that provides an excellent overall reading experience. An editor must simultaneously balance editorial variety and interplay and both invoke familiar ideas and introduce the audience to wholly new concepts.
	Every day, daily newspaper editors select the day’s editorial content, including third-party stories from wire services. The editors’ decision process is much like the creation of a menu.
	But looking at the recent evolution of media consumption, it seems that increasingly, today’s readers don’t truly appreciate the chef.
	The demand for mainstream media has shifted toward “personalized” media, in which readers find their own news and features content from a variety of sources and aggregate it on their own. We’re using RSS readers, MyYahoo pages and other such tools to essentially order our news a la carte and create our own front page section of our own newspaper.
	It’s not just that we don’t have time to read the content out there. Reader’s Digest is an example of an Old Media player that long ago attacked that problem while still providing a ‘chef’ to pick the best bites. Reader’s Digest still has 10 million readers - but the readers’ median age - 50.4.
	So why is it that this generation is not as interested in the chef/editor’s choice? Is it that we don’t trust his or her judgment? That we think we’re more expert on the subject area at hand? Is it just a natural extension of an increasingly self-service-oriented culture?
	Sometimes we know what we want, and it’s just a burger, and we don’t need to read the whole menu to get satisfaction. And that’s fine.
	But I think we should be sure we still take time to listen to the daily special, or we could suddenly find that our media chefs have been replaced by a mere salad bar of RSS feeds.
	Technorati tags:  rss, media, journalism



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				LA Times Yanks Wikitorial
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						The LA Times attempted to use Wiki to create an interactive online editorial feature this weekend. They started with an editorial urging a better-defined plan to withdraw troops from Iraq, and readers were invited to add their thoughts. Some did constructively, but soon “some readers were flooding the site with inappropriate material.” On Sunday, editors decided to remove the feature, apologizing to those who had logged on in the right spirit.
	Some bloggers predicted the outcome, noting that pile-ons would likely occur. Others pointed out that Wiki isn’t really best for aggregating individuals’ opinions, but rather is aimed at constantly verifying and updating facts.
	“Wikipedia policy is that all articles should be written from a neutral point of view: without bias, representing all views fairly. According to Wikipedia founder Jimbo Wales, NPOV is “absolute and non-negotiable”. [1]“
	
Of course, that’s WikiPEDIA. There’s no saying that there can’t be different rules for WikiPINION, right?
	The problem is, using Wiki for opinion might run counter to a couple assumptions important to the success of a Wiki. Wiki.org’s Design Principles include one biggie:
	

Trust - This is at the core of wiki. Trust the people, trust the process, enable trust-building.

You have to trust that visitors won’t alter the intended meaning of a previous Wiki entry. When it comes to the factual, that’s a reasonable expectation. People who are visiting a Wiki about how to grow tomatoes generally are there to collect and advance knowledge on beefsteaks, not to throw them at one another.
	But when it comes to the debatable, and certainly the controversial, that’s a pretty unreasonable expectation. People often don’t fight fair, especially when they don’t have to put their name behind their words.
	There are always going to be the morons.  Wiki.org cites “Lord of the Flies Syndrome,” in which “members of a community engage in unconscionable behavior, often not even civilized, if they feel they can be protected by anonymity, or otherwise are free from any (negative) consequences for their actions.”
	So - how could a newspaper better use Wiki for editorials?
	Three suggestions:
	1.  Split each editorial into mini Wikis representing each point of view and containing the arguments supporting them. Keep in mind that sometimes there may be more than two points of view.
	2. Act as third-party fact checker, scanning the Wikis and verifying and updating information and assumptions presented as fact by posters. This strays a bit away from the whole trust factor, but again, we’re dealing with opinion.
	3. Don’t give posters anonymity. Just as the print pages do, require them to use their real names. Consider implementing a simple identification verification system. If someone has deemed his or her opinion worth shouting on the Internet, (s)he should be fine with people knowing who’s doing the shouting.
	Technorati tags:  wikitorial, wiki, journalism



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				PR Compensation and Job Satisfaction Survey
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
YoungPRPros has launched its first ever Compensation and Job Satisfaction Survey, focusing on North American practitioners and customized by work environment.
	Take part now for access to a great resource when it comes time for your next career move or salary review. Respondents will receive the results free.
	Technorati tags: PR, compensation



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				New Firefox Extension Expands Google Search
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
Released yesterday, this is a cool new extension for Firefox that enhances Google search results by adding links to Yahoo, MSN, Technorati and Feedster search results, among others. If you’re searching for client web hits or client topic-related material, it’s a good way to assure you’re getting results from blogs and company RSS feeds as well as MSM websites.
	It also incorporates the Google Suggest feature currently still in beta within Google Labs. This feature suggests keywords as you type in the search box and displays the number of results, before actually returning them.
	For PR people constantly seeking to assure no stone is left unturned, this is a great new tool and Google Labs should be checked regularly for new search functionality.
	Technorati tags: PR, search
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				Fleishman-Hillard Execs Hit Low Water Mark
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
The LA Times has reported that a federal grand jury indicted Douglas R. Dowie, 57, of Los Angeles, on 15 felony counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. Dowie routinely ordered subordinates at Fleishman-Hillard, an international public relations firm, to inflate the number of hours they worked under contracts with the city’s Department of Water and Power and the Port of Los Angeles, as well as with two private clients, the indictment charged. His name was added to an existing complaint against a former Fleishman-Hillard vice president, John Stodder, 49, who faces a conspiracy charge and 11 counts of wire fraud. Stodder pleaded not guilty.
	I wrote a few weeks ago that I felt the PRSA should take action against the professionals involved. Never mind. I’ll just keep a look out for a California license plate that reads, ” - 30 - “
	By the way, does anyone know which two private clients were involved?
	Technorati tags: PR, ethics
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				BlogPulse enhances trend tool
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
Intelliseek/BlogPulse has added a neat feature to its trend tool I wrote about a few weeks back. You may remember that the tool graphically presents the prevalence in the blogosphere of any search term over time. Now you can click anywhere on the graph it generates and it will show you the relevant blog search results for that point in time.
	For example, looking at the search term [”video search” AND “Yahoo”/”Google”/”MSN”]:


	
With the new enhancements, you can click on the peaks - in this case, May 5, when Yahoo announced it had taken its video search tool out of beta and people like me blogged on it. When you click that peak, you get results for that day:
	
	Thanks go out to Pete Blackshaw at Intelliseek for the personal heads-up on the enhancement. 

	Technorati tags: PR, search

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				Life in the Blog Age
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						

	Technorati tags: blogging, satire
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				The Top 5 Reasons Summer Can Be a Great Time to Concentrate on Communications
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
5. You can sit down and plan. Because you�?Tre not scrambling to get out six partner releases, four new-hire announcements and attend a conference all at the same time, you have a bit more time to take a deep breath and look at your goals more strategically. Summer can be a great time to get out of �?oreactive�?� mode and do the careful planning that will assure your success when the faxes start flying again. You can do some competitor tracking, analyze past results of your own campaigns, and create more intelligent metrics for that next initiative.
	4. Experts are harder for journalists to find. Because so many executives take vacations during summer months, and because so many of the big corporations do ramp down their communications in the summertime, reporters have to look harder to find good experts for commentary in their articles. Being proactive in putting your own leaders forward during the summer can not only provide an immediate boost to your executives�?T visibility, but makes it more likely they will be called upon again for their expertise later in the year.
	3. All that writing can finally get done. You�?Tve probably been meaning to deploy about a dozen writing assignments since the beginning of the year, but because you�?Tve been in that reactive mode, you simply haven�?Tt had a chance. Summer is a great time to get that accomplished �?” whether bylined articles, case studies or even a messaging refresh, it�?Ts much easier to create good copy when you�?Tre not tapping it furiously on your Blackberry from a breakout room at N+I!
	2. Journalists and analysts have more time for briefings. Generally, fewer companies are seeking briefing appointments during the summer, and because there are fewer trade shows, even with summer vacations, journalists and analysts may often actually be in their offices more. Plus, since they�?Tre not trying to fit in five briefings per week, you may get more time with each individual. And Boston and New York are really much nicer to visit in June than in February anyway!
	1. Publications lack fresh content and need your news. Slow news periods mean that your story has a greater chance of being noticed, since you aren�?Tt competing as much for message attention as you might be, say, in September, when everyone else ramps their communications back up. With journalists taking summer vacation and companies waiting to spring their biggest news until autumn, media sources have more of an appetite for third-party content �?” so you may be able to sell in your bylined articles and case studies more easily than during any other time of year.
	Technorati tags: PR
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				Why good video search will change media forever
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Today, Yahoo announced it has shifted its video search tool out of the test phase and made it available online. Right now, you can search movie previews, excerpts from previously broadcast television shows as well as original content. This is almost just in time, as I spent about 20 minutes a few weeks ago trying to find a working link to the Star Wars kid video, which I found in seconds with the new tool.
	But video search, I think, has more implications than enabling people to find goofy clips circulating on the Internet. Good video search could actually wipe out the current paradigm in broadcasting- it could end the idea of TV schedules and lineups.
	Right now, video content is primarily accessed through television - cable and otherwise. This content is currently restricted by the number of channels and the number of hours in a day. TV executives make their decisions on whether to buy a show based on filling the hours of the day, with special attention to primetime, etc.
	But when television becomes entirely on-demand, it won’t matter what time the viewer is watching - simply that they are watching. Sure, shows will still be made available for the first time at a certain hour, but people will not be constricted by the TV timetable in terms of their viewership - much like the Internet journalist or blogger is not currently constrained by column inches.
	Thus, TV producers will choose NOT to pass on a marginal program that will only attract a cult viewership - because they’ll be able to squeeze dollars out of even the smallest interest group. Plus, with the ability to easily collect demographic info when delivering content on demand, they’ll even be able to tout more highly targeted advertising and get more dollars per viewer.
	Other than the storage and bandwidth necessary to deliver on-demand content, the only true obstacle to this explosion of content is the ability to navigate it. We can barely navigate the video content that’s out there right now - so on-demand will not truly catch on as the preferred delivery method just yet.
	This is where good video search comes in. I don’t think the Yahoo Search tool, still keyword-based, is necessarily the answer, but at least they’re showing it’s a priority by launching a tool. Better functionality will come as a result of competition.
	But when video is searchable in a truly relational way - based on preferences, habits and peer recommendations (think Amazon.com) , the amount of available video programming will undoubtedly explode.
	TiVo has done the best job so far, searching video content in this direction to a certain degree, enabling viewers to more effectively capture their favorite shows for viewing at their leisure. The beauty of the product is not just its recording capabilities (VCRs have been around for a long time) but in its ability to help the viewer navigate the sea of video content available to them to find the programs they’ll like most, even identifying new programming based on viewer’s viewing habits and preferences.
	I think what is particularly interesting are the implications for PR professionals when video content does explode. More and more, the technical quality of video that amateurs will be able to create will match the quality arising from professional sources. And delivery mechanisms like RSS and the complementary search technology supporting it are already foreshadowing the possibility of open access to a video distribution mechanism.
	So, much as we have seen in the blogging world, the individual will have a louder, more far-reaching voice than ever before. We’ve seen the truly excellent blogs get more Internet traffic than major media sites - there’s no reason to believe truly excellent amateur video programming couldn’t build audiences bigger than traditional broadcast viewerships. And further, because people generally seem more compelled by video than any other form of communication (the belief that if it’s on TV it must be important), amateur video programming producers could validate themselves even faster.
	So what does this mean for PR folk? First of all, all of the same things we’ve already learned about bloggers - they don’t have to follow any specific ethics code, they don’t answer to editors, they have as much space as they want to write to fill - will all be important lessons to apply once amateur video programming is as ubiquitous as the blog post.
	When a disgruntled fast-food customer can in a few hours produce and widely distribute a professional-quality video that shows a fast-food worker using unsanitary methods, PR professionals will have to monitor a still larger world for threats to reputation.
	Secondly, if the playing field is leveled as far as technical dimensions are concerned, success will be determined more by the quality of the message being conveyed than the quality of the vehicle used to convey it. When the under-funded challenger in a Congressional election can reach his or her entire consituency for a few hundred bucks with a campaign video that looks just as polished as a multi-term Representative’s on the networks, the game will have shifted.
	It won’t be about the resolution on the video or the slick effects - it will be about the meat to the message - and that’s a task on which public relations professionals already spend much of their time. We just need to be sure we stay attuned to the changes in technology to be sure we maintain our role as content advisers.
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				Podcasting Getting Sirius (or vice versa)
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						For those of you wondering whether podcasting is catching on, add Sirius to the list of media network and content providers riding the wave - and to the shorter list of those who may be able to cash in - remember, Sirius talk shows are ad-supported. The company has created a round-up show intended to highlight the best of webcast programming around the web.
	The show will begin broadcasting weekdays on May 13 and will be hosted by Adam Curry, the former MTV personality who helped create the technological tools that allow podcasting to work. The show will be broadcast on Sirius channel 148, a talk-radio station that does carry commercials, unlike Sirius’ all-music channels.
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				Skip the Spin Cycle
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						

The Ketchum and Fleishman-Hillard scandals that have been brewing for the last few months (PR News, Jan. 26) have left us wondering whether the controversies will prevent young people from joining the PR profession. If the answer can be gauged by the response from PR practitioners, one might come to believe that there�?Ts not a great deal of concern about any lasting effect.

Technorati tags: PR, public relations, ethics
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				PRSA shuts down PRCOnline, shuts out non-members
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						
In a not-so-surprising but still disappointing move, PRSA closed down its PRCOnline listserv last Friday. My assumption is that the PRCOnline forum was discontinued because there were many non-members who were subscribed to the list and it was intended as a service for members only. I say this because the email announcing the shutdown also included a call to join PRSA at a reduced fee. Apparently, there is now a web-based forum within the PRSA site to which PRCOnline member-subscribers have been directed.
	The message I get from that is that PRSA is only interested in enriching professionals who can enrich the PRSA coffers. Some have made the argument that PRSA should not be
expected to foot the bill for a free listserve for people who aren’t its members. But the thing is, I don’t believe that PRCOnline required very much administration from PRSA personnel - so where was the bill to foot? If it had been something that cost the PRSA lots of personnel-hours, I could see making it a pay-for-resource only - but that just wasn’t the case. It was pretty free-flowing conversation - and it was a nice way to give non-members a glimpse of the caliber of professionals who are PRSA members.
	Now, I understand that PRSA has a right to restrict access to its membership, even through a listserv. And to its credit, it did offer special reduced rates to PRCOnline subscribers who wished to join the association and access the new forum. But was the decision in PRSA’s best interest?
	Even some members upset
A number of PRSA members have expressed disappointment about being left out of the decision-making process for the change on the list. Some of the members have suggested the change being announced late in the afternoon on a Friday was a means by which to quelch discussion about the decision. Apparently, the new listserv actually has reduced functionality (can’t post wirelessly, etc.). Several former PRCOnline subscribers have already launched alternative, free groups in response.

Suggestion on a different approach
A PRSA-sponsored but public listserv, used a bit differently, could be a virtual magnet for new members. Instead of shutting people out completely, why not provide free access to non-members, but PREMIUM access to members? For example, a listserv member contact list, content arising from other areas of PRSA, and value-added tools like wireless access or chat or could be made available only to PRSA members. With the right web tools, even with non-members subscribed, it could be possible to allow PRSA members to post messages that only PRSA members would see.
	And don’t forget the juniors…
Like it or not, the expense of PRSA membership is prohibitive for PR newbies living paycheck-to-paycheck on entry-level salaries, even with reduced introductory dues. There aren’t a lot of free options out there for people looking to make their first connections. PRSA is missing out on a cheap opportunity to create brand intimacy with the PR people of tomorrow.
	On one level, I’m disappointed, certainly. On another level, PRSA’s approach has expanded the need for and relevance of a personal project I began back in 2000.
	I started YoungPRPros.com, a free online forum, because I felt that younger members of the profession lacked affordable access to a caring community of peers and potential mentors. There was immediate interest - over 100 people joined within 24 hours. We have nearly 2400 members now, and the forum is quite active, averaging over 50 messages a day. Members get tips on dealing with the media, navigating careers, etc. We make available resources like salary surveys, recruiter directories and members’ resumes. There are even frequent happy hours - in fact, The Geek Factory’s Peter Shankman has organized one in New York City this Friday:
	Friday, April 15, 2005 @ 6PM
Mica 587
587 3rd Avenue, between 38th and 39th Streets
	With the departure of PRCOnline, I believe that YoungPRPros is now the largest and most active free PR forum on the Web.  So join the party.  We won’t check your wallet first.
	Technorati tags: PR, public relations, PRSA
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				Stronger yuan won’t cure US trade gap
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Eurostocks end flat
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Sony BMG settlement seen near
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Clothes made with glue?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Guys all over the world are going to love this, and probably plenty of women too — clothes made with glue that promise never to come apart at the seams.  more…
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				China’s Nanjing buys Rover
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Yuan weaker after revaluation
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Bush creates high-level anti-piracy post
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Oil rebounds 3%
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Artemis fined $700M on failed insurer
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				Nikkei falls after yuan revalued
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
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				A marketing Tour de force
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						This Sunday there will probably be a number of sports fans who tune in to watch the Tour de France for the first time, just to see American Lance Armstrong win the grueling race for an unprecedented seventh straight year.  more…
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				Cheering China’s baby steps
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						So the Chinese have taken a mere “baby step” toward breaking their currency peg to the dollar and letting their currency float freely, but is this so bad and why should we expect more?  more…
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				Internet stocks: Great expectations
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Investors are a fickle lot, especially owners of Internet stocks.  more…
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				Yuan: One small step
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Was the timing of China’s decision to revalue the yuan an attempt to manipulate the politics of China/U.S. relations?  more…
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				Did “Grand Theft Auto” get off too easy?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						When a child misbehaves, you give it a spanking. But based on Wednesday’s actions by the video game industry, when a publisher misbehaves, you say “tut tut” and hope no one asks you to do more.  more…
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				Sex tapes: A career enhancer
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Dear Colin Farrell,  more…
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				Greenspan will talk, but keep mum
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Alan Greenspan’s words are known for rocking the markets but Fedwatchers say this week’s testimony will be more like “don’t rock the boat.”  more…
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				HP’s thinning Hurd
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The Mark Hurd era at Hewlett-Packard is off to a promising start. Shares are up more than 25 percent since Hurd, formerly the CEO of NCR, took over the helm in March.  more…
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				Red storm ahead
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Americans owe Congressman Duncan Hunter their gratitude and congratulations.  more…
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				Harry Potter and the Fed’s Conundrum
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						“Confound this conundrum!” said the Chairman as he searched the pockets of his robe for his wand.  more…
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				Microsoft names new system Vista
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Microsoft announced Friday that it will call its next-generation operating system “Windows Vista.”  more…
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				A $400 bet on Google?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Google Inc. shares tumbled early Friday as the earnings expectations game beat aside a strong profit report and a new $400 price target for the world’s largest Internet search engine, about to mark its first year as a public company.  more…
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				Apple rolling out new Macs next week?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Apple may be gearing up to unveil a new slate of mini-Macs and may also release updated versions of its popular iBook laptop computers as early as next Tuesday, according to unconfirmed reports on a Web site that tracks Apple.  more…
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				Google’s best not enough
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Google Inc. was getting ready to celebrate its first year as a public company, but instead its stock was blindsided by the rough-and-tumble earnings expectations game.  more…
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				Microsoft’s mixed message
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Microsoft reported healthy gains in sales and better than expected earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter Thursday thanks to strong demand for its server software and Xbox gaming consoles.  more…
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				Cisco to buy Denmark’s KiSS for $61M
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Google profit zooms
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				EMC net income rises 53%
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				SBC profit falls on merger costs
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Nokia 2Q profit misses forecasts
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Country Kitchen: Weekend for Two
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						The galley kitchen of a 1940s summer cottage is revamped by an urban couple.  more…
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				The Iowa State Fair
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Come along with Country Living for a taste of Iowa’s annual State Fair.  more…
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				Crafting: Make a Felted Tote Bag
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Hang on to your possessions in this attractive, easy-to-make hand-knit carryall.  more…
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				Dutch Treat
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Surrounding her thatched-roof home southeast of Amsterdam, an illustrator weaves topiary with tadpoles to create a habitat abundant with fantasy, formality and inspiration.  more…
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				Summerland
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						A welcoming and expansive new farmhouse in Virginia, built to be a sun-filled family retreat, completes its character with furnishings reclaimed, repurposed and reborn.  more…
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				Last chance for a 6-figure retirement
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						I’m hoping to retire in 13 years, but I made the mistake of not setting aside any money for my retirement. Is there anything I can do now to make up for that blunder?  more…
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				Confessions of a compulsive shopper
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Kristine Rogers is an addict. The 36-year-old suburban mother of four doesn’t drink, gamble or take drugs, but she is an addict nonetheless.  more…
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				Mass transit terror
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Once again, mass transit is the target of another terrorist attack in London.  more…
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				Fastest growing housing markets
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						The state of Georgia is home to some of the fastest growing counties in the United States, according to a new report released Thursday by the Census Bureau.  more…
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				Helping others is a family tradition
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						“My mother taught me you don’t need to be rich to share your wealth.”  more…
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				Get some R&R at work
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						A new survey says the average worker wastes more than two hours a day at work. This is about twice as much wasted time as their employers expect, according to the survey by Salary.com and America Online.  more…
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				What money type are you?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Take our test to learn how to stop making the same old money mistakes.  more…
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				Find your way home
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Who needs a handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) device? Military commanders, to be sure. Around-the-world yachtsmen, yeah. But you? What, to find your way home through the backyard?  more…
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				Navigating the weird world of insurance
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Dear Armchair Millionaire: I have the standard insurance — auto, health, homeowners — but I’m always seeing offers for other types, like pet insurance. Is this kind of insurance worthwhile?  more…
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				The Fed chairman takes a bullish stand
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Being an oracle is a tough job, especially if you want to retain your credibility over an entire career. You have to be smart and provocative yet leave a little wiggle room.  more…
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				401(k), version 2.0
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Coming soon to a retirement plan near you: big changes.  more…
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				Blue chips drive recovery
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Stocks managed gains Friday after a late-session blue-chip advance knocked out a morning tech selloff, sparked by some disappointing earnings forecasts from Microsoft and Google.  more…
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				A $400 bet on Google?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Google Inc. shares tumbled early Friday as the earnings expectations game beat aside a strong profit report and a new $400 price target for the world’s largest Internet search engine, about to mark its first year as a public company.  more…
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				Microsoft names new system Vista
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Microsoft announced Friday that it will call its next-generation operating system “Windows Vista.”  more…
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				Oil rebounds 3%
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Apple rolling out new Macs next week?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Apple may be gearing up to unveil a new slate of mini-Macs and may also release updated versions of its popular iBook laptop computers as early as next Tuesday, according to unconfirmed reports on a Web site that tracks Apple.  more…
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				Muscle round-up: GTO, Mustang, Charger
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						I had one of those rare, truly beautiful driving moments behind the wheel of a 400-horsepower 2005 Pontiac GTO.  more…
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				China: Stronger yuan won’t cure US trade gap
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Forget a stitch in time, these clothes are made with glue
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Guys all over the world are going to love this, and probably plenty of women too — clothes made with glue that promise never to come apart at the seams.  more…
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				Extra virgin olive oil in short supply
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				On tap: 401(k), version 2.0
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Coming soon to a retirement plan near you: big changes.  more…
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				Last chance for a 6-figure retirement
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						I’m hoping to retire in 13 years, but I made the mistake of not setting aside any money for my retirement. Is there anything I can do now to make up for that blunder?  more…
	manager book

				
		
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				Stronger yuan won’t cure US trade gap
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Apple rolling out new Macs next week?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Apple may be gearing up to unveil a new slate of mini-Macs and may also release updated versions of its popular iBook laptop computers as early as next Tuesday, according to unconfirmed reports on a Web site that tracks Apple.  more…
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				Extra virgin olive oil in short supply
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Clothes made with glue?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Guys all over the world are going to love this, and probably plenty of women too — clothes made with glue that promise never to come apart at the seams.  more…
	manager book

				
		
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				Confessions of a compulsive shopper
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Kristine Rogers is an addict. The 36-year-old suburban mother of four doesn’t drink, gamble or take drugs, but she is an addict nonetheless.  more…
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				Oil rebounds 3%
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				A $400 bet on Google?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Google Inc. shares tumbled early Friday as the earnings expectations game beat aside a strong profit report and a new $400 price target for the world’s largest Internet search engine, about to mark its first year as a public company.  more…
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				Franchises with a future
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Business owners strive to aim their goods or services at growing markets. If their targets have significantly more potential customers every year, it increases their chances for success.  more…
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				Blue chips drive recovery
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Stocks managed gains Friday after a late-session blue-chip advance knocked out a morning tech selloff, sparked by some disappointing earnings forecasts from Microsoft and Google.  more…
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				NYSE-Archipelago too discounted?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Stronger yuan won’t cure US trade gap
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Bonds on the way back, greenback rises
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						The dollar edged higher Friday morning as markets looked for bargains from China’s recent yuan revaluation, while the pound fell on security worries in London.  more…
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				Oil rebounds 3%
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Yuan, fear, unsettle stocks
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Stocks closed lower Thursday following a day of heavy news and heavy trading, shaken by uncertainty surrounding the effects of China’s currency revaluation, attacks on London’s Underground and mixed earnings reports.  more…
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				Demystifying hedge funds
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Hedge fund strategies used to be accessible only to the ultra-wealthy, but now, anyone with an annual income of $200,000 can buy entry into a “fund of funds,” an investment fund tied to hedge funds, for as little as $25,000.  more…
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				Long-term debt drops on China news
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Oil down on robust stockpiles
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Stocks rebound, Nasdaq at 4-year high
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Stocks rose Wednesday, pushing the Nasdaq to a four-year high and sending it into positive territory for the first time in 2005, as oil prices fell and concerns over lackluster earnings from Intel and Yahoo faded.  more…
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				Abolish the AMT? Think tax hike
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						When a presidential adviser charged with recommending fixes to the tax code signaled Wednesday that his panel will soon propose the repeal of the alternative minimum tax, the few million taxpayers around the country who’ve been hit by the dreaded levy were no doubt cheering wildly.  more…
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				Cheering China’s baby steps
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						So the Chinese have taken a mere “baby step” toward breaking their currency peg to the dollar and letting their currency float freely, but is this so bad and why should we expect more?  more…
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				What Greenspan didn’t know
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						In what could be one of his last appearances on Capitol Hill, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan admitted even he doesn’t know everything.  more…
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				Mortgage rates post third week of gains
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Mortgage rates climbed this past week for the third straight week but rates still remain close to the low rates experienced in June of 2003, the government-chartered mortgage company Freddie Mac said Thursday.  more…
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				Jobless claims lowest since April
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Tax simplification: not so simple
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						There’s no end to the analogies used to describe just how broken the federal tax system is. It’s been likened it to an overbuilt house that’s crumbling, a floor littered with too much garbage, and a blackboard with no space left to write.  more…
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				Greenspan warns on fuel, housing
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve, spoke favorably of the overall economy in Congressional testimony Wednesday, but warned investors about the risks of a housing bubble and fuel prices that are likely to keep rising for years.  more…
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				Business likely to back Roberts
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Supreme Court nominee John Roberts is likely to win the support of business groups, but one of his last cases before the nation’s highest court was arguing an antitrust case against Microsoft on behalf of state attorneys general.  more…
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				Greenspan will talk, but keep mum
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Alan Greenspan’s words are known for rocking the markets but Fedwatchers say this week’s testimony will be more like “don’t rock the boat.”  more…
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				Five questions for Greenspan
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						The only thing more difficult to parse through than Alan Greenspan’s testimony to Congress can be the questions he gets from senators and representatives.  more…
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				Sony BMG settlement seen near
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Wal-Mart sticks to forecast
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				New Fannie, Freddie regulator proposed
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be getting a new regulator thanks to a bill offered Friday by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby .  more…
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				NYSE-Archipelago too discounted?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Stronger yuan won’t cure US trade gap
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Microsoft names new system Vista
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Microsoft announced Friday that it will call its next-generation operating system “Windows Vista.”  more…
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				Why Apple chose Intel
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Apple’s announcement last month that it was switching from IBM PowerPC chips to Intel chips was one of those seismic events whose aftershocks continue to be felt for a long time.  more…
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				Apple rolling out new Macs next week?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Apple may be gearing up to unveil a new slate of mini-Macs and may also release updated versions of its popular iBook laptop computers as early as next Tuesday, according to unconfirmed reports on a Web site that tracks Apple.  more…
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				Blue chips force recovery
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Stocks managed gains Friday after a late-session blue-chip advance knocked out a morning tech selloff, sparked by some disappointing earnings forecasts from Microsoft and Google.  more…
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				Oil rebounds 3%
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Guidant retracts safety information
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Guidant Corp. said Friday that advice it gave to doctors last week to reprogram its implantable defibrillators may actually increase the risk to patients.  more…
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				A marketing Tour de force
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						This Sunday there will probably be a number of sports fans who tune in to watch the Tour de France for the first time, just to see American Lance Armstrong win the grueling race for an unprecedented seventh straight year.  more…
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				Clothes made with glue?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Guys all over the world are going to love this, and probably plenty of women too — clothes made with glue that promise never to come apart at the seams.  more…
	manager book

				
		
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				Eurostocks end flat
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Read full story for latest details.  more…
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				Mass transit terror
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Once again, mass transit is the target of another terrorist attack in London.  more…
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				A $400 bet on Google?
				July 24th, 2005 
				
				
						Google Inc. shares tumbled early Friday as the earnings expectations game beat aside a strong profit report and a new $400 price target for the world’s largest Internet search engine, about to mark its first year as a public company.