Spreading the PPP Love

If you have found this post in an attempt to earn some extra money, I must tell you that PayPerPost is the best way out there right now. If you already have an established blog, you are ready to go (if not leave me a comment, and I can get you some sources for the best sites and tools to use). You simply earn money by posting stories, articles, or reviews of products or services. Some people become concerned because they think you are getting paid to "endorse" something, but that is not the case. Many times you may also post neutral, or even negative, posts and still get paid as long as you follow the rules on making the post. How can you beat that?

So far I have been paid $240.93, and have another $118.50 scheduled to come to me. Those numbers will just grow as well, because there are new opportunities to make money every day. I have already planned a vacation to Panama City, Florida this summer. My regular job paid for the trip and the hotel, but PayPerPost is getting me some extra spending money so that we may enjoy the trip even more.

So in essence I'm getting paid to write blog entries (something I would do anyway), and then I can use the money to help pay for a vacation (which will give me even more to write about, thusly get paid more). This is the BEST gig ever!

OSU gets Clinton for graduation

I'm a huge OSU fan, but not a Clinton fan at all. Why do they have to have these liberals at the school who know nothing about how the real world works. I guess it is their way to put the final touches on the indoctrination of the kids before they go out into the world.

---

The college commencement season is prompting another Clinton visit to Ohio, only this time it’s former President Bill Clinton who will address graduates.

He will be the speaker at Ohio State’s June 10 graduation at Ohio Stadium, the university announced Tuesday.

Clinton’s wife, New York senator and Democratic president hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton, gave Saturday’s graduation address at Wilberforce University, a small, historically black school near Dayton.

According to Ohio State, Bill Clinton visited Ohio State twice during his presidency: for a Midwest Economic Summit in 1995 and to give a campaign speech the following year.

“President Clinton is a prominent leader with extraordinary insight into the issues that our graduates will face, and I’m sure his words will be an inspiration,” President Karen Holbrook said in a statement.

Bookkeeping Basics

So what goes on the accounting and bookkeeping departments? What do these people do on a daily basis?

Well, one thing they do that's terribly important to everyone working there is Payroll. All the salaries and taxes earned and paid by every employee every pay period have to be recorded. The payroll department has to ensure that the appropriate federal, state and local taxes are being deducted. The pay stub attached to your paycheck records these taxes. They usually include income tax, social security taxes pous employment taxes that have to be paid to federal and state government. Other deductions include personal ones, such as for retirement, vacation, sick pay or medical benefits. It's a critical function. Some companies have their own payroll departments; others outsource it to specialists.

The accounting department receives and records any payments or cash received from customers or clients of the business or service. The accounting department has to make sure that the money is sourced accurately and deposited in the appropriate accounts. They also manage where the money goes; how much of it is kept on-hand for areas such as payroll, or how much of it goes out to pay what the company owes its banks, vendors and other obligations. Some should also be invested.

The other side of the receivables business is the payables area, or cash disbursements. A company writes a lot of checks during the course of year to pay for purchases, supplies, salaries, taxes, loans and services. The accounting department prepares all these checks and records to whom they were disbursed, how much and for what. Accounting departments also keep track of purchase orders placed for inventory, such as products that will be sold to customers or clients. They also keep track of assets such as a business's property and equipment. This can include the office building, furniture, computers, even the smallest items such as pencils and pens.

If this sounds overwhelming to you, I recommend you check out Accounting Paradise. They can keep your books for you at a resonable, and low price. Here you can find more information on bookkeeping pricing. They can also help you with your payroll.

Retired FBI agent still serving others

It is heartwarming to see this sort of story. I feel that these do not get enough press, and I am part of the problem. I will attempt to post more of these positive stories here in the future. This gentleman has given his whole professional life in service to others, and he has also continued this through his retirement. I think we all could learn a good lesson here.

During his 27 years as a special agent with the FBI, Dave Lichtenfeld lived by the agency's code of fidelity, bravery and integrity as he worked to uphold the law and protect this country. He took off the badge in 1992, but he still lives by the same creed.

Since retiring, Lichtenfeld has found plenty to keep him busy. He volunteers for Pro Seniors, the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Hospice of Cincinnati, the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education and FreestoreFoodbank. The work has earned him several awards, but he's reluctant to discuss them because his father taught him, as a high school football player, to be humble about his achievements.

"Dad said, 'Fame is fleeting. If you do something well and get recognized, don't get a big head.' I've always remembered that," said Lichtenfeld, 71, who lives in Wyoming with wife, Mary Gerson. They have four children and six grandchildren.

The Society of Former FBI Agents gave him the first FBI Humanitarian Award for retirees in 1998; Cincinnati Association for the Blind gave him the Samuel S. Sheffield award in 2004 for outstanding volunteer work. January brought a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hamilton County Police Association for association and professional affiliation since 1984.

"That award's been most meaningful to me because of my respect, admiration and appreciation of local and state police officers," he said

Lichtenfeld began volunteering for the Cincinnati Association for the Blind's Radio Reading Services 20 years ago and for the One on One program when he retired. He has worked with the same woman for 14 years, reading to her and helping with bills once a week. He reads to another client as needed and helps with the group's summer raft trips.

As a Pro Seniors representative, he speaks to area senior centers, senior organizations and churches about Medicare fraud and identity theft.

"I very much enjoy this, because I know I'm helping senior citizens. I tell them that growing old is mandatory. Acting old is optional," said Lichtenfeld, who also speaks to groups about his FBI career.

"Dave's an outstanding volunteer because of his ability to connect immediately to audiences and keep their attention through humor," said Jane Winkler, volunteer coordinator at Pro Seniors, which offers seniors free legal assistance and more. "He has expansive knowledge of Medicare fraud and identity theft."

Since 2006 he's volunteered at Hospice of Cincinnati and the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education, where he conducts school tours.

Lichtenfeld said life's too short not to use your time wisely.

"I firmly believe that all of us should get along in this world. Don't waste time hating people. Spend it helping. It's great to know you're doing something worthwhile."

To volunteer call: Pro Seniors, 513-458-5523; Association for the Blind, 513-221-8558; the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education, 513-487-3055.

Do you know a Hometown Hero? Fax to 513-755-4150

Real Estate and Your Retirement

Many people are looking for ways to increase their retirement income. For most of these individuals, their homes are the greatest asset. A large section of the aging population has failed to plan effectively in order to have sufficient savings at retirement. They now are looking to their real estate to supplement their retirement income.

Real estate values are very unpredictable, especially now with the decrease in the real estate bubble. Prices are falling in some cities and flattening in others. It will take some planning to get the most from selling your real estate to supplement your retirement. You may want to look into a Real Estate Investing Club, such as REI Club Directory.

Be Realistic. To plan effectively, you must be realistic about the price you may get for your home. Real estate is an up and down market, so you should assume a traditional real estate market for valuating your home, with gains in value equal to the inflation rate. At retirement, you will have the same purchasing power you currently have. If gains in real estate values are better than the inflation rate, then you will have more. Just don’t count on it.

Get the Most from Your Real Estate. People used to work hard to pay off their mortgages for homes they planned to raise their children in and retire. Since 1989, the number of people 65 and older with mortgage debt has nearly tripled, adjusting for inflation. Making payments on real estate in retirement years will deplete your savings and retirement income faster than any other expenditure.

There are three reasons to pay off your real estate mortgage — (1) decrease expenditures in your retirement years, (2) use the mortgage interest rate that you will save to increase your retirement savings, and (3) build more equity, in case you need it as income on which to live later. Paying off your mortgage is a good thing to do, regardless of what the real estate market is doing.

Downsize Your Home. If you are living in a home that is larger than what you need, do not hold on to it for sentimental reasons. Selling the larger home for a smaller one can: (1) give you a smaller mortgage payment than you currently have, or (2) purchase a smaller home outright with no mortgage. It also means less physical upkeep by you, as well as less maintenance and repair costs in the future during retirement. Please keep in mind that there will be selling, moving and new home renovation costs that must be deducted from the sale proceeds.

Sell the Extra Real Estate. If you have a second home or vacation real estate that will not be your retirement residence, you may wish to sell this extra real estate now, putting the sale proceeds into your retirement savings. You can put the mortgage and annual upkeep payments for this property into your retirement savings, too.

Reverse Mortgages. Though these products have been around for some time, we are hearing a lot about them lately. Such mortgages give you 50 percent or more of your home’s value with no mortgage payments, which are collected by the lender at your death or if you sell the real estate.

Beware! Reverse mortgages should be used only as a last-ditch effort at survival. The interest and fees added to your mortgage debt can be very costly. If you must consider a reverse mortgage, here are a few smart tips:

• There are only a few reverse mortgage products now on the market, but others are coming soon. So, wait two or three years to garner more options and possibly better products.
• You must be 62 to qualify for a reverse mortgage loan, but wait as long as possible to take such a loan. The younger you are, the smaller the loan and higher the cost over time.
• Check out all of the products on the market and get independent financial counseling on the best one for you. They may look the same upfront, but the number of years and the loan value differ greatly between products, as well as the costs over time.
• Do not buy into the hype! Mortgage brokers receive a large commission on these products. If you feel you are being pushed in this direction, check out other lenders.
• Plan ahead. If you move and sell your real estate, the lender receives all that is due on the reverse mortgage from the sale proceeds. This could actually leave you in a worse financial state.

Queen concludes Derby trip

Is it just me, or did the fact that the Queen of England attended the Kentucky Derby get more press than the Derby itself? As a matter of fact I do not even know who won the Derby, not that I am much of a fan. For that matter I am also not much of a fan of the royals. It fascinates me, but they really are nothing more than people with problems. Take the Queen's son who has had affairs, and marriage and relationship problems. Why does he get attention? Just becuase he is next in line to the throne of England. And that means nothing as well. The throne holds no real power, it is just a figure head of a time that has past. Oh well.....

---

Royal couple headed to D.C. for state dinner

Queen Elizabeth II kept a low profile Sunday as she wrapped up a largely private visit to the Bluegrass state after attending her first Kentucky Derby.

No public appearances were scheduled Sunday before her departure for Washington, where she and her husband, Prince Philip, are to attend a state dinner this evening at the White House, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.

They arrived at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington on Sunday evening.

On Saturday, the queen attended the 133rd Kentucky Derby, her first visit to Churchill Downs.

She and Prince Philip spent the race at a private suite where they had a finish-line vantage point on a balcony to watch Street Sense pull away with the win.

The monarch, an avid horse enthusiast, did not place any bets, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said on customary condition of anonymity.

The royal couple spent the night at an undisclosed central Kentucky location. On previous visits to the horse-breeding country of Kentucky the queen and has stayed at Lane's End Farm, owned by former British ambassador Will Farish.

The queen began her six-day trip to the United States in Virginia, where she addressed the General Assembly and visited the Jamestown Settlement, which is observing the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

The royal couple are expected to leave for London on Tuesday.

Tips On Buying The Perfect Engagement Rings

Buying an engagement ring can often be a daunting task, as making the right choice from the range of engagement rings available is crucial. As with wedding rings, there are many different choices available. You can select from different precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and even titanium. You can also select from a range of precious gems, such as sapphire, emerald, the classic diamond, and many others. You will find a choice of rings to suit a range of budgets, although the carat of the ring will be determined by the amount that you can afford to spend. This item of jewelry is one that will hopefully be cherished by the recipient for the rest of her life, so whether you go for a traditional ring, a beautiful antique ring, a Celtic ring, or any other type of ring, you should make sure that you put plenty of thought into it before you make any firm commitment on your purchase.

Factors to consider when buying engagement rings

Unless your loved one has already pointed out which ring she wants you may have your work cut out in order to determine which ring you should get. Firstly, you need to take into consideration your budget, as this will determine the type of ring you can get. Most jewellers offer rings to suit all sorts of budgets, so you don’t have to be a millionaire in order to get a beautiful ring that she is certain to love. One thing you should try and determine is what type of precious metal and gem she most likes, as you can then select the perfect ring. There are a number of ways in which you can do this, from observing the type of jewelry she normally tends to wear to asking close friends for their advice. By finding out these details you can ensure that the ring you buy is one that she is certain to love. You will also need to know the size of her finger, and you could do this by sneakily taking one of her rings and hoping she doesn’t notice or by asking a close friend who, with any luck, may know the size or even have the same size finger.

Buying your ring – getting a good deal

Although there are many high street shops that sell some beautiful wedding bands and Diamond Rings, it has become more and more popular to purchase these items online. This is because you can enjoy a far wider choice and you can browse under on virtual roof from the comfort of your own home. You will often find that you can also get better deals online because there are no overheads for sellers to worry about, which means that you can either save a little money on the cost of your ring or you can stick to the budget and get a better ring for your money. The excellent choice available online makes it easier for purchasers to find the ideal ring at a more affordable price.

This is a sponsored post

Runner dies after Flying Pig

See, I knew that exercise would kill you.

But on a serious not, my prayers go out to the family of this man. It is sad when any member of our community is taken from us, and I want to be sure to express my sorrow.

I do not do marathons, but on Saturday I did participate in the MS Societies MS Walk in West Chester. Went three miles, and had a great time with the family.

---

45-year-old crosses finish line, then collapses

A runner in the Flying Pig Marathon died Sunday after collapsing at the finish line of the 26.2-mile race, officials said.

It was the first death in the race's nine-year history, race organizers said.

The 45-year-old runner, whose name was not released, had a history of heart disease, according to Hamilton County Coroner Dr. O'dell Owens.

"He apparently had a history of hypertension and actually had not been taking care of himself," Owens said.

The runner was taken to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Owens declined to release the man's name or other details. Cincinnati police and hospital representatives declined comment. John Devine, the race's medical director, said the family of the man has requested that no more information be released.

A woman who identified herself as a friend of the family disputed Owens' characterization. She said that the man was healthy and took good care of himself.

"He's run the Flying Pig year after year," Kathy Kujawa said. She declined to identify the runner at his family's request.

"He just had his cholesterol checked and it was fine," she said. "He has no history of health problems whatsoever."

She added: "He was a hell of a man."

He was at least the sixth runner to die during or right after a marathon in the U.S. in the past year and at least the 11th worldwide, according to news reports.