daily blog

As I casually strolled across the dingy Boston playing field on a brisk Sunday afternoon the winds began to whip through my jacket and the words watch your step scrolled across my mind as I carefully navigated through the debris that is a part of many urban ball fields , broken glass, geese droppings, etc. Wait a minute is that human feces? I finally made it to the sideline set up my portable sports chair and got ready to watch an M2Sports flag football game between the Giants and the Eagles. The only reason I was at this game was to watch my son Tony aka “Tadow” along with the rest of his Giant teammates “H8me, Sho Nuff, Killa, Toby, Javafi,Jeebies, El Negro, Phil, Cbert and P.T compete.

Before the game started the first thing I noticed was how diverse the teams were, there were men of all racial, social, religious and economic backgrounds playing side by side or as opposition. The formation of the league was the brainchild of Mario Lopez a Latino brother who had the vision to create a format where men can be men have fun, stay in shape and release the stress of daily living at least once a week and have the freedom to unleash their alter ego’s with names like K-Dogg, Speedy, Mr. Puerto Rico etc. It was great to see such a diverse collection of men gathered together.

The game finally began and immediately there was a lot of trash talking, this was my first time attending the games, so the language assault I experienced caught me off guard, I was sure someone was going to take the comments out of context and blows would be thrown, this was definitely not a PG-13 event and don’t get it twisted just because it’s a flag football league, this sports is not for little boys, hits on the sideline are legal and people can and do get cracked, much to the delight of the crowd on run backs or blocking at the line. Both teams spent a fair amount of time and energy trading verbal air assaults from ethnic put downs to the questioning of “Manhood” for everyone to hear and laugh at on the sidelines. The contest was intense and went back and forth the Giants scored first then the Eagles and this pattern lasted over two hours, until “Tadow” scored the game winning touchdown. What happened at the conclusion of the game is what really impressed me, I just knew that after all the jarring that took place the end of the game would be the opportunity for someone to over react to something that was said and blow it out of proportion, as I watched the teams walk toward each other at midfield, the teams simply shook hands, embraced, laughed, shared water and a genuine respect for their brothers after all it was just a game they left their differences on the football field.

At that very moment I pondered the following, why can’t these same men who represent something larger than themselves come together for a common cause away from the playing field and take that same passion and energy back to the community to help tear down the walls that separate us and make a difference? What is it that keeps our neighborhoods segregated once they exit the playing surface? After the games are over, the blacks will go their way and hang out with the blacks, the Latino’s will hang with the Latino’s and so on for the white males. It’s been said that sports serves as a microcosm of the larger society in many ways, but it’s ironic that the same people who can spend hours together as teammates or engaged in healthy competition go their separate ways and live in different worlds once the games end. Imagine how powerful it would be to see these same men standing side by side leading voter registration drives, mentoring programs, policing the block to make the hood safe, visiting classrooms, and juvenile detention centers. They would be excellent role models in demonstrating to our youth that beneath the obvious differences of color and race we can get along. On the playing fields diversity is what helps a team come together, the successful teams adopt the philosophy of inclusion and appreciation of variety and they figure out how to make those differences work together for a common goal, “winning”. Yet that same approach is rarely seen in other area’s politics, education, religion and employment to name a few.

Perhaps one day we will find a way to make society a microcosm of sports, rather than the other way around.

Tony Price

A Boston Based Collegaite Athletics Administrator and Head Basketball Coach. A Hall of Fame Inductee(Worcester State College) with 20 plus years experience as an athlete, coach, and administrator.

As I casually strolled across the dingy Boston playing field on a brisk Sunday afternoon the winds began to whip through my jacket and the words watch your step scrolled across my mind as I carefully navigated through the debris that is a part of many urban ball fields , broken glass, geese droppings, etc. Wait a minute is that human feces? I finally made it to the sideline set up my portable sports chair and got ready to watch an M2Sports flag football game between the Giants and the Eagles. The only reason I was at this game was to watch my son Tony aka “Tadow” along with the rest of his Giant teammates “H8me, Sho Nuff, Killa, Toby, Javafi,Jeebies, El Negro, Phil, Cbert and P.T compete.

Before the game started the first thing I noticed was how diverse the teams were, there were men of all racial, social, religious and economic backgrounds playing side by side or as opposition. The formation of the league was the brainchild of Mario Lopez a Latino brother who had the vision to create a format where men can be men have fun, stay in shape and release the stress of daily living at least once a week and have the freedom to unleash their alter ego’s with names like K-Dogg, Speedy, Mr. Puerto Rico etc. It was great to see such a diverse collection of men gathered together.

The game finally began and immediately there was a lot of trash talking, this was my first time attending the games, so the language assault I experienced caught me off guard, I was sure someone was going to take the comments out of context and blows would be thrown, this was definitely not a PG-13 event and don’t get it twisted just because it’s a flag football league, this sports is not for little boys, hits on the sideline are legal and people can and do get cracked, much to the delight of the crowd on run backs or blocking at the line. Both teams spent a fair amount of time and energy trading verbal air assaults from ethnic put downs to the questioning of “Manhood” for everyone to hear and laugh at on the sidelines. The contest was intense and went back and forth the Giants scored first then the Eagles and this pattern lasted over two hours, until “Tadow” scored the game winning touchdown. What happened at the conclusion of the game is what really impressed me, I just knew that after all the jarring that took place the end of the game would be the opportunity for someone to over react to something that was said and blow it out of proportion, as I watched the teams walk toward each other at midfield, the teams simply shook hands, embraced, laughed, shared water and a genuine respect for their brothers after all it was just a game they left their differences on the football field.

At that very moment I pondered the following, why can’t these same men who represent something larger than themselves come together for a common cause away from the playing field and take that same passion and energy back to the community to help tear down the walls that separate us and make a difference? What is it that keeps our neighborhoods segregated once they exit the playing surface? After the games are over, the blacks will go their way and hang out with the blacks, the Latino’s will hang with the Latino’s and so on for the white males. It’s been said that sports serves as a microcosm of the larger society in many ways, but it’s ironic that the same people who can spend hours together as teammates or engaged in healthy competition go their separate ways and live in different worlds once the games end. Imagine how powerful it would be to see these same men standing side by side leading voter registration drives, mentoring programs, policing the block to make the hood safe, visiting classrooms, and juvenile detention centers. They would be excellent role models in demonstrating to our youth that beneath the obvious differences of color and race we can get along. On the playing fields diversity is what helps a team come together, the successful teams adopt the philosophy of inclusion and appreciation of variety and they figure out how to make those differences work together for a common goal, “winning”. Yet that same approach is rarely seen in other area’s politics, education, religion and employment to name a few.

Perhaps one day we will find a way to make society a microcosm of sports, rather than the other way around.

Tony Price

A Boston Based Collegaite Athletics Administrator and Head Basketball Coach. A Hall of Fame Inductee(Worcester State College) with 20 plus years experience as an athlete, coach, and administrator.

As I casually strolled across the dingy Boston playing field on a brisk Sunday afternoon the winds began to whip through my jacket and the words watch your step scrolled across my mind as I carefully navigated through the debris that is a part of many urban ball fields , broken glass, geese droppings, etc. Wait a minute is that human feces? I finally made it to the sideline set up my portable sports chair and got ready to watch an M2Sports flag football game between the Giants and the Eagles. The only reason I was at this game was to watch my son Tony aka “Tadow” along with the rest of his Giant teammates “H8me, Sho Nuff, Killa, Toby, Javafi,Jeebies, El Negro, Phil, Cbert and P.T compete.

Before the game started the first thing I noticed was how diverse the teams were, there were men of all racial, social, religious and economic backgrounds playing side by side or as opposition. The formation of the league was the brainchild of Mario Lopez a Latino brother who had the vision to create a format where men can be men have fun, stay in shape and release the stress of daily living at least once a week and have the freedom to unleash their alter ego’s with names like K-Dogg, Speedy, Mr. Puerto Rico etc. It was great to see such a diverse collection of men gathered together.

The game finally began and immediately there was a lot of trash talking, this was my first time attending the games, so the language assault I experienced caught me off guard, I was sure someone was going to take the comments out of context and blows would be thrown, this was definitely not a PG-13 event and don’t get it twisted just because it’s a flag football league, this sports is not for little boys, hits on the sideline are legal and people can and do get cracked, much to the delight of the crowd on run backs or blocking at the line. Both teams spent a fair amount of time and energy trading verbal air assaults from ethnic put downs to the questioning of “Manhood” for everyone to hear and laugh at on the sidelines. The contest was intense and went back and forth the Giants scored first then the Eagles and this pattern lasted over two hours, until “Tadow” scored the game winning touchdown. What happened at the conclusion of the game is what really impressed me, I just knew that after all the jarring that took place the end of the game would be the opportunity for someone to over react to something that was said and blow it out of proportion, as I watched the teams walk toward each other at midfield, the teams simply shook hands, embraced, laughed, shared water and a genuine respect for their brothers after all it was just a game they left their differences on the football field.

At that very moment I pondered the following, why can’t these same men who represent something larger than themselves come together for a common cause away from the playing field and take that same passion and energy back to the community to help tear down the walls that separate us and make a difference? What is it that keeps our neighborhoods segregated once they exit the playing surface? After the games are over, the blacks will go their way and hang out with the blacks, the Latino’s will hang with the Latino’s and so on for the white males. It’s been said that sports serves as a microcosm of the larger society in many ways, but it’s ironic that the same people who can spend hours together as teammates or engaged in healthy competition go their separate ways and live in different worlds once the games end. Imagine how powerful it would be to see these same men standing side by side leading voter registration drives, mentoring programs, policing the block to make the hood safe, visiting classrooms, and juvenile detention centers. They would be excellent role models in demonstrating to our youth that beneath the obvious differences of color and race we can get along. On the playing fields diversity is what helps a team come together, the successful teams adopt the philosophy of inclusion and appreciation of variety and they figure out how to make those differences work together for a common goal, “winning”. Yet that same approach is rarely seen in other area’s politics, education, religion and employment to name a few.

Perhaps one day we will find a way to make society a microcosm of sports, rather than the other way around.

Tony Price

A Boston Based Collegaite Athletics Administrator and Head Basketball Coach. A Hall of Fame Inductee(Worcester State College) with 20 plus years experience as an athlete, coach, and administrator.

For one’s speech to be effective, one should ensure to answer the following questions:

What? – The overview of the speech
Why? – Why is the speech/subject important?
How? – The format of speech to be used
Who? – The speaker and the audience…

The Four Ps for effective speech writing and delivery:

Plan
Prepare
Practice
Present

One of the most important stages of every speech is to ask himself/herself the following questions:

Why am I preparing and delivering this speech?
What is the aim and objective that has to be achieved?
The audience…

Aim is the overall target that one needs to reach with their speech – The reason why one is planning to stand on the stage hold forth. It should ideally take the form of a simple, concise statement of intent. The objective is the more detailed and precise steps one needs to plan to take in order to reach their aim. This includes the components included within the overall aim. The starting point for planning any speech is to make certain the primary or principle aim behind it; and then to formulate the precise steps to achieve that aim.

After one has determined their aim and objectives, one has to thereafter consistently focus on them, as if one does not do so, then in all probability even the audience will not be able to focus upon the objective.

A successful speechwriter considers it to be a series of arguments that leads up to the conclusion. The speech will gain in strength to the extent that one focuses on content. Empty arguments, no matter how eloquently they are presented, are rarely enough to motivate an audience to take action

The success of one’s speech depends on how closely one’s intent matches with that of the audience. The term AUDIENCE can serve as an acronym to help one identify the categories one needs to consider when preparing and delivering a speech…

Analysis – The audience – Who and how many?
Understanding – What do they already know and what do they need to know?
Demographics – Audience age, gender, education, social and ethnic background, etc.
Interest – Why is the audience attending this forum/seminar, etc.?
Environment – What kind of distractions can take away the audience attention during speech delivery?
Needs – What does the audience need?
Customization – Addressing specific needs of the audience.
Expectations – What does the speaker to accomplish? What is the audience expectation from the speaker?

If you master the art of writing effective speeches you can master every aspect of writing including nursery rhymes and proverbs.

As I casually strolled across the dingy Boston playing field on a brisk Sunday afternoon the winds began to whip through my jacket and the words watch your step scrolled across my mind as I carefully navigated through the debris that is a part of many urban ball fields , broken glass, geese droppings, etc. Wait a minute is that human feces? I finally made it to the sideline set up my portable sports chair and got ready to watch an M2Sports flag football game between the Giants and the Eagles. The only reason I was at this game was to watch my son Tony aka “Tadow” along with the rest of his Giant teammates “H8me, Sho Nuff, Killa, Toby, Javafi,Jeebies, El Negro, Phil, Cbert and P.T compete.

Before the game started the first thing I noticed was how diverse the teams were, there were men of all racial, social, religious and economic backgrounds playing side by side or as opposition. The formation of the league was the brainchild of Mario Lopez a Latino brother who had the vision to create a format where men can be men have fun, stay in shape and release the stress of daily living at least once a week and have the freedom to unleash their alter ego’s with names like K-Dogg, Speedy, Mr. Puerto Rico etc. It was great to see such a diverse collection of men gathered together.

The game finally began and immediately there was a lot of trash talking, this was my first time attending the games, so the language assault I experienced caught me off guard, I was sure someone was going to take the comments out of context and blows would be thrown, this was definitely not a PG-13 event and don’t get it twisted just because it’s a flag football league, this sports is not for little boys, hits on the sideline are legal and people can and do get cracked, much to the delight of the crowd on run backs or blocking at the line. Both teams spent a fair amount of time and energy trading verbal air assaults from ethnic put downs to the questioning of “Manhood” for everyone to hear and laugh at on the sidelines. The contest was intense and went back and forth the Giants scored first then the Eagles and this pattern lasted over two hours, until “Tadow” scored the game winning touchdown. What happened at the conclusion of the game is what really impressed me, I just knew that after all the jarring that took place the end of the game would be the opportunity for someone to over react to something that was said and blow it out of proportion, as I watched the teams walk toward each other at midfield, the teams simply shook hands, embraced, laughed, shared water and a genuine respect for their brothers after all it was just a game they left their differences on the football field.

At that very moment I pondered the following, why can’t these same men who represent something larger than themselves come together for a common cause away from the playing field and take that same passion and energy back to the community to help tear down the walls that separate us and make a difference? What is it that keeps our neighborhoods segregated once they exit the playing surface? After the games are over, the blacks will go their way and hang out with the blacks, the Latino’s will hang with the Latino’s and so on for the white males. It’s been said that sports serves as a microcosm of the larger society in many ways, but it’s ironic that the same people who can spend hours together as teammates or engaged in healthy competition go their separate ways and live in different worlds once the games end. Imagine how powerful it would be to see these same men standing side by side leading voter registration drives, mentoring programs, policing the block to make the hood safe, visiting classrooms, and juvenile detention centers. They would be excellent role models in demonstrating to our youth that beneath the obvious differences of color and race we can get along. On the playing fields diversity is what helps a team come together, the successful teams adopt the philosophy of inclusion and appreciation of variety and they figure out how to make those differences work together for a common goal, “winning”. Yet that same approach is rarely seen in other area’s politics, education, religion and employment to name a few.

Perhaps one day we will find a way to make society a microcosm of sports, rather than the other way around.

Tony Price

A Boston Based Collegaite Athletics Administrator and Head Basketball Coach. A Hall of Fame Inductee(Worcester State College) with 20 plus years experience as an athlete, coach, and administrator.

The poor would work their fingers to the bones for it, but the riches would sometimes take it for granted. Nevertheless, no matter what the picture of your financial background is like, there is no turning back from the fact that saving is important.

What you do with your money today will directly affect your life tomorrow, and for many years to come. It will affect the way your emergencies and financial needs would be resolved. It will also create an impact on the lives of your loved ones, or anyone who is closely related to you for that matter.

Saving money is something that should be instilled in you from young. Children, too, need to be taught on the importance of saving money.

If you do not save your money, who will?

Hope that this article can help you, the readers, to be more secured financially and emotionally throughout your entire life, one way or another. With that, here are some of the simple money saving tips that will protect you and your family from the possible financial mishaps and let you taste your ‘fruits of labor’:

1. Avoid being in debt and manage your investment plans well. It is not a good thing when you owe more money than you earn and save. Refrain from debts that involve high interest rates.

2. Set aside as much money as you can for emergency purposes by opening a savings account. In that way, you will be more prepared and equipped financially, especially when unforeseen circumstances arise.

3. Set aside some money as well for your golden years. Golden years should be the years of enjoyment and relaxation. Hence, whenever possible, opt for a pension scheme that allows you to gain income even after retirement.

4. When it comes to saving, one of the things that should cross your mind is budgeting, which is indeed essential. Imagine saving at least $100 a month, and by the time the year ends, you would have accumulated $1200. And your overall savings would just keep growing and growing over time if you consistently make it a habit to execute your budgeting plans.

5. Be updated on the current and upcoming inflation rates. Inflation normally changes annually, and in order to keep up with it, we should remind ourselves to save more year by year. This year we save $100 a month, next year we can save maybe $200 a month. It would be good to raise your monthly savings by the percentage rate of inflation. For instance, if the rate is 3%, you should save 3% more than the previous year.

6. Start saving as early as possible, and teach your children on the importance of savings. The earlier you start, the more benefits you and your loved ones will gain.

Saving money needs time and effort of the individual. But as the saying goes, “cry now and laugh later”. Saving your money today is definitely the best choice for you, and your loved ones would even thank you for protecting and loving them.

Nafa Danfad

One of the most important yet grueling tasks which every business faces is preparing financial statements. With all the profits which came in, an increasing demand is sure to follow as well as increasing need to update current operations to fit into the growing demands. This is the primary reason why people often tax certified, licensed professionals when it comes to attending to financial planning. Among the most important part of such department are the bookkeeping services. This helps maintain the department well within the overall budget and helps note down discrepancies should they arise at any given time.

However, businesses need to be very strict in finding the right people to handle bookkeeping services. This particular task is crucial because it will handle all bank reconciliations, invoices, recording of expenditures, and payroll drafting. The bookkeeping services will become the financial bible of the company as it operates for another quarter or even on an annual basis. More than just finding the person who can do the job, the most important thing to keep in mind is to get the qualified person or people to handle the job.

When evaluating people for bookkeeping services, the first thing businesses should consider is the educational background and the training experience of these people. Educational background is necessary so that one can assess if the person is schooled with the basics as it pertains to accounting and bookkeeping. On the other hand, training is equally if not more important because this pertains to the actual work experience of the bookkeeping candidate. This would help gauge the actual expertise of the person in terms of doing the job itself.

Apart from hiring candidates, taxes firms catering to bookkeeping services is also an option. This can help cut down on the overall effort and expenses since the firm already has their own group of experts in the said field. tax mistakes is only needed to be done is to pay the firm per work output. But in choosing a bookkeeping firm, businesses should care to look at the firm’s portfolio to see how long it has rendered its services already and among which companies. Bookkeeping firms would usually provide potential clients with such portfolios and references to help them become convinced to avail the firm’s bookkeeping services.

Apart from expertise, it would also be wise to consider the actual personality of those who will render the bookkeeping services. After all, they would not just be there doing the job but they will also be doing constant coordination with various employees of the business. It is important that these people are flexible enough to face up to different employee personalities and clashes will not have to be evaded once they start working. Good bookkeepers are those who also have a knack for customer service because they can be expected to hold their ground despite stress and pressure. Moreover, these people will also be able to attend to the business’ clients should they have any concerns when it comes to various financial transactions which will be done.

Accurate Bookkeeping Services improves the ability of a firm to focus on business growth while simultaneously curtailing risks and costs. There are many firms offering outsourced bookkeeping services that work for small and medium businesses worldwide.

Intuitively, you would think that everyone cares about the price of stocks that they own. After all, no one like to lose money, right? Who likes to see the market go down?

Well, one category of investors cares a lot less when their stocks go down: Dividend investors.

Dividend investors focus on the dividend–and especially its growth–far more than they do on the stock’s price.

Investors in strong dividend-paying stocks are doing just fine in 2008. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been distributed to dividend stockholders this year, and they will continue to be paid every month and every quarter.

But this cash reward from dividend stocks is ignored by most of Wall Street and the financial media. There is no “Dividend Index” reported minute-by-minute the way the Dow, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 are reported.

But those are all price indexes. They reflect price changes only and therefore give an incomplete picture of “how stocks are doing.” After all, total returns (the ultimate goal of every investor) are made up of price returns plus dividends. Price indexes such as the Dow do not reflect dividends.

Dividends are stocks’ secret weapon. They operate in the background. They are not sexy enough to get much attention. They don’t involve IPOs, takeovers, “the next big thing,” or making millions in a couple of weeks.

But dividends are extremely important to total returns. They should not be ignored. According to Morningstar, S&P 500 companies have grown their dividends at a 16% annual clip for the past three years, 12% in the past 12 months. If there were a Dividend Index based on the S&P’s 500 stocks, it would be up 9 to 10% this year.

So dividend investors focus on increasing dividends as much or more than the stock’s price. Two main metrics for dividend investors thus become: (1) initial yield at time of purchase, and (2) dividend growth rate.

As to initial yield, according to Morningstar, the dividend yield on the S&P 500 right now is 2.6%, which is higher than it has been in a few years. (That yield has been inflated by the general drop in stock prices this year.) Many stocks, of course, yield much more than 2.6%. Reasonable minds can differ as to what an acceptable minimum initial yield should be for a dividend stock. I set a floor of 2.5% (or 1.9% for stocks with an uninterrupted 25-year history of dividend growth). Others may set other floors, such as 4%, to stay even with or ahead of inflation right from the moment of purchase. The point is, each investor can set his or her own minimum acceptable dividend yield as part of the stock selection process.

As to dividend growth, the key number is the rate of increase in the annual money-per-share paid to stockholders. The best dividend companies increase their dividends every year like clockwork. Many have done so for decades, without a freeze or a cut. My personal minimum growth requirement is 5% (as demonstrated by the average of the last three years). I’m sure that many dividend investors demand a higher minimum. Again, the important point is that you can set your own standard, and then look for stocks that meet or beat it.

My Easy-Rate™ point system for evaluating dividend stocks awards higher scores for both greater initial yields and faster rates of growth than my minimums. So I would never buy a dividend stock with both an initial yield and historical dividend growth rate right at my two minimums. Either one or the other would have to be higher for me to consider purchasing the stock.

The two measures–initial yield and rate of growth–are essential to a good dividend-stock selection process, along with your normal fundamental checks for company soundness.

There are plenty of solid dividend-paying candidates. Here are just a few examples (all figures from Morningstar as of 9/2/2008):

–Abbott Laboratories (ABT): initial yield 2.4%, 3-year growth rate 7.4%
–Coca-Cola (KO): 2.8% and 10.8%
–GlaxoSmithKline (GSK): 4.7% and 5.4%
–Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP): 6.5% and 6.5%
–Sunoco Logistics (SXL): 7.3% and 12.7%

As stated earlier, the best dividend companies increase their payouts every year or nearly every year. Dividend increases mean that the yield on your original investment goes up over time. (That is, the “current yield” stated in the newspaper or online does not apply to you any more, just to new purchasers.) At an average annual increase of:

–6%, your dividend doubles about every 12 years
–10%, every seven years
–12%, every six years
–15%, every five years

Now it is certainly true that many dividend-paying companies have not escaped the bear market. Indeed, some of them-the financials-have been especially hard-hit. Dividend-paying stocks are not immune from market risk.

But the really committed dividend investor does not care as much about this–which is the exact point of this article. The committed dividend investor becomes accustomed to varying principal, and cares little more about it than a bondholder cares that his or her bond trades on the open market at varying prices. The investor is focused instead on the cash the investment is bringing in. In fact, if the dividend investor is not using that cash as current income, but is instead accumulating assets to fund a future goal such as retirement, he or she sees price drops as an opportunity to purchase more shares at better prices and yields than before.

That does not mean that dividend investors never sell. But they are probably less likely to sell than investors focused on capital appreciation alone, because dividend “disappointments” are pretty rare in well-selected dividend stocks. Dividend investors’ reasons for selling may include a cut in the dividend; a slowing in its growth rate; or a chance to swap for a higher-yielding stock or one with a faster-growing dividend.

Dividends and dividend-paying companies have lots of positive attributes. Here are my top six:

1. Dividends are cash in your pocket. You can re-invest that money in the company, or in another company, or nowhere. You can spend it.

2. You do not have to sell a share of stock to get it. They credit it to you each month or quarter.

3. Most dividend programs are persistent. Companies with well-established programs rarely cut or eliminate their dividends. Many have uninterrupted, decades-long histories of paying and raising dividends. It is their ability to do this that separates them from “fixed income” investments like bank accounts and bonds.

4. Studies show that over long periods, dividend-paying stocks have had the highest total returns of all. According to Ned Davis Research, from 1972 to 2006 (a period that includes the tech bubble, when dividends contributed little), non-dividend-paying stocks gained an annual average return of 4.1%. But dividend-paying stocks returned 10.1%, an enormous 6%-per-year difference. Wharton Professor Dr. Jeremy Siegel’s research showed that 97% of the stock market’s return from 1871 to 2003 can be traced to re-invested dividends.

5. Dividends are closely watched and reported, so information about them is easy to obtain. Over time, companies establish dividend patterns that are consistent. Significant changes in the pattern are reported instantly.

6. If you build a strong portfolio of dividend-paying stocks that regularly increase their dividends, you can arrive at retirement with a significant income stream paying an enormous yield on your original investment. You may be able to make a transition from a salary paycheck to a “dividend paycheck” seamlessly.

Dave Van Knapp is the author of two books on stock investing.

The first is “Sensible Stock Investing: How to Pick, Value, and Manage Stocks.” Click on this link to go directly to the book’s page on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Sensible-Stock-Investing-Manage-Stocks/dp/1605280100/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205616037&sr=1-3

The second is “The Top 40 Dividend Stocks for 2008: How (and Why) to Build a Cash Machine of Dividend Stocks.” Over time, studies show that dividend stocks have the best total returns. To see a complete description of this exciting e-book, or to learn more about Dave’s Web site devoted to the success of the individual investor, please visit: http://www.SensibleStocks.com

Thank you, and best of luck in your investing.

In today’s world, there are many notable and successful mega rich millionaires who were at one time or another were a school drop out. Richard Branson and Simon Cowell are excellent examples of this trend. As a result of their brief experience with education, business people like Richard Branson rarely create new inventions, but what they do create is massive wealth and businesses, and partnership reason they can achieve this is down to their millionaire mindset. The kind of mindset that so many successful and influential people have. It is the mindset that helps people from all kinds of backgrounds achieve their lifetime goals, dreams and ambitions. This article is going to give you three secrets to achieving this mindset, so you can duplicate such success, and be on course to create mega wealth and success for you and your loved ones.

Secret 1.
Definiteness of Purpose. Have one outstanding goal, one objective, one over-arching desire that you are committed to. It does not matter what it is, but you have to be specific about it in your own mind. Write down what you want. If it is a certain lifestyle, then what goes a long with that lifestyle? Do you want a new home for your family? If so, write down all the features that home would have, describe the car you want to buy, be specific about the places you want to do. Write it all down, and then scour the Internet for pictures that represent the goal you have set for yourself. For example, I have a massive canvas picture of the view from a building I want to live in within a few years time. It sits right above my desk in front of me, so when I finish typing, or when the work gets a bit difficult, I take a couple of minutes to look up at the canvas and remind myself what it is all about, and why I am doing this.

Secret 2.
Learn from your failures. If you set up a venture, business or a project and fail, learn from it because it is not the end of the world. Some of the partnership successful people in the world failed numerous times in business before getting to where they are today. It is important to be committed to your goals, and not to give up when you fail or when things get difficult, persistence and strength of character is key.

Secret 3.
Develop an attractive personality. Not all of us are naturally charismatic or the life and soul of every social function we attend, but we can all develop an attractive personality by making a few adjustments in how we communicate with people. Treat people with respect, no matter who they are. Engage with people you talk to and make them feel like they are the only person who matters in the room at that time. And always try to take something positive from a situation. People are not attracted to negativity or people who constantly complain.

“These are just three principles which help to make up the “millionaire mindset”. There are actually many other principles that comprise this mindset, and you can learn more about them by reading the story of Tom McMillan and Michael Redford in Millionaire Upgrade.”

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Some Background

First, a little history lesson. In 1998, the IRS Reform and Restructuring Act was passed, ordering the IRS to focus more on taxpayer rights instead of collection activities. As a result, about one out every 79 tax returns were audited that year. This dramatic decrease continued, and by 2003, according to IRS data, only one of every 150 individual taxpayers were audited.

I am afraid this positive trend did not continue though. The IRS soon returned to their wicked ways and by 2005, the number of audits hit it’s highest since 1998. The 2006 tax year saw 1.28 million individuals audited.

One big reason this happened is because taxpayers, mainly those that skew their numbers purposely, became too bold. More and more tax errors were being made and the IRS decided to step up collections again. So the same lawmakers who once demanded the IRS give taxpayers the benefit of the doubt began applauding the new aggressive approach. Members of Congress are hoping that enhanced enforcement efforts will help close the $345 billion tax gap. According to 2001 figures, that amount represents the difference between what taxpayers should have paid and what they actually paid. So, without some help from additional IRS collections, Congress would have to consider raising taxes.

But don’t let fear of a potential audit discourage you from filing for credits or taking legitimate deductions. Even though some actions taken on your tax return are likely to raise a red flag, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be audited. Even if your return is questioned, it’s not absolute that you’ll end up owing the IRS. As long as your deductions and expenses are legitimate and you have documentation, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Types of Audits

But still, if you’ve found yourself in the cross-hairs of the IRS, it’s important to know what you’re up against. Read below to learn about the different kinds of audits and what kind of trouble you’re in.

Correspondence Audit: The correspondence audit is the simplest type of IRS audit. During this audit, the IRS sends the taxpayer (via mail) a request for proof of a particular deduction or exemption taken by either completing a special form or sending photocopies of relevant financial records. On a positive note, the tax payer has the greatest chance of winning a correspondence audit.

IRS Office Audit: An IRS office audit is done in an IRS office and is mostly about simple tax matters.

Field Audit: Field audits are usually the most complete IRS audits and are performed by experienced IRS officers. I am afraid to say that a field audit usually results in additional tax bills for the tax payer.

IRS Repetitive Audit: An IRS repetitive audit is an IRS audit conducted on the same tax payer over and over. If no additional tax bills results from an audit and the IRS wants to audit the same tax payer again, the tax payer can ask the IRS to discontinue the IRS audit on the ground of IRS repetitive audit.

In general, representing yourself in an audit is a risky undertaking, especially if it’s an IRS Office Audit or Field Audit. In these cases, it’s best to seek representation from skilled tax professionals that know your rights and the limits of the IRS.

Travis B. Cole is a former Tax Consultant for Effectur Tax Resolution. However, he still stays current on tax matters and co-authors a blog, http://TaxFacts4U.Blogspot.com outlining new tax advice and tax policy each week.