Seven To Ten

If Warren Buffet is going to Europe, this is without doubt the next hot spot for investments. While we do not have Buffet’s enormous cash hoard, there is no reason why we cannot follow in his footsteps - study the economic climate in Europe and enjoy the tourist attractions at the same time.

If you are planning an escape from the daily grind, summer is a good time to go on vacations. You know, relaxing on white sandy beaches under a beautiful, sunny weather and ogling the beach babes. There are many spectacular sceneries in Europe, not to forget the fantastic dining, shopping and party venues.

Making a reservation for hotel rooms can be a frustrating event. Not only do you worry about being ripped off for dishonest charges and jacked up prices, the service can also be rude and unprofessional. At this website, Easytobook, making a reservation is easy and with none of the above problems. For those who are computer illiterate or prefer the human touch, they can always call their toll-free numbers instead of using the online reservation forms.

The site provides you online booking service free of charge and they have a wide range of hotels in their directory. If you cannot locate a hotel in your desired destination, use their EasyMap tools which is extremely user-friendly.

Currently, Easytobook is offering customers 75% discount on Amsterdam Hotels. That is a lot of savings, so if you want to experience a melting pot of cultures and best sceneries in Holland, now is the best time. You can also visit the place where Anne Frank and the famous painter, Rembrandt, once lived.

When you worked so hard for the entire year, you deserve an invigorating holiday. I am sure you will not regret a trip to either London, Barcelona, New York or Rome. Check out the site today to find an affordable and nice place to stay.

What is Warren Buffett thinking about Europe? The billionaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway chief will visit the Continent next month to scout out possible acquisitions of family-owned companies.

Angelo Moratti of Italian oil refiner Saras and Eitan Wertheimer of Israeli metalworker Iscar - a company Berkshire purchased in 2006 in its first overseas buyout - are arranging the trip, which comes as Buffet decides what to do with $40 billion in cash on Berkshire’s balance sheet.

Buffett said in Berkshire’s 2007 annual report that big acquisitions are necessary to keep returns up to par. “Though our managers may be the best,” he wrote, “we will need large and sensible acquisitions to get the growth in operating earnings we wish.”

Buffett has shown he prefers to buy into companies in which the owners are fully involved in operating the business, a preference that will no doubt help determine his itinerary next month.

The economy is looking better, maybe it is time to fancy a perfect vacation. Of course, we still have to consider our budgets, not go splurging and turn a wonderful vacation into a credit card nightmare.

My wife always tells me we should pinch on accommodation and transportation so that we have more money to explore the country and enjoy the sights. If only she shows shows the same restraint during her shopping extravaganzas.

If you are going to London, the capital of England, you will appreciate cheap but comfortable lodging. London has a bustling nightlife, high-end shopping venues, art galleries and fine dining. I love London’s Big Ben, Madame Tussauds and Hampton Court Palace. On this site, you can find very affordable London hotels - it provides both last minute and all-year accommodation and you can book your rooms in advance.

Another city which I will like to recommend in England is Manchester. Never mind the weather. The number of tourists to this city has increased over the years and in many aspects, it is ranked second best, just behind London. The Lowry, Affleck’s Palace, Millienium Quarter and Gay Village are the prime attractions in this city. You can check out Manchester Hotels here.

If you find both cities exceeding your budget, then settle for a simple and relaxing trip to Birmingham. My brother’s son is studying in a university so I am pretty familiar with Birmingham hotels. Fans of the Lord of the Rings movie will love the scenery on the Tolkien Trail.

If you prefer attractions across the Thames, then consider Paris, the capital of France which is considered by many to be the most romantic city in the world. Do not miss out on the Eiffel Tower and the Notre-Dame Cathedral. There are many beautiful Paris Hotels, ranging from budget to luxury, high class ones on this site.

For those planning family or business trips soon, it is a good idea to check out CheaperThanHotels.co.uk to find cheap, quality hotels.

The mammoth pay and disastrous performance of Countrywide Financial’s Angelo Mozilo, Citigroup’s Chuck Prince, and Merrill Lynch’s Stan O’Neal should be enough to make the public furious. Each CEO departed with $100-million-plus compensation after misadventures with subprime mortgages.

Now add the economic slowdown to the mix; ordinary Americans are worried about making ends meet while failed pooh-bahs rake it in.

The problem is that corporate boards can always find a way to pay the boss whatever they like. Over the past 25 years CEO pay has risen regardless of the economic or political climate. It rises faster than corporate profits, economic growth, or average workforce compensation.

A recent study by the compensation consulting firm DolmatConnell & Partners found that CEO pay in the companies of the Dow Jones industrials increased at a blowout 15.1% annual rate over the past decade.

A more sensible alternative to the current compensation system would require CEOs to own a lot of company stock. If the stock is given to the boss, his salary and bonus should be docked to reflect its value.

As for bonuses, they should be based on improving a company’s cash earnings relative to its cost of capital, not to more easily manipulated measures like earnings per share. They should not be capped, but they should be banked - unavailable to the CEO for some period of years - to prevent short-term gaming.

If you ever engage in a bout of printing, you will realize that ink catridges are very expensive. My printer uses four ink cartridges (1 black and 3 color) and it would cost me over $100 to buy them. The printer itself costs only slightly more than $100.

The cost of inkjet printer cartridges is getting higher and they seem to contain lesser ink every year. Printer manufacturers are smart by subsidizing the printer cost knowing they can make more money selling ink cartridges in the long run.

I find it very frustrating and have turned to online research for a place to buy generic ink cartridges. They cost a lot less than the brand names I am using. Previously, I dislike generic inks as they are prone to leaks and can spoil the printer but with sky-high inflation and weakening dollar now, there is no point in persisting with “original” inks.

There is a site, Inkers, which offers a 100% guarantee against defects for one year and they even have a thirty day no-questions-asked return policy. They are currently having a free shipping promotion to within US (regardless of your purchase size) and average delivery time is 2-3 days.

Inkers purchase in bulk and direct from the manufacturer, that is why they offer very competitive prices for your photocopier toners, inkjets, & fax cartridge. Whether you are using Canon, Dell, HP, Lexmark, etc. the inks will be compatible.

The site encourages you to order more and stock up as you get more discounts. Payment is by MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover or PayPal. Checkout page is secure so your credit card information will not be stolen.

Oil hit another record high but has since pulled back. The dollar showed some strength and corporate earnings were pretty good.

Boeing blew away earnings estimates. Ford posted a surprise profit. And even though investors were disappointed by Microsoft’s quarterly forecast, they issued a healthy outlook for its next fiscal year. The worst of the credit crunch may finally be behind us. No more major bombshells from financial institutions, a sign that the Fed’s six rate cuts since last September and massive injections of liquidity into the banking system may be working.

In fact, Merrill Lynch indicated yesterday that it would pay its dividend this quarter, relieving investors who were anticipating a cut. There seems to be cause for optimism about the markets. The Dow is active again and the bond market is not acting as if it is in recession anymore.

Bonds have fallen in recent weeks, raising the yields. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions and lower yields are usually associated as a sign of economic weakness. And for consumers, even though it’s still a painful time because of rising food and gas prices, the first of the government’s tax rebate has hit mailboxes.

Of course, it still is a rough economic environment. The surging price of food threatens to disrupt U.S. consumer spending patterns and the global economy. That’s where the Federal Reserve will hopefully step in. Many fear that more rate cuts could lead to a further weakening of the dollar, which in turn, could fuel more speculation in the commodities markets and drive food and gas prices even higher.

So higher interest rates, not more cuts, might be exactly what this market and economy needs. Hopefully, the Fed will send a strong signal to investors Wednesday that it is getting ready to sit tight.

The real estate market is in one of its biggest crisis and statistics shows an astronomical increase in foreclosures in America. This problem is expected to last for another two years or at least till the end of 2008. Is it still possible to make money in such a down market? if you visit Reorenegades.com, the answer is a resounding yes.

The site recently released their REO Home Study Course which provides you with the basic knowledge of How to Do REO Bank Owned Properties. Some of the topics covered include top strategies by successful brokers, and pitfalls which you should avoid.

You also learn to develop good relationships with banks who have foreclosed properties. They may let you resell these homes since such assets are not desirable on a bank’s books. For new brokers, you are encouraged to join their REO Agent Training (lowered price from $997 to $497) where more strategies would be revealed. With all these information available, I think visiting the site is a must.

My friend has told me she wants to work to reduce my burden and she is interested in real estate. She has no selling experience and the market is so bad and there are so many real estate agents fighting for the same pie. But I admire her spirit and told her to check out this site. If you are tired of your routine job, learn power selling of REO bank owned properties today and earn great commissions.

Stocks futures rose as investors eyed a possible $22 billion deal for chewing gum giant Wrigley, an investor’s $170 million bid for more shares of Ford, and turned their focus to this week’s Federal Reserve meeting.

Investors are expecting the Fed to lower rates yet again at the end of its two-day meeting on Wednesday. Many economists expect the central bank will hold rates steady after that cut in a bid to keep inflation in check.

A slew of high-profile economic reports will come out this week - Tuesday (consumer confidence report), Thursday (Inflation issues for personal and income spending report) and Friday (government’s monthly jobs report).

Oil prices hit another record trading high near $120 a barrel after a refinery strike in the U.K. Shares of automaker Ford soared in pre-market trading after billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corp. said it would make a bid for 20 million shares valued at $170 million. The $8.50 a share offer represents a 13.3% premium to Friday’s close. Kerkorian, who already owns 4.7% of Ford, is looking to control more than 5% of the company.

Verizon posted first-quarter earnings results that met Wall Street’s expectations. Sales were up 5.5%, but shares were flat in pre-market trading.

In major deal news, Mars and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway are near a deal to buy chewing gum giant Wm. Wrigley Jr. for more than $22 billion. Microsoft’s deadline for Yahoo to respond to its takeover passed on Saturday, which means the three-month battle for Yahoo may soon turn hostile.

Also over the weekend, Continental Airlines said it would not pursue a merger with another carrier. Media conglomerate Walt Disney could be hurt by a controversial photo of 15-year old singing and acting superstar Miley Cyrus which appears in an upcoming June issue of Vanity Fair.

The photo which shows her posing topless, although with her chest covered by a bedsheet, was seen as too racy for the wholesome “Hannah Montana” franchise, which produced $1 billion in sales for Disney last year. Disney shares were up nearly 1% in early trading in Frankfurt despite the news of the photo over the weekend.

In global trade, Asian markets headed mostly higher. European shares also rose in early trading.

Jobs these days require us to be mobile instead of staying stagnant in a place. Being away from home for long periods, how do we relax and enjoy some entertainment on the move?

Thanks to technological advances, many people can now enjoy multi-media anywhere they want with the use of a portable dvd player. The concept is simple: combine a lightweight DVD player and LCD screen; voila, you can view blockbuster movies to your heart’s desire.

I know getting portable DVD players from retail stores is easy but are there any good online marketplace to hunt for quality, bargain buys? There is actually a fabulous site, Wize.com which showcase the best available portable DVD players including Philips, Toshiba, Audiovox, Coby, Spectroniq, and mustek. Do not worry as these brands scream quality.

I love the service provided by Wize as reviews made by purchasers can be accessed easily. These comments form a good reference for your decisions. The advantage of online purchases over retail is that you can browse products without interruption from pesky sales assistants who are keen to promote certain items to you.

Then when you really buy the product and return home, you find that it doesn’t work to your satisfaction. You call up the store and they say you have to return the product according to their return policy - sign papers, show bills, bring it back down to them… all a waste of a time!

At Wize, you get the benefit of good experiences from shoppers who have purchased the items before. If the product is no good, it will be reflected in its Wize Rank.

For those who travel long distances and need a healthy entertainment, then a portable DVD player is a must. Put on a good head phone, enjoy the movie and you forget your tiring journey.

Under the government’s economic stimulus plan, 130 million people will receive tax rebate checks for $300 and up, starting April 28.

What do you plan to do with your check?

How do you think the stimulus plan will affect the economy?