give your heart to someone worthy

Today, as i open my internet browser, an discrete but hard to avoid ad came up on my screen. A picture of a woman offering a large heart to the world, and the caption reads in chinese - "give your heart to someone worthy." It was a match.com advertising. And of course, all those lonlely ladies, looking for that tinkling warm feeling on a cold Christmas morning.... listening to Geroge Michael's "last Christmas"... "last Christmas I gave you my heart, the very next day, you gave it away... this year, I saving from tears, I going to give it someone specials...."

Did I point out it was a pictue of a lady??? and not a gent? subtle - but powerful message.

What a great ad - appealing to what promot people to spend money most - our faint and feeble emotions! (that is eay to manipulate).

New Job

All I want for Christmas is a new job. This is funny, many people think those of us who have law degrees has it made. That the world has open its doors because we have this extra degree. Unfortunately, that is as far from the truth as possible. Yes, there will be those stellar few - that it is true for them, but for the rest of us normal folks....Well...life is not so pretty. After consulting with my friends, we all agreed, the doors were shut in our face as soon as we entered law school - we could not even obtain the job we had before law school, with just our college degree. We are now stuck in this transient stage - where, we are supposedly over "qualified," for all these jobs, but not good enough for the law jobs we really want. And as a result - we either become unemployed!

Truth be told, I have never had so many rejections as I have had after entering law school. yes, I do admit, I didn't go to a top tier law school, I was not top of my class, I was not on law review...Basically I was not anything that anyone cared about! So here, I am... using tax payer's dollars to pay my bills...

To make the story short, law school may not be all it promised to be! (or maybe, this is all it promised to be - but I just missed the fine prints).

Millionaire Fair

For most of us, we sometime go to trade shows, car shows etc, but for the lucky few - "who got it like that" will attend the exclusive Millionaire Fair in Moscow, Amsterdam, Cannes, Shanghai or courtiers!

This is where you'll find that exclusive $1.27 million Goldvish gold and diamond encrusted cell phone, a sure wine $500,000 racehorse, and if you are short on cash, buy the $70,000 mini airplane! Or if you are sick and tired of dealing with people, you can buy your own island.

Other items includes Russian-Dutch (Timmerman Yachts) made yachts selling from $3.8 million to $20 million. Oh, but wait, no you cannot have one ASAP just because you have money. You better be the big shot among the big shots - otherwise you will need to wait in line as the yachts are sold out until 2009. But you can backorder, and you better do so, if you want your yacht in decade!

Other notables includes the exclusive fragrance by Guerlain for $64,000. I wonder who would buy that considering how we can all purchase custom made perfumes for about $250 and up - depending what you put in it.... then again, we are dealing with very famous and well-to-do people here..... who wants to be the first to have everything, and who wants to be the talk of the town!

Please note: the millionaire fair has not taken place in the United States - as US is not considered reliable customer for those of the rich and famous! But in Russia and China- where mass fortunes can be made - even though the average salary is still very low - is the new play ground for the rich and famous.

For those of us who are simply interested in attending, the price of enter the fair is about $50EURO, or $1500RMB - I would say - affordable, if you just want to see what money can buy. However, when these events come around, tickets sell fast!!!!

Public Transit will bring life to rural areas

There is an article in the "express" titled "Metro Offering To Sell Property Near 2 Stations." Yes, those will be two very valuable properties - considering how everywhere close to metro is now considered desirable. The article stated that metro will use this money to fund its long-term projects. So the two location will be near the Navy Yard, near the new baseball stadium, and the second one will be in Capitol Heights. I wonder which developers are jumping at the chance - man, I wish I can be involved in one of those projects.

And if we compare DC to San Francisco - if SF is any indicator, the Navy Yard area will be booming right before our eyes from its current more run down appearance.

It is interesting to note that the "express" published this article next to the article titled "Washington Still Near Top in Job Growth Numbers." This article states that the number of jobs in DC has increased every month since June 2002, and we currently grew to more than 3 million in number of jobs. Together, this article suggests that private developments are still very desirable in the current "cooling" market. Right now, people are scared, sales and prices are down from last year - but wait - DC is still growing like crazy, hence the developers better put in their large bids now for a chance to develop these valuable pieces of land near metro stations! hidden message....hmmm....how interesting.....

Regardless - I wish I am working in the area of real estate...ahhh..... Because Greenspan is correct in his housing price indicator, this is the lowest we will see before the housing market pick up again!

have luggage and free hands

Yes, there is now a way that I can have everything I need when I go on long trips - or trips that just require me to bring a lot of stuff - so much that I cannot carry it all with me on the plane!!!

now we can use one of those luggage forwarding services! You pick when you want your stuff delivered, and when you want them to pick it up (time further away from delivery time will be cheaper). And when you arrive at your destination - whola! there is your luggage! So now, you no longer have to lug everything with you on the plane - and travel worry free!

try

www.luggageforward.com

www.theluggageclub.com

Finally - I can Sleep!!!

Finally, my bed arrived! and now I can sleep comfortably at my new place. The only problem is that they have not fixed everything inside - very annoying! these people!!!!

Finally. ice cream for my dog

In the last few years, the most trendy accessory is to have a small dog that will fit into your carry on. So we can carry our furry bestfriend every where we go! And with the popularity of many boutique and specialty dog bakeries (i.e. www.threedogbakery.com), Pedigree (the large pet food producer) finally decided to cash in on this popular trend and make Ice Cream Sandwich Treats for Dogs. It is said that these treats will be dairy based, and have the same texture as ice cream, but will contain only 1 percent lactose (most dogs are lactose intolerant). In addition, the treats will have no added sugar but will have added protein.

I wonder if my dog will like it...

Living Large in Small Spaces

So, I am finally going to close on my condo :-) The only problem is, city leaving means small spaces. And now I need to be creative with the use of my space and be very selective about the furniture I am going to buy. Everything piece of furniture I buy will need to do double duties... Even with the modern trend of designing for condo or apartment living - it is still hard to find suitable furniture that will not break the bank.

Right now I am debating on purchasing a sofa sleeper from www.apt-ny.com .
The problem is that I have no idea if the sofa or the sleeper would be comfortable. They only have one store, and that store is located in NYC.... and unfortunately, that is not where my condo is located.

Lunch Money

many of us have experienced this.... too much money is being spent on food!!! and we all try to cut back, but few of us are actually successful.

How much money should I be spend on food each week? no matter how I look at it, it always seems too much. And now, I am trying to get serious on cutting down.

Last week I spent about a total of $12 for lunch from Monday through Friday - hmm....good week.

This week, I am already on $17.50 (and today is only Tuesday). I went to subway yesterday... got a footlong sub, ate half and saved half to eat for lunch today. ($8) Went to the grocery store, bought 2 cans of soup and 2 bags of apple cripses, 1 bag of pretezels and 2 pouches of salmon steak. Hmmm....bad move since I can eat a can of soup of lunch each day....but I would need something to go with my salmon steak.

Snacking is also my down fall... if I didn't get the 2 bags of apple cripses or the 1 bag of pretzel, I would have saved about $5.50.

I tried fixing my lunches at home and bring it to work, but it is not cheaper than buying frozen entries at the grocery store when the entries are on sale.... does anyone have any suggestions on how to cut down on lunch spending?

9/11 A National Holiday?

Should 9/11 be a National Holiday? There are arguments on both sides. Here are some of the arguments:

We did not make Pearl Harbor a National Holiday: but people - let's ask yourself, how many people actually remember or know the date of Pearl Harbor? How many people remember? For those of you wondering, it is December 7, 1941.

Too close to Labor Day: This is just ridiculous for someone to even argue this, we want 9/11 to be a national holiday so we will never forget, not just to have another day off. I already know plenty of people from my office who were affected that already do take the day off to remember.
How long before people would start asking each other - as they now do for Memorial Day - say, "What're you doing for the Sept. 11 long weekend?" Here is a thought, remembrance day in Canada, November 11, is a national holiday, and growing up there I remember having the moment of silence in school, and wearing the a red poppy on my chest and thought to myself:

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

and the nation remembers. Is this argument saying that Americans are not capable of doing the same?

National Holiday is a celebration i.e. Memorial Day: is to celebrate the war is over: again, like my thoughts above, it this all Americans are capable of?

to be fair: here are some arguments on both sides:

Make 9/11 a national holiday? (click on "Yes" or "No" for link)
Yes
No

and you tell me what you think.

Tiger Woods

The weekend is over once again..... played golf on both Saturday and Sunday. And then it is back to work...now, if I can just be like Elin Nordegren (Tiger's wife), and marry a rich golf pro...everyday will be a weekend, and I can actually take advantage of the courses when it is quiet on weekdays. Not to mention the free lessons.....

I think this means I need to go buy some cute golf skorts to make sure I have a chance at scoring the next Tiger... now, if someone can tell me how I can look like a model give that I was not braced with long legs at birth.

The Fabulous life.....

For those of us who wonder..... and for those of us working towards that goal....

The Jet Set's Shopping List Unmasked: How do the very wealthy spend their money? You may not want to know.
By Thomas KostigenMarketWatch

Private jet owners have an average annual income of $9.2 million and a net worth of $89.3 million. They are 57 years old. And 70 percent of them are men.
Hannah Shaw Grove and Russ Alan Prince, two researchers, surveyed the group to find out who they are, what makes them tick, and perhaps most interestingly, what they spend their money on.

The average jet setter spends nearly $30,000 per year on alcohol (wines & spirits). Grove and Prince note that this amount is about two-thirds of the median household income in the U.S. And that's the smallest category of spending they surveyed.
The next smallest was "experiential travel," which includes guided tours, such as photographic safaris, or hikes to Machu Picchu, or eco-tours to the Brazilian rainforest, or kayaking in Baja California during the gray whale migration. For these experiences, jet setters spend an average of $98,000 per year.

Travel
But these journeys are small potatoes when compared to how much these wealthy individuals spend on hotels and resorts ($157,000 a year), or events at hotels and resorts ($224,000 a year). Spa treatments even fetch more jet-set dollars than wilderness tours. The average jet setter spends $107,000 a year at spas around the world.

Not that many of these "global citizens," as they like to be called, would know: Just 34 percent of jet owners open their own mail and only 19 percent pay their own bills, Grove and Prince found. This results in a sort of detachment from the world and creates "the low level of awareness that most jet owners have about their finances," they say.

Indeed, it would take a curious psychological composition to comprehend spending $147,000 a year on watches, as the jet set do. Or $117,000 on clothes. Or a whopping $248,000 a year on jewelry.

These people need serious help with their...finances. And that is partially why Grove and Prince conducted the survey -- as a note to advisers who might be able to help people with complex money issues.Getting Good Help

"Any way you slice it, private jet owners are an ultra-affluent bunch and, as such, likely have intricate financial requirements. As is often the case, there is a proportionate relationship between the amount of wealth and the complexity of the financial goals, meaning there is a greater need for a professional adviser to guide them through the planning process and supply them with strategies and experts to meet their goals along the way," they say.
Whatever. I'm far more interested in how much the super rich spend on cars ($226,000 per year), and boats ($404,000 a year on yacht rentals).

I'm even more interested to know what the $542,000 a year in home improvements was spent on. Grove and Prince say the average jet setter has more than two principal residences worth at least $2 million each. New kitchens? Kick ass sound systems? They don't inform.
But they do tell us that jet-setters spend the most amount of money on art, $1.75 million a year on average. It's also here that the spending patterns differ by the classes within the classes that Grove and Prince unearthed by analyzing the jet-set pack.

Trendsetters spend the most as group, but the least amount per purchase. Last year, 60 percent of this group bought art, at an average price of $500,000. Trendsetters are influenced by magazines, television and movies, Grove and Prince say.

Connoisseurs, on the other hand, spend on average more than $6 million per piece, yet are cautious purchasers: less than 10 percent of this class bought art last year.

I'm not sure which of the three personality types Grove and Prince defined among jet setters I'd fall into: Trendsetters are more likely to be impulse buyers; Winners reward themselves and those in their inner circle with large purchases for personal and professional accomplishments; and Connoisseurs are deliberate in their purchasing behavior and thoroughly research all aspects of a category, and a particular item, before making a decision.

Not that it much matters. I'd just like to be able to afford to spend $168,000 a year renting a villa or chalet, as the jet set do.

It'd be fun.

For the full report on how the jet set spend their money, go to www.hannahgrove.com and go to "white papers" in the publications section

Living with the Richest people in the US

Today, the Washington Post came out with an article and named DC as having one of the riches suburbs in the nations. Does that make me feel richer living in the DC area? Nope, instead...it enforced the notion how everything is over priced here, and living here, I have to pay for it all! Worse, my salary still looks the same as yesterday!!!

DC Suburbs top List of Richest Counties

Sake Tasting

Yes, most of your have probably done the wine tasting, and cheese tasting, but have you tried sake tasting?

Most people in the US have very little knowledge of sake. Sake in Japan refers to all alcohol, and what most Americans drink or call "sake" are really known as "nihhonshu" (prepared by brewing milled rice, water, yeast and other ingredients."

Moreover, a lot of Americans drink Sake warmed, but this is not how all sake should be served. yes, they do serve sake warm in Japan, but not all sake.

You can bring a new delightful twist to your next "tasting" party by hosting a SAKE-Sampling party. Things to note before your party: sake is categorized by the amount of rice grains polished. More polishing makes for a purer product.

Experts have suggested, like wine, you should serve from the lighter tasting to the heavier, more complex sake.

Example of what to serve:
Start with Junmai sake (amde with water and rice that has a 30% polish) - this of this as your regular table wine

Then move to Junmai ginjo (this will taste aromatic, with floral and anise with a smooth clean texture)

next, try a Honjozo sake - example: Ohkagura HOnjozo (made with distilled alcohol and rice) This one will taste rich and creamy with nutty aromas and a sweeter more full bodied texture.

Finish with a Daiginjo ( a combination of distilled alcohol and 50% polished rice). Try Nobu Diginjo - this is a full flavored sake with an assertive nutty aroma.

All of the above should be served Chilled!

Also, stay away from ceramic cups, those are usually reserved for warmed sake. Use wine glasses or shot glasses instead, or you want to be really fancy, you can buy glass sake cups.

And it is not necessary for oyu to serve sushi with your tasting, you can serve it with any beef, game or duck.

or to really show off your sake knowledge, do food paring as if you are serving wine. For example, Juneau jinjo are good with seafood and honkies are excellent with fried foods. But who really cares - as along as there is good food let your taste bud tell you which sake goes best with which food!

That is why we became lawyers

Today, while I riding on the metro to work, I pick up the free "Express" newspaper they give out here in the Washington, DC metro area - and of course this is in the paper.

A Shandong, China, student is suing his teacher claiming mental distress after being punished for sleeping in class, China Daily reported. Four months ago, Xiaodong fell asleep during class and was awakened by his teacher, Wang; when Xiaodong fell asleep again a few minutes later, Wang made the student stand in the corner of the room as punishment. He refused, walked out of class and went home.

And I am sure all lawyers all inspire to bring cases like such....

Mid-Life Crisis

It has appeared to me that numerous co-workers at my job are currently through mid-life crisis! I mean, does everyone really go through mid-life crisis??? What is this all about. All the men in my office around their 40s want to get out of their marriage, want to have a new girlfriend... basically want to be different than they are now. I am not sure if they are "bored", and this age thing is really hitting them or what - but what is this phenomena?

Here are some insights from the internet:

Midlife is the old age of youth and the youth of old age.Proverb
If this is true then many people are standing on the threshold of a "new youth." It is what Gail Sheehy in her book, New Passages, calls the "second adulthood." We all have a second chance at becoming the person we are meant to be. This second chance is called midlife. However, midlife is a new and often dangerous territory.

What is a helpful image for the midlife process? Perhaps it is the Midlife Quest in which there is a challenging adventure of seeking, exploration, and discovery. Or, it might be Midlife Metamorphosis where there is the profound change of reformation and transformation. Another image is that of Midlife Renaissance with a new birth, a new beginning, and a chance to start over. There is also the possibility of Midlife Crisis where there is a sense of urgency along with intense emotion and perplexity. Of the four possibilities it is Midlife Crisis that is ultimately most appropriate. This is because the two fundamental elements of crisis are found in all of the images.

A Dangerous Opportunity
The Chinese word for crisis readily shows these two basic elements. In the Chinese language the ideogram for crisis is made up of two separate characters. One of these characters represents "danger" and the other represents "opportunity." Thus the proper translation of crisis from Chinese is as a "dangerous opportunity." Any crisis in our lives provides the chance for change and growth -- the opportunity -- as well as the risk of regression or stagnation -- the danger. In the images of Quest, Metamorphosis, or Renaissance both opportunity and danger exist. You may not always attain the goal of the Quest, the Metamorphosis may not be complete, and the Renaissance may be a still birth. The danger of midlife is very real. Successful transition to the next life stage is not guaranteed.

How to Stay Awake at Work

It is that time of the day around 3:30, and all I want to do is take a nap.... how am I ever going to stay awake? Anyone has any ideas? please help!!!

After the bar

Yeah! I am finally done with the NY State bar, I now feel like I can move on with my life. Surprisingly, I ran into about 20 people I knew at the test center. Yes, I know, there were thousands of people there, so knowing 20 people is really not a big deal. At the same time, I knew these people from all different walks of life! It still amazes me how EVERYONE is becoming a lawyer.

Moreover, there were many people I knew from college - and they were all pre-meds...hmm..... I guess when people realize they cannot or do not want to be a doctor....they just install plan 2 - and become a lawyer.

NY State Bar

The Summer 2006 bar is only a few days away. Taking the bar the second time is no easier than the first time! (this is true even when you pass the bar the first time). My initial plan was to study up until the day before the bar because I did not have much time to study this year (thanks to working full time). All I have to say is - the plan was nice, but not going to happen. Three days before the bar, and I just don't want to study anymore. I guess I'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best when the bar roll around in a few days.

MaxJet

They are at it again, Max Jet is having a sale! Fly the exclusive all business classes carrier from JFK or Washington Dulles to London for $1499. It is worth the price right now in the summer peak season!!!

Be the next reality TV Star?

ABC is looking for the next reality tv star Right here in the Washington, DC area!!!

June 29, 2006 — Looking for adventure and up for a challenge? Need to add some excitement to your life? "Primetime" is looking for people to participate in an adventure in the Washington, D.C., area. Now's your chance to try something new. Are you lively, energetic, with a dazzling personality? Do you love taking risks?
If you love to take on new, exciting challenges, live within a three-hour drive of Washington, D.C., and are willing to be on camera, please tell us briefly about yourself and your situation, and include a photograph.

Sign up with ABC

Renova Black

Move over traditional white toilet paper - you just can't compete with remove black. What is all this buzz about - what are we going COO COO for black toilet paper??? That is the question I want to know. But hey, it sure looks cool - just another design concept to make your bathroom look extra cool

and they don't just come in black - there is also red and orange!

Happiness = S + C + V

On the metro ride this morning, I was reading the free newspaper "Express." There was this article that spelled out the secret formula to happiness. Yes, so it seems simple, that we can reduce everything to a mathematical equation.... but then reality hits

S is your biological disposition toward being happy, aka your "happiness set point"
C represents the conditions in which you live, some of which are fixed ( i.e. age or gender) and some of which you can change (i.e. relationships)
V stands for voluntary activities that you engage in i.e. work, vacation etc.

What I mean by reality is - it looks all simple when we reduce all the factors down to three variables. However, within each variable, there are just too many factors. For example: C really equals i.e. X(age) + Y(gender) + Z(relationship) + A(city you live in) + ...etc. So what is the point, in the end, even after knowing the mathematical equation - there is no way for us to add up all the different factors we need to make ourselves happier - or even to add it up to know what out happiness level is..... hmmm.......

Trick to Flirting

A wise guy once told me the trick to get any guy is "just be a little flirty, but not the over-the-top Adams Morgan style flirty (meaning that the girl would lay everything out there like a piece of fruit waiting for a buyer). Instead the flirting must be slightly dangerous, more subtle, keep-your-distance-or-you-might-get-burned style."

now - can someone interpret that for me? just exacltly how to do the
a) slightly dangerous
b) more subtle
c) keep-your-distance-or your might get burned

seems like a lot of steps to me.....

Fun in Bar class

No - this is not a bartenders class many you of think this is. This is, instead, the dreadful prep class for the New York State Bar Exam. Yes, all lawyers have to go though it even though we have fought for years for the elimination of the bar exam. And no, this class is not fun, this class is filled with anxious recent law graduates who believes their lives are dependent on passing this ONE exam. This is the last stretch of the marathon we have all been running from about at least 4 years ago when we started preparing for the LSAT (the law school standardized test). And if we don't make this last stretch - well, it is as if we ran 24 miles of a marathon without being able to finish the last 2 miles, and hence, no medal!

Yes, even in this stressful situation - there is the light!!! There are cuties in the class. And just think - no greater ways to bond than to go though some horrific event with someone (and yes, studying for any state bar is a horrific event). So, turn on your magic and talk to that cutie you have been eying in class - and hey, you never know what will happen. Not to mention - hey, these people WILL be LAWYERS!!! (there are worse professions that you can pick up)

p.i.n.k. = the new red bull & vodka?

the saying goes "doctors are druggies and lawyers are alcoholics!" And here is a lawyer at his best - a former Federal Aviation Administration lawyer has knew how to party - and to satisfy the need to party with the need stay up to handle the cases stacked at the desk, the former lawyer came up with the perfect solution and invented p.i.n.k.


p.i.n.k. is Vodka infused with both caffeine and extract from the Brazilian guarana plant. Marketed under the slogan "World's Perfect Party Spirit," p.i.n.k. provides a kick more akin to an espresso than a martini.

there you have it folks - let the lawyers do what they are best at!

666

Today is June 6th, 2006, or 06/06/06 or simply 666. The day of the devil. Well, I looked around me, I am still alive, everyone around me looks the same, it looks the same outside...hmm.... like the millennium, nothing drastic happened.

or..... we are all fooled because we need to wait until 6:06pm (and 6 seconds) tonight. So be careful ladies and gentlemen because it is possible that on the day of 666 and at time mailto:666!!@)(@&$*(#&$(&#

Then again, the real 6:06 was this morning. Many of us use military time, so 6pm tonight will be 18hr..... I guess perhaps we are safe after all.

TAGTOWN

I was reading the paper on my metro ride this morning, and an article caught my attention in the newspaper. The article is titled "Are we in 'Tagtown'?" And yes, I do wear an ID badge to work, this is how I can get in and out of my building, and to move around with looking like someone who does not belong. Personally I do not like to wear the ID badge at all.... But apparently, according to the article, people wear their ID badge proudly. The article states "...some people, particularly young people, want that extra patina of prestige. In Washington, you are much more recognized as a position than as a personality."

I wonder if this is true... Yes, I can see how people are more recognized as a position - but that is not exclusive to DC. From my experience, people are generally well recognized as a position first, then a personality second in most big cities. But they like to wear a badge!!!???!!!! The only good thing I see with the badge is that I don't have to remember anyone's name - I can just look at their badge, so it does come in handy. Other than that...hmmmm....... it is like free advertising for your employer!

The New Trophy Wife

Moral of the Story (for those who don't have time to read the article): we need to be drop dead georgeous and SMART!!! So getting that advance degree is a KEY element in marring rich. (okay, it is not a necessity, but why not increase your chances?)

Seriously now- the real moral of the story - be careful! you never know who is the trophy in the relationship

The New Trophy Wife By: Deborah SiegelSummary: Alpha women are highly sought-after partners, but men may be more intimidated than they admit.

Pete Beeman, a 36-year-old sculptor, met Page Fortna, 34, on New Year's Eve in 1997, while she was studying for a doctorate in political science. "I was totally impressed that she was getting a Ph.D.," recalls Beeman. "She has a powerhouse background that speaks of personal drive and dedication. It was attractive, not in a sexual way, but in a necessary way. I'm not interested in someone who doesn't have as much to offer me as I have to offer her."
Massimo Tassan-Solet met Karin Dauch at an Internet merger party in 2000. She introduced herself to the derivatives trader, now 36, by announcing, "Hi, I'm Karin, and I have to go now." "She was strong and unconventional in her approach, but she did it with humor," recalls Tassan-Solet of Dauch, who at age 29 owned doubleKappa, a Web design and branding company. "I don't look at people as a list of what they've done," says Tassan-Solet. "But what she's done is remarkable."

Beeman and Tassan-Solet aren't the only newlyweds who are proud of their wives' CVs. New trends in the mating game—marrying someone like yourself—plus an unstable economy breathe new life into the term "peer marriage." In previous generations, successful doctors, lawyers and bankers sought wives who looked good, were well-bred and made a mean Stroganoff to boot. Now, more and more alpha males are looking for something else from the A-list: accomplishment.

According to a Match.com poll, 48 percent of men (and an equal percentage of women) reported dating partners who drew the same income as they did. Twenty percent of men reported dating women who earned more. Jim Pak, 34, was introduced to Kristin Ketner, 38, a Harvard MBA and a hedge fund manager, through a mutual friend, who warned him not to be intimidated by her credentials. She was a research analyst for Goldman Sachs; he was unemployed and playing a lot of golf. "In certain regards, she outshines me," says Pak of his wife. "She's more accomplished academically. People may be more impressed with her than with me." (Pak is now chief financial officer at an electronic stock trading services group.)

Men's attraction to professionally achieving mates is one piece of a much larger story. "We're experiencing a historic change in the things people want out of marriage, the reasons they enter into it and stay in it," says historian Stephanie Coontz of Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Men in their 20s and 30s embarking on first marriages are relieved to no longer be the sole breadwinner and decision-maker, a burden many watched their fathers shoulder. "These men are truly redefining masculinity," says Terrence Real, a psychologist and author of How Can I Get Through to You? Closing the Intimacy Gap Between Men and Women. And the pursuit of a high-achiever is not solely the province of youth. Status-conscious tycoons want to have second marriages—and affairs—with alpha women. "Older men want the most impressive achiever in the office. In the eyes of a man's peers, the woman with the career and degrees counts for more than Miss America," says Frank Pittman, psychiatrist to Atlanta's elite. "Status is attached to a woman who is successful, not to a woman with a perfectly pear-shaped ass."
Common wisdom holds that men are socially programmed and biologically compelled to select women based on beauty and youth, physical traits that signal reproductive health. But many men date "across" and, increasingly, "up" the axes of education and achievement, with less regard for age, or for the notorious "arm candy" factor.

"There's a higher degree of parity between marital partners," observes Pak. "Men want a wife who reflect well in every aspect." In some circles, more eyebrows are raised when a guy marries a woman who doesn't match him in education or professional status. Says David, a single 33-year-old assistant professor at a prestigious university who routinely filters online dating ads using the criterion of education: "If I were with someone who wasn't of comparable intelligence, energy and drive, there'd be those who thought I'd wimped out and chosen a relationship where I could call the shots and be the all-powerful center."

"Showing up with a stacked bubblehead is like conspicuous consumption," agrees Real. "It's embarrassing to flag yourself as not interested in a real relationship." But is a woman's success sexy?

"Absolutely," says David. "And the absence of an attempt to do something interesting or difficult is a turnoff." Henry Kissinger may have been right: Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Rise of the Power Bride

When Scott South, a sociologist at the University at Albany, State University of New York, examined the characteristics most desirable to black and white men ages 19 to 35, he found that a woman's ability to hold a steady job mattered more than her age, previous marriages, maternal status, religion or race. Men were more willing to marry women with more, rather than less, education than they themselves had. A wise move, since women eclipse men at the same rates at which they attain bachelor's and master's degrees, and the number of women pursuing higher education continues to steadily climb.

Many of today's grooms believe that through positive or negative example, their own moms set the stage for a high-octane wife. After his parents separated when he was 12, Jim Pak watched his mother raise three kids while pursuing an advanced degree in art history. "That kind of role model helps you not be intimidated by highly motivated, successful women," he says. Others view their mothers' lives as cautionary tales. "My mom was very unhappy that she had little energy for anything other than raising her four kids," says a former newlywed groom who married a woman who works in finance. "I wouldn't want to marry someone who felt that unfulfilled."

"Our generation is highly cognizant of the divorce rate," adds Pak. "We learned from our parents' mistakes."

But it's not always easy. Charting a marital course markedly different from that of one's parents means there's no role model to consult. And alpha woman expects more of a domestic partnership—and an emotional connection—than her husband may have seen growing up. "Women are demanding more emotionally because logistically they don't have to get married," says Real. "They want guys to be articulate and open about their feelings." The trouble, finds Real, is that "most men are not trained to do those things."

A solution to this impasse, says Barry McCarthy, a psychologist in Washington, D.C., who works with many high-achieving couples, is for spouses to communicate their expectations from the get-go: "It's great that men are no longer the success object and women are no longer the sex object. But when people organize their lives differently from their cultures or families of origin, they have to make it work practically and emotionally. You have to negotiate before [marriage] how you're going to deal with the core issues of sex, money and kids."

The Unromantic Bottom Line
There's another pragmatic reason men prize new high-earning brides. Our romantic ideals are always grounded in economic realities, from the Victorian marriage model to the 1980s masters of the universe for whom a standard-issue trophy wife was a badge of honor. The bearish market calls for couples to act as an economic unit. Families with two breadwinners have been in the majority since 1998, and single twentysomethings' and thirtysomethings' desire for a two-income merger has intensified in the shadow of the recession. Women earn less than men (78 cents to the male dollar) and seriously lag in the highest-paying sectors, like engineering, investment banking and high tech. But wives have been catching up to and surpassing their husbands since the 1980s, particularly among the well-off. (Of wives who earn more than $100,000, one in three is married to a husband earning less.)

"It used to be that men were a good catch because they were high earners. It now looks like this applies to women, too," says University of Wisconsin economist Maria Cancian, who teamed up with Megan Sweeney, a University of California, Los Angeles sociologist, to study the increased importance of wives' wages.

How openly embraced is the prospect of a female breadwinner? According to Pak, a 30-year-old is much less likely than his father to correlate his self-worth with his ability to provide for a family. Pak's wife, Ketner, believes that men who are comfortable with themselves will factor a potential bride's income into the marital calculus, as women have long done. Says Page Fortna, "Men think, 'If we combined our two incomes, how would we do?' But I wouldn't say it's flipped [to the point where] men say, 'I won't have to work, I'll just live off her.'"

Real is more emphatic: "Men aren't just OK with it. They're relieved." Men have long considered traditional marital roles "anemic and constricting," according to Real, and no longer being the sole breadwinner is a loosening of the straitjacket. Not to mention the improved standard of living. "These guys aren't worried about their male ego in relation to their wife's income," says Real. "They just want to plan a nice vacation together."

If financial straits make alpha women hot commodities for younger men, then financial and social status make these same women desirable to older men seeking a mistress or second wife. "Men have always chosen women who make them feel heroic," states Pittman. "It used to be sufficient to be the hero in your wife's and children's eyes. But when narcissistic men feel they've undermarried and their kids are grown, the real audience becomes your peers, the guys who are eating their hearts out because you've just married a former stripper turned circuit court judge."

Powerful men seek powerful wives, and in an era in which power is increasingly equated with intellectual capital, that translates into wives who match or perhaps even exceed their husbands in educational and professional status. (Think Candace Carpenter, founder of iVillage and second wife of Random House president and CEO Peter Olson.)

If men in first marriages are relieved to be outearned by spouse or partner, some older men are positively "proud" of this fact, finds Pittman, who also notes a spike in the number of thirtysomething and fortysomething men pursuing older, successful women. But when it comes to second wives, some things never change. Whether she's a 27-year-old secretary or a 47-year-old corporate vice president, the second wife will likely not be as beneficial a partner as was the first, says Pittman. "The woman who has seen a man get started and develop is more useful than the woman for whom he always has to perform, who may bring out the worst in him."

Alpha-alpha first and second marriages make sense against the backdrop of a shifting pecking order in the nation's governing class. As author David Brooks noted, changes in the prestige factor among couples whose wedding announcements make The New York Times bear this out. "Pedigreed elite used to be based on noble birth and breeding," writes Brooks in Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There." Now it's genius that enables you to join the elect."

A Confidence Gap
If high-aiming women are more marriage-eligible than ever, why don't they seem to know it? When a Match.com poll asked marriage-minded men whether they were reluctant to seek out career women as partners, 62 percent said no. But 74 percent of the women surveyed think men are intimidated by women with high-powered careers. "Women have an asset they perceive as a liability," says Pepper Schwartz, author of Love Between Equals: How Peer Marriage Really Works and professor of sociology at the University of Washington. "Young men see these women growing up: She's your doctor, your teacher, your professor. These models can be quite erotic."

So why, then, the confidence gap? Men may be more intimidated by high-powered women than they're willing to admit. And high-achieving women, who tend to marry later, are used to being told that success causes their marrying and childbearing stock to plummet. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, author of Creating a Life: Professional Women and the Quest for Children, made headlines in 2002 by recycling the claim that the more a woman achieves in the workplace, the less likely she is to marry or to have kids. The book triggered a panic reminiscent of Newsweek's highly publicized 1986 report that a 40-year-old woman was more likely to be attacked by terrorists than to marry. That "finding" turned out to be a tale as tall as the heels on single icon Carrie Bradshaw's Manolo Blahniks, and Hewlett's conclusions, based on a small sample of highly elite women, are equally suspect when applied to professionally ambitious women at large.
When Heather Boushey of the Center for Economic Policy Research in Washington, D.C., crunched numbers on 33.6 million American women (gleaned from the 2000 and 2001 Current Population Survey), she found that women between the ages of 28 and 35 who work full time and earn more than $55,000 per year or have a graduate or professional degree are just as likely to be successfully married as other women who work full time. They're just finding love slightly later. While American women marry on average at age 25, college graduates marry at 27. Those with masters or professional degrees wed on average at age 30.

Pop-psych punditry about fragile male egos may cloud the real problem inherent in many alpha-alpha marriages. Psychologists agree that difficulties most often arise not because a man feels emasculated by his wife's star power ("No one can emasculate you except you," avows Pak), but because the woman grows disappointed with her partner.

"If a woman is powerful, smart and ambitious, her expectations for her husband, and for the relationship, rise," says Nando Pelusi, a New York City psychologist who has counseled plenty of alpha-alpha pairings. McCarthy says it's the primary reason that middle-class marriages fail in the first five years: The woman feels her spouse is not keeping his end of the pact.

And when women feel that their husbands aren't reaching their earning or emoting potential, men may decide they've gotten more than they bargained for. "Men truly want brighter, more articulate, aggressive women. They want to be seen in the world with them. But they also want these women to leave some of it at the doorstep," says Real. "These guys love their wives. They just haven't figured out what to do when that strength is channeled toward them."

Real is quick to add that most wouldn't have it any other way. "I must have said it a thousand times," he quips: "'Mr. Jones, you wouldn't be happy with the kind of woman who would put up with you.'"

True to form, most alpha males take pride in the bumps. "If I can sustain a relationship with a real, serious, powerful, happening gal, it means that I'm more real, serious and happening," says Beeman.

"Being involved with these women is like driving a Ferrari," says Pelusi. "It can be uncomfortable and dangerous, but it's ultimately more rewarding than owning a Ford Taurus, which is safe but boring."

How to Marry Rich

How to marry rich
By Xanadu Xero - RAW STORY COLUMNIST

Dusk. I was splayed on my loveseat when a Higher Power spoke to me. In song! Right through a laptop MP3! An old, wailing blues diva delivered the Word: “You can sell it, honey, or sit on it, but girl – don’t you give it away…”
NOW she tells me.
“It’s just as easy to marry a rich man as a poor man,” my mother chirped throughout my teen-hood, when there was still hope. What a crock.

To marry a poor man, all you need is a fifth of Mescal and gas to Vegas. To marry rich in L.A. however…

Heed me, my sisters – you need a plan.

Back in Mom & friends’ moneyed MILF heyday, some hot, Swedish imports blew onto their scene, staking claims in the Beverly Hills Wife Club. They seemed to appear out of nowhere, but ah, ‘twas not the case.

Legend goes that an entrepreneurial older woman (I’d cast Charlotte Rampling) handpicked the perky cupcakes back in Sverige. She perfected their English, dressed them, taught them the arcane ‘which fork’ etiquette that B.H. mistakes for class.

When the bait was prepped (and here lies the brilliance) Madam dangled her herrings in all the right ponds. Lunch, dinner, cocktails at Rich Man haunts, golf/tennis lessons at country clubs, etc.
‘Etc.’ including, I’d wager, scads of unspeakable acts, and how to think of the Queen when grossly disgusted.

It wasn’t long before the bait was snapped up. Nouveau Riche men love nothing more than a natural blonde (carpet matches drapes). Madam was paid, discreetly, a large, pre-arranged fee.
(Wait. Time out. Think about this: ‘Extreme Makeover – The Real Thing’. Would that be a, like, dope reality show or what? Producers, contact me.)

I was recently buoyed by an ad for a seminar given by Lisa Johnson, auteur of the codex, ‘How To Snare A Millionaire.’ Who says our country has eschewed the middle class? Golddigging has come to the people!

“Erase the word ‘golddigging’ from your mind!” simply bubbles Ms. Johnson. Fast-forward to said seminar with my butt in a chair. “Women are hard-wired to mate with the alpha male. Biology is destiny.”

Yeah? Then wouldn’t it follow that the ‘alpha male’ would choose the youngest, most fertile, most beautiful female, knocking all of the broads here right out of the ring?

“I feel its my right as a woman to be well taken care of” snorts a tan, one-process redhead with dye on her scalp who, at fifty-some, has the face she deserves.
“Absolutely!” says Lisa. “I mean, all power to any woman who can get rich on her own, you know? But me…” she shrugs, “I’m artistic.”

We are gathered, to succor destiny, at the LAX (Airport) Holiday Inn, a ghastly place. A jog to the runways, on a sleazy boulevard, you can feel rats in the walls without being psychic. Packs of rap-clad young men clogged the entrance and lobby, perhaps looking for women to beat.

‘The Rich Have To Marry — Why Not You?’ took place in a ‘meeting’ room suitable for double use as a snuff film set. It was next to the bar, across from the men’s toilet. But none of this disturbed the Romans, no siree.

Our group included a be-wigged Hispanic hussy who said she was French, a phlegmy, dry-haired blonde d’un age no spring chicken, some Regis fans from Accounts Receivable, a scary Moroccan with implants akimbo, and a large, tattooed teacher who yelled ‘Yippee!’ at Lisa’s cock-kipeing tips.

“Millionaires just love me,” Lisa peeped. “I’ve been proposed to fifty times by millionaires. In really elegant places — yachts, fancy restaurants. Some of the proposals came from the same men; repeat offenders! And saying ‘no’ after seeing those big ol’ diamonds was not easy, believe me!”
I guess she sensed that every eye flew to her left hand fourth finger, which was bare. She held it up.
“I’m such a romantic,” she said. I’m just waiting for the right guy.”
I would venture to say… bull-pucky.

Until this point, I had compassion. Lisa is pleasant looking, that’s all. She describes herself as “no genius” and I believe her. She’s allegedly a journalist, but I could find no evidence, unless she writes about science in Vancouver. So she hacked out a little niche, however smarmy, and is working it. So what. A girl’s got to pay the bills.
But try to con me… and my core roils with thunder.

“There are a mill-ee-on single millionaires in L.A. County, ladies,” Lisa’s words squiggled forth. “Your chances are good.”

Out where? The lobby? Hades? The Andromeda Strain? As for their ‘chances’… If a mill-ee-on millionaires were trapped in this very room horny and starving – and if these women were naked with food on their loins… I’d say their chances still weren’t good.

“One of the best things you can do, girls, is learn to play golf. Millionaires love to play golf. You should start hitting balls at a driving range. One of the best is at Rancho Park.”

“Wrong!” I clacked out, snide. “Rich men in L.A. don’t go to public parks. They belong to country clubs, and use the range there.”

Lisa was flustered. “Well, yes, but… sometimes on their way home from work…”
“Never.” Okay, I was somewhat obnoxious. All of the lazy, wormy, lifeless, blank faces turned my way with a pout.

“And what do you mean by ‘millionaire’?” I blurted, indelicate. “That’s such a quaint term. Do you include guys who just have a mil on paper, or a million cash? If a guy has a million cash and lives off the interest, we are not talking yachts here, girls, or even Frexinet. Let’s say his money’s in a thirty-year t-bill. He’ll only gross about fifty-five thou. After taxes – thirty-five?

No health insurance. Hardly enough for himself around here, much less a family!”

Actually, I didn’t say that last part. I thought it.

I thought next of a B Actress I know who had managed engagements to three rich, famous men.
All three had dumped her. At one stroke to midnight she wrangled a third. Number three was in his sixties, newly divorced from his nasty wife of forty years. B Actress became his fantasy girl, cooking pot roast in flowing dresses and the like. Now she’s the mother of two hellions, trapped in convention, tied to an old, tired man she never loved.

‘Bow down before the cash you serve, you’re going to get what you deserve,’ as Nine Inch Nails would say.

As for Lisa’s ‘tips,’ I couldn’t bear to repeat them, but here are mine: Get off your ass, learn something and shut-up. You may not marry rich, but you just might have a nice life anyway.

Global Rich List

Do you want to know how rich you are compared to everyone in the world. Check out the Global Rich List, and type in your income.

Small Investment for a Bright Future

There is a new airline in town called Maxjet. This is similar to your jetblue type carrier - making air travel more affordable. The difference here is that MAXjet is an exclusive business class carrier. So you now too can enjoy the luxuries of business class without breaking your bank! Now, they are offering a special $1000 round trip (INCLUDING all taxes and and fees) from the westcoast US to London. Just use the promo code: FSS406.

Just imagine, there you are, sipping champagne, have your leg raised, enjoying a four course meal... and chatting it up with that RICH cutie next to you on his/her business trip! Before you know it, you'll exchange numbers, you'll go on an unforgettable date in London... and the rest is history.

Take advantage of this special deal now and put yourself where you can meet the millionair you want to marry!

Slowly but Surely

As most of us know, the best way to land that rich stud is to be rich ourselves. Just look at Paris Hilton, she is able to date all these billionars because she herself is VERY well off. Yes, she is not as rich as a billionar, but she sure travel in their crowd! And she travels in their crowd because she is very rich herself. It is one of those things - you will date the people you hang around with. That is why most celebrities date each other!

Take a step to get yourself ahead. One of the easier thing you can do - and watch your money grow is open an high interest internet account.

Citibank is offering 4.75% interest - with no minimum.
INGDirect has been a popular one in the last couple of years- but their current interest cannot beat Citibank.

let your money work for you - and you are off to marrying the next shipping billionar.

Drink to get Ahead

we are not talking about going to some dinky pub and down those beer, it is time to move away from the college keg years. RICH people often like to drink wine, they go to wine tastings and other wine events. Hey, if you want to be with them, you better start learning their ways. Hence, it is a good idea to learn more about wine. That way, when you have the opportunity, you can demonstrate your sofistication with your wine knowledge. Here is a great web site that review wines and top tier restaurents: spike's random thoughts.

You can only learn more about wine by drinking wine - so let's all go out and keep drinking your way to the top.

there are also classes you can take. I've heard good things about them - check it out
www.localwineevents.com

Running with the RICH

I am currently trying to find an apartment to move into. This is a pain in my behind. How to find a nice place that does not cost an leg or an arm. Not to mention, people move so fast - don't they ever think about what they are getting before they get it????

I saw a great condo for sale for a reasonable price. But the sales office is only open M-W!!! I guess they can do that because they are snobby like that. I hope the unit I want is not sold yet. Can't even find anyone to respond to my e-mail!! What is up with that! And it is not like it is too cheap or anything!

It is hard to keep up with rich people, they just see it and grab it - they don't even give the rest of us a chance to think about it! Haw..... gotta run faster!

It hits you where you least suspect it!

If you live in the DC metro area, you will know you have a choice between living in DC, Virginia or Maryland. Here is a little info to think about when picking your piece of the world to call your very own.

Here is how the Virginia State income tax rates are structured:

If your income range is between $0 and $3,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 2%.
If your income range is between $3,001 and $5,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 3%.
If your income range is between $5,001 and $17,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 5%.
If your income range is $17,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 5.75%.

Here is the DC income tax structure:

If your income range is between $0 and $10,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 5%.
If your income range is between $10,001 and $30,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 7.5%.
If your income range is $30,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 9.3%.

And Here is Maryland:

If your income range is between $0 and $1,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 2%.
If your income range is between $1,001 and $2,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 3%.
If your income range is between $2,001 and $3,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 4%.
If your income range is $3,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 4.75%

From the graph above, we can see that for example, if you live in VA (this calculation is done without any other deductions), and you make $55,000 a year, you will pay about $2905 in income tax a year. And if you lived in DC, you will pay $4325, and $2560 if you lived in Maryland. Therefore, it is cheapest to live in Maryland. Now, is this is the reason why all the rich well to do individuals in the DC metro area live in Potomac Maryland? So, on a $55,000 salary, you will be paying $1402 more to live in DC than Virginia, and $1765 more to live in DC than Maryland. But now we wonder – why do us young professionals love living inside DC?

I guess we love the night life and the convenience – but now, we must stop and think – where do all the RICH SINGLES live? We need to live near them in order for them to incorporate us easily into part of their world!

Moreover, before you meet that RICH man of your dreams – you better think about your own finances, and think whether it is worth paying the premium taxes just to live in DC.

Warren Buffett: How He Does It

Warren Buffett: How He Does It
April 22, 2005 By Investopedia Staff, (Investopedia.com)

Did you know that a $10,000 investment in Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, the year Warren Buffett took control of it, would grow to be worth nearly $30 million by 2005? By comparison, $10,000 in the S&P 500 would have grown to only about $500,000. Whether you like him or not, Buffett's investment strategy is arguably the most successful ever. With a sustained compound return this high for this long, it's no wonder Buffett's legend has swelled to mythical proportions. But how the heck did he do it? In this article, we'll introduce you to some of the most important tenets of Buffett's investment philosophy. Buffett's Philosophy Warren Buffett descends from the Benjamin Graham school of value investing. Value investors look for securities with prices that are unjustifiably low based on their intrinsic worth. When discussing stocks, determining intrinsic value can be a bit tricky as there is no universally accepted way to obtain this figure. Most often intrinsic worth is estimated by analyzing a company's fundamentals. Like bargain hunters, value investors seek products that are beneficial and of high quality but underpriced. In other words, the value investor searches for stocks that he or she believes are undervalued by the market. Like the bargain hunter, the value investor tries to find those items that are valuable but not recognized as such by the majority of other buyers. Warren Buffett takes this value investing approach to another level. Many value investors aren't supporters of the efficient market hypothesis, but they do trust that the market will eventually start to favor those quality stocks that were, for a time, undervalued. Buffett, however, doesn't think in these terms. He isn't concerned with the supply and demand intricacies of the stock market. In fact, he's not really concerned with the activities of the stock market at all. This is the implication this paraphrase of his famous quote : "In the short term the market is a popularity contest; in the long term it is a weighing machine."(see What Is Warren Buffett's Investing Style?) He chooses stocks solely on the basis of their overall potential as a company - he looks at each as a whole. Holding these stocks as a long-term play, Buffett seeks not capital gain but ownership in quality companies extremely capable of generating earnings. When Buffett invests in a company, he isn't concerned with whether the market will eventually recognize its worth; he is concerned with how well that company can make money as a business. (Interested in what companies Warren Buffett is buying and selling? Check out Coattail Investor, a subscription product tracking some of the best investors in the world.) Buffett's Methodology Here we look at how Buffett finds low-priced value by asking himself some questions when he evaluates the relationship between a stock's level of excellence and its price. Keep in mind that these are not the only things he analyzes but rather a brief summary of what Buffett looks for:
1. Has the company consistently performed well? Sometimes return on equity (ROE) is referred to as "stockholder's return on investment". It reveals the rate at which shareholders are earning income on their shares. Buffett always looks at ROE to see whether or not a company has consistently performed well in comparison to other companies in the same industry. ROE is calculated as follows:
=
Net Income
Shareholder's Equity Looking at the ROE in just the last year isn't enough. The investor should view the ROE from the past five to 10 years to get a good idea of historical performance. 2. Has the company avoided excess debt? The debt/equity ratio is another key characteristic Buffett considers carefully. Buffett prefers to see a small amount of debt so that earnings growth is being generated from shareholders' equity as opposed to borrowed money. The debt/equity ratio is calculated as follows:
=
Total Liabilities
Shareholders' Equity This ratio shows the proportion of equity and debt the company is using to finance its assets, and the higher the ratio, the more debt - rather than equity - is financing the company. A high level of debt compared to equity can result in volatile earnings and large interest expenses. For a more stringent test, investors sometimes use only long-term debt instead of total liabilities in the calculation above. 3. Are profit margins high? Are they increasing? The profitability of a company depends not only on having a good profit margin but also on consistently increasing this profit margin. This margin is calculated by dividing net income by net sales. To get a good indication of historical profit margins, investors should look back at least five years. A high profit margin indicates the company is executing its business well, but increasing margins means management has been extremely efficient and successful at controlling expenses. 4. How long has the company been public? Buffett typically considers only companies that have been around for at least 10 years. As a result, most of the technology companies that have had their initial public offerings (IPOs) in the past decade wouldn't get on Buffett's radar (not to mention the fact that Buffett will invest only in a business that he fully understands, and he admittedly does not understand what a lot of today's technology companies actually do). It makes sense that one of Buffet's criteria is longevity: value investing means looking at companies that have stood the test of time but are currently undervalued. Never underestimate the value of historical performance, which demonstrates the company's ability (or inability) to increase shareholder value. Do keep in mind, however, that the past performance of a stock does not guarantee future performance - the job of the value investor is to determine how well the company can perform as well as it did in the past. Determining this is inherently tricky, but evidently Buffett is very good at it. 5. Do the company's products rely on a commodity? Initially you might think of this question as a radical approach to narrowing down a company. Buffett, however, sees this question as an important one. He tends to shy away (but not always) from companies whose products are indistinguishable from those of competitors, and those that rely solely on a commodity such as oil and gas. If the company does not offer anything different than another firm within the same industry, Buffett sees little that sets the company apart. Any characteristic that is hard to replicate is what Buffett calls a company's economic moat, or competitive advantage. The wider the moat, the tougher it is for a competitor to gain market share. 6. Is the stock selling at a 25% discount to its real value? This is the kicker. Finding companies that meet the other five criteria is one thing, but determining whether they are undervalued is the most difficult part of value investing, and Buffett's most important skill. To check this, an investor must determine the intrinsic value of a company by analyzing a number of business fundamentals, including earnings, revenues and assets. And a company's intrinsic value is usually higher (and more complicated) than its liquidation value - what a company would be worth if it were broken up and sold today. The liquidation value doesn't include intangibles such as the value of a brand name, which is not directly stated on the financial statements. (To learn more about Warren Buffett and the holdings his investment vehicle, Berkshire Hathaway, currently owns check out Coattail Investor.) Once Buffett determines the intrinsic value of the company as a whole, he compares it to its current market capitalization - the current total worth (price). If his measurement of intrinsic value is at least 25% higher than the company's market capitalization, Buffett sees the company as one that has value. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Well, Buffett's success, however, depends on his unmatched skill in accurately determining this intrinsic value. While we can outline some of his criteria, we have no way of knowing exactly how he gained such precise mastery of calculating value. (To learn more about the value investing strategy of selecting stocks, check out our Guide To Stock-Picking Strategies.) Conclusion As you have probably noticed, Buffett's investing style, like the shopping style of a bargain hunter, reflects a practical, down-to-earth attitude. Buffett maintains this attitude in other areas of his life: he doesn't live in a huge house, he doesn't collect cars and he doesn't take a limousine to work. The value-investing style is not without its critics, but whether you support Buffett or not, the proof is in the pudding. As of 2004, he holds the title of the second-richest man in the world, with a net worth of more $40 billion (Forbes 2004). Do note that the most difficult thing for any value investor, including Buffett, is in accurately determining a company's intrinsic value.
By Investopedia

The consensus

I know I have not posted for sometime, but in the last month or so I was doing some serious field research. I was searching for the ultimate answer to "how to succeed in life without doing anything." I traveled across the globe to Taipei, Vancouver, New York and Washington, DC - and the answer = MARRY RICH!

yes some of you may think that is not success - but remember, this is succeed without doinng anything. Therefore, if you marry rich, you can do whatever you want to do, and you'll be more likely to succeed in it because of monetary backup. Now, when I say marry rich, I mean filthy RICH! This means a million is not enough, nor is two million, nor three - but yes, a billion dollars is plenty. You can set your own standard, but you get the idea!.

Therefore, after my long research, I am going to devote this blog to HOW TO MARRY RICH!

if you are a gold digger, and you just want to marry rich, and go to spas and get messages, and take luxury vacations and have maids to clean your mansion, please visit regularly, and before you know it, you'll be one filthy rich MRS

Getting that Rich Gay Guy

After my posting "How to Marry a Millionaire" I had a few complaints. Mostly because it was not specific enough. There were requests on how to marry a rich GAY guy. So here it is. Essentially, dating is all the same, whether gay or straight. In my last posting, it discussed on how to make yourself more attractive to people with money, and those same millionaire dollar qualities should be observed! But regardless, here is how to attractive rich gay guy!

1. Educate yourself. Study classical literature, music, and art. Like minds attract; if you don't know the difference between Debussy and Dickens, you aren't going to snag anyone with class.
2. Spend money. Money is attracted to other money. Your future spouse has to be able to see themselves with you.
3. Go to where the rich mix and mingle. You have to get yourself seen... Cut your hair, lose weight, get well groomed, and go for it.
4. Don't appear too eager. People are looking for a partner, not a one night baseball game.
5. Study business - the more you know, the better.
6. Work out like crazy: a hot buns of steel in their arms - yes, exactly what they are looking for!

Check out the sites below to get a head start!
1. Request A Date.com (Rich Gay Dating Personals)

2. Gay Muscles Singles

3. Find an International Man of your dreams

Do your Taxes

It is that time of the year again - a time everyone hates - unless you are an accountant or H&R block - they love it because this is the time they make money. But for the rest of us, it is simply a pain..... but, it is always better to get it out way then wait until the last minute.

21. File your taxes

13 basic tax lessons - Tuesday March 7, 6:00 am ET Kay Bell
Nobody ever said "taxes" was an easy subject.
But knowledge is power. And when it comes to taxes, knowledge can also cut your tax bill.
Most of us don't need a master's degree in accounting to be able to better utilize tax breaks or sidestep tax trouble. We just need a firmer grasp of basic tax code principles.
These 13 lessons examine some fundamentals that could prove to be lucky for filers in the know. They'll help you understand what the Internal Revenue Service wants and how it goes about getting it. Then you can use your newfound tax wisdom to shave a few bucks off your IRS bill.

1. Overwithholding is badThe IRS says that most taxpayers get refunds. That's not necessarily bad. But it is bad money management if you repeatedly get a large refund.
"A lot of people are comfortable with large refunds," says Donna LeValley, attorney and contributing editor of "J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2006." "Few are comfortable with paying. But they're giving [the IRS] an interest-free loan."
Most of these refunds occur because individuals have too much in payroll taxes taken out of their checks.
While some people intentionally overwithhold, LeValley says many do it because they don't properly evaluate their personal tax circumstances before filling out their W-4 forms.
"They say, 'I'll do zero so I don't get in trouble.' What most people should know is that each [W-4 allowance] shelters an amount equal to the personal exemption amount," says LeValley. That's $3,200 on 2005 returns; it goes to $3,300 for 2006 taxes.
In addition to claiming an allowance for yourself, you can take one for each dependent. If you're married and you both work, the IRS recommends that the spouse making the most money claim all the allowances and the other partner take none. That, according to the agency, should make your total withholding more accurately reflect the tax bill you'll calculate on your jointly filed return.
Once you've accounted for your personal exemptions, then it's time to consider other things that will affect your tax bill and your W-4.
"If you know you're going to put $3,000 into an IRA, or money into a dependent care account or flexible spending account, add that up," LeValley says. "Every time you reach that exemption amount, add another allowance on your W-4."
By filing a new W-4 that accounts for the proper amount of exemptions, you'll get your cash throughout the year instead of sending it to the IRS's bank account.
Afraid that you'll just fritter away the money if you actually get your hands on it? Direct deposit your check and have the amount that had been going to payroll taxes automatically put into a savings account. It'll be just like before, only now you'll be getting interest on your earnings. Bankrate's search pages can help you find the best rates on money market accounts or certificates of deposit.
You also could use your extra paycheck money to increase your 401(k) contributions (do it while you're in your payroll office changing your W-4) or set up automatic payments to your credit card accounts.

2. Underwithholding is badOK, you're persuaded that having too much withheld in payroll taxes
is bad. Well, going too far in the other direction is not a good move either.
Our tax system is a pay-as-you-earn one, meaning the IRS expects to get its money from you as you earn it regularly throughout the year. When you don't pay up this way, you could face penalties and interest charges for underwithholding.
As you did to correct overwithholding, adjust the amount of taxes taken from your check to ensure that you pay enough.
You also might need to fine-tune your workplace W-4 if you have other income that's not subject to withholding. This could be interest income, property that you sold for a profit or income from a part-time cash-payment job. This extra withholding will help cover taxes on that money so that you don't have to come up with quarterly estimated tax payments.

3. Tips to differentiating your incomeYou might view your income as one figure, but in the eyes of the IRS it has several incarnations, and each plays a part in arriving at your ultimate tax bill.
You start with your gross income, which is, basically, everything of value you got during the year. This includes your salary, as well as investment income, any prizes or awards you won, even the value of bartered goods or services you received.
Once you have that amount, you might be eligible, depending on which tax form you file, to reduce it. You can find the most ways to cut your gross income at the bottom of Page 1 of Form 1040, although the shorter 1040A also has a few.
After you subtract as many of these allowable amounts as you can, you'll have your adjusted gross income, or AGI. Your AGI is significant because it generally determines whether you're eligible for additional tax breaks. If your AGI exceeds the specific limit for a tax break, you can't claim it.
Finally there's your taxable income. You reduce your AGI further by subtracting your personal exemption amount and deductions, either standard or itemized. The result is your taxable income, the actual figure upon which your tax liability is based.

4. Different dollars have different ratesYou've figured out your taxable income. The next, and biggest, question is: How much in taxes will this amount cost you?
You already know that there are different tax rates, currently six ranging from 10 percent to 35 percent. And you probably say you're in, for example, the 25-percent tax bracket because your $50,000 salary falls into the earnings rate covered by that rate.
But not every one of your 50,000 dollar bills is taxed at 25 percent. The progressivity of the tax system means you pay more than one tax rate on your income.
"Progressivity means the more you earn, the more you pay," says LeValley. "You can have a progressive flat rate and just start taxing at higher income levels. We have brackets, so when you earn more income, the higher amount will be taxed at higher rates."
The first portion of every individual's earnings is taxed at the lowest, 10-percent, rate. The subsequent rates start applying when your income hits a set level for your filing status. The tax rate you pay on your last dollar, that 50,000th one in our example, is your marginal tax rate, 25 percent in this case.
That's why you can't simply say, "I made $50,000 and am in the 25-percent bracket, so I owe $12,500." A look at the current tax table will show your bill actually is much less: $9,171.

5. Itemizing isn't always necessaryThere are several ways to get your final tax bill as small as possible. The most common way is through deductions, either the standard amount or itemized expenses.
But there are some tax breaks you can claim without having to itemize.
They are found at the bottom of the first page of both the 1040A and 1040 forms. Technically, they are adjustments to your income and are items you can claim to arrive at your adjusted gross income discussed in lesson No. 3.
Their popular name is above-the-line deductions, because they are located on the forms just above the line (No. 37 on the 1040 and No. 21 on the 1040A) where you enter your adjusted gross income.
Four adjustments are found on the 1040A. More than 13 can be claimed on the 1040. Unlike some of the deductions found on Schedule A, you don't face thresholds, such as the limits on itemized medical or miscellaneous expenses. You will, however, have to complete some work sheets and additional forms to claim these breaks in most cases.
You can take any above-the-line deductions you qualify for, regardless of whether you plan to claim the standard deduction or itemize to get even more breaks. So take a few minutes to look over the 1040A and 1040 forms to see if any of these breaks can help you.

6. Credits are better than deductionsDeductions get lots of attention, but the tax code has something even better: credits.
A deduction helps reduce your amount of taxable income. A credit directly reduces your tax bill.
Say you and your spouse use itemized deductions to get your taxable income to $40,000. When you file your joint return, you'll owe $5,274 to the IRS. You had a combined $3,900 withheld during the year, so you still owe $1,374.
But because you have a qualifying child, you can claim the $1,000 child tax credit. This will take your bill down to $374. And the amount you paid for care of your child while you both worked entitles you to a $200 credit. Thanks to these two credits, you only have to write a $174 check to the IRS.
People who don't understand the difference between a credit and deduction sometimes choose the tax break that offers the larger dollar amount. That could be a costly mistake.
"Don't assume that the raw dollar amount of a deduction is better than a smaller credit," says LeValley.
She suggests you use this shorthand method to get an idea of how much a deduction will reduce your tax bill: Multiply the deduction dollar amount by your marginal tax rate (the rate your last dollar is taxed at, as discussed in lesson No. 4). This calculation shows that a $400 deduction equals a $100 credit for a filer in the 25-percent bracket.
You can do the math in reverse, too. To get the deduction equivalent of a $400 tax credit, this filer would divide the credit amount by 25 percent and discover that he would need $1,600 in deductions to get the same tax savings.

7. Exclusions add up to tax savingsOur tax system offers yet another way to reduce your taxable income. In some situations, you can exclude some of your income from taxation.
Many taxpayers get to do this at work through their cafeteria plan benefits. In these cases, you spend your money on a benefit, such as making contributions to a flexible spending account or paying your portion of health-care coverage. Your money, however, goes toward these benefits before your employer computes your payroll taxes. Your salary amounts used for these benefits are, in effect, excluded from your taxable income.
Tax savings in this case aren't limited to federal income taxes. You also escape the employee's 7.65-percent portion of Social Security taxes on the excluded money, says LeValley, and "a lot of states follow the federal rules and also don't tax that money, so you get an additional bump."
In most cases, says LeValley, when given the choice between a deduction and exclusion, "go for the exclusion over the deduction." This means, for example, you generally will come out ahead on taxes if you opt to put money in a medical flexible spending account (an exclusion) rather than trying to amass enough medical expenses to itemize on your tax return.
You'll also find that some federal tax credits contain exclusion provisions. They are used as a way to reduce overall holdings for estate purposes (the annual gift-tax exclusion, for example, allows you in 2006 to give away $12,000 each to as many individuals as you would like with no tax liability for either giver or recipient) and, on the state and local levels, as a means to lower your annual property tax bill by eliminating part of your home's assessed value from the computation (homestead exemptions).
And speaking of homes, the federal tax law governing the sale of a personal residence provides the biggest exclusion most taxpayers will encounter. Tax law says you don't have to count $250,000 (twice that if you're married filing jointly) of your sale profit as taxable income.

8. Stealth taxes sneak inEven when you do all you can to reduce your adjusted gross income, sometimes it's not enough.
Many deductions and credits aren't available to taxpayers who make more than a specific AGI. Exceed the limit set for a particular tax break, and you won't be able to claim it.
And personal exemptions and total itemized deduction amounts are reduced or even eliminated for high-income taxpayers. "When you reach the top of the progressive system, you start to lose things," says LeValley.
Opponents of these restrictions refer to them as "stealth" or "backdoor" taxes that effectively raise taxes without increasing tax rates.
Tax-law changes over the past few years have eased these limits somewhat by allowing filers to make more money before losing various tax benefits. But be aware that they still exist, and your tax-cutting efforts could run straight into them.

9. Deductibility has its boundaries. Don't be duped by deductibility claims. While deductions are a valuable tax-reduction method, many have limits.
Some taxpayers encounter this issue when they make charitable donations. Say, for example, last year you wrote your favorite nonprofit a $500 check. To claim it as a deduction, you must itemize. But when you fill out your 2005 return, you note that as a single filer, you're allowed a standard deduction of $5,000. If your only itemized deduction is that $500 charitable gift, it will still help the charity but not your tax bill, since you'll take the larger standard amount.
Even if you do itemize, some deductions must meet a threshold before they help you. Only medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income can be deducted. Similarly, miscellaneous expenses must total more than 2 percent of your income or they are of no tax value.
Being aware of deductibility limits can help you establish a tax strategy to get around them. One approach is bunching, where you concentrate your deductible expenses in one year so you can itemize. Then the next year, you might take the standard amount. It might make sense to alternate your deduction method between standard and itemized from one year to another.

10. Earned and unearned are taxed differentlyIn addition to the regular tax brackets, your income is taxed differently depending on how you acquire it. The IRS generally characterizes income as earned or unearned.
The rule of thumb for earned income is that it comes from a business activity. This includes money you get from your job, either by hourly wages or salary, along with tips, bonuses and some fringe benefits. It also covers any self-employment money you make, either as your main work or a part-time job.
Unearned income typically comes from investment sources, inheritances or what the IRS calls passive activities, such as rents from property you own. Much of unearned income is taxed at different rates than ordinary income. You face lower rates, for example, on capital gains and dividends you receive.
But a lot of unearned income, even with its lower rates, isn't necessarily good. You could be closing other tax avenues, says LeValley.
"You have to have earned income to make an IRA contribution," says LeValley. "Eligibility for a lot of credits also depends on earned income.
"You might think, 'Oh, I'm getting away with something.' Yes, you are, but you could be missing out, too. If you're playing with getting earned income down, you're cheating yourself in other ways, like Social Security.
"Like it or not, you're paying into it, so you should get what you deserve."

11. Extension to file means just thatThe IRS allows you more time to get your return in and even simplified the process for this filing season. Now, you only have to file Form 4868 to get six more months to complete your taxes. Previously it was a two-step, two-form process.
Keep in mind, however, that it's still an extension to file your return, not an extension to pay any taxes you owe.
If you don't have the money to pay your tax bill in full, LeValley says it's still a good idea to get your paperwork in on time. "It eliminates the failure-to-file penalty and cuts the failure-to-pay penalty in half, so at least that reduces the extra in penalties you'll owe," she says.
It also lowers the amount of unpaid taxes that is subject to interest charges.
"They know you owe, and they will find you," says LeValley. "Not doing anything is always worse.
"The IRS is moving to private collections. It's not the same slow process and not as genteel, so this is a good reason to be proactive. Your tax bill will ultimately be resolved and you want to be in the driver's seat here."

12. Audit pain can be reducedOne of the best ways to avoid an unwanted call from the IRS is to file your return on time. Other ways to keep auditors at bay, or at least get rid of them quickly if they do show up, is to keep good records.
LeValley says the IRS tends to look more closely at things that require substantiation. If you're self-employed or use your car or cell phone for business, the IRS will want proof.
And know the rules. In the case of mobile phones, for example, LeValley says that for the device to qualify as a business deduction, you must use it more than 50 percent of the time for business purposes. If not, it's a personal, nondeductible expense.
"The tax devil is in the details, so keep the detailed records," she says. "If you don't like writing those things down, get a minirecorder.
"These are the type of deductions they will pursue, not necessarily thinking that they're false, but because they have the best chance to be knocked out because they can't be substantiated."
And while high-income filers are a target because the IRS expects to get a bigger return on investigations in the top tax range, less wealthy taxpayers also face scrutiny.
In fact, a tax break designed especially for lower-income filers, the Earned Income Tax Credit, gets closely examined each year. The EITC is complicated and requires a lot of authentication. If you file for this credit, be sure to have all the required Social Security numbers and proof that you're eligible in case the IRS questions your claim.

13. Simple can be costlyFilling out tax forms is tedious and often frustrating, so many people look to file the easiest possible return they can.
This isn't necessarily a bad idea, as long as you make sure that a simpler return fits your tax situation.
The 1040EZ is the shortest and easiest to complete. The 1040A is a bit more complex, but offers a few more tax-saving opportunities. And the long 1040 is the most detailed and potentially difficult, but it provides the most chances to cut your tax bill.
By taking the EZ-filing route, you might save time but you won't be able to write off, for example, moving expenses or claim any education credits. By forgoing those breaks simply to get through tax paperwork more quickly, you probably will end up paying more taxes than you should.
And that's definitely a tax lesson that none of us wants to sit through.

THE TOP 5

Here is the top 5 list of things to do if you are bored at work, and you need to find some way to entertain yourself.

5. Chat online
4. Go on friendster and search for long lost friends
3. read gossip on the internet
2. Plan how your dog will spend his day
1. Learn how to marry rich (so you'll no longer have to work, and will no longer need to entertain yourself, instead, you'll be going to spas and take wild vacations)

For more details, please link to the old posts to find details.

WHAT NOT TO DO!!!

Fine for driver's make-up offence

Maddock was caught by a mobile speed camera van and the images were shown to the court.
A motorist has been fined after being caught by a speed camera taking both hands off the wheel to apply make-up while driving near a north Wales town.
Pwllheli Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday how Donna Marie Maddock, 22, from Mold, was travelling at 32mph in a 40mph zone earlier this year.
She was using an eyeliner with one hand and a compact in the other.
Maddock was fined £200 after admitting careless driving. The court heard she was banned last week for drink-driving.
Magistrates hear that it was an Arrive Alive mobile anti-speeding van, equipped with a camera, that caught Maddock driving her Vauxhall Astra in Ala Road - the road out of Pwllheli towards Abersoch.
Ian Evans, prosecuting, said she had what appeared to be an eyebrow or eyelash pencil in one hand and something like a compact or mirror in the other.
The video was shown in court and Maddock, who did not appear for sentencing, could be seen with both hands off the steering wheel.
'Beggars belief'
Mr Evans said: "This is an unusual case. The police speed check caught the defendant doing 32 mph in a 40 mph area. There was no speeding but she had no hands on the steering wheel."
Magistrates imposed six points on Maddock's licence and heard that she was already serving a 20-month driving ban, imposed last week.
A letter from her solicitor asked that because she had been disqualified since the offence, no further ban be added.
A spokeswoman for North Wales Police said: "A car is a dangerous lump of metal in the wrong hands.
"You need to be in control at all times and Miss Maddock's actions beggars belief."