Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Black Friday done and gone

Another record set. What did anyone expect? Online shopping is getting more popular. I was surprised at the one day delivery of an item I had ordered from Staples last week. Once I realize that I don't need an item right now I go online and shop. It's that easy. I would never wait in line for over an hour for anything. I don't care how great the price might be. I just don't need something that bad that I can't wait and yes, I'll pay a higher price but I don't care. My time is more valuable to me now.
So now what? Christmas shopping is in full force. Spend, spend, spend. Who saves today? Does anyone have money in the bank, more than a couple hundred dollars at any one time? I'd like to see the statistics just for curiousity.
Don't let me bore you. I'm trying to get people to buy online and help each other out in the process. If you were a good friend or even an aquaintance and you recommended to me your Amazon store link to shop from, why wouldn't I? I would expect the same in return of course. Does anyone else get what I'm saying here? I'm still trying to get this off the ground but it's hard to get people to focus on making money. To me, it's free money. Do you want to learn more? Just leave me a comment here, I'll reply.
Now the advertising. Do you like the Kindle products? It's got my attention but I'm not completely sold on the product. Maybe it's not a need of mine. I have an Android phone that does everything I want at the moment. I see a lot of people following the Apple iPhone trend though and it pains me that people can't think for themselves. Yes, Android has gone through some difficulties but what phone hasn't? Even Apple has had it's share of problems. Nobody will talk about the problems though. Oh well, whatever.
Copy and paste the link below into your browser and see what you like at my store:
http://astore.amazon.com/partypeople-20

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Pay-Per-Click, again, and why aren't you making money?

I feel I'm wasting my time on this blog in trying to make money off the net. Not too many people really get how this works unless you have used Google to advertise with their Adsense service. It's really a good service but it does cost money and you have to have a budget for it. Popular keywords can cost more per click than not so popular ones. Okay, confused?
In your Google Adsense account you set up a small ad that comes up on web pages, most often on the right hand column when you do searches and stuff on the web. Most of us don't bother to read them as were used to seeing them now. You can tell they are Google pay per click ads as you'll see the Google log in small print or font just underneath the ad. Anyway, Google only allow so many words or characters in an ad. That's why you see them so small. I figure so they can cram as many as they can. Google is making lots of money off this way of advertising and most of us just search and never click on anything. Once in awhile I'll see an ad that will catch my eye and I'll click on it. It's costs the advertiser but it gives me a chance to maybe buy from them if I see something I like. You find these ads mostly on Google's search results when you're looking for something.
But, in my case, I'm known as an affiliate of Google. I've signed up with Google to allow them to serve up relevant ads on my blog here. I will get a small percentage of the cost of the click. So far I've made $7.39 and that was in one day. Nothing since. I don't know why, I can only speculate and keep trying things.
If you're in the mind to make some money on the net and you don't have a product to sell, you can become an affiliate and make commissions off of selling other people's stuff. In this case, Google's ads.
There's a few books for you to read. I am also an Amazon affilate. Buy a book from a click here and I make a small commission, very small. But, hey, you have to start somewhere, right?

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Stocks take a 500 point dive! Largest drop in two years again.

It was feared and it had to happen. I'm just glad I still have my money in bonds. I've never moved the money since the October crash of what now, 2006? I forget when it all went South. Now, I'll bet I'll hear those same people who have told me I should have gotten back into the market, how badly they have suffered once again and have lost all the gains they have talked about making back recently. Timing the market is difficult at best and with all the scamming with these programmed trades going on I stayed out of the game as I didn't want to lose any more than I had. I need to keep reminding myself that my little 401k has to provide for me when I retire. I don't plan to work any other job after Verizon.
I hope you didn't lose any money today. I fear this double dip recession is going to last a while this time. There is just too much fear in the world from all that's going on that is negative. I don't have to point it out either. Until the governments of the world can get their act together and start thinking of it's people and give up the greed, it won't get any better any time soon I feel. Can you imagine people actually helping each other out instead of trying to think of how to screw the next person with every opportunity? We'd all be much better off and have happier lives, helping each other on this planet to enjoy and to preserve what's been laid out for us. I'll propose a toast to a much better future this weekend. What's your favorite beverage? I'm not picky but sometimes I just like a good ole beer.

Kensington Trackball in place of a mouse

In my previous post I stated I would be presenting my boss at work with one of these. Well, this morning I did just that and she couldn't thank me enough. She really liked the fact that she didn't have to keep picking up her wrist and putting it down in order to move the cursor around, she only had to rotate the ball. Which she also commented on how easy that was to do. Now, I see the price has lowered today to $14.95 so I just bought one for the desktop here at home. I'm glad I waited, the bosses cost me $22.95 if I remember right. Shipping is under five bucks so I won't even bother to look up what that cost. Overall, the silver color and black palm rest area compliment the computers well. The palm area is a 'grippy' type of rubber too, not a slick plastic like I had feared. Kensington puts out a superb product in my opinion. Sure, there are some user reviews on Amazon that are negative but I believe these people are way too critical and can find something to complain about anything. So, time to post another Amazon ad for you to click on in case your remotely interested. Only thing better would have been a wireless trackball but I figure that's a plus and I couldn't justify the money for one. The cord is not going to move anyway.
This is the one I bought for a Mac computer years ago. I still have it somewhere but I will dig it out of a box at a latter time. Besides this 'Orbit' model is more in line with what I'm hoping the wife will like. Notice the big difference in price. Also, about the same as a mouse would cost. The larger trackball has four buttons. I never used all four.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Google does not add my blog into it's search engine, why?

Since I now have my domain (www.pstreicher.com) forwarded to my blog here I had thought that Google would have indexed it into it's search engine. But, each time I search for my web name I come up with something else and no mention of mine. I need to research this more. Otherwise there is now way in hell that anyone is going to find me here other than browsing the blogs I fear. This will be a useless way to try to make any extra money. There's got to be a better way and I'll keep searching. For now I'll just keep my thoughts going here when I think of something interesting. I wish some of you would post some comments and get social. Don't you like me or my blog? I'm feeling kinda lonely here. Get busy, will you?
Here's an Amazon ad for you. I just bought a Kensington Trackball yesterday from Amazon for my boss at work. She's complained of the old carpal tunnel syndrome and she's been working way too hard lately. So, I'm going to surprise her in about a week or so when I get it. Take a look at this trackball. If you've never tried one you're missing out. It works so much more efficiently.

How do I ad html on my blog here?

I want to add my Google+ statistics widget but I cannot find a way to do it here on Blogger.com. Maybe this is a shortcoming of this blog site. I guess that's why there is Wordpress and a host of others. I don't have the time to search around and try all of them though and then have to move my blog but I'll give it some thought for a later day.

Ask me for an invite to Google+ if you haven't been invited yet. I read a headline the other day that maybe Google will fail in this social networking project. I think they don't stand much of a chance with Facebook still popular as it is. Only techies and those that want to be different with migrate to Google+ I believe. I like to try everything as long as I have the time. I'm just a geek like that. I love learning new things. Okay, breakfast is in order. I'm about done with my expresso. What expresso do you like?

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

China umbrella manufacturer needed

I've decided I want to look into marketing custom made umbrellas. Of course China comes to mind to manufacture them. If anyone knows any manufacturers please drop me a line or comment here. I will keep the blog updated on my progress with this. I'm thinking umbrellas of all types and sizes with different colors and designs. I'll have my eye out for something rather unique also. Here in the sunshine state of Florida an umbrella is a must have item for just about everyone. I carry one in my car for that rainstorm that happens here from time to time. There seems to be many companies selling umbrellas so I won't be the only one but that's okay. There can never be enough umbrellas and of every size, shape and color. I'll post a few ads from Amazon for now.
There are a lot of umbrellas out there in the market.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The Google+ Social Network


Google has worked to make this the new social network. Some are wondering how that will affect Facebook. I believe that like anything esle you will have those that like one or the other or will use both. It all remains to be seen now how this will play out.
Click the link above to check out the book. This pays me a small pay-per-click commission and helps to keep me motivated here and you coming back hopefully. Post a comment also if you like. We'll be hearing more about this new network in the coming days. Maybe I'll post my own review a bit later.

Living Rich by Spending Smart!


Could this be the best book on the market right now? From the results I've seen it appears so. Click on the link and read the reviews. You just might buy it and start reading. I've just read some of the top reviews and I have to agree with the author on one thing that I do now. I bring my lunch to work. Eating a sandwich each day probably saves me $10 a day. That's a lot of money in a week or a month. So, what other money saving tips does this author have to talk about? I'll be a lot. Now, if I can just find one more $10 a day money saver that would be terrific. Making money or saving money is what it's all about. Financial freedom sets you free. Who doesn't want to be free? Go buy this book now! Click the link above and see for yourself.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Click, click, click away

Hey, it's all about money isn't it? Money can set you free, and a lot of other stuff too, right? So, how about clicking on some of the served up Google ads while you're here for me, okay? Clicks earn money for me and helps me to keep me motivated to post comments on my blog here.
On another note, I urge you to get busy and start blogging yourself and earn some easy money. Advertisers are waiting to pay you per click 24/7. So, what are you waiting for, get clicking!
Hey, do you have an iPad yet? Tell me about it. I'm thinking of getting one too.

President Obama's address to the nation about our policy in Afghanistan

I received this in an email and thought it was worth posting.
=======================================================
If you missed it last night, you should take a few minutes to watch President Obama's address to the nation about our policy in Afghanistan:

http://my.barackobama.com/Afghanistan

The President's address marks a major turning point in a nearly decade-long conflict. He announced his plan to start withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan next month, fulfilling a promise he made a year and a half ago to begin the drawdown this summer.

To put it simply: when this president took office, there were 180,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, the combat mission in Iraq has ended, Afghanistan will be fully responsible for its own security by 2014, and there will be fewer than 100,000 American troops in the two countries by the end of this year.

As President Obama decisively concludes two long-running wars, he is refocusing our foreign policy to more effectively address the threats we face and strengthen America's leadership in the world as we do.

I'm writing to you because this transformation has already begun to reshape the policy debate -- foreign and domestic -- in the 2012 election. As the President said last night: "It is time to focus on nation building here at home."

The outcome of this debate will have consequences for all of us, so it's important that you understand the policy and help inform the conversation.

You can read the President's remarks below, or watch the address on the White House website here:

http://my.barackobama.com/Afghanistan

Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

----------------------

FULL REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE WAY FORWARD IN AFGHANISTAN
June 22, 2011
8:01 P.M. EDT


THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Nearly 10 years ago, America suffered the worst attack on our shores since Pearl Harbor. This mass murder was planned by Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network in Afghanistan, and signaled a new threat to our security -- one in which the targets were no longer soldiers on a battlefield, but innocent men, women and children going about their daily lives.

In the days that followed, our nation was united as we struck at al Qaeda and routed the Taliban in Afghanistan. Then, our focus shifted. A second war was launched in Iraq, and we spent enormous blood and treasure to support a new government there. By the time I took office, the war in Afghanistan had entered its seventh year. But al Qaeda's leaders had escaped into Pakistan and were plotting new attacks, while the Taliban had regrouped and gone on the offensive. Without a new strategy and decisive action, our military commanders warned that we could face a resurgent al Qaeda and a Taliban taking over large parts of Afghanistan.

For this reason, in one of the most difficult decisions that I've made as President, I ordered an additional 30,000 American troops into Afghanistan. When I announced this surge at West Point, we set clear objectives: to refocus on al Qaeda, to reverse the Taliban's momentum, and train Afghan security forces to defend their own country. I also made it clear that our commitment would not be open-ended, and that we would begin to draw down our forces this July.

Tonight, I can tell you that we are fulfilling that commitment. Thanks to our extraordinary men and women in uniform, our civilian personnel, and our many coalition partners, we are meeting our goals. As a result, starting next month, we will be able to remove 10,000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and we will bring home a total of 33,000 troops by next summer, fully recovering the surge I announced at West Point. After this initial reduction, our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan security forces move into the lead. Our mission will change from combat to support. By 2014, this process of transition will be complete, and the Afghan people will be responsible for their own security.

We're starting this drawdown from a position of strength. Al Qaeda is under more pressure than at any time since 9/11. Together with the Pakistanis, we have taken out more than half of al Qaeda's leadership. And thanks to our intelligence professionals and Special Forces, we killed Osama bin Laden, the only leader that al Qaeda had ever known. This was a victory for all who have served since 9/11. One soldier summed it up well. "The message," he said, "is we don't forget. You will be held accountable, no matter how long it takes."

The information that we recovered from bin Laden's compound shows al Qaeda under enormous strain. Bin Laden expressed concern that al Qaeda had been unable to effectively replace senior terrorists that had been killed, and that al Qaeda has failed in its effort to portray America as a nation at war with Islam -- thereby draining more widespread support. Al Qaeda remains dangerous, and we must be vigilant against attacks. But we have put al Qaeda on a path to defeat, and we will not relent until the job is done.

In Afghanistan, we've inflicted serious losses on the Taliban and taken a number of its strongholds. Along with our surge, our allies also increased their commitments, which helped stabilize more of the country. Afghan security forces have grown by over 100,000 troops, and in some provinces and municipalities we've already begun to transition responsibility for security to the Afghan people. In the face of violence and intimidation, Afghans are fighting and dying for their country, establishing local police forces, opening markets and schools, creating new opportunities for women and girls, and trying to turn the page on decades of war.

Of course, huge challenges remain. This is the beginning -- but not the end -- of our effort to wind down this war. We'll have to do the hard work of keeping the gains that we've made, while we draw down our forces and transition responsibility for security to the Afghan government. And next May, in Chicago, we will host a summit with our NATO allies and partners to shape the next phase of this transition.

We do know that peace cannot come to a land that has known so much war without a political settlement. So as we strengthen the Afghan government and security forces, America will join initiatives that reconcile the Afghan people, including the Taliban. Our position on these talks is clear: They must be led by the Afghan government, and those who want to be a part of a peaceful Afghanistan must break from al Qaeda, abandon violence, and abide by the Afghan constitution. But, in part because of our military effort, we have reason to believe that progress can be made.

The goal that we seek is achievable, and can be expressed simply: No safe haven from which al Qaeda or its affiliates can launch attacks against our homeland or our allies. We won't try to make Afghanistan a perfect place. We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely. That is the responsibility of the Afghan government, which must step up its ability to protect its people, and move from an economy shaped by war to one that can sustain a lasting peace. What we can do, and will do, is build a partnership with the Afghan people that endures -- one that ensures that we will be able to continue targeting terrorists and supporting a sovereign Afghan government.

Of course, our efforts must also address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan. No country is more endangered by the presence of violent extremists, which is why we will continue to press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future for this war-torn region. We'll work with the Pakistani government to root out the cancer of violent extremism, and we will insist that it keeps its commitments. For there should be no doubt that so long as I am President, the United States will never tolerate a safe haven for those who aim to kill us. They cannot elude us, nor escape the justice they deserve.

My fellow Americans, this has been a difficult decade for our country. We've learned anew the profound cost of war -- a cost that's been paid by the nearly 4,500 Americans who have given their lives in Iraq, and the over 1,500 who have done so in Afghanistan -- men and women who will not live to enjoy the freedom that they defended. Thousands more have been wounded. Some have lost limbs on the battlefield, and others still battle the demons that have followed them home.

Yet tonight, we take comfort in knowing that the tide of war is receding. Fewer of our sons and daughters are serving in harm's way. We've ended our combat mission in Iraq, with 100,000 American troops already out of that country. And even as there will be dark days ahead in Afghanistan, the light of a secure peace can be seen in the distance. These long wars will come to a responsible end.

As they do, we must learn their lessons. Already this decade of war has caused many to question the nature of America's engagement around the world. Some would have America retreat from our responsibility as an anchor of global security, and embrace an isolation that ignores the very real threats that we face. Others would have America over-extended, confronting every evil that can be found abroad.

We must chart a more centered course. Like generations before, we must embrace America's singular role in the course of human events. But we must be as pragmatic as we are passionate; as strategic as we are resolute. When threatened, we must respond with force -- but when that force can be targeted, we need not deploy large armies overseas. When innocents are being slaughtered and global security endangered, we don't have to choose between standing idly by or acting on our own. Instead, we must rally international action, which we're doing in Libya, where we do not have a single soldier on the ground, but are supporting allies in protecting the Libyan people and giving them the chance to determine their own destiny.

In all that we do, we must remember that what sets America apart is not solely our power -- it is the principles upon which our union was founded. We're a nation that brings our enemies to justice while adhering to the rule of law, and respecting the rights of all our citizens. We protect our own freedom and prosperity by extending it to others. We stand not for empire, but for self-determination. That is why we have a stake in the democratic aspirations that are now washing across the Arab world. We will support those revolutions with fidelity to our ideals, with the power of our example, and with an unwavering belief that all human beings deserve to live with freedom and dignity.

Above all, we are a nation whose strength abroad has been anchored in opportunity for our citizens here at home. Over the last decade, we have spent a trillion dollars on war, at a time of rising debt and hard economic times. Now, we must invest in America's greatest resource -- our people. We must unleash innovation that creates new jobs and industries, while living within our means. We must rebuild our infrastructure and find new and clean sources of energy. And most of all, after a decade of passionate debate, we must recapture the common purpose that we shared at the beginning of this time of war. For our nation draws strength from our differences, and when our union is strong no hill is too steep, no horizon is beyond our reach.

America, it is time to focus on nation building here at home.

In this effort, we draw inspiration from our fellow Americans who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. To our troops, our veterans and their families, I speak for all Americans when I say that we will keep our sacred trust with you, and provide you with the care and benefits and opportunity that you deserve.

I met some of these patriotic Americans at Fort Campbell. A while back, I spoke to the 101st Airborne that has fought to turn the tide in Afghanistan, and to the team that took out Osama bin Laden. Standing in front of a model of bin Laden's compound, the Navy SEAL who led that effort paid tribute to those who had been lost -- brothers and sisters in arms whose names are now written on bases where our troops stand guard overseas, and on headstones in quiet corners of our country where their memory will never be forgotten. This officer -- like so many others I've met on bases, in Baghdad and Bagram, and at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital -- spoke with humility about how his unit worked together as one, depending on each other, and trusting one another, as a family might do in a time of peril.

That's a lesson worth remembering -- that we are all a part of one American family. Though we have known disagreement and division, we are bound together by the creed that is written into our founding documents, and a conviction that the United States of America is a country that can achieve whatever it sets out to accomplish. Now, let us finish the work at hand. Let us responsibly end these wars, and reclaim the American Dream that is at the center of our story. With confidence in our cause, with faith in our fellow citizens, and with hope in our hearts, let us go about the work of extending the promise of America -- for this generation, and the next.

May God bless our troops. And may God bless the United States of America.
----------------------

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

News, News, News. Every day new news to read.

Do you keep up with the news these days? I'm not talking about just news you used to sit and watch on the tube either. These days we have smartphones that have apps which can gather news from all around the world. I've been enjoying my HTC Droid Incredible for a year now. It's the first thing I grab when I wake up to see what's new.
I have this earthquake app that signals me when there's an earthquake anywhere in the world. I have it set at anything above a 5.0 magnitude. I saw the Fukishima quake in Japan coming weeks before it happened. There was numerous little quakes several times a day, some one after the other and at various magnitudes. I knew something was going to happen rather large but just didn't know when. Then a few weeks later, whamo, it hit. That was exciting to say the least.

I have an app with my local t.v. news which I can pull up at any time and see late breaking news, or, should I say read about it.
Then there's Twitter. I had a Twitter account for a year and really didn't know what to make of it. I couldn't figure out what it was for much less how to use it. Then, I got this Android phone and there was an app for Twitter. I downloaded the free app and opened it and all of a sudden things started making sense. Don't ask me how but I follow a lot of different and interesting people now. I also follow a lot of news companies which give me late breaking news. I can say now that I never bother to watch t.v. news anymore and I don't miss it.

I've been working on my Amazon affiliate store also. I've figured out that if I can talk some people into opening their own store we could make some money between ourselves. This is how it works. I buy from Amazon off and on. If you had an affiliate store I would buy through it. You would get a commission of my purchases. Works the other way around also. Think about it. Amazon has been working on this affiliate store thing lately and it's now so easy to do. I think I should be offering classes on it just to get people going. We could form a large group and make money off each other. Just remember this one thing. You cannot buy through your own store. Get it now? Okay, what are you waiting for? Just go to Google and search for 'Amazon Affiliate'. Sign up and start adding categories to your store. Then get a blog here on Blogger and give people your store address. You can buy a domain name anywhere, ie. GoDaddy, and set it up to forward to your Amazon store when people type in the URL.
I'm doing it another way for now until I do the above though. I have links created here within my posts that will direct you to my store if you click on them to want to look at buying something. Then, there's a link back here also from my Amazon affiliate store.
All it takes is a little work each day or take several days. We all got time to spare once in awhile. When I think about it and am sitting around I go work on my blog or my store. What really got me excited was when I posted here about an AOL update that came out, a lot of people somehow found my blog and clicked on a lot of links. I made about $5.00 in that one day. It's not a lot but if you could get that every day that would add up quick. I'm still excited and I'm going to keep working on this until I can get to that point and beyond. The sky's the limit they say. So, get moving already. Let me know when you get started. I'll be here to help you if you need motivation or anything. We're all in this together now.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Researchers Create Privacy Mode to help secure Android Phones

Researchers create privacy mode to help secure Android smartphones

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed software that helps Android smartphone users prevent their personal information from being stolen by hackers.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Java update, again. Number 24 now.

I just typed up a page of stuff on this post and clicked on 'Save Now'. But, do you know what happened? Yep, it didn't save. Now, I'm just blabbering away at this as I'm pissed. Does anything ever go right anymore. I swear. The Java update is waiting for my click to restart the browser but I'm not finished here yet. Well, I've thought many times about learning how to program in Java but never took any time to look into it. Here are some books at Amazon on it.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Another Jave update, Java 6, update 23

Good grief, Chalie Brown, it's been about a month since I've last blogged. Okay, I've had some things I wanted to blog but never got around to it. I've been looking over some random blogs the other day and I'd like to start adding some pictures. I have a new DSLR camera that the wife bought me for Christmas. It was one that I had been admiring for close to a year but was trying hard to justify buying yet another camera. I'm going to put up a shelve somewhere one day and display some of the relics of the past I now have but never use.
Back to the Java update. I need to get it done and over with and watch out for any slick stuff they want to install from another company that they are selling space and advertising to. Carbonite Backup is one such product and I don't need it. Okay, here goes.
Of course the first screen they want to offer OpenOffice but I don't need it either.
I've tried it, it's okay but I have M/S Office 2007, thank you very much.
This update is taking longer than previous ones. Uh, oh, 'restart my browser to finish installation'.
Okay, have to go now. But first, a little advertising from Amazon. Have to make my money too you know.
That worked well. Now I know how to add several Amazon links next to each other. Happy Shopping!