Investor Junkie » Weekend Reading

Weekend Reading for February 3, 2012

Melissa Batai — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:51:32 +0000

You may not know the name Heather Peters, but perhaps you soon will. Peters sued Honda because her hybrid car did not get the 50 mgp it advertised it would get. Surprisingly, the judge awarded her $10,000, the estimated amount she paid in additional gas since buying her car in 2006. Honda is appealing, but they could be looking at future payouts for other Honda owners if Honda loses its appeal.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Facebook Is a Miracle of Capitalism: Business Insider Now that Facebook has gone public, many of those who work there will become millionaires, and perhaps try to start their own companies. The ripple down effect will be felt for quite some time.

Well, Now We Know What Facebook’s Worth – And It’s Not $100 Billion: Business Insider Here is how much the social media site that is now used by 1/7th of the world’s population is worth.

Experiment: Buying on a Dip: The Finance Buff How much can you gain by waiting to invest your money for two days? For this writer, $100 and 4 shares.

Peter Schiff Favors Ron Paul, Says Settle for Romney: Yahoo! Finance Schiff favors Romney because he can do less damage to the economy than Newt Gingrich.

Adam Corolla on Occupy Wall Street: The Rich and Poor Are More Similar than You Think: Yahoo! Finance On a lighter note, hope you enjoy Corolla’s take on how the rich and the poor are actually quite similar.

Weekend Reading for January 27, 2012

Melissa Batai — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:05:18 +0000

Mitt Romney continues to be under fire for his high income and how little taxes he pays in comparison to that income. Yet, is it really that terrible that he uses the tax code to his advantage? He may come under even more scrutiny now that Warren Buffet’s secretary was at the State of the Union address to give a face to the “average” salary earner who pays taxes at a higher percentage rate than millionaires like Mitt Romney and Warren Buffet.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Warren Buffet’s Secretary Likely Makes Between $200,000 and $500,000 a Year: Forbes Is she such a good example of the “average” taxpayer with income in this range?

Affluent Investment Choices Turn Away from Cash Toward Stocks: Millionaire Corner Surprisingly, non-millionaire investors are more active than millionaire investors.

37 Must Read Posts for Tax Savings: Money Spruce Check out some of the best tax-related posts around the personal finance sphere.

Obama’s “Buffet Rule” Equivalent to Raising Top Marginal Rate on Millionaires to 44%: The Tax Foundation In the State of the Union address, Obama was more specific about his proposed tax increase on the rich. Here is what it would mean.

Fed Holds Interest Rates Unchanged and Sees ‘Exceptionally Low’ Interest Rates Through LATE 2014: Business Insider The title really says it all. Part of the reason is “strains in the global financial markets.”

Weekend Reading, January 20, 2012

Melissa Batai — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:42:29 +0000

Just when it seemed Mitt Romney might sweep the first three primaries, controversy has erupted based on the fact he revealed he just pays taxes at the 15% rate and that he holds off shore accounts. Rick Perry has dropped out and is endorsing Newt Gingrich, dropping the pool to just 4 candidates. South Carolina is set to be an important primary.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Top Ten Annoying Brokerage Fees of 2011 (and the brokerages that charged them): SigFig Do you know some brokers charge you when they try to make your account more secure? That is just one of 10 annoying fees many well-known brokers charge.

Computers Are Replacing the Middle Class: Business Insider Many people worry that our jobs are being outsourced to foreign countries, but it may be that computers are used to eliminate middle-class workers.

Obama Administration Said to Reject Keystone XL Oil Pipeline: Yahoo! Finance For a president who is said to be pro-job growth, this move says just the opposite.

Weekend Reading for January 13, 2012

Melissa Batai — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:06:29 +0000

Mitt Romney is on a roll having won both the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. Many of his competitors are looking at South Carolina to claim their own stake and to halt Romney’s string of wins. In a contest that has had several front runners early on who inevitably dropped out, Romney is looking like the Republican candidate for 2012.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Did the Rich Get Rich from Hard Work or “Connections”?: WSJ More Americans think the rich got their money through family rather than hard work. This view is most pronounced among the young.

U.S. Debt Nears 15.194 Trillion Ceiling: WSJ The U.S. debt is precariously close to the limit. Raising the limit is easy, but there are repercussions.

The Problem with a Wealth Tax: WSJ The movement to tax wealth rather than income is gaining popularity. One significant problem: how do you nail down someone’s net worth when the rich themselves have trouble determining their exact net worth?

What We Need from Suze Orman Instead of Another Celebrity-Endorsed Useless Prepaid Debit Card: PT Money Careful analysis of Suze Orman’s new prepaid debit card with this food for thought: “Should Suze Get a Pass Where Kim Kardashian Did Not?”

Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn’t Really Make $378 Million in 2011: CNN Money Tim Cook has a very worthwhile reason to stay with Apple for the next 10 years. . .

Weekend Reading for January 6, 2012

Melissa Batai — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:08:43 +0000

This week the Iowa Caucus was held. Some were surprised to see Romney and Santorum in a statistical dead heat with Romney edging out Santorum by 7 votes. Bachman dropped out of the race. Now the candidates travel to New Hampshire, where it remains to be seen if Santorum can keep up the momentum.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Fidelity Investments Looking Ready to Offer Exchange-Traded Funds: WSJ Fidelity may soon be the place to go for all of your index ETF investing.

A Family’s Billions, Artfully Sheltered: The New York Times. See how Ronald S. Lauder, son of Estee Lauder, craftily protects his fortune from taxes.

Chart of the Day: Here’s How Every Asset Class Performed in 2011: Business Insider Good chart to see what is currently performing well. Gold is number four.

Record Dividends in 2012 Should Help Consumers: WSJ Dividends were plentiful in 2011, and they are predicted to get even better in 2012, which should help consumers and retirees.

Lending Club: Join Lending Club and get a $300. If you have been on the fence about joining, now might be a good time.

Weekend Reading for December 30, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:08:40 +0000

The last week of 2011 brought us North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s funeral. His son, Kim Jung Un, has taken power. In the United States, Mitt Romney seems to be the latest Republican front runner, but during the past few months, the front runner seems to change every few weeks. No doubt that 2012 will be a year of political interest, both nationally and internationally.

Wait a Second. . .Did Amazon Kindle Fire Sales Totally Blow?: Business Insider While it looks like Amazon Kindle Fire sales were low, there is hope that sales will eventually be on par with iPad.

Millions of Americans Are Realizing They Can Default on Their Mortgages and Live Scot-Free For Years: Business Insider Thanks to backed up foreclosure reviews, many Americans are staying in their homes for a year or more before they face any repercussions for not paying their mortgage.

Doug Kass’s 15 Surprises for 2012: Business Insider Take a glimpse into the world Kass predicts in 2012.

Vanguard Founder John Bogle on Stock Returns: 1 to 2 Percent a Year: My Plan IQ The title says it all; after inflation and fees, among other things, look for 1 to 2% returns.

Zecco Trading: Here is a good deal–stocks trade for just $4.95, plus earn a $100 reward!

Weekend Reading for December 23, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:35:39 +0000

After a very public standoff, Congress has approved a two month extension of the payroll tax cut, which makes for a nice Christmas present for millions of Americans. Whether that tax cut can be sustained in 2012 remains to be seen.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

The Ron Paul Portfolio: WSJ Ron Paul’s portfolio reflects his beliefs. Check out his holdings.

Is Gold a Good or Wise Investment for 2012?: Arbor Asset Allocation Model Portfolio Blog THE question you should ask before buying gold–Is gold an investment or store of value?

Unwelcome First Looms for Gross: WSJ Bill Gross, famous for his bond management, is about to set a record he surely can’t be proud of.

Bernanke’s 30-Year Mortgage a Sign of the Times: Financial Post Ben Bernanke must be confident of his future health as the 58 year old has just refinanced his house for another 30 years.

Lending Club: Join Lending Club and get $300.

Weekend Reading for December 16, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:15:44 +0000

The end of 2011 is only two weeks away, so now is a perfect time to both outline your financial goals for next year and to wrap up your finances for 2011 by reevaluating your investments and preparing to file 2011 taxes. Some recent articles on Investor Junkie that address these topics include, Preparing Your Portfolio for the End of the Year and 5 Steps to Creating a Successful Financial Plan.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

How To Solve Inequality? A Really Bad Recession: The Wealth Report In the last 30 years, recessions have been the only way to close the inequality gap. Frank asks, “Is inequality a necessary by product of economic growth?”

Americans Say $150,000 a Year Is ‘Rich’: The Wealth Report Clearly the Americans polled do not live in New York City or California.

When The Going Get Tough, The Tough Get Coffee: Inc. I think we have all had days like this and could benefit from Smoliar’s advice.

No New Taxes Before Pension Reform Dumbass Financial Samurai Instead of penalizing the rich further with taxes, why not implement some other strategies as suggested by Financial Samurai. Makes sense.

Official Atlas Shrugged DVD: Atlas Shrugged Part 1 Not that bad of a movie considering the list of no name actors and budget.

Weekend Reading for December 9, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:31:46 +0000

After several rounds of accusations of inappropriate conduct and harassment, Herman Cain has bowed out of the presidential race. Now, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney come to the forefront while Donald Trump has mentioned that he might still be interested in running. The next few months should be interesting for the Republican party as they continue to search for a candidate to pin their hopes to.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

4 Investments to Avoid Now: Smart Money If you are a bit skittish about the stock market (and most people are), here is a list of four investments to avoid.

MARK CUBAN: Here Is How You Should Be Investing Your Money Right Now: Business Insider Among his recommendations–choose to invest in start ups rather than public companies.

Gold Will Hit $2,000 an Ounce in Early 2012: Purves: Yahoo! Finance According to Purves, hold on to your gold because it is about to set more records.

Report: Inequality Hasn’t Changed in 25 Years: WSJ While inequality may have briefly increased in 2009, this author points out a study that says it hasn’t increased in 25 years and is not currently an excuse to further tax the rich.

Feds: Seattle Welfare Recipient Lives in Million Dollar Home: King5.com A couple who live in a gorgeous 1.2 million dollar house and have traveled to Tel Aviv and Turkey have been the recipients of welfare for over five years! Gotta love the system with serious flaws.

Weekend Reading for December 2, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:57:48 +0000

Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday saw record sales. Unfortunately, there was also more violence documented. One man died and shoppers just walked over his body. At another store, a woman brought pepper spray to spray other customers. While the record sales may hint at good things to come for our economy, some shoppers’ conduct doesn’t say much for our personal behavior. Is a deal that important?

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Is Microsoft Running Out of Time for Tablets?: Yahoo! Finance While 46% of consumers said they wanted a tablet running Windows in the beginning of 2011, that number is now down to 25%. Worse for the company, it doesn’t appear that the product will be on the market until fall of 2012.

Facebook Is Working on a Phone with the Code Name ‘Buffy’: Business Insider Why would Facebook want to create a smart phone? In my opinion, dumb idea!

You Won’t Believe What Hank Paulson Revealed to Hedge Funders Right Before the Height of the Financial Crisis: Business Insider Here is yet another bombshell piece of information about the infamous bailouts.

Weekend Reading for November 25, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:57:03 +0000

Hopefully you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. Today is Black Friday, the day that marks the turn of stuffing our bellies to stuffing our shopping bags. Economists are expecting increased sales this year. Did you brave Black Friday today?

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Demonstrators Plan to Occupy Retailers on Black Friday: CNBC There are plans to occupy or boycott retailers who are publicly traded today. We’ll see what effect this has.

Super Complacency Means Printing Will Commence Post-Election: Zero Hedge This about sums up our election and monetary policy.

How to Get Safe Annual Payoffs of 7%: Barron’s To get high yields now, you must take risks. This article lists 11 attractive investments.

A Radical for Capitalism: Barron’s John Mackey’s success story as the CEO of Whole Foods. An interesting read.

Lending Club Investing Strategy Duel: Smart Peer Lending Yet another strategy to make the most of your peer-to-peer investing.

No related posts.

Weekend Reading for November 18, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:34:56 +0000

In the last few weeks, the financial issues in various European countries have dominated the news. This week the news is dominated by national issues including Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez who shot at the White House and has been charged with attempted assassination, the Occupy Wall Street protestors who took to the streets and caused disruption to several U.S. cities to the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Recent reports offer a stagger prediction–he allegedly may have molested at least one hundred boys and yet today he is still a free man.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

DROWNING IN DEBT: College Grads Share Their Student Loan Horror Stories: Business Insider Are you really well educated when you have $500,000 in student loan debt?

Chinese Immigrants Are Fleeing Back to China Because ‘The American Dream Is Dead’: Business Insider Since 2006, Chinese immigration has decreased and Chinatowns are now emptier. Why? Simply put, they see better opportunities in China.

The 1% Who Don’t Think They Are the 1%: WSJ Michael Moore isn’t the only person in the top 1% who is in denial that he is a one percenter. More than 40% of them don’t think they are in the top 1%.

These Guys Are Definitely Wall Street Heroes: Business Insider Two men stage their own protest against the Occupy Wall Street protestors.

Prosper Looking for a P2P Rate of Return Industry Standardization: Lazy Man and Money Many struggle with a way to determine an exact ROI when using P2P as an investment strategy because there are so many variables.

Weekend Reading for November 11, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:25:00 +0000

American politics continue to be drama filled from the long list of accusers in the Herman Cain scandal to Rick Perry’s 54 seconds of awkwardness as he forgot his third point during a recent debate. All this seems to prove is that the Republican party has yet to find a strong front runner for next year’s election. Be prepared for more drama to come.

Owner of 90,000 Square Foot Home Says He’s ‘Frugal’: WSJ What a scam! The owner of the biggest home in the U.S. and president of a time share company claims he is frugal and the home isn’t a reflection of his money saving ways.

Poverty Rate Rises Under Alternate Census Measure: CNN Money Using measures that don’t include government help that lifts people above the poverty line, the poverty rate jumps from 15.2% to 16% of the U.S. population.

Tax Tips for Harvey Golub (and Other Millionaires) : WSJ Harvey wrote in last week to say that 80 to 90% of his income went to taxes. Here, the Wall Street Journal offers him and other millionaires advice to lessen their tax burden.

Are You Smarter Than a Wall Street Occupier?: The Blaze New York Magazine asked 50 Wall Street occupiers three basic questions–see how they responded.

Lending Club: Get a $300 bonus when you join Lending Club.

No related posts.

Weekend Reading for November 4, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:59:19 +0000

At home, Herman Cain is being dodged by reports of inappropriate behavior. Abroad, all eyes remain on Greece to see whether they will accept help from other countries to get out of their financial difficullties. It looks like we will have another few days to wait and see what happens in the global economy.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Some 15% of US Uses Food Stamps: WSJ Over 45 million Americans are currently using food stamps, even though the recession officially ended two years ago.

CNBC Suspends Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge, Resets Accounts, Winners Lose: Business Insider If only there was a reset on real-life trading. . .

Are the Rich Good for Anything Besides Paying Taxes and Spending?: Yahoo! Finance Much has been said about the top 1% and how they don’t pay enough in taxes, but not much has been said about how much their spending helps the economy.

Cartman Is the 1%: The Big Picture If you are tired of all of the complaining about the top 1%, you will enjoy South Park’s spin on it.

Weekend Reading for October 28, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:34:45 +0000

The European debt crisis has been resolved, and stocks jumped 340 points yesterday. Consumers are spending more, and confidence appears to be up. Could this be the beginning of the turnaround everyone has been waiting for?

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Lending Club Honored as 2012 Technology Pioneer: My Returns Increased to 10.93%, No Defaults: Bible Money Matters Yet another great endorsement for Lending Club in a time where other investment vehicles offer a much lower rate of return.

Five Ways to Measure Your P2P Lending ROI: Social Lending Network If you invest in Prosper or Lending Club, determining your ROI can be difficult because each company calculates it differently. Here are five methods you can use.

In What Order Are Stock Trades Executed: USA Today Money Interesting glimpse behind the scenes at the stock market and what order trades are placed.

The Nation’s Most Avid Trophy Home Buyer? WSJ Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, one of the most voracious consumers of trophy real estate, is back on the hunt.

Steve Jobs Biography: Did Apple CEO Warn Obama? Politico Thanks to a “crippled” educational system and a disadvantage to China, Jobs predicted Obama would be a one term president.

Weekend Reading for October 21, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:14:18 +0000

While this seems to have been a quiet news week with continued interest in Herman Cain and his 9-9-9 tax plan, and a squbble between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry over Romney’s alleged hiring of illegal aliens, Thursday pushed all of those headlines to the side with the news that reportedly the former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has been killed. I imagine it will be several days before we are able to piece together the full story of what happened.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Americans Blame Government More Than Wall Street for Economy: Gallup As I have been saying repeatedly, the Occupy Wall Street group needs to focus on Washington, not Wall Street. They won’t do that, but at least 64% of Americans polled blame Washington rather than the 30% who blame Wall Street.

The Rich Invest in ‘Catastrophe Portfolios’: WSJ It seems that the wealthy are beginning to invest like their grandmothers instruct–in safe blue chip stocks, gold, and “safe” developed countries.

The Download: What Occupy Wall Street Protesters Really Think of Obama? Business Insider It is no surprise that most of the Occupy Wall Street protesters support Obama. Fools!

Steve Wynn Goes on Big Rant about Occupy Wall Street, Obama, Deficits and Anger at the Government: Business Insider Another big surprise: Steve Wynn on a conference calls goes on a rant. Again.

Cash Rewards Program: Lending Club Get a 3% cash bonus when you enroll and invest in Lending Club. Sweet promotion!

Weekend Reading for October 14, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:14:06 +0000

The latest front runner of the Republican party is Herman Cain, former president and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza. Cain is planning to campaign with a 999 strategy where everyone will pay a 9% flat income tax, a 9% flat sales tax and a 9% flat business tax. All tax deductions will be gone. While Cain’s tax strategy will simplify the current tax code, nearly everyone will be paying higher taxes, which many Americans probably won’t endorse. It remains to be seen if he is just another in a long line of flash in the pan Republican favorites going into the 2012 elections.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Steve Jobs’ Heirs to Avoid Big Tax Hit If They Sell Stake Right Away: New York Post Proving he was as smart about taxes as technology, Steve Jobs’ heirs may be able to avoid paying taxes on Jobs’ $2 billion in company stock.

Okay, Now I Get It: Here’s Why Apple Launched the iPhone 4S Instead of the iPhone 5: Business Insider In addition to the popular idea that Apple named the new iPhone 4S as a symbol (for Steve), there are other reasons why the company didn’t release an iPhone 5.

Another Look at P2P Lending Default Rates: Social Lending Network A comparison between Lending Club and Prosper’s default rate and rate of return.

Who Are the Top 1% Income Earners: Financial Samurai The Occupy Wall Street crowd should take a look at this excellent post.

Netflix Abandons Plan to Rent DVDs on Qwikster: Yahoo! Finance Netflix admits they moved to quickly when announcing plans to separate their services in two. You think?

Weekend Reading for October 7, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:00:24 +0000

Wednesday Steve Jobs passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. It is impossible to tell just how much his influence affected all of our lives, even those who never bought an Apple product. His products have changed the way people learn, communicate, relax. . .He was a genius and will be remembered as such.

Mossberg Shares Personal Story about Jobs: WSJ Steve Jobs was intensely private, but Mossberg shares a bit of what it was like to know him personally and how is incredible drive came out in his everyday life.

Postal Service Launches New Ad Campaign Promoting Snail Mail: Washington Post Check out these new commercials for the United States Postal Service which emphasize the safety of snail mail over e-mail and the personal connection when using snail mail. Desperation, anyone?

Solyndra Said to Be Investigated by FBI for Possible Account Fraud: Bloomberg Yet another issue to taint Obama’s presidency.

OCCUPY WALL STREET: Analyzing Their List of Grievances: Business Insider While the protesters do have some legitimate complaints, there are many that are ridiculous. Read about them here along with the Blodget’s commentary.

The Wall Street protesters remind me of this Steve Martin scene in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Weekend Reading for September 30, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:24:11 +0000

The banking world continues to change; just recently, Bank of America announced that they would charge debit card users $5 per month in fees. Several other banks already do this. Is this to be the new norm? Many people rely on credit cards to benefit from the reward programs rather than debit cards, but there is some talk that banks may begin to scale back the rewards too.

Robert Shiller: Stock Prices ‘Still High by Historic Standards’: Yahoo! Finance Using the Schiller P/E model, Robert Schiller shares that the stock market is still historically high, though the market remains volatile.

Why Buying on the Dips Is Still All It’s Cracked Up To Be: The Finance Buff Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Zweig wrote a piece arguing that it is no longer a wise idea to buy when the market dips. The author at The Finance Buff shows the flaws in Zweig’s assumptions and explains why buying on the dips is still good practice.

The Possible Unintended Consequences of Higher Taxes: The New York Times Raising taxes on the 60,000 individuals making $1 million a year could still cause consequences for all of the other tax payers.

The Government Can’t Actually Create Jobs: My University Money This administration is facing many problems, but their solutions usually add to the problems.

GASPARINO: ‘Morgan Stanley Will Not Silence Me with Death Threats’: Business Insider This is news worthy?

Weekend Reading for September 23, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:14:42 +0000

In a genuine Atlas Shrugged moment, Google’s executive chairman and former CEO Eric Schmidt was grilled by the U.S. Senate as to why Google became so successful so quickly. It will be worth watching how this plays out in the future. . .

Select Cities See Brain Gain: WSJ The U.S. Census is revealing some interesting facts such as the handful of cities with the most educated people.

Google Wallet Not Ready for Primetime: Consumerism Commentary There are several reasons why Google Wallet is not ready for mass consumption yet, though it is an interesting idea.

Does Renting Make Sense? Get Rich Slowly One way to tell whether it is better to rent or buy is to use the price to rent ratio (P/R ratio)

Obama Fact Checked: Most Millionaires Pay More Federal Taxes than Their Secretaries: Business Insider Both Buffet and Obama are fond of the claim that secretaries pay more taxes than millionaires, but this article proves it is otherwise.

Netflix Separates DVD and Streaming Services: WSJ Epic fail! This should have been done in the beginning, not now.

Weekend Reading for September 16, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:20:38 +0000

Are we seeing a further downward spiral in the Obama administration? Between interest and investigation into Solyndra’s bankruptcy and the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that they received along with Anthony Weiner’s seat being filled by a Republican, things are not looking good for Obama’s reelection.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

43 Years of Household Incomes: Even Rich People Are Getting Hammered: Business Insider An interesting series of graphs that display visually the impact of the economy on households’ purchasing power. This is yet more explanantion why consumer confidence is low.

Are the Rich Grabbing More of the Income Pie?: WSJ Many complain about the income gap between the top 1% of Americans and the rest of America, but this article argues the gap is not as large as people believe.

Unemployment Claims, Consumer Prices Jump: USA Today Money More signs the economy remains in trouble.

The Cost of Obama’s Stimulus Plan: $312,500 per Job (Vote) Created or Saved (and Guess Who Is Paying It): Zero Hedge The numbers behind the rhetoric. There should be no way this passes.

Pass the Bill Obama Says 90 Times: Politico 44 Watch the montage video. Do you think he wants this bill to pass?

Don’t forget the Morningstar Premium Subscription giveaway (a $165 retail value) ends tomorrow, September 17 at 11:59 pm EST. Head over to enter if you haven’t already!

Weekend Reading for September 9, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:04:10 +0000

It seems unbelievable, but the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 is only two days away. In some ways it feels like it just happened, and yet life as we knew it then has changed in so many ways, from the increased security to the random threats our nation deals with to the two wars we have fought since then.

Certainly the economy has changed drastically too, and we have gone through difficult economic times that we are slowly emerging from. The United States has a vastly different landscape then it did 10 years ago. . .

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Mortgage Fall and 15 Year Remortgages Boom: Bankrate.com Many smart consumers are taking advantage of the historically low mortgage interest rates to pay off their mortgages 15 years earlier.

Demand for Food Stamps Remains High: WSJ It is not just the economy and unemployment that cause an increase in people using food stamps; the large number of natural disasters this year has also caused the number to increase.

The Investor’s Dilemma: Panic or Plan: The Big Picture Every time there is a hiccup in the market (which seems to be daily lately), people panic and sell off stocks. Here is why that is a bad idea.

Car Lessees Driving Themselves Into a Ditch: Time Here is what millionaires know about leasing cars and why 80% of them don’t do it.

Exclusive: Carol Bartz Out at Yahoo; CFO Tim Morse Named Interim CEO: WSJ Clearly she was ousted, but naming an interim CEO leads one to all sorts of speculation about the future at Yahoo! I will be watching how this one pans out in the next few weeks.

Weekend Reading for September 2, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:03:14 +0000

The price of gold has dipped a bit, but the jury is still out whether this is a bubble and the price will soon drop or whether the price will continue to climb for several more months in the face of economic fears. This should be an interesting one to watch. . .

Hurricane Irene is now no more than a memory; I hope you were unaffected. I am just glad that it weakened considerably and am looking forward to a much quieter Labor Day weekend.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

A Close Look at One of Those Crashing Solar Equipment Companies – Business Insider Just as expected, this company is heavily in debt to the U.S. government, and yet their are no numbers to look at, but there should be.

President Obama’s 90 Billion Clean Air Registration Business Insider President Obama continues to find more ways to spend money, most recently on this latest rule.

Can You Live on Dividends Alone Get Rich Slowly Are dividends our saving grace in this particular economy? How much can you really make off stocks that pay dividends?

Shop Owner Battles Back After 9/11 Destroys Business, Leaves Him $400,000 in Debt Yahoo! Finance A touching story of one man trying to rebuild his business in the aftermath of 9/11.

Recession Leaves Many in Permanent Cutback Mode USA Today Money While the government continues to argue that we aren’t in a recession, mainstream media shows the effects of the current recession on consumers.

Weekend Reading for August 26, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:05:46 +0000

Hurricane Irene is bearing down on the East Coast and is predicted to hit major cities including New York City. I am hoping it weakens in strength before it reaches the East Coast because it could be potentially devastating to the area. It would be much better if it weakened significantly and was just an inconvenience. Be on guard this weekend; Irene will be visiting on Saturday and Sunday.

Hurricanes aren’t only happening in nature; they are also happening in the business world as Steve Jobs just announced his resignation as CEO of Apple.

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

It Took Me 13 Years to Understand Steve Jobs: Business Insider It was Steve Jobs’ meticulous attention to detail and his visionary nature that set him apart from other CEOs. Will Cook be able to fill his shoes?

Why Millionaires Love Steve Jobs (and the iPad): WSJ Steve Jobs had a knack for knowing what the consumer wanted, but even more importantly, he knew what the rich wanted.

Actually Apple Will Be Fine without Steve Jobs: Yahoo! Finance Steve Jobs resurrected Apple from near death 15 years ago, a feat that should be commended. However, Apple will continue to succeed after his departure. This article explains why.

Who Will Benefit from the Slowing Economy: Yahoo! Finance There are several groups who will benefit from the slowing economy including borrowers and those looking to get into the stock market.

More Dogs Get Kidnapped for Money: USA Today On a lighter note, you know times are bad when people are stealing dogs for money.

Weekend Reading, August 19, 2011

Melissa Batai — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:56:19 +0000

As the dust continues to settle from the debt ceiling fiasco, gold continues to climb and hit another record this week. Warren Buffet came out and stated that the rich need to commit to “shared sacrifice” and stop being “coddled” by paying more taxes. No one is stopping him from giving the government some of his billions, but he hasn’t done that yet. I wonder why?

Here is what I am reading this weekend:

Warren Buffet’s Tax Dodge: WSJ This is the best opinion piece I have seen in awhile explaining why Warren Buffet is a hypocrite and his statements are not true.

Steve Forbes ‘Dares’ Warren Buffet: Yahoo! Finance If Warren Buffet is so eager to see the taxes increased for the wealthy, Steve Forbes suggests the come to the front of the line and donate some of his money to the U.S. government.

Buffet Has ‘Hidden Agenda’ When It Comes to Higher Taxes: James Altucher: Yahoo! Finance Is Warren Buffet being altruistic when he suggests that people with more money should pay more on taxes? Not according to James Altucher, author of Trade Like Warren Buffet. He says Buffet’s comments are really a way for Buffet to even the playing field when selling stocks. Interesting theory.

Why I Hope the Rich Get Richer: Katie Keefer When the rich grow their money, everyone wins because they are spending more and hiring more people when they grow their businesses. This is a simple concept that the U.S. government can’t seem to grasp. Well said Ms. Keefer.

Lessons on Investing from America’s Richest Family: WSJ Maybe if more people took these lessons to heart, more families would become wealthy.