A Broken America By Dave And Cathy Burdick

The current state of the government and our country isn't what our founding fathers had in mind. America is in such a mess it makes one wonder how and when it will end. For anyone who isn't really sure about what's going on both behind closed government doors and right under our noses, then you must--MUST!--read A Broken America.

This book lays it all out on the line without trying to take any sides. Everyone in office is doing a bad job! I especially recommend this book to younger people and those who have buried their head in the sand for too long. This is our wake-up call, we need to take America back once and for all.

Bravo to Dave and Cathy Burdick for taking the time to write such an eye-opening and truly inspiring book. Once you're done reading A Broken America you'll know exactly what you can do to help.

Franchise Online University

Working for yourself may seem like a distant dream that might never come true, but how satisfied are you working for your present employer?  Perhaps you've been laid off and haven't been able to find a job yet.  Either way, it's never too late or too soon to start your own business.  But which should you choose?  You can offer services or products, you can build your online business from the ground up or start a traditional brick-and-mortar place, or you could become a franchise owner.

There are many reasons people prefer to buy into a franchise rather than starting their own business from scratch.  Two of the biggest reasons is you can own a company that already has a following and get help every step of the way.


FranchiseOnlineUniversity.com offers a free "Intro To Franchising" ebook for download that covers these topics:

• Learn how the business model of franchising got started

• Find out if you have the right personality traits for a franchise

• Learn the pro's and con's of buying a franchise

• Find out the 5 successful traits of successful franchise owners

After you read Joel Libava's ebook you'll feel more prepared to look into becoming a franchise owner.  He isn't called The Franchise King for nothing!  He wants you to make money, not lose it. If you've been thinking about becoming a franchise owner, don't make a move until you've visited FranchiseOnlineUniversity.com. 

Out To Lunch Starring Kathrin Smirke

I just finished watching Borscht Bonanza, the third installment of the Out To Lunch series.  I watch a lot of short videos on Youtube and I have to say that Out To Lunch is filmed wonderfully.  How many videos have you watched that looks like someone filmed it with their cell phone?  The acting is solid and believable, and the plots are always lighthearted and funny.  What a nice way to break up the dull workday routine. 

Kathrin Smirke not only stars in Out To Lunch, but she created it, writes it, and produces it. Talk about a Jane-of-all-trades!  OTL just won the weekly comedy tournament on atom.com.  Watch the three available episodes and you'll see why.  Every character in the show stands out, nobody blends into the background.  You gotta love such strong characterization.  That's one reason why I enjoy shows like The Office and Scrubs.   

In Kathrin's own words, OTL is a Curb your Enthusiasm meets Sex and the City type of show.  I've bookmarked the page and can't wait for her next installment.  How will she top Borscht Bonanza, The Pot Brownie, or Pink Toilet Paper? 

Austin Search Engine Optimizing

Raul Quiroga runs Austin SEO, but before he took a well-studied leap of faith into starting his own business, he was a law enforcer.  Mr. Quiroga is in the business of helping others, period.  He knows what it's like to struggle getting your small business up and running when you've got huge companies with mega-bucks hogging up the first few pages of Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines.  What chance of survival do small business owners have, especially in today's economy?

That's why Austin businesses need to seek out someone who knows their stuff.  Someone like Raul Quiroga of Austin SEO.  He has thoroughly studied and put into use all of his knowledge about search engine optimizing so you don't have to.  He'll show you the ropes and help you get your business noticed. 

It doesn't matter if you run a graphics design business or a catering place, without proper SEO knowledge you're going to be swallowed up by the flood of other businesses out there.  Did you know that most businesses fail within six months?  If you can keep your head above water and keep your businesses going for a year it's considered a success.  Yikes!  You don't want that.  You want and need a business that will keep growing and get more and more clients and customers as the months and years go by. 

Don't get lost in the shuffle or think that word-of-mouth is going to catapult your business to the top of the search engine charts.  You need help, so stop by Austin SEO today and contact Mr. Quiroga to see what he can do for you and your business. 

Kudos For Kiddies

How I wish KudosForKiddies.com was around when I home schooled my kids.  This site allows you to create online reward charts so everyone can stay organized.  No more lost paper charts, and no more pointing fingers as to who supposedly has to do what and when.  There's even a section on Consistency and Discipline guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatricians.

What I really love about the site--besides the cuteness factor--is that it's a place for kids and parents or teachers to always be on the same page.  How many times have your kids said, "I didn't know I was supposed to take out the trash!  It's her turn, not mine!"  Or, the incredibly famous line, "I forgot."  With Kudos For Kiddies you and your kids will stay organized and when your kids get their chores done you can reward them.  Kids will actually feel motivated to do a good job since they can see the result their good behavior has on the whole family and their self-esteem.

KudosForKiddies.com has a page to help parents or teachers get started on creating their first chore chart.  It's hard to know where to start or what exactly you want your kids to do.  Of course, we'd love for them to do what needs to be done without asking, but the chore charts will help keep them in check until simpler things become habit.  You can then move on to something else.  These charts also work great for school projects or any large project that needs to be completed in the near future and has to be broken down into baby-steps so your child doesn't feel overwhelmed.

If you have kids then you should definitely check out Kudos For Kiddies.  Soon your home will be a lot more peaceful!

MeetYouHalfWay.com

How many times have you gone to a meeting or on a date and wanted to meet the person halfway?  You don't have to do all the traveling and neither do they.  I'm a firm believer in compromise and MeetYouHalfway.com can help you do just that.  Just input the information and Meet You Halfway will not only show you where the halfway point is, but it will also give you a list of nearby hotels, theaters, golf courses, restaurants and more.  You'll be able to meet in the middle, and you won't have to waste time trying to find something to do or someplace to stay.  All the work is done for you!

The site works like a very clean version of Mapquest, only better.  I just gave it a try and put my address in and then the address of one of my friend's.  I then chose a meeting place (they have 54 different categories!).  In this case, I chose a restaurant since we usually meet for lunch.  A map came up and showed that there are 13 different restaurants between where I live and she lives--this is in a 5 mile radius, though you can choose a wider radius if you want to.

MeetYouHalfway.com will take the guesswork out of what to do and where to do it.  And, it will let you know where the halfway point is so it's fair for everyone involved.  Since I tend to meet people quite a lot, this site will come in very handy.  I'm bookmarking it and will use it regularly.  Thank you so much MeetYouHalway.com!  What a great site. 

Design Custom Hats, T-Shirts, and Jerseys at CustomPlanet.com

If you design it, CustomPlanet.com will put it on a jersey, T-shirt or hat for you. 

With baseball season fast-approaching, you could have them make up some baseball jerseys for your team and look professional while out on the field.  In fact, you can order the entire baseball uniform right from their site.  Hey, even if the guys can't play all that great, at least you'll look good!

If you aren't on a baseball team, Custom Planet can customize a shirt or hat with your favorite team. Whether you're a fan of the Braves or Yankees, or anything in between.

Why not get a jersey to represent your favorite basketball and football team while you're at it?  Or how about promotional items like bumper stickers, banners or pens?  I was married to a sports fanatic once and he could never get enough items to show his extreme love for the L.A. Lakers.  He would have flipped over this website. My son-in-law loves the Baltimore Orioles so I'm thinking about ordering a beanie with the Orioles logo on it for him. 

Even if sports aren't your cup of tea, they have a line of funny T-shirts, political shirts, artistic, religious, kids, the list goes on and on.  There's something for everyone on CustomPlanet.com.