The State of Affairs

The Circle of American Response to Occupy Wall Street

Jeremy Winter — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 03:49:10 +0000

This is the climate we live in each day. ha

Explanation of Foreign Transaction Fees & Charges

Jeremy Winter — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:07:59 +0000

You may have noticed some new charges being posted to your bank statements in recent months. These new charges, which are actually more likely fees, are often called Foreign Transaction Charges. You might think these are normal everyday charges that have been happening for years, but in reality they’re in response to the recent government legislation that has placed limitations on how banks can collect and charge for services.

Kind of ironic if you ask me.

Why is the new fee being charged?

In the past, Foreign Transaction Charges were only charged when there was a currency conversion. So if your US currency had to be converted, the fee covered the cost of converting the currency. Now regardless of the currency in question, the fee is applied.

Banks and card companies are now claiming that the fees are to cover the overhead from running international services. Consumers claim the banks and card companies are trying to cover the losses from not being able to charge ridiculous fees for overdraft charges. If you can’t charge a large fee to consumers, one of the provisions in the recent legislation, charge small fees and bleed the profit from the account and card holders.

Who is charging the Foreign Transaction Fees?

Your fee is coming from either:

Your credit card issuer. For example Visa or Mastercard.
Your bank itself.
Or both your card issuer and bank.

While these fees are usually in the 1-5% range, the overall income from these charges should prove to be quite high for the card companies and banks.

Of course with only $4.4 billion in profits, like Bank of America had last year in 2010, you can see why they need to increase their bottom line.

Occupy Wall Street Photo and Observations

Jeremy Winter — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:51:30 +0000

Does any one else remember when these people were called law breaking lazy slobs? I’m guessing most of the protesters for the Occupy Wall Street Movement do. #OWS

Some interesting tweets for a reminder:

Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS last year, even though it made $4.4 billion in profits.
If you make less than $392,000 per year, you’re part of the 99%.
Exxon made $19 billion in profits in 2009, paid no fed income taxes & received a $156 million rebate from the IRS.
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” – Desmond Tutu
CEO gets 40 mos for $3bn fraud. Homeless man turns self in after stealing $100, gets 15 yrs.

Wedding Photography Tips and Techniques

Jeremy Winter — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:45:57 +0000

When it comes to wedding photography, these tips and techniques are essential to getting the perfect photographs for your wedding album. You will need to know how to use just the right lighting indoors and out as well as how to balance the scenery to give your subjects the ideal image in the wedding photos.

Quite often the environment will not be the best but you can still take the perfect picture if you choose your camera and lenses wisely as well as making certain that you have adequate lighting that will highlight the images you are attempting to convey. Scenes with the bride and groom need to show the couple as clearly visible with the scenery kept subtly in the background.

Listed here are a few wedding photography tips and techniques to help you achieve the perfect wedding photographs.

Indoor Wedding Photography Tips

When taking the photos indoors, it’s best to make certain that you are familiar with the angles of the space and where the lighting is going to fall naturally during the ceremony so you can plan on where it would be best to set everything up. One of the best ways to do this is to visit the church or area where the wedding is going to take place before hand and possibly even take a few pictures to get a better idea of how everything is going to look so you can make any adjustments that might be needed.

Make certain the lighting is behind the cameras to get the best effects and be aware of what is going on so that you can get some spectacular spontaneous photos as well. Another technique for ensuring the best pictures during the wedding or reception is to have anyone wearing glasses either remove them or have them tilt their heads away from the light to minimize any glare.

Quick Tips

Check the indoor lighting angles in advance of the ceremony
Take a few test photos on location before hand
Keep the light behind the camera if possible
Stay alert for the more spontaneous moments

Outdoor Wedding Photography Tips

When shooting wedding photographs of the couple or wedding party outdoors, you want to be certain again that the lighting is behind the camera and also be aware of the scenery that is going to be behind the subjects. You don’t want to end up with some dying plants or falling down structures ruining the perfect picture.

Quite often the bride and groom may already know where they want some of the pictures taken so again, if possible, you may want to visit the area at around the same time during the day that you will be taking these photos as well. After all, it is going to be your reputation as the wedding photographer and making sure you have stunning pictures is sure to bring you plenty of references.

Quick Tips

Be aware of the background scenery in your photos
Again, keep the lighting behind the camera if possible
Try to visit the location during a similar time of day
Watch the weather forecast

A few more great wedding photography tips and techniques are knowing exactly what the couple wants as well as understanding a little about their lifestyle so you can incorporate that into some of the photos as well. A few examples of this would be if they are passionate about animals, you might want to try to have a few pictures of them before hand with their favorite pets or if they are really into motorcycles you can try to get a few shots of them on their bike as well as having some of the wedding party gathered around with several motorcycles to really get the effect.

These are just a few wedding photography tips and techniques that can help you take some fantastic pictures but it takes time and practice to build up a great portfolio of stunning wedding photos for prospective clients. Make sure you understand your cameras, lenses, and memory cards ahead of time to give the bride and groom the best wedding photos ever.

Here are some great examples of Hawaiian wedding photographs you might want to draw some inspiration from!

Technorati Tags: wedding photography, wedding photography tips, wedding tips, photography tips, wedding photography techniques

Japan 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami Videos and Links

Jeremy Winter — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:06:59 +0000

The massive disaster created by the 9.0 earthquake and at times, 32 feet tall tsunami in Japan has turned out to be one the largest natural disasters ever. In addition to the fact of being one of the worst disasters ever, it is also turning out to be one of the most documented as well.

Videos, pictures, and graphics have been popping up all over the place. Japan happens to be one of the most “wired” countries in the world. This has lead to a outpour of documentation and footage. This will an attempt at cataloging them.

Videos

Dramatic Video of Tsunami hitting Japanese Coast

Natorigawa River Tsunami Earthquake in Japan (15:31)

First Person Video of Tsunami in a Japanese city

Second Larger Explosion at Fukushima Nuclear Plant

Donation Links

Technorati Tags: japan, japan earthquake, japan earthquake videos, japan video, japan tsunami, japan tsunami video, japan tsunami photos

How to Change Bank Accounts

Jeremy Winter — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 04:26:47 +0000

If you’ve been making plans to switch bank accounts, we may have some information that may help you with the process. Some may think that changing an account is as simple as closing one and opening another. It’s almost that simple but not quite.

There are some things that you may want to consider first before moving forward with that plan. Closing your old account is not difficult, you just need to make sure everything is done in a process to avoid any fees or breaking any rules.

To change bank account information:

1.) You start out by opening your new account at the bank of your choice. Have your new checking account completely set up before closing out your old account. Make sure you get your new debit card ordered and have new checks coming because you want to have access to your money at all times.

2.) Discontinue using your old bank account today. Make sure you do not cancel your old account before every single check you’ve drawn on that account has cleared, this may take up to three weeks. This is the biggest stumbling block for most people because it’s easy to forget you have checks out or re-occurring debit card payments related to this account. This process will also help you with balancing you checking account, and to make sure once all of your checks have cleared, you will know what your ending balance refund will be.

3.) Now it’s time to discontinue all automatic withdrawals and direct deposits from the account to be closed. Any automatic payments for things such as retirement savings, insurance premiums, utility payments, and so-forth. This is the time to make a list of items that need to be switch over to the new account. The best way to do this is to look at 2-3 months of bank statements and check them completely for any payment methods that need to be transferred to the new account. This process may go on for about 3-4 weeks.

4.) If you have anything at your old bank like a safe deposit box or savings account you will clear these or switch them as well.

5.) Once the processes listed above have been completed and you are satisfied with the changes, close you old account. The proper method for this is to go to your bank in person, close your account, make sure any over draft protection or cash reserve accounts are cancelled, and pick up a check for the remaining balance if there is one. Make sure that your personal records at this bank reflect that your account is officially closed.

6.) DO NOT, throw away any old checks or debit cards from your old account without shredding them first! This will protect you from anyone trying to steal them, or make sure that by accident you do not use them in anyway.
There are many reasons that one may have to close a bank account; it is normally do to rates and bank fees. Many banks today are changing their rates and fees due to tightening budgets, layoffs, and bank restructuring. Because we are the end users we end up footing the bill. It doesn’t have to be this way and here’s why.

The banking industry does understand that without the end user to keep money in their accounts the banking industry suffers in the end. Because of this, items such as fee’s and free checking will always change from bank to bank and it’s just good business to look for ways you can save on all front’s especially in today’s economy. So if you are looking for a bank with no fees, you are in the right place.

Technorati Tags: change banks, change bank accounts, switch banks, switch bank accounts, new bank, new bank account

Seattle Area Wedding and Portrait Photography

Jeremy Winter — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 14:03:57 +0000

Here are some great wedding photographs that were shot in Hawaii. These photos got me thinking, what makes a great photo? Is it the lighting, the subject, or the happenstance of the perfect storm? I guess it never hurts to start with an amazing Hawaiian beach.

Finding a wedding photographer is easy, finding one that fits your style may prove to be more difficult. See the rest of the photos from the wedding by following this link View More Wedding Photos

Hire a Seattle Wedding Photographer

Technorati Tags: seattle, wedding, photos, photography, hire photographer, seattle wedding, seattle photographer, seattle area

Best HD LCD Monitor For the Price (Dec 2010)

Jeremy Winter — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:45:53 +0000

How many models of the same monitor do we need? If you’ve ever tried skimming though all of the monitors for sale on the web you were probably baffled by the endless number of monitors that appeared to be exactly the same price, size, and even brand. This can make the final decision on a purchase a chore. The trick is you need to know what to look for.

The obvious features that are important in a monitor are: the brand (not very important for some tech products, but definitely important for displays), the size, and the screen resolution. The other important, but not always obvious features are: the brightness rating, the contrast ratio, and the response time.

The following LCD displays are ranked according to the following performance metrics: Price << Size << Response Time. Most are full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), have average to above-average brightness ratings, and above-average contrast ratios.

Budget LCD Monitors

Hanns·G HW-191APB 19″

Features:

Size – 19″
Max Resolution – 1440 x 900
Brightness – 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio – 700:1
Response Time – 5ms
Led Backlit – No
Input\Output – D-Sub
Speakers – Yes

Street Price – $114.99
More info on the Hanns·G HW-191APB

Acer G215HAbd-1 21.5″

Features:

Size – 21.5″
Max Resolution – 1920 x 1080
Brightness – 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio – ACM 50,000:1
Response Time – 5ms
Led Backlit – No
Input\Output – D-Sub x1, DVI x1
Speakers – No

Street Price – $129.99
More info on the Acer G215HAbd-1

ViewSonic VA2231w 22″

Features:

Size – 22″
Max Resolution – 1920 x 1080
Brightness – 250 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio – 1,000:1
Response Time – 5ms
Led Backlit – Yes
Input\Output – D-Sub x1, DVI x1
Speakers – No

Street Price – $149.99
More info on the ViewSonic VA2231w

Hanns·G Hi-221DPB 22″

Features:

Size – 22″
Max Resolution – 1680 x 1050
Brightness – 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio – 1000:1
Response Time – 5ms
Led Backlit – No
Input\Output – D-Sub x1, DVI x1
Speakers – Yes

Street Price – $159.99
More info on the Hanns·G Hi-221DPB

High-End LCD Monitors

SCEPTRE X246W-1080p 23.6″

Features:

Size – 23.6″
Max Resolution – 1920 x 1080
Brightness – 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio – 1000:1
Response Time – 2-5ms
Led Backlit – No
Input\Output – D-Sub x1, DVI x1, HDMI x1
Speakers – No

Street Price – $179.99
More info on the SCEPTRE X246W

SCEPTRE X270W-1080P 27″

Features:

Size – 27″
Max Resolution – 1920 x 1080
Brightness – 400 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio – 1000:1
Response Time – 2ms
Led Backlit – No
Input\Output – D-Sub x1, DVI x1, HDMI x1
Speakers – Yes

Street Price – $279.99
More info on the CEPTRE X270W

ViewSonic X Series VX2739WM 27″

Features:

Size – 27″
Max Resolution – 1920 x 1080
Brightness – 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio – 1200:1
Response Time – 1ms
Led Backlit – No
Input\Output – D-Sub x1, DVI x1, HDMI x1
Speakers – Yes

Street Price – $349.99
More info on the ViewSonic X Series VX2739WM

Disclaimer: The State of Affairs received no direct compensation for writing this article and is in no way directly affiliated with Acer, Hanns-G, or ViewSonic. We are direct affiliates to NewEgg.com, but that affiliation does not sway or influence our recommendations.

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Rock Paper Win Android™ App

Jeremy Winter — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 22:52:04 +0000

Introducing the Rock Paper Win App for Android. The Rock Paper Scissors App where you win, every time. Impress your friends with your psychic powers. Challenge your brother or sister to the game that’s fixed from the start.

The Rock Paper Win App lets you win every time. If you’re first player, you will win automatically every time. If you’re second player, make your selection and hit the hidden button towards the bottom of the screen (red box not visible in the app). You can tell when the second player is going to win when you see the discrete white dot in the upper left hand corner appear (see screenshot #2).

Buy your copy today and start proving your undeniable skill to always win at rock paper scissors.

Screenshots

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Rock Paper Scissors Android™ App

Jeremy Winter — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:23:58 +0000

Now available for your Android Mobile Device or Phone. The classic 2 player, turn based strategy game, Rock Paper Scissors App is here. Challenge friends and family to the kid safe and friendly game anytime and anywhere.

The Rock Paper Scissors App is a 2 player app where you battle your opponent to see who is the true champion of rock paper scissors.

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