New HD TV Replacing My Monitor

I recently lost my computer monitor.  Well, I didn’t really lose it, it died.  I guess leaving it on 24/7 isn’t “green” or good for the ‘Ol monitor either.  The monitor was a Hewlett Packard 22 inch flat wide screen LCD HDMI monitor which I thought was pretty nice.  She was only approximately two and a half years old when she passed away.  When shopping for a new replacement, here is what I found.

Computer monitors ain’t as cheap as I thought they would be …

First of all, monitors over 20″ aren’t much cheaper than they were two years ago.  Not willing to accept anything less than what I had, I found that the best prices on 23″ monitors(22″ monitors are now called 23″”) ran from a very cheap looking, no frills, Samsung at $209 to some other not as cheap looking brands up to $399.  The comparable HP replacement monitor is $269 to $299 depending on where you find it.  Most common comparable replacements I found to be at about $249 -$329.

Help at Sam’s Club

As I was about to make my choice, I met a very helpful and knowledgeable guy at Sam’s Club.  He happened to be a manager and told me about another option.  How about replacing your monitor with a HDTV?  Not only can it be set up as a monitor, but it can also be used as a HD television by simply toggling back and forth.  Set up is as simple as it comes.  Nothing complicated at all… and LCD flat screen HDTVs are a whole lot cheaper than they were two years ago.  With a wide selection of HD flat screen TVs at Sam’s Club and at Best Buy,  I was able to find a larger 32 inch screen HDTV set for less than $60 more than the 23inch monitor I was about to buy.  I found a Visio 32 inch …  yes, “Thirty-two” inch LCD HDTV for $338.. They also had a Visio 26″ for only $328, but for ten bucks I couldn’t pass on six inches more.  My wife even agreed that was a good deal! (OK, get your head out of the gutter!)  I chose the 32 inch Visio.  To see it (click here)

Set-up is simple:

1. Make sure the TV you select has a RGB computer connection(click here) … almost all I looked at did have it, but I found one that didn’t.
2. Using the existing VGA/RGB cable(click here) from your old monitor, connect it from your computer VGA(click here)  to the back of the TV in the RGB(click here) plug in.
3. Use a common 1/8th inch (3.5mm) audio cord from the external speaker jack(click here) or the headset jack on your computer tower or lap top.
4. Hook up your cable  on antenna to the TV like you normally would any TV.
5. You may need to go into the computer settings to adjust the screen size if it doesn’t auto-adjust.  Simple.

Consumer Boomer On the TV Monitor

DONE!

My Review

Five Stars!!! Works perfectly and it is UNBELIEVABLE, AWESOME, SWEET, or what ever they call it now.  It was a “Best Buy” at “Sam’s Club”

Advantages:

1. It’s Bigger!
2. It’s Better!
3. It is more versatile!
4. It is easy to set-up and use!
5. I have a two year old grandson that we care for in the day time that watches all the kid shows including: Imagination Movers, Thomas the Train, Tom and Jerry, Sesame Street, and I don’t have to share it with him or wait for him to take his afternoon nap to watch Fox News, and CNBC again.
6. I can check on a ball game while my wife watches “Dancing With The Stars” , “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Brother’s and Sisters”, “Private Practice”, or “The Hills”.
7. I can toggle back and forth from Computer to TV when working on “Consumer Boomer.com“
8. If your computer crashes or frustrates you to the point you don’t want it around anymore you aren’t stuck with a worthless, obsolete monitor … you still have a good TV.

Disadvantages: None I can think of

I LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next step … Hook the computer up to my 55″ big screen.  Add a cordless keyboard and mouse.  Sit on the couch.  Watch TV.  Play on the computer.  Drink beer without having to get up.  Papa B!

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Not all of these cards are the same!

I ran into problems on the card my wife recently purchased.  This particular VISA gift card required an activation code found only on the separate store receipt for the card.  She was told by the girl at the check out that it was ready to use … not true!  We mailed the gift card along with the receipt.  The person received the card and proceeded to throw away the receipt thinking it was not needed.  I never needed one for any of the cards I had previously purchased. This time was different.  When the person tried to use it they could not.  It required the 14 digit activation code only found on the separate receipt at the time of purchase.

After trying everything possible from 2500 miles away the person called me and explained they no longer had the receipt and without it the card could not be used.  They mailed me the card hoping that it possibly could be resolved at the local Wal-Mart where it was purchased.

Lack of Customer Service

I called the customer service number on the back of the card but without the activation code they not only couldn’t help me , I wasn’t even able to talk to anyone.  At this point I held no hope for getting restitution.  Without much hope we decided to try anyway.  After all… satisfaction guaranteed! Right!  At this point in time we didn’t even know which of the three Wal-Marts in the ten mile radius from our house we purchased the card from.

Well to our surprise Wal-Mart was able to look up the receipt from two months ago by locating a  receipt for other items we purchased on the same day.  We narrowed the day down to a one week period and from there they were able to find it, reproduce it, and the card is now good to go!!!

I am sure that this is not the first time this has happened.  In fact, it probably happens fairly often. Many people simply chalk up the loss and forget about it.  What a deal for VISA.  They get the money in a debit account and no one ever uses it.  A year later the card expires and Visa reaps the benefit.

VISA GIFT CARD REVIEWS:

Check out the reviews (Click Here) … Not so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Obama vs. McCrystal … 

 ……  It is beyond my belief that the President is such a narcissist that he really believes that after spending ZERO time in the military he knows more than the career general he appointed to run the war in Afghanistan.  What is he thinking?  Or Smoking?  Is it really more important to save the Democratic seats in the November elections than to protect our troops in Afghanistan and possibly lose all that has been gained?  It may seem to be a tough decision, but who has more insight and experience when it comes to the military?  Obama and ”The Boys” … or the General?  Chicago politics has no place in the White House.  You already got the White House … time to quit campaigning and do your job!  Time to get rid of the “The Boys”.  Get rid of Raum Emanual!  Get rid of David Axelrod!  Get rid of Robert Gibbs.  It is time to answer the tough questions yourself and quit avoiding them.  Come on “Pres”  no one is questioning whether you are a Hawk or a Dove, but it  ain’t cool to be a pussy!  

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Can you withdrawal money from your 401(k) while you are still employed? Not everyone should, not everyone can, however, if you can, it may mean that you can effectively implement part of your retirement income plan before you retire.

If your 401(k) plan permits it, you can take an in-service withdrawal from your 401k and redirect some of your money into another investment vehicle that offers income guarantees. The reasons why: A non-hardship withdrawal can provide you with early access to a portion of your retirement assets, freeing you to manage them as you wish. If the mix of funds in your 401(k) have taken a big hit lately, you might be wondering how some of those assets would do if they were invested differently.

The self-directed IRA option.

Some people are withdrawing assets from qualified retirement plans such as 401(k)s, and place them in self-directed IRAs. A self-directed IRA can allow you to invest your assets in real estate, commodities and other sectors indirectly correlated or uncorrelated to stocks. While many kinds of IRAs can be converted to self-directed IRAs, you need to have an IRA custodian that will allow a self-directed IRA and let you make non-traditional investments using IRA assets.

Typically, the IRA custodian has to be a registered trust company. You can then take a self-directed IRA one step further and set up an IRA LLC. With an IRA LLC, you have a checkbook control and don’t need your IRA custodian’s approval to make a non-traditional investments.

Many self-directed IRA owners invest in income property or other forms of real estate. Contrary to public perception, IRA assets may be invested in real estate and other options besides securities, providing your IRA custodian allows this.

There are some notable prohibitions. IRS code, section 401IRC 408 Section A3 prohibits life insurance contracts from being held in IRAs and IRS publication 590 states that your IRA will be hit with additional taxes if you invest in collectibles such as coins or fine art.

The 72-T strategy to avoid the early withdrawal penalty.

If you are still working and pull money out of your 401(k) before 59.5, you will almost certainly pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty plus income taxes on the money that you take out. You might be able to make early withdrawals with the help of IRS rule 72T. Rule 72T, based on life expectancy let’s you schedule fixed income withdrawals for five years or until you reach 59.5, whichever is longer. It let’s you receive six equal payments according to IRS calculations.

First thing is first to make sure that you can do this. Talk with your employer benefits officer at work and see if that is the summary plan description permits non-hardship in-service withdrawals.

If you know you will need more retirement income, there may be real merit to reinvesting early withdrawals from 401(k) in vehicles that generate it.

photo credit: {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}

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photo credit: cliff1066

How’s your pension plan doing? Many people know they have a pension plan, but they’re not quite sure how it works, how stable it is, or exactly how their money is invested. The details are often hazy.

Pension plans are also called “defined benefit” plans because they provide a predetermined, continuous income for retirement. This fixed payout is generally determined by factors such as your exit salary and your seniority or longevity at work. Government pension plans commonly require employer contributions, though union and private pension plans may not.

If you do not have a pension plan:

It may be worthwhile to find out if your employer offers one. Ask for the details, and be sure to find out at what point you become eligible. It’s typical for an employee to gain eligibility after three to five years.

If you have a pension plan:

It’s important to keep tabs on it and make sure you understand it. For example – do you know if your plan is stable? Increasingly, employers are terminating pension plans and either directing pension assets into annuities or issuing lump-sum payouts to workers.

If you were in a pension plan that was terminated, or if you had a pension plan with a former employer that has since gone out of business, contact the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (www.pbgc.gov). This is an agency of the federal government created to protect pension plan assets.

If you are more than five years away from retirement it may seem too soon to bother tracking down pension plan details, but it’s never too soon to start.

Jeff Rose,  CFP offers a good advice on rolling your pension into an IRA.  He offers some real life examples of clients of his that were faced with decisions on what to do with their pension plans.

It’s important to get all the information you can about your plan, and once you have that information, you need to keep up with it.

After all, your retirement may depend on it.

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The repeal of the estate tax is sun set. It is doubtful that the Obama administration will have it rise again. This means a readjustment to 2002 rates following the 2010 fiscal year. Few are happy about it, but rather than complain, you can control what they can. It begins with a comprehensive review of exactly where you are in your estate planning process. The following is a checklist of items needed for baby boomers that are concerned about estate planning and their family.

1. List all assets and liabilities accurately. Include regular payment dates and amounts due.

2. Provide complete information about assets other than cash or securities. Real estate, automobiles, and boats are examples. Indicate whether these assets are in your name, or if they are owned jointly with your spouse or another individual. Also be sure to include the location, especially if out of state .

3. Indicate names, ages, and addresses of family members of friends you intend to name as beneficiaries.

4. If you currently has a will on file with an attorney or financial institution, give a copy of the document to your financial advisor or another trusted individual.

5. Include estimations, current balances, and projections, if available, of all employee benefits, plan, and entitlements, such as 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts, as well as the beneficiary designation of the plan.

6. Provide copies of any gift tax forms previously filed to your financial advisor.

8. Provide copies of any important documents, particularly those relating to divorce, annulment, separation, of adoption. Don’t overlook these in ownership for real estate. If possible,  outline how you want the property to pass in each of the following situations: They predecease a spouse, a spouse predeceases them, one or more of your children predeceases you, you predecease the parent or other older relative who may not remain financially independent.

9. Consider how you would respond to the following questions: In the event of you and your spouse die at the same time in a common accident, for example, at what ages would you want property to be available to your children without restriction? At this time, should the need arise, whom would you wish to be designated as guardians of your children? If your chosen guardian becomes unable to care for your children, who would you want to succeed them?

10. List all charitable organizations, including schools and universities, you expect to mention in your estate plan, and tie up an amount of property you intend them to receive.

11. Specifically list items of personal property you want particular individuals to have upon your death, if you predecease your spouse and what other dispositions you would make if your spouse predeceases you. Don’t underestimate the importance of this step, it can be a mistake to assume that people will simply work things through on their own. Often, it’s helpful to discuss openly with family members and close friends your desire for them to have of sentimental, as well as monetary, value.

This is just sample checklist you can use.  The main point is that you need to be organized and keep the right people informed of your decisions.

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photo credit: l i b a t i q u e*

As the world searches for clean energy, a new field of green investing begins generating its own “clean” power.

Crude oil reached new highs  for 2009 over the past few months and, along with it, gasoline prices climb higher every day. Electricity and natural gas costs to heat and cool our homes has risen dramatically, in spite of local, state, and federal Government attempts to control spiraling prices. Consumers are being squeezed, while businesses struggle with declining profit margins. Amid this chaos, a groundswell of support for development of “clean” energy sources is building, helping to rejuvenate and reshape an alternative energy industry struggling for decades to become relevant in a world long-since addicted to foreign oil. In this article, I’ll touch on the underlying reasons for this re-emergence and explain how a new field of investing has sprung up alongside the alternative energy industry.

Why the renewed interest in alternative energy?

There are many reasons for this renewed interest, but the primary drivers are the rising cost of oil & gas and concerns about global warming. With $4 a gallon gasoline already reality for many, it’s hardly surprising that world energy demand is growing exponentially. From 2002 to 2030, global energy demand is projected to increase by 50% to 16.3 billion tons of oil equivalent, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA expects over 70% of this increase to come from emerging markets such as China, who alone is expected to account for 30% of the increase. But the supply of crude oil is finite. To meet this rapidly rising demand, it’s not hard to understand why oil and its derivative products are getting more expensive.

Global warming – it’s become a ‘battle-cry’ for some. According to NASA, the five hottest years ever recorded since the 1880’s have been, in order: 2005, 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2006. The Earth is warming up and, according to a growing consensus of scientists, the warming is likely related to concentrations of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. The National Center for Atmospheric Research said recently “the level of CO2 in the atmosphere is now higher than it has been in at least 750,000 years and is approaching levels that have probably not occurred in the last 20 million years.” Because burning fossil fuels such as oil & gas contributes significantly to atmospheric CO2, many global citizens believe “clean” alternatives are essential to our very survival.

What are “clean” energy alternatives and can I invest in their growth?

So-called “clean” energy alternatives are not new, but are becoming more prominent as our planet’s supply of fossil fuels declines, demand for energy grows, and global warming gains scientific credibility and consumer outrage. What are some of the leading “clean” energy alternatives? Wind, solar, geothermal, biofuels, hydro, fuel cells, and ocean/wave-power are but a handful of the technologies being developed to help fill the energy generation void of the future. Ethanol is an example of a biofuel, whereas a Hydrogen-powered automobile is a prime, albeit futuristic, application of fuel cells. It’s impossible to predict which technology(ies) will emerge over the next few years and decades to eventually, gradually, supplement oil as the primary energy source for most of the world’s people. Many experts feel some combination of these technologies, along with energy conservation and efficiency initiatives, will shape tomorrow’s energy landscape.

In conjunction with the rejuvenation of alternative energy, a new field of investing has emerged which attempts to capture the growth potential of new “clean” energy technologies. Within the past 3-5 years, several “clean” energy investment portfolios have been launched. Equity research departments and investor newsletters have started covering alternative energy stocks, while socially responsible investing (SRI) – and its cousin “clean” energy – strategies are available in some brokerage advisory accounts.

The next time you fill up your tank, remember that green signifies not only the An Inconvenient Truth environmental movement politicized by Al Gore, but green also represents the color of money. And while you visualize all those $4 bills going down the hose through the nozzle and into your gas tank, you might also consider whether “green” energy might not someday both stabilize the planet’s temperature and also line your pockets in “green”.

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photo credit: .Larry Page

In recent months, many dividend paying stocks, along  a favorite of investors, have been hit during the world wide financial crisis, and have cut their dividends. As a result, a number of mutual funds that invest in these stocks have also reduced their dividends. What does this mean to you, the shareholder, in these funds? Expect more dividend cuts for these, and other funds, are possible as the year unfolds. The dividend changes reflect the recent, and anticipated reduction in dividends paid by companies in 2009, in  the current low interest rate environment. Let’s take a closer look at why the dividend cuts have occurred, and where dividend investors can go from here.

What Happened to the Dividends?

In 2008, battered by the global recession and credit crisis, firms in the unmanaged S & P 500 cut their dividends by a record 40.6 billion in aggregate, or $4.70 per share. This year is worse. As of April 30, 2009, the cuts already have reached 45.1 billion. To gain some perspective, according to a few mutual fund managers who focus on dividend paying stocks say the economic environment has been so tough, and profits have declined so rapidly, that they’ve seen companies in the United States and overseas reducing or eliminating dividends in a way that we haven’t experienced since 1942. Ouch!

Companies that were thought to be essential parts of the American economy, quickly disappeared, or underwent drastic restructuring.  Several firms here and abroad with long histories of paying dividends suddenly decided they needed to conserve money to survive. At the same time, bear markets tend to remind managers and investors of the value of dividends. When stock prices are going down, and the only bit of positive return you’re getting is from dividends, it gets people’s attention and awakens them to the long-term value of those dividends. Contrary to popular belief, not all companies are slashing dividends. In fact, 68 companies across 9 industry sectors in the S&P500 have raised their dividends by an average of 8% in 2009 the S&P reports. In addition,  some companies that have never paid dividends in their corporate history are declaring a dividend for the first time.

Why do most mutual funds that invest in dividend paying stocks need to reduce their dividends?

It’s important to understand that mutual funds pay dividends based on dividends and income from its investments. An operating company can decide to retain earnings, or it can make a decision to pay dividends out of retained earnings, which makes the profit. So, an environment where companies are cutting their dividends, and a fund is receiving less  income, the mutual funds is going to reduce its dividends.

Why didn’t dividend stocks act as cushions during the current stock market decline, and protect shareholders on the downside?

Typically, income funds and income producing stocks haven’t fully participating in raging  bull markets, but they also haven’t suffered as much in the market downturn. This time was different for two reasons. First, income producing stocks did participate during the upside. Second, the market bubble at the root of the current decline was centered on an industry of high yielding stocks  financial service companies . When the bubble burst, the cornerstone of income producing stocks suffered most.

What is the outlook for dividend focused mutual funds going forward?

Historically, dividend paying stocks have made solid gains early in any recovery as investors are attracted to the steadier streams of income from these securities.  While it’s easier to focus on how many companies have cut their dividends, it’s important to remember that there are at least 40 companies in the S&P 500 that have raised their dividends every year for the past 25 years.  These companies have sustainable earning streams.

What should you do as a shareholder?

Historically, many funds provided a rising income stream to shareholders who reinvested their capital gain distribution and took dividends in cash.  Investors whose overall income from this fund and other sources are down may have to make some adjustments to spending priorities.  Also, consider looking for mutual funds or ETF’s that have a history of increasing their dividends.  Believe it or not, but those investments are out there.  Happy hunting!

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 Better to read it upside down than not to read it at all!

Healthcare Reform, the President wants this bill done and wants it done fast!  More rush to pass bills without allowing anyone to read them.  I, for one, want who ever I voted for to understand what they are voting for no matter what it is.  So why not read them?  Simple, they don’t want anyone to no what is included.

Let’s make Healthcare Reform an easy to sell to all Americans.

A simple solution for Healthcare! 

I will gladly accept any plan the Congress. Senate, and the Obama Administration vote for as long as they and their families are covered by exactly the same plan and nothing more!  That makes it very easy for all Americans to have confidence in whatever plan they pass.  Anything less or more for those who vote on what our healthcare plan will be seems extremely unfair.  After all, we the taxpayers, pay the salaries of our Congressional Representatives  and Senators to represent us. 

Why should any of them and their families have a different or better plan than the people who they represent?  Maybe they think they are better than the people they represent.  I can assure you Senator Edward Kennedy and many others would no longer be here if they had the plan they are proposing for us.  They also would not vote for it if they had to “live” by it.

My plan is simple.  Anyone who votes yes should be happy to accept what they voted for!  I can assure you if they have to live with it themselves they will read it and understand it.  Simple and fair … If  it is such a good deal for us, then they should be willing to accept it for themselves.

Better Plan Yet!  Just give us the same plan they have now!

Better yet just give all of us the same plan they already have.   Except for the fact that that we can’t possibly pay for it  … what’s the problem?  Just put it on the U.S. charge card, go bankrupt when we can’t make our payments, and then clean the slate.  It’s the American way!  Opps! … now that we own the banks, that won’t work either! 

 Or … how about we borrow the money from China, stiff them and then out nuke em!  Papa B.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of Obama?  This is unprecedented control by any single President, King, or Dictator.  I ran across this blog about Obama’s Czars.   It seems that Obama has done in a few months what Russia couldn’t do in 400 years.  Interesting, alarming, and worth the read.  Click on the following link ROMANTICPOET’S WEBLOG.  Is this the United States or Russia?

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