A Brighter Tomorrow!: November 2008

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Fix Housing First Bill

Here is a link to an article re: the Fix Housing First Bill:
http://www.atlantarealestateforum.com/support-the-fix-housing-first-bill-6469/

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Potential Job Opportunities for IT Professionals

Two corporate giants to land Georgia government technology contracts

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/11/10/daily64.html?f=et50&ana=e_du

Video: Hope for Housing Market?

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Three Days of Red: Dow Plummets 411

As with some of the other economic news I post. This is not posted to depress you but to alert you that, if you are not paying attention to the economic climate in which you are currently or may soon be looking for a job, it is time to start paying attention

The markets collapsed under the weight of plunging retailers and free-falling financials on Wednesday, sending the Dow to its third consecutive losing session, Citigroup to all-time lows and crude oil to levels unseen since January 2007. The latest carnage on Wall Street was preceded by an ominous warning from Best Buy of a "seismic shift" in consumer behavior and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's announcement that the $700 billion rescue package won't be used for troubled assets after all.

Today's Market

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 411.30 points, or 4.73%, to 8282.66, the broader S&P 500 fell 46.65 points, or 5.19%, to 852.30 and the Nasdaq Composite slid 81.69 points, or 5.17%, to 1499.21. The consumer-friendly FOX 50 fell 35.42 points, or 5.15%, to 652.16. The markets have ended in the red in five out of the past six days, carving roughly 1,350 points from the Dow in the past week alone. The recent declines leave the benchmark U.S. index just a few hundred points away from its lowest level of the economic crisis."This is not a pretty picture right now. There is clearly investor concern that we may retest the lows," Michael James, senior equity trader at Wedbush Morgan Securities told FOX Business.

All but one of the 30 components of the Dow lost at least 1% on Wednesday, led by American Express (AXP), which is reportedly seeking $3.5 billion from the government. Citigroup (C) plunged below $10 a share for the first time ever and General Electric (GE) fell sharply as well. The index's only winner was General Motors (GM), a company trading at 62-year lows and needs a massive government bailout to avoid a potential bankruptcy filing. The latest pessimistic comments on the economy came from Best Buy (BBY), which Wednesday morning cut its fiscal 2009 profit forecast and warned same-store sales could plunge as much as 15% in November following a 7.6% decline last month.

"Since mid-September, rapid, seismic changes in consumer behavior have created the most difficult climate we've ever seen," Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson said in a statement. The lower guidance from Best Buy comes just days after rival retailer Circuit City (CC) filed for bankruptcy protection. Best Buy's news weighed heavily on other retailers as Amazon.com (AMZN) and RadioShack (RSH) both plunged to 52-week lows on Wednesday.

Markets Spooked by TARP Changes

The markets were anything but soothed by Paulson, who on Wednesday disclosed major changes to the government's $700 billion financial rescue package, called the Troubled Asset Rescue Program. Paulson said the government no longer believes purchasing banks' toxic assets is "the most effective way to use TARP funds" -- even though that was the way the massive rescue package was sold to the public and lawmakers. Instead, the government will continue its current use of the funds to inject capital into financial companies.

"I think that change made people a little more uncomfortable about the financials in general in terms of their stability. I think that's why you are seeing such dramatic weakness in the financials today," said James. That weakness was most obvious in shares of Citi and Goldman Sachs (GS), both of which plummeted to fresh lows.

"Our financial system remains fragile in the face of an economic downturn here and abroad, and financial institutions' balance sheets still hold significant illiquid assets. Market turmoil will not abate until the biggest part of the housing correction is behind us," said Paulson. Paulson did not endorse using the TARP funds to help rescue Detroit's Big Three auto makers -- Ford (F), General Motors (GM) and privately-held Chrysler LLC -- that are burning cash at precarious rates. Instead, he said Congress could take legislative action to authorize the use of federal aid.

Shares of the auto makers rose anyway as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has embraced the idea of providing help to the auto makers in a lame-duck session of Congress next week to prevent layoffs that could reach into the millions and further weaken the fledging economy. The executives of the Big Three auto makers and the United Auto Workers union are expected to testify on Capitol Hill on November 18, FOX News has learned.

Meanwhile, crude oil futures sank to their lowest levels in 22 months Wednesday despite a new report from the International Energy Administration warning global supplies won't keep up with growth without infrastructure investments. The price of a barrel of crude ended $3.17 lower to $56.16 -- the lowest level since January 2007.

Crude futures, which have fallen 10% since Monday, are now off by 61% from all-time highs of $145 a barrel set in July. While consumers may cheer the plummeting energy prices, they are a stark reminder of expectations the economy will contract further in the months to come.

Corporate Movers

American Express (AXP) is seeking roughly $3.5 billion under the government's rescue plan to counter slower consumer spending and rising defaults, The Wall Street Journal reported. It's not clear if the application came before or after AmEx converted to a bank-holding company on Monday, the newspaper reported.

Anheuser-Busch (BUD) shareholders signed off on the beverage giant's $52 billion deal to be sold to Belgian-Brazilian rival InBev (INBVF). Despite the current conditions, InBev said the deal, which still needs regulatory approval, remains on track to close by the end of the year. The new company, which is to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, would be the world's largest brewer.

Macy's (M) reported a narrower-than-expected non-GAAP loss in the third quarter and backed its recently-lowered 2008 guidance. The department store operator lost 8 cents per share on an adjusted-basis, well above the 19 cent per share loss analysts expected. Macy's said sales slumped 7% to $5.5 billion.

Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO Lloyd Blankfein told investors the company's strategy won't change under its new status as a bank-holding company. Goldman's shares have plummeted in recent days on fears its new status will dampen its appetite for risk that has led to enormous profits in years past.

Microsoft (MSFT) is nearing a deal to pay up to $650 million over five years to become the default search engine on Verizon Wireless phones, The Wall Street Journal reported. Search leader Google (GOOG) is also competing for the deal with Verizon, which is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (VZ) and Vodafone (VOD).

World Markets

Major global indexes slumped across the board. In Europe, the Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 Index, which tracks the 50 largest companies on the continent, fell 82.87 points, or 3.34%, to 2400.74. London's FTSE 100 Index slid 64.67 points, or 1.52%, to 4182.02.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 Index fell 113.79 points, or 1.29%, to 8695.51 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index ended down by 101.81 points, or 0.73%, to 13939.09.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/futures-green-paulson-press-conference/

Monday, November 10, 2008

Outplacement Resources and Resume Assistance

I spoke with Drake, Beam and Morin last year to get information on support services available through their firm. They provided some detailed information and I posted it on November 26, 2007. Please use the archive section at the bottom of the main page or use the "post label" search option to find the information. Prices may have changed a little but should not be substantially different.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Affects of unemployment on the family

I am posting this because unemployment and, the fear of pending unemployment, can be very hard on a family. This downturn in the housing industry has been lengthy and stressful for so many people. Those who work in lending, closings, construction, vendors, so many people from so many areas have suffered. Some of you who still have jobs are experiencing stress related to wondering how long it will last and what you will do if/when it ends. A spouse may or may not understand the stress you are suffering and how you are coping. You may not understand how the stress you are experiencing is affecting your family.

While this seminar is not designed specifically to address the issues surrounding unemployment, it is a resource you may find helpful.

INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS MARRIAGE SEMINAR

Intimate Encounters is a 12-week series designed by Dr. David & Teresa Ferguson to help couples develop the skills needed to identify each spouse's primary needs and to meet those needs in order to foster a more profoundly intimate marriage that blesses each spouse and glorifies God. During Intimate Encounters couples learn how utilize their marriage to meet their emotional, relational, and physical needs.

If you are married, seriously dating, or engaged join Major Boglin , Don McLaughlin , and Ken Snell for this life changing series. At a minimum, it will enhance your marriage. If your relationship is really struggling, this series may save it.

The sessions will be held (beginning December 3) at 7:15 p.m. in room 106.

No registration fee is required for this series, but each couple is encouraged to buy an Intimate Encounters workbook for $16.

Click [HERE] to register for the seminar.

Click [HERE] for more information or to sign up.

If you have additional questions, call the Genesis Center for Christian Counseling at 770-399-6333.

http://www.nacofc.org/

Friday, November 7, 2008

Money Saving Web Sites – Help for the Christmas Budget

ConsumerMan: Stretch your holiday budget

Web sites offer smart consumers valuable tools to save a bundle

By Herb Weisbaum

msnbc.com

updated 4:52 p.m. ET, Thurs., Nov. 6, 2008

You don't need a crystal ball to predict that a lot of us will pinch pennies this holiday season. Survey after survey shows a significant number of shoppers plan to spend less on gifts this year.

Of course, we'll still buy presents – we'll just be a lot more aware of the price.

"If you have limited funds to work with, you really must shop smart this year," says Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org. "You want to buy when there's a sale, get an instant discount because of a promotion, then find a rebate."

Dworsky is a friend of mine and one of the most frugal shoppers I know. He uses the Internet to research products, compare prices and find bargains. He delights in finding super deals and sharing them with others.

This week he published a list of web sites that should help you stretch your holiday budget. Use these online tools, Dworsky says, and you should be able to spend less and get more for your money. Here are ConsumerWorld.org's sites for sore wallets.

SlickDeals.net & FatWallet.com
Here's where you'll find out about sales or other special offers that are not widely advertised. Each site has a "Hot Deals" forum where veteran bargain hunters share the money-saving offers they've discovered online or at brick-and-mortar stores.

The message board postings usually give more than just sale prices. You'll often find information about rebates and coupon codes. And the savings can be substantial. About a week ago he found a posting for a reconditioned Dyson vacuum cleaner (regular retail $400) for just $149.99.

"The best things tend to go quickly," he warns. "So when you find one of these unadvertised deals, you need to jump on it."

SundaySaver.com & SalesCircular.com
The Sunday newspaper is loaded with advertising inserts that let you know what's on sale at local stores. Maybe you don't get the paper. Maybe you threw out the circulars. No problem. These sites let you see those sale items. You can choose national retailers or limit your search to stores in your state.

Check out the section called "Free with Rebate" that lists products that don't cost you anything after you send in the mail in rebate form. These items range from software to glucose monitors. (Note: As we've warned in the past, rebates can be tricky. Stick to well-known retailers, send for the rebate right away, follow all the directions and keep copies of everything you put in the mail.)

SundaySaver.com has a "Black Friday Ads" section with a number of post-Thanksgiving sales already posted. For example, Sears will drop the price on a Sharp 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV from $1,200 to $899 as an early bird special.

SalesCircular.com has a nice feature. It lets you search for specific categories of products, such as GPS units, digital cameras, MP3 players or sweaters.

PriceSpider.com
We all see sales every day. As Edgar puts it, "Sometimes the sale is great; sometimes the sale is just so-so. If you're not up on prices it's hard to tell."

Is that DVD player on sale for $399 really a good deal? Not if you know it sold for $299 a few weeks ago.

PriceSpider lets you check the price history for various items at hundreds of stores across the country for the last six months. Armed with this information,
you instantly become a smarter shopper.

I did a price check on a Sony DVD Recorder and found current prices ranging from $144 to $199. By looking at the graph, I could instantly see that the $144 price was a great deal. The chart showed the median price for this model had not been below $160 in the past six months.

DealAlerter.com
This is Dworsky's own site. It let's you know when the price drops on a product you want to buy. Dworsky created the site to help busy shoppers. "People don't have the time to keep checking week after week to see if the price has come down."

Using the site is easy. Start with the price comparison search engine. If the prices seem too high, set a lower target price and DealAlerter.com will check prices every day. If it finds the item at or below the target price, you'll get an email alert. You can set the site to search at one store or at the hundreds of online stores in its database.

Shipgooder.com
Many holiday gifts will need to be shipped to friends and loved-ones. You have a number of options, but prices vary greatly from service to service. Shipgooder.com lets you compare the cost of shipping that package via DHL, FedEx, UPS, the U.S. Postal Service and Purolator.

Just put in the "to" and "from" zip codes and the weight and in about a second you can see your various options, listed by carrier, based on delivery speed: next day, second day, third day and ground.

When I priced a 10-pound package from Seattle to Philadelphia, the second day delivery prices ranged from $9.80 to $52.06. In the past, I'd have to go to each carrier's site, punch in that information and then compare rates. This site is both a time saver and money saver.

A few more money-saving sites
In its November issue, ShopSmart magazine lists seven web sites that can help you find real deals fast. "We scoured the Web to come up with this short list of sites you can count on for great deals every time you shop," says editor-in-chief Lisa Lee Freeman.

More information


BBB: Online shopping tips


FTC: Holiday Shopping Tips

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27579959/

Unemployment rate at 14-year high

CORRECTED: Job losses soar, jobless rate at 14-year high

I am posting this, not to discourage you, but to emphasize you will likely need to put careful thought and deliberate focus on your job search. Simply submitting resumes online will probably not result in the type of opportunity you are looking for, unless you have a very specific job skill. A top notch resume to accurately showcase your skills, a targeted job search and dedicated networking will be the keys to finding the type of opportunity you wish to find.

Even when unemployment rises, someone is being hired every day. More often than not, the person who is being hired found a way to get to a hiring manager and bypassed the thousand or so resumes that were submitted online.

You find a way to be that person!

Employers cut payrolls by 240,000 in October, much more severely than expected, while September registered the biggest monthly loss in jobs in nearly seven years, according to a government report on Friday that showed labor markets were sharply deteriorating.

REUTERS/Graphics

By Glenn Somerville
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers slashed an unexpectedly steep 240,000 jobs from payrolls last month and the jobless rate shot up to a 14-1/2-year high, the government said on Friday in a report underscoring the economy's steep slide.

The Labor Department also said job losses in September and August were deeper than previously thought. The economy shed 284,000 jobs in September, the most since November 2001 which was shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, and lost 127,000 in August. That meant 179,000 more jobs were cut in August and September than previously thought.

So far this year 1.2 million jobs have been lost, 651,000 in the past three months alone, showing labor markets are crumbling faster and heightening chances of a deep recession.

"We have entered the phase of serious recession conditions. Unfortunately we will encounter more of this ...," said Richard DeKaser, chief economist for National City Corp in Cleveland.
Analysts said the bleak data could give further impetus to efforts on Capitol Hill to quickly craft a package of measures to help support the economy. President-elect Barack Obama was set to huddle with top economic advisers later in the day before holding his first news conference since being elected.

Wall Street economists had expected a loss of 200,000 nonfarm jobs in October and had looked for the jobless rate to move up to 6.3 percent from 6.1 percent in September.
Instead, the unemployment rate rose a steep four-tenths of a percent to 6.5 percent, the highest since March 1994.

"The 6.5 percent unemployment rate will only reinforce market talk of a peak in the unemployment rate above 8 percent," said Alan Ruskin, chief international strategist at RBS Greenwich Capital in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Still, the data was not as dire as some had feared.

While the dollar extended losses, U.S. stocks rose and prices for U.S. Treasuries turned lower.
"I think people were basically looking for a pretty weak number so it needed to be a tremendous surprise," said Thomas di Galoma, head of U.S. Treasury trading at Jefferies & Co. "It needed to be down 350,000 to really get the market rolling."

PAIN WIDESPREAD
The U.S. Federal Reserve has cut benchmark interest rates by 4.25 percentage points over the last 13 months, including 1 point last month alone, in an effort to buffer the economy from a deep housing slump and a widening credit crisis which has reverberated worldwide.Interest-rate futures prices imply a 64-percent perceived chance the Fed will lower its target overnight federal funds rate to 0.5 percent at its next policy meeting in December. That would be the lowest on records dating to July 1954.

In manufacturing alone, a whopping 90,000 jobs were cut in October -- reflecting in part 27,000 striking workers at Boeing Co. That followed a loss of 56,000 factory jobs in September.
Service-producing industries cut 108,000 jobs in October on top of 201,000 lost in September.
Earlier this year, job losses had been concentrated in the factory sector, but September marked the third month in a row that the vast services sector lost more jobs than manufacturing, a sign of the economy's widening woes.

Construction industries dropped 49,000 more jobs last month after eliminating 35,000 in September, many of them in specialty trades related to home building.

Average weekly hours of work held steady at 33.6 in October. At factories, the average workweek also held steady at 40.6 hours, while overtime was unchanged at 3.6 hours.

But the big drop in employment pulled down a measure of overall work effort by 0.3 percent.

(Additional reporting by Ros Krasny in Chicago and Burton Frierson in New York; Editing by James Dalgleish)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/CORRECTED-Job-losses-soar-rb-13501267.html

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Builder Implode A Meter

Where not to look for a job in construction :(
http://builder-implode.com/

Layoffs at John Wieland today

I have heard some of you were laid off today and I am truly sorry. There are posts throughout this blog that will help you locate resources and provide miscellaneous tidbits of information, such as job search expenses that are tax deductible.

All of us want and need for the housing market to rebound for a multitude of reasons. Not the least of which was my personal hope that no one else at Wieland would have to lose their job for anything other than voluntary reasons.

A speaker at the jobs ministry at my church gave us the advice that "any incident only has the importance we attach to it". For instance, if you decide the loss of a job is the end of the world for you then it may indeed be a cataclysmic event. If you decide the loss of a job is an opportunity to find something you enjoy as well or better than the job you lost, a chance to change careers, pursue education, etc. then they lay off will represent an opportunity. How you view your unemployment will affect how you perform in interviews and likely how quickly you will find another job.

Please look back through the posting archive at the very bottom and locate the post on social networking. Networking is key to locating another position and the Roswell United Methodist Church has a VERY active jobs networking group. Please check them out for moral support if nothing else.

I wish you all the best. Please post any comments you wish or email me.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

The 2010 Census – A Great Way to Earn Extra Money

http://www.census.gov/2010censusjobs/index.php

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. The pay is good, the hours are flexible, and the work is close to home.

Census taker jobs are excellent for retirees, college students, persons who want to work part-time, persons who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money while performing an important service for their community