Got any Penny Stocks in Your Portfolio?

Image via Wikipedia United States penny, 2002, Obverseby Malinda Winkle

Penny stocks typically sell for less than $1.00 per share because they are extremely high-risk investments. But, if, by some stroke of luck, your stock thrives, you stand to earn incredible returns on a penny stock.

For instance, a simple $100 investment buys 200 shares of a penny stock selling at fifty cents per share. If the price rises fifty cents per share to $1.00 per share, you just doubled your investment, earning a 100% return. Your $100 investment is now worth $200. Where else could you do that?

If the stock continues to prosper, you may someday get a stock split which double the number of shares you own while cutting the price per share in half. Then, every fifty cent increase you gain on your (now) 400 shares, earn you $200 in profit rather than the $100 profit you earned on the first 200 shares. While stock splits are not a given, when they occur, they tend to increase your overall profits significantly if you continue to hold the stock you owned before the split.

The buypennystocks.com website is offering the #1 rated penny stock newsletter for a limited time. Check out their site if you want to learn more about penny stock investments. This site suggests which penny stocks it feels you should watch, names what it considers hot penny stocks and the best penny stocks.

Many people reserve ten percent of their investment portfolio for riskier investments such as penny stocks. Create a more aggressive investment approach by buying some penny stocks. The best advice in investing in penny stocks is not to invest any money you cannot afford to lose.

Educate yourself. Do your due diligence. As with any investment, proceed with caution. Understand that you risk losing your entire investment when you buy penny stocks. That is the risk you take for creating the possibility of incredibly high returns.

Disclosure: The author is not proposing any particular stocks for purchase and is not suggesting that investing in penny stocks is the right move for all investors. You and you alone are solely responsible for the choices you make when investing your portfolio. Penny stocks are just one of many options, and it falls on the extremely high risk end as investments go.

How to Get a Free "Grand Slam" Breakfast at Denny's

Image via Wikipedia A Denny's restaurant in Ontario, California

Next time you visit Denny's restaurant, hang onto your receipt. It may include instructions on how to earn a a free grand slam breakfast or take over $6.00 off another purchase on your next visit. Simply completing a five-minute online survey. To get your free meal, the survey must be completed within three days of your visit, and you must bring the receipt back to Denny's with the validation code you got after completing the survey online.

What a deal!

Fine print:  No substitutions are permitted. One coupon per check per visit. Only original receipts (no photocopies, or purchased coupons allowed) will earn you this free meal. Cannot combine with other coupons or promos. No change is given if you purchase a meal less than the credit amount awarded you. Beverages are not included. So, if you want a beverage, you will have to purchase it when you cash in your validation code for the free meal.

Friendzone

Author: Rory Reilly

Have y’all seen that show on MTV called Friendzone? It’s all about people who have crushes on their friends but then tell them so they can see if it will turn into a relationship. I don’t know if it’s a new show or not but I just recently went to http://www.satellite911.com/directv-deals.html where I got some additional channels (Including MTV) so I am not really up to date on what the kids are watching nowadays. Anyway, I think the reason I like this show is because my husband and I were friends for a long time before we started to date so I can really relate to the people on this show and how weird it is to tell your very best friend that you like them. I know it sounds silly but you know, at the end of the day you have to put yourself out there and risk rejection like I did. Here we are now married and we’re happier than we’ve ever been and it all started out with a friendship!

Inside a Radical Polygamist Cult.

Image via Wikipedia Temple of the FLDS in El Dorado, Texas
by Malinda Winkle

Carolyn Jessop (with Laura Palmer) wrote a book I highly recommend called "Escape". Read an astoundingly-candid account of life in a polygamist cult. At just 18 years old, she became the fourth wife of a 50-year old man--a total stranger--by an arranged marriage. She bore eight children for him during the next fifteen years. She worked as a school teacher and gave all her paychecks to her husband.

With just $20 in her pocket, Carolyn fought a courageous fight to gain freedom for herself and all eight of her children. This is something which had never been done by any woman in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Church (FLDS Church), a split off the Mormon Church. Some wives have left the FLDS, but none have ever managed to get all their children out with them, until Carolyn overcame all the odds.

This true story tells the vivid details of everyday life while sharing her husband with her "sister wives" and attempting to parent her eight children in a home where her husband eventually fathered over 150 children by over 10 wives.

Carolyn's valor led her out of a life of deprivation and subservience. In spite of the horrendous psychological abuse she endured, in spite of have two very sick children at the time of her escape and despite living in great fear of her dictatorial spouse, she made her extraordinary escape. And, yes! There is a happy ending. Highly recommended reading.

Disclosure: The author of this review gets no profit if you choose to purchase this book. Link provided  as a convenience to the reader.

Related articles

• The Second Coming of Warren Jeffs: The Jailed Polygamist Leader Prepares His Flock for Doomsday (time.com)
• Event raises money for people fleeing from FLDS Church
• Prosecution of Polygamist May Rest (myfoxphoenix.com)
• Testimony begins in polygamist ex-bishop's trial (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Oops: Did Warren Jeffs Preach From Prison? (newser.com)

Something Small

Post contributed by Hilton Miranda

It seems that my grandmother was right all along. I remember every Christmas, she would always remind us that, “The best things come in small packages.” She couldn’t be more correct whether you are talking about Wild Blue deals or a physical gift. About four years ago, my husband and I took a vacation to Las Vegas. My youngest daughter was nearly nine months old, and for as much as I loved her, her colic and digestive issues had left me battered, beaten, and worn. Despite trying many medications, she was inconsolable most days and refused to sleep most nights. She would scream to eat, but as soon as she would suck down a few ounces of formula, she would scream and writhe in pain. After nine months of this agony, my husband and I were in desperate need of a vacation. While we were in Vegas, we didn’t do much but relax, lie around the pool, and SLEEP! We did find some time for shopping and gambling. While we were in a jewelry store in the Venetian Hotel, I spotted the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. It was a 3-carat, pink tourmaline stone surrounded by small diamonds. It was simple and classic. When I saw the price, I knew that it was more than we could afford, so I sadly slipped it off my finger and back it went in the case. Three months later, I had only one small, gift under the Christmas tree. Gram was right- small packages ARE the best!

A Brief History of U.S. Employment System

Image via Wikipediaby Malinda Winkle

Prior to the Workforce Investment Act, the U.S. operated under the The Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 which created a nationwide system of employment service offices.

In 1998, the Workforce Investmant Act (WIA) was enacted in President Clinton's second term in office. At that time, the nation had historically low unemployment rates. Local Workforce Investment Boards, manned by members of each local community, oversaw the services of each area's one-stop systems, customizing them to the needs of each geographic area.

This legislation was created to assist employers in finding the staff they need and, by training and equipping the workforce, to allow job seekers to obtain the jobs they desire. The innovation this Act instituted was the system of neighborhood One-Stop centers where all types of workers, including adults, the disabled, dislocated workers, veterans and youth, could obtain job search and placement assistance, training, education and employment services and unemployment services. Unlike WIA's predecessor, however, the Job Training Partnership Act introduced business services to the local delivery of workforce development, incorporating the needs of employers as well as employees.

The WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker Program strives to meet the needs of employees and employers. It provides employment and training services for eligible individuals so they may locate and obtain meaningful employment. It assists employers in finding the workers needed to reach their business goals and objectives.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 serves up the most recent changes to America's employment system. For instance, according to the U.S. Department of Labor website, the Recovery Act prohibits state and local governments and private business from utilizing "stimulus funds for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool." It also loosens the restriction previously in place regarding the contracting of local community colleges. Local investment boards are no longer required to use the Eligible Training Provider List or an Individual Training Account in making contract awards. Can anyone see how either of these changes could possibly improve or enhance the present job delivery system in this nation?

References:

Area 7 Workforce Investment Board
U.S. Department of Labor: "Implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998"
U.S. Department of Labor: "Workforce Investment Act -- Adults and Dislocated Workers Program"
U.S. Department of Labor: "Wagner-Peyser/Labor Exchange"
U.S. Department of Labor: "Implementing Workforce Investment Act and Wagner-Peyser Funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009"

Related articles

• Research Suggests Changes for our Nation's Workforce Development System (prweb.com)
• America's jobless problem: What would Reagan do? (finance.fortune.cnn.com)
• How can we fix our job training programs in the US? How effective are our job training programs? (compassioninpolitics.wordpress.com)

Never Guessed

Guest post by Jewel Cole

Man, I would never have guessed a few years back that I’d be writing a blog post from my sunroom but here I am, ready and waiting to finally finish this house project! The only room left is the kitchen and it’s nearly done but it’s been a long road from buying this place to making it livable like it is now. But it’s beautiful, that’s the good news! I went to http://www.satelliteinternetbroadband.com/hughesnet/Oregon/M/Mitchell/ when I first moved in to get internet so I could keep in touch with all the contractors and it’s been good because I’ve had to order some specialty products and pieces to keep the construction going. I know it will all be worth it in the end but boy was the whole renovation process stressful those first few weeks! I couldn’t believe I’d gotten myself so deep into this project and was thinking how to get out. I love this house and I can’t wait to see how it finally turns out in the end.