Google Revamps Its Search Engine to Fight Cheaters - WSJ.com

Google Revamps Its Search Engine to Fight Cheaters - WSJ.com: "Google said the effort that resulted in the latest search change has been underway for about a year. In order to learn which sites users find to be of poor quality, Google earlier this month began offering software for its Chrome browser that allows users to block sites from their search results if they deem them to be low quality.

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Digits: Google Engineer Explains Spam Issues
Once blocked, the sites won't appear during future searches. Google on Thursday said that while it didn't use data from the experiment to influence the changes it made to its algorithm, it found that the algorithm change covered 84% of the Internet sites that were the 'most-blocked' by users.

One new competitor to Google, start-up search engine Blekko, relies on its users to weed out what they believe are poor sites in categories such as health, cars and personal finance.

'Overall Google has done a great job and there are very few cracks in the system,' said Seth Besmertnik, chief executive of Conductor Inc., a company that helps companies such as General Electric Co. and Federal Express rank highly on search engines. 'But spammers are getting smarter and Google needs to keep getting smarter.'"

Sharing information and tips to increase earnings. Increase your passive, residual income. Guest bloggers welcome.

Unions, Reagan, Wisconsin government : Basic Right or Not - Video

In our family we have struggled with how unions seem to be mandatory in some places, and yet we see how government without influences will control wrongly too. There needs to be voice and finding this video helped me understand how I came to the place in my life that I am now. At this point in time I still think "absolute power, corrupts absolutly." What will happen in Winsconsin is anyone's guess and it seems to be a different world than when president Reagan spoke many years ago. How much of this speech do you think applies today? Of course views can change, as we know in application, interference in public life is not a good thing. I remember the airline strikes, where President Reagan replaced striking workers - permanently. It was a tough stance. So are unions a right or not? You decide.

Food Companies: We’re Going to Start Raising Prices - CBS MoneyWatch.com

Food Companies: We’re Going to Start Raising Prices - CBS MoneyWatch.com: "12-month price change in selected foods:

Butter + 19.6 percent
Lamb: +18.9
Bacon +11.3
Beef & Veal + 9.7
Potatoes + 6.0
Roast Coffee +5.6
Sugar +4.8
Eggs +4.8
Fresh Veggies + 3.7
Fresh Fruit +3.1
General Inflation: +1.6"

Get Free Chipotle Food for Watching NBC Promo on Facebook

Get Free Chipotle Food for Watching NBC Promo on Facebook: "Get Free Chipotle Food for Watching NBC Promo on Facebook

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MASHABLE.COM - NBC is promising today free Chipotle food for anyone who watches a 90-second promo on Facebook for the upcoming show America’s Next Great Restaurant.The network is launching an app on the show’s Facebook Page where, in exchange for watching the promo, visitors get a buy-one, get-one-free coupon at Chipotle. The chain’s founder and CEO, Steve Ells, is one of four investors in the…
2202716Follow First tweeted by mashable.
Related by Channel ( Android Shopping"

Steve Forbes’ Interview With Todd Morgan - Steve Forbes - Fact and Comment - Forbes

Steve Forbes’ Interview With Todd Morgan - Steve Forbes - Fact and Comment - Forbes: "Stocks will outperform bonds, once again, the third year in a row, and maybe even next year outperform. We see double-digit returns in the S&P 500 this coming year, somewhere between ten and 20%. I know you can drive a Mack truck through that, but, I’m trying to play it safe.

And it’s purely because of valuations. And there’s that old adage, “Don’t fight the Fed.” The Fed seem determined to continue on their course of easing up money and keeping interest rates fairly low for the time being and encouraging people to buy stocks. And I like the new tax laws, too, to help people feel more comfortable with dividends and making money on their capital gains.


Forbes: Capital gains, two great words."

Thousands of protesters surround Wisconsin Capitol - Yahoo! News

Thousands of protesters surround Wisconsin Capitol - Yahoo! News: "The Wisconsin governor, elected in November's GOP wave that also gave control of the state Assembly and Senate to Republicans, set off the protests earlier this week by pushing ahead with a measure that would require government workers to contribute more to their health care and pension costs and largely eliminate their collective bargaining rights.
He says the concessions are needed to deal with the state's projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall and to avoid layoffs of government workers.
'We did have an election and Scott Walker won,' said Deborah Arndt, 53, of Sheboygan Falls. 'I think our governor will stand strong. I have faith in him.'
At a rally organized by Tea Party Patriots, the movement's largest umbrella group, and Americans for Prosperity, supporters of Walker carried signs with a fresh set of messages: 'Your Gravy Train Is Over . . . Welcome to the Recession' and 'Sorry, we're late Scott. We work for a living.'
'We pay the bills!' tea party favorite Herman Cain yelled to cheers from the pro-Walker crowd. 'This is why you elected Scott Walker. and he's doing his job. . . . Wisconsin is broke. My question for the other side is, 'What part of broke don't you understand?''"

WISCONSIN TEACHERS LYING; DOCTORS LYING TOO 2 videos

A SICK OUT - is what it was called.  Thousands of teachers called in sick, so that they could attend protest.  I am concerned that teachers cannot stand up for the truth and protest without calling in sick.  KIDS also were attending the protest with teachers.   WE wonder why we have kids grow up without values????   PROTEST fine, but LYING to do so?  

 WHAT coudl possibly be worse?  DOCTORS are attending the protest and handing out notes to cover the "sickness". Maybe they are sick - like insane to think this is okay!    On the sister blog, Foreclosures Evictions and You - it is constantly brought out how the banks are lying, forging documents to allow foreclosures.  HOW is this any different.  Clean it up TEACHERS! 

Loan Modification Hell: New Solutions To Avoid Losing Your Home - CBS MoneyWatch.com

Practical advice for those wishing loan mods... be aware asking for a modification is like green light to the bank to start foreclosure process - at least that is the way it seems if you sit in court and listen to forcible eviction tales. This post below if you click on link has some help offered for those that are in load modification process HELL... also a link to horror stories so you can anticipate the problem and adddress quickly. You are not alone.

Loan Modification Hell: New Solutions To Avoid Losing Your Home - CBS MoneyWatch.com: "I’ve been hearing from more homeowners who are frustrated by the customer no-service they’re getting from their lenders when they call to ask about a loan modification.

If you ask the government, you’ll be told (as I was recently) that great strides have been made over the past two years.

It’s true, but that’s cold comfort if you’re about to be foreclosed upon.

I had another conversation with my contact at the OCC today. He asked me to remind you that there are some specific steps you should take if you feel as though you’ve reached the end of the line with your federally-chartered bank and/or the HUD-certified housing counselor you’ve been working with.

Assuming you’ve already taken those steps, consider the following:

File a complaint with the OCC’s customer assista"

Obamacare Requires 1,054 New IRS Agents to Enforce Law in 2012

Obamacare Requires 1,054 New IRS Agents to Enforce Law in 2012: "The 1,054 IRS soldiers will cost a total of $359 million in 2012. Obamacare includes the most radical changes to the country's tax code in over 20 years, thus making enforcement essential to collect the funding.

Senator John Barrasso (R - WY) has been a key opponent to President Obama's absurd budget, along with the costs associated with Obamacare.

'The president's irresponsible budget empowers the IRS to begin to audit Americans' health care. As the IRS says, Obamacare represents the largest set of tax changes in more than 20 years. Adding hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars to the IRS isn't going to make care better or more available for anyone. I will continue to fight to repeal and replace Obamacare with patient centered reforms that help the private sector - not the IRS - create more jobs.'

What we're seeing is President Obama and his vast array of radical liberal allies doing anything and everything they can to make Obamacare become a reality. The White House, along with Democrats, have rejected the American people's wishes, who made it quite clear in the November midterm elections that they want Obamacare repealed."

Obamacare Requires 1,054 New IRS Agents to Enforce Law in 2012

Obamacare Requires 1,054 New IRS Agents to Enforce Law in 2012

IRS app will make it easier to answer "Where is my refund?'

source: irs.gov 

The IRS2Go phone app gives people a convenient way of checking on their federal refund. It also gives people a quick way of obtaining easy-to-understand tax tips.

Apple users can download the free IRS2Go application by visiting the Apple App Store. Android users can visit the Android Marketplace to download the free IRS2Go app.

Features of the first release of the IRS2Go app include:

Get Your Refund Status

Taxpayers can check the status of their federal refund through the new phone app with a few basic pieces of information. First, taxpayers enter a Social Security number, which is masked and encrypted for security purposes. Next, taxpayers pick the filing status they used on their tax return. Finally, taxpayers enter the amount of the refund they expect from their 2010 tax return.

For people who e-file, the refund function of the phone app will work within about 72 hours after taxpayers receive an e-mail acknowledgement saying the IRS received their tax return.

For people filing paper tax returns, longer processing times mean they will need to wait three to four weeks before they can check their refund status.

About 70 percent of the 142 million individual tax returns were filed electronically last year.

 Get Tax Updates

Phone app users enter their e-mail address to automatically get daily tax tips. Tax Tips are simple, straightforward tips and reminders to help with tax planning and preparation. Tax Tips are issued daily during the tax filing season and periodically during the rest of the year. The plain English updates cover topics such as free tax help, child tax credits, the Earned Income Tax Credit, education credits and other topics.

Follow the IRS

Taxpayers can sign up to follow the IRS Twitter news feed, @IRSnews. IRSnews provides the latest federal tax news and information for taxpayers. The IRSnews tweets provide easy-to-use information, including tax law changes and important IRS programs.  

IRS2Go is the latest IRS effort to provide information to taxpayers beyond traditional channels. The IRS also uses tools such as YouTube and Twitter to share the latest information on tax changes, initiatives, products and services through social media channels. For more information on IRS2Go and other new media products, visit www.IRS.gov.

GOP-Controlled House Passes Spending Cut Bill - FoxNews.com

GOP-Controlled House Passes Spending Cut Bill - FoxNews.com: "House of Representatives approved a bill early Saturday to runt he federal government through the fall and slash $61 billion in spending.

The 235-189 vote to send the bill to the Senate was largely along party lines and defied a veto threat from President Obama. It marked the most striking victory to date for the new Republicans elected last year on a promise to attack the deficit and reduce the reach of government. Three Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the measure.

'The American people have spoken. They demand that Washington stop its out-of-control spending now, not some time in the future,' declared freshman Republican congressman Tim Huelskamp.

The sweeping $1.2 trillion bill covers every Cabinet agency through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year, imposing severe spending cuts aimed at domestic programs and foreign aid, including aid for schools, nutrition programs, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Internal Revenue Service and Planned Parenthood."

FDIC: Habersham Bank, Clarkesville Georgia Fail

FDIC: Habersham Bank, Clarkesville Georgia: "Habersham Bank, Clarkesville, Georgia, was closed today by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with SCBT National Association, Orangeburg, South Carolina, to assume all of the deposits of Habersham Bank.

The eight branches of Habersham Bank will reopen during their normal business hours beginning Saturday as branches of Habersham Bank, a division of SCBT National Association. Depositors of Habersham Bank will automatically become depositors of SCBT National Association. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of Habersham Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from SCBT National Association that it has completed systems changes to allow other SCBT National Association branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of Habersham Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual."

FDIC: SAn Luis Turst Bank - California bank fail

FDIC:  San Luis Trust : "San Luis Trust Bank, FSB, San Luis Obispo, California, was closed today by the Office of Thrift Supervision, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with First California Bank, Westlake Village, California, to assume all of the deposits of San Luis Trust Bank, FSB.

The sole branch of San Luis Trust Bank, FSB will reopen on Tuesday as a branch of First California Bank. Depositors of San Luis Trust Bank, FSB will automatically become depositors of First California Bank. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of San Luis Trust Bank, FSB should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from First California Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other First California Bank branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of San Luis Trust Bank, FSB can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual."

FDIC: Charter Oak Bank Fail: California

FDIC: Charter Oak Bank - Napa  California: "Charter Oak Bank, Napa, California, was closed today by the California Department of Financial Institutions, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Bank of Marin, Novato, California, to assume all of the deposits of Charter Oak Bank.

The two branches of Charter Oak Bank will reopen on Tuesday as branches of Bank of Marin. Depositors of Charter Oak Bank will automatically become depositors of Bank of Marin. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of Charter Oak Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Bank of Marin that it has completed systems changes to allow other Bank of Marin branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of Charter Oak Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual."

FDIC: Citizens Bank of Effingham - Springfield Georgia

FDIC: Citizens Bank of Effingham Georgia : "Citizens Bank of Effingham, Springfield, Georgia, was closed today by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with HeritageBank of the South, Albany, Georgia, to assume all of the deposits of Citizens Bank of Effingham.

The four branches of Citizens Bank of Effingham will reopen on Saturday as branches of HeritageBank of the South. Depositors of Citizens Bank of Effingham will automatically become depositors of HeritageBank of the South. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of Citizens Bank of Effingham should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from HeritageBank of the South that it has completed systems changes to allow other HeritageBank of the South branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of Citizens Bank of Effingham can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual."

BANKS FAIL: Failure list Februrary 18, 2011

Breaking news this AM caught my eye: 4 banks failed - info released Friday. I went to the FDIC page and found more.

Talk in many circles is that the dollar is devaluing (buy gold) and that by summer the dollar may be well close to dead if not totally worthless.  In other circles people seem oblivious to the what is happening other than the CPI (consumer price index) raises every month and gas prices are killing them - raising the price per gallon almost daily.

This is just burning me up that smaller banks are failing while larger banks that have harmed the country with foreclosure fraud, mortgage fruad, toxic loan and greed are bailed out and left standing... Below is partial list from the FDIC page. you can find more information at FDIC.gov.

FDIC: Failed Bank List -

Bank Name	City	State	CERT #	Acquiring Institution	Closing Date	Updated Date
Habersham Bank	Clarkesville	GA	151	SCBT National Association	February 18, 2011	February 18, 2011
Citizens Bank of Effingham	Springfield	GA	34601	Heritage Bank of the South	February 18, 2011	February 18, 2011
San Luis Trust Bank, FSB	San Luis Obispo	CA	34783	First California Bank	February 18, 2011	February 18, 2011
Charter Oak Bank	Napa	CA	57855	Bank of Marin	February 18, 2011	February 18, 2011
Badger State Bank	Cassville	WI	13272	Royal Bank	February 11, 2011	February 18, 2011
Peoples State Bank	Hamtramck	MI	14939	First Michigan Bank	February 11, 2011	February 18, 2011
Canyon National Bank	Palm Springs	CA	34692	Pacific Premier Bank	February 11, 2011	February 18, 2011
Sunshine State Community Bank	Port Orange	FL	35478	Premier American Bank, N.A.	February 11, 2011	February 18, 2011
American Trust Bank	Roswell	GA	57432	Renasant Bank	February 4, 2011	February 11, 2011
North Georgia Bank	Watkinsville	GA	35242	BankSouth	February 4, 2011	February 11, 2011
Community First Bank Chicago	Chicago	IL	57948	Northbrook Bank & Trust	February 4, 2011	February 10, 2011
First Community Bank	Taos	NM	12261	U.S. Bank, National Association	January 28, 2011	February 10, 2011
FirsTier Bank	Louisville	CO	57646	No Acquirer	January 28, 2011	February 2, 2011
Evergreen State Bank	Stoughton	WI	5328	McFarland State Bank	January 28, 2011	February 10, 2011
The First State Bank	Camargo	OK	2303	Bank 7	January 28, 2011	February 10, 2011
United Western Bank	Denver	CO	31293	First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co.	January 21, 2011	February 10, 2011
The Bank of Asheville	Asheville	NC	34516	First Bank	January 21, 2011	February 10, 2011
CommunitySouth Bank & Trust	Easley	SC	57868	CertusBank, National Association	January 21, 2011	February 10, 2011

source: FDIC for more complete fail list click on title link