It was just reported in the New York Times that Google-China was hit with a massive cyber attack. The aim of the attack mainly was to find the emails of human rights activists in the country. Also attacked were technology companies in Silicon Valley. The head legal honcho for Google-China said they may need to pull out of the country all together-amazing!
Here’s the article: Google Cyber Attack
David M. Walker is the former Comptroller General of the US. He is someone that truly cares about the financial wellness of our country. I saw him last night on the Ed Schultz show on MSNBC. I’m definitely going to get his new book: Come Back America-Turning the Country Around and Restoring Fiscal Responsibility. Walker writes on social security, healthcare reform, Medicaid and Medicare, tax reform, our international deficits, political reforms and more. Like it or not, we need to keep our eye on ball and this 'call to action' book gives us information and the hope we need to turn things around.
"I am reluctant to sell China short, not because I think it has no problems or corruption or bubbles, but because I think it has all those problems in spades — and some will blow up along the way (the most dangerous being pollution). But it also has a political class focused on addressing its real problems, as well as a mountain of savings with which to do so (unlike us)."
Read Thomas Friedman's new op-ed this morning in the New York Times that asks the provocative question; Is China The Next Enron?
I came across this passage in the book: Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, written by Sarah Ban Breathnach. It really makes you think…
No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit - Helen Keller
If you feel like the big banks are treating you like a number and you are in the mood to deal with smaller, more customer oriented banks, please check out Arianna Huffington’s, (co-founder of The Huffington Post), campaign to inspire people to move their money to community banks.
I would add one thing - don’t overlook the value of credit unions, which are all about serving their members. Redwood Credit Union here in Sonoma County, CA is one of the best credit unions I have ever been a member of.
Here’s the link to learn more about the Move Your Money campaign.
The IRS has produced a really good virtual small business tax workshop for small business owners. I’m somewhat surprised, as the IRS productions are usually pretty bland, to put it mildly. They seem to really be sharpening their game and this latest attempt is easy to follow and very informative.
Questions about how to file small business taxes; working from home; retirement plans, you name it- it’s all here in 9 different modules. If you’ve been hoping to feel more empowered around the business side of your small business-now’s your chance.
There are so many predictions about how markets here in the US as well as around the world are going to perform in 2010 that it could make you dizzy. I think one of the most objective and responsible sources for being able to read the tea leaves is The Economist.
If you have stock investments, please check out this sobering article, Bubble Warning. In addition, this current issue is jam packed with info on this topic.
Bono, the lead singer of the band U2 and a founder of the advocacy group ONE and (Product) RED, is a contributing columnist for The Times. He wrote a compelling op-ed piece for the New York Times, covering everything from cars to people power to angiogenesis and then some.
Bono says these 10 ideas might make the next 10 years more interesting, healthy or civil. And he admits, some are trivial, some fundamental, but what they do have in common is that he was "seized by each, and moved by its potential to change our world."
