Police Gear Website

I was browsing aimlessly today when I came upon everyone's favorite Police Gear Website, lapolicegear.com. In need of rifle slings? Who isn't these days? Luckily for you, this place has it all. After watching "Jericho" and seeing how ill prepared people can be for the imminent apocalypse, I think you should gear up. You'll thank me later.

In Case You Didn't Know...

I've moved and doing a lot more there than I can do here. alexburdine.com I hope to see you there. Blogs, reviews, and much more. ab.

"Shining" - The Family Movie

I thought this was pretty cleaver...I mean...clever.

Science is Neat! Saturday

It's the return of Science is Neat! Saturday...

I know many of the loyal readers missed this segment (all 3-4 installments of it), so back by popular demand, here it is!

So some of the odd and amazing things in the news:

A two and a half foot woman gave birth to an 18" baby this week.

American owned Boeing lost a $40B contract to a European owned business to make in-air refueling planes.

Despite our efforts to speed up Global warming...I'm still freezing my butt off in Pennsylvania.

There it is folks. See you next Saturday.

Got Bad Credit? Repair It With A Credit Card

My advice: Repairing credit is a hard thing to do, but with some hard work and diligence, it can be done. Check out this opportunity....

Bad credit is a reality for millions of Americans, making it difficult for these consumers to build the future they envision for themselves and their families.

Fortunately, there are lenders who are willing to give those with bad credit a second chance. BadCreditOffers.com is a leading comparison website for people with bad credit -- featuring credit cards, home loans, auto loans, personal loans, and much more.

The site's "bad credit credit card" section compares 10 of the top credit cards on the market for bad credit and provides links to their online applications. Consumers can apply for the offer that's right for them, and by making payments on time they can start down the road toward rebuilding their credit and, perhaps, their financial future.

bad credit card

Hooray for Coach J!

I know Coach J. He and I have the same birthday. He's one of my eldest brother's best friends. Watch the video, it's really funny. Great Job Coach (Chris).

More Banker Speak

How good are you at Debt Management?

Some debt is considered "good debt," like for instance student loans. Let's face it, we would all love to have paid for school out of pocket, and perhaps you are one of the lucky ones that had parents who game planned your future. However, there are many of us that do have this kind of debt and it is important to see the end goal of such debt. One day, hopefully, you will be earning well beyond what you could have earned without the degree.

Likewise, establishing credit early is a good thing, but the temptation to use your card can lead to unwanted debt. Another trap is the lure of "points". These things sound too good to be true and many cases are.

The reality is that you spend with your credit card more frequently and therefore are more willing to use that card for bigger purchases that you will justify paying off later for those pesky points. There in lies the trap. The fees that you end up paying in finance charges override the actual benefit of receing those points.

Too good to be true indeed. Yet, there are some people out there who can balance all of this. If you're one of them, you indeed are not just one of the statistics.

Training Specifics

So speaking specifically on the topic of training and development, I had a few items of discussion.

I strongly believe in "training up:" Taking an employee and allowing them to learn duties and take on responsibilities above them to strengthen the cross training and skill set of the group as a whole.

my question: how do you motivate people who are not "bought in" to the system? Do people most strongly respond to punishment or to understanding mixed with personal tracking?

thoughts?

A Chance to Brag

I’ve been presented with a chance to discuss training, mentoring and development of employees. I have learned along the way in my 8+ years as a banker, that some companies are better than others at addressing this issue.

My current place of employment, in my opinion, nails the training part of the discussion on the head. They provide an in depth training process that truly prepares individuals for branch life.

Banking, if you didn’t know, is the highest regulated industry in the United States, so to stay the least, it’s a daunting task to get up to speed new hires, let alone if they are brand new to the industry. Good job employer.

More information about: Sales Training

First Place

Yes, that's right. I just took over first place in my fantasy basketball league. If you're interested, I can tell you how I manage to do this year in and year out. After landing second place in fantasy football this year (a personal best), I can't wait to cap things off with a basketball win.

ab.

A Cheap shot at British Folk

I just read a funny article:

Almost half of all UK adults - 44% - would consider having cosmetic surgery at some point in their lives, it has been revealed. Research by Mintel has found that tummy tucks and liposuction are the most popular with 40% and 36% respectively saying they would choose the procedures. Alexandra Richmond, senior consumer analyst at the firm, claimed the figures were "staggering". The survey revealed that British mothers are most likely to go under the knife, than any other group, with 57% of those with children aged between five and nine stating they would have a tummy tuck and 49% considering liposuction.

I wonder what percentage this number would increase to if "dental surgery" were included in the polling questions :) Alright, alright, I'm sorry. You would have made the joke too, if you had the chance.

Ok real question: I wonder what this percentage would be in America? Would you ever consider "going under the knife? Liposuction seems like cheating...but as a famous athelete once said..."If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying..." I think he was a NASCAR driver though, and I don't think I'd take medical advice from him.

And yes, because I have to:

Breast Enhancement

Attention ID-less People...

http://www.dmv.org/

This is not an ad. This is an appeal to everyone who does not carry a license or government ID with them. Please...please...PLEASE go to your DMV and get an ID.

I'm serious this time.

Heart Warming

In light of the snow, I'd like to say how much I like buying flowers online. Instead of having to make ONE MORE TRIP out into the wild blue yonder of my local city, it was great just pointing, clicking and paying for flowers. I am fan of real flower shops, mind you. I'm just a bigger fan of eliminating one more annoying shopping trips.

For instance: in two hours the other day I went to the cleaners, the grocery store, got some lunch, got gas, picked up a birthday present from Barnes and Nobles...and by the time I got home I was tired as get out. Long story short, I'm no soccer mom.

anyway, check out Tulsa Flower Shop as a good option as a time saving way to send something nice to a loved one.

ab.

Snow...OH NO!

Ugh...why don't I live in Texas? 4-5 inches of snow, minions caling out left and right. I had to run a drawer all day. Can someone honestly give me 3 good reasons why it's worth living in PA? hint: it's not the Eagles.

Financial News from "Across the Pond"

Possibly some good news? According to Money Magic:

"January saw an 11 per cent increase in gross mortgage lending despite the fact that it is usually lower in January than other months of the year, according to a new report. A report from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has revealed that the lending increased to an estimated £26 .5 billion last month, which was 11 per cent higher than December."

This is potentially encouraging news for lenders, buyers and sellers alike. If the market can continue to show gains, recession could be avoided. While this isn’t 100% applicable to the US markets, it could be a trend that makes it way over to us soon.

Cross your fingers.

Remortgage

"You People"

The next person that refers to me, my branch, or my company as "You People" is going to get "brained".

I'm serious. There's nothing redeeming about this statement. It's 100% for condescending purposes and the user deserves a good ol' fashioned curb kicking.

sorry, not very "bankerish", but sometimes people need to be educated on politeness and etiquette.

ab.

Another Financial Related Post: Bankruptcy

This is always an interesting time of year. We start seeing lots and lots of tax returns rolling in. I have different feelings on why people get their "early." I would guess there are people who just want their money because they don't want the government to have it any longer. Why not just plan the year before and take more when you get paid?

Another one of my theories is that people are just needing this cash quickly. Too quickly sometimes. They take these "fast loans" based upon what they speculate their returns to be. I'm always amazed at the amounts, but this year, I finally understand why people come to the bank with 4, 5 even 6 thousand dollar checks. Two words: Dependents and Deductions. Getting Married this year changed all that for me. HOORAY!

Ok, but your post title talks about "Bankruptcy". Right, and the what is the main reason people declare bankruptcy? debt.

Debt is a reality for most of us. It comes from a variety of sources. This time of year is an excellent time to consider a few things: should I put my tax return towards more stuff or reducing my debt?

The best option is to pay off your debts as soon as you can. So before you get $$ in your eyes, take a minute to remember your priorities.

ab, aditloab.

Consult a Debt Management Plan

Juno and Valentine's Day

Yesterday, as you hopefully know, was Valentine's Day. Our first as a married couple. To some it probably means different things, but to us it was a fun night to go out and catch a flick.

Go see "Juno" if you haven't already. I know it's been out for some time, but if you're on the fence, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

how was your V-Day?

New Advertising Idea

I was reading about this idea on the internets. Sounds like an interesting proposition. It's another spin on the social networking sites. Facebook, Myspace, etc just don't cut it for me for business to business enterprises and this site could potentially answer some of those questions.

Here's a bit about them:

MyCityFaces.com is a service industry networking and advertising site allowing people to post profiles for free, offering products they sell or a service they perform. We feel the service industry is often ignored and people resort to advertising themselves on social networking sites, which is not the most professional medium.

On MyCityFaces.com people can in a respectable way, have a profile, tell about what they do, recommend others on the site and post photos, coupons, and videos. Think of it as an Internet billboard and an electronic business card. This site is for all of the Hairstylists, Nail Techs, Realtors, Doctors, Mortgage Brokers; etc the list goes on and on. The site is free to post profiles and is broken down by major cities.

This fresh idea has never been done before; we are a pioneer in our market segment. We are not another business networking site, we are the must "have a profile" self advertising site on the Internet today! The service industry must be the most forgotten business segment on the Internet, probably because everyone thinks the Yellow Pages has it locked in. Have you looked at the Yellow Pages on the internet lately, there is not even any pictures, you're just looking at lists of companies. There is nothing personable about that! At MyCityFaces.com you can search by business category or name and pull up a complete profile, with photos and other features, advertising the products or services of that person. MyCityFaces.com will replace the "other" sites as the premier service industry networking site!

Sign up at MyCityFaces.com

Economic Stimulus Check

Here's a list of what we want to get with our government cheese handout:

Samsung LNT2653 26" LCD Flat Panel HDTV $600

Sony - Cyber-shot 8.1MP Digital Camera - Black Model: DSC-W90/B SKU: 8335606 $230

Nintendo Wii Bundle - $400

Total: $1200

What are you getting with yours?

(hint: college students, I wouldn't get my hopes up in receiving one of these checks...your parents probably claim you on their taxes...and therefore THEY get your $$, not you... sorry!)

You Got Change?

DISNEY!

So we made it back...sadly. Disney was, in fact, the shiz. I strongly recommend going at some point in your life. It's amazing to see the infrastructure that this billion dollar company can employ and yet, some how, our trillion dollar government can't seem to implement the same efficiency. Anyway, we stayed at the Coronado Springs for two nights and we had a great time. Courtesy of a friend who works at one of the resorts, we pretty much got 40% off just about everything. Also, we got free park hopper tickets for Sunday. We visited: Downtown Disney - Saturday Night MGM (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - Sunday AM Magic Kingdom - Sunday Early PM Animal Kingdom - Sunday Afternoon Epcot - Sunday Night What a day...we did everything from the Aerosmith ride and Tower of Terror to Everest and the Dino Ride to Mission Space. Lt. Dan says hi. Back to the grind and real world. My classes this semester are going to kill me. Reality is hitting me that I can't just waltz through these things anymore. Studying? Homework? what?

New Specs

We're in the market for new specs. We're getting a decent tax return and both definitely need new glasses: Hers are out of style and prescription and mine have been recently stepped on...in addition to being completely too small for my large head.

So we're looking all around for specials and ads. I'm thinking about shopping around, as usual, and then checking out an online merchant for the actual purchase. Now more than ever, this is the perfect way to go. You can try a product out and then get the discount of an online store.

I found this so far:

Zenni Optical: Sell Rx Glasses $8 with case!

WoW Wednesday.

Alright nerds, here it is. grab this code and keep up to date on this server. It's a free WoW server that allows for custom quests, cross classifications, etc. x2 the gold and items, x6 the professions. If you're looking for a good time, there's a group of people that play on Wednesday nights 9pm EST.

Choking back the skepticism

This is not an ad...in fact this ad made me laugh/cry so much, I decided not to take the opportunity (from time to time, I blog about subjects that I receive financial compensation for).

http://www.christianfaithfinancial.com/ is a company that "helps you the "christian" way.

wow, sounds good to me....

"Helping families with Christian financial assistance"

How can you be against helping families?

"Get money for anything: paying bills, emergencies, rent or even taking vacations"

Wait a second...taking vacations?

Nothing says "Christianity" like a high interest debt to take your kids to Disney. In fact, Disney will actually give you something like 3 months of interest free financing to pay for a vacation, so Disney has better understanding of grace than the "Christian" loan company.

who's a corporate sell out?

A Confession

I have not had my heart broken for the people around me. I have not prayed for even my closest friends. I have been self-centered in most of my interactions. I am sorry to those who have been affected by that.

Turbotax

I've blogged about this before and I've had some good remarks. I think online coupon codes are a great way to save money. I just used one for Turbotax and saved big time on doing my taxes.

Old Navy has some good offers too. From everything like free shipping to money off orders, online coupons save $.

Enjoy guys!

Musak never ceases to amaze me

I just heard "Walking After You" by the Foo Fighters. Seriously, why? I never cease to be amazed at the depth of songs that people are willing to put on these stations.

Think about it: someone had to organize and orchestrate the music, get people to learn the parts, and then record it. someone also had to engineer and master this. Not to mention the guy who made the decision..."oh yeah, we've gotta have some Foo Fighters..."

amazing.

Wedding Bells...

Next week we're leaving for Florida to be a part of a wedding. The event bookends our month of weddings. Before we know it, February 14th will be here.

Men, make sure you secure a valentines day delivery for some nice roses. Procrastinators think about the bonus points you will get with you "hunnies"...and then you can thank me for the February lovin' that you get.

Question: Does anyone not do the whole thing? Ladies, are you just not impressed with the whole thing? Men, what are your thoughts?

Me: I'm a fan, in general. I will have class, but plan on doing something nice for the wife that day.

WoW

Ok, so uber-nerd alert...

go to avalon.tomthefool.com to play world of warcraft for free. It's a private server that has a lot of custom content, custom game play and new cross-classifications.

Every Wednesday night there is a group of people playing custom scenarios...including assaults on castles and uber-npc bosses.

Credit Crunch

The number of bad credit loans and bad credit lenders out there have risen drastically. Predatory lenders have find new lows to sink people in mortgages and loans that they simply cannot afford. Before you make a next purchase, whether you have good, bad, or no credit, it's always a good idea to educate yourself on your options.

Where do you start?

Get a free credit report here.

Fateful May

Here's a song I wrote back in June 2002. I'd love to see what you think.

Stop me for a moment, Before my fateful crash Stop me for a moment, Knowing it’ll never last.

I will never know If fate will ever show The timing of it all The crash, the cry, the fall

Stop me for a moment, Before my fateful crash Stop me for a moment, Knowing it’ll never last.

I will live by hope I will go on stronger I’ll never be alone Someone’s love lasts longer

This will never go away… It never came too fast

SEO, So?

SEO. what's that? well, it stands for Search Engine Optimisation.

Basically everyone in the world has a blog, website, myspace, etc. If you're a shameless self-promoter and corporate sell-out like me, you want people to read, see, and interact. This process, believe it or not, results in things like "page rank", etc.

So what's the big deal about SEO? well, when you put a keyword into Google and it comes back with answers, a good SEO will move you to the top of those lists.

First Rate is a company that helps you achieve that. Pretty fascinating what people can make their money on.

Updates at Foxsnooze.com and Fivecritics.com

want to keep up on ALL my writing? check out the latest at Foxsnooze.com and Fivecritics.com.

Over the weekend we partied at a friend's house for Jim's 30th. Great time. I made a video of his life using MS Movie Maker. Who knew a MS product would pull through with little or no problems.

We also watched us some football and a movie, but you'll have to check out those blogs to read my thoughts.

be well.

ab.

For Nathanael

The housing market is in shambles. My wife and I will be looking into making a purchase in a year to a year and a half. I'm pretty confident that that will put us in a great place to buy some one's home at a discounted price.

We'd like a 2 BR, 1-2 BA place with room to breathe, meaning, not in a condensed neighborhood. I've been checking out some of the big name real estate companies, with no luck. We are thinking of going independent. There is a couple at our church that does this sort of thing. We'll probably try them.

If you're in Arizona and looking for a good Real Estate company, check out Phoenix real estate. From their website, they seem like a knowledgeable, independent company

A Cause for Celebration

This blog recently achieved a google page rank of 1... thanks to everyone that frequents this site and link to me. Your hard work and time has paid off.....well, me. so, thanks!

wait, what does that mean? well, it just means that the more people that visit this site, the more I can reach the world...and make a few $$.

remember the mic I just got? it was financed through the money I made on this blog.

so....REALLY THANKS.

have a good one.

ab.

Random Internet Question

Does any use those singles sites? You know the ones where you're supposed to meet your soul mate? I'm married, so it's not for me, but it's certainly not out of the question for people to meet this way. I mean, you meet people through social interactions, right? so why not via the net?

Why does Internet dating have a stigma and going to the bar to meet someone doesn't? maybe it does, I'm not one to know or ask....that's why I asked it.

Anyway, so it's just a question because I had an opportunity to write about primedatingsites.com. They write reviews about places like eHarmony and Matchmaker.com. It's all very interesting on an intellectual curiosity level. That's the wannabe social scientist in me.

If you have any experience let me know, I'd like to hear.

be well.

ab.

Fantasy Basketball Update

To maybe 2 people this will matter, but:

The two trades I pulled off this week:

(Me) Andrew Bynum and Nate Robinson for Jason Richardson and Corey Maggette (dude #1)

and

(Me) Eddy Curry and Mike Dunleavy for David West and Emeke Okefor

What's funny about this is that Bynum, Robinson and Curry I picked out of the FA pool...vs. all the guys I traded for are draft picks.

awesome.

And Exhale...

Last weekend was the big wedding, this weekend is another fun event, and in two weeks we'll be in Disney for another weekend wedding. School starts up next week...AH! And work has been an adventure.

all I want is a chance to exhale... or at least a set of Massage Chairs for the two of us. Seriously, I would love one of those Human Touch chairs...they look amazing.

It's been fun week though. I'm working on a project for a friend and feel closer to them than they could ever imagine. Can't wait to share it.

On the work front (since this is supposed to be a retelling of my daily adventures as a banker) I have seen many positives. In general, the minions seemed to be facing the right direction. The most important part is my consistency and constant pushing. If they can at least see the direction we need to go, maybe I can encourage, prod and push them towards some goals. In time we'll see.

I was picked to be a resource for some consulting going on. I hope that my input will be taken seriously and that things can be taken in account for the future. Wouldn't it be funny to have worked so hard for changes that don't get implemented until I leave? well, then for the future, it will be better. good on them.

and good on you for reading.

<>< ab.

Holler

My new (ok, used) Rode NT-1 came in the mail yesterday. A huge improvement over my audio-technica vocal mic. I already tracked a demo... and I can't believe the warmth.

The project is coming along nicely (for those of you that didn't know there was a "project"). I am basically working a Digi 001 and the NT-1 at this point.

The plan:

5 strangers (ok, independent friends of mine that dont know each other), picked to play in a band (to kind of mess around with about 15-20 songs I've written) see what happens when.............ok, I'm done.

The point:

I'm not going to pretend I'm some rock star waiting to happen. I'm more interested in seeing what a bunch of really talented schmos like myself could do over a 6-7 month period if they take my songs...dismantle them, make them their (our) own, and then use our various talents to document the process.

The gear: a couple taylor acoustic guitars my fender jazz bass Ange's amazing voice Nate's cool guitar playing Kyle's drum kit a baby grand piano Reason (sampling and drum program) our hands and feet probably a borrowed Telecaster (thanks in advance, Adam) and my sweet guitar rig financed by a "few" Ross King gigs. etc.

The end product:

I'm hoping that we can end up with 12 songs of mine and maybe 3-4 songs we do as a group. We also have two side projects: a worship ep and a wedding ep. The first being an expression of our love for God...the latter is a "gift" for a member of "the band" getting married next summer.

I'll keep you posted.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

I love Texas. I love anything that comes out of Texas...aside from all the murderers and cults and illegal aliens and ridiculous politicians. Well, believe it or not, being from Texas, I really do love Texas.

Since I love Texas so, I wanted to highlight a Texas based business for you.

Pragma Systems is a company that provides secure connections to the Internet for businesses. Whether it's you are a business needing a Secure Shell Server, a Hand Held Client, or needing a Telnet Server to do your business from network to network.

And since achieving Microsoft's esteemed Gold Certified Partner Status, Pragma Systems is your company to get the job done right. Check them out today.

My Music and Movies Reviews

over at Fivecritics.com, I have posted some recent movie and music reviews. Check them out. 2007 was an interesting year and I was able to hear and see some great stuff. enjoy!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope your New Year's Eve and New Year's Day was caserole free. Ours was cold and hot at times. We were in Bethlehem watching the fireworks and went out for Chinese to fuel us for a 3am night. I'm still recovering.

Sunday was the best, however. For my buddy's bachelor party, we went to a local High School Football stadium (turf not grass!) and played 9 on 9 flag football. I can only remember one other time that I felt this sore...but this time around surpassed that by a long shot. I literally had to lift my legs up with my hands to get my legs in the car.

...luckily NYE rolled around and a little bubbly and a hot tub soothed my ailments.

For some of you who know me, I am sometimes known as a contrarian (it takes one to know one, Ross). I intentionally set out to buy an mp3 player other than an iPod because the name was basically what I was paying for....and with my recent run in with iTunes...it was a good idea.

Anyway, since iTouch and iPhone have been huge hits, I have swung back the other way to enjoying Apple products. I recently found a product that seemed really interesting...it's called the "invisibleSHIELD". It protects your whole ipod with a protect plastic layer. Kind of cool, if you ask me. No more bulky carrying cases...you keep the tactile feel of your iPod..WITH the protection of a case.

check it out here:

ipod case