Category: Uncategorized

As many of you probably know, Google has announced a finance offering (Google Finance)that people can use to find information about public companies. It is a great site that has many of the features of the Yahoo (YHOO) finance offering and even links to many of the Yahoo finance pages.

What isn’t being mentioned too much is the fact that you can use Google Finance to do research on privately held companies. Much of the information comes from sources such as Hoovers, but you are probably already visiting Google (GOOG) and the way that they compile the data makes it very readable.

Take a look at a few Buffalo area companies. This is a great tool if you like to follow news about your employer, or if you are researching a potential employer in search of a new job.

• Benderson Development
• Rich Products
• Delaware North

Poke around at Google finance. The site is fun and useful.

This post is a bit off topic, but if the people behind these ‘inventions’ can accomplish these goals, the world’s poor could have clean drinking water and electricity. The Segway creator’s next entrepreneurial spin – Feb. 16, 2006

The idea of a water filtration system is interesting. You have got to think that clean water would be a must for the third world countries. Much of the disease that they experience is borne from the water that they drink. Imagine if 25% of the illnesses that are experienced are wiped out because water filtration is possible.

Water and electricity to the third world could mean:

Positive

• Well being of global population.
• Reduced spread of disease and death.
• Productivity in parts of the world where it hasn’t been possible.
• Low cost labor force for the industrial nations (much like China and Taiwan today.)

Drawbacks

• Population explosion.
• Exploitation of workers, including child labor.
• The dreaded “unanticipated consequences’.

Keep in mind, there are always unintended consequences with dramatic change. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

As just about everyone kows, the weather in Buffalo can be pretty nasty at times. Today, the winds are whipping up and some schools are closing. If you are going to be out of the house, or even out of town, be sure that you pay attention to the forecast and have some safeguards in place to protect your property. My neighbor is an example of someone who is well preparted. His family is taking a trip out of town and he took all precautions to protect his property.

1. Provide a friend/neighbor with a key to your home and any alarm codes needed. If there is trouble, they can enter the home and reduce any possible damage.
2. Provide emergency contact numbers. In this case cell phone numbers and a relatives number who lives across town.
3. If you have an alarm, especially one that will alert you of water in your basement, provide your alarm company with the phone number of that friend/neighbor so that the nearest person can be alerted of any problem. Doing this could allow them to immediately protect your property from damage.

Your home is a big investment. Take precautions to protect it if you are not around.

Some of us will lose power today with the high winds we are experiencing. Here are a couple of phone numbers that could help.

New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG): 1-800-572-1131
National Grid: 1-800-867-5222