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Teaching Women Business Owners How to Pitch to the Federal Government

Did you know there is roughly $27 billion in contracts set aside specifically for women business owners? Thanks to the Small Business Administration’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program, which went into effect on February 4, women business owners have a greater chance to win government contracts. In fact, the Kauffman-RAND Institute for Entrepreneurship Public Policy estimates that the program could benefit approximately 684,000 of these companies.

American Express OPEN and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) are offering a free, one-hour tutorial next Wednesday, June 29 to teach entrepreneurs how to market their companies to government agencies.

This educational webinar is part of the Give Me 5 program, a national initiative created by American Express OPEN and WIPP to help women business owners get a leg up on selling to the world’s largest customer: the U.S. government. This online event will be hosted by Lourdes Martin-Rosa, President, Government Business Solutions and American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracts.

Additional information can be found below:
Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Time: 3-4pm EST/ 12-1pm EST
Where: Virtual

Business owners who are interested in registering for the Webinar should visit: http://www.wipp.org/events/event_details.asp?id=165187.   Additional resources for business owners can be found on www.openforum.com/governmentcontracts.
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Top Apps for Father's Day


Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, but if you haven’t found the perfect gift for your dad yet, don’t stress! 

Rather than running out to the store, waiting in long lines, and dropping significant cash on your dad, why not give him something that he will really love that he can take with him everywhere he goes and that is friendly to your wallet?

In honor of this Father’s Day, Appitalism.com has put together a list of the top apps your dad is guaranteed to love.  This year, say goodbye to the same tired gifts, and get your dad the gift of apps.

Below is a full list for your review:

·        Golf Pin (Free for Android) – Find local golf clubs near you!  You can save the places you like in your favorite list and also perform a custom search.  Golf Pin app lets you find golf clubs, ranges, indoor golf, mini golf, and golf shops in your area.


·        BBQ (99 cents for Apple iPhone) – This app is your new BBQ best friend.  It tells you whether it’s good to BBQ today or not.  Pretty handy before buying all the meat at your local butcher and inviting all your friends.  Need to know in advance?  No problem, the app also provides a three-day BBQ forecast.

·        Sports Feed USA (Free for Android) – Simple and direct news coverage of US sports, including NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL.

Mentoring Minds Contest: Teacher Appreciation



Enter the Mentoring Minds Contest, where you can show your teacher how special they are to you by entering them in their Favorite Teacher Essay Contest! Just write a 200-word essay about what your favorite teacher does that is important to you. Whether they are good at answering difficult questions, making homework assignments that are fun, or just picking really great books for your class to read, tell us what your teacher does that makes them stand out in your mind.

This is a great opportunity to show your appreciation for your teacher because of what they have to deal with on an everyday basis like: standardized testing and teaching the common core standards.  

The essay contest began May 15th, and will end June 15th.  When you submit your essay, you will give your teacher a chance to win a $250 gift certificate to the MentoringMinds.com. After the contest closes on June 15, your essay will be judged by a panel of teachers and educational experts from Mentoring Minds who will decide which teacher deserves to win the gift certificate for the online teacher store.

MentoringMinds.com provides teaching strategies and teacher resources for instructors all over the United States. A gift certificate to our online teacher resources store will allow your teacher to buy many useful books, critical thinking resources and other tools that will help them become an even better teacher.

Fill out the form at www.MentoringMinds.com/Contest.php and paste your 200-word essay into the text box when you are finished writing. Be sure to include your name, e-mail address, your teacher’s name, and your teacher’s e-mail address so we can contact them if they won!

FTC: Sponsored post 


Bonus Features: Pretty Little Liars

It has been fun to blog about Pretty Little Liars.  I was privileged to review Pretty Little Liars Season 1 DVD.  There are bonus features in The Complete First Season, which include Pretty Little Liars: Two Truths and a Lie; It All Started with a Little Lie; Little Secrets from the Set; and Unaired Scenes.  These are all cool features, but my two most favorite are Two Truths and a Lie and the Unaired Scenes.

Without revealing too much on the Two Truths and a Lie feature, the girls take turns sharing some things about themselves not all of them true.  This activity reminds me  of the time my friends and I used to play as well as some of us do it now for fun.  It is fun to guess which is the truth and which is the lie because some of it can actually throw a person off.

The second feature of Season 1 that I like is the Unaired Scenes.  It is really neat to see which scenes could have been in the episode and how things could have been different.  It also is interesting to see how the characters may have been.  This is a great feature for those who can't have enough of Pretty Little Liars. Order your copy of the Pretty Little Liars Season One on DVD here today: http://bit.ly/lRSTgB !




FTC: “I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote  Pretty Little Liars: The Complete First Season on DVD."









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Cube Dog Review


What is the next best thing to having a dog, if you are not able to have one in real life?  A virtual dog.  Cube Dog is an app where you have the ability to build your virtual dog.  You can choose the size of the head, eyes, nose and mouth, and colors of your dog.  Once you have chosen the features, you can also name your dog, and create more dogs as well.  There are 3D animations as well as 3D graphics with ability to rotate and zoom.  There are also tricks your dog will be able to do.  You can shake the phone for random actions.  Your dog can fetch to playing baseball.  There is the option of also have your Cube Dog calling you. 

My son enjoys Cube Dog because he loves dogs, although we are not allowed to have any in our apartment.  My son loves the fact his dog can do tricks, and he loves the option of the dog being in photos.  I thought that was a cool feature.  You can have the dog take a picture with the family.  How cool is that?  You have the option of sending it via email, Facebook, and Twitter.  Your family and friends can see the new addition of your family with Rocky in it (that is what my son named his dog).

Cube Dog is a free app with the options of upgrades. Cube Dog app is available on ITunes.   Once you or your child has bonded with your Cube Dog, you have the option of purchasing more upgrades via the Cube Dog Store. Although, I have tested the free Cube Dog app, I was impressed with what it offers.  I can’t imagine what the paid app is like.   Check out Cube Dog on Facebook.  Be sure to check out Cube Dog’s contest running June 6-13.




FTC: While Cube Dog provided me with the app to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Cube Dog, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

How to Succeed in Facebook Advertising

Facebook Ads are an enormous opportunity for advertisers to create awareness, acquire fans and market to them. Applying advanced testing and optimization strategies that connect the dots from awareness to engagement to sales conversions help ensure success on the world’s largest social network. According to American Express OPEN and SEMPO’s Small Business Search Marketing Survey, 44 percent of small business owners currently use social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) as an online marketing tactic for their businesses.  



To help small business owners learn best practices and practical tips for driving maximum performance with Facebook Ads, American Express OPEN’s SearchManager and SEMPO are offering a free online web conference on Thursday, June 9. This one-hour session will teach small business owners about:



  • Split-testing strategies that factor in audience segmentation, ad copy and image selection.
  • How to overcome ad fatigue.
  • Driving awareness to conversion through remarketing and cross-network conversion tracking.
  • Using SearchManager's new Facebook Advertising Suite to create and optimize Facebook Ads at scale.



This educational webinar is will be presented by Peter Chun, Senior Director, and Max Kalehoff, VP, Marketing at Clickable. Additional information can be found below:




Date: Thursday, June 9, 2011

Time: 1:00 EDT / 10:00 PDT

Where: Virtual (register here)

Cost: FREE
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How to Succeed in Facebook Advertising

Facebook Ads are an enormous opportunity for advertisers to create awareness, acquire fans and market to them. Applying advanced testing and optimization strategies that connect the dots from awareness to engagement to sales conversions help ensure success on the world’s largest social network. According to American Express OPEN and SEMPO’s Small Business Search Marketing Survey, 44 percent of small business owners currently use social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) as an online marketing tactic for their businesses.  

To help small business owners learn best practices and practical tips for driving maximum performance with Facebook Ads, American Express OPEN’s SearchManager and SEMPO are offering a free online web conference on Thursday, June 9. This one-hour session will teach small business owners about:

  • Split-testing strategies that factor in audience segmentation, ad copy and image selection.
  • How to overcome ad fatigue.
  • Driving awareness to conversion through remarketing and cross-network conversion tracking.
  • Using SearchManager's new Facebook Advertising Suite to create and optimize Facebook Ads at scale.

This educational webinar is will be presented by Peter Chun, Senior Director, and Max Kalehoff, VP, Marketing at Clickable. Additional information can be found below:

Date: Thursday, June 9, 2011
Time: 1:00 EDT / 10:00 PDT
Where: Virtual (register here)
Cost: FREE
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Guest Post: 12 Tips to Save Kilowatts and Cash

by

Andrea Woroch


Consumers across America are experiencing sticker shock with this month's electrical bill. While kilowatt rates vary by vendor, a new national increase is being seen across the country. 

With the enactment of the Clear Air Interstate Rule from the Environmental Protection Agency, 31 states are required to substantially reduce power-plant emissions. Specifically, power plants must reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by a whopping 71 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by 52 percent. 

Coal is both the most common energy source and the primary cause of both emissions. As a result, this new regulation is expected to cost coal power plants billions of dollars for retrofitting or in facility replacements. Naturally, this expense is being passed on to consumers. Short of going "off the grid," what's a customer to do? Here are 12 tips to help reduce your kilowatt usage. 

1. Go Window Shopping
When the weather hits over 90 degrees and it's too hot to be outdoors, leave your credit card at home and head to an air-conditioned mall. After a few laps around the perimeter, you'll have gotten some exercise while catching up on the latest fashions. 


2. Get Out of the House
Turn off the air conditioning, the TV and all those electricity hogs and enjoy some time in the great outdoors. If your kids spend their summer vacations playing video games, they're sucking up a lot of energy without expending any of their own. Sign them up for sports leagues, summer camps and other activities outside the home. While you may have to pay a registration fee, you can still save on equipment by using Target and Sports Authority discount gift cards ordered from such sites as GiftCardGranny.com. 


3. Turn Off Power Strips
Even if you've turned off the television, computer and other power vampires, those power strips are still sucking you dry. The same goes for rechargers, which may seem benign when not hooked up to your cell phone. The fact is, they're still drawing electricity when not in use, so flip that switch. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the standby power of unused appliances usually accounts for 5 percent to 10 percent of residential electricity costs. 


4. Power Down Computers
Running a computer and monitor 24/7 uses about 1,100 kilowatt hours annually, or roughly $100 a year. Save 60 percent to 80 percent by putting your computer in power-saving mode or turning it off completely. 


5. Use Powerless Cleaning Appliances
Use an old-fashioned can opener instead of that space-hogging electrical opener to reduce kilowatt usage. Clean rugs with a carpet sweeper instead of a vacuum. (You can find these old-fashioned cleaners at a surprising number of garage sales.) Dry laundry on a clothes line or rack instead of a power-hungry dryer. (Washers and dryers are 19 percent of your energy bill.) In general, consider how you can replace miniature power users with powerless appliances. 


6. Shut the Curtains
Turn off or turn down an air conditioner by keeping windows covered during the day. You'll minimize sun exposure while maximizing the cooler night air. 


7. Wash Dishes in Batches
It may seem hand-washing dishes would reduce both your water and electrical bill, but Energy Star appliances are actually much better for your family finances. The original investment, however, is terribly high. As a simple fix, wait until the dishwasher is completely full before running it. Avoid filling the machine with over-sized pots and pans as they're cheaper to wash by hand. Keep in mind that dishwashers compose 2 percent of your electrical bill. 


8. Lower the Lighting Bill
You've heard lots of talk about CFL light bulbs and there's a reason why. CFLs are cheaper to run, generate less heat and last much longer. Switching out just one incandescent bulb for a CFL will save you $35 in energy costs -- or up to 65 percent -- over the projected 10-year life of the bulb. 


9. Turn Off the Stove
Pasta, veggies and other foods cooked in water will continue to cook once the water is boiled. Turn the burner off half way through the cooking process and you'll reduce your energy use; just make sure you leave on the lid to hold in the heat. 


10. Fill Up Your Freezer and Fridge
As with your dishwasher, these kitchen appliances operate more efficiently when full. You needn't overbuy at the supermarket, however. Instead, fill bottles and milk containers with water to take up the extra space. 


11. Use a Programmable Thermostat
Give your air conditioning system a break when no one is in the house. According to Energy Star, increasing a house's temperature during these hours by pre-programming a thermostat cuts the average household's electric bill by $180 a year. That's because heating and cooling systems are 45 percent of your monthly energy bill. 


12. Clean A/C Filters
Filters clog up with pollen, animal hair, dust and other unmentionables. Cleaning or replacing your filter improves efficiency. You'll want to clean it more often if you have pets or are experiencing a particularly heavy pollen season. 


 Consumer Savings Expert, Andrea Woroch, has been featured as a media expert source on NBC's Today Show, FOX & Friends, MSNBC, ABC News NOW and many more. For more savings tips follow @AndreaWoroch.

Favorite Romances from Pretty Little Liars

Everyone loves a good romance. Who are your favorite romances from Pretty Little Liars? I like the romance between Aria and Ezra.  I think these characters are match well made, and also give a realistic version of a real life relationship.  I know of couples who were once teacher and student.  They are doing fine.  I think Aria and Ezra have a strong and stable relationship, compared to the others on Pretty Little Liars. Order your copy of the  Pretty Little Liars Season One on DVD here today: http://bit.ly/lRSTgB !  


FTC: “I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote  Pretty Little Liars: The Complete First Season on DVD."
 
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Father's Day Sale: $38 for ALL Men's Glasses -- CoastalContacts.com

This Father’s Day, show Dad you love him with the gift of timeless eyeglass styles. Cool Dads everywhere can celebrate their special day with a new pair of unique frames from CoastalContacts.com – the world’s leading online retailer of vision care products like eyeglasses, contact lenses, sunglasses and accessories.

Starting Thursday, June 16 through Sunday, June 19, 2011, buy your Father’s Day gift from CoastalContacts.com and get ANY pair of men’s frames for just $38. With overnight shipping, your gift will be delivered right on time.
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Resource: thredUP


thredUP.com, where moms swap kids clothes, toys and now BOOKS online, just launched a Summer Book Swap! 

Send a box of your used books to another mom who wants them (before June 14) and get a $5 swap credit! Credit can be used towards thousands of boxes full of pre-loved clothes, toys or books listed by other thredUP moms. 

When you send a box of pre-loved books to another family, you’ll also receive a Summer Reading Package worth over $40! You’ll get $25 towards book rentals from BookSwim, 30% off an order at Chronicle Books with free shipping and 5 credits (worth $2.99 each) towards eBook rentals at eBookFling.

How does it work?
  • Gather all the books your child no longer reads, and list them by the boxful on thredUP.
  • Sign-up for free and thredUP will send you complimentary empty USPS boxes (if you don’t want to wait, go grab them for free at your local post office).
  • When another mom picks your box of books, thredUP lets you know. thredUP generates the shipping label and scheduldes home pick-up, so you can send books without leaving the house.
It’s even easier than Goodwill and you’ll send your family’s once loved books directly to another child who wants them.

The Best Part?
Forevery box you send on thredUP, you’ll earn additional ‘picks’ allowing you to select boxes of pre-loved kids clothes, toys or books listed by other moms across the country. Pay only $5 + shipping to pick one and have it delivered to your door!

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Idea: Join Mindfield

Mindfield is similar to other opinion panels and surveys. Users are rewarded for their opinion with cash, prizes, and other incentives.

Guest Post: 5 Tips For Using Up Your Gift Card Balance

by

Andrea Woroch

If the answer to the question "What's in your wallet?" includes gift cards with a useless balance -- say $2.34 -- you'll be pleased to hear about a bill passed May 25 by the Oregon legislature. Fed up with the serious amount of unused plastic in their wallets, house members voted to require businesses let customers exchange their gift cards for cash, if the balance is under $5.

According to The Oregonian, the state's citizens are presently encumbered with $100 million worth of unredeemed gift cards.

It may not be long before other states follow suit but, until then, here are five ways to deal with pesky balances on those glorified plastic coupons.

1. Know The Balance
This is easier than it sounds. Check your gift card balance to determine if your balance is $2.50 or $25. GiftcardGranny.com, which also allows you to buy and sell discount gift cards, offers a simple method of checking your balance for more than 300 merchants. You could also call the retailer's 1-800 number, but this method could mean a lot of time spent on hold.
Some cards require you to register your card to check your balance, but this can be useful if that piece of plastic is lost or stolen.

2. Keep Track of the Balance
Some gift cards have a little box on the back where you can note your remaining balance. If your card doesn't have one of these, write the total amount on a sticky note and wrap it around the card.

3. Add to the Balance
Amazon and Walmart allow you to add any increment to a gift card, so if the balance is $2.95 and you want to make an online purchase, calculate the total cost at checkout then go back and buy a gift card for the remaining amount. With any luck, this policy will catch on with other merchants and services.

4. Know a Merchant's Policies
Some stores allow card holders to pay for purchases in multiple ways, so you can empty the card and fork over cash or use a credit card to complete the transaction. You'll also want to check whether a store takes less-frequently accepted gift cards, such as Discover and American Express.

5. Know Your Spending Habits
Will you likely spend $50 at a store and never visit again? Then purchase a card with a $50 balance and avoid a dangling balance. Merchants with whom you shop more frequently, such as grocery stores, may call for a $100 gift card, since you know you'll use up the balance. Keep in mind you can buy discount cards for less than the face value, which can save you anywhere from 15% to 50%.

Consumer Savings Expert, Andrea Woroch,  has been featured as a media expert source on NBC's Today Show, FOX & Friends, MSNBC, ABC News NOW and many more. To view recent interviews or find more information, visit AndreaWoroch.com.

On the Road to Savannah with Paula Deen

he second season of the Real Women of Philadelphia cooking competition is in full swing!

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Southern Cooking Queen Paula Deen have announced many of the finalists in the second annual Real Women of Philadelphia cooking competition. The quest to crown four fantastic female cooks heats up as they prepare for Savannah.

Members of the site have self-produced short videos showcasing how they use Philly in their favorite dishes, created their own site profiles, uploaded pictures, and written articles. Throughout the competition the community of women has supported each other as they discovered recipes, built friendships and shared their experiences.

The 16 finalists chosen will travel to Savannah for a full week of exciting events as they have the opportunity to meet Paula Deen in person and compete in a cook-off on June 28 and attend the 2nd Annual Real Women of Philadelphia Live Event on June 30 for the chance to be crowned the winner in their cooking category.

The four winners will each receive a talent contract worth $25,000, star in their own cooking videos, contribute to a cookbook featuring the community's favorite cream cheese recipes from the season, and host the Real Women of Philadelphia community for the rest of the year.

Finalists announced thus far in each of the four categories include:

Appetizer:
Carmell Childs- Provo, UT 
Paula Todora- Keller, TX
Dalena Benavente- Orange, CA 
Sharon Sorensen- Providence, UT

Side Dish:
Bekah Frost- Lowry City, MO 
Rachael Collins- Dubuque, IA
Beth Peterson- Naperville, IL
Monica Williams Staniec- Lake Arrowhead, CA

Entrée:
Josee Lanzi- New Port Richey, FL
Kirsten Shabaz- Lakeville, MN 
Kelly Shippey- Orange, CA
Paula Musegades- Waltham, MA


Dessert:
Amy Williams- Keller, TX
Rebecca Regnier- Lambertville, MI
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New Coupons.com Coupons

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Call For Speakers Issued For 2012 International CES

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® today issued its “Call for Speakers” for the 2012 International CES®, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, which returns to Las Vegas January 10-13, 2012.


The International CES conference program features the CE industry’s top experts who address the latest trends, strategies and profit opportunities. More than 200 conference sessions are planned for the 2012 CES, covering a diverse array of industry topics. More than 140,000 professionals in the content, home theater, in-vehicle and wireless industries attend the International CES, accompanied by corporate buyers and retailers, media, analysts, venture capitalists and consumer technology manufacturers from 140 countries.
Speaker proposals will be accepted through 5 p.m. EDT, July 6, 2011. Proposals should be submitted online at: cesweb.org/cfs.

Topics for the 2012 International CES conference program include:

Home Entertainment and Lifestyle Technologies
  • 3D at Home: Here to Stay?
  • 3D on the Go
  • Cameras and Camcorders: Adapting in the Age of Smartphones
  • Defining the Smart Home Market
  • Game On
  • Making Smart TV Smarter
  • Navigating the Connected Home
  • Tablets: Where Do We Go from Here?
  • Subscription Wars
Innovative Technology
  • Beyond The Flat Screen
  • Bringing the Cloud Down to Earth
  • CE Innovation: Going Where No One Has Gone Before
  • Portable Power: The Quest for Longer Lasting Batteries
  • Smart Appliances: Ready for Prime Time?
  • The Evolving User Interface: What’s Next?
In-Vehicle Technology
  • Cars Online
Business Insights
  • Electronics Retailing in the 21st Century
  • The Consumerization of IT: How Consumer Innovation Is Influencing Business
Wireless Communications
  • Mobile Payment Basics: How the Business Works
  • Mobile Payment Basics: How the Technology Works
  • Planet of the Apps
  • Smartphones: Hot Features and Trends
  •  To 4G or Not to 4G
All speaker candidate proposals are considered based on industry representation, professionalism, prior public speaking experience and relevance to session topics. Due to the number of sessions offered and the need for a balanced program, only a limited number of presenters will be accepted. Product specific sessions and sales pitches will not be considered. Proposed presenters will be notified of their acceptance status at the end of September.
Show management will work with selected speakers on all logistical, operational and promotional aspects of the session. Speakers are required to prepare and reproduce presentation materials, including handouts or related materials and topic outlines. All hotel and travel expenses are the responsibility of the presenter.
For more news on CES before, during and after the show, visit www.CESweb.org, the interactive source for CES information.
About CEA
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services.  Find CEA online at CE.org and Innovation-Movement.com.
UPCOMING EVENTS
  • CE Week
    June 20-24, 2011, New York, NY
  • CEO Summit and Board Retreat
    October 1-3, 2011, Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy
  • CEA TechHome Mediterraneo Summit
    October 3-5, 2011, Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy
  • Digital Hollywood Fall
    October 17-20, 2011, Marina Del Ray, CA
  • CEA Industry Forum
    October 23-28, 2011, San Diego, CA
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