According to the NPP, Taxpayers in Florida will pay $565.9 million for proposed ballistic missile defense in FY2010.

For that same money, Florida could have provided:

9,040 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year
OR 129,412 Scholarships for University Students for One Year
OR 101,968 Students receiving Pell Grants of $5550
OR 4,174 Affordable Housing Units
OR 312,781 Children with Health Care for One Year
OR 77,217 Head Start Places for Children for One Year
OR 9,649 Elementary School Teachers for One Year
OR 397,999 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year
OR 199,677 People with Health Care for One Year
OR 13,036 Public Safety Officers for One year

Now, Imagine if only 10% were retained by Florida for it’s citizens:
Florida would keep $56.59 million in FY2010.
For that same money, Florida could provide:
904 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year

OR 12,941 Scholarships for University Students for One Year

OR 10,197 Students receiving Pell Grants of $5550

OR 417 Affordable Housing Units

OR 31,278 Children with Health Care for One Year

OR 7,721 Head Start Places for Children for One Year

OR 965 Elementary School Teachers for One Year

OR 39,800 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year

OR 19,968 People with Health Care for One Year

OR 1,304 Public Safety Officers for One year

THAT IS A LOT OF NEW JOBS!

Find out about your State, Congressional District, or Community.  When you look at our tax money at use in this way, it sure does seem that a 10% cut in just one area could made a world of difference for ALL our communities!

Kwedit is currently only for digital goods, however, their partnership with 7-11 Stores will create a new payment method that changes the landscape of online sales, especially using Kwedit Direct!

In the New York Times article “Buy Now, Pay Later (Maybe with your allowance), Kwedit bring online purchasing to the under-13 crowd, as well as a tipping point to add new buyer personas to e-commerce.

Currently, Kewdit is being used strictly for digital goods in children’s games, where they can make purchases of digital goods in the game using a promise to pay.  As they do pay for the goods, their “kwedit” score goes  up, allowing them to purchase more on a promise.  Kwedit is reportedly seeking the “sweet spot” where the kewdit limit is not too high, but not low enough to discourage the purchases.  At the same time, the digital goods sellers suffer no real loss for non-payment (except obviously their time in creating them).

The cooler part of this new platform is the potential in the future availability to add “Kwedit Direct” as a payment form for all other online transactions.  According to the New York Times article, the buyer will be able to make a purchase online using the Kwedit account, then print out a bar code and take it to 7-11 to make a payment in person using their cash, or their credit or debit card.

This potentially increases online sales to those who have avoided buying online because they do not want to expose their bank account, credit or debit cards – or they simply do not have one.

This is an exciting opportunity for online merchants and worth watching as it rolls out!

Economic hardship has impacted every facet of life – and that is also true for law firms (yes, I know you find that hard to believe, but they are experiencing layoffs as well).  One law firm has stepped up, listened to their clients, and answered a need clients were complaining about.

I read an impressive story that will be published in the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s latest edition. Foley and Lardner, LLP, raised the bar in client satisfaction, and erased the biggest fear of anyone who is thinking of hiring a lawyer.

That fear is about receiving a bill for more than they expected in legal fees.

Its a universal problem – people don’t hire lawyers even when they should, because they do not believe they can afford to.  It’s not just the initial retainer, it’s the fear that once the attorney is retained for a matter, the bill becomes an unknown quantity – a day to day worry that they may have a second legal issue to deal with when they can’t afford to pay their lawyer.

Foley and Lardner, LLP get an A+ in client care, because they LISTENED to their clients, and answered their concern.

In fact, they may create a World Wide Rave as defined by David Meerman Scott in his book of that title.  They gave up control to the client – Rule 3 of the Rave!!   When it comes to billing and budgeting of legal matters, they have successfully taken away the fear of  that big ulgy surprise when their clients open the envelope containing their legal bill every month.

In response to client concerns (this is a concern of ANYONE who hires a lawer for ANY legal matter),  they developed a proprietary software system, part of which allows clients of all 1000 of the lawyers in the firm to interactively share real-time billing information and keep their legal matter on a budget.  Clients can go online anytime and see trending in the billable hours by their lawyer,  and make contact to discuss options for their case BEFORE they go over budget and have yet another legal matter to deal with.

The full story was reported in the Wall Street Journal on Jan 5, 2010.

To be honest, this system does more than just allow the client to manage their legal bills and budget, and that is why it cost $1 Million to put in place.  However, this is a true investment in the firm.  It serves as a management tool, as a client communication tool and as a marketing tool to attract new business!

Smaller firms will say they can’t afford $1Million investment to do the same thing.  They don’t have to.  Small firms can do the same thing, very easily, using much simpler tools.  The real question has always been:  will they come out from behind the curtain on fees and allow the client control?  Will they allow the client to speak honestly and hold them to a budget the client can afford?  If they are smart, they surely will do that – and reap the rewards of (a) honest communications with their clients; and (b) growth of their law practices.

The bar has been raised – let’s see if a precedent in billing practices has now been set,  and which lawyers and law firms creatively  rise to the occasion!

Why should Job Seekers attend the World Wide Rave event on Feb 18, 2010?

For 15 years I was involved in Job Placement and Disability Job Placement. I gained recognition in Courtrooms as an Expert on Job Placement. I can tell you, in that capacity, if you are looking for a job or have a friend or relative who is looking for a job, they need to attend this event!

Why? Simple. It’s an employer’s market. They are making the rules now. (remember in 06-07 when the employees were the “rule makers? that’s over!). Job markets are cyclical.

My Job Placement business was at it’s highest during “employer” markets. Why?

People looking for a job need to Brand themselves and stand apart from the crowd. This is no different from branding your business, product or service. If you don’t stand out from the others interviewing for the same job – you don’t get the job. Simple as that.

World Wide Rave does not only apply to businesses! It applies to Job Seekers. If you are a “stand out” on the web, then you are more likely to be considered to be an “outstanding” job candidate.

Attend the event. It’s $99 to attend from home via live streaming video.

To get them, use this URL to register for the Seminar.  You can attend in person Live at the event, or via Attend Online via Streaming Video for only = $99)

http://www.impulseconnect.org