raagroup's posterous http://raagroup.posterous.com www.raagroup.com posterous.com Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:36:00 -0700 Survey: Bosses blasted and booed - South Florida Business Journal http://raagroup.posterous.com/survey-bosses-blasted-and-booed-south-florida http://raagroup.posterous.com/survey-bosses-blasted-and-booed-south-florida

Saturday is National Bosses Day, a time to reflect on how we feel about those to whom we answer every day.

Are you planning to honor your boss with some token of appreciation? Or are you among the growing number of workers dissatisfied with your relationship?

A new poll, conducted by Monster on behalf of Fort Lauderdale-based Spherion Staffing, finds 45 percent of U.S. workers say their relationship with their boss has been affected by the recession. And, of those, 74 percent say it has weakened their relationship with their boss.

“Not only are many bosses falling short in supporting their employees’ career development, in many cases, they are hindering their progress,” Spherion notes.

The study found that 38 percent of workers felt their boss is somewhat or very uncaring when it comes to their career development, and 27 percent say that their boss's attitude about their career development has changed since the recession.

More alarming, nearly half of workers (45 percent) say their boss has taken credit for their work, and an additional 37 percent say their boss has “thrown them under the bus” to save himself/herself.

At a time when jobs are tough to keep, one out of four workers said their boss is somewhat or very dishonest about their job security, and more than half (53 percent) feel their boss doesn’t respect them.

And, many employees lack confidence in discussing sensitive or unethical issues with their managers. The study found 46 percent of workers say they don’t think they can freely and openly discuss unethical workplace issues with their boss, and 44 percent say they can’t confide about sensitive or confidential workplace issues.

“Managers need to create an environment that fosters open and direct communication, offers unwavering support for workers, and demonstrates commitment to career development,” says Loretta Penn, president of Spherion Staffing Services. “Unfortunately, many of today’s bosses simply aren’t delivering on this responsibility.”

Now, what if someone offered you your boss’s job? Would you take it? Just 34 percent said they would, while 40 percent said no. Despite that, 44 percent felt they could do their boss’s job better and 61 percent felt they had better management skills than their boss.

There also doesn’t seem to be much loyalty, with 43 percent sating they would not follow their boss to another company. Thirty-five percent said they weren’t sure.

How do you feel about your boss? Do you like him or her? Do you think you could do a better job? Would you follow him or her to another company, or say good riddance?

Doesn't surprise me, I cannot remember last time anyone had something positive to say about their boss; but I think this goes beyond the recession and will become an determining factor for business success especially with the Small Business.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:56:01 -0800 The Card Game - How Visa, Using Fees Behind Its Debit Card, Dominates a Market - Series http://raagroup.posterous.com/the-card-game-how-visa-using-fees-behind-its-3 http://raagroup.posterous.com/the-card-game-how-visa-using-fees-behind-its-3

Every day, millions of Americans stand at store checkout counters and make a seemingly random decision: after swiping their debit card, they choose whether to punch in a code, or to sign their name.

Skip to next paragraph

Monica Almeida/The New York Times

Mitch Goldstone, in his digital photo-processing shop in Irvine, Calif., is part of a suit against Visa and MasterCard.

Frontline Logo

The Card Game series is a joint reporting project with the PBS program "Frontline."

Readers' Comments

"Smart retailers take advantage and offer a 'discount' on debit purchases. Sharing the savings with the customers is a great incentive."
Tom, Texas

It is a pointless distinction to most consumers, since the price is the same either way. But behind the scenes, billions of dollars are at stake.

When you sign a debit card receipt at a large retailer, the store pays your bank an average of 75 cents for every $100 spent, more than twice as much as when you punch in a four-digit code.

The difference is so large that Costco will not allow you to sign for your debit purchase in its checkout lines. Wal-Mart and Home Depot steer customers to use a PIN, the debit card norm outside the United States.

Despite all this, signature debit cards dominate debit use in this country, accounting for 61 percent of all such transactions, even though PIN debit cards are less expensive and less vulnerable to fraud.

How this came to be is largely a result of a successful if controversial strategy hatched decades ago by Visa, the dominant payment network for credit and debit cards. It is an approach that has benefited Visa and the nation’s banks at the expense of merchants and, some argue, consumers.

Competition, of course, usually forces prices lower. But for payment networks like Visa and MasterCard, competition in the card business is more about winning over banks that actually issue the cards than consumers who use them. Visa and MasterCard set the fees that merchants must pay the cardholder’s bank. And higher fees mean higher profits for banks, even if it means that merchants shift the cost to consumers.

Seizing on this odd twist, Visa enticed banks to embrace signature debit — the higher-priced method of handling debit cards — and turned over the fees to banks as an incentive to issue more Visa cards. At least initially, MasterCard and other rivals promoted PIN debit instead.

As debit cards became the preferred plastic in American wallets, Visa has turned its attention to PIN debit too and increased its market share even more. And it has succeeded — not by lowering the fees that merchants pay, but often by pushing them up, making its bank customers happier.

In an effort to catch up, MasterCard and other rivals eventually raised fees on debit cards too, sometimes higher than Visa, to try to woo bank customers back.

“What we witnessed was truly a perverse form of competition,” said Ronald Congemi, the former chief executive of Star Systems, one of the regional PIN-based networks that has struggled to compete with Visa. “They competed on the basis of raising prices. What other industry do you know that gets away with that?”

Visa has managed to dominate the debit landscape despite more than a decade of litigation and antitrust investigations into high fees and anticompetitive behavior, including a settlement in 2003 in which Visa paid $2 billion that some predicted would inject more competition into the debit industry.

Yet today, Visa has a commanding lead in signature debit in the United States, with a 73 percent share. Its share of the domestic PIN debit market is smaller but growing, at 42 percent, making Visa the biggest PIN network, according to The Nilson Report, an industry newsletter.

The Risk of Refusing

Critics complain that Visa does not fight fair, and that it used its market power to force merchants to accept higher costs for debit cards. Merchants say they cannot refuse Visa cards because it would result in lower sales.

“A dollar is no longer a dollar in this country,” said Mallory Duncan, senior vice president of the National Retail Federation, a trade association. “It’s a Visa dollar. It’s only worth 99 cents because they take a piece of every one.”

Visa officials say its critics are griping about debit products that have transformed the nation’s payment system, adding convenience for consumers and higher sales for merchants, while cutting the hassle and expense of dealing with cash and checks. In recent years, New York cabbies and McDonald’s restaurants are among those reporting higher sales as a result of accepting plastic.

“At times we have a perspective problem,” said William M. Sheedy, Visa’s president for the Americas. “Debit has become so mainstream, some of the people who have benefited have lost sight of what their business model was, what their cost structure was.”

Visa officials said the costs of debit for merchants had not gone down because the cards now provided greater value than they did five or 10 years ago. The costs must not be too onerous, they say, because merchant acceptance has doubled in the last decade.

The fees are “not a cost-based calculation, but a value-based calculation,” said Elizabeth Buse, Visa’s global head of product.

As for Visa’s market share, company officials maintain that it is rather small when considered within the larger context of all payments, where, for now at least, cash remains king.

While Visa may be among the best-known brands in the world, how it operates is a mystery to many consumers.

Visa does not distribute credit or debit cards, nor does it provide credit so consumers can buy flat-screen televisions or a Starbucks latte. Those tasks are left to the banks, which owned Visa until it went public in 2008.

Sign in to Recommend Next Article in Your Money (5 of 28) » A version of this article appeared in print on January 5, 2010, on page A1 of the New York edition.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:29:32 -0800 Small Business: Start-Ups Still Seen Struggling In 2010 http://raagroup.posterous.com/small-business-start-ups-still-seen-strugglin http://raagroup.posterous.com/small-business-start-ups-still-seen-strugglin

By COLLEEN DEBAISE

Read an excerpt from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL COMPLETE SMALL BUSINESS GUIDEBOOK (Three Rivers Press).

The economic downturn has dimmed many entrepreneurs' hopes of opening a small business, as sources of funding have dwindled or dried up completely. And while many hope 2010 will be better, the outlook continues to be bleak.

The majority of entrepreneurs use personal savings or contributions from family or friends to fund their ventures, but personal wealth, often connected to the value of stock portfolios or homes, hasn't bounced back.

Kenneth MacKinnon

Kenneth MacKinnon, who wants to open a restaurant, networks with chefs on a fishing trip near Los Angeles.

SBOUTLOOK

SBOUTLOOK

Meanwhile, banks—under scrutiny by regulators—are continuing to strengthen capital reserves, making it difficult even for entrepreneurs with track records and years of experience to qualify for loans. And professional investors, stung by the financial meltdown, are meting out fewer capital infusions.

Kenneth MacKinnon moved to Los Angeles over two years ago with plans to start a tapas wine bar, but despite a high credit rating and collateral, including a home, the Scotland native says he has been unable to secure the $300,000 he needs from banks or private investors.

"The money supply has been shut off," says Mr. MacKinnon, who had run a successful seafood eatery for 15 years in the U.K. that he sold in 2007 before moving to the U.S.

Funding from angel investors, or high-net-worth individuals who provide capital to young companies, fell 30% to $9.1 billion in the first half of 2009 compared with the same period a year earlier. That figure is expected to remain flat for 2010, according to Jeffrey Sohl, director of University of New Hampshire's Center for Venture Research, which tracks the data.

What is encouraging, Mr. Sohl says, is the number of deals has ticked up slightly. While angels are investing less—$370,000 per deal in 2009, versus $530,000 in 2008—about 24,500 ventures received funding during the first half of 2009, compared with 23,100 the year earlier.

"They are still doing the deals, but the deals are much cheaper now," he says.

Venture capitalists, too, are continuing to invest, but typically in later-stage companies already in their portfolios rather than new prospects, says Mr. Sohl. The average deal size declined to $5.7 million in the first half of 2009, compared with $7.4 million to $7.8 million between 2005 and 2008.

As for Small Business Administration-guaranteed loans or conventional bank loans, the best thing about 2010 is that it won't be 2009, says Bob Coleman, publisher of "The Coleman Report," a La Canada, Calif., trade publication for SBA lenders. "We're better off than where we were 12 months ago, but we are nowhere near where we were two years ago," he says.

The SBA approved less than 45,000 loans for the 12 months ended Sept. 30, down 36% from a year earlier. Total volume for its flagship 7(a) loan was $9.3 billion, off year-ago levels by $3.4 billion.

Stimulus-related measures, however, contributed to an uptick in SBA lending in recent months. Mr. Coleman expects that trend to continue for 2010.

But SBA loans make up only about 1% of overall small-business lending, Mr. Coleman estimates. That figure may grow to 5% to 10% in 2010 as the government provides more incentives for financial institutions, especially community banks, to provide financing to small businesses, he says.

Still, getting the money may be a challenge. "Whether it's an SBA loan or a conventional loan, you really have to be perceived as the 'cream,'" Mr. Coleman says. Start-up entrepreneurs in particular will have to show they have a significant amount of their own savings in the venture, plus solid cash-flow projections, he says.

[SBOUTLOOK]

Maria Coyne, executive vice president and head of SBA lending at KeyBank in Clevand, agrees that start-up entrepreneurs will have to have a solid plan and assets. "They've got to get a good hunk of skin in the game, too," she says.

Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., estimates that entrepreneurs need on average $65,000 to start a business, two-thirds of which comes from personal savings and the rest from "informal" investors such as relatives and friends.

Although the stock market is starting to recover, housing values remain weak. Two years ago, relatives were more willing to invest because "they might have seen they had a couple hundred thousand dollars in equity in their house," says Babson entrepreneurship professor Andrew Zacharakis. "Today, that's a scarier proposition."

Lack of access to capital will also likely hamper entrepreneurs interested in buying a franchise, says Matt Shay, president of the International Franchise Association in Washington. The group estimates 2% growth in franchises for 2010 to over 901,000 establishments. That's better than zero growth in 2009, but off the average 5.6% growth per year from 2001 to 2005.

In the past, potential franchisees could finance a purchase if they could put 15% to 20% down. Now, banks require large down payments of between 40% and 50%, Mr. Shay says.

Babson's Prof. Zacharakis says he's seeing companies doing more with less, including asking friends and family to work for free. "Instead of capital infusions, there might be a lot more exchanges of services or trading favors," he says.

In Los Angeles, Mr. MacKinnon says he's considering taking on partners so he can open his long-planned bar. Instead of starting from scratch, he might invest in a failed restaurant.

University of New Hampshire's Mr. Sohl says he believes "we're done with the downdraft," though he remains cautious for 2010. "People aren't ready to bet the farm," he says.

Write to Colleen DeBaise at colleen.debaise@wsj.com

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:13:52 -0800 Should Credit Card Transactions Be Free? There May Be A Way » StorefrontBacktalk » Blog Archive » http://raagroup.posterous.com/should-credit-card-transactions-be-free-there http://raagroup.posterous.com/should-credit-card-transactions-be-free-there

Franchisee Columnist Todd Michaud has spent the last 16 years trying to fight IT issues, with the last six years focused on franchisee IT issues. He is currently responsible for IT at Focus Brands (Cinnabon, Carvel, Schlotzsky’s and Moe’s Southwestern Grill).

Envision a world where credit card transactions are free. How could we accomplish such an outrageous feat? Well, crazy things can happen when you start to apply IT problem-solving initiatives to business issues.

I just finished reading “Free – The Future Of A Radical Price” by Chris Anderson. Chris, the author of “The Long Tail,” discusses how several factors–including the constant reduction of technology costs–have enabled companies to give away valuable services to their customers. Examples include Google giving away search functions and videos on YouTube, eBay giving away free phone calls with Skype and Linux as a free version of Unix software. But for some reason, the costs of processing credit card transactions have been immune to the same trends that have provided free versions of far more complex technology. Why?

Somehow, the system has evolved in a way that primarily protects the banks at the expense of retailers and, ultimately, customers. From a purely technological perspective, credit card transactions should cost a fraction of what they actually do. Moore’s Law, loosely translated, states that the cost of technology will reduce by roughly 50 percent every 18 months. If this law is true, then why, after decades of credit card processing, does Home Depot pay more for credit card processing than it does for employee healthcare benefits?

A credit card transaction is fairly complicated and involves several different organizations/people:

  • The issuing bank: The bank that provides the credit card to the consumer.
  • The cardholder: The person who uses the card to make purchases at various retailers.
  • The merchant: The retail organization that accepts the credit card in exchange for goods or services.
  • The acquiring bank: The bank that processes the credit card transactions.
  • The bankcard association: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, etc.

    What is the big problem in this ecosystem? The merchant is the only one hit up for a fee to process a credit card transaction. The merchant pays a “merchant discount” to the acquirer, which then splits up the fee among itself (processing fee), the issuing bank (interchange) and the bankcard association (assessments). In the case of credit cards that offer rewards programs, the merchant also funds these customer perks through a forced higher interchange fee. Ridiculous! So how do we change it?

    Interchange rates should be demolished.
    Issuing banks will no longer be paid an interchange fee; instead, a transaction processing fee will be charged to manage the costs of providing authorizations, settlements and money transfers. The rate should be about equal to the current ACH transaction costs, which should serve as a good benchmark for the costs associated with moving money between two bank accounts. Rewards programs would then be completely funded by the issuing bank.

    Remove Overhead From The System.
    In this crazy New World, the bankcard associations are no longer in the transaction processing business. With 88 percent of all cards issued by the top 10 issuing banks, the acquiring banks should process directly with each issuing bank. They will take on this responsibility in exchange for lower assessment fees.

    Reduce Costs Through Improved Efficiencies.
    And what about the acquiring banks? Because their job will also be one of transaction processing, they will earn a flat monthly fee from each merchant rather than a transaction fee. A flat monthly fee? That is crazy talk! Now, imagine travelling back in time to 1999 and telling Michael Armstrong (then CEO of AT&T) that in just 10 years an Internet company would offer unlimited calling to anywhere in the world for just $24.99 per month. (Vonage recently announced this plan.) I’m pretty sure he would have told you that you were nuts.

    Subsidize The Remaining Costs With Someone Who Gains Value.
    OK, but I said that in this crazy New World credit card processing would be free. Except that the previous examples still add costs. Granted, this solution is a ton better than where we are today. But you were promised free. So, how do we get there? I’m going to leverage more of what I learned from Chris Anderson and his book. In the book, Chris discusses the concept of “free” as a “three party market,” where a third party subsidizes the costs of providing the goods or services between the merchant and the consumer.

    An example is how TV stations can offer you free programming in exchange for broadcasting advertisers’ commercials. In our crazy New World of free credit card transactions, we are going to subsidize the costs of credit card transactions by leveraging a three party market. So how do we do this?

  • Sell Receipt Space.
    Acquiring banks can work with merchants and POS companies to pass along small “banner ads” that are displayed at the bottom of each receipt. The merchant has the opportunity to set parameters for which ads are displayed to avoid conflicts, such as making sure that no competitors’ ads are run. In today’s media-heavy world, eyeballs are worth money.
  • Sell Signature Banners.
    Let the acquiring banks display small banners that are placed above the spot on the electronic signature pad where a customer signs for credit card purchases. This option could be used in conjunction with selling receipt space.
  • Sell Data.
    Allow marketers to access information about spending at your location. Each company would be aligned with a central catalog of different merchant types. The transactions would then be categorized and aggregated in a central system that can be used by marketers for a fee.
  • Sell More Data.
    Provide the line-item details of the transactions to a centralized database. The products and services would also be categorized and aggregated from many merchants. Although most large organizations would not dream of giving away such intimate data, thousands of small businesses would be happy to provide the data anonymously (only the industry would be required) in exchange for lower transaction fees.

    That’s my case. It feels a little like a Sprint/Nextel commercial doesn’t it? (What if IT people ran the world?) Find major holes in my theories? Disagree with the concept? Love it like RockBand? Let me know: Todd.Michaud@FranchiseIT.org.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:38:25 -0800 Job Growth Hindered by Interchange Fees http://raagroup.posterous.com/job-growth-hindered-by-interchange-fees http://raagroup.posterous.com/job-growth-hindered-by-interchange-fees

    Job Growth Hindered by Interchange Fees

    Hefty credit card interchange 'swipe' fees prevent small business owners from hiring new employees

    INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumers for Competitive Choice (C4CC) president Bob Johnson has a suggestion that will spur more job growth: interchange fee reform. The President and his economic team gathered yesterday to hear from some of the best and brightest CEOs, small business owners, and financial experts about ideas for continuing to grow the economy and put Americans back to work at a Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth. The meeting was held in advance of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' announcement today that our national unemployment rate remains in the double digits, at an unsettling 10%.

    Interchange fees are the charges that merchants, local governments, universities, or anyone else who accepts plastic, are assessed every time a transaction is completed by swiping or keying in a credit or debit card. Last year alone credit card companies received $48 billion dollars in these fees, this number up 300% since 2001. Not surprisingly, small business owners say that if they were not saddled with these skyrocketing fees, they would be able to spread those resources elsewhere - like hiring additional employees.

    "In 1995, CN Brown paid $353,000 in interchange fees," said Jinger Duryea, President of CN Brown, which owns Big Apple convenience stores across Maine. "In 2007, we paid $3,494,000 in interchange fees. This amount of money could stretch very far if any portion were available to us to hire additional employees or lower costs for consumers, rather than lining the pockets of credit card companies."

    Every dollar spent on interchange fees is a dollar not spent hiring workers or providing savings to customers. At an average cost of 2% per credit card swipe these fees add up quickly, and the potential savings or job growth that could result if the funds were not going to big banks and credit card companies is one that we cannot afford to overlook.

    "With the national unemployment still at a troubling level, we have a very long way to go before this economy is where we need it to be," said Johnson. "I have spoken with small business owners throughout the country these past few weeks and they all have one thing to say - credit card interchange "swipe" fees are increasing and are hurting both small business and consumers. This fact was recently supported by the Government Accountability Office's report on interchange fees."

    "Interchange fees are currently the highest expense for small businesses behind payroll and healthcare. The cost is astronomic, and we don't need a job summit to know that the jobs that could be saved or created if these fees are reduced are real. The numbers don't lie. Any level of relief would be a significant step toward our economic recovery. With unemployment holding steady in the double digits and small business growth being impaired, it is imperative that our Representatives and Senators in Washington take steps to reduce this unfair burden, especially considering the economic impact such reform could have."

    About The Credit Card Con

    The Credit Card Con is a project by the Consumers for Competitive Choice. For more information, visit The Credit Card Con website at www.thecreditcardcon.com.

    SOURCE Consumers for Competitive Choice

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:16:13 -0800 Vulnerability is Oxygen :David http://raagroup.posterous.com/vulnerability-is-oxygen-david http://raagroup.posterous.com/vulnerability-is-oxygen-david

    Most leaders avoid openness and vulnerability like the plague – some even view it like kryptonite. However, for the flawless leader, vulnerability is not optional; it’s oxygen! Without vulnerability and openness, a leader is trapped in a world that is severely limited by her own perceptions and assumptions.

    A mandatory vulnerability for flawless leaders is forgiveness. Forgiveness is often the only key that can dislodge a leader stuck in the trap of her own perceptions.

    “He knew that our enemies by contrast seem always with us. The greater our hatred the more persistent the memory of them, so that a truly terrible enemy becomes deathless. The man who has done you great injury or injustice makes himself a guest in your house forever. Perhaps only forgiveness can dislodge him” Cormac McCarthy, Cities Of The Plains.

    Forgiveness is just too abstract to discuss without making it personal with examples. Forgiveness must be experienced viscerally. Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables illustrates this eloquently. Jean Valjean, the main character, spends nineteen years in prison for stealing. He is released after being hardened and calloused by excruciating cruelty during his long sentence. Now, a former convict, he must carry identification that informs everyone he is lecherous and dangerous. After wandering four days in a merciless world that summarily rejects him, he is shown kindness by Bishop Myriel, who gives him a warm meal and shelter for the night. The tough, indifferent Valjean only knows a world of judgment, threats, and survival, and returns the first gift of love he has received in almost twenty years by stealing the Bishop’s silver and leaving in the night. The next day the authorities return with Valjean in custody to restore the stolen silver to its rightful owner. The Bishop unexpectedly swings open both the door and his arms widely, and warmly greets Valjean as a long lost friend. He exclaims he is overjoyed that Valjean has returned. Myriel then explains to the gendarmes that Jean had evidently forgotten to take the silver candlesticks that he had given him also. The police leave, and Jean Valjean’s hardened heart of stone melts as the Bishop explains that he forgives him. The Bishop’s gift of the silver is to start a new and honest life, a life full of love and power. Hugo’s tale then expounds on the beautiful transformation that occurs in Valjean’s life – a life that essentially becomes an enormous expression of compassion and kindness, a huge enlivening ripple in the sea of humanity from one flawless leader’s act of forgiveness.

    From this story we can clearly see the raw anatomy of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a three-part harmony that Myriel evidently knew well. It is 1) a recognition of evil and harm, 2) the willful abandonment of judgment and rightful resentment, and 3) authentic acts of undeserving kindness toward the harmful evildoer. While the evil of Valjean is necessary for forgiveness to occur, the clarity of self-identity and transcendent capability of Myriel is even more necessary. Hugo’s scene of forgiveness occurred more because of whom Myriel was than because of what Valjean had done. Let us also make no mistake, Myriel’s act of forgiveness was not selfless; it was appropriately self-caring and self-honoring. He was grounded in firm submission to a powerful purpose: the healing restoration and transformation of others. For by compassionately freeing himself from his wall of wounds, his vexing victimization, and his addictive prison of resentment, Myriel was able to lead Valjean toward his own freedom. Flawless leaders must first scale their walls of wounds, like Myriel, before they can free others.

    The lack of forgiveness is rooted deeply in most all societies. In Hemmingway’s short story The Capital of the World, he writes of a Spanish father who decides to reconcile with his son, Paco. The remorseful father places an ad in a newspaper saying “Paco, Meet Me At Hotel Montana Noon Tuesday. All Is Forgiven, Papa.” Caught up in the emotional desire for reconciliation when making the newspaper ad, the father did not realize that Paco is such a common name in Spain. On Tuesday, eight hundred young Pacos showed up at Hotel Montana, looking for their father’s love.

    Flawless leaders are willing to abandon power in favor of love, vacate condemnation in favor of compassion, jettison judgment in favor of acceptance, shuck self-protection in favor of vulnerability, ignore independence in favor of relationship, and forsake fairness in favor of forgiveness. Anger and resentment are appropriately human responses to injustice. Forgiveness is an appropriately super-human intervention of healing and restoration.

    What resentments limit your leadership? What forgiveness would set you free?

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:02:46 -0800 Important Information for WordPress.com Users | Direct Sales and Social Media http://raagroup.posterous.com/important-information-for-wordpresscom-users http://raagroup.posterous.com/important-information-for-wordpresscom-users

    CBR002938If you have taken a blogging course with me, then you already received an email from me with this information.  However, it’s such an important issue that I want to share it here with everyone.

    It was recently brought to my attention that WordPress.com is now outright banning MLM blogs, referring to them as “affiliate marketing” and “pyramid schemes.”  While I disagree with this assessment, and have alerted the DSA who is looking into the issue, it is important that you be aware of this, so that you don’t get your blog shut down.

    In my own correspondence with WordPress about the issue, here is their clarification:
    “Any kind of MLM blogs – or blogs created to direct readers to external domains for commercial purposes – are not permitted at WordPress.com. If you are creating the blog to make money, WordPress.com is not the place for you.”
    However in WordPress’s rules, they do allow business blogs to demonstrate expertise:
    “Business: Professionals ranging from realtors to lawyers and stock brokers are using WordPress to share their expertise, and companies have discovered the power of blogs to more directly and personally engage with their customers.”
    When I followed up with them asking about this, here is what they said:
    Jennifer: “If legitimate direct sellers are only using their blog to demonstrate their expertise, wouldn’t that fall under those rules?”

    WordPress: “Yes, but if the direct seller is continually linking back to their own domain to sell things, they will not be allowed. If the blog is purely information (with no intent to direct users elsewhere to buy things), that is perfectly okay.”

    You can read all the rules here: http://en.wordpress.com/types-of-blogs/

    If you follow the strategy laid out in my courses and teachings, you SHOULD be OK.  You should not be highlighting specific products or opportunity, but instead should be giving practical, actionable content that people can use right now without spending a dime.  However you will NOT be allowed to include a link to your personal website based on WordPress’ interpretation of the rules.  Instead, you should have a place for people to sign up for your newsletter, and you can share the link to your website there.  Be aware, however, that WordPress.com will shut you down without notice if they decide your blog is in violation of their rules.

    Please note that this does not apply to you if you are hosting your blog on your own domain.  However if you are using the free WordPress.com service, it is important to make sure you are in compliance.

    If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email WordPress directly at support@wordpress.com.

    What do you think about these rules?  Do you think the actions of a few “bad apples” is messing it up for the rest of us?  Is it fair?  Would love to read your thoughts below.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:45:11 -0800 Prices slashed on 25% of homes in Miami in Q3 http://raagroup.posterous.com/prices-slashed-on-25-of-homes-in-miami-in-q3 http://raagroup.posterous.com/prices-slashed-on-25-of-homes-in-miami-in-q3

    Twenty-five percent of homes listed for sale in Miami have had their prices reduced at least once between June and December, according to Trulia. The national figure is 22 percent.

    The San Francisco-based real estate Web site found the average price reduction in Miami was 15 percent, while the national figure was 11 percent, up slightly from 10 percent in the previous quarter.

    Statewide, 23 percent of listings had price reductions in the last quarter, with an average reduction of 13 percent, or $53,591.

    Nationwide, total listings fell 9 percent in December from the previous month, with the total amount slashed from home prices falling to $24.7 billion in December from $28.1 billion in November.

    “The tax credit extension has provided sellers with a much bigger window of opportunity, creating significantly less pressure to sell now,” Trulia co-founder and CEO Pete Flint said in a news release. “With economic indicators showing positive signs during the past couple months, many sellers will be poised to wait to sell. They want to sell at the highest price possible and, as inventory levels are seeing a 9 percent decrease from the previous month, there will be less competition amongst sellers, leading to less price reductions in the near term.”

    Cities that have experienced significant increases in percentage of listings with price reductions in the third quarter include:

    • Kansas City, Mo. – 40%
    • Omaha, Neb. – 39%
    • Houston – 32%
    • Minneapolis – 29%
    • Arlington, Va. – 28%

    Cities with the highest percentage of declines for listings with price reductions between June and November include:

    • Las Vegas – 30%
    • San Jose, Calif. – 30%
    • Long Beach, Calif. – 25%
    • Honolulu – 23%
    • Albuquerque, N.M. – 22%

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:43:47 -0800 State government revenue falls 16% http://raagroup.posterous.com/state-government-revenue-falls-16 http://raagroup.posterous.com/state-government-revenue-falls-16

    The U.S. Census Bureau reports that state governments took in nearly $1.7 trillion in total revenue in fiscal year 2008, a 15.8 percent decrease from 2007.

    The largest share of the state revenue came from taxes ($780.7 billion), which made up 46.5 percent of the total. The Census Bureau said the decline was primarily because of a decrease in insurance trust revenue, which fell by $377.7 billion (72.7 percent).

    Insurance trust systems include public employee retirement systems, the unemployment compensation system, state government workers’ compensation programs and other state social insurance trusts.

    Florida's total revenue was $69.2 billion last year, of which $35.8 billion came from taxes. Total expenditures were $76.9 billion, up from $72.7 billion in 2007. By function, the biggest chunk came from education, at $23.1 billion, followed by welfare, which totaled $18.06 billion, up from with $17.3 billion in 2007. Welfare expenditures comprised 23.5 percent of the state’s total expenditures in 2008.

    Other findings:

    • Total state government expenditures increased 6.2 percent from fiscal year 2007, totaling $1.7 trillion in 2008. Education ($546.8 billion), public welfare ($412.1 billion) and highways ($107.2 billion) represented the top three outlays, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all state government total expenditures.
    • Eleven states spent more than 25 percent of total expenditures on public welfare, with Tennessee (32.8 percent), Maine (30.5 percent) and Rhode Island (29.8 percent) spending the highest percentage of their total expenditures.
    • Public welfare spending, used to support people based on need, includes such items as old-age assistance, temporary assistance for needy families, and commodities and services provided under welfare programs, including medical care or burial services.
    • Hawaii (11.5 percent), Alabama (10.1 percent) and South Carolina (9.9 percent) led in spending on public health and hospitals as a percentage of total expenditures.

    The findings come from the 2008 Annual Survey of State Government Finances, which includes data on revenue, expenditures, debt, and cash and security holdings for each state, as well as a national level summary.

    Click here to access the report.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:42:06 -0800 S. Fla. home value losses top $45B in 2009 http://raagroup.posterous.com/s-fla-home-value-losses-top-45b-in-2009 http://raagroup.posterous.com/s-fla-home-value-losses-top-45b-in-2009

    South Florida ranks among the five markets in the country with the biggest home value losses – down $45.9 billion in 2009, according to the latest statistics from Zillow.

    Still, that’s better than the $137.2 billion in value lost in 2008.

    The improvement also is reflected on the national level, where U.S. homes lost $489 billion in value during the first 11 months of the year, significantly less than the $3.6 trillion that was lost in 2008.

    Forty-eight of the 154 markets tracked by Zillow showed gains in home values this year, with the Boston metropolitan statistical area showing the largest gain, at $23.3 billion. The Providence, R.I., MSA was second, with a $12.4 billion gain.

    Fewer single-family homeowners also were underwater in the third quarter – 21 percent, down from 23 percent in the second quarter, according to Zillow.

    “Most housing markets across the country had a good summer, spurred largely by the government’s tax credits for homebuyers combined with very low mortgage rates,” said Stan Humphries, Zillow’s chief economist, in a news release.

    However, he noted that demand is expected to drop as mortgage rates creep back up, and the number of foreclosures remains high.

    On Tuesday, Condo Vultures reported that there were 7,000 foreclosures last month in the tri-county area.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:06:50 -0800 GTM Research http://raagroup.posterous.com/gtm-research http://raagroup.posterous.com/gtm-research
    December 1, 2009

    The United States PV Market: Project Economics, Policy, Demand, and Strategy Through 2013

    Demand for PV projects in the United States is rapidly expanding as a result of falling system prices, stimulus funding and new regulatory incentives. As the recession retreats, the U.S. is poised to become the largest global demand center for PV. Anticipating this trend, global solar market players from all parts of the value chain are seeking strategies to gain access to U.S. PV demand. Simultaneously, the market itself is evolving as utility-scale projects gain steam and innovations in project financing emerge.

    However, the U.S. does not offer a singular demand market for PV. Rather, it is an amalgamation of 50 states, each of which has a unique set of incentives, regulations, electricity prices and political processes. Even within most states, these factors differ according to electric utility service territory and/or municipality. These factors ultimately impact PV demand and project economics differently based on project size, market segment, and end customer. Developing a downstream U.S. PV market strategy requires a deliberate, highly specified approach to each application, state market and market segment.

    This report stands alone as the only analysis to provide the full range of tools necessary to develop a strategy to address each market. In addition to considering national trends in project financing, incentives and demand dynamics, it analyzes the 16 key state markets individually, accounting for each state’s unique incentive structure, solar availability, historical market size, barriers to adoption and electricity prices. It projects demand by market segment within each state, and uses these projections to develop a bottom-up forecast for the entire nation by state and by market segment. Finally, it contains competitive analysis of the project developers, integrators, and financiers that comprise today’s market, and the characteristics they will need in order to thrive as the market expands.

    IN THIS REPORT:

    • Demand projections by market segment for sixteen primary state markets, together comprising over 97 percent of national demand
    • Analysis of demand drivers, incentive value, and subsidized grid parity for each market segment in each state
    • National bottom-up demand forecast by state and market segment
    • Competitive analysis of market players and development strategies
    • Comprehensive listing of incentives and regulations that impact the PV market, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the stimulus package) and the potential for federal cap-and-trade
    • Analysis of trends in project financing and comparison of financing structures
    • Profiles of 31 residential, commercial and utility-scale project developers with U.S. operations

    KEY FINDINGS:

    U.S. PV Demand Grows in 2009 Despite the Recession: Grid-connected PV demand will reach 440 MW in 2009, up from 320 MW in 2008. In an upside economic scenario, demand could reach 544 MW in 2009. The residential sector and local/state government projects drive demand growth, thanks to stimulus funding and the recently uncapped residential Investment Tax Credit. California retains its dominant market share, accounting for 205 MW in the base case scenario, or 50 percent of national demand. Secondary markets in Arizona, Colorado and New Jersey support demand growth.

    U.S. PV Market Becomes Global Demand Leader by 2012: Over the next four years, the U.S. will experience the most rapid demand growth of any major PV market. Base case U.S. PV demand grows to 1,515 MW in 2012, with annual growth from 2008 to 2012 averaging 48 percent. The upside scenario sees demand reaching 2,022 MW in 2012. During this period, the U.S. surpasses Spain, and potentially Germany, to become the leading global PV market.

    Secondary Demand Markets Gain Increasing Importance: Although California’s market share remains relatively steady at around 50 percent of national capacity second-tier markets gain increasing value as their absolute size increases. By 2012, combined base case demand from leading secondary states Arizona, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada and Massachusetts reaches 376 MW.

    Price Convergence Between PV and Grid Electricity Already Reached in High-Demand Locations, 11 States to Follow by 2012: We model projects in 16 states to determine when post-incentive PV generation costs and grid electricity will converge. Each state offers an incentive package that favors some market segments over others. Price convergence in these markets is heavily sector-dependent. States with high levels of demand, such as New Jersey and California, have already experienced price convergence in particular market segments, while others stand on the precipice. By 2012, 11 of 16 states will have surpassed price convergence in the commercial sector, and ten will have done so in the residential sector.

    New Financing Models Drive Residential Sector Growth: Financing models that obviate the need for direct ownership will drive residential market growth. Though we predict residential price convergence in a number of states, we maintain that up-front cost and simple payback are the two factors gating demand for residential projects. The expansion of residential solar financing through leases or power purchases agreements with little up-front cost will enable the residential sector to grow to 363 MW by 2012 in the base case.

    Utility-Scale Demand Gains Market Share Through 2012: Utility-scale installations will be the fastest growing market segment, stealing market share from the commercial sector and reaching 466 MW in the 2012 regulatory scenario. This is a result partly of RPS requirements and a wave of new solar-specific RFPs in states with solar carve-outs. It is also a result of heightened interest in utility ownership of PV, for which there are numerous economic and operational benefits for utilities.

    Successful Project Developers Build Adaptation Into Their Market Strategy: Unlike Germany, Spain or Japan, the U.S. is comprised of 50 differentiable PV markets. With changes occurring both over time and by location, addressable markets are in a constant state of flux. Successful project developers will build adaptation into their market strategy, rather than seeking to minimize its necessity. By doing so, they will turn the complexity of the U.S. market into an advantage, rather than a limitation.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:11:57 -0800 Florida M&A activity poised to rise - South Florida Business Journal: http://raagroup.posterous.com/florida-manda-activity-poised-to-rise-south-f http://raagroup.posterous.com/florida-manda-activity-poised-to-rise-south-f

    Florida dealmakers said merger and acquisition activity is all but dead this year, but an Association for Corporate Growth/Thompson Reuters poll found 71 percent expect the market to pick up in 2010.

    Ninety-five percent of dealmakers polled characterized the current M&A market as fair or poor, but 71 percent said they expect activity to increase next year.

    The dealmakers said it remains a buyers’ market for strategic investors. They identified the hottest areas for mergers: health care and life sciences (22 percent), financial services (19 percent) and business services (19 percent).

    The survey is conducted twice each year. The most recent poll, undertaken in October and November, was completed by 921 association members and Thompson Reuters customers, including 38 in Florida.

    Click here to read more.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:15:26 -0800 "Social Awareness" To Replace Social Networking http://raagroup.posterous.com/social-awareness-to-replace-social-networking-0 http://raagroup.posterous.com/social-awareness-to-replace-social-networking-0


    Social Awareness to replace Social Networking

    The Internet of Things is fast approaching and with it comes Web 3.0, where "social awareness" will replace "social networking." Soon tweets and status updates will become fully automated and generated by the world around us versus us ever having to touch a keyboard again.

    Ambient intelligence systems are being developed with sensors and smart objects that will instantaneously create awareness about our whereabouts. This data will then be shared with our social networking and messaging platforms. Our friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter will be alerted automatically without us ever having to manually tweet or post a status update.

    Achilles KameasAchilles KameasAchilles Kameas, a senior researcher at the Research Academic Computer Technology Institute (raCTI) of Patras, Greece coordinated the EU-funded ASTRA project which brought together researchers from multiple disciplines, including psychology, interaction design, knowledge engineering and computer science. Their mission is to take social networking to the next level.

    Internet of ThingsInternet of ThingsIn my past blogs, I have written about the Internet of Things and Semantic

    Technology where Web 3.0 will eventually no longer need the input of humans, because all the content warehoused from the Web 2.0 era will be able to data-mined by machines and use when needed .

    Users of a social networking platform based on the ASTRA approach would no longer need to post status updates manually to let their family know what they are doing or where they are. Surrounded by smart objects and sensors in their home or office, the system will continually update their status information, automatically telling friends that they are unavailable to receive a phone call while they are busy cooking

    or that they do not want to be disturbed during a business meeting.

    This video gives you a glimpse of the future which is just around the corner. The ASTRA project examines "social awareness" and how it extends the primary tenets of social networking that addresses our need to stay in touch with family and friends or to be reassured regarding our own well-being.

    According to Kameas, creating mobile apps is the next step in the "social awareness" process and consumer electronics manufacturer Phillips and mobile operator Telenor are presently conducted trials of the ASTRA technology.  So soon there'll be an app for that!

    The response of test users, Kameas says, "has been generally positive, although many have raised concerns about privacy and security issues." In that regard, the Kameas notes that the system is similar to Facebook and other online services in that users can choose how much information they share and with whom.

    The researchers developed their approach based on the so-called focus-nimbus model to determine what information is shared and what is received by different people in a social network. A Psych Central report states that "in this context, a person’s nimbus consists of the type, amount and detail of information they want to share with others, while their focus contains the type and amount of information they choose to receive from others, including their reaction to the person’s nimbus."

    In an ITC Results report, Kameas notes, “it’s like a window. You can leave it wide open, pull the curtain, or close the blinds. Then, what you choose to put on display in the window, be it content or an activity, can be seen by others.”

    So the future is here, my friends. As long as it took us to get to Web 2.0, like everything else in life, we will soon be seeing it fade into our rear-view mirrors. It will be interesting however to see whether Twitter, Facebook and the other social networks transition into this brave new world, or whether they'll be stuck in a time warp, unable to adapt to the change!

    See you on the other side!



    Ron Callari
    Society and Trends Writer
    InventorSpot.com

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:28:28 -0800 82 Million Location-based Mobile Social Networking Subscriptions by 2013 | Press Release | ABI Research http://raagroup.posterous.com/82-million-location-based-mobile-social-netwo http://raagroup.posterous.com/82-million-location-based-mobile-social-netwo

    Mobile location-based social networking is expected to become a key driver for the uptake of location-based services as it provides a unifying framework for a large set of applications such as friend finders, local search and geo-tagging. While many LBS applications will include features allowing the sharing of real-time experiences via fixed social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, fully-fledged mobile location-based social networking sites will also gain momentum with more than 82 million subscriptions expected by 2013.

     

    “While growth will be mainly driven by the availability of multimedia-centric GPS handsets, other mobile form factors will also become important”, says ABI Research director Dominique Bonte. “Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) with built-in GPS receivers have been announced, with location-based social networking site GyPSii supporting Moblin-based Intel Atom processor-powered MIDs. Connected PNDs and outdoor GPS solutions are other obvious candidates for location-based networking. Nissan Carwings’ in-car telematics solution allows the sharing and ranking of fuel consumption in Japan.”

     

    Licensing agreements with carriers and handsets manufacturers will be a crucial success factor for location-enabled social sites to reach critical market share. While initially a wide range of business models will coexist, ultimately advertising-based models will prevail due to the perfect fit with the local search- and content-driven social context.

     

    Another important trend is the emergence of location-enabled instant messaging with applications such as Palringo Local and Nokia Chat enriching mobile communication with location context.

     

    ABI Research’s study Location-Based Mobile Social Networking offers insight into trends, social networking features, drivers, barriers and includes detailed descriptions of solutions and market players, with special focus on business models. It also provides recommendations to all major players and shipment and revenue forecasts per region and per location-based social networking type. It forms part of the Location Aware Services, Consumer Mobility and Mobile Content Research Services.

     

    ABI Research is a leading market research firm focused on the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets. Utilizing a unique blend of market intelligence, primary research, and expert assessment from its worldwide team of industry analysts, ABI Research assists hundreds of clients each year with their strategic growth initiatives. For information, visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:02:26 -0800 Social Media Predictions For 2010 http://raagroup.posterous.com/social-media-predictions-for-2010 http://raagroup.posterous.com/social-media-predictions-for-2010


    Social Media Predictions for 2010!

    With the first decade of the new century and new millennium coming to a close, its time to look forward at some of the prognostications that several of today's visionaries have divined from their social media crystal balls.

    These predictions are meant to be thought-provokers more than a specific road map, and derive from an eclectic assembly of thought leaders,entrepreneurs and folks who are in the trenches every day dealing with the evolution of social media in our very many global neighborhoods.

    Based on this research, I have also added findings from my own humble analysis that supports, questions and occasionally disputes some of these predictions.

    Southeast Asia, Next Social Media Hotspot


    Jimmy WalesJimmy WalesJimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia thinks the most important changes ahead will be forged by the “next billion people coming online, mainly in India and China.” He discussed the cross-cultural impacts as people from various backgrounds, cultures, and linguistic heritages “mix and match in amazing ways.”

    This year I interviewed Shane Lennon, senior vice president of marketing for GyPSii, a location-based social network. On this topic, he noted that their company has "secured relationships with China Telecom and China Mobile." According to Lennon, "while social networks are built around the premise of who you know (a rather limiting force)," he sees "more of a future and one that’s playing out in China right now - that connects people (based) on where they are located." (see more on the topic of location-based networks below).

    Web 2.0 Attacks & Political Tension


    In a recent Websense report, it was noted that Web 2.0 attacks will increase in sophistication and prevalence. In the coming year, their analysis suggests that there will be a greater volume of spam and attacks on the social Web and real-time search engines such as Topsy.com, Google and Bing.com. In 2009, researchers have seen increased malicious use of social networks and collaboration tools such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Google Wave to spread attackers’ wares. Spammers’ and hackers’ use of Web 2.0 sites have been successful because of the high level of trust users place in the platforms and the other users.

    On August 6, I reported on Twitter's announcement that it was "defending against a denial-of-service" attack which was initiated when hackers commanded a whole army of computers to attack a particular site. As the story played out we learned that this attack was based on a very old turf dispute between Russia and Georgia. In my estimation, it is clear that social networking will become a new battleground for opposing forces around the globe to threaten and harass each other. This coupled with the Iranian Election Protests, I predict that more of this these types of global tensions will bubble up over into the social media space in 2010.

    The Growing Popularity of eReaders


    Sarah Rotman EppsSarah Rotman EppsJames McQuiveyJames McQuiveyAccording to Sarah Rotman Epps and James McQuivey of Forrester Research, eReaders will get apps, too. "As anyone with an iPhone knows, apps are where the magic happens: They make the device infinitely more useful." iRex Technologies, which has a B2B e-reader business in Europe and is launching its first consumer-targeted e-reader in the U.S, will release an SDK (software development kit) so that software developers can make their own apps for the iRex DR800SG. Rotman and McQuivey said they "wouldn’t be surprised to see Amazon launch a Kindle app store, too, including anything from a social-reading app from Goodreads to an enterprise app from Microsoft or Oracle would make e-readers vastly expand the possibilities for consumers and businesses."

    As far as the iPhone replacing the Kindle, there is evidence to indicate the contrary.  While the "Kindle for iPhone" is a possibility, particularly since a user doesn't have to purchase another expensive device, the iPhone's small screen is cumbersome. My research indicates that for the voracious reader, the Kindle’s size and feel is more comparable to the book reading that many of us have grown accustomed to. Its advantage over an actual book is its light-weight and the ability to store hundreds of books in one self-contained device.

    Magazine and Newspaper Apps


    Sarah Rotman Epps and James McQuivey have also weighed in on magazine and newspaper publishers launching their own apps and devices. "Magazine and newspaper publishers aren’t satisfied with the way their content looks and functions on the Kindle and Sony Readers—they want color, video, interactivity, the ability to sell ads and control the subscriber relationship." Old media moves slowly, but in 2010 we’ll see them crawling towards some solutions. Time Inc.‘s John Squires is spearheading an effort to get other magazine publishers together in a joint venture, which would sell access to digital versions of their magazines that could be consumed on portable devices.

    In November, I reported on ZenNews and its Zensify life-streaming app that provides a cutting-edge analysis of the latest breaking news stories from sources in real-time using a "tag cloud" visualization technology. All articles are available to read as click-thrus and include news from acclaimed news sources such as the The Guardian, AlJazeera, CNN and the NY Times.

    Location-Based Social Networks


    Pete CashmorePete CashmorePete Cashmore from Mashable recently reported in his CNN column, that "Fueled by the ubiquity of GPS in modern smartphones, location-sharing services like Foursquare, Gowalla, Brightkite and Google Latitude are suddenly in vogue...with Foursquare (potentially becoming) the breakout services of the year ... provided they're not crushed by the addition of location-based features to Twitter and Facebook."

    Cashmore also believes that "location is not about any singular service; rather, it's a new layer of the Web. Soon, our whereabouts may optionally be appended to every Tweet, blog comment, photo or video we post."

    In a recent report I published titled, "Pinpointing Popularity: Social Networking Gets Physical," my claim is that the potential of LBS lies in the hands of the major players who have been developing this technology for the last couple of years.

    Whether or not ‘location’ becomes the must-have service for Twitter and Facebook to entertain and potentially absorb will most likely be based on monetization. And based on the forecasted numbers around the globe, it looks like location-based social networks are scaling fairly well in that arena - with Foursquare out front, not only striking deals with developers and new apps but also with restaurants, bars and gyms.  As a result, my prediction is that Foursquare and perhaps Gowalla will monetize their networks to a lucrative position faster than Twitter in 2010.

    Augmented Reality Success or Bust?


    augmented realityaugmented realityCashmore's position on AR is somewhat mixed. While he believes, "it's yet to become part of the consumer consciousness- it has attracted early-adopter buzz in the latter part of 2009," he has his doubts as to its continued functionality.

    Enabled by GPS, AR maps the data from the likes of Google and the accelerometer technology in modern phones and overlays data on your environment with reviews of the restaurants you walk past and Wikipedia entries about the sights you see.

    According to Cashmore, "the challenges for such services is to prove their utility - they have the 'cool factor,' but can they truly be useful."

    While I understand Cashmore's concerns, I think there were several examples of AR used effectively in 2009 that counters his position. In an analysis I conducted in October, titled, "Real-Time Augmented Reality: Future or Fantasy?" I uncovered a application for AR that utilized real-time search most effectively.

    Sporting events are perfect venues to adapt this type of technology, and this past June, Wimbeldon was the first major international arena to actually test it. The beta version of the Wimbeldon Seer developed by IBM, which runs on Google’s G1 smartphones provided fans at this past year’s matches with AR read-outs about what was being viewed during the tournament. The Seer’s features included match updates, players’ stats, newsfeeds, menu items available at the refreshment stands and could even tell you if the lines at a particular restroom were too long. All the real-time data on this system came from Wimbeldon’s own controlled channel.

    Companies to develop social media policies


    Dave AmanoDave AmanoDavid Armano's Harvard Business Publishing report asserts that "if the company you work for doesn't already have a social media policy in place with specific rules of engagement across multiple networks, it just might in the next year." From how to conduct yourself as an employee to what's considered competition, it's likely that you'll see something formalized about how the company views social media and your participation in it.

    My tongue-and-cheek review back in October, titled, "Social Media Nazi Says 'No Twitter For You'" explored the 'prohibition' of Twitter and Facebook in the workplace. While Armano touches on the possibility of a formalized employee 'social media' handbook, I think there are going to be more stringent social media restrictions put in place as it pertains to social networking at your place of business.

    Affecting more than half of all businesses in the US and according to a new survey conducted by Robert Half Technology, fifty-four percent of companies have completely blocked social networks at work, while another nineteen percent will only permit it "for business purposes." According to a CNET Report, social networks "have become so ingrained in culture and communication that some companies choosing to block them can appear draconian rather than prudent." Unfortunately , this 'big brother' trend, I believe will see even more traction in 2010.

    Web 3.0 or the Semantic Web


    The Semantic Web, which has been discussed, debated and debunked by many of the social media gurus mentioned here will emerge as a major sea change in 2010 as to how we conduct business and socially interact on the Web.

    Peter SweeneyPeter SweeneyAccording to Peter Sweeney, founder of the semantic technology firm Primal Fusion, "Web 3.0 is industrial" and as an industrial entity "the automation of tasks displaces human work." He states that "instead of users manually creating content, machines will automate the heavy lifting. Consumers simply push the buttons and get stuff done. Think textile
    mills versus spinning wheels."

    Semantic web refers to the web-study of interlinked documents accessed via the Internet. Web pages are generally written in HTML,which describes the structure of information i.e the syntax but not the semantics. But if the computers can understand the meaning behind the information then this can help us surface the information that we are looking for more expeditiously. There are quite a few Web 3.0 applications we have been exposed to already including the likes of Twine, Google Squared and Mozilla Ubiquity. Also many regard Google Wave as the first major door-opener of Web 3.0 wave era.

    In my article, "'Social Awareness' To Replace Social Networking," I see us getting closer to the 'Internet of Things' where 'social awareness' will aggregate everything we do online to the extent that tweets and status updates will become fully automated by the world around us versus us ever having to touch a keyboard again. This will be accomplished by the coding of every object, appliance and entity we interact with on a daily basis where all of our movements will be recorded, stored and communicated automatically when appropriate. This coupled with all of our content being warehoused for future data-mining purposes, the involvement of humans for some of these tasks will no longer be needed (as noted above by Sweeney).

    My feeling is that while real-time search, location-based social networks, augmented reality and the other predictions noted here will all make significant inroads in 2010, the one most noteworthy will be Web 3.0  --  as all of these other new developments will have a direct correlation with how that movement unfolds.

    The next decade has been marked as the beginning of the age of semantic technology. Once that ball starts rolling downhill, all of these other social media components will unfold at a faster and faster clip. Jennifer LeggioJennifer LeggioJennifer Leggio, also known as "Mediaphyter" notes in a ZDNet article, that "2010 is the year that social media will just be, rather than serving as a shiny new toy." I concur with Leggio's assumption that social networking will become ubiquitous, and add that Web 3.0 will replace Web 2.0 as the next new shiny thing we can't stop talking about in 2010.



    Ron Callari
    Society and Trends Writer
    InventorSpot.com

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:40:13 -0800 News & Views / Demand for Broadband Revised Upward http://raagroup.posterous.com/news-and-views-demand-for-broadband-revised-u http://raagroup.posterous.com/news-and-views-demand-for-broadband-revised-u

    COOPERSTOWN, NY  - A new method for calculating broadband take rates reveals that demand for broadband is significantly higher than it was thought to be – a finding that changes the business case for service providers considering further buildouts.

    Consulting firm Brian Webster Consulting published a revised methodology for calculating broadband take rates in the United States. Using the approach described in Webster’s new white paper, the broadband adoption rate in areas where broadband services are available is 72.9 percent, or about 10 percent higher than currently accepted industry estimates. The report has a breakdown for each state.

    Based on these higher take rates, broadband deployments or expansions may be economically viable in areas once written off due to low household density. More accurate data and the ability to identify exactly where unserved homes are located leads to better-informed deployment strategies and more effective use of funding to address unserved households.

    “Combining the enhanced broadband take rate with other economic data and trends as input to return-on-investment models and analysis,” notes Haig Sarkissian, principal consultant at Wireless 20/20 LLC, “builds additional confidence for investors on the merit of the broadband deployment business case.”

    Brian Webster Consulting teamed with data provider Gadberry Group to design and prototype an approach that provides near address-level provision for broadband consumption and take rates.

    “Earlier this year we provided several first-round [stimulus funding] applicants with block-level demographics, including consumer broadband usage,” explains Gadberry Group principal Larry Martin. “Combining these data with innovative analysis techniques has led to this new perspective on broadband take rate.”

    “By leveraging our years of mapping experience, we help our clients strengthen their business case and go-to-market plans, allowing them to present their cases more clearly with images as well as with hard data,” says Brian Webster, principal consultant. “With the new insight provided by the census block take rate, business case analysis is further enhanced, thereby reducing the risk in the broadband investment and deployment.”

    The complete white paper is available on the WirelessMapping Web site .

    WirelessMapping.Com has been providing wireless and geospatial mapping services for seven years, both with and without accompanying demographic reports that show the number of households covered or passed. Most recently WirelessMapping has been involved in census block level mapping and demographic support services to clients developing applications to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funding through the NTIA BTOP and RUS BIP. Past and current clients include Lockheed Martin, EarthLink, Covad, Federal Engineering, Sprint PCS, ExteNet Systems, Southern California Gas and Electric, Strix, Thunder Bay Telephone Company and BroadbandCensus.com.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:12:42 -0800 p_12032009 http://raagroup.posterous.com/p12032009 http://raagroup.posterous.com/p12032009

    First National Database of Broadband Connectivity and Usage Slashes Prep Time, Increases Accuracy of Stimulus Proposals, Opens Markets for Broadband Carriers

     

    NORTHFIELD, MINN. (December 3, 2009) — Broadband stimulus grant applicants can cut proposal prep time, dramatically reduce their risk to challenges and create more accurate statewide broadband maps to support a national broadband strategy using the first national broadband database. BroadBand Scout from data and analytics company ID Insight reports broadband connectivity and usage down to the census block, also helping broadband service providers open new markets.

    BroadBand Scout provides instant access to the data required to successfully apply for grant monies from the $7.2 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 broadband stimulus program. This same data also allows broadband and wireless carriers to cost-effectively target new areas for service expansion and better research competitors.

    BroadBand Scout was developed by a unique analytical survey process of accessing the millions of records in ID Insight’s proprietary databases that were initially assembled to track retail activity. By combining known Internet access information with address-related data, BroadBand Scout allows clients to see connectivity and usage at the most granular level. For more information, visit www.IDInsight.com/broadband.asp.

    “Communities, carriers and states have been starving for this data,” said ID Insight president Adam Elliott. “Understanding current broadband usage by geography is an ongoing need for stimulus applicants as well as for the broadband and wireless carrier community. By creating easy access to extensive data and sophisticated analytics, we see a phenomenal opportunity for service providers and communities to develop a data-driven approach to planning so they gain access to grant monies that may have otherwise been impossible to get.”

    One of the biggest frustrations of stimulus grant applicants is compiling the necessary broadband usage data as required by the federal agencies awarding the funds. They are further frustrated by the difficulty in defending proposals from challengers who claim incumbents already cover the areas where applicants plan to provide broadband. With BroadBand Scout, communities and companies are able to accurately identify broadband access and usage when requesting grants from the broadband stimulus program.

    ID Insight is partnering with broadband industry expert Craig Settles, president of Successful.com, to deliver professional services that assist stimulus grant applicants prepare and defend their proposals, and help state broadband mapping teams effectively execute their projects. “The key to effective broadband strategy, both locally and nationally, is to capture accurate connectivity data directly from consumers and businesses,” said Settles. “ID Insight offers an excellent combination of expediency and accuracy that broadband project leaders need.”

    In October 2009, the first grant application to receive funding was for statewide broadband mapping projects to support the FCC’s efforts to develop a national broadband strategy. BroadBand Scout enables states to launch their projects faster and execute with greater accuracy to meet the FCC’s requirements. Other stimulus funding awards should be announced in January 2010. There is one additional round of stimulus funding with all funds distributed by September 30, 2010.


    ID Insight is currently licensing the data and information to companies, states and communities. The data is available in reports summarized at the state, county, tract, block group or block number levels. Using its patent-pending analytics system, ID Insight can also provide case-by-case consulting services to predict additional high-potential expansion markets. Besides grant applicants, these services are valuable to broadband carriers looking for insights, validation and competitive advantage for their plans to open new markets.

    Broadband Webinar
    Broadband industry expert Craig Settles and ID Insight president Adam Elliott are co-hosting a free Webinar to discuss the vital role accurate broadband usage data and coverage maps play in implementing an effective national broadband strategy on Wednesday, December 16, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern. To register, visit https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/212771379.

    About ID Insight
    ID Insight, the innovator in Access-Point Intelligence, knows more about people and their access points -- physical addresses, IP addresses, phone numbers and other points where fraud occurs -- than any other identity-fraud risk-assessment company. Based in Northfield, Minn., the company combines its massive collection of data on people and access points with patent-pending analytics to help companies prevent fraud, reduce costs and capture more business. ID Insight provides next-generation market research, verification, authentication, and fraud solutions to financial services companies, credit issuers, retailers, online merchants and wireless providers nationwide. For more information, visit www.IDInsight.com.

    About Successful.com
    Successful.com has delivered community broadband services since 2006, though it provided services to technology companies and end-user organizations beginning with its inception in 1986. Previous needs assessment clients include the City of Glendale, Calif., the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles and several cities in Santa Clara County, Calif. For over 20 years the firm’s workshops, consulting services and books have helped government and other organizations worldwide use technology to cut costs, improve business operations and increase revenue.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:06:26 -0800 Broadband Maps Available From ID Insight http://raagroup.posterous.com/broadband-maps-available-from-id-insight http://raagroup.posterous.com/broadband-maps-available-from-id-insight

    NORTHFIELD, MN  – A new set of nationwide broadband maps is now available from analytics firm ID Insight. According to the company, these maps enable broadband stimulus grant applicants to cut their proposal preparation time, reduce their vulnerability to challenges and create more accurate statewide broadband maps to support a national broadband strategy. BroadBand Scout from ID Insight reports broadband connectivity and usage down to the census block, also helping broadband service providers open new markets.

    BroadBand Scout provides instant access to the data required to successfully apply for grant monies from the broadband stimulus program. This data also allows broadband and wireless carriers to cost-effectively target new areas for service expansion and better research competitors.

    Spinoff From Retail Databases

    BroadBand Scout was developed by an analytical survey accessing the millions of records in ID Insight’s proprietary databases that were initially assembled to track retail activity. By combining known Internet access information with address-related data, BroadBand Scout allows clients to see connectivity and usage at the most granular level.

    “Communities, carriers and states have been starving for this data,” says ID Insight president Adam Elliott. “Understanding current broadband usage by geography is an ongoing need for stimulus applicants as well as for the broadband and wireless carrier community. By creating easy access to extensive data and sophisticated analytics, we see a phenomenal opportunity for service providers and communities to develop a data-driven approach to planning so they gain access to grant monies that may have otherwise been impossible to get.”

    One of the biggest frustrations of stimulus grant applicants is compiling the necessary broadband usage data as required by the federal agencies awarding the funds. They are further frustrated by the difficulty in defending proposals from challengers who claim incumbents already cover the areas where applicants plan to provide broadband. With BroadBand Scout, communities and companies are able to accurately identify broadband access and usage when requesting grants from the broadband stimulus program.

    ID Insight is partnering with broadband industry expert Craig Settles, president of Successful.com, to deliver professional services that assist stimulus grant applicants prepare and defend their proposals, and help state broadband mapping teams effectively execute their projects. “The key to effective broadband strategy, both locally and nationally, is to capture accurate connectivity data directly from consumers and businesses,” says Settles. “ID Insight offers an excellent combination of expediency and accuracy that broadband project leaders need.”

    In October 2009, the first grant application to receive funding was for statewide broadband mapping projects to support the FCC’s efforts to develop a national broadband strategy. BroadBand Scout enables states to launch their projects faster and execute with greater accuracy to meet the FCC’s requirements. Other stimulus funding awards should be announced in January 2010. There is one additional round of stimulus funding with all funds distributed by September 30, 2010.

    ID Insight is currently licensing the data and information to companies, states and communities. The data is available in reports summarized at the state, county, tract, block group or block number levels. Using its patent-pending analytics system, ID Insight can also provide case-by-case consulting services to predict additional high-potential expansion markets. Besides grant applicants, these services are valuable to broadband carriers looking for insights, validation and competitive advantage for their plans to open new markets.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:27:38 -0800 Are Credit Card Interchange Fees Hurting Your Business? | Business Money Matters http://raagroup.posterous.com/are-credit-card-interchange-fees-hurting-your http://raagroup.posterous.com/are-credit-card-interchange-fees-hurting-your

    Several weeks ago convenience store operator 7-Eleven submitted a petition to Congress to protest the fees that credit card companies charge retailers each and every time a customer uses credit instead of cash to purchase its goods.  These are known in the industry as interchange fees and according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, amounted to 1.82% of every transaction made in the U.S. in 2008.

    The article also detailed that this meant $45.3 billion in additional fees for U.S. banks, 75% of which stemmed from them using the Visa and MasterCard brand names.  American Express charges even higher interchange fees given it serves a higher-brow client base that many merchants like to cater to.  And apparently Diner’s Club charged rates as high as 7% for the privilege of accessing its privileged members when its cards first came out on the market.

    The year-over-year increase in banking fees garnered was 78% and is serving as ammo for 7-Eleven and other like-minded retailers to claim the fees are getting out of hand.  Not surprisingly, the industry has countered that the average interchange fee has actually decreased in recent years and was closer to 2% back in 2005.

    What Exactly is an Interchange Fee?

    An interchange fee is the amount that credit (and debit) card companies charge businesses and represents a cost for accessing its vast system of cardholders and payment network that executes the transaction, starting from the store charge and ending when it shows up on the client’s statement as is paid off.  Banks also earn hefty interest from consumers that rack up credit card debt and is not a cost born by merchants.

    Letting banks and other credit card issuers take on credit risk (risk of nonpayment) is a definite perk for retailers, the majority of which don’t offer in house credit programs themselves.  It also makes payment much easier for consumers and allows them more flexible payment options (e.g. pay off the balance with one payment at the end of the month, pay it off over time with credit, or pay-as-you-go with a debit card).  Another key perk is a points program that allows a card holder to receive 1% of all purchases back in the form of points that can be used to buy plane tickets, other merchandise, etc.

    The Merchant Foots the Bill

    The benefits offer sweet deals for credit card companies and consumers but it is merchants that must foot the bill.  The fees also loom large for many retailers as they already operate with razor-thin profit margins.  For instance, many mom-and-pop gas stations lacking 7-Eleven’s purchasing clout have gone out of business in the past couple of years on the combination of credit card fees and gasoline profit margins that evaporated along with record-high oil prices.

    The Bottom Line

    The good news for merchants is that current industry sentiment favors taking a closer look at interchange fees.  Europe and Australia already regulate these fees to keep them between 0.3% and 0.4%.  They are unlikely to fall this low any time soon in the U.S., but the downward pressure on interchange fees isn’t going away any time soon.

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo
    Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:26:00 -0800 Credit Card Experts for the Lodging Industry http://raagroup.posterous.com/credit-card-experts-for-the-lodging-industry http://raagroup.posterous.com/credit-card-experts-for-the-lodging-industry

    What's Your Rate?

    Short Answer -- Interchange + 50 Basis Points + 5 Cents

    When I started in the merchant account business over 20 years ago and a prospective merchant asked “What’s your rate?” it was easy to simply quote 1.69 % + 20 cents, take out my pen, and start writing up the paperwork. Wow has that changed. Over the past two decades MasterCard and Visa, in their infinite wisdom, has developed a daunting list of interchange rules based upon your type of business, what type of card is presented by the consumer, the amount of the sale, what type of data you enter into your terminal or software, and if you swipe or manually key in the sale. In the 1980’s I could count on one hand the number of different interchange categories while today the list is over 100 pages long. Up until recently interchange was a trade secret guarded like the recipe for Coke but now it is publicly posted on Visa and MasterCard’s corporate websites.

    It is important to know that every merchant account provider is bound by the exact same interchange schedule. It is the markup from this schedule that determines what you will ultimately pay. There is no such thing as wholesale rates, not even for the largest retailers. So when today a sales rep quotes you a tiered rate such as 1.69 % you really have to ask for the rest of the picture as very few of your transactions will qualify for that rate. As you can see from the chart below interchange cost for almost every category is higher including all rewards cards, business type cards and keyed cards. Therefore only swiped debit/check cards and small ticket (Under $15) sales in a limited number of business types have an actual cost lower than 1.69 %. In this example one could expect that most sales would be downgraded to a mid-qualified or non-qualified rate which usually adds 1 to 2 % to the qualified rate.

    OK, so why do we have rates on our site similar to the 1.69 % example. The reason is because it has been so embedded in merchant’s minds over the years to just say “What’s your rate?” that it would be foolish for us to not at least offer this popular option. However, the educated merchant (which we want you to be), including most every large merchant knows that the least expensive option is Interchange Plus pricing. That is why Credit Card Processing Services offers all of our merchants either tiered pricing or the following low cost interchange plus pricing schedule.

    Printer Friendly Copy

    CATEGORY INTERCHANGE ADD 30 BP + 10 Cents YOUR RATE
    Visa Check Cards  
    CPS Hotel - Debit Cards 1.46 % + $0.15 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 1.76 % + $0.25
    Visa Credit Cards  
    CPS Hotel - Credit Cards 1.68 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 1.98 % + $0.20
    CPS Rewards 2 T&E 2.00 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.30 % + $0.20
    Signature Card Electronic 2.40 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.70 % + $0.20
    Visa Commercial Cards  
    Business Card Electronic 2.50 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.80 % + $0.20
    Corporate Card Electronic 2.30 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.60 % + $0.20
       
    MasterCard Offline Debit Cards  
    Merit 3 - Debit Cards 1.15 % + $0.15 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 1.45 % + $0.25
    MasterCard Credit Cards    
    Merit 3 - Credit Cards 1.68 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 1.98 % + $0.20
    MasterCard World & Elite Cards  
    World Card T&E 2.40 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.70 % + $0.20
    World Elite Card T&E 2.85 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 3.15 % + $0.20
    MasterCard Corporate & Business    
    Face-to-Face Corporate Cards 2.15 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.45 % + $0.20
    Face-to-Face Business Cards 2.42 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.72 % + $0.20
    World & World Elite Business T&E 2.60 % + $0.00 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.90 % + $0.10
    Diners Club Electronic 2.10 % + $0.00 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.40 % + $0.10
           
    Discover      
    Hotel - Debit Cards 1.45 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 1.75 % + $0.20
    Hotel - Credit Cards 1.81 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.11 % + $0.20
    Hotel - Premium Cards 2.40 % + $0.10 Add 30 BP + 10 Cents 2.70 % + $0.20
         
       
    Interchange Rates already include Dues and Assessments which we have rounded off to 10 BP
    Interchange Plus Pricing available for all lodging properties processing at least $10,000 per month in volume
    Visa Dues and Assessments are .0925%  
    MasterCard Dues and Assessments are .0950%  
    Discover Dues and Assessments are .0950%  
       
    Interchange Table Current as of June 2009  

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    http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/528087/My_headshot_from_lowery_park_zoo_with_Haley.jpg http://posterous.com/users/36ERfAKfmCeB Richard Angulo raagroup Richard Angulo