Couch Reporter

Oberpfaffelbachen to Launch a BMW Across Atlantic

A video about a fictional plan to launch a BMW in the U.S. is guerilla marketing at its best. Is this the future?

Official Rampenfest Web site: http://www.rampenfest.com/
Jeff Schultz on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffschultzusa
Jeff Schultz’s Blog: http://jeffschultz.wordpress.com/
On CNN: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/
emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=773792755

Setting Up Your eBay Business

Setting up your eBay business starts with registering for an eBay account. You have to complete a short form on their website to do this. Next, you need to register for a PayPal Premier account. This will allow you to process credit cards as well as payments between PayPal members. PayPal will charge you a fee for each payment that is sent to you (3.9%+.30 USD for low-volume, 2.9%+.30 USD for high-volume sellers).Now you have to list your first item. To do this you have to click on the Sell tab on the top right corner of eBay’s home page. You then have to type in what your item is. It gives you two options to either use the simplified SYI (sell your item) form or the longer SYI using more customized options. I strongly recommend using the full version of the SYI.

If it’s your first listing, you’ll also have to enter your credit card information to verify your identity (and to ensure that you’re able to pay your fees on your invoice)

It’s that simple.

UFC Fight Night 13 and TUF on Spike Tonight!!! …and upcoming UFC PPV’s.

WEC 33 Tonight on Versus 9pm est.

Tonight - ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series

When: ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series
When: March 21 ‘08 @ 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast)
Where: Santa Ynez, CA; Chumash Casino
Watch: SHOWTIME

I don’t know too much about the rest of the fight card outside of the main event, but Malaipet is a sick Muay Thai fighter.

European Travel and the Declining Dollar

In recent years, many Americans are reluctant to travel to Europe because of the U.S. dollar’s declining exchange rate. As of 3/04/2008, 1 euro was equivelant $1.52 U.S. If considering travel, this can drive up the cost of a European trip significantly, if you don’t do your research.

This is the second year in row I opted to travel to Europe on a cruise verses traveling independently. A cruise is an economical way to see Europe without worrying about the exchange rate. A 7-day cruise for 2 that visits 6 cities will cost less than if you traveled independently to the same destinations and paid for hotels, transportation and food in dollars converted to euros.

To begin the bargain hunt for a cruise, I suggest you choose a date, destinations and departure port ahead of time. Go directly to the cruise line sites like royalcaribbean.com and carnival.com to review costs and discounts from the operators. You will need to decide what type of cabin you desire as there are many choices. Some cabins will be offered at a discount or with perks like on-board credit for purchases. For example, Royal Caribbean offered a senior discount for promenade and ocean view cabins only. The cost of a promenade view with the senior discount (55 years or older) was the same cost as a interior room which generally goes for less. These discounts are often worth the cabin upgrade.

Once you have an idea of what your needs are, it is beneficial to call the cruise line and inquire for the least expensive cabins available. Then begin comparison shopping from there. Expedia.com and Travelocity.com actually offered the same cruise for less than the operators. Royal Caribbean will hold a reservation with a $250.00 deposit, which is fully refundable so you can game the system to find the best deal. Expedia will hold a cruise reservation for up to 7 days without a deposit. You must ask up front and keep in mind any penalties for canceling or changing a reservation. For instance, once you place a deposit with Expedia there is a $50.00 cancellation fee if you change your mind.

So, as the saying goes, what are you waiting for? Get out there and see the world.

Links: www.royalcarribean.com | www.carnival.com | www.expedia.com | www.travelocity.com

Photo Credit: Martin Meissner/AP Photo

Spitzer Resigns in Disgrace Over Scandal

In a startlingly swift fall from grace, Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned Wednesday after getting caught in a call-girl scandal that made a mockery of his straight-arrow image and left him facing the prospect of criminal charges and perhaps disbarment as reported by Associated Press Writers Verena Dobnil and Michael Gromley on Yahoo.com.

Source: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080312/ap_on_re_us/spitzer_prostitution

Scandal Puts Spitzer’s Career in Danger

Okay, so how tired are we of this sort of headline? As AP writer Amy Westfeldt reports on yahoo.com, Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s political career teetered on the brink of collapse Monday after the corruption-fighting politician once known as “Mr. Clean” was accused of paying for a romp with a high-priced call girl

The Democrat faced immediate calls to step down after a news conference in which a glassy-eyed Spitzer, his shell-shocked wife at his side, apologized to his family and the people of New York.

So, should he resign? Maybe he just needs to go to rehab for 3 weeks and all’s well that smells swell. Chime in y’all.

Source: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311/ap_on_re_us/spitzer_prostitution

Photo Credit: Reuters Photo

The Recession of 2008 is Now Unavoidable

The news keeps getting worse. The prospect that a recession is underway is becoming more of a reality each day. In a report by David Leonhardt of the New York Times, the dismal jobs report released Friday showed overall employment to be lower than it was three months ago. Every time such a slump has occurred since the early 1970s, a recession has followed — or already been under way.

For months, policy makers and Wall Street economists have been predicting, and hoping, that the aggressive series of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve would keep the economy growing, despite the housing bust. But the possibility seemed to diminish almost by the hour on Friday. Stocks fell when the markets opened at 9:30, recovered and then fell again, with the Standard & Poor 500-stock index closing down 0.8 percent.

Leonhardt states the National Bureau of Economic Research, a group of academic economists that is based in Cambridge, Mass. is the most commonly cited arbiter of recessions and it is usually not clear whether there had been a recession until the bureau had made an announcement. In my opinion, all we have to do is look around at how many of our piers are out of work or see if we are making the same salaries that we were earning in 1999 to make an assessment.

Tell us what you think or how the current state of the economy is affecting you.

Source: www.nytimes.com/2008/03/08/business/08recession.html
?ex=1205643600&en=cdefa5618a1b59ab&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Stocks Hit Lowest Levels in Over a Year

Alexandra Twin, CNNMoney.com senior writer reports on a grim day on Wall Street. According to her story posted today, Stocks tanked Friday, falling to the worst levels in nearly 18 months after a weak February employment report and more financial sector woes exacerbated recession fears.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost 1.2%, falling to its lowest point since Oct. 11, 2006. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 (SPX) index fell 0.8%, closing at its lowest level since August 23, 2006. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) lost almost 0.4% and ended at its lowest point since Sept. 11, 2006.

When the dust settled, Wall Street had tumbled to 2006 levels as investors eyed the biggest job losses in 5 years and more financial sector problems. Have a nice weekend.

Source: money.cnn.com/2008/03/07/markets/
markets_wrap/index.htm?postversion=2008030717