(Insert a somewhat unintelligible grunt. Which, in Jennifer language, translates roughly to: good morning, all. Do try to enjoy your Monday.)

Here are some assorted updates since my site last week went kerflooey and got hacked to bits.

It seems my web host experienced a walloping bout of hacking occurrences over a several week period. Clean-up here is an ongoing process as we struggle to restore the site back to health after this whole stupid thing; my sidebars are being particularly vexing. Grumble.

Officially I’ve had it with spam.

(Yes, I’m a fucking cry-baby.)

Akismet is installed and now captures hundreds of comments per day. As a non-tech type of gal, I’m baffled what might have triggered such a large onslaught of spamm-y comments lately. But I am getting buried in the assault. At least Akismet is storing them nicely for me, which is a huge positive. I am trying very hard to ensure that legitimate comments aren’t slipping through the cracks.

Also, there has been progress on my latest financial challenge to raise money as a stay-at-home mommy. I am somewhat surprised by this as I didn’t expect to write an update so early on. However, I have earned $312 in side income since restarting the clock and blasting off with my new benchmark of raising $1,000, somehow.

Every penny of that, for those interested, was compensation for past written articles on another site.

That is a good chunk of change and all ready I have managed to scamper nearly 1/3 of the way to the finish line. Yeahhhh, doggies! (Of course, I have totally jinxed everything by writing this, and doomed myself to a dusty and parched next couple of months.)

Still! Progress is remarkably encouraging. Let’s hope the momentum continues.

In unrelated news, here are some reads from around the personal finance blogopshere for your perusing pleasure, to help slog through those Monday blahs:

The Money Principle – £100K ($157K) to zero in three years flat: we are debt free!

Modest Money – Money Problems $999.99 Cash Giveaway Contest – How Job Stability Affects Finances

Brick By Brick Investing – Selling Options — How To Start Your Own Casino

Sixty Payments – Breakfast Casserole and Valentine Hearts

Reach Financial Independence – Little house in Guatemala, Week 14-15

Club Thrifty – My Credit Score: Why I Don’t Care and You Shouldn’t Either

I really don’t feel like accomplishing anything this afternoon, but I should buckle down and try to get some research done for an upcoming writing project. That, and curl up for a few hours with a deliciously banal novel and a huuuge plate of nachos.

=^..^=

As soon as we stepped into the sunniness of the lobby, I felt right at home. Libraries are like the perfect sanctuary—where it is okay to tip-toe about and wander a bit lost before stumbling into different worlds. It is okay to slip away for a time. To engage in deep thought. Everyone keeps a respectful distance and no one questions or judges you or anything. Nobody gives a shit.

Lexi and I shilly-shallied near the rear stacks. A smartly dressed man was glancing through Forbes magazine and we maneuvered past him to settle into a quiet seating area near the window. The cresting rail of the chair dug into my back as I hoisted Lexi onto my lap. I twisted about to get comfortable in order to get through some readings of Dr. Seuss and Curious George.

Look, Mommy! Lexi pointed in awe at all of the dragons and faeries and stories full of whimsy surrounding us, her rosebud lips forming a delicate ‘o’ as tiny features filled up with that concentrated wonder of: omg, so many books! A wee imagination that was unfolding into new and different worlds of exploration and magical adventures.

My itty-bitty bookworm.

A library is where books live and it’s impossible not to feel tranquil in that quiet atmosphere. I love circling through all of the stacks and slowly thumbing through the different volumes before delving into a certain section. As silly as it sounds, somehow it makes me feel more illuminated. More relaxed. As if somehow the books are transferring their deepest secrets to me.

Does that sound insane?

…perhaps not, but books can be that perfect companion.

Have you recently visited a local library or bookstore?

~¤~¤~

If you haven’t had an opportunity to do so, here is a list of reading material to sustain you through the weekend. So grab a coffee and relax with some of these epic reads from the personal finance blogosphere:

The First Million is the Hardest – The 99 Best Personal Finance Posts of 2012

Femme Frugality – For the Love of a Turtle

Brick by Brick Investing – Slow is Smooth & Smooth is Fast

My Money Design – Welcome Back to Work – Did You Notice Your Paycheck is Lower?

Tackling Our Debt – Blog Planner – Grab Your Free Digital Copy

LBee and the Money Tree – Financial Realities: Living with Endometriosis

Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses – Bye Bye Rainy Vancouver, Hello Sunny Thailand!

Frugal Rules – Even More Blogging Tips From a Beginner

Edward Antrobus – December 2012 Net Worth Update

When Life Gives You Lemons…Add Vodka – Beat Those Winter Blues

Monster Piggy Bank – Using Coupons to Save Money

Reach Financial Independence – 13 Money Resolutions for 2013: #6 Crush Your Debt!

Young Adult Money – Save Money: 5 Sources of Free Entertainment

The Money Principle – About New Year’s Resolutions, Saving and Wasting

Modest Money – Not Paying For Someone Else’s Mistakes

Debt RoundUp – Should You Consolidate Credit Card Debt?

Work Save Live – Rock That Debt – Reader’s Budget Analysis

Canadian Budget Binder – Get Out of Debt First, Then Focus on Saving

Club Thrifty – My Escape from Hotel Hell

Master the Art of Saving – Saving Up Money To Pay Cash For A Car

Digital Personal Finance – How Frequently Should You Check Your Investments?

Happy reading!

=^..^=

So dear reader, laze about with me and enjoy this weekend scouring edition of Broke-Ass Mommy, filled with some winter babies of the fuzzy nature.

Brr! All ready for the winter! (source)

First up is some link crushin’ and I really enjoyed reading all of these posts from some of my favorite financial blogs. Here are some epic reads to cozy up to:

Brick By Brick Investing – How A Single Person Should Live If They Want To Be Rich

Tackling Our Debt – Blog Planner – An Effective Way to Organize and Manage Your Blog

My Money Design – Budgeting Advice to Help Keep You Motivated

Frugal Rules – First Steps to Investing in the Stock Market

Monster Piggy Bank – Has Christmas Become too Commercial?

Reach Financial Independence – Little house in Guatemala, week 6

Club Thrifty – Guarding Your Personal Information from Corporate Interests

Pelican on Money – Has Your Boss Been Naughty or Nice?

Canadian Budget Binder – Winter Vehicle Maintenance…Costing You Less In The Long Run

Free in Ten Years – Men: Save money by cutting your own hair

Femme Frugality – The Best Way for College Students to Stay Financially Fit

Making Sense of Cents – Maintaining a Minimalist Wardrobe

Young Adult Money – Is Collecting things a Waste of Time and Money?

Debt RoundUp – Free Shipping Day Is December 17

When Life Gives You Lemons…Add Vodka – The Zero Food Waste Challenge: 10 Tips to Avoid Throwing Food Out

Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses – Battle of the Bulge – Losing Weight with the Help of a Scale

The Frugal Path – Credit Cards: Do You Spend More With Them?

The Dog Ate My Wallet – Becoming a Better Boss, Now That I Don’t Have Anyone to Boss Around

Master the Art of Saving – How To Decide Which Financial Goal To Tackle First

Edward Antrobus – Bad Behaviors at a Company Holiday Party

Work Save Live – How Do You View Your Money?

The Money Principle – Four reasons why freelancing leaves me lukewarm

First Million Blog – Saving Half of My Income – Can It Be Done?

Digital Personal Finance – Income Is Important!

Mama! (source)

Some Broke-Ass Mommy Golden Oldies. Enjoy these golden oldies dug up from the archives:

• Baby Dribbly-Doo – Those beginning months of Mommyhood are just hilaaaarious. Here is when Lexi first started experiencing extreme separation anxiety.

• An ‘I’m Frazzled’ Friday” – Sometimes you wake up and just, oof. Frayed nerves spooling everywhere. Here is how I cope with an episode of the frazzleds. Grumble.

Broke-Ass Mommy was featured in the following carnivals: (a colossal thank-you to each host)

1. Yakezie Carnival at RamblingFever Money
2. Carnival of Retirement at Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses
3. Y and T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
4. Carnival of Financial Planning at Master the Art of Saving
5. Carnival of MoneyPros at Life Insurance by Jeff

a purring beauty

And now, some gratuitous searches that may have led you here:

“important financial lessons I’ve learned” … do share.

“frazzled” … bourbon helps.

“grimy bitches quotes” … hah!

“need coffee good morning” … I am so dreadfully tired too.

Let me know how your weekend is chugging along.

=^..^=

Time seems to evaporate sometimes in our little apartment. Even with trembling barren branches scraping across the bedroom window and the onset of dark gray skies, time is standing still.

I love jamming chilly toes into my pale gray slippers or wool socks in the morning. Sipping on Egyptian licorice tea, which has a subtle warming sweetness without being cloying. Gazing at Lexi as she naps so contently against my chest, all flopsy and delicious and warm. I am enjoying these winter-ish mornings, as a crisp dappling glow creeps through the room to lap at the threads of our mahogany couch. Quiet moments that stir my soul and allow me to scamper through the meadows of my imagination.

My butter bean loves to chatter now, although I can’t understand more than a word or two of her gibberish. It is her own secret language to know and if I’m lucky, she will allow me an occasional glimpse inside her magical little world. I am so humbled by her and my days feel so, so full.

When she smiles, my world explodes. Full of wonder. My sweet girl.

Why, don’t I look dapper this a.m.?

And now it is time for some link crushin’. Enjoy some of these epic reads from the personal finance blogosphere to cozy up to:

The Free Financial Advisor – Can’t Save? Write It Out, Bitches!

Pelican on Money – 10 Habits of People Who Are Well Off

Master the Art of Saving – Getting the Most From Your Life Altering Moments

Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses – Taking Personal Finance Blogs with a Grain of Salt

Making Sense of Cents – Identity Theft (Someone bought a house in my name)

Femme Frugality – Upcycle Scarves into Hats

Frugal Rules – How do Credit Cards Make Money? I Found Out the Hard Way

Plunged in Debt – Curb Watching and Ways to Get Free Stuff

Canadian Budget Binder – Budgeting With Mr.CBB Got Us Back On Track!

Reach Financial Independence – Being Outside of Average

Modest Money – It’s Your Blogging Journey, You Make The Rules

Club Thrifty – Toys ‘R Us Corporate Policy: Stealing?!?

Broke-Ass Mommy was featured in carnivals this week:

• Carnival of Retirement at Finance Product Reviews
• Y and T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
• Carnival of MoneyPros at Vanessa’s Money
• Yakezie Carnival at My Family Finances

I have been receiving a steady increase of organic traffic through Google search terms and here were some of the highlights this week.

And now, some gratuitous searches that may have led you here:

“a broke ass first time” … I certainly empathize, my friend. My wallet is empty too.

“scrooge mcduck investing” … yeesss!

“funny rat with hair” … i found a funny rat with fuzzy white patches when I opened the foyer door to our apartment building. You may claim her from beneath my porch stoops. Answers to the name Miss Squiggy.

“wiped out financial” … Another sympathetic nod. It’s le suckage, I know. Time to start rubbing together those pennies. You’ll probably be fine with discipline. And copious amounts of booze.

(I kid.)

Have a great weekend dudes. Unburden thyself!

=^..^=

ahh, spreading link love (and some Sunday snoozin’)

But first, I would like to recognize shared tweets for Broke-Ass Mommy this week, for which I send endless gratitude. (You guys really are awesome.)

Frugal Rules | @FrugalRules (Twitter)
The Frugal Path | @Thefrugalpath (Twitter)
Plunged In Debt | @plungedindebt (Twitter)
One Smart Dollar | @OneSmartDollar (Twitter)
Femme Frugality | @femmefrugality (Twitter)
Money Smart Guides | @MoneySma (Twitter)
Reach Financial Independence | @RFIndependence(Twitter)
Canadian Budget Binder | @CanadianBudgetB (Twitter)
Eyes on the Dollar | @Eyesonthedollar (Twitter)
Modest Money | @ModestMoney (Twitter)

These reads sure are a hit!

Enjoy some of these epic reads from the personal finance blogosphere:

Femme Frugality – Help Me Earn A $10,000 Scholarship! <--- You need to take a moment and vote, y'all!

Frugal Rules - Four Minutes That Changed My Life Forever

Buck Inspire – Two Year Blog Review By Looper Buck Inspire

Canadian Budget Binder – My Best Financial Tip

The Dog Ate My Wallet – A Story of Immigration & Healthcare

NZ Muse – The Importance of Being Yourself (or, every blogger’s biggest asset)

Club Thrifty – The Amazing Power of Debt

Money Smart Guides – Are You Pretending To Be Rich?

The Free Financial Advisor – Meet Me: Average Joe

Reach Financial Independence – Calculating the Weighted Average Interest Rate on Your Debt (and why I am not paying mine faster)

Monster Piggy Bank – Buying Land and Building a House – Part Two

One Smart Dollar – Designing A Savings Plan

Modest Money – Avoiding Blog Comment Trackback Spam

When Life Gives You Lemons…Add Vodka – Spending Money Isn’t Bad

Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses – Why I Don’t Think Hiding Your Spending Is Such A Bad Thing

Free In Ten Years – Thou Shall Own and Ride a Bicycle

Student Debt Survivor – Student Loans are “Good Debt”?

Money Master Mom – Have Fun at the Mall, I’ll Be at the Thrift Store

harro!

Broke-Ass Mommy was featured in the following carnivals (a colossal thank-you to each of these hosts):

Canadian PF Happy Hour at Canadian Personal Finance
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at See Debt Run
Carnival of Retirement at Family Money Values
Y and T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty

Vaguely questionable search terms. I smell a rat. (Credit: All4Humor)

And now, some gratuitous searches that may have led you here (and left me scratching my head):

“Jennifer Lynn, broke ass mom”

“broke ass single moms”

“gooshie”

“scrooge mcduck blog financial” <--- very nice!

“importance of savings of money in small ways” <--- Yeeesss!

“giraffes too drunk”

“mommy’s ass will convert you”

Ha ha ha, some of these are more than vaguely questionable and I couldn’t make this stuff up. Soo, hopefully you’re all preparing for a productive week ahead.

Cheerio, darling.

=^..^=

just. ugh.

So far our Wee One has managed to flip Daddy’s mug on the coffee table and unravel our paper towels while we scrambled to clean up after her carnage. Currently she is running amok with the remote and trying to scale a cardboard box. Soon we will wrangle up our little devil and cart her off to the in-laws for lunch.

But first, I would like to recognize shared tweets for Broke-Ass Mommy this week, for which I send endless gratitude. (You guys are awesome.)

Modest Money | @ModestMoney (Twitter)
Frugal Rules | @FrugalRules (Twitter)
Monster Piggy Bank | @MPiggyBank (Twitter)
Canadian Budget Binder | @CanadianBudgetB (Twitter)
Reach Financial Independence | @RFIndependence(Twitter)
Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses | @momoneymohouses (Twitter)
Money Smart Guides | @MoneySma (Twitter)
Femme Frugality | @femmefrugality (Twitter)
LBee and the Money Tree | @Lbeemoneytree (Twitter)
Kristine Snyder | @Krissylynn (Twitter)
Well Kept Wallet | @deaconhayes (Twitter)
Eyes on the Dollar | @Eyesonthedollar (Twitter)
Make Love, Not Debt | @LoveNotDebt (Twitter)

Enjoy some of these epic reads from the personal finance blogosphere:

Krantcents – A Couple Tips For A Successful Interview

Savvy Scott – How Do You Protect Your Assets?

Well-Kept Wallet – Top Ten Business Quotes

Plunged in Debt – My Friend Won the Lottery

The Free Financial Advisor – How Much Did This Election Really Matter?

Making Sense of Cents – $3,700 in Extra Income in October and My Goals

Broke-Ass Mommy featured around the web this week:

• MMD at My Money Design with Weekend Wind Down 11/03/2012 – Epic Post Next Week.
• Glen at Monster Piggy Bank awarded Broke-Ass Mommy with a fourth place trophy with MPB – Pool Room Posts #3. Woo!
• Jeremy at Modest Money with November 10th 2012 Favorite Blog Posts.
• James at Free In Ten Years (including his own excellent example of the power of compounded savings through rice) with 5 articles to make you more frugal.
• Erin at Erin Shanendoah shared her thoughts in a hundred words with Blog Feature: Broke Ass Mommy
• Mo’ at Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses with Weekly Link Love: Seinfeld Is Amazing Edition

I received an increase of organic traffic through Google search terms and here were some of the highlights.

Gratuitous Searches that may have led you here (and left me scratching my head):

“happy birthday spooky witch”

“ten fingers drunk”

“giraffe coin”

“moms small ass”

“broken ass first time”

Ouch. Broken ass first time? Now that’s a travesty.
Stay safe out there.

=^..^=

For example, during one assignment I was sent on a shopping excursion in order to scout out the lip balm section from a venue of my choice. My mission was to document (with photos) where display setups were from the front door, how aesthetically-pleasing displays were arranged, and then base conclusions on how each brand was propped up/packaged, etc. It was a bit hilarious trying to discreetly zigzag through the aisles in order to document everything on my phone. Clerks tend to look at you a bit oddly for wandering around trying to snap pictures randomly.

The best part: I generously was compensated $150 for my participation!

My first focus group, for lip balm. Also featuring my daughter’s ‘sad doggy’—she drags this damn thing everywhere. (That’s my ‘cutie poo’ tote in the background.)

Which leads us onto … “My Financial Challenge Update“.

As a stay-at-home mommy without a reliable income stream, I made a financial challenge at the start of summer to raise $1,000, somehow. This is how things currently stand:

(All income was made from writing projects, sponsors and focus group participation.)

June – $80.00
July – $57.71
August – $425.80
September – $0
October – $262.50
November – $150.00

TOTAL: $976.01

SO. CLOSE. Just a hair’s breadth away from my $1,000 milestone. Wheeee doggies!

Broke-Ass Mommy Site Stats

Subscribers –

July 3rd:
2 subscribers (Can I send you something to express my gratitude? A tater tot, perhaps?)

August 8th:
18 subscribers

September 5th:
31 subscribers

October 20th:
73 subscribers

November 9th:
185 broke-ass subscribers, as of this morning.

Alexa Rankings –

July 10th: 3,507,434
July 30th: 1,236,943
August 6th: 906,877
September 5th: 369, 754
October 12th: 261,838
(current) November 9th: 211,222

Page Rank: 2 3!! <— Check your Page Rank, folks. There was an update recently.

~¤~¤~

In unrelated news, here are some personal finance reads featuring some of my favorite lady bloggers on the internets. They are all kinds of awesome:

Frugal Portland – My Personal Philosophy at Age 31

NZ Muse – On Unabashedly Saying ‘No’ to Booze

When Life Gives You Lemons…Add Vodka – Why A Courthouse Wedding Is Not For Me

Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses – What Do Our Spending Choices Say About Our Values?

Budgeting in the Fun Stuff – Do You Fit Fun Into Your Life?

Mochi and Macarons – What Does It Mean To Be An Adult?

Little Miss Moneybags – Little Miss Milkbags–Would You Sell Your Breastmilk?

The Dog Ate My Wallet – Growing Your Professional Network

Master the Art of Saving – No Mortgage Payments For A Year—Sign Me Up!

~¤~¤~

Broke-Ass Mommy was featured in the following carnivals (a colossal thank-you to each of these hosts):

Finance Carn. for Young Adults at 20s Finances
Y and T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
Canadian PF Happy Hour at Canadian Personal Finance
Yakezie Carnival at Parenting and Money
Carnival of MoneyPros at Finance Product Reviews
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at My University Money
Carnival of Retirement at CashNetUSA Credit Resource

~¤~¤~

Now, onto the weekend.

Time to get your weekend started.

Have anything you want to accomplish by the end of the weekend?

Do tell.

=^..^=

Lexi is so, so proud to clumsily sprint ahead now, and my heart does these fancy little somersaults, all twisted-like, every time she turns to peek slightly over her shoulder. To check. To know that I am close, to grasp onto.

My days are now full of her laughter and her exquisite shenanigans, and it is such a cozy place to be.

On the financial front, M. and I are discussing various goals—a conversation which was ignited by our beloved, fatally-wounded MacBook yesterday, as it decided to shit the bed on us—and we have decided to implement some type of envelope system for our savings. Just, right now our wish list is so long and varied and somehow we must begin to organize our thoughts and prioritize all of these wants, in order to focus more and make a bit of progress toward each of them.

Last night we curled up with chilly fingers and hot tea to quietly murmur over these things: what percentage for long-term savings (with the principal never to be touched—we decided on 20%), and what percentage to stash into tiny vanilla envelopes, with each of our goals scrawled across in spotty ink. It is hard to believe that at some point in the future these envelopes will all brim with crumpled tens and twenties. There are excited whispers of introducing strict “no spending days” as we eagerly anticipate contributing to each of our financial goals.

Progress is exciting. Stagnation = boo!

More soon,

me.

It is Monday. (Again.)

Some PF link crushin’ to get you through the rubbish of Monday.

Here are some personal finance reads floating around the blogosphere, for your distinct perusing pleasure:

LBee and the Money Tree – Broken Heart, Broken Wallet-Part 1.

My Money Design – My Money Design For Achieving Financial Freedom

Modest Money – What Happens to Debt When You Die?

Canadian Budget Binder – How To Have The Wedding of Your Dreams and Still Be Frugal

So Over This – My Credit Cards Are Plotting Against Me

Money Life and More – How Much A Cheap Cruise Really Costs

Club Thrifty – Top 5 Finance Apps to Keep Your Finances in Check

Simple Debt Free Finance – The Worst Things For Your Credit Score

Frugal Rules – Are Rich People Really That Different From the Rest of Us?

Reach Financial Independence – Little House in Guatemala, Week 1 (with lots of pics!)

Monster Piggy Bank – 6 Simple Money Saving Tips

Pelican on Money – The Thank-You Letter That Landed A Job

~¤~¤~

It is also time for another Broke-Ass Monday! Enjoy some of this fun free stuff circulating around the web.

…it’s another Broke-Ass Monday!

• Broke-Ass Mommy is helping to sponsor a $100 Cash Giveaway through Paypal or Amazon gift card (winner’s choice) in our ‘the importance of emergency fund’ giveaway. Don’t miss your chance to win, you cheeky muff.
• WorkSaveLive is celebrating their one-year blogoversary by giving away an iPad Mini, $100 Amazon Gift Card, and $50 Paypal Cash to three lucky winners! Hurry over to enter.

Good luck to all participants. See you folks for the next Broke-Ass Monday!

=^..^=

Happy Monday, all.

Hopefully everyone survived the weekend intact. Here are some personal finance reads floating around the blogosphere, for your distinct perusing pleasure:

Canadian Budget Binder – Frugal Halloween Fun: Mr. Cbb’s Scary Witch Finger Cookies!

Money Smart Guides – Top Ten Rare Coins of All Time

Frugal Rules – Should We Really be Concerned About the Fiscal Cliff?

Modest Money – Why Is Talking About Money Hard?

My Money Design – Confessions and Resume Screening Tips from Someone Who Interviews

Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses – Wells Fargo Is a Jerk, and Avoiding Scammy Loan Lenders

Pelican on the Money – Rejected For Being Debt Free, Really?

Club Thrifty – How I Saved at Least $50,000 by Buying New Furniture

Monster Piggy Bank – Fruit and Vegetable Garden (with pics!)

Reach Financial Independence – Moving Abroad: The Check-list

Your Wealth Effect – How Do You Kill a Financial Zombie?

Also I would like to recognize shared tweets for Broke-Ass Mommy this week, for which I send endless gratitude. (You guys are awesome.)

Modest Money | @ModestMoney (Twitter)
Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses | @momoneymohouses (Twitter)
Frugal Rules | @FrugalRules (Twitter)
Reach Financial Independence | @RFIndependence(Twitter)

Currently inundated with a writing project, so this will be on the brief side.
Talk soon.

=^..^=

Sigh. Onward to other weekend jibber jabber:

“My Financial Challenge Update”

As a stay-at-home mommy without a reliable income stream, I made a financial challenge at the start of summer to raise $1,000, somehow. This is how things currently stand:

(All income was passively made from previous writing projects & sponsors.)

June – $80.00
July – $57.71
August – $425.80
September – $0
October – $262.50 (yaaaay!)

TOTAL: $826.01

Starting in November I’ve been called to participate in a two-week focus group on lip balm (heh), which will compensate around $150. Hecka’ cool!

Broke-Ass Mommy Site Stats

Subscribers –

July 3rd:
2 subscribers (Can I send you something to express my gratitude? A jelly bean, perhaps?)

July 18th:
11 subscribers

August 8th:
18 subscribers

September 5th:
31 subscribers

October 12th:
51 subscribers

October 20th:
73 broke-ass subscribers, as of this morning. (woo-hoo!)

Alexa Rankings –

July 10th: 3,507,434
July 17th: 1,725,804
July 30th: 1,236,943
August 6th: 906,877
August 8th: 826, 155
September 5th: 369, 754
September 16th: 312,130
October 12th: 261,838
(current) October 20th: 237,847

Page Rank: 2

Here are some personal finance reads I enjoyed for your weekend perusing pleasure.

So Over This – Why I Stopped Pushing My Son to Go to College.

Budgeting in the Fun Stuff – Build A Home Series: Finally Closed (and pics!)

The Financial Blogger – Why Everybody Gets In Line to Kick Me in the Nuts???

Mo’ Money Mo’ Houses – How the Recession Has Motivated Me to Kick Ass at Life.

Finance Fox – Money Mistakes in Relationships.

Modest Money – Why I Would Never Lease A Car.

Edward Antrobus – My Money Pet Peeve: Skipping Frugality Because Earning More Is ‘Better’. (Congratulations on having your article mentioned in MSN Money, Edward!)

Femme Frugality – Frugal Tip: Student Deals and Discounts.

Club Thrifty – What I Want My Kids to Know About Money.

Pelican On Money – Get Rid of Credit Card Debt Once and for All.

Shared tweets for Broke-Ass Mommy this week. You guys are awesome!

Modest Money | @ModestMoney (Twitter)
When Life Gives You Lemons…Add Vodka | @add_vodka (Twitter)
Frugal Rules | @FrugalRules (Twitter)
Reach Financial Independence | @RFIndependence(Twitter)

Broke-Ass Mommy featured around the web:

Yakezie Carnival at CultOfMoney
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at Master the Art of Saving
Wealth Artisan’s FinCarn at Wealth Artisan
Y and T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
Carnival of MoneyPros at Making Sense of Cents

Remember my blurry spider from last time? Well, here he is again in all his glory BECAUSE HE IS SO BAD ASS. I knew I had a better pic burrowed somewhere, and I finally extracted it from one of our phones that got shoved into some random corner of the apartment after our camping trip, until it was re-discovered last night meshed in a pile with M.’s other gadgety stuff.

Presenting Itsy Bitsy, the Spider:

Rawr! Have a bad ass weekend, y’all.

hugs, me.

=^..^=

Here is a sundry wrap-up while I spend the remainder of the afternoon putting some wind back in my sails by resting—I dearly approve of this trend—and gearing up for the weekend.

Some sites I’ve been crushin’ on this week:

• First, the tragic tale at Diary of a Mad Woman, which is gripping and showcases so much courage. “The truth about surviving the suicide of my 41 year old husband, raising our 3 kids, ages 10, 5 and 2 alone, getting robbed and kidnapped at gunpoint the morning of the funeral. (Seriously, this really happened.)” I only hope I would hold my shit together and remain calm under similar circumstances.

• Then, our heroine at Sixty Payments grapples through several emotions as she embarks on a five-year journey of debt repayment through a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in, Today We Filed.

• Finally, at Sleep Talkin’ Man, Karen records her English husband Adam during the night as he murmurs in his sleep. Unsettling, and h-i-i-i-larious. “Every time I look at you, my rectum wants to vomit up my eyeballs.” Or how about, “I loved you the minute I realized you were a tax break and you also gave head.” HAH! “Life lesson number 42: NEVER presume unicorns can ride bikes” and “Teddy bears and razor blades: Baby Emo’s birthday.”

Shared tweets for Broke-Ass Mommy this week. Thanks, you guys!

Modest Money | @ModestMoney (Twitter)
When Life Gives You Lemons…Add Vodka | @add_vodka (Twitter)
Frugal Rules | @FrugalRules (Twitter)

Broke-Ass Mommy featured around the web:

Friday Recap, A Blogoversary and a Sold Flat!! at Reach Financial Independence
The Round Table at Money Smart Guides
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at The University of Money
Carnival of Financial Planning at The Financial Blogger
Y and T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
Canadian PF Happy Hour at Canadian Personal Finance
Wealth Artisan’s FinCarn at Wealth Artisan
Yakezie Carnival at iHeartBudgets
Carnival of MoneyPros at Vanessa’s Money
Carnival of Retirement at Term Life Insurance, Inc

A peek at Broke-Ass Mommy site stats and progress

Subscribers –

July 3rd:
2 subscribers (Can I send you something to express my gratitude? A nip of sherry, perhaps?)

July 18th:
11 subscribers

August 8th:
18 subscribers

September 5th:
31 subscribers

October 12th:
50 51 broke-ass subscribers, as of this morning. (woo-hoo!)

Alexa Rankings –

July 10th: 3,507,434
July 17th: 1,725,804
July 30th: 1,236,943
August 6th: 906,877
August 8th: 826, 155
September 5th: 369, 754
September 16th: 312,130
(current) October 12th: 261,838

Page Rank: 2

Creeping onward. How is your day going? Weekends are the best, aren’t they?

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Enjoy perusing all the great entries this Labor Day and please take a moment to share a salient post or two on your social media platforms and through your blogs. Also remember, this carnival is hosted every second week by My University Money and you can submit articles at Blog Carnivals or Blog Carnival HQ.

BUDGETING

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes Are You Still Working Without a Budget? – Let’s face it, budgeting is kind of hard—you’re trying to implement a system for tracking your expenses, and since you’re probably spending by check, debit and credit cards, and cash, keeping it all in order can be a challenge. And they don’t teach personal budgeting in school either, so how do you learn?

Steve @ Canadian Personal Finance writes Is it OK to get a discount if you are good looking? – Would you turn down a discount because you were good looking? A customer received a discount for being good looking. This was simply a joke by the server but honestly it brings up a good question, do good looking people get discounts?

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes 3 Monthly Expenses to Cut to Save you Money – Although monthly expenses don’t seem like very much, but they can really add up. For example, a $100 cable bill on a monthly basis equates to $1200 at the end of the year. Here are a few tips on some monthly expenses that you could consider cutting.

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes How you can fly first class to Hawaii for under $350! – For approx. $328 you can obtain 30,000 Saga Club miles which will get you a FIRST CLASS roundtrip ticket on Alaska Airlines to anywhere they fly in the U.S. (Alaska and Hawaii included) Canada and Mexico.

CAREER & EDUCATION

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Analyzing the Prepayments on One of My Student Loans – As I made my monthly payment the other day on one of my student loans I wondered how much I have saved in interest over the years by adding to the principal some months. Since the lender didn’t provide me with that information I almost looked at it as a challenge to see whether I could figure it out.

Edward Antrobus @ Edward Antrobus writes 3 Job Search Tips for Recent Graduates – It’s a tough economy for recent grads, but these three job search tips can help you land your first job after graduation.

FINANCIAL ADVICE

MR @ Money Reasons writes My Personal Finance Pyramid Update – I use a Personal Finance Pyramid to provide feedback as I strive to acquire wealth in life for me, my family and my kids!

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes How to Take Advantage of Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses – I got my first credit card when I was in college and I used it for most of my entertainment(see alcohol) and dining out purchases. Since then I’ve applied and been accepted for over 10 credit cards with sign up bonuses and gotten thousands in gift cards, travel rewards and cash(wow that sounds like a scam! But it’s true). So here’s how I do it.

Aaron @ Aaron Hung.com writes How many credit cards are too many? – There comes a time in your life when you need to make a big purchase such as buying a house to raise your family, or for investment purposes. Going to big name lenders is usually the way to go when looking for capitals to buy your dream house

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes What’s the Most Effective Way to Give? – The most effective way to give is one that provides sustainability and the most bang for your buck. Find out what else gives a gift the biggest impact.

J.P. @ Novel Investor writes Options For Your 401k Rollover – When you leave your job, do you really want to leave your retirement savings behind? There are several 401k rollover options available so you can take your retirement savings with you and have better control of that money.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes Compare The Best Credit Card Offers – Personally I pay off my balance in full each month and earn cash back on all my card purchases. Plus by using my credit card I am entitled to extra buyer protection. Hey, works for me. It does not work for everyone though. For people who can control their spending, I present a comparison of the best credit card offers.

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes Why You Should Have Life Insurance Even If You Are Young and Healthy with No Dependents – The thing is, even if you’re young and healthy there may be quite a few good reasons for you to buy good term life insurance. It isn’t just for old people, you know!

Peter @ Bible Money Matters writes Paying Down Debt? Make Sure to Recognize Non-Financial Progress – If you have had to take a break from debt repayment and feel discouraged, ask yourself if any of these situations apply to you. If so, pat yourself on the back. You are progressing in your war on debt, just not in a gazelle intense monetary way. You know you are making progress on your war on debt if:

FRUGALITY

Michelle @ See Debt Run writes Crock Pot Piggy Bank – You can save a lot of money by making your own crock pot recipes. Eating healthy and fresh doesn’t have to be more expensive!

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes How to Raise a Child on a Budget: Identifying the Necessities – Find out how you can raise a child on a budget. Spending less on your children doesn’t mean sacrificing the love given to them.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Simple Childhood Pleasures – Aside from going to Ocean City MD each summer, I have realized that most of the fun I had in my childhood was simple and cheap.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Frugal Dating and the Fun Factor – Saving money and being frugal can be boring sometimes, but it doesn`t have to be. Making a date night fun by thinking outside of the box while still saving money can be helpful to your relationship and your finances.

INVESTING

Shilpan @ Street Smart Finance writes The Best Investment Strategy for Growth and Income – There is no doubt that both value and growth investing styles have their share of staunch followers. Those who believe in Graham and Warren Buffett’s value investment style believe that growth investing is for roulette players. On the other hand, growth investors believe that value investing is a thing of the past with mediocre return at best for the serious investors.

Matt @ Dividend Monk writes Gordon Growth Model Overview – A description of the simple method to determine a fair price to pay for most stable, blue-chip companies.

IMB @ Investing Money writes How to Get Started Investing Money – Find out how you can get started investing money. It’s never too early to start.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Unusual Investment Ideas – Looking for nontraditional investment ideas? Look no further. While these may not be as safe, they could provide you with positive returns.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Don’t Be Fooled Into These Life Insurance Policies – Here are five of my favorite insurance life policies that I love to hate. You don’t need these five life insurance policies. Don’t waste your money on them.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Maybe Home Ownership Isn’t For You – There is more to life than home ownership, and it isn’t the only way. If you ENJOY owning a home, more power to you. But not everyone does.

My Own Advisor @ My Own Advisor writes How many dividend stocks are enough? – I guess one goal for dividend investors should be to reach a saturation point whereby the addition of one more stock in the portfolio marginally reduces volatility. To reach this goal, you’re gonna need more than a few stocks I’m sure… Read on to find out what I feel, is a healthy amount of stocks to own for diversification purposes.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes CAN YOU RELY ON THE 4% RULE IN RETIREMENT? – Are you properly preparing for retirement? Read about retirement issues to consider.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes Home Gym on a Budget – Would you like a home gym? All the movie stars have a home gym and you can too! Do you have to be a movie star to have one? No, not really! In fact, you can put one together for very little money.

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes My Plan to Save a LOT of Money – We’re planning to close on our house the first or second week of September, so we don’t have much time to save a lot of money. My goal is to take advantage…..

TRL @ The Retired Landlord writes Real Estate Investing is Easier with Positive Cash Flow – If you are looking to invest in real estate, as I am looking to do, I have learned that a positive monthly cash flow is important to have. As I have already discussed, real estate investing has risks. There is a chance of having to pay the mortgage between tenants or losing money with major maintenance issues.

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes 9 Important Reasons Why Dividends Matter – I came across a great article at Dividend Growth Stocks that I would like to share with you: “It seems that every financial adviser or financial publication is proclaiming that you should own dividend stocks. Each are proclaiming the virtues of dividend stocks from their own perspective. To that I have two questions: 1. What took you so long? 2.

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Get debt Under Control and Start to Enjoy Life – Find out how to pay off your debt and enjoy life as you prepare for retirement.

Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Four Top Investment Mistakes You are Making Today – Investing is a task unlike any other. Rarely is there an opportunity to outperform just by avoiding the big mistakes. The truth is, though, that the best investors aren’t those that hit home runs. The best investors simply avoid big mistakes.

SAVING

Deacon Hayes @ Well Kept Wallet writes Why it Pays to Go Back to the Store – Every time I go to Fry’s, they post the ads on the right as soon as you walk in the door. I have made it a habit to go over to see if there is anything that is a good deal or worth looking at. Well, this time I noticed that a radio I had bought within the past 30 days was on sale for $20 less. I remembered that they had a price match guarantee and decided I would ask if they would give me the difference.

Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes Four Great Uses For a Savings Account – http://seedebtrun.com/2012/08/4-great-uses-for-a-savings-account.html

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Kids and Money: The Bank Card Introduction – Introducing the bank card to children. It’s a delightful experience.

OTHER

SB @ One Cent at a Time writes How to replace HP Laptop – Effectively managing financial institution accounts is equally important as saving money. Still we don’t usually put much attention on managing side of the personal finance. In personal finance, diversification is as important as managing that diversified portfolio. Do it effectively

Ryan @ Early Retirement Investments writes Some Signs that You Need to Convert to Heat Pumps – Confused on whether you should have a heat pump or not? Read more to see if it makes sense for you!

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Why Do We Worry About Money? – Worrying about money is not helpful in life. It’s better to plan and not worry so much about it. Money does not need to consume your thoughts.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes 5 Easy Ways to Irritate Your Boomer Boss – 5 Easy Ways to Irritate Your Boomer Boss is a post from: Broke Professionals if you enjoy it, please visit us and subscribe to the Feed.

Jason @ Work Save Live writes Popular Jobs in Tax Friendly Countries – With all the debate around Mitt Romney’s possible assets overseas, it makes you wonder more about the places like Gibraltar, Andorra, the Cayman Islands and more. These places are known as tax shelters, and as such, they usually have a lot of bankers and financial institutions in place.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Do You Remember Your First Time? – Getting approved for a credit card without having any previous credit history can be a challenge. Find out what you can do to get approved.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes The Success of Others and My Motivation – A discussion of how the success of other people influences me, and how such success (and the converse failure) can influence everyone.

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Family Spending Choices Versus Family Wants – Struggling to balance the best mix of family spending and saving for the future.

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes An Unsent Letter to People Who Are Selling Things – Dear whomever this may concern: While I appreciate your drive to make money so that you can buy winter booties for your dog and another cardigan sweater from BCBG instead of paying down your debt, please stop sending me sly. Read more of my unsent letter!

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Trying to Get My Daughter to Save – I’ve mentioned several times that my daughter really doesn’t get money. She doesn’t care to earn it. She doesn’t care to keep it.

Aloysa @ My Broken Coin writes My Not Quite Traditional Marriage – When we met over seven years ago, both of us were poor. I was a full-time student, working full-time, my spending problems were in full gear, debt piling up.

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes Minimalism At Home: Do I Really Need Six Sets of Sheets? – I hate laundry day; or, rather, when you have two children under the age of four and a husband who changes clothes more often than a budding fashionista, it’s more like laundry days. Despite that, I still follow my mother’s old adage that you should wash your bath towels weekly and your bed sheets every…

Shawanda @ You Have More Than You Think writes Secret Tricks to Grabbing the Best Travel Deals – Making the most of your travel dollars will give you peace of mind and set the stage for a relaxing vacation.

JP @ My Family Finances writes Reasons Why Families Need to Get Life Insurance: Take It From a Guy Not Trying to Sell You a Policy – There are plenty of convincing reasons for buying life insurance; I need not frighten you.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Can People Not Save for Retirment? – Teresa Ghilarducci is back again. I previously wrote about her wanting Guaranteed Return Accounts (GRA) for Americans back in July of 2010. She is still advocating these accounts, now with updated numbers to make her point.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes The Best Piece of Writing Advice, Ever. – This is the best information on writing advice that I know of, read more to see if you agree.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Which is the Greener Option – Shopping Online or Shopping at a Store? – Shopping online has become the method of choice for many people but I’m still not convinced it’s for me.

John @ Married (with Debt) writes The Savings to be Made from Paying Off Your Mortgage Early – The savings to be made from paying off your mortgage early For most Canadians, the biggest debt they will ever have is a home mortgage.

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes How To Lose Money and Hate The Stock Market – Do the exact opposite of what you find in this article and you will be on your way to riches. Find out how to lose money and hate the stock market. Don’t meet with your adviser regularly. Check your brokerage account or stock daily. Watch the news. Take stock-picking advice from a friend. Buy high, sell low.

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes My Take on Life Insurance – Today, I am participating in the huge Life Insurance Movement in the blogging world that was started by Good Financial Cents. Here is my life insurance take.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Five Wedding Gifts You Shouldn’t Buy For A Friend – Some gifts are appropriate for specific audiences. Others will almost definitely be returned. Here are five gifts that you shouldn’t get for friends.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes When Should You Replace Your Old Car For A New One? – When it comes to making smart money moves, our family has never been a big fan of buying a new car.

PITR @ Passive Income To Retire writes Hidden Risks of a Mortgage Fine Print – Find out how to avoid the most common mortgage mistakes.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes Are You an Introvert? Here’s How to Make the Most of Your Conference Experience – If you are introverted, read how to make the best of conferences!

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes How to Choose a High Yield Bond Fund – Interested in choosing a high yield bond fund but not sure where to start? Here is a 6 step guide walking you through the entire process.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Simple Ways to Cut Monthly Expenses – Do you need a little extra cash? We offer simple ways for you to save money without it being a huge inconvenience.

Kevin @ Thousandaire writes 4 Reasons We May be Headed for a Recession – Read these four reasons that we might be heading for a recession, see if you relate!

Maria @ The Money Principle writes The Rise in Health Negligence Payouts – Policies has effects and in this article the increase in health negligence payouts is discussed.

YFS @ Your Finances Simplified writes 5 Ways Marriage Can Make You Richer – The cake has been cut, the champagne cork has been popped, and confetti has been strewn all over the place.

L Bee @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes Taking a break matters! – Hey guys, I’ve been away for about a week or so while technical issues with my self-hosting site get ironed out. Even though I was on “vacation” with my blog I was still in training for my part-time gig and …

SB @ One Cent at a Time writes 10 Tips to Avoid Internet Fraud and Scams – In most cases of online scams, people are either careless or ignorant. That is the reason they are cheated quiet easily. Following are the 10 ways to protect yourself from being cheated in to scams and frauds

SB @ Finance Product Reviews writes Kiva Microloan Review – an Attempt to Understand Kiva – This is review of Kiva micro-loan program. Is Kiva legit, is Kiva worth it. Learn more about the allegations against Kiva. Learn how can you lend to Kiva or borrow from Kiva.

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More nifty carnivals to make your eyes bleed:

Carnival of MoneyPros at Simple Finance Blog
Carnival of Retirement at My Family Finances
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at My University Money
Wealth Artisan’s FinCarn at Wealth Artisan
Y & T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty

Happy Labor Day!!

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At the moment, even before a vintage typewriter (which I’ve always wanted, for the sheer pleasure of tapping on polished keys, to hear that familiar clickety-clack), I would love to acquire a sturdy, waterproof metal detector and wield it around like a bad-ass, foraging through meadows and beaches, to unearth elusive coins and other fascinating relics.

It could even spawn a whole new website, where I track the sheer awesome-ness of my treasure hunts!

(Me, trying to convince M. what a fun and cool investment this will be):
You know that Roman solidus gold coin minted in Constantinople that I’ve been looking for, we could discover one, but instead of purchasing it from an auction house, we dig it up from the earth. It could be right here, buried beneath our feet. HOW COOL IS THAT?

M.: No. I want a geiger counter.

Choosing a particle detector that measures ionizing radiation over a bad-ass metal detector??

It’s amazing I still find him adorable.

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What I’m currently reading:
(And I’m soo using these as ammunition!)

Ancient Coins Worth 15 Million Found By Amateur Treasure Hunters
Roman coins mother lode! UK treasure hunter, using a metal detector, finds 52,000 ancient coins worth over $5 million

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Also included for your reading pleasure, some financial carnivals whirled through this week:

Totally Money Carnival at James Petzke: Graduating with a Surplus
Yakezie Carnival at Kylie Ofiu
Carnival of Retirement at Life Insurance by Jeff
Nerdy Finance Carnival at Nerdy Finance Carnival
Carnival of MoneyPros at Making Sense Of Cents
Wealth Artisan’s FinCarn at Wealth Artison
Y & T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at The University of Money

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On the financial front, we had to slap $200.00 worth of savings toward replacing a control arm and ball joint for the driver’s side of my vehicle. This is the second ball joint replacement in the past year (six months ago it was the passenger side), and I am not pleased. So, essentially, M. and I have chewed through $1,200 in the past few weeks between these car repairs and our recent family vacation to Cape Ann.

So, financially, we’ll be hunkering back into savings mode. Except for, of course, my shiny, new metal detector, folks, which I fully expect to be propped on the patio, fired up and ready to go, by next week.

Because, who doesn’t have room in their budget for a metal detector?
(Or a geiger counter. But it’s not quite the same.)

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• The Ultimate Juggle, who served as our gracious host for Yakezie Carnival: The Summer Heat Edition.
• And Nerd Wallet, who marked the jubilee of Totally Money Carnival #28.

There were many participants this week–ensuring enough material to make your eyes bleed. Below are a handful of my favorites.

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Your Investments Are In Big Trouble @ Thousandaire.
I believe this is one of the scariest economic times in recent history, but if you prepare yourself financially there’s a good chance you can make a bunch of money while many people around you are losing their shirts. Let’s get started..

5 Things That Can Be Outsourced on your Blog @ When Life Gives You Lemons, Add Vodka.
As my blog has grown, I’ve found myself getting more overwhelmed with the time and effort required for me to sustain it…it turns out you can outsource a whole lot, though..here are 5 time sucking blogging activities that can be outsourced..

How I Cut My Spending 38% By Simply Writing It Down @ L Bee and the Money Tree.
You may have heard me gushing on my blog/twitter about this FREE debt worksheet I’ve been working off starting last month…I am always eager to try out tools that work for others, and I must say this spreadsheet really is helping me stay on top of things..

Why I’ll Never Get My Future Kid a Credit Card @ Work, Save, Live.
When I was in high school and I started driving, my mom added me as an authorized user on her credit card. This meant that I got my very own credit card that I could charge whenever I wanted. I was like a grown-up without a job! How cool right? .. I will never add my future kids as authorized users on my credit card… here’s why..

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More carnivals to peruse:

Wealth Artisan’s FinCarn at Wealth Artison
Totally Money Carnival at Money Challenge
Y & T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
Yakezie Carnival at Passive Income to Retire
Carnival of Fin. Camaraderie at Modest Money

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Have fun, all you revelers.  =^..^=

• New York Times (July 13, 2012) – That’s No Phone. That’s My Tracker.
  The device in your purse or jeans that you think is a cellphone — guess again. It is a tracking device that happens to make calls. Let’s stop calling them phones. They are trackers…Eben Moglen, a law professor at Columbia University, argues that they are robots for which we — the proud owners — are merely the hands and feet. “They see everything, they’re aware of our position, our relationship to other human beings and other robots, they mediate an information stream around us..

• Salon (July 15, 2012) – Big Banks Keep Ripping Us Off.
  Earlier this year, researchers at the university of Southern California published the results of a study examining whether the wealthy – the mythical “engines of our economy” – display a better character than the rest of us. As it turned out, after conducting seven experiments they found that the narrow pursuit of self-interest at the top of the economic heap leads our elites to behave like complete dirtbags..

• Ev Bogue (June 27, 2012) – If you aren’t watching Bitcoin, you’re missing out.
  I’m scared to write this piece. I’m scared because I believe I’m beginning to witness the collapse of the current dominant currency (USD), and the rise of a new one (Bitcoin) … When peer2peer technologies come into being, there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them..

• Jacob Holdt (1965-1995 photo collection, Skyscraper forums) – Brutal New York
  Being an undertaker is one of the surest ways of reaching middle-class status. For death is as ubiquitous in Harlem as the fear haunting everybody beneath the uneasy sporadic laughter. Yet I feel safer as a member of the ever-present invisible “Whitey” in Harlem than most blacks are, for as always in slavery, aggression is aimed towards fellow victims rather than towards the hated oppressor.

See everyone Monday morning. Same place, shall we? (ZzzZzz.)

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