Everyone’s interested in earning a few bucks on the Internet but there’s some confusion as to how it’s done. It’s not as easy as just getting lucky with a viral YouTube video and getting 7 figure contract from a movie studio. People are looking to make their lives easier by fulfilling their personal and business needs online. Retail transactions, portfolio reviews, and contract management systems are all fields that can be handled online, without the need for manual labor. If you’re prudent and savvy, you can cash in on this exodus to the Internet. Here are the Hows and the Whys:

E-commerce

Why—While it still doesn’t compare in sales strength to the traditional retail markets, online commerce is growing at a steady pace and offers a lucrative alternative stream of revenue for your business.

How—Create an online store for your business. If you’re in clothing, set up an account on etsy.com. If you’re a commercial artist looking for commissions, check out DeviantArt.com. Whatever the nature of your business, there is an equivalent online counterparts that can help boost your sales.

Social Media

Why—Social media has made it possible to connect with hundreds of thousands of people that the average store owner wouldn’t have been able to reach in the past. Networking sites are the new village square; don’t limit your business by relying only on traditional word of mouth peer-to-peer methods. 

How—Get busy putting yourself out there on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, etc. No matter what you’re peddling, from pet socks to jewelry, use social media to make a name for your business and connect with consumers.

Search Engine Optimization

Why—Search engine optimization tools are making it possible for virtually anyone to make money on the Internet, from home, with very few startup resources. How popular your business is with Google’s algorithms could be the determining factor in whether or not you survive the decade.

How—Whether it’s linkbacks for your blog, affiliate marketing, GoogleSense, keyword density, or any number of strategies for improving your site’s search engine rank, understanding the metrics behind SEO will build a solid foundation for your company, blog, or business.

The money of the future will be earned online. You didn’t hear it here first, but it’s the truth. Positioning your business for online growth is the most crucial step you can take toward that ends. Learning the how’s and the why’s of the relevant trends will allow you to begin making that transition, if you haven’t already started.

Investing In Your Life

You can’t assume the world is going to come to you. At some point you’ve got to take agency in your own life and actively pursue the things you want. The way to do this is to invest. And by invest I don’t necessarily mean ‘purchase stock’ or even anything of a financial nature. Conversely, I also don’t mean investing in the vending machine next to the elevator—you know, the one with the candy bars you really like. To invest is to double down, to realize what angles you need to play in order to accomplish the goals you’ve set out for yourself. Stop viewing goals as 5 year plans and view them as year-end certainties. Here are a few kinds of investments you can make that don’t involve any dividends, but which will increase the capital of your life ten-fold:

Invest In Your Health

Do you really want to be a multimillionaire by the time you’re forty but have such an unhealthy body that your doctor can’t guarantee you won’t have a heart attack in the next few years? Does your family deserve this kind of uncertainty? Do you? Investing in your health by devoting yourself to a regular exercise regimen and solid nutritional diet will not only increase your lifespan, thereby increasing the number of goals you accomplish, it will increase your quality of life. You will be happier, have more energy, the air will smell better, traffic will irritate you less. Your mind is part of your body: if your body’s systems are being poisoned by fat and toxins, your mind will suffer too. Double down.

Invest In Technology

Crazy as it may be, technology is taking over. And you know the old saying, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” Fortunately, technology was never really against us in the first place and is helping us with everything from disease prevention to navigating directions and scheduling our meetings. Get a smartphone with Siri enabled. Get a tablet loaded with apps. Get whatever you need in order to stay ahead of the curve. You will wield more power at work and will have more time at home.

Invest In Your Loved Ones

The energy you put out there will return to you ten-fold. If you live your life cutting yourself off from the emotional give and take of being human, you will miss out on one of the greatest investments you can make: letting your family and loved ones know how much they mean to you. Take care of them and they will take care of you.

You don’t have to invest in the stock market to make major investments in your life. These investments will help you to approach the world with positive energy and a game plan that’s sure to succeed.

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy is something that many companies have faced over the past few years especially with the change in the economy. The grueling process is not easy, very tedious, and one mistake could cost you. Logan and Company formed in 1990 understanding the serious lack of resources that existed. Doing what an entrepreneur does best, Kate Logan found something that was missing. It was an area that she could capitalize on and has been doing so wildly successfully for over two decades. We asked Logan a few questions to learn more about Logan and Company, what success means to her, what makes her passionate about it, some advice for aspiring entrepeneurs and lots more. Enjoy!

How did you decide to open Logan and Company and when? Explain what Logan and Company is exactly.

In 1989 I had been working for a turnaround consulting firm for about five years, and was feeling very burned out. I decided to make a change, so I quit and took some time off. After a few months of catching up on sleep, soul searching and speaking with former colleagues I decided that I would open my own company in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy field. Logan & Company provides administrative services to debtor-in-possession Chapter 11 corporations, doing what the Bankruptcy Court system used to do before the age of the mega-cases. We act as agent of the Court, docketing claims, noticing creditors and tabulating the ballots of the Plans of Reorganization, among other things.

What are your goals for Logan and Company?

We recently celebrated our 20th Anniversary in 2010. My goals for the company now are very different that they might have been five or ten years ago. As the bankruptcy field has changed over the last twenty-five years, I have worked hard to adapt and keep up with the technological changes that are inherent in any 21st century company. Now, as Chapter 11 seems to be changing once again, even perhaps being on the downward slope, I am looking at the future of being a service provider in wider field of information technology. What has made Logan successful is constantly adapting to the rapidly changing environment of corporate finance, troubled companies and technology. I suspect that the Logan & Company of ten years from now will not resemble the company I run today.

How has your initial plan for Logan and Company changed since you founded it?

I don’t know that I had a long term vision of what the company would eventually become. Much of my initial focus was on solving the immediate challenges of what was happening on any given day. I’ve been really good at thinking on my feet by adapting and adjusting our methods as the economic environment shifted, solving problems that could not have been predicted. Although the means by which we provide our services has changed, using ever more advanced technology to get the job done, essentially we are still providing customer service to our clients as best we know how. So although the methods have changed, the goal remains the same: provide the best service in the most efficient cost effective way for troubled companies.

What does success mean to you?

I think success is a multi-pronged thing. At the end of the day, are your clients satisfied, are your employees happy, can you pay your overhead and still have enough to invest in the future? If you can say yes to those questions most or all of the time, I think you can count yourself as successful. And if the monetary benefits that come with success have given you more time to spend with the people in your life, that’s the cherry on top.

Plans to eventually sell Logan and Company?

There have been offers over the years. I guess it comes down to the fact that I like running my own company, being my own boss and being able to structure my own time. I don’t think I could ever work for anyone else again, so if someone offered me a fair value that did not include me going along with them, I would consider it. But I am not ready to retire just yet. Maybe once my children are grown and gone spending more time in the garden will be a possibility.

Why will companies choose Logan and Company over competitors?

I think the relationships we have built in this industry over twenty years have provided us a great reputation. I am always re-encountering people in a professional context that I may have worked with ten or fifteen years ago. And they always remember us well. Which isn’t to say we haven’t made mistakes – which we have learned from – but the bonds you make with people in stressful situations, the late night, caffeine fueled rush to make a deadline – those are things people remember, and have served Logan & Company well.

What about Logan and Company makes you so passionate about it?

I think there is something to be said for building something that has your name on it. When the final analysis is in, whether for good or ill, I can feel proud not just of myself, but of my whole team. We provided services to troubled companies that in most instances were able to get back on their feet, keep their employees working, who in turn provided services to the greater economy. In some instances, we had clients who were old reputable companies that did not survive. I think this happened because they were not able to change their business model and adapt to the times. I’ve seen a broad spectrum of companies in many industries both fail and flourish, so in many ways I feel I have had inner access to the massive shift from a 20th century to a 21st century business model. That has been an exciting thing to witness.

What advice can you offer to an aspiring entrepreneur?

Start with what you know, ask advice from those who know more, and keep reinvesting back into your company. Running your own business will require a lot of your time: late nights, weekends, shortened (if any) vacations. So remember to take time away, enjoy the other aspects of your life, your friends and family. You should enjoy your work and the business you are building, but make sure that’s not all there is to your life. Enjoy your incremental successes and be sure to share that with the people who helped you along the way.

Thank you for the wonderful interview, Kate!!

Recently, the world said farewell to one of the greatest innovating minds of the last century with the death of Apple Computer co-founder and pioneer, Steve Jobs. While the former CEO’s style of management and leadership divided those in Silicon Valley, few can argue that the ends didn’t justify the means. Steve Jobs had no patience for employees who solved problems with psychic readings-based guesswork and reliance on others to pickup the slack. In return, he saw his garage-founded company become the second most valued in the world behind Exxon-Mobil.

Now that Jobs has left this world behind, all we have left is his legacy. But what exactly is that legacy, and how can young entrepreneurs take his life into consideration when deciding how they’ll grow their own businesses out from the garage? Let’s go through his three most memorable commands when it comes to encouraging others to achieve to the level he himself did:

-Stay Hungry

Part one of his famous line spoken at the 2007 Stanford University commencement address, Jobs told this to a crowd of graduates ready to embark upon the world. He was 53 at the time, and was in the middle of his ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer; yet he was as vigorously devoted to his goals as he had ever been. That’s because Jobs was never happy with himself, and always sought to achieve greater things than what he had previously accomplished. Much like an artist, Jobs could never stay satisfied. Business is an art and your passion should always drive you to the next objective.

-Stay Foolish

Part two of his oft-quoted commencement statement reveals the “hidden” side to Jobs that most detractors of his talents never quite seemed to understand. As maniacal as his management practices seemed to his employees and those around him, Jobs never questioned the importance of taking risks and behaving badly when it’s advantageous to do so. As much as he berated Apple developers, he always encouraged them to take chances and not be afraid of the mistakes, even if he was to be the one to make them a big deal.

-Think Different

The time-test motto of Apple Computer, this phrase defines both the corporation itself and the driving force behind the personal success of Steve Jobs. Jobs was never afraid to challenge the status quo, and more importantly he was not hesitant to take steps to change it. This led him to be fired from the very company he started, and also was what contributed to his triumphant return ten years later. All the while, Jobs maintained his critical attitude toward the way the personal computer industry was headed, and remained determined to change it to how he saw fit.

What will the entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow learn from the life of Steve Jobs? Hopefully, it will be that success is not the product of convention and ordinary choices. You have to remain foolhardy in the face of the norm, and always be prepared to go about things in a way that others have chosen not to attempt. Will that lead you to starting the next Apple Computer? Maybe. But it’s certain to get you out of the garage.

Picture discovered on flickr.com/photos/yggg.

Paying For School So You Can Get Paid

The old saying goes, “Education is the key.” Whoever said that is definitely right when you look at the job market today. People really need a great degree in order to get a decent job. There’s a ton of people looking for work right now and they’re having a really tough time. This is because they don’t have the right degree. A bachelor’s is the new high school diploma and a master’s degree is the new bachelor’s. It’s funny how things work out, but it’s really true. This is why millions of people are trying to find the best ways to pay for their college degree.

The public service sector isn’t for everyone, but in some cases, you can make really good money doing this work. You can work in fields like social work, public defense, law enforcement, and other areas. Who knows, maybe it’s your calling. Just realize that when you take out student loans, if you’re working in some sort of public service sector, your debt can be forgiven if you work in the field long enough. Usually it’s about 10 years. This was all due to legislation that was passed last year and now it’s a really good way to get out from under crushing student loan debt.

Another way you can get rid of your debt quick is to live like a college student. If you’re not sure what this means, college students have an amazing way of getting by on little-to-nothing. Unfortunately, this means living on things like noodles and mac and cheese. Also, practically downsizing almost every part of your life. When you do this, you really learn the value of a dollar and how to get by on much less than you think is possible. You can do this by getting a small apartment with low rent and little utility costs, looking into Prepaid Phones, and eating cheaply. Reliving your college days might be the best way to get your bills paid.

This is a less likely option, but if you have a job that pays for your schooling, you might want to look into it. You might not even realize it, but some larger companies have tuition reimbursement programs that will pay for you schooling and get you that degree you’ve been wanting. This is a win-win situation because you’re getting a great education while they’re getting a better qualified employee. Speak with your supervisor and ask them if they have a similar program set up for their employees.

Check out some of these ways to get your degree paid for so you can finally get paid. You don’t wanna live the rest of your life trying to pay for student loans. That’s why you have to use all of these approaches and more to get your degree paid off. No one likes to live with debt, and the best way to stay out of debt is to not take any on. Unfortunately, education isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity but it doesn’t have to crush you financially.

Finally, Summer is here! What better way to kick it off than with making some delicious drinks to help us through these long hot days. Here are 8 easy drink recipes that will keep us busy drinking all Summer long, Enjoy!

Absolut Pleasure

1 part Absolut Citron

1 Part Absolut Mandarin

2 parts Strawberry infused simple syrup

A splash of Sprite

A splash of sour mix

Shake Absolut Citron, Absolut Mandrin, simple syrup and sour in shaker with ice. Strain over ice in a rocks glass, add a splash of Sprite on top.

Sex on the Beach-East Coast

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. Peach Schnapps

Orange Juice

1/2 oz. Melon Liqueur on top

Fill a bucket or Collins glass with ice. Add Vodka and Peach Scnapps. Top with Orange Juice. Float Melon Liqueur on top. Garnish with a cherry.

Classic Daiquri

2 oz. Light Rum

3/4 oz. Lime Juice

1 tsp. Sugar

Lime slice for garnish.

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Mix Well and stain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Island Cooler

1 1/2 oz. White Rum

3 oz. Guava juice/ Nectar

3 oz. pineapple juice

1/2 oz. dark rum

Fill a hurricane glass with ice. Add white rum and the juices to a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into the Hurricane glass. Float the dark rum on top. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Nude Beach

1 oz. Gold Rum

2 oz. Pineapple Juice

2 oz. Orange Juice

1/2 oz. Grenadine

Dash Lime Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Mix well and strain into a chilled collins glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime squeeze.

Pacific Splash

2 oz. Vodka

2 oz. Cranapple Juice

2 oz. Pineapple Juice

Fill a collins glass with ice and add vodka. Fill with the Juices

Woo Woo

1 oz. Vodka

1 oz. Peach Schnapps

2 oz. Cranberry Juice

Combine ingredients and shake well, strain into a cocktail shaker. Can also be served as a shooter. In that case reduce liqours to 3/4 oz. each and the Cranberry to 1/2 oz. serve in a rocks glass.

Sex Wax

1 oz. Bacardi 151

1 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

1 oz. Malibu

6 oz. Cranberry Juice

Mix over crushed ice in a Collins glass.

Drink recipes provided by :http://www.drinkoftheweek.com/drinks-by-occasion/summer-coolers/

Photo: letsgodine.com

The Hangover was just the beginning. In The Hangover Part II, released May 26, Stu (Ed Helms) thought Vegas was behind him. Instead, Bangkok is at least 50 times worse. The wolf pack- Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu, Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) head to Thailand for Stu’s wedding: this time, she’s the real deal.

Stu doesn’t want anything to mess up his perfect day, even if it means having his bachelor brunch at IHOP. Before the wedding, they drink and have a bonfire on the beach. Then the unexpected happens, and, well, you get the idea. Nothing for these four is ever normal. This time, they bring a minor into the equation, and get twisted with some bad people. Stu ends up releasing his inner beast, finding his way into his soon-to-be father-in-law’s heart. Oh, and we get to hear Mike Tyson sing “One Night in Bangkok.”

This sequel is unlike others. It brings the same concept and turns it into a twisted, gritty, and downright unbelievable film that people will probably watch over and over again. People like to laugh- and trust me, the theatre was full of laughter during the showing of The Hangover Part II.

I’ll admit, I kind of wanted to wash my eyes out with soap after seeing this movie, and I keep having nightmares about losing my fingers… At least in the first one, things seemed to add up. Stu shows his skills as a dentist by pulling his own tooth. Part II doesn’t make as much sense- a future doctor chops off his own finger? Shouldn’t his proud father have something to say at the end? Surely doctors need all five fingers intact? This is among the many scenes in the movie that don’t add up.

Personally, I think director Todd Phillips should try to think outside the box for his next movie. The parallel structure to the first movie makes this movie one I won’t be seeing again: give us something new.

Airports suck on principle, but when you’re relying on your $7.25/hr work-study paycheck, you realize that they represent everything George Orwell warned us about.

Going through this modern form of torture automatically makes you a member of the prestigious Frequent Student Flyer Club. Like any decent club, there are a few rules you need to follow:

1. Never turn down free checked bags.
2. Sign up for frequent-flyer miles programs.
3. Constant vigilance! Check travel websites periodically to get the best deals.
4. Avoid traveling on Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays.
5. Fly at odd times.
6. Schedule flights a few days before or after the last day of finals.

What do pandas and elephants have in common with free checked bags? They’re all sitting in the Endangered Species list with their seatbelts securely fastened. The most common of these dinosaurs are Southwest Airlines, which offer two checked bags, and Jet Blue, which offers one. Even if they’re slightly more expensive than other airlines, you save the difference when you check bags.

For many college students, Southwest is the promised land of air travel. Not only do they faithfully follow the first two rules, they also offer the most competitive travel rates for domestic flights.

Jet Blue is slightly less awesome than Southwest. Their biggest selling points are the free checked bag and their affiliation with American Airlines.

Some airlines, like American Airlines and Jet Blue, are affiliated and use the same frequent flyer miles programs. If you follow the 3^rd rule of the Frequent Student Flyer Club, the first thing you need to do is sign up for the frequent flyer miles program from the airlines you use the most. Don’t expect instant gratification from these programs. It takes many flights before you accumulate enough miles to use them for anything.

Before booking your Southwest or Jet Blue ticket, shop around travel websites to find the best deals. If you don’t know which website to visit, rule #4 can be a real pain to follow. Fortunately, Kayak.com exists. This website will compare deals from other travel sites, like Orbitz, and the official airline’s page. It also offers the option to check other websites like CheapOair.com and Travelocity. Always look at these options. They might offer sweeter deals than Kayak.com.

As much as we all hate e-mail newsletters, signing up and keeping track of them has its benefits. There’s an element of luck and patience involved in this strategy, but it won’t kill you to read a couple extra emails every week. Travelzoo.com sends weekly emails featuring its top 20 travel destinations and airline deals.

If you’re planning on studying abroad, there are several websites that focus on international flights. They also search for domestic flights, but their strong suit is international travel.

Skyscanner.net offers great rates for some international flights. For example, if you’re studying abroad in Prague and want to take a weekend vacation in Sweden, you can find tickets as low as €8.

StudentUniverse.com and Statravel.com are hit-and-misses. They’re still worth a visit for the great deals you can find once in a blue moon.

If you’re an impulsive person living in the select cities and only have carry-on items, you can take full advantage of Airtranu.com. This AirTran service offers standby flights for students between the ages of 18 and 22 at a flat rate of $49, $69, or $99. If you don’t mind playing travel roulette with Airtranu, try your luck on slow days like Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturdays. I recommend you have a backup plan in case this falls through.

Airtranu heavily advocates the 5^th rule of the Frequent Student Flyer Club on their website. What they don’t tell you is that these rules apply for every airline. Going through airport security on Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays is like taking a road trip to Mordor. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Lord of The Rings (shame on you), the geektalk-english translation is: it’s a terrible, endless journey full of endless pain and suffering. For these precise reasons, try booking a flight on slow days, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If it’s possible, try to fly during odd times like early morning or after 5 PM. Peak flight times are from 6 to 11 a.m., so you can usually find better deals outside of this time frame.

The last rule, and perhaps the hardest to follow, is to schedule your flights a few days before or after the last day of finals. Airlines are smart; they know your university’s schedule and they will use it against you. Following this rule can be tricky if you have late finals and/or live on campus. Try to find out your final exam schedule as soon as possible. If you have a place to crash after the dorms close, you can either schedule a flight a few days after the dorms close or you can try your luck at standby flights (AirTran isn’t the only airline with this concept). Most colleges end at around the same time, especially if they’re in the same state. Check their schedules ahead of time to be sure.

This list was compiled by first-hand trial-and-error and some input from fellow members of the Frequent Student Flyer Club. These rules are helpful, but like anything worth learning will also require your own share of trial-and-error fieldwork. Mix and match and see which strategy works best for you. You may even make up your own tricks and save some hard-earned cash.

So, every woman already has about five pairs of black heels stocked in her wardrobe, but what about a pair of nude heels? Why should you have them? Well, not only is a nude heel classic in its own right, but it can also help transition the look of your outfits. Most recently I have been seeing more girls wearing nude than black when going out, it’s about time you join in on the fun!

The tip: find a shade that works with your skin tone. Nude heels vary in colors just as make-up does for your face, so make sure you find the one that works for you. Also, purchase a pair that are of good quality and will last you longer than a few nights out on the town.

At first nude heels may seem difficult to match with your clothing (because, come on girls, we are addicted to our black), but they will go with almost everything!  And naturally so, they appear to lengthen the leg and add a chic, elegant look. This element will also come in handy for times when a more formal and professional look is needed or desired.

Photo 1: Steve Madden Collection

Photo 2: “I have comics on my socks” by Chase C.

Will Ferrell in "Everything Must Go"

Comedic actor Will Ferrell takes a crack at drama in director Dan Rush’s first film “Everything Must Go,” based on the short story “Why Don’t You Dance” by Raymond Carver. A lot of people have been let down by this film, going into it with the expectation of Will Ferrell’s usual comedy. While there is some humor in “Everything Must Go,” it tends to dwells on human emotions.

We follow Nick Halsey (Will Ferrel) an alcoholic who just got fired from his job only to return home to all of his belongings on the front lawn. It becomes abundantly clear to him that his wife has left him, and she has also changed the locks on the house. Low on cash, and very depressed, Halsey stops caring and just sleeps in the recliner amongst his belongings. His old AA sponsor Frank (Michael Pena), who works for the FBI, tells him he can’t just live on his lawn and the best solution is for him to sell everything. Halsey also gets attention from some local neighbors who show concern for him, played by  Rebecca Hall and the late rapper Notorious B.I.G.’s son Christopher Wallace.

From the get go we feel the dark cloud over this movie. You would think that it’s hard to sympathize with such a character who is this egotistical. The real plot curve of the film comes from his development as a character. A lot of these changes are made with the help of some other dysfunctional characters. To have such a character driven story you have to have good actors, and this film is full of them. Will Ferrell has a knack for going over the top in his roles. “Step Brothers” and “Anchorman” should give you a good idea of his usual characters. Here, Ferrell doesn’t over play the comedic moments nor the dramatic moments: he makes the role his own.

Altogether, “Everything Must Go” is a film about letting go. My only real problem with the film is that they made their morals clear in the first half, and it dragged along at times. However, the third act of the film moves around a little more and it gets even more emotional. As an avid fan of the character drama, and someone who loves seeing comedic actors transform for dramatic roles, I would say “Everything Must Go” is a movie to see just for Will Ferrell’s fantastic performance. The rest is kind of like the candy in a stocking at Christmas, it’s good but it’s not the best part.

Overall Rating: 3/5