Pentimento

Banks vs. Person to Person Lending

If you haven't heard of this before, join the club. I hadn't heard of person to person lending (other than the last time I bummed some dough off my mom) until I read an article this week in the Kitsap Sun where they talked about Prosper.com and LendingClub.com.

The premise and purpose of the two sites is to by-pass the banks and lend or borrow directly from other people. Her is a short excerpt from the About page:

People who want to lend set the minimum interest rate they are willing to earn and bid in increments of $50 to $25,000 on loan listings they select. People who lend can easily diversify using "standing orders", which automatically make many small loans to different borrowers.

Borrowers create loan listings for up to $25,000 and set the maximum rate they are willing to pay a lender. Then the auction begins as people who lend bid down the interest rate. Once the auction ends, Prosper takes the bids with the lowest rates and combines them into one simple loan. Prosper handles all on-going loan administration tasks including loan repayment and collections on behalf of the matched borrower and lenders.

I can imagine that traditional banks are probably not too keen on this idea of person to person lending. They have held the monopoly on that corner of business for a long time. But, I can also see why this modern form of lending has come about. Since this is a strictly USA endeavor, it kind of brings to mind the Kennedy quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country". Change that to "countrymen" and you have person to person lending.

For a complete explanation for the Prosper.com site, or to join click here. As I was writing this post, I decided to go ahead and join Prosper. so that link is a referral. I have not joined Lending Club. Since I am not a blog mogul yet, one person to person lending site enrollment is enough for now.

Holiday Shopping Conundrums

I am probably just one of millions who has been shopping this year and at the same time, scratching my head when it comes to what toys I can buy for my grandkids. Being aware of tainted toys is just half the battle. Just the other day, I purchased some Barbie clothes for my granddaughter as a gift, and at the online checkout there was a notice that they fall under the Prop 65 category for hazardous materials.

If you are like me, a child who was born in the 1950's, I long for the days when you could (almost?) be assured that if you bought anything from a toy company like Mattel that you would be safe in knowing it was made in America, and not toxic. As Black Friday shopping begins, and billions of dollars will be spent, will gift givers be extra careful to avoid Mattel toys, or give gifts of special meaning, like things they have made themselves and know to be safe?

We are giving the gift of our presence as our presents this year by going to visit our son and his family in California. We are all going to Disneyland on December 26th, as well as gathering with our daughter-in-law's family for Christmas Day.

Take a look at this CNN Gift Finder for some great ideas.
Santa: I would love to have Merry Maids housecleaning service! Just a thought....

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You Can Be In Fuelmyblog's Book Too!

 

Click on picture. It's a link to my Flickr photos!

"I'm gonna be in pictures, their gonna make me a star"...OK, I am going to be in a book (with probably a few thousand other people) that Fuelmyblog is putting together to promote the site and to help raise money for Doctors Without Borders. Either way you look at it, we all win!

 

 

Here's what they say on the Fuelmyblog site about entering the Fuelmyblog Book contest:

To enter is real easy, take a look at the flickr group here simply add your photo and a little bit of text explaining what your blog is about, your url and username or alternatively, send us your image and text by clicking here, we'll add it for you!

Befuddled and Bewildered Grandma Buys Gifts

It's not their fault. The grandkids, I mean. I am just so "out of it" when it comes to what kids want for Christmas, it is a crying shame. For instance, my granddaughter Katrina wanted an Ariel 'salon'. I know who Ariel is, but for the life of me, I couldn't think of how to spell her name. Aerial? Arial? Ah, Ariel! Got it! Sheesh! After all that, they were out of stock.

Next challenge: Katrina wanted a book about Junie B. Jones, Party Animal. I got the Party Animal part correct, but I thought she was saying Genevieve Jones! In my own defense, I should mention that we had this conversation while they were in the car in a parking lot, and I was a few thousand miles away, so it was a cell phone connection. Huh? What? Oh...

About a month ago you might have seen on here a rant about buying poisoned Mattel products. As I was finalizing my order, which included some Barbie clothes for Katrina (yes, made by Mattel!), I noticed that there was an alert to "Proposition 65" for CA residents so they know they might be buying (or, in this case, receiving) something with toxic chemicals in it.  "Oh Grandma, how thoughtful, the gift that keeps on giving."

It's really tough being a out-of-touch grandma.  And disheartening to have to worry about making them sick just by giving them a gift.  I have high hopes the trip to see them next month goes well. Everyone pray for no snow on the west coast from Dec. 22nd to the 29th, OK?!

Stressed for the holidays? Try this!

Wordless Wednesday - Veterans

In honor of Veteran's Day this week, my post for Wordless Wednesday is a collage of my husband's family veterans, including him.

Clockwise, from the top left: Richard Rufus Bean, Civil War serving from Iowa; John Whitmore, Civil War, serving from Illinois. Medal of Honor Recipient; anonymous cousin who served two tours in Iraq, came home safely; our son Greg, Desert Storm era, Somalia; my husband Jim. Vietnam era; Jim's dad Loren, World War II, aboard Cape Esperance during Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Thanks to all who serve and their families who support them!

Wake up call. For all the cat people.

If you have a cat (or it has you!), you will know what this feels like. I don't think I have ever experienced quite this much attention from Rocky, but he can be very persistent when he wants his wet kitty food! Rowr!! Click on 'read more' below!

 

read more | digg story

Oh No! Not the Led Zepplin Album!

I got quite a chuckle out of this news item. When we first got married, waaaaay back in 1970, I met my husband's grandmother who was living in my in-law's house at the time. She was a little old lady with a lot of time on her hands and she had taken up the "hobby" of putting old 78 rpm records in the oven and melting them over an old coffee can and then decorating them with stuff like macaroni and old buttons, etc.

At the time, we just laughed to ourselves about such silliness, and hoped that none of those 78's were heirlooms that should have been kept for posterity.  Now, what was old is new again...but instead of an oven, we have a hairdryer. My husband and I have maybe 100+ old LP's of our own. Do you suppose that they will one day become "art"? Oh, the humanity....

Case-Notes from the Artsy Asylum: Link Love for Socialmeter

Interested in how your blog is doing socially? My friend Susan says she isn't exactly a rock star, but doing nicely enough. I wasn't surprised about mine, but it is inspiration to do better. How about you? What are those social media sites saying about your blog?

Link: Case-Notes from the Artsy Asylum: Link Love for Socialmeter.

Papa Murphy's Cut The Cheese. How Rude!

I can't say for sure if this is happening at all Papa Murphy's locations, but from my experience doing business with them here in Port Orchard in the last year or so, they have really cut back on the cheese  they add to their take-out pizzas. We had gotten to the point where we would ask for  extra cheese just to get the taste and flavor we were expecting. But then you know what? It really irked me that they should offer me a coupon for $2 off on their family size pizza and then short me on the cheese! We have even gone so far as to buy our own mozzarella to add to the pizza before we cook them. So, I have a message for Papa Murphy's, NO MORE CUTTING THE CHEESE! Give us our money's worth and bring back that gooey cheese on top!

And, while I am on a rant today....

How about that new ad campaign by Arrowhead water? They are saving the environment by adding a waistline to their water bottles? Come on! The turnip truck is not my mode of transportation, and I know you are giving me less water in those bottles. They should rename this company 'pinhead water'.

Google Shows The Earth Is Moving

If you have Google Earth installed, check out this Earthquake KML from USGS. I got so caught up in it that I wasted a good hour just going from place to place. I guess you could kind of call me an earthquake nut, but I am fascinated by the effects of volcanism, plate tectonics  and all that geology stuff. Not that I am educated in it or anything, I just like to be "in the know". Google Earth does a spectacular job of bringing into perspective the forces of nature at work all around us.

Our news services could devote a whole day to just covering nothing but all the earthquakes, but they probably assume that we want to hear about other issues too (poisoned food, lead in toys, the instability of Pakistan, how some nuts start fires in CA, etc., etc.). I think it will get your attention though when you see all the quakes popping up on the world map.

Rumsfeld Confirms His Lunacy

I always thought that Rumsfeld was a megalomaniac, but this latest revelation goes a long way to confirm it. Daily, I am in awe of the American public that continues to exalt the likes of Rumsfeld and his cronies. It is no secret that I am firmly against anything this current administration has done. What infuriates me is that there are still twits out there willing to believe the swill that comes out of Washington DC via news conferences and news bites. Read this article and take a look at the propaganda this nut was/is promoting. They truly think the majority of Americans are ignorant sheep. If they elect another Republican this time, I am inclined to agree!