Wednesday, April 2, 2008

MicroPlace.com, Microcreditcapital.com, Calvert, Kiva.org, Accion: What do they have in common? Helping the poor!

How Would you like to be linked to Poor Individuals all over the World?

Are you ready to discover the beauty and the psychological benefits that come from doing something good? Lending money to the poor through microfinance is the way to go. You can make the microfinance loans through charitable organizations and the Web. Brought to the highlight by Muhammad Yunus, Microcredit is the practice of making small loans to the world's poor. What is surprising to investors is that, according to Wall Street Journal, more than 97% of the loan recipients pay their loans back. Who said that the poor were not creditworthy?

If you are a high-networth individual, there are a lot of groups that are willing to help you meet the right group of people to loan some cash to. Calvert which his a national financial services organization with TIAA-CREF, international microfinance organization Accion are helping people, investors make small loans of 3 to 4 years to individuals all over the world.

Last October, Ebay launched MicroPlace to help connect you with the needy of the world. It is known as a place for microfinance for investors. Go to Microplace.com to find out.

In the past few years, Kiva.org has attracted a lot of attention to microfinance. Individuals could select a recipient and contribute $25.00 or more online. Once the money is repaid, the investor can choose to lend again.

Accion's Global Bridge Fund allows individual investors to lend money to the funds and earn interest while their pooled funds support small to midsize microfinance institutions. Like Calvert, Accion guarantees the fund which is not rated by rating agencies.

Additional Resources:

Visit Microcreditcapital.com

EuroDollarYen Presents the Links to This Season's Hop Shopping Lists

Here we go again: High school girls and young women are shopping for their best formal dresses. Here is where to start:

Podshoppingblog PromdressesRock Offers this Season's hottest Dresses and Gowns

Shopnowshopping Promdresses and Quinceanera Gowns

Classy Evening Gowns, Hot Prom and Quinceanera Dresses, Affordable Prices

Sunday, March 30, 2008

BitTorrent Founded by Bram Cohen Gets Its B Round of Funding

Afflicted by Aperger's Syndrome, Bram Cohen has been a genius. He is the founder of wildly popular file sharing, BitTorrent. Comcast, the giant cable company, has realized that if you can not kill them, you'd better join them. That is why the cable company has announced it will undertake a collaborative effort with BitTorrent. Thus far, it is the Internet's most used network. It is the global standard for accessing rich media on the Internet. BitTorrent is the name of the game. Various TV companies have also been using its service. Many publishers have been able to use it with great fanfare.

BitTorrent has just raised its $25 billion worth of funding. The company can only make itself more important these ways. More film and movie studios will use it.

Get more at Podshoppingblog.com

The U.S. Dollar Took another Hit Against the Yen

The U.S dollar is in a bad shape these days. Since it is so weak, foreign companies and investors are coming to the states to buy new companies and real estate. Tourists do not miss a flight that is coming to the states.

Get more news at MareketWatch.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Value of the Dollar: Where to Find The Best Bang for the Buck? How about the Mexican Peso? Australian Dollar?

Once the American dollar is weak, many tourists flock to the US. They shop until they drop. It is easier for them to shop in this country than shopping in their home countries. A weak dollar means that overseas companies, like automakers, get more bang for their money. No wonder that Tata Motors has been able to buy Jaguar from Ford. the U.S. is ranked No. 1 for affordability among automakers. The Euro and the yen are stretching further now than they did two years ago, driving down the cost of everything from labor and transportation to the cost of energy used to power factories.

For many foreign companies, the U.S. suddenly becomes an attractive place to do business in. The dollar has reached 12-year lows against the yen. Currency change is the topic of a major study conducted by some industry insiders this year. The Australian dollar, the British Pound, and the Canadian dollar have gained some double digit value against the American dollar. It is a tough world out there for the U.S. dollar.

Suddenly, most U.S. hotels are attracting a lot of foreign tourists. Our parks and recreations have seen the influx of people from South America, G7 countries, Asian countries and others.

Get more info at Microcreditcapital.com and Microcreditcapital Marketwatch.