Brusqueness

1. Low Cost. The costs to acquire and maintain an investment can be a significant barrier to entry for a young, novice investor. Moreover, because the size of that first investment is usually small, the impact of transaction costs is magnified. It did not cost me anything to buy or hold that Motorola stock except for the actual purchase price.

2. Automatic. The easiest way to make investing a habit is to make it automatic. This can be through payroll deduction into an employee-sponsored plan (like my Motorola stock) or by automatic transfer from a bank account to an investment account.

3. Difficult to Liquidate. By this I do not mean an illiquid investment. Rather, there should be administrative obstacles and/or tax disincentives to selling the investment for use other than for its original purpose. This makes it easier to resist spending temptations. IRAs are ideal for this.  My Motorola stock was easy to sell. Should I have held it and not used it for a vacation? Yes and no. Mrs. ToughMoneyLove worked extremely hard to help support us through law school. Her lifelong dream to that point was to visit Ireland, the land of our ancestors. We had relatives on temporary assignment in England who would provide a place to stay. We had other relatives who offered us travel to the UK as a gift but only while our other relatives were there. When else would we have the time and means to take that extended trip? I think it was a good choice for us.

4. Transparent Growth. An excellent way to create investing enthusiasm in the novice investor is to make it easy for that investor to watch the investment appreciate in value. Any security and investment account that is easy to monitor online should qualify.

5. Low Risk. This one is going to be controversial. The standard line is that young folks are in it for the long haul so taking significant short term risk is appropriate and necessary.

This super sexy strappy high heel Sandal, by Alaia are a must! They are not like all the other sky high heels with platforms. So stand out from the crowd in these little beauties!

Milkboy Hi Dot Hi tops are our pick as most L&B this week. If any one is going to Japan please lets us know, we need a pair of the black ones with the white polka dots. So somebody please hook us up!!!!

We are so confused as we are planning a trip to the states this summer and not sure whether to scoop up some Alfie or Supra's? These Alfie Everybody Parachute red and white check are too fly. They come with interchangeable yellow and black laces! So we could rock these with so many things we have!!! Decisions, Decisions!!

Ladies get in here if you want some cute art on your feet? Then these Rolland Berry for Reebok are for you! They come in black with floral embroidery in pinks and yellows with a metallic toe! We hope to see some around this summer!

Inspired by the classic 80's movie The Gremlins! Reebok releases these Omni Pump with furry ankle bit, when the gremlins are fuzzy and cute.The rest of the kicks details are when they turn into mean little havoc causing monsters. You will probably cause a little bit of havoc in these yourself.

Not much to say about these dope Reebok Exofit except nice metallic colorways, Keep an eye out for these this coming A/W 09.

Air Jordan by Nike does it again, in a classic style with beautiful colors. Nuff said!

Puma is carrying on it's collabo with Luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. These sleek styled all black sneaker boot shoe, will definitely get you some compliments on your fashion taste. Just be ready to splash out a few coins for these beauties!

The United States said Friday it would not demand that China commits to binding cuts in its greenhouse gas emissions, marking an important step towards agreement on a global treaty to fight climate change.

The move came at the end of the latest round of UN climate change talks ­involving 183 countries, which aim to produce a deal in Copenhagen in December.

Jonathan Pershing, head of the US ­delegation in Bonn, said developing countries – seeking to grow their economies and alleviate poverty – would instead be asked to commit to other actions. These include increasing energy efficiency standards and improving the take-up of renewable energy, but would not deliver specific reductions.

He said: “We’re saying that the actions of developing countries should be binding, not the outcomes of those actions.”

Only developed countries, including the US, would be expected to guarantee cuts. The pledge was included in a US blueprint for a climate change deal submitted to the Bonn meeting, which Pershing said was based on the need for rich countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. The American plan, if approved, could replace the existing Kyoto protocol. The lack of any carbon targets for ­developing countries in the protocol was the reason the US never ratified it.

While such cuts were believed to be unrealistic in the new treaty, the first clear acceptance of that at the UN talks by the US is being seen as significant. EU officials said they were studying the US proposal.China and the US are the two biggest polluters in the world, making their positions on the deal critical.

In a separate submission to the meeting, China was among a group of developing countries that called on rich countries to cut emissions by 40% by 2020 on 1990 levels. According to the environmental group WWF, commitments made by developing countries so far add up only to about a 10% cut. Japan this week proposed an effective 8% cut in its emissions.

Observers see the 40% demand as unrealistic, suggesting the US move amounts to blinking first in the negotiations. But back-channel negotiations, revealed by the Guardian last month, showed the two countries are searching for a deal.

John Ashe, who chaired discussions at Bonn on how Kyoto targets could be extended, said many of the targets put forward could be revised as the Copenhagen deadline looms. “There is always an initial move and then a final move. I don’t believe we’re in the final stage yet,” he said.

He said China should agree to take actions to control emissions that were measured and reported to the international community.

In Washington, Todd Stern, the state department’s climate change envoy, said the US still expected China to move towards a cleaner economy. “We are expecting China to reduce their emissions very considerably compared to where they would otherwise be [with] a business as usual trajectory,” he said.

At the end of the talks, the UN’s top climate official said progress had been made. Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN framework convention on climate change, said: “A big achievement of this meeting is that governments have made it clearer what they want to see in the Copenhagen agreed outcome.”

But green campaigners criticised the failure to resolve issues such as an overall target for 2020 emission reductions or concrete proposals on funding for poor countries to deal with global warming.Antonio Hill of Oxfam said: “The countries that created the nightmare are refusing to lift a finger to prevent it becoming a reality. Rich country delegates have spent two weeks talking but have done nothing on the issues that really matter. They may be kidding themselves they are working towards a deal but they are not kidding anyone else.”

After another weekend of play, the Los Angeles Sol (7-1-3) remain atop the WPS standings. Camille Abily and PUMA spokeswoman Marta lead the team with six and four goals respectively.

Just prior to the start of the Women’s Professional Soccer season, brand PUMA and WPS announced an exclusive partnership making PUMA an official founding partner of the new league and an official sponsor of all WPS franchises.

The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball. In addition to on-field performance wear, PUMA will outfit the athletes and teams at all WPS-related events, activities and WPS appearances in sportlifestyle apparel. This partnership kicked off last month and will see PUMA collaborating with WPS to enhance the game of women’s soccer and will act as the foundation in the PUMA Women’s category.

That’s just the start for PUMA, which will have its name and logo on the league’s balls, uniforms, goalkeeper equipment, even sports bras. “Women’s soccer is on a tremendous growth pattern in the U.S.,” says Jochen Zeitz, chief executive of PUMA. “This is a huge opportunity for us.”

PUMA’s decision to join forces with WPS is part of an effort to target its marketing to young women. The company already has a footwear deal with Brazilian star Marta Vieira da Silva who is widely recognized as the best female soccer player in the world and currently playing for the Los Angeles Sol. PUMA also has a deal with U.S. national team player Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for FC Gold Pride.

Given PUMA’s name recognition and reach in soccer, the deal is a milestone for the new women’s league, especially amid a global recession.  Kudos PUMA. And Kudos Abily and Marta for bringing such energy and excitment to the game.

A ‘mini’ celebrity aged fifteen has one big claim to fame - at just under two-foot tall she is the smallest girl in the world.

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