If you don’t know why you are hear, please read about the 21 Day Happiness Training Challenge.
Requiescat In Pace
Today, I am sitting at a funeral. My oldest friend’s dad died on Sunday.
Mark had an amazing ability to make anyone feel like family, from the moment he met them. The day I introduced him to my wife, he taught her to throw a tomahawk, and she still talks about it, 10 years later.
I don’t have a post in me today.
Mark Wayne Dwire, 61, was accepted into his father’s arms surrounded by his family June 24th. Mark was born to Wyman
(Jack) and Donna (Hasbrouck) Dwire on March 25th, 1951 in Park Rapids, MN. Mark graduated from Walker/Hackensack High School in 1969. He was married to Sherry (Garbers) Dwire on July 31st, 1971. Mark was a business entrepreneur. He started as a logger when you could still make a living with a chainsaw and a tractor.
Mark was proceeded in death by his father, step father Robert Dwire and stepfather Patrick Harrington, his brother Kerwin Dwire.
Mark is survived by his wife Sherry, his mother Donna (Hasbrouck) Harrington, children Jesse, Jason, Terra Fine (Andrew), Jeremiah (Tanja), and Daughter-in-law Elizabeth. Mark loved his grandchildren Cameron, Emily, Madelyn, Lydia, Faith, Elaina and Ellery. He was fondly referred to as ‘Super Papa’. He is also survived by many siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Why You Should Invest in Oman? Tapping the Help of International Banks
This is a guest post.
The Sultanate of Oman is located on the southeast coast of the Arabian peninsula, bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Yemen, the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian sea. Oil is an important source of revenue here. According to an article reported in Arabian Business, Oman’s average daily oil production rose 4% to 918,000 barrels per day (bpd) from an average of 884,900 bpd in 2011. However, as reported in the Al Arabiya News, British oil firm BP estimated that Oman’s oil reserves will run out in 17 years unless the country raises its output from the current levels. To reduce its dependence on oil, the Oman government is diversifying its economy into the non-oil sector and encouraging foreign direct investment in order to enhance the economic growth of the country. Here we will find out why the Oman government is encouraging foreign investment, which non-oil industries present attractive investment opportunities and how international banks can assist and advise foreign investors.
Employment
The unemployment rate of Oman is one of the issues faced by the government. The International Monetary Fund has estimated the unemployment rate at more than 20% of the workforce. According to Muscat Daily, since the last census in 2010, the total population has increased by 38% to 3.83 million at the end of February 2013, of which 56% are Omanis and the remaining 44% are expatriates. The expatriate population has increased by 106.4% while the Omani population has grown by 9.7% per cent since 2010. The number of Omanis employed in the private sector remained fairly unchanged, with only 1.7% increase since 2010.
On the one hand, the Oman government needs to maintain global competitiveness by attracting foreign talents to diversify the economy such as developing large industrial and infrastructure projects. On the other hand, the Oman government is struggling to create enough jobs in the non-oil public and private sectors for Omanis. The ruler of Oman, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, pledged to support citizens in establishing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the creation of a 70 million rials fund that will be increased by 7 million rials each year. In order for new start-up SMEs to gain a more competitive edge, the Sultan also ordered state land to be given free to entrepreneurs. In addition, the Oman government is hoping that foreign investment will create more employment opportunities for Omanis.
Investment opportunities in Oman
Oman’s Vision 2020 and Oman’s eighth Five Year Plan (2011-15) set clear objectives for economic diversification and development of Oman’s business and investment potential. Oman’s Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (PAIPED) is the government-run authority whose main mission is to facilitate investment in Oman and promote exports of Omani products and services to overseas markets. PAIPED’s 2009 Oman Investment and Promotion Strategy has proposed some industries that would meet Oman’s goal of economic diversification. These include automotive, infrastructure, ports, manufacturing, logistics, ICT, management and professional institutes, venture capital, financial services, international trade, insurance services and tourism.
Due to its strategic location, archaeological and historical remains, varied climate conditions and numerous sightseeing attractions, the tourism sector is an important and growing industry that offers lucrative investment opportunities. According to Albawaba Business, the chairman of Sundus Investments and vice chairman of National Bank of Oman, Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi, said that the Oman government is committed to boosting the tourism sector by investing in prestigious projects and encouraging foreign investment.
There are many benefits of investing in Oman, including a world-class infrastructure, incentive packages, attractive corporate tax and tax holidays, competitively priced industrial and office space, free zones and ports and a talented multilingual workforce. The Oman government also encourages foreign investors to collaborate with local companies in utilising its untapped resources, facilitating technology, innovation and management skills transfer and opening new markets for Oman products and services.
Roles of International Banks
Companies and entrepreneurs seeking to set up, expand and relocate to Oman should use international banks, which offer a range of products and services for corporate customers such as trade services, treasury services, corporate credit cards, and custody and clearing services.
If you are an exporter and need a loan to fill the gap in trade financing, you can apply for export financing in Oman to transport your products overseas. For example, with HSBC Bank, you can get pre-shipment finance to bridge the cash-flow gaps as well as post-shipment finance. If you are an importer, you can apply for documentary credits to help reduce the risks associated with international trade.
While there are numerous opportunities in the non-oil sector in Oman for foreign investors, the benefits and risks should be weighed before venturing abroad.
A Guide to a Career in Accounting
This is a guest post.
No one knows what the single magic ingredient is to a successful career in any field (if such an ingredient exists). Talking with experts in accounting, however, can shed light onto what qualities people need to get the best accounting jobs today and stick with them for a lifetime. We spoke to a variety of professionals to get their opinions on exactly that. Below is what they had to say.
From the financial professional staffer: Plan early
“While some people fall into an accounting career, the ones who flourish in their careers are the people who plan for it.” That’s according to Greg Menzone, an executive manager in the financial division of Professional Staffing Group. “That means deciding early that you’re interested in accounting and choosing a school that will help set you apart, i.e. a college or university with a strong business/finance reputation where you can major in accounting. Internships, especially through a co-op school, are also important. On another note about education: I recommend getting a master’s degree right away — it’s essential for a career in accounting.”
Menzone continues with advice for those recently out of school.
“After graduation,” he says, “accounting majors typically have a choice to pursue either a job in private industry or public accounting. Going the public accounting route can set you up more favorably for achieving C.P.A. status since both a master’s degree and a specific number of audit hours are required for the CPA. If you choose the public accounting route, I recommend staying at least a few years until you reach a senior level. Doing so will help your reputation and position you for the next step in your career.”
Menzone stresses that sticking with one employer for awhile instead of bouncing among accounting jobs is smarter for the lifelong career of the accountant.
“A successful career is a marathon, not a sprint, and longevity with an employer can be valuable because it enables you to build a solid network and develop trust in your position and abilities,” he concludes.
From the company president: Develop marketing skills
“With growing revenues and uncovering new business opportunities for accounting firms becoming more paramount every day, the successful accountant will need to have skills in business development and marketing,” shares Nick Keseric, president of the Marketing Seeds, a company that outsources marketing and business development initiatives for banks, law, accounting and wealth management firms.
“No longer will an accountant get by or get offered a partnership within a firm because they are only a real good technician in tax or audit. There are a million good technicians but few accountants that are good in — here comes the dreaded word for accountants — SALES. Bringing in new business opportunities and converting a prospect into a client will be the new norm for advancement.”
Keseric goes on to explain how those seeking accounting jobs at Moneyjobs.com or who are currently employed in the field can go about improving this important skill set. Among the techniques he advises are: Observing styles and approaches of those currently employed in sales and marketing; working on being likeable; studying business etiquette; and “smiling, being approachable and extending a hand first and greeting to others.”
“When accountants ADD it up,” he jokes, “business development will SAY it all for their own success.”
From the Excel guru: Master spreadsheets
Breck Carrow knows the value of spreadsheets so well he heads a company that trains people in their use and mastery: StopSpreadsheetErrors.com. He reminds people that finding and keeping good accounting jobs can have a lot to do with how well you know your Excel.
“As with any career, you can achieve greater success based on the unique value that you offer,” he points out. “Knowledge of Excel spreadsheets is a must for today’s accountants. Just knowing the standard formulas and functions, however, does not set you apart from your peers. In order to truly shine, an accountant should know how to properly structure a spreadsheet with effective controls. The resulting process efficiency will pay off many times over with more productive work, faster turnaround and less stress. Moreover, this will help you avoid a major career pitfall: embarrassing and costly mistakes that can tarnish your reputation.”
Resolutions That Don’t Suck
I’m not a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions. Generally speaking, if you don’t have the willpower to do something any other time of the year, you probably won’t grow that willpower just because the last number on the calendar changed.
Seriously, if you’ve got something worth changing, change it right away, don’t wait for a special day.
That said, this is the time of the year that many people choose to try to improve…something. Some people try to lose weight, other people quit shooting meth into their eyeballs, yet others(the ones I’m going to talk about) decide it’s time to get out of debt.
Now most people are going to throw out some huge and worthless goals like:
- I need to lose some weight.
- I need to save more.
- I need to be a better person.
- I need to shoot less meth into my eyeball.
The problem with goals like that is the definitions. What is “some”, “more”, “better”, or “less”? How do you know when you’ve won.
It’s better to take on smaller goals that have real definitions.
Try these:
- I’m going to lose 20 pounds.
- I’m going to save $1200.
- I need to stop locking my children in the closet when I go to the movies.
- I am never ever going to shoot meth into my eyeball again.
But Jason, I hear you saying, where am I going to find $1000 to save? Well, Dear Reader, I’m glad you asked. Next time though, could you ask in a way that others can hear so my wife doesn’t feel the need to call the nice men in the white coats again?
Let’s break that goal down even further.
Instead of saving $1200, let’s call it $100 per month. That’s a bite-sized goal. Some people don’t even have that to spare, so what can they do?
Let’s make that resolution something like “I’m going to have frozen pizza instead of my regular weekly delivery.” If your house is anything like mine, that brings a $60 pizza bill down to $15 for some good frozen pizza for a savings of $45. If you order pizza once a week, that’s $180 saved each month, double your goal. That’s a win with very little suffering.
Now, you can take that extra $80 that you hadn’t even planned for and throw it at your credit cards. That’s a free payment every month. Before you know it, you’ll have your cards paid off and a decent savings account.
Then you can thank me because I made it all possible.
Does a Gay Marriage Cost more than a straight marriage?
The costs of a wedding will depend on what state you live in. For gay couples this is even more important as only a few states allow gay marriage. These states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington D.C.
Recent political events have reduced some of these costs by revoking Proposition 8 and returning gay marriage to California. Additionally, by removing the Defense of Marriage Act federal benefits are now available to all married couples gay or straight.
The biggest difference in the cost of the essential part of the marriage (the license) and any travel costs for those who do not live in states that allow gay marriage. The most expensive is Maryland which costs $85. Most marriage licenses seem to cost about $50 such as California’s $68, and Delaware’s $50. However in Connecticut and Iowa the license is only $30.
If you do not live in a state that allows gay marriage, there may be options including domestic partnerships. These states are Oregon, Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, and Hawaii. Be careful considering these states however, as many domestic partnership benefits do not apply when traveling out of state. These are also not eligible for over 1000 federal benefits of marriage. In fact, domestic partnerships can act differently from zip code to zip code. Carefully read any agreement, as some do not provide any legal rights or protections but are simply a written commitment of a couple.
Also some states may recognize same sex marriages performed in other states though they do not allow the marriage to take place there. If you live in one of these states it may be worth the travel costs to go to a nearby state that allows gay marriage.
According to market watch, average spending on a ceremony is $25,000 however it varies depending on personal preferences and resources. Costs can depend on what season you get married in, real simple reports venue costs being reduced up to 20% if a wedding is in the winter, and not on a Saturday (the most common day for a wedding). Brides and grooms can consider renting their outfit to reduce costs. You can also consider cheaper alternatives such as having a family member doing the catering, or decorating your cake yourself. Party favors can be made by family members who like crafts.
