The Friday Financial and Health Follies (FFHF)  summarize the important (or just fun) financial and health issues of the week.

• Share the humor of  the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight  and explain new  financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Friday Financial Follies

The Las Vegas ‘Heartattack Cafe’ has a new mascot.  

Weight over 350 pounds? Free Food!   Meat lover went all in with his triple bypass burger and is recuperating in a local hospital.  Patrons thought it was a marketing heart attack- took pics and posted to social media…Can you say viral heart attack?

1001 Duct Tape Uses?

Naked and duct taped role play?  Keep it at the house next time.  Nine patrol cars ‘tied up’ for hours searching for supposed duct taped and naked victim as  seen by bystanders.  All just a Valentine’s Day duct tape date. (say that quickly three times)

Multi-colored duct tape, use with care!

Foreclosure Rate Jumping

What do you get when the banks settle their foreclosure lawsuit with the feds? A huge jump in the foreclosure rate! The sooner these homes clear the market, the sooner we’ll reach a bottom in the real estate market.

Vaccines Voluntary?

Mandatory Vaccine laws are under assault.   What happens when we have a mumps epidemic again, with thousands killed each year?

Smoking safer?

Niceville, FL man lost some teeth and part of his tongue when a bottle rocket, also known as an electric cigarette, exploded in his mouth.  Hard to think he’ll look at them the same again.  Maybe try bubble gum?

Personal finance and other good reads:

Jeff at Sustainable Life Blog’s eyes are opened about bartering.  I don’t think I want to offer a PAP smear exchange, but I’m sure I can come up with something else…

A Breaking Bad personal finance teachable moment.  Can you say that with a straight face? American Debt Project manages  that pretty well and pretty funny too!

Suba @ Wealth Informatics wonders if Money Can Buy Love? The answer is yes, but is that good or bad thing?

Shaun interviews Elle at Smart Family Finance about the changes children bring to your finances.  Those bundles cost a bundle now!

Punch Debt, Jesse, and some other cool dudes who will go nameless, ’cause I don’t know who they are, came up with this manly pinterest-like site,  laden with testosterone.  Cool stuff, go check it out!

High deductibles or higher premiums, which is the right way to go on your health insurance? The ole chicken or egg discussion covered  well at Sweating the Big Stuff.

Average Joe’s Budget  Baby Bad Boy, for your reading and dissecting pleasure.  It will make sense cents to all but the LenPenzo spreadsheet geeks among us, and they will run from it like Lady Gaga runs from conservative frockery.

Carnivals and Giveaways!

Carnival of Financial Planning

The Life and Business Coach Carnival

Carnival of Retirement

Invest It Wisely linked to my Valentine’s Day post.

Yakezie Carnival at 101 Centavos

The Wealth Builder Carnival

Baby Boomer Blog Carnival

Giveaways:

Sunil at The Extra Money Blog is giving away iPads, and money and a trip. Cool stuff!

At Funancials: $25 gift card!

Superfrugallete is giving away $50 gift card!

Thanks for reading, and…..

FYI, ITF if you’re truly LOL, or ROTHFL while reading a news story, or you say OMG, or ICBT, or WTF,  please send me the URL, OK?

I’ll even give you a little link-love reward! (And we’ll all get to share the laugh).

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Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

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Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

The Friday Financial and Health Follies (FFHF)  summarize the important (or just fun) financial and health issues of the week.

• Share the humor of  the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight  and explain new  financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Friday Financial Follies

Man, sometimes I think…..”I’m gettin’ old!”

I went to a celebration this week.  Why would a celebration make me feel old?

One of the little babies I delivered almost 18 years ago signed a scholarship offer Wednesday to play quarterback for Penn State University.   Even with all the Happy Valley tragedy lately, it was an exciting night for his  family and our community.

Penn State University

Steven is also as good in the classroom as he is an athlete-a great role model.

Congrats Steven we’re proud of you!

I look forward to watching you for the next few years.  And remember when you think your head is getting too big for that blue ball cap, there are plenty of folks here who remember you when, and will bring you back to earth in a skinny minute.

When you’re faced with a difficult decision and you get a niggly feeling in the back of your neck, it’s all of us back home who care about you whispering in your ear to help you make the right choices.

Best of luck and be safe!

Go Nittany Lions! (boy  that was hard to type!)  Oh,  and about those sideline passes…

Let’s get started on the business and health news of the week!

Facebook announces it’s IPO plans.  It’s amazing the hype.  But think about it, when Google went public, how many Grandmas knew what a search engine was?  Everyone knows about Facebook. Even those who don’t use it.  I predict the IPO will do well.  (not that I’m recommending the stock-I’ll discuss that later.)

 Pressure on a 5 year old

In China, parents trying to get an edge for their kids pay $190 to have the child’s palm read, at SCHOOL.  The palm reader predicts intelligence and success. What happens when they can’t see through the peanut butter and jelly?

Dumb, but lookin good, Crook Story

Ya gotta love dumb crook stories.  This one involves a robbery-with a curling iron.  This curling iron wielding thief got the cash on hand at a n income tax preparers office.  Because she had been in recently to have her taxes done, all the staff recognized her.  A warrant has been issued. A lien too, probably.

Breast Implants save a life?

Doctors say (what do they know) recent breast implants saved a woman’s life after a stabbing.  Must’ve been Dolly Parton sized….

Euro insulation?

Shredded Euro banknotes (a billion of ‘em) used to build an Irish home.  I wonder how the bank appraised that feature?

Ohmmmmm

In the ‘it could  only happen in California column’:   a Yoga room at the San Francisco International Airport.  Your California tax dollars at work.

Cystic fibrosis drug released

Breakthrough drug for cystic fibrosis sufferers released.  Hopefully one with more broad indications will follow.

Personal Finance, and other things I’ve enjoyed reading this week.

Joe, at Free Financial Adviser, gives you advice on how to use a Roth IRA as an emergency fund.  Interesting idea.  Though any money borrowed from your retirement account is money that won’t be there at retirement, unless you’re the one in a million who pays yourself back principle and lost  growth.

Maria at Money Principle discusses whether or not she could take an offered 2 million dollar/pounds/euros-(it’s the principle remember) bonus payment.  The question is: Is anyone worth that kind of bonus money?  I would have to say it’s possible, though I don’t know anything about the RBS of Scotland… But in the world of international banking business, if you were a serious rainmaker, and brought billions in business into the bank, then a million or two in bonus money would certainly not be out of line.  If you were in charge while the bank was going down the tubes, then any bonus is just BS.

Sean at Smart Family Finance suggests that student loan consolidation is not a good move.  He makes a very good mathematical argument.  I’m always a believer in keeping your finances flexible-and debt consolidation does limit your options.

Len Penzo was picking on a poor defenseless physician this week, make him stop!

 Beating Broke writes about facing the fear. Good tips for facing facts rather than exaggerated concerns.

Financial Samurai thinks the economy has turned, and there is money to be made.  He may be right.  I hope so!  I hope he’s not delusional over the 49ers loss in the playoffs!  Who you bettin on for Superbowl Sunday Sam?

Carnivals and Roundups

Baby Boomer Blog Carnival

Carnival of Retirement

The Carnival of Financial Planning

Innovative Solutions for Positive Change’s Life and Business Coach Carnival

The Yakezie Carnival is at the Amateur Financier

Festival of Frugality at Squirrelers

Personal Finance Whiz liked my Million bucks…in my 401k post.

Stock Carnival Ecstasy

Go visit these folks who work hard to put together these carnivals.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend-enjoy the game! Go Giants!

{photo credit: shidairyproduct c.c.}

Don’t forget to:

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

The Friday Financial and Health Follies (FFHF)  summarize the important (or just fun) financial and health issues of the week.

• Share the humor of  the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight  and explain new  financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Friday Financial Follies

This has been a busy week here at The Millionaire Nurse.  I attended a conference for us elected municipal officials in our beautiful state capital of Atlanta.  A thousand of my closest friends and I had the opportunity to eat breakfast with and hear the state of the state with the Governor, Lieutenent Governor, and Speaker of the Georgia House.

Our state budget remains tight, but for the first time in 3 years, it seems there is positive economic news.  Georgia remains one of just 8 states in the nation to retain it’s triple A bond rating during this crisis. Hoo Rah!

Now, on to this weeks follies:

Bad week for Google

Google pays half a billion dollars, yep that’s 500 million smackaroos in fines/forfeitures from the feds over allowing the sale of illegal or out of country pharmaceutical ads.  This after an earnings miss knocked the stock down this week.  I don’t know about you, but I’ll bet two circles  they’ll bounce back.

Apple, You’re welcome!

Apple thanks me for adding to the 37 million iPhones sold last quarter, their 98 billion in cash in the bank, and their almost 14bucks a share in profits.  (no they haven’t sent me a thanks yet, but I’m waiting… a new iPad 3 will suffice….)

Microsoft not dead yet!

Speaking of tech titans, Microsoft may be coming out of the doghouse on Wall Street after a good earnings announcement, and positive early reviews of  Windows 8, and surprising X-box sales.

David Bach, where are you when we need you?

American workers spend an average of $1,000 bucks a year on coffee, and $2,000 a year on lunch. New survey, not old, pre-recession data.

Entrepreneurism alive and well in Italy.

“Get Back On Board Dammit”, t-shirts a hit in Italy. The phrase screamed at the scampering Captain of the ill-fated Italian cruise liner by his disgusted second in command.

Work Rules Rewind!

Cable guy arrested for DWI while working on wi-fi at the Sheriff’s office.  You may able to do your job drunk, but remember, you have to get there…

Shifting gears to health news….

Can grief be considered “depression”?  The Psychiatrists are arguing about it….

Not Your Daddy’s preschool snack-time!

9 baggies of marijuana brought to pre-school snack time by 4 year old.  Oops, wrong brown bag!

3 Second Rule?

A human heart spilled to the ground during transport, was successfully transplanted in Mexico.

Weekend Reader: Reads I’ve enjoyed this week!

Do you have the courage to be wealthy? Roshawn at Watson Inc. has a great answer.

Sam @ Financial Samurai discusses the thought process to go through before quitting your day job.  The numbers for his friend may not be applicable to you, but the process is the same.

97 Ideas for building a better platform by Chris Brogan.  You probably didn’t even know you needed a platform.  You do!  The sooner you figure out what YOUR platform is, the happier you’ll be.

Suba @ Wealth Infomatics lays out 2012 tax changes/details here.  You may have to print this out for a reference.  good stuff.

Preventing lifestyle inflation is the topic at Life and My Finances.

“It’s up to you to choose”, is a great short read at Seth’s Blog.

Carnivals and Round-ups!

Carnival of Financial Planning

The Life and Business Coach Carnival

Yakezie Carnival

The Yakezie Blog Swap list is here at Fiscal Phoenix and here at Odd Cents.

Betty Kincaid liked my football and personal finance post, well I think she did…Lotsa sports metaphors flying, and other good reads here!

My Mushroom post, part two, was thumbs up at The Money for College Project, and at Len Penzo, and at the Free Financial Advisor!  I didn’t know so many people liked me, or is it the mushrooms they like, or are they eating too many magic mushrooms???? Whatever, I’m grateful!

Festival of Frugality

Baby Boomers Carnival

Thanks to all who carnivaled, rounded up, tweeted and otherwise spread the word about what I’m trying to accomplish here at the Millionaire Nurse Blog.

My goal is to teach others that building wealth isn’t about a big salary, or winning the lottery.  It’s about making wise financial choices, but enjoying the journey!

Anyone CAN do it, but few choose to.  I’m here to help if you’re ready!

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Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

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Circle-Google +

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Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

The Friday Saturday just for today-Financial and Health Follies (FFHF)  summarize the important financial and health issues of the week.

• Share the humor of  the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight  and explain new  financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Welcome to another rousing edition of Friday – Saturday, this week only-Financial Follies, a full folio of fascinating facts and favorites for your reading pleasure/pain!  (because of an agreement to post the blog swap yesterday, my Friday Follies has moved to today.  If you missed it, I am sooo moved, but wonder about your sanity)

Lets get started!

This Weeks Financial and Health News, News too cool to miss!

What a deal!

In Russia when you buy 15 bucks worth of firewood, you might get a stash of automatic Kalashnikovs as a bonus…. Kinda like Storage Wars meets the Antiques Roadshow.

Probably not a Kalishnikov Rifle!

Gambling Jones on Steroids

Cock fighter owner killed by his fighting rooster.  Rooster is on the run from law enforcement…We don’t have to make ‘em up here.  (I chose to ignore my baser instincts to go crazy with “C–k” jokes…. )

Say it ain’t so!

It’s one thing to develop nuclear weapons, but to remove Barbie dolls from Iranian shelves...That’s un-American, Outrageous-oh yea it’s Iran, never mind…

Cocaine Cowboy?

FARC rebels in Columbia selling cattle as cocaine business income falls.  I have cows for sale, hmmm maybe I missed something…

Costly Cough!

Pneumonia costs  fellow 44 million.  Nahh, just a mistake…

USA Not too Neighborly

Canada is not too happy about President Obama’s decision on the Keystone Pipeline, and I don’t blame them.

How is this for “Helping”

Cholera in Haiti-spread from UN peacekeepers? The scientists aren’t sure.

One shot, cool!

A universal flu vaccine….It is in the works, and would be a lifesaver!

Enough already.

Good Reads for your weekend pleasure-some personal finance, some I just liked:

A book review of the Steve Jobs autobiography, aptly named Steve Jobs at Yakezie by yours truly.

Average Joe explains how to get average or below average returns.   Do it by buying mutual funds on  someones list of funds with above average returns.  You have to go read it, it does make sense-I promise.

If you’ve always wanted to make Hard Cider at home, Jeff at Sustainable Life Blog has the recipe and instructions-cheers.

Len Penzo has a semi-rant about pizza delivery fees and pricing transparency at the eponymously named blog.

 Surviving and Thriving-Donna saves Heckboy. 

Money Beagle shows how he does a to do list, only 500 plus items... No problem man, he’s got it covered.  It’s a great idea!

For one guy’s opinion (Caleb Wojcik) of ten bloggers who have used blogging to define their expertise in their field-check out this post.  Great list.

Brian Clark at Copyblogger teaches you the ins and outs of Google +.  Bloggers need to read this!

Carnivals And Roundups this week:

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie at My University Money

Top Personal Finance Articles this Week  the Carnival of Financial Planning

Life and Business Coach Carnival-Inagural Edition-cool!

Yakezie Carnival-hosted by Miss T at Prairie Ecothrifter.com

Money For College Roundup-liked my Millions in the 401k article.

My first  Growing  Mushrooms At Home post was liked by The Dog Ate My Wallet.

The Free Financial Advisor, Joe liked dissed my mushroom post too.

Thanks for reading, and being understanding to have my Friday Follies on Saturday.  If you like it better on Saturday, get over it!  I can’t compete with Penzo’s Black Coffee, I just couldn’t….

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Don’t forget to:

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

The Friday Financial and Health Follies (FFHF)  summarize the important financial and health issues of the week.

• Share the humor of  the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight  and explain new  financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

Welcome to another edition of Friday Financial Follies, a full folio of fascinating facts and favorites for your reading pleasure/pain!

I’ve survived another holiday season.  Hope you have gotten back to a productive life after too much food, fun, and fellowship with your kin….

Let’s get started on

The Friday Financial And Health Follies!

Cancer affects thought?

Chavez thinks the USA is causing cancer in South American leaders….

Stress relief by fighting?

Organized pillow fights in China to help with work and school stress.  That may be safer than taking Xanax with a shot….

Pillow fight!

More money than sense?

A Chinese man buys a virtual sword for 16 grand to give him an edge in a computer game…. Of course the joke will be on me when he doubles his money selling it on eBay…

Pushing up what???

In the Netherlands men can get a job as a push-up bra model.  True equality huh?  ( ad campaign succeeds, we are talking about it!)

Don’t spill the coffee!

A couple arrested for going through McDonald’s drive-through with no clothes…I wonder if it was for the new coffee, or the McRib?  I’m kinda surprised the server noticed…

Memorials to dead cows?

Animal rights group wants memorial to dead highway cows in Illinois.  What about the squirrels and the possums- who cares about them?

Double your trouble!

Twin births increase in the US according to the CDC! 

Personal Finance Reads:

Magic 8 Ball!

The Magic 8 Ball’s predictions for 2012 from LenPenzo.com.  Featuring a couple of great questions from yours truly.

Sam is Mad!

Financial Samurai is pissed off….at himself!

Disney Dizziness or is it Disney Bizzness?

Free Financial Advisor- Joe has a few mickey mouse money tips.  Yes they are really mickey mouse, no joke.

FMF’s top ten.

Free Money Finance lists his ten favorite posts of the year.  I think I’ll steal that idea soon, thanks FMF!

Spending Questions:

Two questions to ask before you buy is at Squirrelers.

Nudge, nudge get’s me slapped!

JT at Money Mamba wants to know if it’s a nudge or a shove?  I had to read it twice to figure out what the hell he was talking about….I guess I need to get out more.

Budget Vegas

BTFS has Vegas on the cheap! 7 & 11 baby!

Flies where?

Wealth Infomatics writes about flies and urinals, yep, that’s not a misprint…(can you have a misprint in a blog post?)

Carnivals and stuff:

Festival of Frugality at Funny About Money.

Carnival of Financial Planning at The Skilled Investor.

Thanks!

A shout out to Jai Catalano who takes great pics, especially of his kids! Welcome to Yakezie world!

Thanks to you all for gracing my humble blog with your presence!  I do appreciate it more than you know!

{photo credit: hsingy c.c.}

Don’t forget to:

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?

The Friday Financial and Health Follies (FFHF)  summarize the important financial and health issues of the week.

• Share the humor of  the funny
• Make fun of the stupid.
• Highlight  and explain new  financial and health news-so you don’t miss it!

I’m doing payback for being off call last week.  That is the nature of our business, there are no free rides…..  Holiday call though is usually not too bad as most people do their best to avoid going to the Doc when they are off.  They would rather spend their money on after Christmas sales.

When folks do come in though, they are usually sicker as they’ve put it off ’till they couldn’t go any longer so the office has been pretty busy.

Happy New Year!

I’ll be toasting the New Year with a glass of water or other innocuous liquid.  Saves me from having a headache while watching football on New Years day.

Let’s get started with

Friday Follies:

Hangover Hell

Let’s get the hangover remedy article over with first, it is New Years weekend after all!

SOPA, turning into a Soap Opera!

SOPA, the internet piracy bill is generating all kinds of publicity, most of it bad for Go Daddy and the bill’s backers.  An internet blackout (a modern day picket line) of the most popular web sites is being thrown around as one possible way to get the public’s attention.

Frugal Christmas Card Personified

Two Texas men used the same Christmas Card, sent back to each other for 60 years.  The ritual died along with one of the participants.  Great tradition!

Can you hear me now?

A Montana man shoots himself in the foot outside the ER when the ER staff refused to give him pain meds for his back pain.  Yes, I’m hurting now!

Sears Closing Mo Sto’s

To see if a Sears store near you is closing, check out this pdf: www.searsmedia.com/tools/122711_close.pdf.

Real Estate Glass half full:

Pending home sales are at the best level in 18 months.

Real Estate Glass half empty:

Sales prices of homes still falling!  Vegas and Atlanta are yet to hit bottom.

Elly May Clampett

Don’t go look at the picture of Elly May who is suing Mattel over a Barbie license.  Just don’t, unless you are too young to know who I’m talking about.  I know I look older than I did in 1968 but damn.

Only in Californication

The good people in LA get to vote on condoms for porn stars.  Explain that in your 6th grade civics class will you?  Penzo have you discussed this with your kids yet?

This article about new laws for 2012 also outlines California’s penchant for creative lawmaking…

Flops for 2011

The top ten product flops for 2011.  The GM Volt makes the list (add that to Solyndra and the Obama administration’s effort to pick green winners  a loser.  Mix in the biofuels disaster and it’s a Trifecta… IMHO)

Personal Finance Reads

Financial Samurai reviews his predictions. Not bad!

The three things investors can control are discussed at Free Money Finance.

Donna @Surviving and Thriving shares a note to Santa.  Kids and Christmas, what a combo.

Budgeting in The Fun Stuff has a guest post giving great advice to college kids about investing.  Giving them a little hell too!

Len Penzo  gives you a list of top money blunders for the year.  You can look good in comparison to some of these folks.

Carnivals and Links:

The Yakezie Carnival at Passive Income To Retire.

The Skilled Investor hosted the Carnival of Financial Planning. (last weeks)

The Carnival of Financial Planning at The Skilled Investor-This weeks…

One Families Blog hosted the Carnival of Financial Independence.

Personal Finance Whiz’s Top Financial Posts of the Week.

Thanks for reading,

Happy New Year, Cheers, and all that stuff!

Enjoy the celebration but be safe so you can enjoy the upcoming year.

{photo credit: lifelikeapps c.c.}

Don’t forget to:

Follow-Twitter-@DrDeanBurke

Like-Facebook

Circle-Google +

Link to me-at Linked In

Friend-Facebook

Don’t miss anything here-RSS

Newsletter, for special people, with my special mini-e-course on personal finance and my special  free e-book, at no extra charge-cause that’s the kinda guy I am! Don’t you want to be special?