Best Home Security System for 2014

Home security is often not addressed until an intrusion has already occurred. According to the FBI, more than 2 million burglaries were reported in 2012. However, homes with alarm systems have shown to be 300% less likely to be broken into. It’s evident that the majority of us are not doing everything we can to proactively mitigate these risks.

Top home security systems have a proven track record in protecting homes and their valuable contents. Read on to begin exploring which best home security system is the right fit for you and your family.

The Simple Dollar’s Top Picks

Here are the five best home security systems:

1. Frontpoint® Home Security


2. LifeShield® Home Security


3. LiveWatch Security®


4. ADT® & ADT Pulse®


5. Vivint® Home Security

Frontpoint®

Frontpoint® is regularly ranked as the #1 home security system. They boast 100% wireless and cellular technology as well as top-rated GE security equipment, and simple DIY installation instructions.

Frontpoint® is one of the few home-security monitoring providers that goes beyond fire, flood, and carbon-monoxide detection by also including a service that can detect if there’s a break in your natural gas line. They also have the ability to connect up to 39 sensors and your mobile device at once, bringing the safety and security of your home right into the palm of your hand.

Frontpoint® continuously falls at the top of the list in all categories when it comes to monitoring, security devices, alerts, and customer service. The key here is that you don’t have to worry about their system falling short in any realm of your home’s security. Their Crash & Smash protection even allows your control panel to send alert signals in the event a burglar attempts to destroy it.

Frontpoint® has a working relationship with Alarm.com that allows them to have a variety of additional features, including Geo-Services. Geo-Services offers peace of mind for many of the imaginable mishaps or potentially intrusive feelings. You can set your system to automatically notify you if you leave a certain perimeter around your home and have not yet activated your alarm system. You also can pause the recording of specific cameras when the user is within the geo-fence. For example, when you get home from work, the security cameras within your home can pause their recording while your outdoor cameras remain on and continue to capture the scene.

You can try out Frontpoint® to ensure it’s a good fit for you and your family with their 30-day free trial. Start protecting your home and your belongings. Call (800)364-0823 for a free quote today.

LifeShield®

LifeShield® has one the fastest response times in the industry. They’ve partnered with DirecTV and are therefore connected to a monitoring station with broadband Internet connection. They offer DIY or professional installation depending on your needs, availability, or ability.

LifeShield® goes beyond other home security systems by providing additional layers of backup in the event that your power goes out or home phone line is disabled:

• Broadband Internet: In the event of an emergency, LifeShield connects to the monitoring center in seconds by using your broadband Internet connection.


• Cellular Network: You’re able to utilize a built-in cellular connection as an additional layer of protection.


• Land Line Phone: LifeShield also offers connection through a landline in the event that your Internet and/or cellular connection goes down.


• Battery Backup: Rest assured you’ll be alerted when your battery is low. Beyond that, the long-lasting battery will keep your alarm system online for up to 24 hours after the power goes out.

LifeShield® offers another unique feature that provides alerts of local crime data so you can make a more informed decision of the level of home security coverage you feel most comfortable with.

LiveWatch®

LiveWatch® was created in 2002 with the goal of making home security easy and affordable without sacrificing quality. They provide truly customizable home security and are able to keep their costs low by DIY installation and avoiding extra, unnecessary hardware.

If you’re worried about the DIY installation, don’t be. A LiveWatch® customer service technician will remain on the phone and talk you through the process. After the installation is complete, they will run live tests on the system to ensure it is working correctly.

LiveWatch® also has an excellent customer-service record and openly broadcasts that the majority of their business comes from customer referrals. After the first 12 months, your contract moves to a month-to-month agreement with no termination fee if you decide to move away from monitoring services. If you cancel within the first 12 months, you are eligible for a refund on any purchased equipment.

ADT® & ADT Pulse®

ADT® has been in existence for over 140 years, serves over 7 million customers, and has the most monitoring service centers in the industry. While length and existence don’t guarantee great service in today’s world, a known name can never hurt in deterring potential intruders.

Aside from their security devices and monitoring services, ADT® provides guarantees to ensure you feel confident about your security investment, including:

• Theft Protection Guarantee: ADT® will pay up to $ 500 of your security deductible if your home is robbed while your security system is armed.


• Mover’s Security Guarantee: ADT® customers are entitled to a free security system in their new home.


• Money-Back Service Guarantee: If you are not satisfied within six months, ADT® offers a refund on the installation price and monitoring fees.


• Homeowner’s Insurance Certificate: With this certificate, you can save up to 20% on your homeowner’s insurance.

In 2010 ADT® launched ADT Pulse® – an upgraded service including home automation with Z-Wave™ technology. It has opened ADT® up to compete with the quickly emerging high tech security systems in accompaniment with it’s household name.

Vivint®

Vivint® is consistently one of the top-rated security providers. With their monitoring services, you get 24/7 coverage 365 days a year along with unique non-emergency alerts, severe weather alerts, and a key fob that allows you to turn your alarm system on or off or call the authorities directly from the device without ever having to enter your home.

Vivint® provides their own internal monitoring, so they’re able to work directly with you. This is a plus because you don’t have to worry about outsourcing of monitoring services and going through a middleman for any issues.

Vivint® also excels at home automation with a forward-thinking mindset. They provide two additional plans to help conserve energy and save you money. The Smart Energy plan is an integrated system that gives you control over your appliances, lights, and thermostat from anywhere. They have gone above and beyond to create savings with your home by establishing the Vivant Solar solution, which streamlines the generation, transmission, and distribution of energy processes by using solar panels installed on your rooftop to supply power to your home.

What’s Important in a Home Security System?

My methodology in determining the best home security system was based on four major components, ranked as follows:

1. Monitoring Services


2. Security Devices


3. Customer Service


4. Affordability

Monitoring services fell at the top of the list, as constant and effective monitoring is key to the protection of your home. Security devices allow you to safely and accurately monitor. Without appropriate customer service, the required action and assistance would fall short of your needs. Affordability, while it does not always limit the available services, is important when making your decision on the comprehensiveness of your home security monitoring.

As you can imagine, home automation often comes with a heftier price tag. However, with this feature, you’re often able to control your thermostat, appliances, and outlets which increases the potential savings that could easily exceed any expenses. Look into what home automation features are available with your home security system to take advantage of these opportunities.

All of the selected Simple Dollar’s Top Picks including the following services in various packages:

• 24-hour monitoring


• Wireless Internet or cellular system


• Internet/cellular monitoring


• Battery backup for power failure


• Online account access


• Door, window, garage door, glass break, and motion sensors


• Panic button


• Flood, carbon monoxide, and fire detection


• Security camera(s)


• Customer support available via email and phone


• Online tutorials


• Alarm history reports

Below you will find a comparison of other components that were not universal within the list:

Feature	Frontpoint®	LifeShield®	LiveWatch®	ADT®	Vivint®
Alert Response Time	30 Seconds	1 Second	18 Seconds	45 Seconds	9 Seconds
Security Equipment Manufacturer	GE	LifeShield®	Varies	Honeywell	Varies
Basic Monthly Monitoring Fee	$ 34.99	$ 29.99	$ 19.99	$ 36.99	$ 53.99
Contract Length	1 Year	3 Years	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years

Wired vs. Wireless Security Systems

Wired home-security systems are starting to be a thing of the past. While ADT® and some less tech-savvy systems still have wired options, they leave your home vulnerable to power outages or disabled phone lines.

They also require actual wiring in your home, which can often be a deterrent. I have a hard time putting a nail in my wall let alone a gaping hole. Wired systems can also be more difficult to take with you when you move and require reinstallation at the new location. ADT® actually leaves the system behind and gives you a credit for your new system if you’re still within the timeframe of your contract agreement.

Wireless Internet and cellular security systems are not only the direction of the future for any tech industry, but they also remove the vulnerability of your phone line being disabled. They use a battery for power and are able to keep coverage long after the power goes out.

Wireless Internet systems use wireless alarm sensors similar to radio waves to communicate with the control panel. The wireless frequency is typically proprietary and therefore will not interfere with other wireless equipment in your home or other wireless systems.

Cellular systems use a cellular device that is installed in the control panel and uses cellular towers to transmit the signal, similar to sending a text message. It’s the newest form of home security alarm-signal technology and is revered as the most reliable monitoring on the market.

With the exception of ADT®, which does provide a wireless option with ADT Pulse®, wireless systems comes standard with the other four top picks.

Home Security Camera Systems

In the past, home security cameras were all based on closed-circuit television technology, which required cabled connections in your home. With the ever-improvement of technology, most home security cameras are now wireless digital cameras that are easy and inexpensive to install, require no video cables, and have cloud-based storage.

With the combination of Internet and your home security camera, you have the ability to view live feed from anywhere including, in many instances, right on your smartphone. Frontpoint® is one of the best home-security camera providers with options for fixed, pan-and-tilt, and/or outdoor wireless cameras.

DIY Home Security Systems

DIY home-security systems are great. Though they may at times be less effective than those that are professionally installed, it is important to keep in mind that there are two different versions of DIY: one where you purchase the devices and services from a home security provider like Frontpoint® and LifeShield® and one where you purchase your own tools and do not pay for any type of monitoring services.

While deterrence from individually provided and installed solutions like motion detector lights, more secure locks, and home security cameras can be effective, it is critically important that you have a direct line to the authorities in the unfortunate event that you need them. For this, a monitoring service from an established home-security system provider is a must.

Home Safety Tips

There are simple measures you should take regardless of whether or not you own one of the best home-security systems. Preventative steps are necessary to minimize the chances of your home being targeted by burglars.

1. Keep your doors and windows locked — even when you’re at home.


2. Get deadbolt locks installed on your doors.


3. Don’t leave valuables in plain sight.


4. Keep your phone ringer volume on low.


5. Don’t post travel plans on social media sites.


6. Do alert your neighbors when you’ll be out of town so they can keep an eye on your home.


7. Lock up important documents.


8. Have a dog (not recommended if only for security purposes).


9. Put away your ladder when you’re done using it.


10. Don’t leave a key outside your home.


11. Do make it appear you are home even when you’re not by leaving a light, TV, or radio on.


12. Clear large bushes or items a burglar could hide behind away from your entryways.


13. Frost your garage windows so potential burglars don’t have clear sight of your car (or its absence).


14. Install motion detector lights outside your home.

Beyond the Obvious Benefits of Home Security Systems

Whether it’s from a burglar, fire, flood, or various other things that can be monitored by your security system, it’s clear that the main goal of a home security or alarm system is to protect your home. However, there are also many other benefits.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, some companies decrease your insurance premium by up to 20% if you install a comprehensive home-security system. Before investing, talk to your insurance provider to get a better idea of the savings vs. the cost depending on the plan you go with.

It also turns out that when you install a home security system, you are not only protecting yourself but also your neighbors. “Neighborhoods in which burglar alarms were densely installed have fewer incidents of residential burglaries than the neighborhoods with fewer burglar alarms,” a study by Rutgers University reported.

What You Should Be Asking Your Home Security Provider

Before you buy any home security devices or sign any contracts, there are many non-advertised answers you should have in regards to your provider and the services you’ll be paying for.

Many home security providers have various methods of response. Some send contracted security professionals to assess the situation prior to contacting the authorities. Every company has a different response time, and some provide additional resources like long-lasting batteries and additional monitoring service centers.

Below you will find a list of questions you can ask beyond what is readily available on all websites:

1. What is the typical response time when the alarm is set off?


2. What is the typical response?


3. If I cannot reach the established emergency contacts (if that’s part of the process), will you reach out to the authorities immediately?


4. When can I expect someone to be at my home after the alarm has been set off?


5. How many monitoring centers service the provider?


6. In the event of a power loss, how long should my battery last?


7. Will I be provided a sign to advertise that I am using security services?


8. Am I able to take the security system with me when I move?

Home Security Summary

Home security is a topic that should not be ignored. A quantitative analysis of the impact of home alarm systems was conducted by Rutgers University and showed that home security systems are effective in deterring and protecting one’s residency from unwanted entry. The study found that burglaries are not concentrated to specific age composition, economic, or metropolitan areas. Burglary affects the masses on a regular basis.

I recently attended a neighborhood watch meeting at the local library near my home. I was blown away by the number of incidents in what I believed to be a safe neighborhood, but the passion and creativity the community had to ensure the safety of their homes and, more importantly, their families was comforting. Very few, however, mentioned home security systems.

Home security systems are proven to be the most effective solution to protect your home, your valuables, and your family. Make sure you maintain your confidence and peace of mind that your home is safe by installing a system sooner than later.

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Personal Finance, 2014, best, Home, security, System

New developments in online banking security

This article is by staff writer William Cowie.

Most banks (especially the larger ones) have been regarded as pretty safe, for all intents and purposes, since the middle of the previous century. But since banks started maintaining our balances in secure data centers at various locations (instead of holding our savings in safes and vaults in their local branches), a bank’s records of what is yours and mine become increasingly visible to people within the banks, but also to some on the outside that have malicious intent.

In the never-ending game of cat and mouse, each time a bank improved their security measures, bank robbers improved their methods to attack those centrally located files. At first, stealing money in the electronic age became an exercise in simply transferring the money in your account to their account. Call it “Phase I of electronic banks and robbers,” but those initial efforts were only focused on getting inside the banks’ now-electronic vaults … where the “money” is.

The advent of electronic identity theft

Then thieves discovered another vault: our identity information. Instead of making a massive frontal attack on a bank in an attempt to get at the bank’s customer accounts, they began to launch a million stealthy small attacks, using a million individuals’ account credentials, on a few thousand banks, spread over time. It required a few more computer clicks, but the result was the same.

Identity theft replaced outright bank theft as the number one financial crime, in large part because criminals perfected the art of identity theft before institutions could respond. When they did, their response looked a bit like the proverbial herd of wild animals: A separation existed between the diligent and strong banks, on the one hand, and the others who lag.

Passive and active online security strategies

The strongest banks developed a two-pronged attack to identity theft. Their first line of attack was passive identification protocols, like passwords and PINs. These are geared to verify it’s you making the request, not some unauthorized rogue. The advantages are: It’s simple and unique for every customer. Banks store those PINs and passwords separately from our account information, even on different networks with separate encryption to make it harder for thieves to extract the codes and be able to use them to impersonate you.

To circumvent any deficiencies with passive protocols, banks added departments devoted to active online security. These experts analyze your buying patterns and react to anything out of the ordinary by reaching out to you to confirm any transaction that doesn’t fit your pattern. My bank called me two weeks ago to ask if I was buying gas in Mexico. I wasn’t, and their alert limited their damage to one purchase and mine to waiting four days for a new card. The downside of active online security is it’s expensive and still not foolproof.

New online security measures are being developed around biometrics

As banks sought a simpler solution that would also be more affordable and criminal-proof, it pointed to a passive system as opposed to high-staff, active systems. The area showing the most promise in this regard is what’s called biometric identification. “Biometric,” in this instance, refers to identifiers based on one or more unique parts or surfaces of the human body.

Fingerprints are well known as an accurate means of identifying an individual, because, as we all know, no two people have identical fingerprints. The same applies to other body parts, such as the iris of an eye. Something else that’s unique to every person is the vein patterns inside our fingers. Hitachi developed a scanner which shines light through a person’s finger and digitizes the unique pattern of veins inside the finger.

The benefit of the vein scanner is that nobody can capture fingerprints from a glass or counter, or capture an iris pattern from a photograph. Your vein pattern is impossible to capture, other than by a scanner.

The downside of biometric identifiers is they all still get translated to zeroes and ones in a computer file — and, if that file resides on a central computer, it’s vulnerable to being copied and used by cyber thieves.

However, two recent developments may constitute a breakthrough in online bank security by addressing this vulnerability in a unique way.

Barclays Bank, the 300-year-old bank headquartered in Britain, is again starting to raise the bar for online security. Their latest online banking innovation, using a finger vein scanner, is being offered for a fee to their British corporate clients with desktop devices so that they can identify authorized users by scanning the unique vein patterns inside their fingers.

image: Barclays

But the interesting and unique breakthrough in the Barclays application is that the personal biometric identification information stays in the scanner, not in the bank’s central computer. That means hackers can’t get access to their depositors’ codes like they could with passwords or PINs, because the information is simply not at the bank — it resides on their client’s desk. The scanner generates a code with each transaction, which the bank checks. It doesn’t matter if a crook gets hold of the verification code: The crook would still need both the finger pattern and the scanner’s unique translation code for that pattern before they could impersonate a patron and access their banking records.

These scanners are still expensive. It makes sense, therefore, for Barclays to test the new technology with its larger corporate clients first, since they move enormous sums around and can easily justify the expense as a necessity to protect their capital.

If this works, it’s reasonable to expect other tech companies, and banks, to develop this technology to the point that everybody can afford to have a personal vein scanner, or some other biometric device, in their home to protect against identity theft.

Apple Pay was part of the new Apple iPhone 6 product launch. Using a fingerprint sensor, their latest smartphone lets you make retail purchases by simply tapping your phone to a payment terminal on the retailer’s counter. The tap allows the retailer to deduct the correct amount from your bank account, but without the retailer knowing anything about you: no personal information ever gets transferred.

What retailers don’t have can’t be stolen. To quote Apple: “With Apple Pay, instead of using your actual credit and debit card numbers when you add your card, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element, a dedicated chip in iPhone… These numbers are never stored on Apple servers. And when you make a purchase, the Device Account Number alongside a transaction-specific dynamic security code is used to process your payment. So your actual credit or debit card numbers are never shared by Apple with merchants or transmitted with payment.”

Several major financial institutions — like American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, and Wells Fargo — are already on board with Apple Pay, and Apple says several others, notably Barclaycard, Navy Federal Credit Union, PNC Bank, USAA and US Bank are in process.

What both the Barclays Bank and Apple Pay technology-driven security initiatives have in common is embracing biometric identifiers, and moving that identification data out of centralized locations, and into a user’s equipment.

Decentralized identification information is difficult to hack, on two levels:

• It’s a moving target because, in both cases, the biometric data generates dynamic codes. That’s like setting up a new password for every transaction: even if you deciphered one, it’s useless for any other transaction.


• The cost/benefit ratio for cyber attackers increases exponentially, because the potential gain for a successful hack goes from hundreds of millions of dollars to hundreds of dollars. In other words, crime stops paying.

Time will tell how these developments play out, but I find it encouraging that practical, joint measures are being taken by banks and hardware manufacturers to further strengthen online security. How does your bank protect your information? Do you think biometrics will keep your accounts safe?

Get Rich Slowly – Personal Finance That Makes Sense.

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Personal Finance, banking, developments, online, security

7 Reasons Why Junior Farmer Schools Hold Promise for African Youth

“You can study and still not find a job, but if you can farm, you can go and do something for yourself.” Francisco, 15Young people in Africa face many obstacles as they enter the world of work, but a junior farming program is helping to clear their paths.If Africa is to prosper, its young and rapidly growing labor force must prosper – above all in agriculture. Farming is the continent’s biggest employer and biggest potential engine of economic growth.The generation entering the African labor force now is the most educated ever, say the authors of a new World Bank report, but employment opportunities haven’t improved. Few wage jobs exist. Most young people work for themselves or their families on small farms or in household …

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“You can study and still not find a job, but if you can farm, you can go and do something for yourself.” Francisco, 15

Young people in Africa face many obstacles as they enter the world of work, but a junior farming program is helping to clear their paths.

If Africa is to prosper, its young and rapidly growing labor force must prosper – above all in agriculture. Farming is the continent’s biggest employer and biggest potential engine of economic growth.

The generation entering the African labor force now is the most educated ever, say the authors of a new World Bank report, but employment opportunities haven’t improved. Few wage jobs exist. Most young people work for themselves or their families on small farms or in household businesses. Underemployment in the informal sector is widespread, meaning that young people live in poverty or near poverty even when they work hard in fields and shops.

Started by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in 2003, Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools have given life-enhancing skills to 20,000 12- to 18-year-olds across 20 countries. Here are seven reasons for their success in preparing youth to build better livelihoods:

1. The schools bridge the gap between supply and demand for vocational training.

Most young people in rural areas don’t get past primary school. But Africa’s few formal agricultural schools and programs require at least some secondary education. In Junior Farmer Schools, young people who have no other avenue to vocational training learn modern farming skills.

2. The schools complement formal education.

Literacy and numeracy lead to better farm incomes, in part because they provide the foundation for learning modern farming techniques. Since Junior Farmer Schools offer vocational training after school hours and admit only 12- to 18-year-olds, they don’t compete with the formal education system. In fact, some are based in primary schools, where they have helped boost enrollment, attendance and performance.

3. The schools minimize opportunity costs.

Though classes are free, they require a modest investment of time. The weekly commitment of about 10 hours over a few days allows young people to go to school or work full time on a farm or in a household business.

4. The schools build a broad range of skills that enhance productivity.

Young people learn about modern farming practices, including pest management, soil and water conservation, horticulture and livestock management. But farming skills alone won’t enable them to seize opportunities and face challenges and risks in their lives. So the curriculum also builds life skills, such as nutrition, child rights and protection, HIV/AIDS prevention and gender awareness as well as business skills like budgeting and marketing. Vocational and life skill topics are creatively integrated in the curriculum. For example, units on soil fertility are paired with units on nutrition. And participatory learning methods help build critical thinking and behavioral skills, like self-confidence.

5. The schools help bring the poorest and most vulnerable young people into the mainstream of economic and community life.

Rural youth lack access to opportunities, services and networks. This is especially true for girls, young people who are out of school, and orphans. Tragically, Africa’s HIV/AIDS epidemic is creating a growing population of orphans who don’t have parents to teach them farming and other skills. Junior Farmer Schools target young people who tend to be excluded because of their age, sex and social status. Communities select an equal number of boys and girls while giving priority to those who are orphans or out of school.

6. The schools are community-driven.

The Food and Agriculture Organization and its government and U.N. partners provide technical and financial support to schools. But local communities and volunteers run them – sourcing plots of land, recruiting facilitators, selecting young people, assessing training needs, choosing the curriculum and monitoring and evaluating their progress. Communities tailor the program to local needs, assess and improve its effectiveness, and support schools with in-kind contributions. This decentralized approach fosters relevance and accountability while helping to reduce costs.

7. The schools help graduates move on to the next stage of their journey to decent livelihoods.

In their second year, participants apply and build on business skills gained in the first. Teachers guide them through the process of becoming entrepreneurs — identifying opportunities and risks, creating business plans, and connecting with information and resources in the community. Resources may include markets, role models, microcredit, further vocational training in Farmer Field Schools (a kind of adult counterpart to Junior Farmer Schools), farmer groups, and relevant government services and programs.

Of course, young people in rural Africa need an environment of opportunity as well as skills to better their lives. Major new public and private investments are vital — in agricultural research and technology, value chains, access to credit, irrigation systems, and roads for transporting goods to markets.

These investments must come from African leaders, donors in the developed world, and multinational and African companies. To judge by the plans and activities of the African Union, the Global Food and Agricultural Security Program set up by the G-20, and the Grow Africa partnership, the investment outlook for agriculture is promising.

Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools show that investing in the skills of young farmers makes good economic sense, even to poor rural communities. Now it’s time to expand the program so that young people can create a better future for themselves and for Africa.

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Social Entrepeneurship, agriculture, economic, insurance, private, school, schools, security, world

Global Ideas News Brief: Mapping the next coup

BusinessEmerging Markets Are Crashing: Should We Be Worried?The AtlanticDeveloping countries used to be sources of stability for the global economy. Now they’re its biggest threat.An awakening giantEconomistIf Africa’s economies are to take off, Africans will have to start making a lot more things. They may well do so.The Challenges of Running Responsible Supply ChainsNYTBangladesh is just one link in the global supply chain. As a result of globalization, almost every item bought by consumers in developed countries is produced at least in part by low-wage workers in developing countries. While it’s true that these jobs have lifted many individuals out of grueling poverty, it’s also true that many of them work in conditions that violate acceptable standards in the United States and other …

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Business

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Bangladesh is just one link in the global supply chain. As a result of globalization, almost every item bought by consumers in developed countries is produced at least in part by low-wage workers in developing countries. While it’s true that these jobs have lifted many individuals out of grueling poverty, it’s also true that many of them work in conditions that violate acceptable standards in the United States and other developed countries.

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A worrying map of the countries most likely to have a coup in 2014

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In Syria, aid workers brave mortar shells, gunfire to deliver food to Homs

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Philippine Children Still Struggling Months After Deadly Typhoon

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Interest

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Social Entrepeneurship, children, energy, ghana, innovation, insurance, markets, poverty, security, social, syria, united, weather

Cisco, AGT partnership puts focus on city security

via Greenbang:

Cisco and the security technology company AGT International are teaming up to roll out new analytics-based products and services for cities.

Rather than putting the emphasis on “smart,” the partnership’s initial offerings show a strong focus on security. The companies’ first two solutions, set to become available in mid-2014, will focus on traffic management and urban safety and security.

The traffic solution will be designed to provide real-time “situational awareness” to help cities identify, respond to and resolve traffic incidents. Supporting technologies will include live video with analytics, in-pavement wireless magnetic sensors, license plate readers, social media and traffic modeling prediction.

The safety/security offering will use sensors, software, city data and visual and social media feeds to identify “suspicious activities” more quickly.

“The Cisco and AGT alliance is more than simply an agreement to collaborate,” said Rob Lloyd, Cisco’s president for development and sales. “Cisco and AGT are in the unique position to lead the development of city cloud solutions. By combining advanced technologies with a deep understanding of the changing needs of cities, we can transform the delivery of city services.”

Founded in 2007, AGT International is a privately held company based in Switzerland. It was founded by Mati Kochavi, an Israeli entrepreneur who’s also behind the new, social-media-mining news organization Vokativ and 3i-MIND, which uses data mining to provide governments and businesses with “actionable intelligence”.

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5 Secrets of Successful Side-Hustlers

via MoneyNing:

Everyone needs a side-hustle today – it’s the only way to guarantee any semblance of financial security in an economy where jobs can disappear without warning. The even bigger benefit, though, has less to do with your bank account and more to do with your happiness level: Launching a side-business might be the most professionally satisfying thing that you ever do.

That’s because unlike most day jobs, it’s all about you: What can you create? What do you have to offer the world? How can you help people? When people buy what you are offering and, even better, tell you how much they love it, it’s incredibly validating – and empowering.

If you’re thinking about launching your own side-hustle – or already have one going – consider these five secrets of success, based on my interviews with over 100 side-hustlers:



1. Know what motivates you.

A surprisingly large number of side-hustlers got their start as a result of a major event in their lives. The two most common were lay-offs and new babies. Having your motivating factor seared clearly in your mind will be helpful whenever things get tough, because of a slow sales week or late nights playing catch up. If you know you’re doing it because you never want to rely on a single paycheck again, or because you want to know that you can always provide for your family, then it will be easier to find the energy to keep going.

2. Leverage your existing skills.

Chances are that you are already really good at something. Maybe it’s party planning, or connecting with people online, or designing websites. It might even be something you do in your day job. Take some time to reflect on your greatest skills, interests, and passions, because that will lead you to the best entrepreneurial pursuit for you. The main categories to consider are: creating products, providing a service, running a business, helping others, doing physical work, and performing.

3. Master your money.

You might be launching a side-business to improve your own financial outlook, but it’s important to first make sure you’re on top of your money management. Side-hustlers often pay down debt, shore up savings, and reduce expenses before launching their business, because doing so gives them more flexibility to invest in start-up costs or scale back their primary earnings as they devote more time to their budding side-business.

4. Learn to pitch yourself.

Getting word out about business is often the most challenging aspect of building a new venture, but it’s an essential aspect of entrepreneurship. Come up with an easy way of explaining exactly how your product or service helps other people, because that is what will convince them to make a purchase.

5. Connect with other side-hustlers.

Running a side-business is hard, and joining communities of people doing the same thing, in your own field, offers much-needed encouragement, support, and even extra publicity. Start by reading up on the bloggers and entrepreneurs in your own niche field, whether it’s creative entrepreneurship, woodworking, or millennial career coaching. Leave comments and help wherever you can. You’ll probably pick up on tips and strategies that will help you get ahead, too.

I hope this year brings you much success, and satisfaction, with your own side-hustle!

This was guest post by Kimberly Palmer, an author of the new book, “The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life,” and senior money editor for U.S. News & World Report, where she writes the popular Alpha Consumer blog. In addition, she is the creator of Palmer’s Planners, her own line of digital financial guides and money organizers for major life events and goals. You can connect with her at bykimberlypalmer.com, where you can also download worksheets to help you build your own side-hustle.

This article originally appeared on MoneyNing.com. Let us know what you think (or read what others thought) here.

Related posts:

1. 9 Ways to Start Earning Extra Money on the Side


2. 5 Tips for a Successful Kickstarter Campaign


3. Side Hustle, Self Employed, Entrepreneurship

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What You Sacrifice Today for a Better Tomorrow

The reality of retirement savings comes down to a very simple decision.Each paycheck or each week or each month, you have a choice to make. You can either put a certain amount of money away for retirement, or you can keep it and spend it on other expenses as you see fit.Every time you choose to put some money away, it essentially disappears out of your life for a long while. It goes into a 401(k) or an IRA or some other savings vehicle and it grows slowly, ideally earning a bit of a return each year.When you actually reach retirement age – around 60 for most of these plans – you can access that money without penalty and, ideally, that money has grown quite …

via The Simple Dollar:

The reality of retirement savings comes down to a very simple decision.

Each paycheck or each week or each month, you have a choice to make. You can either put a certain amount of money away for retirement, or you can keep it and spend it on other expenses as you see fit.

Every time you choose to put some money away, it essentially disappears out of your life for a long while. It goes into a 401(k) or an IRA or some other savings vehicle and it grows slowly, ideally earning a bit of a return each year.

When you actually reach retirement age – around 60 for most of these plans – you can access that money without penalty and, ideally, that money has grown quite a bit. Let’s say, hypothetically, that it has quadrupled.

So let’s look at it that way. If you could put a dollar into a machine knowing that it would spit out four dollars when you’re old, would you do it? How many times would you do it?

It’s easy to think of it as a simple exchange. You’re thinking about having a coffee at Starbucks, but then you realize you could just drop $5 in the machine instead, knowing that you’ll have $20 when you’re older. You choose to skip this little forgettable thing and that little forgettable thing, knowing that by doing so, you’re passing money to yourself that you might really need later.

In other words, it seems very reasonable to skip out on some of the most inessential items in life if you know that by doing so you’ll help yourself with the essentials of life later on.

Here’s the problem, though, and I think it’s why a lot of Americans don’t save for retirement or don’t save enough.

It’s easy to make that choice in the moment with regards to one little inessential expense that’s right in front of us. The choice to forego a little treat or something like that is an easy one in the moment.

It’s a lot harder to make that decision outside of the moment when you’re looking at a bunch of inessential expenses at once.

What’s the difference? When you look at a bunch of inessential expenses at once, you don’t see the loss of three cups of coffee and two magazines. You see the loss of freedom of choice. The idea that you would choose to bring home a smaller paycheck seems very painful because it means that you have fewer opportunities.

The thing to always keep in mind is that every dollar you put into retirement is only eliminating the least essential things you might buy. Putting away $20 a week for retirement means $20 you’re not spending on a bigger cup of coffee at Starbucks or a celebrity gossip magazine or a song downloaded from iTunes. It’s $20 not spent on the most forgettable stuff in your life.

Now, roll the clock forward to retirement. Your only income is Social Security plus whatever you chose to put away during your working years. Over that time, your $20 has turned into $80. $80 on top of Social Security makes a big difference in terms of making ends meet.

Saving for retirement simply means dropping the least essential expenses today so that you have the money for highly essential expenses later.

If you’re afraid to sign up for retirement because you don’t want to lose a little bit out of your paycheck, keep this idea in mind. You’re not losing freedom. You’re simply choosing to give up some of the least important ways you spend money so that you’ll have enough money to keep food on the table later on.

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Personal Finance, freedom, machine, moment, personal finance, roll-the-clock, security, social, week-or-each

Many to Miss if U.S. Defaults

Social Security recipients. Doctors who treat Medicare patients. Military pensioners. Companies with federal contracts. Government workers. Bond investors.If Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling in time, anyone owed money by the federal government could eventually be left in the lurch.The reason: Treasury Secretary Jack Lew wouldn’t have enough money to pay all the bills in full and on time.Thursday is the working deadline for when the cash crunch begins, and though negotiators in Congress were making progress, as of late Monday, there was still no deal.CNNBio Google+ Latest Posts Stuart McPhee has more than 16 years’ experience as a private trader and he specializes in technical market analysis of major currency pairs. He is the author of several bestselling trading books, most recently …

via MarketPulse:

Social Security recipients. Doctors who treat Medicare patients. Military pensioners. Companies with federal contracts. Government workers. Bond investors.

If Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling in time, anyone owed money by the federal government could eventually be left in the lurch.

The reason: Treasury Secretary Jack Lew wouldn’t have enough money to pay all the bills in full and on time.

Thursday is the working deadline for when the cash crunch begins, and though negotiators in Congress were making progress, as of late Monday, there was still no deal.

CNN

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