Steve Jobs Solves the Debt Crisis!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4e3SJiabbk]

The debt deal is finally done, but we’re still left to figure out what it all means. Here are my thoughts on what the financial situation means to you and your iPhone at the mid point of 2011 and what you should plan for.

Apple has more cash than US Treasury
http://bit.ly/neNrSI

For more financial goodness, join me on the interwebs!

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YOUTUBE:

Apple has more cash than US Treasury
http://bit.ly/neNrSI

Money. Power. Respect. Join me on July 19th!

Some financial “experts” out there really crack me up. Their idea of helping you get your financial house in order is to tell you to cut down on your Frappuccino addiction. While I’ll be the first to admit that many of us could use a little debit card discipline, you can only cut your budget so much before you’re back to eating ramen noodles again…and no one wants that for you. Your income, however, has no ceiling. the sky is the limit. Consider this your opportunity to start to master that side of the equation..

For those of you in Pittsburgh, please join me for a discussion on Money. Power. Respect. – Taking Control of Your Financial Life on Tuesday July 19th at 6 p.m. at the Wine Loft in the Southside Works. In conjunction with the Urban League Young Professionals, this discussion will focus on:

Money – What is it, what it isn’t and how to make more of it

Power – How important your vote is, and how it affects your wallet

Respect – How setting and actually following up on your goals will help you get the life you desire

In addition, I want to hear from you! Send me a tweet @robwilsontv with your financial question and I’ll answer it at the event. If you prefer to remain anonymous, leave a comment below.

This will be a very entertaining and educational discussion that will inspire you to get that great idea out of your head and start making it a reality. Don’t worry, your latte is safe…for now.

You, Your Money & Your Weiner

Sorry, but Rep. Weiner has to resign.

Yes, I had to weigh in on this one.  Not because I childishly felt the need to be a part of the vast amount of Weiner jokes on the interwebs (ok, maybe I did a little), but because I’ve just kinda reached my breaking point with these politicians.

But let’s be clear from the start: this is not about sex, sexting or any other behavior that we don’t usually like to talk about in public.  The rhetorical question asking GEICO guy said it best, people use SMART phones to do really DUMB things.  I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before we find out what creative uses people have found for the FaceTime app on their iPad.  Now, I obviously can’t condone him engaging in those activities behind the back of his pregnant wife; but if she’s anything like Tiger’s wife, he’ll have to answer to her for that.

No, this is about lying.  Not the type of lying that you do when your girlfriend asks you if her dress makes her look fat.  Not even the type of lying where someone asks you something you weren’t ready for and you say “Huh?” to give yourself a few seconds to come up with something. No, this is the type of lying that is simply unacceptable from anyone, let alone an elected official.  Rep. Weiner lied not once (in this press conference), not twice (in this interview with Fox News), but at least three times to the American public when he lied to America’s granddad Wolf Blitzer on CNN saying “I know for a FACT that my account was hacked” and “I can definitively say that I did not send this (pic).”

Wow, now that’s lying.  I guess if you’re going to lie, you might as well go hard in the paint.  But again, it’s not what he lied about.  I’m willing to bet that most people, politician or not, wouldn’t want their latest texts displayed on CNN.com for all the world to see.  It’s about the fact that he had the…well…you know what (that joke is just too easy), to go on television and basically point his finger at the American public as if he was a McGwire-era baseball player swearing that he never used steroids and lie about what he had done.  The problem is, baseball players aren’t elected officials but Rep. Weiner is.

If we ever expect to get the country back on track, our elected officials MUST be held to a higher standard.  Personally, I believe that officials who are found to have lied to the public in this manner should be immediately removed from office.  Why should this be tolerated?  BYU suspended one of its basketball players for the season for breaking its honor code by having sex with his girlfriend.  What is the honor code that elected officials are governed by?  Do you mean to tell me that the BYU honor code is more strictly enforced than the oath of office for the House of Representatives? C’mon man!

Lying in politics has become way too cliche around here.  Wild Bill lied about the intern.  The Governator astutely waited until his reign was over to tell his wife that he had a love child.  But what takes the cake, and is much scarier than seeing these guys with their shirts off, is this guy, Senator John Kyl who stated ON THE SENATE FLOOR that “abortions are over 90% of what Planned Parenthood does” when it’s actually about 3% of what it does, and then responded to criticism by saying that it “was not intended to be a factual statement.” Huh? Really Jon?  The things you say on the Senate floor when making an argument about a position that you support are not meant to be factual?  Great, thank you for your service to America.

Seriously, these guys are playing us for fools.  If they will lie about these things, we have no idea what else they’ve lied about and will lie about in the future.  That’s why they all should resign or be removed immediately.  The relationship between a voter and an elected official is 100% based on trusting that the candidate believes in and will do what he says.

Once that trust has been breached, that relationship should be over.  “I’m sorry.  I was embarrassed.  I’m getting treatment.”  Those fake apologies just aren’t going to cut it anymore.  Can we take any of you seriously at a press conference, campaign rally or debate on the floor again?  No.

No Congressional hearing should be needed.  No tax payer money should be used for this.  It’s simple; “You lied…time for you to call Tyrone.  Sorry sir, but you’re not irreplaceable.”

When you add in the fact that many of the decisions that our elected officials are tasked with making directly affect your wallet, you should be calling for resignations too!  I mean, you won’t even let Uncle Jimmy borrow $20 because you know he can’t be trusted, but you’re willing to let confirmed liars vote on legislation worth billions of dollars? Please.

Wake up guys.  If you want things to get better, you’re going to have to hold these folks accountable. Yes, people make mistakes, but there are also consequences for those mistakes.  If a message isn’t sent at some point, we’ll be lied to forever and that’s not cool.  Ask Maria Shriver.

If you live in Rep. Weiner’s, Jon Kyl’s (although I believe he is retiring) or any other lying politician’s district please call for their resignations, or at the very least think long and hard (sheesh, no pun intended) about whether to vote for them in the next election.  It’s time to take a stand.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s late and I have a FaceTime call coming in…..

Kids and Cash Live – Financial Literacy Month

Theories are great, but sometimes you have to show kids how things work in real life.

Watch as I talk about how to teach kids about money, with a special highlight on the students from Urban Pathways Charter School that shadowed me for a day to learn more about money and career options.

Special thanks to the Heinz Endowments and PNC Bank for supporting the program!

6 celebrities who lost everything

6 celebrities that lost everything

I was quoted in this great piece by Heather Larson for Bankrate.com.  Here’s an excerpt, and you can check out the full article on Bankrate.com

Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas excelled at football, setting several records that may never be broken. However, he lacked business sense. He invested in bowling alleys, land deals, an air freight company, a circuit-board manufacturer and restaurants — all unsuccessfully. In 1991, he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

“Expertise in one area does not translate into success in another,” says Rob Wilson, vice president of Blazer Capital Management in Pittsburgh. “Unitas should have partnered with a trustworthy individual who knew how to run a successful bowling alley or experts in other businesses he wanted to invest in, instead of venturing out on his own.”

The 2011 Benji Awards and March Money Madness

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0IuIPVYwlg]

The movie stars have the Oscars, and the market stars have…The Benjis! The stock market version of the Academy Awards. Check out who wins Best Director and Best Performance.

Also, find out how to sign up for the March Money Madness Bracket Challenge.  In this year’s competition you have the chance to win a GoogleTV, iPad and more!  Sign up Today!

Movers & Shakers Happy Hour

Join me at the next Movers & Shakers Happy Hour!

Have you ever wished that you could take a successful entrepreneur out for drinks so that you could pick their brain a bit?

Here’s your chance!  Join me at the next Movers & Shakers Happy Hour at The Wine Loft in the Southside Works and meet Lynsie Camuso and Joshua Dziabiak, the founders of ShowClix, a fast-growing online ticketing website, based in Shadyside, looking to challenge established industry players like Ticketmaster.

Pre-register HERE and you’ll be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to The Wine Loft!

My Favorite Financial Things 2010

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Oprah has her list, so why can’t I have mine?  Here’s the list of my favorite financial things for 2010.