With the downturn in the economy and countless Americans out of work, many consumers are looking for any way possible to cut back and save a dollar. With the cost of housing, transportation and insurance generally locked in, the first place people turn to cut expenses is their electricity bill.

A typical electricity bill can run as much as 20% of a household income and the typical electric bill will experience dramatic ups and downs as temperatures change and the price of fuel increases.

Cutting the costs of an electricity bill can be achieved in several ways. The first and foremost is by cutting household energy usage. This simply means running heating and cooling systems at higher or lower levels to consume less power. Turning off lights, computers and other electrical devices will also assist in cutting electricity costs.

Another method of cutting energy costs is by enrolling in a payment plan that takes the average usage and divides it into equal payments across the year. In some cases, this will not provide a significant savings but it will help budget for those summer months or winter months when electricity bills can get out of control.

Another means by which consumers are cutting energy costs is by utilizing alternative energy companies instead of dealing with the larger electric companies. Increased competition in the energy field provides consumers an alternative to monopolized services and offers a choice that can cut costs and help save more money.

Regardless of your financial situation it is always in your best interest to plan accordingly and to investigate alternatives that will save you money in th long run.

Plato said “Necessity is the mother of invention” but the Ancient Greek Philosopher could never have imagined the staggering array of technological advancements being made day to day in our modern world. He could have also never imagined the operating costs involved with technological research and development to bring an idea to fruition.

North Texas Enterprise Center for Technology (NTEC) of Frisco, Texas shares the vision of invention but realizes the need for business incubators and seed capital partners in the modern entrepreneurial environment. Since 2003, NTEC has been leading the way as a medical technology accelerator, helping entrepreneurs in developing medical instruments and devices, diagnostic equipment, medical therapeutic devices and medical monitoring equipment. As of 2010, NTEC has ventured into the clean technology sector where the purpose is to make technology more energy efficient, reduce the environmental footprint and minimize pollution.

Operating as a 501(c)(3) Not-for-Profit corporation NTEC venture capital Dallas takes a hands-on approach to providing expertise and guidance to potential technological innovators. Areas covered are Business Management, Operations, Regulatory Matters, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Funding, Staffing and a Support Network to ease the business burden which could otherwise stifle creative innovation.

For early stage ventures requiring a modern operational working facilities, NTEC offers office space and turn-Key labs to help simplify the start-up process. Everything from High-speed Internet access to leading edge office security and video surveillance are provided to lessen the need for inventors and entrepreneurs to engage in mundane aspects of business development.

While NTEC invites technology entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a venture, there are general criteria that must be met before consideration is granted for entry into the program. NTEC requires that a startup be part of the medical or clean technology sectors, have identifiable and innovative intellectual property, that Time to Market expectation is less than 3 years, that preliminary business plans can show significant revenues within 5 years and that the founding entrepreneur(s) are willing to work full time while utilizing the full breadth of services offered by NTEC with an openness to being mentored.

Interested parties can contact NTEC by visiting their website or via the information provided below.

North Texas Enterprise Center for Technology (NTEC)
6170 Research Road
Frisco, Texas 75034
Phone : (972) 987-1400

Alpharetta, Ga businessman James G. Ossie has been charged with 10 counts of wire fraud related to a ponzi scheme he allegedly set up. A federal grand jury unsealed the indictment on Wednesday and Ossie is supposed to surrender himself in federal court on Friday.

“This indictment alleges yet another disturbing Ponzi scheme with a similar result: many victims lose a lot of their hard-earned money in a short amount of time,” U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias said in a statement.

CRE Capital was founded by Ossie as a currency trading program which proported unbelievable returns of 10% every 30 days or an annual rate of 120% on an investment. The SEC shut CRE Capital down in January stating CRE capital and Ossie had fraudulently obtained at least $25 million from investors during 2008.

The SEC’s complaint alleges violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. In addition to emergency relief, the Commission’s complaint seeks disgorgement of the defendants’ ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest and financial penalties.

CRE Capital offered investments in minimal amount of $100,000 and guaranteed the return of the initial deposit plus 10 percent interest within 30 days. Ossie claimed to be able to pay such substantial monthly returns because he typically made even more than that through his Forex currency trading activity.

Ossie told lawyers that CRE Capital hired outside auditors to review and confirm the accuracy of his numbers. The indictment also alleged that although CRE may have hired outside accountants for some projects, Ossie did not complete allow any access to the records of the trading accounts that would have revealed his substantial losses.

Each year, millions of people are the victim of Forex trading scams and ponzi schemes. The SEC has warned investors for years that if the return seems too good to be true, it it probably is.

Bail was revoked today for Bernie Madoff, the man behind the largest ponzi scheme in American history. Madoff appeared earlier before U.S. District Judge Denny Chin in Manhattan to plead guilty to directing the largest Ponzi scheme in history.

Bloomberg reported :

Madoff is pleading guilty to 11 counts including securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Madoff doesn’t have a plea deal with prosecutors because he refused to admit to a conspiracy charge that would have required he implicate others, people familiar with the case said. As a result he must plead guilty to all charges.

Source : http://www.bloomberg.com

Madoff confessed to Chin that in the early 1990s when the United States was in a recession, he felt “compelled’” to provide the kind of returns he promised his investors. He said when the Securities and Exchange Commission asked about it and he simply lied to the SEC.

Madoff’s guilty plea which was repeated 11 times today emphasizes the downfall of a highly acclaimed money manager who told the world his fortune came from a successful firm that specialized in making markets, trading securities and financially advising wealthy clients.

Official sentencing is set for June 16th. The 70yo Bernie Madoff will likely spend the rest of his life in some form of incarceration. It is believed that his sentence will be over 25 years which will mandate Madoff spend his time in maximum security facilities and not a minimum security “country club” setting. Fox News reported that Madoff may even have to be locked up 23 hours per day to prevent attacks from other inmates seeking to make a name for themselves on the prison block by taking out a high profile prisoner like Bernie Madoff.

The poor economy has many people taking drastic measures to put food on the table for their family. One texas man, who was recently laid off has decided to auction his family on eBay to make ends meet.
From the auction text :

We are a family of five living in the suburbs of Austin, TX. We own our house, are college educated, good standing members of the PTA, YMCA, and active members of our church. We believe in STRONG family values and cherish our commitment to each other. We are seeking ‘Sponsorship’ by a corporate brand looking for a unique way to target the American consumer. Let us represent your brand and be your cross cultural appeal Brand Ambassadors/Evangelists!! We would represent your brand in the following: * Public family oriented events including: o Home & Garden Shows o Festivals o City wide parades and PR o Speaking Engagements o Sporting Events * Clothe us in your branded wears * Wrap our two well kept cars with company branded advertisements * Feature us in a national print ad and signage as “The All American Family” that uses your brand * Feature us in a regional commercial as “The All American Family” that lives by your brand * Infomercial possibilities * Post a sign in our yard as ‘The Home’ run by your brand

Don’t believe it? See for yourself : A family of four for sale on eBay

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