The big news of the last two days was yesterday’s FOMC where Fed Chairman Bernanke confirmed the end of QE2. I also felt bad for him as he looked like a child who just was informed that there is no Santa Claus as he lowered the Fed’s growth and GDP forecasts, all but admitting that these extraordinary measures haven’t worked.

In a way, I feel bad for him as he is getting NO help on the fiscal side of the equation, and trying to keep the economy afloat with monetary policy alone won’t work. Cue the debate over the debt ceiling, which is due to expire in early August which could put pressure on politicians to finally take action, as doubtful as it may seem. Bernank Read more…

Entrepreneurs and small business owners who work from home enjoy not having to pay high commercial rent for their place of business. With a spare bedroom, a remodeled garage, or even just a spare desk in the corner, many small businesses are successfully operated without the need to commute to work every morning.

However, there are many risks associated with working from home. One of the major risks that savvy business owners need to avoid is that of leaving their valuable and precious office and client data susceptible to cyber theft.

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A new store in the tiny town of Elma, NY has turned the town into a tour bus destination. The store: Made in America, where everything is manufactured in the United States of America.

Shop owner Mark Andol climbs aboard a bus and tells the riders that shopping here is a patriotic act.

When you walk through them doors, I guarantee when youre shopping — the homeworks been done — its 100 percent made-in-America products. Made in this country by American workers, and the money stays in our economy. So, enjoy yourself, he says.

Customers pour into the spacious building, which used to be a Ford dealership. Ame

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June 22 – Guinness Peat Group, the investment company formerly led by Ron Brierley, will halt trading in its shares next week to make its capital return to shareholders of some $158 million.

Trading in the company’s London Stock Exchange-listed shares will be suspended from June 28 and the NZX-listed stock will be halted on June 29, with both resuming trading on July 6.

Trading in the ASX-listed CHESS Depository Notes will halt on June 30, with deferred trading beginning on July 7 and normal trading resuming on July 21.

The temporary suspension will let GPG complete its share cancellation, which was approved by shareholders at the June 8 annual meeting, held for the first, and probably last, time in New Zealand.

GPG is in the process of winding itself down after several years of lacklustre performance from U.K.-based threadmaker Coats Plc., its biggest holding.

The investment company overhauled its governance after a shareholder revolt last year, with Brierley stepping down as chairman in December, and Sydney-based Gary Weiss relinquishing his seat at the board in April.

New Zealand-based Tony Gibbs departed last year after a boardroom showdown over the future of GPG, while the last of Brierley’s lieutenant’s, Blake Nixon, gave up his executive role last month.

Shares in GPG were unchanged at 78 cents in trading yesterday, and have gained 8.3% this year.

Do you think you know the story of Mother’s Day?  If your historical knowledge of the day begins and ends with a dutiful child’s desire to honor and celebrate their mother, then you are under informed at best. A more inclusive knowledge would include the fact that Mother’s Day became a national holiday in 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill setting aside the second Sunday of May as a special day to celebrate mothers.

This version is slightly better, but only slightly.  The roots of Mother’s Day are much deeper than that. The conce

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