Will Worsham

Lunch & Taxes : How does it work?

Flip minoHD

I haven't endorsed any products in a while, but this one really has me impressed.  The Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder is, I believe, a revolutionary product. For one thing, it's SMALLER than my iPhone.  It shoots full motion video in 720p Hi-Def.  It can record up to 60 minutes of this Hi-Def video and has a nifty little pop out usb connection for sending the video to your computer!

Granted, you won't be shooting any epics with it.  It doesn't zoom or have any other fancy features, but in a world that lives by under 5 minute video on youtube, this is the perfect little gadget to get you there.

After I shot a little video with it, I popped it right into my MacBook Air and imported the videos straight from the camera to iMovie '09.  I selected and cropped the clips, dropped in some transitions and voila!  A video made for Facebook!

As cheap as these things are selling for (as video cameras go) there's little reason why pretty much everyone won't be carrying them in their pocket in the near future.

Be The Power Company - Netmetering in Missouri

From www.dsireusa.org

Missouri

Missouri - Net Metering

Last DSIRE Review: 01/06/2009  

Incentive Type: Net Metering Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies: Solar Thermal Electric, Photovoltaics, Wind, Hydroelectric, Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels Applicable Sectors: Commercial, Industrial, Residential, General Public/Consumer, Nonprofit, Schools, Local Government, State Government, Fed. Government, Agricultural, Institutional Limit on System Size:100 kW Limit on Overall Enrollment:5% of a utility's single-hour peak load during the previous year Treatment of Net Excess:Credited to customer's next bill at utility's avoided-cost rate; granted to utility at end of 12-month period Utilities Involved:All utilities Interconnection Standards for Net Metering?Under development Authority 1: R.S. Mo. § 386.890 Date Enacted:06/25/2007 Effective Date:01/01/2008

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Summary:   Note: In October 2008 the Missouri Public Service Commission issued a final rulemaking order implementing the provisions of SB 54. Among the notable clarifications offered under this rulemaking order are determinations that (1) monthly net excess generation will be credited to the customer at the utility's cogeneration rate and (2) systems larger than 10 kW must carry at least $1 million in liability insurance and smaller systems must carry $100,000 in liability insurance. The rulemaking order appeared in the January 2, 2009 edition of the Missouri Register and is scheduled to become effective February 28, 2009.  
 
Missouri enacted legislation in June 2007 (SB 54) requiring all electric utilities -- investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities and electric cooperatives -- to offer net metering to customers with systems up to 100 kilowatts (kW) in capacity that generate electricity using wind energy, solar-thermal energy, hydroelectric energy, photovoltaics (PV), fuel cells using hydrogen produced by one of the aforementioned resources, and other sources of energy certified as renewable by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Systems must be intended primarily to offset part or all of a customer's own electricity requirements, and must be located on a premises owned, operated, leased or otherwise controlled by the customer. The new law took effect January 1, 2008.*  
 
Net metering is available until the total rated generating capacity of net-metered systems equals 5% of a utility's single-hour peak load during the previous year. However, in a given calendar year, the aggregate capacity of all approved applications for interconnection is limited to 1% of a utility's single-hour peak load for the previous calendar year. If a customer's existing metering equipment is not capable of measuring the net amount of electricity produced or consumed, or if it is necessary for the utility to install "additional distribution equipment to accommodate the customer-generator's facility," then the customer must pay for these costs.  
 
Customer net excess generation (NEG) during a given month is credited to the customer's next bill at a rate at least equivalent the utility's avoided-cost rate. Any NEG remaining at the end of a 12-month period is granted to the utility with no compensation for the customer.  
 
Utilities must offer a net-metering tariff or contract that is identical in electrical energy rates, rate structure, and monthly charges to the contract or tariff that the customer would be assigned if the customer were not an eligible customer-generator. Utilities may not charge the customer any additional standby, capacity, interconnection, or other fee or charge that would not otherwise be charged if the customer were not an eligible customer-generator.  
 
Any costs incurred by a utility under Missouri's net-metering statute are recoverable in the utility's rate structure. The estimated generating capacity of all net-metered systems counts towards the respective utility's accomplishment of any renewable-energy portfolio target or mandate adopted by Missouri. Each utility must file an annual report describing the status of its program.  
 
Utilities not regulated by the commission are required to adopt initial rules by October 1, 2008, including regulations ensuring that simple contracts will be used for interconnection and net metering. For systems up to 10 kW, the application process includes all-in-one document that includes a simple interconnection request, simple procedures, and a brief set of terms and conditions.  
 
 
*Prior to the June 2007 legislation, Missouri required certain utilities to offer “dual metering” to consumers. “Dual metering” is much less favorable to consumers than net metering.

Contact:   Dan Beck Missouri Public Service Commission P.O. Box 360 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-7522 Fax: (573) 751-0429 E-Mail: dan.beck@psc.mo.gov Web site: http://www.psc.state.mo.us   Program Information Missouri Department of Natural Resources Energy Center P.O. Box 176 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (800) 361-4827 Fax: (573) 751-6860 E-Mail: energy@dnr.mo.gov Web site: http://www.dnr.mo.gov/energy/index.html

Mark Driscoll on Nightline

That's Right, I'm Bad.

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Tough Job

Some days my job is easy, some days it's hard.  As a Criminal Defense Attorney, in either spoken or unspoken form I get the question, "How can you do what you do?"

Usually, having a tendency for the flippant, if someone actually voices the question to me, it goes something like this:

[Ignorant Questioner]:"How can you defend criminals?!?"

[ME]:"I get paid lots of money."

[Ignorant Questioner]:"How do you sleep at night with that attitude?!?"

[ME]:"I put the money in my pillow."

I don't really feel that way about it.  But it's not usually worth the time to try and have intelligent conversation about fundamental fairness, the protection of the innocent, grace and mercy with people who would even ask such a question.

A recent blog entry by Jamie Spencer actually sums things up nicely I think.

How To Be A Successful DUI Lawyer . . .

I'm offended. I got the below email solicitation today. It basically says you can make a bunch of money on DWI cases because people are scared and all you have to do is take their money and plea bargain the case. That there is NO DEFENSE to DWI. Fact is there are LOTS of defenses to DWI when a person handles the situation correctly. For more information see my site at www.DefendDWI.com.

What follows is the email. It is an example of all that is wrong in the practice of DWI defense. It makes it hard for lawyers like me to practice because we offer a real defense to DWI and so are "expensive" compared to the "fee and plea" lawyers attracted to the service detailed below. Let the buyer beware.

DUI Defense is the most lucrative area of criminal practice: Here is why

Fact 1: Most dui cases are settled before going to trial because there is really no defense. DUI is really like a strict liability crime. Once you do it, you are guilty. Many dui defense attorneys file frivolous motions and in the process run up even higher fees for the client. Cases rarely go to trial and when they do, the DAs almost always win. So the most successful DUI Defense attorneys simply plea bargain and collect their fee from the client. This makes DUI Defense practice one of the most lucrative areas of the law.
Fact 2: Most DUI defendants are average people who otherwise have never committed a crime. The last thing they want on their record is a DUI. They are willing to pay as much as you ask for hoping they can beat the wrap. This is another reason why DUI Defense is absolutely the most lucrative area of criminal defense.

Fact 3: DUI Defendants look for a dui lawyer on the web because it is discrete. For reason stated above, the cost per click for online advertising has outpaced any other industry. A single click in some major markets can cost as much as $100.

Fact 4: We, www.dui1.com, are the Number 1 result when you search Google for the terms dui lawyer, dui lawyers, dui attorney, and dui attorneys. We dominate the web. We are Number 1 under the natural results, meaning we don’t pay to be up there. For this reason, advertising on dui1.com is the least expensive advertising avenue on the web.

Conclusion: If you do any type of criminal defense, throw your hat in and sign up at dui1.com. The fees are very low. When you get your first client, you will make more than several times of your investment.

To register, please visit www.dui1.com/register.aspx

To see a list of leads in our network, please visit http://www.dui1.com/DisplayLeadList.aspx

To see a list of our members, please visit http://www.dui1.com/DisplayMembers.aspx

Sincerely,

D---- S------, ESQ.

Steve Jobs keynote live from WWDC 2008

Engadget's live coverage of the WWDC '08 keynote. Please gimme a World of Warcraft iPhone client!

read more | digg story

Person to Person Lending

Recently a friend of mine sent me a link to a website that offers person to person lending. It's a very interesting concept. Basically, it lets everyday folks step into the role of a lender. To me it seems very similar to the concept of credit unions but taken to the next level.

This is a very intriguing concept. Basically, as a lender, you fund your account with any amount of money you choose, as little as $50. Then you can browse listings from people that want to borrow money. These loans are up to $25,000.00 and can have starting rates up to 35%. You then "bid" on these loans with any amount of money you want. $50, $100, $1000, etc. If enough people bid enough money to fund the loan, then it goes through. If more than enough people bid, then the lenders that have offered the lowest interest rate on their money get to fund the loan so the borrower gets the lowest average rate of all the lowest bids.

As a lender I can spread out my money over hundreds of loans $50 at a time, there by reducing my risk even though all the loans I'm bidding on are paying 25% interest or more.

I created a criteria based portfolio that has a projected return of 16.42%! This includes estimated losses from folks not able to repay their loans.

Interested? Click the link to the right for prosper.com.