Leadpile’s Blog

The auto makers have been in the news lately with the Toyota recall, and now some positive news from Ford. A couple negative years of profits seems to have come to an end with Ford Motor Company. MSNBC is reporting that Ford actually had a profit of 2.9billion dollars for 2009. That’s HUGE for an industry that has had so many struggles. Ford avoided bankruptcy, unlike it’s US competitors, so how did they squeeze out a profit for 2009? It seems that the Ford Credit division helped the overall bottom line.
One thing I hope continues to move in the right direction, and that is people continue to still look to purchase cars… and more importantly they go online!

How many consumers out there have a problem obtaining a credit card because their credit has been destroyed? The answer is there are a lot of people in this situation unfortunately, and we are trying to get those consumers connected with the proper company that can help them get on the road to improving their credit. Leadpile is proud to have partnered up with New Millennium Bank to help them with these consumers looking for a secured credit card. We are looking for publishers that can help us generate these leads for the New Millennium secured credit card offer. If you are a publisher and interested in driving traffic to this offer, we want to talk to you!

Apple seems to always be on top of being the most innovative company. With the touch screen iPhone being a huge success, it only makes sense that a touch screen computer was in the works. The new iPad is said to be able to access the internet faster than a regular laptop. This little gem is only about a half an inch thick and has a 9.7 inch touch screen. There is built in wi-fi with a flash memory (available in 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB), 3G wireless access, and is App accessible (which can be enlarged to fit the iPad). Let’s not forget about the hefty price tag that comes along with it, ranging from $499 – $829.
Whether it is the iPhone, Mac, or just and iPod, people seem to be Apple obsessed these days. Even here at LeadPile we are all on our iPhones and Mac computers to ensure that all of or work is being done in the most effective and efficient way. It is interesting how in a so called “struggling economy”, people always find a way to get the newest technology. I know that I will not be purchasing one of these iPad’s anytime soon, will you??

A year ago in New Hampshire payday and title loans were outlawed to “protect” consumers from the interest rates. This however did not completely stop all lenders from being able to offer additional types of short-term high interest loans to consumers.
Today the house will vote to amend the proposed bill which would put a 36% cap on annual interest rates, including some fees for any loan under $10,000. This would apply to loans and personal lines of credit. According to the Concord Monitor the vote is for a bill meant to close what some consider to be a loophole in the law. As there as been much controversy and disagreement regarding the bill which was originally discussed in the house two weeks ago with a recommendation that a bipartisan majority believed the bill to be overkill. The new proposed amendment to the bill would cap the interest rates at 36% while allowing additional membership fees, late fees and participation fees. These fees could only be charged one time and the banking commissioner would have the authority to determine what fees are fair.
Often time consumers with bad credit or in a time of need have no where else to turn for a quick loan and these lenders were filling the demand for these loans. If the loans were taken away, this would leave many people without other options. Hopefully, a decision can be agreed upon that not only has the consumers best interest in mind regarding the interest rates, but also in times of need and being able to access quick short term loans when necessary. Leadpile is watching what happens in NH………….

The last person I would have imagined who would be an advocate of social media is the Pope. I have to say hearing this on the news briefly made me want to know more. After searching the net, it seems this story is in fact true. The Pope thinks that Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is a great way to spread a message. If you are maybe a company where there is some resistance to joining the social media buzz, you might want to reevaluate that decision. PCW Magazine is saying that in the Pope’s “message”, he acknowledges the new technologies our world is having available, so one must use these resources to spread the word. I guess religious or not, you might want to take the Pope’s advice, and that is utilize social media to spread “your” word.

House prices have not been on the rise for six straight months in a row. Fourteen out of twenty metro areas saw an increase in homes from the month before. As of November, 2009 was up 3.4 percent from its lowest back in May, 2009. Phoenix (Arizona) and San Francisco (California) have had the highest month over month increase in their housing markets. Both New York and Chicago had the largest declines in the nation. One of the largest reasons for the increase was the first time home buyer tax credit. With the original end date for the tax credit being in November of 2009, there was a rush to purchase a new home (the tax credit ended up being extended to the spring of 2010). The tax credit was a huge incentive to purchase a home, and with the home prices in Arizona being so low, it makes sense that Arizona saw one of the highest increases in their housing markets.
One of the big questions is if the trend is going to continue to increase? Some economists believe that there is going to be another dip in the housing market because of the the high rate of unemployment and foreclosures. It is expected that we will see these results in the beginning of this year. It goes without saying that now is the time to buy. Depending on the area, people are seeing move in ready houses for as low as $50,000. That is less than a college education!
If you find that you are one of the many who are having trouble keeping your home you may want to consider a loan modification or debt consolidation. Leadpile is trying to do it’s part by matching up the consumers with lenders on a daily basis! Heck, we want the economy to be better too!

POP! POP! POP! For 50 years now bubble wrap has been not only protecting and providing cushion for mailing breakable items, but has also been entertaining people of all ages! Opening a box filled with bubble wrap is tempting to almost everyone to pop the bubbles filled with air making a noise that is recognizable to almost anyone.
According to the Associated Press, bubble wrap was originally created and envisioned in the 1950’s as a new type of wall paper! Can you imagine walls covered in “fun to pop” bubbles? That would be great!!
How is bubble wrap created? One myth is that air is injected into all those tiny bubbles.. But, instead, it is trapped between the sheets after they pass over several rollers, one of which creates the indentations for the bubbles.
Over the past 50 years Sealed Air the company that produces bubble wrap has global revenues of more that $4 billion, and fans of every kind (Bubble wrap wedding dresses, hats, sleeping bags were just a few of the silly creations listed).
Ever tried virtual bubble wrap? You’ll be hooked! Try it!

Those five words seem to be to most said that day after the Super Bowl. It seems as if people are more interested in watching the new television ads rather than the actual Superbowl (unless your team is playing or you have money riding on it, of course!). This year does not seem as if it is going to be any different. According to a Nielsen survey, 51 percent of viewers are more interested in watching the Super Bowl for its ads, rather than the actual game. The survey also shows that viewers are more likely to remember the ads that are shown in the first quarter rather then the second, third, and fourth (the fourth having the least recall, only at 25 percent). Most of the ads that show in the fourth quarter tend to have similar ratings to a regular television commercial.
So how much cash is being shelled out this year? For a thirty second spot, it will cost an advertiser three million dollars. When spending that type of money for such a short period of time, advertisers are trying harder than ever to make sure that their commercials are remembered. Companies such has Papa Johns got creative by taking this years Super Bowls roman numeral and turning it in to a new pizza offer. Super Bowl XLIV will now be a Papa Johns Xtra Large four(IV) topping pizza. Boost Mobile is giving consumers a sneak peak of their ad on YouTube, for hopes that it will create excitement and buzz before it is aired during the game. Brands are also trying to use social media more for their Super Bowl advertising. Marketers are realizing that social networks is a great way to have people buzz about a product and get the word around.
It is interesting how on a daily basis so many of us will skip through the commercials, but for the Super Bowl we sit down to watch them. Some of the big players that you will see this year will be Frito-Lay, Boost Mobile, Diamond Foods, and many more. It is very important that brands are taking the time to make sure that they are remembered and are coming up with new and creative way to advertise. LeadPile has also been working hard to create new successful offers, however unfortunately we will be sitting this one out with advertising during the Super Bowl. Wishful thinking uh?
Now the only real question is, are you going to be watching it for the game, or the commercials?

Am I seeing this correctly? Apple is actually entering into conversations with Microsoft to discuss the possibility of using it’s Bing search engine as the default browser over Google? Can this be true? There must be something true to this buzz because there are several stories referencing this news on the internet. Financially, if this is true, this could be a big blow to Google because they are currently generating revenue from being the default browser, and this could be potentially going to Microsoft. Something like this is not really surprising me too much because in recent months/year Google and Apple have been neck and neck on who has the “best” smartphone.
Could this be a low blow to Google if it gets removed from the iphones? I would say absolutely yes! Let’s see if this is just a lot of smoke blowing, or the beginning of a cyber WAR .

Opening a checking account with no required balance or no monthly service fees may be something that is soon going to be history. With the suffering economy, there has recently been lots of discussion and controversy surrounding overdraft transaction fees, as a new federal regulation is expected to eliminate them. To make up for these losses in revenue the banks are looking into adding additional fees to checking accounts to help fill the gap.
According to Bankrate.com effective July 1st overdraft coverage will be an opt-in service. “Banks that offer overdraft, or bounce, protection will send opt-in notices to customers explaining the service. Banks will not be allowed to charge a fee for paying an overdraft that occurs because of an ATM transaction or a one-time debit card transaction unless the customer agrees. The rule does not apply to overdrafts that occur through the use of checks or ACH transactions such as bill pay.”
Overdraft fees have affected millions of people during this hard time and often times can be looked at as making a hard situation harder. Here at LeadPile we connect consumers possibly needing help to avoid banking overdraft fees or late payments with payday loan lenders who can loan money for a period of time to get them through. We will keep an eye on any new developments with this and let you know when changes occur!

As a follow up to our recent post discussing China’s Internet censorship and regulations, Google has now pulled the plug on launching it’s cell phone in China. Google’s mobile phones equipped with Internet applications were decided by the company to be “not a good experience” for the consumer. Currently, China has over 700 million mobile phone accounts and consumers driven by the latest technology.
According to the Associated Press, it has been rumored that Google has threatened to shut its Chinese-based search engine if the restrictions are not eased. The Chinese government is standing strong on it’s decision that “Foreign enterprises in China need to adhere to China’s laws and regulations, respect and the interests of the general public and cultural traditions and shoulder corresponding responsibilities. Google is no exception,” as stated by a Foreign ministry spokesman at a new briefin
It will be interesting to watch this controversy unfold as many Chinese and foreign businesses rely on Google’s email and maps…If Google is blocked and access is restricted it could certainly disrupt things!

Today is a day that the nation remembers a historic figure and hero! Referred to as the late civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered today all over the country with ceremonies, celebrations, and organized marches.

Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his strong and memorable quotes that brought meaning and hope to so many people. These quotes continue to inspire people to look at the world with a new perspective. As listed in the Huffington Post 25 Famous Saying For MLK Day (A full list of all 25 can be found here) :

• “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
• “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
• “A lie cannot live.”
• “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
• “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Enjoy the day and always remember to be a strong person and stand up for what you believe in!