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Have you ever worked at a job where you watched the clock the whole day? Years ago, Clark worked as a bill collector for IBM and he was bored out of his mind. His stimulation came when he went to school at night, something IBM graciously paid for. It’s still going on, according to recent several stories and surveys. People who are bored at work have a lower satisfaction with work than those who are overworked. More than half of people are bored at work, but those people are much less happy with their jobs than the half who are overworked. If you’re at a job where you’re just passing the time, it’s not fair to you or your employer.

Two music chains – FYE and Coconuts – have come up with a very effective advertising technique. These two music stores use Bluetooth technology to send people messages on their Bluetooth phones as they walk into the store. You may see special deals or hot items in the store because you allow the companies to send you these messages. You have to agree to accept the messages first. So, you’re not just going to get spammed all of a sudden. Sending private messages to people is also the idea behind DING, an airline technology currently being used by Southwest. DING lets customers know when an airline sale pops up. It even sends those people customized airfares based on the typical prices they pay and their travel patterns. In other words, airlines are able to offer one-person sales instead of sales for everyone. It’s all done through data mining and it’s going to get bigger. Northwest is also experimenting with a system that sends people special, private deals. We’ll keep you posted.

A professor at the University of Pennsylvania has developed a backpack that generates energy as the person wearing it walks. It recharges all of your electronic gizmos as you walk, and that could include an MP3 player or night vision goggles. It’s something the Pentagon bought into because of the benefit to soldiers. It comes at a very good time when people are discouraged about energy prices and the cost of gas and oil. People always seem to come up with innovative ideas exactly when we need them most. That’s the beauty of free enterprise.

Do you have flood insurance? Do you need it? Many people who are now homeless in New Orleans did not have flood insurance because no one required it there. In fact, the Army Corps of Engineers assured residents that they were in a flood safe area because of the levees around the city. They were misled and you may be as well. Many people also think their homeowner’s insurance includes flood insurance, but it does not. In rapidly growing suburban areas, more floods are occurring. As trees get knocked down and asphalt goes up, water more easily flows to low points. Development is not evil. That’s not what Clark is trying to say. We’re approaching 300 million people in United States, and people have to live somewhere. But people need to protect those homes. Right now, less than half of people who live in flooded areas have flood insurance, according to Smart Money magazine. And flood maps are not always up to date. So consider getting flood insurance even if you don’t’ think you need it. It will cost $30 to $40 a month more. But think of what would happen if a hurricane hit your town. Get the peace of mind. And if you’re a renter, be sure to get renters insurance. It’s cheap and it’s worth it.

Clark has a daughter who has been driving for about three months now and she has had her first accident. The issues of safety and freedom are always on parents’ minds when their teen starts to drive. Clark has talked about the GPS systems and black boxes that parents can install in cars to track what their kids are up to. Nextel also has phones that allow employers to track the movements of workers or parents to track the location of their kids. The phones can pinpoint locations within a few hundred yards. So, if you’ve had some problems with your teen, you might want to consider installing one of these devices for his or her safety. Just be sure to tell your child. It should not be a deceitful move, but it’s definitely okay to be a nosy parent.

Clark has talked before about personal flying machines. There are personal jets for sale already, and now personal helicopters are coming on the market, according to USA Today. There are only certain places where one can land a plane, but a helicopter can land almost anywhere. We are in the midst of a complete revolution in the transportation industry, and there are going to be a lot more affordable options for personal travel. People already travel by helicopter in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where traffic has gotten so out of control. It’s closer than you think.