Not everybody is happy about seeing messaging shortcuts pop up outside of the computer and cell phones. Since vanity plates became available, DMV’s have tried to screen applications for "inappropriate" plate requests.

With the widespread use of text messaging and the meaning behind the new acronyms, the problem of filtering out  unseemly applications is even worse. And not just for new license plates. There are plenty of news stories and videos about license plates getting cancelled months or years after they were approved.

The Detroit Free Press recently featured a story about a 60-year North Carolina woman caught in the license plate-text messaging controversy. Mary Ann Hardee instructs elementary school teachers on how to introduce computers and technology to students. But, she didn’t know what the  3-letter combination on her new license plate meant until her own grandkids started giggling and filled her in.

Turns out that her plate had a popular slang profanity combination "WTF". After Hardee found out, she was very self-conscious driving around, especially to school and church. The North Carolina DMV issued her a new license plate at no cost. And the DMV Commissioner offered to replace the other 9, 998 license plates with that letter combination at no charge.

It doesn’t stop there. A few weeks later, the DMV called back plates that start with XXX. Who would have thought?

If you’re curious about some of the text messaging acronyms, I found a big list at Netlingo. (This list is not filtered.)
 

     TTYT     

We found so many ideas for vanity plates that we had to stop!

We actually got hooked on one site that lets you create your own license plate instantly FREE. It was toooo much fun! Both of us played around and made about 7 different license plates. (Now I HAVE to get my vanity plate.)

Acme Labs has this cool license plate maker tool that lets you create your vanity plate for your state and offers a few different design choices from each state.

If you need help thinking of vanity plate names, check out the Top 100 Best Vanity License Plate Ideas at COOLPL8Z. There are over 400 pictures of real vanity plates on the PizzaBagel site, courtesy of Peter P. Szabaga who takes pictures of license plates in his travels.

Need more ideas? We found over 36,000 license plates and license plate displays on Flickr. If you’re interested in collecting license plates, Drewski’s Plate Stand has over 4,000 plates for sale (all types, U.S. and worldwide). 

If your state does not require you to have the same front and back license plates, check out Front License Plates for funny, patriotic, or sports themed plates.

Have a business? With the economy the way it is, any opportunity to advertise and get MORE exposure is good, especially if it’s cheap. Why not put your car to work and put your business in front of more potential prospects with a domain name and Free website? 

To see if the personalized plate you want is available for your state, this link will take you to a page showing 50 State License Plates links and the District of Columbia.

Check below for available domain names to register for your vanity plate.

Had another one of those "Ah-ha" moments after reading an article about time management and figuring out what your time is really worth. Whether you work for yourself or work for work a company, we all have those days and weeks where we wonder, "where did the time GO?"

I should have been asking "where did the time GO and how MUCH money did I NOT make?" Here’s WHY:

Let’s say you want to make $100,000/year. In 2008, there are 2,096 work hours according University of California Human Resources & Benefits. This is based on an eight-hour day, five-day Monday through Friday week, with holidays. That works out to $47.71 an hour.

If you want to make $200,000 in 2008 based on the same number of hours, then your work time is worth almost $95.50/hour. Think about this…if you spend 15 minutes doing something that could be delegated (for say $15/hour) then 15 minutes would COST you about $80.00.

You don’t have to become Scrooge-like to start paying attention to all the stuff that eats away at your time. I’m a LOT more conscious now, but I still work a LOT of hours including weekends. (In fact, I’m so far away from the 4 Hour Work Week, it’s depressing. First, I’ll get it down to 40, then I’ll work on getting to 4!

I found some great time-managing tactics and more resources in this free ebook, by Mark McGuinness (author and coach in the U.K.) I’m on the look-out for more sources…Tell me what you think.

Now, I find myself looking for the free stuff – free trials and products on anything from software to make-up. I didn’t start out like that. I enjoy shopping and I’m not a cheapskate (is that still a word?). But there are soooo many free offers online and in the real world, it’s hard to resist.

If you feel the same way about FREE stuff, repeat after me… “It’s not our fault”. We’ve been pulled into some type of “freephoria” by companies and advertisers that skillfully use FREE as a marketing strategy.

According to Chris Anderson (Wired Magazine and author of the upcoming book, “FREE”) technologies that power the web are driving this wave of “freeconomics”. He gives some good examples including free web mail and Google’s free directory assistance.

Look at how “one-upmanship” between Yahoo and Google resulted in MORE free storage for consumers. Why does Google offer free directory assistance (GOOG-411)? Because callers give Google valuable information that helps Google improve it’s service and that will help Google provide a voice-driven search engine for cell phones.

We found more interesting free stuff like students text books Freeload Press offers free college textbooks that they estimate can save students (and parents) about $900/yr. The textbooks have to be downloaded, have advertisements between chapters and students need to complete a survey.

Just Say NO to International Calls that Cost Money

The thought of paying for an international call gives me chills. I’ve been spoiled making free long-distance and international calls using Skype and the Internet. Now, they’ve added free video calls to anyone in the world. Does it get any better? Maybe. We just discovered another free calling service, Jaxtr, that let’s you make and receive phone calls in 220 countries. It’s different from other Voip services because you use the minutes from your existing domestic calling plan to make international calls from your mobile phone.

FREE Web Sites, Blogs, Branded Email and Hosting

OK, I can’t hold back any longer. I could not let an article about FREE stuff go by without mentioning our own free stuff…FREE websites, FREE Blogs, and FREE Hosting that comes when you register or transfer a domain name. (Shameless plug. But, for $9.99 or less, what a great deal!)

Just as I was whining about email overwhelm, I ran across this great article by Michael Arrington from TechCrunch. It didn’t help me finish the emails, but it did cause me stop and laugh. Just like the guy in the story, as hard as I try…I have to admit sometimes I also suck at returning emails. Here’s the post:

2,433 Unread Emails Is An Opportunity For An Entrepreneur

“Federal grants are not federal assistance or loans to individuals. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States.”

Now that you’re all clear on that explanation, here are some sources to check out if you’re looking for financial help:

Two funding opportunities from the U.S. government, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs aim to increase the participation of small businesses in Federal Research and Development and the private sector for commercializing technology. The SBIR Program encourages participation by socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned businesses.

Grants.gov is big storehouse of information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $400 billion in annual awards.

Grants for All put together a grant directory guide with information on Grants for Women, Grants for Minorities, Education Grant Resources, Venture Capital Resources and other programs.

If you plan on writing a grant proposal, Klariti has Grant Writing Tips and Templates. (You can a free evaluation copy of the proposal template.) Thinking of hiring an outside grant writer? Tony Poderis, of Fund-raising Forum offers tips on how to evaluate and pay a grant writer.

Did you know that copyright protection is available for all unpublished works, regardless of the nationality or domicile of the author? Even minors may claim copyright, but state laws regulate the business dealings.

The U.S. Copyright Office  states that  "Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U. S. Code) to the authors of ‘original works of authorship’, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works." You can find out what works are protected and what is not at this site U.S. Copyright Basics.

I was surprised to learn that technically, copyright is secured automatically upon "Creation". A law went into effect January 1, 1978, that made publication or registration unnecessary. But, there are definite advantages to getting a copyright.

According to FindLaw, although registration is not a condition of copyright protection, there are advantages. A major advantage of registering a copyright is this: "Before an infringement suit may be filed in court, registration is necessary for works of U.S. origin."

On the web, just about anyone can take your material and claim to be the owner and without a federal copyright, it can be hard to prove otherwise. Copyscape offers a free service that helps you protect the information on your site with a warning banner. They also provide a web monitoring service for about $4.95/month.

If you want to take the next step and get a federal copyright, you can get forms from the U.S. Copyright Office, or get expert help with C-site services.

I couldn’t believe it. How did that slip past me? I’ve been online for years and own hundreds of domains. But, because my brain was focused on business, it just didn’t dawn on me to get domain names for the kids. Before I finished the article, I was on the phone calling my family and friends. Of course, they thought I was a little crazy (I could "feel" their eyes rolling at me through the phone.) They didn’t see the urgency until I explained that it just made sense because of scarcity.

How many babies are born every minute? (I later found out that about 250 babies are born every minute worldwide.) I asked them, "Don’t you want your kids to have their own Internet name when they grow up? What if they become famous?" And even if they don’t, you could hold the domain name for them so that they can put up a resume (hint – help them get out of the house) or use it for a business site. PLUS, it’s such a cheap investment (under $10/year), they could not afford NOT to get it.

Then, I had another brainstorm. My sisters felt so proud AFTER they got the domain names, I wanted to help them show it off. Showing kids a receipt is like showing them a can of corn, you get the same "so what" response. So we created Domain certificates with pictures. They loved them so we decided to offer them on this site, see sample certificates. Want to see if the domain names you want are available?
I found some interesting stories about domain names…more to come.

Here’s an eye-opening article (2-minutes or less) from USA Today about Starting a Small Business: What it Takes about money, family support, and risk-taking.

I highly recommend the online "Readiness Assessment Tool". It takes just a few minutes but you are asked some important questions. There is no scoring, but if you’re like me, you may get a response like "Not so fast. Your answers indicate that there is room to grow before you consider starting a business". Don’t get discouraged. You are encouraged to plan use and build your skills, plus they give you sources for online Training. I’ve already started a business, but there’s always room to grow!

You’ll find more help from SCORE, the Center for Women’s Business Research, Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO), National Women’s Business Council, Doing Business - Business Regulations in 178 Countries, Entrepreneur.com, The Riley Guide - Steps in Starting Your Own Business.

There are many more resources, we’ll feature more sites and sources for Starting a Business and report on starting specific types of businesses in the coming months.