DAVENPORT, IOWA–August 1, 2015–Absolute Publishing Services announced today that it has acquired 918studio, an independent small literary press based in LeClaire and established in 2010.  Absolute Publishing Services will continue to publish the 918studio literary imprint for poetry, fiction, and non-fiction by local and regional authors.

Since 2010, 918studio has released eight prose and poetry chapbooks and two full-length works of fiction including The Legend of Tug Fest and other LeClaire Ghost Stories, a collaborative project with the Buffalo Bill Museum. 918studio poetry chapbooks are featured annually in the New York City Poets House Showcase collection of new poetry, and 918studio authors are featured regularly in the Bettendorf Public Library and Midwest Writing Center's Read Local initiative. Quad Cities area authors published by 918studio have included Ryan R. Collins, Trisha Georgiou, Ellen Tsagaris, Jodie Toohey, and Jan VanVooren Rogers among many others.

Since 2007, Absolute Publishing Services has assisted the novice and experienced author from beginning to end with their book release. Absolute provides a comprehensive list of services, including book design, formatting, editing, eBooks and printing for authors who seek self-publishing or hybrid publishing options. The Absolute team services authors in the Quad Cities area as well as nationwide.

By Nathaniel Sillin

After the 2008 economic crisis, many people assumed they would never be able to reach true financial independence - the ability to live comfortably off one's savings and investments with no debt whatsoever.

However, individuals willing to use their time horizon to plan and adjust their spending, savings and investment behaviors might just find financial independence is possible. Here are 10 ideas to get started.

1. Visualize first, then plan. Start by considering what your vision of financial independence actually looks like - and then get a reality check. Qualified financial experts can examine your current financial circumstances, listen to what financial independence means to you and help you craft a plan. The path to financial independence may be considerably different at age 20 than it is at age 50; the more time you have to save and invest generally produces a better outcome. But at any age, start with a realistic picture of your options.

2. Budget. Budgeting (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/budgeting/) - the process of tracking income, subtracting expenses and deciding how to divert the difference to your goals each month - is the essential first task of personal finance. If you haven't learned to budget, you need to do so.

3. Spend less than you earn. It might be obvious, but it's one of the most difficult financial behaviors to execute. Adhering to a lower standard of living and expenses will help you put more money into savings and investments sooner.

4. Build smarter safety nets. Emergency funds and insurance are rarely discussed in combination. The traditional definition of an emergency fund is a separate account for cash that can be used instead of credit to repair a broken appliance or other expense that may run a few hundred dollars. However, many people keep insurance deductibles high to keep premiums low. Would you have enough cash on hand to cover an insurance deductible if you had a sudden claim? If not, build your deductible amounts into your emergency fund.

5. Eliminate debt. Though consumer debt levels have generally fallen since the 2008 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported in February that home, student loan, auto and credit card debt began creeping up again in 2014. Getting rid of revolving, non-housing debt (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/costofcredit) is one of the most effective ways to free up money for savings and investment.

6. Consider your career. Financial independence doesn't require you to quit a career you love, but you really can't get to financial independence without steady income to fuel savings and investments that will build over time. Speak with qualified advisors about your income, benefits and retirement picture first, and see if you might be able to expand your sources of work-related income, such as consulting part time. Also keep in mind that over the age of 50, the Internal Revenue Service allows you to make catch-up contributions (http://www.irs.gov/Retirement-Plans/Plan-Participant,-Employee/Retirement-Topics-IRA-Contribution-Limits) to both 401(k) and IRA accounts.

7. Downsize. You'll generally reach wealth financial goals faster if you can cut your overall living expenses. For some, that means selling your home and moving to a smaller one or to an area with lower living costs and taxes. You can also sell or donate property you don't need and use those proceeds to extinguish debt or add to savings or investments.

8. Invest frugally. Become a student (http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/undrstndgrtrmnt.html) of investment fees and commissions because they can cut significantly into your principal. Make a full evaluation of fees you are paying on every investment account you have and if you're working with a licensed professional who sells you financial products, know what fees they're charging for their investment and advisory services.

9. Buy assets that generate income. Stocks, real estate, collectibles or cash investments all have up and down markets. But do your homework and focus on investments bought at attractive prices that are likely to appreciate over time. Also, don't forget to study the tax ramifications of any investment transaction you make.

10. Always know where you are financially. Financial planning isn't about making one set of financial decisions and assuming you're set. Lives and situations change and your financial planning must be flexible enough to withstand both positive and negative changes without derailing your hopes for financial independence. If your forte is not investment, financial planning or tax matters, by all means bring in qualified experts to help. But financially independent people generally have their money issues at their fingertips not only for their own use, but for estate purposes as well.

Bottom line: Financial independence involves diligence and a bit of sacrifice, but even the smallest moves can yield big outcomes.

MRA - The Management Association will be holding a Q&A Session for MRA members only on Wednesday, August 5, 2015 regarding the proposed Fair Standards Labor Act (FLSA) at the MRA Iowa/Western Illinois Division office located at 3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100 in Moline, Illinois from 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM. This event is not open to the public.

Not a member of MRA? Contact Kathy Riley, Member Relations Coordinator at 309.277.4186 or at Kathy.Riley@mranet.org to register or for more information on how to become a MRA member.

About MRA-The Management Association Founded in 1901, MRA-The Management is a not-for-profit employer association that serves more than 4,000 employers throughout the Midwest, covering 800,000+ employees. As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its member organizations thrive by creating powerful teams and safe, successful workplaces. MRA conducts more than 2,000 learning events each year. Members of MRA also receive access to expert guidance, best practices, professionally facilitated roundtables, essential tools, and dozens of business services in the areas of human resources and training. MRA is headquartered in Waukesha, Wis., and has regional offices in Palatine, Ill.; Moline, Ill.; and Plymouth, Minn. To learn more and to become a member of MRA, visit www.mranet.org.

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Loebsack, Mullin Bill Grants Flexibility to Manufacturers and Consumers

WASHINGTON - Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-02) introduced a bill Wednesday to give manufacturers and consumers more flexibility when it comes to providing and accessing product warranty information. The bipartisan E-Warranty Act of 2015 (H.R. 3154) gives manufacturers the option of fulfilling their warranty notice requirements by posting the information on their website.

Following introduction, the bill passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade unanimously.

"This bipartisan legislation is a commonsense update to our nation's decades old warranty requirements. The bill would allow manufacturers to post warranty information online and give consumers easy access to written warranties," said Loebsack. "I am pleased the E-Warranty Act has been approved by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade and look forward to it moving through the House."

"Warranty requirements ensure consumers get important information when they purchase a product, but our federal warranty regulations were developed nearly forty years ago," said Mullin, a second-term lawmaker who serves on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. "The world has changed since then, and our ability to compete on a global stage depends on our laws keeping pace with innovation."

If manufacturers choose to meet their warranty notification requirements by posting the information on their website, it must be in an accessible, conspicuous digital format. Manufacturers must also provide consumers with information on how to access the online warranty and obtain a paper copy, either by including instructions on the product packaging or in the product manual.

The bill makes no changes to the rules regarding the content of warranty information.

H.R. 3154 is the U.S. House of Representatives companion bill to U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Bill Nelson's (D-Fla.) S. 1359, which passed the U.S. Senate unanimously on July 9, 2015. The bill will now move to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.