joi, 8 martie 2012

Damn Cool Pics

Damn Cool Pics


The Smarter Way to File Your Taxes [Infographic]

Posted: 08 Mar 2012 02:17 PM PST



The deadline to file taxes will be coming up sooner than you know, but choosing the right tax preparation service and keeping in mind commonly missed deductions will put you on the right path to filing your taxes smarter. This infographic from the folks at CheapSally provides all the information you need plus it also highlights making good decisions on how to invest your refund check to boost next year's taxes.

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Via: infographicjournal
More Infographics.


Phoenix Suns Cheerleaders

Posted: 07 Mar 2012 05:35 PM PST

Here are the smokin hot cheerleaders who will be joining fans in cheering on the Phoenix Suns in the upcoming season.
































































































An Open Letter to New SEOs

An Open Letter to New SEOs


An Open Letter to New SEOs

Posted: 07 Mar 2012 10:29 AM PST

Posted by Dr. Pete

Dear New SEOs,

First off, let me congratulate you. Whether by luck or good planning, you’ve entered the field at a time when business is booming and just about every decent company I know of is looking for talent. So, you may be wondering – why aren’t they hiring you? Maybe being a dad has gone to my head (I’m sure of it, actually), but I’m here to give you some tough love…

Do First, Then Talk

You’re doing it in the wrong order – you need to read this (hat tip to @chriswinfield). I’ll paraphrase – before you shoot your mouth off about how great you are, prove it. Yes, there are cocky people in SEO, and yes some of them make a lot of money, but you’re not them (at least not yet). Your attitude may get you 500 screaming fan-boys and girls on Twitter who all shout “Hell, yeah!” whenever you strike a key, but unless you’re taking your act to the big screen, fan-boys don’t pay the bills.

It’s not just about arrogance, though. I can’t count how many times I walked into a networking event to drum up business and couldn’t connect to anyone, because I had nothing to talk about. People don’t want to hear about what you could do, given enough time, money, and magic beans. They want to hear about what you have done (or, at least, what you are doing). If you want to get people interested in what you do, then do something interesting.

Build Something (Anything)

In this world, “do something interesting” means create something. It could be a mega blog post like David Mihm’s annual Local Search Ranking Factors, or it could be a tool, like Darren Shaw’s Local Citation Finder. Those are just two examples of dozens that catapulted a relative newcomer to SEO stardom.

The double-whammy is that building something not only shows you have skills, but it communicates your niche. We all want to be all things to all people when we’re first starting out, because we’re so afraid to close any door. Don’t get me wrong – I’m a generalist and I absolutely value a broad skill set. The problem is that being a generalist is horrible for marketing. If someone asks “What do you do?” and your reply is “Anything I get paid to”, prepare not to get paid. People want the “WordPress guy” or the “Link-building gal”. Find your niche – once your foot’s in the door, then you can kick it wide open.

Stop Comparing Yourself

The human brain is funny – some days, you can be cocky and self-doubting all in the same half-hour. There’s one area where the internet is especially awful – it exposes you every day to hundreds of people who are better at everything than you are. Get over it. You don’t have to be #1 or even #10,001 at something to make a living at it. Pick something, and do it until you improve. That’s the secret to everything. Last year, I finished the 100 push-up challenge (100 in a single set). You know how I did it? I did 1 set of 8, then 2 sets, up to 5, then 5 sets of 9, 10, 11… until I hit 5 sets of 40. It took me almost a year, but now I do 200/day most days. You want to become an expert link-builder? Stop watching cat videos and build some damned links.

Bite Off 20% Too Much

You can’t grow unless you push your limits. People say that all the time, so let me put a number against it – always take on 20% more than you think you can handle. In my experience, 20% is the point where you force yourself to keep learning but can still deliver on your promises. If you only ever do what you’ve already done, you’ll always have small projects and small results. Don’t lie about your capabilities, but push your comfort zone every single chance you get.

Work Smarter AND Harder

As techie types, we’re naturally obsessed with building a better mousetrap. That’s great, and there’s always room to work smarter, but there’s also a fine line between efficiency and laziness. Sooner or later, you’ve got to stop looking for shortcuts and iPad apps and start doing the work. Learning enough to call yourself an expert takes hundreds (probably thousands) of hours, and building an online business is a full-time job. If you want to play at it, be my guest. If you want to make a living, then get to work.

Tell People What You Do

It’s amazing how many people in the industry I’ve known for 5+ years now, and I don’t actually know what, specifically, they do. This is a mistake I made for at least the first 2-3 years of being in business for myself – I assumed people knew what I did because I hung out in certain communities and wrote on certain topics. Sure, they had a vague idea of my background and expertise, but it wasn’t until I got specific that I really started landing new clients. Tell people what kind of work you want to do, in detail. If you’re looking for a full time job, say it out loud. Opportunity doesn’t fall out of the sky just because you’ve got the sunroof open.

So, get out there – find what excites you, put in the hours, push your limits, create something, and then share that excitement. Do that, and you’ll reap all the rewards of a growing industry.

With Love,

Dr. Pete


Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

What is Ethics.gov?

The White House

Your Daily Snapshot for
Thursday, March 8, 2012

 

What is Ethics.gov?

President Obama promised he would “create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable, and downloadable format.”  Today, with the launch of www.Ethics.gov, he’s delivering on that promise.

Ethics.gov takes an important step to increase transparency and accountability by making this information available and accessible in one central location. This is good for government and good for the American people.

Visit Ethics.gov and give it a try.

Visit Ethics.gov

In Case You Missed It

Here are some of the top stories from the White House blog:

President Obama Announces $1 Billion Fund to Promote Energy Efficient Vehicles
President Obama visits the Tar Heel state to talk about ways his administration is taking an all-of-the-above approach to American energy.

Champions of Change: Honoring Mentors who Support America’s Entrepreneurs
These mentors are not only “paying it forward” – they are enabling countless American businesses to grow faster and create more jobs.

Commerce Dept. Promotes Internet Privacy Blueprint Overseas
In today’s Internet age, our world is no longer easily defined by national borders. Cameron F. Kerry, General Counsel of the Department of Commerce, explains the importance of finding ways to protect personal information while facilitating cross-border data flow.

Today's Schedule

All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).

11:15 AM: The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

12:00 PM: The President meets with senior advisors

12:30 PM: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney WhiteHouse.gov/live

3:30 PM: The President hosts President John Evans Atta Mills of Ghana for a meeting

5:35 PM: The President and the First Lady have dinner with winners of a campaign contest

WhiteHouse.gov/live Indicates that the event will be live-streamed on WhiteHouse.gov/Live

This email was sent to e0nstar1.blog@gmail.com
Manage Subscriptions for e0nstar1.blog@gmail.com
Sign Up for Updates from the White House

Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy

Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House

The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

 

Seth's Blog : Sovereignty and the new world--the end of nations?

Sovereignty and the new world--the end of nations?

Geography mattered a great deal when resources were in the ground, people had trouble moving long distances and trade was primarily local.

Now, of course, ideas spread fast, and so does money.

Which means that national sovereignty over geography isn't nearly as important as it was. Governments are going to fight a long (and ultimately) losing battle for control.

Multi-national corporations have the upper hand. They have long horizons and better lawyers.

And ideas? Ideas are even more difficult to control than people are.

 

More Recent Articles

[You're getting this note because you subscribed to Seth Godin's blog.]

Don't want to get this email anymore? Click the link below to unsubscribe.




Your requested content delivery powered by FeedBlitz, LLC, 9 Thoreau Way, Sudbury, MA 01776, USA. +1.978.776.9498

 

miercuri, 7 martie 2012

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis


Concerns in Germany About Its Gold at the NY Fed, London, and Paris; German Gold Off Limits, Greek Gold Subject to Confiscation

Posted: 07 Mar 2012 01:02 PM PST

GoldCore has a pair of interesting articles on German concerns about its gold reserves. The most recent article regards gold held outside Germany.

Please consider Germany to Review Bundesbank Gold Reserves in Frankfurt, Paris, London and Federal Reserve Bank of New York
German lawmakers are to review Bundesbank controls of and management of Germany's gold reserves. Parliament's Budget Committee will assess how the central bank manages its inventory of Germany's gold bullion bars that are believed to be stored in Frankfurt, Paris, London and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, according to German newspaper Bild.

The German Federal Audit Office has criticised the Bundesbank's lax auditing and inventory controls regarding Germany's sizeable gold reserves – 3,396.3 tonnes of gold or some 73.7% of Germany's national foreign exchange reserves.

There is increasing nervousness amongst the German public, German politicians and indeed the Bundesbank itself regarding the gigantic risk on the balance sheet of Germany's central bank and this is leading some in Germany to voice concerns about the location and exact amount of Germany's gold reserves.

The eurozone's central bank system is massively imbalanced after the ECB's balance sheet surged to a record 3.02 trillion euros ($3.96 trillion) last week, 31% bigger than the German economy, after a second tranche of three-year loans.

The concern is that were the eurozone to collapse, Bundesbank's losses could be half a trillion euros - more than one-and-a-half times the size of the Germany's annual budget.

In that scenario, Germany's national patrimony of gold bullion reserves would be needed to support the currency – whether that be a new euro or a return to the Deutsche mark.

Jim Rickards has outlined possible plans by the Federal Reserve to commandeer Germany's and all foreign depositors of sovereign gold at the New York Federal Reserve in the event of a dollar and monetary crisis leading to intensified "currency wars" and the 'nuclear option' of a drastic upward revision of the price of gold and a return to a quasi gold standard is contemplated by embattled central banks to prevent debt deflation.
Currency Wars

It is difficult to separate fact from fantasy, and speculation from reality in such stories, but those wishing to learn more about Jim Rickards' ideas, might be interested in his book, "Currency Wars: The Making of the Next Global Crisis"

In January, Eric King had an Interview with Jim Rickard on King World News.

Rickards' Biography

James G. Rickards is a writer, lawyer and economist with over 30 years experience in global capital markets. He is Senior Managing Director at Omnis, Inc., a consulting firm in McLean, VA and is the leading practitioner at the intersection of global capital markets and national security. His advice to clients from 2002 to 2006 included early warning of impending financial collapse, the rise of sovereign wealth funds, the decline of the dollar and the sharp rise in gold prices years in advance of these events. He has held senior executive positions at Citibank, Long-Term Capital Management and Caxton Associates. In 1998, he was the principal negotiator of the rescue of LTCM sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

German Gold Off Limits, Greek Gold Subject to Confiscation

The other article of note on GoldCore regarding German gold reserves was back in November when various proposals for Germany to backstop Greece and the EFSF with its gold surfaced.

Please see Germany to G20: German Gold "Must Remain Off Limits"; Italian Gold Sale Again Proposed in Germany for details.

Those proposals were shot down quickly. However, Germany did make Greek gold subject to confiscation in the latest bailout proposal by the Troika.

Greece is foolish to accept this parasitic offer of "help". Greek gold reserves may be the only thing that prevents all-out hyperinflation and complete destruction of currency when Greece returns to the drachma.

Please see Pact With the Devil Over Gold for further discussion as to sad state of affairs that may befall Greece.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List


Mish Video on Capital Account, March 6: Netherlands, Greek Exit, Stock Valuations, War in Iran, Where to Put Your Money, Faber's Formula for Safety

Posted: 07 Mar 2012 11:46 AM PST

Once again it was a pleasure to be on Capital Account with Lauren Lyster yesterday afternoon. We discussed Europe, a Eurozone breakup, and general investment ideas proposed by Marc Faber, and my own thoughts on the same subject.



Link if video does not play: Netherlands looking for Euro Exit as Supercomputer prepares for Financial Judgment Day.

Normally I can see the same thing you see in the video above while the live TV show is recorded. This time, the video feed went down, so I could not see the charts they asked me to comment or, Lauren Lyster, or anything else. This was recorded (from my perspective) on audio cue only.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List


LPS Home Price Index Shows U.S. Home Prices Accelerated Decline; Psychology Change and Demographics Suggests Bubble Mentality Shattered for Decades to Come

Posted: 07 Mar 2012 09:47 AM PST

U.S. home prices declines to a new low for the move and are back to a level last seen in September-October 2002 according to a LPS News Release.


The LPS HPI national average home price for transactions during December 2011 reached a price level not seen since September 2002. This is the sixth consecutive month of price decreases.

Price changes were largely consistent across the country during December, increasing in only 8.0 percent of the ZIP codes in the LPS HPI. Price changes were also consistent across price tiers with a uniform decline of 1.0 percent.



"Despite the broad picture of home price declines following the bubble, prices have not been consistently declining for all MSAs in the country. About one-fifth (89) of all the MSAs that LPS covers has seen average home prices increase since December 2008," commented Dosaj. "For 90 percent of these MSAs, prices rose only if the lowest-priced homes in their markets rose. This correlation did not necessarily hold for higher-priced homes in those areas. Unfortunately, the MSAs that have seen price increases since December 2008 are generally relatively small; Boston and Pittsburgh are exceptions."

About the LPS Home Price Index

The LPS HPI is one of the most complete and accurate home price sources available. It summarizes sales concluded during each month using a repeat sales analysis of home prices as of the transaction dates. Each month, the LPS HPI reports five price levels in each of more than 14,500 U.S. ZIP codes. Five price levels are also reported at the national and state levels and for 436 of the statistical areas defined by the White House Office of Management and Budget; including all 29 of the Metropolitan Divisions and their 11 MSA "parents." The five historical paths of price levels can be easily used to find price paths of intermediate prices. The LPS HPI also supplies REO discount rates for each ZIP code, which are used in the HPI calculations to correct for the impact on estimates of open-market prices that REO sale prices would have.

By combining property and loan data in its repeat sales analysis, the LPS HPI covers about 75 percent of single-family residential properties in the U.S. The innovative approach used to maximize geographical resolution enables the LPS HPI to meaningfully cover about 98 percent of these properties at the ZIP-code level.

The LPS HPI provides the financial industry with the most accurately timed home-price information available – detecting market changes sooner than other HPIs – with valuation accuracies competitive with AVMs in out-of-sample tests.
Bubble Mentality Shattered for Decades to Come

The key take-away is home prices still have not bottomed in most areas. Moreover, nothing stops a renewed decline in those 8% of areas that did not decline.

Also bear in mind that first chart shows nominal prices. Inflation adjusted prices have likely taken back the entire rise in prices, except of course for property taxes.

Once there is a bottom, and we are certainly closer to a bottom than a top, expect home prices to generally languish due to immense shadow inventory, anemic wage growth, anemic job growth, boomer downsize demographics, and most importantly psychology.

Housing prices were a once-in-a-multi-generational bubble, now gone bust. The mentality that "your home is your retirement" is dead for decades to come. A similar bust will happen in Canada, Australia, and China.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List