Podcasts and the Future

The real value of the Commitment of Traders or COT Report for silver traders, (as Ted Butler, GATA, and others have been pointing out for years) lies in revealing the marked concentration of short silver futures positions held by the major bullion banks, who are classed as commercial traders.

Some observers predict that the Commodities Futures Trading Commission or CFTC will eventually simply hide this data or even change the classification like they have done in the past.

Of course, this would probably only serve to destroy confidence in the silver futures market once and for all.

The Issues for Silver Longs

For the long holder, the concentration of shorts is the main issue, and not simply:

Banks hedging positions in the futures market against client business that leaves them long. Yes, banks typically have little choice but to cover long positions with short positions for risk management purposes, as well as for the sake of earning a profit to provide shareholders with value. Swaps. Dealers' positions being taken on or off or played both ways. No limits on positions.

These details simply detract from the core issue of market manipulation and lend credence or play into to the conspiracy phobia prompted by the mainstream media.

Most traders can use the COT Report to observe changes in positioning without worrying about the concentration structure. This could explain why the CFTC remains silent about this key issue, and why the CFTC has not done away with or dramatically altered the COT Report to hide it.

Effectively, there are only a few large commercial traders (i.e. bullion banks) selling silver futures against a huge variety of longs.

No Great Conspiracy?

This manipulation may be easier to see when looked at from the perspective of an attempted long market corner. Who cares what the Hunts were doing with the other side of their long position? The issue for regulators was the Hunts' concentrated long position.

In this case, the real pink elephant on the couch, which shows up clearly in the COT data put out by the CFTC, is that the majority of the outstanding short position in silver futures is held by only one or two commercial traders.

Nevertheless, somehow 'hedging' - which is another word often thrown around loosely (like conspiracy) by mainstream media - makes this concentration 'okay'.

Yet when two large shorts hold 60 percent of the entire sell side of a relatively thin market against a whole crowd of diverse longs, something questionable is definitely going on. The Hunts were chastised and persecuted for doing this on the long side, so why not the heavily short bullion banks?

Can you imagine if oil or copper had the same market commitment profile or IBM for that matter? Sure, there may be naked shorts in those markets, but the shorts are as diverse as the longs, which is how things should be in a fair and balanced market.

It really does not matter if those two heavily short entities are hedged elsewhere. The illegal and immoral concentration of positions still exists in the silver market.

The Confidence Question

Not only does this concentration create an artificially depressed price reality for silver, but it also prevents the investing public from noticing an otherwise healthy way of avoiding wealth destruction by using silver as a non-paper inflation hedge.

Additional dangers of this concentration include:

Big shorts throwing caution to the wind. Shorting is a treacherous game that has potentially unlimited losses. Who else but the big banks could afford to take this kind of risk?

Of course, the real danger here is the unlimited down side risk inherent in short positions potentially triggering a daisy-chain of derivatives-led bank failures. This risk scenario could result in a much bigger systemic problem that would send shock waves reverberating throughout the already fragile world financial system.

For more articles like this, and to stay updated on the most important economic, financial, political and market events related to silver and precious metals, visit http://www.silver-coin-investor.com

Failing for Dollars...

It was in 1996 that I plunged into a side business. I had no background, and little training. And of course, it became a failure.

But I learned that "it" was not the one that failed. It was "me" who failed. Those were tough words to own up to.

I watched others who knew exactly what they were doing. And I asked myself:

"What does it take to become successful like them? Why wasn't I blessed with their talents? How do I earn that kind of money?"

I had to admit--I was clueless.

Then one side business led to another, which led to more failures. It wasn't the failures that disturbed me as much as not knowing why I failed.

Then I was introduced to self-development: getting coached from success leaders who walked their talk. I must confess--I wasn't a big fan. I hadn't picked up any books since college, and "reading" was no longer in my vocabulary.

But I highly respected my friend who introduced me. He said, "Listen to these tapes and tell me what you think."

It's because of those circumstances that I'm writing you today. You see, I had chosen my vision and was living it. Little did I know--it was a tiny one.

My job paid well, but I became braindead. My mind turned into mush. The repetitive patterns subdued my right-brain creativity. Or more accurately, it testifed I had little brainwave activity to begin with.

I devoured the books and tapes, took on a few mentors, and became a serious student. But this time, I chose my faculty and my courses. I didn't have to pick from a limited school list.

I played tapes while driving to work, read books during my breaks, and booked flights to attend seminars. I learned to invest in myself, break bad habits, and change course. I have to admit--change isn't fun. Just necessary.

So I traded my tiny vision for a larger one. I knew I had found my calling. A calling I couldn't see before.

And I bet you have a larger vision than the one you're living.

You have dreams and goals that have been latent for years. You know it's easier going lateral than vertical. And you have layers of hidden fears... of failure... and success.

Which is why I'm writing you...

I have been where you are now. I have struggled with the same stuff you do. And I have transformed from a person who didn't believe in myself, to a person who helps people strenthen theirs.

So I have to ask, "What are you failing at lately?"

If you're not failing at all--you may not be trying very hard. You're comfortable in your comfort zone. You're guilty of taking baby steps and not venturing from the crib.

Which means your one-year goal has now become a seven-year goal. The Mercedes you wanted doesn't come in your color. And of course, it's childish to show up the Joneses.

Hogwash!

Failing is part of the success equation. Everyone fails. But only those who get back up have a real chance at reaping the rewards.

Please don't make failure your goal, but picture it as the ultimate teacher. Once you've gone through it, sort it inside a folder. Just like this e-zine.

So don't treat failure as an enemy or something to avoid. It will come. The secret is not giving up at the first sign of disappointment. Keep focused on your goals and you'll learn to leverage failure to your advantage.

Algarve Beaches - Let's Take a Look At Them

Algarve, the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, is really famous as the tourism destination. Actually, there are many kind of attraction in Algarve, but most people come to Algarve for its beaches. Do you believe that there are more than thirty beautiful beaches in Algarve? Let's take a look some of them.

Praia Da Arifana

This beach is ideal for family vacation. Your children can happily swim in this beach, off course with fully safety. It's really safe to swim in Praia Da Arifana beach because it has calm and warm weather. This beach also offers other kind activities for family like snorkeling, diving, banana boats, and many more.

Praia do Tonel

Situated in close to Sagres at the most western point of the Algarve, this beach is really perfect for wind-surfing lovers. Wind surfing at Praia do Tonel is really safety because all of the activities are controlled by professional beach guardians.

Praia Da Rocha

When you come to Praia Da Rocha beach, you can see acres of wide open sand as far as eyes can see. It's really cool! This beach is really good for sun bathing. Get the beautiful tan skin in Praia Da Rocha!

Praia de Barril

What makes this beach attractive is because Praia de Barril is like the beautiful girl. You need extra effort to reach the beach location. You have to walk across a narrow pontoon bridge, or take a ride on the miniature train, or you can walk alongside the track (it's paved) before you come to Praia de Barril. It's quite tiring, but as soon as you reach the beach you will admit that your tiring journey to Praia de Barril is worth it!

Praia da Ilha de Faro

This is the most crowded beach at Algarve. The location near the airport makes Praia da Ilha de Faro easy to reach. This beach is for the party lovers! Well, if you need private and calm atmosphere, Praia da Ilha de Faro is really not recommended for you!

Paraiso Beach

Set in a small bay to the west of the town of Carvoeiro lays Paraiso Beach. This is the perfect place for summer holiday with your friends. This beach offers many exciting activities like scuba diving, wind surfing, and many more. Besides sport activities, the nightlife in Paraiso Beach is also the great attraction for tourism.

Praia do Castelo

Located only approx. 8 km to the west of the tourist resort of Albufeira, the Praia do Castelo is really the favorite place for holidaymakers. This beach is really crowded in peak holiday season. Many people come to the Praia do Castelo's for the clean and white sand. It's really paradise on earth!

Olhos de Agua

This is the calmest beach in the Algarve. Located at below red rocky cliffs, pine trees and alongside a former fishing village, east of Albufeira, the Olhos de Agua is really the perfect place for you who want to have meditation at calm village atmosphere.

Talking about Algarve beaches is a never ending story. There are not enough words to describe the beauty of all beaches in Algarve. Just take yourself to Algarve beaches and feel the wonderful experience!

Subscribe to House Beautiful Magazine For a Better Home

Do you wake up every morning and look around at the wallpapers of your bedroom and long for a better apartment to live in? Do you walk into the kitchen every day and feel like turning your back to it at the first look of smoked, gray walls? Have you spend loads of money on new furniture and cushions and still failed to create that desired effect, and wondered why nothing fitted in? Sometimes just a few minor changes, rather than a major upheaval is needed to set things right. Sometimes everything that is needed is present, just a small little piece is needed to put everything in order, like salt in a recipe. Subscribing to House Beautiful magazine can give you the answer to your worries of how to make your home a much more beautiful place to live in.

If you think that these magazines are all about expensive furniture and apartments in posh districts where people have lots of money to spend on designer items, then you are wrong. You do not have to shift your accommodation or buy loads of new items to redecorate your home. Sometimes just a few recycling tips are required to change an existing piece of furniture to something new and House Beautiful magazine gives you useful tips about how to use your imagination. Like instead of throwing away your old wicker basket, why don't you paint it in bright colors and use it to store your knick- knacks?

Advantages: House Beautiful has detailed columns on decorating kitchen, bathroom and the living areas in every issue. So if you have a problem of leaking roofs, seeping walls, cockroach infested kitchen or a creaking wardrobe, a blocked bath tub or a water- stained brass tap, then you know what to do to set them right. The magazine is edited in such a manner that it takes care of the day to day problems that might crop up in any household.

Feedbacks from women around the world prove that they have been greatly benefitted from this magazine and the editors too invite suggestions from the readers about what more can be added and how to make the magazine even more better, which means that it pays attention to the real -life problems of women, rather than just creating a feel good magazine with pretty pictures to browse through.

If you want to but some household products, then this magazine guides you to but what it essential and what will suit your type of home and budget, with details regarding where to get them. So you know what kind of drapes and curtains to buy and what color scheme will match the other accessories of your house.

Acrylic Paint Art

Acrylic paint is made from pigment mixed together with an acrylic polymer to form a relatively thick paint emulsion. Acrylic art is a plastic paint. It is a new entrant to the art scene when compared to other art paints - it was first used in the 1950s. But despite its late introduction, acrylic has certain distinct qualities that make it the preferred choice for a number of artists.

Some artists prefer acrylic art work because of the 'oil painting' finish that acrylic paint provides. To achieve this glossy feel, the acrylic paint used must be thick and not overly diluted with water.

But thin acrylic artwork also has its benefits - if you are looking to develop a painting that mimics water colours you can thin the paint by adding a third part water to every whole part of paint. Other than water, there are additional additives that can be added to the paint to make it thinner or thicker.

Additives can also be used to increase the paints transparency and reduce the speed of drying. The need to reduce speed is because acrylic paint dries relatively fast once applied. Depending on the thickness and additives used, the paint may take from just a few minutes to a maximum of a day to dry - this is a short time when compared to oil based paints which can take up to a week to completely dry.

The acrylic art used on canvas surface dries in the shortest time making it suitable for artists who prefer to do their work quickly. This quality however can also be a downside because it is difficult to blend different colours on the canvas since the first colour will already have started drying by the time the next colour is applied.

In addition, the paint binds well to a wide range of surfaces. This versatility makes it possible to have acrylic art work not just on canvas but also on glass surfaces as well as ceramic items such as pots. There is a special type of acrylic supplies that can be used on clothes.

Certain types of acrylic paint can be used to paint the outside of the home. The type of acrylic for exteriors depends on the nature of the wall surface - for instance, the acrylic paint you use on a wooden surface will be different from the one you use on a concrete one.

Acrylic work art can be preserved for a long time due to its ability to resist the elements (especially water) once it dries. This compares well with other paints such as oil paints which can start to wrinkle or turn yellow as the painting ages and is oxidized.

If you are a paint work beginner considering venturing into acrylic art work, start with simple paintings to help you practice the painting techniques required when using acrylic paint. As you master the texture of different types of acrylic paints, you can move on to more elaborate pieces.

Pay Per Performance, the Newest Path to Online Marketing

Pay per Performance, the newest Path to Online Marketing

Advertising initially used to be a hit or miss game. You would place your ads and wait for results. If new customers didn't come through the door, you had little choice but to revise your ads and try again until you got it right.

This started creating a problem for companies both large and small, who couldn't invest a lot of money before sales started coming in.

Now, the new pick of "Pay-Per-Performance" advertising model gives you instantaneous results. Instead of paying to place your ad, you pay for each lead your ad produces.

You can adjust your ad, your media, and your method until prospects start to roll in. Only when you get results do you start paying small fees per lead obtained.

One of the quickest ways to pull lots of prospects to your web site is to get listed prominently in search engines. Unfortunately, with over one billion sites catalogued, your URL can get lost in the crowd.

Pay-Per-Performance can be of three kinds, namely -

Search Engine Advertising Pay-Per-Performance search engines like Google, Yahoo give you a way around this problem. They list your site high for a fee. You can pay as little as a penny a click for each prospect the engine sends to your site. The pricing is simple, "If no one clicks on your link, you don't pay".

The up side to these engines is you can adjust your listing until it works without going into debt. You can also list dozens, even hundreds of keywords that will bring up your link.

The big disadvantage to Pay-Per-Performance search engines is many keywords get very little response. Common keywords that draw lots of prospects are probably well known to other businesses in your industry. With everyone vying for the same keywords, the prices can be bid up to several thousand's per click.

Banner Advertising Pay-Per-Performance banner advertising is also popular. With banner response trending lower in recent years, businesses are looking for ways around CPM (Cost per Mile) banner purchases that gets higher results.

This strategy works well when you develop a product and you need your target audience to click and can even increase responses by centring your banner on a graphic that helps you make your unique selling point.

Email Advertising The newest innovation in Pay-Per-Performance digital marketing is the email which may well be the best idea yet, wherein prospects enter their email address to receive information on your business. You pay only for unique confirmed email sign-ups.

The point is to build your own opt-in email list. You own the list and can use it indefinitely to email updates, send out new offers, and distribute information to your prospects and customers. Rather than a one-shot ad campaign, you can continue to work your list for weeks, months, even years getting the rich results repetition provides. You reach prospects in a way people notice and respond to.

By using the big three kinds of Pay-Per-Performance advertising -- search engines, banners, and email - you stretch your ad budget with guaranteed results. You also have the ability to analyze hard statistics that render your results crystal clear.

Most Importantly, Pay-Per-Performance digital marketing lets you focus your marketing plan on getting results rather than just increasing awareness. Not only do people learn your company/brand name, you also get the guaranteed result of an interested prospect seeing your full offer either at your site or in an email.