Forex Candlesticks

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Test in progress

Forex? What is it, anyway?

The market

The currency trading (FOREX) market is the biggest and the fastest growing market on earth. Its daily turnover is more than 2.5 trillion dollars, which is 100 times greater than the NASDAQ daily turnover. (click here to read full market background by Easy-Forex™).

Markets are places to trade goods. The same goes with FOREX. The Forex goods (or merchandise) are the currencies of various countries. You buy Euro, paying with US dollars, or you sell Japanese Yens for Canadian dollars. That's all.

How does one profit in Forex?

Very simple and obvious: buy cheap and sell for more! The profit is generated from the fluctuations (changes) in the currency exchange market.

The nice thing about the FOREX market, is that regular daily fluctuations, say - around 1%, are multiplied by 100! (in general, Easy-Forex™ offers trading ratios from 1:50 to 1:200). If, for example, the exchange rate of "your" pair of currencies increased by 0.6% in the last 4 hours, your profit will be 60% on your investment! Such can happen in one business day, or in a few hours, even minutes.

Moreover, you cannot lose more than your "margin"! You may profit unlimited amounts, but you never lose more than what you initially risked and invested.

You can implement your choice (the pair of currencies, the volume amount) under any direction to which the market is moving, and yet make profit. It does not matter whether the exchange rate is going up or down: you can always decide to buy Euro and sell dollar, or vice versa - buy dollar and sell Euro. You don't have to physically possess certain currencies in order to perform "buy" or "sell" with them.

How do I start?

Register (Easy-Forex™ offers the simplest and quickest registration process, no obligation); deposit your first trading "margin" amount (credit cards are welcome, only by Easy-Forex™); start trading.

It can't be simpler or easier than that. Need help? We'll provide you with 1-on-1 training and service, as much as necessary (Easy-Forex™ offers real people service, live, in your own language).

How do I trade Forex?

You select the pair of currencies with which you wish to make a Forex deal. You determine the volume (the amount of the deal). You deposit the "margin" (collateral needed to facilitate the deal. Usually - only a very small portion of the whole deal, say: 1% or 1:100).

Before you finally activate the deal, you can still "freeze" it for a few seconds. That enables you to either change the terms, or accept it as is, or altogether regret the whole idea. The "freeze" feature is a unique service by Easy-Forex™.

When your Forex deal is running (you hold an "open position"), you can monitor its status and check scenarios online, whenever you wish. You may change some terms in the deal, or close it (and cash the profit, if any, or minimize the loss, if any). Moreover, Easy-Forex™ lets you determine a "take-profit" rate, with which the deal will close automatically for you, when and if such rate occurs in the market. Meaning: you do not have to stay near your computer when you hold open positions.

Want to know more? Want to get on-line training? Register here (simple, quick, no obligation), we'll be glad to guide you, every step of the way.

Good luck!



Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss, and may not be suitable for everyone.

Victim of a consumer Rip-off? Want justice?

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Ripoff Report® is a worldwide consumer reporting Web site and publication, by consumers, for consumers, to file and document complaints about companies or individuals. While we encourage and even require authors to only file truthful reports, Ripoff Report does not guarantee that all reports are authenic or accurate. Be an educated consumer. Read what you can and make your decision based upon an examination of all available information.

Unlike the Better Business Bureau, Ripoff Report does not hide reports of "satisfied" complaints. ALL complaints remain public and unedited in order to create a working history on the company or individual in question.

Ripoff Reports cover every category imaginable! You can Browse the latest Reports, Search the Reports, or Submit your report now for FREE, by clicking on File Report. View over 1,000 different topics & categories you can file under.

SmartMoney.com

Profit From Sector ETF Trend Divergence

By Deron Wagner
September 8, 2005

Are there benefits to determining which sector ETFs are showing the most divergent trends? You bet!

When the major indexes are steadily trending in one direction or the other, the broad-based ETFs are an ideal trading vehicle. To profit in a smoothly trending market, one only needs to identify which of the broad-based ETFs are trending the best and then initiate positions in the direction of that trend.

However, non-trending, choppy days are far more common than trending days over the course of an average week. While choppy markets may be ideal for day traders who thrive on volatility, they present a challenge for ETF "trend traders" who do not look outside of the most popular "big three" ETFs mentioned above. Swing traders who attempted to profit from positions in SPY or QQQQ from mid-May through the end of June can attest to the challenges of range-bound markets.

Profit From Sideways Action
Fortunately, there is a solution that enables ETF traders to profit even when the broad market is not cooperating. In this article, I will share the basic concepts of a technique that our company uses to trade ETFs in all market conditions, but specifically in sideways, range-bound markets. Though the "big three" ETFs are likely to stop you out due to whippy action in a range-bound market, there are always a handful of industry sector ETFs that show divergent trends from the broad market. These sector indexes often will generate double-digit percentage gains even while the S&P and Nasdaq are mostly unchanged. If you can identify those sectors that are showing the greatest degree of divergence, you can subsequently enter positions in the ETFs that most closely correspond with the particular sector. To do so, though, you first must be aware of the various types of ETFs and the families to which they belong. . . .

Employment background checks

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Global Background Checks. Find out the Truth.

Tenant Screening at Unbeatable Prices View Phone http://www.realidinc.com
100+ products instantly accessible online 24/7. Unbeatable Pricing!


Copyright © 2007 Idearc Media Corp. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to the DirectoryM Guide for Background Screening Here you can read more about Background Screening before you decide which companies to contact.

Background Checks
This is an informative look at who uses background checks and why. We also investigate why this is a necessary procedure for certain occupations.

Credit Score
In the United States, a credit score is a number typically between 300 and 850, based on a statistical analyses of a person’s credit files, to represent the creditworthiness of that person, which is the likelihood that the person will pay his or her bills.

Credit Repair
There are many things that can affect an individual’s credit, and they may not even know this is happening. Here are events that can cause these issues as well as some successful credit repair tactics.

Identity Theft
Identity Theft - the 10 Best Tips You Can Use Right Now! Credit Report
A credit report records your financial life in the form of credit history for seven to ten years. It is imperative that you check your credit report at least once annually to ensure that its accuracy is maintained. Bad Credit
You can repair the damage done by bad credit in as little as one to two years. You can also factor in the good and relieve yourself of bad credit with some simple strategies.

New Orleans

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Subject: RE: New Orleans Haunts - Restaurants, etc.


This place was recommended to us by a local and we loved it:

Rita's Olde French Quarter Restaurant
945 Chartres Street * New Orleans, LA 70116 504-525-7543
Authentic Creole recipes served in a casual and friendly environment.

This is a favorite breakfast spot each time we went there:

Quarter Scene Restaurant
900 Dumaine Street * New Orleans, LA 70116 504-522-6533
Casual local spot with a varied menu of New Orleans and American favorites.

I did not like Lafitte's the last time I was there. It had TVs and was dirty and had crummy beer.


On Frenchman Street, I liked Adolfo's, also recommended by a local. Upstairs from the funky Apple Barrel Bar.

Adolfo's
611 Frenchmen St. 504-948-3800
Southern Italian meets Creole in a cozy eatery.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Woln
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 3:56 PM
To: Eileen
Subject: FW: New Orleans Haunts - Restaurants, etc.


others?
____________________


-----Original Message-----
From: Woln
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 3:53 PM
To:
Subject: New Orleans Haunts - Restaurants, etc.


Some of my favorites:

Bella Luna - great for fancy dinner
914 No. Peters St.
504.529.1583


Bombay Club - new martini bar
830 Conti Street | New Orleans, LA 70112
Local Phone: 504.586.0972
Toll-free: 1.800.699.7711



Cafe DuMonde - perfection, a must, a tradition, cafe-aulait and freshly-made powdered sugar beignets (don't wear black!)

French Quarter


Cafe Sbisa - great for a fancy dinner
1011 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Phone: (504) 522-5565
Fax: (504) 523-8095


Camellia Grill - a fun street car ride thru the Garden District to this great diner,
but not sure it's open anymore (was going thru face-lift)
South Carrollton Avenue near St. Charles Avenue, at the River Bend


Croissant D'Or Patisserie - great for bfast
617 Ursulines Ave
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 524-4663


Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar - great for drinks, dank, dark, cool, historical
941 Bourbon St.
504 523 0066


La Madeleine - great for bfast, in Jackson Square
601 S. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans 70118
Carrollton & St. Charles
TEL: 504-861-8662
Mon. - Sun. 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM


Mother's - best po-boy sandwich in town, not fancy, the best lunch you can get
401 Poydras Street at the corner of Tchoupitoulas (Chop-a-TOO-lis)
6:30 am to 10 pm Mon-Sat, & 7 am to 10 pm Sundays


Napoleon House - the center of the universe! (great Pimms Cup, Ramos Gin Fizz, muffelettas, etc. -- all good!), historical, great seating w/open air doors on corner, good people-watching, waiters wear white shirts and bow ties

500 Chartres St.
504.522.4152


Palm Court - nice jazz venue
1204 Decatur Street - 504.525.0200


Sazerac Bar & Grill - home of the Sazerac, a famous New Orleans drink
in Fairmont Hotel
123 Baronne Street
New Orleans,
Telephone: 001 504 529 4733


Snug Harbor - great jazz venue
626 Frenchmen St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 949-0696


The UpperLine - a very good Garden District restaurant
1413 Upperline Street
504-891-9822


SightsBeauregard-Keyes House


Edgar Degas House

Gallery for Fine Photography -- art and history combined in wonderful space


Gallier House


Historic New Orleans Collection


Old U.S. Mint


Presbytere


Rumors - mask shop


Street cars - along the River, and/or into the Garden District

__________________________________
> antique shops -- lots w/ fun stuff (in French Quarter) - most are on Royal St.

> history in French Quarter:
________________________________________

*** TW's temporary French Quarter digs (after conference) > 2nd floor gallery apt. *** :)

A System for Shorting

How lucrative is pump-and-dump spam? by ZDNet's Ryan Naraine -- Are pump-and-dump spammers really making money from hyping penny stocks in e-mails? Paul Moriarty has the answer and it's an eyebrow-raising sight. Over the last month, Moriarty, director of product development for Internet Content Security at Trend Micro, has been running a virtual portfolio of selling short on stocks found during spam runs. After [...]

» The dark side of search engines | Zero Day | ZDNet.com

Be Careful Out There

» The dark side of search engines:
"Here are some examples of recent queries where the wrong choice results in an exploitive website:

“music without voice” — if you make the wrong choice, you get a WebAttacker2-infected website

“famous cubists” — wrong choice gets a WebAttacker2

“florida baptist churches” — the wrong choice gets a website infected with an MDAC exploit

“court instruments” — the wrong choice finds a Web site that links to a known rootkitter.

So what does the future hold?

The bad guys understand that while firewalls do a pretty good job of keeping out network worms, web browsers start from inside the firewall, and therefore create an instant tunnel right through the firewall."

lipitor

The worrying wonder drug: "But more importantly, these doctors fear that regular statin takers are putting themselves at risk from numerous side effects, some potentially fatal. 'If you give statins to anyone they will suffer minor muscle damage,' says Dr Kendrick.
'But it is the elderly and frail who are affected significantly. In my own patients, I have found muscle damage to be a common side effect, which manifests as muscle pains and weakness.'
The problem is more serious if the patient develops rhabdomyolysis (muscle wastage that can lead to kidney failure). According to Dr Kendrick, drawing on figures from the US Food and Drug Administration, there have been a total of 416 deaths between 1997 and 2004 directly attributable to simvastatin (Zocor) alone.

Other side effects of statins include amnesia, cognitive problems, irritability and impotence. The World Health Organisation is examining reports that taking the drugs can lead to amyotrophic lateral dystrophy, a devastating neurological condition which rapidly progresses to death."

British Media Company to Purchase ALM

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Alison Frankel

07-06-2007
ALM, publisher of the New York Law Journal, The American Lawyer, The National Law Journal, Corporate Counsel and 30 other national and regional publications, will be sold to London-based Incisive Media for $630 million, according to a joint announcement today by the two companies. Both Incisive CEO Tim Weller and ALM CEO William Pollak characterized the sale as an opportunity to expand ALM's business internationally and on the Internet. The deal, which is expected to close at the end of the third quarter, will leave ALM's management intact. Incisive, which has annual revenue of $280 million, is a rapidly growing business-to-business publisher with operations in New York, London and Hong Kong. "One of the main ideas here was to bring our brand of legal journalism to Europe and Asia," said Mr. Pollak. "Until now, we haven't had that platform." ...

INDIA

Indian labor market tightens

India's skilled-labor market is tightening putting human resources issues at the centre of the corporate agenda according to a report in the Financial Times.

Over the last financial year, recruitment at the two largest Indian IT companies by market value, Infosys Technologies and Tata Consultancy Services has reached staggering levels. Infosys, based in Bangalore, hired no fewer than 31,000 new employees, taking its total workforce to 72,000.

The company boasts a market value of $27.5bn. This year, its revenue growth is expected to reach 28-30 per cent and it plans to recruit 24,500 people next.

Yet a shortage of graduates and rising staff turnover are becoming a problem. Graduate numbers do not provide an accurate picture of the levels of employable skills in India. According to the Financial Times, the available engineering talent, for example, is relatively low.
Indian engineering schools produce about 400,000 graduates a year. Of these, the best 125,000 will be snapped up by the five big IT companies – Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Satyam and Cognizant. Smaller software players will recruit a further 100,000. This leaves a dwindling number available to all other sectors of the economy.

The challenge of sourcing such a quantity of people amid worsening shortages of skilled labor has led Infosys to move its finance director, Mohandas Pai, to oversee HR.

Whilst in many mature Fortune 500 companies this might be considered a step down, it is seen as essential in a market that has tightened faster than expected.

The shortage of engineers is seen as the result of an education system that produces graduates of a standard below that required by the offshore information technology and outsourcing industries.

A study by Indian lobby group the National Association of Software and Service Companies, states that around 25 per cent of engineering graduates and 10-15 per cent of general college graduates are up to standard. It warns that the Indian IT sector faces a shortfall of 500,000 professionals by 2010.

For more information on reward strategies and how Hay Group can help: click here
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iPhone disruption?

Lost? A Personal Locator Beacon Could Save Your Life
- New York Times

Are U.S. Cellphone Carriers Calcified?

Last week, I spoke at a cellular-industry conference in Lake Como, Italy. (Yes, I know, life's rough. And no, I did not spot George Clooney.)Continue reading.

My topic was the increasing number of cool services that tie together the phone and the Internet. I've reviewed a number of these service in The Times recently: GrandCentral, which makes all your phones ring at once so people don't have to hunt you down (and was just bought by Google); Teleflip, which turns your e-mail into text messages on your phone; SimulScribe, which turns voicemail messages into text that arrives on your phone or in e-mail; and so on.

The talk went well, but in the end, I wound up learning as much from the attendees as they did from me.

The cellular industry is going through insanely rapid change. Almost everyone there - 800 attendees from 200 phone companies in 65 countries - was running scared of VOIP. That's voice over I.P., better known as Internet phone. VOIP includes cheapo unlimited home-phone service like Vonage, as well as absolutely free computer-to-computer calling with programs like Skype. It's all growing like crazy, which is making a huge dent in these companies' ARPU.

Oh, yeah - that's Average Revenue Per User. Telecom companies live and breathe ARPU. The talks at this conference were all about "Improving Your ARPU." (They *love* acronyms in this business. Typical seminar description: "Learn how ISM and FSM can decrease your OPEX and CAPEX and boost your ARPU!")

Most of these carriers intend to fight off VOIP by growing into a Double Play, Triple Play, or even Quad Play.

What, you don't know those terms either!?

If you're a single-play company, you just provide landline service. Add cellphone coverage, and you're a double play. Add Internet service and TV, and you're a quad play. You can see the same syndrome here in the U.S., too, as cellphone companies try to deliver TV service, cable companies roll out phone service, and so on.

On the exhibit floor, companies were demonstrating very, very cool next-generation services for the onrushing era of unified communications. FastWeb, a company that started only in 2000 and is now a $365 million quad-play company in Italy, lets its customers watch any TV show that's aired in the past three days, on any channel, whenever they like. It's like retroactive TiVo.

Other demos included upcoming services that let you text messages to and from characters inside Second Life, the virtual-reality game; a software module that brings your phone's incoming text messages onto your computer screen, so you don't miss them and can reply with your keyboard; and various systems that unify your communications (voice, text messages and chat, for example), giving you a single address book and mailbox for all of them.

You know how young people are spending $10 billion a year on ringtones, just because it lets them express themselves? The next big thing, I'm convinced, will be avatars. This feature, too, was on display: You design your own little character, or avatar, choosing a hairstyle, clothes, facial features and so on.

Then, whenever you call people, your character appears on their cellphone screens. I'll bet avatars will be the next huge teen fad in 2010 or so.

But don't look for any of these goodies here in the United States.

I get the distinct impression that American cellphone carriers are calcified, conservative and way behind their European and Asian counterparts. (For one thing, I wasn't aware of any cellphone companies from the United States at this conference.)

One guy at the conference told me that his company, which sells software modules to cell carriers, had developed visual voicemail - a highly touted feature of Apple's iPhone, in which your voicemail appears on the phone like e-mail messages - *three years ago.* It had no takers among American carriers. ("This week, our phones are ringing off the hook," he told me sardonically. "We're digging the CD's out of storage.")

I also remember hearing friends on the Palm Treo team tell me what a nightmare it was to sell their early phones to the American carriers, who traditionally wield veto power and design control over every feature of the phone. The Treo team had all kinds of great ideas for improving the design and software of cellphones - but those carriers turned up their noses with a "we know what's best" attitude.

As you can imagine, the iPhone was a primary conversation topic at this conference. Lots of grudging admiration and amazement at what Apple pulled off.

Not just technologically, either. The biggest impact of the iPhone may be the way Steve Jobs managed to change the phone maker/cell carrier relationship for the first time in years. "We'll give you an exclusive," Apple told AT&T, "and you'll let us do whatever we like. We're going to handle the billing. We're going to take the signup process out of your stores and let people do it at home. You're going to redesign your network so that it works with our visual voicemail system." And so on.

Stan Sigman, president and chief executive for wireless at AT&T, is on record as saying that he had no idea what Apple's phone would be like when he agreed to this-a deal that would have been unthinkable in the pre-Jobs era.

If the iPhone becomes a hit, then, it could wind up loosening the carriers' stranglehold on innovation. Maybe phone makers' imaginations will at last be unleashed, and a thousand iPhone-like breakthroughs might bloom.

The cellular executives at the conference didn't seem to oppose this development; indeed, several were thrilled by the shift, as though they'd been feeling just a little uneasy about the whole "we're-the-gatekeeper" thing themselves. That's really exciting stuff.

Note to the cell carriers: Go with this new flow. You'll only improve your ARPU.

(P.S. ... As longtime Pogue's Posts readers know, my biggest cellular pet peeve is the endless recording you hear when you reach someone's voicemail: "To page this person, press 2 now. You may leave a message at the tone. When you finish recording, you may hang up. Or press 5 for more options" - and so on.

At the conference, I asked one cellular executive if that message is deliberately recorded slowly and with as many words as possible, to eat up your airtime and make more ARPU for the cell carrier. I was half kidding - but he wasn't fooling around in his reply: "Yes."

The secret's out.)

This week's Pogue's Posts blog.
Visit David Pogue on the Web at DavidPogue.com.

Annotation of Sleep Apnea and Daytime Sleepiness and Fatigue: Relation to Visceral Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Hypercytokinemia -- Vgontzas et al. 85 (3): 1151 -- Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2 pages)

test

Click here to view an annotation of Sleep Apnea and Daytime Sleepiness and Fatigue: Relation to Visceral Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Hypercytokinemia -- Vgontzas et al. 85 (3): 1151 -- Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2 pages)

Link directly to quotes in Web pages.
Paste a chunk of text and the URL of the page containing the text and in return get a link that opens directly to your selection and highlights it.

Do Stocks Show a Bullish Bias at Month's End?

Month End

Do Stocks Show a Bullish Bias at Month's End?: "We show that over the past 11 3/4 years, stocks have been much stronger near months-end than they have been any other time of the month. And, stocks which have dropped a day or two near the end of the month have out-performed even more. The fund managers like to buy near months-end, and it looks like they especially like to buy stocks as cheap as possible near months-end."

TradingMarkets | How to use the 2-Period RSI

How to use the 2-Period RSI

TradingMarkets | How to use the 2-Period RSI
As mentioned above, the default/most common setting for RSI is 14-periods. You can change this default setting in most charting packages very easily but if you are unsure how to do this please contact your software vendor.

2-Period RSI

We looked at over seven million trades from 1/1/95 to 6/30/06*. The table below shows the average percentage gain/loss for all stocks during our test period over a 1-day, 2-day, and 1-week (5-days) period. These numbers represent the benchmark which we use for comparisons.

We then quantified overbought and oversold conditions as measured by the 2-period RSI reading being above 90 (overbought) and below 10 (oversold). In other words we looked at all stocks with a 2-period RSI reading above 90, 95, 98 and 99, which we consider overbought; and all stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 10, 5, 2 and 1, which we consider oversold. We then compared these results to the benchmarks, here's what we found:

Oversold

* The average returns of stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 10 outperformed the benchmark
1-day (+0.06%), 2-days (+0.21%), and 1-week later (+0.50%).
* The average returns of stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 5 significantly outperformed the benchmark
1-day (+0.12%), 2-days (+0.33%), and 1-week later (+0.65%).
* The average returns of stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 2 significantly outperformed the benchmark
1-day (+0.22%), 2-days (+0.51%), and 1-week later (+0.87%).
* The average returns of stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 1 significantly outperformed the benchmark
1-day (+0.27), 2-days (+0.62%), and 1-week later (+1.05%).

When looking at these results, it is important to understand that the performance improved dramatically each step of the way. The average returns of stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 2 were much greater than those stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 5, etc.

This means traders should look to build strategies around stocks with a 2-period RSI reading below 10.

Overbought. . .

Annotation of Old Fox's KM blotter

Click here to view an annotation of Old Fox's KM blotter

Citebite - Link directly to specific quotes in web pages

Citebite - Link directly to specific quotes in web pages: "Link directly to quotes in Web pages.
Paste a chunk of text and the URL of the page containing the text and in return get a link that opens directly to your selection and highlights it."

Dick Morris

"More than thirty members of Congress have hired their wives to work on their campaign payrolls...But another growing trend is that members' wives, husbands, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughter-in-laws are actually becoming lobbyists! That way, they get paid to lobby their spouses or parents!

It's a neat gig. Even if your family consists entirely of dullards, they’re a cinch to get a job if all you have to do is lobby dear old Dad. With so many goodies on the line, - through government contracts, special interest legislation and regulations and budgetary earmarks - everyone can play the game. Usually the legislator piously declares that his family/lobbyist cannot lobby him. One even barred her from his office. But nobody is fooled. Everyone knows what is going on."

Library Clips

link

http://libraryclips.blogsome.com/2007/06/23/sticky-pages-annotate-and-mark-up-the-web/

The Teacher Tap: Professional Development Resources for Educators

The Teacher Tap: Professional Development Resources for Educators

Libraries, Literature, and Literacy
In this section, you'll find quality resources related to the following topics: Literature, Information and Communication Literacy, and Internet Skills.
For additional resources, go to our companion website at Virtual Inquiry.
Literature
Literature Learning Ladders
Author and Illustrator Resources
Book Awards
Book Review Projects
Electronic Books and Online Reading
Face . . .

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Item: Use logorythmic charts because they reveal the rate of growth.

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"Giuseppi Verdi. Joe Green to you"
--Victor Borge

Spoof Email Tutorial - Page 1

Spoof Email Tutorial - Page 1

Smartmoney.com: Print: 10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You

Smartmoney.com: Print: 10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You: "SmartMoney.com
10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You

By Neil Parmar
June 22, 2007

1. 'It's my world; you're just drinking in it.'
Back in the day, bartending was all about consistency and service. From the humblest watering hole to the fanciest hotel bar, bartenders knew how to mix a repertoire of classic cocktails just right every time, and the customer came first. Today, not so much. Ray Foley, author of Bartending for Dummies, says a growing number of the 500,000 working barkeeps in the U.S. are following the lead of celebrity chefs, hoping to make their mark with their own signature drinks. Sure, that means an explosion of creative cocktails dressed with such exotica as cucumber shavings or lavender foam. But good luck if you're in the mood for an old standard such as a sidecar.

The upshot? A lack of consistency, for one, says Tony Abou-Ganim, who created the Bellagio's cocktail program in Las Vegas. 'I can go to the same bar, order the same thing from three different bartenders — and get three different drinks,' he says. Even worse is customer service. Some bartenders have flipped the old equation, Foley says, putting 30% into pleasing customers and 70 into showcasing their personality: "The prime thing we're losing in the bar business right now is service for the customer."

2. "Your top-shelf pretensions are money in my pocket."
From wild-berry-infused vodka to the latest in Herradura tequila, liquor companies continue introducing high-end spirits as the consumer thirst for luxury goods trickles down to beverages. Last year sales of the most expensive brands of vodka, rum, tequila and scotch rose 18%, while those of the cheapest grew by less than 1%, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. But Tony Abou-Ganim warns, "A higher price doesn't always mean better quality." He notes, for example, that many bars now use lime-flavored powder in their cocktails, which can dilute subtler notes in an expensive spirit.

Another concern: scams involving "short pouring" and brand substitution that have ridden the luxury-spirits wave, according to Robert Plotkin, a beverage-management consultant. Say you order two premium cocktails. The bartender might pour only half a shot of alcohol into each — but he'll charge you for two, ring up just one and pocket the difference. Or you might be charged for a premium Cadenhead's rum that's actually a basic Bacardi. Your best defense: Sit at the bar, where you can see your drinks being made.

3. "Tabs are for suckers."
While visiting New York City two summers ago, Chris Romanowski started a tab at ESPN Zone for his family and friends. But once the air hockey ended and they paid the bill, they saw they'd been charged for 21 drinks despite having ordered only 13. Romanowski contested the charges and eventually got his money back. (Susan Abramson, regional marketing manager for ESPN Zone, says the Times Square establishment is under new management and that "we try to make sure [our guests] are satisfied at all times.")

"My advice would be to not run a tab," says Plotkin, who after 20 years behind the bar notes, "it's really easy to inflate tabs." For example, a bartender might give a buddy a free bottle of Heineken, then bury the charge in your bill, especially if you're with friends and not keeping track of who's ordered what. One of the most common ploys, according to Elizabeth Godsmark, author of "Controlling Liquor, Wine and Beverage Costs," involves billing you for a round without breaking it down into separate charges. If you'd still rather run a tab than pay for drinks one at a time, be sure to get a receipt that specifies the number and cost of each drink.

4. "It's all about the bottom line — down to our choice of glassware."
Between 20% and 30% of booze served in a bar never gets paid for, due in large part to bartenders' overpouring their spirits. But management is cracking down and working every angle to curb this practice. In 2005, for instance, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that when bartenders were asked to free-pour a shot of liquor, they dumped an average 20% more into a short, wide tumbler than into a tall highball glass — even though they knew each held 12 ounces. And these weren't amateurs; they had, on average, nearly six years of experience. According to Brian Wansink, the Cornell University professor behind the study, bartenders are subject to an optical illusion that makes them gauge volume based more on the height of a glass than on width.

The industry jumped on the data: Immediately after the study was released, many bar owners and industry publications began advising managers to choose taller barware to save money while giving guests the impression they were getting more. So next time you want a stiffer drink at no extra cost, ignore what your eyes tell you and insist on a short glass.

5. "Fast service doesn't necessarily mean good service."
Much the way fast-food places use the three-minute rule, some bars now require that drinks be mixed, poured and at the table within a certain time frame. And while you might enjoy faster service that way, it doesn't guarantee great-tasting drinks. In fact, it could mean the opposite. Clear cocktails, like the classic martini, should always be stirred carefully to achieve the right level of chill, says cocktail specialist Ted Haigh. But "bartenders are under pressure to make things faster," which is why "shaking has become ubiquitous."

Some drinks take so long to make that bartenders try to deter customers from ordering them. When Heather Leonard, a former bartender from New York City, used to muddle lime juice, mint and sugar for a mojito, she'd often hide it below the counter. "Once everyone sees you're making a mojito, they want one," she says. "And after 30 minutes you're four customers deep." The emphasis on speed can also lead to carelessness. In a rush, bartenders sometimes skip the tongs and jam barware into the ice machine — risking broken glass in your drink. So when a bar seems busy, you might want to order your liquor neat.

6. "This bar is filthy."
Most bars offer dim lighting for atmosphere — but it can also hide a lot of hazards. Slippery floors, sticky countertops and lemon wedges strewn about the floor are among the most common problems undercover investigators find in bars, according to Gwen Lennox, CEO of Keeping Tabs, which conducts independent evaluations for bar owners. Nightclubs frequented by twentysomethings tend to be the worst, she says, but it's not always easy to spot problems, such as open bottles of alcohol that haven't been cleaned or covered between shifts, thus encouraging the buildup of dust and germs.

Bars and taverns are just as susceptible to spreading food-borne illnesses as restaurants, warns Dean Peterson, director of environmental health for San Mateo County in California. Indeed, health-inspection reports for establishments connected to a bar cite all sorts of violations, ranging from dirty floors to lip-stained tumblers. One North Carolina inspector even found black-slime mold in an ice machine — though it might not make you sick, it "would be kind of repulsive to have in your drink," says Frances Breedlove, food sanitation section chief for Wake County.

7. "Restaurants are a terrible place to get a good drink."
Restaurants are a tough business. The majority of new establishments close their doors within the first three years, and only 30% last 10 years. One way to up the chance of turning a profit and running a successful restaurant is to secure a liquor license as soon as possible, since owners can expect to earn up to 40% of their profit from liquor. To further milk every drop of their drink sales, restaurants are micromanaging and automating their bartending wherever possible. By using so-called liquor-control systems, all a bartender needs to do is push a button to fill up, say, a pitcher of beer, thus saving time and controlling the pour to the letter; it even allows workers to serve another customer while the machine pours the next drink.

In a climate like this, "anyone can pretty much bartend," says Tara Clark, general manager of a restaurant and bar located just outside Atlanta, as long as they have a friendly personality. "If people don't get a great martini, as long as you can hold a great conversation, they'll forget about the drink," she says.

8. "I don't know diddly about wine."
You'd think a bar would be the perfect place to order a crisp chardonnay. Think again. Experts say bars tend to minimize their wine offerings because the bulk of their sales come from spirits or beer. Some bar managers and their staff know so little about wine that they leave it up to distributors to develop their menu, even though these salespeople might get rewarded with free trips or other incentives to push certain brands, says Ty Wenzel, author of "Behind Bars: The Straight-Up Tales of a Big-City Bartender." That's why it's not uncommon for bars to limit their list to a single red and a single white offering. In fact, Wenzel says one trick she used to clear out old stock at her own bar was to pass off the house wine — a cheap cabernet — as a more exotic shiraz or syrah. "I couldn't believe they couldn't tell the difference," she says.

One way around the issue is to ask your bartender to show you the bottle and pour the wine in front of you. Also, keep in mind that if bottles are stored near a hot kitchen or displayed on a shelf where natural light can strike them all day, their contents can oxidize or begin to spoil, rendering even a decent wine undrinkable.

9. "Your drink costs whatever I say it costs."
When Alexandria Steppe wants a Corona from one of her favorite clubs in Asbury Park, N.J., she doesn't always know how much it's going to cost: During a recent visit, her beer was $4 when her boyfriend ordered it, then $6 when Steppe ordered one from the very same bartender later that night. What's more, there are three different bars in the club, and she's discovered that the bartenders in the back charge less for drinks than those who work closer to the front of the house. "I don't think it's fair, but there isn't much I can do about it," Steppe says.

While it's not uncommon for bars to feature certain specials like "ladies drink free," many bartenders will go one step further, charging different rates to different people, particularly if a patron appears drunk. "What it usually means is that the bartenders are playing fast and loose, and they're probably not putting all of the money into the register," says Lennox. The best way to avoid getting overcharged is simple: Ask for a receipt, and let the manager know if you note a discrepancy.

10. "Unless you're using a walker, expect to be carded."
There's little logic when it comes to getting your I.D. checked these days. Some bartenders seem to have no qualms letting underage drinkers run rampant, while others wait to see what a person orders before they ask for identification. A toasted-almond cocktail, for example, is often popular among teens, while folks who order a scotch on the rocks are typically assumed to be of drinking age. Then there are the places with tougher rules, where no one who appears under the age of 40 is allowed a drink until they've flashed their license. So no matter how old you are, or appear to be, carry your card at all times.

Even so, policing has become so strict at some places that even a valid I.D. isn't good enough. While waiting for a pool table to open up at a Dave & Buster's in Arcadia, Calif., last year, 29-year-old Jason Flores ordered a few rounds of vodka tonics with his friends. Once a table opened up and the optometrist started carrying his drink toward it, he was stopped and accused of having a fake I.D. Flores spent nearly half an hour trying to convince the management otherwise — going so far as offering to have the police come over and authenticate his I.D. In the end, the group was given permission to stay at the pool table, though no one was allowed to order or drink any more alcohol. Flores says this was after they had already paid for their drinks and tipped the bartender. Manager Steve White says he doesn't recall the situation, but notes that the bar hews close to the letter of the law, "which is extremely strict" when it comes to checking I.D. Cards can be considered suspect if they are cracked or torn or if the laminate has been peeled back.

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At Your Service

Consultation and documentation - Time is charged at the rate of $120 per hour in increments of .1 (1/10th, 6 minutes) of an hour with a minimum of .2 of an hour.

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ClickZ Internet Marketing Solutions for Marketers

MY DATA: Non-Personally Identifiable Info for Marketing

Clever Boy...

ClickZ Internet Marketing Solutions for Marketers: "EBay auction: bid on my non-personally identifiable info. You laugh, but what if a site launched to aggregate auctions like this? (via adrants)"

I am offering one lucky marketer a treasure trove of my non-personally identifiable information to help you better target ads to me.

Here’s what you’ll get if you win this auction:

*My past 30 days internet search queries

*My past 90 days web surfing history

*My past 30 days online and offline purchase activity

*My Age, Gender, Ethnicity, Marital status (in case you couldn’t figure it out above), and Geo location (in case you can't figure it out below)

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kare11.com :: KARE 11 TV - Vatican takes back annulment of Joseph Kennedy's first marriage

Husband-Son, no, Father-Bastard, no, Husband-Son, no, Bigamist-Adulteress*

kare11.com :: KARE 11 TV - Vatican takes back annulment of Joseph Kennedy's first marriage: "Vatican takes back annulment of Joseph Kennedy's first marriage

" align=left>The Vatican has reversed the annulment of former Congressman Joseph Kennedy's first marriage to Sheila Rauch, a union that lasted 12 years and produced two sons.

Rauch and Kennedy, the eldest son of the late Senator Robert Kennedy, were granted a civil divorce in 1991.

She had sharply criticized the Catholic Church for annulling her marriage, alleging in a 1997 book that the Kennedy family's influence in the church had made it possible.

Rauch said she found out about the annulment only after Kennedy married his former congressional aide, Beth Kelly, in a civil ceremony two years later.

Rauch says, 'Things unraveled, but that doesn't mean you didn't have a marriage.'

A spokeswoman for Kennedy had no immediate comment.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)"
* With apologies to Ms. Faye Dunaway.

Nader ponders run, calls Clinton 'coward' - Politico.com

Nader ponders run, calls Clinton 'coward' - Politico.com:

'She is a political coward,' Nader said. 'She goes around pandering to powerful interest groups on the one hand and flattering general audiences on the other. She doesn't even have the minimal political fortitude of her husband.'

I AM CRYSTAL METH

A word to the unwise and unsophisticated...
link

October 31st, 2006
I destroy homes, I tear families apart, take your children, and that’s just the start. I’m more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold, The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold. If you need me, remember! I’m easily found, I live all around you – in schools and in town. I live with the rich; I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door.

I’m made in a lab, but not like you think, I can be made under the kitchen sink. In your child’s closet, and even in the woods, If this scares you to death, well it certainly should. I have many names, but there’s one you know best, I’m sure you’ve heard of me, my name is crystal meth.

My power is awesome; try me you’ll see, But if you do, you may never break free. Just try me once and I might let you go, But try me twice, and I’ll own your soul. When I possess you, you’ll steal and you’ll lie, You do what you have to — just to get high. The crimes you’ll commit for my narcotic charms Will be worth the pleasure you’ll feel in your arms, your lungs, your nose.

You’ll lie to your mother; you’ll steal from your dad, When you see their tears, you should feel sad. But you’ll forget your morals and how you were raised, I’ll be your conscience, I’ll teach you my ways. I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from God, and separate friends. I’ll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I’ll be with you always — right by your side.

You’ll give up everything - your family, your home, Your friends, your money, then you’ll be alone. I’ll take and take, till you have nothing more to give, When I’m finished with you, you’ll be lucky to live. If you try me be warned - this is no game, If given the chance, I’ll drive you insane. I’ll ravish your body, I’ll control your mind, I’ll own you completely, your soul will be mine.

The nightmares I’ll give you while lying in bed, The voices you’ll hear, from inside your head. The sweats, the shakes, the visions you’ll see, I want you to know, these are all gifts from me. But then it’s too late, and you’ll know in your heart, That you are mine, and we shall not part. You’ll regret that you tried me, they always do, But you came to me, not I to you.

You knew this is would happen, many times you were told, But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold. You could have said no, and just walked away, If you could live that day over, now what would you say? I’ll be your master, you will be my slave, I’ll even go with you, when you go to your grave.

Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It’s all up to you. I can bring you more misery than words can tell, Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell.

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DickMorris.com

An Endorsement?
DickMorris.com

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Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Pulse Surveys

SURVEY QUESTION:

Should Minneapolis get tougher on panhandlers?

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal: Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Pulse Surveys: "So, in other words, the only place they can panhandle is in front of the upmarket shops and restaurants of Nicollet Mall where my 6 block walk home is interupted 17 times each way by filthy, stinking panhandlers. You should pass an ordinance that makes the panhandlers sit in the gallery for every City Council meeting, no absentees! They'll find a job in a New York minute then. "

McMillan Weekly

Usually, a top is formed in a rounding manner. That is, the market flattens out and takes some time to roll over and head south. That didn't really happen this time -- mostly because so many longs were sitting on hair-trigger sell orders, which flooded into the market at the first sign of danger. We now expect that the market will decline for several weeks, if not longer.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2jsbht
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Charles Lowry Reporting

link

May 25, 2007
Thomson and Reuters Confirm Their Deal
As reported by Information Today, the rumors of a merger between two of the three major providers of financial data, news, and trading systems have become reality. The consolidation will position the new Thomson-Reuters just ahead of arch-rival Bloomberg. Although Reuters is best known as the world’s largest international multimedia news agency, more than 90 percent of its revenues derive from its financial services business. The company’s core strengths lie in providing the content, analytics, trading, and collaboration tools needed by financial professionals—estimated to be some 370,000 around the world. The Thomson Corp, formally based in Toronto but with operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., provides electronic workflow solutions to business and professional customers, and value-added information, software tools, and applications to professionals in the fields of law, tax and accounting, financial services, scientific research, and healthcare.

Technorati Tags: Thomson-Reuters merger

May 25, 2007 in Corporations, Data, Mergers & Acquisitions | Permalink

French Viewpoint

Amazon.com: Anti-Americanism: Books: Jean-Francois Revel: "52 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
Exposing a mental disease with French flair!, January 26, 2004
By Joburgpete 'irridium' (Johannesburg)
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Anti-Americanism (Hardcover)

One of the most naïve delusions held by the American Left is that the current administration's foreign policy has made the USA an object of hatred. As a South African, I have news for them: The hatred directed against your president now is really hatred of your country. I first became aware of this loathing of America amongst Marxists and Fascists in the 1980s. By the nineties it had spread into the mainstream media and was much in evidence at the time of Clinton's intervention in Yugoslavia at the end of that decade. Yet these hysterical critics could provide no alternative way to stop Milosevich's ethnic cleansing. They have always hated America for what it is, rather than for what it does.

In the chapter Contradictions Revel examines the inherently contradictory character of the diatribes against America, pointing out how European elites that criticise the USA conveniently forget that their own continent made the 20th century the most murderous in history with their two world wars, their criminal ideologies like communism and nazism an . . ."

HillBillary

: "HILLARY CLINTON DEFENDS USE OF CORPORATE JET FOR FAMILY VACATIONS
By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN
Published on FoxNews.com on June 1, 2007.

On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton was challenged by the press about the Clinton family�s acceptance of more than $900,000 in free private travel from Infousa, a company linked to scamming the elderly.

Her reply? She said that she had complied with all Senate ethics rules and reimbursed the company for the amount of a first class air ticket � usually about 1 percent of the cost of the luxurious private jet travel. According to Hillary, �Those were the rules. You�ll have to ask someone else if it�s good policy.�

In other words, get lost.

Is there anyone out there who would say it's good policy for a U.S. senator and presidential candidate to accept apparently tax-free gifts of almost a million dollars from a corporation � especially a corporation involved in providing lists of vulnerable elderly people to scam artists?

And it's not like the Clintons couldn't afford to buy an air ticket � the family income since 2001 has been more than $63 million! So why do they have to freeload from rich friends?

Well, evidently Hillary . . ."

The New Criterion — A footnote on Ward Churchill

A footnote on Ward Churchill

The New Criterion — A footnote on Ward Churchill: "Notes & Comments

Who can forget Ward “little Eichmanns” Churchill, the “ethnic studies” professor at the University of Colorado whose odious remark comparing the victims of 9/11 to Nazi bureaucrats sparked a firestorm of eminently deserved criticism? The closer one looked into the case of Ward Churchill, the worse it got. This tenured radical had been battening on the public purse for decades—and for what? A congeries of radical political diatribes masquerading as scholarship in a bogus discipline. Much of what Churchill published was simply fabricated. Much else turned out to have been plagiarized. A university committee went to work to investigate it all and to recommend disciplinary action. On May 16, the Associated Press reported on the committee’s findings. Yes, Churchill “committed multiple acts of plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification” and his work was “below minimum standards of professional integrity.” Nevertheless, the committee recommended that he be suspended for a year, not fired. Why? Because although his case “shows misbehavior,” it does not show “the worst possible misbehavior.” Yes, that’s right: you can be mad, bad, and dangerous to know—you can lie, fabricate research, plagiarize, and turn your college classroom into a center for anti-American propaganda: all that’s just fine. So long as you are not the worst, your tenure at the University of Colorado is inviolable. Or so the committee’s report suggests. But wait: what would count as “the worst”? According to the AP story, the report mentions fabricating data for grant money or endangering people’s lives by not following appropriate research protocols. But surely that betrays a stunning lack of imagination. What about arson, mass murder, or widespread mayhem? Most people would agree such activities are worse than fabricating data to get a grant, which by definition means that such fabrication is not the worst possible behavior. Sancta simplissima! Has it come to this at the University of Colorado?

By the time you read this, Hank Brown, the university’s president, will have decide whether to accept the committee’s recommendations. He might decide to fire Churchill anyway. He might decided to do nothing. If he recommends any punishment, Churchill’s lawyer has warned, Churchill will file a civil rights lawsuit. Our advice? Fire Ward Churchill and let him sue. So what if he wins? You will have done the right thing.
___________________________________________________________________________
This article originally appeared in
The New Criterion, Volume 25, June 2007, on page 1
Copyright © 2007 The New Criterion | www.newcriterion.com

Fred Thompson

AEI - Scholars & Fellows

Visiting Fellow

Thompson studies national security and intelligence (China, North Korea, and Russia). He was a U.S. senator from Tennessee from 1994 to 2003.

Professional Experience
-United States senator from Tennessee, 1994-2003 (chairman, Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, 1997-2001)
-Member, Tennessee Appellate Court Nominating Commission, 1985-1987
-Special counsel, Senate Committee on Intelligence, 1982
-Special counsel, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, 1980-1981
-Special counsel to Lamar Alexander, governor of Tennessee, 1980
-Minority counsel, Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities ('Watergate Committee”), 1973-1974
-Assistant U.S. attorney, 1969-1972
-Practiced law, 1967-1969
-Feature film and television actor

Education
J.D., Vanderbilt University
B.A., Memphis State University

Articles and Short Publications
Hugo Opportunity
Terrorized
Remembering
[List All]

Books
At That Point in Time

Events
Five Years Later: A Progress Report on U.S. Security Post-9/11
Address by Senator Fred Thompson
Fortress America?
[List All]"

Research Areas
National security and intelligence (China, North Korea, and Russia)
Downloads
High-Resolution Photo
Contact Information
Fred Thompson
American Enterprise Institute
1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Assistant: 615-390-9944
Fax: 202-862-7177
E-mail: fthompson@aei.org

Latest Book
At That Point in Time
In 1973 and 1974, the author was the Senate Watergate Committee’s chief minority counsel, and he draws on that experience in this memoir. [Read More]

The 13 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions - Kiplinger.com

Tax Ripoff News

The 13 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions - Kiplinger.com: "three deductions that are all-too-easy to miss because they are invisible on the tax forms. Congress failed to okay them for 2006 returns until after the IRS sent the forms to the printer.

1. State sales taxes. As part of the last-minute tax package last December, Congress resurrected the chance for taxpayers to deduct state and local sales taxes. Although all taxpayers have a shot at this write-off, it makes sense primarily for those who live in states that do not impose an income tax. You must choose between deducting state income taxes or state sales taxes and, for most citizens of income-tax states, the income-tax deduction is a better deal. You won't find this break mentioned on the tax forms, but here's how to claim this deduction: Enter your write-off on line 5 of Schedule A and write 'ST' on the dotted line to the left of that line. IRS even has a calculator on its Web site to help you figure the deduction, which varies by your state and income level.

2. $250 educators' expenses. This break, too, lost its place on the tax forms because it expired at the end of 2005 and wasn't reinstated until the 2006 forms were set. Still, teachers and their aides can deduct up to $250 they spent in 2006 for books and classroom supplies. If you qualify, put your deduction on line 23 of the Form 1"

Jim Cramer's Waffling

Who Does Jim Cramer Think He Is? -- New York Magazine: "Slap me and I’ll change my mind like Faye Dunaway in Chinatown. "

Short-Term Trading System Elements

Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: TradingMarkets.com
7 Trading Ideas for Today
Friday June 1, 7:44 am ET
By TradingMarkets Research

Here are 7 trading ideas ...
Bullish

5+ Consecutive Down Days: These are stocks that have closed down for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that close down for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.

5+ Consecutive Lower Lows: These are stocks that have made a lower low for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that make lower lows for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.


2-Period RSI Below 2: These are stocks that have a 2-period RSI reading below 2 and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving with a 2-period RSI reading below 2 have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.

Bearish

5+ Consecutive Up Days: These are stocks that have closed up for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that close up for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.

5+ Consecutive Higher Highs: These are stocks that have made a higher high for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that make higher highs for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.

PowerRatings are courtesy of PowerRatings.net

Reminder: We are in no way recommending the purchase or sale of these stocks. This article is intended for education purposes only. Trading should be based on your own understanding of market conditions, price patterns and risk; our information is designed to contribute to your understanding.

mediabistro.com Courses and Seminars: "

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big bother

link
Microchips in dustbins spy on three million

By Brendan Carlin, Political Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:20am BST 24/05/2007

More than three million households in Britain have rubbish bins equipped with "waste stealth tax" technology, it was claimed last night.

Rubbish bins: Microchips in bins spy on 3m homes
The microchips could be used to charge households for the amount of non-recyclable waste produced

Ahead of today's publication of the Government's national waste strategy, a survey revealed that 68 town halls have spent millions of pounds buying bins with microchips.

The figure is double previous estimates and will fuel fears that Labour has been moving secretly towards a European-style "bin tax".

The microchips, together with reading equipment which could be installed in refuse lorries, would allow councils to weigh each household's rubbish. The system could eventually be used to charge households for the amount of non-recyclable waste they produce, which currently has to be buried in landfill sites.

Britain is the only major European country not to have separate charges for refuse collection. But there are fears that any new system could cost an average of £20 a month for each home.
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An opinion poll for the Channel 4 Despatches programme to be shown tonight, reveals that almost two in three people - 62 per cent - oppose the idea of a "pay as you throw" rubbish tax. . . .