1) Over at Index Universe, I’ve got a new article in this month’s Exchange-Traded Fund Report, “Breaking Down BRIC” (registration required). It’s a fun little round-up of the Big 4 countries in emerging markets–Brazil, Russia, India and China (hence the term “BRIC”)–and what makes each economy unique for investors.

2) A new article up at Hard Assets Investor that I really enjoyed writing, “David Morgan: A Bull’s Case for Silver”. It’s all about–yep, you guessed it–silver, particularly why this precious metal is worth a second look from inflation-conscious investors.

From the article:

Earlier this month, London-based ETF Securities (ETFS) filed papers to bring the first bullion-backed platinum and palladium ETFs to the U.S. - a move that may shock many longtime precious metal investors.

After all, the last time the idea of stateside platinum and palladium ETFs was floated, way back in 2007, it met with so much resistance that ETFS chairman Graham Tuckwell personally quashed the rumors, telling Reuters, “I don’t think there will be a listed platinum or palladium ETF in the United States.”

This time, however, the filing was met with almost complete silence. What changed?

Blame it on the Big Three. The auto industry’s collapse has changed everything, making it possible for ETFS to bring its platinum and palladium funds - already very successful in Europe - to the States.

But as investors grow increasingly hungry for safe havens and cold, hard bullion, could the new funds mean shortages ahead?

Read the full article here

• Put in an offer on house, negotiated with… “determined” seller, and, ultimately, bought said house
• Hosted friend who just broke up with long-term boyfriend and helped her find apartment
• Took on new associate editor gig
• Beat Peggle

Okay, so that last one wasn’t too much of a huge deal, but it was pretty time consuming.

Anyway, not much time for site updates these days, and it will probably be pretty spotty through closing (mid-June). I’ll post when I have new articles up, but probably not aside from that. Thanks for your patience!

Anyway, to make up for my absence, today I have double the links, double the fun:

• Waiting until the last minute to do your taxes this year? Don’t forget these 12 deductions your small business can take.
• Or these last-minute tax tips for small business owners.
• A case study in becoming popular: Why you should welcome negative press.
• 43 Web Design Mistakes to Avoid.
• How to be endearingly narcissistic on Twitter (note: endearingly).
• Learn more about the impending Internet cap for Rochester–and how to fight it–at Stop the Cap.
• A brief look at the history of the status update.
• Why older people gravitate toward Facebook and Twitter.
• And something fun: What every electrical engineer would use a time machine for.
• And something else fun: A Twitter-enabled door allows its owner to track feline comings and goings.

From the article:

Ready to pay for your Internet by the banner ad? Time Warner thinks you are.

Last week, Time Warner Cable announced Phase 2 of its new broadband pricing model, a tiered billing system that would charge Internet users based on their monthly consumption. The company will soon begin metered pricing in four cities: Greensboro, NC; Austin and San Antonio, TX; and my current hometown, Rochester, NY.

Understandably, the news has sent the Internet into a tizzy, which is why I thought it might be a good idea to break down the facts and put things into perspective.

But make no mistake: As gamers—many of us with families—we’re the ones most affected by Time Warner’s new pricing structure. This is a direct warning shot across our controllers and keyboards: a sign to wake up and smell the profiteering.

Read the full article here.

Share/Save]]> http://www.laracrigger.com/?feed=rss2&p=318 http://www.laracrigger.com/?p=316 http://www.laracrigger.com/?p=316#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:33:18 +0000 admin http://www.laracrigger.com/?p=316 Nothing screams Monday like rainy, cold, mucky weather. Yuck. Hope the weather’s better where you are.

But what better way to pass the time than to check out some links?

• What’s Next Blog explores 10 reasons why a company should NOT use Twitter.
• 7 great ways to engage readers of a business blog, from Problogger.
• 8 Tips for Twitter Noobs, from Junta42 Blog.
• No wonder the Maya were such great mathematicians: Eating Chocolate Helps You Do Mental Arithmetic.
• And if you REALLY need a time waster, check out the archives of I Has A Hotdog. Awww.

But the instructor—he’s one I haven’t seen before. Usually this timeslot is taught by a scrawny, serious blonde, or a perky dancer. But this man, this hulking mass of human, is no dancer: He’s an eight-foot tall collage of veins and sinews, muscles and chest hair. On his wrist is a tattoo of a snake; on his bicep, a grinning bulldog. He looks like the kind of guy that likes to shout, who will sweat freely and copiously and, on the harder hills, grunt like a distressed bear.

As I adjust my bike, he plays with his iPod, and suddenly, Lady Gaga begins pulsing over the speakers. I roll my eyes. I’d pegged him as an AC/DC man, not a junkie for pop.

“Not a fan of “Poker Face”, I see,” he says, smirking.

Read the full article here.

Some experts claim that tying “the right to pollute” to the free market is the most efficient and cost-effective way to get industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (And it’s worked in the past: A similar system for sulfur dioxide, a major component of acid rain, has brought current emissions levels below 1990 output… three years ahead of schedule.) But critics say that carbon trading will just raise energy prices for consumers already struggling in the recession, and they suggest a carbon tax instead. (Because that’s what we really need. More taxes.)

Unfortunately, the financial meltdown hasn’t been kind to carbon markets, and the market is exhibiting some of the same warning signs that preceded the subprime crisis… just as politicians around the globe have started to implement carbon cap-and-trade programs in full force. From the article:

Since sellers often promise to deliver carbon credits before they’ve even been issued – and sometimes before crediting agencies can even verify how much greenhouse gases those projects actually reduce – carbon credit contracts based on offset projects potentially carry a high risk of not being fulfilled.

Because many cap-and-trade schemes allow for offset projects to comprise a substantial portion of the total credits on the market, this “opens the door wide for subprime carbon,” says the report. If offsets fail to reduce greenhouse gases, carbon credits would crash in value – and it would be the subprime housing market all over again.

Read the full article here, or on Seeking Alpha.

Anyway,  here’s my plan for this rainy spring April Fool’s Day:

1. Make hot tea.
2. Procure trashy chick lit and/or new DS RPG.
3. Curl up by rain-spattered window.
4. Read/play.
5. Profit.

It’s going to be a good day already, I can tell.

Here’s how the program works:

Each day from 1st April until the 1st May I will make a post here on ProBlogger that is part of the challenge.

Posts will be designed to each have two aspects to them:

1. A teaching component (theory)
2. A practical component (a task/homework)

The idea is that often teaching remains in the realm of theory and doesn’t actually prompt those digesting it to DO something. This project is more about DOING than learning. I hope you will learn, but to be honest if you’ve been blogging for a while some of what we’ll cover many will have heard before - but this project will give you a framework and hopefully some inspiration to put what you know into action.

Register for the program here.