Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Skate information

London Friday Night Skate (LFNS) and Sunday Stroll are weekly marshaled street skates in central London. The LFNS departs from Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner every Friday at 8pm. The Sunday Stroll departs from Serpentine Road in Hyde Park every Sunday at 2pm. Both are weather dependent and we announce if a skate is running a few hours before the scheduled start. The events are open to all skaters able to stop, turn and control their speed on hills. The Sunday Stroll is a relaxed slow paced skate; the LFNS is faster, more technically demanding and may involve hills and sprints. We welcome both inline and quad skaters If you are looking for skating information, particularly if you happen to be in or around the Milton Keynes area, then this site could be just right for you.

Sunday, 5 September 2010

the post

this is a new post abot anything

Wednesday, 11 August 2010

Making A Website Is Important

Making a website is important if you want to be a player in ecommerce. However, you don’t want to just develop a website any old way. Instead, you want to develop a website for your audience. When doing research online you have probably seen generalized information on how to develop a website, however it is unlikely you have found significant information on how to develop a website specifically for your audience. The following tips will be really helpful to you to develop a website just for your audience.

First you need a goal when you are developing a website for your audience. If you do not know what you are looking to achieve then it will be very difficult to be successful. Also, it takes a goal to drive your website where it needs to be. A goal is what allows you to develop an initial plan for your website and helps guide you in developing your website as well.

Your audience is very important and should be considered in conjunction with your goal when developing a website. Basically, you are developing your website for a certain audience and these are the people that will help meet your goal so this is very important to consider. If your wesite is about skating then make the website relevent to skating. Just make sure you determine who your audience is before you begin developing your website.

Once you have determined your goal and your audience it is time to determine the content that will be used for your audience. You might not realize it, but the type of audience you are focusing on will really affect the content you use on your website. So, make sure you have your audience targeted so you know what content will work best for these individuals. When making a site on complete skateboards the content should be relevent to this.

Another important tip for developing a website for your audience is to plan when you will provide updates. This might seem like something you could consider down the road when your site needs updating, but is really not the case. You need to know when your audience will most likely be viewing your site and when they won’t so you know when to provide updates. A little bit of planning will go a long way.

The format of your website is also a very important aspect and one that will really affect whether or not you reach your audience. Once you know who your audience is you will have no problem developing a format that will reach them. Also, your format improves your site’s message, so it is beneficial in a variety of ways.

Sunday, 25 April 2010

Why Use A Webmail Account?

Webmail is becoming an increasingly popular form of internet communication. Virtually every internet user now has a webmail address through providers such as hotmail, Gmail, yahoo, and others.

Webmail is a good alternative to many internet users over the traditional email server as it can be accessed from anyplace with an internet connection. There is no need to be connected to the computer which contains your IP address.

Webmail also offers filtering services that take some of the inconveniences out of running every attachment you receive through a virus detections program. Webmail servers depend on customer satisfaction to keep them going, so their virus detection software is almost always top of the line.

In addition, web-mail providers often include filtering processes through which unwanted mail is delivered to a junk box, and needs never be seen by the person using the mail.

Most webmail accounts now also offer free connectivity to other users of the service, so that you can talk to friends while you are on-line without having to go to a chatroom or other service to do it.

There are a few inconveniences to using a webmail system, however. Businesses offering overseas properties often browse the database for addresses, and then send unwanted mail to your account. This mail can sometimes make it through the filter, although the filters are becoming better and better.

Sometimes, the filter can be too good. If you are giving out your web-mail address to potential clients and employers, or anywhere else, it is important to check your junk mail before it is emptied (this is usually done automatically every few days) to make sure you are not missing an important message.

The advantages of web-mail far outweigh the inconveniences. The filters are designed to err on the side of caution, so they are highly effective when it comes to scanning your unsolicited email. You can also use them in the same way that you would use a normal email account, to record addresses and have a list of favorites for handy reference. Most even supply useful conveniences like schedules and multiple folder options.

Wednesday, 31 March 2010

Leaving A Company Job

I recently left the company I was working for and took a new position with a new employer at a much higher salary. My business is IT, and I left the comfort and stabilty of my old job to work for a startup firm which I think will be a big success. They knew they were going to have to pay for quality personnel so they had no problem meeting my demands in terms of salary, benefits and stock options. What I didn't realize is that while they aren't skimping on compensation, the office environment they provide leaves a lot to be desired.

I can put up with the miniscule cubical. I can live with the lack of natural light (although I feel like a cave troll). I can even do without the cafeteria, water cooler, and coffee maker. What I really miss is my old phone.

You see, my old phone was indeed, not an "old" phone. It was a multi-line handling, LCD displaying, caller IDing monster that gave me more options than a new car salesman. My "new" phone has none of those amenities. There is no transfer or hold button, no screen to display who is calling, no headset and no electronic directory. In short, the only difference between this phone and a Garfield phone you might buy at Spencer's Gifts is that this phone isn't shaped like a cartoon cat. My job would be so much easier and my days so much more productive if only we had a real office phone system in place. The current system is so poorly automated that only a very small percentage of the calls I get are actually meant for me. Likewise, I get several E-mails a day asking why I haven't returned phone calls in regard to messages I never received.

I guess the old addage that "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" really holds true in this case.

Since I came here, I have actively lobbied to have the old phone system replaced, but to no avail. I think I may be the only one here who knows what he's missing. Oh well...I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who has experienced this. Maybe you too have lost a beloved phone in a career move. I sympathize with you. I'd leave my number so we could comiserate, but you'd probably never reach me anyway.

Monday, 29 March 2010

Home Business Opportunties

No matter what your skills or interests, there are many opportunities to make money on the Internet. Whether you're a career mum who wants to stay home while earning a living or a father who wants to earn an extra income or have more time at home, the Internet is still wide open for success.

Below are some unique ways people are earning money online and tips on how you can get started.

Information Research and Brokerage

The Internet is often called the "Information Highway" because so much information is available online. Someone has to find and compile this information through research and put together helpful materials, articles, brochures, manuals, and so forth. Businesses and organisations usually need a continuous flow of information to provide to their users. This gives you a great opportunity for employment from home. You can find work-at-home jobs researching or preparing informative materials for one particular company or start your own home business providing the services to several companies.

Specialist Opportunities

If you wish to specialise in a certain field, there are many home business opportunities in various fields such as real estate, finance, education, writing, and retail. You can narrow your job search to the fields of interest to find a job you love. For instance, if you've always wanted to work in real estate, you might find a work-at-home job with a real estate company. Even if you're not a real estate agent yet, there are opportunities for clerical work, photography, website design, accounting, and more.

Niche Home Based Business Opportunity

Another type of home business is the "niche" business. "Niche" means a unique product or service - something that is not available just anywhere. Perhaps you've developed a certain product or have found a rare product that you can buy wholesale and sell through your own website. Or, you might have a unique service to provide to individuals or business owners. The possibilities are endless!

Affiliate Marketing and Other Moneymaking Methods

Another way you can earn money online is through affiliate marketing. You can become an affiliate of one or more companies and sell their products or services for a commission. To do so, you will probably need your own website. Some companies will provide a ready-made website for you; however, you should have the ability to customize the website for uniqueness in the search engines.

You can also work for companies online that are involved in marketing or finance. There are paid survey programs, turnkey opportunities, and wealth-building programs to help you create multiple streams of income. With paid survey programs, you fill out survey forms online or participate in product forums to earn extra income.

With turnkey opportunities, you are provided a website that has been tested and all the tools you need to build wealth. Some turnkey solutions require a fee to start, some are free. Just be sure to check out the company first for legitimacy.

Even though you may be working from home, there will still be a key interest for men's shoes, clothes, sport and relaxation.

As you can see, home business opportunities are available for just about anyone. There are work-at-home jobs or opportunities to start your own business. Choose what will work best for you so you can start reaching your goals today!

Sunday, 28 March 2010

Accounting At Home

Anyone who's worked in an office at some point or another has had to go to accounting. They're the people who pay and send out the bills that keep the business running. They do a lot more than that, though. Sometimes referred to as "bean counters" they also keep their eye on profits, costs and losses. Unless you're running your own business and acting as your own accountant, you'd have no way of knowing just how profitable - or not - your business is without some form of accounting.

No matter what business you're in, even if all you do is balance a checkbook, that's still accounting. It's part of even a kid's life. Saving an allowance, spending it all at once - these are accounting principles.

What are some other businesses where accounting is critical? Well, farmers need to follow careful accounting procedures. Many of them run their farms year to year by taking loans to plant the crops. If it's a good year, a profitable one, then they can pay off their car loan; if not, they might have to carry the loan over, and accrue more interest charges.

Every business and every individual needs to have some kind of accounting system in their lives. Otherwise, the finances can get away from them, they don't know what they've spent, or whether they can expect a profit or a loss from their business. Staying on top of accounting, whether it's for a multi-billion dollar business or for a personal checking account is a necessary activity on a daily basis if you're smart. Not doing so can mean anything from a bounced check or posting a loss to a company's shareholders. Both scenarios can be equally devastating.

Accounting is basically information, and this information is published periodically in business as a profit and loss statement, or an income statement.

Friday, 19 March 2010

Exchange Of Information

Exchange of information on the internet has become a way of life today. And this is done through various modes by the technology savvy people. Everyone from small scale businessmen to large multi national companies are resorting to the world of web to let the world know of their existence and about their services. If one wants to know information about general market scenario or how to start a business, there are numerous websites and blogs that will provide the necessary data. There are some sites where the user has free access, and others where one needs to sign up, fill out a simple registration form to become members. This gives them the privilege of using the services of the blog or site and posting their own comments and experiences. Not all blogs will get noticed, because when a person is looking for some specific data he will key in those words and use the search engine. Unless the particular blog is about it or listed in top ten category the chances of it appearing is next to nil. For this purpose, some blogs and websites have the facility of paid memberships.

The forum must be used strictly for promoting and educating others and offer good info about the business offerings and cannot be utilized to carry out online businesses or any illegal activities. If found to be such, then the company has the right to remove the concerned website and cancel their account. Since an agreement is entered to by the users and the company running the website, they need to abide by the laws stated and maintain proper conduct. The Bloggers are also expected to follow the same and not post any illegal or illicit information or use the board to send out common emails to all. Also, the data provided must be authentic and there should be no fraudulency involved. These are what make the site popular and will bring in more readers to the blog thereby increasing traffic. A textlink exchange option is also available incase the user wants to check out more information which could be on other blogs.
The main aim of the blog site is to promote healthy interaction between people from a similar background or those who are interested in sharing their two bits. This in turn should be of value to the readers and other users coming by to solve their queries on the subject.

Thursday, 18 March 2010

Why Blog

It is great that the phrase blog floats around the net day in and day out, but what if you have no idea what a blog really is? Is this going to be helpful to your web site? No, not really. Here we will offer the skinny on the phrase blog, and you can decide for yourself if it may or may not be useful in your web pages. This way you will not be wasting your time on something you may not need, and the energy can be put to something you find more useful for yourself.

The term blog refers to weblog and it is in every fashion not a commercial or professional site. It is more of the personal nature, for comment or web site material. Generally the most recent information on a blog is kept at the top of the page, as blog's are dated log formats. Often they will have commentary of other sites or links directing you to them. Many times the site is dictated by group links and the log is updated frequently. The opinion is this is the very first weblog was back in 1993 it was the Mosaic. This was generally a compiling of links that where kind of disregarded. It took until 1998 for they’re to be a mere handful of these so called blog’s in existence. The blogger all knew each other and were swapping the links between each other.

By the year 1999 this term blog was starting to pick up pace, and as a result became a phenomenon. Once it became free to the public, it really took off and was a pastime that was enjoyed by many. Web logs were hand coded by developers on the web before the software became available. The use of html was the main coding for this program, and the web designers at the time were pretty much the only ones that knew it. Now that this new software is available to the general public, anyone is capable of making a blog. The moment blogger was released in 1999 it became a huge success with the public. Now people are not restricted on what kind of weblog they make, fast-forward to the year 2010 and people are making as many as 300-350 new blogs daily. There is actually a lot more directories for all these blogs such as http://chocroi.easyjournal.com/ and it contains as many as 5,500 entries. This is now a craze with over 750,000 blog users; this was not merely a passing trend obviously.

There are multiple tools these days for the people that are truly interested in blogging, this software can be found online and has become extremely popular. Check out the craze for yourself, and see what you think of it you may just enjoy it yourself.

More Money Helps You In life

Earning more is the most fundamental way to reach financial freedom. You can save more. You can invest more wisely. However, all those will only be more useful if you earn more.
It is very important to earn more money if you want to reach faster financial freedom.
Making more money is one of the surest ways to gain happiness. Not only that, women prefer the rich.

There is only one way where you can't go wrong in attracting women. Make as much money as possible. Now don't get me wrong. There could be better ways, but all the other ways can go wrong.
However, my income went stagnant. It didn't grow for years. Sometimes I find new techniques to make money. But the new techniques only work when the old business crumbles. One way I found in making money was by inveting in Barbados Property For Sale as you can buy these a lot cheaper than in England and make better returns on your money.
I also provide many tutorials for newbies that want to try the Internet business. That's because I want as many people as possible to get rich through capitalism.
If enough people are tempted to embrace capitalistic greed, then most social problems will go away because the government's intervention will have much less support and then become less. Not only that, I'd like to see that you're rich.
Huge amount of wealth comes from sharing. The more benefit you give to other people, the more they stick to you. The more people stick to you, the more money you make. I learned this from a multi millionaire.

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

Revamping your Bedroom

For bedroom decorating ideas, there is a very large number of different themes from which you can choose. Naturally, your decision for bedroom decorating will be based not only on your personal taste, but will also have to do with the budget you have available.

Beyond that, when you’re decorating a bedroom, you also need to think about the amount of space the bedroom permits you. This will help to decide the type and amount of furniture and other items that you will be able to use without making the space too cramped or uncomfortable. Sliding mirror wardrobe doors can assist in space saving. Remember, a bedroom should be a calm and inviting space, not an obstacle course!

Therefore, your first step in decorating bedroom is to measure your space, and then come up with the theme or style that you like the best. Among the more popular decorating bedroom ideas are:

* Modern
* Mediterranean
* Cottage
* Southwestern
* Victorian

With your style chosen, you can look into bedroom decorating tips that will allow you to reach that final image. For example, if you were thinking of bedroom decorating ideas that are Victorian, you may consider the following tips:

* The Victorian style has a rather feminine feel about it, so bedroom decorating in this style will primarily be enjoyed by women. If you are considering making the master bedroom a Victorian style room, you will want to make sure that your spouse or partner shares this particular taste.

* Decorating a bedroom in this style is quite showy and dramatic. The bed will typically consist of a heavy four-poster of wood or cast iron. It may have a canopy, curtains, throw pillows and blankets, and a bedspread that is well embellished with patterns, fringe, bows, and ribbons. You will want to look for appropriate bedroom furniture to give you this look which may mean you will need to look for beds and wardrobes for sale.

* Decorating bedroom styles such as Victorian will also include a great deal of accessorising, such as with enormous, overstated rugs, flowering plants, and ornate gold frames surrounding paintings of flowers, birds, children, or maidens.

No matter the bedroom decorating ideas you use, as long as you remain focused and follow through, you’re certain to enjoy the final achievement.

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

Elictrical Safety Home Inspections

When was the last time your home had an electrical checkup?

The wonderful weather of Summer presents the easy opportunity to request that an electrician visit and have your home’s electrical system thoroughly checked. Similar to the way we as people go to the doctor for a physical, a home’s electrical system should receive annual or semi-annual inspections. The main reasons we would do this are to protect the longevity of the house, protect the inhabitant’s well being and maintain the best efficiency - which can save you money on your energy bill.

Throughout the year as electrical devices in the home wear and tear, make a list and store it in an accessible place. The more work that can be done in one visit by an electrician, the more you will save versus paying for several visits. Most electrical problems should only be handled by a professional. This is mainly due to the safety risk involved as well as any job not done correctly can cost time and money in the future if not up to code. Once you have enough items on your list to take action, review the home for any other electrical problems that may have been overlooked.

This is also a great time to do an evaluation of your electrical usage needs. Do you or your family need more power in the home? If so, include that on the list and ask the electrician if an upgrade is available. Maybe having a Honda Portable Generator Finally, in preparing for your checkup, it may also be appropriate to determine if your home could use money saving electrical fixture upgrades. For example, you may want to upgrade frequently used rooms from common incandescent lights to fluorescent ones. This will reduce the electrical consumption and lower your energy bill.

The next step is to request an estimate and evaluate the electrician. To contact electricians many people use the internet. One website that focuses on the Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland area provides brief descriptions of trusted Electrical Contractors is http://www.allaroundthehome.com/electricians.asp. This site allows the home-owner to make a decision on which electricians they wish to request a free estimate from, without the fear of having to field dozens of sales calls from contractors they didn't select.

“We set this site up because we wanted to allow homeowners to decide which electricians should contact them. We feel that this type of service request can be treated more as a consultation if we hand the decision to the homeowner. Many other contractor referral sites sell a person’s contact info to several contractors and this leads to them being pushed by too many salespeople. Our website opens the opportunity for the more professional, consultative approach from the contractor to the homeowner,” says All Around the Home's Co-Owner, Ryan Corey.

Using a site like this can allow you to choose one or more local electricians that appear to be a good fit for you and your job. Once you have the chance to speak to the contractor you can ask more qualifying questions. What might you want to ask when chatting with an electrical contractor?

* Number of years of experience
* Types of specialty
* Type of charge: by the job or by the hour
"Ballpark estimate" for your job

Depending on your job, the best rate may not be the best fit. This often correlates with experience, and that is a matter of your personal preference.

Finally, once the job is set up, prepare for the electrician's visit. Be sure to clear all work areas of any fragile items, home decorations and furnishings. It is also necessary to make sure that the panel box is clear and ready to be accessed. This will save the electrician time, which means you save money. Once the visit is complete you can rest assured that your home’s electrical safety has been optimized and you will be operating at an efficient level. A back-up Honda Portable Generator is a good piece of equipment to have.

Saturday, 30 January 2010

The Use Of The Internet

Like an opening act for a play, the telegraph, telephone, and radio all took a part in introducing the World Wide Internet. The Internet had no problem taking over and crashing many predictions about whether or not it would be successful. It has no boundaries and pays no attention to international limits or geographic locations. Instantly you are connected to scores of businesses and people all over the world.

With its origins dating back almost 50 years ago, J.C.R. Licklider at MIT recorded the first description of the communications that could be performed through networking. Between him and a host of other individuals with brilliant forward thinking, the idea of the Internet was conceived.

The first email made its appearance back in the early 1970’s as a way for the developers to communicate with one another. By the mid-1980’s the Internet was being used by various developers and researchers as well as being tried out by many computer businesses. It finally was given a name in October 1995.

The Internet became a vital part of today’s economy. Many companies regard it as a critical part of their daily activities. Individuals rely on it for their communication to the outside world. Bills may be paid, homework research accomplished, books read, Christmas shopping accomplished and you can buy literally anything on it, including fully synthetic oil music downloaded and personal relationships established through their access to the Internet.

Although it may not seem so, the Internet has changed greatly in the last 2 decades since its birth. Through file sharing, remote login, resource sharing and electronic mail, it has definitely kept up with the fast-paced computer industry. Expect nothing else through the future.

Friday, 15 January 2010

Using Drills At Home

Lets start with the basics, you need a clean solid work surface such as a bench, table, or desk, you will need a vise which will hold the various lures for drilling, filing, bending, and other operations. Almost any bench vise of good size will serve the purpose. Unless you have a permanent workbench, this vise doesn't have to be fastened to the table or desk until needed.

A small anvil is also useful if you plan to make many metal lures or parts for such lures. It is used for cutting, bending, punching, and riveting. However, if you get a big bench vise of the machinist's or utility type you can use the anvil surface found on such vises. Or you can use a small block of iron with a smooth surface as a makeshift anvil.

A hammer, of course, is a basic tool for any kind of work, and for making fishing lures, about two or three hammers will suffice. If you already have a claw hammer, you can use it for many lure-making jobs. However, you should also get at least one ball peen or machinist’s hammer which can be used for shaping metal, driving punches, cold chisels, and other uses. A 12-ounce ball peen hammer is a good size for all-round work. Another type of hammer which is good to have is a soft-faced hammer. These are made of plastic or have rawhide, fiber or lead faces. The soft-faced hammer is used for bending and shaping metal and leaves no tool marks. A wooden mallet is also needed if you plan to shape your own metal spoons or spinners.

At least two saws will be needed. If you already have a hand saw, it can be used for working with wood. Since most lures are small, however, a back saw which has a thin blade and fine teeth is even better than a large hand saw with coarse teeth for accurate cutting. The other saw which is needed is a hacksaw that is used for cutting metal and other hard materials such as plastics. There are many types of hacksaws on the market, but the adjustable frame with a pistol grip is best. You will also need several kinds of blades to use with the hacksaw. These blades have from 14 to 32 teeth to the inch and come in all-hard or flexible tempers. Each type is best for a certain job, depending on the metal or material you are cutting. If you have one or two blades of each kind you'll be prepared for any cutting job.

Some kind of drill is needed for drilling holes in wood and metal. If you have a home workshop with a drill press you can use it for most of the work to be done. Use a portable petrol generator to power your drill. It is especially useful when drilling holes in metal. A portable electric drill is also a big aid when drilling, metal, especially if you have to drill many holes. However, when making fishing lures most drilling is done in wood or softer metals such as brass and copper. Here an ordinary hand drill will serve the purpose. Such a hand drill will usually take drills up to ¼ in. in diameter. When buying a hand drill it's a good idea to get the best you can get. A cheap hand drill may not work properly or will soon break or wear out.

You also need a set of twist drills to use with an electric or hand drill. The same when buying your portable generator for sale For the drill press or electric drill you will need a set of high-speed drills. The high-speed drills can be used for fast drilling without losing their temper. For drilling wood or soft metals, carbon drills which are cheaper than high speed drills can be used. You should get a complete set of drills up to about ¼ in. in diameter. The smaller sizes are the ones you will use most often. It's a good idea to buy two or three twist drills of the same size in the smaller sizes so that if you break one you'll have a spare.

Mercury Dimes

One vivid memory of my very early childhood back in the 1960’s was of driving to church on Sunday mornings with my family. Since my grandparents lived close to us, Dad would always swing by and pick them up, and we’d all carpool together. In those days there was no cheap nintendo ds console to play with in the car. It was the job of “Little Danny” (as I was affectionately nicknamed back then) to sit in the backseat, wedged snugly between Grandpa and Grandma.

As if some sort of ritual, every Sunday Grandma would fish though her purse to find goodies for me and my older brother. Grandma almost always carried Wrigley’s chewing gum, though once in a while we had to settle for a cherry-flavored cough drop. For a bonus treat, Grandma gave each grandson a coin to go in the piggybank. There were a few instances when I received a dime featuring a lady who sported a wild-looking hairdo, or at least that’s how it appeared to a 4-year-old. On one occasion, Grandma explained to me the coin was called a Mercury dime. She was a coin collector of sorts, and I credit her with encouraging my first interest in coins. Even though it didn’t mean much to me at the time, this was my first lesson on Mercury dimes.

With the passage of years, I gathered more knowledge on Mercury dimes. For example, I learned the face on the obverse really wasn’t that of Mercury, the male Roman messenger god, as the public has largely believed ever since the dime was first released in 1916. Instead, the coin’s designer, A.A. Weinman, intended to portray a rendition of Lady Liberty crowned by a winged cap, to symbolize liberty of thought. However, the “Mercury dime” moniker stuck, and is still by far the most common reference for this beautiful ten cent coin. The correct name, Winged Liberty Head dime, is used much less frequently. Oh well, at least I can congratulate myself, for even as a small child, I was able to recognize the person on the dime as a woman, not a man!

Another important fact about Mercury dimes worth mentioning is that back when Grandma was coin collecting, not much attention was focused on the degree of separation and roundness seen in the horizontal bands holding together the bundle of rods on the reverse side. Full Split Bands (abbreviated "FSB") resulted from striking by fresh dies, and have proven to be much rarer than blended, flattened bands. Generally speaking, if a Mercury dime displays fully separated and rounded bands, it can generate prices far above less distinctive specimens of the same date, mintmark, and grade. For the last 10-15 years, most Mercury dime value guides have carried an FSB category for mint state grades.

Recently, I decided to chart the value trends of Mercury dimes over a long period of time, for the purpose of identifying Mercs that have historically demonstrated the best gains. My theory is that coins that have shown the strongest price increases consistently in the past are the same coins most likely to accomplish the same in the years ahead. I don’t advocate purchasing Mercury dimes or any other coins for the sake of measuring ROI, but speaking for myself, if I ever decide to add to my Mercury dime collection, I want to make selections designed to (A) please my numismatic taste buds, and (B) stimulate competitive bidding amongst future generations of collectors.

To quantify past performance and to evaluate Mercury dimes best positioned to experience strong future price advancements, I called upon a mathematical analysis I developed to reach similar objectives for other coin series.

First, I researched Mercury dime retail values for individual coins as they were reported in the year 1950, covering a wide range of conditions, and entered this data on a computer spreadsheet. Moving forward in time, values from the years 1980, 1995, and 2000 were similarly captured. Finally, estimated selling prices in 2005 were placed adjacent to matching data from those earlier years. Because grading terminology has evolved over the 55 year period, certain assumptions were made to progressively track price movements throughout the time spectrum (e.g. an “Uncirculated” value in 1950 is equivalent to the “MS-60” of today). The highest grade inserted into the analysis was MS-65, for which I was able to list relatively complete data starting in the 1995 data column. Because I deemed “FSB” data to be somewhat sporadic, I elected not to include it in this study for the sake of stability.

For each date and condition, compounded annual return rates were computed from 1950 to 2005. Return rate computations were likewise made from 1980 to 2005, 1995 to 2005, and 2000 to 2005. For each Mercury dime, the data was placed in tabular format. Next, I calculated a “composite” score for each date by averaging all the compounded return rates computed for that date. I then ranked all the “composite” scores. The Mercury dimes with the top five highest scores are:

Date: Score:
1916-D 7.71
1942 (2 Over 1) 7.64
1921-D 4.90
1945-S (Micro) 4.58
1942-D (2 Over 1) 4.39

It should surprise no one that the kingpin of the Mercury dime series is the 1916-D. Long considered one of the classic rarities of the 20th century and a favorite of collectors, we now have some statistical evidence to support this claim.These are quality coins and not like buying a cheap nintendo ds Experienced Mercury dime collectors probably would expect to see the other dates making the “Top Five”, though the 1945-S (Micro) will cause some head scratching. At the opposite end of performance, there is a logjam of dimes crowded into the 2.50-3.50 range. The value of these coins is dominated by their silver bullion content and merit only small numismatic premiums, with the exception of higher grade specimens.

Okay, let’s say you’re fascinated with the history and style of the Mercury dime. You’ve decided its time to add a few to your coin gallery, yet at the same time, you’re afraid of spending money on something doomed to stagnate in value over time. Bottom line solution: purchase a member of the “Top Five” ranked above. Yes, they’re a bit pricey, but instead of buying many of the less expensive Mercury dimes, save your cash and get a single example of a proven winner. You will be pleased with this strategy as the years roll buy. Buy the absolute best grade you can afford, and always, always obtain coins that are problem-free and CERTIFIED by a reputable grading service. Sadly, many fakes and alterations exist.

Thinking back again to those childhood days, I can’t begin to remember what happened to most of the coins Grandma gave me on our Sunday morning drives. Somehow, over the decades, I’ve managed to keep preserved in a special place a tiny handful of Grandma’s Mercury dimes. All common dates, there’s not a 1916-D in the bunch, but their sentimental value to me is incalculable. These coins were a heartfelt gift from someone close to me who departed from this world long ago and they helped inspire in “Little Danny” a lifelong enchantment with a wonderful hobby.

You know, come to think of it, let me add one more bit of advice: while you’re bagging a “Top Five” Mercury dime, you ought to stop by the Bargain Bin and pull out a few 1944-D’s for your children and grandchildren. You just never know what you might get started.

Sunday, 10 January 2010

Magic Tricks

Magic tricks are enjoyed by people from all over the world. It is something that seems to be a universal language that entertains both young and old.

Many people attempt to become amateur magicians as a way of entertaining family and friends. If someone wants to become a good magician, it would be helpful to know the different varieties of magic tricks before performing them.

The first type that most people are familiar with is stage magic. This is the most difficult type of magic trick and is often associated with famous magicians such as David Copperfield, Lance Burton, and David Blaine. These types of magic tricks require a great deal of skill to perform and usually involve grand schemes like making a large landmark disappear or walking through walls.

The next type is called platform magic and is done on a somewhat smaller scale. These type of magic tricks are quite a bit easier to perform than most stage magic tricks and involve tricks such as sawing a person in half or levitating.

And finally, the last type of magic trick is called close up magic. This type requires the least amount of skill and can be learned with a little effort. These type of magic tricks include magic card tricks, coin tricks, cigarette through quarter, pencil through bill etc.

There are many different tricks that can be learned by just about anyone willing to practice. The secret to remember is to never reveal how you do your magic tricks to your audience.

The quickest path to achieving your status as a master magician is to be able to perform magic tricks at a moments notice using a wide variety of borrowed objects. If you are handed a pencil, a coin, a handkerchief, or a dollar bill, you should be able to perform at least one magic trick with any of these objects. Another key thing to remember is that only a tiny fraction of the magic is what you do, and the rest is how you do it. If speaking candidly, many magicians would tell you that most of the tricks they perform are very easy, but to the audience, they are spectacular! It is all about how you present yourself to the audience: your timing, your sense of humor and your ability to distract are very important. So remember, with a little practice and showmanship, you can learn to be the life of the party by performing simple magic hi 5 tricks.

Useful Info About Angel Investors

If you're an emerging company with the next great product, sometimes you need an angel on your side.

A study by the University of New Hampshire's Center for Venture Research showed that "angel investors" - high-net-worth individuals willing to invest in entrepreneurial companies at an early stage - shelled out more than $18 billion into early-stage companies last year alone, compared to $304 million by venture capitalists.

Finding an angel investor is a usful info, however, is not an easy task. Safer Smokes Inc. is one company that understands the challenge of attracting the right investors.

This development-stage company is tapping the smoking cessation market with a unique tobacco-free, nicotine-free smoke called Bravo, which has the appearance of a traditional cigarette and burns like tobacco, but is actually made from lettuce fibers.

"Bravo lets you smoke your way out of the tobacco habit gradually," said Puzant C. Torigian, chief executive officer of Safer Smokes.

For companies like Safer Smokes, it may be too soon to approach large venture capital firms, yet time to move beyond networking with family and friends. Angel investors to the rescue.

"The challenge for raising capital in today's market is in harnessing the courage and vision of the angel to see through to the real investment opportunity," said Torigian.

So how do companies like Safer Smokes attract their angel?

* Have a clear-cut target market for your product or service. For example more info, Safer Smokes is targeting the smoking cessation market, which has sales approaching $10 billion per year, up from $6 billion just three years ago.

Most angel investors prefer companies that are likely to show positive cash flow within their first 18 months, so having these kinds of statistics about your market can be an incentive.

* Match the business plan objectives to the angel's risk tolerance. Investors want to know the product or service will be unique and well-cultivated. Safer Smokes has a patented solution that company officials say will "affect the landscape of the health care industry."