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Apple iPhone Unlocking Software imminent release

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Apple iPhone’s Unlocking Software to get subscribers out from AT&T’s system might be released soon. I just wonder if they will lock it when they launch it in Asia since pirates are pretty techie in that part of the world.

Apple’s iPhone, released in the United States two months ago, was engineered to operate for the first two years only on the AT&T system through an exclusive arrangement between Apple and AT&T. It has not yet been sold outside of the U.S.

Los Angeles software consultant Brett Schulte, who is not affiliated with the developers, demonstrated the software for CNN Friday evening.

New 8GB Apple iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 06:56:00 +0000

Apple has announced it will be cutting the price of the top iPhone model by $200, discontinuing the lower-end model and unveiling a new version of its popular iPod media player with wireless Internet capability and other features. The new 8-gigabyte iPhone will sell for $399 while the old 4-gigabyte iPhone model, which sold for $399, will be discontinued. Looks like Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO wants the iPhone in a lot of stockings this coming holiday season like Christmas.

3G iPod nano review roundup

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 04:45:00 +0000

Well, that was fast -- just two days after Steve pulled one out of his pocket, reviews of the newest iPod nano are filtering in, and they seem to be overwhelmingly positive. Everyone seems to be digging the fatty's battery life, price, and diminutive size, but the overall proportions dictated by the 2-inch screen drew some complaints. That screen also received praise for its clarity and sharpness, but watching video on such a small device seems to invite some awkward neck angles -- shocking, we know. Overall, however, it looks like Apple's got another hit on its hands -- fatty pride, y'all.

New iPod touch

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 04:38:00 +0000

Pic : New iPod touch on far left

What can I say ? The new iPod touch looks just like an iPhone, how convenient but on a slimmer casing. The new iPod touch was launched today alongside the new refreshed versions of the iPod Shuffle,Nano, and the iPod which is now called the ‘iPod Classic’.
Here’s the lowdown on the new iPod touch :

* Wi-Fi wireless networking (first on the iPod family)
* Safari, the app browser just like on the iPhone
* Apple’s YouTube application lets users wirelessly watch free videos from Google’s YouTube site
* New iTunes Wi-Fi ...

New iMac

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 19:04:00 +0000

PC Gadgets
The all-new, all-in-one iMac packs a complete, high-performance computer into a beautifully thin design. Available in 20- and 24-inch widescreen models, it includes built-in wireless, Mac OS X, and the new iLife ’08. So within minutes of opening the box, you’ll be doing everything from sharing photos to creating movies to building websites. And it starts at just $1199.

Garmin GPS Map 60 CSx Handheld GPS Navigator

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 19:01:00 +0000

Garmin's MAP60 CSx is an all-purpose upgradeable handheld locator that lets you load up your own digital maps for better reference. The reflective 256-color display lets you find your way on the map in almost any lighting. It's got a long-life battery for up to 20 hours of outdoors adventuring. The new MicroSD card slots make it simpler than ever to find those out-of-the-way places -- just put them on a MicroSD card and load it up. Internal Memory - 64MB MicroSD Card slot Celestial tables Quad helix antenna Battery life - 20 hours (requires 2 AA batteries) Includes belt clip and USB cable
By Cool Gadgets Shop

Features
-Lightweight handheld GPS navigator with high-sensitivity GPS receiver and 64 MB microSD card
-Extremely accurate SiRF GPS chip tracks precise position even in heavy tree cover and deep canyons
-2.6-inch, 256-color, sunlight-readable TFT display; preloaded with Americas auto-route basemap
-Integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass; trip computer includes odometer and average speed/ times
-Rugged, water-resistant housing; measures 2.4 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty
Editorial Reviews
The venerable Garmin 60CS just got a whole lot better. The 7.5-ounce GPSMap 60CSx now features an insanely accurate, high-sensitivity GPS receiver by SiRF that tracks your position even in tree cover and canyons. Plus, you get a bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display and an included a 64 MB microSD card for storage of optional map detail. Add all that to the 60CSx's integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass, and you've got a unit that is ready to take you anywhere on land or sea.
You can use the 60CSx's memory card slot with preprogrammed microSD cards from Garmin (sold separately) that provide topographic maps, city streets, and nautical charts. In fact, the unit is compatible with most Garmin MapSource products including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. Topo 24K, and U.S. Topo and Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots. The unit comes preloaded with an Americas autoroute basemap that provides automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits, and tide data. There's also a preloaded marine point database. You can even get turn-by-turn directions when you're driving, and an integrated trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more.
The 60CSx's 2.6-inch, 256-color TFT color display is designed to present mapping and trip information clearly and accurately in any lighting conditions. Plus, the case is lightweight, rugged, and water resistant to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (can be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes). When using two AA alkaline batteries, you'll get up to 20 hours of battery life from the unit. The unit's barometric altimeter system features automatic pressure trend recording while providing current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum/maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, and average and maximum ascent and descent rate. Meanwhile, the electronic compass allows you to get accurate headings while standing still.

Another key feature of the 60CSx is the 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks (500 points each) let you retrace your path in both directions. There's also a large-numbers option for easy viewing, as well as a dual-position display mode.

The 60CSx's trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more. Meanwhile, a fast processor allows the 60CSx to provide quick auto-routing, turn-by-turn directions, and audio alerts when you use the optional MapSource software, which can be stored on the unit's included 64 MB microSD card. Downloading information is quick with the USB or serial port interfaces. Using the dedicated serial port, the 60Cx can share navigation instructions with repeaters, plotters, and autopilots. The four-position rocker pad and dedicated high-use buttons make navigating through the unit's features easy, even when your fingers are cold or wet.

Finally, the GPSMap 60CSx is packed with some extra fun features. An integrated outdoor calendar provides ideal hunting and fishing times, plus moon rise/set/location information. There is a dedicated geocaching mode for those of you into the hot GPS community treasure hunt game. Finally, there are indoor/outdoor GPS games to help you and your friends enjoy the outdoors.

If you like the features of the 60CSx, but don't need an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter, check out the Garmin 60Cx.

Kingston TravelLite SD/MMC Reader

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 18:55:00 +0000

Kingston's TravelLite SD/MMC Reader is designed for today's popular SD and MMC Flash memory cards and provides quick and easy transfer of data between a PC or Mac computer and other digital devices. It's ultra portable - just put it in your pocket and go. Then easily plug and play into a USB port; no external power source is required.
-Provides quick and easy data transfer between a PC or Mac and other digital devices
-Doubles as a convenient USB Flash drive
-Ultra portable design -- just put it in your pocket and go
-Plug and play into a USB port; no external power source is required
-Move images, data and music from your mobile phone, computer, camera or PDA
check price

Editorial Reviews
Kingston's new TravelLite SD/MMC Reader is designed for today's popular SD and MMC Flash memory cards and provides quick and easy transfer of data between a PC or Mac computer and other digital devices. It's ultra portable - just put it in your pocket and go. Then easily plug and play into a USB port; no external power source is required.

Ideal for personal or professional use, TravelLite SD/MMC Reader lets you conveniently move images, data and music from your mobile phone, computer, laptop, camera or PDA.

On the road, TravelLite SD/MMC Reader doubles as a convenient USB Flash drive using the storage capacity of your SD or MMC card. Easily access the content you want while using TravelLite SD/MMC Reader at a business center or Internet café computer.

TravelLite SD/MMC Reader is the perfect companion for the SD/MMC cards you already own, or combine it with a purchase from Kingston's range of Flash card solutions. Every TravelLite SD/MMC Reader comes complete with a one year warranty and 24/7 technical support, plus the legendary reliability that has made Kingston the leader in memory.

Customer Reviews

Don't buy this, it was DOA (dead on arrival)
I bought this to transfer images quickly off of my camera but this piece of garbage was DOA. I opened it a little while after I bought it so I am too late to return it to Amazon and if I were to have Kingston repair it, I have to pay for the return shipping which basically is not worth it. Save your money and get a Sandisk one. I have never had problems with their devices.

As handy as a pocket in your underwear.
I have been using this thing for over a month now, and it is GREAT!! I would highly recommend this for anyone who is a heavy user of SD cards.

I use SD cards in 2 of my cameras, and in my Zoom audio recorder. This little device reads them all with no issues. It has worked perfectly on several different Windows 2000, XP, and Vista boxes, as well as Mac OS-X, and even Ubuntu Linux!

When my cards are not loaded with sound or photos, I can use this thing as a generic "Jump Drive" to move other files around.

The only issue I have had with this is that the dust cover door is a little difficult to get open until it gets broken in. (or broken off, it's really not needed.)

For the money, you can't ask for anything better
I chose this product because it was inexpensive and had fairly good reviews. I've been using it for several months now (once a week or so), and it has done just what I have expected from it. I see no reason why one would need to buy a more expensive one. The only poor quality about it is that the little door that one must move to insert the SD card is a bit poorly designed, and takes a little maneuvering sometimes to open and shut. But other than that, it is an excellent little device.

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 18:53:00 +0000

The Olympus SP-560 Ultra Zoom digital camera ($450) has an 18x optical zoom lens ranging 27 to 486 mm (that's 35 mm equivalent). that's not all this chunky funky camera has going for it.

It features some of the newest attributes of Olympus cameras out this fall, including face detection and perfect shot preview, where you can view several different exposure, metering and white-balance options at once. It's got sensor-shift (mechanical) image stabilization as well as digital image stabilization. For people who want it, it also offers full-manual control.
This 8-megapixel camera will be available in October.

How To Create Your Own e-Commerce Site

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:37:00 +0000

How To Create Your Own e-Commerce Site

E-commerce is touted as one of the most viable online business opportunities on the Web today. In comparison to traditional brick and mortar businesses, e-commerce site requires minimal start-up cost and is relatively low-risk. However that does not imply creating an e-commerce site is a simple process, neither does it guarantee your future success. The purpose of this article is to walk you through the necessary steps and plans you would need in order to set up a successful e-commerce site.

Un-earth Your Niche

The very first thing to do is find your niche. Examine your hobbies and interests for potential business ideas. If you love soccer, consider selling soccer supplies or team uniforms, online. Focusing on your expertise or something you have great passion for would give you an advantage over competitors who do not have in-depth knowledge of that niche.

Research Your Niche

Once you've whittled down a few ideas, explore each one further. Ask yourself these questions: How many people are looking for your services? Where do they go and find people like yourself? How many searches are created for your product or service on Google? You may not have a budget to create demand, so it's safer and cheaper to go where the demand already exists.

Scope out Your Competitors

Research your competitors inside out. Spend time to check out their websites and compare their products and services. Give yourself an idea of what you’re up against, so you can create your e-commerce site as professional as, or even better than theirs.

Write Your Business Plan

You want to have a foolproof business plan for your business. Work out a detailed formula - including your site theme, goals, business strategies. It's also a good idea to keep a record of expenditures, sales, profits etc. Your business cannot just be a 'me-too' business online. Develop a powerful USP (Unique Selling Position) that sets you apart from your competitors and makes you stand out from the crowd!

Create Your Website

Register a good domain name as marketing tactic. Name that ends in *.com is best of all. Try to include relevant keywords that properly describe your business or product if possible.

A well-designed website creates a good first impression with your prospects. Get yourself a professional website template at an affordable price and customize it to suit your need. Most templates can be easily customized using common HTML editors and simple graphics software.

You’ll want your website content to target specific keywords for high search engines ranking and traffic flow. This can be done by creating informative articles, product reviews, descriptions and comparisons. If you're short on time, many SEO (search engine optimization) experts are willing to help you out for a reasonable price.

Host Your Website

Find a dependable hosting company to host your website on their servers. A quick search on Google for “web hosting” should bring up hundreds of companies ready to do business with you. Select a reliable web host that provides adequate disk space and bandwidth with e-commerce scripts supporting features. Domain name-specific email accounts must also be available to give a professional image.

Your website files can be uploaded using a simple FTP program or file uploading service in your hosting account. Technical support personnel from your hosting company should walk you through the steps to upload your files and launch your website.

Implement a Shopping Cart

An e-commerce site is never complete without a secure shopping cart. The best option you can consider is a remotely hosted shopping cart which takes the burden of maintaining security and credit card numbers off your shoulder. Most remote shopping carts can be configured to look similar to your website so your customers may not realize that they have left your website when making a payment.

If a remote shopping cart is not within your budget, there are still lots of third party credit card processing companies that are ready to process your credit card orders using their merchant account for a small fee. Some popular ones to you can check out are ClickBank, PayPal and 2CheckOut.

Marketing and Promotion

You have identified your niche, set up your e-commerce site and you are good to go. Now comes the most crucial part - promoting your site! This could be a full-time career option for most people. Either you can learn to do this yourself or you can have an expert do it for you.

Begin by submitting your site to major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Dmoz, etc. You also need to optimize your site using profitable keywords and keyword-rich content. There are lots more business promotion strategies such as advertising, link exchange, e-zine promotion etc. which you may need to explore to create your online presence and build traffic.

Setting up your e-commerce site is sure a lot of work, but it's just the first step. Making it successful is even more work, but the pay-offs can be rewarding. Remember, success can be yours provided you work hard and smart!

Tops Reasons Why You Must Have Your Own Affiliate Marketing Website

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:35:00 +0000

3 Tops Reasons Why You Must Have Your Own Affiliate Marketing Website

Budding entrepreneurs entering the affiliate marketing business invariably struggle with many questions on the setup, methods and strategies of their new business.

In dealing with prospects on a daily basis the same question arises time and time again:

Should I get your own website? Do I need one? Will it make a difference to my affiliate sales?

If you have ever joined any affiliate programs at all then you will know that every affiliate program provides you with your own version of the merchants sales page - coded with your affiliate link, in order to track sales.

Technically it is possible to make money promoting this turnkey site that the merchant has provided. In my professional opinion and from my own experience though, this is NOT the way to go if you are serious about making your affiliate business a full-time enterprise.

Let me explain why - giving the most important points against using the affiliate website:

1. By far the most important factor is that the affiliate program can go out of business at anytime leaving any promotions that you have done for your affiliate site useless. If you have links on the www pointing to an affiliate page and the company is no longer in existence then those links will fail to work.

If you have your own website then YOU are in control. You can simply point the link on your end to a new company and thus give you a chance of building a new income stream.

2. It is undoubtedly of massive importance that you build your reputation online. If you only promote another persons website, even though it will bring you commissions, it will usually have the name of the product owner on this site. So, in this case, you are building the merchants' reputation and web presence instead of your own. Branding your name and business online will lead to further success so it's better to get YOUR name out there right from the very start.

3. Point 3 is, that with an affiliate page you don't have the ability to make changes to your webpage. Again, this is a business, so you MUST add your own uniqueness and some personality to the aspect of this business that you are presenting to the public. You CANNOT do this with the affiliate site that the merchant provides - ONLY with your own website and domain name.

So by now you may be asking for the solution. The only answer is to get a website and build YOUR own web presence and brand rather than someone elses. This way you can promote any affiliate programs you like from your new site AND you can change the links, content etc. as often as you require.

This is how I personally do it. If you visit my own sites you will see that I have added loads of my own content BUT each of the links from within that site point to affiliate product from which I will get a commission for evey sale that is made.

Do you see how this works? Do you see how it is a much better strategy than promoting an affiliate page that will NEVER belong to me?

Now, at this stage you may be terrified as to how you where you would even start to acquire your own business domain name and website.

The process is actually quite simple, once you actually begin to push through the fear and take action.

If you don't see the importance of having your own website now then believe me, it WILL become clear as you get a better understanding of online business.

For a few dollars per year for a domain name and hosting you are much better to have an affiliate website than be without one.

How To Reach And Stay At The Top Of The First Page Of The Search Engines

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:11:00 +0000

Everybody is familiar with search engines such as Google & Yahoo. Search Engines have radically changed the Internet. Radically! Over 50% of all consumer purchases of all business purchases are now pursued by searches. That’s what was said months ago and it is obviously going higher. So the majority of people Worldwide who now are on computers, the first place they go to is a Search Engine to find information, for what they are looking for.

The Search Engine technology is now based and what Search Engine is trying to do as they are trying to put out in front of their searchers, the most current relative information possible. Google knows that what it can give you is exactly what you want to see and it’s relative to the current & it’s timely. And you are going to come back to Google over, over and over again.

Why all those Bloggers out there for years have been making a lot of money and how they are promoting for free, and how they getting free publicity and generating MASS traffic to their sites? Because Bloggers took advantage of what Google had determined was the secret to the Internet right now. A WEB SITE THAT CHANGES A LOT GETS MORE RATING WITH A SEARCH ENGINE. So if your website is changing a lot and adjusting a lot and is current, Google will push you up on the rating. That means you are getting closer, closer and closer to the first page. And this is extremely important, particularly if you know how to what is called “games the system.

What those Bloggers do – they “game the system”. And here is how they game the system: They went out and found the websites that have the absolute most change going on in a web site every single day, every single hour, every single minute, and every single second. They are powerful websites that have constant change, constant upgrading going on every minute of every day. Theses website are called “Article Hubs”. These web sites grow out of the whole change in how Search Engines work because people realized that the more websites change, the more powerful website are in searches, they realized there better be constant change. This is particularly true in Media sites & this is particularly true with Bloggers, because they began to figure out that if they have more constant change on their sites every day their Bloggs will lift on the searches. And I am going to show you one of those hugs sites. It is an extremely powerful site, 5000-7000 writers, authors, reporters & Bloggers place their articles in this site every day.

Do you understand that that site is not just visited by tens of thousands of writers and author’s who have submitted articles everyday? Do you realize this site is visited by over a million unique visitors every single day? So these sites, these Article Hubs are incredibly potent. And when you put one article in one of these sites, guess what you start to do? You start to dominate keywords. And if you can get on the first page of any major keyword you have hit a Gold Mine! One article! One keyword! Traffic, traffic, traffic! There is one example “Religion and online marketing”, this article was written two years ago and guess where they are.

Do you know when you put a keyword in worldwide there are over 35 millions places on the web that have this constant in here with Religion and Online Marketing? And this article is still having a first result, first page. That was written TWO YEARS AGO! He has been getting traffic every single day for almost 800 days for this article. One Article! One keyword! Traffic, Traffic, Traffic! And if you go page after page, after page you are going to see that article over and over and over … That Company continues to get traffic to this very day. That’s the power of Article Hubs.

If you are looking for a home business opportunity please check this site! With this new marketing system, even beginners are successful.
http://olga.YOURCHANCE2SUCCESS.COM

Wordpress SEO: First Steps

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:02:00 +0000

In order to simplify the process of optimising your Wordpress blog, I have compiled all the information here. The steps below should be very easy to follow and does not require any difficult change of codes but before you begin, I would recommend reading this:

Primer: Wordpress SEO

I have identified 5 important parts to optimising your Wordpress blog and broken them down into smaller chunks of information for easy digestion. Feel free to implement them in any order you like:

1. Permalinks - changing your Wordpress permalinks to be search-engine friendly
2. Page Title - improve the readability of your blog posts
3. Google Sitemaps - creating a sitemap for your blog
4. Tagging & Meta Keywords - implementing tags on your blog and how to use them as meta keywords.
5. Site Submissions - submit your site to blog directories, aggregators, etc.

I hope you find them useful.

If you like this post, you might be interested in reading "Adsense for Wordpress: First Steps".

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tips for Wordpress

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 14:58:00 +0000

1. Write keyword rich post titles - it almost goes without saying, but the post title is the most important part of the blog post for many reasons. From your reader’s perspective, a descriptive and compelling title helps them decide if your post is worth reading or not. From an SEO perspective, think about the keywords or phrases people might type into a search box to find your post 2 months from now, and use those words or phrases in your post title. For maximum benefit, try to avoid titles that are cute, clever or cryptic.

2. Make your post titles live links - many of the WP themes already do this, but if yours doesn’t, you can add the necessary code pretty easily. In your Main Index Template and Page Template, find the code for the post tiltle. It’ll probably look like this:

To link your post titles, you’ll want to replace that code with the following (be sure to leave out the “#” symbols):

3. Optimize your permalinks - the default WP 2.0 installation displays permalinks this way: http://www.savvysolo.com/?p-123. A more search-engine friendly permalink includes the post title in the link, like this: http://www.savvysolo.com/2006/01/16/keyword-rich-post-title/. This is a simple change to make. In your WP admin panel, click on the “Options” tab, then the “Permalinks” sub-tab, and choose the option just below the “Default” permalink option. See the Wordpress Codex for more on permailinks.

4. Optimize your page titles - According to most SEO experts, the page title tag is one of the most important tags on your page. In most WP themes, you’ll find the page title tag in the Header Template, and the default version ususally looks like this:

<?php bloginfo('name'); ?><?php wp_title(); ?>

The best tweak I’ve seen to optimize this tag comes from Stephen Spencer, who suggests using the following code for page title tag (omit the “#”):

<?php if (is_home()) { print "whatever title I want to have on my blog home page."; } else { wp_title(' '); print " : "; bloginfo('name'); } ?>

This tweak does a couple different things. First, it allows you to use a more descriptive, keyword-rich title for your blog’s main page. And second, for the individual post pages, it will use the title of your post as the page title, which is another reason to follow the advice I mentioned in #1 above.

5. Use the related posts plugin - Alex Malov’s Related Entries plugin is a neat little addition to any WP blog. Not only does it enhance your blog’s usability, but it also helps create a dense link structure throughout your site, which makes it easier for the search engine spiders to find and index older blog posts.

6. Use the Google sitemap plugin - According to Google:

“Google Sitemaps is an easy way for you to submit all your URLs to the Google index and get detailed reports about the visibility of your pages on Google.”

Wordpress user Arne Brachold has made the sitemap creation and submission process fairly simple with his Google Sitemap plugin, which was recently updated for WP 2.0. This plugin will create a sitemap for you and submit it to Google.

Additionally, Elliot Kosmicki offers a script that will convert your Google sitemap into a Yahoo compliant sitemap that you can submit to Yahoo.

7. Add meta keyword tags and Technorati tags to your posts automatically - although it’s questionable whether or not meta keywords are still valuable when it comes to SEO, ultimately, they can’t hurt. As far as Technorati tags, they have little impact on SEO, but they can help increase your traffic directly from Technorati, so it’s a good idea to use them.Rick Boakes created the Autometa plugin that will add both tags to your posts automatically.

Another simple and effective Technorati tag generator I’ve used is Broobles’ Simple Tags plugin.

8. Validate your code - Use the W3C Markup Validation Service to ensure the code behind your pages is clean and valid. If you find your pages have errors in the code, hire or make friends with a savvy web developer to help you clean it up. See Google’s Information for Webmasters for more info on creating a technically valid site.

If you have further SEO tips for Wordpress blogs, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

TypoXP Blogger : A New Blogger Template

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 18:04:00 +0000

TypoXP Blogger
Features:
- Expandable post summaries
- Author Comment Highlight
- TypoXP Sidebar Title Icon Set
- Label (Tags) Cloud Widget
- Archive Calendar Widget
- Recent Posts Widget
- Recent Comments Widget
- Search Widget

Forex Trading

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:37:00 +0000

For anyone new to this page, you will probably not realise that FOREX or Foreign Exchange trading is the means by which I am generating my personal income, having “retired” from the construction industry for good as a result of a mental illness in late 2003.
Having always had an interest in stocks and shares and the workings of the markets, 2004 was a year of self education and retraining. I am particularly indebted to Rob Walton who introduced me to the intricacies of technical analysis and in particular to currency trading.

No doubt there are many of my friends who think they should have kept me in the mental clinic permanently! There are others who perceive it as more stressful than what I used to do - believe me it’s not. Yet others see it as a “get rich quick” gambling scheme and yet others that I will be following in the footsteps of Nick Leeson and my family will be living in a rented house pretty soon.

FOREX trading is a very misunderstood subject because all the aforementioned points of view sadly have some truth to them. However, those who know me best will know that I don’t take on projects with a view to failure and the fact that I haven’t dropped this one within the past 12 months should tell you something (yes, I hear you..... that they should have kept me locked up !!)

What I can tell you is that following the path of FOREX trading is NOT an easy path and it is paved with traps for the unwary. You will

* have to unlearn many things you previously thought to be true
* need to develop your mental thought processes and discipline to new levels as well as manage risk effectively
* learn a whole new vocabulary including long and short, highs and lows, support & resistance, double tops & bottoms, pivots as well as Fibonacci mathematics and Bollinger bands
* take an immense amount of your time in reading and practicing
* have to learn how to accept loosing money
* go though psychological states that you never believed were possible, from ”this is just so easy” (it is when you know what you are doing!) to ”my head hurts” to ”why did I ever get involved with this, no-one can possibly make any money in reality”.
* have to get used to the glazed expression that comes on your friends faces when you try and explain to them what you are doing!

There are a number of steps to becoming a FOREX trader and they are outlined below. Please take the time to read it because if you are going to succeed it is important that you have your feet firmly on the ground and have some idea of what to expect. The following text is reproduced with the permission of SoulTrader of http://www.simpleforexsystems.com

My experience to date personally and in discussion with other traders confirms its accuracy.

Step One: Unconscious Incompetence.

This is the first step you take when starting to look into trading. you know that its a good way of making money because you've heard so many things about it and heard of so many millionaires. Unfortunately, just like when you first desire to drive a car you think it will be easy - after all, how hard can it be? Price either moves up or down - what's the big secret to that then - lets get cracking!

Unfortunately, just as when you first take your place in front of a steering wheel you find very quickly that you haven't got the first clue about what you're trying to do. You take lots of trades and lots of risks. When you enter a trade it turns against you so you reverse and it turns again .. and again, and again.

You try to turn around your losses by doubling up every time you trade. Sometimes you'll get away with it but more often than not you will come away scathed and bruised You are totally oblivious to your incompetence at trading.

This step can last for a week or two of trading but the market is usually swift and you move.

Step Two - Conscious Incompetence

Step two is where you realise that there is more work involved in trading and that you might actually have to work a few things out. You consciously realise that you are an incompetent trader - you don't have the skills or the insight to turn a regular profit.

You now set about buying systems and e-books galore, read websites based everywhere from USA to the Ukraine. and begin your search for the holy grail. During this time you will be a system nomad - you will flick from method to method day by day and week by week never sticking with one long enough to actually see if it does work. Every time you come upon a new indicator you'll be ecstatic that this is the one that will make all the difference.

You will test out automated systems on Metatrader, you'll play with moving averages, Fibonacci lines, support & resistance, Pivots, Fractals, Divergence, DMI, ADX, and a hundred other things all in the vein hope that your 'magic system' starts today. You'll be a top and bottom picker, trying to find the exact point of reversal with your indicators and you'll find yourself chasing losing trades and even adding to them because you are so sure you are right.

You'll go into the live chat room and see other traders making pips and you want to know why it's not you - you'll ask a million questions, some of which are so dumb that looking back you feel a bit silly. You'll then reach the point where you think all the ones who are calling pips after pips are liars - they cant be making that amount because you've studied and you don't make that, you know as much as they do and they must be lying. But they're in there day after day and their account just grows whilst yours falls.

You will be like a teenager - the traders that make money will freely give you advice but you're stubborn and think that you know best - you take no notice and overtrade your account even though everyone says you are mad to - but you know better. You'll consider following the calls that others make but even then it wont work so you try paying for signals from someone else - they don't work for you either.

This step can last ages and ages - in fact in reality talking with other traders as well as personal experience confirms that it can easily last well over a year. This is also the step when you are most likely to give up through sheer frustration.

Eventually you do begin to come out of this phase. You've probably committed more time and money than you ever thought you would, lost 2 or 3 loaded accounts and all but given up maybe 3 or 4 times.

Step 3 - The Eureka Moment

Towards the end of stage two you begin to realise that it's not the system that is making the difference. You realise that its actually possible to make money with a simple moving average and nothing else IF you can get your head and money management right You start to read books on the psychology of trading and identify with the characters portrayed in those books and finally comes the eureka moment.

The eureka moment causes a new connection to be made in your brain. You suddenly realise that neither you, nor anyone else can accurately predict what the market will do in the next ten seconds, never mind the next 20 mins. You start to work just one system that you mould to your own way of trading, you're starting to get happy and you define your risk threshold.

You start to take every trade that your 'edge' shows has a good probability of winning with. When the trade turns bad you don't get angry or even because you know in your head that as you couldn't possibly predict it it isn't your fault - as soon as you realise that the trade is bad you close it . The next trade will have higher odds of success because you know your system works.

You have realised in an instant that the trading game is about one thing - consistency of your 'edge' and your discipline to take all the trades no matter what as you know the probabilities stack in your favour.

You learn about proper money management and leverage - risk of account etc etc - and this time it actually soaks in and you think back to those who advised the same thing a year ago with a smile. You weren't ready then, but you are now. The eureka moment came the moment that you truly accepted that you cannot predict the market.

Step 4 - Conscious Competence

You are making trades whenever your system tells you to. You take losses just as easily as you take wins You now let your winners run to their conclusion fully accepting the risk and knowing that your system makes more money than it looses and when you're on a loser you close it swiftly with little pain to your account

You are now at a point where you break even most of the time - day in day out, you will have weeks where you make 100 pips and weeks where you lose 100 pips - generally you are breaking even and not losing money. You are now conscious of the fact that you are making calls that are generally good and you are getting respect from other traders as you chat the day away. You still have to work at it and think about your trades but as this continues you begin to make more money than you lose consistently.

You'll start the day on a 20 pip win, take a 35 pip loss and have no feelings that you've given those pips back because you know that it will come back again. You will now begin to make consistent pips week in and week out 25 pips one week, 50 the next and so on.

This lasts about 6 months

Step Five - Unconscious Competence

Now we’re cooking - just like driving a car, every day you get in your seat and trade - you do everything now on an unconscious level. You are running on autopilot. You start to pick the really big trades and getting 100 pips in a day is becoming quite normal to you. This is trading utopia - you have mastered your emotions and you are now a trader with a rapidly growing account.

You're a star in the trading chat room and people listen to what you say. You recognise yourself in their questions from about two years ago. You pass on your advice but you know most of it is futile because they're teenagers - some of them will get to where you are - some will do it fast and others will be slower - literally dozens and dozens will never get past stage two, but a few will.

Trading is no longer exciting - in fact it's probably boring you to bits - like everything in life when you get good at it or do it for your job - it gets boring - you're doing your job and that's that.

You can now say with your head held high "I'm a currency trader"

FACT : 90%+ of traders loose money trading FOREX.

I quote from Dr Alexander Elder’s excellent book, Trading for a Living

“Brokerage records indicate that 90 out of 100 people trading today will probably be gone from the markets a year from now. They will hit rock bottom, crumble and leave. They will try to forget trading as they would a bad dream.”

The £64000 question is : Are you prepared to put in the time and effort necessary to put yourself into the <10% group who make money? There are no shortcuts.

That’s the long and short of it folks (couldn’t resist using that pun!) If I’ve put you off already, excellent. FOREX is not for you and you’ll save yourself money and frustration. If you are still fascinated, on the FOREX Info, FOREX Books and FOREX Tips links, you will find more than enough information and books to set you on the path to success.

I’m no FOREX expert or super trading guru but everything provided on these pages has at different times assisted me on my way. If I haven’t found the material helpful, or well written, it’s not on my page! I wish you every success on your trading adventure.

My philosophy is one of Trader help Trader. Much of what I have learned is by others giving their time and knowledge free of charge. If there is any way whatsoever that you think I can help you, please contact me. However, please do remember :

DAY TRADING involves high risks and
YOU CAN LOSE a lot of money.

FOREX information - to help you become a better trader

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:33:00 +0000

Trading on your own is a very lonely pastime, particularly when things are not going your way. An excellent means of getting support is to join one of the many online forums that are available. One of the best ones is to be found at :http://www.spreadtrade2win.com/forum/

You cannot trade FOREX real time without having a good charting package with a real time data feed. The good news is that you do not need to pay money for one as they are available free of charge. One of the best supported packages is METATRADER and version 3.84*can be downloaded free by visiting the following website which will also provide you with a free real time datafeed :-
http://www.admiral-invest.co.uk/?p=420

*Note that there is a Metatrader 4 being beta tested (Dec 2004) but it is not on general release yet and currently has a limited number of 3rd party indicators available although some of the better ones are on the above forum now.

What do all the indicators do? How do they work? One of the best site available online with this information is CHARTFILTER where you will find not only explanations on indicators, but also other technical trading stuff including chart patterns, candlesticks etc. There is a wealth of free information to be found on this site at :-http://chartfilter.com/indicators.htm

Forex Trading Tips

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:29:00 +0000

TIP 1 Read both the books by Mark Douglas which cover trading psychology BEFORE you read or do anything else. If you don’t, I’ll say I told you so when you hit a failure barrier and don’t know why.

TIP 2 Stop loss policy - you MUST have one and practice, more practice and even more practice at sticking to it. It will not be easy but it is an essential discipline to profitable trading.

TIP 3 Trading plan / system. Again, you MUST have one! Then you must practice sticking to it. Do not try and second guess or trade against your indicators - wait until they give you a concise signal before acting on it.

TIP 4 TRADE WITH THE TREND. DO NOT trade against the hourly trend of the market unless you are VERY certain the market has turned. Check this by watching a long term moving average (say 80 SMA on 15 minute chart)

TIP 5 Learn to sit on your hands and not trade! It’s better to wait for good quality trades than take a mediocre one and loose money. A day of no trades is better than a day with one loosing one. If you don’t like the market, just walk away. It will always be there later.

TIP 6 Don’t set yourself false targets and expectations. Trading is not an EXACT science and if you do you will only become frustrated by your failure to meet them. Take what the market gives and be satisfied. Greed will kill you as a trader, both mentally and monetarily. .

TIP 7 The market is rarely your friend in a trade that goes against you. Cut your losses quickly and accept them as an inherent part of trading. You will not be able to trade without some loosing positions. Manage them well!

TIP 8 Try hard not to get out of profitable trades too early. Try operating a trailing stoploss of say 15 to 20 pips behind the trade (on 5 minute timeframe) and maximise your good trades by letting them run. Be patient!

TIP 9 Ensure you fully understand how to generate and use pivot points and camarilla points on your trading platform. These are crucial decision points for daily trading and you will struggle without them.

TIP 10 DO NOT overtrade your account. Read up on money management in trading to make sure you fully understand why this is important and develop a strategy which fits with your personal trading capital. NEVER risk wiping out your account because believe me, it can happen. I’ve done it twice myself!

TIP 11 Learn about FIBONACCI levels and how to apply them to your charts.

TIP 12 Keep your trading system simple. Do not have too much information on your trading screen. It is unnecessary and will only cause you to be confused and delay you making your trading decisions.

TIP 13 Always think in terms of probabilities. Trading is all about thinking in probabilities NOT certainties. You can make all the “right” decisions and the trade still goes against you. This does not make it a “wrong” trade, just one of the many trades you will take which, through probability, are on the “loosing” side of your trading plan. Don’t expect not to have negative trades - they are a necessary part of the plan and cannot be avoided.

TIP 14 Ensure that the candle is fully formed on the timeframe you are trading BEFORE you enter your trade. Trade what you see, not what you would like to see.

The Top 10 Things You Should Know Before You Blog

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:06:00 +0000

It's been widely covered that weblogs are a viable way to build brand awareness and establish an individual's expertise in a particular area. "For a small business, [a weblog] is a perfect low-cost positioning-yourself-as-an-expert tool," notes Debbie Weil, the publisher of WordBizReport and Debbie's Blog, as well as author of an upcoming book on corporate blogging for Penguin Portfolio (2006). But what hasn't been covered is how to actually take the leap?
In essence, when you begin to blog, you're publishing your own work. You're making a statement to an enormous audience that will shine a spotlight on your company and your credibility as an expert. With so much at stake, building a weblog into your marketing arsenal can seem intimidating.

To help lessen the anxiety you might feel about blogging, we went out to three experts in the field to uncover the top 10 things you should know before you blog. These tips should help better prepare you for writing and maintaining a weblog for your business.

1. A weblog is a two-way conversation, not a top-down communication medium.
As a boss, you're in a natural leadership role -- generally, you talk and people associated with your company listen. When you're blogging, the dynamic is different. Your audience is infinitely larger, and the conversation you start will take on a life of its own. "You need to ask yourself, 'Am I willing to engage people without controlling the conversation in a top-down kind of way?'" says Paul Chaney, president of Radiant Marketing Group, a business blog consulting firm. Readers will build on your thoughts, and, gasp, may even criticize them. You need to be able to accept feedback in stride. Besides, a little criticism might lead to a topic you might want to discuss in a future posting. Even better, it could lead to such tangible outcomes as better solutions, products, and strategies for your business.

2. It takes time to blog, maybe more than you're willing to devote.
Consistency and frequency are the keys to building an audience on the Web. If you're using a weblog to build brand recognition or establish yourself as an expert, you need to be sure that you're blogging frequently. "I advise business owners to blog at least twice a week," says Anita Campbell, a former CEO and editor of the daily blog Small Business Trends. "If you don't do it at least twice a week, the blog can quickly look stale," she adds. This is not to say you have to sit down to write 500-word posts two or three times a week. "Better a couple of sentences three times a week than one blog a week," suggests Weil.

3. Find out what others are saying about you and your business.
Get a head start on your weblog by first discovering what others, maybe even competitors, are saying about your industry, your business, even you. "Get the pulse of what is being said to determine whether you can speak to that particular issue or put forth a message that can set you apart," suggest Chaney. "If you're in a competitive space where other companies are blogging, you can monitor that and then come up with a strategy that's more intelligent than just throwing stuff out there," he adds. Chaney suggests using blogpulse to search the most up-to-date listings of weblog postings about your company and industry.

4. Yes, you do need to be able to write.
But you don't have to be Ernest Hemingway. "If you can write a coherent e-mail, you can write a blog entry," Weil says. Pay attention to proper grammar -- you don't want to sound illiterate, and try to have fun with it. "The writing style should be informal, as if you're speaking to someone in an e-mail," Weil suggests. And if you don't feel like you have a distinctive voice, just give it some time. It will emerge eventually.

5. Practice can make perfect. Or, at least make you more comfortable with blogging.
Some owners might shudder at the thought of writing so publicly. But it doesn't have to be "show time" right out of the gate. You can experiment before you go public. Put comments on others' weblogs or do a weblog behind the scenes. "Open up a Typepad account, use it for free, and don't make it public," suggests Weil. Keep it private for a while or put it behind a firewall. "Get at least ten entries in there and have colleagues comment on them," she adds. Feedback from people you trust can help build your confidence. Likewise, the exercise could reveal you just don't like doing it. Better to learn this now rather than after you've made your blog intentions public.

6. Some topics are verboten.
Remember, you're blogging for your business, so stay away from anything that could throw prospective and current customers into a tirade. Campbell generally advises against blogging about the following topics: sex, race/ethnic bias, religion, politics, and too much patriotism. The patriotism one is especially sensitive because of the global nature of the Internet, according to Campbell. "Anyone can come to your website from any country," reminds Campbell. "While you can be patriotic, you don't want to do it at the expense of someone else's nationality."

7. Be sure to know your keywords.
Blogs can help customers find your business when they are searching on Google or other sites. Therefore, it's important to know: What words do customers most often use to find you via the search engines? What words show up in competitor or industry blogs on a regular basis that help place them high in Google's index? Knowing which words to drop into your posts on a regular basis will help boost your search rankings. "Small businesses get more search engine benefit from blogs than larger businesses," Campbell says. After all, your marketing budget probably is a fraction of what GE will spend this year. Writing frequently and dropping keywords into your posts to help boost your search standings can go a long way for a business owner on a tight marketing budget. But don't overdo it. Readers will see right through any obvious attempts at self-promotion.

8. It will take longer than you think to build awareness -- and a following.
Don't expect your weblog to be an instant hit. Traffic to it and building a following will take a while to develop. "You will find you need to give at least a three- to six-month commitment, updating routinely [to get noticed]," Chaney says. And Weil suggests at least one year. Whether its three months or a year, you need to be committed for the long haul, regardless of feedback, or lack thereof, from readers. "You're not going to be found after a couple of weeks," says Weil. It will take at least several months before the major search engines and other bloggers and websites find you.

9. Know your confidentiality limits. "Don't write anything you don't want your competition to know about," Campbell says. When you're blogging, it's easy to get caught in the moment and share your coolest ideas and best strategies. But you need to think of your weblog as any other writing communication you do for your business. Before you write, ask yourself whether your topic will compromise your position in the market, or compromise your position as leader of your company. If an employee or competitor shouldn't hear it, then it shouldn't be in your weblog.

10. Know why you're blogging.
Sounds like common sense, but stating why you've decided to start a weblog can quickly put into perspective what you expect to get from it. "You shouldn't be doing it just because it's the latest trend," Chaney says. You need to determine how the weblog will serve your organization: Will its primary purpose be to build brand awareness? Do you want to establish yourself as an expert in a field to better highlight your company's expertise? Will it be used to simply alert people to company news and information? Are you more interested in using it as an internal vehicle for updating employees? Knowing what you're setting out to do with your weblog will help define what you'll write about -- and keep you focused on your primary effort.

Once you know the ropes, blogging is easy -- and fun. It's an opportunity for you to establish meaningful conversations with potential and existing customers. And it offers you a instant platform to share your knowledge and expertise with the world at large.
http://www.inc.com/articles/2005/07/blogging.html

How To Install WordPress

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 05:35:00 +0000

WordPress is well known for its ease of installation. Under most circumstances installing WordPress is a very simple process and takes less than five minutes to complete. The following installation guide will help you, whether you go for the Famous 5 Minute Installation, or require the more detailed installation guide.
Click this url http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress

Confirm Forex Momentum With Heikin Ashi

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 05:32:00 +0000

Investors and speculators are always looking for an edge in determining the strength and direction of trends. The Heikin Ashi application is one tool that may be able to provide this edge. Similar to the Ichimoku charts, the Heikin Ashi has been a relatively unknown tool that has recently seen a rise in popularity, even though it has been accessible since its introduction almost two decades ago.

In addition to showing the relative strength of a trend, the application also notes key turning points in price action and reacts much like a moving average. Incorporating the overall session activity in a single candlestick (open, close, high and low), the charting tool also "smooths" over erratic fluctuations in the currency markets and omits spikes that may be sparked by volatility or jumps in price. This allows chartists to obtain a clearer picture of what's going on in the market and to make a more informed trading decision. Let's take a look at how the Heikin Ashi is calculated and how it can be applied to forex trading. (For more insight, read Heikin-Ashi: A Better Candlestick and Trading Without Noise.)

Defining the Heikin Ashi
Before we get into the actual application of the Heikin Ashi, let's dive into some logistics involving the real meaning behind it. Usually a type of candlestick chart, the Heikin Ashi is available on some charting packages as a separate indicator. This allows investors or speculators to make a side-to-side comparison between the standard candlestick and the Heikin Ashi, allowing for a more cohesive interpretation. In Figure 1, the chartist can see that the two are very similar but offer different perspectives, as the Heikin Ashi indicator disregards market noise and concentrates on the smoother trend of the underlying price action in the euro/U.S. dollar.

Source: FX Trek Intellicharts
Figure 1: A nearly identical interpretation (top: price action, bottom: Heikin Ashi)

The reason the Heikin Ashi tends to be smoother is because instead of using a simple low and high of the session to calculate individual candles, the Heikin Ashi takes the prices per bar and averages them to create a "smoother" session. This is key because the currency markets tend to offer traders more volatility and market noise in the price than other markets. Here is how each candle is constructed:

* Close = (Open Price + High + Low +Close) / 4
* Open = (Open Price of the previous bar + Close Price of the previous bar) / 2
* High = [Maximum value of the (High, Open, Close)]
* Low = [Minimum value of the (Low, Open, Close)]

By plugging formulas into each individual session to construct consecutive candles, the chart continues to be reflective of the underlying price action, isolating the price and excluding currency market volatility and noise. The resulting picture gives the trader a more visually appealing perspective, and one that can help in identifying the overall trend.

Now that we've established how the candles are calculated, here is how to interpret them:

* Positive candles (blue) containing no wicks: There is strong uptrend momentum in the session and it will likely continue. Here, the trader will have a hands-off approach to profits while strongly considering adding on to the position.
* Positive candles (blue) containing shadows or wicks: Strength continues to support the price action higher. At this point, with upside potential still present, the investor will likely consider the notion of adding to the overall position.
* A smaller candle body with longer wicks: Similar to the doji candlestick formation, this candle suggests a near-term turnaround in the overall trend. Signaling indecision, market participants are likely to wait for further directional bias before pushing the market one way or the other. Traders following on the signal will likely prefer confirmation before initiating any positions.
* Negative candles (red) containing shadows or wicks: Weakness or negative momentum is supporting the price action lower in the market. As a result, traders will want to begin exiting initial long positions or selling positions at this point.
* Negative candles (red) containing no shadows or wicks: Selling momentum is strong and will likely support a move lower in the overall decline. As a result, the trader would do well to add to existing short holdings.

The Heikin Ashi will still take some time to master; however, once this is accomplished, the Heikin Ashi will act to confirm the overall trend of the price action. Now let's see how it is used in market opportunities.

Improve on Opportunities
With a smoother picture, sometimes a more simplified one, a speculator can improve on trading the overall trend by combining the Heikin Ashi with multiple indicators. As with any other chart application, it's better to find an indicator that works well with your individual trading style when adding on the Heikin application. This will not only help traders to establish a directional bias, but it will also clear up entries, support and resistance and offer further confirmation of the trade becoming profitable. In Figure 2, the chartist is looking at a prime example using the Australian dollar/Canadian dollar currency pair.

Source: FX Trek Intellicharts
Figure 2: A pivotal turn confirmed by Heikin Ashi

Taking a look at the price action, the Australian dollar weakened enormously against a rising Canadian dollar, hence the downtrending channel. Reaching the psychological 0.8300 support, the cross pair presents an opportunity to the speculator. Not only is the AUD/CAD pair testing the support trendline at the 0.8300 level, the potential bottom coincides with the lower channel trendline. Confirming the strength of such a barrier, we overlay the Heikin Ashi and focus on the two dojis that have formed on the chart. The presented signal gives us the best confirmation in this example, as the trade is calling out a long position in Figure 3.

Source: FX Trek Intellicharts
Figure 3: Two dojis scream out a probably long

Signaling a potential turn in the price action, the dojis set the trade up nicely. Next, an entry point must be established. At this point, the best entry afforded, according to industry theory, is a break above the high of the session at Point A in Figure 3. This will set the long buy order at 0.8400 with a corresponding stop 2 points, for example, below the low of the session, at 0.8328. Theoretically, the trade is looking to profit, not only on a retracement test of the upper trendline, but a potential break. That's where the profits lie as the break above would create a longer term advance. The idea coincides with what is being viewed on the Heikin Ashi. Over the course of the next month, with the stop fully intact and untriggered as the price never trades back, the long position remains profitable until the creation of another doji near mid month's time. Taking into account the close of the session - including the doji, which is precisely set at 0.8554 - the trade has already profited by 154 points. Looking back, this is more than sufficient, as the risk/reward ratio is well above the 2:1 minimum prescribed. Subsequently, a trailing stop would be perfect at keeping profits close while letting potential unfold in the coming weeks.

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Breaking It Down
Let's take it down a notch and look into the steps of another example. Here, we'll reference a textbook example in the New Zealand dollar/Japanese yen currency pair. Taking a look at the overall price action, we see consolidation in the month of July on the longer term daily chart. Applying the stochastic oscillator, we see a golden cross form (Point B), suggesting a near-term uptick in Figure 4. (For more insight, see Getting To Know Oscillators - Part 3: Stochastics.)

Source: FX Trek Intellicharts
Figure 4: Point B shows trigger on golden cross

1. Identify support or resistance: Although not a full requirement, this helps to establish a viewpoint where a directional bias can be established. This will likely help in isolating points of entry, assisting with stop placement and risk assessment. In the example, there is ample support that is coming in at the 69.25 figure, offering a great opportunity for a long trade.
2. Overlay the technical indicator: The stochastic oscillator assists in suggesting bidding support as both indicators begin to form a golden cross. The cross at Point B confirms the trade bias and isolates the point of entry.
3. Confirm with Heikin Ashi: Obtaining the entry point off of support and the technically bullish crossover in the stochastic, the trader can confirm the strength of the nascent trend by using the smoother based candles. In the visual example at Point C, the chartist can see that the doji is indicative of the shift in momentum as sellers begin to exit the market. Simultaneously, the following longer bodied candle signifies a stronger uptrend in buying.
4. Place Entry Order: Now, with the directional bias confirmed, the trader will do well to place the entry 5 to 10 points above the doji session high. Although the order can actually be placed at the high or any other position in the session, the placement in this case is in order to capitalize on a breakout of price action (Point D). As a result, the entry is placed at 69.90. Placing the corresponding stop 5 points below the support will ensure a viable test. Should the level be broken to the downside, the previous trade is negated on overriding selling momentum. However, in this case, our indicators confirmed the directional bias, profiting 360 points before topping out for the first time two weeks.

Source: FX Trek Intellicharts
Figure 5: Point B shows trigger on golden cross

Conclusion
As you can see, although still somewhat new to the currency market analyst, chartist or trader/speculator, the Heikin Ashi is a viable tool that can help to confirm the momentum of a trend. Additionally, similar to the moving average, the smooth calculation helps in isolating market opportunities by removing the noise that will almost always lead a trader astray and clog up the technical perspective. As a result, by using this application and keeping in mind its longer term uses and advantages, any participant in the currency market can apply and reap the benefits of such a simple tool while keeping a finger on the detailed pulse of the market.

Stock-Picking Strategies: Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 05:23:00 +0000

When it comes to personal finance and the accumulation of wealth, few subjects are more talked about than stocks. It's easy to understand why: playing the stock market is thrilling. But on this financial roller-coaster ride, we all want to experience the ups without the downs.

In this tutorial, we examine some of the most popular strategies for finding good stocks (or at least avoiding bad ones). In other words, we'll explore the art of stock-picking - selecting stocks based on a certain set of criteria, with the aim of achieving a rate of return that is greater than the market's overall average.

Before exploring the vast world of stock-picking methodologies, we should address a few misconceptions. Many investors new to the stock-picking scene believe that there is some infallible strategy that, once followed, will guarantee success. There is no foolproof system for picking stocks! If you are reading this tutorial in search of a magic key to unlock instant wealth, we're sorry, but we know of no such key.

This doesn't mean you can't expand your wealth through the stock market. It's just better to think of stock-picking as an art rather than a science. There are a few reasons for this:

1. So many factors affect a company's health that it is nearly impossible to construct a formula that will predict success. It is one thing to assemble data that you can work with, but quite another to determine which numbers are relevant.
2. A lot of information is intangible and cannot be measured. The quantifiable aspects of a company, such as profits, are easy enough to find. But how do you measure the qualitative factors, such as the company's staff, its competitive advantages, its reputation and so on? This combination of tangible and intangible aspects makes picking stocks a highly subjective, even intuitive process.
3. Because of the human (often irrational) element inherent in the forces that move the stock market, stocks do not always do what you anticipate they'll do. Emotions can change quickly and unpredictably. And unfortunately, when confidence turns into fear, the stock market can be a dangerous place.

The bottom line is that there is no one way to pick stocks. Better to think of every stock strategy as nothing more than an application of a theory - a "best guess" of how to invest. And sometimes two seemingly opposed theories can be successful at the same time. Perhaps just as important as considering theory, is determining how well an investment strategy fits your personal outlook, time frame, risk tolerance and the amount of time you want to devote to investing and picking stocks.

At this point, you may be asking yourself why stock-picking is so important. Why worry so much about it? Why spend hours doing it? The answer is simple: wealth. If you become a good stock-picker, you can increase your personal wealth exponentially. Take Microsoft, for example. Had you invested in Bill Gates' brainchild at its IPO back in 1986 and simply held that investment, your return would have been somewhere in the neighborhood of 35,000% by spring of 2004. In other words, over an 18-year period, a $10,000 investment would have turned itself into a cool $3.5 million! (In fact, had you had this foresight in the bull market of the late '90s, your return could have been even greater.) With returns like this, it's no wonder that investors continue to hunt for "the next Microsoft".

Without further ado, let's start by delving into one of the most basic and crucial aspects of stock-picking: fundamental analysis, whose theory underlies all of the strategies we explore in this tutorial (with the exception of the last section on technical analysis). Although there are many differences between each strategy, they all come down to finding the worth of a company. Keep this in mind as we move forward.
http://www.investopedia.com/university/stockpicking/

FOREX-Dollar rises as US jobs data beat forecasts

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:51:00 +0000

The European Central Bank kept rates on hold at 4 percent but suggested it would raise borrowing costs again in coming months to fight inflation. The dollar is losing its allure to yield-hungry investors as rates rise overseas.
Many traders remain bearish on the dollar, but with sterling already at 26-year highs and the euro also just short of record peaks against the dollar, some were locking in short-term gains.

"Sterling and the euro have both had a pretty good run, and what we're seeing is that with the Bank of England and ECB out of the way, people are taking some profits," said John McCarthy, director of foreign exchange trading at ING Capital Markets in New York. "The medium-term trend, though, is unchanged."
Sterling was down 0.2 percent at $2.0123, retreating from a peak of $2.0202 hit shortly after the BoE rate rise.
The dollar was up 0.10 percent at 122.85 yen . The Japanese yen, the world's lowest-yielding major currency, also hit another record low of 167.29 per euro, according to electronic trading platform EBS.
ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Thursday that he he did not intend to sway the market's expectations about the future path of monetary tightening in the euro zone.
Analysts took this to mean that futures prices indicating a two-in-three chance of an ECB rate hike by September, and a dead certainty of a rise by October, were on the mark.
"The ECB is not going to raise rates in the next month or so, but they will definitely hike them again before the end of the year," said Busch at BMO.
In contrast, the Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates on hold until the end of the year, with futures pricing in a one-in-ten chance of a rate cut.
The day's biggest winner was the New Zealand dollar, which climbed 0.45 percent to US$0.7842 after hitting US$0.7881, the highest since the currency was floated in 1985.

FOREX-Yen falls to record lows, eyes on US jobs data

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:49:00 +0000

The yen fell to record lows versus the euro on Friday as the market continued to focus on the search for higher yield, while the dollar held the previous session's gains ahead of a key U.S. jobs report.
Analysts said the yen remains weak because robust risk appetite continues to encourage investors to sell the low yielding currency in carry trades to fund purchases of higher yielding assets.
Markets are looking to U.S. non-farm payrolls data due at 1230 GMT for more clues on the outlook for Fed monetary policy.

Analysts said weak data could lead to a shift in sentiment on the relatively risky carry trade which would help the yen recover.
"The carry trade continues but if the payroll numbers come in much lower than expected, this could lead to concerns about the U.S. economy, risk appetite coming off and demand returning for lower yielding currencies like the yen," said Gavin Friend, currency strategist at Commerzbank Corporates and Markets.
The dollar held onto gains against the euro and sterling, staying off 2-month and 26-year lows respectively, after U.S. service sector data on Thursday calmed talk of a possible Federal Reserve interest rate cut this year
By 1150 GMT, the euro was up 0.2 percent to 167.51 yen, just below an all-time high set earlier in the session at 167.61.
The dollar was up 0.3 percent at 123.24 yen , off last month's 4-1/2 year highs at 124.16.
The dollar was flat on the day versus the euro at $1.3595, holding most of the gains made in the previous session that took it away from 2-month lows of $1.3660 and further from April's record trough hit at $1.3682.
The greenback rose broadly in the previous session after the Institute for Supply Management's services index for June climbed to its highest level in a year, defying forecasts for a small decline.

STRONGER PAYROLLS?

A report on Thursday from private employment services company ADP Employer Services pointed to strong jobs growth, leading market participants to believe the Labor Department's jobs data at 1230 GMT will be stronger than forecast.
In a Reuters survey, economists' median forecast was for 120,000 new jobs to have been created in June compared with 157,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate was seen unchanged at 4.5 percent.
Sterling was steady at $2.0098 after touching $2.0207 on Wednesday, its highest level since 1981 . The Bank of England raised rates on Thursday, as expected, to 5.75 percent.
The Canadian dollar rose to its highest level this week at C$1.0516 per U.S. dollar after data showed Canada added more jobs than expected in June, backing expectations of a rate hike.
Sentiment on the Canadian dollar is also supported by oil prices going to an 11-month high above $75 a barrel.
"Strength in the oil price is benefiting oil exporters like the Canadian dollar and the Norwegian crown," said Paul Mackel, currency strategist at HSBC.
Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui reiterated on Friday that the central bank will conduct monetary policy appropriately by closely watching economic and price conditions, offering no fresh clues on the timing of its next rate increase.
The market widely expects the BOJ to hold steady on rates at a policy meeting next week, but to raise them to a 12-year high of 0.75 percent from the current 0.50 percent in August.

Review of Two Forex Analysis Software Packages

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:39:00 +0000

The most profitable stock traders often act on inside information, or information about the market that the average investor doesn’t know or even have access to. This isn’t true of the forex trading market. All the information needed to analyze the market and make well-researched trades is available to anyone. The problem is having the time to gather enough information, analyze that information and turn it into profitable trades.

That’s where forex trading software comes in. It is designed to follow trends in the market and recognize when a favorable position is likely to occur.

That doesn’t sound so hard. And, in fact, it isn’t. You can learn which trends to watch for and gather all the information yourself. The trouble with doing it manually is that the amount of data needed to track trends of every currency pair is voluminous! You can cut it down some, spend full time at it and still miss some important profitable trends. Having software do it for you is a huge assist.

Another good reason to use these forex trading analysis tools is to learn how the forex market works. Charts and analyses will lay out the trends the software is tracking. When it makes a recommendation, you’ll see what happened in the market to make the software foresee a significant jump coming. In this way, you’ll gradually increase your knowledge and learn how to make a greater percentage of wise trades.

Here are two good forex trading software packages at different price ranges. Choosing either one will be of great benefit. Of course, the more expensive one is superior by far, but your budget may dictate where you start.

TRADING SOLUTIONS

Trading Solutions is one of the most comprehensive forex trading tools on the market. It is very customizable and the incredible in-depth analysis given is second to none. Here are some of its features:

- Flexible charting tools - Easy-to-use interface - Customizable spreadsheets - Step-by-step wizards - Advanced technical analysis - Comprehensive signal analysis

It’s pricey at $995, but it’s worth it, if you can afford it. Plus, you get a free trial. Give it a try and see if your trading success improves during the trial period. Perhaps you’ll find a way to dig up that purchase price!

LAZY TRADING

At $79, Lazy Trading is a much less robust tool for forex trading. But it could be the right tool if you’re a beginner and just can’t afford a more complete software analysis package.

It’s a simplified version in most ways. It still does all the hard work by retrieving the forex data and analyzing and finding the trends. However, it won’t present the detailed charts and in-depth analysis that Trading Solutions does. Instead it just displays a simple text recommendation saying if you should trade and if so, what you should trade. If you still find all the graphs and stats confusing, this will work for you as you learn. If you’re experienced at forex trading, this one will surely be lacking the detail you’ll want.

No matter which forex trading software package you choose, you should see a substantial increase in favorable trades in your account by using it.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Forex Trading

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

How to trade forex online

noreply@blogger.com (juragan) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:37:00 +0000

Major improvements in forex trading have transpired over the last decade. Originally perceived as a “high-risk, high-capital market,” new technological advancements and better financial education have made it a viable, wealth-building investment vehicle for small traders.

For people who are interested in online forex trading, the Internet provides a wealth of information on the subject. But sifting through the available information may prove daunting and you need time to get acquainted with the jargons, as well as the technical indicators used for analysis.

Mark So, chief forex trainer of Businessmaker Academy, offers a simplified guide to help new and veteran traders make the most out of this investment medium with reduced risks. So gives pointers and explains how you can profit in online forex trading:

What is online forex trading?

Online forex trading is about buying or selling of currencies through the Internet. It is similar to online stock trading but instead of investing in a company’s performance through stocks, you invest in a country’s economic performance which is measured in a big way by their currency. In essence, online forex trading is about using your money to invest in money.

Unknown to most people, the forex market is the biggest financial market in the world with an average of approximately $1.9 trillion changing hands on any given day. It is where banks, investors, and speculators exchange one country’s currency with another. Although modern forex trading has been around since the early 20th century, it was not easily accessible to individuals due to the high capital requirement and cumbersome technology. It was only well after the ’90s when the computer and Internet revolution made it possible and more convenient for small investors to invest in forex.

Why should you look into online forex trading?

Open 24-hours a day, five days a week, trading opportunities are much more frequent. With online forex trading, you have the freedom to trade on your own in real time without “middlemen,” making your trade faster and more efficient.

Although there are substantial risks involved especially if you are not equipped with proper financial education and discipline, you can conservatively gain about 3 percent to 33 percent a month on your capital through online trading forex. This allows you to earn dollars even while you are in the Philippines without the hassles of day to day business operations that normally concern many entrepreneurs and corporate executives.

What do you need to start trading forex online?

Entering the forex market no longer requires substantial capital but you do need practical education to know how to do it. Today, many online brokerage firms offer a forex “mini” and even “micro” accounts with very low investment requirement. This means that instead of the $10,000 capital requirement of some local brokers, you can now trade with a capital of less than $500. You will also need a computer and Internet access to trade forex online.

Is online forex trading risky?

Online forex trading carries as substantial level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Before deciding to invest in foreign exchange, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could get high returns on your trade but you could also sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment. Therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose.

Like in many investment instruments, your best protection is financial education. There are effective tools and techniques that you can use to gain and secure profits, as well as safeguard your investment. Take the time to learn about these by researching, attending seminars, getting financial advice from experienced traders or consultants.

Where can I learn more about forex trading?

There is a wealth of information online and there are also book available on the topic. In the Philippines, Businessmaker Academy offers several courses for online forex trading featured in their fortune forex seminar series.

These seminars will be held at 1503A West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange-Ortigas, Pasig. Pre-enrollment is required. For more information, call 687-4445, 687-4645, 687-3416 or log on to www.businessmaker-academy.com