Self Directed Investing For Retirement Carnival ? Bear Market Rally ...

Bear Market Rally

I have been talking to my subscribers, and in this blog, about how the rally from the March 2009 low should be treated as a bear market rally within a secular bear market that began in 2000. I believe the bear market rally is over and investors should make capital preservation their priority strategy until there is evidence of a new secular bull market.

The next Self Directed Investing For Retirement Carnival will be delayed one week and is scheduled for June 12^th.

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Value Investing

Miranda at Planting Money Seeds writes Do You Look for Value as an Investor?? We?re always told to ?buy low and sell high? when it comes to investing. What that advice boils down to, however, is simply this: Look for good value.

Investor Junkie writes Why PE Ratios Don?t Matter. Here?s why I think PE ratios are more likely to mislead investors than put them on the trail towards the next hot stock.

[Editor?s Note: I am also an advocate of cash flow over earnings. This post will explain some of the important pitfalls that make accounting earnings an inferior metric for analysis.]

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Evan at My Journey to Millions writes I Don?t Get the Hype about the Facebook IPO. A few friends have asked me what I thought about the Facebook IPO and I don?t really get the excitement.

[Editor?s Note: Evan says in the post he may be ?crazy?, but he is not. The ?investors? who do not pay attention to valuation and own stocks with P/E ratios in the hundreds are the crazy ones!]

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Bob at Christian Personal Finance writes The Basics of Value Investing. In today?s mutual fund and computer-driven investment environment, value investing can sound almost exotic. Yet it?s probably the most time-honored way to successfully invest in stocks.

Portfolio Management

Darrow Kirkpatrick at Can I Retire Yet writes When and How to Rebalance Your Portfolio. Rebalancing your portfolio means adjusting the current asset allocation, moving closer to some previously-chosen target. The majority of financial experts advocate some form of rebalancing. And virtually none of them agree on how to do it!

PK at Don?t Quit Your Day Job writes S&P 500 Return Calculator. One issue self-directed investors have when setting up their portfolio strategy and allocation is calculating the historic return of a benchmark appropriately. This calculator takes the guesswork out of it, allowing you to enter any two arbitrary months since 1876 and calculating dividend reinvested (and inflation adjusted) returns over that period.

Asset Allocation & Diversification

Mike Collins at Wealthy Turtle writes Dividend Investing in Plain English. One of the best ways to build wealth is to invest in stocks that pay dividends. But what exactly is dividend investing and how do you get started?

Miranda at Cash Money Life writes The Basics of Asset Allocation. You hear a lot about asset allocation and the need for diversification. This article explains how risk tolerance and your investment time frame should play a large role in how you allocate your assets.

Specific Investment Ideas

Shailesh Kumar at Value Stock Guide writes 9 Stocks to Profit from Global Food Shortage. These 9 stocks are set to benefit from the global food shortage and rising prices.

Robert at The College Investor writes Investing in Gold: A Pure Ponzi-Style Wager on Other Investors. With gold still at a decade high, is it time to get out? Should you even invest in gold to begin with? Learn how gold is NOT a good investment choice, and what you should consider if you give into the gold bugs.

Family Money Value writes Land For Sale. Investing in raw land is said to be riskier than buying developed properties. However, there are ways to make money from land and some benefits over developed properties in holding it.? [Editor?s Note: Normally real estate posts are banned from this carnival. I have made an exception for this post because it is an informative investment article and an interesting read.]

Young at Young and Thrifty writes Investing in Tobacco Dividends ? Collect?em If You Got?em. From a complete numbers point of view, it still pays to be with the tobacco companies instead of against them.

Echo at Boomer and Echo writes Pitfalls of Chasing The Highest Dividend Yield. Choosing a dividend stock involves a lot more than simply looking for the highest dividend yield. Here are some of the pitfalls to avoid.

Mich at Beating The Index writes The Viking Oil Play in Alberta. The Viking light oil fairway is a trending porous sandstone/conglomerate with 6-12 million barrels of original oil in place (OOIP) per section.

Dividend Growth Investor writes Searching for Hidden Dividend Stars. As a dividend growth investor, I try to maintain a disciplined approach to buying attractively valued companies. I do maintain a list with entry criterion, which I apply against a list of dividend growth stocks.

Average Joe at The Free Financial Advisor writes High Yield vs. Other Investing Categories in Pretty Pictures. High yield bonds are often considered risky investment with mediocre returns. Our chart shows just how impressive high yield can be as part of a diversified investment portfolio.

Investment Planning

Britt at Bible Money Matters writes 7 Roth IRA Mistakes to Avoid. Investing in a Roth IRA isn?t rocket science, but investors from all walks of life tend to encounter the same potential pitfalls over and over. Here are a few.

Glen Craig at Free From Broke writes Is Social Security Really a Retirement Plan?? When you hear Social Security you think retirement benefits, right? Most do. But Social Security is hardly a retirement plan on its own. You need to do more.

Squeezer at Personal Finance Success writes Why Social Security Should Not Be Your Sole Source of Retirement Income. What happens if one depends on Social Security for retirement? I explain the risk and the options that are available.

Nick at My Dollar Plan writes Should I Convert My Retirement Plan Into a Roth?? Is a Roth always the right answer? Help me decide.

Evan Pierce at Money Crashers writes How to Save and Invest Money for College. Funding your kid?s college expenses is certainly not as straightforward as you might think. Still, despite all the hurdles and difficulties, numerous opportunities exist that you can take advantage of by being creative and planning carefully.

Jim at Bargaineering writes How Capital Gains Taxes Work. A look at how capital gains taxes work and the impact it can have on your investment returns.

Investor Junkie writes Tax Efficient Investing. When it comes to investing for the long haul, it?s important to consider taxes because they can be significant.

Mr. Money at Smart On Money writes TD Ameritrade Review: Highly Rated Discount Broker. One online broker that stands out among the pack is TD Ameritrade.

Barbara Friedberg at Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes Why I Don?t Invest in Individual Stocks Anymore. Peak into my journey from individual stock picking to an equally profitable mutual fund strategy.

[Editor?s Note: Individual stock picking allows an investor to avoid the high management fees of mutual funds which significantly lower long term returns. It also allows you to pick the best stocks instead of owning a large number of stocks that include average and poor valuations.]

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Related Reading:

Past Self-Directed Investing For Retirement Carnivals

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Easy steps of choosing a competent personal trainer in Melbourne

Staying and keeping fit is something that most people focus on. The role of a good personal trainer is something that cannot be sufficed with anything else in this regard. But there are a few things that one needs to look for in a personal trainer. These are:

? Well versed with the science of body and its functions ? A good trainer should definitely possess a good working knowledge on the anatomy and the holistic functionality of the body. There are many people who perform exercises as a means to avert health issues that they have been suffering with. A good trainer who has a fundamental knowledge about the human body will be able to help his clients to achieve just that with utter ease. A wrong exercise posture can be harmful and might make conditions worse rather than improving it. A good and competent8 trainer should also possess a firsthand knowledge regarding the right nutrition and diet plans.

A proper diet is as important as exercise itself to retain a good physique.

? Proper attention ? This is one important factor that a good personal trainer should possess. Unless he pays attention to what you are doing there is every chance that things might go wrong. Therefore one should be careful while choosing trainer and make sure that he is attentive and sincere in addressing your needs. This will help you to achieve the desired results with ease and also in lesser time.

? A good mentor ? A good trainer should always be a good mentor. Confidence is one thing that does a world of good. If your trainer is a motivator you will be able to feel the change in a short time. It has been studied that people who are confident of what they are doing have a greater chance of attaining success.

? Result oriented - An effective personal trainer will be confident of his ability and thrust confidence in you and provide you with a fair idea about how long it would take to achieve all that you desire. The entire process of training is often examined at regular intervals by the trainer to make sure that the desired changes are taking place.

? Proper assessment ? A competent trainer will always assess the body his client by means of several tests and then start with the training process. He should also keep other information handy, such as the feeding habit of an individual, any history of ailments and other such things. This will help to get an exact idea of the physical condition of the clients. These tests should be performed at regular intervals to see the changes and proceed accordingly.

? Punctual ? Punctuality is another factor of utter importance when it comes to physical training. It requires sincerity and discipline. If a trainer himself is not punctual and discipline, more often than not his clients will fail to achieve what they want.

Therefore, before opting for the services of a personal trainer in Melbourne one should make sure whether he has all the above qualities. These things would ensure an effective physical training experience with ease. Apart from these, one should also make it a point to check the important credentials of the trainer to be sure that he is truthful.

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Computer Solutions of America and Workers Compensation ...

Computer Solutions of America

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http://www.csa4u.com/

In the span of a few days, Shelly Osterhout?s business was shut down, leaving employees without pay and the computer company without revenue ? all thanks to an anonymous tip.

In April, the Florida Division of Workers? Compensation visited her business, Computer Specialists of America, to see if it was misclassifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees. At first the division launched an investigation while the business remained opened, but later issued a stop-work order, which forced Osterhout?s business to close for a week and three days. She lost roughly $10,000 to $15,000 in revenue, she said.

?During the whole process your office is shut down, your business is shut down and unfortunately in this community the word starts, and you don?t know what that word is,? she said. ?Meanwhile your reputation is just being mutilated out there.?

Although the stop-work order was revoked and Osterhout?s business was cleared, some companies in Southwest Florida face hefty penalties for not having workers? compensation insurance in place for employees ? whether it?s on purpose or by accident. Some employers try to skirt the law and hide employees as independent contractors to cut their costs. And the businesses that check out OK still have to contend with the impact it has on their reputation and the loss of revenue.

?I don?t know how prevalent it is, but I do know that employees are often misclassified as independent contractors with the purpose of not paying taxes or not paying workers? compensation insurance,? said Christina Harris Schwinn, an attorney with Pavese Law Firm in Fort Myers.

The main reason employers try to hide employees as independent contractors are to avoid tax and other benefit liabilities, she said.

There is also a lot of gray area in the law, which can be confusing for employers, Harris Schwinn said.

Having a written contract that a person is an independent contractor can be meaningless. Investigators often look at the relationship between the independent contractor and the employer to determine what the true business relationship is.

She recommends employers use a standard ?economic realities? test as a starting point to evaluate whether a person is an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act, but also suggests they seek out legal advice.

The test looks at a variety of different points ranging from whether the employer furnishes the equipment used to do the work to whether the work is a key service of the business of the employer, such as an IT person who does work for an engineering firm or law office.

?There?s no brightline test,? she said. ?That?s one of the things that can complicate this area.?

State investigations

The Division of Workers? Compensation conducts investigations regularly to make sure employers are in line with the law and are supplying workers compensation, said Robin Delaney, the bureau chief of compliance for the division.

?More often than not, the employers do have the proper coverage in place,? she said.

Still, the agency investigates on a regular basis ? through random checks or referrals ? to make sure that employers follow the law. It also offers seminars on a quarterly basis to educate business owners about the law and offers some seminars online as well, she said.

In the 2010-11 fiscal year, the division conducted 34,252 investigations throughout the state, but only issued 2,174 stop-work orders, which are issued when the division determines a business isn?t in compliance, Delaney said.

In Lee County, there were 140 stop-work orders issued in the 2010-11 fiscal year, compared to 117 stop work orders issued in the previous fiscal year. In Collier, 65 stop-work orders were issued in 2010-11, and 51 were issued the previous fiscal year.

While a stop-work order may have been issued to a business, it doesn?t mean the employer was trying to hide employees or misuse the law.

Ways to stumble

Terry Henderson, owner-operator of Greater Graders Inc., got a stop-work order in February, when he brought a job candidate on a job site to see if he could run the grading equipment.

?Me, being new to hiring people, I didn?t know you had to have workers comp on somebody who is just trying out the machine,? he said.

But the law finds that not having workers? compensation insurance in place poses an immediate danger to public health, safety, and welfare, said Alexis Lambert, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Henderson faced other issues when his liability insurance provider told him he couldn?t underwrite workers compensation insurance for only one person at a salary of about $35,000. As Henderson understood it, he?d need at least three employees to get the coverage, but he only needed one at the time, he said.

When an employer is in violation, the penalty is typically one-and-a-half times what the premium for workers? compensation insurance would have been if the employer had paid it, and can go back up to three years, Delaney said.

The division will also fine the employer $5,000 per employee, if regulators find an employer has misclassified an employee as an independent contractor.

?When people think that they are saving money by classifying someone as an independent contractor, or misclassifying someone as an independent contractor, they may be saving money in the short term,? Harris Schwinn said. ?But if they get caught it?s going to cost them significantly more than it would have in the first place.?

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012305200011

Computer Solutions of America

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Video: Wes Moore on Afghanistan: We have done all we can militarily

Johnny Carson retired 20 years ago today

??Where were you 20 years ago today? More than likely, you were somewhere near a television, watching the signoff of one of the legendary names in broadcast television. Johnny Carson signed off "The Tonight Show" for good on May 22, 1992.

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Lockerbie bombing convict dies in Libya

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi, the only person convicted over the 1988 Lockerbie bombing which killed 270 people, died almost three years after being freed from jail on compassionate grounds.

"He died an hour ago," his brother Abdelhakim al-Megrahi told AFP, putting the time of death at shortly after 1 pm (1100 GMT).

A Scottish court sitting in the Netherlands convicted Megrahi in 2001 of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, which killed all 259 people on board along with 11 people on the ground.

Most of the passengers on the Boeing 747 jet headed from London to New York were Americans.

Megrahi, 60, who suffered from prostate cancer, was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 after doctors said he had only three months to live.

His death on Sunday prompted sharply contrasting reactions.

The US government, which was outraged by Scotland's decision to free the former Libyan airline security chief, said his death ended an "unfortunate chapter."

British Prime Minister David Cameron, meanwhile, said the Libyan should never have been released from prison and rejected calls for an inquiry into his conviction.

"Megrahi's death concludes an unfortunate chapter following his release from prison in 2009 on medical grounds -- a move we strongly opposed," said US National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor.

"We will continue working with our new partners in Libya toward a full accounting of Kadhafi's horrific acts," he added.

Britain's newspapers believe that his initial conviction by a Scottish court in 2001 was flawed and called for an official probe.

"With so many loose ends remaining and so many questions about the original trial unresolved, the Scottish government should agree to a public inquiry into the tragedy," said the left-leaning Independent's editorial.

"Megrahi's death is no reason to stop trying to get to the truth," it added.

Megrahi had always maintained his innocence, arguing that US agencies "led the way" in securing his conviction, and his brother Abdelhakim defended him on Sunday, saying he was the "scapegoat" of Moamer Kadhafi's regime.

"He has died and has left us with the feeling of injustice," he told AFP. "Everyone knows that the Kadhafi regime blamed its mistakes on others."

Another brother, Mohammad al-Megrahi, too insisted Abdelbaset was innocent.

"All the darkness of the universe will never cover the flame of the candle which is the truth," he said, speaking outside the family home where relatives had gathered to receive condolences.

Some have suggested the decision to allow Megrahi to return to Libya was taken to smooth the way for lucrative oil deals struck by British firms.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond argued that Megrahi's death vindicated his administration -- which can make decisions on justice matters independently of the British government.

His death "puts to rest some of the conspiracy theories which have attempted to suggest that his illness was somehow manufactured -- today's news confirms what we have always said about his medical condition", Salmond said.

The convict had been greeted as a hero on his return to Kadhafi's Libya, after having served eight years of a minimum 27-year sentence for his role in the Lockerbie bombing.

The fact that he survived much longer than the doctors had estimated provoked indignation in Britain and the United States.

On Sunday, the British premier said Megrahi's death was a day to remember "the 270 people who lost their lives in what was an appalling terrorist act."

Cameron added: "I've always been clear he should never have been released from prison."

He also dismissed calls for an inquiry into his conviction.

"There was a proper process, a proper court proceeding and all the rest of it. We have to give people the chance to mourn those that were lost. I'm very clear that the court case was properly done and properly dealt with."

But the father of one of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing, who has long believed Megrahi was innocent, said it was a sad day.

"It is a sad time, I think. I have been satisfied for some years that this man was nothing to do with the murder of my daughter," Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the attack, told BBC TV.

"I think Scotland has a big question to answer as to why his verdict hasn't long since been reviewed."

Swire said Megrahi had been in great pain when he visited him in Tripoli in December, and that he thought it would be their last meeting.

"He was in a lot of pain, and his demise now has at least relieved his pain for him," Swire said.

"So from now on perhaps we can concentrate on trying to find out who did murder my daughter and all those other people."

Swire, a member of the Justice for Megrahi (JFM) group, said he was confident that the guilty verdict passed on Megrahi by a Scottish court sitting in The Netherlands in 2001 would be overturned.

But several relatives of US citizens killed in the Lockerbie bombing said on Sunday they were pleased that Megrahi had died.

"He deserved to die," said Susan Cohen, whose daughter Theodora was one of the victims.

"He was a mass murderer. I feel no pity around him. He got to die with his family around him. My daughter, at age 20, died a brutal, horrible death," she told CNN.

In December, Megrahi told several British newspapers in what was billed as a "final interview" that a book being written by investigative journalist John Ashton would clear his name.

"I am an innocent man," he told the papers, including The Times and the Daily Mail.

"I am about to die and I ask now to be left in peace with my family," he said.

Megrahi's funeral was due to take place on Monday afternoon, Libya's Lana news agency quoted one of his sisters as saying.

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DaVita to buy HealthCare Partners in $4.42B deal

DENVER (AP) ? Kidney dialysis services provider DaVita says it will buy the doctor network operator HealthCare Partners in a cash-stock deal valued at $4.42 billion.

Denver-based DaVita says it will pay about $3.66 billion in cash and $758 million in shares of common stock. It also could pay an additional $275 million in cash if HealthCare Partners achieves some performance targets this year and next.

HealthCare Partners manages and runs medical groups and doctor networks, with operations in California, Nevada and Florida. It had $2.4 billion in revenue last year.

DaVita operates or provides administrative services at 1,841 dialysis facilities in the United States and also runs 15 dialysis centers in three other countries.

Associated Press

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Benefits-Of-Re-Financing | TravelBuddies.us ? Travel Tips

Benefits of Re-Financing

There are a number of benefits which may be associated with re-financing a home. While there are some situations where re-financing is not the right decision, there are a host of benefits which can be gained from re-financing under favorable conditions. Some of these benefits include lower monthly payments, debt consolidation and the ability to utilize the existing equity in the home. Homeowners who are considering re-financing should consider each of these options with their current financial situation to determine whether or not they wish to re-finance their home.

Lower Monthly Payments

For many homeowners the possibility of lower monthly payments is a very appealing benefit of re-financing. Many homeowners live paycheck to paycheck and for these homeowners finding an opportunity to increase their savings can be a monumental feat. Homeowners who are able to negotiate lower interest rates when they re-finance their home will likely see the benefit of lower monthly mortgage payments resulting from the decision to re-finance.

Each month homeowners submit a mortgage payment. This payment is typically used to repay a portion of the interest as well as a portion of the principle on the loan. Homeowners who are able to refinance their loan at a lower interest rate may see a decrease in the amount they are paying in both interest and principle. This may be due to the lower interest rate as well as the lower remaining balance. When a home is re-financed, a second mortgage is taken out to repay the first mortgage. If the existing mortgage was already a few years old, it is likely the homeowner already had some equity and had paid off some of the previous principle balance. This enables the homeowner to take out a smaller mortgage when they re-finance their home because they are repaying a smaller debt than the original purchase price of the home.

Debt Consolidation

Some homeowners begin to investigate re-financing for the purpose of debt consolidation. This is especially true for homeowners who have high interest debts such as credit card debts. A debt consolidation loan enables the homeowner to use the existing equity in their home as collateral to secure a low interest loan which is large enough to repay the existing balance on the home as well as a number of other debts such as credit card debt, car loans, student loans or any other debts the homeowner may have.

When re-financing is done of the purpose of debt consolidation there is not always an overall increase in savings. Those who are seeking to consolidate their debts are often struggling with their monthly payments and are seeking an option which makes it easier for the homeowner to manage their monthly bills.

Additionally, debt consolidation can also simplify the process of paying monthly bills. Homeowners who are apprehensive about participating in monthly bill pay programs may be overwhelmed by the amount of bills they have to pay each month. Even if the value of these bills is not worrisome just the act of writing several checks each month and ensuring they are sent, on time, to the correct location can be overwhelming. For this reason, many homeowners often re-finance their mortgage to minimize the amount of payments they are making each month.

Using the Existing Equity in the Home

Another popular reason for re-financing is to use the existing equity in the home. Homeowners who have a considerable amount of equity in their home may find they are able to cash out some of this equity for other purposes. This may include making improvements to the home, starting a business, taking a dream vacation or pursuing a higher degree of education. The homeowner is not limited in how they can use the equity in their home and may re-finance a home equity line of credit which can be used for any purpose imaginable. A home equity line of credit is different from a loan because the funds are not disbursed all at once. Rather the funds are made available to the homeowner and the homeowner can withdraw these finds at anytime during the draw period.

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