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Double the money

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

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Publication date: 29 February 2012Author: Michael Derks, FxPro

Tagged with: Michael Derks

There you have it. the much-anticipated event of the month has been and gone. the ECB has lent a further EUR 529bln in 3Y loans to 800 eurozone banks. the increase in participation vs. December (523 banks took part) reflects a widening of the collateral pool and a reduction in the stigma attached to tapping the facility. Back in December the net increase in liquidity (because of maturing repos elsewhere) was EUR 192bln, according to the ECB. this time its double that (net EUR 399bln increase in liquidity tomorrow). From this angle, it’s not that surprising that we are seeing the euro sag and risk assets increase on the back of these results. Eurozone banks have nearly double the money to play with vs. December. the data to date, and the ECB’s own analysis, have seen banks use the funds to bolster their own balance sheets as well as invest in government bond markets, mostly on a home-country basis as the ECB data showed this week.

The ECB’s great wish is to see this cash flow back into the real economy, banks having been able to shore-up their balance sheets on the back of the first tender. but the chances of this happening look to be relatively slim, given the fact that credit demand remains weak in the eurozone (as the M3 data showed this week) and banks themselves are still aiming to reduce their balance sheets to meet upcoming capital-requirement rules. the chances of an external carry trade (vs. the largely internal one of the early part of 2012) look to be greater as a result, hence the initial rise in risk assets. For now, we are poised for a choppy day as markets continue to ponder the implications of today’s events, combined with month-end flows.

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<a href="http://www.fx-mm.com/12781/trading-commentaries/daily-forex-brief-fxpro/double-the-money/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.fx-mm.com/12781/trading-commentaries/daily-forex-brief-fxpro/double-the-money/Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:32:59 GMT”>Double the money

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YELLOW7 Delivers Mobile Applications and Mobile Marketing for Intelligent Media Strategies

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

DALLAS–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–In response to online marketing’s ongoing shift from desktop to mobile searches for products and services, YELLOW7 (OTCQB:YLLC) has launched an entire division dedicated to high-end development for mobile marketing, applications, and games for business-to-consumer and business-to-business companies nationwide. The division creates mobile marketing platforms that engage consumers to interact with a brand via mobile coupons, ads and messaging, as well as branded applications that encourage consumer interaction with a brand in the form of games and promotional incentives.

“This is the next critical step for a company’s marketing strategy.”

“In just a few short years we’ve seen mobile app offerings grow from a handful of basic applications on the iPhone to thousands of user-specific and consumer-friendly apps for iPads and all types of smartphones that put a company’s brand directly into the hand of its target market,” states Jason Burgess, CEO of YELLOW7. in fact, at the recent 2011 WWDC conference, Apple acknowledged that iTunes alone has 225 million accounts. all of the accounts have credit cards attached and ready for spending, indicating consumers’ demand and spend on mobile media is significant, and here to stay.

Microsoft Tag, a frontrunner in tracking mobile marketing trends, recently reported that, at the current rate of growth, mobile Internet usage should surpass Internet use on desktop computers by 2014. further, half of Twitter’s 165 million users and one-third of Facebook’s subscribers access the social media platforms with their mobile phones. if social media marketing statistics are any indication of the importance of a brand’s presence in the mobile space, it’s also vital to note that the highly-sought demographic of women aged 35 to 54 is the most active group in social media.

YELLOW7’s recent projects for mobile marketing include apps for an automotive dealer and a personal injury law firm. Depending on the proximity of the individual searching for these services, the geolocation capabilities of the user’s mobile device aids in displaying these companies’ information at the time of the consumer’s web browsing. “Besides showcasing a company’s brand and services, the interaction that a mobile app provides also serves in gathering market intelligence from your target audience,” says Burgess. “This is the next critical step for a company’s marketing strategy.”

About YELLOW7

YELLOW7 is a Rapidly Evolving Internet Media Company operating multiple technology marketplaces created based on market demand and profit potential. YELLOW7, Inc. competes alongside companies like HomeAway AWAY, IAC/InterActiveCorp IACI, Groupon, Inc. GRPN, and LinkedIn Corp. LNKD.

YELLOW7, Inc. (OTCQB:YLLC) brings over thirteen years of innovation and creativity to the online industry, having developed memorable media and technologies for brand leaders such as Travelocity, GameStop, TIGI and more. The company’s multiple divisions help their clients take full advantage of customized, effective and online technologies. YELLOW7 has garnered national recognition by publications such as Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, and USA Today. For more information visit our website at [http://www.yellow7.com]. For investment information and filings visit http://www.yellow7.com/investor-relations.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements that include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipate” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. in addition, description of anyone’s past success, either financial or strategic, is no guarantee of future success. This news release speaks as of the date first set forth above and the company assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof.

<a href="http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120228006330/en/YLLC/Yellow7/YELLOW7-Inctag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120228006330/en/YLLC/Yellow7/YELLOW7-IncTue, 28 Feb 2012 19:30:55 GMT”>YELLOW7 Delivers Mobile Applications and Mobile Marketing for Intelligent Media Strategies

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Robert Walters PLC : 17/2/2012 Marketing Jobs & Careers Survey

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Marketing professionals ‘most valuable’ and the ‘hardest working’

more than eight in ten marketing professionals believe their work is key to the overall success of their employer, according to a new survey of almost 2,200 professionals by marketing recruitment specialists Robert Walters. 84% of all marketing professionals feel their achievements have an impact on broader business success, more than any of the other groups surveyed. fewer banking professionals (68%), lawyers (65%) and accountants (66%) believe this to be the case. “The results say a lot about how marketing professionals are valued by their businesses. in challenging times, the value of marketing as a function in attracting and retaining new business is critical. more and more employers are recognising this and are looking for marketers who can really improve return on investment." says Tim Gilbert, Director of Marketing at Robert Walters. Tim goes on to say:"With their rounded business acumen, classically-trained FMCG brand marketers are also sought-after for similar reasons.”

Marketers the hardest working The marketing jobs survey also reveals that marketing professionals are among the hardest working, with 27% working either ‘always’ or ‘sometimes’ on weekends – lawyers are the only group of professionals who (30%) work more often in their spare time. fewer IT professionals (24%)  accountants (16%), banking professionals (16%) and compliance professionals (12%) work this often at weekends.

about our Jobs Survey The Robert Walters Survey asked 2,190 professionals currently working in HR, accountancy, financial services, IT, legal, secretarial & support, marketing and the public sector about their working practices and attitudes to their career.

<a href="http://www.4-traders.com/ROBERT-WALTERS-PLC-4000274/news/ROBERT-WALTERS-PLC-17-2-2012-Marketing-Jobs-Careers-Survey-14030013/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.4-traders.com/ROBERT-WALTERS-PLC-4000274/news/ROBERT-WALTERS-PLC-17-2-2012-Marketing-Jobs-Careers-Survey-14030013/Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:28:42 GMT”>Robert Walters PLC : 17/2/2012 Marketing Jobs & Careers Survey

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Augusta homeowners earn big on Masters Week rentals

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Renting houses for Mas­ters Week means big bucks for both the area economy and homeowners.

Lois and Al Hutko have rented their five-bedroom, five-bath home near the Jones Creek golf course for 18 years to corporations such as Nabisco and Bayer. their rental price has grown from $6,500 to $12,500 this year. they now rent to a group of attorneys from Winston-Salem, N.C..

Like the Hutkos, many home­owners land a lucrative deal earning thousands of dollars in one week. That paycheck often becomes disposable income that can be returned as an investment in their house, significantly affecting the local economy as homeowners spend money to prepare and even renovate their homes.

The Masters rental industry contributes many economic benefits to the city, said Sue Parr, the president and CEO of the Augusta Metro Cham­ber of Commerce. Resi­dents earn thousands of dollars in direct income, and a majority recycle at least some into local business.

“That’s millions and millions of money for property owners in our region,” Parr said. “They in turn spend that money on their home (and) vacations; we’ve even had some say they put it towards tuition.”

Sometimes the Hutkos use the extra income for a vacation, but every year they spend the money on home improvement. in preparation for renting this year, granite countertops were installed in four bathrooms, along with a wet bar.

“Every year we go through it with a fine-tooth comb. It’s more than just spring cleaning,” said Lois Hutko, a real estate agent. “It’s important to keep your house updated. It makes your (rental) price a little higher, too.”

The Masters Housing Bureau collects 7 percent on every contract. It is operated by the chamber and acts similar to real estate agents, helping home­owners advertise and negotiate rates in exchange for a commission.

Parr said the chamber reinvests in programs associated with its mission.

Several independent companies also rent homes for Masters Week.

Diane Starr, a 15-year veteran director of the Masters Housing Bureau, started her own rental company, Corporate Quarters Inc., 23 years ago.

She said most of her clients spend some portion of their rental check on home improvement before and after Masters Week.

Her listings rent primarily to corporations for prices ranging from $2,500 for a condo to $25,000 for an eight- or 10-bedroom house that serves as the host house for corporate entertaining. the average four-bedroom, three-bath home rents for $8,500, Starr said.

In the beginning

The Masters Week home rental market began in 1970, when the Augusta Na­tion­al Golf Club partnered with the chamber. the tournament’s growth surpassed area hotel capacity at the time, thus home rental became popular for patrons and golfers, Parr said.

Home rentals haven’t been immune to market changes. More hotels equated to more options for visitors, and poor economic conditions during the 2000s tightened the budgets of large corporations that typically rent several large homes in upscale neighborhoods.

The economic impact of Masters Week, particularly the rental housing market, has never been measured.

Peggy Seigler, the vice president of sales and marketing for the Augusta Con­vention and Visitors Bureau, said it’s too difficult to measure the number of visitors, home rentals and the several other factors of the week. Parr said the number of rental transactions can’t be measured with certainty because several businesses serve renters.

In Starr’s recent experience, supply has exceeded demand. Not only have more businesses entered the market, but more homeowners list as well. Some people have listed for years before they land a rental, she said.

Getting ready

Some who rent out their homes have the preparation down to a science.

About two weeks before the Masters, Judy Smith follows a regimen for cleaning window shades, woodwork and ceiling fans at her five-bedroom West Lake home.

Window washers and steam cleaners are lined up for the week before, and the family moves out on the Friday before the tournament practice rounds. All family photos are taken down from walls and shelves, too.

Smith, who has rented her home since 2005, has a separate linen closet for sheets, towels, pillows and duvets that are only used during the Masters.

She uses the rental income for home improvements every year. this year, Smith updated two bathrooms – work she wouldn’t be as eager to do without the Masters money or a deadline forced on her with renters coming. Smith will earn $9,000 from her contract this year.

“All that money would come out of my pocket instead of a good percentage from Masters rental,” Smith said.

The Masters Housing Bureau and other companies operate online databases to manage hundreds of listings. Since Parr joined the chamber in 2005, significant investment and improvement in technology has been a key to success.

“The renter can do a lot of work on their own. they sit at home and pull up options,” she said. “We’re renting homes right up to the day, even Monday and Tuesday of that week.”

Prospective renters search listings by price, neighborhood, home size and property photos. On the Masters Hous­ing Bureau Web site, www.mastershousing.com, they can initiate the rental process with a click of a button. the office returns with a phone call to help the client make an offer and draw up a contract, Parr said.

She said her office has received calls from organizations in other cities needing models to follow for special event home rentals. Augusta has the advantage of several decades perfecting the industry and repeating the event annually, Parr said.

<a href="http://m.chronicle.augusta.com/news/business/local-business/2012-02-25/augusta-homeowners-earn-big-masters-week-rentals?v=1330264076tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://m.chronicle.augusta.com/news/business/local-business/2012-02-25/augusta-homeowners-earn-big-masters-week-rentals?v=1330264076Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:47:38 GMT”>Augusta homeowners earn big on Masters Week rentals

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Leading Internet Marketing Consultant Eric Strate Launches InternetMarketingConsultant.us

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Carlsbad, CA — (SBWIRE) — 02/21/2012 — Internet Marketing Consultant Eric Strate is pleased to announce the launch of his new Website Internetmarketingconsultant.us. Specializing in Internet marketing, the consultant provides training and coaching in all aspects of SEO services, Website optimization and Internet marketing for tangible ROI to businesses.although more businesses are moving to in-house marketing, few understand how to create an Internet marketing “big picture” that increases brand awareness, sell through and ROI. After a number of years in the Internet marketing and SEO services business, Eric Strate became acutely aware of this lack of deep understanding by businesses. “An internal marketing staff is often task oriented, which hampers their ability to form the big picture for Internet marketing,” said consultant Eric Strate. “I started my Internet marketing consulting business to train, coach and supervise these internal business marketers to help them maximize exposure, visibility and tangible ROI through comprehensive Internet marketing.”As a leading Internet marketing consultant working with clients throughout the U.S. and Canada, Strate is best poised to stay ahead of the constant changes within Internet marketing. through constant refinement and development of the latest techniques, he has been able to help businesses attain more traffic, more conversions and most importantly, more sales. “Internet marketing is about much more than just search engine optimization,” said Strate. “I’ve been able to successfully utilize my experience and knowledge of how to maximize a business’s online exposure to help each of my client businesses become more successful.”From the use of Google Analytics and Webmaster tools, to the art of consistent, safe and relevant linkbuilding and every technique in between, Strate has become adept at teaching his techniques to businesses to empower their efforts moving forward. “I practice what I preach, so I can be certain that my advice, supervision, and coaching will help businesses grow on the Internet, and stay strong for years to come,” said Strate. for more information, please visit http://internetmarketingconsultant.usAbout InternetMarketingConsultant.usInternet marketing consultant Eric Strate brings his years of experience in the field to businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada. his ability to effectively increase online visibility for businesses is geared to improving a company’s bottom line. Strate works by training, coaching and supervising the business’s internal marketing staff in all aspects of Internet marketing to create an ongoing big picture approach. by staying on top of the trends and breaking tactics of Internet marketing, Strate helps get companies noticed, more visitors, and most importantly, more business.

<a href="http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/leading-internet-marketing-consultant-eric-strate-launches-internetmarketingconsultantus-128138.htmtag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/leading-internet-marketing-consultant-eric-strate-launches-internetmarketingconsultantus-128138.htmTue, 21 Feb 2012 18:18:18 GMT”>Leading Internet Marketing Consultant Eric Strate Launches InternetMarketingConsultant.us

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Dollar can help global share bulls

Monday, February 27th, 2012

AUSTRALIA'S soaring dollar has made it more attractive to invest in overseas shares, as long as you can stomach the volatility of financial markets.

The rise of the Aussie dollar in recent years has weakened returns from overseas shares for local investors. But the flipside is that when our dollar heads back to its long-term average, those who buy now will get a handy bonus return.Prescott Securities financial adviser Alex Butler says Australian listed companies make up only 2 per cent of world share markets.

"Investing in international companies to diversify a portfolio can be appealing," said Butler. "The coming float of Facebook – and the stellar rise of Apple shares in the past decade – has put the sector in the spotlight for investors."

"With online trading sites providing at-home access to international markets, it has never appeared easier for small investors to buy shares in top 10 companies such as Apple, Royal Dutch Shell or Microsoft," Butler said.

However, it can be costly and dangerous for those who don’t have the right knowledge or research behind them.

What are they?

A key rule of investing is to put your money in something you understand, and many of the world’s largest companies are already household names here.

These include Exxon Mobile Shell, Wal-Mart and IBM.

Just outside the top 10 are Nestle, Google, Coca-Cola and Australia’s BHP Billiton, which was ranked sixth a year ago.

"The great problem with the Australian share market is that it’s all banks and miners," said Steven Dooley, head of research at foreign exchange and CFD trading firm ForexCT.

Technology stocks are an example. "Here’s the most important sector in the world over the past 20 years and we just don’t have access to it (on the ASX)," Dooley said.

How to do it

There are several ways to invest in the global giants. The most common is through managed funds, where your money is pooled with other investors and used to buy a range of shares in a country or sector.

Macquarie Equities private client adviser Marcus Campbell says they can provide access to sectors and stocks not normally available in Australia.

"International managed funds, while tending to attract higher management fees, have the benefit of providing access to some of the world’s best investment fund managers," he said.

Campbell says exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are available through both financial advisers and online share trading platforms.

These funds often mirror a specific index, such as the top 500 US stocks or the 50 biggest global shares. "ETFs are also traded like company shares, which enables more flexibility than a comparable managed fund," Campbell said.

He says investors can also buy overseas shares directly through some stockbrokers, but there may be extra costs such as annual account fees or higher brokerage rates.

Some online stockbrokers also allow overseas share buying, and Dooley says CommSec and Etrade own this space.

"Buying overseas companies is a lot more expensive (two to three times) than Australian ones," Dooley says.

"It starts from about $60-$70 a trade."

Use the dollar

Butler says currency movements can dramatically affect investment returns when buying and selling.

"Investing in international shares certainly exposes investors to currency risk on top of the everyday share price risk," he said.

Investors worried about the fluctuations can seek hedging, whereby you pay extra to mitigate movements in currencies. "Hedging is not an activity best left to a novice investor," he said.

"Professional financial advice is a must."

Many experts say now’s not the time to hedge as our dollar is so strong.

Campbell says Macquarie’s view is that investors keep a largely unhedged exposure to overseas shares until the dollar is much lower.

Dooley has a similar view. "As with buying online from Amazon, now’s the best time to buy overseas shares with the Australian dollar so strong," he said.

"when the Australian dollar falls, it’s at times when the global economy is doing really badly. So you get yourself a natural hedge when our dollar falls – that dampens the share prices overseas falling.

"try and have some overseas share exposure but make sure it’s unhedged, so it works as a natural hedge. It produces less volatility in your overall portfolio," he said.

<a href="http://www.news.com.au/money/investing/dollar-can-help-global-share-bulls/story-e6frfmdr-1226282432437tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.news.com.au/money/investing/dollar-can-help-global-share-bulls/story-e6frfmdr-1226282432437Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:42:24 GMT”>Dollar can help global share bulls

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Avoiding ‘better than doing nothing’ marketing

Sunday, February 26th, 2012

February 24, 2012 6:22 PM

Many times when I meet with a client we begin the process by discussing what they are currently doing as part of their marketing efforts. if they know, they will tell me about a few different ways that they are trying to get the message out.

They talk about newspaper ads or radio spots or coupons or even the yellow pages. It is at that point that I ask them why they are using these different methods. Usually the response is, “I don’t know, but it’s better than doing nothing.”

Marketing your business should always be about getting the word out about what you do to the people who can benefit from it, not to just anyone who is listening or watching. if your ad or message is going out to the wrong consumer than it can not only waste time, but also money.

Two things that most of us don’t have enough of. we all are working with tighter budgets and it is important that we look at how we are spending that money to make sure we are getting the greatest return on each and every dollar. especially our marketing dollars. we do that by looking at who we are selling our services to and how those services benefit them. Most of us should know who our customers are. How old they are, how much money they make, are they married or single, do they have children? The details about who we offer our products and services to will tell us a lot about how we should spend our marketing dollars and where we should spend them.

When you know these details you can make intelligent choices to put your message out where YOUR customers will see it not just anyone. When you know more about them then you know where to find them and how to make sure they will see and hear about you.

If you haven’t taken the time to think about specifically who you serve I would recommend you do it right now so the next time you have to make a decision about how much to spend on marketing and where it will be best spent you won’t have to guess. and when someone asks you why, you won’t have to tell them “I don’t know but it’s better than doing nothing.”

Tony Pires is the president of LIME Marketing, a division of Professional Business Solutions in Fall River, a single source for all your document and marketing needs. Contact him at tony@lime-marketing.com or call at 508-674-4166

Ads by Google

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Motor sports:

Saturday, February 25th, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Trevor Bayne won instant fame with his surprise Daytona 500 victory last year. he earned a small fortune, too.

He didn’t get what he really wanted, though: a full-time ride.

Going into Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500, the 21-year-old Bayne is as surprised as anyone that he’s only running a partial schedule for the Wood Brothers in the Sprint Cup Series this year. His situation is even more unsettled in Nationwide, where Roush Fenway Racing is committed only to run the first three races of the season and is hoping a few good runs can attract some more money.

“I figure if we can maybe be leading the points by then, then it would be hard for them to stop racing,” Bayne said. “But you would hope you could accumulate some kind of funding or some kind of sponsorship after the year that we had last year. It’s just tough right now for us, and for every team out there.”

Bayne and reigning Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are two of the most prominent up-and-coming drivers in NASCAR. In happier economic times, they might have Fortune 500 companies falling all over them.

The fact that neither driver has a full-time ride in Cup even caught the attention of five-time champion Jimmie Johnson.

“We’re seeing a lot of things showing that it’s turning around, and hopefully it turns soon and the young guys that are kind of in the queue now will be able to ride it out and get a chance when the time comes,” Johnson said. “But it’s crazy to think that Ricky Stenhouse, Trevor Bayne, you look through the list and they’re the first two that come to mind. They’ve had great success — and white race cars.”

Bayne’s stunning Daytona win kicked off a 2011 season that NASCAR officials believe was engaging enough to give the sport a momentum boost for 2012. It ended with an epic title fight that ended with Tony Stewart edging out Carl Edwards in the final race of the season.

NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps believes those stories will drive fan interest this year, and Phelps sees other signs that NASCAR is rebounding from the hit it took when the economy started sputtering.

“If you go back a couple of years, obviously, the economic downturn certainly affects our sport more than any other because it’s so dependent on sponsorship,” Phelps said. “When marketing dollars dry up, sponsorship dollars are part of those (deals) drying up. but you’ve seen it start to cycle back, and it’s really getting healthier and healthier.”

Phelps says NASCAR has seen an overall increase in sponsorship every year since 2009 — especially in terms of sponsorship activation, the extra advertising and events that companies do to support their sponsorship programs.

Phelps says NASCAR has plenty of stories to draw in casual fans and keep hard-core fans riveted this year. Will Johnson rebound from what was an off season by his standards? Can Stewart win another title? how will Edwards rebound after coming so close to a title?

And don’t forget Danicamania, as Danica Patrick now is racing in NASCAR on a full-time basis.

“There’s so many great storylines that will help us, I think, sustain the momentum we’ve had in the sport,” Phelps said.

All that said, Phelps acknowledges that seeing Bayne and other drivers potentially not getting to race full seasons because their teams can’t find enough sponsors is cause for some concern.

“Are we perfectly pleased with how everything is? No,” Phelps said. “There’s still some teams with some sponsorship needs. … but I think they’re finding their way on that as well, and it’s getting better.”

Beyond Bayne, Roush Fenway also doesn’t have full sponsorship for its No. 6 Cup car. That’d be a logical landing place in Cup for Stenhouse, who won the Nationwide championship for Roush Fenway last year. as it stands, Stenhouse will drive the No. 6 car at Daytona — and beyond that, who knows?

Roush Fenway also has sponsorship space to sell for Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup series champion.

Clint Bowyer left Richard Childress Racing in the offseason; RCR won’t field the No. 33 car for a full season in 2012. Bowyer’s new team, Michael Waltrip Racing, still is looking for additional sponsors for its No. 15 team.

Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing left NASCAR entirely.

Phelps said unsettled team sponsorship situations aren’t unusual.

“The teams are so dependent on sponsor support,” Phelps said. “That revenue stream is so important to the teams. but that’s the way it’s been in NASCAR for 65 years. that part’s not different.”

What is different today, Phelps said, is the model teams are using to bankroll their racing budgets.

In the past, a team would try to nail down one company to pay an eight-figure annual fee to become the team’s primary sponsor. but there aren’t enough companies willing to do that anymore — so instead, teams are trying to tie together enough smaller sponsorships to fund their teams.

Most teams are doing OK. a few aren’t.

“There are realities,” Phelps said. “It’s expensive to run a team, so if you need to have six sponsors to make that thing work, you’re going to have six sponsors. but because of that, you have downward pressure on the other teams, ‘Hey, listen, I only have three sponsors, I have six races remaining, how am I going to fill the six races?’ That’s why it makes it difficult, and that’s why I think there’s so much focus on it right now.”

But Phelps believes the teams will get it figured out. and he’s confident that young stars like Bayne and Stenhouse have full-time rides in their foreseeable futures.

“Whenever you have two up and coming drivers, young drivers, who don’t have full time support, yeah, it’s concerning,” Phelps said. “It’ll get figured out. Trevor and Ricky are going to be in good shape. They are going to be drivers well into the future.”

<a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/other-sports/ci_20042931tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.mercurynews.com/other-sports/ci_20042931Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:45:13 GMT”>Motor sports:

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Is George Osborne a grade-A student?

Friday, February 24th, 2012

George Osborne has not always been considered the perfect economics student. in fact, Bank of England governor Mervyn King's verdict was that Osborne showed a poor command of his subject, but surely even King would conclude that Osborne deserves an A-star for the latest statistics showing public sector borrowing at its lowest point for four years?  

"The government has borrowed £93.5bn in the tax year to date, down from £109.14bn in 2010/11. Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said the figures meant the government was on track to meet or even beat its borrowing target of no more than £127bn this year." This means that the structural deficit is now back below the psychologically important £1trillion figure – just £989bn to go.

This was not a one-off. Public sector borrowing has been falling. Simon Ward, chief economist at Henderson and Mindful Money blogger, says that the real picture may be even better: "a bigger story that may go unreported, however, is the faster decline in the "old" PSNB measure that includes the surplus of the public sector banks and net interest income of the Bank of England's Asset purchase Facility (APF). PSNB is on course to fall from £109 billion last year to about £85 billion – £16 billion lower than the OBR's November forecast and equivalent to "only" 5.6% of GDP."

So a big tick for Chancellor Osborne then? Yes and no. The reduction in the deficit was largely driven by a fall in local government borrowing and a rise in tax receipts. As such, it partly reflected economic stability rather than the Government's austerity measures per se. There are plenty of his political opponents who believe that the deficit will not be addressed by Osborne's approach, despite these promising early signs perhaps an A- is more appropriate than an A-star.

Of course, austerity is not useful if it destroys growth. To date, it appears not to have done, which would be another tick on Osborne's report card. "The UK economy grew by 0.6% in the three months from July to September, slightly faster than previously thought." however, government figures have had to be revised down continuously. This may be more a function of the crisis in the Eurozone, but it does mean that Osborne perhaps doesn't deserve full marks on growth.

Equally, he is probably looking at a ‘could do better' on private sector growth. This has been the much heralded solution to Britain's economic stagnation. there are signs of life, as this piece from recruitment giant Reed suggests, but unemployment is still high.

The CBI is generally supportive of Osborne's measures to encourage public sector expansion, but believes the Chancellor needs to do more.

"in the context of constrained government and household spending, economic growth in 2012 and beyond must be driven by the private sector," said John Cridland, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry in a letter to the Treasury. "in particular, corporate balance sheets hold the potential for much stronger private sector investment, but business confidence remains weak." Cridland broadly endorsed a raft of pro-business proposals from the chancellor set out in his autumn statement last year and his budget last March." Osborne is perhaps looking at a B+ on private sector growth.

The final area of attention for Osborne would be shoring up the UK's credit rating. until recently, he seemed to be doing well on this. S&P had praised his austerity measures, the UK's cost of borrowing had been kept low and the UK had kept its much-prized AAA rating. But then Moody's put a dampener on that by putting the UK on credit watch due to "the increased uncertainty regarding the pace of fiscal consolidation in the UK" and "materially weaker growth prospects": 

As yet Moody's in the only rating agency to have the UK on negative watch. Equally, with only a handful of countries now retaining an AAA rating, Osborne deserves a few extra grades for hanging on to it so far. The verdict: B+.

For the reduction in public sector borrowing, the current avoidance of recession and the retention of the UK's AAA rating, Osborne deserves some credit. he may need a bit of extra tuition on generating growth. he may not be Mervyn King's star pupil, but he has shown himself a quick learner.

More from Mindful Money:

What George Osborne should be doing to help save the economy

Incentives to rescue the UK economy

The UK economy is stalling, but not in recession

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Effective Link Building on External Sites

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Link building on external sites, whether it’s through article directories, video platforms or blog directories, can increase “link juice” and drive traffic to your site. the more high quality your “link juice,” the higher Google ranks your site and the more links pointing to your web page translates into higher traffic referrals. Here are several ways to maximize impact for each article by building links on external sites:

Quick jump: Article directories / Blog directories / Video optimization

Article directories. Re-publishing content on article sites, such a ezinearticles.com and ArticlesBase.com, can increase traffic referrals and Google Page Rank. In-bound links to a site indicates its value according to Google and figures the number and quality of links when determining a web pages Page Rank.  When re-publishing, try to create a different article so search engines will pick up the article on your site and the article directory. That means adjusting the title tag with different keywords (within the same keyword family), shifting content and rewording sentences. also, shorten the article to around 400-500 words in length. If that means cutting several paragraphs, that’s fine — it will only further differentiate from the original article.

Once you have adjusted the verbage and article structure, it’s time to insert links. Typically, article databases will allow 2-3 links. Try to incorporate a link to the original article in the first paragraph and insert a link to your services or about page in the signature (where you say something about the company). nearly all article directories have different link-building rules. for instance, Ezinearticles.com does not allow links “above the fold,” meaning in the first several paragraphs. so ensure you’re following their guidelines to get published.

Here are the top three article databases based on Google Page Rank and Alexis Rank:

For a complete list of article databases, go here.

Blog directories. Unlike article repositories, blog directories house entire sites, not specific articles (necessarily). therefore, a blog will submit its site once, unlike article repositories where you must submit individual articles. although directories can drive traffic to your website, its primary benefit is to build link juice. the more directories you can post your blog to, the more in-bound links you have to your site — increasing the importance of your site to search engine crawlers. To monitor the number of in-bound links to your site, log into Google Webmasters.

Here are the top three blog directories to get you started:

For a comprehensive list, go here.

Video optimization. Optimizing video is similar to optimizing blog content: it should be 1) engaging and 2) optimized with keywords. As YouTube (with 81.9 percent of total video embeds on the web) factors views, likes and dislikes, shares, comments and other indicators of engagement, the video must be interesting. we typically recommend 90 seconds in length but no more than 2 minutes. Try to increase the video’s visibility by embedding within several blog posts, in a static part of the site, such as the sidebar and push it to your social circles on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Secondly, the video title, description, tags and in-bound links should be optimized with keywords.

Here are the top three video sharing sites:

To learn more about optimizing video content, browse this presentation:

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