Dear Early to Riser,
Is it really possible to "outfox" Google?
See how ETR insiders do it in today's essay.
- Charlie Byrne
ETR Editorial Director
The Internet's
Most Popular Wealth, Health and Wisdom EZine
Comments/Questions: 1-866-565-1117
www.earlytorise.com
Friday, February 24, 2006
Message #1661
WEALTHY: Investing in the biggest comeback story in Asia
HEALTHY: Keeping track to stay on track
WISE: Jimmy Buffett on the joy of searching
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Internet tricks from the ETR team (Michael Masterson)
The profit potential of coffee and conversation
Add the word "stringer" to your vocabulary
* Highly Recommended *
"I remember the day I met Michael Masterson …"
By J. Christoph Amberger
I remember the day I met Michael Masterson for the first time. I was a young, rambunctious editor at the Taipan Research Department, not quite thirty. During my tenure, I had faced down a number of superiors, publishers, and consultants who had intended to meddle with what I considered "my business" … the development of our newsletter's editorial platform and the trading philosophy of Taipan. Never one to avoid a confrontation, I was geared up to fight tooth and nail against whatever harebrained idea this new consultant was about to impose on my product.
Only he didn't. I left the meeting bemused if not downright befuddled. Because Michael had skillfully played the ball back into my court. He had no problem with whatever I planned to do with Taipan … if I was able to come up with a viable vision (not, mind you, "vision statement"!) for the business and was willing to put in the elbow grease to make it work. That day, I turned from an editor into a publisher.
The years that followed were tough. The learning process I embarked on made my university education look like a summer picnic with the Montessori kindergarten. Michael guided, questioned, drove, pulled, advised, critiqued, nitpicked, built up and tore down … many hours a week at first, a few hours a year these days. Taipan turned from an investment letter with three editors and a dozen stringers into the Taipan Group, a publishing business with over a dozen services that each employ more talent than we mustered back in the early days.
Today, I realize that Michael had expertly manipulated me right from the first moment. He had figured me out before I had closed the door behind me, intuitively grasped whatever value I had for the business, and skillfully redirected my outward-bound ambition back into myself. (It took me years of studying aikido to figure out what had happened in that half-hour.)
That's one of the few cases in my life where I didn't mind being manipulated. In fact, it's been one heck of a ride!
I am not alone in my experience with Michael. In fact, I personally know dozens of people whose lives were affected this way. Some of them brought a lot of talent to the table. Others were complete screw-ups who succeeded in life despite themselves, thanks to Michael's coaching. So when Michael asked me to review his latest book, Power and Persuasion: How to Command Success in Business and in Your Personal Life, I eagerly agreed. And there it was: Page after page, as Michael reveals his philosophy, observations, and experiences in making people succeed both in business and in private life, I found myself recognizing elements that happened to me and that are staples of Michael's interactions with his clients and partners.
I have been able to build a wildly successful business based on what Michael has taught me. It cost me many years of grappling with his methods, many sleepless hours of figuring out just what to make of his observations and recommendations. It was worth every second of discomfort and aggravation. But what took him years to teach to me and many of my colleagues can be yours for less than twenty bucks. Power and Persuasion is a book you should own, read, and internalize – especially if you have wondered why all the glitzy, glossy business magazines you've been buying don't help you out a bit. (He tells you why that is so.)
Power and Persuasion: How to Command Success in Business and in Your Personal Life not only has the Taipan Seal of Approval, but my express personal endorsement as well.
J. Christoph Amberger
Executive Publisher, The Taipan Group
Why the Yen's Strange Behavior Can Be a Boon to Your Portfolio
A no-risk but highly profitable currency play is emerging from across the globe … where the yen is behaving very strangely. It's been the proverbial 90-pound weakling among major foreign currencies for the last decade. But with inflation hitting Japan for the first time in over 10 years, the yen is finally flexing some muscle.
It's taken quite a beating in recent years, as Japan battled a stagnant economy and deflation. With interest rates now beginning their long awaited rise, its currency should increase significantly. It's not as if it hasn't happened before. From its average of ¥239 per US$1 in 1985, the yen rose to a peak of ¥128 in 1988, virtually doubling its value relative to the dollar.
Japan's strengthening yen will also encourage neighboring currencies to rise.
I would suggest investing 4%-5% of your savings in an Asian currency CD to take advantage of this situation. Everbank has some of the best CDs of this type around. Look them up online at www.everbank.com call them at 800-926-4922. As the prices of Asian currencies make their dramatic rise, so will the value of your CD in terms of dollars. Everbank has 3- and 6-month terms available, no monthly account fees, and your principal is guaranteed.
- Andrew Gordon
[Ed. Note: Andrew M. Gordon and his staff, along with Dr. Erik Epp have created a new free weekly eletter called Money Insight: Useful Ideas For Growing Your Money Quickly and Safely…” In this age of cheap “information” Money Insight strives to decipher the best safe-money strategies from the deluge of mainstream financial news, as well as uncover undervalued opportunities for quick profits. Check it out at:
http://www.earlytorise.com/moneyinsight/etr_money_insight.html
"Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party."
- Jimmy Buffett
Making Your Web Searches Smarter
By Michael Masterson
Recently, The Wall Street Journal ran an article about "hidden features of Google and Yahoo engines" that make research on the Web faster, easier, and more rewarding. Neanderthal though I am with regard to technology, I was actually aware of several of them:
Using two or three words instead of one to get more relevant links
Surrounding your search terms with quotation marks when you are looking for an exact name or phrase (such as "To Kill a Mockingbird")
Combining quotes with extra words ("Kill a Mocking Bird" and Harper Lee)
And here are some things I didn't know:
You can enhance searches in Google by telling the search engine to exclude items that might confuse or overwhelm the search. This is accomplished by following your search terms with a space and then a minus sign followed by the topic you want to exclude. (For example, if you want information about Jiu Jitsu but not Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you can enter: Jiu Jitsu - Brazilian.)
You can get the name and address of a land-phone owner by typing in the phone number.
You can get a map of any location by typing the street address in Google's search field.
You can solve simple math problems by typing them in.
You can perform conversions of weights, measures, and currencies. (In Yahoo, begin such searches with the word "convert." In Google, just type in the question.)
I asked members of our own team here at ETR for online research tricks they have discovered. Here's what they had to offer:
Jon Herring, ETR's health guru, says that his favorite search strategy is to use Google "news alerts."
Let's say there is a topic you are following where it would be beneficial to receive an alert every time there is a new article or new research published on that subject. Or maybe you just want to keep track of things that are written about you and your company.
On the Google main page, select "News." Then select "News Alerts" from the menu on the left side of your screen. All you have to do is enter the search term you want to watch, select how often you would like to be notified, and enter your e-mail address.
Now, every time there is some new information posted online that includes the search term you listed, you will receive an e-mail notification.
Suzanne Richardson, ETR's Managing Editor, likes the Google Book Search feature.
Let's say you need to find information about goal setting. You type the term into the search field, and Google finds all the books in its database that mention "goal setting." Choose among those titles by narrowing down your search (by number of hits or by adding additional terms). Google Book Search also allows you to look through individual books for references to "goal setting," and gives you the chance to read two or three consecutive pages surrounding the term.
You can get to Google Book Search from the Google home page. Just click on "more" at the top right of the search field. You'll be transferred to a list of Google functions. "Book Search" is currently fourth on the list.
Andrew Gordon, our resident wealth expert, likes Yahoo! Finance for updated stock information.
Whenever you need financial information on a specific company, go to Yahoo.com and click on the "Finance" link. Once there, you can type in a company's symbol and find out everything from their balance sheet to their company profile to the latest headlines featuring news about them. Type in "Nke," for example, and in a few moments you'll know that shares are up 0.32% so far that day, that the company had a net income of $456,700 in the third quarter (the last quarter reported) of last year (the" Income Statement" link), and that Nike stock costs $74.81 more today than it did 15 years ago (the "Historical Prices" link).
By the way, Andrew's favorite link is "Key Statistics." You get 55 different numbers, including price to earnings (both trailing and forward), price to book, operating margin, return on equity, and cash flow.
ETR's Editorial Director, Charlie Byrne, says his favorite "trick" is to try to find the most unique word or phrase related to what he's searching for.
"Many times for Early to Rise," Charlie says, "I have to locate newspaper or magazine articles for which we only have a vague reference. Example: 'Charlie ... remember that story in Forbes about those guys with the widget company? Do you think you can find it?'
"In this case, I might be lucky to remember that they were located in, say, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts. So if I search for 'Tyngsboro' and 'widgets,' chances are very good that I'll find the article.
"Here's another example: If you want to find stories about great thoroughbred horses, 'Alydar' would be a better choice for a search word than 'Affirmed,' simply because it's so unique.
"Unusual proper names are always good to try."
Keep these tips in mind the next time you're doing an Internet search. I guarantee that you'll find what you're looking for much more quickly
Today's Action Plan
There's a massive amount of information online - and it can take long, frustrating hours to sift through it to find what you're looking for. Whether you're doing research for your job or for yourself, do it faster and easier by taking advantage of the search engine tricks Michael Masterson described today. And if you have additional Internet tricks that you use, please share with us on the ETR Forum /
* Advertisement *
The Easiest and Fastest Way to Make Quick Cash…
And I’ve Proven it Works Over 300 Times
Eight years ago, I had just come out of a failed restaurant venture, I was going through a divorce, and I had a negative net worth. I only knew two things – I had to do something and I had no money.
I took the plunge into what I saw as my safest and most immediately profitable opportunity. Within my first 8 weeks I made $14,000. Today I average $20,000 profit per deal. And I have proven this works over 300 times!
I'd like to tell you how you can take the same road… without the trial and error… and without missing out on the opportunities that are available right now…
http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700SWFQC/E700G299/
2 More Sure-Fire Strategies to Help You Stick to Your Exercise Plan
On Wednesday, I told you about two strategies I have used to keep myself motivated to work out. Here are two more ideas from a recent article on the Men's Health website.
1. Plan your workouts in advance.
Schedule your workouts for the month on a calendar, and cross them off as you complete each one. Aim to do at least three per week. If you skip any of your scheduled workouts, carry them over to the next month.
2. Start a streak.
Try to set a personal record for doing consecutive, daily workouts without a miss. You'll work out more intensely on some days, of course – but make it your goal to put in at least a minimum amount of effort every day. Then … see how long you can keep it up. When your streak ends, set a longer mark as your next goal.
- Jon Herring
Worth Quoting: Spotting Trends for Profit
An increasing number of coffee shops and bookstores are sponsoring discussion groups. Yes, it's nice that they're providing a way for like-minded people to get together – but you can bet they're also selling a lot more coffee and books.
Gary Scott spotted the beginnings of this trend back in 1999. Here's how he alerted his e-zine subscribers to the potential profit opportunity:
"The growing trend is for immaterial goods. Successful companies will learn to attach symbols of love and togetherness to products and services. Coffee houses and places of gathering will boom. Cafes Philos, French cafes where philosophers raise questions for the patrons to discuss, are an example. This trend is about humanity needing a common story. The root of this market is the 100,000 years of selective processing of human genetics which has favored those who belonged to packs or tribes."
[Ed. Note: Gary Scott is an economist, entrepreneur, and author who shares his wealth of experience with others to help them build their own profitable small businesses. He recently developed a practical, hands-on course - International Business Made EZ - that you might want to look into.]
*
Advertisement *
Plug into Your Natural-Born Genius
for All the Money-Making Ideas You'll Ever Need
I don't care if you think you're not an "idea person" or if you truly believe you're just not "creative." Because I'm going to introduce you to a revolutionary new approach to coming up with ideas can turn your brain into a cash machine the spews out a never-ending supply of money-making ideas.
Most people rely on luck, hoping great ideas or solutions will just come to them.
Instead, you can discover a simple, step-by-step technique that will give you a guaranteed source of powerful ideas and solutions to call on any time you need one.
Here’s how to get started today:
http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/700STITB/E700G2B6/
Word
to the Wise: Stringer
A "stringer" is a part-time or freelance journalist who, instead of receiving a regular salary, is paid for each piece that is published.
Example (as used by Christoph Amberger today): "Taipan turned from an investment letter with three editors and a dozen stringers into the Taipan Group, a publishing business with over a dozen services that each employ more talent than we mustered back in the early days."
Michael
Masterson
Copyright ETR, LLC, 2006
Have a Question for Michael Masterson?
Want to know the secrets to his success? Have a perplexing business problem? ETR welcomes your thoughts. Post them online at http://speakoutforum.com/forum/
or send questions directly to Support@EarlyToRise.Com
ALL CONTENTS OF THIS E-MAIL ARE COPYRIGHT 2006 BY ETR,
LLC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: REPRODUCING ANY PART OF THIS DOCUMENT
IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF EARLY
TO RISE. Protected by U.S. Copyright Law {Title 17 U.S.C. Section
101 et seq., Title 18 U.S.C. Section 2319}: Infringements
can be punishable by up to 5 years in prison and $250,000
in fines. Are you having trouble receiving Early to Rise messages? Ensure that Early to Rise gets delivered to your email
box, click below:
http://www.earlytorise.com/whitelisting.htm
If you'd like to suggest Early To Rise to a friend, please
point them to:http://www.earlytorise.com/SuccessPartnership.htm
To BECOME AN EARLY TO RISE MEMBER, please visit: http://www.earlytorise.com
or email support@earlytorise.com
NOTE: If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail
program, please cut and paste the full URL into the location
or address field of your browser. Disclaimer: The inclusion of an ad in ETR does not constitute an explicit
endorsement. It does mean that as far as I know the product
is not a rip-off. When I really like a product and want
you to buy it I'll tell you explicitly. Otherwise, view
these ads the way you would commercials on TV or display
ads in the back of your favorite magazine. Check them
out. Make a decision. If you don't like, ask for a refund.
(All products sold here will carry refunds.)
Nothing
in this e-mail should be considered personalized investment
advice. Although our employees may answer your general
customer service questions, they are not licensed under
securities laws to address your particular investment
situation. No communication by our employees to you should
be deemed as personalized investment advice.We
expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest
in any security recommended to our readers.
All of our
employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line
publication or 72 hours after the mailing of printed-only
publication prior to following an initial recommendation.Any
investments recommended in this letter should be made
only after consulting with your investment advisor and
only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements
of the company.
All material on this site is provided for information only
and may not be construed as
medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken
based solely on the contents of
this information; instead, readers should consult
appropriate health professionals on any
matter relating to their health and well-being.
Similar Articles:
- None Found