Issue #2460

• WEALTHY: Blame it on the elephants (Charles Delvalle)
• HEALTHY: Build muscle, eat more? (Craig Ballantyne)
• WISE: Robert Cushing on getting things done

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

• The real power of the written word (Paul Lawrence) 
• How to avoid a common grammatical error (Don Hauptman)
• It’s Good to Know… about a business idea with a humanitarian purpose
• Add “redress” to your vocabulary

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Who Makes the U.S. Budget Deficit Worse - Democrats or Republicans?

By Charles Delvalle

Republicans like to call themselves the party of fiscal discipline. But if you dig into the numbers, you might find some surprises.

Since 1938, Democrats increased the budget deficit by about 8.3 percent, while Republicans grew the deficit by 9.7 percent - almost a 20 percent increase.

Perhaps most startling is what’s happened since 1946.

From 1946 to today, Democratic presidents pushed the deficit up by 3.2 percent per year. Meanwhile, Republican presidents increased the budget deficit by 9.7 percent. In other words, since 1946, Republican presidents have outspent Democratic presidents by almost 3 to 1. So much for the party of fiscal discipline.

This matters to you, because huge budget deficits decrease the value of the U.S. dollar.

Whether we elect a Democrat or Republican president in November, there’s a chance that we may actually see deficits decrease. And that would lead to a stronger dollar. The easiest way to play a stronger dollar is by buying the Rydex Strengthening Dollar ETF (RYSBX), which moves up 2 percent every time the dollar moves up 1 percent.

[Ed. Note: No matter what happens this November, you need to know how to protect your money. One of the best ways to do so? By following a simple system that can help you make money in any market condition.]

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 ”The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.”

Robert Cushing

A Free Way to Come Up in Google’s Top 10

By Paul Lawrence

Getting to the top of a search engine results page is a never-ending quest for Internet business owners. But guess what? I’ve found that banging out a few short articles - on a subject I already know - has a powerful effect on the amount of traffic my websites get. And you can harness this power for yourself by following a few simple guidelines.

You may be wondering how much a little article can REALLY do for search engine rankings. Well… more than you would think. For instance, as I’m writing this, the keyword phrase “sell a reality show” brings up three links on Google to articles I’ve written and posted on article-publishing sites. And those three links are all in the top-10 organic search results. (Remember, unlike pay-per-click advertising, you don’t pay anything to be in organic search results.)

Since most people don’t look past the first few pages of organic results, this is a major coup.

When a person clicks on one of those links, they find my article and a link to the website where I market my course on how to sell a reality show to Hollywood. Those highly ranked articles have attracted more than 10,000 visitors to this site.

If you’re interested in getting free traffic to your website, publishing articles is one of the best and easiest ways to do it. (You have to admit that the results I just mentioned are pretty impressive.) And I’ve discovered a few “rules” that will help you achieve maximum success.

Rule #1: Post your articles on high-traffic sites where they’re likely to get read.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of websites that allow you to post articles. I’ve tried at least 20 of them - and not all have gotten me a significant number of reads. (Most article-publishing sites have tracking tools so you know how many people are reading your article and clicking through to your link.)

To improve your chances, search for the keyword or keyword phrase you want your article to rank for. If an article-publishing site comes up when you plug in that term, your article will likely come up too when you post it there. I also now check the volume of articles on the website, the quality of articles posted on it, and whether the site seems to be well established. (My postings that got few reads have been with new sites.)

The three article-submission sites I’ve had the most success with - achieving high rankings for specific keywords - are Wikihow.com, Howtodothings.com, and Ezinearticles.com. But there are many others - so do some digging before you start posting.

Rule #2: Understand the way the site works.

When I first posted on Wikihow, I included a link to my website in the body of the copy. I was bombarded by angry e-mails from people who felt that this was too commercial for the site - and it was. One reader moved my link to the resource part of the page, which is where it belonged. And since then, everything has been fine.

With Wikihow, other people can edit your articles. Maybe that’s okay with you, but if you’re going to post on this site, it’s something you should be aware of.

There are things you need to be aware of with any article-submission site. Many require you to customize your article to fit a certain style. Some, for instance, want you to write your advice as steps that the reader should take. There might be a section for warnings or suggestions. Or a specific way to insert the link to your site.

Because there are so many differences in the way these sites work, I don’t recommend using any kind of software that will supposedly post your articles to hundreds of them. Each submission has to be done individually and properly.

Rule #3: Make sure your content is good.

Telling you to “make sure your content is good” may sound obvious - but it’s important. Most article-publishing websites allow readers to post comments. And the more positive comments your article gets, the more likely it is that other readers will want to read it. On the other hand, if your article doesn’t include much good, specific, useful information, it will probably get bad ratings and/or reviews. Even worse, an article with no real substance won’t convince readers that you know your stuff… and they won’t be inclined to visit your site.

Unfortunately, there are some people out there who seem to get a kick out of being super-critical, so even a good article can get a handful of negative reviews. Don’t let it bother you. If the quality is there, other readers will come to your defense.

By the way, you don’t have to be a talented writer to write articles that will get the attention you’re looking for. If you’re stuck for an idea, try this one from David Cross: Interview an expert in your field - maybe even yourself. In my experience, the interview format never fails to produce great content.

While there are many effective ways to market online, the ones I’m interested in are those that cost little to nothing. Posting articles on popular article-submission sites has gotten me plenty of free exposure - and some amazing results in terms of organic search engine rankings on Google.

Try it!

[Ed. Note: Marketing your business online doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor. In fact, starting an online business is one of the most inexpensive ways to create your own fortune. This fall, you can get 12 insider secrets to making millions online - and could be making $1.2 million or more in 2009.

Paul Lawrence is an expert on entrepreneurship. For dozens of business-savvy techniques and strategies that you won't find in any business-college textbook, check out Paul's Street Smart Business Program. For dozens of "no-nonsense" tactics for the small-business entrepreneur, click here. ]

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Muscle Myth Buster

By Craig Ballantyne

You can burn an extra 50 calories per day just by gaining a pound of muscle - right? Wrong! That is a myth, one that won’t go away

I just read it yet again - in an article written by a doctor, no less. “Let’s compare two 250-pound people,” the doctor says. “Although they weigh exactly the same, person B has 10 more pounds of muscle mass than person A. That means that person B can eat an extra 350 to 500 calories per day without gaining any weight!”

This is the absolute worst thing you can say to someone who is overweight. You are giving them an excuse to eat even more.

“Oh, it’s okay,” they’ll say to themselves. “I boosted my metabolism by 500 calories because I gained 10 pounds of muscle. An extra scoop? Oh sure, why not? I’ll just gain another 10 pounds and then I can have an extra 1,000 calories per day.”

Nonsense! Overeating is their problem in the first place.

So let’s use some common sense.

Let’s say a man weighs 160 pounds. He’ll burn about 2,000 calories when he’s at rest.

According to this ridiculous myth, if he gains 10 pounds, his resting metabolic rate will increase to 2,500 calories per day. If he gains 20 pounds, he’ll burn 3,000 calories per day… at rest!

Anyone can see that this logic is flawed. Gaining 20 pounds of muscle will not add 1,000 calories to your resting metabolism. There are very few adults, if any, with a resting metabolic rate of 3,000 calories.

You do not increase your metabolism by 50 calories per pound of muscle added. Period. You lose weight by building muscle, yes - because it helps burn fat. But you ALSO need to eat well, which means cutting back on high-carb, high-sugar foods.

[Ed. Note: Losing weight and getting fit is a two-step process...

Step 1. Eat well. Get advice on what to eat and healthy recipes you can make at home right here.

Step 2. Exercise. Discover exercises that burn fat and build muscle right here.]

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The Language Perfectionist: The Wizard of Was

By Don Hauptman

What’s wrong with these sentences?

• “He acts as if he was the boss.”
• “What if war was outlawed?”
• “I wish I was taller.”

Of course, each “was” should be “were.” But why?

The rule is that if the statement is hypothetical or otherwise contrary to fact, the subjunctive “were” is correct. That’s easy to remember, isn’t it?

You may occasionally encounter, or write, a sentence in which it’s open to debate whether the situation described is real or hypothetical, and thus whether “was” or “were” is the right choice. But such cases are rare. Most of the time, the correct word is obvious.

This is yet another battle that we language purists may be losing. But those who are educated and respect language know the rules. If you flout them, you may be judged illiterate, low class, or unworthy of an important assignment or promotion. So it often pays to observe conventional wisdom.

You’ve probably heard the song “If I Were a Rich Man” from the musical Fiddler on the Roof. A Russian peasant who doesn’t even speak English got it right! So no one has an excuse.

[Ed Note: For more than three decades, Don Hauptman was an award-winning independent direct-response copywriter and creative consultant. He is author of The Versatile Freelancer, an e-book recently published by AWAI that shows writers and other creative professionals how to diversify their careers into speaking, consulting, training, and critiquing.]

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It’s Good to Know: A Business Idea With a Humanitarian Purpose

A group of students from the Michigan Institute of Technology came up with a business idea to help people in Third World countries. Many live under roofs made of thin metal. The metal roofs are cheap, fireproof, and fairly sturdy. However, they let out heat when it’s cold outside, increase heat when it’s hot outside, and cause a racket when it’s raining.

To solve these problems, the students designed insulation panels made of straw (or some other handy material) bound with local resins. The panels are installed beneath the metal roofs.

To get the business started, the students applied for and won thousands in grant money. They created a blueprint for putting the insulation together, wrote up instructions on how to install the panels, and organized a company to manufacture them. Local organizations and a straw manufacturer have gotten on board with the project.

(Source: MIT News)

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Word to the Wise: Redress

To “redress” (rih-DRES) - from the French for “to straighten” - is to make something right; to repair, make amends, or relieve from.

Example (as used by Pauline Maier in American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence): “Before adjourning in October 1774, the First Continental Congress called for the convening of another congress at Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, only if Britain had not redressed the Americans’ grievances.”
[Ed. Note: Become a more persuasive writer and speaker ... build your self-confidence and intellect ... increase your attractiveness to others ... just by spending 10 VERY enjoyable minutes a day with ETR's new Words to the Wise CD Library.]

Copyright ETR, LLC, 2008

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