Issue #2536

• WEALTHY: What the recession means for the stock market (Andrew Gordon)
• HEALTHY: 7 ways to protect yourself from cellphones (Dr. Al Sears)
• WISE: Albert Einstein on the penalty for enjoyment

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

• How to develop a brand "organically" (Michael Masterson & MaryEllen Tribby)
• Tell the truth – even if it costs you a sale (Paul Lawrence)
• It’s Fun to Know… about the coldest cold
• Add "exilic" to your vocabulary

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The Secret to Success:  It’s NOT Knowing Exactly What to Do…

Historical studies show time and again that there’s a distinct reason some people are successful and others aren’t. The secret?  Successful people have realized that it’s not just what they learned but how they learned it.

Ever noticed that you can read the right book or listen to the right CD and still not know how to put the right practice into place?   That’s because it’s not about what you learn or even your capabilities – it’s about how you learn and the methods of learning that you choose.

There is only one method that through the centuries has delivered 100% EVERY time: Work with a master as an apprentice, one-on-one. Only then can true education take place.  Only then can you truly implement what you have learned, because you “learn by doing” from someone who has already succeeded.

Find out NOW what it takes to be mentored by the BEST – those who have already been there!

Economy and Markets Often Go Separate Ways

By Andrew M. Gordon

It’s official. We’re in a recession. So it’s a good time to explore how the stock market does when the gross domestic product (GDP) goes down.

Since we’ve had negative S&P 500 growth in every quarter of our current recession – which began a year ago this month – it may seem that a falling economy is always accompanied by a falling stock market. But this is not true.

The most recent examples of this not happening are the fourth quarter of 1990 and the first quarter of 1991. GDP dropped 3 percent and 2 percent respectively, but the S&P grew.

In the post-WWII period, there have been 36 quarters when the GDP has shrunk. During those periods, the S&P actually gained 1.03 percent.

One reason for this is that the markets tend to rebound 3-5 months before a recession ends. That very last quarter of a recession usually shows significant market growth. And the next-to-last quarter also often shows positive growth.

This recession will continue well into next year (at the very least). But that, by itself, doesn’t automatically mean the markets will continue to contract.

If there are signs of economic recovery in housing or retail or auto markets, for example, the S&P could very well rally. Unfortunately, I expect the economic news to continue to be bad. And as long as it is, it’ll be hard, if not impossible, for the markets to turn back up.

There’s no need to rush back into the market at this point, especially when you can get 6-8 percent interest on investment-grade bonds at very little risk. If you like tax-advantaged bonds, municipal bonds are also offering attractive interest rates. 

[Ed. Note: The corporate world is having a tough time, but you can still make money if you pay attention to the "red flags" - signals that can predict (with as much as 92 percent certainty) when a company's stock is going to tank. Know that, and you could make a bundle. Find out how to spot these red flags right here.]

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 "The devil has put a penalty on all things we enjoy in life. Either we suffer in health or we suffer in soul or we get fat."

Albert Einstein

Can Cellphones Really Give You Cancer?

By Al Sears, MD

Some people think Senator Kennedy’s cellphone caused it.

He was diagnosed last year with a malignant "glioma," a kind of brain cancer specifically considered a risk for cellphone users.

Should you be worried?

The truth is, cellphones have not been around long enough to give us the kind of long-term studies we really need to know for sure.

And the research is conflicting. Some studies show no increased risk. So I’m not ready to tell my readers and patients that cellphones definitely cause cancer. The FDA says, "The available scientific evidence does not show that any health problems are associated with using wireless phones." But they then add, "There is no proof, however, that wireless phones are absolutely safe."

Some of the most up-to-date research suggests that there is some cause for concern. Here’s what I know:

• Researchers in Israel found last year that people who used cellphones heavily experienced a 58 percent increase in "parotid tumors" – a cancer of the saliva gland near the ear.

• Another study last year, this one out of Sweden, concluded that cellphone users are 10 times more likely to develop benign cancers of the ear and brain.

• Several animal studies have found that the kind of radiation cellphones use can damage DNA in brain cells. Damaged DNA is one of the things that can turn healthy cells into cancer cells.

Cellphones use microwaves called "radio frequency radiation" (RF) to transmit signals. Their antennae emit most of the RF, and since you’re holding the phone right next to your ear most of the time, a lot of it penetrates the brain – as much as 60 percent, according to some studies.

Depending on the size of your head and the amount of radiation coming from the specific type of phone you use, you may be literally "cooking" your brain. RF energy can potentially cause the temperature of your brain tissue to rise slightly.

To protect yourself from any potential risk from cellphone RF, here are a few guidelines:

• Keep cellphone calls short.

• Go with a "hands-free" headset or a speakerphone. These keep the cellphone from direct contact with your head.

• Don’t carry your cellphone in your chest or hip pocket. Even when in "standby" mode, cellphones continue to emit radiation, exposing whichever part of your body is closest.

• When using a hands-free headset, let the wire extend fully between your head and the phone. This distributes RF in small amounts along the length of your body rather than concentrating it in any one location.

• Look for a phone with "voice-activated" features. These enable you to place calls and perform other commands without having to hold the phone close to your head.

• Use a standard "land line" whenever possible.

• Find out the level of RF emissions for your cellphone. If the level is high, replace the phone.

Cellphones come with emissions ratings known as "SARs" (specific absorption rates). These range from 0.5 to 1.6 W/kg (watts of power absorbed per kilogram of body tissue). Avoid any cellphone that falls within range of that upper limit.

The FDA provides SAR ratings for most kinds of cellphones and other wireless devices online. You’ll need to locate your cellphone’s FCC ID number, which is usually located somewhere on the case of the phone or in the battery compartment.

Meanwhile, my Wellness Research team’s tracked down the SAR ratings for some commonly used cellphones:

Don’t wait for proof positive that cellphone use can harm you. Using my guidelines, take steps right now to protect yourself.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure. He is also a nutrition expert, a fitness expert, and is board certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Find Dr. Sears's practical solutions and get immediate access to more than 500 of his articles by visiting http://www.alsearsmd.com/ETR/

For more on the latest health breakthroughs - plus healthy recipes, easy exercise routines, and more - check out ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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== Highly Recommended ==

Why Get Your Hands Dirty When You Don’t Have to?

Where there’s a stampede, there’s an opportunity…

Thousands of wannabe entrepreneurs have jumped on a bandwagon to find, fix-up and flip foreclosures.

They thought they were being smart. They thought they were doing the opposite to the crowd and had the license to print money.

Little do they know… they ARE the crowd!

Now, please don’t misunderstand me. It’s a fact that many properties (sadly) are becoming available at rock bottom prices due to foreclosure. It’s also a fact that a few people are making money by flipping foreclosures…

And they’re earning every penny (when it all works out)!

Flipping foreclosures may sound great in principle, but stop and think about what you have to go through to achieve that…

Not my idea of easy money.

So what if I could wave a magic wand and show you a way to cash in on the foreclosure situation WITHOUT the need for ANY of the hard work?

How to Establish "Brand Presence" – Even If You’re Not a Brand Marketer

By Michael Masterson & MaryEllen Tribby

The end goals of direct-response marketing (DRM) and brand marketing are entirely different. Direct response wants to get the customer to provide information or open his wallet. Branding, on the other hand, wants to get the customer to remember the product.

But today, with the power of the Internet behind them, branding and DRM work more closely together… closer than they ever have in the history of advertising.

Think about Early to Rise. Because ETR is a true daily – delivered seven days a week and reaching close to 450,000 people – it has developed a certain "brand presence."

By "brand presence," we mean that ETR has a specific look and feel. It has a strong mission statement and specific core values. These are aspects of our "brand" that have been with us since ETR’s inception.

All of the products we produce carry our logo. So when you see our banner ads on other websites and text ads in other newsletters, you know by the logo that the ads come from ETR.

But at its heart, ETR is not a brand marketer. ETR is a direct-response e-newsletter. That’s how we developed our subscriber list. That’s how we’ve grown our business. And because we’ve been consistent with our message, our values, and our product quality, we’ve been able to create a brand presence that other people recognize. A brand can develop organically from good direct-response marketing.

For most small businesses (the non-Cokes and non-Nikes of the world), this is the best way to grow. Spend your money on great multi-channel direct-response campaigns and let your brand develop while you make money.

[Ed. Note: The above article is an excerpt from Changing the Channel: 12 Easy Ways to Make Millions for Your Business, the best-selling book by MaryEllen Tribby and Michael Masterson. You don't have to be a CEO to put Changing the Channel's 12 Profit Accelerators into action. They can work whether you're a brand-new employee... or an entrepreneur... or the head honcho. If you don't yet have your copy of Changing the Channel, order it today.]

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Help Yourself by Putting Your Customers First

By Paul Lawrence

An insurance agent named Tolbert had a remarkable ability to sell insurance. He’d been trained to sell people the most insurance that he could and he did it well, according to Stedman Graham in his book Build Your Own Life Brand. But although Tolbert was very successful, he was not happy.

Deep in his heart, he didn’t feel right about pushing people to buy more insurance than they probably needed. So, he changed his ways and started telling prospects the truth. If they asked him about policies they didn’t really need, he told them why he didn’t recommend them – even if it cost him a larger commission.

Then something happened that Tolbert hadn’t anticipated. His income didn’t drop. In fact, it shot way up. Turns out his clients had learned to trust him so much that they not only took all their insurance business to him, they enthusiastically recommended him to their friends and relatives.

I’m not surprised. I’ve found that whenever I’ve truthfully told a customer that the product he was interested in really wasn’t right for someone in his particular situation, I may have lost that sale… but almost always ended up gaining a long-term customer who bought many more of my products down the road.

Certain people skills are a crucial factor for success in business – and putting the needs of your customers first is one of them. You’ll find that your own interests will get served in the process.

[Ed. Note: Selling is not about making money - it's about solving your customers' problems. Get the skinny on this fundamental marketing principle - plus, dozens more sales strategies that work - right here.

Paul Lawrence is a produced screenwriter and successful small-business entrepreneur specializing in low-capital business start-ups. Get more information on his strategies for success right here. 

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It's Fun to Know: The Coldest Cold

Think it's cold outside? Well, it could be a lot colder.

Theoretically, absolute zero - zero on the Kelvin scale - is the lowest possible temperature. It is the point at which the atoms in a substance are completely at rest, transmitting no thermal energy. Zero on the Kelvin scale is the equivalent of minus 459.67 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 273.15 degrees Centigrade.

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== Highly Recommended ==

Stuck With the Short End of the Stick in Life?

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Word to the Wise: Exilic

"Exilic" (eg-ZIL-ik) - from the Latin for "wanderer" - pertains to exile or banishment. It can describe people who have been forcibly removed from their native country, as well as those who have voluntarily chosen to live someplace else.

Example (as used by Joseph O'Neill in The Atlantic): "[James Joyce and Samuel Beckett] were glamorously exilic, highly photogenic, eminently stern of artistic purpose."

[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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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2008 at 5:10 am and is filed under Daily Issues .