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<title>Latest Articles by michaelh</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/</link>
<description>Articles at Populate.NET</description>
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<title>Your Stock Trading Efforts Are Doomed To Failure Without This</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Stock_Market_Investing/your-stock-trading-efforts-are-doomed-to-failure-without-this.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Stock_Market_Investing/your-stock-trading-efforts-are-doomed-to-failure-without-this.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ So many traders seem to lose money, or at best are just fortunate to break even in the stock market. Have you ever wondered why?

Quite often, beginning traders get excited when they get lucky and one or two of their stock picks turns into a profitable trade. The thought then naturally follows that this "stock trading thing is pretty easy!" With so many books, magazines and info available on the internet devoted to trading and investing strategies, the excited trader then starts devouring every bit of information they can get hold of. Their new-found knowledge will certainly ensure success - right?

Quite possibly, with this newly acquired plethora of knowledge, trading can go pretty well for a time. Sooner or later, at some point when they hit a snag and see their profits starting to dwindle, the thought then naturally occurs "what am I doing wrong?" It can be both frustrating and disappointing. It's not monopoly money you're playing with, after all.

"Time to hit the books again, must've missed something - maybe go online, check out the chat rooms. What's everyone else doing? Maybe it's time to put some money into that 'Super-Trader' software version 5.0. That'll fix things. Now I can make money like the 'real traders' do."

So the new software is installed. Just fire it up, and let it tell you when and what to buy or sell... And don't forget to use what you learned from the latest trading book, just purchased from Amazon - it had lots of 5 star reviews after all... Got all the latest trading charts, that'll signal when the stocks are at their high for the last 52 weeks... You get the picture. The trader has acquired a lot of valuable knowledge about the stock market and trading methods - but they're all over the place!

Time to reign things in and get a real Stock Trading Plan. That's what's been missing from the start. Even when you set out with the best of intentions, and armed to the teeth with all the knowledge available - if there isn't a proper Trading Plan to follow, you're doomed to failure. You just can't implement everything at the same time. You have to pick a few strategies - and stick with them. 

It seems so simple, doesn't it? But in our information age, it's so easy to get overwhelmed with all the available knowledge; use a little of this, a little of that, and you just end up hurting yourself and getting discouraged. It's wise to use a few strategies when you know how to implement them, and that in itself becomes a strategy that will work for you when you know what you're doing.

It's more than wise to devote some time to create a stock trading plan for yourself - and stay the course. Stick with your plan, and make adjustments along the way. See what works and what doesn't work so well for you. In doing that you will educate yourself by understanding the why of what works and what doesn't. This can only help to improve your overall trading plan.

Learn from your mistakes - like every other trader has done before you. Don't give up, only to start over from scratch. Put your lessons to good use in adjusting your trading plan. But above all - have a plan. ]]></description>
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<title>Risky Business & Style: What Kind Of Investor Are You?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Investing/risky-business-and-style-what-kind-of-investor-are-you.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Finance/Investing/risky-business-and-style-what-kind-of-investor-are-you.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Investments, whether stocks, bonds, annuities, etc., can be selected wisely once you have determined what your risk tolerance is and the style of investment that you wish to make.  Even though there are many different types of investments that you can choose from, there are in actual fact only three specific styles which tie in with your risk tolerance.  These three styles include conservative, moderate, and aggressive.

If you find that your risk tolerance is low, then your investment style will most likely be conservative or moderate.  If your risk tolerance is high, then your style will be moderate or aggressive.  You financial goals will help you to determine what style of investing to use.

For example, if you are in your early twenties and are saving for your retirement, then you should use a conservative or moderate style of investing.  However, if you wish to get funds together in order to purchase a home in the next year or two, then you will need to undertake a more aggressive style of investing.

Conservative investors wish to maintain their initial investments.  For example, if they invest $5000, they want to be certain that $5000 is what they receive back.  Common stocks, bonds and short term money market accounts are normally invested in by this sort of investor.

For conservative investors, it is very common for them to invest in an interest earning savings account.  A moderate investor generally invests much like a conservative investor, using a certain amount of their investment funds for higher risk investments.  A majority of moderate investors invest 50% of their investment funds in safe or conservative investments, and then proceed to invest the remaining funds in riskier investments.

Only an aggressive investor is more than willing to risk investing in other areas that others would not generally touch.  Higher amounts of money are invested by aggressive investors in riskier ventures, hoping to achieve larger returns, whether it's over a longer period of time or in the short term.  It is very often a case that aggressive investors have all, or most, of their investments funds tied up in the stock market.

Once again, your financial goals and risk tolerance will determine what style of investing you will use.  Regardless of what type of investing you do, it is always essential that you fully research that investment.  Under no circumstances should you make an investment without being aware of all of the facts.

It's a good idea no matter what your investment style, to find a system that has worked for other investors or traders - if they'll let you in on their secrets. You don't have to re-invent the wheel with your investment strategies. Read. Subscribe to newsletters, and try some systems that allow you free trial periods. Find a proven method or two, stay the course, and your investment style will pay off for you. ]]></description>
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<title>Why Would You Need "Remote" Data Backup?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Data_Recovery/why-would-you-need-remote-data-backup.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Data_Recovery/why-would-you-need-remote-data-backup.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Well, almost everything important nowadays seems to be stored in our computers. Let's face it, in our information-oriented society, you can't afford to lose your valuable data. Doing so could possibly be the end of one's business at worst, and at the very least, the loss of many important legal and financial documents, family photos (since we're all going digital now) important emails, and, well, you get the idea.

Besides the smart option of having an external hard drive, (more on that later) you may want to consider a remote data backup system for your home or business computers. This allows you to keep copies of your critical information and data files at a secured data center well away from your office or home - and away from the natural disasters that might be limited to your home or business location. These online data backup businesses have become more popular in recent years out of necessity, really; hurricanes in Florida and the Gulf states, floods in the mid-west, and power failures across entire states a few years ago.

Remote data backups can be provided for all electronic data in your home or office. In case of system failures, natural disasters, viruses, fires, and theft, you won't have to pull your hair out wondering what you're going to do to replace the lost data. Insurance can cover your equipment, but lost data is, well, lost. If you do happen lose a file or photo, or if it gets corrupted, (which happens more than I'd like to admit) you only have to log in to your remote data backup account, and access the saved version of the file.

Remote data backup systems are a godsend to small and medium-sized business, and perhaps most especially for those members of our society that are increasingly working from home. Small businesses and home offices can't usually afford a tech team of their own, not to mention entire backup servers and such. So knowing that there is always a backup to your important data available can give one incredible peace of mind.

Another important asset to having your data backed up via an online service, is the ability to access any of it while on the road. If you have to access your data while away from home or office, you only need the specific access codes given to you by your provider to access the data.

Oh, remember I mentioned backing up your data with external hard drives? My sister, who is a photographer and travels extensively, backed up her photos on an external hard drive and lost many important photos when her 2 month old hard drive failed. The company agreed to replace the drive at no cost of course, but the damage was already done - photos lost. As for me, a graphic designer and internet marketer, I've looked around for the best solutions to keep my art and data files safe and secure. An external hard drive is a big help, but not a complete solution. Seems like backing up your data through an online "remote" service just makes sense. ]]></description>
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<title>How Does An Automated Backup Service Work?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Data_Recovery/how-does-an-automated-backup-service-work.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Data_Recovery/how-does-an-automated-backup-service-work.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Quite simply, an automated data backup service will back up and store any or all of your computer data files to a remote location automatically. All you need to do is regulate, via the software control panel, how often you want your files to be backed up. Once installed, it is an easy and worry free process of keeping your files safe and secure.

You have control over:

1. The Automated Backup Scheduling:

Set the days of the week and times for automated backups to run. By default, it may be set to run every night at 9 pm. You can also set it to run at a schedule that meets the needs of your particular business.

2. Back up on Demand:

You have the option to back up whenever and as often as you wish with the convenience of one click. It can be set to run a backup while you go out to lunch, or into a meeting. You won't have to worry about your files disappearing while you're away from your computer.

3. Back up when Exiting Windows:

You can set the controls to have the backup software ask you if you'd like to back up your files when you shut down or log out. You can also choose to have it back up your files, then shut down your computer when the task is completed. Perfect for the end of the work day.

4. Backup prompt when connecting to any Network:

This is a ideal option for traveling laptop users. Automated backup software prompts you to back up your computer as soon as an Internet connection is detected. No more lost files while you're on the road! 

So where do your files go, and what do they do with them?

Your data will be sent over an encrypted internet connection, ensuring privacy and security. The files you send are only stored at the remote backup locations - not viewed. The data is also conveniently stored at several locations so that if one site goes down, there is always a backup stored safely at other sites.

I have duplicate files everywhere. Will they all get backed up?

Duplicate File Recognition, an advanced feature, will also identify duplicate files saved in multiple locations (i.e. an email attachment stored in your .pst file and saved elsewhere on your C drive), and only transfers and stores one file instead of all of them.

The automated backup software also detects common program and Windows system files already stored at the data centers and associates them with your account. This further optimizes initial full system backups.

These factors all combine to save significant network time and backup space, and makes nightly backups and restores faster and more efficient - no matter what your internet connection speed.

So, what do you think: Is an automated backup system in your future? I know it's in mine. It's just too easy. ]]></description>
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<title>What Do You Need To Backup Online?</title>
<link>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Data_Recovery/what-do-you-need-to-backup-online.html</link>
<guid>http://www.populate.net/Computers/Data_Recovery/what-do-you-need-to-backup-online.html</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Deciding what information and data files you need to backup online can depend on a few things. The first thing to consider is that most online backup services give you a certain amount of storage either free as a trial, or a limited "starter" account for a small fee. The second thing to consider in choosing what to back up is to ask yourself "what data could you afford to lose if the inevitable actually happened?"

While there are many online backup service options to choose from, each level, or plan, usually has a free trial period. Plans can start out on the low end of about 100 megabytes. If you want additional storage, the subscription amounts will vary up from there, depending on the amount of storage space you'll require. 

Regarding the amount of data you have, you might have to make a few choices about what vital data you really need to back up in order to stay under the storage limit if you're going with a smaller plan. 

Something to consider: the type of data backup choices you make may also depend on the speed of your internet connection. If you have DSL or Cable high speed access, you'll be able to upload large amounts of data in a very short time. If you have a dial-up connection, however, uploading data will could be a slow and tedious process.

Most word processing documents and such are pretty small files, and you can back them up rather quickly no matter what your internet connection speed. If you're planning to back up entire databases, graphic files or large applications though, you may need to be much more selective if you're choosing a limited plan.

What you back up finally depends on whether or not an online service is your main method for backing up your data. If you already back up your data on company-owned or redundant servers, or just external hard drives at home and simply use the online service to access files when you travel, it's a relatively easy decision. You will just back up those few vital files that you think you'll need when you are on the road.

Ultimately, your decision on what data you need to back up will be determined by the cost of possibly losing any or all of it. If you own your own business, it may be wise to have someone take inventory of what you have stored on your machines, then ask the most pessimistic techie-types what would be the worst possible scenario that you would need to be prepared for, and which data is most vital.

In the event of a catastrophe, an online service makes a good primary backup option, and you should make sure that you back up all of your vital data no matter how long it takes. It's just safer that way. A remote service will be well away from any disasters in your local - along with your vital data.

So, what data can you afford to lose? For the little bit of time involved, and the small overall expense, (like the cost of a good cup of coffee per day) you can't afford not backing up your vital files. Especially if the life of your business may depend on it. ]]></description>
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