Saturday, December 31, 2005

Internet or Brick & Mortar - Start A Business Today

Make your New Years resolution to grow your business.

If you live in a country full of rules, regulations, and restrictive laws you know how hard it is to start a business. - It can take years, and thousands of dollars, to make it happen.

There is not much you can do about your silent partner, your government. They will let you take the risk, let you put up the money and effort. They will even put discouraging hurdles in your way that might stop you. At the end, if it works, they will want a large share of your profits.

The physical way out of this is to move and find a more business friendly location.


There is another, eaisier and less expensive option for starting a business.


You are on the web, you have probably subscribed to services or bought things on the web; so do others.

You can start a web based, Internet business today, - right now.

You can do it the way I'm doing it, slowly gaining knowledge and understanding by blogging and creating sites, or hit that short cut
right now button above.

It takes time to start and build a business. Maybe you can become a professional blogger if you are willing to work at it, many
will succeed in this field by skill and effort.

The other route is to build a web site and make it effective. You can start ignorant like myself and slowly learn; notice the difference in my first site Charity Partners and my second site Bastiat Free University. I'm getting better, someday I may be competent.

Maybe.

If you are not stubborn, and do not enjoy building complex items without instructions; - there is that first, simple, right now method, to start an internet business.

You know you.

Sitesell has simple tools to build a complex website, and do it right, right now. From hosting, to site name selection, through generating traffic, they have a one stop shop.

To start your internet business, or make a new one, check out the offerings at Sitesell.

One offering you will appreciate, - real people to answer your questions!

That's right, service and support for your internet business, from real people.


Start an Internet business today, grow it starting tomorrow.


Allan

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night

A wonderful Holiday season to all.

And for you that abstain, a jolly holly humbug to you also.

Best wishes to all.

Allan

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Thursday, December 22, 2005

Tsunami Hitchhiker is now The Sovereign Speculator

I have used The Sovereign Speculator name before, in a galaxy far, far away.

I played with the idea of other names.

Blog 'em Dano; Hawaii 5.1

or

A slice of pi; Web 3.14159265

And other cute stuff.

The Sovereign Speculator suits.

So let it be written - so let it be done.

.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Sovereignty of State

I'll put down some loose thoughts on sovereignty, you can add your personal twist to them.

Sovereignty can be claimed and not recognized, or partially recognized, or even danced around like in Taiwan.

Just a bit of mega history to start.

We won't talk about evolution here, your views will have an impact on your understanding, however very few will have an open mind on the subject. Why loose readers here when I can loose them latter.

Prior to the agricultural revolution our forefathers were likely all wandering tribes of hunter seekers. These tribes were usually extended family units, with what we assume were various structures; matriarchal, patriarchal, or some form of choosing a leader based on competence. In most cases the word for stranger was probably the same word as for enemy.

At some point the hunter seekers would find an area where the seeking was particularly good and settle down. As farming developed, local animals became scarce and farming became even more important. Then, as now, some decided it was easier to hunt and seek by stealing from those that were settled; consider it an advanced form of hunting seeking.

A warrior class developed, either wandering and stealing, or exercising power in one area to defend it from the wandering tribes. This was the foundation of government, a warrior class that taxed and intimidated locals, but protected their area from assault by warriors less involved in local affairs.

I read an account by a businessman in Russia right after the Soviet Union collapsed. His reference to the Russian Mafia control was that it was an improvement over what had reigned before, and actually gave him an advantage over competitors in other countries. The Russian Mafia was content to take 10% of his gross income, let him run his business, and kept other leaches away, The Mafia was his government.

Today, no matter what it says, a government's first priority is the continuance of itself. As C. F. Bastiat said, "Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state. They forget that the state wants to live at the expense of everyone."

The next time the government tells you what it wants to give, remember the government does not produce anything. The only way it can give something is if it steals it from someone else first. Remember the government will also first take and use most of what it steals for itself.

As Thomas Jefferson said:

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."

Your life is your own,
you can decide if you wish to recognize someone's claim of sovereignty over you. A government does not own you because you were born within its temporary boundaries, any more than mainland China owns Taiwan just because it says it does. You own yourself and should decide what your own life is worth, and how it will be spent.

The Sovereign Speculator

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Friday, December 16, 2005

Nigeria Finds A Way To Prosperity

Nigeria does what others will not even talk about.


The first thing to notice in this report is an honest admission by a government official that government is often the least efficient way to achieve a purpose.


The second thing to notice is that they will let people work themselves out of poverty.


If this report is to be believed, it may be the most creative piece of leadership I've seen from a government in decades.


"Let me restate government 's commitment to providing the enabling environment and support for effective and sustainable micro finance development in Nigeria."


I prefer private outreach for micro financing, but an "enabling environment and support" hopefully means government getting itself out of the way.


HURRAY!


If "first world" countries could shove aside their huge egos, they might find a key here to relieving their poverty problems. From Orleans, France to New Orleans, Louisiana - remove the blocks of red tape, high tax, and regulation; then give the poor a hand up.


Folks want to succeed, they want their children to have a better future than they are experiencing.



Nigeria is showing the world how to help the poor.


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Thursday, December 15, 2005

Finance Is Fun, Speculation Rules!

Speculation Rules!

The speculation that this would change to a blog on financial speculation appears to have been a bit hasty.

I've decided to keep the Tsunami Hitchhiker what it is. This is a place where I can drop thoughts that don't fit anywhere else.

When I was in High School I dropped into a local brokers office, I knew the manager's daughter, he was the mayor of the city.

He hooked me up with two stocks, "down a bit, but sure to come back." He earned a small commission, I lost all my money. That is why I majored in Finance in college, I had learned my first lesson in speculation:

No one cares more about your money than you do.

I've played and tried to win big, and lose small in the markets ever since. I've gained experience in all kinds of speculations. That was my second speculation rule:

All investment are speculations.

I have decided to start another blog, just on speculative finance. It is one day old today, it will not be really running until January, but it does have some posts up already.

If you had not guessed the new blog is called:
Speculation Rules!


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Wednesday, December 14, 2005

More Change For The Hitchhiker

Next year the Tsunami Hitchhiker will change again.

The Hitchhiker started as a combination finance and poker blog. Some of the poker only posts have been removed, but there is still a lot of poker and finance content in the early posts.

Finance and poker have a lot in common. To win at either you have to watch your investment size, keep losses small, and make big wins. Success at either usually involves many small losses, but big victories that make it all worth while. Go back to the first few months to review.

Next the Hitchhiker became a rants page. My other blogs don't have the format for going off the diving board into the deep end. The Hitchhiker allowed all kinds of wonderful blow off space, there will probably be less of that in the future, although an occasional rant may explode out of confinement.

The Hitchhiker was conceived as a venue to generate cash for charities, it has been underwhelming in that role. We will see how that changes, and if we can contribute more from here, to charity, next year.

What I hope is to make The Tsunami Hitchhiker into more of a finance information source. Parallels to other disciplines will remain, and time permitting this will be at least a daily source of pointers and investment opportunities. Of course I will still try to notice and participate in emerging fads, such as poker was.

If you notice a fad starting, please comment on it, fads are fun for all of us to follow.

Life is good.

Finance is fun.

Expect a regular dose of that come January.

Allan.

Monday, December 12, 2005

Mortgage roulette

Will this mortgage be the bullet?

Many years ago I managed real estate offices during a real estate market in shambles.

Prices were dropping on houses. Creative financing was exploding, loans were being deserted, alone with the houses they were secured against.

Real estate prices dropped by at least a third from their highs, in special situations even further.

This time it will be worse.

I don't know when the mortgage bullet will be in the chamber, but each raise of interest rates is a spin of the cylinder and a pull of the trigger.

As a parallel I remember when Money magazine put out an article on unloved stocks, probably beck in the 1980s. Intel was at a PE under 5; that was a great time to buy. In the year 2000 Intel and its ilk were highly touted and even higher priced, a good time to sell.

Today real estate is highly touted, refi loans and equity cashouts are common. It is a good time to sell.

You know your situation, - is there a way to reduce risk and take some profits?

Consider your options.

The end could be tomorrow morning, or 5 years from now, - no one knows when. What we do know is the end was not yesterday, and we still have some profits in our real estate to protect. Consider your loan position of your properties, perhaps your mortgage has a short, hot fuse.

What is next? read this for a solid guess.

Make up your own mind.

If you have had a great ride on real estate, perhaps it is time for a break and some thought.

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Thursday, December 08, 2005

Goin' Medieval

.

This is worth the wait. It does take a long time to load.

It is interesting.

Heavy animation and music, with a bit of statement, but at least it has a message.

It is a video that is a bit different from the standard fair.

I think.


Allan

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This is a wonderful opportunity if you are in education, or if you just want to read essays by great thinkers.

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Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Quick Response by the NSA

I had posted about the National Speakers Association on December first.


It was in a story at the dreampower blog that was principally about Toastmasters.


On December seventh
I received a periodical from the NSA. It talked of writing your own book, public speaking, and six or seven figure incomes. I have known many folks in the NSA that did exactly that.


These guys are Professional, and they understand marketing very well
. Their quick response to their own incoming link tracking speaks volumes. The NSA does have local chapters with meetings, check one out.


I'll go ahead and repost the story, it is short, and may be quite valuable for you:



Toastmasters International

Learn public speaking, overcome your fears, at Toastmasters.

One of your keys to personal success is not just public speaking, or comfort while public speaking, - but enjoying public speaking.


I dropped out of speech courses in college, I hated the pressure without reward that was involved. When I had graduated I took a job teaching, forcing myself to be at the front of the room. I also joined
Toastmasters, and learned a great deal just by attending.


At one point I made a living as a public speaker, and was part of the National Speakers Association of professional speakers. I don't belong to NSA or Toastmasters today, but both helped form who I am.


Like ethical associates, those that enjoy public speaking are a rare and necessary component of most businesses' success. If you wish to be one of those individuals, you are well ahead of others that cower at the thought of presenting.


Toastmasters is a simple easy route for acclimating yourself to speaking in public.


If there is a Toastmasters club in your area, visit a meeting. You will find many folks like yourself; smart, friendly, and eager to experience growth. If they are available, visit several public speaking groups in your area, find the one where you fit in best. In the structured environment of Toastmasters you will be led slowly into first comfort, and then pleasure, at expressing yourself in public.


If there are no Toastmasters clubs in your area you can still
learn to enjoy public speaking; - Click => start your own Toastmasters club.

.

Friday, December 02, 2005

The Two Major Island Tax Havens

World wide tax breaks.

I normally prefer to use links to an article rather than print the whole thing. This was in an email though, just a small part of the informative A-Letter put out by former congressman Bob Bauman. This excessive tax protection information is well worth the read:



Two Major Island Tax Havens

Dear A-Letter Reader:

I often get either knowing or incredulous reactions when I mention in my public talks that the two leading tax havens in the world in total assets are islands, not the Caymans or Bermuda, but Manhattan and the City of London.

The truth is that, for anyone in the world except their own citizens, the U.S. and the U.K. are major tax havens, allowing foreigners to invest, own real estate, and make all sorts of profits, while avoiding almost all of the domestic taxes each nation imposes on their own. In the case of the United States, this contradictory tax policy allows billions of dollars, euros, and other currencies to be invested in US government bonds that keep the deficit ridden Bush administration afloat. And this US tax policy also contradicts its own tax grabbing which seeks to impose taxes on every penny Americans earn anywhere in the world. So the US lets foreigners escape nearly tax free, but chases its own citizens for taxes, no matter where they live or where they earn their income.

London is, for the very wealthy, the tax-free capital of the western world. If you're planning to come to the UK, whether short-term or permanently, you'll discover a tax regime that can be as welcoming as any tax haven anywhere in the world, so long as you plan ahead carefully.

UK tax liability is dependent on whether you are UK resident, UK ordinarily resident or UK domiciled, all legal terms that make the difference in whether you, as a foreigner, can live free of the taxes Her Majesty's Labour Government impose in copious amounts. A major and very attractive loophole in British tax law allows foreigners with "substantial ties" to another nation to live in the UK free of taxes on their offshore earnings. Nearly two million foreigners live there and an estimated 60,000 of the wealthiest escape the terribly high income and other taxes that Tony Blair's Labour government imposes on most of its regimented citizens.

Even though the UK is one of the loudest screamers against what the OECD calls the "unfair tax competition" from admitted tax havens, one never hears the UK government admit that it is one of the leading tax havens of the world - at least for rich resident foreigners. The US, the other leading tax haven, although quiet on the issue of tax havens, is where non-US foreigners invest in America and finance the US trillions in national debt and trade deficits.

For years the Labour Party has run on a vague promise to abolish this rich foreigner loophole. Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, the would-be next Prime Minister, has threatened to close the loophole, after several time wasting studies on the subject. And every year in his budget, Brown has left the loophole wide open -- and kept on studying. That may be because many of these wealthy foreigners who live in the UK contribute large sums to Labour Party campaigns.

The point of this review is to show that some of the major nations of the world, who loudly attack smaller jurisdictions like Panama or Hong Kong, are in fact themselves tax havens. And there is nothing wrong with low or no taxes anywhere in the world, be they large or small.

That's the way that it looks from here.

BOB BAUMAN, Editor




I had a post a week or two ago on PT the perpetual travelers, this fits in just fine.


I would suggest that you visit the site that provides the free A-Letter emails. They are always informative, and you can cancel anytime. These are honest and honorable people, a nice change from the wackos and weenies that assault our ears every night.

Read the smart stuff.

Allan



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