Gold traditionally moves inversely to the dollar and when the dollar begins to decline in value because of a rough economy, gold usually begins to rally. The problem with the dollar bill is that it isn’t backed by anything of real value. In actuality, it is nothing more than a bunch of numbers and symbols printed on linen paper with fancy ink. Gold, on the other hand, has actual value and cannot be created.

Many investors consider gold to be a safe-haven investment because historically, gold has kept its value when the dollar has not. Because gold is more likely to keep its value, it could be a potential way to cushion your savings in case of inflation.

Gold has many drawbacks as well. One such drawback is the instability of the value of gold. Because the yellow metal tends to do well in a poor economy it may decline in value during a real estate or stock market rally. Another drawback is the fact that, unlike many stocks, gold does not pay dividends on investments.

Ways to Buy Gold

There are several ways to buy gold as an investment. If you have the storage capabilities and prefer to have accesses to your gold then consider purchasing physical gold. This can be in coin of bar form. If you do not have proper storage capacities an EFT may be more appropriate.

Numismatic coins are collectible and often purchased from a coin dealer. If you are planning on buying numismatics than do your research: compare prices and read as much information as you can about the coins you are planning to purchase. It is also important that you find a reputable coin dealer.

Bullion coins are recently minted. The American Gold Eagle is a primary example of a recently minted gold coin. These coins value is reflected by their actual weight and content. They can be purchased from The U.S. Mint, the official mint of the US government.

Bullion bars are most often associated with movies and criminals. They can be purchased from a private firm. The value of a gold bullion bar is reflected in their weight. Bars can be counterfeited easier then coins, so be sure to pick a reputable firm when investing. Bars often bear special markings for authenticity.

Exchange traded Funds (EFTs) are sold on the stock market. Each share that is purchased of an EFT represents a percentage of ownership.  You can purchase EFTs through a broker.

Gold futures have the most potential for generating a lot of money with rather little money down but are very risky. In short, gold futures are betting that gold will gain or lose money by a certain date. If you play your cards right or you are feeling lucky, you can make a lot of cash or be left with a pile of debt. To invest in gold futures, contact a full-service broker.

Mutual funds are more conservative and involve a fund manager investing in a series of stocks and bonds. Your investments will be diversified in order to decrease risk. Mutual funds can usually be purchased by brokers or other financial institutions.

There is some debate over how much to invest in gold. Gold is often less predictable than many think but we can take note of certain trends. A safe investment in gold would be around 5% of your total investment portfolio. A more substantial investment would be in between 15% and 25% of one’s total portfolio.

A career in cosmetology can be fun and exciting. There are loads of opportunities for those with a cosmetology education from an accredited school. Find one near you and apply today.

My research brought me to Yelp, where I was contact directly from a guy named Elliott, who directed me to his reviews. After checking things out, I made an appointment for myself and my son.

The experience I had with Elliott was far better than with any other barber shop in the Las Vegas area.  I have been to The Art of Shaving, and even the barber shop at the Wynn, but Elliot and Co. beat those guy hands down.

Elliot is located off the strip at 8876 South Eastern Ave., suite 102 in Las Vegas.  His number is 702-990-5672.  Give him a call and check him out, you’ll be glad you did.  Also, book early, he fills up quickly.

There was an especially high level of excitement on what the iPad could accomplish in the educational space.  The ability to have all your books on one small device, the idea of a multimedia tablet in the hands of every student, and the thought of a teacher having an interactive clipboard with hundreds of features made just for them, were all reasons for the educators to watch the keynote with great expectations.  But what is the reality of the iPad for schools?

Text Books
The idea of having all a students books on one device was great.  No more headaches of running out of books, or kids forgetting the books for class.  Digital text books would help everyone literally stay on the same page, while also free people of lugging around up to 20 pounds of dead trees.

In reality the technical ability has been around for a while now.  The Amazon Kindle was a breakthrough device that allowed people to read books on a simple device with e-ink technology that eliminated the need for back lighting on the screen.  Users could also purchase books directly wirelessly through Amazon.com.  One problem was the selection of textbooks was never as big as most would have liked, and therefor never achieving the goal of freeing students of carrying some books.  Another problem was the price, which most considered high for a standalone e-book reader.  Other problems, like the lack of color, and limited interactivity with the book, helped the Kindle fall short of an educators dream.

Apple has created a device that looks to be revolutionary for e-books.  The book ordering process is colorful and fun.  Steve Jobs has made it clear that this is a device that is meant for education, and will therefor be going hard after textbook makers.  The touchscreen allows for not only color, but a level of interactivity with text books the Kindle can only dream of.

But there are some areas where the iPad falls short.  First, how the screen looks beautiful and sports colors, this is still a backlit screen, unlike the Kindle e-ink display.  It will likely cause eye strain while reading for over 30 minutes.  Second, the device weighs over double the Kindle, making the iPad a bit more heavy to handle.  There is also the price, which is of course more than a Kindle.

Teaching Applications
If there is one place where the iPad should excel, it’s on custom built applications.  There is little doubt that we will see hundreds of custom applications being built around professionals in just about every area, and teachers will likely be included in this mix.  a custom application built for teachers to track student progress, make notes on assignments, and even auto-grade tests, will likely make the iPad an indispensable part of an educators daily life.  The only thing standing in the way is the price.

Other Problems with the iPad
The chief complaints around the iPad are centered around two areas.  First is that lack of multitasking of third party applications.  This means you cannot have one application running in the background while you work on another.  Since Mail is capable of running in the background, it is unlikely that this will provide too many issues in the education space.  But one issue that could limit the iPad use in education is the lack of Flash support.  Flash Video is the most common form of video used on the Web today.  Many great sites have incorporated Flash video to further learning experience.

Some educational programs, such as universities offering online degrees, use Flash as an essential part of their curriculum.  These schools will have to either create custom Apps for their program, or offer these videos in an iPad friendly format like HTML 5 Video.

Battery Life
One final not to make is on the battery life, which is supposedly set at 10 hours!  This is a big win for educators.  Nothing would kill a device faster than students running out of juice mid-day.  But it also stand to reason that “I ran out of battery” will be the new “I forgot my book” excuse.  And without the option of a removable battery, this could be a whole new issue for teachers to tackle in the classroom.

The Future of iPad in Education
When you consider the possibilities of the iPad in the classroom, there is much to be excited about.

• The possibility of students having all their books in one device.
• The possibility for students to take an interactive quiz at the end of a chapter, and to have that quiz auto-graded and sent to the teacher.
• The ability to video record a class lecture, and have that lecture available to review before the students leave the classroom.
• The ability for teachers to share chalkboard right to each students personal device for easier viewing an interaction.

The possibilities are mind blowing and could be the jolt in the arm needed for a lagging educational system.  Now all that remains is the cost.

The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has calculated and concluded that over $63 billion is lost in work and productivity due to injury or illness.

Employers often encourage employees and executives to seek preventative care. Companies often provide health insurance and sometimes have a wellness program that rewards employees for exercise and physical fitness.

Because of lost productivity and rising insurance costs some companies are teaming up with health care providers to provide a new low cost model for health insurance. This new model, often termed, executive concierge model or executive healthcare, is a customized health program for employers and employees. The primary goal behind executive medicine is to reduce the amount of time lost at work.

More often than not, physicians will travel to company facilities to see employees and will likely be given a physical. Some companies even allow their doctors to maintain and keep an office on company property.

The executive medicine model is a increasing in popularity due to the tough economy. Employers struggling to keep health insurance for all of their employees can turn to executive health care as a means to provide low cost preventative care to employees.

Employees offered an executive medicine plan are often concerned with their privacy and often wonder if the doctor-patient confidentiality still applies. An alternative to executive medicine with the same concierge service is concierge medicine in Orange County. Where patients pay an additional annual fee and in return receive 24/7 access to their primary physician.

Regardless of the means chosen to remain healthy and the type of health insurance plan you have, preventative care is a must. There are many ways to keep one healthy but physicians worldwide agree, diet and physical activity are a must.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently released a list of the top ten jobs of the future. Careers in health care dominate the list.

Those seeking a stable and secure position have transitioned into health care or are thinking about it. Health care is a steady and growing industry. It will always be necessary and there will always be a strong need for health care providers. Careers in the health care field cannot compare to jobs in any other field such as banking/finance or construction that constantly has ups and downs. Layoffs and lack of work are often causes for change in careers or lines of work.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the five fastest growing jobs are: registered nurses, home health aides, customer service representatives, food preparation and serving workers, and personal and home care aides.

With the current economy slump, some consumers are having a hard time even paying for health care coverage. Some seek a more personalized means for health care like concierge medicine in phoenix or executive healthcare. Both models offer more customized health care plans for preventative care. Both models also increase the attractiveness for med students to go into general practice. Currently, jobs in general practice are not appealing to many med students because of current conditions: doctors often complain of too many patients not enough money.

Health care jobs in the Phoenix area are on the rise as is the salary for jobs in health care.

The health care reform and current health care system is causing many to seek alternative treatment. Primary care physicians are often on vacation or too busy to see patients. We may wait for an hour to see our doctor only to actually meet with him for ten minutes. Patients fed up with this type of “fast-food” care seek alternatives and two models that often come up are concierge medicine and executive medicine.

Both executive medicine and concierge medicine are very popular in the Scottsdale area and I believe both will increase in popularity over the coming years especially with the uncertainty of the health care reform.

Concierge medicine in Scottsdale is a health care model that has been around for about 10 years. It originally developed in the North West. It has since become a preferred method of care. Patients pay an additional annual fee and in return are offered 24/7 phone and email access to their primary physician. Doctors may even sit in on specialized care meetings or make house calls. Physicians will take on a limited number of patients so they can provide adequate health care for each.

The executive health care model is very similar. Executive medicine is often put together by a company, corporation or by a group of employees or executives. Both models have the same general principles and ideas. The company and health care professionals will put together a customized plan. Doctors make frequent trips to the company or other designated area and do exams and physicals for covered individuals.

Preventative care and good health care are very important to living a long and healthy life. Either of these plans provides excellent care.

I try to get all the preventive care and treatment that I can. I watch what I eat, I exercise and I see my doctor and dentist at least once a year. On top of that, I even practice safety: I look both ways before I cross the street, practice safe driving and I always wash my hands before I eat anything. At this rate, I should live for the next 100 years.

It seems that no matter the steps I take I am constantly at risk: soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoos, all of these everyday items have been linked to cancer in studies.  Now, try explaining that to your doctor. I have been looking into concierge medicine in Miami. My doctor is great and I have been his patient since I could walk but I often feel that he is not quite giving me the best treatment, advice or preventative care.

In addition to normal health insurance some companies are now offering executive medicine. Executive medicine is a new model where companies and health care providers organize custom health plans for employees to keep them healthy, productive and in the office. Oh, but do fail to remember that fluorescent lighting also puts you at risk for several types of cancer.

I am still waiting for that study that proves that breathing oxygen puts us at a greater risk for developing cancer. Until then I think I will just lock myself in a dark room, alone with nothing but a few good books.

In the meantime, if you have any independent medical needs, you can get some home medical supplies and treat yourself.  Just make sure to call a doctor first.

Some doctors concerned that the health care reform will create even more strain in general practice have been going into boutique medicine. Doctors who enter general practice are not usually trained to run their own business but the current health care system motivates them to do just that. In recent years general practice in New York has evolved. Many patients as well as doctors are seeking more personalized, first rate care. Concierge medicine in New York has become quite popular and is no longer just for the wealthy and upper class. Many companies and doctors that are offering this style of boutique medicine now have more affordable annual fees.

President Obama has said our current health care system “rewards the quantity of care rather than the quality of care.” The President, in an address to the American Medical Assocation , said, “you did not enter this profession to be bean-counters and paper-pushers. You entered this profession to be healers, and that’s what our health care system should let you be.” President Obama makes some very good points about the current health care system.

The concern that medical providers have is that the reform will create an even greater pinch: paying doctors less while giving them an increasing number of patients.

2009 was an important year for me primarily because it’s a year where I had some specific goals.  I had a list of things I wanted to change or accomplish.  And even though I knew I wouldn’t accomplish the entire list, I felt if I could accomplish some of these items, I would feel productive.

Sure enough, I accomplished some of my goals, and some have been left for this year.  And much like travel, half the fun in the goals is getting there.  Here are some of my personal highlights from 2009.

SXSW in Austin

SXSW has become my favorite thing to do all year.  SXSW is a film/music/interactive festival that takes place in Austin for about 10 days in the spring.  Austin has become my favorite U.S. city to visit, especially since I now live in Las Vegas, and the event is always a blast.

Even though I primarily go for the interactive section for work, my favorite part of the festival is the films.  On top of attending the world premiere of films like I Love You Man, Observe and Report, and Drag Me To Hell, I saw some great indie films like Pontypool, My Suicide, and Splinterheads.

The only downside of this year was that I screwed up on the schedule and missed seeing Bob Schneider in concert, and the showing of The Hurt Locker (I caught it in the theatre a couple months later, and it was awesome).

Built a School

One of my goals for 2009 was to really give back more.  So to that end, I donated enough money to build a school in Cambodia.  It’s a nice little school near Angkor Watt that will educate a couple hundred children per year.  I went through American Assistance for Cambodia to build the school, and I named it the Rev. Kenneth Shull school, after my grandfather.

I haven’t visited the school yet, but I’m arranging a trip with my son to check it out.

Took Classes at Harvard

One of my bigger regrets in life is that I didn’t finish college.  I had plenty of credits, but my lack of focus left me without a degree.  As I get older, I feel the need to work my brain more, and the idea of taking a couple classes sounded exactly like what I needed.  So I looked into a couple schools where I could flex my brain, and ended up deciding that I should just go to the best school in the country, so I took a couple classes at Harvard.

The classes were more challenging that I had imagined.  Although, I don’t know why I thought Harvard would be easy.  But in the end, it looks like I did get A’s, so I’m proud of myself.  I’m considering taking another couple classes this semester, but I’ also try to tackle other things, so I’ll have to think about it a little more.

Ate on Top of the Eiffel Tower

I had decided a couple years ago that I needed to travel more.  In that time I visited Costa Rica, Hong Kong and Macau.  This year I decided that it was time for my 15 year old son to travel a bit, and we decided on a short trip to London and Paris.

We did most of the things you’re supposed to do while in these cities, but I think the highlight was having an incredibly expensive lunch at the Jules Verne restaurant on top of the Eiffel Tower.  The view was obviously fantastic.  It was nice to spend a couple leisurely hours having a nice quiet lunch on the tower, as opposed to standing in a crowded line in the heat, waiting to get 5 minutes of the view.  Hopefully it was a memorable experience for my son as well.

Made More Money With Less Time

Making more money wasn’t a direct goal of 2009, but it’s never a bad thing.  One of the goals I did have was to try to get rid of some dead weight professionally, and towards the later part of the year that happened.  An ancillary effect was that my company became much more profitable, and after the initial hassle, my work load lightened up.

On top of that, a side project has started to show a lot more revenue potential than I had originally thought, which is pretty exciting as well.  2010 should be an interesting year not only financially, but in how I handle my professional life.

Saw Leonard Cohen Live

I’ve long been a huge Leonard Cohen fan, but I had thought I was born a few years too late to ever catch him in person.  Unfortunately for Mr. Cohen, his financial manager decided to be less than ethical, and left his client near broke.  I’m ashamed to say that this worked pretty well for me, as I finally got my chance to see Leonard Cohen live.

I contributed a bit to the retirement fund and was treated to three-hours of amazing music at Caesars Palace.  I was amazed at how much energy Cohen still has.  By far my favorite concert.

Went Deep Sea Fishing in Costa Rica

I’ll admit to not really being a fisherman.  I’ll even admit to not really knowing the first thing about fishing.  But I still wanted to catch a really big fish.  So this year I spent part of my birthday on a first class flight south, and did some deep sea fishing off the coast of Costa Rica.

I had visions of catching a huge Marlin and getting an awesome Facebook picture, but in the end I was quite happy with the nearly 30 pound Mahi Mahi.  Frankly, after experiencing that, I’m not sure I would have been able to handle pulling in a Marlin.  It’s a lot more work than I had imagined to reel in a large fish.  But it was well worth it, especially after the hotel was nice enough to cook up our fish for our dinner that night.  The best fish I ever had.

I will also admit to spending more time than I would have liked hanging over the side of the boat.  But I still had a good time and I’m glad I experienced it.  I’m considering buying a Tamarindo beach vacation condo.

Attended Opening Weekend at City Center

I have been watching City Center be built in Las Vegas for few years, so it was nice to be part of opening weekend.  I stayed at Aria and ate at a couple of the restaurants.  Overall, it was a bit underwhelming, but I’m still glad I got the experience of being a small part of such a big piece of the Las Vegas story.

Hopefully I’ll live long enough to watch them implode Aria, and I’ll bore my grandchildren with the stories about opening weekend.  And it was pretty cool to be the first person to stay in a hotel room.

A Quiet New Years

I spent my last few moments of 2009 in a suite at Mandalay Bay, and had dinner at Red Square.  It’s become a type of tradition for my girlfriend and I.  But this year we didn’t go to any concerts or events, we just hung out and watched some movies, which, once I got over the feeling that we should be doing something more exciting, was very nice.

Those were the major things of my 2009.  There were small little items like finally got rid of a lingering legal issue, and finally installed a real home theatre, but those are minor items and even more boring than I have already been in this post.  I am excited that Michael took his first college class this past semester, and did very well, but that’s more his 2009.

I did not hit all my goals.  My weight being the primary issue that is lingering.  So that one if going on the 2010 list.  I hope everyone accomplished what they wanted in 2009, and if not, there is always 2010.