Trading Soft Commodities

Soft commodities include sugar, cocoa, coffee, orange juice and cotton.

Sugar

People have been using sugar for over two thousand years, when it was originally reserved for the very rich. Today, sugar is one of the most heavily traded commodities globally.

Sugar commodity contracts expire in March, May, July and October and a one point movement on a commodity CFD contract is worth USD5.60. So if a trader chose to go long on a single sugar contract, and its value rose by 25 points, he would make a profit of USD140 (USD5.60 per point x 25).

Cocoa

Cocoa was discovered by the natives of Central America over three thousand years ago, where it was a luxury for the rich. Today, most of the world's cocoa is grown in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Brazil, Ecuador and Nigeria. This means that when there is turmoil in those regions, the price of cocoa increases due to the expected disruption of supply.

Cocoa contracts expire in March, May, July, September and December. A one point move in a commodity CFD contract is worth USD5.

Coffee

Coffee was originally discovered over two thousand years ago in Ethiopia. From Africa, coffee made its way to the Middle East and into coffee houses, where it was introduced to travelers who spread its use beyond the region.

Coffee contracts expire in March, May, July, September and December. Coffee commodity trading contracts are worth USD1.88 per single point movement.

Orange Juice

Orange juice is a new commodity on the markets - as orange juice was traditionally consumed as a fresh juice, it had a short shelf-life and was, consequently, susceptible to price shocks due to supply disruptions.

Freezing orange juice began in the 1940s and then became the industry standard, the longer shelf-life turning it into a tradeable instrument.

Cotton

Cotton was discovered over five thousand years ago and was one of America's first cash crops. Cotton is a very influential commodity due to its wide range of uses and contributions to a large volume of commodity trading.

Cotton contracts expire in March, May, July, October and December and a one point contract movement is worth USD2.50.

How to trade commodities

Commodity trading is usually performed with futures contracts, which are agreements that the commodity will be delivered at a certain time in the future at an agreed-upon price. The quantity, quality, time and place of delivery are all standardized aspects of the contract; the only variable is the price.

Unlike trading shares, which can only be bought in the hope that the share price will rise and the trader will make a profit by selling the shares at a higher price, commodity futures can be short sold, meaning that a trader can make a profit in a falling market by selling a futures contract and buying it back at a lower price.

If a trader chose to go short on coffee and the price fell by 50 points, he would make a profit of USD94 (USD1.88 x 50 points).

How to Save Some Money on Video Games

If you love video games, you know how expensive that habit can get. So, here are some simple ways to save money on them. That way, you can keep feeding your habit.

First of all, if you buy games online, try to always buy from the same website. The reason for that is that websites will often reward frequent buyers with coupons and discounts. They may even have a reward card or reward credit card that you can use to get points towards future game purchases.

Another option is to buy games from local game stores or department stores. Department stores tend to be pretty expensive, though. They also just do not usually offer a level of understanding and service that you can get from a local video game specialty store.

If you do plan to buy games from a local video game store, get to know your sales people. They're likely to be avid video gamers, just like you. If you get friendly with them, they may let you in on information about upcoming releases and sales. They may tell you tips and tricks for whatever game you're buying. They might even tell you not to waste your money on titles that they feel do not fit your needs or style.

So, if you're a true gamer, the bottom line is that it's best to take advantage of sales and frequent buyer programs. It's also useful to get to know your video game salespeople. That way, you might get the first word on some great deals.

Finding Balance in a Family-Owned Business

While getting any business up and running requires hard work and determination, starting a business with a loved one comes with its own set of challenges.

Many family-owned businesses start as side projects. After dabbling in a hobby or interest, family members decide to take a leap of faith and open their doors to the public. To be successful, family-run companies need structure-both by establishing their business entity and developing a working relationship that incorporates life/work balance.

Form a legal entity.

Don't let the excitement over your new business distract you from important business and legal matters. Form a formal legal entity, like a corporation or limited liability company (LLC). This helps protect family members and the business from the unexpected.

Put things in writing.

Some entrepreneurs think a quick conversation with a spouse, parent, sibling or child can settle important business matters, but entering into a business partnership with anyone, including a loved one, should never be taken lightly.

Remove room for interpretation by putting everything in writing. Discuss sticky matters upfront, like salary, work schedules, vacation time and job responsibilities. By tackling these uncomfortable conversations early, you'll reduce the stress and possible resentment that could come later.

Establish guidelines.

The best way to balance your life and work is to separate family and business time. Make it a policy not to talk about work while at the dinner table, at a family gathering or on the weekend.

Keep the lines of communication open. The stress of running a business can put strain on any relationship so learn how your partner handles this stress and find ways to tackle these issues together. Set aside each day or every week to discuss what's working and what isn't.

Just like money causes the most arguments in a marriage, the same is true for family-run businesses, so keep personal and business finances separate. Maintain different bank accounts and accounting practices for family and business use.

Maintain your identity.

It's easy to get consumed by work and your long list of to-dos, but it's necessary to step away from the office occasionally to clear your head. It's also important to take part in activities that don't include your partner. Pick up a hobby. Go to an exercise class. Read a book.

While it's often necessary to "live your work" to get a new business off the ground, it's critical for family-owned businesses to find a balance between their personal and professional relationship. Starting a business is hard work. Partners each need to be equally committed to make the venture a success and profitable for the long term.

Steps to Install Active Directory on Windows XP or Later Versions

Are you a Windows XP user? Do you want to install Active Directory on your computer? Are you skeptical about installing the AD domain on your system all by yourself? AD needs to be installed manually on Windows XP, but it is not as difficult as it seems to be. The steps involved in installing the AD domain on Windows XP or later are so simple that even a child can carry out the whole procedure. It will take hardly a few minutes and you need not seek any help from a tech savvy person!

The control panel function for the Active Directory Users and Groups allows the system administrators to modify, delete, and add accounts on their respective network directories and hence, it is an inevitable tool for them. But note that this AD utility is installed on the Windows Server OS by default. Therefore, if you want to install Active Directory tool on Windows XP or the later versions, you must do it manually via the MMC (Microsoft Management Console).

So, if you are a user of Windows XP or later, here are the steps that you must follow to get the AD utility installed on your system -

Step 1: Once you have logged into your system as an administrator, go to the Start Menu and select 'Run'.

Step.2: Key in 'mmc' in the Run dialog box that appears and hit 'Enter'. This will launch the MMC utility on your system.

Step.3: In the top menu bar, select 'File' > 'Add/Remove Snap-in'

Step 4: You will now be presented with a pop-up screen. Select 'Add' at the bottom of this window and go to the next step.

Step 5: Here, you will be presented with a list of all available tools. Mark the tool called 'AD users and Computers' and click 'Add'.

Step 6: In the next window, select Close > OK

Step 7: To apply the new settings and install active directory, you must now reboot your system. Once the computer restarts, you can find the AD tool in the Control Panel, within the 'Administrative Tools' folder.

If you follow these steps carefully, you can get the AD domain installed very easily on Windows XP OS. Note that there are different steps that you must follow to create and configure active directory domains on different systems. So, make sure you are following the right steps for the right system. Moreover, there are a number of things that you must be prepared with before you go ahead with the AD installation on your system.

Thus, if you are well prepared before you install Active Directory and exercise due caution while following the given procedure, AD installation will be a cakewalk for you!

Opera Mini App For iPhone Launches

After three weeks of waiting to see if Apple would approve the application, the Opera Mini app has finally been released and promptly sailed to the top of the iPhone download chart, topping a million downloads with hours of its release. Due to its strict guidelines on application approval and Apple's interests in the usage of its own embedded browser, Mobile Safari, many asked whether Opera Mini would be available at all. After a length approval process it finally has been approved, so now for the first time Apple faces browser competition on the iPhone.

A long standing developer in the internet browser market, Opera has a very small share in the traditional browser market. In the emerging world of mobile browsers though, it is a different story with Opera Mini being the most popular browser around. With the huge iPhone market now available to them and no competition to speak of apart Mobile Safari, Opera's dominance of this market has the potential to sky rocket.

A key reason for Opera's success so far is its speed. Typically around three time as fast at browsing than the competition, Opera manages this advantage by doing the data crunching on Opera's own servers and sending the compressed data back to the phone, unlike other browsers which use the phone itself to receive and compute all the data . The difference when using a dedicated wireless network is not so great but when out and about using 2G or 3G networks the improvement is considerable. The fact that less data is being received by the phone also lessens the blow for those paying roaming Internet charges.

Opera submitted the app for approval to Apple in mid march and it took three weeks for it to be approved. In the interim there was much debate through the blogging network and media about whether the app would be approved in light of its threat to Safari's monopoly in the iPhone browser market. In the past Apple has used a clause in its terms and conditions prohibiting applications which "duplicate existing functionality" as a basis for rejecting apps and many believed Opera Mini would not be allowed on this basis.

An aggressive publicity drive by Opera, which included issuing press releases to coincide with the application submission and placing a prominent timer on its website to observe how long the approval
process would take ensured that all eyes were on Apple which may have helped the process.

Another obstacle is that Apple does not allow third party apps to run their own Javascript and rendering processes on the iPhone. As Opera's servers handle this side of things rather than the phone itself, it could not be disallowed on this basis - this is the major obstacle for other competitors such as Firefox and the main reason they will not be following Opera on to the iPhone anytime soon .

For now then Opera has won the battle but not the war. There is a long road ahead driving in to Safari's established user base. There are also privacy concerns about how Opera handles users data on its own servers and the prospect of advertising to come in the future.

Why You Need To Care About Creativity

I'm constantly astounded by how short-sighted some leaders are. Let me tell you what I mean.

Last week, I was booked by the CEO of an organization that wants me to keynote their annual conference in October. The topic of the keynote is Producing Under Pressure. After we agreed on the details for the keynote program, I asked him, "What do you have on the agenda to help your team think more creatively?" (I have a great hands-on breakout session on this topic that I thought might be a good fit.)

"Oh, we do not need any of that creativity stuff," he said. "We're not really in a creative business. Beside, I do not want my people wearing clown noses to work and sitting in beanbag chairs."

Wow.

This CEO - a very successful man - equates "creative thinking" with "wearing clown noses to work." That's sad. But what's even saddder is that this is not an uncommon reaction. Many leaders see "creative thinking" as just another disposable "soft skill."

This, despite the fact that:

• The Tesla Model S was a result of "creative thinking"
• The Hershey bar with almonds was a result of "creative thinking"
• Double-entry bookkeeping was a result of "creative thinking"
• The iPhone was a result of "creative thinking"
• Agriculture (and its by-product, civilization) was a result of "creative thinking."

I'm pretty sure that none Elon Musk, Milton Hershey, Amatino Manucci, Steve Jobs, or Thog Thogson worn clown noses (although Musk and Jobs may have sat in beanbag chairs). (Also, although I can not prove that the guy who invented agriculture was named Thog Thogson, you can not prove that he - or she - was not.)

The simple fact is that everything that has ever created a profit for any company in history has been a result of creative thinking.

Soft skill? I think creative thinking is the core skill!

And when the pressure's on - when there are serious consequences on the line - you want people around you who can think creatively. Why?

Because things do not always go right. You've heard the adage about the "best-laid plans," right?

When things do not go right, particularly when the output is important, you want - no, you need - options. And, just like the iPhone and the Hershey bar, options are a result of "creative thinking."

But listen, do not take my word for it. Rent a copy of Apollo 13 and watch that scene where the engineers in Houston had to improvise a carbon dioxide scrubber interface to keep the stranded astronauts alive. The success of that mission (sorry - spoiler alert!) Is what happens when pressure and creativity intersect.

There is no industry, no organization, and no team on earth (or in space) that can not benefit from creativity.

And there's no leader on earth (or in space) who should not care about creativity.

Motorola RIZR - The Most Dynamic and Versatile Gadget

Motorola seems to have pledged to deliver the most stylish and most versatile mobile phones to lure the entire UK market. Once again, the mobile giant has come up with another sleek handset that's sure to catch your fancy. Yes, we are talking about the latest entrant in Motorola family, the Motorola RIZR. Impressive features & a modern slider design make the Motorola RIZR an ultimate choice for those who need dynamic phones to stay ahead in life. A Unique design, slim casing, narrow slider are not the only reason why the RIZR is having a huge fan following. This sleek innovative device has exceptional imaging, improved music features, global connectivity, and an excellent bright color screen. The ultra-smooth slider of this phone easily slides-open with a slight push. The fascinating look & feel of the easy-to-use keypad is sure to delight you. The Abstract tattoo feature is there to add an element of surprise for you when you slide open the MOTO RIZR.

Capture videos with the powerful 2-mega-pixel digital camera of the RIZR. Beside imaging features, the RIZR is a paradise for music-lovers. The built-in music player in this phone supports various popular music formats. You can transfer your collections of digital music using the USB connection with upto one GB, via MicroSD cards that are available, and can store your favorite music. To further increase the element of entertainment, you can pick the optional Bluetooth stereo-headset accessory available and enjoy wire free listening.

Stay connected to your family, friends and / or business even if you are on the move! This quad-band technology phone lets you roam across countries & continents without any glitch. Send MMS, IM, or SMS messages to stay in touch with your close ones! This phone gives you everything from the joy of possessing a stunning gadget with awe-inspiring looks to the hi-end functions that you always desired your tiny handy gadget to incorporate.