Other Uses for Gold in Our Society

By Will Paul

Gold is a precious metal that has a long and interesting history. Gold has set the standard throughout the ages as being the metal of choice for fine jewelry, elaborate decorations and a form of money. Most gold found today is in the form of different pieces of jewelry. However, gold can also be found in a variety of things.

Gold is used in dentistry because of its superior performance and aesthetic appeal. Gold alloys are used for fillings, crowns, and bridges. Gold is a perfect metal for use in dentistry because it is chemically inert, non-allergenic and easy for dentists to work with. Gold was used generously in dentistry up until the late 1970's. Substitute materials were developed due to the soaring price of gold at that time. There is starting to be an increase in the use of gold today.

Gold is also used as a drug to treat a small number of medical conditions. Injections of weak solutions which contain aurothioglucose are sometimes used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Particles of radioactive gold isotope are implanted in tissues to serve as a radiation source for treatment of some cancers. Radioactive gold is also used in diagnosing certain conditions.

You can find gold in many surgical instruments, electronic equipment and life support devices. The reason they use gold is because it is nonreactive in surgical instruments and is highly reliable for life saving devices used in hospitals.

Gold is used in hundreds of ways in every space vehicle that NASA launches. This is because gold is an extremely dependable material. Many parts of a space vehicle are fitted with gold coated polyester film, which reflects infrared radiation and helps control the temperature of the spacecraft. Gold is also used as a lubricant between mechanical parts.
Gold is also used in the production of glass. Gold is used when making specialty glass for climate controlled buildings and glass cases. The use of a small amount of gold which is dispersed in the glass or coated onto the glass surface will reflect solar radiation which helps the building stay cooler. This same type of gold coating is used on the helmet of an astronaut's space suit. It reflects much of the very intense solar radiation and protects the astronaut's eyes and skin.

Since gold has the highest malleability of any metal it can be beaten into thin sheets, which are known as gold leaf. This can then be applied over irregular surfaces such as picture frames, molding or furniture. Gold leaf can also be found on the exterior of buildings because it provides a durable and corrosion resistant covering. It is also very appealing to the eyes when it appears on domes of buildings such as religious or important structures.

Gold is a very durable and versatile metal that is found in many things. Gold jewelry and gold coins are just some of the things that are made of this precious metal. Gold has a long history and probably will still be around at the end of time. That is why it is important to recycle old and broken jewelry so we can save are natural resources for generations to come. - 23212

About the Author:

The best online resource to sell gold or sell silver can be found at www.refinity.com

Strategic Investment Research

By Lilia Germann

For many years, I have actively participated in the achievement of my financial goals by making sound investment decisions. When I first became an investor, my activity was limited to participation in a 401K program and several CD purchases. I met a financial planner that gave me life-changing advice. My new financial planner let me know that my current investment strategy would not be able to provide for me, financially, when I retired. The financial planner let me know that I would only receive $400 per month, starting at age 65, based on my current investments.

I was terribly shocked by this news. I knew I had to make changes immediately. I started working with an investment brokerage, and they began to provide me with their investment research. Their research included financial newsletters, stock market newsletters, and investing newsletters; I actively read each one. Their research didn't provide me with enough information to apply to my investment decisions.

I thought that the investment research lacked forward-thinking. Constantly it seemed as though they only paid attention to the U.S. market " specifically the Dow Jones " and forgot all of the other elements that effect market forces. Another problem was that their research was posed only at very conservative, long-term investments. Conservative investments are fine, but I don't want to miss out on an opportunity just because that investment has a higher level of risk. Investments with higher risks must have made the investment brokerage afraid. That fear must have been caused by their lack of knowledge; I felt it indicated they were doing a lot of guess-work.

I began surfing the web, looking for other alternatives. After days and days of reading other reports and forecasts, I located MyStrategicForecast.com.

My Strategic Forecast offers investment research that is based upon facts. They take many factors into account besides economics when compiling their investment information. For example, one year meteorologists predicted a mild tropical storm season in the Atlantic. This information was taken into account by My Strategic Forecast's stock newsletter when they predicted a slight below average return for different types of home improvement companies. They also showed that historically, an active season follows a mild one. Due to this information I decided to hold onto my stocks to see what the following years storm season would bring. They ended up being right.

By using a historical perspective, My Strategic Forecast is able to provide all the necessary information to tell where the market is headed. I was able to use their forecast abilities to gain even more and build up my portfolio. - 23212

About the Author:

If you want to take a change for the best and start growing your own money, visit friendfeed.com/investmentresearch.

Discovering the Best Day Trading Stock Tip

By Zachary Riff

With stock trading, it is simply not enough to just invest. Learning the ins and outs of the stock trading business is essential for every investor if you are to succeed in stock trading.

If you are a beginner, then having a working background on stock trading will definitely make the difference in getting the best day trading stock tip and information, or losing big or a wrong stock pick. To jumpstart your stock trading education, signing up to an online trading firm is your first stepping stone.

Start by surfing for an online trading firm that offers free account registration. Choose a site that offers clear and easy instructions. Don't rely on sites and traders who state all you have to do is sign up, punch your credit card credentials, then sit back and relax, and let them do all the hard work. That could be a fraudulent operation in the works. So choose one that you're most comfortable with and know to be reliable. Many sites will also show the steps and ways for you to manage your stocks, keep track of your stock investments, as well as offer the best day trading stock tip updates, and other stock options and news.

In fact, most online stock trading sites also offer online stock services to support beginners who want to learn how to manage their investments and make the buys using vital stock reports, day trading stock tip updates and information. Many online brokerage sites offer real-time day trading stock tip and stock quotes to keep you informed of the shifts and movements on the floor. Some may even offer after hours stock tip and updates for your mutual fund options and stock investments.

To avoid scams, try searching for sites that offer the best ways for you to get firsthand information from the market. These sites offer day trading stock tip developments, stock quote data, and other stock trading information. Getting real-time stock information is essential especially for day trading and direct stock investments.

Trading stocks online is not done in real time or as instantaneous as it is on the floor, though. A lag time of twelve (even up to twenty-four hours!) may pass from the moment you act on that day trading stock tip you got, till the offer is closed, twelve or even twenty-four hours, may have elapsed. If your stock firm doesn't tell you this, consider yourself forewarned especially if the stock you're interested moves in a rapid clip. That day trading stock tip you got could become worthless.

Online trading doesn't happen in real time since the internet cannot duplicate the market hours. So while you're learning the ropes, avoid stocks that are volatile and make the most of daily news and day trading stock tip updates available to you. Keep a pulse on what's happening on the stock market floor so you you can make the necessary adjustments.

The best lesson to learn about online stock trading and making any day trading stock tip work for you is to keep yourself updated with the latest stock information. And keep this in mind: When you're starting, start small, buy safe and keep away from the shares that swing wildly. As your experience grows, you can develop a working stock trading strategy, so be patient and learn as much as you can, when you're learning about stock trading. - 23212

About the Author:

Find more stock trading guide. Read your free stock trade guide online.

Online Currency Trading Dominate The Market

By Chris Green

Many times when new to online currency trading, a new trader may find it a bit difficult to consistently make successful trades. This may sound like yourself, well you aren't alone since there are many people with this problem. Every trader has their good and bad days, sometimes it can help to leave it and clear your mind.

It isn't hard to get distracted with online currency trading with so much at your fingertips. It is an important factor to keep yourself focused and not allow things to easily distract you and your decision making on trades. Keeping yourself focused can make the difference between a profitable trade and a loss trade, so don't let yourself get distracted.

Being in online currency trading, you may have heard of the 20/80 rule. The rule itself is pretty straight forward, and can be applied to many businesses out their as well. The 20/80 rule suggests that 20 percent of traders make 80 percents of the overall profits, where the other 80 percent of traders only make 20 percent of the overall profits. One of many possible factors behind this is that most traders are not dedicated or focused enough.

Many "systems" for online currency trading have came and gone, always promising to offer instant success, and to enable you to make easy consistent trades. Profitable or successful traders usually incorporate many systems into their trading tactics, enabling many back up systems in case one doesn't work out any longer. Putting all your eggs in one basket is not a good idea, it is wise to adapt many systems and never stretch yourself thin.

When reaching for success in online currency trading, don't rely on one system as it has been said. Incorporate many systems that can work together, it may enable you to use them to your advantage. One of the time consuming processes is finding out the systems that work with you. It is best to test out your new systematic approach for a few weeks to ensure you have consistent results. Don't allow yourself to drop stick in the 20/80 rule as the 80 percent making 20 percent of the profit. Take your trading seriously, and prove that you can make your own success. - 23212

About the Author:

If you want to get out of the hole and make money, check out the "Big Wigs" Online Currency Trading. If you have read up to this point, and you want to make real profits for your self, stop letting the "Big Wigs" spoon feed you info, discover the truth to Online Currency Trading.

Understading Some Risks Of A Covered Call

By Maclin Vestor

A covered call strategy is great, as it can allow you to get your income back, and put it to work elsewhere quickly. In addition, time value is certain, and covered calls will allow you to collect this value while speculators betting on a stock rising beyond the option price plus what they paid for the option will have to pay this amount to you no matter what. Even if the stock does go beyond this point, you don't incur a loss; instead, you miss out on potential gains. This can cause a covered call strategy to be more stable. You ultimately want the stock to expire at the money as this will allow you to collect the full premium, and still own the stock. Anything above this and your gains of your stock will cover the loss of the call and your gain will ultimately be the same. However, if it goes higher, you will have to repurchase your shares at a higher price, although selling another call against them will result in a higher premium.

Some covered calls will yield a 10% monthly return based on it's time value premium that you collect, meaning that in 10 months you will have your initial investment back if you can successful receive the full time value. The risk is not that the stock goes up in value and that you miss out on potential gains, as the yield will be roughly the same after appreciation, but that the stock goes down dramatically in value. However, you cannot lose more than your initial investment minus the full premium. This is a major point that critics of the covered call strategy often miss, as they say it has "the same risk profile as selling naked puts." This means that if you sell a put you are un-hedged, and if the stock goes to zero, you are also limited to the loss of the strike price minus zero times $100. Where a put owner will gain $100 per share ($10000 per contract) if a $100 stock goes to 0, a put seller will have to pay the put owner this $10,000 per contract. Selling puts is dangerous because people generally do not manage money well. The top 10% of people own the other 90% of wealth generally because the top 10% have learned to manage their money better than the other 90%.Selling puts is dangerous, because if you sell a $100 put for $500 your gain is capped to $500 per contract for a given length of time, and your potential loss is $10,000. Now a covered call owner may be capping his gain to lets say $500, and if the stock goes to zero, he is also going to potentially lose $10,000. So why is a covered call generally less risky? The reason why is that unless the seller of the put has $10,000, then he risks going on margin. In addition to actually having to have put up what the buyer affords to risk, The buyer of the stock not only is required to have that 10,000 before he can buy 100 shares of $100, but even someone with a limited understanding of risk management will do at least something to manage risks, even if it's still investing a high percentage such as 20% of the income that loss is limited to 20% of the portfolio. Technically that buyer should risk only a smaller percentage of his capital. A seller of a put receives $500, but to collect $500 and have to leave $50,000 to the side doesn't seem naturally as rational. People that invest in a covered call buying a stock for $10,000 and collecting a $500 premium and invest the remaining $40,000 will be risking less than someone who sells a naked put, but invests the remaining cash. Of course the reason is, the put seller has to have $10,000 to cash if the stock goes to zero.

However, there's an even greater difference. In the event of a loss when the stock doesn't go to 0, the covered call seller experiences a paper loss; where as a put seller experiences a real loss. The covered call owner might put up $10,000 and that $10,000 suddenly is only good for $8,000 and all he has received is the $500 premium for the covered call. However, if this person has done the research and determined that the stock is undervalued, and is currently in a panic due to margin calls and forced selling, and that the fundamentals are good, the covered call owner still owns the 100 shares of the stock that they determined to be worth $140 at $100. Technically the put seller could choose to buy that same stock at $100 which is now worth $80, and put up the money rather than take the $20 per share loss. However, the covered call owner has likely researched the stock, has determined it to be undervalued and intends on owning this stock anyways. The put seller doesn't want to own this stock, instead expects the stock to remain neutral, and just wants to collect the $500. If the covered call owner was wrong, that means the stock goes lower than he expects, however that doesn't mean that the stock still wouldn't be undervalued even more so. If the put seller is wrong, the put seller will have to buy 100 shares of an $80 stock at $100. It may just seem like semantics, but the covered call owner already has bought the stock where as the put seller may not really believe he has to buy the stock. A put seller gets paid to buy the stock at a set price, where the covered caller gets paid to own the stock. Psychologically, it's a lot easier for a put seller to say "well I'm a good investor I think, my bet is probably right, I don't need to worry about the fact that the stock might drop in value because I don't think it will. I don't need to do more research, and oh, by the way, this extra $10,000 on the side, I can invest it elsewhere because I'm a good investor, and I'm not going to lose. An over confident put seller can lose everything in the account and then some with even a drop from $100 to $80, where as a covered call owner who is over confident will probably only lose a maximum of the amount he owns in that individual stock minus the price of the stock, and that's if the stock goes to all the way to zero.

In many ways they are a similar strategy betting a stock won't go up beyond a certain point, and that it won't go down beyond a certain point. But a person who writes a covered call will be forced to have the money to pay for it and on maximum in a margin account that person can only go on 2:1 margin. If a covered call buyer with $10,000 risked $20,000 they might need to transfer some money from their bank to their stock account and come up with $10,000

If someone sells puts, they are not technically on margin until a major loss occurs, however, if they sell 10 covered calls of a stock at $100 at $500 each, they risk losing $100,000 if it goes to zero. Put sellers most likely think that has a low probability of happening. Covered callers may think the same thing is true, the difference is, covered callers can never bet more than twice what they have even on margin, and most people won't go on margin anyways simply because they don't have the account set up to. Put sellers will usually HAVE to have a margin account to sell puts.

Selling puts requires a more sophisticated understanding as well, and when lost in the technical, I believe it's easier to forget about what you are betting on happening. If you sell an out of the money covered call, you are betting on it going down less than what you received for the option, or going up to the strike price (or higher, but gain is capped). If you already own a stock, it's easier to understand that you are trading upside potential for income, where as put sellers are risking money they don't have committing to buying a stock at a certain price no matter what betting that a stock will do the same thing essentially. But leveraged buyers and sellers are generally not the type that likes to have money on the sideline.

Naked call seller as are collecting income but if the stock goes up, they have unlimited risk since they do not own the stock that will cover them in case the stock goes higher. Selling a naked call could potentially result in unlimited margin. However in order for a stock to go unlimited gains, it has to have an unlimited amount of money put into it. This does not happen, especially to the largest of large cap stocks that are already heavily owned on heavily leveraged companies... However, large amounts of cash reserves still are needed, as large caps still appreciate in value, sometimes significantly. Being un-hedged and selling any sort of shares "naked" is not recommended. In theory there may be an identical hedged strategy, but in practice it just doesn't work out the same way. - 23212

About the Author:

Maclin Vestor teaches about variousstock trading systems and soon will teach you aboutforex trading systems in addition to stock trading.