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The only hope: let’s go back to its roots.The best thing that ever happened to social media marketing was the hacking of the 2016 US election of Donal Trump by the Russians. Why? Because it laid bare what many in social media marketing has known for a long, long time: that social media platforms are a joke, their valuations are based on imaginary users, and their integrity lies somewhere between Lucifer and that guy who eats people’s faces in the movies.For marketing consultants such as myself, recommending existing social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram has been increasingly difficult, because -quite frankly- many of us don’t trust the metrics.And why should we? Facebook doesn’t.This is from Facebook’s 2017 SEC filing (emphasis mine):The numbers for our key metrics, which include our daily active users (DAUs), monthly active users (MAUs), and average revenue per user (ARPU), are calculated using internal company data based on the activity of user accounts. While these numbers are based on what we believe to be reasonable estimates of our user base for the applicable period of measurement, there are inherent challenges in measuring usage of our products across large online and mobile populations around the world.The largest data management company in the world says it doesn’t really know if its numbers are accurate. Estimates? What marketing professional wants estimated results after the fact?It gets worse. Emphasis mine:In the fourth quarter of 2017, we estimate that duplicate accounts may have represented approximately 10% of our worldwide MAUs. We believe the percentage of duplicate accounts is meaningfully higher in developing markets such as India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, as compared to more developed markets. In the fourth quarter of 2017, we estimate that false accounts may have represented approximately 3-4% of our worldwide MAUs.Let that sink in. Facebook is admitting that “approximately” 10% of its monthly active users are fake. Interestingly, they don’t mention what percentage of their daily active users are fake.And that’s the problem with social media. You don’t know what’s real and what’s fake anymore.Social media hasn’t been real for a while.As marketers and advertisers, we pride ourselves on accuracy. In the olden times of marketing and advertising, we obsessed over rating numbers of tv shows, readership for print promotions, and delivery success rates for direct mail.In all cases, the platforms of the day were heavily audited. You knew, with fair certainty, was the audiences were for any particular medium or channel because there was usually a point of review somewhere for the numbers.Traditional media such as radio, TV, and print had been around long enough that there were thousands of case studies one could study the success or failures of individual campaigns. Because these mediums were part of the public record, it was easy to work backward to see what mix of media and budget worked and what didn’t.As an industry, we could quickly establish benchmarks for success – not just based on our personal experiences- but in the collective experiences of very clear strategies laid bare for everyone to dissect.Well, that all went out the window with social media.Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram’s numbers were always a joke.In days of yore, company valuation was based on revenues, assets, and human capital, and performance.That all changed when someone came up with the concept of “daily active users.”The race to gain users became the driving force for social media platforms in a way that we’ve never seen before. Now, the obsession with user growth opened the door to advertising and marketing fraud on a scale that just wasn’t possible previously.Let’s get something clear: any platform that allows for people to create thousands of fake profiles so others can buy likes, followers, retweets, or shares is toxic to advertisers and brands alike.Now, I understand that the word “allows” is doing a lot of work in that sentence, so let me expand a bit what I mean.I don’t think I’ll get many arguments when I say that -regardless of what I think of them- the most successful social media platforms on the planet are also some of the most sophisticated technological enterprises on the planet. They have -arguably- some of the best AI around, as their entire business models revolve around being able to crunch numbers, facts, and obscure pieces of data millions of times a second.They are also massive corporations, with an army of lawyers and IP bulldogs waiting to protect their brand against any hostile outside forces.So explain to me, how is it, that even after all we have seen in the news people can still buy Facebook likes, or Twitter followers, or Instagram fans?The reason: it was always a scam. And we got conned along with everyone else.If your company is valued on your number of users and the activity of those users on your platform, what do you care if they are fake or not? If you did, you’d hire an armada of auditors to ensure the integrity of your userbase. I don’t believe they ever did and will never do this.Social platforms deploy their honey trap.Initially, social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter lured brands and companies onto their platforms with promises of free marketing and advertising. The ability to quickly grow a fanbase and follower base, without the need of hiring marketing shmucks like me. Why waste time on hiring a professional when you can do it all yourself for nothing?At first, I was a supporter of this. I believed that marketing and advertising was often something that only larger companies could afford, and that small business marketing was being left behind. Social media marketing allowed for even a mom and pop shop to compete online.So many businesses spent countless hours and thousands of dollars in human resources to grow their followers online.Having lured them into their honey trap, social media companies then held followers and fans hostages. You had to pay to have access to the userbase that you built up and cultivated.Suddenly the numbers didn’t make any sense. You had to pay to promote or boost posts when previously it was free. The result was disastrous for many businesses. The ROI’s didn’t add up, but with so many of their customers on these platforms, they had little choice but to continue to try and get whatever value they could for them.Moreover, the move to such promotions opened up the Pandora’s box to further abuses. The drive for revenue seemingly caused social platforms to continue to look the other way on fake profiles and social media bots because they drove ad sales. Personal data was harvested and manipulated in ways that users could not fathom and did not agree to.Mostly, it did something to marketing that I’m not sure we can recover. For many digital marketing firms and marketing agencies, it forced us to down the Kool-aid with everyone else. People that should have known better doubled down on social media marketing for our clients when we knew -for most of them- it was unnecessary.Marketing and advertising agencies became accomplices after the fact.Like I said earlier, marketing and advertising agencies and consultants are supposed to obsess with accuracy. We want our clients to have the very best ROI available.However, like professionals in any business vertical, we’re self-serving.One of my favourite examples of how people who would know better will say anything for a buck is real estate agents.Have you EVER heard a real estate agent tell you it’s a wrong time to buy a house? In all of my days, I have never read an article by a real estate agent saying that people should hold off on a purchase. House prices going up? A great time to buy; you’ll make your money back immediately! House prices going down? It’s a buyers market! Lock in your savings now!Marketing and advertising professionals did something similar with social media marketing.We saw the platforms’ rise in popularity and didn’t want to get caught in a lurch. The buzz was building behind them, and clients were often demanding us to help them. So -even though Facebook and Twitter were mostly unproven with little to no actual case studies to speak of- many firms told their clients to throw money into the black hole of social.What was the result? The majority of social media campaigns are disasters. I only know of a fraction of companies that continue with any seriousness on social media compared to the rates companies did with traditional advertising or even SEO and non-social digital ads.You see it in the positioning. When digital marketers talk about social media, they discuss it regarding “reach,” “exposure,” “presence,” “awareness.” That’s code word for “throw your money away.” Do an online search of the effectiveness of social media, and you will find the results filled with SEO and social media marketers praising the platforms and the strategies.Real marketers talk about ROI. Impact on sales, and impact on lead generation. You can’t pay the rent on brand awareness. I’m saying this as someone who builds brands for a living.And it’s not just me saying this. One of the largest brands in the world, Proctor & Gamble, gutted their ad budget and walked away from a host of agencies because of digital advertising and marketing fraud.Social sharing has been automated to death:According to Buzzsumo, average social shares per article had declined by 50 percent in 2017 in comparison to 2015. Their data also shows how fast most hot topics become saturated with articles, leading to only a relatively few winners getting the majority of the societal shares and hyperlinks.Another found that, that bots automate nearly two-thirds -66%- of all HTML links posted on Twitter.Again, if social media platforms truly valued their user-experience and cared about social being social, they would have banned such practices years ago. No more social automation. If you want to engage with your fans and followers, you have to be there for them. You have to be live, online, ready to connect.However, bots are good for business. They boost their daily active user accounts; they make their platforms look more popular than they are. Bots post content, bots like content, bots share content, bots follow people, bots message people -it’s endless.Bots account for an ungodly 52% of internet traffic in 2017. That number is only set to rise further as social media continues to be an arms race. Caught in the middle of all of this are businesses who think their digital marketing metrics have any meaning.Your Influencer isn’t that influential.I’m a firm believer in influencer marketing because I believe it is a natural extension of relationship marketing. People will buy from people they trust and will accept the suggestions of people they like.However, with the growth of online influencers, things have taken a turn for the surreal.First off, many fans and followers of social media influencers are as fake as anything. Social media bots follow celebrities as a means to spam their pages and/or a means to scrape a list of people to spam later with content.Secondly, as marketers and advertisers, we are supposed to care about accuracy. But the ability to verify the fan base of an influencer is almost impossible within the platforms. You have to go to third-party apps to try and get any real understanding of the legitimacy. Moreover, even then, you are at the mercy of the third-party to provide you with accurate data. Should Instagram decide to shut down the API to these applications, you will have no idea how popular your influencer is.The future of social media: live, direct, and transparent.The way to solve the social media problem we’re facing today is simple: social media was great when it was social and personal. A return to the basics is needed.No more automationIf you don’t have the time or the energy or the interest actually to ENGAGE with human beings, then social media is not for you. What’s more, you’re not for social media.Automation should stop. Period. Let’s return to a more natural engagement between brands, companies, customers and leads. Human interaction is the most powerful driver of revenue and sales, as is the best metric for the real value of a platform.See and be seenThe use of live video to establish authenticity in an age where everything is anonymous will be a dominant driver of change in the next five years. Instead of hiding behind memes, and curated content, companies should leverage influencers and their employees to champion their brands. Reconnect with the basics: one-to-one or one-to-many communications.The revolt of investorsI genuinely believe that the majority of social media firms have fudged the books when it comes to their userbase, activity, and popularity. It’s time for investors to demand third-party audits of the data before the entire house of card falls on people’s heads.Look, I’m a marketing consultant. I enjoy using social media. It allows me to stay in touch with the people and the brands I care about most in the world. But at the heart of it is a flaw -a glitch in the Matrix- that needs to be sorted out.There’s a bubble out there, and social media firms that allow for fake profiles and anonymous users are at the heart of it.

SEO marketing is the most popular form of internet marketing amongst new media firms worldwide. With the popularity of Search Engine Optimization outsourcing worldwide, many Digital Media firms and small and medium businesses are shifting work to SEO Companies in India.There are many expert SEO firms in India when it comes to SEO outsourcing services. Some SEO Companies strictly use White Hat tactics to optimize its client’s website in order to achieve higher rankings. Some SEO firms use Black Hat techniques to gain quicker results. But such techniques run the risk of having the sites banned from search engines forever. In general few SEO Marketing firms in India provide comprehensive SEO services to its client’s right from Review and Analysis of an existing website to optimizing its on-page and off-page components.Various SEO techniques followed by SEO firms in India are as follows:Initial Analysis – This is the first technique in any SEO service package that SEO companies take while evaluating an SEO opportunity. This process involves the analysis of the website and main competitors, resulting in the formulation of an SEO action plan which sets the strategy for the search engine optimization campaign.Keywords Research – It is one of the most important technique at initial stage. Keywords are one of the most important factors in assigning ranks to a website. Adequate effort is directed towards identifying the best set of keywords which drive maximum traffic to the website.Optimizing Pages – It is one of the other technique in optimization. Creation of new content or modification of the same around the selected keywords with equal emphasis on readability and conversion rates. The expert SEO team at SEO firms ensures that the web pages are optimized with regard to the theme of the website.Meta Tag Code Optimization – The Meta tags of the site are considered important by the search engines. Optimized Meta tags have positive effects on the ranking potential of website. The expert SEO teams at SEO companies analyze and optimize the Meta keyword, description and title of the websites.Manual Directory Submissions – The SEO specialists manually submit websites to all major search engines & directories such as Google, MSN, Yahoo!, DMOZ and others. These directory listing ensure that the indexing of the sites is faster and surer. It is also ensured that the site description and category are very appropriate and fitting. SEO firms in India provide Manual Directory submission services at a fraction of the cost than that charged by International SEO firms.Building Link Popularity – Link popularity continues to favor high amongst search engines. Link popularity is essential for achieving a good Page Rank (PR) and also in boosting a website’s search engine positioning. Link building is a tedious and time consuming Search Engine Optimization related activity and can be easily outsourced to low cost outsourcing destinations like India where professional SEO companies take full responsibility of delivering their clients Search Engine Marketing requirements. Expert SEO firms continuously develop newer techniques of maximizing quality links, e.g. article submissions and press releases.SEO Marketing Companies use a holistic approach towards SEO to ensure top rankings on major search engines.

Building a successful business takes years of effort and attention. Having expended plenty of blood, sweat and tears over that time, business owners want to maximize their value when selling.Many of the qualities that make a business owner successful will benefit a business seller, too. However, not many owners have much experience in selling a business. It is a long, complex process. Here are some of the major issues business owners should consider before, during and after a sale to secure the best value for their hard work.Preparing For The SaleNo matter what sort of business you own or how big it is, determine why you are selling and what your priorities are. Do you want to hold out for an all-cash sale, which may be harder to successfully negotiate, or are you willing to consider an installment sale or taking equity in the acquiring company? Do you have a minimum price determined by factors other than the business’s value, such as your retirement plans? Do you want to preserve the jobs of family members or long-term employees? These and other considerations may seem obvious, but it is essential that you articulate them to yourself before you begin.It is generally wise to hire outside help. Look for advisers who have relevant experience and vet them thoroughly. Make sure your experts have no potential conflicts of interest in a sale. Advisers you might consider hiring include an accountant, a tax expert, legal counsel, an appraiser or valuation expert, an investment banker and an intermediary or broker. Some people may fill more than one of these roles, and not every business sale will require all of them. Almost every business owner, however, will want at minimum an accountant, legal counsel and an intermediary on their side before and during a sale. The broker or intermediary can be the point person for identifying and working with potential buyers. The accountant (and the tax expert, if they aren’t the same person) will help you get your books in order and consider issues such as how to allocate the business’s purchase price most effectively and how to deal with federal, state and local tax concerns. Legal counsel will draft and review the documents and agreements necessary to complete the sale.Be aware that many lawyers or other advisers will expect you to sign retainer agreements up front once you have decided to hire them. This protects both parties, but it can mean a substantial outlay of money at the beginning of the process. Also, if you have a business that is very small, you may have trouble finding a broker who is interested in your transaction. Many brokers who specialize in business sales look for businesses valued at several hundred thousand dollars or more. For very large businesses, an owner is more likely to hire an intermediary, who generally functions as a consultant and offers more sophisticated services.Once you have hired a team, work with it to understand how the sales process will unfold before you start. The better you understand the process, the more purposeful you can be with your choices throughout. One key aspect to have in order early is your bookkeeping and records. Consider conducting a mock due diligence process to make sure you are thoroughly prepared for a prospective buyer’s examination. You may also want to obtain an objective third-party valuation. This will give you a realistic idea of your business’s worth and will help you decide on a realistic asking price.Once a potential buyer has been identified, a tighter focus on compiling and presenting books and records is warranted, since the buyer will be able to specify the information for review and the preferred format. For example, many prospective buyers want to see books and records that have been prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which most small businesses do not routinely use. The process of converting a business’s books to GAAP can be a significant undertaking, so if this is a concern, it should be addressed early in the process.Finally, don’t neglect personal preparation for letting your business go. Create or revisit your personal financial plan. Try to work out several scenarios for the sale to see how it will affect your short-term and long-term goals. For some business owners, especially founders, letting go of a business can also have an emotional component. Know what you plan to do next and accept that the new owners will change your business once you are gone. Both you and your business will begin new chapters after the sale closes.The SaleThe process of selling a business can be protracted. Once you begin, prepare yourself for the sale to take six to 12 months, though, obviously, this timeline can vary. To make your business more attractive, consider improving assets, cleaning up potential liabilities and generally taking care to make your business look its best. Much as you might repaint your house before you sell it, you can take steps to spruce up your business, too. Consider the timing of the sale; try to avoid selling right before a lease or key contract expires so that a buyer doesn’t face the prospect of renegotiating it as soon as he or she arrives.Ensure that your business continues to operate effectively throughout the sale process. The sale can occupy a large chunk of your attention if you are not careful. Be sure to manage your time wisely and do not neglect day-to-day operations. Keeping performance high will not only make the business more attractive from without, but also will keep morale and dedication high within your staff. This is another reason to hire outside consultants, as spreading yourself too thin may hurt the business and ultimately reduce the price you can obtain.Consider carefully who in the business needs to know that your company is for sale. You have a duty to any partners or co-owners, as well as to shareholders, which may dictate a certain level of disclosure. However, widespread knowledge that the business is for sale can create anxiety among employees, customers and vendors. This, too, can reduce the ultimate selling price.Once you or your broker has identified a prospective buyer, it makes sense to prequalify the candidate to make sure nobody’s time is wasted. During the prequalification process, you will also want to secure confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements. Serious buyers should not have problems agreeing to such terms; if they resist, treat it as a red flag. (The same holds true for your team of advisers, who should also formally agree not to disclose sensitive information about the business.)The prospective buyer should offer a letter of intent, which is a nonbinding offer outlining all the major terms of the proposed transaction, including the total purchase price, the structure and all other important conditions. The letter of intent serves as a basis for you, your buyer and your respective lawyers to negotiate terms and draft the final legal documents. Be sure to have a good idea of which terms you are willing to compromise on and which are deal breakers. As a rule, the more thorough and specific you can be during the early stages of a deal, the better.A key decision for many business owners will be whether they want to structure the sale as an asset or a stock deal. Generally, buyers prefer to purchase assets because they can obtain a step-up in basis, resulting in enhanced tax deductions in the future. Buyers also limit their own risk in an asset sale. Sellers generally benefit more from a stock sale, if one is possible, because they obtain clear, long-term capital gains treatment by doing so. If the seller holds stock in a C corporation, the seller may have no choice but to hold out for a stock sale to avoid double taxation. In other cases, an asset sale will tend to attract more buyers, but a seller should not hesitate to ask for a higher price accordingly, given the benefits to the buyer inherent in an asset sale. In many cases, the structure of the business dictates the tax treatment of the sale. For example, the sale of a sole proprietorship is always treated as an asset sale.While a stock sale is relatively straightforward, an asset sale is treated as a sale of all business assets, with a portion of the purchase price allocated to each asset. Allocating the purchase price among assets is often a key part of the negotiation process, as buyers and sellers may want certain assets treated differently to receive the most favorable tax treatment. For example, buyers might want more of the purchase price allocated to hard assets, which they can depreciate, as opposed to intangible assets or goodwill, which generally must be expensed over longer periods of time. Sellers want the opposite, because the sale of hard assets often results in ordinary income tax treatment, whereas intangibles and goodwill can often receive capital gains treatment. Both parties must agree on the final allocation, as the buyer and seller will both disclose this in their tax filings with the Internal Revenue Service.You should also address issues of transition as part of the selling process. Will you stay on for any length of time to ease the transition? If so, you will need to negotiate an employment agreement explicitly outlining the terms of such work. If not, how will you hand over the business and when? At what point will key employees be notified?Follow best practices even in the small details as you proceed through the negotiation and the sale. Keep good, clear records and follow any directions from your lawyer carefully. Meeting exacting ethical standards is the right thing to do, and it also limits your liability. As a seller, not only do you have duties to your partners or shareholders, but you also have legal disclosure obligations to potential buyers. Make sure there is no question that you have met all such obligations fully.After The SaleIn most business sales, your involvement with the business does not end on the day it’s sold. Founders and key executives often receive employment contracts to stay on and help the business transition to the new ownership. Depending on how the sale was negotiated, this can also include additional incentive payments, or “earn-outs,” which are contingent on how the business performs during the first few years after the sale. Earn-outs are common when founders and key executives stay on through the transition, providing them with incentives to keep the business running smoothly. Most business sale contracts include noncompete provisions, under which an owner’s ability to continue to do business in a certain geographic area or industry can be limited.Remember that Uncle Sam will take a healthy share of the business sale proceeds. Work with your accountant to prepare all necessary tax filings following the sale. The tax impact could extend over multiple years if you receive payments under an installment sale.Selling a business is complex, and this article discusses only some of the legal and financial considerations involved. Do not hesitate to bring in a team with experience and to take the time you need to educate yourself before you proceed. Most business owners only sell a business once. It is important to get it right.

What is art and entertainment?Art and Entertainment is a medium which is liked by say by every person both are two sides of the same coin. The only difference it the materials for entertainment have a popular or mass appeal, it can be understood easily by commoners whereas art involves are fined sense of understanding. The, difference between Van Gogh’s paintings and a James Bond movie. One is art the other is entertainment. But the purpose of both is relaxing the mind and generating a pleasurable feeling.Difference between art and entertainment.Art includes paintings, poems, sculptures, installations in studios and museums. Entertainment includes Hollywood movies, television serials, theaters, circuses.
Nowadays artists are trying to do more of interactive art so that there creation can reach to all, poems are taking the form of rap songs. Contemporary art is very much interfused with everyday issues, the problems or situations a person goes through. Aphrodite is a classical Greek art. Monalisa by Leonardo da Vinci is renaissance art done on poplar paper and oil paint. Pablo Picasso and Vincent Vangogh contribute to modern art. Postmodern art or contemporary art consists of Installations, Intermedia, Multimedia and Conceptual art. Brian Andreas, Allan Graham are artist of this age.Postmodern Installations.Installation art is a very new concept in postmodern art it is space specific three dimensional designed to transform the perception of space. Marcell Duchamp, Kurt Schwiters are father of installation arts. The Three dimensional affect of this art makes them unique from other art forms.Passing phases of entertainment.Man indulged in entertainment with stage plays the topics of Kings and queens, medieval dramas and folk songs. Entertainment resources shows the ways and nature of entertainment changed with time according to the changing demand of the public. Movies gain popularity with the invention of the camera. First was the silent era, only moving pictures without sound. The invention of sound recorder brought in the Talkies, movies with sound and dialogue. Latest technology is High Definition 3D movie Avatar. Entertainment is no longer limited to movies but have moved on to video gaming, internet gaming. Entertainment is an institution itself and has a business market of its own which is expanding rapidly.

Agricultural land investment is clearly the hot ticket of the moment, with every level of investor from institutional funds such as Schroders and Barings investing millions of pounds, to smaller retail investors with a few thousand seeking good quality farmland for investment. Whether you have access to 50 million or 20,000, there are projects and strategies available on the open market to suit your budget and requirement, from the UK to Australia, and from the Ukraine to South America, all with subscribing to different investment strategies, and some less credible in terms of end value than others.One part of the current trend that alarms me is the apparent rush of retail investors to invest in farmland overseas, buying up title or leases with little or no comprehension of the true value of the underlying asset. For which they are parting with hard earned cash for. Agricultural land produces soft-commodities (food), and as such the value of the land is intrinsically linked to current pricing trends for whichever commodity is being produced by that land, along with a host of other factors. Currently food commodity prices are at a forty year low, indicating a huge margin for growth in value of both soft-commodities and therefore the underlying asset that produces them, yet investors that lack experience seem to be purchasing or leasing farmland outside their domiciled country without sight of any kind of credible, regulated valuation, seemingly smitten with the story of growth and income, without truly understanding the fundamentals supporting farmland investment, risk, or exit strategy.When speaking to clients on a daily basis about the relevance of investing in farmland as part of an overall low-risk strategy, I think it is most important for investors to understand the fundamentals supporting agricultural land investment, as well as the various investment strategies that can be employed to gain exposure to this sector and asset class, and more importantly, investors should have enough knowledge to decide whether farmland investment is a suitable asset allocation strategy to suit their own needs. Here are some of the broad profiles of investors that should or should not investigate the prospect of investing in farmland:- Investors that Should Consider Farmland
- Investors that Should Not Consider Farmland
- Investors holding cash as part of a low-risk portfolio
- Investors with a requirement to leverage
- Investors requiring stable, consistent income
- Investors with a high-risk approach / strategy
- Investors with a necessity to hedge inflation
- Investors with a risk-averse approach
- Investors desiring exposure to propertyCurrent Market ConditionsIf this article is to be well-rounded and achieve the goal of helping the investor to make an informed decision, it is important to explore the current market conditions that have led to this whirl of interest in farmland investment from both the retail and institutional sectors.Firstly, we are seeing price volatility in more traditional asset classes such as stocks and bonds, which is a result mostly of the fact that the world is still in a precarious economic position with very poor levels of forward visibility. With Economists unable agree with each other and comfortably project where our global and national economies are headed, it is very difficult to price and value assets such as companies, and therefore the shares that make up these businesses.Secondly, on a global basis, and specifically in the UK, the central bank has undertaken a policy of quantative easing, i.e. printing more money and flushing it into the main supply in an effort to kick-start the economy. This will lead to higher levels of inflation to some degree, and in an inflationary environment investors seek to protect their wealth by purchasing assets that have a positive correlation with inflation i.e. their value rises when inflation rises, providing growth for the investors over and above the rate of inflation..Thirdly, investors have always kept back some cash as part of their portfolios, feeling it is the safest of assets offering the lowest level of capital risk, whilst at the same time providing an income return relevant to the interest rate they achieve. In the current climate with central bank interest rates so low, investors have lost these risk-free returns, so must seek out an asset that not only grows in value, but also produces an income to replace the lost revenue.These three characteristics that define the current economic playing field all combine to draw investors to the idea that investing in farmland is a sound strategy, and that a well-placed farmland investment will provide not only the inflation beating growth that is required, but also replace the income lost from cash deposits, as well as provide the low-risk stability that is required in times of poor visibility, as farmland is one of the very few assets that are absolutely essential to the survival of the human race yet is in ultimately short supply, ensuring that sound fundamentals support a continuation of the current value growth, and increasing income streams as food commodity prices start to increase to previous levels.So how does arable land perform as an investment asset? Well some of the key characteristics of agricultural land investment are as follows:Investing in farmland provides a proven inflation hedge, with data showing very clearly that tillable land shares a positive correlation with inflation. Historically farmland values increase faster than inflation, which lend investors confidence in the asset as not only an inflation hedge but also a capital preservation tool as farmland is viewed as a low-risk asset as the investment is underpinned with an asset that is in limited supply but where demand for food is increasing at an astounding, and frankly unsustainable rate, and unlike other commodities that we require for day to day operation such as oil, metals or gas, farmland is a renewable resource that continues to produce food season after season.Agricultural land investment is also a good strategy for stable, consistent income, as unlike other popular low-risk investments such as gold, farmland also provides regular income, either from the commercial farming activities, or from renting the farm to a farmer to work the land and capturing a rental income instead. With farming tenancy occupancy rates at nearly 100% in the UK, this income is stable and regular, making investing farmland ideal for those investors seeking low volatility income.Investing in farmland also provides some excellent tax planning opportunities and many investors look to farmland investment to provide relief for IHT and various other tax strategies.Aside from all of these characteristics that help farmland investment fit very well into the current market conditions that we described earlier, investing in farmland is simple and transparent and very easy to overcome one of the first hurdles I mentioned in this article; value for money. One choosing to invest in farmland in the UK for example would commission a regulated Red Book Valuation undertaken by a RICS regulated Chartered Surveyor, ensuring that the investor receives value for money. Again, one of the biggest mistakes that investors are making right now, is purchasing asset without knowing whether they are overpaying as there is no evidence to support the sale price. One piece of advice, if it doesn’t have a proper valuation, don’t buy it, simple.So exactly how can investors gain exposure to this low-risk, income producing inflation hedge? Well there are various investment strategies available to the qualified investor with liquid capital in the region of 20,000 +, here we will cover the two main options, and also break down the various sub-categories to give the reader a broad understanding of the options available to him/her. The two main options available to the retail investor are farmland investment funds andAside from taking into account the particular investment strategy, all farmland investment funds share the same pros and cons as any other type of investment fund when compared to direct asset ownership. The fund will be managed by person or persons with the relevant experience and successful track record (or not) of investing in agriculture. You will own shares in a vehicle that will own many different underlying assets rather than focussing your capital and attention on one asset you believe to show good qualities. Essentially the investor relinquishes control of his capital to the Fund Manager who will invest it on their behalf, hopefully scoring well. In actual fact many studies have shown that the benefits of spreading the risk of investing capital over many different assets is equalled by the added risk of acquiring much larger assets in the first place, and should one particular acquisition turn out to have an overall negative effect, then the value of the entire fund is likely to drop.Investing in Farmland DirectlyInvesting in farmland directly allows the investor ton gain exposure to the raw asset that is increasing in value, and allows the investor to dictate the terms of the investment strategy, location, size of the investment, and most importantly in my opinion this is the only strategy that allows the investor the opportunity to directly own a tangible asset that has no correlation to financial markets and is most likely to increase in value above the rate of inflation and also gives the investor the chance to have their asset produce an income.Selecting a good quality piece of farmland is the key of a successful strategy here, and this is where expert advice is useful. To keep things nice and simple a good rule is looking at how much revenue that land could produce, this will give an indication of the level of income that could be generated through rent of farming activity. Also, carrying out a Red Book Valuation via a RICS regulated Chartered Surveyor with comparative values and working historical data to get an idea of whether this farm has increased in line with, above, or below the national average.In my opinion, when investing in farmland, the only land that should be considered at all is land that is part of, or could be part of a profitable working farm. Using this as your golden rule will ensure that you only invest in farmland that produces revenue and profit and therefore will grow in value in line with commodity prices and inflation.This all leads me to believe that whilst farmland investment funds are an option to take a hands off approach, direct ownership of farmland as an investment asset provides the investor with less risk, a tangible asset, and full control of their holdings.RisksFarmland investment is not a risk free affair, as with any opportunity to part with cash, investing in farmland presents the investor with a number of risks that should be considered when assessing the asset for acquisition as the income produced may be contingent upon them.Firstly one should assess they type of crops being producing, seasonal or row crops are best as they van be changed each season to take advantage of whichever foodstuff is commanding the greatest price on the commodity market, these crops include wheat, maize, soy, and barley. These crops are much more reactive to market than permanent crops such as vines as vines will not produce any income within the first three years during their maturation period and also are much more susceptible to disease during this period.Secondly one must consider whether to buy existing farmland for investment, or to buy a Greenfield site and convert it to agricultural use. Investing in farmland that already has a proven track history of producing revenue offers the investor the lowest risk and also the lowest cost.Lastly the structure of the deal to which the investor commits will dictate overall risk profile to an extent. You may choose to simply rent out the land to a farmer for a fixed rental payment, this in my opinion offers the lowest risk and most stable income as any default in the rent van result in eviction of the farmer. Another option is to start a farming enterprise and work the land for a profit, only seriously experienced and successful farmers should consider this route. Also there is some middle ground here too, with the landowner sharing in the revenue from crop sales and also taking a top up rental payment, and whilst this does allow the investor to participate in any spike in commodity prices, it also exposes the investor to unnecessary risk.So to summarise my chosen farmland investment strategy; find a good partner to work with who knows good quality farmland and is able to source good quality deals, buy actual farmland, whether in your name, in a company name, by holding title deed, or holding shares in an ownership vehicle, either way, when investing in farmland, buy direct. Investing in farmland should be considered if you are holding cash, if you require income, if you wish to preserve your capital through hard times, or if you have a SIPP or SSAS pension.Farmland Investment FundsAs with any investment fund, every agricultural fund will have it’s own parameters of investment and investment style, a Fund Manager or Investment Committee. Some will invest in farmland alone, others will acquire farming businesses, and others will acquire support services businesses. Most farmland investment funds will undertake to invest in agriculture using a variety of investment strategies covering all of the above.

Obama health care has received mixed emotions from people all over the nation. Some are in favor, others feel that the government has completely taken control of their rights. For the middle class Americans, many believe Obama care will adversely affect themselves and the upper class. While it does make significant changes to our current system, every class will be affected in one way or another.It is believed by many individuals and institutions that low-income families will benefit greatly, and have health insurance for perhaps the first time ever. However, this benefit to the lower income class means that high-income families will pay considerably, most of it in the form of increased taxes. Obama care is a touchy subject with many Americans, who feel they will be forced to pay stiff penalties if they do not buy health insurance coverage.Middle class Americans feel that they may suffer the most, and cannot see a way out as they attempt to pay for basic necessities such as childcare, food, housing, utilities, etc. In their minds, it they are already struggling to meet these obligations, how in the world can they afford health insurance? But if they don’t purchase it, according to Obama laws they will face penalties if they fail to get health insurance coverage.Struggling with the rising cost of insurance has been a problem for years, and the debate has continued regarding how to get the United States health care system under control. Under Obama health care, families who earn in excess of $250,000 per year will face an increase in Medicare tax from 1.45% to 2.35% – same for individuals who earn $200,000 per year. Since there is now no option regarding whether an individuals decides to purchase health insurance coverage or not, they will face penalties.Americans who already have health insurance may think “So what? What’s the big deal?” In fact, Obama health care may affect those who previously had health insurance coverage. While it seems that having more people paying in to the system would mean lower insurance premiums, that may not be the case. According to congressional estimates, by the year 2016 individual premiums may be 10 to 13% higher than they are currently.Several factors that play in to the equation include the fact that in 2014, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage or charge increased premiums due to existing conditions. Add to that the fact that shortly thereafter, insurers will no longer be able to set lifetime limits on coverage, nor will they be able to drop insured individuals who become ill. What does this mean? In a nutshell, Obama health care means that more sick people will be covered, and those costs are greater to insurance companies than those of healthy individuals. All of this may ultimately counteract the benefits of a larger health care pool.At the current time, it is difficult to determine exactly how it will affect Americans in specific classes, or who will ultimately end up paying the most for mandatory health care coverage. One thing is for certain – while some believe that this is the best thing since buttered bread, others aren’t nearly so optimistic. In a few years, we will all be able to determine just how Obama health care has affected our lives personally.

Getting home health care services is an investment. It would be something that your family would be considering for a long time. With this, you need to make sure that your care services are appropriate for the care recipient. You should also look at the other details of the agency when it comes to the professionals that they are hiring.The first thing you need to do is find a list of accredited and licensed agencies. This would give you the basic assurance that you would be getting the right and the best kind of home health care for your folks.Once you get this list, it would be best to make a shortlist in terms of their proximity to your home. This way, you can take time to visit them and also research about them. You can go to the location and check it out yourself. You should know how long the agency has been in operation so far so that you would be able to qualify how they would serve the purpose of caring for your folks.Reference checks are a must. You need to be sure that the care worker is licensed and also comes from a clean background. So you should also make it a point to ask what specific methods your home health care agency uses when it comes to hiring their health professionals.Speaking of references, you should also ask if they get in touch with specific agencies or professionals for the said background information. This would also help you understand how well-affiliated they are with other networks.You should also look at the specific services being offered by the home health care agency. Make sure that they have what your folks need and what the doctor would have to prescribe to them. It is important that the care provided in the agency also coordinates well with your folks’ medical condition.Once you have zeroed in on your home health care agency, better book an appointment with them. This way you can discuss in person all the necessary things that you would want to ask and clarify. You should also ask if you can be given the chance to choose the professional to work with your folks.Choosing the right home health care agency is something you need to take time with. You need to make sure that you are doing the right thing and that you are making the right investment.

#EANF#

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.