Web 2.0

"Web 2.0" refers to web development and web design that facilitates interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design^[1] and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Examples of Web 2.0 include web-based communities, hosted services, web applications, social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksonomies. A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with other users or to change website content, in contrast to non-interactive websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them. Thank you Wikipedia :-) For the full definition, click HERE. (I've left the links in just in case you wanted to look up the things Wikipedia assumes you might want to look up)

So why am I even taking time to post about Web 2.0? If you're into stocks, finance, missions, cooking, whatever- technology WILL NOT WAIT FOR YOU! I've found out the hard way sometimes, since I'm usually a laggard when it comes to hopping on the bandwagon (ie. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) Whether you're trying to figure out how to access Think or Swim from your iPhone, or wondering how to embed an RSS feed into your website- you need to keep up! This brings me to my next point (and thanks to Charlie G., who unfortunately for us has taken some time off from blogging, I know I'm not alone in my thought process):

Stop being lazy! This not only goes for your trading, but EVERY aspect in your life: physical fitness, diet, relationships, education, etc. I've lost my night job recently at a Christian Bookstore because of a little thing called bankruptcy, and have found myself with more time than I know what to do with! Since I began seriously trading and investing for mission trips almost two years ago, I've wanted to have more time to devote to these two passions. Well, my mom always says, "Be careful what you wish for". Now it's game on! I have the time, so let's see what I'm made of. I built some exercise equipment yesterday (one big piece with dip bars and a pull-up bar), and have been working on my ministry website (it's actually a small business that uses t-shirt sales in order to fund youth mission trips- I've just been neglecting it for years).

I guess what I'm trying to say (if anyone is still reading at this point :-), is that there's no better time than the present to pursue your goals- but it takes work, patience, and perseverance (no, I did not get that from a fortune cookie). Web 2.0 pretty much personifies what I'm talking about. There are people building empires using the new social networking sites and tools anyone reading this blog has access to. I'm serious, now matter what your passion is, it can be enriched by the computer you're using right now! I'm well aware that most of my readers are traders and investors in the stock market- use the new tools available on the web to quicken your learning curve. The other day, JEDM was in play and went supernova- small fortunes were made. You know how I heard of it? A tweet from Timothy Sykes I saw come across my Facebook home page.

Now, I'm not saying everyone should be a web 2.0 junkie and have a blog, tweet all day long, update their Facebook status hourly, and/or get rich from building numerous websites full of ppc (pay-per-click) ads. I just know it's enriched my life. Feel free to share any new ideas or apps you find helpful from the wonderful, widget-filled world of Web 2.0!

Waaay too much time on my hands,

Evan (aka. Island Minister)

What I Believe...

Don't worry- I'm not about to go into a long dissertation on why I am a Christian (even though I'd be happy to if anyone was interested). This post is about my belief that the market will correct and retest the March lows. The reasoning could stem from something as simple as everyone saying 'the worst is over' and calling march the absolute bottom for decades to come, to following the Elliot Wave theory and strictly using technicals. Since I'm not a saavy enough analyst yet to map out the Wave's peaks and troughs or chart how the dollar is bottoming, I'll just let you watch one of countless videos bouncing around in my head that seem to make sense. When everyone around you is bullish (especially non-traders), it's time to protect your profits!

Long DOG, EVFL & SUNV (these two are purely speculative),Up to my neck in wedding plans,
Evan (aka Island Minister)

Back from the Motherland and Still Bearish!

I'm back from the mission field, newly engaged, and still waiting for the market to correct itself. My last post taught me a valuable lesson- NEVER CALL A TOP! For a while, though, I looked like a genius- the DOW retraced to 8200 before the current rally ensued. I'm not calling the top, but definitely agree with THIS article. I understand debt (my knowledge on the subject has increased exponentially along with most other Americans the last couple of years), so I know there has to be some sort of reckoning for the carelessness of both the private and public sectors over the past few decades. Again, THIS Seeking Alpha article is pretty good at nailing the details.

Thanks for the prayers and e-mails many of you sent me last month while I was away. Here's a pic of my fiancee and I, at what we hope will the location of our wedding. As for the mission trip- it was FANTASTIC! You're welcome to view all the pics HERE, as well as THESE pics from Paris (where I proposed at the Eiffel Tower). I've been working on the Island Ministries website since I got back (that's the company I started to help fund youth missions), and plan on putting a team together to go down the Amazon next summer. Interested? You can see pics from last year's Amazon trip HERE. I've also added a cool 'Tip Jar' type of application to my main trading SITE. For $5, anyone can advertise their wares. Timothy Sykes I 'aint (He's made about 50k trading in just under 2 years, and hundreds of thousands from Ad revenue and selling his products), but every little bit helps:-) As for the following video, all I can say is this- you have to be able to break loose sometimes. I thought about titling this post 'Michael Jackson's Alive and Well in Zimbabwe', but I thought that might be in bad taste. Enjoy!


Learning new tricks every day,

Evan (aka Island Minister)