Crontx 125 Testamento Vital de NatxoVallirana Video Clips. Duration : 5.07 Mins.

euceda genesis 125 Video Clips. Duration : 0.12 Mins.

Part 1 - Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice Audiobook by Victor Appleton (Chs 1-11) Video Clips. Duration : 121.50 Mins.

SuperBikes SlideShow HD Tube. Duration : 3.92 Mins.

Peruibe o vídeo do ano por SUAVE NA NAVE Oficial Mortão e Ovo no Borrachão Video Clips. Duration : 5.82 Mins.

Do you know about - Steel Trailers Vs Aluminum Trailers - Which is Better?

In the beginning, there were horse trailers, introduced during the late 1950s when trail-riding became popular. Buyers didn't worry about the metal used to build the trailer because the only metal available was steel.

How is Steel Trailers Vs Aluminum Trailers - Which is Better?

Steel had some problems though. The biggest problem was that it rusted. Even today, most steel starts to rust after only a year of use. Over time, a steel trailer can slowly disintegrate.

When the all-aluminum horse trailer came on the market in the 1970s, pioneered by Featherlite Trailers, it had a huge advantage over steel as a manufacturing material. Not only did aluminum resist rust and corrosion, it was also lighter and therefore easier to pull. Trailer owners reporting better gas mileage when hauling an aluminum trailer only added to its popularity.

All-aluminum trailers tend to be more expensive than steel trailers, however. And steel trailer manufacturers claim aluminum trailers just can't withstand the stress of trailering as well as a steel trailer. This leaves buyers with a hard choice-do they pay more for an all-aluminum trailer with its supposed superiority, or buy a more familiar steel trailer and save money? Opinions vary wildly.

What are the facts, though? Is an all-aluminum trailer really a better choice? Have steel trailer manufacturers managed to overcome the material's flaws? This article aims to answer that question.

Metallurgy for the masses

The big question to be answered is which metal is stronger. Steel trailer supporters like to point out that steel has a reputation of being one of the toughest common alloys, while aluminum is more commonly known for its use as foil or pop can material.

However, the aluminum used in all-aluminum trailers is an alloy, the same way that steel is an alloy of iron. This alloy has about the same yield strength as steel! It contains at least 95 percent aluminum, and the other five percent is composed of copper, titanium, chromium and zinc. Other metals are also added in trace amounts to further refine the alloy's properties.

Steel companies, though, still can't come up with a process that makes steel as rust-resistant as aluminum. The best they have is the galvanizing and galvannealing process, which coats steel with a protective layer of zinc in order to retard corrosion. Unfortunately, it only lasts until the layer is breached. Galvannealed steel trailers can receive added protection with a coat of paint, but since trailers are constantly exposed to harsh weather as well as high-velocity gravel the question is when, not if, the protective layers will be penetrated. Galvanizing and galvannealing is also expensive, so most steel trailers only galvanize the skin to keep the price low. The trailer's frame is left to the tender mercies of the environment.

High maintenance

Both kinds of horse trailers require upkeep, but the biggest issue with aluminum trailers is simply lubricating the hinges and cam latches. You'll also want to make sure to wash out the interior, since horse urine is corrosive. For cosmetic purposes, an aluminum trailer should be given an acid bath every couple of years to clean and renew its exterior.

Steel trailers, on the other hand, must be examined constantly in order to prevent rust. Any scratches in the paint need to be touched up or the steel will start to oxidize. If the steel has been galvanized or galvannealed though, you won't have to inspect the trailer as frequently, but you'll want to make sure that welded and riveted areas have been properly finished after every repair. The galvanic layer must be removed to weld, and rivets and screws compromise the galvanic coat.

This constant need to maintain the paint coat and the galvanic coat make steel trailer repairs more expensive, too. Steel trailer repairs are usually more expensive than similar repairs to an aluminum trailer because trailer dealers have to repaint it to prevent rust, while galvanized and galvannealed steel have to be stripped of their zinc layer before they can be welded. Then the zinc layer must be reapplied after repairs, and finally the repaired area gets a new coat of paint.

On the road again

So an aluminum trailer requires less maintenance, resists rust and corrosion and is has better overall durability. It sounds impressive, but how do steel and aluminum trailers compare on the road? Horse and livestock owners who have owned both steel and aluminum trailers consistently say that they get a smoother tow with an aluminum trailer. They also say they can get a smoother ride with a loaded aluminum trailer than they get hauling an empty steel trailer!

The lower weight of an aluminum trailer also translates into a higher payload capacity, meaning you can load more items into an aluminum carrier before reaching the maximum amount of weight your vehicle will tow. Finally, as previously mentioned, several trailer owners reported better gas mileage towing an aluminum trailer than they did with a steel one.

Warranties and resale

The fact that steel rusts presents a problem when reselling it. Steel trailers only a couple years old often have patches of rust, which is difficult to cover or clean. Older steel trailers can be badly rusted, unsightly and even a safety hazard, with rust compromising load-bearing components.

On the other hand, aluminum trailer owners can keep their trailers running like new for decades with just routine maintenance. In terms of visual appearance, owners can restore their trailer's exterior with an acid bath that renders the trailer lustrous and pristine in minutes. These are just two reasons aluminum trailers command a higher resale price than steel trailers do.

As many trailer buyers have discovered, all-aluminum trailers have better warranties. All-aluminum trailer companies almost always offer longer warranties than steel trailer companies, which makes buying all-aluminum trailers a lower risk investment than buying steel.

Anti-aluminum myths

As you may have noticed, all-aluminum trailers have several advantages over steel trailers. However, some articles on the Internet have talked about the problems with owning an aluminum horse trailer. These articles have only one flaw-their facts are often manipulated. Below are some of the popular myths about all-aluminum trailers, along with the real facts.

All-Aluminum trailers are as heavy as steel trailers. Aluminum is only 1/3 as strong as steel, so three times more aluminum must be used to get the equal strength of a steel frame

This would be a better argument if aluminum horse trailers were built from pure aluminum. However, the aluminum alloy used to construct horse trailers is substantially stronger than pure aluminum. More aluminum is used, but the end result is still a trailer that weighs on average 10-15 percent less than a trailer made of steel. That translates to hundreds of pounds that can be added to cargo weight-or not pulled at all.

Trailer manufacturers aren't the only ones who have figured this out. Automobile and airplane manufacturers have been replacing steel with aluminum, and the majority of the NASA Space Shuttles' structures are constructed from aluminum alloys.

Steel is easier to repair than aluminum

Not anymore. Before aluminum became popular, more welders were familiar with welding steel and welding aluminum was another trick to learn. However, aluminum welding techniques are commonly known, and just about every welder knows how to work with aluminum. Consequently, the price has gone down as well, so the cost of getting an aluminum trailer welded is comparable to the cost of welding a steel trailer.

Aluminum stresses and tears more easily than a steel trailer

Okay, seriously-if aluminum is such an inferior building material, why is their resale value consistently higher than steel? Why do you rarely find a steel trailer warranty that's longer than the warranty on an aluminum trailer? For that matter, why do people who own aluminum horse trailers keep them longer on average than people who own steel horse trailers?

Now, if you want to be technical, steel is stronger than aluminum in some respects. It has a higher modulus of elasticity, for instance, which means more force must be applied to steel before it starts to bend. However, aluminum flexes three times as much as steel, which means that aluminum is more likely to spring back to its original shape after being stressed. Steel though, will probably stay bent. Steel also fatigues at lower levels of stress than aluminum, and steel's rigidity makes it more vulnerable to cracking because of its brittleness.

You might also be interested to know that aluminum's lower modulus of elasticity works in its favor as a construction material for trailers. A lower elastic modulus means that an all-aluminum trailer lessens impact shock loads while on the road, giving your animals a smoother ride and creating a smoother tow for your vehicle.

So-called "all-aluminum" trailers have steel parts, so steel must be superior

Not even close. Yes, "all-aluminum" trailer companies will use steel in certain areas, such as the trailer's axles. However, it is not because steel is better than aluminum. Rather, steel is better than aluminum in that instance. And that's one of the main differences between most steel trailers and all-aluminum trailers. All-aluminum trailers are not above using other materials to create the best possible product. On the other hand, most steel trailer manufacturers seem to insist that steel is the best material for every aspect of the trailer, regardless of whether or not another material might actually do a better job. It's like a plastic company insisting that a sheet of plastic wrap will make as good a bedroom window as a pane of glass.

Of course, it's possible to take this concept too far. Some trailer companies have tried to get the best of both worlds by creating a steel frame and wrapping an aluminum skin around it. They advertise these trailers as being "aluminum" even though half-and-half might be a more accurate description. In theory, the steel frame makes the trailer stronger, and the aluminum skin lightens the trailer and resists rust. In practice, many of these half-and-half trailers can get worse mileage than a lighter all-aluminum trailer and the steel infrastructure is still prone to rusting, which can destroy the trailer's integrity. Worse yet, steel and aluminum chemically react to one another, so manufacturers must keep the two metals separate using Mylar padding or some other coating that separates the metals. This works fine in limited instances, but when this is applied to an entire trailer it can create problems. An owner of a half-and-half has to guard against the padding breaking down at every point on the trailer where the steel may come in contact with the aluminum. And if the trailer ever needs to be repaired, the padding usually has to be stripped and replaced as well.

The right metal for the job

The bottom line is that aluminum is a superior manufacturing material for trailers. While a steel trailer can do the job, an aluminum trailer almost always does a better job. It can last longer, too. You may save money initially, but after watching your trailer eventually wear down to rust and getting a replacement while your friends are still using an all-aluminum trailer, you'll know why so many people consider an all-aluminum trailer a superior value.

V8 292 ford fairlane 73 modificado Video Clips. Duration : 1.02 Mins.

Do you know about - Adequan Equine For Your Horse's Joint Ailments

Adequan Equine is a revolutionary drug which is specially used to treat joint ailments in horses. Horses' joints are injured as a result of trauma or too much exercise. The joint problems begin when the synovial membrane gets inflamed which in turn causes a biochemical activity that destroys the lubricating fluids and the tissues around the joint area and ends up in cartilage damage.

How is Adequan Equine For Your Horse's Joint Ailments

Adequan works to fight and stop any injurious activity that may commence as a result of the inflammation. It also immobilizes the enzymes and the free radicals responsible for destroying the joint's fluids and tissues. As a complimentary function, Adequan Equine stimulates the synthesis of cartilage building compounds and stops the production of chemicals that cause pain. As such the joint function of the horse acquires improved efficiency. Adequan therefore stands out as the only product in the market that serves the functions of relieving pain while stimulating cartilage repair action.

Adequan Equine also features a property known as disease modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) which is unheard of in any other osteoarthritis drugs. While drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and corticosteroids focus on decreasing swelling and inflammation, Adequan Equine alters the destructive cycle of joint diseases by repairing the cartilage and stimulating the lubrication of the joints. Hyaluronic acids on the other hand, are only used to improve the composition of the fluid in the joints.

Treatment using Adequan varies from horse to horse since the injuries vary in terms of severity, the rate of healing, level of activity and so forth. A veterinarian should therefore determine the amount and duration of administration of this drug.

Many people tend to rate GAGS and Adequan as the same drug. However, this is not the case. GAGS are nutritional supplements which are taken orally and are not mandatorily subject to approval by the FDA. The customer is therefore not assured that GAGS are effective cures for joint problems. However, Adequan Equine is subject to FDA regulations and requirements making it clinically proven for effectiveness.

Adequan Equine has also been compared to Legend. However, according to a study involving Adequan and Legend, horses with knee lesion problems treated with Adequan Equine demonstrated better and faster recovery. The clinical parameters used for this study were stride length, lameness and maximum flexion of the carpal.

Adequan is administered to the horse by injecting the vial directly to the sick joint or muscle. The injections are administered seven times in four days increments. This medication is available in a pack containing seven 5 mL vials. The price is 2.99 at PetMedsnMore.com

Do you know about - Horse Breeding - The Mare

The hormones that control a mare's reproductive cycle are like a waterfall. They are produced in the horse's brain and flow through the horse's body to the reproductive organs. This is called the cascade effect. In this report we will endeavour to help you to understand this waterfall phenomenon: what is occurring within your mare and how you can plan your breeding season.

How is Horse Breeding - The Mare

Mares cycle many times during the breeding season; this is termed polyoestrous. One cycle is, on average, 21 days long. Within the cycle there is one fertile phase when the mare is considered 'in season'. This normally lasts around 5 days but varies greatly from mare to mare. Fillies usually will start cycling from about 12 months onwards.

The mare's reproductive year can be broken into three phases:

1. Cycling Phase - when the mare is cycling (each cycle being, on average, 21 days) including the fertile period of approximately 5 days.
2. Non-Cycling Phase - occurs in winter when most mares don't cycle and are not fertile.
3. Transition - occurs twice in the year, late autumn and early spring. At these times, the mare can display unpredictable or unusual behaviour. She can also give the appearance of being in season during this transition period, although she is not.

IT COMES DOWN TO NUMBERS

A mare's 21 day cycle is measured from ovulation to ovulation. Day one is the day ovulation occurs. The cycle can be split into two phases:

1. The oestrus phase is the fertile period which lasts from day one until approximately day 5 or 6. It is at this time that the mare is receptive to the stallion.
2. The dioestrus phase is the non fertile period of the cycle. This phase lasts for approximately 15 or 16 days.

IT ALL STARTS WITH THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF

A mare's brain and reproductive tract both create hormones that control her cycle. These are sensitive to the amount of sunlight hours in a day. Melatonin is the 'commander and chief ' hormone responsible for a mare's cycle. Levels of melatonin rise when it is dark. This rise stops reproductive hormones being produced.

When it is light, generally for 16 hours or longer each day during the cycling phase, the level of melatonin drops. This allows the hypothalamus to release a hormone called Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH). Let's break this down a moment. Gonads is the descriptive term for the reproductive organs. Trophin is another descriptive word for growing or nourishing. 'Releasing Hormone' is descriptive of the function that GnRH has - namely to release the hormones from the pituitary gland. (The pituitary gland is located just under the hypothalamus, deep in the brain.) In summary, GnRH is the hormone which gives the command to other hormones to release and grow or nourish the reproductive organs. It's that easy!

The oestrogen is released into the blood stream and stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to release more LH, stimulating ovulation.

GnRH triggers the pituitary gland to release two very important hormones:

1. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) - this causes the ovaries to grow the follicle (the egg).
2. Luteinizing Hormone (LH) - this causes the follicle to mature and, in turn, start to release oestrogen.

The oestrogen is released into the blood stream and stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to release more LH, stimulating ovulation.

OESTROGEN - THE HORMONE OF LOVE

Internally, oestrogen changes the lining of the uterus so it is best able to support the fertilised follicle. Externally, oestrogen is the hormone responsible for your mare behaving in season. Signs can include:

- becoming more docile,
- raising her tail; often to the side,
- standing like she wants to urinate, often for many minutes,
- squatting and urinating frequently,
- heavy, sweet smelling urine,
- winking vulva, and
- leaning into horses, fences and other objects.

Of course signs vary from mare to mare. Some exhibit strong symptoms, others none at all. Mares who have never foaled before, or which have foals at foot, or are kept by themselves tend to show fewer signs. When an in season mare meets a new horse, her behaviour will often become more pronounced.

THE FOLLICLE ERUPTS

The follicle should burst through the side of the ovary leaving a hole. Despite sounding rather gory, this hole (called the corpus luteum) is very important. As it mends (around day 14), it produces progesterone which enables the final phase of the cycle. If the mare is not pregnant the uterus will produce a hormone called prostaglandin. This causes the corpus luteum to dissolve and the cycle to begin again.

WHAT HAPPENS IN PREGNANCY?

When the follicle is successfully penetrated by a sperm, the follicle becomes an embryo. The embryo moves extensively around the uterus for the first 15 days. This is essential - as the embryo bounces off the walls of the uterus it stops the uterus from producing prostaglandin. If there is an area of the uterus where the embryo cannot get to (most likely due to a blockage of some sort), then that area will produce prostaglandin which will terminate the pregnancy and the mare will go back into season.

If the uterus doesn't produce prostaglandin then the embryo will implant into the wall of the uterus at about day 16. Your mare is now pregnant!

The mare is the key.....decide why you want to breed your horse and what will be the intended use of the foal? Consider size. Do you want your foal to be bigger or smaller boned than your mare? Consider height. Is your mare a good height for the activities you plan to do?

Consider your mare's conformation. Does she have a back that is too long or a neck that is too short or crooked legs? Find a stud with the ideal or opposite traits to improve or compliment your mare.

Understand your mare's personality. Is she hot, sensitive and spooky, or is she calm and laid back? If you like her personality traits breed her to a stud with the same characteristics; otherwise, find a stallion that has the personality traits you're wanting.

Determine how the horse will be bred. Will she stay at the stud farm for a certain amount of time or will she come home directly after the breeding? Consider the grazing fees - these often mount up quickly.

Determine if you want a live coverage, fresh, chilled or frozen AI? Determine the stud fee and what happens if you mare does not conceive or loses the foal during or following the pregnancy. For example many studs offer a live foal guarantee - find out what this means to the individual stud - it can vary.

Determine where the foal will be born. Do you have shelter for the mare in bad or cold weather? Does the stallion owner require that you have the mare at a place where she has a foal alarm on to be foaled down and an attendant for you to receive your live foal guarantee (LFG) if something goes wrong?

CHECK LIST - PRIOR TO SENDING YOUR MARE TO STUD

- Have the mare in great condition - not too fat or too thin as both will cause issues getting your mare in foal.
- Feet trimmed and shoes off.
- Good worming regime so she is in good internal health.
- No health issues i.e. temperatures or runny noses.
- Teeth filed.
- Up to date with all relevant vaccinations.
- Send her up with an old halter - often they don't come back with your one on!
- All breeding info - name of mare, breeding, registration number, vet identification completed if required.
- Certify the mare if you want to register the foal with an organisation such as the Hanoverian Society or Racing Thoroughbred Studbooks. Ensure your mare complies with their requirements.
- Make sure you are aware of all the costs involved.
- Read and sign the stud's contract - any questions, ask (and don't be shy about it)!

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO BREED YOUR MARE?

Ovulation usually occurs in the last 24 hours of your mare being in season but this can be variable from mare to mare. Ultrasound scanning has increased the reliability of picking the best time to serve your mare. Stallion semen will last for 48 hours in a mare's reproductive tract. Making sure the mare will ovulate within those 48 hours will increase your confidence that pregnancy should occur. If there is no way to regularly scan your mare, most studs will serve every second day while your mare is in season.

PASSEANDO DE YAMAHA R1 PELA ITALIA ! Video Clips. Duration : 1.45 Mins.

Do you know about - Motorcycle Shops - Motorcycling Parts and Scooter Spares

Motorcycle shops online, how do you find the best motorcycle trader that can fit your exact needs and requirements for motorcycle spares, parts and accessories?

How is Motorcycle Shops - Motorcycling Parts and Scooter Spares

Searching for your parts as we all know, can sometimes be rather frustrating, however, there really is no need to get all hot and bothered if you follow just a few simple techniques, which I hope to provide you with below.

Not everyone has a very popular make of motorcycle, so finding sometimes the right parts for you can be quite a difficult process, if you do not know how to find the best motorcycle shops or motorcycle trader business. However, all is not lost, here we provide a chunk of advice so that you can get a good grip of the situation. So, let's tackle this one step at a time, so that this isn't a long drawn out process for you.

There are one or two huge marketplaces where many a motorcycle trader and motorcycle shops exist that can supply you today, and at a very good deal prices too, if you know where to look.

eBay is just one example. If you are completely stuck finding that all elusive part for your motorcycle, the number of motorcycle traders on this particular marketplace platform and motorcycle shops is truly staggering and certainly if you contact any of these shops, motorcycle trader businesses, if they cannot help you directly, with their source of contacts in the business, generally speaking it isn't very long before they can put you in contact with a motorcycle trader or shops that can actually assist you with your inquiry directly.

Of course not limiting yourself to just one country specific eBay, for example finding motorcycle shops or a motorcycle trader let's say within the USA, you can also try looking on other international eBay marketplaces too for the motorcycle shop or motorcycle traders that can possibly help you. You just need to be aware that there may be higher postage / courier charges if the item is being sent to you from abroad and on higher value items, depending upon where you are from possibly some import duty too, so you may need to make yourself aware of this in advance.

Another simple tool to use when searching for motorcycle shops or a motorcycle trader that can help you online is to search via Google of course. If you want less search results, simply use apostrophe's in the search window. For example, let's say I was looking for, 'motorcycle shops' - I would type this in as, "Motorcycle Shops", this would return much less results overall and more importantly, results which were less general than without the quotes on those two words. The same would apply if I wanted to search for, 'motorcycle trader', again, by simply placing apostrophes around the keyword/s used, this would return much narrowed down results, try it and see for yourself! Simply copy and paste if you need to, "Motorcycle Trader", and compare the two keywords both with and without the apostrophes. You can use this technique with any keyword choice you choose in any of the major search engines.

These simple tools can release for you a great deal of tension and time lost trying to find the climax, that ultimate motorbikes find, those all elusive parts, spares or accessories that you desire for all motorcycling products online. We sure hope that this article has assisted you somewhat to search effectively, and your motorbike store has exactly what you need, to remain well oiled with your machine running as smoothly as possible for many years to come.

Do you know about - Custom Motorcycles - Custom Motorcycle Kits

Custom motorcycle building has come a long way since the days of Easy Rider. In the beginning, if you wanted to customize your bike, you did it yourself, in your own garage or backyard. The earliest choppers were just streamlined bikes with all the extraneous gadgets removed and the fenders chopped off. Nowadays, most people do not have the time, tools, or garages to customize their motorcycles and usually leave the decisions up to some bike builder who went to school for it. However, for those of us with a mechanical itch and a garage full of tools waiting to be put to good use, there is a compromise. There are many places that now offer custom motorcycle kits for the home hobbyist. These bikes in boxes are readily available to be shipped to your home so you can build your very own bike.

How is Custom Motorcycles - Custom Motorcycle Kits

Curious about these custom motorcycle kits, I decided to do some research online. I found a plethora of places, which offered many styles of bikes for a wide range of prices. Some of the prices for these motorcycle kits cost as much as a new car. A site called Whistlestop Choppers from Massachusetts, for example offers a Silver Horse custom motorcycle kit for 15,480. This bike features chrome polished finish, a 113 cubic inch engine and is very sleek to look at, but I think I would have trouble forking over 15 K for a bike that still needs to be put together. (Note: I did find the same Silver Horse Bike on a different site for two grand cheaper, so I guess it pays to shop around.)

Well, I can see the appeal of getting these complete bike kits; I also wonder how complete they are. One site that I went to (SteelThunder.com) offered an explanation on the completeness of the various bike kits. "Bikers Choice" kits come with everything except things like battery acid, paint and gasoline while the "Ultima kits" are shipped to you sans paint, oils, speedometer, turn signals, horns and mirrors. In order to get these things for your bike you are required to pay for an upgrade. I guess, just getting the bare bones frame would be appealing to some people. It would allow for further customizing on their part, making their motorcycle even more unique than the next guys.

For those who think getting a whole custom motorcycle kit is cheating, there are many places that will be happy to just sell you customized parts so that you can turn that hog that you got from your cousin into your very own chopper. Buying custom made parts online is still not as old school as fabricating the parts yourself in your metal shop but it still is a step up from those pansies who need to have their whole bike built for them by a team of engineers.

cool auti i motori BY danko Video Clips. Duration : 4.05 Mins.

La necesidad de transformar las impresiones-Óscar Uzcategui (VM Kwen Khan)en/pt/fr/it/ro/ru/es/hu Video Clips. Duration : 7.20 Mins.

o idiota da moto Tube. Duration : 1.12 Mins.

Rio Official Movie Trailer [HD] Video Clips. Duration : 2.08 Mins.

An Exclusive Tube. Duration : 14.48 Mins.

Escapamento ponteira esportiva titan 150 ES e ESD, tipo cone megafone MalaKart EIG 6 (Prata) v1 Video Clips. Duration : 0.40 Mins.

Suzuki GSF 1200 Bandit - Burnout Tube. Duration : 0.33 Mins.

Acidente - Honda CBR 1000 atropela capivara... Tube. Duration : 0.63 Mins.

De regreso del Valle De Las Palmas con Panchito. Video Clips. Duration : 2.03 Mins.

Part 1 - Triplanetary Audiobook by EE Smith (Chs 1-4) Tube. Duration : 136.73 Mins.

MEN OF WAR (PC): Nazi Bikers in Nevada - 1948 Video Clips. Duration : 8.08 Mins.

Do you know about - What is Inflation, Consumer Price Index (CPI), And What Does it Mean to My Portfolio-Investments?

First I want to define these topics and in the end give you my personal opinion on what will happen (and why) in the near term:

How is What is Inflation, Consumer Price Index (CPI), And What Does it Mean to My Portfolio-Investments?

Inflation: The rise of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. In other words, think of any merchandise you purchase (iPod, books, camera, movie tickets) and places or people you pay such as a mechanic, an attorney, an accountant, and/or a Doctor. In time the prices always go up. Now when this happens, the currency (US Dollar, Euro, Peso, etc.) buys fewer of these goods which in short LOWERS your purchasing power (The ability to buy...anything). This is a loss of real value, which happens over time. To make this even simpler, for those that have been around in the 80's and earlier, what can a dollar USED to buy you? There was a time when the.99 cents store sold things that were actually.99cents. Now it is not the case.

This is part of the economic cycle. Yes, we have to go through a cycle in order for economics to perform correctly (in order not to side track, we will remain on this topic). Inflation is not positive or negative for the economy, it's both. Negative that your purchasing power goes down, which in turn makes people more reluctant to purchase goods, investments, and savings. In turn, it is positive in which the economy can recover from a recession and debt relief by reducing the level of debt. There is also Hyperinflation but I will speak of this later in the blog.

Now, after reading this, you should be thinking of the recent events and reports (if you know them) regarding how the national debt has been recently reduced and savings have gone up (more people are paying off debt and saving money). This is signs of beginning inflation. But what else are signs of inflation? Consumer Price Index that's what!

Consumer Price Index (CPI): Also known as the "True Cost of Living Index". This is simply a measurement of the average consumer (buyer) goods and services by household. Usually the goods are based on urban products that most households will need/want. Without getting too technical, it is also measured in weight (as in kilograms, LBS, etc). So weight+price=CPI. Now some countries report the CPI annually while some quarterly. As I mentioned before, the other name pretty much speaks for itself (True Cost of Living Index), in which CPI measures the rise and fall of cost of living. Why? CPI not only helps measure inflation but also wages, salaries, and pensions. In a nutshell, this index lets you know how much INCREASE you need to have PER YEAR in order to maintain the lifestyle you are currently living. For example: If CPI rose 2.4% for 2009, if you do not have an annual increase of that amount, you will (in a couple of years) not be able to maintain your current lifestyle because that dollar/peso/euro will not be able to buy you that same product that you normally purchase (because that price WILL go up eventually and yet you make the same leaving you with less money). *To see the numbers for yourself, I have included a link (located at the bottom of this article) from the Department of Labor that has a simple calculator.*

So this is a very important index! But how important is it to YOUR portfolio? If you only measure your investments and portfolio on the current stock market such as the Dow Jones, S&P, and/or Nasdaq, you are doing it wrong. As we have seen from the recent crash last year (Fall of 2008) the market drop to levels that set your portfolio back nearly, if not, 10 years (or more, depending on how NOT diversified you were) however CPI was at ZERO of 2008. So if you made 1% return AFTER TAXES then you did EXCELLENT for 2008. Please note that I said "after taxes" because a CD @ 2% for +12 months after taxes long term will not beat CPI, I will explain this on another blog in the near future. If you interview an adviser who wants to manage your money and says he measures your portfolio based on the markets and fails to mention CPI and YOUR expectations, run away!

What may happen in the near term (prediction for the USA): With talks of health reform, what we have already spent on companies not to fail, the stimulus packages, tax cuts that happened during the years of Bush, unemployment extensions, and everything else in between (such as the cash for clunkers), we have no choice but to make cuts and raise/add taxes. For example, congress may pass a law to tax EACH trader's transaction. Now I won't comment on this however you understand the idea. Tax increases will occur (but stated "in the future" which means it WILL happen). In addition, the City of New York's Governor Paterson is planning on raising taxes on film/television/theaters performed here in the great city of New York. At the same time, he has cut education and health care funding. I mention NYC because NYC is supposed to be one of the major benchmark cities in the United States, so if they are doing it, most likely your city might do the same! (with the exception of a few smaller cities)

This leads to what I believe will be a "Hyperinflation". This is, as the words "hyper" means, an out of control inflation which everything I have mentioned above but with extreme higher numbers of price increases and massive drop on currency value. In addition, history of "hyperinflation" is usually caused by the following: Aftermath of wars (We are withdrawing from Iraq by end of 2011), economic depressions (The major recession we are currently in that I feel will end by the end of 2009 or early 2010 THE LATEST), and political/social upheavals (Healthcare reform? Changes in Wall Street?).

The ONLY way to avoid this hyperinflation is if Bernanke (Chairman of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve), Geithner (US Secretary of the Treasury), and the President do not take pressure from the outside community and SLOWLY raise rates and taxes because face it, with the rates and taxes at these levels, we enjoyed are tax cuts and lowered credit card rates but it was bound to come to an end.

What to do with your money during inflation? Invest in HARD consumer products. What do I mean by "hard"? Products and goods that you can actually touch, that the price will rise such as precious metals (my favorite). Gold does exceptionally well when the dollar decreases. Now you know that inflation, value of the currency goes down, so precious metals like Gold will rise. Not to mention the prices on products that use gold, silver, bronze, etc. will rise due to inflation. So that's where I would put my money. Other places would be in is Blue-Chip stocks that pay a dividend (stock price may go up or stay the same but you receive an income from that dividend). Equities may very well outperform during the upcoming inflation (saving rates will stay the same but most likely drop due to many non-educated investors just putting everything in CD's and savings). But there is something for you non-equity traders/investors: TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protection Securities) which pays you a decent yield but also the price of the bond adjusts with inflation making sure you do not go under that CPI keeping you at par. Not to forget, it is backed by the full faith and credit (and taxing power) of the United States. Plus TIPS are exempt from Federal taxes (growth & income) but subject to state and local. Not a bad deal!

So instead of worrying about inflation, just prepare for it (what we in the industry call a "Hedging"). Best case scenario is we just have a regular inflation and I was overestimating...but isn't it better to be safe than sorry?

Dept. of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

WINTENDO Need for speed shift 2 Gameplay 2 Tube. Duration : 5.98 Mins.

Alemão Brincando.... Video Clips. Duration : 0.18 Mins.

Bill Warner Texas Mile Record 278.6 mph Tube. Duration : 1.37 Mins.

Danielzinho Video Clips. Duration : 0.13 Mins.

The Cheetah Girls: One World Video Clips. Duration : 82.90 Mins.

Very easy hill climb (18-11-2007_173) hard enduro extreme YZ250 Tube. Duration : 0.13 Mins.

Tiricuete18 WEELEE DE LOS AMIGOS.! Tube. Duration : 1.68 Mins.

Night Of The Living Dead in 1080p Tube. Duration : 95.87 Mins.

SERPIENTE EN EL PARABRISAS DE UN AUTOMOVIL Video Clips. Duration : 2.40 Mins.

HONDA C90 Video Clips. Duration : 2.53 Mins.

Álvaro Hayabusa / sound by Tiësto & Remady / Traveling by Bike in Slow Motion Tube. Duration : 7.28 Mins.

AVIDA COM A MINHA GSX650F Tube. Duration : 2.23 Mins.

Escapamento ocado (sem nada dentro) Video Clips. Duration : 0.50 Mins.

descida da serra Rafael, Leo xt 600 e Ruan twister Tube. Duration : 6.78 Mins.

RXT El Ruso - Quad Stunt La Palma Tube. Duration : 3.13 Mins.

'HELL RIDE' WORLD PREMIERE/ Q & A @ SUNDANCE FILM FEST Tube. Duration : 3.15 Mins.

TrackDay29 01 12.wmv Video Clips. Duration : 2.38 Mins.

WorkmanVento-2009.MPG Tube. Duration : 1.32 Mins.

Some great days. Parkour Galicia. ( With GUP ) Tube. Duration : 5.23 Mins.

motorcycle nada bluebook Video Clips. Duration : 1.12 Mins.

Grand Chase Chaos Ruinas De Um Reino antigo Tube. Duration : 12.95 Mins.

Moto Wheeling bruno no grau com CG Fan 125 arrastando. Video Clips. Duration : 0.75 Mins.

Honda Trx 450 Video Clips. Duration : 1.62 Mins.

Mexican Border Drag Races Video Clips. Duration : 9.88 Mins.

MINHA VIDA EM LONDRES Tube. Duration : 5.38 Mins.

Stunner Viajando Video Clips. Duration : 9.28 Mins.

"Ela não tem freio" ( Jonas, o Motoqueiro) - Oficial Video Clips. Duration : 2.23 Mins.

Primer dia BMW R1200RT Tube. Duration : 0.72 Mins.

Battlefield 3 | Llego la hora de trollear! Ep.2 Tube. Duration : 3.12 Mins.

Los Vengadores - LHMPDM 1x10 Español (España) Tube. Duration : 22.60 Mins.

FOR SALE - 2008 Harley-Davidson® Softail Deluxe® 500 Video Clips. Duration : 1.60 Mins.