Working From Home

Natural gas is used for heating/cooling buildings and water, drying clothes, cooking, lighting, generating electricity, waste treatment and incineration, metals preheating (particularly for iron and steel), drying and dehumidification, glass melting, food processing, and fueling industrial boilers among other things. So as you can see, the uses of natural gas and plentiful and since it costs far less than many other energy sources, we are not going to stop using natural gas very soon.

However, there is a problem brewing in Canada that if left unattended would drive natural gas prices substantially higher from today’s levels. The problem is that due to higher extraction, operating, labor and drilling costs, the costs of bringing a new well on-stream has risen substantially but since natural gas closed Friday at $6.56 US per million British thermal units in New York, many industry watchers and analysts predict a dramatic slowdown in drilling activity which in turn will negatively affect production growth.

Have costs really risen?

According to the Conference Board of Canada, the total costs for extracting natural gas last year (2006) increased by 10.1% and costs to drill and bring on a new gas well averaged about $5.05 per thousand cubic feet last year compared to $1.90 in 1995. Additionally, operating costs are expected to rise an average of 4.1% per year between 2007 and 2011. The result, according to the Conference Board of Canada, is that industry profits fell to $9.5 billion in 2006, about 25% lower than 2005’s $12.7 billion. The board also expects natural gas production to increase by only 0.2% this year. Production and gas exports will then decline in the coming years, as conventional gas production in Alberta steadily declines.

Impact on Drilling Activity?

Industry groups such as the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors and the Petroleum Services Association of Canada are expecting a 20 per cent drop in the number of wells drilled this year — the first year fewer than 20,000 wells will be drilled in more than half a decade. Evidence of this drop is already being seen in rig utilization rates in Western Canada as data released last week showed a mere 231 rigs working, less than half last year’s 473. Even multinational companies like Nabors (NBR:NYSE), which operates 81 drilling rigs and 180 service rigs in Canada are feeling the price pinch, as evidenced by the following comment made by Nabors CEO Gene Isenberg in a conference in February: “Our lower 48 and Canadian results have been adversely affected by the gas prices.”

So why is a drop in drilling activity so important when levels of natural gas in storage are nearing 5 year highs?

The reason is because Canada is not replenishing its natural gas supplies at a quick enough pace to meet existing and future demand. According to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Canada is the world’s third-largest natural gas producer and the number one supplier of gas imports to the U.S. Canada produces about 6.2 trillion cubic feet annually, and exports more than half of it to our neighbors south of the border. Total gas exports fell nominally in 2006, by about three per cent, however Martin King, a commodities analyst at FirstEnergy Capital Corp., expects that figure to accelerate to about 12 per cent, or more than a billion cubic feet a day, by the end of the year. King believes the numbers are a manifestation of lower drilling activity as big producers like EnCana Corp. (ECA:TSX) and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNQ:TSX) have pulled back on capital spending. Additionally, according to Bill Gwozd, Vice-President of gas services with Ziff Energy Group, Alberta’s oil sands use 600,000 cubic feet a day to generate steam and power needed to separate oil from the tar-soaked sands. That figure is expected to rise to two billion cubic feet per day by 2015, a four-fold jump due almost entirely to the proliferation of new in-situ oil sands projects. In addition to growing demand for oil sands, the province of Ontario is increasing its own natural gas demand as it retires aging coal-fired power plants to reduce carbon emissions. At the same time as demand is increasing, he says Canadian production is expected to fall to about 17 bcf per day from about 18 bcf at present. Furthermore, Gwozd added that by 2015, Canadian production will be down by at least three bcf per day while demand will be up by three bcf per day. Ziff’s analysis includes several key assumptions, most significant that the Mackenzie Valley pipeline comes into service by 2014 followed by Alaska in 2018. Any additional delays would exacerbate an already gloomy supply picture, Gwozd said.

So how high must Natural Gas prices go before drilling activity can resume at its required rate?

Expert firms such as Ziff Energy and FirstEnergy Capital Corp. estimate the natural gas industry now requires natural-gas prices of $8.50 to $9 per thousand cubic feet to recover costs and generate a 15 per cent return, a big difference from natural gas prices in Canada today, which hover around $6.56.

Natural Gas Price from a Technical Standpoint

After failing to breakout from around the $8.50 price level natural gas has now broken below both its 50 and 200 day moving averages. Although the MACD indicator seems pretty bearish for natural gas at the moment, both the RSI and slow Stochastics are showing sings of a bottom. So I think natural gas might drift between a $5.75 and $6.50 which has been its historic trading range, for the rest of the summer season.

Fundamental Outlook

With natural gas in storage at sufficiently high levels, there exists no immediate impetus for prices to head higher. However, if a major hurricane does happen to strike that could send natural gas prices upward by about $2 or more. In the absence of a major hurricane, however, natural gas will continue to drift sideways and remain in a trading range (between $5.75 and $6.50). Additionally, with the Canadian dollar hitting 30 year highs against the U.S. dollar, producers exporting to the U.S. are also feeling the pinch currency wise. So all in all, the near term picture for natural gas isn’t looking too good and hence the future call for higher natural gas prices on my part because current natural gas prices don’t support a reasonable environment for natural gas producers and explorers to continue searching for and replenishing their diminishing supplies. With little investment going into searching for new supplies and demand remaining stable, the supply demand picture gets skewed and eventually prices will go up to reflect that imbalance.

Summary

As a long term investor I’m convinced we’re going to have higher natural gas prices. As the uses of natural gas will continue to remain, demand will also remain robust however, due the points I have outlined above supply will eventually become constrained due to lack of drilling. For drilling to resume natural gas prices have to average $8.50 to $9 per thousand cubic feet for prolonged periods of time in order to inspire and cause existing producing companies to increase their cap ex budgets. So, as natural gas prices continue to move sideways and drift lower during the summer, it makes sense to chip away and accumulate positions in low cost producers.

Do Not Call List.

A backyard isn’t the same as it used to be – a place to grill, where kids play ball, or just an extra spot to mow. Now the trend is to make the backyard an outdoor retreat or an extension to the house. The Home Remodelers Group® can help transform your outdoors into a beautiful year round sunroom, a deck for entertaining or even an outdoor kitchen.

As reported in the May 2006 Consumer Reports, designing and furnishing an outdoor room is the second most likely home-remodeling project to do. Specifically, approximately 1.2 million U.S. households will install a fully functional outdoor kitchen, according to a study by the industry research company inquiry.

In 2004, Better Homes and Gardens magazine received survey responses from nearly 60,000 Americans describing home improvement projects and future home-building aspirations. Better Homes and Gardens found that people want indoor/outdoor livability, technological innovations, flexibility for family needs and a kitchen-centric focus. (REMODELING Magazine, September 1, 2005)

Homeowners are seeking ways to make the outdoors a functional part of the living area. To accomplish that, the barriers between outdoors and indoors, such as walls and solid doors, are going away. As cited in “A Simple Way to Increase Outdoor Living Space” at HGPgal.com, for homeowners looking to add to their living space, improve their lifestyle and increase the resale value of their home, the perfect solution is to extend living areas outdoors through the addition of decks, patios, outdoor kitchens and entertainment areas.

“The line between the house and the outdoor space continues to disintegrate,” says Julie D. Taylor, author of Outdoor Rooms. “Many designers are using the same, or similar, materials both on the interior and exterior to extend the house to the outdoors. It breaks down the barrier and gives a feeling of a larger house.”

Alternatively, instead of thinking of the barriers disintegrating, another solution is effective indoor-outdoor connections. These connections can include French doors opening up onto a porch, or the addition of a window to expose a lovely view. Indoor-outdoor connections can be as simple as adding a mudroom between the garage and the home, or more complex, such as an outdoor entertainment area placed just outside the doors of a home’s main gathering space. Adding visual connections to the outdoors, such as through the addition of glass doors or enlarging a window, adds value to your home by making its interior space appear larger than it actually is. (“Connect Inside of Your House with the Beauty Outdoors,” Ann Robinson, Deseret News, April 2005)

To create the outdoor living space that you want, start by determining your budget and your desires.

Consumer Reports provides some tips about what to consider for building room extensions or outdoor entertainment areas:

* Determine how you will use your space

* Consider location

* Be sure to weatherproof

* Incorporate lighting and heat

* Consider safety

No matter what extension you decide to make, it will undoubtedly add value to your home. As cited by Ann Robinson in Deseret News, “Exterior living space adds usable square footage to your home without costing you the $120-plus per square foot you’d spend for the construction of an addition.”

The Home Remodelers Group® can work with you to determine your indoor-outdoor remodeling desires. We have many gorgous sunroom plans and other renovating features available on our website at www.homeremodelersgroup.com. So, if you need a new area to relax and enjoy reading your favorite book, a place to create a new home gym, a place to add a spa to create your own special oasis, or an area for entertaining family and friends, a new sunroom, deck, or outdoor kitchen may be the perfect solution. We can help bring the outdoors in or take your family out in a comfortable and relaxing setting.

For more information visit: http://www.homeremodelersgroup.com/?source=articles

Employee Background Checks

Having a work-at-home business is increasingly become popular. Why? People are seeking ways to supplement their income and get a better work-life balance. People today prefer to be their own ‘boss’, and set their own work hours.
If you decide to work home, you will also need to be organized and disciplined so that you get a lot of work done. It is your sole responsibility to keep yourself motivated. It is very easy to be distracted while working at home, therefore it is important for you to have some guideline to follow while you work at home.
1. Have clearly outlined goals to achieve. If you have decided to work at home, you have made a very important decision which has will impact on your future’s financial prospects. You will need to have targets that you will work towards achieving, and this will keep you motivated and focused on your work at home business.
2. Do not treat your home business like your hobby. If you really want to earn money while working at home, then you will need to treat your business like one, and be committed to make it successful.
3. Set out your business’ budget and requirements. A work at home project requires an investment of money, time and effort. It is important that before you start your work at home project, you know what your business will require for it to succeed.
4. In order for you to work properly in your home, be sure that you have the appropriate resources and tools you need to be able to work peacefully. Make sure that your office is fully set up, as this will help you be more productive while you work at home.
5. Have an established daily routine. Set your daily ‘to do list’ and follow it diligently in order for you to achieve your goals. Your daily routine should include all the actions you need to take in order to succeed in your home business. Prioritize your activities and also include some break time to relax or spend some with your family. Taking breaks is very important because when you come back to your work after a break you would be refreshed. The benefits of having a working at home business are that you can set your own hours of working, and you can take time to relax when you need it.
6. Be focused and consistent. A work at home business requires dedicated commitment. Because you are working from home, there will be days where may not be able to achieve your daily goals for one reason or another. It is also possible that you may feel discouraged if your work at home business is taking long to become profitable. You will need to keep being focused and work on your business consistently until you start earning the money you desire.
7. Interact and seek ideas from others. While you work at home, it is very easy to be secluded and have limited opportunities for sharing ideas with other people working at home. It is very important you make an effort to join any relevant forums where you can learn from others who have similar work at home businesses. It is also important to learn from others who have been successful with similar businesses to yours, so that you can shorten your learning curve.
Following these tips will help you to have a successful home based business. Working at home is very appealing, and if you take the necessary measures to make your business succeed, then you can make a lot of profits from it, while having a great lifestyle.

Add video to your website in 3 simple steps.

Now maybe the reason you’re interested in setting up a home business is because you’ve seen an ad somewhere, or you’ve been approached by someone. It was all about a great work-from-home money-making opportunity, and you’re excited. Finally, you can quit your job! Finally you say, Soon its bye bye Bossy Boy.
If you’re thinking of working from home by someone else’s rules, though, you have to realize that at least 99% of the offers out there are scams or simply do not work. After all, if it was that easy to pay a few dollars and make thousands, wouldn’t everyone be doing it by now? Here are the biggest scams out there, how to recognize them, and how to avoid them.
Where did you see that work from home offer? If you got it in the post, or by email, or saw it on a poster taped around a telephone pole, then I can guarantee you right now that it’s not a legitimate offer. If you saw the ad in a newspaper, in a jobs magazine or on a jobs website, then it’s a little more likely to be legit - but not much. Always check out any offer, and assume it’s a scam until you have iron-clad proof to the contrary.
You can stuff envelopes from home for 1000’s a week. If you believe that by the way, I have some swamp land in Florida….This is the most established work-from-home scam, and it’s been going for decades now. Basically, once you pay your money and sign up to work from home, you’re sent a set of envelopes and ads just like the one you responded to. You might make some money if someone responds to your ad, but eventually there just won’t be a market for it any more. Anyway, work from home offers like this is illegal pyramid schemes.
The practice of charging for supplies is hard to pin down to any one scam - it’s the way almost all work-at-home scams work (including the envelope stuffing, above). You’ll be asked to make a small ‘investment’ for whatever materials would be needed to do the work - and then you’ll be sent very shoddy materials that aren’t worth anything like what you paid, and you’ll find that there’s no market for the work anyway.
If anyone asks for money upfront, run. A real company should be willing to deduct any ‘fees’ from your first pay cheque - if they won’t do that for you, then that’s because they don’t ever plan to pay you.
Basically like Mom always said, “If it sounds to go to be true, it probably is” Good ol mom was right again.

R U Bluetooth Ready?

Heard the latest? Gas prices went up again. Yeah, I know. That was a poorly designed intro. With gas prices steadily on the rise, we all are feeling the pain.

One thing is for sure, the high prices that we are seeing now will be around for a while and although they may change, the change probably won’t be any good for our wallets.

So, where do we go from here? We know the usual tips for lowering the effect of this money drain such as driving less, keeping tires properly inflated, and driving at slower speeds. Those all work and provide a substantial benefit to the budget but they must be accompanied by additional measures to help the budget further.

1. Use tools like the Gas Money Toolbar or the TypoBounty.com toolbar at GasMoneyToolbar.com. This toolbar allows its users earn money online to pay for gas. Through the popular website TypoBounty.com, the toolbar really helps offset the costs.

2. Use websites like GasBuddy.com to find the lowest gas prices in your area.

3. If your vehicle can run on lower grades of fuel, use it. Check your vehicles manual to determine if your vehicle really needs the higher grades of gas. It really amazes me that so many people use the higher grades of gas when they really don’t need to. Check it out. You may be spending additional money for naught.

4. Take freeways and roads with fewer lights when possible. Stopping and starting is the enemy of fuel economy. When at all possible maintain the momentum that your vehicle burned fuel to provide you. Listen, the average car is over 2000 pounds. It takes an enormous amount of power to move that load from a dead stop. However, it is quite easy for the engine to maintain the load momentum once load is already moving. If you encounter street lights do your best to time them to minimize their effects on your vehicle’s gas mileage.

5. When driving and desiring to accelerate, do it on the down side of a hill if you can find one. Allow gravity to ease your vehicle’s need for propulsion.

Remember, gas prices may rise but using extra techniques and tools to combat the money drain can help a lot.

Hot Ringtones!