Do you long for a new or accelerated career, but don’t want to commit to a four year degree program? Surprise, you don’t need a bachelor’s degree! Today’s associate degree programs take only two years and you can acquire one through an online education college. Amazingly, there are 3.2 million higher education students in the United States who are taking courses online and you could be one. (Sloan Survey of Online Learning, Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States).There are many exciting and well-paid careers that require only an associate degree. Consider graphic design, radiologic technology, licensed practical nursing, paralegal, and dental hygiene. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects these jobs to be among the fastest growing in 2006. Here are some facts about well-paid careers that require only an associate degree.Graphic DesignMany people are unfamiliar with graphic design. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that graphic designers have the most job opportunities in the field of design. There is a 9 to 17% projected increase in employment opportunities between 2007 and 2014.”Success in this industry is based purely on creativity and skill so if you have natural artistic ability, there’s a lot of potential,” says Jason Rich, career expert and author of 202 High-Paying Jobs You Can Land Without a College Degree (Entrepreneur Press 2006).A two year, associate program will help develop your artistic skills and either start a business or find a position in a corporation. A graphic designer earns $29,400 to $50,800 per year. If you love art, this is a great career for you.Radiologic TechnologyA radiologic technologist (RT) is part of a health care team, able to assist in the diagnosis of internal problems and illnesses. An radiologic technologist involves interactions with patients and, in some ways, is similar to being a nurse. The RT tales x-rays and injects non-radioactive materials into patients’ bloodstreams to help diagnose illnesses. This area of study can also lead to further study in CT scanning, MRI technology, and radiation therapy. The earnings of an RT are $36,200 to $52,400 yearly.Physical Therapist’s AssistantThe need for physical therapists’ assistants is expected to increase by 27% or more over the next eight years. This career can prepare you for moving into massage therapy or sports medicine also. The average yearly pay is $31,000 to $44,000. As the baby boomer population ages, there will be a huge need for physical therapists’ assistants. If fitness and sports are your loves, consider this career as a gateway into those arenas.Medical TranscriptionistA medical transcriptionist listens to and transcribes dictated recordings made by doctors and other health care workers. The information is turned into medical reports, letters, and other documents. The BLS expects this job to grow 18 to 26% in the next eight years. Hourly wages run from $11.50 to $16.30. The greatest fact about this career is that it can be done at home! If you have children to care for, this may be the career for you.Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)Licensed practical nurses work in hospitals, home health care, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and outpatient care centers. They do many of the jobs registered nurses do. This job is expected to grow at an average rate for LPNs working in hospitals, but for those working in other venues, the job growth rate will be around 27%. The salary rate is $34,000 to $40,600 per year and is expected to rise.Paralegals and Legal AssistantsJobs for paralegals and legal assistants are also expected to increase by 27% or more in the next eight years. They earn from $39,000 to $50,000 per year, which is extremely well-paid for someone with an associate degree. Top paying jobs will be found in the federal government and large law firms, but are available in most cities.When considering an online education, consider the opportunities the online associate degree can provide. Your career possibilities can include business, education, information technology, health, law, and many more. According to the National Science Foundation, more than a fifth of individuals employed in science and engineering fields hold less than a bachelor’s degree, with 17% holding an associate degree. If you’re not sure how much education you want to commit to, an online associate degree is a good, first step. Students often choose an online, associate degree in order to specialize in a field, or to acquire a well-paid career while considering further online education college degrees.(Statistics Source: The Occupational Outlook Handbook 2006-2007, United States Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Accelerate Your Career By Acquiring An Online Education Degree
Reasons Why SMS Marketing Is Better Than Any Other Mode of Marketing
SMS Marketing is better than any other mode of marketing? This might seem like a hot topic among marketers all around the world. Most of the marketing mediums have been available since decades, but the widespread of mobile devices has definitely changed the way every marketer treat these options in the marketing plans.SMS Marketing is known to come as a reliable option to reach out to end users with precise and targeted messages. Mentioned below is a complied data that compares SMS marketing with the other modes of marketing to give you an overview of their current standing as an effective marketing tool.1) Open Rate- Open Rate of SMS Marketing – 90%- Open Rate of other modes of marketing – 30 to 35%These numbers do not leave anything for us to debate on as your customer is bound to read your message sent via SMS.2) Quantity matters- Number of text messages; the lesser, the better- Number of emails or ads, the more the betterWe do not need to think about this twice. Just think about how you treat your messages and emails. If you keep receiving an email from the same address, there is a probability you might just open it once. With messages, nobody is tolerant towards unnecessary disturbance. The point of a text message is just to give out the required information in a precise manner and that’s what people expect from marketing messages.3) Nature of Campaign/SMSThe nature of the message is very vital for text messages and any other mode of marketing. For instance, if you have an offer or discount to offer to your customers, SMS Marketing is the perfect mode. No other medium of marketing will create an impact as text messages when discounts and offers are considered.4) Click – Through – Rate- The CTR of SMS Marketing – 40%- The CTR of other modes of marketing – 7 to 10%The reason why every marketer is taking SMS Marketing seriously is because of the wide penetration of mobile phones in the market. Mobile phones are affordable and within everybody’s reach and so are the data packages.And so, the possibility of the end-user opening the link sent via message, provided it is of their given interests, is much higher now than ever.Regardless to say, an SMS will always find a way in your customer’s inbox. Finally, it is safe to say that SMS marketing is a more effective tool than any other. Have you tried it yet?
SPDN: An Inexpensive Way To Profit When The S&P 500 Falls
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.