By Jon Rose
In late 2009 the price of gold zoomed past $1,200 an ounce. This was a new record for the yellow metal as investors across the world sought protection from turmoil in financial markets and solace against worries about the inflation. For some investors, this was an expected outcome. Jim Rogers, a legendary fund manager, has made huge bets on gold in recent years based on his belief that the US dollar is overvalued and that the dollar and gold will show an inverse correlation to one another. In other words, he believe that as the dollar weakens, gold must inevitably rise.
Yet that inverse correlation may not be as predictive as Mr Rogers and others investing in gold hope. For gold is often viewed as simply another currency. Since gold is traded and priced in dollars, it must inevitably rise if the dollar weakens. Yet the same effect could be obtained by holding another currency such as the euro or Japanese yen.
And the difficulty with holding gold as an investment is that the price of the metal has a strong influence on jewellery demand, which accounts for some two-thirds of gold demand. Last year some $61 billion was spent on gold jewellery, according to the World Gold Council. In contrast investment accounted for just $32 billion of demand for gold. For investors who are holding gold as a hedge against inflation, the worry is that a rising price is unsustainable if it halts gold jewellery buying and leads to an oversupply of the metal. For now gold has served investors well, but at current high prices they should think carefully before investing in gold or buying gold ETFs.
Jon Rose is the pen name of a financial journalist who has covered business and financial markets for 15 years and has an interest in personalfinance. You can read other articles he has written about buying gold ETFs and investing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Rose
http://EzineArticles.com/?Investing-in-Gold-ETFs-May-Not-Make-a-Portfolio-More-Robust&id=3517988
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Importance of Assessing Fuel Efficiency in a Backpacking Stove
By Jon Rose
When selecting a backpacking stove, or one to be used for mountaineering, most people look at the features that the stove offers and the weight of the cooker itself. In many cases they will pay more to buy a model made from exotic materials such as titanium because it will be a few grams lighter than a rival model. Yet few people take time to look at how fuel efficient the stove is, a factor that plays a far greater role in how much weight they will have to carry when hiking a long trail.
This is because backpacking and camping stoves vary considerably in their use of fuel with some using close to twice as much fuel to boil a given quantity of water compared with more efficient models. The choice of fuel is also important as some are far richer in energy than others. Choose wisely on both and you may end up having the weight you have to carry on the trail that is dedicated to cooking your food and preparing your coffee.
A study by university researchers in South Africa into the efficiency of four popular backpacking stoves found, for instance, that two models by the same manufacturer (in this case MSR) varied considerably. The MSR Expedition model managed to extract little more than 50% of the potential energy from the fuel it burned while DragonFly stove made by the same company extracted 70%. A rival model made by Primus meanwhile managed to achieve almost 90% efficiency. The impact this may have on the final weight carried on a trail is considerable since one would usually expect to carry some 600ml (weighing fairly close to 600 grams excluding the fuel bottle) for about two hours of cooking. A difference of efficiency of the order revealed by the research would lead to a difference of 200grams for a short hiking trip of just a day or two for a small group.
You can read more about backpacking stoves and particular models such as the MSR DragonFly.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Rose
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Assessing-Fuel-Efficiency-in-a-Backpacking-Stove&id=3560927
When selecting a backpacking stove, or one to be used for mountaineering, most people look at the features that the stove offers and the weight of the cooker itself. In many cases they will pay more to buy a model made from exotic materials such as titanium because it will be a few grams lighter than a rival model. Yet few people take time to look at how fuel efficient the stove is, a factor that plays a far greater role in how much weight they will have to carry when hiking a long trail.
This is because backpacking and camping stoves vary considerably in their use of fuel with some using close to twice as much fuel to boil a given quantity of water compared with more efficient models. The choice of fuel is also important as some are far richer in energy than others. Choose wisely on both and you may end up having the weight you have to carry on the trail that is dedicated to cooking your food and preparing your coffee.
A study by university researchers in South Africa into the efficiency of four popular backpacking stoves found, for instance, that two models by the same manufacturer (in this case MSR) varied considerably. The MSR Expedition model managed to extract little more than 50% of the potential energy from the fuel it burned while DragonFly stove made by the same company extracted 70%. A rival model made by Primus meanwhile managed to achieve almost 90% efficiency. The impact this may have on the final weight carried on a trail is considerable since one would usually expect to carry some 600ml (weighing fairly close to 600 grams excluding the fuel bottle) for about two hours of cooking. A difference of efficiency of the order revealed by the research would lead to a difference of 200grams for a short hiking trip of just a day or two for a small group.
You can read more about backpacking stoves and particular models such as the MSR DragonFly.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Rose
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Assessing-Fuel-Efficiency-in-a-Backpacking-Stove&id=3560927
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Hiking Boots and Why They Need Proper Care
By Jon Rose
One of the most important pieces of equipment you have when out hiking and backpacking is your footwear. If your boots or hiking shoes fit poorly you can quickly ruin a hiking trip with sore feet, blisters or even worse injuries.
The first rule is to pay attention to the fit of your boots and get a reliable brand. Get help from the shop assistant to be sure that your toes do not slip down and bash against the front of the boots when going down hills. Also be sure that the boot does not compress your calf or Achilles tendon too much as this is a common source of injury.
Getting boots with a good fit is, however, only the start of keeping your feet healthy on the trail. You also need to ensure that your boots are properly maintained. With leather hiking boots this used to be quite a chore and involved not just cleaning the boots with saddle soap and then waterproofing them but also running a wax candle over the stitched seams for added protection. It was a job that took hours and involved sitting the boots in the hot sun to heat the leather to make it absorb the protective coatings. Adding too much, as I once did over some years to a favorite pair of boots, could rot the stitching.
These days the job is far quicker and easier, even with leather boots. Modern leather hiking boots are generally impregnated with silicone or some other form of waterproofing so there is less need for waxy protective layers. But check the instructions. Some modern boots still have soft leather inner layers that need a little rub with saddle soap now and then to protect them from the moisture and salts produced by sweaty feet. Soaps and protective layers have also advanced and are now often water-based. This makes them quick and easy to apply from a sponge-tipped applicator.
Fabric boots are even easier. Generally they need little more than a good cleaning and the application of some water repellent on the outside. But remember to check for grit or stones on the inside. One tiny little stone may be enough to damage the waterproof breathable lining on a good pair of hiking boots.
Jon Rose is the pen name of a journalist. You can read other articles he has written about Karrimor's KSB boots and boots for mountaineering.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Rose
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hiking-Boots-and-Why-They-Need-Proper-Care&id=3639049
One of the most important pieces of equipment you have when out hiking and backpacking is your footwear. If your boots or hiking shoes fit poorly you can quickly ruin a hiking trip with sore feet, blisters or even worse injuries.
The first rule is to pay attention to the fit of your boots and get a reliable brand. Get help from the shop assistant to be sure that your toes do not slip down and bash against the front of the boots when going down hills. Also be sure that the boot does not compress your calf or Achilles tendon too much as this is a common source of injury.
Getting boots with a good fit is, however, only the start of keeping your feet healthy on the trail. You also need to ensure that your boots are properly maintained. With leather hiking boots this used to be quite a chore and involved not just cleaning the boots with saddle soap and then waterproofing them but also running a wax candle over the stitched seams for added protection. It was a job that took hours and involved sitting the boots in the hot sun to heat the leather to make it absorb the protective coatings. Adding too much, as I once did over some years to a favorite pair of boots, could rot the stitching.
These days the job is far quicker and easier, even with leather boots. Modern leather hiking boots are generally impregnated with silicone or some other form of waterproofing so there is less need for waxy protective layers. But check the instructions. Some modern boots still have soft leather inner layers that need a little rub with saddle soap now and then to protect them from the moisture and salts produced by sweaty feet. Soaps and protective layers have also advanced and are now often water-based. This makes them quick and easy to apply from a sponge-tipped applicator.
Fabric boots are even easier. Generally they need little more than a good cleaning and the application of some water repellent on the outside. But remember to check for grit or stones on the inside. One tiny little stone may be enough to damage the waterproof breathable lining on a good pair of hiking boots.
Jon Rose is the pen name of a journalist. You can read other articles he has written about Karrimor's KSB boots and boots for mountaineering.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Rose
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hiking-Boots-and-Why-They-Need-Proper-Care&id=3639049
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