The historical 50-year average split between "up days" and "down days" for the S&P 500 has been 53% "up" and 47% "down," leading to a +9.7% average annual total return gain for the stock index over the last half century (i.e., 1961-2010).  Calendar year 2011 has gotten off to a better-than-average start as the "up/down split" is 68/32 after the first 7 weeks of the year, resulting in a +7.1% YTD gain through the close of trading last Friday 2/18/11 (source: BTN Research). 

The House of Representatives, now with a Republican majority, worked overtime into the early morning hours last Saturday (2/19/11) to pass a spending bill for the current 2011 fiscal year (i.e., the 12 months ending 9/30/11).  The House bill cuts 2011 spending levels by $61 billion from 2010 actual spending totals.  An attempt by House conservatives to cut an additional $22 billion across the board failed (note that 1% of the 2011 budget is $38 billion).  The Democrat-led Senate will now take up the cost cutting legislation.  However they will do so only after returning on 2/28/11 from a week off, giving them less than 1 week before a looming 3/04/11 deadline.  Lacking the passage of another temporary resolution that would allow the government to continue operations, a complete shutdown of the government is possible within 2 weeks (source: Congress).      

President Barack Obama sent to Congress his budget plan for fiscal year 2012 (i.e., the 12 months ending 9/30/12) last Monday (2/14/11).  His budget plan anticipates $2.63 trillion of tax receipts and $3.73 trillion of government outlays, resulting in a $1.10 trillion budget deficit.  That is equivalent to borrowing 30 cents for every $1 that the government is projected to spend during the 2012 fiscal year (source: White House).

Q. What is Sound-n-Vision?

A. We are a full service Internet marketing company that specializes in professional website design and results driven search engine optimization.  Our purpose is to give anyone with a dream the ability to succeed online!

Q. What makes you different from your competitors?

A. We give our clients goals and dreams the respect they deserve and we get them the results they need.  We care more about our clients business than any other web design company out there will.  We get to know their companies inside and out and do everything possible to assure they succeed.  We are not just their web designer we are their partner and their family.  

Q. What is search engine optimization and is it necessary?

A. Search engine optimization is consistant work that is done to improve the visibility of your website on the search engines.  Our search engine programs have gotten our clients in the top 10 of all of the major search engines on hundreds and in some cases thousands of different keywords.  Mark Twain wrote that there is no difference between a person that can't read and a person that can but doesn't.  The same holds true for your website...there is no difference between having a website that is not properly optimized and showing up on the search engines and not having a website at all.  Yes, it's necessary! 

Q. Are there any industries or companies that you aren't able to work with?

A. Only ones that are not interested in growing.  Our clients range from local roofing companies to fortune 500 companies to musicians and artists to ice cream manufactures to state run organizations and everything in between.  We even have a client that sells Prawns!  That's right, PRAWNS!

Q. Where can we see some of your work?

A. You can see our portfolio and other information on our services by going to www.sound-n-vision.com 

Q. What is your contact info?

A.  

Marc D. Ensign

Sound-n-Vision
19 Spear Road
Suite 107
Ramsey, NJ 07446

Phone: 201.773.4953 Ext. 301
Fax: 201.773.4133

E-mail: marc@sound-n-vision.com
Website: www.sound-n-vision.com