So often I write a post here that I base off of information I read on another blog or an online newspaper, or sometimes even an offline newspaper or book. I hardly can take credit for the ideas myself, but at the same time I may not be quoting the source. How can I let people know that I got some of my information from another source without a cheezy line that says I got it here with a link on the word here?

It’s important to cite your sources when you are writing online because it does give you some credibility since readers can see where you got your information and see if that information source is a quality information source. The more credibility that your article has, the more it can be trusted as a good information source. Now, how can we cite our articles?

I have been doing some academic writing lately and they have three or four different styles. Their information for citing web sites is particularly difficult and hardly seems like an option for bloggers interested in putting together a quick and easy blog post. Anyway, I have come up a style that is a bit easier. I call it GLM Web Style. Here is the structure:

Article Title(hyperlinked to URL); Author (Date Published); Website Name; Date Accessed.

And here is an example of it:

Las Vegas proves immune to jittery U.S. economy, but not casinos elsewhere; Gary Rivlin (12/26/2007); International Herald Tribune; 12/26/2007.

It goes right at the bottom of every article where you use an external source. If you make a quote, you should ensure that the quote has some identification with the website name so users can tell where the quote came from. That’s up to you. You may use footnote or you could follow this example:

Gambling revenues on the Strip are up this year - way up in recent weeks. Despite higher energy prices, a volatile stock market, a slumping housing market and fears the economy may be heading into a recession, some of the city’s largest casinos are on pace for a record-setting year. In October alone, gambling revenues on the Las Vegas Strip were up 19.8 percent over the comparable month last year. –Internatonal Herald Tribune

For offline sources, a simple style like this would suffice:
Title of Article or Book; Author (Date Published, if known); Name of Publication.

Your writing will benefit when you begin citing your sources for articles. Likewise, so will your credibility increase.

My father always said that when the economy began a really deep downturn, Las Vegas would begin to see its economy booming. Well, it certainly is now. Las Vegas is seeing year on year growth in gaming revenue in the double digits. In October, the year on year growth in gambling revenue was 19.8%. That is a huge growth.

Meanwhile casinos in other locations saw a drop in revenues. Foxwoods in Connecticut saw revenue down 7% and Atlantic City saw a 5% drop. It is interesting to see how things will shake out in the near future as the economy sinks lower. Will the casinos elsewhere see a change in their income level?

Las Vegas proves immune to jittery U.S. economy, but not casinos elsewhere; Gary Rivlin (12/26/2007); International Herald Tribune; 12/26/2007.

There is an index of home prices called the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index. It measures the prices of home in 20 large metropolitan areas around the country. It is considered a pretty accurate index of home price trends and it is definitely one that economists pay attention to when seeing what the housing market is doing.

Lately, it doesn’t look to good. After posting a year on year drop of 4.7% in September, the index saw a year on year drop of 6.1% in October. That’s decrease of 1.4% is the largest since the index began. This means that without a doubt, home prices are falling across the country. What happens next is what has the economists guessing.

I normally don’t make such personal posts, but as Christmas Eve is upon us, now is the time to reflect on many things in our lives. The year is coming to a close, we have time with our family and time with our friends. It’s a chance to exchange gifts and these gifts can be material, but they can also be things like hope, love and faith. It’s this faith, love and hope that we can give each other that can make a real difference in the world.

With a week to go before New Year’s now is the time to make this year be the very best that it can be. And you can start preparing to make 2008 even better. Merry Christmas!!!

Big News in Thailand is that the People Power Party has won the election with what appears 228 out of the 480 seats up for grabs. The People Power Party is made up from remnants of the old Thai Rak Thai party that ruled from 2001 until the September 19th Coup that removed Thaksin from office. It was kind of surprising just how many seats they won in the election and it shows just how much support the deposed PM still has.

What is happening next? Who knows, it could be a very tough next few weeks as parties jockey for position and influence in the next government.