Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/janet-jackson-christmas-card-solo-seasons-greetings/
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
Congressional Executive Commission on China Examines Persecution of Falun Gong
WASHINTON DC -- The Congressional-Executive Commission on China held a hearing on the Falun Gong persecution Tuesday, December 18, with witnesses and experts testifying on the anatomy of the persecution, including the gruesome practice of killing prisoners of conscience to sell their vital organs.
The hearing was the second time in two months that members of congress heard testimony on the persecutio. Co-Chairman of the CECC, Sherrod Brown (D-OH,) described the campaign against Falun Gong in China ?one of the harshest campaigns against a group of believers in modern times.?
Addressing allegations that tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in China have been killed for their vital organs, panelist Jianchao Xu, M.D., Ph.D, testified; ?we have every reason to believe that organ harvesting is ongoing in China,? citing findings corroborated from multiple independent studies.
An Air Force officer who was stripped of his title and narrowly survived over 8 years of torture Chinese labor camps and detention explained how he was arrested for handing out an informational DVD in 2004 but that, in 2009, similar items were prevalent. ?I saw copious posters, signs, flyers [about Falun Gong] ? that had been there for a long time, with ink faded from the sun?because no one bothered or dared to take them down.?
China researcher Caylan Ford testified, ?The official Communist Party literature reveals, perhaps unwittingly, that the 13-year-old campaign to defeat Falun Gong has failed. She concluded her remarks, stating, ?despite all its efforts, the Communist Party is losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the Chinese people.?
Source: http://www.faluninfo.net/article/1292
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Navigate Financial Difficulties With These Personal Bankruptcy Tips ...
TIP! It is important to be upfront with all your financial information when filing for bankruptcy. Failing to list these could cause the dismissal or delay of your bankruptcy petition.
There are many different reasons why the debt could have piled up on you and became overwhelming. What?s important now isn?t how it happened but rather what you intend on doing in order to handle it. The main point is to start over financially. By following the tips presented here, you can transform your life through personal bankruptcy.
TIP! Speaking with others who have gone through bankruptcy can help you feel better about the process. It?s quite common for you to feel alienated and unable to connect with your friends while you?re dealing with the stress of a bankruptcy.
Educate yourself as much as possible before filing for bankruptcy. Take stock of your debts, and make sure that they can be wiped out by declaring bankruptcy. Some debts, including credit card expenditures on luxury or unnecessary items may be ineligible for discharge if made during the 90 days prior to the bankruptcy filing. Check with your state?s bankruptcy laws to be sure.
TIP! Never forget that you still deserve to enjoy life while you go through the bankruptcy process. Filing is the most intensive step in the process, so afterwards it?s important to let go of some of your stress.
When preparing to file for personal bankruptcy, be sure to keep a list of the questions you have for your lawyer. Remember that lawyers charge lots of money for their time. List down your concerns and questions to make it easier and to save money. Do not leave until you know you have a grasp on the situation.
TIP! If the primary debt you carry involves student loans, bankruptcy may not be very helpful to you. While situations vary, under most circumstances, student loans are unlikely to qualify for discharge.
You may want to see if you can get lower payments on your vehicle if you want to keep it. Filing for Chapter 7 can help to lower your monthly payments on possessions such as your vehicle, helping to ease your financial load. For instance, you can get lower payments on you car if you purchased it before filing and took a loan with high interests on it.
TIP! Check your debt to find out if it will clear the bankruptcy and avoid unnecessary filing. Certain debts, including student loans, may remain with you regardless of your bankruptcy filing.
If you?re thinking of getting divorced, evaluate the financial consequences of doing so. It is not uncommon for individuals to seek a divorce only to immediately file for bankruptcy due to unforeseen financial difficulty. Making sure that divorce is a good option is best.
TIP! Be honest when filling out your bankruptcy petition. Your petition could be immediately dismissed by the court if they discover you have been lying.
Learn about the personal bankruptcy rules before petitioning. There are many issues with personal bankruptcy code, and these pitfalls can cause problems with your case. If the regulations are not followed, your case may be subject to a dismissal order. Before continuing, research personal bankruptcy. This will make the bankruptcy process much simpler.
TIP! Remember to spend some quality time with your loved ones. The process for bankruptcy can be hard.
Choose an attorney that is respected in your area. Ask if you can get a free consultation to find out if bankruptcy is the best option. Take all financial information when going to a consultation. Your lawyer will then educate you on how the filing process will go.
TIP! Be certain to create a list that displays all the debts you want discharged when you file. Any debts you forget to list will not be discharged.
Do some research about bankruptcy laws before filing for bankruptcy. There are often laws prohibiting the transfer of money from the filer for a certain period preceding the bankruptcy filing. It is also against the law to max out your credit cards before filing for bankruptcy.
TIP! Learn the differences between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies. Chapter 7 eliminates all debts.
Ask for a free consultation with your bankruptcy attorney and ask questions about experience and education. When you arrive at a consultation ask plenty of questions. You should also seek free consultations from several attorneys prior to choosing one. Therefore consult with different lawyers and get a feel for them, then decide which one suits your needs You need not decide right away. So, this gives you plenty of time to consult with several attorneys.
TIP! Before undertaking the bankruptcy process, ensure you have made the correct decision. You have other options available like consumer credit counselling services.
Do not hesitate to remind your lawyer of any details regarding your case. Chances are that you may have forgotten to tell them about certain specifics that may be important to your filing. Don?t be afraid to speak up, as it is your case and your future will be affected by its outcome.
TIP! Stop using credit cards as soon as you decide to file for bankruptcy. It can be tempting to go on a buying spree, but the courts will frown on it.
As mentioned, the events that cause bankruptcy are not happy. Even though that is the case, you should not allow it to depress you in any way. Bankruptcy is not the end. Follow the tips given here in order to make it a new beginning.
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Consulting Income Report: December 2012 - Start My Consulting ...
As many of you know,?I share my consulting income details?for a few reasons:
If you?re just starting out, building a business will take hard work, patience, and persistence. But the rewards can be far beyond what being an employee can provide.
Lastly, yes, this report is a bit late. Like most people, December tends to be a crazy month for me. Add to that, all the time I?ve been spending creating Breakthrough Consulting, and it?s been an incredibly busy month.
You?ll notice that my consulting income was significantly lower compared to prior months, primarily?due to the great deal of time I?ve spent building Breakthrough Consulting?including the video lessons, homework, 1-on-1 calls with students, etc. Creating Breakthrough Consulting has taken a significant amount of time, but has been well worth it, since gives participants a complete foundation to launch a profitable consulting business.
As some of you might remember, Breakthrough Consulting?started last month, and it?s been really exciting to see the students? incredible progress.
Anyway, here are the numbers:
- Total worked: $11,152.50
- Average hourly rate: $178.44
- Number of clients billed: 9
- Average days to bill (this is the average number of days between when I actually do the work and when I bill the client): 11
With the exception of the total worked amount, those numbers have been pretty similar over the past several months.
Currently, my hourly rate is $165 for existing clients and $175 for new clients. However, this month?s average hourly rate was $178.44.
Huh?
Well, a couple of interesting things happened this month:
- As I mentioned, I launched Breakthrough Consulting here on the blog?which took a heap of time.
- The time spent on?Breakthrough Consulting here on the blog meant I spent less time my hourly consulting.
- BUT, even though I spent LESS time consulting,?my average consulting rate INCREASED.
What?s up with that? I:
- worked less (well, technically, I BILLED fewer hours?I was still working, but working much more on blog-related stuff),
- earned roughly the same, and
- boosted my rate?
Here?s what happened. I have 2 products I created for clients a couple years ago that could be used by other clients. This past month, I ended up selling those pre-created products to a few clients, and that?s what boosted my rate for the month.
Pretty cool. Like I mentioned last month, it?s not quite passive income, but I?ll take it.
Like I mentioned in last month?s income report, some of you have asked what my expenses are, and to include them in the monthly income reports. I?m happy to do that. A couple things to keep in mind:
- Some of my expenses are only paid annually; I?ll report those as they come up. But in the meantime, you can get a sense of how much I pay in expenses each month.
- I pay myself a salary as an employee (and take distributions from my s-corp). For now, I?m omitting how much in taxes I pay (federal withholding, state withholding, Social Security, and Medicare), since depending on your situation, where you live, how many exemptions you claim, etc., your taxes are virtually guaranteed to vary wildly from mine. One thing I find helpful is claim 0 exemptions and also withhold extra federal and state income taxes; that way, I don?t have a huge tax bill come April when I file my personal income taxes. So far, I?ve been pretty accurate at estimating how much I?ll need to pay, and then pro-rate how much I need to withhold each month.
- Likewise, I haven?t included health insurance premiums in the total. I currently pay $1,207 each month in health insurance premiums (which covers myself plus my family). However, depending on your circumstances, what you pay for health insurance may vary wildly from what I pay.
Anywho, here?s the expense total for the prior month: $1,114.34. This was a few hundred dollars higher than last month, mainly due to some additional business books I purchased, a state tax payment, etc.
That expense total includes things like:
- rent
- internet
- cellphone
- accountant fees
- Skype service renewal
- subcontractor payments (for services which I billed and was paid by clients)
- business-related books, and
- business coaching.
Keep in mind though, when I first started my consulting business, my expenses were MUCH lower?probably in the range of under $100 per month.
Source: http://startmyconsultingbusiness.com/consulting-income-report-december-2012/
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Central African Republic troops fight back
The Central African Republic troops are battling to re-capture a rebel-held city, officials say. Source: AAP
GOVERNMENT soldiers in the Central African Republic are battling to re-capture a rebel-held city, a military official says, despite regional efforts to seek a peaceful end to the growing crisis.
The military official said the fighting in Bambari, which rebels from the Seleka coalition seized on Sunday, was "especially violent", and a humanitarian source said witnesses some 60 kilometres away could hear detonations and heavy weapons fire for several hours.
The new violence came the same day as the Central African Republic's neighbours took steps to tackle the crisis in the chronically unstable country, where rebels have advanced towards the capital Bangui, stoking local and international alarm.
Foreign ministers in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) announced late on Friday that more troops of the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) would be sent to the country.
"Five hundred and sixty men are already on the ground, and we agreed to a request by the ECCAS general secretariat to increase their numbers and allow them to accomplish their mission as a rapid deployment force", as Seleka rebels threaten the capital, Chad's Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat said after a meeting in the Gabonese capital Libreville, which is seen as a potential venue for peace talks.
The international force is "to deploy so Bangui and all cities that have not been captured (by the rebels) so far cannot be targeted by the rebels", added Gabon's Foreign Minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet.
ECCAS deputy secretary general Guy-Pierre Garcia said earlier that the rebels and the Central African government had agreed to unconditional talks.
"The goal is to get to negotiations (between the government and the rebels) by January 10," a source in the Central African Multinational Force said.
Central African (CAR) President Francois Bozize's appeals for help from former colonial power France and from the United States have fallen on deaf ears.
French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Friday that France had no intention of getting involved in the crisis, and would only intervene to protect its own nationals there.
The French defence ministry said late on Friday that 150 troops had arrived in Bangui from Libreville as a "precautionary measure" to protect French and other European citizens.
Fears about the deteriorating security situation led Washington to evacuate its embassy in Bangui and the United Nations to pull out staff.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Friday that it too had evacuated some workers, although it stressed it would continue to provide aid to the growing number of displaced people.
A diplomatic team from FOMAC has begun talks with authorities in Bangui and sent a delegation to the rebel-held strategic town of Ndele in the north to meet members of the rebel coalition Seleka, which launched its offensive on December 10.
The UN has demanded rebels halt their offensive, and urged Bozize's government to ensure the safety of civilians amid fears of a breakdown in law and order in the country.
A coalition of three rebel movements known as Seleka - or the "alliance" in the Sango language - has taken a string of towns, including four regional capitals, among them the garrison town and key diamond mining hub of Birao.
The coalition wants the government to fulfil the terms of peace pacts signed in 2007 and 2001, providing for disarmament and social reintegration, including pay.
Bozize took power in a 2003 coup and has twice been elected into office.
In 2006, France, which supported Bozize in his rise to power, had lent logistical help and air support to fight off rebels.
While Seleka says it has no plans to move on the capital, a statement last week announcing it had suspended its advance was followed within a day by news of further rebel victories.
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Friday, December 28, 2012
Intelligentsia: Elevate Your Home Brew | iPhone.AppStorm
Are you looking to perfect your home coffee brewing technique? Intelligentsia, a coffee bar with locations in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, seeks to elevate your coffee experience from bean to cup. These guys don?t just sell coffee, they develop blends working directly with growers and they perform the roasting. With the Intelligentsia Coffee app, you can geek out on coffee by checking out the beautifully illustrated brewing techniques, keeping up with the latest seasonal coffees offered and utilizing the brew timer for ultimate brewing precision.
This smart, sleek app also connects you with Intelligentsia via their twitter feed and maps of all locations (with hours). Share your favorite coffee blends from the app on Facebook and find impressions from other coffee lovers (or leave your own) in the coffee comments.
If you know what a Chemex is or carefully calibrate your coffee grinder for the perfect cup of French Press every morning, the Intelligentsia Coffee app was made for you. Did I mention it?s free?
Like the article? You should subscribe and follow us on twitter.
Getting Started
Open the app and you?ll the home screen is a list of current coffee offerings from Intelligentsia Coffee. In this view you can see the coffee name and its three most prominent flavors (for example: cranberry, fig, vanilla). Tap the button in the top right corner to apply filters to the list. This function allows you to narrow the list by country or flavor, amongst other attributes. Browsing the coffees is fun and all, but doesn?t serve much of a purpose since you can?t purchase them in the app (go to their brick-and-mortar coffee shops or their website).
Home screen on the left, filters on the right.
Dig Deeper
Tap on the coffee to get more information in the form of concise notecards navigated by a swiping motion. The first card expands on the three prominent flavors and includes Intelligentsia quality labels regarding whether or not the coffee is Direct Trade and in Season. The second card shares facts such as bean varietal, date of harvest and country of origin.
Swipe through notecards for more info on the selected coffee.
The third and final card is a menu of options you can tap to select. Find out the long story behind that particular bean, view related photographs, share the coffee on Facebook or by email, view comments from others or add your own. I noticed the Video icon is dead for all the coffees, images can only be seen in landscape mode (the app is oriented in portrait mode) and there don?t seem to be any comments. The comment function is email based, and comes off clunky and dated for such a modern-looking app. It appears that users are ignoring it altogether.
A menu of options on the left. Tap on the photo option and the image loads in landscape orientation, as seen on the right.
The Best Part
Leave the home screen by tapping on another icon at the base of the screen, and you?ll discover the best part of Intelligentsia. A single tap on the Brewing icon takes you to a menu of brewing methods, from vintage Pourover to complicated Siphon Brewer to the approachable French press. Tap on a brewing method for a fully illustrated slideshow on the whole process. This is the meat of the app, complete with lists of all the equipment you?ll need and smart tips that the pros use. Up in the top right corner of the screen you?ll notice a button shaped like a timer with an arrow. Tap it and you?re given the option to set the brew timer. You can then return to the step-by-step guide exactly where you left off.
Scroll through the brewing methods and select one for illustrated step-by-step instructions.
Brew Timer can always be accessed by tapping on its icon at the bottom of the screen. Select a brew method and the time is calculated for you. Leave the app to check your email or answer the phone, and the alert will still chime when your coffee is ready. Certain brewing methods, like the Siphon Brewer, require stirring at regular intervals. Set the timer and it will alert you with instructions on what step to perform. See? It?s more than just a timer ? it?s a smart timer!
Select a brewing method, like French Press, and the Brew Timer calculates the time, alerting you when the brew is ready or if additional steps are required.
The Catch-All Icon
The last icon is About, a random collection of stuff that looks like someone took the About page of a website and incorporated it into the app. Tap on an icon for more information. Only a couple of the icons are truly useful in this mobile setting: the compass and Twitter icon. Tap the compass to access a map of Intelligentsia Coffee locations and hours of operation. Swipe the screen to navigate to the next slide, a description of the shop and neighborhood. There is also the option to open Google Maps in the browser for directions based on your location, assuming you?re connected to the Internet. For the Intelligentsia twitter feed, tap the blue T and find the latest updated news.
The About page is a catch-all of icons, pictured left. Tap the compass for maps and directions to Intelligentsia Coffee shops, pictured right.
The rest of the icons on the About page are for static information. The Intelligentsia logo of a winged coffee bean takes you to a long description of the company?s mission and history. In Season describes the label applied to coffee beans and what seasonality of coffee means. The black and white arrows symbol highlights the company focus on direct trade with growers. Tapping the red emblem brings up information on The Black Cat Project, a pursuit of the perfect espresso.
Conclusion
Intelligentsia Coffee is free, beautifully designed and rich in useful information. I give this app an 8/10, knocking it only because of the clunkiness when it comes to social interaction and sharing. The illustrated step-by-step brewing guides are the best part of this app. No matter how you like your coffee, Intelligentsia has a tip to improve your home brew. The Brew Timer is more than just a pretty face; it?s smart too, alerting you to steps at timed intervals. Even if you don?t live near an Intelligentsia Coffee shop or buy their beans online, this app will seduce you into loving their brand. What coffee lover wouldn?t appreciate a better brew?
?
Source: http://iphone.appstorm.net/reviews/lifestyle/intelligentsia-elevate-your-home-brew/
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Police deaths down 23 percent this year in US
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Police officers were among those injured during a confrontation with a gunman outside the Empire State Building in New York in August.
By M. Alex Johnson, NBC News
The number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty fell sharply in 2012, the first full year that two Obama administration police safety programs were in effect, according to preliminary figures released Thursday.
With four days left in the year, 127 federal, state and local officers have died on the job so far, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported ? 23 percent fewer than the 165 who were killed last year.
The nonprofit organization keeps a comprehensive tally of all law enforcement officers who die in the line of duty, honoring them each year at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington.
Craig W. Floyd, the organization's chief executive, credited close cooperation among federal, state and local authorities in bringing a new focus on officer safety. The decline follows two years of what he called "alarming" increases.
"The law enforcement community has banded together with laser-like focus on peace officer safety," Floyd said in a statement.
The decline also comes during the first full year under two Obama administration police safety programs, one run by the Justice Department and one by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Law Enforcement Safety Initiative, which Attorney General Eric Holder rolled out in March 2011 after meeting with police chiefs from major U.S. cities, created an Officer Safety and Wellness unit at the Justice Department, boosted training and technical assistance for local officers and invested $25 million in 96,000 bullet-resistant vests that were distributed this year among more than 4,000 local agencies.
Read the full report (.pdf)
Firearms-related deaths fell to 49 this year, the memorial fund reported ? down a third from 72 last year and even below the 10-year average of 57 from 2001 to 2010.
Traffic-related incidents remained the biggest hazard, however, as they have been nearly every year since the late 1990s. But they, too, fell significantly, from 60 last year to 50 this year.
The NHTSA and the memorial fund launched their own Officer Safety Initiative in August 2011, funding research and public information campaigns around police safety in traffic-related incidents.?
A breakdown for 2012 wasn't reported, but the campaign noted that 42 percent of officers killed in auto crashes over the last 30 years weren't wearing safety belts. It said nearly all those deaths were preventable.
Other targets of the initiative include:
- Reducing distracted driving ? mainly officers' use of their cellphones instead of their radios, a practice many agencies prohibit that ? which the fund said was responsible for about a quarter of all police traffic deaths.
- Encouraging agencies to invest in high-visibility apparel so officers are easier to see during traffic stops at night.
Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com
Shootings and traffic incidents were by far the leading hazards. Third was work-related illnesses, at 14, many of them heart attacks.
Overall, the statistics indicate that, despite its dangerous image, police work isn't among the most hazardous jobs in the U.S. The death totals work out to about 1.56 per every 100,000 sworn federal, state and local officers across the country ? less than half the rate of 3.5 per 100,000 for U.S. workers in all jobs in 2011, the last year for which complete figures were available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
More content from NBCNews.com:
Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
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Gun owner map ricochet: Blogger publishes journalists' personal data
A newspaper published names and addresses of thousands of legal handgun owners, generating widespread criticism. In retaliation, a blogger mapped the names and addresses of the journalists.
Hand guns that were turned in by their owners in a trash bin at a gun buyback held by the Los Angeles Police Department. People can anonymously trade in their guns, no questions asked, for $200 grocery store gift cards for automatic weapons and $100 gift cards for shotguns, handguns and rifles.
David McNew/REUTERS
EnlargeThe flap over the newspaper that published information about handgun owners in two New York counties has ricocheted back toward the news organization.
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Thousands of critics ? including some journalism professionals ? have weighed in. And at least one blogger has retaliated by publishing the names and addresses of editors and executives at the Journal News, the publication headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., north of New York City and part of the Gannett organization.
Still, the Journal News is not backing down. Editors say they?ll publish information on handgun owners in a third county (Putnam) once county officials have responded to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that resulted in tens of thousands of names and addresses in Westchester and Rockland Counties.
The controversy began over the weekend when the Journal News ran a story on some 44,000 registered handgun owners in?the two counties, including names and addresses showing exactly where those gun owners live using Google Maps. ?The gun owner next door: What you don't know about the weapons in your neighborhood,? read the headline.
In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre that killed 20 first-graders and six school employees, quickly followed by a raging debate over gun control and Second Amendment rights, it?s not surprising that journalists would look for fresh and provocative angles to cover the story.
David Gregory, host of NBC?s ?Meet the Press,? has taken flak for showing an ammunition magazine in his interview with National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre last Sunday. Such large-capacity magazines are banned in the District of Columbia, where the show was taped.
The online magazine Slate has partnered with the anonymous creator of?the Twitter feed @GunDeaths to craft what it calls ?an interactive, crowdsourced tally of the toll firearms have taken since Dec. 14? ? the day when 20-year-old Adam Lanza, armed with an assault-style rifle, two handguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in large-capacity magazines, forced his way into the Sandy Hook grade school in Newtown.
The Slate map details 206 gunshot deaths in the United States since Sandy Hook, including 21 teens and children.
But publishing the names and addresses of legitimate handgun owners is seen as very different from tallying gun deaths or discussing aspects of weaponry. (The Journal News report does not include ?long guns? ? shotguns and rifles, including assault-style rifles ? which do not require licenses.)
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Monday, December 24, 2012
Fossil of Long-Extinct Whale Found on Seafloor
Researchers diving off the coast of Georgia may have found the remains of an Atlantic gray whale, a relic of a population that was hunted to extinction by the 18th century.
But this particular specimen died long before whalers became a threat. Carbon dating showed that the fossil, a left jawbone, is about 36,000 years old.
The big bone was first discovered along with two badly eroded vertebrae near Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary about 20 miles (32 kilometers) off southeast Georgia in 2008. It took the researchers two years to pull out all of the pieces of the fossil, which was embedded in layers of shell and sand 70 feet (21 meters) below the surface. The jawbone was recovered in sections and measures 5 feet (1.5 m) in length.
The researchers say the bone is clearly from a baleen whale ? or whales that use baleen plates in their mouths to filter meals of tiny organisms out of seawater ? and looks very similar to that of the gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus. This species is only locally extinct. Gray whales can be found today in quite strong numbers, but only in the Pacific Ocean, and even these had once teetered on the brink of extinction during eras when the whaling industry reigned.
Scientists previously believed that the Atlantic gray whale had been a distinct species. But recent research has shown these vanished whales and the living ones in the Pacific are actually one in the same.
"The California grays looked exactly like the bones that were dug up in Scandinavia back in the 19th century," Ervan Garrison, a geoarchaeology professor at the University of Georgia, said in a statement, describing it as "one of the first instances where a living species was named based on the fossil evidence."
The new specimen's age of approximately 36,570 years old makes it one of the oldest fossil finds in the western Atlantic basin, the researchers say. And if the find indeed represents a Pleistocene-age gray whale, its oldest counterpart is a specimen found on the southern North Sea dating to 42,800 years ago.
The research was detailed online last month in the journal Paleontologica Electronica.
Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.
Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fossil-long-extinct-whale-found-seafloor-145931522.html
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Delhi gangrape: Anger about the crime is justified, not violence, says ...
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday addressed the nation on the Delhi gangrape issue and appealed for peace. In his short address to the people of India, Singh said that while the "anger about the crime was justified, violence was not". He assured that the government would make all efforts to ensure the safety of women in the country.
"As a father of three daughters myself, I feel as
strongly about this as each one of you. My wife, my family and I are all joined in our concern for the young woman who was the survivor of this heinous crime," he said in his address. Appealing to maintain peace, Singh said: "I appeal to all sections of the society to maintain peace and help us in our efforts."
"Anger for this crime is justified but not violence. Let's pray for her and her loved ones," he said. "I assure you that we will make all possible efforts to
ensure security and safety to all women in this country," the Prime Minister added in his address. He assured that the government "will examine into delay not only the responses to this terrible crime but also all aspects concerning the safety
and security of women."
Breaking his silence on the gangrape case of a 23-year-old woman, who was brutally raped and beaten up in a moving bus in the national capital on the fateful night of November 17, Singh had on Sunday night said that the public anger was "genuine" and "justified" but appealed for peace while promising all steps to ensure safety of women in the country.
Thousands of protesters in Delhi took to the streets on Saturday and Sunday demanding justice for the rape survivor and death penalty for the culprits. The Prime Minister also expressed sadness over the turn of events that led to clashes between the angry protesters and the police at India Gate on Sunday.
"We are all joined in our concern for the young woman who was the victim of a heinous crime in Delhi. There is genuine and justified anger and anguish at this ghastly incident. We are constantly monitoring her medical condition. Let us all pray for her and her loved ones during this critical time," he said in a statement.
"I feel deeply sad at the turn of events leading to clashes between protesters and police forces. I appeal to all concerned citizens to maintain peace and calm," he added. The Prime Minister's statement came as protests continued for the sixth day on Sunday and turned violent.
Assuring safety and security of women across the country, Singh in his statement said, "I assure you that we will make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety to all women in this country. I seek the cooperation of all sections of the society to help us in this endeavour and maintain peace."
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Though earlier the meeting was to take place at Hyderabad House in Delhi, due to law and order concerns Singh said he'll meet Putin at his residence 7 RCR.
(With additional information from PTI)
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residency leno: Tools & Home Improvement Equipment: Checkolite ...
Checkolite Frog Table Lamp, Green (Tools & Home Improvement)
By Checkolite
Buy new: $7.95
3 used and new from $7.48
Customer Rating:
First tagged by Tim, Phoenix AZ
Customer tags: lamp(9), lamps(8), baby lamp(6), accent lamp(6), childrens room(6), ikea(5), lamps and lighting lamps lighting(5), desk top home office(5), table lamp(5), office desk(5), lamps lights(5), desk lamp(4)
By Checkolite
Buy new: $7.95
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More shoes showing up under Christmas tree
NEW YORK (AP) ? Shoes are coming out of the closet and landing under the Christmas tree. They're a top seller this holiday season ? a big feat considering most years they don't even make gift lists.
Laranda Williams, 39, used to buy clothing, tools and electronics as presents for her family. This year, though, she looked at their feet and got inspired. She bought some Vans sneakers for one of her sons, two pairs of stilettos for a girlfriend of another son, and Nike running shoes for her husband.
"Electronics and clothing get redundant," said Williams, who lives in Clarksville, Tenn. "Shoes are just the wow. I know they're going to use it, and I know they're going to love it."
The shoe-gifting fetish is part of a larger trend of shoppers buying loved ones gifts that they not only like, but also can use. It's this habit of practicality that Americans have been clinging to throughout the economic downturn.
This holiday season, it's meant that mom might not buy Molly an extravagant evening gown she'll maybe wear once. But mom may splurge on $600 Jimmy Choo pumps if Molly needs work shoes or $150 Nike sneakers if her daughter's an avid runner.
"It's about practicality and splurging at the same time," said Marshal Cohen, chief research analyst at NPD Inc., a market research firm. "There's a sense of, 'I know what you need but you haven't gotten it for yourself.'"
As a result, footwear was the fifth most popular gift on shoppers' lists on the day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, according to NPD. A year ago, shoes didn't even make it into the top 10 gifts for the season.
Overall, sales of athletic shoes rose 3.4 percent to $3 billion for the three months ending in November, and sales of women's fashion footwear grew 3.2 percent to $6.12 billion.
Chelsey Gates, manager of Chuckies New York, a designer shoe store on the Manhattan borough of New York City, said she's seen more men buying shoes for the women in her life. One of the most popular gifts: Chelsea Paris gold trim ankle-high boots for $695.
"Men come in with cards with perfect instructions: style numbers, sizes and prices," she said.
The trend comes as stores have been trying to find ways to boost sales of shoes, which can carry profit margins of up to 50 percent.
As part of Macy's overhaul of its New York flagship store, the department store combined three different shoe departments and expanded their overall size by 10 percent. The new department has 250,000 pairs of shoes, including everything from $99 Nine West leopard print platform pumps to $400 Donald Pliner multi-colored pumps.
"Women love shoes. This is a category that they care about," said Muriel Gonzalez, an executive vice president at Macy's.
This fall, Saks Fifth Avenue also beefed up shoe departments in about a dozen of its stores. The move continues the luxury retailer's efforts at its flagship New York City store, which it first expanded in 2007 to include more shoes, better service and more stock room capability.
The flagship shoe department, which got a second remake this fall, now takes over the 8th floor, which previously also housed a gift area. The department, which is 40 percent larger, now is the second most productive department in terms of sales per square foot, behind the main floor, which sells cosmetics.
In the past few weeks, Elizabeth Kanfer, Saks' senior fashion and co-brand director for women's accessories, said the retailer has noticed boyfriends or husbands walking in with their significant others and buying a pair of shoes that cost at least $595. She declined to offer sales figures.
"There has been a resurgence of footwear easily in the last six years," Kanfer said. "You can easily upgrade your wardrobe with a pair of shoes."
Even smaller chains are trying to cash in on the trend. Fleet Feet Sports-Chicago, a two-store chain of running and fitness apparel, launched a gift registry this year that allows people to record their preferred brand, style, color, size, width and model of shoe from hundreds of options.
Catherine Moloznik, Fleet Feet's product manager, said so far in December, shoe sales are up about 20 percent compared with a year ago, in part because of the registry.
"Shoes have turned the corner in the gift category," said Robert Burke, a New York-based fashion consultant. "They've become the new handbag."
Owen Badillo, 35, certainly never thought of buying shoes as gifts for others in the past. But this season he bought two pairs of $30 Asics running shoes for his 28-year-old sister, who's a mother of two small children and a runner.
Badillo said he's more confident in his gift this year than last year when he ran around trying to pick up clothes for his sister, not really knowing "what she wanted." This year, he said it was clear what she needed.
"Her shoes are all torn up. So I am focusing on what she really needs," said Badillo, who lives in Oklahoma City and works at an oil and gas company.
_______
AP Writer Ashley Heher in Chicago contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/more-shoes-showing-under-christmas-tree-183733600--finance.html
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Sunday, December 23, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
UPDATE 1-India clears way for bigger foreign investment in banks
By Manoj Kumar and Nigam Prusty
NEW DELHI, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Indian parliament passed a bill on Tuesday aimed at drawing foreign investment to the banking sector by increasing shareholders' voting rights, after dropping a controversial clause allowing banks to trade in commodity futures.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government is in a race against the clock to pass reforms economists say are needed to breathe life into Asia's third-largest economy, which is headed for the worst year of growth in a decade.
But progress has been slow. The banking bill is the only piece of major reform legislation to be passed in a parliament session once again disrupted by protests and shouting matches.
The banking bill will increase shareholders' voting rights to 26 percent from 10 percent in private sector banks, making investment more attractive to foreign players. The bill will now move to the upper house of parliament for voting on Thursday, where it is also likely to be passed as it is backed by India's two biggest parties.
The bill also clears the way for more corporate houses to run banks by enabling the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue new bank licenses. That will boost the government's drive to expand access to financial services in a country where more than half the 1.2 billion population is without a bank account.
'The raising of voting cap will have a positive impact in attracting funds as it will help foreign investors to have more say in banks,' said Jagannadham Thunguntla, head of research at brokerage firm SMC Global Securities.
(Reporting by Manoj Kumar; Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Ross Colvin) Keywords: INDIA REFORMS/BANKBILL
(matthias.williams@thomsonreuters.com)(0091-11-4178-1014)(Reut ers Messaging: matthias.williams.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)
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Instagram says users' photos won't appear in ads
FILE - In this Monday, April 9, 2012, file photo, Instagram is demonstrated on an iPhone, in New York. Instagram, the popular photo-sharing service that Facebook bought this year, is the target of a storm of outrage on Twitter and other sites after the company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012 a change in its user agreement that hinted that it might use shared photos in ads. (AP Photo/Karly Domb Sadof, File)
FILE - In this Monday, April 9, 2012, file photo, Instagram is demonstrated on an iPhone, in New York. Instagram, the popular photo-sharing service that Facebook bought this year, is the target of a storm of outrage on Twitter and other sites after the company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012 a change in its user agreement that hinted that it might use shared photos in ads. (AP Photo/Karly Domb Sadof, File)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Instagram, the popular mobile photo-sharing service now owned by Facebook, said Tuesday that it will remove language from its new terms of service suggesting that users' photos could appear in advertisements.
The language in question had appeared in updated policies announced Monday and scheduled to take effect Jan. 16. After an outcry on social media and privacy rights blogs, the company clarified that it has no plans to put users' photos in ads.
That said, Instagram maintains that it was created to become a business and would like to experiment with various forms of advertisements to make money. Instagram doesn't currently run any ads. As of now, the free service has no way to make money and brings in no revenue to Facebook.
"Our main goal is to avoid things likes advertising banners you see in other apps that would hurt the Instagram user experience," Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom wrote in a blog post Tuesday.
What had riled users and privacy advocates was Instagram's new assertion that it may now receive payments from businesses to use its members' photos, user name and other data "in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation" to them.
Instagram didn't offer many details at the time. Its blog post on Monday made no mention of ads or other commercial activities, though it offered links to the new privacy policy and terms of service. Those documents spell out what the service could do, but say little about actual plans.
Instead, Instagram merely said the changes will help its service "function more easily as part of Facebook by being able to share info between the two groups." Facebook Inc. also recently updated its privacy policy to allow for more integration with Instagram.
"This means we can do things like fight spam more effectively, detect system and reliability problems more quickly, and build better features for everyone by understanding how Instagram is used," the earlier blog post said, adding that the updates also "help protect you, and prevent spam and abuse as we grow."
Facebook bought Instagram in September for $715.3 million, $300 million of it in cash and the rest in stock.
Instagram's new policy, which takes effect Jan. 16, suggests that Facebook wants to integrate Instagram into its ad-serving system.
"These services are publicly advertised as 'free,' but the free label masks costs to privacy, which include the responsibility of monitoring how these companies sell data, and even how they change policies over time," said Chris Hoofnagle, director of Information Privacy Programs at the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology.
The fast-growing service has become a popular way to share photos from cellphones. The Instagram app, available for the iPhone and Android devices, offers a variety of filters to give photos a retro feel or other look. Although many other apps also offer filters for enhancing photos, they don't offer the sharing features and community aspects of Instagram.
Instagram has had a loyal following since before Facebook bought it. The purchase worried some of the earliest fans of the service, who feared Facebook would swallow up their beloved community.
Users must accept the new terms when they go into effect or leave the Instagram.
Twitter users were vowing to cancel their Instagram accounts. They complained that the new terms would essentially let the service sell people's photos for ads ? something Instagram said Tuesday it doesn't plan to do.
Facebook's stock price increased nearly 4 percent on Tuesday amid the Instagram ads chatter, to close at $27.71.
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Japan Elections 2012: China Hawk Wins Landslides Victory
TOKYO -- After leading his conservative party to a landslide victory that will bring it back to power after a three-year hiatus, Shinzo Abe stressed Monday that the road ahead will not be easy as he tries to revive Japan's sputtering economy and bolster its national security amid deteriorating relations with China.
The Liberal Democratic Party, which led Japan for most of the post-World War II era until it was dumped in 2009, won 294 seats in the 480-seat lower house of parliament in Sunday's nationwide elections, the party said.
With the elections over, a vote among the members of parliament to install the new prime minister is expected on Dec. 26. Abe, who was prime minister for a year in 2006-2007, is almost certain of winning that vote because the LDP now holds the majority in the lower house.
Abe, who would be Japan's seventh prime minister in 6 1/2 years, will likely push for increased public works spending and lobby for stronger moves by the central bank to break Japan out of its deflationary trap.
Stock prices soared Monday to their highest level since April, reflecting hopes in the business world that the LDP will be more effective in its economic policies than the outgoing Democrats were.
Abe told a packed news conference Monday that Japan is facing a series of crises ? from the weak economy to security issues to reconstruction after the tsunami disaster.
"Our mission is to overcome these crises," he said.
He said his party's victory was less a vote of confidence from voters and more a repudiation of the "mistaken leadership" of the Democrats.
"The public will be scrutinizing us."
He said he would like to meet with President Barack Obama in late January or early February to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Chinese bloggers, meanwhile, reacted with scorn to the LDP's victory, with many concentrating their fire on Abe, a China hawk. Chinese micro-blog sites Monday were full of anti-Abe comments, with some calling for a boycott of Japanese goods.
The countries are embroiled in a territorial dispute over a cluster of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan. During the two-week campaign leading up to the election, Abe took a rather tough line toward China, promising to defend Japan's "territory and beautiful ocean."
On Monday, Abe called for improved ties with Beijing while stressing the islands are an integral part of Japan's territory and that there was "no room for talks" over their sovereignty.
"As with many cases, issues arise with countries that share borders, and what is important is how each nation keeps these issues under control. I feel we need wisdom so that the political issues or problems do not extend to economic problems," he said.
"Although we are not in a situation where I can immediately visit China or have bilateral talks, first and foremost, we will persistently continue with our dialogue with China and hope to improve relations between the two countries," he said.
Outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced his resignation as party chief late Sunday, calling the election results "severe" and acknowledging his party failed to live up to the nation's high expectations.
His Democratic Party of Japan said it won only 57 seats. Among its casualties were eight Cabinet ministers ? the most to lose in an election since World War II.
Although the election was the first since the March 11, 2011, earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters, atomic energy ? which the LDP conditionally supports ? ended up being a side issue, though polls showed that about 80 percent of Japanese want to phase it out completely.
The LDP will stick with its longtime partner New Komeito, backed by a large Buddhist organization, to form a coalition government, party officials said. Together, they now control 325 seats, securing a two-thirds majority that would make it easier for the government to pass legislation.
A dizzying array of more than 12 parties, including several news ones, contested in the election, some with vague policy goals.
The most significant new force is the right-leaning, populist Japan Restoration Party, which won 54 seats.
The party is led by the bombastic nationalist former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and lawyer-turned Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto ? polarizing figures with forceful leadership styles. Ishihara is another hawk on China, having stirred up the latest dispute with Beijing by proposing Tokyo buy the islands from their private Japanese owners and develop them.
The anti-nuclear Tomorrow Party ? formed just three weeks ago ? captured only nine seats. Party head Yukiko Kada said she was very disappointed to see the LDP, the original promoter of Japan's nuclear energy policy, make such a big comeback.
Also on HuffPost:
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/japan-elections-2012-china_n_2314657.html
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Monday, December 17, 2012
N. Korea displays Kim Jong Il a year after death
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) ? North Korea unveiled the embalmed body of Kim Jong Il, still in his trademark khaki jumpsuit, on the anniversary of his death Monday as mourning mixed with pride over a recent satellite launch that was a long-held goal of the late authoritarian leader.
Kim lies in state a few floors below his father, national founder Kim Il Sung, in the Kumsusan mausoleum, the cavernous former presidential palace. Kim Jong Il is presented lying beneath a red blanket, a spotlight shining on his face in a room suffused in red.
Wails echoed through the chilly hall as a group of North Korean women sobbed into the sashes of their traditional Korean dresses as they bowed before his body. The hall bearing the glass coffin was opened to select visitors ? including The Associated Press ? for the first time since his death.
North Korea also unveiled Kim's yacht and his armored train carriage, where he is said to have died. Among the personal belongings featured in the mausoleum are the parka, sunglasses and pointy platform shoes he famously wore in the last decades of his life. A MacBook Pro lay open on his desk.
North Koreans paid homage to Kim and basked in the success of last week's launch of a long-range rocket that sent a satellite named after him to space.
The launch, condemned in many other capitals as a violation of bans against developing its missile technology, was portrayed not only as a gift to Kim Jong Il but also as proof that his young son, Kim Jong Un, has the strength and vision to lead the country.
The elder Kim died last Dec. 17 from a heart attack while traveling on his train. His death was followed by scenes of North Koreans dramatically wailing in the streets of Pyongyang, and of the 20-something son leading ranks of uniformed and gray-haired officials through funeral and mourning rites.
The mood in the capital was decidedly more upbeat a year later, with some of the euphoria carrying over from last Wednesday's launch. The satellite bears one of Kim Jong Il's nicknames, Kwangmyongsong, or "Lode Star," a moniker given to him at birth according to the official lore.
Cameras were not allowed inside the mausoleum, and state media did not release any images of Kim Jong Il's body.
With the death anniversary came a hint that Kim Jong Un himself might soon be a father.
His wife, Ri Sol Ju, was seen on state TV with what appeared to be a baby bump as she walked slowly next to her husband at the mausoleum, where they bowed to statues of Kim's father and grandfather.
There is no official word from Pyongyang about a pregnancy. In addition, Ri is shown wearing a billowing traditional Korean dress in black that makes it difficult to know for sure.
North Koreans are reluctant to discuss details of the Kim family that have not been released by the state. Still there are rumors even in Pyongyang about whether the country's first couple is expecting.
To honor Kim's father, North Koreans stopped in their tracks at midday and bowed their heads as the national flag fluttered at half-staff along streets and from buildings.
Pyongyang construction workers took off their yellow hard hats and bowed at the waist as sirens wailed across the city for three minutes.
Tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered in the frigid plaza outside, newly transformed into a public park with lawns and pergolas. Geese flew past snow-tinged firs and swans dallied in the partly frozen moat that rings the vast complex in Pyongyang's outskirts.
"Just when we were thinking how best to uphold our general, he passed away," Kim Jong Ran said at the plaza. "But we upheld leader Kim Jong Un. ... We regained our strength and we are filled with determination to work harder for our country."
Speaking outside the mausoleum, renamed the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the military's top political officer, Choe Ryong Hae, said North Korea should be proud of the satellite, calling it "a political event with great significance in the history of Korea and humanity."
Much of the rest of the world, however, was swift in condemning the launch, which was seen by the United States and other nations as a thinly disguised cover for testing missile technology that could someday be used for a nuclear warhead.
The test, which potentially violates a United Nations ban on North Korean missile activity, underlined Kim Jong Un's determination to continue carrying out his father's hardline policies even if they draw international condemnation.
Some outside experts worry that Pyongyang's next move will be to press ahead with a nuclear test in the coming weeks, a step toward building a warhead small enough to be carried by a long-range missile.
Despite inviting further isolation for his impoverished nation and the threat of stiffer sanctions, Kim Jong Un won national prestige and clout by going ahead with the rocket launch.
At a memorial service on Sunday, North Korea's top leadership not only eulogized Kim Jong Il, but also praised his son. Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of North Korea's parliament, called the launch a "shining victory" and an emblem of the promise that lies ahead with Kim Jong Un in power.
The rocket's success also fits neatly into the narrative of Kim Jong Il's death. Even before he died, the father had laid the groundwork for his son to inherit a government focused on science, technology and improving the economy. And his pursuit of nuclear weapons and the policy of putting the military ahead of all other national concerns have also carried into Kim Jong Un's reign.
In a sign of the rocket launch's importance, Kim Jong Un invited the scientists in charge of it to attend the mourning rites in Pyongyang, according to state media.
The reopening of the mausoleum on the anniversary of the leader's death follows tradition. Kumsusan, the palace where his father, Kim Il Sung, served as president, was reopened as a mausoleum on the anniversary of his death in 1994.
___
Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report from Seoul, South Korea. Follow Jean Lee, AP's bureau chief for Pyongyang and Seoul, at www.twitter.com/newsjean.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/n-korea-displays-kim-jong-il-death-120718480.html
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Helping Others When We Can Barely Help Ourselves In Our Grief ...
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Commercial Real Estate Advice That Is Easy To Follow
As a matter of fact, commercial real estate frequently offers more lucrative opportunities than residential real estate. However, finding profitable opportunities can be somewhat time consuming and difficult. This article provides a lot of useful information that will make you more knowledgeable of the factors involved in commercial real estate. Learning this information, and following the advice provided, will enable you to make smart and profitable commercial real estate decisions.
When you are looking for a building for your business, size is very important. You want to invest into commercial property that has the potential to grow so that you don?t have to shop for you business again a few years down the line.
Build up a system of prospective financial partners, including local lenders and business contacts; this ensures that you always have access to the cash flow required to make a purchase. Set up contracts which either allow you to repay the loans via a fixed interest rate, or give them a percentage of your income from the property.
TIP! Always stay on the lookout for sellers who are motivated to sell. You must look for these sellers, as they are usually eager to sell a property at below market value.
Make a checklist to compare details when looking at several properties. Do not proceed past initial proposal responses, unless you inform the property owners. Don?t hesitate to tell a property owner that you?re considering other properties as well. Most property owners won?t be upset or angry; they expect you to be looking at more than one property. This may ensure that you get a much more viable deal.
Know that larger apartment complexes are less troublesome than a smaller one; many experts say to avoid those properties with less than 10 units. Look into your unique situation to make the best decision.
TIP! It is advisable to go bigger when investing money pertaining to commercial real estate. The less units a building has, the easier it will be to lease them all out.
Devote your time and attention to only one type of investment at any given time. Whether your investment choice is retail, land or rental buildings, choose one arena of investment to focus on exclusively for now. You can?t be successful if you try to focus on more than one type of real estate investment at a time. Choose one type of investment and put all your attention on making it successful. You are better served by mastering one investment than floundering with many.
Before placing your commercial property on the market, you should take the time to have it inspected by a professional inspector. If there is anything wrong with your property, have it fixed right away.
Be sure to deal with a company where customer care is important prior to buying. If you don?t, you could pay more for some mistake that you could?ve avoided to begin with.
TIP! Both local and non-local advertising of your commercial real estate property will be beneficial to you. A lot of sellers fall into the misconception that only the local buyers are interested parties in potential purchase.
Take into account how the establishment of an ideal rent expectation can affect your future business prospects. Figure out what you will charge for rent before speaking with potential tenants. In this way, you will be able to attain the targets and the benchmarks you have set for yourself based upon the performance of your investment.
Have clear ideas in mind what you want out of a possible property before you buy any commercial piece of real estate. One important thing to have clear up front is whether you are thinking of using it for your personal business or if you, instead, want to lease out the property. Have clear and specific goals before looking for commercial property. It will save a lot of time and effort with your narrowed-down results.
You should now be knowledgeable of the basic concepts involved in commercial real estate. Remain flexible and continue to stay nimble as you make your way through the many steps leading to owning your own property. By doing this, you can catch opportunities that others miss, capitalizing on the profitability of your business.
TIP! Keep in mind that a property will only last so long. If a property is well past its prime, you could end up putting a fortune into maintenance and renovations.
Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/commercial-real-estate-advice-that-is-easy-to-follow-3
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