High Associates Blog For commercial real estate, the Northeast ...

Published by High Associates. on September 26th, 2012

According to the Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS?? (SIOR) most recent Commercial Real Estate Index (for Q2 2012), which looks at information gathered from its members and measures ten variables related to the U.S. industrial and office markets, there are mixed results across the country. But the continued slow economy definitely ?has spilled over into industrial and office markets.??

This is certainly true in the Northeast, which has some of the lowest levels of leasing activity according to the index.?

?Both asking rents and vacancy rates are closing in on historical averages, with vacancy rates lower than they were a year ago. Development activity remains low and sublease space is declining,? reported the SIOR.

These current statistics bring to mind two of my most important pieces of real estate advice:

One:? You make money when you buy, and this is a good time to buy

Down times such as these are a great time to analyze and seize the right buying opportunities. Most investors understand that economic cycles occur and a business downturn only lasts so long, and then values increase once more.

Fully appreciate that you make your money when you buy, and buying when the market is down makes you even more money.

It?s important to evaluate a property correctly to determine what the potential is if you?re redeveloping or repositioning it in the market. It?s also important to reflect carefully on how you can enhance a property in a way that perhaps others can?t envision.

Consider the future income stream you can realize through the process from renovations and repairs through to lease up. Everything is about the future income of that building as well as the future value when you sell it.? The same is also true for a vacant parcel of land, with regard to determining a higher and better use for the property at acceptable financial returns.

Two: Leasing may be an attractive option

In bad economic times, leasing is an attractive option for a number of reasons.? Since it?s more difficult to gain access to capital, in dealing with banks you might be able to acquire only a certain amount of funding, and you won?t want to sink that capital completely into purchasing. Leasing is virtually 100 percent financing, freeing working capital for other business uses.

During such times, you most likely will be able to increase the value of your investment more through expanding your business than with any potential increase in property value.? If you lease, your entire rental payment is tax deductible, whereas if you buy real estate, you cannot depreciate the land, only the improvements on your land.

If you lease an existing building, it is almost always immediately available. Additionally, you avoid much of the development process and its related issues of zoning, permits, codes, fees, etc.

So, as with every challenging set of circumstances, there is always the silver lining if you look for it. Right now, that silver lining could be to purchase or lease a new property.

?

Lin Good, CCIM, SIOR, Senior Vice President, Brokerage Services

?

Tags: brokerage, commercial real estate, CRE, investing, leasing

Source: http://blog.highassociates.com/2012/09/for-commercial-real-estate-the-northeast-remains-a-tenants-market-and-a-buyers-market/

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Former ?Buffy? Star Sarah Michelle Gellar Welcomes Baby Boy!

Former “Buffy” Star Sarah Michelle Gellar Welcomes Baby Boy!

Sarah Michelle Gellar and her husband Freddie Prinze Jr. are celebrating after becoming parents for the second time. The former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star [...]

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Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/09/former-buffy-star-sarah-michelle-gellar-welcomes-baby-boy/

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Study: Voting rule changes may deter 10M Hispanics

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The combined effects of voter roll purges, demands for proof of citizenship and photo identification requirements in several states may hinder at least 10 million Hispanic citizens who seek to vote this fall, civil rights advocates warn in a new report.

Hispanic voters are considered pivotal to the presidential election this November, and are being heavily courted by both Democratic incumbent Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. If they turn out in large numbers, Hispanics could sway the outcome in several swing states.

In an analysis based on government data, civil rights group The Advancement Project identified legal barriers that could deter voter registration and participation among eligible Hispanics. In some of those states, the group's researchers said, the number of voter-eligible Latino citizens potentially blocked by those barriers exceeds the margin of victory in the 2008 election.

"Like African Americans, Latinos have experienced decreased access and correspondingly lower levels of voter registration and participation than non-Hispanic whites," said the report, which was being released Monday.

The report called for repeal of policies that wrongfully inhibit Hispanic voters, and asked that the Justice Department investigate and prosecute "any related voting rights violations."

According to census data, there were more than 21 million Hispanics of voting age in 2010. They comprised roughly 10 percent of all eligible voters and 8 percent of registered voters in the U.S.

Among eligible Hispanics in 2010, 6.3 million said they were not registered to vote, and 10.8 million ? about half of those of voting age ? said they did not vote, the report said.

By comparison, the report said, there were 172.4 million non-Hispanic white citizens eligible to vote in 2010, with nearly 18 percent unregistered and 38 percent who said they did not vote.

There are three significant barriers to Hispanic voter participation, researchers said: citizenship-based voter purges, proof of citizenship requirements and photo identification laws.

Sixteen states have either adopted or are pursuing citizenship-related purges of their voter rolls, the report said. Those states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Those states are home to nearly 5.5 million registered Latino voters, and 1.1 million naturalized citizens from Latin America. Colorado and Florida identified voters for possible purging by comparing their voter registrations with driver's license databases that show which voters indicated they were immigrants ? thereby creating a problem, the report said.

"Naturalized citizens typically received their driver's licenses when they were legal immigrants but before becoming naturalized citizens (and before registering to vote); therefore, this method generates lists of voters to be checked that targets naturalized citizens," the report said.

Florida stopped its effort to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls once officials realized that they were using an outdated database to check citizenship.

As of last month, laws requiring additional citizenship documents ? a certified birth certificate, passport or naturalization papers ? in order to register to vote were in effect in Georgia, might take effect in Alabama and Arizona later this year, and had been proposed in several states, the report said.

Such a demand was "previously unheard of" in the U.S., the report said, mainly because federal protections against noncitizens registering to vote already were in place. Asking for extra paperwork effectively puts "onerous and sometimes expensive" requirements on Latino voters at a disproportionate rate over others, researchers said.

The same is true for "restrictive" photo identification laws in nine states: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin, the report said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-09-23-Election-Hispanic%20Voters/id-c1566269705b476fb396d36fc19634fc

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Nutrition supplements fail to help famine-hit ... - Body Health & Fitness

RECORDER REPORT

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?> Babies and toddlers at risk of malnutrition weren?t helped by special energy-dense food supplements given along with normal food aid, according to a new study on September 18.

Humanitarian groups usually provide staples, like grains and beans, to help families facing food shortages. But some groups wondered if specially-formulated supplements could help more kids stave off malnutrition.

These ?ready-to-use supplementary food? products, often with a peanut butter-base, are already used as an extra boost of calories, fats and nutrients to help get malnourished kids back on track. But new research indicates the food supplements, given as a preventative measure on a wider scale, may not have the hoped-for impact.

The study was published in the online journal PLOS Medicine. In Chad, where annual dry seasons leave a four-month ?hunger gap? between harvests, researchers monitored over 1,000 babies and toddlers aged six months to three years old.

Half of their families were given standard food rations, and the other half received the same rations, plus a daily dose ? about three spoonfuls ? of the special food supplements for the targeted children. At the end of the four months, despite the extra supplements, ?8.6 percent of both groups were found to be undernourished,? or below the desired threshold for height and weight, explained lead researcher Lieven Huybregts. ?We had to refer them to a treatment program outside the study,? the Ghent University researcher told AFP, which was the opposite of what they?d hoped for.

The kids who got the supplements did grow a bit taller, however, had better hemoglobin levels ? meaning a decreased risk of anemia ? and had lower rates of fever and diarrhea. These side-benefits could be traced to the extra vitamins and minerals packed into the supplements, Huybregts suggested. But it is not clear why the supplements didn?t help the kids gain weight. It may have their overall diet: the kids who got the supplements, which were spread among several children, ate less of the other rations, said Huybregts.

He said the researchers are analysing the data ?to see if the supplement was really consumed and what the pattern was.?

For now, he said, the data suggest widespread distribution of the food supplements, which are pricier than traditional food rations, may not be a cost-effective solution to famine in these hunger-prone areas. And if the side-benefits are related to the vitamins and minerals in the supplements, ?maybe there are more affordable strategies to provide micronutrients,? perhaps in syrup and tablet form, he said.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012

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Source: http://www.bodyhealthandfitness.net/nutrition-supplements-fail-to-help-famine-hit-babies/

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Shakira: Pregnant with First Child!

A judging spot on The Voice is not the only exciting thing on the horizon for Shakira.

The singer confirmed the great news today: She's pregnant!

Leaving a message on her Facebook page, the artist wrote that she and boyfriend Gerard Pique are expecting.

"Gerard and I are very happy awaiting the arrival of our first baby! At this time, we have decided to give priority to this unique moment in our lives and postpone all the promotional activities planned over the next few days."

Shakira and the FC Barcelona soccer player have been an item for about 18 months.

She needn't worry, either, about no one reading this announcement: Shakira has over 54 million Facebook followers.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/shakira-pregnant-with-first-child/

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SingTel Acquires Intelligent, Social Photo Aggregator Pixable For $26.5 Million

Singaporean telecommunications giant SingTel has acquired intelligent, social photo aggregator Pixable for $26.5 million. The company develops sleek social photo creation, aggregation, and categorization tools.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/JiTDqohzXdc/

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Olympus announces new PEN and XZ series cameras

Featured

4 days

Wilson Rothman

You can pre-order the iPhone 5 starting at midnight. But should you? Or would it be better to wait and see it in person before plunking down... Read more

2 hrs.

Devin Coldewey

Two new interchangeable-lens cameras and a luxury point-and-shoot were announced by Olympus Monday at Photokina, a major European trade show. All of them feature more advanced?sensors than their predecessors, along with a few handling improvements.

The PEN cameras are Olympus' series of compact mirrorless cameras, with interchangeable lenses like DSLRs but more compact. The new E-PL5 and E-PM2 are the latest, and add a powerful new 16-megapixel sensor to the lineup, the very same one from the far more expensive E-M5.

Both cameras also get touchscreens, allowing users to take a picture by tapping the screen ? a feature that we found worked quite well on the E-M5. They can shoot at 8 frames per second and of course can be fitted with any of the many lenses already offered. Olympus also introduced a new combination wide-angle?lens and lens cap that could be both fun and practical.

As for the differences between the two, the E-PL5 has an articulating LCD, an extra control dial, and can be combined with a number of screw-on handgrips. At $699 with a zoom lens included, it's also $100 more expensive than the E-PM2.

The XZ-2 replaces the venerable and popular XZ-1, which was considered a standout among point-and-shoots at the time of its release for its fast F/1.8 lens. The new camera keeps the lens but adds an improved sensor, an articulating touchscreen, screw-on grips, and an interesting all-purpose control dial around the lens.

Its specs are impressive, but the $599 price may put people off; Canon, Nikon, and Sony all offer similarly high-performance cameras at competitive prices.

The new PEN cameras will be available in October, and the XZ-2 should ship in November.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/olympus-announces-new-pen-xz-series-cameras-1B5941638

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Tens of thousands in anti-Putin rally in Moscow

MOSCOW (AP) ? Tens of thousands of people marched across downtown Moscow on Saturday in the first major protest in three months against President Vladimir Putin ? a sign of the opposition's strength despite the Kremlin's efforts to muzzle dissent.

The demonstration showed the opposition's resilience, despite the government's attempts to stem the protest movement that brought out more than 100,000 people last winter in a series of big street protests against Putin's election to a third presidential term.

Hopes for a quick change that many protesters had during the winter have waned, but opposition supporters appeared ready to dig in for a long fight.

"We have to defend our rights, which we were deprived of, the right to have elections. We're deprived of honest elections and an honest government," opposition activist Alexander Shcherbakov said. "I'm coming to show that and to demonstrate that the people are opposed. I'm opposed to illegitimate government and illegitimate elections."

Leftists, liberals and nationalists mixed with students, teachers, gay activists and others on the capital's tree-lined boulevards in Saturday's rally, chanting "Russia without Putin!" and "We are the power here!" The protest remained peaceful as about 7,000 police officers stood guard along the route of the march, and a police helicopter hovered overhead.

Putin has taken a tougher course against the opposition since his inauguration in May with a series of new repressive laws, arrests and interrogation of activists. In August, a court handed two-year prison sentences to three members of the punk band Pussy Riot for performing an anti-Putin song inside Moscow's main cathedral.

Some activists on Saturday carried big balloons with balaclava masks painted on ? the band's trademark headwear. Another rally participant carried a basket with three plastic heads in brightly colored balaclavas.

Many demonstrators targeted Putin with creative placards and outfits. Some mocked Putin's recent publicity stunt when he flew in a motorized hang glider to lead a flock of young Siberian white cranes in flight.

One protester donned a white outfit similar to the one worn by Putin on the flight with a placard reading: "Give up hope, each of you who follow me."

The rally, which had received the required permit from authorities, appeared to be as big as the last major protest in June, which also attracted tens of thousands.

The organizers had spent days in tense talks with the city government over the protest route on Saturday as the authorities tried to move it farther away from the city center. Such tense bargaining preceded each of the previous opposition marches.

A protest on the eve of Putin's inauguration had ended in clashes with police, and the Kremlin responded by arresting some of its participants and approving a new draconian law that raised fines 150-fold for taking part in unsanctioned protests. The authorities, however, granted permission for a subsequent opposition rally in June, which was peaceful.

Alexei Navalny, a charismatic anti-corruption crusader and a popular blogger who has been a key driving force behind the opposition protests, urged the demonstrators to show resolve and keep the pressure on the Kremlin with more street protests.

"We must come to rallies to win freedom for ourselves and our children, to defend our human dignity," he said to cheers of support. "We will come here as to our workplace. No one else will free us but ourselves."

A day before the rally, parliament expelled an opposition lawmaker who angered the Kremlin by joining the protest movement. The vote to oust Gennady Gudkov over allegations of running a business in violation of parliament rules ? charges Gudkov called "a sham" ? angered many, possibly helping beef up the ranks of protesters.

The vote deprived Gudkov, a KGB veteran like Putin, from his immunity from prosecution and his supporters fear he could be arrested.

His son Dmitry Gudkov, also a lawmaker, said he hopes the Kremlin won't dare to put his father in prison after seeing the protesters' strength. "They will have either to think about serious reforms and end their repressions, or they will come to a very bad end," he said as marched with a column of protesters.

"It's necessary right now for all Russians to come out into the streets to show the regime that changes are needed in our country, and that without them our country can't develop," said teacher Valentina Merkulova, who participated in Saturday's protest. "The most important thing is that, the more Russians come out, the less bloody the change of regime, the change of power. A change of power is necessary."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tens-thousands-anti-putin-rally-moscow-150251907.html

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Boiling water without bubbles

Public release date: 13-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Erin White
ewhite@northwestern.edu
847-491-4888
Northwestern University

Researchers engineer special surface, allowing water to boil without producing bubbles

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Every cook knows that boiling water bubbles, right? New research from Northwestern University turns that notion on its head.

"We manipulated what has been known for a long, long time by using the right kind of texture and chemistry to prevent bubbling during boiling," said Neelesh A. Patankar, professor of mechanical engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-author of the study.

This discovery could help reduce damage to surfaces, prevent bubbling explosions and may someday be used to enhance heat transfer equipment, reduce drag on ships and lead to anti-frost technologies.

Published Sept. 13 in the journal Nature, the research outlines how a specially engineered coated surface can create a stable vapor cushion between the surface and a hot liquid and eliminate the bubbles that are created during boiling.

This phenomenon is based on the Leidenfrost effect. In 1756 the German scientist Johann Leidenfrost observed that water drops skittered on a sufficiently hot skillet, bouncing across the surface of the skillet on a vapor cushion or film of steam. The vapor film collapses as the surface falls below the Leidenfrost temperature. When the water droplet hits the surface of the skillet, at 100 degrees Celsius, boiling temperature, it bubbles.

To stabilize a Leidenfrost vapor film and prevent bubbling during boiling, Patankar collaborated with Ivan U. Vakarelski of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia. Vakarelski led the experiments and Patankar provided the theory. The collaboration also included Derek Chan, professor of mathematics and statistics from the University of Melbourne in Australia.

In their experiments, the stabilization of the Leidenfrost vapor film was achieved by making the surface of tiny steel spheres very water-repellant. The spheres were sprayed with a commercially available hydrophobic coating --- essentially self-assembled nanoparticles --- combined with other water-hating chemicals to achieve the right amount of roughness and water repellency. At the correct length scale this coating created a surface texture full of tiny peaks and valleys.

When the steel spheres were heated to 400 degrees Celsius and dropped into room temperature water, water vapors formed in the valleys of the textured surface, creating a stable Leidenfrost vapor film that did not collapse once the spheres cooled to the temperature of boiling water. In the experiments, researchers completely avoided the bubbly phase of boiling.

To contrast, the team also coated tiny steel spheres with a water-loving coating, heated the objects to 700 degrees Celsius, dropped them into room temperature water and observed that the Leidenfrost vapor collapsed with a vigorous release of bubbles.

"This is a dramatic result and there are many applications in which a vapor-loving, water-hating surface is beneficial," Patankar said.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 13-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Erin White
ewhite@northwestern.edu
847-491-4888
Northwestern University

Researchers engineer special surface, allowing water to boil without producing bubbles

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Every cook knows that boiling water bubbles, right? New research from Northwestern University turns that notion on its head.

"We manipulated what has been known for a long, long time by using the right kind of texture and chemistry to prevent bubbling during boiling," said Neelesh A. Patankar, professor of mechanical engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-author of the study.

This discovery could help reduce damage to surfaces, prevent bubbling explosions and may someday be used to enhance heat transfer equipment, reduce drag on ships and lead to anti-frost technologies.

Published Sept. 13 in the journal Nature, the research outlines how a specially engineered coated surface can create a stable vapor cushion between the surface and a hot liquid and eliminate the bubbles that are created during boiling.

This phenomenon is based on the Leidenfrost effect. In 1756 the German scientist Johann Leidenfrost observed that water drops skittered on a sufficiently hot skillet, bouncing across the surface of the skillet on a vapor cushion or film of steam. The vapor film collapses as the surface falls below the Leidenfrost temperature. When the water droplet hits the surface of the skillet, at 100 degrees Celsius, boiling temperature, it bubbles.

To stabilize a Leidenfrost vapor film and prevent bubbling during boiling, Patankar collaborated with Ivan U. Vakarelski of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia. Vakarelski led the experiments and Patankar provided the theory. The collaboration also included Derek Chan, professor of mathematics and statistics from the University of Melbourne in Australia.

In their experiments, the stabilization of the Leidenfrost vapor film was achieved by making the surface of tiny steel spheres very water-repellant. The spheres were sprayed with a commercially available hydrophobic coating --- essentially self-assembled nanoparticles --- combined with other water-hating chemicals to achieve the right amount of roughness and water repellency. At the correct length scale this coating created a surface texture full of tiny peaks and valleys.

When the steel spheres were heated to 400 degrees Celsius and dropped into room temperature water, water vapors formed in the valleys of the textured surface, creating a stable Leidenfrost vapor film that did not collapse once the spheres cooled to the temperature of boiling water. In the experiments, researchers completely avoided the bubbly phase of boiling.

To contrast, the team also coated tiny steel spheres with a water-loving coating, heated the objects to 700 degrees Celsius, dropped them into room temperature water and observed that the Leidenfrost vapor collapsed with a vigorous release of bubbles.

"This is a dramatic result and there are many applications in which a vapor-loving, water-hating surface is beneficial," Patankar said.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/nu-bww091312.php

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Chicago teachers strike in bitter contract dispute

Public school teachers picket outside Amundsen High School on the first day of a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, in Chicago. The school is one of more than 140 schools in the Chicago Public Schools' "Children First" contingency plan, which feeds and houses students for four hours during the strike. (AP Photo/Sitthixay Ditthavong)

Public school teachers picket outside Amundsen High School on the first day of a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, in Chicago. The school is one of more than 140 schools in the Chicago Public Schools' "Children First" contingency plan, which feeds and houses students for four hours during the strike. (AP Photo/Sitthixay Ditthavong)

A woman pushes a stroller past a group of public school teachers picketing outside Amundsen High School, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, in Chicago. The school is one of more than 140 schools in the Chicago Public Schools' "Children First" contingency plan, which feeds and houses students for four hours during the teachers strike started by the Chicago Teachers Union Monday. (AP Photo/Sitthixay Ditthavong)

Chicago teachers walk a picket line outside Benjamin Banneker Elementary School in Chicago, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, after they went on strike for the first time in 25 years. Union and district officials failed to reach a contract agreement despite intense weekend negotiations. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Parents drop their children off at Benjamin E. Mays Academy, one of the few schools open for a half day during the first day of a Chicago teachers strike, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, in Chicago. Thousands of teachers walked off the job in the nation's third-largest school district for the first time in 25 years after union leaders announced they were far from resolving a contract dispute with school district officials. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Parents drop their children off at Benjamin E. Mays Academy one of the few schools open for a half day during the first day of a Chicago teachers strike, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012. in Chicago. Thousands of teachers walked off the job in the nation's third-largest school district for the first time in 25 years after union leaders announced they were far from resolving a contract dispute with school district officials. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

CHICAGO (AP) ? The union representing Chicago's striking teachers says no progress has been made on the most contentious contract issues because the district didn't submit any new offers.

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said the school board didn't budge on proposals involving performance evaluations and recall rights for laid-off teachers.

That means students will be out of the classroom for the second day as teachers walk the picket lines for the first time in 25 years.

More than 26,000 teachers and support staff walked off the job Monday, forcing parents to scramble to find a place to send about 350,000 idle children. Thousands of teachers left picket lines in the afternoon to flood the Loop for a rally.

The strike has created an unwelcome political distraction for Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-09-10-Chicago%20Schools-Strike/id-b536fc257f9945618ba46428218d3e5c

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Let s face it, the SEO industry, like any other, has its fair share of less-than-scrupulous players looking to take advantage of unsuspecting site owners. I m not sure if SEO actually has more bad guys than most other industries or ours just get more attention, but the simple fact remains that they are out there and [...]

Customer Magnetism Named Second Best Search Engine Optimization Company by topseos.com for September 2012
The independent authority on Search vendors, topseos.com, has named Customer Magnetism the second best search engine optimization company for September 2012.(PRWEB) September 04, 2012 The independent authority on Search vendors, topseos.com, has released their list of the best SEO companies in the United States for the month of September 2012. Customer Magnetism has received the honor of being ?

YellowPagesUnited.org ? Local Search News Aggregator Launches Blog Site
Online Yellow Pages industry news aggregator launches new blog site to inform businesses about the changing yellow page industry and integration into best local search practices.(PRWEB) August 31, 2012 YellowPagesUnited.org has launched a new blog site to inform marketers of the latest Yellow Pages industry news, mobile technologies, social media opportunities and best local search practices ?

Netmark.com Named Best Search Engine Optimization Company by topseos.com for September 2012
topseos.com, the independent authority on Search vendors, has named Netmark.com as the number one search engine optimization company for September 2012.(PRWEB) September 04, 2012 The independent authority on Search vendors, topseos.com, has released their list of the best SEO companies in the United States based on the latest trends and technological advancements. Netmark. ?

Source: http://bhw.com/blog/?p=989

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Mortgage Rates Kentucky ? Kentucky First Time Home Buyer ...

15 Year Fixed Conventional ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2.875%?????? ??? ?3.374% apr

30 Year Fixed Conventional ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 3.625% ? ? ? ? ? ?4.378% apr

30 Year Fixed Kentucky FHA ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?3.375% ? ? ? ? ? ?4.914% apr

30 Year Fixed?Kentucky USDA ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 3.3.75% ? ? ? ? ? ?4.784% apr

30 year Fixed Kentucky VA ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?3.375% ? ? ? ? ? ?4.551% apr

5 Year Arm Jumbo Loan ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?3.250% ? ? ? ? ? ?3.819%apr

30 year Fixed ?Jumbo Loan ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 4.250% ? ? ? ? ? ?4.815%apr

Kentucky Mortgage ?Rates are subject to qualifying criteria and Mortgage Rates can change without notice.
Assumptions include a 640 or higher credit score for FHA, USDA, KHC, ?and 620 credit scores for a VA loan. A loan amount of $100,000.00 is assumed and a 30 day lock required for a Kentucky Mortgage Only.

A 720 credit score or higher is assumed for a Kentucky ?Conventional Rate Mortgage loan rates and a loan amount of $100,000.00. The loan to value for Kentucky Conventional loans are assumed at 80% ltv or less.

• The displayed Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) reflect the interest rates, total points, and additional estimated pre-paid finance charges for the loan products shown, but do not include other closing costs.
• The approximate cost of prepaid finance charges does not constitute and is not a substitute for the Good Faith Estimate of Closing Costs (GFE) that you will receive once you apply for a loan. This is not a mortgage loan approval or commitment to lend. The actual fees, costs and monthly payment on your specific loan transaction may vary and may include additional fees and costs.
• For loans with less than 20% down payment borrower-paid mortgage insurance may apply.
• These mortgage rates are based on a variety of assumptions and conditions which include a consumer credit score which may be higher or lower than your individual credit score. Your loan?s interest rate will depend upon the specific characteristics of your loan transaction and your credit profile up to the time of closing.

• FHA

  • Kentucky FHA loans require both an upfront and an annual mortgage insurance premium. The premium varies based on the loan characteristics, your credit score, whether you?ve received loan counseling, and other factors.

• Jumbo

  • Kentucky Jumbo Mortgage ?rates are higher for borrowers who do not meet the criteria for Conventional Mortgage Loans.,; Please contact your home mortgage consultant for details regarding the ?criteria or with any other questions.

• ? VA Loans

  ? ? ? ? ? ? Kentucky VA loans require a funding fee upfront paid to VA in the form of mortgage insurance .he premium varies based on the loan characteristics, your credit score, whether you?ve received loan counseling ? ? factors.

• USDA Loans

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Kentucky ?USDA loans require a funding fee upfront and a monthly mortgage insurance premium paid to RHS/USDA.?The premium varies based on the loan characteristics, your credit score, ? ?and other factors.

Source: http://kentuckyfirsttimehomebuyer.com/2012/09/07/current-mortgage-rates-in-ky-fha-va-khc-usda-conventional-louisville-kentucky/

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Elder abuse in California Real Estate cases 09/06 by AttorneySteve ...

Betsey Lewis welcomes International Master Harpist Peter Sterling. Born in Southern California, Peter was touched by the Divine at an early age. A former yoga and Tai Chi Teacher, Ski instructor and tour guide in Aspen, CO. and Sedona, AZ, Peter found his ca

Many people on the political right regard America as steadily decaying since the founding era. Yet America has improved in many ways, including in its culture, economy, and laws. Listen to history professor Dr. Eric Daniels explain how and why.

Kick Ass Fantasy Football is back for the 2012 Fantasy Football Season! We are here to help you Cruise to a Championship every Tuesday and Wednesday evening at 9:00 pm and Thursdays at 7:00 pm. 3 Great shows plus our anchor show Sunday Morning on 973ESPN.com

Move over HBO PPV, The Halli Casser-Jayne is giving you, for free, a ringside seat into the world of championship boxing. Joining us Gene Tunney's son, Jay Tunney, Light-Heavyweight Champion, Glen Johnson and boxing historian Rick Encinosa.

KC & the Sunshine Band share 35 years of music history AND launch their new single on ONE VOICE RADIO with Kenneth Hieber and Felipe Rose

The Down & Dirty welcomes legendary comedian and the Late Show with David Letterman warmup act Eddie Brill. He's hitting some clubs around the country now, and will share some of his unique takes on life with us today.

Monica will discuss the challenges that the ever-growing "Sandwich Generation" is facing. She will offer resources and helpful tips on coping with related stressors. Listeners are encouraged to e-mail prior to or call in during the show.

Join Callywood as she welcomes Dr. Romeo Brooks. Dr. Romeo Brooks shares his quest for knowledge in the field of health was initiated after his father passed from emphysema and his mother from a blocked intestine and kidney failure.

Geoffrey Notkin and Steve Arnold have searched the world for remnants of meteorites for years. The duo uses inventive, cutting-edge technologies to detect these treasures from space as each are often buried over centuries by substantial amounts of dirt.

Monday on PLUS Model Radio Chenese goes one on one with Frenchie Davis, who was first introduced to the world on the second season of American Idol, and went on to be a Grammy nominated artist for her involvement in the revival of Ain?t Misbehavin on Broadway.

Alina Smith is an up and coming Country/Pop singer, songwriter and producer and has been selected as one of "20 Artists to Watch" by the Herald Examiner magazine. Music city greats like Country artists Lari White, and hit songwriters like Danny Myrick and Jame

Tina Malia travels around the world bringing her breathtaking songs and artistry. Her own diverse and growing catalog of albums is complemented by studio and live performance work with iconic artists such as Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Kenny Loggins.

Host Adilah Barnes of the Adilah Show brings actor Ted Lange on board. Many of you recall him as the loveable Isaac Washington on the famed Love Boat Show. Mr Lange has appeared on That's My MaMa, Half & Half" Jay Leno, Oprah Winfrey and Family Matters.

Source: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/attorneysteve/2012/09/06/elder-abuse-in-california-real-estate-cases

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Dragon Ball Z: Saiyan Pride needs more players!

Hello everyone.

At current my rp has 2 players, with another player still creating a profile. However, due to the rp's plot, we need at least 5 player's or the rp is going to fail very quickly, so if you are at all interested, continue reading.

The Rp will focus on planet Vegeta, and while the majority of the Dragon ball Universe's characters will exist, few will be present. It is an AU in that Frieza was defeated, and thus was unable to destroy the Saiyans. However, King Vegeta is dead, and few are willing to bow to the young prince Vegeta. To earn the title of king, a grand competition shall put the warriors against each other, this will not happen for quite some time however, thus allowing training times and character development. Still Interested? have a look then!

http://www.roleplaygateway.com/roleplay/dragon-ball-z-saiyan-pride/

ChaosBlade

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/9e1TFys4FEA/viewtopic.php

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Solavei-Home Based Business Opportunity of a ...

<b>Solavei</b>-Home Based Business <b>Opportunity</b> of a Lifetime! ? I Can Fix <b>?</b>
Johnny Johnson-Founding Member of Solavei- Phone 504-656-4677. When a person is presented a home based business opportunity they always say ? man, if only I was around when that company first started{Solavei) , I'd ?
Request an Invitation to Join Solavei by Clicking Here

Read more from this article about the Solavei Lane on the original blog at this link

Tags: business opportunity, Founding Member, Home Based Business, Join Solavei, Solavei Lane

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Source: http://www.marylandgreenpower.com/greenpower/auto/bsolaveib-home-based-business-bopportunityb-of-a-lifetime-%C2%B7-i-can-fix-b-b/

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Obama embarks on march to party convention

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a victory rally, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Union Terminal in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a victory rally, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Union Terminal in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney shakes hands during a campaign rally, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, accompanied by his vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. speaks during a campaign stop, Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, in Lakeland, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2012 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in Ames, Iowa. Republicans in Tampa, Florida, this week cast President Barack Obama as an executive who takes his cues from Europe, poses a threat to the traditional family and is unfamiliar with American staples like garage sales and lemonade stands. Next week in Charlotte, North Carolina, Democrats will color in their picture of Republican candidate Mitt Romney. They'll fill out what they've sketched in both the 2008 presidential campaign and the last two years of the current race. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. high-fives a football fan during a tailgate party at The Ohio State University-Miami University of Ohio football game, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Ohio Stadium, Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) ? President Barack Obama embarked on a four-day march through battleground states and the storm-battered Gulf Coast Saturday in the lead-up to his party's convention, trying to blunt his rival's momentum. Republican Mitt Romney vowed to bring more jobs to the country, bemoaning 23 million people out of work or underemployed.

"If you have a coach that's zero and 23 million, you say it's time to get a new coach," Romney said in retooled campaign speech in Cincinnati as the college football season kicked off across the nation. "It's time for America to see a winning season again, and we're going to bring it to them."

Obama, as his party's faithful began streaming to Charlotte, N.C., for next week's convention, headed Saturday to Iowa on the first leg of a tour of states key to his electoral map. Romney, for his part, looked to capitalize on a newly energized Republican Party fresh from its convention last week in Tampa, Fla.

Both men were campaigning across the country as the race entered September, each day adding to the sense of urgency in a presidential contest that has remained tight since Romney sewed up the nomination in April. They recognize that undecided voters, including those in about eight key states, will begin to fully assess their options through the conventions and the upcoming debates in the weeks ahead.

Flanked by House Speaker John Boehner and leading Ohio Republicans, Romney vowed to cut the deficit and work toward balancing the budget, open new markets for American products and crack down on unfair trade practices by competitors, issues closely watched by voters dependent on Ohio's manufacturing base. The new GOP nominee's voice grew hoarse as he debuted a slimmed-down version of his convention address with a heavy emphasis on his jobs agenda.

Both Romney and running mate Paul Ryan focused their attention on Ohio ? the Wisconsin congressman shook hands with voters and flipped burgers in the parking lot of Ohio Stadium in Columbus before the start of an opening weekend football game between Ohio State and Ryan's alma mater, Miami University of Ohio. Ohio is a linchpin in Romney's strategy, a recognition that no Republican has won the White House without carrying the Midwestern battleground. No Democrat has won without winning Ohio since John F. Kennedy in 1960.

"We recognize what a great responsibility you've given us," Romney said at Cincinnati's Union Terminal, "and how much you expect from us to be able to get back the White House and get America back on track."

Obama's run-up to the convention was taking him through the battleground states of Iowa, Colorado, Ohio and Virginia, four states he carried in 2008 that also are at the top of Romney's wish list. He was spending Saturday in suburban Des Moines and Sioux City, Iowa, before heading to Colorado for a Sunday event with college students at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

The Democratic Party's convention, which starts Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C., will focus more on where voters want their lives to be in the next four years. Obama inherited an economy grappling with a sweeping recession, and the pace of the sluggish recovery has become one of Obama's greatest impediments to re-election.

The coming days, capped by Obama's speech on Thursday night, will crystalize his re-election pitch: an economy built on ending tax cuts for the rich and putting more effort into education, energy, tax reform and debt reduction. He will call Romney a peddler of failed trickle-down ideas that will hurt the middle class and the needy.

Previewing the convention, Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that by the end of the Charlotte convention, "voters will understand what is at stake."

"They will know what the road map is going forward. And the race will be a pretty steady race. And we expect it to be in a pretty similar place following our convention as well. We know it's going to be close," she said.

Romney made a quick detour to rain-soaked Louisiana on Friday while Obama joined soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, to remind the nation that he ended the war in Iraq. Obama was scheduled to travel to Louisiana on Monday to inspect flood damage in a storm that marked the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastation.

Romney was capping his convention week in Ohio and Florida, the two most prominent states that remain up for grabs. The former Massachusetts governor's team said the Tampa, Fla., convention helped him present a clear contrast with Obama and showcase him as a viable alternative to the president on handling the economy.

"What Americans have seen over the last few days is a party and a Republican ticket absolutely committed to addressing the job crisis," said Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom. "You won't hear it from the Democrats in Charlotte next week. People have seen a diverse group of individuals who believe very deeply in the American free enterprise system. It's very different than the negative characterization the Democrats are trying to paint of this convention."

Television ratings for the final night of the Republican convention were down compared with four years ago. The Nielsen Co. said an estimated 30.3 million viewers watched Thursday night's coverage over 11 networks compared with more than 40 million over seven networks when John McCain delivered his acceptance speech in 2008.

___

Hunt reported from Cincinnati. AP White House Correspondent Ben Feller aboard Air Force One, Associated Press writer Beth Fouhy in Charlotte, N.C., and Steve Peoples in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Ken Thomas at http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

Follow Kasie Hunt at http://twitter.com/kasie

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-09-01-Presidential%20Campaign/id-0cc20b4b3f484ff0a79e255f1c08780c

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Don&#39;t Be In The Dark About Bankruptcy | Jesica

Don?t get into bankruptcy with a false sense of security. Be aware that once you?ve filed personal bankruptcy, it is public. Just because it involves personal financial information does not mean that it involves personal privacy. It immediately becomes public information. Anyone and everyone can see everything about your finances, if they chose to search for it.

When you are thinking about filing bankruptcy, always be honest about everything. Do not think that hiding assets or income will help your case for bankruptcy. It could turn out that the court may just dismiss your petition, and you will not be able to file again to have those debts listed.

Don?t try to outsmart the bankruptcy trustee by, spending large amounts of money before a bankruptcy filing in an attempt to ?keep it safe? from loss. Regulations on this practice have stiffened in recent years. Any luxury purchase made in the months prior to the filing, can be seen as fraud.

Be wary of scams if, you are filing for bankruptcy. Research any company that promises to help you file for bankruptcy, to make sure it is legitimate. Don?t pay for services you can do yourself for free. For example, you should never pay a bankruptcy service to give you an attorney list, or to check your credit for you.

If you are facing the foreclosure of your home, filing bankruptcy can protect you from foreclosure proceedings, while the bankruptcy is moving through the court system. You can use this valuable time to work with your mortgage company. Try to work out a loan modification, or re-finance in order to keep your home. Your attorney can help you with this.

Never rely upon bill collectors to share accurate information about your debt and bankruptcy. Some unethical collectors tell consumers that their debts are exempt from bankruptcy rules, but this is actually only true for a few special kinds of debt. If a collection agency provides you with inaccurate information like this, report them to the Attorney General?s Office in your state.

Seek advice from a debt consultant before you file for bankruptcy. Deciding to file for bankruptcy is not something that you should do without first seeking advice from a financial expert. This is because filing for bankruptcy will seriously hinder your ability to secure credit in the coming years.

Take advantage of any opportunity you can to consult with a lawyer for free before considering filing for personal bankruptcy. Even if all the firms in your area want to charge you for an initial consultation with their lawyers, calling their receptionists and assistants is usually free. Even doing a minimal search like this can give you an intuitive indication on which firms are serious possibilities for your potential business, just based on your initial treatment.

Before resorting to bankruptcy, contact your creditors in a good-faith effort to renegotiate your payment terms, or interest rate. If you get in touch with them early enough, they may be willing to waive fees or negotiate a new payment schedule. If they are it means they are more likely to receive the money that you owe.

Take some time each day to stop thinking about your bankruptcy. It can seem like a thought you cannot get out of your head, but it is important to step away from the situation before you become too upset. Not only that, but removing it from your thoughts allows you to bring a fresher, more optimistic perspective to the table when you take up the subject again.

Filing for bankruptcy does not wipe out all of your debts. It does not stop you from having to pay alimony, child support, student loans, tax debt and most types of secured credit. You will not be allowed to file if these are the only types of debt that you have on record.

Do not start the process of filing for personal bankruptcy until you have a firm understanding of how it is supposed to work. Once you have been armed with this information, you will find that you can get the best outcome from this process. By using the tips and techniques that you have read here, things will work out for the best.

For the very best lawyers in columbia mo, make sure you take your time and choose the right attorney for you.

Source: http://www.jesica.in/dont-be-in-the-dark-about-bankruptcy/

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2,600 students at risk of deportation from UK

LONDON (AP) ? Around 2,600 foreign students could be deported from Britain after their university was stripped of its ability to sponsor visas for pupils beyond the European Union, the government announced Thursday. The move provoked dismay from students and accusations that the move by the Conservative-led government, which is bent on reducing immigration, could damage Britain's global reputation.

London Metropolitan University has lost its "highly trusted status" because a survey found significant problems with the qualifications of many of its foreign students, Immigration Minister Damian Green said.

In a "significant proportion" of cases, there was no documentation that students had a good standard of English, Green said, and there was no proof that half of those sampled were attending lectures. He said the sampling of the university's foreign students indicated that more than a quarter did not have current permission to be in the country.

"Any one of those breaches would be serious," Green told BBC radio. "We found all three of those breaches at London Metropolitan."

A degree from a U.K. university is highly prized by many students abroad, and those from outside the European Union often pay higher fees than residents. The British government, which has cracked down on immigration in multiple ways, has pointed to student visas as a category ripe for abuse by those who may instead be looking for work.

London Metropolitan has 30,000 students, and 2,600 are affected by the government's decision, said university spokesman Nick Hansen. Students from other European Union countries don't need visas.

The affected students will have 60 days to find new sponsors once they are formally notified by the government, or they could be deported. A task force has been set up to help genuine students who otherwise qualify for visas, Universities Minister David Willetts said, but with the fall term imminent students have little time to find new sponsors and courses.

Emmanuel Egwu, a 24-year-old Nigerian, said he was told he would be unable to do his final year of his three-year course in forensic sciences at London Metropolitan. "I have been paying loads of tuition fees, my parents have been spending a lot of money, selling properties back home to make sure my tuition fees have been paid. It's like flushing money down the toilet," Egwu said.

It was not clear why the affected students currently at London Metropolitan's system were not being allowed to simply finish their courses of study.

The government has not accused London Metropolitan of fraudulently accepting foreign students, and there was no indication its academic accreditation is under threat. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education said in 2010 about London Metropolitan: "Confidence can reasonably be placed in the soundness of the institution's present and likely future management of the academic standards of its awards."

London Metropolitan was formed in 2002 when London Guildhall University and the University of North London merged, and it traces its history to the founding of the City of London College in 1861.

Vice Chancellor Malcolm Gillies said London Metropolitan was "working with the best lawyers in the country" to challenge the ruling by the U.K. Border Agency. "I would go so far as to say that UKBA has been rewriting its own guidelines on this issue and this is something which should cause concern to all universities in the U.K.," Gillies said.

Two years ago, Green said he feared that the number of visas issued annually to students and dependents ? some 320,000 at the time ? was not sustainable. A Home Office report found that more than 20 percent of those granted student visas in 2004 were still in the country five years later.

In May, the government launched Operation Mayapple "to crack down on students and other migrants staying in the U.K. longer than permitted." By last month, the Home Office said that program had sent home 2,000 illegal migrants. Recent regulations also have set a five-year limit on completing an undergraduate degree.

The border agency insisted that in the London Metropolitan case, "these are problems with one university, not the whole sector." But education officials expressed fear that the episode could damage Britain's future efforts to attract foreign students, something that also hurts the schools' budgets.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, a group representing higher education institutions, called the government's action "surprising and disproportionate."

"It is one thing, raising issues if they have them with London Met and, if appropriate, penalizing the university ... but penalizing legitimate international students is disproportionate and it is damaging to our international reputation," Dandridge said.

"No matter how this is dressed up, the damaging message that the U.K. deports foreign students studying at U.K. universities will reach all corners of the globe," said Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union. "The last thing we can afford to do is send a message that international students are no longer welcome here."

However, the government had its supporters.

Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for tighter control of immigration, said "there is crystal clear evidence of substantial abuse" of student visas. "The government (is) absolutely right to crack down on this," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-600-students-risk-deportation-uk-171106111.html

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