Eric Chua : Life, Business and Real Estate in Singapore ? Buying ...

Although there are several safe real estate investments, there are also many pitfalls you must watch out for. Do not lose your hard earned money buying a home that is priced higher than it should be, these tips can help you make a smart choice.

It is vital that you contact a mortgage lender and get pre-qualified prior to searching for a new home. One main reason to do this is to make sure you are searching for a home that fits within your budget. Furthermore, since obtaining a mortgage can take some time, it makes sense to get the ball rolling early.

Individuals with families, either existing or planned for the future, should shop for homes with enough square footage to handle an entire family. Look into the home?s safety as well. This is particularly true if the home that you?re considering has steep stairs or a large swimming pool. Buying a house from people who raised children in it should guarantee you a safe house.

TIP! If you are planning on starting a family, your home should have plenty of space for everyone. Be mindful of safety also, especially if the house you are viewing has a pool or stairs.

Hire your own people to provide support services when you decide to purchase a residence. It could be very enticing to use the seller?s appraisers and inspectors, but choose not to do so. You may think it is silly to spend money for services that could be procured at no cost. Even so, it is always best to hire people you personally can trust. Knowing you can rely on the advice you get will give you much peace of mind, and can save you quite a bit of money over the long term.

Look for the house of your dreams. A lot of investors will suggest that you should not sell your home and buy a larger one at this moment, but others disagree. This may be the best time to buy your dream property because housing prices are expected to rise.

Exercise flexibility when making decisions. There are trade-offs that must sometimes be made between buying in a particular neighborhood, buying the ideal house, and what you can afford. Think about settling for a different house or a different area you can afford.

TIP! If you are inexperienced with real estate investing, enlist the services of a broker or real estate agent. These real estate professionals have access to additional tools and databases that you may not have.

When deciding to purchase a large and commercial piece of real estate, make sure you get a trustworthy partner. It will make it easier to qualify for the loan that you need to buy the property. Having a partner is a great way to ensure that you have the necessary down payment amount as well as the creditworthiness required by commercial lenders.

Houses that need some ?tender loving care? are priced less. This will let you save some money in the beginning, and fix up the house as you see fit. You can build equity in your home while making improvements that maximize its livability for you and your family. Do not focus on what is wrong with the house; instead, focus on what is good. The home of your dreams might be waiting for you behind an outwardly rough exterior.

TIP! Make sure to ask your Realtor to supply you with a checklist. A good Realtor will be able to give you a list that covers the different steps of a transaction, from finding a home to getting approved for your mortgage.

If you are thinking about moving, you may want to research the neighborhoods of properties you are interested in online. You will be able to find lots of information, no matter the size and population of the town. Do thorough research into any area in which you plan to purchase real estate. It is no fun to find out later that you have invested in dead-end real estate.

Investing in real estate is always a risky situation. Upsets in the real estate market have resulted in low prices for buyers. This is a perfect time for first-time home buyers to get into a home, or for current home owners to invest in a larger property. Eventually, the market will rise again over time, making your investment profitable.

Get as much information about potential rental properties as possible. If you are thinking about buying a rental property, look at the records for this pertaining to the property for a couple years back or more. The reason for this is that you have to make sure that the seller has made full and accurate disclosure regarding the property?s potential for income. The lender will want to see income verification before issuing a loan for a property.

TIP! Do some research and analysis on the area housing market. Find out how many homes in your area face foreclosure as well as how long it takes to sell an average house and the price you can expect to pay for your new house.

Purchasing a home can be very difficult and complex, and it is very easy to make a costly mistake. If you follow the tips you have just read about, you will be able to recognize good deals. The next thing you must do is capitalize.

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Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/buying-real-estate-advice-that-will-keep-you-from-making-mistakes

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Japan finmin Aso to travel to Myanmar, meet president Thein Sein

TOKYO (Reuters) ? Japan?s deputy prime minister, Taro Aso, travels to Myanmar this week for talks with President Thein Sein to boost relations with the rapidly tranfsorming country and support Japanese business interests in the region.

Aso, who doubles as finance minister, meets Thein Sein and his opposite number Win Shein in the capital Naypyitaw on Thursday in the first high-profile overseas visit by a member of Tokyo?s new cabinet since it took office last week.

Prior to his ministerial appointment, Aso had already planned to visit Myanmar as a lawmaker and a member of Japan-Myanmar Association, a group of politicians, businessmen and former diplomats set up to advance Japanese business interests in Myanmar.

Their sales ? and sometimes their premises ? badly damaged by a territorial spat between Tokyo and Beijing, Japanese firms have made an aggressive push back into Myanmar after Thein Sein, a former member of the military junta began overseeing reforms.

Myanmar has introduced a substantial series of social and economic reforms since power was handed to a quasi-civilian government took power in 2011 after nearly half a century of military rule.

Change has attracted large numbers of foreign investors and prompted the United States and European Union to ease longstanding sanctions to encourage further reform.

The move by Aso, one of the closest allies of the conservative premier Shinzo Abe, underscores the importance of the Southeast Asian country, where a joint Japan-Myanmar consortium has signed a deal to develop a 2,400-hectare special economic zone in Thilawa, close to its largest city of Yangon.

The Japan-Myanmar Association has been central to securing state support for the project, including a waiver of most of Myanmar?s debt arrears of more than $6 billion necessary to provide fresh loans for the construction of the zone.

Japan has said it will start waiving the arrears at the earliest opportunity in 2013.

Japan may provide an estimated $12.6 billion over several years in aid to build infrastructure around Thilawa, officials with knowledge of the project told Reuters. The plan is to build the first 450 hectares of the park by 2015 and start luring Japanese and global manufacturers.

Aso is to visit Thilawa and meet Japanese business representatives in Yangon on Friday.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans his first overseas visit to Washington around the end of January. (Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Ron Popeski)

Source: http://www.firstpost.com/world/japan-finmin-aso-to-travel-to-myanmar-meet-president-thein-sein-573525.html

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Myanmar to fete 2013 with first public countdown

Workers prepare to set up a stage as preparations are underway for the country's first ever public New Year's countdown celebration, at Myoma grounds in Yangon, Myanmar, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Workers prepare to set up a stage as preparations are underway for the country's first ever public New Year's countdown celebration, at Myoma grounds in Yangon, Myanmar, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? Myanmar will ring in the new year with its first public countdown and a grand fireworks display Monday night in a celebration unprecedented in the former military-ruled country.

It's the latest, and perhaps most exuberant, example of the country's emergence from decades of isolation.

Thousands were expected to attend the event at a large field in Yangon with a backdrop of the famed Shwedagon Pagoda, where the Myanmar public will get its chance to do what much of the world does every Dec. 31.

Singers, celebrities, light shows and other festivities were planned for the public party, which would have been unthinkable under the former military regime that banned public gatherings.

A large digital screen will show a live stream of New Year's Eve countdowns in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand leading up to a 60-second countdown to 2013 in Myanmar.

Until this year, New Year's Eve was celebrated privately or inside hotels but not with public fireworks and open celebration.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-31-Myanmar-New%20Year's%20Eve/id-3589d61fc30d4f79af0caf576ff52de9

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Bournemouth University student scoops Thomas Hardy Society prize

Bournemouth University student scoops Thomas Hardy Society prize

3:00pm Sunday 30th December 2012 in News

A POEM written by a Bournemouth University student, inspired by visiting the First World War battlefields, has won a creative writing prize.

BA (Hons) English student Sarah Wall won the Thomas Hardy Society prize for the best piece of creative writing from a first year student on the course.

She received a certificate and ?125 from the society for her poem, Here We Stand ? We Are the Dead.

Sarah, 19, who is from Farnborough and lives in Lansdowne while at BU, said: ?I was delighted to hear I'd won the award, because I was really proud of my poem.

?I'm really glad that the judges liked it, because as a piece of war poetry inspired by my trip to the First World War battlefields four years ago. It?s something very close to my heart.?

Poet and writer Thomas Hardy was born in Dorchester, and the creative writing award was established with the Thomas Hardy Society when the BA (Hons) English degree was launched in 2010.

Dr Jim Pope, BA English programme coordinator at Bournemouth University, pictured left with Sarah, said: ?The Thomas Hardy Society Prize is a lovely symbol of the relationship between Dorset?s literary tradition and the first English degree in the county.

?We are thrilled to be supported by the Hardy Society and we are looking forward to extending that relationship in the coming years for the benefit of our students.?

Source: http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10130745.Bournemouth_University_student_scoops_Thomas_Hardy_Society_prize/?ref=rss

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Internet Business Mastery ? 3 Reasons Why Prospects Want to Get ...

Wow, take it easy folks! I mean professionally here. Internet business mastery is about influencing prospects to get in bed with you, to partner with you and to make money online with you. People commit and both parties rock it out. Attraction is the end goal. You stalk no prospects like a mad dog, nor do you chase, or attack individuals. You lay out delectable bread crumbs and the rest is history. People have no choice but to gobble up your content and partner with you in due time.

Internet Business Mastery

Reason 1 ? Your Content Is Delicious

You write a blog post solving some problem: how to generate network marketing leads, for example. People experiencing the problem read your post. The crowd gets excited! Now, they put your knowledge into use and begin to generate network marketing leads. This is delicious content. This content creates testimonials, or team members. This content helps you make money online. Put out the best content to shack up ? or partner up ? with perfect matches.

Reason 2 ? You Create Like a Machine

Hey Ryan how in the hell do you post 10 or 14 times to your blogs each day? Really what do you use PLR or a ton of guest posts or what? Yeah I want to work with you. Yeah I will do a testimonial for you without you even asking for one. I get these people in bed?.ok we become friends?.because I created like a machine. Oh by the way, the answer to the above questions: I am a hungry son of a bitch who wants to grow my internet businesses so I make no lame excuses and write 10 to 14 posts a day.

Reason 3 ? You Are Trusted

You can create content and solve problems but trust is another story. You must appear to be real to the online business crowd. Set up social networking accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Post pictures of yourself ? this one drives me nuts ? because unless you do, making connections is difficult. You are you, a human being. When people read your insightful comment and see a picture of a dog, or branding image, the connection is lost. Trust is lost. Post pics of you and share your story to make money online.

The Sultry Secret

Whether you run a network marketing team, an affiliate marketing business or any home based opportunity you need to bring something to the table to shack up with people. You cannot get what you want unless you give freely of your time and talents. Study your craft, create daily, be transparent and you can partner with prospering internet business entrepreneurs today.

For more free tips like these CLICK HERE NOW

Please Share This Post Across Your Social Networks

Ryan Biddulph

Former fired security guard and current world traveler, Ryan Biddulph went from having a net worth of 4 cents to generating steady cash flow online while living in tropical paradises like Bali, Phuket and Hoi An. How does he help you burn your credit cards? To find out Click Here

More Posts - Website

Source: http://cashwithatrueconscience.com/rbblog/internet-business-mastery-3-reasons-why-prospects-want-to-get-in-bed-with-you/

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Stanford University Medical Campus Renewal: Hoover Pavilion

Posted on Monday October 31, 02011

Shoulder High Productions was recently asked to?commemorate the history of the Hoover Pavilion on Stanford University Medical Campus, a building built in the early 1930's and formerly known as the Palo Alto Hospital. ?As it turns out we knew just the guy to ask about this building. ?Shoulder High Productions' owner Christopher Baldwin's father, Dr. Davis Baldwin. ?Dr. Baldwin?had been the first Chief OB/GYN Resident and had a very full career?serving?the Palo Alto and Stanford Community with his business partner and wife Patricia Baldwin, NP. It was an honor to be able to sit down with him and some of the patients who were cared for at the hospital. ?They shared some memories of what the hospital and care was like back then.

This short video was the first in a series of videos that we have created to document and honor the current Stanford Medical Campus as it starts a near decade long rebuilding process to modernize the facilities and care for the community.

You can learn more about the Hoover Pavilion here: http://stanfordpackard.org/hoover-overview

and more about the Stanford University Medical Campus Renewal project here: http://stanfordpackard.org/

HOOVER PAVILION

Remember that you can watch in HD by clicking the button in the bottom right of this play window after you press play.

Source: http://shoulderhigh.com/blog/02011/oct/31/stanford-university-medical-campus-renewal/

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The Amazon Reviews For This Banana Slicer Are ... - Business Insider

Amazon sells a banana-shaped banana slicer called the?Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer.

For some reason that's better left undiscovered, the user-contributed reviews for the?Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer?on Amazon.com are wonderfully absurd.

You must read them now.

Here are the 5 "most helpful," as ranked by Amazon's algorithms.

No more winning for you, Mr. Banana!,?By?SW3K

For decades I have been trying to come up with an ideal way to slice a banana. "Use a knife!" they say. Well...my parole officer won't allow me to be around knives. "Shoot it with a gun!" Background check...HELLO! I had to resort to carefully attempt to slice those bananas with my bare hands. 99.9% of the time, I would get so frustrated that I just ended up squishing the fruit in my hands and throwing it against the wall in anger. Then, after a fit of banana-induced rage, my parole officer introduced me to this kitchen marvel and my life was changed. No longer consumed by seething anger and animosity towards thick-skinned yellow fruit, I was able to concentrate on my love of theatre and am writing a musical play about two lovers from rival gangs that just try to make it in the world. I think I'll call it South Side Story.

Banana slicer...thanks to you, I see greatness on the horizon.

---

Saved my marriage,?By?Mrs Toledo

What can I say about the 571B Banana Slicer that hasn't already been said about the wheel, penicillin, or the iPhone.... this is one of the greatest inventions of all time. My husband and I would argue constantly over who had to cut the day's banana slices. It's one of those chores NO ONE wants to do! You know, the old "I spent the entire day rearing OUR children, maybe YOU can pitch in a little and cut these bananas?" and of course, "You think I have the energy to slave over your damn bananas? I worked a 12 hour shift just to come home to THIS?!" These are the things that can destroy an entire relationship. It got to the point where our children could sense the tension. The minute I heard our 6-year-old girl in her bedroom, re-enacting our daily banana fight with her Barbie dolls, I knew we had to make a change. That's when I found the 571B Banana Slicer. Our marriage has never been healthier, AND we've even incorporated it into our lovemaking. THANKS 571B BANANA SLICER!

GREAT Gift,?By Uncle Pookie?

Once I figured out I had to peel the banana before using - it works much better.
Ordering one for my nephew who's in the air force in California. He's been using an old slinky to slice his banana's. He should really enjoy this product!

---

My 27 trained monkeys love this,?By?L. Blankenship "Lundy Love

As you may or may not know, I have 27 trained monkeys I use to do my evil bidding. Well, the younger monkeys teeth have not fully developed and so slicing a banana to feed them is a necessary chore. The adult monkeys used to have to chew up bananas and feed their young but not anymore with the Victorio Kitchen Products 571B Banana Slicer. The adults are going bananas over this time saving easy product. No longer so they have to taste and chew the deliciousness banana without eating it teasing them like a teenage prom date.

Now, they can eat and enjoy while i feed the young by slicing the bananas into small pieces that's easy for them to digest, This product is aces in my book and if you have 27 trained monkeys that will help you take over the land of OZ, i highly recommenced this product. This product is more useful than a barrel of monkeys

---

A military endorsement,?By?HappyHubby?

I have served in the US Army for over 12 years. I can say that there is technology being used by the military that is rarely seen in the civilian sector. Once in a while, however, an amazing product is released by the DoD for civilian use. The 571B is one of those products. Although once called the M571B Tactical Banana Slicer (TBS)V1, they have declassified it for public use. I am glad to see this product on the market today but I will warn you now, this is a CIVILIAN model and not designed for field use!

Don't stop reading now! You have 1,079 reviews like this to go! >>

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-amazon-reviews-for-this-banana-slicer-are-the-best-thing-on-the-internet-today-2012-12

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2012 iMore editors choice awards

iMore honors the very best iOS devices and features, news and events, apps and accessories of 2012

They're what change the way you have fun and get things done. What make you replace what's in your pocket, in your lap, on your Home screen, in your workflow, and on your mind. What challenges your preconceptions, has you instantly forget what came before, and make it impossible to imagine how you'd do without them. They're the devices, events, apps, and games that affected us the most, and they're our 2012 editors choice award winners.

Device of the year: iPhone 5

The iPhone 5 was rebuilt from casing to processor. With an all-new, aluminum unibody, a 4-inch in-cell display, international LTE, and Apple's first custom designed system-on-a-chip, the Apple A6, it's not only the best phone of 2012, it's the best phone ever made.

• iPhone 5 review

Story of the year: Tim Cook's Apple

Some years it's one single event, one person, one thing, that stands out from all the rest. Other years it's an overarching theme that ties many disparate threads together, and that what stands out. This year is one of those years. From stock price to hirings and firings, from an unprecedented amount of new products to huge black eye from new mapping data, from winning billions from Samsung in the U.S. to losing dignity from the courts in the U.K, it's Apple in its first year under Tim Cook that's our story of 2012.

• Tim Cook's Apple
• The normalization of Apple
• The past, present, and future of Apple
• Tim Cook writes open letter to customers concerning iOS 6 Maps

Failure of the year: Apple online services

It would be easy to point the finger at iOS 6 Maps as being the single biggest point of failure for Apple this year. But they're merely a symptom of a much larger problem -- Apple's online services. Unlike Apple's hardware and software, which have been relentlessly improved over the years, there's little outward evidence that their services architecture has received anywhere near the same level of attention. Indeed, repeated Siri, iMessage, Game Center, and iCloud failures suggest the opposite. As Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, and other competitors continue to roll out more and better cloud features, moving to a modern, extensible, scalable online system is increasingly critical for Apple.

• The future of Siri and Apple's services
• No skin in the Game Center
• Why iOS 6 is more about Apple than new user features

iPhone social app of the year: Twitterrific 5

Twitterrific predates the App Store, and has gone through several major revisions over the years, re-inventing itself several times. Twitterrific 5 is no exception. With a modern design as blacked-out as the iPhone 5, delightful Ollie-to-refresh animation, and shocking speed, renewed focus on core features, and remarkable perseverance in the face of Twitter's growing client-app hostility, Twitterrific 5 and the Iconfactory showed that even the oldest of birds can learn new tricks.

• Twitterrific 5 review
• Iterate 35: Gedeon Maheux, David Lanham and Twitterrific 5
• $2.99 on sale - Download now

iPad social app of the year: Tweetglass

Tweetglass, n?e Quip, is a decidedly conversational twist on on the Twitter timeline. It shows the advantage Twitter gains by exposing an API for developers to build just exactly these kinds of speciality clients, something you don't see with Facebook or Google+ apps. Or at least it did, since Twitter is now intent on ending just exactly these kinds of speciality clients. We'll likely see innovation move to app.net, but sadly not at the same scale, at least not for a long while.

• Tweetglass for iPad review
• $2.99 - Download now

iPhone utility of the year: Launch Center Pro

"Launch actions not apps" is what App Cubby's Launch Center Pro promises and -- within the confines of Apple's no-intents, no-contracts, no-nothing-but-URL-schemes restrictions -- is exactly what it delivers. With a tap, Launch Center Pro not only allows you to get to your most-used apps, but to specific things within those apps, like new events or messages. Coordinating all the URL schemes with other developers can't have been easy, but from concept to execution, especially after Apple pulled URL schemes from Settings, Launch Center Pro makes it feel easy. Launch Center Pro has made its way onto many a geek Dock this year, and deservedly so.

• Launch Center Pro for iPhone review
• $2.99 - Download now

iPad utility of the year: 1Password 4

As good as 1Password is for keeping all your secrets accessible and secure on your iPhone, as tablets take over more and more of our casual computing time, it's become just as important on the iPad. And since the new version, 1Password 4, is a universal app, and supports seamless integration with Dropbox and iCloud, the whole is now even better than the sum of the parts. With a new, simplified design, support for favorites and folders, and a fully-featured, tabbed browser, 1Password has become all but indispensable.

• 1Password for iOS preview
• Debug 4: Dave Teare and 1Password
• $7.99 on sale - Download now

iPhone productivity app of the year: Fantastical for iPhone

If you need evidence that Apple execs don't keep their own schedules, simply launch a built-in Calendar app and the case is closed. Rather than simply bemoan that fact, however, Flexibits chose to reverse-Sherlock Apple and release Fantastical. With natural language input and slick, bi-directional scrolling for lookup, Fantastical lets you get your events and appointments into, and out of, your iPhone calendar more quickly and easily than ever before.

• Fantastical for iPhone review
• $3.99 - Download now
• $9.99 for Mac on sale - Download Now

iPad productivity app of the year: Diet Coda

Panic's Coda is a powerhouse on the Mac, combining code editing, preview, FTP, and more into one, integrated, web development app. Diet Coda is a brilliant distillation that, through tough choices, brings as much of that functionality to the iPad as possible. You probably won't be able to create your web presence on Diet Coda, but for quick fingered bug fixes on-the-go, or for Bluetooth keyboard-power code sprints on the road, Diet Coda is damn near perfect.

• Diet Coda for iPad lets you manage your web site on the go, and in style
• $19.99 - Download now

Reading app of the year: The Magazine

Surprise, surprise. It took an indie iOS developer -- albeit it a brilliant one in Marco Arment -- to show traditional media companies how to make a great Newsstand app. A universal app, it supports both iPhone and iPad, and unlike many of those traditional apps, The Magazine actually works just as well, if not better, on the go and on the smaller screen. With a fortnightly release schedule, highly efficient format, elegant design, and beyond professional content, The Magazine serves as a blueprint for digital authenticity and modern publishing alike.

• The Magazine, sub-compact publishing, and going digitally native
• Free to try - Download now

Education app of the year: Wonders of the Universe

Wonders of the universe is a phenomenal educational tool that has the perfect mix of video, images, text, and hands-on interaction. On the surface you have Professor Brian Cox -- a particle physicist, Royal Society research fellow, and professor at the University of Manchester -- taking you on a guided tour of the cosmos. Beneath the surface you have some incredibly clever coding and an amazing presentation engine that makes you feel like you're gliding across space, staring across the stars.

• Hold the Solar System in your hands with Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe for iPad
• $5.99 - Download now

Music app of the year: Figure

Not quite a musical instrument and not quite a toy, Propellerhead Software's Figure occupies a magical sweet spot in-between. Experienced musicians will appreciate the relative depth of options, but anyone can pick up Figure and create something listenable in minutes. With its gorgeous UI, abstracted away from the skeuomorphic knobs and dials that plague so many iOS music apps, Propellerhead seems to have a vision for the future of music that begins with empowering and encouraging everyone to create.

• $0.99 - Download now

Photography app of the year: Camera+

Camera+ has always been an exceptional photography app, but with this year's release of Camera+ 3, it got even better. With an improved interface, focus and exposure locks, improved sharing, improved performance, and much more, Camera+ helps you become the awesome mobile photographer you're meant to be. And if you use both an iPhone and iPad, you photos will sync between your devices over iCloud so that you can take your photos on your iPhone then edit on your iPad. Camera+ is how iOS photography was meant to be done.

• $0.99 - iPhone - Download now

• $0.99 - iPad - Download now

Kids app of the year: Little Fox Music Box

Little Fox Music Box is a interactive music and sing-along app for kids that includes three songs: London Bridge, Evening Song, and Old Mac Donald. With each song, there is a scene that's related to the theme of the song. Each of these scenes is filled with artwork and animations that your child can interact with. There are very little things on the screen that don't react to touch making Little Fox Music Box a toddler's dream app. It's also great for parents to interact with their child at the same time by identifying objects and animals and prompting their child to tap specific things.

• Little Fox Music Box review
• $2.99 - Download now

Puzzle game of the year: Letterpress

Providing proof positive that talented indie devs can code circles around even the biggest, best software houses on the planet, Loren Brichter's Letterpress instantly made every other word game on every platform look outdated and inelegant by comparison. From it's clean, crisp look and delightful animations, to it's simple, engaging audio, to its Game Center-toppling friend-vs-friend gaming dynamic, Letterpress is perfect from pixel to bit.

• Letterpress by Atebits review
• Debug 1: Loren Brichter of Letterpress
• Free - Download now

Action game of the year: Dead Trigger

Dead Trigger, as run-and-gun zombie-genre first person shooters go, is unabashedly cheesy, chock-full of snappy one-liners, and over-the-top non-player characters. The graphics are the real showstopper though - you will be hard-pressed to find more disgusting walking dead anywhere else on a phone or tablet. The graphics are awesome. Lighting is rich and dynamic, 3D models are stunning, and there are plenty of graphical effects like water droplets complete with visual distortion, lens flare, and fog. It's the kind of game you show off almost as much as you play.

• Dead Trigger review for iPhone and iPad
• Free - Download now

RPG of the year: Battleloot Adventure

While the classic RPG mechanics are a familiar sight, there are a few real-time twists on the turn-based combat that keeps players on their toes. The cardboard cutout art style is definitive and unique - the big bobble-heads, as goofy as they are, really grow on you. Between weapons, armor, equipment, talent, and hero selection, the amount of customization is absolutely great. All in all, Battleloot Adventures provides a fine mix of old mechanics and new twists; lighthearted art style and deep gameplay.

• Battleloot Adventure for iPhone and iPad review
• $0.99 - iPhone - Download for iPhone
• $0.99 - iPad - Download for iPad

Racing game of the year: Super Hexagon

Super Hexagon is an intense and obscenely difficult abstract puzzle game with an awesome 8-bit soundtrack. By tapping and holding left and right sides of the screen, you move a small triangle around a stationary hexagon to avoid getting squished by lines and shapes that drift inwards. Sounds easy right? Well, the speed, randomness, and continually shifting colors, perspectives, and shapes may give you more than you bargained for.

• $0.99 - Download Now

Strategy game of the year: Devil's Attorney

Devil's Attorney revolves around a skeezy lawyer in the '70s called Max McMann. With twists logic and befuddling charisma, he dismantles lawsuits against shady characters, earns a profit, and decks out his apartment in the gaudiest things you could imagine. The game has a cartoony, colorful art style, and excellent voice acting that fully conveys McMann's sleaze and depravity. The game mechanics are also solid. Every round in the court room, action points are spent on abilities like "Reverse Psychology" to reduce the credibility of evidence, lawyers, and witnesses. Home decor enhances materialism, decadence and vanity scores to unlock new abilities.

• $2.99 - Download Now

Readers choice awards

How did your picks vary from ours? Check out iMore's 2012 readers choice awards and find out!

Leanna Lofte, Simon Sage, and Dave Wiskus contributed picks and write-ups for this article.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/ZGL9rmrx0Q0/story01.htm

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Tips On How To Buy Digital Cameras Over The Internet Quickly ...

The decision to buy digital cameras online possesses his own merits and also demerits. The main gain is usually the price which is quite significantly less in comparison with precisely what is available in the businesses in close proximity to your home. Nonetheless, the most important drawback comes with the authenticity along with the product good quality of many in the internet vendors. As a result, you need to locate an online shop that is certainly dependable for selecting digital camera models.

Choosing the specific photographic camera can sometimes present an issue in front of you. The use of various styles, types, makes, and kinds can certainly mistake the first consumer in the web store. For that reason, it's important to focus on whether the web store incorporates comprehensive points of all of the merchandise it has presented rolling around in its collection. Usually, your pixel range varieties the major thought for buying a digital digicam online or offline. The higher the pixel amount, the higher it is. Cameras together with larger pixel enjoy obvious advantages in the example of producing and editing. Thus, a digital camera online store showing video cameras together with increased pixel amounts should feature within your list.

Now a significant thought when researching cameras on the internet is your allowance. You will need to pull a perfect budget for your camera or the digital cameras you would like to purchase from the online retailers. When you're confident along with your price range, the whole process of purchasing digital cameras would likely turned into a lot simpler for you. This can be mainly because you would concentrate only in cameras within your believed budget range. It might eliminate almost all frustration of the items to acquire and just what to not acquire. When this is established, you can carry on using your purchasing spree within a clear brain which will obviously in addition you could make your purchasing have a nice 1. In case your finances are for the low side, choose discount digital cameras online. Usually, digital cameras using low cost load up any boxing technique, and for that reason provides complete bargain.

Another essential thing to consider inside your try to buy digital cameras online is the place where you intend to apply your digicam. This is simply because video cameras have ability to take photographs determined by distinct pace quantities. If capturing photographs regarding relatives and buddies is actually in your concerns, visit a digital camera online store giving items that run using lower speeds. However, in the event the desire is usually to capture relocating objects, it is best to opt for a camera using higher speed.

Next, you will need to consider the camera memory. If you plan to apply your digicam by using an infrequent schedule, searching for digicam along with reduced storage could be an ideal selection for anyone. However, if you would like to apply it skilled reasons, a decreased storage couldn't survive of any use for you personally. Certainly, digital cameras coming with higher thoughts have got proved expensive. Nevertheless, thankfully which some large recollection discount digital cameras online can also be found nowadays. Research effectively and you could you need to be the fortunate one!

Author Nick Raymond, Jr. specializes in writing about digital cameras, buy digital cameras online & digital camera online store products, tips & suggestions.

Source: http://www.articleswide.com/article/12264-Tips_On_How_To_Buy_Digital_Cameras_Over_The_Internet_Quickly.html

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8 Goals to Become a Successful Motivational Speaker in a Year - 8 ...

It?s that time of year again ? time to think about next year and the goals you want to set so that you become a successful motivational speaker.

The best way to set goals is to first sit down and do a personal inventory of where you actually are with your dream. You may want to become a motivational speaker, but you?ve only talked in front of less than a dozen people, or maybe you?ve talked in front of some groups, but you haven?t figured out what your ?message? should be.

Remember that dream achievement is a process ? a journey ? and it?s a journey that needs a road map. Setting goals is the easiest way to map out your journey and stay the course.

1. Join Toastmasters or a public speaking group.
All public speakers need a place to practice with a professional public speaking group.?Public speaking groups are is an inexpensive way to improve your public speaking skills and test your message on a small group of people. It?s also a great way to get the word out about your public speaking abilities. Companies looking for conference speakers often contact public speaking groups for speaker recommendations.

2. Decide what your message is.
Just like blogging, public speaking success requires a distinct niche message. Don?t try to be a public speaker who talks about everything and anything and the same is especially true if the motivational sector is your public speaking choice. What kind of motivation are you offering? To girls? Women? Men? Business? What is the purpose of your motivational message?

3. Write a short book.
The best way to move your public speaking career forward is to create a book around your niche topic. Most conferences want public speakers who have a published book. Consider putting together a small book on your message topic. People like to have a physical representation of your message to take home with them and review later. Provide them with a take-away. ?Also create a newsletter that people can sign up for on?your?website?where?you can email them on your niche subject.

4. Register with public speaking bureaus. Here?s an example list ?

5. Design your agreement and your terms for speaking along with your pre-program questionnaire.
Professionals have contracts and pre-program questionnaires ready to fax to potential speaking engagement coordinators. ?Some great contract examples are here on the Be A Speaker website and here?in an Ezine Article. ?Here?s a great pre-program questionnaire example. ?If you haven?t already, create a Speaker One-Sheet.

6. Create a professional website or blog.
A simple website or blog covering information about you as a public speaker is one of the best ways to secure public speaking engagements. Authority Publishing has the following great recommendations for what should be on your public speaking site -

• Summarize your areas of expertise and what you have to offer.
• Presentation title and description (What you speak about and for how long).
• Testimonials from past speaking engagements.
• List of past clients.
• Video of a past presentations (A must in order to be booked by speaker?s bureaus).
• Fees and booking information.
• Contact information.
• A printable version of your Speaker One-Sheet.
• An attractive, professional photo of yourself.
• Links to your PowerPoint presentations from past speeches.

7. Speak for free at local community organizations and schools.
Small community organizations are always looking for speakers to offer their members. Contact local volunteer community organisations and let them know that you are available to speak for free. This is a great way to test your message and practice speaking in front of professionals. Make sure to list these events on your website.

8. Create a public speaking rolling suitcase.
Begin to collect everything you will need to have with you when you travel to events. You should have plenty of professional business cards, copies of your book, ways to purchase your book (do you only accept cash or check?), your marketing materials, pens and paper, a way for people to sign up for your mailing list to?receive newsletters from you,?extra?computer batteries, Internet cables, extension cords, tablecloth, bottled water, mints, aspirin, antacid, and anything else you think you might need for speaking events. ?Creating a checklist of the items will also help you remember when you need to replenish your suitcase stock.

Completing each one of these 8 goals next year will take you one step closer to your public speaking dream. Set a time-frame for each one and write a contract to yourself, promising to complete them within a certain period of time.

These are a few of my personal goals for the coming year. What are yours?

Who knows. Maybe I?ll find myself speaking with you on a motivational speaker?s tour next year!

Just pursue it -

Sue

Sue Faith Levy is a motivational speaker from the beautiful mother city, Cape Town, South Africa. Primarily an entrepreneur and creative media designer by profession, she also writes her thoughts on motivation at Just Pursue It, her blog she created to empower young women on a global level. As an aspiring author and philanthropist, her big dream is to spread her message of hope to young people around the world with her motivational speeches like, ?Love to Inspire and Inspire to Love.? If you aren't sure how to comment on this story, click here.

The 8 Goals to Become a Successful Motivational Speaker in a Year by 8 Women Dream, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Source: http://www.8womendream.com/51083/8-goals-to-become-a-successful-motivational-speaker-in-a-year/

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Graphene research gets ?21.5m fund

27 December 2012 Last updated at 03:22 ET

The Chancellor, George Osborne, has announced extra funding to boost the UK's development of the so-called "super-material" graphene.

It is one of the lightest yet strongest and most conductive materials known to man - and was originally discovered by scientists at Manchester University.

Now other universities will be asked to research potential commercial uses.

Mr Osborne said the ?21.5m investment fund would aim to take the technology from the lab to the factory floor.

He has previously pledged money for such research, including ?50m in 2011.

Graphene is made of sheets of carbon just one atom thick, and has outstanding mechanical strength and electronic properties.

Manchester University academics Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for demonstrating its properties.

It is hoped that the material will be used in a wide array of industrial and everyday applications.

Government funding

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has identified the most promising graphene-related research projects in British universities to benefit from state funding.

The University of Cambridge has been awarded more than ?12m for research into graphene flexible electronics and opto-electronics, which could include things like touch-screens and other display devices.

London's Imperial College will receive over ?4.5m to investigate aerospace applications of graphene.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

We need to support our universities, they're one of the jewels in the crown of the British economy?

End Quote George Osborne Chancellor

The other successful projects are based at Durham University, the University of Manchester, the University of Exeter and Royal Holloway.

The universities will work with industrial partners including Nokia, BAE Systems, Procter & Gamble, Qinetiq, Rolls-Royce, Dyson, Sharp and Philips Research, which will together bring in a further ?12m in investment.

Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there had been "enormous competition" for the graphene research to be done elsewhere in the world, rather than the UK.

He said: "We had to act very quickly... to step in and say we're going to provide funding here in Britain for that activity. That's an example of actually actively backing a winner to keep it in the UK."

Mr Osborne said there were several ways in which the UK could become an attractive location for scientific research, including more financial backing from the government, protecting spending on science, and more investment in big capital science projects.

He added that Britain's universities - the "jewels in the crown" of the UK economy - needed to be protected.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20846282#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Communicate to Retain and Engage Employees | Custom ...

Communication is key to keeping your employees engaged and productive. According to a recent Research Now survey, two of the top three challenges HR faces today are increasing worker productivity and retaining employees (the first being managing health care costs).

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With the uncertain impact of Health Care Reform, continued slow economic growth, the general decline of employee loyalty and other factors, keeping employees job-focused and energized?rather than looking for greener pastures at another company?is more difficult to do, but critically important for organizations to achieve their goals.

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Through communication, you can increase employees? sense of well-being and value, while reducing personal concerns about health care costs, ability to retire and financial stability. The high level message to your employees is that your organization is committed to providing a competitive level of financial security through your benefits programs. To support this statement, you need to ensure that employees know what benefits they have, how those benefits work and ways employees can maximize their value.

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There is plenty of opportunity to enhance benefits communication, according to the Research Now survey. Only 38% of employee respondents believe that HR communicates effectively about benefits, and 45% said that HR does not communicate enough about benefits.

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Also, keep this figure in mind: 44% of employees surveyed said a well-communicated benefits program would make them less likely to leave their organization.

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So be sure to consider the cost of recruiting, training and lost productivity when making decisions about your investment in benefit communications.

Source: http://custom-comm.com/blog/hr-communications/communicate-to-retain-and-engage-employees/

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Starbucks to Congress: 'Come together' on fiscal cliff

14 hrs.

Reuters

Starbucks Corp will use its ubiquitous coffee cups to tell U.S. lawmakers to come up with a deal to avoid going over the "fiscal cliff" and triggering automatic tax hikes and spending cuts.?

Chief Executive Howard Schultz is urging workers in Starbucks' roughly 120 Washington-area shops to write "come together" on customers' cups on Thursday and Friday, as U.S. President Barack Obama and lawmakers return to work and attempt to revive fiscal cliff negotiations that collapsed before the Christmas holiday.?

Starbucks' cup campaign aims to send a message to sharply divided politicians and serve as a rallying cry for the public in the days leading up to lawmakers' January 1 deadline to deliver a plan to avert harsh across-the-board government spending reductions and tax increases that could send the United States back into recession.?

"We're paying attention, we're greatly disappointed in what's going on and we deserve better," Schultz told Reuters in a telephone interview.?

The CEO said he has joined a growing list of high-powered business leaders, politicians and financial experts in endorsing the Campaign to Fix the Debt, (www.fixthedebt.org) a well-funded nonpartisan group that is leaning on lawmakers to put the United States' financial house in order.?

Starbucks plans to amplify its "come together" message via new and old media, including Twitter and Facebook posts, coverage on AOL's local news websites and advertisements in The Washington Post and The New York Times.?

"If (talks) do not progress, we will make this much bigger," Schultz said of the messaging campaign.?

Schultz is no stranger to using the world's biggest coffee chain as a platform to advocate for more political cooperation in Washington.?

During the debt ceiling debate in August 2011, he made a splash by calling for a boycott of political contributions to U.S. lawmakers until they struck a fair and bipartisan deal on the country's debt, revenue and spending.?

"We are facing such dysfunction, irresponsibility and lack of leadership" less than two years after the debt ceiling crisis, Schultz said.?

Washington narrowly avoided a U.S. government default, but not before down-to-the-wire wrangling prompted the country's first-ever debt rating downgrade.?

"There is something so wrong that we can be here again and not have the ability to put party aside for the betterment of the country," said Schultz. "We have the same language and rhetoric. Unfortunately we aren't learning much."?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/starbucks-congress-come-together-fiscal-cliff-deal-1C7661430

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The Latest Buzzword: Immigration :: Fresh Updates from RAC

Last week?s papers ran headlines such as ?5 Republicans who Matter on Immigration,? ?Romney Campaign Manager Says He Regrets Immigration Stance,? and ?George W. Bush Renews Call for Immigration Reform.? As you may have noticed, immigration increasingly has been in the news in the wake of the November election, with?both parties seeming to agree that the system needs to be reformed, as is the consensus among the general public. But what does ?immigration reform? mean? What?s wrong with the current system? And why should Jews care?

HIAS?the international migration agency of the organized Jewish community?has been involved in this policy discussion for decades.?You might have heard of HIAS? historic role in rescuing and resettling Jews fleeing repressive societies. But what you might not know is that today in Washington, D.C. we work to advance laws and policies that protect those who seek safety in the U.S. based on persecution or fear of persecution on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. HIAS also advocates for immigration and refugee laws that are humane, enhance national security and reflect our Jewish values of welcoming the stranger. Along with our Jewish and interfaith partners, as well as other immigration and refugee advocates, HIAS has long pushed reforms to the current system that are guided by the rule of law, national interest, fairness and compassion.

Unfortunately, we have our work cut out for us?the current immigration system is ineffective and outdated. Backlogs have separated families for years, and an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently live in the U.S. without legal status, which makes them vulnerable to harassment and exploitation and fearful of being arrested. Furthermore, there are not enough legal channels for employers who want to hire immigrant workers, particularly for lower skilled jobs.

HIAS is a strong advocate for reforms to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, a longstanding public-private partnership between the U.S. government and non-governmental organizations that provides initial reception and placement services to arriving refugees. As one of the ten agencies that works directly with the U.S. government to resettle refugees, HIAS is dedicated to ensuring that any discussion about reforms to our country?s broken immigration system will also include crucial and overdue improvements to the Refugee Program, such as those proposed in the Refugee Protection Act of 2011.

For HIAS, one of the main priorities for U.S. immigration legislation is eliminating the one-year filing deadline for asylum applications. This provision has prevented many asylum seekers with a well-founded fear of persecution from receiving protection in the U.S. In fact, it is estimated that one out of every five asylum cases is denied because the individual did not apply within this one year time frame. Another priority is to protect refugees, asylees, and asylum seekers who have been mistakenly labeled as terrorists due to the unduly broad definition of ?terrorist activity? in current immigration law. Thousands of individuals? cases have been put on ?hold? with no ability to prove their non-terrorist status?they continue to face endless delays and even the possibility of being deported.?Many have been needlessly separated from their spouses and children for many years and have little hope of reuniting with their families in safety under the current law. Policy changes to address these issues, if enacted, would have a huge impact on the lives of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who seek safety and freedom within our country?s borders.

As a Jewish-American organization, HIAS is acutely concerned both with the security of our country and with the viability of the Refugee Program. We honor the sentiment of Jewish-American poet and HIAS volunteer, Emma Lazarus, who wrote ?Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.? We believe our work is an expression of the values expressed in the Torah, which mandates ?when a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.?

You might know some individuals who have been affected by broken immigration and refugee policies?they are our neighbors, classmates, colleagues, community members, and friends. Drawing from our historical context, as well as our scripture and values, we must speak out as a Jewish community to advocate for just and compassionate asylum and refugee policies, and to urge the government to devote sufficient resources to successfully fulfill the essential undertaking of protecting the persecuted.

At this crucial time?when we seem to have the momentum and opportunity to reform our country?s immigration system?we urge you to join HIAS in our advocacy efforts. You can host a film screening, a speaker event, or a Shabbat program to learn about international migration issues. Or you can coordinate an in-district lobby visit with your elected officials to discuss stories of people who have been impacted by the dysfunctional immigration system or resettled through the U.S. Refugee Program. There also are countless ways to interact with local immigrants in your community to gain a better understanding of their experiences and help them integrate into society?for instance, you could set up an ongoing service project to help aspiring Americans who are studying for their citizenship exams, join an immigrant detention visitation program, or coordinate a donation drive for recently resettled refugees arriving in your community. Contact advocacy@hias.org or visit www.hias.org to get involved.

Liza Lieberman is the Associate Director of U.S. Policy and Advocacy for HIAS in Washington, DC, where she works to advance the organization?s refugee and immigration protection agenda by educating policy makers on issues concerning immigrants and refugees and engaging Jewish communities in HIAS? work through grassroots advocacy .

Image courtesy of AP File/WBUR.

Source: http://blogs.rj.org/rac/2012/12/26/the-latest-buzzword-immigration/

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SeoCustomer Top Tips to Generate High Volume Traffic at your ...

Being search is a key requirement of every website and blog. Every website owner wants to generate high volume business web traffic at his or her website and use each and every tip to impress the targeted visitors.

In this way, it is crucial to understand search engine dynamics to find the touch points of your esteemed customers. It will help you in bringing them at your website. There is simply no way other than better presentation, focused approach, and search engine optimization.

You are required to keep your website updated with high quality search engine optimized contents to bring the online surfers at your website, but repeat visits are more important than initial ones.

So, you should implement below given tips to drive stable and organic web traffic at your website.

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Stunning Tips to Drive Stable Organic Web Traffic at Your Web Site

• Update your Website with SEO friendly content, which should be relevant to your Meta description and page description.
• Don?t change the URL of your website in some haste. At first, try not to change the URL or follow Google?s procedure of URL changing to avoid the ignorance of Google towards your site with the URL.
• Using duplicate content is a crime, especially if you are targeting high search engine rankings. In case you like to mention the quote of a legend, then put the text in double commas.
• Albeit, the flash makes the websites beautiful, yet you should say goodbye to this technology for gaining top rankings.
• Always prefer high quality directories for the submission of your website.
• The robots.txt should not block the particular URL that should be opened for your visitors.
• Use intelligently created Meta keywords in your Meta description as well as in web content.
• Try to have high value links in your website.
• Always add a text link in the image and icon links of your website.
• Try to give something to your visitor, even if you are running an affiliate website.
• Don?t forget to include a site map of your website at the homepage. It helps the Google crawlers to scan the web pages properly.
• Link schemes can be risky for your website virtual reputation.
• Add high quality search engine friendly contents in your website to convey the meaningful information to your customers.
• Always add page descriptions in your website.
• Install all search engine friendly tools in your website.
• Keep your search engine optimization strategy updated with recent search algorithms to get the best turnout.
• Keep the content headings crispy and catchy to grab the quick and lasting attention of your targeted customers. In this way, it is also necessary to post meaningful contents in your website.
• Take help of article marketing websites.
• You should write quality articles and publish on the reputed article sites such as ezinearticles.com
• Run a blog in support of your website.
• Publish meaningful articles in your blog to keep the reader interested in visiting your blog.
• Take help of social media platforms.
• Create impressive social media networking profiles in support of your website.
• Integrate all of your social media pages with your website.
• Always test the usability of your website links.
• Remove the dead links of your website.
• Update your Website with new age web management functionalities to ease the tough management tasks.

By following all above bulleted tips of attracting visitors to your website, you will be able to seek the lasting interest of your targeted customers. Though, you should keep following these tips to increase your web traffic regularly.

It has been seen that website owners stop their search engine optimization activities after achieving an optimum amount of web traffic to focus on the real business of website, but it is a self-destructive approach.

Online surfers never come up to a website all of a sudden. A kind of wave touches each online surfer and the interested ones touched the wave back. This is the process of search engine optimization.

Thus, you cannot get the ceaseless cyber traffic, if you are not maintaining the flow of search engine optimization activities.

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About Author -??Mike Swan is Internet Marketing Head at Markupcloud, a renowned company offering PSD to Drupal theme conversion and PSD to Joomla conversion services. Author loves to discuss on latest trends of all types of Internet Marketing.

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Source: http://seocustomer.com/top-tips-to-generate-high-volume-traffic-at-your-website/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-tips-to-generate-high-volume-traffic-at-your-website

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Farmers plow through red tape to hire legal workers | Maryland Daily ...

Posted: 6:00 pm Tue, December 25, 2012
By Capital News Service The Daily Record
Erin Durkin

KENNEDYVILLE ? Bernie Kohl, Jr., president and part owner of Angelica Nurseries Inc., knew something was wrong when the then-Immigration and Naturalization Service showed up on his property with buses on a fall day in 1996. The INS went into the company?s offices, hung up phones, and lined workers up outside while they went into the company?s human resources offices to get paper files on all the laborers.

?They went through the I-9s and they scrutinized the paperwork and could say that these documents don?t look genuine,? Kohl said. ?We aren?t document specialists, those are the kind of things that we can?t do.?

The raid resulted in around 80 of his workers being deported. The place didn?t quite shut down, but it meant an incredible struggle that year to make the harvest.

That led to a long search to find reliable, legal labor, and Angelica?s entrance in 1999 into the H-2A program, a federal visa program that brings migrant workers to the U.S. for the agriculture sector, but at a high cost both administratively and monetarily.

?The H-2A program never was, never has been, a program that you want to be in,? Kohl said. ?But we had to have it because we needed a reliable work force.?

In the past year, about 50,000 workers were approved to come to the U.S. through the program. Approximately 500 of them came to Maryland. Ninety went to Kohl?s nursery.

Workers at Angelica Nurseries come predominantly from Mexico and usually spend the days planting, harvesting and burlapping trees and deciduous shrubs to be shipped to landscapers and other professionals, said Kohl.

To bring these skilled laborers to the country, Kohl must jump through a number of hoops, starting with the filing process. He must guess around 60 days out how many workers he will need on the day his contract begins, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

?We say it?s like looking into a crystal ball,? he said. ?We have to make a prediction of what the spring is going to look like.?

During this time, farmers must advertise their available positions in their area as well as in an area with a large population of migrant workers, like Florida or Texas, a practice that generates very few workers, according to a state commission on agriculture.

Even when farmers predict the correct number of migrant workers necessary, they are required to hire, ?any able, willing, qualified and available U.S. worker who applies to the employer until 50 percent of the period of the work contract has elapsed, regardless of the number of H-2A workers covered by the employer?s certification,? according to the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. This is known as the ?50 percent rule.?

Then the farmers must pay for the workers? transportation, room, board and meals, in addition to a salary that?s determined by a complex formula, rather than one based on skills or demand.

Kohl pointed out that providing such amenities was not so much of a challenge for his nursery since it was using migrant workers for years before being part of H-2A. However, he said on smaller farms this could be a problem.

?You could have an orchard where the harvest period is only for three weeks and yet they are expected to still build housing on their land,? he said.

To add to the price tag, each worker starts at $10.34 per hour this year, regardless of experience. This wage was determined by the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, the dominant wage calculator used that averages wages of all agricultural workers to produce the minimum amount of pay.

?It is like starting the lowest person at the middle of the ladder,? said Kohl.

Measures such as these were most likely placed in the program to protect American workers, said Merlin Williams, Maryland rural services coordinator in the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

But Kohl complained that most American workers who show up for seasonal work at the nursery usually last only a couple of days, sometimes just hours, and most have no prior experience.

?It is a real misconception that Americans are lining up for these jobs,? he said.

Taking part in the program does have its positive side, said Marilyn Sparks, who runs White House Nursery in Upperco with her husband, Loring. Their nursery is a smaller operation than Angelica Nurseries and only relies on five workers each year.

?If we hire someone locally we would have to hire them year-round instead of seasonally,? she said. ?Otherwise when the job is done they could legally apply for unemployment and our unemployment payments go up.?

Sparks also said that many of the local workers who could work temporarily do not have the skill set her nursery needs. Her nursery, which grows perennials, spring crops and different varieties of Christmas poinsettias, has relied on the same Mexican family for the last eight years.

The program is still very important to Maryland farmers even with the costs, said U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.

?It is essential to any district where there is an agricultural program,? he said. ?However, it has been very cumbersome. We?ve been working with the H-2A program to make it easier to get visas.?

The added cost of the program has exacerbated other financial troubles the nursery has faced, said Kohl. The once-2,100-acre farm has downsized to 1,800 acres, and the last five years have been a challenge due to the down housing market and three summers worth of drought, said Kohl.

?We?re struggling to keep our head above water,? said Kohl. ?These programs just don?t help.?

S. Patrick McMillan, assistant secretary, marketing, animal industries and consumer service at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, said he would like to see the program reformed because of people like Kohl.

?It?s a great program, but very expensive,? he said. ?It?s been difficult with the politics to revise the rules. It?s caught up in a bigger immigration debate.?

Kohl said other farms like his have either gone under or sold their land to developers for a profit. While that?s tempting, since his nursery hasn?t had a measurable profit in five years, Kohl said he does not want to go down this path because he and his family take pleasure in what they do.

?We enjoy growing plants, we enjoy what the plants do for the environment,? he said. ?Not that I haven?t thought about what would make an easier living. But we enjoy working with plants. We hope that we can make a turn around and make money in this business again.?

Source: http://thedailyrecord.com/2012/12/25/farmers-plow-through-red-tape-to-hire-legal-workers/

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