Wednesday, February 29, 2012

What's the value of hiring a REALTOR? | Kimberly Howell Properties ...

San Antonio real estate and property information provided by Kimberly Howell Properties. Kimberly Howell Properties does not assume any liability or responsibility for the operation or content of any of the linked resources, nor for any of the interpretations, comments, graphics, or opinions contained therein. All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. KJH Properties, Inc. is a licensed real estate brokerage in the State of Texas, Equal Opportunity Employer, and supporter of the Fair Housing Act.

Source: http://www.kimberlyhowell.com/sell-your-home/whats-the-value-of-hiring-a-realtor/

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Tricks of Business to business Advertising throughout a Economic ...

Massive Sales Results @ 1/2 the investment

Ought to B2B marketers alter their strategies after a recession? Does a recession always mean marketers have to work even harder to find ways to perform more with a smaller amount? Can a recession produce opportunity for smart online marketers to grow and flourish? These are some of the matters I recently explored over a panel at the SMX Sophisticated conference in Seattle.

Are we in a recession?

First off, let me make clear I do not think we?re in a very recession in the US * yet. A recession calls for two quarters involving negative growth in Gross domestic product, and Q4 last year noticed 0.6% growth even though preliminary numbers with regard to Q1 this year were Zero.9% growth (Bureau involving Economic Statistics).

And then we may not yet take a recession, but periods are growing more and more difficult for consumers. Your subprime mess is real, exorbitant energy along with food costs are chopping into discretionary spending, along with the weakening dollar is actually importing inflation to our economy. According to The way i Spent My Obama?s stimulus, the $152 billion stimulus package is going primarily to relieve consumer debt or to pay for higher gas as well as food costs, i.e. it is not going to stimulate incremental paying.

What this means is that we will be in the worst achievable non-recession. Prior downturns avoided becoming a (global) recession because of the resilient American buyer. This time, it looks like we won?t have that saving grace ? meaning issues may still get worse prior to better.

What does this mean for B2B marketing and advertising?

Fewer consumers means less demand; a smaller amount demand means that endeavours to stimulate desire (i.e. advertising and marketing) are less effective general. Put simply, when people acquire less, advertisers cut back. According to research company Veronis Suhler Stevenson, US advertising dropped 9% in the 2001 credit crunch while Internet advertising fell a whopping 27%. I should point out that this slowdown relates to business-to-business marketers as well as a consequence of second- and higher-order effects, my partner and i.e. as consumer spending drops, the businesses that sell to people consumers reduce their spending as well.

Nonetheless, these overall amounts hide two important facts:

Branding and other kinds of push marketing fall in a slowdown, while direct marketing is likely to rise. When costs are cut, the particular channels with the the very least ability to measure advertising and marketing ROI are lower especially hard because companies shift spending to more considerable channels. Investment financial institution Cowen and Company looked at the last six recessions since 1950 and found that spending on direct marketing really grew during six recessions.

This time is different with regard to online marketing. In the 2001 recession, online marketing was still being unproven and got captured in the downward failure of the Internet generally. Today, the trend for you to shift advertising us dollars to measurable on the web channels is confirmed and won?t disappear soon. So online marketing won?t crater like last time, but it also isn?t resistant from a slowdown. In reality, eMarketer recently reduced it?s 2008 estimate for individuals online advertising to $25.Eight billion. That is a 7% decline from their prior calculate ? showing your impact of the downward spiral ? but it?s important to note that it is still 23% greater than 2007?s total. In other words, these tough economic times may slow down the growth of online marketing, but it?s nonetheless growing at a substantial pace.

What this means is a recession will increase the decline associated with interruption-based mass advertising that shouts your concept to customer. In its place we will see increased rise in measurable and relationship-based methods such as search marketing, email marketing, lead nurturing, an internet-based communities.

A downturn can also create opportunity for the companies that are more effective at turning marketing investments into profits, since there will be a smaller amount competition overall. In a study of Ough.S. recessions, McGraw-Hill Research learned that business-to-business firms that maintained or even increased advertising expenses during the 1981-1982 recession averaged substantially higher sales progress than those that removed or decreased advertising. In fact, by ?85 companies that were aggressive recession advertisers became their revenue more than 2.5X faster than others that reduced their advertising.

Seven advice for B2B marketing after a slowdown

Given these kind of macro economic trends, exactly how should you allocate the marketing budget ? and time? Here?s my definitive self-help guide to B2B marketing during a downturn:

1. Make use of lead management to increase the value of each guide. In a recession, risk-adverse purchasers take even longer than normal to research potential purchases. When you first identify a brand new prospect (regardless of whether they downloaded a whitepaper, ceased by your booth in a tradeshow, or signed up for a free of charge trial) they are more often than not still in the consciousness or research stage and are not yet willing to engage with one of your income reps. What this means is you will need lead scoring to spot which leads are highly engaged, and guide nurturing to develop interactions with qualified prospects who aren?t yet ready to build relationships with sales. Without these kinds of capabilities, as many as 95% of qualified prospects who are not nevertheless sales-ready never end up changing into a sales chance. These prospects are valuable corporate possessions that you worked tough to acquire ? therefore in a down economic system you need to do everything possible to maximize value from their store. Implementing even a straightforward automated lead growing program can produce a 4-fold improvement inside conversion of brings into sales possibilities over time. That?s a spectacular improvement marketing roi! Net-net: Companies that can do a better job of managing sales opportunities and developing early-stage prospective customers into sales all set leads will be in the top position to flourish in a downturn.

Two. Focus on your house listing. In a recession, maybe you have less money to spend about acquiring new customers. The answer is simple: spend more time internet marketing to (and creating relationships with) individuals you already know. Some routines that can help you get the most from your existing relationships consist of lead nurturing campaigns, creating new written content to offer to present prospects, and cleanup and augmenting your own marketing lead databases with progressive profiling.

Three or more. Build and improve landing pages. When instances are tough, it?s more important than ever to maximize the particular return on your advertising and marketing. Whether you are using Google AdWords, banners, sponsorships, or email campaigns, a dedicated landing page is the single most effective way to turn a click into a prospect. MarketingSherpa?s Landing Page Manual shows that relevant web page can easily double sales versus sending mouse clicks to the home page, and also testing your pages could increase conversions by simply another 48% or more. Collectively, these tactics on your own can result in 2.5X more leads for every money you spend, something that?s likely to look good in difficult times. However, MarketingSherpa also reviews that most companies tend to be under-using this important method: just 44% of mouse clicks for B2B businesses are directed to the house page, not a special landing page, and of Business to business companies that use landing pages, 62% have six or perhaps fewer total pages. A recession is perhaps the best time to focus on some of these fundamentals.

4. Content for later in the acquiring cycle. When buying slows down, you need to focus inside your on making sure you?re finding the prospects that are actually ready to buy ? or even better, cause them to become finding you. A great technique to do this is to emphasis your offers on content that will interest someone who?s actually hunting for a solution (as opposed to believed leadership and best methods content, which can attract prospects who may possibly one day have a require but are not currently seeking). Examples of this kind of articles can include ?Top 5 Things to ask a Potential Vendor? whitepapers; buyers instructions and checklists; professional evaluations; and so on.

A few. Appeal to the stressed buyer. A recession often means more risk-adverse buyers, which may lead to a tendency to match ?safe? solutions. This is for large established organizations, but it means more youthful companies need to do as part of your to reassure and make trust. Tactically, this means including customer references, evaluations, expert opinions, awards, and other validation as part of your marketing. Strategically, an economic downturn means fewer chance takers and visionaries, so have a lesson from Geoffrey Moore?s Traversing the Chasm and use methods that appeal to well known pragmatists: industry-specific marketing tactics and solutions; vertical client references; relevant partnerships and alliances; and entire product marketing.

6. Align sales and marketing. Today?s prospective customers start their shopping process by interacting with marketing and online channels well before they ever consult with a sales representative. This means businesses must integrate marketing and sales efforts to create a single revenue direction. The old days of well-designed silos and poor connection between the two divisions must end. A tougher selling atmosphere, driven by a credit crunch, means this is more true than ever.

Seven. Don?t be a cost middle. Most executives right now think that Sales offers revenue and Internet marketing is a cost center. Marketers are to some extent to blame for part of this attitude, since when we employ metrics such as ?cost every lead? we frame the discussion in terms of charges, not in terms of influence on revenue. More quietly, using language such as ?marketing spending? and ?marketing budget? instead of ?marketing investment? endorses these beliefs. In the recession, marketing requires more than ever to change these perceptions. This means that advertising investments must be validated with a rigorous company case and should become amortized over the entire ?useful life? in the investment. And it implies marketing must enhance marketing accountability by simply demonstrating the impact of each marketing activity on pipeline and revenue. Of course, that is easier said than done, but that doesn?t mean you shouldn?t attempt. Even small actions, like reports that demonstrate the total opportunity worth for each lead resource or campaign, can create a big impact.

Conclusion

Even if we aren?t in a very recession, we are set for some tough economic times ? with an economic slowdown means a tendency to scale back advertising and marketing spending. However, studies have shown that a downturn results in opportunity to accelerate growth faster than your competitors. This means it may be the optimum time to step up your marketing ? at least in quality or even quantity. The internet marketers that focus on getting the most from every dollar spent and on demonstrating marketing?s impact on revenue and direction will be well situated to come out of the bad times looking like a superstar.

Related posts:

eVirtualSalesForce

Source: http://virtualblackswanmarketing.net/?p=392&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tricks-of-business-to-business-advertising-throughout-a-economic-slump-your-crucial-guidebook

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Monday, February 27, 2012

Tube HD (for Mac)


Tube HD, iLifetouch's $3.99 Mac app, brings the wilds of YouTube to your desktop. Described as a "smart player" designed to enhance the video viewing experience, Tube HD has a few commendable features?such as the choice of a small, pinnable video player that lets you do other things while occasionally peeking at the video?but a number of design elements prevent this player from reaching its potential. Flawed design elements are amplified by the $3.99 price tag for what is, after all, a free service.

Getting Started With Tube HD
Launching the app opens a homescreen that displays a handful of YouTube clips. Tube HD, unfortunately, doesn't let you know if the highlighted videos are randomly generated or pulled from YouTube's most popular videos, or where they do come from. Above the main viewing area is a menu bar that lets you log into your YouTube account, tinker with navigation buttons, open a search box, add a playlist, and other expected options.

Logging in can be problematic. Sometimes clicking the login icon logs you in; at other times it does absolutely nothing. But there's no indication that you've logged in, even after you've done so, as the login icon didn't change to your username or "logged in." I knew that I was logged in only because I saw fresh videos from channels to which I subscribe. That's just bad UI design.

Clicking a video that's on your home screen brings you to a playback screen where a spinning "loading" icon loops about. Out of the dozens of times that I've tried to get it to load, it refused. Instead, I had to click the orange "Play This Now" icon in the upper-right portion of the screen, which opened a second smaller window. Clicking the play button in the smaller window began playback.

The Video Watching Experience
Those initial design problems aside, watching YouTube video was an enjoyable experience. Video streamed smoothly, and I liked the option to view the clips either in the smaller playback window or in full screen (you can, of course, drag the edge of the window to adjust its size). Regardless of the window size you select, you can click the pin in the upper-right corner of the window to make it the main window regardless of any other app you open. This proved incredibly handy during times when I wanted to watch a video while doing something else in the background, such as Googling information. Clicking the "Add In Queue" icon (located to the right of the "Play This Now" icon in the main window) opens a sidebar in which bookmarked videos live. The sidebar can be toggled on and off.

Design issues reared their head again, however, when I wanted to search for The Avengers movie trailer. Keyed in letters didn't appear in the search box?they appeared beneath it, jumbled up in the terms that were returned on the fly. I'm not sure how this UI sloppiness made it through the Q/A process.

Should You Download Tube HD?
Tube HD has flaws?lots of flaws?that are only exacerbated by the $3.99 price. Had this app been free, YouTube diehards might have reason to overlook some of the issues, but when you demand four bucks in a marketplace where there's plenty of quality freebie apps, you need to deliver.

More Photos, Video, and Graphics Reviews:
??? Tube HD (for Mac)
??? Motion FX (for Mac)
??? Aperture 3.2
??? CyberLink PowerDirector 10
??? Adobe Premiere Elements 10
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/ar2iL4qtgac/0,2817,2400828,00.asp

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PFT: Cowboys have Super Bowl talent, Jones says

Miami Dolphins v Dallas CowboysGetty Images

If a team didn?t win a Super Bowl, perhaps the next best thing is to claim that it could have.

That?s what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did Friday while holding court with reporters for more than 90 minutes on, yes, the team?s luxury bus.

?I see the talent level being able to put us in a competitive situation for the Super Bowl,? Jones said, via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.? ?I saw it at the start of that [2010] season and I see it with what we had last year, that there?s a talent level that can compete for a Super Bowl.?

But many non-playoff teams could say that they have ?Super Bowl talent,? especially in an era where teams that barely got into the playoffs run the table and secure the Lombardi Trophy.? The question is whether ?Super Bowl talent? translates into results.

?We all should recognize that what?s on paper is far different than what ultimately wins that Super Bowl and very seldom reconciles going to it,? Jones said.? ?It always has a way of doing that after the fact.? The present champs, the Giants, going in the talent evaluations by everybody that?s interested ? fans, our media, whoever ? was not really giving them high marks for their talent.? Certainly coming out of training camp, it was not.? Now they?re getting high marks for their talent.? Same guys.

?So, my point is the success that you have has a way of defining talent.?

Annnnnd that?s the exact opposite of what Jones initially said.? Whether a team has ?Super Bowl talent? isn?t determined prospectively.? The teams that get to the Super Bowl necessarily have ?Super Bowl talent.?

While the Cowboys may not have gotten to the Super Bowl themselves, they failed to keep the Giants from demonstrating ?Super Bowl talent? by blowing a chance to bury Big Blue?s postseason dreams on a Sunday night in the middle of December.? Leading 34-29 with 2:25 to play, quarterback Tony Romo overthrew receiver Miles Austin, or Miles Austin underran the ball.? (Austin later said he lost it in the lights.)? If Romo and Austin had connected, and assuming Austin wouldn?t have tripped on his way to the end zone or done something stupid like spike the ball before crossing the plane, the Cowboys win and the Giants lose and the Giants most likely don?t make it to the postseason.

Heading into 2012, if the Cowboys have ?Super Bowl talent,? then pretty much every team does.? Because pretty much every team can find a way to win their division and then, by January, piece together a playoff run that allows everyone in hindsight to declare that this was indeed the best team, because they became the best team.

That?s ultimately what it?s all about.? And any effort by Jones or any other owner or G.M. to apply that label before the season starts serves only to increase the expectations of the fans and the pressure on the coaching staff.

Maybe Jones would realize that if he hadn?t suffered 50 concussions.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/25/jerry-jones-says-cowboys-have-super-bowl-talent/related

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

16 Chinese Startups Came Out With A Bang At The ChinaBang Conference

ChinaBang conference, an annual two-day event with a focus on local startups, innovation and entrepreneurship, was held last weekend in Beijing. With a mixture of keynote and panel discussions from local startup founders and entrepreneurs, the awards ceremony recognized the best Chinese startups and founders in 2011 and featured a startup launchpad contest. Organized by TechNode, ChinaBang?s Launchpad competition had 16 teams pitch to 14 judges (from GSR Ventures, IDG, Qiming, Matrix Ventures, Atomico, Singtel, Paypal, Innovation Works, CyberAgent, Rovio, Infinity Ventures, Taishan, CSDN) and a live audience.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/qgL1VDhu8ig/

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ViewSonic to bring 3 dual-SIM phones and a new ViewPad tablet to MWC

ViewPad G70

ViewSonic doesn't want to be left out of all the fun at Mobile World Congress, and today we heard about three new dual-SIM phones, and we're hearing rumors about the ViewPad G70 tablet (pictured). All four devices will ship with ViewSonic's custom version of Ice Cream Sandwich, and are decidedly entry-level.

The ViewPad G70 is said to have a 7-inch, 1024 x 600 display, 4 GB of internal storage, 1 GB RAM, a 2 MP rear and front camera, microSD card slot, HDMI port and both a micro and mini USB port. The 3G version is expected to retail around $350.

Of the three dual-SIM phones ViewSonic will show off in Spain next week, the best of the three in terms of specs is the ViewPhone 4s, a 3.5-inch device with an IPS display at 640 x 960 resolution. It will have a 1 GHz processor, a 5 MP rear camera and VGA front camera, and of course the dual-SIM card setup as mentioned. The ViewPhone 4e is a 3.5-inch device with a 320 x 480 display, has a 650 MHz processor, and a 3 MP rear camera. Last, but not least (especially in terms of raw size), the ViewPhone 5e is a 5-inch device with a 480 x 800 resolution.

We've heard nothing about price or availability, but the fact that they are dual-SIM devices probably means that we'll see these in the far east or in eastern Europe. We'll know more next week. In the meantime, the pictures are after the break.

Source: KisPlay blog (Chinese). More: Mobile-Review

read more



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/C3d1DtOqrDk/story01.htm

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Debt Relief | Greek Parliament To Vote On $142 Billion Debt Relief ...

February 24, 2012 ? 6:34 am

By Nicholas Paphitis, The Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece ? Greek lawmakers on Thursday debated emergency legislation to approve a massive bond swap that would wipe 107 billion ($142 billion) off the country?s privately-held debt, as new projections showed the economy will suffer the worst contraction in Europe this year.

Parliament will vote in the evening on the proposed deal, which has already been approved at committee level. The governing coalition controls a strong enough majority to easily pass the law.

The writedown to be imposed on banks, pension funds and other private holders of Greek government bonds was agreed upon this week by finance ministers from the 17-member eurozone.

The meeting in Brussels also approved a new 130 billion ($172 billion) bailout to prevent Greece from going bankrupt and keep the country within the euro area. Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said he hoped the new agreement on rescue loans would be signed and validated by the end of March.

Speaking in Parliament, Venizelos insisted that ratifying the bond swap was the only way forward, and the alternative would be catastrophic, setting Greece back decades.

?The true dilemma is: either sacrifices with prospects, or complete destruction with no prospects. Either cuts which are harsh ? or the inability to pay salaries and pensions. Either reduction of fortunes, or a complete loss of fortunes. Either high unemployment or generalized unemployment,? he told lawmakers.

He added: ?Now Greece is obtaining a window of opportunity. We must make the most of it. We have not finished. We are starting again with better terms. We mustn?t repeat mistakes, we mustn?t have delays ?. We must complete the implementation of the program.?

Greece has been surviving since May 2010 on a first batch of international rescue loans as it became unable to finance its huge debt load.

But more than two years of harsh austerity implemented to secure the rescue funds have left the economy in freefall, with businesses closing in the tens of thousands and unemployment at a record high 21 per cent in November.

In its latest projections Thursday, the European Commission forecast a 0.3 per cent contraction in the eurozone economy this year, with Greece leading the way down with a massive 4.4 per cent decline. That would be the fifth straight year of recession in Greece.

The debt relief deal will force private bondholders to exchange their devalued Greek government bonds with new ones with a 53.5 per cent lower face value, longer maturities and lower interest rates ? an average 3.6 per cent, compared to the previous 4.85 per cent.

?This law has to be voted one day before it comes into effect and the (bond swap) is officially announced,? Venizelos told lawmakers.

Once the public offer is made, bondholders will be given 10 days to respond whether they will take part in the exchange. The bill being debated includes collective action clauses that, if activated, will allow a majority of bondholders favouring the swap to impose their decision on holdouts.

?If we do not implement that legislation, every speculator will be able to keep out of the process in the expectation of being paid in full,? Venizelos said Wednesday.

Venizelos wants the deal to be completed by March 12, two days before a batch of bonds worth more than 14 billion starts to mature.

Parliament is also due to vote next week on further harsh austerity measures in 2012 worth 3.2 billion ($4.2 billion). These will include reductions to already depleted pensions, and deep cuts in health, education and defence spending.

State hospital doctors went on a 24-hour strike Thursday, and several hundred doctors and health workers held a peaceful protest march to Parliament in central Athens.

Tags: Debt Relief

Source: http://freedom-debtrelief.net/debt-relief-greek-parliament-to-vote-on-142-billion-debt-relief-deal-with-private-investors/

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Friday, February 24, 2012

World Bank issues SOS for oceans, backs alliance (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - The World Bank announced on Friday a global alliance to better manage and protect the world's oceans, which are under threat from over-fishing, pollution and climate change.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120224/sc_nm/us_worldbank_oceans

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Jersey City Wine Shop: No Snooki Allowed!


The Jersey City, N.J., booze emporium next door to where Snooki and JWoww are filming their upcoming Jersey Shore spinoff apparently wants nothing to do with them.

So adamantly that they're banned from the store!

In a morally commendable, financially disastrous move, the place wants Snooki to steer completely clear ... even posting a sign on the door telling her to keep the hell out.

JWoww n' Snooki

Talk about turning away a couple of potentially loyal customers.

JWoww isn't welcome there either, so the ladies will have to find a place to buy their binge drinking supplies somewhere else. Somehow we imagine they'll manage.

The general manager at the wine shop said that while the sign says "No Snooki," it applies to her BFF too: "Even if Jwoww shows up at our door she will not be let in."

"The only thing they are good for is ridicule and amusement. There's no upside business wise; the potential downside is God knows what. Why feed the embarrassment?”

This guy is our new hero.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/02/jersey-city-wine-shop-no-snooki-allowed/

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Obama: GOP philosophy is 'wrong about America' (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Supporters listen as U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign fund raising event in Miami, Florida February 23, 2012. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque  (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)AP - President Barack Obama on Thursday accused his Republican presidential rivals of peddling a philosophy that is "wrong about America," seeking to rev up his supporters as he hauled in campaign cash in an important swing state.


Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120223/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama

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Enhance your photos with Simply HDR for iPhone and iPad

Simply HDR has the potential of turning your ordinary photos into extraordinary ones. HDR photography has turned into an art form itself, and Simply HDR does a great job of creating these types of images with very little work from the user.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Lje6mc6EoHQ/story01.htm

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Sports Shooting Essential With Shooting Goggles ? Article Squadron

Shooting goggles are essential to every shooting sport fanatics for protection of the eyes as well as vision enhancement. Having a pair is good but having two or more is even better, as everyone knows how quickly the weather can change, and performing well, regardless of any lighting condition is paramount.

When firing any gun, it is bound to cause serious blow backs that can damage your eyes, thus, wearing goggles is a must in order to avoid any untoward incident. Among the most prevalent incidents in shooting are debris from the wind, shards of clay (skeet shooting), and the most dreaded bullets that ricochets.

Some people would ignore the importance of wearing goggles and instead they wear standard sunglasses, which offer little protection from debris and bullets. While sunglasses are made with ordinary lenses, the goggles are made with resilient material that can offer ample protection.

If you love your eyes and you want to protect it, and then consider getting yourself shooting goggles. Polycarbonate is a tough and durable material used for manufacturing the goggles; similar material is also used in airplanes, and it can provide ample protection from ultra violet light.

Another consideration is the lens color; you can choose from pale yellow for gloomy weather; blue, or any darker shade for the glaring sun. As mentioned on the onset, you might consider buying two pairs for both lighting conditions.

The next thing you need to consider is comfort which is also important when it comes to shooting. You need to look for goggles that wraps around your head and ears for a snug and comfortable feel.

According to experts, bronze, blue, grey, and dark purple colors are highly recommended for harsh light, while orange, vermillion, light purple, amber, are best for average light situations; and yellow, pale yellow and clear lenses are best for low light conditions.

Sports shooting are a fun and enjoyable hobby that everyone can engage in but having the proper gear can help you avoid accidents. Lastly, invest in some of these essential shooting goggle for you protection and it looks great too.

If you are looking for hunting sunglasses or western belt buckles you can find them both on sale now.

Source: http://articlesquadron.com/recreation-sports/hunting/sports-shooting-essential-with-shooting-goggles

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Bad Credit Debt consolidation reduction Loans ? Subtracting Debt ...

A bad credit Online debt consolidation Loan is often a loan originating from a bank or financial institution that allows you to lump your entire current debts into one and then make just one single payment history. It?s a fantastic way to control your finances. You will know just how much finances are losing sight of your each and just how much.A lot of why people get started in debt in the first place. Overspending and not just maintaining a tally of expenditure is one among the common reason, however major reason your debt keeps mounting is always that our incomings regularly don?t match our outgoings.

Basically Bad Credit consolidating money owed loans are special provisions if anyone is hit by multiple credit problems. Henceforth, borrowers like, tagged with CCJs, IVAs, bankrupts, arrears, and defaulters, can make applications for Bad Credit consolidating money owed loans.To help make the funding feasible, Bad Credit consolidating money owed loans are formatted into secured and unsecured. A secured finance hinges upon your pledging capacity. You can put anything to provide a security for the finance. However these are your private home, car, realty, in addition to other important business papers. As per the evaluation of collateral the finance amount is granted to the borrower concerned.

Whereas the unsecured choice is created for those borrowers that don?t possess any property like tenants or non homeowners or individuals that do not want to offer any collateral. Just how much derives is smaller in comparison with secured form. The repayment duration falls among 6monts -10 years.The chief objectives of these loans are to successfully finish of the many debts also stabilizing the personal finances from the borrower. Many of the debts from the borrower are consolidated perfectly into a single amount after which it reaped rewards before it gets worse. Besides the tags like CCJs, IVA, arrears etc could very well be curbed by making use of these plans and so it help the borrower to regain the financial standing.

One choice is to take out a lasting loan, but make extra payments in the principal. By doing this, anyone with trapped by high premiums, but sometimes still be sure to consider quickly working the debt.How to Find One of the best Online debt consolidation Mortgage rates?To help get the most out of consolidating money owed, it is best to look for the best rates. Extremely low rates could very well be secured with collateral. So, refi spend you can get rates inside the single digits. Personal loan can also be possible, is additionally don?t own property.

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Source: http://www.shadwickforcongress.com/bad-credit-debt-consolidation-reduction-loans-subtracting-debt

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

How Internet Marketing Helps Small Businesses

Posted on by admin

If you run a small business, you probably envision your marketing schemes revolving around phone books and billboards, not the web. While there are some forms of local marketing that can pay off over time, you may find that internet marketing is the key to your business?s success. The vast majority of households nowadays use the internet, rather than the phone book, to find information about local companies. All you have to do is reach out to them. Here are a few ways your business could benefit from internet marketing.

Low Cost

You can market your business online for a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing. Because there is no printed material to pay for online, most of the money you spend goes toward help from professional internet marketers. If you are trying to minimize spending and maximize results, the web is the right venue for your business promotion.

Large Exposure

If you market your business in your community, you are limited to the number of people who may come across your ad. With the internet, you literally have exposure to the entire world. You may not have a plan for taking your business global, but the web may convince you that that is possible. You might be surprised by just how much business you can gain from promoting your business online.

Good Reputations

You can greatly improve the image of your company by going through an internet marketing campaign for your business. By having a properly marketed website, you can show your customers and clients that you are up to date with modern technology. It is easy to gain the trust of your clients on the web if you have a professional site to show them.

Conclusion

Internet marketing may not seem like an odd investment for a small business, but the benefits are well worth the costs. There is no easier way to get your name out to the community, and the work you do now will last well into the future. Check out some of the web marketing opportunities available to you today.

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Source: http://www.louisianaseoexpert.com/how-internet-marketing-helps-small-businesses

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Monday, February 20, 2012

Ny Webdesign And Internet Marketing Solutions On Your Business

UK Website creation Company, relevance and Sales of Customers. The particular skinning architecture within DotNetNuke allows professional web-site designers to create gorgeous user interfaces which usually assimilate seamlessly using the underlying portal application to offer a impressive, yet visually attractive client website. It normally affects the buyer?s perspective for further more utilizing the web designer website. Find released how Website DesignKentcan help take your online business to a new level with this E-business Consultancy. Doing so we can make an website Developer solution which communicate the perfect emails plus present your exclusive brand id.

If you are that your site requires a Flash makeover, you can either take action in-house or outsource the necessity. Databases help you do more than accounts, though. The skin file might be altered without affecting your application logic. The reality is, there are many companies that come with web design products in London. Genuinely research helps to keep yourself updated web designers of the particular changing scene and changing consumption of technologies. Please look at these few items while designing cool layouts.

Whenever where you will take on any such service, the Seo and / or seo techniques essential for your page could possibly be adequately executed. Normally buying numerous pictures or video tutorials can take some sort of extension cord to help you insert and obstruct web page efficiency. And if the target audience is seniors, always use enormous font sizes as age can on occasion challenge allow you to read small fonts. Extra internet customers are looking for web sites which were not only informative. This someone asked her an easy design guru, in addition to its web-site. Currently, more clients realise they must have improved Online presence. The world wide web advisor should present right key words to choose the website easily.

Moreover, every website owner loves to get his web-site designed and put together by Indian companies because of cost effectiveness. Sometimes this could only be gained by make your website simple. Find through how Web DesignKentcan help take your small business to a new level with your E-business Consultancy. Knowing for sure that those web developers in Sydney provide the right skills to build your website lure customers then you certainly will ensure the success within your business by possessing them design the perfect website possible. Personalized Web Designs: Professional website develop companies are veteran in custom web development of numerous types of companies. Suppliers, there are a whole lot of design studios and even web designers out there, aren?t there? Improved aesthetics are able to improve your tailor-made marketing.

The primary port of call when making a website is to produce a ?URL map?. ?, ?What problems will I want to address to ensure I take full advantage of my personal fresh website page? As for web design services the written text in the web page, make sure that there?s no grammatical and spelling mistake. Over the Nashville graphic artist, if you really don?t currently have presence; we?ll produce an electronic digital, participating, attractive web online site find their way that?s simple. For comfortable access you need to ensure you have given the best hierarchy and links that you?re needed to abide by.

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Source: http://ruscofixtures.com/ny-webdesign-and-internet-marketing-solutions-on-your-business/

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Net Send Support ? Is actually A Must-Have Support For each and ...

Today, anyone notice a whole lot concerning on the web or even internet fax services, however could it be a true Must-Have must for every single organization? Could the prevailing traditional fax machine be sufficient in this modern computer era? Most intriguing inquiries and also reasons can be made for kinds of fax required, however will with an World wide web fax support provide your company or even company a competitive border? This can be the major interest or even problem including to get responded to here.

Let?s begin at first, for many years firms get owned a standard fax machine, generally around the committed fax line which may be put in to get faxes. For giant firms, this can occasionally require numerous fax traces and also quantities, depending on the selection of divisions or even twigs in the catering company. Many of the key downsides or even down sides: skipped cell phone calls as a result of hectic signals, sloppy inks and also jammed cardstock, too little privacy, expense of those phone traces and many types of those inks and also documents. As well as, faxes are often merely received/read in the course of company a long time and it is extremely time-consuming to type and also report your current faxes.

Right now let?s consider the higher modern option * fax to email. This can be paperless fax required so that you do not require virtually any sloppy inks, toners or even documents. Generally, you will have ?never-busy? line so there is absolutely no more skipped faxes. Considering that almost everything may be remedied via the web, you shouldn?t utilize a committed fax line. Your own faxes could possibly be obtained and also directed anytime, with the location, if you are linked to the web. It is a less costly approach to fax. As well as, the situation is inside electronic or even electric type which means your faxes can easily be stored on the web or even on the desktop, all set with regard to retrieval.

Next, there is absolutely no question which employing send a fax online offers a number of distinctive positive aspects or even positive aspects. One, your entire communications tend to be exclusive and can be viewed by simply whoever has entry to your current fax bank account. This will likely retain vulnerable faxes through prying eyes. In addition, it is possible to mail your current communications inside an encrypted formatting which may be extremely risk-free, though we?ve been talking about producing a business online to supply those communications.

Your own communications or even faxes will likely be offered 24/7, wherever you might be located, this implies your company or even company is actually available with regard to company 24 / 7. If fax required is a vital part of your small business than the will really will give you competing benefit. Because type of fax required employs your current e-mail method, it will be possible to easily ?import? virtually any contact lists with your support and also directed a fax to Thousands of recipients with the mouse click. This kind of ?fax broadcasting? attribute is often a key benefit for having an on the web support. Bear in mind, these types of online solutions tend to be completely scalable, it is simple to increase the amount of traces should they be needed.

Although most of these positive aspects tend to be key extras, there?s also one particular overriding benefit or even benefit that must be regarded as. Utilizing a web or even Web support will link or even tie up your company straight into your entire computers along with the web themselves. This is the modern productive technique of doing points; counting on computers, texting or even cell phones * just about all attached with all the web for simple accessibility, wherever both you and your staff is located.

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Source: http://www.fastlyhn.com/2012/02/net-send-support-is-actually-a-must-have-support-for-each-and-every-organization/

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Source: http://deafil.posterous.com/net-send-support-is-actually-a-must-have-supp

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Sunday, February 19, 2012

The Impact of Flood Insurance on Water Damage in Bethel Park, PA ...

One of the most widespread reported problems in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania is a wet basement.? Water damage in Bethel Park PA often occurs because there are cracks that grow in the foundation as well as the fact that the basements are not graded properly. While these things can be secured by a vigilant homeowner, extreme conditions are not. Flooding caused by storms make Pennsylvania to be one of the top insurance claimers relating to property among US states.

With a population of close to 33,556, this area should be better informed of the hazards of flood damage and why it is essential to get flood insurance. Once the appropriate protection is attained, it is easier to avail of the services of the many experienced water damage professionals that service the city.

According to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, there is an upward trend in property insurance. This means that more people have actually taken the vital steps in order to protect their properties. However, this does not mean that the financial risk is removed when it comes to water damage Bethel Park PA. One of the mistakes about the homeowner?s insurance policy is that it covers the event of a flooding when in fact, it does not. Also, people also have the belief that they can only suffer flooding when they live close a body of water.

In the case of Pennsylvania, even though the state is landlocked, the place is quite susceptible to flooding because the storms tend to travel inland. A combination of drainage failures and intense weather conditions can amount to one big headache to a person who has property in Bethel Park. Thus, there is a extreme need for homeowners to gain some flood smarts.

A lot of?restoration businesses in the area already have working relationships with insurance businesses. Thus, a quick phone call can often demystify the concept of flood insurance for those who own property. Customers should be armed with the education of why flood insurance is crucial to their maintenance of a home or business. It is, in a nutshell, a necessary rather than a luxury.

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Source: http://commerciallightingsystems.net/the-impact-of-flood-insurance-on-water-damage-in-bethel-park-pa/

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Microsoft reveals Windows 8's new logo: 'It's a window... not a flag'

Microsoft is making plenty of big changes with its Windows 8 operating system, and that has now also extended to a new logo. As explained by Microsoft's Sam Moreau in a post on the official Windows blog, the logo was created with the help of the design agency Pentagram, which posed a simple question when it began on the project: "your name is Windows. Why are you a flag?" That discussion eventually led to the four-paned window you see above, which not only looks more like a window than the previous logos, but clearly echoes the company's new Metro design language. You can see a bigger version after the break, and read the full story of its creation (along with a look back at past logos) at the source link below.

Continue reading Microsoft reveals Windows 8's new logo: 'It's a window... not a flag'

Microsoft reveals Windows 8's new logo: 'It's a window... not a flag' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, February 18, 2012

Mountain man scares owners of remote Utah cabins

In this undated photo provided by the Iron County Sheriff's Office in January, a man is seen walking past a cabin in the remote southern Utah wildness near Zion National Park. Authorities believe the man in the photo, captured by a motion-triggered surveillance camera sometime in December, is a suspect responsible for more than two dozen cabin burglaries over the past five years. (AP Photo/Iron County Sheriff)

In this undated photo provided by the Iron County Sheriff's Office in January, a man is seen walking past a cabin in the remote southern Utah wildness near Zion National Park. Authorities believe the man in the photo, captured by a motion-triggered surveillance camera sometime in December, is a suspect responsible for more than two dozen cabin burglaries over the past five years. (AP Photo/Iron County Sheriff)

This undated photo provided by the Iron County Sheriff's Office shows , a remote camp littered with supplies and trash in the southern Utah wildness near Zion National Park. Authorities believe the camp was left behind by a suspect in more than two dozen burglaries of mountain cabins over an area of roughly 1,000 square miles for the past five years. (AP Photo/Iron County Sheriff)

This undated photo provided by the Iron County Sheriff's Office shows confiscated evidence found at a remote camp littered with supplies and trash in the southern Utah wildness near Zion National Park. Authorities believe the material at the camp was left behind by a suspect in more than two dozen burglaries of mountain cabins over an area of roughly 1,000 square miles for the past five years. (AP Photo/Iron County Sheriff)

(AP) ? He's eluded authorities for more than five years, a mountain man who roams the wilderness of southern Utah, breaking into remote cabins in winter, living in luxury off hot food, alcohol and coffee before stealing provisions and vanishing into the woods.

Investigators have clawed for clues, scouring cabins for fingerprints that match no one and chasing reports of brief encounters only to come up short, always a step behind the mysterious recluse.

They've found abandoned camps, dozens of guns, high-end outdoor gear stolen from the homes and trash strewn around the forest floor.

But the man authorities say is armed and dangerous and responsible for more than two dozen burglaries has continued to outrun the law across a swath of mountains not far from Zion National Park. He's roamed across 1,000 square miles of rugged wilderness where snow can pile 10 feet deep in winter.

And while there have been no violent confrontations, detectives say he's a time bomb. Lately he has been leaving the cabins in disarray and riddled with bullets after defacing religious icons, and a recent note left behind in one cabin warned, "Get off my mountain."

"You wouldn't want to come across that guy," said Iron County Det. Jody Edwards, who has been working the case since 2007.

Theories about his identity have ranged from a 42-year-old man on the FBI's Most Wanted List sought for the 2004 killing of an armored-truck guard in Phoenix to a castaway from the nearby compounds of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the polygamous sect run by jailed leader Warren Jeffs.

The FBI recently discounted the theory that the man was their fugitive after authorities got the first pictures of him from a motion-triggered surveillance camera outside a cabin showing a sandy-haired man in camouflage on snowshoes, a rifle slung over his shoulder. The photos were captured sometime in December.

"We believe that is not Jason Derek Brown," FBI special agent Manuel Johnson told The Associated Press.

However, Edwards isn't so quick to rule out the possibility, given the close resemblance to Brown, who was raised Mormon and is a highly educated, well-traveled avid outdoorsman.

So while detectives believe they are getting close, buoyed by the recent photos, the shadowy survivalist remains an enigma. No missing person report appears to fit, and fingerprints lifted from cabins have yielded no match.

Meanwhile, cabin owners are growing more frightened by the day and are left wondering who might be sleeping in their beds this winter.

"He's scaring the daylights out of cabin owners. Now everyone's packing guns," said Jud Hendrickson, a 62-year-old mortgage advisor from nearby St. George who keeps a trailer in the area.

In November 2010, Bruce Stucki, another cabin owner, said a burglar broke into his cabin through a narrow window, pried open a gun case with a crowbar and laid out the weapons but took none. At a nearby cabin, the man reportedly took only the grips from gun handles.

"He could stand in the trees and pop you off and no one would know who killed you," Stucki said.

Some cabins he has left tidy and clean, while others he has practically destroyed, even defecating in one in a pan on the floor.

"He should know he's being followed, but I don't think this guy is normal in any way," said Stucki, who, like many cabin owners, has a lot of his own theories.

"He's anti-religious, waiting for the mothership to come in," Stucki speculated.

Investigators say they have found several of the man's unattended summer camps, what they initially thought were left behind by "doomsday" believers preparing for some sort of apocalypse because of the remote locations and supplies like weapons, radios, batteries, dehydrated food and camping gear.

Edwards said two camps found a few years ago were stocked with 19 guns. One of the camps also had a copy of Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild," a book about a young man who died after wandering into the Alaskan wilderness to live alone off the land.

The cabin burglar has managed to avoid being seen all but twice over the years, each time retreating into the forest.

The coffee and alcohol the survivalist favors plays into some cabin owners' assessment that he could be a castaway from the nearby twin towns of Hildale or Colorado City on the Utah-Arizona border. The so-called lost boys are said to be regularly booted from the polygamous sect there by elders looking to increase their marriage opportunities with young women.

Unlike members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which discourages consumption of alcohol and coffee, many of the Mormon fundamentalists imbibe.

Detectives aren't sharing their latest assessments but "we've got a lot of leads" from the surveillance photos, Edwards said. "I would say we're very close to making a positive ID on him. We just got to catch this guy."

To cabin owners in southern Utah, he remains a spooky and menacing figure.

"We feel like we're being subject to terrorism by this guy," Hendrickson said. "My wife says flat-out she's not going back to our trailer until they catch him."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-02-17-Recluse%20Cabin%20Burglar/id-c547cfbbd7eb42bd96bfeaa204558eea

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Future and The Past of Tablet Computer | Computers and Technology

A wise person when stated, ?He who does not look to the future is doomed to miss it,? or some thing like that.

The news media business has been scrambling over the past decade trying to figure out what to do with this new-fangled factor referred to as the Web. We?re still looking for answers, but darn it, wouldn?t you know that now there?s some thing else fixin? to change the industry.
We are entering the era of tablets ? Apple?s iPad and other computers that are like laptop computers without a keyboard. Commands are registered with finger gestures and typing on a virtual keyboard on a touch-sensitive screen (or often tilting the tablet 1 direction or the other, or by gently shaking the device). They turn on in an instant and can run for eight to 10 hours just before recharges. Brand new?Dell?Inspiron 1440?Battery for dell inspiron 1440 laptop.

Tablets are the next wave, the thing that will take the Internet off your desktop or coffee shop table and put it in your hands no matter where you are.

Tablet computing is growing so quick that it has the Web looking over its shoulder and counting its remaining days of dominance.

I?ll use the iPad as an example despite the fact that there are other tablets making use of other operating systems, including Android and Windows.

IPads run programs referred to as ?apps? (short for ?applications?) that perform certain services. Some are familiar, like web browsers, e-mail programs, games and video and music players. Other apps are special to tablets even though you can obtain the same functionality, or the identical data, utilizing other personal computer platforms. High quality?Dell?Inspiron 8100?Battery for your dell inspiron 8100 laptop.

For example, the Sun Journal has a web site (newbernsj.com), and it also has an app (ENC These days). The Sun Journal does not have a laptop or computer program.

A lot of media businesses that have internet sites also have apps.

For many apps to function, you need to have access to wireless Web, either employing Wi-Fi (such as home wireless personal computer networks, or wireless networks provided at a lot of restaurants, hotels and other businesses), or a 3G data program. No telephone modems, no Ethernet. Just wireless. Replacement?Dell?Inspiron 600m?Battery for dell inspiron 600m laptop.

It?s challenging based on this description to see the difference between a tablet and a laptop, except that laptops can do far more and have keyboards.

But tablets are lighter and simpler to carry around. They have longer battery life. And when you push the button to turn them on, they switch on, fairly a lot instantly. Tablets do what you require, when you require them, just about wherever you need to have them.

Because they are so handy, several people see tablets as the future platform for how you obtain your news and information.

For now, the numbers of users are not there yet for tablets to dominate anything. The devices are too new and too costly. The main users of tablets are fairly educated men with a median age of 50. ?Prices and the median age of users will have to come down, and the percentage of females users will need to improve, prior to tablets will be as much a part of your routine as radios, TVs and print newspapers ? or possibly replace them all.

Source: http://www.technethuancavelica.com/future-and-the-past-of-tablet-computer.htm

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Friday, February 17, 2012

A year after uprising, militias hold sway in Libya

Libyan militias from towns throughout the country's west parade through Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday Feb. 14, 2012. This week, Libya will celebrate the one year anniversary of the start of the popular uprising that led to the ouster and killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi last October. (AP Photo / Abdel Magid Al Fergany)

Libyan militias from towns throughout the country's west parade through Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday Feb. 14, 2012. This week, Libya will celebrate the one year anniversary of the start of the popular uprising that led to the ouster and killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi last October. (AP Photo / Abdel Magid Al Fergany)

FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2012 photo, Libyan militias from towns throughout the country's west parade through Tripoli, Libya. This week, Libya will celebrate the one year anniversary of the start of the popular uprising that led to the ouster and killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi last October. (AP Photo/ Abdel Magid Al Fergany)

(AP) ? One revolutionary militia controls the airport. Others carve up neighborhoods of the Libyan capital into fiefdoms. They clash in the streets, terrifying residents. They hold detainees in makeshift prisons where torture is said to be rampant.

As Libya on Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the start of the uprising against Moammar Gadhafi, hundreds of armed militias are the real power on the ground in the country, and the government that took the longtime strongman's place is largely impotent, unable to rein in fighters, rebuild decimated institutions or stop widespread corruption.

The revolutionary militias contend they are Libya's heroes ? the ones who drove Gadhafi from power and who now keep security in the streets at a time when the police and military are all but nonexistent. They insist they won't give up their weapons to a government that is too weak, too corrupt and, they fear, too willing to let elements of the old dictatorship back into positions of power.

"I am fed up," said the commander of a militia of fighters from the western mountain town of Zintan who control Tripoli's airport. Al-Mukhtar al-Akhdar says Libya's politicians unfairly blame the militias for the country's chaos while doing nothing to bring real change.

They believe "revolutionaries have no place in Libya now," said al-Akhdar, who was once a tour company owner in Zintan until he took up arms against Gadhafi and now sports a military uniform. "We paid a very heavy price in the revolution, not for the sake of a seat or authority, but for the sake of freedoms and rights."

As a result, Libya has been flipped upside down, from a country where all power was in the hands of one man, Gadhafi, to one where it has been broken up into hundreds of different hands, each taking its own decisions. The National Transitional Council, which officially rules the country, is struggling to incorporate the militias into the military and police, while trying to get the economy back on its feet and reshape government ministries, courts and other institutions hollowed out under Gadhafi.

In one sign of the lack of control, Finance Minister Hassan Zaklam admitted that millions of dollars from Gadhafi family assets returned to Libya by European countries ? a potentially key source of revenue ? have flowed right back out of Libya, stolen by corrupt officials and smuggled out in suitcases through the ports.

"The money comes for transit only," Zaklam said in a Feb. 6 interview on Libya state TV. He threatened to resign if the government didn't impose control over ports or stop unfreezing the assets. "I can't be a clown," he said.

Government spokesman Ashur Shamis blamed revolutionaries in charge of ports and middle- and lower-ranking bureaucrats from the old regime who still retain their posts, known among Libyans as the "Green Snakes," after the signature color of Gadhafi's rule.

At the airport, al-Akhdar blamed customs employees and said his fighters are keeping a closer eye on them ? but he insisted stopping smuggling was the police and military's responsibility.

The militias, meanwhile, are accused of acting like vigilantes and armed gangs, fighting over turf and taking the law into their own hands. Many run private prisons, detaining criminals, suspected former regime members or simply people who run afoul of the fighters.

In a report Wednesday, London-based Amnesty International said it found prisoners had been tortured or abused in all but one of 11 militia-run facilities it visited. Detainees told the group they had been beaten for hours with whips, cables and plastic hoses and given electrical shocks.

At least 12 detainees have died since September after torture, it said.

The militias arose during last year's 8-month-long civil war against Gadhafi.

Soon after anti-regime protests first erupted nationwide on Feb. 17, 2011, Libya's second largest city Benghazi and the rest of the eastern half of the country threw off rule from Tripoli. As Gadhafi clamped down in the west, Libyan citizens formed local militias based around a city, town or even neighborhood, taking up arms to fight alongside breakaway army units.

Backed by NATO airstrikes, the militias swept into Tripoli in August, driving out Gadhafi. The militias then were at the forefront of battles for the last regime strongholds, ending with Gadhafi's capture and killing in October at the hands of a militia from Misrata, a city east of Tripoli that endured one of the bloodiest sieges of the civil war.

Since then, militias have carved up neighborhoods in Tripoli and other cities, establishing their hold with checkpoints at the entrances. There are efforts between them to cooperate: If a brigade chases a suspect into another district, it must seek clearance from the local militia, said Jalal al-Gelani, the deputy police chief of the Tripoli neighborhood of Souq al-Jomaa.

But borders often overlap. Disputes break out over personnel or relatives from one militia detained by another. Then the weapons come out and shooting begins. There are usually no casualties, but the battles terrify residents. In January, a gunbattle between Misrata and Zintan revolutionaries erupted in a turf fight over a sports complex. The two sides fired rifles and heavy machine guns, shattering the complex's windows and damaging cars.

The police have been eclipsed. When Tripoli fell, most police fled and shed their uniforms, fearful of revenge attacks. The police chief in Souq al-Jomaa never came back. Now there are about 200 police in the Souq al-Jomaa station, about a tenth of the number of militiamen, said one officer, Mustafa al-Darnawi.

At night, policemen vanish, afraid of attacks. Police stations are guarded by militiamen.

"Without revolutionaries, the police are zeros," said a Souq al-Jomaa resident, 24-year-old Ahmed Hajaji, standing next to the local police station, where a large sign over the entrance read, "No to revenge, yes to forgiveness."

Last week, top militia commanders from the western half of the country gathered in Tripoli to form a united front to coordinate their activities and avoid fights. The front mirrors a separate bloc created in the east.

The fronts also present a political force to pressure the National Transitional Council and the Cabinet it created, headed by Prime Minister Abdel Rahim al-Keib, signaling they will not lay down their arms.

NTC efforts to integrate the revolutionaries have already brought opposition.

A newly formed Defense Ministry "Warriors Committee" has so far registered 200,000 revolutionaries, who are given the option to join the army, police, intelligence or get help returning to society, such as a loan to start up a business or even travel abroad for studies.

But according to the former rebels, the committee has also registered members of Gadhafi's forces alongside the revolutionaries as part of an attempt at reconciliation, angering many in the militias.

"This is out of the question," said Farag al-Swehli, the commander of a Misrata militia operating in Tripoli. "You can't bring two people who fought against each other to sit next to each other ... There is only one way: revolutionaries are the army."

At the same time, the militias appear to be pressing for a political say as well, demanding figures they feel come from the ranks of the revolution be given government posts.

And they are confident the NTC and government has to listen to them.

"We can withdraw our troops in one second ... but who is going to protect Libya," said al-Akhdar in a defiant tone. "If they have a national army or police, let them show us. We haven't seen any so far."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-02-17-ML-Libya-Gangs-of-Tripoli/id-1088f711a57c45c0b9a9ce94d38f57eb

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Sarkozy launches re-election bid with pledge to listen (Reuters)

PARIS (Reuters) ? President Nicolas Sarkozy declared his candidacy for a second term on Wednesday, seeking to overturn a wide opinion poll deficit with promises to get the unemployed back to work and to listen more to French voters by calling referendums on reforms.

The conservative leader ended the wait to officially launch his campaign against Socialist frontrunner Francois Hollande by saying that, like a sea captain in a storm, he could not "abandon my post."

"Yes, I am a candidate for the presidential election," he told TF1 television, pledging a "strong France" which would protect its people from global economic turmoil.

Dozens of polls show Hollande would beat Sarkozy by up to 15 points in the May 6 runoff, but the president's allies hope his formidable campaigning style will allow him to narrow the gap before April 22's first round.

Sarkozy, battling a disapproval rating of 68 percent, aims to cast himself as an experienced leader who can drag France out of an economic slump and overcome the euro zone's turmoil.

Blaming the "unprecedented crisis" for derailing his agenda after he was elected in 2007 on a promise to return France to full employment, Sarkozy said he would press ahead with measures to cut public spending and make the economy more competitive.

"If you want to make me say I haven't achieved everything, that is for sure. I don't know anyone who has," Sarkozy said, in the nearest he came to apologizing for the unfulfilled promises of his five-year term.

Sarkozy seized on figures showing France's economy grew 0.2 percent in the last quarter of 2011 - outperforming neighboring Germany for the first time since early 2009 - as a sign his reforms were starting to work.

But with unemployment claims stuck at a 12-year high and a stream of news about companies closing or relocating production abroad, Sarkozy said he would focus on retraining the jobless to get them back to work - and this would be linked to eligibility for benefits.

"When one receives unemployment benefit, it will be because one is participating in a job training program," he said, adding workers would be obliged to retrain and accept a job in a new industry if there was nothing available in their old one - a move likely to anger France's powerful unions.

"APOLOGY, NOT CANDIDACY"

Having being accused of not listening to popular anger at a rise in the pensionable age and a tax reforms benefitting the wealthy, Sarkozy pledged to consult voters on controversial legislation if re-elected.

"One of my key commitments ... is to give the French people its voice back via the referendum," Sarkozy said, saying he would start with a consultation on his plans for unemployment benefits. "Each time there is a blockage, I will make the French people decide."

Hollande, at a rally in his childhood town of Rouen in the northern Normandy region, joked that nobody in France was surprised by Sarkozy's announcement of his candidacy and accused his adversary of spending the last five years tending to the wealthy at the expense of the needy.

"France will only be strong if it's fair," the 57-year-old said, repeating promises to toughen control of the banking industry, promote economic growth and restore confidence without surrendering to an old left-wing temptation of deficit-spending.

Sarkozy should, Hollande said, heed the message the late Socialist president Francois Mitterand told Valery Giscard D'Estaing in 1981 before unseating him: "Instead of presenting his candidacy he would do better to present an apology."

A Harris Interactive poll of first-round voting intentions, published on Wednesday, showed Hollande and Sarkozy each gaining one point at 28 and 24 percent respectively.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen was seen winning 20 percent and centrist Francois Bayrou 13 percent. In the second round, Hollande would beat Sarkozy 57 percent to 43 percent.

"Sarkozy still has a small chance of winning if he manages to pull the Socialist candidate into his issues of immigration and security, and as long as the debate does not focus on his personality or achievements," Harris Interactive polling chief Jean-Daniel L?vy told Reuters.

(Additional reporting by Brian Love, John Irish, Geert De Clercq and Marine Pennetier; Editing by Paul Taylor and Alison Williams)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120215/wl_nm/us_france_election_sarkozy

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