Monday, December 31, 2012

London Lightning take first in back-to-back games against Windsor Express

The London Lightning won their fifth game in a row Saturday, going into Windsor and throwing a defensive blanket over the Express for an 86-66 win.

The Express get another shot at the Lightning Sunday with a 2 p.m. game at The Gardens.

DeAnthony Bowden led the Lightning with 12 points while Rodney Buford, Marvin Phillips and Elvin Mims had 11 each.

Tim Ellis added 11 rebounds in the game.

It was the second lowest point total for the Lightning this year.

Darren Duncan and Chris Commons had 16 each for the Express.

Source: http://www.lfpress.com/2012/12/29/london-lightning-take-first--in-back-to-back-games-against-windsor-express

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Miguel Documents Racial Tension & Legal Issues On MTV's This Is ...

Miguel is the latest artist to appear on MTV's new show,?This is How I Made It.?

The R&B star, who delivered again this year with?Kaleidoscope Dream,?sat down for this interview to document his rise to prominence since growing up in San Pedro, California. "Where I grew up in San Pedro is where the projects are, at the time there was a lot of racial tension, " says Miguel.

"My father is Mexican and and my mom is black, so I found myself in the middle of this on a few occasions. Kind of having to choose not to be either, but to be myself, those experiences interestingly contributed to my individuality."

Miguel also spoke about his the legal trouble he found himself in once he ditched his independent deal and signed with Mark Pitts. "The rug was pulled underneath me, you know? It's one thing to not have money and just never have it, but to get that money finally and squander it on legal fees is the weakest thing. It's so wack."

Check out the full interview down below including the making of "All I Want Is You."

--

Photo: Yardie

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Source: http://hiphopwired.com/2012/12/29/miguel-documents-racial-tension-legal-issues-on-mtvs-this-is-how-i-made-it-video/

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Resolutions for the Not-So-Perfect Stepparent ? Step Parenting with ...

When I married my husband,? I set out to be the perfect stepparent. I read all the books, went to the conferences, and worked overtime doing everything right for my stepchildren. But I wasn?t a perfect stepparent. I made a lot of mistakes.?Through 17 years of stepparenting, experience has taught me?that I don?t have to be a perfect stepparent to have stepchildren grow to love me.

new yearThis year, instead of making resolutions about being a better stepparent, I decided to ponder a few resolutions on how to move past my imperfections and keep going on days I want to quit as a not-so-perfect stepparent.

So, this year I commit to ?

?1. Let go of the?Stepmom guilt. We all experience it from time to time. We let our mind run away with what we?ve done wrong as a stepparent. Or we compare our stepfamily to our neighbor?s perfectly-blended family and let the criticism begin.?Stepmom guilt comes from the expectation that everything in our home should be perfect. But that?s never going to happen. Instead, why not?let go of unrealistic expectations that keep us bound to guilt when we don?t measure up?

2. Forgive myself when I fail. A defeated stepparent doesn?t parent effectively. When we barrage ourselves with negative self-talk over a poor parenting choice, we continue down a negative path. Forgiving ourselves for less-than-stellar stepparenting moments allows us to begin again with a renewed mind and fresh perspective for our parenting challenges.

3. Seek out support from other stepmoms on hard days. My neighbor is a single parent with two school-aged children. She recognizes her need for help in juggling her responsibilities and seeks out other moms to assist with car pool or after school care when the demands of her work schedule become overwhelming. As stepmoms, it?s helpful to find fellow stepmoms who can offer encouragement or support on hard days. If you haven?t found local stepmoms,?check out the group?on Twitter of? #TwitterStepmoms.

4. Listen to my heart on how to parent my stepchild, instead of others? opinions. It?s easy to run to the phone and ask our best friend what to do when we?re facing a difficult parenting moment, but if we step back and listen to our heart while considering our options, we make better decisions. Considering our stepchild?s personality?as part of the parenting equation allows us to tailor our parenting in a healthier light.

5. Nurture my marriage.?Stepchildren eventually exit the nest. The goal is for the marriage to outlast the stepparenting years.??Good marriages don?t just happen -they require regular nurturing.?I want to continue to?reach beyond an ordinary marriage by being my partner?s biggest fan and most loyal friend.

6. Take time to run, or quilt, or whatever activity works for me to re-group when the stepparenting strain takes over. ?It?s important to re-group and make time for self-care when we?re about to go off the parenting cliff. Balancing stepparenting demands with activities we can look forward and enjoy by ourselves or with others, creates a well-rounded stepparent who can more effectively handle the strains of stepparenting.

As you start a new year, do you have resolutions to consider as a not-so-perfect stepparent? Do you need a mindset do-over that includes room for imperfection and second chances as a stepparent? Perhaps that?s the ticket to success this year on your not-so-perfect stepparenting journey.

Do you have other resolutions to add??Leave me a comment and let me know.

Related Posts:

Making it Your Best Year Yet

Five Practical Tips for Successful Stepparenting

New Beginnings

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Source: http://stepparentingwithgrace.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/resolutions-for-the-not-so-perfect-stepparent/

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Watch Make Money Online *2012* $New$ ? New Business Online ...


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Source: http://www.keysteps.com/blog/watch-make-money-online-2012-new-new-business-online/

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The pace of activity in China's vast manufacturing sector hit its fastest rate i...

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Kate Winslet Receives Trip To Space For Wedding Present

Kate Winslet Receives Trip To Space For Wedding Present

Kate Winslet gets awesome wedding giftKate Winslet tied the knot in a top secret ceremony earlier this week to Ned Rocknroll, receiving a wedding gift that’s truly out of this world! Winslet’s new in-law, Richard Branson, is treating the newlyweds to a Virgin Galactic space trip in 2014. Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire Virgin mogul, presented Kate and Ned two ...

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The cosmetics section of a duty-free shop in Sanya, Hainan province. China's top...

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

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

This article will be perfect for you if you want information about Affiliate marketing and you would like to have it in an easy to understand format. Your marketing efforts can be enhanced using these tips.

Having a blog can be a successful way to route visitors to your website. The key is to ensure that you use timely, relevant, updated content. When readers learn that your blog contains fresh content from one visit to the next, you?ll have more loyal visitors.

Make a plan for how you will market your webpage and the strategies you will use. Free or inexpensive ways to do so include commenting on blogs, hanging posters in local establishments, and making good use of social networking sites. There are a lot different tactics to draw business. Get creative!

TIP! To achieve success in internet marketing, try using words like ?guaranteed? in your advertisements and related content. People also know that companies sometimes don?t live up to their guarantees, so build up a reputation for honoring your promises.

Free Shipping

If you give incentives to your customers, they might order more quickly. Some popular incentives that other marketers offer include free shipping and free wrapping services. You may want to offer free shipping to the first hundred people purchasing a new product. This is a tried and true method for generating sales.

Make useful information available to your readers on the internet to promote your small business. Always make sure that your site?s content is exclusive to your site. Customers that visit your website should be able to learn about your business, so take care to keep your website stocked with up-to-date information.

TIP! Try and make all your banner advertisements look unique. So give your banner ad a more appealing look to entice more people to click it.

Have you considered making a video to showcase some of your products? Upload the video to YouTube and link it to your website. This will have a tremendous effect on the number of users who visit your site regularly.

Use AJAX and Flash only minimally. While the added interactivity might look nice, it does nothing to optimize your site for search engines. Only use Flash sparingly. Be sure to add plenty of navigation links and keywords to the pages the use Flash.

Another option would be combining products into a package deal and selling it for a lower price. That way the customer gets more bang for their buck. Do not disguise any portion of the terms of redeeming such an offer. Customers truly appreciate full disclosure.

TIP! When you do not regularly update or revamp your website, consider keeping things fresh with a company blog. Google and the ranks like new content, if you do not provide it, your site will move down in rankings.

Create a game to attract more site traffic. Customers may look for something to play online, so something simple can attract many people! Try to carefully and subtly incorporate advertising of your products within the game design. For instance, if you sell products for hair, your game could be about hairstyling and feature the things you sell on your site.

Your company needs a tagline and a logo, no matter how small it is online. Branding is accomplished more easily when these items are present. A good slogan or a visually appealing logo can influence a customer to be loyal over the long term. When a potential customer is looking to purchase your product, your slogan may come to mind, and bring you a new sale.

Target Market

TIP! Whatever you do, make your website stand out among the rest. If your website is distinctive, it is likely to draw plenty of traffic away from more indistinguishable sites.

Know the preferences and needs of your target market, so you can design your website in a manner that will draw them to it. After you know your target market, you can easily provide them with content that will attract them to your website repeatedly.

Avoid seeing Affiliate marketing as job replacement, but more as a hobby. If you see great levels of success, you may think about making it more of a career, but start with low expectations.

Make sure you advertise your business on many popular sites. It might cost you a little money and some time, but it?s an investment that will pay off in a huge way. You want to pick a site that has heavy traffic and offers content in your particular niche or area of industry.

TIP! Updating content frequently is one of the best things you can do to capture the attention of the search engines. Old, outdated information is going to give the viewer the impression that you do not care about your company, and therefore your customers.

Take an international approach, and welcome visitors to your site from around the world. To do this, translate your website into several different languages so that it is understandable to a much broader range of people. You will get many more customers from different parts of the globe, and you are likely to see an impressive boost in traffic. If a customer can easily read the information on your site in their own language, chances are higher that they will buy from you.

Identify specific actions you want your readers to take in your emails. Potential actions could be buying a service or product, subscribing to a magazine or visiting a web page. Tracking the actions your customer takes can help you see how successful your email marketing efforts were.

Successful advertising creates an emotional bond between your clientele and your products. Your reader should be prompted to daydream about using your product. Your customer should ?experience? your product when they read about ti.

TIP! Create a FAQ on your site. You can write the questions with the answers already in mind, and use them to advertise your products! Suggest one of your products for a particular issue or problem.

In conclusion, these tips can help you begin with affiliate marketing. It is our sincere hope that you have found this information valuable and will enjoy applying it. Implement the advice given and you?ll be well on your way to reaching a new level of success.

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Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/excellent-insider-info-for-affiliate-marketing-enthusiasts

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Best of 2012: My Favorite Things ? Creating Communication

With our remaining three days of 2012, Creating Communication will reflect on the year in review as it relates to public speaking and presentation. ?First, we will look at my favorite presentation-related things of 2012: book, webinar, Tweets, blog, TED Talk, speech, etc.

My favorite 2012 presentation book goes to the Harvard Business Review/Nancy Duarte partnership: HBR?Guide to Persuasive Presentations. ?My review of the text is forthcoming! ?It combines Duarte?s previous texts,?Slide:ology and?Resonate into a short, neat, HBR-approved book, and it?s a must-read for anyone who presents.

My favorite public speaking/presentation concept was Ethos3?s ?Presenter?s Manifesto.? ?I printed out a beautiful color copy of the inspiring, well-designed guide to the presentation revolution, and I urge you to read it and to join us in 2013. ?My favorite Tweets about public speaking and presentation also came from Ethos3. ?You must follow them here. ?Last, but not least, my favorite public speaking webinar this year was done by Ethos3?s CEO Scott Schwertly and was called ?How To Be An Online Presentation God.? ?Organized by Tony Yang, Director of Marketing at Knoodle, the one-hour webinar was the perfect compliment to everything Ethos3 has been doing this year. ?I love those guys so much, and they?ve really inspired me in 2012 in so many ways.

My favorite Slideshare presentation from 2012 was JesseDee?s updated ?You Suck At PowerPoint.? ?Though the original was great, this updated version took the design to the next level.

My favorite TED Talk of 2012 was definitely LZ Granderson?s ?The Myth of the Gay Agenda.? ?My favorite speech of 2012 was Bill Clinton?s Democratic National Convention address. ?You especially have to check out this article alongside the video of Clinton?s DNC speech.

My favorite website with comprehensive information about public speaking and presentation in 2012 was Andrew Dlugan?s Six Minutes. ?I was lucky enough to write for Six Minutes twice in 2012, and you can check out my articles here. ?While this series is my favorite of all time on Six Minutes, this article was my favorite of 2012 because I love examining charisma and what it means to be a charismatic speaker.

I can?t talk about the best of 2012 without honoring the two best overall public speaking/presentation brands: Nancy Duarte and Garr Reynolds. ?Both blog, Tweet, speak, and write amazing things on 21st century presenting.

Who or what would you add to this list of 2012 favorites? ?Did I miss anything important?

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Source: http://alexrister1.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/best-of-2012-my-favorite-things/

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Ohio whips ULM 45-14 to win Independence Bowl

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) ? The final pass of Tyler Tettleton's dizzying early-game onslaught was beautiful ? a 68-yard touchdown heave to Chase Cochran over two defenders.

Ohio coach Frank Solich couldn't have designed a better beginning to a football game. And the end result ? a dominant 45-14 victory over Louisiana-Monroe in the Independence Bowl on Friday ? wasn't too bad either.

"It was probably as complete of ballgame as we've played in some time," Solich said. "I think our guys played with great intensity and a great deal of heart. We showed we can play a great game against a really good team like Louisiana-Monroe."

Tettleton's early heroics staked the Bobcats (9-4) to an early 14-0 lead and Louisiana-Monroe was never really able to gain its footing. During the two early touchdown drives, Tettleton completed all five of his passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns.

He finished 14 of 22 passing for 331 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

"We knew we were going up against a great front seven, so our game plan was to take some shots down field and let our playmakers make plays," Tettleton said.

They certainly did. Cochran caught three passes for 162 yards while Tyler Futrell had five receptions for 133 yards. With Tettleton softening the Louisiana-Monroe defense early, running back Beau Blankenship provided the power offense to seal the game, rushing for 104 yards and an Independence Bowl record four touchdowns.

Tettleton was especially sharp in the first half, completing 9 of 14 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns as Ohio built a 24-7 lead.

Louisiana-Monroe (8-5) struggled in its first bowl game after 19 seasons in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Kolton Browning completed 21 of 39 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw three first-half interceptions.

Ohio broke several Independence Bowl records, including the 31-point margin of victory and 556 total yards.

Ohio lost four of five games to end the regular season ? including the last three ? but looked crisp in a complete performance against the Warhawks.

Tettleton's 2012 season had been a slight disappointment considering the huge numbers he put up the year before as a sophomore, but his performance against Louisiana-Monroe was a reminder of how good he can be. He averaged more than 23 yards per completion.

Blankenship finished with a school record 1,604 yards rushing yards this season and topped the 100-yard mark for the 10th time. All four of his touchdown runs came from 2 yards out or less.

Louisiana-Monroe came into Friday's game with the better storyline and basically a home-field advantage. The Warhawks were playing in their first bowl game after joining college football's highest level in 1994 and secured a bid in Shreveport, which is only about 100 miles from their campus.

But that emotional lift didn't help ULM's defense, which was torched by Tettleton's deep ball accuracy early and Blankenship's hard running late.

Tettleton needed just three passes to lead Ohio to its first touchdown. He hit Futrell on a 26-yard gain and Cochran on a 51-yard strike before finding Donte Foster for the 3-yard score.

A few minutes later, Tettleton hit Cochran perfectly in stride for the 68-yarder that gave the Bobcats a 14-0 lead.

Louisiana-Monroe briefly showed some life early in the second quarter when Browning's 14-yard touchdown pass to Tavarese Maye cut the margin to 14-7.

But Ohio came right back, using Matt Weller's 38-yard field goal and Blankenship's 2-yard touchdown run to push ahead 24-7 with 4:50 left in the second quarter. Blankenship's touchdown run was set up by Browning's third interception of the first half.

Louisiana-Monroe had a chance to cut into the deficit just before halftime, but coach Todd Berry's gamble to go for a touchdown instead of a short field goal backfired when Browning's final pass of the half sailed harmlessly out the back of the end zone.

Berry's gamble wasn't a surprise ? the Warhawks had gained a reputation for unorthodox play-calling during their record-setting season. But nothing seemed to work against the Bobcats, and the large ULM fan contingent had mostly disappeared from the stands by the end of the third quarter.

It was a disappointing ending for the Warhawks, who started the season with a stunning overtime victory over Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., and still finished with the best season in school history since moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision.

"This will get us back to work," Berry said. "I would have liked it to have been a little cleaner. But I also recognize the opportunities for this football team next year. This will add fuel to the fire. We will have a great offseason because of what happened today and that's what we're going to use. This group will rally."

_____

Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-whips-ulm-45-14-win-independence-bowl-222056493--spt.html

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New Washington state minimum wage takes effect Jan. 1

Washington's minimum wage increases 15 cents to $9.19 an hour beginning Jan. 1.

Washington's minimum wage applies to workers in all industries, including agriculture, although 14- and 15-year-olds may be paid 85 percent of the adult minimum wage, or $7.81 an hour.

The Department of Labor & Industries adjusts the state's minimum wage each year in September as required by Initiative 688, which Washington state voters approved in 1998. The initiative requires the state to adjust the minimum wage according to the change in the federal "CPI-W," which is a national index covering the cost of goods and services needed for day-to-day living. That index rose 1.67 percent during the 12 months ending Aug. 31, 2012.

L&I provides an announcement of the 2013 minimum wage to print out and use as needed. The announcement is not required by L&I or Washington law. It is provided as a convenience.

Employers are still required to post the "Your Rights as a Worker" poster, which provides general information about the minimum wage and other topics.

Free workplace posters are available from any L&I office or by calling 1?866-219-7321 or downloading from the L&I website at www.posters.Lni.wa.gov.

?

Source: http://feeds.soundpublishing.com/~r/cmvnews/~3/GBGeMRjpIVI/185189212.html

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Ford Fusion Energi Plug-In Hybrid Rated Up to 108 MPGe City ...

13FusionEnergi_570The 2013 Ford Fusion ? recently voted Green Car of the Year ? just got greener as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certified the new Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid at up to 108 MPGe, making it America?s most fuel-efficient sedan.

Fusion Energi is the Ford brand?s fifth electrified vehicle to launch in the past year and is expected to accelerate the company?s record hybrid sales pace, including its highest monthly hybrid sales month ever in November. Ford is seeing demand for fuel economy across its lineup as the brand ranks No. 1 in fuel economy customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and now beats Toyota for leading efficiency in every segment where both compete.

The EPA also certified Fusion Energi to deliver up to 92 MPGe highway and a combined 100 MPGe ? figures that could potentially help save customers an estimated $6,850 in fuel costs compared with an average new car over the course of five years.

?The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid is the exclamation point for Ford?s transformed lineup of fuel-efficiency leaders that now beats Toyota across the board,? said Raj Nair, group vice president, Global Product Development.

Adding to Fusion Energi?s value ? and the myriad ways it beats Toyota Prius plug-in ? are its innovative technologies that are designed to help win over both novice and pro hybrid owners.

SmartGauge??with EcoGuide, for example, provides in-vehicle customizable displays, including instantaneous fuel economy readings and coaching functions to help drivers understand and optimize their fuel efficiency.

SYNC??with MyFord Touch??offers multiple ways ? including voice commands ? for customers to manage and control their phone, available navigation, entertainment and climate functions. Plug-in hybrids and all-electric models have additional options for monitoring information like battery state of charge.

EV+ combines the built-in GPS of Ford SYNC with proprietary software algorithms developed by Ford engineers to learn frequent destinations. As a result, vehicles give drivers more drive time in electric-only mode.

Such technologies have helped get sales for Ford?s electrified vehicle lineup up and running. With more than 19,000 hybrid vehicle sales projected, the automaker expects total fourth-quarter hybrid sales to set an all-time record for a three-month period, with more than half of hybrid sales this year expected to come in the fourth quarter.

In fact, C-MAX became the fastest-selling hybrid ever at launch after 8,030 units were sold in October and November, the first two months C-MAX was on the market. The pace beat Toyota Camry Hybrid?s 7,300 sales in its first two full months of availability in May and June 2006.

?The response to C-MAX really shows the amount of pent-up demand from a specific market for C-segment hybrids,? says C.J. O?Donnell, marketing manager, Ford Electrified Vehicles. ?Fusion Energi has a different audience in the midsize sedan market, but delivers many of the characteristics and technologies that make C-MAX Energi so great, which is why we?re anticipating a similar positive response.?

C-MAX is geared toward those most concerned with fuel economy, but designed so that owners aren?t forced to sacrifice comfort and convenience.

Fusion is designed with the driver?s sense of style in mind, delivering a midsize sedan that offers functional design elements that enhance its sleek exterior and promote fuel economy.

With Fusion Energi and Fusion Hybrid, the all-new Fusion lineup brings the widest range of powertrain options to the U.S. midsize segment. Fusion also is available in gas-powered versions with a choice between a pair of fuel-efficient EcoBoost??engines and a normally aspirated four-cylinder engine.

The addition of Fusion Energi gives customers yet another Ford option when shopping for an electrified vehicle ? already available are Focus Electric, Fusion Hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi.

Three of the vehicles ? Focus Electric, C-MAX Energi and now Fusion Energi ? have received EPA ratings of 100 MPGe or more. Focus Electric delivers EPA-estimated ratings of 110 MPGe city, 99 MPGe highway and 105 MPGe combined, making it America?s most fuel-efficient five-passenger car. C-MAX Energi has an EPA-estimated rating of 108 MPGe city, 92 MPGe highway and 100 MPGe combined.

Focus Electric went on sale in late 2011, followed by C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi ? the two vehicles that make up Ford?s first hybrid-only line in North America ? this past autumn.

Fusing technologies

Many of the innovative technologies of Fusion Energi are shared across Ford?s electrified vehicle lineup and draw from the automaker?s portfolio of about 500 patents related specifically to hybrid technology:

  • MyFord??Mobile:?Enables access via smartphone or Web-based interface to perform key tasks, such as monitoring a vehicle?s state of charge and current range or locating charge stations and planning routes to find them
  • Eco cruise:?Saves vehicle energy by relaxing acceleration compared to standard cruise control
  • EV mode button:?Conveniently mounted on the console to the right of the shifter ? allows a driver to switch vehicle operation between three modes: all-electric, normal hybrid operation and conserve battery power for later use
  • Regenerative braking?is capable of capturing and reusing more than 90 percent of the braking energy normally lost during the braking process
  • Hybrid transmission,?designed by Ford engineers in-house, is capable of operating at high speeds and in a smooth, fuel-efficient manner at the same time
  • Advanced lithium-ion batteries?used in Ford?s electrified vehicle lineup ? covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile component limited warranty ? are smaller and lighter than nickel-metal-hybrid batteries used in previous-generation hybrids
  • Charge port with LED light ring,?conveniently located on the driver?s side and near the front of the car, it features a light ring that illuminates to indicate charge status

Via Ford Media

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Year End Tax Countdown ? Narrow Bridge Finance

There is a reason non-profits press hard for donations during the holiday season, and it is not just counting on your generosity. The end of the year is your last opportunity to plan for tax deductions and expenses for your next tax filing.

Business Expenses

It is time to dig up those receipts and look at investment opportunities for your business. Any money that you spent on your business throughout the year should be clearly recorded and tracked for tax deductions. In most cases, every dollar you spend on your business offsets your income. You pay taxes on your profit, not your revenue, so expenses directly lower your tax liability.

If you are looking to buy anything new for your business, the end of the year is a great time. Not only are most products on sale, you can also write them off in your current year taxes. Printers, computers, computer accessories, and equipment used by your business are the most common capital investments for small businesses.

Charitable Donations

This post is not just for business owners. Anyone can save on their taxes by donating money or goods to charity. As long as you are itemizing your taxes, you can deduct the amount of any donation from your total income to lower your tax liability.

If you give money, make sure it is to a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit and keep your receipt. If you give goods, make sure to give to a qualified non-profit and keep your estimated value receipt. Places like Goodwill and ARC thrift stores are great for donations.

Retirement Account Contribution

If you have a self-directed IRA or small business SEP account, any contributions you make are pre-tax. If you contribute, it will lower your overall tax liability. If you have enough in your savings, you could even direct your employer to put 100% of your final paychecks into a 401(k) (up to a certain annual contribution limit), which makes that income tax free.

If you own a business and do not have any employees, you can setup an SEP, or simplified employee pension. This works like a 401(k) for small business owners. All you need to do to open an SEP is to submit a form 5305-SEP at your bank. Make sure to discuss this with a tax professional before proceeding.

Education Expenses

When I first wrote this post, I was still in the midst of graduate school. With three days left in the year, I made my way to the campus bookstore to buy my books early for the next term. Direct education expenses, such as books and tuition, can be deducted from your income for taxes.

If you are taking any classes, pay by the end of the year if you want it to count in the current tax year. I paid tuition on December 31st to ensure the tax treatment worked to my advantage.

How Do You Lower Your Taxes?

Do you make any steps to lower your taxes at the end of the year? Do you think it is silly and just wish everyone would pay their part? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Originally posted December 29, 2008. Updated December 26, 2012. Image by Phil Taylor from PT Money / flickr.

Eric is the founder and editor of Narrow Bridge Finance. He is a financial analyst with an MBA and undergraduate degree in finance.Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Source: http://www.narrowbridge.net/year-end-tax-deductions/

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Ever Play "skip a rope"? You could with this power line.

Ever Play "skip a rope"? You could with this power line.

When we inspect homes for our client's we are diligent about the safety of the buyers or sellers.

Even if the seller has an issue with safety. And they are present at the inspection, I will tell them about the safety issue so they can get the concern resolved as soon as possible.

On a recent Home inspection in Carlsbad, New Mexico. I found this power line in the back yard that was so low, I could actually reach up and touch the power line. It was about eight foot from the ground.

Way, way too low to be safe. Not only ?for the residents of the home but for any children that may visit the home.

At Desert Sun Home Inspections in Carlsbad, New Mexico. We strive for the best inspection we can provide. And safety is paramount when inspecting.

Lets take a look at this power line that is way too low.

Power line too low.

It was simply amazing the power company would even allow this home to have such a low power line. Even the power company has limits on how low the power line can be.

Low power line.

There is no Sixteen foot rules here. And there are no Five foot rules in play either.

I hope the seller will have the issue resolved before the home goes to closing.

Have a great day every one, and have a wonderful New Years Celebration.

Remember everything in moderation.

?

?

Clint? McKie

Owner of Desert Sun Home Inspections Carlsbad, New mexico. Serving all of South East New Mexico

When it comes to Quality home inspections. Simply put, we are the best.

1-575-706-5586?? www.carlsbad-home-inspector.com?Call me for the latest specials.

?Zillow? Google?? Facebook?? manta? ?Trulia? ?Yahoo

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Source: http://activerain.com/blogsview/3566056/ever-play-skip-a-rope-you-could-with-this-power-line-

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The Post-Breakup Social Media Survival Guide

Who can resist the urge to look at their?ex?s?Facebook page? Admit it. It calls your name and whispers, ?Check me out!? No harm, right?

An astute researcher in England begs to differ.?A recent study?concluded that the more time you spend on your ex?s Facebook page, the more psychological?distress?you experience, the greater your desire for your ex and the more difficulty you have?moving on.

Admit it. You are not really surprised. That?s because most of us realize that the?toxic connections?we have with our exes are stoked by talking about, thinking about and looking at stuff about them. While lurking on their Facebook page may not morph itself into stalking, it?s just not healthy.?Read more?

Source: http://www.thefrisky.com/2012-12-27/the-post-breakup-social-media-survival-guide/

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Video released of NYC suspect in fatal subway push

NEW YORK (AP) ? A surveillance video of the woman suspected of pushing a man to his death in front of an oncoming subway train was released Friday by the New York Police Department.

It shows the woman running from the elevated platform in the Queens section of New York City Thursday night.

Witnesses told police she had been following the man closely and mumbling to herself. She got up from a nearby bench and shoved him as the train pulled into the platform.

It did not appear the man noticed her before he was shoved onto the tracks, police said, adding that the condition of the man's body was making it difficult to identify him.

The woman fled, and police were searching for her. She was described as Hispanic, in her 20s, heavyset and about 5-foot-5, wearing a blue, white and gray ski jacket and Nike sneakers with gray on top and red on the bottom.

It was unclear if the man and the woman knew each other or if anyone tried to help the man up before he was struck by the train and killed at the station on Queens Boulevard in the Sunnyside neighborhood.

It was the second time this month someone has been shoved to their death on subway tracks.

On Dec. 3, 58-year-old Ki-Suck Han was pushed in front of a train in Times Square. A photograph of him on the tracks a split second before he was killed was published on the front of the New York Post the next day, causing an uproar and debate over whether the photographer, who had been waiting for a train, should have tried to help him and whether the newspaper should have run the image. Apparently no one else tried to help up Han, either.

A homeless man, 30-year-old Naeem Davis, was charged with murder in Han's death and was ordered held without bail. He has pleaded not guilty and has said that Han was the aggressor and had attacked him first. The two men hadn't met before.

Being pushed onto the train tracks is a silent fear for many of the commuters who ride the city's subway a total of more than 5.2 million times on an average weekday, but deaths are rare. Among the more high-profile cases was the January 1999 death of aspiring screenwriter Kendra Webdale, who was shoved by a former mental patient. After that, the state Legislature passed Kendra's Law, which lets mental health authorities supervise patients who live outside institutions to make sure they are taking their medications and aren't threats to safety.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-28-Subway-Push%20Death/id-a10f115121514e5ea2e40e8dbdcc505d

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Energy independence for fossil fuels? There's no such thing.

In a world energy market, where companies seek the highest profits, far-away events affect domestic prices.?

By Kurt Cobb,?Guest blogger / December 27, 2012

Malta-flagged Iranian crude oil supertanker 'Delvar' is seen anchored off the coast of Singapore in this March file photo. Western sanctions have depressed Iranian oil sales and prices.

Tim Chong/Reuters/File

Enlarge

Anyone who tells you that energy independence can be achieved based on globally traded commodities such as oil, coal and natural gas is either trying to mislead you or doesn't understand the structure of energy markets. As of 2011 fossil fuels produced 83 percent of the world's energy according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Because fossil fuels can be transported anywhere in the world, producers seek out the highest price unless they are constrained by law or infrastructure from doing so.

Skip to next paragraph Resource Insights

Kurt Cobb?is the author of the peak-oil-themed thriller, 'Prelude,' and a columnist for the Paris-based science news site Scitizen.?He is a founding member of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas?USA, and he serves on the board of the Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions. For more of his Resource Insights posts, click?here.

Recent posts

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This means that energy independence for a country is something of an optical illusion when it is based merely on the domestic production of fossil fuels. Here's why:

  1. Events far away such as wars; embargoes; strikes; and mine, oilfield and refinery disasters affect the level of domestic prices for fossil fuels in all countries where these fuels are freely exportable regardless of whether that country produces enough for its own consumption. In such countries consumers of these fuels including domestic industry and transportation, commercial establishments, households and government agencies are all subjected to fluctuating world prices that can be unrelated to anything happening in the host country even if the country extracts enough fossil fuel from its own soil to meet domestic demand.

A Brief History of China's Music Industry ? Part 1: Introduction ...

The music industry of China is an unknown continent from a Western music business research perspective. Therefore it is very meritorious that John Fangjun Li, a lecturer and PhD candidate (2008-2012) at Macquarie University, provides one of the first overviews of the history of China?s music industry for an international readership. In a series of four blog contributions he highlights the development of the recorded music industry in more than 100 years from the final period of Imperial China? to the current Peoples Republic of China. He gives an overview of the impact of Western major recorded music companies in the first half of the 20th century and of the emergence of serveral state operated but also privately owned Chinese companies after the Great Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and other large cities. He also highlights the current digital music business in China that has been dominating the recorded music industry since the the mid 2000s.

In the introductory chapter, John Fangjun Li defines the research field and outlines his concept of ?music industry? in China, in which covergence of technology, politics and cultural expression plays a crucial role.

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Guest post by John Fangjun Li

Due to rapid economic growth in China in recent decades (Xu, 2006:103; Morrison, 2006; Lardy, 2007), China?s music industry has also become more and more important. Although some issues such as copyright infringement, excessive political influence and governmental control (Montgomery, 2007; Chandler, 2006; Chen, 2003) negatively affected China?s music industry, the sector in general has made enormous progress due to industrial convergence particularly the convergence between information technology sectors such as telecommunication and the computing business. Moreover, the overall environment of the music industry in China has dramatically changed than ever before. As a result more international music companies have entered China?s music market since 2000.

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This series of blog contributions is based on my PhD thesis ?China?s Music Industry: Evolution, Development and Convergence? (2008-2012) at Macquarie University, Sydney. The main purpose of this series is to reveal the changing characteristics and status of China?s music industry during different periods. This series specifically focuses on the evolution the recorded music industry (physical and digital).

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The series consists of 4 parts. In the first part, the scope, major characteristics and the significance of the industry is highlighted as well as a brief introduction of the history of China?s music industry is given. The second part discusses the origin and development of China?s recorded music industry from the early 20th century to the late 1940s. Part three examines the development of the recorded music industry from the 1950s to the early 21st century and in the final part the current development of the digitalized music industry in China is highlighted.

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China?s music economy has a long tradition. It can be traced back 4,800 years ago, when Ancient Music Dance was an integral part of the culture of the Zhuxiang Clan period according to Qin (2002). The period from ca. 4,800 years ago to the Xia Dynasty (2,183-1,752, B.C.) is called ?the early ancient period? in the history of China?s music culture (ibid). During this period, music was integral part of dance and poetry. Ancient music and dance was regarded as major music activities, in which bone flutes and panpipes were used as main musical instruments (Jin, 1994).

?

A main characteristic of China?s music industry is the convergence of politics, media and information technologies. In this respect the development of China?s music industry is different from the Western music industry, especially in the U.S. and in Europe. The convergence of the music sector with cultural politics played an essential role in the Great Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when music was politically and ideologically instrumentalised but also after 1989, when e.g. Cuijian?s Rock music was banned from Chinese radio and television.

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To further understand the history of China?s music industry, it is essential to define the key term ?music industry?. It is worthwhile to address two representative definitions by Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) (1998) and Wikstr?m (2009) for a better understanding of the music industry. The creative industries are defined by a set of related subsectors which ?have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property? (DCMS, 2002: 12). Wikstr?m (2009: 49) defines the music industry as those companies developing musical content and personalities which can be communicated across multiple media.

?

In this blog contribution, the definition of the music industry involves a broad range of activities such as music performances, recorded music (physical and digital), music publishing, musical instrument making and sales, music media (such as radio, television, film, online, mobile); and it involves both for-profit and the not-for profit music organizations. This definition will be used throughout all parts of the blog contributions.

?

It is also essential to define the geographical limits of China?s music industry: My blog contributions only consider mainland China rather than Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. In addition, China?s music economy does not only include commercial (for-profit) music sectors such as recorded music but also non-commercial (not-for-profit) music activities by governmental and state bodies, for instance during the Great Cultural Revolution period (1966-1976), when music served Chairman Mao?s cultural policy. Therefore, the history of China?s (recorded) music industry can be split into three major periods: (1) early 1900s to late 1940s, (2) early 1950s to the early 2000s and (3) the current digitalized music industry.

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References:

Chandler, C. (2006). International Intellectual Property Violations in the Music Industry (Concentration on China). Retrieved July 20, 2010 from http://www.musiclawinfo.com/images/China_copyright.pdf.

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Chen, C. (2003). The Impact of Law Disputes of MP3 to the Copyright of Digital Music: A Perspective of Economics Analysis of Law. The Journal of Jiangnan University-Humanities (Society Science Version), (4).

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Department of Culture, Media and Sport. (1998). Mapping the Creative Industries. Retrieved June 10, 2012 from: http://www.culture.gov.uk/creative/creative_industries.html.

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Jin, W. (1997). The Introduction of the History of China?s Music. Beijing: The People?s Music Publishing House.

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Lardy, N. R. (2007). China: Rebalancing Economic Growth. From The China Balance Sheet in 2007 and Beyond. Published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2007. Retrieved on May 11, 2012 from: http://www.chinabalancesheet.org/Events.html.

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Montgomery, L. (2010). China?s Creative Industries: Copyright, Social Network Market and the Business of Culture in a Digital Age. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.

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Morrison, W. M. (2006). China?s Economic Conditions. Retrieved on October 10, 2011 from: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/IB98014.pdf.

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Qin, X. (2002). The History of Chinese Music. Beijing, China: The Literature and Art Publishing House.

Wikstr?m, P. (2009). The Music Industry: Digital Media and Society Series. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press

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Part 2: The Recorded Music Industry in China from the Early 1900s to the Late 1940s

?

John Fangjun Li is adjunct lecturer and PhD candidate (2008-2012) at Macquarie University, Sydney, Coordinator of the Australian-Chinese Music Industry Research Network, a member of IASPM (Aus-NZ). Previously he worked in Southern Cross University Australia (assistant researcher), Beijing Institute of Contemporary Music (head of the college of arts management), China Conservatory Music (associate professor), and Shanghai Synergy Cultural & Entertainment Group (music producer and marketing manager). He also obtained masters in arts management in Australia, masters in ethnomusicology, and a bachelor in music education in China. His main research interest areas are music industry, arts management, and creative industries. He published more than ten papers in international core journals and participated in some main international conferences in these areas. John Fangjun Li?s email: lifangjun17@gmail.com

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Source: http://musicbusinessresearch.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/a-brief-history-of-chinas-music-industry-part-1-introduction/

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New immigration battle: Driver's licenses | 89.3 KPCC

David McNew/Getty Images

Cheering Latinos hold a sign thanking California Governor Gray Davis for signing the controversial SB 60 into law, allowing undocumented immigrants to get a California driver's license September 5, 2003 in Los Angeles, California.

In a sign of growing opposition to President Obama's immigration policy, Iowa has become the latest state to deny driver's licenses to young illegal immigrants who receive deferments from deportation.

Iowa joins Michigan, Nebraska and Arizona in denying licenses or non-operator identification cards because, officials say, Obama's deferred action program doesn't grant legal status in the United States. Officials in each state cite laws restricting the licenses to foreigners who reside here legally.

The program, which began in August, offers a renewable two-year reprieve for qualified young people who were brought to the United States as children. Recipients also gain permission to work here legally. So far, more than 355,000 applicants have been accepted and nearly 103,000 have been approved, according to the latest government figures.

Iowa's Department of Transportation Director Paul Trombino III said in a statement:

"The Iowa DOT understands the exercising of this prosecutorial discretion by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not grant lawful status or a lawful immigration path to persons granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. Rather, it is prosecutorial discretion extended in a blanket fashion to persons who are not lawfully authorized to be present in the United States."

Republicans have criticized the program as backdoor amnesty designed to boost Latino support for Obama. The four states denying licenses are led by Republican governors. One of them, Nebraska's Dave Heineman, has pledged to deny not only licenses, but welfare benefits and other services to illegal immigrants, unless required by state law.

Washington and New Mexico are among states that issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, although New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who is a Republican, wants her state's enabling law repealed. Illinois could be next to issue licenses after the state Senate recently approved a bill.

At issue is whether the federal program's authorization to stay and work here legally also confers temporary legalized status.

Iowa officials cite the memorandum issued by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano that outlines the new policy: "This memorandum confers no substantive right, immigration status or pathway to citizenship."

Immigrant advocates say people in deferred action status qualify for licenses under the 2005 Real ID Act, which they have used to file lawsuits to overturn the bans in Arizona and Michigan.

The Real ID law, an anti-terrorism measure aimed at creating a national driver's license system, lists people in deferred action status among the authorized noncitizens who are eligible to obtain a temporary license.

Immigrant advocates also say the states are encroaching on the federal government's authority to set immigration policy, a separation reinforced by the Supreme Court ruling this year that severely weakened Arizona's immigration enforcement law.

"Deferred action has existed for decades and decades. It is a form of lawful presence, just like other forms of administrative relief under our immigration laws," says Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which is one of the groups suing in Arizona.

"There's really no legal or constitutional support for what these states are doing," says Saenz. "Suggesting that they are not here lawfully is a rhetorical political move that a number of these states are engaging in."

Source: http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/12/28/35442/new-immigration-battle-drivers-licenses/

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Video: Consumer Shopping Habits Changing

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50303162/

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Friday, December 28, 2012

Social Security can be fixed;?many skeptical it will be

By Allison Linn, TODAY

A Life Inc. post this week on ways to fix Social Security?s longer term funding issues prompted an intense debate over whether the system can be fixed, how to do it ? and when.

Social Security could start to face funding shortfalls in about two decades if nothing is done. Experts say now would be a good time to think about how to fix the potential shortfalls, because it would give lawmakers years to ease in the changes gradually.

Many also note that there are some relatively simple, if not very popular, ways to amend the current system. They include raising taxes on some or all Americans, reducing benefits and extending the age at which people can start collecting benefits.

Many readers agreed that now is the time for action.

?Fixing it before it goes broke is easier and less painful than waiting. Get it done. Now,? one reader urged.

But others ? perhaps watching how little progress politicians have made on the fiscal cliff negotiations - were more skeptical about whether the current roster of lawmakers would take any meaningful action.

?Our collective first mistake is to trust politicians,? one reader lamented.

Readers also were starkly divided on whether Social Security benefits will be available to them when they retire,

?I'm paying all of this money into SS that will likely not be paying back what I put in. I'm tired of supporting everyone when I need to (save),? one reader wrote.

Others noted that?confidence about receiving benefits is probably?tied to age.

?This is an age sensitive question. I'm 59, so I suspect my answer is quite different than my youngest child's would be at 27,? another wrote.

Still, some also pointed out that people have been worrying about Social Security for decades, and yet it?s still around.

?I'm 72 and all of my life it's been said Social Security was going to run out of money. Yet 2 years ago I began withdrawing my deposits,? one reader wrote.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/12/28/16213785-social-security-can-be-fixed-but-many-skeptical-that-it-will-be?lite

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The Year in Lexington Food, Drink, and Restaurant - Ace Weekly

Although HuffPo insists that food trucks are over and offers 12 reasons why they?ve jumped the shark (?Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A and Rachael Ray?s dog food line all have food trucks?), the battle for street eats was still one of Lexington?s biggest food stories in 2012. And it rages on, with two food trucks shut down in early December for permitting issues.

It was a boom year for food, liquor, and restaurant news in Lexington, Kentucky in 2012. Food truck wars. A new stop on the bourbon trail. Donuts returned to Limestone. The food trucks are not yet free in the Free the Food Trucks movement. And dozens of new establishments opened with hopes of clawing their way to the top, or even the middle, of Lexington?s thriving dining corridors.

Pop Ups are another trend Lexington has been a little slow to adopt, but one we can get behind, and the Korean Pancake pop up at Institute 193 served up some of the tastiest fare in Lexington this year. For five bucks. Please, may we have some more?

2012 kicked off with a bang when Lexington?s Stella Parks was named a Best New Pastry Chef by Food and Wine Magazine. They selected her blood orange panna cotta with a toasted Champagne marshmallow as a standout (we?ve long been in love with her macarons, and you can read the Ace 2011 ?This Year?s Models? profile of her here.)

Spring brought the fifth annual Bluegrass Food Summit, with a focus on the role of local government in leading the shift toward the localization of food in Kentucky. ?A shift toward local food means more than encouraging everyone to buy food that was grown within some prescribed distance. It is a broader, deeper change?? Kakie Urch profiled Lexington?s Watershed Farm initiative at the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program as a model program.

The Kentucky Coming to Ground documentary also made it to the screen. ?Coming to Ground? documents the way that the tobacco bill, in a decade, has turned the state?s tobacco crop into the thriving ?Kentucky Proud,? sustainable, farm-to-table, forage forward agricultural diversity we see at the state?s farmers markets, in the cities? best restaurants and even in the dining halls of the University of Kentucky dorms. And it shows Kentucky serving as a policy model, a leader.?

Dozens of new restaurants, bars, and food businesses opened in Lexington in 2012. Henry Clay Public House opened on North Upper. (You?ll find their live music listings weekly in Ace?s online calendar.) The Village Idiot gastropub opened at 307 W. Short after a brief fire-related delay. Shakespeare and Company, the Dubai-based restaurant with the opulent decor and Cheesecake-Factory-sized menu opened around the corner at 367 West Short. Rosetta opened in the space at the old Mia?s at the corner of Limestone and Short. The resurgence attracted the attention of the Washington Post in a travel article about Lexington?s Public Square. Table 310 added weekend brunches and Ace?s Patrick O?Dowd gave it a Big Wet Kiss

Over in Chevy Chase, Stuarto?s Olive Oil opened a second location. Cole?s on Main opened at the corner of Ashland and Main with an ambitious menu and a lot of potential. And the folks who brought you the ever-popular Grey Goose on Jefferson opened a new craft cocktail bar across the street, The Blue Heron (in the former Ace office), expanding Jefferson?s ever-growing drinks and dining corridor. Just down the street, Stella?s added dinner service, and Nick Ryan?s expanded.

Trader Joe?s, at long last, opened on Nicholasville Road and had everybody California Dreamin.

Ace hosted a pop-up gallery with Rideout Photo at West Sixth in September.

Craft brewing and beer pubs took off in a giant way in Lexington in 2012 with the opening of West Sixth Brewing in The Bread Box, in the old Rainbo Bread Factory. Joining the scene this year were Country Boy Brewing at 436 Chair Avenue and Lexington Beerworks at 213 N. Limestone.

In other Spirits news, wine and liquor sales might soon arrive at Kentucky groceries (soon being a relative legislative and judicial term); Kentucky Ale released the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout; Woodford Reserve celebrated their 200th anniversary; Town Branch Distillery opened in Lexington and was added to Kentucky?s Bourbon Trail. Kentucky Bourbon Trail also added a new sibling to the family in 2012, the Kentucky Bourbon Craft Trail. (And did you know you can also get Kentucky Proud rum these days ? distilled right here in Lexington?)

Bourbon isn?t the only trail blazing in Kentucky these days. We also have a doughnut trail (as documented here through 24 years of exhaustive research), and more recently, in the New York Times.

And so it ends as it begins for a very good year for food ? the perfect circle that only a perfect doughnut can actually symbolize.

Krispy Kreme celebrated its 75th anniversary this year, and N. Limestone celebrated a return to its rightful reputation as a bastion of Lexington doughnut goodness when North Lime Coffee and Donuts opened on N. Limestone, across the street from the former home of Lexington?s original Spalding?s.

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Source: http://www.aceweekly.com/2012/12/the-year-in-lexington-food-drink-and-restaurant-news-ace-2012-year-in-review/

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Estate Planning: Not Just For the Rich - The Wiewel Law Firm

If you are like many other American families, the current upheaval in Washington regarding the fiscal cliff (and the estate and gift taxes) doesn?t particularly interest you. However, while the discussions in Washington generally only affect the extremely wealthy, don?t be fooled. You still need an estate plan for yourself and your loved ones.

No matter your net worth, it?s important to have, at the bare minimum, a basic estate plan. Such a plan ensures that your family and financial goals are met after you die and may include components such as a Will, a Durable Power of Attorney, a Living Will or Medical Power of Attorney, and possibly even a Trust.

So, now that you know you need some sort of estate planning, you may be wondering where to begin. A good place to start is taking inventory of your assets. Your assets include your investments, retirement savings, insurance policies, and real estate or business interests.

Then ask yourself three questions:? Whom do you want to inherit your assets? Whom do you want handling your financial affairs if you?re ever incapacitated? Whom do you want making medical decisions for you if you become unable to make them for yourself?

Now, be sure to consult with your estate planning attorney to ensure your estate plan is properly drafted and executed. Preparing your own estate plan is not a safe DIY project, especially when the protection of all that you have and everyone you love is at stake.?


Source: http://blog.texastrustlaw.com/2012/12/estate-planning-not-just-for-the-rich.html

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Cliff looms: Kicking the Can, Washington-style

WASHINGTON (AP) ? When it comes to the nation's budget challenges, congressional leaders are fond of saying dismissively they don't want to kick the can down the road.

But now, a deadline hard ahead, even derided half-measures are uncertain as President Barack Obama and lawmakers struggle to avert across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts that comprise an economy-threatening fiscal cliff.

Congressional officials said Wednesday they knew of no significant strides toward a compromise over a long Christmas weekend, and no negotiations have been set.

After conferring on a conference call, House Republican leaders said they remain ready for talks, urged the Senate to consider a House-passed bill that extends all existing tax cuts, but gave no hint they intend to call lawmakers back into session unless the Senate first passes legislation.

"The lines of communication remain open, and we will continue to work with our colleagues to avert the largest tax hike in American history, and to address the underlying problem, which is spending," the leadership said in a statement.

A short while later Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. countered that the House leadership should allow action on a Senate-passed bill that lets income tax rates rise only on incomes above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. The measure could "pass tomorrow" if put to a vote, he said.

The Senate is due in session Thursday, although the immediate agenda includes legislation setting the rules for government surveillance of suspected spies and terrorists abroad, including Americans, as well as a measure providing $60 billion for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Obama decided to cut short his Hawaii vacation for an overnight flight expected to get him back to the White House on Thursday.

Apart from the cliff, other financial challenges loom for divided government, where political brinkmanship has become the norm. The Treasury disclosed during the day it would take accounting measures to avoid reaching the government's borrowing limit of $16.4 trillion by year's end. The changes will provide about two months of additional leeway.

Separately, spending authority for much of the government will expire on March 27, 2013.

After weeks of negotiations, the president urged lawmakers late last week to scale back their ambitions for avoiding the fiscal cliff and send him legislation preventing tax cuts on all but the highest-earning Americans and extending unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless. Longer, term, he said he still supports deficit cuts that were key to the earlier talks.

"Everybody's got to give a little bit in a sensible way," he said at the White House.

The House has no plans to convene, following last week's rebellion in which conservatives torpedoed Speaker John Boehner's legislation to prevent scheduled tax increases on most, while letting them take effect on million-dollar wage earners.

"How we get there, God only knows," the Ohio Republican said of efforts to protect the economy ? and taxpayers ? from the tax increases and spending cuts.

"Now is the time to show leadership, not kick the can down the road," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said a little over a week ago after Boehner announced he would shift his own focus from bipartisan talks to the approach that eventually was torpedoed by his own rank and file.

It's a phrase that political leaders use when they want to suggest others want to avoid tackling major problems, and one that Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia and even Obama as well as Reid have used.

"We have a spending problem. We have to address it, And we're not going to address it by kicking the can down the road," the speaker said at a news conference late last week when he was asked about setting a vote on a plan that Democrats find acceptable.

Cantor recently used the same approach in challenging Obama to agree to savings from Medicare and other benefit programs. "This has to be a part of this agreement or else we just continue to dig the hole deeper, asking folks to allow us to kick the can down the road further and that we don't want to do," he said on Nov. 28.

In fact, it's a phrase that has been in use for over a year as Obama and Republicans jockey for position on pocketbook issues.

In July 2011, when he was struggling with Republicans over the threat of a first-ever government default, Obama said he had "heard reports that there may be some in Congress who want to do just enough to make sure that America avoids defaulting on our debt in the short term. But then wants to kick the can down the road when it comes to solving the larger problem, our deficit."

A few months later, an extension of a payroll tax cut was the issue, and Boehner was insisting on a year-long renewal rather than the temporary plan that passed the Senate with votes from lawmakers in both parties.

"How can you do tax policy for two months?" he asked on Dec. 18, 2011. "I believe that two months is just kicking the can down the road.

"The American people are tired of that."

At issue now is series of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to kick in with the new year that economists caution could send the economy into a recession.

___

AP Economics Writer Christopher S. Rugaber contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-26-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-05e1854d7ac9401a9589343215c9ae35

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