Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/267428240?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Friday 30 November 2012
Mystery man claims winning Powerball ticket ... in Maryland?
A man at a gas station in Maryland was caught on camera reacting with excitement to a scan of his Powerball ticket, purchased in Arizona. NBC's Tom Costello speaks to the store clerk who checked the man's numbers, and claims he's the mystery co-winner of the $580 million jackpot.
By Jason White, NBC News
Officials say the winning tickets for the largest Powerball jackpot ever -- $587 million --?were sold in Missouri and Arizona. But on Thursday, a mystery man showed up at a gas station?in Upper Marlboro, Md., claiming to hold one of the big winners.
Surveillance video showed the man --?burly, bald, African-American and clad in a yellow construction suit -- slowly amble up to the counter, where he pulled out some lottery tickets.?
He showed them to the clerk and then repeatedly pumped his arms in excitement after reportedly seeing the numbers match.
According to Kamran Afgan, a cashier on duty at the time,?the man said something along the lines of, "Oh my God," after his numbers matched, and gave Afgan the ticket to hold and examine.
Afgan said the man told him he was from Maryland and a member of the military. It's unclear if he's based in Arizona, but his ticket was an Arizona ticket, Afgan told NBC News. Afgan?said he didn't get a chance to scan the ticket into the lottery machine because the man took it back so quickly.
The entire store was in shock, Afgan said.
Before leaving, the man showed his tickets to two other people in the store who confirmed he had the winner. At that point, the man walked out. But a moment later, he returned, saying he forget to buy gas.
One can understand how he might have been a little distracted.
No winner has come forward yet in Arizona, which means it is possible this Maryland mystery man holds a ticket worth?$293.7 million in his hands.
On Friday, Missouri lottery officials announced that a husband and wife from Dearborn, Mo., were the?lucky ticket holders in that state, and they couldn't be more shocked at their good fortune.
"I called my husband and told him, 'I think I am having a heart attack,'" Cindy Hill, 51, said, according to a Missouri Lottery press release. "I think we just won the lottery!"
She added,?"You know it's the Show Me State, so he said, 'Show me.'"
NBC News'?Cydney Weiner contributed to this report.
NBC's Kerry Sanders reports from Dearborn, Mo., where the town is celebrating one family's luck of winning half the record Powerball jackpot. A family friend of the couple, expected to be named by lottery officials Friday, tells TODAY's Savannah Guthrie "it couldn't have happened to a better guy."
More content from NBCNews.com:
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Salem Communications Declares Q4 Dividend - RADIO ONLINE ?
Salem Communications Declares Q4 Dividend Salem Communications Corporation announced that its Board of Directors has declared a dividend for the fourth quarter of 2012 in the amount of $0.035 per share of its Class A and Class B common stock. The cash dividend will be paid on December 28, 2012 to all common stockholders of record as of December 14, 2012. Salem Communications Corporation is the largest commercial U.S. radio broadcasting company that provides programming targeted at audiences interested in Christian and conservative opinion radio content, as measured by the number of stations and audience coverage. Upon completion of all announced transactions, the company will own and/or operate a national portfolio of 99 radio stations in 38 markets, including 61 stations in 22 of the top 25 markets. Salem also owns Salem Radio Network, a national radio network that syndicates talk, news and music programming to approximately 2,300 affiliated radio stations and Salem Media Representatives, a national media advertising sales firm with offices across the country. (11-29-12) Menu | Contact Us | Subscribe | Advertise | Privacy Policy | About Us
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Source: http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n25961
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Thursday 29 November 2012
Taking about investing in Santa Clarita foreclosures ? Santa Clarita ...
We rec?d a call yesterday by a lady that was interested in investing in real estate. When I asked her where she found us, she told me that it was by searching for foreclosures on line.
Apparently she had been looking for a Santa Clarita Foreclosure agent adept enough to handle her needs with regard to investing in real estate in the SCV. I told here that I?d do what I could help
She came into our offices today and talked about coming into some money left to her by her departed mother?s life insurance policy. I got some preliminary information out of the way ? like if she has a place to live now, who else will be participating in the viewing and offering, and what is her ultimate goal ? flipping, sustainable income, wealth?
She wants to do some buying and renting. She was looking for advice on that front. I started to explain the market then I asked what kind of tenants she desired. She looked at me with a puzzled look on her face, I then said, those that pay their rent in the form of cash or those that are a bit more ?documented? in their approach.
She explained that she was also looking as best re-sale as a possible option, so the area and the crime profile would be something she?d be interested in taking up with the Sheriff?s Department.
I got it and we covered some of the areas that seemed to fit her needs, talked about current rents and prospective spring time rental increases in the Santa Clarita Valley. We also talked about the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a Santa Clarita property management company to service her real estate. While I have mixed emotions about some of the choices you have when wanting to find local Santa Clarita property management, sometimes they are the best fit for investors.
Working out the number when it came to investing in the Foreclosures, that are not on the market for sale in the Santa Clarita Valley, was a key component with our meeting. Deducing where prices are currently and what the discounts are for most of the REO inventory that is entering the Santa Clarita foreclosure market.
Please do yourselves a favor ? get the best advice you can find when it comes to spending any $$$ with investing in Santa Clarita real estate. Hang tough and do some googling when it comes to investing in real estate followed by the name of the city or area you are interested in.
Head over to our Santa Clarita radio show podcast to see our latest shows ? one is presenting the Expert Santa Clarita photographer, Yoti and the other with LAPD Author, Kathy Bennett.
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Local bookseller observes positive reading habits of 'Facebook generation'
The Facebook generation is reading strong according to a recent survey, and a local bookseller said he has observed part of the trend in a Memphis bookstore.
"I've been a bookseller for 35 years. Publishers have been speaking directly to that demographic recently and that's nothing but good," said The Booksellers at Laurelwood manager Eddie Burton.
According to the report from Pew Research Center, 8 in 10 Americans between the ages of 16 and 30 have read a book in the past year. That's compared to about 7 in 10 adults in general.
Of the the younger adults surveyed some 75 percent read a print book, 19 percent read an e-book and 11 percent listened to an audiobook.
Among Americans who read e-books, those under the age of 30 are more likely to read their e-books on a cell phone or computer than on an e-book reader.
The Memphis Public Library offers hundreds of e-book checkouts in their digital media collection.
The collection allows you to read e-books on ipads, kindles, smartphones and other devices.
Frequent user Kristin Huntley said she loves the digital services that the library offers, and finds it easy to use.
"I love how easily accessible it is. They have also added many more popular titles and authors, such as Dave Eggers," said Huntley.
Burton said he can agree that e-readers contribute to this demographic reading more, since it can be accessed anywhere.
He said since publishers are releasing books like The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Twilight and Matched that are directed to this demographic, young Americans are more likely to keep reading.
"10 or 15 years ago you had intermediate books or classics to chose from," said Burton.
However, Burton said he has observed more classic books being purchased by this age group.
He said it's hard to differentiate what is being bought for class requirements or for recreational reading.
"I like to think more and more enjoy great literature," said Burton.
When talking about his daughters - who are in the lower part of this demographic - Burton believes that they are talking about books on Facebook, and that other young Americans discuss books on social media too. Which also contributes to more young adults and teenagers reading nationwide.
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Marc Andreessen Champions Innovation Through Trial and Error, And Error, And Pets.com
This evening at Andreessen Horowitz's offices in Menlo Park, founding partner Marc Andreessen sat down with William Janeway, recent author, to discuss "Capitalism in the Innovation Economy." Janeway is a well-known investor, and theorist in the investment and software world. It's a very small event, but the conversation is lively. It's Q&A style, and Andreessen is firing off questions, clearly the two are pals and have a deep connection. The room will be able to ask questions at some point as well.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/gosm2Mbk2pM/
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Wednesday 28 November 2012
Myanmar riot police descend on copper mine protesters
Demonstrators in northwest Myanmar faced water cannons and tear gas on Thursday while protesting a copper mine expansion that will displace villagers. Protests over land disputes have become more common with the country's liberalization.
Protesters hold placards as they stage a rally outside the city hall in Yangon, Myanmar, against a copper mining project in central Myanmar Monday. Emboldened by Myanmar's changing political climate, farmers, villagers, factory workers, and others are now staging demonstrations in various parts of the country over issues ranging from land confiscation to electricity cuts.
Khin Maung Win/AP
EnlargeRiot police?fired water cannons and tear gas early on Thursday to disperse people protesting against the forced eviction of villagers in?northwestern Myanmar?to make way for a copper mine expansion, residents and activists said.
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Land disputes are a growing problem in Myanmar. Protests were suppressed quickly under the junta in place until last year but have become more common as President?Thein Sein?has opened up the country and pushed through reforms.
Truckloads of police arrived at camps set up near the Monywa mine in the Sagaing region to protest against the $1 billion expansion, which locals say has caused the unlawful confiscation of more than 7,800 acres of land.
"They started to disperse the crowd by using water cannon at?Kyaw Ywa camp?at about 2:55 a.m.,"?Shin Oattama, a Buddhist monk who had been helping the villagers, told Reuters by telephone.
"They then shot some sort of canisters that caused fire at the camp. We just don't know what sort of weapon it was." He said about 10 monks were injured and two of them were in a critical condition.
"We are now seeking refuge at a nearby village. There's no ambulance, no doctor to take care of the injured," he said.
Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace laureate and a member of parliament, planned to visit the protesters on Thursday to hear their grievances. Officials from her National League for Democracy (NLD) party said she flew out ofYangon?early in the day.
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The Clarion : Creative Writing Club Attends Author Presentation
Nina Nadirashvili/Staff Writer, Photo by Nina Nadirashvili
November 27, 2012
Filed under HHS News, Top Stories
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Budhos shared her inspiration for Ask Me No Questions. She said that she saw children on the streets of Queens, where she grew up, struggling to fit in with the American culture. She spoke to a lot of immigrant girls, especially of the Muslim belief, and realized no one was paying attention to the struggles they were facing in the U.S. ?These girls were fascinating to me,? Budhos stated.
After the events of 9/11, Budhos picked up a newspaper and saw an article about Muslim girls and their families who were forced to run to the Canadian border. They had been stranded at the border, uncertain of what to do. Budhos said, ?That?s my opening. ?I am going to write a novel about this.?
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Budhos also talked about her first nonfiction book about immigrants. Budhos said, ?A number of years ago, I wrote this book: Remixed: Conversations with Immigrant Teenagers, and I am someone who, in terms of interests, goes back and forth between fiction and nonfiction. Very often my fictional ideas sometimes start as something real or something nonfictional. There was a time when I worked as a journalist, and so I was really thinking about ideas in that way. So, this was a nonfiction book I wrote, which was about immigrant teenagers from all over the world and what their experiences were coming to the U.S.?
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She explained her connection to the stories about immigration with a little background about her family. With her father being Indian and her mother having Russian parents, Budhos was surrounded by family members who came to America as immigrants.
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At the end of the informational presentation, Budho autographed books for the members of the Creative Writing Club. Budhos?s books are available at Well Read New and Used Books, and her book Ask Me No Questions can now be found in the HHS Media Center.
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Tuesday 27 November 2012
Someone Else is Doing What I Wanted to Do! I'm Feeling ...
I can take it to the bank that just before someone?s website goes live, this feeling comes up. In doing research for competitor websites, or looking for content ideas, we see the glorious web stars who already have done what we want to do. Depression sets in. We start questioning everything we thought we knew. We doubt that we are headed in the right direction. We question if we should stop pursuing this idea and think of a new one.
A harsh reality is that you?re not the first person to come up with your concept. Just like I couldn?t have thought I?d be the first to offer website services.
And when we start a business, or write a book ? and we are at the very beginning stages, we are so new that anytime we see someone doing what we want to do, we feel like dog crap and beat ourselves up. Feeling we missed the boat ? why try? Oh yes, I?ve had my own meltdown about this ? just last July in fact.
It tortured me so much to e-meet Marie Forleo. UGG, she was doing exactly what I had planned to do with her ?B School?!! I had my entire ecourse outlined and ready to shoot hours of video but seeing her B School promos practically paralyzed me from pursuing that idea any further.
I cried and cried, then created a free downloadable product based on my experience ? Talking Back to Your Inner Critic
I realized it was my Inner Critic trying to beat me down, once again. Telling me ?why do it? it?s already been done!? and ?you can?t do that, someone else is already doing it better. they know more than you and look better than you and have the following you don?t have. you suck.?
True story.
Through that experience, I realized that if I named those feelings and insecurities that were coming up ? calling it my ?Inner Critic? ? then I could separate myself from those thoughts and not let it penetrate me. No more.
Back to this competitor you found. I?m sure their website is awesome. Their content rocks. They have great products and programs. Their videos are spot on.
But guess what? That person does NOT have, nor could ever have, the unique spin on your topic that only you have inside you. It?s impossible!
There will always be others teaching your topic ? but you have the vast opportunity to impact a global audience with your message which will heal SO many lives! There is plenty of space on the planet for you and your competitor to be successful. I might invite you to even contact that person and try to line up a joint teleseminar for 2013. Once your blog is humming, you?re rocking social media, contact that person and get to know him/her! Then do a joint teleseminar and infiltrate their already humming audience.
The bottom line is that this is a test. A test to see if you really want it and are really willing to put in the work. If you?re ready, then let your Marie Forleo (she is freaking fantastic by the way) motivate the hell out of you. Get the content done, get your website up and start doing what you?ve been dreaming of all along. Yes, I am practicing what I preach and have been pressing forward with the creation of my ecourse which is going to ROCK 2013, ?Online Business Success Circuit: The 6-Pillar Strategy for 6-Figure Success?
Do not worry ? what you feel is 100% normal. We?ve all been there. Maybe this makes for a great blog post or two or three? If you know this is common, you can find a solution (as I did with the Inner Critic audio) and even create a product out of it.
What are you learning in this experience? How will you let it control your outcome?
If you thought this post was helpful, please help me share it on Facebook and Twitter. If you think my style of coaching combined with my web experience may be just what you need to get to that next level in your business, contact me and ask to receive our PDF menu of services.
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NRA to promote composting at national conference - NRA News Blog
The U.S. Composting Council will hold its 21st annual conference and trade show Jan. 27-31, 2013 in Orlando, Fla.
Titled "The Magic of Compost", the conference will kick off Jan. 27 with the USCC's first golf outing and benefit at Hawk's Landing Golf Club at the Orlando World Center Marriott.
Breakout sessions and discussions will focus on such topics as composting growth from a national and regional perspective, municipal planning and composting, compostable packaging, and legislative updates on new rules and ban repeals.
Scott DeFife, the National Restaurant Association's executive vice president of policy and government affairs, will participate in the conference's "Panel of Industry Leaders: Opportunities and Barriers to Compost Industry Growth", and Jeff Clark, a sustainability consultant for the NRA's Conserve program, will discuss outcomes from a recent research project conducted in partnership with Duke University that studied barriers to restaurant industry's adoption of composting efforts.
In September, the NRA and the USCC announced their intent to partner on increasing composting education and activities nationwide. Under the terms of the agreement, the organizations will share educational resources and seek to identify collaborative opportunities that benefit their constituencies and the general public by promoting awareness of the important role composting plays in waste reduction and improved soil and water quality.
For more information on attending the USCC's conference and golf outing, go to http://compostingcouncil.org/conference-program/
Source: http://www.restaurant.org/nra_news_blog/2012/11/nra-to-promote-composting-at-national-conference.cfm
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Content Management Systems And The Art Of Web Designing ...
In web designing, how a website looks is not all that matters. It is also important to make sure that the content of the website, such as images, posts, and links are carefully managed in order to keep the website working properly. This is especially important for businesses who make use of various online advertising and marketing strategies. Companies that rely on internet marketing and commerce often find success if their website becomes popular and receives a large number of visits from potential clients on a daily basis. Apart from regularly featuring interesting, innovative and informative content, an effective business website should also have the support of a content management system, or CMS, in order to work efficiently.
Content management in relation to web designing is essentially defined as the set of processes and technologies that support the collection, managing, storing and publication of information on a given website. For many website design companies, content management systems are an integral part of their business processes. In a number of countries, business are starting to become more aware of the benefits of having CMS services sourced from independent providers. Many CMS companies offer a full range of online marketing and advertising solutions that cater to a whole host of industries. Whether the business is about selling used cars or providing services such as online education or web hosting services, CMS website design companies can help boost sales numbers exponentially.
Many CMS companies provide companies several advantages. For instance, using CMS to manage their websites saves time and effort. Instead of having to upload files using an FTP server, clients can simply log in to their CMS user interface and post their content there. The same holds true if they simply want to make certain changes on their website. Another benefit using the services of CMS companies is the support that is available from the community. There are so many CMS enthusiasts out there that open source plug ins are being developed everyday. Almost all of the CMS companies make it easy to store important details because all the content and the data are stored in a database. All the client needs to do in order to secure and backup their data is to export them. It is even possible to track what content is published, schedule the publishing dates, and automatically remove outdated content. CMS web design companies also make it easier to change the design elements of a website without having to use any HTML codes, because they can use templates to change the different parts of the website such as the header, the sidebars, and the footer, very quickly with minimal effort.
Many companies who engage in online marketing and ecommerce call on the services of CMS Saudi Arabia in order to improve their website's performance. With the influx of web services that are becoming available to more people across the world, more companies are turning to CMS services in order to maximize their website's marketing and advertising potential.
Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Content-Management-Systems-And-The-Art-Of-Web-Designing/4284294
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Source: http://nysebome.posterous.com/content-management-systems-and-the-art-of-web
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Monday 26 November 2012
Feel Light at Home | My Mundo
Quick question! When buying items for your home, which of these factors ranks most important to you? Comfort? Economy/ Price? Prestige/Image? Aesthetics/ Look?
For me, Aesthetics, Economy and Comfort would be basis for my home-related decisions. You could say I?m a pretty practical person, i guess most moms are. Together with our husband, we set our family budget, decide how much goes where, and priority would be, as much as possible, the safety and comfort of our family, specially the kids.
I think it?s safe to say that most moms are budget conscious, and now most specially, most of us are eco conscious as well. Didn?t we all switch from incandescent bulbs to the ?energy saver? compact flourescent lights (CFL)? Now I learned about LED lighting from Philips, and feel this is something all homemakers should know about.
At the Philips event, I was happy to see friends Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, who was the host,
Maricel with Philips General Manager, Fabia Tetteroo-Bueno
Noemi Dado, MomBlogger at aboutmyrecovery.com
Philips unveiled their new campaign ?Get Lightstyled?, thru a creative and entertaining program. There was a mini-musical which was a cross between Glee and Kitchen Musical.
Two families wishing for a better house and living space
Digging his gold shoes, I should?ve known he was about to reveal himself as a ?fairy godfather? who would, in a snap, transform the families houses into homes just by changing the lighting to LED.
Check out some scenes from the event:
and this is the finale with Mr. fairy godfather performing the event theme which sounded eerily familiar?
Get Lightstyled Gangnam style. How I wish my daughter Reese was with me:)?
Fun Fun Fun! The time I allot for events like this is quite limited so I?m glad I came. The songs still ring in my head and I show these videos to my kids (except for my teen who rolls his eyes, lol) and they are thoroughly entertained as I was. I was probably one of, if not the most, thrilled person in the audience. I guess being in the events business, I have a different kind of appreciation for events that inject some creativity and brands that make an effort to communicate their message in an untraditional manner. Kudos to Philips and the group behind the musical, Theatre Down South, which I later learned is run by veteran theatre actor, Michael Williams. No wonder!
As if the enjoyable program wasn?t enough, I even won the raffle at the end of the event!
As the program closed I visited the vignettes and found that the new Philips LED luminaires and lamps were quite amazing. I moved into our current home just a little over two years ago so Wilcon and the other home depots took the place of bookstores as my tambayan. Seeing these new products made me excited, knowing that they are pretty, energy efficient plus good for the environment makes it even more attractive.
Why should we shift to LED? Here?s what I learned at the event (and cross checked with data on this website: http://www.designrecycleinc.com/led%20comp%20chart.html)
1. LED lights consume 50-80% less energy than other lights, including CFL bulbs.
2. The less energy we consume, the better for the environment. Therefore, LED lights are eco-friendly.
3. While LED lights are slightly more expensive than CFL fixtures, it is a long term investment since LED bulbs last longer than CFL bulbs (if CFL bulbs last 8,000 hours, LED lights can last up to 50,000 hours)
4. LED lights create ambience. Philips LED?s campaign is to ?transform houses into homes?, making homes a cozy sanctuary for families, and conducive to family bonding. (The musical act at the event aimed to communicate how Philips LED lamps and luminaires can transform a home even without having to renovate, which can be costly and time consuming.)
As a mompreneur I wanted to know if LED lighting would be recommended for a work area or an office so I asked the Philips representatives this, and they said that LED lighting is very versatile, specially with the use of lighting controls like dimmers, it can be used in homes, as well as offices. (I learned that the new Philips office at Bonifacio GLobal City is using LED lighting already).
check out these LED lamps that can illuminate your table settings in such a unique way
this pretty lamp would look great in modern home
Knowing all the benefits of LED lighting makes shifting a no-brainer. Philips says eventually LED will eventually take the place of CFL lighting and that would go the way incandescents did.
The Philips LED bulb. Say goodbye to CFL bulbs soon!
And since I am a practical mom and homemaker, I will be making the shift one or two bulbs at a time and complete the conversion within 2013 hopefully! Join me?
Source: http://janicevillanueva.com/2012/11/feel-light-at-home/
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Lowe's Home Improvement Cyber Monday Sale
Welcome to The Coupon Challenge! This site is dedicated to providing coupons, freebies, store matchups, recipes, free/cheap events and much more! Don't want to miss any of the great deals or money saving tips? Subscribe to my RSS feed or get FREE daily updates via email . Thanks for visiting!
by on November 26, 2012 in Retail Deals
Lowe?s Home Improvement Cyber Monday Sale includes over 300 items with FREE shipping on orders of $19 or more!
*Products available while supplies last.? Valid in-store and online.
Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.
Source: http://www.thecouponchallenge.com/lowes-home-improvement-cyber-monday-sale-free-shipping.html
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5 Smart Tips For Throwing A Family Holiday - Business Insider
A lot of preparation goes into throwing a holiday party in your home, especially when your family is invited.? 
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Here are five of the smartest party planning tips we've come across this holiday season.
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Mix and match your plates and silverware: Mixing and matching is in, according to The LA Times, so embrace it! If you don't have a full set of matching plates and glasses, don't stress. Just alternate settings by seat so the table seems balanced.?
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Make a signature holiday cocktail: Most people actually don't like having endless drink options at a party, according to Marie Claire. Guests will gladly try something new, especially when it's right in front of them. So skip the full bar, and stock up on wine, beer, and one premade cocktail.?
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When someone offers to bring something, say yes: Your family probably has a few signature favorites during the holidays. If Aunt Joan's homemade pumpkin pie is the best, let her bake it and bring it when she offers. It's a time-tested favorite, and cuts down on your prep time.
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Obey the one-bite rule: House Beautiful suggests keeping appetizers to the size of a single bite. That way guests will be able to keep their hands free and sample everything you serve.
Don't forget to serve water: The last thing anyone wants is a drunken family holiday fight. Serving water to keep guests from getting too tipsy, suggests Apartment Therapy.
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Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/holiday-party-tips-2012-11
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Sunday 25 November 2012
Publishers struggle with an ebook bind | The Passive Voice
From Business Spectator:
When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, he said it would give wings to truth so that it may fly with the word.
The latest volume of the industry?s revolution has come to printing houses relatively late. Book makers are scrambling to embrace ebooks and the rise of internet while fending off self-published ebook authors and online sellers.
. . . .
In recent years, the sale of physical books in Australia suggests the publishing industry is in decline. According to Nielsen Bookscan figures, national sales of print books fell 12.6 per cent to $1.078 billion in 2011. This followed a four per cent decline to $1.213 billion in the previous year.
The trend is expected to continue as online book sales rise and self-published ebooks become more common. According to Amazon?s unaudited sales figures in the United Kingdom, for every 100 physical books sold, readers downloaded 114 ebooks.
. . . .
Publishers believe their competitive advantage rests in producing well-written, best-selling material. According to an industry insider, publishers see the value of their skills in editing, promoting and filtering material as adding value when compared to the haphazard approach employed by many self-published authors.
These authors often find their material lacks the credibility that comes with being attached to a publishing house. By choosing to submit their work through a publisher, authors see their works marketed directly to their intended audience.
Link to the rest at Business Spectator
Amazon, Ebook/Ereader Growth, Self-Publishing
Source: http://www.thepassivevoice.com/11/2012/publishers-struggle-with-an-ebook-bind/
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Ayala Land Real Estate Philippines ? Event at NuvaIi A Concert for ...
Located across the Lakeside Evozone, accessible from the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay road, lies the Future Central Business District. From the planner and developer of the Makati Central Business District, Ayala Land is once again in the forefront of developing the next financial district south of Makati. Taking the critical components of a successful business center, NUVALI brings in more open space, recreational facilities, tree-lined walking and biking trails, and areas for congregation. Key support facilities such as post office, police station, church, hospital, school, retail/commercial establishments are also incorporated into the master plan.
One Evotech is the maiden structure in NUVALI TechnoHub, the first of three office campus developments in NUVALI?s Lakeside Evozone. Now fully operational, it is home to multinational solutions management group Convergys. A project of the Ayala Businesscapes Group of Ayala Land, Inc. it caters to the office space requirements of call centers, business process outsourcing, and the information technology/information technology-enabled services (IT/ITES) firms. This is the first of several buildings in the Lakeside Evozone.
One Evotech features a visitor?s center, common conference and huddle rooms, training centers, and retail areas to cater to the people in the vicinity. But aside from this, it integrates sustainable features, consistent to NUVALI?s overall vision. A bike ramp going up to the building encourages alternative means of mobilizing. The stairs are strategically located to have access to the scenic open areas outside, discouraging the use of elevators and encouraging a healthier way of moving about. Nearby commercial establishments include 7-11, BoNa Coffee Company, Reyes Barbeque, Kanin Get It, Indulgence day Spa and BPI. One Evotech promises to be the start of a new office working experience in NUVALI.
Event at NuvaIi A Concert for HEROes (on November 30, 2012)
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Lakeside Evozone East Commercial Lots For Sale
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Part of an approximately 150-hectare commercial hub dedicated to become the premier business district of NUVALI, the 46-hectare Lakeside Evozone provides perks to locators such as fiscal incentives for business establishments operating within the Lakeside Evozone. Incentives include income tax holiday, exemption from import and export tax, foreign exchange assistance and financial assistance for PEZA registered companies and industries.
NUVALI?s Lakeside Evozone was carefully conceptualized with well-thought out facilities and infrastructures such as telecom redundancy, central sewage treatment plant and underground utilities in a campus-type setting with generous open spaces, landscaped parks and side walks, parking areas with permeable blocks, and located near the lakeside shops at NUVALI and the NUVALI transport terminal area.
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Nuvali Evozone East LOT CLASSIFICATIONS
Premier
Lots facing a 25-meter wide road providing oppurtunity for excellent frontage and direct access from NUVALI Boulevard.
Premier Plus
Corner lots provide great vantage points, excellent frontage, and better access as it is bounded by a 25-meter wide road on one side, and a 15-meter wide road on the other.
Prime
Lots are nestled at the heart of the district. Facing away from the main road, it provides for more privacy yet is conveniently accessible through a 15-meter wide secondary road.
Prime Plus
This individuals lot is afforded a prime corner location directly accessible from NUVALI Boulevard and bounded by two access roads, yet provides unusual privacy.
Evo Lot
Evo lots are all frontage locations accessible through a 15-meter wide road, and beside a 10-meter wide buffer area.
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For Inquiries, Please Call JP, Tony or Vicky Reyes at 930-7635, 211-1970, 453-8373, 425-2979 or 09178653689 or 09173138271 or 09173138273 or 09173138278 | APReyes Realty Investment | Feel free to ask us questions about Nuvali Evozone Commerical Lots, we will be happy to answer them for you. Please contact only the undersigned for viewing appointments or site tripping. Or INQUIRE NOW by CLICKING HERE.
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Thanksgiving steals sales from Black Friday
Shoppers pick through stacks of discounted jeans beside a giant aquarium inside Bass Pro Shops after the doors opened at 5 a.m., kicking off "Black Friday" and the holiday shopping season in Memphis, Tenn. Friday Nov. 23, 2112.. Some bargain-hunters waited outside the store for four and a half hours in the rain for the chance to be first in line. For the first time many retailers opened as early as 8 p.m. on Thursday sparking some criticism for shortening their employees' Thanksgiving holiday. (AP Photo, Brandon Dill, Commercial Appeal)
Shoppers pick through stacks of discounted jeans beside a giant aquarium inside Bass Pro Shops after the doors opened at 5 a.m., kicking off "Black Friday" and the holiday shopping season in Memphis, Tenn. Friday Nov. 23, 2112.. Some bargain-hunters waited outside the store for four and a half hours in the rain for the chance to be first in line. For the first time many retailers opened as early as 8 p.m. on Thursday sparking some criticism for shortening their employees' Thanksgiving holiday. (AP Photo, Brandon Dill, Commercial Appeal)
Doris Leyva (from left), Midory Leyva and Lilia Castro rest, surrounded by shopping bags, in a seating area at Wolfchase Galleria on Black Friday in Memphis, Tenn. Friday Nov. 23, 2112.. They had driven from Oxford, Miss. on Thursday night to be at the mall in time for early-opening sales. For the first time many retailers opened as early as 8 p.m. on Thursday sparking some criticism for shortening their employees' Thanksgiving holiday. (AP Photo, Brandon Dill, Commercial Appeal)
Sheree Paloutzian, from right, her mother, Raelene Macdowell, and sister Sydnee Crawford, make their way through the Mt. Shasta Mall in Redding, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. The group had been shopping since 4 a.m. Friday. They have participated in Black Friday shopping for 10 years. (AP Photo/Greg Barnette, Record Searchlight)
Thanksgiving shopping took a noticeable bite out of Black Friday's start to the holiday season, as the latest survey found retail sales in stores fell slightly from last year.
Saturday's report from retail technology company ShopperTrak finds consumers spent $11.2 billion at stores across the U.S. That is down 1.8 percent from last year's total.
This year's Friday results appear to have been tempered by hundreds of thousands of shoppers hitting sales Thursday evening while still full of Thanksgiving dinner. Retailers including Sears, Target and Wal-Mart got their deals rolling as early as 8 p.m. on Turkey Day.
Online shopping also may have cut into the take at brick-and-mortar stores: IBM said online sales rose 17.4 percent on Thanksgiving and 20.7 percent on Black Friday, compared with 2011.
Yet ShopperTrak said retail foot traffic increased 3.5 percent, to more than 307.67 million store visits, indicating at least some shoppers were browsing but not spending freely.
"Black Friday continues to be an important day in retail," said ShopperTrak founder Bill Martin. "This year, though, more retailers than last year began their doorbuster deals on Thursday, Thanksgiving itself. So while foot traffic did increase on Friday, those Thursday deals attracted some of the spending that's usually meant for Friday."
The company estimated that shopper foot traffic rose the most in the Midwest, up 12.9 percent compared with last year. Traffic rose the least, 7.6 percent, in the Northeast, parts of which are still recovering from Superstorm Sandy.
ShopperTrak, which counts foot traffic and its own proprietary sales numbers from 25,000 retail outlets across the U.S., had forecast Black Friday sales would grow 3.8 percent this year, to $11.4 billion.
While consumer confidence has been improving, many people are still worried about the slow economic recovery, high unemployment and whether a gridlocked Congress can avert tax increases and government spending cuts ? the so-called "fiscal cliff" ? set to occur automatically in January.
And some would-be shoppers said they weren't impressed with the discounts, or that there wasn't enough inventory of the big door-busters.
"As far as deals, they weren't there," said Tammy Stempel, 48, of Gladstone, Ore. "But business have to be successful, too. I'm hoping they extend the deals through December."
She was waiting in line outside an Ikea in Portland on Saturday to buy pots and pans for her 18-year old daughter ? as a hint that it was time to move out. Stemple and her husband went shopping at two Targets, Michaels and other stores Friday, but failed to find any amazing deals, even on a flat-screen TV they wanted for themselves.
Target, Best Buy and other stores near the Ikea seemed to have few customers, and traffic at the nearby Lloyd Center Mall also was light, even for a normal weekend.
Many shoppers around the country were armed with iPads and smart phones, to check prices as well as buy.
Online auction and shoppping site eBay reported more the 2.5 times the number of mobile transactions as last year.
Online retailers worked as hard as brick-and-mortar stores to draw customers, sending each of their subscribers an average of 5.9 promotional emails during the 7 days through Black Friday. That's an all-time high, according to marketing software company Responsys.
IBM, which tracks more than 1 million transactions at 500 online retailers each day, said its data showed 24 percent of online shoppers used a mobile device to check out a retailer's site and about 16 percent of online purchases were made on a mobile device. But while total online spending rose sharply, the value of the average online order dipped about 5 percent to $181.22.
In spite of all the TV reports showing shoppers carting away laptops and giant flat-screen TVs, IBM said combined sales of consumer electronics, printers and other office supplies were up only 8 percent, with average order prices of $326.05.
Sales of appliances and other home goods rose the most, up about 28 percent from Black Friday last year. Clothing sales rose 17.5 percent, department store sales grew just under 17 percent and sales of health and beauty products rose 11 percent.
Despite the throngs in stores Thursday night and Friday, many shoppers held off until Saturday, hoping for shorter lines and less drama.
"I can't deal with all that craziness," said Miguel Garcia, a 40-year-old office coordinator who was at a Target in the Bronx, New York, on Saturday. "Compared to what I saw on TV yesterday, this is so much more comfortable and relaxed. I can actually think straight and compare prices."
Garcia was checking prices for phones and tablets at various stores, and planned to delay any purchases until Cyber Monday when he'd have a better sense of the best deals. As money has gotten tighter over the years, Garcia said he comparison shops more.
"It forces you to become a good consumer," he said.
Tanya Dunham, a 32-year-old patient coordinator representative, likewise avoided the crowds on Black Friday and was shopping at the same Target Saturday.
"I don't like to wait (in line) just to save $15 or $20," said Dunham.
For the entire holiday sales season of November and December, ShopperTrak has predicted sales should rise 3.3 percent over last year. Those two months are crucial for retailers and can account for up to 40 percent of stores' annual revenue.
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AP Business Writers Candice Choi in New York and Sarah Skidmore in Portland, Ore., contributed to this report.
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Outsourcing on its Track
Have you heard the word outsourcing? It is quite a new term nowadays. Well, it is generally the term for outsourcing business software programming business and trade services to outworkers or contractors situated in foreign nations along with cheap cost of labour.
Outsourcing is considered as an advance trend in globalism wherein business ventures together on a mutual expertise ground for jointly totting up long-term value. Outsourcing has also been a mean for an increase to several innovative ways of teaming up similar with the mounting of concerted markets or thresholds through online where people in the outsourcing world converge.
The process of business outsourcing refers to the act of providing another party the accountability of managing what will if not is an internal scheme or service. An insurance company for an instance, can outsource either their processing program claims or a certain bank can outsource their processing system loans. Other outsourcing usual cases are the payroll outsourcing as well as the call center business.
Normally, companies which are searching at business outsourcing are eager to attain savings cost through hand over the effort to a third-party which can benefit from scale companies by accomplishing similar work for various companies. Or probably the savings cost could be attained for the reason that labor costs are much lower due to varied living costs in most countries.
The information about Outsourcing presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Outsourcing or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.
As a substitute for the prospected savings cost, the company in claim should renounce management over a part of their business that clarify why business outsourcing is usually held in reserve for non-decisive, non-nucleus nature of work.
In summary, outsourcing sets when a company or an organization relocates the business ownership of a business course to a contactor or a supplier. The main core of this definition is the feature of control transfer. This description separates outsourcing apart from business dealings wherein the buyer maintains the process control, in simple terms, informs the contractor of the work?s nature. It is the relocation of ownership that identifies outsourcing and usually crafts it as a tough, challenging process.
In the outsourcing business, the purchaser doest not educate the contractor how to do the company?s task, however, as an alternative, aiming on conversing what particular outcome the company wants to purchase.
Apparently, almost all people realize that there are several existing outsourcing types. In contrast, if one has a limited and inadequate time and room, would one still going to decide on choosing the ?hot button? term to illustrate what you are offering.
This article?s coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO
Source: http://www.inlj.com/outsourcing/outsourcing-on-its-track.htm
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Saturday 24 November 2012
Eased Myanmar sanctions no gold rush for US firms
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? Signs of a boom abound in Myanmar. Flights to Yangon are full, hotel rooms booked solid. Foreign bars are packed with well-fed Westerners in khakis and jeans, 21st century prospectors drawn to this golden frontier.
Myanmar got a further boost this week from President Barack Obama, who became the first serving U.S. president to visit the long-isolated nation, an endorsement that has not gone unnoticed by global investors. But despite America's leadership in welcoming Myanmar back into the international community, U.S. companies have so far not signed any big deals ? a situation few expect to change soon.
Washington is unwinding its web of sanctions against Myanmar, but the suspension of most legal barriers to business in this nation of 60 million is unlikely to be a gold rush for American firms. Rolling back sanctions will take time, and concerns about corruption and political blowback at home complicate efforts by U.S. companies to move in big and fast. There is confusion about what is permitted, as well as onerous new reporting requirements, and lingering doubt about whether the changes, both in Myanmar and in U.S. policy, will stick.
What's at stake is one of the last big untapped consumer markets, as well as access to significant natural resources, including oil and gas, hydropower, timber, gems and some of the most fertile land on earth. Sandwiched between India and China ?the world's fastest growing major economies ? Myanmar today has some of the world's lowest levels of Internet and cellphone use, as well as a dearth of good roads, ports, hotels, hospitals, schools and electricity.
Underlying the debate about sanctions, which many companies would like to see lifted more decisively, are questions about what role American business should play in Southeast Asia's poorest country. Speaking Monday at the University of Yangon, Obama said American companies must "lead by example." His administration has sought to reinforce good business practices, encouraging transparency by requiring companies that invest more than $500,000 in Myanmar to report details to the State Department, which will make some of the information public. And Washington is banning U.S. firms from doing business with the country's biggest, and most corrupt, businessmen.
Whether those strictures ? which put American firms at a competitive disadvantage ? will achieve their desired aim is a matter of debate, but the ideas they enshrine may prove valuable in the long run.
Thant Myint-U, an author and adviser to Myanmar's reformist president Thein Sein, said that the biggest challenge facing Myanmar is finding a new economic model to support reform momentum.
"No one knows how to fix the economy after a half century of misrule in a way that's going to raise incomes and create jobs in the way we have to to keep the reform process on track," he said. Neither of the two dominant business models in Myanmar today ? alliances between crony businessmen and largely Chinese investors or leftist isolationism ? offers a good path forward for the country, he said. He hopes American businesses will help forge a third way.
The United States has taken a calibrated approach to easing sanctions, renewing or expanding some strictures even as it unwinds others. While this gives the administration leverage should Myanmar's political reform lose momentum, it creates confusion for investors.
The United States first sanctioned Myanmar in September 1988, the month after the military junta brutally cracked down on popular protests. Over the next two decades, Congress and the president responded to human rights violations and the suppression of Myanmar's democratic opposition by expanding the network of sanctions. All told, Myanmar specific sanctions are enshrined in six federal laws and a series of executive orders, often with overlapping provisions, according to a detailed study by Asian affairs specialist Michael Martin for the Congressional Research Service. In addition, there are so-called functional bans ? laws that, for example, prohibit the U.S. from providing military training and selling arms to any country deemed, like Myanmar, to use child soldiers.
Washington has been quick to respond to reform efforts in Myanmar. As Myanmar released political prisoners and held elections which saw opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi take a seat in Parliament, Washington suspended restrictions on new investment, financial services, multilateral assistance, and most recently, imports from Myanmar.
Now, the biggest remaining legal block for U.S. companies is a list of "specially designated nationals" and companies that U.S. firms are barred from doing business with because of their alleged links to violence, oppression and corrupt practices. U.S. companies complain that it's difficult to comply with this list, given the challenges of due diligence in Myanmar and the habit of cronies to pick up aliases and create complex subsidiaries.
"We're encouraging reform in the government, we can't encourage reform in individuals?" said Richard Vuylsteke, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. He urges Washington to pare the list as fast as possible and "give these guys an incentive to integrate into the system."
Rather than revoke sanctions ? which for some would require an act of Congress ? the administration has suspended them, meaning they could be reinstated if Myanmar's reform momentum is broken. In addition, with each step forward, Washington has taken one small step back.
Three days before Obama landed in Yangon, Washington suspended its ban on most imports, a move that's expected to revitalize Myanmar's garment industry. At the same time, the administration added seven companies to the list of entities U.S. firms can't do business with. In July, when Washington suspended the ban on new investment and the provision of financial services, it also instated reporting requirements and expanded sanctions to include individuals who undermine reform, engage in human rights abuses or engage in military trade with North Korea. The White House said it was offering a clear message: "individuals who continue to engage in abusive, corrupt or destabilizing behavior going forward will not reap the rewards of reform."
Aside from sanctions, U.S. companies are subject to strict anti-corruption laws and reputational risk at home, should they choose the wrong business partner in Myanmar.
"The country is rife with corrupt business practices which would be illegal here," said Priscilla Clapp, who served as charge d 'affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Yangon from 1999 to 2002. "U.S. businesses are held to those rules. They have to condition their Burmese business partners to our rules. That's not easy because you're changing centuries of bad behavior."
In the meantime, companies from other countries are sweeping into Myanmar.
"It's been a vacuum for U.S. companies for a couple of decades," said John Goyer, senior director for Southeast Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington. "They have a lot to learn about the market and the operating environment, whereas companies from China, Thailand, Malaysia know the players, they know the environment. It's home field advantage."
The U.S. is also at a disadvantage when trying to compete with companies from, for example, Japan, which can offer package deals of investment, aid and debt forgiveness padded with government money.
"Companies from Asia can come in with financing packages all wrapped up as part of the deal," Goyer said. In America, he added, "there's not unlimited government backing for private companies to go in and provide ports or railways or infrastructure."
Anthony Nelson, associate director for Myanmar at the U.S-ASEAN Business Council, said that for many U.S. companies, Myanmar is the largest country in the world where they don't have a presence. "That kind of thing doesn't come along very often," he said. "It's never going to come again."
But even Nelson is not talking of a gold rush.
"Take a look at Vietnam," he said. "When we normalized relations with Vietnam, companies came in and looked around. They maybe opened representative offices, but it was 10 or 15 years before the big boom of investment from U.S. companies. When U.S. companies move, they move in a big way, but there's time that people need to look at what they're doing."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eased-myanmar-sanctions-no-gold-rush-us-firms-014944723--finance.html
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Video: At home or abroad, Americans get needed boost
>>> good evening, and happy thanksgiving, i'm kate snow , in for brian tonight. on this holiday that began as a celebration of the harvest and has evolved to include a whole lot of football, and now even shopping. a lot of americans seemed happy to pause today and be thankful for what they have. that may be very true especially here in the northeast, where it has been just over three weeks since superstorm sandy did so much damage. today, new york hosted the biggest public event since that storm battered the city. the annual macy's thanksgiving day parade . the skies were blue, the crowds poured in. nbc's katy tur has more to kick off the thanksgiving coverage, good evening, kate.
>> reporter: good evening, kate, in the 86th year of the parade you couldn't have asked for a better day . they're saying three million people came out here for the excitement. many of those hit hardest by the storm. and all of those looking for a chance to focus on the happiest of the traditions. marching bands on the ground. kung fu panda up above, and a sea of people around. so is this the best way to spend thanksgiving?
>> this is, yeah.
>> reporter: here in new york, where the after math of superstorm sandy is still being felt, those along the parade route say the spirit of the season was just what they needed.
>> i think that sandy helped people in general realize how precious life is and to be more grateful, and more thankful.
>> reporter: elsewhere, across the country americans were in to giving mood. theaters like the salvation army are looking after those less fortunate. and in the nation's capitol, president obama is spending the day with family and friends and staff at the white house .
>> today, we give thanks for blessings that are all too rare in this world. the ability to spend time with the ones we love. to say what we want, to worship as we please, to know that there are brave men and women defending our freedom around the globe.
>> reporter: they tweeted out this photo, asking those to take a moment to remember those who are not at home with loved ones . and on base, many made time for a little pig skin before the big event.
>> it just blew me away to see this.
>> reporter: back in the states, matt airhart got home just in time for the birth of his son, gunnar.
>> it was amazing, i couldn't ask for a better birthday for our son.
>> reporter: and at the parade, so many just thankful for all that they have.
>> happy thanksgiving.
>> reporter: and all of those they have to share it with. macy's saved a special secti for those most affected by storm. they got front-row seats, the best in the house for some of the best the city has to offer.
Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49934450/
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'Black Friday' on Thursday kicks off holiday shopping
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shoppers took advantage of retailers offering a Thursday night start to the traditional post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping season, lining up at stores to get deals on electronics and other items or to just see what the fuss was about.
"I like watching the insanity, honestly," Jon Stroker, 40, of Littleton, New Hampshire, said after spending about $280 at a Walmart store in town and taking advantage of the retailer's 8 p.m. Thursday start of "Black Friday" deals.
This year, Target Corp joined Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Gap Inc in being open at least part of the day on Thursday and some retailers will be open throughout the day, a trend that began to take hold in 2011.
Wal-Mart's U.S. discount stores, which have been open on Thanksgiving Day since 1988, offered some "Black Friday" deals at 8 p.m. local time and special deals on some electronics at 10 p.m. Target has moved its opening from midnight to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Toys R Us is opening at 8 p.m.
"It's a recognition that retailers need to be more aggressive and want to show their physical stores are important," Moody's senior analyst Charles O'Shea said.
While he didn't see enormous crowds out in Vauxhall, New Jersey, he did see about 15 people lined up already at a Best Buy, which opens at midnight. At a Target in Westbury, only two shoppers were in line for a 9 p.m. opening. Still, for retailers, any crowd could make the effort worth it.
"It's a finite pie; if you can get a bit more by being open, then do it," O'Shea said.
The National Retail Federation, an industry trade group, forecast a 4.1 percent increase in retail sales during the November-December holiday period this year, down from the 5.6 percent increase seen in 2011.
In a separate survey, NRF said 147 million people would shop Friday through Sunday, down from 152 million on Black Friday weekend last year. The survey did not say how many shoppers planned to hit stores on Thursday.
Some retailers, like Best Buy Co Inc are keeping Black Friday on Friday, waiting until midnight to open.
At a Best Buy in Orlando, people had camped out in tents for days waiting for the doors to open.
Gabriel Esteves, 33, a self-employed car audio installer, waited in line with a bag of Cheetos and a Coke while his brother and sister went to their homes for Thanksgiving feasts with their families.
"They told me to take a break and go to the house, but today's the worst day to leave the line. People come and cut in line," said Esteves, who got in line Monday to buy some small electronics and a 50-inch television.
Best Buy, which is trying to stem falling sales under new CEO Hubert Joly, is one of the retailers in the spotlight this season.
At some stores, workers were not so happy to have early openings encroach on their Thanksgiving holiday. A petition asking Target to "save Thanksgiving" had 371,606 supporters as of Thursday afternoon.
Some shoppers agreed.
"I don't think it's good," Carol Lucas, 61, of Sugar Hill, N.H., said while her husband waited for a 32-inch television on sale at Walmart. "You're messing up Thanksgiving."
Still, at a Target on Chicago's Northwest Side, the first person waiting in line Thursday night was someone who worked at the store, Elsa Acevedo, 46, who finished her shift at 4:30 a.m. and lined up at about 2:30 p.m. to buy a 50-inch Westinghouse television.
As for the earlier opening, "I just think it takes people away from their families," she said. But she added that a midnight opening also pulled workers away from Thanksgiving celebrations because they had to prepare the stores to open.
Many shoppers lured into stores by earlier openings on Thursday may just be window-shopping.
More than 50 percent of consumers will do some form of "show-rooming" during the Black Friday weekend, said Kevin Sterneckert, vice president of retail research at Gartner Group.
"They will buy things because they looked at it in the store. They will touch and feel what they are interested in and then buy it online on Monday, either from the same retailer or a different online retailer," Sterneckert said.
At a Kmart on 34th Street in Manhattan earlier on Thursday, Charles Montague, a 55-year-old mover, was browsing the aisles just to kill time.
"I don't holiday shop," he said emphatically. "I buy stuff all year long, not during some man-made holiday."
Some were not waiting for Monday to buy on the Internet. Online Thanksgiving 2012 sales were already up 17.8 percent over Thanksgiving 2011 for the same period, measured through 9 p.m. EST, according to IBM.
THE RESULTS MATTER
The stakes are high for U.S. retailers, which can earn more than a third of their annual sales in the holiday season.
Consumers heading into the holiday shopping season remain worried about high unemployment and possible tax increases and government spending cuts in 2013. Also, lasting effects of Sandy, the storm that lashed the densely populated East Coast in late October, could cut into how much shoppers can spend on the holidays.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, two-thirds of shoppers said they were planning to spend the same amount as last year or were unsure about spending plans, while 21 percent intend to spend less and 11 percent plan to spend more.
"My family decided not to buy (Chanukah) presents this year - only for the kids. It's too expensive," said graduate student Danielle Slade, 29, from Jericho, Long Island.
Still, the Standard & Poor's retail index is up almost 27 percent this year, compared with a 10.6 percent increase for the broader S&P 500.
In New York's Times Square, a mix of locals and tourists lined up at Toys R Us.
"We just want to see what's happening," said a man who arrived Thursday from Paris. "We want to see what Black Friday is." A Santa hat-wearing expeditor quickly whisked him and his companion away before they could give their names.
(Writing by Brad Dorfman. Reporting by Phil Wahba and Martinne Geller in New York; Additional reporting by Jessica Wohl in Chicago, Beth Pinsker Gladstone in New York, Jason McLure in Littleton, New Hampshire, Barbara Liston in Orlando, Florida and Ilaina Jonas in Westbury, New York; Editing by David Gregorio, Dale Hudson, Matt Driskill and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/black-friday-thursday-kicks-off-u-holiday-shopping-025954866--finance.html
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