(Newswire.net -- February 14, 2013) Sunrise, FL -- Internet marketing has been financially out of reach for a majority of local small businesses, until now.  SEO and internet marketing companies and experts have kept these strategies under wraps, when it is really easy to learn and use when you have an outline and a plan.  Now any local business can learn how to get there phones ringing.

Some of the strategies that are going to be shown to get more local customers are:

• Google Places (Google Plus Local)


• Citation Marketing with sites like Yelp, Manta and Yellow Pages


• Local SEO – Search Engine Optimization Marketing  - Get your website on first page of Google


• Website Conversion Tactics – Capture, market and convert every visitor


• Social Media Marketing – Reach your local customers with Facebook and Twitter


• Daily Deal Sites Marketing with sites like Groupon and Living Social


• Video Marketing with YouTube


• Mobile Marketing – Smartphones are on the rise.  Is your site mobile ready?


• Email Marketing – The best kept secret in keeping and getting new customers and referrals


• Reputation Marketing and reviews – Social Authority.  Not having this in place will hurt you


• Local Joint Ventures


• Analyze and Tweak Marketing Campaigns


• Automate Sales Funnels


• Press Releases


• How to outsource your local marketing plan successfully without paying for a “VP of Marketing” Salary

Any small business, such as chiropractors, dentists, dental offices, doctors, physicians, plastic surgeons, spas, attorneys, lawyers, plumbers and carpet cleaners can benefit from knowing what the top local companies are doing successfully to get more local customers in any economy.

LocalMarketingRevealed.com is set to launch its website on Monday, March 4, 2013.  It is currently offering a pre-launch webinar, showing local businesses how they can benefit from the website and what exactly is going to be taught.  Only 100 seats are available and you can sign up for the pre-launch webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3080033683902790656.

"It is now quicker for local businesses to start marketing online and instantly see an increase in phone calls, email inquiries and visits,” said Anthony E. Cartategui, CEO.  “Imagine a place, where local businesses are joined together, learning, using and profiting from the latest proven internet marketing strategies at a fraction of the cost it would be to hire an expert or agency.”  “That’s Powerful!”

The new website will provide local businesses step by step marketing plans to get more local customers quickly and easily and how to become the local authority in their market.   It is one place where every month new local marketing tactics will be taught.

About LocalMarketingRevealed.com

LocalMarketingRevealed.com is a local internet marketing website, specializing in teaching proven and successful marketing and advertising strategies for local small businesses.  For more information, please visit http://www.localmarketingrevealed.com.

(Newswire.net via Emailnewswire.com – February 14, 2013)  Salt Lake City, UT -- According to BBC News, the popular UK new site, St Valentine 'not saint of love'!

The BBC’s news article about St. Valentine is not The “Saint of Love” writes: “Britain's Roman Catholic Church is advising lovelorn singles to direct their 14 February requests for love to St Raphael, rather than St Valentine.”

Why is Britain’s Roman Catholic church proposing religious spiritual networks rather than Celebrating A Divine Intervention From St Valentine?

According to Clare Ward, spokeswoman for the Catholic Enquiry Office: "If tomorrow you are still looking for your soul mate, the actual patron saint is St Raphael.

"He's the person you should dedicate your day or pray to if you are looking for Mr or Mrs right."

But Miss Ward also had some additional good advice for those who still believe in love and have exhausted all traditional routes like online dating: “Why not come along to a prayer group - it could be your lucky night.” She added: “There is a lot of evidence to suggest that young people who have tapped into prayer groups have found partners.”

If roses and love poems won’t do the trick, try a dose of Saint Raphael and Spiritual Networks which is the suggested corrected target for those who are still hoping for divine intervention to help their lost love lives.

Miss Ward had some last piece of advice for those that are still hoping for divine intervention and suggested spiritual networks as an ultimate solution: “Those who have exhausted traditional routes like online dating should try spiritual networks.”

The Legend Of St Raphael 

St Raphael helped Tobias enter to get married to Sarah. Sarah had seen seven bridegrooms die on the eve of their wedding day.

It is St Raphael within the canon of the Catholic saints who is correctly associated with helping to build partnerships.  

The oldest Valentine's message that the history knows about today is dating from 1477.

According to history, St Valentine was martyred in Rome in 269.

While Valentine’s history is unclear until today, he is thought to have really existed. Archaeologists have been able to unearth an early church dedicated to a person with the name of St Valentine.

One theory goes like this. He was a priest in Rome who continued to marry Christian couples in defiance of the law of the day.

St Valentine is said to have signed a note to his jailer's daughter: "From your Valentine." This happened on the eve of St Valentine’s execution.  

What If Spiritual Networks And Prayer Groups Are Not Your Spiritual Style?

Cay Candies, the author of 3 Hues Of St Valentine, thinks there is a simpler and easier to understand solution for those who still believe in love and who are still looking for the divine intervention of St Valentine.  

Like Cay Candies, there are many authors who provide more romantic and more effortless ways to find love than having to resort to spiritual networks and spiritual prayer.

Cay Candies, who has recently published her first book dedicated to women who love St Valentine’s day, claims: “Trend conscious women and men of today are looking for feasible solutions to find a real and touchable love not some spiritual untouchable thing.”

She continues: “Modern love seekers like to resort to reading books and stories for mental stimulation, ideas, inspiration, and creativity.  Reading stories is a great way to identify ones desire, motivate ones actions, and finally help realize and manifest love in real life.

Cay Candies emphasizes: “The trend conscious consumers of today are always looking to find divine love manifestation because the spirit of love never dies. Spiritual networks and other religious prayer groups might be a little bit too “spiritual”, “mental”, and “untouchable” and not result oriented enough for modern women and men who do need a quicker solution for their very busy and technology driven lifestyle.”

Candies continues: “Especially women today believe in holidays like St Valentine. They like to resort to modern solutions like finding a partner with similar interests like interest based social networks and dating sites and other interesting St Valentine spirited media stimulations.

Cay Candies released her St Valentine spirited romantic compilation of short stories on the Kindle platform on February 9, 2013. She describes the reason d’etre for her book with the following words.  

“I was looking for a way how to bring some exiting, sizzling, romantic, fun, inspirational, motivational, stimulating, and recreational St Valentine holiday moments to life. My target readers are modern business women who are defined by lack of time and an infinite choice of communication solutions, mobile technology, and platforms. I knew that I had to create a bigger theme. Creating just one St Valentine spirited book was out of the question for me, so I invented, created, and titled my series: Hues Of Holidays. The premise of my year around holiday themed series is to share some inspirational holiday spirited moments in the form of romantic short stories for women who do not have a lot of time to read, but still love to get inspired by a romantic story  during their own holiday moments.”

Candies adds: “I know from personal experience that some women do not like to go to sleep without some romantic mental stimulation. My holiday inspired compilations of short stories can be used to satisfy women who are looking for a holiday spirited bedtime story!”

Cay Candies knows that stories provide a powerful solution to celebrate St Valentin. Her solution to find love for those who still believe in the divine intervention of St Valentine, without having to resort to spiritual networks, includes stimulating short stories that are St Valentine spirited and that surprise and touch the reader’s soul.

Cay Candies lets her readers know what she means by the power of stories: “Stories are the most powerful ways to unlock any woman's and any man's feelings and desires and they are more powerful than you might think. Stories are so powerful they truly can help manifest whatever it is you are interested about or desire.

If you dare to life your life with love, use the power of these St Valentine stories to your benefit. Embrace your feelings, and don't be afraid to take action during the holiday moments. Love will manifest itself if you are using the power of stories!

These inspirational St Valentine stories are going to help unlock some mysterious, intriguing, mentally stimulating, and adventurous feelings and emotions of yours. If you are looking for love do not fight these emotions because you do not want to miss your own St Valentine flirt or love story, right!

Maybe these stories help to inspire something totally unexpected and push you from the imaginary and desirable dream world into a surprisingly new reality of your own!

Her solution definitely sounds more real and touchable than the spiritual networks and prayer groups that have been suggested by Clare Ward, the spokeswoman for the Catholic Enquiry Office.

If you would like to consume the down to earth and touchable solution in the form of a romantic collection of short stories, 3 Hues Of Holiday is now available at: http://www.markzuckerbergfortune.info/like/3HuesOfStValentine

The romantic book has just been finished and released to the Kindle marketplace so that St Valentine passionate and dedicated readers can enjoy it before and over this year’s St Valentine holiday that is going to take place on the 14th , February, 2013.

3 Hues Of St Valentine is a compilation of romantic St Valentine spirited short stories and a romantic book from a St Valentine inspired woman for St Valentine spirited women who still believe that the spirit of love will never die.

You can read more about Cay Candies on her website at: http://caycandies.com/cays-apps-books/st-valentine-book.

Her St Valentine spirited compilation of short stories, called 3 Hues Of St Valentine is available on the Kindle publisher platform.

If you love to read short stories or romantic stories for women you should at the very least be inspired by now and give 3 Hues Of St Valentine a try!

To learn more about Cay Candies the author and her personal story, along with her future upcoming releases that are part of the Hues Of Holidays series, visit Cay Candies's author page: http://www.markzuckerbergfortune.info/like/AuthorCentral

(Newswire.net -- February 14, 2013) Atlanta, GA -- Flabby bellies and stomach fat is the number one problem for the majority of people wanting to slim down. The stomach is always the first place to see the weight gain and the last place to see it leave. Companies are jumping onto this with the development of gadgets that “help” to lose the weight but bodyweight expert and enthusiast, Mike Whitfield, disagrees and states the best option is to include effective plank workouts into your exercise regimen. Whitfield has now released a video to show how to make the most of this ab workout and how to do it to avoid injury. Whitfield states that planks are more effective than doing crunches and sit-ups every day.

Plank exercises are often underrated by people trying to tone their stomachs but Whitfield states that they should be included in all bodyweight programs. It is important to brace the abs, as if protecting the stomach from being punched, to make the most out of the exercise. “Most people just lie on the floor on their elbows thinking this ab exercise is easy, but forget to brace their abs really hard”.

There are different versions of this exercise but it is important to master the simple version first, which is something Whitfield’s new video will help do. The plank will also improve the core stability, which makes other workouts easier. Whitfield’s program, Bodyweight Torch, offers various types of plank exercises and it is important to do them perfectly to avoid any injury and gain all the benefits possible.

“I’ve been getting great feedback on my exercise demonstrations and I plan to release more, especially those found in the new program Bodyweight Torch.” The program is challenging but fun at the same time and helps to develop strong abs and core.

Bodyweight Torch is Whitfield’s new program and offers many ab exercises, including the plank. You can download the four-week program for free for a limited time from http://www.bodyweighttorch.com.

About: Mike Whitfield is a boot camp workouts and bodyweight exercises expert.  He recently released the free workout program BodyweightTorch to celebrate his 3 year anniversary of losing 105 pounds with bodyweight exercises.  Recently he also released a bodyweight exercise video demonstrating the stability ball plank.

(Newswire.net via Emailwire.com -- Februrary 14, 2013) Portland, OR -- Nationwide, the number of homes in foreclosure during 2012 was down about 20 percent from 2011, according to data aggregator CoreLogic. "The most encouraging foreclosure trend reported here is that the inventory of foreclosed properties is almost 20 percent smaller than a year ago," said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. "This big improvement indicates we are working toward resolving the backlog of the most distressed assets in the shadow inventory."  Home Buyer Demands have increased significantly.

In the Portland market, the percentage of sales of bank-owned homes (aka foreclosures or REOs), which had gone down every single month during 2012 (starting at 29.2 percent of all sales and ending at just 11.0 percent), rose slightly in January to 12.9 percent.  Throughout the year, the percentage of short sales (when a home is sold for less than what the homeowner owes on it) accounted for about 12 to 15 percent of all sales.  In January, short sales were 11.9 percent in Portland Metro, and they will probably continue to account for approximately this share of the market for months to come. Perhaps by summer, though, their number will decline, as the increase in housing prices lift homeowners out from underwater, putting them back into a positive equity situation.

As in any market, the consumer's best decision is made in an environment of good information.  Custom Real Estate Marketing Apps are one way that information flows to the fingertips of the consumer.  Dan Crider, founder of the Real Estate Marketing App Store in Portland Oregon states that "the mobile consumer that Realtors now serve expect that information also be mobile."  Smart devices enable the untethered consumer the ability to draw on many resources.  Crider notes that this "sometimes dilutes the degree of loyalty that the consumer has with any one Real Estate Agent.  Agents are looking for ways to offer mobile information delivered on demand." 

Many agents understand the new economy that goes beyond "on-demand"  The new economy extends the consumer's wants and needs to an "as-demanded" level of service from the real estate agent.

Real Estate agents have discovered a way to increase client loyalty and get more closings, more money, more time and have more fun using feature rich custom apps designed with the agent in mind.

Additional Information:

Dan Crider
Real Estate Marketing App Store
dan@realestatemarketingapp.com
503-329-9109

http://www.realestatemarketingapp.com

(Newswire.net—February 13, 2013) Minneapolis, MN – There is no doubt that the wreckage done by hail storms can be devastating and its destructive aftermath is clearly visible in the damage on property. It is essential that people understand how prone the area they live in is to hail. Staying updated with hail damage reports and statistics ensures their safety as well as minimizes damage and losses. Keeping up-to-date and prepared would also mean less expense on insurance costs or taxes to pay off damages.

It is reported that there are certain areas which are more prone to hail storms. These areas are referred to as the ‘Tornado Alley’. Statistics show that the United States suffers from around 12,000 storms per year. Some of them are mild whereas others can cause catastrophic damage. These hail storms can also cost individuals thousands of dollars in damages. Keeping up to date with certain statistics and information can help you avoid this and keep you safe.

During 2001, the city of Kansas ended up suffering from $2 billion worth of losses from a single storm. The problem here is that hail doesn’t only damage homes, but it destroys vehicles as well. Thousands of windscreens and vehicles are completely damaged per year and the cost of repairing them can exceed $2 million.

When it comes to homes, owners find it difficult to avoid losses even if they are completely prepared. What make things even worse is that most insurance companies will only cover half of the losses and this means that the owner will still have to compensate for loss and damage from their own pocket. The National Bureau of Insurance crime predicted a 136% increase in the damages resulted from live hail between 2007 and 2010.

Experts agree that staying updated with a good hail track software is extremely important not only for a person’s assets, but also for their own safety and their family. Live hail damage reports show that several people get seriously hurt during these storms and in some rare cases, death occurs as well. 

http://livehailreports.com

(Newswire.net -- February, 15  2013) Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK -- With big name companies shedding staff such as Rolls Royce and Barclays and some others, previously considered indestructible such as HMV, Blockbusters, JJB Sports and Comets that have since gone bust leaving tens of thousands of employees out of work, losing one's job is the biggest fear among today's workforce.

An increasing number of employees are also now being asked by employers to sign a lengthy legal document known as a Compromise Agreement or settlement Agreement as a condition to receiving a financial leaving package.

Why are employer's asking employees to sign a compromise agreement?

The principal reason for this is that an employee compromise agreement is the only legal document recognised in law as bidding and enforceable to prevent an employee from taking any further legal action against the employer in respect of that employment. It is in effect an insurance policy for employers seeking to end an employees contract of employment for whatever reason.

An employee is under no legal obligation to sign a compromise agreement. However, if the terms of an employee compromise agreement include a generous financial leaving package that is in excess to what an employee may be entitled to in law, the employer will usually make it a condition of signing the agreement.

Whether an employee is being offered a financial settlement in excess of the amount that they may be entitled to in law, it very much depends on the circumstances of the termination and whether it is a fair and lawful termination of employment.

In straightforward cases, for example for redundancy, calculating one's financial redundancy entitlement is relatively uncomplicated. For an simple and fast way of calculating an employee's basic redundancy pay it is best to head over to the government's statutory redundancy calculator, which takes you through a simple 4-step process to accurately calculate what an individual employee's entitlement is based on four criteria.

Once an employee knows their basic entitlement, they will then need to go back to their contract of employment to ascertain whether their employer has a more generous redundancy package. For example, many employers will offer a redundancy package based on one month's pay for each complete year employed with the company. When you compare that to statutory redundancy, which is calculated on a maximum weekly pay of £450 (as at Feb 2013) times the number of years of employment , you can quickly see that an employee is not entitled to much under the statutory scheme.

An employee should therefore ensure that if their employer has its own redundancy scheme, that it is at least equal to the basic statutory entitlement.

In circumstances where an employee's contract of employment is being ended under a cloud, for example, where there is a dispute between the employer and employee. Or where an employer is seeking to terminate an employee's contract under dubious circumstances, in breach of UK employment laws or regulations and therefore potentially an "unfair dismissal", it's important that professional legal compromise agreement advice for employees be obtained in order to have the situation properly assessed, and so that employees are advised of their options and the most appropriate course of action.

In addition, all employees are also entitled to their contractual notice period or pay in lieu of notice, if the contract of employment permits this.

The law provides a basic minimum entitlement of one week's notice after working more than one month and less than two years. After working continuously for more than 2 years, an employee is entitled to one week for each additional full year worked, with a cap at twelve weeks notice.

An employee is entitled to receive all other additional contractual entitlements up to the date of termination of employment.

In addition to the financial package, which is undoubtedly the most important element to an employee, what other things should an employee look out for in an employee compromise agreement?

An employer is not legally obliged to give job references. So if an employee is concerned that an employer may not give a reference upon request by a potential employer, then this ought to be covered during negotiations of the final terms of a compromise agreement.

If an employee is on a bonus scheme, make sure that you discuss this with the employer. Many bonus schemes are described as "discretionary". If an employer has routinely received a bonus and would have been on track for a further bonus if they remained in employment, then now is the best time to negotiate a sum in recognition of the loss of bonus.

Occasionally, employers try to include additional restrictive clauses (covenants) into the compromise agreement such as a non-competition clause. Or that an employee cannot work for a competitor during a fixed period immediately following the end of the contract.

If this restrictive clause simply restates the contractual position, there is little an employee can do. If the proposed clause is not already in the contract of employment, then this is a negotiable term. Either negotiate its removal or negotiate a better financial settlement by way of compensation for the added restraint on one's ability to find alternative employment.

Finally, employees should take a good look at the financial package and ensure that the contractual elements of the payment are clearly separated from non-contractual payments. This is important since non-contract payments up to £30,000 are non-taxable. It is therefore in the employee's interest to ensure that as much of the settlement is "compensation" for loss of office in order to minimise liability to tax.

For some initial advice or guidance on what to do next when presented with an employee compromise agreement, you can speak with Graham Cardona at Cardona & Co who will be more than happy to have an informal chat. Alternatively, if you are just looking for more information on compromise agreements, head over to http://cardonaandco.co.uk/compromiseagreeement where you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions.

STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA/February 15, 2013 / Newswire/ -- Viratech Corp. (OTC: VIRA), the first open source biotech research social network platform, announced today the signing of a Joint Venture between its wholly owned subsidiary, Cancer.im Inc., and the non-profit foundation, Cancer.im. 

Mike Balmuth is the President of Cancer.im, Inc., and has many years of leadership and industry experience.   Cancer.im, the 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable foundation’s officers include Dr. Kevin Buckman, Dr. John Gutierrez, and Dr. Barkat Charania, as well as a supporting  Advisory Board.  The joint venture will allow the non-profit to use the Cancer.im website, http://cancer.im, to raise money for its charitable causes.

About Cancer.im, Inc.

 Through its experience-based search engine and technology, Cancer.im's goal is to become the primary resource on the web for people affected by cancer, for the purpose of making a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.  Cancer.im’s mission is to empower every cancer patient with the ability to research their disease and to find, organize, and manage their own cancer support network at no charge to them. The goal of these support networks is to assist the patient in conserving needed energy by reducing the burden associated with their own daily trials and tribulations. Cancer.im will strive to convert this saved energy into a higher level of patient activity and a stronger determination to fight their disease.

In addition Cancer.im  is seeking new cancer researchers who wish to  leverage its intellectual property and social network platform for the purpose of creating new distribution and engagement channels.

About Viratech Corp.

Viratech Corp. has created the first open source biotech research social network platform.  The purpose of the platform is to make it possible for individuals or smaller companies to compete with larger companies in the race to patent new medicines or technology. This has been made possible by leveraging social collaboration in a way that allows new biotech ventures the ability to protect their intellectual property, then simultaneously allowing those same ventures the ability to promote and crowdsource their development.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release includes forward-looking statements concerning the future performance of our business, its operations and its financial performance and condition, and also includes selected operating results presented without the context of accompanying financial results. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to our objectives and strategies to achieve those objectives, as well as statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates or intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations. We caution that all forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and actual results may differ materially from the assumptions, estimates or expectations reflected or contained in the forward-looking information, and that actual future performance will be affected by a number of factors, including economic conditions, technological change, regulatory change and competitive factors, many of which are beyond our control. Therefore, future events and results may vary significantly from what we currently foresee. We are under no obligation (and we expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact: Kevin Buckman MD

Viratech Corp.

http://viratech.org

Email Contact: info@viratech.org

Tel: 209 477 3030

 (Newswire.net-February, 15 2013) Nashville, TN- Dating guru Jonathan Green is happy to announce the release of the second edition of his best selling e-book Girlfriend In A Week. The new edition features additional visuals, exercises, and tips to really guide any guy to find the girlfriend of his dreams. 

The e-book begins with a revamped view on how to build confidence. The opening chapter focuses on exercises as simple as cleaning your room in order to begin taking a stand and growing confidence.

“Most of the problems I see in men is that they don't have the confidence to approach a women they find attractive. Usually they approach her and start a very awkward conversation however most men won’t approach her at all. The common misconception I see in people is that they are waiting for love to just fall into their laps. They will be waiting a very long time if they never take action to get what they want,” remarks Jonathan.

After focusing on the key building blocks of confidence, the book then slides into approach anxiety and how to overcome this looming obstacle. In this new edition Jonathan adds attractive ways to start a conversation with the dream girl. He then instructs his readers how to keep the conversation going.

“Sometimes starting a conversation with an attractive girl is the easiest part for my clients. It’s keeping the conversation interesting that becomes the most difficult part. I’ve seen many men engage in conversation with their dream girl but then nerves kick in and they panic.”  

Jonathan has been in the dating business for over ten years now and has trained thousands of men internationally. His best selling e-book Girlfriend In A Week strives to appeal to any kind of guy that is struggling to find the girlfriend of his dreams.

“I’m really excited about the release of the second edition of Girlfriend In A Week. It is completely equipped with new visuals and exercises to really shake the reader up. My ultimate goal with this release is to help as many men as I can get the girl of their dreams. I’ve found that a lot of men have deep insecurities that hold them back from companionship and true happiness. The first step in my book is to accept yourself exactly as you are.”

For more information on relationship advice please visit http://www.getagirlfriendinaweek.com

(NEWSWIRE.NET -- February 15, 2013) Syosset, NY --In 2011, the first wave of baby boomers hit the traditional retirement age of 65. And over the next 19 years, another 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 every day, according to research by the Pew Research Center that was reported on by foxbusiness.com.

Unfortunately, many of these baby boomers may not be as financially prepared for retirement as they hoped they’d be. In a Harris Interactive poll of middle-class Americans, 39 percent of respondents say they will need to work in retirement just to make ends meet or maintain their lifestyles.

Another survey conducted by the Employee Benefits Research Institute and reported on by ConvergEx Group determined that only 58 percent of Americans are saving any money at all for retirement. Among those who are saving, 60 percent have less than $25,000 in defined contribution retirement account savings (including 48 percent who are at least 45 years old) and 30 percent have saved less than $1,000.

“If you plan to retire within the next couple of years, now is the time to begin planning exactly how you will make the transition from full-time employment into your retirement,” suggests Rande Aaronson, Branch Manager at David Lerner Associates’ office in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Here are five strategies to consider:

1. Reexamine your asset allocation.It may be advisable to start shifting your asset allocation mix to lessen exposure to investments that may be more volatile in the short term (like equities) and increase exposure to those that generally have less volatility, such as fixed-income investments (like bonds). The idea is to manage your savings and investments in a way that will help protect, rather than grow, your income and principal as you prepare to pass from the accumulation to the withdrawal phase of retirement planning.

2. Plan your retirement budget. One budgeting strategy is to plan on needing between 75-85 percent of your pre-retirement income during retirement. This is based on the assumption that you will no longer need to support children, you may have paid off your home mortgage, and you won’t have employment expenses like clothing, commuting, eating lunch out, etc. A Retirement Calculator can help you figure out how much you will need to retire.

However, these “savings” can easily be offset by unknown variables (such as the future cost of healthcare) and additional unplanned expenses, especially if you plan to live an active retirement lifestyle. If you want to travel extensively, entertain and eat out frequently or participate in expensive hobbies during retirement, be sure to factor these costs into your retirement cost-of-living budget.

3. Devise a portfolio distribution strategy.This is critical to helping ensure that you don’t outlive your retirement nest egg. The goal is to determine how much money you can withdraw from your portfolio each month to meet retirement living expenses without jeopardizing your portfolio’s long-term future. Two common retirement portfolio distribution strategies are: 1) withdrawing a set dollar amount each month, or 2) withdrawing a percentage of the account balance each month.

With the former strategy, the amount of income is more predictable, which may make personal budgeting easier. However, the percentage strategy provides more control over the funds withdrawal rate and the portfolio’s overall drawdown. A generally accepted rule of thumb for a retirement portfolio withdrawal rate is 4 percent per year, but everyone’s situation is different.

4. Plan how you will receive Social Security benefits.Currently, you may elect to begin receiving Social Security benefits as early as age 62. However, you will receive a larger payment each month if you wait until your full retirement age of 67 (if you were born after 1959) and an even larger monthly payment still if you wait until age 70 to begin receiving benefits. Each individual’s unique situation will dictate the best strategy for receiving Social Security benefits.

5. Factor inflation into your financial planning.Over time, inflation erodes the value of your money and reduces your purchasing power. As a result, a dollar in ten years will likely buy you less than a dollar today. Based on an annualized inflation rate of 4 percent, the purchasing power of $1 in 1980 has shrunk to just 36 cents today.

Material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be used in connection with the evaluation of any investments offered by David Lerner Associates, Inc. (DLA). This material does not constitute an offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities and should not be considering in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.

(Newswire.net via Emailwire.com -- 15, February, 2013) London, UK –– Leaf, a custom brand of HD audio/video distribution and switching solutions, showed its LTHDMI2020E at 2013 Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), while offering an intimate look at how the commanding HDMI matrix distribution system utilizes HDBaseT technology.

Unlike other switchers on the market, the LTHDMI2020E features four, back-panel HDMI outputs for in-rack or in-room video and audio connectivity. Sixteen HDBaseT LTB1E remote breakout units can receive audio and video from up to 52 potential sources, in addition to controlling data and Ethernet connectivity, up to 100m/328ft away.

Alongside 20, full-1080p HDMI 1.4 inputs, there are 16 SPDIF (coax) digital audio and 16 analog audio outputs that enable the centralized racking of power amplifiers while eliminating the need for a separate audio switcher. Sixteen bi-directional IR ports, plus RS-232, allow passing of control signals to remote devices, all while a sleek front-panel touchscreen makes setup a breeze.

"As the industry's first 20x20 matrix switcher, Leaf offers unparalleled connectivity and features for even the most complex custom install projects," said Dean Vaughan, Director of Sales and Marketing at Leaf. "Complete with four back-panel HDMI outputs and provisions for 16 HDBaseT outputs, we strive to make it easier than ever to flawlessly distribute HDMI content."

To minimize EDID errors, the Zone Lock feature provides the ability to lock a source to a particular zone. Locking the source to the zone allows the passage of specific EDID data ensuring that the display and source correctly interact. This is useful in systems where only certain displays are possible, for example, 3D, or where locking out a certain source from other zones is desired.

Additionally, the LTHDMI2020E is now Control4®Certified. Upon passing rigorous interoperability tests to ensure the 20x20 matrix switcher would integrate seamlessly with Control4 smart automation systems, the Leaf product line now offers Control4 dealers an easy way to expand their sales with a unique, powerful solution capable of delivering a bullet proof media experience.

The Leaf LTHDMI2020E has an introductory MSRP of $15,000.00, plus $350 per LTB1E breakout unit and is currently available through Control4 dealers.

(Newswire.net -- February 15,2013) West Vancouver, British Columbia -- It has a lot to do with the pride of being at the top and then losing out your footing when you make it too big. Much like Oprah Winfrey's new network disastrous start and long sluggish wooing, Vancouver real estate markets in Canada have come to their knees.

The Vancouver realty market has undergone a marginal decrease in the number of sales, this in turn brought down the city's standard price for houses. Overall sales for detached homes had the biggest drop, peeling off 30% of January 2012's overall trade. Meanwhile, apartments though were able to manage a slightly close number as with last year's. Despite this, the realty market in Vancouver is on its all time low compared to its previous years' January performance.

Eugene Klein, President of REBGV has said: "It appears that a lot investors and home sellers alike are opting to have their homes removed from the market's listings in vancouver. Nobody wants to settle for a price that won't give them a good amount of ROI, or at least a price that could break things even for them". It cannot be denied that the realty market is the least unpredictable type of investment available. Nonetheless, Vancouver's real estate market shifted to a an unpleasant path, making a lot of eyebrows to rise. Some are surprised that it happened while some are surprised why it happened just recently it should have been sooner. The days when a property's value in Vancouver continues to shoot up are already over, making the prices unfavorable for property owners, sellers or investors.

In a span of four months, the active listings of vancouver condos & houses to be sold have drastically decreased. Home owners and sellers view their properties as an investment, so it is hard for them to give in to the value that the current market is enforcing. Then again, as the calendar sets its foot on January of 2013, the new listings has bubbled to at least 18.9% more than the listing 10 years ago. This definitely turned the tables around for majority of investors who were optimistic about the market. This is also the 2nd lowest Vancouver home sales for a January since 2001. The increase of number on the list, the more it signifies that less houses are getting sold or are being sold.

"Whatever goes up will eventually come back down". This basic law of gravity does not exempt even real estate and financial markets, pointed out by some real estate brokers, financial planners and economic experts. Basically, as shallow as it may seem, but it's one of the causes why the real estate price is Vancouver has fallen over the past months. Market correction, that's what this phenomenon is better known for, and this phase is actually expected, most especially in real estate. So basically, this declining period has to come sooner or later, and apparently now is its time to happen. On top of that, the government of Vancouver has set its limits for mortgage insurance only to properties with a value not more than 1 million dollars. Also, mortgage loans today can no longer be stretched beyond 25 years, making it tougher for buyers to stretch their budgets.

Despite the flaws and drawbacks that Vancouver is undergoing recently, the upside is still promising. Canada still holds the top spot in terms of banking system, aside from the fact that it still belongs to the G20's top economy. Also, Vancouver still is the most favored city for intra-provincial immigrants and even to foreign immigrants. This basically comprises majority of the activities that strengthen the economy not just in Vancouver, but in Canada as a whole. As the population continues to prosper the employment growth also skyrockets and this in turn will build up the economy.

Similarly, dispite the sluggish network's performance, Oprah Winfrey is a warrior and we know just what she is capable of achieving. This great media giant will muddle through and it may yet become the greatest network that North America may witness.

Oprah Winfrey's Oprah.com averages 71 million page views and 7.5 million unique visitors per month and receives an average of 20,000 e-mails each week.

The Oprah Winfrey Network
http://www.oprah.com/own
oprah@oprah.com
1-888-943-8696
© 2013 Harpo Productions, Inc
5700 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 120
Los Angeles, CA 90036

(Newswire.net -- February 15,2013) Vancouver, British Columbia -- On Thursday, realtor Richard Morrison of the Richard Morrison real estate team reported that the real estate trends in Vancouver experienced by his team throughout 2012 confirmed the recent reports of The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver that Vancouver real estate took a dive in 2012.

Last month, the REBGV had reported below average home sales and decline in home listing activity and in home prices in 2012 (http://www.rebgv.org/news-statistics/prices-hold-firm-home-buyers-and-sellers-conclude-2012-sidelines), following the same up this month with confirmation that the market is yet to recover and "home buyer demand remains below historical averages." (http://www.rebgv.org/news-statistics/january-home-sales-remain-quiet).

REBGV's February 2013 update highlighted that home sale activity has not recovered from the time Vancouver real estate took a dive in 2012. Eugene Klein, the REBGV president, said in the February update that "Home sale activity has been below historical averages in Greater Vancouver for about seven months. This has caused a gradual decline in home prices of about 6 percent since reaching a peak last spring."

Realtor Richard Morrison, a real estate veteran of Vancouver, echoed the sentiments of the REBGV president, and said, "home prices are definitely on the decline in Vancouver and surrounding areas, though investor activity is continuing at a subdued pace." Morrison confirmed that the decline in home prices are continuing to hold, and though it was a poor time for home sellers, the time was good for many for whom home prices had been beyond reach. "At the same time," Morrison said, "shrewd investors are trying to make the most out of this historic low in Vancouver real estate prices, and real estate deals continue in pockets." He also went so far as to say "the fact that Vancouver real estate listings took a beating can be attributed to the slow down in the Chinese economy, greater barriers to entry for the Chinese, mortgage regulations, and concurrent migration of labor. It is also the market rectifying itself and bringing the economy to a balance." Morrison maintains that his real estate firm continues to thrive due to intelligent investors, and because it makes a point to reach out to people who had never thought of buying their own homes, just because the prices were beyond their means. "There's a bright side to everything," said Morrison, "though many of our clients are reluctant to sell homes until the prices go up, many of our home buyers have been able to get extremely fair deals."

Morrison's words are not without foundation, because despite showing an all-around decline in real estate, the February report of REBGV mentions the new listing count for January 2013 was "18.9 per cent higher than the region's 10-year new listing average for the month." However, what seems depressing to home sellers is that home sales in January 2013 failed to raise hopes. According to the REBGV there was a decline of 17.8 per cent even in the sale of detached properties.

So, right now, Vancouver real estate continues to remain a buyer's market with the sales-to-active listings ratio at 10.2 percent. Since the time Vancouver real estate took a dive in 2012, especially from June 2012, this ratio has remained between 8 and 11 per cent.

Richard Morrison is a REMAX agent working in Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada.  His team consists of 5 agents and covers most of Greater Vancouver regional area.

Richard Morrison Personal Real Estate Corporation
http://realestatevancouver2010.com/homes/vancouver-east-homes/
Address: 208 - 789 Drake Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6Z 2N7
Tel: 1.(604).767.3703

(Newswire.net—February 15, 2013)  Fort Lauderdale, FL—German food is so diverse with the different meats that are available in its kitchens.  Fowl, beef, and pork along with seafood can be found in abundance on their menus.  So what is the situation going on in Europe with horsemeat that has taken the culinary world by its bootstraps?  Horsemeat in and of itself is not such a tragedy as long as it is not disguised and masked to be something else, like beef. 

The preparation for meat by the food safety policies certainly wants to know what the ingredients are that restaurants and food wholesalers use when selling their food.  With regards to horsemeat, the equine painkillers that are often used in horses are problematic as the meat passes through such substances into our gastronomic intestines at the dinner table. 

There is such an abundance of delicious meats with German food that resorting to horsemeat is hardly justified.  In the United States, the German restaurants that exist are pretty eclectic when it comes to comparing them to other nationalities.  As we look carefully at the cream of the crop German restaurants throughout the U.S. we can see the passion and care that is given to making the dishes that separate them from the rest.

In Fort Lauderdale and South Florida, Old Heidelberg has emerged as a German food destination for its authentic German dishes with homemade sauerkraut and red cabbage that is cooked for hours in vats that are done from scratch daily.  The meats are fresh and prepared to order as their clientele patronizes them knowing the high standards and quality that they maintain.

Aside from German restaurants having a clean reputation, Old Heidelberg takes this to a whole different level.  Their kitchen is scrubbed day after day to keep the patrons and employees happy.   Their storage and cooking facilities make it appetizing to the chefs as they prepare for each meal requested.  A tour of their kitchen should be a part of this experience at this quaint location. 

With Europe in a maelstrom of meat origination, come to Old Heidelberg and ask about their authentic menu items that people crave for.  Contact them at: (954) 463-6747   http://germanfoodftlauderdale.com 

Old Heidelberg Restaurant

900 SW State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

(Newswire.net -- February, 16  2013) Milton Keynes, UK -- Facing the prospect of losing one's job is never a pleasant experience. The challenge, uncertainty and prospect of finding alternative work quickly can be a very disruptive, not to mention a nerve-racking.

With that said any compensation that one receives under a compromise agreement settlement needs to see you through your period of unemployment while you search for a new position. And with that being the case, it is important for you to understand the tax implication on compromise agreement settlements, as in certain situations you may have some flexibility to repackage your financial settlement in such way as to minimise potential exposure to tax. Which means that you get to keep more of that money just when you'll be needing it most.

First, let us very quickly cover what a compromise agreement is

An employment compromise agreement is a legal document entered between the employer and employee, in which in exchange for an employee's promise not to take any kind of legal action against the employer at the end of the employment, the employer agrees to pay the employee a compensation package.

Employment legislation in the UK is complex and the only way that an employer can really safely end a contract of employment without the fear of possible legal action for breach employment laws and regulations is to enter into a compromise agreement with the outgoing employee.

With this in mind HM Revenue and Customs understands that for the purpose of compromise agreements, when an employment contract comes to an end, an employee may have various potential employment claims. For example failure to pay all salary due at the end of the contract; not giving correct notice or pay in lieu of notice; failure to have regard to certain protection provided by the Employment Rights Act 1996, and so forth.

HMRC therefore does not generally treat payments under an employment compromise agreement as a payment 'for work undertaken' pursuant to the employment contract, which is taxable, but instead treats it as 'compensation for loss of employment'.  In other words payments under a compromise agreement for loss of employment is classified as 'damages', or which is sometimes referred to as a "golden handshake" payment.

But HMRC is also clear that certain other payments that are often lumped together with compensation payments for loss of employment are taxable if they are payments of a contractual nature.

Finally Salary Payments and Other Contract Benefits

All payments that an employee normally receives or is contractually entitled to, up to the date of termination of employment is taxed in the normal way. These include such things as unpaid holiday leave, car allowance, contractual bonus payments and commission and all other payments received under the contract of employment.

Payment in Lieu of Notice (PILON)

Whether a PILON is chargeable for tax depends on whether the payments paid pursuant to the contract. If the employee's contract of employment is silent on whether the employer can make a payment in lieu of notice, then HMRC will consider this payment as compensation for termination and not a contractual payment since it is not within the contract.

However, some care needs to be taken here since HMRC will consider PILONs taxable whether they can be seen as being made “automatically”, habitually or by practice or custom. In other words where the employer has a history of making a PILON payment even though the contract with the employee does not expressly provide for this.

Garden Leave

There is a fine distinction to be drawn here between garden leave and a PILON for tax treatment, since as we have seen above, certain PILONs may not attract tax.

With garden leave, an employee will typically be given the correct notice of termination but be told not to attend work during the period up to the date of termination of employment. The employee is given leave to "tend the garden" while still serving the remainder of his contract.

This is to be distinguished from a PILON payment, where the employer simply pays-off the employee in substitution of asking him or her to work their notice. In this situation, the employment is treated as at an end, with a PILON payment the payoff for the notice period that the employee is entitled to.

Redundancy Payment

HMRC has special provisions for the treatment of redundancy pay.

Both statutory and an employer's own contractual redundancy scheme (if one exists) have a £30,000 exemption to tax. An employee may therefore receive up to £30,000 tax free excluding all contract payments received on termination of a contract of employment.

As the employee is treated as still employed up to the date of termination, all contractual payments received during this period is subject to income tax.


Compensation and ex-gratia (Non-Contractual) Payments

All payments made as compensation for loss of employment, which are not contractual in nature, are exempt from tax on the first £30,000.

For example, an employee dismissed with correct notice, will be entitled to receive final salary and all other contractual benefits subject to deduction of NI and income tax. Any additional payments that an employer provides on top, in compensation for loss of employment, will be treated as exempt from tax up to the £30,000 limit.

If on the other hand, an employer terminates a contract of employment, without notice, in breach of contract and perhaps in circumstances that may give rise to a potential claim for breach of employment laws and regulations, the entire sum offered by an employer as compensation for loss of office is potentially exempt from tax on the first £30,000.

If you have any questions on compromise agreement tax implications, require more advice or guidance on employment compromise agreements generally, contact Graham Cardona at Cardona & Co who will be more than happy to have a chat over the phone to answer your questions.

Alternatively, you can head over to the following website address at http://cardonaandco.co.uk/compromiseagreement for more more information on the most frequently asked questions on compromise agreements.

(Newswire.net--February 16, 2013)  Carrollwood, FL—So much of the custom building and design of a new home can be so exciting from the idea of handpicking faucets to the shape of the exterior rooflines, but keep in mind that the banks take a different view on the asset valuation from a lending perspective.  A home is not a home unless it is already constructed. 

Equity valuations in homes are determined by a historical assessment of an existing edifice that has a pre-existing tangible price.  Prospective home buyers must keep that in mind when determining whether they are seeking an already built home or a design idea that will be built in the future.

Normal scenarios of home buying involve seeking the total purchase price and negotiating with a bank or lending institution that will accept the market valuation, then determine how much of an “equity” down payment they will require depending upon the buyer’s credit score and other assets in their net worth portfolio.  Once this determination is made, the buyer has a set monthly mortgage amount that they pay until the home is paid off or the buyer sells, whichever comes first. 

Custom homes require a lot more planning since in order to begin building, the buyer must advance payments to their contractor for building supplies, materials, and labor.  This process involves stages of payment drawdown that can be sizeable depending on what stage they are in and the extent of the work and  materials involved. 

A good professional home builder that designs and custom makes a home, manages this process with the buyer very well.  They know what is entailed and the timelines that must be scheduled and met in order to take on this project.  Since there are a lot of moving parts, expectations must be managed well with multiple parties that are seated at this “contracting table”.  A custom builder that handles this well makes the biggest difference and can actually smooth out the process to make it enjoyable and memorable.  In Carrollwood, Fl, which is a bedroom community just North of Tampa proper, there are expansive land areas that are available for such building projects.  Here in Carrollwood, Boger Homes has emerged as a very well reputed builder that possesses these skills to keep the clients calm and under control.  They have an impressive array of built homes in their portfolio and are proud to share these with any prospective home buyers.    

Boger Homes can be contacted for a free consultation at:   (813) 949-0074  http://www.bogerhomes.com/ 

21859 SR 54 Suite 800

(Newswire.net -- February 15, 2013) Chelyabinsk, Russia -- On February 15^th 2013 a fairly large asteroid hit west side of Siberia  in Chelyabinsk, Russia and where got injured over 1100 people and 3000 buildings.

We have collected a lot of information from different sources about what has been told about the meteor fall in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

What has really happened on Ferbruary 15th in the Chelyabinsk area, Russia?

As we look into some details we discover some surprising news.

Q.  Could this morning’s meteorite shower be predicted?

A.  Russians - this was "not expected".   And “Unlike in the case of an incoming missile, the trajectory of a meteor or a small asteroid cannot be predicted. Classical astronomical methods of trajectory measurement are simply not applicable to heavenly bodies smaller than 100 meters across. What is more, given the technology to date, you cannot intercept or destroy an incoming space rock or ice chunk."- The Voice Of Russia

Just to say that "ice chunk" was  ~50ft wide.

This was followed up by one Russian politician who said "the event was not a meteor shower but a US weapons test". (Russia's Interfax)

As you can clearly see from the picture below that a trajectory of meteor DA14 was in the satellite's area. 

Q. Was the smaller asteroid piece of DA14?

A. No answer yet.

Q. But why this meteor was not destroyed by Russian missile?

A. There is no answer yet.

A little bit of history, about a year ago two Russian politicians, NATO Ambassador Dmitry Rogozin and head of the National Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, raised the space impact issue at meetings with their Western counterparts. They argued that joint action against threats from space would constitute a useful alternative to wasteful missile defense programs.

But nobody took it seriously.

More from BBC News and scientist Simon Green. Watch the video on the right.

Q. How many times Russian government needs to be warn about disaster before it can take proper actions?

What Russian government does to protect their people from natural disaster when it is possible?

Could Russian government really "miss" a falling meteor that size so people can look for a reason to stir up old concerns between Russia, Korea and America?

A

Chelyabinsk residents reacted unequally. Some residents were scared and running, some had a fun by twitting jokes about that, and some crashed their windows in a hope to get compensation for a new windows installation. The kid in the video keep screaming " we are under missile attack!"

Tweets show different opinions of people all over the world.

"@Froszti Армагеддон - Американцы при помощи метеоритов бомбардируют русских."  We translate: Americans bum Russians with a help of the meteor.  Sad and funny.

 Or. -" Something to talk about". Sad.

- @Darkevador #RussianMeteor. There is no meteor in Russia. This is Mr. Puttin entertains. 

Lets hope that both countries can find better ways to work this out.

(Newswire.net via Emailwire.com – February 15, 2013) The Dalles, OR -- During tough economic times everyone is searching for ways to stretch a dollar. Families want to support local causes, but must choose between necessities and charity. Businesses also want to support local non-profit organizations, but with the rising costs of customer acquisition, utilities and taxes, their charitable donations have been forced to shrink.

One small business owner observed, “I have 3-5 requests a week from worthy organizations for a donations or support. I’d like to help more of them, but I just can’t. Business has been slow.”

YipDeals.com has a solution for families, charities and local businesses, helping them work together to strengthen communities and stretch a dollar.

Marketing Strategist Brad Harmon explains, “Businesses are regularly offering goods and services at a discount to attract new customers to sample the value they provide, hoping they will become a loyal customer. The cost of advertising these great deals to potential clients is increasing, consuming more and more of a business’s budget, making it harder for them acquire the new customers every business needs to survive.

“Non-Profit organizations; Charities, Churches, Chambers, Schools, Youth  programs, etc., have hundreds, even thousands of loyal supporters who would be more than happy to support a local business that offers a great value and supports their cause. YipDeals.com helps non-profits get the word out for neighborhood businesses allowing the business to donate what they would have spent on advertising to charity.”

Lisa  Farquharson, Executive Director of The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, was excited to discover a program designed to create instant cash flow and customers for neighborhood businesses. “We are always looking for ways to have a positive economic impact for our members and strengthen their relationships within the community and this does both.”

When Chambers, Charities and Non-Profit Organizations share great deals from local businesses with their supporters and the business then shares a portion of the revenues generated with the organization, it’s a Win-Win-Win! The consumer gets an excellent value on products or services they’ve wanted. Neighborhood businesses get an instant influx of customers and cash, while supporting charities, schools, youth sports programs and other local non-profit organizations.

The best part is YipDeals.com is FREE to join. Consumers, charities and businesses can sign up without any cost or obligation. Businesses also get a complimentary consultation from a Local Marketing Consultant to help them with set up and promotion. For more information go to http://DiscoverTheDalles.YipDeals.com

Contact:

Brad Harmon at U B All U R Business Solutions

541-980-0160

Brad@InternetMarketingTheDalles.com

http://InternetMarketingTheDalles.com

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