2008 YODEX Review: Varied competitions, Vast creations

Monday, May 26, 2008

The 27th Young Designers’ Exhibition 2008, recognized by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) as the largest show of student creations, recently ended Sunday May 18. It was held at the Taipei World Trade Center. Improvements and expansions were seen with 107 academical and industrial units. Different design competitions participated and showcased their products and also received awards.

It’s no doubt that companies related to design and cultural industries want to discover creative talents from academical units in this exhibition. However, most companies still try to showcase different conceptional and applicative products in order to promote Taiwan’s designs into the world market. A typical example is Fora Series, a photo-voltaic product series by the Tsann Kuen Trans-nation Group.

Before entering into their careers, students participated in this show and showcased varied styles that differ from the usual industrial businesspeople. To get more opportunities and in order to interact with the design and cultural industries, students also participated in vast competitions and tried to get the top places. Some students also tried to design conceptional products in conjunction with industrial designs, especially in some design competitions.

In summary, not only did the 2008 YODEX, have companies which can discover talents and showcase achievements of industrial design in the exhibition, but students can make their stages to showcase excellences from their creations in several competitions related to YODEX.

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19 February

Make Money With Commercial Property Rentals

Submitted by: Steve Gillman

Commercial property rentals wit triple-net leases mean little management and high returns. However, this can be a tough market to break into, and you can have negative cash flow on vacant storefronts for a year at a time.

How about a real estate investment in which the renter pays not only the rent, but the taxes and insurance, and maintenance costs as well? That is the idea behind the “triple net lease.” It is common in commercial real estate.

Many companies make too much money on their products to have their capital tied up in a building or real estate. For example, if a retailer can turn over $500,000 worth of inventory six times per year, making 10% profit each time, they make $300,000, or 60% on that capital. It wouldn’t make sense to have that $500,000 invested in a building. This is why they rent. In fact, many large retailers will buy real estate, build their store, and then sell it to an investor who leases it back to them.

The triple net lease means that the investor has a guaranteed return on his investment, more or less. Rising property taxes or insurance rates don’t affect him, because the lessee pays these, as well as maintenance costs. Essentially, the owner of the property just collects the rent for the term of the lease. As you can imagine, these are deals that many investors would love to have.

Commercial Property Rentals – An Example

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Suppose you find a building that is suitable for a furniture store or other retail store. You can get it for $600,000. You find that the bank will loan you $480,000, or 80% of the value – but only if you have a lease first. You have enough cash to invest (or a partner does), so you can handle the deal if you can find a renter.

The seller will give you an option on the property for $10,000 for four months, and will apply the option fee towards the purchase if you can close the deal. This buys you time to find a renter. Of course, you will lose the $10,000 if you can’t close the deal.

You hire a good real estate agent who has experience with commercial leasing, and get busy. After two months, you find a hot tub company that seems to be doing well and wants a store in your area. After checking out their references, you negotiate a rental rate of $4,500 per month on a ten-year lease. They also pay property taxes, insurance and maintenance expenses.

The bank loan is due in ten years, but amortized over 30 years, with eight percent interest. This means your payment will be about $3,500. Since the renter pays virtually all of the other expenses, this means you get positive cash flow of about $1,000 per month, or $12,000 per year. With a down payment of $120,000, and about $30,000 in other expenses, you have $150,000 invested, making it a cash-on-cash return of about 8%.

Your total return will be substantially higher. This is because you will get a depreciation allowance for the building at tax time, and you gaining equity with each payment on the mortgage loan.

Of course the company you rent to could go bankrupt. This is a real possibility. What happens then? You rent out the building to a new tenant hopefully.

This is where commercial real estate gets tricky. You have no cash flow when the building is empty, but you still have payments on the loan, as well as taxes, insurance and maintenance. In the example given, these could add up to $4,200 per month. You may also have to pay utilities, and advertising costs, and a fee to an agent to help you get the place rented again.

Now for the really bad news. It is not uncommon for commercial real estate to remain empty for a year or more. It takes time to find the right tenant for a building. It isn’t anything like residential real estate, where there are always a few buyers around, and they can live in many types of houses. Each business has its own particular needs.

Imagine that it takes thirteen months to get the place rented out again. The good news? Perhaps you can get $250 more rent this time. The bad news? Thirteen months of expenses, plus the expenses of re-renting it will likely add up to about $60,000. That means you have $210,000 invested now, and the cash flow of $15,000 represents just a bit over 7% cash-on-cash return.

If you don’t have the $60,000 to cover this period of vacancy, you may just lose the property – and your investment. As you can see, you need to have some large cash reserves or access to cash for situations like this. This is one of the reasons that there are relatively few investors who pursue these kinds of deals.

Of course, this means less competition than in some areas of investing. Then, when you do get a good ten-year tenant on a triple net lease, you get to enjoy the cash flow with none of the usual headaches of being a landlord.

You may want to find a mentor and study the market before considering any commercial real estate investments. Find out what kind of returns investors are expecting. Commercial property rentals have to pay you a higher return than residential property, because the risk of long vacancies is greater, as is the possibility of rents going down.

About the Author: Copyright Steve Gillman. This article was an excerpt from 69 Ways To Make Money In Real Estate. Want to know the other 68 ways? Visit

99reports.com/make-money-in-real-estate.html

Source:

isnare.com

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isnare.com/?aid=130350&ca=Finances

18 February

The Best Option In Dover Local Ford Dealereships

byAlma Abell

Buying a vehicle can be a hassle with some dealerships. Trying to decide what you want, what you want to pay and whether to buy new or used can lead to a lot of wasted time driving from place to place. If you have been searching through Dover Local Ford Dealerships but have not found what you want, then you have not been to Maplecrest Ford yet.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-CpIlLNIyg[/youtube]

When you visit Maplecrest the first thing you will notice is the inventory. They carry a large inventory of both new and used vehicles. Whether you are looking for a car, truck or SUV, there are well-maintained, reasonably priced options to fit every category.Once you have chosen the perfect vehicle you will then discover their amazing service. They have been in the business for 50 years. As an owner-operated company they understand how important taking care of their customers is to their success.

Maplecrest Ford takes customer service seriously. That is why they offer free pick-up and delivery, free loaner cars and free shuttles. They do whatever they can to make the process easier and hassle free for every customer who walks onto one of their lots.

They have an on-site finance department to get the paperwork out of the way quickly and efficiently. They work with many different finance companies so you can get the best rate possible. They even offer special financing options customers with credit issues.

Maplecrest has a complete parts department stocked with factory-certified parts. Any time you are looking for a part you can come to them and be certain to get the right part the first time. Their service department is guaranteed to keep your vehicle running like new. They are also an Authorized GE Fleet Service Center. If you are the type that wants your new ride to look even better than new, there is also an accessories department to help you personalize it just the way you want.

You can apply online for pre-approved credit and then see what your dream car will cost you. If you are in the market for a new or used car, come see the top dealer in Dover Local Ford Dealerships. Visit Maplecrest Ford today.

18 February

Blue Coat and AT&T take parts of FOSI for Internet Security

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Recently in Sunnyvale, CA, Blue Coat Systems and AT&T are confirmed to join the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), an international non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and promoting best practices, tools and methods for online safety.

A safety online experience should be established. Kids often spend most time on Internet surfing, but [their] parents often ignored critical awareness on risks of the Internet. To decrease risks, we encourages parents to notice on children’s Internet activity and educate them about the risks they face online to protect themselves.

Apart from AT&T, Blue Coat recently announced “K9 Web Protection” software and promoted “Community Outreach Program” for parents to strengthen Internet security on kids. In addition, Laurie Coffin, Director of Marketing Communications at Blue Coat, was confirmed to join FOSI’s board of directors to assist in governing FOSI’s strategic direction and initiatives.

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18 February

Several groups seek to purchase Saturn auto brand

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Penske Automotive Group, Inc., an Ohio-based investment group and Telesto Ventures have indicated separately that they are interested in purchasing the Saturn auto brand from General Motors (GM).

According to The Wall Street Journal, Nissan-Renault is interested in purchasing Saturn. Bloomberg, however, indicated that Nissan-Renault may be a partner of Penske’s potential bid. If Penske acquired the brand, they would distribute Saturn vehicles and outsource the assembly.

GM revealed that the Saturn brand along with Saab and Hummer were up for sale when unveiling their restructuring plans to Congress for governmental loans. While the Pontiac brand was originally to be a niche brand, GM had changed their plans recently and decided to eliminate the brand.

Telesto Ventures is an investment group that includes private equity firm Black Oak Partners LLC of Oklahoma City and several Saturn dealerships. Initially, Telesto will purchase Saturn branded cars from GM then act as a general retailer for foreign brands. Telesto is in talks with several foreign manufacturers.

The Ohio group includes many former senior auto company managers plus private financial backers, chemists and engineers who live in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Florida. This group plans to initially purchase cars from GM then purchase existing but closed plants due to automaker restructuring. Additionally, one of the partners indicated a willingness to accept some “legacy” cost in relation to the United Auto Workers. The Ohio group is also pursuing possible loans or other support from national and state governments.

GM is reviewing several offers for Saturn. GM has contracted with S.J. Girsky & Co. to advise them on the sale.

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18 February

Wikinews interviews Diego Grez, Chilean earthquake survivor

Thursday, March 4, 2010

File:Diego Grez – 2.jpg

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Chile on Saturday, causing significant damage throughout parts of the country. Diego Grez (a Wikinews correspondent by the pen name MisterWiki) was in Pichilemu at the time of the quake. Four days after the quake, Peter Coti, also a Wikinews contributor, was able to chat with Mr. Grez about what happened Saturday morning.

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18 February

Author Amy Scobee recounts abuse as Scientology executive

Monday, October 11, 2010

Wikinews interviewed author Amy Scobee about her book Scientology – Abuse at the Top, and asked her about her experiences working as an executive within the organization. Scobee joined the organization at age 14, and worked at Scientology’s international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005. She served as a Scientology executive in multiple high-ranking positions, working out of the international headquarters of Scientology known as “Gold Base”, located in Gilman Hot Springs near Hemet, California.

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18 February

The Sensation Of Living In The Now}

The Sensation of Living in the Now

by

Linda Miles

Do you frequently stress about yesterday and worry about tomorrow?

Are you afraid that youll run out of time or that youre somehow missing out on life?

Have you ever stopped to register how your entire body is feeling?

When was the last time you were consciously grateful to be alive?

In their inspirational book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, writer Philip Yancy and surgeon Dr. Paul Brand explore the fascinating world of the human body and spirit, examining the miracle of skin, the strength and structure of the bones, [and] the dynamic balance of muscles. Dr. Brand reflects on his time spent with people suffering from leprosy, revealing how that experience altered his life by making him appreciate the function of the human skin and its ability to feel sensations. Leprosy is a condition that causes granulomas of the nerves, respiratory tract, eyes, and skin; it results in a persons inability to feel. Apart from the skin lesions and damage due to the disease itself, lepers are typically covered with sores that are caused when they sit on something hard or when they lean on sharp objects. Wounds and infections can result in tissue loss and deformation, numbed and diseased skin, and permanent damage to the nerves, limbs, and eyes.

We often take the gift of our five senses for granted. Yet just stop a moment and imagine having no feeling in your skin to warn you of extreme heat, sharp objects, or dangerous situations. Dr. Brand imagined this frequently. Although leprosy can be treated, it is contagious via nasal droplets; the doctor often wondered if he would wake up with the numbing symptoms. It changed his outlook and made him intensely grateful for his life and for the world around him.

I have had the privilege of working with a group of terminally ill cancer patients. What floored me was their vibrancy, their joie de vivre; they took such delight in every moment because they knew that their lives would soon end. If we thought that we were going to wake up tomorrow and not be able to see, feel, smell, or hear, then we would cherish everything that our senses could drink in.

So try that. Live the day like its your last. Take a moment and just look around you, see what draws your attention and what pleases your eyes. Allow your attention to focus on that someone or something for 30 seconds. Of course other thoughts will enter your mind meanwhile. Notice them, acknowledge them, but dont let them distract you from your object. You may notice a greater sense of relaxation and calm as you immerse yourself in the experience of the present moment.

If youve never tried this before ” or if youre looking for a different method to practice mindfulness more effectively ” the body scan is an excellent technique to get in touch with your senses on a daily basis and monitor how youre doing and feeling.

The Body Scan Technique

Sit or lie down, and take three deep breaths. Mentally count each inhalation/exhalation.

Focus on your body for a few moments. Notice where you feel tension, pressure, or tightness. Simply allow your attention to scan through your body, as if youre taking an X-ray. Become aware of all the sensations.

Remind yourself that the intention of this practice is to focus on bodily sensations and to notice what happens. Watch without judgment. Observe the sensations of the present moment.

Let yourself be curious about the sensations in your body and the places where youve been unconsciously tense and pressured all this time. How strong are the sensations? How tight is the pressure? Is there throbbing? What parts of your body are in need of attention and healing? Remember”it is essential to be kind and objective during your self-diagnosis.

Re-scan your body more selectively and thoroughly. Begin with your head. Notice any pressure or tension. Drop your awareness to your neck and shoulders. Then your chest”often a place where a lot of tension brews. Next let your focus shift to your abdomen, your belly, and your back. Shift your attention down to your legs, moving further down till you reach the soles of your feet and the tips of your toes.

Meanwhile, stretch each muscle as you go ” and, as you visualize the knots loosening, imagine that this is due to the healing energy you are sending through your body. Repeat the mantra of loving kindness mentally or out loud: May you be healed. May you be at peace. May you be filled with loving kindness.

Repeat as needed throughout the day. Cherish your body and send oxygen, intention healing, and loving compassion to all the areas that need to relax.

Remember that there is no one right way to do this. Youll do what feels right for you. The purpose of this exercise is simply to divert your attention into your body and to observe inner sensations with curiosity, openness, and gratitude. Just remember to stay centered and focused on the feelings and sensations. You can do body scans many times throughout the day, reminding your body that you dont need to hold onto negative thoughts or toxic emotions. You can mindfully and gently release tension and start afresh.

Pema Chodron is among those who take mindfulness one step further. She is an American-born Tibetan Buddhist, ordained nun, and author. She strongly advocates the Buddhist meditation practice called Tonglen, which is Tibetan for sending and receiving. This technique is about visualizing taking in suffering ” ones personal suffering and/or the suffering of others”with each inhaling breath, and giving out acknowledgment, compassion, solidarity, and aid during each exhaling breath.

This technique has been shown to cultivate mind patterns which promote an attitude of love and self-sacrifice, where you can exchange pain for love and happiness. In practice, it can increase your own peace of mind, and thereby spread more harmony and happiness to your surroundings.

There is only one time that is important: now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.

Leo Tolstoy

by Dr. Linda Miles

Article Source:

eArticlesOnline.com}

17 February

Cloudways Review}

cloudways-review

by

Mukesh KumarAbout CompanyCloudways, a cloud platform, was founded in 2011 in Malta. The company offers user friendly way to their customers, using which, they may develop, monitor, manage web apps which are impressive or stunning without suffering from pain of cloud infrastructure. With this, company offers some additional services also to their clients such as DNS, E-Mail and load testing. It offers some of the great features such as Unlimited Domains, Managed servers, 15 key metrics, powerful control panel, 1 click SSL etc. It has launched more than 12,000 servers and more than 25000 web apps. It offers great customer support.Company ServicesCloudways offers various types of services to their clients.Managed Magento HostingManaged Drupal HostingManaged Joomla HostingManaged MediaWiki HostingManaged WordPress HostingManaged WooCommerce HostingManaged Prestashop HostingOther Services : Among other services, offered by company, there is a long list, so we are giving here few ones:Basic Management ServicesVarnish Cloud HostingOS Patch ManagementSEO HostingApplication Patch UpdatesCloud MonitoringFree Website MigrationSpeed Up MagentoCloud ConsultancyCloud SetupPCI ComplianceCloud SecurityMultisite HostingDrupal Multisite HostingMagento Multisite HostingWordPress Multisite HostingJoomla! Multisite HostingRegional Cloud HostingAustralia Cloud HostingUK Cloud HostingSingapore Cloud HostingGermany HostingEurope Cloud HostingIreland Cloud HostingNew York Cloud HostingAddonsApplication Services (Category)Security Addons (Category)Rackspace Email HostingBlitz Load TestingDNS Made EasySecurity AnalysisNew Relic Application MonitoringApplication ManagementDrupal Application SupportJoomla Application SupportMagento Application SupportWordpress Application SupportPlans OfferedThere are three Cloud services offered by the Cloudways.DigitalOcean : It offers 512 MB of RAM, 1 TB of Bandwidth, 20 GB of disk, 1 CORE processor at price starts from $5.00 per month. With this, company also offers unlimited apps which can be installed in just one click.Amazon web services : Its starting price is Rs.34.04 per month. It offers 2 GB of Bandwidth, 2 GB of Disk size for small size server. With this, company also offers unlimited apps which can be installed in just one click.Google Computer engine : Clouds begins at the price of $31.17 per month. It offers 1 GB of Bandwidth, 10 GB of Disk size for small size server. With this, company also offers unlimited apps which can be installed in just one click.Customer SupportCloudways offers excellent customer service to their clients. Their team of employees are technically proficient, has a good background, trained offers support to their clients for 24 hrs a day. They tried to solve your queries in much less time as possible and deliver you great satisfaction. They also offer you 30 days money back guarantee.With this, it also offers great tools such as Power Dashboard, PowerCloud App to monitor your servers and ElasticStack to manage the cloud.What’s NewCompany is offering DigitalOcean Server on their managed platform for a small duration, two months to their first thousand servers and that too at free of cost. And for others, given a trial of same server for 14 days for free.Contact DetailsIf you have any questions, concerns or comments for the company, you can contact them through their address or e-mail:Office Address : Cloudways Ltd., 52 Springvale, Pope Pius XII Street, Mosta MST2653, MaltaE-Mail Address: join@cloudways.com

Mukesh Kumar is Marketing Executive with CPWebHosting, which deals with Managing Reputations. The company is the most significant online community for human resources professionals featuring articles, news, webcasts, events, white papers, discussion forums.

Article Source:

eArticlesOnline.com

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8SS-rUEZPg[/youtube]

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17 February

News briefs:May 16, 2010

 Correction — August 24, 2015 These briefs incorrectly describe BP as ‘British Petroleum’. In fact, such a company has not existed for many years as BP dropped this name when becoming a multinational company. The initials no longer stand for anything. 
Wikinews Audio Briefs Credits
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Recorded By
Turtlestack
Written By
Turtlestack
Listen To This Brief

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17 February