Sedalia Parks and Recreation Department has plenty of activities ...

Now that Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, the Parks and Recreation Department activities are in full swing for summer.

?We?re incredibly busy right now, we have programs and activities going on every day except Sunday,? said Parks Department Recreation Superintendent Amy Epple. ?Our goal has always been to have great programs for everyone, from little kids to adults. Whether that?s a family event like our Storybook Trail or our adult sport leagues, we really pride ourselves on offering a wide variety of activities.?

Youth Activities

Epple touted the upcoming Storybook Trail program as one of the department?s best family activities.

?Storybook Trail started last year as a way for families to get out into the parks and do something together,? she said. ?It?s a simple program but it gets people moving, which is always important.?

During Storybook Trail, which runs Monday through June 10 in Centennial Park and June 25 to July 1 in Katy Park, families are able to read a book one page at a time while walking, biking or running along a park trail.

?The little kids love it, I see them racing to each new page,? Epple said. ?It?s one of our favorite programs to do because it?s simple, free and brings families out doing something together.?

Other upcoming youth events include:

? Tie Dye Mania: Ages 7-11, $10, June 19
? Dino Day: Ages 3-6, $6, June 20
? Pirate Party: Ages 2-7, $8, June 23
? Can You Dig It? Ages 2-7, $6, June 27
? Little Mermaid Party: Ages 2-7, $8, July 14
? Art in the Park: Ages 7-11, $8, July 17

Youth sports

The department knew its hands would be full when it took over the recreational league of West Central Missouri Baseball Association earlier this year, but Epple said they weren?t quite prepared for the large turnout.

?We got started on Sedalia Youth Baseball a little late so we were scrambling a bit to get everything ready, but it?s been a blast for everyone involved,? she said.

The Parks Department is also considering starting a track and field club for kids ages 7-18 called Sedalia Speed, Epple added.

?We have clubs for every other sport imaginable but unless they run at school, kids don?t have access to a recreational track club,? she said. ?Right now we?re still working out the details and we should have more information by mid-June.?

Other youth sports programs include:

? Tennis lessons for beginners and intermediates: Ages 6-17, $40, June 18-22 or June 25-29
? Superkid Triathlon: Ages 4-14, $20, June 30

? Volleyball Camp: Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders, $25, July 9-12

Adult sports

One of the Park?s new programs this year is women?s water volleyball.

?I had done water volleyball years ago in my hometown and every year wanted to bring it to Sedalia,? Epple said. ?We have a great adult volleyball league but it takes summers off so we wanted to offer this as an alternative. It will be very recreational and laid back, just another way to get people out and moving.?

Another way the Parks Department plans to get people moving is by offering the fourth annual Beginners Triathlon on June 30, featuring a 200-yard swim, a five-mile bike ride and a two-mile run.

?I?ve had a lot of people tell me they started with the Beginners Triathlon in Sedalia, then graduated to full triathlons in other cities,? Epple said. ?If you?re thinking about doing a triathlon, ours is definitely a way to get started in the right direction.?

Upcoming adult sports include:

? Women?s Water Volleyball League: $75 per team, Wednesday nights starting June 13
? Dusk Til Dawn Softball Tournaments: $125 per team, June 23 or June 28
? Beginners Triathlon: ages 15 and over, $20

Pools

According to Epple, pool attendance so far has been great, despite being open only a few days.

?We had 500 people out at Centennial Pool on Memorial Day and we?re expecting big numbers this summer,? she said. ?We?re continuing some of our programs this year that everyone seems to enjoy? the Pirate and Little Mermaid parties. We?ll also be offering swim lessons again with our first session starting June 11.?

Centennial Pool is open daily through Aug. 8; Liberty Pool is open daily through Aug. 22 and on select days to Sept. 3. Pool admission is $3 for those ages 3 and up and will be reduced to $1.50 on days when Pettis County has been placed under an official heat advisory. Pools may also be rented out for parties.

Upcoming pool events:

? Swimming Under the Stars: $3, June 15 at Liberty Pool and June 29 at Centennial Pool
? Pirate Party: Ages 2-7, $8, June 23
? Dollar Day: Pool admission is $1, July 19
? Dive-In Movie: $3, June 27
? Little Mermaid Party: Ages 2-7, $8, July 14
? Aqua Camp: Ages 7-12, $30, July 23-27 at Liberty Pool
? Doggie Dive: $2 per dog, Aug. 8 at Centennial Pool or Sept. 4 at Liberty Pool
? Splash and Play: Children up to age 5, 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays June 5 to Aug. 3 at Centennial Pool
? Adapted Swimming: Children with mental or physical disabilities, 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays June 9 to Aug. 4 at Liberty Pool

There may be registration deadlines for some activities.

To learn more, or to be placed on the Parks Department?s mailing list and receive its Summer 2012 newsletter, call 826-4930 or go to sedaliaparks.com.

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Gov't cracking down on unsafe bus companies

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Twenty-six bus operations that transported more than 1,800 passengers a day along Interstate 95 between New York and Florida have been closed for safety violations in what federal officials say is the government's largest single safety crackdown of the motor coach industry in at least a decade.

Teams of officials for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, armed with legal orders declaring the bus operations imminent hazards to public safety, swooped down Wednesday on companies based in six states: Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Officials withheld details about the operation until Thursday.

The shutdown orders were aimed at the companies' headquarters and at bus pickup locations. Most of the 233 bus routes serviced by the companies either departed from or terminated in New York City's Chinatown district.

Besides the shuttered bus operations, 10 people ? company owners, managers and employees ? were ordered to stop all involvement in passenger transportation operations, including selling bus tickets, the Transportation Department said.

The shutdowns are the culmination of a yearlong investigation by the safety administration that focused on three primary companies: Apex Bus Inc. and I-95 Coach Inc., both of New York, and New Century Travel Inc. of Philadelphia. Each of the three companies oversaw a broad network of other bus companies, officials said. The other bus operations targeted in the crackdown were companies that were affiliated with one of the three primary companies but have other names.

Phone calls and emails to the three companies seeking comment were unanswered.

Safety officials have long complained that their attempts to put unsafe bus operators out of business are frequently thwarted by "reincarnated carriers" that simply reopen for business under a different name or in a different location, or that transfer their buses to an affiliated company that shares similar ownership. Buses belonging to such rogue companies are known in the industry as "ghost" buses because they are frequently painted white with relatively little decoration to make it easier to repaint them with a new company name.

The motor coach industry transports more than 700 million passengers a year in the U.S., roughly the same as the domestic airlines.

Wednesday's shutdowns applied to nine active bus companies; 13 bus companies that had lost permission to operate but were continuing to operate anyway; three companies that were in the process of applying to the government for operating authority; and a bus ticket seller.

Federal safety investigators found all of the carriers had multiple safety violations, including a pattern of using drivers who didn't have valid commercial driver's licenses and failing to administer alcohol and drug tests to drivers, according to the safety administration. The companies also operated buses that had not been regularly inspected and repaired, and their drivers were violating work schedule and rest requirements and didn't have proper qualifications, officials said.

The safety administration began investigating the network of carriers operating along I-95 following a series of deadly bus crashes last spring.

On March 12, 2011, a bus returning to Chinatown from an overnight trip to a casino in Connecticut hit a barrier in the Bronx, toppled on its side and slid into a signpole with such force that it was sheared in half from front to back. Of the 32 people on the bus, 15 were killed and the rest were injured, some severely. The driver, Ophadell Williams, has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Documents released by federal accident investigators show the bus was speeding at the time of the accident and that Williams' driving privileges had been suspended 18 times over 20 years. World Wide Travel of Greater New York, the bus company, was ordered to shut down for safety violations after the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to hold a meeting Tuesday to determine the probable cause of the crash.

In May 2011, a bus traveling from Greensboro, N.C., to Chinatown veered off I-95 in Virginia, hit an embankment and overturned. Four passengers were killed and 50 were injured. The driver acknowledged falling asleep, according to court documents.

The bus operator, Sky Express Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., had been cited for 46 violations of driver fatigue rules in two years. The company was ordered to shut down after the accident, but within days it resumed business under two new names, according to the Transportation Department. That prompted a second shutdown order from the safety administration.

Several other bus companies were also ordered to shut down last summer after a comprehensive compliance review of their operations.

"The investigation of those operators uncovered additional problems and serious safety violations with other I-95 carriers, and ... investigators have been working diligently ever since to establish the links between the bus networks," the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said in a statement.

But the safety administration, which works with states to enforce safety regulation of interstate bus companies, is overburdened, an NTSB report released last fall said. There are 878 federal and state inspectors who oversee 765,000 bus companies, or an average of slightly more than one inspector for 1,000 companies, the report said.

There were 24 motor coach crashes last year, resulting in 34 fatalities and 467 injuries, according to an unofficial tally kept by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

___

Follow Joan Lowy at http://www.Twitter.Com/ap_joan_lowy

___

Online:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: http://fmcsa.Dot.Gov

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Muslims accuse Ethiopian government of meddling in mosques

Ethiopia's Muslims have been protesting 'state interference' in their affairs for the past six months. Could government accusations of Muslim extremism risk greater tension?

Protests at mosques in religiously-diverse Ethiopia have stretched into their sixth month as Muslims object to what they see as unconstitutional government interference in their affairs.

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Since December, worshipers at Friday prayers nationwide?have been criticizing the state's alleged attempts to impose?the al Ahbash,?a moderate sect of Islam, on the community via an unrepresentative, politicized Islamic Supreme Affairs Council. Officials deny any interference.

The protest movement in most major cities among the nation's 30 to 40 million Muslims ? about one-third of Ethiopia's population ? has been largely peaceful and contained to mosque compounds. ?

The government is trying to dominate influential mosques to gain wider political control of the country, says Ethiopian political analyst Jawar Mohammed.??To solidify Western support, it?s playing up an Islamist threat ? Ethiopia is widely perceived by strategists as a bulwark against Al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic terrorists across the border in Somalia and in the Middle East and North Africa. ?

"It is an unnecessary, unwise, and untimely intervention that will have severe repercussions both for the current regime as well as for the country in the long run, unless the government reverses its current approach," says Mr. Jawar.

The most serious incident occurred on April 27 in the southeast town of Asasa in the Oromia region, when four people died in clashes after police arrested a Muslim preacher. The government said the preacher had been trying to instigate jihad. Earlier in April, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told parliament that an Al Qaeda cell containing "a few Salafist extremists" operated in the area, while at the beginning of May the government announced it deported two Arabs of unspecified nationalities for trying to incite violence outside Addis Ababa's largest mosque.

A focal point for the dispute has been at the community centered around the Awalia Mission School on the edge of the capital, where 50 Arabic teachers were removed via a letter from the Islamic council leaders, leading to the escalation of protests against the leaders' legitimacy and state interference. ??

The government has tightened security at mosques ? it is difficult for Western journalist to report from those in the capital without police interference. The Ministry of Federal Affairs recently accused the protesters of being extremists engaged in violence and collaborating with foreign forces to instigate jihad.

The Ethiopian government has recently claimed that radicalism is growing in Ethiopia, citing austere Wahhabism promulgated by foreign preachers in mosques built by well-heeled Saudi organizations. Ahmedin Jebel, spokesman for a committee that says it's elected by Muslims to represent the movement,?says these claims are way off the mark. Although there may be individual extremists, there are no communities sworn to conflict, he says. Conversely, according to Mr. Ahmedin, the government risks creating extremism where it doesn't exist with heavy-handed actions that many Muslims perceive as an attack on Islam.?

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Detroit Symphony resolves bank loans tied to venue

DETROIT (AP) ? The Detroit Symphony Orchestra announced Thursday that it has resolved $54 million in loans owed to five banks on a real estate deal for the Max M. Fisher Music Center, allowing the 125-year-old orchestra to more confidently move ahead in its financial recovery.

The settlement was announced Wednesday before the orchestra's executive committee and released publicly Thursday morning. Details of the deal were not disclosed.

"The settlement had a very tight confidentiality agreement," orchestra executive vice president Paul Hogle told The Associated Press Wednesday afternoon.

"It's not a restructuring. This is done and behind us," he added. "I think it's a credit to the five banks."

Resolving the loans enables the orchestra to move forward with its strategic recovery plan and follows several years of financial troubles, including a contentious 6-month strike by musicians who in April 2011 agreed to major contract concessions.

The loan settlement took two to three years to complete, orchestra treasurer Arthur Weiss said. Weiss negotiated with the five banks and their counsels to broker the deal.

"We settled it," Weiss said. "We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have to create a strong foundation for this cultural institution and increase annual fundraising. We have to make sure we meet the annual giving and we will continue to do whatever we can to put the institution on a sound financial base.

"We have a ways to go, but it's a sound step."

The orchestra still faces an expected $3 million operating deficit heading into the start of its new fiscal year in August, and could spend another three to five years with a negative balance.

"We will definitely still be in the red," Hogle said.

But the orchestra is on track to raise the final $2 million of its $12 million annual fund campaign goal by Aug. 31. The campaign provides half the orchestra's operating revenues.

Hogle also credited sacrifices by the orchestra's musicians for helping get it through tough money times.

The 3-year, $36.3 million concessions pact they agreed to following the strike is more than 11 percent less than the previous contract.

In 2009, 39 staff positions were eliminated, while pay cuts of 5 percent and 10 percent were instituted. Music Director Leonard Slatkin agreed in 2010 to a 3-year contract extension and a pay cut.

"If the debt is removed, that's a tremendous thing," Chicago-based arts consultant Drew McManus said.

"With a labor disagreement and that ugliness that ensued, it was from that standpoint (the orchestra) couldn't renegotiate with the banks unless that was done first," McManus said of the new contract.

Concertgoers also appear to be committed.

The number of households buying season tickets is up a third, while there is an 85 percent renewal rate for next seasons tickets, Hogle added.

Earlier this month, a collaboration concert with performer Kid Rock reached its $1 million fundraising goal. Proceeds are to help pay symphony musicians for community outreach and education efforts.

Associated Press

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Emily Maynard's $350,000 Bachelorette Wardrobe!

Emily Maynard is determined to be the best dressed Bachelorette ever ? and with a whopping $350,000 wardrobe budget, she?s already showing off her amazing style.

?We had an enormous clothing budget,? Emily?s stylist, Cary Fetman, tells In Touch in an exclusive interview. ?It was bigger than any previous season ? and we still went over!?

No doubt, Emily, 26, is pulling out all the stops in her quest to find Mr. Right.

?Emily has fabulous taste and was involved in deciding what we would dress her in this season,? Cary adds. ?For me, it was like dressing a Barbie doll!?

And while Emily dazzles in her strappy $1,045 Christian Louboutin Straratata heels and a $40,000 nude Randi Rahm gown, there are some things she absolutely refuses to wear.

?Emily hates flats,? Cary says to In Touch. ?She loves to be a girlie girl. She loves dresses and anything glitzy and sparkly.?

Despite Emily?s Southern charm, she isn?t your typical girl next door. Confesses Cary: ?She is not a jeans girl by any means.?

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BPW Career Center: Real Estate/Property Management jobs ...

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SUMMARY

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The Regional Vice President is the leader in charge of a specified sub-region of the operating region. The Regional Vice President shall assist and direct the property Investment Managers in successfully attaining the companys operational and financial goals while reinforcing the companys customer service culture.

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Reporting Relationship

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The Regional Vice President will report to the Regional President.

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The Regional Vice President will assist and direct the property Investment Managers, Regional Training Specialist, Office Manager and to the extent needed, the Brokers.

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The Regional Vice President shall cooperate with and be a peer to the other Regional Vice Presidents.

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ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

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The Regional Vice President will use diligence and make best efforts in executing the following responsibilities:

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???????? Assumes overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the branch offices within their sub-region.

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???????? Participates in the development of the Regional Business Plan and constantly seeks to develop strategies for enhancing the economic performance of the region and company.

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???????? Complies with all policies and procedures established by AMS for the administration of the properties and the company.

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???????? Maintains and staffs an office which is open at least during normal business hours.

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???????? Retains and trains qualified personnel at the corporate level. Supervises and evaluates the work of all personnel.

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???????? Complies with the Federal Wage and Hour Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Workmens Compensation Act, and all applicable state and local statutes and regulations.

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???????? Maintains and posts all licenses, permits, notices, and occupancy permits required by federal, state, and local governmental authorities.

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???????? Establishes a methodical filing system for business correspondence, property information and personnel administration.

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???????? Submits written reports on the operations of the property to the Regional President on a defined ?basis in a format established by AMS.

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???????? Attends and participates in industry association meetings and seminars to keep up-to-date on trends and changing conditions in the marketplace.

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???????? Cooperates in the completion of any other tasks which may be requested by the Regional President.

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???????? Participates in the marketing of the company on a local and regional level as needed.

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???????? Participates in the identification and pursuit of suitable acquisition candidates.

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???????? Maintains a detailed knowledge of the primary market.

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???????? Constantly seeks to identify strategies for increasing company income and reducing company expenses.

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???????? Prepares a proposed annual budget of income, expenses and capital improvement for submission to the Regional President for approval (as part of the Annual Business Plan).

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???????? Administers the approved annual budget of income and expenses in accordance with all AMS requirements. Monitors the status of the operating budget and determines necessary reductions or increases in allocations.

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???????? Obtains written approval from the Regional President for all proposed expenditures in excess of the threshold established in the annual plan.

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???????? Prepares monthly income and expense variance statements with collateral supporting documentation. Submits the required reports to the Regional President on an accurate and timely basis and in a format which meets the companys specific requirements.

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???????? Reviews all delinquent accounts and pursues any action required.

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???????? Annually reviews all contractual services and re-bids appropriate services to assure the lowest possible cost.

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???????? Assumes overall responsibility for overseeing the day to day management of all clients managed assets under the supervision of the sub-region.

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???????? Implements action plans and strategies for maximizing property performance.

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???????? Communicates with the Investment Managers at least weekly to discuss marketing, occupancy, budget conformance, personnel, capital improvements and any other material topics.

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???????? Communicates regularly with clients to ensure customer satisfaction with companys services.

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Supervisory Responsibilities

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The Regional Vice President manages Investment Managers who manage investment property staffs, Office Managers who oversee clerical support staff and the receptionist, and may participate in the management of the Regional Training Specialist.? The Regional Vice President carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the companys policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

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QUALIFICATIONS

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To perform this role successfully, an individual must be able to perform all essential functions satisfactorily.? The requirements define the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform the essential functions.? Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

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An undergraduate degree with a major in a related field preferred.

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A minimum of five years in portfolio operations consisting of 10,000 units or more preferred and experience in positions with progressively increased responsibility from property manager through multi-property management.

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????? Sound understanding of real estate operations as it relates to management of individual assets, brokerage, office operations, personnel management, corporate budgeting and planning.

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LICENSE/CERTIFICATION

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The following designations are preferred: CPM, CSM, RPA.

Real Estate license

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JOB KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

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????? Ability to move independent groups to accomplish business goals and exhibit strong interpersonal skills to successfully empower and lead subordinates.? Performance oriented and highly motivated to produce results, having demonstrated this trait in prior experience.? High degree of creativity, coupled with sound business judgment.? Diplomacy personified. An aggressive self starter, yet diplomatic to effectuate positive relations with subordinates and peers.

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????? Computer literacy; excellent oral and written communication skills; knowledge of real estate management matters; knowledge of operational issues related to all asset types and knowledge of progressive management practices.

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PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

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The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.? Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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Verbal and auditory ability required in order to communicate in person and by telephone.? Work is of a sedentary nature.? Physical activities include computer keyboard operation and frequent verbalization of ideas.? Work requires high attention and mental demands including the ability to prioritize and process information with accuracy and clarity.? Requires the ability to handle interruptions in a rapidly changing environment in an appropriate manner.? Must be able to travel independently.

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COGNITIVE REQUIREMENTS

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Must be able to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents; respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints; write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style and make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

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Work is conducted in a normal office environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust or temperature changes and occasional exposure to the outdoors including seasonal weather. Travel may be necessary throughout the continental United States.

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Answers To Your Questions About Commercial Real Estate | Honest ...

Read square footage information carefully so you know exactly what you are getting. The square footage that is listed often includes the thickness of the sidewalls. The usable square footage is the actual amount of area you will be able to use, and the rent-able square footage is the space in which you can rent.

Remember, to determine the net rental you must add the amount of the rent with any other monies received from the tenant. If you have a good understanding of the market, and keep a close eye on the operating expenses of your building, you will be able to determine net rental amounts with ease.

Investigate the status of the real estate agent you are planning to work with. He can be an independent agent or broker representing you in good faith during your negotiations, or he might also be an employee of the landlord, in which case you need to find an independent agent to avoid conflict of interest.

Consider the property tax rate of the commercial real estate you are interested in. Determining the costs annually for owning the commercial property can help you decide whether the annual costs are within your budget. There are several factors that can increase your costs as well, including MUD?s, various other U.D.?s, and even Property Owner Association fees.

Make sure to take personal time away from your commercial real estate work. You need time to spend with the family you?re earning money to support, and to relax your mind so it can function at a high level when you do work. Try to work normal business hours as much as possible so you have time for real life.

If you are searching through the commercial real estate market you should know what it is that you are looking for prior to beginning your search. Know the location that you want the property to be in. Is this an investment or somewhere you may live? Are you paying cash or will you need to find financing for the property?

Make sure you match the type of property you have with the type of loan. If you have a small loan request, take it to a small bank. If you have a large loan, take it to a larger bank. This way you will be getting the service you need.

When you are in the market to purchase commercial real estate it is very important to do some research so that you can find out what the crime rate in the area is. That is important because you will not be able to easily find tenants to lease space in a dangerous neighborhood.

When setting up a rental agreement with a new tenant make sure you draw up an official contract. Even if your renters are your own friends or family. You do need to protect yourself and your property. Make sure your expectations are in the contract and they know exactly what you would expect from them.

As stated above, commercial real estate can pay off if you invest in it wisely. By heeding the advice in this article, you can find a piece of property that can pay for itself and provide income for your retirement years. The secret is to do your homework and keep your eyes open.

Billy Duldulao focuses on Farmington RV parks

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Sales Pro: Business Development Manager (outsourcing/Offshoring)

Job ID: 71878

Job Views: 31

Location: Not Specified,

Job Category: Field Sales

Employment Type: Full time

Salary:

Posted: Mon May 28

Keywords (tags):

Job Description

Business Development Manager (outsourcing/Offshoring)

DUTIES
Manage the sale of services with the singular focus on consistently meeting target revenue numbers. Accurately forecast annual and quarterly revenue streams. Plans, owns, and independently drives the sales strategy in conjunction with the Senior Management. Annual Software Service revenue goal in excess of $ $5 million. Quarterly driven quota and compensation plan objectives.
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Other Duties Include: New Business outsourcing/Offshoring
*In conjunction with other members of the management team, help evolve the sales message and market positioning.
*Conduct research into target clients.
*Co-ordinate and manage other resources within ValueLabs to maximize the opportunities for success.
*Produce sales in the assigned territory to meet or exceed the assigned sales volume objective.
*Participate in marketing events.
*Independently manage all aspects of the sales cycle.

Work Location: London/Europe

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
This is a challenging role, best suited to a very tenacious, methodical and mature, process oriented, sales professional. The ideal candidate will combine a strong personality with a positive, team-oriented attitude. To thrive in the role, the candidate must have a strong SW background and the ability to understand client businesses and needs. An in-depth understanding of the software services is essential. The candidate must be able to balance diplomacy with strong internal and external influencing skills. Other important attributes include being highly energetic, capable of working autonomously if required with a strong desire to "get it done" not matter what.

Contact Details

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McLaren Automotive strengthens global team with appointment of new

Mclaren confirm Wayne Bruce appointed as new Head of PR

(Dubai, UAE, 27th May) ? McLaren Automotive has appointed Wayne Bruce to the position of Head of Public Relations, with ultimate responsibility for the company?s global automotive PR strategy incorporating all brand and product matters. The move is effective immediately.

Bruce succeeds Mark Harrison, who recently took the post of Regional Director for McLaren Automotive Middle East and Africa.

With more than 15 years in Public Relations, Bruce joins McLaren Automotive from Nissan?s luxury brand, Infiniti where he was responsible for establishing its communications function across Europe. Previously, he worked for global brands such as Nissan, SEAT and Volkswagen. Prior to working in PR, Bruce was an automotive journalist with UK based CAR magazine and as such brings a unique view to the brand.

Speaking about his appointment, Bruce said: ?I have been watching the launch of the MP4-12C from the outside and to be invited to join the team, who have already achieved so much, was an opportunity I couldn?t refuse. Especially at this point in time when McLaren Automotive is entering the next chapter in its exciting story.?

Bruce will report to McLaren Automotive?s global Sales and Marketing Director, Greg Levine, and to McLaren Marketing?s Group Head of Communications and PR, Matt Bishop.

Wayne Bruce joins McLaren Automotive as the newly appointed Head of PR

McLaren Automotive is an independent company, chaired by Ron Dennis, and based at the McLaren Technology Centre, the McLaren Group?s headquarters in Surrey. McLaren Automotive has a rich and seamless heritage in producing premium sports cars for the road: the McLaren F1 road car, which was launched in 1992, set the world land speed record for a production car, and is regarded as one of the best examples of supercar exotica. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is the most successful supercar ever in its price bracket, having sold twice as many cars as its nearest carbon-based rival.

McLaren Automotive is now launching a new car company through a global network of highly regarded premium car retailers who will sell a full range of McLaren high-performance sports cars built at an advanced new manufacturing facility, the McLaren Production Centre.
McLaren Automotive?s debut model is the MP4-12C. Drawing on the company?s long-standing Formula 1 experience in its concept and development, the 12C will be lighter, more powerful, more fuel efficient and more exclusive than its key competition.

It will achieve its performance benchmarks by introducing a unique one-piece moulded carbon chassis into the ?core? sports car segment using a new production method. All McLarens will be based on this innovative carbon technology; McLaren has not built a racing or road car on anything other than a carbon chassis in 30 years.

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more london riverside by Hegel Jorge

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Apple iPad 4 Concept, Created by Luis Fonseca

May 27th, 2012 | by Thrystan |

(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

?Loading ... Now that the iPad 3 craze is over, it?s time to look into the future and catch a glimpse of the iPad 4. Luis Fonseca from Portugal had an idea for an iPad 4 concept, that involves a physical keyboard and an interesting design. This new iPad is based on other Apple products blended into a single unit.

The iPad 4 features a built in keyboard, that slides from the bottom of the slate. It features Bang & Olufsen speakers, a 12 megapixel 1080p camera, an aluminum frame and the ability to be easily maintained and recycled. The idea here is to design the perfect laptop replacement and also the complete tablet. With this new device, you?ll forever replace the need for a laptop or netbook. A portable hard disk is also included in this bundle to keep the data safe, but with iCloud out there, I don?t quite see the need for it.

From the looks of the device I imagine that there?s a way to prop up the screen and still use the keyboard, or else the typing angle would be weird. Also I?m hoping for maybe a 7 or 8 inch diagonal here to keep the device portable and turn it into the iPad Mini that everyone wants. What do you say? A quad core CPU would also fit right in!

[via Behance]

Related posts:

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2. iPhone 5 & iPad 3 Concepts Created by Roman Vladimir Sima
3. iPad 3 Blue Mockup Sure Looks Sexy With a 3D Display
4. iPad Mini, a Concept by Federico Ciccarese
5. Apple iBox is Both a New 7 Inch iPad and Set Top Box

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O'Hearn, Rudnicki twins place in top 20 at Class 4A state tournament | Prep Golf Report

Three Redmond High School golfers placed in the top 20 during this week's state-tournament action, while golfers from the Overlake and Bear Creek schools also carded notable performances.

Redmond High senior Keira O'Hearn finished 11th at the Class 4A state tournament after firing a 75 on Tuesday and an 83 on Wednesday for a two-day total of 158 in windy conditions at Spokane's MeadowWood Golf Course.

Redmond High senior twins Oliver and Lyle Rudnicki placed 15th and 18th respectively at Spokane's Hangman Valley Golf Course. Both golfers improved upon their first-round scores. Oliver shot an 82 on Tuesday and then followed that up with a 75 on Wednesday for a two-day total of 157. Lyle finished with a two-day score of 81-77-158. Fueled by the Rudnicki brothers, the Mustang boys finished fifth in the team standings with 46 points.

In Class 1A boys action, The Overlake School junior Daniel Lee finished 19th with a score of 83-80-163 at The Home Course in Dupont.

The Bear Creek School had a solid showing at the Class 1B/2B tournament with Morgan Cadigan leading the way. Cadigan finished fifth with a score of 98-102-200 at the Oakbrook Golf and Country Club in Lakewood. Cadigan's teammate, Sarah Witt, placed 16th with a 112-109-221. The Bear Creek girls finished third in the team standings with 21 points.

The Bear Creek boys also played at Oakbrook and had three state placers, including two in the top 20. Ricky Olson finished seventh with a pair of 85s for a two-day total of 170. Jacob Imam placed 19th (92-85-177) and Colin Diamond placed 35th (89-102-191). The Bear Creek trio led the Grizzlies to a fourth-place team finish with 62.50 points.

For complete state golf results, click here.

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CEO earnings continue to increase (Americablog)

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Samsung Announces The Galaxy Ace Duos Smartphone

Samsung recently announced the new Android powered Galaxy Ace Duos smartphone. As the name suggest, it is a dual-SIM Android smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos is the dual-SIM variant of the highly popular Samsung Galaxy Ace. This handset allows the users to manage their work and personal lives with one smartphone. It runs on the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Operating System. However, this device might get the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) update in the near future. Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos owners, keep your fingers crossed!

JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung, said:
?With Dual SIM convenience, enhanced connectivity, and performance features, the GALAXY Ace Duos delivers a sleek design and incredible features intended to provide consumers with a smartphone that meets their hidden needs. We continue to listen to our customers and lead them to a life extraordinary by expanding our GALAXY smart device range, which continues to gain traction as one of the most recognized and popular mobile brands in the world.?

Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos features a 3.5 inch touchscreen display, sporting a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, 832 MHz Processor, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Operating System, Samsung Touchwiz UI, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with auto-focus, single shot, smile shot and panorama shot, VGA video recording and playback, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, 3G Connectivity and much more.

Other features include a 3.5 mm headset jack, music player with SoundAlive, FM Radio with RDS, stereo speaker, Samsung ChatON, Samsung Social Hub, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 3.0, Swype, Document Viewer, A-GPS, Google Play Store, 512 MB RAM, 3 GB internal memory, Micro SD card slot, 32 GB expandable memory, up to 520 hrs of stand-by time, up to 390 mins of talk-time and a 1300 mAh battery.

This handset measures 112.74 x 61.5 x 11.5 mm and weighs just 122g. Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos will be available from June starting in Russia, followed by Europe, CIS, Latin America, Southeast and Southwest Asia, Middle East, Africa and China. The price of this device will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more updates!

Author: Omkar Dutta

Omkar Dutta is a 21 yrs old Mobile Enthusiast from Mumbai, India. He loves to check out latest software, mobile phones and web services. Currently, he writes for this awesome blog as well as Fone Arena. You can follow him on Twitter @0mkarr

Omkar Dutta has written 1121 articles for us.

The author of this post can be contacted at omkar@techie-buzz.com

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Use a customer perception audit to watch the signals your business ...

When a business needs help with accounting, a certified public accountant often is retained for their expertise. When things do not add up ? cash flow isn?t what it is supposed to be, inventories are too low or too high ? we see the signals right away. Unfortunately, business owners and managers often do not perceive the signals their businesses send out to consumers.

Consumers also see ?signals.? Most are visual (more than 90 percent), others are vocal or come from the sense of smell. These upfront signals create perceptions and expectations that strongly influence what a consumer believes about your business and you personally. If the signals are favorable, you?re likely to win at business; if not, the game may be lost. Even worse, those who have unfavorable impressions not only do not come back, but are likely to tell five to 10 or more people about their experience.

To avoid this situation and to improve your odds of winning, it is advisable to conduct or have conducted for you a ?customer perception audit? (the other type of CPA). This ?audit? is designed to spot those negative signals that directly set consumers? attitudes toward your business. These signals create perceptions that are difficult to change and to overcome.

Many businesses do not realize there are signals that can be sent before a consumer even enters your business or encounters your service. For example, what happens when a consumer calls your business? How long does it take to answer the call? Is it a professional, welcoming response? What does your business look like on the Web? Is your website attractive, informative and easy to navigate? Is there a customer contact link, or phone number listed? What does your signage and the front of your building and-or door look like? What signal does this sight send: clean and appealing or dirty and unattractive? Speaking of doors, are they freshly painted and-or is the glass clean? Clean reflects fresh and new. Consumers like that signal.

Once they are in the door, what do they see? Is the floor clean and-or carpet clean? If there is a plant, is it healthy or attractive or sending off the signal of death? Are your business, merchandise, and customer service personnel sending positive signals and impressions? Unless you?re in the antique business, consumers prefer new, clean and uncluttered. All of these signals create an atmosphere of acceptance, which, combined with great customer service, will help you command premium prices and repeat business.

Another set of signals focus on lighting and color. Is the lighting adequate and appropriate for your type of business? There is no bigger turnoff to a food service customer than a light or ceiling fixture displaying dead flies or bugs. Likewise, if you?re dealing with senior citizens, your lighting must be bright and all printed materials have type a little larger on a good contrasting background. If you?re selling upscale or expensive premium products, is there an upscale color deployed? Black, gold and silver are perceived as giving the upscale signal; orange, yellow, and red the ?price/promotion? signal; and green and blue for environmental products and services. Are your colors appropriate to your product, pricing and marketing objectives?

What signals do you give out that tell customers you want them to come back? In our highly competitive marketplace, more than the sincere ?thank you? is required. Do you have ?bring them back? signals such as a percent-off or money-off your next purchase thank you promotion card? Customers want welcome-back incentives and consider these your signal of valuing their business.

One of the most difficult signals to deal with is the appropriateness of an employee?s attitude and demeanor with consumers. This can be especially challenging in a family business if it is a family member that is sending off the wrong signals. Kiss-of-death signals are things such as paying more attention to someone on the phone than to the customer in front of you, or employee-on-employee disagreements or confrontations. Place yourself in the customer?s shoes and you will quickly discover unacceptable signals.Yes, sometimes the only solution is to change personnel to send the right signal and satisfy and retain the customer.

If you do not wish to hire an objective third party to conduct a detailed customer perception audit, take the time to develop your own checklist. Walk through all the points of encounter as if you were the customer. Ask yourself, how did your business do? What needs to be fixed, improved or immediately changed? A customer perception audit is likely to improve your customer retention and overall business performance.

Ronald A. Nykiel, dean of the College of Business at Husson University, is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, has authored a number of books on management and marketing, counseled the President?s Commission on Executive Interchange and chaired a governor?s revenue forecasting commission.

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Images vary of man charged in old murder of NY boy

This undated file image provided Friday, May 28, 2010 by Stanley K. Patz shows a flyer distributed by the New York Police Department of Patz's son Etan who vanished in New York on May 25, 1979. New York City police commissioner Raymond Kelly said Thursday May 24, 2010, that a person who's in custody has implicated himself in the disappearance and death of Etan Patz, (AP Photo/Courtesy NYPD/file) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES, FOR USE ONLY IN ILLUSTRATING EDITORIAL STORIES REGARDING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ETAN PATZ OR OTHER MISSING CHILDREN

This undated file image provided Friday, May 28, 2010 by Stanley K. Patz shows a flyer distributed by the New York Police Department of Patz's son Etan who vanished in New York on May 25, 1979. New York City police commissioner Raymond Kelly said Thursday May 24, 2010, that a person who's in custody has implicated himself in the disappearance and death of Etan Patz, (AP Photo/Courtesy NYPD/file) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES, FOR USE ONLY IN ILLUSTRATING EDITORIAL STORIES REGARDING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ETAN PATZ OR OTHER MISSING CHILDREN

Stan Patz, father of missing child Etan Patz, arrives at his home in SoHo, Friday, May 25, 2012, in New York. New life has been breathed into the case after Pedro Hernandez implicated himself in the death of 6-year-old Etan Patz, whose disappearance 33 years ago on his way to school helped launch a missing children's movement that put kids' faces on milk cartons. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

A woman speaks to a reporter through a door at 116 E. Linwood Ave., Apt. B, in Maple Shade, N.J., Thursday, May 24, 2012. The woman, who would not identify herself said that it is the home of Pedro Hernandez, who is in custody in the disappearence of Etan Patz in 1979. Hernandez has implicated himself in the death of Patz, police said Thursday. (AP Photo/Mel?Evans)

Stan Patz, father of missing child Etan Patz, arrives at his home in SoHo, Friday, May 25, 2012, in New York. New life has been breathed into the case after Pedro Hernandez implicated himself in the death of 6-year-old Etan Patz, whose disappearance 33 years ago on his way to school helped launch a missing children's movement that put kids' faces on milk cartons. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

A house, left, at 116 E. Linwood Ave., is seen in Maple Shade, N.J., Thursday, May 24, 2012. A woman who would not identify herself, answered the door at Apt. B, door left, back of house, and said that it is the home of Pedro Hernandez, who is in custody in the disappearence of Etan Patz in 1979. Hernandez has implicated himself in the death of Patz, police said Thursday. (AP Photo/Mel?Evans)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The anniversary of the day 6-year-old Etan Patz vanished on his way to school dawned with his suspected killer in police custody, but it ended with a muddled portrait of the man who confessed to strangling the little boy and dumping his body in the trash.

A former neighbor who knew Pedro Hernandez as a teenager says he was someone you wouldn't want to cross ? a reserved but "pent-up" young man. But the pastor of his church says Hernandez, now 51, is simply a shy and timid man who faithfully attends Sunday services.

Now on suicide watch at Bellevue Hospital, Hernandez was arraigned Friday via video link from a hospital ward on a charge of murder. His court-appointed lawyer, Harvey Fishbein, told the judge that Hernandez is bipolar, schizophrenic and has a "history of hallucinations, both visual and auditory."

Hernandez, who was a teenage convenience store clerk at the time Etan went missing, now lives in Maple Shade, N.J. He was arrested Thursday after making a surprise confession in a case that has bedeviled investigators for 33 years. Hernandez told police he lured Etan into the basement of a convenience store with a promise of a soda, choked him to death, then stuffed his body in a bag and left it with trash on the street a block away.

The legal proceeding lasted only about four minutes. Expressionless, wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs, Hernandez didn't speak or enter a plea.

A judge ordered Hernandez held without bail and authorized a psychological examination to see if he is fit to stand trial.

The prosecutor who appeared in court, Assistant District Attorney Armand Durastanti, said it was 33 years ago Friday that 6-year-old Etan Patz left his home on Prince Street to catch his school bus. "He has not been seen or heard from since. It's been 33 years, and justice has not been done in this case," Durastanti, said.

Etan disappeared on May 25, 1979, on his two-block walk to his bus stop in Manhattan. It was the first time his parents had let him walk the route by himself.

Next to the bus stop was a convenience store, where Hernandez, then 18, worked as a clerk. Police interviewed him this week, acting on a tip.

Etan's remains were never found, even after a massive search and a media campaign that made parents afraid to let their children out of their sight and sparked a movement to publicize the cases of missing youngsters. Etan was one of the first missing children to be pictured on a milk carton.

Hernandez's confession put investigators in the unusual position of bringing the case to court before they had amassed any physical evidence or had time to fully corroborate his story or investigate his psychiatric condition.

Police spokesman Paul Browne said investigators were retracing garbage truck routes from the late 1970s and deciding whether to search landfills for the boy's remains, a daunting prospect.

Crime scene investigators also arrived Friday morning at the building in Manhattan's SoHo section that once held the bodega where Hernandez worked. Authorities were considering excavating the basement for evidence.

They also were looking into whether Hernandez has a history of mental illness or pedophilia.

Browne said letting Hernandez remain free until the investigation is complete was not an option: "There was no way we could release the man who had just confessed to killing Etan Patz."

Legal experts said that even though police have a confession in hand, they are likely to work hard to make certain Hernandez isn't delusional or simply making up the story.

"There's always a concern whether or not someone is falsely confessing," said former prosecutor Paul DerOhannesian.

As Fishbein arrived at the courthouse, he asked reporters to be respectful of some of Hernandez's relatives there, including his wife and daughter.

"It's a tough day. The family is very upset. Please give them some space," Fishbein said.

Etan's father, Stanley Patz, avoided journalists gathered outside the family's Manhattan apartment, the same one the family was living in when his son vanished.

Former SoHo resident Roberto Monticello, a filmmaker who was a teenager when Patz disappeared, said he remembers Hernandez as civil but reserved and "pent-up."

"You always got the sense that if you crossed him really bad, he would hurt you," Monticello said, although he added that he never saw him hit anyone.

Monticello said Hernandez was also one of the few teenagers in the neighborhood who didn't join in the all-out search for Etan, which consumed SoHo and the city for months. "He was always around, but he never helped. He never participated," Monticello said.

Hernandez, who moved to New Jersey shortly after Etan's disappearance, suffered a back injury that has kept him on disability for years, according to police.

The Rev. George Bowen Jr., pastor at Hernandez's church in Moorestown, N.J., said he attended services regularly.

"I would judge him to be shy and maybe timid. He never got involved in anything," Bowen said.

He said Hernandez's wife, Rosemary, and daughter, Becky, a college student, went to see him Thursday morning after he was taken into police custody.

"They were just crying their eyes out," Bowen said. "They were broken up. They were wrecked. It was horrible. They didn't know what they were going to do."

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Hernandez gave a detailed confession that led police to believe they had the right man. He also said Hernandez told a relative and others as far back as 1981 that he had "done something bad" and killed a child in New York.

___

Associated Press reporters Julie Walker in New York, Patrick Walters in Moorestown, N.J., and Michael Virtanen in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Panel says PSA screening for prostate cancer does more harm than ...

An influential federal panel says testing healthy men's prostate-specific antigen levels to detect prostate cancer does more harm than good.

The PSA test can lead to unnecessary biopsies for men who turn out to be cancer-free. Those biopsies can also lead to men being treated for cancers that are so slow-growing (a characteristic of most prostate cancers) that they didn't need to be detected.

An estimated 1,000 to 1,300 men die annually from complications associated with treatments that are initiated because of PSA screening,?reports Alice Park for?Time magazine.?Moreover, treating harmless prostate tumors increases the chances of making men impotent or incontinent.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force published the recommendation in the Annals of Internal Medicine. In 2009, the panel also recommended that women delay routine mammograms until the age of 50. That was controversial, and "The task force's recommendation goes against two decades of widespread use of the PSA test, a $35 blood test," Park reports.

"The recommendation is not just counter to what the lay public has been taught about cancer prevention but what physicians have been taught as well," said Dr. Michael LeFevre, co-vice chair of the USPSTF and a professor of family and community medicine at University of Missouri. "We've been told for decades to be afraid of cancer and that the only hope is early detection and treatment. So it's hard for physicians and patients alike to accept that not all cancers need to be detected or need to be treated and that there are harms associated with screening, not just benefits."

Through PSA testing, physicians "were finding the cancer earlier, so the time from diagnosis to death was longer, but the patient wasn't actually living longer," explained Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.

But there isn't a better test to replace the PSA, and Ian Thompson, chairman of urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, said to reject it completely is unwise. He said U.S. death rates from prostate cancer dropped between 30 and 50 percent since the screening became commonplace in the early 1990s, though those numbers could also have been influenced by more effective treatments.?Thompson said he didn't want to go back to the "bad old days" when doctors only found prostate cancer when it was already unable to be cured, reports Liz Szabo for USA Today. ?(Read more)

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Creating curb appeal on a budget | U.S. Home Searcher

(ARA) - The arrival of summer has many homeowners outside planting, preparing the patio for cookouts, and taking evening strolls through the neighborhood. Often, this extended outdoor time brings on a desire to improve a home's curb appeal.

But home improvement projects can be expensive, and many homeowners are still wary about spending money on renovations, despite the improving real estate market. So what's the best way to spruce up the appearance of your house without breaking the bank?

There are many budget-friendly exterior changes that will make a big difference in curb appeal. A fresh coat of paint can work wonders, whether it's applied to the entire house or just on the front door. If your house is painted a neutral color like white or cream, be adventurous and try an energizing red or soothing aqua on your front door; the pop of color will add appealing interest.

While a landscaping overhaul can be very expensive, window boxes or planters are an easy and cost-effective way to add natural beauty to your home's facade. Learn how to build a container garden that will provide extra dimension and color to a front porch or patio.

Take a look at your house from the street. Do your windows look bare? Try adding shutters, but make sure they are appropriately sized. Buying shutters that are smaller than the windows they flank is an all-too-common mistake homeowners make, which leads to the windows looking disproportionately small.

And if you have a garage, don't overlook the importance of a good-looking garage door. A garage door can account for up to 30 percent of a home's exterior that is seen from the street, so having an attractive one is vital to good curb appeal. But, like shutters to a window, a garage door should be appropriately matched to its house's architectural style. Not sure which door fits your home the best? Try out the handy Door Designer tool at www.amarr.com, which lets you choose from six different home styles and then matches an appropriate garage door based on that style.

Of all these budget-friendly improvement projects, a new garage door will give you the best return on your investment and provide the most value for your home. Over the last few years, surveys conducted by the Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report indicate that installing new garage doors has been the project moving up the most in the rankings.

Most people, to some degree, factor in resale when making their home improvement decisions. Both structural and decorative curb appeal is important when it comes time to sell a home, bringing in a larger number of prospective buyers and making it more likely that they will make the purchase.

According to principals at Smykal Renovations, a contracting firm in suburban Chicago, curb appeal projects "may not have the 'wow' factor of a major kitchen remodel, but [they] pay off more in the end."

So don't let budget constraints keep you from improving the appearance of your home's exterior. There are many low-cost changes that can be made that have a big impact on how your home looks. Whether you're making these changes to enjoy for yourself, or to make your home more marketable, the summer is a great time to get outside and focus on curb appeal.

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Workers getting priced out of health benefits

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / Getty Images stock

Ninety percent of uninsured workers said they didn't have insurance because it was too costly.

By Allison Linn

The weak economy continues to have a harsh effect on workers? access to health insurance -- not necessarily because workers aren?t offered it but because they can?t afford it.

A new study from the Employment Benefit Research Institute finds that 55.8 percent of employees were getting health insurance directly from their employer as of April 2011, the most recent data available. That?s a nearly 5 percentage point drop from December 2007, when the economy first went into recession, and the researchers said early research shows that the number probably fell further.

The drop comes after more than a decade in which the rate of employees getting insurance in their own name held steady at around 60 percent.

It appears that it?s the cost, not the availability, of health insurance that is the primary thing keeping workers from getting insured.?Ninety percent of uninsured workers said they didn?t have insurance because it was too costly.

The study was based on government data on workers?age 18 to?64.

Paul Fronstin, director of EBRI?s health research and education program, said many employers have been gradually asking employees to foot more of the bill for their care through?higher deductibles and co-payments.

?Employers have changed their focus to managing cost by changing the quality of the coverage that?s being provided,? Fronstin said. ?You see more cost shifting and more employee responsibility when it comes to the cost of health care services.?

He said monthly premiums have not necessarily risen as much, but neither have wages. That may mean people feel like they are forking over a bigger slice of their paycheck for an insurance plan that requires higher and higher deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses.

?It?s the value of the plan that?s changed more than the premium,? he said.

Some who drop their employer?s coverage may be switching to cheaper private plans or getting covered by a spouse, partner or parent. The percentage of workers who are covered as a dependent on someone else?s plan has held steady at around 17 percent.

Is pet insurance a necessity? How important is renter's insurance? Sorting through all of the different types of insurance can be a headache, but Wall Street Journal and Market Watch columnist Jeanette Pavini has a list of what you need and what you can ignore.

Others may just be giving up health insurance altogether.

As the job market becomes stronger, some employers might start offering better?health care benefits to?compete for key employees.

But Fronstin noted that because employers generally make decisions about health care coverage six months to a year in advance, any improvements will likely lag quite a bit.

Related:

Health care costs rose faster than inflation despite weak economy

1 in 4 kids live in a family struggling with health care bills

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BUY, SELL, or Trade Guitar's, Amps & Equipment. The Musician's ...

Home ? Wanted to Buy ? BUY, SELL, or Trade Guitar?s, Amps & Equipment. The Musician?s Den 812-471-2740 American Classifieds Thrifty Nickel

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BUY, SELL, or Trade Guitar?s, Amps & Equipment. The Musician?s Den 812-471-2740

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