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Investing in Washington, D.C. can raise many challenges distinct to that locale. Professional developers like Isaac Toussie recognize that, first of all, the real estate markets of our nation’s capital consists of some very interesting characteristics. Even though the city’s real estate environment continues to be harsh due to still-disappearing gains, gains made during pre-2008 boom-times, new developments are occurring that may suggest a turn-around.

Not everyone understands that home sales have fallen as credit’s dried up the way a pro like Isaac Toussie does, resulting in ripple effects like job insecurity and worse. In fact, suburban D.C. has even been through price drops of up to one hundred thousand dollars! But as is frequently the case in the world of business, there may be a silver lining in even this disaster. That’s because one man’s tragedy is another’s opportunity, to put it honestly. And so the flood of foreclosed properties has come to tripped off a buying spree in many places, particularly among the many first-time home buyers of Prince William County who finally found prices within their reach. It should also be noted that so-called “vulture investors” have swooped in as well to snap up distressed properties, which is generally considered to be a good reflection of the wider economic situation, as it is a strong sign of a certain confidence in the market, that market fundamentals remain solid. In fact, these two groups of buyers play a role not unlike that of canaries in a mine, signaling trends and shifts.

The second matter that has occupied many a thoughtful observer of late concerns the rate of mortgage delinquency, which has actually declined a little, according to a recent industry survey just completed. The rate at which mortgage payments have fallen behind has decreased slightly during the fourth quarter of 2009, which is surprising indeed considering that delinquency rates often rise during the last three months of the year, as a result of all heating expenses for winter and the holiday shopping season.

Surprised though market analysts may be, very few are puzzled because most take this development for nothing more than a statistical outlier, a coincidence. Most economists and other experts continue to believe that the situation remains extremely dangerous, as there are still record numbers of homeowners in financial straits, with the biggest difficulty of all unresolved: that way too many have missed at least three payments, and these people are precisely the ones least helped by any relief program whatsoever, historically speaking; these are the very individuals who will be going into foreclosure quite soon.

One more thing to realize about D.C. property markets: the city was the nation’s murder capital for much of the 1990s, and still suffers from the effects of municipal mismanagement to this day. Of course, tony nabes like Georgetown exist, but for the most part D.C. is a place where real estate investors need to exercise due diligence when researching opportunities. The city has been slowly recovering, with gentrification helping pull some pockets of poverty and despair up and out into the modern 21st Century economy, but it’s not a sure bet that current commitment levels shall last.

New York is one tough town. And it prides itself on its cut-throat lifestyle, even as the number of charities blossom as nowhere else. The serial success story that is Zalman Silber is an example of the businessman-turned-philanthropist. But isn’t it ironic that a place which worships material success gained by one’s teeth and nails, as it were, should find itself so concerned about appearing charitable, too? As if the rich are secretly embarrassed with their fortunes – as if Balzac was right, that “behind every great fortune lies a great crime,” or as if Jesus was correct, that “it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle….”

As if, to be frank about it, the rich give in order to assuage their guilt.

What is it about this world that should so often find the elevated so close to the base? One can observe dichotomies existing side-by-side, many times in peace and, even, complete ignorance of one another, even in New York, even in the 21st Century.

And one wonders if such philanthropy, targeted towards one’s own community, set up to benefit one’s own interests, are perfectly true acts of charity or just another way in which the ego manages to further inflate itself.

Such considerations, of course, likely do not concern those like Zalman Silber, who give freely as they please and couldn’t care less about such quibbles. Indeed, it is safe to say that for those who do have the funds to give, giving is a pleasure in itself – akin to any other form of spending money.

Now that’s not as cynical as it may sound at first. For spending money is a form of experiencing one’s own power, one’s own ability to produce satisfaction and pleasure. It may well lead to egotism, and it often does, to be sure – but at its root is a simple human joy at being able to affect one’s surroundings, one’s world. It is the same joy that accompanies a child who can crawl, then walk, then run, then ride a bicycle, then drive a car, then pilot a boat or helicopter or airplane. The proper spending of money can be life-enhancing in a very deep way, far more so than the mere accumulation of creature comforts. The proper spending of money – as in charitable donations – allows one to give of oneself, in a sense, a very important sense. For money is power, and in cases of honest work to give money is to have given of one’s time and one’s very life – the time spent earning the money, the life devoted to productive work.

And such is, as the humanist Erich Fromm had noted in his many works on human psychology and human society, the most demeaning aspect of poverty, that one cannot give of oneself. For it is not he who has much, but he who gives much, that is rich – and yet, to give requires one to first have! And it is the tragedy of the poor that they can hardly provide for themselves, never mind share with others – though, strangely enough, survey after survey has concluded that the less money one has, the greater a percentage of one’s income tends to be given away in charity. It is as if the poor know something which escapes the rich. It is as if the New York of lights and smiles is unaware of something so basic that it can only be known to those whose lives involve the basics and no luxuries.

I had some online CPE courses to do the other day. As a lawyer, it’s mandatory that we take continuing professional education. Online CPE courses are excellent, because I usually get do attend on my own schedule. There are some classes which are available live only, almost the same as a regular course taken at a college except conducted over the internet, taking advantage of that medium’s exponentially greater reach but little else.

But these are quite the exception, and usually only available this way as a result of copyright concerns. I generally avoid these kinds of continuing professional education courses unless the lecturer happens to be some hot-shot lawyer or the material is especially interesting to me.

To me, the main advantage of online CPE courses is how it’s possible to go at one’s personal pace. And as a third-year associate at one of the largest corporate law firms in the world, believe me when I say how much I appreciate that convenience! I work sixty to seventy-hour weeks, including weekends of course, and that’s not even considering all the years of studying I’ve already gone through: by now I have twenty-some-odd years of schooling – significantly much more than two whole thirds of my life!

So anything that lets me take it easy a little is most welcome, and being able to pursue continuing professional education over the worldwide web makes a bad situation a little better.

I mean, I really do not want to do it – but it is a requirement for periodic relicensing as an attorney, and I’m not ready to quit the profession just yet, if ever – so being able to at least take my time with it takes some of the onerousness out of it all. Plus, sometimes it is free if it’s a pilot course, an experimental course for which I receive free CPE credits in exchange for offering some feedback, making things even less onerous!

Getting Little business loans is usually tough except if you’re so successful banks are pretty much throwing money at you! But for most entrepreneurs, it’s difficult finding any financial help. Unfortunately, it often comes down to family members to help out and get the would-be capitalist’s dreams kick-started! Such Small business loans present rather unique challenges, of course.

Family and friends members seem like the ideal allies to enlist when it comes to making good on your dreams, but the reality is that quite often relationships are strained due to the vagaries of probability. Getting into business for yourself is a hell of a roller-coaster ride, after all, financially and otherwise, and borrowing money from your nearest along with dearest is basically subjecting them to about the same stresses you’d be under yourself!

Tough stuff indeed. That’s why it’s better to get your small business loans from strangers, typically. Just as typically, nonetheless, strangers do not care about your hopes and will loan money only to pursue theirs – which is to make their money grow! Thus the conundrum, particularly for those just starting out: how to convince someone that her / his money will grow through investing in your vision? Tough stuff!

But banks are infamous for not looking to deal with startups. It’s a rare loan officer who will even make an effort hearing you out, never mind making an offer! And certainly, who could blame them: the overwhelming vast majority of small businesses fail with the first five years. From the bank’s point of view, lending an entrepreneur seed money is merely gambling – and banks are in business to make money, not play it away in exchange for some good times.

(Needless to say, that’s precisely what has happened with the current financial meltdown, the Great Recession of these past two to three years, where senior executives simply looted their own banks by granting bad loans from which they personally profit at the expense of the company as a whole – but that’s another article or, rather, compilation of articles!)

In the end, the only real business loans available for a small business would be forthcoming only after a few months or even a couple of years in business, making money and maybe even turning a profit. Once your financials are in order, lenders might be much more comfortable taking a look at helping out. In the beginning, you can mostly rely on your own savings and not too much else, most of the time.

In truth, a small business loan is technically a life saver, or business saver I should say, and keeps a tidy record similar to that of a person’s credit score. Not extremely identical to credit history but more like whether or not they deserve a loan. But it also depends on credit too, unfortunately there’s no escape from that.

Severe headaches? Squinting? It could be indicators of failing vision. So what do you do next? You proceed to see an eye doc (of course) and it can be that you will need glasses or contact lenses. Now there is always the option of laser surgery but this posting will not talk about that.

Go for the glass? Glasses have been around for years – think Benjamin Franklin, an iconic wearer of glasses. Eyeglasses are either made from plastic or glass. The frames for them also come in a wide variety of materials. And, if you are stressed about not finding the proper frames, don’t be concerned they currently have frameless designs. And if you are one of those individuals who can’t even consider putting their finger in their eye and cringe at the thought of it, spectacles may be your best solution.

Having said that contact lenses offer you some advantages over eyeglasses. One benefit, the rain, I assume you know what happens. Two, fog, glasses tend to fog up. Three, dropping down your nose when you perspire, etc.

Whichever you select, the most critical issue is the fact that you see clearly.

Dallas Cowboys merchandise are among the best-selling in any sport, but especially prevalent among football fans, even those whose first-choice favorite may very well be another team. That’s because the Cowboys are one of the most successful and storied outfits in all of football history, and it is memories of this kind that are evoked by all the many forms of Dallas Cowboys merchandise available on the market, from clocks and towels to clocks and even license plates!

Perhaps the most popular form of Dallas Cowboys merchandise to be found on fans and collectors are team jerseys, especially those bearing the specific roster number of their favorite player. After that, however, must surely be those products bearing pictures, photographs or illustrations, of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders! No other team in American sports fields a cheerleading squad that is a veritable franchise in itself. It was intentionally created to capitalize on female sexuality and boost in-game attendance, and its genius was to offer an “All-American” look and feel that played well not only nationally but around the world as well. For many foreigners, a real American girl was someone like a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, fun and fit. In the United States, their popularity lead to two made-for-TV movies about the squad along with other media like annual swimsuit calendars.

Oh, yes, and as for the team itself – it was the first modern-era expansion team, and can boast of many distinctive achievements as a business entity. But of course, no one buys team merchandise on the basis of business innovations, and even the venerable cheerleaders would be just another squad were it not for the club’s stellar performances on the field. Founded in 1960, just a decade later the team turned into a serious national contender, and by the end of that decade was the undisputed “glamor team” of the entire sport, with a cheerleading squad that epitomized what an American girl should be like and winning players and coaches who embodied American can-do.

A detox diet is really a nutritional plan which claims to rid the body of impurities. Several such eating plans involve limiting consumption to only water or juice or outright fasting on a regular basis. Another kind of detox diet recommends the complete elimination of a certain type of food for example all fats or all carbohydrates. Proponents of these ways of eating believe that trapped toxins are released somehow, passing through the skin, sweat, or breath and out of the body.

All detox diet plans are based on very ancient Egyptian and Greek notions about the body. Besides what we eat, other modalities are employed to detoxify the body, including physical treatments for example colon cleansing. Several herbs and allegedly herbal supplements are sold to supposedly speed up or otherwise aid the detoxification process. Such products are usually marketed as targeting specific organs.

Bodily dextoxification is a field of so-called alternative medicine, which means that there’s no scientific evidence for its claims. Nevertheless, many swear by its placebo effects, though some of the more outrageous practices prevalent in the field appear to be potentially dangerous.

The whole affair may be more psychological than physical, in the final analysis. For one thing, there are basically people who derive a certain sense of pleasure from being contrarian, people for whom eccentricity is fashionable. Then there are those who are mentally disturbed conspiracy theorist-types and think that the medical establishment wants to keep people sick. Whatever the private motivations of such people, the final effect is to perpetuate new generations of detox theory adherents who seem to argue against anything scientific.

Of course, not all detox diets are shams – many are quite sensical plans that seem to be basically affixing the “detox” label onto themselves becuase it is a hot-selling buzzword at the moment. Insofar as people are a lot more conscious of what they’re eating, these dietary schemes are, in the main, harmless.

The correct wedding favors can be hard enough to find, seeing how they should reflect not only the occasion but the couple and all their guests, but for those in alternative~ lifestyles for example open marriages it may be extremely challenging. On the one hand, conventional wedding favors don’t seem to honor the most unique aspect of this kind of a marriage – namely, that it’s open and the couple isn’t exactly shy about the fact – but on the other hand most individuals wish to remember a marriage, not a social statement.

Of course, one might easily retort that marriage by definition is a social statement to begin with – but the institution is so frequent and nearly universal that it’s no “statement” at all, not in the sense of a declaration beyond the obvious.

Wedding favors are also statements, in effect, a kind of message from the couple to their guests. They represent what the couple wishes the guest to remember of the wedding, as well as how the guest should view the couple. So how to go about selecting the right takeway gift, the right momento?

Ultimately, it depends on the couple, of course. The overwhelming vast majority would no doubt prefer innocous ceremonies and by extension sourvenirs – even private affairs that make the official proclamation of their marriage blend into the vast background of all marriages occurring in their culture. Hence the double difficulty encountered by individuals in alternative family arrangements where nothing seems to recognize, much less celebrate, their beliefs.

What to do, then? Fortunately, many such individuals, individuals who choose and even proudly proclaim their unusual unions, are extremely creative and eminently capable of designing their own unique parting gifts for their guests. But as modern society becomes ever more permissive, it’s only a matter of time before enterprising folks start catering to this niche market with specific products that not only recognize their particular flavor of marriage but even honor it.

Looking to sell your company and retire off the proceeds? Think again. Because of these recessionary times, banks are unwilling to lend cash – meaning that it’s harder and more challenging to sell your company simply because buyers usually can’t borrow more than sixty percent of the selling price.

Everybody is skittish. And numerous company owners are not rueful of not having sold when they had that proverbial chance. It is harder than ever just to stay in business, and while the actual value of your company may not have declined much, if declined at all, it’s simply an extraordinarily bad time to be in business – or to try to sell one, even a successful one.

And regrettably for numerous owners, they increasingly need to work out alternative payment schedules, more akin to a loan except where profitability is concerned. However, all is not lost if you’re determined to sell your company.

For one thing, the tax rate right now is at historic lows, though many experts expect it to go up, to twenty percent from the current fifteen capital gains rate, in another year or so. This means that your after-tax income from a sale right now could be greater than if you wait for the economy to improve and take a hit from increased taxes.

Of course, it’s tough to let go of the notion that your business is still worth what it was during the economic boom years of just five years ago. But it is essential to cut your losses, as it were, while you still can and get out before you put any more time, or even money, into a company when all you wish to do nowadays is retire to the good life. After all, isn’t that why you’d worked so hard through the years?

It all started when I was swimming pool resurfacing just last week. I typically see her only in her bikini, which is quite an eyeful all right, but this time she wasn’t wearing one.

No, despite the hot summer sun she was all dressed up in a business suit. But her buxom bosom couldn’t hide itself, all the same, and her generous shapely hips filled up every centimeter of her mini-skirt.

I looked up from swimming pool resurfacing, of course, and greeted her the way I usually do, politely, professionally.

“I like that pink skirt you are wearing.”

I answered that they were shorts, fashionably baggy and made out purposely to appear like skirts.

“They look terrific on you, honey.”

Now usually I’d imagine she was being polite, but for some reason I suspected – hoped – that this being my last day on the job before school starts, which meant that there was a subtext to our conversation now.

“I’ve never seen you like this, Mrs. Fugon. You look fantastic!”

“I’m glad you think so. I sort of wore it just for you.”

And there I was, in the middle of swimming pool resurfacing when she and I somehow found ourselves kissing and fondling one another. I told her how lovely she was and she said the same of me. We spoke of our shared secret yearning all the days of this long summer now so suddenly short seeing how I was heading back to college across the country and we lastly decided to confess to one another.

“There’s always the weekends, Amy. Not to mention the holidays.”

I began to protest that there would in no way be enough time for me to spend time with her – all the usual sentimentality that comes with being so young, I now understand scarcely a week later, but she hushed me with a kiss and told me never to say never.

“And don’t call me Mrs. Fugon; you know it’s Claudia.”

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite come to pass that way. I blame youthful exuberance for embarassing her, though she was very gracious in demurring.

Well a girl can still dream!