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Looking to sell your company and retire off the proceeds? Think again. Because of these recessionary times, banks are unwilling to lend money – meaning that it is harder and more challenging to sell your company because buyers generally cannot borrow more than sixty percent of the selling price.

Everyone is skittish. And numerous business owners are not rueful of not having sold when they had that proverbial chance. It’s harder than ever just to stay in business, and while the actual value of your company might 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 have to work out alternative payment schedules, more akin to a loan except where profitability is concerned. Nevertheless, all is not lost if you’re determined to sell your company.

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

Obviously, it’s tough to let go of the notion that your company is still worth what it was during the economic boom years of just five years ago. But it’s important 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 business 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?

Greek vases are among the most well-known museum replicas anywhere, and no wonder. The pottery of ancient Greece aren’t only beautiful objects of art but bear witness to one of the most intellectually important civilizations of humankind. Obtaining a museum replica of Greek vases oneself is really a way of connecting to a glorious golden age and lends a “blue-blooded” kind of elegance to any setting.

After all, it may be argued that the Greek vase has set the aesthetic standard for the Western Civilization for hundreds if not thousands of years. Having one on your desk, mantle, or shelf can create the right atmosphere for yourself to be inspired! There’s something to be said about having a faithful reproduction of a museum masterpiece in your very own home or office. Imagine the feeling on your next trip to the museum as you walk through a collection, identifying those which you own a personal copy of!

Museum replicas let us all to play the part of a refined collector of antiques – not “antiques” in the now commonly debased sense of someone’s grandmother’s grandmother’s quilt abandoned at a yard sale, but treasures from the ancients now owns to enjoy thanks to the painstaking skills of replica sculptors who work in the conventional methods with traditional materials.

More or less always handmade, such replicas of vases can be so faithfully reproduced as to fool even professional appraisers! Offered in a wide variety of styles, these fine works are truly no less art objects in themselves, so exquisitely crafted as to warrant being their own museum pieces!

They also tend to be really affordable, as well, allowing true connoisseurs the opportunity to own more than one. Finally, they make fantastic gifts, as well: thoughtful, and a little out of the ordinary, after all its not everyday you get a Greek vase as a present.

From Greek vases to Italian marble statues, people just can’t get enough of quality museum replicas for their homes and offices. It is small wonder, of course, that individuals should wish to surround themselves with timeless classic beauty. Indeed, museum replicas can lend style and even authority – the authority of tradition, the gravitas of high culture – to any setting, imbuing a sense of significance to one’s own endeavors in such an environment.

Bronze sculpture is also popular among museum replica connoisseurs for just those reasons. Don’t laugh; it’s true. Such showpieces symbolize one’s erudition and, even, personal nobility. Art certainly communicates those qualities, anyway, on behalf of their owners. And here’s the curious thing: it all sounds so crass, ironically, given the high-minded perception that generally surrounds art!

The very act of wishing to link oneself with some past glory seems pretentious at best and downright absurd at worst. Yet it is a fine line between true aesthetic appreciation of the informed sort and mere fashionable accessorizing of one’s residence or workplace.

Museum replicas let us all to play the part of a refined collector of antiques – not “antiques” in the now commonly debased sense of someone’s grandmother’s grandmother’s quilt abandoned at a yard sale, but treasures of the ancients now ours to enjoy. The pottery of ancient Greece is not only beautiful but bear witness to one of the most intellectually remarkable civilizations of humankind.

And who has not gasped at the craftsmanship of a David, an Augustus Caesar, or an Ecstasy of Saint Teresa? These are some of the most prized examples of Italian inspiration anywhere, for all time, and owing one puts us in touch with the human potential for creativity, the cultural heritage of our species. They lift us from the everyday into a realm of the spirit.

The correct wedding favors can be difficult enough to find, seeing how they should reflect not only the occasion but the couple and all their guests, but for people in alternative~ lifestyles for example open marriages it can be extremely challenging. On the one hand, traditional wedding favors do not seem to honor the most special aspect of such a marriage – namely, that it’s open and the couple isn’t exactly shy about the fact – but on the other hand most folks 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 typical 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 people, people who pick and also 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 particular items that not only recognize their particular flavor of marriage but even honor it.

Stocking and providing medical office supplies has traditionally been one of the duties of a hospital dispensary, which is mainly dedicated to dispensing medication according to doctors’ prescriptions. These days, the term “dispensary” refers to a handful of different institutions around the world – or, even, within the country.

For example, in California a dispensary is a specially designated store licensed to sell not medical office supplies but medicinal marijuana (which is also the case in the Canadian province of British Columbia), while in the states of Idaho and South Carolina a dispensary used to refer to the governmental agency that served as the only legal source of alcohol.

Also no source of medical office supplies is the Kenyan dispensary, a small outpatient health facility normally managed by a registered nurse. These nurses report to clinical officers at a health centre, which is also where patients are referred to for treatment in cases more complicated than a common ailment like cold or malaria. Modeled on the British system, this sort of medical dispensary is no simple storehouse of supplies but what Americans would call a community clinic.

This kind of clinic or dispensary got its start in London, England back in the 1700s, and is credited with aquainting physicians with the problems of the poor because unlike the case with hospitals or a private practice, this dispensary service really brought doctors into their patients’ homes. Their social consciences shocked, thus were the first dispensaries set up – free healthcare for the poor.

Indeed, young aspiring physicians of the day had been really eager to serve as honorary physicians to the dispensaries, though such an appointment was normally voluntary (with no more than a small honorarium at best) and not as prestigious as a hospital posting. It was nothing short of a health care revolution: for the first time since the Hippocratic Oath, altruistic motivations were the norm.

When considering real estate, articles generally focus on what is recommended by industry experts such as Isaac Toussie. But learning from failure is as important as learning from success; indeed, the two are symbiotically interweaved. And thus, following up on the previous installment’s discussion of desirable but still affordable New York City neighborhoods, we will consider the worst of the worst here by way of steering you to properties elsewhere!

A borough-by-borough run-down concludes as follows:

Staten Island: generally speaking, the areas closest to the ferry terminal will be the worst, with crime, noise, and other social ills most prevalent.

Manhattan: a much more diverse set of circumstances here, but a good rule-of-thumb principle holds that areas north of Central Park should be avoided (though gentrification has made many such areas much better than previously was the case). With the exception of Chelsea and Upper East and West Side areas like Lincoln Center, avoid all areas with a public housing project.

Bronx: the whole borough should be avoided (but for Riverdale on the west coast and Throgg’s Neck on the southeastern one).

Queens: the most complex situation in the whole city, with many neighborhoods fairly mixed ethnically, racially, and socio-economically. But clearly inferior places include vast tracts of Jamaica and surrounding areas, especially towards points south near Brooklyn. Ravenswood is another problem area, next to Astoria in Long Island City. Roosevelt Island is deliberately mixed, but as is always the case, the bad will drive out the good, and it’s quite a debate whether gentrification can work there. East Elmhurst (but not all of Elmhurst proper) should also be avoided for the mix of noise, crime, and other social ills presented by many of its denizens. Jackson Heights is on the borderline, once a nice nabe but now host to a vast illegal immigrant community.

Brooklyn: another complex case, though rather more clear-cut than that of Queens described above. Sunset Park is gritty and working-class but at least somewhat safe, relatively speaking. Definitely avoid Bushwick and surroundings, as well as Flatlands and even, nowadays, Canarsie. Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights are not very desirable areas and have a history of violence, as is the case with Ocean Hill and Brownsville. East New York should be avoided like the plague. Coney Island is also often bad, though the City of New York is finally committed to a wholesale revitalization effort.

Tough stuff? Barely. One cannot be too truthful when it comes to the persisting pockets of urban blight. For those new to New York, such “color” is commonly intriguing. But for many others, peace and quiet is desired above all for thinking, studying, and enjoyment of being.

The neighborhoods listed are anathema to those values, peopled as they are by those of a disposition, whether cultural or otherwise, towards noisy commotion and even physical violence. Yet because the city bursts with new arrivals each day, industry observers like Isaac Toussie agree that property prices and rent will still be very expensive, even when compared with more desirable spots in the same city. For example, Kingsbridge and Bedford Park in the Bronx, ghetto to the core, can still command rents only a couple of hundred less than those in premier places like Riverdale or Throgg’s Neck!

Though the existing economic disaster has also disturbed Connecticut realty, industry experts like Isaac Toussie believe that there’s no danger of oversupply in Connecticut mostly due to the state’s inventory levels being rather constant, probably because of Connecticut’s housing escaping the kind of speculation other places have seen. Such a happy event is probably also on account of the fact that Connecticut is home to some with the most expensive land anywhere in the country after California, with more than three percent of them priced around a million dollars as of the turn of the century. Southwestern Connecticut lies within the greater New York City metropolitan region, but areas further away, such as those communities in the northeast, are best described as luxury retreats for the monied classes, given median home values in the multiple of millions.

There can be a lot of “upside” to Connecticut realty. Condominium inventory in Connecticut are actually at steady ranges despite the financial downturn of late, which is really an extremely positive sign that bodes well for the overall real estate market there. Connecticut land ought to be fine pretty soon. Investing in commercial properties there is frequently a good bet even in this economy. Slow but steady growth has marked the history of Connecticut property for some time. In truth, in spite of the current financial meltdown these days, the State of Connecticut has not witnessed a lot of overly dramatic shifts.

The Danbury Fair, the state’s largest shopping mall, is a case in point. Founded in 1947, it has three levels, forty-seven shops, and nearly four hundred thousand square feet of retail space. Industry experts like Isaac Toussie feel that once the New York City Metropolitan Area recovers, retail outlets like this one in Connecticut will follow right along. Indeed, three of the state’s eight counties, which also happen to house most of the population, make up the Tri-State Region of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

In spite of such proximity to a world-class metropolis like New York City, it should be noted that Connecticut was never that hot a real estate market, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Connecticut has endured the housing scandal and its subsequent crisis much better than many other states. Indeed, once-industrial and then dilapidated Waterbury now attracts newcomers, most notably Orthodox Jewry, a welcome development that has brought new life to the local economy.

Certainly, Connecticut has in fact done well when compared to states like Florida, Nevada, and even California, for sales are already reported to be running at about 70% of 2008 levels, and though median prices have moderated they are at least not nose-diving! Yes, mortgages are harder to come by, but a lot of this is on account of the long-overdue correction of slipshod lending practices in the first place and is actually, in the long term, a positive development for Connecticut’s economy.

Having said all that, readers are still advised to consult those properly licensed and/or otherwise qualified when it comes to making business decisions of any financial importance as neither author nor publisher shall be held liable for such information as has been presented so far, which only constitutes mere opinion and should under no circumstances be misconstrued for financial advice of any kind whatsoever!

Head aches? Squinting? It could be clues of declining eye-sight. So what do you do next? You go to see an eye physician (of course) and it might possibly be that you will need eyeglasses or contact lenses. Now there is always the option of laser surgery but this article will not talk about that.

Go for the glass? Eyeglasses have been around for decades – think Benjamin Franklin, an iconic wearer of eye glasses. Eye glasses are either created from plastic or glass. The frames for them also come in a variety of materials. And, if you’re concerned about not finding the proper frames, don’t be concerned they currently have frameless types. And if you are one of those people who can’t even think about putting their finger in their eye and cringe at the notion of it, spectacles may be your best plan.

Nevertheless contact lenses provide some advantages over eyeglasses. One benefit, the rain, I imagine you know what happens. Two, fog, eye glasses tend to fog up. Three, falling down your nose anytime you perspire, etc.

Whichever you pick, the most fundamental issue is the fact that you see clearly.

As legendary as the team is, it is an open question whether Dallas Cowboys merchandise would have been as popular as they are without the equally famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. These ladies aren’t just any ol’ football cheerleading squad members, but make up a veritable franchise in themselves.

No less than two made-for-TV movies have appeared about them, not to mention any number of Dallas Cowboys merchandise bearing their likeness somewhere on the product! For when you think of Texas football, you think the Cowboys – and when you think Cowboys, you think of their cheerleaders.

For sure the die-hard fan may prefer his Dallas Cowboys clock “straight-up” but several others who are not so hard-core would most likely welcome a shot of the cheerleaders illustrating their fan merchandise! No other collection of young ladies so epitomize the American woman: young, fun, and fit; spirited; glamorous; intelligent.

Yes, regardless of the voyeurism involved these beauties know how to comport themselves and market themselves. Team try-outs obviously focus on athleticism and physical attractiveness but as spokesmodels for the team a good amount of social savvy and hence intelligence is necessary, too.

The only other set of girls that have left such a deep impression on popular culture worldwide would have to be Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Bunnies. Interestingly, the Cowboys’ cheerleading squad really started out mixed, with both males and females, as was high school and collegiate football tradition.

And indeed, it was local high school students that really made up the squad back in the 1960s. In 1969, however a deliberate attempt was made to improve in-game attendance by offering only female cheerleaders whose routines were unlike those prevalent at school games. By 1972, all cheerleaders were over the age of eighteen as their moves became increasingly a lot more like sexy dance routines.

Virtual reality tours have come a long way since something like the New York Skyride of serial entrepreneur Zalman Silber, which is an IMAX-like cinematic experience located at the city’s world-famous Empire State Building. Contrast that with the United States Army’s Virtual Army Experience, or VAE, which is an interactive multimedia virtual tour of what it is like to be an American soldier in the 21st Century.

The VAE was designed to capitalize on the appetite of today’s American youth for electronic entertainment. Instead of continuing to run television commercials as was done previously, it was decided to support conventional forms of outreach with one that additional right away and forcefully resonated with today’s young males. A thing like the aforementioned Skyride by Zalman Silber is family entertainment and totally innocuous, G-rated to seat as several as feasible. It is mildly educational while the VAE is meant to showcase the most positive aspects of modern soldiering to action-oriented youths. The VAE presents a life-sized networked environment for guests to get a little taste of soldiering and battle. With a complicated setup that involves computers, video, motion sensors, and full surround sound, the VAE is definitely an engaging method to both entertain and educate, not to mention recruit. Through the use of conventional storytelling alongside familiar videogaming conventions, the VAE has been hailed for its innovative use of cutting-edge technology to inform along with to sell.

Site visitors gather in the “Assembly Area,” whereupon uniformed VAE staff shepherd guests on towards the “Joint Operations Center.” There they meet former soldiers, now employees of Army partner Ignited Minds, a marketing firm, who serve as “team leaders.” An intelligence briefing ensues, which covers the upcoming virtual mission. Time is also taken to introduce Army rules of engagement together with correct use of simulator equipment and correct deployment of Army tactical doctrine. Then it is on for the mission itself, which takes place inside the “Mission Simulator” suitable. The objective would be to evacuate civilians, an unassailably righteous scenario that critics contend mask the a lot more likely and less innocuous duties of Army life and death in a time of war.

Upon completion on the mission participants are debriefed in an “After Action Area” where Army values are introduced within the context from the mission, values such as duty, honor, respect, and camaraderie. At specific venues, an actual war hero is on-hand to speak with participants, lending an inspirational air of authenticity that has quite a few VAE guests applauding.

It’s all extremely beguiling, particularly for young men still trying to prove themselves to themselves.