Friday, August 31, 2012
AuthenTec?s stockholders to vote on $356 million Apple merger on October 4
Fingerprint security specialist AuthenTec announced today (via an SEC filing)?that it has set a record date and meeting date for its stockholders to vote upon a proposal to clear the merger between the company and Apple, which proposed to acquire the company for $356 million in late July.
AuthenTec says that it will hold a ?special meeting? at 10am ET on Thursday, October 4, 2012 at the offices of its legal?representatives in Atlanta ? iPhones (or any other recording devices) won?t be allowed in the building.
Since the deal was announced, AuthenTec and Apple have already secured early termination of the waiting period, which was granted by the FTC on August 16. This is significant, because both the?FTC and the US Department of Justice will not investigate the deal or pursue antitrust lawsuits.
However, it does mean that before the deal is approved by stockholders, another company could potentially submit a bid to acquire AuthenTec. Apple?s rivals could have feasibly lodged a bid following the announcement of the deal but now it has been cleared by regulators, there would be less hurdles for a rival to overcome.
As we noted in our earlier coverage of the deal, AuthenTec had already stated that no other companies were interested in licensing its technologies, based primarily on cost. Apple looked originally licensed its fingerprint technology, but then decided it would buy the company after weeks of negotiations.
Apple had already signed?intellectual property agreements to use AuthenTec?s fingerprint technologies in its products, it now becomes a matter of when we will see them.
[Image Credit: pagedooley]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWebApplicious/~3/DPv4qFYVA2E/
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Thursday, August 30, 2012
Tracking shuttle exhaust reveals more information about atmospheric winds
ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2012) ? On July 8, 2011 the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched for the very last time. On that historic day, as the world watched its last ascent up into orbit and commentators discussed the program's contributions to space flight and scientific research over 20 years, the shuttle helped spawn one last experiment. As the shuttle reached a height of about 70 miles over the east coast of the U.S., it released -- as it always did shortly after launch -- 350 tons of water vapor exhaust.
As the plume of vapor spread and floated on air currents high in Earth's atmosphere, it crossed through the observation paths of seven separate sets of instruments. A group of scientists, reporting in online in the Journal of Geophysical Research on August 27, 2012, tracked the plume to learn more about the airflow in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) -- a region that is typically quite hard to study. The team found the water vapor spread much faster than expected and that within 21 hours much of it collected near the arctic where it formed unusually bright high altitude clouds of a kind known as polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs). Such information will help improve global circulation models of air movement in the upper atmosphere, and also help with ongoing studies of PMCs.
"Polar mesospheric clouds are the highest clouds on Earth," says space scientist Michael Stevens at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, who is first author on the paper. "They shine brightly when the sun is just below the horizon and typically occur over polar regions in the summer. There is some evidence that they are increasing in number and people want to know if this is indicative of climate change or something else that we don't understand."
Since they shine at night, PMCs are also known as noctilucent clouds, and they can serve as an indicator not just of temperature changes, but also of how currents and waves move high in Earth's atmosphere. A visible cloud of water vapor from something like the shuttle also offers a serendipitous way to observe such motions in the upper winds.
"The plume from the shuttle becomes a ready-made experiment to observe the movement in the atmosphere," says Charles Jackman, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. who is the project scientist for a NASA mission called Aeronomy Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) that specifically observes PMCs. "What this team found is interesting since the plume moved so quickly to the pole, indicating that the winds appear much stronger at those latitudes than was thought."
To track the plume across the sky, the scientists collated seven sets of observations, including data from AIM. The first two sets of instruments to see the plume were on a NASA spacecraft called TIMED (Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics). Next the plume was viewed through the Sub-Millimeter Radiometer on the Swedish Odin satellite. When the plume reached higher latitudes, it was picked up by the ground-based Microwave Spectrometer at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in K?hlungsborn, Germany as well as an identical ground-based water vapor instrument called cWASPAM1 at the Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmospheric Research (ALOMAR) in Andenes, Norway. The plume collated into its final shape over the arctic, as a new, extremely bright PMC on July 9, 2011 and there, it could be observed from above by the AIM satellite flying overhead, and from below by another instrument at ALOMAR called the RMR lidar.
Over the course of the plume's travels, these observations showed it spreading horizontally over a distance of some 2000 to 2500 miles. Those parts that drifted into the high latitudes near the North Pole formed ice particles which settled into layers of PMCs down at about 55 miles above Earth's surface. The speed with which the plume arrived at the arctic was a surprise.
"The speed of the movement in the upper atmosphere gives us new information for our models," says Stevens. "As you get higher up in the atmosphere, we just don't have as many measurements of wind speeds or temperatures. The take-away message here is that we need to improve the models of that region."
Since observations of PMCs may be connected to global climate, it's important to subtract out sporadic effects such as shuttle exhaust from other consistent, long-term effects.
"One of AIM's big goals is to find out how much of the cloud's behavior is naturally induced versus man-made," says Jackman. "This last shuttle launch will help researchers separate the shuttle exhaust from the rest of the observations."
Indeed, the AIM observations showed a clear difference between typical PMCs and this shuttle-made one. Normally smaller particles exist at the top, with larger ones at the bottom. The shuttle plume PMC showed a reversed configuration, with larger particles at the top, and smaller at the bottom -- offering a way to separate out such clouds in the historical record.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/nasa/~3/bvwWp1ZFaPw/120828163038.htm
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Family of alleged shooter 'horrified'
PERRY HALL, Md. (AP) ? The father of a 15-year-old student who police say shot another student at a Baltimore County high school says his son was bullied.
The father spoke to a reporter at his home Monday evening and said his son was the shooter. The Associated Press is not identifying the teen or his family because he is a juvenile and has not been charged.
A woman who was also at the home and said she was related to the father, gave the following statement on the family's behalf: "We are horrified. We did not see this coming and our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and the victim's family."
When asked about a motive for the shooting, the father indicated his son had been bullied. He gave no further details.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/family-alleged-shooter-horrified-003217727.html
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Sunday, August 19, 2012
Bickering over bona fides in Montana Senate race
HELENA, Mont. (AP) ? Denny Rehberg often wears cowboy boots while campaigning for the U.S. Senate, telling stories about his ranching background and bashing the "death tax" and "Obamacare," characterizations popular with Montana's rural residents.
To Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, the Republican congressman who wants to take his place is all hat and no cattle.
Describing himself as a "dirt farmer," Tester says Rehberg hasn't rounded up his own cattle in years, but has spent his time subdividing and developing what used to be his family's ranch.
"Building houses and mansion ranching is not ranching," Tester said at their first debate this summer.
The razor-tight race may come down to who is "more Montana."
Rehberg's campaign acknowledges that Tester may spend more of his free time farming, but the challenger says the first-term Democrat's support for President Barack Obama's mandate that most everyone buy health insurance runs counter to Montanans' libertarian streak.
Rehberg cites his long roots in ranching prior to leasing out his land due to the demands of his congressional office. He says managing cows is different from farming and requires a full-time presence.
"Frankly I am sorry for the people of Montana that he is wasting so much time as a U.S. senator talking about what a great farmer he is," Rehberg said in an interview. "Maybe he ought to spend a little bit more time trying to help get people back to work and expand the economy because that is what I am focused on. I don't think the people of Montana would particularly want me sitting around the ranch trying to keep the cows in the fence and putting water in front of them and such."
Each candidate lays claim and blame over who's the least elite, most authentic and best able to represent the state's 1 million rural residents in Washington, a city they view with great distrust. Tester's two predecessors lost their populist appeal and re-election bids after becoming too identified with the city's Beltway interests.
The race, one of a few that will determine which party controls the Senate in 2013, is drawing millions of dollars in political money from out-of-state interest groups. Republicans need a net gain of four seats ? three if GOP candidate Mitt Romney wins the presidency, because his vice president could break a tie vote ? to regain control. Eleven weeks from the election, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin represent their best chances for pickups.
Tester's victory in 2006 helped Senate Democrats take over from Republicans. He won in a squeaker after arguing that three terms in Washington had corrupted incumbent Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, who was embroiled in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling scandal. It helped that Tester, who has a flattop haircut and is missing a few fingers because of a butchering accident, looks every bit the dryland grain farmer he is, rumpled off-the-rack Sears suits and all.
Now that Tester is the incumbent, he's having to defend himself from attacks that he sold out to banks on debit card swipe fees and, perhaps more harmful, that he is a rubber stamp for Obama administration policies unpopular in Montana.
He is trying to distance himself from Obama by pointing out his opposition to new environmental regulations and proposed farm child labor rules that were considered but abandoned by the Labor Department. Tester also is pushing for the Keystone XL oil pipeline that runs from the Canadian oil fields south through Montana. Obama has postponed a decision on it until after the election.
But Tester wouldn't take back the politically harmful health care vote if he could do the first term over gain. Instead he said he wishes he had done more to stop the intervention in Afghanistan and bring the troops home, pointing to the maimed soldiers he's visited and the billions spent on the war.
Rehberg said he would take back the vote for the Bush administration's post-Sept. 11 program to secure driver's licenses. The Real ID act was intended to help thwart terrorists, but the congressman said that at the time of the vote, he did not know that many in his state would come to despite the program.
Montana State University political scientist David Parker says Republicans "are attacking Tester in ways that would push him away from that image as a Montana farmer: One, he is with Obama. Two, he is a nasty guy. And three, yeah, he makes and eats his own beef, but he votes against Montanans and their interests."
Parker said that Tester's connection to the land is his strongest asset, and he can't have Rehberg seen as a rancher, too, because that would obscure the differences between them.
The Tester campaign argues that Rehberg hasn't bought or sold cattle since at least 2000, citing state livestock inspection records. Some of the attacks deride Rehberg as a multimillionaire land developer.
While Rehberg is the challenger in the race, he has been in statewide politics much longer than Tester and is just as well-known. He was an ardent supporter of conservatives polices as a state legislator in the 1980s. He became lieutenant governor in 1991 and in 1996 he almost defeated veteran Democratic Sen. Max Baucus.
Rehberg isn't ceding the ranching background. He often talks about his family being forced to sell parts of the historic family ranch near Billings in order to pay inheritance taxes ? the derided federal "death tax" ? after his grandmother died in the 1970s. He managed the family ranch for several years before winning the state's lone U.S. House seat in 2000.
In the House, Rehberg carefully has maintained his conservative credentials even while sometimes turning on Republicans, such as when he backed the 2009 expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program. Last year, he was one of just three other Republicans in the House to oppose Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposal that would transform Medicare.
Rehberg holds an advantage in the more rural parts of the state, and even expects to carry Choteau County that is home to Tester's Big Sandy farm and about 6,000 people. Those voters largely went for Burns in 2006.
Tester reminds voters why they picked him in the first place. He was first a music teacher and a farmer, then a state legislator and farmer. If he loses the election, he said he will happily return to just farming.
He spent free time in late July and early August harvesting his crops ? or at least those that survived what Tester called one of the worst hail storms to his farm in 35 years. "I take my vacation on the combine and tractor. I am not bitchin' either, I like it that way," he told The Associated Press in an interview.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bickering-over-bona-fides-montana-senate-race-114416852.html
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Saturday, August 18, 2012
Play2Fun.com ? Generally Decide on Outcome Oriented Search ...
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Source: http://play2fun.com/?p=11258
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No comments - B.H. Greenberg & Associates
Which Comes First, Your Financial Plan or Your Estate Plan? Here are the three reasons you MUST do your estate plan first.
2. Protect Against the Worst Risk First.
I am asked frequently, which comes first, a client's financial plan, or estate plan? How an advisor answers this question will tell you much about whether their priorities are aligned with yours or not.
Here are the three things you need to know to answer this question and properly protect yourself, your family and your property.
1. Financial Planning Requires Time.
Financial planning is important to your financial success. However, for any financial plan to work there is a vital requirement: time and lots of it. Financial planning is a process of goal setting, asset alignment coupled with savings and investment--over time. Here's one example:
Say you want to ensure a child can go to college. Your financial planner will assist you in establishing a plan that will involve savings and investment so that by college age, the college fund will either pay for or assist in college related expenses. The critical element in the plan is time. There will be insufficient funds the first few years of the plan to pay for college. You can see the same applies to goals like retirement. If the time horizon is not realized the plan fails. This is the reason that life insurance is an estate planning tool before it is used in a financial plan. More on that thought below.
2. Protect Against the Worst Risk First.
The worst risk any client faces is dying or becoming disabled too soon. In other words, a near-term event that is unplanned. Unlike the financial planning time horizon, the worst risk can happen any time. A main reason to do your estate plan is to protect against the worst risk--an unplanned death or disability. Since this is an unplanned event, protecting against such risk is priority ONE.
3. Estate Planning Has No Time Requirement.
There is no time required for your estate plan to work. Your estate plan must take into account the unplanned and near-terms risks mentioned above. I can tell you that most clients who live to life expectancy do not die with their original estate plan. A client's estate plan will be revised several times over the course of their life. This is the beauty and necessity of the estate plan. It requires no time, no specific course of events in order to operate, unlike a financial plan. As mentioned above, this is why life insurance is part of estate planning before it is considered in the financial plan--we can protect against an unplanned, near-term death with life insurance.
Those are the three reasons that your estate plan comes before your financial plan. Both are important and you should pursue both. Start with your estate planning to protect against the worst risk first and then start your financial plan.
Let me know your thoughts on this important estate planning issue, your comments and questions are welcome. Feel free to email me at: bgreenberg@kgattys.com or call me any time at: 303-688-3535. Thank you.
Bernie Greenberg
Source: http://www.bhgreenberg.com/2012/08/four-things-to-know-about-which-comes.html
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Friday, August 17, 2012
Japan's Final Fantasy 25th anniversary event to be live streamed
Square Enix has revealed today that their 25th anniversary presentation back home will enjoy a live broadcast.
Yes, that?s right ? international fans and those who could not attend will be able to view all six stage events via Nico Nico Live. The events will run from September 1st through September 2nd in Shibuya and include the likes of the future of the Lightning Saga, Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy VII?s 15th anniversary and more.
Additional broadcast details are promised for the near future, so stay tuned.
Source: http://www.rpgsite.net/news/1909-japans-final-fantasy-25th-anniversary-event-to-be-live-streamed
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HBT: M's must trade Felix? |? 23rd perfect game
Cherish Wednesday?s perfect game, Mariners fans, and enjoy King Felix?s Seattle tenure while it lasts.
Let?s face it: there?s a good chance Felix Hernandez will end his Mariners career never having won a postseason game.
The Mariners are set to finish in last place in the AL West for a third straight season and for the seventh time in nine years. They haven?t gone to the playoffs once in the 10 years since Hernandez was signed as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela, and it seems doubtful that they?re going to get there next year.
We?ve reached the point that it probably makes sense for the Mariners to trade Hernandez. Fortunately, his trade value will still be near its peak this winter. The free agent class includes only one elite starter, Zack Greinke, and there are question marks about him as far as how he?d fare in the spotlight. The next best starter available is probably Edwin Jackson, unless you?re a big Anibal Sanchez or Ryan Dempster fan.
Hernandez is signed for two more years at a total of $39.5 million after this one. That?d not exactly a bargain, but he?d probably command $27 million-$30 million per year as a free agent, and the team that acquires him would get a big head start in signing him to an extension. He?s worth several top prospects, and the Mariners could definitely use some high-upside bats as they attempt to rebuild. The Rangers, Yankees, Dodgers and Red Sox would all likely enter the bidding if Hernandez is made available. Hernandez is probably the one player out there for whom the Rangers would sacrifice shortstop Jurickson Profar, and he would be pretty much the perfect building block for the Mariners.
It?d be a shame to see Felix go, particularly given that he seems to enjoy Seattle, but the Mariners need much more than one ace if they?re ever going to challenge the AL West elite. They just might be able to turn Hernandez into three or four quality major leaguers, upping their odds for 2014 and beyond.
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Thursday, August 16, 2012
Pleasant Valley Farms Secures Over $1 Million Lease Financing ...
Pleasant Valley Farms Secures Over $1 Million Lease Financing ?
CALABASAS, CA, Aug 14, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) ? TEQlease Capital, a nationwide provider of equipment lease financing solutions, announced today that the company has provided Pleasant Valley Farms, a 58 year old egg farm located in Ripon, California, with lease financing of over $1 million for cage-free hen housing systems.
?In order to meet the demand for organic eggs from one of the largest retail warehouse outlets in the United States, we needed to add cage-free hen housing systems to improve the efficiency of our operations. With the new hen housing systems we will be increasing our in house organic egg production to 125,000 hens. In addition, the cage-free housing systems we are installing are Proposition 2 compliant, and as a result we will meet the regulatory requirement well in advance of the implementation deadline,? said Jerry Jenkins, president of Pleasant Valley Farms. ?TEQlease Capital was also able to structure the lease in a manner that the other lease financing providers could not.?
?We are very pleased that we were able to put together a flexible equipment financing package that Pleasant Valley Farm needed for its state of the art cage-free aviary housing systems,? said Mike Lockwood, president of TEQlease Capital. ?Pleasant Valley Farms is a substantial family-owned enterprise, supplying large food retailers throughout the Western United States. Our firm is committed to working with food producers such as Pleasant Valley Farms to provide customized equipment lease financing solutions for any of their equipment acquisitions.?
ABOUT TEQlease TEQlease Capital is a nationwide provider of equipment lease financing solutions across all industries, including manufacturing, education, distribution, financial services, healthcare, and retail organizations. TEQlease Capital customers include Fortune 500, medium-sized, and small businesses. Founded in 2000, the company is based in Calabasas, California. For more information visit http://teqlease.com/ , call 1-818-222-1006, or email sales@teqlease.com.
TEQlease Capital and TEQlease are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of TEQlease, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners.
Source: http://www.worldleasingnews.com/news/pleasant-valley-farms-secures-over-1-million-lease-financing/
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Cisco Beats Fourth Quarter Analyst Expectations of 45 Cents Per Share ? Revenues Up 4%
Cisco beat fourth quater analyst expectations with net sales up 4% compared to last year. Overall revenues were $11.7 billion with reporting of 47 cents per share. For the year, net sales were $46.1 billion , up 7% compared to last year. Analysts had forecast a profit of 45 cents a share, on revenue of $11.62 billion, according to FactSet. Looking ahead to its fiscal first-quarter, analysts expect a profit of 46 cents and revenue of $11.67 billion, or year-over-year growth of 4%. Net income for the year was $8 billion. Cisco CEO John Chambers warned analysts back in May of a ?cautious IT spending environment? and a ?very slow painful progress? in a market recovery. But that may been an over cautious view for the telecommunications giant.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/lqwgb2jpoIQ/
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Pattinson teaches art of avoidance in 3 steps
By Courtney Hazlett, TODAY
One of the perks of being a ?normal? person is when your life is in turmoil, you don?t have to appear on national television shows. But when you are say, Robert Pattinson, and your longtime girlfriend and "Twilight" co-star Kristen Stewart was photographed during a "momentary?indiscretion" with her ?Snow White and the Huntsman? director, this is not the case. Celebs will sooner or later find themselves on TV -- not necessarily to address their private troubles, but to promote their work.
It was only about three weeks ago that Stewart issued a public apology for "the hurt and embarrassment" her actions caused, and on Monday, Pattinson was front and center, hitting the publicity circuit to plug his latest film, "Cosmopolis." His first stop? Sharing "The Daily Show" stage with Jon Stewart and a very large elephant in the room.
"What have you been up to?" was the comedian's ice breaker before bringing out some ice cream and claiming to his guest, "We're just a couple of gals talking."?
The "Twilight" actor sat down with Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" on Monday night to face questions for the first time about the public infidelity of his long-time love, Kristen Stewart. NBC's Natalie Morales reports.
That move by Jon Stewart and the actor's reaction illustrates one way to avoid the one subject fans are dying to get the details about, but the star may be unwilling to share. Avoidance is practically a lost art nowadays, but as Pattinson has revealed during his post-scandal public appearances, there are three steps celebrities can follow during live interviews to try to refocus the chat.
First of all, have a prop! One that melts in real time helps too. Nothing makes viewers forget any burning questions about a celebrity's love life (or other juicy scandals that are making headlines) like wondering if the stars on TV are about to drip ice cream all over their clothes.
?
Jon Stewart pressed on though, asking Pattinson, "Are you all right?" To which Pattinson answered, "My biggest problem in my life is I'm cheap. And I didn't hire a publicist ..."? ?
Joel Ryan / AP
The "Twilight" hunk may have found stardom as a vampire, but his roles have ranged from fantasy prince to Salvador Dali and beyond.
The actor's response leads to the second point: Just avoid the question entirely. Whether you have a publicist or not is irrelevant for 99 percent of the people paying attention to the interview. What we want to know, Rob, is if you're crying yourself to sleep at night.
Pattinson did his next interview on Wednesday on "Good Morning America," where the prop trick was recycled, but with a box of cereal, which is far less terrifying/distracting than a melting pint of ice cream. Host George Stephanopolis asked at the top of the interview, "Everybody wants to know how you are doing and what do you want your fans to know about your personal life?"
After some stammering about the calorie content of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (a failed attempt at tactic No. 2) and declaring everything to come out of his mouth "irrelevant" (a failed attempt at tactic No. 1), Pattinson said, "You get into it to do movies. I've never been in it to try to sell my personal life."
Which brings us to avoidance tactic No. 3: Remind the fans it's about the movies (or music, or whatever the celeb is out to promote). And truthfully, it should be. But realistically, and with the increased presence of celebrity Twitter accounts, the movies can become an afterthought. What happens when the director calls "Action!" should be front and center, but the personal lives of the people fans put on pedestals are just too interesting.
"Twilight: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2" director Bill Condon wants to drive the it's-about-the-movies point home.
"The fact is, these are actors playing parts, and maybe it?s not such a bad thing that people be reminded of that,?? Condon told?Entertainment Weekly about how the affair might impact the "Twilight" franchise. "Above all (Pattinson and Stewart) have always shown great respect for the fans who made these movies such a success. Now it?s time that some of that respect be returned to them."
And with that, best of luck to Pattinson and Stewart. At least they are not trashing dressing rooms or going on truth tours, like some of their fellow celebs in similar situations have done. With the classiest avoidance tactics possible and the lost art of keeping your personal life as personal as possible, maybe by the time the final "Twilight" film hits theaters in November, much of this will be forgotten.
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Business Marketing | FreeThinkBham
Business Marketing
Business marketing takes time and effort; it needs to be done effectively. The main principle of marketing is getting the word out. The effort and time needs to be put in by the owner and the employees. There are relatively inexpensive ways to promote businesses which will be explained later. Basically, how successful a business is run can greatly rely on how efficient the marketing is.
When the marketing is done through adequate channels, the business often prospers. Advertisement and marketing are two different aspects. Nevertheless, marketing is the core of many business foundations. Marketing and advertisement can be used in lieu of each other which can make it an effective strategy.
Buyer behavior falls into the category of being a crucial factor in the achievement of the end result. Analyzing the buyer behavior by assessing what they buy, how they want to buy it, their preferences of where they buy it and how they like to receive the product. Depending on the product, some products need technical installations or servicing. Channels are basically affiliates acting as a conduit and intermediaries between the company and the consumers. It can be television, radios, internet, physical signs, mail, direct communications, print, multiple stores scattered out in the city, warehouses that store properties and products, franchise businesses, etc. Most will gain a commission from their sales and most small businesses can not afford it in their prime.
Affiliates and intermediaries will act as agents or distributors to sell for the company as most business owners may not have the resources to cover the costs of recruitment, training, and the equipment necessary for employees. They also handle most of the customer relationships and customer retention. The marketing preparation needs to aim at retaining and attracting consumers. This can be done by convincing the potential customers that the product they are viewing is unique in price and value.
The advantages will identify the wants and needs of clients. The scope is to categorize the demands of the product and recognize the laudable rivals. Once strategies are implemented, it can be determined whether or not they actually work in bringing the revenue and profit margins needed to sustain the healthy flow of business traffic. The elements of the target market consist of the end user?s income level, profession, sex, age, educational level and geographical residence.
There needs to be an accurate description of the marketing resources because in order to determine what kind of promotional and marketing materials needed; current scope of finances is required. Price strategy is the finances having the capacity to support the needs of each method of marketing. There is a plethora of free ways to adequately market the product online. For instance; social media websites, article directories, posts on others websites, forums, e-mails, affiliate websites, etc. Like many things floating online, your business news needs to be updated in order to ensure its fresh online presence. If marketing measures are paid for, it is vital to ensure the return on investment capital is outweighing the cost to run business strategies and models.
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Source: http://www.freethinkbham.com/122/business-marketing
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Monday, August 13, 2012
Painter Kinkade Leaves Acrimony Behind | Augulis Law Firm
Aug 12, 2012 ?/? By: Alan Augulis, Estate Planning Attorney ?/? Category: Estate Planning
The so-called ?Painter of Light? Thomas Kinkade left us in April, and the cause of death was listed as ?acute intoxication.? We are touching upon the cause because it is relevant to the estate struggle that has been left behind in the wake of Kinkade?s passing.
Kinkade was legally married at the time of his death, and his wife?s name is Nanette. Two years before the painter?s untimely death (he was just 54) Nanette filed for divorce, but it was not final at the time of his passing.
A formal, professionally constructed estate plan had been constructed by the Kinkades and it had not been updated to make any changes after the separation.
But during much of the time between the divorce filing and his death Kinkade had been living with a girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh.
Pinto-Walsh is in possession of two wills that she says Kinkade wrote out by hand, and as you might expect they provide for her. However, handwriting experts say that Kinkade must have been highly intoxicated when he wrote them because of the horrendous quality of the writing.
This is a matter that will play itself out before the courts because the two women involved don?t seem to share the same perspective.
These celebrity cases provide some food for thought. If you have not updated your estate plan recently to reflect any life changes that you may have undergone, you may want to speak with a good Central New Jersey estate planning lawyer sooner rather than later.
The Augulis Law Firm is a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.
Source: http://www.augulislawfirm.com/blog/estate-planning/painter-kinkade-leaves-acrimony/
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Romney renews welfare attack in new ad
WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) ? Mitt Romney's hitting President Barack Obama again for what the Republican presidential candidate calls "gutting welfare reform."
Romney has released a new television advertisement accusing the Obama White House of stripping the work requirement from the nation's welfare law. It's the same charge the Republican candidate levied in a separate ad last week.
Independent fact checkers have found the premise of the ad to be false.
Obama says he's giving states the flexibility they've asked for to make welfare more efficient.
Romney was among several Republican governors who signed a letter back in 2005 asking for more flexibility.
The attack comes as both sides accuse the other of producing false advertisements.
Romney's campaign blasted a Democratic group's ad that links Romney's business career to a woman's death.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-renews-welfare-attack-ad-090337242.html
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Sunday, August 12, 2012
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3 ways to find support with an eating disorder - Arab Health
When it comes to mental and physical disorders, there are few things more worrisome or more challenging that an eating disorder. Eating disorders are dangerous, complex disorders that develop from a variety of different issues. Because eating disorders are such a personal struggle, seeking help outside of the disorder can be a huge battle. One of the most challenging elements of facing any personal struggle is admitting to yourself and those around you that you need help. We?ve all had to battle with this to some degree or another. There are going to be times in life that we get in over our heads and need the help and support of those who are better equipped to help us. That being said, for many seeking help and support for an eating disorder can be a frightening experience. If you or someone you know is suffering from the damaging effects of an eating disorder, consider these resources for finding assistance and support with a recovery.
Educate yourself
The first step to finding support and recovering from an eating disorder is educating yourself on the topic. Whether you are the one suffering or it is someone close to you, learning as much as you can about eating disorders can be the best initial defense. Take the time to educate yourself on the various types of eating disorders, the symptoms of an eating disorder, the side effects eating disorders cause both physically and psychologically, and how suffers can access help for their disorders. By carefully educating yourself about eating disorders, you can be more aware of warning signs and be better prepared for issues in the future. Doing a general search online can provide you with a lot of useful and thorough information on eating disorders and treatment. It may also be wise to talk to a doctor or medical professional about your questions concerning eating disorders. Doctors are trained professionals and can likely provide you with very specific and helpful information.
Find a support group
Support groups can be one of the best ways to tackle issues like eating disorders. Those suffering from an eating disorder can find themselves feeling extremely secluded and alone because of their disorder. For the most part, eating disorders are a very personal and individual experience. However, trying to take on solving the issue on your own can be a heavy task. There are many support groups available to eating disorder sufferers both online and in the community. Eating Disorders Anonymous is one online resource for those suffering from eating disorders around the world. This web forum provides a space for users to discuss their problems, concerns, and struggles with others in similar situations. Eating Disorders Anonymous provides a judgment-free space for individuals to seek help and discuss their eating disorders. The organization is focused on support. Moreover, there are numerous in-person support groups available to sufferers throughout the world. Talk to your doctor or a healthcare professional about finding a local eating disorder support group in your area.
Look up local associations
Another great place to find support for eating disorders is from local associations dedicated to the topic. The United States has numerous national associations for eating disorders and eating disorder sufferers. Again, you can do a basic online search for associations in your area or speak with your doctor to locate local associations. These associations can provide those concerned about eating disorders or suffering from one with expert and peer support, educational material, and regular events pertaining to the disorders. Many national and local associations have events and committees dedicated to finding treatments and spreading awareness of eating disorders. Never underestimate the power of support when you are suffering from something challenging. There are numerous others in similar positions and are seeking help as well.
Today?s guest post comes courtesy of Amelia Wood, who often writes about medical billing and coding certification and health issues. She welcomes your responses at amelia1612@gmail.com.
Source: http://blog.arabhealthonline.com/3-ways-to-find-support-with-an-eating-disorder/
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Saturday, August 11, 2012
More on the agenda for 'legendary' Usain Bolt
Jamaica's Usain Bolt reacts as he crosses the finish line to win the men's 200-meter final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt reacts as he crosses the finish line to win the men's 200-meter final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt, left, gestures after crossing the finish line to win gold ahead of silver medallist Yohan Blake of Jamaica, center, and bronze medallist Warren Weir of Jamaica in the men's 200-meter final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Jamaica's Yohan Blake, left, celebrates winning silver with Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who won gold, following the men's 200-meter final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt, third left, reacts as he crosses the finish line to win the men's 200-meter final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt gestures as he wins the finals of the men's 200-meter in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
LONDON (AP) ? As far as Usain Bolt is concerned, it's a done deal.
"I'm a legend now," he said.
But these Olympics aren't quite finished. And neither is he.
With the 200-meter gold medal in his pocket after a winning run of 19.32 seconds Thursday night, The World's Fastest Man now gets ready for the 4x100 relay. If he can lead the Jamaicans to a victory there, he'll be 3 for 3 at these Olympics, same way he was in Beijing four years ago.
He'll likely get a day off Friday for the preliminaries, then head back to the track Saturday for the final ? his last chance to set a world record, the only thing to elude him over a very fast week at the London Olympics.
The relay mark is 37.10 seconds, the third of three records Bolt set, or helped set, at the Beijing Games.
"I think there's a possibility," Bolt said. "But you can never really say it, because it's a relay and there's a baton. You never know. But for me, we're going to go out, enjoy ourselves, run fast as possible. It would be a good way to close the show again."
What a show he put on Thursday night.
Bolt opened the night, during introductions, by giving a royal wave to the 80,000 fans at Olympic Stadium on hand to see some history.
Then, he ran a race fit for a king.
Burning off the starting line, he took an early lead, then powered around the curve. By the time he reached the straightaway, only Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake had any chance to catch him. Blake actually closed the gap for a moment, but then Bolt reached back and found that fastest gear ? the one that has helped him become the first man to win the Olympic 100-200 double twice.
Blake finished second in 19.44 seconds and Warren Weir completed the Jamaican sweep, winning bronze in 19.84.
"The guy is just on another planet right now," Wallace Spearmon, the American who finished fourth, said between sobs of disappointment.
Bolt was comfortably ahead at the finish, so much so that he was able to slow down, put his left finger to his mouth and tell everyone to shush. It was less than six weeks ago that Bolt lost twice to Blake at Jamaica's Olympic trials and the world wondered if Bolt's days of dominating were over.
"That was for all that people that doubted me, all the people that was talking all kinds of stuff that I wasn't going to do it, I was going to be beaten," Bolt said. "I was just telling them: You can stop talking now, because I am a legend."
Another legend, Carl Lewis, has 10 Olympic medals ? won in individual races, relays and the long jump over a span of four Olympics ? and it's possible Bolt, who has whimsically spoken about trying the long jump, might want to look at reaching that number some day, too. He clearly has no love for Lewis. In the only awkward moment of an otherwise-engaging news conference, Bolt lashed out at Lewis, saying the American spends too much time casting aspersions about the possibility that the Jamaicans are dopers.
"Carl Lewis, I have no respect for him," Bolt said. "The things he says about the track athletes is really downgrading for another athlete to say something like that."
But this was no day for bickering. It was a giant celebration.
The win sealed, Bolt took a meandering victory lap that included some old fan favorites ? his archer-like "To The World" pose ? and some new ones ? borrowing a photographer's camera and taking a few pictures. He also banged out five pushups on the track, one for each of the gold medals he has won.
While Bolt won his fifth career gold on the track, the Americans were piling them up in other corners of the stadium.
They went 1-2 in the decathlon (Ashton Eaton and Trey Hardee) and triple jump (Christian Taylor and Will Clay), raising the U.S. total to 24 medals, one more than what they won in Beijing, with three days to go.
"It's infectious," U.S. men's coach Andrew Valmon said. "When you think about coming in, we had one team meeting. We made it about the athletes and talked about what we needed to do, heard the message one time, embraced it and took on the challenge."
There was one world record established: David Rudisha of Kenya won the 800 meters in 1 minute, 40.91 seconds, improving his own standard by 0.10.
Hoping to hone in on a little slice of the Bolt magic, Rudisha served up the prospect of a showdown over 400 meters against the Jamaican, who used to run that distance but abandoned it because it was too much of a grind.
Bolt was more than happy to handicap that potential race.
"I think if I train, I can take Rudisha over 400 meters," he said.
Maybe someday.
But the goal heading to London was to become a "living legend," and while he's making a pretty good case for himself, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said it's too early to make such determinations.
"The career of Usain Bolt has to be judged when the career stops," said Rogge, who criticized the Jamaican four years ago for showboating by slapping himself on the chest at the finish of the 100.
"Let him participate in three, four games, and he can be a legend," Rogge added. "Already he's an icon."
An icon the Olympics would love to keep around.
Almost single-handedly, Bolt has helped track transform itself from a dying sport to one with a singular, smiling, worldwide star.
He turns 26 this month, however, and didn't sound completely sold on sticking around through the Rio Olympics in 2016.
"It's going to be a hard mission," he said.
But before he worries about that, there is more business to take care of at these Olympics.
"Tonight, all I've got to do is go home and rest," he said. "I've got the 4-by-1 coming up, and after that on Saturday, I'll party like it's my birthday."
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'Willy Wonka' director Mel Stuart dies at 83
Warner Bros. via Reuters
Mel Stuart, director of the 1971 film "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," poses with the Oompa Loompas characters on the set of the film.
By Peter Gicas, E! Online
Mel Stuart definitely made our childhoods a little bit sweeter. The veteran director, who helmed the 1971 classic "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," passed away on Thursday. He was 83.
Per the BBC, Stuart died from cancer at his Beverly Hills home.
Marvin Hamlisch, composer of A Chorus Line and The Way We Were, dead at 68
Born in New York, Stuart spent much of his more than 50-year career creating documentaries and earned an Oscar nomination in 1965 for his John F. Kennedy-assassination film, "Four Days in November."
Celebrity deaths: 2012's fallen stars
And while he made more than 180 films, Stuart will undoubtedly be best remembered for bringing Roald Dahl's novel to life with Gene Wilder starring as the famous candy maker.
He is survived by his wife, Roberta, and three children.
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Friday Asia Digest ? Rise of Malaysia / The European Connection
Malaysian Office/Retail Demand Remains Healthy
Malaysia?continues to cement it?s status as one of Asia?s top rising stars,?as mentioned in last week?s digest, with demand for retail and commercial space increasing rapidly ? this in spite of relatively high vacancies, which have kept rents stagnant in the last 2-3 years. Investors and analysts do not seem to be viewing?this as an issue, however, pointing to the re-directing of capital towards the distressed European and US markets ? where recent rumours of recovery seem to have been premature ? as the main reason rent hasn?t yet caught up with Malaysian property prices, which are continuing to rise rapidly.
Union Investment Real Estate, a large?German investment group,?is only one of many who have recently?entered the Malaysian market, by acquiring Cap Square Tower, in?Kuala Lumpur (pictured on right), for RM440 million (141.3 million USD). The group plans to double their investments in the country in the near future. The group prefers to purchase existing buildings, echoing similar sentiments by other institutional investors, as soaring building costs are putting developers off new projects world-wide, particularly in the bustling Asian markets, known for decades as the world?s ?cheap labour? capitals ? a trend which is quickly reversing, as statistical data reveals. The group also plans the launch of an additional 1 Billion Euro fund, aimed at expanding their share in a large and diversified Asian market. Ulrich Dischler, the group?s managing director, was quoted saying that the German giant?s confidence ?stems from Asia?s robust economic fundamentals, which includes? its youthful demographic, dynamic workforce, rising income levels, growing? consumer base, sound public finances, sizeable external reserves and healthy? corporate balance sheets.? As a result, he claims, the firm is confident that rent, prices and occupancies will pick up in 2013-2014 all over the continent, as indeed seems to be the case in many countries in Asia in the first half of the current year.
Another giant planning on re-entering the global real-estate arena with two new funds worth 750 million USD is Leon Black?s Apollo Global Management. Black spun off Apollo?s real estate operations in 2000, only to reenter the industry eight years later to help reduce the firm?s reliance on revenue from traditional leveraged buyouts. About 388 buyout funds tied to Asia are in the market to raise a combined $130 billion, according to Preqin, a London-based firm that provides research on alternative-asset managers. These include KKR & Co., the private-equity firm run by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, which got $3 billion in commitments during the initial fundraising for its second Asia-focused fund.
Asian Money & Soccer?May Hold Key to Euro Revival
More and more Asian money seems to be actively directed towards European soccer clubs, a trend that seems to be intensifying, with the latest indication given last week, when state-owned?China Railway 15th Bureau Group confirmed to be in talks with Inter Milan, the storied European club, to build a home stadium for the Italians by 2017. Chinese, Thais, Malaysians, Hong Kongers and Singaporeans are all involved in one way or another in European soccer clubs and enterprises, reveals a new book from the German Council on Foreign Relations, which explores how Europeans view Asia. Malaysian money now owns two clubs in the U.K., and Birmingham City, as it turns out,?is owned by Carson Yeung, a Hong Kong billionaire.
Inter Milan didn?t identify who was involved, saying only on its Web site that it was ?Chinese investors.??The Moratti family will keep the control of the company, while the group of Chinese investors will became the second-largest shareholder,? the company?s media release claims.?China?s railway construction companies, hit by a slowing economy at home and various scandals, including a high speed train accident last year, are seeking opportunities abroad with renewed vigor. The new stadium at San Donato in Milan will be one of the biggest in Europe, according to CCTV, the state broadcaster. Chinese soccer suffers from corruption and a lack of professionalism, and there are plans for Italy, home to some of the world?s greatest teams, to train Chinese players in the new stadium.
?
Global Gossip
* India, regrettably,?stubbornly refuses to ?straighten its act? and become an Asian property giant, despite the promising property market boom evident in recent years, with the Indian Rupee still experiencing historical lows against the US dollar. A USA state-department report reveals that the country?s bustling real-estate market, as well as other fast-flowing market segments, ?is widely used for money laundering. ?High-level corruption both generates and conceals criminal proceeds. Illicit funds are often laundered through real estate, educational programs, charities, and election campaigns. Companies use trade-based money laundering to evade capital controls,? the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2012 has said.
* Overseas money continues to flow into Australia?s hotel and commercial markets, where the country?s mining boom swiftly fills up accomodation vacancies, driving hotel vacancies averages around the country to heights not experienced in Australia for decades. The fact that Australia?s mining moguls are steadily sending their money overseas, to Singapore and Hong-Kong, China and Japan, as well as the fact that various sources warn that the mining boom has passed its peak, and has, at most, another two years left in it ? doesn?t seem to deter the investors, who continue to flock to Australia?s shores, buyoed by the speculative promise of capital gains. Making headlines this week, Australian Paramatta Lord Mayor Lorraine Wearne recently spent $60,000 wooing developers and banks in Singapore to get behind her vision for Sydney?s second CBD.
* Hong-Kong property prices continue to ?defy gravity?, steadily climbing despite whispers and promises of massive government land sales, stricter property purchase regulations and curbs, and the city-state?s positioning as the world?s most expensive real-estate market. The most amazing thing is, perhaps, that most analysts seem to agree that this trend is nowhere near its end, in stark contrast to evidence, which suggests Hong-Kong is in the midst of one of the world?s most severe property price bubbles. Interest rates in Hong Kong are at a historical low, currently in the range of? around 2.1?2.8 per cent. This is due to the fact that Hong Kong?s money supply? is more closely linked to US where interest rates are at an all time low. This? has led to cheaper cost of borrowing money, helping to strengthen property? purchases as many buyers now find servicing a mortgage cheaper than paying rent.
(Partial list of Sources ? ?Business Times?, ?Business Week?, ?Daily Telegraph?, ?New York Times?, ?New Strait Times?, ?Economic Times?, ?Bloomberg?,?World Property Channel?)
(Pic 1 -?Kuala Lumpur Central Business District?/ FullOfTravel, Pic 2 ? Nagoya, Japan / Ziv Magen)
Author: Ziv Magen
Ziv's Website: http://www.nippontradings.com
Ziv has written 13 articles for us.
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Friday, August 10, 2012
New middle class driving Brazil economic makeover
In this July 31, 2012 photo an orthodontist reaches for a box containing a patient dental mold at the Simetria orthodontic clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Not long ago, it would have been all but unthinkable for the majority of Brazilians to undergo pricey dental work but in fact, an estimated 40 million people have joined the ranks of Brazil's middle class between 2003 and 2011, according to the Fundacao Getulio Vargas economic think tank, providing them with greater purchasing power. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
In this July 31, 2012 photo an orthodontist reaches for a box containing a patient dental mold at the Simetria orthodontic clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Not long ago, it would have been all but unthinkable for the majority of Brazilians to undergo pricey dental work but in fact, an estimated 40 million people have joined the ranks of Brazil's middle class between 2003 and 2011, according to the Fundacao Getulio Vargas economic think tank, providing them with greater purchasing power. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
In this July 31, 2012 photo, Flavia Soares da Costa has her braces adjusted at the Simetria orthodontic clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Not long ago, it would have been all but unthinkable for the majority of Brazilians to undergo pricey dental work but in fact, an estimated 40 million people have joined the ranks of Brazil's middle class between 2003 and 2011, according to the Fundacao Getulio Vargas economic think tank, providing them with greater purchasing power. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
In this July 31, 2012photo an assistant, left, overlooks as Flavia Soares da Costa has her braces adjusted at the Simetria orthodontic clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Not long ago, it would have been all but unthinkable for the majority of Brazilians to undergo pricey dental work but in fact, an estimated 40 million people have joined the ranks of Brazil's middle class between 2003 and 2011, according to the Fundacao Getulio Vargas economic think tank, providing them with greater purchasing power. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ? The orthodontist bent intently over Flavia Soares da Costa's open mouth, tightening the glimmering silver brackets that are remaking her smile.
Not long ago, it would have been all but unthinkable for the 33-year-old former secretary and single mother to undergo such pricey dental work.
But Costa's fortunes have recently improved, with a promotion and a raise that brought her disposable income.
In fact, an estimated 40 million people such as Costa have joined the ranks of Brazil's middle class between 2003 and 2011, according to the Fundacao Getulio Vargas economic think tank, providing them with enormous purchasing power and sparking businesses to come up with new marketing techniques to woo them.
For most of its modern history, Brazil has been a nation of the starkest economic divides: Super rich, super poor. Businesses that sold anything but the most basic items trained their sights on the upper strata.
Now, Brazil is a major player in a global economic shift that is seeing formerly "developing" nations morph into "middle income" countries ? where a burgeoning middle class is driving a boom in business to capitalize on the sea change.
From gyms to hair salons, travel agencies to home appliance stores, "everyone wants to dance with the new middle class," a recent opinion article in the Folha de S. Paulo daily said.
The metamorphosis is largely the product of a decade of mostly solid economic growth and an array of cash-transfer social programs that pay Brazilians a stipend for meeting social goals, such as keeping their kids in school.
The economic think tank defines the middle class, or Class C as it's known here, as households with monthly incomes of $600 to $2,590. In 1993, just over 45 million people were considered Class C. In 2011, their ranks had swollen to more than 105 million ? accounting for 46 percent of the country's buying power.
Similarly, the economy has grown to meet demand.
In 2000, 4.2 million small businesses had less than 100 employees, according to the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Businesses, a private industry group. A decade later, 6.1 million small businesses had such workforces, and the number of larger businesses doubled to 60,000.
"Practically all companies across the board are interested in getting a piece of this market, if only because of the sheer numbers involved," said Renato Meirelles, CEO of Data Popular, a marketing firm specializing in the middle and lower classes. "Tapping into this market can prove extremely lucrative."
Entrepreneur Alex Todres is a case in point. The 30-something Sao Paulo resident founded ViajaNet, an online travel site that posted $100 million in sales in 2011, its second year of operation.
Todres and partner Bob Rossato loosely copied the design and function of the website of their former employer Decolar.com, Brazil's leading online travel portal, tweaking it for middle-class customers, many of whom are first-time flyers.
They replaced jargon that on other Brazilian travel sites would normally be in English, such as "gate" and "boarding card," with plain Portuguese. The pair also made it easier for customers to pay in installments ? an ingrained habit in Brazil, where consumers tend to buy even low-ticket products like tennis shoes and irons in ten monthly payments.
"The product that we offer is essentially the same as the competition," Todres said in a telephone interview. "The difference lies in the purchasing experience."
A similar strategy paid off for Luiz Otavio Temido, CEO of the Simetria chain of orthodontic clinics in and around Rio de Janeiro.
In beauty-obsessed Brazil, straight, white teeth are almost as much of a status symbol as fast cars. So braces, along with computers, cell phones and college degrees, often count among the newly minted middle class' first investments, said marketing specialist Meirelles.
"For a long time, braces were seen as something that was reserved for people in Ipanema or Leblon," said Temido, referring to two of Rio's most chic, highest-rent neighborhoods. "Our innovation was to introduce techniques that made it possible to make care both high-quality and affordable."
Temido was able to sharply cut costs by creating multi-chair offices instead of private rooms in his orthodontic clinics, and relying on lower-paid hygienists and dentists.
Passing those savings onto patients allowed Temido to court the lower middle class. Patients at Simetria pay a flat fee of $50 a month, or an average of about $1,200 per treatment. That compares with top clinics in wealthy neighborhoods, where treatments often start at around $10,000, Temido said.
"I always had this complex about the gap in my front teeth, so this is something I've always wanted," said Simetria patient Costa, who got braces as soon as she was promoted from law firm secretary to the head of the firm's administrative service. "Things are getting better, and this is proof."
To woo consumers such as Costa, nationwide gym chain Bio Ritmo launched the lower-cost Smart Fit gyms, which are equipped with high-tech machines but don't offer classes. Exclusive Sao Paulo-based beauty salon Jacques Janine created the low-cost Basic Beauty branches, while pricey chocolate-maker Kopenhagen launched its own more affordable line, Cacau Brasil.
In a mall on Sao Paulo's gilded Avenida Paulista, 24-year-old Natalia Santos paced around the Taita jewelry and gift shop, holding gold-plated rings and precious-stone earrings up to the light, giving them a hard eye.
Four years ago, she never would have shopped in the area's expensive shops. Her work as an office administrator then brought in $400 a month, which when combined with the income of her father, the only other earner in the home where she lives, kept her household under the official middle-class line.
But Brazil's economic expansion and record low levels of unemployment, among other factors, have helped drive up Santos' income, as her employers gave her raises to reward her hard work and keep her from taking jobs elsewhere. She now makes $850 a month.
"Four years ago, I never would have bought like this, on impulse," Santos said shortly after spending $45 on a ring for herself and a violet sachet for a friend's engagement party. "I think it's absurd to buy so often and I always have regrets, but I love to spend."
Even TV Globo, the broadcaster behind the nightly soap operas that dominate ratings with high-drama sagas of the rich and fabulous, is courting the middle class.
"Avenida Brasil," the story of a young woman's vengeance on the nouveau-riche stepmother who abandoned her in a landfill, and "Cheias de Charme," about a trio of maids-turned-pop stars, have become hit soaps by featuring middle-class protagonists. In an unusual move, the show's handful of upperclass characters are relegated to the background.
Marketing specialist Meirelles said catering to the middle class requires first understanding the audience.
"Here in Brazil, there's a real problem in understanding how the lower middle class thinks," he said. "This lower class doesn't hold up the elite as a model. The reference for these people is not the rich, but rather the neighbor who succeeded."
With Brazil's commodity-driven growth slowing over the last year, the government is looking to domestic consumers, particularly the Class C, to spur on the economy. The Central Bank has slashed a benchmark interest rate to a record low, hoping it will spark consumer spending by generally making credit more available.
But skeptics worry that the new consumers are already too indebted to shoulder the lion's share of future growth. Economists estimate 20 percent of Brazilians' household monthly income goes to debt payments, and the Serasa Experian credit rating agency said that in the first half of 2012, consumer defaults in Brazil were 19.1 percent higher than in the same period last year.
Between her braces and the night classes she's taking toward her undergraduate degree, Simetria orthodontic patient Costa says she taps out her disposable income every month.
"It's a big investment in my future," she said.
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