Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Oil price slips amid gloomy economic forecasts

LONDON (AP) ? The price of oil edged down toward $92 a barrel on Wednesday amid gloomy forecasts for world economic growth.

By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark oil was down 28 cents to $92.11 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $3.06 on Tuesday to finish at $92.39 per barrel on concerns about supplies from the Middle East and the North Sea.

In London, Brent crude, which is used to price international varieties of oil, fell 25 cents to $114.25.

The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday the world's advanced economies are at risk of recession, a development that would likely depress the consumption of energy. The IMF cut its forecast for global growth this year to 3.3 percent from a forecast of 3.5 percent issued in July.

OPEC, the group of oil-producing nations, left unchanged its estimate for growth in global oil demand in 2013. However, it said Wednesday that uncertainty over economic growth could cause it to lower those estimates in the future.

Traders have also been watching developments in Syria for any signs of a disruption in supplies from the Middle East. Cross-border artillery exchanges with Turkey have heightened fears that the violence between government and opposition forces in Syria could escalate into a wider regional conflict.

Oil analyst Stephen Schork said traders on Wednesday will be watching for the release of the Federal Reserve's so-called Beige Book report on business conditions in the U.S. The report is released eight times a year and is based on information that the Fed's 12 regional banks gather from business contacts around the country.

In other futures traded in New York:

? Natural gas rose 1 cent to $3.477 per 1,000 cubic feet.

? Heating oil fell 0.6 cents to $3.201 per gallon.

? Wholesale gasoline rose 0.9 cent to $2.968 per gallon.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oil-price-slips-amid-gloomy-economic-forecasts-053940193--finance.html

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10 Tips For Vacation Rental Owners

vacation11. Fill Your Rental Calendar With Last Minute Travelers

While most people rent vacation homes in advance, some wait until the last minute. You can position yourself to scoop up those travellers by making a few adjustments to your marketing and rental procedures. Then, you will make more money, as you will be able to keep your calendar full throughout the year.

2. Amenities for Golfers

Is your vacation rental located near a golf course? If so, you should make the most out of your location. Include golf amenities in your home so renters will be more likely to stay with you. By including certain amenities, you will be able to keep a full rental calendar.

3. Enhance Your Listing with a Virtual Tour

Vacation rental owners need to have the best listing possible. Part of providing a great listing is including a virtual tour. A virtual tour is a tour that is filmed and then put online so others can view it. There are many benefits to include.

4. Finding the Right Vacation Rental Management Agency

If you are a vacation rental owner that wants to use a management agency, you need to be sure you pick the right one. There are lots of agencies available that are competing for your business. You need to narrow down the prospects by examining each company.

5. Avoid Vacation Rental Bans

Bans prevent in some states and provinces, owners from renting their property to short-term guests. State and local governments, as well as home owners associations, can initiate vacation rental bans.

These bans are devastating to owners. However, they can be avoided. Those who follow a certain set of guidelines will form good relationships with the community, and thus be able to continue renting their property to guests.

6. Insure Your Vacation Rental Property

Your vacation rental property is an investment, and thus it is important to protect it. One of the best ways to protect it is with insurance. There are many different types of insurance for owners to consider before advertising their property to renters.

7. Lower Prices Mean Fewer Customers

The vacation rental industry is booming, and the boom has caused some owners to re evaluate their pricing strategy. They feel they have to lower their prices to remain competitive, when in fact lowering prices can lower their chances of renting the property. When vacation rental owners lower their prices, they fall victim to a variety of problems.

8. Increase Bookings in the Off Season

The off season presents some challenges to vacation rental owners. Business slows down a bit, and owners have to become more creative in order to keep their bookings steady. One of the best ways to make bookings in the off season is to market to couples.

9. Finding an Investment Property

Return on investment and location are important for investors who are buying vacation rentals. Investors want to make money from renters, and they want a property they can spend time at during their own vacations. Because of that, people have to be careful during the property selection process. They must find a home that meets their personal needs, as well as their business needs.

10. The Art of the Headline

The headline is one of the most basic, and yet most important, aspects of creating a vacation rental listing. It is essential for owners and managers to write a headline that is both compelling and informative. In order to do this, they must master some basic copy writing and research skills.

Happy Letting and Investing!!

Source: http://www.reiclub.com/realestateblog/10-tips-for-vacation-rental-owners/

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My Life in a Corset: Squeezing Into a New Dieting Strategy

What woman hasn?t looked at those svelte Hollywood gals with envy. Sophia Vergara?Kim Kardashian?Beyonce. With those sleek, hourglass figures they must have hit the genetic lottery. Or did they? Could they possibly have a secret, that?s about 300 years old?

Maybe they?ve discovered the corset. Yes, that antiquated device, once responsible for giving women the vapors, is making a comeback. In San Francisco, Ann Grogan, who wears and makes corsets, says she has a brisk business with clients of all ages.

With her company Romantasy Exquisite Corsetry, she has sold thousands of corsets since she went into business more than 20 years ago. Even men have requested them, determined to suck their way to a smaller midsection. Grogan calls it waist-training. Over a period of three to four months, she says, it?s possible to lose an inch or more from the waist and, get this, to lose weight too.

I wondered about this and decided to give corset wearing a whirl.

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abc deborah roberts corset wy 121008 wblog My Life in a Corset: Squeezing Into a New Dieting Strategy

Ann Grogan, of Romantasy Exquisite Corsetry, fits Deborah Roberts with a custom corset.

We began with a fitting. After sending my measurements in, Grogan made a custom corset for me. Beautifully stitched in a chocolate brown silk fabric, with two floral brocade strips down either side, there was no hint of the metal boning underneath. That boning is key to the corset?s success. It holds the garment in a rigid form and holds the torso up and flattens the waist. In back, there is a beautiful cream colored ribbon laced in a criss-cross fashion to pull the corset in. It?s a work of beauty.

But can I actually get used to wearing this? Grogan shows me how to hook the five metal clips in front to snap the corset closed. It takes some doing with my clumsy fingers but I soon get the hang of it. Then the moment of truth: She pulls the string in the back ? just like that scene from ?Gone with the Wind? ? and I gasp. Wow! This is tight. But it?s kind of cool. My waist is immediately streamlined ? sucked in an inch and a half smaller.

I must admit I look sleek ? and a bit sexy with this teeny tiny waist. I practice getting in and out of it for 15 minutes, until we?re sure I can handle this on my own. Ann gives me a booklet with detailed instructions for the corset novice. It?s a manual for ?waist training? and she even includes nutrition advice on ways to avoid indigestion or pain while being bound by a corset.

She lists possible problems including rib aches, elevation of blood pressure or hyperventilation. In my two-week plan, I am told to begin wearing my corset two hours a day. On day one I fumble a bit, and it takes some doing to get it on, but I?m soon on my way to the office with this beautiful corset under my shirt. It feels a bit exciting and naughty.

I find it a bit uncomfortable as I slide into a cab. But I also find myself sitting upright with perfect posture. And my back feels strong and supported. I show off my corset in the hallways of ABC and people are fascinated. Some women, upon hearing about the possibility of weight loss, are deeply interested.

On Day 2, a Saturday, I manage to get the corset on quickly. After a jog through the park, I slip it on and take my son to his Tae Kwon Do class. I notice the corset bulging from my T-shirt and forcing my jeans to slide down. It?s a bit annoying, but otherwise I?m fine. I have four hours of waist training ahead and so far so good. I drink two bottles of water and by lunch time, I?m starving and feeling a bit squeezed. I slowly eat a salad, remembering to chew each bite 30 times as Grogan advised.

After four or five bites, I can?t eat any more. I feel full. After four hours, I happily slide out of my corset and feel hungry but good. My stomach feels flatter and, psychologically, I don?t want to ruin it. I eat some almonds and an apple and feel satisfied. I also avoid wine that night, since Grogan warned that it could spark indigestion when wearing the corset. Instead I drink lots of water and eat a small dinner. I feel great.

The next few days are pretty easy with the corset. I?ve grown accustomed to slipping it on and getting out of the house. I?m also eating tiny meals and feeling great. My waistline is also smaller. I e-mail Grogan, who says this is only because I?ve restricted my consumption of food. This is not a permanent situation and I haven?t developed a smaller waist in record time. Still, it feels pretty cool. My jeans and dresses feel looser already ? or is it my imagination?

abc deborah roberts corset 2 121008 wblog My Life in a Corset: Squeezing Into a New Dieting Strategy

Deborah Roberts measures her apparently shrinking waistline. (ABC News)

By day 5, I?m up to wearing the corset for eight hours. It?s a breeze getting it on and I mostly feel OK, but I?m becoming aware of its presence and find myself looking at my watch, thinking ?When can I get it off?? Also, I feel a slight discomfort on my left lower pelvic area. It?s not exactly a numbness, but it does cause my leg to feel a bit uncomfortable. I soldier on but that night I feel slight leg discomfort during my sleep.

The next morning I dutifully don my corset again, with less enthusiasm. This isn?t as easy as I thought. I realize that waist training requires focus and determination. Yes, I feel a bit smaller in the waist but I?m a bit cranky too. After two hours, I decide to take off my corset. Whew! I e-mail Grogan, feeling a bit like a failure, but she cheerfully offers encouragement. I probably laced too tightly and had a bit of nerve reaction in my upper thigh.

She advises that I take off the corset and rest my body for a day or so. I follow her lead and sure enough I?m back to my old self after a one-day break. But, hmmm, maybe it?s time for two glasses of wine and pizza now that I?m off the wagon. But can I really throw all that work down the drain? I settle for a small lamb chop at dinner and half a glass of wine.

Hey, I survived six days of waist training ? I?m not giving up just yet. Now, where is that doggone corset?

What Does the Medical Community Say About Corsets?

The corset has had a shady past. Around for centuries, many woman suffered deformed organs and fainting spells while wearing them. And still today, doctors and neurologists warn that wearing corsets for long periods can be detrimental to your health.

?If you?re wearing a corset 24/7, it can do a couple of things to your body,? said Dr. Sara Gottfried, a gynecologist who?s been treating women for 20 years. ?Namely, it will be squeezing your ribs so much that you can?t take a deep breath. Corsets can squish your lungs by 30 to 60 percent, making you breathe like a scared rabbit. They can also put a kink in your organs and cause constipation.?

But Gottfriend says that wearing corsets in moderation may be just like wearing high heels. High heels aren?t best in terms of your foot health, but in the short-term, they provide a healthy dose of sex appeal.

?If you do want to waist train, be sure you wear the corset only for a short amount of time,? she said. ?You may want to consult your physician to make sure that your lungs and liver are healthy, and ideally, don?t wear a corset until after the age of 21, once the female body is more fully developed.?

Learn more about Deborah Roberts? corset experience on ?20/20? Friday at 10 p.m. ET.

Source: http://feeds.abcnews.com/click.phdo?i=b8f8b075910d58422f7568340c4fa5e3

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

A guide to avoiding pitfalls in your job hunt

Rick Bowmer / AP file

A job seeker in Salt Lake City, right, receives assistance from an employment counselor.

By Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes.com

There are a lot of ways you can go wrong during your job search. You can fail to devote enough time to it, or you can get so involved you become isolated from family and friends. Those are among the most common mistakes job seekers make, according to a study by Connie Wanberg, Jing Zhu and Edwin A.J. van Hooft. The researchers wrote a paper on their study titled ?The Job-Search Grind: Perceived Progress, Self-Reactions, and Self-Regulation of Search Effort,? which was published in the Academy of Management Journal in 2010. Though the study was conducted two years ago, Wanberg says its findings are still entirely relevant today.

Forbes.com: The 10 worst body language mistakes you can make in an interview

The three scholars asked 233 participants to complete a base-line survey and then follow up online every Monday through Friday for three weeks. Participants kept track of their emotions, the time they dedicated to their job search and the level of confidence they felt about finding an acceptable job. They all had been out of work for about 16 weeks.

Forbes.com: Common mistakes job seekers make and how to avoid them

?There is a significant amount of research available on job search; however, there is little understanding of what job seekers do on a day-to-day basis,? said Wanberg, a professor of human resources and industrial relations at the University of Minnesota. ?I found that there are a lot of ups and downs in the process, and I would say that one of the biggest mistakes that job seekers make is that they don?t regulate their emotions. They often start off angry, especially if they were let go from their previous job. Once they start the application process, they become very confident. Next, they get frustrated by their rejections.?

In Pictures:?The happiest companies for young professionals

The study revealed that more than 40 percent of the participants dedicated less than three hours a day to their searches, while another 40 percent spent more than half their day at it. Wanberg warned against taking either too many or too few breaks from the job hunt. ?Some people tether themselves to the computer and become isolated,? she said. ?It is healthy to take time out to exercise or have lunch with a friend.? On the other hand, the study found that progress tends to induce loafing, as some job hunters take long breaks after a particularly productive day. They feel complacent or want to reward themselves.

Forbes.com: How to get a job when you're over 50

Wanberg said job seekers tend to make these kinds of mistakes because they don?t always have the help and resources they need to conduct a successful job search. ?A lot of unemployed people go into the process without talking to people or researching effective methods for finding a job,? she said. ?For instance, many people are not aware that they need to diversify their approach.?

She stressed the importance of using different search methods, including networking, online searches and making phone calls. ?Sticking to one method is one of the biggest mistakes job seekers make,? she said.

Forbes.com: The most underrated jobs of 2012

In August, Wanberg, Zhu and van Hooft won the 2011 Academy of Management?s Human Resources Division?s Scholarly Achievement Award, an annual distinction the academy gives to authors of human resources articles published in recognized journals and research annuals that it deems most significant.

Forbes.com: The most overrated jobs of 2012

More recently, Wanberg and van Hooft teamed up with Gokce Basbug of MIT and Archana Agrawal of TheLadders to follow up on the topic. They conducted a qualitative study on job search demand and wrote an in-depth paper, titled ?Navigating The Black Hole: Explicating Layers of Job Search Context and Adaptational Responses,? which will be published later this year.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/10/09/14202836-a-guide-to-avoiding-pitfalls-in-your-job-hunt?lite

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Heat arrive in China for preseason games

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) is defended by Atlanta Hawks' Josh Smith in the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) is defended by Atlanta Hawks' Josh Smith in the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra in the second half of their preseason NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, in Atlanta. The Hawks won 92-79. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) slams in the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) goes up to dunk in the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, in Atlanta. The Hawks won 92-79. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

(AP) ? LeBron James is visiting China for the ninth time, which makes him one of the resident Miami Heat experts about the world's most populous nation.

Specifically, the food choices there.

"If anyone comes back with any body fat from this trip, then I don't know what they were doing on their free time," said James, the NBA's MVP.

So maybe it's fortunate that the coming week won't exactly include a ton of free time for the Heat, who arrived in Beijing on Monday night for a weeklong trip. The reigning league champions play the Los Angeles Clippers twice during the NBA China Games, starting in Beijing on Thursday and then again Sunday in Shanghai.

"Should be fun," James said. "It's a very long trip to be bonding together, but we're going to use it and not waste an opportunity."

The itinerary is hectic, with VIP receptions, a trip to the Great Wall of China and other excursions planned. The Heat are trying to ensure that players and personnel have time to experience some elements of Chinese culture on their own.

"You only have these type of opportunities so often," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You want to take advantage of it. This is the preseason. We understand the big picture. It's a great program that the NBA runs when you have an opportunity to play overseas. Our last trip was tremendous when we went to Europe. Great team-building, and you get to see another part of the world and do it together."

The Heat played games in France and England during the 2008 preseason against the Nets, who then called New Jersey home.

Miami left on Saturday for Atlanta, played the Hawks there in the preseason opener for both teams on Sunday afternoon, then boarded a charter for the flight to Beijing, one that lasted a little more than 14 hours. The Heat landed around 9:30 p.m. local time.

Heat guard Mario Chalmers remembered to turn his phone's international plans on before leaving the U.S. Apparently, he forgot to account for the time difference halfway around the world ? tweeting that he slept for about 11 hours on the plane, meaning he was rested and refreshed around what would have figured to be bedtime in China.

"I ain't gettin no sleep tonight," Chalmers wrote.

If he was groggy Tuesday morning (still Monday night in the U.S.), when the Heat held their first practice in China, it didn't show. Photos posted to social media sites by the team showed Chalmers was just fine when he left the team hotel for the buses. Later Tuesday, the Heat were planning to take about six hours to visit the Great Wall.

"We're looking forward to the opportunity," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "I think as an organization, as players individually, once we get over there it will be a great opportunity to continue to grow our game."

Wade did not play in Atlanta on Sunday as he continues recovering from offseason knee surgery. He is hopeful of playing at least once in China, and went for a late-night workout after the plane landed Monday night. He remembers what those Nets-Heat games were like in Europe four years ago, and said the element of facing the same team twice in the span of a few days helps raise the competitive bar a bit, even in an exhibition.

"The second one was a little bit more of a grind-out game, where you really wanted to win," Wade said. "The first game will be fun and will give the fans a show. The second one's going to be a little more intense. Guys will want to get at it and try to win. No doubt, you need some competitive situations. You need to be pushed, you need to feel fatigued, all those things."

It would seem like he's ready for his preseason debut. Another photo released by the Heat on Tuesday morning showed Wade dunking in practice ? a sign that his knee is just fine.

The NBA allows teams that are traveling internationally during the preseason to open camp a few days earlier than everyone else, which Spoelstra said was helpful.

Sure, it's a logistical challenge, but Spoelstra isn't worried.

"There's a lot of good things about trips like this with the NBA, and that's why we're looking forward to it," Spoelstra said. "If we didn't have this training camp I'd be thinking that this is a tough thing, a lot of distractions and so forth. But we've had a full training camp. Now we get to go away, together, and spend an inordinate amount of time around each other in a place that's a little bit out of our comfort zone. That usually is good for team-building."

Those meals might create a team memory or two as well.

Chinese culinary options can seem unique ? even though some on the trip are quick to point out there are American fast-food restaurants all over Beijing. But for those with more adventurous palates, some unusual choices can be had.

"I'm sure we're going to eat some funky meals where we can all say, 'Oh, that was nasty,'" said Heat forward Shane Battier, who has endorsed the Chinese shoe brand Peak since 2006. "Those experiences are good. And for guys who have never been to China before, it'll be fun to see their reaction. And those things, I think, can build a team."

___

Follow Tim Reynolds on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ByTimReynolds

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-10-09-BKN-Heat-China-Trip/id-c870b1ea92ee4b19ad3b9cd60244f49b

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