Bill Haley and His Comets

Today, I’m riding the spanking new, Valley Metro, light rail. I’m not going anywhere specific, particularly. (I’ll just feel a brief moment of exhilaration about experiencing a travel modality that is quiet and efficient, and a twinge of modest vindication.) But metropolitan Phoenix surely is.

This is a leap forward in mass transit and in urban planning for America’s fifth largest city. It’s been a long journey getting here. Here’s a bit of history. In 1985, Phoenix had an election for a joint regional freeway RPTA entitled Proposition 300; this was to secure tax funding for the development of a regional Maricopa County freeway system over 20 years (tentative completion by 2005). The initiative also created the Regional Public Transit Authority, whose small percentage of the freeway tax was to be used to plan, design and find a funding source for a regional transit system within 5 years.

By Prop 300 requirements, the RPTA was created to design a transit plan. In 1989, the agency proposed an initiative to secure a one-percent sales tax funding source over 30 years for the following components: A regional Maricopa County-wide bus system (7 day-a-week service on every major street in the county), regional-express rapid-bus transit system, multiple commuter trains which would use freight railroad tracks and a 103-mile, elevated, double track, 60 mph rapid-train system. It was totally ambitious, this VALTRANS plan. It made for a very contentious election, in which many voters felt that the plan was too large, too long, too expensive but, somehow, not detailed enough. Even more voters did not like the idea of transit vehicles travelling overhead above neighborhood backyards and streets. Still more were skeptical, concluding that despite the County’s 1985 freeway tax imposed four years earlier, only 10-15 miles of freeway had been built with the taxes collected-so who was to say this wasn’t another boondoggle for a few vested interests?

Having served on the City of Phoenix’s Surface Transportation Advisory Board for 3 or 4 years beginning about 1985-86, I was recruited by the RPTA proponents to become a vocal supporter of the initiative. I felt up to the task, since I had spent years in Naples, Italy and metropolitan Washington, D.C. depending on mass transit, and I particularly was a fan of the Paris Metro and bus system that Peggy and I rode for miles daily during the first year of our marriage. No one prepared me for the public hostility awaiting me at Kiwanis breakfasts and Rotary lunches where panels or debates on the proposition usually spoiled the meals. Many agendas emerged in the opposition to the VALTRANS proposition, but it clearly was doomed–very early in the pre-election process–and no one was shocked that the voters savaged it by a 3-1 margin.

It seemed not so much that the valley was populated by backward-thinking people. Much of the resistance was from folks who weren’t ready to abandon driving their cars, and/or didn’t especially care to emulate the transit-heavy eastern cities from which they had migrated westward (New York/NJ, Chicago). Since much of the in-migration of the 1980s was from California, many newer arrivals weren’t frustrated by habits of spending hours in vehicles commuting daily. Some of the local communities’ entrenched leaders were convinced that freeways alone would address the pressures of sustained growth-and they had waited too long already for the funding with which to lay asphalt.

Well, perhaps that hasn’t changed much. Honestly, it doesn’t matter tremendously whether the over-40 crowd doesn’t ride light rail here. There aren’t going to be that many converts among those with a reserved parking stall (except when they realize they are needlessly paying a premium to sit for 30 minutes in a parking garage downtown after a Suns or Diamondbacks game). It’s enough that parents don’t forbid their children to ride. Those who aren’t predisposed to disregard mass transit as a viable mode for travel will in time create the critical mass to reach the “tipping point,” where light rail becomes, beyond vogue, a behavior pattern. I used to think that it would take about 25 years for that to happen, but I’m going to make an optimistic prediction: 15 years, and the Valley Metro ridership will more than cover the expense of its ongoing maintenance. If I’m crazy, then Denver is collective-crazy. Take a look at the acceptance of rail travel in the business and hospitality sector corridors in that city. There’s no Portland-tree-hugging, chip-on-the-shoulder attitude in Denver. It’s Middle America; and the population there understands that transit solves an urbanization problem. And take a look at the impact of Denver transit on its urban form, too. Perhaps that’s the most exciting potential for Valley Metro-a transit-driven urban form, and the eventual electrification of Phoenix’s downtown that some of us have been waiting patiently for-lo, these many decades.

Mike Widener has practiced law in Arizona for 25 years, and is a Certified Specialist in Real Estate Law, according to the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of Arizona. Mike is listed in SuperLawyers (2008 Southwest Edition) and in 1000 People to Know in [Arizona] Commercial Real Estate, 2008-09. Mike’s real estate portfolio contains holdings in the States of Florida, Arizona, Tennessee and the Commonwealth of Virginia. You can contact him at (602) 274-1100 or at mnwidener@gmail.com

On Breed Specific Legislation

How many of us have growing up children and find it a pain to be buying new clothing every now and then as children tend to grow up very quick. You may just have bought your son a new pair of shoes 2 months ago and before you realize it, the shoe no longer fits. Your daughter was proudly parading in her new dress just a few months ago and now, it would not even fit. One solution to this seemingly never-ending situation would be selling used children’s clothing.

These days, there are so many options available in selling used children’s clothing. The easiest way would be the conventional jumble sale, which is done from the house itself. This is very easy to do. All a person need to do is to collect all the used children clothing that is intended to be sold, tag them with price tags or put them in different bins for the different prices, choose the most appropriate day(s), advertise either by distributing flyers, signboards, word of mouth or place a newspaper advertisement if the need arises.

The next option in selling used children’s clothing would be to rent a stall at the local flea market. This is also a good option, and one, which can reach out to a wider group of people and potential buyers. At flea markets, people look for all kinds of bargains, especially cheap and quality 2nd hand buys. It is a known fact that many parents buy clothes for children of which some have never even been worn or worn only a handful of times. These second hand but brand new or almost brand new clothes are always a big hit with buyers who know a good bargain when they see one.

A person can choose the next option in selling children’s clothing, which is through the internet. These days, the internet is such a powerful tool with millions of users seeking to shop online. Whether new or used goods, there are many avenues for users to sell. One can use the many buy and sell sites that are available or simply post advertisements to sell these clothing. The only setback about online selling is the postage involved. Postage can be quite costly, depending on the logistics of the buyers. However, the plus point is that with the internet, more consumers and potential buyers from all over the world can be reached.

The last and final option in selling used children’s clothing would be to look for bulk sellers. There are companies and individuals that purchase used children’s clothing in bulk. Although the price generally is lower, parents need not worry about clothing items unsold. It is convenient for those intending to get rid all of the used clothing without placing too much emphasize on the returns.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about selling used children’s clothing, please visit Used Clothes 4 You for current articles and discussions.

Breed Specific Legislation By State

Fighting Breed Specific Legislation

Breed Specific Legislation In Ohio

Solo professionals and work-at-home business owners can easily become lonely and feel isolated from the outside world. As human beings, we crave communication with others and so it’s important for business owners to get out to live events, regardless of your business model.

I attended my first ever live full weekend event for my business last summer. The night before the event began I was fortunate to have been invited to attend a teleseminar put on by Kevin Nations and Gary Ambrose that shared strategies for attending and getting the best results from live events.

The teleseminar was more like a conversation between Kevin and Gary, but I asked some pointed questions in order to get the answers I needed. After all - time was of the essence! I was headed to my first event in a few short hours. After listening to Kevin Nations and Gary Ambrose, both seasoned conference presenters, I was able to determine nine strategies for having success at live events. Here they are:

1. Make friends with those who connect well with others and take time with them on a personal level.

2. Be fully present. Don’t be working on other projects, checking email, or looking around for the Bridgewater, SD used double wide trailer “big name” to tackle. Just be where you are.

3. Know what you offer the world in terms of what the outcome is.

4. In each presentation, look for information that you can apply to your business, even if the presenter’s products and services are not exactly what you need. There Afton, WY Floorplan learning in every situation. Find it.

5. Go with an agenda. My agenda at my first event was to find an expert more successful than I was to help me look at the architecture of my business and find the missing pieces.

6. Understand the missing pieces in your business before you go and while you are at that event, get access to one or more of those pieces.

7. After the event, sit down and make a plan for yourself based on all the information you learned.

8. Be somebody who makes dinner plans. Be the “inviter.” Get a new small group of people together each evening and get to know others. By the final night, people will be seeking you out.

9. Go to the event ready to share some of your “secrets.” When you are willing to share your ideas, people will reciprocate. You’ll also get exposure to others in a different way. And you may find yourself being introduced to an influential person because someone heard your details, liked what they heard and thought their influential friend might also be interested.

Above all, effective communication at live events and in all your professional messages is the key to making your business successful. The first thing you need to communicate– and continue to communicate — is your credibility. Without credibility, your business will go nowhere. With it, you’ll automatically attract new clients and see positive cash flow.

I invite you to discover what you need to know about Credibility and Cash Flow now. Visit http://www.CredibilityAndCashFlow.com to get your free e-course that will help you customize a credibility plan for your business and get you more clients, more business and more money.

Felicia J. Slattery, M.A., M.Ad.Ed. is a communication consultant, speaker & coach specializing in training small and home-based business owners effective communication skills so they can see more cash flow now.

Fabricated Homes

As the request for homes continues to grow, the price of houses continues to increase rapidly. The original focus of this form of homes was its mobility. The traditional factory-built home mobile home builders would seem to have a bright future as well.

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One Manufacturer: Northern homes

Four out of five homes produced in its 18 manufacturing facilities across the country are customized with owner-selected features. Xl homes sells its homes through 115 company-owned superstores and more than 350 independent retailers. Quality mobile home’s Nationwide Homes subsidiary builds high-suitable modular homes.

Modular Homes

This is supposed to help the modules maintain their structural integrity as they are transported on trucks to the fabrication website. Then they are transported to the producing blog where a crane is brought in to assemble the pieces together. Additional codes may apply to modular homes.

Pre-Fab Homes

The prefab home or house requires much less labour as compared to conventional houses or homes. Constructed homes are not permitted in several communities and therefore, one should check from their local city to find about prefab offering and construction laws regarding prefab homes before considering find. In the United Kingdom the word “Prefab” is perhaps associated with a specific type of prefabricated house built in large numbers after the Second World War as a temporary replacement for housing that had been destroyed by bombs, particularly in London.

For more information on prefab housing please visit www.2homeinfo.com

Bosch auto parts are quality parts known all over the world for optimum performance of engine parts. Get Bosch car parts for your vehicle whenever you need replacement parts.

Why You Need Bosch Auto Parts

Bosch is an automobile original equipment manufacturer extraordinary. They have been in the business since 1886 when Robert Bosch the initiator opened his “workshop for precision Mechanics And engineering” in Germany. There and then the foundation for a high quality and precision engineering was laid, and it has been an enduring legacy up till today. Today Bosch car parts stands out among other Original Equipment Manufacturers.

Why Many Vehicle Owners Prefers Bosch Auto Parts

Vehicle owners who have come in contact with Bosch vehicle parts prefer it to others because:

1. It Can Stand Any Harsh Conditions, extremely cold or extreme hot, temperate tropical, extreme winter or extreme summer, these parts never disappoints, because they have been tested for all these extreme conditions and they have passed the quality tests.
2. Bosch Parts Are Good For Major Repair, regularly scheduled maintenance or a travel checkups. They have been crafted to fit in easily with wide range of vehicle brand and models.Whether you are into Do-It-Yourself Auto repairs or you have a good mechanic that do all your repair and maintenance work, you will enjoy your car better with these auto parts in your car.
3. Bosch Provide Numerous Service Facilities, through out the country, where you can easily reach all or contact them for any automobile knotty issue. Their staff are knowledgeable in the job and they give quality world-class services to all motorists. They have state of the art testing technology to diagnose, and repair your vehicle.

Extra Super Advantage

Bosch car part is cheap, far cheaper compare to the quality services they deliver, especially when you
buy from their authorized seller, that offer them at highly discounted prices.

Tope Ola is an auto info preneur. For more information on how to get Bosch auto parts, authorized resellers, repair services etc visit his site at: http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/bosch-auto-parts.html You can also subscribe to his blog at http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Auto-part-blog.html

Have you ever been in the situation where you want to become a homeowner but just don’t know how to make your dreams a reality? Have you been turned down by banks and are faced with not being able to get that dream home? Well if so then I may have the perfect option for you. It is known as owner financing and more and more owners are doing it to help sell their home in today’s market.

The first thing you need to do is find out if the owner still has a mortgage or any liens on the property. If not then they can act as the lender or mortgage company and you would make all of your payments to them instead of the traditional banks. This means that you may not have to go through all of the hassle of getting approved by the mortgage companies and generally you are the one more in control of the situation and not someone else.

Once you know the seller is willing to finance the home you should make them an offer to purchase the house. You need to let them know that you are interested in having them be the lender. This should be something that is made clear up front and that way the owner and you both have a clear understanding of what to expect from the transaction.

Once the seller has accepted your offer you need to write up a purchase agreement with them specifying the terms of the purchase. This should include such things as interest rate, how much is being financed, length of the financing and anything else of importance to the transaction. This agreement is something that both you and the owner need to agree upon that way everything is worked out up front and there are no surprises for anyone.

These are the bare essentials when dealing with owner financing and you might want to have an attorney or a third party look everything over for you that way you make sure there is nothing being left out of the agreements and everyone is in complete agreement. The last thing you want to happen is to have something go wrong and jeopardize the whole deal and then you loose the opportunity to have the house of your dreams.

Many real estate investors know how to buy houses with Owner Financing. If you are interested in learning about buying, selling or renting properties using these creative strategies then check out these free resources for Real Estate Investing.

It was time to look for a new receiver that could acquire satellites quickly and require no user intervention to turn the receiver on and off. A USB GPS receiver was the solution for me since it’s A) powered by the computer, B) turns on/off based on if the carputer is on/off, C) SiRF III chipset, D) waterproof. I ordered a Globsat BU-353 USB receiver and I was wondering why I didn’t purchase one from the start.

Installation was extremely easy and iGuidance 4 reconized the receiver right away. Being waterproof, the Globsat BU-353 can be externally mounted. This is a plus because if externally mounted, the receiver has a better line of sight to the sky, which results in faster satellite acquisitions. It also has a magnetic base so you could attach it to anything metal on your car (roof, door, hood, etc). I chose to mount it externally, right outside the windshield where it meets the hood.

The performance of the receiver is simply amazing. By the time my carputer boots into Windows and iGuidance is launched, the receiver already has a lock of at least 8 satellites. So far, I’ve never had to wait for the receiver to lock onto satellites, it is always instant. I’ve never had it lose it’s lock on the satellites and I haven’t had any problems with it thus far. Simply said, this is an amazing GPS receiver that I’d be happy to recommend to anybody. The downside is that the receiver is USB, so it can only be used with a computer, not cell phones.

The lowest price I found online for the receiver was $36.95, and I’ll say, that’s $36.95 well spent!

Visit http://www.IsYouGeekedUp.com for more GPS receiver

The goal of financial independence is probably one of the most desired and hard one to achieve.

But it is hard not necessarily because of its intrinsic difficulties, but because we usually choose the traditional ways and business models to pursue that goal, which usually involve things that we do not have, like $100,000 startup capital.

That was my case when I first started seriously thinking about leaving my 9 to 5 job and become a solo professional or a business person. I spent years flirting with ideas that always reached dead ends, sometimes because I realized they where not the right option for me, sometimes because the numbers were not so great, and sometimes because they involved putting too much money at risk.

I kept doing my homework and researching different business ideas, and I came to the conclusion that the big bucks with the less risk and need for an initial investment were within the internet arena. I knew that, but I had no idea where to start in order to make it work for me.

After many failed attempts I came across an alternative that really grabbed my attention, because it looked (and turned out to be) more like comprehensive and systematic educational resource rather than the average hype scheme you find out there. This alternative is commonly known as the WA (Wealthy Affiliate University).

By then I was well aware that it was real education I was after, that is if I was to really achieve the goal of building a truly profitable online business.

Therefore, my first step to a consistent income online was the decision to join the WA, and as of today the knowhow acquired within this community has been the key to my current success as an online business entrepreneur.

Now, I did not stop there, I kept -and always keep- on researching new ways to make money online, simply because the more streams of income you create, the greater your peace of mind.

So, the second real step for me was to start forex trading online. Of course, I did not simply open an account and started throwing my money at the market, I researched and analyzed different educational tools, softwares and other services, until I came to a decision about the best way for me to enter the forex market on solid profits.

My choice then was to purchase a online forex trading course (Dean Saunders Blader Forex Strategies) and shortly after, a fully automated forex software which turned out to be one of the most reliable ones available (the Forex Autopilot System).

As of now I generate a very decent income both from online marketing and forex trading, and guess what, I am about to be four months without a boss and I like it!

If you really want to change the way you work and make money, you need to change the way you think and set your mind on building a new career, a business career where you can and will become an entrepreneur and an investor. Nothing can prevent you from accomplishing that goal, only yourself.

I recommend you to visit this site in order to learn more about the resources and tools I have used to build my online business structure: http://www.specialonlinebusinessreviewauthority.com

Take your time to read their analysis and take action, because one thing I know for sure, sitting there waiting for something to happen will get you nowhere; it is you who will make it happen, so please do.

The Facts

The Sleep Number Down Alternative Pillow has a microgel fill. The cover is made of sateen cotton with a 300-thread-count. Available sizes are standard and king. Recommended care and maintenance is to spot clean or machine wash in warm water on delicate cycle with one-half of recommended quantity of detergent. The pillow can be tumble dried on permanent press. To maintain even distribution of fill, refluff or shake as needed.

The Review

This type of pillow is not actually filled with any “gel” or liquid-like material. Rather, it is filled with polyester gel fibers. This means that the pillow is similar to a traditional polyester / synthetic-filled pillow in some ways.

However, a polyester gel does have unique properties in that it has a similar feel to down, yet retains the hypoallergenic qualities of polyester / synthetic fill. Consequently, this pillow is for those who prefer synthetic to natural fill, and it is good for allergy-sensitive individuals who like the feel and squishiness of down

The pillow is acceptable for all sleeping positions assuming one is willing to fluff or compress the pillow to achieve the desired loft and support. For example, for side sleeping the pillow will need maximum fluff and for stomach sleeping, low fluff.

Durability for this type of down alternative pillow is not as good as genuine down, but you should still expect at least a few years of good service. And since the pillow is fairly inexpensive, at least compared to 100% down, it is a good value overall.

The Select Comfort pillow is less expensive than a true 100% down or even feather pillow.

Looking for detailed pillow reviews? Visit Pillow Reviews or if you are looking for a new bed, visit Mattress Reviews.

Fabricated Homes

Many jurisdictions do not allow the placement of any additional factory-built homes, while others have strongly limited or forbidden all single-wide models, which tend to depreciate in value more rapidly than modern double-wide models. The constant improvement of great and features of these homes has led to greater acceptance by a growing segment of the marketplace. This has led to a reduction in the rate of value depreciation of most used units.

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One Manufacturer: Iseman mobile homes

Quality mobile home Homes is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol: PHHM. Iseman mobile homes’s Nationwide Homes subsidiary builds high-good modular homes. Iseman mobile homes sells its homes through 115 company-owned superstores and more than 350 independent retailers.

Modular Homes

Many modular homes are of multi-level design, and are and set in place using a crane. This creates a cash flow issue for the builder and their customer. Such structures are and priced lower than their website-built counterparts and are typically more cost-effective to builders and consumers.

Pre-Fab Homes

Many of the current prefab home designs on the scene have jovial, eclectic elements of postmodernism or the clean, simple lines of futurism. The prefab home or house requires much less labour as compared to conventional structures or homes. Homes are not considered a realistic houses solution by the average consumer.

For more information on double wide fabricated homes please visit www.2homeinfo.com