The GOP's Latest Challenge: Stopping the Next Todd Akin

One of the first opportunities for Republicans to demonstrate that they?re not the ?stupid party,? in the words of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, will be the way its leaders handle some sticky Senate primaries already emerging for 2014. In many battleground states, stepping forward are a handful of not-ready-for-prime-time, gaffe-prone candidates who are well-positioned to win primaries but at risk of getting thumped in a general election.

If this sounds like a broken record, it is. Christine O?Donnell, Sharron Angle, and Ken Buck cost the party two Senate seats in 2010. Last year, it was Todd Akin's and Richard Mourdock?s chance to damage the GOP on the national stage. The only difference between this upcoming midterm and the past two elections is that it?s now so painfully obvious what?s transpiring, yet party leaders are still trying to figure out how to prevent a crisis before it?s too late.

Iowa Rep. Steve King, an anti-illegal immigration hard-liner, is already giving serious consideration to the Senate race for the seat being vacated by Sen. Tom Harkin.? Joe Miller, who lost in 2010 to a write-in candidate, is reportedly talking to the National Republican Senatorial Committee about a repeat run in Alaska. A Georgia House member who accused President Obama of following the Soviet constitution is probably running to succeed retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and another who defended Akin?s ?legitimate rape? comment is considering a campaign. Meanwhile, Rep. Michele Bachmann is waiting in the wings in Minnesota, as a possible contender against Sen. Al Franken.

All of these races are very winnable for Republicans, at least with the right candidates. But the danger is that, in these key contests, serious candidates may not even step up to the plate, out of fear they?ll be labeled too moderate, too establishment against a more outspoken challenger in the primary. It?s a double whammy for the NRSC, which faces enough challenges recruiting strong candidates and then figuring out how to aid them through an often-contentious primary process.

Talk to Republican strategists, and they?re in a no-win situation. It?s the Goldilocks dilemma: In 2010, they got behind favored candidates, and it backfired in states such as Delaware and Colorado, where outside involvement wasn?t welcome. They then stayed out of competitive primaries in 2012, and saw unelectable candidates emerge in Missouri and Indiana.

Even Republican voters are divided on how to approach the issue. Former NRCC Deputy Political Director Brock McCleary commissioned an (automated) poll last week asking whether GOP voters thought party leaders should play favorites because voters often pick candidates too extreme to win, or whether leaders should stay out even if it means ultimately losing to Democrats. The responses divided evenly: 34 percent wanted party involvement, 34 percent wanted them to stay out. Damned if they do, damned if they don?t.

?The best thing the NRSC can [do] is recruit the best possible candidate they can get their hands on and build a very strong political team around that candidate,? said one senior Republican strategist. ?Most importantly, none of it can be done in public. It has to be a strictly behind-the-scenes effort so as not to allow the candidate to be perceived as the Washington-picked person.?

To that end, one of the most important players in the effort is newly minted NRSC Vice-Chairman Ted Cruz, who was tapped to be a bridge between the establishment and the grassroots.? At the time of his appointment, his selection was seen as a way to mollify tea-party activists and demonstrate outreach to Hispanics.?But as David Drucker reports in Wednesday?s Roll Call, Cruz?sounds unlikely to dissuade too-conservative candidates from running, even behind the scenes. For the underdog who defeated the establishment-backed favorite in his Texas Senate primary last year to do that would go against his instincts.

Still, conservative leaders would be wise to embrace pragmatism on the political side, just as they?re moderating their legislative strategy on immigration and the debt ceiling. The Republican Party is quickly discovering in Obama?s second term that it?s awfully tough to propose alternative policy proposals when your party is only in control of the lower chamber. With five additional GOP senators ? the precise number of seats lost in the last two elections because of disastrous candidates ? conservatives would be positioned to pressure Obama, instead of the other way around.

The tea party has done a lot of good for the GOP, bringing a much-needed grassroots energy and encouraging outsiders and fresh faces into the electoral process.It has?diversified the party, too, as a result.? But if conservatives ever hope to influence the governing agenda, they?ll need to take a pragmatic approach to their politics.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gops-latest-challenge-stopping-next-todd-akin-090753812--politics.html

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MIBOR Releases Year-End Market Review: 2012 Turned a Corner ...

The year-end 2012 housing data released by MIBOR today shows a significant and welcome increase in closed and pending sales in central Indiana compared to 2011. The number of closed sales in central Indiana increased 18.5 percent in 2012 over 2011. Closed sales rose 26.9 percent in the three months ending in December 2012 when compared to the same three-month period last year. In December alone, closed sales increased by 13.4 percent.

Pending sales increased by 23 percent in the three months ending in December and 16.4 percent in the one-month comparison. For the year, pending sales increased 14.9 percent.

Gains in activity were seen month after month through 2012 and prices remained stable. Median sales price for the year increased 3.6 percent oner 2011. Average sales rose 3.3 percent for the year. Inventory stabilized to 7.4 months.

For more information on this data: http://www.mibor.com/fasttrack/12113_Market.html

Source: http://www.realestatelinks.com/2013/01/mibor-releases-year-end-market-review-2012-turned-a-corner/

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WebMeUp Review: An All-in-one Online SEO App

First thing that you may be asking is what, another SEO Tool? I hear you, but just like anything else, new stuff are developed regularly, and the whole idea is to make things better, more user friendly, and preferably all in one place.

While WebMeUp.com is fairly new, development of this app has been ongoing for over a year, and only now that it is gaining a lot of traction. Why? Read on.

Why Do We Need An SEO Tool Anyway?

Well, I can give you a whole lot of reasons, but essentially, the most important aspect in my view, is that, online tools serve to improve the execution of daunting tasks and help our ?digital? lives run a tad easier. As a matter of fact, there are some required tasks that are virtually impossible to perform, without the assistance of an SEO Tool. Just think for a moment what the best SEO practices require you to do, among other things. How would you analyze your competitions backlinks? Where will you get them? How will you track and monitor your search engine rankings? How will you ensure that your site is structured properly? Etc.. And that?s nowhere close to what you need to do when it comes to doing SEO of your own or even for a client.

Now that we got that out of the way, let?s delve a bit on some of the main features this all-in-one online SEO tool offers:

• discover keywords and check rankings
• check ranking factors (e.g. Google PR, Alexa rank, number of pages indexed in different search engines, social media mentions, etc.)
• optimize site structure and encoding, do on page optimization for the content of landing pages, etc.
• find backlinks, rankings, ranking factors and other info about your competitors
• find and manage your backlinks
• run an audit of your website and your clients
• community forum
• WebPoints (wPs) that you apply towards your subscriptions ? more on that later
• and, lots more?

Here?s an introduction of WebMeUp

How To Use The App?

Not complicated at all, I must admit. In a few simple step-by-step actions, you are up and running.

At a glance, this is what your dashboard will look like.

Onto the steps ? Start by creating a project?

Step 1 ? Here?s where you enter the URL of the website

Step 2 ? Insert keywords

Step 3 ? Choose search engines (localized or not)

Step 4 ? Click Finish and wait for it to gather data ? Things can slow up a bit while on this phase, because what the app is doing is gathering all data at once, meaning, it is checking for your stats, looking at keywords, backlinks, PR, Alexa, and among other things actually running simultaneously an audit of your site. Can?t bet that!

Advantages of WebMeUP

Tools like WebMeUp has plenty of advantages, and one that I really think is a big plus is the fact that it is web based, meaning you don?t have to install anything on your computer and you can access it from anywhere for information on the fly. Do your work, track your stuff, etc., from anywhere, for as long as you have an internet access. Cool!

In addition, another advantage I see with this tool is that the data are updated daily, as suppose to its peers that take longer than that. This is good because at least you are analyzing up to date information and not outdated ones. Obviously, ?old info? is also good to view historical data, but that one, is nearly a given.

Finally, I really like the idea of having a community forum. This is very useful as all community members can discuss and exchange their experience with the app, in addition to sharing and learning SEO related topics from like minded people. Also you can get more visibility for you and your site ? by showing up in the ratings, you can get featured and a link to your profile and another link to your website will show up.

Disadvantages of WebMeUP

Well, nothing is perfect and WebMeUp is no exception. While the app is web based and easy and a project is easy to setup, slow internet connection may hamper the ability to take the fun away of analyzing things. The first time you fire up the app, the analysis could take a while, I mean quite a while and this can be an issue with people who has slow connections. Nonetheless, once all the information is successfully gathered, things start to speed up. Keep in mind that while it takes a bit of time to complete, WebMeUp is actually running the whole lot of analysis. It is not just checking for stats, and all that, it is also simultaneously ?auditing? your web site.

Another thing that may steer you away is the investment required to use the app. An app like this requires an awful lot of resources, a great and readily available support team, constant maintenance, never ending improvements (you do know that search engines algo change, right), and more. Due to this, it is but understandable that to use it, you will need to eventually upgrade your account to anyone of their available features and plans.

Fear not however, because there is one thing that WebMeUp is quite unique about. You may say, yeah sure, what?s new about having a forum. Well here?s the deal. Your participation in the forum earns you wPs (WebPoints). WebPoints (wP) are the internal currency for all WebMeUp users and community members. You can use wPs to pay for a WebMeUp subscription, or to buy some other occasional perks they will be adding in your personal account. Also, you can earn points by doing some simple stuff, like adding a picture to your profile, tweeting stuff, liking their page, etc..

Lastly and for now, reporting and white labeling is still not available at the time of this writing. They do mention that it is in the works and should be available soon. I?m waiting for this one?

Convinced?

If you are skeptical about things, and sometimes you should, the best way to overcome this is by simply going for it. WebMeUp offers a free 15 day trial of their standard plan (more than enough for the average user), and it?s got everything you need to make a well informed decision. Like it, continue on, don?t like it, no worries and no money spent.

Here?s a hint. Why not at the very least look at how your site is structured. Think all is good? Look at the audit results and you may be surprised. I looked at one of my sites, and it seems I have some fixing to take care of myself.

15 Day Trial Still Not Good Enough for you?

OK then. How does a full 2 months, and 1 month of a standard plan subscription, respectively, sound to you? Like the idea? Well, the WebMeUp team is offering these two prizes for two lucky winners. Just follow the simple rules set out below and you are good to go. Good luck!

That?s it! When you get the chance to take this all-in-one SEO tool, for a test drive, which I hope you do, please come back here and let me know what you think about it. Also, if you have any questions or suggestions, please do let us know. I?m sure the WebMeUp team will be more than happy to answer your questions and consider any contribution from your part.

Source: http://www.iblogzone.com/2013/01/webmeup-all-in-one-online-seo-app.html

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The Best Countries To Invest in South America - The Day Trading ...

The best countries to invest in South America may not look as appealing as its peers in Asia, but many overlook the growth potential and rising political stability across the continent.

Having heard about the rise of India for so long we decided to move to the new Asian giant in order to look at prospects for opening a day trading center.? If you didn?t know most trading algorithms now come? from India.

I initially arrived in Mumbai, explored the beaches of Goa, and ended up settling in New Delhi.

An investor never truly understands business prospects in a country until they either visit for an extended period of time or actually starts living overseas in that country.

I now take analysts opinions and recommendations with a? grain of salt.? I have been living in India for roughly 2 months at the writing of this post and would never dream of investing directly in India at this point in time.

As I continue traveling around the world looking for viable investment opportunities, it is imperative that one familiarize themselves with the local culture.? Speaking with people on the ground is the best way to become aware of potential problems or restrictions for future investment plans.

South America, outside of Brazil, has mostly been forgotten by professionals in favor of higher returns in Asia.? While we have made initial plans to incorporate in Singapore, tentative plans have also been made to return to Colombia to start our very first day trading center.

South America has never been situated in a better position for international investment; Brazil has solidified itself as a regional power, Chile has become the shining star of stability for the last two decades, Colombia has now turned the corner of its marred past, and Peru has showed signs of promising growth.

Here are the best countries to invest in South America:

Hindu Temple in Paramaribo, Suriname

Suriname

Suriname?? No it isn?t the name of an exotic fruit. It is a tiny country nestled in the northeast corner of South America officially bordering Guyana, French Guiana, and Brazil.

I cannot say enough good things about Suriname from a tourist?s or investment standpoint.

Since the Dutch withdrawal and independence in 1975 there has been nothing short of sound governance in the country.? Suriname is a true model of stability in South America.

No presidential coups, military intervention, revolutions, or civil wars.

The country is rich in minerals, has vast land in the interior that is ripe for development, and has a unique opportunity to expand its tourism sector.? The country?s leadership has openly discussed the need for foreign investment and growth.

Due to its small size it has to rely on foreign direct investment in order to compete and survive in today?s global economy.

Infrastructure is modern, the people are friendly, most of the population is educated, and they have a rule of law that is abided by.? We are far very far from Africa in Suriname.

Investing in Suriname does have its drawbacks.? After heat and humidity was invented in India it was promptly brought to Suriname as a souvenir.? Suriname also lacks a sufficient internal market and isn?t anywhere near an economy of scale?? Add on a currency that is considered nonexistent in major markets around the world and investors may find Suriname to be more challenging than it?s worth.

It is still one of the best countries to invest in South America.

Machu Pichu, Peru

Peru

Peru is a country in transition.? While living in Brazil there were only a handful of countries and highlights left to visit.? I was never enamored with visiting Peru because outside of Machu Picchu there isn?t anything overly unique to see in the country.

I wasn?t excited to experience the inefficiencies that Peru is known for either.

Those inefficiencies promptly disappeared when I arrived to a modern Lima international airport.? As I traveled to the popular town of Cusco to find my train to Machu Picchu I noticed something unfamiliar.

Beautification projects along many of the cities roads and stunning finely manicured flowers.

A country that doesn?t have its act together will not be focused on making life better for its citizens and tourists for that matter.? Peru?s economy has grown close to the 10% mark in both 2010 and 2011.

With a renewed focus on infrastructure development the country has started to address it?s Achilles heel.

The terrorist attacks that plagued the country have also been kept to a minimum during the last 10 years of growth.

Ripe with resources in both the northern and southern Andes mountains rail projects have been set in motion to supply transport to the ports on the coast.? This will allow Peru to connect it?s minerals and agricultural produce to the Pacific Ocean which is the strategic source of half of the world?s trade.

It?s not completely certain whether Peru will continue on its current promising course.? A country that is already the 5th largest economy in South America and hosts the 5th largest population has great potential for growth however.

The country has shown great potential at brown nosing by signing trade pacts with the United States, the EU, and China.? A new pacific alliance between the nations of Peru, Colombia, Mexico, and Chile will increase trade and integration.

The resourcefulness of the Peruvian people is shown by their ability to turn chaos into opportunity.? The inflationary period between 1979 to 1991 brought about a reliance on the US Dollar. An investor can now withdraw US dollars in any ATM across the country.

It can be said that Peru has truly turned the corner in economic and structural reforms.? Looking up to its neighbors in Brazil, Colombia, and Chile and seeing what they have accomplished is a testament that ?Peru will remain on course.

These are times in a country?s history where most investors look back at a lost opportunity.? With more potential than Suriname it does fall behind its neighbors in potential.

Rio De Janeiro From the Sugar Loaf Mountain

Brazil

Ah yes, investment in Brazil, the golden opportunity ?of South America.? Many would have expected Brazil to crown the list but upon a further look Brazil is not as glorious of an investment opportunity as most think.

It has a unique opportunity to become the anchor of the rising South American economy but also will have its limitations. Living in Brazil for 6 months allowed me to see firsthand that the country has a significant deficiency to a common standard.

It is one of the only countries in the world that has dual voltage electricity and only recently has it set a unified standard for electrical outlets.

The fact that I could not find reliable internet for the first 2 months of my stay in Brazil also tells a story of what Brazil needs.

High taxes, extensive regulation, and social programs may limit Brazil?s growth.? What many don?t realize is that Brazil already has a significant amount of debt that may hinder its potential as well.

The New York Times reported the extensive problems with I.P.O.?s in Brazil due to an unfriendly regulatory environment.? Reuters even reported that Brazil is going to have a tough year in terms of I.P.O?s.

This is not what you would expect from a country that is supposed to become a economic powerhouse.

Brazil already has the 6th largest economy in the world and has the 5th largest population.? It has a wealth of resources but without significant reforms there are better opportunities to be found in South America.

Brazil has the potential to be a regional power, not a global power at this point in time.

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Chile

Chile has proven over the course of the last 20 years that it is a model for efficiency, stability, and a proponent for entrepreneurship.

It isn?t known as the Switzerland of the south just because of ?it?s mountains and lakes.

Of all the countries in South America, Chile has proven that it is an economy that is conducive for investing time and time again.

Chile is a modern country that continues to redevelop, innovate, and export its business acumen throughout the world, especially South America. The new LATAM Airlines Group, which officially took over? Brazil?s TAM airlines is actually a buyout from Chile?s LAN Airlines. This new merger has become the second largest airline in the world by market value.

LAN airlines didn?t stop there, they bought the beleaguered Aires brand in Colombia and now have a significant presence in all of South America.

With their numerous trade partnerships they have been able to capitalize on their agriculture. The United States and many other countries around the world import a significant amount of fruits and vegetables from Chile in the winter season.

So much was exported that ?I couldn?t find any good fruit when I lived in Chile.

Sorry Chileans.

Their tourism sector hasn?t been fully developed yet. Most of the tourists I encountered while visiting the incredible Atacama Desert and the gorgeous Patagonian south were either European, Australian, or Canadian.

Sitting at almost 50% less tourism than next highest visited country in South America, Peru, Chile is due for an investment and explosion in tourism.

The new Pacific Alliance, an economic integration bloc agreed to by Mexico, Colombia, Peru,? and Chile, will allow Chile to continue to prosper even with Western economies beginning to falter.

Chile is not hindered by vision, it is only hindered by size.? With only 17 million people and a relatively small territory that is characterized by difficult geography, Chile has its challenges.

Being the only country in South America to achieve 1st world status is a testament to their growth potential.

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Colombia

All hail the king.? A country that was at one point controlled by drug kingpins and spoiled by the clashes of war.? Colombia has now turned to economic prosperity with a vengeance. The country has also created a favorable environment to become the best country to live in South America.

They have risen to officially become the 3rd largest economy in South America and the 4th in all of Latin America behind Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.? Considering that Argentine economic statistics are presumably ?fudged?, Colombia will shortly rise to the 2nd largest economy in South America.? They already have the 2nd largest population in South America.? Colombia is not only an incredible place to invest, it is also a great place to live.

The Day Trading Academy plans on returning to Colombia to open our first day trading center.

Living in Colombia is one of the best places to live in the world with a great spring climate year round, friendly people, and a rapidly modernizing populace.

Foreign direct investment has risen to an estimated record of over $15 billion in 2012.? Thanks to the unwelcoming attitude in Venezuela to foreign owned companies, oil exploration in Colombia has risen and significant oil fields have been found.

Colombia has doubled its oil output in the last six years.

All this is thanks to a pro-business regulatory system and pro-growth economic policies.? While Chile and Brazil have great opportunities, it is the Colombian revival that provides the best investment opportunity in near future.

An unimplemented Colombia-US Free Trade Agreement, the new Pacific Alliance, and the inevitable Union of the South American economy will only make the future of ?Colombia even brighter.? Head to Medellin, Colombia first. ?I guarantee you won?t regret it.

Source: http://thedaytradingacademy.com/investing-overseas/best-countries-invest-south-america/

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Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/275801712?client_source=feed&format=rss

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SiriusXM expects 2013 revenue to exceed $3.7 billion

It's been almost five years since AIG's stock dropped 60 percent in a day leaving the company doomed to failure, when Uncle Sam swooped in with $182 billion to rescue it. But AIG must have a short memory, because on Monday night news emerged that the insurance company is actually thinking about suing the U.S. government over the bailout that saved it. The board will discuss the idea with shareholders at a meeting on Wednesday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/siriusxm-expects-2013-revenue-exceed-3-7-billion-162224253--finance.html

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Marcia Pevey Lawyer: Helps Put Up a Good Estate Plan | National ...

Estate has always been a tricky and complicated business to get in. All legalities and requirements should be met so both parties could settle without difficulties in ownership. Estate planning eases the disposal of property process of a deceased person or also known as probate, and to possibly reduce taxes and other dues.? When it comes to estate planning, no other person knows better but a good estate planning lawyer. Marcia Pevey Attorney from Houston has been practicing estate planning since 1992.? That is 19 years? worth of experience and something to be considered as reputable.

Estate planning revolves around property and tax, which means legal papers such as will; trusts; beneficiary designations, powers of appointment, property ownership, and power of attorney are all taken in the process. These are called devices which helps decide as to how the ownership, disposal and tax payments are considered. Marcia Pevey Lawyer?s area of practice is not estate planning alone. She also handles probate, wills and trusts, as well as CPS Representation. This means, when it comes to estate planning, she can be considered an all-in-one attorney. She can be there from the very first step of the process to eliminate the need of involving other people. She can handle every legal papers needed to easily settle matters in the future.

Why is estate planning important? The fruit of people?s labor are their investments, which mostly involve trusts, estates and other properties. As you ensure the stability of your investments while you are able, you should also think about their safety when the time comes you are no longer capable of handling them yourself. And this is where Marcia Pevey?s professional service comes in. Creating devices to make sure every property will be in scope and are given to a specific and identifiable beneficiary.

A good estate planning lawyer will advise you to create a living will. A living will enclosed information as to how you want to be medicated in case you will be hospitalized or incapacitated. This will inform your doctors, health care providers and your family of your conditions. Other basic documents such as living trust, power of attorney and last will and testament are also important. And as an experience lawyer in estate planning, Marcia Pevey knows how to get them dome for the convenience of her clients.

The law as a whole is complicated for anyone to understand, unless you have the right education and experience to know their application. And in estate planning, a reputable lawyer can help you put things together with less hassle.

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Source: http://www.nationalfastforimmigrantjustice.com/218/marcia-pevey-lawyer-helps-put-up-a-good-estate-plan.html

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