Top Comments From Mashable Readers This Week

Facebook Users Say Private Messages Appear Publicly

Even if you take care to keep your Facebook messages private, privacy settings can change in an instant. Although Facebook denied any changes to its settings, our readers claimed they had private messages posted to their timeline.

Click here to view this gallery.

[More from Mashable: Voice-Guided Directions Dispute Torpedoed Google Maps for iOS 6]

Here at Mashable, the week kicked off with conversations about social good with the Social Good Summit serving as the platform for a three-day global conversation. Activists, humanitarians, entrepreneurs and CEOs all discussed how social media can affect positive change on a global scale. The conversation even broke a world record: It was the largest conversation around a single topic to ever occur in one day.

As 92nd Street Y President Stuart J. Ellman pointed out, one important message from the summit was that "social media and technology are not agents of change. They are just tools. We the connected people are the agents of change." This week on Mashable we saw different examples of how we can use these tools. While technology can bring beautiful innovation, it can also promote the rapid dissemination of prejudice. Our community provided insightful commentary around the disparate ways social media can both bring us together and drive us apart.

[More from Mashable: Google?s New Maps App for iPhone Won?t Come for Months [REPORT]]

Even though we are more globally connected than ever before, some old rivalries continue to keep readers engaged in debate. Google and Apple products continue to face off, while the struggling underdogs Blackberry and Myspace are throwing their hats back in the ring.

Adding insult to injury, Google Maps this week unveiled an underwater "street view" feature which met an overwhelmingly positive response.

Facebook caused a social media malestrom when some users reported that private messages prior to 2010 had become publicly visible. Although Facebook claimed that no such leak had occurred, our readers had a different opinion. We also discovered a bug on Facebook that keeps post from being erased. While Facebook combatted accusations that it was releasing private information, Justin Timberlake was bringing Myspace back with a redesign for the social networking website that once reigned supreme.

But no matter the platform you're using, ultimately the greatest social media blunders are purely the result of human failings. Our readers shared some of the most memorable social media gaffes of the past few years.

However, in addition to providing us with a platform on which to screw up, the Internet also gives us a chance to learn from our mistakes. This week, the Reddit community was schooled by a Sikh woman who responded to a photo someone had posted of her as a joke. The original poster saw her response, reconsidered his original post and publicly apologized for his actions. See the gallery above for our community's reactions.

Our readers are a vital part of the Mashable experience. We encourage you to be a part of the ongoing conversation by joining Mashable Follow and brushing up on our community guidelines. Next week you might be featured in our weekly rundown of the top discussions!

Image courtesy of Flickr, ntr23

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/top-comments-mashable-readers-week-152544015.html

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Sampson Sports 2013

Sampson Sports is a small manufacturer of bike frames, components, and accessories, based in Denver, CO. You may not have heard of them, but they stand as one of the very few companies making derailleurs and shifters outside of the Big Three (Shimano, Campagnolo, and SRAM). They were founded by none other than Eric Sampson, a former professional ski racer-turned-ski-binding-manufacturer. He got the cycling bug back in the 1980?s, started his own company, and still runs strong today ? albeit with a much expanded product line.

What does Sampson sell on? What are their key features and benefits? their ?mission statement?, if you will? According to Sampson, he aims to model his company after Honda, selling on extreme value (which he says is not the same thing as a unilaterally cheap price). He clearly has a passion for his business, and is known throughout the industry as a likable and driven guy.

Sampson offers nearly every part for bicycles, except tires and wheels. You can get frames, handlebars, cassettes, brakes, cranks, shifters, bottle cages, and even handlebar tape. The majority of his products are manufactured in Asia by a handful of factories, which he visits several times a year. Paint for the bike frames is done in-house, as is all complete bike assembly.

I took a tour through their Denver office and showroom, to meet the man and take a look at their products. I?ll have a handful of these products in my hands for testing shortly, and look forward to giving them a fair shake (keep your eyes peeled for a review). For now, enjoy this photo preview of their 2013 product line.

Sampson has a large showroom in Denver, Colorado.

This is a complete bike example of Sampson?s 745 TT model. Frame production is done in Asia, but most are painted in Colorado. Check out this custom silver and purple flame scheme: Sampson?s rear derailleurs feature a 2:1 cable pull, and are compatible with either Sampson?s own shifters, or Shimano 10-speed (105, Ultegra, Dura Ace). The Stratics SL Race cassette is made from a solid block of aluminum. According to Sampson, it is for racing-only and lasts about 1,500 miles. That?s not many, but he?s up-front about what you?re buying. And ? it weighs in at a measly ~90 grams, depending on which size you pick. Compare that to ~135g for the 2012 SRAM Red, or ~150g for Shimano Dura Ace 7900. Who says you can?t buy speed? The cassette receives a unique treatment process to prolong life as much as possible, and it results in a beautiful golden hue. The entire inside is machined out: Sampson is also getting in to a lower price point steel cassette. It features unique textured areas in very specific shift points. Sampson says that these aid in fast an accurate shifting. These are the new 2013 Stratics Carbon pedals: They are cross-compatible with LOOK Keo cleats. The key innovation, according to Sampson, is the fact that the middle of the pedal platform is concave. He mentions that many other similar-style pedals are actually slightly convex, which causes instability and power loss. I can?t personally vouch for this yet, but plan to test a pair of these pedals over the winter.

Note the carved-out platform area:

Sampson calls these EZ Grip Cages. They?re made of a polymer composite material and weigh in at 46 grams each. The design is said to be made for easy bottle entry and exit by the rider, but retain bottles well over potholes and rough pavement. This new brake lever is quite possibly my favorite Sampson product. At first glance, it looks like any old TT-style lever: If you squeeze it, however, you notice an important detail: The cable hole is above the compression plug bolt. Most other internally-routed TT levers feature a hollow bolt through which the cable runs. This presents two problems: 1) Limited leverage, because the cable runs relatively close to the lever?s fulcrum, and 2) Inability to tighten the compression bolt without first removing the cable. The first problem really shows itself on some frames with proprietary hidden TT brakes, which are not always very strong or confidence inspiring. Giving more horsepower can help solve the problem (his levers also feature robust return springs).

The second problem of cable routing can be a hazard when traveling. On more than one occasion, I?ve seen folks open up that bike box at their race, and find out that their TT levers got pushed off to the side during the flight and baggage handling. If your cable runs through the bolt, you must remove the cable, adjust the lever, and reinstall a new cable. On some of the more complicated bike frames, this procedure could require an hour or more of your time (or an emergency trip to the nearest bike shop).

This lever, however, features a simple cutout in the compression plug through which the cable runs. If your lever happens to get mashed off to the side during flight, it is a 15-second fix. Just loosen the bolt, move the lever, and re-tighten it. Bravo!

Sampson has a unique take on the ?bento box?: He intends these to be primarily used for endurance mountain bike racing, where reaching to a back pocket is not always safe or possible while riding on rocky terrain. Sampson makes super light brakes? ?and several models of nice-looking cranks. The man behind the company.

Source: http://www.slowtwitch.com/Products/Sampson_Sports_2013_3110.html

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For Nokia, helping the competition find its way is good business

Financially, Nokia is in bad shape. It lost a billion dollars last quarter, which is only good news when you look at the quarter before that, which shows a $1.7 billion loss. Despite all this, Christof Hellmis, VP Location Platform at Nokia, doesn't seem to be the least bit concerned. In fact, he's rather chipper as he sits down with us at this year's Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris.

Perhaps that's because his division, Location & Commerce, is doing quite well indeed. Containing the remains of Navteq, L&C pulled down nearly €100 million profits in each of the past two quarters. It's a healthy golden goose in Nokia's rapidly shrinking barn. So why, then, is the company helping its competition improve their own offerings by providing more comprehensive navigation services baked right into Windows Phone 8? And, why is it that Apple's own attempt at mapping has gone oh so poorly? Those are just a few of the questions we asked of Mr. Hellmis, all detailed for you after the break.

Continue reading For Nokia, helping the competition find its way is good business

Filed under: Transportation, Software, Nokia

For Nokia, helping the competition find its way is good business originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/28/nokia-navigation-business/

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Samsung Galaxy Camera and Galaxy Note 2 to be released in India

The star of the recent IFA 2012 show in Berlin, the Samsung Galaxy Camera, has just been outed for release in India. At a recent press event -- where the Galaxy Note 2 was also confirmed for release in the country -- Samsung promised to deliver the Galaxy Camera for release prior to Diwali. While sounding pretty vague, Diwali is to take place this year on November 13, so eager Indian early adopters shouldn't be waiting too long to get their hands on the device. No pricing has been confirmed at this time. 

The Galaxy Note 2 however, is set for release next week at a price of INR 39,990 (£468, $756) which puts it in the realms of pricing for the European market, perhaps slightly cheaper. Initially the Note 2 will be available from Samsung Smartphone Cafes and Samsung Plazas, with other retailers and carriers offering it at a later date. 

via AndroidOS.in (1) (2)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/cDwHWCyrcYI/story01.htm

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Grupo Vhiver: Cancer | Ads of the World?

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Source: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/grupo_vhiver_cancer

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Android Central Podcast - Live!

Show starts at 9 p.m. EDT (or thereabouts) The Android Central Podcast is recorded live in front of a live studio audience, so you can catch us in the act. Miss a show? You can listen to every episode of the Android Central Podcast online. Web | RSS | iTunes | Stitcher

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/BWjBuA8Sl8k/story01.htm

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US aims to rally Syrian opposition with new aid

In this image taken from video obtained from Shaam News Network (SNN), which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a young child is rescued from the rubble of a building destroyed by government airstrike in Azaz, Syria, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. A Syrian activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, said a Syrian warplane bombed the northern town of Azaz near the Turkish border, killing several people. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network SNN via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from Shaam News Network (SNN), which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a young child is rescued from the rubble of a building destroyed by government airstrike in Azaz, Syria, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. A Syrian activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, said a Syrian warplane bombed the northern town of Azaz near the Turkish border, killing several people. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network SNN via AP video)

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi addresses the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

In this image taken from video obtained from Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Syrian rebels are seen during an operation in Aleppo, Syria, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. Fighting over Syria's largest city intensified Friday, with the most widespread battles reported there in two months as rebel forces launched a new offensive to rout President Bashar Assad's forces from Aleppo, activists said.(AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The Obama administration moved Friday to rally Syria's opposition with pledges of $45 million in new non-lethal and humanitarian assistance as the administration and other world leaders lamented the failure of diplomatic efforts to push Syrian President Bashar Assad from power.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the U.S. would contribute an additional $15 million in non-lethal gear ? mostly communications equipment ? to the civilian opposition trying to oust Assad as well as $30 million in new humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the continuing violence.

She also delivered a new, stark warning to Iran that it must stop arming and supporting the Assad regime.

"It is no secret that our attempts to move forward at the U.N. Security Council have been blocked repeatedly, but the United States is not waiting," Clinton said as she announced the new aid at a gathering of the Friends of Syria group that she hosted at a New York hotel on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. She and other foreign ministers from the group met with nine Syrian opposition figures, including several who traveled from Syria to attend Friday's session, to discuss strategy.

With U.N. action blocked by Russia and China, Clinton said the rest of the world must support the Syrian opposition. She also said it was urgent that the fractured foes of the regime unite around plans for a political transition that could put an end to more than three decades of Assad family rule. Activists say the current 18-month long conflict has led to more than 30,000 deaths.

"Conditions in Syria continue to deteriorate as the Assad regime relentlessly wages war on its own people," Clinton said. "We see more bodies filling hospitals and morgues and we see more refugees fleeing their homeland and flooding into neighboring countries. The regime of Bashar al-Assad must come to an end so that the suffering of the Syrian people can stop and a new dawn can begin."

In Washington, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said new intelligence suggested the Syrian government has moved some of its chemical weapons in order to protect them, even though the U.S. believes that the main sites remain secure.

The new U.S. humanitarian assistance ? which brings America's total humanitarian contribution to more than $130 million since the crisis began ? will include food, water, blankets and medical services to victims of the violence. U.S. officials said on Thursday that an earlier shipment of medical goods provided by USAID had just arrived in southern Syria. The officials would not provide details of how the aid made it into Syrian territory.

The additional non-lethal support brings the total U.S. contribution in that area to nearly $40 million since the crisis began and includes 1,100 sets of communications equipment, including satellite-linked computers, telephones and cameras and training for more than 1,000 activists, students and independent journalists.

"We are working to help them strengthen their networks, avoid regime persecution and document human rights abuses," Clinton said. The U.S. is not providing military aid to the rebels although it acknowledges that other countries are.

Clinton's announcement came as fighting intensified in Syria's largest city, Aleppo, with the most widespread battles reported in three months in the city of 3 million people as rebel forces launched a new offensive against Assad.

Despite some battleground success, there have been complaints that the opposition is hopelessly splintered and unable to coalesce around a transition plan that was adopted by members of the U.N. Security Council in Geneva over the summer. Friday's meeting was intended in part to encourage better cooperation among Assad's foes.

"It is encouraging to see some progress toward greater opposition unity, but we all know there is more work to be done," Clinton said. U.S. officials have noted that revolutionary councils in cities including Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Idlib and Deir al-Zour were becoming increasingly organized.

Members of local groups from across Syria and representatives of the exile group, the Syrian National Council ? including its head, Abdulbaset Sieda ? attended the meeting. But U.S. officials declined to name others taking part or let them be photographed, saying that doing so would risk putting those opponents of Assad in danger of reprisals.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Arab League. League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby lamented the U.N.'s inability to demand that the Geneva plan be implemented by threatening sanctions against those who would not abide by it.

"All of our efforts up to now have led to failures," he said. "We have not managed to change the situation."

Neither Russia nor China, which have vetoed three Western-backed resolutions aimed at pressuring Assad to end the violence and enter negotiations on a political transition, were invited to Friday's meeting.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ? who was to address the General Assembly on Friday ? has accused the U.S. and other countries of encouraging terrorism in their stance on Syria.

However, Clinton told the meeting that the greatest threat to Syria, other than the Assad regime itself was Iran.

"Let's be very frank here," she said. "The regime's most important lifeline is Iran."

"There is no longer any doubt that Tehran will do whatever it takes to protect its proxy and crony in Damascus. Iran will do everything it can to evade international sanctions," Clinton said. She urged Syria's neighbors to take extra steps to ensure that Iran is not smuggling weapons and materiel into Syria through their airspace or territory.

___

Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report from Washington.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-28-UN-General%20Assembly/id-76bc9378aea246a3898ecda26a12b389

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New fish species offers literal take on 'hooking up'

Friday, September 28, 2012

Fishing hooks aren't the only hooks found in east-central Mexican waters.

A new species of freshwater fish described by a North Carolina State University researcher has several interesting ? and perhaps cringe-inducing ? characteristics, including a series of four hooks on the male genitalia.

Females of the new species ? the llanos mosquitofish, or Gambusia quadruncus ? also have distinguishing characteristics, including a colorful anal spot.

A paper describing the new species, which lives in a diversity hotspot and seemingly branched off from its closest relative more than one million years ago, appears in the Journal of Fish Biology.

Dr. Brian Langerhans, assistant professor of biology at NC State and the lead author of the paper, says that these interesting characteristics may play important roles in mating control and success.

While more research is needed, Langerhans says that four-hooked genitalia on males can serve a purpose when females attempt to block or restrict mating attempts.

"Typically, reproduction is more costly in females, so females favor ways of reducing mating with 'lower quality' males," Langerhans says, "but reproduction is cheap in males and so selection favors ways of mating with as many females as possible. In Gambusia, some females, including G. quadruncus, have evolved modifications that appear to function as a blocking device ? essentially a big ball of tissue blocking most of the genital pore ? restricting entry of the male's gonopodial tip. Thus, the female would have to behaviorally allow the male to mate or the male would have to evolve a counter response to avoid this problem."

The four-hooked genitalia could be that counter-response, Langerhans says.

"Having four hooks on the gonopodium may provide a means of overcoming female resistance, latching on to the gonopore and transferring sperm in a manner that facilitates effective sperm transfer. Or it may serve to stimulate the female in a manner that causes responses in the female that facilitate effective sperm transfer," Langerhans says.

Somewhat similarly, the colorful anal spot on females appears to serve as a signal that only certain males are desired for mating.

"The differing, species-specific female anal spots appear to influence male mating behavior by signaling the location of the gonopore to the male, sometimes indicating the reproductive status of the female, and distinguishing fish of their own species from fish of other species to reduce costly cross-breeding, which can result in fish with reduced fitness," Langerhans says. "So it may be that G. quadruncus evolved different anal spots to help reduce interspecies matings and possible formation of hybrids."

###

North Carolina State University: http://www.ncsu.edu

Thanks to North Carolina State University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/123959/New_fish_species_offers_literal_take_on__hooking_up_

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Best Social Media Apps In The World - Business Insider

Kevin Smith, Business Insider

Earlier this month,?we published the App 100, a collection of the best across all platforms.

Realizing that 100 apps is?a lot to digest, we decided to break up the list by category.

Over the next several days we'll republish the individual sections to help you get through the best apps easier.

Here's our definitive list of the best social media apps you can get today.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-social-media-apps-in-the-world-2012-9

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How to Live Together and Actually Get Along - Huffington Post

Living with another person is always complicated, especially when you are having a romantic relationship. On the one hand, playing house can be a lot of fun. On the other hand, the day-to-day of it can get very complicated. Here is some advice on how to live together and actually get along:

Make sure you give each other time to settle in and get used to living with each other. Perfect is not going to happen overnight, and maybe the goal of perfect is too daunting and "really great" should be just fine.

Make sure to communicate about your expectations for living together. This means thinking about what living together means to you. Is it sharing everything all the time, or it is more of a codependent independence? You should spend time together, but also grant each other some alone time. Everyone needs their time to take a breath and be with themselves so that no one feels smothered.

Discuss having a household finance fund that you both use to get household items that you are both sharing in the home. This is helpful, so that when you need more toilet paper or detergent, one of you can just go and get it without discussing whose turn it is to pay for it or asking for money.

Divvy up who does the bills each month if neither of you wants to do them completely. In some relationships, there is that one person who is excellent at paying bills, makes a spreadsheet on the costs of everything and can tell you to the penny how much everything costs. If one of you is that person, then by all means, let that person take care of the bills. However, if neither of you are great at it, share the responsibility, so neither person feels too put out.

Share the household chores. Sometimes this is easier said than done, because usually one person is much neater than the other. However, no one likes to feel like the maid. As a result, it will feel more fair if you share the chores even if that means that you do most of the cleaning but your guy always takes out the trash and empties the dishwasher.

Don't have expectations about sex. Some people think that if they move in with their significant other, this automatically means sex every night. This might happen in the beginning because its so easy to do it, however, after the novelty wears off, the two of you will need to get into a rhythm that works for both of you in this department.

Be prepared for a lot of kinks -- and allow yourself time to work them out. If anyone tells you living with someone is easy, they are not being truthful because it is hard for two people to agree on everything. You need to be willing to compromise and work on the relationship.

Agree to disagree on some things. It is inevitable that there are going to be some things in your home that you just aren't going to agree about. Watching TV in bed before falling asleep, waking up with music or an alarm, going to sleep late, getting up early, leaving dishes in the sink when you don't feel like doing them; it is natural to disagree on things like this so don't get upset, just accept it.

Realize that it is not always going to be your way. In the relationship, perhaps he gave into you more than vice versa. However, when you are living together, since it is both of your home, he might not be so quick to give in on everything. Pick your spots and let your beau win sometimes too.

Consider making a list of house rules. This might sound silly at first, but if you both spend the time to contribute to it, then you both will be happier in the long run. Make sure to highlight your needs as well as hers so that it feels even and fair.

Samantha Daniels is a well-known professional matchmaker and relationship expert. She is the President of Samantha's Table Matchmaking, a bicoastal matchmaking service which caters exclusively to busy, successful professionals who have no trouble getting dates, but who have yet to find that one person with whom to spend the rest of their lives. She is also the author of "Matchbook: The Diary of a Modern Day Matchmaker" (Simon & Schuster). You can follow her on Twitter @Matchmakersd. You can also follow her on her Curator page on OpenSky, where you can get advice and picks for shopping from Celebrities.

?

Follow Samantha Daniels on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Matchmakersd

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samantha-daniels/cohabitation_b_1913753.html

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Closing costs can vary for those buying commercial properties | Zoliath

Commercial property managers buying or selling property will need to deal with closing costs, and these issues can be complicated, according to industry expert Daniel Doran.

When purchasing a property, it is necessary for both parties to negotiate a deal, which involves not only the building itself, but also financial hurdles to climb. However, everything can be discussed during this process. Contracts need to specify certain closing expenses such as settlements, surveys and any other insurance-related fees, Doran wrote in an article for RealtyBizNews.com.

There is a piece of legislation ? the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act ? that restricts smaller commercial real estate properties from being subject to unspecified fees at the time of closing. However, Doran explained that anything larger than four residential units will not have this protection.

Who needs to pay the fees?
With each side taking their part to ensure they have all of the sales issues ironed out, it is necessary to know that there is a list of payments each side should be covering, according to Doran. Sellers typically deal with the title insurance policy costs, while they also take care of the costs that would make the title more easily transferrable at the time of the sale.

The American Land Title Association survey would be completed before any lending was underway at a property, he said. These surveys can be expensive, costing at least $800. All taxes at the local level are taken care of by the seller, which includes title fees related to deed stamps. Additionally, Uniform Commercial Code searches are covered in this way, as well.

The buyer is not exempt from fees, by any stretch. Many permits need to be acquired by the property buyer, which can be for business licensing, or simply operations, according to Doran. An environmental study will need to be scheduled for the property, which is the responsibility of the buyer, as well.

Other property inspections will be paid for in this way, which allow the business to know that it can operate there safely, he added. Any further surveying will also need to be completed, especially when dealing with a flood search or topographics. Finally, financing the paperwork and administrative fees is this party's responsibility, as well. This includes mortgages, closing fees and the deed.

More articles by Administrator

Posted in Commercial Banking

Disclaimer: All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Zoliath.com makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, opinions or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

Source: http://www.zoliath.com/commercial-real-estate-blog/2012/09/26/closing-costs-can-vary-for-those-buying-commercial-properties/

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Calif. signs bills to boost social network privacy

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ? California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a pair of privacy bills making it illegal for employers and colleges to demand access to social media accounts.

Brown announced on Thursday that he signed AB1844 by Assemblywoman Nora Campos, a Democrat from San Jose. The bill prohibits employers from demanding user names and passwords from employees and job applicants.

The restriction does not apply to passwords or information used on employer-issued electronic devices.

The governor also signed SB1349 by Sen. Leland Yee, a Democrat from San Francisco. The companion bill makes it illegal for colleges and universities to demand social media user names and passwords from students and prospective students.

Brown announced the bills via Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. He says the legislation will protect Californians from "unwarranted invasions."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/calif-signs-bills-boost-social-network-privacy-195137440.html

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Deal of the Day ? Dell XPS 15 (L521x) Core i7 Ivy Bridge Quad-core 1080p Laptop with Blu-ray

Thursday’s LogicBUY Deal is a first time discount on the?15.6″ Dell?XPS 15 (L521x) Laptop with Core i7 for $1519.99. ?Features: 1080p, 350-nit screen 8GB RAM 750GB 7200RPM Hard Drive 2GB GeForce GT 640M 32GB mSATA SSD 9-cell built-in 65WHr battery Three USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, mini Display Port 1.3-Megapixel Webcam Blu-ray 3-in-1 card reader $1937.99 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/09/27/deal-of-the-day-dell-xps-15-l521x-core-i7-ivy-bridge-quad-core-1080p-laptop-with-blu-ray/

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Israel grinds to a halt for Jewish holy day

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel ground almost to a halt Tuesday afternoon in preparation for Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day of the year.

The country has completely closed its airspace to airplanes, shut down its buses and trains, and locked its border crossings in preparation the holy day, which begins Tuesday evening and ends Wednesday after sundown. Restaurants, businesses and schools closed, government ministries shuttered, and Israeli television and radio stations went silent. Highways and roads emptied of cars ? a convention honored even by most secular and non-Jewish Israelis.

Yom Kippur is Judaism's day of atonement, when devout Jews ask God to forgive them for their transgressions. They refrain from eating and drinking and attend intense prayer services in synagogues. The day caps a traditional 10-day period of soul-searching that began with the holiday of Rosh Hashana, the start of the Jewish new year.

This year, the day of introspection comes amid heightened speculation that an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities could be near. When Yom Kippur comes to a close Wednesday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make his way to New York to address the United Nations with one main message: Iran's nuclear program is an existential threat to Israel, and it must be stopped. Israel and the United States say Iran aims to develop weapons technology, but Tehran says its program is for peaceful purposes.

Israeli Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar told Israel Radio that Israelis should pray this Yom Kippur that Israel's enemies be kept at bay.

"May God upturn whatever schemes they are scheming for us," Amar said.

Many Israelis also reflected on the 1973 Arab-Israel War, which Israelis call the Yom Kippur War because it broke out surprisingly on that day. The war marked a watershed moment in Israeli collective memory, when the country suffered heavy losses on the battlefield. On Tuesday, families published notices in the obituary sections of newspapers in memory of their loved ones who died in the war.

Thousands of worshippers shrouded in white shawls, some blowing long curly rams' horns called shofars, convened Tuesday morning on the holiest site where a Jew can pray, the Western Wall.

Many of Israel's secular Jews fast for the day, but stay at home watching movies and playing board games. In another tradition, secular children ride skateboards and bicycles through the empty streets.

At Jerusalem's outdoor market, many scurried around doing last-minute errands before the country shut down. Nearby, ultra-Orthodox Jews swung live chickens over their heads while reciting a blessing, then slaughtered the birds ? a symbolic ritual that transfers their sins to the animals. The practice has come under criticism in recent years, and many have replaced it by donating money to charity instead.

Adesu Masala, 72, an Ethiopian Jewish immigrant to Israel, was leaving the tailor's with a newly hemmed pair of dress pants to wear at his synagogue. He looked up to the heavens when he reflected on his prayers for the holy day.

"I will pray to God for a long life, and health for my children, wife and grandchildren," he said.

Tikva Horne, 70, was returning home from a visit to the doctor. She said she would be going to synagogue praying for "health for everyone, and that God forbid there will be a war."

___

Follow Daniel Estrin at twitter.com/danielestrin

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-grinds-halt-jewish-holy-day-133457290.html

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Do Gender Stereotypes Play a Role in the Massachusetts Senate Race?

Former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn's recent endorsement of Sen.?Scott Brown?of Massachusetts was predictable, but it was coupled with a surprising, remarkably blithe assertion of ignorance about Brown's politics or policy predilections. "I didn't go through his congressional record or roll call," Flynn admitted. "I don't have time for that." How does the Republican Brown compare to Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren? "I don't know the first thing about her." Flynn's endorsement was not about "politics or ideology," he explained; rather, it was a "nonpolitical message about the man," based on "what I knew about his personal life growing up."

Apparently, the political is purely personal for Flynn. In fact, Brown is appealing to voters who share this tendency to base hard political decisions on soft "nonpolitical" factors. He even presents himself as essentially nonpolitical, practically posing as an independent; the word "Republican" is not often uttered by the Brown campaign. He banks on what has been Warren's relative unlikability among voters who view her as preachy--rarely failing to address her as "Professor," with barely concealed disdain. He presses vituperative attacks on Warren's character, which he premiered at their first debate, when he called her a liar for claiming Native American ancestry.

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Warren (whom I support) is trying to make the race about policy--about their differing approaches to tax reform, Brown's voting record, and his political allegiances; she stresses that his reelection could give conservative Republicans control of the U.S. Senate. She has her own personal hardship narrative, like virtually every candidate these days, but for Warren's campaign, the political is mostly political.

It's an interesting study in gender stereotypes. This clash between a woman focusing on policy and a man resorting to personal, emotional appeals embodies a subtle role reversal. Warren cites Brown's record against equality and choice: his vote against equal pay; his vote to allow nonreligious as well as religious employers to deny employees contraceptive coverage. (Brown has won the support of Massachusetts Citizens for Life.) He responds with an irrelevant personal credential--his childhood defense of his abused mother. "I have been fighting for women since I was 6 years old," he says, as if his love for the women in his family were at issue, not his advocacy for the women in the commonwealth.

Maybe feminism achieves an inadvertent victory when a male candidate more than a female relies on a shallow view of the personal as political. Maybe not. With his athletic, truck-driving, regular-guy image, Brown benefits from gender stereotypes, even as he adopts the emotional approach to issues (and voters) stereotypically associated with women. Meanwhile, the logical, intellectual Warren represents a stereotypically male model of rationalism, maybe to her detriment, maybe not (one can hope).

Double standards have weakened over the past few decades, but they still retain power. Unlike Brown, Warren has, so far, been hurt more than helped by gender stereotypes (which classify her as schoolmarmish), and she has less room to challenge them. Imagine the reaction if Warren had called out Brown for dishonesty in her first remarks at their first debate; imagine if she had declared (and continued declaring) that he failed the "character test" by checking the "pro-choice" box for the sake of advancing his career. She'd be derided as "shrill" and "strident," and, in private, a "bitch."

Reputed good guy Scott Brown has risked eroding his own likability with his sneering attacks, and male candidates sometimes complain that they're constrained by tradition from aggressively confronting female opponents. But that tradition is fading in our hyper-partisan age (except perhaps in primaries), and he risks less than she would if she were to adopt his tactics. The political can be stubbornly and stupidly personal, indeed.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gender-stereotypes-play-role-massachusetts-senate-race-105320760--politics.html

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How consumer-electronics makers are faring

Makers and sellers of consumer-electronics devices have been releasing their earnings reports for the latest quarter. Here's a look at selected companies that report unit sales on phones, tablet computers and other devices. Some companies including Samsung Electronics Co. do not release data on unit sales.

? July 19: Microsoft Corp. says it shipped 1.1 million Xbox 360 consoles during the April-June period, down from 1.7 million a year earlier.

Nokia Corp. says sales of smartphones dropped 39 percent from a year ago to 10.2 million in the second quarter. The company blamed "strong momentum" of competing smartphones. All regions showed a decline except North America, where sales of the new Windows-based Lumia line offset declines in traditional Symbian devices. Sales of all cellphones fell 5 percent to 83.7 million.

? July 24: Apple Inc. says it sold 26 million iPhones, 28 percent more than a year ago. It also sold 17 million iPads, an 84 percent increase. But average selling prices for both products were down. Apple sold 4 million Macs, a 2 percent increase, and 6.8 million iPods, a 10 percent decline.

TomTom says it sold 1.7 million personal-navigation devices in North America, down from 2.1 million a year ago. In Europe, it sold 2.4 million, down from 2.8 million. TomTom says market share was relatively flat at 45 percent in Europe, but down to 19 percent from 23 percent in North America because of a GPS chip product issue.

AT&T Inc. says it activated 5.1 million smartphones in its latest quarter, down from 5.5 million in the same period a year ago. Much of the decline came because AT&T subscribers are holding on to their phones longer.

? July 25: Nintendo Co. says it sold 710,000 Wii units in the April-June quarter, down from 1.56 million a year ago. Nintendo is coming out with a successor, the Wii U, this year. It is forecasting 10.5 million units for the full fiscal year, which ends in March 2013. The company, meanwhile, sold 540,000 DS units, down from 1.44 million a year ago, and it sold 1.86 million 3DS units, up from 710,000 a year ago.

? Aug. 1: Garmin Ltd. says it sold 3.9 million GPS navigation and other devices in the second quarter, up 4 percent from a year earlier.

? Aug. 2: Sony Corp. says it sold 2.8 million PlayStation units, down from 3.2 million a year earlier. The figures cover both PlayStation 3 and the older PlayStation 2. Sales of the PlayStation Portable and Vita devices were at 1.4 million, down from 1.8 million a year earlier.

? Sept. 6: Samsung says global sales of its Galaxy S III smartphone have surpassed 20 million in a little more than three months. Samsung Electronics Co. launched the flagship smartphone powered by Google's Android operating system in Europe in late May. The U.S. got it in June.

? Sept. 24: Apple Inc. says that it sold more than 5 million units of the iPhone 5 in the three days since its launch, fewer than analysts had expected. The sales tally is a record for any phone, but it beats last year's iPhone 4S launch only by a small margin. Apple said then that it sold 4 million phones in the first three days.

? Sept. 25: Research in Motion Ltd. CEO Thorsten Heins says he is convinced that the company's BlackBerry phone is poised to regain its stature as a trailblazing device even as many investors fret about its potential demise. Heins took the stage at a conference for mobile applications developers to rally support for the upcoming release of BlackBerry 10, a new operating system that RIM is touting as its salvation after years of blundering. Investors appeared to be heartened by what they heard and saw. The company's stock gained 30 cents, or nearly 5 percent, to $6.60. That's still far far below the stock's peak price of about $148, reached in June 2008.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/consumer-electronics-makers-faring-230649861.html

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What You Need to Know About Allergy

A man wants to enjoy food, yet at one bite, he develops lesions and patches of flaky and swollen tissues on his skin. A woman marvels the beauty of a flower and smells its inherent sweet scent only to be hit by asthma. Truly there is no perfect world for every man.? At some point, he is disturbed by allergy. And this puts his health in jeopardy.?

Allergy

An allergy develops when our immune system over reacts with certain foreign substances that we get in contact with.? This is referred to as overreaction or exaggeration as these foreign substances are normally harmless when introduced to non-allergic people. These foreign substances are the triggering agents for allergy and they are typically called as allergens.? Allergens come in different form and shape depending on the area it attacks thereby causing allergic reactions. Some are pollens, molds and dust; some are as trivial as milk or the all time favorite of almost everyone, seafood. Others may have allergic reactions to certain types of drugs like antibiotics. One classic example of this antibiotic is penicillin.

Pathophysiology of Allergy

The exposure of the body to foreign substances known as allergens hyper-activates the immune system. As a result, the body?s immune system produces antibodies to combat those foreign substances in the belief that they are harmful organism.? This process starts the synthesis commonly known as an allergic reaction. The body?s immune system treats those substances as something hostile and is dangerous to body?s health, although they are not.? As a response, these antibodies release a kind of chemical compound known as histamine, the culprit in any allergic reactions.

Symptoms

Symptoms of allergy vary depending on the area susceptible to it and the substance to which the body is reacting.? Symptoms may manifest as swollen patches on the skin, watery eyes, sneezing and in some worst cases anaphylaxis or major reactions like nausea, vomiting or disturbed breathing do occur.

Treatment

Treating an allergic condition for a better health is essential to get relief from its disturbing symptoms. For mild cases of allergies anti-histamine drugs that are available over the counter help. However, for severe cases of allergies strong dosage and potent anti-allergy drugs are introduced like steroid based medications.

Having this immune system disorder is not a burden too heavy to bear. There are remedies. One just needs to consult his doctor to guide him in managing an allergy health issue. However, more than anything else, simple precaution, awareness and prevention matter in order to avoid the disturbing condition of an allergy.

Source: http://allergy.ezinemark.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-allergy-7d37cc88b8e5.html

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Drama, controversy marked the first Supreme Court justices

It was 223 years ago today that Congress signed the law that created the Supreme Court, and a look back at the first court shows personal drama that included a justice dodging creditors, a failed suicide attempt and a Chief Justice who was America?s most-hated man, for a time.

Jay hung in effigy

Chief Justice John Jay hung in effigy. Courtesy: New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown

The framers had made provisions for the court in Article III, Section 1, of the Constitution, but it took the Judiciary Act of 1789 to make the court a reality.

In the first session ever in Congress, lawmakers passed Judiciary Act on September 24, 1789, which established the framework for the Supreme Court, as well as circuit and district courts and the Attorney General?s office.

President George Washington named six Supreme Court justices who were approved within two days by Congress.

On February 1, 1790, the first session of the U.S. Supreme Court was held in New York City?s Merchants Exchange Building.

By then, the court had already lost a justice and two other justices missed the session because of transportation problems.

It wasn?t the first problem for the first Supreme Court.

The court?s creation was controversial, as the Anti-Federalists thought it would be too powerful. However, Alexander Hamilton argued in the Federalist Papers that the court had a critical role as a check against legislative and executive abuse.

?Whenever a particular statute contravenes the Constitution, it will be the duty of the judicial tribunals to adhere to the latter and disregard the former,? Hamilton said in Federalist 78.

His point was later settled in the historic Marbury v. Madison ruling in 1803, which gave the Supreme Court the ability to overturn congressional acts it deemed as unconstitutional.

A completely different Court than today?s

The? first Supreme Court, named by President Washington when he signed the Judiciary Act, would be most unusual today, in its behavior and temperament.

The court had just six justices with the aforementioned undefined powers, and definitely a few personal issues. The Supreme Court justices were also required to ?ride circuit,? and hold hearings twice a year in one of three judicial districts.

The first Chief Justice was John Jay, and the associate justices were John Rutledge, William Cushing, John Blair Jr., Robert Harrison, and James Wilson.

Jay had written part of the Federalist Papers, but his role as the first Chief Justice included two campaigns for governor in New York (while he was still a justice) and the controversial Jay Treaty with Great Britain.

The treaty Jay negotiated, while he was still the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was highly unpopular. We can?t repeat some of the words used in public about Jay, who was seen as favoring the British as a negotiator, but here is a typical quote that appeared in New York or Boston:

?Damn John Jay! Damn everyone who won?t damn John Jay!! Damn everyone that won?t put lights in his windows and sit up all night damning John Jay!!!?

The Chief Justice later said he could find hid way across the country by the light of his burning effigies.

Jay left the court in 1795 after finally winning a gubernatorial election. The court had heard very few cases since 1789 under his leadership.

John Rutledge was at the Constitutional Convention and an important figure in South Carolina when he was first named to the Supreme Court. He served two years on the bench and quit in 1791, without hearing a case.

President Washington then asked Rutledge? to return as Chief Justice to replace Jay in 1795 while the Senate was in recess, and Rutledge heard two cases during that time. However, the Senate rejected Rutledge?s permanent nomination after he publicly criticized the Jay Treaty with some inflammatory language (he compared it to prostitution).

Rutledge jumped off a wharf in Charleston in a failed suicide attempt after he heard about the Senate vote (he was rescued by two slaves who saw the incident). His public career was over.

A justice on the run

James Wilson was also a key player at the Constitutional Convention who had a troubled career after joining the high court.

Wilson was a leading legal theorist, but he was also troubled by bad debts after getting involved in some land deals. Wilson was imprisoned twice for bad debts while he served on the Supreme Court, and he missed several court sessions as he avoided bill collectors.

Wilson died in 1798 while still on the bench. He was staying at the house of a friend in North Carolina, out of the reach of creditors, and riding the Southern District court circuit.

William Cushing was the longest-serving justice appointed by Washington, and he remained on the court until 1810. But Cushing rejected the job of Chief Justice in 1796 even though Washington nominated him and the Senate had unanimously approved the nomination. (Perhaps he saw what happened to Jay and Rutledge.)

John Blair Jr. was a highly regarded jurist from Virginia who served on the court until 1795, while Robert Harrison immediately declined his appointment from President Washington and was replaced with James Iredell in 1790.

Iredell was the friend that James Wilson was visiting in North Carolina for an extended period in 1798, when Wilson died. Iredell would die the following year at the age of 48, and historians cite the rigorous job of ?riding circuit? as a cause of Iredell?s death.

Iredell traded his southern route with Wilson as a favor, and traveled from North Carolina to the court?s Middle Circuit, which ranged from Virginia to New Jersey and Philadelphia. (One historian speculates that Iredell might have had another motive: He had grown close to Wilson?s young wife in Philadelphia.)

The Supreme Court would find stability with the appointment of John Marshall as Chief Justice in 1801 by outgoing President John Adams.

Marshall was the second choice for the position. Adams initially asked John Jay to return, but Jay refused. He said the Supreme Court lacked ?energy, weight, and dignity.?

Scott Bomboy is the Editor-in-Chief of the National Constitution Center.

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Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/drama-controversy-marked-first-supreme-court-justices-100207828--politics.html

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The Main Eli Manning Jersey Qualities For Affiliate Marketing Online ...

Posted by jackielesuer4 on Sep 24, 2012 in SPORTS | Comments Off

Affiliate internet marketing is an effective instrument for firms that desire to expand upon Eli Manning Jersey their customer install base and attain a bigger and more modern audience. Through advantages and advertising, affiliate marketing generates more revenue than traditional advertising and marketing would. Nevertheless, prior to using affiliate marketing online, you need to keep the subsequent suggestions in mind.

The best way to use affilate advertising and marketing, is always to know your audience. You should contemplate why people are coming over to your site, and what exactly it is they need. When you know that, you will be more successful because it is possible to provide men and women what they are trying to find.

To become the ideal affiliate marketing marketer, you will have to be aware of the industry for which you are competing. Figure out the difficulties with your market as well as its constraints after which try to drive previous them. There exists an array of free of charge resources around the web Eli Manning Jersey to assist you to keep tabs on any market.

There has been limitless argument on which is the best formatting for a web page. An excellent option would be to put in ?more detail? hyperlinks through the entire physique of your brief backup and also have them come up as burst ups that your readers can open and close while staying on the primary site.

Function in reverse and appear forwards. Prepare your affiliate marketing strategy by producing out of the target you wish to achieve and once. Then back into the activities and output deadlines you have to stay with as a way to attain that aim. This is much simpler than trying to set a regular timetable without having obvious desired goals or timeframe at heart.

Be sure to enable time and energy to work on Eli Manning Jersey your website, particularly in early stages. All affiliates have got an aim of owning a ?function totally free? internet site, but acquiring there needs time. In the beginning, invest some time growing your artwork, changing your design and style, and doing a little study. You?ll view a greater pay off ultimately.

To enhance the success of your internet affiliate marketing, be sure to pick quality goods to promote. Bear in mind, all of the tips that you make represent directly back on you. Consequently, should you publicize an affordable and quality item, your prospects or members will trust your advice, and thus increasing your trustworthiness.

Function in a clear setting. Internet affiliate marketing might be hard, unexciting job. By removing your working environment and Eli Manning Jersey desk of mess and making sure that you have a cushy office chair, the task can become a lot more endurable. Also, attempt to are employed in an area with large microsoft windows and several natural light to avoid migraines.

Only opt for to do business with businesses that offer present stats. You want in order to keep up with each of the approaches being used to usher in income. Info that is out of date might not give you the precise information you need to modify your ways to the people your potential customers make use of the most.

Because the over article says, affiliate marketing online is actually a powerful Eli Manning Jersey and useful instrument if applied appropriately, as it creates a larger customer base for your organization and boosts the likelihood of revenue more than other approaches. If you keep the advice found in the write-up in mind when you use affiliate marketing online, you can experience the gains that other people have.

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Source: http://funclub24.com/2012/09/24/the-main-eli-manning-jersey-qualities-for-affiliate-marketing-online-accomplishment/

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Bond Funds for the Long Run

One of the most common investment questions people ask is, ?Should I buy individual bonds or a bond fund??

I?ll cut right to the chase. Individual bonds work well when you have a lump sum set aside for a known purpose at a known future date and you cannot afford to take any principal risk. Bond funds work well when you?re accumulating for a general purpose over the long-term and plan to distribute this money slowly in the future.

Retirement savings fall into the second category and that makes bond funds a better investment option.

Individual bonds are often used to fund large cash expenses such as college tuition, a wedding and down-payment on a house. You buy a bond or a certificate of deposit (CD) that matures close to the date the money is needed and use it to pay the bill. Investing in a high quality bond or CD makes certain your principle is there when you need it.

The disadvantages to owning individual bonds include: the time needed for research, the hidden cost of buying ?and perhaps selling ? bonds though a brokerage firm, ongoing cash reinvestment from interest and maturing securities, and a lack of portfolio diversification. Brokers are notorious for cranking in large trading spreads on small bond trades. This lowers an individual investor?s yield and crimps the resale price if a bond is not held to maturity. In addition, most individual bond accounts are under-diversified. A single default could severely damage a portfolio?s return.

That being said, individual bond portfolios work great when used for the right purpose. I laddered a zero-coupon bond Treasury bond portfolio when my children were nearing college age. The bonds matured during their university years. This strategy ensured that I had cash on hand to pay tuition as the bills came due.

A laddered bond portfolio worked great for my children?s college fund, but I?ve got a better strategy for my retirement account. I use bonds funds. They?re more practical for this long-term purpose.

First, long-term investors in bond funds participate in ?dollar-cost-averaging of sorts because money is constantly being reinvested during all phases of an interest rate cycle. Maturing bonds, interest and new money is reinvested in higher yielding securities when rates rise and the opposite occurs when rates fall. It all comes out in the wash.

Second, bond funds have a huge diversification advantage over individual bonds. The bond funds I own hold thousands of securities. There is safety in numbers when it comes to bonds. A single default in a massively diversified bond fund will not ruin my day.

One disadvantage to bond funds is that they don?t have a fixed maturity date. The fund never comes due at maturity like an individual bond. A fund?s net asset value (NAV) depends on where interest rates are on any particular day. This makes it impossible to target a guaranteed redemption value on a specific date.

This lack of a maturity date creates a red flag for some retirees because they want to know exactly what they?re going to get and when they?re going to get it. That?s why they?ll choose individual bonds over bond funds. The irony of this decision is that most people who hold individual bonds for retirement don?t spend the cash they get from maturing bonds ? they reinvest it in more bonds, just like a bond fund!

The accumulation and distribution phases in retirement last many decades and during this period the bond market will go through both rising and falling interest rate environments. Wise investors quickly learn not to time interest rates and to always be in the market. Their net return will be someplace in the middle after costs. That?s want bond funds do. So, it makes perfect sense to buy a few low-cost bond funds and be done with it.

Some advisers will recommend using both a bond ladder and bond funds in a retirement portfolio. They?ll invest a client?s money in an individual bond ladder using 1- to 10-year maturities and then put the rest in bond funds.

I don?t see the point in doing this. The strategy is more psychological than practical. The portfolio return isn?t going to be better, the risk isn?t going to be lower, and since many bond funds tend to gravitate toward a laddered strategy anyway, it?s redundant. Even bond index funds tend to be a ladder. The Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBMFX) is a good example. Over 85 percent of the bonds in the funds come due between 1 and 10 years, with maturities staggered fairly evenly over those years.

The decision to buy bonds or invest in bond funds is linked to the purpose of the money. Individual bonds work well when a lump sum is needed at a known time in the future and principle risk is not an option. Bond funds work well when you?re accumulating or distributing money over the long-term. I like both strategies, but for retirement investing, I like bond funds more.

Visit the Bogleheads Wiki for a detailed explanation of bonds versus bond funds.

Source: http://www.rickferri.com/blog/investments/bond-funds-for-the-long-run/

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