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http://www.androidcentral.com/how-manually-install-flash-your-android-device

How to manually install Adobe Flash Player on your Android device

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By Alex Dobie  | Aug 15 2012 | 1:35 pm  | 30 COMMENTS

​New devices will soon be unable to get Adobe Flash from Google Play. Here's how to install it manually.

From today, for some new devices, Adobe Flash Player will no longer be available from Google Play, marking the end of Flash’s brief flirtation with Android. That means if you want to get hold of Flash on an Android device that doesn't ship with it, you’ll need to resort to a little bit of trickery. Fortunately, though, it’s pretty easy to get Flash up and running manually, assuming you understand the risks.Join us after the break to find out how to manually install a legacy version of Adobe Flash Player on your Android phone or tablet.

Big scary warning

Before we begin, make sure you understand the risks associated with running the now-unsupported Adobe Flash on your device --

• There’s no official support for Flash on Android now. That means no more security or stability updates, no official support channels if something goes wrong. In particular, if you’re using this on an Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) device, you can probably expect a few stability issues
• The fact that security updates are no longer being developed for Flash for Android means that running this could potentially open you up to security risks and malicious Flash content. There’s no record of Flash exploits specifically targeting Android users, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen.
• You’re installing an app from a third-party source, so you’ll need to disable one of Android’s built-in security options. Remember to re-enable it afterwards for your device’s security.
• On newer hardware, particularly devices running Android 4.1, you may experience stability issues with Flash content. That’s just the way Flash rolls on mobile devices.

Prerequisites

You’ll need a phone or tablet running Android 2.2 (Froyo) to 4.1 (Jelly Bean). Check Settings > About phone / About tablet to see what you’re running. If you’re on Jelly Bean, check that you have a stock browser installed besides Google Chrome, as Chrome for Android doesn’t support Flash. Check your app drawer for “Browser” or “Internet.”

The method

Now, down to business. The process of getting Flash for Android on a device that doesn’t already have it is pretty simple.

1. First, you’ll need to tell your device it’s OK to install apps from sources other than Google Play. You’ll need to check the box marked “Unknown sources.” On Android 2.2, 2.3 or 3.x, this is found under Settings > Applications. On Android 4.x, you’ll find it under Settings > Security.
2. On your phone or tablet, download the Flash for Android application downloader. (It'll then download the file directly from Adobe.)
3. Once that’s done, pull down the notification area and tap on the file to install it. Tap “Install” on the next screen to confirm.
4. When Flash is installed, head into your phone’s stock browser (again, Google Chrome won’t support your newly-installed Flash apk).
5. On Android 3.0 or later, go to Menu (three dots next to the address bar on some phones) > Settings > Advanced > Enable plug-ins. To enable Flash content all the time, select “Always on,” or to enable it selectively on each page, choose “On demand.” Or on Android 2.2 or 2.3, go to Menu > Settings (sometimes Menu > More > Settings), where you’ll find the “Enable plug-ins” option.
6. You should now be ready to go. Check this link on your phone to confirm that Flash is up and running.

  Finally, once it’s working, you may want to uncheck the “Unknown sources” option once again to keep your phone or tablet secure.So there you have it -- Flash support on your Android device. Flash on mobile devices has never been perfect, but on the right hardware Flash 11.1 for Android will give you a decent experience. Remember, though, that Flash has been withdrawn from the Google Play Store for a reason -- it’s no longer officially supported, so bear that in mind as you’re browsing through Flash content on your phone.

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ROCCUPY - Occupy DC Welcomes the New Year!

Posted 2 days ago on Sept. 26, 2012, 8:45 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
Tags: dc

ROCCUPY FESTIVAL - SHUT DOWN K STREET - OCCUPY DC STRIKES BACK, WEEK OF RESISTANCE

Join Occupy DC to celebrate our one-year anniversary! Occupy DC had one of the longest-running occupations of a major US city, and it's time for a week of fun and activism to celebrate our successes, usher in a new year for the 99%, and call for system change.
ROCCUPY FESTIVAL - Sat 9/29, Sun 9/30
Two days of plays, music, art, political discussions, and general assemblies in Freedom Plaza, because Occupy loves you. Family-friendly, affirmative, and an example of what the 99% wants more of in the world. Panel discussions to discuss the Occupy movement and the election, kid-friendly games, comedy, meet-and-greet with other organizations, music performances, the Occuplay and other special performances.
SHUT DOWN K STREET – Mon, 10/1
Meet at 7 AM at McPherson Square to shut down the street where corporate lobbyists, bankers, and the 1% do their shady dealings with the government. Bring tents, sleeping bags, other items as needed. Individual, autonomous affinity groups welcome to plan whatever inspires them.
OCCUPY DC STRIKES BACK – WEEK OF RESISTANCE – Tues 10/2 – Sun 10/7
These are themed days of action in resistance to the system and in solidarity with the 99%. Individual, autonomous affinity groups welcome to plan whatever inspires them.
10/1 – SHUT DOWN K STREET day of action. (Please see above.)
10/2 – Bank/economic day of action. Meet 7 AM at Bank of America, Pennsylvania & 15th St NW, to “foreclose” a bank. Meet 1 PM at same location for march to deliver “bailout money” to social services, schools, and the people.
10/3 – Lobbyists day of action. A day to stick it to the notorious lobbyists, one-percenters, and Citizens-United Super PAC campaign donors who are undermining democracy and imperiling our system.
10/4 – 99% solidarity day of action. Visiting our 99% friends in shows of solidarity, and uniting together against the oppression of the 1%.
10/5 – Earth, sustainability, and energy day of action. A day of opposing industrial agriculture, GMOs, hydro-fracking, pollution, oil, coal, and other dirty energy, and working toward a healthy, sustainable planet.
10/6 – OCCUPY DC FREEDOM PLAZA ANNIVERSARY, a day for calling for an end to wars and militarism. The Occupy DC Freedom Plaza location began on the anniversary of our invasion of Afghanistan on October 6, 2001. This October 6, join Occupy DC to oppose war and militarism, and call for US troops out of Afghanistan now!
10/7 – Occupy Democracy day of action. A day for calling for a true democracy, one month prior to Election Day. Meet 5 PM in McPherson Square for a general assembly to display what a real, egalitarian, horizontal democracy might look like!
A year ago, on October 1, 2011, ecstatic that the 99% had begun occupying Wall Street, brave activists here in Washington DC began occupying McPherson Square on K Street, the corridor where corporate lobbyists, bankers, and the 1% come to wield their power. On October 6, more fearless members of the 99% began occupying Freedom Plaza in downtown DC, about ten blocks to the south. Two active camps were established with several hundred occupiers between the two of them. They survived the snow and rain of winter and persecution from the police, until the police violently raided the camps in the second week of February 2012.
There are more reasons than ever to occupy -- to dwell in the places where the 1% do their corrupt dealings, and refuse to leave. Join the 99% as we reclaim our democracy, our future, our world.

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Why The Weather Channel is Naming Winter Storms

Tom Niziol Updated 10 mins ago weather.com

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Do you want the video to start automatically?During the upcoming 2012-13 winter season The Weather Channel will name noteworthy winter storms. Our goal is to better communicate the threat and the timing of the significant impacts that accompany these events. The fact is, a storm with a name is easier to follow, which will mean fewer surprises and more preparation.  

Naming Winter Storms

Hurricanes and tropical storms have been given names since the 1940s. In the late 1800s, tropical systems near Australia were named as well. Weather systems, including winter storms, have been named in Europe since the 1950s.  Important dividends have resulted from attaching names to these storms:

• Naming a storm raises awareness.
• Attaching a name makes it much easier to follow a weather system’s progress.
• A storm with a name takes on a personality all its own, which adds to awareness.
• In today’s social media world, a name makes it much easier to reference in communication.
• A named storm is easier to remember and refer to in the future.

(MORE: Check Out the New Storm Names for the 2012-2013 Season)The question then begs to ask “Why aren’t winter storms named?”  In fact, in Europe the naming of weather systems has been going on for a long time.  Here in the U.S., summer time storms including thunderstorms and tornadoes occur on such a small time and space scale that there would be little benefit and much confusion trying to attach names to them. However, winter weather is different. Winter storms occur on a time and space scale that is similar to tropical systems.In fact, historically many major winter storms have been named during or after the event has occurred. Examples include “The President’s Day Storm” and “Snowmageddon.” Yet, until now, there has been no organized naming system for these storms before they impact population centers.“Naming winter storms will raise awareness, which will lead to more pro-active efforts to plan ahead, resulting in less impact on the public overall.”Tom NiziolOne of the reasons this may be true is that there is no national center, such as the National Hurricane Center, to coordinate and communicate information on a multi-state scale to cover such big events. The National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s Hydrologic Prediction Center (HPC) does issue discussions and snowfall forecasts on a national scale but it does not fill the same role as the NHC in naming storms. Therefore, it would be a great benefit for a partner in the weather industry to take on the responsibility of developing a new concept.   This is where a world-class organization such as The Weather Channel will play a significant role. We have the meteorological ability, support and technology to provide the same level of reporting for winter storms that we have done for years with tropical weather systems. In addition to providing information about significant winter storms by referring to them by name, the name itself will make communication and information sharing in the constantly expanding world of social media much easier.  As an example, hash tagging a storm based on its name will provide a one-stop shop to exchange all of the latest information on the impending high-impact weather system.

(MORE:  Jim Cantore's Famous "Thunder Snow" Video  |  Remembering Snowtober 2011)There will be many differences from the “tropical model” for naming winter storms. Unlike tropical systems, winter weather takes place at latitudes under extreme energy and forcing from the atmosphere.Often a weather system that is expected to strike a metropolitan area three days from now has not even completely formed in the atmosphere. Therefore, naming of winter storms will be limited to no more than three days before impact to ensure there is moderate to strong confidence the system will produce significant effects on a populated area.  In addition, the impacts from winter systems are not as simple to quantify as tropical systems where a system is named once the winds exceed a certain threshold. The process for naming a winter storm will reflect a more complete assessment of several variables that combine to produce disruptive impacts including snowfall, ice, wind and temperature.  In addition, the time of day (rush hour vs. overnight) and the day of the week (weekday school and work travel vs. weekends) will be taken into consideration in the process the meteorological team will use to name storms.This is an ambitious project. However, the benefits will be significant. Naming winter storms will raise the awareness of the public, which will lead to more pro-active efforts to plan ahead, resulting in less impact and inconvenience overall. Coordination and information sharing should improve between government organizations as well as the media, leading to less ambiguity and confusion when assessing big storms that affect multiple states. It will even make it easier and more efficient for social media to communicate information regarding the storm resulting in a better informed public. And, on the occasion that different storms are affecting separate parts of the country, naming storms will allow for clearer communications.Finally, it might even be fun and entertaining and that in itself should breed interest from our viewing public and our digital users.  For all of these reasons, the time is right to introduce this concept for the winter season of 2012-13.

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Ikea's Saudi Arabia Catalog Erases Women

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Women missing from Saudi Arabian Ikea mailer.

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By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times5:53 a.m. PDT, October 2, 2012The Ikea catalog distributed in Saudi Arabia is the same as in other countries except for what it's missing -- women.

The Swedish publication Metro has posted a comparison of the Saudi Arabian mailer and the Swedish version, showing that women present in the latter were missing from the former.

In one instance, a pajama-clad woman -- shown standing at a bathroom sink along with a man, young boy and toddler nearby -- was erased from the catalog distributed in the Arab nation, leaving just the three other people in the picture.


Saudi Arabia has been criticized for its treatment of women, who are not allowed to travel or study without male permission, and are expected to avoid driving.

Ikea Group, based in Sweden and the Netherlands, issued a statement saying the altered catalog clashes with its values.

The statement said the company supports "the fundamental human rights of all people" and does "not accept any kind of discrimination."

Ikea Saudi Arabia, the statement said, is run by a franchisee outside the Ikea Group.

"As a producer of the catalog, we regret the current situation," Ikea Group said. "We should have reacted to the exclusion of women from the Saudi Arabian version of the catalog since it does not align with the IKEA Group values."

The company continued: "We are now reviewing our routines to safeguard a correct content presentation from a values point of view in the different versions of the IKEA Catalog worldwide."

In Ikea Group's annual report for 2011, the company notes that societal changes, including "equal opportunities and revolutionary approaches to ensure the rights and protection of women and children," have shaped its products and values.

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In this photo provided by DISH, Glenn Beck, right, shows a diagram on his hand as he and Gov. Eliot Spitzer, left, square off at DISH's 'War of the Words' at the Fillmore on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/DISH, Chris Schneider) / AP

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Glenn Beck's empty SUV crashes in Finger Lakes

LODI, NY — Radio talk show host Glenn Beck’s family had a close call when their sport utility vehicle rolled down a steep hill in New York’s Finger Lakes region just after they had exited the SUV.
In an account of the mishap posted on Beck’s website, TheBlaze.com, he says he was hugging his newly married daughter as his wife got their young son out of the vehicle. They had just arrived at the cottage rented for the daughter’s wedding reception last weekend in Lodi on Seneca Lake. Beck says the SUV slid down the hill and overturned, coming to rest near the shoreline.
Photos on the website show the SUV with broken windows and damage to its passenger side.
The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office says the accident wasn’t reported to police in the county.

Rewired WiFi

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Fred Hartwell installs WiFi unit on Main Street lightpole  this afternoon
So after the spiffy new Cisco wireless routers were installed around town last month, IT Director Kris Pacunas noticed they were not performing up to promised specifications.  And when you are paying $75,000 for a new toy, promised specifications matter.

Cisco sent out a crew to try to bring the units up to speed, but could not make it happen.  Thus the town did what any consumer would do:  sent the items back for a full refund. 

The IT department then went into tech-geek mode and came up with their own "access point" gizmo's using component parts from a number of different manufacturers.  Now, according to Pacunas, the newest new system, using five antennas, is ten times faster, with three times the coverage, all for $43,000 or a 40% savings over the original system.

 Newest units could be painted black to match ornate poles in the downtown
The newest system also has "client link" (version 2.0) so it works well with smart phones and tablets, which more and more Americans use to access the Internet.

As of today 18 of the units have been installed and the entire system of 27 (possibly 28) units should be fully functioning by January 1st.  A Happy New Year indeed for all us Internet junkies. 

Hobart Show Down

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 Hobart Lane Gilreath Manor #28
Hobart Lane is already well known for the annual Hobart Hoedown, dating back over 20 years.  But the street immediately bordering UMass could easily have become forever burned into memory for a far more serious spectacle had the basement fire in an illegal bedroom at #28 Gilreath Manor on September 13th resulted in the deaths of residents, all of them UMass students.

Tomorrow night the Zoning Board of Appeals will hear an appeal from Grandonico Properties, LLC a "foreign limited liability company," meaning they are "organized under the laws of Delaware," the most lax state in our nation for protecting consumer rights (which is why all the credit card companies organize there).

The owners of Gilreath Manor wish to challenge the Building Commissioner's threat of fines for violating Amherst's 1990 zoning bylaw forbidding more than four unrelated occupants in a single family dwelling.  The town attorney has come down squarely on the side of the Building Commissioner with an unambiguous opinion:

"The property owner has been aware, or been made aware, of the multiple violations on the Property, and that further evidence may demonstrate that the owner authorized use of the dwelling units in excess of the allowed number of residents."

Attorney Joel Bard continues, skewering another of the landlord's defenses:  "The tenants rights of possession may not be asserted as a defense in order to insulate the property owner for liability for zoning violations on her property."

The Amherst Board of Health has NOT issued a variance for low ceilings in the basements at Gilreath Manor, so currently they can be used for nothing but storage or utility, not even for watching TV or doing homework on a computer station ... let alone sleeping.

On September 13, with inadequate fire protection and two bedrooms illegally crammed into unit #28, a disaster was narrowly averted.  Initially, town officials were slow to react to problems uncovered in the aftermath of the fire; I even went so far as to brand it a cover up.

But they seem to be fully on board now with making this a test case for the public good.

As President of the Board of Directors for the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, Kathryn Grandonico should be setting a positive example for all Amherst landlords to follow, not acting like a carpetbagger -- putting profits over public safety.

Emails Hannah, Town Officials

The Landlord Blinks

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 Gilreath Manor (3 buildings) Hobart Lane, Amherst

Based on new information -- the truth -- Grandonico Properties, LLC lawyer Lawrence Farber requested a last minute continuation at Thursday night's Zoning Board of Appeals hearing to appeal punitive fines issued by Building Commissioner Rob Morra for violation of the town's zoning by-law limiting unrelated housemates to four per single family dwelling.

For those of you who think fines do not make a difference in changing behavior, take note:  Commissioner Morra issue the first fine on Monday and they will accumulate at $100 per day, unless the ZBA (at that rescheduled meeting in mid January) overturns the decision of the Building Commissioner, a highly unlikely scenario.

According to Commissioner Morra:  "Mr. Farber is requesting a continuance which must be granted tonight by the ZBA after they open the hearing.  If granted, the fines will continue and, in my opinion, must be appealed to district court within 21 days.  It is also my opinion that the ZBA is ruling on the application of ZBL Section 11.45 in this case and not the fine itself which must be heard by the court – although I am aware that all may not agree with me."

The statement submitted by UMass Legal Services attorney Carol Booth clearly demonstrates a pattern of dishonest behavior by the owners of Gilreath Manor,  carefully designed to circumvent Amherst's zoning bylaw.


Kind of appropriate I guess, for a story that started with an illegal bedroom basement fire, ends with "A Smoking Gun."

Statements of student tenants submitted by Attorney Booth to ZBA

Assistance At The Top

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 DPW Director Guilford Mooring (left), Dave Ziomek (Rt) @ War Memorial Pool
Town Manager John Musante gave Dave Ziomek an early Christmas present with the announcement today that Mr. Ziomek will assume the role of Assistant Town Manager starting January 1, with a raise in pay from his current $89,126 up to $97,904, an increase of $8,778 or 9%.

Of course rank and file unions have settled for around 2%, and even the Town Manager only received a 1.5% raise back in October.   Although his current pay at $142,100 will be 40% higher than his new assistant and $25,000 higher than next highest paid department heads, police and fire chiefs.

The position of Assistant Town Manager is not a new one. Michael Letcher was Assistant Town Manager from 1983 until leaving in 1991. Then Town Manager Barry Del Castilho left the position vacant for budgetary reasons, and it stayed unfilled until Musante assumed the position under Town Manager Larry Shaffer.

When Town Manager John Musante was seriously injured in a fall last year, Dave Ziomek was appointed acting Town Manager by the Select Board in an emergency meeting, and served in that role for six weeks.

The Dr. Is, finally, In

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Atkinson Building, 17 Research Drive, Amherst
I first met Katherine J Atkinson (aka Dr. Kate), at a distance anyway, when she spoke before a packed church at a memorial service eight years ago for her Dad, Dr. Rollin Johnson, an orthopedic surgeon who gave a legion of patients, including me, a second chance at enjoying life via his gifted expertise with joint replacement.

The writer in me was struck by the unfairness of his sudden passing, only a year into a well-earned retirement.  His dutiful daughter directly addressed what a lot of us mourners were thinking, saying what we didn't  know is that her dad suffered a heart attack twenty years earlier, and fully recovered.

But, if he had succumbed then -- and not been able to help us overcome our debilitating ailments or to guide his daughter along the same path to becoming a healer -- that truly would have been the definition of "unfair."


So I find it both fitting and fair that after five l-o-n-g years of work, including contentious political debates before Amherst Town Meeting and the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Atkinson Building -- providing a new home to the Atkinson Family Practice --  would open for business less than a week before Christmas.

Amherst's very own, "Miracle On Research Drive."

The new building harnesses sustainable energy via solar panels on roof Ginger, the color coordinated therapy dogWith 3,500  patients, having ten examining rooms cuts down on waiting
A "Project of the Month"

Supreme Court Rulings Limit Options Of Gun-Control Task Force

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Washington, DC — The Obama administration’s high-level gun-control task force, established Wednesday, will be navigating tricky legal terrain reshaped by Supreme Court conservatives.

Some state and local gun-control measures already have died over the past four and a half years, done in by the high court’s 2008 ruling that recognized expansive constitutional protections for firearm ownership. Similar Second Amendment restraints will limit the ambitions of the Obama gun task force and its Capitol Hill counterparts.

“The Supreme Court has decided that the amendment confers a right to bear arms for self-defense, which is as important outside the home as inside,” Judge Richard Posner of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals noted in a ruling last week.

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Salisbury Middle 7th Grade Chorus Concert Dedicated To Families of Sandy Hook Elementary

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The Salisbury Middle School 7th Grade Chorus concert tonight will be dedicated to the families of Sandy Hook Elementary, with students and concertgoers signing a banner that will be sent to the town. A Salisbury Middle family has a personal connection to a family that lost someone in the Sandy Hook tragedy, and the school wanted to do something to show the Sandy Hook Elementary and Newtown, CT community that others care and are expressing sorrow for their losses.
Here is the other information on the concert:
Salisbury Middle School presents the 7th Grade Winter Chorus Concert, “North Pole Star,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20 in the school cafeteria. This musical is a spin on the popular reality TV show American Idol. The reindeer (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen) are competing for the coveted title of “North Pole Star.” With three distinguished judges as help, the audience will choose the winner. Tickets $1, sold at door. 410-677-5149, ext. 4777

Help Kick Khamenei Off of Facebook

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Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Roozbeh Farahanipour, an Iranian journalist, democracy activist, former political prisoner in Iran and head of Marze Por Gohar Party (MPG), an Iranian opposition party seeking the establishment of a secular republic in Iran.

FP: Roozbeh Farahanipour, welcome to Frontpage Interview.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s highest hard-line clerical leader, has started a Facebook page. You have, in turn, launched an online campaign to have him kicked off of Facebook, circulating a diagram that includes step-by-step directions in English and Persian on how to report the page to Facebook. I would like to talk to you about this today.
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GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY CONGRATULATES SENATOR MIKULSKI ON APPOINTMENT AS CHAIR OF APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

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ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 20, 2012) - Governor Martin O’Malley today released the following statement on Senator Barbara Mikulski becoming the first woman to chair the Senate Appropriations Committee:
"Senator Mikulski is the perfect choice to Chair the Senate Appropriations Committee. She is one of the most effective Senators ever to serve in the U.S. Senate Chamber, and we in Maryland know firsthand her commitment to creating jobs, expanding opportunity, protecting the safety and security of Maryland’s families, and protecting our quality of life. There is no one better to continue Senator Inouye’s legacy.

We are very proud that she will be the first woman ever to serve as Chair of this prestigious committee."

Police: 46K+ Assault Weapons Legally Registered In Md.

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Maryland State Police told the 11 News I-Team that there are more than 46,719 assault weapons legally registered in Maryland, a statistic the I-Team asked for in light of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

The 46,719 assault weapons represent about 6 percent of the more than 771,000 registered firearms in Maryland.

Many are arguing that the assault weapons are so lethal and capable of killing and harming so many at one time that there is no good reason for them to be legally available at all, while others disagree.
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Do Over?

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 Scott Brown could put his left over campaign paraphernalia to good use
President Obama may has just given the GOP an early Christmas present if reports coming out in reliable mainstream media are true, that Massachusetts Senator John Kerry will become the next Secretary of State. 

Yes, Governor Patrick could stack the deck somewhat by appointing a real contender to occupy Kerry's senate seat rather than just a warm body term-limited to the day of the special election, as was done when Senator Kennedy died.

And look how well that turned out for the democratic party.

When it comes to special elections, Scott Brown has already accomplished the unthinkable -- snatching the throne occupied by a political deity for almost fifty years. 

Obviously in his recent farewell address, Scott Brown all but announced a return to the campaign trail:  "Depending on what happens, and where we go, all of us, we may obviously meet again."

A lot sooner than most democrats expected, obviously.

Top 10 Real Estate Gurus I'd have a BEER with!

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As I was starting out in real estate investing, I took the grand tour of the usual seminars, workshops, boot camps and REIA clubs. Webinars were not around and the internet was just grabbing our attention. I had the benefit of helping run the Miami Real Estate Investor's Association MREIA which provided us the conduit for all the Real Estate Gurus that were currently HOT at the time and are still going strong today.

I am creating this TOP 10 blog list for the benefit of people that are coming into the business and need some guidance. Some are local to Miami, Florida and some national.

Again, this is only my opinion and you may disagree with me and that's OK. Please forgive me if I leave someone out of the list but I am providing the names that taught or brought us into their inner circle of influence.

Here goes:

1. WOW, what can I say about Preston? I met Preston Ely in New Orleans but we didn't know each other. We know each other through Freedom$soft affiliate campaigns but if I ran into him on the street, I don't think he would recognize me. That's OK because he is an awesome internet marketer whose niche is real estate investing! I like his style and his humor. He goes against the grain but it works. I enjoy his outlook on life and business acumen. He is refreshing and made me a lot of money! That is why he is number one on the list.

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2. Mike Collins invited me to a Tampa workshop on real estate investing years ago. Mike was one of the first gurus to adopt the internet as part of his business. I drove up to Tampa Florida for the weekend and attended the event. I learned more about investing and realized that I had to adopt the internet as a channel for marketing my properties and business. Michael and his staff were very fourth coming with information about real estate investing and made me feel like I was very important to his success.

   Over the years I have seen Mike Collins speak at various real estate events and never lost that feeling that he was someone with a special gift of sharing his wealth of knowledge.

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3. I sat right next to Sam Bell in New Orleans in the front row. Same place I met Preston Ely. I like to think that I knew everyone that was a player in the real estate investing world but I didn't know Sam. He was quiet and didn't say much but we did introduce ourselves by the end of the event. Next time I saw Sam was in Tampa, Florida and to my surprise he was presenting. Man did he surprise me! He delivered BIG TIME. He combined hardcore internet marketing with Real Estate Investing. Every time I listen to him I learn something new. You have to place him on your blog reading list! You won't be disappointed. Light years ahead of me.

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4. Pete Youngs was the first guy I ever saw when I decided to start my real estate investing business. I started out as a rehabber and Pete was the guru's guru when it came to rehabbing houses. He was one of the very first GURU presenters with almost all the real estate investing clubs. I always enjoyed his rehabbing stories and his sense of humor. Also, due to his broad footprint among the real estate investment community, Pete would always have great investment deals or opportunities for his inner circle.

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5. Josh Cantwell is fairly new to my sphere of real estate gurus. I just finished an affiliate campaign in December 2010 with Preston Ely (See #1) and was still fired up about the campaign even though it was over. I received an email from Britt Walker (great contact for affiliate campaigns) who was promoting Josh's "Instant Cash Infusion" product. I said what the hell, since I trusted Britt. Wow, I was impressed! Josh's foreclosure system content was really fresh with current market trends. Home foreclosures vary from state to state but Josh and lawyer Jeff Watson seemed to be on top of their game concerning nationwide foreclosures. Check them out, you'll learn something.

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6. I have been working with Paul Woods since I started this business. Paul is a real estate attorney that has spoken at our real estate investment club many times. His strengths are Asset Protection using the Florida Land Trust and foreclosure defense. When building your team for real estate investing you must have an attorney that knows the legal structures (example: Florida Land Trusts) and contacts associated with real estate investing for your protection and success. Paul is your man!

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7. I met Joel Bauer at an information seminar in Broward, Florida. You know, Fort Lauderdale, college..etc. From my understanding Joel does not come out to the east coast (USA that is...) often so I decided to catch his presentation. He is not a real estate guru but was considered a Info. Marketer. I always want to get ideas about how I can enhance my marketing skills so off to see Joel. It was the fastest workshop I ever attended. He crammed more information into one day than anyone else I ever saw. I thought he was a little strange at first but this was part of his presentation. He kept it real and didn't sugar coat anything. I learned about photo and video editing, business card development, testimonial development, on and on and on...I was very impressed and would see him again in a heartbeat. He's different but that is what I like about him. Never boring and you never know what to expect. Either you like him or you don't. There is no middle of the road with Joel. Pure Energy! He brings it...Baby!

   ---

8. Wayne Wagie is a different kind of real estate guru. He looks at the deal without money by negotiating the deal with the exchange of assets and or terms. Usually no money exchanges hands or very little. He runs a group called the "The Greater Miami Real Estate Exchangors (GMREE)" which meets weekly in Miami-Dade, Florida to discuss different strategies of exchanging real estate. You can exchange a piece of land for a boat or a car. Swap a house in Hawaii for one in South Beach, Florida. Create a note on your property and exchange the note for a percentage of another deal. Wayne teaches you to view and negotiate the deal using NO CASH! Awesome concepts! Check him and his group out.

   ---

9. Paul J. DaCosta runs the Port Charlotte Real Estate Investor's Association on the Gulf Coast of Florida. When I first went to the meeting, I didn't know anyone but Paul had me introduce myself and the rest is history. He has spoken at MREIA several times about real estate investing. Paul is an investor, speaker, author, blogger, internet marketer and is very generous with his time. Paul makes you feel welcome into his social community and if you are ever on the Gulf Coast of Florida make sure you catch Paul at one of his meetings in Port Charlotte, Florida. Right down or across Rt. 75. You won't regret that you did!

   ---

10. Last but not least, Donna Bauer is the first lady on our list. Donna is a real estate guru specializing in purchasing real estate notes. She was one of the first speakers I asked to present at MREIA since my first deal was a note purchase for 15 condo units. Controlling paper on a property is a great strategy for controlling an asset without managing the property. No cleaning toilets for me! She has a wealth of contacts and knowledge for anyone starting out in this business and wants to learn a very unique strategy of real estate investing.

    ---

Whew, that took me a long time to put together. There are so many gurus out there that it was difficult to narrow down the people who taught me the business. I Thank all of You!

Now it is your turn! Do you have a real estate investing guru that made a difference in your life? Please tell us about HIM or HER in the comment section below.

Written by Bob Burns.
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	Sweet...... MREIA's President Telephone #: 305-300-6242 email: rkburns@investmentpropertiesmiamiflorida.com MREIA's Web Page: www.miamireia.com

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Why aren't Your Real Estate Taxes reduced when Property Values are Down? Time for Tax Appeal!

To contact us Click HERE
It is that time of year again! Every year counties within the United States issue their real estate tax bill to commercial and residential property owners. These funds are used for various line items of the county's budget. Your tax bill is based on the assessed value of the asset according to the tax assessor's evaluation of the properties contained within in the county (Using Arial Photos). It is also based on the last purchase price that you paid for the property.

In case you didn't notice but A LOT of people purchased properties at the height of the market. Did the counties care if you did that? Noooooo....the more you pay for the asset, the more taxes they collect. But what investors didn't count on was the market tanked and property values dropped like a rock in some parts of the country. Unfortunately that included Florida, mainly Broward and Dade counties.

So here you are, holding onto a property and paying taxes (pre-bubble burst) on a property that lost at least half of its value or more! Does the county government care about this? Nooooooo....If they did, there would be less revenue for the county coffers. So what can we do as property owners?

No Taxation without Representation!

Luckily for us our founding forefathers saw this happening too! This great country of ours was founded on tax revolt. They made sure our representatives are held accountable for their actions. So, most counties have made provisions in the municipal code to allow tax payers to appeal their accessed property values. There is a small window, yes I mean SMALL, during the calendar year where you can file the proper documents with the county to ask for a reduction. Now don't get me wrong, the county is not going to give up. They will fight you. You better be able to prove that you are being over taxed!

As a real estate investor, I don't relish the thought of doing this every year for the rest of my life for various reasons:

1. Time consuming.
2. Need proper documentation.
3. Dealing with government employees.
4. Traffic.
5. Parking Fees.
6. And on and on...

I leave that up to EXPERIENCED professionals. Let them hassle with this process. The advantages are:

1. They know the proper filing dates.
2. They are experienced.
3. They know the proper documents to file.
4. Familiar with the tax appeal system.
5. They only get paid if you win the appeal.
6. The asset looks attractive to other investors.
7. Nice profit windfall for investors. Found Money...Yeah Baby!

Now is the time to start considering how you can increase your cash flows on your real estate investment portfolio. Remember, the window for filing your real estate tax appeal is small so start considering your options NOW!

Do you have any experience with the tax appeal process that you would like to share with us?

Related Links, Blog Postings, Presentations or Articles:

• Update #1: After I wrote this posting, I started looking for a Real Estate Tax Reduction Specialist because current properties are severely over assessed. Here is a company that has been successfully appealing commercial property taxes for 21 years:
  Real Estate Associates - www.realestateassoc.net

• Update #2: RETA does residential and commercial. However many Homes are protected by the Save Our Homes Amendment and Homestead exemptions. Therefore the Taxable value maybe lower than the Market or Assessed value. Please send us your properties Folio Number and we will let you know if a reduction is possible.

Written by Bob Burns.
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	"God Bless!" MREIA's President Telephone #: 305-300-6242 email: rkburns@investmentpropertiesmiamiflorida.com MREIA's Web Page: www.miamireia.com

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Landlords, use HUD's Housing Quality Standards Checklist for your Section 8 property inspections.

To contact us Click HERE

HUD's Section 8 department has a program called the Housing Choice Voucher Program. This is the most popular of all the available programs Section Eight or Plan Ocho provides.

There are three parties involved when a voucher transaction occurs:

 

1. The Property Owner or Land Lord.
2. The County's Section 8 representatives.
3. Tenant or Voucher Holder.

Each side has different responsibilities to allow and maintain the rental agreement. I intend to discuss each party's responsibilities over time but today I am reviewing the Land Lord's.

As you may know or may not, HUD has a list of HUD's HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS CHECKLIST. Before a Tenant can move into a property, HUD must perform an inspection of the UNIT (rental property). A HUD certified inspector and the Land Lord schedule an appointment to inspect the UNIT (rental property). The inspection entails checking:

• Mechanical.
• Plumbing.
• The UNIT's Interior.
• The UNIT's Exterior.
• Stairways.
• Other.

For more inspection details, make sure you visit our HUD's HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS CHECKLIST page.

If you should fail the initial inspection, the Land Lord has 15 days to correct the all the faults discovered by the HUD inspector and reschedule.

After you pass HUD's initial inspection, your potential Section 8 Tenant can move in after their paper work has been processed.

HUD is not finished!!!!!

In addition to the initial check, HUD performs a yearly inspection of the UNIT and provides their findings to the Tenant and Land Lord. Each violation will be accountable to either the Tenant or Land Lord. The letter will mention what date these violations must be corrected to avoid further action by the Housing Authority.

From my experience with my own properties, I only failed a HUD inspection once and that was beyond my control (hurricane damage).

Do you have any experiences with Section Eight or Plan 8 inspections that you would like to share with us?

Related Blog Postings, Presentations or Articles:

• Section 8 slide show presentation for Land Lords.

Written by Bob Burns.
####
	"Dale!" MREIA's President Telephone #: 305-300-6242 email: rkburns@investmentpropertiesmiamiflorida.com MREIA's Web Page: www.miamireia.com

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Florida's Hurricane Season and FEMA's Hurricane Preparedness Widget

To contact us Click HERE

Florida's Hurricane Season

One of the biggest pains being a real estate investor in Florida is getting prepared for Hurricane Season. Due to the amount of work, we wait to the last minute before placing the hurricane shutters onto our rental property's windows.

As a result of waiting, problems are going to arise like:

 

• Going to Home Depot.
• Gathering Supplies, if available like:
  • Make sure you buy gloves PLEASE. I can't count the times we have been hurt just because we don't have gloves on.
  • Sun Block, Hats, Sunglasses, etc. Florida SUN is brutal. I find that the weather is beautiful just before the storm arrives. Sort of like "The calm before the storm."
  • Buy Wasp spray! As you are installing shutters on the second floor of your investment property you will find out why you need the spray! The EASY way or the HARD way.
  • A SPEED tool that allows you to secure the screws or wing nuts onto the shutter. You will thank me later!
  • Ladders of various sizes. Buy at least one that adjusts to 40 feet made out of fiberglass, NOT ALUMINUM. Why? Hint: High tension electrical cables.
  • Chain Saw and gas for cutting tree branches away from the property and for use after the storm.
• Waiting in long checkout lines.
• Loading tools and supplies onto your vehicle. Like getting your ladders onto the truck.
• Driving to the property! OK for local properties but what if the asset is in another county? At one point I had several properties in Sarasota, Broward, Miami Beach and Miami-Dade.
• Traffic – People getting out of the storm's path.
• Finding HELP! Try installing these shutters alone! Now try it on 15 other properties. See what I mean.

You are going to work harder than you ever did before. You' ll be so tired that you want the storm to blow away your portfolio of rental properties so you won't have to ever do this again.

At last the second, the storm veer's and never arrives.

You see how crazy it can get?

Oh, by the way, if for some reason you didn't get the shutters up on time and there is damage as a result of the storm, the insurance company will not pay. Just thought I would mention that!

FEMA Hurricane Preparedness Widget

One of the reason I was inspired to write this post, I found a little widget from FEMA that provides you information about getting prepared for the hurricane season or any other disaster. I have installed this widget on all my sites to help my readers make informed decisions. See the widget sample below.

Related Links, Blog Postings, Presentations or Articles:

• See our new Section 8 or Plan 8 Miami Florida Blog. A Section 8 or Plan 8 blog for real estate investors and tenants in Miami Florida. This blog is designed to provide content for real estate investors, landlords and potential tenants who wish to participate in the HUD program.

Written by Bob Burns.

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Post Up! Real Estate Investor Telephone #: 305-300-6242 email: sec8@planocho.com

Our Internet Footprint:

Every Parent's Nightmare

To contact us Click HERE

Buses wait for their precious cargo at Crocker Farm School


Details are sketchy at the moment but we do know that an Amherst Middle School child was struck by a vehicle upon exiting a school bus near the Fort River School on South East Street at approximately 2:47 pm Friday.

Amherst police and fire personnel swiftly made the scene and the child was taken to Bay State Medical in Springfield as opposed to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton (usually indicating serious injury, but in this case simply precautionary).

Amherst School Superintendent Maria Geryk sent me this statement early Friday evening.

MassLive reports 

##### UPDATE (Saturday 7:15 pm)
I had forgotten that I broke the story three-and-a-half years ago about the DA finding no criminal negligence with the bus driver in that stunningly sad story of a child dying under the wheels of an Amherst school bus.  Although that horrific scenario flashed through my mind instantly yesterday when I first heard dispatch vectoring emergency personnel to S. E. Street for what was originally reported as a bus hitting a child.

He Said, She Said

To contact us Click HERE
The accidental Sunday fire, caused by careless disposal of a cigarette,  killed two; the next day Gregory Levey purposely immolated himself in town center using two gallons of turpentine
The 911 call came in early Sunday morning at 6:21 a.m. while most of Amherst was still fast asleep.  Smoke was billowing from the roof of a large two family dwelling on North Pleasant Street on the northern outskirts of town center, the kind of report -- called a "box alarm" -- that gets the undivided attention of emergency dispatch, who then instantly radios APD and AFD.
 284 North Pleasant Street
Despite the desperate attempts of first responders to quell the flames,  two students died from smoke inhalation.  The house was divided into two apartment units, each with six occupants, a violation of Amherst's zoning ordinance limiting unrelated tenants to only four.

Additionally the attic, where the deaths occurred, had been turned into bedrooms without a second means of egress, a clear violation of building safety codes.   

That was February 17, 1991.  Fast forward to September 19, 2012: A fire starts in an (illegal) basement bedroom apartment at #28 Gilreath Manor on Hobart Lane, quite possibly due to an overloaded electrical circuit.  Fortunately the blaze starts near high noon rather than late at night, so it is quickly extinguished by AFD.
 Gilreath Manor, Hobart Lane, Amherst
The basements are not zoned as a sleeping space, do not have an approved second means of escape and some lacked working smoke detectors.

Later that day town authorities receive an email and phone calls from residents concerned that building owner Grandonico Properties, LLC systematically wants students to hide evidence of illegal basement bedrooms from town inspectors.

Town officials keep the matter quiet (this is after all Amherst, where even the H is silent), but managed to get Grandonico to make basic safety upgrades to all the units. 

But now Grandonico Properties is fighting an official order from Building Commissioner Rob Morra to cease and desist renting to more than four unrelated tenants, a violation of town zoning bylaw.  The owners response mimics the three monkeys:   see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.

In other words, it's all the students' fault.  Grandonico only allows four tenants to sign the lease, therefore they cannot be legally held responsible if more than that occupy the space.

Interestingly, however, their lease states:  "Any payment not received from a Lessee shall only be accepted, if at all, on behalf of the Lessees and shall not constitute any relationship or tenancy with said party."  In other words, we will take the money but the look the other way from who may be contributing to the final amount.

In an official response to the Building Commissioner's order, Grandonico Properties, LLC is taking the matter to the Zoning Board of Appeals on December 20 ... Unfortunately when UMass is on break, thus making it unlikely students will come testify about what they were told by the owners when first signing a lease.

Even more interesting, the owners are trying to force the "legal" residents to sign a statement "under the pains and penalties of perjury" that they are the only occupants authorized to live in said premises. 

Since Building Commissioner Morra has yet to actually issue a fine to Grandonico Properties, it's unclear what legal standing can be created by the Zoning Board of Appeals, as only Amherst Town Meeting can modify or change the four unrelated tenants bylaw.  And an appeal of a monetary fine would go before a judge in District Court.

The permits acquired when the basement egress windows were installed were for an occupied space to be used as a study or entertainment room not a bedroom.  Thus the owners may not find the Zoning Board overly sympathetic to their cause. 

Either way, Grandonico Properties should have realized they got off easy.  What if that blaze on September 19, 2012 had been a replay of the tragic 2/19/91 fire?  They would now be facing jail time.

Obviously somebody has failed to learn from history.