ARA) – The countdown to the holidays is on and we all have a lot of shopping to do. Johnny wants a new videogame system, and his sister Sarah says she’s going to be devastated if she doesn’t get a pair of Kenneth Cole boots. Your parents have needed a digital camera for a while now and you’ve vowed to find a good one for them.

Holiday shopping can be a stressful time for frazzled consumers with little or no time to shop as they face the daunting task of finding — and purchasing — the perfect gift. Sure, buying online is a timesaver, but it can also further complicate the matter. After making the purchase, you also have to deal with shipping charges, accuracy issues, timeliness and potentially discovering that the perfect gift is on backorder until 2008. So what’s a person to do?

Now there’s an option available that offers the best of both worlds. NearbyNow is a new online service that empowers shoppers by letting them check store inventory in 10 minutes or less at shopping malls in more than 130 cities from the Internet or mobile phone, and even reserve products for pick up before heading out the door.

The service is the brainchild of Scott Dunlap, from Los Altos, Calif., who says he developed the product search for “quite selfish” reasons. “One afternoon, while stuck in the mall as my wife tried to find a pair of boots, I realized I could develop a program that would make these trips more efficient,” says the founder of NearbyNow, Inc.

Here’s how the service works: Consumers log on to www.nearbynow.com from their home computer, find their local mall and select the “Product Search” button to navigate through the process. If they want to buy Kenneth Cole boots, for example, they type “Kenneth Cole boots” in the search box, and all retailers in the mall who has the shoes in stock will be listed. A customer can then click on a particular shoe, see the details, use the ‘check availability’ feature and “reserve” the product on-line for pickup at the mall. NearbyNow contacts the store, reserves the product, and sends the customer a confirming e-mail. Shoppers can also send an SMS text message to NEARBY (632729) to get connected to the service at their local mall.

Gretchen Mathews of Portola Valley, Calif., found the site by chance one day and has already used it a couple of times to reserve an item online. She says it’ll be a real time saver this holiday season. “I’m a busy person and my shopping strategy has always been to preview and reserve items online before heading to the store. I used to have to log on to several different store Web sites to do that, but now I can search the whole mall from one place. It’s a fabulous tool,” she says.

“Shoppers call our service ‘Google for malls’ because they can search every brand, product, and sale at the mall,” says Dunlap. “It is the most stress-free way to shop your local mall. It’s what holiday shopping should be all about — convenience.”

If you agree, be sure to log on to www.nearbynow.com before heading out the door.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

NearbyNow is headquartered in Los Altos, CA. Additional information can be obtained by phone at (650) 947-1300 or via the Web at www.nearbynow.com.

(ARA) – Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your … computer chips? That’s right, this year the National Christmas Tree will have lamps fitted with tiny computer chips that release multi-colored light — called LEDs (light emitting diodes) — the latest in energy efficient lighting. The effect will create a tree that’s brilliantly different than the traditional incandescent lights … and more than a hundred times more energy efficient.

As planning began for the 2007 tree, officials from the White House and the National Park Service asked GE to look into the possibility of adding LEDs in this year’s design. “LEDs are becoming the first choice for so many people who want long lasting, beautiful and energy efficient lighting in their homes. It’s only natural that we should have it for our holiday tree, too,” says Kathy Presciano, lighting designer for the National Tree, who works for GE Consumer & Industrial. “This year, we’ve produced a GE 26-light string that we believe will fit the bill. It should save the government over 120 watts of energy for every string of lights.”

An Experiment in Savings

Traditionally, the National Christmas Tree holds 500 strings of incandescent lights, not counting the topper. This year, in keeping with GE’s commitment to eco-friendly initiatives, the company decided a more earth-friendly design was needed, replacing those bulbs with multicolored LEDs. In addition to the tremendous energy savings, LEDs have nearly 20 times the life of a traditional, incandescent lamp, meaning these lights can be used year after year.

“We’ll have to make adjustments as we go to get the right number of strings on the tree, and the right level of brightness. But once we do, we will establish a new tradition of energy conservation for the National Tree, and a template we can use for years to come,” Presciano says.

Innovation Behind the Scenes

Planning for this year’s tree began almost as soon as last year’s tree was taken down — a typical timeline regardless of the lighting technology. Presciano began conceptualizing this tree and putting together preliminary drawings as early as January.

That much lead-time is necessary because, once approved, the tree’s ornaments need to be fabricated. This year’s tree will feature approximately 125 red bows that are 26 inches high and nearly 20 inches wide. Fabrication of the ornaments is donated by SABIC Innovative Plastics, located in Pittsfield, Mass. SABIC used Lexan polycarbonate sheet for the ornaments because it is resistant to sun and impact, and works well in outdoor lighted sign applications. The red shiny garland, all 1,000 feet of it — will feature red LED lights, too.

While this year’s topper will be the same 42-inch, three-dimensional star design used last year, it will be refabricated for the 2007 season using GE’s Tetra Power White LEDs. Sold primarily to industrial sign makers, this LED is 15 times brighter than the standard LED. When completed, this topper is intended to be an “heirloom” topper, which can be used year after year.

Looking to the Future

“LEDs are becoming more and more popular because they last much longer and are extremely energy efficient,” Presciano says. For instance, one 26-lamp string of traditional lights lasts 1,000 hours and burns at 125 watts. The same size string in LED lasts 20,000 hours and burns at 2.3 watts. One set of LED lights costs only ten cents of electricity to run all season, she adds.

Presciano is excited about the road ahead. “This is a time of bold new frontiers in eco-friendly lighting. We’re proud to bring those innovations to light on the National Tree.” For more information on how you can use eco-friendly lighting technology in your home, visit www.gelighting.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – Predicting the future of the dollar is about as reliable as forecasting the weather by licking your index finger and holding it up to the wind. There’s no disputing that the dollar’s devaluation abroad will have far-reaching impact here at home. But will all the news be bad?

Not necessarily, says financial expert Stephen H. Watkins.

Watkins is the chief executive officer of Entrex, whose Private Company Index tracks the performance of privately held American companies. While the dollar has lost about 60 percent of its value since 2001, the PCI private companies have experienced near 50 percent growth in each of last two years, he points out. And the dollar’s dropping value could actually bode even more positive for these private American companies.

“The math is very simple,” Watkins says. As the dollar continues to lose value, products imported into America from overseas will cost more than products made domestically. As the cost of imported goods continues to rise, so will consumer demand for lower-priced American-made products, he says. Likewise, demand will grow abroad for American-made products which will be perceived as cheaper by foreign markets.

“That means American companies will need to hire more workers to keep pace with growing consumer demand from both here and abroad,” Watkins points out. And job growth equates to economic growth.

“All of which, in the end, brings equilibrium over time,” he says. “It’s a function of developing nations versus developed, and it is all cyclical.”

Meanwhile, private companies are growing and hiring. The Private Company Index grew 10.5 percent overall in October, while last quarter these companies grew on average by 9 full time employees – a 33 percent increase from the second quarter. More than 24 million private companies operate in the United States, ranging in size from micro and local businesses to expanding regional or national operations.

“Domestic, private companies will be hiring to fill demand,” Watkins predicts. “Public companies are simply not that reactive to such swings. Private companies will build and create around opportunities that are short term, meaning three to 10 years.”

Ultimately, Watkins says, the falling dollar will give new life to the concept of “buy American.”

“It’s a patriotic concept that also benefits the economy.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Our goal is to provide community businesses and residents with a low cost way to advertise and be seen by many people in and around our growing area. Now with our City Guide Site businesses can finally get the exposure they deserve.

We invite you to use Garner’s Event Calendar, it’s also free, “list your events” -Crafts, Government, Charity, Sports, Holiday, Business, Church, Theater, Party, Networking. Lots of things happening in Garner NC- List Your Business Today!

Garnernc-online.com, local city guide, business directory and free classifieds is locally operated by Judy’s Wholesale Retail in Raleigh NC and Garner NC, we have been in the online information business for five years. We started managering garnernc-online.com in march 2007 offering businesses in our local area a directory that concentrate all our resources on their business needs at an affordable yearly fee.

We realize that all businesses need to advertise to keep a steady customer base and every dollar counts. Garner NC Online can publish your business listing and website for one year for less than a weekly or bi-weekly print ad in your local print media. GARNER NC ONLINE.COM is a valuable keyword search directory that gives you the ability to access local Garner businesses and online business information including maps, links to featured businesses, valuable information and resources like Schools, Churches, City and County governments, news and classifieds ads. List your business, job or your items for sell for free. For more info check our contact us page and send us an e-mail or call us.

Garner NC Classifieds and Business Directory

Turkey Tuesday 

Tuesday, November  20th

5:30am-10:00am 

State Farmers Market- Exit 297 off I40

Join the  Qcrew (94.7 WQDR’s Morning Show) Tuesday morning broadcasting live from the State Farmer’s Market Restaurant. Your donation to the NC Food Bank gets you an early Thanksgiving Turkey feast with all the fixins! So stop by with your non-perishable food donation to help feed hungry triangle families this holiday season.  State Farmers Market –Open 7 Days a Week! It’s Got to Be NC!

In the update of property values, some owners will see a big jump in value. That might mean higher taxes

RALEIGH – When Joseph Huberman’s county property tax revaluation comes in the mail this week, he will have only himself to blame for the escalating value of his 77-year-old Boylan Heights home.

Huberman bought the house in 1978 for $24,000. As of Monday, revenue department assessors will appraise his home at $365,000 — a 1,421 percent return on his original investment and a 65 percent jump since 2000, when Wake last had a countywide revaluation.

“We worked hard for this,” said Huberman, a sculptor who has remodeled his home over the years.

Many of Huberman’s neighbors will see even larger gains. On average, the value of houses in his historic neighborhood just west of downtown rose 115 percent over the past seven years — a rate three times the county average.

This week, Wake residents will receive written notices of the increased values of their land, homes and commercial property.

The notices that will be mailed to 311,212 property owners Tuesday are not bills. Taxes paid using the new, higher values won’t be assessed until fall 2008.

The increases for most homes will be in line with past reappraisal cycles in Wake County. But many homeowners are likely to suffer some sticker shock when they see how much their properties have jumped in value over the past seven years.

On average, the value of the county’s real estate parcels increased by about 43 percent. The combined value of residential lots and homes went up about 38 percent, a little below the overall average.

Because the county appraises real estate using recent property sales, areas where the property market has seen the most recent activity will show the largest increases. Those include neighborhoods inside the Raleigh Beltline and in once-rural towns that have sprouted into commuter suburbs.

Urban homesteaders

When Huberman bought his first Boylan Heights house, it wouldn’t have appeared on anyone’s list of hot properties. Much of the neighborhood consisted of rundown rental houses, the larger ones partitioned into cheap apartments.

The rock-bottom prices attracted artists, musicians and young professionals such as Charles Meeker, a young lawyer and future mayor. These urban homesteaders worked together to buy dilapidated houses, rehabilitate them and sell them.

“Our goal was to take the worst house on the block and make it the best house on the block,” Huberman said. “Over the course of about 10 years, we really turned the neighborhood around.”

He stopped selling in 1988 because sale prices were climbing. He feared people like him would be priced out and Boylan Heights would lose the diversity that first attracted him to the eclectic neighborhood.

Now he keeps three homes as rental properties. Some of his tenants have gone on to buy homes in the neighborhood.

“I’m really pleased that the area is improving,” Huberman said. “And I know that’s part of the cost of living in a nicer area. The values go up. Now we’re reaping both the advantages and disadvantages.”

Average tax bill rises

Property owners won’t be able to calculate exactly what they will pay in 2008 taxes until the county commissioners set the tax rate for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

Wake’s current rate, 67.4 cents for each $100 of assessed property value, is almost sure to decline with the reappraisal.

State law requires local governments to make public what tax rate would be required to raise the same amount of money from property taxes after a revaluation as the year before. Wake predicts this “revenue-neutral” tax rate for 2008 will be 53 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Read More:News & Observer

“I have a 31-step process. I shampoo seats, do the dashboard with Q-tips,

If you are planning on beginning a business, your best bet is to start out

ARA) – The individual Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), implemented in 1969, is a parallel income tax system that was created to prevent 155 wealthy Americans from aggressively using tax credits, deductions, and legal tax shelters as tools to help them avoid having to pay federal income tax. The idea was simple: Create a minimum tax that ensured everyone pays Uncle Sam his due.

Fast forward to present day and you’ll find millions of middle-income Americans are now getting snared by the AMT. The main reason the AMT now reaches into the pockets of the middle-class is because regular income tax brackets are indexed for inflation but the AMT thresholds are not. The result has been the steady expansion of households who find themselves hit by the AMT — especially households with a large number of children, education credits, residential energy credit and/or state and local taxes.

Why haven’t Americans been clamoring for an immediate overhaul to the AMT? Thus far, the full effects of the AMT have been deferred by Congress enacting a series of temporary patches — boosting the amount of the AMT exemption.

The last temporary fix to increase the exemption, however, expired at the end of 2006. If Congress fails to ratify another provisional one-year increase in the next few months, the number of households paying the AMT will escalate exponentially from approximately 4 million in 2006 to nearly 23 million for 2007.

To determine if a taxpayer owes tax under the AMT, filers must calculate their taxes under both the regular tax and AMT systems — making the “Alternative Minimum Tax” tax a bit of a misnomer considering taxpayers must pay the higher of the two. The biggest factor impacting AMT filers is that they are no longer eligible to claim certain deductions and exemptions (i.e. education credits, child care credits, and the deduction for state and local taxes).

Sound complicated? It can be if taxpayers don’t plan ahead and use the tools that are available to them as a significant portion of taxpayers may be surprised when they are suddenly hit with a big tax bill, plus possible penalties come next April. Some planning tools are even free, such as the tool offered by 2nd Story Software, Inc., makers of the popular tax program TaxACT.

“It seems unlikely that lawmakers will fail to pass another patch to serve as a quick fix to hold down the reach of the AMT. Guessing wrong, however, could prove costly. Unfortunately, there are a vast number of factors that will trigger the alternative tax for any given taxpayer,” says Stephanie Behrends, spokeswoman for 2nd Story Software.

“TaxACT Preview is a taxpayer’s ally, allowing users to perform what-if scenarios to determine their estimated tax liability,” she says. “Users simply need to step through the TaxACT interview entering their forecasted income and deductions for the tax year by answering simple questions in layman’s terms. TaxACT simultaneously calculates your projected tax with the regular tax system and the AMT system based on the taxpayer’s tax bracket and the most recent tax information available.”

Visitors need only to complete the site’s free online registration to gain access to TaxACT’s Online Deluxe Preview version. The tools available at www.taxact.com allow users to generate a forecasted federal and state income tax refund or liability amount – which will provide valuable insight into their tax situation. Once the final version of TaxACT releases in early January 2008, users can easily finalize their tax return and print and/or e-file their federal tax return for just $9.95.

Do you have more questions regarding the AMT and how it may impact you? More information is available at www.IRS.gov — just enter keyword “AMT” or “Alternative Minimum Tax”.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – Do you still dream of exploring the world? Maybe seeing other places excites you or learning about other cultures gives you a better understanding of yourself and your place in the world. If you’ve always wanted to travel more, make 2008 the year it happens by choosing a career that will take you there … and there are endless opportunities. You could teach English as a second language (ESL), join the Peace Corps, work on a cruise ship, be a travel writer or photographer, or choose a career that embraces a little of each of these.

“Tour directing is a great career for people who have a passion for travel and interacting with people,” comments Ted Bravos, cofounder of the International Tour Management Institute (ITMI), a state-certified school that since 1976 has trained individuals to become professional tour directors and guides. Bravos is active in the field that he teaches and just returned from leading a 3-week African Safari for the Smithsonian Institute. “It really is a job that presents endless opportunities for making a difference and creating incredible memories. It’s great for those who are truly young at heart and who want an adventure that lasts a lifetime.”

Tour directors have the option to work as little or as much as they please. Whatever fits your lifestyle, it can be a full, part-time or seasonal job. “You have the opportunity to work in a variety of destinations,” adds Bravos. “This might mean leading tours in a different country or in the city where you live. No matter where you’re located, you are goodwill ambassadors to visitors from around the world.”

Eric Kipp used to lead hiking groups in Hawaii and then entered the corporate world. He found himself always telling stories of his experiences during business meetings and decided that he should rediscover this passion. He now works as a tour director around his other passion, being a corporate life coach. He recently spent the summer leading groups in Alaska.

“There is no way to get to know a location better than leading a group,” says Kipp. “I led 16 groups over four months. I was able to explore national parks and build lasting relationships with other tour directors and my groups.”

Kipp’s dream for the future is to lead small groups on sailing vessels in the Caribbean. “I have the idea and the dream, and they (ITMI) gave me the tools to do it.”

Tour directing can be lucrative as well, paying $200 to $300 per day, plus all expenses. Many popular travel trends include student and youth travel, adventure travel, and intergenerational tours where children, parents and grandparents travel together.

ITMI prepares students in a 15-day intensive training program. Students learn about the tour and travel industry through practical “hands-on” experience in the field, including 5 days training aboard a deluxe motor-coach and an overnight fieldtrip where they actually perform the role of a tour director. The school also offers lifetime job placement assistance.

Chris Brown, an ITMI alumni and professional tour director spent 11 years in the corporate world and decided he didn’t want to spend the next 20 sitting behind a desk.

“What I like most about tour directing is that it really makes me feel alive. Whether it’s getting all fired up about meeting a new group and making sure I deliver a fantastic experience for them or just being able to see new things on every trip — no matter if I’ve been there before. When I bring a group to fly over the Grand Canyon or into Yosemite Valley or to a Broadway show in NYC, the tears and laughter abound! Who wouldn’t like that?”

For information including articles and videos about what it’s like to be a tour director, visit www.ITMItourtraining.com, or to learn more call (800) 442-4864.

Courtesy of ARAcontent