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Advantages for Entrepreneurs Owning Their Own Real Estate

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Advantages for Entrepreneurs Owning Their Own Real Estate

There are millions of Americans who have the dream of making it big as an entrepreneur. All types of industries come into the equation with this adventure, spanning communications, retail, public services, product innovation, music, sports and private investment ventures.

To forge a new path and to make a success from a standing start, bold decisions need to be made. This is where the real estate market offers a sensible solution for professionals who want to leverage a quality investment and build a foundation for growth. The problem that many citizens have in these cases is failing to understand where the benefits reside.

Consulting with a real estate agent or a conveyance specialist can be an enlightening experience in this domain. It is the type of advice that won’t be stuck behind a pay wall or a random third party because it will draw parallels between the potential of the business to the valuations and longevity brought about by property acquisition.

The first advantage that is evident from the outset with real estate investments is that they provide entrepreneurs with legitimacy. This is tangible proof of the business model, offering a location where staff members and innovators can call home. Owning territory allows brand owners to draw in more investment, to build local connections with suppliers and ensure a consistent brand message to the wider public.

One of the key drivers that entrepreneurs should acknowledge with real estate opportunities is that these assets have the ability to appreciate in value over time. Naturally the economic crash of 2008 would be an outlier and an example that nothing is ever truly certain, but with the volatility of market fluctuations being as they are, it is bricks and mortar property where prices generally stay steady and rise from year to year.

The injection of capital and cash flow provides another dimension for entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in the real estate market. Especially for those that buy and then decide to rent, they have a consistent form of income that covers operational costs. That is before any new innovations or investments are explored in the commercial sector.

There is a strong degree of flexibility for business owners who want to cash in on the real estate game. Although there will be entrepreneurs who want to set up shop and have their patch of turf guaranteed, there will be others who decide to buy the property and rent it out to other entities. This can be beneficial when inflation increases, giving the owner a chance to hike rental prices where it is deemed appropriate.

Tax time can be a big crunch for business owners who are at the forefront of their start up project. Among all of the financial obligations to clients, staff members and debt collectors, the government requires their cut as well. The good news for entrepreneurs who take a close look at the real estate field is that they will receive more dividends and keep more cash in their back pocket when they put money down for a commercial premises. Those individuals who take control of rental properties are rewarded by the government for that initiative, allowing them to leverage lower tax rates and depreciation dividends in the process.

It is peace of mind for the entrepreneur that takes real estate opportunities in the commercial sector to another level. Given the amount of pressure involved in starting a business concept, hiring staff, dealing with setbacks, covering costs and trying to wedge in on an established market, this bold venture provides security, leverage and long-term stability. Those are features that are hard to come by through other methods.

Why Companies Can Use Surveys For Research Purposes

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Why Companies Can Use Surveys For Research Purposes

Organizations that manage to tap into the power of surveys discover a whole host of new information at their fingertips. It is a direct and straightforward design that allows people to provide their feedback and for brands to use that data for their own purposes. They might feel like an inconvenience when they are foisted on unsuspecting customers, but for others who volunteer their opinion, it becomes a centerpiece for an enterprise to improve and remain versatile.

Although there can be some debate about how surveys are crafted for research purposes, they can be customized to reach a range of different design formats. This will present surveys that are geared towards market research, brand awareness, exit interviews, job satisfaction, employee satisfaction or customer satisfaction among many others. Then there is the actual design of the presentation, offering outlets a chance to engage cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies or sample studies that is more random by nature. It is a decision that requires consideration by businesses, giving them the chance to acquire data through selected events or to get a general feel for public or commercial response.

One of the key drivers that make surveys an effective analytical tool for brands is that the results are purely objective for the hierarchy. They will be able to read the responses that are provided to them by dozens, hundreds or thousands of participants and identify where a consensus or trend is heading. It will either confirm established notions from the outset or challenge perceptions. Rarely will there be middle ground in this context because the data will speak for itself, devoid of any political interference from outside voices.

The voluntary and anonymous approach to surveys ensures accurate information at the back end for the operator. No one has to put their name to the online form or the sheet of paper, allowing them to fill out the questionnaire in a safe and secure environment. There are cases where emails and notifications are sent to customers who will decide to leave their feedback to the business. Then there are in-house surveys that are looking to improve with their responsibilities to human resources. Individuals can step forward in this context and offer unfiltered information without fear of favor.

Thanks to the advent of digital technologies, surveys can be sent, saved and leveraged at minimal costs for businesses in the modern era. There is a series of different programs in this field that can be crated for free or at minimal cost, allowing HR department heads and owners to attract more participation without blowing the budget. Cost will always be at the forefront for companies who have to account for every dollar, but this is a research exercise that will be easily managed from a financial standpoint.

If time pressure is in play with organizations who need to test the water and get a feel for public sentiment for in-house company performance, then surveys can be quickly executed and assessed. A quick text message, email or social media message can point participants in the right direction, saving the data in real time before users have tangibles returns inside a few minutes. That is a major selling point when comparing the survey method against other research endeavors that can take days, weeks and months to execute.

There will always be outlets who decide that surveys are not the right approach for them in this context. They will look at qualitative assessments, prospective surveillance and program data as a method to gauge performance and understand behavior. However, many of the top brands will embrace the survey given the benefits that are clearly on show, whether they are world-class search engine performers in Google or small businesses at a local level hoping to leverage better information.

Detailing Chris Pratt’s Physical Transformation

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Chris Pratt

There are few physical transformations that have stood out in the Hollywood world quite like Chris Pratt. The action star has not always showcased a ripped figure, playing an overweight  slob in the form of Andy Dwyer on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation for six years. Such was his flabby persona, he would famously be considered “too fat” to be a leading man during his role in the 2011 sports drama Moneyball.

Yet it would be the opportunity to play Peter Quill/Star-Lord on the Marvel Cinematic Universe title Guardians of the Galaxy that gave the Minnesota native a chance to completely transform his entire persona. It would be a big break for the actor who also had to trim down for the war drama Zero Dark Thirty. To embrace a new strategy that would deliver the physical fitness he required for the role of the superhero, he had to follow a strict regiment that allowed him to drop in excess of 60 pounds inside 6 months.

The planning that Chris Pratt utilized with his professional aid Duffy Gaver made the process easier to follow. What would follow was an extensive and exhaustive 5-month regiment that incorporated no less than 4-6 intense sessions each week. It would allow him 3 days of rest, but that time would be required given the extent of the workout.

Chris Pratt started the week off with a focus on cardio to work up a sweat and shed some weight. That will build up to the focus on the abs, the back and the biceps. The reps and sets would be repetitive from one session to the next. It would incorporate hammer curls, deadlifts, stretches, planks, sit ups, heavy dumbbell rows, barbell curls, hanging leg raises and lateral pull downs.

The chest region would require particular focus for Chris Pratt, giving him the pecks that are iconic with leading men in action star franchises. Alongside his trainer, he would engage tricep pushdowns, incline benches, bench presses, dips, cable kickbacks, flyes and hammer strength bench sets.

Shoulders and traps had to be improved for Chris Pratt to utilize that upper body strength for the major set pieces. Here is where his trainer would push him to engage front raises, barbell shrugs, military presses, lateral raises and rear delt flyes.

Leg day is always arduous in this routine, but it would be the foundation for this transformation. This is where the back squat, the kettlebell straight leg deadlift, glute bridges and weighted lunges came into play. The weekend would be his opportunity to unwind from the physical toll of the program, but it would not allow him to switch off from the diet routine.

The diet regiment was a core component that Chris Pratt had to follow with meticulous detail. Every piece of food and every liquid had to be accounted for in order to achieve perfection before production began. Carbs would include brown rice, berries, broccoli, spinach and sweet potatoes. Protein would include fish, steak, whole eggs and chicken breast. Fats would feature avocado, nuts and coconut oil. Then there would be supplements to provide an extra injection of energy for the sessions.

The hard work and dedication that Chris Pratt has applied to his fitness regiment would pay off handsomely, not just to land the role of Peter Quill in the Marvel franchise, but to open up new opportunities as well. This would include The Magnificent Seven, Jurassic World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Passengers and the 2019 Western The Kid. Among a big collection of MTV Movie and Teen Choice Awards, he would also get the chance to host an episode of Saturday Night Live in 2014 to promote his turn as the Marvel superhero.

Why Twitter Remains The Tool of Choice for Journalists

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Why Twitter Remains The Tool of Choice for Journalists

Love it or hate it, Twitter plays a major role in the current media landscape. It is an addictive social media platform that would start in March of 2006 out of the San Francisco digital innovation hub, offering an alternative to the Facebook behemoth.

Simple by design and easy to use, this is a site that would go on to create controversy, influence presidential elections, broadcast uprisings in the Middle East and pave the way for how individuals communicated with one and other. Before long the 140-character limit would be dismantled with 280 characters introduced in late 2017.

Of all the demographics that have utilized this app in one shape or form, it is journalists and reporters who have found value with it. It has allowed them to break out of their conventional medium and expand their audience while they undertake their work.

One of the most attractive features of using the Twitter app is that it is the best utility to document an event in real time not recorded on video. Even with the likes of IG Live and Facebook streaming, there are often lag periods where press conferences are still being set up or questions asked without any audio.

This is a means for reporters to broadcast to their followers and the world what is being said or what is being done at that specific time. Unfortunately there is no edit button, so those typos either remain on the record or the entire tweet has to be deleted.

The good news for journalists who want to engage on Twitter is that they don’t have to pay anything for the privilege. Reporters can invest a lot of money to improve their own image and build an audience from scratch, but like all quality social media sites, there is a $0 entry fee that allows them to start an account immediately.

A key feature that makes Twitter an enticing prospect for reporters is that tweets are published unfiltered. Although subjects of these tweets might still lodge legal action if they believe they are liable for slander or defamation, or if the content of the tweets violate their terms and conditions, then they will be uploaded in real time.

Building a niche with a unique audience is where Twitter really stands out as a major asset for modern reporters. It is a method of ensuring job security for those who have established a rapport with their following, giving them leverage for future job applications if they happen to surpass the 5,000, 10,000, 100,000 or 1 million mark. The job title and employer might change, but the audience will stay the same.

Journalists are like many other types of content creators when it comes to achieving exposure to the outside world. Once they manage to utilize Twitter to cover an interview, an event or detail some insider information through protected sources, that single tweet or tweet thread can go viral. It won’t be restricted by the in-built support for their publisher, their website or their broadcast outlet.

There are certainly moments where Twitter will carry an unedifying reputation as a social media platform. Without the lighthearted fun brought about by TikTok or the beautiful imagery of Instagram, it can be a utility that adversely impacts on the mental health of communities if consumed too rigorously.

With all of those talking points being explored, it is a central asset for reports and journalists who are providing essential information as it happens and where it happens. It offers independence for those that don’t want to be tied down by their employer, gives them the chance to build a brand and ensure that their audience receives critical insights when they are made aware of them.

The Attraction of Disney Plus as a Streaming Service

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The Attraction of Disney Plus as a Streaming Service

The rollout of Disney Plus has been hotly anticipated for years as the entertainment giant decided to run an in-house operation and provide their unique content to the masses. It has been a body blow to the likes of Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and other entities who hoped to leverage their intellectual property, but it has been a healthy development for the general streamer.

This decision to breakaway from that dynamic and run their own enterprise ensures a higher level of competition and to place the onus back on those other brands to create their own television shows and motion pictures to be consumed online. Inadvertently, it helps to create more jobs in the entertainment industry and giving people more choice about what they watch and where they watch it.

Disney Plus is a service that not only includes traditional Disney content, but an entire package that incorporates Marvel, Pixar, National Geographic and Star Wars domains as well. Households no longer have to fight over the remote with multiple profiles available for each account and an opportunity to tap into cartoons, superhero movies, educational documentaries, docuseries and motion picture classics all in one domain.

It won’t escape the attention of streamers across the globe that Disney Plus is priced competitively given the nature of the competition. With Netflix already cornering a large portion of the market years in advance, this is a provider that has issued a 7-day free trial with an ongoing price of $6.99 per month or $69.99 for an annual subscription.

Enterprises that offer user-friendly streaming platforms cannot only be a hub for pre-made material. They have to be on the cutting edge and create new programs to keep customers interested in the long-term. If they only stick to the old products, then they may as well be a Blockbuster store.

This is where Disney Plus has come into the picture, acting as a central location for Marvel to outlay their upcoming series as a spinoff from their Marvel Cinematic Universe. To fill the gap left after Avengers: Endgame, programs like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, WandaVision, Hawkeye, Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel will continue that legacy.

There was an original concern for streamers that Disney Plus would be nothing more than an outlet for children’s content with many of the favorite Disney programs being available. The good news for adults is that they have the opportunity to tap into cutting edge shows and blockbuster pictures that are on the mature side.

Series like The Mandalorian, Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered and The World According to Jeff Goldblum are indicative of a business that is striving to push the envelope and cater to all ends of the market. Netflix has already shown the way forward in this respect and replicating that model makes sound commercial sense.

In the current commercial space, streamers love a service that is free of outside advertisements and commercials. Although Disney Plus will promote their own material, they offer their content ad-free and on demand. It is the most convenient way to sit back and relax on an evening or weekend, cutting out the normal expectation of sitting through endless commercial breaks.

For many households across America and the world, the service of Disney Plus might feel like one too many expenses to justify. Yet the very affordable opt-in monthly price and a substantial package that is evolving with content makes for an enticing prospect. The breakup of the entertainment industry through a variety of streaming services might be a disruption to normal broadcasting, but it is very much the move of the future. This way consumers get to control what they watch and how much they want to pay for it.

Best Acting Career Advice From Tom Hanks

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Best Acting Career Advice From Tom Hanks

Few actors have ever conquered Hollywood like Tom Hanks. The iconic filmmaker has been one of the leading figures of the industry for decades, amassing two Best Actor trophies at the Academy Awards for his roles in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump respectively. He has starred in a series of films that have gone on to gross almost $10 billion at the global box office.

Although his net worth of $350 million might be indicative of a professional who focuses on the financial incentive, his career advice would be anything but driven by greed. Outside of his Oscar awards, he would be the leading man for outstanding drama pictures courtesy of Cast Away, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Big, Toy Story, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, The Terminal, Apollo 13, Catch Me If You Can, Sully and Captain Phillips among many others.

Although he has always appeared destined for superstardom, his modest roots in California outlined how much hard work has been at the foundation of his success. His father was a local cook and his mother was a hospital worker, constantly moving across the state without ever having a regular family home. It would not be until the 1980s that Hanks would establish himself as a talent in the industry, building his profile with Splash in 1984 and The Money Pit in 1986 before Big arrived two years later.

Tom Hanks would be a big proponent of actors throwing themselves directly into the source material and studying the craft in detail. While his friends and peers would venture off to football games on the weekend, he would purchase a ticket at a local theater production and sit in the crowd before losing himself completely into the play.

Getting that all important big break is one of the major discussion points that any famous actor will be asked. For someone with the profile of Tom Hanks, he believes there is no magic recipe that will solve all of the answers and open all of the doors. “The only thing you can go on is your instinct and that window of opportunity you give yourself having enough money to survive for at least a while,” he detailed.

There is one key dilemma that Hanks uses when he watches other films. “What would I do if I was in the circumstances of that man, that woman, that child, that android?” he explained. “As a little kid in the movie theater and as a man now, when I sit down in front of the screen and see it happening before me, I always ponder that question,” he remarked.

A common refrain that reporters and emerging actors will ask Tom Hanks is about shortcuts and quick fixes to make a career from scratch. For those individuals, they will be left disappointed by his response, recalling his days of studying the craft and working hard behind the scenes. “You go there,” he explained. “That’s all you can do. There are no shortcuts. Dear God, I wish there was, but there’s not. You just have to make it so.”

Yet there is one standout piece of advice that Tom Hanks remembers to this day. The power of the word ‘no’ carries a lot of weight for the veteran actor, giving him the power to dictate where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. “I realized that I had to start saying a very, very difficult word to people, which was no,” he recounted. “Saying no means you made the choice of the type of story you wanted to tell and the type of character you wanted to play.”

 

Ja Rule’s Horror Investment in Fyre Festival Explained

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Fyre Festival

Exotic musical festivals that spawn two separate tell-all documentaries rarely have a happy ending. This is where rapper Ja Rule would draw controversy out of the Bahamas in April of 2017, deciding to partner up with dubious figure Billy McFarland for the worst executed festival in the 21st century. For an artist who sold over 30 million albums globally and acted as the face of the Murder Inc. Records label, the artist’s net worth and public reputation has taken a major hit over this single investment decision.

The genesis for Fyre Festival and Ja Rule’s partnership would be the desire to push and promote the Fyre app. Founder and CEO of Fyre Media Inc. McFarland would design a specialized app with the intention of allowing users to book music talent for their own events. It would only take 48 hours for the 5,000 ticket allocation to be sold out.

While the concept seemed appealing on paper, the festival still required a location to take place. This is where McFarland and Ja Rule would identify space on an island in the Bahamas, a patch that would previously be owned by notorious Columbian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar of all people.

Ja Rule was used as a major marketing tool for the event, leveraging his financial backing and notoriety to draw people in. What he explains at a later date is that he was unaware that the accommodation setup, the catering, event managers and other celebrity attendees were all covered financially. None of this would be true, leaving overseas travelers stranded without appropriate shelter, electricity access and scant resources for food and water.

For any event that would use Ja Rule as a figure to promote the festival, they would also lean on models on Instagram to build the profile and sell tickets for this “luxury” opportunity. What would turn out to be a major asset for building public momentum would soon turn out to be their greatest detriment, with attendees posting shoddy pictures of poor quality catering, cheap accommodation huts that were inundated with water and a logistical infrastructure that failed on all counts.

One of the great controversies that would tarnish this horror Ja Rule investment story was the size and scope of the unpaid labor from local Bahaman community members. Local restaurateur MaryAnn Rolle would be left $50,000 out of pocket for catering services. Hundreds of others would not be paid for their work to build the accommodation infrastructure, creating a situation where tensions rose between them and Fyre Festival staff.

Ja Rule’s shocking investment decision would see him become the subject of Internet memes and online jokes for years to come, but the substantial damage caused to the local people and the attendees who paid thousands for the privilege remain the focus of Fyre Festival.

The silver lining for the Queens rapper would be the dismissal of his involvement in a $100 million class-action lawsuit that was filed by attendees of the Fyre Festival. Although there is the potential for future legal action to take place in the years to follow, it would be a decision from a New York City southern district judge that allowed the identify to escape bankruptcy given a reported net worth of $8 million.

Fyre Festival would be the ultimate cautionary tale of an investment gone bad, leveraging a famous face for a project that never had any substantial support from the outset before people’s greatest fears were realized. Fyre Media CEO McFarland would pay for his criminality, being the subject of a $25 million fine and a 6 year prison sentence.

Joe Rogan’s Best Dietary Health Advice

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Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan treats his body like a temple. Actually, as he puts it, it is more like a car that has to be conditioned and maintained to be fit for the road. The MMA commentator and podcast superstar is a leading figure in his industry. While he spends many hours of his week talking with pop culture figures on his show that has been purchased by Spotify, he will advocate for certain health and lifestyle choices.

Fitness and health for Rogan is about making the most of life and maximizing the body to its elite potential. His own figure remains in tip-top condition, continuing with a regiment that has worked for him beyond the MMA ring and into the commentators chair.

Before Joe Rogan advocates for any particular type of food or drink in quantities, the comedian from Newark believes in planning. This is where the real work is achieved ahead of time, using Sunday as an opportunity to detail what foods will be purchased and cooked, what types of meals will be sourced and how to be meticulous about a gym regiment with potential for a cheat meal to have that balanced lifestyle.

A key tenant that is true of Joe Rogan is his removal of sugar and limit carbs as part of his diet plan. It is the type of advice that is not a revelation for anyone who has talked with a dietician, but it is the tireless dedication and work to remove those foods from meals and snacks where the real progress is made.

Joe Rogan follows a 16:8 principle when it comes to his fasting time and eating time inside of a 24-hour window. The 16 hours of fasting for every 24 hours will also incorporate a sleep of approximately 8 hours, ensuring that there is no food consumed in the 4 hours before rest and the 4 hours after rest. This approach to intermittent fasting helps with a number of health factors. It will include better motor coordination, increased levels of endurance, improved sleep, lower cholesterol and weight loss.

Supplements are a key part of the Joe Rogan regiment. These brands help to fill in the gaps for those nutrients that are overlooked by the food and liquids. Among a number of supplements that are consumed over the course of a week, he will utilize Alpha Brain, probiotics, spirulina, MCT oil, fish oil, Glucosamine Chondroitin, omega 6 and 3, chlorella and Shroom Tech Sport.

Part of Joe Rogan’s passion outside of his MMA endeavors is hunting. This is where he has discovered game meat, especially elk meat which carries unique health properties for consumers. The very discussion of wild elk meat can turn people off the idea, but there are plenty of advantages to cooking this food as a replacement for beef and chicken meals. It compromises high levels of B-12, it is devoid of any growth hormones that standard meat stocks can include, is low in saturated fat and offers a lean protein option that is perfect for wilderness hunters.

Drink routines can be hard to stay on top of from one hour to the next, but this is still a domain where the podcaster pays close attention. Kombucha is a fermented drink of choice that offers probiotic qualities that regular sodas do not provide. Four Sigmatic Coffee fuels his energy for the extensive podcast discussions, a formula that derives from mushrooms. Then there are zero calorie drink alternatives and C20 Coconut Water to be consumed after each workout in the gym. All of this is still topped off with a treat of whiskey.

There are few people who can manage to have a diet and health routine like Joe Rogan. Although the foods and drinks might be a bit different, the dedication, planning, complimenting and supplementing is where citizens can learn some real lessons from the entrepreneur.

How Everyday People Make a Career From Trading on eBay

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How Everyday People Make a Career From Trading on eBay

It might seem like a wild idea at first, but there are thousands upon thousands of citizens who have made a career through eBay sales. This online e-commerce site has opened up an entire world of opportunity for buyers and sellers in the market, allowing them to leverage key assets and cash in on quality sales without having to leave their home.

There is plenty to get excited about with eBay for domestic and international traders. The set up fee is free. The speed of processing sales is simple and there is in excess of 2 billion transactions on the site each and every day, illustrating how much market reach there is through this single app alone.

The question remains though: how do everyday people make a career from trading goods on eBay?

The major starting point that experts will start with on eBay is to develop a niche of items. Once there has been a theme established with the provider, then shoppers will feel more comfortable gravitating back to that account for future transactions. It is a principle that works online just as it does in the real world. Those outlets that try and cater to everyone often end up disappointing. Whether it is books, footwear, computers, phones, cleaning equipment, cooking utensils, artwork, food supplies, perfume brands, lighting fixtures or anything else, experts advise building a niche in the market and establishing credibility in that field.

The standout question that participants have with selling on eBay is where they are going to get their stock on a regular basis? There won’t be enough supplies just lying around the home or the office, and this is where entrepreneurs need to get creative. The top practitioners in this domain will identify quality wholesalers for their niche goods before identifying discount traders, garage sale sites and other locations where they can see profit from the acquisition.

An insider trick that many traders on eBay will use is to buy a number of items from the site themselves. By getting familiar with the site and the platform, this is a way of building connections on the app, identifying new trends and tricks of the trade, and engaging in the process from the perspective of the customer. There are some who even buy items on this domain, repurpose them and then put them up for sale again to develop a lucrative cycle of transactions.

Researching the market is where traders on eBay really sort the good from the bad. What do the current listings explain about popularity and availability? Should goods be put up for bidding or is it better to market the brands at a specific price? Running analysis in the niche is a necessary exercise for traders that want to be on top of their game.

If there are questions from clients about the nature of the product or if more stock will be available, it is always helpful to provide prompt responses. In essence, sellers in this market are their own business, so this means of communication enables them to be on top of their customer service responsibilities.

Delays in shipping the goods can really sink the reputation of eBay sellers. This is where the ratings system comes into play as clients will ranks and review accounts based on their prompt delivery method. Once the sale has been made, it should be ready to send out as soon as possible.

The good news for those individuals who want to explore this adventure on eBay is that they can increase and decrease their involvement whenever they want. If they have a full-time role and want to engage in this exercise on the weekends, they have that option. If they work part-time and can invest more hours in the scheme, even better.

 

Facts to Know About Bernie Sanders

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Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders

US Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has achieved much in his life, winning 17 of 23 contested elections over his time in politics. Praised in some quarters and fiercely criticized in others, there are intriguing facts about the representative from Vermont who has been politically active for decades.

Bernie Sanders has one biological son Levi Noah Sanders who was born in 1969 in his home of Vermont. Levi’s mother Susan Campbell Mott lived with the politician in the Northeast Kingdom of the state, a few years after he divorced his first wife in 1966 after two years of marriage.

Bernie Sanders would grow up as a passionate fan of the Major League Baseball team the Brooklyn Dodgers. Growing up a boy in Brooklyn during the 1940s and 1950s, he would be heartbroken when the team decided to make the move to Los Angeles on May 28, 1957. He would cite this as an example that helped to inform his politics, deriding the nature of wealthy businessmen trading and moving community assets due to financial gain.

Sports and Bernie Sanders have gone hand-in-hand down the years, being known as a star runner for his Madison track and field team. Endurance was one of his major qualities growing up, but it would not be enough to make the high school basketball team where he was ultimately cut.

Social justice and racial equality have been major movements that Bernie Sanders has supported during his early life. Such is his passion for these causes, he would find himself arrested and put into handcuffs in August of 1963. This would occur during protests on the South Side of Chicago and follow with a fine of $25.

The Vermont Senator has never been afraid of controversy or pushing back against US international interests overseas. He traveled to Nicaragua in 1985 in support of president Daniel Ortega. His socialist regime was fighting rebel contras at the time that were backed by the United States Government.

Following a honeymoon trip to the USSR in 1988, he advocated for Russia to build a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory. This would be a part of the world that Sanders was passionate about, building connections with the sister city of Burlington and praising the country’s low health care costs during the late 1980s.

The Senator would draw further controversy with political backing from the National Rifle Association (NRA) in 1990. The US House set for Vermont was up for grabs during that local election as the New York native opposed mandatory wait periods for handgun sales. This support would diminish over time with Sanders pushing for an assault weapons ban.

Sanders would remain one of the most outstanding critics of the George W. Bush administration. It would be two years after Bush left office in 2010 where an 8-and-a-half hour filibuster took place in an attempt to block the tax cuts extended by the Republican president. That epic filibuster would be the basis for his book The Speech.

Bernie Sanders is an avid author who loves to take his message to a wider audience. His most notable work in this field includes Where We Go from Here, Outsider in the White House, The Speech, Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution and Our Revolution. The latter of which would go on to sell more than 2,000 copies. These book deals would

Bernie Sanders on and off again relationship with the Democratic Party would take different turns in 2006. This is where he would find an agreement across the isle to switch from an independent to a democrat for the Vermont Senate seat. Although he did win that nomination, he would backflip on that call and run as an independent.