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Month: February 2023

Retail Sector – The Car Wash Business Looking Forward

Every year carwash owners go to the huge Car Wash Expo in Las Vegas and 2011 is no exception. You wouldn’t think that such an event would be a big deal, but it is, savegeeks and it is one of the biggest business gatherings in the city of Las Vegas, generally ranking 4 or 5 by the visitors bureau. In case you didn’t get the news in any of your retailing, or business trade journals there are now 100,000 car washes in the United States, and total they employ some 1.2 million people. Oh, so now I finally have your attention – good because you need to listen up.

The car wash industry is on the move and there are some rather cool things happening in the industry. Namely the automatic car washing systems are almost to creditcana the point they can wash a car perfectly without human intervention, and generally dry near spot free. Seriously, great strides have been made in that nearly impossible and elusive dream, as the evolution of the industry thanks to new technologies are bringing that reality to fruition.

Oh, but it gets better, way better, it turns out that Auto Spa now has a tunnel system capable of cleaning 180 cars per hour, yep, all day long – impressive, perhaps is expresstrue the word you are looking for, imagine that, and to that point – yes, yes, it really is. Another interesting trend is the smart phone payment apps are allowing folks in the United States to pay for their automobile washing services in this way making it fast and efficient, and remember car wash convenience is the key to increased frequency. So, this trend will serve the industry extremely well.

Of course there are clouds on the horizon too for 2011, nothing too awfully drastic, but still they are going to be seen as head winds. Namely, ObamaCare and timesgym health care requirements for employees, which is a real problem considering the transient labor pool where employees may only stay for 3-6 months and then move to another job. Most carwash companies don’t have the size or the lobbyists to get wavers from the law as other large companies have.

Other issues are economic and water concerns, for instance difficulty in getting loans for new car washes or expansion capital and the cost of gasoline which is oculuscredit taxing consumer spendable income, especially the spendable income set aside in their minds for their automobiles. Droughts have historically been a double-edged sword for the car washing industry, and right now if one looks at the drought maps in the US, the area seems to be growing.

Lastly, and this is an interesting issue, many folks with Hybrids and all-electric vehicles are afraid to go to a carwash due to a belief they might get electrocuted, depotblue which is kind of silly because they seem to have no problem driving in the rain. Well, that’s what’s going on in the Auto Washing Industry in 2011. If you have any comments, concerns, or questions feel free to shoot me an email.

 

Capitalizing On A Roth Conversion for Financial Stability at Retirement

If you are checking out the topic of retirement preparation, ketodietposts it would be foolhardy not to learn about the extraordinary advantages that executing a Roth conversion can bring to the table for informed people who are setting up their retirements.

Truth be told, you will find investment experts who walk the fence when it comes to endorsing this retirement savings plan. But, in my humble opinion, a Roth IRA, legalsolid is preferable over the standard individual retirement account for just one significant reason. This application makes it possible for a person to deal with the devil they know (pay taxes now), than deal with the devil they do not know. This latter devil means deferring taxes until the future when you will have to pay on BOTH contributions and profits earned. Let me explain.

You see, the devil you know consists of being, valorantis familiar with the exact tax bracket you find yourself in at the moment. This means knowing how much you’re going to in taxes on the income you have worked so diligently to earn.

I’m sure you know what today’s dollar is worth. Given this fact, it makes more sense to pay taxes at today’s rates, as opposed to later, when you’ll have to guess what tax bracket you will be in or the finite amount of money which will be at your disposal at retirement time.

Obviously, it’s probable the regulations, gamerdidi concerning the Roth IRA will change between today and in the future. But this is also true for the rules governing 401(k)s.

Even so, I’d personally want to keep the best level of permitted control over my own money.

Postponing taxes until a later date when you, basketoffers have a traditional IRA or 401(k) is like acquiring a bank card with 0% interest for 1 year and the fine print declares that after the 12 month time period, or “honeymoon” is over, the interest rate balloons to over twenty percent.

Let’s face it. You don’t possess a wonderful crystal ball predicting what your personal tax bracket will be in upcoming years. You can’t even make this prediction with,lastgain your taxes 5 years from now, let alone, 35 years when you’ll be face to face with your retirement.

But, it’s important to be honest here. While it may be a big fat hassle to shell out the taxes on your income right now, before you make your contribution to a Roth, it just may be worth it, because when you are ready to retire, worries about your financial security won’t come up, since your tax bills have already been pain.

And this isn’t the only good news. If you make the decision to invest the full amount allowed, then over the subsequent thirty – fifty years you can add thousands and thousands of TAX-FREE money to your retirement savings.

Even if you never invest, and just keep up the maximum annual contribution to your Roth IRA over the next thirty years, you will still amass quite a bit of cash. And, remember, every year these amounts go up your bank account will probably earn maximum gains.

So, if you are searching for approaches to improve your retirement finances, like executing a Roth conversion or starting a Roth IRA from scratch, you can eliminate future taxes on those funds and secure your financial security for your Golden Years.

 

Legend of Sidney Lumet – First Amongst Equals

While his name isn’t the first that pop up when you think of the impact on American cinema but Sidney Lumet is almost like the first amongst equals. In a career spanning over five decades and forty films Lumet has helmed some of the greatest works of cinema like Dog Day Afternoon, Network, frontiernews The Verdict and many more. Known to extract skillful performances from his actors Lumet has directed 18 Oscar nominated performances and one look at his repertoire and you know Lumet is the greatest filmmaker that perhaps no one talks of as much as they should.

Starting during the golden era of cinema Lumet is the first generation of filmmakers who graduated to directing film from years of experience in live television rather than making the usual stops under the studio system. By the time Lumet made his feature film debut, localletter with 12 Angry Men (1957) he had directed more 150 episodes of television drama. Lumet’s debut got the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and established beyond doubt the arrival of a very important filmmaker. Gritty, thought-provoking and completely real 12 Angry Men was shot in one room where twelve jurors argue their verdict. Like in the case of 12 Angry Men location will go on to play the most important role in every Lumet film.

Sydney Lumet Films

The next decade saw Lumet deliver one artistic gem after another in quick succession. The Fugitive Kind (1960) with Marlon Brando, View from the Bridge (1962), Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1962) with towering performances by Katherine Hepburn and Jason Robards were all very, newspoke different from each other. In 1964 Lumet made a masterpiece in the form of Fail-Safe. Featuring Henry Fonda as the American president at the height of Cold War, this tense drama where the USSR and the USA could very well end up triggering a nuclear war was doomed thanks to the success of Stanley Kubrick’s satire on the same subject Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb which came out the same year. In the next three years Lumet’s made a film on Holocaust survivor haunted by the past (The Pawnbroker, 1964); a prison camp drama with Sean Connery (The Hill, 1965); a tale of eight young upper class society women in a private school (The Group, 1966) and a spy thriller based on a John Le Carre novel (The Deadly Affair, 1966). Lumet bought his television, topicals training traits of rehearsing well and shooting fast and most importantly keeping it under budget.

The 1970’s were Sidney Lumet’s best years and the films that he would direct would not only be career defining but would also end up becoming the definitive films of genres. He reunited with Sean Connery for The Anderson Tape (1971), a successful caper film but it was his first outing with Al Pacino in Serpico (1973) that would really kick off the decade for him. Based on true incidents described in Peter Maas’ novel of the same name, Serpico was the tale of an honest cop who decides to clean the rotting system but ends up being a victim of his fellow officers’ wrath. Serpico is where the birth of the character driven films, tbadaily of the 1970’s took place and with Pacino, one of the finest method actors, guided by Lumet and his penchant for realism (Lumet shot the film across 140 locations in New York City), the end result is nothing less than a master-class in filmmaking. Lumet then directed The Murder on the Orient Express featuring a great ensemble cast (Lauren Bacall, Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark and John Gielgud) and an excellent production design which made it one of the better Agatha Christie adaptations.

The two films that Lumet would be remembered forever happened in quick succession. If there was ever an actor whose career’s significant best was robbed of an Academy Award it would’ve be Al Pacino and his work in Dog Day Afternoon (1975). Inspired by a real incident Dog Day Afternoon had Pacino playing a gay bank robber who gets stuck in the middle of media frenzy when he robs a Manhattan bank for his lover’s sex change operation. All through his life Lumet was known to take his actors to a place where others directors could only imagine and this isn’t something that actors took lightly. Pacino had originally passed on the film due to exhaustion after finishing The Godfather 2 but when he heard that Lumet was considering Dustin Hoffman, Pacino jumped right back in! Besides Pacino the late John Cazale as Sal too makes for a very realistic portrayal.

Many people wonder how could Robert De Niro not get an Oscar for his Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976) and the answer lies in Sidney Lumet’s Network (1976). An old time news anchor has had it with just about everything and loses it on air when he’s fired thanks to low ratings. Howard Beale, (Peter Finch in his Academy Award winning role) vents his anger while on air and suddenly the masses start tuning in to the channel. His rant- I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE–becomes the line of the nation and his network decides to keep him only to let everything fall to pieces. Lumet’s Network is as relevant today as it was 35 years ago and no matter how many times you watch this masterpiece you can never tire of it.

The 1980’s saw Lumet do what he best–bless us with great characters. In 1981 he went back to Serpico territory with The Prince of the City where a narcotics cop is charmed by an investigating agency to come clean on his partners and in The Verdict (1982) he directed Paul Newman in what would, kulfiy become one his supreme roles ever. Lumet never rested and all through the 1980’s and the 1990’s directed films. He never had a problem in going back to directing TV movies or even episodes because for him it was all about telling a story.

 

Top 10 Must Haves for Successful Photography

How did you get into photography? Can you really make a good living shooting photos? These are a couple of the questions I get asked by friends,  tetracycline-abc models and trainees. I recently visited a family friend whose son recently graduated and had really become interested in photography. He purchased a nice camera body and a few lenses and had already shot a number of beautiful scenic shots. As we were visiting, the questions above surfaced. I feel like I have had this conversation a number of times, but I still love sharing what I have learned on the journey.

As a photographer and media designer, traveltro I get to do a lot of fun things and call it work. Few people get to wake up in the morning and do what they are passionate about day after day. Life is far too short to work an 8-5 job that slowly sucks the life out of you. I’m sure if you are reading this you are well aware of that fact, but the challenge is how to make the transition. It’s a scary endeavor to start a photography business. I have come up with the following list of tips to help the newcomer get off the ground and down the road towards success. I provide photography advice coupled with business advice. I don’t claim to be a photography or business genius and unfortunately have been taught far more through going down a road of mistakes then I have by nailing it the first time. As far as the completeness of my list, there are other great resources or recommendations out there, but I feel these ten make a very strong base from which a photographer can operate.

Buying Essential Tips

1. Passion is vital for success. Are you really passionate about photography? No, I don’t mean have you taken some pictures on your cell phone, posted to bookmarkresearch Instagram and found it exciting. What I mean by are you passionate about photography, is do you find it addictive? Are you continuously looking for opportunities to shoot, experiment and tweak to make that perfect picture. Do you desire to intimately know your camera, understand lighting, aperture, lenses, posing techniques and so forth? If you find yourself saying, “Mehh, maybe” then you might want to choose a different path. Clients can sense lack of passion like dogs sense fear.

2. Equipment is essential, but significant debt is debilitating. The easiest way to kill a passion is to water it down in debt.

3. Don’t be afraid to buy used equipment and work your way into better equipment. For years, I have bought and sold equipment used from Craigslist, kamagra-abc Facebook photography groups, friends and even pawnshops. It may be intimidating at first and I recommend finding a photography friend to help you make sound decisions. I have found a number of people that did not follow rule number 2 and now need to sell their equipment. (Hint: When buying from Craigslist, never use PayPal and never ship. Always meet in a comfortable, public location like Starbucks for the transaction and review of equipment. Don’t be afraid to offer less, but discuss that before meeting. Also, for better deals, shop suburbs where the known income levels are notably higher.)

4. It is typically better to spend more money on a lens versus a camera body. This may seem odd but I have bought a number of lenses over the past 12 years. Amazingly enough, the lens I bought for $1350 over 10 years ago is worth about $1300. The Canon 5D body I bought for $1800 would be hard to sell for $500. Putting current values behind, plightinternational I know how tempting it is to buy the best camera body you can and then find a second rate lens to save money. The problem with that methodology is you just reduced your cameras quality tremendously by adding poor glass. Make sure you buy the highest quality lens you can afford,  pinkribbonlove as you will likely have it longer than your camera body.

Know Your Market

5. Knowing your market is essential to thriving as a photographer. You may enjoy taking pictures of families with a fake mountain in the background. It may be an incredibly crisp picture with great lighting but if nobody likes the 70’s theme, it’s time to move on. Don’t force your style where the market is not going if you hope to make a living.

Always Learn so You Can Grow

6. Get out of your bubble and shadow other professionals when possible. My clients have greatly benefited from the knowledge I have gained when working with other photographers. Sometimes, you have to put pride aside and look for opportunities to learn. Early on in my career, I worked with several photographers in a media design lab that I managed. Two photographers really stood out to me. It was interesting to learn their approaches to photography and dramatic differences in what they shot and how. Both were great, roaddirtmagazine but had completely different styles. One focused on the technical aspects, while the other took an artist approach. Later in my career, I shadowed a photographer on a bridal shoot that transformed how I use the sun and natural light. I’ve learned advanced lighting techniques from other photographers by simply asking questions. I’ve learned Lightroom techniques that simplified my postproduction while also contributing techniques that I use with other photographers.

7. This may sound like a contradiction to my previous recommendations, but be yourself as a photographer. By this, I mean don’t try and mimic other photography styles based on a client’s whim. Do what you do best and don’t be afraid to say you’re not a great fit in those cases. (This is certainly easier once you are more established.) Having said that, study other photographers and attempt to replicate photography styles that you find fascinating for the advantage of learning. Hint: It’s not always best to do that during a live shoot unless you’ve got the time and report with the client.

8. Educate your clients. Although it’s tempting to accommodate a clients every wish, you must gently educate them on what it takes to have a successful shoot. For instance, noon outside in the summer of Texas, presents a number of challenges that will likely lead to a poor photo and a frustrating experience. When scheduling natural light shoots, I learn more about the couple, family or individual to determine style. Then I recommend a place and time (usually during the golden hour). Then we build from there. If we are doing newborn photography, I will inform the client that we will move at the babies pace, which sometimes will take much longer than expected. Sometimes the baby needs to nurse or extra time is required to sooth the baby. You can’t rush a newborn! Telling this to the parents before they show up for the shoot, helps prepare the them for what may be a longer shoot and reduces stress of an unexpected long shoot.

Be Confident and Create Confidence

9. Guns and Cameras shoot. A photography instructor told me once that a good photographer directs a shoot like he or she is holding a gun. I laughed at first, but I found this to be some of the greatest advice I ever received as a photographer. Clients don’t want unconfident direction.

Examples:

Unconfident request: “Would you like to try posing like this, maybe?”

Confident request: “Let’s try this pose next.”

Unconfident request: “Do you think you may like a picture with your left hand on your hip and arm across your body towards the shoulder?”

Confident request: “Put your right arm on your hip and bring your left arm to your shoulder… I love it.” (Compliments will inspire confidence – see next tip).

You get the drift. An unconfident camera man or woman yields an unconfident model and it will reflect in your photos. (Note: confidence is not rudeness but it is more direct and clear directions.)

10. Compliments create confidence. While working with another photographer, I noticed that he would provide excellent feedback and compliment the model or group when their pose was good or the picture looked good. He would say it with such confidence that the models in the picture could not help but stand taller and appear more confident in the picture. He would through out things like:

a. Wow, that’s a beautiful image

b. I love what I am seeing here. Let’s continue with this look.

c. What a glorious photograph.

d. Oh, I really like this one.

e. The lighting is just remarkable.

He didn’t make it an awkward compliment that could make the model feel uncomfortable or concerned that their photographer may be creepy. He mainly spoke about the picture itself but it was still exciting for the model to know they were getting good photos.

 

Six Clues On What To Look For When Starting A Photography Business

What you should be looking for when, newsheater starting a photography business is a rough business plan that suits your personality, your goals for your business, one that enables you to be organised and motivates you to convert your dreams and theories into action. A business plan can be drawn up for you and tailored to your specific needs by a qualified business coach or you can do it yourself. A business plan gets your business off to a perfect start and includes planning everything from what you will charge for your photographs, to your finances, and marketing strategies.

Important elements of what to look for, flynnmobile when starting a photography business that is to be included into your business plan are the prices you should charge for your photographs.

Knowing what price you should charge your customers for your photographs will be based on your costs you have had to outlay in starting your business as well as your research on what other photographers are charging. To give you a good idea of how to price your photographs, hidden-landscapes look at the prices that other photographers who are new to the scene charge, and also look at what photographers who do similar work and services to you charge. When your business gets up and running and grows to be more successful you will be able to look out for the prices your competitors are offering, match it or better it. If your name becomes well known and your photography becomes the “latest thing”, then you will be able to charge your customers more for their privileged access to your services, however in a more realistic situation when your, homeforlostboys business grows, you will most likely lower your prices in order to compete with other photographers. If you find that your particular style or avenue of photography is in great demand, or there are few photographers who have a similar style of work to what you do, you will be able to charge more for your photos. There are also scenarioes where you can raise your prices for special services but there is much more on that in my eBook.

An essential factor in starting a photography business is the amount of finances you will need to run it successfully, including the hidden and ongoing costs involved with all businesses. In relation to finances, start with what you are comfortable with, but your business, allhecker (in order to be successful) must be backed with a realistic and reasonable amount of funds, including the costs for marketing that is essential to build your business, and you should always allow for an increase in the marketing budget as sales pick up.

Ensure your marketing strategy is making the most of your money, getting your name and services out there. No one will know about you unless you sell yourself and display how beautiful/clever/funny your photos are. Your marketing strategies need to include a clear description, relationshipsndhelp of your business name, your experience and/or qualifications as a photographer, display your flair through example photos, the services you offer, the type of photographs you take, your prices, and most importantly where and how customers can find you/contact you.

What to look for when starting a photography business: Some important points and questions to consider;

Does your advertisement/website present your business name and your services in a clear and attractive manner? Ask yourself, “Would I be interested in the services that this photography business offers?”

If you have a website is it easy for your customers to navigate through, or is it like a maze? Your website can display your personality, however it must be presented in a professional manner, where customers can find the information they are looking for quickly and easily. We live in a fast paced society, often if people can’t find what they are looking for within one minute on your website, they will most likely move onto another one.

How easy is it for customers to access your services? Make sure that your contact numbers/addresses are easy to find and clearly visible (to people of all ages) both in your advertisements and on your websites. Have a look at the advertisements yourself, and get your family and friends opinion too, doing this may save you money. Tip – make your phone number in larger type on our business card. After all, that’s really the only reason you should keep them, so that people can quickly and easily contact you. Not marvel at the motto or pretty typeface.

If you want your photography business to work through an agency, research and trial the company/agency offers to sell your photos first. Ask yourself “Am I satisfied with the results?” In order to answer this question, you may want to review the initial goals you had for your business, and also research/compare other photographer’s experiences with that same or a different agency.

You should not charge unrealisticly high prices for your photographs to make up for the loss of finances and ongoing costs in starting your photography business that you did not account for. You must start your photography business with a realistic amount of finances to support your business through the initial challenges and slow times. This may include having other sources of income to support your photography business in its infant stage.

It is essential to follow and to adapt your business plan, continually review and focus on your goals, learn from your mistakes, and to research and seek help when in doubt.

 

Super Hero Movies Are on the Way Out

Now if the title doesn’t upset a few people I don’t know what will but recently Matthew Vaughn, the director behind “Kick-Ass” and the same man who is directing, เว็บบาคาร่าฝากถอน1วินาที Super Hero movie “X-Men: First Class” has stated that he believes the current swash of Super Hero based movies will be coming to an end soon. He gives his reasons which include the quality of some of these movies and that he believes that audiences will grow tired of one Super Hero movie after another. But it has to be said that there is a sort of an irony here for a man who is directing a Super Hero movie to come out and say that basically the end is nigh.

But whilst it is ironic I have to say I agree with Matthew Vaughn and think the recent popularity for Super Hero movies could come to a crashing end within a year or two. Why, สล็อตออนไลน์เว็บตรง well let’s look at the facts.

Spoilt for choice

Super Hero movies are not something new, they have been around for decades going back to the 1940s with the likes of “Adventures of Captain Marvel”, “The Phantom” and “Superman”. When I was growing up during the late 70s and 80s there was Christopher Reeve in “Superman”, สล็อตขั้นต่ำ 10 บาท and then came the “Batman” movies but that was really it. But never have we had so many Super Hero movies making their way on to the big screen.

Whilst many will probably be salivating at all these Super Hero and comic book adaptations it does mean that where as once you were loyal to just one Super Hero now your loyalties are being tested, forced to split between several and there is only so far your loyalties can be split. Because quite simply if you are a fan of Spider-Man, Superman, Wolverine and say Iron Man by the time you watch Thor, สมัครสล็อตขั้นต่ำ100 Captain America or Green Hornet you struggle to embrace them.

Much of a muchness

Now I know that by what I am going to say will enrage comic book fans but so many Super Hero movies are just too similar. Yes each individual character may, สล็อตเว็บไหนดี have some special power, costume or back story but the storylines generally follow a very similar path which sees the creation of said Super Hero followed by a battle with a nemesis or in the case of some – multiple nemeses, all of which is embellished by bit action and CGI.

As such there is going to come a time when audiences grow tired of watching yet another one of these movies only to end up watching the same old story with just a different character and star. And this ties in that a time will come when audiences will grow out of movies which rely on special effects and big star names to entertain and start turning there back on movies which have no originality or fail to deliver a different angle on an old storyline.

Over kill

Over the last decade the number of Super Hero movies being made has slowly increased and if we haven’t had a new one with a new character we’ve had remakes, reboots, re-imaginations, sequels and off shoots. But whilst there was a time when you would get a new Super Hero movie and then there would be a few months before another one rolled along the number being thrust upon the cinema going public is creeping up to stupid proportions with a lot of these movies scheduled for release over the next year, many of which are leading up to big collaboration Super Hero movies such as “The Avengers”. If you just take a look at proposed Super Hero/ comic book movies for next year there is Green Lantern, Captain America, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Priest and not to forget that “The Avengers” is in the pipeline as is “Batman 3”, a Spider-man reboot and also another Superman movie and I know I have barely scratched the surface of Super Hero movies either in production, ready for production or awaiting the green light.

Now whilst this list I am sure will excite fans of these sorts of movies it ends up becoming a turn off for those who up till now have only enjoyed the occasional one. And as such there is a huge possibility that with so many of these movies hitting the big screen in a relatively short period time audiences will drop off to a chorus of “We don’t need another hero”. The knock on effect is that those big collaboration movies such as “The Avengers” could even end up being shelved by studios when they see public demand for Super Hero movies dropping off.

All of which could be avoided if the studios didn’t go over the top in trying to capitalize on the popularity of Super Hero movies. If they spread all these movies out over a bit more time then there would be less chance of audiences, those who like a variety of movies, will grow tired of watching them and seeing them filling up the big screens. As it stands with all these movies going on there is a huge chance that they will burn out before some ever get made.

What this all means

Matthew Vaughn could well be right and he is not alone in thinking that the current popularity in Super Hero movies could be coming to and end. It all boils down to studios trying to capitalize on a popular trend but in doing so going over the top and in effect wrecking it’s longevity by throwing too many of these movies at audiences in a short period of time, rushing through inferior movies just to make money whilst the rush is on.

For me I actually won’t be sad to see the back of Super Hero movies, I actually grow tired of listening to comic book fans drone on about Super Hero movies as much as they probably tire of me droning on about the good old days of cinema. But for those who do love these sorts of movies, here’s a thought: 20 – 30 years ago we went through superman and batman movies, those who grew up on those are now the ones making movies and choosing to make these superhero movies. That means in another 20 – 30 years time, those who have grown up on this swash of Super Hero movies will be the ones in charge making movies and you can bet there will be another resurgence in these movies.

 

Banking on Sharia Principles – Islamic Banking and the Financial Industry

There are an estimated 1.61 billion Muslims worldwide, making Islamic banking one of the fastest growing segments of the financial industry. Banks serving the Islamic taiwanc population must comply with several very specific principles of Islamic law if they hope to retain existing customers and attract new ones. Banks must be ready with specialized products and services and they must put programs in place to train their personnel to support these products and services in order to exist in this competitive marketplace.

The basic principle of Islamic banking follows the laws of Sharia, known as Fiqh al-Muamalat (Islamic rules on transaction). The term “Islamic banking” is synonymous with “full-reserve banking” and “Sharia-compliant banking.” The most prominent feature of these laws is usury chakrock – the prohibition of paying or collecting interest on funds. The Islamic terminology for this is riba or ribaa. The Sharia also forbids engagement in investments that include financial unknowns such as buying and selling futures, as well as businesses that are haraam – dealing in products that are contrary to Islamic law and values such as alcohol, pork, gossip or pornography. These principles apply to all individuals, companies and governments.

Banks that comply with Islamic law are forbidden to charge interest or late payment fees, which is also considered a type of riba. To minimize risk, banks will often require a large down payment on goods and property, or insist upon large collateral. It is lawful for the Bank to charge a higher price for a good if payments are deferred or collected at a later date since it is considered a trade for goods rather, mytaggys than collecting interest. Sharia-complaint banking products include Mudharabah (profit sharing), Wadiah (safekeeping), Musharakah (joint venture), Murabahah (cost plus) and Ijarah (leasing). Another way that banks work within Islamic laws while trying to turn a profit is by buying an item that the customer wants, and then selling the item to the customer at a higher price.

The Mudharabah is a partnership between an entrepreneur and the bank. The bank is known as the rabal-maal and the entrepreneur as the mudarib. The bank provides all of the necessary capital to start a business and the entrepreneur does the work of managing the business. Profits are split at an agreed ratio until the initial funds of the rabal-maal are paid off. The rabal-maal is also compensated with additional funds based on the profits of the business in terms previously agreed on. In the event that the business folds, bmblotto the rabal-maal shoulders the cost and the mudarib is not compensated.

Musharakah is similar to Mudharabah, in which an entrepreneur seeks funds for a business venture and pays the bank back with a ratio of profits. However, there are often more than two parties who contribute funds and become partners who can influence the business depending on the, canbioca amount of money invested. The entrepreneur also contributes funds and shares in the risk. Any loss is proportional to the amount of capital invested in the business.

Wadiah is a system in which a person deposits money into a bank and receives a “gift” from the bank. The bank is the keeper of the funds and will refund the entire amount at the demand of the depositor. The bank rewards the amount of time the depositor keeps the money in the bank with a hibah or gift, which is not guaranteed. The hibah is similar to interest, but lawful according the Islamic law.

Murabaha governs the issuing of home loans or any other type of goods needed by a borrower. An Islamic bank does not lend money to a borrower to buy properties; rather, the bank will purchase the property at the borrower’s request at a freely disclosed price, and mark up the price for the borrower to pay back, therefore making a profit from the investment. The borrower is named on the title and allowed to utilize the property immediately and pays the bank back in installments.

Another type of loan is the Ijara, in which the bank buys the home or item and leases the property to the borrower while retaining ownership of the property. The borrower can either use the property for a pre-determined period of time, or pay off the purchase price and buy out the Bank to attain full ownership of the property.

There are occasionally controversies surrounding the interpretation of the riba, which certain scholars argue was meant to prevent petty money-lenders from abusing borrowers, rather than a modern bank charging a reasonable, agreed upon interest. The general consensus, however, is that any interest is a direct violation of the law of Sharia and therefore unethical.

While each Islamic bank has its own board which rules on ethical banking principals, Islamic banking organizations have been establishing standard regulations and policies. The Islamic Development Bank has been working on international standards, policies and procedures, and the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), Islamic Finance Service Board (IFSB), International Islamic Financial Market, Liquidity Management Center and International Islamic Rating Agency are in development to ensure accurate and fair banking practices.

Today, Islamic financial institutions exist worldwide, participating in the $180 billion/day industry. In 1975 there was one Islamic bank; today there are over 300 in more than 75 countries. Islamic banks have become more prevalent worldwide and can be found in high numbers in such countries as Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria and Kazakhstan. The total amount of deposits in Islamic institutions, balance sheets, assets under management and private wealth are growing at a rate of 25-40% annually.

Because oil prices and liquidity are expected to stay at the same levels throughout 2007, budget surpluses will remain high, pushing both public and private sectors to be involved with the Islamic market. Many Islamic countries are investing in large infrastructure projects, creating more than a trillion dollars in investments. There is also a huge potential customer base. According to Standard and Poor’s surveys, 20% of the customers in the Gulf Area and Southeast Asia would choose an Islamic banking product over a similar conventional product. There are significant middle-class urban and suburban populations that already use conventional banking, and therefore present ripe opportunities for Islamic banks. Most important to note, outside of the religious and political allure of Islamic banks, is that people are choosing their services for the safeties they offer. The evidence is clear: Islamic banking is big business and it is growing every day.

However, in order for Islamic banks to be competitive with conventional products and attractive to customers, Islamic financial products must meet the risk/reward profiles of investors and issuers while fulfilling the tenets of the Sharia and remaining sufficiently cost-effective. Additionally, Islamic banks must educate their personnel to understand the tenets of Islamic law that pertain to banking, and to train them to comply with Sharia as they serve their Islamic customer population

Dr. Linda Eagle is Founder & President of The Edcomm Group Banker’s Academy-a 22-year-old education and consulting firm dedicated to serving Banks, Credit Unions, Money Services Businesses (MSBs) and all areas of the Global Financial Community with thousands of generic and customized training programs in areas such as BSA/AML, Regulatory Compliance, Teller Training, Systems Training, Sales and Service Training, and many more.

 

How to Choose the Right Online Photography School

A photography career requires more than a good eye and skills with a camera; good photographers must have drive, technical know-how, creativity, and business sense, safemyof Attending a photography school online could be a great way to develop these skills. But before you apply to that online photography college, here are some hints to help you get started and eventually reach your goals.

Know Your Photography School Goals

What kind of photography do you want to practice? Are you interested in photojournalism, family portraiture, commercial photography, or special event photography? Knowing your career goals can help you narrow down programs and figure out the amount of time, crosstrainer-kaufen you can expect to spend in photography school. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that photojournalists, industrial photographers, and scientific photographers typically need a bachelor’s degree in photography or in the field that interests them, whereas other types of photographers can take a few courses or gain knowledge through experience.

Know Yourself

Contrary to romantic images of photographers easily snapping instantly-beautiful photographs with excellent balance and proportion, a successful photography career requires a variety of skills, many of which you’ll want to develop during your course of study:

• Technical expertise
• A good eye
• Creativity
• Stamina
• Good business sense

The last skill may be particularly important; lytron according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of all photographers are self-employed, which means that good business skills are crucial for a photography career. So even if you’re interested in a branch of photography that requires less training, you may want to take online business classes just to keep your head above water financially.

Know Your Online Photography Schools

Not all online schools are equal! Infamous diploma mills often offer degrees that can be bought at a price, sometimes involving little to no work on the part of the student and, accordingly, little to no acquisition of knowledge. Don’t waste your time and money getting a degree from a diploma mill. Check out the website for the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary, reelsite Institutions and Programs, where you can find out whether the online photography school in which you are interested is accredited.

Know Your Financial Aid

According to a New York Times article, online degree programs typically cost about the same as traditional programs, with the added bonus of saving on commuting gas, housing, and food. But students can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year on tuition through available scholarships. There are scholarships based on your major, state, ethnicity, need, gender, career goals, mrsbdt or even your parents’ jobs. So how do you get them? First, you have to know what they are. CNNMoney.com suggests the scholarship search Web sites Fastweb.com, Petersons, and CollegeBoard.com. Knowing where to look is the first step toward saving money on your online photography school.

Once you’ve done the homework, you’ll be better equipped for studying successfully at photography schools online. The photography field is very competitive, so make the most of your studies at online photography schools.

 

Schools For Photography – Pursuing a Degree in Photography

Photography is a fascinating form of art. Lighting, technique, colors and placement all add to the beauty and uniqueness of each photograph. By simply using a camera, it seems that the photographer is able to catch not only images of his or her subject but their emotions and thoughts as well. Some photographs bring smiles and warm hearts while others portray hauntingly eerie images. Whatever the effect, inpix each photograph has a story and exquisiteness all its own. To further develop and hone artist’s photography skills and ability to capture once-in-a-lifetime moments, schools for photography offer a number of courses and degrees to help students develop their talents and prepare them for careers in many different areas of photography.

While technology has made major advancements over the last several years, computers cannot replace human creativity. Photography courses will teach students how to use the latest equipment and processing techniques, digital and color darkroom techniques, color theory, bocoranadminriki as well as the history of photography. Students will learn both traditional and more modern photography techniques. In addition, students will also be introduced to issues regarding copyright protection, photography business, and will learn how to interact with customers and clients. Schools for photography also help students create a personal portfolio using their own creative and innovate photographs.

Both online and traditional schools are available for students interested in pursuing a degree in photography. Online schools that offer photography degrees include: Westwood College Online, The School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University, Jones International University and American Intercontinental University. There are many traditional universities all over the world that offer photography degrees. While photography schools cannot be found in every state in the US, there are several states that do offer photography degree programs and these include: California, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, splitacdubai Florida, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Ohio, Minnesota, and Colorado just to name a few. For example, the Brooks Institute of Photography, The Art Institute of California, American Intercontinental University Los Angeles, the Academy of Art College and the Art Center College of Design can all be found in California and each school offers a photography degree. Schools for photography are also located in Canada, Argentina, Turkey, Thailand, and various other countries.

Students interested in portrait, fashion, landscape, commercial, florbiz or architectural photography, photojournalism, photo-advertising, graphic design, studio art or other forms of visual communications will be able to find a degree program suited to their individual talents and interests. A photography degree can offer both a flexible and rewarding career, whether working for a media outlet or on a freelance basis. With so many choices, from online to traditional programs, choosing the right school is essential. Students should choose a school based on location, courses offered, and time required to complete the desired degree, optoki Schools for photography can help prepare and equip students for professional photography careers.

 

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