G-20 wrangles over Europe's crisis bill (AP)

PARIS ? Finance chiefs from the Group of 20 rich and developing nations wrangled Friday over whether the eurozone should pick up the whole bill for its escalating debt crisis, or whether the rest of the world should help out more.

The International Monetary Fund ? the world's lender of last resort for cash-strapped countries ? has until now funded about a third of the cost of the bailouts of Greece, Ireland and Portugal. But while some, including the United States, are arguing that Europe has more than enough money to spend its way out of the crisis, others are pushing for more support as the currency union's debt troubles risk dragging the world economy back into recession.

In recent days, markets have been buoyed by hopes that the 17 countries that use the euro will sort out key aspects of a more aggressive solution to their debt crisis in time for an EU summit Oct. 23 and a Group of 20 meeting in early November.

Any such deal is going to be extremely costly. As well as shoring up Europe's weaker banks, the eurozone has to come up with a strategy to stop large economies like Italy and Spain from joining the bailout club.

To do that, the region's bailout fund, the euro440 billion ($608 billion) European Financial Stability Facility, is expected to soon start buying their bonds on the open market ? the hope is that will support their prices and keep a lid on their borrowing costs to allow them to carry on funding themselves in the markets.

But most economists, and a growing number of European officials, believe that the EFSF is way too small to stabilize both countries and recapitalize banks in other cash-strapped countries.

While the eurozone is working on ways to maximize the impact of its limited resources, there is a growing drive to get the IMF to stump up more cash. However, any attempt to get the IMF to play a more hands-on approach, by possibly joining the EFSF in bond market interventions, is likely to meet with some resistance as well as require changes to the IMF's legal framework.

German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said an increase in the IMF's resources was not necessary.

"The IMF has enough to fulfill its tasks," he told journalists as he arrived at the meeting. He said help and solidarity from the rest of the world was welcome, but stressed that "the Europeans have to take care of the biggest part of the task."

Schaeuble said he expected EU leaders to take the necessary decisions to tackle the crisis at their summit next week.

"We are on the way to take clear measures to contain the danger of contagion."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner indicated Friday that he was in favor of maintaining IMF support, but stressed that Europe had enough money to resolve its troubles on its own. He also opposed beefing up the IMF's resources, as might be required if the fund was to take on a more active role.

"The IMF has very, very substantial uncommitted resources because of the actions we took in '09 and 2010," Geithner said in an interview on CNBC. "If Europe has a comprehensive strategy in place that looks like it makes sense and is using the very ample financial resources of Europe, then we're happy to see the IMF play a continuing role, as it's been playing in supporting what the Europeans are doing."

The pressure on Europe to finally get a grip on its debt crisis has ratcheted up in recent weeks amid signs that it's taking its toll on the global economy. Trouble in Europe's banks could have spillover effects all around the financial system, similar to what happened after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008.

"We have lost a million jobs, we have lost on the revenue side and the current events actually create greater uncertainty and lack of confidence, so it is absolutely crucial, that both, as the G20, but certainly as Europe, that we get a higher level of decisiveness in terms of resolving this crisis," South African finance minister Pravin Gordhan told The Associated Press Friday.

Gordhan also appeared somewhat more open to a larger role of the IMF in Europe.

"It is about getting ahead of the curve and developing the financial firepower, which would enable Europe to assure the rest of the world that either on its own, through the EFSF, or with the IMF, they are able to actually contain this contagion," he said.

Officials warned not to expect too much of the meeting of G-20 finance ministers and central bankers in Paris. The get-together is a stop on the road to a meeting of EU leaders on Oct. 23, when the eurozone is expected to present its new and improved crisis strategy, and a G-20 summit of leaders in Cannes in early November.

__

Sarah DiLorenzo contributed to this story.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111014/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_g20_finance

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Watch Burning Man Appear And Disappear

I've sadly (??) never been to burning man, but this time-lapse footage of the playa over five weeks is pretty inspiring. First you see a small group of folks begininning to set things up and then, when the gates open, all heck breaks loose, creating a mini-city in the desert.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/7EmtDvBcIT0/

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Gunmen surrender, release Philippine bank hostages (AP)

MANILA, Philippines ? Philippine police say gunmen who took six people hostage in a bank near the Philippine capital have surrendered after releasing their hostages unharmed.

Police say the four gunmen took the people hostage around noon Thursday after botching a robbery at the bank in Bacoor township in Cavite province.

Mayor Strike Revilla says the gunmen gave up several hours later after they were assured of their safety.

Provincial police chief John Bulalacao says there were only six hostages, not eight as he had initially reported.

The crisis came while the bloody ending of a hostage-taking last year was still fresh in the public mind. In that case, a dismissed policeman killed eight Hong Kong tourists on a bus before he was fatally shot by police snipers.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111013/ap_on_re_as/as_philippines_bank_hostages

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Expert List Building Tips ? Part 2 | Denise Wakeman - Online ...

How to build a lucrative and responsive email listThe expert list building tips starts in ernest now?you got a taste with the first?tip by Derek Halpern. Due to the number of tips collected from colleagues and contacts on LinkedIn, I'm posting them as a series of posts with seven tips each, so you don't get overwhelmed and you can read, digest and implement the ones that "speak" to you.

The question I posed to my colleagues was this:

What?s your #1 tip for building a responsive and lucrative list?

1. Let's kick off the series with a super successful, 7-figure serial entrepreneur?you don't create 7-figure businesses without knowing a thing or two about building a lucrative list!

To build a profitable list you need to think about the name of your squeeze page. By using long tail keywords that are highly specific you will generate more targeted traffic. ?For example instead of "Realtor" use "First Home Buyers Realtor." This way the search engines will get fewer results and your squeeze page will be among them. Think about it: you can't build a list until you have people coming to your page. The goal is to come up with descriptive keywords in the title of your squeeze page so you can get targeted traffic and high quality opt-ins.

?

Once people come to your page you need to think about creating value for them and developing relationships with them. ?Freebies work! I prefer using freebies that allow people to get a taste of what they will be getting when they invest in your product or service. ?To give you an example, one of my clients put together a sample consulting session as a way of doing this. ?People can actually watch my client in action doing consulting to see if they like my client's style and methods. ?Whatever your freebie make it easy for them to download and watch or listen or read right away.

?

If you follow these two tips:

1. ?Long tail and specific landing page names

2. ?Opts in worth opting in that let people "try on" what they are getting

?

You will create a list that is highly qualified and therefore more profitable.

?

2. Next up, a man who knows list building inside and out. In fact he wrote the book on list building for bloggers!

List building is the flip side of your SEO and content creation efforts. If you?re not spending time and effort trying to convert visitors your SEO work generates into subscribers, then your online investment is being largely wasted. You want to keep them coming back, and turning them into email subscribers is the best way to do it!

?

So my top tips for business bloggers to really grow your list are:

  • Make it easy! Your email subscription form should be clearly visible, above the fold. Don?t make visitors work to find it.
  • Use incentives and rewards ? ebooks, webcasts, free consulting, coupons, money, memberships ? to encourage new subscriptions.
  • Use multi-list approaches (different lists for different content, and / or different lists for different delivery schedules) for better targeting.
  • Use autoresponders to drip market to contacts after they buy / register on your site.
  • Don?t spam. Always, always use verified dual opt in and a reputable email service.

~ Phil Hollows, Feedblitz and List Building for Bloggers

3. A doctorate in psychology can be a valuable assest for developing an attention-getting list building strategy.

My number one tip for building a responsive and lucrative list is to remember that specificity equals responsivity. This means that the more specific you are in who you work with, how you help them, and what the biggest outcome or benefit of this work is, the more likely you are to attract people who pay attention to what you share, and act on it. The hardest thing online right now is to get attention. One way to do that, successfully, is to make your offers very targeted and relevant to just the right people. When people are certain that you are speaking directly to them, they are more likely to join your list.

Focus on giving useful, practical content- information they can use- while also focusing on the big picture of why they need to apply this information in the first place. I find that a balance of practical tips and broader strategy work well in terms of keeping people engaged. The other tip I have is to engage your list early and often. I have started sending out a brief survey to learn more about my list members as soon as they join my list. I've had very good response rate on this, and it's given me some valuable data I have been able to use.

~ Dr. Rachna Jain, Profitable Popularity

4.?Kathleen Gage, the Street Smarts Marketer, shares her tip about engaging joint venture partners in this video?

YouTube Preview Image

5. A PR pro shares her tip?

If you want to build a responsive and lucrative list, there?s only one thing you need to do: lead them on.?

?

Anyone can build a list by collecting business cards, purchasing leads, adding an opt-in box to your blog, including a call to action in a press release, speaking at events or even collecting connections on LinkedIn.

?

As you build your list, you need to be able to answer one critical question: What value do you bring to your customer?s lives or their business?

?

Everyone on your list is there because they saw something in you that would help them build their business, save time or money, be happier or improve their life in some way.

?

Be the leader your people are looking for. You?ll both benefit from a more responsive and lucrative relationship that leads you both on.

?

6. A well-known writer, specializing in white papers, proves that freebies work?

One of the best ways to build a good list is a free offer of a compelling white paper, special report or case study series. It doesn't have to be written, either?webinars, videos and podcasts work, too. Once the person has opted into your list by downloading the report, nurture them with a well-thought-out autoresponder series. Ask if they received the report and if they have questions on the content, and offer them more free content (not a sales pitch) over a period of time.?

?

Citrix uses this strategy (killing their newsletter in favor of a nurturing-with-content approach) and it brought them $1.5 million in leads over a 4-month period.

?

?

7. From one of the best community-builders I know?

The best way to build a responsive list is to create experiences. Great content is now freely available everywhere on the internet. As a matter of fact, the abundance of great content creates overwhelm and confusion, that inevitably leads to indecision, and short circuits your ability to take action. What's missing for people are formats where experiences are created that help them embody the information. Taking action and implementing the information is the ONLY way to create change for yourself and your community.

?

Though I also use the term list building, I find that it's more about creating a Tribe, or a community. If you just think of your list as 'x' number of subscribers you're in trouble. People want to be seen and heard and rise out of the anonymity of ?your list.? With all the breakdown of trusted systems ? like banking, insurance, and government ? people are hungry for authenticity and real connection. Create experiences that engage and invite participants to embody the change they wish to create. You?ll not only inspire your Tribe into taking action, you?ll create an experience that makes that change possible.

~ Adela Rubio, Enlightened List Building

What tips would you add to this list? Share your list building success stories in the comments! And, be sure to visit each of the tip contributors. These are influential people who have helped me in one way or another over the last nine years. ?

Stay tuned for part 3 of the Expert List Building Tips series featuring tips from Jack Humphrey, Ellen Britt, Lou Bortone, Kristi Hines, Boris Mahovac, and Carla Wilson. ?Use the form below to subscribe and get updates when the new tips are published.

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Source: http://denisewakeman.com/internet-marketing/expert-list-building-tips-part-2/

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Nuclear Power Likely to Grow, Royal Society Says, So Nations Should Plan Ahead

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Nuclear Power Likely to Grow, Royal Society Says, So Nations Should Plan Ahead
Despite the ongoing events at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, Britain's Royal Society, for one, believes that a renaissance of nuclear power construction is likely. If so, it says in a report released today, then governments and international bodies need to develop coherent long-term policies that take account of not just nuclear safety but also security, proliferation risk, and managing the whole fuel cycle from cradle to grave.

Source: Science
Posted on: Thursday, Oct 13, 2011, 8:07am
Views: 6

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/114246/Nuclear_Power_Likely_to_Grow__Royal_Society_Says__So_Nations_Should_Plan_Ahead

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Strong quake briefly halts Russian oil supplies to China (Reuters)

MOSCOW (Reuters) ? A strong earthquake struck Russia's Far East near the Chinese border on Friday, shaking buildings hundreds of kilometres (miles) away, briefly halting Russian oil supplies to its energy-hungry Asian neighbor.

Schools were evacuated in one Russian city and office workers fled buildings across the border in China, but emergency officials said there were no casualties or significant property damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.1 magnitude quake struck on Friday at 0610 GMT near Skovorodino in the Amur region, about 5,150 km (3,200 miles) east of Moscow, and 210 km (130 miles) north of China's Heilongjiang province.

Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft said the quake forced a five and a half hour halt to oil shipments to China on the 300,000 barrel-per-day East Siberia - Pacific Ocean (ESPO) pipeline, but added the pipeline itself had not been damaged.

A spur of the pipeline leads to China from Skovorodino.

Transneft spokesman Igor Dyomin said the company also temporarily stopped loading railway cars destined for the port of Kozmino on the Sea of Japan, an export route for another 300,000 barrels-per-day of oil to China and Asia-Pacific nations including South Korea, Japan and the United States.

"The company halted supplies as a preventive measure. Transneft expects aftershocks," said Dyomin, adding the power supply to some pumping stations was interrupted and reserve capacity was plugged in.

Light fixtures were shaken and schools were evacuated in Chita, a city about 700 km (440 miles) southwest of the epicenter, Itar-Tass news agency said.

Tremors were also felt in the border city of Blagoveshchensk, 500 km (310 miles) southeast of the epicenter.

The quake caused no casualties or significant damage, Amur region Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Raisa Kopyrina said by telephone. Russia's Interfax news agency cited a resident as saying there was minor damage to structures in villages close to the epicenter.

In the Chinese city of Heihe, people in an 18-storey government building felt tremors and ran outside, state news agency Xinhua quoted a city official as saying.

"The ground kept shaking for one or two minutes and as I was running out of my house, I heard my bowls and plates knocking against one another in the cabinet," Xinhua quoted Li Guiquing, a resident of Beiji Village in the border province, as saying.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or property loss, Xinhua said.

Transneft began shipping oil along the first stage of the ESPO pipeline, which runs in a 2,757-km arch around Lake Baikal, on January 1 of this year.

Until then, oil from Russia, the world's top crude producer, had been transported by rail to feed China's booming economy.

When the 4,070-km pipeline's second stage is finished in 2013, it will be the world's longest. The $25 billion pipeline dwarfs all other infrastructure projects in post-Soviet Russia in terms of cost.

The supply interruption came amid a persistent dispute between the neighbors, with Transneft claiming that China has underpaid it by tens of millions of dollars due to differences over a transportation tariff.

During a visit to Beijing this week with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for talks about energy and other issues, Russia's top energy official Igor Sechin said the dispute was resolved and both parties will soon formalize the agreement.

Moscow and Beijing are also wrangling over pricing in tortuous discussions that have prevented them from nailing down a long-discussed deal for Russia to supply China with 68 billion cubic metres of gas per year for 30 years.

(Additional reporting by Ludmila Danilova and Gleb Gorodyankin in Moscow and Ben Blanchard in Beijing Editing by Matthew Jones)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111014/wl_nm/us_transneft_china_earthquake

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Sleep expert: Drugs caused Michael Jackson's death (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? A UCLA sleep expert described Dr. Conrad Murray's use of a cocktail of drugs on Michael Jackson as "unethical, disturbing and beyond comprehension."

The combination of drugs used as Jackson struggled to fall asleep on the day he died was a "recipe for disaster" and ultimately caused his death, Dr. Nader Kamangar testified Thursday.

Under questioning by Murray's attorney, J. Michael Flanagan, the witness was asked to tell jurors what he knew about the events of June 25, 2009, the day of Jackson's death.

"To summarize, Mr. Jackson was receiving very inappropriate therapy in a home setting, receiving very potent therapies without monitoring," Kamangar said.

He said diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) and midazolam (Versed) were given to the sleepless star during a 10-hour period throughout the night and morning.

"This cocktail was a recipe for disaster," Kamangar said.

Noting the addition of propofol (Dipravan), a powerful anesthetic used in surgeries, Flanagan asked: "Could this have caused death?'

"Absolutely," Kamangar said. "Absolutely."

Authorities say Murray gave Jackson a fatal dose of propofol. Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

The witness, one of the experts who evaluated Murray's actions for the California Medical Board, expressed dismay about the drugs Murray gave the pop star, his failure to immediately call 911 for help, and his lack of monitoring and record-keeping.

Murray was unable to produce any written records on his treatment of Jackson, Kamangar noted.

"There were no records whatsoever," he said. "It's very easy to forget details. We do not rely on memory."

"So it's your opinion that there's no way he could have remembered what he did if he didn't write it down?" Flanagan asked.

"It is an egregious violation of the standard of care when you are using sedatives like propofol and you are not writing it down," Kamangar answered.

The defense lawyer pressed on, asking, "Because he didn't write down the pulse rate, oxygen saturation, heart rate ... that didn't kill Michael Jackson, did it?'

"It's a combination of factors," said Kamangar.

"But not the cause of death?" asked Flanagan.

"It's a contributing factor," said the witness.

Kamangar was the third prosecution expert to criticize the conduct of Murray. He said his first mistake was using propofol to treat insomnia, calling it an unacceptable application of the drug.

He said Jackson's demand for the drug ? the subject of previous testimony ? was not a sufficient reason to give it. He also suggested Murray should have done a physical examination, taken a history from his patient about his insomnia, and called in other medical experts if necessary to evaluate the problem.

"The most important thing he should have done is call for help," Kamangar said.

He said Murray's interview with police made it clear that he waited too long to call 911 when he found Jackson not breathing.

Flanagan suggested at one point that doctors sometimes practice "bad medicine," but their patients are unharmed. Kamangar agreed.

On redirect questioning, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren asked: "Mr. Flanagan asked if a doctor could be grossly negligent and the patient could survive?"

"Yes," said Kamangar.

"Conrad Murray was grossly negligent in many areas and he caused Michael Jackson's death, is that correct?"

"Yes," said the witness.

On Wednesday, Murray's defense team announced they were dropping a claim that was the centerpiece of their case ? that Jackson swallowed additional propofol when Murray was out of the room. Flanagan did not bring up self-dosing on Thursday.

Before court recessed, the prosecution called to the stand Dr. Steven Shafer, one of the nation's leading experts on propofol. However, he did not get into his substantive testimony before trial recessed until Monday because Shafer had a schedule conflict.

Shafer was expected to be the final prosecution witness in the case. The defense has a colleague of Shafer's waiting to take the stand.

Shafer helped craft guidelines for appropriate propofol dosing for sedation that is included in the packaging of every bottle that is sold.

Murray could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

___

McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111014/ap_en_mu/us_michael_jackson_doctor

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Good Prospect of Chinese Construction Machinery ... - Real Estate

In recent years, companies have gradually improved their knowledge of financial leasing, the functions of the leasing market was perfect, the Construction Industry of China engaged in leasing machinery has entered a new stage of rapid development.Especially in the context of the financial crisis, the Chinese government adopted a policy of extending a request from the internal market, providing opportunities for rapid development of the rental industry for construction machinery.?On the other hand, compared to leasing in the mature markets of developed countries, the machinery industry of China for the construction of the lease is still in the early stage of development.?Therefore, the rate of market penetration is very low, only about 8%.According to the static of China Research and Intelligence, in 2008, the market size of the leasing market of construction machinery in China is only about $ 3 billion.?Statistics show that Caterpillar is the leading producer of construction machinery in the world whose sales amount is over 60% of worldwide sales and more than 80% of its sales in developed areas is covered in the lease finance.

The penetration rate of leasing Chinese domestic construction machinery is estimated to increase year after year.?It is estimated that in 2010 will be 12% and in 2015, reaching 25%.?The market scale is expected to reach $ 20 billion.?Therefore, the space of Chinese construction machinery leasing is a great development.
For companies in construction machinery with large scales and cash flow sufficient to establish their own leasing company means a lot.?Especially in the context of the financial crisis, bank accounts, mortgages can not meet the requirements of the very few sales of construction machinery companies.?As a new sales model, to some extent, the lease to offset this request.?Just because of this, the model of sale of the lease has attracted the attention of manufacturers and becomes the new option for many companies in the construction of large machines and abroad who wishes to defend the pace of market impact?policies.

When the economy is booming, the policy of bank credit is loose, and leasing can play its full role in corporate finance to promote economic development to flourish.?When the economy is depressed, leasing not only plays a role as a cardiotonic, but also plays an advocacy role.?Pushing forward the investment and consumption, stimulate economic development and the blood shed in economic development.?Leasing is an effective way to simulate investment and to overcome the decline in investment.?To some extent, can avoid being influenced by changes in national monetary policies.?Plays a positive role in the stable development of enterprises and the sustained and stable growth of the economy of the state.?On the other hand, renting a function of accelerated depreciation.After a lease expires, the lease of the equipment will be completely renovated in the second hand market, aimed at encouraging the development of secondary processing and supports the development of industry cyclicality of construction machinery.

For its objects, the location has a unique advantage to promote the development of small and medium enterprises.?In China, the level of commercial bank lending in recent years is very high, not only credit risk avoider, but also blocks the development requirements of small and medium customers.?The combination of location provides companies with medium and small loans of medium and long term.?In the process of renting, ownership of the computer has an owner, but the right to use and usufruct, belonging to a tenant.?The current accounting system of China stipulates that the assets leased can be incorporated into the fixed assets of a business tenant to remove the impairment.?For a number of construction companies of small and medium, this feature may solve the problem can be described as businesses with sufficient quality for the lack of adequate equipment (fixed assets).?And the winning bids of the projects will not be affected.?In addition, a variety of companies published by the leasing companies can greatly support the small and medium enterprises to enter the competition in the market.?For example, the sale and leasing can help construction companies offers to purchase the necessary equipment in the bidding process.?What is a hardware company to sell its scrap value (which does not participate in the tender for construction) for leasing companies.?He also raised money to buy the necessary equipment supply and rental of equipment has been sold to financial companies.?The activity was relatively mature and abroad.?Physical capital companies in exchange for money capital through the sale and leaseback.?The company has no impact on firms to continue using the property and maintain the flow of capital.

For companies in construction machinery, leasing has four functions such as financing, promotion, investment and asset management.?Among them, funding and promotion are the most important.?Especially in the current phase of national crisis macro-control and credit on the one hand, leasing companies can provide financial services to parents through the adoption of rent rather than sell.?Not only avoids the excessive use of bank credit, but also avoids completely smooth intermediate links caused by too much action, helping to speed the flow of capital from the company.?On the other hand, leasing can expand the market for products of matrices and to strengthen competitiveness in the market.?Meanwhile, as a parent of a leasing company, a manufacturing company may occupy part of the profits of bank interest.

The outlook for the global industry from the rental of construction machinery in China is good.?But according to statistics from the China Research and Intelligence in July 2009, the operational status of each company in the industry from the rental of construction machinery in China is not the same.?Some companies such as Caterpillar, the giant of the international construction machinery, taking many steps in the industry, preferably in the rental of China construction machinery in 2009: in 2009, its rental business 5?% of required deposit, after entering in 2009, the policy of free margins is performed, the payment of a fee is paid, one year insurance of construction machinery is available to clients in the leasing sector.?Therefore, your business grows prosperity.

However, in some companies, the terms of the leasing business are complex and the total rental costs are higher than the mortgage bank, after all.?Thus, its leasing activities in the Chinese industry from the rental of construction machinery has been reduced or even canceled.?Mortgage market investment bank replaces the space left by the leasing company.

// ]]>

Source: http://www.logobuster.com/leasing/good-prospect-of-chinese-construction-machinery-financial-leasing-industry/

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Politics and Religion : News & Society

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Politics and Religion

These are the two words that seem to cause the most conflict in the earth today. On this Independence Day (for Americans) I thought I would share on these two subjects.

Here in the U.S. the Presidential political season is beginning to warm up.? Republicans, Democrats and everyone else are unveiling their, ?How I would do it better? proposals to voters across the nation.? Rhetoric, clich?s and grandiose promises fill the airwaves, the internet and every other form of media. Some choose to lead with messages of change for a brighter future while others choose to lead with fear of a dismal future. All sides seem to make valid points at some point in their speech and all sides also seem to say things that cause your eyebrows to rise in disbelief.? There are many issues that candidates and parties choose to champion or oppose; some of them with clear biblical guidelines and others coming in the form of preferred style and form of government.?

Is there a candidate, cause or set of issues that we as followers of Christ should be behind? Should our faith in Christ be the key influencer of our selections in the ballot box? Can we separate moral, social, financial and political agendas to justify our selection and support?? Is there guidance from scripture concerning our participation in the civil arena?

Let?s try to break this down into a few different sections and then pull it all together at the end. I want to look at the moral side of politics; i.e., the issues that will appear on the ballot and the key moral issues that candidates pledge their support or opposition for. I want to look at taxes, governmental size and style.? I also want to look at our obligation as Christians to be involved in the affairs of our society.? As always, I will use scripture to illustrate the points that I make.

Before we move any further I think it is important to say that the God of the Bible is not a member of a political party.? The God of the Bible does not have an earthly nationality. The God of the Bible?s rule supersedes the governments of our nations (Psalm 24:1). As followers of Christ we have been called from every nation on earth (Revelation 5:9).? We are the church; the Ecclesia ? and our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Our call as followers of Jesus Christ is to establish the Kingdom of God here on the earth through the preaching of the Gospel.? We are not call to build a nation but a nation within the nations.? Our movement is not a movement of people in the political arena but a movement of people towards God.

Jesus answered, ?My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.? (John 18:36)

The Bible predicts that Christ will establish a theocratic government at His second advent (Revelation 19). The New Testament does not speak of a Christian nation or a Christian government prior to this event.? The governmental systems of our nations can never establish the church nor can they further the cause of Christ.? As believers we cannot look to elected officials or propositions on a ballot to bring men and women to belief in Christ. Conversely the governments of our nations have the ability to create freedom to preach the gospel without persecution or prosecution or they have the ability to impede or outlaw the free exercise of our faith.? It is to this goal that we as followers of Christ must work civilly and prayerfully to either maintain or secure; to ensure that the gospel of Jesus Christ may be freely preached in our nation.

Moral & Social Issues

Morality is a term that is often overused or misused in public discourse today.? There is no end of debate on what is right and wrong or even if there is a right or wrong. There are causes for and against multiple issues that scripture provides clear direction on.? It is these types of scenarios that we as followers of Christ must find ourselves agreeing with the Word of God when we stand in the ballot box to cast our votes.

One of the most relevant scriptures on this subject is found in Second John:

If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don?t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. (2 John 10-11)

As followers of Christ we cannot support candidates, propositions or policies that violate the truth of God?s word and declare that which the Bible teaches to be sin to be OK.

Governmental Issues

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There are no political candidates who represent a complete biblical worldview and far too often we are forced to elect the lesser of two evils. It is in these times that we must still stand for what is righteous, what is good and what is true. There will never be a political savior in your nation who will solve all of the problems you face and there will never be a government that is pure. We have been redeemed from this world?s system for a reason and we must remain conscious that even though we live in this world we are no longer of this world. (John 15:19). We must preach, pray, live and work to further the message of Christ at every level of society but must also remain cognizant of the fact that the system of the world is opposed to what we are doing. We cannot change the system; we preach Christ so that people?s hearts can be changed.

The Christian Right

Hot button issues in many nations are items like Abortion, Homosexual Marriage and Doctor Assisted Suicide. The curriculums of elementary schools, secondary schools and universities are also frequent battlegrounds for Christians in politics. There is also great debate over social welfare programs, immigration, healthcare and taxation. Each of these issues affects the lives of people; regardless of their faith. They are important for our culture, our economies as well as the fabric and future of our societies.

As a Bible believing follower of the Lord Jesus Christ I cannot support any can political party, candidate or proposition that disagrees with God and His Word. As an American I believe that our political and social landscape has significantly deteriorated to the point where our nation will no longer be able to maintain its status of prosperity and leadership in the affairs of the world unless there are significant changes. There are far too many men and women who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ in our nation to expect that the policies of our nation will be righteous and congruent with biblical teaching.

This does not mean that we should abandon hope but it does mean that the need for a genuine move of the Holy Spirit in our nations has never been greater. Political change will not provide the necessary catalyst for changing the heart of a nation. A true revival of divine origin is required to change the heart of our nations. It is only then that we will elect a representative who can change our governments to reflect the demands of its people.

The message of Christ should be the first thing that comes to the minds of unbelievers when they hear the term Christian. Politicians, preachers and lobbyist have turned the first thoughts of many into biblical stances on Abortion, Homosexuality and other Moral/Social issues when speaking of Christianity. This has done our cause a great disservice. Arguing political, moral and social stances without the cross turns our faith into a political doctrine. As followers of Christ our first priority is to share the message of Jesus. As people receive Christ and grow in their faith the Holy Spirit renews their mind, their worldview changes and consequently so does their political, social and moral stances. We cannot reverse the equation. We must love God and love people.

Biblical Christianity

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

If we are going to be the Christian Right ? our right place is foremost one of repentance and prayer for our nations. If we ever expect any true change to come to our nations, the change must first come in our hearts. Revival in our nations will begin when the church ?gets right?. We cannot expect the world to embrace the doctrines of life and righteousness unless the church is living in the fruit of the Spirit and moving in the power of the Spirit. Cultural and political change of divine origin begins at the house of God.

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

You are the light of the world?like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. (Matthew 5:13-15)

These verses were spoken to believers. It is our mandate to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.? The message of Christ follows the life of those who follow Christ.? It is the life we live and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives that creates authentic hunger and thirst for the message of the cross. Why are we different? Where does the love, joy, peace, etc. come from in our lives? What is the source of integrity? What motivates our compassion?

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Obligations of Believers

There are two primary passages of scripture that provide guidance and direction for followers of Christ in relationship to their government in the New Testament.

Pray

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Obey the Law

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.? So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God?s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God?s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. (Romans 13:1-7)

Conclusion

This is a challenging subject to write about from a completely biblical perspective and I am sure this is a challenging subject to read about from a completely biblical perspective. Each of us has political beliefs and opinions and there is a high probability that we agree on some things and disagree on others. As followers of Christ we must work diligently to maintain focus on the core of who we are. Our identity in Christ is the most important aspect of our lives and if it is not then we are truly not followers of Christ.

Our faith influences every aspect of our lives, including our political views and stances. The relationship between faith and politics can be looked at in a similar way to the relationship between faith and good works. Good works are not performed in an effort to earn or attain salvation; good works are the result of a regenerated heart that has already received the free gift of God?s salvation. Upholding biblical political views is not the pulpit from which the message of the gospel is to be preached. Those who have received the message of the gospel naturally hold biblical political views as a result of the change that Christ has made in their hearts.

So, here are the bullet points for this message:

Stand for what is right; regardless of the opinions of men
Focus on sharing the gospel and converting men and women to Christ instead of propagating a political doctrine
Pray for your leaders and the direction of your nation
Participate in government (i.e., voting)and obey the laws
Live the Christian life and fulfill the great commission

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The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ (Revelation 11:15). Until that time our calling remains the same:

Jesus came and told his disciples, ?I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.? (Matthew 28:18-20)

My passion is to educate and provoke Christians to fulfill the calling of God on their lives (which is always tied to the fulfillment of the Great Commission). I have been known to offend with bluntness and sarcasm, but normally it happens by telling the truth people do not want to hear or be reminded of.? The motivation behind it is to provoke people to become more like Jesus and live the faith they profess to have. More messages can be found here.

Written by: Dan on October 12, 2011.

Posted by Dan on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 12:44 am?
Filed under Politics ? Tagged with Ballot Box, Brighter Future, Christians, Civil Arena, Disbelief, Eyebrows, Followers Of Christ, Form Of Government, Independence Day, Influencer, Moral Issues, Pledge, Political Agendas, Politics, Politics And Religion, Preferred Style, Promises, Proposals, Religion, Republicans, Rhetoric, Scripture

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