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Automakers have been stepping up their discount lease offers, rebates and no-interest loans in response to a wave of new incentives from recall-plagued Toyota Motor.

The deals have triggered a big bounce in sales at U.S. dealerships, which are expected to be up 23 percent for the month, according to J.D. Power & Associates.

“The industry has been recharged by incentive offers from Toyota and other automakers,” observed Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell. “There is a lot of money in the marketplace right now, and people are responding.”

But the discounts are likely temporary and won’t change the fact that overall, vehicle prices have been increasing in recent months after several years of stagnation.

The big reason is that carmakers are doing a better job of aligning their production with lower consumer demand. With leaner inventories, they’ve been able to use more restraint when it comes to profit-sapping incentives (that is, until the Toyota crisis popped up). A strong used-car market has also helped prop up prices for new cars.

The average selling price for a typically equipped new vehicle in January was $29,404, up from an average of about $28,100 for the same month during the previous three years, according to Edmunds.com. Though sticker prices were increasing between 2006 and 2009, so were incentives, keeping the average transaction price essentially flat.

But in January 2010 average incentives fell $368 compared with the prior January, while the average manufacturer’s suggested retail price kept climbing, to $31,039. (To best reflect price trends, Edmunds.com bases its calculations on sales volume, including the mix of vehicle makes and models for each month, as well as on the proportion of vehicles for which each type of incentive was used.)

Gradual price increases, of course, are natural, especially when a car is redesigned or new equipment is added. And many consumers have gravitated toward models with bells and whistles that cost more, like in-car entertainment systems, navigation systems and fuel-saving turbo-charged engines.
Still, an analysis of February sales data by Edmunds.com shows that some carmakers have been able to hike prices more than others.

Ford Motor, for instance, riding a wave of goodwill from its refusal to seek a government bailout, was able to reposition its redesigned 2010 Taurus sedan and raise the car’s average selling price by $6,200. Before the redesign the Taurus had been relegated to rental car lots, fetching an average $25,247. After the redesign, which added loads of new technology, a typical Taurus now sells for $31,458, an increase of nearly 25 percent.

Ford also raised prices on several of its Mercury brand vehicles by eliminating lower-end style levels. The typical Mercury Mariner crossover, for instance, now sells for about $4,000 more after Ford dropped the entry-level four-cylinder engine. The Mercury Mountaineer SUV now sells for an average $36,131, or about $5,500 more than the 2009 version, after Ford dropped lower-level styles for the 2010 model year.

Ford’s Lincoln MKZ sedan now sells for 20 percent more after a minor freshening for 2010 that included fuel economy improvements. Its average selling price is now $38,562, up more than $6,400 over the 2009 MKZ.
General Motors has enjoyed similar pricing power. When GM launched a sleekly redesigned version of its Buick Lacrosse recently, the average transaction price rose $4,890, or nearly 18 percent over its predecessor. The typically equipped 2010 Lacrosse now sells for $32,521.

Teenage Nicotine Addiction: Smoking Away Young Lives

Because of advertisements and other forms of media that promote smoking, many teens think it is okay and cool to smoke. And the result is that many teens are getting addicted to nicotine and cigarettes. All over the world, smoking begins as a teenage experience. Few smokers have begun smoking as adults. In the United States, on an average day, at least 3,000 young people become regular smokers, and more than 6,000 adolescents try to smoke their first cigarette. The outlook for regular smokers who began smoking as teenagers and continue into adulthood is grim. Research shows that people who start smoking before the age of 21 have the hardest time quitting. It is also estimated that about 30% of youth smokers who continue smoking well into adulthood would die early from a smoking-related disease. While smoking may be legal for adults, the medical costs associated with it are enormous. Many of those who suffer and die from smoking-related illnesses actually took up the habit in their teens.

In today’s health news, there seem to be startling new statistics regarding teen smoking. It appears nearly one in five 13-to-15-year-old students worldwide uses some form of tobacco, according to the global youth tobacco survey started seven years ago, as a joint effort by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Students from more than 130 countries responded to questions about tobacco, including personal use, secondhand exposure and advertising. The study found that Europe and the Americas had the highest rates of cigarette smoking, at approximately 18 percent.

In all regions, the use of other tobacco products was generally more common among boys than among girls. Nearly a quarter of high school students in the US smoke cigarettes. Another 8% use smokeless tobacco. In addition to the innate dangers faced by the smoker, there are dangerous effects of secondhand smoke to non-smokers as well. Secondhand smoke causes many serious health problems. It contributes to as many as 300,000 cases of pneumonia, bronchitis, and other respiratory infections in infants and children every year. It is also one of the risk factors in the development of childhood asthma, causing 8,000 to 26,000 new cases each year. Smoking has many health risks for everyone. However, the younger a person starts to smoke, the more problems it can cause. The tobacco industry spends about $34 million per day to market cigarettes, and most of this marketing is targeted at kids. To stop this kind of unethical advertising, critics argue Congress should pass legislation that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products and marketing, as well as to ban candy-flavored cigarettes.

Combating teen smoking in America is a really serious public health issue. It is relevant as well to the problems in developing countries faced with smoking by children and adolescents. The issues on teen smoking clearly speaks to policy makers, health personnel, researchers, and young people. Each group has a role to play to address the growing health problems among minors.

For more details please visit: Quit Smoking Now

Using a Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

The same general principles apply to hiring a federal criminal defense lawyer as apply to hiring any other criminal lawyer. It is highly recommended that any person hiring a lawyer to assist with federal criminal charges or grand jury proceedings retain a lawyer who has significant experience with the federal system.

The Federal Criminal System

The federal criminal system is in many ways like the state system, but it has some very significant differences. One difference is that the typical United States Attorney's office, responsible for prosecuting federal criminal charges, has significantly more time and resources to direct to any given prosecution than would a state prosecutor.

Federal prosecutors also typically have better academic credentials than state prosecutors, and many have a great deal of latitude in selecting the cases they wish to prosecute through the federal courts. Save for crimes which occur on federal land, those cases which fall exclusively to the jurisdiction of a federal prosecutor tend to be of an interstate nature, and are more likely than a state prosecution to be legally and factually complex.

As a result, federal criminal defense tends to involve cases which are more difficult to defend, and the cost of defense is often very high. In each federal jurisdiction there is also a Federal Defender's office, which can provide legal representation to indigent defendants.

Federal Criminal Investigations

If you are contacted by the federal authorities in relation to a criminal investigation, the first thing you must attempt to determine is if you are being contacted as a potential witness or as a suspect. The second thing you must determine is what statements you can safely make to the authorities without potentially falling into a trap, such as being charged with lying to federal agents. Consider for example the case of Martha Stewart, who was acquitted of any direct criminal wrongdoing but spent time in prison for making false statements to federal investigators.

A federal criminal defense lawyer can help you assess the nature and purpose of the investigation, and why you are being approached. While you should expect your lawyer to instruct you to provide honest answers to any questions from the federal authorities, your lawyer may be able to guide you around any potential traps or pitfalls. When appropriate, a federal criminal defense lawyer can be present during any questioning, act as an intermediary between you and the investigating authorities, or advise you to exercise your Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. If appropriate, a federal criminal defense lawyer may be able to work out a deal where you will cooperate with the investigation, in return for more favorable treatment when the investigation is concluded. In appropriate cases your lawyer may also be able to secure a letter of declination, in which the U.S. attorney formally declines to prosecute you in relation to a particular offense or investigation.

Grand Jury Testimony

When a person receives a subpoena to testify before a grand jury, as with an investigation, it is not always apparent whether the person is being subpoenaed as a witness or as a potential target for indictment. As with an investigation, a federal criminal defense lawyer can help a grand jury witness determine the likely purpose of the subpoena, how to avoid potential traps and pitfalls when providing testimony, or when to "take the fifth". The lawyer may also be able to work out a deal for immunity, or for use immunity (meaning that the testimony provided before the grand jury cannot be used to advance a criminal prosecution against the witness), in relation to the testimony.

Federal Criminal Proceedings

It is helpful during federal criminal proceedings to be represented by a lawyer who is familiar with the federal rules of evidence, federal rules of criminal procedure, trial procedure, and the federal court system in general. The lawyer should also be familiar with federal sentencing procedures, and with the recent Supreme Court rulings which affect sentencing. It helps to have a defense lawyer who is familiar with the U.S. Attorney's office which is handling the case, and ideally some familiarity with the federal investigative agency which spearheaded the investigation.

There is no such thing as a highly qualified federal criminal defense lawyer who dabbles in federal court matters. Lawyers either know federal criminal defense, or they don't. If you are involved in the federal criminal system, make sure your lawyer, or at least one of the lawyers who will be serving on your defense team, has extensive experience with the defense of federal criminal charges. As previously noted, federal criminal defense tends to be very expensive. You will be paying for specialized experience - so make sure you get it.

Make Successful Personal Injury Claims

Accidents do occur and no matter how much you try to avoid them, they may involve some serious bodily injuries. Whenever you, a family member, or a loved one is injured due to somebody elses actions, such as in a road accident, compensation becomes an elementary thing. Compensation from the insurance company of the one who is at fault must be a fair settlement for the victim. Unfortunately, a fair settlement is a rare thing in reality. Many people who caused an accident and bodily injury to some other person often do not take responsibility of their actions. Due to this, their insurance companies make profits by underpaying the victims with an unsatisfactory amount. In addition, insurance companies have appointed lawyers who understand the intricacies of such legal claims and can govern the law backward or forward. In such cases, the victim must have some idea about the rights them posses and some remedies that can be used for sorting the matter. Hiring a professional Miami Car accident Attorney can be your way to success and a desirable claim amount. An experienced Miami personal injury attorney is an expert in his own field. 

He knows how to develop your case and go about it for all the legal requirements and presentations. Negotiating your case with the third partys insurance company is not less than art. An experienced Attorney is your artist for performing that art for you. These attorneys can help you in making the maximum claims possible from the insurance company while maintaining your position in the eyes of the law. A good lawyer is at and advantageous position that you can share when it comes to your personal injury claims due to some other persons fault. Motorcycle accidents involve drunk driving, hit and run cases caused due to insured and underinsured drivers. Claiming compensation from the third parties, that is, their insurance companies may be a daunting task for a common person who is not very aware about the legal formalities and requirements for filing a suit. Some defective products or malfunctioning parts of the motorcycle engine may also cause a fatal accident. An experienced Miami motorcycle accident attorney can help you in making a successful and desirable personal injury claim. 

A compassionate law firm or a group of attorneys can help the families of the victims of a serious accident to secure a necessary compensation amount required to move forward. A proficient wrongful death attorney can help the survivors in moving on after their traumatic experiences. These lawyers help the victims families in securing a financial future. Husbands, daughters, wives, sons, fathers, mothers, or anybody can claim such compensation with help from a professional Miami injury lawyer. Miami is a populated city and with a great traffic rush, trucks accidents often happen. Collision of a smaller passenger vehicle with a truck can cause serious injuries to the victims such as broken bones and brain injuries. 

Claiming compensation for such mishaps becomes easy by hiring a professional Miami Brain injury attorney. Disobeying rules, faulty motor parts, accidental collisions, or any such probability will always remain in a city like Miami. What the motorists can do is get an insurance cover and seek help from experienced attorneys. About the Author: Find more information relating to Miami Car Accident Attorney, and Miami Personal Injury Attorney here. 

Tax Liens Made Easy Home Study Course Honest Review

Tax Liens Made Easy is an inexpensive Home Study Course put out by Melford and Concetta Bibens. What this course does is focus on how to purchase property for a very small fraction of the standard market value of that home. In fact there are a lot of testimonials on this website of people who purchased homes for 1-2% of their market value. When you get to their website they offer a free report on how to get $100.00 emailed to you 37 times a day or more. Perhaps this free report might be good enough reason to visit their website and take a look. 

Once you purchase the Tax Liens Made Easy Online Real Estate Training Course, you will login to a special website and immediately have access to thousands of homes with these incredible discounts. Once you decide on the home you want you can just “Pick and Click” and you’ll be able to purchase it immediately. You can either keep the home and live in it or sell it at slightly below market value so it will sell fast and make a killing overnight. Now I’m not personally into nor do I believe it magic profits like this, but this could be an exception. I mean offering a Tax Lien Database at your finger tips using the power of the internet is a whole lot different than buying an outdated list from a Television Offer. 

How a Tax Lien works is an owner will have to forfeit their home because they couldn’t afford or refused to pay their taxes on it in time. Then the government will put a Tax Lien on the home and give them a set amount of time to pay it. This option comes with conditions. You can step in and pay the taxes for the person who owes them. The homeowner has two options as this point. They can pay you the taxes plus a very nice interest fee, much more than a mutual fund would deliver. The other option is that if they home owner doesn’t pay you every cent of the taxes you paid on the home plus interest, the property automatically transfers to you and you end up taking it over. And in some cases there’s no way they can afford to pay it. So either way you win with this deal. People aren’t aware that there are 3,141 Counties in the United States. In many cases paying off someones taxes is as low as $100 and rarely over $5000. And with their online system you don’t have to live in the area to participate in one of these deals. 

You become the lender by paying off the delinquent home owners taxes and either you get paid with interest or you end up owning the home outright. And from 1-5% is what you’ll end up paying for the home on average if the home owner defaults paying you what they owe you on the taxes you paid for them up front. It’s a very sweet deal. And the interest rate you’ll receive can range from 16% to 50%. A couple examples is a lady bought a home worth $201,050 for $3,400. Another couple purchased a $320,750 home for only $4,240. Jerry bought a $75,650 home for $888 dollars. Imagine getting a cute starter home free and clear for under a grand and owning it outright. You can buy one for yourself and get another one to add some heavy cash to your bank account, now you have a nice place to live you own and plenty of money to live on. Most people don’t know these opportunities even exist and for the ones who do, they’re afraid that the “Heavy Real Estate Players” in their area will swipe all of these up. 

What makes me so fond of promoting this, and people who know me know I don’t promote anything, is that there are millions of foreclosures that are taking place as a result of the bad economy. Banks don’t really want the homes, they just want what they are owed and a way out. This gives you the opportunity to step in and provide that way out. Now this course is only $37.00 and to be truthful, it’s a gamble. The gamble is it might be real hard to find a property like this, but in this economy my guess is that it would be a whole lot easier now. But seriously how fast do you go through $37.00? I mean one night out on the town will easily top that amount. And this is an investment in your education so for this price you really can’t go wrong. Imagine investing in 5 properties. 4 pay their taxes and interest to you and you make a great profit on that. But one of the Home Owners refuses or can’t afford to pay you anything. 

Now you have a free and clear home which is the american dream. How many times have you went to the casino and blew $40.00 in a couple hours or less just on the cheap slot machines? If you put this in perspective imho you can’t go wrong by giving it a try. Actually it’s not a risk at all since they give you 50 days to try it out, and if you don’t like it they will refund you. Seems like there’s nothing to think about since I’ve seen courses like this sell for $1000 or more. 

Personal Finance Tips

Recession has done me a lot of good. What? You don't believe me? Well, you will, once I tell you why. Due to recession I have learned how important it is to save money for the future. Recession has taught me to be frugal, to avoid spending money on things that I do not really need. In fact, recession has taught me things about managing finance which my parents, teachers and friends together were not able to do in so many years. I am so happy the way my personal finances are right now that I plan to continue managing my finances the same way, even after this recession is over. Here are some very useful personal finance tips, that anybody can make use of, to take care of his finances in a better way.

Personal Finance Tips and Tricks

Make a Budget
One of the most important personal finance tips for college students, working professionals or even housewives is to make a monthly budget, which clearly mentions the spending you are going to make on different items during this month as well as your earnings from various sources. You can list your spending under various headings such as food, bills, entertainment, interest on loans, etc. Preparing a budget in the beginning of the month is a good way to ensure that you do not overspend. One of the most useful personal budget tips is to stick to the budget, no matter what. And if you have over spent in one category, compensate it by reducing the amount assigned to the other one.

Save and Invest
Saving for a rainy day is very important, as the recession has already taught us now. So many people in America have lost their jobs as well as their homes because they were unable to pay for their loans. Thus, saving a small percentage from one's income every month is very important. What I have started doing is that as soon as I get my pay check, I get 10% of my salary deducted and deposited in a savings account straight away, and pay for my bills and other things with the remaining amount. You can follow the same policy i.e save 10% or 5% of your salary, every month and perhaps start investing in a retirement fund.

Pay Debts and Loans
In order to manage your personal finance, it is very important that you pay your credit card debts or interest on loans on time. The more you delay them, the more they will cost you by way of added interest. So one of the most effective personal loans tips is to pay them at stipulated timings.

Earn More
Another tip for personal finance is to start earning more. I know it is near to impossible in today's grim scenario. What you can at least do is to survey the market, and see what professionals who are in the same job and position as you are, and with the same experience, are earning. This way you will be sure that you are getting your due in the organization you are currently working in. If you feel that you are being paid less and you deserve more, ask for a raise.
Personal finance tips do not end just with your present finances, especially if you have dependents. In such a scenario, it is very essential that you invest in a life insurance policy too. Also, writing a will, so that your loved ones do not face any problems later in life, is also very important.

By Aastha Dogra
Source : Personal Finance Tips

Criminal Defense Lawyer Attorney Videos Criminal Law Legal

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law ; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor ; a person who is practicing law." Law is the Criminal procedure refers to the legal process for adjudicating claims that someone has violated criminal law. Currently, in many countries with a democratic system
Attorney David Edelstein is an experienced criminal defense lawyer . . .

South Florida Legal Guide, SuperLawyers . .State and Federal cases in Miami, Fort Lauderdale Austin Criminal Defense Lawyer : Austin Criminal Defense Lawyer & Attorney : Jamie Spencer Law Firm : DWI, DUI, Drug Possession : Serving Georgetown, Round Rock, San Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Stephen G. Rodriguez, is the top Criminal Defense Lawyer in California, if you have problems regarding bench warrant, petty Florida criminal lawyer Ronald Chapman, based out of West Palm Beach, exclusively practices criminal defense. Since 1990, Mr. Chapman's law firm has represented those

Act quickly and involve a Fort Worth criminal defense attorney if you or a loved one is dealing with criminal charges or an arrest in the Fort Worth area of Texas. Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers, Takakjian, Sowers & Sitkoff LLP, has the experience and aggressive approach you need when facing serious criminal charges. The Federal Criminal Attorneys at Frank A. Rubino provide legal services to clients worldwide with Criminal and White Collar Defense legal needs. Contact our law firm Published By The Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti Santa Ana, Orange County - A La Habra woman was sentenced in Santa Ana on Wednesday to three years, four months

Drug Evidence Suppressed When Police Improperly Stop Vehicle

La Habra police officer Nick Wilson observed Defendant Paul Carmona make a right turn without using his turn signals. Wilson was about 40 yards away and traveling in the opposite direction, so he was unaffected by Carmona’s turn. There was no other traffic nearby. Wilson, however, believed the turn violated California Vehicle Code § 22107 and stopped Carmona.

Wilson then asked Carmona if he was on parole and Carmona said he was. Wilson proceeded to search the car, finding 7.1 grams of methamphetamine and cellular telephones with text messages relating to narcotics transactions. Wilson also searched Carmona’s passenger, finding a “tooter” used to snort meth.

Carmona and his passenger were then charged in Fullerton Superior Court with two felonies: first, a violation of Health and Safety Code § 11379(a), transportation of a controlled substance, and second, a violation of Health and Safety Code § 11378, possession of a controlled substance. Due to Carmona’s prior prison record and one prior strike, he faced one year sentence enhancements under Penal Code § 667.

Carmona and his passenger filed a motion to suppress under Penal Code § 1538.5, arguing Wilson lacked reasonable suspicion to believe there was a violation of Vehicle Code § 22107. This code section prohibits a turning movement without an appropriate signal “in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.”

At the suppression hearing, Wilson agreed that Carmona’s right turn did not affect his safety because he was so far away. However, the trial court found Carmona violated Vehicle Code § 22108, which requires a driver to signal for 100 feet prior to turning. Accordingly, the trial court denied the motion.

Carmona and his passenger then entered into a plea bargain, wherein Carmona was sentenced to two years in prison after the trial judge struck Carmona’s sentence enhancements. Carmona’s passenger was sentenced to three years of formal probation.

Carmona and his passenger then appealed the ruling on the suppression motion. In People v. Carmona (2011 DJDAR 7744), the Fourth Appellate District agreed with Carmona, reversing the trial court.

The appellate court first decided that Vehicle Code § 22108 only applied in the context of 22107 – if there was no other traffic to be affected, 22108 did not apply. Second, in addressing the propriety of Wilson’s stop, the court commented:

If the defendant does not actually break the law, the officer’s mistaken belief that there has been a violation adds nothing to the probable cause equation. In other words, “if an officer simply does not know the law, and makes a stop based upon objective facts that cannot constitute a violation, his suspicions cannot be reasonable. The chimera created by his imaginings cannot be used against the driver.”

In re Justin K. (2002) 98 Cal.App.4th 695, 700.

The appellate court then sent the case back to the Fullerton court with directions to reverse its ruling on the motion to suppress and to allow defendants to withdraw their pleas. Mr. Carmona and his passenger surely had to be happy with this ruling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Greg Hill, Greg Hill and Associates
This article was written by Greg Hill. He has defended hundreds of drug cases involving traffic stops all over Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino County. He also defends drug offenses, DUI’s, domestic all over the state of California. He is an attorney in Torrance, California and a former Marine Officer. He is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate (B.S., 1987), Boston University graduate (M.B.A., 1994) and Loyola Law School graduate (J.D., 1998).

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