Pittsburgh Pirates Tickets – are the Pirates the Best Hitters in the Nl Central?

 

Fans who buy Pittsburgh Pirates tickets probably think that they are rooting for the best hitting team in the NL Central. However, there are a few other teams in this division who probably think that they have a claim to this distinction, not the least of which is the Chicago Cubs, a team with some impressive early stats to back up their case. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers going for the Cubs and the Pirates as we close out the month of May. Then, when you’re good and pumped about the Pittsburgh Pirates tickets or Chicago Cubs tickets you’re going to buy soon, start searching for some good deals.

Here’s the scoop on the Pirates’ offense: The Pirates are ranked No.4 in the National League in total runs scored (285), as of June 3, 2008. Adam LaRoche’s has not even had a comeback, and yet the Pirates are getting plenty of scoring opportunities. Ryan Doumit, Nate McClouth and Xavier Nady were all batting over .300 as of May 16th, 2008. The Pirates still lack home run power, but they are getting lots of hits, walks and doubles. It’s been a great year for offense in Pittsburgh. We can only hope that the Pirates can keep up the good work, as they are right in the thick of things in the NL Central. Who knows? If the Pirates can get LaRoche back on track, they might even be able to get to the top of the division standings. Anything’s possible right now. There could even be Pittsburgh Pirates tickets available for the playoffs.

And now the Cubs: As of June 3, 2008, the Cubs are the number one team in the National League in scoring runs. They have a total of 331 runs on the year. They have the second most hits (589), and the most doubles. Their home run power improved from last season, as they now have 63 home runs, the fifth best in the NL. Team batting average is the best in their league at .288. Basically, the Cubs could not have asked for a better start to the season as far as offense goes. If you are looking to see one of the best offenses in baseball, get some Chicago Cubs tickets for a game or two this summer!

So there you have it. The Cubs and the Pirates are both hitting the ball very well, and it would not be surprising to see either of these two teams make the playoffs behind the healthy hitting their doing. Buyers of Pittsburgh Pirates tickets and Chicago Cubs tickets will be hoping that they can keep up the power in the batters’ box.

 

 

Pistons Tickets – the Best Way to Support Your Team is by Being There

2008 season has begun and Pistons tickets are selling like hotcakes. Detroit Pistons was a team to be reckoned with as they did well in the 2006-2007 season. In the 2007-2008 season fans are looking forward for the Pistons to win another NBA championship.

A Team With A Winning Streak

Pistons are a great basketball team and that is proven by their winning record. So far, they have won three NBA championships, nine division titles, and five conference titles. They are part of the Eastern Conference of the Central Division. Red, white and blue are their colors. Chuck Daly, Isiah Thomas, and Bill Laimbeer have been some of the most prominent players for the Pistons.

The Detroit Pistons was founded by Fred Zollner in 1940. It was then known as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons. In 1941, the Pistons joined the National Basketball League. In 1944, they won their first NBL championship and won their second one the following year. In 1949, the Pistons became part of the newly formed NBA.

Pistons have always been a favorite with NBA fans. This is amply clear from the fact that Pistons tickets have always got sold out. They have had so many fans because the team plays damn good. First five years with the NBA saw the Pistons qualify for the playoffs each year. In 1955 and 1956, the Pistons managed to reach the NBA finals.

The 1954-1955 team had great players like, guard Andy Phillip, forward George Yardley, and center Larry Foust. In 1957, Pistons moved to Detroit and acquired their present name, Detroit Pistons. From 1957 to 1964, the team qualified for the playoffs each year. The demand for Pistons tickets skyrocketed in this period. The team had a great line up during this period. They had guard Gene Shue, forward Bailey Howell, and forward Dave DeBusschere.

The Bad Boys

In the 1980s, the team earned the nickname- Bad Boys. They earned this nickname due to their physical and bruising defense under coach Chuck Daly.

NBA Championships

Palace of Auburn Hills became the new home ground for the Pistons before the start of the 1988-1989 season. They also acquired forward Mark Aguirre the same year. That season proved lucky for the Pistons and for the fans who had bought Pistons tickets because Detroit Pistons made it to the NBA Finals and defeated the Lakers to lift the championship. Then again in 1990, the Pistons satisfied their fans by winning the NBA championship after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers. They won their third NBA championship in 2004 after defeating the Lakers.

In the 2006-2007 season, they won the Central Division title and managed to get to the Finals of Eastern Conference. The team has signed up Rodney Stuckey and Arron Affalo for the 2007-2008 season. The team will be playing against Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Dallas Mavericks in the coming days.

One of the best ways to shop for Pistons tickets is through an online ticket broker. The process is really easy and very convenient. No need to stand in long lines. Just order your ticket online through an online authorized ticket broker and have them delivered at your doorstep. While shopping for the tickets online, you can learn all about your favorite team as most of the sites have detailed history. Have a look at the roster and see where the Pistons would be playing next.

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15 Books That Were Ranked Best by Publishers Weekly

December is when the world celebrates and prepares for the New Year. It’s a time for looking into the future and to review the past. Each year experts in every field study the year that has been and list of what was best, what went unnoticed and what was really bad.

Since centuries thousands of books are published each year. A few books receive accolades others are enjoyed and lie forgotten on dusty shelves and yet others go unnoticed. Publishers weekly reviews more than 6000 books both print and online in various categories like fiction, poetry, non fiction, comics, religion, lifestyle, and children’s books.

In Fiction PW lists as top picks:

1. Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman.

2. Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski.

3. The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolario.

4. The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke.

5. The Falling Man by Don DeLillo.

6. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.

7. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid.

8. Returning to earth by Jim Harrison.

9. The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey.

10. The heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill.

11. The Archivist’s Story by Travis Holland.

12. The Body of Lies by David Ignatius.

13. The Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson.

14. The Bowl of Cherries by Millard Kaufman.

15. What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman.

In fiction for children the top picks were:

1. The Golden dream of Carlo Chuchio by Joyd Alexander.

2. The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

3. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray.

4. Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks.

5. Someday this Pain will be Useful to You by Peter Carmeron.

6. Revolution is Not a dinner party by Ying Chang Compestine.

7. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis.

8. A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd.

9. Before I Die by Jenny Downham.

10. Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

11. Bone by Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston.

12. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

13. Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan.

14. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

15. Bullyville by Francine Prose.

How the Best Leaders Build Trust

Almost everywhere we turn, trust is on the decline. Trust in our culture at large, in our institutions, and in our companies is significantly lower than a generation ago. Research shows that only 49% of employees trust senior management, and only 28% believe CEOs are a credible source of information. Consider the loss of trust and confidence in the financial markets today. Indeed, “trust makes the world go ‘round,” and right now we’re experiencing a crisis of trust. This crisis compels us to ask three questions. First, is there a measurable cost to low trust? Second, is there a tangible benefit to high trust? Third, how can the best leaders build trust in and within their organizations to reap the benefits of high trust?

Most people don’t know how to think about the organizational and societal consequences of low trust because they don’t know how to quantify or measure the costs of such a so-called “soft” factor as trust. For many, trust is intangible, ethereal, unquantifiable. If it remains that way, then people don’t know how to get their arms around it or how to improve it. But the fact is, the costs of low trust are very real, they are quantifiable, and they are staggering.

In 2004, one estimate put the cost of complying with federal rules and regulations alone in the United States — put in place essentially due to lack of trust — at $1.1 trillion, which is more than 10% of the gross domestic product.  A recent study conducted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners estimated that the average American company lost 6% of its annual revenue to some sort of fraudulent activity.  Research shows similar effects for the other disguised low-trust taxes as well.

Think about it this way: When trust is low, in a company or in a relationship, it places a hidden “tax” on every transaction: every communication, every interaction, every strategy, every decision is taxed, bringing speed down and sending costs up. My experience is that significant distrust doubles the cost of doing business and triples the time it takes to get things done.

By contrast, individuals and organizations that have earned and operate with high trust experience the opposite of a tax — a “dividend” that is like a performance multiplier, enabling them to succeed in their communications, interactions, and decisions, and to move with incredible speed. A recent Watson Wyatt study showed that high trust companies outperform low trust companies by nearly 300%!

I contend that the ability to establish, grow, extend, and (where needed) restore trust among stakeholders is the critical competency of leadership needed today. It is needed more than any other competency. Engendering trust is, in fact, a competency that can be learned, applied, and understood. It is something that you can get good at, something you can measure and improve, something for which you can “move the needle.” You cannot be an effective leader without trust. As Warren Bennis put it, “Leadership without mutual trust is a contradiction in terms.”

How do the best leaders build trust?

The first job of any leader is to inspire trust. Trust is confidence born of two dimensions: character and competence. Character includes your integrity, motive, and intent with people. Competence includes your capabilities, skills, results, and track record. Both dimensions are vital.

With the increasing focus on ethics in our society, the character side of trust is fast becoming the price of entry in the new global economy. However, the differentiating and often ignored side of trust — competence — is equally essential. You might think a person is sincere, even honest, but you won’t trust that person fully if he or she doesn’t get results. And the opposite is true. A person might have great skills and talents and a good track record, but if he or she is not honest, you’re not going to trust that person either.

The best leaders begin by framing trust in economic terms for their companies. When an organization recognizes that it has low trust, huge economic consequences can be expected. Everything will take longer and everything will cost more because of the steps organizations will need to take to compensate for their lack of trust. These costs can be quantified and, when they are, suddenly leaders recognize how low trust is not merely a social issue, but that it is an economic matter. The dividends of high trust can be similarly quantified, enabling leaders to make a compelling business case for trust.

The best leaders then focus on making the creation of trust an explicit objective. It must become like any other goal that is focused on, measured, and improved. It must be communicated that trust matters to management and leadership. It must be expressed that it is the right thing to do and it is the economic thing to do. One of the best ways to do this is to make an initial baseline measurement of organizational trust and then to track improvements over time.

The true transformation starts with building credibility at the personal level. The foundation of trust is your own credibility, and it can be a real differentiator for any leader. A person’s reputation is a direct reflection of their credibility, and it precedes them in any interactions or negotiations they might have. When a leader’s credibility and reputation are high, it enables them to establish trust fast — speed goes up, cost goes down.

There are 4 Cores of Credibility, and it’s about all 4 Cores working in tandem—Integrity, Intent, Capabilities, and Results. Part of building trust is understanding — clarifying — what the organization wants and what you can offer them. Be the one that does that best. Then add to your credibility the kind of behavior that builds trust. (see the 13 high trust behaviors below). Next, take it beyond just you as the leader and extend it to your entire organization. The combination of that type of credibility and behavior and organizational alignment results in a culture of high trust. 

Consider the example of Warren Buffett — CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (and generally considered one of the most trusted leaders in the world) — who completed a major acquisition of McLane Distribution (a $23 billion company) from Wal-Mart. As public companies, both Berkshire Hathaway and Wal-Mart are subject to all kinds of market and regulatory scrutiny. Typically, a merger of this size would take several months to complete and cost several million dollars to pay for accountants, auditors, and attorneys to verify and validate all kinds of information. But in this instance, because both parties operated with high trust, the deal was made with one two-hour meeting and a handshake. In less than a month, it was completed. High trust, high speed, low cost.

13 Behaviors of High-Trust Leaders Worldwide

I approach this strategy primarily as a practitioner, both in my own experience and in my extensive work with other organizations. Throughout this learning process, have identified 13 common behaviors of trusted leaders around the world that build — and allow you to maintain — trust. When you adopt these ways of behaving, it’s like making deposits into a “trust account” of another party.

1. Talk Straight
2. Demonstrate Respect
3. Create Transparency
4. Right Wrongs
5. Show Loyalty
6. Deliver Results
7. Get Better
8. Confront Reality
9. Clarify Expectation
10. Practice Accountability
11. Listen First
12. Keep Commitments
13. Extend Trust

Remember that the 13 Behaviors always need to be balanced by each other (e.g., Talk Straight needs to be balanced by Demonstrate Respect) and that any behavior pushed to the extreme can become a weakness.

Depending on your roles and responsibilities, you may have more or less influence on others. However, you can always have extraordinary influence on your starting points:  Self-Trust (the confidence you have in yourself — in your ability to set and achieve goals, to keep commitments, to walk your talk, and also with your ability to inspire trust in others) and Relationship Trust (how to establish and increase the trust accounts we have with others).

The job of a leader is to go first, to extend trust first. Not a blind trust without expectations and accountability, but rather a “smart trust” with clear expectations and strong accountability built into the process. The best leaders always lead out with a decided propensity to trust, as opposed to a propensity not to trust. As Craig Weatherup, former CEO of PepsiCo said, “Trust cannot become a performance multiplier unless the leader is prepared to go first.”

The best leaders recognize that trust impacts us 24/7, 365 days a year. It undergirds and affects the quality of every relationship, every communication, every work project, every business venture, every effort in which we are engaged. It changes the quality of every present moment and alters the trajectory and outcome of every future moment of our lives — both personally and professionally. I am convinced that in every situation, nothing is as fast as the speed of trust. 

Copyright © 2009 Stephen M. R. Covey author of The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything

Author Bio
Stephen M. R. Covey is the author of The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything and keynote speaker at Linkage’s Eleventh Annual Best of Organization Development Summit in Chicago, IL, May 12-14, 2009 – the world-renowned meeting for OD practitioners, line leaders, as well as HR generalists and executives. The Summit will provide best-in-class tools, case studies, techniques, and skills to address the needs of practitioners at every level. Register by March 13th and SAVE $200!  Simply mention Priority Code ODC09-XX.  For more information or to register call 781-402-5555 or visit http://www.linkageinc.com/offerings/summitsandinstitutes/organizationaldevelopment/Pages/Overview.aspx

Private Equity Best in Finance Sector

Finance Research & Analysis for July 20, 2008

 

The following financial analysis excerpts are from research revisions recently completed on investment portfolios:

 

**Analysis 3: From D8 (Global) Financial Portfolio Research Revision**

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) vs. NYSE Euronext (NYX):

*Observation – Relative Strength: Results in the relative strength analysis of Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) versus NYSE Euronext (NYX) indicate that the CME is strongly outperforming NYX on a relative basis. However, like NDAQ vs. NYX, the CME also has a negative price path. Thus, in this analysis, for the relative strength to be positive, the CME must have a less negative price path relative to the path for NYX.

*Observation – Regression: Comparison of the linear regression to the time-series that has a 3-period forward shift finds the following formation: The linear regression is below the time-series. Since the linear regression provides the “best fit” to the price path, this has negative implications for CME.

*Observation – Price Performance: Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) shows the continuation of a negative price path (downward slope) on strong indicators.

[Reference Charts - SCR: D8-17 (relative strength); A8-17A (regression); A8-17B (price)]

 

 

**Analysis 4: From D8 (Global) Financial Portfolio Research Revision**

PowerShares Intl Listed Private Equity (PFP) vs. SPDR Capital Markets (KCE):

*Observation – Relative Strength: Results in the relative strength analysis of PowerShares Intl Listed Private Equity (PFP) versus SPDR Capital Markets (KCE) indicate that the PFP is strongly outperforming KCE on a relative basis. However, and like the financials in general, PFP has a negative price path.

*Observation – Regression: Comparison of the linear regression to the time-series that has a 3-period forward shift finds the following formation: The linear regression is slightly above the time-series. Since the linear regression provides the “best fit” to the price path, this has slightly positive implications for PFP.

*Observation – Price Performance: PowerShares Intl Listed Private Equity (PFP) shows a continuation of a negative price path (downward slope) but on weak indicators. For right now, and certainly subject to change, investors are placing more faith in private equity than in the overall financial sector.

[Reference Charts - SCR: D8-21 (relative strength); A8-21A (regression); A8-21B (price)]

 

 

For most investors, a diversified portfolio approach combining stocks, bonds, money market securities, etc., is optimal. While diversification cannot protect against a loss from a declining market, it can reduce the overall portfolio’s volatility.

 

Finally, to the above analysis, the usual disclaimers apply. Since all Strategic Capital Research publications provide research that is conducted using historical data, a reminder needs to be made that the analysis of past market reactions cannot predict future market actions. In particular, no amount of historical data can predict the sudden changes that occasionally occur in financial markets.

 

Best U.S. Markets For Commercial Office Space Investments

Grubb & Ellis, a commercial real estate company, conducted a study into the country’s top 10 best office markets for real estate investors. Grubb & Ellis annually measures 52 office, industrial, retail and apartment markets against a number of set criteria that are vital to evaluate the performance of real estate investments.

In their annual study, the Chicago-based real estate company selected 10 U.S. office markets that are expected to perform particularly well over the next 5 years from 2007 through 2011. These office markets were ranked from 0 to 100 based on 16 property, economic, and demographic factors.

According to the Grubb & Ellis 2007 Real Estate Forecast, the following are the top 10 best office real estate markets in the country.

1. Washington, D.C. Metro – score of 70.8.
2. Los Angeles County (California) – score of 70.2.
3. Las Vegas (Nevada) – score of 69.6.
4. Dallas/Fort Worth (Texas) – score of 68.8.
5. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale (Arizona) – score of 68.8 (actually tied for 4th).
6. Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue (Washington State) – score of 68.7.
7. Orange County (California) – score of 66.5.
8. Orlando (Florida) – score of 64.7.
9. Houston (Texas) – score of 62.2.
10. Portland (Oregon) – score of 60.9.

According to the report, stable interest and capitalization rates will keep the real estate market strong through 2007, and real estate income will once again cover the appreciation component. The report predicts that the volume of investment transactions will stabilize in 2007, though at a high level. With real estate income expected to soar once again, the real estate market should be back on track as a solid income-generating investment.

Each of the regions noted above are stronger or weaker on different investment factors. If you are interested in investing in commercial real estate or need office space, be sure to seek out the services of a local commercial Realtor to guide you through this complex transaction. An experienced local commercial Realtor can advise you about both objective investment criteria, as well factors unique to a particular region based on your risk tolerance and investment objectives.

The Best Partners in IRA Real Esate Purchases

Proceed with caution! Before looking outside consider partnering with yourself. Provided this is a new purchase of a property neither you nor a prohibited party owns, you can partner with yourself.

Let’s look at an example:

Purchase of a 6-Flat in Aurora, Illinois for $500,000.00

John has a Traditional IRA with $200,000.00. John has a SEP-IRA thru work of $150,000.00. Sarah, John’s wife, has a Traditional IRA with $87,000.00. John and Sarah have joint CD’s with $63,000.00.

All four “entities” will take title to the property with their 40%, 30%, 17.40% and 12.60% respective undivided interests. The title vesting will be lengthy as each IRA has partnered with John and Sarah. John and Sarah could also bring in assets from the sale of another income property they owned, if feasible.

A few days later, John calls and clarifies that his current employer will not allow him to self direct any portion of his SEP-IRA. Again, John and Sarah discuss adding another partner and ultimately decide against this as they weigh the pros and cons of potential problems with partners. Instead, they opt to take out an IRA mortgage on the new property.

John and Sarah then “run the numbers” on their prospective purchase. Since the loan will only represent 30% of the purchase price, the property’s rent will cash flow sufficiently to meet the bank’s specific underwriting guidelines for an IRA mortgage. John and Sarah also look at the potential tax consequences of a debt/mortgage financed IRA purchase. They are comfortable with the fact that any real UBIT/tax would be minimal.

They complete the application forms necessary to proceed with the mortgage. As the next week passes John has a meeting with their real estate attorney. Their attorney raises the issue of personal liability should John and Sarah be sued as partial owners of the Aurora property and advises them to consider closing and taking title to the property in the name of a new Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) that she would form.

John calls to ask our opinion as to whether he should or should not use an LLC. Since this is a legal issue outside the realm of the IRA, we decline comment. However, we do inform John that they can use funds from their IRAs to purchase shares in a newly formed LLC, which can then be used to purchase property.

At the same time the bank also indicates that it has no problem with closing in the name of the LLC. The cost to form the LLC is a major consideration. It adds an additional $3000.00 in expenses to the transaction. They choose to proceed with the LLC in spite of the costs.

Summary:

As you can see, even simple real estate purchases have twists and turns that influence the structure for your self directed IRA purchase. The decision to purchase the property with an LLC funded from combined IRA accounts enabled the investors to leverage the transaction, reduce liability and keep all management decisions within their control.

The best partner in a real estate transaction is often you!  When structuring a transaction, please feel free to call for our perspective on compliance.

Steve Miszkowicz is the President & Managing Member of Chicago Trust Administration Services LLC

www.chicagotrustadministration.com

 

©2008 by Chicago Trust Administration Services LLC, all rights reserved

What Is The Best Hospital In Chicago For Cancer Treatment?

I have low grade dysplasia and HPV after having a coloposcopy and a leep procedure earlier this year. It has returned and I want to get a second opinion from a gynecological oncologst since my regular doctor is not really a specialist in this.
I haven’t really paid attention until now about which Hospital is the best to go to, since they all run commercials that say they are the best according to some award or magazine article.
Which Hospitals in Chicago are the best in achieving cures in Cancer treatment, especially cervical cancer?

What Doctor In Chicago Il Does The Best Breast Implants And Is Financing Available?

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