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New 2011 ALTA Standards Require Title Insurer to Provide Zoning Documents

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Please let PZR know if there are any questions or if assistance is needed by providing zoning information to the title insurer or surveyor.PZR has several different levels ofavailable, and can customize any of them to meet zoning document needs.The Planning and Zoning Resource Corporation is here to provide zoning due diligence information in a timely and cost effective manner.

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David AndersonThe Planning and Zoning Resource Corporation800-344-2944 3337Email Information

Sprint to Fight AT&T's Buyout of T-Mobile

T's proposed US$39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA, calling the deal a bid to create a new telecommunications duopoly.

"Sprint urges the United States government to block this anti-competitive acquisition. This transaction will harm consumers and harm competition at a time when this country can least afford it," said Vonya McCann, senior vice president of government affairs, in a written statement on Monday.

The company said AT&T's proposed deal would roll back decades of opening up the U.S. telecommunications industry to competition following the breakup of the AT&T monopoly in the 1980s. "On behalf of our customers, our industry and our country, Sprint will fight this attempt by AT&T to undo the progress of the past 25 years and create a new Ma Bell duopoly," McCann's statement said.

AT&Tbut said it would probably take 12 months to conclude. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice will have to approve the deal, with the FCC examining whether it is in the public interest and the DOJ ruling whether it would hurt competition. AT&T executives have said they expect to have to discuss possible divestitures of some assets.

The deal would make AT&T by far the largest mobile operator in the country, with more than 130 million subscribers, while Verizon would remain in second place with 94 million. Sprint would still be the third-biggest mobile operator in the country, with 58 million subscribers, but it would be by far the smallest major carrier if T-Mobile didn't exist.

After the buyout, AT&T would be nearly three times the size of Sprint, the company pointed out in its statement Monday. Some observers believe Sprint would be forced into focusing on low-priced devices and services in order to carve out a market niche.

"The wireless industry moving forward would be dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically integrated companies with unprecedented control over the U.S. wireless postpaid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs, such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to operate," Sprint said.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse , during a keynote session at the CTIA Wireless trade show in Orlando last Tuesday. The statement released Monday formally sets the company on a course to try to block the deal. Just as AT&Tand make mobile broadband available to more Americans, Sprint invoked the national interest in calling for the deal to be blocked. Sprint said it expects the plan to be the subject of multiple congressional hearings.

"The wireless industry has sparked unprecedented levels of competition, innovation, job creation and investment for the American economy, all of which could be undone by this transaction," Sprint said.

Stephen Lawson covers mobile, storage and networking technologies for The IDG News Service. Follow Stephen on Twitter at . Stephen's e-mail address is

VMFP Executive Director Named to DC Veterans Post

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mayor Vincent C. Gray has selectedMatthew (Matt) Cary as the Director of the District of Columbia Office of Veterans' Affairs. Cary, a Vietnam veteran, is executive director and former president ofVeterans and Military Families for Progress (VMFP). He will commence his new duties on April 11.

Cary has exhibited a limitless passion for military families and veterans, particularly related to issues faced during and after deployment, according to Tom Howe, VMFP president.

Howe added, "Matt is tireless in his efforts on behalf of veterans and their families in communicating their needs to the Executive and Congressional branches of the federal government, and to private and public groups throughout D.C."

The current president expressed the organization's pride and gratitude for the leadership Cary has provided since VMFP's founding in 2005, and for his continued selfless service to benefit veterans and their families.

Cary was in the US Army Reserves from 1969-1975, serving in Company B 464th Engineer Unit USAR and the 354th Civil Affairs Unit.

A founding member of VMFP, he was the organization's first elected president in 2005 and was re-elected in 2007.

He has also been the president of Cary & Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based Government Relations and International Marketing Consulting Firm since 1986. The firm represents state and local governments and non-profit organizations on policy, legislative and programmatic issues with the Congress and Federal Agencies.

Cary has over 39 years of experience in government relations and advocacy with the Federal government as the owner of a small business, and as a former employee of a New York Governor, seven city mayors, a trade association, and a U.S. congressman.

He holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from American University and a BA Degree from St. Bonaventure University.

He has authored two major policy documents to help veterans and their families with the "Coming Home Issues" and started his veterans advocacy as a volunteer for the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

Howe expressed his congratulations to Matt and his wife Dana, who live in Washington, DC., on this new chapter in their lives.

NATIONAL CONTACT

Tom Howe, President

Tel: (563) 451-9919

WASHINGTON CONTACT:

Matt Cary, Exec. Director

Tel: (202) 841-1687

SOURCEVeterans and Military Families for Progress

Best Newage 100 - V A .Ibiza .Mlz | Crossed Swords .A Guy Called Gerald .1 2 3 4 (the remixes 2006) - D O D

G. Britain opt out of men's individual cycling pursuit

Great Britain have opted out of competing in the men's individual pursuit here at the world track cycling championships Thursday.

Championship debutant Samuel Harrison had been scheduled to compete in qualifying for the 4km event in a bid to make it to the medal rounds.

However the Welshman has now been slated for the Omnium, in which the reigning world champion is Britain's Ed Clancy.

Clancy has been suffering from the effects of a virus and will be replaced by Harrison for the six-discipline Omnium, an Olympic event which takes place over two days from Friday.

Harrison is likely to have medal hopes, having won the junior world Omnium title in 2010 and claimed a gold medal in the event at his maiden World Cup meet in Beijing earlier this season.

Contrary to the team event, the individual pursuit is no longer on the Olympic programme. Britain's Bradley Wiggins, who is not competing here this week, was crowned Olympic pursuit champion in Beijing in 2008.

Rick Warren Joins Quora; Should You?

Best-selling author and conservative evangelical minister Rick Warren told his followers on Twitter recently that he would join the online Q&A service Quora, stating: "I'm now using Quora to answer your questions that deserve longer answers than a DM."

From a social networking standpoint, it is a progressive move considering that Quora.com, despite its increasing publicity of late, remains outside most mainstream radar signals.

Subsequent to that tweet, "What is Quora?" became abreakout topic on the Internet, though other media coverage concerning the 2009 startup may have played a role for the novel interest.

Mashable recently published an article offering ; like spiritual and financial advice, it is a topic germane to millions of the unemployed who would otherwise ignore unfamiliar online communities.

So while Quora has maintained segregated interested within or tangential to Silicon Valley, practical uses for the service continue to be explored.

What is Quora?

As to , the company bills itself as as "continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it." Questions and answers both are subject to peer and reviewer monitoring (via votes, editing and comments).

Yet, the characterization is as incomplete as referring to Twitter as a 140-character micro blogging platform offering near realtime communication.

Ashton Kutcher's version of Twitter, for instance, is far removed from that of average Joe or Jane. Then there are the varied levels of social media utility seen amid small business, politicians, media and marketers.

Likewise, individual millage varies with Quora as it continues to evolve and be redefined.

Thus far, Quora contributors have largely consisted of Silicon Valley movers and shakers, their watchdogs and fans.

Though information consumerists - hailing from diverse backgrounds, both professionally and demographically speaking - are also discovering Quora's merits and flaws.

Two things frustrate people most about Quora, per the frequency of complaints:

First, most topics are not fleshed out and questions often go unanswered. This is problematic withQ&A sites in general and tends to improve over time.

Secondly, there is some validity to critiques that claim, in essence: it is not 'what' but 'who' you know that matters most on Quora.

This sentiment stems in part from contributors who invest substantial time crafting answers only to find these submissions remain in a "pending review" limbo orare obscured (by down rating or otherwise) by individuals who hold more social media clout.

That said, it is not an uncommon natural selection process in community-oriented sites. Overall, Quora answers are informed and thoughtful.

Advice for improving the Quora experience is available both via the site and select publications such as ReadWriteWeb, Mashable and from tech blogger Scobleizer, to name a few sources.

The bottom-line here is that Quora is yet well-suited for those expecting instant gratification, be it free information or free publicity. This is topic dependent, however. Social media, technology and small business advice receives considerable more attention than hobbies, entertainment and local content does, for example.

For the likes of Rick Warren, who boasts a healthy following and appreciable clout, answering questions via the Quora platform appears to make good sense.

Besides the advantages resulting from connecting directly with fans and potential clients, unbeknownst to most people is the fact that Quora answers are indexed by Google.

This is one of many motivations for people to donate their valuable time. It is also an attraction for those looking to game the system. Both spam and overt self-promotion --that lacks community value -- tends to have a short half-life on the site.

But even for (potential) Quora contributors like Warren, there remains the hurdle of convincing an audience to add yet another portal to their social media plate.