Italy mayor concedes primary win to Bersani

ROME (AP) ? The mayor of Florence has conceded victory in a runoff primary to Pier Luigi Bersani to be the center-left's candidate for Italy's 2013 general elections.

In a Twitter message soon after polls closed Sunday, Mayor Matteo Renzi said: "It was the right thing to try, it was beautiful to do it together. Thank you all from the heart."

Sunday's primary has been closely watched since the Democratic Party, of which Bersani is leader, has a significant lead in the polls over Silvio Berlusconi's center-right People of Freedom party looking ahead to general elections early next year. Berlusconi's party has been in disarray following the media mogul's 2011 downfall, a series of corruption scandals within party ranks and Berlusconi's indecision over whether to run for a fourth term.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

Italy held a primary runoff Sunday to choose a center-left candidate to run in next year's general election ? a man who in a few months could become the EU nation's next premier.

Sunday's runoff pitted veteran Pier Luigi Bersani, 61, against the 37-year-old mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, who campaigned on an Obama-style "Let's change Italy now" mantra that has attracted many disgruntled Italians back to politics.

Nearly all polls projected Bersani, the leader of the main center-left Democratic Party, as winning Sunday's primary. He won the first round of balloting Nov. 25 with 44.9 percent of the vote to Renzi's 35.5 percent.

With Silvio Berlusconi's center-right People of Freedom party lagging in the polls and in chaos over whether the three-time premier will run again, analysts were already discussing the possibility that Bersani could soon become Italy's next premier.

The 2013 general election ? expected in March or April ? will decide if Italy continues on the same path to financial health charted by Premier Mario Monti, appointed last year to save Italy from a Greek-style debt crisis. The former European commissioner was named to head a technical government after international markets lost confidence in then-premier Berlusconi's ability to reign in Italy's public debt and push through structural reforms.

Even if Renzi loses the primary, he will have won a victory of sorts in having changed the Italian left. Renzi's perceived conservative leanings, while alienating the left's hard-core communists, attracted Italians young and old who have grown disenchanted with Italy's political class.

"Even if he loses, as I think he will, he had an important renovation function within the party," Rome resident Pietro Marucci said Sunday as he voted for Renzi.

Renzi's style ? moving around Italy in a motor home to meet crowds, addressing supporters in just a shirt and tie, no jacket ? attracted quite a following and drew inevitable comparisons to Barack Obama.

But some analysts said he was simply not yet ready for the job of running Italy, and that his relaxed, fresh approach to politics isn't what Italy needs as it navigates through a grinding recession and near-record high unemployment and tries to tackle its enormous public debt of ?2 trillion ($2.5 trillion).

"Italy certainly badly needs new faces, fresh faces," commentator Massimo Franco said. "But I think that between Renzi and Bersani, the big problem is also experience."

Renzi addressed that charge during a debate this week, asking Bersani, who has served as the national transport and industry minister, what he had accomplished in his 2,547 days in government.

Renzi also complained bitterly this week about primary rules that limited voters and his campaign reported alleged voting irregularities on Sunday.

Primary organizers said they were investigating a handful of individual cases but that on the whole voting was proceeding regularly.

Berlusconi had largely stayed out of the public spotlight for the past year ? until recent weeks, when he announced he was thinking about running again, then changed his mind, then threatened to bring down Monti's government, and then went silent about his political plans.

His waffling has thrown his People of Freedom party into disarray, disrupting its own plans for a primary.

A poll published Friday gave the Democratic Party 30 percent of the vote if the election were held now, compared with 19.5 percent for the upstart populist movement of comic Beppe Grillo. Berlusconi's party was in third with 14.3 percent. The poll, by the SWG firm for state-run RAI 3, surveyed 5,000 voting-age adults by telephone between Nov. 26 and 28. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.

It's been quite a turnabout both for Berlusconi's once-dominant movement and the Democratic Party, which had been in shambles for years, unable to capitalize on Berlusconi's professional and personal failings.

Another unknown is Monti's political future. He has ruled out running for office but has said he would be willing to stay on in some capacity if he could be of service. Some commentators have floated the idea of Monti taking over the largely ceremonial role as Italian president, while others say his talents would put to better use as treasury minister.

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Maria Grazia Murru contributed from Rome.

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Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-mayor-concedes-primary-win-bersani-193550077.html

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Lepiten and Bojos Law Office: RA 9646 Real Estate Service Act ...

Congress of the

Fourteenth Congress

Begun?and held in Metro Manila,?on Monday, the twenty-eighth day?of July, two thousand eight.

[?REPUBLIC ACT NO.?9646 ]

AN ACT REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF REAL?ESTATE SERVICE IN THE ,?CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE A PROFESSIONAL?REGULATORY BOARD OF REAL ESTATE SERVICE,?APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR?OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the in Congress assembled:

ARTICLE I

TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY AND DEFINITION OF TERMS

SECTION 1.?Title.?? -???This Act shall be known as the. "Real Estate Service Act of the ".

SEC. 2.?Declaration of Policy. -?The State recognizes the?vital role of real estate service practitioners in the social?political, economic development and progress of the country by?promoting the real estate market, stimulating economic activity?and enhancing government income from real property-based transactions. Hence, it shall develop and nurture through proper and effective regulation and supervision a corps of?technically competent, responsible and respected professional?real estate service practitioners whose standards of practice and?service shall be globally competitive and will promote the growth of the real estate industry.

SEC. 3.?Definition of Terms. -?As used in this Act, the?following terms shall mean:

(a) "Appraiser" also known as valuer, refers to a person?who conducts valuation/appraisal; specifically, one who possesses the necessary qualifications, license, ability and?experience to execute or direct the valuation/appraisal of real?property.

(b) "Assessor" refers to an official in the local government?unit, who performs appraisal and assessment of real properties,?including plants, equipment, and machineries, essentially for?taxation purposes. This definition also includes assistant?assessors.

(c) "Real estate" refers to the land and all those items?which are attached to the land. It is the physical, tangible entity, together with all the additions or improvements on,?above or below the ground.

(d) "Real?estate?development project" means the?development of land for residential, commercial, industrial,?agricultural, institutional or recreational purposes, or any combination of such including, but not limited to, tourist resorts, reclamation projects, building or housing projects,?whether for individual or condominium ownership, memorial?parks and others of similar nature.

(e) "Real estate developer" refers to any natural or juridical person engaged in the business of developing real?estate development project for his/her or its own account and?offering them for sale or lease.

(f) "Real property" includes all the rights, interests and?benefits related to the ownership of real estate.

(g) "Real estate service practitioners" shall refer to and?consist of the following:

(1) Real estate consultant - a duly registered and licensed?-natural person who, for a professional fee, compensation or?other valuable consideration, offers or renders professional advice and judgment on: (i) the acquisition, enhancement,?preservation, utilization or disposition of lands or improvements thereon; and (ii) the conception, planning, management and?development of real estate projects.

(2) Real estate appraiser? a duly registered and licensed?natural person who, for a professional fee, compensation or?other valuable consideration, performs or renders, or offers to?perform services in estimating and arriving at an opinion of?or acts as an expert on real estate values, such services of which shall be finally rendered by the preparation of the report?in acceptable written form.

(3) Real estate assessor ? a duly registered and licensed?natural person who works in a local government unit and?performs appraisal and assessment of real properties, including?plants, equipment, and machineries, essentially for taxation?purposes.

(4) Real estate broker - a duly registered and licensed?natural person who, for a professional fee, commission or other?valuable consideration, acts as an agent of a party in a real estate transaction to offer, advertise, solicit, list, promote,?mediate, negotiate or effect the meeting of the minds on the?sale, purchase, exchange, mortgage, lease or joint venture, or?other similar transactions on real estate or any interest?therein.

(5) Real estate salesperson - a duly accredited natural?person who performs service for, and in behalf of. a real estate?broker who is registered and licensed by the Professional?Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service for or in expectation?of a share in the commission, professional fee, compensation or other valuable consideration.

ARTICLE II

PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARD OF REAL ESTATE SERVICE

SEC. 4.?Creation and Composition of the Board. -?There?is hereby created a Professional Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service, hereinafter referred to as the Board, under the supervision and administrative control of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), hereinafter referred to as the?Commission, composed of a chairperson and four (4) members?who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines from the three (3) recommendees chosen by the Commission from a list of five (5) nominees per position submitted by the?accredited and integrated professional organization of real estate?service practitioners:?Provided,?That two (2) of the members of the Board shall represent the government assessors and appraisers.

The first Board shall be organized within six (6) months?from the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 5.?Powers and Functions of the Board. ??The Board?is hereby vested the following powers and functions:

(a) Provide comprehensive policy guidelines for the?promotion and development of the real estate industry;

(b) Conduct licensure examinations for the practice of the?real estate service profession and prescribe the appropriate,?syllabi of the subjects for examination;

(c) Issue, suspend, revoke or reinstate, after due notice?and hearing, certificates of registration or professional?identification cards for the practice of real estate service;

(d) Maintain a comprehensive and updated register of?licensed real estate service professionals;

(e) Monitor the conditions affecting the practice of real estate service and adopt such measures as may be proper for?the enhancement of the profession and/or the maintenance of?high professional, ethical and technical standards;

?(f) Adopt a national Code of Ethics and Responsibilities to be strictly observed by all licensed real estate service?practitioners;

(g) Hear or investigate any violation of this Act, its implementing rules and regulations, and the Code of Ethics and Responsibilities for real estate service practitioners and?issue?subpoena?and?subpoena duces tecum?to secure the?appearance of witnesses and the production of documents in?connection therewith;

(h) Safeguard and protect legitimate and licensed real?estate service practitioners and, in coordination with the?accredited and integrated professional organization of real estate?service practitioners, monitor all forms of advertisements,?announcements, signboards, billboards, pamphlets, brochures and others of similar nature concerning real estate and, where?necessary, exercise its quasi-judicial and administrative powers?to finally and completely eradicate the pernicious practices of?unauthorized or unlicensed individuals;

(i) Prescribe, in cooperation with the Commission on?Higher Education (CHED) or the concerned state university?or college, the essential requirements as to the curricula and?facilities of schools, colleges or universities seeking permission?to open academic courses or already offering such courses in?real estate service, and to see to it that these requirements,?including the employment of qualified faculty members, are?properly complied with;

(j) Promulgate, .administer and enforce rules and?regulations necessary in carrying out the provisions of this Act;

(k) Supervise and regulate the registration, licensure and practice of real estate service in the ;

(1)? Assess and fix the rate of reasonable regulatory fees;

(m) Administer oaths and affirmations;

(n)? Adopt an official seal of the Board;

(o) Evaluate periodically the status of real estate service?education and profession, and recommend and/or adopt measures to upgrade and maintain its high standard;

(p) Prescribe guidelines and criteria for the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program for real estate service?practitioners in consultation with the accredited and integrated?professional organization of real estate service practitioners;

(q) Screen, issue and monitor permits to organizations?of real estate professionals in the conduct of seminars and?accredit such seminars pursuant to the CPE program, as well?as the instructors or lecturers therein, for the purpose of upgrading the quality and knowledge of the profession;

(r) Monitor and supervise the activities of the accredited?and integrated professional organization and other associations?of real estate service practitioners; and

(s) Discharge such other powers, duties and functions?as the Commission may deem necessary to carry out the?provisions of this Act.

The policies, resolutions and rules and regulations issued?or promulgated by the Board shall be subject to the review and approval by the Commission. However, the Board's decisions, resolutions or orders which are not interlocutory,?rendered in an administrative case, shall be subject to review?by the Commission only on appeal.

SEC. 6.?Qualifications of the Chairperson and Members?of the Board. -?The chairperson and the?members of the Board shall, at the time of their appointment, possess the?following qualifications:

(a)? A citizen and resident of the ;

(b)? A holder of a bachelor's degree related to real estate;

(c) An active licensed practitioner of real estate service?for at least ten (10) years prior to his/her appointment;

(d)? A?bona fide?member in good standing of the?accredited and integrated professional organization of real estate service practitioners but not an officer or trustee at the time?of his/her appointment;

(e) Neither be a member of the faculty of an institute,?school, college or university, nor have any pecuniary interest,?direct or indirect, in any institution or association where review classes or lectures in preparation for the licensure examination are being offered or conducted; and

(f) ? Of good moral character, and must not have been?convicted by final judgment by a competent court of a criminal?offense involving moral turpitude.

SEC. 7.?Term of Office. -?The chairperson and the?members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three (3)?years from the date of their appointment and until their successor/s shall have been appointed:?Provided,?That the?members of the first appointed Board shall hold office for the following terms: one (1) member as chairperson, to serve for three (3) years; two (2) members, to serve for two (2) years; and two (2) members, to serve for one (1) year.

The chairperson and the members of the Board may be?reappointed for a second term but in no case shall he/she serve?continuously for more than six (6) years. Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term of the member who vacated the position. On the constitution of the first Board, the chairperson and the members of the Board?shall automatically be registered and issued certificates of?registration and professional identification cards. Each member?of the Board shall take the proper oath of office prior to the?assumption of duty.

SEC. 8.?Compensation and Allowances of the Chairperson?and Members of the Board. -?The chairperson and the?members of the Board shall receive compensation and?allowances comparable to the compensation and allowances?received by the chairman and the members of existing professional regulatory boards under the Commission, as?provided for in the General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 9.?Removal of the Chairperson and Members of the?Board. -?The chairperson or any member of the Board may be suspended or removed by the President of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the Commission, for neglect of?duty; abuse of power; oppression; incompetence; unprofessional,?unethical, immoral or dishonorable conduct; commission or toleration of irregularities in the conduct of examination or tampering of the grades therein, or for any final judgment or conviction of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude.

SEC. 10.?Supervision of the Board, Custodian of its Records, Secretariat and Support Services. ??The Board shall?be under the general supervision and administrative control?of the Commission. All records of the Board, including?applications for examination, examination papers and results,?minutes of deliberations, administrative and other investigative?cases involving real estate service practitioners, shall be kept?by the Commission. The Commission shall designate the?secretary of the Board and shall provide the secretariat and?other support services to implement the provisions of this Act?subject to the usual government accounting and auditing rules?and regulations.

SEC. 11.?Annual Report. -?The Board shall, at the close?of each calendar year, submit an annual report to the?Commission, giving a detailed account of its proceedings and?accomplishments during the year and recommending measures?to be adopted with the end-in-view of upgrading and improving?the conditions affecting the practice of real estate service in?the .

ARTICLE III

LICENSURE EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION

SEC. 12.?Licensure Examination. -?Every applicant?seeking to be registered and licensed as a real estate service practitioner, except a real estate salesperson, shall undergo an examination as provided for in this Act. Examinations for the practice of real estate service in the shall be given by the Board at least once every year in such places and dates as the Commission may designate.

SEC. 13.?Scope of Examination. -?An examination shall be given to the licensure applicants for real estate brokers, real estate appraisers and real estate consultants which shall include, but not limited to, the following:

(a) For real estate consultants - fundamentals of real?estate consulting; standards and ethics; consulting tools and?techniques, which include project feasibility study and investment measurement tools; real estate finance and?economics; real estate consulting and investment analyses;?consulting for specific engagement, which includes consulting?for commercial, industrial, recreation and resort and hotel?properties, and consulting for government and corporate and?financial institutions; land management system and real property laws; and any other related subjects as may be?determined by the Board;

(b) For real estate appraisers - fundamentals of real?estate principles and practices; standards and ethics; theories?and principles in appraisal; human and physical geography;?methodology of appraisal approaches; valuation procedures and?research; appraisal of machinery and equipment; practical appraisal mathematics; appraisal report writing; real estate?finance and economics; case studies; land management system?and real property laws; and any other related subjects as may?be determined by the Board; and

(c)? For real estate brokers - fundamentals of property?ownership; code of ethics and?responsibilities;?legal?requirements for real estate service practice; real estate?brokerage practice; subdivision development; condominium?concept; real estate finance and economics; basic principles of?ecology; urban and rural land use; planning, development and?zoning; legal aspect of sale, mortgage and lease; documentation?and registration; real property laws; and any other related?subjects as may be determined by the Board.

???????

????? To conform with technological and modern developments,?the Board may recluster, rearrange, modify, add to, or exclude?any of the foregoing subjects as may be necessary.

SEC. 14.?Qualification of Applicants for Examinations.?-In order to be admitted to the licensure examination for real estate service, a candidate shall, at the time of filing his/her application, establish to the satisfaction of the Board that?he/she possesses the following qualifications:

(a) A citizen of the ;

(b) A holder of a relevant bachelor's degree from a state?university or college, or other educational institution duly?recognized by the CHED:?Provided, That as soon as a course?leading to a Bachelor's degree in Real Estate Service is?implemented by the CHED, the Board shall make this course?a requirement for taking the "licensure examination; and

(c) Of good moral character, and must not have been?convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude:?Provided,?That an applicant for the licensure examination for real estate?consultants must show proof that he/she has at least ten (10)?years experience as a licensed real estate broker or an assessor, or as a bank or institutional appraiser or an?employed person performing real property valuation, or at least?five (5) years experience as a licensed real estate appraiser.

All applications for examination shall be filed with the Board which shall assess and approve said applications and?issue to the qualified examinees the corresponding permits to?take such examination.

SEC. 15.?Ratings in the Examination. -?In order that?a candidate may be deemed to have successfully passed the examination, he/she must have obtained an average of at least seventy-five percent (75%) in all subjects, with no rating below fifty percent (50%) in any subject.

SEC. 16.?Release of the Results of Examination. -?The?results of the licensure examination shall be released by the Board within?ten?(10) days from the last?day of the?examination.

SEC. 17.?Issuance of the Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card. -?A certificate of registration?shall be issued to examinees who?pass?the licensure?examination for real estate service subject to payment of fees prescribed by the Commission. The certificate of registration?shall bear the signature of the chairperson of the Commission?and the chairperson and the members of the Board, stamped?with the official seal of the Commission, indicating that the?person named therein is entitled to practice the profession with?all the benefits and privileges appurtenant thereto. This certificate of registration shall remain in full force and effect until revoked or suspended in accordance with this Act.

A professional identification card bearing the registration number, date of issuance and expiry date, duly signed by the?chairperson of the Commission, shall likewise be issued to every?registrant upon payment of the required fees. The professional identification card shall be renewed every three (3) years and upon satisfying the requirements of the Board such as, but not limited to, attendance in the CPE program.

SEC. 18.?Refusal to Register. -?The Board shall not register and issue a certificate of registration to any successful examinee who has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude or has been found guilty of immoral or dishonorable conduct after investigation by the Board, or has been found to be?psychologically unfit.

SEC. 19.?Revocation or Suspension of the Certificate of Registration and the Professional Identification Card or?Cancellation of Special/Temporary Permit. -?The Board may,?after giving proper notice and hearing to the party concerned,?revoke the certificate of registration and the professional identification card, or cancel the special/temporary permit of a real estate service practitioner, or suspend him/her from the practice of the profession on any of the following instances?hereunder:

(a) Procurement of a certificate of registration and/or?professional identification card, or special/temporary permit by?fraud or deceit;

(b) Allowing an unqualified person to advertise or to?practice the profession by using one's certificate of registration?or professional identification card, or special/temporary permit;

(c) Unprofessional or unethical conduct;

(d) Malpractice or violation of any of the provisions of this?Act, its implementing rules and regulations, and the Code of?Ethics and Responsibilities for real estate service practitioners;?and

(e) Engaging in the practice of the profession during the period of one's suspension.

SEC. 20.?Registration Without Examination, -?Upon?application and payment of the required fees, the following shall be registered, and shall be issued by the Board and the?Commission a certificate of registration and a professional?identification card without taking the prescribed examination:

(a) Those who, on the date of the effectivity of this Act,?are already licensed as real estate brokers, real estate appraisers or real estate consultants by the Department of?Trade and Industry (DTI) by virtue of Ministry Order No. 39, as amended:?Provided,?That they are in active practice as real?estate brokers, real estate appraisers and real estate consultants, and have undertaken relevant CPE to the?satisfaction of the Board;

(b) Assessors and appraisers who, on the date of the?effectivity of this Act, hold permanent appointments and are performing actual appraisal and assessment functions for the?last five (5) years, have passed the Real Property Assessing?Officer (RPAO) examination conducted and administered by the?Civil Service Commission (CSC) in coordination with the?Department of Finance (DOF), and have undertaken relevant?CPE to the satisfaction of the Board; and

(c) Assessors and appraisers who, on the date of the?effectivity of this Act, hold permanent appointments and have?at least ten (10) years actual experience in real property appraisal or assessment and have completed at least one hundred twenty (120) hours of accredited training on real property appraisal conducted by national or international?appraisal organizations or institutions/entities recognized by the?Board and relevant CPE to the satisfaction of the Board.

???????

????? Those falling under categories (b) and (c) shall register?with the Board after they shall have complied with the requirements for registration as real estate appraisers:?Provided,?That those seeking to be licensed to a new credential?level shall be required to take the pertinent licensure?examination.

Those so exempt under the aforementioned categories shall file their application within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act:?Provided,?That the renewal of the professional identification card is subject to the provisions of?Section 17 hereof.

SEC. 21.?Reinstatement, Reissuance or Replacement of?Certificate of Registration, Professional Identification Card and?Special/Temporary Permit. -?The Board may, after the?expiration of two (2) years from the date of revocation of a?certificate of registration and/or professional identification card,?and upon application, compliance with the required CPE units,?and for reasons deemed proper and sufficient, reinstate any?revoked certificate of registration and reissue a suspended?professional identification card and in so doing, may, in its?discretion, exempt the applicant from taking another?examination.

A new certificate of registration, professional identification?card or special/temporary permit may be issued to replace lost,?destroyed or mutilated ones, subject to the rules as may be?promulgated by the Board.

SEC. 22.?Roster of Real Estate Service Practitioners. -The Board, in coordination with the integrated professional organization of real estate service practitioners, shall prepare,?update and maintain a roster of real estate service practitioners?which shall contain the names of all registered real estate service practitioners, their residence and office addresses,?license number, dates of registration or issuance of certificates,?and other data which.the Board may deem pertinent. Copies thereof shall be made available to the public upon request.

SEC. 23.?Issuance of Special/Temporary Permit. -?Upon?application and payment of the required fees and. subject to?the approval of the Commission, the Board may issue special/temporary permit to real estate service practitioners?from foreign countries whose services are urgently needed in?the absence or unavailability of local real estate service^ practitioners for the purpose of promoting or enhancing the?practice of the profession in the Philippines.

SEC. 24.?Foreign Reciprocity. -?No foreign real estate?service practitioner shall be admitted to the licensure examination or be given a certificate of registration or a?professional identification card, or be entitled to any of the?privileges under this Act unless the country of which he/she?is a citizen specifically allows Filipino real estate service practitioners to practice within its territorial limits on the?same basis as citizens of such foreign country.

ARTICLE IV

PRACTICE OF REAL ESTATE SERVICE

SEC. 25.?Oath. ??All successful examinees qualified for registration and all qualified applicants for registration without?examination as well as accredited salespersons shall be required to take an oath before any member of the Board or any officer of the Commission duly authorized by the Commission to administer oaths prior to entering into the practice of real estate service in the .

SEC. 26.?Professional Indemnity Insurance/Cash or?Surety Bond.?? All real estate brokers and private real estate appraisers shall, in addition to the oath referred to in the?preceding section, be required to post a professional indemnity insurance/cash or surety bond, renewable every three (3) years,?in an amount to be determined bj^r?the Board, which in no case shall be less than Twenty?thousand pesos (P20,000.00), without prejudice to the additional requirement of the client.

SEC. 27.?Acts Constituting the Practice of Real Estate?Service. -?Any single act or transaction embraced within the provisions of Section 3(g) hereof, as performed by real estate service practitioners, shall constitute an act of engaging in the practice of real estate service.

SEC. 28.?Exemptions from the Acts Constituting the Practice of Real Estate Service. -?The provisions of this Act?and its rules and regulations shall not apply to the following":

(a) Any person, natural or juridical, who shall directly perform by himself/herself the acts mentioned in Section 3 hereof with reference to his/her or its own property, except real estate developers;

(b) Any receiver, trustee or assignee in bankruptcy or?insolvency proceedings;

(c) Any person acting pursuant to the order of any court?of justice;

(d) Any person who is a duly constituted attorney-in-fact for purposes of sale, mortgage, lease or exchange, or other?similar contracts of real estate, without requiring any form?of compensation or remuneration; and

(e) Public officers in the performance of their official duties and functions, except government assessors and?appraisers.

SEC. 29.?Prohibition Against the Unauthorized Practice?of Real Estate Service. -?No person shall practice or offer to?practice real estate service in the Philippines or offer himself/herself as real estate service practitioner, or use the title, word, letter, figure or any sign tending to convey the impression that one is a real estate service practitioner, or advertise or indicate in any manner whatsoever that one is qualified to practice the profession, or be appointed as real property appraiser or assessor in any national government?entity or local government unit, unless he/she has satisfactorily?passed the licensure examination given by the Board, except?as otherwise provided in this Act, a holder of a valid certificate?of registration, and professional identification card or a valid?special/temporary permit duly issued to him/her by the Board?and the Commission, and in the case of real estate brokers and private appraisers, they have paid the required bond as?hereto provided.

SEC. 30.?Positions in Government Requiring the Services of Registered and Licensed Real Estate Service Practitioners.?-?Within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act, all?existing and new positions in the national and local governments, whether career, permanent, temporary or?contractual, and primarily requiring the services of any real?estate service practitioner, shall be filled only by registered and?licensed real estate service practitioners.

All incumbent assessors holding permanent appointments?shall continue to perform their functions without need for?re appointment and without diminution of status, rank and?salary grade, and shall enjoy security of tenure. However,?they may not be promoted to a higher position until they meet the qualification requirements of that higher position as herein?prescribed. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce any benefit, interest, or right enjoyed by the incumbents at?the time of the enactment of this Act. The appointing authority?shall exercise his power to appoint the assessor in accordance with the provisions of this Act only when a vacancy occurs.

SEC. 31.?Supervision of Real Estate Salespersons. -?For?real estate salespersons, no examination shall be given, but?they shall be accredited by the Board:?Provided,?That they?have completed at least two (2) years of college and have?undergone training and seminars in real estate brokerage, as?may be required by the Board. Real estate salespersons shall?be under the direct supervision and accountability of a real?estate broker. As such, they cannot by themselves be signatories to a written agreement involving a real estate transaction unless the real estate broker who has direct?supervision and accountability over them is also a signatory?thereto. No real estate salesperson, either directly or indirectly,?can negotiate, mediate or transact any real estate transaction?for and in behalf of a real estate broker without first securing?an authorized accreditation as real estate salesperson for the?real estate broker, as prescribed by the Board. A real estate?broker shall be guilty of violating this Act for employing or?utilizing the services of a real estate salesperson when he/she?has not secured the required accreditation?from the Board?prior to such employment.

No salesperson shall be entitled to receive or demand a?fee, commission or compensation of any kind from any person,?other than the duly licensed real estate broker who has direct control and supervision over him, for any service rendered or work done by such salesperson in any real estate transaction.

No violation of this provision shall be a cause for?revocation or suspension of the certificate of registration of the?real estate broker unless there was actual knowledge of such?violation or the broker retains the benefits, profits or proceeds?of a transaction wrongfully negotiated by the salesperson.17

SEC. 32.?Corporate Practice of the Real Estate Service.???

(a) No partnership or corporation shall engage in the?business of real estate service unless it is duly registered with?the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the?persons authorized to act for the partnership or corporation?are all duly registered and licensed real estate brokers,?appraisers or consultants, as the case may be. The partnership?or corporation shall regularly submit a list of its real estate?service practitioners to the Commission and to the SEC as part?of its annual reportorial requirements. There shall at least be?one (1) licensed real estate broker for every twenty (20)?accredited salespersons.

(b) Divisions or departments of partnerships and?corporations engaged in marketing or selling any real estate?development project in the regular course of business must be?headed by full-time registered and licensed real estate brokers.

(c) Branch offices of real estate brokers, appraisers or?consultants must be manned by a duly licensed real estate?broker, appraiser or consultant as the case may be.

???????

In case of resignation or termination from employment?of a real estate service practitioner, the same shall be reported?by the employer to the Board within a period not to exceed?fifteen (15) days from the date of effectivity of the resignation?or termination.

???????????????

Subject to the provisions of the Labor Code, a corporation?or partnership may hire the services of registered and licensed?real estate brokers, appraisers or consultants on commission?basis to perform real estate services and the latter shall be?deemed independent contractors and not employees of such corporations.

SEC. 33.?Display of License in the Place of Business. -Every registered and licensed real estate service practitioner?shall establish and maintain a principal place of business and?such other branch offices as may be necessary, and shall?conspicuously display therein the original and/or certified true copies of his/her certificate of registration as well as the certificates of registration of all the real estate service?practitioners employed in such office.

SEC. 34.?Accreditation and Integration of Real Estate?Service Associations. ??All real estate service associations shall?be integrated into one (1) national organization, which shall?be recognized by the Board, subject to the approval of the?Commission, as the only accredited and integrated professional?organization of real estate service practitioners.

A real estate service practitioner duly registered with the Board shall automatically become a member of the accredited?and integrated professional organization of real estate service?practitioners, and shall receive the benefits and privileges appurtenant thereto. Membership in the accredited and integrated professional organization of real estate service practitioners shall not be a bar to membership in other?associations of real estate service practitioners.

SEC. 35.?Code of Ethics and Responsibilities for Real Estate Service Practitioners. -?The Board shall adopt and?promulgate the Code of Ethics and Responsibilities for real?estate service practitioners which shall be prescribed and issued?by the accredited and integrated professional organization of real estate service practitioners.

SEC. 36.?Continuing Professional Education (CPE)?Program. -?The Board shall develop, prescribe and promulgate?guidelines on CPE upon consultation with the accredited and?integrated professional organization of real estate service practitioners, affiliated association of real estate?service practitioners and other concerned sectors, and in accordance?with such policies as may have been prescribed by the Board,?subject to the approval of the Commission. The Board shall?create a CPE Council that shall be composed of a chairperson?coming from the Board, a member from the accredited and integrated professional organization of real estate service practitioners and a member from the academe.

SEC. 37.?Enforcement Assistance to the Board. ??The?Board shall be assisted by the Commission in carrying out the provisions of this Act and its implementing rules and?regulations and other policies. The lawyers of the Commission?shall act as prosecutors against illegal practitioners and other violators of this Act and its rules. The duly constituted authorities of the government shall likewise assist the Board and the Commission in enforcing the provisions of this Act and its rules.

SEC. 38.?Indication of the Certificate of Registration, Professional Identification Card/License Number, Privilege Tax Receipt (PTR) Number and Accredited Professional?Organization () Number. -?Real?estate?service?practitioners shall be required to indicate the certificate of registration, professional identification card, PTR number, and?APO receipt number, and the date of issuance and the duration of validity on the documents he/she signs, uses or issues in connection with the practice of his/her profession.

ARTICLE V

PENAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 39.?Penal Provisions, -?Any violation of this Act,?including violations of implementing rules and regulations, shall be meted the penalty of a fine of not less than One?hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or imprisonment of not?less than two (2) years, or both such fine and imprisonment upon the discretion of the court. In case the violation is committed by an unlicensed real estate service practitioner,?the penalty shall be double the?aforesaid fine and?imprisonment.

In case the violation is committed, by a partnership, corporation, association or any other juridical person, the?partner, president, director or manager who has committed or?consented to or knowingly tolerated such violation shall be held?directly liable and responsible for the acts as principal or as a co-principal with the other participants, if any.

SEC. 40.?Appropriations. ??The chairperson of the?Professional Regulation Commission shall immediately include?in the Commission's programs the implementation of this Act,?the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act and thereafter.

SEC. 41,?Transitory Provision. -?Within ninety (90) days?from the effectivity of this Act, the DTI - Bureau of Trade?Regulation and Consumer Protection (BTRCP) shall transfer?all pertinent records, documents and other materials to the?Professional Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service.

SEC. 42.?Implementing Rules and Regulations. -?Within?six (6) months after the effectivity of this Act, the Commission,?together with the Board and the accredited and integrated?professional organization of real estate service practitioners, the?Department of Finance, and the CHED, shall prepare the necessary rules and regulations, including the Code of Ethics?and Responsibilities for real estate service practitioners, needed?to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 43.?Separability Clause. ??If any clause, sentence,?paragraph or part of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional?or invalid, such judgment shall not affect, invalidate or impair?any other part of this Act.

SEC. 44.?Repealing Clause.??

(a) Sections 3(e) and (ee) of Act No. 2728, as amended by Act No. 3715 and Act?No. 3969, Sections 472 and 473 of the Local Government Code?of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160), and pertinent provisions of the Civil Service Law are hereby modified accordingly.

(b) All laws, decrees, executive orders, department or memorandum orders and other administrative issuances or?parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby modified, superseded or repealed accordingly.

SEC. 45.?Effectivity. -?This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the?Official Gazette?or in a major daily newspaper of general circulation in the?.

?? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? PROSPERO C. NOGRALES?

?? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? Speaker of?the House of

?? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?Representatives

Approved,

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2963?and House Bill No. 3514 was finally passed by the Senate?and the House of Representatives on May 12, 2009.

Marilyn?B. Barua-y

Secretary of the Senate?? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?Secretary General House of Representatives

?

Approved:

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

President of the

[ Approved by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last June 29, 2009 ]

Source: http://www.cebulegalblog.com/2012/12/ra-9646-real-estate-service-act-resa-law.html

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Dartmouth?s new president (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Green Blog: Susan Rice Has Stake in Keystone Pipeline

Should Susan E. Rice, the United Nations ambassador, be nominated for Secretary of State, one issue likely to arise during confirmation hearings, aside from the lethal attack on the American Mission in Benghazi, Libya, is her large stock holdings in TransCanada, the company seeking an American permit to build the proposed the Keystone XL pipeline.

According to financial disclosure documents filed in May, Ms. Rice and her family own from $300,000 to $600,000 worth of stock in the Canadian pipeline company .

Because the State Department oversees transboundary pipelines, the Secretary of State is ultimately responsible for determining whether Keystone XL should go forward.

But her stock holdings in TransCanada,? first reported by the Sunlight Foundation and Onearth.org, an environmental publication affiliated with the Natural Resources Defense Council, would surely complicate the issue.

According to the United States Office of Government Ethics, federal law requires executive branch employees to be recused from matters ?if it would have a direct and predictable effect on the employee?s own financial interests or on certain financial interests that are treated as the employee?s own.?

The ethics agency also advises that employees may be directed to divest financial investments if they pose a substantial conflict.

Last year, Ms. Rice and her husband earned between $7,500 and $25,000 on their investments in TransCanada, according to financial disclosure forms (which require officials to provide only a range of investments and earnings).

?We need a full team at the State Department, including the secretary, to be free of any conflicts of interest when it comes to tar sands and TransCanada,? said Susan Casey-Lefkowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council, which opposes Keystone XL.

?I think she would need to sell her stock, and we would fully expect her to do that.?

In an email from Erin Pelton, a spokesperson for Ms. Rice, From Erin Pelton, Spokesperson:

?

?Ambassador Rice has complied with annual financial disclosure and applicable ethics requirements related to her service in the U.S. government and is committed to continuing to meet these obligations,? read an email sent by Erin Pelton, a spokesperson for Ms. Rice.

?

Ms. Rice has not been nominated by President Obama to head the State Department, but she is said to be among his top choices.

?Ambassador Rice has complied with annual financial disclosure and applicable ethics requirements related to her service in the U.S. government and is committed to continuing to meet these obligations,? read an email sent by Erin Pelton, a spokesperson for Ms. Rice, on Friday. TransCanada said it was not in a position to speak about potential nominees.

Mr. Obama recently leapt to Ms. Rice?s defense as Congressional Republicans ramped up criticism of her handling of the attack on American diplomats in Benghazi, Libya.

?That is a matter for the president of the United States,? said Grady Semmens, a spokesman for the company.

Ms. Rice, whose husband is Canadian, also has stock in other Canadian energy companies whose pipeline projects would fall under the jurisdiction of the State Department.

Federal filings show that Ms. Rice and her husband own at least $1.5 million worth of holdings in Enbridge, which transports Canadian oil sands crude through the United States. The company was heavily criticized by environmental groups after a 2010 pipeline spill dumped more than 840,000 gallons of oil near Marshall, Mich., leading to the closure of a 39-mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River.

The fate of the Keystone XL, which would ship oil sands crude from Alberta to the Gulf Coast, is expected to be one of the most controversial decisions for the new Secretary of State.

?

This post has been updated to include response from Ms. Rice?s office.

?

?

Source: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/stake-in-keystone-pipeline-is-potential-conflict-for-susan-rice/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Hillary Clinton: Drug Legalization Won't End The Drug War

Los Zetas

The Zetas are thought to have become the <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/01/201212645739134301.html" target="_hplink">largest cartel</a> in Mexico recently, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16712239" target="_hplink">operating</a> in over half the country's states. <b>Leader:</b> The notoriously brutal gangster <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/miguel-angel-trevino-zetas_n_1826236.html" target="_hplink">Miguel Angel Trevino Morales</a> (alias "Z-40") is believed to be the new leader of the Zetas drug cartel following a showdown with Heriberto "El Lazca" Lazcano. Trevino is infamous for human "cookouts" in which he stuffs people in oil drums and lights them on fire. "If you get called to a meeting with him, you're not going to come out of that meeting," a U.S. official <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/miguel-angel-trevino-zetas_n_1826236.html" target="_hplink">said of Trevino</a>. <strong>Territory:</strong> The Zetas control a swath of territory on Mexico's east coast extending along the Gulf of Mexico. <strong>Rivals:</strong> The Zetas are bitter rivals with the Sinaloa Cartel. In turn, the group is allied with the Beltran Leyva Cartel and the Tijuana Cartel. <strong>Notable incidents:</strong> In August 2011, gunmen <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/25/casino-royale-attack-leav_n_937413.html" target="_hplink">stormed the Casino Royale</a> in Monterrey and lit it on fire, killing dozens. In February 2012, 30 prisoners linked to the Zetas <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17135362" target="_hplink">broke free</a> from Apodaca jail during a riot. 44 inmates from the rival Gulf Cartel were killed. In May 2012, the Zetas cartel allegedly was involved in <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/13/world/americas/mexico-remains/index.html" target="_hplink">dumping 49 decapitated bodies</a> on a busy highway near Monterrey. <em>Photo: Army soldiers flank Daniel Ramirez, alias "El Loco," during his presentation to the media in Mexico City, Monday, May 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)</em>

Sinaloa Cartel

Mexico's second major cartel reportedly <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/magazine/how-a-mexican-drug-cartel-makes-its-billions.html?pagewanted=all" target="_hplink">operates</a> in over a dozen countries, including trafficking cocaine and other drugs to the United States. <strong>Leader:</strong> Mexico's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/joaquin-el-chapo-guzman-mexicos-most-wanted_n_1751671.html" target="_hplink">most-wanted drug lord</a>, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, remains at large after he <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/joaquin-el-chapo-guzman-mexicos-most-wanted_n_1751671.html" target="_hplink">escaped from prison</a> by hiding in a laundry truck in 2001. In 2012, Guzman <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2012/03/13/billionaire-druglords-el-chapo-guzman-pablo-escobar-the-ochoa-brothers/" target="_hplink">appeared</a> on <em>Forbes</em>' list of billionaires for the fourth year in a row. <strong>Territory:</strong> The Sinaloa Cartel operates in northwestern Mexico (<a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/sinaloa-cartel/item/192-sinaloa-cartel" target="_hplink">map</a>). <strong>Rivals:</strong> Arch-nemesis of Los Zetas, the Sinaloa cartel is <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/sinaloa-cartel/item/192-sinaloa-cartel" target="_hplink">allied</a> with the Gulf cartel and the Familia Michoacana. <strong>Notable Incidents:</strong> A 755-foot <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/12/nation/la-na-nn-drug-tunnel-details-20120712" target="_hplink">smuggling tunnel</a> running under a U.S. border fence was suspected to be operated by the Sinaloa cartel. The Sinaloa cartel may have been responsible for massacres in the border city of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/05/bodies-bridge-23-mexico-drug" target="_hplink">Nuevo Laredo in May 2012</a>. The bodies of 23 people <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/05/bodies-bridge-23-mexico-drug" target="_hplink">were found</a> decapitated or hanging from a bridge, followed hours later by the discovery of 14 human heads in coolers near city hall. <em>Photo: In this June 10, 1993, file photo, Joaquin Guzman Loera, alias "El Chapo" Guzman, is shown to the press after his arrest at the high security prison of Almoloya de Juarez on the outskirts of Mexico City. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)</em>

Gulf Cartel

One of the oldest cartels, the Gulf Cartel recently has lost influence, but is <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/gulf-cartel" target="_hplink">backed up</a> by the Sinaloa cartel. <strong>Leader:</strong> Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez, alias "El Coss." The U.S. has a <a href="http://www.state.gov/j/inl/narc/rewards/115354.htm" target="_hplink">$5 million bounty</a> on his head. Costilla Sanchez once allegedly held FBI and DEA agents at gunpoint with AK-47s and <a href="http://www.state.gov/j/inl/narc/rewards/115354.htm" target="_hplink">threatened</a> to kill them. <strong>Territory:</strong> The cartel operates out of the state of Tamaulipas, with other bases in Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, and Reynosa, <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/gulf-cartel/item/90-gulf-cartel" target="_hplink">according to InsightCrime</a>. <strong>Rivals:</strong> The Gulf Cartel is allied with Sinaloa and enemies of Los Zetas. <strong>Notable Incident:</strong> In June, footage purporting to show masked members of the Gulf Cartel beheading Zetas members <a href="http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-06-29/news/32475737_1_gulf-cartel-drug-cartel-leader-zetas-cartel" target="_hplink">surfaced online</a>. <em>Photo: From left: Andrea Escamilla Juarez ("La Negra," 21), Rene Cortez Zapata ("El Nicanor," 45), Nestor Hugo Del Angel Ferretis ("El Tango," 29), Jose De Jesus Mosqueda Mora ("El Chucho," 41), Jorge Fernando Larios Nossiff ("El Camaron", 57), and Ricardo Abraham Velazquez Del Castillo ("El Ricardillo, 24), all alleged members of a cell belonging to the Gulf Cartel criminal organization, are shown to the press by federal police in Mexico City, Friday, Dec. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/German Garcia)</em>

Juarez Cartel

The Juarez Cartel reportedly <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/juarez-cartel" target="_hplink">smuggles</a> tons of narcotics into the U.S., using local gangs to <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/juarez-cartel" target="_hplink">act as enforcers</a>. <strong>Leader:</strong> Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, aka "<a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019221_2019202_2019187,00.html" target="_hplink">The Viceroy</a>," has a $5 million bounty on his head from the U.S. government. <strong>Territory:</strong> Based in Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas. <strong>Notable incidents:</strong> In July 2011, Antonio Acosta Hernandez ("El Diego") told police he had <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2011-07-31/world/mexico.drug.arrest_1_lesley-enriquez-consulate-employee-drug-gang?_s=PM:WORLD" target="_hplink">ordered the killings</a> of 1,500 people. In 2010, a report suggested that an associate group of the Juarez Cartel was <a href="http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2010/08/juarez-cartel-trains-beautiful-women-as.html" target="_hplink">training beautiful</a>, young women as assassins. <strong>Rivals:</strong> Sinaloa cartel. <em>Photo: Jose Antonio Acosta Hernandez, 33, is presented to the media by federal police officers in Mexico City, Sunday July 31, 2011. According to federal officials, Acosta, nicknamed "El Diego," is a key drug cartel figure, who acknowledged ordering 1,500 killings. Authorities identified Acosta as head of La Linea, a gang of hit men and corrupt police officers who act as enforcers for the Juarez Cartel. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)</em>

Tijuana Cartel

The Tijuana Cartel, aka the Arellano Felix Organization, <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/tijuana-cartel/item/193-tijuana-cartel" target="_hplink">operates</a> in the strategically important town of Tijuana, bordering San Diego, California. The cartel was depicted in the film '<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181865/" target="_hplink">Traffic</a>' (2000). The cartel has been <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/criminal-groups/mexico/tijuana-cartel" target="_hplink">weakened</a> by infighting. <strong>Leader:</strong> Fernando Sanchez Arellano, alias "El Ingeniero." (The "Engineer.") <strong>Territory:</strong> Baja California <strong>Notable Incident:</strong> The cartel allegedly dissolved bodies using chemicals or burned them in the desert to <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57408368/tijuana-cartel-leader-arellano-felix-gets-25-yrs/" target="_hplink">cover their tracks</a>. <em>Photo: Seized drugs and packages of marijuana and crystal meth are displayed during a presentation to the press in Tijuana, Mexico, Wednesday, March 24, 2010. (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)</em>

Knights Templar

The Knights Templar are a bizarre, cult-like group. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/26/mexican-corpses-acapulco" target="_hplink">The Guardian writes</a>: "Propaganda from the Knights Templar blends a mix of Michoacan regionalism, Christianity and revolutionary slogans." The Knights Templar are a major trafficker of methamphetamine. <strong>Leader:</strong> Servando G?mez Mart?nez, alias "La Tuta," <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/3085-knights-templar-leader-appears-in-video" target="_hplink">denied</a> in a filmed address that the Knights Templar are a cartel. G?mez Mart?nez is also called "El Profe" ("The Professor"), and <a href="http://www.insightcrime.org/component/k2/item/319-familia-michoacana-leader-reportedly-employed-as-teacher" target="_hplink">InSight reports</a> that G?mez Mart?nez was still a publicly-employed teacher as of 2010. <strong>Notable Incident:</strong> The group recently was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/28/sabritas-firebombing-attack_n_1551355.html" target="_hplink">blamed</a> for coordinated firebombings of a PepsiCo subsiadary. It was a Mexican drug cartel's first attack on a transnational company. <strong>Rivals:</strong> Los Zetas. <em>Photo: Juan Gabriel Orozco Favela, alias "El Gasca," an alleged member of the Knights Templar drug cartel, is escorted by Mexican Army soldiers as he is presented to the media in Mexico City, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Alexandre Meneghini)</em>

Beltran Leyva (Disbanded)

The Beltran Leyva largely disbanded following a power struggle after the death of its leader, Arturo Beltr?n Leyva. <strong>Leader:</strong> H?ctor Beltr?n Leyva, alias "El Ingeniero," or "El H," is wanted for up to <a href="http://www.state.gov/j/inl/narc/rewards/133311.htm" target="_hplink">$5 million</a> in the U.S. He is the brother of former cartel leader Arturo Beltr?n Leyva. <strong>Territory:</strong> Northern Sinaloa. <strong>Rivals:</strong> Allied with Los Zetas after <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/08/28/f-mexico-drug-cartels.html" target="_hplink">splitting from Sinaloa</a> in 2008. <strong>Notable incident:</strong> Former cartel chief Arturo Beltr?n Leyva died in a <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2009/12/mexico-drug-lord-arturo-beltran-leyva-mexican-navy-marines-raid-felipe-calderon-drug-war.html" target="_hplink">shootout</a> involving 200 Mexican marines in late 2009. <em>Photo: In this photo released by Mexico's Navy, Navy marines arrest alleged drug kingpin Sergio Villarreal Barragan, alias "El Grande," center, in Puebla, Mexico, Sunday Sept. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Mexican Navy)</em>

La Familia Michoacana (Extinct)

La Familia Michoacana, a pseudo-religious gang, has been largely <a href="http://www.excelsior.com.mx/index.php?m=nota&id_nota=779205&rss=1" target="_hplink">disbanded</a>. <strong>Leader: </strong> Nazario Moreno Gonz?lez, alias "El M?s Loco" ("The Craziest One"), died in December 2010. <em>Photo: Martin Rosales Magana, aka "El Terry" and alleged leader of the Mexican La Familia drug cartel, is escorted by police officers during his presentation to the media in Mexico City, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011. Authorities allege Rosales is one of the last major leaders of the La Familia cartel. (AP Photo/Leonardo Casas)</em>

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/hillary-clinton-drug-legalization-war_n_2218072.html

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Facebook Powerball frenzy: Purported winner offers to 'share' $1 million

The second winner of the $588 million PowerBall lottery is not yet known publicly. But one man says he's the winner and will give someone who shares his Facebook photo $1 million. Is it a hoax?

By Patrik Jonsson,?Staff writer / November 30, 2012

Karen Bach, director of budget, products and communications of the Arizona Lottery, announces during a news conference Thursday that one of the winning tickets in the $579.9 million Powerball jackpot was purchased in Fountain Hills, Ariz.

Ross D. Franklin/AP

Enlarge

His name is Nolan Daniels, and he?s just about to give some random dude or dudette $1 million. Or so he claims.

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Purporting to be the second Powerball winner in Wednesday?s $588 million payout, Mr. Daniels posted a Facebook photo late Thursday of himself holding a ticket showing the winning numbers. The photo is the only one visible on Daniels's account, which dates to 2008.

?Looks like I?m not going to work ? EVER!!!? the smiling purported winner exclaimed. The numbers on his ticket ? 5-23-16-22-29-Powerball 6 ? correspond to the winning combination, but the ticket has not been publicly verified.

To make the Facebook announcement that much more bizarre, Daniels vowed to give $1 million of his winnings to a ?random? person who ?shares? his photo.

That set off a frenzy Friday as thousands of Facebook users got in on the action, with the photo being shared over 1,000 times a minute, with over 100,000 shares as of 3:30 p.m.

On his Facebook page, Daniels chastised skeptics and suggested, ?Anyone who doubts the legitimacy of this photo will not be included in the 1 million dollar drawing.?

There were two winners in the drawing. The only winners confirmed so far are Cindy and Mark Hill of Dearborn, Mo., who decided to take a lump sum payment. Lottery authorities have not revealed the name of the other winner, who bought a ticket in Arizona. Earlier on Friday, some guessed that a video of a man celebrating in Maryland might show the winner.

The payout is the second largest in US history after three ticket buyers shared a $656 million jackpot in March. As the amount grew this week, tickets were selling at a rate of 130,000 a minute.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ucvywQCuTLc/Facebook-Powerball-frenzy-Purported-winner-offers-to-share-1-million

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Fantastical comes to iPhone, makes appointment entry ridiculously easy

I have a love/hate relationship with Flexibits' Fantastical. There is absolutely no faster, easier, more human way to enter appointments into your calendar. And because of that, my calendar -- previously a wasteland -- is now bristling with appointments. My only saving grace was that Fantastical was bound to my Mac, and I couldn't use it when I was out and about, with only an iPhone in my pocket. But with Fantastical's terrible awesomeness coming to the iPhone, I can now fill up my calendar faster, easier, and more humanly than ever before on the go, and no matter where I am. I'm organized now. I have no excuse left not to be. Dagnabit.

If you haven't used Fantastical before, it fixes almost everything that's wrong with Apple's built-in, kludgy Calendar app. Instead of tapping and filling in appointment or event details, you just type in natural language phrases and Fantastical parses it and creates the entry. "Lunch with Leanna at 8", "movie on Saturday with Georgia", "call on the 28th with Phil and Kevin", Fantastical takes it all in and makes it just work. Like Siri, but with a type-driven, instead of voice-driven, interface. If you want to edit all the fine details you can do that as well, of course. But the point is you don't have to until you want to.

The iPhone version makes great use of the smaller (than Mac) display, presenting 2 perpendicular scroll views. On the top is a horizontally scrolling date list. Tap a date, go to that date. Tap the top bar, go to today's date. On the bottom is a list view of all your events. Tap an event, get the details to that event.

And Flexibits absolutely, positively, gloriously nailed the bi-directional scrolling in a way that just feels perfect. Scroll the dates and the events change, scroll the events and the dates change. Flick and they both whizz by in perfect synchronicity, always slowing and stopping on a full event break.

If you want to see a month view, just pull down on the dates and either peak at it, or keep pulling to switch completely. If you want to peak or go back, just pull down again. (It's a state-toggle gesture, not a window shade analog.)

To add an appointment, tap the + button and, as described above, simply write what you want to add. Appointments get added to your default calendar, but you can also tap Show Details and edit everything in a more traditional manner, including changing the calendar, adding repetitions, making events all-day, and more. If you're using the iCloud calendar or a Google calendar, or any calendar with sync, the event will propagate across your devices just as you'd expect.

There are a lot of other great little touches in Fantastical for iPhone as well, like how words animate and playfully saunter down from the entry field to the calendar. , and how, as you type times and dates, the calendar flips, also playfully, to the right page. No part of the user experience has been left unpolished or anything less than delightful.

With the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPod touch 5, you can also use the built in iOS voice dictation to get a Siri-like effect by simply saying your natural-language event phrase. That means Fantastical can actually handle natural language through speech or type, which is a huge advantage. (I've wanted Siri to handle text queries via Spotlight for a while now for just that reason -- sometimes it's easier to talk, sometimes quite inopportune.)

I've been using Fantastical for iPhone for a while now, and I haven't touched Apple's Calendar app since. It's been reverse Sherlocked -- Flexibits saw an opportunity where the built-in app wasn't meeting a need, and provided a compelling alternative.

That doesn't mean it's for everybody, however. To be as focused as it is, Fantastical leaves out some things as well. There's no landscape mode, no week view, and no a lot of other features that other calendar apps absolutely nail. For me, speed of entry and speed of lookup are the most essential element of an iPhone calendar app, and that's Fantastical's forte. For other users and use cases, different priorities will apply.

Like I said at the start, if you want the absolute fastest, easiest, most human way to get appointments into your calendar, you'll want Fantastical for iPhone.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/TkDTfh5OUJM/story01.htm

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