Author Jill Sobieska Retells Hero’s Mythic Marathon Swim in New Dream Picture Book

It is the story of modern-day athlete whose record of swimming from Moorea to Tahiti remains unmatched to this day.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
Jill Sobieska and her picture book story Pa and the Dolphins are deeply imbued with the mana (Tahitian for power) of the doughty Polynesian race, the hardy sea people who live (and dream) in the middle of the great Pacific. Pa, who can trace his ancestry back to sixty-four generations, is undertaking a marathon swim from Moorea to Tahiti, across Te Toparoa Miti (Sea of the Moon).
His father has told him the story of how their people sailed from Avaiki, (mother earth) which people know as Tahiti, to Rarotonga in double-hulled canoes called vakas. Doing the swimming marathon meant a homecoming for Pa because Tahiti is where Pa’s heart and roots are although it had been many generations since his people had lived there.
The night before the race, Pa sleeps deeply and dreamlessly with the perfume of the beloved Tiare Maori flowers in the air. He wakes up to a morning of good omen and therefore takes a memory stone to the place where well-wishers were gathered. He is going to carry the large stone in swimming to Tahiti and challenged anyone to take it back to Moorea on the same spot. This is an old Polynesian custom. Islanders, a French vessel full of tourists and a helicopter with a television crew are there to watch Pa make the distance through the Sea of the Moon.
Lithe and strong, Pa enters the water and becomes a creature of the ocean. His ancestors believe that sympathetic sea creatures are telepathically attuned to humans. This meant that ancestral spirits have returned in the form of sea birds and fish to watch over the people. And so it does in Pa’s case: a big shark suddenly comes up from the bottom and was about to bite him when out of nowhere a hundred dolphins streak like silver bullets to attack the shark and hunt it down into the bottom of the deep.
Pa swims into Papeete harbor where a happier drama awaits. He is welcomed as a true son of Polynesia. It is a grand welcome for a hero. Pa’s stone remains on Tahiti to this day and the people of French Polynesia still remember Pa’s epic swim through the Sea of the Moon.
For more information on this book, log on to http://www.Xlibris.co.nz.
Pa and the Dolphins * by Jill Sobieska

A True Story of Pa, Rarotongan Hero and His Return Journey to Tahiti

Publication Date: August 8, 2012

Picture Book; $44.99; 54 pages; 978-1-4653-5910-0

Picture Book Hardcover; $64.99; 54 pages; 978-1-4653-5911-7
Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at 0800-891-366. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (09) 353-1455 or call 0800-891-366.

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Murray Dixon’s New Book Tells the Exciting Journey of an Adventurous Ferret

New Zealand (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
Dreams have always been a playground for people’s imaginations, wishes, and aspirations. Many a fanciful fantasy that seems improbable in the real world finds their resolution in the realm of dreams. Author Murray Dixon, with the help of David Ogilvie, breathes life into the characters of his picture book for children, Hornsnoggle Ferret and the Pancake Fantasy Land. This is the first of a series of books featuring this loveable ferret.
In this book, Hornsnoggle Ferret is awakened from his peaceful sleep in the middle of the night by the unusual but nonetheless likeable Peek-a-Boo Sam. Sam invites Hornsnoggle with him on an expedition to a place called the Pancake Fantasy Land. Hornsnoggle can’t resist an exciting new adventure, so he accepts.
Children will love the adventures of Hornsnoggle Ferret. He’s the ferret who just can’t say “no” to an adventure, be it in his own backyard, outer space, or a fantasy land full of weird and wonderful friends. Written in an easy-to-read poetry style, every child will love this adventurous ferret, as well as the other interesting characters he meets along the way.
For more information on this book, log on to http://www.Xlibris.co.nz.
About the Author

Murray Dixon spent his career in the world of advertising in Auckland, New Zealand. From a background in retailing, he founded and managed two advertising agencies, retiring in 2007. He wrote his autobiography, and created Hornsnoggle Ferret to share with his grandchildren.
He has been married to wife Fay for 40 years, and has three children and four grandchildren.
About the Illustrator

David Ogilvie is a professional illustrator and concept artist. From a very young age, he has always had a passion for drawing and animation. In 2007, he graduated from the Freelance Animation School with a Diploma in Classical Character Animation. He has thoroughly enjoyed bringing Hornsnoggle Ferret and other characters in this book to life.
He lives with his wife Megan and their two young sons Micah and Daniel on Auckland’s North Shore.
Hornsnoggle Ferret and the Pancake Fantasy Land * by Murray Dixon

Publication Date: December 3, 2011

Picture Book; $34.99; 24 pages; 978-1-4653-0121-5

Picture Book Hardcover; $54.99; 24 pages; 978-1-4653-0122-2
Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at 0800-891-366. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (09) 353-1455 or call 0800-891-366.

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Baseball-Nationals convince LaRoche to extend Washington stay

Jan 8 (Reuters) - The Washington Nationals finally persuaded Adam LaRoche to put pen to paper on Tuesday after spending the first half of the off-season courting their lead slugger.
The free agent inked a two-year deal worth $24 million with an option for a third season, adding solidity to an improving Nationals team and rewarding the franchise for their patience.
The 33-year-old had earlier declined to re-sign with the Nationals as he sought out a three-year deal but the first baseman eventually opted to return to a team where he has spent the last two seasons.
"We were patient with Adam and his representatives," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told the team's website (washingtonnationals.mlb.com).
"At the end of the day, I think we both agreed (Washington) was the best place for Adam to be."
Last season, LaRoche was instrumental in helping lead the Nationals to their first post-season berth since the team relocated from Montreal in 2004.
He hit .271 and led the team with 33 home runs and 100 RBIs as Washington (98-64) captured the National League East Division with the best overall MLB record.
Washington were beaten 3-2 in the best-of-five NL Division Series by the St Louis Cardinals, giving up four runs in the top of the ninth inning to fall 9-7 in the series decider. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)

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Nationals convince LaRoche to extend Washington stay

The Washington Nationals finally persuaded Adam LaRoche to put pen to paper on Tuesday after spending the first half of the off-season courting their lead slugger.
The free agent inked a two-year deal worth $24 million with an option for a third season, adding solidity to an improving Nationals team and rewarding the franchise for their patience.
The 33-year-old had earlier declined to re-sign with the Nationals as he sought out a three-year deal but the first baseman eventually opted to return to a team where he has spent the last two seasons.
"We were patient with Adam and his representatives," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told the team's website (washingtonnationals.mlb.com).
"At the end of the day, I think we both agreed (Washington) was the best place for Adam to be."
Last season, LaRoche was instrumental in helping lead the Nationals to their first post-season berth since the team relocated from Montreal in 2004.
He hit .271 and led the team with 33 home runs and 100 RBIs as Washington (98-64) captured the National League East Division with the best overall MLB record.
Washington were beaten 3-2 in the best-of-five NL Division Series by the St Louis Cardinals, giving up four runs in the top of the ninth inning to fall 9-7 in the series decider.

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Baseball-Record earnings for South Korean league

Jan 9 (Reuters) - South Korean baseball underlined its continuing growth by posting a record $33 million in revenue last year, local media reported on Wednesday.

Winning gold at the Beijing Olympics and finishing runners-up at the 2009 World Baseball Classic boosted baseball's popularity and attendances crossed the 7 million-mark for the first time last year, Yonhap News agency reported.

The league pocketed 35 billion won ($32.9 million) in 2012, bettering the 34 billion it earned a year earlier, the report said citing figures from the marketing wing of the Korea Baseball Organisation (KBO).

The league received 25 billion won from its television broadcasting contract and 8 billion from corporate sponsorship, while 2 billion came from merchandise sales.

Each of the eight KBO clubs, having collectively drawn 7.15 million fans, took home 3.8 billion won after the league broke its attendance record for the fourth straight year.

The KBO will welcome a ninth club this year in what would be the league's first expansion since 1991 while another team could be included in 2015.

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The Benefits Of Buying A Home With Cash

When a 62-year-old financial advisor bought a two-bedroom Manhattan co-op recently, he showed up at the closing with a check for the full $970,000 purchase price. No mortgage? “The money I had in cash was sitting getting 0% interest,’’ explains the man, who asked not to be named. “It made absolutely no sense to borrow.”
There were other benefits as well to buying for cash, he says. He figures he got a “liquidity discount” for being able to close quickly—the asking price had been $1.05 million. And he avoided the hassles and paperwork that come with getting a mortgage these days. At the closing, he gloats, “they spent more time making photocopies than anything, so we sat discussing Broadway plays.”
Similar closing scenes are playing out across the country these days—minus the theater chitchat. Rates for 30-year fixed mortgages are hovering at 4%, and 15-year fixed loans can be had for 3.5% or less, the lowest in more than 50 years. Yet the National Association of Realtors estimates that roughly 30% of U.S. home buyers are now making their purchases 100% in cash, compared with 15% in 2008.
Some cash buyers are foreigners, who have never easily qualified for U.S. mortgages. Some are very-high-net-worth folks who have long favored cash for their multimillion-dollar trophy mansion purchases. The increase in cash buying comes mainly from two other groups: real estate investors, who nowadays rarely qualify for mortgages at all, and older buyers (like the New York financial advisor) who could qualify for mortgages but don’t want to.
In foreclosure-plagued Florida, where prices in some areas are down 55% from the peak, investors and snowbirds bearing cash dominate the market. Charlie Brasington is chief executive of Hoffman Development Group, which since 2008 has been using cash from private investors to buy distressed Tampa- and Palm Beach-area condo buildings from banks. Hoffman fixes the properties up and then sells the units to end users. Brasington reports two-thirds of the roughly 300 units Hoffman has sold so far have gone for cash, as have all eight of the $1 million-plus penthouses it has moved.
“These people probably have $5 million or more, so to take 10% of it out and buy a quality home in Florida and know that you’ve got your stake in the sand, that may be a good investment,” Brasington says. “Your cash is not making money in a CD, that’s for sure, and in the stock market there’s volatility. In real estate, sure, you may have some downward trend still, but there’s not that volatility anymore.”
A sales pitch? Sure. But recent cash buyers make similar points, and signs abound that Florida prices may have bottomed. If you’re considering a cash purchase, here are some pointers.
Cash buyers often get a discount
“Until recently I’d say sellers didn’t care that the buyer was coming in all cash or financed, they just wanted the highest number. Now the game has changed,’’ says Tracie Hamersley, a senior vice president at Citi Habitats, a New York City-based realty firm. “While banks are lending again, it is much more onerous, and there are many hoops to jump through. So someone who can close in cash can in most cases qualify for somewhat of a price discount based on that sureness of a sale.”
That cash-is-king phenomenon is being reported by Realtors across the country. “It’s like all of a sudden having this four-star gold status,” says Karen Bergin of Coldwell Banker Advantage in Overland Park, Kans., who has represented three baby boomer cash buyers so far this year. One of her clients, a couple selling their western Kansas farm to relocate to the Kansas City area, even managed to secure an extended closing period while they awaited a buyer for their farm.
Closing costs are lower with cash
Cash buyers can also save on closing costs. You don’t have to fork over money to pay a bank attorney for the mortgage. This is an expense that can run $750 and up (although it can be wise to retain your own lawyer). You don’t have to put real estate taxes in escrow up front nor pay the estimated $300 to $600 for a mortgage application plus additional thousands in loan origination fees and assorted junk charges. And you aren’t required to cough up $400 to $600 for an appraisal, which mortgage lenders insist upon, or, in a growing number of cases, multiple appraisals. (The multiple appraisal requirement is popping up in foreclosure-riddled areas where nondistressed homes have few sales to be compared against.)
Should you get an appraisal anyway? Most Realtors still strongly recommend one, in addition to a home inspection, to ensure you aren’t overpaying or buying hidden structural problems. But if it’s clear you’ve negotiated a good price, an appraisal may not be an imperative.
Another expense that will drop: title insurance, which offers protection against problems with the chain of ownership and preexisting claims like unpaid property taxes or liens placed by stiffed contractors. On a $600,000 house with a 20% down payment, title charges, which include researching local land records, can easily top $2,000. But roughly one-third of that is for coverage that protects only lenders (which, of course, they mandate you get and pay for). Cash-only buyers don’t have lenders, so there’s an immediate savings right there. Indeed, as a cash buyer, it’s up to you whether you want title insurance at all. Realtors say it’s a prudent add-on.
Getting a mortgage is not guaranteed
No matter how good your credit, if you haven’t gotten a mortgage in a while, you could be in for a shock. Even if your finances pass muster, the lender will likely pull the funding if the required home appraisal doesn’t reach the price you’ve agreed to pay. That’s the biggest issue hampering home sales this year, says Jed Smith, a managing director at the National Association of Realtors, which tracks sales data. (Some Realtors gripe that gun-shy appraisers are low-balling property values.)
The mortgage approval process also takes longer these days—an average of 45 days, up from 30 in 2008, according to online mortgage supermarket LendingTree.
Here’s another factor to be aware of. The maximum size for “conforming” government-backed loans—those carrying the lowest rates with a traditional 20% down payment—was reduced in October. In highest-cost jurisdictions, such as New York City, Bergen County, N.J. and Los Angeles, the maximum is now $625,500, down from $729,750. Most everywhere else the maximum is now $417,000, down from $443,750. Those taking larger nonconforming loans generally must pay a 0.5% higher rate, put 30% down and meet even tougher credit standards.
On the other hand, if you are a cash buyer, all these mortgage difficulties are to your benefit, since they could wipe out other potential bidders who do need a loan. (If you’re paying cash, make a bid that doesn’t have a mortgage contingency—and stress that point to the seller.)
You’re giving up a tax break—now
Interest on up to $1.1 million in mortgage principal originally used to buy, build or improve a first (and second) home is currently tax-deductible.  But if you later borrow against your equity for anything other than home improvements (say, for college tuition) your deduction is far more limited. In that case, interest on only the first $100,000 of home-equity borrowing is deductible, and even that isn’t allowed when you’re calculating whether you owe more under the dreaded alternative minimum tax. (You might be stuck in the AMT if you pay high state and local taxes and earn between $200,000 and $500,000.)
Keep in mind that this is all under current law. There’s been lots of talk in Washington about a tax reform that might lower tax rates while curbing tax breaks, including the mortgage interest deduction.
Even without a mortgage you get two other tax breaks from owning a primary residence. First, when you sell, the initial $500,000 in capital gains profit per couple ($250,000 for a single) isn’t taxed. Second, you’re getting a tax-free economic return on your investment in the form of free rent for all your years of residency.
Cheap money is relative
With rates so low, why not take out a mortgage and use your spare cash to invest? That’s an attractive option, but only if you believe your aftertax return on that investment will be greater than your aftertax cost for the mortgage, says James Maule, a Villanova Law School professor who specializes in taxes. He explains, “It depends on where you think your cash will make the most money or be the safest investment.”
Finally, don’t let the mortgage question obscure the bigger issue. Since you can always rent, is buying a house in the market you’re looking at a good investment? That depends on whether prices have bottomed (or are close to bottom) and how high local rents are.
Remember that New York financial advisor who paid cash for his co-op? Here’s a little insight into how this longtime renter decided the time was finally right to buy.
He figures the apartment he bought would rent for $5,000 a month or $60,000 a year, a 6% yield on his $970,000 investment. But he pays the co-op corporation $2,540 a month, or $30,480 a year, in maintenance charges to cover things like building operating expenses, property taxes and debt service on the building’s own borrowings. If he itemizes he gets to deduct his share of those tax and interest bills. So he reckons he’s still getting a 3% yield on his $970,000 investment, compared with the 2% that U.S. Trea sury bonds are paying.
That assumes no appreciation of the apartment—and he does expect some. After falling roughly 23% from their 2008 peak, Manhattan co-op prices have been showing signs of a revival. Moreover, rents there are rising fast, up 7% in the year through October, according to Citi Habitats.
All in all, a sound use of money he’d otherwise have sitting in cash. Not that he intends to rent out the apartment, mind you. He and his wife plan to enjoy their new home, particularly the five walk-in closets, a coveted amenity in the cramped quarters of Manhattan.

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Rate on 30-year mortgage ticks up to 4 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on the 30-year mortgage stayed hovered above the record low for a third straight week. But cheap mortgage rates have done little to boost home sales or refinancing.
Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan ticked up to 4 percent from 3.99 percent. Six weeks ago, it dropped to a record low of 3.94 percent, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 3.31 percent from 3.30 percent. Six weeks ago, it hit a record low of 3.26 percent.
Rates have been below 5 percent for all but two weeks this year. Yet this year could be the worst for home sales in 14 years.
Mortgage applications fell 10 percent this week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
High unemployment and scant wage gains have made it harder for many people to qualify for loans. Many Americans don't want to sink money into a home that could lose value over the next three to four years. And most homeowners who can afford to refinance already have.
The low rates have caused a modest boom in refinancing, but that benefit might be wearing off. Most people who can afford to refinance have already locked in rates below 5 percent. Refinancing fell 12.2 percent last week, according to the mortgage bankers group.
The average rates don't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.
The average fees for the 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgages were unchanged at 0.7.
The average rate on the five-year adjustable loan fell to 2.97 percent from 2.98 percent. The average rate on the one-year adjustable loan increased to 2.98 percent from 2.95 percent.
The average fees on the five-year and one-year adjustable loans were both unchanged at 0.6.
To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country Monday through Wednesday of each week.

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Rate on 30-year mortgage ticks up to 4 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on the 30-year mortgage hovered above the record low for a third straight week. But cheap mortgage rates have done little to boost home sales or refinancing.
Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan ticked up to 4 percent from 3.99 percent. Six weeks ago, it dropped to a record low of 3.94 percent, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 3.31 percent from 3.30 percent. Six weeks ago, it hit a record low of 3.26 percent.
Rates have been below 5 percent for all but two weeks this year. Yet this year could be the worst for home sales in 14 years.
Mortgage applications fell 10 percent this week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
High unemployment and scant wage gains have made it harder for many people to qualify for loans. Many Americans don't want to sink money into a home that could lose value over the next three to four years. And most homeowners who can afford to refinance already have.
The low rates have caused a modest boom in refinancing, but that benefit might be wearing off. Most people who can afford to refinance have already locked in rates below 5 percent. Refinancing fell 12.2 percent last week, according to the mortgage bankers group.
The average rates don't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.
The average fees for the 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgages were unchanged at 0.7.
The average rate on the five-year adjustable loan fell to 2.97 percent from 2.98 percent. The average rate on the one-year adjustable loan increased to 2.98 percent from 2.95 percent.
The average fees on the five-year and one-year adjustable loans were both unchanged at 0.6.
To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country Monday through Wednesday of each week.

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Venezuelan lawmakers meet to choose new leaders

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan lawmakers are meeting to select a new president of the National Assembly in a session that could give clues to the future of the country amid uncertainty about ailing President Hugo Chavez.
Just five days remain until Chavez's scheduled inauguration on Thursday and officials are suggesting the swearing-in could be delayed.
National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello opened the session on Saturday afternoon. Vice President Nicolas Maduro also attended the meeting.

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Chavez party proposes same legislative chief

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Allies of President Hugo Chavez are proposing to keep the same National Assembly president — a man who could be in line to step in as a caretaker leader in some circumstances.
Saturday's session could give clues to the future of the country amid uncertainty about the health of ailing President Hugo Chavez.
Just five days remain until Chavez's scheduled inauguration on Thursday and government officials are suggesting the swearing-in could be delayed.
Pro-Chavez lawmaker Fernando Soto Rojas said the socialist party wants Diosdado Cabello to remain as legislative leader. He's a firm loyalist of the president. Chavez's allies hold a majority of the 165 congressional seats.

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