Articles of Incorporation.

In Panama, two or more natural persons may create a corporation by executing a charter of incorporation. The incorporators need not be citizen or residents of Panama. According to Article 2 of the General Corporation Law or Number 32 of 1927, the charter must contain the follow information:

The Name of the Corporation.

The name of the corporation must include a word, phrase or abbreviation indicating that is a corporation, and distinguishing it from other types of business organizations. The usual abbreviations are: ?S.A.?, ?Inc.? and ?Corp.?. The name may not be the same as, nor be similar to the name of any other existing corporation.

The General Purpose or Purposes of the Corporation.

Panamanian law expressly allows a corporation to engage in any business activity. Thus, the enumeration of particular corporate purposes does not preclude the corporation from pursuing other activities not expressly set out in the charter.

The Amount of the Authorized Capital.

The amount of the authorized capital, as well as the par value of the shares into which the capital is to be divided, may be established by the incorporations since the law does not establish any minimums or maximums. The authorized capital and the par value of the shares may be expressed in the currency of the Republic of Panama or in any other currency. The Panamanian legal tender, the ?Balboa?, has always been at par with the United States dollar.

Shares with No Par Value.

The law permits corporations to issue shares with no par value. If all the corporate shares are to have no par value, the charter must indicate the number of shares the corporation may issue. It is not required that the amount of authorized capital be stated. The value assigned to non par value share may be determined in the charter itself or, if the charter so provides, by resolution of the board of directors or the stockholders. The charter may provide for the issue of both par value and non par value shares.

Different Classes of Shares.

If different classes of shares are to be issued, the charter of incorporation must state the number of shares of each class and all specifications, priorities, privileges, voting rights, restrictions or qualifications of each class of shares. Alternatively, the charter may provide that the specifications, priorities, privileges, voting rights, restrictions or qualifications of each class of shares de determined by resolution of the majority of the stockholders or the majority of the directors.

Registered and Bearer Shares.

The articles of incorporation must state if the shares are to be issued in registered or bearer form. With registered shares, the name of the owner appears on the stock certificate and on the stock register of the corporation, which is not the case for bearer shares, however. The articles of incorporation may also provide that both types of shares, once issued in one form, may be converted into the other form. It should be noted that bearer shares might only be issued if they are fully paid and non-assessable.

The Number of Shares that Incorporators Agree to Subscribe.

Some countries require that in the act of incorporation a certain percentage of the authorized capital be subscribed for and/or paid-in. This is not the case in Panama. Rather, it is sufficient to state in the articles that the incorporators subscribe a minimum of one share each. Once the corporation has been recorded, the incorporators are then free to assign their subscription rights to other parties.

The Domicile of the Corporation.

It is sufficient to state that the corporation will be domiciled in the city of Panama or in any other particular city in the world.

Resident Agent.

Panamanian law requires all corporations to have a resident agent domiciled in the Republic of Panama. The agent?s name and address must appear in the charter of incorporation, and he or she must be an attorney admitted to practice in Panama.

First Directors.

Panamanian law requires that the charter of incorporation include the full names and addresses of the first directors of the corporation. A minimum of three directors is required, who may be non-residents of the Republic of Panama. The law further allows for the appointment of a variable number of directors, with a minimum of three (3). In this case, the exact number of directors is determined by the board of directors itself or by the stockholders, as provided in the articles of incorporation.

Director and Officers.

Unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise, neither the directors nor the officers have to be stockholders. Furthermore, the officers need not be directors, and the shareholders, directors and officers may be of any nationality. The only exception is in the case of corporations that intend to engage in certain business activities within the Republic of Panama, that are expressly reserved by law to Panamanian citizens.

Meetings and Voting.

The meetings of shareholders and of the board of directors may be held outside Panama where this is expressly provided for in the articles of incorporation or by-laws.

Similarly, where permitted by the articles of incorporation, the directors may be represented and vote at the meeting of the board of directors by proxy. Proxies need not be directors and may be appointed by private or public document, with or without the power of substitution.

Stockholders may do the same at stockholders meetings.

The Board of Directors.

The stockholders elect the board of directors, but vacancies on the board of directors may be filled by the vote of the majority of the directors in office.

The corporation must have a president, a treasurer and a secretary. Furthermore, it may have such other officers as the board of directors or charter of incorporation may determine, such as vice presidents, assistant treasurers, assistant secretaries. It is common for the first officers to be appointed in the charter of incorporation, and any person may hold more than one office.

Other Provisions.

Usually the articles of incorporation state that the existence of the corporation is perpetual, but that it may be dissolved and liquidated at any time by the vote of the owners of the outstanding shares with voting rights.

The articles of incorporation may include various other provisions, for example restrictions on the transfer of shares, pre-emptive rights in the event of the issuance of new shares, and the powers of the officers to bind the corporation.

The Process of Incorporation.

Articles of incorporation executed in a foreign country must be legalized by a notary public in that country and authenticated by a local Panamanian consul. Articles of incorporation may also be executed directly before the local consul of Panama since, according to Panamanian law; a consul may act as a notary public.

In either case, the articles must be registered with a notary public in Panama before they are filed with the Mercantile Section of the Public Registry Office.

The articles of incorporation must, in all cases, be filed with the Mercantile Registry in order for the corporation to be deemed to exist with regard to third parties.

The articles of incorporation may be executed in any language, but must be translated into Spanish by a certified public translator. The public deed may contain both the original version and its Spanish translation.

The real parties in interest need not travel to Panama to carry out the process of incorporation.

Two persons domiciled in Panama may execute articles of incorporation before a Panamanian notary public in accordance with instructions received from parties abroad. As mentioned above, each incorporator must subscribe at least one share of the authorized capital. Once the articles of incorporation have been recorded in the Public Registry, the incorporators may then assign their rights to the real parties in interest, thereby turning over control of the corporation.

Some of the main advantages and features of an Offshore Company are:

* Exemption from tax and stamp duty.

* Confidentiality.

* Minimal government tax and filing fees.

* Flexible administrative features.

* Expeditious incorporation procedure.

* Both corporate entities and natural persons are permitted as and/or officers.

* Appointment of corporate and nominee shareholders.

* Reservation of company names can be arranged.

* Shares may be issued in bearer form.

Without doubt, the main method of making investment in Panama is by means of the creation of a subsidiary.

The simplicity and flexibility of the Corporation law allows a corporation to organize in a matter of days, joining an economy based on the US dollars and strategic location that makes Panama the ideal place for the establishment of regional offices serving Latin American and Caribbean markets.

The Corporation Law offers investors important advantages that allow corporation to dedicate itself to whatever legal business and to even carry out operations that are not mentioned in the company charter; a minimum capital is not required to be paid at the time of its constitution, and this can be expressed in whatever currency. The corporation can issue bearer or nominate shares, with or without a nominal value and there are no restrictions covering the number of shareholders, nor a public register of shareholders; shareholders are only responsible for that amount which they owe according to the price of the shares; the directors and dignitaries can be individuals or legal entities; although annual or periodic meetings of the corporation?s board have never been required, there is now the advantage that directors? and shareholders? meetings can be celebrated by telephone, fax or any other electronic means of communication.

As far as the fiscal aspect is concerned, and in line with the concept of territoriality, only the profits from a Panamanian source, that is to say whatever is produced, earned or created within Panama, is subject to taxation.

Based on the concept of territoriality, the following forms of income are not liable to the payment of income are not liable to the payment of income tax since they are not considered to have been generated in Panama:

1. Sales invoicing from an office established in Panama for amounts greater than those billed to the Panamanian office (re-billing), when the handing of the merchandise or products is exclusively overseas.

2. Transactions that are initiated from an office in Panama, but that are completed, finished or take effect overseas.

3. The distribution of dividends or profit sharing corresponding to income not generated in Panama.

4. The provision of services outside Panamanian territory.

5. Interest, commission for financing and similar income received by individuals or legal entities domiciled in Panama, that are derived from loans, deposits or any other financial transaction with borrowers domiciled outside Panama, when the use of the funds is effected outside Panama, even when the repayment of the capital or interest is materialized in Panama.

6. The disposal of stocks and shares of Panamanian corporations, always when the activities of said corporations are accomplished exclusively outside Panama.

A. General Information About Panama Corporations:

Panama offers the most favorable and most flexible incorporation laws available in the world. Individuals from all over the globe who are interested in asset protection, tax minimization, privacy, investment diversification, affordability and convenience use Panama corporations.

Panama corporations can be used for international trade, to settle trust or foundations, to establish and own bank or brokerage accounts, or hold ownership of real estate or any other type of asset. In some cases, Panama corporations are formed for very private and confidential business transactions such as the movement of funds to another jurisdiction for the protection of the assets.

Panama offers the strictest corporate book and banking secrecy laws available in the world, therefore providing legal protection to your assets and your identity through the confidentiality of corporate business and banking transactions. Most other offshore jurisdictions, such as the British influenced countries, have vowed down to recent legislation that has begun the removal of bank secrecy in those British colonies around the globe. Panama is a totally sovereign nation, not governed or controlled by any other country in the world.

B. Panama Corporation Facts:

* Second Most Popular Jurisdiction in the World: Panama is the registered domicile for over 400,000 corporations and foundations, making it the second most popular jurisdiction to incorporate in the world, next to Hong Kong.

* No Reporting Requirements or Taxes: Panama does not impose any reporting requirement or taxes for non-resident Panamanian corporations.

* No Piercing the Corporate Veil: Panama does not allow, ?piercing the corporate veil?, so your corporate books are maintained 100% private and confidential by law.

* Anonymous Ownership: Panama corporations share certificates can be issued in Nominative or Bearer form (Bearer Share are an anonymous form of ownership), with or without par value. Neither the directors nor the officers of Panama corporations need to be shareholders.

* No Capital Requirements: Panama corporations do not require Paid-In Capital, nor is there a time limit in which authorized capital must be fully paid.

* Directors: Every Panama corporation requires 3 directors/officers (President, Secretary and Treasurer). The directors/officers can be either individuals or entities. Panama Corporation?s directors, officers and shareholders may be of any nationality and resident of any country. The director?s names and identifications must be presented in the public registry when the corporation is formed.

* Nominee Directors: We offer our clients the optional service of using our ?Nominee Directors? for their corporation(s). For purposes of confidentiality, most of the clients prefer that I provide nominee directors/officers for their corporations. When I appoint nominee directors for the entities that I establish for my clients, I always provide my clients with pre-signed, undated letters of resignation from the directors so that my client can replace those directors at any time.

* Directors or Shareholders Meeting: Annual general meeting of either shareholders or directors of the corporation are not mandated or required. However, if meeting are held, they can take place anywhere in the world by proxy ? via telephone, email or other electronic means. Any resolutions passed are valid regardless of whether they are signed on different dates or in different jurisdictions.

* Corporate Boo

With the falling prices of plain paper fax machines; many of them are now making it into offices and homes, we are proud to offer a low cost solution to your facsimile ink film. Even though produced under stringent quality control, it is still cheaper yet with quality comparable to OEM films and guarantees good performance.

Bar code ribbon and fax ink film are just some of the office supplies that make it possible for you to do your work properly. It is of high importance, when you work in an office to be able to transmit information in different ways. When information has to be sent from one place to another, under a form that has to be put on paper, fax ink film and barcode ribbon are essential to you. Contacts, pictures, deeds or many other valuable papers are now sent by fax in just a few seconds time. But to be able to do this properly, fax ink film must not be missing from your desk. And not only that, but these supplies also have to be the best.

Barcode printers are designed differently depending upon the market they are intended for. Large, industrial barcode printers are used in manufacturing and/or warehouse facilities. These printers are capable of producing a large quantity of barcodes in a short amount of time, which is why they are so prominently used in large businesses. They have a large paper capacity, which provides for more labels, operate much quicker than standard barcode printers and perform better over a longer period of time. For smaller environments, such as offices or retail centers, desktop barcode printers are commonly used to save space.

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Thermal paper rolls in the past is no longer true. While thermal tape used to be an uncommon alternative due to a short lifespan and high prices, it's now the most viable choice. Recent developments have led to better technology, including advanced chemical films and more durable substrata.

Thermal paper is cleaner than your standard ink, produces a crisper resolution, and is ultimately cheaper. Though thermal paper used to be considerably more expensive, the price has come down in recent years, thanks in part to better technology that allows its manufacturers to produce it at a more reasonable cost. Moreover, a thermal paper roll is quieter than bond paper, which is an added bonus for any shopper at the end of a long day.

Any thermal roll of print medium which is subjected to a roll press in its manufacture can be employed in the methods of this invention. Preferably, the impressions are formed when the roll is pressed to align the wound print medium with the spindle.

There are many opportunities in network marketing to help you reach your life goals. You can work from home and enjoy a steady cash stream while setting your own hours and doing what you love most to earn an income. But if you're like the majority of people who join a team of online network marketers, you probably aren't sure how or where to get started with Internet and network marketing. Here are five proven strategies to get you started.

1. Start Your Own Network Marketing Website

With your own network marketing website, you can build a profitable business model for your team. Your website can be used to provide information to newcomers as well as update your team members on a regular basis. A website can be used to enhance off-line network marketing as well. For instance, you can print your Web address on your business cards, letterhead, envelopes, postcards, and in printed ads. Those interested in your proposal can visit your website for more information. Your website can contain almost unlimited information that will help convert prospects into team members.

2. Start Your Own E-zine

An e-zine is an electronic newsletter sent by email to a database of subscribers. An e-zine builds trust and establishes you as an expert. At your website, you can set up a subscription form for your e-zine. Those who sign up are obviously interested in your offer, so you can send e-mailings to them weekly and use the e-zine to get them back to your website. This is a great way to turn visitors to your site into network marketing partners.

3. Answer Questions in Forums and Discussion Groups

With forums, you cannot merely advertise your business, but you can answer questions and include a link to your email or website. Find work-from-home forums online that are related to your network marketing business or that might cater to your target audience. Observe and read the questions and answers for a while before posting to get a feel for the people and atmosphere. Then, answer those questions pertaining to your type of business in a truly helpful manner. The person asking the question might visit your website as well as any others who might read the post. It's a great way to meet new people and market your business.

4. Create Network Marketing Excitement

Another thing you can do online is to create network marketing excitement for your team members. At your own website, you can hold contests for your team members, random giveaways, provide hosted space for your team members to create their own profiles or mini-websites, do feature bios on your team members, and more. These will motivate your network marketing team to work harder and increase their cash stream (and yours) while having fun.

5. Content Writing about the Internet and Network Marketing

One of the most powerful ways to promote your website is to add valuable content articles to your website on a regular basis. Articles should be targeted about network marketing and working from home. They should provide your target readers with helpful information. At the conclusion of each article, you can include a signature/bio that will lead the reader to your sales pages.

Add articles to your website on a regular basis and submit articles to free article directories for maximum results. Articles will help attract search engine traffic to your website without any cost to you.

There are also many other methods of Internet promotion for network marketing such as e-zine advertising, banner advertising, contextual or paid search engine ads, free traffic exchanges, and affiliate programs. Whether you are part of a global resorts travel business, a profitable reverse funnel system, or another successful business model, you'll be amazed at the results when you combine all of the promotion methods above for the Internet and network marketing!

What does it take to get a sponsor for your custom vehicle project?

Everybody always asks me, "how did you get so many sponsors?" The short answer is, "because I asked". I know this is an overly simplified answer, but it really is the main key to getting sponsorships. The second key to being successful when soliciting potential sponsors is having something worth sponsoring that is interesting and unique. It sounds easy, but it's not as simple as it sounds. I got the idea for soliciting sponsors from truck I saw in Four Wheeler many years ago called "Project MPG". It was a nondescript, white Ford F-350 dually which had been customized under the hood to produce the maximum miles per gallon possible. Their project truck had about eight or nine companies sponsoring it. When I first began my Custom Ford project, I contacted the owner of Project MPG for some advice. He very quickly gave me the brush off and being unhelpful was an understatement. So I took the initiative, based on my experience in marketing and business in general, and started making 'sales' calls to companies that manufactured the products I needed for my project.

I knew that there would a lot of folks out there with a desire to build a custom four wheel drive truck and hope that they could get corporate sponsorship to lessen the financial burden. So before I even started disassembling the truck, the first order of business was to build a website about the project so that potential sponsors would be able see that I'm not just another "Joe Schmoe" trying to get some free parts. Once the website was created and online, I had a powerful sales tool with which I could contact the companies for which I was seeking products. I never asked for money, and conversely, never received any either. What I did receive was significant support financially through companies providing products and services for my project in exchange for the advertising and marketing opportunities my project provided. This was a win/win program for both of us. I won because I was able to secure products for 'free' or at cost. The sponsor won because they got to have their product associated with a potentially high profile marketing vehicle (pun intended).

The next step was determining who to contact at the various companies when the need arose. Finding the right person with whom to speak in a large company can sometimes be quite challenging. When dealing with smaller companies, it is usually much simpler, but not always. Once you find the right person, the next step is introducing yourself in such a way as to not come across as "wanting something". It is much better to explain why you are calling, what you need and ask if they offer any kind of sponsorship opportunities. This set's the stage for your conversation. The person on the other end now knows who you are, what you want and that you're not trying to get something free right out of the gate. This greatly helps your chances of success. Now you have room to discuss and negotiate with them. Always be honest, but you don't have to show all of your cards up front. Let them speak. They will usually give you a lot of good information about their company and about how they operate. Makes sure you let them know that you're flexible and that even a partial sponsorship such as offering the product at cost or a significantly reduced rate would work as well.

Once you've set the tone, you need to let them know, somehow, about your website. Many times, they are curious and will pull up your site while you're on the phone. Use this to your advantage. They can now see that your project is real and not just some pie in the sky pipe dream. Let them know how their "donation" will benefit them. Answer these questions for them: How will my company benefit? How visible will the vehicle be? (translation: how many shows will the vehicle attend and where). How visible will my company be? (translation: how will people know my company sponsored you?) If you can answer these questions effectively, you have a very good shot at receiving a "Yes". If you can't answer these questions effectively, then you have no business even picking up the phone. All you're doing is wasting their time and yours.

Once you get the much sought after "Yes", the next step is to show you're sincere. Get their name up on your website under the list of sponsors. Make sure that everyone knows that Acme Corp. supplied the XYZ brand muffler bearings for your custom creation. Lastly, when the vehicle is done, get it out in front of the public. If you stay true to your word, you'll have a much better shot at the next company as your project progresses. Good luck and be sure to let me know how your sponsorship quest pans out.

© 2007 Project Responder

4 steps to warm up cold calling conversations

Our thoughts are always at the basis of our behaviors. If our thoughts are fixed on the goal of making a sale, then we’re not really being forthright. We’re not focused on the conversation or the truth of a situation. We’re chasing people -- or at least chasing the sale.

Here are 5 important steps to help end the "chasing game" in our cold calling efforts.

1. Avoid reading from a script

Life is not a script, nor are normal conversations. When we read from a script, we’re not being natural. We’re playing a role. And that means we’re chasing a sale rather than enjoying an opportunity to meet someone new and find out if we can help them.

Allowing a conversation to naturally flow helps you enter into a dialogue based on trust, which lets your potential client’s real issues emerge.

Formal scripts, on the other hand, don’t give you the freedom to take conversations in the direction they may naturally want to go. And this feels stilted and awkward.

If you begin to view your cold calls as conversations or dialogues, you’ll find it easy to let go of the idea of scripts. And you’ll sense the shift of the energy in your conversation when the emphasis of the call is about the person you’re talking with and not about your making a sale.

So generate a spontaneous conversation, based on the problems you can help the other person solve. This will diffuse your feelings of being awkward and artificial, and allow you to enjoy the journey.

2. Address a Core Problem

People connect with you when they feel you understand their issues before you focus on yourself and your solutions. Come up with two or three specific problems that your product or service solves. And talk about it with the potential client first, before offering your sales pitch.

When you offer your presentation or solution without first involving the other person by talking about a core problem they might be having, you are focused on the sale rather than the conversation. And your whole energy tends to drive the interaction into a sales mode. Remember, whenever someone feels "chased," they usually run.

So stop for a moment. Convey that you’re a problem solver.  Invite a mutual exchange of information that explores whether there’s a possibility that the two of you might work together. Help them understand that your thoughts and goals are not focused on selling them anything at all.

Most people will welcome your interest in their problem as long as you’re not operating out of the hidden agenda of making a sale. So overcome the temptation to discuss what you have to offer and move into focusing on your caller’s world. Invite discussion, express interest, and stop chasing the sale.

3. Uncover the Truth of the Situation

Make your objective to uncover the truth of the potential client’s situation and to be okay with the outcome, whether it’s a yes or a no.

We can do this by checking in at various times in the conversation to make sure it makes sense to continue the dialogue. If we just move ahead without doing this, we’re in "chase mode." And in this case, we may be chasing something very unrealistic for this particular potential client.

So we ask important questions such as, "Is this a top priority for you to solve right now?"  We may find that the potential client is very interested in working with us, but the budget or staffing may simply be too thin at this time.

We stop at various checkpoints in our conversation to make sure we’re moving ahead together. If our thoughts are fixed only on our own goal of eventually securing the sale, we can miss very important signals that the other person may actually have no intention of following through.

4. Where do We Go From Here?

Here’s something very surprising. Allow the conversation to end without chasing other person into an sales appointment or commitment, and the other person will often be the one who initiates further contact.

So when you feel as if the conversation is coming to a natural conclusion, you can simply say, "Well, where do you think we should go from here?"

This question reassures potential clients that you’re not using the conversation to fulfill your own hidden agenda. It invites the other person to take charge of where things are going, and all you need do is follow along.

When you stop chasing the sale, you’ll be truly surprised at how often the sale gently awaits you within a friendly conversation focusing on the needs of others.

With no end in sight for rising gas prices, fuel retail outlets are eagerly searching for new ways to attract cost-conscious consumers to their pumps this summer.  For gas station operators one solution in keeping gas volumes up while gas prices increase, has been to incorporate a novel concept called Additech, which is basically a “coupon at the pump”. Additech pioneered the "tune-up at the pump" engine care service that dispenses and blends specialty fuel additives into gasoline while consumers pump their gas. The company operates its system at 1,500 fueling positions across 18 states at major retailer fuel centers and expects to have the systems installed at over 2,000 fueling positions in over 450 sites by year-end.  The product offerings range in price from $1.98 - $13.95.

If consumers have any anticipation of saving at the pump this summer, they must be aware of the following data:

·Less than 15% of the energy in gasoline is actually converted into road power; most of the fuel energy is wasted due to exhaust and friction within the engine.

·In a typical gasoline vehicle, 62.4% of the energy is lost in the engine, 17.2% from standby / idling, 2.2% from accessories such as air conditioning, power steering, and windshield wipers, 5.6% from the transmission and other parts of the driveline, leaving 12.6% to move your vehicle down the road.

Improved fuel economy:

·A vehicle that gets 30 MPG will cost you $750 less to fuel each year than one that gets 20 MPG (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3.00). Over a period of 5 years, the 30 MPG vehicle will save you $3,750.

Driving more efficiently:

·For each 5 mph you drive over 60 miles an hour, you are effectively paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas (cost savings based on an assumed price of $2.91 per gallon). Driving the speed limit improves your fuel economy by 7 - 23%

·You can save $300 - $500 in fuel costs each year by choosing a fuel efficient vehicle.

Maintain your vehicle:

·Repairing a serious engine problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your MPG by as much as 40%

·Repairing a car that has failed an emissions test can improve your MPG by 4%, resulting in effective gasoline savings of $0.12 per gallon.

·Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your gas mileage by up to 10%, resulting in effective gasoline savings of $0.29 per gallon.

·Keeping your tires properly inflated will improve your MPG by 3.3%. Under inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4% for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires.  Gasoline facts:

What we pay for in a gallon of regular gasoline:

·In January 2006 with an average gas price of $2.32 per gallon, 20% went to taxes, 7% distribution and marketing, 13% refining costs and profits, and 60% crude oil

·In 2003 with an average gas price of $1.56 per gallon, 27% went to taxes, 14% distribution and marketing, 15% refining costs and profits, and 44% crude oil

·U.S. consumers purchased an average of 9.145 million barrels a day in 2005, the equivalent of about 35 million fill-ups a day.

·Gasoline imports increased 20% in 2005; averaging more than 1 million barrels a day.

·U.S. refinery output was down about 2% in 2005, and is expected to be about 0.3% less than 2004 levels in 2006, due to outages caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

·The largest U.S. refinery is ExxonMobil in Baytown, TX which produces 557,000 barrels a day.

·Pipelines move about 66% of crude oil annually. There are approximately 200,000 miles of oil pipelines in the U.S.

Convenience Stores:

·The three largest convenience stores in 2004, were Shell Oil Products with 15,821 locations, BP America with 14,200 locations, and Citgo Petroleum Corp. with 13,694 locations.

·Gasoline and Diesel fuel sales totaled $262.6 billion in 2004, accounting for about 66.5% of total sales but only 36.6% of gross margin.

·In 1974 only 15% of convenience stores sold gasoline. In 2004, 79% of convenience stores sold gasoline. Sales increased in a similar manner from 17,370 gallons in 1974 to 107,852 gallons in 2004, a 620% increase.

·Sales of premium and mid grade gasoline have declined from 21.9% in 2000 to 17.4% in 2004 and is projected to continue to decrease as gasoline prices rise and more consumers purchase regular grade gasoline.

Hypermarkets:

·In July 2005, 3,860 hypermarket stores sold gasoline, representing only 2 - 3% of fuel retail locations but 7.7% of the gasoline sales.

·Hyper market retailers sell approximately 298,000 gallons a month, more than double the 108,000 gallon monthly average at convenience stores.

Get Rich Quick Scams RevealedRead this article before you consider paying for a "get rich quick" program.

From: Step Plans!Everybody would love to make lots of money quickly, working from home, and only doing a few hours of work per week. I've spent the past two years trying to find a great way of doing this. Only over the course of the past few months have I found any "get rich quick" programs worth buying. I've been trying to make money online for a long time. I had a few small websites, but they never made much more than a few hundred per month. It was easy money and didn't require much work on my part, but I knew there were people out there doing better than I was and I knew I could do as well as them. Now, I've seen a lot of "get rich quick" programs. Most of these people make claims about earning $2000/day with Google or something similarly insane. Almost all of these people are complete liars. Even if they were making $2000/day with Google AdSense, it'd be because they had high - traffic websites with a lot of quality content. I'd know, because in one whole month, I never even made half of what they promised I'd make daily with their programs. Maybe you've already been scammed by one of these fraudsters. Anyway, I finally got sick of what was being offered. I decided I'd look through the all of the "get rich quick" programs I could find and see if there were any that were actually legitimate. I found that there were owners selling their programs for well over $100, but the information in them could be found almost anywhere online for free. Additionally, they all contained out-of-date information, had no e-mail support, no money back guarantees, and broken links in the downloads section. In conclusion, almost all of the programs I found were completely useless. The owners knew it, but they couldn't care less about their customers since they didn't offer refund policies! Amazingly, while looking through all of the programs, I actually did find a few legitimate programs. They were run by ordinary people like you and me, and they had found some great methods of making money from their home by doing very little work. I spent some time working with those programs, and my income is now ten times what it used to be. These programs provided a large amount of great information on how to make extra money on your computer doing very little work. Numerous customers had provided great feedback and reviews for their products. Many of them have started to make money just days after buying! Their programs have excellent prices, and the authors have a group of paid staff who are dedicating to helping you or providing assistance if you need any. I must say I was amazed! If you do decide to purchase any of the programs listed below, I recommend you join quickly. Most of the owners tell me they are getting an overwhelming number of sales and plan on raising prices in the near future, so order while prices are still low! To Your Online Success, Step Plans!

Investment corporations, also known as investment funds, are institutions of collective investment. They gather capital from the public to reinvest it collectively and diversely, therefore the investment risks are lower and the returns to the investors are in theory going to be enhanced. It is a Panama vehicle to raise third party investment funds.

Definition - An investment corporation in Panama is any judicial person (corporation or foundation), trust or contractual agreement that, through the issuance and sale of its own participation quotas, is dedicated to the business of obtaining monies from the investment public, through one time payments or periodical payments, with the object of investing and negotiating, either directly or through investment managers or administrators, investments in securities, bonds, options, futures, metals, real estate or any other recognized investment medium. The Panama investment corporations are entities that gather funds from the public to reinvest them collectively. The intent is that they can offer lower risks and costs of administration (reduced trading commissions for instance) and a professional capability of investment analysis, administration, follow up and financial control of the investment.

Investment Corporations Conducting a Public Offering in Panama

It is legally understood that a public offering of participation quotas of an investment corporation is taking place when it or its investment administrator, or another entity on behalf of it, offers securities through marketing and promotion activities in the territory of the Republic of Panama. These marketing and promotional activities are any form of communication targeting potential investors with the object of promoting the subscription or obtaining participation quotas (investments) in an investment corporation vehicle, and will be considered to be in the territory of the Republic of Panama as long as it is addressed to people domiciled in Panama. This is probably not of interest to many of you since you are reading this in English not Spanish. It is useful to read through this article to see how the law operates and how one can be excluded from registration which will probably be of great interest to you.

An investment corporation is considered to be administered in or from Panama when one of the following applies:

1. That the investment corporation designates an investment administrator in the Republic of Panama.

2. That the principal domicile of the investment corporation is located in the Republic of Panama, or the prospect or any other advertisement material indicates that it is located in Panama.

3. That the investment corporation designates a custodian in the Republic of Panama

4. That the directors necessary to adopt a resolution of the Board of Directors of the investment corporation have their domicile in Panama.

Investment Corporations Requiring Licensure with the Panama Securities Commission

1. Simple Investment Corporations: Only have one type of participation quotas and one investment portfolio.

2. Umbrella Investment Corporations: Have multiple series of participation quotas with different investment portfolios.

3. Multiple Class Investment Corporations: Have multiple series of participation quotas, each one of those series with different terms regarding the payment of commissions and subscription fees, redemptions and administrative fees.

4. Principal Fund Feed by other Funds: This is best described as an investment corporation that invests in other investment corporations.

Requirements for the Registration of an Investment Corporation in Panama

1. Name and incorporation information.

2. Legal and commercial domicile of the corporation.

3. Designation of an investment administrator who will have to have a License issued by the National Securities Commission. When the investment corporation will be administered for itself, the documentation regarding the person who will be the principal executive and the compliance officer must be submitted.

4. Designation of a custodian for the investment corporation.

5. Identification of the type of fund.

6. Authorized share capital and minimum capital to initiate the operation.

7. Amount of participation quotas required to be registered for public offering and value of the initial offer.

Documents to be Submitted with the Application

1. Authenticated copy of the articles of incorporation, which must establish that the corporation will exclusively operate as an investment corporation and the accounting books will be kept in Panama. Must be in Spanish but a certified English translation can be obtained.

2. Copy of passport or Panama Cedulla of Directors.

3. Audited financial statements or audited initial balance.

4. Curriculum Vitae of Directors and Dignitaries and Legal Representative.

5. Informative prospect of the investment corporation.

6. Signed contract with the investment administrator and signed contract with the custodian.

7. Draft Code of Conduct for those investment corporations that will assume their own administration and representation.

8. Advertisement and other publicity material that will be used by the investment corporation (everything that will be used even once).

9. Draft of the investment contract to be subscribed to every potential investor.

10. Draft Minutes of the Board of Directors establishing all terms and conditions related to the operation of the investment corporation.

Private Investment Corporations ? Registration Exempt

This type of investment corporations are not required to be registered in the Securities Commission and therefore are not subject to the rules that applies to registered investment corporations found above.

The Commission can sanction any representation or declaration that the investment corporation does, stating that it is registered in the Commission.

It is considered to be a private investment corporations when it is administered in the Republic of Panama or from the Republic of Panama, and has participation quotas that are not offered in the Republic of Panama and that its Articles of Incorporation includes one of the following two dispositions:

1. One disposition that limits the amount of effective owners of its participation quotas to 50, or that stipulated firmly that the offers for the investment will be done through private communications only and not through public communication such as web sites, newsletters, print or media ads etc.

2. A disposition that establishes that its participation quotas will only be offered to qualified investors in minimal initial investment amounts of $100,000.

The private investment corporations must designate a representative in Panama, who can be an licensed investment administrator, a securities house, a licensed investment advisor, a licensed Bank, an Accountant or a Lawyer, who must be able to dully represent the investment corporation before the Securities Commission at any time.

They must provide copy of the Articles of Incorporation, the Offering Prospectus, Audited Financial Statements, name and address of Directors. Yearly audited statements must be submitted.

Self-Administered Investment

When the investment corporation decides not to use an outside investment administrator, it must comply with the following:

1. The investment corporation must have at least 3 members of the Board of Directors, all of whom must have renowned business and professional honorability. They must be able to demonstrate that they are reputable well-regarded business professionals. This is generally established with reference letters, education and professional licensures.

2. At least one third of the members of the Board of Directors must have adequate knowledge and experience in fields related to securities market and financial market in general. This would be established through professional licenses, work experience, references and education.

3. Have a complete administrative and accounting organization, in addition to technical (Information Technology, Legal) and human resources for the administration of the investment corporation. They must be able to clearly demonstrate that all the pieces are in place to be able to competently and profitably administer the investment.

4. An internal code of conduct.

5. Designate a compliance officer that can ascertain all investment and due diligence requirements are being complied with.

This document was basically translated from Spanish Legalese and putting it into English Legalese which if you have ever tried it you would know it is not easy so do feel free to ask questions.

(Clean the Hard Drive Before Dumping Your PC )

(If you're getting rid of your old computer, chances are there's sensitive data on it. Make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. )

By Kim Komando

If you're getting rid of your old computer there are some things you should know about it.

Chances are there's sensitive data on it. If you're like me, that PC's hard drive contains a compilation of your personal and (http://www.microsoft.com/india/smallbusiness/product_overview.mspx-business) life. If the wrong people were to grab it, they could hurt you and your business very seriously.

Is the Data Really Gone?

Here's the problem: An index of files is maintained for the hard drive, telling it where things are stored. When you install a file, especially a big one, it is scattered around the hard drive in bits and pieces. On your command to open the file, the hard drive checks the index, then gathers the pieces and reconstructs them.

When that file is deleted, the links between the index and the file disappear. That tells your system that the file is no longer needed and that hard drive space can be overwritten. But the deleted file remains on your computer. Only when it is overwritten do you begin to be safe. Even then, a specialist might be able to recover the old data.

Assuming you just deleted everything in preparation for saying goodbye to your PC, it is unlikely that the sensitive information has been overwritten. It's still sitting there, and anybody with the right software could find it.

Do You Trust the Recipient?

How you handle this really depends on where the computer is going. If a trusted employee or your Aunt Minnie is getting it, you can probably just delete everything. If you're selling it or giving it away to a stranger, you might want to do some more work.

So here are my four suggestions.

1. Give the Computer to a Trusted Employee, Friend or Family Member

If you trust who you give it to, I wouldn't put a lot of effort into destroying data. Recovering deleted data isn't automatic. A thief or con artist will have to get some specialised software and learn to use it. Lots of boring data would have to be sorted to find the good stuff. The average (honest) person isn't going to bother.

So if you give the PC to someone you trust, you should simply delete the files. More extensive work probably isn't worth the effort. Just be sure the recipient is honest.

2. Reformat the Hard Drive and Re-install the Operating System

Reformatting a disk prepares it to accept a new operating system. It also wipes out everything on the hard drive. That's your goal.

Reformatting will keep most people out of your old files. But specialised shareware exists to reclaim files after reformatting. If you do not know who will get the computer — or you do know and you don't trust them — stronger measures are required.

3. Buy Software and Overwrite the Disk, Again and Again and Again

If you don't know much about computers, this might be easier than Step 2. There are several programs that write gibberish to the hard drive. They promise that nobody will be able to find your files after the software is utilised.

Norton's SystemWorks includes an application called Wipe Info. OnTrack's DataEraser offers a similar feature, as does Jetico's BCWipe. There are more such applications on the Internet.

You can leave the operating system and other files on the hard disk, if you want. These programs can be set to overwrite only the unoccupied areas. The process can be slow, because they write to the disk repeatedly. You might want to run it overnight.

4. You're Totally Paranoid, so Get Out the Acetylene Torch

I'm not kidding. The only absolute and assured way of protecting your data is to destroy the hard drive. To do that, you need to remove it from the computer.

The Pentagon shreds its hard drives. That should work, assuming you can find a hard-drive shredder. I've never seen one.

You need to destroy the platters inside. Try smashing them with a hammer. Destroying them with a torch should work.

Step 4 seems excessive to me. But you're right to be paranoid about this. Identity theft is becoming more and more common. Be careful, no matter who gets the computer.