Most people who are interested in real estate avoid ever getting started because they are not sure of where to get started.

There is a lot of real estate investing information out there, but many people are not aware of how to get to it. One of the ways potential investors can learn more about real estate investing is through a real estate investing book.

When you first try to think of known titles for a real estate investing book, chances are you come up with a blank. This knowledge isn’t something that is commonly known. To find a real estate investing book, you will first need to do some research.

The best place to look for a real estate investing book is one the internet.

Please see the link at the bottom of this article to download a free real estate investing ebook.

There are many websites that advertise various books on real estate investing. The key is finding these books. By doing an internet search on “real estate investing book”, you will be returned web pages that feature various books on real estate investing.

Look through each of the websites returned by the search engine to find out more about a specific real estate investing book. Websites that are designed to market a specific real estate investing book will give more details about that book. Read the description of several different books to get a better idea of which books are better than others. The best kind of real estate investing book is one that will give you all the information you need to get started with real estate investing.

There are some key factors that you can use to help choose a real estate investing book. To be successful in real estate investing, you need to know how to locate properties. The real estate investing book you purchase should give details on this subject. Although you might first think that locating properties is something that can be easily done, be forewarned that there is a method to it. A valuable real estate investing book will provide you with this information.

A real estate investing book should also cover, in varying degrees of details depending on the book, negotiating deals. You will need to know how to negotiate deals both as the buyer and the seller. Most investors have never had the experience of buying or selling real estate. Any real estate investing book you purchase should include this information.

The real estate investing book you purchase should cover at least one strategy for investing in real estate. Most investing books focus on only one strategy. This is the strategy that was tried and true for the author. A better real estate investing book will give information about several different strategies that can be used. Since a single strategy cannot be used for all kinds of investments, it isn’t wise to purchase a real estate book that only details one strategy.

Ultimately, the real estate book you choose to purchase is a matter of preference. You should read several description of books so you are better aware of what various books offer.

You can also download a free ebook that shows you how to make some great profits from the link below.

Wealthy home buyers who buy multi-million dollar homes are typically self-made millionaires with new money, according to a recent online survey of 683 Coldwell Banker Previews International property specialists. The study revealed the top professions of these affluent customers. According to the respondents, 88 % of their customers are business or corporate executives, 37 % are physicians, 31 % are lawyers, 30 % are financial professional and 14 % are entertainers, entertainment executives or professional athletes.

Wealthy home buyers require their real estate agents to be equipped with special skills, according to the Coldwell Banker’s survey. Given the magnitude of the financial transactions involved in luxury home purchases, 78 % of sales associates said that the top most need their clients require from their real estate agents is privacy and confidentiality. The luxury customers also want their real estate agents to exercise discretion while dealing with their multi-million dollar transactions. Almost 70 % of respondents polled that their wealthy clients want their real estate professionals to offer customized services while 44 % said that the luxury home buyers want their agents to have good network and work relationship with executive assistants, CPAs and attorneys.

Wealthy home buyers also want their agents to know the inside scoop on the real estate market, according to 36 % of the respondents in the Coldwell Banker’s survey. Seventeen percent of the sales associates surveyed indicated that one of the necessary skills for real estate professionals working with affluent customers was the ability to provide emotional support to their clients. And according to 11 % of respondents, luxury customers want their real estate agents to establish personal rapport with their clients.

The study also included queries on the “must have” amenities that the affluent clientele want in their luxury homes. Wealthy home buyers want media rooms in their homes, according to 60 % of respondents and another 60 % polled that their affluent customers want “wired” homes. However, there are a few home design elements that are out among luxury home buyers. Gourmet kitchens, granite countertops and wet bars are no longer counted as luxuries by wealthy home buyers, according to the survey respondents.

The survey also found that the multi-million dollar home buyer pays a typical down payment of 20 % to 30 %, while a quarter of clients put down 30 % to 50 % of the sale price.

On any given day, people can easily find articles and news stories describing an impending bust of the so-called real estate bubble. Despite this gloomy prediction, many experts believe that the recent slowdown in housing will be a gradual and modest readjustment rather than sharp bust or decline. These experts believe that factors that lead to a sharp decline in the real estate market are just not present in the current economic outlook. In fact, a recent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University noted that “despite the current cool-down, the long-term outlook for housing is bright.”

The rise and fall of the real estate market is subject to the forces of supply and demand, and these factors point to stable and positive growth in the real estate segment.

SUPPLY FACTORS

Limited supply of real estate makes it scarce and usually pushes home prices up. In contrast, an oversupply of real estate tends to put downward pressure on home prices. Despite the current slow down in the real estate market, factors that impact limited supply favor continued growth in the real estate market. Some of these factors include:

1. Builders have readjusted growth plans in regions that have an oversupply of new housing. Over time, any excess inventory is likely to be depleted and equilibrium achieved between supply and demand.

2. The availability of land in certain regions, as well land use regulations and associated compliance costs will continue to restrict the supply of new homes.

DEMAND FACTORS:

Housing located in regions with high demand tend to be more expensive than homes in regions with low demand. Factors that impact the demand for housing suggests a favorable long-term housing outlook. Some of these factors include:

1. No current evidence of significant and across-the-board job losses; forecasts of relatively low unemployment rates.

2. Long-term increased demand for second homes, vacation homes and senior housing by baby boomers.

3. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by the children of baby boomers.

4. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by immigrants.

5. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by second-generation Americans.

6. Forecasts that the outflows and inflows of the U.S. population in and out different regions will not significantly impact the overall U.S. real estate housing market.

7. Relative stability in interest rates.

8. Continued stability in long-term home appreciation rates.

9. Overall, rising rate of wealth across all age groups.

SUMMARY

In summary, strong household growth, overall rising incomes and wealth, and a stable economy all bode well for continued long-term growth in the real estate market. While the overall housing outlook is favorable, affordability will continue to be a challenge, as wages, especially in the lower income levels, have not kept up with housing costs.

Real estate photography is a new, exclusive initiative to promote international property business to inspire by the theme Development, Nature and Architecture. Real estate photography leads to increased competition in the photographic market. Most of time people would likely visit their property for sale because of the attractive images.

Tips of good real estate photography
- A good source of light.
- Wide angle lenses make real estate photos appear spacious, inspirational and motivational
- Digital formats cut down on printing and developing expenditures and makes photos available immediately.
- Same images should be available in different sizes so that according to the specifications you can provide it.
- take a shot of every part of house for sale including living room, kitchen, dining room, and other parts of the house.
- highlight the best features of your house.
- clean the entire house before taking its photos.
- hire a professional real estate photographer.

Real estate photography is of following kinds:
- Standard real estate photography,
- Elevated pole real estate photography,
- Exterior twilight real estate photography,
- Interior real estate photography services,
- Real estate photography for builders and architects.

Real estate firms have totally booming nowadays. If you are a property agent, you have probably faced a lot of competitions. Over few older years, when all you require is a well written advertisement to sell a real estate. Currently in order to fully publish your listings, you need to attach a good real estate photographs. With the emergence of digital cameras, the realestate that you are selling can be photographed and placed online. Potential purchasers from different parts of the world can actually see your listings with the images in it. Don’t underestimate the value of these photographs because a purchaser can definitely decide to check out the real estate based on the pictures that you have.

Real estate photography makes the property images impressive. If you have a house which looks unattractive and you want to sell that but because of appearance no good investor wants to buy it. Through the technique of real estate photography you can make your house to appear better and most of the investors search online for real estate images to buy it. Based on recent estimations, the number of individual searching home for sale online has increased. Almost half of these property seekers found their dream property instantly online through the help of real estate photography. An image is worth a thousand words. Especially when your words may be limited by the Multiple Listing Service use real estate photography techniques to express your quality difference in properties.

Last month, citing the need to exercise greater control over national mineral resources, Ecuador suspended exploration and revoked a series of mining concessions. Late this week, Venezuela banned open-pit mining, and halted all activity in the vast Imataca reserve, which includes the town of El Dorado in the remote south-eastern part of the country.

Equity and debt prices for internationally listed companies mining in large parts of Latin America have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks. What does the future hold?

Before assessing where prices, ratings and insurance costs are headed, it is critical to address the ideological gap: while foreign companies already invested in Latin America are claiming, expressly or implicitly, that left-wing governments are reneging on lawful contracts, the Latin protagonists of new legislation are making the case that existing laws are outdated, and bear no relevance to the fundamentals being cited by international companies, to either boost share prices or to reflect the value of securitized assets.

For example, the Ecuador mining condominium structures were conceptualized, historically, in an extremely restrictive context, to encourage small-scale placer-based exploitation of gold and silver; though a plain reading of the law has resulted in condominium concessions passing into the hands of foreign listed companies, such transfers are without foundation if the correct historical interpretation of the law is applied. Government royalties reflected in condominium-type mining properties are not legitimate for larger, mechanized operations undertaken with modern technologies.

Risk Insurance syndicates who have provided Latin American mining coverage over the previous decade are now in a quandary of their own making. Quite overwhelmingly, the pricing of risk on equity and securitization was predicated on the notion that the value of foreign capital, and fiscal realism, would far outweigh transitions in government. Quote Platform has always maintained that such risk was under-priced, and for good reason.

The pricing of political risk entails a thorough understanding of the law of the land, and the sustainability of such law within the framework of an evolving economic and political reality. Risk cannot be priced on populist notions, however persuasive.

Ever since the early 1990s, it was apparent that developments in Latin American mining laws (with few exceptions) were lagging the new emerging reality. In effect, laws which are inherently crying for change must attract a higher-than-usual risk premium.

Quote Platform must point out that the decline in share prices of Latin American-based mining companies does not represent the truth on the ground at all. At this juncture, the very concept of an equity valuation in countries like Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua is undergoing substantive change.

The problem of pricing of Latin American corporate debt and equity has, without doubt, been aggravated by the widely-respected rating agencies who have blundered badly in utilizing two flawed statistical formulations for their assessments: (a) GDP growth data to determine that a vibrant business climate is either already in place or just around the corner and (b) the quantum of mining revenues to assume that future governments in the region will be hesitant to upset foreign investors.

Today, informed sources inside those agencies acknowledge that GDP growth numbers should not have been confused with poverty statistics. And as far as mining revenues are concerned, Latin American governments are realizing that foreign capital, if available, must be employed to prove up national mining reserves in the first instance, not to exploit existing concessions with proven surface mining opportunities.

In this regard, it cannot be over-emphasized that end-user pricing only enters the risk equation if there is a product to sell; we are dealing now with a situation where many of the international companies may have to spend money on identifying reserves, not on exploiting them, if they are to sign equitable agreements in Latin America through the course of 2008 and 2009.

Buenos Aires is also known as “Paris of South America” and it is the largest city and port in the country and above all capital of Argentina. Not only has it had strong European culture on the Argentineans, but also because of its mixture of old and new architectural fames. It is also the city of one of the greatest opera houses in the world, and houses many museums that are related to different art genres. Because of its charming neighborhood and rich history and culture one can have a good worth of living in this cosmopolitan place with all the wonders and dynamic place in Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires Apartment rentals are offered at various prices that can suffice your needs and ways of living comfortably and peacefully. As the largest city of Argentina apartments can easily be located in the city where the only thing you have to worry is finding that perfect place for you. With Buenos Aires apartments you will not have difficulty looking for ease of access in the city because it also offers convenience when it comes to access on communication technologies, transportation and leisure activities. The ala carte of Buenos Aires Apartments is If you feel that you belong in the city you can make it a point to live in the place without worrying too much about the accommodation, depending on your length of stay you can choose from weekly to monthly payment methods if you also want to stay in one of the Buenos Aires Apartments while you are in the city. Living in Buenos Aires apartments rentals, not only gives you the benefit in enjoying the scenery, the fun and entertainment that you can encounter in your place, you may also want as well to take advantage of the different amenities like their apartments where you can rest from after a long day or after a vacation too.

Buenos Aires apartment’s offers entirely furnished apartments for temporary staying or rental which are fully equipped with bed linen, towels, modular kitchen with utensils, high speed internet, air conditioning, 24 hours cable TV, dish washer, microwave, full bathrooms, twenty four hours security and many household utility items that a traveler might need. Most of the Buenos Aires apartments are located near the accessible shopping malls, gas station, cafes and restaurants etc in the perfect location like Centro, Palermo, Puerto Madermo, Recoleta and many other cosmopolitan cities. The availability and variety of Buenos Aires apartments has been increasing as of late making it much easier to find a pleasant apartment which suits your budget, making it a great time to look into holidays around that area thus making it more fruitful and profitable for the property developers to see if they can expand their property.

Not only for the tourists and travelers, or for the globetrotters, Buenos Aires apartments have always appeared to be a popular student destination due to its cultural heritage which is not limited to its football stadium. For short and long term rental for any query relating to comfortable, inexpensive and luxurious accommodation, last but not the least that feeling of home away from home, Buenos Aires apartments is the perfect place to lay one’s hand on. For more information write or log on to http://www.buenosairesapartments.net

There are many things in Emirates to wonder at – history of this country, high level of all – round development, local traditions and custom, everything you see and hear from all quarters. The Dubai way of life did not always center on oil and its profits. Dubai was originally a fishing settlement. Inhabitants lived by fishing, pearling, herding sheep and goats, and by the turn of the century was an important trading port.

The history of Dubai UAE is rather different from the histories of most similarly-sized cities in the West. The usual pattern is for different periods of history to be layered on top of each other in an imperceptibly slow process. Then the historian’s job is to separate the half-blended strata in order to tease out the story of the place. But this approach doesn’t work when you’re finding out about Dubai, as the city’s dramatic transformation resembles a TV makeover show more than a gradual evolution.

Dubai began as a very small, sleepy settlement; until 3000 years BC the area in which Dubai UAE is now found was occupied by nomads who herded sheep, goats and cattle. These nomads supplemented their diet with fish. Agriculture began half a millennium later with the cultivation of the date palm. During the Bronze Age, the area was linked with the copper trade. After that, there is a big gap in what we know until the 7 th century, when the region became Islamic.

Trade expanded even as Dubai was under the British protectorate, and Dubai began to grow in merchant appeal. By the early 1900s, almost a quarter of the population was foreign. The population in the 1930s was 20,000, and of that, 2,000 were Persians, 1,000 Baluchis, many Indians and substantial communities from Bahrain, Kuwait and the Hasa province in eastern South Arabia. In 1954, the British established a political agency there as well.

Many people think that it was the sudden discovery of oil in 1966 which poured wealth into Dubai resulting high demand for Dubai property, leading to its rapid reinvention from a quiet settlement to the land of the blink. This isn’t far from the truth, but the whole truth is more interesting and subtle.

The pearling industry in Dubai collapsed at the end of the 1920s, dealt a double blow by the Wall Street Crash and the invention of the artificial pearl. This forced the emirate to look around for other sources of revenue. But the development of Dubai had already begun at the end of the nineteenth century, when the ruler at the time allowed tax exemption for foreign traders. This coincided with the port of Lingah in Iran losing its own status as a free port, so Dubai nabbed all its customers. Thus began Dubai’s proud history as a place where items are re-exported. Debate rages over whether “re-exporting” is a euphemism for smuggling, just as it does over the issue of whether Dubai could have been important without the oil. The most realistic answer to the second question is that Dubai used oil revenue to gain capital for the creation of a trade and manufacturing infrastructure, alongside a booming tourist industry. If Dubai had relied on its oil reserves to spend freely without putting any money into developing other industries, the place would now be in serious trouble, as oil and gas reserves were small. Now, nearly 90% of Dubai’s revenue is not oil-based. So the secret to Dubai UAE’s success is doing the best with what you have – something every self-respecting makeover show advises.

Dubai is a popular choice with GCC locals and foreigners alike, both of whom are currently zapping up off plan property in Dubai before it has even had a chance to hit the market. Many of those moving to Dubai for the first time are reluctant to buy due to the fact that they are still testing the waters so to speak. In addition, the red tape surrounding the purchase of Dubai property by non GCC citizens was enough to put many off buying before they had even considered investigating the market. Thus the demand for Dubai property to rent opened the way for local landlords to hype rental prices substantially. It is estimated that in the last year or two alone, rental rates have increased by between $1000 and $5000 per annum. In the event that you are able to purchase a decent apartment or villa and rent it out at a reasonable rate, you are likely to easily be able to cover your mortgage repayments and possibly still make yourself a little extra.

March 5, 2009 – Buenos Aires, Argentina / Espacia Suites – Better room rates and immediate confirmation await business and leisure travelers who reserve direct from Espacia Suites’ website http://www.espaciasuites-argentina.com. The hotel, which is strategically located in Buenos Aires, recently added a unique reservation system to its website and improved the online booking experience for its guests.

The new service displays two weeks’ worth of real-time room availability matched with some of the most competitive rates online, allowing prospective guests to choose rooms according to their taste and budget. Another great benefit is that Espacia Suites guarantees reservation. To secure this, guests only need to make a 10% deposit, which will be deducted from the total room cost. This ensures the availability of the selected room type upon a guest’s arrival to the property. An automated e-mail is sent right after the transaction and serves as the confirmation.

Modification of arrangements is also offered and promptly addressed without extra charge if made within the specified grace period.
Offering apartment-style accommodations, Espacia Suites designed each of its suites to be an elegant and warm abode that encourages long stays. All suites have an American-style kitchen, complete with a refrigerator, microwave oven, grill, mini-bar, electric coffee pot, and kitchenware. They also have a living room and private bath with tub. The suites are further fitted with a 21-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels, a writing table, a telephone, an Internet connection and a safe. They also have electronic door locks. Non-smoking rooms may be requested and room service is always available.
Espacia Suites is located along the street of Amenabar, within the residential neighborhood of Belgrano in Buenos Aires. The hotel is 15 minutes from the downtown area and four blocks to the Subway D Line. Buenos Aires is the largest city in Argentina. Being the capital, it is the country’s main financial, industrial, and commercial hub. It is also the birthplace of tango and boasts of classic European architecture. For more details on the hotel’s excellent accommodations, facilities, as well as precise directions and map to the property, visit http://www.espaciasuites-argentina.com

The hotel’s ability to deliver safe online reservations with great rates, payment-guarantees, and instant confirmation was made possible through DirectWithHotels. The company partners with hotels and other accommodation providers worldwide to help their websites maximize their business potentials, reach out to their markets, and increase profit. For more details, log on to http://www.directwithhotels.com.

Contact Information:
Espacia Suites
Amenabar 1135, CP (C1426AJS)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
http://www.espaciasuites-argentina.com

how can i get pregnant- How long have you been tried to get pregnant? You may be preoccupied by the fact that time is running fast and all possible efforts to have a baby don’t seem to work! You have probably read on the web a lot of tips to increase your chance to conceive. You know your ovulation cycle and you have regular sexual relations during the most fertile time of it. You have followed all the valuable information in vain. A couple of months have passed since and nothing happened. Medical exams didn’t reveal any physiological or anatomical defect. Let me tell you what people from Near-East do in such a situation.

People From Near-East and Pregnancy

In many countries in North Africa (such as Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) or in Southwest Asia (such as Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey) both culture and religion incite married couple to have their first baby as fast as possible after having consummated their marriage. In these countries, it is very important to have a lot of children. A woman can be rejected by her husband if she isn’t able to conceive! Then, you can understand the concern for many women over there to increase the odds to get pregnant fast. Let’s see 3 different natural products these women use to boost their fertility.

Natural Stimulants on Fertility

1) Black Cumin Seeds

Black cumin seeds are produced by a Mediterranean herbaceous plant called Nigella sativa. It’s a remedy for a variety of diseases. Scientists have discovered a little more than 100 chemical components in the seeds. The particular property to boost the fertility is commonly attributed to black cumin seeds. Additionally, it had been scientifically proved that the benefit of this herb helps to increase sexual desire and sperm count among men.

Boil slowly black cumin seed with chamomile. Drink two honeyed cups every day.

2) Saffron

Crocus sativus is the botanic name of the yellow spice used in cooking, better known as saffron. Infuse one tablespoonful of saffron in one liter of boiled water during 5 minutes. Drink the herbal tea every month, the first 3 or 4 days of your period.

3) Almonds and Walnuts In order to stimulate his sperm count, your husband can eat two spoonfuls of a mixture of almonds, walnuts and honey on an empty stomach every morning and at bedtime too.

Never Lose Hope!

Black cumin seeds, saffron and almonds are considered very helpful in Near-East societies to stimulate the fertility for both men and women. Would it work in your case? It would be marvelous! The most important thing you need to cultivate is hope; hope that very soon you will be able to hold your child to your breast.

Michelle was in your situation. She thought she’d never have a baby. She didn’t lose hope and tried many different methods. She finally got pregnant and gave birth to a son. Read her interesting story in Get Pregnant Fast review! Her advices and personal experience may change your life!

Get Pregnant Quickly and Naturally within 2 Months – Download pregnancy Miracle

Of all the foreign policy messes George W. Bush is handing off to President-elect Barack Obama, Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez is the worst. On the two tests where Chávez is the key — shaping a respectful long-term relationship with Latin America and the short-term terrorist threat from Venezuela — Bush scored an F. Obama’s got real work carved out for him.

With 200 of its 550 million people living on $2 or less per day, Latin America suffers from a long-term inability to develop a win-win relationship with the economic colossus to the north, where the GDP per capita is seven times greater than below the Rio Grande.

The success of 45 million Hispanic Americans, who on a per capita basis earn three times what their relatives do back home, dramatizes the long-term solution. The modern system of lawful wealth creation is inefficacious in Latin America, which consequently has not developed as rapidly as Asia or much of Africa, and that in turn has spurred immigration to the states including 12 million illegally.

The solution was supposed to be the Washington Consensus policies — budget balancing, more taxes, fiscal austerity, free trade, fighting government corruption and privatization of state enterprises — which became loan qualifications for IMF, World Bank and US aid. But these stern policies — which Washington rarely applied to itself — failed to reduce poverty and backfired especially against the Latin American political leaders who had the courage to apply them. That backfire gave rise to the virulent strain of anti-Americanism that produced Chávez.

In 1989, there were riots against the Washington Consensus reforms imposed on President Carlos Andres Perez of Venezuela, which were followed in 1992 by a coup attempt launched by Chávez against Perez, who was impeached shortly afterward. Then Chávez rose from the ashes of prison to win the presidency in 1998. He has been savaging American capitalism and power ever since while being subsidized by American gasoline buyers.

A few years later, similar riots against Washington’s rules ousted President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada of Bolivia, whose request for a $50 million loan to President Bush was dismissed in the Oval Office with the crack “Who am I, Santa Claus?” The upshot in 2005 was the election of the indigenous leader Evo Morales to Bolivia’s presidency, who gladly took Chávez’s money and imitated his savage anti-American discourse.

Argentina, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Dominica, and Honduras then fell like dominoes into the oil-funded anti-American camp of Chávez, who had simultaneously aligned fifty billion dollars worth of business with the FARC narco-terrorists in Colombia, OPEC, Iran, Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah, China, Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and anyone who would trash Bush — who ignored it all, pretending everything was OK.

Bush is thus handing off to Obama a Latin America that is deeply suspicious of America; where Iranian, Russian and Chinese weapons and businesses are found everywhere in the Chávez circle of countries; where the growing threats of nuclear weapons proliferation, terrorism, money-laundering, human and narcotics trafficking have become the norm; where two US ambassadors were kicked out of Venezuela and Bolivia; and where a global recession that is blamed on U.S. profligacy will worsen immigration, poverty, violence and instability in the whole region.

More than any of his predecessors since World War II, President Obama needs a dramatic change in the relationship with Latin America. To attack poverty, the underlying problem, Obama needs to get the tools of wealth creation — education, private property, enterprises, and cheap credit — to the 200 million Latin Americans who live on $2 per day. He could use a Marshall Plan involving the public and private sectors of the rich democracies to interact with Latin America on the ground in the barrios and directly with poor people. The “community organizer” Obama once was in Chicago is precisely what the Latin American poor need in their corner today.

As for Chávez’s short term terrorist threat, Obama has to move fast. Even though the recession has cut Chávez’s oil income by more than half, he still has the largest and best-equipped standing army in Latin America, Russian submarines and fighter jets, Iranian missiles, uranium mines, Hezbollah and FARC training and rest camps, and a cocaine and money-laundering operation that makes Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme look like tiddlywinks.

Chávez is armed, scared, trapped and dangerous. He’s scared of being prosecuted for crimes against humanity if he’s removed from office. He’s trapped by falling oil income that props up his personal army, a huge bureaucracy, and half the payrolls in Venezuela. A paranoid sociopath, Chávez has lost his bugaboo — Bush — and is facing a cool, intelligent black replacement. In such circumstances, he may fabricate a crisis so he can declare martial law and wage war against the U.S. as Fidel Castro did in Cuba 50 years ago. Expect Iran, Russia and maybe China to be denying involvement in it.

To counter Chávez, Obama should eliminate U.S. dependence on Venezuela’s oil and thus stop subsidizing Chávez’s state sponsorship of terrorism. This is not as difficult a task as Bush thought, because Venezuela’s fuels are not needed in a recession. But without U.S. revenues to subsidize his megalomaniacal fanaticism, Chávez will face new enemies among the military closest to him, including thousands of Cubans loyal to Chávez’s money not his dreams of grandeur. By protecting America, Obama could really help the suppressed democracy of Venezuela.

©2008 Michael Rowan