Michigan, USA - It goes without saying that the Chaldean community holds remarkable wedding events.  Rich in Catholic tradition and Chaldean heritage these incredible events require a competent and experienced professional.  The planning that goes into such affairs are overwhelming.  Hiring an expert who has the right connections with the best vendors, has learned to become an ace negotiator to get you the best value or 'deal' for your money, and knows where to find all those unique and dazzling touches to transform your wedding into an absolute fantasy.

It was not so long ago that wedding consultants were thought of as a luxury to be used mainly by the wealthy and elite. Times have changed.  According to Modern Bride Magazine, over 50% of all American couples who married in 1999 used the services of wedding consultants, also commonly referred to as wedding coordinators, bridal consultants, and wedding planners.  In the Chaldean community that percentage is even higher and continues to rise. 

In Michigan, one impressive Chaldean wedding expert continues to wow the community and critics alike.  Weddings by Dalia, continues to win awards and is now in the finals for Michigan’s best of 2008.  The firm placed 5th best in 2007 and now is poised to be the top rated. 

The Chaldean community is showing their support by visiting the online voting booth  and casting Weddings by Dalia as their best choice for Wedding and event consultation.  On the site supporters like Nuha Roumayah, Sarah Eskander, Melody Kouza, Vonica Abouna, Jennifer Shunyia, Merfit Yaldo, and Joe Bahri applaud her amazing work, creativity, organization, and insight. 

For many Chaldean entrepreneurs, the idea of consulting a lawyer conjures up frightening visions of skyrocketing legal bills. While there's no denying that lawyers are unnecessarily expensive Chaldeans can employ these cost saving tips to keep cost down. 

First and foremost find an attorney you are comfortable talking with and can comfortably share how you feel.  The lawyer works for you and if they are intimidating or unwilling to make you comfortable don’t even begin discussing the case with them.  Lawyers are a dime a dozen, but each is betting on the fact that you will not do your research or spend the time to clarify the working arrangement, especially when it comes to billing. 

California, USA – Chaldeans living in Detroit, Michigan may feel they are close to the heart of the automotive world.  If that is the case, then Chaldeans in El Cajon, California would rightly consider themselves the lungs; breathing air back into the passion of classic car ownership. 

For Jason Jarboe classic cars has been a passion since he sat in his father’s lap and held on a steering wheel. “My dad and I would watch the dream cruise every year.  When our family moved to California I was bummed out.  So instead of mope about missing cars I would hang out with friends and supe-up classic cars.  All the different auto shops formed a small network and together with other we pushed to start a car cruise in Cajon”

Michigan, USA - Chaldean American Professionals (CAP) invites Chaldeans and their business friends to a breakfast business network meeting.  The meeting will be held this Friday, June 27 in the Southfield Town Center 4000 LaTerrace Mediterranean Restaurant from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in the morning.  For a map of the Southfield Town Center, CLICK HERE.

The event is open to both Chaldeans and non-Chaldeans.  The event is free to CAP members and only $5 for non-members.  The event will include continental breakfast and a literature table for business cards, fliers, and literature.   Guests are reminded to bring plenty of business cards and to where name badges. 

The Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) kicked off an initiative today to convince the legislature to add a 10-cent deposit for water bottles.   This is the same group that originally pushed for Michigan to become the first state to require deposits on pop bottles.

The idea has come under harsh criticism from Chaldeans and many others in the business community, mainly those that would be responsible for handling all the new empty containers. 

Ever wonder what you can do to become the next Chaldean Millionaire.  Well it is not as hard as you may think.  Amassing wealth is more than just being able to earn money.  Breaking into the Chaldean Millionaire club requires a good understanding of investment. 

California, USA - A group of private Chaldean business leaders from California and Michigan has begun exploratory efforts in rescuing a failed commercial building on Broadway in El Cajon, California. 

The six unit building was forced into foreclosure by El Cajon City Council after ongoing disputes with the city’s nonprofit partner, Heartland.  The city entered into a partnership with the nonprofit in 1999 to buy and renovate the rundown building so that Heartland could offer job training and other programs there, but Heartland failed to make loan payments.

Due to informal bid discussions on commercial property in California, www.CHALDEAN.org was able to discover the major share owners of the hundred million dollar Chaldean group considering the purchase of the building.

Michigan, USA - Chaldean commercial realtors will have more access to a greater number of commercial listings.  The additional information will create new opportunities for Chaldean property owners to expand their property portfolios. 

The Commercial Board of Realtors’ listing information exchange has confirmed that two major commercial real estate houses will begin to share all their historical data and proprietary listings.

California, USA – “No Riza Maraka!  Who do I blame,” says Anthony Matti of Chula Vista, California.  Amid growing concerns of global rice shortage two of America’s biggest retailers place a limit on rice purchases.  Wal-Mart's warehouse chain Sam's Club, the largest warehouse and food grocery retailer in the US is limiting bulk purchases of rice this week, citing "recent supply and demand trends".  Seattle-based Costco Wholesale Corporation has also imposed limits in some stores on bulk rice purchases.

“I bet the limits are in Michigan, Chicago, Arizona, and here,” says Matti with a sly smile.  “It is no coincidence Chaldeans live mostly in those regions.  Chaldeans are eating too much rizza maraka (rice and stew) and we are causing a rice shortage.  What do you expect?  Chaldeans are not going to eat that fast food poison or restaurant filth.”

Chuckling over his own sense of humor, Matti does have a serious side.  The undergraduate student just submitted his final exam paper titled the Economic Food Web.

Matti says that world rice prices have more than doubled in the past year as demand has outstripped supply.  “The culprits include the drought-ravaged rice crop shortage, alternative fuel technologies, global population growth, speculation on food prices, and rise in traditional fuel prices.” 

California, USA – Less than a week after his swearing in ceremony, El Cajon, California’s new police chief, Pat Sprecco,  has been the talk of the town in the Chaldean business community.   Chief Sprecco replaces Cliff Diamond, who retired Friday and was a strong supporter of business safety and crime prevention. 

"My goal of course would be to address crime issues in El Cajon, to make it a safe and as pleasant a community for folks to live in," Sprecco said.

Chaldean business owners are eager to hear from the new police chief and learn about any new initiatives in preventing and protecting small business owners in the city.  “We know Captain Sprecco, well now chief,  is experienced, highly qualified, and respectful of small business owners.  We look forward to his support and leadership,” said Kalla, who’s family owns Bay Liquor in El Cajon.

Michigan,USA - The youth and beauty of a Chaldean is all too obvious.  The unique diet, good genes, olive toned skin, frequent cleanings, and skin care management secrets all contribute to the youthful beauty.  This unique trait is something the Nordstrom retailer took notice, and hopes to leverage, at the opening of their new store in the Mall at Partridge Creek. 

The store has contracted with Joanne Recchia-Kallabat’s company SkinOnyx, the U.S. distributor for Italy’s Kleraderm skin care products to make the product available in the cosmetics section of the new Nordstrom. 

"It feels like I brought Nordstrom with me," she said of her return.  The only other U.S. store that carries Kleraderm is the Nordstrom in Troy's Somerset Collection, where they've earned a strong following over the past three years.  "Nordstrom calls them 'Kleranets' because they only want Kleraderm products," Recchia-Kallabat said.  Kleraderm is an advanced skin care line developed by a doctor in Bologna, Italy.  "It really works," Recchia-Kallabat said. "It's been a beauty secret of the stars for years."

Most of what we learn about human behavior is taught by nonverbal signals. Body language is a powerful but subtle form of communication.  Learning to interpret the clues and indicators of body language will help guide you through delicate situations and help you shape better personal relationships.

Like the spoken language different cultures also have their share of unique nonverbal gestures.  In the Chaldean community various body gestures can help better understand what is being said or how someone feels.  These include gestures, body movements, facial expressions, and even vocal tone and pitch. Much of the nonverbal information we get from people comes from their eyes. This explains why it’s often hard to infer meaning from a telephone call or written words.

Since nonverbal communication—or body language—is such a natural part of our communication life and community, learning to interpret it can really improve our relationships and understanding of other people. Still, it’s an art to be treated with a degree of caution. Misinterpretation does occur and it is always best to ask questions, otherwise acting on your perceptions can have ghastly consequences.

Knowing the art of Chaldean body language or body language in general will improve communications.  Here are some interesting Chaldean body language clues that many of us all share.

Chaldean Body Language 101: Understand the Meanings of Chaldean Gestures

London, UK- Britain’s Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) had organised a ceremony in honour of Chaldean businessman Nadhmi Auchi, Chairman of General Mediterranean Holding (GMH), and President of the Anglo Arab Organisation (AAO).  The ceremony, which took place at the RSM building in London, was in appreciation of Auchi’s efforts in supporting the cause of medicine in the United Kingdom, which included funding medical research projects and sponsorships.

Present at the ceremony were a number of Arab Ambassadors, British Lords and MPs, and prominent figures in the medical profession. As a token of gratitude, the RSM has named the main hall in his name “The Nadhmi Auchi Foyer".

California, USA - Three hooded and masked burglars smashed their way into the Ramona Market on Main Street Sunday, March 2, at midnight.   Having disabled the store’s redundant security alarm systems, the burglars rampaged through the store for 30 minutes, breaking registers with a crow bar, strewing papers and inventory all around the store, smashing bottles, and destroying as much as stealing.  Security cameras captured the burglary, showing the robbers wearing hooded sweatshirts, or “hoodies,” over ski masks and wearing gloves.

Main phone lines were cut before they even started the break-in, said store owner Rami Yousif after ordering a third redundancy on the store’s security system. Damage and theft add up to more than $40,000, he said.  Safety was one of the most important reasons the Yousif family bought the Ramona Market, Yousif said.

“My family chose Ramona when we bought the store 15 years ago because it was a nice place to be at, people seemed to be nice, willing to do business. We knew that it would be safe,” he said.  “Five years ago there were times when I forgot to lock the door overnight and everything would be untouched. It was Ramona.”

Not anymore.

Every Chaldean business entrepreneur is in business to make a profit.  That means having customers, and lots of them.  It goes without saying that location is important.  Having a hotel by an airport, business district, or entertainment district is a “no brainer”.    Opening a store at the crossroads of a busy intersection or highly dense residential area is just as simple.  So simple that you will find four convenient stores facing one another or two hotels across the street from one another.  Location is one of the primary deciding factors for guests. 

If the hotels are next door to each other; one isn’t closer to the airport.  One isn’t closer to downtown. If the location could sustain a million dollars in sales and there are four stores vying for that million we can safely estimate $250,000 each.  Can we?  Will each business operate the same?  Will each owner carry the same goods or offer the same service?  Drive by any corner crowded with businesses and you would be stunned at how similar they are.  There is nothing unique about any of them.  They are virtually indistinguishable from each other.

Limited business entrepreneurs turn to the easiest solutions to differentiate their business.   Lower prices or give more goods away.  This simplistic solution may be a good short term solution but in the long run hurts the business.   The long term fix for any Chaldean business owner is to differentiate their business by offering better service and developing meaningful customer relationships.

And this is how to do it…..