Myanmar President + 'Paid News' + Chinese Buying Real Estate in US

choi

(1) Thomas Fuller, As Myanmar Changes, So Does Its Leader; A cyclone is seen as a 'mental trigger' for a transformation. New York Times, Apr 4, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/0 ... kend-elections.html
("Why U Thein Sein, Myanmar’s president, evolved from the right-hand man of a much-feared dictator to a campaigner for democratic change is as much a mystery as why the leaders of the former military junta have allowed him to do so")

(2) David Barboza, In China Press, Best Coverage Cash Can Buy; 'if you want more media coverage, that's easy to do.' New York Times, Apr 4, 2012 (front page)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/0 ... price-in-china.html
("Though Chinese laws and regulations ban paid promotional material that is not labeled as such, the practice is so widespread that many publications and broadcasters even have rate cards listing news-for-sale prices. * * * buying flattering coverage, referred to here as 'soft news' or 'paid news'”)

(3) Kathy Chu and Julie Schmit, High-End US Homes Lures Chinese Buyers; They're now the second-largest foreign buyers of homes here. USA Today, Apr 4, 2012 (title in print)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/ec ... e-buyers/53977638/1
("In the US, the Chinese [including people from Hong Kong, as judged from the context] are now the second-largest foreign buyers of homes, behind Canadians, accounting for $7.4 billion of sales in the 12 months ended March 2011, up 24% from the previous 12 months, according to the National Association of Realtors. Buyers from China and Hong Kong also spent $1.71 billion on commercial property in the US in 2011, more than quadruple their investment in 2008, says Real Capital Analytics")

Note:
(a) In print but not online, there is a bar chart:

"Top home countries for foreign buyers
US residential properties sales to international buyers,1 ranked by top countries in 2011, in billions

Canada $18.1
China $7.4
India $5.7
Mexico $5.7
UK 5.7
Argentina/Brazil $4.1
France $3.3
Germany $3.3
Japan $0.8
Russia $0.8

1 International buyers include those living overseas, as well as immigrants who moved to the US in the last two years, and individuals
Source: National Association of Realtors"

(b) San Marino, California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marino,_California
(in Los Angeles County; section 1.1 Origin of name)
(c) Coldwell Banker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldwell_Banker
(a large real estate franchise; After the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires, real estate agent Colbert Coldwell" and tow others formed a new real estate company; In 1913, Benjamin Arthur Banker joined the firm; Headquarters  Parsippany, New Jersey)
(d) Yorba Linda, California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorba_Linda,_California
(in Orange County; Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum; the city was named Yorba Linda in 1908m after land owner Bernardo Yorba (1800-1858); the adjective "linda" means "beautiful" in Spanish.
(e) The report mentions a home "overlooking a garden terrace."

terrace (n): "a relatively level paved or planted area adjoining a building."
www.m-w.com