In my experience it's bad "followers" who create bad "leaders".

After two months of religiously studying this board and reading numerous books, last night I finally attended my first REIA.

I guess I am a little late, but many of the DIG subgroups actually cancel their July and August meetings - so I would try to contact the leader and see if the meeting is still happening.

Essentially, are there market leaders that you are going to have to beat out?

I have been working with two other leaders throughout the process but unfortunately I would have the same issue.

For stories that are covered worldwide (US presidential elections, the Olympics, etc), you will already sort of know what the story is, which can help you fill in the gaps.If you get any TV channels (satellite or cable) in your target language, watch them with the closed captions turned on.If you are very familiar with any religious writings (like the Bible, Torah, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, or anything else), look up a version of that in the target language. 

I'm not a religious person at all.

@Matthew Paul I understand if its ground zero by all means she should stay home and I'm not familiar with the city so use your best judgement but i just hope everyone who works at the hospital doesn't decide to stay home because than anyone who needs the hospital would be in a a lot of trouble but use your best judgement and im only so interested in the whole topic because baltimore has always been an interest to me... i drove through many times going down south and stopped for lunch a few times...Also i would consider some of the leaders of the groups of looters (if there organizing lookouts and conspiring these "strategic looting and scattering throughout the city") terrorist.... its a harsh word but really thats what they are by some standards taking advantage and using fear or terror to there advantage..... and WTF are they looting from a CVS??

It may have been overlooked because religious organizations are tax exempt and perhaps bidders were afraid it would be voided. 

Some people don't have a niche, but instead use existing networks as a starting point e.g. schools, religious institutions, places where you volunteer, former places of employment.Another important question to ask yourself is how much support you want from your brokerage.