Tuesday, February 28, 2012

What causes Common Debt in the usa | Debt Relief Companies for ...

It has been broadly reported that like a nation we are with each other indebted to some greater level than in the past, and much more individuals are beginning to see problems keeping their finances together. The amount of personal insolvencies and bankruptcy is increasing, and banks are needing to reserve ever growing levels of money to pay for money owed their clients are neglecting to pay back.

Many finance experts are predicting a debt crisis soon, and there is talk of the severe impact towards the economy because the chickens get home to roost. How did we obtain into this case? How come our financial obligations excessive?

? Easy Credit

We are constantly inundated with marketing and advertising telling us how easy it may be to get credit, and just how much doing this could change our way of life for that better. Competition between loan companies means most of them have relaxed their lending criteria, accepting programs that they?re going to have declined in the past occasions. Mix both of these details and it is little surprise that the amount of people getting financial loans has elevated significantly.

? Cheap Credit

Rates of interest are, in the past speaking, at really low levels. Which means that we pay less in payments on our debt, which makes it simpler to gain access to bigger amounts. While rates of interest remain low this really is possibly no problem, but rates will in the end rise sooner or later, which is quite not so good news indeed for individuals already extended towards the limit.

? High House Prices

The final decade approximately has seen a mammoth surge in the price of housing, with prices spinning upwards every year. It has brought to elevated debt in 2 distinct ways. First of all, people purchasing their first home are needing to remove huge mortgages to have the ability to afford them. Where once it had been normal to conserve a first deposit, even this is not realistic for most people, and thus 100% mortgages for big amounts have grown to be more prevalent.

Furthermore high costs mean greater mortgage debt, additionally they give a sense of elevated wealthiness to individuals whose qualities have bending or tripled in value. Lots of people who bought houses prior to the property boom are actually fortunate to possess immeasureable equity within their home, his or her outstanding mortgage is a lot more compact than the need for their house. ?Cashing in? this equity by getting financing guaranteed on their own house is a apparently smart way of acquiring supplemental income for use for a number of reasons from consolidation by enhancements, and it has become increasingly popular as our collective equity has elevated.

? Attitude to Debt

Society in general has become much more available to the thought of debt. Where once finding yourself in hock was anathema to many, it?s now an regular a part of existence. Whether this can be a reason for debt or a direct result our new-found reliance on it?s, however, available to question. What?s certain is the fact that increasing numbers of people are beginning to wonder if their consumer debt levels are supportable, a trend that?s prone to grow within the next couple of years.

Find out about rain lily and calla lilies at the kinds of Lilies website.

Source: http://debtreliefcompany.us/what-causes-common-debt-in-the-usa/

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Monday, February 27, 2012

Pastor's Idea to Get Tattoos for Lent Draws Many More Takers than Houston church Expected

HOUSTON ? Asking his congregation to get permanent tattoos as a part of their Lenten observances may be one of the craziest things Ecclesia pastor Chris Seay has done at his artsy, pop-culture-savvy Montrose church.

Seay and Ecclesia's artist-in-residence, Scott Erickson, initially hoped to find 10 people to get inked with designs representing the Stations of the Cross, 10 moments that illustrate the story of Jesus' death.

The idea wasn't so crazy to the Ecclesia community, because about 50 of them answered Seay's call and have been tattooed with Erickson's custom-designed images of birds, hands, roses, trees and short phrases written in the traditional, Sailor Jerry-style tattoo text.

The tattoos will comprise an art exhibit for Lent, Stations on Skin, which opens at the church's Xnihilo Gallery on Saturday.

"Being in Montrose, which is considered basically the artist capital of Houston, it makes sense to represent (the story of Jesus) visually," said Ecclesia staff member Wayne Brown, who got his first tattoo, a black-and-gray open palm with the words "We are healed," to represent the seventh station, when Jesus is nailed to the cross.

The designs use new typical religious images ? no giant wooden crosses or depictions of Jesus' face. Instead, Erickson used Russian prison tattoos and Sailor Jerry tattoos as inspiration, hoping the designs would prompt questions and give Christians the opportunity to explain the meaning behind the artwork on their arms, shoulders, feet and backs.

"I totally think the cross is important, but as a symbol, it doesn't inspire thought anymore. It's become decorative," said Erickson. Instead, he incorporated more subtle Christian symbols ? such as the goldfinch, which traditionally represents Christ at the Passion ? and Latin phrases.

"Protestantism has a very undeveloped visual culture," he said. "The Stations of the Cross, that's a really intense story. There's no room for fluffy lambs and shininess there."

Like some other Baptist and evangelical churches that have adapted traditionally Catholic practices for Lent ? which began on Wednesday ? and Easter, Ecclesia has put on interactive, experiential and art-driven Stations of the Cross exhibits for the past few years. (They do 10 stations instead of the traditional 14, with multiple instances of "Jesus falls" represented at a single station.)

??? "Being in Montrose, which is considered basically the artist capital of Houston , it makes sense to represent (the story of Jesus) visually," said Ecclesia staff member Wayne Brown, who got his first tattoo, a black-and-gray open palm with the words "We are healed," to represent the seventh station, when Jesus is nailed to the cross.

With Stations on Skin, the church tells the timeless story in a new medium and a different style.

"We're going to have a lot of people who don't go to a church and who are in the tattoo culture," said Seay. "We hope that as you pause and look at this art, God will speak to you about who he is and what he's done for us. I want to declare to them, 'Hey, you're welcome here.'?"

His tattoo ? a tree on his upper arm representing the Resurrection of Jesus, with initials of friends and family members who have recently died in its leaves ? prompted conversations about Jesus within the first few days, and his inbox continues to fill with pictures of church members' tattoos and their stories of sitting in tattoo parlors and explaining their unusual ink.

"I had wanted to get a tattoo for a long time. Most of my ideas were text or song lyrics that had a similar message: Support and care for one another," said Audrey Omenson, 26. "When I saw station five, it just struck me."

The tattoo, on the top of her foot, comes from Simon helping Jesus carry the cross as he walked to Calvary. It features two birds with a banner reading "Carry One Another" and below it, "Non Omnis Moriar" ? Latin for "I shall not wholly die."

"This is a fascinating, creative, and provocative project," said S. Brent Plate, who teaches a course on religion and pop culture at Hamilton College in New York. "The Stations as tattoos is clearly a product that fits in well with the so-called 'emerging church" movement. Among other things, the emerging church is thoroughly embedded in contemporary pop culture, generally remains theologically conservative, but is somewhat left-leaning in issues of social justice."

Seay estimates half the Ecclesia community has a tattoo. They're more popular than ever among young people, with about 40 percent of Americans under 30 sporting ink, according to the Pew Research Center.

In Christian communities, religious-themed tattoos are relatively common. Christian satire blog Stuff Christians Like lists "tattoos for God" among contemporary Christian trends, noting the use of body art as a tool for evangelism. There is still a debate, often cultural and generational, about whether it is appropriate for Christians to get tattoos.

"There are definitely some Old Testament passages that have something to say about (tattooing), but we don't think they have weight in this contemporary circumstance," said Seay, a Christian author, Baylor grad and third-generation pastor. "If we thought the Scriptures were prohibiting it, we wouldn't be doing it."


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Source: http://www.thechurchreport.com/index.cfm?objectID=149636

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Community Futures hosting workshop

Published: February 19, 2012 1:00 AM

Community Futures North Okanagan is offering a succession planning seminar aimed at business owners looking to sell.

The two-day workshop will help owners determine when and how long it really takes to sell; identify potential successors (family, employees or an outsider); how to get maximum value for a business; how the experts help, and how to get their critical advice; the biggest mistakes made and best practices; and what potential buyers are most concerned about when they look at a business.

The sessions will also cover the kinds of legal issues business owners will need to consider when selling.

The workshop runs Tuesday and Wednesday night, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Community Futures building (3105 33rd Street).

Cost for the event is $39.99 (plus HST). To reserve, contact Stephanie Sundquist of Community Futures at (250) 545-2215, ext. 200, or by e-mailing her at stephanies@futuresbc.com.

?

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Source: http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/business/139539808.html

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Thoughts Towards a Better World ? Blog Archive ? #523 -Dick ...

February 23, a friend and I were talking about a deceased man, and the letter P., his middle initial, came into the conversation.

?That is for Patrick. He was born the day after St. Patrick?s day?, said his sister, one of four surviving siblings.

Between us at the table in the suburban restaurant was a death certificate for the man, who died at 64. Name of his father and mother, ?unknown?, nothing about siblings, spouse, children?.

Home at time of death was ?under highway bridge? at mile marker 4 on the eastbound lane of a midwest Interstate Highway in another state.

Date of death: Three years earlier, May 24, 2009.

He was homeless. Two articles in a large nearby city daily newspaper headlined ?Question lingers long after body found? (Jan. 17, 2010); ?Next of kin search comes up empty? (Feb. 2, 2010).

P carried his draft card and social security card at the time of his death. He had been living under the bridge for a long time, perhaps as long as ten years. A local store clerk remembered him frequently coming into the store; trainmen recalled waves from him as they passed nearby; the people who mowed the ditch saw him often, and he was pleasant.

He had no police record that could be found, compounding tracing problems.

And here I sat with his sister, trying to help her process it all. Just a few days earlier, the siblings had learned about their brothers death three years earlier.

In his youth, P had not been an easy sibling to live with ? anger; when he disappeared there may have been almost a sense of relief from his siblings. But he was, still, their brother. And this was not a normal death, where the deceased passes on ?at home surrounded by loving family and friends?.

Dying homeless under a bridge is not quite like that.

I?ve been friends of P?s sister for many years, and occasionally his name would come up in conversation.

I never met him.

Between us on the table was his high school graduation photograph ? from a city high school, class of 1963.

He excelled at athletics, in all sports. He was so good that he got a full scholarship to a college with a strong national reputation in a major sport.

He had dropped out the first year because, he said, it was a ?rich kids school?, and he didn?t fit in. He was a poor kid from a poor part of a working class neighborhood.

His mother convinced him to go back. He graduated, on time, in the mid 1980s, apparently with honors. The family valued education. They?re all well educated.

But there were noticeable changes in his personality beginning in his last year of college.

After college everything went to hell, and there were only sporadic contacts, and except for occasional attempts, the siblings got used to his having disappeared, and were almost relieved.

There was no mention of his ever having had a job.

An autopsy showed that P died of heart disease. He was a big man, 250 pounds. He seems to have been a loner, and to have survived by scavenging pop cans and returning them for deposit.

Now the family faces the dilemma often faced in situations like this: what, if anything, to do to memorialize, to remember. His passing would be noteworthy in at least two cities, because of his athletic prowess in high school and in college. He seems to have had no friends, as we define that term. But, as he is in this blog, he probably will remain anonymous, including in the city where the newspapers wondered about him.

In his own unique way, I?d guess, he can teach us all a thing or two, if we care to learn.

So P leaves behind long ago memory, ashes somewhere, and his last description is that entered by the coroner: ?white, 5-foot-10 and 250 pounds; hair, short, brownish gray and balding; no identifying scars or tattoos.?

He is at peace. Others aren?t.

?

Source: http://www.outsidethewalls.org/blog/?p=6657

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Samsung partners with FeliCa for Japanese NFC solutions, unveils 2012 Olympics' mobile payment app with Visa

Across the globe today, Samsung is bringing a number of pushes to broaden NFC adoption. On the island of Japan, the company's sealed a partnership with FeliCa Networks to implement its NFC-Secure Application Module chips in its mobile devices. Notably, the solution is ensures compatibility between Japan's long established Osaifu-Keitai contactless payment services and the newer breed of NFC Types A and B which normally don't play nice together. The chips are touted has having "advanced security" to keep your funds in check, and are expect to hit "commercial deployment" set for 2013. Flying over to London, Samsung and Visa have unveiled the official NFC payment app for the 2012 Olympics, in their continued preparation for the event. Despite the unveil, the application (based on Visa's PayWave) will officially debut for display at Mobile World Congress next week. This comes nearly ten months after the duo announced their plans to further establish NFC-based payment options for London and the event itself. Hit up the two press releases after the break for the full details on the announcements.

Continue reading Samsung partners with FeliCa for Japanese NFC solutions, unveils 2012 Olympics' mobile payment app with Visa

Samsung partners with FeliCa for Japanese NFC solutions, unveils 2012 Olympics' mobile payment app with Visa originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Ryan Braun's 50-game suspension overturned (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - National League MVP Ryan Braun's 50-game suspension was overturned Thursday by baseball arbitrator Shyam Das, the first time a baseball player successfully challenged a drug-related penalty in a grievance.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120224/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbn_braun_suspension

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Women in Film celebrates female Oscar nominees

Actress Viola Davis arrives at the Women In Film 2012 Academy Award Party in West Hollywood, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Actress Viola Davis arrives at the Women In Film 2012 Academy Award Party in West Hollywood, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Actress Jessica Chastain arrives at the Women In Film 2012 Academy Award Party in West Hollywood, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Actress Octavia Spencer arrives at the Women In Film 2012 Academy Award Party in West Hollywood, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Actress Janet McTeer arrives at the Women In Film 2012 Academy Award Party in West Hollywood, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Actress Shailene Woodley arrives at the Women In Film 2012 Academy Award Party in West Hollywood, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

(AP) ? Gwyneth Paltrow, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and Allison Janney celebrated their Oscar-nominated sisters at Women in Film's fifth annual pre-Oscar party.

Of the year's nearly 200 Academy Awards nominees, 45 are women, said Cathy Shulman, president of Women in Film, Los Angeles.

"You're the best of the best," she said Friday. "But you're only a quarter of the nominees."

Women have consistently comprised less than 25 percent of annual Oscar nominees, Shulman said, "and it's important we work together to increase that statistic."

Paltrow co-hosted the party at Cecconi's restaurant, where Oscar nominees and other female filmmakers gathered to talk shop, sip Champagne and celebrate their achievements.

"We're smarter than men and better than men," Paltrow said. "I raise an imaginary glass to all the nominees."

Paltrow's mother, Blythe Danner, was also among the night's guests.

Shulman highlighted longtime Martin Scorsese editor Thelma Schoonmaker and flame-haired costume designer Sandy Powell as "part of the over-10-times club." Both are nominated this year for their work on "Hugo," and each has three Oscars already.

The event's only agenda was to mingle and celebrate. Selena Gomez chatted with supporting actress nominee Octavia Spencer and "The Help" producer Brunson Green, while nominated co-star Jessica Chastain nibbled appetizers with friends.

Nominees Viola Davis and Janet McTeer also joined in the festivities, along with female producers, composers, animators and documentarians. Also celebrating were actresses Shailene Woodley, Gabourey Sidibe, Jennifer Morrison, Jennifer Beals, Jena Malone and Ziyi Zhang.

The 84th annual Academy Awards will be presented Sunday at the Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on ABC.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen is on Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy .

___

Online:

www.wif.org

www.oscars.org

.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-02-25-Oscar%20Countdown-Women%20in%20Film/id-9bfc203214804030aba1b0fa0e99cb38

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Malata's 2012 / 2013 roadmap reveals a very tablet-friendly future

Malata's 2012 / 2013 roadmap reveals a very tablet-friendly future
Chinese manufacturer Malata is relatively unknown in the tablet universe, as it hasn't been in the spotlight since showing off its SMB-A1011 back in 2010. Now, the outfit's quietly unveiled a roadmap that's got more than a handful of noteworthy slabs in sight. The company plans on launching a variety of Tegra 3-packing slates dubbed SMB-B1023, including a 7, 9.7 and 10.1-inch version, all of which are said to be sporting ICS. Furthermore, Malata plans to rollout port-heavy variants of the aforementioned that'll be rocking USB, mini-USB and card reader ports, though these won't be tasting any Ice Cream Sandwich. While tabs are obviously the main focus, the company's also planning to bring along a 5-inch handset blessed with Gingerbread to compete with the likes of the Galaxy Note or that shiny new LG Optimus Vu. Let's hope Malata makes a MWC appearance so we can give some of these our full hands-on treatment.

Malata's 2012 / 2013 roadmap reveals a very tablet-friendly future originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/malata-2012-2013-tablet-roadmap/

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Today on New Scientist: 23 February 2012

DIY Geiger counter smartphone app to measure radiation

Make your own Geiger counter with a smartphone, some aluminium foil and an empty box of sweets

Oklahoma bill tackles 'controversial' science education

The Oklahoma House of Representatives has approved a bill that critics fear will allow the teaching of creationism and climate change denial

Alien view of virtual Yosemite

Yosemite valley's Sentinel Rock is an emblem of the US romantic landscape - now artist Dan Holdsworth has used topographic data to make a stark new image

Spotting symmetry in the skyscrapers

Marcus du Sautoy's new Maths in the City initiative gets you out and about spotting symmetry in your urban environment

Blame dark matter underdog for mystery missing lithium

Ancient stars suggest there was too little lithium in the early universe. Perhaps cold, light dark matter held back its production

All-seeing time-lapse reveals altered memories

Watch a lifelogging camera capture the stark reality of a New Scientist editor's typical day

Was speeding neutrino claim a human error?

The shocking result that neutrinos can apparently travel faster than the speed of light may have been due to a malfunctioning fibre-optic cable

Virginia law may demand invasive scan before abortion

Women seeking an abortion in Virginia may soon have to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound scan beforehand - is the intention to inform or stigmatise them?

Mystery booms: The source of a worldwide sonic enigma

Every so often, a loud booming noise is heard from over the horizon without any obvious explanation. What on Earth could the culprit be?

Climate change may stir geological mayhem

In Waking the Giant: How a changing climate triggers earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, geologist Bill McGuire warns we may be waking primordial monsters

Online spat over who joins memristor club

The debate centres on whether a set of technologies already used in recordable DVDs should be classified as memristors too

Underwater 'Seaview' lets you explore coral reef

The Catlin Seaview Survey, with Google, will let you explore the Great Barrier Reef from the comfort of your home

Speedy neutrino result may be due to instrument glitch

News reports suggest that the jaw-dropping result may not be due to exotic physics - an official update is expected on Thursday

World's deepest land animal discovered

The deepest-dwelling land animal in the world has been found almost 2 kilometres underground

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FACT CHECK: Errant claims on auto bailout, taxes

Republican presidential candidates, from left, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich share the stage during a Republican presidential debate Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Republican presidential candidates, from left, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich share the stage during a Republican presidential debate Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

(AP) ? Twenty Republican presidential debates later, the head-scratching claims kept coming.

Did Mitt Romney really cut taxes as Massachusetts governor, as he asserted yet again? Or did he raise them by hundreds of millions of dollars, as former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum alleged? And how could Newt Gingrich have given the nation four balanced budgets when he was only in Congress for two of them?

There was something old, something new, in the misstatements of the candidates Wednesday in what was possibly the last GOP debate.

A look at some of the claims and how they compare with the facts:

ROMNEY to Santorum: "You voted to raise the debt ceiling five times without compensating cuts in spending."

THE FACTS: Maybe so, but increases in the debt ceiling were not politically charged in the past as they are now. They just allow the government to pay bills run up by previous Congresses. To not pay them would be like deciding to stop paying a car loan or mortgage. In fact, President Ronald Reagan, an icon to most conservatives, supported increases in the debt limit 12 times over his two terms. The idea of insisting on offsetting spending cuts when raising the debt ceiling is relatively new.

___

ROMNEY: "They finally realized I was right." ? On the government ushering the auto industry into and out of bankruptcy.

THE FACTS: Romney did propose a bankruptcy process for the automakers before the government opted for that course. But there was a tremendous difference between the course he advocated and the one that was taken. GM and Chrysler went into bankruptcy on the strength of a massive bailout that Romney opposed. Neither Republican President George W. Bush nor Democratic President Barack Obama believed the automakers would have survived without that backup from taxpayers. Romney held out the possibility at the time of the government giving certain loan and warranty guarantees that would not have approached the nearly $85 billion bailout.

___

SANTORUM: "Gov. Romney even today suggested raising taxes on the top 1 percent."

THE FACTS: Romney's new proposal actually would lower tax rates across the board. The rate for the wealthiest Americans would drop to 28 percent from 35 percent. However, Romney's call for unspecified new limits on tax deductions for higher-income taxpayers makes it impossible, absent more details, to assess the impact on any individual.

___

NEWT GINGRICH: "When I was speaker ... we balanced the budget for four consecutive years."

THE FACTS: Gingrich has made this misstatement many times before. He was speaker from January 1995 to January 1999. During budget years 1996 and 1997, when Gingrich was House speaker, the government ran deficits totaling nearly $130 billion. In budget year 1998, which ended Sept. 30, 1998, there was a surplus of $69 billion. And in budget year 1999, during which Gingrich was speaker part of the time, there was a surplus of $126 billion. Thus, Gingrich can only claim credit for contributing to two years of a balanced budget, at most.

___

SANTORUM: "Gov. Romney raised $700 million in taxes and fees in Massachusetts."

ROMNEY: "We cut taxes 19 times."

THE FACTS: Romney largely held the line on tax increases but the record is mixed. Massachusetts raised business taxes by $140 million with measures mostly recommended by Romney. As well, the Republican governor and Democratic lawmakers raised hundreds of millions of dollars from higher fees and fines, another form of taxation. Romney himself proposed raising nearly $60 million by creating 33 new fees and increasing 57 others. Anti-tax advocates praised his support for income tax cuts while objecting to his course on business taxes and fees.

___

SANTORUM, on Syrian President Bashar Assad : "If (Syria) would have been any other country, given what was going on and the mass murders that we're seeing there, this president would have quickly joined the international community, which is calling for his ouster and the stop of this. But he's not. He's not, because he's afraid to stand up to Iran."

THE FACTS: Obama, in a statement Aug. 18, 2011, said: "For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside." Since then, Obama and officials throughout his administration have repeated dozens of times their call for Assad to leave power immediately. The U.S. also led efforts at the United Nations to win support for a resolution demanding Assad's resignation. It was vetoed by China and Russia, but the Obama administration is now working with European and Arab partners to use diplomatic and economic pressure to force Assad out of power.

___

ROMNEY: "I'm going to link the pay of government workers with the pay in the private sector. Government servants shouldn't get more than the people who are paying taxes."

THE FACTS: It's something of a myth that federal workers make out like gangbusters next to their private sector counterparts.

The latest Congressional Budget Office study found federal pay is, on average, only 2 percent higher than for comparable private sector workers. The discrepancy is larger among the least educated. Federal employees with just a high school diploma make 21 percent more than similar private workers. But federal workers tend to be more educated, older and concentrated in professional occupations ? and they make 23 percent less, on average than private sector counterparts.

That advantage holds true when benefits are added to the mix: The federal professionals still lag, while federal employees with less education have a greater advantage over private sector workers.

___

GINGRICH: "If we're going to have a debate about who the extremist is on these issues, it is President Obama, who as a state senator voted to protect doctors who killed babies who survived the abortion."

THE FACTS: As an Illinois state senator, Obama voted against legislation promoted by anti-abortion activists that would have conferred protection to fetuses showing any signs of life after an abortion, even if doctors did not believe the fetus was viable. Obama pointed to an existing Illinois law requiring doctors to protect fetuses they believed were likely to survive after an abortion, and said he was concerned the proposed new law was so broad it could interfere with routine abortions. Obama said he would have supported federal legislation President George W. Bush signed in 2002 that would protect a viable fetus but reaffirmed a woman's right to an abortion.

___

GINGRICH: "It is utterly stupid to say that the United States government can't control the border. It is a failure of will. It's a failure of enforcement."

THE FACTS: A failure of will or enforcement is difficult to see in the statistics. Starting under the Bush administration, the ranks of the Border Patrol have risen to more than 21,400 agents, a force augmented by National Guard troops, unmanned aerial vehicles and fencing. A record 396,609 illegal immigrants were deported last year.

In the budget year that ended in September, border agents arrested the fewest number of illegal border crossers ? 327,577 ? in nearly four decades. That's considered a sign that fewer people are trying to cross, whether because doing so is riskier or because economic opportunity in the U.S. is less than before.

The debate presses on about whether the border is becoming secure enough, but there has been a measure of success and substantial effort.

___

Associated Press writers Alicia A. Caldwell, Beth Fouhy and Bradley Klapper contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-02-22-GOP%20Debate-Fact%20Check/id-0794d46381084df3a5d639b71e495896

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Emergency Fire Damage Restoration Services ? COMPUTERS AND ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY Only Directory which has Articles Related to COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY · Home · About Us · Privacy Policy · Contact Us. Welcome to article directory. We have 143144 published ...

Source: http://computersandtechnology.us/2012/02/emergency-fire-damage-restoration-services/

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Comprehending NYS Workers Comp Insurance Rules for Eatery ...

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Source: http://www.eayk.org/comprehending-nys-workers-comp-insurance-rules-for-eatery-and-welcome-staff/

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

One in four would get soaked by a rainy day

By Eve Tahmincioglu

Many U.S. consumers are so deep in a financial hole that even as the economy begins to turn around they can?t quite dig themselves out.

A survey by Bankrate.com released Tuesday found that 25 percent of Americans have more credit card debt than they have in emergency savings, and that spells trouble if an emergency situation actually hits.

Consumers are doing better when it comes to living within their means, said Greg McBride, Bankrate.com?s senior financial analyst. But, he added, years of stagnant wage growth, high unemployment, declining home values and escalating household expenses have strained wallets. ?Even though there?s been progress things are still out of whack,? he said.

And the economic pictures may get even gloomier for consumers if gas prices continue to escalate, he pointed out. Last year, he said, ?60 percent of Americans said they cut back on discretionary spending because of gasoline prices.?

Those hit hardest when it comes to debt versus savings, are individuals on the low end of the economic ladder and those with less education, according to the study that polled more than 1000 adults earlier this month.

Here are some of the findings:

  • 70 percent of those earning $75,000-plus have more in savings than credit card debt vs. 40 percent of those earning less than $30,000 per year.
  • 64 percent of college grads have more in savings than in credit card debt vs. 46 percent with a high school education or less.
  • 27 percent of Americans report a lower level of financial security now versus one year ago and 24 percent report a higher level.
  • 38 percent of Americans are less comfortable with their savings now compared with one year ago; only 14 percent are more comfortable.

The overall percentage of consumers who have more emergency savings than credit card debt actually inched up to 54 percent of those polled, compared to 52 percent in the same month last year. But that doesn?t mean people are necessarily more debt adverse.

?They can?t go spend money they don?t have,? McBride explained, because credit is so tight today, particularly when it comes to consumers who don?t have the best credit ratings.

A bad credit rating can also create a double whammy for those people looking for jobs because some employers now use credit reports when evaluating job candidates. That?s even worse news for individuals trying to pay off debt.

High amounts of debt and thin savings have become a fixture in U.S. society. ?Over the years, the savings? needle hasn?t moved,? he said. ?From 2007 and 2011, the percentage of Americans with three months worth of expenses in savings, which is not adequate, is unchanged.?

It?s something we may be used to, he maintained, but ?it?s not a recipe for people having a warm and fuzzy feeling about their financial situation.?

Do you have more credit card debt than emergency savings?

?

Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/21/10468068-one-in-four-americans-have-more-debt-than-savings

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Special Education Advisors and/or Psychologists | Jobs in New ...

Network Representation Manager

about 3 hours ago - No comments

Auckland ? Manager Auckland City | ANZ New Zealand Category: Banking & Financial Services Location: Auckland City Reference: Subcategory: Other Business: ANZ New Zealand Posted @ 21st of February 2012 Type: Full time Recruiter: ANZ Note: This Advertiser has a custom application form for you to complete. This will open in another browser window. Network Representation Manager Category Banking & Financial Services Type Full time Business ANZ New Zealand Listed 21/02/2012 Subcategory Other Location Auckland City..

Chartered Building Surveyor

about 19 hours ago - No comments

Auckland ? : Wellsford, New Zealand Industry: Accounting ? Consulting Industry: Admin/Office support ? Other Office Support Industry: Construction & Architecture ? Architecture Industry: Construction & Architecture ? Building Industry: Construction & Architecture ? Other Construction & Architecture Industry: Construction & Architecture ? Quantity Surveying Industry: Construction & Architecture ? Surveying Industry: Management ? Other Management Industry: Other ? Other Work Type: Full Time Apply Before: 3 Mar 12?One of New Zealand?s leading Chartered Surveying and Architectural Practices requires a Chartered Building Surveyor for their central Auckland offices. Chartered Building Surveyor One of New Zealand?s leading Chartered Surveying and Architectural Practices requires a Chartered Building Surveyor for their central Auckland offices. You will display professionalism, excellent communication and presentation skills and instill confidence as your client?s consultant

Sales People Required

about 19 hours ago - No comments

Alexandra, Otago ? - Environmental Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Exploration Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Geological / Geotechnical Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Health & Safety / HR Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Maintenance Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Management Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Metallurgy Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Mining ? Open Cut Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Mining ? Underground Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Operations Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Other Industry: Mining, Oil & Gas ? Processing Industry?: Sales ? Logistics, Transport & Supply Industry: Sales ? Management Industry: Sales ? Manufacturing Industry: Sales ? Medical Industry: Sales ? Other Sales Industry: Sales ? Pharmaceutical & Scientific Industry: Sales ? Retail Industry: Sales ? Sales Rep / Consultant Industry: Sales ? Support & Administration Industry: Sales ? Telemarketing & Telesales Industry: Sales ? Training Industry: Scientific ? Biotech Industry: Scientific ? Environmental Industry: Scientific ? Food Industry: Scientific ? Contract ? Full-time

General Sales Person ? Lingerie ? Kilbirnie

about 21 hours ago - No comments

Kilbirnie, Wellington ? We notice you have Javascript disabled on your Internet Browser. To get the most from Jobs.co.nz and our Job searching functions you should enable it. Its easy, and we will show you how to enable it

General Sales Person ? Lingerie ? Kilbirnie

about 21 hours ago - No comments

Kilbirnie, Wellington ? We notice you have Javascript disabled on your Internet Browser.

CHG 277 Data Analyst

about 23 hours ago - No comments

Wellington ? The Corporate Services branch supports our organizational strategy through ?Enabling business success through partnerships?. The branch provides a broad range of business functions to the whole of the Ministry including financial, information and technology, human resources, legal and business support services.

Manager, Deposit Performance & Insight

about 23 hours ago - No comments

Auckland ? Performance & Insight Auckland City | ANZ New Zealand Category: Banking & Financial Services Location: Auckland City Reference: Subcategory: Management Business: ANZ New Zealand Posted @ 20th of February 2012 Type: Full time Recruiter: ANZ Note: This Advertiser has a custom application form for you to complete.

Technical Project Consultant

about 1 day ago - No comments

Wellington ? implementation and integration of Objective, the leading Enterprise Content Management System in the public sector. This is a varied role, covering installation, customisation, data migration, application tuning, and integration between multiple line-of-business applications. You will work on site to ensure the solution meets the client?s business requirements.

Business Development Manager | Recruitment Consultant

about 1 day ago - No comments

Auckland ? an experienced sales person to join their permanent team over seeing a business support desk. The South Auckland team is currently 12 consultants strong, so this is a great opportunity to potentially work closer to home with an experienced and supportive team.

Source: http://www.jobsinnewzealand.co.in/jobs/education-training/special-education-advisors-andor-psychologists

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

India Employment Portal: Current Vacancy of IGF- Client ...

India Employment Portal: Current Vacancy of IGF- Client Representative - S&D in IBM India

Current Vacancy of IGF- Client Representative - S&D in IBM India


India Employment Portal / India Jobs / India Vacancies / India Employment / Current Vacancy in India / IBM India Jobs / IBM India Employment / IBM India Vacancies


IGF- Client Representative - S&D


Job ID GF-0465316
?Job type Full-time Regular


Work country India
?Posted 20-Feb-2012


Work city - Any
?Job area Operations (all other)


Travel No travel
?Job category Sales


Business unit Sales
?Job role General Other Sales


Job role skillset General
Commissionable/Sales-Incentive jobs only No


Job description



Regional Sales Leader position, responsible for IBM Global Financing (IGF) client financing sales within North & East region of India. The Regional Sales Leader is responsible for all client financing sales activity across all IBM brands and channels in this region while leading other IGF Client Financing sellers in the region. The position reports directly into IGF India Client Financing Manager.


Responsibilities include:
? Develop solid revenue and profit growth through existing and new client relationships.
? Owning business results for North & East region, including all relevant business metrics & forecasting, ensuring timely & accurate reporting to senior management.
? Create a climate where our customers actively seek IGF as their Technology Financier of choice.
? Effectively team with other parts of IBM to ensure IGF?s and IBM?s objectives are met.
? Develop Client Financing Proposals for Customers.
? Work closely with IBM Business Partners to win new business and promote IGF offerings.
? Establish client relationships & sell to CFO and other executive level.
? Maintain high level of customer satisfaction with Clients and Business Partners.


Desired Experience & skill:
? Proven track record in sales
? Good financial knowledge
? Clear understanding of leasing concept & benefits of leasing to IT customers
? Good understanding of IBM offerings, value proposition and strategy
? Ability to work via Business Partners to achieve results.
? Ability to be self motivated and work independently
? Proven track record in achieving and maintaining high customer satisfaction.
? Negotiation of contract terms and conditions at a business discussion level
? Relationship building skills
At least 8 years experience in Financing sales


Required
Bachelor's Degree
English: Fluent
IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.


If you are using a mobile phone you can submit your contact information rather than complete a full application.


******
For Further information and apply online : http://www.ibm.com/in/en/
*******

Source: http://indiaemploymentportal.blogspot.com/2012/02/current-vacancy-of-igf-client.html

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Japan, U.S. near deal on Iran oil import cut (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Japan is close to agreement with Washington on the size of cuts refiners must make in imports of Iranian crude oil to win waivers from U.S. sanctions, two ministers said Tuesday after a media report the two sides would settle on an 11 percent cut.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120221/wl_nm/us_japan_usa_sanctions

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Video: Candidates look to Michigan



>>> to presidential politics now and the continued rise of the culture wars on the campaign trail. tonight the obama campaign is lashing out at rick santorum over comments about the president that santorum says were misinterpreted. nbc's ron mott has the details on the trail for us tonight in ohio.

>> it's about some phony ideal, some phony theology.

>> reporter: after saying the president's energy philosophy was based on a phony theology saturday --

>> i wasn't suggesting the president is not a christian.

>> reporter: rick santorum had a real challenge, separating religion from theology, no less on a sunday.

>> senator, what in the world were you talking about, sir?

>> i was talking about the radical environmentalists.

>> your use of the word "theology" do you wonder that might lead some people to suggest that you were questioning the president's faith?

>> well, no, because i've repeatedly said i don't question the president's faith. i've repeatedly said that i believe the president is christian. he says he's a christian. but i am talking about his world view .

>> reporter: each of the republican candidates has voiced disapproval of the president's stance on energy and the environment. only santorum who serves in the polls after winning an election trifecta has linked him to theology.

>> a different theology.

>> reporter: the former pennsylvania senator not only explained his use of that word this morning, he also answered to critics questioning his theory that prenatal care leads to more abortions.

>> the bottom line is that a lot of prenatal tests are done to identify deformities in utero and the customary procedure is to encourage abortions.

>> reporter: meantime, mitt romney remained out of the spotlight sunday in utah, where he took part in tenth anniversary celebrations this weekend for the '02 winter olympics . back on the campaign trail --

>> thank you very much.

>> reporter: ron paul played to large crowds in missouri saturday before heading to north dakota today, while newt gingrich focused on his home state of georgia , citing the importance of home field advantage .

>> if any of the three of us loses our home state, if santorum loses pennsylvania, romney loses michigan or i lose georgia, you have, i think, i very, very badly weakened candidacy for any one of the three of us.

>> reporter: this could be a crucial week in the campaign. there is a debate scheduled for wednesday in arizona. it's the only debate between now and super tuesday, lester.

>> all right, ron, thank you.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46448645/

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Monday, February 20, 2012

Treasure Coast Real Estate | TEQUESTA COUNTRY CLUB Homes ...

by starfish on February 20, 2012

Find TEQUESTA COUNTRY CLUB Homes For Sale and TEQUESTA COUNTRY CLUB Home Values. We also have information on mortgages, insurance, movers and other Treasure Coast Real Estate Services for anyone looking to sell or buy a home in beautiful Palm Beach COUNTY Florida.

Paul Kitchen and Starfish Team provide clients, family and close friends with professional, honest and dependable service. A resident of Treasure Coast, Paul is extremely familiar with the local neighborhoods including TEQUESTA COUNTRY CLUB, school districts and the Treasure Coast Real Estate market in this beautiful Florida town.

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Starfish Real Estate
8985 SE Bridge Road Hobe Sound, Florida 33455
(561) 935-9412
(800) 793-7304 toll free
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Treasure Coast Real Estate Blog

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Source: http://www.treasure-coast-living.com/2012/02/20/treasure-coast-real-estate-tequesta-country-club-homes-for-sale-february-2012-3/

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David Finkle: Damien Hirst: See Spot Run


When it comes to Damien Hirst and his 11-city exhibition of "The Complete Spot Paintings 1986-2011" at the Gagosian Galleries world-wide, I confess to being a piker. I only made it to six -- the three in New York, the two in London and the one in Paris. This means, of course, that I'm totally out of the running for the signed spot paintings awarded to those art-lovers attending the ambitious, not to say aggressive, event also unfolding in Rome, Geneva, Athens, Hong Kong and Beverly Hills, which extends through March 10 in only some venues.

Nevertheless, I saw spots. Lots of 'em. Yes, I'd say I'm a qualified spot-spotter. But who's to say how many I took in? Although it's certainly possible to do the comparatively simple math, I'm just not inclined to. Nor am I moved to figure out how many spots of how many colors Hirst has painted over 25 years of doing so. Theoretically that, too, can be reckoned, but do you count half-spots as whole spots or as half-spots and then divide by two? Whatever, the answer has to be not in the mere thousands but in the hundreds of thousands.

Clarification: As is well known, Hirst didn't paint all of them. (Did he paint any of them? I don't know.) He has employees for that, who apparently produce the assembly line of rectangular, square, circular and triangular canvases for him. According to anecdotal info, he even outsources to shops where the spot-toilers are told only to duplicate no one color in any particular size canvas but are otherwise advised to exercise their individual discretion. Let's think of these suppliers -- whoever and wherever they are -- as Johnnies-on-the-spot.

For the viewer, this poses the first of many games it seems hard not to play while looking: comparing colors that at first seem the same but are not. (An FAQ, not only to Hirst but to outfits like Pantone, Jankovic and Ralph Lauren, has to be, Is there such a thing as a finite number of colors? The answer could well be no.) There does seem to be one exception to the no-two-same-spots-per-canvas rule: the large "Controlled Substance" group, wherein a letter of the alphabet is paired with a color. No matter what size the always rectangular canvases, they look to have the same colors in corresponding positions -- e.g., A = the same brown shade, B = robin's egg blue, and so on.

Okay, so I've now looked at spots in three cities and can report that the above-mentioned game Hirst -- as a "color field" artist(?) -- kicks off is truly only one of many possibles. The others: trying to discern if there are patterns formed by the canvases' negative spaces -- faces, for instance (remember Georges Seurat and Chuck Close definitely did this in their positive spaces); if gazing at any single painting for a minute means that it registers on the eyes and is reproduced as a negative version when the eyes are shut (it does); if standing to the side of a canvas changes the shape of the dots into ovals or oblongs (it doesn't); figuring out the number of dots on some of the more spot-populated canvases, since it's surely easy to do on the many canvases featuring four or nine or, in only a single instance I located, one lone spot. Those are some of the non-Intendo games I played with the works. Other game Hirst gamesters have undoubtedly come up with their own.

Art that inspires even these responses is fulfilling at least one of art's purposes, which is to provoke viewers to think in one way or another about what they're looking at. The sheer compulsive nature of Hirst's enterprise must indicate another artist's trait -- while at the same time prompting perhaps more than one spectator to conclude the fellow is repeating himself with his endless spot-covered white canvases sporting the names of chemical compounds. Paris's "Zinc Lactate" is a personal fave of mine.

And make no mistake, Hirst's commitment has no end in sight. He's announced that turning out many more of them can be expected from him and helpers -- The Hirstettes, you might dub them, since they're something like back-up singers. But why shouldn't he, because there's another mistake that mustn't be made, which is to regard him as an artist first and a business man second? He isn't. He's the leading flim-flam man of the contemporary art scene, perhaps the all-time greatest. That alone makes him worth noting, if not entirely admiring. For some time now -- and hardly concealing his intentions -- he's been playing an ironic game of his own with (complicit) dealers and their customers. There's no missing his ever-present huge wink, when the center piece of the much-publicized 2008 auction was one of his stuffed animals in formaldehyde. That's the calf with golden horns, which sold for $18.5 million.

How can anyone get really mad at someone so forthcoming about his intentions -- despite none of these pieces evoking any intrinsic emotion. (Well, maybe a modicum of joy in the profusion of color.) Indeed, Hirst might even be congratulated for his blatant send-up of the age's devalued values -- even as he stands to make mucho mas money from the 350 (or so) works Larry Gagopsian is showing. Not to mention the adjunct merchandising, like "I [dot] DH" mugs. Furthermore, on leaving the London Sotheby's on New Bond Street, an art nut can't help noticing that the store to the immediate right is Other Criteria, Hirst's outlet for prints, et cetera. ("Other Criteria" is more of his joke about, and on, art.) I asked after a five-inch or so square box boasting nine tasteful spots that's displayed in the window and was told it represents part of an edition of fifty (or was it fifty-five?) now completely sold out. If I remember correctly, the price tags started at 950 pounds and, as there were fewer left, went to 1,560 pounds.

One last comment: An English friend of mine has been thinking about these objects and decided that for him the spots represent an ellipsis -- the ellipsis being Hirst's eventual place in the ever-evolving history of art. Is my gleefully cynical buddy on to something?

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-finkle/damien-hirst_b_1285744.html

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Sunday, February 19, 2012

Begin Your Online Business As A Social Media Adviser | Traffic,SEO ...

The social media explosion has developed publicity that is both bad and good and there?s no doubt that social media has turned into a permanent part of the landscape. Social media has forever altered the way organizations are seen and how they can market themselves and also the organizations that have embraced these changes have gone on to see great success. Needless to say, there are quite a few who need help with this?especially local business owners who find it hard to find the time to actually put their social media technique into action. This has opened up quite a terrific market for social media consultants who want to build organizations for themselves whilst helping companies of both tiny and medium sizes. Here are several of the items you are able to do when you want to build a social media companies of your own.

In order to create this kind of business you obviously need to have the essential knowledge. If you currently use social media for yourself, you may already be in a position to help other people but it is important to take time to educate yourself and make sure you keep your knowledge up to date. The very first thing that business owners usually need help with is setting up their pages as well as their profiles on the various social media platforms. You can decide whether you want to specialize on one thing like Facebook or if you want to help out with a bunch of the different platforms. The main thing is that you can charge organizations for helping them to set up a Facebook page for instance, if that?s something you are aware how to do.

Almost all of the time you will find that businesses do have social media profiles however they aren?t fully using the platforms. It is possible that they haven?t had the time to get into it yet or possibly they just don?t know where to begin improving things. For instance, you will most likely find lots of Facebook pages that haven?t been optimized well and that don?t actively encourage people to like them. This isn?t that difficult to discover if you research the companies in your area and it?s a great way to get your foot in the door to ensure that you can talk to the owner about helping him further.

As you gain confidence in your abilities, you could get more involved with helping businesses develop their social media techniques like through training and coaching. It?s all dependent upon how far you would like to take it and just how much responsibility you would like to take on for yourself. In any event participating in local meet ups and being ready to give group presentations could open the doors to lots of opportunities. You will find a lot of business owners who comprehend that social media is important?all they need is some help and guidance.

There are certainly opportunities for you when you?ve got the knowledge and confidence to construct a business as a social media consultant.

Source: http://www.luhubben.net/begin-your-online-business-as-a-social-media-adviser

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Ohio School Uses Gift Cards to Bribe Kids to Attend Class (Time.com)

If you?re one those people who thinks kids today have it easy ? maybe you had to walk uphill to school, both ways, in the snow ? well, this is going to sound like another step towards societal decay: Students at one high school in Ohio are rewarded with Visa gift cards just for showing up.?

The?Dohn Community High School in Cincinnati is spending $40,000 on an initiative to get around 170 kids to actually attend classes.?The high school, which is described by a local news blog as ?a charter school ? comprised of mostly drop-out recovery students from other schools and other at-risk students from nearby communities,? had only a 13.8% graduation rate in the 2009-2010 school year.?The school has been called an ?academic emergency? by the state Department of Education.

(MORE:?A New ?Poor Students Need Not Apply? Policy at College?)

To try fixing this, the school launched a program this week that gives Visa gift cards to students who show up on time, attend classes, and stay out of trouble. Seniors get $25 a week; underclassmen get $10.

In addition, for every week a student gets a gift card, the school will deposit $5 into a savings account that the student can access upon graduation.?While one other program requirement is that students be ?productive,? there aren?t any objective grade or score minimums.

(MORE:?Opportunity Nation: How Those Below the Poverty Line Can Move Up)

Principal Ramone Davenport?defended the program to Cincinnati.com?saying, ?People will say you?re rewarding kids for something they should already be doing anyway. ? But they?re?not?doing it. We?ve tried everything else.? The money, the article says, comes from the federal?Workforce Investment Act, and from private donations.

CBS Cleveland reports that although the program is only a week old, money talks ? at least to high-school kids: Attendance is already up 15%.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/time_rss/rss_time_us/httpmoneylandtimecom20120216ohioschoolusesgiftcardstobribekidstoattendclassxidrssnationyahoo/44556038/SIG=13mc8nd1d/*http%3A//moneyland.time.com/2012/02/16/ohio-school-uses-gift-cards-to-bribe-kids-to-attend-class/?xid=rss-nation-yahoo

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