How To Use Effective Navigation Labels for Search Engine Optimization

One of the key components of a website’s information architecture (IA) and corresponding navigation is an effective labeling system. Of course, as search engine optimizers, we understand that a website’s labeling system should contain keywords.
However, there seems to be confusion among search engine optimization (SEO) professionals, information architects, web designers/developers, and usability professionals about what constitutes an effective system.
Here’s an example: if I asked these aforementioned groups to write down their interpretation of the phrase navigation labels, I would probably get a wide variety of answers.
Most people assume that a navigation label is the text that is placed on a navigation button (formatted either in CSS or as a graphic image). While navigation button text certainly is a navigation label, other web page elements are also navigation labels, such as:
Titles
Headings and subheadings
Breadcrumbs
Embedded text links (in content)
URLs (web addresses)
When navigation labels contain keywords and are used consistently throughout a website, they effectively communicate aboutness of both page and site content, as well as provide a clear information scent to content that is not available on the web page. Navigation labels also appear in search listings on search engine results pages (SERPs), particularly title-tag text and URLs.
However, when I asked a client last week, “What are the naming conventions of your website’s URL structure?” he could not answer me.
When he went to his tech team and asked them the same question, he was met with blank expressions. When I asked the same question to a different client in a completely different industry, his answer was an oversimplified, “We put keywords in our URLs.”
Which brings me to this month’s article topic. Navigation labels are important to both web searchers and the commercial web search engines. How effective are your website’s URL labels? Here are some important points to consider.
Consistent Labels & Duplicate Content Management
One of the many duties SEO professionals have is managing duplicate content delivery to the commercial web search engines: identifying it, canonicalizing (when necessary), and excluding it from search engine indexing.
On smaller websites, URL naming conventions are pretty straightforward. If a web page contains content that is about the company? Then the URL can be:
http://www.domain.com/about.html
If the website contains a news section with press releases, then the URL can be:
http://www.domain.com/press-releases.html (category page)
http://www.domain.com/press-releases/2011/XYZ-announces-new-website.html (press release issued in 2011)
Sounds simple enough. Web searchers can understand the aforementioned URLs. The aboutness is clear. The URL about.html leads to the About Us section or page on the domain.com. And the URL press-releases.html leads to a web page that contains a list of press releases. The third URL communicates that in 2011, Company XYZ has announced a new website. In terms of information architecture, grouping news by topic and by date is normal.
However, URL naming conventions often are ignored or are based on the perceived logic of the boss’ son or a developer who is only trying to make his/her job easier. URL naming conventions should at lease be partially based on how people locate, discover, and label desired content.
I understand that many website owners are at the mercy of content management systems (CMSs) that do not allow for consistent and customized labeling. I understand that tech-team members typically do not have information architecture skills and are resistant to outside help. I understand that determining URL naming conventions often takes time due to considerable research and testing.
However, I have seen the results of ineffective URL naming conventions time and again. The workarounds cost far more in time and expense.
For example, we are dealing with a client whose use of capitalization in URLs has no consistency. Due to the lack of consistency, the .htaccess file is horrendously long, and the amount of time it takes us to manage the URLs that deliver duplicate content in the search engines’ webmasters tools is also considerable. For those of you who manage URL structures on a website, you know that it is very easy to overlook a single character, making troubleshooting another time-consuming and wasteful task.
The lack of consistency is so bad that we told our client to have us come up with a new information architecture and URL naming convention because it would be far less expensive for them to maintain in the long run. Plus it would help them with search engine visibility and conversions.
Exact Hierarchies
Part of an effective information architecture is a taxonomy, which is a hierarchical (vertical) classification. All websites should have a primary taxonomy. However, it is not necessary for a URL to express an exact taxonomy. Here’s an example.
On a travel website, it is common to have a taxonomy based on location and neighborhood. Look at this URL:
http://www.domain.com/vacation-rentals/usa/states/new-york/cities/new-york-city/neighborhoods/chelsea/chelsea-apartment-1525474.html
From a user standpoint, even though this URL reflects a straightforward taxonomy, the URL is difficult to type (132 characters) and difficult to remember. An easier URL for users/searchers might be:
http://www.domain.com/vacation-rentals/ny/chelsea-1525474.html
I am certainly not saying that this should be the definitive URL structure for this type of website. All information architecture projects require keyword research and user testing. I just wanted to point out that URL names do not have to be long and unwieldly in order for both searchers and search engines to comprehend them.
If SEO professionals, information architects, and others determine naming conventions before a site is build or redesigned, it can make duplicate content delivery more manageable.
Key Takeaways
Navigation labels are not only the words placed on navigation buttons. Navigation labels are also titles, headings & subheadings, embedded text links, and URLs.
Whenever possible, URLs should contain keywords that make sense to both searchers and search engines.
Consistency is extremely important for aboutness, information scent, and search engine visibility. Consistency also makes it easier to manage duplicate content delivery.
Don’t purchase a CMS that does not allow you to customize your URLs. Workarounds can be difficult to manage.
Hire an information architect to assist you with labeling systems. Their experience with research and testing is far more objective than than your tech team…and your boss’ teenage son.
Source http://searchengineland.com/

Companies Spending More on SEO Continue to Rise After Google Panda Update

A recent study performed by SEO.com shown that 52% of US Companies have spent more on SEO last year in marketing their businesses. However, with the several changes that occurred in Google’s algorithm – particularly with the Google Panda update, which have severely affected many large and reputable websites in the US and UK in terms of search visibility and in generating organic traffic – it is more evident that Search Engine Optimization will be more in demand and more competitive than before.

Google Panda was an algorithm update that was first launched on the 24th of February this year, which affected approximately 12% of the overall search queries on Google USA causing massive traffic loss to several reputable websites, but is now progressively moving towards global search, affecting thousands of resource and ecommerce websites worldwide.

Experts are speculating that the said update was mainly targeting websites that have poor usability, inactive user-behavior, contained low quality content and have external duplicates with no proper link attribution to the original source of content.

This just shows how imperative it is to treat SEO as a long-term and ongoing business investment, seeing that Google’s search algorithm is constantly improving its capability to return high-quality websites to be displayed as results to their users worldwide. As the biggest search engine in the world is requiring more quality content and natural web popularity from each website who desires to be on the top of their search results, it would certainly require quality-driven campaigns and massive fixes on their websites, which of course will necessitate them to upsize their budgets to acquire help from topnotch SEO professionals.

Authority websites that were affected by this recent Google update are losing money by the day. They are in need of high quality service providers who can actually meet their needs, and in order to get the kind of quality that can be seen genuinely useful by both users and search engines, they’ll probably need to make a much expensive investment on content management and link development, as this campaign would require massive work and hours to really materialize.
Source http://technorati.com/

Kevin McNally: Search engine optimization helps drive website traffic

Business owners, organizations and individuals with an Internet presence share the same basic interest: drawing traffic to their sites.

Whether it’s for a business, an organization, a church, a school or a civic group seeking to build community awareness, the principles are the same. With a few fundamental search engine optimization measures, aka SEO, it’s easy to increase website “hits” and build that desired awareness.

In the same way that real estate is defined by “location, location, location,” in the world of websites, a top ranking on search engines like Google or Yahoo is king.

One of the best methods to increase search engine ranking is through the optimal use of keywords; that is, knowing what specific words or phrases people are searching for and then targeting those phrases in the text on the site.

A website designer can conduct the appropriate research to determine and target those keywords and provide further analysis to pinpoint the most important terms — or terms with “opportunity” — that help bring the right visitors to the site.

Website linking is another technique used to attract traffic to a site. In brief, this mechanism interlinks words or phrases key to a business website to other relevant pages on the site. In addition, consider linking images from your website to other important pages in the same way; this can attract traffic through “image search” results.

While less is more in terms of a company’s home page or contact page, a website’s news section is where content rules. Instead of short paragraphs or brief press releases, it’s wise to include articles of 500 words or more.

This approach not only allows for comprehensive information about your offerings or other newsworthy information, it also adds to that all-important keyword total. In fact, search engines are always on the lookout for expanded website content, so use it to your best advantage.

Businesses or civic organizations with several locations should have a separate Google Places listing for each facility, thereby further optimizing Web presence.

And not to get too technical, but there is yet another principal method to increase search engine ranking, and that is through meta tags. A meta tag is a line of coding that contains metadata about a Web page. Although not visible to website viewers, meta description tags and meta keyword tags are used to optimize search results. This is an area where a website designer can assist.

No doubt having and maintaining an up-to-date website is essential to conducting business these days, but optimizing its potential should also be a priority. Through the use of proven mechanisms, the right traffic can be drawn to the right destination: your website.

Kevin McNally is CEO of Interactive Palette, a Fall River, Mich.,-based Web design and hosting company.
Source http://www.heraldnews.com/

ALEX FERGUSON: MANCHESTER UNITED ARE GOING TO KOP IT FROM KENNY DALGLISH

AS Sir Alex Ferguson savoured the prospect of stealing Liverpool’s title record, he predicted Manchester United’s fiercest rivals will re-emerge as a force under Kenny Dalglish next season.

Alex Ferguson has been hugely impressed by Kenny Dalglish’s return to Liverpool
Ferguson’s mission statement on taking over at Old Trafford a quarter of a century ago – “to knock Liverpool off their bloody perch” – will be achieved today if United take the point they need at Blackburn to make certain of a 19th championship.
While that will take them beyond the record they share with Liverpool, Ferguson acknowledged that the decision to reward Dalglish’s early restoration work at Anfield with a three-year contract has made them an immediate threat to United’s hopes of making it 20.

In the 21 years since Liverpool last won the title during Dalglish’s first spell as manager, they have only once finished above United – when Gerard Houllier’s team were runners-up to Arsenal in 2001-02 with United third.

Ferguson, however, has been hugely impressed by Dalglish’s return to his spiritual home, which not only included a comprehensive 3-1 win over United at Anfield in March but has prompted a surge of form that places Liverpool above the champions-elect and second only to Chelsea in the form table for the second half of the season.
“Liverpool will be galvanised next season, I am sure of that,” said Ferguson. “Kenny has signed a three-year contract that settles the club down and I am sure there will be plans to add to that.

“It just makes it [the top four] even more interesting next year. It has become tighter and tighter. We have spoken for years about the ‘big four’ but sides like Tottenham have not got back into the Champions League this year and they have had a fantastic season.

“It is going to be really difficult next season.” In 1990, United lagged 18-7 behind Liverpool on championships won, but Ferguson stands on the brink of his 12th title believing they were always likely to haul back their rivals. “I said last year that it would happen,” he said, “because of the history of the club.
“There is a good structure to the club. We still produce young players well, our scouting is good in terms of getting young players into the club at the right time and it would have happened anyway whether that was this year, next year or in 10 years’ time. The history and capability of the club would always have given us a chance.”

But Ferguson believes it is becoming harder to finish top of the pile not only because of the increased competition for the top-four places but also the determination of other clubs simply to survive in the Premier League because of the riches on offer.

“It is going to be difficult for a team to get 90 points again because of the improvement of teams in the middle and towards the bottom of the Premier League,” he said.

“Winning the league has always been hard – I can only think of 1999-2000 when we won it with a lot of points and were a long way in front. There has been an increase in desire from teams in the middle of the league to do better because the only place to be in English football is the Premier League.

“It is the only place you can ever make money.”

Even if United win their last two games, they will finish with only 82 points – 13 fewer than Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea amassed in 1995 and nine below their best tally over a 38-game season of 91, achieved in 1999-2000.

But Ferguson insists that does not make them inferior champions, amid continuing suggestions they are not a vintage United team.

He said: “People keep saying that but we have scored more goals than anyone else. We have had some great performances this year – we were excellent against Chelsea last Sunday – and some players have excelled.

“We have lost to Wolves and dropped points to Birmingham, who are both at the bottom, and we have also dropped points to West Brom, Aston Villa and Newcastle, so there is every suggestion that it is a tough league.”

Midfielder Darren Fletcher will play some part at Ewood Park today as he builds up his strength and fitness in a bid to win a Champions League final place following a debilitating virus.

Apart from goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who will be rested, Ferguson will field a full-strength team in the hope of wrapping up the 19th title in style.
Source http://www.express.co.uk/

Soundtracked! Issue #9: Take Me Home Tonight

What springs to mind when you think of the 80s? Mullets? Miami Vice? Rubik’s cube? Robots in Disguise? Ferris Bueller? Who shot J.R? I’m a child of the 80s and for me there’s one aspect of this era that smacks all others in the luminous shell-suited nether-region – the distinctive voice of David Bowie (or as I knew him back then – Jareth the Goblin King). Anyone familiar with Labyrinth, the Jim (Muppets) Henson directed, George (Star Wars) Lucas produced 1986 fantasy extravaganza, will remember Bowie’s boisterous musical number ‘Magic Dance’. This simple, infectious, head-bopping beat, bursting out of Jareth’s castle at the centre of the labyrinth, springs to mind every time I recall the 80s.
If you’re a wee rascal aged 20 or younger, the only way to have experienced this pastel plastered decade is to have either befriended Emmett Brown or accidentally stumbled across your very own hot tub based time machine. For everyone else there are at least 524 classic films made during the 80s that present an accurate portrayal of this bygone era (the incredible late John Hughes duly deserves a mention). Alternatively, Hollywood has seen fit to churn out several overstated interpretations of the 80’s including Frank Coraci’s romantic comedy The Wedding Singer (1998) and more recently Steve Pink’s puerile time-travelling caper Hot Tub Time Machine (2010). Both films accentuate the garish fashion, social behaviour and apparent hedonism of the purportedly awesome 80s. These two films present this influential era as an incandescent hive of glitz and glamour which to me seems like wish-fulfilment on part of both film’s creators.

Thankfully, one aspect of both abovementioned films that does not elude 80s authenticity is in the inclusion of some true 80s tunage. In between Adam Sandler’s wit-smothered love songs, The Wedding Singer assembled a soundtrack crammed full of classic 80’s tracks including ‘Do You Really Want to Hurt Me’ by Culture Club, ‘Hold Me Now’ by The Thompson Twins, ‘Every Little Thing She Does is Magic’ from The Police, ‘White Wedding’ by Billie Idol (who also pops up in the film’s grand finish) and ‘China Girl’ from the one and only David Bowie. Last year’s Hot Tub Time Machine cranked up the rock meter to a scorching 11 with the inclusion of some big hair ballads including Mötley Crüe’s ‘Home Sweet Home’, ‘Cry Tough’ by Poison and one of the eras most recognisable power ballads ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ from Foreigner.
The next of Hollywood’s endeavours to glamorise the late, great 80s has finally arrived with the release of Michael Dowse’s Take Me Home Tonight; a coming-of-age comedy set in the late 80’s, filmed in 2007, released in the US March 2011 and only now seeing the light of day here in the UK. Like its predecessors, Take Me Home Tonight features a smorgasbord of unforgettable music from the period in which it’s based. Before delving deeper (whilst fighting the urge to style my hair with lashings of hairspray and mousse), I’d like to note Take Me Home Tonight was by no means the best film caught at the cinema this week. In fact, it was by far the worst in terms of narrative, aesthetics and all round entertainment. Priest was pleasing on the peepers. Attack The Block was brutish but never boring, whilst Hanna, the story of a perfect 16 year-old assassin being pursued across a bleak vision of Europe was a complete knockout. It also featured a superb soundtrack by British electronic dance duo The Chemical Brothers that expertly mirrored the ever-changing moods and environments Hanna experienced during her perilous journey. Joe Wright’s emotional action thriller may have been the better film, with a series of governing tracks to match, but for the purpose of this feature, it couldn’t compete with a film bursting with music that evoked my happy childhood.

For those of you interested in the napkin thin storyline of Take Me Home Tonight, here’s your friendly narrative summary: Matt Franklin (Topher Grace – moving up a decade from That 70s Show to the 80s) is an MIT dropout now working at his local video store where he encounters his former high school crush Tori (the gorgeous Teresa Palmer). Suitably impressed by Matt’s whopping lie about being an investment banker, his unrequited love invites him along to a shindig she’s attending. Arriving at the bash with his loud, abrasive best bud Barry (Dan Fogler), matters are quickly complicated when Matt learns the Labour Day party is hosted by the chauvinist pig Kyle (Chris Pratt) who is dating his twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris). Cue a number of cringe-worthy acts performed in a series of kitschy scenarios. Similar to The Wedding Singer and Hot Tub Time Machine, Take Me Home Tonight sweeps us up, up and away in a sea of 80s showy nostalgia. From the ‘can you believe people wore that’ clothing to an aural assault of period references (Barry’s pre-cocaine-fuelled shenanigans invoke Matt to utter "take it easy, Scarface."), Take Me Home Tonight is literally littered with 80s iconography.
To be frank, Take Me Home Tonight’s 80s setting offers no valid contribution, story wise. The film could have been based in Bognor Regis a day before yesterday and still kept its undemanding, straightforward storyline. It seems the decision makers chose to base the film in this era as a means to include some truly decade-defining tunes... which, by the way, is freakin’ fine by me! Is it plausible to recommend a film solely for its soundtrack? In Take Me Home Tonight’s case I think I’ll make an exception. The entire soundtrack is a paean to pop music’s past and it rarely stops throughout the film’s slender screen time. Music fills the background, bounces from the radio and blasts out of the ghetto-blaster during the film’s crucial party scenes. From the artistically stylised open credit sequence depicting a high school yearbook changing to the beat of Duran Duran’s ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ to the moment Tori enters the frame to the strains of ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ by Kim Carnes, the film deftly utilises some of that decade’s best known songs.

Also featured is the glam-rocky ‘Kickstart My Heart’ by Mötley Crüe, the poptastic ‘Everybody Have Fun Tonight’ by Wang Chung and 80’s hip hoppers N.W.A’s ‘Straight Outta Compton’ (which features one of the film’s funniest scenes involving both Matt and Barry, two suburban white men, riding down the freeway whilst lip-synching along). The film also shares two songs which feature on the soundtracks of both aforementioned examples; Hot Tub Time Machine’s increasingly ubiquitous ‘Safety Dance’ from Men Without Hats and The Wedding Singer’s irritatingly catchy ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ by the Buggles.
Curiously missing from the film and its Music from the Motion Picture CD soundtrack is Eddie Money’s staple song of which the film is named after. Money’s classic 1986 track ‘Take Me Home Tonight’ made it into the film’s trailer but oddly failed to feature in the final film. All I can assume is some humdrum licensing laws kept Money from making an appearance on the retailing soundtrack, but even so, its omission in the film is glaringly obvious. Still, even with this one faux pas, the soundtrack is an atomic blast from the past for all unashamed fans of this kind of music. There are no hidden gems of the era here, just 19 tracks found on the most popular play lists of the 1980s. With such a vast selection of various artists making up the mix, the creators could have easily released this album as Now That’s What I Call 80s Music had the brand not already been established.

I suppose with such a diverse selection, listeners may dislike some additions more than others, but for any of you who grew up in the 80s (like me) I guarantee you’ll rediscover long-forgotten memories associated with each song. Speaking of dislikes, the closing cover of ‘Don’t You Want Me’ by Brooklyn rock band Atomic Tom fails to ignite the pleasure-sense as much as the synthpop sounds of The Human League. To its credit the song does have one hell of an awesome music video that’s bound to delight all true 80s film fanatics. It’s an absolute blast as the cast of Take Me Home Tonight attempt to pull off as many iconic and identifiable scenes from the most popular films of the 80s. I counted 39 in total including Ghost, Teen Wolf, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and The Blues Brothers; watch the video at the end of this feature to see how many you can spot and leave a comment if you think you can find more.
Although a warm, wistful throwback to the classic comedies many of us grew up with, Take Me Home Tonight is still basically an overdone, unoriginal and above all, instantly forgettable film experience. The Music from the Motion Picture CD soundtrack however is a wet dream for all 80’s nostalgic nomads and will be enjoyed by both 80s aficionados and everyone else willing to check their musical ego at the door.
Source http://hangout.altsounds.com/

Work-at-home schemes, Craigslist rental scam and charging for paper bills: The Real Deal 3 for 1

East Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - In this Real Deal 3 for 1: We'll take a look at the false promises marketers made to promote work-at-home schemes, warn you about a resurgent Craigslist scam and explain a mysterious NYSEG charge.
Work-at-home schemes

They promised participants could make decent money from the comfort of their own homes, but it was all bogus and now the marketers behind some of the most popular work-at-home schemes will have to pay back the people they ripped off.

The marketers were busted for making a lot of false promises. They told customers they could help them find a job in the federal government, get on set as a movie extra, sign up as a mystery shopper or even make money from hope by stuffing envelopes or assembling ornaments. Each and every one of those promises was bogus.
Now, Independent Marketing Exchange Incorporated will pay back nearly $1 million to those who were misled into signing up for the schemes.

The Federal Trade Commission has seized the company's assets and its owner's assets, which include rental properties and a Mercedes Benz.

Anyone who was ripped off in a work-at-home scam should go to the FTC's website to see if they're entitled to get some cash back.
Resurging Craigslist rental scam

An old Craigslist scam is back again. People who use the site to look for home rentals say they keep finding amazing places at decent rates, but when they call for information things seem fishy.

Scammers actually take information from legitimate real estate listings to put together phony rental ads. When someone bites on the ad, the scammer claims they own the house but had to travel outside the country for some reason and can't show it. Then, they say they'll mail the keys if the victim mails them first and last month's rent and a security deposit.

But once they get the victim's cash, they're never heard from again.
Bill Issuance Charge

Some NYSEG customers have noticed the utility is charging a "Bill Issuance Charge," and are wondering why they have to pay to get a bill to pay.

The fee isn't new, but it is in a different, more visible spot on the bill.

NYSEG says it covers the cost of producing and sending a bill and processing the payment.

Customers are required to pay the charge whether or not they get a bill through the mail. Although it doesn't seem right to pay a fee to get a bill, the charge is approved by the Public Service Commission.

National Grid also charges a similar fee, and the amount is about the same regardless of which utility it is.
Source http://www.9wsyr.com/

'Trusted' care home manager stole £18k from elderly victim

THE manageress of a home for the mentally ill stole £18,000 from an elderly man in her care.
Amanda Bennett, 46, was working at Ash Lodge Care Home in Beverley Road, city centre, when she targeted victim Peter Barton after £34,000 had been paid into his bank account.
She withdrew money from his account totalling £18,000 - using his credit card and the pin number she had been entrusted with - which she used to pay off her debts.
Bennett was caught when a member of her own family reported her behaviour to the co-owner of Ash Lodge Tony Proudfoot, who discovered large amounts of money had been withdrawn from Mr Barton's account.
At Hull Crown Court, Prosecutor Jharna Jobes said: "He had trusted her with his pin number and she was taking large sums of money out of his account at cash machines.
"She breached a high degree of trust."
Bennett, of Welwyn Park Avenue, west Hull, had been working at the care home for 15 years and was responsible for the day-to-day running of the home and helping residents make cash withdrawals from their accounts.
The mother-of-three was immediately suspended when the theft was uncovered last year and the police were called.
Bennett, who has a previous conviction for drink-driving in 2007, admitted she had stolen the money by using Mr Barton's credit card and pleaded guilty to theft.
Her barrister Bernard Gateshill said: "There is no evidence in this case of high living or extravagance. She has had poorly paid employment, debts and she has not had the financial support of a husband.
"She spent the money on debts and finds it impossible to say where the money has gone.
"In this maelstrom of exceptional circumstances, she has stolen a very significant sum of money from a person who was in her care. "
He said she could not pay the victim back because she was now living on benefits.
Judge Brian Cox sentenced her to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.
He said: "There's no doubt in my mind that, but for the personal mitigation I have read you would go to prison for a significant period."
A former colleague, who did not wish to be named, told the Mail: "We believe she has done it to more victims.
"She would always be wearing designer clothing and having manicures.
"The people at the home are young and old with mental health problems. Their money is for their day-to-day care and to buy them treats. Everyone is disgusted by what she has done."
Source http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/

Run for Home generates record donation

The 2011 Union Hospital Run for Home has hit a milestone, generating a record amount for the Tuscarawas Valley Habitat for Humanity.
Run for Home Road Runners Club officials announced Friday that the group will donate $23,000 to the local Habitat for Humanity chapter during today’s “blitz build” of the newest Habitat home in New Philadelphia, at 342 Second St. NW.
The money donated represents proceeds from last month’s Union Hospital Run for Home.
“Because of strong sponsorship support and a record number of participants, we’re thrilled to provide Habitat with a donation that is nearly twice the amount we raised last year,” said Matt Ritzert, Run for Home Road Runners Club president.
In four years, the Run for Home has generated more than $55,000 for the Tuscarawas Valley Habitat for Humanity.
“We want to thank all our sponsors and the groups and individuals who support the Run for Home and make it a success,” Ritzert said.
The Run for Home Road Runners Club presented Charles Mackey Awards to Union Hospital and Mark's Place Spa/Salon for outstanding employee participation. The award honors the race sponsors whose employees run or walk the most miles in various events, which Ritzert said bolsters the mission to promote community fitness.
For the second straight year, The Adventure Zone of the New Philadelphia First Baptist Church received the “Best Aid Station” award.
“Our aid station volunteers do a great job supporting the participants and once again the judges were impressed with the great enthusiasm and energy the youth group displayed during the race,” said volunteer coordinator Terri Miller. The Run for Home is supported by more than 200 volunteers. “We really appreciate all the groups and individuals who make everything happen on race day,” added Miller.
The club is already preparing for next year's race April 15.
“We want to make some adjustments that will help us continue to grow and improve but our mission will remain the same,” Ritzert said. “Provide outstanding running and walking events, promote community fitness, and generate money for Habitat for Humanity.”
Run sponsors include Union Hospital, Allied Machine and Engineering Corp., AultCare, Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union, Dominion, Mark's Place Salon and Spa, Parkway Nissan Lincoln, Hennis Care Centre of Dover and Bolivar, Krugliak, Wilkens, Griffiths & Dougherty Attorneys-at-Law, Lauren Manufacturing, Super Fitness, Hitchcock Sound Company, Second Sole Shoes and Apparel, Dominos Pizza and the Dairy Farmers of Tuscarawas County. Additional sponsors include Smith Ambulance, Buehlers of Dover and New Philadelphia, First Federal Community Bank, John Patrick Picard Architect, Dover Orthopaedic Center, Robert's Medical Uniforms, First National Bank of Dennison, and the Charles Mackey Family.
Source http://www.timesreporter.com/

Nick Knowles: my Saturday job

National Lottery presenter Nick Knowles learned his chat-up lines – and the perils of a walk-in freezer – in the veg trade

Nick Knowles hosting the National Lottery show Who Dares Wins. Photograph: 12 Yard/BBC/Ken McKay
When I was about 15, I got a job at Smith's Green Grocers in Tunbridge Wells. I saw the advert for staff in the shop window as I was walking past and decided to go in and ask for the job.
I was only after a Saturday job and the owner, Bill Smith, needed someone full time but I talked my way in. I convinced Bill that employing me would be cheaper and I was willing to work all day on his busiest day of the week – Saturday. I think it was my enthusiasm that won him over. I have found throughout my working life if you are keen, people will often give you a chance.
It was a great job. Lots of local girls worked behind the counter and I used to chat them up. I was quite new to the area and went to a different school so they didn't realise I was only 15. I used to go out with 17-year-olds, which is great when you are a teenage boy.
Being around so many women taught me a lot. I learned that if you notice a new hairstyle when she arrives in the morning she is more likely to bring you a cup of tea at midday. Working in a fruit and veg shop also got me in my mum's good books, if there were any strawberries left at the end of the day, Bill would let me take some home. Bill had been there for years and was a hard task master, but appreciated it when you did a good job and would give you a few extra quid in your wage packet. I liked him.
The worst thing that ever happened to me was getting locked in the freezer. I did what you should never do with a walk-in fridge: I closed the door behind me and it clicked shut. It was just before closing time and I was scared everyone would go home. Luckily, someone realised after five minutes and I got out.
I never liked school and my Saturday job made me realise I wanted to go out and work instead. It also made me realise there is money in things you don't expect there to be money in. Bill had a good lifestyle and lived in a nice house. He earned his money from selling lots of little things, which taught me if you stick at something, however small, it is possible to make money.
Smith's was the perfect Saturday job, I got to chat to girls, have fun and earn money.
Nick Knowles presents BBC1's The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins on Saturday nights.
Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/

‘Green’ your home and save money

HOMEOWNERS need only take small steps to green their home and make big savings, according to estate agents.
The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has encouraged property owners to take advantage of the simple solutions currently on the market to make efficiencies in their homes.

The UK government is committed to carbon reductions and needs to cut emissions by 34% to meet the 2020 targets. Homeowners are being encouraged to refurbish with more environmentally friendly products. The more this is done voluntarily, the less draconian legislation might be.

For those looking to make these improvements and at the same time achieving substantial savings, the NAEA recommends:

Cavity-wall insulation – although this involves a rather noisy installation process, the benefits can be felt instantly. Insulating your walls harnesses the heat generated in the home, meaning substantial savings on your energy bills. A specialist should always be sought for this type of job so ensure you choose a member that is Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) qualified.

Draught-stripping – installing specialist strips of foam around windows and doors will significantly reduce draughts, helping to retain the heat and ultimately saving you money. Costing around £50-£80 depending on whether you install it yourself or not, it can save up to £20 per year for a gas-heated semi.

New boiler – replacing your old boiler can help reduce emissions and cut your bills at the same time. Although the boiler scrappage scheme has ended, given the huge level of demand, grants are still available for this kind of purchase. It is worth checking out the funding database on the Energy Saving Trust site for specific details on what is out there: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Loft insulation. This well-established efficiency measure offers a cheap and easy way to top up insulation already installed. Boosting the thickness of the insulation to between 250 and 300mm is recommended for optimum efficiency.

Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the NAEA says: “It is important homeowners are aware of the options available to them when looking to make carbon efficiencies to their property. There are many funding choices out there making the installation of simple green measures a more affordable option.

“It is proposed that loans will be made available under the Government's Green Deal initiative will assist further in helping homeowners to invest in low carbon solutions.”
Source http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/

Don't gear yourself up for nothing

Margin loans, once the darling of the market, need to be approached with care, writes John Collett.
Investing in the sharemarket with a margin loan is no longer regarded as an easy way to make money quickly. The sharemarket is struggling and tracking sideways and high-profile crashes have called into question the value of the strategy.

Margin calls inflicted big losses on many investors - big and small - who had borrowed too much when the sharemarket crashed in 2008. Since then, regulations have been introduced to curb the aggressive sales culture that took hold in sections of the margin-lending industry as the sharemarket reached dizzying heights.

If approached conservatively, margin loans can benefit high-income earners who have cash buffers. But even then, investors need to do the numbers carefully to see if such a strategy is worthwhile.
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''The strategy was knocked for six by the crash of 2008 but perhaps might be worth looking into for wealthier risk-takers with cast-iron stomachs or money they can afford to lose,'' the chief executive of Challenger Life, Richard Howes, says.

Until the GFC, borrowing to invest in shares had become standard for many financial advisers. High-profile collapses put that strategy under the spotlight. These include the clients of Storm Financial, who were advised to over-gear and who lost savings and homes, as well as the wealthy, who borrowed millions through brokers such as Opes Prime.

Magnified losses

Gearing magnifies the gains on the shares but it also magnifies the losses and therefore investors have to '''have their eyes wide open, be informed and know themselves and their tolerance for risk'', the chief executive officer of the Association of Financial Advisers, Richard Klipin, told Weekend Money.

Borrowing to invest can be a worthwhile strategy if it is approached in the right way but over-gearing can be a recipe for disaster, he says. That's what the clients of Storm Financial found out to their cost after they were advised to gear into shares through managed funds.

The ''cooky cutter'' advice was particularly aggressive. Clients were in fact ''double'' geared into the Australian sharemarket - once by borrowing against their homes and again by borrowing using a margin loan.

Many had to sell their homes to repay their lenders and were left to rely on the age pension.

When the sharemarket collapsed in 2008, many investors with margin loans were hit with margin calls and were forced to sell their shares at big losses in order to restore the loan-to-valuation ratios required by the lenders.

Rapid growth

Reserve Bank data shows that margin lending grew rapidly between late 2000 and 2007, with outstanding debt rising from about $7 billion to a peak of $38 billion and the average loan size increasing from $80,000 to $190,000 over that period.

Following the collapse of the sharemarket in 2008, as at September 2009, the value of outstanding margin debt had roughly halved from its peak to about $18 billion.

Gearing was never meant to be a way of getting rich quickly, financial planner and co-founder of Eureka Financial Group, Greg Cook, says.

He explains the strategy can be suitable for high-income earners who have a tolerance for risk, are in secure employment and who are already maximising their opportunities to make salary-sacrifice contributions to a superannuation plan.

''Gearing is an effective strategy to grow wealth but it brings with it more risk,'' the head of advice development at Ipac Investment Services, John Dani, says. He adds that it is important to first test whether the investor's objectives can be met by some other strategy without taking on the additional risk inherent in gearing.

Low gearing

For higher earners, there are tax advantages when the investment is negatively geared. This is where the costs of investing, such as the interest payments, exceed the income from the investment. The shortfall can be used by the investor to reduce the income tax they pay.

Cook says the minimum investment time-frame for a gearing strategy is seven to 10 years. Margin lenders allow progressive draw-downs, where a dollar can be borrowed for each dollar put up by the investor.

Cook advises those with a gearing strategy to make monthly contributions into the investment rather than a lump sum - a strategy known as dollar cost averaging - to average out share prices.

A financial planner with WLM Financial Services, Laura Menschik, says the maximum gearing ratio should generally be 50 per cent or 60 per cent.

A loan-to-valuation ratio of 50 per cent is where for each dollar of the investor's own money, one dollar is borrowed. A conservative loan-to-valuation ratio minimises the chances of margin calls.

Market outlook

Most planners believe those with a mortgage are better off borrowing the money through a home-equity loan than a margin loan as the interest rate can be substantially less. Reserve Bank data shows that in April, the average interest rate on margin loans was 9.65 per cent, compared with an average interest rate on home-equity loans of 7.9 per cent.

Menschik says it may be wise to tap into home equity to invest. She says that with interest rates expected to rise, investors may be better off fixing the home-equity interest rate.

A financial planner with Paramount Wealth Management, Wayne Leggett, favours borrowing against the house. As well as lower interest rates than a margin loan, investors are ''in control'' without the risk of a margin call. A gearing strategy into shares should only be approached very conservatively so the risk of there ever being a call on the house by the lender becomes extremely remote.

However, as there will be a negative cash flow on the investment, investors are banking on a certain level of appreciation of share prices over the long term (see box). So, a positive view on the performance of shares is needed for anyone that's even considering a gearing strategy.

''There's no evidence we're about to experience sustained market growth,'' Richard Howes says.
Source http://www.smh.com.au/

Hedging Your Home Value: The Greatest Idea Never Sold

With home prices in what seems like an endless fall, why is it so fiendishly difficult to protect yourself against the risk of a further drop?

This week, Zillow.com reported that real-estate prices fell nationwide in March for the 57th month in a row, echoing other home-price indexes that have kept dropping and defying hopes of a recovery in housing values. Economists are forecasting a decline of 1.4% for 2011.

And, while unlikely, "a 30-year decline in home prices [adjusted for inflation] is certainly a possibility," says Yale University economist Robert Shiller.

It wouldn't be the first time prices dropped over three decades' time; they fell by 14% cumulatively, after inflation, between 1912 and 1945, according to Prof. Shiller's data.
Everyone sees the need to buy homeowners' insurance to protect against the risk of fire or storm damage or burglary. The need to hedge against a continued bear market in real estate that could damage your home's future value is just as urgent.
That's especially true with roughly one in four homes "underwater," or worth less than the outstanding mortgage—which stifles job mobility by making people reluctant to move. Now more than ever, homebuyers would seem to take great interest in a financial product that could permit such mobility.

People can always rent, of course. But once you own a home free and clear, you have the option of selling it and using the proceeds to fund your retirement. That makes a fall in home prices worth protecting against.

Yet the market for that type of protection remains underdeveloped. "People know they are overexposed," says Prof. Shiller, who has been advocating protection against the chance of falling real-estate prices for more than 20 years. "Why they don't hedge the risk puzzles me."

Part of the reason is that there aren't many liquid financial products suited to the task. Big insurance companies have never stepped forward to provide this kind of coverage. Even a 10% further drop in U.S. home values could add up to losses exceeding $1 trillion, and real-estate risks are hard to hedge in bulk—which could make traditional insurance costlier than it is worth.

The idea of this kind of protection dates at least to 1925 and had some success in Illinois in the 1970s before fading away. In recent years, a few financial players have emerged to fill the vacuum, but they've had a difficult time gaining traction.

Consider the case of Home HeadQuarters, a nonprofit organization that offers protection against the risk of home-price declines in Syracuse, N.Y. Coverage costs only 1.5% of the protected value and lasts for up to 30 years. Yet Home HeadQuarters hasn't had an inquiry from any prospective customers over the past year, says the organization's director, Kerry Quaglia. Since 2003, it has sold a total of just 150 protection plans. (The program isn't offered on properties outside of Syracuse.)

On the CME Group's futures and options exchange, you can trade futures contracts on home prices in 10 metropolitan areas, including Boston, Miami and Las Vegas.

Volume on these contracts, which were inspired by Prof. Shiller's research and introduced in 2006, jumped more than 220% from March to April. A grand total of 45 contracts changed hands, up from 14 the month before.

John H. Dolan, who operates the informational website HomePriceFutures.com, says trading tends to pick up only around the last Tuesday of each month, when updated home-price data are released and speculators jump in.

When you sell a contract that covers your local market, you will make money if the underlying home-price index falls; with luck, that will at least partially offset any decline in your home's value.

Be prepared to post several thousand dollars of initial and maintenance margin, a kind of security deposit required by futures brokers; you may have to add more money if the broker demands a "margin call."

Entrepreneurial startups have struggled to offer financial products that provide this kind of protection. One outfit, ValueGuard Financial, has a backlog of some 750 prospective customers that it can't serve, says co-chief executive Aaron Zagha, because the firm hasn't been able to get regulators to approve its offering. Another firm, Home Value Protection, launched in 2009 and then withdrew from the market; it has retooled its product as a conventional insurance policy and hopes to begin marketing this summer.

Joe Melendez, a veteran insurance executive, has founded a company called Property Value Insurance. Starting next spring, he hopes to underwrite insurance against a fall in home values.

Such a policy, estimates Mr. Melendez, would cost an average of 1.5% of the sale price at the time a home changes hands. He says that getting the required regulatory approvals took two years and has been "a monumental task."

Financial history shows, says Prof. Shiller, that "a lot of important ideas can take a long time to get established." This one has already taken too long.
Source http://online.wsj.com/

Affiliate marketing, the first step to make money online

So you have heard all the hype about making money online. I bet that you are wondering if the hype is actually true or if it is all just smoke and mirrors, like so many of the home business opportunities that you see on late night TV. Well I’m here to tell you that is actually pretty easy to make your first dollar online, but to make a real living online you’re going to have to put in a little bit of elbow grease. What I mean by that is, there is nothing going to be on a silver platter. Even though lots of fancy sales copy will tell you that it is indeed easy to make mllions of dollars a month online, we all know that those cases are rare and few and far between.
One of the most common ways to make money online is through affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is basically selling other peoples products, either through social media or SEO or pay per click, and then taking a commission per lead or per sale.
Asheeshffiliate marketing is so popular because the start up costs are extremely low, the barrier to entry is low, and the potential for profits is absolutely massive. That is because you can literally become a salesman or saleswoman overnight, in any industry the world and that includes multibillion-dollar industries such as hosting, antiaging, weight loss and fitness, loans, credit cards, dating and all sorts of other high-paying industries. There is definitely a lot of money to be thrown around these industries if you are capable of selling and getting leads for these companies.
There are literally hundreds of ways to make money online, but if you are beginner, than affiliate marketing should be your first step. There is literally no other way to strike it rich online that is as common as affiliate marketing.
Source http://www.prcarbon.com/

The phone is the next Apple iPhone 4S?

Page Forbes has quoted analyst Peter Misek confirmed fans brand Apple should forget about the existence of iPhone5, prepare the upcoming launch of the New generation phone called iPhone 4S.

Analyst Peter Misek said a device called the iPhone is Apple 4S are actually planning to launch. According to Peter Misek, handset Apple's new generation will not function LTE. This expert also stated 4S iPhone will "have changed little aesthetically, are equipped with better cameras, the A5 dual core processors and support for HSPA +. "
If the expert's statement is true, then Peter Misek 5 iPhone launch is delayed again. It looks like Qualcomm's LTE chipset for the iPhone 5 did not reach the standards of Apple. Apple already planning to launch the iPhone iPhone 4S and 5 in the fall. The biggest difference between this new model phone is no iPhone 4S 4G/LTE services like the iPhone 5.
The above information may disappoint fans of Apple and those who are using iPhone 4 eagerly await a phone model from its completely new technology.
In a separate incident, Apple plans to announce a relationship with the network partner Sprint, T-Mobile and China Mobile on the Christmas holidays this year. As such, Apple was ready to "coverage" of their brand to all four major U.S. networks while expanding business in China. Apple's move is considered as an extremely wise move.
Customers of both carriers Sprint and T-Mobile is excited to be selected before the idea of ​​the iPhone, but information about an upgraded version of the iPhone is limited rather than a completely new model can make them less enthusiastic . In short, the iPhone should be announced on 5 this summer and the only release a modified version of the iPhone 4 is not many people want the information received.
Page Digitaltrends comments at this time, if Apple really wanted to launch a handset in September with the processor and camera A5 8 point, consumers will be delighted. But how many people will hook their wallets to buy an iPhone 4S when they can buy a reduced price iPhone 4.

Witness: Dietz ‘afraid to go home’

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. —

The last known person to see missing Saranac resident Donald Dietz alive was his barber, who testified Dietz “was afraid to go home,” in the jury trial of Rami Saba Thursday.

Saba, who is representing himself, is charged with 12 counts for his alleged role in the kidnapping and alleged death of Dietz, to steal his roughly $500,000 in life savings.

During the government’s opening statement, United States Attorney Don Davis stated that the last known person to see Dietz alive was his barber, Allison Leland.

Leland, who cut Dietz’s hair for roughly 20 years, testified that Dietz would come every six months to have his hair cut, and the last time she cut his hair was Sept. 4, 2007.

She explained Dietz was very frugal with his money, and that the last time she saw him, he was concerned about a financial transaction he was wanting to get out of.

During cross-examination, Saba asked Leland if there was anything troubling Dietz, and Leland stated that Dietz was afraid.

“He said he was considering investing with someone, and he was thinking about changing his mind but he was worried,” said Leland. “He said these people wouldn’t take no for an answer. He was afraid of the people. He was afraid to go home, that someone would be there waiting for him.”

Leland explained that Dietz was so frightened about going home, she remembered him shaking as he talked to her about it.

Leland could not remember if Dietz talked about there being more than one man, or if Dietz ever described the individual he was afraid of.

She testified she gave Dietz some advice, but that Dietz thought it may have been too late.

“I said check them out at the Better Business Bureau to make sure it was legitimate,” said Leland. “I said, ‘Don’t give them too much information’. He said, It may have been too late, and that he may have given them too much information (already).”

Family and friends of Dietz testified in the case against Saba, giving jurors a brief glimpse of who Dietz was.

Those who knew Dietz described him as a shy, quiet man, who did not like crowds or to drive his car. He liked the outdoors, and would walk the state game area near his house, and in the fall pick apples at the Michigan State University Extension apple orchard.

“Donald was reclusive; he preferred to keep to himself,” said Dietz’s sister, Karen Segavac.

She explained Dietz did not like to talk on the phone that much, and when he would he would have written down questions to prepare himself.

“He was quiet,” said Segavac. “He would think before he would speak.”

Dietz’s brother, Marvin Dietz, last saw Donald Dietz in early May 2007. He would check on his brother a couple times a year to make sure he was doing all right.

“I was concerned about him because he was always alone,” said Marvin Dietz, adding he regrets not seeing Donald Dietz more often.

Donald Dietz rode his bicycle most of the time, because he would get nervous when he would drive his car. He would ride his bike to a health store in Cascade, and while he worked at AmWay, would occasionally peddle the 18 miles to and from work.

He was also very concerned and protective of his money, and one time was worried for four months over a tax return mistake totaling $4.

Donald Dietz’s neighbor and friend, Walter Powell, would drive Donald Dietz to the grocery store in Ionia at times, and would look up interest rates for Donald Dietz on his computer.

During the cross examination, Saba asked Powell if Donald Dietz ever mentioned a financial investment in the fall of 2007. Walter said he recalled Donald Dietz talking about one earlier in the year, but not around fall.

During their testimony, family members discussed how they were trying to get a hold of Dietz for a family reunion in September, but they could not reach him.

After not hearing from Donald Dietz, and brother Gene Dietz receiving a call from Lake Michigan Credit Union about his brother Donald Dietz’s bank account, family members’ concern grew.

They searched around the trailer and the state game area thinking Donald Dietz may have had a medical problem, but when there was no sign of him, they went to the Michigan State Police to file a missing person report.

In Donald Dietz’s mail box were two checks: one for roughly $3,000, the other for nearly $9,000 from his Capital One bank account.

Family members gained access into Donald Dietz’s trailer, and gathered any documents they could find for police investigators.

Other testimony Thursday included bank employees who knew Donald Dietz as a client, and Michigan State Trooper Michael Fink.

Fink testified that during his role in the investigation, he was not able to procure fingerprints or DNA from Donald Dietz’s residence or Saba’s Lowell residence. He also checked Donald Dietz’s bicycle for fingerprints, and did not find any.
Source http://www.sentinel-standard.com/

April home sales in Southern California hit three-year low for the month

The median price paid for a home in the region fell 1.8% from a year earlier to $280,000, DataQuick reports.

A "sale pending" sign is displayed in a Los Angeles neighborhood. April home sales in Southern California were down 9.2% from a year earlier. (Associated Press / April 14, 2011)

t is shaping up to be a silent spring for the housing industry.

Warmer days and the need for many families to make a move during the summer school recess have long made spring the peak season for buying homes. But lingering economic uncertainties and the expiration of federal tax incentives — which juiced up sales last year — have turned the market soft.
April home sales in Southern California were down 9.2% from a year earlier. The figure, the lowest for April in three years, was 25.4% below the month's average since record-keeping began in 1988, DataQuick of San Diego reported Thursday.

The median price paid for a home in the region fell 1.8% from a year earlier to $280,000.

"The market is just kind of putzing along," said David Emerson, a Lakewood agent with Prudential California Realty. "This should be the hottest time of the year in terms of deals going into escrow, but — especially once you consider where interest rates are — it is still a struggling market."

The poor showing continued last month despite the influx of cash-rich investors who are snapping up cheap properties to rent, flip or hold. And sales in the Southland of newly built homes, which are facing fierce competition from foreclosures, turned in their second-worst performance for an April on record.

In the boom years, buyers rushed to make deals before prices pushed higher. Today, buyers are taking their time.

Robert and Charli Kugler of Carson have been scoping out homes for six to eight months, but say they won't put money down until they find the one that's just right for them.

"We don't want to rush into something that we are going to regret," Robert Kugler said.

With an eye on finding bargains, they are steering clear of packed open houses and instead are checking out short sales and other so-called distressed properties. They have a set maximum price they are willing to pay and do not intend to get into any bidding wars.

"We have a realistic maximum price, and there is no negotiating past our maximum price," Robert Kugler said. "We do have a no-nonsense approach."

For the California real estate industry, that kind of hesitation is translating into smaller commissions, fewer appraisals and less work for people such as Phyllis C. Yanagihara, an escrow officer in Glendale and president of the Los Angeles Escrow Assn.

Yanagihara said business across the board is slow, although prices and sales have picked up enough in some neighborhoods that current homeowners are selling.
"We have to work harder to develop business, that is for sure," she said. But "there are a lot of young people buying homes and young people that haven't started their families yet, and I think that is very encouraging."

Builders are trying to attract buyers by touting the green credentials of new homes, as well as offering incentives such as interest rate buy-downs — in which builders help buyers secure a rate lower than the going rate by paying extra cash up front to lenders — and providing cash to go toward buyers' closing costs. KB Home handed out free boxes of See's chocolates over Mother's Day weekend to people touring model homes.

New-home sales are suffering the most because builders have to compete with a large and steady supply of foreclosures, many of which were built very recently. Few analysts expect builders in the region to post a strong showing this year.

"It's not going to be pretty," said Russ Valone, chief executive of San Diego-based MarketPointe Realty Advisors, which tracks new housing.

Shares of Westwood-based KB Home, for example, are down 16.8% on the year, while the Dow Jones industrial average is up 9.7%.

The pricier segments of the resale market also remain weak, with the "move-up" buyer all but disappearing since the crash. The decline in home prices has left many homeowners unable to sell, and the uncertainty in the job market is discouraging others from taking on the risk of a new purchase.
Source http://www.latimes.com/

Nursing home costing county too much money

To sell or not to sell the Cumberland Manor? That's the tough question facing county freeholders.
Supporters of the county keeping ownership of the money-losing nursing home say a company hired to manage it has significantly improved administration of the facility to where it's on-track to reach the "break-even point." Supporters also are concerned about the potential jobs lost and have talked about the county's responsibility to take care of its seniors.
In a perfect world where the economy is humming and government budgets and taxpayers aren't being squeezed, it may be worth the gamble to see if the new management can put the nursing home's fiscal house in order and stop the financial bleeding. Progress has been made.
But rosy financial forecasts can't erase recent history, such as the Manor costing county taxpayers $2.5 million last year alone. The county is still facing a $1.6 million shortfall in the 2011 budget, and as many as 106 workers could still be laid off, 55 of them from the Manor, if unions don't offer further financial concessions.
Given all this, we say sell the Cumberland Manor. If sold, the nursing home could bring in as much as $15 million -- not only erasing any budget deficit but also guaranteeing the facility won't be a financial drain in the future.
We don't advocate closing the facility because the Manor does provide critical services in the county. Transferring ownership over to the Cumberland County Improvement Authority would be a better option than that, even though we question whether the county should be involved in the nursing-home business at all.
For those concerned about the loss of jobs at the Manor, any sale agreement could include a provision that services provided had to at least be maintained at current levels. Besides, if the status quo is maintained and nothing is done with the facility, as many as 55 workers at the Manor could still lose their jobs to close the projected budget gap.
Which brings us back to the unions. They have consistently failed to face economic reality and have refused to make few meaningful concessions, if any, over the past few years to ease the county's financial woes. We agree with the freeholders that the offer by United Auto Workers Local 2327 to give back 1.5 percent of member salaries (saving as much as $340,000) toward the cost of their health insurance premiums isn't nearly enough.
If the UAW agrees to more concessions, perhaps county layoffs can be avoided. But this financial truth cannot be avoided: It's best to sell the Cumberland Manor now for taxpayers' sake.
Source http://www.thedailyjournal.com/

View 10 "big" mobile performance in the first quarter

Names like Apple, Nokia, RIM and Samsung has "performance"different to their previous image. And the first quarter of the year has passed, every "big" and has successfully defeat certain.
Market analyst firm ABI Research has statistics and analysis on the business strategies of the 10 manufacturers world's leading mobile.

Mobile market share according to a survey by ABI Research.

However, according to survey results of ABI Research's market share, its joint venture Sony Ericsson is not among the 10 mobile manufacturers in the world, while a recent survey by Gartner shows that Sony's market share Ericsson in the last quarter reached 3.1% - No. 5 on the mobile market.
Look 10 "big" was how the operation three months, as assessed by ABI Research.

Nokia
Nokia's sales fell 12% in the quarter, while its market share decreased 13.9% to 32.7%. Manufacturer of the world's largest phone has lost market share in emerging markets where low-cost phone sales accounted for 77% of its sales, because the company faces competition from companies China's output device, such as Huawei, ZTE and TCL.ABI Research said that Nokia will continue to lose market share if the company may have a new strategy to reorganize its business operations.
Recently, Nokia has decided "to recommend" the future of Microsoft in the smartphone business collaboration using Windows Phone 7. The combination has led Microsoft to cut 7,000 Nokia employees.

Samsung
Growing, Samsung has achieved remarkable achievements in the three months of this year. Samsung has achieved growth exceeding the industry average in the mobile phones have trranh reasonable price with nice design equivalent to the expensive phones.
On the "front" smartphone, Samsung has achieved a great success with the Galaxy runs on the phone operating system Android. Ordinary telephone remains dominant in the sales of Samsung, meanwhile, the company's smartphone sales up 16%.

LG
LG's sales down 20% in the first quarter, and was really disappointed in the mobile market. LG was "struggling" in a world transformed from ordinary phone to smartphone market full of fat with the support of the Android and "raid" on "land" innovative 3D smartphone.
Although sales declined, but the company's profits do not fall into the situation "disastrous" as the first quarter of 2010 when LG has focused on improving operational efficiency and direction to the smartphone market.
Let's see the market shift from ordinary phone to a smartphone can help LG stayed at No. 5 out of 10 phone maker Sony Ericsson's leading-handed or not. Sony Ericsson is no longer in the top 10 "big" cell in the first quarter this year because of the sharp decline in sales of ordinary telephone lines.

Apple iPhone
Apple continues to be the only phone manufacturer to not repeat a mistake. In the first quarter, Apple has achieved remarkable growth to 15%, equivalent to 2.2 million iPhones. ABI Research predicts Apple will continue to record very strong growth in 2011 with the support of Verizon and the new market of CDMA version.

RIM
RIM is particularly interested in the race to increase competition for smartphones "aging"of his, and public opinion are also particularly interested in the new tablet PC Playbook launch of RIM. However, RIM has achieved good growth in the first 3 months of this year. However, analysts predict sales will decline in RIM's second quarter. ABI Research forecasts that in the third quarter RIM will launch a line of new phones with processors up to 1.2 GHz. This will be a lever to help RIM get back his position in the smartphone market.

ZTE
ZTE emerged with cheap phones for emerging markets, like India, China, Africa ... ZTE focused on emerging markets that are "territory" of Nokia.
The smartphone market, ZTE is targeting 12 million smartphones shipped in 2011 (up from 3 million units in 2010). The company expects to grow by 150 million smartphones sold this year. ABI Research believes ZTE will achieve a significant market share in developing countries, like China and Africa.

HTC
HTC is among the few phone companies grew up in the first quarter of this year. HTC focuses on advanced technology and modern design to create competitive with rivals. HTC still maintains a high turnover on both segments of ordinary telephone and high-end smartphones. ABI Research believes HTC will continue to achieve good achievements in 2011, especially when it launches phone 4G (LTE and WiMAX) in the U.S. market.

Huawei
History is a manufacturer of cheap Chinese phone, and a direct competitor of ZTE, Huawei continues to grow higher every year. The company began a presence in the international market with 3 million Android smartphones shipped in the first quarter, approximately 30% of smartphone market in North America. ABI Research believes smartphones will bring the potential for achieving Huawei upgrade the international market, and quickly made ​​the top 10 telephone companies leading the next few years.

Motorola
In the first quarter is also the time Motorola Mobility, a unit charge from Motorola, separate activities. Motorola's smartphone sales have recorded a significant reduction of ordinary telephone lines and also significantly reduced. The delayed launch of 4G phones could cause Motorola's growth in the second quarter have not been able to prosper. However, ABI Research believe it will "return to the racetrack" in the second half of this year.

TCL /Alcatel Mobile Phones
TCL - the famous electronics manufacturers in China - has a joint venture with Alcatel (France) to exploit new markets and expand relationships with telecom operators.
TCL achieved strong growth - 105% start approaching the international markets - Europe, Middle East, Africa - by ordinary telephone lines.

Beltran's homers suggest a new home

Here’s how much the sport of baseball has changed in just a few short years: On Thursday, Carlos Beltran became the first player in 2011 to hit three home runs in a game.
From 1995 through 2010, this happened 178 times (including three four-homer games), or an average of about 11 times per season. It reached an absurd peak off 22 three-homer games in 2001. Or maybe it reached its absurdity in 2002, when Chris Woodward hit three home runs. For the record, there were 13 three-homer games in 2010.
Anyway, Beltran became the eighth Mets player to hit three in a game, but even more remarkable is the season he’s putting together, considering there were times in spring training when it appeared as though he could barely walk. He’s hitting .295/.387/.590, and swinging the bat better than he has in years.
All this makes him very attractive trade bait, much like his teammate Jose Reyes. Reyes has been hogging all the trade-related rumors, but Beltran is also a free agent after the season. He could be available for the same three reasons as Reyes: the Mets’ financial issues, they may not be able to re-sign him, and they’re unlikely to contend in the tough NL East.
So, assuming the Mets do fall out of the race, where could Beltran end up? Keep in mind the parameters involved with putting him on someone else’s ballclub. First, he’s making $18.5 million, so the Mets would likely have to eat a portion of his contract in any deal, especially if they want a good prospect in return. Second, Beltran cannot play center field anymore -- he should be regarded only as somebody’s corner outfielder or DH.
OK, let’s begin the roll call of possible suitors:

Angels: Anaheim has a mediocre offense and the willingness to spend, but they have Bobby Abreu locked in at DH and are very unlikely to punt on Vernon Wells in left field.

Rangers: Michael Young for Beltran? Sorry, nobody wants Young, even if he’s hitting .349. Julio Borbon and a pitching prospect? The Rangers have indicated they want to keep Josh Hamilton out of center field, so there’s no fit here.

Dodgers: The Dodgers have a big hole in left field (unless rookie Jerry Sands starts hitting) and first base with James Loney’s batting ineptitude, so Beltran would be a nice fit, with Sands potentially moving to first. Except I believe the Dodgers have this little thing going on with their problematic cash flow. …
Rockies: They could move Dexter Fowler and slide Carlos Gonzalez over to center, except they seem to believe in Fowler more than the average analyst.

Cubs: Hahahaha.

White Sox: According to FanGraphs, Juan Pierre has been the least valuable position player in baseball, with a WAR of -1.1. Trouble is, the White Sox don’t have a system loaded with prospects right now, and we’re not exactly clear if Ozzie Guillen knows how bad Pierre is.

Tigers: They already have Magglio Ordonez, Ryan Raburn and Brennan Boesch filling the outfielder corners, and Victor Martinez pretty much locked in at DH with Alex Avila producing at catcher, so it seems unlikely Detroit would have a burning desire to take on Beltran’s salary.

Mariners: Well, they could certainly use a DH or a left fielder, but they’re 16-22 and sinking fast.

So, after looking at all of those alternatives, there is potentially one team that seems like a perfect fit: the Tampa Bay Rays.

Their DHs (mostly Johnny Damon) are hitting .238 with a .272 OBP. Their left fielders (mostly Sam Fuld) are hitting .228 with a .289 OBP and two home runs. True, they have hot-shot prospect Desmond Jennings, who is hitting .289 with a .408 OBP at Triple-A Durham, but he’s not going to bring much power with him.

Most importantly, the Rays have plenty of prospects to deal. Keith Law rated the Rays’ farm system the second best in baseball at the start of the season. Also, due to the loss of several free agents, they have 10 of the first 60 picks in the June draft, so they could easily deal a prospect or two since they’ll be reloading in June.

The issue with the Rays would be their taking on a sizable chunk of Beltran’s contract, especially since they’ll have to expand their budget to sign all those draft picks. But the Rays began the season with a $41 million payroll, the second lowest in baseball, behind Kansas City. They actually spent about $72 million in 2010, so even though they’ll have to allot maybe an extra $8 million for signing bonuses, they conceivably may have a little money to spend.

Considering the Yankees and Red Sox both look vulnerable, the Rays could sneak in with their third AL East title in four years. Wouldn’t that be something?
Source http://espn.go.com/

Home buyers can easily get a mortgage

Mortgages can be easier to secure than some people think - even for those without a large deposit. That's according to a mortgage adviser who helps customers secure a brand new Redrow home.
Financial advisor Bill Aitken, a director at Bedford-based William Lowden Associates, says that while lenders are still showing more restraint than a few years ago, there are some more positive signs and, contrary to popular belief, many people are able to borrow.
He said:

"We've seen the emergence of several new mortgage products and with Santander now offering 90% loan to value (LTV) mortgages for first time buyers, would be homeowners can get a foothold on the property ladder without the hefty deposits being talked about 12 months ago.

"For those with a good credit status and a secure income, a 10% deposit could be all that is required.
"And those buying a new build home from developers such as Redrow, could take advantage of incentives such as a 5% gifted deposit or stamp duty paid. There are certainly more opportunities now than at any time in the last couple of years."

Redrow is helping home hunters step onto and up the property ladder at developments across the South East, including new homes in Essex, Kent, Ipswich and East Sussex.

Bill also believes the current climate is a great time for most people to buy:

"Interest rates are at an all time low right now, including fixed rate offers, and house prices remain affordable. It's a great time for those who can afford to buy to venture into the market."

And the strong demand for rental properties in the South East, particularly in areas within commuting distance to London, means investors could get a significantly higher return on their savings if they invest in property rather than leaving their money in a bank or building society.

Bill added:

"Buy-to-let mortgages are once again being made available to one-off cash investors who would prefer to make a capital investment in property than leave their money in a savings account."

Those cheered by Bill's comments would do well to look at Redrow's homes in the South East.

Well known for style and quality, Redrow's high-specification homes meet the demands of modern lifestyles. Inside they feature the latest, statement-making kitchens, bathrooms and quality fixtures and fittings.

Redrow is building at The Lakes, near Maldon, The Rodings in Loughton, Cannons Wharf in Tonbridge, Sutton Woods and The Grange in Maidstone, Bramford Gardens in Ipswich and Willow Gardens in Hailsham.

Suzanne Irons, sales director for Redrow, added:

"It's good news for would-be home owners that mortgages are getting a little easier to secure. However, purchasers should always speak to an independent mortgage broker regarding their ability to borrow.

"As well as the potential to gift a 5% deposit, we can tailor alternative incentives to help people to move depending on their circumstances. This could include taking their existing house in part exchange or fitting high quality carpets throughout their new home."
Source http://www.myintroducer.com/

City seeks to help home repair charity

NEWTON —
For community members who are disabled or elderly and living on a fixed income, sometimes the money to make necessary home repairs just isn’t there. Fixing a roof might have to be overlooked in order to pay for food or medicine.
That’s where HOPE Home Repair comes in. The faith-based organization seeks to help the elderly, disabled community members, low-income families with children and other homeowners in need with repairs.
“We help those folks who just really can’t help themselves,” said Neal Schwabauer, founder. “They have nowhere else to go. Most of the folks we deal with cannot work.”
Organization representatives gave a presentation about the ministry at a Newton City Commission work session Tuesday evening.
The program was established in 2004 to fill the gap left by the termination of the city’s partnership with Mennonite Housing Rehabilitation Services of Wichita, a similar home-repair program.
Some of the projects the ministry has worked on include installing a concrete ramp to help a community member more easily access her home and the sidewalk in front of her house. The organization also helped a man who lost his leg to diabetes and could not fit his wheelchair through the narrow bathroom door in his house. The bathroom also was not handicap accessible.
“This was a major house remodel,” said Kathy Bestvater, who serves on HOPE’s board of directors.
Tim Johnson, assistant city manager, said the city could help the ministry through Community Development Block Grant loans. This set-up would not be funded by city tax dollars, and it would utilize funds that cannot be used for operational expenses.
“This is money the city can do good things with,” Johnson said. “... It allows us to address several of the goals in the ReNewton project without spending any tax dollars.”
The city commission will be discussing a possible arrangement with HOPE Home Repair at a future meeting.
For more information about the ministry or how to volunteer, call 284-1011 or e-mail hopehomerepair@iwichita.com.

Other business

The city commission also approved an interlocal agreement with the Harvey County Commission for the formation of the Kansas Logistics Park Development Authority.
According to Erin McDaniel, the city’s public information officer, creating the new entity will allow the logistics park to lease property to industrial prospects and still be able to offer tax abatements. Interest already has been expressed in this type of arrangement by a prospect.
In the future, the Development Authority could take on management and operational responsibilities for the logistics park as the project grows and expands into new enterprises, such as a city/county-owned rail operation or a foreign trade zone, McDaniel said in a news release. The Development Authority will have no independent authority not delegated to it by the city and county.
The commission also recognized Lunda Asmani, assistant city manager for budget and finance, and Chris Tuohey of Sand Creek Station Golf Course/Kemper Sports, for being selected as a part of the Wichita Business Journal’s 2011 “40 Under 40” class. The program recognizes young professionals who stand out in their communities.
“I just think it’s a significant recognition,” City Manager Randy Riggs said.
Source http://www.thekansan.com/

Fair City 15 - 22 May

Denzo taunts Decco when he reveals he's making more money than him. Zumo and Decco discuss setting up a 'make up party' to clear counterfeit money. Denzo makes a point of coming home with food, clothes and paying his rent. Zumo warns him to stop flashing the cash. Decco realises that he's getting the cash from 'The Station'.

While Barry locks up the bar he fails to notice an intruder who takes his keys and attempts to open the safe. Barry catches him red handed and thinking he is Denzo he beats him savagely. The intruder manages to escape.
Vivienne, Zumo and Denzo get a shock when they discover a badly beaten Decco but he refuses to reveal where his injuries came from.
Elsewhere Orla confides in Niamh that she is worried about her relationship with Keith. She tells her that she is bored with the relationship and doesn't want to spend the rest of her life sitting in a couch.
Niamh meets Keith and tells him that he has no idea how to treat women and he needs to start making more of an effort with Orla. Later on Finn tells Keith that he has two tickets for the friendly in Brussels and asks him to take time off work.
Keith tells him that he was planning to surprise Orla with a week away but Finn convinces him that he can do both. Keith surprises Orla with a romantic week holiday to Brussels and she is delighted until she finds out about his hidden agenda.
Later in the week Finn asks Barry for money and Barry spots the knife that Decco dropped near the safe and he hides it. When Finn leaves he hides the knife in his briefcase. Barry sees Denzo and slams the knife down in front of him. But he's surprised to see that he was not hurt. Denzo demands to know where he got it and then realises that it was Barry who beat up Decco.
Meanwhile, in the community centre there is dissent at Charlie's meeting and Esther urges him to re-group later as she has an idea. Leo and Finn arrive back in Carrigstown after their jog and Finn praises him but when he leaves Leo doubles over with cramps. Jo passes by and asks him if he's having heart attack!
Source http://www.rte.ie/

Comedian Richard Herring's home hope for new show

Cheddar's homegrown comedian, Richard Herring, is hoping to film his new BBC show in Cheddar Caves and Gorge.
Richard's off-the-wall and highly original comedy style has made him a national television and stage star. He is currently touring the country with his Christ On A Bike show.

"I love Cheddar and I love Somerset," the 43-year-old Edinburgh Fringe veteran said.

"The script I'm writing at the moment for the BBC is set in a fictionalised place but uses the caves and the gorge. If filming goes ahead, it will hopefully bring more people to our wonderful countryside.

"When you usually live and work in London it really is lovely to come here and see the gorge and the hills and the Mendips."

As a former pupil at the Kings of Wessex school where his father, Keith Herring, was headmaster, Richard is no stranger to Somerset life.

"I had a very lucky childhood, growing up in a lovely place attending a brilliant school with a very good headmaster," he says, with just a tinge of irony.
Herring is best known as one half of comedy duo Lee and Herring and for their television programme This Morning With Richard Not Judy.

In 2007 he wrote and starred in ITV's You Can Choose Your Friends, and last year his shows The Headmaster's Son and Hitler Moustache were released on DVD.

His next Edinburgh show is going to explore the existence of love. Herring admits it will be something of an autobiographical affair.

"Headmaster's Son, which was about growing up in Cheddar with my dad as my headmaster, was quite a sweet and lyrical show with only a few unpleasant moments," he explains. "But my later shows, Hitler Moustache and Christ On A Bike, have been much more confrontational so maybe the love tour will go back to being sweet and lyrical. But maybe not. It could be that I discover love doesn't exist and that's kind of worse than finding out that Jesus doesn't exist. Hopefully I won't be destroying love."

His 2010 book called How Not To Grow Up features many familiar faces from Cheddar and the surrounding areas. Herring hopes to write another in the near future.

"For 11 years now I've been writing a blog entry every day – which equals about 3,000 consecutive entries to date – so I've got used to writing about myself. If there is a next book, it'll be about my own life and my own stupidity."
As for long-term plans, he believes he still has another 30 years of shows left in him.

"I want to end up like Barry Cryer – he's in his 70s but still does live tours and keeps up to date with comedy. In this job it's very easy to lose momentum and interest and just become one of those people who say: 'It was better in the 1990s when I was on TV.'"

"It's a lovely job. It's hard and stressful but to make money for making people laugh, that's not bad. The other day this young man came up to me after a show and said: 'I've had a terrible day and you've really cheered me up'. And in the end, that's what the job is all about."
Source http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/

Bristol woman who stole £54k from mum-in-law must sell home to pay back theft

A PATCHWAY woman who ripped off her own mother-in-law to the tune of £54,600 has to sell her home to pay up £10,300 of what she stole.

Mandy Russe, 47, and her daughter Keri, 22, were convicted of stealing the life savings of Kathleen Russe, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The money was used to buy numerous items and during the time of the offences, an extension was built on the Russe family's house in Patchway.

Although Mandy was jailed for a year, Keri was able to walk out of court after her six month sentence was suspended for a year.

She was later dealt with for immediately sending a text message to her grandmother, saying: "You've got your wish, you fat, ugly bitch. I hate your guts. I hope you burn in Hell. I would like to take that smirk off your face."

She had also texted: "You watch your back because I'm coming for you now."

Keri Russe, 22, of Stroud Road, Patchway, pleaded guilty to harming a witness.

After a trial in November she and her mother Mandy, of the same address, were sentenced after being convicted of fraud.
Yesterday a Proceeds of Crime hearing found Mandy Russe's criminal benefit to be £54,635.59.

She was ordered to pay her mother-in-law her available assets of £10,362.12 – from a house sale – in six months or face a further six months in prison in default.

Previously the court heard Kathleen Russe's bank account was pilfered to the tune of more than £45,000 and £16,000 of loans were taken out in her name by Mandy Russe and her daughter Keri.

At the time, Judge Carol Hagen said it was difficult to imagine a more serious breach of trust to defraud, over a period of time, an elderly woman of her life savings.

Mandy was found guilty after trial of six counts of making false representations to make a gain.

Keri, who lives with her mum and brother, was found guilty of two counts of retaining a wrongful credit.

Between the summer of 2007 and April 2009, at least £45,841 was transferred out of the Lloyds TSB account of Kathleen Russe, said to be in her 60s. During this time more than £16,000 worth of bank loans were also taken out in her name, without her permission.

The court was told Kathleen Russe's bank had repaid her the majority of the money stolen as well as the loans taken out in her name.
Mitigating for Mandy Russe at the time, Anna Vigars said her client had been left physically and "emotionally damaged" after being in an abusive marriage for a number of years.

After the hearing yesterday Dr Kirstie Cogram, manager of the Financial Investigation Unit of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We are committed to seizing any assets that criminals have gained as a result of crime.

"It is not acceptable that criminals benefit from illegal activities and we will relentlessly pursue them through the courts to ensure their money is returned to their victims.

"By doing this we show criminals that they will not benefit from crime and hopefully deter others from entering a life of crime."

Police say one in seven people knows someone living off the proceeds of crime.

For more information on making criminals pay visit www.takingthecashoutofcrime.com.
Source http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/