Your Debit Card: Don't Leave Home Without It

By Ilana Greene, Contributor

 Who among us can refuse the convenience of a credit card? Just pull it out and pay, regardless of if you really can afford it or not. Debit cards, well, not so much. As an extension of your checking account, you have to have the money right then and there to pay for your purchase. Also, debit cards cannot compare with credit cards when it comes to perks; flyer miles, gas cards, and money back offers make spending on your credit card appear as if you are earning, rather than spending money. Sometimes though, it is easy to get carried away.
According to the Federal Reserve, Americans carry a monthly average of $9,000 in credit card debt. That sounds a little above the average American’s expectations, not to mention a little above their ability for a quick pay down on debt.
Debit cards are a safer deal when you consider the factors: there’s little to no chance of running up a high debt on them, even taking overdraft into thought. On the downside, though, they come with little frills and even less rewards programs. Whatever perks debit cards did carry is being greatly reduced even as you read this, if not totally eradicated. Since the government passed the cap on swipe fees; the recent law sets a 21-cent cap on debit card swipe fees charged retailers by banks and lending institutions. Lenders, still apprehensive, have been pulling back the perks; they claim a potential loss of $14 – $19 billion. It seems now that banks have found a way to save their bottom line and somehow still offer perks on their debit cards.
Some banks are putting into place a new technology that will offer discounts to their customers on the retailers’ dime. The system will work something like this: when a banking customer logs into their online back account, there will be a tab which offers discounts available. When you find an offer that appeals to you, you activate the offer by clicking on it. The discount will be applied the next time your shop using your debit card at that retailer. So it seems like everybody wins:  the consumer gets a discount offer, the banks receive a commission on the sale, and the retailer sees an increase in business. This works as well for websites as it does for actual in-store shopping so the possibilities for this technology are potentially very impressive.
This may have impressive implications for the lending industry, in a slump due to the sluggish economy; this may be one more tool to get people back into the shopping malls and the internet shopping sites.  Right now the service is still grappling in its infancy, and let’s think about it, there are still too few perks. As it stands presently, a debit card can’t compete with the fun of applying for a credit card; there are just so many different rewards programs out there for a consumer to indulge in. Perhaps with time, the availability of these programs will expand as more people get used to shopping with their debit card. Soon you won’t leave home without it.

Delonte West is willing to work at Home Depot

By Tom Weir,

 One NBA player who won't be heading overseas during the lockout is Delonte West, because of legal problems related to weapons charges.

But he might be the guy who helps you in the lumber aisle at Home Depot.
West tweeted recently that he's looking for real work while his checks from the Boston Celtics aren't coming in, writing:

"It's official. Pride 2 the side. Just filled out a application at Home Depot. Lockout ain't a game."

In another tweet, West lamented that: "Can't even go get that overseas money. Judge said it's a no go on leaving the country."

West's salaries have included making $4.25 million with Cleveland in 2009.

Coast Bruce's home forever

IT'S hard to imagine anyone has had a more diverse working life than Bruce Toole. The man who is best known to a wider Gold Coast audience via Tooley's, the Main Beach bar and eatery, has seemingly done everything.
"My father Don was an engineer and specialised tool maker and he and my mother Joan raised seven children so as you can imagine it was always pretty hectic at home. In all I went to 13 different schools and with my surname of Toole I got into a lot of scraps. From the age of 12 I was running an orchard for a local farmer and It gave me a taste for making money and being independent which has stayed with me."
Bruce left school at 17 and took a job in Melbourne selling ladies hosiery. "As a rep back then I had to travel by tram to all my clients but after a couple of years an opportunity to sell insurance, mostly around the Melbourne wharves, came my way. The money was great but it was dangerous because the people I was dealing with were mostly gangsters or communists so you had to tread carefully." Realising that his health may be in jeopardy if he crossed the wrong person, Bruce's next career jump was into the rag trade working for Actil. Now 21 years of age, he was sent to be the area representative for South East Queensland. "The job involved a lot of travelling around all these great country towns and staying in the local pubs. The fridges were always stocked and an honour system prevailed - if you took a beer you simply left the money on the dresser. Great days!"
Married at 23 to Christine, a union which produced children Kelly and Adam, he lasted three more years before again jumping sideways and up, much like a knight in chess, to a stint with Gillette. "People ask me about selling but I was never afraid to approach people and my life has always involved meeting lots of different people so sales were simply a natural extension of my life." Then another career change working for Scott Bonnar which led Bruce to golf and bowls courses. "It dawned on me that there were an awful lot of golf courses which needed new machinery and to have their greens revitalised so in 1975 I established Programmed Turf Maintenance. The team became so good that they could turf an entire course in two days. We brought in tonnes of sand for the Kooralbyn course and I invented a grooming reel which would make the grass on bowling greens tighter but smoother."
In 1981 Bruce's marriage broke down, he sold his business and looking for something to do, started work for Brendan Edwards at Club Pacific. "Sport and fitness was something I enjoyed and I needed something to do. That gave me a thought about organising tennis and golf days. I established Sports Fun International and we ran events - didn't make a lot of money but we had some great parties," he grins. "At the same time I set up hot dog stands to operate outside the night clubs in Surfers Paradise. Backpackers would run them and I used to set it all up in my unit and then deliver the buns and sausages to the vendors." Those famous parties led then to another career change. "Ken Oliver was setting up Logan Farm frozen vegetables and I went to work with him. I became the buyer for all the produce which involved trips to America and buying massive amounts of vegetables."
By 1988 the entrepreneur in Bruce surfaced again when he established I.Q.F. Foods which at its peak was buying 1000 tonnes of capsicums per annum. That business is still operating and ever the one to find an opportunity, he and former F1 champion Alan Jones, went into business using the Malaysian Grand Prix circuit for an international driving academy. "Alan and I had a lot of fun with that but we ran into problems with some government officials and so I again changed direction. I had nothing to do and in 2002 the opportunity came up to establish Tooley's. In all it cost $1 million to set up and it took awhile for me to get used to running a restaurant. In the end it was great, the customers were fantastic and we never had any trouble but I decided to sell at what was a good time. My main business now is 'Compost Direct' which came about when I was visiting a mushroom grower and saw this compost going to waste. I had it all checked out by agricultural scientists, made an offer to buy the excess from the mushroom growing process and I've been doing this for four years."
If diversity is the spice of life, Bruce Toole would qualify as highly seasoned. His attitude of 'let's give it a go' has meant that he has a lifetime of wonderful memories.
Bruce Toole
I was born in: Melbourne in 1947
I arrived on the Gold Coast: The family moved to Brisbane in 1954 for a few years and we would come down to Surfers for weekends
I moved here: In 1981 because I had a business renovating golf courses

I called the Gold Coast home: When I joined the Volunteer Coast Guard in 1982
Source http://www.goldcoast.com.au/

The VA way to home finance

By Kenneth R. Harney

WASHINGTON — Picture a mortgage program that seems to defy many of the lessons of the housing bust:
• 91 percent of its borrowers make zero down payments.
• Loan amounts go well into the jumbo range, to $1 million and sometimes above, even with little or nothing down.
• Credit standards are flexible and generous. Underwriting rules encourage loan officers to look for ways to approve applications rather than to reject them.
• Mortgage originations are up, almost triple what they were just three years ago and are on track this year to exceed 2010's volume. The rest of the loan industry, by contrast, is down 25 to 30 percent.
You might assume that any home-loan program with come-ons like these must be swimming in bad mortgages, loaded down with serious delinquencies and foreclosures.
Yet this one, which gets relatively little attention in the media, has better mortgage performance than FHA and is comparable with some "prime" loan operations that have far more stringent credit rules.
Can you name this financing phenom? It's the Department of Veterans Affairs' home-loan guaranty program.
At a time when federal regulators are considering a mandatory 20 percent minimum down payment for most conventional mortgages, the VA program, which is restricted to veterans, offers important insights on how to get families into homes with little cash upfront, and to keep them out of foreclosure, even in tough economic times.
What's in the special recipe? Tops on the list: a combination of loan features that are by far the most attractive available in the current market.
While the FHA program also offers minimal down payments — 3.5 percent — the VA goes to zero even if you need a jumbo-sized loan.
Unlike low down-payment loans you can get from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and FHA, there are no monthly mortgage-insurance premiums.
VA loans do have an upfront "funding fee" that varies based on the down payment and other criteria. Currently this fee ranges from 2.15 percent for zero-down borrowers to 1.25 percent for applicants putting down 10 percent.
Most applicants opt to roll the fee into the loan amount and finance it over time.
The VA imposes no credit-score minimums. Its average FICO score is 708, compared with the 750 to 770 scores typical for Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-backed conventional mortgages at the best interest rates.
It does, however, require underwriters to look closely at credit-bureau reports and documented income to ensure that borrowers have the ability to repay their loans.
The agency is exceptionally flexible on seller contributions to help buyers pay closing costs, escrows and loan-origination charges — more lenient, in fact, than any other national program. That, in turn, can significantly lower the net cash outlays needed from borrowers at closing.
The VA also stretches debt-ratio norms when needed to help creditworthy, income-strapped borrowers get into a home. Though the official "back end" ratio of total household monthly debt to household income is 41 percent, lenders say the VA will let them push this higher, even to 55 percent, on a case-by-case basis.
With all these accommodations to borrowers, how is it that the VA's 90-day delinquency rate in the latest Mortgage Bankers Association study is 2.2 percent while the FHA's is 4.8 percent? Or its total seriously delinquent plus in-foreclosure rate for borrowers is 4.5 percent against the FHA's 8.04 percent and the conventional prime market (Fannie and Freddie) at 4.3 percent?
Michael Fratantoni, the association's vice president for research, says the VA's record "is remarkably good, given that they're allowing first-time buyers to get in with no down payments," which is traditionally linked to high defaults and foreclosures.
Michael Frueh, the program's acting director, says the key to the agency's quiet success is its nearly paternalistic emphasis on servicing its 1.5 million borrowers, moving early and quickly to intervene at the slightest hint of payment problems.
"At the end of the day we are veterans' advocates," he said. "We exist solely to help them," not only to afford to finance their homes but to remain in them.
In the past three years, the VA has instituted industry-leading techniques such as requiring lenders to establish "single point of contact" servicing systems, where customers deal with one person about their mortgage issues, rather than anonymous multitudes.
Could this mindset — intensive "advocacy" servicing as a borrower benefit built into the loan itself — be duplicated in other segments of the mortgage market?
Maybe the real question is: Why not?
Ken Harney's email address is kenharney@earthlink.net.

Four Easy Steps to Starting a Business With Little Money

by bhuber
Entrepreneurs start businesses every day without having a lot of money for operations. They rely upon making money by focusing on creating happy customers with sales of a good service or product. The best small business startups keep costs low and get their corporations launched with minimal capital.
Step one is to remember that a little money can go a long way. Many big companies started as home-based businesses. With today’s means of communicating, a service business seldom has face-to-face meetings. In fact, most clients don’t want to meet because they can’t spare the time. Order fulfillment services allow a product-oriented small business to contract for shipment of merchandise. There’s no need for a small operator to maintain a warehouse.
You can bring together colleagues as well as meet with customers or suppliers by utilizing temporary office space. In most metropolitan areas, there are providers of office space by the day or even by the hour. These facilities also include technology infrastructure such as Wi-Fi Internet and telephones.
Step two is learning to do things on your own instead of hiring an expert. Develop your own advertising; create your own website; maintain your own bookkeeping; prepare your own tax return. You may have to first locate some experts for initial help. But they will gladly direct you to resources for getting started. They often don’t charge anything because they know you don’t have enough money – yet. They hope you’ll succeed in business and eventually need to hire them to perform services you’ll no longer have time to complete yourself.
Step three is using suppliers who will ship orders to you on credit. If you need a piece of equipment, find a seller who will finance it for you. When you need inventory for resale, find a supplier who gives you 30 days to pay for it. You can even make arrangements for payment terms with office supplies. In fact, by obtaining the private-label credit cards of some office supply stores, you get a big discount on your first order.
Step four is to keep a lean workforce. Don’t hire someone to answer your phone and perform the filing when you can do that yourself. At some point, you’ll probably need to add employees. But that only occurs when absolutely necessary to keep the business operating smoothly.

It’s home comforts for Wednesday It’s home comforts for Wednesday

Sheffield have lost two of their opening three League One matches, but as both of those defeats came on the road, Gary Megson will hope his side can turn things around back on home soil, as they host Notts County.
Bookies are confident that the Owls can land their second maximum haul of the campaign, Partybets pricing them at even money to come out on top against the Magpies, who are 3/1 outsiders with Boylesports.
Totesport chalk 12/5 against the draw and it’s 9/1 (Sportingbet) to finish goalless at Hillsborough, where Betfred offer 9/2 for both halves to finish all square but Wednesday supporters will be hoping for a more positive result than that.
They’re 11/4 via bet365 to see their side shade it by a one-goal margin while Stan James quote Megson’s troops at 13/2 to record a 1-0 victory and Paddy Power offer 4/1 for the Owls to emerge triumphant despite going in on level terms at the break.
Buoyant Sheffield United managed to preserve their hundred percent record in midweek, battling back from two goals down to beat Walsall 3-2 and they’re 7/5 courtesy of Skybet to make it four wins from four as they head to Tranmere.
Rovers, underdogs at 2/1 (Victor Chandler), are in the top six having racked up a couple of victories so far and some might fancy Ladbrokes’ 12/5 for the spoils to be shared at Prenton Park.
However, the hosts will be deflated after conceding a late goal to lose in a midweek clash that saw two of their key players dismissed and the Blades are 17/2 (Totesport) to capitalise by finishing on the right side of a 2-1 scoreline.
Yet to pick up a point, Doncaster prop up the Championship table and things aren’t expected to improve in the short term for Rovers, who are as high as 5.0 (4/1) with Betdaq to overcome high-flying Derby County at Pride Park. A draw for Sean O’Driscoll’s charges would help stop the rot and Skybet quote them at 11/4 to get off the mark with a stalemate while it’s 7/1 (Stan James) to end one-each.
Barnsley too have found the going tough and like Doncaster, they’re huge outsiders, at 11/2 with Paddy Power, as they visit Reading. Bet365 post 3/1 against a stalemate at the Madejski Stadium and in the handicaps, the Tykes are given a goal start by Sportingbet at 5/4.
With just one point from three outings, Chesterfield are expected to return from MK Dons empty-handed, Betdaq rating them at 5.0 (4/1) to secure all three points and in League Two, early pacesetters Rotherham are odds-on at 8/11 with Totesport to continue their impressive winning run as they entertain Barnet.
Odds supplied by www.betrescue.com

Blackburn GP's car clamped on call

Exclusive By Nazia Parveen

 AN on-call doctor treating a severely disabled man in his Blackburn home has hit out after her car was clamped.
Dr Angela Parry, who works at Shadsworth Doctor’s Surgery, was about to leave for an urgent call out when she discovered the clamp on her Honda Jazz.
She immediately phoned National Clamps to tell them she was an on-call doctor but her pleas fell on deaf ears and she was forced to pay £80 to have the car released.
Yesterday the company defended its decision to enforce the fine stating: “We don't have different rules for doctors on call.”
Dr Parry had been visiting grandfather, Andrew Carter, who has mobility and memory problems following a road crash which left him in a coma for seven months.
His one-bed bungalow in Stonyhurst Close is owned by Twin Valley Homes housing association, which employs National Clamps to look after the car park.
Residents are able to park there with a permit.
Dr Parry, who has been practising in the area for almost 20 years, said she had been in Mr Carter's home for less than 15 minutes when her car was clamped on Wednesday afternoon.
The 48-year-old said: "I had come to see Mr Carter because he was in too much pain to walk to the surgery.
"I was in his house for a very short time examining him and when I left I was horrified to discover that my car had been clamped."
The doctor said she rang the clamping firm and explained she was an on call doctor but was told she would have to pay to be released as she did not have a permit.
She said: "I told them that I was a GP visiting a man who was in pain but they just wouldn't listen and were determined to get money off me."
After a long discussion with the operator, the doctor agreed to pay the fine as she was running late for an urgent call out.
She said parking attendants arrived at the car park minutes after the phone call ended.
"They must have just been around the corner,” Dr Parry said.
“It was disgraceful because I tried to show them my ID but they just ignored me.
"They were completely unsympathetic and heartless.
"I felt very sorry for Mr Carter who felt really guilty about the whole thing.
"I was shocked that people could be so uncaring. What if it was one of their relatives who I had been visiting?"
The doctor is now appealing against the decision and has written to the clamping firm.
Mr Carter, who requires regular care and visits from carers and his local GPs at Shadsworth Surgery, said visitors to his home had been 'hounded' by the attendants.
He said that over the past few months two doctors and one carer have been clamped and forced to pay out an £80 fine to have their cars released.
Mr Carter, who was left disabled after being knocked over by a car in Davy Lane, Blackburn, on Boxing Day in 2007, described the attendants as 'vultures'.
He said: "I am unable to travel very far because I have problems with my foot and my leg and I need people to come to the house.
"The carers come and give me a shower and make sure that I'm ok and the doctors come to treat me. It is disgraceful that they keep getting clamped.”
Paul Watters, from the AA, slammed the attendants and said they had crossed a 'moral line'.
He said: "If you are a doctor on call you should get special treatment and you should not be clamped.
"This is completely unacceptable and what is worse is that they probably won't reimburse the doctor even though she has provided evidence.
"It is all about making money. We are hoping that these clamping businesses will soon be outlawed.
"For all they knew someone could have been suffering as they delayed this doctor from doing her job and the fact that they did not let her go without paying the fine is outrageous."
Local councillor, Mohammed Khan, said: "It is really sad and disgraceful and I will be visiting Mr Carter and speaking to Twin Valley Homes to try and resolve this situation."
Trevor Whitehouse, a director at the Preston-based firm clamping firm, defended the decision and said his staff would continue to clamp on-call doctors.
He said: "You need a permit and we don't have different rules for doctors on call.
"If you don't display a permit you will be clamped and charged for your vehicle's release.
"Our staff will not listen and once they have put the clamp on it is staying on until you have paid- we can't listen to excuses."
Ian Bell, Twin Valley Homes’ Head of Housing, said: “We introduced permit parking in this area on the request of tenants as people visiting the town centre regularly used this area.
“Every tenant is issued with a parking permit but they can apply for more so that visitors and carers etc can park close to the property.
“We sympathise with what has happened to Mr Carter but we’d urge him to contact us as soon as possible so we can avoid this happening again in the future.”

Home Equity Loans – Understanding the Basics

What аrе the typical considerations when purchasing a real estate property? When а home fоr sale catches уоur attention, what do уоu have іn mind? Is it the price of thе house? Is it thе money in your bank? Or wіll іt bе thе money thаt уоu cаn make eaсh month? Location, number of bedrooms; јuѕt еxaсtlу whаt runs іn уour mind? Well, all of thеѕe things аre what goеѕ іn the mind оf а home buyer. If yоu don’t hаve thе money tо pay іn cash then you are probably thinking of applying for a mortgage loan.
If уоu arе а typical buyer who don’t have thе budget to purchase a real estate property or limited due tо a bad credit thеn you will find home equity loan attractive. It іs а type оf home mortgage loan thаt will аllоw уоu to borrow even а huge amount of money provided that thе house serves аѕ thе collateral. It makes it secured for thе lender who wіll nоt worry аbоut default payments. Thus, іt аlsо benefits thе borrower fоr ensuring that the mortgage іs thе priority whеn budgeting.
Benefits
There аrе many reasons why the home loan equity іs а smart choice. These include:
1. Good credit score is nоt a requirement hеnce qualifying іѕ easier- you dоn’t need that credibility tо avail thіs loan. After all, уоu саn’t run awaу with the house.
2. It offers a competitive annual percentage rate- іt lets you assess thе mortgage loan cost in terms оf percentage. Say for instance, the loan rate is 10% and thе applied loan cost іѕ $10,000. Your interest rate for thе year wіll be $1,000 whіch yоu cаn then divide by 12.
3. Huge amount of loans іѕ available- аs mentioned earlier, thіs type оf loan offers lеѕѕ risk in case of default payments. The lender cаn easily collect ѕіnсе the house serves аѕ collateral
4. It uѕuallу offers mortgage loans that аre tax deductible
Apart frоm the benefits of home equity loan, it сan alsо offer dіffеrent purposes thаt are nоt relevant to real estate property acquisition suсh аѕ payment fоr college education, refinancing, consolidation of high-interest debts and it саn only bе uѕed јuѕt fоr home renovation оr remodeling.
Downside
You may find home equity loan vеry generous and helpful however, it is wise to know іtѕ downside. For one, уou сan be homeless thе moment you default in payment. Thus, it іѕ thе moѕt common type of loan that ѕome scammers uѕe tо takе hold оf somеоne else’s valuable property. Make ѕure thаt еvеry transaction iѕ documented.
Some tips to remember when availing home equity loans include choosing frоm variety оf sources such аs credit unions, banks аnd brokers; reach out to friends and relatives fоr connections; аnd compare rates available. Also, remember thаt applying for a loan iѕ а huge decision thаt requires logical analysis and considerations. Your real estate property is at stake. If уоur purpose of availing а loan іs nоt as important as уоur house, cоnѕidеr loоkіng around for оther types оf loans.
On the California Central Coast, a mortgage іn San Luis Obispo оr Santa Maria сan offer great rates vіa credit unions. Check intо уour diffеrеnt options at sites like http://www.coasthills.coop/.
Source http://www.climbthenet.com/

Chelsea Club Focus - Villas Boas prepares for first home game as West Brom come to town

By Ajit Sharma

Chelsea take on West Bromwich Albion on Saturday in their second game of the season, and for the new manager Andre Villas-Boas, it is a chance to get things back on track. However, it will not be an easy task, as a resurgent West Brom side will be looking to shut out the Blues. Roy Hodgson’s side gave Manchester United a run for their money last Sunday and were unfortunate to walk away without a point. They will no doubt seek to build from that performance when they play last season’s runners-up.
After a successful pre-season, Chelsea got off to an uncharacteristic start to the campaign. The Blues held the record for best starts in the Premier League, but to the frustration of the travelling support had to settle for a point at the Hawthorns. To make matters worse, fans had to watch title rivals Manchester United take an early lead in the points table. Despite being early in the campaign the importance of a good start has proven to do wonders for a team’s chances of winning the league.

This will be Chelsea’s first game at home, and the manager will be expected to register a big win. The Blues were unfortunate to be denied a penalty in the game against Stoke City, and in the aftermath of it all, Tony Pulis managed to take a swipe at Villas-Boas. The Stoke manager blasted the 33-year-old, who objected to the constant shoving and pulling by Stoke defenders, telling him to man up to the nature of the Premier League, but stressed there was no problem between the two bosses, claiming the comments from his Chelsea counterpart were blow out of proportion. The scenario will only make Villas-Boas’ response on the pitch all the more important this Saturday.

It will be interesting to see if the Portuguese manager makes any changes to the team which was held by Stoke last weekend. John Obi Mikel has made himself available for the game despite the abduction of his father last week. In attack, Salomon Kalou would stand the highest chance of being left out following his poor performance. The Ivorian was guilty of giving the ball away all too easily, and failed to credit the manager’s trust in giving him a starting place.

Nicolas Anelka came on to play an impressive cameo and almost scored, which could earn the Frenchman a starting place, this week. Josh McEachran would be most likely to take over from Mikel if the Nigerian does not feature.

The last time these two sides locked horns at Stamford Bridge it ended with a 6-0 win for the home side, and it would definitely send a strong message if Villas-Boas could somehow manage a repeat of that performance.

Telcos need to find new ways to make money

By: Paolo G. Montecillo
The past year and a half has arguably been one of the toughest times for local telecommunications industry.
Usually regarded as one of the most profitable companies in the country, Philippine telcos were suddenly faced with a maturing market and stiff competition that made margins alarmingly thin.
Paris-based Alcatel Lucent, however, feels that the best of times for the telecom industry still lies ahead. But to get to the proverbial promised land, companies need to change the way they make money, and fast.
“The free ride is over,” says Wims Sweldens, president of Alcatel Lucent’s wireless division.
In the next few years, he says telecommunications will become a bigger part of everyday life than it ever has before.
For the past decade, telecom companies have been content with providing electronic “pipes” where data in the form of voice calls, text messages and more recently, Internet content pass through.
This was fine at first, when companies only had to deal with calls and texts from one user to another, and subscribers were charged accordingly.
No longer a mere pipe
But today’s age of broadband Internet-where consumers’ voracious appetite for more content and faster speeds is rivaled only by their reluctance to let go of their hard-earned money—being a mere “pipe” will no longer cut it.
Sweldens’ challenge is how to keep up with the explosion of Internet use, which has put a massive strain on mobile phone networks, while at the same time finding ways to get consumers to pay up.
“The challenge is that revenues are not increasing, but bandwidth is growing exponentially,” he says in a recent interview with the Inquirer’s Business Friday. Sweldens says the way forward for telecommunications companies would not be easy, but if successful, their efforts would be rewarded.
The first step, Sweldens says, would be to increase revenues by charging different rates for different applications. “Today, the way telcos operate is that they treat each (kilobyte) the same way. But the end-users’ willingness to pay varies from bit to bit,” Sweldens says.
Sweldens adds companies still consider Internet connectivity as a service in itself. A shift will have to happen that will make the Internet a mere vehicle to deliver different kinds of services, each of which will be charged a different rate.
The importance of different Internet applications differ from user to user, Sweldens says. In the Philippines, for instance, most families use the Internet to stay in touch with their loved ones abroad through video-calling applications like Skype.
Treating ‘bits’ the same
“What telcos are doing today is they are treating all ‘bits’ the same. But flat plans are a bad idea in the long-term,” Sweldens says.
Sweldens says by charging different rates for different “over-the-top” applications, instead of just offering unlimited Internet connection plans for flat monthly fees, companies will post better margins while delivering improved services to consumers.
He adds that the revenues earned for delivering different services should be directly proportional to the amount of strain these services put on a telco’s network.
Heavy applications such as voice calling will be delivered more reliably, but will be a bit more expensive. Conversely, lighter applications such as posting tweets or sending e-mails will be cheaper.
But telcos should not just pass the buck to its consumers. A larger part of the burden should be carried by companies as well by improving the way their network infrastructure works to make it more efficient.
He says delivering better services to consumers was not merely a matter of building a “bigger pipe” by accelerating spending.
‘Light radio’
This is where revolutionary technologies such as Alcatel Lucent’s “light radio” comes in. But Sweldens says the new device, which looks more at home in a child’s playpen than in the hands of the world’s brightest engineers, will spell the “death of the base station.”
“This will let operators build up their networks in a fundamentally new way in order to deal with growing data traffic while reducing cost of ownership,” Sweldens says.
Sweldens says what the company has been able to do is to shrink a cell phone tower and all of its components into a six-centimeter cube. A single cube, which supports 2G, 3G and 4G mobile frequencies, can cover a radius of about 300 to 400 meters. And thanks to the cube’s modular design, operators simply need to add more cubes to cover a larger area or to serve more subscribers.
Using “light radio” technology also consumes as much as 50 percent less electricity, resulting in massive savings for telcos, not to mention the fact that they no longer have to build big base stations. These savings can then be passed on to consumers in the form of lower rates.
“There will be no rent, no need to send crews. All of that operating cost disappears,” Sweldens says. “Everywhere around the world, operators are running out of space. All users want five bars of signal on their devices, but no one wants to live next to a cell tower,” he says.
Sweldens adds that since these smaller antennas can be deployed almost anywhere with minimal cost, subscribers will experience better network coverage. It also promotes the better utilization of precious bandwidth capacity.
“What’s happening in the Philippines is happening around the world. The challenge for operators is how to grow their networks efficiently,” Sweldens says.

Alex Salmond seeking cut in 'conservatory tax'

By Eddie Barnes

Political Editor

A "CONSERVATORY tax" cut should be considered by UK ministers to help boost the country's flatlining economy, Alex Salmond has declared, in a fresh call for measures to stop the country plunging into a double-dip recession.

The First Minister has backed a targeted reduction in VAT on home improvement works, such as extensions and repairs, in the hope it could convince homeowners to press the button on long-standing plans to make over their properties.

A cut from 20 per cent to 5 per cent, as backed by the construction trade, would take £750 off the cost of a £5,000 extension. Industry backers of a targeted VAT cut claim the time is right to stimulate such work, as many homeowners have given up on the property market and are instead thinking about using spare cash to improve their existing home.

But the UK Treasury warned last night that, before it could be considered, there would have to be far more work done to ensure the Exchequer did not lose too much money.

Mr Salmond's call came amid warnings the next set of GDP data for Scotland could show it back in negative growth, and after labour market figures on Tuesday showed a sudden increase in unemployment across the UK.

The economic turmoil continued yesterday, as worldwide stocks tumbled again and some £62 billion was wiped off the value of companies in the FTSE 100 index.

Chancellor George Osborne is coming under fierce pressure from both Labour and the SNP to ease up on his deficit reduction strategy, amid claims it is not only cutting Britain's debts, but also choking off the prospects of growth.

Mr Salmond has argued that the best way to inject a stimulus into the economy is by an increase in government capital spending, which would allow it to build more roads, buildings and infrastructure works, while boosting the construction sector.

He has held back from backing the call of shadow chancellor Ed Balls for a temporary across-the-board VAT cut. But he said specific VAT reductions should be considered in addition to capital spending increases.

He said: "There may be a case for cutting VAT in certain sectors, for example in home improvement. That would be an excellent initiative to cut VAT there to get a stimulus in that part of the sector."

The First Minister's comments were backed by the Scottish Building Federation (SBF) and other business groups.

In a survey two years ago, the SBF found 50 per cent of those asked said they would spend more on improving their home if VAT was cut to 5 per cent.

Colin Borland, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "There are a great number of people who are not moving house who are instead thinking of getting some work done on their property. If we cut VAT to 5 per cent, it makes it a bit more practical.

"If you are lucky enough to have pounds in the bank, it is not making much difference, given the low rates of interest. You are as well investing that money in the value of your home."

But house builders warned that there could be unintended consequences, damaging to the economy, as the VAT cut could discourage people from buying a new property.

Homes for Scotland chief executive Jonathan Fair said: "Whilst we recognise this might be an attractive stimulus for the repair and maintenance sector, a new measure which encourages people to stay in an existing property when they might alternatively be considering buying a new home would have a negative impact on our industry."

The pressure on UK ministers for a second stimulus has mounted in recent weeks on the back of the stormy economic conditions, which prompted some analysts to raise fresh concerns yesterday of a global double-dip recession.

Home is where the art is for Helen

By Jo Davison

 Is your home ruling your life – or lacking a heart? Call in the Home Coach
There’s a menu on the wall of her kitchen and it’s not from the local takeaway.
It lists a week’s evening meals, the times at which they will be served and which family members will be sitting down to eat them.
Helen Moyes is one of those women you would love to hate, if only you secretly didn’t wish you could be as beautifully organised as she.
She is a home-maker to the core, a practical soul who has family life all wrapped up – with a ribbon on it.
And now the Ecclesall mother of three is offering to impart her knowledge to others so that they too can make their house a happy, well-run home.
Helen is no Stepford Wife attempting to shackle women to their Stardropped kitchen sinks, however. She is a professional home-maker; she’s got a qualification in it.
She trained as a Home Economist at the former Sheffield Polytechnic. “People think that’s just cooking. It’s not; I studied everything from the best methods of cleaning to time-management and household budgeting,” she says.
And she believes that her skills, once so prized, then scorned as old-fashioned and unnecessary, are right back in fashion.
In the hardest of times, people go back to traditional values. They want to go home.
Only, the return journey is proving difficult.
There’s a science to home-making and you need to know the formulas.
Before women got careers and families went to the four winds, The Knowledge was passed down from generation to generation. But what now?
Cue Helen the Home Coach. She will arrive on your doorstep, a cross between Mary Poppins and Nigella Lawson, a hybrid of Kim, Aggie and your bank manager. She will guide you through the domestic mire. She may even have a poke around in your fridge and tell you what to cook for a week’s worth of family suppers while she’s at it.
The Home Coach strives first to find what clients feel is lacking in their homes, or in themselves as home-makers, then sets about giving them the know-how to improve things. Everything from cooking to cleaning, saving money and reducing waste, decorating and decluttering to getting a grip on paperwork.
The elderly widower whose wife did everything needs to learn how to plan and cook healthy meals and how to tackle the kitchen floor.
The career mother who has spent vast amounts of money on cleaners and ready-meals and suddenly needs to pull her horns in. The young couple who don’t believe their basic cookery skills could stretch to hosting a dinner party... All are candidates for home coaching.
Says Helen: “Homes do need to be managed, but people have lost the art.
When people come to me they are often a bit overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Or they’re worried they will mess things up . A lot of the problem is about a lack of skills, but even more of it is about a lack of confidence.”
A teacher at family centres too, the most common problem she encounters is the inability to cook meals.
“So many women tell me they can’t cook and that really saddens me,” she says, all the while making wholegrain bread as casually as if she were washing dishes. “Cooking can be such a relaxation and so satisfying too.
Knowing you can have friends round for supper, or you could organise your own child’s birthday party is a great feeling. It’s empowering.”
Is she a domestic goddess? She laughs heartily. “Only as far as I want to be. I’d hate to have a perfect home; I want one that my family feels happy in. And I’m not out to turn our home into a place so spick and span you won’t want anyone to sit on the sofa.
“My very best tip is don’t get obsessed,” she adds, rolling out dough into fat sausages and flat little patties. “I think an immaculate home is the sign of a mis-spent life.”
The way a home looks can also cause families to feel uncomfortable, “That can be because the place is too cluttered, but it can also be because they’ve gone too far down the minimalist line and the place is too neat and clinical.” says Helen.
Her period semi isn’t like a showhouse; the soft furnishings are home-made rather than designer home store. Tidy but not clinically so, it feels homely and well-used (a description she takes as a compliment). But here and there, I spot eye-opening examples of her practical aplomb. The toilet roll dispenser in the loo? Industrial-sized, it must contain a dozen rolls.
The colourful clutter on the shelving unit as you walk into the kitchen? It’s not clutter at all. It’s a carefully co-ordinated filing system worthy of any office, on which the smooth-running of the house hangs.
There are files for bills, files for appointments, a file even for takeaway menus – the Moyes family are just as partial to the occasional fast-food treat as you or I.
Ten minutes have passed; Helen has taken the flatbreads out of the oven, fished around in her fridge for the houmous she made earlier and presented me with a plateful. The perfect hostess, she has already given me tea – with a choice of flavours and milk – and home-made apricot couscous cake.
She reckons there is an increased call for skills like hers as families who bought in the services of a small domestic army – everyone from odd-job men to ironing ladies – cut back on the household budget, then realise they don’t know how to do the things themselves.
“My learning in the art of home-making started through watching and then trying out: cooking and baking from my grandmother; gardening from my grandfather; cleaning and juggling work and family from my mother; sewing from my auntie. But we don’t all have these people around us any more,” she explains.
Divorce, another sign of the times, could also bring more clients. Men who have always relied on their wives to keep the food cupboards stocked, women who put all the home finances in the hands of their husbands; all need to learn how to cope solo.
Helen plans to come in on a professional basis and give the gentle support and advice that a friend of a family member would have done – on a one-off visit or through a series of coaching sessions. Her maximum charge is £25 an hour, but she hopes to introduce cheaper phonecall and Skype coaching, too. After all, saving money is always top of a good home-economist’s agenda.
Helen’s top tips
Cleaning
Hot water is just as good at cleaning floors of dirt and bacteria as a cleaning fluid. I know; I’ve tested it.
White vinegar is very cheap and great for cleaning windows, baths and sinks and de-greasing kitchen blinds and appliances.
Bicarbonate of soda is a multi-purpose cleaning product. You can even use a small bowl of it as a room de-deodoriser. It even absorbs the smell of fresh paint.
When your spray bottle of anti-bacterial household fluid runs out, make your own with 500ml of water, a drop of washing up liquid and six drops of tea tree oil.
Invest in a good micro-fibre mop. They absorb dirt very efficiently.
When it gets really grubby, pop the head in the washing machine.
Cooking
Don’t think you need to rush out and buy something for tea. Look at what you’ve got in the fridge and work out how to make a meal out of it. Most of the time, it is possible.
Plan in advance what you’re going to eat each night. But don’t be too inflexible; menus can swap days and times can change to suit the family.
Grow as much of your own food as you can
Put leftovers into plastic containers and treat them as ready meals. Grab one from the fridge or freezer and have a home-made meal in minutes.
Be sensible about sell-by dates. There’s not a lot that’s going to spoil in a bag of flour.
Home organisation
Keep only the things that mean something to you
Keep the house tidy by assigning each family member their own basket or bag. Put anything you find around the house into the appropriate bags.
Everyone knows where to look when they can’t find something they left lying around – and the house is tidier.
Design your own home filing system. It will help you keep on top of bills and you’ll be able to find every piece of paper you need.
Helen would like to hear your household tips. Contact her at www.homecoaching.co.uk

Your ultimate college packing list (and hints for what to leave at home)

By Jenna Johnson

Walk into any major retailer this time of year and you can usually find a long checklist of everything you need to buy for a dorm room. Keep in mind that those lists were compiled by a company looking to make money — not to help you pack only the essentials. In the wise words of Cynthia Bell, a rising senior at Seton Hall University: “You aren’t going to Antarctica. You are going to college.”
So here are some of my suggestions for what to pack (and not to pack) as you head off to school. I will also be online Friday at 11 a.m. to answer questions about moving to college.  

Bedding: Most dorm beds require extra-long twin sheets, and one set is all you need, as long as you regularly do laundry. Pack a comforter — and extra blankets if you are headed to a cold region. You will also need a pillow or two, but there’s really no need for decorative throw pillows that will likely end up on the floor. (Shown to the right, bedding from Dormify.)
Entertaining: Decide who in your room should bring a television. Buying one? Get the one that weighs the least — the dad who has to haul it up five flights of stairs in August heat will thank you. Sign up for a Netflix or Hulu membership, or put your favorite DVDs into a small binder (they’ll take up less space). Most guys (and some women, too) like to bring all their gaming equipment. Make sure to pack extra controllers so new friends can play.
Dining: Remember, if you live on campus most of your meals will be eaten in the dining hall, so there’s no need for a full kitchen setup in your room. Check with your roommates to see who will bring a small refrigerator, microwave and a can opener. Bring a few microwave-safe plates and bowls, basic silverware, a coffee mug, a plastic cup and a water bottle. Remember, the more dishes you own, the more tempting it will be to let them pile up in your sink. (Shown above are plates from Crate and Barrel, and mugs from Anthropologie.) Studying: Most dorm rooms come equipped with a desk, chair, trash can and basic lighting, but check to make sure. Buy a loud alarm clock unless you use your phone to wake up. You’ll probably want a small study lamp for your desk that you can use when your roommate is asleep. Along those lines, also bring earbuds.
Nearly all college students bring a laptop or computer to campus. See if your roommate wants to share a printer and a power strip to maximize your limited electrical outlets. And don’t forget all of your chargers for your phone, laptop, camera, MP3 player and other electronics.
You will also need notebooks, pens, pencils and all of the other basic supplies you routinely bought in high school. (Shown above are notebooks at Target.)
Washing: You will likely use communal showers your first year at school, so don’t forget a sturdy pair of flip-flops, bathrobe, and caddy to hold your shampoo, conditioner, body wash and other toiletries. Also pack a few washcloths and towels that aren’t too thick and will dry quickly while hanging on a hook. You may also want a full-length mirror. You need a laundry basket, detergent and a basic understanding of sorting brights from whites. A lot of students pack ironing boards and irons, but few actually use them. Decorating: This dorm room will be your home for the next nine months, so make it look homey. Many roommates like to put a small whiteboard on their door so people can leave notes. Pack photos of friends and family that can decorate your walls, along with posters or artwork you created. You might also want a colorful rug to cover up an aging floor. (Shown on the left are posters at Urban Outfitters.)
Clothing: Bring your favorite clothes and comfortable shoes, but don’t feel the need to bring everything. Pack one or two outfits that would work for job interviews or fancy dinners. Don’t forget workout clothes and pajamas you wouldn’t mind everyone seeing you in during a 4 a.m. fire-alarm pull. And don’t forget to pack an umbrella. Seriously, an umbrella is important.
Other random things: Bring a first-aid kit, bandages and a few over-the-counter medications. Although your dorm floor will likely have a vacuum cleaner you can use, pack paper towels and an all-purpose cleaning solution. Pack a flashlight for emergencies (or late-night adventures). Bring at least one novel to read for fun. Oh, and a framed photo of your family. Things not to bring: Leave your high school years at home — that means your yearbooks, letterman jacket, prom corsage and huge pile of club T-shirts. You are starting a new chapter in your life, and you need room for new momentos. (Like these odd James Madison University-branded boots, shown on the right.)
Most campuses are not far from stores selling things such as toothpaste and bottled water, so there’s no need to stock your tiny room like a Costco.
Most dorm rooms come fully stocked with all necessary furniture and there’s likely no room for any more. And someone probably gave you a tool set for graduation, but at most you need a screwdriver, hammer and sticky tabs to hang stuff on your walls.
Don’t bring candles, hot plates, space heaters or anything else that could set your dorm ablaze. And don’t bring alcohol, drugs, weapons or anything else illegal. On that note, check your college’s rules for what’s allowed and what’s not.

Pearl River spill cleanup gives laborers chance to help, make money

By Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Times-Picayune
Armed with hard hats, life vests and rakes, more than 100 men and women braved baking temperatures and stomached nauseating odors on Thursday to start picking up thousands of fish killed in the Pearl River system late last week by a dumped chemical mixture that depleted much more oxygen in the water than usual.

 Most of the hired hands that boarded dozens of boats for the task came from Louisiana and Mississippi communities surrounding the waterway, and a few of them were motivated by a desire to aid both their neighbors and themselves.
“It’s an opportunity to get decent pay,” said Teresa Parker, 38, who made the short drive from her home in Slidell to a temporary cleanup employment tent erected at Crawford Landing on the West Pearl River. “I wanted to help (the area), too.”
Others, though, felt they were rescuing waters that fisheries, swamp tour operators and transportation depend on.
Commercial fisherman Paul Guchereau, of Picayune, Miss., said his family so loves the Pearl that his 8-year-old son already fishes it aboard his own miniature, motorized pontoon boat.
“It’s a way of life here,” he said.
Many who sought work arrived at Crawford Landing by daybreak. Representatives of Integrated Pro Services LLC of New Orleans, which was contracted to recruit the labor to clean up the substantial fish kill blamed on the Temple-Inland paper plant in Bogalusa, turned some applicants away because they did not show up with adequate footwear. Others were denied because they resided in places not near the Pearl River — St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis had previously negotiated to have the majority of cleanup jobs given to those living in areas affected by the paper mill’s dump.
New Orleans resident Ronald Thomas, 44, was among those who left empty-handed. Though at least some media outlets did report that the labor available would go to those who lived along the river, he complained that officials did not do enough to alert the public.
“It costs money to come up here,” Thomas said as he walked back to his car. “Don’t get us out here and then send us home.”
Grueling condition
Miserable conditions awaited those who Integrated Pro Services did sign up on behalf of the firm Arcadis, which was asked to oversee the cleanup. After receiving their equipment and brief safety training, workers sailed into mid-90s heat and the pungent, rotting smell emanating from perished fish and shellfish.
Numerous species died after Temple-Inland discharged into the river a mixture of pulp from the paper-manufacturing process and other chemicals at levels exceeding the plant’s environmental permits. Officials have blamed an equipment malfunction at the plant for the substance’s higher-than-normal levels. They suspect it drastically reduced oxygen levels in the Pearl and its tributaries, suffocating thousands of fish.
On Thursday, the workers used rakes, hooks and gloved hands to fish out the carcasses and store them in black trash bags.
Some of the bodies floated on the surface, and others had washed up on logs drifting in the waterway. One spot was so tightly packed with dead fish that it appeared as if the carcasses paved a roadway atop the river surface.
A breath of fresh air was impossible to find. Apparently none of the sweat-drenched laborers wore breathing masks of any kind — just their construction workers’ helmets, orange-colored life vests, T-shirts and jeans or shorts.
In all, about 50 boats carrying some 160 people had scattered along the river by the early afternoon, said Abby Cruz of Integrated Pro Services.
According to St. Tammany Parish spokeswoman Suzanne Parsons Stymiest, the crews were also equipped with clipboards and pens to document the types of fish they collected. Gov. Bobby Jindal has said that Temple-Inland — which has cautiously admitted responsibility in the situation — may be investigated for possible violations of the Endangered Species Act.
The Temple-Inland facility’s wastewater has already killed at least 10 Gulf sturgeon, a federally-protected species that lives much of its adult life offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and moves into rivers to spawn in the spring and summers.
Other endangered species that may have been in the black liquor’s path are the ringed map turtle, also known as the ringed sawback turtle, and the inflated heelsplitter mussel.
Davis said officials do not know how long it may take to remove the dead fish, which prevents decaying carcasses from continuing to deplete oxygen in the waterway.
Potential for more fish deaths reduced
Early into the cleanup, environmental scientist Jeff Dauzat of the Department of Environmental Quality expressed optimism about the river’s resilience to the fish kill.
The substance that sparked the crisis had been “diluted, dissipated and assimilated” by more than 70 miles of river it had flowed through, he said. There is still depleted oxygen in the black liquor plume, but “it is high enough to sustain aquatic life,” Dauzat added.
Therefore, the DEQ does not expect water quality in the Rigolets, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne to suffer. The Rigolets connects the western, middle and eastern portions comprising the Pearl River to Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne.
Dauzat attributed any dead fish that have appeared or do appear in the Rigolets and the lakes as the situation resolves itself to tides and currents that pushed them there.
“The potential for fish deaths at this point have been greatly reduced,” he said.
Meanwhile, in other developments, Slidell-based lawyer Tom Thornhill filed a class action lawsuit Wednesday against Temple-Inland on behalf of people owning either land or businesses affected by the black liquor release.
Thornhill’s office asks those who may qualify for representation in the suit, which was filed in the 22nd Judicial District Court covering Washington and St. Tammany parishes, to call 985.641.5010.

Religious retreat calls Vineland home

VINELAND -- If you blink, you could just about miss the entrance to Malaga Camp Meeting as you cruise along Delsea Drive near the northern tip of Cumberland County.
But that might be the way residents want it.
The camp consists of more than 100 decades-old cottages spaced just a few feet apart on tree-lined streets that make up a grid of several blocks.
It's a quaint community, seemingly immune to the effects of time, organized around a large center square with an indoor/outdoor tabernacle where the residents worship regularly.In all, 140 homes sit on the 25-acre grounds.Malaga Camp long has been a nondenominational retreat for people of faith to worship and live among one another in the summer.
Some residents live in their homes there year-round.
Summer residents, who come from all over, view their stay as a vacation, in addition to an opportunity for spiritual reflection.
Though she doesn't have to travel far to get to Malaga Camp, longtime summer resident Gail Eisenlohr of Pitman finds exactly what she's looking for year after year: an escape from the same-old same-old.
"It's not miles and miles away, but you have a sense of being in a different place," Eisenlohr said.
Streets are barely wide enough for cars. Residents zip around the community in golf carts.
In the summer, cars are banned on streets close to the community's center, where the Rev. Paul Pedrick Memorial Tabernacle is located. The tabernacle seats 600. Pedrick, who is deceased, was president of Malaga Camp for 29 years.
The grounds also are home to an ice cream parlor, dining hall, pool and historical society.
It all began 142 years ago, according to the Rev. John C. Robbins, a Bridgeton native who has been president of Malaga Camp for the past three years.
Methodist ministers pitched tents in the woods and conducted temporary revival-style worship events at the site.
The permanent community grew out of that.
"It evolved into more and more of a structured thing," Robbins said.
Residents own their cottages -- prices average $25,000 -- although they lease land from the camp meeting association. They must pass an interview process to receive association approval to live on the grounds.
Source http://www.thedailyjournal.com/

Rick Perry: Climate Change Is A Hoax Drummed Up By Scientists Looking To Make Money

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is a conservative Republican, and as such he does not believe that climate change is caused by human activity. But Perry went one step further than most in the mainstream climate change denier community on the presidential campaign trail in New Hampshire Wednesday, stating flatly that scientists drum up phony climate change data to make a buck.

TPM SLIDESHOW: A Bunch Of Hot Air? Climate Change Skeptics Gather In Washington

"A substantial number of scientists [have] manipulated data to keep the money rolling in," New Hampshire Union Leader editorial page editor Drew Cline quoted Perry saying on the stump in a tweet. Before that, Cline quoted Perry saying, "I do believe the issue of global warming has been politicized."
Another Granite State reporter listening to Perry, this one from New Hampshire Public Radio, tweeted that Perry said "Scientists are 'coming forward daily' to disavow a 'theory that remains unproven.'"
Climate skeptics love Perry, and this kind of rhetoric is why. While Mitt Romney is out and about on the campaign trail agreeing with the overwhelming scientific status quo on the topic, Perry appears poised to take up a view of climate change on the presidential campaign trail that would be right at home in a Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) floor speech.
Perry has been pushing the doctored science line for a while now. As ThinkProgress reported Monday, Perry's book, Fed Up! takes a look a climate science and finds it to be "all one contrived phony mess that is falling apart under its own weight."
His climate views are legendary among the conservatives. No less than Grover Norquist -- who knows a thing or two about ideological purity -- told Politico there was no chance Perry would go all wishy-washy on climate change if he wins the White House.
"If Perry was president, one of the things I'd not worry about is a carbon tax," he said. "I'd worry about big spiders eating New Jersey first."Update: Here's Perry's full quote, as reported
by National Journal:

Bureaucracy snarls Ontario home-care, groups say

By Pauline Tam, Ottawa CitizenOntario's home-care system is too bureaucratic, with too much taxpayer money being wasted on administration and not enough going to frontline services, two health-care watchdog groups charge.
The inefficiencies create long delays for the frail, sick and elderly who depend on inhome care to stay out of overcrowded hospitals and nursing homes, the groups say.
Ahead of a provincial election in October, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents 50,000 health-care workers across the province, and the Ontario Health Coalition, a pro-medicare group, launched a campaign Wednesday to make home-care reform a priority.
The groups called on the McGuinty government to change the way it rewards contracts to agencies that provide homecare services, which "has diverted huge sums of money from patient care into profits," said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario.
The issue could prove to be politically delicate for the governing Liberals, who are attempting to shore up support among labour unions and left-leaning voters in anticipation of a tight two-way race against the Progressive Conservatives.
The watchdog groups cited the most recent annual report by provincial Auditor General Jim McCarter, which highlighted the home-care sector's inability to keep up with de-mand for personal support, homemaking and therapy services.
Ontario's 14 community care access centres (CCACs) are responsible for providing home-care services to more than half a million people who might otherwise be in hospitals or nursing homes.
The McCarter report indicated that an additional 10,000 Ontarians are on waiting lists every year for home care, with average delays ranging from eight to 262 days.
McCarter's report also showed that of the $1.8 billion Ontario spends annually on home care, 30 per cent, or $527 million, is allocated to administration and case management through the CCACs.
The groups blamed the home-care sector's woes on the controversial practice of "competitive bidding," in which home-care providers compete for contracts.
In an interview Wednesday, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews said "a decision has not yet been made" about the future of competitive bidding because she is focused on improving the quality of home care, which includes reducing waiting lists.
"We're not going forward with competitive bidding until we know how to measure and how to factor in quality," said Matthews.
Marlene Rivier of the Ontario Health Coalition said because of pressure to keep costs down in order to win contracts, home-care providers are continuously plagued by staffing shortages resulting from low pay, piecework instead of full-time jobs and few opportunities for front-line workers to advance in their careers.

Mobile gaming will not kill home consoles says Shane Kim

Mobiles will not replace home consoles according to former Microsoft exec

The former vice president of Microsoft Game Studios, Shane Kim reckons that, despite the massive advances mobile gaming has seen in the for of smart phones, mobile gaming will not kill home consoles.

Kim, who has just taken a seat on the board of mobile firm Zipline, stated that rather than replacing consoles, mobile gaming will broaden the spectrum of gaming experiences available.
He began: "I would never make that kind of an announcement. Obviously things are evolving and I think anybody who tries to say they know exactly what that future's going to look like - well, I think that thats a pretty tough prediction to try to make. Now, is it going to evolve as a component and are the shares going to change? Sure. But its not clear to me also that we're not talking about a world where there's a lot of growth and actually the total pie is expanding. So will there be some impact on console gaming? I think it would be hard to say that there isn't any impact, but I would never say that it's going to go away completely. I think that the big console game manufacturers, they've all got plans for the next console generation. I think that they're all shooting to make sure that those next versions, whatever they look like, are going to be things that are going to be compelling for the kinds of gamers, especially hard core gamers, who really enjoy that style of gaming."
"It's going to be a while before you have the kind of power... in mobile platforms that can compete effectively, I think," he continued. "So to me it's really about different choices for different types of gamers. There's different styles of games that are more popular on the different platforms and that just creates more opportunities, clearly, for more developers to create content. And the challenge is that there's a lot of people creating mobile game content today. So how do you help that community differentiate itself from the competition and also make money in the process?"
Thanks IndustryGamers.

By Ewan Aiton

South Africans 'Take Home' Whiskey Prize

A marketing consultant and an orthotist a from South Africa have won a global competition hosted by Bushmills Irish Whiskey that will see the distillery 'go on tour' to a city in the Rainbow Nation.

Jonathan 'Oros' Oliff, 28, from Durban and Sean Tickner, 30, from Cape Town were chosen as the winners of Make it 2 Bushmills, winning two weeks working at the world-famous Old Bushmills Distillery, while staying in luxury penthouse accommodation with £5,000 spending money.



After their experience, Jonathan and Sean will 'take home the distillery', with a Bushmills party being held in a South African city this year.

According to Bushmills spokesperson, the pair are married to identical twin sisters and met while body boarding at North Beach in Durban fifteen years ago.



Jonathan said: "It's amazing to be named the winners of Make it 2 Bushmills. We came to the global final here in Bushmills to do our country proud – we can't wait to take the distillery home to South Africa."Bushmills Distillery is Ireland's oldest working distillery in County Antrim, Northern Ireland with the Bushmills Master Distiller, Colum Egan, offering the Make it 2 Bushmills competition in March to give two friends an experience of a lifetime at the distillery before taking it 'on tour'.



Jonathan and Sean defeated thousands of others to be crowned winners by entering on the Bushmills Facebook page and then campaigning for public votes to allow them to represent their country at the global final, Bushcamp, held in Bushmills village this week.


Colum Egan said: "Jonathan and Sean have shown throughout Make it 2 Bushmills that they are great friends, with a genuine love for life and a fantastic sense of humour.


"We can't wait to welcome them into the distillery family and then work to take the distillery 'on tour' to South Africa…it's going to be some party," he said.

Bushcamp was judged by Colum and some famous fans of Bushmills, including Kevin Baird of Two Door Cinema Club, Jonathan Galkin of DFA Records and Rob Allanson of Whisky Magazine.



Fans of Bushmills can follow Jonathan and Sean's experience as they Make it 2 Bushmills and 'take home the distillery' on the Bushmills Facebook page, facebook.com/bushmills1608 or by following @BushmillsGlobal on Twitter.
Source http://www.build.ie/

Is Obama Planning to Keep Fannie and Freddie Alive?

Is President Barack Obama working on a proposal to keep Uncle Sam deeply involved in the mortgage business and taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars in home loans? The White House says no, the President is merely examining his options. Meanwhile, the Washington Post, based on leaks from anonymous officials, reports that he is indeed looking to maintain the federal government’s outsized role in guaranteeing mortgages.
Most sound observers of the mortgage crisis say that to maintain the status quo would be incredibly foolish. They have concluded that federal guarantees of subprime mortgages via “government-sponsored enterprises” Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with other federal policies encouraging banks to issue loans to less-than-creditworthy borrowers, were one of the major causes — if not the major cause — of the mortgage meltdown. Fannie and Freddie, since taken over fully by the government, have thus far cost taxpayers over $150 billion in bailouts, an amount that is expected to reach $259 billion by the time all is said and done. Who in his right mind, analysts ask, would want to continue down such a disastrous path?

Obama would, according to the Post. On the advice of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, aided by his own proclivity for big government, the President has agreed on a plan that “could even preserve Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac … although under different names and with significant new constraints,” the paper reports. In other words, critics note, it’s just sleight-of-hand designed to make it appear that Obama is looking out for taxpayers when in fact he is far more concerned with the large financial institutions that have his ear.

The Post says the two main options for accomplishing Obama’s goal are (1) “restructuring Fannie and Freddie as public utilities overseen by a government regulator” and (2) shutting down and replacing Fannie and Freddie “with several successors.” Under both options the government, either directly or indirectly, would guarantee the firms’ mortgages. Writes the newspaper: “A federal guarantee, by reducing the risk to investors, can make it cheaper for firms to raise money for making home loans, in turn reducing mortgage rates.” Of course, the guarantee also creates a moral hazard: The companies will be far less cautious in issuing mortgages when they know taxpayers can always be forced to bail them out, as clearly happened in the years leading up to the 2008 crisis.

Should Fannie and Freddie be retained in any form, the administration plans to impose some conditions on them that will give the appearance of protecting taxpayers while more or less allowing business as usual to proceed. For instance, the companies would have to hold a higher percentage of their cash in reserve and relieve themselves of many of the mortgages they currently hold. In addition, writes the Post, they “would charge a fee to mortgage lenders and banks and use the money to create an insurance pool to cover losses on mortgage securities caused by defaults on the underlying loans.”

What happens if that pool turns out to be too shallow? “The government,” explains the Post, “would be the last line of defense in case of another housing market meltdown, using taxpayer money to cover losses only if the insurance pool ran dry.” This would, naturally, give the new companies little more incentive to make wise loans than their predecessors had. As American Enterprise Institute fellow Peter Wallison told the paper, “The long-term consequence is that the taxpayers ultimately have to bail out the government’s losses.”

According to the Post, Obama’s preferred approach is one of three options that were presented in a publicly released white paper in February. The other two options “called for greatly reducing the federal role in the mortgage market,” the newspaper explains, though “all of the options preserved the Federal Housing Administration, a government agency that helps low- and middle-income and minority home buyers.” (Even Wallison, the supposed conservative, agreed that this is a “legitimate role for government.”)

Both Austan Goolsbee, the former chairman of Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, and Lawrence Summers, former director of Obama’s National Economic Council (and Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton), argued against maintaining a large federal role in the housing market. Goolsbee, the Post writes, “argued that the federal role in housing distorts the free market. By subsidizing mortgage investments, he argued, the government drives capital away from other types of investments…. He also warned that the government is putting enormous sums of taxpayer money on the line while conveying little actual benefit to home buyers.” Summers agreed that the dangers inherent in government guarantees are too great to allow Fannie and Freddie (or something similar) to continue, although he thought the government’s role in the mortgage market would have to be phased out a decade or more down the line.

However, Donovan, Geithner, and Gene Sperling, the successor of Summers at the National Economic Council who “agreed that a continued government guarantee made sense,” carried the day, at least according to the Post’s sources.

The administration, however, maintains that the President is still considering all the options — all, that is, except the constitutional option of ending all federal involvement in housing, including Fannie, Freddie, FHA, and HUD.
Source  http://www.thenewamerican.com/

City unveils new program to combat home foreclosures

By John Byrne Clout Street
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is targeting nine hard-hit neighborhoods in Chicago's latest effort to stem the tide of home foreclosures and, as with many recent announcements, the mayor is counting on private investment to make his plans work.

The "Micro-Market Recovery Program" is distinct from several attempts by the city to combat the housing crisis in recent years because it better coordinates the efforts of not-for-profits, banks and community groups, the mayor said.While it will start with roughly $15 million in loan money from the John T. and Catherine D. MacArthur Foundation, Emanuel said it also will tap federal funds. And officials will reach out to banks to invest in keeping people in their houses or rehabilitating foreclosed properties, which Emanuel hopes will bring the total to $50 million.

A measure passed by the City Council last month that requires banks to secure and maintain buildings left vacant after foreclosures gives the banks incentive to work with the city, said Andrew Mooney, commissioner for Housing and Economic Development.

"We will approach (banks) and tell them 'You have specific responsibilities in this neighborhood,'" Mooney said.

Emanuel said he chose parts of nine neighborhoods -- Humboldt Park, Chatham, Chicago Lawn, West Woodlawn, Auburn-Gresham, West Pullman, Belmont-Cragin, Englewood and Grand Boulevard -- because they have high concentrations of recent foreclosures and have active community organizations that can help the administration focus its resources.

Are Summer Schools For Students Worth The Money?

Each summer British students give up their summers to attend top-up classes at schools either at home or abroad.
Many of the top-rated Russell Group universities have started to offer their own summer programmes; but are they just a canny way for cash-strapped universities to make money, or do they have tangible benefits for children competing for those gold-dust university places?
For some students, spending August engrossed in academic work is a tough sell. The idea might not be particularly appealing for the parents either, given the price tag.
Residential programmes can be extremely expensive, particularly if they are abroad. A two-month residential course at Harvard Summer School can set you back around £6, 300, before taking into account flights and living expenses, whereas Yale Summer School for 10 weeks of residential teaching, including food, costs £6, 400.
And the most prestigious university summer schools are not for the intellectually faint-hearted. Just because they are taking place over the holidays, does not mean that the pressure is off. At the Harvard Summer School, approximately 20 percent of the students are Harvard students fulfilling their degree requirements, so school-aged students are doing the same work as them, and being marked with the same criteria.
Such courses are particularly useful If you are considering doing your degree at an American university.
Lizzouli Rojas, a student from Mexico who went Harvard Summer School a few years ago, agrees "no prospectus is going to give you the same insight as doing a semester at your chosen university. There's no better way to find out if it's really where you want to go".
In applying for American universities, a lot of British students can come unstuck because they do not understand the different emphasis in what Ivy League universities are looking for. Alice Lloyd-George, who went to Princeton from a British school, observes "'a lot of schools here are just not geared up to help students with the American application process, so a summer school can really help British students understand how American universities work, and what they're looking for".
The courses, because they are usually university level, rather than school level, can really stimulate a child's intellect beyond the the A-Level curriculum. Often there is a bewilderingly diverse selection of courses to choose from. At Berkeley for example, you can study everything from Dutch to Landscape Architecture to Native American Studies. It could point you in the direction of a subject you would never have thought have doing - and with that, the chance to find something you're really passionate about.
With so many A Level students getting the top grades, it helps to distinguish candidates from on another amid an increasingly tough environment for university applicants and graduates. Even without the academic boost, it gives the candidate an opportunity to show a certain maturity and independence of mind because they took the initiative to meet others from outside their immediate school and demonstrate the level of their enthusiasm for academia.
It is not only well-off parents who can take advantage of summer schools to help their children get ahead, there are also specific bursaries and courses for underprivileged children. UCL, for example, runs summer courses exclusively for non-selective state school pupils. In these cases, a summer programme can demystify elite universities and give students the confidence to apply for the most demanding of degrees.
According to research from the Sutton Trust, summer schools are extremely effective in supporting pupils on a route to a highly-selective university course. Sutton Trust students, who had bursaries to attend summer schools at Bristol, St Andrews, Cambridge and Nottingham were three times as likely to apply to one of those universities, as applicants from similar backgrounds, with similar levels of attainment. A further 60 percent went on to degrees at a Russell Group university.
Shopping around for a good value summer school will mean that students from both high and low income backgrounds can give themselves the edge in such a competitive market. As Dr Penelope Griffin, Head of Widening Participation at Nottingham University, explains, "when there are so many applicants with little to set them apart from each other in terms of grades, summer school attendance as evidence of commitment to their subject, and an extra academic distinction, is certainly a plus point we take into consideration".
Source http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/

How to make money at university

Fretting about your finances? There are ways to earn while you learn … without flipping burgers. Lucy Tobin looks at some of the options

Fretting about your finances? There are ways to earn while you learn … without flipping burgers. Lucy Tobin looks at some of the options

Start a business

How do you do it? Spot a gap in the market or think up a great idea, then bingo, set up a company filling the niche. Michaela Drake set up My Travelling Nanny, a childcare agency matching students with families needing holiday childcare, while studying biomedical science at Sheffield University. She graduated this summer. "The idea stemmed from my own experiences finding temporary work as a nanny in my holidays," says Drake, 21. "I realised that students and teachers with long breaks were often looking for temp work to supplement their income, and became aware of the need for childcare for family holidays that didn't involve relying on crèches or resort babysitters." The idea took off. "Some weeks, I get as many as 10 bookings."
How much can you make? Unlimited: you could be the next Richard Branson. "I make enough to pay my living costs and tuition fees and also have some money in the bank," says Drake.
Any downside? "Lack of time to do much else. During my final year, I dedicated three hours a day to the business." It's difficult to come up with a stellar idea, and tricky to get a start-up off the ground. You'll need to learn to keep accounts and follow business regulations.
CV skills? Entrepreneurialism impresses employers. "I do my own accounting, use a wide range of computer software, and have gained huge confidence in customer service, communication skills and negotiation," says Drake.

Online work (in your pyjamas)

How do you do it? Fire up your laptop and sign up for online money-making opportunities. There's mystery shopping (check out retaileyes.com, tnsglobal.com) or tons of small project work – from translation to graphic design – on studentgems.com, which matches students with small companies and individuals who need short-term or project work done. Saskia Gregory, 22, who has just graduated with a BA in popular music from the University of Gloucestershire, registered on studentgems and found a writing job for online fashion site MyCelebrityFashion. "I completed a number of articles at £10 each, and couldn't believe my luck that I'd found work that was fun, easy to do and could be done from my bedroom. I checked studentgems every day hoping to find another project. I've done logo design, presentation design and even the layout for a science textbook. My hours haven't clashed with lectures or social events, because I get to decide when they are. I've done most of my work in my pyjamas."
How much can you make? Depends on the time you put in. More skilled works pays better: a mystery shopping trip to a pizza restaurant might only pay £6, but provides free dinner.
Any downside? After essay-writing, you may not want to spend more hours hunched over your laptop in your bedroom. Unlikely to make you a millionaire.
CV skills? "I learned how to interact with clients, negotiate payment, and built up a CV including working for easyJet," says Gregory.

Promoter

How do you do it? You know those people handing out freebies or demonstrating new gadgets at train stations or shopping centres? Many are students. Look up specialist operators such as iD Staffing (www.idexperiential.co.uk/idstaffing) or ask your campus job shop about promotions or flyer work. "I signed up with Warehouse Demo Services, a promotions company based at Costco stores around the country, while studying media, culture and society at Birmingham University," says Amanda Shoffman, 23. "My brother did it before me, so I followed him into the role. The shifts were 9am-4.30pm. There were weekly rotas and you could come back in the holidays, plus there were lots of students, so I made friends."
How much can you make? Anything from national minimum wage up. "I earned £48 for each session. Each month I was making around £750-£820," says Shoffman.
Any downside? "Facing secret shoppers, plus sometimes you want to go out late clubbing, but have to work the next day."
CV skills? Marketing ability, customer service and organisational knowhow.

Tutor

How do you do it? Get paid to pass on your knowledge about your degree subject, A-levels or GCSEs to younger students. Sign up with an agency such as Keystone Tutors or Bright Young Things, or put up notices in local schools or community centres. Take measures to be safe, like only meeting in public places. Ben Martin, 20, teaches subjects including A-level economics while studying politics, philosophy and economics at Brasenose College, Oxford. "After my parents hired a tutor for my little brother, I got in contact with the agency they used, Keystone, in 2009," he explains. "The best part is that the work is rewarding and diverse – every kid is different, so the challenge is constantly changing."
How much can you make? From around £20 an hour. Martin makes £30 to £45 per session, totting up to £2,000-£3,000 a year.
Any downside? "Sometimes you have to tutor children who do not want the extra work, and that can be quite tricky and discouraging." Take into account the time you'll spend preparing for lessons when working out the potential income.
CV skills? Teaching experience, reliability, responsibility, organisational skills. "I have become more patient," Martin adds.

Work for your uni

How do you do it? Universities often need students to host open days, take tours, work on phone banks to lead fundraising campaigns or work on admin. An on-campus boss is likely to be more sympathetic to lecture crises. Debbie Greenwood, 31, graduated as a mature student from the University of Derby last year. "Having a home to run, I had to work part-time to help finance everything, so during my second year of studies I interviewed with Aimhigher Derbyshire," she explains. The government initiative was set up to encourage learners from under-represented groups to go to university. "I'd go into schools to talk to students – from primary age to sixth-formers – about university life, both the learning and social aspects, and discuss their career options." This specific scheme ends this summer, but many universities run their own versions.
How much can you make? Depends on how much time you put in. Greenwood earned around £9 an hour, working between five and 20 hours a week. "I would often be able to pay all my bills when working less than part-time hours," she says.
Any downside? No guaranteed hours or set contract, making it difficult to plan or budget.
CV skills? Experience with children and students, communication and presentation skills.

Corporate summer internships

How do you do it? If you're prepared to sacrifice a couple of months of your summer, working at a bank, law or accountancy firm can be lucrative – but competition is tough. For an internship in summer 2012, you'll need to apply this autumn via a lengthy online application form, followed by at least one interview. Joel Minsky, 23, was an intern at accountancy giant Deloitte during the summer of his second year studying economics at University College London. He graduated last year and now works at rival firm KPMG. "It was the job prospects that most attracted me to the post, but earning great money for seven weeks was a definite bonus," he says. "I applied to three companies online in October, and after a long wait got an offer from Deloitte in February. After training, I worked for three weeks in the audit department, followed by three weeks in tax."
How much can you make? The top banks pay as much as £10,000 per summer. "I earned around £450 a week, and spent some on a holiday after I finished and the rest on my last year at uni," says Minsky.
Any downside? Long hours, spending summer commuting to an office while friends bum around Thailand … "I knew it was my last long summer, so going from student hours to spending two months getting up at 6.30 was also pretty tough."
Useful skills for your CV? Huge potential, ranging from team work to professional skills. "Having the name Deloitte on my CV helped a huge amount – it was one of the things that got me my job at KPMG," says Minsky.

Campus brand manager

How do you do it? Apply to one of the corporates that pay students to get their name known at universities. Those offering schemes include accountancy giants such as Ernst & Young, drinks firm Red Bull, plus banks and law firms. You'll have to attend freshers' fairs, put up posters, create events and possibly also lead social media campaigns. Sam Boynton, 22, graduated in history of art at the University of Bristol last year. He secured a position as a student brand manager for youth marketing firm Campus Group (campusgroup.co.uk) from his university job shop and now works for the firm full time. "I was drawn to the position because it looked a bit different to standard bar work," he says. "I was a brand manager for Jack Daniels Whiskey, organising a battle of the bands competition on campus, as well as other events such as pool tournaments. I was also responsible for establishing promotions – free harmonica when you purchase two JD drinks – at local gigs and off-licences, as well as putting up flyers and posters."
How much can you make? A few hundred pounds for a year's work, depending on workload. Boynton was paid £8 an hour, or about £600 for the campaign.
Any downside? Some positions may impinge on studies.
CV skills? Managerial and communication skills, responsibility. "Working for Campus Group entitled me to a Chartered Institute of Marketing award, which proved to be really helpful after graduation," says Boynton.
Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/