A Brief History of Sheffield

Sheffield lies in the North of England, about 65 kilometers east of Manchester in South Yorkshire. Chartered as the City of Sheffield in 1893 due to it's origins in a field on the River Sheaf. The population tops a half million citizens now, with a workforce over a million strong residing within an hours drive of the city. Sheffield's fortunes have long been shaped by world events and external forces that forced the residents of Sheffield to adapt and innovate in order to survive.

Sheffield Castle was built after the Norman Conquest to oversee the local settlements in what is now the heart of the city. The market that grew around the Castle, in what is now Castle Square, made Sheffield a market town just prior to 1300 A.D. Over the next century, Sheffield became well known for the fine cutlery that was produced and sold there, and by 1600 the town was the known to be the center of Cutler Production in all of England, earning a mention in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales".

Sheffield was on the "cutting edge" so to speak of cutlery technology in those early years, and the invention and improvement of several processes in the mid 1700's revolutionized metallurgy. Crucible Steel and silver plating placed Sheffield squarely in the lead in metallurgy in the world. Sheffield grew as an industrial center, and was a great producer of steel until a recession from the loss of import markets at the end of the 18th century. Conditions in the city deteriorated, and a cholera epidemic killed over 400 people in 1832. The huge amounts of wealth created by the large steel producers tended to stay at the top of the hiarchy, while the unchecked pollution, overcrowding, and disease made its way to the masses.

The start of the industrial revolution brought people back to the city over the next few decades, and clean drinking water was necessary to avoid the deadly diseases of 1832. New reservoirs built on the outskirts of the city helped keep the water supply disease free, but the collapse of a dam wall at one site in 1864 caused the Great Sheffield Flood, which resulted in the deaths of 270 people and widespread damage to the city.

The early 1900's saw Sheffield again noted in literature as George Orwell called Sheffield the "Ugliest town in the Old World" in "The Road to Wigan Pier" written in 1937. The combination of quickly built slums to house the growing numbers of working people, and the pollution from the factories they manned made Sheffield a less than attractive city. The invention of stainless steel in 1913 by a Sheffield resident steel producer bolstered the industry, but at the cost of the beauty of the city founded at the confluence of five rivers. The hills around the city vary from 10 to 500 meters above sea level forming a natural amphitheater. By the end of the 1930's a recession that paralleled "The Great Depression" in the U.S. had taken a toll on all industrial areas, and Sheffield was no exception.

That recession was soon over as European factories began gearing up for war. Sheffield quickly regained its spot as a world class steel producer, making weapons and ammunition for the coming World War. The very same industry that had made Sheffield prosperous during the good times, also made it perilous during the bad times. World War II made Sheffield a vital weapons and munitions manufacturing center, which in turn made it a target for Luftwaffe bombers. Three nights of air attacks known as the "Sheffield Blitz", killed 660 and wounded another 1,500 residents. 40,000 others were left homeless by the air raids as 3,000 homes were demolished and another 3,000 severely damaged. All toll 78,000 homes were damaged to some degree.

After the war, Sheffield continued as a major player in the steel industry. Cutlery was still a big industry in Sheffield. Over half of the world's surgical blades are produced in Sheffield to this day. Rebuilding the city after the war was a success, not only clearing the slums, but investing in infrastructure and park areas to beautify the city, and roads to get people to work at the steel mills. Sheffield was awash with prosperity during the years following World War II. Steel for reconstruction was needed all over Europe, Russia, Japan, the South Pacific and many other areas.

Rebuilding Industry in Germany, and Japan was a double edge sword, as the steel for their rebuilding meant busy steel mills around the world. The end result was that as industry labored to keep up rebuilding German and Japanese industry, it did not keep up with the automation, and process improvement systems that would soon drive many of them out of business, not allowing them to compete against the factories they helped build.

The late 1970's and 1980's saw Steel mills that could not compete close down throwing thousands into unemployment. A mid 80's miner's strike did not help matters either, and the industrial backbone of Sheffield was snapped. Again noted, not so much in literature, but in a movie, The Full Monty chronicled some young and not so young Sheffield residents who were force to change occupations as when their long and hopeless job searches were not panning out.

The movie itself was not only hilarious, but intriguing because the money brought into the cities economy when a movie is shot there is exactly the type of economic boost former industrial centers require when moving from a manufacturing economy to a service economy. Other movies with Sheffield roots were: Threads, When Saturday Comes, F.I.S.T., and Whatever Happened to Harold Smith. Sheffield has also produced its share of entertainers. Actors like Sean Bean who's recent credits include, "Patriot Games", "National Treasure", and "Flight Plan". David Bell starred in "Cross-eyed Waltz" and Thomas Craig a former Sheffield Plummer with over 30 television credits on his resume.

Sheffield is also fertile ground for musicians. Local acts that made it big include Pulp, The Artic Monkeys, Joe Cocker, the Long Pigs, and 65daysofstatic. Sheffield is also the center of the Yorkshire Hip Hop and R&B scenes. Talented local acts like "NoXcuse" and "Hoodz Underground" are local headliners and celebrities in and around Sheffield.

Sheffield still supports industry, including steel, mining, and cutlery, but its economy is diversifying the way many cities in the world are, trying to compete in a global economy. Sheffield will not be mistaken for Hawaii as a tourist spot anytime soon, but they seem to be doing a lot of the right things to create a competitive economy for the coming years. Often with industrial job loss, poverty and blight soon follow, and the inherent rise in crime draws people away from the cities center.

Creativity, culture, tourism, sporting events, and service industries are ways to avoid economic ruin for a city in transition. Sheffield has all that, as well as great educational facilities that support 45,000 university students. If used and marketed correctly that spells a bright future for the city of Sheffield. The fact that Sheffield is one of the safest cities in the U.K. according to government statistics shows the typical problems with economic transition have not affected the city. Manufacturing provides only 14% of the jobs now, while service industry positions account for 82%. Far behind are Health Care, and technology sector jobs.

Plenty of attractions including National Park land within the city boundaries help keep the educated university students from bolting upon graduation. That in turn insures economic, and technological improvements for years to come, helping Sheffield to be at the forefront of economic development for the future.

Article by Susan Ashby of Sheffield Singles. To read more articles like this or for dating in Sheffield visit http://www.sheffield-singles.co.uk

Top 10 Things To Do If You Have a Mental Illness

If you're reading this book, chances are that you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a mental illness. This is a scary time, filled with lots of questions, strange buzz words, and people pushing drugs at you. In the best case scenario, you need to know that you're not alone. In the worst case, you need to know that you can survive this. Here's what I, a humble devotee of mental illness, would recommend for the novice.

1. Don't panic! I know that's easier said than done. Right now you may feel as if you have absolutely no grip on reality... and that may very well be the case, if you're having a psychotic episode. The key here is to get someplace safe. Where that might be is different for most people...some people feel safe inside a crowded shopping mall, but that was the worst place for me. If all else fails, go to your local emergency room. At the very least, if you do decide to do something harmful to yourself, you're at the best place for it. Good ERs will have social workers that you can talk to. I've parked outside in the parking lot of an ER and waited for the wave of self-mutilating urges to pass.

2. You are not alone. This isn't a particularly helpful thing to know when you're in the midst of a crisis, but when you become more rational in your thinking you might be pleased to know that whatever you're going through, there are others who have gone through it, are going through it, and will go through it. That's what this book is primarily about. It's the "hey, somebody else feels the same way I do" idea. Again, not much comfort at the time of a crisis, but it helps keep you from feeling too isolated during those thoughts of, "I'm not normal."

3. Laugh. I mean, why not? If you're depressed, you'll feel like crying instead, and that's fine too. But if you can develop a particularly sinister evil maniacal laugh, it just adds to the whole persona. And really, what good is going stark raving mad, if you can't develop the maniacal laughter to go with it? Honestly, laughter does a lot for the body...it creates endorphins, it helps build muscle, it does all types of good stuff for ya. Also, laughter is really the only way to get through this. There's going to be enough crying, gnashing of teeth, swearing, etc. Develop a good hearty laugh and find things to laugh at. Even if it doesn't make sense to anybody else.

4. Keep an open mind. I know, I know, the irony is thick. You feel like your mind is slowly dissolving into little pieces, and I'm telling you to keep it open. But in order for things to help you through this phase of your life, you have to believe they will work. Some things sound pretty hokey - try 'em anyway. I once had a therapist tell me I should sing to myself. Pretty stupid I thought, and it didn't work for me. Doesn't mean it won't work for you. The therapist had a pretty good practice, and I'm sure it worked for some of his patients.

5. Find yourself a therapist and a psychiatrist. This is expensive. Hopefully you have insurance. If you don't have insurance, go to your local county or state agency and get on whatever plan they have. Some docs and therapists will work on a sliding scale - you pay what you can afford. You may, if you're spiritually inclined, find a church that has some type of family therapy program. They may be able to better direct you for your community.

a. You need a psychiatrist (a psychiatrist is an M.D. trained in brain disorders) who can prescribe and manage your medication. Despite what actors and some nutritionists say, medication is a huge help for most people. Pharmaceuticals are your friends. I wouldn't be here today to write this if it weren't for the miracle of modern drug therapy. Don't let anybody talk you out of it. If a doctor tells you to take 20mg of Prozac during the day, then by jove, take 20mg of Prozac during the day. However, and this is my caveat, if you have a doctor who is prescribing 20mg of Prozac, 20mg of Paxil, 10mg of Zoloft, and you keep complaining about being drowsy all the time, and the doctor's answer is to prescribe new or more medication, think hard about getting a second opinion. Some psychiatrists are big on overprescribing medication, not for any malicious reason other than being overzealous in keeping you safe. (If you're conked out in bed 20 hours a day, it's not likely you'll be hurting yourself or others during those 4 hours that you're awake.) Take your medication, but be sure to learn about your medication. And don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions. If he/she balks at answering, get a new doctor.

b. Some psychiatrists can be therapists. A lot of psychiatrists make lousy therapists. I'd advise you to look for an actual therapist. For most mental illnesses there's a biological component (treated with meds) and a psychological component (treated with therapy). It's been my experience that LCSWs (Licensed Clinical Social Workers) and MSWs (Masters of Social Work) are better at dialog then a psychologist (a Ph.D. in psychology). If you're the type who gets better by talking to somebody who doesn't talk back much, a clinical psychologist is for you. If you're like me and you want to interact with somebody, a LCSW or MSW seem to work better. Also, find a therapist who has only been in practice for no more than 15 years or so. The ones who have practiced longer don't seem to be up to date with new treatments, skills, or diagnoses. The newer graduates have been trained in newer techniques.

There is one inherent problem with therapy - it's an intimate relationship that takes some time to develop. If you have a fear of intimacy (and lots of us with mental illnesses do) it's a problem. It usually takes a good three or four sessions before you're comfortable discussing big problems with a therapist... but it's still three or four sessions that have to be paid for by you or by insurance. Don't instantly write off a therapist (unless they are really weird... I've had many of those) but don't spend too long trying to see if it's going to work out. (I spent 16 months with one therapist who wasn't working out, only because I didn't want to have to go through the whole screening process over again.) Always remember, the therapist works for you! He/She may have all types of rules and regulations, but the bottom line is you pay the bill, and if you're not comfortable, tell him/her upfront and they should understand.

6. Take some time off work. I admit, I was fortunate. My insurance policy at work allowed me to take 24 months off (at 66% pay) for reasons of mental disability. And my parents were able to help with bills during and after that two years. Not everybody can afford it. But I highly recommend, that if you can afford to, take sick leave, vacation, a sabbatical, whatever from work and /or school. Our jobs are the biggest stress maker. Once we eliminate that stress, we can get on with the business of getting better. Besides, I'm sure your mental illness is making you screw up at your job. If you're depressed, you can't concentrate on anything, and you're blowing the small details. You probably feel you're at risk of getting fired. Better, in my opinion, to be proactive than to have to react. If you've got some time on the books NOW is the time to take it. The World Health Organization suggests that by 2010 more time will be lost from depression and other mental illness than by the common cold or flu. Leave now, before it becomes hostile, before you need to go to the restroom and weep for half an hour at a time. If your job is making you that sick, I'd even recommend quitting and getting a different job. I don't care what you make, or how many other people depend on you . . . if you off yourself because of a menial job, nobody's better off.

7. Watch out for Stigma. In your mentally ill life, you're going to meet bozoheads who are going to say something like, "well, just snap out of it." Or "it's all in your head." Or you'll find somebody somewhere stereotyping mentally ill people as being lazy or deadbeat, or a danger. Ya know, you don't need that crap. That's where groups like the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill come in handy. Their Stigmabusters alert warns you of up coming media events (TV and movies and the like) that portray mentally ill in one of the stereotypical ways. Support groups are also good resources to reach out to, when you feel the man is stepping on you. There's nothing worse than being depressed and then watching a depressed person being portrayed as lazy . . . it makes you, well, even more depressed. Again, being proactive about things helps. Writing letters to TV producers, movie companies, and legislatures helps channel your individual frustration, and lets other people know that, "hey, we might have some problems, but we're still human beings."

8. Learn. The web is a great resource. Learn what you can about your particular diagnosis. Hopefully your psychiatrist and therapist are up on the latest, but they may not be. New therapies and medications are being produced every year. Maybe the Geodon isn't working for you, but maybe Abilify will. Abilify is pretty new, not all docs know about it yet. Never hurts to vet it out with the doc. A lot of the information in this book is stuff that I learned just by reading various books, magazines, news articles and web sites. Knowledge is power.

9. Teach. Your experiences are different and unique. Even though what you may be going through is similar to several thousand people out there, what you're doing and how you're doing it, is different. Maybe there's a way to showcase that. Maybe you can help newbies going through this at a support group, or volunteer at your local NAMI chapter. You'll learn more about yourself and what you can and cannot do, by helping others go through it.

10. Don't give up. If I had a nickel for every time I wanted to off myself, I'd be dead, but rich. Don't give the devil the satisfaction. It's a (and I hate using clichés) a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Some days are going to be better than others . . . some days are going to be down right shitty. It's even possible that tomorrow may be worse than what you're feeling now. But some day, somewhere, things will get better. It takes work. Going through a mental illness is one of the tougher things I've ever done. Most mornings, I don't want to get up. Some days I don't. But I've never stopped trying. I may have taken extended periods of time off, and that's okay for you too . . . but don't give up. Keep the hope of something better alive. That's what it takes to get better - hope.

Stewart Young continues to learn about his illness while overcoming the many obstacles placed in his path by his illness and by society. Borderland: A Life on the Edge, is co-written with his ex-wife and former caretaker, Monique Young. The authors can be reached at monique@moniquewrites.com.

Answering Your Semi Trailers Questions

From coast to coast in the United States, and even all over the world, millions of pounds of produce, goods and necessities are being trucked to places that distribute them. Without the semi trailer and its operator, many areas would find themselves in a severe shortage of the necessities of life.

Though they go by many names and are found in most countries, many people are truly in the dark when it comes to understanding the unique and rich part the semi trailer plays in history. It may have started off small but it has grown into a huge commercial business. And though you may see them on the interstates and roads every day, you may have some questions about what semi trailers truly are and what they are used for. This article can help answer some of those questions.

What is semi trailers used for?

Semi trailers in many forms are designed with one purpose, to move freight. Most road borne cargo transported today, whether palletized, liquid or in bulk, travels on or in a semi trailer of some form. The detachable nature allows filled containers to be taken to their destination and dropped off, allowing the tractor truck to transport another load without waiting for the container to be unloaded. This ability to run multiple trailers with a single tractor allows transportation companies to utilize a single tractor to effectively make two runs.

What type of freight is often found in semi trailers?

Semi trailers come in a number of configurations to suit a variety of tasks. As such, there are a wide variety of trailers to match the different types of cargo transported. The most common trailer found is the enclosed box trailer, often used to carry palletized items and goods. A reefer, or refrigerated trailer, is selected when transporting perishable produce or temperature sensitive goods. A tanker trailer is utilized for liquid loads, such as oil, gasoline, water or milk. A flatbed trailer consists of a flat load bed which can haul practically anything that can be strapped down. Other trailers are available for transport specialized loads.

What is the weight and size limit of semi trailers in the United States?

The Surface Transportation Act of 1982 establishes limitations on the length and width of semi-trailers when operated upon the United States National Network of highways. Maximum width of a commercial vehicle has been set at 102 inches, or 8 ½ feet. Maximum length of the combined tractor and semi-trailer has been established at 65 feet. Weight limitations for tractor trailer combinations have been set at 80,000 pounds. For loads exceeding these regulations, each state has the ability to issue oversize or overweight permits to vehicles operating with their boundaries.

Are there separate laws that govern the pulling and transporting of semi trailers?

While commercial vehicles often seem to operate under rules of their own, they are required to follow additional laws in addition to those followed by private motorists. The United States Department of Transportation provides regulations governing drivers, vehicles and cargo transportation to insure safe operation on National highways. Vehicle and cargo documentation and weight limitations are routinely monitored by means of on highway inspection or weigh stations. Driver's logs are inspected to insure that drivers do not spend more than the allotted amount of time behind the wheel each day.

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The History of Trade and Using it as a Weapon for Peace

The Flow of Trade is a major consideration of civilizations and cultures working together to insure that they can get what they need. Some areas have special crops, which grow in their regions, which the other regions would like to have. In days of the First colonies in this country, before it was a country trade with the local Indians were vital to them staying alive. Our ancestors traded with the Native Indian tribes to insure the colony had the food and things needed to get through the winter months.

If it were not for the Native Indians in those first winters the Pilgrims would have died, starved and frozen. Civilizations' trading has been written about throughout history and every culture, race, nationality and religion have ancient writings to show for it. It seems as if trade partners is a way to exchange the products and services to improve quality of life and higher standard of living to both sides. It brings with it, possibilities for peace and opens cultural exchange and best of all it makes friends. We can learn a lot from fellow cultures, species and nationalities.

Today trade partners are keeping peace in the world, because you are less likely to attack or want to cause war against a group or country from which you derive products, natural resources, technology, enlightenment, services, assistance or other form of trade from. Today most of the peace has been nurtured through trade. Many of our wars have in part been due to trade disputes. For instance the Japanese in WWII part of the reason was due to rubber, oil, steel trade and other resources. Our breaking with England in the revolutionary war was over tea, taxes and other serious issues. Many of our allies in wars were those who were trading partners, for fear of loss of a trading partner. Today we have partial reason for wars over natural resources like Oil.

Today in the news most of our hardships or disputes come from unequal trading partners trying to get a little extra by manipulating currencies. Free trade is a good thing provided the sides trading have what the others need, items they do not wish to produce or cannot produce for the same costs due to regional temperature variations, labor forces, raw materials or cultural norm. Sometimes as many found triangle trading partners worked because one country needed something but the trading partner did not need what the other had extra to sell, but a third partner did and the first partner only had enough to supply her own country. But the first partner needed what the third partner had. Eventually the trading ended up using a unit of trade such as gold, silver, etc. Then eventually gold coins and silver coins and currency came into play.

In Amsterdam a whole new trading hub created with interest, currency, banks, and trade of every good known to man at that time. This was the combination of centuries and millennium of trade and what was learned. Civilization and modern living with amenities and time for recreation, thinking and personal items became possible and thrust the world into a better place of working together. Wars of course did not stop, but rather the shift in thinking began to take shape. Trading partners and allies are generally all part of the strategic thinking of wars or of peace.

Perhaps we might deploy more of the old world thinking of trading partners to the current conflicts which plague mankind. Think about it

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Teacher Licensing -- A Protection Racket

Contrary to popular notions, teacher licensing in public schools does not insure teacher quality. A license also does not even insure that a public-school teacher knows much about the subject she teaches. In fact, in our upside-down public-school system, licensing often leads to ill-trained and mediocre teachers instructing our children. As we will see, it turns out that teacher licensing is a protection racket.

The notion that only state-approved, licensed teachers can guarantee children a good education is proven wrong by history and common sense. In ancient Athens, the birthplace of logic, science, philosophy, and Western civilization, city authorities did not require teachers to be licensed. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle did not have to get a teaching license from Athenian bureaucrats to open up their Academies. A teacher's success came only from his competence, reputation, and popularity. Students and their parents paid a teacher only if they thought he was worth the money. Competition and an education free market produced great teachers in ancient Greece.

Parents in America gave their children a superior education at home or in small grammar or religious schools for over two hundred years before we had public schools or licensed teachers in this country. School authorities' claim that teachers have to be licensed for our children to get a quality education, is therefore false.

Today, in millions of companies across America, bosses or their managers teach new employees job skills, from the simplest to the most complex. Private schools and trade schools teach millions of students valuable, practical skills. Thousands of college professors with masters or doctorate degrees in the subject they teach, instruct hundreds of thousands of college students in subjects ranging from philosophy to electrical engineering. Over a million home-schooling parents teach their children reading, writing, and math with learn-to-read or learn-math books, computer-learning software, and other teaching materials. All these teachers are not licensed yet they often give children a far better education than licensed public-school teachers.

Licensing laws imply that only public-school education "experts" can judge a teacher's competence. These alleged "experts" are usually graduates of teacher colleges and university education departments. Unfortunately, so-called teacher education is often an academic joke or waste of time, especially to student-teachers who have to endure years of this "teacher-training" torture.

Steve Wulf, writing in Time magazine, revealed the opinion that many student-teachers had about their so-called teacher training:

"Six hundred experienced teachers surveyed in 1995 were brutal about the education they had received, describing it as "mind-numbing," the "shabbiest psycho-babble," and "an abject waste of time." They complained that fragmented, superficial course work had little relevance to classroom realities. And judging by the weak skills of student teachers entering their schools, they observed, the preparation was still woefully inadequate."

Many teacher colleges don't teach crucial reading phonics or math instruction skills, nor do they teach science or history. Many "licensed" reading, math, history, or science teachers have not taken courses in or majored in these subjects in college. One survey by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education found that more than three-quarters of teacher-college graduates preparing to be elementary-school teachers had no academic major except education.

In many teacher colleges, student-teachers don't learn specific knowledge in their subject field or competent teaching techniques to teach our kids reading, math, and science. Instead they learn the history and philosophy of education and other mostly useless nonsense. Also, many university education departments waste student-teachers' time on socialist, politically-correct courses about gender and minority oppression, multiculturalism studies, and other courses that would fit right in to a Marxist curriculum in Cuba.

Licensing also implies that parents can't and shouldn't judge a teacher's competence. Yet millions of parents in all fifty states send their children to private kindergartens, grammar schools, and colleges. These allegedly ignorant parents have no problem judging the competence of teachers in private schools, and withdrawing their children if the schools don't live up to the parents' expectations.

We judge the competence of our car mechanic, accountant, and our child's private kindergarten teacher all the time, and we do so reasonably well. Is there some mysterious reason we can't judge whether our children are learning to read, write, or do math? Public-school officials who claim that parents are too ignorant to judge their children's education are self-serving. If we allegedly can't trust parents with this job, obviously we have to trust the so-called education "experts," thereby guaranteeing these so-called education experts' cushy jobs.

School authorities also claim that we need licensing to guarantee competence, so no charlatans become teachers. Yet some licensed public-schools teachers are barely literate themselves or are ill-trained or have little knowledge of the subject they teach. Fred Bayles, in a "USA Today" column titled, "Those Who Can't Spell or Write, Teach," gave an example:

"On April 1, 1998, the Massachusetts Board of Education gave applicants who wanted to teach, a basic reading and writing test. The results of the test were that 59 percent of the applicants failed. If you think these test results made the Board of Education do something constructive, think again. It promptly lowered the test's passing grade from 77 to 66 percent. Under the "new" standard, only 44 percent failed. Note that all the applicants were college graduates."

Also, these same education students often score lowest in academic achievement among other high-school graduates. Thomas Sowell, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, wrote about this issue in his book, "Inside American Education."

"Despite some attempts to depict such attitudes as mere snobbery, hard data on education student qualifications have consistently shown their mental test scores to be at or near the bottom among all categories of students. This was as true of studies done in the 1920s and 1930s as of studies in the 1980s. Whether measured by Scholastic Aptitude Tests, ACT tests, vocabulary tests, reading comprehension tests or Graduate Record Examinations, students majoring in education have consistently scored below the national average."

"At the graduate level, it is very much the same story, with students in numerous other fields outscoring education students on the Graduate Record Examination--by from 91 points composite to 259 points, depending on the field. The pool of graduate students in education supplies not only teachers, counselors, and other administrators, but also professors of education and other leaders and spokesmen for the education establishment."

Because of poor teacher training, public schools often hire ill-trained or mediocre teachers, which can cause untold damage to millions of children. Parents have no recourse to oust these teachers because most teachers get tenure after a few years on the job.

In contrast, in a private school, a truly incompetent teacher will not last long. Parents will complain, and the school owner will have to fire this teacher to keep parents happy. Also, for the same reasons, a private-school owner will make every effort to find out if a teacher is competent before he hires that teacher. The school owner's livelihood and the success of his school depend on having competent teachers and happy customers. Compulsory public schools can ignore parents, so they have no such constraints.

Most parents naively assume that if a teacher is licensed, he or she is now a trained professional they should trust their children with. Parents therefore lower their guard with "licensed" teachers because they assume that a licensed teacher must be competent. As we have seen, this is often not the case.

One solution offered for this problem is "merit" pay for teachers. Merit-pay programs would judge all school employees on competence. Better teachers would get paid more, and bad teachers, principals, or administrators could be fired or demoted. How one judges merit, of course, is a whole separate issue, but just as private-school owners devise methods to judge the merit of their teachers, so too could public schools.

Yet, if teacher licensing produced competent teachers, why do school authorities and teachers unions fight so hard against merit pay? The answer seems obvious--the system produces many teachers, principals, and administrators who may not "merit" their pay, and might lose their jobs under merit-pay rules.

In effect, public-school employees say to parents: "You have to pay our salary and benefits, but how dare you demand proof that we know how to teach your children? How dare you judge our merit? How dare you demand that you get your money's worth?" Only employees who think the world owes them a living are afraid to be judged by the people who pay them. So licensing does not keep charlatans out of our public schools. Instead, it practically guarantees that we employ charlatans or ill-trained teachers.

If licensing doesn't work, what is the alternative? The answer is, no licensing. If anyone could teach without a license, like home-schooling parents or private-school teachers, then millions of new, competent, creative teachers would flood the market. These new, unlicensed teachers would compete with one another and drive the price of education down, much as competition drives down the price of computers. They would, hopefully, also put public schools out of business, since millions of parents and free-market schools would now hire these new competent, low-cost teachers.

Without licensing laws, anyone with a special skill or knowledge could simply put an ad in the Yellow Pages or their local newspaper and advertise themselves as a tutor in English, math, biology, history, or computer skills. Retired cooks, engineers, authors, plumbers, musicians, biologists, or businessmen who love teaching could easily open a small school in their homes. If there were no license laws, these talented new teachers would not have to worry about school authorities shutting down their schools because they didn't have a license.

How would parents be sure they were not hiring a charlatan if there were no licensing laws? The same way they judge their car mechanic, accountant, and child's kindergarten teacher -- by results, reputation, and by being careful consumers. Naturally, parents would make occasional mistakes in judgment because they are human. However, they would quickly become careful consumers because they would now be spending their hard-earned money for teachers. It is amazing how fast we learn to judge the work of others when we have to pay for their services out of our own pockets. Also, if a parent does make mistakes in judging an unlicensed teacher, by watching her child's progress she will soon catch her error. At that point, she can quickly fire the teacher and find a better one. Can a parent do that with her children's public-school teachers?

The worst nightmare for public-school authorities is a true free market of teachers who don't need a license to teach. Fierce competition by millions of new, unlicensed, competent, highly-skilled people might destroy public schools, the teacher unions, and teachers' lifetime security in tenured jobs. It might destroy the licensing racket that protects their jobs. That is one unspoken reason why school authorities fiercely defend licensing laws--real competition terrifies them. That is also one of the best reasons to eliminate licensing.

The only way to insure good teachers is to let parents decide who will teach their children, not bureaucrats. Millions of parents making individual decisions about who should teach their children will bring forth the best teachers. Fierce competition and an education free market would raise all boats in the teaching profession. Teachers who want to succeed in their profession would have to prove to parent-customers or private- school owners that they have what it takes. They would have to prove by results that they know how to teach and motivate children to read, write, and learn.

Once this licensing protection racket was broken, parents would have complete control over who teaches their children. Our kids could then learn from the best teachers out there and get the great education they deserve.

Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of ?Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children."

Contact Information:
Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com,
Email: lbooksusa@aol.com

Article Copyrighted © 2006 by Joel Turtel. NOTE: You may post this Article on another website only if you set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel?s email address and website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com

Credit Repair Business For Sale

Income growing, recession-proof business, and scalable. Complete transition assistance training. Potential of over $1,000,000 per year net profit or more.

That's how a classified ad reads for any good credit repair business for sale.

If you're looking for a credit repair business for sale, one way you can save money is through buying a franchise that includes everything you need to run your business. The major reason to buy a credit repair business for sale is to acquire the revenue stream, which is derived from the brand, ongoing operations executing the credit repair files, and referral sources.

That said, in most markets, there are so many other professionals dependent on having clients with good credit (real estate agents, car dealers, furniture and jewelry dealers, even college admissions counselors) that developing referral sources is quite easy. Postcards, flyer drops, "lunch and learns" along with a "mail route" of pop-by's have all been proven to produce business.

Other aspects of a credit repair business for sale, such as the brand and ongoing operations can be quickly ramped up with less cost than purchasing an associated business in most cases. Equipment required is minimal, and staff can be completely trained in a few days with one online video training and coaching teleconferences.

What would be the price of a business that had over a million dollars per year in net profit? What if you could find a Credit Repair Business for Sale for pennies on the dollar - all you had to do was improve the marketing and hire some help?

Before you purchase an existing credit repair business for sale, we recommend comparing the cost of starting one, using a complete turn-key franchise type system.

As you evaluate your options, we recommend you look for the following components:

- Legal Support. Credit restoration is an ever changing field, and not an exact science. Credit Bureaus evolve their recipe for distilling a credit score, the market produces more people with delinquencies, and creditors change their policies. A good system will provide you with unlimited paralegal support as well as access to a nationally-recognized credit repair attorney for coaching calls, mastermind sessions, and updates on the details of operation of a credit restoration business.

- Online video training. This will allow you to replace staff quickly, scale up your team, and provide access to the latest version of training in this ever-changing field. In addition to video training, coaching calls with other credit restoration professionals can help you learn from others' mistakes outside your service area.

- Marketing Support. As you look at any credit repair business for sale be sure to consider the marketing in place. Generally, referral relationships are one of the easiest and most consistent sources of business. One upside to referral sources is that of transparent accountability in that you'll quickly see where the bulk of your leads are coming in from and be able to develop that further. A good system will include brochures, a website, flyers, materials for "lunch and learn" presentations to referral sources or materials for consumer presentations such as real estate offices and religious or civic groups.

When you invest in a credit repair business for sale, you can add this as a revenue stream if you work with real estate, personal services (i.e. taxes, insurance, etc.), or anyone that depends on attractive financing for clients (i.e. mortgage lenders, car dealers).

Note that like any business opportunity, we cannot guarantee your success. That said, we work to maximize your success. Your level of success depends on your work invested, talents, etc. Take the time to fully investigate and make the decision that's right for you when you look for a credit repair business for sale.

One advantage to this business is that it's generally recession-proof, because during a soft economy, the base of potential clients increases. Over eighty million americans have bad credit, and millions are willing to pay to get it fixed.

In looking at any business opportunity - including a credit repair business for sale, you'll want to evaluate a few key areas:

Is the sector or opportunity growing or shrinking? Credit scoring is definitely here for life, and it's importance continues to grow. Having good credit makes a substantial difference to anyone buying a home or car, getting car insurance in most states, getting a new job, or financing just about anything.
Is it scalable? If you were to buy a conventional brick-and-mortar business like a dry cleaner, often times the only way to increase the business is to open more locations. Investing in a credit repair business for sale means you can help a wide geographic area just by increasing your marketing or sales efforts.
Are you selling on price? This is an area where the right credit repair business for sale really shines: the right system will make you the expert (or your team). You could build this business yourself, but you could end up spending over a million dollars on software, thousands of hours on research, and many thousands of dollars on marketing ideas that didn't work. Just as there's a difference between a Porsche and a Buick, your credit repair business will be able to clearly demonstrate your value and therefore command a better price in the market.

Starting a franchise of a credit restoration business, instead of purchasing a credit repair business for sale can save you money and provide a higher rate of return.

Edward Jamison is the nation's #1 credit repair attorney, and has created a complete turn-key http://creditcrm.com/news/credit-repair-business-for-sale/

Google Custom Search Engine (CSE) - New Vertical Search Tools for Publishers

Have you created your own Custom Search Engine (CSE) since Google announced in late October that they had launched this tool?

[http://www.google.com/coop/cse/overview]

One of the huge benefits of the user generated Google CSE's is that they may turn up in Google OneBox results if one becomes popular enough and people choose it as a trusted source. Nobody has confirmed that yet, but it was one of the benefits of the previous generation Google Co-op "Subscribed Links" program, which is profiled after it's launch in a Danny Sullivan post at Search Engine Watch blog back on May 10th of this year when Google announced Co-op.

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060510-191214

Custom Search Engines, based on Google Co-op, until last week had required a geek's knowledge of XML to use effectively. Google CSE has simplified that tool and made it accessible to the rest of us by creating an administration control panel which eliminates the need to "code your own" subscribed links in XML documents. Now it's easy and any webmaster can create one - and if they know basic HTML - can have that CSE hosted on their own site.

http://google.com/coop/cse

When you create your own customized search engine through Google Co-op, it is possible for anyone to see customized search results drawing only from trusted sites you choose to search. This is similar to the Rollyo.com search engine, which allows you to create customized search which draws from Yahoo results, but only allows 25 sources.

Google Customized Search appears to have no limit on the number of sources and is also allowing you to incorporate AdSense into the search results so that if your custom search engine becomes popular, you can benefit from the traffic generated to your CSE. this is true of both your site-hosted version and the Google-hosted public CSE which is created simultaneously.

Rollyo sends searchers who use your Rollyo custom search engine to their site, while Google Custom Search Engine allows visitors to search from a page on your site AND see the results on your site, keeping them there, rather than sending them away to another site. It also creates a Google public CSE page simultaneously, available at a long URL with your ID embedded.

There is also a new directory which has started up (apparently in partnership with Google) in order to list quality Custom Search Engines created by site owners. They also allow you to suggest other CSE's for inclusion in their directory (free membership required). They then link directly to those searches at Google from the directory. Here's their launch press release.

http://www.customsearchguide.com/press.shtml

Chris Sherman, at SearchEngineWatch.com did a thorough overview of the new Google Custom Search Engine tool October 24 at:

http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3623765

So I happened to be writing an article about Corporate SEO Job Searches when I saw that announcement. I immediately went to Google Co-op and created my own search engine which searches all the top SEO job boards for Search Engine Optimization Employment listings. This Google CSE is an incredible tool that allows you to simultaneously filter out all the junk, while at the same time broadening your search beyond just one jobs board at a time.

What's even better is that when you use query operators like "site:jobsinsearch.com" (which is one of the source sites I included) that it returns only those results from that source. If you add a city name or state to the search box, it returns only SEO jobs offered in that city or state. There is nearly zero fluff or search engine spam remaining in the search results and you get EXACTLY what you were searching for.

I suspect that the Custom Search Engine tool will see a huge surge in popularity once people realize how powerful it can be when you use the CSE tool from trusted sites. I sincerely hope nobody figures out how to game this thing so that it can continue to improve search without polluting results.

Here's a novel idea which I incorporated into another CSE I created for my Small Business Ecommerce Tutorial at WebSite101 last week - that is to include EzineArticles.com in the list of sites searched, in this case for “Small Business Health Insurance.”

This provides quality results with resources that provide INFORMATION on the topic, rather than pure insurance sales sites. That custom search engine provides a lot of EzineArticles results mixed in with department of labor, small business administration, Kaiser Foundation, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and other trusted sites on the topic of small business.

I intend to include EzineArticles as a trusted source in other custom search engines in different topic areas on WebSite101 as well because it has a such a rich resource of available material from experts on dozens of topics and would be a valuable resource for those custom search engines in many broad topic areas.

I'm off to create some more of these things and plan on making them central features of several of my own sites. I suspect that many will create CSE's on dozens of amazing topics and can't wait to see how this affects the search landscape. Quality of resource sites included in those CSE's are critical, so are those sites filtered OUT of the results by the creators of customized search engines.

It is readily apparent from the first search engine results page how well it has been designed. I believe quality will reign here because nobody will continue to use a custom search which provides spammy results. Bad CSE's will disappear or possibly only be used by the dopes that design them, while good CSE's will flourish due to quality results generated and will likely increase in popularity and traffic.

CSE's will live or die by the results they produce. If they are designed with care and keep out the search engine spam, while showing valued and trusted sources, they will grow in popularity and traffic. It will be extremely interesting to see whether Google will favor trusted sites from these CSE's in results. How Google makes use of the long list of trusted sites and traffic and popularity figures of these custom search engines could produce huge gains in the trusted sites portion of their search algorithm.

Copyright © November 1, 2006 by Mike Banks Valentine

Mike Banks Valentine blogs about search engines and created a custom search engine on the topic of SEO Job Searches as well as a CSE on Small Business Health Insurance Information.

The Top Eight Must Do's For Claiming Expenses

1. Only claim for expenses that are genuine business related activities.

Business expenses are defined as expenses that are for business generating profits. As HMRC explain, you can only claim for expenses that are "wholly and exclusively" in the performance of your business. A business trip cost is a claimable expense, if it is a reasonable cost, like accommodation and dinner.

However, you may have some expenses that are shared with personal expenses like your phone bill; in cases like this, you can claim against the part that is for business calls.

You will need receipts for all of your claims to be processed. Without them, you will only be able to claim a maximum of £5 per day.

You will not also be able to claim tax back on occasions like business lunch expenses because it is seen to be a cost that you would have encountered anyway, had you stayed at the office. In contradiction to this, you are actually allowed to claim on one Christmas lunch a year for a maximum of £150 per head so you have room to go a little crazy...

2. You can claim on travel that is "wholly and exclusively" for business but not from home to work.

You are able to claim up to 40 pence on every mile up to 10,000 on private cars and then 25 pence for every mile after that. It is also possible to claim for the usage of a motorcycle at 24 pence per mile or a bicycle at 20 pence per mile.

But beware, though you can claim for parking and congestion charges, you may not claim for any parking fines you receive!

If you have any changes in the car benefits you provide, you must declare these to HMRC at the end of the quarter in which the change takes place, instead of the end of the tax year like other expenses and benefits, using form P46 (Car).

3 . Remember your business equipment and premises are capital items.

These cannot be counted as an expense. Instead, they must be categorised under fixed assets and writing down allowances are calculated at the year end, to reduce your profits. You may be able to reduce your taxable profit but this depends on items you are claiming for. You should check this with your financial cornerstone.

However, when your bookkeeper prepares monthly management accounts for you, they will calculate depreciation costs which, over the year, will reflect the writing down allowances that are calculated for the year end accounts.

If you work from home, you are able to claim back on your associated utility bills, like gas, electric, water, mortgage or rent, by the percentage of your home that is your designated office space. For example if you have a 5,000 square foot home of which 500 square foot is an office, you are able to claim 10% on your appropriate bills as a tax-deductible expense.

4 . Always hand in the correct completed forms to HMRC by 6th July every year.

This form will contain all the expenses for the year from each employee. This must be done

for all employees earning £8,500 and over including expenses and benefits and most company directors, you must complete a P11D form. You must pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions (NICs)to HMRC each month, all year round, together with PAYE. Class 1A NIC's are paid in a lump sum that will be declared on the P11D form and paid by 19th July or, if you are paying electronically by a preapproved method, 22nd July.

If you have an employee earning less than this or a director who has no material interest in the company (i.e. controls less than 5% share of ordinary share capital and works full time or in a charity or non-profit organisation), you must complete a P9D form for each one. You do not need to pay Class 1A NICs for these employees.

5. Keep accurate records!

The rules are very strict and it can be likely that you will be asked to produce your records by HMRC. You must retain documents of when, why and receipts of the costs incurred for the last three years as well as the payments you have made. It is sensible that you keep these on an employee-by-employee basis.

If you are not able to produce these records, you may be fined.

6. Check if your business could work more efficiently with a Dispensation

This is a notice from the HM Revenue & Customs that allows you to not have to declare certain expenses and benefits on a P11D or P9D nor pay National Insurance on them. This is designed for routine expenses or benefit for you are not liable for tax. To apply for a dispensation, you must complete a P11DX to HMRC at any time of the year and, once granted, they can take effect straight away if HMRC allows it to. Dispensations lasts indefinitely as well but you can expect to have a review of your eligibility every five years from HMRC.

7. Check if your business could work more efficiently with a PAYE Settlement Agreement

This is a scheme where you will be able to place small/irregular items or those that are hard to value in order to settle any Pay As You Earn (PAYE) or NICs in a lump sum. They are designed to simplify the way you pay tax on expenses and benefits as you won't have to declare these items on any employee's form, payroll or pay Class 1A NIC's at the end of the year. However, you will pay Class 1B NIC's and calculating the tax due under this system can be complicated so you should consult your financial cornerstone to make sure you are doing it correctly.

To apply for a PSA, you will have to apply to HMRC who will issue you with a signed P626 form if the agreement is authorised. They are renewed on a yearly basis, unlike a dispensation , and you will have to resubmit the document that will be sent to you from HMRC each year if authorised.

8. Remember your deadlines!

Don't risk receiving a fine from HMRC by missing these important deadlines of the tax year.

oP11D and P9D forms must be received by 6th July

oIssue your employee's with a copy by 6th July

oP11D(b) form of your total Class 1A NIC's by 6th July

oPay your Class 1A NIC's by 19th July or 22nd July by pre-approved electronic means

If you are ever in doubt then ask yourself this, 'was this cost necessary to generate more profit for the business?' if your answer is yes then it probably is a tax-deductible expense.

Further information can be obtained from The Local Bookkeeper website: http://www.thelocalbookkeeper.co.uk, or by calling either 0845 862 1078

The Age of GREED is Over!

MY TWO-CENTS... (comments/opinions) for whatever they're worth!

TURN OUT THE LIGHTS...THE PARTY'S OVER...

During the Stone Age, it was survival of the fittest...and in 2009...it's high-tech survival of the fittest as well. And, if American's don't change their ways, they are going to find this economy and society imploding from the inside if they're not careful, etc.

I don't think American's have a fear from outside the United States...but as the unthinkable events of 9/11 showed us all...that the threat could still be there. So, in 2009, who is America's greatest threat?

AMERICAN'S THEMSELVES...

"Earth provides enough for every man's need, but not for every man's greed." Mahatm Gandhi

It will be the American's themselves, who destroy the country because of an attitude problem...with selfishness and greed leading the way! "Everybody does it...so it's okay." When it comes to selfishness and greed...it's NOT okay! But, there is that "donut-hole" mentality that many people practice...you know the types...the follow-the-leader types!

Psychologists and social scientists are running around trying to figure out why the divorce rate is still so high, and the answer is simple, and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know the answer...selfishness and greed on both sides! Two selfish people bonding in matrimony...is a toxic mix! The two selfish people produce a couple of selfish kids...and BOOM...anther failed marriage!

Oh...sure, sure...there's a fancy term the court places on divorce..."irreconcilable differences," when in fact, it's selfishness and greed on both sides, etc. There is not a person in the country that's going to admit to being selfish...it's always somebody else!

Everybody knows how selfish kids can be. I helped to raise two kids for over 19 years, and in my family there are ten kids, and the older kids had to help raise the little ones, so I know selfish kids can be. Kids want to be the boss of everything...they want to run the show...eat sweets all day...buy all the toys in the store...they want to rule! Yes...I know selfish kids can be!

When it comes to job losses, nobody's going to tell me how awful it is to lose your job, either! Over a decade or so, I have been laid off SIX times, and all for legitimate reasons such as defense cuts; companies closing; down-sizing, etc. I have never been fired from a job because of attendance problems, attitude or anything else.

During my many job losses, I worked as a temporary employee until something permanent came along. During this time, I worked at over 25 different companies (at one time or another), and I have never seen so much negativity and attitude in my life. Selfishness; gossip; put-down of others; a fist-fight or two; and even gun play, etc.

The analogy I like to use to compare the economy and society today, is a company I worked for after my first job layoff. It was one of the worst companies I have ever worked for, with a bad attitude and bad everything else. It was a company that made plastic parts for imaginable such as vacuum cleaners; sewing machines; computers, smoke alarms, etc. With about 300 employees, there are NO words, that can describe the atmosphere or attitude of employees in this company! These were people who cared about nothing but themselves! A manner-less crowd...of apathy and defiance and of such poor quality of work, that I didn't know how this company could stay in business!

The returned parts was so bad, they would come back in 18 wheelers, and it didn't take long for the warehouse to fill up with rejected parts. Little by little, the pile of returns got larger and larger, and I was assigned to, and worked on the returns for over eight months. Words cannot describe what I saw in all those boxes...burned parts; half of parts were missing; obvious sink holes; contaminated parts; streaks of splay on the parts and on and on! How all these parts got past quality control, was beyond me! The result?

Over a period of time, and one by one, the customers started to pull their molds for the parts...and it included big companies, such as General Electric; Apple; MicroSoft; Singer, Erueka, etc. Eureka had about a third of the floor (machines) and when they pulled their mold...THE COMPANY CLOSED! It was the attitude of the employees themselves that closed the company...with the attitude of apathy and defiance...resulted with the company imploding from the inside! A big, fat attitude problem here!

* * *

Many years ago, my wife and I, saw a movie called, "Wall Street." And, in the movie, the main character proclaimed, "Greed is Good!" And, I can see in this society, that greed is good for some people as well. With a little mix of greed and corruption...and with the attitude of "everybody does it...so it's okay"...provides for another toxic mix, etc.

Therefore, I see many American's this way...with a big fat ATTITUDE PROBLEM...with selfishness and greed leading the way! And, if American's don't change their ways and their attitudes...I see the same thing happening, as happened to the company I mentioned...the society imploding from the inside!

When I was a member of a singles club, I sat next to a woman at the bar one night. And, for over 30 minutes, this woman talked about nothing else but herself...her kids..her students...herself...herself...her kids...her students...herself...herself...and when she wasn't talking about herself...she talked about herself...WHEW! Thirty minutes was enough for me, and I got my drink and headed for another part of the club. There are people in this world, that can't even share a conversation! Whatever happened to sharing? Whatever happened to give and take? Ever wonder why the divorce rate is still so high?

"It is greed to do all the talking, but not want to listen at all." Democritus

To get out of this financial melt-down, American's are going to have to take some pretty bad medicine and take it down NOW! When you go to your hair-cutter, you get your hair thinned out, and the rest of your hair will be strengthened, will grow thicker and thrive. The same holds true, when the gardener thins down the plants and trims down the branches on the trees; bushes...and the plants grow thicker, are more productive and thrive as well, etc.

Question: In respect to the economy and in business...what does the "thinning-out process" mean?

Answer: It means taking out the weak players.

For as long as I can remember, there were two newspapers in Albuquerque, New Mexico (where I live), but the evening newspaper went belly0up about a year ago. (2008) There used to be three large shopping centers of more than 200 stores each. But, Winrock Center (Winthrop Rockefeller) went belly-up about five years ago (2003), and today it remains a ghost-town.

This is what's happening all across America..as the "thinning out process" continues to take hold, and it's going to be painful and many tears will be shed over the coming months and years, etc. What do I think will happen to this economy, you ask?

- two or three greedy auto-makers will go belly-up; (they've taken American's for a ride long enough; poor babies)

- two or three greedy airlines will go belly-up; (no more friendly skies!)

- several greedy retailers will go belly-up: (we'll miss them on Black Friday...our national day of greed)

- dozens of greedy banks will go belly-up; (they were not happy working banker's hours...now they won't be working at all)

- many greedy grocery stores will go belly-up; (don't sell all the tissue, because you're going to need it)

- many greedy shopping centers will go belly-up; (consumers are tired of dealing with these pirates)

- to the delight of American's, many gas stations will go belly-up; (they'll know what it's like running on empty)

- many greedy insurance companies will go belly-up; (you're in good hands with who?)

- many greedy hotels/motels will go belly-up; (they made their bed...they can sleep in it)

- a few pharmaceutical companies will go belly-up; this industry is right up there with Big Oil in greed, so I don't think the American people care if a few of them go under.

And, because all these pirates are so greedy, they deserve to go under! I have no sympathy for any of these pirates!

MY TWO-CENTS CONTINUES...

Should the U.S. government bail out General Motors and other car-makers with tax dollars? My answer is NO...because General Motors and others are being miss-managed. The government should let them go under, and America will survive the ripple-effect of job losses it causes.

This is another example of what I call the "thinning out process," and other companies will have to go under, including the arrogant General Motors. Trust me...the world is not going to come to an end, if General Motors goes under. It's about time, the people there get a REAL job...as they have been on the gravy train too long!

AMERICA IS MUCH TOO FAT...TO BLOATED...AND THE DOWN-SIZING OF AMERICA WILL CONTINUE AND IT WILL BE PAINFUL FOR MANY! IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE U.S. CONGRESS, TO ENACT LAWS TO KEEP COMPANIES IN THIS COUNTRY, SO THERE CAN BE MORE JOBS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!

The future of America: I see the future of America, as all this reckless spending of years past will come to an end...replaced with more saving for the American people! This important change in attitude and lifestyle, will cause the greedy corporations/stockholders (who don't care about the American people) to be "thinned out," and go out of business as we know it, etc. Many work places will suffer as a result. It won't take long to get rid of these pirates!

HATS OFF AND THUMBS UP TO THE AMERICANS WHO MANAGE TO SAVE MORE IN THEIR LIVES!

* * *

In sports...10...20....30...or 60 million dollars for a player is a disgrace and insanity in this country! There is NO athlete or entertainer worth this kind of money...and who are the FOOLS in all this? The fools who buy the tickets, that who...the fans who pay these jokesters that kind of money! These sports and entertainment people are certainly worth the 60 million dollars they get...60 million dollars of arrogance they display! These people are NOT worth what they get paid...and as a nation we have left the Age of Greed...and entered the Age of Insanity!

The government and the American people can't have it both ways. The American people are part of the problem, in this financial melt-down, because they are saving more, and I salute them for that! What's wrong with that? When they save more...they don't help to manufacture the knick-knacks and people get laid off from their jobs, etc.

Historically, American's are the worst savers of all the industrial countries. I saw a news story recently, whereby, Americans have gone from saving a paltry 1% to saving 6%...and good for them. American's have to save more in this greedy society we live in...which is led by greedy corporations and their stockholders, etc.

When I got my $300.00 check from the government, I put it in my savings right away. I'm not in the business of spending recklessly or creating jobs...I'll leave all that to the politicians in Washington. A applaud the American people who can save...recession or no recession.

The headlines in the Albuquerque Journal dated March 9, 2009 reads, "Mayor Halts Double-Dipping; Drawing Salary AND Pension Will Cut Practice" As the reader can see...greed is everywhere!

I live in a one-horse town in Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) with a population of more than 500,000 residents. The president of the University of New Mexico makes $585,000 per year, which is a disgrace and he doesn't deserve it, in my view. Recently, the University of New Mexico Regents and the UNM President got an overwhelming "no-confidence" vote from the facaulty/professors at the university.

The governor is involved in all this, because he appointed all of the Regents to the Board. Many of the positions (vice-presidents) were created by the president of UNM, and those people are making $250,000 a year. Suspicion has it, that all the vice-presidents are cronies to the governor! (sounds like government as usual...screw the taxpayer!)

WANTED; (Under-achievers)

In 2009, jobs are scarce...so if you want a job, you can apply for the following position; (several positions will be available)

Position title: Puppet I; (entry level); for the governor;

Requirements; Applicant MUST be an under-achiever and loyal to the governor and his cronies;

Pay: $250, 000 per year; (the pay is low, so you must sacrifice)

Job Description; Do nothing; (if you have a problem with this...do NOT apply) WARNING: If you are caught doing anything during your term...you could be fired)

Skills required: (Multi-tasking); under-produce or don't produce at all; able to rest all day; Yawning often will get you points with the governor; act like you're doing something;

Termination bonus: Upon leaving the employment of the State, you will be given tens of thousands of dollars for doing nothing; You will also receive a certificate of appreciation and a thank you for being loyal to the governor and his cronies;

And, this is what I'm talking about...a BIG FAT ATTITUDE in America...cronyism...the selfish and the greedy...the "ME FIRST" attitude...I'll scratch your back...if you'll scratch mine!

The World Famous "Pit." In Albuquerque, New Mexico, I live walking distance to the world-famous "Pit" which is the University Arena at the University of New Mexico. It's called the "pit" because, when it was built in 1966, it was carved out of a hole in the ground...meaning that all the seats for basketball are underground, over 15, 000 at the time. The basketball floor is several hundred feet underground. Later, in the 1970's, the arena was expanded with more seats (above ground) and it now seats over 20,000 fans.

I had not been to the "pit" in years, and I wanted to see the New Mexico/BYU game more than anything, and so for my birthday, I bought a ticket for $12.00, and I went and enjoyed the game, with BYU winning an over-time thriller.

In 2009, Utah came to town, and New Mexico and Utah were fighting for the lead in the conference, and I wanted to see this game, too. When I called about tickets to the game, I was told, that they now cost $19.00! WHAT?

There's a line in the sand for everything, so I said "NO"...I will NOT pay $19.00 for a ticket, so I had to settle for listening to the game on radio. And the GREED continues...and it doesn't matter if it's led by a greedy corporation or a university in sports! I am NOT going to contribute to those greedy coaches, who don't deserve what they make in the first place.

"Hell has three gates; lust; anger; and greed!" Bhagauad Gita

Prepare for the Worst...and Hope for the Best!

Since I've had SIX job layoffs in a little over a decade, I think I'm qualified to give a little advice on the subject of jobs, etc.

"Good things happen to those who hustle." Anais Def

1) Start preparing NOW! Don't wait until the layoff notices come down, and then you rush off to school to get the skills you need. There's no free lunch...

When I was 43 years old, I completed three writing courses to try to improve my writing skills; the Writers Digest course; the National Writers club course; and a creative writing course at the University of New Mexico. All this cost me a couple of hundred dollars at the time, and took me about 18 months to complete. It's one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

When I was 48 years old, I completed my real estate broker requirements, which in this state, is 160 hours of classroom study. At the time, I had no interest in entering real estate, but I did it for my future.

When I was 51 years old, I completed three computer courses; Windows 3.1; Word 6.0; WordPerfect 5.0 and several tutorials. It cost me about $150.00 at the time, and took me about 18 months to complete. This gave me the much-needed computer skills and now I could work almost anywhere in the 1990's and beyond.

2) Flexibility; Because I worked for an engineering company for over ten years, and I got much of my office skills at the University of New Mexico, I could now work on either side of the fence. On the blue collar side in production and assembly OR I could put on a shirt and tie and work in an office environment. The key for me was to get those computer skills...once I had those...I was on my way, etc.

3) Take what you can get: Some people are too picky as to where they work, etc. If you lose your job, don't be too picky as to what or where you work. It might not be what you want, but at least you're bringing in a little bacon, etc. The more types of work you can do, the more you can fatten up your resume and the more experience you gain.

4) Temporary employment resume: Because of all my job losses, I worked as a temporary employee longer than I wanted. Because of this, I decided to put together a temp resume, which was in addition to my regular resumes, so I could show my potential employer that I had experience in different jobs. It worked out well for me. You might work at one place for several months, and all that experience is not wasted...if it's placed on a resume be itself.

5) If you lose your job, don't be a crybaby: Nobody wants to hear you whine or sob because you lost your job! There are millions of people out there losing their jobs everyday, and you're all in a sinking boat, and the last thing anyone wants to listen to is a crybaby! Preparing yourself for the worst is the key!

One of my bosses used to play cards at lunchtime everyday for years. When the layoff notices came down, he rushed off to take a class at the local school. DO NOT DO THIS! Start preparing yourself NOW! As I outlined earlier, everything takes time and money to prepare yourself and you can blame nobody but yourself, if you don't start NOW! DO NOT WASTE TIME!

6) Avocation: If you have a hobby such as painting; glass; pottery; leather, etc., make up a separate resume and list your achievements, skills and talents. At one time, I had been a woodcarver for over 30 years, and I had an artistic resume. When somebody at the engineering company said they wanted somebody that was good with their hands...and I AM good with my hands, to do small and delicate work...I got the job! Interesting, eh?

7) Website: If you have a website, like I do, list it on your artistic resume. If you don't have a website...get one! You have more space on a website, to list all that you can do, and use it as your expended resume and make it optional for your potential employers. Your potential employer will see your skills and talents in putting your website together.

8) Think positive; Negativism will get you nowhere! Always have a positive attitude and have confidence in yourself. People will notice it right away. If you start crying and sobbing that's wrong in your life...it will be noticed, too! Believe in yourself, and don't go over the line of arrogance! The more knowledge and experience you get for yourself...the more confidence you get for yourself!

"What you lack in talent...can be made up with desire, hustle and giving 110 percent all the time." Don Zimmer

9) Swallow your pride: If you lose your job and and you need help from the State, in the form of food stamps or welfare...take it! That's what it's there for! It will help you get back on your feet, until you find permanent employment, which may take a while. Swallow your pride...because the most important thing in so feed yourself and your family! I lived in a homeless shelter for over 6 weeks; I stood in a soup line for over 6 weeks, and if I can swallow my pride...you can too!

And finally...I know what it's like to lose your source of income...that awful frustrating and empty feeling in your stomach, along with many sleepless nights, etc. Believe me...I been there...I've done that! With a world economy and so much competition coming from everywhere...it can be frustrating and agonizing! So, my best advice is to fatten up your resume...and get started right away...hope for the best...and hustle like you never have before! GOOD LUCK!

ARTICLES PUBLISHED: (460+ websites/includes links); Direct link: [http://humordoctormd.homestead.com/articlespublished.html]

Website name; humordoctormd - Over 150 colorful pages; over 300 graphics: [http://humordoctormd.homestead.com]

email; humordoctormd@yahoo.com Copyright; Jerry L. Aragon (The Humor Doctor) 2007

Hello Philippines, Goodbye India

Outsourcing business is truly an economic blessing to Asian countries and other parts of the world. There's so many to mention about this industry which became powerful over a decade because of the high demand of the customer service. Large call center companies started to harvest the fruits of their labor due to the continuous patronage of their customers worldwide.

When it comes to notable leader of call center industry, it has been told that India has dominated the market. The year 2006 is the increased of globalization for the business process outsourcing, with overseas contact centers in Asia, Central and Eastern Europe. Despite the report released by the UK reporters uncovered an unsettling underside to the Indian call center industry-lax security of customer data. The British media managed to uncover criminal rings that sold data from millions of customers, accessed from Indian call centers. As a result of this, many companies pulled out of the Indian call center industry over the last year. But in general India is still coping up with this industry.

Let's take a closer look of India, situated over 7,000 km (4,350 mi), this country lies on a peninsula in Southern Asia that protrudes into the Indian Ocean. India is bounded in the southwest by the Arabian Sea and in the east and southeast by the Bay of Bengal. With a record breaking population of 936,545,814 estimated in July 1995, with 1.8 percent annual growth rate. About 74 percent in rural areas in 1991; high population density--284 persons per square kilometer national average, major states more than 700 persons per square kilometer; 100 persons or fewer per square kilometer in some border states and insular territories. Bombay (officially renamed Mumbai in 1995) largest city, with 12.6 million in 1991; twenty-three other cities with populations of more than 1 million. Language spoken is English including the 1,652 different "mother tongues".

Meanwhile, the Philippines being an agricultural country is now receiving recognition in the call center arena. Now, the Philippines is considered to be the major player and hotlist competitor of India. Foreign investors would say "hello Philippines", which means the country is the preferred destination for outsourcing against India and other countries like China, Russia, Malaysia, Mexico, Brazil, Ireland and Canada. The Philippines continue to conquer the world of information technology such as BPO and call centers. The valuable knowledge of the Filipinos in customer service and other valuable resources are among of the few reasons that Philippines is surpassing India. Large call center companies are occupying the skyscrapers in the major business districts in metro Manila and other provinces in the country.

The sophisticated development of contact centers everywhere in the Philippines is not possible without the strong support from its government. In addition, The Philippine IT outsourcing industry's advantages as an outsourcing destination include overall quality, low cost, good quality education, good value, increasing domain expertise and increasingly sophisticated performance metrics and program management skills. The American invasion is a proof why Filipinos have fluency in English language. With the literacy rate of 94.9% by 2000, with female literacy rate of 94.8% and male literacy rate of 95.1% is also a great reason. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had designed programs that will boost the literacy rate of the Filipinos with the partnership from the different sectors led by the Department of Education (DepEd).

CYBER CORRIDOR

The Cyber Corridor encompasses centers of technology and learning running the length of all the super regions, from Baguio to Clark to Metro Manila to Cebu to Davao and neighboring areas. This was given priority agenda by the Mrs. Arroyo in her 2006 and 2007 State of the Nation Address (Sona). In her recent Sona in July this year, she outlined that the Philippines ranks among top off-shoring hubs in the world because of cost competitiveness and more importantly our highly trainable, English proficient, IT-enabled management and manpower. The growth of ICT-enabled services in different regions in the Philippines successfully contributed significantly to the country's revenue collections.

The Cyber Corridor is an ICT channel running over 600 miles across the country, from Baguio City in the north to Zamboanga down south of the archipelago. Supported by a $10 billion high bandwidth fiber back-bone and digital network, the Cyber Corridor will be home to numerous cyberservice providers that supply expert services in various fields of ICT, such as business process outsourcing (BPO), contact centers, animation, medical and legal transcription, software development, e-learning, e-entertainment and gaming, and other back office operations, among others.

The BPO and contact center locators continuously seek places where to establish their business. The increasing demand of more practical and feasible outsourcing sites outside Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Clark in Pampanga, Baguio City and Metro Davao, considered as mature sites, have spurred the growth of ICT in the countryside. The cities like Sta. Rosa, Lipa in Batangas; Legaspi and Naga in Bicol; Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Dumaguete and Bacolod in Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao currently play hosts to some of the biggest BPO players in the country. What acknowledge locators to these places are the availability of quality workforce, redundant telecommunications facilities, sound business and incentives package from the local governments, among others.

WHY INVEST IN THE PHILIPPINES?

According to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), the Philippines is fast becoming the preferred haven for foreign investments in the Asia-Pacific region. Its investment climate is conducive more than ever to foreign investors. It has a continuing economic and financial reform program to be more competitive in the international market. It has rid itself of excessive government regulations and has liberalized all sectors of its economy.

Peza stated that telecommunications, shipping, oil, banking, and insurance industries have been deregulated. Strategically located, the Philippines provides a natural gateway to other Asia-Pacific economies. It has flourishing trade links with its Asian neighbors due to shared history, cultures, and tradition. The economic reforms are in place and continues to be improved. Business is liberalized, promotional and less regulatory, and attuned for global competition. There's full (100%) foreign ownership of enterprises, facilitative assistance and simplified investment procedures. A market composed of 76.5 million Filipino consumers.

Peza is a government corporation established through legislative enactment known as "The Special Economic Zone Act of 1995". It is an investment promotion agency and a government owned corporation, attached to the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI). It offers ready-to-occupy locations to foreign investors who are export producers or IT service exporters in world class and environment friendly Economic Zones and I.T. Parks/Buildings.

PHILIPPINE VS INDIA

In comparison between the Philippines and India in terms of labor pool, cost and government policies. On labor pool, the Philippines produces 380,000 graduates annually. The country has abundant supply of quality labor with a large pool of knowledge-based, multi-skilled, highly-educated, highly-trainable, literate, English-speaking workforce. Low employment turnover (less than 1%), high productivity yields, highly adaptable to model changes, and familiar to quality work needs. India, on the other hand, produces over 75,000 IT graduates and 20 lacs English-speaking graduates annually.

On Labor Cost:

According to the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics under the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) revealed in 2002, employers in non-agricultural establishments spent a total of PhP460 billion in labor cost, representing a 46 percent increase over that incurred in 1998 at PhP315 billion. At least one-third of total labor cost is still accounted for by manufacturing establishments. While, India's labor costs have crept upward over the years but have been offset by falling telecom rates. Typical salaries range from $5,000 to $12,000 for technical staff, while back-office salaries range from $3,500 to $7,500.

Government Policies:

When it comes to political stability, democracy is at its best with true checks and balances in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government. Freedom of speech is upheld at all times and the Philippine press remains the freest and most open in Asia if not in the world. The Indian government, meanwhile, administered national minister specifically for IT. The government favors IT foreign ownership and imposes no export taxes.

With the reports indicated, it is predicted that call center industry will remain to be the most promising business in the world.

Roberto L. Bacasong, 27, works as Customer Interaction Associate in a biggest contact center in the Philippines.

The Future is Here - What Are You Afraid Of? 11 Simple Steps to Release Fear and Move Forward

We are bombarded every day with information and images warning of approaching disasters. I'm not just talking about the collapse of the housing market and the world banks or fluctuating gas prices and rampant unemployment. While these are major disasters in and of themselves, they are minor compared to some of the things looming on the horizon.

Here are some of the challenges we may face in the near future:

The NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease - part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) conducts and supports research to understand, treat, and ultimately prevent the myriad infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases that threaten hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Here's the short list of the diseases being looked at: anthrax, antimicrobial resistant, botulism, dengue fever, E. Coli, group A streptococcal infections, Lyme disease, SARS, salmonella, shingles, smallpox, tularemia, West Nile, botulism, plague (Yersinia Pestis), viral hemorrhagic fevers, Lassa viruses, hanta viruses, Ebola, tick borne hemorrhagic fever viruses, yellow fever, tick born encephalitis viruses, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, multi drug resistant TB, and influenza.

An article on the NIAID website for the C.W. Bill Young Center for Biodefence and Emerging Infectious Diseases notes that there are about 275 BioSaftety Level 3 laboratories in the U.S. Designed to conduct research on infectious agents. BSL 3's are specifically constructed to prevent scientists and the environment from being exposed to these agents. In addition BSL Level 2 labs are in place to study viruses and agents that effect humans and can be cured with treatment.

We have only to look to Hollywood to know that these concerns are not limited to the scientific community. Movies such as I Am Legend, Twelve Monkeys and Outbreak speak to our fears and feelings of helplessness when it comes to this invisible threat. Based on the information above, it's safe to say that our government is a bit concerned as well.

At the writing of this article, there are 6.874 billion people in the world and growing by 1 birth every 3 seconds. The increase in global population will strain all our shared resources specifically our food and water supplies. In April of 2008, we saw rice shortages threaten the lives and economies of Pakistan, India and China which set off a shoppers panic in the U.S. Sam's club had to limit the amounts of rice and flour members could purchase as a result.

According the University of Arizona's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, "the World Bank reports that 80 countries now have water shortages that threaten health and economies while 40 percent of the world - more than 2 billion people - have no access to clean water or sanitation." At home, ground water in the U.S. is threatened by industrial, agricultural and household pollution, making it either impossible or too costly to purify for individual use. Fifty years ago household water came from wells dug on the home owner's property. Water was referred to as "well water" or "city water", the latter referring to water pumped into the city from a suburb or rural area. Today well water is no longer an option.

Megan Mansell Williams, in the January 9, 2008 issue of Discover Magazine, notes that male minnows possessing female characteristics had produced eggs as a result of the hormones from human birth control pills in their water. She also noted that the minnow populations in local waters studied at the Canadian Rivers Institute at University of New Brunswick were now extinct as a result of this pollution. We must also consider the impact on the larger fish, animal and human populations who ate these minnows before they died off. By the time the impact is discovered and measured it is already too late - the damage has been done. We have to wonder what we are eating today that will come back to haunt us tomorrow?

It appears as though our eco-systems have reached tipping points after decades of irresponsible actions and lack of protection from the fiscal bottom line. If we continue to act under the premise that it is less costly to be reactive than proactive, we will continue to see the consequences of those choices.

To this list of concerns we must also add all the catastrophic 2012 predictions circulating such as gravitational shifts, collapsing infrastructures, disturbed weather patterns, etc. These are also real concerns and have been addressed in previous articles.

So what can we do about all these fear inducing facts? We must first recognize them. Survival fears are the strongest. They will seek a place to anchor themselves in your psyche and urge you to take action. However, you may be thinking, "but what can I do?"

Taking action gives us a sense of control and empowerment; it eliminates the feeling of helplessness in the face of looming disaster. Take action by being prepared. Choose an area to begin with such as clean water, clean air, whole food, healthy body, positive mind. Make a list and focus on one thing at a time rather than trying to do everything at once. If you allow yourself to become overwhelmed, you'll give up and that won't help anyone.

Here are some guidelines to help you:

1. Begin an exercise regime that you can live with. Start small and stay with it. A healthy balanced body at any weight will have a stronger immune system. Your body will function more efficiently and you'll feel better too.

2. Invest in a personal water purification system, preferably one that works without electricity. Those living in densely populated areas or places prone to flooding will especially want to have clean water available to them in the event of sudden storms, etc.

3. Change diet and shopping habits to include foods that give more nutrition value for your dollar. Although cheap processed and sugar filled foods will fill you up but have little nutrition. I'm not saying live on sprouts and juiced vegetables alone, just make some substitutions. Experiment with your diet, try new things.

4. Start a garden in your yard or window box and grow your favorite food. Healthy unmodified seeds can be purchased on line so you won't be forced to use commercial products to produce the results you want. Get the neighbors involved and share your harvest, everyone loves home grown tomatoes and veges.

5. Create or update disaster preparedness kits for your locale. If you already have one, be sure nothing has expired and that your pets are included in your plan. Place insurance information and passports with cash in safe deposit boxes. This will speed the process up if you need to file claims and confirm your identity.

6. Invest in a healing modality that works quickly and effectively as a preventative against all those diseases. I recommend Soma Pi because I teach it and have used it for years. Find what works for you and then work it. You'll save money in the form of insurance co-payments and sick time at work as well as the costly medical treatments you won't need.

7. Use your intuition to determine whether or not you need flu shots or other vaccines. Remember that every medication has the potential for adverse side effects and will want to know if you are in the small percentage that will have them.

8. Strengthen your connection to your inner truth. Hone your intuitive skills to make correct decisions for yourself and help those you love with theirs. When you know what's right for you, fear goes away.

9. Develop a skill that will be useful to others like cooking, playing music, building, growing food, healing, singing, sewing, etc. Be of service to others. When you are helping others you become part of a greater community that in turn supports you. Share your talents and give without the expectation of reward and you'll feel better about the future.

10. Laugh fully and regularly - laughter is a wonderful way to dispel fear. It provides a vehicle to release all that pent up anxiety from the body. It is cleansing, healing and just plain fun. Besides who wants to survive the future with a dour sour mirthless person next to them?

11. Pray or connect with God daily. Without prayer and a connection to God we are floated helplessly throughout the universe with no guidance or safety net. When you are connected to God, you know that that you are safe and secure. Fear can't exist in the same space a God, so keep God in your mind and fear will be gone.

Remember that there will always be something "out there" that can get you. It is unproductive and crippling to worry about each and everything that comes along. Although the media works hard to keep us constantly informed of all the current terrible horrible life threatening possibilities just waiting to destroy us, resist the urge to buy in to that way of thinking and living. Start at the bottom on my list with prayer and work your way back into a fearless healthy life in community with others.

Susan Zummo is a highly motivated and qualified teacher of higher awareness. She is one of only three certified Perceptive Awareness Technique, Inc. (P.A.T.) facilitators and Soma Pi? healing teachers in the world today. Susan, an Integrated Awareness graduate with over 20 years of experience, has been helping clients connect with their Higher Mind through Intuitive Counseling sessions, P.A.T. seminars and healing workshops. Susan became a P.A.T. facilitator 9 years ago and has helped many students gain access to their intuition via soul contact. Her teachings have helped her workshop attendees to reinforce their belief in self and their connection to a higher source. Susan's workshop participants regard her as one of the most committed and positive spiritual teachers they have had the fortune to meet. Susan's professionalism and compassion are her trademarks. Most of her students come to her through the glowing recommendations of former students. For more information on classes and private sessions contact Susan by email: susanzummo@verizon.net; on line at: http://www.susanzummo.com