Casino mogul eyes Mass. market

Casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson is on a winning streak.

The 74-year-old helped reinvent Las Vegas by emphasizing luxury suites, fine dining and entertainment as chairman and chief executive of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Three years ago, he became the first outsider to open a casino in Macau, the only part of China where gambling is legal. Last year, his company won a hotly contested license to build Singapore's first casino.

He hopes to keep winning in Massachusetts.

Like other Las Vegas operators, Adelson is closely watching Gov. Deval Patrick's campaign to bring casinos to Massachusetts. The governor's legislation would license three resort-style casinos, which he says would generate $400 million annually in tax revenue and 20,000 jobs.

Adelson, who ranked No. 3 on Forbes' list of richest Americans with a net worth of $28 billion, likes Marlborough as one of the casino sites, believing it could lure gamblers from Connecticut two casinos.

"It's the pi! vot point, the lynchpin of the distance you have to travel," he said of the Boston suburb near Interstates 495 and 90.

Before anything gets built, skeptical lawmakers need to be persuaded to expand gambling in Massachusetts. Adelson says Bay Staters already gamble on lottery tickets, horses and at Connecticut casinos.

Adelson has pledged to build with union workers in Boston, but longtime Las Vegas union activists predict his post-construction workforce would be nonunion.

"He fights us vehemently. To say that he's going to build union is a throwaway line," said D. Taylor, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Workers Union local 226 that represents 60,000 workers in Las Vegas.

While The Venetian was under construction, union activists sparred with Adelson. A federal court ruled in 1999 that The Venetian resort violated U.S. labor law by trying to prevent members of the culinary and bartenders unions from rallying on a sidewalk outside the casino. The V! enetian resort is nonunion.

Adelson, whose cab driver fa! ther was a regular at the Suffolk Downs horse track in Boston, envisions a 300,000-square-foot resort with gambling, restaurants and entertainment, such as the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys" -- which will play early next year at his newest Las Vegas casino, The Palazzo.

Under Patrick's bill, bidders who partner with a Massachusetts-based Indian tribe would get preference, but Adelson says he would prefer to bid on his own.

He met with Patrick's top economic advisers in May, and boasts he could build "the largest building in the world in two years." But he says he'd give Massachusetts' government whatever design it wants.

Before building casinos, Adelson, a college dropout, worked as a financial adviser and real estate investor. He created the technology trade show Comdex in 1979, which he sold it to Japan's Softbank Corp. for $860 million in 1995.

He bought the Sands Hotel and Casino, former home to Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, in 1989. Seven years later, ! he was inspired by his honeymoon in Venice to destroy it and erect The Venetian, a $1.5 billion casino resort.

The 4,000-suite resort prompted ridicule from gambling executives -- who were focused mostly on gaming revenue -- because it catered to business travelers and profited from hotel rooms. But it proved successful, and others followed suit.

Las Vegas Sands went public in December 2004, elevating Adelson to rarified company. He trails only Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett on Forbes' list of richest Americans.

Adelson, who lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Miriam, and maintains a home in Newton, was on Beacon Hill this month to testify at a hearing on Patrick's proposed casino bill.

He also invited the governor to attend the Aug. 28 opening of Macau casino, offering a free overnight suite, according to a copy of Patrick's invitation o! btained by The Associated Press. Patrick declined.

By: mcomo

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Michael Comeau has been owner of many successful businesses over the years including his current online business which can be viewed at www.workfromhome4dollars.com/ArticleWorkFromHome20.php You may also find more articles by Michael Comeau at www.workfromhome4dollars.com

Source: http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2007/12/31/casino_mogul! _eyes_mass_market/
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Piers Akerman: Rudd faces complex 'bucket of poo'

He promised, however, to come back when he had “the co-ordinates” for the position, whatever that may mean.

But a lack of “co-ordinates” for cricket commentary hasn’t stopped the applause for his handling of the nation’s top job from members of the Canberra press corps.

According to my colleague Steve Lewis, national political correspondent of The Daily Telegraph, “Those who experienced the Howard government’s cold-hearted approach are reporting a new spirit of co-operation in Canberra.”

This observation was based on the appearance of a “diminutive elder of the local Ngunnawal people” who delivered a welcome to a group Lewis described as “Labor’s new royalty” at “their new home, The Lodge”.

The only visible evidence of any new spirit of co-operation around Canberra appeared to be the willingness of the local police to ignore the Commonwealth car ! double-parked while Rudd did some shopping.

Even the most grizzled old Canberrans were impressed by that evidence of a new federalist relationship, truly Jeffersonian in its approach, which Rudd, a self-described Jeffersonian separatist in matters religious, would appreciate.

It may be that the Rudd honeymoon is taking place during the media silly season, or it may be that many regular commentators are on their well-earned breaks, but sweetness and light continues to flow from The Lodge.

For example, there hasn’t been a murmur about Rudd’s reversal on Iraq, the need to stray from the course that he once urged upon that “cold-hearted” Howard government.

Fortunately, Maxine McKew, now the Member for Bennelong, recorded Rudd’s position on Iraq in an interview for The Bulletin magazine in December 2003. In it, Rudd accused the Howard government of “trying to crab-walk away from its responsibilities”.
!
According to McKew’s account, Australia had “j! ust over 800 support personnel left in Iraq, with the overwhelming load of both reconstruction and the fight against a hydra-headed insurgency left to the American and British forces”.

Rudd, she wrote, explained that this meant “the Americans and Brits are privately pissed off with John Howard because he’s been quietly seeking to exit the field”.

Huh? Kevin Rudd said John Howard was quietly seeking to cut and run?

Given Rudd’s flying visit to Iraq to tell the Iraqis that this was his plan for the region, is this yet another example of his “me too” approach to politics?

Rudd wouldn’t tell McKew what he had been told by “senior coalitionists” about Australia’s post-war contribution, or the lack of it.

“I’m not in the business of betraying confidences. But I’m telling you it grates,” he said.

“Because the Brits and the Americans are in there wi! th their leadership intact but, from May 1 (2003), John Howard’s position on Iraq has been based not on a military exit strategy but on a political exit strategy.”

Which is surely news to those who claimed Howard had no exit strategy.

But, to top it all, Rudd - who has told the Americans and British that Australian combat troops will be withdrawn by the middle of next year - had the hide to tell McKew: “I think that’s going doggo.”

And, more strongly: “Frankly, it reflects political cowardice on Howard’s part.”

That’s pretty strong commentary from someone who lacks the “co-ordinates” to describe a Test, but it highlights the great flaw in the Rudd revolution: that the debate is never about principle, it’s about politics.

Four years ago, Rudd believed Australia should stay the course. He said everything in international law said we, as a member of the invading forc! es, had to help Iraqis restore order and rebuild.

Now ! he has a more nuanced policy (Australia has a responsibility for only some bits and pieces of the Iraq mess), while he has given an open-ended commitment to keep Australian troops in Afghanistan - where Australians have already died - for as long as it takes.

The coalition forces in Iraq, under the US, and in agreement with the UN, are winning.

In Afghanistan, the battle isn’t going as smoothly.

Our troops are doing more than their share of the heavy lifting, while some nations are keeping their units well away from the fighting.

When he believed in securing Iraq for the Iraqis, Rudd told McKew: “There’s an easy script on the centre-left of Australian politics to say, ‘Nah, nah, naaah!’

“The harder script is to say: ‘What do we now do about the 23 million Iraqis who find themselves in a comprehensive bucket of poo, and what do we do to help fix that?“‘

It would seem he hasn’t ! opted for the easy answer, or at least the answer that is easiest to sell to his clique of believers.

Hugh White, Professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University, says Rudd went to Iraq to sell a “complex” message that Australia would be withdrawing some troops and keeping others there as support for our US allies.

“Complex” is not the word for it. The comprehensive bucket of poo is being cleaned up and Australia is clearing out at a critical time for clearly political purposes, even as the current strategy is bearing fruit.

Not that our US allies will hold it against Rudd; they’re rapidly appreciating his form.

Having successfully won a backdown from the Japanese over the killing of humpback whales in the Southern Ocean without receiving public acknowledgement from the Australian Government, our US friends are watching his honeymoon with great interest.

! By: William Winch

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William Winch is a Business Growth Specialist whose mission is helping people expand and explode their home-based businesses without breaking the bank. A former High School and College Business Educator and Counselor, he mentors from his home office in Rochester, NY. If you are interested in learning how to explode and expand your home-based business, you can contact William by visiting his website at www.thefreemlmpowerreport.com or by calling him directly at (585) 234-5283.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22989889-5007146,00.html
About Home Based Business

Chuck McKinley

Born: April 1, 1958

Personal: Married/Roseanna

Kids: Jerad and Kelli

Grandkids: Kellis; Vincent And Lucas

Where we live: 20 acres in rural Chandler. I like to call it "a little slice of heaven".

Our Animals On The Farm: Besides ME on pizza night! We have horses and cats. And supposedly a possum. But, I have not seen it. Sorta like the animal version of a UFO.

I would go nuts if: My wife was not with me. In radio you need a special person to put up with this business and sometimes with you. She is just wonderful. Plus, she makes a pork roast to die for.

What's your favorite TV Show?
24! I have all the seasons on tape. And all the serialized paperback books.
However, greys anatomy is close 2nd to those tv shows that make me scream at tv because of the plotlines.
I mean, scream in a good way.

What's favorite Movie?
That’s tough. I am not a real art movie guy. You know, foreign movies that th! e critics love. “It gets 4 stars, it’s the story of a boy and his dog and their travels to Sydney ,Austrailia”.
I love popcorn movies.
Armagedon
Pulp Fiction
Independence Day
Now, when I want FUNNY and need to compress. Ghostbusters please

Where is your hometown?
Blooming Prairie, Minnesota…..It’s a wonderful town, think Lindale, about 40 miles from the Iowa border. 15 miles from Austin, Minnesota. Which is by the way, is the corporate headquarters of Hormels, you know, Spam In the can. My first job, well I worked their twice, KAUS AM/FM in Austin. I can still do the station ID.” 1480 KAUS Austin, A Great Place To Be”. And it was and still is.

What are your hobbies?
I like a good movie or to read. Books, magazines. We have 20 acres in Chandler. I’ll get my dog Trixie and go for a walk. I mean, up and down the driveway. It’s a big driveway. And on cold nights. It reminds of Minne! sota. It’s a way to clear my head, gather my thoughts an! d constr uct ideas better. Which probaley isn’t technically a hobbie, but therapy. I like to cook for my wife Roseanna. I do a mean omelet. Cheese, Tomatoes, Noonday Onions and lately Portabella Mushrooms. And cook and pretty good steak.

What's in your CD player right now?
Well, I burn my own. I like rock and roll. 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s….I kind of like everything. I run a mobile dj service on the side for the past 10 years, so I need to know EVERYTHING. And I try to. However, In no particular order these would be my favorites artist. George. Strait and Jones. KC and the sunshine band(and all the disco stuff, hey I’m 18 again, which at age 48, is ALWAYS appreciated), neal mccoy, rob zombie, james blunt, bread, Allison Krause, Kelly Clarkson(I grudgingly really have come to like her music, in the world of manufactured music, she’s the real deal),….and of course BIG DADDY hank williams sr.
Most Important Person In My Life?
That would be De! bbie Tilley, the East Radio Group Accountant!
Seriously, my wife Roseanna. I’m not going go too deep into this.
Well, she is just the best!
Advice to the person getting into radio:

First, its not glamourous work. Its a job. Now, somedays it is the BEST job in the world. And on other days its a JOB. Also, its alot of bits and pieces. You have to be dedicated to the craft of broadcasting and your going to have to do everything. Whether its write, produce, jock, engineer or sweep the station floor; its all important and you will be doing it. Also, start a business on your own. It will get you around the rough times in radio.

And what is that business? Shameless plug time:

Chuck McKinleys Port-A-Party Mobile DJ Service. Its a party on wheels. School dances, weddings, whatever the occasion and music. Everything from 1940s to today.

Current Radio Home: KKUS 104.1 The Ranch, Afternoon DJ, Music Director, Program Director

Duties:! Outside of on the air. Whatever they need. Write, produce, et! c. The g reat thing about having 25 years in the radio business, is that I have a lot of varied experience in other markets and positions and I can bring this to the table as well.

On-Air Style: As in real life. I have NONE. Seriously, I just talk on the radio. And it gives me a recognizable and distinct sound. And while I do bring humor to the table, its pretty light stuff, nothing blue or nothing real heavy. My feeling is, especially in music based radio, that is what people what. Or as I paraphrase it, "in the steak dinner of life, I am just the baked potato!".

What is gonna be on the afternoon show: Super Easy Trivia and also from 5-6pm The Ranch Request Hour. Plus, top of hour news from FOX NEWS.

Complete weather as it happens. Sports scoreboard and any local happenings that are relevant. So, make Chuck In The Afternoon, Monday thru Friday from 3 to 7, part of your listening experience. Thank you.

By: Karen Cook

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If you'd like to learn more about homeshoring and view the video clips of Diane Sawyer profiling this work at home opportunity, please drop by virtualagent007.blogspot.comKaren Cook works at a Public Library where she researches work at home jobs.

Source: http://www.theranch1041.com/pages/1387063.php
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Benazir Bhutto laid to rest

ISLAMABAD: Amid a sea of mourning supporters and her close family, Benazir Bhutto, the slain leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, was laid to rest on Friday next to her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at the family tomb in Garhi Khuda Baksh in Naudero, her ancestral home in Larkana district of Sindh.

As thousands of supporters wept her passing, others expressed their grief and anger through violence. Gangs of men took to the streets in Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana and other cities of Sindh, torching vehicles and government buildings, looting banks and uprooting train tracks.

Eyewitnesses from the Larkana area said the mobs were even setting fire to ambulances. In some places the rioting also took on an ethnic colour, as shops and establishments belonging to Punjabis and Urdu-speakers were attacked.

The violence left at least 25 people dead in different parts of the country. Thousands of people making their way to the funeral were stranded as roads ! were blocked by tyre-burning mobs.

Rawalpindi also witnessed looting and burning of banks and business establishments.

Islamabad shut down completely in response to a strike call by Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N).

Late in the afternoon, the Sindh government called out the Army, and soldiers were deployed in several parts of Karachi and in the interior areas of Sindh.

The simple wooden coffin in which Ms. Bhutto left the Rawalpindi General Hopsital on Thursday night was buried after afternoon prayers, just before the sun went down. Her husband Asif Zardari had flown in from Dubai late on Thursday with their three children to organise the funeral.

There was much media comment at the quick burial. There was an expectation that her body would lie at her home so that her supporters from all parts of the country could arrive in remote Naudero to pay their final respects to their leader. The diplomatic community too expected tha! t there would be enough time for world leaders to arrive for t! he funer al. Even leaders of other political parties could not make it to the funeral.

But PPP leaders said the family was following the Islamic custom of burying the dead as early as possible.

The grand marble mausoleum which houses her grave and her father’s is also where her two brothers, Shahnawaz and Murtaza, are buried. Like them, Ms. Bhutto too died violently — in a shooting-cum-suicide attack on Thursday as she left Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi after addressing an election rally.The entire top leadership of the PPP was present, as were her estranged sister-in-law Ghinwa, the wife of Murtaza Bhutto, and their daughter Fatima, who in recent weeks launched sharp attacks against her aunt in the media.

By: Steve Beck

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Stephen Beck teaches families & teens how to www.familyebiz.com/syob-info.php/ "> start home business . For a free CD explaining the steps for a successful internet business, visit Christian Home Based Business right now.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/29/stories/2007122958100100.htm
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County at wit's end over road

Naming of 'glorified driveway' produces neighbor opposition

By ED COX
of The Dalles Chronicle

     Wasco County commissioners are nearing their wit’s end over a myriad of minor, misplaced, mis-platted and/or misnamed roads.
     “They’re all hard to deal with,” County Judge Dan Ericksen told Steven Bleiler at a Dec. 19 hearing on Bleiler’s request to change the name of a 1,600-foot-long glorified driveway from the tentative Fairmont Drive to a permanent Wit’s End Drive.
     That request was a case in point, as a neighbor’s opposition caused the hearing to stretch from an expected 10 minutes to an hour and 10 with still no decision — much less a satisfactory one — forthcoming.
     “I just need an address, your honor,” said Bleiler, who owns one of two parcels accessed off what! he described as a driveway he shares with neighbor Robert Dys.
     Meanwhile, Dys’ problem was the opposite one: He had nothing against the proposed name or the switch except the fact that it would take his longtime Sevenmile Hill Rd. address along with it, thus hurting his home-based business.
Complicating the situation is the fact that, according to Dys, the drive doesn’t go where it’s supposed to — falling a full 40 feet to one side of the public right-of-way, meaning it’s on his property.
     “They named my driveway,” said Dys of the random assignment of the name Fairmont, likely by an official in the county planning department. “They didn’t name the public road, they named my driveway.”
     It’s just one of many roads in the county that don’t match what’s on paper, and this particular conflict illus! trates the difficulties of a one-size-fits-all approach to cor! recting what Ericksen called the “sins of the past.”
     Some of those irregularities were created as far back as the turn of the century, he said, and increasing development pressure in rural areas is causing them to be found more frequently, usually as the result of planning-related requirement written into a county ordinance.
     “You write ordinances to deal with the issues as they should be, and of course they get to us because the issues are never as they should be,” Ericksen mused. “Nothing is clear, so we’re at wit’s end.”
     Over the last year, the court has heard multiple requests for road vacations because of such errors and one case in which a private road was being used for access because topography physically prevented a public, dedicated road from doing the job.
     “They’re all a little bi! t different animal, but they all have sharp teeth and big claws, and they all seem to bite back” Ericksen said, emphasizing the importance of staying in good humor when dealing with these “unsolvable problems.”
     They would be comical, he said, if they weren’t so serious for the people involved.
     In the case of the proposed Wits End Drive, commissioners seemed unsure whether — to borrow a couple of metaphors employed at the hearing — they should affix a band-aid or perform surgery.
     A motion by commissioner Sherry Holliday to rename the road but allow Dys to keep his current address died for lack of a second, and Ericksen and third commissioner Bill Lennox questioned whether it was even proper for the county to name a road not on a public right-of-way.
     In the end, the court arrived at a non-decision Bleiler c! haracterized as “positively Solomon-like”: they re! quested the planning department verify the separation of road and right-of-way and put off deliberations on the case until Jan. 2.

By: Brian Garvin and Jeff West

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Source: http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2007/12/news12-27-07-02.shtml
Starting a Home Business

Working the holiday could be a 'waste'

?I'll be home for Christmas' could be changed to ?I'll be home for Christmas, after I work all day,' as more than 50 percent of Americans have to work Christmas Eve. 

But a new survey says opening businesses and working for one day after the weekend, and before the holiday, may be a ?complete waste.'

While most retailers, like Legends and Legacies store in Spearfish, say they get a lot of business from last-minute holiday shoppers, other companies chose to close today, because business would be slow.

"They called us the other day and said you know most of our clients are going to be closed for the holidays and told the staff not to have to worry about coming in today.   And so, that was awesome of them to do that," said Ann Brady, who has the day off Monday.

An office services provider says that was probably a smart idea.  The Regus Group's 'Holiday Work Habits Survey'! says opening on holidays may be a waste of time, money and energy, because many people will start work late, leave early,and won't get much done.

Regus urges bosses to let staff work flexibly, from home or a business center, instead of going to an near-empty office, which costs companies a lot to heat and light.

Customers at Legend and Legacies say more people should get today off, because holidays are about more than just gifts.

"Just being close, being close with your family and especially in these times it's not very close.   People are in different areas and you need to have friends and family around you," said Deborah Hayes, who also has Christmas Eve off.

The report says closing offices for the day has an environmental impact as well.  Durham University research says companies could reduce their carbon emissions by 5 percent just by closing for one day a week.

By: Daniel Bell

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Daniel Bell is an Internet Marketer who has been reviewing Home based Jobs opportunities for many years and webmaster of www.manomanju.com/...Learn how I went from $3.50/day to $670/day! www.keyword-elite.manomanju.com

Source: http://www.kotatv.com/global/story.asp?s=7540084
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Lobbying Begins Against Air France's Alitalia Bid

Air France-KLM's bid for Italy's state-controlled airline, Alitalia, has triggered a frenzy of lobbying by powerful opponents who want Rome to reject an offer they say harms national interests.

Alitalia's board of directors late on Friday chose Air France-KLM for exclusive talks. The decision must still be ratified by the ailing flag carrier's biggest shareholder, the Italian state.

Ahead of a promised government decision by mid-January, politicians and union leader are telling the state to find a better buyer for Alitalia -- a source of national pride even though it loses 1 million euros (USD$1.44 million) a day.

"It's folly," said Roberto Formigoni, governor of Lombardy region, home to Italy's financial capital Milan.

"Air France (has) a strategic interest in cutting its most significant competitor in half," he told Italian media.

Formigoni and other politicians in Italy's wealthy north predict Alitalia will be swallowed the Franco-Dut! ch airline, the world's biggest by revenues.

They also predict Air France-KLM would treat Alitalia as a more of a regional airline and transfer major routes to Paris to the detriment of Milan's Malpensa Airport, sending businessmen there to make connections when flying abroad.

A member of the northern, separatist party Northern League threatened to block the roads leading to Malpensa in protest.

"If Rome declares our death, we will try at least to die standing," Matteo Salvini told Italian media.

The board at Alitalia said Air France-KLM was a better match for Alitalia than the only other offer it had on the table, from much smaller Italian carrier Air One.

Air France-KLM promises to invest EUR6.5 billion in long-term investments into Italy's flag airline, preserve the Alitalia brand and an extensive network of routes in Italy.

But Air One is urging the government to reconsider. It's offer would keep Alitalia in Italian hands, and s! till make it Europe's fourth largest carrier, officials say.

Th e controversy piles political pressure on Prime Minister Romano Prodi, whose spokesman reiterated the government would make its own decision -- which may or may not back the Alitalia board's recommendation.

"The government must analyze the documents and take a definitive decision. But there are those who are convinced the episode will end a certain way," Silvio Sircana told L'Unita newspaper, warning against "hasty conclusions".

One Air France-KLM sceptic inside the government, Transport Minister Alessandro Bianche, told La Repubblica newspaper he would have backed "a different offer" than Alitalia's board did. But added he had yet to properly review the Air France-KLM deal.

Milan's Mayor Letizia Moratti said she wanted an urgent meeting with Prodi, and said the government had to look beyond just Alitalia's interest to see the sale's impact on the nation. "Eradicating the flag airline from the region where there is the most business certainly does not me! an helping national development," Moratti told La Repubblica.

"I'm not defending Malpensa. I'm defending Italy."

By: Yasir Wazir

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Source: http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1198500101.html
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Report: US Consumers Drowning In Credit Card Debt

Americans are falling behind on their credit card payments at an alarming rate, sending delinquencies and defaults surging by double-digit percentages in the last year and prompting warnings of worse to come.

An Associated Press analysis of financial data from the country's largest card issuers also found that the greatest rise was among accounts more than 90 days in arrears.

Experts say these signs of the deterioration of finances of many households are partly a byproduct of the subprime mortgage crisis and could spell more trouble ahead for an already sputtering economy.

The consumer credit crunch has raised enough red flags that Congress began a probe into lender practices earlier this month.

The value of credit card accounts at least 30 days late jumped 26 percent to $17.3 billion in October from a year earlier at 17 large credit card trusts examined by the AP. That represented ! more than 4 percent of the total outstanding principal balances owed to the trusts on credit cards that were issued by banks such as Bank of America and Capital One and for retailers like Home Depot and Wal-Mart.

At the same time, defaults - when lenders essentially give up hope of ever being repaid and write off the debt - rose 18 percent to almost $961 million in October, according to filings made by the trusts with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Serious delinquencies also are up sharply: Some of the nation's biggest lenders - including Advanta, GE Money Bank and HSBC - reported increases of 50 percent or more in the value of accounts that were at least 90 days delinquent when compared with the same period a year ago.

The AP analyzed data representing about 325 million individual accounts held in trusts that were created by credit card issuers in order to! sell the debt to investors - similar to how many banks packag! ed and s old subprime mortgage loans. Together, they represent about 45 percent of the $920 billion the Federal Reserve counts as credit card debt owed by Americans.

Until recently, credit card default rates had been running close to record lows, providing one of the few profit growth areas for the nation's banks, which continue to flood Americans' mailboxes with billions of letters monthly offering easy sign-ups for new plastic.

Even after the recent spike in bad loans, the credit card business is still quite lucrative, thanks to interest rates that can run as high as 36 percent, plus late fees and other penalties.

But what is coming into sharper focus from the detailed monthly SEC filings from the trusts is a snapshot of the worrisome state of Americans' ability to juggle growing and expensive credit card debt.

The trend carried into November. As of Friday, all of the trusts that filed rep! orts for the month show increases in both delinquencies and defaults over November 2006, and many show sequential increases from October.

Discover accounts 30 days or more delinquent jumped 25,716 from November 2006 and had increased 6,000 between October and November this year.

Many economists expect delinquencies and defaults to rise further after the holiday shopping season.

Mark Zandi, chief economist and co-founder of Moody's Economy.com Inc., cited mounting mortgage problems that began after this summer's subprime financial shock as one of the culprits, as well as a weakening job market in the Midwest, South and parts of the West, where real-estate markets have been particularly hard hit.

"Credit card quality will continue to erode throughout next year," Zandi said.

Economists also cite America's long-standing attitude that debt - even high-interest credit card debt - is not a big deal.

"The desires of consumers to want,! want, want, spend, spend, spend - it's the fabric of our nati! on," sai d Howard Dvorkin, founder of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which has advised more than 5 million people in debt. "But you always have to pay the piper, and that can be a very painful process."

Filing for bankruptcy is no longer a solution for many Americans because of a 2005 change to federal law that made it harder to walk away from debt. Those with above-average incomes are barred from declaring Chapter 7 - where debts can be wiped out entirely - except under special circumstances and must instead file a repayment plan under the more restrictive Chapter 13.

Personal finance coaches say the problem is most grave for individuals who are months delinquent or already in default - like Kenneth McGuinness, a postal clerk from

Copyright © 2007 KDKA, All Rights Reserved.

By: Pedro

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Pedro Martinez is an established Internet Marketing Advisor who has been helping hundreds to build successful Home Internet Business for over 10 years. To learn much more about how you can start an Internet Home Business stop by www.bemoneymaking.com

Source: http://www.topix.net/content/cbs/2007/12/report-us-consumers-drowning-in-credit-card-debt-3
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Experts: New law driving out illegals

Illegal immigrants in Arizona, frustrated with a flagging economy and tough new legislation cracking down on their employers, are returning to their home countries or trying their luck in other states.

For months, immigrants have taken a wait-and-see attitude toward the state's new employer-sanctions law, which takes effect Jan. 1. The voter-approved legislation is an attempt to lessen the economic incentive for illegal immigrants in Arizona, the busiest crossing point along the U.S.-Mexico border.

And by all appearances, it's starting to work.

"People are calling me telling me about their friend, their cousin, their neighbors - they're moving back to Mexico," said Magdalena Schwartz, an immigrant-rights activist and pastor at a Mesa church. "They don't want to live in fear, in terror."

Martin Herrera, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant and masonry worker who lives in Camp Verde, 70 miles north of Phoenix, said he is planning to return to Mexico as soon ! as he ties up loose ends after living here for four years.

"I don't want to live here because of the new law and the oppressive environment," he said. "I'll be better in my country."

He called the employer-sanctions law "absurd."

"Everybody here, legally or illegally, we are part of a motor that makes this country run," Herrera said. "Once we leave, the motor is going to start to slow down."

There's no way to know how many illegal immigrants are leaving Arizona, especially now with many returning home for normal holidays visits. But economists, immigration lawyers and people who work in the immigrant community agree it's happening.

State Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa, the author of the employer sanctions law, said his intent was to drive illegal immigrants out of Arizona.

"I'm hoping they will self-deport," Pearce said. "They broke the law. They're criminals."

Under the employer sanctions law, businesses found to have knowingly hired ! illegal workers will be subject to sanctions from probation to! a 10-da y suspension of their business licenses. A second violation would bring permanent revocation of the license.

Nancy-Jo Merritt, an immigration lawyer who primarily represents employers, said her clients already have started to fire workers who can't prove they are in the country legally.

"Workers are being fired, of course," she said. "Nobody wants to find out later on that they've got somebody working for them who's not here legally."

When immigrants don't have jobs, they don't stick around, said Dawn McLaren, a research economist at Arizona State University who specializes in illegal immigration.

She said the flagging economy, particularly in the construction industry, also is contributing to an immigrant exodus.

"As the jobs dwindle and the environment becomes more unpleasant in more ways than one, you then decide what to do, and perhaps leaving looks like a good idea," she said. "And certainly that creates a problem, because as people leave, ! they take the jobs they created with them."

Pearce disagreed that the Arizona economy will suffer after illegal immigrants leave, saying there will be less crime, lower taxes, less congestion, smaller classroom sizes and shorter lines in emergency rooms.

"We have a free market. It'll adjust," he said. "Americans will be much better off."

He said he's not surprised illegal immigrants are leaving the state and predicts that more will go once the employer-sanctions law takes effect next month.

"It's attrition by enforcement," he said. "As you make this an unfriendly state for lawbreakers, I'm hoping they will pick up and leave."

By: David L. Feinstein

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Source: http://www.star-telegram.com/190/story/374331.html
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Going cool on the Sunshine State

The passage says "Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me. "When are we, the UK taxpayers, going to put pressure on our Govt to stop this abuse of the NHS?
Graham, Sunderland

I think it's hypocritical that UK migrants settle in the US, enjoy the lifestyle and the low taxes but say they can't afford health insurance and would come back here for free healthcare if they were ill - little better than foreign health tourists
Matt Munro, Bristol, UK

I went to university in Utah. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but after four years, I was ready to come home again. American movies and TV pump out such a relentless stream of propaganda that people here imagine that life over there cannot be anything less than a dream. In reality, it's a foreign country. Some things are indeed better than in Britain. Others are worse. For the most part, they're just differe! nt.
Andrew, Cardiff, Wales

I emigrated from florida 15 years ago. I was born there. Florida remains a place of incredible intellectual, spiritual and cultural vacuity. How many times can you go to the mall, beach or the same cinema? It`s boring when compared to London/Europe. Visiting Disney leaves me empty.
Dayton Rogers, Dulwich, London

It's good to see that Mr Trace is happy to not pay UK taxes for 15 years, but still take advantage of the UK health system when he needs to. If people leave they should leave and live life how it is lead in the country they go to. If he is unprepared to pay for healthcare, tough. Would he give me a free holiday at his home? I doubt it.
Adrian, Stockport

I will be leaving UK shores for a full-time fix of Florida very soon. The people are very friendly and my accent attracts attention everywhere I go. Things are so cheap here. I have a wardrobe packed with the same grey slacks and it cost me next to no! thing.
Bobby, Formby

I don't see why after years! of not paying UK tax, that they should be able to come back and drain the NHS when they get ill!
Pete, Redhill

I think coming back here for medical treatment is fine, provided those people are still paying taxes in the UK. What is not fine is people enjoying the low taxes in the US - low partly because health care is not state provided - and then running back here to enjoy healthcare paid for by people still working in the UK, and still paying the high rates of tax.
Steve, London

I went to work in miami in 2000 after finishing university. I worked in the tourist industry for a cruise line and it was hell. Low pay, no time off and long days - the weather was lovely but if you are working you may as well be in an office in London. And besides you could not get a good cup of tea anywhere, I now work in London.
luke, southend, essex.

Sounds great. Live abroad in the sun, live the party lifestyle, enjoy the beaches, pay the US government taxes.! When you're too old or ill to stay, come home and be a burden on the NHS whom you have not paid a penny to for years. Thanks.
Jamie Davis, Bristol

Hang on a minute. I don't see why people should get to turn their back on the UK and live abroad only to come back when they need to use the NHS? It's hard enough paying all the Tax in this country as it is - without carrying people who havn't paid anything while living in the sun who then return for a very expensive freebie.
Tim Bartlam, Aberdeen

My family and I have holidayed in Florida for two years on a trot and we fell in love with Orlando when we were married there in 2004. It is an amazing place to take the kids and if I ever won a huge amount on the Lottery it would be top of my list to move there but planned well and not until my children had been through school here. I agree with the comments above about not schooling your children in the U.S as they only learn their own history as opposed to ! that of the world. I can't afford to go this year and I am gut! ted but happy memories and the will to go back one day and do all the parks and eat in fabulaous restaurants as well as returning to the villa to put my aching limbs in the spa and pool is fantastic. I would definately look into the "small print" before I moved there as their way of life is very different to the UK. Sharon Lewis
Sharon Lewis, Neath UK

Great! Good old blighty. Not good enough to live in, but good enough to leach off when it comes to the NHS. Why don't these people think before moving abroad??
Sara Brown, Warwick

I don't know WHAT health insurance companies Michael was getting quotes from, but my health insurance while I was in America was lower than what I pay the NHS here each month - and there were no ques when I called for an appointment.
Mark,

The comments about flying back to England just to abuse the NHS are exactly why the goverment needs to crack down on who actually can use the NHS. If you (or someone you're dependant! on) aren't paying UK taxes then why should you have any right to use what the rest of us back in the UK are paying for?
Ian, Leeds

The big attraction of the US is that the taxes there are low, but that's because there isn't an NHS as we know it. I'm so pleased that the Ex-pats can pocket the difference and then just fly-in and use what our additional taxes have paid for if they so need it...
Dave, Aberdeen

I have family from Florida & some still there, though I'm british. I've lived and worked there. It is still a great place to holiday, but I don't think I would move there permanently. The lack of the NHS is part of it. The other is that we are used to our classes, but there is a lot of communication as well as mobility between them, and they are not solely tied to wealth, but in the US which claims to be classless, the culture is very stratified, and there is little communication between the not classes.
Chloe, Slough

Whilst it is ! true that health insurance is expensive, it is usually include! d with a n average job. That's not to say that millions of americans AREN'T insured (43 million at last count I believe) - but many of these are either self employed single people who choose not to, but a lot of the rest are the poorest group of non-legal immigrants. Nobody mentioned though, that there IS universal healthcare coverage for those over 65 in the form of Medicare. For the 63 year old at the end of the story, if he is a legal immigrant he should be eligible for it, having been present for more than 5 years. Life is much better for the average 65 yr old American than it is for the average 65 year old Brit thanks to the countries extensive (and expensive for taxpayers) social security and Medicare system.
Steve Foley, Boston, USA

"Without a doubt, if I were to get a serious illness, I would have to go back to the UK because if I paid the insurance it would break me." And this is the reason the NHS is in such a state. Michael Trace has not paid National contribu! tions since 1991, 15 years, yet he expects the tax payers of this country to help him if he falls ill in the US.
Steve, cheshire

I lived in the US for 4 years, in that time I got a job which allowed continuous travel and ultimately 45 states. After 9/11 the attitude of Americans changed, I was no longer the funny foreigner but the potential threat.. I was singled for searches not just on planes, but buses, trains, even the supermarket security as I sounded different. Even though I had a platinum accout at my branch, things became more awkward.
John Hyde, London (formerly San Francisco)

I have to say i found Michael Trace's comments annoying if ill fall back onto the British NHS. He and others should look into healthcare etc when they decide to emigrate. A lot of British ex-pats seem to fall into this trap which is another drain on the already overstretched NHS.
Lisa, Fleetwood Lancashire

Very Nice! All these people who say that they! would come 'home' if they were ill because they cannot afford! healthc are in Florida, they think that they can live 'over the pond' for years, not paying British taxes I presume, and then come back to use our NHS services that the rest of us work to support!! They have made their beds they should be made to lie in them.
D, Edinburgh

I feel for these people, but must agree that know before you go, before you come to America. When we were in the UK a few years back most of the Brits we spoke to only knew about two places in America, Disney World and New York City. As for illegals, please do the right thing and register. Don't become a shadow. Sadly, we have more than enough of our own.
Joe, Lexington, South Carolina, USA

I moved to the USA 8 years ago to marry my American fiance. I've not been back since. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't afford it. I'm fortunate in that I've found ways to get roast chicken flavour crisps, the real Cadburys Dairy Milk, and Newcastle Brown Ale. I can even listen to Test Ma! tch Special via the Internet, but I miss being able to walk into town to do my shopping (a mall isn't the same) and silly little things like country lanes and cottages. I'll not even get started on the history. But I'll say this, Americans come across as way more patriotic than the Brits. People aren't afraid to hang the Stars and Stripes outside their homes, and sing the national anthem at any event. Sure, there's an anti-Bush faction, but while the Brits might love their country, the Americans show they do.
Sally, Pittsburgh, PA (formerly Harrogate, England)

having returned from the US after 10 years I can confirm that the fear of being sick and isloation eventually takes its toll. The lack of cooperation from the US in regards to issuing VISAs to the UK and yet issuing to other countries around the world is also a disheartening factor. Y
Andrew Carson, London England

Like many 'Brits' I have holidayed in Floria and found it a great place with ve! ry friendly people. However, as a tourist I found it impossibl! e to sha ke off the 'sunshine paradise' aspect of Florida ... until that is I took a wrong turning and passed examples of "the projects" i.e. trailer parks and low-cost homes where America's poor are hidden away. Legal emmigration to anywhere in the USA (especially if you become a citizen) means taking on board all the pros & cons. Whilst not wishing to sound too carping, ex-pat Brits returning home to use an already over-stretched NHS rankles with me. I accept that they may have "paid their dues" in the past whilst resident in the UK, but try claiming on an insurance policy if you haven't kept up the premiums!. Any past payments count for nothing.
Pete Lawrence, Salisbury

My employeer moved me to the US in 1993 and I have not looked back since. I currently live outside Boston though I have also live in the DC area. In fact I am now a naturalized US citizen, though I can hold me head high and say I did not vote for Bush, and feel that the US is now my home. I make regul! ar trips back to London (about 2-3 visits a year) to see my parents and friends. During these trips I am reminded as to why I have no desire to return. London is so expensive, crowded (the whole country is pack solided these days) and quite frankly dirty - the amount of rubbish lying around and grafetti on a recent trip was saddening and embrassing to see. I have retained my Britishness as I have found this an invaluable business and social asset. I fly the Cross of St. George on the appropritate occassions as well as flying the Union Jack upside down on Independence Day - my neighbours don't get this. On trips to the UK I hit Sainsbury's to get tea, Marmite, HP sauce, Twiglettes and Fruit Pastelles, etc., the essentials for an Englishman abroad. I insist on having tea whether the weather is hot or not - much to confounded amusement of my American wife. So, at heart I am a Brit, but my home is in the US and quite frankly I love it here. I can only speak volumes about how we! lcome I have been made to feel by my American friends, colleag! ues and neighbours.
Christopher Bett, Boston, USA

By: Stephen Woodall

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Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5240644.stm
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Yule school is for elves

By Agnieszka Flak

Rovaniemi, Finland - Customer service, story-telling, nature studies and wilderness survival are essential skills for any elf worthy of the name.

Anyone who aspires to a job as a Santa's helper can acquire them at a new Elf Academy in Rovaniemi, 2 600km from the North Pole, which Finland claims as home to the "real" Santa Claus.

Christmas 2007 is in full swing as tourists seek Santa in the Arctic Circle but after the school opens next April, the 2 000 or so "elves" will be able to raise their game.

The competencies an elf needs are vast, says Esa Sakkinen, project co-ordinator and teacher at the Lapland Vocational College which will be running the academy.

They do more than pack the gifts that families pick up at the Christmas market outside "Santa's house" or help answer the 750 000 letters that arrive at his local post office each year.

"An elf needs to know how to make a fire in the snow... also the local nature ! and animals, because you never know what the clients or kids are going to ask," he said.

The Santa business is vital to the region where unemployment is nearly double the Finnish average, winter temperatures average minus 15 to minus 10 degrees Celsius, and the snow can be more than a metre deep.

The first planeload of tourists visiting Santa landed in Lapland about 20 years ago and today about 500 000 tourists - mainly from France, Britain and Russia - visit Rovaniemi and Santa's nearby village each year.

The Christmas season contributed about one-third of the region's 2006 tourist income of 540 million euros. Many people arrive on a day-trip to visit Santa, learn to drive huskies, taste local delicacies and - with luck - glimpse the Northern Lights above pine trees fat with snow.

Despite rival Santa Claus theme parks and Christmas markets in the United States, Canada, Japan, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Germany, the region says visitors to Finni! sh Lapland are increasing year by year.

By: GWN

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Source: http://www.dailynews.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=nw20071219024724365C235479
home based business idea, home based small business

Survey says December gains are modest in rural economy

A survey of rural bankers in nine Midwestern and Plains states indicates economic activity held its own or saw modest gains the past month.

The overall economic index for the region advanced to 54.3 in December from 54.1 in November and 52.1 in October. A reading of 50.0 is growth neutral, so December's index indicates positive but subdued growth, Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said.

The farm equipment sales index soared to a record 65.9 from November's healthy 60.1.

December's farmland price index expanded to 77.3 from November's vigorous 68.8 and October's 65.4. Dale Torpey, president of Federation Bank in Washington, Iowa, said several land sales in his area recently have brought in $7,975 per acre.

But John Schmaderer, president of Tri-County Bank in Stuart, Neb., said fuel, fertilizer and rents are increasing and producers will need a sound crop insurance plan to protect their yields.

As a result, bankers sizing up the economy six months out! were not very optimistic with a December confidence index of 44.5, which was the lowest reading of the year and well down from December of last year.

Job growth remains weak, with a December new hiring index of 50.6, up slightly from November's 50.0 and October's 49.3. Results from surveys over the past four months indicate that jobs are being added at a pace well below average, even with record farm income.

Some 55.4 percent of bankers expect 2008 job growth at ethanol plants to be down from 2007 levels. Only 21.4 percent expect any significant degree of mergers or consolidation in the industry.

The home-sales index declined for the sixth straight month to 28.0, the lowest reading of the year and down from November's 29.8 and October's 30.7. Bruce Morgan, CEO of Valley State Bank in Roeland Park, Kan., said real estate values have not dropped as much as in some areas of the country, but inventories of new and resale housing are very high.

"It will likely take ! 12 to 18 months before any substantial turnaround occurs," Mor! gan said .

Retail sales were a weak 45.6, which was well off the 2006 reading for December of 50.0.

Goss said Christmas sales will be lackluster in rural areas.

Bank indicators were solid for December. Loan volume rose to 52.2 from 48.2 in November. Checking deposits increased for a third consecutive month to 65.0 from 59.5 in November and 56.3 in October. Certificates of deposit and other savings instruments declined to 56.7 from 58.9 in November.

Goss and Bill McQuillan, chief executive officer of City National Bank in Greeley, Neb., created the monthly survey of rural bank presidents and chief executives.

___

On the Net:

Creighton University Business Department: http://www2.creighton.edu/business/economicoutlook

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Dad, 3 Kids Alive After 3 Days in Snow

PARADISE, Calif. (AP) - 1219dv-ca-missing-family A father and three children who vanished on a Christmas tree-cutting trip in the Northern California mountains were found alive Wednesday after huddling in a culvert for warmth during three days of heavy snow.

"Our hearts are all full right now," said Cory Stahl, who closed his pest control business so his employees could help look for the father, Frederick Dominguez, their co-worker. "It's a very merry Christmas now."

A California Highway Patrol helicopter crew spotted Dominguez atop a small bridge and landed nearby, sinking into 2 feet of snow, flight officer David White said. The family had taken shelter in a culvert beneath the bridge and stomped "help" in the snow, White said.

White said it was the last opportunity for the helicopter, with snow falling heavily as it descended.

"With another storm coming in, they were just happy to get out of there and get home," he said.

The helicopter ferried ! the family to safety in two trips, the two youngest children brought out of the woods first.

Daughter Alexis, 14, and Joshua, 12, stepped from a rescue helicopter and were immediately enveloped in a cluster of well-wishers carrying heavy blankets while the chopper went to fetch their father and brother.

Dominguez smiled at cheering family and friends as he and 18-year-old Christopher emerged from the helicopter a short time later.

All four were walking, talking and drinking hot chocolate while being checked at Feather River Hospital for dehydration, hypothermia and frostbite, treating physician Kurt Bower said. He expected them to be released later in the day.

Bower said the family had some water but nothing to eat during their ordeal.

"I'm surprised how good they are," he said. "There's a miracle from God in there somewhere."

More than a foot of snow had fallen in the area since the family disappeared, covering any tracks leading from the truck. Dri! fts ranged from 1 to 7 feet deep across the heavily wooded and! canyon- crossed area.

The rescue teams had been racing time and the elements to find the four, as a powerful storm carrying even more snow was headed into the region. The search effort expanded with a break in the weather Wednesday morning, and the helicopter was able to join the search around midday after low-lying clouds lifted.

Frederick Dominguez, 38, and his children have been missing since Sunday in the region about 100 miles north of Sacramento. Dominguez's pickup truck was found Monday night parked along a mountain road some 25 miles northeast of Chico.

The family also appeared better equipped than rescuers initially thought. Earlier reports said the family went into the woods wearing T-shirts and light jackets, but all four were wearing heavy winter coats when they emerged from the helicopters, and some had wool caps.

"We're all extremely thankful and feel like we got a Christmas miracle," said Teresa Kennebeck, a secretary at Paradise High School, where Ale! xis is on the cheerleading squad and the soccer team.

Dominguez's co-workers said he is devoted to his children and takes them to church every Sunday, as he did this weekend before heading out in search of a Christmas tree.

"He lives for his family," said Mairleen Grove, the pest company's office manager. "When he walks in the door, he makes everybody smile."

Dominguez parked his Chevrolet pickup along a road near the mountain hamlet of Inskip on Sunday afternoon, then likely walked downhill into the woods with his children and became lost, Butte County Search and Rescue spokeswoman Madde Watt said.

"You could get turned around very quickly," she said.

It was clear at the time and for hours after the family entered the woods. The first storm wave didn't hit until Monday.

Because Dominguez had custody of his children at the time, his ex-wife did not know they were missing until she discovered that her youngest child failed to show up at school Monday.! Authorities were alerted at 8 p.m. Monday and immediately beg! an a sea rch.

They quickly found the pickup - a bare spot beneath it, indicating little snow when the trek began - but at least 8 inches of snow was covering the ground, hurting efforts to track them.

The search effort expanded significantly Wednesday morning, as snow had stopped falling for the first time since the family went missing.

It intensified as another moisture-laden Pacific storm was heading toward California, expected to blanket most of the northern state with rain and snow by late Wednesday afternoon.

About 2 feet of snow was expected to fall Wednesday night and Thursday morning in the area where the family had been missing, said Jared Leighton, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Sacramento.

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By: Robert Gantt

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Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nat-gen/2007/dec/19/121907567.html
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Ex-Hypoguard CEO to Lead WaveSense(TM) Sales and Marketing

SALEM, N.H., Dec 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The makers of the WaveSense(TM) line of blood glucose monitoring (BGM) products for the diabetes market (AgaMatrix) announced today that David Conn has joined the company as its Chief Commercial Officer to lead worldwide sales and marketing activities. Conn has over 25 years of experience in the diabetes market, most notably as President and CEO of Hypoguard until its acquisition by Arkray, Inc. in 2006. Conn grew Hypoguard from $5M to $70M in annual sales and launched five new BGM systems, turning, Hypoguard into a leading BGM company. He also created significant distribution and supply relationships worldwide and captured nearly 40% of the US long term care market. Prior to Hypoguard, Conn was the Vice President of Consumer Sales, Marketing and Customer Service at J&J LifeScan, makers of the OneTouch(R) line of BGM products, where he was responsible for $720M in revenue. Conn has also held various sales and marketing positions with S! chering-Plough HealthCare and Procter & Gamble. "The WaveSense story is truly extraordinary with their explosive growth and remarkable technology platform. This platform has enabled the company to grow very quickly without taking on equity investment from commercial partners. I am very excited to be a part of the opportunity to expand WaveSense commercial efforts to provide more accurate and innovative products to the diabetes community," said Conn. "I am confident that WaveSense will soon be recognized as synonymous with accuracy by the home healthcare industry." Sonny Vu, Co-Founder, Chairman and Executive Vice President will focus on new business development and product strategy. "Dave is one of the top executives in the industry and we're honored that he has joined the WaveSense team. His experience speaks for itself." Leading diabetes educators have been advocating for more accurate BGM's and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has been actively endorsing more stri! ngent accuracy requirements for the last 20 years. In several ! clinical studies, WaveSense-enabled meters have been shown to provide results nearly twice as accurate as the major industry standards. "As a diabetes educator, I'm on the front line of diabetes care and know that meter accuracy is a major problem," said Donna Rice, a leading diabetes educator with over 20 years of experience and President of the American Association of Diabetes Educators. "Getting an accurate glucose number is very important to the management of diabetes, especially for those who use insulin since they need a good number to dose accurately. Increased accuracy of new meters represents the next real leap in technology. I'm encouraged that diabetes patients worldwide can choose from a growing line of new meters for tighter control of their diabetes. About WaveSense WaveSense is a line of diabetes products designed to improve the quality of diabetes care. Powered by a suite of patented next-generation biosensor technologies, WaveSense blood glucose monitoring systems a! re able to provide highly accurate results to help users better manage their diabetes. Zero- Click(TM), the WaveSense diabetes data management system, was designed to simplify data download. WaveSense and Zero-Click consist of four FDA-cleared products and are protected by a suite of more than 160 patents worldwide. For more information on or to buy WaveSense products, see http://www.wavesense.info .

By: Tim Edwards

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Internet business is booming, with almost every business having an internet presence, and many going exclusively online. Technology ha! s made it easy to create business websites, but you need more ! than an internet address and a business idea. Running an online business follows the same strategies as physical stores. You must have a feasible business plan.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-19-2007/0004725382&EDATE=
Online Home Based Business

Fight over Michigan drug law intensifies after Vioxx settlement

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — More than 1,000 Michigan residents could end up getting part of a $4.85 billion national settlement if they or their loved ones took the painkiller Vioxx.

But that hasn't squelched a firestorm over the state's unique 1995 law shielding pharmaceutical makers from product liability lawsuits over drugs such as Vioxx.

Michigan's law is the toughest in the country, allowing legal damages only if plaintiffs prove a company withheld or misrepresented information about a drug that would cause the Food and Drug Administration to not give or to withdraw its approval.

That law seemed to pose an insurmountable barrier for Michigan residents who wanted to file claims that Vioxx had harmed them or a family member. But some took a chance on suing Vioxx manufacturer Merck & Co. in Merck's home state of New Jersey.

A New Jersey judge decided not to toss out the lawsuits, keeping their cases alive and enabling them to join the settlem! ent, assuming certain conditions are met. If the Michigan residents don't like the settlement and want to continue in court, though, they're out of luck.

That's because the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled 5-2 earlier this year that Michigan's drug immunity law applied to a Michigan resident who sued another New Jersey-based drug manufacturer because he said the acne medicine Accutane caused him to become suicidal.

The court decision leaves Michigan residents stuck living under Michigan's law, regardless of what other states are doing.

"Michigan's interest in promoting the availability of affordable prescription medications to its citizens outweighs New Jersey's interest in deterring New Jersey corporations from providing inadequate warnings," the court majority said.

Other state and federal courts have made similar decisions applying Michigan law to Michigan residents who sue drug makers out of state.

That's one reason Democratic lawmakers ! in Michigan are so intent on getting the law changed. The Demo! cratic-m ajority House has passed a measure repealing the law, but the GOP-controlled Senate has not taken it up.

The state law is favored by business groups and Republicans who say companies need protection from greedy trial lawyers who file exorbitant lawsuits. They add that lawsuits discourage companies from creating new drugs for society's benefits.

Those who want the law overturned say legal action gets drug makers' attention and helps to compensate the injured or their families.

Democrats who want to get rid of the law have said Michigan residents will be left out of the Vioxx settlement. Merck officials say that isn't true, as long as the residents had cases pending before the settlement was announced Nov. 9.

"Under the agreement, Michigan consumers have the same rights as those who live in other states," said Merck legal spokesman Ted Mayer. "There is nothing in the Michigan statute that prevents them from participating in the settlement agreed to ! several weeks ago."

Leslie Richter, a leading activist who has sought to reverse the state law, is on a list of state plaintiffs who could receive money. The 64-year-old Lansing woman says her husband, Richard, died in 2003 after using Vioxx, which was pulled from the shelves by Merck after studies showed it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

In 2006, Richter talked about her husband's death in TV ads that helped defeat a Jackson-area state representative.

"I know Merck lied and my husband died," Richter said during a news conference held last week by the group Drug Industry Immunity Must End ? also known as D.I.I.M.E. She helped unveil YouTube testimonials urging the Senate to repeal the law.

But John Truscott, a consultant for the pharmaceutical industry, pounced on the news that Richter and other Michigan residents had sued Merck in New Jersey and stood to benefit from the settlement.

"The fact they were telling the Legisl! ature and public for a couple years now they could not sue, ye! t the ma in spokesperson filed a case in New Jersey, completely shreds their credibility on this and completely takes away their argument," Truscott said.

The only reason Richter and others may qualify for the settlement, supporters say, is because a sympathetic New Jersey judge, Carol Higbee, put their cases on hold because she knew of the legislative debate in Michigan.

Paul Rheingold, a New York attorney, said five or six Michigan residents are among 65 to 68 Vioxx plaintiffs his firm is representing who could participate in the settlement. Michigan lawyers knew Michigan courts would be a roadblock, so they referred clients to Rheingold and other out-of-state lawyers.

After the New Jersey Supreme Court ruling in March, "we didn't have any hopes anymore for Michigan cases except for a settlement," Rheingold said.

Fortunately for Richter and other Michigan residents, Merck decided to settle.

The company wanted a nationwide deal and will pay out no ! more than $4.85 billion regardless of how many people share in the settlement.

That doesn't comfort critics of the Michigan law. In the decade since in took effect, various FDA-approved drugs have gone to market and later been withdrawn: diet drug Fen-Phen, insulin substitute Rezulin and others. Michigan residents who took those drugs or Vioxx were unable to sue or told they couldn't, according to critics.

"Our people have suffered too long," said Sen. John Gleason, D-Flushing, who's pushing a repeal bill in the Senate. "We shouldn't ride on the back of New Jersey or New York. We should be big enough to offer relief and remedies to our citizenry with our own volition."

Richter continues to work to get the law repealed, even if she could eventually share in the settlement.

"There is nothing phony about my commitment or the commitment made by others to get this unfair and unjust law repealed," she said.

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Source: http://www.wsbt.com/news/michigan/12558631.html
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Ousted Dean Leaving Kennesaw State Amid Theft Allegations

KENNESAW, Ga. (AP) -- Ousted dean Yiping Wan, who returned to Kennesaw State University as a professor after he was charged with stealing thousands from the school, is resigning at the end of the year.

Wan was forced out as the head of the College of Education in February and was asked to step down by President Dan Papp when an internal investigation uncovered irregular business practices with tuition waivers and low morale among faculty members in Wan's department. A review panel found that Wan merged state resources with other financial streams, funneled money through his wife's consulting firm and could not account for certain expenses.

On September 20, a top state auditor concluded that Wan had been "violating multiple state laws" and that his "behavior was a violation of the public trust" and possible grounds for dismissal.

Wan's status as a tenured professor complicated how to handle his employment with Kennesaw State. He ha! s denied any wrongdoing.

Papp asked Wan to resign on August 30, but he refused. On September 18, the university began the process to revoke his tenure and fire Wan. That process ended in November when Wan changed his mind and said he would quit.

A report Saturday said that Wan's resignation will take effect on December 31. Wan is not teaching in the classroom this semester, but instead is working from home, teaching and developing Web-based courses as a tenured professor of educational administration.

Wan turned himself in at the Cobb County Jail on November 27 after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation charged him with theft. He was released on bond. GBI spokesman John Bankhead says the GBI was asked by the state attorney general's office to investigate the case in January, and the investigation is ongoing.

Kennesaw State began investigating Wan in December 2006 when faculty accused him of discrimination and misconduct.

Wan continues to ea! rn a $100,402 salary from Kennesaw State. The school, which ha! s nearly 20,000 students, is the state's third largest public university.

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Source: http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5232628&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.8.1
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The estate agent millionaires

Despite the property industry taking some knocks this year, estate agents are still raking in the dough, with one property sales company boasting more than 100 millionaires.

While some estate agencies remain coy about their top earners, others openly boasted about their record sellers.

One Cape Town estate agent sold two top-notch properties in two weeks for a total of R55-million, while a Gauteng agent earned a whopping R7m in commission this year alone.

According to RE/MAX, its top 10 agents earned a combined income of more than R44m this year. Agents earn between 6 percent and 7 percent commission on sales, and the more than 2 100 agents in the network earn, on average, R404 000 a year, which is three times the industry standard. There are 124 who earned R1m or more this year.

Jeanne van Jaarsveldt, RE/MAX of Southern Africa marketing and finance director, said three of the top 10 were from Cape Town, four from KwaZulu-Natal and three from Ga! uteng.

One agent had earned more than R7m in commission this year, while quite a few other agents had taken home between R5m and R7m this year.

He said most of the top 100 earners had been in the business for five or more years.

Top earners did not necessarily work in exclusive areas where properties fetched many millions of rands, but earned lucrative incomes doing deals in middle-class suburbs.

They worked hard, with 10 to 12-hour days, weekends and public holidays.

He said the market conditions had tightened this year, and there were a number of interest rate hikes. "But like the weather, there were no blanket predictions. There were pockets around the country that did phenomenally well."

The new entry requirements set by the Estate Agency Affairs Board, according to the National Qualifications Framework, were set to cause a huge decline in the number of operating estate agents in South Africa.

The RE/MAX turnover, sa! id Van Jaarsveldt, was not far off that of the giant in the in! dustry, Pam Golding Properties, which has indicated its turnover was close to R18 billion (R16.5bn for the previous financial year) for the year ending February 2008.

Andrew Golding, chief executive officer, said they had had an exceptional year. They were 20 percent up from last year - despite the backdrop of a difficult market. About 30 percent of their 2 000 agents around the country were in the top bracket and "doing extremely well".

According to reports, the average Pam Golding agent earns about R25 000 a month, a figure based on income for beginners as well as seasoned agents.

The chairman of Seeff Properties, Samuel Seeff, said: "We have a substantial number of very high-earning agents who have been particularly successful across the country. Some of them are on very significant upper-end incomes.

"As is our policy in terms of looking after the confidentiality of our buyers' and sellers' concerns, so, too, do we respect that of our agents, so we! cannot divulge specifics."

Although he was loath to talk about their millionaires, one of their agents who specialised in top properties in Constantia notched up the highest priced sale for any property in the southern suburbs at R29m.

A week later, the agent secured another record price, in the estate of Silverhurst, at R22m.

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Source: http://www.dailynews.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20071215102805963C823721
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Businessof theOlympics

While Olympic athletes get ready to compete for silver and gold at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, local businesses will be competing for their own share of the haul.

RBC Olympic business development senior manager Betty MacLeod was in Prince George last week to speak about business opportunities created by the Games and how businesses across B.C. can profit.

?There are so many ways you, as a company, can be involved,? MacLeod said. ?Identify your opportunities as soon as possible.?

Distance doesn?t have to be a barrier to getting involved, she said.

In 1996, a home-based business in Dawson Creek partnered with the company producing the commemorative books for the Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Dawson Creek company developed the Web site promoting the book, MacLeod said. That high-profile project led to other business opportunities for the small-town entrepreneur.

Local businesses can find opportunities as product licen! sees, Olympic suppliers and sub-contractors at www.2010commercecentre.com.

Some of the procurement opportunities listed as of Dec. 13 included opportunities in business writing, event planning, security, operational support planning, and office and school supplies licensees.

Companies can also register with the 2010 Business Network, MacLeod said.

?It is the Yellow Pages for National Olympic Committees looking for services,? she explained.

The Royal Bank will be bringing a workshop to Prince George next year for companies interested in taking advantage of Olympic opportunities, she added.

?The more a community can help a local business understand the opportunities... that will definitely help the local business,? she said.

City councillor and vice-chair of the Prince George Spirit Committee Don Bassermann said Prince George can benefit from the Games by bringing teams to the city to train or by local businesses reaching out to captu! re some of the business opportunities.

Drawing teams to! the cit y not only brings short-term gains in providing services, but can lead to positive international exposure.

?From my perspective, the opportunities are absolutely huge,? Bassermann said. ?If you get a team that brings a profile, you?ll attract the media attention. We believe we lead the way, or are certainly near the front of the pack, in terms of communities.?

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Source: http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/pgfreepress/news/12482651.html
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New Colors Coming To $5 Bill

Officials also hope businesses that manufacture and use vending and self-checkout machines will take the next three months to make the needed adjustments so that millions of machines in the country will be able to accept the redesigned bill."Any business that operates machines that accept $5 bills should contact the machines' manufacturers and ensure they get adjusted to accept the new design," said Dawn Haley, chief of the Office of External Relations at the Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing. "At the same time, for any business that deals in cash, this is a good time to start training employees on what security features to look for in the new $5 bill, before they start seeing it in their cash registers."Older-design $5 notes will continue to circulate and maintain their full face value. It will not be necessary to trade in old $5 bills for new ones. The next currency to be redesigned is the $100 bill. Additional Resource:

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Source: http://www.foxcarolina.com/money/14850154/detail.html
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China telecoms boom drives equipment sales

A booming market for fibre optic telecoms products and services in China is driving growth in sales of testing equipment, according to new research. The Chinese market for fibre optic test equipment will more than double in value in the next five years, according to research firm, Frost and Sullivan.

Demand for test hardware in China is coming not only from domestic demand from fibre network installers, but also and from designers and manufacturers of fibre optic devices for export.

Frost and Sullivan estimates the country's market for testing equipment was worth $76.9m last year, and will increase in value to $143.4m in 2012

China's market for fibre optic sensors is already the second largest in the world after the US, and represents more than 39 per cent of an Asia-Pacific market predicted to be worth $190m by 2009, according to the Electronics.ca Research Network.

Urban networks are offering great! ly increased bandwidth by bringing high capacity fibre optic connections closer to the end user via so-called FTTx services such as fibre to the home (FTTH).

"Most end users of fibre optic test equipment are choosing this method of bringing higher bandwidth to their customers, thereby driving the growth of fibre optic test equipment vendors," said Frost and Sullivan research analyst, David Ren in a written briefing.

“Multipurpose test equipment attracts buyers with appealing features such as higher layer testing and reasonable price,” Red added.

“Vendors should develop new products and expand their portfolio to meet the ever-increasing demands of end users, as this can make existing products obsolete and restrain the growth of the secondary market”, he advised.

See also:

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Source: http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2205698/china-telecoms-boom-drives
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Britain to Rely on Offshore Wind Power By 2020

LONDON, ENGLAND - Britain unveiled plans Monday to generate enough electricity through offshore wind farms to power every home in the country by 2020, increasing production more than 60-fold and changing the look of its coastlines.

Britain's wind-swept coasts and shallow waters are ideal for offshore turbines, but wind generated power currently accounts for less than 2 percent of its energy generation.

Business secretary John Hutton said the government planned to reach the target through a fourfold increase in the amount of space off Britain's shores allocated for wind farms.

The move would change Britain's coasts, Hutton acknowledged, but said the need for energy self-sufficiency left the country no choice. He said the plans would depend on environmental impact studies.

"But if we could manage to achieve this, by 2020 enough electricity could be generated off our shores to power the equivalent of all of the U.K.'s homes," Hutton said in a stateme! nt.

The British Wind Energy Association, a trade body that represents the country's wind and marine energy industries, welcomed plans for more offshore wind farm sites, but it said it would be difficult to raise Britain's wind power production from half a gigawatt currently to 33 gigawatts by 2020 - the equivalent of the energy now consumed by every British home.

Eight gigawatts' worth of wind generation projects are already planned, but the group said the limited supply of turbines meant the amount of wind energy produced by 2020 would likely be closer to 20 gigawatts.

"We'd really be struggling from a 'Where can we get the turbines?'" point of view, the association's economics director Gordon Edge said.

Environmental campaigners and opposition lawmakers welcomed the plan, but some noted that wind generated power is expensive. Wind power-generated electricity is currently costlier to generate than its coal- or gas-generated counterpart.

M! assive new offshore wind farms, such as the 1 gigawatt London ! project planned for the Thames estuary in the country's southeast, are due to go online by 2014. According to the BWEA, the country is on track to overtake Denmark as the world's largest generator of offshore wind power next year.

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Source: http://www.tristatenews.com/article_7333.stm
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