In today's world of Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization, most companies don???t have the expertise to get their website ranked at the top of the search engines. One challenge that web designers face is on-site search engine optimization. Your website must have relevant, current andup- to- date content that gives potential clients or consumers who come to your site the knowledge that they are looking for. You want to really catch the potential clients eye and offer a "call to action" to entice them to stay on your website longer.
YouTube Optimization:
One of the biggest ways to get your website ranked on the search engines is by having video. YouTube is now the 2nd largest search engine behind Google which bought out YouTube. The most important part of the video is using the proper keywords in the descriptions and the tags. The more keywords you use, the better. You only want your video to be no longer than a minute and a half. Most people will watch the first 30 seconds of a video before they decide to finish watching it or not. It is essential that your beginning statement really grabs the attention of your audience.
If you say the title of your video in your recording or use the keywords mentioned in the description of your video, you will have a higher percentage of your video being placed at the top of the search engines. Google uses what is referred to as "spiders" to crawl different websites for proper keywords, content, article writing, press releases, etc. and chooses the best ones to appear at the top of their search engine.
At Expert Internet Marketing Service, we provide the keywords for you after analyzing your businesses website thoroughly. We will write and distribute the articles, press releases, blog posts and distribute them to article submission sites. We also provide Video Production and editing services for you from our own green shot studio.
Must use the right kinds of SEO techniques
With that being said, there is no guarantee of a 1st page search engine listing, only Google knows what they are looking for and what techniques they use for ranking. When optimizing your site, you want to highlight keywords on-site throughout your website. Google recognizes these keywords, resulting in traffic for your website faster.
The best and most efficient way to create traffic to your website is by using what is called "White-Hat" SEO". This simply means the usage of SEO strategies, techniques and tactics that focus on a human audience opposed to search engines and completely follows search engine rules and policies. (Source: Webopedia). An example of this would is a web site that is SEO optimized, yet focused on relevancy and organic ranking is considered to be White Hat SEO practices. Other examples include using keywords and keyword analysis, back-linking, link building to improve link popularity, and writing content for human readers. (Webopedia).
You don't want to use what is called "Black-Hat SEO". Studies have shown that using these techniques often penalize your search engine ranking. Black-Hat SEO refers to the use of aggressive SEO strategies, techniques and tactics that focus only on search engines and not a human audience. It usually does not obey search engine rules (Webopedia). Avoid using Black-Hat SEO techniques. It is "unethical SEO" or "spamdexing.???
If you or your company for is looking to build and expand your online presence, then don't hesitate to contact us at http://expertinternetmarketingservice.com or Chris Bates at 817-913-5557. We are specialists in the SEO and Internet Marketing Industry.
The National Retirement Risk Index is a measure of how many American households will be unable to afford the same standard of living during retirement as they did before retirement. According to the most recent update, the Index found 51 percent of pre-retirement households are at risk of being financially unprepared based on readiness to retire at age 65. When the retirement age is raised to 70, however, the number of American households that would be ready for retirement increases to 85 percent. The authors write that the steep improvement in readiness from age 65 through 70 reflects the importance of Social Security and the pattern of its benefit payments. According to the report, Social Security also closes the readiness gap between low-income and high-income households. By age 70, households who rely most heavily on Social Security are nearly as prepared to retire as high-income households. More here and here.
Category: Health & Wellness
Tagged: american households, Benefit, benefit payments, Elder Law, Eric Barnes, gap, income households, Kaysville, measure, National, number, percent, Postponing, Readiness, retirement age, risk index, Social, social security, standard, The ElderCare Law Firm, update, Utah
Substance abuse can be explained as the overuse of illicit drugs or alcohol which cause harm to the user and often result in addiction such that the user is unable to control his desire to consume such drugs. Substance abuse is often labeled as an immoral condition and as such is not a problem that drug abusers make public. However, there are some warning signs of substance abuse that can help you recognize if someone you know may be addicted to drugs or alcohol and that can help an addict recognize the addiction in himself. Today, drug rehabilitation centers help addicts.
Every drug has symptoms of abuse specific to the drug. Abuse results in excessive eating along with redness of eyes and even delayed reaction among others. Heroin often causes a sense of euphoria and a state that is dreamlike which can last for long periods. Inhalants cause abusers to feel dizzy and even induce a short period of euphoria. It can also cause fainting spells. The symptoms of LSD are generally panic or anxiety and a sense of loss of control and paranoia. Cocaine abuse symptoms include a state of confusion and depression along with irritability. Methamphetamine abuse can be recognized by the symptoms of sleeplessness and increased agitation among others.
Other than the signs and symptoms of substance abuse that are specific to a type of drug, there are also some common symptoms that all drug abusers may display. Sudden change in behavior is one such sign of substance abuse. A drug abuser may become more detached from his family and friends and may even fail to fulfill commitments. The withdrawal from close friends and family may be physical such as absence from functions or gatherings or may be psychological such as the disinterest in the experiences of close ones. Another common symptom of substance abuse is an abrupt change in mood from irritable and angry to happy and vice versa. Drug abusers also display a lack of personal care and reduced concern towards personal grooming. Other, commonly noticed symptoms of substance abuse are the changing of sleeping patterns and the disinterest in activities and hobbies that the addict used to indulge in previously. There are also some additional physical signs of substance abuse such as redness of the eyes and a runny nose.
If you know someone who may be displaying these warning signs of substance abuse, taking a closer look at their activities can go a long way in helping them become kick the drug abuse habit they may have.
Ralph Alderson is a writer on topics about drug rehabilitation centers in Huntington and features of drug rehabilitation centers in Grand Rapids
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The American Museum of Natural History exhibition ?Spiders Alive!? looks at the wonders of the 43,000 spider species.
Do you really need a travel insurance??Before you start designing your travel to Morocco take a few seconds to find information on the potential problems with that country
In Morocco crime is a serious concern, particularly in the major cities and tourist areas. Aggressive panhandling, pick-pocketing, purse-snatching, theft from occupied vehicles stopped in traffic, and harassment of women are the most frequently reported issues. Criminals have used weapons, primarily knives, during some street robberies and burglaries. These have occurred at any time of day or night, not only in isolated places or areas less frequented by visitors, but in crowded areas as well. It is always best to have a travel companion and utilize taxis from point to point, particularly at night and when moving about unfamiliar areas. Residential break-ins also occur and have on occasion turned violent, but most criminals look for opportunities based on stealth rather than confrontation.
With all that in mind take the time to choose your travel insurance with care.
From Robert Marus: Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Deputy Mayor Victor L. Hoskins today announced forthcoming District development solicitations. The announcement came at a Pre-Solicitation Workshop hosted by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Development (DMPED) in conjunction with the Department of Small & Local Business Development (DSLBD) at the Lincoln Theatre. The intent of the Pre-Solicitation Workshop was to introduce various upcoming projects to all sectors of the development community, provide details of the process and response requirements, and provide a forum for interaction between potential project team members ahead of the District?s forthcoming release of the solicitations.
?My vision for a New Economy is built on diversified, resilient businesses,??said Mayor Gray.??Diversified, resilient businesses are built on strategic partnerships. This event is a catalyst to develop those relationships and drive progress in business attraction, job creation, and housing.?
DMPED intends to solicit proposals for new development projects of varied scales before the end of the calendar year. These solicitations will include:
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?????????Franklin School (13th Street and K Street NW)
?????????1909 MLK (1909 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE)
The disposition of District assets requires local participation for District-based employees and service providers. One benefit of the Pre-Solicitation Workshop is to encourage dialogue between talented Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs) and development professionals to create relationships for future respondent teams. Several CBEs participated in the event. Over 500 participating attendees also represented organizations in fields such as real-estate development, design, engineering, consulting, architecture, planning, general contracting, sub-contracting, equity, lending and capital sources.
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?We are thrilled to be hosting this event that allows the public to learn more about upcoming real-estate-development opportunities the District will offer through competitive solicitations,? said Deputy Mayor Hoskins. ?We know that quality development, particularly on once-vacant or federally controlled parcels, must be done with proper engagement of our residents, the development community, and with well-thought out planning that can create viable spaces where the District?s residents can live, work and play in new commercial, office, residential and cultural offerings.?
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DMPED Director of Real Estate Jeff Miller and Director of Development Senthil Sankaran led participants through a presentation on the projects and solicitation offerings. While non-attendees will also be allowed to make submissions of interest for these projects, attendance at the event provided potentially interested parties with a snapshot of each project offering in advance of the upcoming solicitation workshops for each.
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For more information on the real estate development projects, please see the DMPED website at?http://dmped.dc.gov?or email DMPED at?dmped@dc.gov?with your question(s) along with your contact information.
About Pinnacle. We invest in great people. That's why clients trust us with their real estate investments! At Pinnacle, we consider our employees our most valuable asset. In fact, our number one key ... Jul-24-2012
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About Pinnacle. We invest in great people. That's why clients trust us with their real estate investments! At Pinnacle, we consider our employees our most valuable asset. In fact, our number one key ... Jul-28-2012
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Position Summary: The intern will be exposed to all real estate development activities from pre development due diligences through construction completion stage and finally the transition of an asset... Jul-19-2012
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Position Summary: Assist the Asset Managers in overseeing apartment assets in King, Pierce & Snohomish County by helping implement financial, cash flow, leasing & capital strategies to meet s... Jul-19-2012
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49ers receiver Randy Moss did a lot of talking on UStream after he decided to return to the NFL and before he found a team.? Since finding a team, he hasn?t done much talking.
On Friday at training camp, he did.
?These guys here love to work, they love to compete and they know just by me signing here it?s just something that me being around a great group of guys [who are] young and enthusiastic makes me feel young, too,? Moss said in comments broadcast on ESPN?s NFL Live.? ?The love that I have for the game of football is gonna always be in me and I just wanna play football and that?s just really being here and Coach Harbaugh and this organization accepting me and bringing me here was just something hopefully I can give something back in return and that?s with my play and my presence out on and off the field.?
Also on Friday, coach Jim Harbaugh continued with the gushing that has emanated from multiple members of the organization throughout the offseason.? ?The funnest part is out on the practice field,? Harbaugh said.? ?I get some joy being around Randy Moss out there.? He?s got a knack for saying the right thing at the right time.? The right joke at the right time.?
The joke ultimately may be on those who are ready to write off Randy?s chances of playing well in 2012.? After his comments were played during NFL Live and Herm Edwards said Moss could catch 10 touchdown passes this year, Adam Schefter and Bill Polian were skeptical, to say the least.
?Ten touchdowns is awfully high for a player who was out of football last year, who had a minimal impact the year before, who basically hasn?t made a contribution ? a meaningful contribution ? since 2009,? Schefter said.? ?There?s a spot for him in the San Francisco 49ers offense.? But we?re not getting the 25-year-old Randy Moss, we?re getting the 35-year-old Randy Moss.?
Polian was more blunt.
?The guy I saw two years ago, played against was not the Randy Moss who set records in New England,? Polian said.? ?I didn?t see any explosion, didn?t see any speed.? [Editor's note:? Darrelle Revis may disagree.]? So, he?ll have to make a believer out of me.? If he?s doing well by Week Eight then he?s back.? Otherwise, I have my doubts.?
It would be easy to agree, given the manner in which Moss disappeared in Tennessee after being essentially fired by two teams in less than a month.? But two factors could prove them wrong.
First, the praise of Moss from his teammates, both for his performance and his attitude, has been universal and unequivocal.? Everyone in San Fran loves the guy, and everyone who has seen him work since joining the 49ers believes he can still get it done.
Second, we?ve seen this movie before from Moss.? After his second year with the Raiders in 2006, the popular view was that Moss was washed up, that he was done, that he couldn?t run.
Rejuvenated by a trade to the Patriots, Moss ran down Jerry Rice?s record for single-season touchdown receptions, propelling the Pats to the first undefeated 16-game season.
When Randy?s head isn?t in it, it doesn?t matter what his body can do.? When Randy is ready to go, his team will get the best of whatever he has.
The point is that we shouldn?t assume anything about Randy?s physical abilities based on what we saw in 2010 because his performance was hampered by the fact that he didn?t care.
He cares now.
?I play when I wanna play.?? It arguably belongs on his tombstone.? For now, it should prompt anyone who thinks based on 2010 that he won?t have it in 2012 to think again.
Exercise is definitely an essential factor of your life. If you don?t learn how to get in shape or require easy methods to continue to be encouraged, you?ve can come to the correct spot. This post is to tell you concerning how to improve your fitness, in addition to, tips on how to start feeling and searching far better.
To boost your equilibrium, attempt standing upright 1-legged with a settee support whilst completing a medication ball from one fingers to the next. This is more challenging than it sounds and can enhance your sychronisation, harmony and general system manage. For the superior approach, attempt shutting the eyes during the exercising.
A great way to keep constant along with your health and fitness strategy is always to recruit a colleague or relative to physical exercise together with you consistently. Acquiring yet another personal involved in your health and fitness journey helps you continue to be answerable in terms of the desired goals you may have establish, and also collections the point for some wholesome competition to see who achieves by far the most impressive outcomes.
If you are intending try using a table, it is wise to examination it initial. If the bench is way too difficult, it may well produce a misalignment in your spine that could damage your arm. Analyze the bench by driving a thumb into the padding. Provided you can notice the wood beneath the extra padding, find a far better bench to work with.
Living near a town, you will find numerous situations and runs that one could get involved in, such as a 5k. Sign up for the subsequent major run in your town and commit you to ultimately practicing for it within the up coming few months. This will assist boost your enthusiasm and fat burning prospective.
Cut your operating plan by 50 percent at times. Overdoing it really is never advisable for your health, so each and every several months, acquire an entire full week to halve your operating timetable. You may provide your body enough time to recover without having dropping any of the stamina or velocity you obtained before.
Following your regular workout, when you are in discomfort, usually do not consider ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or another soreness reliever. Research has shown these pills do not assistance to reduce muscle tissue soreness. In fact, researchers believe that taking any sort of soreness reliever right after an exercise may actually restrain any sort of muscle growth.
The data which has been presented previously mentioned must have provided you an thought for just how in shape you truly are. If you are less suit as you would like to become, it is crucial that you can start making modifications now while you may still repair your entire exercise.
Twitter is a great thing. I connected with a man named Ben Woodard. He?s an SEO specialist if you?re looking for that kind of service. In turn, I was connected to his friend Aaron Palmer. Through that connection, I was then connected to David Huey. When I moved to Atlanta, I had the chance to meet David and did so at the ?Blogapalooza? event held at EyeSpeak.
That is when I learned about the organization David and Aaron founded called, Hungry For A Day. Here is some info about them:
Hungry For A Day was started by David and Aaron, two college buddies who realized, after spending over ten years in the business world, that there was way more to life than 401k accounts, personal vacations and climbing the corporate ladder. Their vision was to discover an effective way to impact hurting people. From that vision, Hungry For A Day was born.
There are many groups and organizations that are fighting hunger and are worthy of your donations. An area of concern that we have discovered is that while people are aware of significant needs in their communities, they are not sure who to give to. Or, they simply have not given in a long time. What we do is simple. We highlight an organization each month that is doing awesome work and helping to meet the needs of those that go hungry. We challenge you to go hungry, add up what you would have spent on food for that day, and donate that amount to H4AD. With your donation, many more will eat in your place!
Sounds great doesn?t it?
I love their mission and wanted to be a part of that.
That being said, today I am announcing that Caruso Photography is officially partnering with Hungry For A Day on all future photo shoots. Whether it?s a family photo shoot, headshots, band photos, event photography, senior portraits or weddings, a portion of the investment for the shoot will go directly to Hungry For A Day. Pricing details are available over on the photography site.
This is exciting and my hope is to have another local organization be a partner with me as well so that two organizations will benefit whenever somebody has photos done! That decision will hopefully be announced next week.
About Jay Caruso
I am a photographer and businessman living in the Atlanta, Georgia area. I can help with your company branding through the use of photography as well as SEO, social media marketing and business consulting.
The Olympics and bare feet: What have we learned?Public release date: 27-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Zenaida Kotala zenaida.kotala@ucf.edu 407-823-6120 University of Central Florida
Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila made history when he earned a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. His speed and agility won him the gold, but it was barefoot running that made him a legend.
When the shoes Bikila was given for the race didn't fit comfortably, he ditched them for his bare feet. After all, that's the way he had trained for the Olympics in his homeland.
Racing shoeless led to success for Bikila, and now, more than 50 years later, runners are continuing to take barefoot strides. Several Olympic runners have followed Bikila and nationally the trend has exploded over the past decade. There's even a national association dedicated to barefoot running. However, scientists are stuck on whether it either prevents or increases injuries.
"Bikila may have been on to something," said Carey Rothschild, an instructor of physical therapy at the University of Central Florida in Orlando who specializes in orthopedic sports injuries. "The research is really not conclusive on whether one approach is better than the other. But what is clear is that it's really a matter of developing a good running form and sticking to it, not suddenly changing it."
Rothschild, a 12-year runner who has completed the Boston Marathon three times, reviewed research and found injuries happened with or without shoes. So she conducted a survey with the help of the Track Shack in Orlando to get to the bottom of the controversy.
What she found was striking.
Most people said they turned to barefoot running in the hopes of improving performance and reducing injuries. Ironically, those who said they never tried it avoided it for fear it would cause injuries and slow their times.
However, research shows that there are risks to running no matter what someone puts on his or her feet.
Barefoot runners tend to land on their mid or forefoot as opposed to the heel, which good athletic shoes try to cushion.
Some studies suggest that barefoot running causes a higher level of stress fractures on the front part of the foot and increased soreness in the calves. But runners who wear athletic shoes can also suffer everything from knee injuries to hip problems, related to repeated stress from impact forces at the heel.
"There is no perfect recipe," said Rothschild, a resident of Winter Park.
In a paper publishing in the August edition of the Journal of Strength And Conditioning, Rothschild reviews the research and provides a guide for those who want to explore barefoot running as a way to train for marathons. It's a 10-12 week program that slowly eases people who run in shoes onto their bare feet.
She suggests getting a thorough physical examination and biomechanical assessment from a physical therapist or other trained professional so that strength and flexibility deficits can be identified and addressed first. That should be done before gradually transitioning to bare feet.
"The bottom line is that when a runner goes from shoes to no shoes, their body may not automatically change its gait," Rothschild said. "But there are ways to help make that transition smoother and lower the risk of injuries."
The researcher concludes that barefoot running in and of itself is neither good nor bad. As with running in shoes, proper training and conditioning are essential.
However, Rothschild does offer a warning.
Anyone with lower extremity or deformity or with a disease that creates a lack of sensation on the feet should probably avoid barefoot running because they can't necessarily feel injuries resulting from running on hard surfaces.
###
Rothschild has a doctorate of physical therapy from Boston University and a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from the University of Florida. She's a credentialed clinical instructor and Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, and she has presented at numerous conferences. She joined UCF in 2009.
UCF Stands For Opportunity --The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the second largest in the nation with more than 58,000 students. UCF's first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region's economic development. UCF's culture of opportunity is driven by our diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and our youth, relevance and energy. For more information visit http://news.ucf.edu
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The Olympics and bare feet: What have we learned?Public release date: 27-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Zenaida Kotala zenaida.kotala@ucf.edu 407-823-6120 University of Central Florida
Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila made history when he earned a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. His speed and agility won him the gold, but it was barefoot running that made him a legend.
When the shoes Bikila was given for the race didn't fit comfortably, he ditched them for his bare feet. After all, that's the way he had trained for the Olympics in his homeland.
Racing shoeless led to success for Bikila, and now, more than 50 years later, runners are continuing to take barefoot strides. Several Olympic runners have followed Bikila and nationally the trend has exploded over the past decade. There's even a national association dedicated to barefoot running. However, scientists are stuck on whether it either prevents or increases injuries.
"Bikila may have been on to something," said Carey Rothschild, an instructor of physical therapy at the University of Central Florida in Orlando who specializes in orthopedic sports injuries. "The research is really not conclusive on whether one approach is better than the other. But what is clear is that it's really a matter of developing a good running form and sticking to it, not suddenly changing it."
Rothschild, a 12-year runner who has completed the Boston Marathon three times, reviewed research and found injuries happened with or without shoes. So she conducted a survey with the help of the Track Shack in Orlando to get to the bottom of the controversy.
What she found was striking.
Most people said they turned to barefoot running in the hopes of improving performance and reducing injuries. Ironically, those who said they never tried it avoided it for fear it would cause injuries and slow their times.
However, research shows that there are risks to running no matter what someone puts on his or her feet.
Barefoot runners tend to land on their mid or forefoot as opposed to the heel, which good athletic shoes try to cushion.
Some studies suggest that barefoot running causes a higher level of stress fractures on the front part of the foot and increased soreness in the calves. But runners who wear athletic shoes can also suffer everything from knee injuries to hip problems, related to repeated stress from impact forces at the heel.
"There is no perfect recipe," said Rothschild, a resident of Winter Park.
In a paper publishing in the August edition of the Journal of Strength And Conditioning, Rothschild reviews the research and provides a guide for those who want to explore barefoot running as a way to train for marathons. It's a 10-12 week program that slowly eases people who run in shoes onto their bare feet.
She suggests getting a thorough physical examination and biomechanical assessment from a physical therapist or other trained professional so that strength and flexibility deficits can be identified and addressed first. That should be done before gradually transitioning to bare feet.
"The bottom line is that when a runner goes from shoes to no shoes, their body may not automatically change its gait," Rothschild said. "But there are ways to help make that transition smoother and lower the risk of injuries."
The researcher concludes that barefoot running in and of itself is neither good nor bad. As with running in shoes, proper training and conditioning are essential.
However, Rothschild does offer a warning.
Anyone with lower extremity or deformity or with a disease that creates a lack of sensation on the feet should probably avoid barefoot running because they can't necessarily feel injuries resulting from running on hard surfaces.
###
Rothschild has a doctorate of physical therapy from Boston University and a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from the University of Florida. She's a credentialed clinical instructor and Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, and she has presented at numerous conferences. She joined UCF in 2009.
UCF Stands For Opportunity --The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the second largest in the nation with more than 58,000 students. UCF's first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region's economic development. UCF's culture of opportunity is driven by our diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and our youth, relevance and energy. For more information visit http://news.ucf.edu
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
As fixed-rate mortgage averages continue to match or break record lows, borrowers have been inclined to take advantage and refinance their current mortgage.
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, mortgage applications increased 0.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis during the week ending July 20 from a week prior, while the Refinance Index jumped 2 percent to its highest level since 2009.
However, the surge in refinancing is not expected to continue as capacity will become an issue in the near future, a mortgage expert told Bloomberg.
"The only way for things to really change is if lenders add a significant amount of capacity back into the system, and I don't see that happening over the short term," Scott Buchta of Sandler O'Neill & Partners LP told the source. "The fear of higher rates has kept the rate of expansion in check."
Refinance activity will also be slowed as the gap between bond yields and new-loan rates continues to wide, according to the news source. The widened gap keeps costs higher and puts a new mortgage out of reach for some borrowers.
This entry was posted on Friday, July 27th, 2012 at 3:07 am and is filed under Mortgage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Lance Hyche, Birmingham representative for the?Alabama Education Association, said he's been in meetings today with lawyers who plan to fight many of the layoffs among the city school district's lowest-paid employees.
The Birmingham Board of Education rejected a financial plan Tuesday to demote or lay off nearly 200 employees, but Alabama state Superintendent Tommy Bice overruled the board's decision. The 118 employees who were terminated lost their jobs at the close of business Wednesday.
Hyche said he's heard from at least 50 members so far, and expects to hear from more, seeking advice and legal representation.
"With one exception, all of the employees terminated made $35,000 and under," Hyche said. "And the one exception made $55,000. That's the point we're trying to make -- this plan was sold originally as 'we're going to come in and chop?all the high paid administrators' and that's not what happened."
The plan cuts more than $12 million from the district's budget over the next two years, necessary to meet a state requirement that school systems keep a reserve fund equal to one month's worth of operating expenses. Birmingham has about $2 million of the $17 million required. It will also lose about $6 million in state funding because of declining enrollment.
Tuesday was the first meeting run by Bice since the state took over the Birmingham school system's finances last month.
Read more:?
List of Birmingham school employees laid off or demoted
It's funny, but most of the problem is, with my expectations.
My ex is great in this regard and treats my girlfriend as a parental figure to my daughter.
With my work schedule, and the overall life, I need help parenting.
My daughter hasn't really tested her negatively. But, she will try to score ice cream without me knowing.
The times where she had to be punished, I was there. We havent been in a situation where I wasn't present when she started acting up. I may start thinking that I'm the bad influence :P
Is it fair to ask a step parent to share in the child support expense? Theres no spousal support.
I dont want to take advantage of her, but, the way it is now, I have twice as many expenses then her, so our standard of living is different. This was fine at the beginning, but, not sure about it long term.
Ever opened a tin of pet food and wondered what it would taste like? It may be time to try it out.
We may all need to start eating more offal and other meat products now used for pet food as the world faces a growing protein crunch, new research has found.
In a paper published by the Science Media Centre yesterday, Kiwi and Dutch scientists warned that meat would be in high demand by 2050 as developing countries improved their standards of living.
"Traditional diets in developing countries, in which cereals and other staples were major components, have given way to food consumption patterns more similar to those found in developed countries, in which meat, eggs, fish and dairy products play a much more dominant role."
About 40 per cent of human protein needs were met by animal products, but that figure would "increase substantially" by 2050, the report says.
In order to meet the growing demand, people would need to start shifting other proteins up the food chain, and also start looking at more "novel" ways of getting protein - including increased rabbit farming, greater use of food waste, and even technologies such as synthetic meat.
One of the report's authors, Mike Boland from Massey University's Riddet Institute, said the paper laid out the big picture, and further work would now be done to "colour in" the different areas to understand the matters better.
"The main message is that demand for particularly animal-based protein is increasing and certain methods of production will not be able to keep pace with the demand . . . so we need to start looking at new ways of doing things."
Rejigging the food chain was one possible step. Offal, much of which often went straight to pet food, was an example of meat that could be redirected to humans. Other proteins could be produced using fly larvae, which could then be fed to animals.
People should also be sending food waste back into the food chain - such as feeding scraps to pigs - to stop protein being wasted, he said.
Synthetic meat was another possibility being investigated in the Netherlands, but it was a long way from being commercially viable.
Rather, Dr Boland saw New Zealand becoming a high-quality meat provider, while other countries would look to synthetic products and cheaper industrial-grade proteins.
Frankie Manclark, Wellington branch manager for Preston's Master Butchers, said Kiwi meat-eaters were already embracing offal, with oxtail more expensive than rump steak this week.
"We've had a huge uptake in the selling of offal over the last two or three years. Offal used to be a giveaway."
Obese children aged under 12 found to have heart disease risk factors such high levels of cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure
Almost two out of three severely obese children under the age of 12 have at least one risk factor for heart disease such as high blood pressure or high blood sugar, researchers say.
Dutch researchers have found that 62 per cent of very obese children aged 12 or younger have one or more of the risk factors.
The study, published online in Archives Of Disease In Childhood, examined 255 severely obese children aged between two and 18.
Overall, 67 per cent of the children had at least one risk factor for heart disease.
Almost one in five severely obese children had at least two risk factors, and eight per cent were found to have three.
The most common risk factor was hypertension ? or high blood pressure ? which was present in 56 per cent of the children.
More than half had low levels of ?good? cholesterol, while 14 per cent of the overweight children had high blood sugar. Just under one per cent already had type 2 diabetes.
The authors, from VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, based their findings on data supplied by paediatricians to the Dutch Paediatric Surveillance Unit between 2005 and 2007.
The authors found that younger boys were more often severely obese compared to older boys, while they found the reverse for girls.
Business people have calculated the merits of strategic debt default and bankruptcy-protected reorganization for a long time. The financial and housing crises have introduced the tactic to private individuals, who have embraced the upside in walking away from an overvalued home mortgage.
Might the city of San Jose entertain a similar strategic default as it looks down the long gullet of more than $2 billion in debt related to its late, great redevelopment agency?
That?s the question being raised by a New York-based municipal bond expert, Bart Mosley, co-president of Trident Municipal Research. ?From pure game-theory considerations, a city like San Jose has the most to gain from looking at all options?which is a euphemism for bankruptcy options?and the most to lose from waiting for things to get better,? Mosley said.
Not quite two weeks ago, Trident published a research report dissecting the circumstances surrounding bankruptcy filings and fiscal distress at California cities and towns such as Bell, Stockton, Mammoth Lakes and San Bernardino. ?The specific municipalities that are pursuing Chapter 9 are the cases where longstanding economic strains, in many cases reaching back to the early 1990s, created the underlying fiscal stress that the recent housing crisis and the state?s fiscal pressure drove past the tipping point into crisis,? the report says.
In an aside, San Jose is mentioned as a candidate for Chapter 9, and the comment has ?raised eyebrows,? Mosley said in an interview with The Registry. This week Trident published a follow-up report on San Jose that casts additional light. Mosley spent four years as head of the municipal proprietary trading desk at UBS ending in 2008 and before that was a senior trader on Citi?s proprietary trading desk for a decade.
The focus of Trident?s attention is the San Jose Redevelopment Agency. More particularly, it is the San Jose RDA?s ?successor agency,? which carries more than $2.3 billion in outstanding debt, backed by ?tax increment? property assessments.
Annual debt service on the $2.3 billion exceeds $160 million through 2023, according to public records. After that, it falls gradually for another 15 years to $140 million, then $120 million and finally to less than $20 million in 2037. ?If the successor agency is not insolvent, it is very close,? Mosley said.
Not so, say Julia Cooper, acting finance director for the city of San Jose, and Arn Andrews, acting assistant finance director. For the fiscal year that began July 1, the city?s general operating fund budget included $16 million in outlays to service the debt on four line items where the city shares financial responsibility for repayment with the RDA successor agency, Andrews said. Those debts include $137.8 million owed on the city?s convention center, and $36.7 million owed on the Fourth Street Garage, Cooper said.
But bondholders on the remaining roughly $2 billion in redevelopment agency debt have no recourse to the general fund, and in time, as property values revive and the successor agency?s revenues climb, the city?s general fund should be repaid, Cooper said.
In the interim, the delta between the agency?s revenues and debt service is being considered a ?structural deficit,? which is estimated to persist and then be resolved over the next five years, Andrews said. The amount of that deficit is not estimated to climb above $25 million a year, which is the maximum amount that the city?s general fund could legally be required to pay of the redevelopment successor agency debt. ?So that is not insolvent because it is within the legal limits of what the city is legally required to pay,? Andrews said. ?And over time the city will be reimbursed.?
The ultimate irony, of course, is that the purpose of California redevelopment agencies and ?tax increment? financing was to help improve property values by diverting property taxes above a baseline level and using that revenue stream to finance public projects. The formula was supposed to yield faster and greater property value increases than would be the case with solely private-sector investment. That increase in time was to help better support schools and other municipal and social services. That San Jose?s tax increment revenue is insufficient to support the debt issued against it means private investment and property values have not increased at the same rate as public debt.
The Chicago-based Counselors of Real Estate, an invitation-only credentialing community with 1,100 members worldwide, identified municipal and public-sector financial stress as one the 10 greatest worries for real estate investors and owners in the next 30 years. ?Underfunding of state and local retirement systems in the trillions of dollars provides extreme challenges to the provision of basic local and state services critical to real estate properties and markets,? the group said. Members provide advisory services to a spectrum of clients including investment funds, financial institutions, universities, cities and corporations.
Distress has rained hard on San Jose over the last decade. Silicon Valley recovered more slowly than the nation at large after the 2001 dot-com bust. Countywide employment and incomes are still below dot-com highs. San Jose itself has had a long-running structural operating deficit, Mosley said.
In the recession just passed, the city?s industrial and property base lost value at a steeper rate than the county as a whole. The taxable value of real estate and business equipment in San Jose dropped 3.1 percent in 2010 compared to a 2.4 percent decline countywide. 2010 was the first year since the Great Depression that taxable real and business property value fell countywide. Taxable values have recovered some in the last two years, but San Jose?s rate of increase is slower than the county?s at large. The events have flogged not only city finances but also those of the San Jose Redevelopment Agency.
The RDA?s debt load was a concern for rating agencies as early as 2003. Then last year both Moody?s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings dramatically lowered their expectations. Moody?s ?judged [RDA debt] to have speculative elements? and to be ?subject to substantial credit risk.? Both raters still considered the debt investment grade, though just barely.
Everyone agrees?city officials and Trident?s Mosley?that neither the city nor the redevelopment successor agency is in imminent danger of default. But Mosley?s points are clear. ?Since 2008, the unrestricted assets of the city?the assets of the city unencumbered by debt?have been deteriorating rapidly,? he said. That means the city?s buildings and other physical stock is depreciating faster than it is being replaced.
San Jose has about $500 million in general-obligation debt. GO debt is its most senior and important and is backed by recourse to the city?s main operating fund. It has another $1 billion in debt issued through the City of San Jose Financing Authority, which includes debt guaranteed by city lease payments on buildings it occupies including the Richard Meier City Hall and employee parking garage and the Hayes Mansion. Some Financing Authority debt also has recourse to the city?s main operating fund.
The city should safeguard those debt sources, and take all action to ensure the successor redevelopment agency?s debt does not somehow land on its list of obligations, Mosley said, something that he believes could happen. ?In San Jose?s case, the successor agency is now part of the city. What is not clear is if the city takes those obligations onto its own balance sheet, does that become part of the city?s overall obligation or is it separable??
?We would like to see that made clear,? he said.
For their part, Cooper and Andrews are clear. The redevelopment agency debt has always been priced differently and with higher yields than general obligation debt and Financing Authority debt. That reflects investors? understanding that it is higher risk and a different investment than either of the other two. For the city to assume responsibility for repaying RDA successor agency debt now is to invite moral hazard, Andrews said. Debt holders are ?sophisticated investors.?
?Why would we go back and undo what was a professional agreement?? he asks.
?Pets are the perfect way to help your children learn so many things! Having a friend they can talk to without repercussions is a valuable advantage when a child is trying to work out a personal problem on their own. They can tell them anything and the pet is just there to love and enjoy them. I?m sure our dogs and cats solved many problem for our children during their younger years!
Caring and being responsible for someone else is a big mind leap for a child. Sure they love Mom and Dad. They love their siblings. But those beings are taking care of them. The daily routine of feeding, watering, and loving their pet teaches them ?about reaching out to others. Having a companion who is always there to love them back helps a child to calm themselves when life gets unfair in their estimation.
For our children pets were considered part of the family. Fortunately we live in a rural area and always had room for one more rescued cat or dog. My youngest brought home a mixed breed dog that was tied to a fence post on the roadway. The poor dog had been beaten and was close to dying from lack of food and water.
My youngest best friend!
?Sandy became an intricate part of our lives. She was our defender for many wonderful years and I still miss her today. She gave us undying devotion and love. Our children spent many hours exploring the government land behind our home and I never worried about them. Sandy was always with them and ready to protect them from cougars or other predators.
I?m learning to ride!
My granddaughter is an only child at this time. Her family consists of cats, dogs, ferrets and horses. She treats them like friends and they always get to eat when she does. Sharing with them is natural and an intricate part of her life. To her sharing is normal and being stingy with others a totally alien idea. She has transferred those actions to children she plays with at the park.
If you live in a small home or have allergies there are other pets that will teach your children. Gerbils, goldfish, mice,turtles and even snakes can contribute to the same teaching experiences. Although, I did draw the line at snakes! We did raise mice and gerbils. And at one point we had a Red Tailed Hawk in residence.
It does not matter whether your child is involved in public school or home school, they need a friend. They need to learn about caring for others. They need the responsibility of caring.
Although the latest version of Apple?s iPhone, commonly
referred to as the iPhone 5, is generating huge excitement months away from its
expected debut, a report from Reuters, which suggests the
company may be ditching its standard 30-pin dock connector for a smaller,
19-pin connector at the bottom of the device, could irk some party faithful who
will have to replace any and all iPhone accessories that use the dock to
connect to the smartphone.
According to unnamed sources familiar with the matter,
Reuters reported the reason for the smaller dock was to allow for a headphone
jack at the bottom of the handset. While it may annoy Apple fans, the change
could be a positive one for the makers of Apple accessories or those who could
sell an adapter to connect the new iPhone to older peripherals. "It
represents an opportunity for accessory vendors," Pete Cunningham, an
analyst at IT research firm Canalys, told the news service. "The iPhone
connector has been a standard for a long time now and I would expect the same
to be true for a new connector, should Apple change it as expected."
While iPhone fans and analysts might be split on the
decision?Reuters reported Taipei-based Gartner analyst C.K. Lu saying the new
dock wouldn?t stop Apple consumers from buying the iPhone, while London-based
analyst Franciso Jeronimo cautioned Apple should find a solution that allows
them to upgrade the phone without having to sever ties with an older
accessory?anticipation for the latest iPhone is nearing fever pitch.
According to a recent survey by ChangeWave, 14 percent of
the more than 4,000 consumers surveyed said they were ?very likely? to purchase
an iPhone 5 when it debuts, and 17 percent of respondents said they were
?somewhat likely? to purchase the smartphone. The report noted demand is
?strikingly higher? for the latest iPhone than for any previous model.
"Advance demand for the 'iPhone 5' is strikingly higher
than we've seen for any previous iPhone model," Dr. Paul Carton,
ChangeWave's vice president of research noted in the report. "Overall
smartphone sales should spike to an all-time high this fall, and of course
Apple is going to be the number one beneficiary. But besides Apple, and to a
lesser degree Samsung, no other manufacturer is likely to benefit from this
coming wave of demand."
The new iPhone is expected to sport a larger, 4-inch 16:9
display, a bump up from the 3.5-inch screen found on all previous models. The
handset is likely to offer other enhanced features to face competitors like the
Samsung Galaxy S III and other Google Android-based smartphones, such as
Long-Term Evolution (LTE), near-field communication (NFC) capabilities and a
faster quad-core processor.
This was the scene today inside the HUB (Penn State?s student union building) as NCAA president Mark Emmert announced the unprecedented punishments against the Nittany Lions? football program. According to Scranton?s WNEP, there were audible gasps and more than a few tears as Emmert read the rough equivalent of a program death sentence.
For these kids, who likely grew up around parents, friends, and relatives who bled white and blue, and who themselves thought they?d be getting four years of important games at Beaver Stadium, the hurt was visible.
ScienceDaily (July 22, 2012) ? Ever wonder how the human brain, which is constantly bombarded with millions of pieces of visual information, can filter out what's unimportant and focus on what's most useful?
The process is known as selective attention and scientists have long debated how it works. But now, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have discovered an important clue. Evidence from an animal study, published in the July 22 online edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience, shows that the prefrontal cortex is involved in a previously unknown way.
Two types of attention are utilized in the selective attention process -- bottom up and top down. Bottom-up attention is automatically guided to images that stand out from a background by virtue of color, shape or motion, such as a billboard on a highway. Top-down attention occurs when one's focus is consciously shifted to look for a known target in a visual scene, as when searching for a relative in a crowd.
Traditionally, scientists have believed that separate areas of the brain controlled these two processes, with bottom-up attention occurring in the posterior parietal cortex and top-down attention occurring in the prefrontal cortex.
"Our findings provide insights on the neural mechanisms behind the guidance of attention," said Christos Constantinidis, Ph.D., associate professor of neurobiology and anatomy at Wake Forest Baptist and senior author of the study. "This has implications for conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which affects millions of people worldwide. People with ADHD have difficulty filtering information and focusing attention. Our findings suggest that both the ability to focus attention intentionally and shifting attention to eye-catching but sometimes unimportant stimuli depend on the prefrontal cortex."
In the Wake Forest Baptist study, two monkeys were trained to detect images on a computer screen while activity in both areas of the brain was recorded. The visual display was designed to let one image "pop out" due to its color difference from the background, such as a red circle surrounded by green. To trigger bottom-up attention, neither the identity nor the location of the pop-out image could be predicted before it appeared. The monkeys indicated that they detected the pop-out image by pushing a lever. The neural activity associated with identifying the pop-out images occurred in the prefrontal cortex at the same time as in the posterior parietal cortex. This unexpected finding indicates early involvement of the prefrontal cortex in bottom-up attention, in addition to its known role in top-down attention, and provides new insights into the neural mechanisms of attention.
"We hope that our findings will guide future work targeting attention deficits," Constantinidis said.
The research was supported by the National Eye Institute contract ROI EY016773 and the Tab Williams Family Endowment.
Fumi Katsuki, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow at Wake Forest Baptist, co-authored the study.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Fumi Katsuki, Christos Constantinidis. Early involvement of prefrontal cortex in visual bottom-up attention. Nature Neuroscience, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nn.3164
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Chris Velazco is a mobile enthusiast and writer who studied English and Marketing at Rutgers University. Once upon a time, he was the news intern for MobileCrunch, and in between posts, he worked in wireless sales at Best Buy. After graduating, he returned to the new TechCrunch to as a full-time mobile writer. He counts advertising, running, musical theater,... ? Learn More
Earlier today, a Reuters report added more fuel to a particularly nitpicky fire ? according to its typically unnamed sources, Apple?s new iPhone indeed sports a smaller, 19 pin dock connector instead of the 30 pin relic the company?s iDevices have clung to for years.
The news itself isn?t particularly shocking ? our own John Biggs reported on it last month ? but now a new report from iMore points to an even less surprising development. The Cupertino company is allegedly working on a dock connector adapter to keep those iDevice accessories from becoming completely obsolete, or so the story from iMore?s supply chain sources go.
Yeah, There?s literally no way that Apple would risk pissing off longtime iDevice owners by making their scores of old accessories useless in one fell swoop. Sadly, that?s all iMore was able to confirm. At this point, there?s still no word on whether or not such an adapter will find its way inside the new iPhone?s box, nor how much it will cost customers to purchase it separately.
While Apple hasn?t officially confirmed any of this (and don?t expect them to until September at the earliest), there?s more than enough smoke to signal a fire here. What?s more, the incessant clatter of the rumor mill points to plenty of big hardware additions ? a larger screen, an LTE radio, NFC, and more ? so it?s not much of a stretch to imagine Apple grappling with the prospect of squeezing everything into a slim new chassis.
Like it or not, this sort of move isn?t anything new for Apple. Most recently, the company launched the new MacBook Air and retina MacBook Pro with smaller MagSafe connectors because of their slimmer frames, but Apple has attempted to ease the pain by selling an adapter for $9.99.
Do you really need a travel insurance??Before you start designing your travel to Morocco take a few seconds to find information on the potential problems with that country
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Public release date: 27-Jul-2012
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Might the city of San Jose entertain a similar strategic default as it looks down the long gullet of more than $2 billion in debt related to its late, great redevelopment agency?
