Secrets to Making Money

For the past few years, Melissa Petro has been teaching art at P.S. 70 in the Bronx—and more recently, she's been writing about her past as a former sex worker in various publications. Earlier this month, she wrote on the Huffington Post, "From October 2006 to January 2007 I accepted money in exchange for sexual services I provided to men I met online in what was then called the 'erotic services' section of Craigslist.org." Now, the Department of Education has reassigned her during its investigation as P.S. 70 parents say things like "She's not a good role model."

That mother also tells the Post, "I do not want my daughters to find out about this and I do not want my daughters to be around that kind of person," while another says, "I don't want nobody that used to do that to be around my kid. People like that should not be allowed to be anywhere near children."

Petro, who has a MFA in creative nonfiction from the New School, wrote on The Rumpus over the summer about being a stripper in Mexico (she didn't mention the Craigslist sexual services work) and how her past was catching up with her present, thanks to the Internet:

I recently had the experience at my job of being warned by a colleague that other coworkers have begun Googling me. The concern is that I’m an elementary school teacher (teaching art/creative writing at a public school in the South Bronx) as well as a writer, and my writing- at least that which has been published and is therefore “Google-able”- is primarily about my experiences as a sex worker, which occurred some time prior to my becoming a teacher.

Since becoming a teacher I have known- hoped, even- that this would be a conversation I’d someday be compelled to have, and while I’ve done nothing at work to encourage such controversy, as a writer and an activist, not to mention former stripper, I’ve never been one to shy away from publicity. I welcome this debate in particular, not only because it explores issues of freedom of speech and the rights of workers to live self-determined lives outside of the workplace, but because, ultimately, here is another opportunity to call into the light the persistent and erroneous insinuation that once a prostitute always a whore- not “whore” in the pro-industry reclamative sense of the word but in its opposite, everything society has told me I am from the moment I first bared my breasts at a tit club, if not before...

...This article is not—not yet, at least— in defense of my job. I also realize it is a not a question of whether an individual can, at one time, have been a sex worker and, today, be a teacher. The reality is that a person can, as I have served at my current position competently for a nearly three years. For me, it is a question of whether society is ready to adapt their schema to accommodate our reality.

It would be better, I suspect, if I were ashamed.

In an off the record conversation, a sympathetic administrator kindly asked if I couldn’t publish under a pseudonym. I wish, for her sake, I could. But for sake of the rights and integrity of myself and every other man or woman who makes or has made choices similar to mine, and then tries to make sense of these choices, I cannot. I learned along the way that “you are only as sick as your secrets.” My writing and performing my work has been my salvation. I wrote myself out of the hell of secrecy and into the body of the woman I am today, capable of making meaning of myself and my experience— more than qualified to manage a classroom and teach kids about art but also, like anyone else, to be more than just my job.

DeMint has not been shy about his vision.

Last week, he single-handedly threatened to stop all legislative activity
in the Senate as it worked to pass a flurry of legislation before
recessing ahead of the election. He has also criticized Democrats and
Republicans alike, chastising GOP leadership on occasion and bucking
them regularly to support more conservative, Tea Party-favored
candidates in Republican primaries. During the summer of 2009, DeMint
also famously said
that if Republicans could stop President Barack Obama from implementing
his proposal health insurance reform overhauls, it would be his
�Waterloo.�

For years, a few, select special interest groups on
the right and left have specialized in the conduit approach to political
fund-raising, including the conservative Club for Growth and the liberal groups ActBlue, MoveOn.org and EMILY�s List. Politicians using their leadership PACs for such activity are comparatively novel.

Individual donors must still abide by campaign contribution limits even
if they send money through conduit organizations, giving no more than
$2,400 per election to candidates.

But political committees aren�t as restricted in the amount of cash they may transfer from one individual.

For
example, DeMint�s leadership PAC directly donated the legal maximum of
$10,000 to Rubio�s Senate campaign in Florida -- money raised from
donors to his PAC who can give no more than $5,000 per year. But the
committee has also been able to bundle more than $240,600 to Rubio�s
campaign from a bevy of individual donors. And by acting as a conduit
organization, it can demonstrate additional clout.

So far this
election cycle, ActBlue has bundled more than $31.4 million. MoveOn.org
has bundled more than $9.2 million. EMILY�s List has bundled about $3.9
million, and the Club for Growth has bundled about $3.3 million.

In terms of all other groups reporting this activity, Hoyer�s
leadership PAC ranks next at $1.3 million, followed by DeMint�s $1.04
million. The only other federal lawmaker who so far this cycle has
reported at least six-figures worth of conduit contributions is Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), with $168,800, coming via his Mountaineer PAC.

These bundles from Rockefeller�s PAC benefited just two lawmakers, West Virginia Democratic Reps. Nick Rahall, who is in a competitive re-election bid this year, and Alan Mollohan, who lost in a Democratic primary in May.

�Sen.
Rockefeller has supported Congressmen Mollohan and Rahall for years,
and he wanted to help them raise money,� Jamie Smith, Rockefeller�s
communication director told OpenSecrets Blog. �Mountaineer PAC
collected money at an event and forwarded it to the respective
campaigns. The contributions were reported according to FEC regulations
as conduit contributions.�

Hoyer�s conduit giving has been more
prolific. He�s reported bundling conduit contributions for more than 100
candidates this cycle. His top beneficiaries include the following
Democrats:

• Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-Md.): $56,500 and counting
• Rep. Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.): $36,750 and counting
• Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.): $29,500 and counting
• Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.): $27,500 and counting
• Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho): $26,100 and counting

�As
part of his job as majority leader, Mr. Hoyer raises and contributes
money to Democratic candidates,� Katie Grant, a spokesperson for Hoyer,
told OpenSecrets Blog in a statement. Grant declined to elaborate further about his direct contributions or bundling of conduit contributions.

Hoyer has also reported transferring conduit contributions to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
He�s also reported donating $1.08 million from his leadership PAC and
campaign committee to other Democrats -- ranking him the No. 3 lawmaker
in such direct contributions, according to an analysis by the Center for
Responsive Politics.

Other House leaders have also utilized this
more traditional approach in providing financial assistance to fellow
party faithful. But unlike bundling unlimited amounts of conduit
contributions, these direct contributions to campaigns cannot exceed
$5,000 per election.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor
(R-Va.) ranks No. 1 with more than $1.2 million in contributions to
fellow Republicans from his leadership PAC and campaign committee
combined since January 2009. House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) ranks No. 2, with more than $1.1 million in such contributions.

Beyond Hoyer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.) ranks No. 4, with $898,000 in contributions so far this
election cycle to fellow Democrats. And House Minority Leader John Boehner
(R-Ohio), who is poised to become speaker should Republicans wrest
control of the House from Democrats, ranks No. 5, with $862,000 in
contributions.

"The speaker works very hard to make sure that
members have the resources they need to get their message out to
voters," Jennifer Crider, a spokeswoman for Pelosi, told OpenSecrets Blog.
"The hope is that members have what they need to fight back against
shady outside groups who are coming in and misleading voters in their
districts."

"Rep. Clyburn believes it's important to elect
candidates who share his vision for the country and the need to keep
moving our country forward. An important part of that effort is raising
money for candidates, so they can run effective campaigns," Adam Hodge, a
spokesman for Clyburn, told OpenSecrets Blog. "Rep. Clyburn hopes that his efforts will help the Democrats maintain our majority this fall."

Spokespeople for Cantor and Boehner did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment for this story.

Here
is a table showing the top 20 lawmakers making the most contributions
to their political brethren from their leadership PACs and campaign
committees this election cycle:

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: James Cameron&#39;s Next Films Are &#39;Avatar 2′ &amp; &#39;3′ For <b>...</b>

BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films Are 'Avatar 2' & '3' BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films … TV Pitch Season Coming To An End � Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In Center Of Pic Auction Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

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<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: James Cameron&#39;s Next Films Are &#39;Avatar 2′ &amp; &#39;3′ For <b>...</b>

BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films Are 'Avatar 2' & '3' BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films … TV Pitch Season Coming To An End � Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In Center Of Pic Auction Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

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For the past few years, Melissa Petro has been teaching art at P.S. 70 in the Bronx—and more recently, she's been writing about her past as a former sex worker in various publications. Earlier this month, she wrote on the Huffington Post, "From October 2006 to January 2007 I accepted money in exchange for sexual services I provided to men I met online in what was then called the 'erotic services' section of Craigslist.org." Now, the Department of Education has reassigned her during its investigation as P.S. 70 parents say things like "She's not a good role model."

That mother also tells the Post, "I do not want my daughters to find out about this and I do not want my daughters to be around that kind of person," while another says, "I don't want nobody that used to do that to be around my kid. People like that should not be allowed to be anywhere near children."

Petro, who has a MFA in creative nonfiction from the New School, wrote on The Rumpus over the summer about being a stripper in Mexico (she didn't mention the Craigslist sexual services work) and how her past was catching up with her present, thanks to the Internet:

I recently had the experience at my job of being warned by a colleague that other coworkers have begun Googling me. The concern is that I’m an elementary school teacher (teaching art/creative writing at a public school in the South Bronx) as well as a writer, and my writing- at least that which has been published and is therefore “Google-able”- is primarily about my experiences as a sex worker, which occurred some time prior to my becoming a teacher.

Since becoming a teacher I have known- hoped, even- that this would be a conversation I’d someday be compelled to have, and while I’ve done nothing at work to encourage such controversy, as a writer and an activist, not to mention former stripper, I’ve never been one to shy away from publicity. I welcome this debate in particular, not only because it explores issues of freedom of speech and the rights of workers to live self-determined lives outside of the workplace, but because, ultimately, here is another opportunity to call into the light the persistent and erroneous insinuation that once a prostitute always a whore- not “whore” in the pro-industry reclamative sense of the word but in its opposite, everything society has told me I am from the moment I first bared my breasts at a tit club, if not before...

...This article is not—not yet, at least— in defense of my job. I also realize it is a not a question of whether an individual can, at one time, have been a sex worker and, today, be a teacher. The reality is that a person can, as I have served at my current position competently for a nearly three years. For me, it is a question of whether society is ready to adapt their schema to accommodate our reality.

It would be better, I suspect, if I were ashamed.

In an off the record conversation, a sympathetic administrator kindly asked if I couldn’t publish under a pseudonym. I wish, for her sake, I could. But for sake of the rights and integrity of myself and every other man or woman who makes or has made choices similar to mine, and then tries to make sense of these choices, I cannot. I learned along the way that “you are only as sick as your secrets.” My writing and performing my work has been my salvation. I wrote myself out of the hell of secrecy and into the body of the woman I am today, capable of making meaning of myself and my experience— more than qualified to manage a classroom and teach kids about art but also, like anyone else, to be more than just my job.

DeMint has not been shy about his vision.

Last week, he single-handedly threatened to stop all legislative activity
in the Senate as it worked to pass a flurry of legislation before
recessing ahead of the election. He has also criticized Democrats and
Republicans alike, chastising GOP leadership on occasion and bucking
them regularly to support more conservative, Tea Party-favored
candidates in Republican primaries. During the summer of 2009, DeMint
also famously said
that if Republicans could stop President Barack Obama from implementing
his proposal health insurance reform overhauls, it would be his
�Waterloo.�

For years, a few, select special interest groups on
the right and left have specialized in the conduit approach to political
fund-raising, including the conservative Club for Growth and the liberal groups ActBlue, MoveOn.org and EMILY�s List. Politicians using their leadership PACs for such activity are comparatively novel.

Individual donors must still abide by campaign contribution limits even
if they send money through conduit organizations, giving no more than
$2,400 per election to candidates.

But political committees aren�t as restricted in the amount of cash they may transfer from one individual.

For
example, DeMint�s leadership PAC directly donated the legal maximum of
$10,000 to Rubio�s Senate campaign in Florida -- money raised from
donors to his PAC who can give no more than $5,000 per year. But the
committee has also been able to bundle more than $240,600 to Rubio�s
campaign from a bevy of individual donors. And by acting as a conduit
organization, it can demonstrate additional clout.

So far this
election cycle, ActBlue has bundled more than $31.4 million. MoveOn.org
has bundled more than $9.2 million. EMILY�s List has bundled about $3.9
million, and the Club for Growth has bundled about $3.3 million.

In terms of all other groups reporting this activity, Hoyer�s
leadership PAC ranks next at $1.3 million, followed by DeMint�s $1.04
million. The only other federal lawmaker who so far this cycle has
reported at least six-figures worth of conduit contributions is Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), with $168,800, coming via his Mountaineer PAC.

These bundles from Rockefeller�s PAC benefited just two lawmakers, West Virginia Democratic Reps. Nick Rahall, who is in a competitive re-election bid this year, and Alan Mollohan, who lost in a Democratic primary in May.

�Sen.
Rockefeller has supported Congressmen Mollohan and Rahall for years,
and he wanted to help them raise money,� Jamie Smith, Rockefeller�s
communication director told OpenSecrets Blog. �Mountaineer PAC
collected money at an event and forwarded it to the respective
campaigns. The contributions were reported according to FEC regulations
as conduit contributions.�

Hoyer�s conduit giving has been more
prolific. He�s reported bundling conduit contributions for more than 100
candidates this cycle. His top beneficiaries include the following
Democrats:

• Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-Md.): $56,500 and counting
• Rep. Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.): $36,750 and counting
• Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.): $29,500 and counting
• Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.): $27,500 and counting
• Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho): $26,100 and counting

�As
part of his job as majority leader, Mr. Hoyer raises and contributes
money to Democratic candidates,� Katie Grant, a spokesperson for Hoyer,
told OpenSecrets Blog in a statement. Grant declined to elaborate further about his direct contributions or bundling of conduit contributions.

Hoyer has also reported transferring conduit contributions to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
He�s also reported donating $1.08 million from his leadership PAC and
campaign committee to other Democrats -- ranking him the No. 3 lawmaker
in such direct contributions, according to an analysis by the Center for
Responsive Politics.

Other House leaders have also utilized this
more traditional approach in providing financial assistance to fellow
party faithful. But unlike bundling unlimited amounts of conduit
contributions, these direct contributions to campaigns cannot exceed
$5,000 per election.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor
(R-Va.) ranks No. 1 with more than $1.2 million in contributions to
fellow Republicans from his leadership PAC and campaign committee
combined since January 2009. House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) ranks No. 2, with more than $1.1 million in such contributions.

Beyond Hoyer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.) ranks No. 4, with $898,000 in contributions so far this
election cycle to fellow Democrats. And House Minority Leader John Boehner
(R-Ohio), who is poised to become speaker should Republicans wrest
control of the House from Democrats, ranks No. 5, with $862,000 in
contributions.

"The speaker works very hard to make sure that
members have the resources they need to get their message out to
voters," Jennifer Crider, a spokeswoman for Pelosi, told OpenSecrets Blog.
"The hope is that members have what they need to fight back against
shady outside groups who are coming in and misleading voters in their
districts."

"Rep. Clyburn believes it's important to elect
candidates who share his vision for the country and the need to keep
moving our country forward. An important part of that effort is raising
money for candidates, so they can run effective campaigns," Adam Hodge, a
spokesman for Clyburn, told OpenSecrets Blog. "Rep. Clyburn hopes that his efforts will help the Democrats maintain our majority this fall."

Spokespeople for Cantor and Boehner did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment for this story.

Here
is a table showing the top 20 lawmakers making the most contributions
to their political brethren from their leadership PACs and campaign
committees this election cycle:




bench craft company complaints

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: James Cameron&#39;s Next Films Are &#39;Avatar 2′ &amp; &#39;3′ For <b>...</b>

BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films Are 'Avatar 2' & '3' BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films … TV Pitch Season Coming To An End � Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In Center Of Pic Auction Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

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<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: James Cameron&#39;s Next Films Are &#39;Avatar 2′ &amp; &#39;3′ For <b>...</b>

BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films Are 'Avatar 2' & '3' BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films … TV Pitch Season Coming To An End � Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In Center Of Pic Auction Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: James Cameron&#39;s Next Films Are &#39;Avatar 2′ &amp; &#39;3′ For <b>...</b>

BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films Are 'Avatar 2' & '3' BREAKING NEWS: James Cameron's Next Films … TV Pitch Season Coming To An End � Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In Center Of Pic Auction Michael Jackson Song 'Thriller' In ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

personal finance

7 Tips to Conserve Heat and Money This Winter [Money Talks News] "Here's more quick info on things you do to winterize your home."

DIY? 4 Times It's Cheaper to Pay a Professional [Money Watch] "Doing things on our own always sounds like a good idea. But the truth is that we often end up spending more money and time."

8 College Fees You Didn't Plan For [Smart Money] "Here are eight hidden fees to look for -- and what you can expect to pay."

The End of the 4% Rule? [Wise Bread] "That rule is starting to look kind of iffy."

7 things you should know about Groupons [Smart Spending] "Here's how to make the most of deals at the site, plus some interesting trivia."

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

Breathe Better With Bitter - Science <b>News</b>

Science News. Vol. 175, March 28, 2009, p. 11. [Go to]. Citations & References : seperator. D. A. Deshpande et al. Bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle bronchodilate by localized calcium signaling and reverse obstruction. ...

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/26 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning! We have a full day of Kansas City Chiefs news. O-line love and praise for the running game and a shout out to DJ are ahead. There are also a few articles on the Buffalo offense and how productive they've been recently.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

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Breathe Better With Bitter - Science <b>News</b>

Science News. Vol. 175, March 28, 2009, p. 11. [Go to]. Citations & References : seperator. D. A. Deshpande et al. Bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle bronchodilate by localized calcium signaling and reverse obstruction. ...

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/26 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning! We have a full day of Kansas City Chiefs news. O-line love and praise for the running game and a shout out to DJ are ahead. There are also a few articles on the Buffalo offense and how productive they've been recently.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

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7 Tips to Conserve Heat and Money This Winter [Money Talks News] "Here's more quick info on things you do to winterize your home."

DIY? 4 Times It's Cheaper to Pay a Professional [Money Watch] "Doing things on our own always sounds like a good idea. But the truth is that we often end up spending more money and time."

8 College Fees You Didn't Plan For [Smart Money] "Here are eight hidden fees to look for -- and what you can expect to pay."

The End of the 4% Rule? [Wise Bread] "That rule is starting to look kind of iffy."

7 things you should know about Groupons [Smart Spending] "Here's how to make the most of deals at the site, plus some interesting trivia."

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

bench craft company complaints

Breathe Better With Bitter - Science <b>News</b>

Science News. Vol. 175, March 28, 2009, p. 11. [Go to]. Citations & References : seperator. D. A. Deshpande et al. Bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle bronchodilate by localized calcium signaling and reverse obstruction. ...

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/26 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning! We have a full day of Kansas City Chiefs news. O-line love and praise for the running game and a shout out to DJ are ahead. There are also a few articles on the Buffalo offense and how productive they've been recently.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

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Breathe Better With Bitter - Science <b>News</b>

Science News. Vol. 175, March 28, 2009, p. 11. [Go to]. Citations & References : seperator. D. A. Deshpande et al. Bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle bronchodilate by localized calcium signaling and reverse obstruction. ...

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/26 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning! We have a full day of Kansas City Chiefs news. O-line love and praise for the running game and a shout out to DJ are ahead. There are also a few articles on the Buffalo offense and how productive they've been recently.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

Breathe Better With Bitter - Science <b>News</b>

Science News. Vol. 175, March 28, 2009, p. 11. [Go to]. Citations & References : seperator. D. A. Deshpande et al. Bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle bronchodilate by localized calcium signaling and reverse obstruction. ...

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 10/26 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning! We have a full day of Kansas City Chiefs news. O-line love and praise for the running game and a shout out to DJ are ahead. There are also a few articles on the Buffalo offense and how productive they've been recently.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

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Making Money Opportunities

In yesterday's Go Home Already, I linked to a story which talked about the results of a report conducted by Wider Opportunities for Women. The report discussed the amount of money that people under certain conditions in different areas around the Washington metro area need to make in order to feel financially "secure." Of course, there's serious wiggle room in that phrase, and plenty of commenters argued the validity of the numbers cited -- for instance, a single person without children to support in the District was deemed to need a yearly income of $32,000 per year to be "stable."

I finally got a chance to peruse the report, titled "The Basic Economic Security Tables for the Washington, DC Metro Area," this morning, and thought that I'd share some of the information inside of its pages for you to squabble over. Specifically, the data on single people and what they need to get by.

One failure of the study is that it never comes out and explicitly states what its definition of "economic security" is. Based on the literature out there, the term appears to mean having enough money coming in every month to build a stable future. (I know, we're defining relative terms with yet more relative terms. Best I could do, though. If there are any economists in the audience, please feel free to define the concept to me in concrete terms.)

That said, what does the study consider basic budget items for workers? "The core BEST Index contains basic budget items essential to all workers’ health and safety: housing, utilities, food and essential personal and house-hold items such as clothing, household products and a landline telephone," says the report, which also notes that the Index also assumes that all work occurs outside of the home (incurring transportation costs) and that everyone pays their taxes. Aside from the fact that most single people I know carry a cell instead of a landline, that seems somewhat fair. The Index includes a provision for their progeny's higher education (obviously null for those without children) and homeownership saving. The chart to the above right represents the amount that those with "employment-based benefits" (read: health insurance) need to make call themselves financially secure.

When profits are down business owners tend to dwell on formulating the next big idea, a new marketing strategy, and, of course, on what they are doing wrong. But there are other areas that many people don’t think of exploring - or avoid all together. These are the emotional blocks to money, success and happiness.

Money, or the lack of, stimulates fear. Survival instincts are threatened and negative emotions that may have been stored deep inside will often surface, only to aggravate the situation and lessen the ability to succeed.

Let’s take a look at three areas that you can explore to free yourself of the emotional barriers that will keep you from the success and profits that you deserve.

Forgiveness – If you are an entrepreneur then you have most likely suffered your share of financial trauma. After all, entrepreneurs are risk takers and money is one of the first things we put at risk when we have an idea that we belief in. Money loss is a trauma that we tend to minimize because it’s “just money”.   But financial security is an important value to nearly everyone because it dictates our ability to survive in this world. For men, who our ancestors labeled as the providers, financial security is often a very important core value. Therefore, losing money can affect them to the core and the guilt, shame and worry may remain embedded within them for a very long time.

It’s time to forgive yourself. Plain and simple; being an entrepreneur isn’t always a choice – it’s who you are. Taking risk is a part of the learning and the experience that takes you toward success. If that means that you “fail” from time to time, so be it. Releasing this emotion and pain is critical to your future success. Guilt and shame create a heavy burden, how can you let it go?

Consider some less conventional techniques like hypnosis or the emotional freedom techniques. Sometimes talking about it and rationalizing it isn’t enough. Take another risk and find a new way to let go so that you can let success into your life.

Feeling – If you can’t feel wealth, you won’t attract wealth. How much do you believe that you were born to achieve success? Can you close your eyes and feel, smell – truly experience wealth? This is something to practice on a daily basis. The more you believe it and experience it, the more your behavior and thinking will shift to allow for wealth. Begin with only 30-60 seconds of imagining your life of success. Create a snapshot of your successful future and practice stepping into the feeling of it. You might notice a swelling of the heart, the sensation of excitement and expectation, or a sense of overall peace. Hold this positive feeling in place and get used to it. Increase the time of your visualization as you become more adept at it. Before long you will begin to notice opportunities coming into your life or things may just begin falling into place for you. It’s a simple attitude adjustment that will make a difference.

Fearlessness – Fear has a paralyzing effect on our creativity and ability to act. If you are living in fear you are less likely to have a clear picture of your next action steps. You may find that procrastination and overwhelm are your daily companions and at the end of the day it seems nothing notable has been achieved. Sound familiar? It’s time to let go of the fear and step into your fearless state. I’m not suggesting that you become reckless, but that you find creative ways to rectify your situation and act from a collected, rational, and confident place.

If money is an issue you’ve probably run circles in your mind trying to think of solutions but haven’t acted on any of them. Is it time for a part time job? This doesn’t mean you are quitting your dream, just allowing it to become a bit more accessible. Do you have another skill that you can put to work while you build your business? Can you market to past customers to create a boost in sales? Think outside of the box and act on your solution.

Do you have a fear of success or failure? If you perceive that there are any negative consequences to success it's time to explore this limiting belief. Again, try something that may be considered “unconventional” to explore if these fears exist so that you can let them go. Ask someone who you see as successful what they’ve done to combat their fears – believe me, they’ve had them too! And try stepping out of the box to experience a different type of risk and reignite your energy. Is there something adventurous that you’ve always wanted to try but never have? What will “shake it up” a bit to unearth your courage and commitment to moving forward? How can you break the pattern and step into your fearless state?

These may sound like simple steps, but this type of change is a tall order. Surround yourself with support as you make create change; a coach, mentor and mastermind group are all a tremendous source of support and fresh ideas.

Have you found your way to a “Million Dollar Mindset?” Share your experience and tips with us here!

Is Fox <b>News</b> more tolerant than NPR? « Hot Air

The right-wing intolerants of Fox News' audience didn't complain as much about an explicitly liberal commentator on Fox as the tolerant, diverse audience at NPR did? Barone has to be joking, right? Not according to NPR, where omsbud ...

Energy and Global Warming <b>News</b> for October 22nd: Five renewable <b>...</b>

Polls, including the one from Wall Street Journal/NBC News released Wednesday, have shown that some voters are disenchanted with the Democrats and many voters remain undecided. Speaking at the Solar Power International (SPI) conference ...

Macsimum <b>News</b> - Jobs comments on Java-Mac OS X situation

MacsimumNews - Your Leading Apple News Alternative. Jobs comments on Java-Mac OS X situation. Posted by Dennis Sellers Apple ico Oct 22, 2010 at 10:52am. image Apple's announcement that they would be ceasing future development of their ...

eric seiger eric seiger

In yesterday's Go Home Already, I linked to a story which talked about the results of a report conducted by Wider Opportunities for Women. The report discussed the amount of money that people under certain conditions in different areas around the Washington metro area need to make in order to feel financially "secure." Of course, there's serious wiggle room in that phrase, and plenty of commenters argued the validity of the numbers cited -- for instance, a single person without children to support in the District was deemed to need a yearly income of $32,000 per year to be "stable."

I finally got a chance to peruse the report, titled "The Basic Economic Security Tables for the Washington, DC Metro Area," this morning, and thought that I'd share some of the information inside of its pages for you to squabble over. Specifically, the data on single people and what they need to get by.

One failure of the study is that it never comes out and explicitly states what its definition of "economic security" is. Based on the literature out there, the term appears to mean having enough money coming in every month to build a stable future. (I know, we're defining relative terms with yet more relative terms. Best I could do, though. If there are any economists in the audience, please feel free to define the concept to me in concrete terms.)

That said, what does the study consider basic budget items for workers? "The core BEST Index contains basic budget items essential to all workers’ health and safety: housing, utilities, food and essential personal and house-hold items such as clothing, household products and a landline telephone," says the report, which also notes that the Index also assumes that all work occurs outside of the home (incurring transportation costs) and that everyone pays their taxes. Aside from the fact that most single people I know carry a cell instead of a landline, that seems somewhat fair. The Index includes a provision for their progeny's higher education (obviously null for those without children) and homeownership saving. The chart to the above right represents the amount that those with "employment-based benefits" (read: health insurance) need to make call themselves financially secure.

When profits are down business owners tend to dwell on formulating the next big idea, a new marketing strategy, and, of course, on what they are doing wrong. But there are other areas that many people don’t think of exploring - or avoid all together. These are the emotional blocks to money, success and happiness.

Money, or the lack of, stimulates fear. Survival instincts are threatened and negative emotions that may have been stored deep inside will often surface, only to aggravate the situation and lessen the ability to succeed.

Let’s take a look at three areas that you can explore to free yourself of the emotional barriers that will keep you from the success and profits that you deserve.

Forgiveness – If you are an entrepreneur then you have most likely suffered your share of financial trauma. After all, entrepreneurs are risk takers and money is one of the first things we put at risk when we have an idea that we belief in. Money loss is a trauma that we tend to minimize because it’s “just money”.   But financial security is an important value to nearly everyone because it dictates our ability to survive in this world. For men, who our ancestors labeled as the providers, financial security is often a very important core value. Therefore, losing money can affect them to the core and the guilt, shame and worry may remain embedded within them for a very long time.

It’s time to forgive yourself. Plain and simple; being an entrepreneur isn’t always a choice – it’s who you are. Taking risk is a part of the learning and the experience that takes you toward success. If that means that you “fail” from time to time, so be it. Releasing this emotion and pain is critical to your future success. Guilt and shame create a heavy burden, how can you let it go?

Consider some less conventional techniques like hypnosis or the emotional freedom techniques. Sometimes talking about it and rationalizing it isn’t enough. Take another risk and find a new way to let go so that you can let success into your life.

Feeling – If you can’t feel wealth, you won’t attract wealth. How much do you believe that you were born to achieve success? Can you close your eyes and feel, smell – truly experience wealth? This is something to practice on a daily basis. The more you believe it and experience it, the more your behavior and thinking will shift to allow for wealth. Begin with only 30-60 seconds of imagining your life of success. Create a snapshot of your successful future and practice stepping into the feeling of it. You might notice a swelling of the heart, the sensation of excitement and expectation, or a sense of overall peace. Hold this positive feeling in place and get used to it. Increase the time of your visualization as you become more adept at it. Before long you will begin to notice opportunities coming into your life or things may just begin falling into place for you. It’s a simple attitude adjustment that will make a difference.

Fearlessness – Fear has a paralyzing effect on our creativity and ability to act. If you are living in fear you are less likely to have a clear picture of your next action steps. You may find that procrastination and overwhelm are your daily companions and at the end of the day it seems nothing notable has been achieved. Sound familiar? It’s time to let go of the fear and step into your fearless state. I’m not suggesting that you become reckless, but that you find creative ways to rectify your situation and act from a collected, rational, and confident place.

If money is an issue you’ve probably run circles in your mind trying to think of solutions but haven’t acted on any of them. Is it time for a part time job? This doesn’t mean you are quitting your dream, just allowing it to become a bit more accessible. Do you have another skill that you can put to work while you build your business? Can you market to past customers to create a boost in sales? Think outside of the box and act on your solution.

Do you have a fear of success or failure? If you perceive that there are any negative consequences to success it's time to explore this limiting belief. Again, try something that may be considered “unconventional” to explore if these fears exist so that you can let them go. Ask someone who you see as successful what they’ve done to combat their fears – believe me, they’ve had them too! And try stepping out of the box to experience a different type of risk and reignite your energy. Is there something adventurous that you’ve always wanted to try but never have? What will “shake it up” a bit to unearth your courage and commitment to moving forward? How can you break the pattern and step into your fearless state?

These may sound like simple steps, but this type of change is a tall order. Surround yourself with support as you make create change; a coach, mentor and mastermind group are all a tremendous source of support and fresh ideas.

Have you found your way to a “Million Dollar Mindset?” Share your experience and tips with us here!

Is Fox <b>News</b> more tolerant than NPR? « Hot Air

The right-wing intolerants of Fox News' audience didn't complain as much about an explicitly liberal commentator on Fox as the tolerant, diverse audience at NPR did? Barone has to be joking, right? Not according to NPR, where omsbud ...

Energy and Global Warming <b>News</b> for October 22nd: Five renewable <b>...</b>

Polls, including the one from Wall Street Journal/NBC News released Wednesday, have shown that some voters are disenchanted with the Democrats and many voters remain undecided. Speaking at the Solar Power International (SPI) conference ...

Macsimum <b>News</b> - Jobs comments on Java-Mac OS X situation

MacsimumNews - Your Leading Apple News Alternative. Jobs comments on Java-Mac OS X situation. Posted by Dennis Sellers Apple ico Oct 22, 2010 at 10:52am. image Apple's announcement that they would be ceasing future development of their ...

eric seiger eric seiger

Whos Making Money

and willowy blondes only take you so far, it turns out. Malefactors are punished. The universe is restored to balance.

This time, Gekko is a repentant father longing to make amends to win his daughter’s approval who also essentially steals a fortune from her to get back in the game.

Gekko is a humble reformed crook who has paid his debt to society and also a sleek alpha male puffing on a phallic cigar who can’t wait to gloat about his prowess at making money.

Gekko is a teacher who shares his knowledge. At times, one could swear that one had wandered into a parallel universe version of An Inconvenient Truth, as Gekko lectures us on the hazards of leverage and financial meltdown. Particularly priceless is when he calls a group of young students “ninjas”—no income, no job, no assets—adding, “You have a lot to look forward to.” But the same guy who observes that the mother of all evil is speculation turns up later in the film dressed in a power suit and giddy over his ability to turn $100 million into $1 billion. I don’t think he earned it at $25 an hour; leverage must have figured in there somewhere.

If we fast-forward 23 years to Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, we are treated to a curiously different kind of moral equation, the morality of “and also” rather than “either or.”

In the new film, Gordon Gekko is a humble reformed crook who has paid his debt to society and also a sleek alpha male who can’t wait to gloat about his prowess at making money. (20th Century Fox)

This “and also” value system also comes across in Gekko’s attitude to innovation. He is clearly cynical about clean tech and derides the “fusion delusion” as the next bubble. In his words, “the only green is money.” Yet at the end of the film, he gives $100 million away to support alternative energy and do something “good” with his money.

• Randall Lane: Wall Street on Wall Street

• Randall Lane: Gordon Gekko’s Secret Revealed
The film’s title may hold its final moral clue. If money never sleeps, then can greed not be far behind, even in these pinched times? No one in the film seems to be hurting for nice apartments and clothes, for example, even with a financial meltdown that has come from “the mother of all bubbles.” As Gekko himself puts it, “Greed got greedier with a little envy thrown in.”

So we’d all like to find a little absolution in these troubled times, and in fact in the end Gekko’s daughter does melt and forgive him, while we on the other hand—adding up all the “and alsos”—don’t know whether to follow suit.

This “and also” value system comes across in Gekko’s attitude to innovation. He is cynical about clean tech, yet in the end, he gives $100 million to support alternative energy.

Gordon, make up your mind. Maybe a little therapy would help.

Dubbed "Mr. Creativity" by The Economist, John Kao is a contributing editor at The Daily Beast and an adviser to both public and private sector leaders. He is chairman of the Institute for Large Scale Innovation, whose i20 group is an association of national innovation "czars." He wrote Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity, a BusinessWeek bestseller, and Innovation Nation. He is also a Tony-nominated producer of film and stage.

Get a head start with the Morning Scoop email. It's your Cheat Sheet with must reads from across the Web. Get it.

For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.

(Editor’s note: Patrick Driessen is the CEO of Seed Accelerator, an Asian-Pacific technology startup & business accelerator. He submitted this story to VentureBeat.)

Having spent more than 20 years as an entrepreneur, I’ve seen a lot of theories, philosophies and truisms come and go. Success in the startup world starts long before your company is underway, though. It begins when you’re making the decision on whether the entrepreneurial life is for you.

Last week, I ran down 8 questions people making the leap should ask themselves. Today, I have seven more…

Can you create enough sources of funding? – Startups cost money – and odds are you don’t have enough in your bank account. You may not need a lot of cash on day one, but you need to start planning for it from the outset. In some cases, trustworthy friends and/or family members might be willing to lend you money or take an equity stake in your business. But if not, you’ll need to get access to angel investors and actively build a relationship with them or personally get to know the loan and/or branch manager at your bank.

Other options (perhaps less likely) include arranging an introduction to an outstanding venture capitalist or building up a relationship with clients that are willing to fund some of growth without requiring an equity stake.

Are you a people leader? – Once you start growing, you’ll need a team. To build one, you’ll need to be able to select, hire, retain and utilize the best people. It helps to have experience, but it’s not essential. And keep in mind that even rusty leadership skills can be improved.

Can you deal with failure? – Not every startup succeeds. And even those that do sometimes face many difficult and unexpected challenges. To survive this, you must learn to accept and overcome failure, forgive others and believe in yourself and your business.

Can you evolve? – As the founder of a fast growing business you will have to be multi-functional. While growing your business you will need to develop new skills and strengthen existing ones. If you’re the proverbial old dog who won’t learn new tricks, you’re not going to make it.

What’s your exit strategy? – You’re responsible for your business from start to finish – so where is the finish line? When and how do you want to exit your company? Do you want to sell it? Merge? Go public? Hand it over to your children?

It’s hard to see the end of the path when you’re just getting started – and this may be one of those issues you’ll have to pivot on, but by thinking about how you’d like things to end, it gives you a purpose and motivation. And it could help as you set plans for your company’s future.

What’s your company worth? -A successful entrepreneur knows the value of his or her company at any point in time. He or she also knows what kind of unique value he or she wants to create, which is often based on their exit strategy.

Knowing your company’s worth (and having an ideal exit strategy) will help determine if the time is right when you have an opportunity presents itself. If you know there’s still growth potential to create more unique value, it could affect your decision.

Who’s your coach and mentor? – The startup path is a long, often lonely, one. Many successful leaders have a coach and mentor to help them along the way. They not only help increase your performance, they can offer sage advice that can enhance your quality of life.

Next Story: DiscoveryBeat 2010’s latest speakers: Kleiner Perkins’ Bing Gordon and more Previous Story: Nimbuzz clocks up 3.65 billion mobile VOIP minutes in a year

robert shumake hall of shame

<b>News</b> - Source: Beyonce Is Pregnant! - Moms &amp; Babies - UsMagazine.com

She and Jay-Z will welcome their first child next spring, the new Us Weekly reports.

Islamophobia Watch - Documenting anti Muslim bigotry - Fox <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

Last week, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on ABC's The View that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," prompting The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set in disgust. "If anybody felt that I meant all Muslims, ...

Unemployment Extension <b>News</b>

Unemployment Extension News.

robert shumake twitter
and willowy blondes only take you so far, it turns out. Malefactors are punished. The universe is restored to balance.

This time, Gekko is a repentant father longing to make amends to win his daughter’s approval who also essentially steals a fortune from her to get back in the game.

Gekko is a humble reformed crook who has paid his debt to society and also a sleek alpha male puffing on a phallic cigar who can’t wait to gloat about his prowess at making money.

Gekko is a teacher who shares his knowledge. At times, one could swear that one had wandered into a parallel universe version of An Inconvenient Truth, as Gekko lectures us on the hazards of leverage and financial meltdown. Particularly priceless is when he calls a group of young students “ninjas”—no income, no job, no assets—adding, “You have a lot to look forward to.” But the same guy who observes that the mother of all evil is speculation turns up later in the film dressed in a power suit and giddy over his ability to turn $100 million into $1 billion. I don’t think he earned it at $25 an hour; leverage must have figured in there somewhere.

If we fast-forward 23 years to Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, we are treated to a curiously different kind of moral equation, the morality of “and also” rather than “either or.”

In the new film, Gordon Gekko is a humble reformed crook who has paid his debt to society and also a sleek alpha male who can’t wait to gloat about his prowess at making money. (20th Century Fox)

This “and also” value system also comes across in Gekko’s attitude to innovation. He is clearly cynical about clean tech and derides the “fusion delusion” as the next bubble. In his words, “the only green is money.” Yet at the end of the film, he gives $100 million away to support alternative energy and do something “good” with his money.

• Randall Lane: Wall Street on Wall Street

• Randall Lane: Gordon Gekko’s Secret Revealed
The film’s title may hold its final moral clue. If money never sleeps, then can greed not be far behind, even in these pinched times? No one in the film seems to be hurting for nice apartments and clothes, for example, even with a financial meltdown that has come from “the mother of all bubbles.” As Gekko himself puts it, “Greed got greedier with a little envy thrown in.”

So we’d all like to find a little absolution in these troubled times, and in fact in the end Gekko’s daughter does melt and forgive him, while we on the other hand—adding up all the “and alsos”—don’t know whether to follow suit.

This “and also” value system comes across in Gekko’s attitude to innovation. He is cynical about clean tech, yet in the end, he gives $100 million to support alternative energy.

Gordon, make up your mind. Maybe a little therapy would help.

Dubbed "Mr. Creativity" by The Economist, John Kao is a contributing editor at The Daily Beast and an adviser to both public and private sector leaders. He is chairman of the Institute for Large Scale Innovation, whose i20 group is an association of national innovation "czars." He wrote Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity, a BusinessWeek bestseller, and Innovation Nation. He is also a Tony-nominated producer of film and stage.

Get a head start with the Morning Scoop email. It's your Cheat Sheet with must reads from across the Web. Get it.

For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.

(Editor’s note: Patrick Driessen is the CEO of Seed Accelerator, an Asian-Pacific technology startup & business accelerator. He submitted this story to VentureBeat.)

Having spent more than 20 years as an entrepreneur, I’ve seen a lot of theories, philosophies and truisms come and go. Success in the startup world starts long before your company is underway, though. It begins when you’re making the decision on whether the entrepreneurial life is for you.

Last week, I ran down 8 questions people making the leap should ask themselves. Today, I have seven more…

Can you create enough sources of funding? – Startups cost money – and odds are you don’t have enough in your bank account. You may not need a lot of cash on day one, but you need to start planning for it from the outset. In some cases, trustworthy friends and/or family members might be willing to lend you money or take an equity stake in your business. But if not, you’ll need to get access to angel investors and actively build a relationship with them or personally get to know the loan and/or branch manager at your bank.

Other options (perhaps less likely) include arranging an introduction to an outstanding venture capitalist or building up a relationship with clients that are willing to fund some of growth without requiring an equity stake.

Are you a people leader? – Once you start growing, you’ll need a team. To build one, you’ll need to be able to select, hire, retain and utilize the best people. It helps to have experience, but it’s not essential. And keep in mind that even rusty leadership skills can be improved.

Can you deal with failure? – Not every startup succeeds. And even those that do sometimes face many difficult and unexpected challenges. To survive this, you must learn to accept and overcome failure, forgive others and believe in yourself and your business.

Can you evolve? – As the founder of a fast growing business you will have to be multi-functional. While growing your business you will need to develop new skills and strengthen existing ones. If you’re the proverbial old dog who won’t learn new tricks, you’re not going to make it.

What’s your exit strategy? – You’re responsible for your business from start to finish – so where is the finish line? When and how do you want to exit your company? Do you want to sell it? Merge? Go public? Hand it over to your children?

It’s hard to see the end of the path when you’re just getting started – and this may be one of those issues you’ll have to pivot on, but by thinking about how you’d like things to end, it gives you a purpose and motivation. And it could help as you set plans for your company’s future.

What’s your company worth? -A successful entrepreneur knows the value of his or her company at any point in time. He or she also knows what kind of unique value he or she wants to create, which is often based on their exit strategy.

Knowing your company’s worth (and having an ideal exit strategy) will help determine if the time is right when you have an opportunity presents itself. If you know there’s still growth potential to create more unique value, it could affect your decision.

Who’s your coach and mentor? – The startup path is a long, often lonely, one. Many successful leaders have a coach and mentor to help them along the way. They not only help increase your performance, they can offer sage advice that can enhance your quality of life.

Next Story: DiscoveryBeat 2010’s latest speakers: Kleiner Perkins’ Bing Gordon and more Previous Story: Nimbuzz clocks up 3.65 billion mobile VOIP minutes in a year

benchcraft company portland or

<b>News</b> - Source: Beyonce Is Pregnant! - Moms &amp; Babies - UsMagazine.com

She and Jay-Z will welcome their first child next spring, the new Us Weekly reports.

Islamophobia Watch - Documenting anti Muslim bigotry - Fox <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

Last week, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on ABC's The View that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," prompting The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set in disgust. "If anybody felt that I meant all Muslims, ...

Unemployment Extension <b>News</b>

Unemployment Extension News.

robert shumake detroit

robert shumake hall of shame

robert shumake hall of shame

<b>News</b> - Source: Beyonce Is Pregnant! - Moms &amp; Babies - UsMagazine.com

She and Jay-Z will welcome their first child next spring, the new Us Weekly reports.

Islamophobia Watch - Documenting anti Muslim bigotry - Fox <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

Last week, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on ABC's The View that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," prompting The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set in disgust. "If anybody felt that I meant all Muslims, ...

Unemployment Extension <b>News</b>

Unemployment Extension News.

robert shumake hall of shame
and willowy blondes only take you so far, it turns out. Malefactors are punished. The universe is restored to balance.

This time, Gekko is a repentant father longing to make amends to win his daughter’s approval who also essentially steals a fortune from her to get back in the game.

Gekko is a humble reformed crook who has paid his debt to society and also a sleek alpha male puffing on a phallic cigar who can’t wait to gloat about his prowess at making money.

Gekko is a teacher who shares his knowledge. At times, one could swear that one had wandered into a parallel universe version of An Inconvenient Truth, as Gekko lectures us on the hazards of leverage and financial meltdown. Particularly priceless is when he calls a group of young students “ninjas”—no income, no job, no assets—adding, “You have a lot to look forward to.” But the same guy who observes that the mother of all evil is speculation turns up later in the film dressed in a power suit and giddy over his ability to turn $100 million into $1 billion. I don’t think he earned it at $25 an hour; leverage must have figured in there somewhere.

If we fast-forward 23 years to Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, we are treated to a curiously different kind of moral equation, the morality of “and also” rather than “either or.”

In the new film, Gordon Gekko is a humble reformed crook who has paid his debt to society and also a sleek alpha male who can’t wait to gloat about his prowess at making money. (20th Century Fox)

This “and also” value system also comes across in Gekko’s attitude to innovation. He is clearly cynical about clean tech and derides the “fusion delusion” as the next bubble. In his words, “the only green is money.” Yet at the end of the film, he gives $100 million away to support alternative energy and do something “good” with his money.

• Randall Lane: Wall Street on Wall Street

• Randall Lane: Gordon Gekko’s Secret Revealed
The film’s title may hold its final moral clue. If money never sleeps, then can greed not be far behind, even in these pinched times? No one in the film seems to be hurting for nice apartments and clothes, for example, even with a financial meltdown that has come from “the mother of all bubbles.” As Gekko himself puts it, “Greed got greedier with a little envy thrown in.”

So we’d all like to find a little absolution in these troubled times, and in fact in the end Gekko’s daughter does melt and forgive him, while we on the other hand—adding up all the “and alsos”—don’t know whether to follow suit.

This “and also” value system comes across in Gekko’s attitude to innovation. He is cynical about clean tech, yet in the end, he gives $100 million to support alternative energy.

Gordon, make up your mind. Maybe a little therapy would help.

Dubbed "Mr. Creativity" by The Economist, John Kao is a contributing editor at The Daily Beast and an adviser to both public and private sector leaders. He is chairman of the Institute for Large Scale Innovation, whose i20 group is an association of national innovation "czars." He wrote Jamming: The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity, a BusinessWeek bestseller, and Innovation Nation. He is also a Tony-nominated producer of film and stage.

Get a head start with the Morning Scoop email. It's your Cheat Sheet with must reads from across the Web. Get it.

For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.

(Editor’s note: Patrick Driessen is the CEO of Seed Accelerator, an Asian-Pacific technology startup & business accelerator. He submitted this story to VentureBeat.)

Having spent more than 20 years as an entrepreneur, I’ve seen a lot of theories, philosophies and truisms come and go. Success in the startup world starts long before your company is underway, though. It begins when you’re making the decision on whether the entrepreneurial life is for you.

Last week, I ran down 8 questions people making the leap should ask themselves. Today, I have seven more…

Can you create enough sources of funding? – Startups cost money – and odds are you don’t have enough in your bank account. You may not need a lot of cash on day one, but you need to start planning for it from the outset. In some cases, trustworthy friends and/or family members might be willing to lend you money or take an equity stake in your business. But if not, you’ll need to get access to angel investors and actively build a relationship with them or personally get to know the loan and/or branch manager at your bank.

Other options (perhaps less likely) include arranging an introduction to an outstanding venture capitalist or building up a relationship with clients that are willing to fund some of growth without requiring an equity stake.

Are you a people leader? – Once you start growing, you’ll need a team. To build one, you’ll need to be able to select, hire, retain and utilize the best people. It helps to have experience, but it’s not essential. And keep in mind that even rusty leadership skills can be improved.

Can you deal with failure? – Not every startup succeeds. And even those that do sometimes face many difficult and unexpected challenges. To survive this, you must learn to accept and overcome failure, forgive others and believe in yourself and your business.

Can you evolve? – As the founder of a fast growing business you will have to be multi-functional. While growing your business you will need to develop new skills and strengthen existing ones. If you’re the proverbial old dog who won’t learn new tricks, you’re not going to make it.

What’s your exit strategy? – You’re responsible for your business from start to finish – so where is the finish line? When and how do you want to exit your company? Do you want to sell it? Merge? Go public? Hand it over to your children?

It’s hard to see the end of the path when you’re just getting started – and this may be one of those issues you’ll have to pivot on, but by thinking about how you’d like things to end, it gives you a purpose and motivation. And it could help as you set plans for your company’s future.

What’s your company worth? -A successful entrepreneur knows the value of his or her company at any point in time. He or she also knows what kind of unique value he or she wants to create, which is often based on their exit strategy.

Knowing your company’s worth (and having an ideal exit strategy) will help determine if the time is right when you have an opportunity presents itself. If you know there’s still growth potential to create more unique value, it could affect your decision.

Who’s your coach and mentor? – The startup path is a long, often lonely, one. Many successful leaders have a coach and mentor to help them along the way. They not only help increase your performance, they can offer sage advice that can enhance your quality of life.

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Last week, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on ABC's The View that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," prompting The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set in disgust. "If anybody felt that I meant all Muslims, ...

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<b>News</b> - Source: Beyonce Is Pregnant! - Moms &amp; Babies - UsMagazine.com

She and Jay-Z will welcome their first child next spring, the new Us Weekly reports.

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Last week, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on ABC's The View that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," prompting The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set in disgust. "If anybody felt that I meant all Muslims, ...

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Cheney's company, Halliburton, has a reputation. Their faulty work electrocuted US soldiers in Iraq. This is described in the May 4, 2008 article "Despite Alert, Flawed Wiring Still Kills G.I.'s" at Cheney's Criminal Historywhich stated about KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary "One electrician warned his KBR bosses in his 2005 letter of resignation that unsafe electrical work was "a disaster waiting to happen." Another said he witnessed an American soldier in Afghanistan receiving a potentially lethal shock. A third provided e-mail messages and other documents showing that he had complained to KBR and the government that logs were created to make it appear that nonexistent electrical safety systems were properly functioning."

Not only did they do criminally inept work but they lied about it in order that they could continue getting paid.

So that their work was deficient in the Gulf Oil Spill was to be expected particularly when you realize that Halliburton has been accused of performing a poor cement job in the case of a major blowout in the Timor Sea off Australia last August in which an investigation is underway.

Oil executives testified at the Senate Energy Committee's hearing on the Gulf oil spill on May 12, 2010. Tim Probert, Halliburton's chief health, safety, and environmental officer spouted gibberish that amounted to: They were just following orders. That is the oldest dodge in the world and the Nuremburg trials invalidated it as a legal strategy.

When did these shoddy regulations originate? The article "Thank Dick Cheney for Gulf Oil Spill--Blogger connects dots and finds arrow pointing to ex-VP" at Cheney's Culpability states "The scope of the Gulf oil spill is far from clear, but the finger-pointing is already under way, and a lot of fingers ought to be aiming at Dick Cheney, Alex Pareene blogs for Salon. Connecting the dots that begin with a Wall Street Journal exposé, we learn that Cheney's highly classified energy task force was responsible for the fact "that the oil well didn't have a remote-control shut-off switch," Pareene writes, "a thing that it seems every single offshore drilling rig should have."

"The former Dark Lord of the Naval Observatory" is no rookie at covering his tracks, but the follow-up argument is a no-brainer: "Halliburton is involved, too! The Los Angeles Times reports that BP contracted Dick Cheney's old company to cement the deepwater drill hole." In short, Pareene writes, "Thanks, Dick. Nice work."

The article "Dick Cheney and the oil spill" at Cheney's Secret Energy Task Force notes regarding acoustic triggers that "The U.K., where BP is headquartered, doesn't require the use of acoustic triggers.

The Journal's report doesn't come out and say this, but the environmental lawyer, Mike Papantonio, said on the Schultz show in an interview that it was Cheney's energy task force - the secretive one that he wouldn't say much about publicly - that decided that the switches, which cost $500,000, were too much a burden on the industry."

$500,000 could have saved us from this catastrophe. Cheney and his daughter have been attacking Obama since the beginning of his Presidency. Why have the Cheneys been silent about this?

It is not only the Cheneys who threw caution to the wind and it isn't only the big oil who made an obscene profit.

The article "McCain guru linked to subprime crisis" at McCain's Involvement in Subprime Crisis states regarding the repeal of Glass-Steagall "The general co-chairman of John McCain's presidential campaign, former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas), led the charge in 1999 to repeal a Depression-era banking regulation law that Democrat Barack Obama claimed on Thursday contributed significantly to today's economic turmoil.

"A regulatory structure set up for banks in the 1930s needed to change because the nature of business had changed," the Illinois senator running for president said in a New York economic speech. "But by the time was repealed in 1999, the $300 million lobbying effort that drove deregulation was more about facilitating mergers than creating an efficient regulatory framework."

Gramm's role in the swift and dramatic recent restructuring of the nation's investment houses and practices didn't stop there.

A year after the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act repealed the old regulations, Swiss Bank UBS gobbled up brokerage house Paine Weber. Two years later, Gramm settled in as a vice chairman of UBS's new investment banking arm."

The pattern is the same as the Gulf oil spill. These GOP robber barons can't be satisfied with making a good living pursuing activities that would benefit society. They have to go for huge profits by removing safety practices and the bottom 99% are left with all of the expense.

The GOP likes to pretend that our economic crisis was because of the Democrats and their Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That ignores the fact Bush 43 was encouraging home ownership and creating policy that contributed to our housing market collapse and this policy specifically dealt with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The article "Timeline of the United States housing bubble" at W's Responsibilty for Housing Crisis states "June 17 2002: President G.W. Bush sets goal of increasing minority home owners by at least 5.5 million by 2010 through billions of dollars in tax credits, subsidies and a Fannie Mae commitment of $440 billion to establish NeighborWorks America with faith based organizations...

September 2003 Bush administration recommended moving governmental supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under a new agency created within the Department of the Treasury. The changes were blocked by Congress.

December 2003 President Bush signs the American Dream Downpayment Act to be implemented under the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The goal was to provide a maximum downpayment assistance grant of either $10,000 or six percent of the purchase price of the home, whichever was greater. In addition, the Bush Administration committed to reforming the homebuying process that would lower closing costs by approximately $700 per loan. It was said it would further stimulate homeownership for all Americans."

The article "Wall Street: Land of the Million Dollar Babies" at GOP Obstruction of Regulations states regarding the repeal of Glass-Steagall "There is still another good opportunity to rein in the banks ability to gamble with our money. Senators Merkley and Levin have proposed an amendment that would prohibit commercial banks from trading on their own behalf. The point is that commercial banks are backed up by the Federal Deposit Insurance Cooperation and the Federal Reserve Board. If they get into trouble, it is taxpayers' dollars at risk.

Until the repeal of Glass-Steagall in 1999, commercial banks were sharply restricted in what they could do, precisely in order to prevent them from taking advantage of this guarantee. If you wanted to engage in highly speculative activity you could set up a hedge fund or an investment bank, but Glass-Steagall prevented banks from gambling with government insured deposits. But this separation was obliterated by the repeal and now we have investment banks like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley that are openly speculating with taxpayer insured money.

The Merkley-Levin amendment seeks to restore this separation. It really should be in the category of no-brainer: why should schoolteachers and firefighters be subsidizing the high-powered traders at Goldman Sachs?

But, as Senator Richard Durbin said last spring when the Senate voted down a bill that would have helped homeowners keep their homes: "the banks own the place." We'll see what happens."

There is one theme that runs throughout this. GOP greed causes them to cut corners on safety which results in catastrophes. Their cronies make some cash and the bottom 99% pay for their crimes.


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<b>News</b> - Source: Beyonce Is Pregnant! - Moms &amp; Babies - UsMagazine.com

She and Jay-Z will welcome their first child next spring, the new Us Weekly reports.

Islamophobia Watch - Documenting anti Muslim bigotry - Fox <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

Last week, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on ABC's The View that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," prompting The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set in disgust. "If anybody felt that I meant all Muslims, ...

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<b>News</b> - Source: Beyonce Is Pregnant! - Moms &amp; Babies - UsMagazine.com

She and Jay-Z will welcome their first child next spring, the new Us Weekly reports.

Islamophobia Watch - Documenting anti Muslim bigotry - Fox <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

Last week, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly said on ABC's The View that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," prompting The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set in disgust. "If anybody felt that I meant all Muslims, ...

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