The annual observance of World Autism Awareness Day should spur global action to combat the ?unacceptable? discrimination, abuse and isolation that people with the disorder and their loved ones face, according to Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon.
?Autism is not limited to a single region or a country; it is a worldwide challenge that requires global action,? states Mr. Ban?s message for the Day, observed annually on 2 April. ?People with autism are equal citizens who should enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.?
In December 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day in an effort to draw attention to a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions around the globe. Autism is characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social interactions and in restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour.
In his message, Mr. Ban noted that although developmental disabilities such as autism begin in childhood, they persist throughout a person?s life.
?Our work with and for people with autism should not be limited to early identification and treatment; it should include therapies, educational plans and other steps that lead us towards sustained, lifelong engagement,? he stated. ?Reaching out to people with autism spectrum disorders requires global political commitment and better international cooperation, especially in sharing good practices.?
He stressed the need for greater investments in the social, education and labour sectors, since developed and developing countries alike still need to improve their capacities to address the unique needs of people with autism and cultivate their talents.
?We also need to promote further research, train non-specialized care providers, and enable the autism community to more easily navigate care systems to obtain services that can support and mainstream individuals with autism,? said the Secretary-General.
Today in New York, Vienna and Geneva, the UN Postal Administration (UNPA) released six commemorative postage stamps and two collectible envelopes dedicated to autism awareness, with images created by artists who have been diagnosed with autism.
The stamps will send a ?powerful message to people around the world that talent and creativity live inside all of us,? said Mr. Ban.
The UN is the only organization in the world which is neither a country nor a territory that is permitted to issue postage stamps. It is the only postal authority to issue stamps in three different currencies ? the United States dollar, the Swiss franc and the euro.
UNPA?s chief, David Failor, told a news conference in New York that the selection process enabled the agency to discover the many hidden talents that people diagnosed with autism have.
?Probably the best part of the process, that we learned, is the talents that some of these people have and working with their families and their relatives and their supporters, and what a great network of people that there is around the world that are really passionate about the subject and want to help raise awareness about it,? he said.
UNPA originally intended to pick three designs to feature on each of the three denominations that it issues stamps for. However, the artwork received was so good that it decided to feature eight designs from among the 200 different pieces of artwork it received.
The stamps will go on sale in New York, Vienna and Geneva beginning on Monday.
Women, and an increasing number of men, are considering the cosmetic surgery route as the way to fix their problems. They may feel at a disadvantage because of how they look, or that some aspect of their physical appearance is an impediment to their success. It may seem the best solution, to replace what they see as the cause of their problems with something more attractive. But is the problem really on the outside, or is something inside in need of attention?
Let?s look at some of the questions that are important to answer prior to choosing to have cosmetic surgery:
- Will cosmetic surgery fix my marriage? Some women feel that part of the job description in being a good wife is to look young, slim, attractive. They may be only too aware that other women, women their husband regularly comes into contact with, are only too eager to fill their shoes. Whilst it is important to take care of ones body, appearance and make an effort in a relationship, looks are simply one aspect of a successful, long-term relationship. Open and honest communications, interesting conversations, shared fun and laughter, being supportive, knowing each other well are all far more compelling reasons for a couple to choose to stay together. Work on feeling more confident, ensure that you lead a satisfying, fulfilling life and those other areas of concern often become resolved.
- Will cosmetic surgery get me a job? There is often a sense that when we reach a certain age we become unemployable, and indeed companies often require young, dynamic staff on board. For a start they may cost less to employ and are easier to mould to the company?s requirements. However, an increasing number of companies are appreciating the valuable contribution that older, more experienced staff can bring into their business. Having a mix of old and new ideas brings a balance between stability and innovation, experience and young energy and adds a valuable combination into the team. Looking smart, capable and enthusiastic is often the most positive way of obtaining a new work position.
- Will cosmetic surgery make me popular?
Some groups appear to have their own particular look; they style their hair, dress, socialize all in the same way. To an outsider wanting to fit in and become part of the ?popular? group it can feel almost obligatory to affect the uniform image. But do you really want to look, dress and act the same as everyone else? Why not consider what interests and appeals to you and determine to find ways to introduce a more suitable, independent outlook into your life. That way you can improve your confidence through a variety of different outlets, without having to conform to a particular type.
- Will cosmetic surgery make me a happier person? If everything in your life is fine, you?re feeling happy, settled and fairly satisfied with everything, except for that one thing (your nose, ears, the size of your breasts or the excess skin since you lost weight), then cosmetic surgery can really add value to your life. It can be the icing on the cake that you wish you?d done sooner. But if cosmetic surgery is seen as the solution to all your problems, the ?once this is done then everything will be fine?, the truth is you may be disappointed. With this in mind, many reputable cosmetic surgeons insist on counselling before surgery. They want to ensure that a patient is feeling good about themselves and has no serious underlying issues about self-esteem and confidence that they?re hoping the surgery will fix.
Don?t forget, cosmetic surgery is a major hospital procedure; doctors consider it to be major invasive surgery. Just because the word ?cosmetic? is included it can be easy to trivialize the fact that it is an important medical procedure, with all that it entails.
Susan Leigh is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works with stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief, with couples in crisis to improve communications and understanding and with business clients to support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams.
Further help, advice and articles are available on this and other related subjects.
For more information see http://www.lifestyletherapy.net/
Published study finds usage of, reccomendations for dietary supplements high among dietitiansPublic release date: 30-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Trainor Walsh twalsh@crnusa.org 202-204-7671 Council for Responsible Nutrition
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Registered dietitians are one of several groups of healthcare professionals who report using dietary supplements as part of their health regimen, according to a newly published study in Nutrition Journal, a peer-reviewed, online journal that focuses on the field of human nutrition. According to data from the 2009 "Lifesupplemented" Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study, 74 percent of dietitians use dietary supplements regularly while 22 percent reported using them occasionally or seasonally. The data also indicated that an overwhelming percentage of dietitians, 97 percent, recommend dietary supplements to their clients.
"Dietitians are uniquely qualified to evaluate the adequacy of nutrient intake and to make rational choices about dietary supplement use for themselves and for their clients or patients, when appropriate," stated the study's authors.
Usage of a multivitamin was high amongst dietitians, with 84 percent of those surveyed indicating they had used a multivitamin within the past year. Looking at specialty supplement usage, omega-3 or fish oil supplements (47 percent), probiotics (24 percent), fiber (22 percent) and green tea supplements (18 percent) were cited by considerable proportions of surveyed dietitians. Several individual vitamins and minerals, including calcium (63 percent), vitamins D (43 percent), C (29 percent) and B (23 percent), were also reported to be used.
When asked why they choose to use dietary supplements, the top three reasons cited by dietitians who take them were bone health (58 percent), overall health and wellness benefits (53 percent), and to fill nutrient gaps in the diet (42 percent). Interestingly, the top three reasons that dietitians were most likely to recommend dietary supplements to clients were also bone health (72 percent), filling nutrient gaps (69 percent), and overall health and wellness (50 percent). Other top reasons for recommending supplements included lowering cholesterol (48 percent), heart health (47 percent), dietary pattern/vegetarian/vegan (45 percent) and digestive and gastrointestinal health (41 percent).
Also noteworthy, the study found that dietitians were very likely to report engaging in other healthy habits including trying to eat a balanced diet (96 percent), managing stress (92 percent), visiting their own healthcare professional regularly (86 percent), exercising regularly (83 percent), maintaining a healthy weight (80 percent) and regularly getting a good night's sleep (72 percent). Moreover, only 24 percent said they often consumed large amounts of caffeine and only three percent smoked or consumed large quantities of alcohol.
This study is the latest to explore the use of dietary supplements by healthcare professionals. Like previous studies, it adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests healthcare professionals commonly use dietary supplements. Last year, Nutrition Journal published findings from a separate 2008 study from "Lifesupplemented" that found that for physician specialists?specifically dermatologists, cardiologists and orthopedists?personal usage of and patient recommendations for dietary supplements is quite common. In 2009, Nutrition Journal published findings from a separate 2007 "Lifesupplemented" study that found that physicians and nurses are as likely as members of the general public to use dietary supplements and that most physicians and nurses recommend supplements to their patients.
The published article reporting on the study findings was co-authored by Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., consultant to and past president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition; Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., CSSD, LDN, director of sports nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and consultant to the "Lifesupplemented" consumer wellness education program; Nicolas Boyon, senior vice president, Ipsos Public Affairs, and Julio Franco, senior research manager, Ipsos Public Affairs. Ipsos Public Affairs conducted the "Lifesupplemented" HCP Impact Study on behalf of CRN.
###
Note to Editor: To arrange an interview with lead author Dr. Annette Dickinson, please contact Trainor Walsh at twalsh@crnusa.org or 202-204-7682.
Note to Editor: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our 75+ manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as CRN's Code of Ethics. Visit http://www.crnusa.org.
Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research. Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research. To learn more visit: http://www.ipsos-na.com
[ | 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.
Published study finds usage of, reccomendations for dietary supplements high among dietitiansPublic release date: 30-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Trainor Walsh twalsh@crnusa.org 202-204-7671 Council for Responsible Nutrition
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Registered dietitians are one of several groups of healthcare professionals who report using dietary supplements as part of their health regimen, according to a newly published study in Nutrition Journal, a peer-reviewed, online journal that focuses on the field of human nutrition. According to data from the 2009 "Lifesupplemented" Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study, 74 percent of dietitians use dietary supplements regularly while 22 percent reported using them occasionally or seasonally. The data also indicated that an overwhelming percentage of dietitians, 97 percent, recommend dietary supplements to their clients.
"Dietitians are uniquely qualified to evaluate the adequacy of nutrient intake and to make rational choices about dietary supplement use for themselves and for their clients or patients, when appropriate," stated the study's authors.
Usage of a multivitamin was high amongst dietitians, with 84 percent of those surveyed indicating they had used a multivitamin within the past year. Looking at specialty supplement usage, omega-3 or fish oil supplements (47 percent), probiotics (24 percent), fiber (22 percent) and green tea supplements (18 percent) were cited by considerable proportions of surveyed dietitians. Several individual vitamins and minerals, including calcium (63 percent), vitamins D (43 percent), C (29 percent) and B (23 percent), were also reported to be used.
When asked why they choose to use dietary supplements, the top three reasons cited by dietitians who take them were bone health (58 percent), overall health and wellness benefits (53 percent), and to fill nutrient gaps in the diet (42 percent). Interestingly, the top three reasons that dietitians were most likely to recommend dietary supplements to clients were also bone health (72 percent), filling nutrient gaps (69 percent), and overall health and wellness (50 percent). Other top reasons for recommending supplements included lowering cholesterol (48 percent), heart health (47 percent), dietary pattern/vegetarian/vegan (45 percent) and digestive and gastrointestinal health (41 percent).
Also noteworthy, the study found that dietitians were very likely to report engaging in other healthy habits including trying to eat a balanced diet (96 percent), managing stress (92 percent), visiting their own healthcare professional regularly (86 percent), exercising regularly (83 percent), maintaining a healthy weight (80 percent) and regularly getting a good night's sleep (72 percent). Moreover, only 24 percent said they often consumed large amounts of caffeine and only three percent smoked or consumed large quantities of alcohol.
This study is the latest to explore the use of dietary supplements by healthcare professionals. Like previous studies, it adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests healthcare professionals commonly use dietary supplements. Last year, Nutrition Journal published findings from a separate 2008 study from "Lifesupplemented" that found that for physician specialists?specifically dermatologists, cardiologists and orthopedists?personal usage of and patient recommendations for dietary supplements is quite common. In 2009, Nutrition Journal published findings from a separate 2007 "Lifesupplemented" study that found that physicians and nurses are as likely as members of the general public to use dietary supplements and that most physicians and nurses recommend supplements to their patients.
The published article reporting on the study findings was co-authored by Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., consultant to and past president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition; Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., CSSD, LDN, director of sports nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and consultant to the "Lifesupplemented" consumer wellness education program; Nicolas Boyon, senior vice president, Ipsos Public Affairs, and Julio Franco, senior research manager, Ipsos Public Affairs. Ipsos Public Affairs conducted the "Lifesupplemented" HCP Impact Study on behalf of CRN.
###
Note to Editor: To arrange an interview with lead author Dr. Annette Dickinson, please contact Trainor Walsh at twalsh@crnusa.org or 202-204-7682.
Note to Editor: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our 75+ manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as CRN's Code of Ethics. Visit http://www.crnusa.org.
Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research. Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research. To learn more visit: http://www.ipsos-na.com
[ | 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.
Mr New and?I had our??serious discussion? yesterday evening .. it ended with me in tears and him looking angry (and maybe a little sad) as he walked out my apartment door ..
And you all wonder why I am unconvinced about this whole love thing or more to the point ? with my chances at ever finding a man who will stay around?!?
*sigh*
Tis fair to say I am in danger of being ever-so-slightly melodramatic today, cos this ?discussion? has really thrown me. It?s not as bad as it could be, I suppose. He doesn?t have (nor want!) 14 kids..
Instead, Mr New has taken a job overseas. Okay that isn?t 100% accurate: he?s going overseas for his work .. For at least 6 months. Maybe longer .. Definitely no less than 6 months ..Yes, I asked lol
And so I am here thinking ?now what???His thinking is we do the long distance thing.
My thinking is ?why the $#@! can?t I keep a man?!? *grins*
Okay okay, I know it?s not as bad as all that but .. long distance relationships .. really?
Oh and the reason he left in a huff was because I pretty much accused him of having an affair with some hot European chick as soon as he got there (ah shaddup, I was shocked and acting ever so slightly pissy!)
Actually he left because we were going ?round in circles with the discussion and I suggested he go .. Call it tactical: it was to prevent me saying dumb shit I?d later regret. Cos I was so not thinking with a logical brain, once he delivered his news!
Worst of all? I forgot to even say congratulations, cos it?s basically a promotion .. so that felt pretty bad. I sent a text offering my congrats and such after he left .. bit late then huh
If you will excuse me, I?m off to sink into a deep depression whilst out running into the sunrise (just to be different!) .. The best thing about running? Leaves you so tired you have no capacity to do anything, including send whiny texts
George Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman, says Trayvon Martin threatened to kill his son, then beat him to the point where he had no choice but to defend himself against the 17-year-old in Sanford, Fla., on February 26.
The elder Zimmerman spoke, on camera but without showing his face, to Orlando, Fla., TV station WOFL, to share his son's side of the national story.
"It's my understanding that Trayvon Martin got on top of him and just started beating him," Robert Zimmerman told WOFL. "Martin said something to the effect of, 'You're going to die now' or 'You're going to die tonight.'"
"He continued to beat George. At some point, George pulled his pistol ... and what he did."
"He was punched in the nose. His nose was broken," Robert Zimmerman insists. "He was knocked to the concrete. Trayvon Martin got on top of him and started beating him."
"Beating him in the face. In his nose, hitting his head on the concrete."
The comments came just after the George Zimmerman surveillance video, taken at police headquarters the night of Martin's killing, was released.
His hands cuffed, Zimmerman does not appear to have substantial injuries, though the video does not show a close-up of the neighborhood watchman.
The video was taken four hours after the incident took place.
"The injuries that made it sound as though he really should have been on a stretcher are not apparent in this tape at all," CNN analyst Marcia Clark said.
"He moves freely. He moves fluidly, not like someone who has just been through a beating in any way, shape or form, someone whose head has been pounded on the pavement as hard as described, someone whose nose was broken and bleeding."
"That tells you a great deal."
Zimmerman's attorney Craig Sonner described the video as "very grainy" on NBC's Today, noting that Zimmerman had been "cleaned-up" and received first aid care in the hours between the incident and his arrival at the police station.
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Background: I retired two years ago with 21 years. I was recently found 80% disabled by the VA. After I retired I immediately shipped over to teach JROTC? which I love.
Present: While I love my job, it has incredible demands. To make a difference on kids, you must get them after school hours and that means 12+ hours a day, and many weekends. I make a huge difference, but medically it?s crushing me. The VA is good here, but all the medical stuff is its own full-time job.
I own a house in the west near my wife?s family that we both love. We live in the east without any nearby family. I?m contemplating pulling the plug in a couple of years to live in the house near family, especially as our kid enters high school. (I missed a lot due to deployments). However the last thing I want to do is trade a job I love with bad hours for a job I hate with bad hours.
Here?s his financial info:
Assets: $18K in TSP. (Wish I could still contribute!) $7K in other IRAs & teacher?s deferred compensation plan. $10k emergency fund.
Home in west: $600/month mortgage, rented out, breaking even. Current home: we have ~$40k in equity due to buying with 20% down. $1200/month mortgage. If I get what I paid for it, I lose $15K on the selling costs. Since there are so many variables to selling, I?m not counting on the cash in it. If it works out, that?s great, but there?s also 2500 miles of moving expenses.
No other debt. $800/month goes into a short-term savings fund for short trips, car repair, and medical/dental expenses beyond Tricare. Our kid?s college is covered by my GI Bill.
I earn $4400/month as a teacher. This contributes $1200/month to the deferred compensation plan and pays our $2500/month living expenses. Anything extra goes into savings. $2500/month military retirement. $1200 pays the mortgage on the home we live in now. Another $800 goes into savings. Anything extra also goes into savings. $1700/month VA disability: we save all of this.
Here?s his plan:
I?m looking at ?popping smoke? in two years (the summer before our kid enters high school), selling our current home, and moving the family to our home in the west. We initially would live off my military retirement & VA disability. This would easily cover our monthly living expenses in the west, but we wouldn?t be able to save any more than the $800/month that I?m saving out of my pension. My big concerns are trying to forecast savings for various unknowns.
In the next two years we could save another $70K. After moving west our savings rate would drop to about $10K/year. In other words our cash flow is good but our savings could be eaten up quickly if we have an expensive problem or if I need long-term care. The only ?affordable? premiums are the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. Due to my medical history, the cost is extremely high. This part concerns me a bit.
I have Survivor Benefit Plan coverage on my pension, so my spouse has that income after I?m gone.
Any ideas on collectively working to lower cost of living and boost our savings, especially for the short term? It seems that the entire family has to be dialed in to the methods and lifestyle changes in order to meet the goals. Any recommendations on this part?
This situation is all too common among veterans. It?s easy to finish a military career with low savings yet enough income & medical benefits to be very close to financial independence? without a safety margin. For those who are physically able to work, part-time employment can go a long way toward supplementing savings over the coming years. ?The Military Guide? profiles one servicemember (?Boxkicker?) who did exactly that. He retired with a military pension yet almost no other savings. He had nearly finished his college degree on active duty (tuition assistance). After retiring he went back to college on his GI Bill. Along with part-time work at a golf course and refereeing for youth leagues, Boxkicker completed a master?s in sports management.
But let?s get back to our reader?s questions. As we swapped e-mail, he seems to feel that he can continue to work these hours for another two years. However six years (until his daughter finishes high school) is medically not achievable.
Spouse employment is another option, especially after they move. However military spouses sacrifice a lot of potential income during their servicemember?s career, and finding a job might be a challenge. Of course there are plenty of other employment options but it may be easier for a spouse to spend time on frugal efforts at home instead of earning income. The two of them could look into employment (or self-employment) opportunities now and see what they could devote more time to after the move.
Another option would be to transfer his GI Bill benefits to his spouse now, not his daughter. If his spouse wanted education or training for her ?dream career? then she could achieve that certification before their daughter started college. His spouse would probably be able to earn more from a career than their daughter would receive from the GI Bill, too, so there?d be a net positive return on their investment in her employment skills.
One extra factor is Social Security, although he?s nearly two decades away from starting benefits. ?When to start SS? is a tough decision when there are medical issues. Taking SS at age 62 ensures that you?ll have some extra income now to enjoy life, but your spouse?s survivor benefits will be lower. Taking SS at age 70 will max out benefits and spouse?s survivor benefits, but if the recipient dies before breakeven (in the late 70s) then that income is permanently lost.
One (risky) option would be to start spending a little extra money at age 62 (using more savings) in anticipation of starting SS at age 70 and rebuilding those savings. It?s a losing strategy if the recipient dies before breakeven. A ?middle ground? would be to reassess the health situation at age 62 and possibly hold off benefits until age 66 or 67 when full benefits can be drawn.
Of course the best solution would be to reduce lifestyle expenses to the point where Social Security isn?t necessary. All of the eventual SS income could support long-term care and survivor?s benefits.
His spouse?s longevity insurance seem to be supported by the military retirement Survivor Benefit Plan and Social Security survivor?s benefits. Both of those programs include a cost of living adjustment, making them one of the world?s best annuities. As they approach their 60s they?d want to review the amount of these benefits against her expected spending to make sure she?s provided for.
Long-term care insurance is a another difficult situation with low savings. If medical factors are driving up the premiums then it?s not even an option. The only cost-effective solution is to maximize whatever geriatric and long-term care programs are available from the VA. Eventually an elder would spend down their savings (with allowances for spouse?s home and other assets) and become eligible for Medicaid.
My personal knowledge of military disability & VA benefits is weak, so I?d work from the links in the ?Military medical? portion of the sidebar. (Especially the ?Veterans Benefits Network?.) ?The Military Advantage? benefits guide is another outstanding resource. If he?s unable to work due to his disability, another low-probability possibility is Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). This is difficult to apply for and not easily approved, so it would probably require significant assistance from military legal services and the VA.
Frankly, he seems to have it all under control. Even after he retires his income is higher than his spending, and he seems to be able to keep it that way. Medical expenses and long-term care are major issues, but their costs are almost impossible to predict. He seems to have sufficient benefits in place for now, with Medicaid as an eventual long-term care program. I?ve written several posts on that, and I have a book review coming up on another excellent reference.
Frugal living will help him and his family save more money, and they can make it match their lifestyle. The Internet is full of sites for cutting expenses and living more simply, but two of the oldest and best cost-cutting websites are The Dollar Stretcher and BankRate.com.
What other lessons can readers take from this story?
Being in the military teaches life skills. He?s extraordinarily motivated, persistent, focused, and determined. He knows he can do this. His main concern is providing for his family and having their support for his plan to stop working while he can still enjoy life.
Play good defense. Don?t live a materialistic, consumer-driven lifestyle. His financial situation is already stable because he has low expenses. They don?t need to spend a lot of money on possessions or entertainment or ?hobbies?. He already knows how to tolerate deprivation, so a frugal lifestyle is easily achievable? even satisfying.
Save as much as you can as soon as you can for as long as you can. You never know what?s going to happen to you or your family, and the closer you are to financial independence then the better you?re able to handle these surprises.
He?s also going to post his financial questions at Early-Retirement.org. I may lack experience in some of the areas when he has specific concerns, but that?s a big discussion board. ?Eight thousand E-R.org readers (including over 50 contributors to the book) will quickly identify anything I?ve overlooked and come up with ideas we haven?t thought of.
Do you have any other ideas, suggestions, or references for this reader?
Related articles: Frugal living is not deprivation Military retirement: how much can I really spend? Tailor your investments to your military pay and your pension Retiring on multiple streams of income
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I speak in public a lot, which is a weird thing for a person with as much social anxiety as I have to do. I mean, I can barely speak in private.
But if you?re going to be a writer in the present century you pretty much have to do it. And the truth is, after hating it and fucking it up 10,000 times ? and many of the people reading this blog have probably seen me fuck it up in person ? I?ve actually started to like speaking in public. A few weeks ago I interviewed Ray Kurzweil at SXSW, and I figured it would be in some dinky hotel conference room named after some 19th Century sailing vessel, but it turned out to be in an auditorium that sat 3,200 people. And it was mostly full.
And the funny thing is, I think it went fine. I?m pretty sure my head didn?t explode, and that I spoke in English most of the time. (Ray was, as usual, brilliant.) Afterwards going back up to the green room Al Gore was in the same elevator as us, so that?s mostly what I remember about the whole thing. But I?m pretty sure it went OK.
So since I?ve thought about it a lot, I?m going to pass along the lessons that I have so painfully learned in the form of this guide to Public Speaking ? the Lev Grossman Way!
Lesson 1: Ignore your autonomic nervous system. At this point I?m so used to my heart racing and my palms sweating during an event, it doesn?t even freak me out anymore. I expect it and let it run its course and know it for the atavistic evolutionary response that it is. I don?t worry about it. In fact if that ever doesn?t happen when I?m in front of an audience, call 911.
Lesson 2: Wear something you like. It?s sort of like the broken-windows policy: if you think you look OK, you may actually start to feel OK.
Lesson 3: Do not, repeat not, look at people?s faces. When I?m speaking I look at the aisles and the doors and the lights and the back wall, but not the people. This is because when people are listening to you speak, they tend to look weird. It?s just a fact. I do this too: you feel like the speaker can?t see you, so you?re free to let your face be totally blank and expressionless. But when the speaker sees that, they think they?re absolutely dying on stage. I try not to read too much into it. At readings people tend to look the same when they?re bored as when they?re totally fascinated. The only way to find out if anybody?s actually paying attention out there is to make a joke. If nobody laughs, yep, you?re dying.
Lesson 4: Massively over-prepare. Unless you?re superhuman, if you want to speak coherently in front of a crowd, without notes, then you have to run through your speech, like, a lot of times. More times than you?d think. It?s like drinking water before you go to bed after a big night out: just force yourself to do it. I don?t write things down, or memorize a specific wording for what I want to say, because then it comes out sounding robotic. But I do practice saying what I?m going to say, in different ways, a lot of times.
Lesson 5: Either have a beer or don?t. I?ve tried it both ways. Rule of thumb, if I?m in a bar, and other people are drinking, I?ll have a beer. This may or may not make me a better speaker. But the point is: I like beer.
Lesson 6: Do be funny, if you can manage it. The secret here is, you don?t actually have to be super-funny when you?re speaking in public. Nobody expects you to be Jon Stewart. People are pessimistic; they don?t expect speakers to be funny at all, so a pretty small amount of funniness goes a surprisingly long way. Say the joke as un-nervously as possible, and you can almost psyche people into laughing. Just don?t go too far and laugh your own joke. I?ve seen perfectly funny jokes be killed in broad daylight that way. Not pretty.
Lesson 7: Pretend you?re having a good time. This is an iron law. It doesn?t really feel like it, but when you?re speaking in public you are effectively throwing a party. You are the host of this particular social function, and it is your sworn duty to convince people that they didn?t make a horrific mistake by showing up. You have no choice: whatever your personal feelings or ideological beliefs are about smiling, you must smile, at least a little.
Lesson 8: Bail out early. If you?re going to err ? and everybody errs ? err on the side of reading or speaking too short. I don?t care if you?re John Milton him-bloody-self: Nobody wants to hear you read aloud from your work for half an hour. I think 12 minutes is about optimal. Time yourself before-hand. I read a printed page in about 3 minutes, but YMMV.
Step 9: Personally I don?t bother with that thing where you imagine everybody in the audience in their underwear. I don?t know about you, but I do that all the time anyway. It?s how I get through daily life.
If by some bizarre chance you live near Oxford, and you want to see these principles in action, I?ll be speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival on Friday night.
Next week: How to Make Love ? the Lev Grossman Way!
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With so numerous various video clip video games constantly getting introduced, it can be difficult to choose which a single warrants your difficult-attained funds. It therefore tends to make sensation to be a savvy shopper and go through up on the numerous critiques obtainable in purchase to make the very best decision. But, if none of your buddies have played the match before, the place do you change to discover out if a match is value getting?
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A single of the very best spots to begin is the newsagents? shelves. Most newsagents inventory a vast variety of gaming publications for every of the distinct consoles that are at present offered. What is more, every of the different publications should be in a position to offer you with critiques of the different online games offered, and maybe even supply you some valuable screenshots or suggestions of equivalent game titles.
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The NFL?s owners will begin to convene in Palm Beach on Sunday for the league?s annual meetings.
Hovering over the proceedings will be the decision to remove $46 million in total cap space from the Cowboys ($10 million) and Redskins ($36 million) over the next two seasons for their accounting practices during the uncapped year of 2010.
The league has admitted to the Redskins that the teams did nothing wrong and violated no rules.? Still, the NFL contends that treating the term ?uncapped year? too literally disrupted competitive balance ? even though the decision of multiple teams to grossly underspend in 2010 apparently gave rise to no such concerns.
The Redskins have been working to rectify the situation, privately communicating with the league and separately making plans for potential litigation.? But while no Redskins official has said anything publicly about the situation, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones opted on Friday to put the rest of the league on notice that he won?t take this one lying down.
And he shouldn?t.
As we understand it, the teams will try at the league meetings to lobby other owners, making the case for some adjustment to the punishment sans crime.? If, in the end, the Redskins and Cowboys get nowhere, litigation could occur.
?[T]here is no joy in Mudville, having to team up with the Redskins on a point with the league,? Jones told the Dallas Morning News. ?They?re competitors, not cohorts.? It just shows you, independent of that, some of the issues we have with this cap-space issue.? Sometimes you can have strange bedfellows and this is one of them.?
The situation has several curiosities, which include a decision by the league to offer to the NFLPA the Redskins/Cowboys cap penalties in exchange for an increase in total cap space for 2012, and the absence of an ownership vote on the measure.? As one league source previously explained it to PFT, the mere act of conducting a vote would have given Jones and Redskins owner Dan Snyder an opportunity to attempt to secure the support of seven other teams, which then would have prevented the NFL from securing the necessary 24 votes to push the measure through.? (It also would have forced those teams that wanted to take cap space from the Cowboys and Redskins to go on record with a vote in favor of the move.)
In our view, the league needs to fix this before it spirals out of control.? It?s now obvious that the NFL was engaged in collusion in the uncapped year, trying to keep more money in the owners? pocket and less in the players? as a possible year without football loomed.? Still, forcing the Redskins and Cowboys to reduce to writing an allegation that the NFL and its teams tried to rein in spending and is now punishing the two that refused to go along with the illegal plan won?t be good for business.
On Sunday at noon, residents of Illinois will be the first people in the United States who will be able to buy lottery tickets online. Is the Illinois Lottery Internet Pilot Program the potentially terrifying future of praying to lady luck? More »
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MS not happy with the figures on Google?s browser?s alleged one day victory
As you may have seen in our report earlier this week, Google's Chrome browser was judged to have become the most downloaded browser in the world - at least for one day.
That was according to StatCounter, who said that Chrome's popularity at the weekend had meant it actually outstripped Internet Explorer in terms of numbers this past Sunday. Quite a remarkable, if only a one-off, feat.
However, Microsoft isn't going to let this one lie, and has been complaining about StatCounter's bean counting methods, comparing and contrasting them to the other big web metrics firm, Net Applications.
According to Net Applications, in monthly usage statistics, Chrome is actually still to overtake Firefox (whereas StatCounter had Chrome passing Firefox in December of last year).
As Roger Capriotti points out on the Exploring IE blog, the two firms use different evaluation criteria for estimating browser market share, and (naturally enough) Microsoft favours Net Applications where Chrome has a smaller share (and Internet Explorer a larger one).
Capriotti argues that Net Applications is a truer measure because it doesn't count Chrome's pre-rendering, and because it goes off unique visitors, not page hits. Finally, he states that only Net Applications geoweights the data based on real world net populations.
Regarding the final point, Capriotti writes: "This is absolutely critical to us in understanding what IE share is worldwide so we can better serve our customers. StatCounter, on the other hand, does not do geo or country level weighting. They simply report absolute global page views."
"This factors heavily into the disparate numbers from Net Applications and StatCounter, since StatCounter's data is entirely beholden to the coverage of its sites."
That's why Microsoft looks to Net Applications for market share figures, he says, and that's why you should, also.
StatCounter, however, had a response to this. The firm posted a reply to an article on Computerworld, stating that including Chrome's pre-rendering really doesn't make much difference, and its inclusion caused no visible jump in the firm's stats.
The company also dismissed the geo-weighting argument, stating that Chrome taking the lead was visible in individual countries such as the UK - where geo-weighting obviously doesn't apply.
StatCounter wrote: "If we ignore Chrome overtaking IE on the 18 March (which was only a narrow victory and only very brief - but notable all the same), there is an undeniable trend in our stats towards Chrome usage at the weekend at the expense of IE. You can see the troughs and peaks in the UK, for example."
StatCounter also noted that its website sample pool size is 3 million sites against a more narrowly focused 40,000 for Net Applications.
So who's in the right? Both companies are making estimations, and it's impossible to really tell. However, one point is clear, that being the fact that Chrome is on the up-and-up, and Internet Explorer is steadily falling.
That trend looks set to continue for the foreseeable, as Internet Explorer 9 hasn't provided the fight-back Microsoft had hoped it would.
At one point while living in Cairo we were hunting for a flat on the island of?Zamalek. After a day of searching, walking endlessly down dusty streets and alley ways, we were tired and had seen some of the ugliest apartments imaginable.
We had just walked up 8 flights of stairs and, on a scale of ugly to uglier to ugliest ? this was the ugliest flat we had seen. My husband and I were getting increasingly more frustrated, feeling the cross-cultural disconnect of trying to communicate what we were looking for in a flat, so when the man showing us this particular flat asked us if we liked it, ?my husband looked at him and said clearly?No. This flat is the ugliest flat I have ever seen??(With a toilet seat cover made of a deck of cards and a kitchen that resembled a tiny sauna, it was) Quickly we realized he had insulted the landlord, mistaking him for the bowab, a man who guards the front door and asks for baksheesh (a tip) once a month.??You don?t like my flat???He said in a loud and puzzled voice. We had the grace to pause and look at each other, suddenly realizing that he had committed a no-no in apartment hunting in Cairo ? insulting the landlord. But we were tired and defeated, so my husband said emphatically??No ? we don?t like your flat. At all.??and off we went. Once back on the street we took one look at each other and burst into laughter. It was?completely inappropriate given we had just insulted our host but we couldn?t stop. The incident was only one of many times where we realized we had a lot to learn about living cross-culturally.
The reality of living cross culturally is that there are times when, despite our best intentions, we offend. ?Sometimes its pure ignorance, other times it?s because we are tired, and still other times we are in a cultural conflict and don?t even care that we are offending. If we have never offended, then I would suggest that we have not crossed over those important relationship boundaries and are spending too much time with those who are exactly like us, rather than boldly engaging those who are different.
These moments can be great for a couple of reasons. ? One is that we learn from them; they are our most teachable moments in cross-cultural living and communication. ?The other is that once we heal from the discomfort and sometimes painful residual effects, they are great moments of humor.
In a recent workshop I used the phrase ?Offending and Mending?. I made it up on the spot and I like it. It recognizes the reality: We will offend. But the phrase goes further, also recognizing?the importance of knowing the culturally appropriate way to mend the offense in order?to move forward in relationship.
Mending is often as simple as being willing to admit I am wrong and taking extra care and effort with the relationship in the future. ?Other times it?s as complicated as paying a visit and sitting in discomfort until the atmosphere thaws and we suddenly feel like all is made right.
I believe cross cultural adjustment is analogous to language learning. There are supposedly two types of language learners; those that immediately begin practicing with the little they know, despite making mistakes, and those that wait until they have the perfect sentence structure and then go and try it out. Supposedly the first group learns far quicker. I would say the same is true in cross-cultural communication. There are those that go out and build relationships without knowing everything, making mistakes and learning in the process; and those that study until they think they have it all correct, determined to make no mistakes. I would argue that there is no way they can get it 100% right all the time and that they lose a lot in relationship building in the process.
What do you think? What are your stories of offending and mending? This is a great topic to learn from each other so please share your stories!
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At one point while living in Cairo we were hunting for a flat on the island of?Zamalek. After a day of searching, walking endlessly down dusty streets and alley ways, we were tired and had seen some of the ugliest apartments imaginable.