Expert Personal Finance Advice You Can Use Year After Year - loans

Do you have an interest in transforming your financial situation for the better? With a little guidance, it?s definitely possible! Thankfully, the article below offers you many helpful tips that will put you on the correct path.

A great way to save money is to put an automatic withdrawal in place to transfer money from your checking account each month and deposit it into an interest-bearing savings account. This might make you feel like you are out of your comfort zone, but soon you will think of it as a bill and you will not notice it but it will be growing.

Being aware of the value of your possessions will make a huge difference in the way you choose to dispose of the item. Your personal finances will most certainly improve when you choose to sell that rare antique piece of furniture, instead of donating it to goodwill.

Try to work from your house if you really want to save a lot of money. The truth is that working in an office can be expensive. With costs for lunch, gas or parking, you can spend a lot without realizing it.

Try reducing your alcohol consumption to prevent making poor financial decisions. Stick to water when you are out, so that you can make clear-headed decisions that you will not regret later.

Rather than risking your money, it would be better to put that money into a savings account or invest in something wise. This will let you save quite a bit of money over time instead of wasting it for no reason.

During the years, financial problems might arise even when you plan carefully. It is always smart to know the late fees associated with late rent payments, and the absolute final day payments are due before late charges accrue. Find out what your options are before you get decide to sign a yearly lease.

It may not be possible for everyone, but avoiding debt as much as you can is one of the most sound financial decisions you can make. You may need to get a loan for a car or a home. However, you would be ill-advised to rely on credit cards for your daily expenses.

If you purchase lean protein in large quantities, you will be saving time and funds. Buying in bulk is always cheaper when you are going to use everything you purchased. If you set aside one day to cook, you can make meals that you can enjoy all week.

Try to avoid maxing out your credit card. The payments on a maxed-out account is more than the combined interest of two cards with smaller balances. In most cases, this won?t do much damage to your credit scores, and, if you manage your cards wisely, it may even help you improve the state of your credit.

Speak with people you?re close to about how you?re doing financially. By being honest about your financial situation you do not have to feel guilty about saying no if they invite you to dinner and you cannot afford to go. If you are not honest about why you cannot go, they might think you are mad at them! Clue your friends in as to your financial situation ? this way they will be better able to understand what you are going through.

When budgeting, be sure to allot a bit of cash for pocket money. It?s important to have a little spending money for unexpected, spur of the moment purchases. This allowance might be used for extras like books, eating out or new shoes, and when it is gone, it is gone. It helps you to enjoy your money on smaller things while not harming your budget.

By controlling your finance, you will be able to do proper maintenance on any property that you own. Keep records of what you spend on your property as well as what money it brings in. A monthly review of the property?s performance as an investment is a good idea, too. Ensure you have a budget written down to look to as a guide.

Having read this article, you should be looking at finances from a different vantage point. With all of the information you just read, you have the knowledge necessary to manage a promising financial future. All that you need to do now is actually do it, financial freedom is right around the corner!

To read more articles like this one, Go to the ?Personal Finance? Category

Source: http://loanstop20.com/2012/07/31/expert-personal-finance-advice-you-can-use-year-after-year/

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Surface to arrive with Windows 8 on 10/26, says Microsoft

Microsoft Surface: shown here with the accompanying 3mm-thick, pressure sensitive cover that doubles as a keyboard and trackpad.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Though it's not exactly an earth-shattering revelation, Microsoft has confirmed that Surface tablets will arrive October 26 along with Windows 8.

"The next version of our operating system, Windows 8, will be generally available on October 26, 2012. At that time, we will begin selling the Surface, a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices," Microsoft said in its annual report filed this week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Microsoft has said before that Surface products "would be available the same time that Windows 8" was launched, but it's reassuring to see the date in writing.

And, remember, those are Windows RT tablets only. The Intel-based Surface Pro is expected about 90 days later, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft has also peppered disclaimers throughout the annual report (these appear often in SEC filings) about the success, or lack thereof, of Windows 8.

In fall 2012, we are launching Windows 8...Its success depends on a number of factors including the extent to which customers embrace its new user interface and functionality, successfully coordinating with our OEM partners in releasing a variety of hardware devices that take advantage of its features, and attracting developers at scale to ensure a competitive array of quality applications. We expect to incur substantial marketing costs in launching Window 8 and associated services and devices, which may reduce our operating margins."

That last part about "may reduce operating margins" is something Wall Street will of course be watching closely. In short, if Windows 8 is not relatively successful, this may fuel doubts about Microsoft's viability in the age of the iPad and Android.

The Surface products will be offered in basically two forms. One is expected to be a more price-friendly version running Windows RT on top of ARM chips. The other, likely a bit pricier, will run Windows 8 Pro on top of Intel "Ivy Bridge" processors.

And pricing? While there's a lot of whacky speculation about sky-high pricing, Microsoft's own guidance portends a more rational pricing scheme.

"Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC," Microsoft said in a statement.

Based on that statement, a back-of-the-envelope estimate could put -- the operative word here is "could" as this is simply speculation -- Windows RT products as low as $500-$600 and Windows 8 Pro Intel-based products ranging up to $1,000, or possibly higher.

That said, Microsoft's pricing plans are undoubtedly in a state of flux, and we won't know until the company tells us.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57481965-75/surface-to-arrive-with-windows-8-on-10-26-says-microsoft/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-BusinessTech

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Online Shopping - Things you should be aware of while buying LG ...

by James Kenrich
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Online Shopping More Details about Online Shopping here.

Being a very reliable, a very well educated and a very capable house wife what are the various products or home appliances you look at as an important part of your kitchen. I am sure that you must have starting preparing a huge list of various of them staring from the very basic stove till that very expensive coffee maker of yours, but in this huge list of various home appliances refrigerators are few of those products without which it would become hard for you to even sustain. As this is an appliance which helps you in keeping all those vegetable and fruits of yours in a proper or in fresh condition.

Yes that's true you can live without a very expensive coffee maker or a microwave as what these products are entitled to do can done with the help of a stove as well but there is no other mean with the help of which you can keep those cold drink bottles of your chilled or more importantly there is no other mean with the help of which you can keep fresh that fruit salad of yours. These days there are various brands which are working hard so that they can provide some of the best refrigerators for your purchase, but expertization is a word which cannot be associated with all. Therefore only a few of them all are worth to be look for.

LG is a brand which has been providing few of the most efficient products to us since some time now (almost a decade) and when we talk about their refrigerators they are the best to look at if you are planning to have one for a long time. But recently there had been some bad reviews for the same after viewing the LG Refrigerators price list 2012. As people have a belief that these products are highly rated if compared with few of the new brands in market. But what would you pay for a fridge if it is coming with a television in it. In fact this is a company which is providing products according to every price range; therefore if you are not having much to send of them no problem you can buy LG Refrigerators as they will set in your budget.

But still it doesn't matter how genuine price a company is asking for its products, we people always find way to add more discounts on them. The way we have done with these products. Therefore next time when you seek to reduce the LG Refrigerators Price in India, make sure you have consulted few of online websites as well, as you can find nice discounts with the help of them.

Jameskenrich is a well known author and has written articles on Chevrolet Beat, Maruti Suzuki, Hitachi Refrigerators, blackberry torch 9800, Toshiba Refrigerators, online shopping and many other subjects.

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wztv_fox17: Clarksville Student Wins New Car: A recent high school graduate will be cruising to college in a new car this fa... http://t.co/M1F4xDn0

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Working with an ex is a tricky business

iStockphoto

When office romances go on the rocks, employees must work hard to stay focused on the job.

By Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes.com

Michelle Moore, the president of a public relations firm in Columbus, Ohio,?was married to her husband for 10 years before they divorced in 2008. Before? their divorce, they worked together on several freelance projects. Today, they interact regularly while working together on client projects.

Sharing an office with an ex might be torture for some people, but Moore says that the arrangement suits them. ?We actually make a great team?professionally,? she said. ?My ex appreciates my creativity and public?relations skills. I appreciate his design talents and branding instincts.?

Forbes.com: How to win over your boss

With traditional communities weakening and people working more hours than?ever, the office has become a breeding ground for romantic entanglements.?CareerBuilder.com conducted a survey last February in which 38 percent of 7,780?workers said that they had dated a co-worker at some point in their careers. Thirty-one percent of those people said they had gone on to marry the?person.

Forbes.com: How to succeed at office romance

?Offices are where we spend the majority of our days,? said Helaine Olen, author of "Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry" and co-author of "Office Mate: Your Employee Handbook for?Romance on the Job."

?To tell people not to date their co-workers goes?against common sense. As the age that most people marry creeps up and you?re?not meeting people in college, where on earth are you meeting them??

Forbes.com: In pictures: Working with someone after a romantic breakup

Love on the job is all well and good, but when a relationship turns sour the?office can become a minefield of anxiety and distraction. People who?successfully work with an ex rely on common sense and a heavy dose of?maturity. Regardless of how hurt or awkward you feel, keep your emotions to?yourself. Don?t discuss your issues in public or badmouth your ex to?colleagues. ?Don?t give your colleagues anything to gossip about,? Olen?said.

If you and your ex worked on a team with other people, they may feel?uncomfortable when a chill appears between you. Moore suggests praising your?ex in public. ?It will help you behave and feel better around him or her,?and it will put other people at ease,? she said.

Forbes.com: Power couples who fell in love at work

Throw yourself into your work. Compartmentalize your emotions and try to?focus on excelling at your job. When you dig into work, you?ll have less?time to worry about your ex. ?Plenty of great people, eager to work hard and?focus fully, are unemployed, waiting to take your place if you can?t focus?on results,? Moore said. ?You have time to be great at what you do. You?don?t have time to fret about an ex.?

Keep your correspondence offline. Don?t exchange personal messages on your?work computer or phone. ?Emails and texting, like diamonds, last forever,??said author Olen. ?But unlike diamonds, they don?t belong to you. Don?t?assume that you have privacy, or that the guys in tech don?t get bored every?now and then and read your emails.? Be mindful of what you post on Facebook?and other social media sites where you may inadvertently be broadcasting to?colleagues.

Forbes.com: When the boss hits on you

Always take the high road when you interact with an ex. Remember what you?liked about him or her, and deal only on that level. ?If you began your?romance in the workplace, chances are you were attracted in some way to how?he or she does a job,? Moore said. ?Appreciate that quality, and work from?there.?

Tread carefully if you report to your ex. ?If you have a direct reporting?relationship to your ex, you might consider coming clean to that person?s?superior,? said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.com. Haefner says that the decision to do so depends on the?size and culture of the company and the terms on which you and your?colleague have parted ways. ?Use your best judgment, and make sure that?whether or not it works, you?re not doing anything to hurt anyone?s career,? Haefner said.

Forbes.com: How not to behave at the office party

The professional and economic stakes of a breakup are higher if your?romantic partner is not just a colleague but your business partner.Linda Kerns, a Philadelphia divorce lawyer, recalls a client who ran a cash-based?business with her husband. When the duo began having marital problems, the?husband began taking thousands of dollars from the till.

?My advice to my client was, do what you can to get him out of there,? Kerns?said. ?There was no way that they could operate together. We immediately?came to an interim agreement that excluded him from the business. She let?him keep the cash. She was able to make that back and rebuild her business.??Kerns says that couples who double as business partners need to have the same?checks and balances that corporations use. Both parties should have equal?access to a company?s financial records, at the very least. ?It?s natural?that when you start a new business you?re not thinking about this,? Kerns said. ?But relationships don?t always work out.?

This article is an update of one by Helen Coster that originally ran in?2010.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/29/12951158-working-with-an-ex-is-a-tricky-business?lite

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Must Read Books

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Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Must-Read-Books/4068934

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Social Network Marketing - The Following Wave |

A powerful business marketing guest post contributor.

One of the most well liked and moneymaking strategies to earn money online is by using social networking. Many people are making thousands of bucks a month using this method, but many more are not making any money in any way.

There are a number of things you should know with social network marketing before you enter that crowded market-place, in order to successful.

Social Network Marketing Techniques

You have to try the competition all of the time and follow folk in the same line of business, spy on them if you like, but see what they are doing that makes them successful. You will find that the most noteworthy folks are on every well-liked social sites all the time. Social networking is a hands-on, each day business requiring long hours and learning. It isn?t like having a stand alone internet site. The word ?social? means what it says.

When you make a decision to enter the arena of social networking you have to build your personality, make folk feel that they know you and like you, and most importantly trust you.

If you have a personal Facebook page where you are interacting with your mates all of the time, you will understand that interaction, while you?re being social. If you?d like to build a business on Facebook for example, then it is a good idea to keep your business absolutely separate from your private website page. No one is going to take your business seriously if you friends post things like ?yeah swinging party yesterday evening, you were drunk as hell.? See what I am saying? What quantity of people are going to buy something from you if they believe you are an alcoholic? So keep it separate and brand yourself, even if it means you?ve got a business character and a very different social persona.

Video Social Network Marketing

One of the best ways of making money is thru YouTube, it is one of the hottest platforms today, so if you?re going to get into social network marketing, you had better learn the way to make good videos and show your face! If you are camera-shy then you?re going to need to get over it, if you have not a clue how to make videos, learn. There are tons of programs out there to help, after all, making videos has become a vital component of marketing today on social network sites and on websites.

It?s exactly like in the old days of face-to-face marketing, when folk went out and stood in malls, or invited folk to their home for Tupperware parties, when folk see you, like and trust you, then they?ll buy. In simple language social marketing is attraction marketing. Always show your face and make sure you are smiling! You may never become successful if you hide behind an impersonal avatar, or post a picture of your dog!

People want to know you, who you are and what you are about. Yes you will get into a little of that if you push your business thru social network sites, but keep you and your business character separate. just use enough of the genuine you to attract people to you and cut out the chit talk. This is your business and your livelihood after all.

How are you using Social Network Marketing for your business? Share your comments below.

About the author: It seems like every internet marketer has added social network marketing to their arsenal in one way or another. Even Yahoo and Google has started to give more weight to what people are focusing on on social websites. If you haven?t already, don?t you think you should begin to ramp up your social network marketing plan? Click the links above for more information.

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Source: http://www.myfashionemallblog.net/social-network-marketing-the-following-wave/

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Organize Your iPhone Charging Cable with The Wrap

The Wrap, designed by?Michiel Cornelissen, is a charging cable organizer that fits over the US/Canadian version of the iPhone charger.? You simply place the Wrap over the USB end of the iPhone charger, with the USB plug connected.? The Wrap mirrors the charger’s prongs, to create a convenient way to store the charger cable when [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/07/27/organize-your-iphone-charging-cable-with-the-wrap/

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Hemorrhoids Symptoms: Learning And Understanding This Medical ...

Friday, July 27th, 2012. Author : jacapzonye. 6 views.

One health condition that affects thousands of people are hemorrhoids. This structure in the anal canal is what helps to control stool and can create inflammation or become swollen. The hemorrhoids symptoms will depend entirely upon the type that is present. There is the internal, which in most cases is painless with minor bleeding, while the other is external and does involve more bleeding and pain in the anus area. Learning and understanding the symptoms will be the best way to finding the most effective treatment for this kind of medical issue.

Some of the common signs of hemorrhoids symptoms of this medical condition for most patients are itching, pain and rectal bleeding. There are other more serious symptoms that will include some mucus discharge or loss of regular bowel movement, as the patient will experience involuntary excretion.

It is the very bright red blood that covers the stool, which is a symptom of internal hemorrhoids that can protrude directly through the rectal area. In regard to the external symptoms, a patient can expect to experience some painful swelling, along with a lump outside of the anus.

There are several symptoms for internal conditions of this medical issue which will include itching. The cause of this is when mucus seeps through the anus, which then begins to irritate the area of the anal skin. The larger hemorrhoids can bulge from inside the anus and will create some minor irritation from the seeping of mucus.

For many patients, there will also be the discomfort of an urge to pass more stool that can occur right after bowel movement. This is the result of the bugling from a more larger hemorrhoid, which is near to the end section of the anal canal. Other hemorrhoid symptoms are inflammatory bowel disease, anal fistulas, rectal prolapse, anal fissures and colon polyps.

Learning and understanding hemorrhoids symptoms will help people to be able and live with this medical issue. However, if the symptoms are too overwhelming, then it is advisable to seek some professional medical attention to help get relief from the symptoms of this medical condition.

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Source: http://www.articlewebby.com/health-fitness/hemorrhoids-symptoms-learning-and-understanding-this-medical-condition/

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Williamsburg, Classes, Activities, Recreational Sports, Art, Dance ...

Sports and Athletic Classes
Sandlot Tots (ages 3-5)
Wednesdays, Aug. 8-29, 10-10:45 a.m
$35; $30 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
Hitting, fielding, base running and throws taught in a fun atmosphere. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Tumble Tots (ages 3-5)
Saturdays, Aug. 25-Sept. 22, 9:30-10:15 a.m.
$35; $30 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
Learn basic tumbling, motion skills and group cooperation through music and play. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Little Chippers & Little Drivers (ages 5-10)
Little Chippers/ages 5-7: Saturdays, Aug. 4-25, 9-10 a.m.
Little Drivers/ages 8-10: Saturdays, Aug. 4-25, 9-10 a.m.
$65/session; $60 for JC/W residents
Williamsburg National Golf Course
These introductory classes teach golf etiquette and the essential skills including solid contact, driving, chipping and putting. A limited number of clubs will be available or you can bring your own. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Sandlot Sluggers (ages 6-9)
Wednesdays, Aug. 8-29, 11-11:45 a.m.
$35; $30 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
Skills taught will focus on throwing, catching, positions in field, base running and hitting taught through drills, games and relays. Class will be held outdoors weather permitting. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Special Interest/Youth
Garden Detectives? Children?s Workshop (ages 4+), Free!
Saturday, Aug. 18, 10-11:30 a.m.
Freedom Park
With a guide, walk the Williamsburg Botanical Garden and count the petals, learn about good bugs ~ bad bugs and the micro habitats featured in the garden. Registration is encouraged at www.williamsburgbotanicalgarden.org.

Get Taken for a Ride (ages 7+)
Two Sessions: Monday, Aug. 20, 10-11:30 a.m. or Monday, Aug. 27, 10-11:30 a.m.
$65/session; $60 for JC/W residents
Stonehouse Stables, 2116-A Forge Rd.
Learn to groom and tack a horse and then take a 30-minute mounted trail lesson on one of our experienced lesson horses. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Discover the Beauty Inside (girls ages 11-14)
Wednesday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
$45; 40 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
Learn how to handle pressure from peers and the media, how to live a healthy life and how to develop a positive self-image. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Dance
Magic Carpet Mornings (ages 7-12)
Saturdays, Aug.11-25, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
$20; $15 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
Introducing our first bellydance classes for young ladies! Enjoy instruction and games that will teach you steps and combinations as you learn to dance! No experience needed. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Bellydance FUNdamentals (ages 13+)
Mondays, Aug. 6-27, 7-8 p.m.
$30; $25 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
In each session we?ll learn a new set of FUNdamentals that work together to create this unique style of dance! No experience needed. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Beyond Beginners Bellydance! (ages 13+)
Thursdays, Aug. 9-Sept. 13, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
$40; $35 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
Join us as we work our way through a new choreography in each session! Some classes will require veils or zills and they?ll be available to borrow or purchase (additional fee). Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Shimmy Shakedown (ages 13+)
Thursdays, Aug. 9-30, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
$30; $25 for JC/W residents
James City County Recreation Center
This class will form combinations from various bellydance steps to get you moving! Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Bellydance Social (ages 13+)
Friday, Aug. 17, 6-7:30 p.m.
$10; $5 for JC/W residents, 308542-A
James City County Recreation Center
Our monthly open floor dance time allows you the opportunity to dance with and for other students in a supportive, encouraging, and friendly atmosphere. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Special Interest/Adults
How to Improve Your Posture & Prevent Pain, Free! New
Tuesday, Aug. 28, 3-4 p.m.
James City County Recreation Center
We'll discuss what posture patterns cause pain and why. Max. 10 participants. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Arthritis Demystified: An Introduction to Your Aging Body (& what to do about it), Free!
Tuesday, Aug. 14, 3-4 p.m.
James City County Recreation Center
We'll discuss the mysterious and frightening ?arthritis? diagnosis and turn it into something understandable and manageable. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Diabetes Risk Assessment Screening, Free!
Saturday, Aug. 4, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
James City County Recreation Center
Drop by to take the Risk Assessment (paper test) and speak with the Sentara nurse. No blood test. This assessment is based on risk factors, controllable and uncontrollable. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Source: http://williamsburgfamiliessports.blogspot.com/2012/07/jcc-classes-and-activities-for-august.html

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A look at recent tech-industry earnings

Samsung reported strong results Friday, days after rival Apple showed a slowdown in revenue growth. Here is a summary of recent earnings and reports for selected technology companies and what they reveal about the state of spending and the overall economy:

? July 2: Microsoft Corp. says it is absorbing a $6.2 billion charge to reflect that one of the biggest deals in its 37-year history, for online ad company aQuantive, turned out to be a dud.

? July 6: Samsung Electronics Co. estimates its second-quarter operating profit at 6.5 trillion won to 6.9 trillion won ($5.7 billion to $6.1 billion), a 79 percent jump from a year earlier based on the midpoint of that range. Analysts say the sharp rise in operating profit was driven by the success of its Galaxy line of smartphones. However, Samsung's stock fell as lower-than-expected overall sales underlined the threat from Europe's economic malaise.

? July 9: Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. lowers its quarterly forecast, blaming weaker-than-expected sales in China and Europe and lackluster demand overall from consumers. AMD says it expects revenue to fall by 11 percent from the previous quarter, below its earlier forecast of a 3 percent decline.

? July 10: BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. asks disgruntled investors at a shareholders meeting for patience as it develops new devices to rival the iPhone and Android smartphones. The company reiterates a warning that the next several quarters will be challenging. It also expects to book another operating loss in the current quarter as the company cuts prices to sell its older BlackBerry models.

? July 17: Yahoo Inc. reports another lackluster quarter on CEO Marissa Mayer's first day on the job. It continues years of financial lethargy that has plagued the one-time Internet pioneer as Google and Facebook have prospered. Net income fell 4 percent from a year ago, and adjusted earnings were short of expectations.

Intel Corp., the world's largest chipmaker, says revenue for the current quarter is likely to come in below Wall Street forecasts as it blames "a more challenging macroeconomic environment."

? July 18: IBM Corp. reports its 38th consecutive quarter of earnings increase. Net income rose 6 percent despite a 3 percent drop in revenue amid Europe's economic jitters. IBM revenue in Europe, the Middle East and Africa fell by 9 percent from last year. The turmoil in Europe hurt IBM's results as currencies there weakened, translating into fewer U.S. dollars. IBM says revenue would have been slightly higher than last year if currency-exchange rates had remained the same.

EBay Inc. more than doubled its second-quarter net income thanks to higher revenue from its PayPal online payments business and its e-commerce websites. Its marketplaces business, which includes its flagship website, saw the strongest growth rate since 2006.

? July 19: Google Inc. says its second-quarter earnings rose 11 percent despite a deepening decline in the prices paid for its Internet search advertising. The results included Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of cellphone maker Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. for the first time. Revenue climbed 35 percent from last year to $12.2 billion. If not for Motorola, revenue would have increased by 21 percent.

Microsoft Corp. says a $6.2 billion accounting adjustment to reflect a weak online ad business led to its first quarterly loss in its 26 years as a public company. The company had a loss of 6 cents a share, compared with earnings of 69 cents a share a year ago. Adjusted earnings beat expectations, and the stock rose.

Verizon Communications Inc. says net income rose 13 percent in the second quarter as its wireless arm pulled in record profits. But its traditional, wired phone business was weaker. Like other phone companies, Verizon is losing landlines, but has been compensating to some extent by signing up broadband customers. In the second quarter, that trend faltered, as it gained just 2,000 broadband customers ? the worst result in four years.

? Tuesday: Apple Inc. reveals that its growth slowed in the most recent quarter. In both revenue and net income, the company posted the smallest increases in years and failed to meet analyst expectations. It wasn't so much the volume of sales, but Apple's average selling prices declined.

At AT&T Inc., meanwhile, declining smartphone sales contributed to the best profitability ever in its wireless arm as it saved on phone subsidies. AT&T says it activated fewer smartphones in the quarter, much of it because subscribers are holding to their phones longer. That's good news for the company because it doesn't have to shell out as much in subsidies to sell the phones to customers for $99 or $199.

Netflix Inc. reports a 91 percent reduction in second-quarter earnings amid a slowdown in subscriber growth. Netflix Inc. added 1.1 million worldwide subscribers to its streaming service ? in line with management predictions, but below what analysts had hoped for.

? Wednesday: Online game maker Zynga Inc. reports a loss in the second quarter, with adjusted earnings and revenue below Wall Street's already low expectations. Zynga also lowers its outlook for the year, citing game delays, reduced expectations for "Draw Something" and what it called a "more challenging environment on the Facebook Web platform." Changes Facebook made to its website can make older games such as "FarmVille" more difficult to discover.

? Thursday: Facebook Inc.'s first earnings report as a public company had solid numbers, but in the end it landed with a thud ? much like its rocky initial public offering two months earlier. Facebook reported stronger-than-expected revenue and a gain in user numbers, but investors weren't impressed. After a brief spike, its stock fell.

Sprint Nextel Corp., the country's third-largest wireless carrier, reports a wider loss for the second quarter as wrote down the value of its moribund Nextel network. However, Sprint was successful in persuading smartphone subscribers to pay up for "unlimited data" service, and its service revenue zoomed, beating estimates.

Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. reports earnings that matched Wall Street's meager expectations, but its revenue gains and outlook for the current quarter fell short of forecasts.

? Friday: Samsung Electronics Co. reports another record-high quarterly profit as customers flocked to Galaxy smartphones. Samsung benefited from runaway demand for its Android-powered smartphones as rivals including Apple Inc. had yet to release new models. Robust sales of smartphones helped offset a slowdown in other consumer electronics businesses such as televisions.

Coming up:

? Wednesday: Comcast Corp.

? Thursday: Sony Corp., LinkedIn Corp.

? Aug. 13: Groupon Inc.

? Aug. 15: Cisco Systems Inc.

? Aug. 21: Dell Inc.

? Aug. 22: Hewlett-Packard Co.

? Sept. 27: Research in Motion Ltd.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/look-recent-tech-industry-earnings-001704437.html

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Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: ARE YOU ...

My Favorite Short Stories Revisited Part 77

MONKEY TRAP

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Here is another of my??Monkey Trap? stories. I wrote this long back when value systems were different.?

But I often think of this story, especially during my morning and evening walks in Wakad Pune with Sherry, my canine daughter - these are my best moments of the day which I?thoroughly?enjoy and try not to miss.?

Yes, every morning I go out with Sherry.?

First, we go the riverside park by the Mula River, set Sherry free and both of us play on the lush green expansive lawns - Sherry chases birds and?squirrels?while I enjoy the fresh air. Sometimes, we cross the river on the old bind-cum-bridge and play in the field of Balewadi.?

Then we walk down to the main road and watch the IT Nerds rushing to office (and back in the evenings) with harried looks on their faces and congratulate myself for not having succumbed to the temptations of the??Monkey Trap?.

Yes, I have??Retired? and after my retirement I am leading a truly??retired?life? (this was easy for me since I have always been materially content with whatever I have, I am not ambitious or??thirsting? for success nor am I desperate to??prove??myself to others,?and I basically possess, what they call, a ?retiring nature?).

I strongly believe that you must be clear as to what you want from life. Desires can be endless and as far as money is concerned I always think that for a man who knows when enough?is?enough, enough will always be enough

Dear Reader, please read this story, and tell us whether you think the message in this story is still?relevant?in the modern post-liberalization times of today. We look forward to your comments and feedback.

MONKEY TRAP

By

VIKRAM KARVE

?Come, Vijay,? Captain Naik said, leading me into his study, ?I?ll show you something interesting.?

He opened a cupboard, pulled out a strange-looking contraption and laid it on the table.

I looked at the odd device, confused but curious.

The peculiar apparatus consisted of a whole hollowed-out spherical coconut shell attached to a solid iron chain, about two feet long, with a large metal stake at the other end.

?You know what this is?? Captain Naik asked me.

?No,? I answered.

?I got this in Penang when I was cadet, almost thirty years ago,? Captain Naik said, picking up the coconut in his left hand, holding the chain in his right.

He looked at me and explained: ?This is a monkey trap. The hollowed-out coconut is filled with some cooked rice through this small hole, chained to the stake which is driven firmly into the ground.?

Captain Naik pointed to the small hole at the top of the coconut and said, ?Look at this hole. It is just big enough so that the monkey?s hand to go in, but too small for his fist filled with rice to come out. The greedy monkey reaches in, grabs the rice and is suddenly trapped. Because his greed won?t allow him to let go of the rice and extricate his hand, the monkey remains trapped, a victim of his greed, until he is captured.?

I listened, curious.

?The monkey cannot see that freedom without the rice is more valuable than capture with it,? Captain Naik said, and then he concluded with these words addressed to me, ?That?s what happens to most of us. Probably it?s the story of your life too. Think about it.?

I thought about it and said, ?Suppose I quit the merchant navy. What will I do??

?Why don?t you join me?? Captain Naik suggested, ?It?s a comfortable job. It?s professionally satisfying, and you will have plenty of time for your family too. Besides, I need people like you. Of course, you won?t get your thousands of dollars, but the pay here is quite good by Indian standards.?

Captain Naik was the director of a maritime training institute in Goa, running various courses for merchant navy officers. It was a lovely self-contained campus on the shores of the Arabian Sea.

At first I wondered whether he had a vested interest, but I knew that was not true.?

Captain Naik had been my mentor and well-wisher; it was he who had groomed me when I had been a cadet on his ship many years ago, and always showered me with his patronage later too, when I was a junior officer. That?s why I had made it a point to visit him the moment my ship touched Murmagao port.

For the next six months, as I sailed on the high seas, I could not forget the ?monkey trap? ? in fact, the story of the Monkey Trap haunted me.

I pondered over the matter. I let the story of the Money Trap perambulate in my mind for some time. And suddenly, one day, I knew what my decision would be.

But first, I would have to discuss it with my wife.

Truly speaking, that was not really necessary.

My wife would be the happiest person on earth when she would hear of my decision.

For I could clearly recall every word of that vicious argument we had just before I left my home to sail out to sea on my long eight month contract as the Master of this ship about seven months ago.

It was our tenth wedding anniversary and we had thrown a small party.

As I walked towards the kitchen door, I noticed my wife, Anjali, engrossed in a conversation with her childhood friend Meena, their backs turned toward me.

?Tell me, Anjali,? Meena was saying, ?If you could live your life again, what is the one thing you would like to change??

?My marriage?!? Anjali answered,??If there is one thing I could change if I could live my life again I would change my lonely marriage.?

I was so stunned that I stopped in my tracks, dumbstruck. I recovered my wits and I turned away from the kitchen door and returned to the party.

After the party was over, I confronted Anjali, ?What were you doing in the kitchen all the time with that Meena friend of yours? You should have circulated amongst the important guests,?

?I feel out of place in your shippie crowd,? Anjali answered.

?My shippie crowd?!? I thundered. ?And you regret marrying me, do you??

I paused for a moment, and then said to my wife firmly, ?Listen Anjali, you better stop associating with riffraff like Meena. Please get rid of your middle-class mentality. Think of our status.?

?Riffraff?!? Anjali was staring at me incredulously, ?I too was also what you call ?riffraff? once. And I was quite happy too with my so-called middle class mentality! What?s the use of all these material comforts and all this money and so-called status? None of it can compensate for the companionship and security of a husband. It is painful for me to stay alone for most of my life when you are away at sea. The terrible loneliness, it is corrosive; and it is eating into me. Sometimes I feel you just wanted a caretaker to look after your parents, your house, and of course, now to bring up your children; a sentry to hold the fort while you gallivant around the world for months at a time. And that?s why you married a simple middle-class girl like me; or rather you bought me! That?s what you think, isn?t it???

I winced when she said, ?bought?.

But in a certain way, I knew it was true, and that is why I lost my temper and shouted, ?I don?t gallivant around ? It?s hard earned money I have to slog and undergo hardship for! I do it for all of you. And yes indeed! I bought you. Yes I may have bought you?but that is because you were willing to sell yourself. Remember one thing. No one can buy anything unless someone is willing to sell it.?

I instantly regretted my words realizing that they would only worsen the gaps in our relationship ? gaps I had failed to bridge in all these ten years despite all the expensive gifts I had given her, the money, the plush lifestyle and luxurious material comforts. And these gaps kept becoming bigger and bigger with time.

That is what I was always doing ? always trying to use money to fill gaps in our relationship.

And now, I was flying home after handing over command ? for the last time.

This was my last ship.

I had made my decision.

It was probably the meeting with Captain Naik and the ?monkey trap? which clinched the issue, but my decision was final.

I had even written to him that I would be joining him at his maritime training institute in a month or so.

But I did not write or tell Anjali.

For her I wanted it to be a surprise ? the happiest moment of her life!

And for me too.

I did not hire a luxury air-conditioned taxi from Mumbai airport to take me directly to my house in Pune like I always did. I knew I would have to get used to a bit of thrift and frugality and have a less lavish lifestyle in the future.

So, from Mumbai airport, I took a bus to Dadar Railway Station and caught the Deccan Express at seven in the morning.

I was travelling light ? no expensive gifts this time, and it being off-season, I was lucky to get a seat in an unreserved second-class compartment.

When I reached home at about lunch time, I was shocked to find my wife Anjali missing.

My old parents were having lunch by themselves; my children were at school.

When Anjali arrived at two in the afternoon, I was stunned by the metamorphosis in her appearance ? designer dress, fashionable jewellery, hair done up, fancy make-up ? painted like a doll; in short, the??works?.

?What a surprise!? she exclaimed on seeing me. ?Why didn?t you call up and tell us you were coming???

?Anjali, I want to talk to you. It is something important,? I said.

?Not now,? she said, almost ignoring me. ?I am already late. I just came for a quick change of clothes. Something suitable for the races??

?Races??? I asked flabbergasted as I could not believe my ears.

?Don?t you know? Today is Derby Day ? I am going to see the Pune Derby at the Turf Club in the afternoon. Mrs. Shah is coming to pick me up. You know her, don?t you?the one whose husband is working in the Gulf. And you better buy me a new car.?

?New car??? I asked dumbfounded.

?The old one looks cheap. I hate to be seen in it. It doesn?t befit our status at all. We must have a good car ? something more top-end. I know we can afford it.?

The next few days passed in a haze of confusion, punctuated by one surprise after another from Anjali. She wanted a deluxe flat in one of those exclusive townships, she wanted to send our children to an elite boarding school in Mussoorie,?she?wanted membership to time-share holiday resorts, she had her eyes set on a farmhouse near Lonavala, and so on and on ? her demands were endless.

And in between she would ask me, ?Vijay, I hope you are happy that I am trying to change myself. I am getting rid of my stupid middle class mentality. It?s all for your sake. You were right. It is money and status that matter. Without a standard of living, there can be no quality of life?!?

I did not know whether to laugh or cry.

That she was once a simple domesticated middle-class girl whose concept of utopia was a happy family life was now but a distant memory for her.

Anjali was no longer the simple girl I once knew - she has metamorphosed into a high-society wife.

To ?belong? was now the driving force of her life.

I wish I could give this story a happy ending.

But I will tell you what actually happened.

First, I rang up my shipping agent in Mumbai and told him to get me the most lucrative contract to go to sea as soon as possible.

Then I wrote a long letter to Captain Naik regretting my inability to join?him as?faculty in his training institute in the near future.

But I also wrote in that letter asking him to keep his offer of the teaching job open just in case there was a reverse transformation in Anjali ? back to her earlier self.

I am an optimist and I think it will happen someday.

And I hope the day comes fast ? when both of us, Anjali and I, can free ourselves from the Monkey Traps of our own making.

Dear Reader, close your eyes and ponder a bit.

Have you entangled yourself in monkey traps of your own making?

Think about it.

Reflect.

And in your mind?s eye visualize all your very own self-created Monkey Traps in which you have entangled yourself.

What are you waiting for?

The solution is in your hands.

Just let go, and free yourself.

But is it that easy?

Ask yourself ? What is more important: Freedom or golden manacles??

What do you value more: standard of living or quality of life??

I wonder if I shall ever be able to free myself from the manacles of the ?Monkey Trap? of my own making and can my high society wife ever become the simple middle-class girl I once knew??

I sometimes wonder:

Are?standard of living and?quality of life inextricably intertwined?

Or are they mutually exclusive??

I agree that you certainly require some standard of living to enjoy a quality of life, but beyond a threshold limit I think it impinges on your quality of life for the sacrifices and efforts you have to make to enhance your standard of living to very high levels?sometimes may?result in your not having enough time, energy or mental peace to be able to enjoy day-to-day quality of life.?

That is why I believe that you must know exactly the type of life you want to live and when you get there you must say to?yourself??enough is enough??

Do you agree??

I am sure you don?t, for these are the views of an obsolescent old-fogey.

So, Dear Friend, do comment and let us know your modern views.

VIKRAM KARVE?

Copyright ? Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
? vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this story?
I am sure you will like the 27 fiction short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction?COCKTAIL?

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Foodie Book:? Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
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About?Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal:?http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve:?http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:??https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog:?http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email:?vikramkarve@sify.com
vikramkarve@hotmail.com

? vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Source: http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2012/07/are-you-monkey-trapped-my-favorite.html

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J. Michael Straczynski Believes In 'Ghostbusters 3?; Has Working ...

As one of Hollywood?s longest ongoing ?in-development? projects, the much talked-about (and requested) Ghostbusters 3 has had its fair of setbacks ? many setbacks, as of recently. But there?s one person Dan Aykroyd can add to his list of supporters: famed writer (and The Real Ghostbusters?animated series mastermind) J. Michael Straczynski.

Speaking with Straczynski at Comic-Con 2012, the topic of the ?still in-the-works? Ghostbusters 3 came up, as Men in Black 3 writer Etan Cohen had just been tapped to rewrite the original script from Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (Bad Teacher, Year One).

Bringing up Bill Murray?s hesitations with the Ghostbusters 3 script, and Cohen?s work on Men in Black 3 ? which was itself rewritten by (at least) two other writers ? we asked Straczynski whether the long-awaited Ghostbusters 3 could even work, given Murray?s need (and Aykroyd?s want) for it to ?perfect.?

Quickly replying with a laugh and the statement,??Yes, well, if I wrote it,? it was clear that Straczynski had given the notion Ghostbusters 3 some thought. Acknowledging that he often comes up with ideas for franchises he has previously worked on or created (Thor, Underworld, Babylon 5), Straczynski admitted that he does have a working idea for a Ghostbusters 3 script ? and that he would be willing to write it, if asked.

But therein lies the problem: Straczynski is likely never to be asked. Why? A grudge.

Following the success of the original Ghostbusters movie, Straczynski was tapped to spearhead the now iconic cartoon The Real Ghostbusters for ABC. Delivering the majority of the 147 episodes of the series ? though not Slimer and The Real Ghostbusters (he quit under protest, only returning after ABC apologized and promised to let him write the characters his way) ? the longtime scribe has ultimately been involved with creating almost fifty-four hours of terrific Ghostbusters storytelling (compared to Aykrod and Ramis? three). Unfortunately, Straczynski?s work on The Real Ghostbusters may have been too terrific, as this is the source of the problem.

When Ghostbusters 2 premiered in 1989, many fans of the series (and Bill Murray) were unhappy with the sequel. Using The Real Ghostbusters as a quality caliber, many began to cite the cartoon as being better than?Ghostbusters 2 ? something that didn?t sit too well with those who created the iconic paranormal exterminators.

We did the animated series ? which got great reviews; fans loved it ? and then [Ghostbusters 2] came out and didn?t do terribly well. Everyone kept saying that the animated show was better. That caught in the craw of some of the people who make [Ghostbusters] ? that [people] were saying the animation was better than their film. So I think there?s a personal awkwardness, on their part, to come back to me on [Ghostbusters 3].

For Straczynski, whose 10-hour a day writing habit has him currently scribing two tentpole films for Paramount, as well as many other projects under his newly-created ?Studio JMS,??Ghostbusters 3 isn?t exactly something he needs to do. But as one of the figures who can certainly be pointed to as a source for the continued love of the franchise, his lack involvement (or consultation) with the third film should be disheartening for Ghostbusters fans.

Recently, Aykroyd gave an update to Ghostbusters 3, following Murray?s dismissal of the previous script:

It?s got to be perfect. That?s the whole thing. There?s no point in doing it unless it?s perfect. So that?s what we?re up to now.

While Etan Cohen is certainly able to write a compelling script on his own, his work on Ghostbusters 3 is purely script doctoring (fixing). Given Murray?s hesitation to read anything from the writers of Year One, Cohen is simply trying make work what already didn?t, instead of crafting a completely original story himself. As for trying to attain Aykroyd?s ?perfection? ? that goal is beginning to sound less likely.

So while Ghostbusters fans wait for Bill Murray to be beaten down enough to begrudgingly agree to Ghostbusters 3, the clear solution to this 20-year old problem of a Ghostbusters threequel will continue to unfortunately stare everyone in the face?

If YOU agree that Straczynski should have a shot at the Ghostbusters 3 script, let your voice be heard! Tweet your thoughts on the subject with the hashtag of ??#JMS4GB3?

Because while grudges may have been fine in the past, what Ghostbusters 3 really needs is someone that has proven that they can write for these iconic characters. Currently, there are 3 people ? and J. Michael Straczynski is one of them.

-

Follow Anthony on Twitter @anthonyocasio

"Follow us if you want to live."

Source: http://screenrant.com/ghostbusters-3-j-michael-straczynski/

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Old-Fashioned Motherhood: The Purpose of Motherhood

??When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses?? ~Neal A. Maxwell

Yesterday I had a lengthy conversation with a sweet lady I love dearly. Like me, she is a mother of many, and like all of us have from time to time, she was having a difficult time emotionally.


She pleaded with me to know what the meaning of motherhood IS. What is the point? Why do our children, our homes, our husbands NEED us? Do they really? Are we doing them any good? Are mothers actually necessary???


Her questions caught me off guard, mostly because I feel so passionately about the subject, and also because there was so much I wanted to say. In a moment, in that instant, how could I convey all that I feel and know about the divinity of motherhood?


After an afternoon, evening, and night of pondering and rolling her questions over in my mind, I feel I can now better share my heart and convictions on the subject.

More than Bearing Children

?"Women for the most part see their greatest fulfillment, their greatest happiness in home and family. God planted within women something divine that expresses itself in quiet strength, in refinement, in peace, in goodness, in virtue, in truth, in love. And all of these remarkable qualities find their truest and most satisfying expression in motherhood."

"Said Thomas Wolfe: 'There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful women in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.' Or, to which I might add, cuddling a baby, or leading a child in prayer, or counseling a strong young son or daughter, or comforting a tired companion." ~Gordon B. Hinckley

My friend has reached the end of her baby-bearing years. Like so many other mothers of large families-- me included-- she is feeling that giving children life is a huge part of her purpose as a mother. And now that is all over. She is not having more babies, and she is left wondering what there is to motherhood beyond that.

But motherhood is more than bearing children. While the sacrifices we make to bring children into the world are sacred and humbling, the days beyond are where the true journey of courage and sanctification live.?

When we wake up every morning to face a new day as Mother, we know we will be confronting messes, arguments, projects, crying, hungry mouths, and dirty faces. To many, this work has been labeled as menial, full of drudgery and unimportant. But it is the stuff of life! I know there are times when it feels overwhelming, even impossible to go on, but this process of serving in the most humble way is where the divinity of motherhood is created and refined-- day in, day out. Over and over again.

Elder James E. Faust reinforced this truth beautifully when he said:

"Do not be deceived in your quest to find happiness and an identity of your own. Entreating voices may tell you that what you have seen your mothers and grandmothers do is old-fashioned, unchallenging, boring, and drudgery. It may have been old-fashioned and perhaps routine; at times it was drudgery. But your mothers and grandmothers have sung a song that expressed the highest love and the noblest of womanly feelings. They have been our nurturers and our teachers. They have sanctified the work, transforming drudgery into the noblest enterprises."

"Homemaking is whatever you make of it. Every day brings satisfaction along with some work which may be frustrating, routine, and unchallenging. But it is the same in the law office, the dispensary, the laboratory, or the store. There is, however, no more important job than homemaking. As C. S. Lewis said, 'A housewife?s work ? is the one for which all others exist.'"

Did you hear what he is saying here? Housework, homemaking-- whatever you want to call it-- is inextricably connected to the divine purpose of motherhood.?


This statement may shock some, and anger others. We live in a world that has turned serving our families in our homes into the lowest of the low, the untouchable, the most wretched work anyone must do.

"Homemaking skills are becoming a lost art. I worry about this. When we lose the homemakers in a society, we create an emotional homelessness much like street homelessness, with similar problems of despair, drugs, immorality, and lack of self-worth. In a publication called The Family in America, Bryce Christensen writes that the number of homeless people on the street 'does not begin to reveal the scope of homelessness in America. For since when did the word home signify merely physical shelter, or homelessness merely the lack of such shelter? ? Home [signifies] not only shelter, but also emotional commitment, security, and belonging. Home has connoted not just a necessary roof and warm radiator, but a place sanctified by the abiding ties of wedlock, parenthood, and family obligation; a place demanding sacrifice and devotion, but promising loving care and warm acceptance.'" ~Susan W. Tanner

There are voices all around us, shrilly insisting that the menial work of home and family are the least important work a woman can do. But with all the conviction I have within me, I declare and testify that the work of motherhood is the highest, noblest, most important and crucial work that can ever be done, any time, any where. There is no mission higher, no calling greater, no ambition more noble than that of a mother who sacrifices and serves her family, day in, day out.?




No one?anywhere?needs us more than our children and husbands do! As Elder Richard G. Scott stated:

"The vital importance of teaching truth in the home is fundamental. The Church is important, but it is in the home where parents provide the required understanding and direction for children.?It is truly said that the most important callings in time and eternity are those of father and mother.?In time we will be released from all other assignments we receive but not from that of father and mother."

So what do we do when we're feeling worthless, depressed, overwhelmed, and defeated? As President Gordon B. Hinckley's father once told Him, "Forget yourself and go to work." One of the best cures I have found in my own life is to pull myself up and do some routine, menial work. The idea of drudgery is the intimidating thing! But when we get up and go to work to help someone else, we come away revitalized, renewed-- even full of purpose and energy.


But there is a caution to be given with this answer: it's also all in the attitude. The Savior never indulged in feelings of martyrdom, and neither should we! When we begrudgingly do housework, we are not serving our family. We are serving our own selfish needs to justify our anger and get everyone to feel sorry for us. But it does not work to make us feel better, nor for our family to appreciate us! Our efforts should be selfLESS, not selfish in nature. We only turn the cure to our unhappiness to poison when we work with an embittered heart.


If the idea of cleaning or working on housework makes you want to crumple up into a ball, and it's just something you can't make yourself do in that moment, then gather up your little ones into your lap and read them a small book. Or call a friend, a sister, or an aunt or your mother. Work on a project that you've been procrastinating. Go on a date with your husband. Most of all, PRAY for help, strength and renewal to do the ONE THING that the Lord would have you do in that moment of despair. Just DON'T give up!

Mothers Are Divinely Called

"Motherhood is not what was left over after our Father blessed His sons with priesthood ordination. It was the most ennobling endowment He could give His daughters, a sacred trust that gave women an unparalleled role in helping His children keep their second estate. As President J. Reuben Clark Jr. declared, motherhood is 'as divinely called, as eternally important in its place as the Priesthood itself.'" ~Sheri L. Dew?

Our children, no matter the age, learn from their parents what adults, mothers, fathers, and families do and should be. We don't simply teach our children how to successfully become adults by what we say, but the more powerful lesson comes from what we DO. Their eyes are always watching, their ears are always listening. The impact of how we live?says far more than any lecture or lesson ever could.

"Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her caress that first awakens a sense of security, her kiss, the first realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love in the world."?~David O. McKay??

Our daughters need mothers so that they can know how to be wives, homemakers, and mothers someday. Our sons need mothers in order to learn how to honor, protect, and love women. And most of all, children need mothers to lead them to Christ. With our selfless love and devotion to home and family, we are showing our children how Christ loves and serves all of us.?

?We can give our children education, lessons, athletics, the arts, and material possessions, but if we do not give them faith in Christ, we have given little." ~Kevin W. Pearson

What we do every day is written into the hearts, souls and minds of our children. This is a daunting realization for any mother! I don't know any woman who is perfect, however. But when we have the conviction in our hearts that our efforts are supported and sanctified by God, we can begin to see the importance of our work as mothers. The Lord will NOT leave us alone in this noblest of causes! He sent us our children so that we could lead them back to Him.

?Every mother should endeavor to be a true artist. I do not mean by this that every woman should be a painter, sculptor, musician, poet, or writer, but the artist who will write on the table of childish innocence thoughts she will not blush to see read in the light of eternity and printed amid the archives of heaven, that the young may learn to wear them as amulets around their hearts and throw them as bulwarks around their lives, and that in the hour of temptation and trial the voices from home may linger around their paths as angels of guidance, around their steps, and be incentives to deeds of high and holy worth.? ~Francis E. W. Harper?

Serving As Christ Served?

The Savior never put himself above others. He lead with love, always thinking of others before He thought of His own needs or desires. He washed the feet of His apostles, left His mourning to teach a crowd of thousands, relieved and blessed the fishermen who had been working all night without a catch.?

Even as He hung on the cross, dying, fulfilling the ultimate moment of His divine mission on earth, He was concerned about the welfare of His mother. Indeed, He even took a moment as He hung in agony to plead with God for the forgiveness of the soldiers who had lifted Him on the cross.

The selfless work we do in our homes is a blessed opportunity to serve as Christ Himself served. There will never be fanfare, applause, monetary compensation, awards, or accolades for the work we perform in our homes. But the true rewards of motherhood lie in the hearts of our children, grandchild, and posterity for eternity. Every diaper we change, every mess we clean, every late night talk we participate in is recorded for all of heaven to see. And as we serve, we become closer to God, refined and sanctified by His work.

"And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better." ~D&C 25:10?(the Lord is speaking to Emma Smith)?

As mothers, we are partners with God in bringing His children unto Him. There is no greater mission, no greater call, nothing more noble. And as mothers, we have more influence among the children in our own homes than we can have among anyone else. The impact of a mother in the home is immense, even though it may appear insignificant to the world. But to God and His plan for His children, it is an important key to His mission and purpose to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

??God has implanted deep in the souls of parents the truth that they cannot with impunity shirk the responsibility to protect childhood and youth. There seems to be a growing tendency to shift this responsibility from the home to outside influences, such as the school and the church. Important as these outward influences are, they never can take the place of the influence of the mother and the father.? ~David O. McKay

No one else can do the work that God has called us to do in our own homes, among our own families. Our divine mission as mothers must stand as the highest of our purposes and priorities. It is the most important mission ANY woman can fulfill, and any others pale in comparison and impact. If there are ANY other missions, purposes, careers, or hobbies that are pulling us away from the divine work of motherhood, we need to put them in their proper places in our lives


I testify this is true, in the name of our perfect example, Jesus Christ. Amen.

"God bless you, mothers. When all the victories and defeats of men's efforts are tallied, when the dust of life's battles begins to settle, when all for which we labor so hard in this world of conquest fades before our eyes, you will be there, you must be there, as the strength for a new generation, the ever-improving onward movement of the race." ~Gordon B. Hinckley

For more reading on this important topic, please see the links below:

With love,

Source: http://blog.oldfashionedmotherhood.com/2012/07/the-purpose-of-motherhood.html

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Cheesecake Factory 2Q earns rise 15 percent

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? Restaurant operator Cheesecake Factory Inc. reported a 15 percent increase in second-quarter earnings Wednesday on the strength of improved sales in its namesake chain.

Results topped Wall Street's expectations and the stock climbed in after-hours trading.

Net income for the April-through-June period was $28.4 million, or 52 cents per share, up from $24.7 million, or 42 cents per share, in the second quarter of 2011.

Excluding proceeds from a variable life insurance contract, the company said adjusted income was 51 cents per share.

Revenue was $454.7 million, up 6 percent from $430.7 million a year earlier.

Analysts were expecting earnings of 49 cents per share on revenue of $457 million, according to FactSet.

The company said comparable sales ? those from restaurants open more than a year ? were up 2.1 percent from a year earlier at The Cheesecake Factory but down 2.9 percent at its Grand Lux Cafe chain.

Cheesecake Factory, which runs 173 restaurants nationwide, also said its board approved the initiation of quarterly dividend. The first dividend of 12 cents per share will be paid Aug. 21 to shareholders of record Aug. 8.

Shares in the company jumped $1.87, or 6.2 percent, to $32 in after-hours trading following the release of the earnings report. In the regular session, they declined 6 cents to $30.38.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cheesecake-factory-2q-earns-rise-15-percent-222215297--finance.html

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Senate OKs Dem tax-cut bill in showdown with GOP

In this July 24, 2012, photo, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, following a political strategy session, as from back left, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Ariz., listen. The Senate is bracing for a tax-cut showdown that is all about Democrats and Republicans showing voters their differences over taxing the well-off while accusing each other of threatening to shove the government over a fiscal cliff. Senators planned to vote Wednesday, July 25 on a $250 billion Democratic bill that would extend expiring tax cuts next year for all but the highest earners. Republicans were forcing Reid to corral 60 votes for the proposal, which he does not have. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

In this July 24, 2012, photo, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, following a political strategy session, as from back left, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Ariz., listen. The Senate is bracing for a tax-cut showdown that is all about Democrats and Republicans showing voters their differences over taxing the well-off while accusing each other of threatening to shove the government over a fiscal cliff. Senators planned to vote Wednesday, July 25 on a $250 billion Democratic bill that would extend expiring tax cuts next year for all but the highest earners. Republicans were forcing Reid to corral 60 votes for the proposal, which he does not have. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

In this July 24, 2012, photo, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, talks to reporters following a closed-door political strategy session at the Capitol in Washington. The Senate is bracing for a tax-cut showdown that is all about Democrats and Republicans showing voters their differences over taxing the well-off while accusing each other of threatening to shove the government over a fiscal cliff. Senators planned to vote Wednesday, July 25 on a $250 billion Democratic bill that would extend expiring tax cuts next year for all but the highest earners. Republicans were forcing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to corral 60 votes for the proposal, which he does not have. Boehner was ready to push legislation through his chamber next week that closely mirrors the Senate GOP measure. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Democrats pushed a yearlong extension of tax cuts for all but the highest-earning Americans through the Senate on Wednesday, giving Democrats a significant political victory on a measure that is fated to go no further in Congress.

Senators approved the Democratic bill by a near party-line 51-48 vote, with Vice President Joe Biden presiding over the chamber in case his vote was needed to break a tie. Minutes earlier, lawmakers voted 54-45 to kill a rival Republican package that would have included the best-off in the tax reductions.

The $250 billion Democratic measure would extend tax cuts in 2013 for millions of Americans that otherwise would expire in January. But it would deny those reductions to individuals making over $200,000 yearly and couples earning at least $250,000.

Passage of the Democratic measure put the Senate on record as backing a bill that closely follows the tax-cutting vision of President Barack Obama. It averted what would have been a significant embarrassment for Democrats and Obama, who has made tax fairness ? meaning tax increases on the rich ? an overarching theme of his re-election campaign.

The vote also serves as a counterpoint to the GOP-run House, which next week will approve tax cuts nearly identical to the $405 billion Republican plan the Senate rejected Wednesday.

"The question is, who are you fighting for," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said before the vote. "Are you fighting for the people who make a billion dollars a year? That's who the Republicans are fighting for, and they get so emotional about it. Or are you fighting for the middle class, the heart and soul of America."

Republicans said the measure was all about Democratic posturing for the upcoming elections and would hurt the economy because boosting taxes on the wealthy will hinder them from hiring workers for their companies.

"Thank goodness it's not going anywhere because it would be bad for the economy, the single worst thing we could do to the country," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said.

With Senate control at stake in November's elections, Republicans were hoping that several Democrats seeking re-election would hurt their candidacies by having backed the Democratic package. The bill would dramatically boost the estate tax, which would be widely unpopular in farming, ranching and high cost-of-living states, and increase levies on dividends and capital gains, which are relied on by many elderly people.

"That's what today's votes are all about," McConnell said in a thinly veiled warning to Democrats. "Showing the people who sent us here where we stand."

The White House chimed in by reiterating its support for the Democratic plan.

"All sides agree on the need to extend the tax cuts for the middle class," the White House wrote in a statement. "This legislation reflects that consensus and should not be held hostage while debating the merits of another tax cut for the wealthy."

Under the Democratic measure, individuals earning over $200,000 and couples making at least $250,000 would see their top rates rise from 33 percent and 35 percent today to 36 percent and 39.6 percent in January.

Democrats argue that the well-off should contribute to efforts to contain federal deficits, while Republicans say many of those affected own businesses and would have a harder time hiring workers. The increase would affect 2.5 million households, or 2 percent of all 140.5 million tax returns, according to 2009 Internal Revenue Service statistics.

The Democratic bill would also boost the top tax rate paid by people who inherit estates to 55 percent, exempting the first $1 million in an estate's value. The GOP measure would maintain today's 35 percent top rate and would not tax the first $5.12 million of an estate's value.

In fresh figures released this week by Republicans, Congress' nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the Democratic provision would affect 55,200 estates next year, compared with 3,600 who would face estate taxes under the GOP plan.

Democrats would impose top tax rates next year of 20 percent on dividends and capital gains, two sources of income enjoyed disproportionately by the wealthy. The GOP top rate would be 15 percent.

The GOP bill ignores some tax credits for low- and middle-income families that Democrats want to extend for college costs; for some low-income couples and large working families; and for families with children.

All were part of Obama's economic 2009 stimulus bill. Democrats say those tax breaks were meant to be permanent but Republicans say they were only a short-term response to the recession.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Kuhnhenn contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-07-25-Congress-Taxes/id-745d9ad7539f47ba8ab5d83953f56f05

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