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Wikinews interviews Australian blind Paralympic skier Melissa Perrine

Monday, December 10, 2012

Vail, Colorado, United States — Yesterday, Wikinews sat down with Australian blind Paralympic skier Melissa Perrine who was participating in a national team training camp in Vail, Colorado.

((Wikinews)) This is Melissa Perrine. And are you like Jess Gallagher and just here training and not competing?

Melissa Perrine: I’m not competing right now.

((WN)) And you competed in 2010 in Vancouver?

MP: I did. Yeah.

((WN)) And who was your guide?

MP: Andy Bor.

((WN)) Why a male guide? He’s got to have different skis, and he can’t turn exactly the same way.

MP: I think that with me it was just that Andy was the fittest person that was with the team when I came along. He used to be an assistant coach with the team before I started with him.

((WN)) And you guys have a good relationship?

MP: Yeah!

((WN)) Like a husband and wife relationship without the sex?

MP: No, not at all. (laughs) Older brother maybe. Good relationship though. We get along really well.

((WN)) So have you ever lost communications on the course in an embarrassing moment?

MP: We ski courses without communications. (unintelligible)

((WN)) You’re a B3 then?

MP: I’m a B2.

((WN)) So you can see even less than Jessica Gallagher.

MP: Yes.

((WN)) How do you ski down a course when you can’t even see it?

MP: Andy!

((WN)) You just said you had no communications!

MP: Oh, I just have to be a lot closer to him.

((WN)) So if he’s close enough you can overcome that issue?

MP: Yeah.

((WN)) Why are you doing skiing?

MP: Why? I enjoy it.

((WN)) You enjoy going fast?

MP: I love going fast. I like the challenge of it.

((WN)) Even though you can’t see how fast you’re going.

MP: Oh yes. It’s really good. It’s enjoyable. It’s a challenge. I love the sport, I love the atmosphere.

((WN)) I’ve asked the standing skiers, who’s the craziest Paralympic skiers? Is it the ones who are on the sit skis, the blind ones or the ones missing limbs?

MP: I probably think it’s the sit skiers who are a bit nuts. I think we all think the other categories are a bit mental. I wouldn’t jump on a sit ski and go down the course. Or put the blindfold on and do the same thing.

((WN)) B1 with the black goggles. Is your eye sight degenerative?

MP: No, I’m pretty stable.

((WN)) Not going to become a B1 any time soon?

MP: Oh God, I hope not. No, I’m pretty stable so I don’t envision getting much blinder than I am now unless something goes wrong.

((WN)) And you’re trying for Sochi?

MP: Definitely.

((WN)) And you think your chances are really good?

MP: I think I’ve got a decent chance. I just have to keep training like I have been.

((WN)) Win a medal this time?

MP: I’d like to. That’s the intention. (laughs)

((WN)) Do you like the media attention you’ve gotten? Do you wish there was more for yourself and winter sports, or of women athletes in general?

MP: I think that promoting women in sport and the winter games is more important than promoting myself. I’m quite happy to stay in the background, but if I can do something to promote the sport, or promote women in the sport, especially because we’ve got such a small amount of women competing in skiing, especially in blind skiing. I think that’s more important overall.

((WN)) Most skiers are men?

MP: There’s more men competing in skiing, far more. The standards are a bit higher with the males than with the females.

((WN)) The classification system for everyone else is functional ability, and you guys are a medical classification. Do you think you get a fair shake in terms of classification? Are you happy with the classification?

MP: I think I’m happy with it, the way it’s set out. With vision impairment I’m a B2, against other B2s. It may be the same category, but we have different disabilities, so there’s not much more they can do. I think it’s as fair as they possibly can.

((WN)) You like the point system? You’re okay with it? Competing against B1s and B3s even though you’re a B2?

MP: The factors even all that out. The way they’ve got it at the moment, I don’t have any issues with them, the blind categories.

((WN)) What was it that got you skiing in the first place?

MP: An accident, basically. Complete by chance. A friend of mine in the Department of Recreation used to run skiing camps in the South West Sydney region, and she had a spare spot at one of the camps. Knew that I was vision impaired, and: “Do you want to come along?” “Yeah, why, not, give it a go.” This was back when I was about twelve, thirteen. I went, and I loved it. Went back again, and again, and again. And for the first five or six years I just skied for like a week a season sort of thing, like, you’re on a camp. Fell in love with the sport; my skiing and the mountain atmosphere, I love it, and then, when I finished my HSC, I decided to take myself off to Canada, and skiing Kimberley, the disabled race program that was run by the ex-Australian who coaches Steve Boba, and I’d heard about it through Disabled Winter Sports Australia. And I thought I’d spend some time in Canada, which is for skiing, and had a year off between school and uni, so… first time I ran through a race course actually. It was pretty awesome. So I went back again the next year, and Steve [Boba] recommended me to Steve [Graham], and he watched me skiing in September in the South Island, and invited me on a camp with the Australian team, and I trained for Vancouver, and I qualified, and I said “sure, why not?” And here I am!

((WN)) So you liked Vancouver?

MP: It was just an amazing experience. I came into Vancouver… I had quite a bad accident on a downhill course in Sestriere about seven weeks out from the games, and I fractured my pelvis. So, I was coming into Vancouver with an injury and I had only just recovered and was in quite a lot of pain. So it was an amazing experience and I was quite glad I did it, but wish for a different outcome.

((WN)) So you are more optimistic about Sochi then?

MP: Yes.

((WN)) One of the things about skiing is that it’s really expensive to do. How do you afford to ski given how expensive it is? And the fact that you need a guide who’s got his own expenses.

MP: I’m lucky enough to rank quite high in the world at the moment, so due to my ranking I’m awarded a certain amount of funding from the Australian Sports Commission, which covers my equipment and expenses, and the team picks up training costs and travel costs. All I’ve got to pay for is food and my own equipment, which is good, so I’ve managed to do it a budget.

((WN)) What do you do outside of skiing, because you look kind of young? And you being not like, 30 or 40?

MP: I’m 24. I’m a student still.

((WN)) Which university?

MP: University of Western Sydney. It’s my third university degree. I’ve completed two others prior to this one that I’m doing now.

((WN)) Which degree? That you’re currently pursuing.

MP: Currently, physiotherapy.

((WN)) Because of your experience with sport?

MP: Not really, except that my experience with sport certainly helped my interest and kind of fueled a direction to take in the physiotherapy field when I’m finished my degree, but more the medical side of injury, rehabilitation that got me interested in physiotherapy to begin with, burns rehabilitation and things like that.

((WN)) You view yourself a full-time student as opposed to a full-time professional skier.

MP: Not really. I’m a student when uni’s on and when uni’s finished I’m a skier. The way that the term structure is in Australia it gives me all this time to ski. The uni starts at the end of February and goes to the beginning of June, and then we’ve got a six or seven week break until beginning or mid-August, and uni starts again then, and we go up to mid way through November, and then we’ve got a break again. Skiing fits in very nicely to that.

((WN)) What’s the route for qualification to Sochi for you.

MP: Just maintaining my points. At the moment I’ve qualified. I just need to maintain my points, keep my points under, and then I qualify for the Australian team.

((WN)) So there’s a chance they could say no?

MP: If I’m skiing really badly. An injury.

((WN)) Or if you’re like those Australian swimmers who had the guns…

MP: I’ve no sign of picking up a gun any time soon. Giving a blind girl a gun is not a good idea. (laughs)

((WN)) It just seemed to us that Sochi was so far away on out hand, and yet seemed to be in everybody’s mind. It’s on their program. Sixteen months away?

MP: Yes, something like that. Sixteen. I think it’s been on our mind ever since Vancouver was over and done with. Next season, that was that, it was like: “what are our goals for the next four years?” And it was, “What are our goals for the next three years and two years?” And subsequently, next season, it’s Sochi. What we need to work on, what we need to accomplish for then, to be as ready as possible.

((WN)) What is your favourite event of all the skiing ones? You like the downhill because it’s fast? Or you like Giant Slalom because it’s technically challenging? Or…

MP: I prefer the speed events. The downhill; frightens me but I do love the adrenalin. I’m always keen to do a downhill. But I think Super G might just be my favourite.

((WN)) Do you do any other adrenalin junkie type stuff? Do you go bungee jumping? Jumping out of airplanes? Snowboarding?

MP: I don’t snowboard, no. I have jumped out of a plane. I thought that was fun but downhill has got more adrenalin than jumping out of a plane, I found. I do mixed martial arts and judo. That’s my other passion.

((WN)) Have you thought of qualifying for the Summer [Para]lympics in judo?

MP: As far as I know, Australia doesn’t have a judo program for the Paralympics. But, if I ever get good enough, then sure.

((WN)) They sent one.

MP: They’ve sent one, and he’s amazing. He beats up blind guys, able bodieds, quite constantly. I’ve seen video of him fight, and he’s very very good. If I ever reach that level, then sure, it’s something I’d look into it.

((WN)) Does judo help with your skiing?

MP: Yes, it increases my agility and balance, and strength, for sure.

((WN)) I want to let you get back to changing. Thank you very much.

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Oklahoma trooper on leave after altercation with ambulance personnel

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

An Oklahoma police officer is on paid administrative leave, following an altercation with ambulance personnel while they were transporting a patient to the hospital. Trooper Daniel Martin, a member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), was caught on video by his police vehicle’s dashboard-camera in a physical struggle with paramedic Maurice White, Jr. after Martin pulled the ambulance over. Martin had previously passed the ambulance while en route to another call, but came back and pulled over the ambulance. The incident occurred on May 24, and footage from the police dash-cam was released following a tort claim filed by paramedic White.

It has also been suggested that the previous call had in-fact been to pick up his wife from a police station who was then present in the car during the incident between Martin and the ambulance.

Footage by the OHP released Friday shows the ambulance personnel repeatedly informing Trooper Martin that they have a patient in the back of the ambulance that they are in the midst of transporting to the hospital. Martin yells at the ambulance driver for making what he claims was an obscene gesture – the ambulance driver asserts he raised both hands signalling confusion at the police officer’s actions. Trooper Martin can be heard telling the ambulance driver “I’m going to give you a ticket for failure to yield, and when I go by you saying ‘What’s going on?’ you don’t need to give me no hand gestures now, I ain’t going to put up with that [expletive], do you understand me?”

The video from the police dash-cam is eight minutes long, and paramedic White can be seen twice being pushed up against his ambulance by Trooper Martin. In one instance, Martin shoves White up against the ambulance while gripping his neck tightly with his other hand. In a written statement, paramedic White described the hold placed on him by the Trooper, stating “he engaged my trachea in a claw-like grip digging his nail into my neck while partially shutting off my air supply.”

[Paramedic Maurice White, Jr.] never once became aggressive to that trooper.

The sister of the patient in the ambulance, Clara Harper, was following the ambulance and witnessed the incident. Harper later viewed the footage from the police dash-cam, and she stated to Tulsa World paramedic White “never once became aggressive to that trooper.” She asserted that “He did nothing wrong.” After the ambulance was allowed to continue transporting the patient to the hospital, Harper got into the ambulance to be with her sister. “She was scared, and I was trying to calm her down and telling her everything was going to be all right,” said Harper.

My biggest concern was for the patient. If there’s any nightmare from this, it’s because of what that mother, that patient, had to go through.

Paramedic White was interviewed by KOKI-TV, and recounted his thoughts as the incident was taking place. He stated his main concern was for his ambulance patient: “It was surrealistic because I’ve never had such an experience. My biggest concern was for the patient. If there’s any nightmare from this, it’s because of what that mother, that patient, had to go through.” White’s attorney told KOKI-TV that if White deemed the arrest to be unlawful, he had the right to resist it. White is a paramedic for Creek Nation Emergency Medical Services in Oklahoma. He told FOX News he was surprised at the actions of the police trooper. “He’s taken an oath, just as I have, to protect and serve. I could not believe that this was happening,” said White.

The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety decided to release the police dash-cam video publicly after amateur video of the incident was posted to the video-sharing website YouTube. Captain Chris West, spokesman for the OHP, explained why the video was not released earlier. “We’ve been well aware of the fact that this incident has drawn enormous attention, but made the decision to protect the integrity of the investigation, any and all relevant evidence, as well as the rights of the department employees,” said West. Prior to the release of the dash-cam video, a relative of the patient had posted video of the incident to YouTube. The son of the ambulance patient can be seen in a video stating to the camera “Highway patrolman pulled over my mom’s ambulance because he’s mad we didn’t pull over, and he tried to arrest … the EMT from taking my mother to the hospital.”

One man is there protecting a patient and one man is there abusing his authority and throwing his weight around.

Richard O’Carroll, the lawyer for paramedic White, said that Trooper Martin abused his authority as a police officer. “Everything on this needs to relate back to why are we here? One man is there protecting a patient and one man is there abusing his authority and throwing his weight around,” said O’Carroll. White’s attorney filed a tort claim on behalf of his client in order to get the video of the police vehicle’s dash-cam released. Trooper Martin’s lawyer says he did not realize a patient was in the ambulance at the time of the incident.

HAVE YOUR SAY
What are your thoughts on the actions of the Oklahoma police trooper?
Add or view comments

O’Carroll explained the decision of paramedic White not to use sirens while transporting his patient to the hospital: “There was a reason he wasn’t running sirens. There was a suggestion of chest pains and a heart condition and sirens aggravate these conditions by increasing the blood pressure.” However the attorney for Trooper Martin, Gary James, said that the ambulance was not exempt from regulations because it did not have its sirens on. “If they’re not running their sirens or lights, they don’t get afforded any emergency vehicle exemptions,” said James. The OHP chief is handling an internal review into the incident. As of June 1, Trooper Martin has been on paid administrative leave.

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Wikinews Shorts: January 20, 2008

A compilation of brief news reports for Sunday, January 20, 2008.

Former Indonesian president Suharto, 86, is now moving and speaking softly, doctors say. He was admitted to Pertamina Hospital in Jakarta on January 4 after suffering multiple organ failure.

“He is fully conscious, he can follow instructions and answer our questions in a weak voice,” Dr. Jusuf Misbach said. “He scratched himself and raised his hands. It’s an amazing accomplishment.”

Mardjo Soebiandono said that Suharto would be given physiotherapy, but he also stated that his condition is still considered critical.

According to doctors, Suharto’s blood pressure is now stable, his heart and lungs are functioning better, and infections are being treated with antibiotics.

Preparations for a state funeral had begun last week when Suharto developed pneumnonia and sepsis. He was given only a 50:50 chance of survival.

Related news

  • “Former Indonesian president, Suharto in critical condition” — Wikinews, January 5, 2008

Sources

  • Telly Nathalia. “Indonesia’s Suharto tries to speak, lifts arm” — Reuters, January 20, 2008
  • Niniek Karmimi. “Indonesia’s Suharto Speaks, Moves Hands” — Associated Press, January 20, 2008

Major power outages in Zimbabwe and Zambia left many without services such as electricity, water, and mobile phone connections for much of Saturday and Sunday.

The blackout reportedly hit the two nations almost simultaneously on Saturday evening. In Zambia, the power was restored eight hours later, but residents of Zimbabwe had to wait until Sunday afternoon for power.

Officials in Harare said the cause of the blackout was a fault that “tripped” the power grid, while some in Zambia blamed “turbine problems” at one of the country’s hydroelectric dams.

40% of Zimbabwe’s power is imported from neighboring countries like South Africa. As the power situation in South Africa has also been worsening, state utility company Eskom announced it will stop supplying power to Zimbabwe and other countries in order to meet domestic needs.

Sources

  • Angus Shaw. “Power Outages in Zambia, Zimbabwe” — Associated Press, January 20, 2008
  • South African Press Association. “Mbeki demands answers from Eskom chiefs” — Independent Online, January 20, 2008

Francis Joyon of France completed his maritime journey around the globe in a 57 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes, and 6 seconds, breaking Ellen MacArthur‘s record by 2 weeks. He sailed the world’s oceans in a trimaran of his own making.

The journey began November 23 in the port of Brest. Joyon then sailed under the tip of Africa and across the Southern Hemisphere before making his way back to France.

MacArthur was there to greet him when he landed on shore. “I’m really happy for him, proud of him,” she said. “He was very fast, he played really well, and he really deserves this record.” MacArthur had previously beaten Joyon’s record in 2005.

“The speed part, the sailing passion part, that’s extraordinary. But what is the strongest of all is having precious moments when you can be in harmony with the planet, with the elements. That is what will stay with me,” Joyon said.

Related news

  • “Ellen Macarthur sets round the world solo sailing record” — Wikinews, February 7, 2005

Sources

  • Associated Press. “Frenchman Sails Around the World in Record 57 Days” — FOX News, January 20, 2008
  • “Frenchman Joyon smashes MacArthur’s sailing world record” — AFP, January 20, 2008
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After 100 days, Deepwater Horizon oil spill still threatens Gulf coast

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After 100 days, Deepwater Horizon oil spill still threatens Gulf coast
Author: Admin

14 Nov

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Wednesday marked the 100th day since the beginning of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and although the leaking well was recently capped, the estimated three million or more barrels of oil already in the Gulf of Mexico are still causing trouble for many residents of the Gulf coast.

There are still many unanswered questions about the long-term impact of the spill, including how it has affected the environment and natural habitats of the Gulf as well as whether residents of the area will be able to return to their jobs and livelihoods now that the leak has been capped. US government officials say that, even after the oil well is permanently sealed, workers will still have a lot to do, including the removal of around 20 million feet (6.1 million metres) of containment boom. “I would characterize this as the first 100 days. There’s a lot of work in front of us,” said Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft of the US Coast Guard.

Authorities will use submarines to assess damage underwater, while teams on the ground assess the shoreline. While removing oil from beaches is expected to be fairly straightforward, cleaning the marshlands will be particularly difficult, as boats are needed to maneuver through small channels and workers are unable to stand on solid ground. At least 638 miles (1,027 kilometres) of the Gulf coast have been hit by the oil.

The government is focusing on both cleaning sensitive coastal regions and looking for underwater oil plumes, but is also probing into what may have been the largest accidental oil spill. The US Justice Department, as well as Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, are all investigating what contributed to the disaster. The Washington Post reported one team is looking into whether a close relationship between BP and government regulators played a role in the spill. The Post also said that Deepwater Horizon operator Transocean as well as oil services group Halliburton were being investigated.

BP officials say that they will try to perform the “static kill” process on Monday, a process which involves pumping a thick mixture of mud and cement down into the cap currently stopping the leak. At the end of next week, one of two relief wells currently being drilled should reach the leaking well, and officials will then know if the static kill has worked. It is hoped that this “bottom kill” operation will be able to permanently seal the damaged well.

Even though BP is close to sealing the oil reservoir, it still faces legal battles, economic struggles, and internal changes. On Tuesday, BP announced Tony Hayward would step down from his position as the company’s chief executive. His replacement, American Bob Dudley, will be the first non-British CEO of the company.

On Thursday, lawyers met at Boise, Idaho hearing to determine how around 200 various lawsuits against BP will play out. Depending on whether the suits can be consolidated, BP could be facing years of legal disputes. BP, Transocean, and Halliburton had already blamed each other for the disaster during a May hearing before the US Senate. Federal regulatory officials were criticized for allegedly taking bribes and not thoroughly inspecting the oil rig.

The company also reported a quarterly loss of US$16.9 billion and said it has allocated US$32.2 billion to pay for the spill. BP has a US$20 billion fund to help make up for the massive losses of the Gulf fishing, oil, and tourism industries and will pay damages for each of the millions of barrels of oil lost in the disaster.

BP says that it is the “responsible party” for cleaning up the spill because it owned the leaking well and had leased the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, but claims that it is not responsible for the entire spill.

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On the campaign trail in the USA, September 2020

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On the campaign trail in the USA, September 2020
Author: Admin

11 Nov

Thursday, October 29, 2020

The following is the fifth edition of a monthly series chronicling the 2020 United States presidential election. It features original material compiled throughout the previous month after an overview of the month’s biggest stories.

This month’s spotlight on the campaign trail: the Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee secures ballot access in all 50 U.S. states, the Unity Party of America presidential nominee proposes a novel solution to the issue of “packing” the U.S. Supreme Court, and three candidates give their thoughts on the latest military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=On_the_campaign_trail_in_the_USA,_September_2020&oldid=4589949”

How To Fire Your Idiot Boss In 9 Days

By Ted Cantu

I read something the other day I couldnt believe. It angered me. Want to know what it was? The news article I read talked about being cautious when looking for work. Apparently your boss, the one that pays your bills, has nothing better to do than run phony ads on

Monster.com

and in your local paper looking to entrap you. I found this very odd.

The other strange attitude I see recently revolves around this Feed the Pig campaign. This sends out a real subtle message upon first viewing. It scolds the viewer and looks down upon basically creating a better life for oneself. The whole idea here is to save money and live as tight as you can and to live in fear whenever possible.

Is this still America?

I have to ask this out loud because if I am not mistaken this country was built on having real balls. In fact if you go back in time youll find that people had their own businesses. This was actually the norm at one time. Somewhere during the industrial revolution we lost scope of this and jobs became the norm in 20th Century America. The idea of free spirited living slowly succumbed to living like a thrifty coward.

You dont owe the system anything. A recent episode of the news on ABC showed that the banks are not sympathetic to foreclosures. They have no problem throwing you back out on the street. You see I differ from most people. I am actually embarrassed to tell people that I attended college. I would rather be out on the street duking it out and getting into all kinds of adventures. It is the heart and soul of an entrepreneur. Id rather do that than to live in fear of a bank, existing within meager means, and to cower in front of an idiot boss.

BREAKING FREE

First of all, never look for a job while at work. This is one of the worst things you can do. Your boss has a busy schedule and who knows what he does behind closed doors. I havent worked in a corporate hell hole in years but here is a clue. You can bet that once he is in his inner sanctum he has nothing to do but to scour the web looking for clues on his staff. This is in between uploading pictures of his kids to his personal site, yapping on the blow horn, and surfing joke sites. Its another hard day in the life of a typical corporate bonehead.

You owe it to yourself to expand your horizons and to take on a new type of paycheck. Becoming an entrepreneur takes a lot of guts and a lot of knowledge. This is the kind of education that you wont get much of in an office environment.

Posting resumes on job sites is a bad idea if you are still employed. Faxing out your resume is another bad idea and will most likely get you sent to the HR office if you get caught. I suggest cheap postcards to potential business ventures. Try doing something cheap with an 800 number on it so you can check your messages discreetly. You can put together a simple newsletter and sending it out to prospects or business partners you want to meet up with.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He6KXrhXc9Y[/youtube]

Thanks to information technology there are a lot of ways you can mask your money seeking efforts. This includes voice broadcast, FAX, 800 numbers, newsletters, webinars, email marketing just to name a few.

To plan your escape you need to do the following.

1. Set up a 800 number with a pre-recorded message on it. This will let people know what you are offering or selling. Some 800 numbers will let people FAX in order forms to you. I found that working with 1.800.PATLIVE was a great choice. Its inexpensive and very discreet. You can have a 10 minute selling commercial on it and open up five separate lines with different offers on it.

2. Create a newsletter that you can mail out to potential business clubs and social groups.

3. Submit articles to niche publications. The beauty of this is because niche publications are so underground your boss will never know where to look. These are not like the magazines you can buy at Borders and Barnes and Nobles. Its also great for lead generation.

4. Take orders for phone consultations for what you do. You can take your calls on your lunch hour and when you get off at 5 PM. This is a great thing to do when you are just starting out and its a great way to build up your bank account while still being employed.

5. Get a merchant account so you can process orders online. Getting a web site will help you accept payment from your public. Make sure you get 50% – 100% for your services up front. Get your money up front the way lawyers do. You tell them that you work on retainer only or by project basis.

6. Set up a seminar after work at community based setting. This could be in a caf, bookstore or in an art gallery. You can get a great room at a public library. Treat the affair like an exhibition and make sure you get plenty of business cards from prospects.

7. Find out what people want. Everybody wants something in this life. Your job is to be the facilitator in this area. A lot of doctors have side projects that they cannot deliver to the public due to lack of marketing ability, there are start up companies out there that do not know how to sell online, and many professionals who would like to sell an information product. The opportunities are usually endless.

Last year the number one profession in the market place was being a business coach. With more and more people jumping the corporate ship without a life raft that need is getting bigger all the time. Sock some money away in the bank and get a feel for what you are doing before you jump the ship yourself. When the time is right you must make a clean break.

It is customary to give your boss a 2 week notice. But if your situation is really dire dont be afraid to call the thing off and bolt for the door. You have to do what is best for you despite all the nagging advice of your weekly local business columnist.

The average salary, take home pay, from a company is a little under a thousand bucks a week. It is not uncommon to get as much as $5,000 a week when you get things moving in your business. The trick is going to be making that number consistent. You will have to work with business coaches to get those high numbers to be a regular thing but it is worth it.

Heres How You Ditch Your Boss

There is one eternal truth that you must comprehend. 90% of all companies I talk to do not know how to market themselves. This is true in just about every income bracket I run across and this also includes many different types of industry. Some of their marketing woes would stun a rhino. It is mind boggling how these companies manage to stay in business month after month year after year. It is going to be your job to meet with them and figure out what they need.

The second earth shattering world truth is that companies would just as soon hire a temp, gurus, or a consultant of some sort to get them through a hurdle. As an employee your transition into hardcore business entrepreneur is going to be challenging one. Eventually you are going to have to be good at sniffing these out. Your skills will improve.

You may want to create an information based product to launch your departure from your company. Info products are always in demand for companies. Anything you can do to shorten a learning curve for a company is always welcomed, and there are many areas in which you can service. You can create a product for tutorials and training, teaching, online demonstrations and so on. Anything recorded in video and audio get a much higher price than something you would sell in a printed format. This could build up to be a sizeable nest egg. After you get your feet wet in this area and feel comfortable you can quit your job.

If you are a risk taker you can just quit without a plan like I did!

This will help you get on your feet quick and this type of brash move is not for everyone. Leaving a job on a whim was one of the greatest things I have ever done. It forced me to learn new skills and strategies.

I was able to score $5,600 bucks in 24 hours using a combination of Ebay techniques, web site marketing and my 800 number. I bet you can do the same. Everyone is an open book and has a wide range of skills and abilities that are unique to each person.

Walking Out Into The Wide Open Air

A good friend once asked, Did you ever walk out into the middle of nothing?. I knew what he meant immediately and its true, being in business for yourself can be a very scary position in life. There are no limits to how much you can make. That is the message I wish the media would project on people instead of this really lame, Feed the Pig BS. Living cowardly is not the American way. There is nothing to be gained from cowering away from your own potential and its certainly not admirable or noteworthy.

Id like to comfort your nervous nature and tell you that its okay to be scared. Its alright to be terrified of your sloth like slow moving boss with bullish overtones and bad karma. Id like to tell you that it is okay to over think the future and worry about what your coworkers will think of you for leaving your place of employment. Id like to bring your fears to rest but there is one thing that I think you should know..

. I wish I could remember the names of all my former coworkers. But the truth is I can only remember certain faces. I dont remember the full names of people I worked with in the corporate arena. I suppose that has largely to do with the fact that I feel those day do not matter much in the current scope of things. My new days of being an entrepreneur greatly outweigh those torturous long days and asinine late nights I spent in corporate life.

To do these skills well you may need some practice before you split. You will have to ditch all the fundamentals you have now in your current environment. You will have to trade in all the negative situations for powerful new ones. These will seem a bit odd at first.

Be strong.

About the Author: Ted Cantu runs

iMobile Media

(http://www.1seomichigan.com )and works out of NYC, Chicago, and Detroit, Michigan. He has the number 12 podcast show on www.podomatic.com you can listen to it here

911copywriter.podomatic.com

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=225632&ca=Marketing

Toyota accused of misleading public over recalls

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Toyota accused of misleading public over recalls
Author: Admin

11 Nov

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Toyota has been accused by a U.S. House of Representatives committee with misleading the public and investigators over its recent recalls.

The accusations, in a statement from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, claim that Toyota both relied on a flawed study in its assessment of the issue of sticking accelerator pedals at the heart of the recalls, and then made misleading statements about its response. According to the authors of the letter, Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak, Toyota dismissed, rather than investigated, the idea that the cars’ computers were at fault. In a statement, James Lentz, the president of Toyota’s American division, claimed that hardware issues were to blame, and that dealers were repairing the faulty part. Toyota also released a study commissioned from the research firm Exponent that said electronic systems were not to blame.

According to the House committee, however, the study involved only six vehicles, none of which had problems with their electrical systems, and was insufficient to produce an accurate result. “Our preliminary assessment is that Toyota resisted the possibility that electronic defects could cause safety concerns, relied on a flawed engineering report and made misleading public statements concerning the adequacy of recent recalls to address the risk of sudden unintended acceleration.”

The company is under a criminal investigation, and has received two subpoenas for documents from two House committees relating to the recalls, although whether they are directly related to the letter is unclear. The documents are related to accelerator issues in several models, as well as brake problems with the Prius hybrid car, and were served earlier in in February by a federal grand jury and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Toyota has released upwards of 75,000 pages of documents under the requests.

In a separate, though related, development, it has emerged that Toyota last year negotiated a limited recall for two models, the Toyota Camry and Lexus ES, that were affected by the accelerator recalls, saving the company an estimated $100 million. A confidential internal presentation in July 2009 made the claim, and a month later, a Lexus ES, one of the models under the limited recall crashed in California, killing four people. The claims apparently referenced a September, 2007 recall of floor mats that could trap gas pedals, the same problem that triggered a full recall of numerous Toyota cars to fix the same problem. In the same presentation, the company claimed to have avoided recalls of another model related to rust, as well as delaying new federal safety regulations.

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Searching For The Very Best Moving Company In Chicago

byAlma Abell

Moving into a new home or office can be quite stressful because it is such a huge undertaking. Many people rent a truck and try and do everything on their own. This takes a lot of time and effort, and only adds to the stress. It is much better to work with a professional who will handle all of the hard work for you. When searching for the very Best Moving Company in Chicago, it is a good idea to choose a provider who is experienced in both commercial and residential moves. They should also offer a wide variety of service options and affordable prices.

It is very helpful to work with a company that provides packing supplies that are needed, such as bubble wrap, mattress covers, tape, various sizes of boxes, labels, shrink wrap and much more. These items will help you to pack your items much more efficiently, and there will be a smaller chance that they will get broken. They should also blanket-wrap all of your furniture, as well as pack and crate all of your fragile items. This is why it is important to choose an experienced company. You will want to ensure that all of your fragile items, such as a piano or a mirror, will get safely to your destination.

Affordable pricing is something else that is important when selecting a mover. It is always a good idea to contact the company in order to request a free estimate for their service. This will help you to make a great choice. You should also Visit the website of the provider whom you are interested in working with. You can learn more about the company and the type of experience they have to offer. You can also learn more about the services they provide.

Working with the Best Moving Company in Chicago will ensure your move is stress-free and successful. It is much more affordable to hire a professional than one might imagine. It is worth every penny because it will take all of the stress off of your shoulders and allow you to concentrate on other matters.

Colleges offering admission to displaced New Orleans students/AL-KY

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Colleges offering admission to displaced New Orleans students/AL-KY
Author: Admin

31 Oct

See the discussion page for instructions on adding schools to this list and for an alphabetically arranged listing of schools.

Due to the damage by Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding, a number of colleges and universities in the New Orleans metropolitan area will not be able to hold classes for the fall 2005 semester. It is estimated that 75,000 to 100,000 students have been displaced. [1]. In response, institutions across the United States and Canada are offering late registration for displaced students so that their academic progress is not unduly delayed. Some are offering free or reduced admission to displaced students. At some universities, especially state universities, this offer is limited to residents of the area.

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Concrete supplier indicted in Boston ‘Big Dig’ scandal

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Concrete supplier indicted in Boston ‘Big Dig’ scandal
Author: Admin

31 Oct

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Boston’s Central Artery and Third Harbor Tunnel Project (CA/T), unofficially known as the Big Dig, plagued by cost overruns and reports of shoddy workmanship, has been hit with yet another scandal as six employees of its primary concrete supplier have been indicted for falsifying records regarding allegedly inferior concrete supplied to the massive highway construction project.

Federal prosecutors alleged in a 135 count indictment that of the 135,000 truckloads of concrete, a “web” of falsified documents were used to cover up a conspiracy where at least 5,000 truckloads — 1.2 percent of the concrete used — did not meet specifications. The company, Aggregate Industries NE Inc. was paid US$105 million for the concrete.

Aggregate said in a statement Thursday that it would cooperate with authorities.

“As a result of extensive testing by industry experts, Aggregate Industries is satisfied that all of the concrete it has supplied on the Big Dig and throughout the commonwealth is structurally sound,” the statement said.

Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly said “We have no evidence whatsoever that the structural integrity and safety of the tunnel has been compromised.”

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney said in a prepared statement, “No one in Massachusetts should be surprised to learn that a project so badly mismanaged, over budget, and grossly delayed is now also facing allegations of criminal misbehavior.” Romney and Lt. Governor Kerry Healey have also announced that they have decided to return campaign contributions from workers of Aggregate Industries.

Indicted were: former general manager Robert Prosperi, 63, of Lynnfield, Massachusetts; Marc Blais, 36, of Lynn, Massachusetts, a dispatch manager; John Farrar, 42, of Canterbury, Connecticut, a dispatch manager; Gerard McNally, 53, of Rockland, Massachusetts, a quality control manager; Gregory Stevenson, 53, of Furlong, Pennsylvania, district operations manager; and Keith Thomas, 50, of Billerica, Massachusetts, a dispatch manager. Stevenson and Farrar are no longer with the company. Aggregate says it has suspended the others.

According to the indictments,

  • the six Aggregate employees recycled concrete that had been rejected because it had not been used within 90 minutes of being mixed
  • in some cases double-billing for the loads
  • the workers gave falsified documentation to project inspectors to show the concrete was fresh
  • the faulty concrete was used in walls and roof slabs in the Interstate 93 tunnel, parts of the Interstate 90 tunnel and the sea walls of the Fort Point Channel, among other places.

At the arrest hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshack said, “The taxpayers of this community and this country will be paying for years to come.”

Lawyers for the employees say the men believed their conduct was legal, that the concrete supplied by Aggregate Industries met all the strength requirements of the project, and that Big Dig managers sometimes waived the 90-minute rule when trucks of concrete were lined up to meet heavy demand. Stephen Delinsky, an attorney for one of the defendants, said they delivered quality concrete, but prosecutors probing the troubled project are looking to place blame. “It’s always easy to blame the lowest level, which is the concrete manufacturers. Each defendant believed that they acted in good faith. They believed at all times their conduct was legal and believed the concrete delivered to the Big Dig was appropriate.”

A spokesman for project manager Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff declined comment.

On August 11, 2005, it was announced that the Massachusetts State Police searched Aggregate’s offices in June and found evidence of faked records that hid the poor quality of concrete delivered for highway project. On March 19, 2006, the International Herald Tribune reported that Massachusetts “Attorney General Tom Reilly plans to sue Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff and other companies if the two sides do not reach an agreement over 200 complaints of poor work in the construction of a highway system under the center of Boston, the Boston Globe reported Saturday. Reilly was said to be seeking $67 million from Bechtel and $41 million from other companies.”

The purpose of the project was to remove the more than 50-year-old aboveground Interstate 93 freeway running through downtown Boston by burying it, and connecting the Massachusetts Turnpike with Logan Airport by running a third tunnel below Boston Harbor. The project was completed this year after serious delays and cost overruns reached US$14.6 billion, a more than 500% increase over the original estimate of US$2.6 billion. More than ten years of detours to traffic ended when the last major section opened in January.

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