Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
FedEx Addresses Tossed Monitor - Yahoo! Finance
Mike Krumboltz reports:
It was the monitor toss seen 'round the world. FedEx has responded to a viral video that showed one of the company's drivers throwing a (now broken) computer monitor over a fence.
The statement reads: The situation has now been resolved to the customer's satisfaction, and we are handling the employee according to our disciplinary policies...While we continue to be surprised about the behavior shown, we know this is an aberration and is not reflective of the outstanding FedEx customer service that makes us proud around the world.
"I want you to know that I was upset, embarrassed, and very sorry for our customer’s poor experience," said Matthew Thornton, a FedEx senior vice president. "We have met with the customer face to face and they already have a replacement monitor at no cost to them. They have accepted our apology and say they are fully satisfied with what we've done in response to this unacceptable delivery."
The clip has racked up more than 2 million views. In the video's description, the poster writes, "The sad part is that I was home at the time with the front door wide open. All he would have had to do was ring the bell on the gate. Now I have to return my monitor since it is broken." The footage appears to come from a surveillance camera.
There is no word on what sort of disciplinary action will be taken against the employee. However, a spokeswoman for the company told the U.K.'s Daily Mail, this won't be his best day.
This was unbelievable!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Earn an Extra $500 for the Holidays
Kelsey Freeman, 28, has a plan for covering her holiday expenses: She's going to earn more money by selling photos online. The substitute teacher and freelance designer and photographer earns about $15,000 a year and her budget often gets even tighter around the holidays, since winter school breaks mean less substitute teaching. "I'd like to earn an extra $200 or so, because I had to delay buying gifts for some key friends and family last year, and it made me feel terrible," says Freeman, who lives in Alexandria, Va.
[In Pictures: 10 Ways to Start Earning Extra Money Now]
Freeman is among the half a million people who find ways to temporarily boost their income over the holidays. Many of them do so by working in retail, but others, like Freeman, create their own sources of income by selling products and services online. Payment methods such as e-junkie and PayPal make it easier than ever to sell online, and social media provides an easy (and free) way to reach potential customers. Here are five more ways to generate extra cash this month:
Sell a wacky service. For those interested in a more unusual approach, the innovative website fiverr.com allows users to sell (and buy) services for $5. Current offerings include sketching a stylized portrait, writing a name on a grain of rice, and digitally restoring a photograph. It's one of the trendiest ways to make a quick buck for the Internet-savvy; dozens of videos, websites, and blogs offer advice on how to earn money off the site. The best advice? Since you're only going to make $5 a pop, sell a service that you can provide easily and quickly.
Monetize your skills. Whether your expertise lies in social networking, editing, or Web development, several new websites can help you find potential clients who are willing to pay for your work. Elance.com, Odesk.com, and freelancer.com make it easy to advertise your skills and find work, which you can do from the comfort of your home at all hours of the night. To get started, explore the websites to see what might be a good fit. You can also stick with a more traditional approach and use Craigslist.org, which allows users to post advertising for their services, ranging from household labor to music lessons.
Design T-shirts. Companies such as CafePress.com allow people to design and sell T-shirts for a cut of the profits. According to the company's website, some users earn more than $100,000 a year. But it's not always easy: Jen Goode, who earns enough through CafePress to pay her mortgage each month, found success after a year and a half of long, sometimes 16-hour days. Her time is spent creating designs and then uploading them.
Goode has uploaded about 2,500 designs, many of which are cartoon-oriented, including the popular penguin series. For her, she says, the secret has been to make many different images that are steady sellers, as opposed to creating one or two mega-hits. Now, she says she doesn't need to put as much time into her shop because she has such a large inventory of designs.
[In Pictures: 10 Ways to Save on Food Costs]
Launch a coaching business. All you need is a blog and your first client, and you're in business. If friends and family members are constantly asking for your advice on a topic you know a lot about, such as how to fix customer-service problems or negotiate work conflicts, why not see if there's a larger market for your expertise? People earn money by coaching clients on everything from how to be more assertive to how to use social media.
Hold a virtual garage sale. Clear out your garage and basement and sell your goodies online. Be sure to write appealing product descriptions and take high-quality photos to increase the chances of sales. Ebay is easy to use, but you can also stick with Craigslist or other local sites.
As for Freeman, she'll be setting up her photos for sale through the photo site SmugMug, which she'll advertise through her personal website, driftingfocus.com. Last year, she sold custom website header design work for a 25 percent discount, which resulted in more orders than she expected. This year, she hopes her photo sale will bring in cash while leaving her plenty of time to enjoy the holiday season.
Twitter: @alphaconsumer
More From US News & World Report
Monday, December 5, 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Oklahoma Continues to Experience Earthquakes - Yahoo! News
Two earthquakes rumbled through central Oklahoma in the early morning hours Sunday. The tremblers are just more in a series of quakes and aftershocks that have been escalating in the state over the last two years.
Recent Earthquake Activity in Oklahoma
The latest earth tremors in central Oklahoma occurred at 2:30 a.m. Sunday near Gerty and 6 a.m. near Luther. The first quake registered 2.1 magnitude and the second was 3.2 in magnitude, according to NewsOK.com.
On Friday, three earthquakes were recorded in the central part of the state: two near Shawnee and one near Prague. These tremors ranged from 2.7 magnitude to 3.3 magnitude. Prague was the epicenter for record-setting 5.6 earthquake on Nov. 5.
On Thursday, a 3.7 quake was recorded in the central part of the state and considered by the U.S. Geological Survey to be an aftershock from the Nov. 5 quake.
Request for Federal Disaster Assistance
On Nov. 22, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin made a request to the federal government for disaster assistance in the wake of the Nov. 5 earthquake and aftershocks. If the request is granted, homeowners, renters and businesses would be eligible for low-interest loans to repair quake damage through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Increased Incidence of Oklahoma Earthquake Activity
Until 2009, Oklahoma experienced earthquake activity only intermittently, according to the Oklahoma Geological Survey. 1,047 earthquakes were recorded in the state in 2010, with 695 in Oklahoma County.
The Oklahoma Geological Survey relates the increased quakes are not outside what would be considered normal seismic activity. There remains no explanation for the increase, but experts continue to examine the data for clues.
Smack dab in the middle of the baby boomer generation , L.L. Woodard is a proud resident of "The Red Man" state. With what he hopes is an everyman's view of life's concerns both in his state and throughout the nation, Woodard presents facts and opinions based on common-sense solutions.
via news.yahoo.com
Demi Moore
Demi Moore
By Mike Krumboltz, Yahoo!Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 12:00 am PSTThe actress, recently split from husband Ashton Kutcher, skipped her daughter's debutante ball in Paris over the weekend. Tallulah Willis, 17 and the child of Moore and Bruce Willis, was far from lonely, though. Her dad and older sisters Rumer and Scout were in attendance.
Related:
via search.yahoo.com
Friday, November 25, 2011
Best Buy chimes in with MacBook, laptop deals | Nanotech - The Circuits Blog - CNET News
Inside CNET News
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- Best Buy chimes in with MacBook, laptop deals
Not to be outdone by Apple, Best Buy is offering some enticing deals on the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Windows laptops are also on sale.
Nanotech - The Circuits Blog
USS Enterprise: Nuclear power meets aircraft carrier (photos)
Gallery
- Friday Poll: Biggest tech turkey of 2011?
It's been a busy year for tech fails ranging from Sony's PlayStation Network hack-a-thon to Netflix forgetting it needs to please customers. What do you think is the biggest tech turkey of the year?
Crave
- An inside look at the testing of Windows Phone 7
In part three of a behind-the-scenes look at the development of Microsoft's new phone software, Ina Fried takes a look at Redmond's massive testing operation.
Beyond Binary
Shop with your phone, not your wallet
Video
- Galaxy Tab ban: 'Not terribly fair to Samsung'
A judge in Australia questions the temporary injunction banning sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the runup to a full patent case between Samsung and Apple.
Mobile
Google rolls out music service to masses
Video
- New book highlights Pixar's fantastic art
A new book, "The Art of Pixar" highlights the early artistic work behind the "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo" studio's many hit films. Through hundreds of colorscripts and concept imagery, we get a glimpse at some of the early thinking on each film.
Geek Gestalt
- Mars rover: The next generation
roundup Make way for Curiosity, a car-size Mars rover that will pick up where Spirit and Opportunity left off. It launches this month, and will arrive on Red Planet next summer.
Cutting Edge
A bird's eye view of fossil-fuel workhorses (photos)
Gallery
- Tablet holiday gift picks
CNET editors round up their favorite tablet computer picks for the 2011 holidays.
Crave
- Smokin' Southwest: Take an aerial tour of fossil-fuel country
The hard-worked San Juan basin in northern New Mexico dramatically illustrates the scale of coal and natural-gas production in the U.S.
Green Tech
via news.cnet.com
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
How Can I Keep My Cat Off Kitchen Counters?
By Dr. Marty Becker, Vetstreet.com | November 18, 2011
Q. My cat is always jumping up on tables and kitchen counters. When I think about where those paws have been, I know he needs to stay on the ground. What can I do?
A. If pressed on the issue, many people will admit that their cats walk all over them, and that includes walking wherever they choose, including kitchen counters. And many of those people are just fine with that. I'm with you on this, however. I don't want my pets to walk where I eat.
Prevention is usually a better plan than changing an established problem behavior, which means deciding ground rules before you adopt a kitten or cat and making sure everyone is on the same page. If you already have the problem - or just decided it is a problem - there are a few things you can try.
See Also: Why Does My Cat Have a Tongue Like Sandpaper?
It's important to understand why your cat is on the counter in the first place. Getting into the food probably isn't the most compelling reason, although food certainly can add to the appeal. By nature, cats like high places, which give them a commanding view of their world and offer protection from natural enemies. If you're going to ask your cat to give up your counters, you need to offer an alternative.
The ideal in your cat's mind would likely be something like The Cat's House, the famous San Diego home of Bob Walter and Frances Mooney that my daughter, Vetstreet trainer Mikkel Becker, had the privilege of visiting when she attended the American Pet Dog Trainers Association conference. The creative couple took an ordinary tract home and turned it into a feline paradise, complete with ceiling-level catwalks that go through holes cut into the walls over the doors. Check it out!
Even if you're not willing to let your entire home go to the cats, you can add some environmental enrichment with high cat trees with platforms or cubbies that give your cat an appropriate place to look down on the world. Additionally, a multistory "catio" can provide your cat with room to climb along with a breath of fresh air. These additions are relatively inexpensive to add to your home. Situate these new high-rise zones near where your cat already loves perching for the best result and make them more appealing by rubbing catnip onto them and playing with your cat there as well.
See Also: 10 Tips to Keep Your Cat's Brain Young Forever
Once you've covered your cat's needs, you can work to deter him from counters. Make sure you keep food put away and dishes cleaned promptly to remove food temptations. Since some cats are attracted to running water, make sure your tap doesn't drip and can't be pawed on by a clever cat - and offer your cat a feline fountain to meet his desire for clean, cool running water. (If your cat seems frantic for fresh water, get in to see your veterinarian, because your cat may be sick.)
Now, the deterrents. Some people swear by spray bottles, but unless you are the stealthiest person on earth, your cat will quickly figure out that you are doing the spraying. That's not great for your relationship, and it tends to teach your cat to behave only when you're home. Instead, cover the counters with textures cats hate - aluminum foil is one example; cardboard covered with double-faced masking tape or shelf liner is another. No, you won't have your counters covered forever, but you will need to keep them covered while your cat learns to use the new perches. For the more determined cat, you can look at harmless automatic devices that discourage counter cruising by making sounds cats dislike when they trigger a pressure pad or electronic eye by jumping up.
The trick is to make the counter experience unpleasant for your cat without it appearing that you have anything to do with it. Above all, resist the urge to swat or yell at your cat: It won't teach him anything except possibly to view you as someone to avoid.
As always, if you find yourself not getting anywhere, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a qualified behaviorist or trainer. These professionals can spot where you may be going wrong and get you and your cat back on track for a happier relationship.
See More on Vetstreet.com:
- How and Why Cat's Purr
- Help! Cat Fur Is Taking Over My Home
- Why Does My Cat Scare Big Dogs?
via shine.yahoo.com
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Heather Locklear
Heather Locklear
By Claudine Zap, Yahoo!Tue, Nov 15, 2011, 11:54 am PSTThe TV star’s wedding to Jack Wagner is off: The 'Melrose Place' alums, who got engaged after dating for four years, have decided not to tie the knot. Locklear has been married twice before: To rocker Tommy Lee and then to Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora.
Related:
via search.yahoo.com
Monday, November 14, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
CMA Awards 2011
You have made my year!" That was Taylor Swift's reaction to being named Entertainer of the Year for the second time Wednesday night at the 45th annual CMA Awards, which aired live from Nashville on ABC.
Swift now joins Barbara Mandrell as the only other female artist in CMA history ever to be named Entertainer of the Year twice. "I'm so happy right now!," gushed Taylor from the podium. "This is thanks to all the fans who filled up those stadiums and arenas all over the world this year."
The pop country star then proceeded to thank all the artists who've joined her onstage for her Speak Now tour, reading the names off her arm, where she'd scrawled them with a marker. That impressive list of names ranged from pop stars like Justin Bieber and Jason Mraz, to rappers like Nelly and T.I., to fellow country stars like Tim McGraw.
While Taylor snagged the evening's most prestigious award, the night's big winner was The Band Perry, who scooped up three trophies, including New Artist of the Year, and both Song and Single of the Year for their smash hit "If I Die Young." Accepting the Song of the Year trophy was Kimberly Perry, who wrote "If I Die Young."
"I truly believe that [the song] would've been written with or without me. It just always felt like a song that was meant to be here," Perry said.
The night's other winners included country's current power couple Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. The two, who wed earlier this year, each picked up their second straight CMA Male and Female Vocalist of the Year awards.
"The Voice" coach said he hadn't prepared anything, adding, "I didn't think y'all would let me get away with this two times!" Miranda also expressed surprise at her win, saying, "Seriously?" Addressing her husband in the audience, she said, "It's gonna be a gooood night tonight, baby!"
Jason Aldean scored two wins, picking up the Album of the Year award for My Kinda Party, and the Musical Event of the Year trophy for his duet with Kelly Clarkson, "Don't You Wanna Stay." Sugarland took home their fifth win in the Vocal Duo category, and dedicated it to their fans, especially the "good folks of Indiana." Over the summer a number of fans were killed when the group's stage collapsed during the Indiana State Fair due to high winds.
Lady Antebellum, meanwhile, scored their third straight win as Vocal Group of the Year.
As usual, the CMA telecast was packed with great performances from country's biggest stars, but there was a strong pop/rock music presence on this year's show, starting with the opening number, which saw Blake Shelton being joined by Kenny Loggins for a rendition of "Footloose." British pop star Natasha Bedingfield sang a duet with Rascal Flatts on the song "Easy," and pop singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson performed his song "Run" with Sugarland, with whom he co-wrote the track.
Pop legend Lionel Richie was also on hand to promote his upcoming country album Tuskegee by performing duets on three of his classic tunes with Little Big Town, Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts. Rock legend Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers even made an appearance, sitting in with the Zac Brown Band on the standard "Georgia."
Once again, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood hosted the telecast, and got big laughs, especially for the opening number in which they rewrote the lyrics of Hank Williams Jr's hit "All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight" to poke fun at Bocephus' controversial comments in which he seemed to compare President Obama to Hitler. Hank himself appeared at the end, proving he had a sense of humor about the whole thing. In addition, Brad, Carrie and Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet mocked Kim Kardashian's failed marriage by singing, to the tune of Randy Travis' "Forever and Ever, Amen:" "I'm gonna love you forever/For 72 days, Amen/As long as Justin Bieber is not a conceiver/As long as Taylor Swift is with her current boyfriend."
Finally, Brad and Carrie, who seemed to have a different gown for all 12 segments of the show, poked fun at Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Barbie & Ken dolls for not being "anatomically correct."
The evening's most touching moment came during the tribute to music legend Glen Campbell, who's battling Alzheimer's disease. As Vince Gill, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley performed three of Campbell's biggest hits -- "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "Galveston," respectively -- Campbell could be seen in the audience mouthing the words and smiling. Afterwards, he was brought onstage to a standing ovation, and hugged the three guitarists, as well as songwriter Jimmy Webb, who penned those classics and also played piano during the performance.
Here's a list of winners at the 45th Annual Country Music Association Awards, held in Nashville Wednesday night:
Entertainer of the Year Taylor Swift
Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert
Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton
New Artist of the Year The Band Perry
Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum
Single of the Year "If I Die Young," The Band Perry
Album of the Year My Kinda Party, Jason Aldean
Song of the Year "If I Die Young," The Band Perry
Vocal Duo of the Year Sugarland
Musical Event of the Year "Don't You Wanna Stay," Jason Aldean w/Kelly Clarkson
Music Video of the Year "You and Tequila," Kenny Chesney w/Grace Potter
Musician of the Year Mac McAnally
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Homeschooling and College | Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
Homeschooling and College
It’s hard to say which is more remarkable about Kayla Heard, that she is graduating from Washington State University at age 16 or that she earned her degree without ever entering a classroom.
Careers & College
College Planning
Homeschoolers College Admissions
Teenage college graduates are rare (shades of “Doogie Howser, M.D.”) but online degrees are increasingly common and gaining respect among employers, even when the graduate never had to set his or her actual feet on campus.
The home-schooled Union, Wash., girl is not the first teen to graduate from college. But her attendance by personal computer in the bedroom space she calls her “nerd cave” is significant in light of another story in the news: soaring college costs and student loan debt.
Heard’s achievement was made possible by online learning, an innovation that illustrates how much more innovative colleges and universities have been at making money than finding ways to save it.
Over the past 25 years, college tuition and fees have risen three times as fast as individual family income, according to the College Board, and tuition has increased over the past decade at a rate of 5.6 percent per year beyond the rate of general inflation.
That’s not all the fault of the colleges, of course, especially public institutions whose budgets are being cut by state governments and other hard-pressed funding sources.
But other hard-pressed funding sources like parents and students are asking a question that used to be unthinkable: Is college worth the cost?
No question that we Americans still love college diplomas, polls show. We only hate the soaring price. The average college graduate leaves school with $24,000 in debt, a figure that begins to weigh on the diploma’s potential value in many minds and wallets.
It may sound grandiose to say that the future of the American dream is at stake, but it is. Americans like to think our kids will earn a better standard of living than we have. Instead, it is becoming harder for the next generation merely to hold on to what we had. Student loan debt is a drag on individual lives and overall economic growth. It means young people take longer to marry, buy a home, have children and, in general, grow up.
What can be done? The growth of online courses nationwide — even at Harvard — illustrates how much we need to rethink education in the new century. We can begin by making the future of education funding part of the political debates on the state and federal level. But colleges and universities also need to investigate and report why tuition and fees have risen at a higher rate than general inflation — and family incomes — over the past 25 years, even during recessions. Particularly troublesome are the for-profit colleges, whose students are more likely than those at non-profits to default on student loans. The Obama administration is pushing a new regulation where for-profit colleges would lose access to federal student aid if they fail to meet benchmarks for loan repayments.
For-profit schools say the rules put an unfair burden on them. That’s worth debating. But so is the obligation that institutions have to help students get a good return on their time, effort and money, whether it is spent online or in an old-school classroom.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
This entry was posted by admin on Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 at 10:14 am and is filed under College Planning . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.Edit this entry.
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Monday, November 7, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Considering Classical Education - The Well Trained Mind is a Good Place to Start
Homeschool Curriculum Reviews looks at The Well Trained Mind.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Help Stop Meningitis - Get the Word Out!
Spreading Awareness Across America and Around the World
Real Faces, Real Lives, Real Diseases, Real Prevention, Get Immunized!
All Photos are the copyright of Meningitis Angels. Usage, distribution, editing or copying without written permission is prohibited. No Exceptions!
US House Resoloution 403
NOTE: Recently meningococcal vaccine has been approved for usage in infants as young as 9 months. However there are more to protect even younger infants on the horizon. One of the most deadly of these diseases is meningococcal meningitis. We are at a critical time in fighting this disease. Infants account for about 35% of the 2,500 + cases of meningococcal disease in the US each year. As many as 17% of these will result in amputations, blindness, deafness, organ failure, severe brain damage and more.
As part of our infant meningococcal educational program, we have developed this web site http://www.protectinfantsnow.org. Please visit and educate yourself on this deadly disease.
* Please make sure to get your middle and high school students and ALL who are attending college for the first time vaccinated.
* Make sure your infants are vaccinated against deadly pneumococcal and HIB meningitis before you take them to day care.
* Please note ACIP recommendations are not mandates. Mandates/laws are made state by state. Recommendations just give access and choice to all children instead of a privileged few.
Frankie Milley, Ryan's Mom and the founder & national executive director of Meningitis Angels.
Angels Launched A New National Dad's Awareness Campaign
Visit Our Teen Site
New Updates on Pneumococcal Meningitis Vaccines
New Recommendations for Meningococcal Meningitis
Friday, November 4, 2011
YouTube Challenge - I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy - YouTube
via youtube.com
Be sure and watch until the end - they saved the cutest for last!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Regis Philbin is moving on _ but not retiring!
NEW YORK (AP) — Regis Philbin wades into the studio audience to chat during a commercial break.
"Thanks, everybody, for coming," he says sincerely, then, with a dash of comic bluster, cracks: "Anybody want to pay me a tribute?"
"Don't leave!" a woman cries out from the back row.
She might as well save her breath.
After ruling morning television for 28 years as New York's Everyman-about-town, the co-host who made performance art of TV gab, and the broadcast veteran who likens being on TV to "washing my face or having lunch — as normal as can be," the 80-year-old Philbin is exiting what for a decade has been known as "Live! With Regis and Kelly," where, never at a loss for words, he has presided alongside co-host Kelly Ripa. But his last day is Nov. 18. There's no turning back now.
As everyone remembers, Philbin made his announcement on the show last January: "I don't want to alarm anybody," he began before dropping the bomb.
This fall, during the long goodbye, "Live!" has been full of valedictories and retrospectives befitting Philbin's marathon run. His final week will be given over to special guests on the order of David Letterman, Donald Trump, Don Rickles and former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, as well as Tony Bennett, Josh Groban and Bret Michaels performing.
The final show will be "a moving hourlong tribute to Regis," according to the show, "with many surprises for Regis and the audience."
And that will be that. The following week, the show will drop back to temporary solo billing — "Live! With Kelly" — while the search begins for the person who will permanently claim Philbin's chair.
But with all this transition in the offing, it's worth keeping two things in mind.
"Everybody says to me, 'Oh, you're retiring,'" notes Philbin, who then erupts: "I'm NOT retiiiiring! I'm MOVING ON!"
The other thing: Despite the irrevocability of Philbin's decision to "move on," he harbors misgivings, understandable mixed feelings. No wonder. The longer you do something and drink in its success, the harder it can be to judge when enough is enough.
During an interview after a recent morning's broadcast at his Manhattan studio, Philbin engages in little of his signature Regis-riffing. Looking back and looking ahead, he is reflective, earnest, a bit wistful.
For a while, he explains, "every time a new contract came up, I would say to myself, 'Maybe it's time to get out.' Then I would say, 'Awww, what am I going to do? I might as well continue.'
"Within the 28-year span there were times when I doubted that what I was doing was the right thing, was interesting, was funny," he goes on. "Maybe one day we were a bust, and you would say to yourself, 'Maybe this is over, and I can't do it anymore.' You have those doubts. But then it becomes 10 years, then it was 15, 20, 25."
Now, truly, it seems enough's enough.
"This time, I said, 'I really would like to do something else before I quit (the TV business).' And frankly I'd like to have a little time off. I started in 1955 as (an NBC) page over at 30 Rock, so it's been a long time."
His wife, Joy, is supporting his decision, he says, "But I think she's kind of worried: 'He's going to be home all day — what's he going to do?' Frankly, I think she's a little concerned about it, to be honest with you, and I don't blame her.
"So what do you think?" he abruptly asks his interviewer, switching on his Regis bombast. "AM I making a mis-TAKE here? IS it time for Regis to MOVE ON?"
But it doesn't matter what others think. Philbin is already separating himself from the show, and his office bears that out. Seated at his desk, even with a life-size cutout of Dean Martin still standing beside him and the cushion in his chair displaying the logo of his beloved Notre Dame, Philbin is surrounded by growing disarray.
"We're in the process of tearing this room apart," he notes. "You collect 28 years' worth of stuff, and you hate to suddenly put it in there" — he indicates the trash can — "so we're putting it over there," and he points to boxes filling up with souvenirs and curios.
"I feel almost relieved that I have made a decision," he says. "And frankly, I'm enjoying the last few shows more than I had the last 20 years. I guess there's a sense that, 'Hey, enjoy it now, because this is coming to an end.' But I'm not sure how I'm going to feel, not the next day, but the next month, just in case I really don't move on to something else. And I might not: Who wants an old man, you know what I'm saying?"
Weeks ago, he had spoken of starring in some sort of reality show, but now dismisses that notion.
"It wasn't for me," he says. "There are a couple of other things I'm thinking about, but I don't want to make a decision until all of this is over. Then I can think clearly."
Meanwhile, he looks forward to easing the pace of his social life.
The host chat segment of "Live!" — the hosts' impromptu give-and-take that precedes each day's interviews with celebrity guests — "is what made the show," Philbin notes, and it was often fueled by the respective on-the-town social whirl of Regis and his co-host.
"But I sometimes would have to force myself to go out and see a play or go to a party that I really didn't care about," he says, "to have something that I could talk about the next day."
The host chat solidified his persona as the little guy against the world sounding off about familiar frustrations, even as he lived a life rubbing elbows with fellow celebrities. He was the toast of the town with the common touch.
"It all would come together," he acknowledges. "But I would worry about it. That was a lot of pressure."
As a kid, Philbin was a talker and a joker with his pals back on Morris Park and Holland avenues in the Bronx. But beyond that corner of the world, he was painfully shy.
"When it came to getting laughs in front of a microphone or a television camera or on stage, I couldn't do it," he recalls, not even as he harbored ill-defined dreams of a show business career. "I had to overcome the lack of confidence, the shyness, the thoughts that I never would be able to do what I saw other people doing on camera or heard on the radio."
As an NBC page, he would watch, up close and personal, the multitalented Steve Allen hosting "The Tonight Show" and ask himself, "What am I doing here? What is MY talent?"
And then, a few years later, he discovered Jack Paar, Allen's late-night successor. Paar's monologue style was a revelation — that of a breezy raconteur.
"He would just talk about where he had been that day," Philbin says. "It wasn't one joke after another. It was stuff that he had experienced, stuff you could relate to. I thought, 'That's what I used to do on the corner in the Bronx.'"
In San Diego, where in the late 1950s he landed a job as a TV reporter, he expanded his duties to include a late-night Saturday talk show. Infused with the example of Jack Paar, "I got in front of an audience and, man that was it!"
That was in Fall 1961. Exactly a half-century ago, Regis became Regis.
Later, he gained national exposure as the announcer and sidekick on comic Joey Bishop's ABC late-night show. More local TV followed on the West Coast, notably as a co-host of a morning show in Los Angeles.
Then he came home to New York, where he landed a local morning show in 1983. The ratings grew. Two years later, Kathie Lee Johnson joined him as co-host.
In 1988, he and Kathie Lee (by then wed to sportscaster Frank Gifford) went national.
She left the show in 2000. After a tryout period for a replacement, "All My Children" star Ripa won the job as his female foil.
"We've had so much fun," said Ripa, and, with no need to specify what "it" means, she added, "I don't want to deal with it until the actual 18th. I'm not thinking about it. I don't want to get emotional."
After Nov. 18, the show Philbin built will be left in her custody, as well as executive producer Michael Gelman.
"I always felt like, there's no way Regis is ever going to stop," said Gelman, who, at age 50, has been running "Live!" since his 20s. He said he had expected Philbin to stick around another year or two — until he learned otherwise that morning last January.
"I understand it," he said. "Regis deserves a break after all this time and I'm getting used to the idea that he isn't going to be here. But it's still going to be really strange."
Now it falls to Gelman to navigate a smooth transition to a new host after a few weeks or months of substitutes (such as Jerry Seinfeld, Nov. 21-23) and, of course, on-the-air tryouts. A process he aptly calls "dating," it worked spectacularly well in bringing Ripa into the fold.
"I don't want to drag it out for too long," Gelman said, "but we also want to make the right decision. We want to make sure this isn't a quickie Vegas wedding that ends in divorce."
"I'm curious who they will finally get," says Philbin. "It's a big decision for them, and especially for Kelly. I think it should be about who she really wants."
Once he's out the door, he plans to sample the show.
"If I wake up in time, I'll take a look," he promises. "If I don't, they're on their own."
Chances are, Philbin will be awake at that hour — but otherwise occupied. He and wife Joy will continue playing the occasional musical date around the country. And the day after saying farewell to "Live!" he will embark on a publicity tour for his new memoir, "How I Got This Way." First stop: a book signing at Notre Dame.
In recent years, Philbin has had a triple coronary bypass and a hip replacement, "but I'm back in shape and I feel good about it," he declares, to which Gelman echoed, "He is ageless and has a young soul."
Even so, the prospect of death crosses Philbin's mind, "especially when I see somebody else in the Obits. You realize it's totally unavoidable. And it's kind of scary. But so far," he adds after theatrically clearing his throat, "I've been OK — unless YOU'VE heard something! YOU'RE The Associated Press, after all!"
With that in mind, his interviewer asks him, when the time comes at last, what his epitaph might be.
Unfazed by the question, Philbin smiles indulgently and thinks for a moment.
"How about: 'I'm not dead, I'm just moving on.'" He chuckles, pleased with that one. "There it is!"
___
EDITOR'S NOTE — Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier
via news.yahoo.com
I will sure miss Regis!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
ADHD and Your Homeschool Child | Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
ADHD and Your Homeschool Child
At Homeschool Curriculum Reviews we like to include other articles that parents may find helpful. The following article discusses ADHD and children and includes some helpful recommendations.
Treating ADHD Without Medication – 7 Ways to Help Your Child
Treating ADHD without medication is of high interest to many parents and health professionals who are looking for alternatives to drug therapy. As parents become more aware of the dangers associated with long term use of Ritalin and other stimulants whose use has reached near epidemic proportions, they are looking for other solutions.Pediatricians are prescribing Ritalin (methylphenidate), Dexedrine and Adderall (amphetamine) at an alarming rate to younger and younger children. These potent medications are powerful stimulants classified as Schedule II under the Controlled Substances Act. Substances listed under Schedule II have the potential for the highest rate of abuse and dependence. No wonder parents and professionals are taking time to look at natural supplements for adhd. Please consider the following steps as you begin to think of treating adhd without medication.
AVOID SUGAR: Studies have shown that many children with ADD and ADHD are not metabolizing sugar properly. When you ingest sugar of high carbohydrate foods your pancreas should release insulin, which in turn keeps your blood sugar from rising too high. The adrenal glands should also release certain hormones that will stop the insulin from dropping your blood sugar levels too low. Research has shown that children with ADHD are only releasing about half of the level of hormones as a normal child. The brain activity in these ADHD children decreased significantly as a result of the rapid drop in blood sugar. Unconsciously, these children begin to move in a hyperactive way trying to force the adrenal glands into action so they will release more of these hormones. This behavior can be both restless and aggressive.
AVOID SOFT DRINKS: Besides high sugar content or artificial sweeteners, sodas also contain phosphates, which decrease the bodies’ absorption of magnesium. Several studies have found that children with ADHD are deficient in magnesium. This deficiency can lead to depression, anxiety, restlessness and irritability. Supplementing with Magnesium Citrate (which is more readily made usable by the body) can also be beneficial.
AVOID ADDITIVES: Well documented research has also shown that the vast majority of children with ADHD are sensitive to the red, yellow & blue food dyes that are added to many foods. Wheat, dairy, and certain preservatives can also be a problem for ADHD children.
ADD ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS: Deficiencies in EFAs are also common in children with ADHD. The studies show that low levels of EFAs can present problems with sleep, behavior, learning disabilities and temper issues. These Omega 3 fatty acids can be obtained in the diet through eating salmon or sardines, but supplementing is often necessary.
ADD PROTEIN: Starting the day off with protein may also prove beneficial for the child suffering from ADHD symptoms. Protein can help alleviate the blood sugar fluctuations that often come from eating high carbohydrate foods.
ADD A PROBIOTIC: Antibiotic use and the typical American diet can completely change the environment in the “gut”. Antibiotics kill off the good bacteria naturally found there which allows yeast to completely overgrow. This also interrupts the manufacturing of serotonin in our bodies. When a child is low in serotonin they can have difficulty falling asleep, cannot remain focused and will experience meltdowns during times of stress. A quality probiotic will help rebalance the good bacteria in the gut which can have astounding results.
ADD NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR ADHD: Homeopathy is a natural way of treating ADHD without medication and without side effects. These natural herbal remedies are formulated to help balance the brain chemistry and help your child feel calmer and more focused.
By implementing this holistic approach, you will be helping your child to achieve wellness. Following the diet suggestions above and adding natural supplements for ADHD gives your child the potential to experience enormous improvement. Let the journey to wellness begin.
Elizabeth Kenyon is a health enthusiast who believes in using natural treatments and homeopathy to achieve wellness. Please visit Natural Cures for more information on using natural supplements for adhd.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2333054
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This entry was posted by admin on Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 at 5:41 pm and is filed under ADHD and Your Child . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.Edit this entry.
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