[ [ [['Witnesses said the gunman pulled up on a black scooter', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GzwOIW', '[Related: New York police tighten security at Jewish sites]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['test Zimmerman for alcohol or drugs', 11]], 'http://yhoo.it/Gzn6VF', '[Related: White House says Trayvon Martin is local issue]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['associated with such a small earthquake', 4]], 'http://yhoo.it/GTco9z', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/0/b4/0b493c1a47b6e3f97f8f48a2b251d7d4.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger', ], [ [['Fox News host Geraldo Rivera sparked outrage', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GKMVTk', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/2/7c/27c7367bc512d233ae1790b320a5e92c.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['The charges signed against Bales include', 1]], 'http://yhoo.it/wZT5zV', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/7/a0/7a07c51b2aa0f39b1a23355046d13870.jpeg', '512', ' ', 'AP Photo/DVIDS\, Spc\. Ryan Hallock\, File', ], [ [['George Zimmerman, if I had a son', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/thousands-protest-fla-teen-death-1332387124-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/22/d761a49f3fcc99080a0f6a70670053cd-jpg_150905.jpg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['Mohamed Merah', 10], ['prosecutor Francois Molins', 5]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/four-dead-in-french-jewish-school-shooting-1332173151-slideshow', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120321/2012_03_21t151508z_425380421_gm1e83l1sqs01_rtrmadp_3_france_shootings_raid.jpg', '630', ' ', 'REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier', ], [ [['Shortly after he wrapped up his victory remarks', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['best understands the problems of average Americans', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GB2RVy', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/20/photo-1332257995646-4-0-jpg_171722.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AFP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
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High-tech firms in Taiwan say they developed numerous firsts like all-in-one PC computers that became market successes only after being rebranded in the United States, Japan, or South Korea.
? A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.
Skip to next paragraph
A lawsuit by a little-known Taiwanese high-tech firm against Apple has joined the list of uphill legal cases against Silicon Valley.
Working on computer hardware contracts for 30 years, Apple?s onetime partner Proview International Holdings alleges ?fraudulent actions? by the computer giant to acquire iPad trademarks. But Proview?s would be just one case. High-tech firms in Taiwan say they developed numerous firsts that became market successes only after being rebranded in the United States, Japan, or South Korea. Proview?s claim joins that of Taiwan-based Elan Microelectronics, which sued Apple in 2009 over patents for the touchpad.
In addition, several Taiwanese firms claim to have come up with the ?all-in-one? compact desktop computer in 2007 only to find it sold later by Apple and Lenovo, says Helen Chiang of market research firm IDC in Taipei.
Taiwan lags behind overseas peers because its tech firms, facing slimmer profits from contracts, only started branding their own PCs within the past five to 10 years, the Taiwanese government and private analysts say.
?The problem isn?t with product functions or technology,? says Hanson Tseng, strategic marketing executive director with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. ?It?s about whether the brand can be advanced.?
Oil prices briefly spiked to the highest level in three weeks following a report that Iranian oil exports dropped significantly this month.
Iran, the world's third-largest oil exporter, has been locked in a high-stakes standoff with the West over its nuclear program. The US and Europe, who think Iran may be working on a nuclear bomb, are applying pressure on Iran to open its facilities to inspection. European Union countries and Japan have scaled back purchases of Iranian crude. And a banking services firm also has made it tougher for Iran to sell its oil by blocking financial transactions with major Iranian banks.
The new report suggests that sanctions are starting to have an impact on the country's oil industry. It said Iran's shipments tumbled by 300,000 barrels per day, or 14 per cent, this month. Less oil on the market means remaining barrels get more expensive.
Benchmark US crude rose by $US1.76 to $US107.11 per barrel in New York. Earlier, prices jumped by $US2.95 per barrel in 13 minutes to $US108.25, the highest price for benchmark crude since March 2. Brent crude, which is used to price oil imported by US refineries, rose by $US1.81 to $US124.95 in London.
"The market's a powder keg with a very short fuse," independent oil analyst and trader Stephen Schork said.
Besides the headlines about Iranian exports, Schork said oil prices tend to rise anyway ahead of the weekend, when commodities markets are closed. Many people buy oil contracts as an insurance policy - in case there is a flare-up of tensions in the Middle East, a pipeline explosion or some other unforeseen calamity that drives up oil prices, he said.
Iran has topped the list of major concerns among oil traders this year. It's helped push benchmark oil about $US10 per barrel higher since January. If tensions ease between Iran and the West, expect oil prices to fall by $US15 or more per barrel, Schork said. Petrol prices would likely come down, too.
The US average for petrol has jumped by 19 per cent since the beginning of year to the highest levels ever for this time of year. Pump prices continued to rise on Friday, adding nearly one cent to $US3.89 per gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service.
Experts predict the national average could peak in April, rising as high as $US4.25 per gallon. Petrol already is above $US4 per gallon in nine states and Washington, DC.
In other energy trading, heating oil and petrol futures both added four cents per gallon at $US3.22 and $US3.38 per gallon, respectively. Natural gas futures rose four cents to $US2.31 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Possible causes of sudden onset OCD in kids broadened Public release date: 23-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jules Asher NIMHpress@nih.gov 301-443-4536 NIH/National Institute of Mental Health
NIH immune-based treatment study underway
Criteria for a broadened syndrome of acute onset obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been proposed by a National Institutes of Health scientist and her colleagues. The syndrome, Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), includes children and teens that suddenly develop on-again/off-again OCD symptoms or abnormal eating behaviors, along with other psychiatric symptoms without any known cause.
PANS expands on Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus (PANDAS), which is limited to a subset of cases traceable to an autoimmune process triggered by a strep infection. A clinical trial testing an immune-based treatment for PANDAS is currently underway at NIH and Yale University (see below).
"Parents will describe children with PANS as overcome by a 'ferocious' onset of obsessive thoughts, compulsive rituals and overwhelming fears ," said Susan Swedo, M.D., of the NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), who first characterized PANDAS two decades ago. "Clinicians should consider PANS when children or adolescents present with such acute-onset of OCD or eating restrictions in the absence of a clear link to strep."
Swedo, James Leckman, M.D., of Yale University, and Noel Rose, M.D., Ph.D. of Johns Hopkins University, propose working criteria for PANS in February 2012 in the open source journal Pediatrics & Therapeutics.
"As the field moves toward agreement on this broadened syndrome, affected youth will be more likely to receive appropriate care, regardless of whether they are seen by a neurologist, pediatrician or child psychiatrist," said NIMH Director Thomas R. Insel, M.D.
Differing causes sharing a "common presentation"
The PANS criteria grew out of a PANDAS workshop convened at NIH in July 2010, by the NIMH Pediatric and Developmental Neuroscience Branch, which Swedo heads. It brought together a broad range of researchers, clinicians and advocates. The participants considered all cases of acute-onset OCD, regardless of potential cause.
Clinicians reported that evaluations of more than 400 youth diagnosed with PANDAS confirmed that affected boys outnumbered girls 2:1, with psychiatric symptoms, always including OCD, usually beginning before 8 years.
Although debate continues about the fine points, the field is now of one mind on the core concept of "acute and dramatic" onset of a constellation of psychiatric symptoms. There is also broad agreement on the need for a "centralized registry" that will enable the research community to analyze evidence from studies that will eventually pinpoint causes and treatments. Such a registry is currently under development by members of the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (IOCDF).
Since a diagnosis of PANS implies no specific cause, clinicians will have to evaluate and treat each affected youth on a case-by-case basis.
"PANS will likely turn out to include a number of related disorders with different causes that share a common presentation," explained Swedo.
The authors propose that a patient must meet 3 diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis of PANS:
Abrupt, dramatic onset of OCD or anorexia.
Concurrent presence of at least two additional neuropsychiatric symptoms with similarly severe and acute onset. These include: anxiety; mood swings and depression; aggression, irritability and oppositional behaviors; developmental regression; sudden deterioration in school performance or learning abilities; sensory and motor abnormalities; somatic signs and symptoms.
Symptoms are unexplainable by a known neurologic or medical disorder.
Among the wide range of accompanying symptoms, children may appear terror stricken or suffer extreme separation anxiety, shift from laughter to tears for no apparent reason, or regress to temper tantrums, "baby talk" or bedwetting. In some cases, their handwriting and other fine motor skills worsen dramatically. Leckman's team at the Yale Child Study Center is in the process of developing assessment tools for diagnosing the syndrome.
PANDAS treatment study targets errant antibodies
Meanwhile, Swedo, Leckman, and Madeleine Cunningham of the University of Oklahoma, and colleagues, are collaborating on a new, multi-site placebo-controlled study, testing the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for reducing OCD symptoms in children with PANDAS.
Previous human and animal research suggested mechanisms by which strep-triggered antibodies mistakenly attack specific brain circuitry, resulting in obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
"Strep bacteria has evolved a kind of camouflage to evade detection by the immune system," Swedo explained. "It does this by displaying molecules on its cell wall that look nearly identical to molecules found in different tissues of the body, including the brain. Eventually, the immune system gets wise to this 'molecular mimicry,' recognizes strep as foreign, and produces antibodies against it; but because of the similarities, the antibodies sometimes react not only with the strep, but also with the mimicked molecules in the human host. Such cross-reactive 'anti-brain' antibodies can cause OCD, tics, and the other neuropsychiatric symptoms of PANDAS."
IVIG, a medication derived from normal antibodies, neutralizes such harmful antibodies, restoring normal immune function. It is used to treat other autoimmune illnesses and showed promise in a pilot study with PANDAS patients.
"We predict that IVIG will have striking benefits for OCD and other psychiatric symptoms, and will prove most effective for children who show high levels of anti-brain antibodies when they enter the study," said Swedo.
Prospective study participants are first screened by phone by investigators at the NIH or the Yale Child Study Center. Those who meet eligibility requirements are then randomized to receive either active IVIG or a placebo procedure during a brief inpatient stay at the NIH Clinical Center. The researchers remain blind to which children received the active medication; after 6 weeks of placebo control, they give any children whose symptoms fail to improve the option to receive open-label active treatment.
In addition to assaying for antibodies that attack brain cells, the researchers use magnetic resonance imaging to see if the treatment reduces inflammation in an area of the brain known as the basal ganglia, which is thought to be the target of the errant antibodies. They also analyze levels of immune system chemical messengers (cytokines) in cerebrospinal fluid and blood with an eye to identifying biomarkers of disease activity and potential predictors of treatment response.
###
The study was launched with support from the NIH Clinical Center's Bench to Bedside program, which encourages such intramural-extramural collaborations in translational science.
Reference:
Swedo, SE, Leckman JF, Rose, NR. From Research Subgroup to Clinical Syndrome: Modifying the PANDAS criteria to describe PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome). Feb 2012, Pediatrics & Therapeutics.
The mission of the NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery and cure. For more information, visit the NIMH website.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Possible causes of sudden onset OCD in kids broadened Public release date: 23-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jules Asher NIMHpress@nih.gov 301-443-4536 NIH/National Institute of Mental Health
NIH immune-based treatment study underway
Criteria for a broadened syndrome of acute onset obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been proposed by a National Institutes of Health scientist and her colleagues. The syndrome, Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), includes children and teens that suddenly develop on-again/off-again OCD symptoms or abnormal eating behaviors, along with other psychiatric symptoms without any known cause.
PANS expands on Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus (PANDAS), which is limited to a subset of cases traceable to an autoimmune process triggered by a strep infection. A clinical trial testing an immune-based treatment for PANDAS is currently underway at NIH and Yale University (see below).
"Parents will describe children with PANS as overcome by a 'ferocious' onset of obsessive thoughts, compulsive rituals and overwhelming fears ," said Susan Swedo, M.D., of the NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), who first characterized PANDAS two decades ago. "Clinicians should consider PANS when children or adolescents present with such acute-onset of OCD or eating restrictions in the absence of a clear link to strep."
Swedo, James Leckman, M.D., of Yale University, and Noel Rose, M.D., Ph.D. of Johns Hopkins University, propose working criteria for PANS in February 2012 in the open source journal Pediatrics & Therapeutics.
"As the field moves toward agreement on this broadened syndrome, affected youth will be more likely to receive appropriate care, regardless of whether they are seen by a neurologist, pediatrician or child psychiatrist," said NIMH Director Thomas R. Insel, M.D.
Differing causes sharing a "common presentation"
The PANS criteria grew out of a PANDAS workshop convened at NIH in July 2010, by the NIMH Pediatric and Developmental Neuroscience Branch, which Swedo heads. It brought together a broad range of researchers, clinicians and advocates. The participants considered all cases of acute-onset OCD, regardless of potential cause.
Clinicians reported that evaluations of more than 400 youth diagnosed with PANDAS confirmed that affected boys outnumbered girls 2:1, with psychiatric symptoms, always including OCD, usually beginning before 8 years.
Although debate continues about the fine points, the field is now of one mind on the core concept of "acute and dramatic" onset of a constellation of psychiatric symptoms. There is also broad agreement on the need for a "centralized registry" that will enable the research community to analyze evidence from studies that will eventually pinpoint causes and treatments. Such a registry is currently under development by members of the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (IOCDF).
Since a diagnosis of PANS implies no specific cause, clinicians will have to evaluate and treat each affected youth on a case-by-case basis.
"PANS will likely turn out to include a number of related disorders with different causes that share a common presentation," explained Swedo.
The authors propose that a patient must meet 3 diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis of PANS:
Abrupt, dramatic onset of OCD or anorexia.
Concurrent presence of at least two additional neuropsychiatric symptoms with similarly severe and acute onset. These include: anxiety; mood swings and depression; aggression, irritability and oppositional behaviors; developmental regression; sudden deterioration in school performance or learning abilities; sensory and motor abnormalities; somatic signs and symptoms.
Symptoms are unexplainable by a known neurologic or medical disorder.
Among the wide range of accompanying symptoms, children may appear terror stricken or suffer extreme separation anxiety, shift from laughter to tears for no apparent reason, or regress to temper tantrums, "baby talk" or bedwetting. In some cases, their handwriting and other fine motor skills worsen dramatically. Leckman's team at the Yale Child Study Center is in the process of developing assessment tools for diagnosing the syndrome.
PANDAS treatment study targets errant antibodies
Meanwhile, Swedo, Leckman, and Madeleine Cunningham of the University of Oklahoma, and colleagues, are collaborating on a new, multi-site placebo-controlled study, testing the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for reducing OCD symptoms in children with PANDAS.
Previous human and animal research suggested mechanisms by which strep-triggered antibodies mistakenly attack specific brain circuitry, resulting in obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
"Strep bacteria has evolved a kind of camouflage to evade detection by the immune system," Swedo explained. "It does this by displaying molecules on its cell wall that look nearly identical to molecules found in different tissues of the body, including the brain. Eventually, the immune system gets wise to this 'molecular mimicry,' recognizes strep as foreign, and produces antibodies against it; but because of the similarities, the antibodies sometimes react not only with the strep, but also with the mimicked molecules in the human host. Such cross-reactive 'anti-brain' antibodies can cause OCD, tics, and the other neuropsychiatric symptoms of PANDAS."
IVIG, a medication derived from normal antibodies, neutralizes such harmful antibodies, restoring normal immune function. It is used to treat other autoimmune illnesses and showed promise in a pilot study with PANDAS patients.
"We predict that IVIG will have striking benefits for OCD and other psychiatric symptoms, and will prove most effective for children who show high levels of anti-brain antibodies when they enter the study," said Swedo.
Prospective study participants are first screened by phone by investigators at the NIH or the Yale Child Study Center. Those who meet eligibility requirements are then randomized to receive either active IVIG or a placebo procedure during a brief inpatient stay at the NIH Clinical Center. The researchers remain blind to which children received the active medication; after 6 weeks of placebo control, they give any children whose symptoms fail to improve the option to receive open-label active treatment.
In addition to assaying for antibodies that attack brain cells, the researchers use magnetic resonance imaging to see if the treatment reduces inflammation in an area of the brain known as the basal ganglia, which is thought to be the target of the errant antibodies. They also analyze levels of immune system chemical messengers (cytokines) in cerebrospinal fluid and blood with an eye to identifying biomarkers of disease activity and potential predictors of treatment response.
###
The study was launched with support from the NIH Clinical Center's Bench to Bedside program, which encourages such intramural-extramural collaborations in translational science.
Reference:
Swedo, SE, Leckman JF, Rose, NR. From Research Subgroup to Clinical Syndrome: Modifying the PANDAS criteria to describe PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome). Feb 2012, Pediatrics & Therapeutics.
The mission of the NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery and cure. For more information, visit the NIMH website.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Are you a Martial arts practitioner looking to add some form of exercise to heighten your training? Plyometric conditioning offers intense cardio activity and promotes total body strength and stability. All you need to do is add a 20 minute plyometric routine three times per week to improve strength and quickness.
Jump training incorporates the way the muscles work with elasticity and uses it to produce strength for the athlete. Stretching your muscles to their capacity makes the muscles react by tightening up. When the athlete forces this movement, the muscle reacts by creating a faster contraction, loading the power, and giving the individual the added benefits of the stretch.
A basic exercise such as jumping rope is an ideal form of jump training that involves the use of the lower torso. The right way to perform this exercise is to barely jump of the floor and land on the toes softly.
This movement will be done respectably and various jump movements can be done to change it up. Work your way up to five minutes or more a day and increase the amount of time in stages until you reach the desired goal.
Use clapping pushups to work the upper part of the body with plyometric training. Start from a basic push up position, lower yourself to the ground and explosively push up so your hands leave the ground, use your hands to catch yourself from the fall and immediately lower and repeat the push.
Slamming a ball is an exciting way to get a plyometric workout. There are many variations that require you to slam the ball to the ground, against a wall, or toss it up in the air. The key to this particular movement is maintaining good form and continues motion to get the greatest benefits.
Make sure to perform the plyometric training correctly to prevent injury from the great amount of stress put on the muscles, and tendons and ligaments around the joints.
You must be at the proper level of fitness to start a plyometric training regimen. Most martial arts enthusiasts are already at an adequate level of fitness from the training they already do and this won't be a concern for them.
How do you reach a level of fitness to start jump training? Set up a routine that is specifically tailored to build up your strength and cardiovascular conditioning. Incorporate dumbbells and free weights to build up coordinated strength and perform bodyweight exercise to build functional power. Sprints and short runs are best, and stay away from the slow long distance runs; they are the total opposite of what is needed for plyometric training.
Rules to follow for plyometrics:
Concentrate on controlled movements and good posture. You want to execute the moves quickly as possible, but don't flail your body around.
Wear proper footwear and don't do jump training barefoot in order to prevent permanent damage to your feet.
Always land softly to protect your joints.
Set up a circuit that works the whole body during training.
Plyometric training can be a good asset to the martial arts practitioner who wants to increase strength, mobility, and explosive power. Incorporate jump training into a routine 2- 3 times per week and see how much quicker and explosive your movements become when throwing punches and kicks, practicing forms, or using escapes to transition off the ground.
TAYLOR ? The big challenge for the city?s two golf courses isn?t unique ? increase revenue, bring down costs and do so in an economy where recreational funds for everyone are dwindling by the minute.
On Monday, the golf course fund deficit plan was submitted for City Council approval, addressing a $652,221 deficit with a five-year projection. If approved, it will be submitted with an approved general fund deficit elimination plan to the state Treasury Department for approval.
If the Treasury Department is not satisfied with what is submitted by April 9, a recommendation to cut 25 percent of the city?s state aid will be put in place with other penalties also possible.
While Jeff Dobek ? the Golf, Parks and Recreation Director ? and the city have long known about the golf fund?s current assets-to-current liabilities deficit, the state overlooked it.
The Treasury Department hand-delivered a letter saying it ?inadvertently? left the fund off its first deficit elimination notice.
While the city?s overall plan is more difficult, dealing with an estimated $5 million deficit, growing revenue for Lakes of Taylor and Taylor Meadows golf clubs which, like many assets, is depreciating every year, also is no small feat.
?I won?t say we?re doing great, but we are making a positive impact,? Dobek said. ?We have a long way to go. My thrust is operating cash flow positive. That?s revenue in and revenue out.?
Dobek?s plan is the latest incarnation that started before he took over the courses in 2010. While he oversaw the previous plan, Dobek, a certified public account, drew up the latest plan with Dean Philo, outgoing director of budget and finance, in January.
Jenetta Kregel, director of budget and finance, said that Dobek?s plan is an improvement over the previous one.
?It?s a good plan; it?s a conservative plan,? she said. ?There are no wild guesses about ridiculous revenues. Jeff did a good job of being conservative.? Continued...
A big win for Dobek was getting the fund?s operating cash flow out of the red. In 2011, for the first time since 2007, the fund?s revenues minus expenditures was positive $97,400. In 2009, the amount was nearly negative-$305,000 and last year, negative-$120,000.
The golf fund no longer receives Tax Increment Finance Authority funds for improvements. In 2007, the city received $600,000, which brought the fund into positive numbers.
Another new wrinkle to deal with was ?Other Post-Employment Benefits costs,? which city employees receive upon retirement. The golf fund was now tasked with absorbing those costs, which amounts to about $180,000 a year.
Reducing costs like payroll down to about $1.1 million, down $181,509 from 2010 and almost $300,000 for the last two years, has been one of the department?s challenges.
Another is maintenance, which was $777,700 last year, which went up from $701,429.
Growing business by utilizing social media, networking and with an overall ramp-up in marketing and bringing more money in, is key, Dobek said.
?We need to increase play again,? Dobek said. ?It?s golf outings, weddings. We joined the (Southern Wayne County Regional) Chamber.
?We?re doing more weddings and networking.?
With both courses paid off, one idea is to sell the courses and their banquet facilities. The soft market however, is a major obstacle.
Dobek said a Green Oaks Township course that fell ?in-between? the caliber of Lakes of Taylor and Taylor Meadows recently sold for $750,000 in a bank sale. Continued...
?The courses are cash-flow flush,? he said. ?Everything is going to come back and they are all paid off.
?If you can hold your own through tough times ... a lot of these banks are sitting on golf courses.?
Contact Staff Writer David Komer at 1-734-246-0866 or dkomer@heritage.com. Follow him on Facebook and @DavidKomer_NH on Twitter.
The debt is mounting and the bills are now piling up. The problem may seem so huge that there is no way to take care of it any longer. Many consumers in this position have decided to declare bankruptcy, foreclose on their home and get out that way because the problem seems so large and it is so completely overwhelming. Notices and bills seems to be pouring in that you cannot even tell where and when you owe these.
There are different types of debts in the financial system and consumer debt is one of them. This type of debt is obtained for possession or consumption instead of investment. Debt devices like personal loans, vehicle loans, home loans and credit cards can be utilized for profit purposes, but these debt devices are generally used to make needless consumption-related purchases.
Settling debt is a good choice than declaring bankruptcy and is now very known in America. Negotiation became the way to settle it with creditors openly. An unsecured debt of 50% can be settled now
Decrease or increase in consumer debt can have both positive and negative financial effects. One benefit of consumer debt is money multiplier effect. The overall theory behind money multiplier effect is that enhancing consumer spending increases income for several different types of businesses and companies. According to experts, additional consumption funded by debt actually produces more money for businesses and companies selling the product.
On the other hand, employees, suppliers, lending organizations and other related individuals benefit from this additional consumption. Federal Banks or Central Banks regulate consumer debt according to the current market situation and consumer spending.
Customers spending less on goods and services indicate reduction in consumer debt. Central Banks or Federal Banks actually reduce the federal fund rate to increase borrowing, investing and spending. However, this can easily have a spillover effect on the country's economy. Interest rates can have an influence on home buying, investing, higher education and even business start-ups.
Consumer debt is totally unproductive according to some finance experts. This debt does not make a profit or income for the borrower. Low levels of this debt can translate into higher levels of consumer debt. If an individual is caught in costly credit card payments every month, he will save very less money to invest in property or a 401(k). This pattern can easily shift demand in the financial system from industries like real estate, financial services to consumption-driven businesses like entertainment, hotels and fast food.
You must select a credit card financial debt settlement agency which has verifiable credentials or a card credit debt settlement agency that you know has a good reputation. Often you will find ads that promise not possible items and ask you to call a phone variety which's a premium line.
If the card credit debt settlement agency is not a respected one, you would not be capable to rely on them; and rely on is quite important here normally you should neither be capable to tell them the full narrative and nor stick to their assistance. That mentioned, it's important to observe that no credit card consumer debt settlement company will be able to improve you if you are not prepared to improve yourself. So, stick to the suggestions given by credit card financial debt settlement agency and practice great spending habits.
by Leslie Tepper http://ezdebtelimination.com
Professional reliable help, credit counseling, personal or business debts with Integrity, Honesty, Hard Work. Free Consultation. Free Money Making Opportunity, Free Promotional Tools
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Public release date: 23-Mar-2012
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