On Monday, Connecticut-based Foxwoods Resort Casino announced a partnership with GameAccount Network to deliver online gaming opportunities to the United States market.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN), which owns and operates Foxwoods, said it would initially focus on play-money games until legislation allows real-money wagering in the U.S. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval, but MPTN said it would release a play-for-fun gaming site at some point this year.
The agreement includes business-to-business (B2B) operations and will provide turnkey online gaming solutions for other Indian casinos and gaming operators.
According to the tribe, Foxwoods.com attracts one million unique monthly visitors.
As of yet, Connecticut legislation has not discussed the allowance of real-money online gaming within the state, nor has the state indicated whether the issue would be brought into discussion within the future.
New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada are the only states that regulate online wagering in the U.S. New Jersey and Delaware offer casino games; Nevada only allows online poker.
Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation commented, ?The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is thrilled to announce our proposed partnership with GameAccount. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe has long been a leader in brick-and-mortar casino operations, and with the help of GameAccount, we aim to take the same leadership position in regulated online gaming in the US. Our shared vision unites GameAccount's technical capabilities with our Foxwoods brand and our leadership in casino management.?
GameAccount is an online gaming software supplier focusing its efforts on regulated markets. The company offers a fully-integrated online gaming platform of casino and mobile skill games, as well as the ability to convert land-based slots into online games.
?As one of the first European Internet gaming system suppliers that moved into the United States in advance of intra-State regulation in 2011, we have developed the specialist experience, expertise and technical functionality required to serve Foxwoods from a hardware platform located on-property in Connecticut," said Dermot Smurfit, GameAccount's CEO. "We're delighted that this experience and our unique capabilities will support our new strategic partner Foxwoods as they build a new Internet gaming business in one of the World's most exciting emerging regulated Internet gaming markets."
Monday's agreement comes just a few months after Foxwoods? southeastern Connecticut rival, Mohegan Sun, signed a deal with Amaya Gaming (now owned by Bally Technologies) to provide free-play online poker. That deal, made in November last year, was the first agreement of its kind made by an East Coast casino bringing online gaming and poker to the U.S.
For news, updates, and more follow PokerNews on Twitter and Facebook.
Apr. 21, 2013 ? Stress triggered neuropsychiatric disorders take an enormous personal, social and economic toll on society. In the US more than half of adults are exposed to at least one traumatic event throughout their lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating anxiety disorder associated with exposure to a traumatic event outside the range of normal human experience. PTSD typically follows a chronic, often lifelong, course. Patients have diminished quality of life, are more likely to manifest other psychiatric disorders such as depression and six times more likely as demographically matched controls to attempt suicide. Prevention and treatment of PTSD remains a challenge with improved therapies needed to help save billions of dollars in medical care and provide enormous society benefit.
Based on a variety of studies in humans and animals it has been suggested that neuropeptide Y (NPY), a peptide that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, has therapeutic potential for PTSD. This naturally occurring peptide is one of the widely expressed inside and outside of the brain with diverse functions. Human studies indicate that NPY is associated with resilience to development of PTSD or helps improve recovery from harmful effects of traumatic stress. Injections into the brain of rodents attenuated some of the behavioral responses related to stress associated neuropsychiatric disorders. However systemic administration of NPY will likely have undesirable side effects, especially on the cardiovascular system.
This study delivered NPY to rats by intranasal infusion, a non-invasive procedure to bypass the blood brain barrier. A single infusion was administered 30 min before or immediately after exposure to single prolonged stress (SPS). Behavioral, neuroendocrine and biochemical analyses were performed 1 to 3 weeks after SPS and compared to untreated controls or to animals infused with the solution without NPY. The SPS-elicited elevation in anxiety, depressive-like behavior and hyper-arousal was reduced in the animals given intranasal NPY, and some of the features were the same as in the animals not exposed to the stress. There was a lower stress triggered rise in plasma stress hormones, such as glucocorticoids and in expression of their receptor in the hippocampus in the NPY treated animals. Intranasal NPY also modulated the response of the brain noradrenergic system to the traumatic stress of SPS.
The results demonstrated, for the first time, that rapid delivery of NPY to the brain by intranasal infusion, before or shortly after exposure to traumatic stress, has a pronounced resilient effect and ameliorates development of PTSD-like symptoms in rats. It provides proof of concept for potential of intranasal NPY for non-invasive prophylactic treatment for individuals likely to be exposed to traumatic stress, such as early responders or military personnel, as well as for early intervention after exposure to traumatic stress.
These research findings will be presented April 21st, 2013 during Experimental Biology 2013 in Boston, MA
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(Reuters) - The two brothers suspected in the Boston Marathon bombings, who police say engaged in a gun battle with officers early Friday after a frenzied manhunt, were not licensed to own guns in the towns where they lived, authorities said on Sunday.
In the confrontation with police on the streets of a Boston suburb, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were armed with handguns, at least one rifle and several explosive devices, authorities say.
But neither brother appears to have been legally entitled to own or carry firearms where they lived, a fact that may add to the national debate over current gun laws. Last week, the U.S. Senate rejected a bill to expand background checks on gun purchases, legislation that opponents argued would do nothing to stop criminals from buying guns illegally.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, who was killed in the shootout with police, would have been required to apply for a gun license with the local police department where he lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
But there is no record of him having done so, according to Cambridge Police Department spokesman Dan Riviello.
Even if he had earlier received a gun license from somewhere outside Cambridge, that license would have to be registered with Cambridge police upon becoming a resident of the city, Riviello said. In Massachusetts, gun licenses are issued by municipal police departments.
"There is no record of him having a license to carry," Riviello told Reuters.
Tsarnaev's younger brother Dzhokhar, 19, who was captured alive on Friday after the manhunt, would have been too young to get a handgun license. Under state law, residents under 21 may only apply for a so-called firearms identification card, which allows the holder to own only rifles that hold 10 rounds or less and shotguns.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had no record of a firearms ID card in Cambridge. The police department in Dartmouth, where Dzhokhar was a student, said they had no record of gun licenses or ID cards for either brother.
Police in nearby New Bedford, where the younger brother may have lived in the past, could not confirm on Sunday whether they had issued Dzhokhar Tsarnaev a firearms ID card.
Federal law enforcement agencies have not confirmed a full tally of the brothers' arsenal.
Within hours of their images being released on Thursday, the two brothers are accused of shooting dead a Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus police officer in his car, hijacking at least one car at gunpoint, and of shooting at least one police officer during the gun battle in nearby Watertown.
(Reporting By Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Eric Beech)
More evidence berries have health-promoting propertiesPublic release date: 21-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Suzanne Price sprice@nutrition.org 617-954-3976 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Rats protected from irradiation
Boston, MAAdding more color to your diet in the form of berries is encouraged by many nutrition experts. The protective effect of berries against inflammation has been documented in many studies. Diets supplemented with blueberries and strawberries have also been shown to improve behavior and cognitive functions in stressed young rats.
To evaluate the protective effects of berries on brain function, specifically the ability of the brain to clear toxic accumulation, researchers from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and University of Maryland Baltimore County recently fed rats a berry diet for 2 months and then looked at their brains after irradiation, a model for accelerated aging. All of the rats were fed berries 2 months prior to radiation and then divided into two groups- one was evaluated after 36 hours of radiation and the other after 30 days.
"After 30 days on the same berry diet, the rats experienced significant protection against radiation compared to control," said investigator Shibu Poulose, PhD. "We saw significant benefits to diets with both of the berries, and speculate it is due to the phytonutrients present."
The researchers looked at neurochemical changes in the brain, in particular what is known as autophagy, which can regulate the synthesis, degradation and recycling of cellular components. It is also the way in which the brain clears toxic accumulations. "Most diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's have shown an increased amount of toxic protein. Berries seem to promote autophagy, the brain's natural housekeeping mechanism, thereby reducing the toxic accumulation," said Poulose.
The researchers are currently conducting a human study in older people ages 60-75. "We have a lot of animal work that suggests these compounds will protect the aged brain and reverse some of behavioral deficits. We are hoping it will translate to human studies as well," said Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale, the lead investigator conducting the human study.
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This study was funded by the USDA and a grant from NASA.
About Experimental Biology 2013
Experimental Biology's mission is to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping future and current clinical advances and to give scientists and clinicians an unparalleled opportunity to hear from colleagues working on similar biomedical problems using different disciplines. With six sponsoring societies and another 20 U.S. and international guest societies, the annual meeting brings together scientists from throughout the United States and the world, representing dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. The meeting also offers a wide spectrum of professional development sessions.
About the American Society for Nutrition
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is the preeminent professional organization for nutrition research scientists and clinicians around the world. ASN is dedicated to bringing together the top nutrition researchers, medical practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders to advance our knowledge and application of nutrition. Founded in 1928, ASN publishes The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), The Journal of Nutrition (JN), and Advances in Nutrition and provides a wide range of education and professional development opportunities to advance nutrition research, practice, and education. Visit ASN online at http://www.nutrition.org.
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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.
More evidence berries have health-promoting propertiesPublic release date: 21-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Suzanne Price sprice@nutrition.org 617-954-3976 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Rats protected from irradiation
Boston, MAAdding more color to your diet in the form of berries is encouraged by many nutrition experts. The protective effect of berries against inflammation has been documented in many studies. Diets supplemented with blueberries and strawberries have also been shown to improve behavior and cognitive functions in stressed young rats.
To evaluate the protective effects of berries on brain function, specifically the ability of the brain to clear toxic accumulation, researchers from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and University of Maryland Baltimore County recently fed rats a berry diet for 2 months and then looked at their brains after irradiation, a model for accelerated aging. All of the rats were fed berries 2 months prior to radiation and then divided into two groups- one was evaluated after 36 hours of radiation and the other after 30 days.
"After 30 days on the same berry diet, the rats experienced significant protection against radiation compared to control," said investigator Shibu Poulose, PhD. "We saw significant benefits to diets with both of the berries, and speculate it is due to the phytonutrients present."
The researchers looked at neurochemical changes in the brain, in particular what is known as autophagy, which can regulate the synthesis, degradation and recycling of cellular components. It is also the way in which the brain clears toxic accumulations. "Most diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's have shown an increased amount of toxic protein. Berries seem to promote autophagy, the brain's natural housekeeping mechanism, thereby reducing the toxic accumulation," said Poulose.
The researchers are currently conducting a human study in older people ages 60-75. "We have a lot of animal work that suggests these compounds will protect the aged brain and reverse some of behavioral deficits. We are hoping it will translate to human studies as well," said Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale, the lead investigator conducting the human study.
###
This study was funded by the USDA and a grant from NASA.
About Experimental Biology 2013
Experimental Biology's mission is to share the newest scientific concepts and research findings shaping future and current clinical advances and to give scientists and clinicians an unparalleled opportunity to hear from colleagues working on similar biomedical problems using different disciplines. With six sponsoring societies and another 20 U.S. and international guest societies, the annual meeting brings together scientists from throughout the United States and the world, representing dozens of scientific areas, from laboratory to translational to clinical research. The meeting also offers a wide spectrum of professional development sessions.
About the American Society for Nutrition
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is the preeminent professional organization for nutrition research scientists and clinicians around the world. ASN is dedicated to bringing together the top nutrition researchers, medical practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders to advance our knowledge and application of nutrition. Founded in 1928, ASN publishes The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), The Journal of Nutrition (JN), and Advances in Nutrition and provides a wide range of education and professional development opportunities to advance nutrition research, practice, and education. Visit ASN online at http://www.nutrition.org.
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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.
ISTANBUL (AP) ? Foreign ministers from the main supporters of the rebels trying to topple the Syrian government worked Saturday to increase pressure on President Bashar Assad, but the opposition demanded direct military involvement.
The United States prepared a major boost in nonlethal military aid while European nations considered changes to an arms embargo that would allow arms transfers to the Syrian opposition.
But European Union action seemed unlikely before May, and the fresh U.S. help was certain to fall short of the strongest demands from the Syrian National Coalition: drone strikes to disable Assad's chemical weapon and missile capability; a no-fly zone requiring significant military operations; and a U.N. resolution that condemns Assad for attacks on Syrians.
"The technical ability to take specific action to prevent the human tragedy and suffering of innocent civilians, mostly women and children, is available in the form of specific intelligence and equipment," the group said in a statement before the conference ended.
"Syrians understand that such ability is within the reach of a number of members of the Friends of Syria group, yet nothing serious has been done to put an end to such terror and criminality."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry planned to announce that the Obama administration was ready to provide up to $130 million in supplies, which could include body armor, armored vehicles, night vision goggles and advanced communications equipment.
Officials said the exact amount was being determined in consultation with the rebels and allies, but was expected to be at least $100 million.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss Kerry's announcement.
Opening Saturday's meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he wanted the conference to help bring peace to Syria, which has endured more than two years of civil war.
The United Nations estimates that the fighting has killed more than 70,000 people, many by the Assad government as it tries to repress the uprising.
"I hope this meeting will be helping to peace in Syria, to regional peace and global peace. At the end of the day, we are all working together to end the pains of Syrian people," he said.
German's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, spoke of giving the opposition greater political power and concrete support. "That is how we are trying to ease the pain of the Syrian people," he said. "A violent solution is not a solution, only a democratic one is a real solution."
Kerry met with Davutoglu and Syrian opposition leader Moaz al-Khatib before the conference got underway.
In the latest clashes, Syrian troops backed by pro-government gunmen captured at least one village in a strategic area near the Lebanese border, activists and state media reported.
President Barack Obama has said he has no plans to send weapons or give lethal aid to the rebels, despite pressure from Congress, some administration advisers and appeals from the Syrian opposition leadership.
Since February, the U.S. has shipped food and medical supplies directly to the Free Syrian Army, but Obama recently expanded that include defensive military equipment.
Kerry's announcement on Saturday was to be the first under that new authorization. So far, the U.S. has provided an estimated $117 million in nonlethal aid to the Syrian opposition, according to the White House.
Some Arab states are supplying the rebels with arms, and Britain and France are leading a push to modify the European Union's arms embargo on Syria to permit weapons transfers to the opposition.
The embargo is to expire at the end of May unless it is extended or revised.
Those in favor of the change say there have been no decisions on whether to actually supply the rebels with arms. They argue that allowing such transfers would increase the pressure on Assad. U.S. officials say they support testing this strategy.
Germany and the Netherlands, however, are said to be reluctant to support the step because they fear it would lead to further bloodshed.
Kerry said before leaving Washington that the conference aim was to get the opposition and all prospective donors "on the same page" with how Syria would be governed if and when Assad left power or was toppled.
The U.S. and its European and Arab allies are struggling to find ways to stem the escalating violence that has led to fears that chemical weapons may have been used. Despite international pressure, Assad has managed to retain power far longer than the Obama administration or its allies expected.
"We need to change President Assad's calculation, that is clear," Kerry told U.S. senators Thursday. He said the Assad government's survival largely depends on the continued support it gets from Iran, its proxy Hezbollah, and Russia.
"That equation somehow has to change," Kerry said.
The U.S. is not opposed to other countries arming the rebels, provided there are assurances the weapons do not get to extremist groups that have gained ground in the conflict.
Kerry said that Assad, his inner circle and supporters in Iran and Russia have yet to be persuaded to enter negotiations with the opposition and allow for a political transition.
He said he had not given up on persuading Moscow to reverse its support for Assad.
Kerry planned to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov next week in Brussels on the sidelines of a NATO-Russia Council meeting.
"My hope is still that the Russians can be constructive," he said.
Tomosynthesis increases breast cancer detection ratePublic release date: 19-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Samantha Schmidt sschmidt@arrs.org 703-858-4316 American Roentgen Ray Society
May improve detection in dense breasts
2D plus 3D breast imaging increases cancer detection rates by 11%, and could be particularly useful in detecting cancer in women with dense breasts, a new study suggests.
Researchers at Yale University Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, CT, reviewed the screening mammograms of 14,684 patients. Forty-two cancers were found in 8,769 patients who had only 2D imaging (a cancer detection rate of 4.8 per 1,000), said Dr. Jaime Geisel, a lead author of the study. Thirty-two cancers were found in the group that had 2D plus 3D (tomosynthesis) imaging, for a cancer detection rate of 5.4 per 1,000, said Dr. Geisel. The percent of invasive and intraductal cancers detected among the two groups was similar, she said.
In addition to the improved cancer detection rate, "of the patients who had cancer detected with 3D, 54% had dense breasts. Of the patients who had cancer detected with 2D only, 21% had dense breasts. This suggests better performance of the 3D in dense breast tissue given 3D was offered to patients regardless of breast density or risk factors," Dr. Geisel said.
Dr. Geisel noted that the majority of screening mammograms at her facility now includes 3D imaging.
"I am hopeful that my study will help raise awareness among physicians as well as women undergoing breast cancer screening," she said. Additional research needs to be done; "We recognize the numbers are still too small to draw significant conclusions, but the data is compelling," she said.
Dr. Geisel will present her study at the ARRS annual meeting on April 19 in Washington, DC.
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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.
Tomosynthesis increases breast cancer detection ratePublic release date: 19-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Samantha Schmidt sschmidt@arrs.org 703-858-4316 American Roentgen Ray Society
May improve detection in dense breasts
2D plus 3D breast imaging increases cancer detection rates by 11%, and could be particularly useful in detecting cancer in women with dense breasts, a new study suggests.
Researchers at Yale University Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, CT, reviewed the screening mammograms of 14,684 patients. Forty-two cancers were found in 8,769 patients who had only 2D imaging (a cancer detection rate of 4.8 per 1,000), said Dr. Jaime Geisel, a lead author of the study. Thirty-two cancers were found in the group that had 2D plus 3D (tomosynthesis) imaging, for a cancer detection rate of 5.4 per 1,000, said Dr. Geisel. The percent of invasive and intraductal cancers detected among the two groups was similar, she said.
In addition to the improved cancer detection rate, "of the patients who had cancer detected with 3D, 54% had dense breasts. Of the patients who had cancer detected with 2D only, 21% had dense breasts. This suggests better performance of the 3D in dense breast tissue given 3D was offered to patients regardless of breast density or risk factors," Dr. Geisel said.
Dr. Geisel noted that the majority of screening mammograms at her facility now includes 3D imaging.
"I am hopeful that my study will help raise awareness among physicians as well as women undergoing breast cancer screening," she said. Additional research needs to be done; "We recognize the numbers are still too small to draw significant conclusions, but the data is compelling," she said.
Dr. Geisel will present her study at the ARRS annual meeting on April 19 in Washington, DC.
###
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?
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.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House says President Barack Obama is being briefed on developments in the investigation into the bombings at the Boston Marathon.
It said in a statement that the president's assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism, Lisa Monaco, was briefing Obama overnight about the news unfolding in Boston and the nearby community of Watertown.
One bombing suspect is dead and a second remains at large.
Judge Carol Patricia Flores ruled the legal process in the contentious trial of former Gen. Rios Montt be set back to November 2011, essentially nullifying all actions taken in the case since that date.
By Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,?Contributor / April 19, 2013
Guatemala's former dictator General Efrain Rios Montt sits in the courtroom as the judge orders the suspension of the trail against him and fellow General Jose Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez, on charges of genocide in Guatemala City, Thursday.
Luis Soto/AP
Enlarge
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Uncertainty loomed in Guatemala early Friday morning as hundreds of indigenous Ixils made their way into the Supreme Court to demand justice.
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In an unprecedented turn of events, a judge who was recently reinstated to the case of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt ordered the suspension of the trial late Thursday, heightening tensions around already contentious legal proceedings that have divided Guatemalans. Her move in effect forces the trial to start over.
The 86-year-old general is the first strongman in Latin America to be tried on genocide charges, brought for his alleged role in the torture and disappearances of more than 1,700 indigenous Guatemalans between 1982-1983.
Attorney general Claudia Paz y Paz immediately deemed the judge's actions illegal and vowed to continue to push for justice and act according to the rule of law.
?The judge committed an illegality when [she] failed to follow a direct order from the Constitutional Court,? says Ms. Paz in an exclusive interview with The Christian Science Monitor. ?But we have been ordered to convene in court and it is our duty to act according to law and justice."?
Judge Carol Patricia Flores ruled the legal process be set back to November 2011, before the general was charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. Ms. Flores said she was following a directive from the Constitutional Court, and that all actions taken in the case since she was asked to step down in February 2012 were null.?
?I am not acting out of my own persuasion. I am acting in accordance with what top justices have asked me to do,? Judge Flores said.
According to documents read at the hearing, however, the Constitutional Court ordered Flores to review and readmit the evidence previously deemed inadmissible, then return the file to the sentencing court ? in less than 24 hours ? to resume the trial. The three-justice panel, presided over by Judge Yasmin Barrios, was expected to hear closing arguments before the week?s end.
Rios Montt's violent tenure
Mr. R?os Montt took power in a coup and ruled Guatemala between 1982-1983, which became one of the bloodiest period of Guatemala?s 1960-1996 civil war. More than 200,000 people ? mostly indigenous Mayans ? were killed before the UN brokered peace accords.
Recently, a political push had come from conservative sectors of Guatemalan society, including President Otto Perez Molina, to stop the trial.? They deny genocide took place during the civil war. (Why is the trial controversial? Read our report about how both sides view its potential impact.)
Blowback
The attorney general?s office alleges R?os Montt oversaw the torture, rape, and forced disappearances of 1,771 indigenous Ixils in 15 massacres when he was de facto head of state.?And it seems she has the support of the international community.
?What we?re seeing here is that the victims? rights to swift justice are being violated,? says Alberto Brunori, representative of the United Nations Office for Human Rights.
Overnight, dozens of indigenous Ixils lit candles in a vigil outside the Supreme Court building where the trial had been ongoing since March 19. They traveled by bus from the department of Quiche, 150 miles north of the capital.
Anita Isaacs, a political science professor at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, says the hardest moment was coming out of the courtroom.
?The hope for justice, for Guatemalan Mayans being treated with the same dignity and respect as other Guatemalan citizens,? she says, ?was snatched right out of their hands.?
Israel's CompuLab, makers of small form factor fanless desktop computer systems such as the Intense PC, is now pushing its way into the industrial server market with the launch of the uSVR. Available in configurations packing Intel's 3rd generation Core i7 processors and 32 GB of system memory, the high performance, ruggedized, fanless server is capable of modular expansion, too, courtesy of the company's Function And Connectivity Extension Module (FACE) system.
Processor choice for the uSVR fanless server runs to a 2.5 GHz (3555LE) or 1.7 GHz (3517UE) Core i7 CPU, both with Intel HD 400 graphics, or an Intel Celeron 1047UE processor running at 1.4 GHz (with integrated Intel HD 2500 graphics).
There's support from up to 32 GB of dual channel ECC DDR3 RAM (1600 MHz) spread over two SO-DIMM sockets, and enough room inside the all-aluminum passively-cooled chassis for as many as four 2.5-inch 500 GB or 1 TB HDDs supporting RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, or JBOD configurations. Up to 480 GB of mSATA SSD boot storage, and an eSATA port for hooking up to external drives, are also on offer.
An extended operating temperature range from a chilly -20? C right up to a baking 60? C (-4 to 140? F), combined with a distinct lack of vent holes and a low power draw of between 8 W and 35 W (depending on configuration and system load), is claimed to make the uSVR a good fit for use in harsh environments. The server can also be remotely managed thanks to Intel's Active Management Technology (version 8).
Each unit comes with HDMI 1.4a (for up to 1920 x 1200 resolution at 60 Hz) and DisplayPort (for up to 2560 x 1600 resolution at 60 Hz) interfaces, together with 7.1 channel S/PDIF digital audio in and out, a stereo line-out jack, and a microphone input.
There are two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports as standard, with the option to add another four USB 2.0 ports by installing a FACE module (an I/O extension system first seen in CompuLab's fit-PC3 mini-computer). Other FACE modules currently being offered include one that adds four gigabit Ethernet ports to the already included two, there's another that sports six serial ports, and another still that has two miniPCIe sockets.
Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi wireless technology can also be configured into the setup as an optional extra.
The uSVR is available now, with a starting price of US$556 for volume orders.
"It's probably one of the worst things I've seen," said Union Pacific Special Agent Sal Pina, who untied Banjo from the tracks.
By Tracy Connor, Staff Writer, NBC News
An elderly man who wanted to get rid of his dog tied the pooch to the train tracks, but his dastardly plan was foiled by an eagle-eyed engineer, according to authorities.
The railroad operator hit the emergency brakes and the 10-month-old poodle terrier mix -- nicknamed Banjo by animal-control officials in Riverside County, Calif. -- was saved.
His owner was detained but will not be charged with a crime because he may have dementia, officials said. He told investigators he didn't want the dog but didn't know what to do with him.
"It's probably one of the worst things I've seen," Union Pacific Special Agent Sal Pina, who untied the animal from the tracks after the close call on April 2, said in a statement released Tuesday.
"I've never seen something like this," said Pina, who owns the same breed of dog.
Riverside officials said the dog was healthy and friendly. Although he made several TV appearances, he's no publicity hound; a vet tech takes him home every night to work on his timid temperment, officials said.
Hundreds of adoption offers from across the country poured in and officials said they expect Banjo -- named after old traffic signals found on some rail lines -- will have a new home by Monday.
Riverside County Animal Services
This image provided by Riverside County Animal Services shows Banjo, a 10-month-old poodle-terrier mix that was tied to train tracks in the California desert.
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This story was originally published on Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:47 AM EDT
We?ve all heard that embracing social media is a vital part of the PR function of any business today ? but what else is there to PR in today?s world? So, there?s Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and LinkedIn and Pinterest and Google+, and a host of other online platforms for engagement with audiences (if you?re using all of these, you?re also doing it wrong, by the way). But what about these platforms makes them good PR tools, and what other tools, tactics and tricks should the savvy PR professional be pulling out of their sleeves? Let?s look at five warning signs that your PR strategy is in need of a facelift.
1. Nobody likes your posts
Being the unpopular kid is never fun. Secretly, everyone wants to be liked, and if you?re posting something online, you want people to show it with their clicks. ?Like?, ?Share? or ?RT?, it?s all the same: if nobody else wants to play, it?s going to be a sad party for one. Fortunately, business is (somewhat) more democratic than high school. Take the hint and find out what people like, and then get back out there and try again ? nobody ever got anywhere worthwhile by sulking.
2. The cool kids don?t come to your parties
Again on the unpopularity front: if only people whose presence is irrelevant to you come to your parties, there?s something wrong. Now, replace ?cool kids? with ?target audience? and you?ll see what I mean. If you are pursuing a particular audience and you aren?t getting a response from them, it?s a clear sign that there?s a miscommunication somewhere. Assess the situation and find out what it would take to get them to come to the party. Then you can work out if they are worth it, or if you need to reposition yourself and focus on the people who like your parties.
3. You have a hostile relationship with a news editor
Note: it says ?a? news editor ? as in any news editor. A business should always maintain good relationships with media representatives, especially those who have strong influence. Building and maintaining healthy and respectful relationships with the media isn?t old fashioned ? it?s wise. And unless it?s a personal situation involving high school bullying or run-over pets, stay on the right side of the news editors. All of them.
4. You don?t show up in the top five search results
You know that if you?re not on Google, you don?t exist, right? But the fine print of the matter is that if you don?t show up in the top five search results, you may as well not exist anyway. What this means is that either you picked a bad name or people don?t know enough about your business. In any case, it?s a sign that you need to work on getting people talking about your business (while you?re at it, try to make sure they?re saying something nice).
5. You don?t exist offline
Now, this is not to say that entirely online businesses can?t succeed. It is merely a suggestion that if not one newspaper, magazine, newsletter, brochure, television program, radio presenter or conversation IRL (in real life) mentions you, you are not doing enough in terms of PR. Make sure that you aren?t so busy focusing on ensuring that you have an online presence and that nobody?s slating you on consumer complaints sites that you don?t miss the plot and disappear off the radar of living, breathing people, who also go by ?target audience?, ?customer? and ?client?.
Be careful of falling into the trap of thinking that ?modern PR? is all about digital, and that as long as you?re online you?re all right. There is still intrinsic value in good media relations, and quality tailored content is key. Make sure you?re talking to the right people, and that they?re talking back.
IU study: Feelings of power can diffuse effects of negative stereotypesPublic release date: 10-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Liz Rosdeitcher rosdeitc@indiana.edu 812-855-4507 Indiana University
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- New research from social psychologists at Indiana University Bloomington suggests that feeling powerful might protect against the debilitating effects of negative stereotypes.
"If you can make women feel powerful, then maybe you can protect them from the consequences of stereotype threat," IU social psychologist Katie Van Loo said.
In new work, Van Loo and Robert Rydell, social psychologists in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the IU College of Arts and Sciences, brought the study of these two social forces -- power and stereotypes -- together to determine whether one could circumvent the debilitating impact of the other.
Negative stereotypes, according to an already large body of research, have insidious effects. The very fear of confirming a stereotype that reflects on one's identity -- that "women can't do math," for example -- is enough to undermine a woman's performance in the subject. Social psychologists have labeled this phenomenon "stereotype threat" and have documented its impact in such areas as test taking and athletics.
At the other end of the scale are the equal and opposite effects of power. Power, it has been shown, can have positive effects on individual agency, imparting a sense of freedom and control over one's cognitive, psychological and physical resources and, perhaps, paving the way for optimal performance.
"This paper looks at whether making women feel powerful and reminding them of a time in which they had power can prevent stereotype threat," Van Loo said. "I wanted to look at how high power can protect women from decreases in cognitive resources as a result of stereotype threat."
In a series of three experiments, Van Loo and Rydell built a case for this process. In the first, using a technique called semantic priming, participants were given scrambled sentences of five words, each one containing a word related to either high or low power ("dominant" and "controlling" vs. "subordinate" and "dependent"), which they would form into a sentence. Each group was then given a math test in which the instructions either invoked the negative stereotype about women and math or were gender neutral.
A second experiment used an essay-writing task to make the participants feel either high or low in power, calling upon them to recall an incident in which they had control over another person or people or another had control over them. A control group, neutral in power, enabled the researchers to gauge whether the low power diminished performance or high power boosted performance in contrast to the neutral condition of power. Members of each group then took the math test with either threat or no-threat instructions.
The third experiment examined one possible mechanism involved in this cognitive process: working memory capacity, "that aspect of memory, critical to math, which allows you to hold information and manipulate it in your mind," Van Loo said. Again divided into high, low and neutral power through the use of the writing task, participants were given a memorization task asking them to recall the last three letters in a series of letters presented to them. They were then given the math test as in the previous experiments.
Each instance led to the same conclusions. Feeling powerful protected participants from the deficits in working memory capacity that those without power and under stereotype threat experience. Women who felt high in power performed better in math than those in both the low power and control group, despite the stereotype threat instructions.
"It's not that power made them better at math," Van Loo said, "but it buffered them from the effect of the negative stereotype. When women feel powerful, they can demonstrate their ability relatively unimpeded by stereotype threat."
As the researchers observe in the study, these results highlight the pitfalls of using performance to evaluate the abilities of those belonging to negatively stereotyped groups without taking into consideration other environmental factors that may influence performance, such as stereotype threat and power.
As for the practical lessons to be taken from this study, Van Loo said, "It's a little preliminary, but the reason we did this is to try to get to the point where we could make a recommendation and show something that can be helpful."
"Maybe if you're a student and you're about to take a math test, try doing a thought exercise before you take a test," she said. "It might be helpful to think about a time when you had power. Maybe that would protect you."
The paper, "On the Experience of Feeling Powerful: Perceived Power Moderates the Effect of Stereotype Threat on Women's Math Performance," was published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Van Loo is a graduate student in the IU Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Rydell is an assistant professor in the department and director of the Social Cognition Lab.
###
For a copy of the study, or to speak with Van Loo, contact Liz Rosdeitcher at 812-855-4507 or rosdeitc@indiana.edu, or Tracy James at 812-855-0084 or traljame@iu.edu.
This research was funded in part by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
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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.
IU study: Feelings of power can diffuse effects of negative stereotypesPublic release date: 10-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Liz Rosdeitcher rosdeitc@indiana.edu 812-855-4507 Indiana University
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- New research from social psychologists at Indiana University Bloomington suggests that feeling powerful might protect against the debilitating effects of negative stereotypes.
"If you can make women feel powerful, then maybe you can protect them from the consequences of stereotype threat," IU social psychologist Katie Van Loo said.
In new work, Van Loo and Robert Rydell, social psychologists in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the IU College of Arts and Sciences, brought the study of these two social forces -- power and stereotypes -- together to determine whether one could circumvent the debilitating impact of the other.
Negative stereotypes, according to an already large body of research, have insidious effects. The very fear of confirming a stereotype that reflects on one's identity -- that "women can't do math," for example -- is enough to undermine a woman's performance in the subject. Social psychologists have labeled this phenomenon "stereotype threat" and have documented its impact in such areas as test taking and athletics.
At the other end of the scale are the equal and opposite effects of power. Power, it has been shown, can have positive effects on individual agency, imparting a sense of freedom and control over one's cognitive, psychological and physical resources and, perhaps, paving the way for optimal performance.
"This paper looks at whether making women feel powerful and reminding them of a time in which they had power can prevent stereotype threat," Van Loo said. "I wanted to look at how high power can protect women from decreases in cognitive resources as a result of stereotype threat."
In a series of three experiments, Van Loo and Rydell built a case for this process. In the first, using a technique called semantic priming, participants were given scrambled sentences of five words, each one containing a word related to either high or low power ("dominant" and "controlling" vs. "subordinate" and "dependent"), which they would form into a sentence. Each group was then given a math test in which the instructions either invoked the negative stereotype about women and math or were gender neutral.
A second experiment used an essay-writing task to make the participants feel either high or low in power, calling upon them to recall an incident in which they had control over another person or people or another had control over them. A control group, neutral in power, enabled the researchers to gauge whether the low power diminished performance or high power boosted performance in contrast to the neutral condition of power. Members of each group then took the math test with either threat or no-threat instructions.
The third experiment examined one possible mechanism involved in this cognitive process: working memory capacity, "that aspect of memory, critical to math, which allows you to hold information and manipulate it in your mind," Van Loo said. Again divided into high, low and neutral power through the use of the writing task, participants were given a memorization task asking them to recall the last three letters in a series of letters presented to them. They were then given the math test as in the previous experiments.
Each instance led to the same conclusions. Feeling powerful protected participants from the deficits in working memory capacity that those without power and under stereotype threat experience. Women who felt high in power performed better in math than those in both the low power and control group, despite the stereotype threat instructions.
"It's not that power made them better at math," Van Loo said, "but it buffered them from the effect of the negative stereotype. When women feel powerful, they can demonstrate their ability relatively unimpeded by stereotype threat."
As the researchers observe in the study, these results highlight the pitfalls of using performance to evaluate the abilities of those belonging to negatively stereotyped groups without taking into consideration other environmental factors that may influence performance, such as stereotype threat and power.
As for the practical lessons to be taken from this study, Van Loo said, "It's a little preliminary, but the reason we did this is to try to get to the point where we could make a recommendation and show something that can be helpful."
"Maybe if you're a student and you're about to take a math test, try doing a thought exercise before you take a test," she said. "It might be helpful to think about a time when you had power. Maybe that would protect you."
The paper, "On the Experience of Feeling Powerful: Perceived Power Moderates the Effect of Stereotype Threat on Women's Math Performance," was published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Van Loo is a graduate student in the IU Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Rydell is an assistant professor in the department and director of the Social Cognition Lab.
###
For a copy of the study, or to speak with Van Loo, contact Liz Rosdeitcher at 812-855-4507 or rosdeitc@indiana.edu, or Tracy James at 812-855-0084 or traljame@iu.edu.
This research was funded in part by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
[ | 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.
KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan's chaotic financial heart is home to 18 million people, Taliban bombers, contract killers - and one of the world's most successful stock markets.
With 49 percent returns in 2012, the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) was one of the five best performing markets in the world. Now it is seeking a foreign partner to buy a stake and take over management of a market that has risen three-fold over the past four years.
At least some of that performance came on the back of a government amnesty that allowed people holding undeclared assets or "black money" to invest it freely in the market. And the relatively illiquid market has also been vulnerable to manipulation.
But government officials say the market's success highlights the economic potential of a country better known for spiraling sectarian violence, the war against al Qaeda and the Taliban, crippling power cuts and entrenched corruption.
The market's benchmark index continues to soar to record highs -- up 10.34 percent year to date -- fueled in part by expectations May elections will mark Pakistan's first transfer of power from one democratic government to another. Previous civilian governments were all dismissed by Pakistan's ultimate power: the military.
"Pakistan has a lot to offer investors and this is our chance to show it," said Nadeem Naqvi, the KSE chairman. He plans to embark on a series of roadshows for potential foreign partners that will take him to London, Frankfurt and Hong Kong in the coming months.
Many of the companies listed on the KSE offer double-digit returns, low stock prices and resilient business models in this frontier market with a population of 180 million. The index still has an attractive price/earnings ratio of $8.50 despite the soaring returns of the past few years.
Pakistan now has a 4 percent weighting in the MSCI Frontiers Market Index and has become somewhat of a discovery for foreign investors chasing new markets and yields.
THE SEAMIER SIDE
But the KSE's spectacular rise last year can at least be partly attributed to another factor entirely - the cleansing of "black money".
The market took off last year just as a government decree was finalized allowing people to buy stocks with no questions asked about the source of the cash. Average daily volume more than doubled last year to 173 million shares from 79 million in 2011.
Authorities say the measure will bring undocumented funds into the tax net in a country where few pay taxes. But some critics decried it as a gift to corrupt officials and criminals seeking to launder dirty cash.
"Politics and dirty money go hand in hand in Pakistan," said Dr. Ikramul Haq, a Supreme Court lawyer and a professor on tax law.
"People want to be outside the regulatory framework and outside the tax net."
The black money amnesty also drew attention to the seamier side of the Karachi stock market. Interviews with regulators, brokers, market officials and analysts showed insider trading and other manipulations are routine. Regulators have been largely ineffectual in controlling the shady practices.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) said it found 23 violations of securities laws that merited fines in fiscal year 2011-12 (April/March). The market regulator sent warning letters in another 19 cases, it said in its annual report. (http://www.secp.gov.pk/)
That's a drop in the bucket, says Ashraf Tiwana, dismissed as head of SECP's legal department after years of clashes with his bosses over fraud in the market. He has petitioned the Supreme Court to replace the SECP chairman and commissioners.
"There's a lot of fraud, a lot of market manipulation ... but not enough action has been taken, especially not enough criminal action has been taken," Tiwana told Reuters. "They're just passing small fines and giving out warning letters."
Regulators are too close to the market, Tiwana said. The head of the stock exchange is a former broker and the two top members of the SECP are former employees of Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, founder of one of the country's biggest brokerage houses.
BIG DHEDHI
Nicknamed "Big Dhedhi" for his ability to move markets, Aqeel Karim Dhedhi heads one of Pakistan's largest domestic conglomerates, the AKD Group.
Lately, the well-known philanthropist and leading member of Pakistan's business establishment has been trying to fend off arrest over allegations of insider trading.
An SECP investigator accused traders, including Dhedhi's brokerage, of buying shares in a state-run Sui Southern Gas Co before an official announcement allowing the company to raise its prices. In the weeks before Sui Southern's announcement, the stock price jumped from 13.5 rupees to 20 rupees, its biggest hike in five years.
The National Accountability Bureau, the state-run anti-corruption agency, called it a case of insider trading. But the SECP said its own confidential investigation showed no evidence of fraud. The SECP whistleblower in the case has been suspended from her job for disclosing "confidential information".
Dhedhi strongly denied any wrongdoing and said he purchased his gas stocks years before the announcement.
"There is nothing there. The (SECP) report totally cleared us," said Dhedhi, a burly man wearing a traditional long cotton shirt and baggy pants. "I'm proud to say that in more than 40 years of operating, we've never paid a penny in fines."
Dhedhi says he often offers advice to government officials on financial policy. His business empire includes two equity funds that were among the best performing in Asia in 2012.
"The SECP has really started listening to the market," Dhedhi said, a suited executive acting as translator.
REVOLVING DOOR
Dhedhi remains under investigation. But even if regulators were to find him guilty of insider trading, past practice shows he would likely get a slap on the wrist. The SECP's fines are almost always a fraction above the amount of money made in the stock manipulation, and sometimes even less.
In December, a broker was fined half the amount he made from trades that manipulated the share price of tobacco giant Philip Morris. In February, the SECP fined Pakistani brokerage BMA Capital $500,000 - after it made $460,000 by misleading a foreign client. BMA Capital has appealed.
Imtiaz Haider, the SECP commissioner in charge of market regulation, acknowledged fines were largely symbolic. If they were too high, he said, brokers might not be willing to pay them. Contesting fines in the congested court system could take years.
"The purpose is more to name and shame," Haider said in an interview. "It causes them reputational damage."
Like KSE Chairman Nadeem Naqvi, Haider is a former employee of Dhedhi's. Both men denied any conflict of interest.
"It's important to have people in charge who know the way markets work," Haider said. "I've had lots of other jobs than just working for Dhedhi."
The SECP can revoke licenses, impose hefty fines, or open criminal cases against offenders. But it almost never does. It has launched only 10 criminal cases in the past five years - all still held up in the judicial backlog. It has issued dozens of small fines.
"We have great laws and regulations but they are not properly enforced," said Khalid Mirza, a former SECP chief. "The SECP is just catching the small fish as far as I can see."
Naqvi, the KSE head, acknowledged his priority has been to boost the market, not to crack down on it.
"My management style isn't confrontational because I want to build confidence in the market," he said.
Separating the commercial and the regulatory functions of the market is one of the main reasons the KSE is looking for a foreign partner. It has appointed Deutsche Bank as its advisor on its quest to demutualise - a process that will separate those two functions.
"Demutualization is another step on the road to reform," Naqvi said. "Right now we have a fairly robust system. But I'm not saying its foolproof."
BLACK TO WHITE
The Karachi market's small size and lack of liquidity make it vulnerable to manipulation. Market capitalization is only $41.5 billion - the Bombay stock market's capitalization is more than 10 times higher at $578 billion.
Only a quarter of the shares are freely floated - about 30 percent of that is held by foreign funds and investors, including Franklin Templeton, Invesco Ltd, Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Mackenzie Financial Corporation.
Since only 60 of KSE's 600 listed companies trade regularly, small trades can rapidly make a big difference in a company's share price.
Boosting volumes on the exchange was one of the intentions behind Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's decree last April turning black money into white.
It said no questions could be asked by the Federal Board of Revenue about the source of funds invested in stocks till July 2014. The investments become legally legitimate.
The pool of such funds is potentially huge. A report by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime projected the size of Pakistan's informal or "black" economy at $34 billion in 2010-11, one-fifth of the formal economy.
The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, which monitors money laundering, said the decree did not contravene Pakistan's existing anti-money laundering legislation. But anecdotal evidence suggests controls are lax.
In one case shown to Reuters by a lawyer, a man invested $10 million buying stocks in a single transaction. His address: a Karachi slum notorious for Taliban infiltration.
(Additional reporting by Abhishek Vishnoi in Mumbai, India; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welcome to My Personal Finance Journey! If you are new here, please read the "About" or "First-Time Visitor" pages to find out more about us. If you would like to receive free updates on articles like this by email, then sign up here or you can?subscribe to the RSS feed. Also, check us out on Twitter or Facebook. Thanks for visiting! Keep on learning! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here?to enter my free $50.53 giveaway for a chance to win 5% of My Personal Finance Journey blog income and give another 5% to a charity of your choosing! Deadline to enter is April 30th, 2013.The following is a guest post by?Jon Emge,?a Senior Advisor and Content Manager at?www.Lifequotes4u.co.uk.??Jon is originally from America, but moved to Liverpool because of his love for the Beatles.?He is a published author and has assisted and advised clients on personal finance. In his spare time, he enjoys listening to music, going to the odd festival, and practicing his poetry skills. Enjoy!?
When people are struggling with their debts, they can get bombarded with different solutions from different people and companies all with the same goal in mind, paying off the accounts and getting out of debt.? But, choosing the best option is an individual thing, and what works for one person may not work for another.
While there are numerous ways to pay off your debts (and not pay them off such as in bankruptcy), two of the most popular ways of dealing with debt and getting out of debt are debt consolidation and debt management.
Debt consolidation is really not getting out of debt, just transforming the debt from one form to another.
In essence, debt consolidation is taking out a new loan to pay off the other loan(s) or credit cards you may have balances on.? You are still in debt, and still to the same level or amount, but by just having one (1) monthly payment for many people, it is easier to manage; and in most instances, that monthly payment is less then the sum of all the accounts included in the consolidation loan.?
The reason why the monthly payment is less can be due to a lower interest rate, as credit cards have a high rate of interest, and also due to the term or time period of the payments.? The longer the repayment term, such as 48 months or 60 months, the lower the monthly payment.
What are the downsides or negatives of a consolidation loan??
It may be difficult to qualify for the consolidation loan.? If you have a lot of debt, your credit score may not be in the highest range which means you may not be granted the consolidation loan.
You are still in debt; you have just transformed the debt from many accounts to one single account.
Unless you have stemmed the tide or reason why you have the credit card debt or accounts in the first place, just consolidating them doesn?t change the fact you could end up using the cards or credit lines again and finding yourself in more of a financial pickle barrel.
If you happen to consolidate your debts with a home equity or HELOC loan or some other form of secured loan, then you enter into a different realm of debt.? You may have consolidated your unsecured loans and unsecured credit cards, but they are now secured debt, secured by your home.? Should you struggle to meet these repayments, your property and home could be at risk.
So what about debt management??
There are many forms of debt management, some you can do on your own or DIY (do it yourself), and some with the help of professional advisors and outside organizations.
Which type of debt management is best for you can depend on the level of your debt and if you are past due or in arrears with the accounts.?If you are in arrears and seriously struggling, then seeking professional help may be the best course of action. The other end of that situation is you can meet the monthly repayments, but want to be done with the debt(s), just wanting out of debt.
The first step is to stop debting!? Stop using the credit cards or lines of credit.
Review or set-up a new household spending plan and see what money you have each month to work with that you can use to pay towards the debts/accounts.? Then, obviously paying that amount to the accounts choosing an account to concentrate on to pay it off at a quicker rate then just paying the minimum monthly payment.
Think of your debts as a snow covered hill, and the money you pay as a snowball rolling down that hill.?You pay a set amount each month towards the debts, then once one account is paid in full, you continue to pay that set amount using the extra form the paid off account towards another account.? Then as that account is paid off, you continue paying that set amount towards the remaining debts.
Just like a snowball rolling down a hill that picks up speed and more snow, so well that set monthly payment and the accounts as they get paid in full.
So which account should you concentrate on the pay off first?
There are a variety of thoughts on this.? One being to choose the account with the highest interest rate, or to choose the account with the lowest rate as more of your extra payment will go to the principal balance.
My advice has been just choose one.? It may even be the account with the lowest balance as then you can achieve some level of success early on which can lift your spirits and drive you onward.
How about you all? What strategies have you used to pay off debt? Did you try debt consolidation or debt management programs, or did you simply bite the bullet and buckle down to pay off the debt? Share your experiences by commenting below!
Jacob's Thoughts - Listed below are my random thoughts as I was reading this article.
In my experience, I have found that people looking to more aggressively pay off their debt often view debt management or debt consolidation programs as some "magic" cure or solution that will make it completely easier to get out of debt.?
The truth is that if you can fix your spending behavior and can have some success getting your interest rates reduced, you can accomplish many of the things that these programs offer without the cost.
However, these solutions are always good to think about as a fall-back.
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Public release date: 21-Apr-2013
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