Check out Sugar-Free Gum and Snacks Can be Deadly for Pets - Paw Nation

Click here: Sugar-Free Gum and Snacks Can be Deadly for Pets - Paw Nation

Sugar-Free Gum and Snacks Can be Deadly for Pets

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts)
Sep 8th 2009 11:00AM

Soap bubbles: Good. Bubblegum: Bad! Photo: Tim PopUp/Flickr

Most pet owners know that chocolate is a big no-no for dogs. But here's something to chew on: a common ingredient in sugarless gum and snacks can cause a canine catastrophe.

The culprit is a sweetener called xylitol. While you may never have heard of it, there's a good chance you have it in your house. Xylitol is common in sugarless gum and in sugar-free snacks, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Cases of xylitol poisoning in dogs have increased in recent years as the sweetener has been added to lots of new foods, Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, vice president of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, told Paw Nation. "There definitely has been an increase in the exposures of dogs to xylitol over the last several years, simply because there's more xylitol out there."

The chemical is completely safe for humans and most other animals, but in dogs, xylitol causes blood sugar levels to plummet. When blood sugar drops, Gwaltney-Brant says, "the brain isn't getting enough energy to do its job." After swallowing xylitol, dogs may vomit and become lethargic and disoriented. "If blood sugar drops low enough, they can have seizures," Gwaltney-Brant says. Without treatment, dogs can die.

That's not all. Dogs that eat a lot of xylitol can also suffer from liver damage. Researchers aren't sure what causes the liver problems, Gwaltney-Brant says, but the results can be grave.

A little xylitol goes a long way. Just two sticks of sugarless gum can be fatal for a 20-pound dog, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune, and a single sugar-free pudding cup can spell trouble for a 90-pound pooch. But those numbers can be misleading, Gwaltney-Brant cautions. Some brands of gum or candy contain no xylitol, while others contain relatively large amounts. Even within a single brand, the level of xylitol can vary from flavor to flavor and batch to batch, she says.

If you know or suspect your dog has gotten into foods that might contain xylitol, take him to the vet immediately, Gwaltney-Brant says. Problems from blood sugar levels dropping can occur quickly -- "often within 30 minutes to an hour," she notes. Vets can monitor blood sugar levels and start treatment to get blood sugar back up to safe levels.

If you're a fan of sugar-free products, check the labels to see whether they contain xylitol. And it should go without saying that you should do your best to keep Fido away from your gum. He can't blow bubbles anyway.

Hum...

Thanks to Milda for this one!

I was feeling a little nosey, so I thought I

would look in on you and see if you're sitting

at your computer and if you're OK.

Yup, there you are and you look great!

Fwd: Oak Lawn

Thanks Gene K. for passing this one on!

GOOD MORNING!


I HAD AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR THIS MORNING. HE ARRIVED EARLY, SAT DOWN WITH ME AND CHATTED FOR A WHILE ABOUT HOW THINGS WERE CURRENTLY GOING FOR ME IN MY LIFE. AFTER VERY CAREFULLY AND COMPASSIONATELY LISTENING TO ALL THAT I HAD TO SAY, HE SAW THE STRESS ON MY FACE AND THE TEARS IN MY EYES.


HE STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO ME,


LEANED OVER AND GENTLY HELD ME FOR AWHILE BECAUSE I WAS HAVING A REALLY BAD MORNING. THEN, AFTER REASSURING ME NOT TO WORRY, THAT EVERYTHING WOULD WORK OUT FOR ME AND BE JUST FINE, HE ASKED ME IF I KNEW OF ANYONE ELSE THAT COULD USE A VISIT FROM HIM.


I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF YOU MY FRIEND. I GAVE HIM YOUR NAME AND TOLD HIM WHERE YOU LIVED. HE GAVE ME ANOTHER REASSURING HUG, THANKED ME AND I WALKED WITH HIM TO MY FRONT DOOR. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO YOUR PLACE.


When He gets to your PC, escort Him to the next stop. Please don't allow Him to sleep on your PC. The message He is carrying is very important and needs to go around. I asked him to bless you and yours with peace, happiness and abundance.



Say a prayer, and then pass Him on to bless others as I sent him on to bless you. Our assignment is to spread love, respect and kindness throughout the world.



Have a blessed day and touch somebody's life today as hopefully I have touched your life. He's Walking around the world



via e-mail!! Please pass it on so He can get there....



Be sure and put your town in the subject box to let others know where He left from.

Thomson Airways safety video superb

Thanks to Sylvia for sharing this with us!


--From an unknown source --

I was on a Thomson flight last week, and the announcement came we are now going to do the safety feature...yeah we all know how boring these can be, but I do always pay attention....well the IFE screens dropped down and on came the video....well what a breath of fresh air...this certainly captured the passengers attention, I have never seen so many people glued to a safety video and smiling and laughing...well done Thomson (TUI) you have certainly got this one right

Take a look and Alice & Co and see what you think

When insults were classy

Thanks to Trudi for these laughs!!


I really chuckled at such clever use of words. Hope you see the same.
>
> These glorious insults are from an era before the English language got
> boiled down to 4-letter words.
>
>
> "He had delusions of adequacy."
>
> - Walter Kerr
>
> "He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."
>
> - Winston Churchill
>
> "I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with
> great pleasure."
>
> - Clarence Darrow
>
> "He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to
> the dictionary."
>
> - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).
>
>
> 'Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big
> words?'
>
> - Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner)
>
>
> "Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time
> reading it."
>
> - Moses Hadas
>
> "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I
> approved of it."
>
> - Mark Twain
>
>
> "He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends."
>
> - Oscar Wilde
>
> "I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring
> a friend.... if you have one."
>
> - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
>
> "Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there
> is one." - - Winston Churchill, in response.
>
> "I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here."
>
> - Stephen Bishop
>
>
> "He is a self-made man and worships his creator."
>
> - John Bright
>
>
> "I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing
> trivial."
>
> - Irvin S. Cobb
>
> "He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others."
>
> - Samuel Johnson
>
> "He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up."
>
> - Paul Keating
>
> "In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily."
>
> - Charles, Count Talleyrand
>
> "He loves nature in spite of what it did to him.."
>
> - Forrest Tucker
>
>
> "Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address
> on it?"
>
> - Mark Twain
>
> "His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork."
>
> - Mae West
>
> "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
>
> - Oscar Wilde
>
> "He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for
> support rather than illumination."
>
> - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
>
> "I've had a perfectly wonderful evening.. But this wasn't it."
>
> - Groucho Marx
>
>
> 'There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't cure.'
>
> - Jack E. Leonard
>
>
> 'He has the attention span of a lightning bolt.'
>
> - Robert Redford
>
> 'They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of
> human knowledge.'
>
> - Thomas Brackett Reed
>
>
> 'He has Van Gogh's ear for music.'
>
> - Billy Wilder
>
>
> 'He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I
> know.'
>
> - Abraham Lincoln
>
>
> 'A modest little person, with much to be modest about. '
>
> - Winston Churchill
>
>
> A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on
> the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."
>
> "That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies
> or your mistress."
>
>
> The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor:
>
> She said, "If you were my husband I'd give you poison."
>
> He said, "If you were my wife, I'd drink it."
>
>

One light bulb at a time.

Thanks to Linda C. for his info!

Good idea . . . one light bulb at a time . . . .

A physics teacher in high school, once told the students that while
one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very
much, a billion of them would . With that thought in mind, read the
following, obviously written by a good American .


Good idea . . . one light bulb at a time . . . .

Check this out . I can verify this because I was in Lowes the other
day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the
hose attachments . They were all made in China . The next day I was in
Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose
attachments there . They were made in USA . Start looking .

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do
affects someone else - even their job . So, after reading this email,
I think this lady is on the right track . Let's get behind her!

My grandson likes Hershey's candy . I noticed, though, that it is
marked made in Mexico now . I do not buy it any more . My favorite
toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico now . I have switched to Crest
. You have to read the labels on everything .

This past weekend I was at Kroger. (Can be true for any store.) I
needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets . I was in the light
bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off
brand labeled, "Everyday Value . " I picked up both types of bulbs and
compared the stats - they were the same except for the price . The GE
bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that
surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the
Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a
company in Cleveland , Ohio .

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day
that are made right here .

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets . . . yep, you guessed
it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value
brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and
the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using
for years and at almost half the price!

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for
everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA -
the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address
book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!
Stop buying from overseas companies!

(We should have awakened a decade ago . . . . . . )

Let's get with the program . . . .
help our fellow Americans keep
their jobs and create more jobs here in the U . S . A .

Check out Five Fabulous Finds: Ice cream, dog treats and blue mascara......

Click here: Five Fabulous Finds: Ice cream, dog treats and blue mascara...free!

Five Fabulous Finds: Ice cream, dog treats and blue mascara...free!

Here are this week's Five Fabulous Finds from Coupon Cravings, including free ice cream, Coke Zero and even blue mascara. Plus, get free treats for your favorite dog or cat, as well as a bunch of buy-one-get-one-free coupons to get free buffalo wings, subs and even Pancake Puppies at Denny's.

1) Like ice cream? Then circle Thursday, September 24 on your calendar! On that day, Carvel Ice Cream Stores will give away free Oreo Lil' Rounders between 3-7 p.m. and Cold Stone Creamery will give away free small ice cream sundaes between 5-8 p.m. during the 8th annual World's Largest Ice Cream Social.

2) Stop by Ulta to get a free full-size tube of Benefit BADgal Blue Mascara. Then pop over to Aveda for a free sample of Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener. Plus, don't forget about these two great Bath & Body Works coupons to get a free aromatherapy or True Blue spa item, as well as a free Signature Collection body care item.

3) Thirsty? Get a free medium Coke Zero from Chick-fil-A when you do the Chicken Wave. Or, take this printable coupon to Borders to get a free drink with the purchase of a drink at Seattle's Best Coffee.

4) Pet lovers, get a free sample of Hill's Science Diet Simple Essentials Dog Treats or a free bag of Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition.

5) Hungry? Get a free five-piece Buffaloco Wing Combo at El Pollo Loco with the purchase of a second five-piece wing combo. Or, get a free sub at Quiznos when you buy a sub and a drink. You can also get free Pancake Puppies at Denny's with any breakfast entree purchase.

Freebies You Can Clip & Save

Carvel

26 photos

If you popped onto Best Buy's Web site overnight that's the price you would have found instead of the actual price of $1,699.99. If only it were free. Click through this gallery for our top ten freebies!

Check out Improvements That Get Your House Sold - AOL Real Estate

Click here: Improvements That Get Your House Sold - AOL Real Estate

Improvements That Get Your House Sold

Brett Widness, AOL Real Estate editor

---

If your house has been sitting on the market since spring, you may be asking yourself what you can do to 'get it sold.'

As any fan of a certain HGTV show will tell you, you can do one of two things or some combination of the two.

1) See what other homes in your area are selling for, then cut your price to make it competitive.

2) Make reasonably priced improvements to help your home look it's best.

There are plenty of home improvement projects that you could spend $10,0000 or $20,000 on, but it's unlikely you'll get more than 50 percent of that back on your resale price in this market. It may be better to offer a seller's credit for that amount, rather than trying to do the work yourself.

High ROI Projects For Under $30K
Project Return on Investment
1. Deck Addition (wood), 81.8%
2. Siding Replacement (vinyl), 80.7%
3. Minor Kitchen Remodel, 79.5%
4. Window Replacement (wood), 77.7%
5. Window Replacement (vinyl), 77.2%
6. Bathroom Remodel, 74.6%
7. Deck Addition (composite), 73.7%
8. Roofing Replacement, 65.5%
9. Backup Power Generator, 57.2%
10. Home Office Remodel, 54.6%
Source: Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs Value Report

David Lupberger of ServiceMagic.com and a former contractor says to imagine the experience you'd want a potential buyer to have as they walk up to your home for the first time. Are the bushes covering half the house? Is the yard full of weeds? When the buyer first enters the house, does the paint and carpets look fresh and clean?"

"You want to try to create that 'wow' experience for the buyer," says Lupberger. "They should feel like they don't have to do anything with the house, except maybe change the wall colors."

At the same time, you have to know your competition. Lupberger says that granite countertops are increasingly expected for higher priced to mid-range homes, and ServiceMagic, which matches home owners up with pre-screened contractors, has seen a lot of those kinds of requests this year.

Deck additions ranked highly in the report cited above, and Lupberger agreed that outdoor space is desirable for buyers."

"Am I going to put a 30 by 20 deck on the back of my house just to sell it? Probably not," advises Lupberger. "But could I screen in an existing deck or put a roof over it? Then it becomes a three-season space."

Sellers may want to address at eyesores before they consider any grandiose additions.

To make a good first impression, Lupberger says you may want to consider a new front door with leaded glass or "sidelights," pressure washing your deck or repairing any peeling paint or damaged siding before you start looking at anything else.

Before you gut your kitchen, Lupberger says to look at replacing the countertops, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures and even some appliances.

Whos on first updated

Thanks to Heather M. for this one!

You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO: I 'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: T hey can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on 'START'.............

AMEN !!

Gratitude

Thanks to Kim R for this one!


It's happened to me.
I want to acknowledge the soldier that stands by me in line or the uniformed group that passes by me... the servicewoman that I see crying, hugging her children as she says goodbye and passes through the security checkpoint at the airport... just never quite know how to do that & not seem intrusive.

This is a wonderful way to show them we do notice and appreciate what they do & the sacrifice they make.
I don't know how I could handle leaving my children or having my husband leave us to go and serve for months, years...

A little support for our armed forces who go willingly to lousy assignments in horrible places so I don't have to send my 4 sons and while there, protect my absolute right to complain about the administration & sad state of affairs in the country.

Out of all the things - especially youtube stuff- that I get in my over full mailbox... this is the best. Something I can do that's costs nothing, makes me feel better & shares my gratitude for what they do. Perfect!
Wouldn't it be great if this swept America quicker than the swine- H1N1 Flu?!?
Lets reinforce something good!
Pass it on!

4 Common Job Hunt Dilemmas Solved

Click here: 4 Common Job Hunt Dilemmas Solved - Careers Articles

4 Common Job Hunt Dilemmas Solved

Filed under: Job HuntingPrint Article

Posted Sep 7th 2009 12:10PM

By Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing

Overcoming unemployment during a job market drought can present quite the dilemma, all on its own. It can be particularly problematic, however, for job seekers without a college degree or with a questionable work history, for instance. Barriers such as these are all it takes in today's highly competitive job market to screen job seekers out of consideration for a job before they've ever scored an interview.

That's why it's imperative that job seekers be aware of their job hunt barriers and know how to downplay them on their résumé.

"Remember, your résumé is a marketing document in which you select the mix of information that will sell you to your next employer. You're not required to reveal every wrinkle in your background or bend over backwards to make sure a potential employer knows about your areas of weakness. Don't lie, but approach these challenges with creativity and a focus on the employer's needs and interests rather than on any problems you perceive in your own background," says Louise Kursmark, author of "Sales & Marketing Résumés for $100,000 Careers, Third Edition."

To handle common job hunt dilemmas, Kursmark offers the following résumé tips:

Dilemma No. 1: I'm afraid the employer will think you're too old.

Economic woes have prompted many older workers to defer retirement or seek lower-level jobs than the ones they previously held. Job seekers in such situations often worry they'll be screened out immediately because employers will think they're too old for the job. Job seekers who want to avoid broadcasting their age on their résumé should consider Kursmark's following tips:

• Eliminate dates of college graduation.
• Avoid any dates in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.
• Truncate your experience by leaving off early jobs (disguising perhaps 5 to 15 years).
• Provide 10 to 20 years of experience, with dates, and then summarize prior experience under a subheading such as "Experience before 1990" or "Prior Professional Experience."

Dilemma No. 2: I don't have a college degree.

Certainly, a college degree gives job seekers an advantage. It's important to remember, though, that it's not the be-all end-all. The key to overcoming this dilemma is for candidates to emphasize their work history, skills and confidence and downplay their lack of a degree. According to Kursmark, job seekers without a degree may want to

• Eliminate the Education section of their résumé altogether.
• Head up the section with "Professional Development" or another title that doesn't call attention to an education credential.

Remember that some college is usually viewed more positively than no college. If you've taken some college courses, here are a few options for addressing your education on your résumé*:

• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SANTA BARBARA - Studies in Business and Economics (full-time 3 years)
• COLORADO COLLEGE OF MINES - Completed 50% of requirements toward Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut, Quinnipiac College, Hamden, Connecticut - Coursework in Business, Marketing and Economics, 1997 - 2000

Dilemma No. 3: I'm worried employers will suspect I'm a job hopper.

The term "job hopper" describes an individual who has been employed in a series of short-term stints with a handful of employers. Instances of job hopping tend to make employers doubt everything from the candidate's behavior on the job to their ability to make a long-haul commitment to an employer. In today's highly competitive job market, these doubts are all it takes to prompt an employer to reject a job seeker before he or she has ever scored an interview.
Kursmark suggests the following tips for presenting a more positive appearance:

• Consider eliminating one or more of your jobs, provided that doing so does not leave a gap that will provoke immediate questioning, thereby spotlighting the very thing you want to downplay.
• If circumstances beyond your control contributed to your short tenure, consider adding a brief explanation along the lines of "Merger with Megacorp eliminated all regional sales offices in spring 2009" or "Sales unit dissolved when software was discovered to be unready for market." Generally, Kursmark advises against explaining or excusing in a résumé, but says that sometimes brief statements such as these can immediately overcome a negative reaction.
• Concentrate on finding job opportunities through networking, where a personal referral can get you in the door and you can then wow the interviewer with your capabilities and provide a rationale for the short tenure of your recent jobs.

Dilemma No. 4: I performed poorly in my last job.

For job seekers who made a complete mess of their last job, or simply weren't in it long enough to make an impact, creating a powerful résumé may seem impossible. To sidestep this dilemma, Kursmark encourages job seekers to skip their excuses and

• Try to find one or two success stories, and include them without a great deal of elaboration. For instance: "Only sales representative to secure multiple agreements for the company's primary sales strategy, a 3-month in-store trial" or "Successfully maintained sales volume in a flat industry and market."
• Point out what you did accomplish and learn. For instance: "Laid the groundwork for a successful career in real-estate sales through intensive prospecting and community relationship-building." Don't mention that you didn't sell a single piece of property.

Another example: "Developed regional marketing strategy to improve brand recognition and increase market share by 10 percentage points." Kursmark asks, "Why broadcast that your plan was rejected by the senior VP? The accomplishment you're claiming is the development of the plan, a valuable management skill."

Kursmark reminds job seekers that problematic issues may come back to haunt them after the initial résumé screening. "You must be prepared to answer questions about such situations on the first phone screen. Be sure to practice your explanations so that they are concise, nondefensive and as positive as possible," she says.

*Excerpted from "Sales and Marketing Résumés for $100,000 Careers, Third Edition" by Louise Kursmark.

Next: Job Hunting for Introverts >>

Find a Job

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Keyword(s): i.e. bank jobs or IT

City, State or ZIP

Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST's Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/).

The Columbus Dispatch : State jobless rate dips slightly

Click here: The Columbus Dispatch : State jobless rate dips slightly

State jobless rate dips slightly

Analysts say it's not good news, since it likely reflects a jump in people not looking for work

Saturday, September 19, 2009 3:11 AM

By Dan Gearino

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Ohio's unemployment rate dropped last month for the first time since January 2008, but state officials say the result is more a quirk of the numbers than a sign that the job market is recovering.

The seasonally adjusted rate was 10.8 percent in August, down from 11.2 percent the previous month, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced yesterday.

In addition, the size of the labor force shrank last month. This likely means that some people stopped looking for work or went back to school, the agency said, neither of which are signs of economic health.

"I would not be surprised at all if that rate ticks up next month," said Brian Harter, spokesman for the agency.

He noted that some forecasters expect the Ohio rate to peak at about 11.5 percent.

Nonfarm employment was 5.1 million last month, a decrease of 30,100. The number of unemployed workers was 641,000, down 25,000. Those two factors combined for the small decrease in the unemployment rate.

Yvonne Jackson of southeastern Columbus is one of the many central Ohio residents looking for work. She was laid off last fall from her job as a payroll manager.

"I was upset for a sum total of one day," she said.

When she's not looking for a job, she devotes time to a small business, Ladies Church Hat Specialist. She and two other co-owners make hats, handkerchiefs and jewelry that they sell at craft fairs and farmers' markets, including the Pearl Market Downtown.

So far, the business has covered only her costs, but it has helped her keep a positive attitude about her job search.

"I haven't missed a beat," she said.

The national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in August, up from 9.4 percent the previous month.

Ohio was one of eight states in which the jobless rate declined in August. Among the others were Michigan and Texas.

Michigan continues to have the highest unemployment rate in the country, 15.2 percent, and North Dakota continues to have the lowest, 4.3 percent.

The Columbus Dispatch : Children's Hospital a busy landlord

Click here: The Columbus Dispatch : Children's Hospital a busy landlord

GOOD-NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT

Children's Hospital a busy landlord

Monday, September 21, 2009 3:11 AM

By Mark Ferenchik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Workers install siding on a duplex on Carpenter Street being renovated by Nationwide Children's Hospital. Since 2007, the hospital has spent $733,000 to fix up 11 of its houses.

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JEFF HINCKLEY | DISPATCH

Workers install siding on a duplex on Carpenter Street being renovated by Nationwide Children's Hospital. Since 2007, the hospital has spent $733,000 to fix up 11 of its houses.

Years ago, Nationwide Children's Hospital bought dozens of neighborhood houses for a planned expansion to the east.

When the plan changed, Children's found itself in the landlord business.

The hospital is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate the houses near its campus on the South Side.

"We want the community to thrive," said Angela Mingo, Children's community-relations director.

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The hospital's $800 million expansion to the west is to be completed by 2012.

In all, the hospital owns 61 rental units, 40 of which are occupied. Most were purchased by 2001, when the hospital signed a good-neighbor agreement that said it would strive to have houses ready for occupancy within six months of purchase.

Hospital officials signed the agreement after community members complained about the run-down condition of the houses.

The hospital maintained the properties and began renovations in 2007. Since then, Children's has spent $733,000 to fix up 11 rental houses with 14 units, all on Carpenter Street. It plans to spend as much as $400,000 next year.

Most of the remaining rental houses are being maintained but have not been renovated. At least four are vacant -- a duplex on Livingston Avenue that the hospital bought in 2004; another on S. 18th Street, owned since 2005; one on Carpenter, since 2005; and a duplex on Livingston, owned since 2008.

It's those vacant, boarded-up houses that concern some neighbors.

Mingo said the "program of home repair and maintaining property has grown exponentially beyond the (2001) agreement. It's not a one-step fix."

She did not know why the hospital bought the four houses that are now vacant.

"Our decision to purchase is based on current economics as well as fit within our home ownership/rental strategies," she wrote in an e-mail. "In an effort to make the highest impact, we have focused renovation efforts on Carpenter Street for rental properties."

In the meantime, the hospital has continued with other beautification efforts such as providing 8,000 flowers and nearly 400 bags of mulch to area churches and community groups this past spring.

It also participated during the summer in a cleanup north of the hospital.

Mary Black, who rents one of the renovated homes on Carpenter, said the hospital is doing the best it can.

"They can't do them all at once," Black said.

Michael Aaron, chairman of the Livingston Avenue Area Commission, said he's meeting with Children's representatives this week for an update.

"To my knowledge, as properties become vacant, Children's is renovating them," Aaron wrote in an e-mail.

City Council spokesman John Ivanic said Council President Michael C. Mentel is confident the hospital is living up to the good-neighbor agreement.

Councilwoman Charleta B. Tavares, who criticized the hospital when it demolished some houses to make way for its expansion, said she also believes that the community is satisfied with the hospital.

A year ago, the hospital pledged as much as $5 million to buy and renovate as many as 50 houses south of Livingston Avenue for resale. So far, the hospital has acquired 12.

It was part of a pledge by the hospital and Columbus city government to concentrate on existing programs and create ones to improve housing, health, education, safety and job opportunities in the struggling area around the Children's campus.

mferenchik@dispatch.com

Check out The Columbus Dispatch : Macy's trying a local approach

Click here: The Columbus Dispatch : Macy's trying a local approach

Macy's trying a local approach

Stores tailor stock to individual markets

Monday, September 21, 2009 2:59 AM

By Tim Feran

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

After moving earlier this decade to establish Macy's as a national brand, the department-store chain is working now to add a local twist to the plan.

The company is moving forward with its My Macy's program, a national effort that's been tested in 20 markets -- including Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati -- and is aimed at tailoring stores to local tastes.

In Columbus, that has meant adding more golf-style clothing, both for on and off the greens, given the area's many courses.

"We've found that there are a lot of men in that area who attend church in high-end golf apparel," spokeswoman Andrea Schwartz said.

Other Columbus-specific merchandise ranges from the obvious to the unusual.

"It's Ohio State country, so our stores in Columbus have a lot of licensed product," Schwartz said. "Also, it's a college town, so what do students wear? Denim. So we stock our Columbus-area stores with more denim in more brands."

The city's climate affects purchasing, too.

"Before My Macy's, things were bought for Columbus in Atlanta. With My Macy's in place, district planners are able to start offering cold-weather assortments earlier, end later and have more stock."

The goal is better sales -- and relationships with customers -- in the wake of a period of great change for the chain.

The program began in light of Macy's consolidation of well-known brands such as Lazarus and Kaufmann's, which allowed Macy's to eliminate more than 5,000 jobs.

The move saved hundreds of millions of dollars over the past few years, but there was a downside. "We lost touch with customers," said Susan Robinson, Macy's vice president of investor relations. And losing touch with customers meant a loss of sales, something that was hardly welcome as the worst recession in decades pummeled retailers.

The program sent a district planner out to malls and into stores to talk with customers, managers and employees, Robinson said.

"The idea was to push the decisionmaking down to the local level," she said.

That's what Macy's should have been doing all along, said Chris Boring, who leads the local retail consulting firm Boulevard Strategies.

"When they had those different nameplates -- Lazarus, Kaufmann's, etc. -- that was the advantage over other companies that have the exact same thing in every store around the country," Boring said. "Now, it seems like they're going back to a more decentralized concept, closer to the customer, which I'm in favor of."

The test program worked well, with participating stores "quickly outperforming the rest of the country," Robinson said. During the spring, My Macy's districts outperformed the rest of the stores by 2.6 percentage points. In the first half of the year, eight of the company's top-performing 10 districts were using the program.

"Having seen that success, we rolled out the program to the rest of the country," she said.

While the localization program is helping sales, the company's newly centralized structure in other areas -- including streamlining buying, planning and marketing into New York offices -- has strengthened relations with vendors, Robinson said.

Partly as a result of the new initiative and the new structure, Macy's boosted its profit outlook after reporting that its second-quarter earnings beat expectations. Macy's earned $7 million, or 2 cents per share, in the quarter that ended Aug. 1.

"There's differences, big differences," in what customers in various markets want, Robinson said. "That's what we're hoping to exploit. … We're now well-positioned to weather the current economic downturn and participate fully when the economy recovers."

tferan@dispatch.com

Check out The Columbus Dispatch : Macy's trying a local approach

Click here: The Columbus Dispatch : Macy's trying a local approach

Macy's trying a local approach

Stores tailor stock to individual markets

Monday, September 21, 2009 2:59 AM

By Tim Feran

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

After moving earlier this decade to establish Macy's as a national brand, the department-store chain is working now to add a local twist to the plan.

The company is moving forward with its My Macy's program, a national effort that's been tested in 20 markets -- including Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati -- and is aimed at tailoring stores to local tastes.

In Columbus, that has meant adding more golf-style clothing, both for on and off the greens, given the area's many courses.

"We've found that there are a lot of men in that area who attend church in high-end golf apparel," spokeswoman Andrea Schwartz said.

Other Columbus-specific merchandise ranges from the obvious to the unusual.

"It's Ohio State country, so our stores in Columbus have a lot of licensed product," Schwartz said. "Also, it's a college town, so what do students wear? Denim. So we stock our Columbus-area stores with more denim in more brands."

The city's climate affects purchasing, too.

"Before My Macy's, things were bought for Columbus in Atlanta. With My Macy's in place, district planners are able to start offering cold-weather assortments earlier, end later and have more stock."

The goal is better sales -- and relationships with customers -- in the wake of a period of great change for the chain.

The program began in light of Macy's consolidation of well-known brands such as Lazarus and Kaufmann's, which allowed Macy's to eliminate more than 5,000 jobs.

The move saved hundreds of millions of dollars over the past few years, but there was a downside. "We lost touch with customers," said Susan Robinson, Macy's vice president of investor relations. And losing touch with customers meant a loss of sales, something that was hardly welcome as the worst recession in decades pummeled retailers.

The program sent a district planner out to malls and into stores to talk with customers, managers and employees, Robinson said.

"The idea was to push the decisionmaking down to the local level," she said.

That's what Macy's should have been doing all along, said Chris Boring, who leads the local retail consulting firm Boulevard Strategies.

"When they had those different nameplates -- Lazarus, Kaufmann's, etc. -- that was the advantage over other companies that have the exact same thing in every store around the country," Boring said. "Now, it seems like they're going back to a more decentralized concept, closer to the customer, which I'm in favor of."

The test program worked well, with participating stores "quickly outperforming the rest of the country," Robinson said. During the spring, My Macy's districts outperformed the rest of the stores by 2.6 percentage points. In the first half of the year, eight of the company's top-performing 10 districts were using the program.

"Having seen that success, we rolled out the program to the rest of the country," she said.

While the localization program is helping sales, the company's newly centralized structure in other areas -- including streamlining buying, planning and marketing into New York offices -- has strengthened relations with vendors, Robinson said.

Partly as a result of the new initiative and the new structure, Macy's boosted its profit outlook after reporting that its second-quarter earnings beat expectations. Macy's earned $7 million, or 2 cents per share, in the quarter that ended Aug. 1.

"There's differences, big differences," in what customers in various markets want, Robinson said. "That's what we're hoping to exploit. … We're now well-positioned to weather the current economic downturn and participate fully when the economy recovers."

tferan@dispatch.com

Click here: Looking for a Job? Study Shakespeare - WalletPop

Looking for a Job? Study Shakespeare

Zac Bissonnette

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posted: 4 DAYS 21 HOURS AGO

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Soaring unemployment has plenty of people wondering how to improve their odds in today's ultra-competitive job market -- and do something constructive with all of their extra free time.

Laid-off workers who think that taking the latest computer training course or getting a fancy new certification in marketing will help win over prospective employers are in for a surprise, however. While such courses can indeed prove valuable, the truth is employers would much rather hire someone who excels at reading, writing and speaking effectively.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers' Job Outlook 2009 report found that among the traits that employers want the most in a job candidate, communication skills top the list (other prized attributes include a strong work ethic, ability to work in a team, and initiative).

Evidently, however, such skills are hard to come by. The U.S. Department of Education's 2003 Assessment of Adult Literacy (the most recent study to be conducted) found that less than one-third of college graduates are "proficient" in the three measures of literacy.

Not only that, but majors or specific courses of study carry a lot less weight with employers than you might think. A 2007 report conducted by Seattle-based consulting firm Payscale found that choice of career impacts earnings far more than choice of major: History majors who become business consultants earn a median total compensation of $104,000 one decade into their careers -- around the same as business majors who became business consultants, says Payscale.

But perhaps the best part about boosting your communications prowess: It won't cost you much. You can take classes a la carte at a local community college or online for less than $500 per class -- sometimes much less. Also, check out continuing education programs at a local university or college. To help make classes even more affordable, tap into scholarships.

To give you an idea of which classes might be both interesting and helpful, here are a few suggestions. Just remember: Pick classes that interest you. At the very least, you'll have a cool story to tell future employers: Who wouldn't be impressed by someone who went back to school to study Shakespeare just for kicks?

* Advanced Composition: You know that stack of classics you've never gotten around to reading? Taking a literature class with a heavy emphasis on writing essays will give you an opportunity to dust off Catch 22 and sniff out symbolism in everything from literature to sarcastic office memos. At the very least, you'll be able to fit in at pretentious cocktail parties or impress your boss with your wealth of literary knowledge.

* Public Speaking: Conquer your fears and take a stand. Public speaking courses allow you to improve your presentation skills while debating your favorite issues. Such skills of public persuasion can prove really helpful at the office and it just might put an end to those anxiety dreams of standing in front of a crowd in your underwear.

* Sociology: Learn about all of the complexities of gender, race and culture while also figuring out what props up that glass ceiling and how to break through it.

* Interpersonal Psychology: Want to enhance your people-reading skills? Take an interpersonal psychology course and learn about personality traits, communication/leadership styles, effective problem solving, and cultural diversity. HR people and managers have spent millions of hours developing the tactics necessary to read and manipulate prospective hires and employees. It only seems fair that you should have a clue as to how it works, too.