This is cute....Hope everyone has a great 2010
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Happy 4th of July 2010 !!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
New Year's Cartoons
Thanks to Milda for sharing this cute one!
This is cute....Hope everyone has a great 2010
This is cute....Hope everyone has a great 2010
The Darwin 's are out!!!!
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BlackBerry users beset by second outage in a week
Click here: The Columbus Dispatch - News
BlackBerry users beset by second outage in a week | ||||||||||||||||
TORONTO (AP) -- When Corey Marshall's Blackberry mysteriously stopped sending and receiving messages, he realized all too clearly just how much he depends on the device: He had no way of contacting his friends because he never bothers to exchange phone numbers with anyone anymore. "A lot of the times if I meet someone and I see they have a BlackBerry, I don't even want their number or care. I just want their BBM," or their BlackBerry instant-messaging ID, said the 23-year-old tanning-salon manager and student. "I didn't even have my boss' number. I only contact him through BB." He added: "I go to sleep with it in my hands. It's the first thing I do when I wake up in the middle of the night. It's the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning." The second BlackBerry outage in less than a week disrupted service for millions of users on two continents Tuesday and Wednesday, demonstrating how vital - and how addictive - the device dubbed the "CrackBerry" can be. The company behind the service, Canada's Research in Motion Ltd., blamed a software upgrade for the problem, which it said was confined to North and South America. RIM said BlackBerry users were unable to send or receive e-mails and instant messages but did not lose phone service. Many users also found the Internet inaccessible. RIM said the disruptions began around 1:45 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, worsened around 6:30 p.m. and began to be fixed around 11:30 p.m. Service appeared restored by Wednesday afternoon. RIM would not disclose exactly how many subscribers were affected. The glitch comes after another outage last Thursday and at least three breakdowns in 2008. The latest problems are happening at an especially bad time for RIM, which is facing tougher competition than ever before in the market it helped pioneer. "One of RIM's big advantages is that it's perceived as a reliable device," said Duncan Stewart, director of research and analysis at DSam Consulting. "To lose the advantage of reliability would, in fact, be a very big deal for this company." CanDace Johnson, a 25-year-old nanny living in New York, said her BlackBerry lost all Internet service around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, leaving her cut off from the e-mail account she uses to keep in touch with her boss. "If someone is watching your child, you want them to respond to your messages," she said. Robert Hagler, a 46-year-old lawyer in Daphne, Ala., noticed around dinner time Tuesday that the normal flow of e-mail and Facebook updates on his BlackBerry Curve had petered out. "So I went home that evening, logged on to my laptop, and there's 20 e-mails sitting there," he said. "All my iPhone friends are just tickled to death." When Marshall suddenly stopped getting reply messages from his friends, he lost his cool: "I kept unplugging my phone, turning it off and on. I was getting very upset when it wouldn't work." "My whole life is based on my BBM," he said. RIM has sold more than 75 million BlackBerrys since the gadget debuted 10 years ago. It now counts 36 million subscribers around the globe and ranks second in the worldwide market for advanced "smart phones," with a 21 percent share, behind Nokia Corp.'s 39 percent, according to market research firm Gartner Inc. BlackBerrys are especially popular in occupations heavily dependent on messaging - among lawyers and business executives, for instance. RIM counts 500,000 subscribers in the U.S. government. President Barack Obama has been a BlackBerry devotee. After originally focusing on corporate or government customers, RIM now gets most of its new subscribers in the consumer market, thanks to touch-screen models like the BlackBerry Storm. But RIM faces innovative competitors such as Apple's iPhone, which had 17 percent of the smart phone market in the Gartner report, and the brand-new Motorola Droid. RIM's stock has dropped 23 percent since September. The iPhone is beloved for its design cachet and the seemingly limitless supply of programs, known as "apps," that users can download to customize their phones. BlackBerrys got apps later, and have fewer available. Yet the iPhone also has not been as reliable as many users would like. AT&T, the sole carrier of the device in the U.S., has been upgrading its network to reduce the dropped connections and long waits people have encountered when trying to run programs. Although BlackBerry service is sold by wireless carriers, RIM manages its messaging network itself. The centralized structure means that any problems can affect millions of users. This week's outage apparently stemmed from a flaw in recently released versions of RIM's instant messaging software, known as BlackBerry Messenger. RIM released a new version on Wednesday that solves the problem. RIM, which is based in Waterloo, Ontario, apologized for any inconvenience. The company declined interview requests. |
New Year, New Job
Welcome to Simply Hired's job seeker newsletter with tips to help you find your dream job. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, manage and opt-out links are provided at the bottom of the newsletter. This will not impact your email alerts.
Happy Hunting!
Simply Hired, Job Search Made Simple
What's in it for you?
In the last few days of December, people look back at their previous year and look forward to the next. Because of this, the age-old tradition of declaring a New Year's resolution came about in an effort to improve yourself in the new year.
Each year, 45% of people make New Year's resolutions such as "become healthier," "spend more time with family," "quit smoking," or "get out of debt." With the recession that spanned throughout 2009 leaving millions still unemployed, why not resolve to find a job you love? Or, if you're currently employed, you can resolve to move up in your career, or take on new projects to continue challenging yourself.
So, what's your resolution for 2010?
Happy New Year from Simply Hired!
Each year, 45% of people make New Year's resolutions such as "become healthier," "spend more time with family," "quit smoking," or "get out of debt." With the recession that spanned throughout 2009 leaving millions still unemployed, why not resolve to find a job you love? Or, if you're currently employed, you can resolve to move up in your career, or take on new projects to continue challenging yourself.
So, what's your resolution for 2010?
Happy New Year from Simply Hired!
1. Set a goal - Will you collect five business cards? Learn three new things? Chat to a specific person? Focus your mind before you enter the room and it will help keep you motivated.
2. Arrive early - You'll avoid having to break into established groups if you're one of the first people in the room.
3. Come prepared - Skim the news headlines, brush up on the topic of the event (if there is one) and be ready to talk about yourself and your work experience.
Read on for the full list of 10 networking tips.
Do not create a general cover letter to send out to every potential employer. Instead, you should have an individualized cover letter for each position you apply to. We've got five more tips for cover letters so read on for the full article!
What do YOU want to read about? Send feedback, comments or suggestions for topics to newsletter@simplyhired.com.
Check out Having wipers on but not headlights will cost drivers in new year
Having wipers on but not headlights will cost drivers in new year
State Highway Patrol will begin enforcing new law on Friday
Saturday, December 26, 2009 8:59 PM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Motorists beware: Not turning on your lights when your wipers are on in rain, snow or fog could mean a ticket and a $100 fine beginning Friday.
A new state law that took effect this year included the mandatory lights-on provision, but it allowed law enforcement to issue warnings for six months.
Beginning Friday, breaking the law will mean a ticket, not a warning, according to Lt. Anthony Bradshaw of the State Highway Patrol.
Bradshaw said the law requires motorists to turn on their headlights "anytime when the windshield wipers of the vehicle are in use because of precipitation."
That means rain, ice, snow, mist or even fog, Bradshaw said.
"As a safety precaution, anytime you do have precipitation of any sort on the windshield, you want to have your headlights on," he said.
"You want to make sure people coming down the road can see you."
Since the passage this year of Senate Bill 2, the state transportation budget that included the lights-on provision and other traffic-law changes, patrol troopers have been giving warnings for violations of the law, Bradshaw said. But troopers at all 55 posts statewide have been notified to ticket violators in the new year, he said.
The violation is a secondary offense, meaning that motorists cannot be stopped or cited only for failing to turn on their lights. However, it can be tacked on to something else, such as speeding or another moving violation.
A lights-on violation will be a minor misdemeanor punishable by up to a $100 fine plus court costs.
Two other motor-vehicle laws included in Senate Bill 2 already have taken effect.
One requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when a tow truck is on the side of the road. A violation is a third-degree misdemeanor punishable on the first offense by up to a $300 fine plus courts costs. A second violation would result in a $500 fine.
Also, the speed limit for trucks increased from 55 mph to 65 mph on most Ohio interstates.
Check out New Year's Day Means New Ohio Laws Enforced
Click here: New Year's Day Means New Ohio Laws Enforced | NBC4i.com
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New Year’s Day Means New Ohio Laws Enforced
New Laws For 2010
New laws go into effect in Ohio Friday, and NBC 4's Marcus Thorpe gets answers on why the laws matter to you. NBC 4
Friday marks the beginning of a new decade and the enforcement of several new state laws.
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CENTRAL OHIO—Friday marks the beginning of 2010 and the enforcement of several new state laws.
Some of the laws come with fines while another is to help those who have preexisting conditions obtain health care.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS on why these new laws matter to you.
When motorists have their wipers turned on, the vehicle’s headlights should be turned on, too.
Disobeying motorists have received warnings during the past few months, but it could mean a $150 ticket come Friday and beyond.
In April, new guidelines for children and booster seats will be enforced.
Children ages 4 to 7 who are less than 4 feet 9 inches tall must be restrained in a booster seat.
Parents and drivers of children have four months to prepare for the law. After that, $25 to $75 fines will kick in.
Also starting Friday, a new law goes into effect to make health-insurance coverage more affordable for Ohioans with preexisting conditions and chronic diseases.
All-purpose vehicle owners will see new fees. Click here to learn more.
Ohioans also will be able to compare hospital care at the Ohio Department of Health’s Web site: http://www.odh.ohio.gov/.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail .
Check out Family Sleep Cure - AOL Health
Click here: Family Sleep Cure - AOL Health
Your husband is on his third cup of coffee -- and it’s not yet 8 AM. Your teen is so bleary-eyed and grumpy that you want to run in the other direction. And you’re so tired you can barely remember your middle name.
If your family is like most, everyone is seriously sleep deprived. A study from the CDC found that only one out of three Americans gets enough sleep all month long. And 16 percent of adults get less than six hours per night, says the National Sleep Foundation. That’s well short of the seven to eight hours needed to ward off obesity, high blood pressure, and other ills. To complicate matters, each family member deals with unique sleep sappers, says Susan Zafarlotfi, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Sleep-Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center.
Follow these simple strategies to help every member of your family sleep longer and better every night.
Help Kids Nod Off
Late-night gadget time can cut into sleep.
Artificial light from computer and television screens tells the brain that it's not time to wind down. "Your body thinks artificial light is daylight -- which prevents the release of melatonin, a sleep-inducing chemical," says Zafarlotfi. A study from Wayne State University found that talking on a cell phone before snoozing causes a 13 percent drop in deep sleep -- the type that helps people recover from daily wear and tear.
Try these three solutions to get your kids to log off:
1. Set a tech curfew
Shut off the TV and have your children stop using phones and computers at least an hour before bed, advises Zafarlotfi.
2. Use the dimmer switch
Turn down the lights in your kids’ rooms a half hour before bedtime to allow melatonin to kick in, says Zafarlotfi. Or try switching the bulbs in their rooms to 60 watts or less.
3. Do morning prep at night
Teens, whose biological clocks tend to be on a later sleep cycle, often struggle with early start times at school. Encourage your kids to shower and get clothes and homework ready in the evening and choose fast breakfasts (like cereal) so they can sleep in as much as possible.
Find Your Stress-Free Sleep Zone
Calm your mind for sounder slumber.
Anxiety and other frazzled states cause your body to release adrenaline, a brain chemical that triggers alertness, says sleep specialist Joyce Walsleben, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at New York University. Adds Zafarlotfi: "Stress seems to keep more women awake than men -- which explains why 90 percent of my patients are female."
Try these three solutions to ease worries and get the rest you need:
1. Shower an hour before bed
The warm water is relaxing. Plus, your body temperature will dip afterward, mimicking the physiological changes that naturally occur before you sleep.
2. Write away worries
During the day, scribble down your concerns and how you plan to handle them, advises Walsleben. For example, if you're panicked about bills, you might write that you'll go through them and come up with a payment schedule for those you can't tackle right away. Then, if you start to ruminate before lights-out, tell yourself firmly, I've already dealt with this. It's time to go to sleep.
3. Make exercise a habit
Getting your heart rate up for 20 minutes every day -- by walking, gardening, or cleaning the house -- can lower anxiety by as much as 40 percent according to a study of about 20,000 adults at University College in London.
Push Your Husband's Snooze Button
Snoring can be more serious than you think.
1. Skip catnaps
Your parents should try to get all eight hours of sleep at one time -- or, if they must take a nap, have them set an alarm so they sleep no more than 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Stick to light fare
Recent animal studies suggest that a high-fat diet can disrupt circadian rhythms. Though further research is needed, "greasy, heavy dinners and desserts may disrupt digestion, so you toss and turn," says Bae.
3. Turn up the light
Unlike teens, seniors may benefit from bright light exposure in the evening -- it keeps them from falling asleep too early, explains Bae. Look for full-spectrum bulbs, which mimic natural daylight.
Sleep Solutions for the Family
Getty Images
Your husband is on his third cup of coffee -- and it’s not yet 8 AM. Your teen is so bleary-eyed and grumpy that you want to run in the other direction. And you’re so tired you can barely remember your middle name.
If your family is like most, everyone is seriously sleep deprived. A study from the CDC found that only one out of three Americans gets enough sleep all month long. And 16 percent of adults get less than six hours per night, says the National Sleep Foundation. That’s well short of the seven to eight hours needed to ward off obesity, high blood pressure, and other ills. To complicate matters, each family member deals with unique sleep sappers, says Susan Zafarlotfi, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Sleep-Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center.
Follow these simple strategies to help every member of your family sleep longer and better every night.
Help Kids Nod Off
Late-night gadget time can cut into sleep.
Artificial light from computer and television screens tells the brain that it's not time to wind down. "Your body thinks artificial light is daylight -- which prevents the release of melatonin, a sleep-inducing chemical," says Zafarlotfi. A study from Wayne State University found that talking on a cell phone before snoozing causes a 13 percent drop in deep sleep -- the type that helps people recover from daily wear and tear.
Try these three solutions to get your kids to log off:
1. Set a tech curfew
Shut off the TV and have your children stop using phones and computers at least an hour before bed, advises Zafarlotfi.
2. Use the dimmer switch
Turn down the lights in your kids’ rooms a half hour before bedtime to allow melatonin to kick in, says Zafarlotfi. Or try switching the bulbs in their rooms to 60 watts or less.
3. Do morning prep at night
Teens, whose biological clocks tend to be on a later sleep cycle, often struggle with early start times at school. Encourage your kids to shower and get clothes and homework ready in the evening and choose fast breakfasts (like cereal) so they can sleep in as much as possible.
Find Your Stress-Free Sleep Zone
Calm your mind for sounder slumber.
Anxiety and other frazzled states cause your body to release adrenaline, a brain chemical that triggers alertness, says sleep specialist Joyce Walsleben, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at New York University. Adds Zafarlotfi: "Stress seems to keep more women awake than men -- which explains why 90 percent of my patients are female."
Try these three solutions to ease worries and get the rest you need:
1. Shower an hour before bed
The warm water is relaxing. Plus, your body temperature will dip afterward, mimicking the physiological changes that naturally occur before you sleep.
2. Write away worries
During the day, scribble down your concerns and how you plan to handle them, advises Walsleben. For example, if you're panicked about bills, you might write that you'll go through them and come up with a payment schedule for those you can't tackle right away. Then, if you start to ruminate before lights-out, tell yourself firmly, I've already dealt with this. It's time to go to sleep.
3. Make exercise a habit
Getting your heart rate up for 20 minutes every day -- by walking, gardening, or cleaning the house -- can lower anxiety by as much as 40 percent according to a study of about 20,000 adults at University College in London.
Push Your Husband's Snooze Button
Snoring can be more serious than you think.
By age 50, half of men snore, says Michael Thorpy, M.D., director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "The noise can actually wake him up," he says -- or prevent him from getting into deeper, more restorative sleep stages.
Try these four solutions to stop the noise:
1. Measure his neck
"A big neck increases the odds that breathing during sleep will be interrupted," says Charles Bae, MD, a neurologist and sleep specialist with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. One reason: If his neck is bigger than 17 inches, it may indicate excess weight -- which puts pressure on the airways and can lead to snoring.
2. Skip wine with dinner
If he likes to wind down with a drink, make sure his cocktail is at least three hours before bed. Alcohol relaxes the throat, which makes snoring worse, says Thorpy.
3. Get help
If he has tried everything and still feels exhausted during the day or is falling asleep during work (or while driving!), have your husband checked for sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing is blocked for seconds at a time. The disorder prevents the body from getting enough oxygen during sleep and raises the risk of heart attack and strokes. Your husband is also more likely to have high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction if he has sleep apnea.
4. Don't banish him to the couch
It's tempting, but even if he has severe snoring or apnea, try to nod off next to him. (Use earplugs or a white-noise machine to muffle the din.) A man is more likely to stick with sleep treatment if his wife shares his bed, finds a study from Rush University.
Best Rest for Your Parents
Changing circadian rhythms can play havoc with sleep patterns.
As people get older, hormonal and brain changes cause a shift in the body’s internal clock, so they might find themselves sleepy very early in the evening. "This starts a vicious cycle," says Zafarlofti. "If your parents go to bed at eight, they may rise at three or four in the morning. Then they take long naps. So when bedtime rolls around, they’re not tired enough to doze off, which deprives them of deep sleep."
Try these three solutions to help your parents snooze on schedule:1. Skip catnaps
Your parents should try to get all eight hours of sleep at one time -- or, if they must take a nap, have them set an alarm so they sleep no more than 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Stick to light fare
Recent animal studies suggest that a high-fat diet can disrupt circadian rhythms. Though further research is needed, "greasy, heavy dinners and desserts may disrupt digestion, so you toss and turn," says Bae.
3. Turn up the light
Unlike teens, seniors may benefit from bright light exposure in the evening -- it keeps them from falling asleep too early, explains Bae. Look for full-spectrum bulbs, which mimic natural daylight.
Check out Pet Ejected In Crash Reunited With Family
Click here: Pet Ejected In Crash Reunited With Family | NBC4i.com
Pet Ejected In Crash Reunited With Family
Media General News Service
Published: December 28, 2009
Published: December 28, 2009
HENRICO COUNTY, Va.—As Jean Burton can attest, the best Christmas presents don’t always come down the chimney.
Sometimes, they walk on bloody paws through the garage door.
Burton took solace in her Christmas Eve yesterday, knowing that she helped return a dog to a Florida family after the animal was ejected early Saturday, Dec. 19, from a car that overturned on Interstate 295 in eastern Henrico County.
“It’s like a Christmas miracle,“ Burton said as relatives of the dog’s owner drove from Pennsylvania to Richmond for the reunion.
Chloe, a 6-year-old golden retriever mix, apparently took off after Saturday’s accident and found her way to Burton’s house on LaFrance Road near I-295. Burton opened her garage door during the snowstorm to let her three dogs out. Chloe walked in, leaving bloody pawprints in the snow.
Burton took care of the dog for five days and nicknamed her Madame Butterfly.
“She was so ladylike,“ and such a contrast to Burton’s male dogs, Max, Rufus and Button, she said.
Burton was talking to a niece Wednesday night when the niece recalled news reports of Saturday’s accident and the lost dog. Within a few hours, relatives of Burton had contacted the family of Chloe’s owner, Allison Labar. Photos and a numerical tattoo on the dog’s thigh confirmed that she was Chloe. Yesterday, the animal was checked out at a local veterinarian’s office and found to have a pulled tendon and other minor injuries.
“It’s all things that will heal on their own,“ said Michelle Felmly, Labar’s sister.
Labar, who suffered a broken clavicle and a dislocated shoulder in Saturday’s accident and is now hospitalized with pneumonia in Pennsylvania, was overjoyed with the news that her dog had been found in good health.
“She cried hysterically. She’s still crying,“ Felmly said.
Felmly said her phone rang nonstop for four days with people in the Richmond area and as far away as Alabama and Minnesota offering assistance. She said the family was comforted by the gestures.
“All our Christmas stuff is put on hold,“ she said while en route to Richmond, “but this is the best gift we could possibly get.“
Donna Gill, Burton’s daughter, credited Chloe for picking such a loving home to seek refuge.
“It was meant to be.“
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail .
Check out Jobless-aid fund bleeds unchecked
Click here: Jobless-aid fund bleeds unchecked | Columbus Dispatch Politics
Federal loans for Ohio
Jobless-aid fund bleeds unchecked
Sunday, December 27, 2009 3:36 AM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
DispatchPolitics
- DispatchPolitics.com
Complete coverage of Ohio politics - The Daily Briefing
The Dispatch’s public affairs team sates the appetites of political junkies with bite-sized portions of the news and what's behind it. - Buckeye Forum
Veteran political reporters examine Ohio politics in this weekly podcast.
Today's political news
- Failed attack may slam door on detainees
- Obama blames failed plot on 'systemic failure' in security
- David Levine, artist who caricatured politicians, dies at 83
- Obama issues directive aimed at curbing secrecy
- Studies fault FDA approval process
- In-home elder-care proposal survives
- State wants do-gooder to pay costs
- Columbia Gas wins line-repair case
- Donations sought to keep Marysville pool open
- The Hot Issue: Would you participate in a long-term-care insurance plan run by the government?
- EPA pushes refinery for leak details
- Mount Vernon science teacher's survey addressed faith
- Ellen Weibel commentary: Casino District elsewhere might satisfy residents
- Cal Thomas commentary: Don't treat terrorists as criminals
- Michael Barone commentary: Democrats' strongholds seem to be leaking voters
Ohio has borrowed nearly $1.7 billion from the federal government to keep issuing checks to the jobless since the state's unemployment-compensation fund went broke a year ago.
Absent action at the Statehouse, the debt is expected to surpass $3 billion by the end of 2010.
Buffeted by rising unemployment, which hit 10.6 percent in November, Ohio's fund was among the first to go broke, but the state is not alone.
Twenty-five states and the Virgin Islands have drained their unemployment-compensation funds and borrowed a total of $24.4 billion from the federal loan fund. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that 40 states will have emptied their unemployment coffers by 2011.
Despite the growing debt, Gov. Ted Strickland and leaders in the Ohio House and Senate have mostly ignored the issue.
"I've been trying to get legislators' attention about this issue for months," said Sen. Karen Gillmor, a Tiffin Republican who sits on the Unemployment Compensation Advisory Council.
She said her colleagues are concerned about a projected deficit in the 2012-13 state budget of more than $5 billion, but "because of the unemployment-compensation fund, it's a much worse situation."
Not only will Ohio leaders have to deal with replacing one-time federal stimulus money that is propping up the current budget, but the state also must repay the federal government for the loan to its unemployment-compensation fund. Interest, which was deferred by Congress, begins to accrue in 2011.
"There is not a penchant for looking down the road," Gillmor said of the legislature, noting that term limits prevent serving more than eight years.
"If it were the olden days, somebody would have done something before."
Strickland's spokeswoman, Amanda Wurst, said the governor is concerned about the growing unemployment debt, and how the loan is repaid is likely to be addressed in the context of the next state budget.
"But obviously, decisions will have to be made to deal with the long-term solvency issues, and the governor is hopeful the unemployment-compensation advisory council will continue working" to reach a compromise solution, Wurst said.
Since 2001, Ohio's unemployment-compensation fund has collected less than it paid out in every year but one. If funds are depleted, states must borrow from the federal fund to ensure that unemployment checks continue being paid.
State unemployment-compensation funds are financed through a tax paid by employers. States set their tax rate and benefit amounts.
In Ohio, employers pay on the first $9,000 earned by each employee, an amount unchanged since 1995. Jobless workers receive about $300 a week in benefits.
Shoring up the fund will require an increase in the business tax rate or a reduction in benefits, or both.
The solution is the problem, according to William A. Burga, retired president of the Ohio AFL-CIO and co-chairman of the Unemployment Compensation Advisory Council.
"Nobody wants to raise taxes, and nobody wants to reduce benefits," Burga said.
"The governor doesn't want to tax anyone right now, and the legislature has never shown any leadership. Everybody, including the advisory council, is at fault because no one has made a proposal to correct it."
The 12-member advisory council includes representatives of business, labor and the General Assembly. In 2006, the council agreed to a compromise to help shore up the fund: increasing the taxable wage base to $9,500, freezing benefits paid to workers and eliminating extra compensation for dependents.
Senate Republican leaders, however, refused to approve the plan after receiving complaints from business owners.
The state began borrowing from the federal fund on Jan. 13, 2008.
Facing a much larger hole to fill last summer, the council was unable to reach a compromise and urged legislators to look into the issue.
Last week, Senate President Bill M. Harris, R-Ashland, did not offer specific solutions for addressing the growing hole.
"What we need to do is get Ohioans back to work," he said. "That will make a big difference."
Gillmor said now is not the time to impose an additional tax on Ohio businesses. "Employers can't afford to resolve this issue right now," she said.
There might be no choice. If the debt is not repaid by Jan. 1, 2012, federal guidelines require that a tax be imposed on Ohio businesses to pay off the loan.
"I agree you can't ask employers to do too much under these conditions, but they have to do something; it's their responsibility," Burga said. "Workers already have taken pay cuts and reductions.
"It's a lot worse for workers than it is for many employers right now."
Check out Unemployment Higher In Most Ohio Counties
Click here: Unemployment Higher In Most Ohio Counties | NBC4i.com
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Unemployment Higher In Most Ohio Counties
Associated Press
Published: December 22, 2009
1Published: December 22, 2009
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COLUMBUS, Ohio —State officials say 63 of Ohio’s 88 counties saw rising unemployment last month.
Numbers released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services show joblessness ranged in November from a high of 16.1 percent in southern Ohio’s Highland County down to 7.2 percent in Delaware and Holmes counties.
The county results come days after the department reported that the statewide unemployment rate for November was 10.6 percent, up a notch from the October rate of 10.5 percent.
Nine counties had unemployment above 14 percent last month while six counties had joblessness at or below 8 percent.
For additional information, stay with nbc4i.com and NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at
SANTA' SECRET PRAYER
"SANTA' SECRET PRAYER"
On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes
Looked deep into Santa's, to Santa's surprise
And said as he sat on Santa's broad knee, "I want your secret. Tell it to me."
He leaned up and whispered in Santa's good ear
"How do you do it, year after year?
I want to know how, as you travel about,
Giving gifts here and there, you never run out.
How is it, Dear Santa, that in your pack of toys
You have plenty for all of the world's girls and boys?
Stay so full, never empties, as you make your way
From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small,
From nation to nation, reaching them all?"
And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy,
"Don't ask me hard questions. Don't you want a toy?"
But the child shook his head, and Santa could see
That he needed the answer. "Now listen to me,"
He told that small boy with the light in his eyes,
"My secret will make you sadder and wise.
The truth is that my sack is magic. Inside
It holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride.
But although I do visit each girl and each boy
I don't always leave them a gaily-wrapped toy.
Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad,
Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad.
Some homes are broken, and the children there grieve.
Those homes I visit, but what should I leave?
My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff,
But for homes where despair lives toys aren't enough.
So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy,
And I pray with them that they'll be given the joy
Of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives
In the heart of the dear child who gets not, but gives.
If only God hears me and answers my prayer,
When I visit next year, I will find there,
Homes filled with peace, with giving, and love,
Boys and girls gifted with light from above.
It's a very hard task, my smart little brother,
To give toys to some, and to give prayers to others.
But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed,
For God has a way of meeting each need.
That's part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth,
is that my sack is magic. And that is the truth.
In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day
More love than a Santa could ever give away.
The sack never empties of love, or of joys
Cause inside it are prayers, and hope. Not just toys.
The more that I give, the fuller it seems,
Because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams.
And do you know something? You've got a sack, too.
It's as magic as mine, and it's inside of you.
It never gets empty; it's full from the start.
It's the center of light and love. It's your heart.
And if on this Christmas you want to help me,
Don't be so concerned with the gifts `near your tree.
Open that sack called your heart, and share
Your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care."
The light in the small boy's eyes was glowing.
"Thanks for your secret. I've got to be going."
"Wait, little boy," Said Santa, "don't go.
Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?"
And just for a moment the small boy stood still,
Touched his heart with his small hand and whispered,
"I will."
Author Unknown
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