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The Thought for Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Comes from Warren Buffett:

On Investing: I am a better investor because I am a businessman, and a better businessman because I am an investor. (Ed's Note: To be great at investing you need to be like the businessman and know a good business from a bad one, and when you go to buy a business, you need to be like the smart investor and know whether it is selling cheap or it is overpriced.)

       Thanks for Reading My Website

March 10, 2010

Rude Is Indeed Crude

Are Good Manners Part of a Good Education? Absolutely! You Would Have to Be Really Insensitive to Think Otherwise

(Ed's Note: After reading this article by Peaco Todd, I wondered just how much email communication, which is voiceless and faceless, contributes to our willingness to do away with eyeball-to-eyeball contact, and the good manners it generates. People who used to have 5 close friends now have 1. All of the advances in technology are not creating good manners, and are also destroying the English language; you have only to listen to our children and grandchildren speak to know this. Peaco Todd is an affiliate professor for The Union Institute and University's online Bachelor of Arts program. She also is a syndicated cartoonist and author, and writes a football blog for ballhype.com. Find her work at www.peacotoons.com)

By Peaco Todd

This really IS about education. Stay with me here. A friend of mine is about to throw herself a lavish 30th birthday bash. She took care of everything: rented a hall, hired a band, sent out evites well head of time, arranged for the caterers and the disco ball, and plans to boogie the night, and her first three decades, away.

What she does not have is a clue about who intends to join her.

That is an exaggeration: she has something of a clue. Many of us have rsvp'd but some of the invitees simply linger in impenetrable silence despite several follow-up pleas for a general head count.

Their muteness basically suggests either: I'm coming but I just don't feel like making the effort to let you know; or I'm unable to attend but I just don't feel like making the effort to let you know. Either way, one thing is certain: not responding to an invitation from a friend is just plain rude.

Of course, these days "rude" is a relative term. Back in the day, when our society was more homogeneous (at least the prevailing class thereof) the rules of etiquette were more generally understood—they comprised a language of inclusion.

The increasing recognition of diverse cultures and their various mores has changed all that, in my opinion for the good. I am all for widening the range of what is considered socially acceptable, of looking beyond mannerisms to more genuine gestures of heart and spirit.

That said, is there something fundamental in what might be deemed "good" behavior, something that distinguishes superior character, of a person or an organization, regardless of the influences of money or background? I believe there is—I believe it has to do with respect.

In Malcolm Gladwell's fascinating book Outliers: The Story of Success, he describes an experimental public school in the South Bronx that, despite seemingly overwhelming disadvantages, has become notably successful. Entrance to the KIPP Academy (KIPP stands for "Knowledge is Power Program") is by lottery; residents of the borough are eligible but there are no entrance exams or other requirements.

A good percentage of this randomly selected student body comes from single-parent low-income families in which nobody has ever gone to college; their home environments are often minimal and their neighborhood dangerous. On the surface this would not seem to be a formula for success but the KIPP Academy turns such a calculation on its head.

The statistics are startling: by the time students reach 8th grade most are doing well in all their subjects and a staggering 84% are performing above grade level in math. KIPP students have long school days, substantial homework every night and most go to college and even beyond.

Hard work, however, is not the real story. Early on KIPP kids are taught a "protocol known as SSLANT: smile, sit up, listen, ask questions, nod when being spoken to, and track with your eyes" (p. 251). It is clear that what the KIPP Academy nurtures is a culture of respect.

Students respect their teachers and in turn experience respect—from their teachers, administrators, fellow students and ultimately for themselves and their potential. They respect the opportunity they've been given and express this understanding by working hard, showing up and being present. They respect what a college degree can mean for them and for their families.

You might say that in terms of their educational experience, KIPP students have good manners.

One of the several definitions of respect is "to pay due attention". Good manners are not about knowing what to do with the fish fork or learning how to fake social graces. At heart, good manners involve looking outward rather than inward, attempting to understand, and respond to, another's experience.

Respectful behavior is the opposite of bullying, cheating and entitlement. Good manners embody concern for the comfort and well being of others. Respect grows from the nurturance of an appreciative spirit.

Respectful behavior—the skill of paying due attention—can be taught and encouraged, in the school environment as well as at home. It can become a foundation for personal power: the power to achieve, to grow, to be a positive influence.

If it becomes a skill that is valued, then we might see a very different manner of social, and political, discourse. Rudeness might not be tolerated as it is now. Expressions of gratitude might become commonplace.

Companies might consider it important to send at least a polite no-thanks to applicants instead of dropping their resumes into a black hole of silence. People might notice, and care more, about each other and about themselves. Bullying and other forms of persecution might diminish. And my friend would not be left wondering how many chicken wings to order for her big bash

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March 9, 2010

Saint Ann the Advocate:

The Health Care Bill May Become Law Through Reconciliation: What Does It Really Mean Anyway?

(Ed's Note: Passage of the Healthcare Bill by the U. S. Congress may be achieved through a legislative procedure known as "reconciliation", a complicated process that is explained by Ann Pietrangelo, a freelance writer and multiple sclerosis patient advocate. Because of her tireless work, I am giving Ann Pietrangelo an additional name. I am henceforth calling her "Saint Ann the Advocate"—as Ramses the Egyptian pharaoh said, "so it is written, so shall it be"—at least here in Ed Bagley's Articles web site. It is my intention to recognize good works. Her staunch belief in affordable and accessible health care for all fuels her passion for health care reform. My sister Loretta was a victim of multiple sclerosis; this sinister disease so changed her life that she lost hope and committed suicide.)

By Ann Pietrangelo

Reconciliation can sound like a dirty word, depending upon whom is doing the speaking, but the process is nothing new and is certainly not out of the bounds of normal politics.

Introduced in 1974, the process of reconciliation is used when Congress issues directives to legislate policy changes in mandatory spending (entitlements) or revenue programs (tax laws) to achieve the goals in spending and revenue contemplated by the budget resolution.

Reconciliation was first used in 1980 and at least 22 times since then on a variety of policies including overhauling the welfare system, and passing several huge tax cuts under George W. Bush. Of the 22 times reconciliation has been used, 16 were approved by a Republican-controlled Senate.

Reconciliation and health care have a strong history together. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), added Medicare benefits for HMOs, added protections for patients in nursing homes, and changes in the way Medicare pays doctors and other health professionals all passed through the reconciliation process.

The great health care debate of 2009-2010 encountered many sticking points, with reconciliation being used as part of reform opponents' scare tactics. Republicans who previously supported the process of reconciliation, but now cry foul, say that health care reform is too big of an issue to be passed through reconciliation and is a threat to the Senate and the American way of life.

One must keep in mind, however, that a health care reform bill has already passed through the House, and a separate health care reform bill passed the Senate through the normal channels with a super majority. All that remains is to merge the two bills, or to have the House vote to pass the Senate bill.

Despite what opponents of reform would have us believe, what would be passed through the reconciliation process is a budget fix on legislation that has already been approved. Congress created reconciliation in the first place in order to deal with exactly this type of situation.

The Budget Reconciliation Process: Reconciliation is not a required action, but an optional procedure, beginning with the inclusion of reconciliation instructions in the budget resolution.

The process begins with a bill containing changes in law recommended pursuant to reconciliation instructions in a budget resolution. If the instructions pertain to only one committee in a chamber, that committee reports the reconciliation bill. If the instructions pertain to more than one committee, the Budget Committee reports an omnibus reconciliation bill, but it may not make substantive changes in the recommendations of the other committees.

Under reconciliation, the legislative process is speeded up, putting a limit of 20 hours on floor debate with no opportunity for a filibuster. Only a simple majority of 51 votes is needed to pass.

Motions and amendments may be offered and considered without debate, but unrelated amendments are prohibited (The Byrd Rule), as are amendments that would cause the deficit levels to increase.

The Senate Parliamentarian decides any technical disputes over the complex procedure.

Once a reconciliation bill is passed in the House and Senate, members of each body meet to work out their differences. A majority of the conferees on each panel must agree on a single version of the bill before it can be brought back to the full House and Senate for a vote on final passage.

Approval of the conference agreement on the reconciliation legislation must be by a majority vote of both Houses. In the House, the conference report is usually given a special rule from the Rules Committee to govern floor consideration. In the Senate, the floor debate is governed by Senate rules and specific provisions of the Budget Act.

Simple Majority/Super Majority: Simple majority refers to the majority of all senators in attendance and voting. A bill can pass with 51 votes if all 100 senators are present. The Vice President, as President of the Senate, can vote to break a tie. A super majority is 60 votes—the number of votes needed in the Senate to avoid a filibuster.

Filibuster: When a bill comes up on the Senate floor, debate can go on indefinitely. A filibuster is when a Senator refuses to yield and prevents a roll call vote from taking place. The filibuster gives individual senators a lot of power to delay or block legislation.

Cloture: The only procedure by which the Senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter, and thereby overcome a filibuster. Under the cloture rule, the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours, but only by vote of three-fifths of the full Senate, normally 60 votes.

You can read the complete rules of reconciliation at
http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/bud_rec_proc.htm .

February 27, 2010

An Internet Breakthrough:

Discover More About Getting Traffic From Social Media Websites – Put Yourself on the Internet Map Big Time

Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley

Who doesn't like getting high-quality visitors to their websites? If you own a website, I know one thing about you—you WANT traffic.

Social Media Marketing is not just a fad, it is a "revolution". Top 300 social networks include FaceBook, LinkedIn, Squidoo and Epinions, and together these 300 social networks generate more than 3.2 billion visitors and 400 billion page views monthly!

In fact, FaceBook itself gets more 260 billion page views monthly, and rates as the No. 1 social networking site currently on the Internet. Twitter is No. 2 and generates 24 billion page views monthly.

If you are like most people, there doesn't seem to be enough time in your day to promote your brand name, and the precious backlinks these social networks can bring to your website.

That is why I have found a brand new resource that will do all the work for you. At http://BrandGoLive.com/170-4.html, a team of Search Engine Marketing Experts will take all of the hassle out of creating your FULL profiles on more than 300 "busy" networks.

That's right! THEY do all the work for you. With this service, all you have to do is choose your package, sign-up and you will:

1) Make your brand name/website visible to a HUGE crowd

2) Receive FULL profiles with photo, bio, and links

3) Boost your search engine rankings through the roof

4) Get precious back-links from HIGH PR networks, PLUS

They will also create a brand-new, 100% original article on the topic YOU choose AND add to your social media properties. Put yourself on the Internet's social map now!

You have nothing to lose, but so much to gain. Take a minute and claim your brand name today! Go for it . . .

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