Play Games, Pay for College

April 21st, 2012 . No Comments »

Do you ever catch yourself wishing all that time your child spends playing video games would pay off? Well, now it just might. With the newly launched Grantoo, college students could earn philanthropic giving and tuition grants while playing social games.

Brand-sponsored tournaments are hosted by the online gaming platform. This provides companies an opportunity to receive recognition for their charitable offerings. College students get to play the games for free and, hopefully, win money toward their education. Additionally, the student will select a charity of their own choosing to receive between 10% to 100% of their prospective winnings.

Three original games were launched specifically for these tournaments:  Wordy Bird, a crossword; Grantoo Hold’em, a poker game; and Quiz Night, a trivia game.

Co-founder of Grantoo, Mikhael Naayem, observed that companies typically receive very little acknowledgment for monies donated to academic scholarships and other certain causes. He reports that Grantoo desires to promote philanthropy by introducing it to students at no cost at an early age. This is especially true since students can take part in something they do anyway and make it useful to their lives.

All monies donated by companies is put toward the student college grants and philanthropy combinations, as determined by the social online game winners. Operating costs are generated via on-site advertisements by Grantoo. Brands can build their image among students through this program, as well, as students will connect a brand to a charitable act. Co-founder, Dimitri Sillam, believes Grantoo can bring small companies together to innovatively solve big problems while also giving students the means to continue on in their education.

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Unemployment May Be On The Decline

March 14th, 2012 . No Comments »

In a recent report by the Bureau of Labour Statistics, new data has shown American employment has continued to row for the third consecutive month. Earlier reports have indicated weaknesses hinting in some areas, however this report appears consistently strong.

Job growth of over 200,000, for a third consecutive month, was noted in February with the rise of payroll employment by 227,000. The past twelve months have proven the best employment performance since January 2007, with numbers having reached just over two million. Employment increases were even stronger in private-sector as these businesses have increased employment by more than 750,000 over the past three month.

While private employment remains 2.8 million above level, government employment remains almost 600,000 jobs lower than the norm in June of 2009. Contrarily, governments did add 2,000 employees in February.

Workers are being increased throughout differing areas of the economy. Employment in the manufacturing areas was up by 31,000 this February, and over the past 12 months rose 227,000. Services are quickly being added to business and professional services, as well. Temporary positions are being seen as an indication that additional long-term employment may occur. Unfortunately, an area that remains weak is the construction sector. Although it did provide 1,700 new jobs this February.

As the overall work force continues to improve, however, so will housing demands. Along with all of this good news, it is important to remember that the economy in America is still not where it should be. The unemployment rate has taken a sharp decline since last year, but currently resides at 8.3%. Economists consider this quite above the levels of normalcy. The recession recovery in the early 1980s required steady monthly job growth of 300,000.

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AT&T Customers Not Happy About Unlimited Data Changes

February 16th, 2012 . No Comments »

Being charged an overage fee on your data plan typically comes as an unpleasant surprise. For many, the unlimited data plan supposedly solved this scenario. But as some data services are beginning to halt the usage of their wireless customers, many are finding that the unlimited data plan apparently does have its limits.

AT&T is alerting consumers who subscribe to their unlimited data plan when data consumption hits 2GB. The warning comes with a message that the consumer’s data could begin to be controlled or manipulated. This appears to be AT&T’s way of pushing high consuming clients into their new data plan, which allows for 3GB data for the same price.

This push is to switch those who use a lot of data from the unlimited service to the tiered 3GB plan. With the 3GB tiered plan, the service will not be throttled, so consumers are left to decide if they can live with the slower rate of data once the throttling begins.

AT&T began forcing this throttling policy last year. However, a definition of the policy has not been made public. Thus, it remains a mystery how AT&T determines, of those in the top five percent of data usage, who begins to experience throttling following the warning letter.

The indication, however, seems to be that those consumers using an abundance of data, over 2GB, are the ones who receive the warning of throttling. This would indicate that the 2GB mark places a consumer in the top 5 percent of data usage, prompting the throttling policy. To sum up, AT&T is taking a round-about measure to push high using data consumers into the 3GB tiered plan.

What do you think: is this a smart business move by AT&T or is their move away from “unlimited” and throttling policy going to cost them your business?

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Tips To Lose Those Holiday Pounds

January 20th, 2012 . No Comments »

Now that the holidays are over, it is time to drop the holiday pounds. To get back on track, begin by cleaning out the refrigerator. Get rid of everything that will be tempting as you focus on healthier habits. Even those tasty leftovers have to go. Sending food home with your dinner guests is one way to keep it from ending up in your fridge and on your hips. You could also donate the food to a homeless shelter.

Once the food is gone, it will be time to restock. Fill your fridge with low-calorie, healthy foods. Plan weekly trips to the grocery store to keep fresh food in your reach. Do not only plan for meals, think about snack times, as well. Nuts, seed, vegetables, fruits and fish make great low-calorie snack options.

Have a plan for eating out. Controlling what you eat is much easier at home. So, it is a good idea to limit your eating out while you try to lose weight. When you do eat out, make smart, low-calorie choices. Be sure to choose eateries that offer low-calorie options.

Next, find a workout buddy. Knowing you have a buddy waiting for you at the gym will get you there. It is much easier to skip the gym when no one is expecting you. Workout buddies do not only work in the gym, have a buddy meet you for early morning walks, evening jogs or a work out DVD in your living room.

Try something new to keep you motivated. Sign up for a Zumba class, try hiking locations in your area, try a new gym or hop on a bicycle. Give yourself some variety to keep from becoming bored.

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Top Christmas Gifts For Kids

December 22nd, 2011 . No Comments »

Finding that perfect gift for each person on your list can be quite a task. It is especially important not to disappoint the kids on Christmas morning. Here is a guide to the presents kids want, at any age.

A top toy this year for babies under the age of one is the Chicco Fun and Travel Activity Nest. This toy is a plush, huggable Owl from Skip Hop that has more than ten developmental teach and touch activities. Among these are teething tabs, mirror for peek-a-boo, many stimulating sounds and squeaky baby owl that can be removed. Other great gifts for this age group include Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Apptivity Case and My Natural Disney Tigger Eco Plush.

When shopping for toddlers, ages one to three, be sure to check out the PlaSmart Bike. It is light weight with wide wheels, but is designed to teach toddlers balance and coordination. The best part? There are not any gear, pedals or batteries to worry about. More great toys for this age group include Go Car Go!, Pokoy Squiggle Traks and Fat Brain Toy Tobbles.

Preschoolers will love Rock Star Mickey. This is an interactive toy gets the kids dancing and singing. He plays two interactive games and rocks out four different songs on his guitar. Kids can make music along with Mickey by playing Mickey instruments. More toys that will be loved by preschoolers are Hot Wheels Wall Track Starter Set, Y-Bike Glider and Deconstructive Blocks.

Grade school children will love the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Game System. In the form of ebooks, creativity apps, with science and math games LeapFrog keeps learning fun. The built in microphone, drawing tools and camera allow kids to create their own artwork and stories. More grade school favorites are My Keepon Robot, Lego Ninjago Fire Temple and Ant Farm Revolution.

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October Snow In Boston

November 23rd, 2011 . No Comments »

Two days before excited trick-or-treaters were to make their Halloween rounds, a major snow storm hit Massachusetts. This storm dumped wet, heavy snow up to 30 inches in some areas of the state. Streets became impassible, requiring snow days to be affirmed in October, unusually early for such a heavy storm. Forcing some communities to postpone Halloween, a new date, such as November 4th, was chosen for trick-or-treaters to celebrate.

Making matters worse, more than 621,000 customers were without utility power for days. Because the power lines were not centralized to power lines that service whole neighborhoods, the repairs took longer. Repairs had to be done in a branch-by-branch and house-by-house manner. Along with this, take into account downed trees, the difficult driving conditions, and brutal damage to the systems of NStar. This made restoration of power even more difficult.

Additionally, a power line downed during the storm caused one death. Two more deaths were reported as a result of a car accident. A state of emergency was declared by Governor Deval Patrick. Nearly 700 National Guard members were posted throughout the state.

Cancellations came from all directions, including churches, colleges and private schools. Although it is back up and running now, Peter Pan bus lines had to cancel services for a short time. A breast cancer research fundraiser, The 19th Annual Komen Massachusetts Race for the Cure, had to be cancelled for safety concerns due to the weather.

Through the height of the storm, an estimate 2,000 pieces of equipment were out clearing roads. The major thoroughfares were of first focus. Residents were encouraged to remain home or use public transportation, if they did need to travel.

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5 Least Expensive Places To Live In The USA

October 25th, 2011 . No Comments »

Looking to move because of expense or finances? You’re in luck! While you may dream of living in New York City, there are plenty of places in the USA to live that are both beautiful as well as affordable. Take a look at the five least expensive places to live in the States.

The fifth least expensive city to live in is Sherman, Texas. This city resides sixty miles north of Dallas and boasts a population of 117, 913. Not only does this make Sherman the lowest populated metro city area in our list, but it also makes features a majority of the population consisting of families. The leading industry in Sherman is health care, with the average household income coming in at around $45,171 and the median home price of $213, 485. The cost of living Index rates Sherman at 86.

Fourth place goes to Fort Smith, Arkansas. The metro population of Fort Smith is 288,468. The typical household earns $37,363 and spends $235,168 on the average home. Cost of living index comes in at 85.

Fort Hood, Texas is our third place pick. The average household in Fort Hood earns $46.183 and spends $210,383 on the typical house. The metro population of this city, just 60 miles north of Austin, is 368,682. As home to a major Army base, military families are prominent in this area. The cost of living index ranks Fort Hood at 84.8.

Our second choice is Pueblo, Colorado, which is located South of Denver by nearly 100 miles. The average family home is priced at $192,302 and household income is reported at $40,805. Population in this city is 153,814. Cost of living index places Pueblo at 84.1.

Finally, our fist pick! Brownsville is found in the southwestern edge of Texas, at the Mexican border. Population in this city is 383,171 with at cost of living index of 80. The average home brings in $30,034 and the typical home price is around $209,177. The city is quite close to the South Padre Island beaches and the Gulf of Mexico.

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Vermont After Irene

September 21st, 2011 . No Comments »

It’s been nearly three weeks since the fury of Tropical Storm Irene struck the East Coast and destroyed hundreds of homes and roads in Vermont. The storm also left hundreds of residents stranded and prompted a airlift of food and supplies to those cut off because the roads were not only impassable, but washed completely away. From the damage it caused to individual homes to the havoc wreaked on the government state offices, the damages are estimated to be close to $20 million in clean up alone. In Waterbury, Irene dealt a devastating blow to the state.

Storm Irene’s flooding didn’t just damage hundreds of roads and homes in Vermont. Officials called Irene one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history. Even with all of the other states that had been in the storms’ path, it’s been said that Vermont posed the most complicated cleanup effort of all of the states that had been struck.

During the time since the storm rolled through the state, its residents have been toiling to get back on its feet. Money has been moving through government hands and into the hands of farmers and business owners – to the tune of $10 million – to help get the infrastructure in motion. The money given to the business and farm owners will help hold them over until they can seek further funding and offers the provision that the money doesn’t need to be paid back for one year.

Government officials also worked with residents to distribute the tens of thousands of dollars worth of donated goods into the hands of those in need. The donations were welcome in a state that is looking at least $500 million in repairs to its roads and the $20 million in clean up for the government complex in Waterbury.

One of the blessings that have been noted is that even though the area was hammered with record amounts of rain, it was not impacted by any damaging winds. Dairy and vegetable farmers were impacted but many of the state’s apple growers say their crop survived and feel they’re looking at a great crop in spite of the storm.

Complete recovery could take years – decades even – and it’s likely that some of the state’s businesses and homeowners will never recover from the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene.

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Top Ten Summer Movies Of 2011

August 29th, 2011 . 2 Comments »

This summer has been jam-packed with awesome, exciting movies. Special effects keep getting better and intriguing plots keep us coming back to the theater.

Starting summer off strong, last May, Priest was released. This movie was under the radar for most, but a must-see. In this film, warrior priests combat vampires in a post-apocalyptic world, with Christopher Plummer starring.

This summer brought us a few prequels. Just released in August, Rise of Planet of the Apes was surprisingly enjoyable. Much more impressive than the last re-make of this franchise, this film is set as a prequel to Planet of the Apes.

Also, the much-anticipated installment of the X-Men saga, X-Men: First Class was released in early June. This film did not disappoint. The movie explores the rift which grows between, once friends, Professor X and Magneto, causing them to be enemies in the movies we have already seen.

What would summer be without a few superheroes? The Green Lantern, Captain America and Thor were big hits this summer. The Green Lantern stars Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, who finds a ring which brings him super-powers. Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, is a warrior from ancient times who brings life to an ancient war. Chris Evans stars as Captain America, who undergoes an experimental program, resulting in his change into a super soldier.

Along with these, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is oriented around the U.S.S.R and America’s space race, with an interweaving role for Transformers. The long awaited Shockwave became the villain in this installment.

Anticipated mostly because of the star-powered cast, Cowboys & Aliens was a big hit this summer. Afterall, who could miss a couple of cowboys like Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig saving the world from aliens?

Another adventurous movie this summer was Super 8. Spielberg teams up with J.J. Abrams to create a film-type we do not often see anymore.

Finally, we see the end to a historical, loved franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II. The final chapters of the last Harry Potter story came to life this summer, breaking box office records and ending a childhood favorite for many.

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The Best Of Cape Cod

July 27th, 2011 . No Comments »

Few places in America contain rich colonial history, exceptional resorts, a pristine coastline, incredible seafood, and New England charm. That’s the best of Cape Cod. Only about two hours drive from Boston by car, Cape Cod hooks out into the Atlantic from the Massachusetts shore, making it ideal for all types of water sports and fantastic fishing as well.

The Cape has two sides, the east that faces the Atlantic and the west that faces Cape Cod Bay and mainland Massachusetts. In total, the Cape offers 560 miles of unspoiled beaches including a 40-mile stretch at Cape Cod National Seashore, which is 27,700 acres of beach, dramatic sand dunes, tall wavy sea grass and cliffs. The geography remains dramatic, vibrant, colorful and versatile. It is truly a place to escape and be alone with nature. For decades, it has been a favorite destination for artists, photographers and writers who seek inspiration from stunning scenery and the renowned charm of the local people.

Cape Cod contains 15 towns each with their own network of villages. Provincetown, at the tip of the Cape contains rich colonial history, and is home to a number resorts that rank among the best in the world. Unlike some resort towns where the resort is the only attraction, Provincetown itself is a gold mine of history, recreation and plain old fashioned fun. If you’re flying into Boston, consider taking a ferry from there to Provincetown, which will save you the drive along Route 6, the only road in and out of Cape Cod. If you want to see the local color, shoot some pictures, rummage through the galleries and antique shops, by all means, take Route 6. You won’t forget it.

From Provincetown and other cities you can arrange for a cruise to see what the sailors aboard old whaling ships used to see under the waves of the Atlantic: Humpback, Pilot and Finback whales. Nothing is more thrilling than being close to the power of these mammals as they plunge into the deep kicking up huge sprays with their massive tails. Thankfully, whales are no longer sought for their oil, only for their beauty.

Cape Cod also has the best fishing in New England in the bay named after cod, which was so plentiful it was the largest form of income for the area residents for many years. Boating is exciting and sailing is especially challenging on the Atlantic side.

So if you’re looking for New England charm as well as a multitude of things to keep you busy with on vacation, consider booking a few days at Cape Cod. You won’t regret it!

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