A dear friend dreams vividly. Sometimes she awakens wondering, "Did that happen, or was I dreaming?" Dreams pretend or they portend. You could say they link experience to truths or dares. Whether we study them or not, we know they mean something.
When reading The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, I wish it were a dream. Symbols of economic uncertainty, cultural chaos, and ethnic frenzy prompt a longing for better days. What is happening to America?
A journalists writing awakens me with alarming clarity. When the story-line gets multiple headlines, themes emerge. My reading includes The New York Times (NYT) and The Wall Street Journal(WSJ). These story lines took up ink and column space last week. They offer historical and literary shape to economic by-lines.
What our government does wrong and its effect
Lead editorials and above-the-fold stories undermine confidence in this government (ie. President George W. Bush, et. al.). While my doctor did his annual check, probe, and tap, he asked, "What do you think of this government?" I stared into his little light saying, "This may be the worst government in U.S. history." Iraq sucks 5.1 billion a day off main streets and country roads. U.S. tax-payers gag on the third debt ceiling increase in four years (the highest in U.S. history).
Trade Surplus Reaches Historical Highs
"U.S. Trade Gap Hits 68.51 Billion" (WSJ) Too much money leaving with an infusion of foreign goods and dollars entering. China's low-cost goods (cars coming in 2007) and India's technological competition pressure U.S. output. During the 1950's and the 1960's, the U.S. led the world in exports. Since the 1970's, the surplus became a deficit with the loss of manufacturing jobs and product innovation.
"Fed Official Warns of Rising Danger of Budget Deficits" (WSJ)
Foreigners, like Chinese investors acquire U.S. bonds while they maintain stable pricing of their country currencies. Since they purchase long-term U.S. Treasuries, long-term rates stay low (as short-term rates rise; this leads to a potential inverted yield curve, a predictor of recession). This may give U.S. investors a false impression that all is well (stock market goes up with fits and starts), and that long-term rates are low because of U.S. productivity. When or if the plug is pulled by foreign investors, U.S. markets will gasp.
"Now I do not know whether I was dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am a butterfly now dreaming I am a man." - Chuang-tzu, fourth century Chinese philosopher
Time to dream about foreign investing. U.S. investment results may give way to foreign leadership, and U.S. investors should consider foreign markets in their portfolios. Commodity and equity investments offer value to portfolios. Of course, pendulums swing, so allocate wisely.
Ray Randall serves clients as a registered investment advisor with his firm, Ethos Advisory Services, Essex, Massachusetts Ethos Advisory Services. He has wide experience within the financial services industry, writes a weekly newsletter for http://www.ethosadvisory.com Ethos Advisory Services, and coordinates the developments at http://www.echievements.com Echievements.com. Ray holds a Masters Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, MA. You may call Ray (617-275-5565).
Article Source: ezinearticles.comAt least 3.3 million Americans currently take medications to ease the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder. The majority of these medications are amphetamine-based stimulants.
The doctors prescribe these drugs, but that does not mean they are necessarily safe, says the Federal Drug Administration which is currently looking at placing strong warnings on stimulant ADD medications like Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta.
An FDA advisory panel voted in February to recommend that all stimulant ADHD drugs carry a "black box" warning - the strongest possible safety warning - to indicate that the drugs may increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and sudden death.
Black box warnings are intended to alert physicians and patients that a drug may carry significant risks. The FDA advisory panel ruled on this black box warning after reviewing data concerning death and other negative heart problems associated with stimulant drug medication use. Although data varies between reporting agencies, 25 to 51 deaths have been attributed to ADHD medication use. Experts estimate that less than 10 percent of serious drug reactions are reported to the FDA, so the deaths and serious adverse effects are undoubtedly much higher.
Of the reported deaths studied by the advisory panel, 19 were children. Other reports described 54 cases of high blood pressure, chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, irregular heart beats and fainting. The number of arrhythmia has been surprising. It is believed to be the pathway for the sudden, unexplained deaths. And because adults have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke to begin with, any increase in risk caused by these drugs could affect a large number of people.
One committee member stated that not disclosing the risks associated with taking these drugs is unethical. Because of the gravity of the side effects, namely sudden death, physicians need to be clearly aware of the serious side effects before prescribing these drugs to their patients. The panel, while expressing concern about the over prescribing of ADHD medications, stated that they want physicians to pause before writing prescriptions for stimulant medications. The FDA advisory committee also unanimously recommended that the FDA include medication guides with all stimulant ADHD drugs warning about the risks.
FDA is not required to follow recommendations given by the advisory committee, though the FDA usually does follow recommendations. The FDA awaits advice from its pediatric panel in March before reaching a decision. The FDA plans to refer the issue to another advisory panel that deals with psychological problems in children. Additionally, the FDA is planning a new study of ADHD drugs that will take approximately 18 months to complete. Some are adamant that the FDA should not wait for the results of this study. The FDA has been criticized in the past for being slow to respond to evidence of health risks associated with such things as drugs, including painkillers and antidepressants.
At least two million children and one million adults take prescription ADHD medication every month. Opponents of this black box warning - the strongest warning in the industry - say that they’ve found less than one death or injury for every 1 million prescription filled. It is true that the number of deaths caused by ADHD medications make up an incredibly small percent of people using the drug. However, if that one death is someone you love, that fact is little consolation.
One thought is that a black box warning will help the out of control rate in which doctors prescribe ADHD drugs. Many experts believe stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin are being over prescribed, especially to adults, and the public and doctors are largely unaware of the potential risks. They say the chemical structure of stimulants were structurally similar to drugs like ephedrine, that have proven cardiovascular risks. Besides the 25-51 deaths reported between 1999 and 2003, the council also discovered there were 54 cases of cardiovascular problems, which included heart attacks, strokes, and hypertension.
If you or someone you love is currently taking a stimulant ADHD medication for Attention Deficit Disorder, you might want to consider alternatives to ADHD medications. These alternatives can include diet modification, exercise regimes, family therapy, biofeedback and other alternatives that show promise in easing the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder.
Jeannine Virtue is a freelance writer who focuses on health related issues. For information about effective and natural treatments for Attention Deficit Disorder and Depression in adults and children, visit the Attention Deficit Disorder Help Center at http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com
Article Source: ezinearticles.com10 Tips for having effective boards
Customer Advisory Boards are a great source of information about your market and your business. Their advice is more valuable than any management consultant's. They provide real world counsel on what you are doing right, what you are doing wrong, and most important -how to stay competitive. After all, they're the customer. They're the one's who buy your stuff. Here's how to use your Customer Advisory Board for best results.
Make it win-win. As much as they might like to, your customers are probably too busy to be on your board as a favor. Let them know, if they haven't figured it out already, that participating on your board influences your organization to provide better product and service to theirs.
Choose the right members for the right reasons. Select your board members for qualities and values they bring. Benefit from their insight, perceptions, motivations, and ability to communicate - perhaps even their contrarian view. Avoid figureheads picked for their visibility or high positions - they are likely to skip meetings, and when they show they'll have little to contribute.
Prepare your members. Apprise members ahead of time of agenda items and provide detailed backgrounders. Prompt their thinking with questions for their consideration. When germane, ask selected advisors to prepare briefings.
Don't sell to the group. Use your advisory board for their advice. Customers will see through transparent plans to generate more sales. Increased sales will happen anyway - don't prompt for them.
Your board members are special. Treat them that way. Provide them with quality transportation, hotels, meals, refreshments, and meeting space. Make them feel highly appreciated without the sense you are wasting company money. Have your CEO or outside owners participate whenever appropriate. Acknowledge them publicly and often, and especially in print.
Reward their participation. They are giving you their time and knowledge gained from experience. What are you giving them? Dinner and theatre or sports tickets, spouse travel, club memberships, small gifts, and product or service discounts are all appropriate.
Fewer meetings the better. Keep the meetings to two or three per year. Make each meeting count with a full agenda of important issues. Have additional meetings only if you are in a crisis.
Use information technology. Members cannot make every board meeting. Use videoconferencing for virtual meetings. Teleconferencing is effective for briefer, interim meetings. Use web-conferencing tools like Webex or Placeware. Use email questionnaires to get and provide feedback. You survey tools like Zoomerang.com.
Run top-notch meetings. Appoint an effective leader, begin and end on schedule, keep to a strong agenda, review past actions and commitments, encourage total participation, keep communications open, log action items, avoid side conversations, summarize meeting results.
Act on their advice. Your advisory board will give you their best only when you act on their recommendations. That's why you got them in the first place.
Paul Lemberg, author of Faster Than the Speed of Change, troubleshoots companies and helps them increase cash, build repeat customers and invent a secure future. Paul is a business leadership coach and public speaker. He is also the President of Quantum Growth Coaching, the world's first fully systemized business coaching program designed to create More Profits and More Life for entrepreneurs. Guaranteed.
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