For A Convention To The Entertainment Capital: Charter Bus Nevada

Las Vegas in Nevada is known as the live entertainment capital of the world although Los Angeles is also claiming the title because Hollywood is located there. Nevada is also famous for its convention facilities. Conventioneers find Nevada an ideal venue because of its numerous attractions and recreation possibilities. Charter Bus Nevada is the best way to get to Las Vegas and experience the rest of the state of Nevada.

Nevada enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine annually. The public lands of Nevada just outside the casino strip provide various types of outdoor recreation like biking and hiking or hunting and fishing. For people whose preference is indoor fun, there are cultural experiences, historic landmarks, spas and resorts in addition to the casinos. This is why conventioneers from every type of industry or group choose Nevada because the area offers something for everyone.

Must see places in Nevada are Las Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe, Cowboy Country, Silver Trails and the Indian Territory. During winter, Nevada provides excellent snow sports with its perfect powdery snow. There are numerous resorts in Lake Tahoe in the northern part of Nevada to visit or you can choose to go to southern Nevada to the Last Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort. This is why it is best to plan your Charter Bus Nevada trip way ahead to maximize the recreational opportunities of your convention group.

Throughout Nevada are numerous state parks with historical significance that offer visitors peace and serenity. For history buffs, there are state museums with ancient artifacts. One notable attraction is riding the restored Virginia & Truckee railcars at Carson Citys Nevada State Railroad Museum. Those who want pampering can do so at any of the luxurious spas found throughout Nevada.

Convention trip planning needs to incorporate special memories for the visitors. However, the planner must keep in mind that the main purpose of the delegation is to network with associates and possible business partners. Opportunities to mingle and meet other people must be provided in the itinerary, aside from attendance of the formal program and listening to the speakers.

When In Nevada, do not fail to visit Boulder Citys Hoover Dam one of the best known of Nevadas landmarks. Constructed in 1936, it is located between Lake Mead and the Colorado River, towering more than 720 feet and weighing more than 6 million tons. Millions of tourists from all over the world visit the dam every year.

Both glittering cities of Reno and Las Vegas welcome visitors to Nevada with flashing neon lights. Reno in northern Nevada is called the biggest little city in the World. On the other extreme is the 110,000 sq. mi. of desert, valleys, mountains, rivers and lakes found in Nevada. There are sand boarding and snowmobiling activities, fishing, horseback riding and hunting.

Itinerary planning should be based on the prevailing weather conditions during the days of the trip on the intended destination. As Nevada is an interesting outdoor destination as well as indoor attractions, there is no need to radically adjust the planned dates if the weather conditions do not permit outdoor activities. Sightseeing and good companionship can still be enjoyed while riding a Charter Bus Nevada.

About the Author:
USCoachways is a leading US-based provider of charter bus service with an impressive list of charter bus service clients. Check out http://www.uscoachways.com

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/For-A-Convention-To-The-Entertainment-Capital--Charter-Bus-Nevada/4074530

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Obama Campaign Launches iOS App to Support Re-Election Effort

The president's campaign and the Democratic Party have launched Obama for America, a smartphone app that packs election information, grassroots organizational tools, campaign news and more into a single package.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/45LM50t7pJM/

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10 Global Sustainability Megaforces That Will Impact Every Business

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What are the sustainability megaforces that will impact every business over the next 20 years? Is your company ready to address the risks and opportunities arising from these megaforces? This article highlights the 10 global sustainability megaforces listed in KPMG?s recent report, and shares how businesses can take action and turn risks into opportunities in our uncertain future.

In Feb 2012, KPMG published a report titled, Expect the Unexpected: Building business value in a changing world. The report explains that over the next 20 years, businesses will be exposed to several environmental and social changes that could bring both risks and opportunities. Despite the challenges, businesses can actually thrive by turning the risks into opportunities, with proper foresight and planning.

The report highlights 10 global sustainability megaforces that will impact every business over the next 20 years:

1. Climate Change
2. Energy and Fuel
3. Material Resource Scarcity
4. Water Scarcity
5. Population Growth
6. Urbanization
7. Wealth
8. Food Security
9. Ecosystem Decline
10. Deforestation

Business leaders must understand how these megaforces function and affect their company, and assess and manage these risks in their long term strategic planning. At the same time, they must also understand that these megaforces do not function in isolation from each other, and act as a complex and unpredictable system.

Let?s look at each of these 10 sustainability megaforces:

1. Climate Change

Climate change is an important global megaforce that directly impacts all the other megaforces. The risks include new laws and government initiatives to tackle climate change such as energy efficiency requirements and standards, carbon taxes, emissions cap and trade systems and fuel tariffs.

Other risks include a long-term global temperature rise resulting in near-total deglaciation, contamination of groundwater supplies, water shortages, lower agricultural yields and more malnutrition, infectious diseases and deaths from heat waves, severe floods, droughts and storms.

2. Energy and Fuel

Fossil fuel markets would become more volatile and unpredictable because of higher global energy demand, changes in where fossil fuels are consumed, supply and production uncertainties, and increasing regulatory interventions related to climate change.

Some businesses will find it difficult to plan for and manage energy costs, while other companies will become more energy efficient or use more renewable energy, thus lowering their exposure to fossil fuel-related risks.

3. Material Resource Scarcity

Global demand for material resources is likely to increase dramatically and businesses will face global competition for a wide range of material resources that become less easily available. The uneven global distribution of material resources, from oil to land to fresh water, makes planning for the future even more complex.

Countries without large domestic supplies must rely on imported materials, or acquire large scale land rights in other countries. As supplies decrease, governments are likely to protect domestic interests by restricting exports.

The risks presented by resource scarcity also create opportunities to develop substitute materials, recycle and recover resources from waste products, enter new markets, and discover new techniques or processes.

4. Water Scarcity

Businesses operating where freshwater is scarce may be vulnerable to water shortages, declines in water quality, water price volatility and reputational issues. Potential water shortages pose a threat to business growth and expansion, and conflicts over water supplies may create a security risk to both business operations and markets.

Climate change puts further pressure on water availability and quality. More frequent extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as droughts and floods, are predicted to accelerate the deterioration of local freshwater supplies.

On the other hand, companies that use water more efficiently or eliminate water use entirely through closed-loop processes and water recycling can save money and resources and reduce business risks.

5. Population Growth

The number of people on our planet is predicted to increase to 8.4 billion by 2032 in a moderate growth scenario. Businesses can expect significant supply challenges and price volatility as a result of such a rapid growth in the number of people coupled with an increased use of resources. Population growth will also place intense pressures on ecosystems and the supply of natural resources such as food, water, energy and materials.

In developing nations, a lack of employment opportunities for growing young populations could result in social unrest and instability, and become a threat for business. For developed countries with a growing proportion of elderly and retired citizens, businesses will face a shrinking workforce and fiercer competition for skilled workers.

6. Wealth

The OECD defines the global ?middle class? as those with purchasing power of between US$10 and US$100 per capita per day, and this middle class is predicted to grow 172% between 2010 and 2030 over the next 20 years.

The challenge for businesses is to serve these new markets at a time when resources will become scarcer and more price-volatile. The greatest opportunity awaits those businesses that can provide products and services for a more resource-constrained world.

7. Urbanization

In 2009, more people lived in cities than in the countryside for the first time ever. By 2030 all developing regions are expected to have the majority of their citizens living in urban areas. For these growing cities to be habitable, they will require vast improvements in infrastructure including construction, water and sanitation, electricity, waste, transport, health, public safety and internet and cell phone connectivity.

Moving people and goods safely and efficiently through larger, densely populated urban areas will become more challenging and expensive. As cities grow, there will be greater demands on scarce resources such as clean water and open green space.

These requirements create opportunities for companies that can provide innovative ways to boost eco-efficiency, mitigate climate change, improve transit, alleviate poverty and reduce ecological footprints in areas of high residential and employment density.

8. Food Security

In the next 20 years, the global food system is set to come under increasing pressure from other megaforces, and global food prices could rise by 70?90% by 2030. In water-scarce regions, agricultural producers are likely to have to compete for supplies with other water-intensive industries such as electric utilities and mining and with consumers. Modernizing agricultural techniques in the developing world may provide opportunity for producers of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs.

Demand for food is expected to increase most in developing countries with their fast-growing populations and this will spur an increase in domestic production to mitigate the rising cost of food imports. Patterns of production are likely to be driven by crop yields, water availability, governance and consumer preferences.

9. Ecosystem Decline

The decline in biodiversity and ecosystems is making natural resources scarcer, more expensive and less diverse. Continued degradation of global biodiversity and ecosystem services could add to operational risk and, in certain locations, potentially jeopardize the long-term profitability and survival of some of the most-affected sectors such as forest products, agriculture and fisheries.

Companies further up the supply chain or that operate ?upstream? may be more susceptible to operational and regulatory challenges, while companies down the supply chain often have a greater degree of public exposure and therefore to potential reputation risks.

10. Deforestation

Cutting down forests ? for agriculture, commerce or housing ? directly reduces the supply of valuable natural resources and ecosystems services for business and the global community. It also removes a vital carbon sink and reduces the world?s ability to contain climate change. It hits agricultural productivity, human and animal health and economic activities such as ecotourism. It also increases land degradation and desertification by destabilizing soils, increasing erosion and reducing the cycling of nutrients through soils.

The timber industry and downstream industries such as pulp and paper are vulnerable to potential future regulation and market-based mechanisms, which incentivize farmers and landowners to manage land for an ecological purpose. They may also find themselves under increasing pressure from customers to prove that their products are sustainable through the use of certification standards. Agricultural industries seeking to meet higher demand for land-intensive products such as meat, dairy and even biofuels also need to be aware of the need to avoid sourcing products farmed on deforested land.

The 10 global sustainability megaforces are set to significantly affect the way the world does business over the next 20 years. While existing trend projections provide some insights about a possible future, the world is too uncertain and too complex to rely on linear forecasts. Therefore, business leaders should prepare for the unexpected and learn to look at the world in a new way that takes account of globally interconnected megaforces, the causal relationships between megaforces, feedback loops, effective intervention points and complex scenarios.

Turning Risks Into Opportunities

The sustainability megaforces threaten to bring increasingly complex risks and interrelated challenges that demand a new approach to business planning. Business leaders have to address and manage these risks, and more importantly, thrive by turning these risks into new opportunities with foresight and planning.

There are 4 steps for turning risks into opportunities:

First, businesses can identify sustainability risks and potential opportunities through Enterprise Risk Management tools. Companies can leverage on current risk management processes to tackle future sustainability risks and to invest more leadership capital in sustainability risk management.

Second, business leaders should make sustainability central to their corporate strategy, incorporate it at all levels, and tap into employee engagement. Companies will also need to look at measuring performance and reporting on sustainability, and seeking collaboration between companies on sustainability issues.

Next, businesses need to turn plans and strategies into ambitious targets and actions, such as energy and resource efficiency improvements, sustainable supply chain management, investment into innovation on sustainable products and services, and gaining access to new markets for greener products, services and technologies.

The last step is to build strategic partnerships with governments and demonstrate new and innovative approaches to public-private partnerships. The partnership could focus on economic instruments and market barriers that could be reduced to make sustainable behavior easier.

What do you think of the 10 global sustainability megaforces? Is your company addressing the megaforces in your corporate strategy, and identifying the risks and opportunities? Share with us your thoughts and comments in the box below.

Source and Image: Expect the Unexpected: Building business value in a changing world

Tags: Business Opportunities, business risks, Climate change, Deforestation, Ecosystem Decline, Energy and Fuel, Expect the Unexpected, food security, KPMG, Material Resource Scarcity, Population Growth, sustainability megaforces, Urbanization, Water Scarcity, Wealth

Source: http://www.greenfuture.sg/2012/07/30/10-global-sustainability-megaforces-that-will-impact-every-business/

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Reminiscences of Miss Willie Lea - blog*spot

Lea, Wilhelmina. Reminiscences of Miss Willie Lea. Copied from Manuscript in Possession of Mrs. M. H. Moore (Weaverville, North Carolina). Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, North Carolina). June 1943. Mostly a narrative account of her family, with biographical data, dates, and relationships, written in the 1930s. Typescript was made in 1943 from a manuscript lent by Mrs. W. S. Dixon.

In this document, Wilhelmina Lea (1843-1936) states that her grandfather is William Lea, who knew his grandfather, James Lea, Sr., and his wife's grandfather, William Lea. Wilhelmina Lea's father is Solomon Lea (1807-1897). His father is William Lea (1776-1873) (who married Sarah McNeill). The grandfather of Wilhelmina Lea who purportedly knew his grandfather, is James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea.

James (Kilgore's Branch Lea)
Gabriel Lea
William Lea
Solomon Lea
Wilhelmina Lea

William (South Hico) Lea
Anness Lea m. John McNeill
Sarah McNeill m. William Lea
Solomon Lea
Wilhelmina Lea

She also states: "In 1750, two brothers, James and William Lea, English by birth, migrated from King & Queen county, Virginia, where they first located, to the part of North Carolina, which was then known as Orange county, but afterwards Caswell and Person counties. . . ."

The James Lea apparently is the James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea referenced above. Wilhelmina Lea claims that this James Lea "settled about 2 miles west of Leasburg, a village subsequently established and chartered by the Legislature in 1788. It was named in honor of Jame's son William Lea, who became a very wealthy and prominent man." This William most likely is William (Merchant) Lea (1747-1806).

She states that the William Lea, brother of James, "settled 3 miles east of Leasburg at South Hyco bridge, near Lea's Chapel, which belonged to the Established Church of England, and was built by the Lea brothers when they came to this region. It later became a Methodist church, but still retains its name."

Wilhelmina Lea further provides with respect to this William Lea, brother of James: "William Lea had a son named George, born in 1765, and 2 daughters, Anness and Eunice. . . ." This identifies the William Lea as William (South Hico) Lea (c.1715-1804).

Now there is a problem. Some Lea family researchers question whether James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea and William (South Hico) Lea are brothers. Whether James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea or James (Country Line) Lea is the brother of William (South Hico) Lea has been argued for decades.

Further confusion results from Wilhelmina Lea's claim that this William Lea's son George was born in 1765 and had two sons, Vincent Lea and William Archer Lea (who married Susan Cochran). Many researchers believe the William Archer Lea who married Susan Cochran is a son of George W. (Cobb's Creek) Lea and provide the following ancestral outline:

William Lea
William (Cobb's Creek) Lea
George W. (Cobb's Creek) Lea
William Archer Lea

It is possible that Wilhelmina Lea confused William (South Hico) Lea and William (Cobb's Creek) Lea. However, the reference to Anness Lea and Eunice Lea as a brother of George Lea (born in 1765 and with sons Vincent Lea and William Archer Lea) may be a mistake. If so, the Lea brothers who Wilhelmina Lea claims moved to Orange County, North Carolina, in 1750 would be William (Cobb's Creek) Lea and James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea. Some researchers believe these brothers are sons of William Lea and brothers of John (Richland's Creek) Lea and Sarah Lea.

Researchers are advised to proceed with caution in this area. If Wilhelmina Lea was confused, imagine what can happen many decades later.

With respect to William Archer Lea, Wilhelmina Lea provides:

". . . The latter [William Archer Lea] married Susan Cochran. He lived and died in Leasburg and is buried in the cemetery here. After his death the family moved to Arkansas and became prominent citizens of that State. One of his grandsons, Robert Lea, a lawyer of Little Rock, becoming a Judge."

Robert James Lea was born March 10, 1852, at Princeton, Arkansas. He was the son of George Gallatin Lea and Sarah Eliza Wright. Robert studied law at the University of Virginia and returned to Arkansas to practice law by 1876. He married Georgie Passmore of Hot Springs on September 29, 1882. They lived in Little Rock, where he practiced law and served as Circuit Court Judge until his death in 1890. Robert and Georgie Lea had a daughter, Wilhelmina Lea.

Source: Lea Family Papers.
_______________

With respect to Annes/Anness Lea, Wilhelmina Lea provides:

"Annes Lea married John McNeill, and was the mother of 6 children, Hosea, George, Franky, Sarah, John, and William. After the death of her husband she married James Cochran, by whom she had 3 children, Anness, Susan, and Addison." This seems correct in that Anness Lea, daughter of William (South Hico) Lea, married first John McNeill (c.1754-1791), and second James Cochran (c.1761-1807). Wilhelmina Lea did not mention, however, the fourth child of James Cochran and Anness Lea McNeill Cochran, Aurelia Cochran, who died young.

With respect to Eunice Lea, who Wilhelmina Lea described as a sibling of the Anness Lea discussed above, Miss Lea stated:

"Eunice Lea married Alexander Rose. Their children are Alexander, Betsy, Neil and Duncan. Duncan Rose married a McAddin. Their children are John McAddin, Melinda, Catherine, Lavinia and Grandison. John McAddin Rose married Jane McNeill, daughter of George McNeill of Fayetteville, N.C." This Eunice Lea is believed to be a daughter of William (South Hico) Lea and Ann Unknown Lea.

Eunice Lea married Alexander Rose and their descendants have been traced by Dr. Ben Lacy Rose in his book Alexander Rose of Person County. Source: The Heritage of Caswell County, North Carolina, Jeannine D. Whitlow, Editor (1985) at 355 (Article #443, "Capt. William Lea" by Katherine Kerr Kendall).

The following is from Rose-Steel Anthology, Ben Lacy Rose (1982) at 18:

Eunice Lea, sometimes called Nicey, was born around 1750, probably in Virginia, and moved to North Carolina with her father at an early age. She grew up on her father's plantation on South Hyco Creek in what is now Person county NC and, on May 5, 1774, married Alexander Rose, a merchant from Petersburg VA, who had purchased land near her father's farm. Eunice and Sandy had ten children: Annes, Duncan, Frances, Neill Buchanan, Alexander Jr, William, Eunice, Milton, Elizabeth Poythress, and Beverly. She and her husband were apparently members of Lea's Chapel which was then Church of England and their children were baptized by the Rev. George Micklejohn, minister of St. Matthew's Parish of Hillsboro NC. Her husband, a merchant and planter, had come from Scotland and, after a stay of several years in Petersburg VA, had moved to North Carolina around 1770. They made their home in what is now Person county, first near Roseville (named later for her son, Duncan) and on South Hyco Creek near Lea's Chapel. Eunice's husband died Apr 12, 1807 at their home where Eunice continued to live. She died some time after Mar 21, 1816 when she put her mark to a deed. She is buried in an unmarked grave in Lea's Chapel church yard.
_______________

Wilhelmina Lea then returns to James Lea, brother of William Lea, they being the two brothers who moved to Orange County, North Carolina, in 1750. See the above discussion. In this area, Miss Lea apparently confuses James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea and James (Country Line) Lea:

"James Lea, brother of William Lea married Annie -- Their children, as recorded in the book we have, which was compiled by Uncle Lorenzo Lea, are William, Polly, Gabriel, James, Betsy and Phebe. He had two other children, Major and John, according to his will. (He may have married twice.) It is recorded that he was a small man of very temperate habits. he was born in 1715 and died in 1792. His son James, always called James Lea Junior, was born in 1760. He married Ann Talbot. They had 2 sons, Major and Luke. Luke Lea, Sr., was born Nov. 26, 1739. Elizabeth Wilson, his wife was born on the same day. They were married May 4, 1759 in Caswell Co. North Carolina. They moved to the State of Franklin, (East Tenn.) shortly after the Revolution bringing a large family of boys and one daughter, 12 children in all. Luke Lea's only brother, Major Lea, Sr., died in Lowell's Valley in 1843, over 100 years old."

Where to begin?

As stated above, it appears that Wilhelmina Lea confused the families of James (Country Line) Lea and James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea. Accordingly, researchers are advised not to rely upon the foregoing quoted paragraph. Luke Lea and Major Lea are sons of James (Country Line) Lea, not of James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea. Moreover, Wilhelmina Lea goes on to state the following with respect to James Lea's son, William Lea:

"James Lea's son William was born in 1751. He married Catherine Vanhook. He was a well-to-do merchant here. It is my opinion that Leasburg was named in honor of him, instead of the first William Lea. He died in 1806, and is buried in the cemetery here, his grave marked by a common stone."

This William Lea is believed to be William (Merchant) Lea (1747-1806), son of James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea and Anne Unknown Lea (with Tolbert/Talbert claimed by some as her maiden surname).

Gabriel Lea

Wilhelmina Lea continued describing the children of James Lea (apparently James (Kilgore's Branch) Lea):

"James Lea's son, Gabriel, born in 1756, he married Elizabeth Ashburn. Their children are Vincent, William, Gabriel B., James, Elizabeth, Polly, Sally, Phebe and Barbara. Gabriel Lea was noted for his piety, high moral character and integrity. He amassed considerable property, due to industry and good management. In Civil affairs was a J.P. for a number of years, and in 1794 was a member of the State Legislature in the House of Commons. He also served in the Revolutionary War as Captain. He died in 1834, aged 76 years."

This description appears essentially correct; as does the following:

"His son [son of Gabriel Lea], William Lea, (my grandfather) married Sarah McNeill, grand daughter of the first William Lea. She was his second cousin. Their children are Willis Monro, Lorenzo, Solomon, William, Addison and Anness."

[Insert here the claims of Ben L. Rose with respect to James Lea and William Lea.]

Willis M. Lea

"Willis M. Lea [middle name seen as McNeill and Monro], a physician, married Miss Sarah Wilson of Danville, Va. They had 8 children, 5 sons and 3 daughters. Two of his sons, Willis and John were in the civil war and were killed in battle in Va. After spending several years practicing in his native place, he went to Marshall county Miss. He died in Holly Springs, Miss. aged 78."

Lorenzo Lea

"Lorenzo Lea married Miss Mary Medley of Halifax county Va. He was a Methodist preacher, and at that time belonged to the Virginia Conference. While in this work, he was elected to the presidency of Memphis Female College, located at Jackson, Tenn. He filled that position a good many years. During that time, he lost his entire family, wife and 5 children, by death in the short space of 2 years. He was highly educated, understanding a good many languages. His principal life work was teaching. He determined to be employed to the last. He died at Corinth, Miss. where he last taught, of paralysis in 1872, aged 72. Although sadly bereaved, he neve lost faith through all his trials. I will add some items about Uncle Willis's family. His son Nat was in the Civil war, served under the noted ranger, Morgan. He married and settled in southern part of Miss. Winnie married Capt. Powell. Sallie married Calhoun. Lucy married Scruggs. Uncle Willis and Lorenzo both graduated at Chapel Hill."

Thus, Wilhelmina Lea lists the following as the children of Lorenzo Lea:

Nat Lea
Winnie Lea
Sallie Lea m. Unknown Calhoun
Lucy Lea m. Unknown Scruggs

The Caswell County Historical Association ("CCHA") shows the following as the children of Lorenzo Lea:

William J. Lea
Georgianna Hunt Lea
Lorenzo E. Lea
Mary A. Lea
Sallie Lea

The CCHA also shows a second wife of Lorenzo Lea: Frances Cobb.

1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Lorenzo Lea
Age: 45
Birth Year: abt 1805
Birthplace: North Carolina
Home in 1850: District 15, Madison, Tennessee
Gender: Male
Family Number: 16
Household Members: Name Age
Lorenzo Lea 45
Mary A Lea 38
William J Lea 15
Georgiana H Lea 14
Lorenzo E Lea 9
Mary Lea 4
Martha C Jackson 45
Ann M Anderson

Was Wilhelmina Lea also confused about the family of her uncle Lorenzo Lea?

Solomon Lea

"Solomon Lea, my father, William Lea's 3rd son, married Miss Sophia Ainges [Ainger], an English lady, who was born and reared in London with every social and educational advantage. She came to this country with some friends when about 20 years of age. She expected to return to England, but began teaching in Philadelphia in the family of Dr. Shippen. Afterwards she went South and taught in a private family in Warren Co. N.C. My father, who was teaching in the town of Warrenton met her. It was love at first sight, but he was courting her for 5 years before he gained her consent to marry him. After his marriage he went to Virginia, in which state he taught for several years. Then he returned to N.C. and to Leasburg, his native place, and was conducting a school here, when elected to the presidency of Greensboro college. He served in that capacity for two years (1846 & 1847) then he resigned and came back to Leasburg.

"He then founded Somerville Female Institute a school that flourished and was extensively patronized up to the Civil War. Besides teaching, my father was a Local preacher in the Methodist church, and preached whenever opportunity afforded. He was called on to perform many marriage ceremonies, and to preach funeral sermons. He received his A.M. at Chapel Hill in 1833.

"My father was one of the most genial men, kept open house, and was almost universally popular. He loved the out-of-doors, and gardening, and was particularly fond of horse-back riding. He was exceedingly active and young in his looks and ways until his health failed. He was born 1807 and passed away in 1897 in his 90th year. My mother died in Nov. 1866, preceding him to the eternal world 31 years. He neve married again.

"To this happy, congenial union were born 8 children, 6 daughters, and 2 sons, Anness Sophia, Henrietta, Adeline, Wilhelmina, Lilianne, Eugenia, Edward Wadsworth and Robert Albert. The last died in infancy."

Anness Sophia Lea

"Anness Sophia Lea married when 20 years of age, in 1859 Dr. Leon Richmond of Oxford, Miss. After their marriage he went to Shelby Co. Tenn., 15 miles from Memphis, to live. 9 children were born to them, five of them are dead and four living, two in California and two in Shelby Co. Tenn. Thomas and Georgia live in California, Edward and Margaret in Tenn. Margaret teaches at Oakville near Memphis."

Henrietta Lea

"Henrietta Lea was born in Boydton, Va. in 1840. In 1858 she was married to Rev. M.C. Thomas a member of the North Carolina Methodist Conference. After he ceased to be active in the work of the church in which he served faithfully for many years, he too a superannuated relation and made his home in Leasburg. 10 children were born to this union, of whom only 2 survive at this time, Mrs. M. H. Moore of Weaverville, and Mrs. W.S. Dixon of Mebane.

"She passed away in Milton, N.C. in the home of her deceased son, W.L. Thomas in 1929 in her 90th year. Her mental faculties were clear to the last. She was brought to Leasburg for burial in the cemetery here, where also her husband, who preceeded [sic] her to the grave a number of years, is buried. Besides the two daughters, 23 grand children, and a number of greatgrand children survive. She was devoted to her church, and never let anything except something serious prevent her attending on its services. The missionary cause was particularly dear to her heart, a society being named for her."

Adeline Lea

"Adeline Lea, called Addie, was born in Farmville Va. in 1842. After finishing school here she went to school in Richmond Va. for one term. She was very gifted in music. During the Civil War she taught in a private family in Patrick Co. Va., for a year. Later she taught in Dr. Charles Deems school at Wilson N.C. Soon after the war, she went to Jackson, Tenn. to teach music in Uncle Lorenzo's school there, in which also Prof. B. L. Arnold, a native Virginian, taught mathematics. The intimate association resulted in marriage, which was consummated in 1867. Their union was a short one, Addie, in 1871, dying very suddenly in Bolivar Tenn, where Mr. Arnold taught after leaving Jackson, leaving 2 children, the oldest Harry, 3 years old, and a baby, John Marshall, 8 months. (The baby lived only 2 weeks after his mother's death.) I was in Tenn. at the time and Mr. Arnold with me brought the children east. I took charge of the baby and he carried Harry to his father's home in Va. Harry, a year later, was brought here to stay with us. He, after his education and spending many years in the army lives now in Oregon to which state his father went soon after Addie's death. Mr. Arnold was President of a College at Corvallis, Oregon. After Addie's death he married again, Minnie White. They had one son, Ernest, who was highly educated and very musical. He lost his life when about 25 years of age, I suppose."

Lillie Lea

"Lillie Lea was born in the old family home in Leasburg, Jan. 8, 1845. She was a rather shy sensitive child, but had a very bright studious mind. She was exceedingly fond of reading. Nothing gave her more delight than having some good interesting book to read. She was an apt student at school, and stood at the head in her classes. She was sixteen when the Civil war broke out. As the times were getting to be hard after a year or two, she was persuaded to take a private school in the upper part of Caswell, which was the beginning of almost continuous teaching for about 40 years. She has taught in Miss., Tenn., Ga. also Arkansas; but her teaching has been principally in N.C., here in Leasburg, and in other places in the state. She loved to teach, and it can be truthfully said that she was a born teacher. She has travelled extensively over the U.S. and has also been to Europe, going with a party of teachers.

"After staying single for so long a time, she was married when 49 to Mr. T. C. Neal of Caswell, a widower with 7 children, in 1894. He died in 1919. Since her widowhood she divides her time with her sister Willie and her surviving step-children, who give her the most devoted attention."

Eugenia Lea

"Eugenia Lea was born in Greensboro, N.C. Aug. 28, 1846. At the age of 22 she was married to Dr. Calvin G. Lea, of Caswell Co. He was a grandson of John C. Lea, connected in some way with our branch, but how we've never found out, though we claimed kin.

"To this union were born 8 children, Florance, Addie, Solly, Marvin, Julia, Lillian, Lucy and Lemuel. Solly died of Pneumonia, Lemmie was killed by a steam shovel. Florence married Stokes Clarke of Anson. She died in March 1931, leaving a daughter and 2 sons.

"Addie married R. T. Tomlinson. Has 2 children, Marshall Lea and Louise. She is now living in Haughton, La. -- lived in Shreveport a number of years.

"Julia married Carl Dunlap of Anson Co. She has one son, Pines, a talented young man. He is in the army on account of difficult in obtaining a job.

"Lillian married Tom Dunlap and died in 6 months after her marriage. Lucy married Fleetwood Dunlap and has 4 children, James, Fleetwood, Jr., Lucy Lea and Roberta.

"Eugenia died Aug. 16, 1930 in her 84th year. She was living at the time in Anson Co. with her daughter Julia, to which county she went after he husband's death."

Edward Wadsworth Lea

"Edward Wadsworth Lea was born in Greensboro in 1847. He died in 1921 at the age of 74. He never married. His vocation was farming, which he liked better than anything else, as he enjoyed a free, out of doors life. He was noted for his calm, unruffled spirit, taking things as they come without worry. He was fond of singing -- had a good voice, and was a faithful attendant at Sunday school and church services. He was greatly missed in the community when he passed."
_______________

Addison Lea

"William Lea's youngest son Addison married Elizabeth Patrick of Greensboro, N.C. He received his collegiate education at Randolph Macon College, then situated in Boydton, Va. He became an itinerant Methodist preacher. While in this work, he was elected the presidency of a college in Aberdeen, Miss. and left here with his family in 1852. He lived only a few years. His wife died a year later. To their union were born 8 children, all of whom are dead.

"Uncle Addison's children were Jennie, Annie, James, Willis, Addison and Elizabeth. Two others must have died young. Jennie married a Harris. Annie never married. Elizabeth died of T.B. when just grown up. She was a very bright and attractive girl. The boys moved to Texas, James, the last of the family died a few months ago, leaving one daughter, Mrs. Gerdes of Waco, Texas. Willis never married. I believe Addison's children live in Dallas Texas."
_______________

Anness Lea

"William Lea's only daughter Anness, after declining a number of offers, married when 40 years old Mr. Yancey Wiley of Oxford, Miss., a widower with several children. She died during the Civil war after a short married life.

"Aunt Anness was a very superior woman, cultured and refined. She was a lover of flowers, and the garden at Grandpa's was beautiful with its numerous roses and other flowers. She also raised a good many potted plants."

North Carolina, Marriage Collection, 1741-2004
Name: Anniss Lea
Gender: Female
Spouse: Yancey Wiley
Spouse Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 30 Apr 1855
Marriage County: Caswell
Marriage State: North Carolina
Source: Record of this marriage may be found at the Family

Yancey Wiley was married at least three times and fathered at least seven children. The wife preceding Anness Lea was Elizabeth Anne Thompson (1812-1850), daughter of Nicholas Thompson and Lucretia Van Hook. She may have been the mother of all the children.

After Anness Lea Wiley died, Yancey Wiley married Mary M. Tankersly 21 November 1867 in Mississippi.
_______________

William Lea

"William Lea's 4th son, William Lea, Jr. married Mary Wilson, a granddaughter of John C. Lea. She was only fifteen. Early marriages were not uncommon at that period. They had 3 children, George, John and Margaret. George died in infancy and is buried in the cemetery here. William Lea, Jr. lived in Leasburg for sometime before going to Petersburg, Va., where he was a commission merchant a good many years. The firm, through the dishonesty or mismanagement of his partner, finally became insolvent, and his father, who thought it a disgrace for a 'Lea' not to pay his debts, paid everything, amounting to a good many thousands. William Lea, Jr. after months of ill health, died during the fifties in his 48th year. His last words were 'Farewell, vain world.'

"His brother Willis of Miss., who was present at his death and funeral, carried his widow and daughter back with him, for it was unheard of then for a southern woman or girl of high social standing to do any kind of work for a living.

"Later they went to Jackson Tenn. to stay with Uncle Lorenzo Lea. While there, Aunt Mary, Uncle William Lea's widow, was married to Hon. Calvin Graves of Caswell Co., N.C. who was prominent lawyer and member of one of Caswell's oldest families. His daughter Margaret was married just before the close of the Civil war to Lt. Charles I. Graves of Ga., a nephew of Calvin Graves. He belonged to the U.S. Navy, but later to the Southern one. He was as handsome and striking in appearance, as his wife was, as lovable and lovely. They began housekeeping at a country place near Rome, Ga. and he engaged in teaching for a while, but being in debt, and anxious to get out, he resolved to go to Egypt in the service of the Khedive that offered big pay. He was there for three years, during which time his wife and 5 children spent part of the time in Leasburg and part with her mother. When he returned to the U.S. they went back to Ga. He was out of debt at least, but his health had been injured and their happy married life was cut short by death some years later. After surviving him a number of years, his wife, too is dead, also all of their 5 children. The few grand children they had, we have about lost sight of.

"When Uncle William Lea died, his son, John Willis entered West Point in 1857, aged 18. He received the cadet ship from Miss. through the influence of his uncle Willis M. Lea. When the Civil war began in 1861, he resigned and came south to fight for the cause he considered right. In a battle near Williamsburg, Va. he was severely wounded and was received in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich Durfey, who gave him every attention. When he recovered he married their daughter, Maggie G. Durfey in 1862. He was then 'Capt. Lea,' but continued to rise until the became Lt. Col. N.C. Regiment of Infantry in 1863.

"When the war closed in 1865, he went into business with his brother-in-law. One day while reading his Bible, he became strongly impressed that he was called to preach. As he said afterwards, 'It is woe with me if I preach not the Gospel.' He gave up his business in which he was prospering. Although brought up in the Methodist church he joined the Episcopal to which he wife belonged and entered a Theological Sem. in 1869 to prepare himself for the ministry. He was there three years. He became rector of several different parishes in West Va. While at St. Alban's his wife suddenly died of acute indigestion, leaving an infant named Willis and 4 other children, William, Maggie Estelle, John and Ernest. Cousin Maggie Graves of Rome, Ga. took the baby and Maggie Estelle, who, unmarried is superintendent of schools in Birmingham, Ala.

"A year later in 1884 Cousin John married Mrs. Kate Wilson, who, he had known at Clifton, Albemarle Co. Va. The ceremony was performed on his death bed, he, dying fifteen days later from a carbuncle on the back of his neck. A great uncle had died in the same way. His widow took the three other children, William, John and Ernest, and was a true mother to them. She, when last heard from, was still living, aged 82, in much feebleness and nearly blind, in a Sanatorium at Charlottesville, Va.

"Rev. John W. Lea, who was my 1st cousin, has a grandson -- his namesake -- living in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He is the son of Ernest Lea, who died in Norfolk, Va. a few years after his son's birth. His widow married again. Cousin John is so much interested in the native place of his forefathers that he has been here several times. The first time he came was on his honeymoon trip. The second time, he bought an acre of land that once belonged to his g.g.g.grandfather Gabriel Lea, the property now owned by Voss Stephens, also a descendant, saying that as a matter of sentiment, he wanted to own a bit of land that belonged to one of his ancestors. He was here again in March this year, as buoyant as ever -- he is only 24 -- and full of interest about all ancestral matters. He is as affectionate in his disposition as was his generous hearted grandfather, who was born in Leasburg in 1838."
_______________

Wilhelmina Lea

"But what shall I say about my long life, so miraculously spared by an overruling Providence, for I have been near death several times. To begin -- one of my chief characteristics from childhood, has been an intense love of home, so intense that I would never be satisfied long away. Then music has been a passion with me. At the age of 7 I was playing on the piano could play anything I heard played by ear, but was 9 before I learned to play by note.

"I was 15 when I quit school -- was a pretty good scholar in everything except mathematics for which I had no particular turn. I was especially fond of writing, composition day being my delight. I had been 'on the carpet' so to speak for three years, when the Civil War broke out, the South having seceded from the North, Lincoln having become President in 1861.

"When the company, 'Leasburg Greys' was formed of which Maj. John Hambrick, a veteran of the Mexican War, was made Captain. I was requested to present the Confederate flag, which sister Lillie and myself made, for we were both expert with our needle. I shall never forget that occasion. I wish I had the address I made when presenting the flag. I stood on the front porch of our home, surrounded by a crowd of people, as well as the immediate family. Oh, how full of enthusiasm were those 'boys' who went to the war!

"Very few returned, either died of some disease or were killed in battle. So far as I know, not a soul is living today, except sister Lillie and myself, who was present.

"The war had been going on for two years, when I unwillingly consented to teach in a private family about five miles from home, and was there when the war, in which the South was defeated, practically closed by the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, Va. April 8, 1865.

"Everything in the South was changed by the emancipation of our negro slaves, who, in most cases had proved so faithful, and were regarded with much affection as family servants.

"The terrible war changed me too, I was no longer a gay girl, but a somewhat settled individual, although only 20 when the war closed. I declined teaching again in the private family but in the fall of 1866, my father, thinking a change of scene might benefit me, secured for me a position as music teacher in Louisburg Female College of which Dr. Turner M. Jones was at the time president. In November of that year, my mother, who had long been in failing health, passed away, at the age of 56. I didn't return home until Christmas, a month's vacation being given then. The vacant seat in the family circle is always a sad sight.

"When I returned to Louisburg I was clad in deep mourning. I looked sad and I felt sad, too, but faithfully attended to my duties.

"At the close of the term, I was re-elected with the further inducement of an increase in salary, but I declined staying. I wanted as usual to be at home. At the end of that year, we single daughters -- three in number --begged our father to let us do our domestic work, as we had grown tired of the way some of our hired servants behaved. He very reluctantly consented, couldn't accustom himself to the idea of our doing such a thing; and so at the end of the year he said, 'Well, children, you've kept everything all right, but I want servants to do the work.' So servants a plenty we had to the end of his days.

"While at home n 1871, Uncle Lorenzo Lea who was Prof. of Mathematics in Soule College, Murfreesboro, Tenn. wrote me that a music teacher was needed in the school and that he had recommended me for the position. It was offered me and I accepted, but it proved to be anything but desirable. I was glad enough to quit at the end of the term. Uncle Lorenzo left also, not to return.

"I went to visit my sister Annes Richmond in Shelby Co. expecting to spend several weeks, but had been there only a few days when our beloved sister Addie, Mrs. Arnold, suddenly died. I have written about that sad event, and my unexpected return home and my care of the baby, who soon died.

"About that time Uncle Lorenzo had taken charge of Marshall Inst. in Marshall Co. Miss, and he wrote to me to come out and be his assistant.

"As I wasn't needed at home, I agreed to do so, but after teaching several months became dissatisfied and wrote sister Lillie to please come and take my place which she did. Instead of returning home at once, I decided to visit my sister Anness, with whom I spent some time.

"In the summer of 1872, I returned home, accompanied by Mr. Arnold who went to Va. to bring his son Harry to stay with us, his mother's people.

"While he was with us in my care in particular, Dr. Jones, who had left Louisburg College and gone to Warrenton, offered me position there, also saying that he would want me at Greensboro College, which had been burned, when it re-opened. I had to decline the offer, but a year later in the fall of 1873 went to Greensboro as I had sent my nephew to Va. to stay again with his father's people. But, alas ! my stay there was of short duration. I was already somewhat run down in health, and soon became so indisposed from indigestion that life was a burden. I kept resolutely attending to my duties, but when Christmas came, resigned. Instead of returning home at once, I accepted an invitation to visit friends in Va. I was there 7 weeks, and was greatly benefited by the change, so much so, that after all my sad experience I was foolish enough to make one more venture.

" In 1875 I procured a position in Wesleyan F. College in Brownsville Tenn. I taught there one year, and might have continued, but returned home, resolved to stay there, the rest of my life, fully convinced that home, with its varied round of duties was best for me.

"Hampered, too, as I've been ever since I had a fall backward, when in my teens, that injured my spine, causing extreme nervousness, that has prevented my going about much, or taking an active part in public affairs. I was able to do my domestic work; so did my cooking after my father's death, and, for many years until disabled. I also taught music in the school here until I quit finally. During these years at home I have done a good deal of writing for various newspapers, using a 'non de plume' most of the time. I have also improvised and composed a good deal of music, some of which has been published.

"This account wouldn't be complete without mentioning that my married sister's daughters took turns going to school here. My father used to say that he could help educate them if he couldn't leave them much. We enjoyed having them with us.

"In concluding this imperfect story of my life, I have to record, that the night of April 17, 1933, I tripped my feet in a rug in my room and had a hard fall which dislocated my right hip. I was carried to Duke Hospital, Durham, N.C. for an X ray examination. Doctors all agreed I couldn't stand an operation at my age. Nov. 9, the same year, my 90th birthday, was celebrated by some friends here, which gave me a pleasant surprise. I'm 'shut in' for good, in bed most of the time, but sit up some every day and have been trying to walk, but am convinced that I'll never succeed.

"I am thankful to say that my general health is fairly good, and my faculties still clear. I divert myself with reading and writing, glad that I can see to do that. My hearing is also good. I'm cheerfully and resignedly bearing this affliction, that has come to me in the ordering of Providence; and patiently await the end which cannot be very far off. I think I can say all is well.

"In writing this 'Lea History," I've only given the line, or branch that for 5 generations has been closely identified with Leasburg -- one family always staying here."
_______________

"One of Leasburg's most prominent citizens, who deserves more than a passing notice was William Lea, Sr. (my grandfather) son of Gabriel Lea. He was for 40 years or more, a merchant here -- was well-to-do in land, mills and negroes. He gave a collegiate education to five sons and one daughter. For many years was J.P. and also sheriff of Caswell Co. He was remarkable for industry and temperate habits. He had a power constitution -- was 6 ft. 4 in. in height and well formed. It was a familiar sight to see him riding about on horse-back, looking after his various interests, for he would never have an overseer. Hunting, especially turkey hunting was one of his favorite sports. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Church and lived a practical Christian life.

"After the marriage of his daughter Anness, who went to live in a distant State, he would never consent to break up and live around with his children; but stayed in his home with faithful servants to look after him.

"On Sunday morning's he would have the negroes at the home place come to the house where he would pray with them and exhort them to lead a good life and serve God.

"His old cook, Aunt Emily, whose husband was Ishmael Jacobs, used to say 'I beleaves in Marster's religion.' When they were set free, she and his body servant, George with his family, stayed on with him to the last. The latter called George Lea, after his old master, died a few years ago aged 104."

Source: http://ncccha.blogspot.com/2012/07/reminiscences-of-miss-willie-lea.html

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FMC Technologies appoints new president, COO

Starting Aug. 1, Robert Potter will be FMC's president.?

FMC Technologies Inc. (NYSE: FTI) said Monday it named a new president and COO.

Robert Potter will take over the position as FMC?s president, which John Gremp, the company?s CEO and chairman, formerly held. Gremp will remain chairman and CEO.

Potter formerly held the position of FMC?s executive vice president of energy systems, and he has been with the company since 1973.

"Bob is an experienced and well-respected leader with a deep understanding of our markets and technologies," Gremp said in a statement.

FMC also named Douglas Pferdehirt as COO and executive vice president. Pferdehirt previously worked for Houston-based Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) and has 26 years of experience in leadership positions in the oil and gas industry.

Both Potter and Pferdehirt will begin their new positions Aug. 1.

FMC Technologies is a Houston-based technology solutions provider for the energy industry.

Last week, FMC Technologies reported its second quarter results, which included a 22 percent increase in revenue compared to the second quarter of 2011.

Molly Ryan covers manufacturing, technology, the Port and logistics.

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What Are the Benefits of Santa Cruz Counseling?

Santa Cruz Counseling is the therapist found in the county of Santa Cruz the biggest county in the state of California. The county is not just famous for its rich culture and history, but is also well-known for its technology and production of biochemical products. This county is also popular for the number of counselor it has to guide the people in various matters. The people of Santa Cruz now consider Santa Cruz counseling as part of their lives because they have acknowledged the importance of such therapies. Different Santa Cruz counseling not just help the individual is getting along with the tough time in their lives, but also gives them a positive perspective of life. ?Such counseling therapist helps in reducing the overall stress and depression level of the county by giving them the right direction. The counseling therapist helps in building strong relations with the pier which in turn affect the economy of the county. Moreover, these counselors improve the self-esteem of the individual and therefore, they become more productive in their professional lives

Source: http://www.tellicoplains.org/self-improvement/what-are-the-benefits-of-santa-cruz-counseling/

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slashgear: If this is the iPhone 5, Android has a problem http://t.co/4o64KZUc #tech #slashgear

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

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A very British start to the Games

LONDON ? The Queen made her acting debut (in a James Bond scene, no less), Mary Poppins outdueled Lord Voldemort?s evil magic, the flame was lit in truly unique fashion ? by seven unknowns, no less ? and the 2012 Olympic Games were open.

Even the rain stayed away except for the briefest of showers as London, the first city to host an Olympics on three occasions, set off 17 days of sporting celebration Friday on what can only be described as a resounding victory.? It wasn't Beijing and it didn't try to be. Four yours ago we saw one of history's biggest displays of national pride, but London beat its own chest in a more pleasantly understated way. (Reuters)

There was a peculiar sweetness about being a British person in this place and on this night. The United Kingdom can no longer fool itself that it is not one of the world's most important nations but could take comfort in still being able to welcome the world to its doorstep and put on one heck of a show in the process.

Producer Danny Boyle, he of "Slumdog Millionaire" directorial fame, pieced together a lavish, epic and masterful show that blended humor with history, music with majesty, and was met with almost universal approval. Boyle wanted to portray a graceful boast, showing off the best of Britain with pride but without a trace of stuffiness or arrogance.

The iconic moment when the cauldron burst into flame may not have been to everyone?s taste ? it was lit by the hands of a group of young athletes nominated by sporting legends rather than a member of athletic royalty ? but if that was the serious stuff, earlier there had been no shortage of fun. That said, of everything that happened in Stratford on this evening, the sight of Bond actor Daniel Craig and his sketch and then fake parachute jump from a helicopter with the Queen took some beating.

[ Photos: Best and worst country uniforms ]

But there were touching moments. A montage honored the deceased who could not be at the Olympic Stadium on its big opening night but, lamentably, it did not recognize the victims of Munich in 1972.

Nevertheless, Britain got its pride back here ? and how. A perishing economy has hurt the lives and pockets of millions in the U.K., but you wouldn't have thought so at this party and, once again, it was OK to be proud to be British.

"We have hosted the Games three times and each time the world has faced turbulence and trouble," London Olympics chief Lord Sebastian Coe said. "Each time we have come through."

[ Related: Michelle Obama meets Team USA ]

It was one of those moments when a lump in your throat sets in and you don?t quite know why. There was just something in the air, some kind of magic, something very real and perfect and tasteful.

The athletes also felt it. Brazil set a lovely tone by displaying flags that carried its own emblem on one side and the United Kingdom's on the other. The Czech Republic wielded umbrellas just as the skies cleared, once and for all. Usain Bolt pointed his index finger and repeated "number one" as he carried the Jamaican flag, a reminder, if one was needed, that the Olympics are about excellence as well as sentiment. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant was content to soak up the atmosphere in the middle of the huge pack of American athletes as they formed one of the last teams around the track.

Once the teams had filed into place, the usual course of speeches followed and the lighting of the cauldron was completed, one last blast from Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney set the event into motion and it was time for competition to begin.

But the first, and perhaps biggest success of all, goes to a host nation that has gotten off to a perfect start. If the Games are to continue as they began, then the world is in for a wondrous treat.

More Olympic coverage on the Yahoo! Sports network:
? Video: Summer Sanders on Olympic swimsuits
? Fans have impromptu Opening Ceremony sing-a-long
? Phelps turns tables on childhood bullies

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--danny-boyle-s-opening-ceremony-starts-london-games-in-the-most-perfect--and-most-british--way.html

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To Singapore... from an expat returning home - blog*spot

Singapore gets more things right than other countries, even if its citizens disagree

By David Fedo, Published The Straits Times, 28 Jul 2012

ON THE eve of National Day, after a little more than five years of living and working in Singapore, my wife Susan and I take leave of this amazing country. We will return to our home just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, to take up our old lives among our American family and friends.

But the truth is, after Singapore, our lives will never be the same.

Singapore's impact on most expatriates and other visitors, no matter how long they reside on this island, is often forever. It's the palpable feeling that somehow Singapore gets more things right than most other countries, and that day-to-day life here is on the whole better than in many other places. Not perfect, of course, but better.

Think of the excellent schools, polytechnics and universities, for example, and the fact that there seems to be less unemployment, homelessness and crime here than elsewhere - bugaboos that plague so many other nations in today's volatile economy.

The diverse races and religious groups respect one another. The food is wonderful, with a variety unmatched anywhere, even in Paris, New York or Beijing. Medical care is exemplary. The green spaces, now crowned by Gardens by the Bay, are spectacular. Younger and now even some older Singaporeans may take these virtues for granted; those of us who are foreigners do not.

Our story is not an unfamiliar one for expatriates. Susan and I arrived here on a contract for two years, and have stayed for three more. Our work for Wheelock College (its home campus is in Boston) and our imported bachelor's degree in early childhood education has been a pleasure. We loved our Singapore students, all young women committed to the nation's children, and our faculty - a collaborative group from Wheelock-Boston, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and the Seed Institute - have been extraordinary.

Wheelock has just signed a long-term agreement with the Singapore Institute of Technology and will be in this country for many years to come. Susan and I will watch from afar as the Wheelock-Singapore partnership grows and flourishes.

Beyond all of its other virtues and attractions, including its economic and commercial successes, the arts in Singapore over recent years have truly 'blossomed', to use the word Professor Tommy Koh does in an article in the National University of Singapore's Alumnus magazine. 'We were once described by our critics as a 'cultural desert',' he explains, but says those days are gone for good - 'no one would say the same thing today'.

Prof Koh is right. Yet I wonder if many Singaporeans fully appreciate the remarkable blossoming of the arts - call it an explosion - through the seasonal festivals and year-round array of productions, performances, publications and exhibits, as much as those of us who come from outside Singapore.

Too often I have heard Singaporeans downplay their country's artistic achievements, saying 'It (the play or gallery opening) was okay, I guess, but it's not New York or London.'

But Singapore doesn't have to be New York or London. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra can stand on its own merits, and so can the experimental theatre productions by any number of talented groups here. The museums mount exhibits of interest to Asians and Westerners, as do Singapore's diverse galleries. The Arts House is a jewel in the cultural life of this country.

Poetry is a special interest of mine, and Singapore's best young poets - Toh Hsien Min, Cyril Wong, Yong Shu Hoong, Alvin Pang and Felix Cheong, among others - have all created a lively forum for verse that challenges old assumptions about Singapore's allegedly scant impact on readers here and abroad. Speaking of poets, what small press in South-east Asia has done more to advance their works than Singapore's own Ethos Books, headed by Fong Hoe Fang and Chan Wai Han?

Yes, there is no perfect place, as the English statesman Thomas More wrote in his book Utopia, whose title may be translated as 'nowhere'. Singapore has its own deficiencies too, and its citizens are only too quick to point them out.

But in leaving this small island republic, I urge Singaporeans to see, as so many expatriates see, the superiority of Singapore over so many other countries - and not only countries in South-east Asia, but around the globe. I do love America, and it will be fun going home, but I will miss Singapore, its special pleasures and my many friends here forever.

The writer was executive director and visiting scholar of the Wheelock College (Boston, United States) Centre for International Education, Leadership and Innovation (Singapore) since June 2007.

Source: http://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.com/2012/07/to-singapore-from-expat-returning-home.html

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Romney camp offers memo on what's wrong with economy (Washington Bureau)

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Do I pay Zakat on 401k and IRA? Is it 2.5% or 10%? ? Joe Bradford

M Babu asks:

As Salamualikum. Ramadan ul Mubarak. I need to understand zakat on retirement funds contributed by both employer and employee. As a teacher, I have a TIAA-CREF retirement account where I contribute and my employer contributes a matching percentage of the salary. All my investment is in stocks since other options are interest bearing. ?I can not receive the cash until it vest when I reach retirement age. Do I have to pay zakat on the amount of this retirement fund that has been accumulated?

Another Questioner asks:

I am looking for?clarification on rules for zakath on stocks and zakath on 401K.

1) Below excerpt from _____ fund web page says zakat of 10% is due on INCREASE of asset and not on the base asset. I was?under the impression zakath is due on the whole capital.? I want to do the right thing. What is the correct basis?

2) The 401K is a fund that is joint contribution by employer and me. It is not yet tapped into as I have not retired. Although I could take withdrawal from it as I am over 59.5 yrs. Is zakth due on 401K (these are in stock fund).

?

Answer:

Retirement funds and similar are something many people ask about it.

Let?s look at the issues at hand above based on the two questions presented:

1-????? How much Zakat is paid on business partnerships and investments?\

2-????? Is my retirement account (such as 401k, IRA, or similar) liable for Zakat?

How much Zakat is paid on business partnerships and investments?\

Business partnerships and investments are due 2.5% when paying Zakat on them. Mutual Funds, which invest in a portfolio of stocks (shares) are business partnerships and are treated as such when calculating profits and zakat.?To make them analogous to agricultural projects is incorrect for several reasons most of which cannot be mentioned in a single post. Those interested can look for module five of my Zakat course entitled ?Advance Topics in Zakat Law.?

Is my retirement account (such as 401k or IRA) liable for Zakat?

Modern scholars differed as to when to pay zakat on retirement accounts such as 401k, IRA?S,? and other similar investment vehicles wherein a person does not actively have control over and cannot access without penalty the funds therein until a threshold or time period is met.

The more correct of these 2 opinions is that Zakat is not due on your retirement account (401k, IRA, or similar) until it is time to cash out without penalty.

• If the conditions of that account state that after a person reaches a certain age (say 55 or older) then he or she may withdraw without penalty then Zakat is paid on that amount when you reach that age. Each subsequent year, if Nisaab still exists in the account, you would pay on that account.
• If you cannot access the funds in that account, or you are penalized for early withdrawal, then you are not liable to pay Zakat on that account.
  • Zakat is only due on unhindered, fully accessible wealth which is actively managed by the investor.
  • Any wealth which is lost, inaccessible, held in an illiquid state, or cannot be accessed freely without penalty is not liable for Zakat.

• If the wealth in the retirement fund is designated for the employee then he must pay 2.5 percent of that amount only when he cashes out without penalty at the time those funds are made available to him.
• If he or she chooses to cash out early and pay the penalty then they must still pay Zakat on the amount withdrawn immediately at the time of availability regardless of the matching funds contributed by his employer or not.
• If he is not allowed to cash out, but instead is forced to take a loan from the 401k fund and pay it back with interest, then he or she will not pay Zakat on this amount until it remains in possession for one year after receiving it from the 401k fund.
• You pay 2.5% on the amount available to you at the time the money is made available to you without penalty. You do not compound 2.5% for the entire tenure of the investment; you only pay 2.5% for one year on the amount made available at cashout without penalty.

If you need confidential advice on how to calculate and pay your Zakat, please contact me through this site.

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This entry was posted on July 28, 2012, 6:01 am and is filed under Islamic Law, Zakat. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.joebradford.net/pay-zakat-401k-ira-25-10/

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Small Business Outsourcing: How to Save Time and Increase Your ...

Do you have a small business superhero complex? It?s what happens when you think you can do it all yourself. On top of doing the work that you do best, you?re tackling accounting, marketing, design ? the whole works!

If your goal is to work yourself into an early grave, keep on going! If you?d rather have a thriving business with some time to rest and relax, then it?s time to outsource. Avoiding outsourcing when your business is growing can hold you back. By outsourcing in several key areas, you can save time, boost your personal productivity and help your business bloom

What Can I Outsource?

Outsourcing can cover everything from web design to answering client emails and everything in between. Outsourcing for your small business will typically fall into one of three categories:

• Highly skilled expertise: This category of outsourcing includes reaching out to expert consultants to get their guidance. Even though you wear all the hats in your small business, you can outsource to a financial expert a few times a month to get CFO level insight into your business books. The same goes for marketing, strategic business building or any other higher level decision making areas.
• Repetitive tasks: As the owner of your own business, you don?t need to spend your weekends adding new social media followers or filing receipts. Repetitive tasks like these can be outsourced to an assistant, virtual or otherwise, to free up your time.
• Specialized skills: You?re excellent at what you do, but there are dozens of other tasks that go into running your business that you aren?t so great at ? like web design, copywriting or accounting. These specialized skills should be outsourced so you can get the level of quality that you need to run or market your business.

Yes ? virtually anything can be outsourced. But before you start, you need to make some critical decisions about how much you can afford to outsource.

Figuring Out Your Outsourcing Budget Caps

When you?re bootstrapping your small business, the last thing you want to do is spend money that you don?t have to. That?s why the first important step in outsourcing is figuring out your costs ? no matter what category of outsourcing you?ll be using.

There are two types of outsourcing needs most small business have ? ongoing monthly needs and special project needs. For special projects, like the launch of a new website, you?re going to have to budget for the entire project at once. If you have no idea what the project might cost, get quotes from several providers or run a test project on a freelance job board to see what the standard is (more about those job boards later).

For monthly time saving tasks, you?ll need to figure out how much time you?ll save by outsourcing and compare that to your typical hourly rate. If you?re a business coach charging $100 per hour, and you?re spending five hours per month handling your accounts receivable and payable, then that?s $500 you?re spending on that task. If you can find a bookkeeper to do that all for $65, that?s savings of $175 each and every month ? which equals an extra $2100 per year in possible billable time.

Look through your typical business week and figure out where you can save some time. Are you spending a lot of time on customer follow-up? Are you pre-filling social media updates a few hours each week? Are you blogging when you should be coding? All of these tasks can be outsourced to save you more money.

How to Find Good Talent

Once you?ve decided what you need to outsource, and how much budget you have to work with, it?s time to start your search. Finding the right contracts is critical to making outsourcing work for you. There are few different ways you can find the right help:

• Referrals: Ask your professional network. Reach out to a few key contacts and let them know what you?re looking for. Finding a contractor through your existing network should be your first stop. The service provider has a proven track record with your contact, so you know they can be trusted.
• Social Media: Any social media site can connect you with a potential service provider, but LinkedIn is often the best place to start your search because you can get more in depth information about a provider?s experience.
• Freelance Job Boards and Bidding Sites: Posting ads on job boards or using a bidding site like eLance, Guru or oDesk can put you in touch with a number of different providers all at once. You can post your job description and service providers will contact you through the service to give you a quote and show you their experience.

Making the Right Hire

Any of these resources can be a good place to find a service provider, but your intake process is what really makes the difference between an outsourcing nightmare and a great working relationship. Here are some keys to making the right hire for your needs:

Get to the Point

Making a great hire starts with your job description. In order to get the best price and the best talent, you need to be clear about what you need. Be as descriptive as possible in your request whether you?re emailing a referral or posting a job board. This gives your potential hire a good idea what you?ll need so they can price accordingly.

For example instead of asking for ?a 500 word article on taxes for small business owners? try to get specific.

?I am a small business accountant who needs regular blog posts on small business topics, including finances. For this article, I?d like an article on the newest exemptions that small business owners are eligible for. Please include subheadings throughout the article, and make it actionable. The word length should be between ?

Review as Much As Possible

Once you have a few people to get in touch with, or several bids that look promising on a job board, you need to carefully review their past work. If you?re outsourcing designers or copywriters, this is pretty straight forward. But how about an administrative assistant, bookkeeper or marketing coach? They don?t have a portfolio ? but they do have referrals. Check out their LinkedIN profile and ask if you can speak to past clients.

Ask the Right Questions

In addition to reviewing samples and speaking with past and current clients, you need to talk with your potential hire directly. Getting an in person interview with your potential service provider is ideal, but if that doesn?t pan out be sure to get them some questions via email. Here?s a short list of what to include so you can get a feel for their experience, their process and your expected results.?

?1.?How long have you been doing _____________(bookkeeping, graphics, content writing, etc)?

This gives you some insight into how experienced they are in their chosen field.

2.?Why did you decide to become a ____________?

This is a good question to learn about their background and judge their enthusiasm for their field.

3.?What are your primary skills that you?d say you?re best at?

Avoid anyone who says ?everything.? All professional service providers have something their best at doing ? and are proud to share it.

4.?What other skills do you have that can do but aren?t doing much of right now?

As your small business needs expand, you?ll probably need them to do more tasks for you. This gives you a good idea of how you can proceed.

5.?How many clients do you currently have on your active roster?

This gives you an idea of their workload and whether or not they?ll have the time to devote to your work.

6.?What is your process like?

A great service provider has a specific way that they work in order to be efficient and effective.

7. What are your typical working hours?

This is very important if you?re hiring a virtual assistant or someone you?ll need to be in live contact with frequently.

8.?Do you work on a retainer or a project basis?

This is essential to know ahead of time. Many VAs charge upfront retainers each month. Be sure you know how much work you?ll need before you hire.

Depending on the nature of your project, and the type of service provider you?re looking for, these questions may need to be adapted. Use them as springboard for your own list of questions.

Get Started with Your New Provider

Let?s say you?ve found just the person you need ? they have the skill set and the referrals, and they passed your interview process with flying colors. Now it?s time to dump a bunch of work on them, right? Wrong. No matter how great a provider looks on paper, you need to start small. Test them out with a smaller project to see how you work together. This will give you a better idea of their style. If you?re working with a virtual assistant, hire them for a specific set of tasks and see how they work. If it?s a graphic or web designer you?re testing out, have them work on a small ad or social media background before handing over a larger project. The same goes for writers ? test out an article or two before you have them create a content marketing campaign.

You don?t have to start small with just one provider though. Why not test two or three at once to narrow down your choices even faster? If you need three articles written, select three different content creators and see how the process works. It will let you test out their responsiveness, attention to detail and directly compare their work.

Before you start working with your new hires, you?ll also need a contract to cover everything that you and your client will do together. There are dozens of freelance contractor agreements that will work with a few adaptations. No matter what you select, be sure a lawyer looks over the final version so you can be sure you?re covered. The contract should cover the type of work to be completed, the amount you?ll pay and important milestones.

With signed contract in hand, and a small project in mind, you can hire your new service provider and let them make your life easier. If they knock the ball out of the park, start giving them more work to boost your profitability and save some time.

Good luck!

About courtney

Source: http://www.bidsketch.com/blog/everything-else/small-business-outsourcing/

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Raul Castro: Cuba willing to sit down with U.S.

HAVANA (AP) ? Cuban President Raul Castro said Thursday that his government is willing to mend fences with bitter Cold War foe the United States and sit down to discuss anything, as long as it is a conversation between equals.

At the end of a Revolution Day ceremony marking the 59th anniversary of a failed uprising against a military barracks, Castro grabbed the microphone for apparently impromptu remarks. He echoed previous statements that no topic is off-limits, including U.S. concerns about democracy, freedom of the press and human rights on the island, as long as it is a conversation between equals.

"Any day they want, the table is set. This has already been said through diplomatic channels," Castro said. "If they want to talk, we will talk."

Washington would have to be prepared to hear Cuba's own complaints about the treatment of those issues in the United States and its European allies, he added.

"We are nobody's colony, nobody's puppet," Castro said.

Washington and Havana have not had diplomatic relations for five decades, and the 50-year-old U.S. embargo outlaws nearly all trade and travel to the island.

Later Thursday, Mike Hammer, assistant secretary for public affairs at the U.S. State Department, said that before there can be meaningful engagement, Cuba must institute democratic reforms, improve human rights and release Alan Gross, a Maryland native serving 15 years for bringing satellite and other communications equipment into Cuba illegally while on a USAID-funded democracy-building program.

"Our message is very clear to the Castro government: They need to begin to allow for the political freedom of expression that the Cuban people demand, and we are prepared to discuss with them how this can be furthered," Hammer said. "They are the ones ultimately responsible for taking those actions, and today we have not seen them."

Hammer highlighted the brief detention this week of dozens of dissidents outside the funeral of prominent Oswaldo Paya, who died in a car crash last weekend, saying "the authoritarian tendencies are very evident on each and every day in Cuba."

Days after Paya's death, Raul Castro had harsh words for the island's opposition, accusing them of plotting to topple the government.

"Some small factions are doing nothing less than trying to lay the groundwork and hoping that one day what happened in Libya will happen here, what they're trying to make happen in Syria," Castro said.

Castro also reminisced about the 1959 Revolution, promised that Cuba will complete a trans-island expressway halted years ago for lack of funds, empathized with islanders' complaints about meager salaries and said once again that his five-year plan to overhaul Cuba's socialist economy will not be done hastily.

The July 26 national holiday was often used to make major announcements when Castro's older brother Fidel was president, but there were none on Thursday.

The main celebration kicked off at sunrise with music and speeches at a plaza in the eastern province of Guantanamo, home to the U.S. naval base of the same name.

The American presence in Guantanamo is a sore point for Havana, which demands the base be shut down and accuses the U.S. of torturing terror suspects held in the military prison.

"We will continue to fight such a flagrant violation. ... Never, under any circumstance, will we stop trying to recover that piece of ground," first Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura said in the keynote address.

Musicians sang the song "Guantanamera," and a young girl read a speech paying homage to the revolution and resistance to "Yankee" imperialism.

"We will be like 'Che,'" she said, repeating the mantra taught to schoolchildren across the island. Argentine-born guerrilla Ernesto "Che" Guevara is held up as a model of personal conduct in Cuba.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/raul-castro-cuba-willing-sit-down-us-132320715.html

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