With the different features and benefits that apply to the various types of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and plans, choosing the one that is most suitable can give you gray hairs before they are due. In some cases, the process is easier because choices can be narrowed down by eliminating the plans for which an individual is ineligible. In this article, we'll look at some scenarios and the factors that should be considered when you are faced with choosing which IRA is best for your golden years.

See: Introduction To Retirement Plans

Eligible for a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA
For an individual who is eligible for both a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA, making the choice usually depends on whether the individual is eligible (or wants) to claim the deduction for the Traditional IRA contribution, and the individual's current tax bracket compared to the projected tax bracket during retirement. This choice is determined by which plan results in lower taxes and more income. For more on this see, Roth Or Traditional IRA ... Which Is The Better Choice?

Eligible for a Roth IRA, a Traditional IRA and a Salary Deferral Contribution
For an individual who is eligible for a Traditional IRA contribution, a Roth IRA contribution and a salary deferral contribution to a 401(k) plan, but cannot afford to contribute the maximum amount to the 401(k) plan and the IRA at the same time, a decision must be made as to whether it is more beneficial to choose to make one, two, or all three work. Some of these concepts can also apply if the individual has the option of contributing to both a traditional 401(k) and a Roth 401(k).

Choosing One
Let's take a look at Casey, who works for Company A and is eligible to make a salary deferral to Company A's 401(k) plan.

Casey's annual compensation is $50,000. Casey can afford to contribute only $2,000 each year. Casey feels that the fees that will be charged to each accounts makes it cost prohibitive to split the contribution into more than one account. Therefore, Casey must decide whether it makes better financial sense to contribute to the 401(k) or an IRA. The 401(k) will likely be the better choice if Casey will receive a matching contribution on his salary deferral contribution. Let's look at the growth of his accounts over a 10-year period, assuming a matching contribution of $1 for each $1 Casey contributes, up to 3% of his salary. This means that Casey will receive a matching contribution of $1,500 ($50,000 x 3%).

No Matching Contributions Made
If no matching contribution is being made to the 401(k) account, Casey will need to consider the following:
The investment choices available: Large corporations typically limit investment choices to mutual funds, bonds and money-market instruments. Smaller companies may do the same, but are more likely to allow self-direction of investments, allowing the participant to choose among stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other available investments, similar to the investment options available in a self-directed IRA. If investments in the 401(k) are limited, Casey will need to decide whether he prefers to contribute to an IRA, which would provide a broader range of investments from which to choose. The fees that apply: A hot-button issue will probably always be the fees that are charged to 401(k) accounts. These are not as visible as the fees that are charged to an IRA, leading many participants to believe that 401(k) fees are minimal to non-existent. (To learn more, check out the Department of Labor's report "A Look At 401(k) Plan Fees".) Casey would need to research the fees that apply to the 401(k) plan and compare them with the operational and trade-related fees that apply to the IRA. Accessibility: While retirement savings are intended to accumulate until retirement, situations sometime arise that leave the participant no choice but to make withdrawals or loans from their retirement accounts. Generally, assets in a 401(k) plan cannot be withdrawn unless the participant experiences a triggering event. However, if the plan has a loan feature, Casey could take a loan from his account and repay it within five years (or longer if the loan is to be used for the purchase of a principal residence). IRA assets can be withdrawn at any time. However, except for a rollover contribution, the amount cannot be repaid to the IRA. For information about taking loans from a qualified plan account, see Should You Take A Loan From Your Plan?, Borrowing From Your Plan and Eight Reasons To Never Borrow From Your 401(k).
Professional Investment Management Cost and Availability: If Casey is not proficient in investment management or he does not have the time properly manage his plan investments, he may need to engage the services of a professional investment advisor to make sure his asset allocation model is consistent with his retirement goals and objectives. If Casey's employer provides such services as part of its benefits package to employees, Casey will not incur an additional cost to have a professional manage his investments. This perk may not be available for an IRA unless the employer extends such services to assets outside of its employer-sponsored plan. These points may be well worth considering, even if matching contributions are being made to the 401(k) account. If the matching contributions are significant, they may outweigh the benefits of saving in an IRA instead of a 401(k).

Choosing All Three
Now, let's take a look at TJ, who can afford to fund his 401(k), his Traditional and his Roth IRA. If he can afford to contribute the maximum permissible amounts to all his accounts, then he may have no need to be concerned with how to allocate his savings. On the other hand, let's assume Casey can afford to save only $7,000 for the year. The points of consideration for Casey (above) may also apply to TJ. In addition, TJ may want to consider the following:

Getting the maximum match: If a matching contribution is being made to the 401(k) plan, consider the maximum amount that needs to be contributed to the plan in order to receive the maximum available matching contribution. For instance, if TJ's compensation is $80,000 per year and the matching contribution formula is $1 for $1 up to 3% of compensation, he will need to contribute at least $2,400 to his 401(k) plan in order to receive the maximum available matching contribution of $2,400. Choosing the IRA: Because TJ's IRA contribution will be limited to the dollar amount in effect for the year, he will need to decide whether to choose the Roth IRA, the Traditional IRA or to split the contribution between both.
Which to fund first: It is usually best to make contributions to the retirement accounts early in the year, or a little each month - beginning early in the year so that the assets can start accumulating earnings as soon as possible. Consideration must be given to how matching contributions are made. Some companies contribute the amount in one lump sum at the end of their tax-filing deadline, while others contribute the amounts throughout the year. If the latter applies, making salary deferral contributions to the 401(k) early in the year is recommended. Other Points of Consideration
In addition to the points listed above, individuals should consider other factors such as:
Age and retirement horizon: An individual's retirement horizon and age are always important points of consideration when determining proper asset allocation. However, for individuals who are at least age 50, participating in a plan that includes a catch-up contribution feature can be an attractive choice, especially if the individual is behind in accumulating a retirement nest egg. If this is the case, choosing to participate in a 401(k) plan with a catch-up feature can help to add larger amounts to the nest egg each year.
Purpose of funding a retirement account: While retirement accounts are usually intended to finance one's retirement years, some individuals prefer to leave these accounts to their beneficiaries. If this is the case, consideration must be given as to whether the individual wants to leave tax-free assets to beneficiaries, and whether he or she wants to avoid taking required minimum distribution (RMD) amounts. Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s would allow the individual to pay the taxes owed on the retirement balances during his or her lifetime. For Roth IRAs, the RMD rules do not apply to the IRA owner, allowing a larger balance to be left to beneficiaries.

See: Update Your Beneficiaries.

Conclusion
For those who are eligible to fund multiple types of retirement accounts, choice is not an issue for those who have the money to fund them all. For those who can't, choosing which to fund can be challenging. In many instances, it boils down to whether the individual prefers to take the tax breaks on the back end with Roth accounts, or on the front end with Traditional accounts. The purpose of funding the account, such as retirement versus estate planning, is also an important factor. A competent retirement planning advisor can help those facing these issues to make practical choices.

More From Investopedia

The rest is here:
Which Retirement Plan Is Best?

As the baby boomers begin to enter the retirement years, the concept of retirement is being explored in a variety of films. Many movies have featured retirees going on new adventures and forming new relationships at a time we traditionally associate with slowing down. Check out Hollywood's take on retirement in these seven films.

[See The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012.]

About Schmidt (2002). This movie begins just as Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson), an insurance company actuary, ticks off the final minutes of his career. Soon afterward his wife, who Schmidt was planning to travel with in retirement, dies. Schmidt then takes a trip to his daughter's wedding in a Winnebago and reflects on his life and future plans.

The Artist (2011). An older silent film star, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), finds himself pushed out of the workforce earlier than planned as silent cinema is replaced by the talkies in this silent film. Meanwhile, a much younger women, Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who Valentin happens to be in love with, rises to success in the new medium.

The Bucket List (2007). Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson play two men who meet by sharing a hospital room while undergoing treatments for terminal cancer. They decide to go on an around-the-world vacation, during which they fulfill a wish list of things to do before they kick the bucket.

[See 7 Misconceptions About Retired Life.]

Gran Torino (2008). Retired auto worker and Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) finds himself growing increasingly alienated from and angry with his family and neighbors. Kowalski strikes up an unusual friendship with the Hmong immigrant family next door when their son, Thao, attempts to steal his 1972 Ford Gran Torino as initiation into a gang. And this retiree refuses to quietly fade away.

The Notebook (2004). Can true love last throughout retirement? This movie makes the case that it can as two retirees (James Garner and Gena Rowlands) in a nursing home relive the summer they met and their dramatic courtship.

Something's Gotta Give (2003). Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton find love after age 50, but not before each has a fling with a younger partner, in this romantic comedy directed by Nancy Meyers.

[See 10 Important Ages for Retirement Planning.]

Up (2009). Retirement is the adventure of a lifetime in this animated Disney-Pixar film. Retired balloon salesman and widower Carl Fredicksen journeys to South America in a floating house with an 8-year-old wildnerness explorer and meets his childhood hero.

Twitter: @aiming2retire

Excerpt from:
7 Movies About Retirement Worth Watching

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuMuxor_k2o

11-02-2012 08:45 GLEE - Full Performance of "Stereo Hearts" airing TUE 2/14 http://www.youtube.com by GleeOnFox Personal channel http://www.youtube.com video review channel http://www.youtube.com Facebook Personal account http://www.facebook.com Twitter twitter.com google+ plus.google.com Blog tv http://www.blogtv.com

Read more here:
re: GLEE - Full Performance of "Stereo Hearts" airing TUE 2/14 - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQaRAdS1Dig

13-02-2012 03:23 my thought on Nicki Minaj Live Performance at the grammys awards 2012 Personal channel http://www.youtube.com video review channel http://www.youtube.com Facebook Personal account http://www.facebook.com Twitter twitter.com google+ plus.google.com Blog tv http://www.blogtv.com

More here:
Nicki Minaj Live Performance Grammy's Awards 2012 - Video

MANILA, Philippines - The ''institutionalization phase'' gives us one last opportunity to strengthen the links between strategy execution and day-to-day operations. It does entail these additional steps that need to be taken to help sustain in practical terms a governance culture, which needs to be embedded in the heart and mind of every individual. By these steps, the link between ''learning and growth'' - a perspective used in the formulation of the strategy map and therefore of the performance scorecards also - and human resource management becomes strong and substantive.

The first of these additional steps is the link between the personal performance scorecard (a final component of strategy execution) and personnel performance evaluation (a normal operating function of human resource management). In the former, every individual makes a clear and formal commitment to deliver a certain level of performance, using pre-agreed measures and targets. In undertaking the latter function, there is really no further need to look for other measures of personal, individual performance: It is all there in the personal performance scorecard. Furthermore, in providing guidance and counselling to every individual, the other relevant points contained in the personal performance scorecard can provide handy references and a useful guide. These points may include items other than those directly connected with one's job; those other aspects of one's personal life that may have a direct impact upon one's performance at work are usually included in one's personal scorecard.

The second step relates to the imperative of continuing education and training for everyone. This relates directly to the ''learning and growth'' demands of every individual, as governance should open up more opportunities for self-improvement and for advancing one's over-all personal progress. More importantly, the demands of the strategy map would usually require new knowledge, new skills, and new attitudes as added ''equipment'' for personnel faced with higher and newer (perhaps also more sophisticated) demands in their jobs. Productivity improvement programs generally make stringent demands for the continuing education and training of people.

The third step is the provision of opportunities for people to take better care of their physical wellness as well as for them to join up with others in socially relevant causes such as strengthening the family, quality improvement of schools, and deepening the social responsibility of civil society (or at least specific groups within this broad sector). Governance does remind everyone that there is more to life than giving a good account of oneself at work; there is also a wider world for which we are all responsible: That world starts with one's physical well-being as well as with the care one invests in the other social drivers of change and transformation, i.e., the family, the school, socio-economic enterprises and civil society (often in partnership with public governance units).

The demands of the institutionalization phase may take a long time to meet; in fact, they are impossible to meet fully because we can do justice to them only if we try and meet them on a sustained and continuing basis. For as long as we send firm and strong signals that we have started taking all these steps associated with this phase, we can justifiably claim that we are completing our PGS journey. But we all have to understand that such a journey may ''formally end,'' but it never stops. There are always higher dreams and grander visions to realize as we seek to achieve more breakthrough results through the governance framework we have adopted.

See the original post here:
Institutionalization Steps (Part III)

A close cousin to the Editors' Choice Canon imageFormula P-150 Scan-tini ($295 direct, 4 stars), and one small step up in Canon's line, the Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner ($325 direct) combines a not quite identical scanner with improved software. The result is an even more attractive package, both as a portable scanner and as a small-size personal desktop scanner. It's also the new Editors' Choice for its category.

The P-215 is so similar to the P-150 that it's hard to see a difference. At 1.6 by 11.2 by 3.7 inches (HWD) and 2.2 pounds, it's just a little bigger (by 0.2 inches in one dimension), a little heavier (by 0.1 pound), and costs just a little more. However it's otherwise nearly identical, with a 20-page automatic document feeder (ADF), duplexing (the ability to scan both sides of a page simultaneously), and even the same claimed speed.

Canon rates both scanners in both grayscale and black and white modes at 15 pages per minute (ppm) for both simplex (one-sided) and duplex (two-sided) scans, and at 30 images per minute (ipm) for duplex (with one image on each side of the page). Color mode is a still reasonable 10 ppm and 20 ipm. Beyond that, the scanners share most of their specifications point for point. However, Canon says that the P-215 adds the ability to scan hard plastic cards, like embossed ID cards and driver licenses.

Setup
One welcome improvement for the P-215 is easier setup for the scanner itself. With the P-150 you had to install a part in the scanner by following confusing instructions. The P-215 comes out of the box ready to work. Setup can be as simple as connecting the supplied USB cable. However, you also have other choices.

The P-215 gets power over the same USB cable it uses for data. It can also get additional power from an optional AC power supply (although it's not available at this writing) or from a second supplied cable that plugs into the scanner's power supply connector on one end and a second computer USB port on the other. Canon says that using the power supply or second cable will boost scan speed, but I didn't see any difference in my tests. Given that different USB ports can supply different levels of power, you may or may not see a difference on your computer.

Software choices
You also have the option whether or not to install software. If you don't want to install any, you can use the Canon CaptureOnTouch Lite utility stored in the scanner's memory. Connect by USB cable, and the computer will see the memory as a USB drive. Depending on how your computer is set up, it will then either launch the utility automatically or let you run it manually.

Alternatively, you can install the full version of CaptureOnTouch, which gives you much more control over the scan settings. You can also install a Twain driver, which will let you scan directly from most Windows programs; Nuance PaperPort 11 for document management and optical character recognition (OCR); NewSoft Presto! BizCard 6 SE for scanning and managing business cards; and connectors for Google Docs, Evernote, and Microsoft Sharepoint.

The software installation is mostly standard. However, it suffers from the same issue as the installation program for the Canon imageFormula DR-C125 ($495 direct, 4 stars) that I recently reviewed. During installation, you need to choose between a Typical or Custom install. With most scanners, the Typical option would install everything. With the P-215, however, it installs only the driver, scan utility, and user manual.

As I pointed out in the DR-C125 review, these choices really should be labeled Minimal and With Programs. At the very least, there should be some additional information explaining what each choice installs. Without it you may well go ahead with the Typical choice and never know that there are other programs available or how to install them.

Choosing Software
I tested the P-215 on a system running Windows Vista and with all four setup options—using one cable and two in combination both with CaptureOnTouch Lite and with the full set of installed software. Adding the second connection made no difference in speed with either software choice. However, the software makes a noticeable difference in usability.

CaptureOnTouch Lite will let you scan to searchable PDF files as well as image PDF, JPG, BMP, and other image file formats. The full version of the utility adds much more control over scan settings, while PaperPort and BizCard 6 add document management, the ability to recognize text and save it in editable format, and the ability to scan and manage business cards. What this adds up to is that unless you have a very good reason not to, you should install the software on your hard disk.

Performance
The P-215 offers a 600 pixel per inch (ppi) optical resolution, which is much more than you need for document scanning. Its default setting is 200 ppi, which is generally sufficient. In my tests, using the default settings of 200 ppi and automatic color detection, scanning to a PDF file, and giving the scan command from PaperPort, a 10 page document in both simplex and duplex modes matched the claimed 10 ppm and 20 ipm for color scans, but took an extra 35 seconds to save the file, so the effective speed was 6.3 ppm and 12.6 ipm. That's an acceptable speed even for a personal desktop scanner. For a portable scanner it's blazingly fast.

Much more important is that the P-215 doesn't slow down when you scan directly to a searchable PDF file. Only a few other scanners, mostly from Canon, can manage this trick. The DR-C125, for example, doesn't slow down at all for text recognition, and the P-150 adds just a few seconds. In contrast, the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300 ($295, 3.5 stars), like most scanners, takes a significant amount of extra time for text recognition, at 1 minute 43 seconds to scan 10 pages and save to an image file, compared with 2:37 to scan and recognize the text.

In addition to its fast scan speed, the P-215 scored well on our other tests also. Scanning to Word format, the combination of the scanner and PaperPort read our Times New Roman test page at sizes as small as 5 points and our Arial test page at sizes as small as 6 points without a mistake. Few scanners we've tested have done anywhere near as well for OCR accuracy.

Results for business cards were mixed. The scanner had trouble feeding stacks of cards, so I needed to manually feed some of them one at a time. The speed was also slow enough—at about 25 seconds per card—that a fast typist could do the job in less time than it takes to scan and then check the results. However, the accuracy was good enough to be useful, with errors on fewer than half of the cards, and most of those having only one or two errors.

Despite the lackluster results on our business card tests, the Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner is more than a little impressive. It's fast, particularly for scanning to searchable PDF format; it offers an ADF and duplexing; and its text recognition is unusually accurate. The combination makes it a standout winner, both as a capable personal desktop scanner and even more so as a portable scanner that doesn't force you to make compromises. By any measure, it's an easy pick for Editors' Choice.

More Scanner Reviews:
•   Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner
•   Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300
•   Brother DS-700D
•   Canon imageFormula DR-C125
•   Kodak P570 Personal Photo Scanner
•  more

Go here to see the original:
Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner

The first UEFA Football Doctor Education Programme workshop is taking place this week in Vienna.

The workshop has provided an opportunity for doctors working in European football to learn advanced emergency aid techniques and share best practice in the role of the football doctor. The course, running from 20 to 24 February, has been presented by members of the UEFA Medical Committee and by specialists in emergency medicine.

"Very quickly we came from classical medicine, taking care of the health of our patients, to a more specific sports medicine, taking care not only of health but also of physical condition," said Michel D'Hooghe, chairman of the UEFA Medical Committee, in his opening statement about the changes which have taken place in the game's medical area.

"We have close attachments with locomotory disciplines, like traumatology, orthopaedics, physiotherapy and also with physiology, psychology and the pharmaceutical sector of medicine. Added to this are nutritional elements and elements of hygiene, and thanks to the global evolution of football we are approaching new sectors – adaption to jet lag, adaption to sport in altitudes, adaptation to sport in extreme weather conditions," he added.

The success of the programme is dependent on the further dissemination of content by candidates, through the hosting of similar workshops at national level, because the 53 doctors present cannot make the difference alone. "Usually, when you stage a workshop like this, people go home afterwards and it is finished," said UEFA education adviser André Boder. "The idea is to help the medical representatives of the national associations to cascade all the knowledge shared to the medical staff and club doctors of their own country.

"To spread the knowledge as quickly as possible, UEFA provides three educational tools – technical handbooks, 40 to 50 trained course delegates, who are there to advise the associations at any time, and an extensive online platform with countless articles for interactive elearning. The doctors are required to spread the knowledge gained within their country as effectively as possible."

Participants at the seminar have had to complete two modules: "Role and responsibility of a team doctor" and "Emergency treatment". For the latter, the doctors present had to complete practical exercises on different stations, such as injuries of the cervical spine, cardiac arrest and blockage of the respiratory passages.

"We're doing the simple things here. We're not teaching advanced surgical techniques. It's just about the first critical moments," explained Jonathan Gordon of SportPromote. "When the heart stops beating, the doctor will normally panic as well. It is an understandable reaction, since most of the doctors here don't work at a hospital in their day jobs."

Regarding the roles and responsibility of the team doctor, Ian Beasley, a member of the UEFA Medical Committee, came to the conclusion that given the changed circumstances, football doctors have increasingly become "medicine managers". "I started in football in 1987 – it's so different now," he said. "Prevention and surveillance is a big thing. The project is the player. Doctors should be a communication filter between players/managers and medical analysis, data, physios, etc.."

All topics and techniques discussed and tested were enthusiastically welcomed by the delegates. It is now the responsibility of the doctors to make sure the knowledge gained will not remain exclusive. "I want all of you to become teachers. That is my personal request to you. I hope you will have big success with this," Dr D'Hooghe concluded.

Go here to read the rest:
Vienna platform for football doctor programme success

While King Simon Cowell rode back to Fox on his White Steed, purporting to win the ratings battle for the network with a minimum of 20 million X Factor viewers, reality fell slightly short. Actually, it fell very short. The premiere opened to just 12.1 million viewers, yet Fox’s old dog, American Idol, averages about 18.8 million viewers per episode – and we haven’t even made it to the good part of the competition yet. Since its inaugural season, X has performed a purge eliminating host Steve Jones and judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger and most recently hinting that they'd add a second host to the mix in Season Two. But the series has some steep competition from the seasoned Idol. And the big question here is: what gives? What is it that keeps Idol flying high – even in a year when the series’ “declining” ratings is a constant news item – while the X Factor merely puttered along?

1. We want to meet the contestants, not the judges.
The X Factor has a unique approach in that it treats its judges as the real celebrities, instead giving that treatment to the stars it seeks to create. Idol certainly plays on the judges’ star power, but in a way that feels more like sage experience to help grow the contestants instead of feathers in their caps. When it comes time for judgment on Idol, it’s all about the singer onstage. What did they bring to the table? Did his or her talent really shine? On X, those criticisms are directed at the judges, because what really seems to be on trial are the judges’ managerial abilities instead of the individual singers’ talents. While it makes more sense from a music industry point of view, it’s not as fun for the viewer. Idol lets us all sit at the judges table because we’re just as separated from the contestants’ choices as they are. It’s an equal playing field that simply offers more entertainment than the inside baseball on The X Factor.

2. Steve Jones makes us long for Ryan Seacrest’s inane puns.
Seacrest may be the most inoffensive person ever. Even people who don’t like him can’t really pinpoint why. He’s just so delightfully vanilla with a drizzle of playful, yet safe sarcasm. And Steve Jones is…cute and British. And believe it or not, audiences want more than a pretty face. They want someone who truly connects with the contestants and the judges on a deeper, more personal level. That’s the host’s purpose: a bridge joining the dreamers and the wranglers, tying it all up in a nice bow for the viewers at home. More often than not, Jones was in a bit of contention with the judges on The X Factor – and that disconnect was awkward and completely palpable.

3. Genuine chemistry is always better than petty negativity.
The one thing Idol really got right in its second act, starting in Season 10, was the camaraderie among the judges. The series always had a bit of that, but rivalries were certainly encouraged. For the first seven years, we watched Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell fight, and when she left the show, they brought in Kara DioGuardi to take over the battle of snappy comments. But it was evident that the average reality show viewer was over it – the series needed to turn over a new leaf. In comes Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and the stalwart Randy Jackson, who disagree just as often as the old set of judges did, but without losing their esprit de corps. They’re like a loving triplet of parents, watching their contestant babies grow, while the X Factor judges not only lacked any real chemistry, but they really didn’t seem to like each other – a factor the producers tried to play up, to their detriment. In this new era of reality competitions, positivity is the way to go.

4. America wants to call the shots.
The X Factor seeks to remedy Idol’s mistakes by changing the formula so voters don’t really have the final say in who stays and who goes. Rather than votes determining the week’s castoff, they determine the bottom two and the judges then choose who stays. If the judges can’t decide, then America makes the decision – but that’s fairly rare. Once again, this plan makes sense from a music industry perspective – voters don’t always know who actually has what it takes to be a recording artist. But for the most part, viewers don’t tune in because their iTunes account is in need of a boost; they tune in because they want to watch entertaining television. Any series' real goal is first and foremost to be entertaining television - just ask the networks. And a large part of that entertainment is that sense of unpredictable mob rule. On Idol, singers we’d never expect to part with are sent packing in early weeks, while weaklings stay on – but that’s where are our stubborn opinions thrive. And it’s those stubborn, vehement opinions that make Idol so much fun. Idol does have one “Judges’ Save” per year, but it’s far from X’s weekly practice. By allowing music industry professionals to correct our mistakes, The X Factor robs us of a very significant fun factor.

Do you think Idol does it better than The X-Factor? What else does the original singing competition do better? Let us know in the comments or get us on Twitter @Hollywood_com and @KelseaStahler

Continued here:
'Idol': What 'X Factor' Can Learn From Its Success

Enlarge this image

Leah Eichler

Can women have it all?

This question comes up repeatedly in the dialogue about women and careers. I frequently encounter contemporaries who believe it’s the duty of women in their 30s and 40s to warn the next generation that they cannot, in fact, have it all. They fret about new graduates who are certain their future holds generous salaries, lofty titles, a partner with the same, and maybe even children in private school by the time they hit their mid-30s.

More related to this story

I never want to quash those dreams. I entertained them myself at one point and still believe the possibility exists for those who are up for the challenge and willing to make personal sacrifices.

What should be evaluated more critically is the definition of “all,” which I interpret as synonymous with success. Externally, one’s salary and job title present obvious markers of career success. Internally, many men and women may have an alternate understanding of success. Reconciling the two is no easy feat.

“You can have it all, but sometimes not all at once,” said Lisa Heidman, senior client partner and North American director of Bedford Legal at the Bedford Consulting Group, a global executive search firm in Toronto.

Ms. Heidman, who also acts as an adviser and coach to board- and C-level clients, often encourages senior executives, as well as up-and-coming talent, to be clear about what drives them and what they uniquely have to offer, both professionally and personally. She believes success comes when a person’s drive and skill set is strategically aligned with an organization and its goals, values and culture.

She warns against fixating on a singular definition of career success, or of characterizing yourself by some else’s definition.

“There isn’t one answer for everyone. There are always choices and compromises,” Ms. Heidman explained. “What’s important is to make these decisions consciously, and to also respect and support the many choices we make as women in our individual and collective career paths.”

Perhaps it’s not recent graduates who need to be taught the meaning of success, however. Maybe they have it right and we’re too jaded to recognize the change.

Julia Richardson, an associate professor of organizational behaviour at York University’s School of Human Resource Management, regularly asks her students to define career success. Although some speak of it in terms of scaling to the top of an organization, she said many students – specifically women – often hold a broader view.

For them, success includes factors such as happiness with their family life, making a contribution to society, and having a job they really enjoy. Dr. Richardson muses that perhaps this expanded view of success comes from watching their parents work long hours to afford a certain lifestyle, leading her students to question if that’s what they really want.

Some recent data backs up the observation that women, even if they earn less than men, find more meaning in their work. Seattle-based PayScale Inc., which mines global online compensation data, culled responses last year from 30,000 U.S. workers and found that women were more likely than men to say their job makes the world a better place. While pay levels played a more important role for men, they also acknowledged having to make longer commutes than women, meaning they sacrificed more for that pay cheque.

Although it is wonderful that many women place more emphasis on personal fulfilment over traditional markers of success, I wonder if this could be a case of cognitive dissonance. They can’t obtain the level of success they originally aspired to, so they veer toward external markers of success that are more readily available.

“I don’t think they are kidding themselves in any way,” said Dr. Richardson, while acknowledging that it might prove difficult to maintain your internal vision of success if it collides with the opinions of family and peers.

Barbara Stewart, portfolio manager with Cumberland Private Wealth Management Inc. in Toronto, is one who appears to have reconciled her inner goals with external markers of success by associating herself with a firm that offers her freedom and allows her to explore her intellectual curiosity.

While managing clients with a minimum of $1-million in investible assets, Ms. Stewart also carved out the time to research the financial lives of women around the world, exploring how the messages they received about money while growing up had an impact on their behaviour and level of confidence.

She found that although money symbolized their value as professionals for many of her subjects, the actual amount earned was not as significant to their definition of success. It's an outlook she appears to share.

“For me, being successful is having the freedom to live all parts of myself … It’s up to me how I work, when I work, where I work,” Ms. Stewart said. “Producing revenue is the bottom line but it’s up to me to decide the best way to do that.”

Leah Eichler is co-founder of Femme-o-Nomics, a networking and content portal for professional women. E-mail: leah.eichler@rogers.com

Read the original here:
Having it all depends on what 'all' means

Many years ago, I started a comic book and game store, which flourished and expanded into its second decade with video rentals and more. A catalog was added, a full website and a second store. The store was a great personal success for me, because it enabled me to expand on my own ideas, and control my income and financial future. It also helped me learn a great deal about business, retail trends and customer habits (human behavior). My business also led to a huge network of personal contacts, which is perhaps the most rewarding aspects my small business. It has been a rewarding experience, and I never regretted the move to start my own business.

Looking back at the success, there were several key factors that led to fortune in my retail operation. My business might have failed, if I had not done all of these things right. These are the 5 most important key steps that led to my success.

1. Low Rent

The single most import "make or break" part of any retail operation is overhead, and rent is the base of it. I rented a very inexpensive space on the basement level of a mini-mall on a very busy street of the main shopping district in my city. Several spaces were empty at the basement level, the consensus being that consumers prefer street-level or higher and will not walk downstairs. However, my customer base was college age, healthy enough for stairs and the customers flocked in. The rent was very low, which helped me tremendously. My neighbor and friend at street level was paying $7000 a month, while I was paying $750 ($84,000 vs $9000 per year). He did twice the business, but went bankrupt in 2 years. I expanded and flourished for decades.

2. Location

Being in a good business and shopping district helped save on advertising. A well-placed sign outside was advertising every day 24/7 to a lot of walking traffic. Don't under-estimate the need for a good location; just find a way to get the location without breaking the bank. Look for second floor spaces in a good area. A cheap second floor space on a busy street is better than a big street-level space on a side-street in the middle of nowhere.

3. Product Evolution / Adaptation

As time passed and fads or customer interests changed, I adapted and changed the product lines of my store. When comics faded and collectibles card games (or CCG's) became hugely popular, I boosted my inventory in that direction. When Asian movies hit it big with my college students, I expanded the store to add more foreign movies. Don't sell widgets and sit year after year relying on the ups and downs of the widget market. Be attentive to what is popular and change with the tide. Just like Apple, who dropped almost all support for its failing computer line and then threw its energy into gadgets for kids, such as mp3-players and phones. They would be gone now, if they hadn't adapted.

4. Networking and Advertising

Try networking as a cheap way to supplement advertising. I would often join and sponsor college and high school groups as a way to network and meet my customers. They spread the word to other students and the network spread. Most of my customers said they found my store by "word of mouth." My paid advertising was kept to my target area, such as comic book fanzines, movie websites and college newspapers. I paid very little for advertising.

5. Website

My website only existed to do two things: give a map to my location and show new products each week. It was not a huge site, but it was simple and easy. There was no shopping cart or ability to order by mail. It was a successful site, because it kept customers informed. That's all a site needs to do. Keep it simple, easy and informative.

The main theme here is: low overhead. Because my rent and advertising costs were so low, I was able to enjoy nice profit margins. By adapting, networking and being in the right spot, my business bloomed and got better every year.

See original here:
How I Made My Small Retail Business Successful