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Workshop Cage Small Pendant
Workshop Cage Small suspension features a nickel plated cage over a filament lamp. Available in small, medium and large with nickel or brass cages. One 40 watt, 120 volt, medium base squirrel cage lamp included. 2.75W x 5.5H.
Dimensions: 5.5"H x 2.75"W |
Lamp Source: Incandescent |
Bulb: 1 x Victorian/Medium (E26)/40W/120V Incandescent Bulb included |
Dimmer: Incandescent |
About Roost
Roost offers gorgeous modern home furnishings, lighting, and accessories emphasizing accessible and livable design. Utilizing authentic materials and finishes within a small craft production environment, Roost creates contemporary pieces with a softer, more inviting touch.
Roost Lighting's passion lies in crafting table and floor lamps, chandeliers, and pendants that are "affordable, beautifully made and entirely special."


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First of all, I don't understand why there are so many Japanese reviews for this hotel in this English website. They have the Japanese website for booking and writing reviews. Perhaps it is because the Tripadvisor is so popular that the people wanted to write here rather than the Japanese website. Back to comments, I stayed two nights in October... More
- Also Known As:
- Ravie Kawaryo Japan/Ito
Japan >
Chubu >
Shizuoka Prefecture >
> Ito Onsen
Ranked #11 of 232 Speciality lodging in Ito
Price Range (Based on Average Rates):
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Parking: 70 ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Agoda, Booking.com and JAPANiCAN so you can book your Ravie Kawaryo reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.

subset: commoncrawl


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Nancy thinks butterflies are simply exquisite. And that is why she can't wait for her friend Bree's Butterfly Birthday. It's going to be the fanciest birthday party ever! But when Nancy finds out she can't go because her grandparents' fiftieth anniversary party is the same day, she is furious. (Mad is way too plain for how she feels.) Will Nancy be able to overcome her disappointment?
In this magical new story from bestselling duo Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser, everybody's favorite fancy girl gets a surprise lesson in fancy from her grandparents. Looks like fancy runs in the family after all!
About the Author
Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser are the author and illustrator of the #1 New York Times bestselling Fancy Nancy series. Jane lives with her family in New York City. Robin lives with her family in Southern California.
Desde la publicacion de Nancy la Elegante, el closet de Jane O'Connor cuenta con tantas boas, coronas y atuendos brillantes que a veces sus amigas no la reconocen por la calle. Aun reside (esa es una palabra elegante para decir que vive) en la ciudad de Nueva York con su familia y su companero canino, Arrow.


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As Heard on WTOP
WTOP Reports
Listen to audio from our award-winning story tellers. From reporter's in the field to breaking news -- you now have access to WTOP's original on-air reports.
This may surprise some people but....
Not all news is BAD news. WTOP's Man About Town Bob Madigan shares GOOD news all the time! Miss Teen Maryland International 2012 Layilah Nasser is a natural example.
Dr. Oz does TM!!
And he recommends Transcendental Meditation to some of his patients as he did recently here in DC at Howard University.
UVa expects capital campaign to hit $3B in spring
The University of Virginia expects its capital campaign to reach its $3 billion goal next spring, more than a year later than originally planned.
Tasty art
can be found outside Ben's Chili Bowl! The widow and co-founder Virginia Ali gave us a sneak peek.
September 11th has become a day to give back for many.
We checked out an event at a golf club for the cause of Cause USA, helping America's wounded military
September is World Alzheimer's Month
It affects millions and has a direct impact on tens of millions of caregivers and loved ones. There are a number of well known people suffering from the disease, such as Glen Campbell. The Alzheimer's Association National Capital Area Chapter! is working hard to help all affected. This month there are several Walks to End Alzheimer's such as 2012 Walk to End Alzheimer's & Candlelight Rally in Northern Virginia in Reston September 30 6:00 p.m.
Stepping up to help those who can not!
It is hard to imagine being told that your child has a disease that is as awful as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, that's what happened to Dana and Joel Wood of Alexandria, Virginia. Their son James Wood was diagnosed in May 2000 with the disease that is as they say "incurable," and largely known as "untreatable." That's why they created the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne, a 501c(3) organization"with the goal of finding treatments and an ultimate cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the world's leading lethal childhood genetic disease."
View from Venus: App on iTunes aims to identify cheating partners
WTOP's Randi Martin
Delivering life sustaining food
FedEx employees spent September 12th giving back by preparing, packing and delivering healthy fresh meals to people with life challenging illnesses by volunteering at Food & Friends and giving the organization a substantial dollar donation.
News of notes on U St.
The official announcement that NSO In Your Neighborhood 2013 will Focus on U Street, Howard University, Shaw, and Logan Circle was made at Ben's Chili Bowl. These free community engagement activities will run between January 8 and 14. The NSO's performances during this period will be free of charge, thanks to a gift from Irene Pollin.
High schools unfurl banners to fight binge drinking
WTOP's Rosemary Frisino Toohey reports.
Different faiths discuss tolerance at Islamic Center of Washington
WTOP's Thomas Warren reports.
Where shorts are big!!
Now in its ninth year, the DC Shorts Film Festival and Screenplay Competition is back with 140 short films from around the world. DC Shorts continues to be the largest shorts film festival on the East coast. The films run the gamut in genre, style and subject, but are unified by their abbreviated run times of 1 - 20 minutes.
Among them "Liberty Road" written and directed by WTOP film critic Jason Fraley. There are two more screenings of his film:
Sunday 9/9 at E Street Cinema 4PM
Thursday 9/13 at E Street Cinema 5PM
Running thru Sept. 16th the festival will be spread among three different venues in Washington, DC with screenings at the U.S. Navy Memorial, E Street Cinema in Northwest D.C., Atlas Performing Arts Center in Northeast D.C., and the brand new Angelika Film Center and Café Mosaic in Fairfax, Va.
Musical training has health benefits for older adults
WTOP's Neal Augenstein reports. For more: Northwestern University


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I'm not a member of the Cult of Potter. I have friends -- whose taste I trust -- who assure me they are great books. I'm not against getting into them one day, having seen a few of the film adaptations and more or less enjoying them. It's been on more than one occasion that I've reminded myself that I really need to get around to reading J. K. Rowling's stratospherically popular fantasy epic. It just hasn't happened yet.
As a result, my investment in the films has been fairly minimal. I checked into Hotel Potter with Chamber of Secrets and enjoyed it well enough. It might have ended right there but for the fact that the follow up, Prisoner of Azkaban (hey, spell check knew what Azkaban was: no surer sign of cultural significance) was directed by Alfonso Cuarón, whose Y Tu Mama También was lovely and exciting enough to ensure I'd be watching anything he made. Azkaban's visual beauty and Cuarón's deft direction of the somewhat convoluted material resulted in a satisfying film for someone who hadn't read the book -- though fans of that book seemed to disagree.
But after Goblet of Fire -- also a good film with some great action sequences and a narrative that matured with its protagonists -- I checked out of Hotel Potter. It was clear I wasn't enjoying these films on the same level as those who know the books inside and out. The fact that the films seemed to take for granted that I did, probably contributed to my growing indifference. Kind of like the third and fourth seasons of Lost, sans the interminable wheel spinning.
So jumping back into the series with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was bound to be even more confusing for me than your dyed-in-the-wool Hogwarts obsessive. Apparently a hell of a lot happened in two flicks (why can't Twilight figure out how to do that?) and within minutes I was bombarded by questions: Why does everyone want to kill Harry? What happened to Dumbledore and Sirius Black? Why is Snape helping Voldemort turn everyone against the good guys? What the fuck is a Horcrux? Unless you already know the answers to these questions you might want to catch up on the other films because Deathly Hallows hits the ground running.
The Ministry of Magic is the last bastion against the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his Death Eaters, who seem as bent on conquering the world as they are in killing Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe). Turns out Harry's under the protection of The Order of the Phoenix because he's been prophesied to kill or be killed by Voldemort.
Meanwhile, Harry is on the run with Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint). The Order wants to move Harry to a magical safe-house a few days before his 17th birthday, which puts a kink in Voldemort's plans to kill him before he becomes a legal Wizard. Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson) gives Harry's friends a potion -- Polyjuice, I had to look that up -- which transforms them into doppelgangers of Harry who act as decoys as they make a break for the safe house.
But the safe house turns out not to be so safe, so Harry leaves, with Hermione and Ron, in order to find the remaining Horcruxes (artifacts containing the individual shards of Voldemort's soul) and destroy them, thus rendering Voldemort mortal. Or something like that.
Voldemort, however, has a plan for his eventual world domination and the key to it lies with the Deathly Hallows, a trio of magical tools -- a wand, a stone and a cloak of invisibility -- that Voldemort needs in order to achieve uncontested supremacy. And invulnerabilty. Or immortality. Something like that.
And as much as I was scratching my head, trying to keep up, I was also enticed. I haven't seen a bad Harry Potter film yet, though Deathly Hallows suffers not just from its assurance in the audience's familiarity with its arboreal plot lines but also because it is half a film. Even if you know why Mudblood's are important -- Aryan implications aside -- have memorized the family trees of the Malfoy's, Weasley's, and Dumbledore's lineage or are picking out every infinitesimal change from the books, Deathly Hallows cuts itself short.
And that's a problem because, at nearly two-and-half hours, Deathly Hallows doesn't feel like a whole film. The previous Potter flicks that I've seen are serialized parts, as well, but they felt like complete films with full arcs that landed at their conclusions, teasing enough loose ends to connect to the next entry while establishing closure. They had a sense of fruition within their overarching mythology. With Deathly Hallows I feel like reserving judgment till I've seen the rest of the movie. If they wanted to make a four-hour flick they should have done it (runtimes never stopped Peter Jackson) but the decision to chop the book in half feels more like a money move. Four-hour films have fewer screenings.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is beautifully photographed and gamely acted by a slew of wonderful British favorites (Fiennes, Gleeson, Alan Rickman, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, Bill Nighy and on and on) supporting the fine work by Radcliffe, Watson and Grint. Director David Yates, from the script by series vet Steve Kloves, blends the narrative colors on a dark palette of atmospheric set design and top-notch FX work that makes for some thrilling and magical looking sequences and compelling character moments. But the script doesn't really find its footing until Voldemort's endgame is revealed and by then the flick leaves you to wait for July 2011; if you can maintain your sense of urgency for that long.
For the die-hards that shouldn't be a problem though I can only imagine how frustrating that is. It makes me kind of glad that I'm not as enamored of the arduous adventures of Harry Potter as they are, even when the films do such a good job of convincing me I should be.
Prison Break
I don't want to make fun of The Next Three Days since it's almost a good movie. It just takes itself so seriously while never realizing how inherently dumb it really is. Loaded with talent who put their best feet forward into the story of a community college professor who decides to break his wife out of prison, it's clear everyone involved has a genuine belief that this is a smart, important film.
But while writer/director Paul Haggis's uneven, sporadically effective remake of the 2008 French film Pour elle (Anything for Her) has the advantages of its A-list helmer's gravitational pull on powerhouse actors as well as his ability to mold quasi-naturalistic situations out of staple dramatic conventions, the mounting implausibility of the story winds up clashing with the deadly earnestness of its execution.
When we meet John and Lara Brennan (Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks) The Next Three Days is already acknowledging its implausibility with vagueness. After an adversarial dinner establishing some relationship dynamics and Lara's contentious relationship with her boss, the Brennan's go home for the night.
The next morning, over breakfast, Lara is arrested for the murder of her boss. Apparently, the evidence is ironclad because, three years later, Lara is serving time in Allegheny County jail awaiting a life sentence in prison while John exhausts their appeals process. When John runs out of options, being the academic, he decides to start studying jail escapes. You can figure out where it goes from there.
The plot relies so much on artificial circumstance -- John seemingly has a contingency plan for almost everything -- that despite the gravity of the performances The Next Three Days becomes a rote thriller that has Crowe's character evolve from a two-dimensional, loving father and husband, into an ultra-capable prison-breaking impresario bent on saving his family. The film nods to its unlikely story in a scene during one of Brennan's literature lectures where he pontificates on the nature of self-created realities. If you can will something into existence, insane though it might seem, why not aspire to that?
The reality for John is unshakeable. His wife cannot be guilty.
The direction from Haggis, and his script, has a halting quality that makes the film seem longer than it actually is. Never really boring, The Next Three Days struggles to blend the immediacy of its plot with the pace of its narrative, as Brennan maps out his plan; forging skeleton keys, finding neat ways to break into vehicles -- who knew YouTube could be that useful? -- or trolling the bad side of Pittsburgh to obtain counterfeit passports (coincidentally aided by a lip-reading biker, yes, read that again). Once he gets to the escape things pick up, but Haggis's predilection for ancillary characters that only minimally serve the narrative in some key way, combined with a misplaced dramatic tonality, tends to kill the momentum just as it begins to accumulate.
Many of those ancillary characters are at least filled by some interesting casting. Daniel Stern, RZA, Kevin Corrigan, Olivia Wilde, Brian Dennehy and Liam Neeson all pop up for quasi-pivotal moments and even perennial "that guy" Jason Beghe gets a fairly decent supporting role as the cop who's a breath away from realizing how stupidly circumstantial the case against Lara Brennan actually is; a reveal that collapses The Next Three Days' house of cards.
Crowe and Banks turn in fine performances -- they trick you into actually caring -- and Haggis shoots a good looking film, capturing the charming shabbiness of Pittsburgh as well as slew of talented character actors in the service the film's dubious construction. He's not completely unsuccessful at making it all feel like it matters, but The Next Three Days would have been better served by abandoning some of the self-seriousness (and about 15 minutes of time) and embracing the genre conventions at its core.
Or, put another way, if The Next Three Days weren't as concerned with seeming smarter and deeper than it actually is, it would have been more fun.
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Sweden pets classifieds
Adopt, give or sell pets in Sweden. Post your free ad here.
Latest pets classifieds in Sweden
July 22nd, 2012
Leisure items (5)Looking for (3)
5 destinations in Sweden
Expatriate health insurance Sweden
Free advice and quotation service to choose an expat health insurance in Sweden.
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Expat banking Sweden
Discover the benefits of expat banking for people living and working abroad.
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Find the professionals in Sweden in the Expat blog directory.
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Google has announced its latest notebook product - the Chromebook Pixel, featuring a 12.85-inch display with a density of 239 pixels per inch and touchscreen function, and an anodized aluminum alloy chassis.
The Chromebook Pixel is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor, with a solid state drive (SSD), as well as Wi-Fi and LTE capabilities.
The Chromebook Pixel also natively supports Google Drive cloud storage, helping users to save their made contents onto Google's storage space from anywhere.
The Chromebook Pixel is already available for purchase on Google Play in the US and the UK. The Wi-Fi version with prices at US$1,299 and GBP1,049 (US$1,664) will start shipping next week and the LTE version (US$1,449) will ship in the US in April.
- China flat panel display industry outlook, 2013-2016
This Digitimes Research Special Report outlines and analyzes the key trends and players that are influencing the continued development of China large-size and small-to medium size TFT LCD panel industry, while providing related growth forecasts for the industry through 2016.
- TD-LTE market developments and forecast, 2014-2016
TD-LTE has become the mainstream global choice for the construction of 4G asymmetric frequency spectrum networks. This Digitimes Research Special Report examines the current global status of TD-LTE, and forecasts developments in the TD-LTE supply chain in China and worldwide through 2016.
- Trends and developments in the OTT market
Companies such as Apple, Samsung Electronics and Google have become increasingly interested in over-the-top services as a means to connect ultra-mobile devices to TVs, increase cloud computing users, and boost various cloud and software services.


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Stephen Halbrook on His New Book Gun Control in the Third Reich Recorded: Friday, November 1, 2013
Stephen P. Halbrook, author of Gun Control in the Third Reich appeared on NRA News Television with host Cam Edwards. Halbrook talks about his new book and the years of research he conducted, showing how the Nazi party used gun registrations to disarm Jewish citizens and other Enemies of the State.
Experts: Stephen P. HalbrookType: TelevisionIssues: Constitutional Law, Crime, Gun Control, History (International)
Ben Powell Speaks on Inflation on Stossel at FreedomFest Recorded: Thursday, July 18, 2013 Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com
Senior Fellow Benjamin Powell appears on the Fox Business Channels Stossel show, recorded in Las Vegas, during FreedomFest. Powell discusses the valuation of US currency, the economic constant of greed, and the gold standard among other topics.
Experts: Benjamin W. PowellType: TelevisionIssues: Culture/ Society, Economic History and Development (International), Economic Policy, Free Market Economics, History (International), Political Ideology and Philosophy
Ivan Eland on Rowhanis Election in Iran Recorded: Monday, June 17, 2013
Sr. Fellow Ivan Eland says Hasan Rowhani's election as President of Iran is a definite cause for surprise and perhaps even some optimism regarding Iran's nuclear program. Originally aired Monday, Jun. 17, 2013 on CTV News Channel.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: TelevisionIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Culture/ Society, History (International), Political Ideology and Philosophy, Politics
What Should the Fed Be Doing?: Myths, Current Strategies and Alternatives Recorded: Monday, November 12, 2012
Research Fellow David Beckworth, editor of Boom and Bust Banking, and Research Fellow Scott Sumner, contributor to Boom and Bust Banking, discuss the role of the Fed.
Experts: David Beckworth, Scott B. SumnerType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Banking and Finance, Bureaucracy and Government, Business, Fiscal Policy/Debt, Free Market Economics
Flunking Professor Bernanke Recorded: Thursday, April 12, 2012
Vern McKinley, Research Fellow at the Independent Institute, speaks with James Freeman, WSJ Assistant Editorial Page Editor on Fed Chairman Bernanke's views regarding the financial bailout interventions.
Experts: Vern P. McKinleyType: TelevisionIssues: Banking and Finance, Business, Economic Policy
Vern McKinley on the Dysfunctional Banking System Recorded: Monday, February 6, 2012
Research Fellow Vern McKinley interviewed on MSNBCs The Dylan Ratigan Show on the failure of Federal Regulators and the dysfunctional Mortgage/Banking system from the perspective of his new book, Financing Failure: A Century of Bailouts.
Experts: Vern P. McKinleyType: TelevisionIssues: Banking and Finance, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy, Fiscal Policy/Debt, Political Ideology and Philosophy
Benjamin Powell on Federal Youth Summer Jobs Funding & Consumer Banking Problems Recorded: Thursday, January 5, 2012
Senior Fellow Benjamin Powell on Freedom Watch discusses Federal youth summer jobs funding and consumer banking problems.
Experts: Benjamin W. PowellType: TelevisionIssues: Banking and Finance, Fiscal Policy/Debt, Public Health/ Consumer Protection, Urban Issues
Ben Powell on Campaign Style and Taxpayer Legal Fees Recorded: Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Benjamin Powell engages with Tracy Byrnes on Fox Business Networks Freedom Watch on the style of presidential candidates and SEC legal expenses to be paid by taxpayers.
Experts: Benjamin W. PowellType: TelevisionIssues: Banking and Finance, Culture/ Society, Politics, Taxes


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Tag Archives: The Sims 3: Supernatural
Tue, Sep 04, 2012 | 15:33 BST
The Sims 3 Supernatural magically lands on PC today
The Sims 3 Supernatural has launched and EA is celebrating the fact with new screens and a launch trailer. The shots below show folks casting spells, looking goth, fairies kissing, and a monster under a child's bed. The video shows all sorts of things, courtesy of GreatScottOTT.
Fri, Aug 24, 2012 | 17:29 BST
FIFA 13, Madden 13, and Warfighter are the subjects of latest EA Update
EA has released its latest Update video featuring host Matt Cuttle. Posted below, find out all about the new cover stars for FIFA 13, a community boxart competition for Medal of Honor: Warfighter, SimCity, The Sims 3 Supernatural and the demo for Madden NFL 13.
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 | 15:17 BST
Zombies and fairies step into The Sims 3 Supernatural spotlight
EA has released a new set of screenshots and character renders for The Sims 3 Supernatural, and some gameplay details to go along with the images.
Thu, Jun 14, 2012 | 13:17 BST
Supernatural Expansion Pack for The Sims 3 releases in September
EA Maxis has announced the Supernatural Expansion Pack for The Sims 3. The expansion allows players to live as a witch, werewolf, vampire or fairy. Players will have new traits as well as new gameplay aspects for each character such as spell casting, "volatile elixirs and magical abilities in a world of strange happenings, spooky surprises and even the occasional zombie attack." The expansion will release on Mac and PC worldwide in September. Those who pre-order will receive an upgrade to a Special Limited Edition with an exclusive Plants vs. Zombies content pack. Screens and an announcement trailer are below.


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- Northern New York Newspapers
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The Journal in Ogdensburg is reporting that Republican Mayor Bill Nelson won by 11 votes over independent candidate Jack McGrath after absentee ballots were counted.
Mr. Nelson faced a tough re-election challenge after the 819 Knox St. controversy. A family was allowed to live rent- and tax-free for three years in the home, even as the city poured government dollars into fixing the place up. That didn't sit well in a town where many people are scraping to get by.
Mr. Nelson saved his electoral hide, in my opinion, by calling for the resignation of City Manager Art Sciorra (something that still has not come to pass). The investigation still hasn't been made public, despite the "best" efforts of some Council members. As with most things in this investigation, City Council is bumbling the issue, not really getting anything done, and talking out of both sides of their mouth.


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Til Debt Do Us Part host Gail Vaz-Oxlade shares her tips for giving kids allowances.
Before children can learn to manage money well, they need to be able to get their hands on the stuff. Most people have no problem with that concept. But when it comes to what you should ask of your children in exchange for that allowance, the debate rages. Some people feel an allowance should have no strings attached. Others think it should be tied to chores in the home, school grades, or behaviour ("If you don't smarten up, I'll cut off your allowance!").
Other parents debate about whether or not kids should work for their money through part-time jobs. Some parents feel that school is a child's job, and any other work detracts from potential success at school. Others think that a part-time job is perfectly fine, while still others believe that a part-time job is essential because it begins the development of a good work ethic.
From early on, children receive mixed messages about money. At home they hear one thing, at school and among their peers, another. Mom does it one way, Dad's the complete opposite. What is consistent is that nobody seems able to agree on the money rules. And often those mixed messages stay with them long after your parental influence has passed.
I believe that allowances should come strings-free and that it's perfectly fine for children to get a part-time job to supplement their allowance—not to replace it—when they get older.
Think about why you're giving your kid an allowance. The objective should be to teach him money-management skills. The fact that you work hard for your money will be brought home when your child learns relative value: how many hours he has to work to afford that pair of running shoes.
Money doesn't work as a reward for good behaviour. Just ask any of the management theorists who have proven that money is not a motivator for adults. So why should it be for children? Good behaviour is based on an understanding of right and wrong, thoughtfulness, caring, and consideration, along with myriad other positive attributes, all of which have to be internalized.
Good grades are your child's responsibility. School is his primary job and good grades are an indication that he is doing his job well. If you provide financial reward for good grades, you are externalizing the reward. Instead, the reward should be internalized: the self-esteem and pride that accompanies having done well at school.
As for an allowance being payment for chores, who pays you to do the chores in your home? Chores are a part of each individual's responsibility to the family. Payment for regular chores negates a child's individual responsibility as a member of the family unit. (Payment for extra household tasks—those above and beyond a child's normal chores—is fine when they are specifically doing the task to earn some money.)
The biggest problem in tying your child's allowance to the completion of her chores comes on the day when you must withdraw the allowance. Now you're teaching your child, "I have the money and you'll have to do as I say to get some of it!" That's a straight-out power play. "I have the money, so I have the power." Ouch, not a lesson I want my children (particularly my daughter) to learn. A far better tack for children who don't follow through on household responsibilities is to do a like-for-like comparison. "Alex, if you don't make your bed, I'm going to have to. And I only have time to do one thing, make your bed or make your lunch. Which one do you want to do?"
To learn how to manage money responsibly, children need an income they can rely on—one given at regular intervals. The experience of handling a steady flow of cash will teach many fundamental skills, including how to manage a cash flow, how to plan ahead, the skill of setting goals (both short- and long-term) and how to save to satisfy a goal. With your guidance, this cash flow can also be used to teach important lessons in borrowing and lending, the pleasure derived from generosity, how to be a good consumer, and the importance of considering those less fortunate.
The strings attached to the money you received as a child will have a strong bearing on the strings you attach to your children's money. We know our money history plays a big part in our money personalities. Perhaps you were never given an allowance and had to work for every penny you got. Or perhaps your parents' strong work ethic was a point of great pride in your family. If you had to put yourself through college or university working at the local car-wash on weekends, and waiting tables at night, this will no doubt colour the way you look at allowances in general. If your allowance was tied to chores, or you were required to save all the money received as gifts, you may see that as the "normal way to do things".
Whatever your own personal experience with money as a child, try to put them aside as begin to teach your own children how money works and the role it should play in their lives. To ensure money is not imbued with meanings it shouldn't have, don't tie things like self-esteem, power, or love to your money-sharing. Stay balanced when you talk about the green stuff. And, above all, figure out what message you want your children to get from your money lessons. For, like it or not, they are learning from you. What lesson would you like your child to learn today?
Written by: Gail Vaz-Oxlade, host of Til Debt Do Us Part
Print out Gail's budget sheets to use at home and get control of your finances.
I would like some of your budget sheets to follow
if not house chores, what kind of small job could a 9 year old do to start learning about the value of money?
I have a 5 year old and a 7 year old. What is the average age for receiving an allowance and how much is reasonable?
Like many of your viewers I watch your show and I cant enough of it. I do need your help so I will wait for you to reply. Dot
I too would like your budget sheets to follow. Is there any place where we can obtain them?
We (my husband and I) have been watching the show for several months now and have learned so many things. We aren't bad with money but like everyone else, we could do with some improvements and the show has shown us some ideas. We want to adopt the cash book for our non-fixed budget items but we are both wondering how to keep the book. Where can we find that information. Is there an example somewhere that we can look at? We also took the time to discuss some of our long term goals had hopes. We haven't finished that yet but at least we started. Something we learned from Gail.Thanks for the down to earth advice and thank you to the couples and families who allow us into their financial lives to learn from their mistakes.Thank youDiana
I also was wondering about getting some of your budget sheets. Also I was wondering if you could give me advice on paying down credit card debt as fast as possible. What exactly are the factors that make up your minimum balance and how much should I pay each month?
we also are great fams of your show, we wonder if you have a private practice where we could purchase services. We would also like to have one of your budgeting kits that you give out to couples on the show.
I am a new mom , I would like to ask help on how to separate my money and my child's please help me where to put his money and how to budget my finances.I want to be out of debt. thank you
I struggle with budgeting and wonder where I can find copies of your budget sheets, if available. Do you have tips for getting my husband to face the current debt and stop his running commentary of "wants".
I'm a fan of your show, i would also like to obtain your budgeting kit.
I love your show and have learned alot, but if we are going to live a cash only lifei was wondering what percentage of our income should go to the basic things like groceries, entertainment, etc..
I am a huge fan. I have been watching your show and taking lots of notes for many months now. I was wondering if you have a private practice where we could purchase your services that you do on TV. My husband works for a big named company and would never go on TV. I would also love to have one of your budgeting kits that you give out to couples on the show. Is there any way for me to get one of these. Thank you.
I read your info on Kids and Money. But, I am in the same position I was before I read it. What is the best approach to give your child the best attitude towards handling money? I give my 11 yr old daughter a weekly allowance for doing the dishes. She spends it all every week and still comes to me for everything else she wants. Where do I draw the line and what should she be responsible for? Right now, she thinks money grows on trees. She is an only child and basically gets almost anything she asks for (within reason...she is not spoiled-rotten). We have a family computer, one video game system that is 3 yrs old and about 6 games. She doesn't collect anything like movies, dvd's or trinkets. I buy all of her clothes. Should she buy any necessities or save part of her allowance? I need some answers before it's too late. Thanks!
I found this great website for teaching kids about money.http://www.prosperity4kids.com/
i was wondering how do you bugget on a low one income when you prefer to eat organic i believe it healthy and we rent and pay all utilities how can u bugget all that.
oh and i have three children to provide for
My husband and I have been together for 20 years. In this time we puchased a home with my parents, they split up and we were unable to carry the mortgage. We lost it. When we were finally getting out of our slump, he was diagnosed with cancer. That was 10 years ago and he's cancer free but we just can't get out of living paycheck to paycheck. We have a dismal credit history so we pay rent that goes up every year. We can't seem to save for a home and don't see an end in sight. We need help!
Would like to know where I can purchase your books,what bookstore sells them,thank-you.J.Lemire
I love the show and do take notes to improve our situation. However, I can never manage to get the % for the various categories you list. I have 25% for life and 35% for housing. How do I find out what is included in them and what the rest of them are%? As well, how can I get my hands on a budget binder we see on your show? Thank you...
I think this is a wonderful show!!!Buying and shopping are really addictions. I appreciate the willingness of the people to face their problems - it has encouraged me to plan for my family's future with care. What's a bunch of toys now if it prevents your child from attending university? The budget sheets are great - my husband and I meet regularly to discuss EVERYTHING we spend - it's bonding and empowering. Thank you...
HI Gail, I am a single parent, yet I've found alot of useful info on your show. I think its important to teach children and young people early, the value of a dollar, and young couples spending money they don't have on extravagant weddings. Weddings should be romantic, not frivolous and gaudy.
Love your show and would like budget sheets.
Great Show, I would like to have one of your budgeting kits that you give out to couples on the show
hi gail, I love the show, me and my husband watch regularly, we both feel ill equipt to deal with money and with 4 children feel we will pass that legacy on. We would love to have the sort of help you offer but can see you might be kind of busy right now! is there any professionals out there who do what you do on the show, that perhaps we could hire?we think it would be a worthwhile investment if it meant we finally were able to manage our money.
Love you show Gail! I am also wondering about the percentages for income. Life 25%, house 35%, etc.? I am a divorced mom that has just come through bankrupty. I can use all the help I can get to get back on my feet! Thanks.
I as well don't miss watching your show, but being a single mother with only one income and still having all the responsibilities as a double income household, how can I possible get ahead and secure finacial security for my retirement?
Gail, I also love to watch your show. I have looked on the site for print outs that could be used in the budget binder, as I would like to make myself one. I would also like to know the percentage rules you use to figure the budget, I know you say 25%life and 35%housing, but what about the rest. I try to compare my income with other familys on the show, but sometimes the figures just don't match up. (ie. transportation costs seem low, how much should a family of four spend on groceries, ect.). Great show
I just wanted to let you know what a great teacher you are! My friend Amy has become a 'Gail Twin' and has become money saving/debt fixing maniac! She has fixed her and her husbands debt problems and now has gone out of her way to fix mine! She even had her saving jars before the show even aired! Whenever she wants to 'tell it like it is' I tell her to 'be like Gail' and she let it rip. Telling me to keep my butt out of the malls and keep my credit card on ice. I wanted to thank you for all your great advice and to just let you know that I think you've also helped my friend Amy find her career choice!- email@example.com
I was just watching online, eposide 30..it said:transporation 15%life 25%debt 15%housing 35%savings 10%
Hi Gail,Will you be doing an episode of single parent getting out of debt,any time soon?Hanging on to my dreams.
I so need your help!! I have finally got my husband to agree to sit down and work out a buget and we are following it so well but i need help!!! Iam not sure how much of our money should go to certain things! IE: transportation, food, other. I know you are crazy busy and i would love to apply to be on the show but we are not from Toronto but i know we are perfect candidates cause everyone our age seems to be in the same boat! Thanks for you help!
homemade wipes1 cup water,1tsp baby oil,1 tsp baby shampoo bring to a boil. than let it cool. But mixture in a zip lock bag or baby wipes container. take bounty paper towel remove card board and cut in half. put 1 stack in container or bag and let it sock than u have wipes.it saves new parents alot of money.
Hi GailI too have been looking for some of your literature, but it is n/a or sold out. :(
love your show watch every chance i get single mom one income three kids was wondering where i can get one of your budgeting kits
Hi Gail,I know the post was about kids and money, but I have a question about relationships and money. How do couples start navigating between the "mine/your's" phase of the relationship, to each contributing for the greater good?We have been together for over 6 years and are looking at buying a house. He makes slightly more than I do, but we split our expenses (rent, food, utilities, etc...)fairly evenly. I am fine with this, it is the extra expenses- electronics, nights out with the guys, etc... that he spends his miscellaneous money on, while I am trying to save whatever I have left.I feel sometimes like we are just two roommates splitting expenses. Other than this issue we are very happy. But I don't think we can move forward until this difference is dealt with.Any Advice?
Money's Amazing
There are so many ways to use money
I love your show - it's so informative. I learn something everytime I watch it!!A couple of questions about your budget...does the housing portion (35%)include insurance, taxes, etc.??? Is the life portion everything else?? How do you chose the groupings?? Also, the questions that Nancy ask on October 11 regarding the budget binder -how do you organize that? With your jar system - how do you figure that out??Help please!!
hi Gail,Have to say that I love your show !!!! We could use you in our household for sure. I am also wondering about the jar system and the budget binder and how I could figure out how to use them. I think the jar system is a great idea...I've already prepped my husband to this idea. Just printed off your budget sheets ..hopefully a start to budgeting for us ?? Help!!!
i would agree with jewels how do we set up the jar system, i need help in setting up the percentage amount for each jar,
Hi Gail,I just want to thank you. My husband and I started watching your show and took some of your advice. We got some extra cash and were able to pay off $6000 in just over a couple of months. No more credit cards for us!Thank you again.
Dear Gail, Thank you for your great ideas on budget. It makes such good everyday sense. I have all my jars labelled and even my 4 kids are helping me stay on track. God Bless You! Sincerely, Lori in Regina, Sask.
Hi Gail,Just love your show and am just thrilled that you have decided to use your talents to help people in trouble. I would love to get a copy of all your quick tips that you give during your show. Things like...you need to save $x of your now income to live a comfortable retirement life. You provide so many handy tips and I was wondering if I could get a copy of them somehow. Possibly a link attached to this website. Many thanks Sue
Hi Gail; BEEN WATCHING YOUR SHOW FOR A WHILE NOW,AND JUST LOVE IT! Would really appreciate a budget kit! tried to print off your budget sheets on my dad's computer, with no luck. Single working mother of one.
All the questions on here are great, but where do you find the answers?I need to find out how to start the jar system, what formula is used to determine the amounts weekly?Thanks.
Is there a place where we could email Gail and tell her the amazing job she is doing.
Hello to Gail:My husband and I watched your show a few times with much interest. You basically let individuals know that they (as we all) have choices to make, some are good and some not so good. With the information you present, individuals are able to make informed decisions. The trick for me is to stick to that decision. We have taken one step towards debt reduction, in that we have disconnected the cable. So now we are saving at least $50.00 a month. We were wondering which publiction you would recomend we should read up on to assist with decreasing our debt load. We just recently lost our fathers respectively and our mothers are on their own. We have that to contend with and as well, we just moved due to a job promotion for my husband. Unfortunaely, I have not had all that much luck in securing a steady ful-time job until just recently. Needless to say we are trying to slowly climb out of our debt and need some expert options as how to bring down our debt load quickly. Of course, it would be nice to pay it off immediately, but that won't happen anytime soon I'm afraid. Any information you can pass along would be most appreciated. Respectfully,
Hi Gail, my hubby and I watch your show every week. It's a great show and we learnt a great deal about budgets and managing money properly. We still find it a little challenging to pay off our debts, but not as stressfull as it was before we started watching your show. Also I was wondering what is the best age to start giving your children an allowance?ThanksNicole
Best show on TVCongrats It should be priority to each student in high school to learn about values we have lost in our society Cash vs. plastic, Cash vs. logic,Cash vs. dept, Cash creats harmony for live.
I love your show. A friend of mine told me about it a couple of months ago and I've been hooked ever since. There is always room for improvement with our fifnances.Our downfall at the moment is not saving as money is tight for our daughters futures. We are able to put 100 in an resp that is for 2 of our daughters and our third we have yet to satart planning. She is 15 years old is needs total care. she will need 24 hr care her whole life. This is a concern for us and we need to revamp our saving/spending to plan for this. I hope that one of the families on your show in the future has a similar concern so that we gain gain pointers.Thanks for a great educational show.
Hi Gail...i would love to learn how to divide money into jars to live off cash. Is there anyway to show us how?? I am not that far in debt but want to clean up my credit cards and then put them away for good! Do you have a private practice that we could make an appt with you??
I watched a show and you had said that $1 per childs age per week was suitable. I remeber that part but, how was the childs money split up? A percent for saving, sharing, and spending could you remind me of the amounts for each please?
Hi Gail I was really shocked when I read that your from Jamaica, I to is from there nice to meet you. I watch you show and I would love fro you to help me with my problem. I have just left a 7 year relationship and ended up to be a single mother with 2 little. I work for retail and don't make much money and not alot of family that helps me out much either. I'm 25 years old and I'm also having tax problems with my marital states. I fine myself in a slum at the end of the month all the time. I dont make enough to pay daycare, car insurance rent food and phone. My kids need clothes and I don't have money for that.I don't get money for their father because he's not working and i ow cash loan places also. Please Help Me I feel like I'm going crazy.
Like so many other people i would like a copy of your budget binder. I may not have alot of debt but our money seems to be flying out the door. Help.
Really enjoy your shows. Great advice. I have been trying to follow some of it myself. Family of 5, 3 in hockey and never enough money.Shelly
I love your show and the advice you give. When I watch your show, I realize that my husband and I are not in the same situation. We manage our are money well but I still get stressed out about how we could be doing things better. Any advice on how to relax and not be so consumed by our financial situation? Also, what do you consider as "good money management"?
Gail, how old do you suggest starting an allowance? We have a 3 1/2 year old and another one on the way. But our son is a 'dedicated' neat freak like his father. He sweeps, mops, dusts, vacuums, puts dishes in sink/dishwasher, helps empty dishwasher, cleans his own room and his toy room, all without being asked. Should we try to encourage this behaviour with money? If so, How much should we give him at such a young age
I watch your show constantly and am trying to get a handle on our debt. I was wondering if it would be possible to get a copy of the weekly journal or some idea of the content. I would like to try to do this myself. Thank you
BRAVO!!!!! What a fabulous job you do on this show! My 9 year old tells me when it is time to watch your show. She loves it(I do too) and I love the fact that she is learning from it. This is the type of financial learning tool all parents need REALITY!!!! Thanks so much!!!
Hi Gail, My husband and I watch your show faithfully. We both find it very infomative and helpful. Recently we have found ourselves in financial trouble and are sinking slowly. If we do not do something to fix the problem now I am afraid things are going to get out of control and turn into a very bad situation. Could you please send us some information on how we get started with our budgeting plan and maybe some of your helpful budgeting sheets. At this point any info. you could provide us with would be very helpful.Thanking you in advance for your help.
Hi Gail!Your show is very insperational! Do you have a practice that can help people in over their heads in dept? Too much dept not enought cash to pay.Thanking you in advance for you help!
I have just watched one of your shows. I was wondering if you have advice for a single parent of three children on a low income. I am also living with my parents to help. does not seem to be working.
Hi Gail,I just wanted to thank you. I started watching til debt do us part about a year ago...we had over 21,000 in debt, we weren't making minimum payments and we were terrified for the future. We now have 2,100 left in debt that will be payed off within 6 months- and thats with me on mat leave pay. We just upgraded and bought a townhouse...I didn't know how money worked before. I just wanted to say thank you so much for explaining it- communication is everything. Every month when we pay down more and more we realise how much we wasted on eating out and crap that we don't need. We have a long way to go still- we want to set up a savings plan, rrsps, resps and pay down our mortgage faster...but now its possible. Thanks for the tools- you're our hero!
I think the show is really the best and I just wish some of my family members would see it and DO IT. It would be great if there were actual consultants availible in our area so that no one should have to get into these financial problems. It is a selfish thing to think you can live off others...People do not see that it affects alot of other peoples lives and not just thiers... They do not have that rite... as we all work hard doing jobs we dont always like. The husbands and fathers out there Not holding a job and being lazy and full of themselfs thinking they are to good for just any job ... Well you are a SLUG. Love the Show and wish that Gail would visit my inlaw.
How can we determind the percentage of eincome we should be spending mortage, food, savings, etc. We love the show and advice on i, only we need a bit of extra help with the percentage to get things balanced properly. Please help!!
I'm wondering how to get back on 'normal footing'. I have struggled & succeeded as a single parent to own a home & car, but when recently I lost my job and was without income for 2 months before securing a new job but at less money, I'm struggling to make up the loss of income and dealing with the lesser income in my budget. What strategy can you suggest ? I have tried a consolidation loan but refused because I'm over the debt ratio as a single income earner....Tessa Oshawa
I love your show- It helps me find my Zone...after suffering the loss of a parent, the responsibility of 2 teenage daughters & losing my job in one fell swoop, was overwhelming. I managed but at whatcost to my mental health. All the while I was coping I was trying to help my mother from afar with her loss, and financial crisis. She is over 2000 km away... Really wish you had a show on a single parent, especially sandwiched between their parents& kids.
I have tried and tried to give my son an allowance of $5 a week. However, when I add the stiP***tions that some of it HAS to be saved in a high interest savings account, he freaks out. He insists it is his money and he can do with it what he wants. (He is 6, by the way)... So, now I give him 2 toonies, and a loonie. Then, we go to his bank and put a toonie in his savings account. It makes it easier on him than breaking up a $5 bill to save some of it! However, how do I go about teaching him that instead of buying a bunch of crap toys at a dollar store, if he saves for a bit he can get a GREAT toy that won't break right away?! ALSO how do I get him to stop begging for treats and toys every single time we leave the house?! He doesn't get that when his money is gone, its GONE. We do NOt buy him random toys, and we don't give into him begging and demanding. But he still does it. Help, its the one thing that is making me NUTS!
a reply for melissa: hey i was reading these comments to get ideas for my own children and when i read yours it made me think of my kids and what we do with my 2 older children age 8 and 5. when we go shopping and they see a toy they must have i make a note of what it is and the price and when we get home i go online to usally toysrus we find the toy i print out a pic of the toy tape it on to a jar i write the price of it including taxes and when it comes time to divide up there allowance i put there jars on the table i also have 1 for the bank because i can only get to a bank once a month but anyway after they put the saving money in to a jar i ask them if they want to put half of whats left in to their toy jar which usally works they still have money for little crap things but at the same time they don't feel like they can't spend any of thier money and after the get thier "big" toy they are happy to tell every one that they bought with thier own money and kinda makes them feel like a grown up when they hand their money to the cashier just thought it may work with ur son...
My son is 15 and although he does help with chores I do not give him an allowance but would like too. What is a reasonable amount of a youth of this age?
I love to watch the show to get ideas on how to pay down our debts and to try to save for the future, for ourselves and 4 children...not an easy task...I would like to know if its possible to get a percentage break down of where money should be spent and the clear categories for them...budget sheets would be great with the percentages included...
My husband and I were fortunate enough to have been chosen to participate in the show. I don't think there is enough room in this comment box to tell you how much of a change the show has made in our lives. The biggest was the lesson we are teaching our children about money management. Like many others, i was never a believer in allowance or rewarding my children with money for chores. However, when Gail told us to give our kids a monthly allowance. I was a bit hesitant. But when she explained that you should never confuse 'paid work' with allowance, it was worth a try. It's very easy....the money allocated for my kids allowances is basically the money that I would have spent on them anyways. Except, they get to manage it. We came up with a reasonable amount that would fit within our family budget and broke it up into 3 categories. Clothing ($50/mth), allowance (based on child's age = $1/yr. For example, my 12 year old receive $12/week) and Savings. What you are doing is giving your children the responsible of managing the money instead of you. My kids have been on it for over a month and I have to tell you it's the best thing we could have done. To see my 12 year old daughter working out how much she would need to save each month in order to pay for her registration fee for Soccer next year is quite fulfilling. I would highly recommend this to anyone but you really have to stick to your guns and don't give it to giving them extra. It really works!
Gail,I love your show. It really makes you think about things. Like making more money in our spare time. Unfortunately I work full time, but I would love to make an extra $75/ week.Do you have any tips to look at working on-line after the kids go to bed or on the weekend?
Hi, GailI wonder if you have budget sheets for a single parent. I understand your show is about couples but as a single parent I find the advice helpful for my family. I feel I have cut my costs as much as possible but still do not have any savings. Do you have any suggestions or budget sheets for my situation?thanks, Ann
Hi Gail, I love your show, and have learned lots from watching you. My husband and I are doing OK, but i could really use your help to have a definite budget in place. What I'm doing now seems to be working but it feels a little like a house of cards. My husband owns his own company and therefore would not want to be on T.V, but is it possible to meet with you without doing that? I'm trying to implement some of the things that you do but I'm sure that I'm missing something important.Thank you for your time.
I love love love the show...as with many of your other viewers, i to am not sure how much to put in jars. how exactly to make the budget thats right for me. i've clicked on ur budget sheets to print out but the page comes up blank...there's got to be a way. help
I just started watching your show and I love it. I reorganized my budget using the percentages, I can't believe I have an extra $600.00 that I can put in a saving account. I also found $148.00 a month to put towards house repairs. Truely unbelievable. Thanks
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your show and now so does my husband. We are really trying to get our money issues in order and would love to try the jars but how much do you put into each jar? Thank you so much, it is sooo great to see you helping so many people that are just like us.
I love the show! My daughter is almost 7 and since she was 3 I gave her a shopping day once a month. This avoids the numerous requests for stuff because she puts it on her list and once a month buys one thing. Best of all I don't have to feel mean saying no all the time. Now that she is older I give her $50.00 to buy one thing and the rest goes into her bank. School is her job and I do not tie the money to anything but I do reserve the right to hold back if she doesn't try to succeed at school. She is saving for a laptop but may keep the money to buy the farm she wants as a adult..so cute.
Hi Gail. I really love your show, but I was wondering where I could get the pages in your budget binder, and how it is you figue out what percentage of the income goes to what. We arn't in great trouble financially yet and I would like to stay that way.
I have to say I love watching the show. It is usually on 2x per day and I will watch it both times just to make sure I didn't miss anything. I am a single mom with 2 kids and trying to show my older daughter how to manage money while learning myself. I don't have a hudge debt problem but it's there and it's a focus for most of the month. I don't want my kids to have the same issues when they are older as I do now and hope that all the tips I am learning will help. Thanks
My husband and I have decided to give $5.00 a week to our kids (4 and 6) We have thought that they could put $3.00 a week in the bank to start saving for there future (we add $5 a week for each kids in there account, we also have twins that are 2) and $2.00 they can keep and save up to do watever they please with it. Are we on the right track?Is that too much or too little?
Hi, I find this show great for everyone. My 7 year old Grandson loves the show and will watch the shows over and over and complains when channel is changed. You should be teaching this in schools. Keep up the good work.
Hi me and my husband are going to b starting the jars and i was wonering if i can have one of your kits to help us keep tract on the moeny when we start the jars.You see my husband uses the credit cards lots and pays thm off every month, but unforunately after 9 years of working for th company he quit his job so we want to stop having the 1000 credit card bills down to nothing and just live on cash. he currently got ajobso that is not a problem now but w would really still like to do the jars
Hi Gail..... Love, Love, Love the show!!! I would so like to get started with your budget plans and would appreciate one of you budget kits.... Thanks for making a "real" show for the "real" world.
I need the sheet that you have fill out when you use the money in the bottle, so I can put our family on a budget.Thankslia
i love your show...watch it all the time! im learning a lot...i wonder though: how much allowance should a 14 and 15 year old get when we only get 2400 a month all together? and also for the 7 year old. how much should she get? oh how i wish u can answer me back gail...i really could use your help here in thunder bay, ontario!
How much allowance should a 14 year old get?
I saw on one of the shows that the kids categories for jars were sharing, mad money, and two more I can't remember right now and you said that it was to be money you would regularly spend on them but you put it in their hands. Does this mean $20 per month for birthday gifts for others, their part in donations i.e. sponsored child, school supplies and clothes and activities? or just the little things like a new book etc.I just can't figure out how much and for what it should be used.Thanks. I love the show.
I just love your show!! Iwould like to know how to figure out the number of jars I need and how much money should go into each jar. I also would like to know how to figure out the debt repayment schedule and debt free date. I am a single parent on a very tight income and want desperately to get out of this financial mess am in. On August 24 th I will have $ 1100 less money coming in and will still have the same debt load unless I have HELP!!!
OOPS! The August 24 th date is for 2011. So not much time to figure this out.Will you do any shows for single parent families or have time to contact me and help me.
Just recently I have lost my job for a second time. I know that we need some help to get back on the right track. I watch your show everyday but still do not know where to start. Our credit cards are hurting us, can you please help. Thanks
Hi Gail,I love your show so much and realize that I cannot go on living like this as always broke and in the minus with cash money loans and credit card.It has been like that all my life.I have a good job and my husband to.I am the one with the problem and my husband is furious and will not talk openly because he feels that I will not change the problem but for the 1st time I and willing to change my life forever.Please help me
I don't know if this helps but this is what I've been doing with my son. I give him $50 every month out of Child Tax. This seems a lot, but I no longer buy him toys, video games, treats, etc. He buys that himself. He seems to have learned how far this goes, to shop around for the best price, and save for what he wants. He recently purchased a DSi ($200) out of his savings.
Gail, you've opened my eyes to the concept of an allowance. I really believe I can be a balanced influencer with my children and money.Thank you so much for opening my eyes! I plan to start giving my children an allowance...no strings just good common sense.Cheers,MJ
Thanks so much for the depth and understanding at which you covered the topic. it's a useful piece of information not only for me but for many others. have read a lot on the topic at different blogs and books (download mainly from http://www.picktorrent.com but this piece really gives food for thought
i am on disability, and i want to give my son 12. an alllowance,but i don't know how much and what does he save and what part for college and what part he can spend.....i get one check a month and i feel like i can afford it but it is not fair for him...help me...my daughter is going to school on a bursery and she already blew through all the money and it is NOT even two weeks into the month.IF she does not now how to spend it NOW she will be a mess later in life...
being a disability is a tight tight biget idon't know if i can afford an allowance....please spread your wings from toronto and come to edmonton...ALL OF CANADA needs yo9u.
Hi there,I love the show....I read your advice about allowance and it made sense to me. My problem now is how much money do you give your child for allowance and clothes. My son is 13 years old...and I saw you give a girl of the same age 80 dollars a month. Does that amount apply to all 13 year olds.Thank you so much for your time.
Hi Gail: Watch your show whenever I can. I'm widowed, work part time and struggle with budgeting. I will be 65 next year and need your help. How do you go about doing the jar system? What amount do you put into the jars after you have paid all your bills? Your reply would be greatly appreciated....Lori
Hi Gail Love your show
Do you only help couples?How do you go about doing the jar system? What amount goes into each jar?How do you ordering the budget binderYourhep would be greatly appreciated
As I type each question, I actually answer my own questions. With that I still feel that my spending needs control, I know it needs control, but I still have problems completing this plan. How can I be successful and follow through?
Gail, your show is amazing! My daughter will be leaving to attend post secondary school in the fall. My husband and I are worried that she will not be great at managing her money. Do you have some guidelines, tips, suggestions for students? I would like her to develop good money habits now and not get into the situations I see on the show. It would be great to see a segment dealing with a student budget. Thank you.
I am trying the allowance thing with my children but I am unsure of how to divide it up. $6 for my 6 year old and $3 for my 3 year old but how much for sharing,spending,savings. What is the Sharing part for?
Hi Gail, we LOVE your show. We're not bad at money, but could use some improvements, your show has helped. I find that taking money from the bank weekly and buying groceries with cash saves me a ton instead of using my debit card. I feel exactly as you do with allowance and started giving my daughter allowance when she was 7. I always figured that chores are a part of the family working together. If they came with a price tag, when she became a teenager and had a part time job, she could say no to the allowance, therefore no to chores? I think not! I started with $3.00 per week and increase it on her birthday. She's 10 and up to $6.00 per week. Watching your show this past weekend, your average of $1.00 per year (age), I was informed that she neeeded a raise LOL! I don't give her jars, but she made her own, saves some for holidays, some for nature (she wants to buy a tree) and some just "cause". So, she won't get the "big" raise she wants, but maybe for her 11th birthday I'll give her a $2.00 raise, instead of just $1.00! Look forward to more shows.Tammy
When we moved into the new house there was a paper route, so I took it for my older two kids. 11 and 9. one does tuesday and one does thursday. I had them each make a goal of what they wanted to buy. I told them how long it would take to save the money. Each month they get paid right into the bank account that I opened for each of them. My son seems to be bad and wants to spend. my daughter is doing well. She has only bought a webkinz and the rest she has been saving. When she bought the webkinz she asked how much longer it would take her to buy the barbie house she wanted.
I give my two 10 year old sons an allowance for helping Dad in the yard. sweeping leaves, pulling weeds, and such. Sometimes they pick up litter in the neighborhood. Household chores, and cleaning their room is an obligation to help the house run better. That is what I do.
I love to read articles that are informative, Thanks again for a nice site.
I was a divorced single mother with one son who I parented according to books I had read about bahaviour. I am a teacher so I learned how to work with children and had all kinds of beliefs about intrinsic motivation. My child used to have some sinificant behavioural problems. We went to see a psychologist who told me flat out that children are NOT intrinsically motivated. We started rewarding my son for good behaviour with allowance and his behavior dramatically changed. I used to parent my son according to the adult rules of life but the psychologist soon made me realize that children are not adults and are not wired the same and therefore must be treated like children with clear and strict boundaries. I used to try talking to my child about his behaviour to no avail. Now I put HIS money where my mouth is and do I ever get results.
Hi Gail...I just started watching the show, its help me relize i do need help. Im drowning is getting my feet. I have an Autistic son who is 5, And i want to be able to give him all he needs. We clamed bankrup in 2005. And are trying to get back on our feet but dont seem to able to. i was wondering if and how i could get a cope of the BUGET BINDER.. I think it would be a great thing to do , to get me to start getting our lifes back:) thanks so much.
Hi Gail,Thanks for you article. It's such an important topic! If you want to see something funny on this topic, check out the July 6th episode of the Lang & O'Leary Exchange on CBC News Network. I'm on during the last 3 minutes asking Kevin O'Leary (of Dragon's Den and Shark Tank) what three things he thinks we should teach kids about money. His answer is truly out there...unlike your practical advice.
Hi Gail, My husband and I would like to start an allowance for our 3 kids. They are 8, 6 and 5. Do you have a book that you could reccomend with more information on how to go about this...thanks in advance.Cathy
(Note: Personal info edited out by blog moderator for security).
We have given our children allowance from the day they stopped putting everything in their mouth. (About 2 years old)We pay each Friday (our payday as well) and each child receives 50cents for each year of their age ($6.50 for the 13-year-old, $5.50 for the 11-year-old). The allowance is not tied to any chores, because we are all family members and have to do certain chores.The kids are able to spend their allowance on anything they want, and the first year it would go to candy and other junk.If we do something as a family, we will pay for it (visit the movies, zoo....). If we go out for dinner, we will pay for it, but if they want extra stuff (ice cream, extra movies....) they will pay for it.So far that has worked well for us. My younger child is running really low on funds right now (only about $10.- in her account) and is not able to participate in as much stuff as her older brother, who is flush with money.It comes down to choices they made with their money, and they understand that.Both children also have an account with a debit card.
so. i would like to see if you can help me find a way to prioritize old credit debt. They have already gone into judgements so there is no bargaining room left. I want to pay them off and fix my credit but at this time what can be done? I have no credit cards at this time and only a $3000 car note. Nothing else. The only real credit i do have is my mortgage. What do i tackle first at this point?
I would like to know how much allowance is good or average and what do you think about leveraging the equity in a home?
I love your show and have learned so much. I hope the show continues to air.
Hi Gayle, I love your show like so many others. I've learnt lots, and my husband is greatful, as I was the spender in the house. I now make it a point to shop less, and shop smarter. In less than a year, we'll be debt free because of your show. Thank you X 1,000,000,000!
In our house we only have the basics. We have a mortgage and a car loan. In the back of my mind I am always wanting more material stuff. However, after I am done watching each episode of your show, I am THANKFUL we only have the basics. We'd rather have very little than have BIG debt.
I'm giving my son 9$ per week, He's 9yrs old. Sould he be buying his own stuff like clothes, gifts, outings, games/toys out of his allowance as well as saving and tithing?
'I did all the right things and saved, invested in the stock market, maxed out my RRSP\x27s and bought a condo 6 years ago. Then last year , due to poor construction, I was assessed \x28as were the other owners in the building\x29 \x2490,000.00 and given 3.5 weeks to pay. I had to clear out all my investments, RRSP\x27s and savings in order to manage the payment and now ...in my 40\x27s I am starting over again ... and it feels overwhelming. What do I do\x3f'
'I have 3 boys ages, 13yrs,11.5yrs and 6.5yrs. What is the general rule for the amount of allowance I should give them\x3f\x3cbr \x2f\x3eAlso, I got my 13yr old a debit card and put \x24100.00 on it \x28birthday money\x29 and told him it was his to use in hopes that he sees how quickly it can go. Is this a good idea or not\x3f'
'hi there,im a big fan of your show and sometimes i consider asking for help from you.Like many other couples who have been drowning in debt, i too myself haven\x27t escaped from the reality of life being abroad.I work,everybody works,I pay bills,everybody does.Now i wonder,how come like,you work,you get paid, but never get rid having to have a debt.Im only like a year in Canada and me and my husband was so amazed to see that we are drowning in debt.Im goin to have a baby in two month time and i haven\x27t bought anything for my lil\x27angel soon who is coming out by november.I need help badly to settle every debt we have and prepare for the birth of our baby.'
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Effingham, meet Chef Jean Yves Vendeville. Dec. 15, Savannah Technical College is presenting an Evening with Chef Jean at the Effingham College and Career Academy, which promises an excellent meal and a lot of fun. "I think the people, they're going to have a ball," said Vendeville. "They're going to have two hours of fun, and they're going to learn something, they're going to have a handout. And most of all, they're going to have ...
The Effingham County Retired Educators Association recently held their annual Grandparents Day essay contest. The contest was open to all fifth graders in the Effingham County School system. The essays were judged by local retired educators. There were three winners from each of the eight Effingham County elementary schools. The Effingham Retired Educators would like to thank Duane and Karen Engel, owners of Pappa's Pizza in Springfield, for their generous donation of prizes for all ...
After appealing to the Georgia Department of Education, South Effingham High School met Adequate Yearly Progress for 2011.
Melissa Nease has been chosen as "Parent of the Month" for December at Rincon Elementary School.
ST LOUIS-Meredith Arrington, agricultural educator at Effingham County High School, is one of 36 individuals nationwide who received the Teachers Turn the Key Award, given Nov. 19 at the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) annual convention in St. Louis.
Blandford Elementary School participated in an international cup stacking competition recently. The event promotes mental and physical fitness, as well as dexterity and agility.
South Effingham's FBLA club attended a motivational rally in Perry by the annual State Fair. While at the fair, the FBLA members who traveled on the trip listened to a guest speaker discuss his journey through many different eras of time.
Marlow Elementary held its annual fall festival and it was a success with the help of many, including South Effingham High NJROTC and members of SEHS Future Business Leaders of America.
South Effingham High School's Future Business Leaders of America members brought in a variety of candy to create trick-or-treat goody bags for the Backus Children's Hospital. Members who attended the meeting helped stuff and tie off approximately 30 treat bags.
The 2011 Marching Band season is history and the South Effingham Marching Mustangs had another banner year. The marching band begins its season each July with band camp, where band members learn basic marching techniques and the mechanics of their competition show.
Georgia Southern University has been named one of the most military friendly universities in the country in "Military Advanced Education's 2012 Guide to Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities." Georgia Southern will be featured in the December 2011 issue of the publication.
The door to Anna Barton's classroom reads "Fall into Reading," with students' red, orange and gold cut-out handprints playing a tree's changing leaves and reaching to get inside.
Students, parents and others expressed concerns and disapproval Thursday night of the Effingham County Board of Education's consideration to move high schools to a traditional seven-period day schedule.
In a time of budgetary woes, Effingham County Board of Education does something to look forward to.
It might be an understatement to say Abby Smith feels right at home in her new job. Smith is the Effingham County 4-H agent, a position she has held before and is happy to have again. And 4-H is a program she's long been associated with. "It was a comfortable feeling when I walked back into the office," she said. Smith got started, as most 4-H'ers do, in the fifth grade, when the program is ...
Two graduates from the class of 2013 have been honored as Effingham County's 2012-13 work-based learning students of the year.
SAVANNAH - Savannah Technical College has selected Joseph Powell as its dean of industrial technology. Prior to this position Powell was STC's department head for drafting technology.
Having faith and faith in yourself are essential to success, the chief executive officer of Medient Studios told members of the Effingham County High School Air Force JROTC on Thursday night.
For three Effingham County school teachers, summer school was never more fun. Jana Bolton and Kendra Brophy of Effingham County Middle School and Amber Teare of South Effingham High School were selected and sponsored by Georgia-Pacific to attend summer workshop programs designed to help them bring environmental issues into the classroom in a dynamic way.
Officials from Armstrong Atlantic State University have signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives from Martin Luther University in Halle, Germany, underscoring the growing relationship between the two universities.
Georgia Southern University has embarked on a bold journey where no Eagle has ever gone before. GUS, the university's mascot, has landed safely after being launched into the stratosphere on a mission to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning.
Springfield Elementary students are turning their loose change into new books for the school.
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08-29-2013, 06:03 PM | #4 (permalink) |
Drunk with power...er beer.
On fresh relatively untrammeled stuff, I'd be inclined to more big sweeping turns, but when the stuff starts to get a bit used, straight-lining it can be career-limiting . In those cases, C turns or pivot turns may be more in order. Of course, if you're a point-and-shoot kind of rider, that's fine too. Whatever's most fun and doesn't kill you.
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08-29-2013, 06:09 PM | #5 (permalink) |
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I'm not saying straight lining is the way (all the time), but adding some down hill angle and using speed to turn rather than your body is just better, it's more fluid and helps maintain float anyway.
08-29-2013, 06:10 PM | #6 (permalink) |
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it looks damn steep (if it looks steep in a video, it is even more steeper in real life) I don't think I have the skill/ballz to charge something of such angle.
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08-29-2013, 07:07 PM | #7 (permalink) |
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Hmmm... I'd negociate a narrow icy steep passage like that, or to navigate through rocks or an avy cone, but in pow? It's waisting a good run. Don't know how steep it is, hard to judge from a vid, but in fresh >40° I'd never ride like that. This stop and go puts a lot of pressure on the snowpack... Maybe not an issue at that place, but here my rule of thumb is the steeper it is, the mellower turns I try to do. Also riding faster will result in a better float and turning is easier.
Looked at it a second time... I really don't like the vid. He recommends this to be the right way to ride pow in steep in general without differentiation or giving a warning word on avy danger. He said 35cm fresh. For 35cm fresh in certain terrain on certain days, this could be the best way to induce a slab.
5"8 / 125lbs / +27/+9 / Jones Flagship 158 and Ride Farah 153 with Ride Fame
The average human has one breast and one testicle Last edited by neni; 08-29-2013 at 07:40 PM. |
08-29-2013, 07:11 PM | #8 (permalink) | |
Charge it.... Looks a little steep, def not deep powder. If you tried that pivot shit in deep pow you would be all sluffed up. Also, I charge more because I'm a big guy, I will make stuff sluff or slide way faster than most at 280-290 lbs. |
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Friday | WBUR-AM Boston
What New Mayors, Like Boston's Walsh, Learn At Harvard's Boot Camp
Although it's obvious, it can still come as a shock to the system for elected officials that campaigning is different than governing.
Is America's government too big?
What's the best route to energy independence?
Friday | Alabama Live
Drug task force in Tuscaloosa busts 7 suspected street-level crack dealers, 4 men still wanted
These seven men were arrested Thursday by the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force on for allegedly selling crack cocaine in west Tuscaloosa at the street level.
Friday | Alabama Live
Police: Tuscaloosa man in jail after argument led to him non-fatally stabbing a woman
Homicide investigators arrested 55-year-old Charles Sexton yesterday for stabbing a woman during an argument at a home on University Boulevard.
St. Christopher's Christmas Caravan grows each year: Annual event Dec. 6
Alabama connection to original 'Sound of Music?' It's Kurt, and you may have seen him around
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Duane Chase doesn't mind being known as the round-cheeked kid in shorts who had to hit the high note in "So Long, Farewell" in the iconic 1965 film "The Sound of Music."
SantaCon, ice-skating, live music to bring holiday cheer all season long in Tuscaloosa
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- There's nothing like seeing a parade off partially inebriated Santas strolling down University Boulevard on a brisk Tuscaloosa night, you guys.
1999 Pontiac Trans Am - In My Words
Since I was a child I have loved Pontiacs. In my very early teens, my mother decided it was time for a new car, so we went to our local Pontiac dealership in Southwest Georgia to find one.
Tuscaloosa commission calls for report of how schools used one cent sales tax
Wednesday, Tuscaloosa County Commisioners asked for an audit of a one cent sales tax used by city and county schools for improvements.
Callooh! Callay!, Blaine Duncan, Voodoo Saints, others performing Holiday Acoustic Night
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will present a Holiday Acoustic Night on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. featuring several prominent local artists in the Bama Theatre's Greensboro Room.
Six holiday gift ideas for the college student in your life
The University of Alabama and Auburn student sections were listed among the top 20 best in college football in an ESPN Photos post.
Montgomery City Council extends payday loan, title pawn moratorium
The Montgomery City Council extended the city's moratorium on new payday loans and title pawn businesses for another six months.
'Collaborama' to showcase University of Alabama student writers, dancers and artists' work
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- The University of Alabama will soon host "Collaborama," a presentation of collaborative work from student writers, dancers and artists on campus.
Stillman College searches for new president
<![CDATA[TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- Stillman College's board of trustees is forming a presidential search committee after the resignation of President Ernest McNealey, who has been on leave since early September. Stillman spokeswoman Mary Sood told The Tuscaloosa News (http://bit.ly/IC7LHz ) that said she had no further information about the nature of McNealey's departure. The school said in a statement that Peter Millet, provost and vice president for academic affairs, will continue to act as interim president. Millet was named interim leader on Sept. 6 after news that McNealey was on leave. News of McNealey's leave came abruptly a day after he welcomed students back during the fall convocation and predicted a positive year ahead for Stillman. During his 16-year tenure, McNealey oversaw a capital campaign on campus, including the re-establishment of the football program. ___ Information from: The Tuscaloosa News, http://www.tuscaloosanews.com
Patented Technology Could Lead to More Reliable Renewable Energy Systems
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Renewable energy sources such as wind-powered generators can be more reliable and efficient by better controlling the process of getting electricity onto the power grid, according to a United States patent based on research by Dr. Shuhui Li, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at The University of Alabama.
Hangout Music Festival leading Tuscaloosa residents on scavenger hunt for free tickets
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Keep your eyes peeled around Tuscaloosa today, and you might just find free tickets to next summer's Hangout Music Festival.
Paul Walker and his charity flew under radar to clear debris in Tuscaloosa after 2011 tornadoes
A ROWW volunteer looks at some of the damage in Tuscaloosa, Ala. in the wake of the EF4 tornado that devastated the city in April 2011.
Annual Dickens Downtown forecast calls for snowfall, holiday cheer in Northport tonight
The event will take place at 5-8 p.m. in historic downtown Northport and serves as a great way for greater Tuscaloosa to kick off the holiday season.
Twin switch: Funny or workplace faux pas?
Hair color aside, would you be OK with Joni Fisher Grindstaff, left, taking the place of identical twin sister Cindy Fisher Crawford at your workplace? Funny or faux pas? Being an identical twin has its benefits, and I admit my twin and I have taken advantage of looking exactly the same and duped people.
Governor awards grants to low-income families for energy costs
The grants will enable 22 community action agencies throughout the state to provide temporary assistance with electric and gas bills.
Tuscaloosa shoppers hit big retail, local businesses on Black Friday
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Tuscaloosa shoppers hit the big retail stores after turkey consumption Thursday night, but that didn't stop them from also indulging in a little traditional Black Friday shopping the next morning People hit Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Kmart and the other typical places you find mega-deals on flat-screen televisions, computers, ... (more)


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Federal regulators are investigating Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT -1.04% Microsoft Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq $37.22 -0.39 -1.04% Dec. 12, 2013 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 35.46M AFTER HOURS $37.19 -0.03 -0.08% Dec. 12, 2013 5:25 pm Volume (Delayed 15m): 502,036 P/E Ratio 13.79 Market Cap $313.97 Billion Dividend Yield 3.01% Rev. per Employee $810,010 12/12/13 Indian Court Releases Nokia Fa... 12/12/13 Not on Ford Board's Agenda: Mi... 12/12/13 Questions Swirl on Mulally's F... More quote details and news » relationship with business partners that allegedly bribed foreign government officials in return for software contracts, according to people familiar with the matter.
Federal regulators are investigating Microsoft's relationship with business partners that allegedly bribed foreign government officials in return for software contracts. WSJ's George Stahl reports on digits. (Photo: Getty Images)
Lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission are examining kickback allegations made by a former Microsoft representative in China, as well as the company's relationship with certain resellers and consultants in Romania and Italy, these people said.
The investigation is in a preliminary phase, according to people familiar with the probe, and the government hasn't accused Microsoft or any of its business associates of wrongdoing. Such investigations can end with no charges being filed.
Spokesmen for the Justice Department and the SEC declined to comment.
"Like every large company with operations around the world we sometimes receive allegations about potential misconduct by employees or business partners," said John Frank, Microsoft's vice president and deputy general counsel. "We cooperate fully in any government inquiries," he added.
The probe is one of dozens being conducted under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a 1977 law that prohibits U.S. companies and companies that trade on U.S. stock exchanges from paying bribes to foreign officials. Since 2009, the Justice Department has brought 108 cases while the SEC has brought 77, yielding a total of more than $2 billion in penalties, according to the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. The vast majority of FCPA cases settle.
The China allegations come from an anonymous tipster who passed them on to U.S. investigators in 2012, according to people familiar with the matter.
The allegations in China were also the subject of a 10-month internal investigation that Microsoft concluded in 2010, according to people briefed on the internal investigation.
The probe, conducted by an outside law firm, found no evidence of wrongdoing, these people said.
The tipster, who worked to land potential new business, alleged that an executive of Microsoft's China subsidiary instructed the tipster to offer kickbacks to Chinese officials in return for signing off on software contracts, according to people familiar with the matter and people briefed on the internal probe. The tipster, whose contract ended in 2008, was also involved in a labor dispute with Microsoft in China, they said.
Companies often spend millions of dollars investigating themselves for potential violations of anticorruption laws, then turn over the results to the government in the hope of getting lighter penalties or none at all. FCPA experts said the costs of internal probes vary widely but that a large multinational company can expect to spend, on average, about $2 million to investigate its operations in one country.
U.S. government investigators are also reviewing whether Microsoft had a role in allegations that resellers offered bribes to secure software deals with Romania's Ministry of Communications, according to people familiar with the matter.
A ministry spokeswoman said the allegations were inconsistent with agency records and that ministry officials aren't privy to the business arrangements between Microsoft and its intermediaries.
The agencies are looking at Microsoft's dealings with consultants in Italy that specialize in customer-loyalty programs, the people familiar with the matter said. They have received allegations that Microsoft's Italian unit used such consultants as vehicles for lavishing gifts and trips on Italian procurement officials in exchange for government business, the person said.
Microsoft said more than 170 of its employees are responsible for investigating or monitoring compliance with company policies, including those related to FCPA.
"We take all allegations seriously and investigate them fully regardless of the source," said Mr. Frank of Microsoft. "We also invest heavily in proactive training, monitoring and audits to ensure our business operations around the world meet the highest legal and ethical standards."
Following the publication Tuesday of The Wall Street Journal's article about the bribery investigation, Mr. Frank wrote on a Microsoft blog: "The matters raised in the Wall Street Journal are important, and it is appropriate that both Microsoft and the government review them. It is also important to remember that it is not unusual for such reviews to find that an allegation was without merit."
A new whistleblower program at the SEC, established in the summer of 2010 with the passage of Dodd-Frank, has added fuel to the government's FCPA enforcement efforts.
The program provides cash incentives for employees to blow the whistle on securities violations, including breaches of the FCPA. If the SEC gets involved and finds wrongdoing after a whistleblower complaint, a tipster stands to gain as much as 30% of any monetary sanction the agency recovers. The agency's whistleblower office, which often works in conjunction with the Justice Department, reported receiving 115 tips alleging violations of the FCPA in the fiscal year that ended in September 2012.
Microsoft has offices in more than 100 countries, and the company disclosed it had about 94,000 full-time employees as of June 30. The company said in 2012 there were roughly 640,000 Microsoft partner businesses world-wide.
Overseas, as in the U.S., the company's largest chunk of sales are for software such as the Windows system that is the backbone of most computers in use at workplaces and government offices, and Microsoft Office, the ubiquitous bundle of software that includes Word for creating documents, Excel for spreadsheets and Outlook for email.Microsoft doesn't disclose its revenue by country, but the company reported just under half of its $73.7 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ended June 30 was generated outside the U.S. Microsoft's international revenue also is growing more quickly, up 9.2% from the year earlier, compared with about 2.2% from U.S. sales, the company said. Microsoft in its financial reports also says emerging markets are a "significant focus" of the company's plans for overseas growth.
Executives have been quicker to launch internal probes into bribery allegations, even if they are vague, on the assumption that regulators and prosecutors have also received them, said Tom Hanusik, a white-collar defense lawyer at Crowell & Moring LLP. Companies, he said, would rather get the jump on a government probe than react to one.
Filing allegations simultaneously with the company and the government provides whistleblowers some job security. Companies can face private lawsuits for sacking employees in retaliation for submitting allegations to the SEC, even if the tips never lead to an enforcement action.
Write to Joe Palazzolo at email@example.com and Shira Ovide at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Two new Marc Ecko headphones doused in bright colors
Mark Ecko beefs up its Unltd.Sound series of streetwear headphones with two new over-ears blasted with bright colors.
The company today announced the Exhibit headphones that make bold statements in green, blue, red, gray, and white. The guts feature standard 40mm drivers but the presser makes no mention of an in-line remote control to control music on smartphones, which sounds irritating for users that prefer to keep their devices in a backpack or tucked away in a pocket.
The bright designs of the Exhibit headphones are inspired and extended to Ecko's matching CE accessories that include a range … Read more