text:
- All
- Angels and Demons
- Atonement
- Basic Reformed Theology
- Irresistible Grace
- Limited Atonement
- Perseverance of the Saints
- Total Depravity
- Unconditional Election
- The Church
- Church Discipline
- Church Leadership
- Creeds and Confessions
- God
- Holiness
- Sovereignty
- Heaven and Hell
- Heresies
- The Holy Spirit
- Jesus Christ
- Cross
- Incarnation
- Resurrection
- Justification
- Last Things
- Man and Sin
- Reference
- Sacraments
- Salvation
- Faith
- Regeneration
- Scripture
- Systematic Theology
- Theological Views
- Roman Catholicism
- Music
- Apologetics
- False Teaching
- Atheism
- Book Reviews
- Children's Books
- Christian Classics
- Christianity and Culture
- Creation
- Ethics
- Fiction and Literature
- Philosophy
- Science
- Bible Figures
- Bible Interpretation
- Bibles
- Books of the Bible
- Gospels
- Covenants
- General Reference Works
- Introduction to the Bible
- Jesus' Ministry
- Life of Jesus
- New Testament
- Old Testament
- Parables
- Prophecy
- Sermon on the Mount
- Ten Commandments
- The Lord's Prayer
- Controversies in the Church
- Alcohol
- Arts
- Bible Translation
- Covenant Theology
- Creationism
- Education
- Gender-Neutral Language
- Law and Gospel
- Lordship Salvation
- New Perspective on Paul
- Politics
- Race
- Sabbath
- Spiritual Gifts
- Women in Ministry
- Marriage and Family
- Divorce
- Parenting
- Practical Theology
- Discipleship
- Evangelism and Missions
- Grief and Death
- Pastoral Ministry
- Preaching
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- Spiritual Growth
- Anxiety and Worry
- Apostasy
- Assurance
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- Depression
- Doubt
- Fellowship
- Godliness
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- Humility
- Joy
- Knowing God's Will
- Legalism
- Love
- Money and Stewardship
- Oaths and Vows
- Prayer
- Pride
- Repentance and Forgiveness
- Sanctification and Growth
- Service
- Spiritual Fruit
- Suffering
- Thankfulness
- Vocation
- American Church History
- Ancient Church
- Biography
- The Byzantine East
- Eighteenth Century
- Enlightenment and Modernism
- Historical Theology
- Medieval Church
- Nineteenth Century
- Puritanism
- Reformation
- Seventeenth Century
- Twentieth Century
Growing Younger
I suspect it is a nearly universal phenomenon—we look in the mirror and wonder what happened. We are no longer what we once were. Worse still, we don't recognize ourselves in what we have become. When we are young, we …Read More
Instead of Worrying
"What? Me Worry?" Those of us who are old enough remember Alfred E. Neumann's mindless approach to worry. Similarly, Bobby McFerrin's smash hit "Don't Worry Be Happy" resonated with millions of people who just hoped that it could be that …Read More
What Are You Worried About?
We are inveterate plea-bargainers. We are adept at the art of the deal. Romans 1 tells us that in our fallen condition, we all deny the God we know exists. We know we stand guilty before Him, but we suppress …Read More
Comforting Eve
There are countless places in the Bible that will comfort Christians in their trials or encourage them in their obedience through reflection on the things that are to come. Perhaps it is too common (and unhelpful) to reduce these things, …Read More
All My Fears Relieved
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the Proverbs tell us, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of the end of all other fears. For us as sons of God, to fear God means …Read More
Fear and the Sovereignty of God
"God is in control." These words can be a wonderful comfort to people struggling with common phobias, natural fears, or even deep-seated terrors. The reminder that God is in control often brings great relief. But there are times when the …Read More
Fear of Death and Disease
"I see a spot we need to keep an eye on." Cancer. It wasn't a diagnosis that I ever expected to hear as a young man about to start a family. Immediately, my mind filled with questions: How will I …Read More
Fear of Failure
A friend of mine once told me: "My fear of failure has caused a big problem between my family and me. I don't spend much time with them during the week. I dread failing at my job so much that …Read More
Fear of Job Loss
Sometimes I worry about losing my job. Do you? I mean, I work pretty hard. But you never know, you know? Maybe funding for our organization won't come in. Or perhaps the organization's needs will change. Or even—I'm embarrassed to …Read More
Fear of Loss
On August 17, 2012, my wife suffered a nearly fatal bicycle accident. For the first few days, we didn't know whether she would live and in subsequent weeks, we didn't know what her future mental capacities would be. Thankfully, the …Read More


text:
Barbecued Ribs
Recipe by Tyler Florence
(Source: FoodNetwork.com)
- 2 slabs baby back ribs (about 3 pounds)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin Olive Oil
- 2 bacon slices
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 onion
- 3 smashed garlic cloves
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1 cup peach preserves
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
Special equipment: Kitchen twine
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Put the ribs on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Stick them in the oven, and let the ribs bake, low and slow for 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the middle of the thyme sprigs and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle.
Heat a 2-count of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme bundle and cook slowly for 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste.
Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly, without coloring, for 5 minutes.
Add all of the rest of the sauce ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors.
Put some sauce in a separate bowl for serving. Baste the ribs with the sauce and let them continue cooking, basting twice more, for 30 more minutes.
When the ribs are cooked, take them out of the oven. You can let them hang out like this until you're ready to eat.
When ready to eat, preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and broil the ribs, basting with the sauce. They should become crisp and charred, about 5 minutes on each side.
Pick the onion and garlic out of the sauce and serve with ribs.
This Recipe is also available at:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Copiers - Use by Employees
The St. Charles City-County Library District has supplied the Library Branches and Administrative Offices with copying machines for library business and patron's use; however, these machines may be used for employees personal copying too.
This policy shall apply to all reprographic copies, including photocopies, local fax copies and microform copies.
(Adopted 9/9/91)


text:
Amy Winehouse Tribute Concert Confirmed, Jessie J in Talks to Perform
Amy Winehouse's tragic death this July is still being mourned by those closest to her, but it also spurned her loved ones to action. Amy's beloved father, Mitch Winehouse, established the Amy Winehouse Foundation in her honor after her passing. Mitch is now organizing an A-list tribute concert in honor of the late 'Back to Black' chanteuse, with all proceeds going to the charity.
"The Amy Winehouse Foundation is very excited to be planning a benefit concert in tribute to Amy later this year," Mitch told the U.K. Press Association. "We will be talking to a variety of people in the coming months and will announce those performing as soon as we can."
No dates, lineups nor locations have yet been disclosed for the concert. The show is rumored to be a small, intimate show featuring artists that Amy looked up to, as well as artists she influenced. Jessie J and Lily Allen have both expressed interest in paying tribute to the fallen star.
If she participates, it will be Jessie J's second musical homage to Amy, following her 2011 Divas Live tribute. "Amy definitely paved the way for people like me and Adele," Jessie J said. "She broke boundaries, she set the standard. She wrote music that went worldwide. Until that point, British female artists hadn't really done anything since Annie Lennox."
Amy Winehouse continues to make her mark despite her sudden passing. Her posthumous release, 'Lioness,' debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. charts, while her breakout album, 'Back to Black,' surged back into the top 10 following her passing. While Amy Winehouse may be gone, she's certainly not forgotten -- and her music will live on indefinitely.


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Alabama Driver's License: When You Can Apply
|Type of License
|15+ (First Timers)
|Learner License
|Pass a Knowledge Test and a Vision Test.
|16+ (Learner License Holders)
|Restricted License
|Pass a Road Skills Exam.
|16+ (First Timers)
|Full (Adult) License
|Must be married and the head of a household. Also pass a Knowledge Test, a Vision Test, and a Road Skills Exam.
|18+ (First Timers)
|Full (Adult) License
|Pass a Knowledge Test, a Vision Test, and a Road Skills Exam.
|16+ (Learner License Holders)
|Full (Adult) License
|Must be married and the head of a household. Also pass a Road Skills Exam.
|18+ (Learner License Holders)
|Full (Adult) License
|Pass a Road Skills Exam.
|17+ (Restricted License Holders)
|Full (Adult) License
|Must have held Restricted License for 6 months.
|18+ (Restricted License Holders)
|Full (Adult) License
Note 1: If you are under 18 years of age, you must obtain consent from your parents or guardians before you may apply for any type of license.
Note 2: If you are under 19 years of age, you must be enrolled in or have graduated from secondary school or have obtained a GED before you may apply for any type of license.
Note 3: If more than one line of this table applies to you, you can choose either option unless otherwise specified.
Alabama Driver's License & Permit FAQ
How Can I Apply for my AL Driver's License? Frequently Asked Questions
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What age must I be before I can apply for my permit in Alabama?In Alabama, you must be 15 or older to apply for your permit.
What documents will I be required to have when I go to apply for my license in Alabama?The documents you bring to the DMV office should prove your identity & date of birth, social security number and proof of address. To prove your identity bring at least one of the following:
- Valid, unexpired US Passport
- Certified Birth Certificate
- Certificate of Citizenship
- Valid Permanent Resident Card
- Unexpired employment authorization document
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Social Security Card
- A certified letter from the Social Security Administration stating the person's name and Social Security Number
- W-2 Tax Form
- Medicare/Medicaid Card (if SS# IS FOLLOWED BY THE LETTER A)
- Voter Registration Card
- School Enrollment Documentation
- Social Security Benefits statements/summary mailed to physical address
- Utility bill less than 90 days old
- Proof of payment of residential property tax.
Where is the nearest place I can go to apply for a driver's license in Alabama?Your local Alabama public safety office, otherwise known as DMV office, is the place to go when you are ready to apply for your license. If you need additional help finding your local office, log onto www.dps.alabma.gov.
Is it easy to contact my nearest Alabama DMV office?It absolutely is! Any Alabama DMV office will be pleased to assist you. Just call (334)242-4400 or email email@example.com for any questions or concerns.
Who is allowed to bring me for my permit test in Alabama?Any valid licensed driver age 21 or older may bring you. This could be a parent, legal guardian, sibling, neighbor, driving instructor, or any licensed driver you can trust.
Is a physical required in order to get a permit in Alabama?A physical examination isn't required when getting your license in Alabama. Keep in mind however, if you are afflicted with a mental or physical impairment, an examiner officer has the authority to deem you unfit for driving.
Is a vision test necessary when I go to apply for my Alabama driver's license?Of course it is. You must be tested on how well you can see. If you wear corrective lenses, you should wear them during the exam.
Where do I get a photo for my Alabama driver's license taken?The state of Alabama uses their own photography system for driver licenses. Alabama also has a newly introduced Star ID system that has been put into effect for the purposes of reducing fraud and fighting terrorism. To find out more about this new system visit this page
What happens after I apply for my Alabama license?Your next steps are simple once you have applied for your license and have obtained your permit. If you are under age 18, you must wait at least 6 months before scheduling a road test. Make certain you acquire at least 30 hours of behind the wheel training before scheduling your road test. If you are over age 18, you may schedule your road test whenever you are ready without having to meet the above requirements.
Do I need to put up hair when taking driver's license photo?You may wear your hair the same way you would normally wear it; however, it should not be covering your face or your eyes. The purpose of the photo is to be able to identify who you really are. Besides, you would not want to hide that amazing face!
What make-up to wear when I get my AL driver's license picture taken?Wear your normal make-up; however, the less make-up the better. As long as you are not wearing so much make-up to where you are unrecognizable, you will be fine!
Why is it best not to smile when taking your drivers license picture?Some states are moving towards face recognition technology that will be able to uniquely identify each individual. A straight face on the photo helps distinguish who you really are. This is all in an effort to stop fraud.
What are some tips for getting the best out of the driver's license picture?Look straight into the camera and keep a calm and relaxed face!
I have a question that's not answered above. What do I do?If you can't find the answer to your question above, please use our Beginner Driver Q & A Section to get a professional answer from our experts! If you need any further assistance, you're welcome to contact us directly at email@example.com.
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Here's What Learners from Alabama are Saying:
"when I took my test I was surprised to find these questions on the real test. Make sure to download the AL driver app if you use iPhone, all the questions on it were on the real test. For real. Good luck."Nelly Harcourt Ronel, Huntsville, AL
"I've failed the test 6 times... yes 6 times. But I went across this site, studied for a WEEK and passed with only missing a few questions! I was starting to give up after a while, but when I came across these practice tests I knew there was a possibility of passing. I guess 7th time's the charm! Thank you so much!"Sierra G., Birmingham, AL
"This website is perfect for the test. Every question that I saw on the test was on here. I passed my permit test with flying colors (I got every question right). I highly recommend you take the test on here."Jasmine J., Montgomery, AL
"I got my permit book 3 weeks before my birthday. I was told about your website and took ALL of your practice tests about 100000 times each. It only took me 11 minutes to take my test, and pass with flying colors !!! "Megan W., Mobile, AL
"I took the permit practice tests on this site over and over for about 2 weeks straight and when it came time to take the actual test I aced it, I only missed two questions. I hadn't picked up the driver's manual book at all, I only used the online tests and I must say that it was really helpful!"Shaneka J., Tuscaloosa, AL
"I just want to say thank you to Driving-Tests.org. The free permit practice tests were very very helpful. I took my test today and I passed and I got permit just right after the test. Thank you very much. "Wilma Munding, Alabama
"This is a wonderful site that has helped me to train students preparing to get their permit. As for my students, the success rate went from 50% to 98% in just two years. Could not have found a better way to support classroom lectures."Steve Almond, Alabama
"Thanks to this website I got my driver license yesterday. The practice test on here was very helpful, almost identical to the test. I will refer anybody who's going to take the test soon. Thanks again for this site. :)"Antuane Evans, Alabama
"I passed on my first try! It was so easy! I got 100% on the test!"Jordan Tortorici, Alabama
"This site was very helpful! Two days ago I took my permit test, and I passed on my first try! I didn't even open the handbook! Great website! Ready for my road test soon!"Diana Vazquez, Alabama
"As I went to take my permit test today, I was incredibly nervous, but as I began to take the test, I realized that the questions were pretty much exactly like the ones on this site. Without the help of this site, I would have remained a nervous wreck and would have probably failed."Keana Jones, Alabama
"The practice tests are awesome, and yes - I passed. I GOT MY DL'S!"Olive Turner, Alabama
"Thanks to this website I passed my test on the 3rd try. Like they say third time is a charm!"Seth Sizemore, Alabama
"I studied online for the motorcycle test for 2 weeks. I memorized all the questions and about half of the test consisted of things found on this website. This website helped me considerably when it comes to eliminating wrong answers."Demus Copeland, Alabama


text:
What I Love And Hate About Living In Greece 🇬🇷
- published: 07 Nov 2018
- views: 167152
It was about time I made a video about what it\'s like living in Greece! What are the best places to visit? Is it easy being vegan in Greece? What is the financial crisis like and how the recession has impacted the country, the cost of living and the quality of life? ☞ If you enjoyed watching this video and want to help me make more please consider supporting me on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/kristenleo Huge thank you to my Patrons: Quentin Tourteaux, C Stefan, Anastasija Semyonova, Baylie Antionette McIntyre Higgins, Elina Lukas, Ioana Sabau, Natalie Rector & Scarlet other places you can find me: ☞ SHOP MY CLOSET - https://www.depop.com/kristenleo ☞ VLOG CHANNEL - https://www.youtube.com/KristenEtc ☞ BLOG - http://kristenleotsakou.blogspot.com/ ☞ INSTAGRAM - http://instagram.com/KristenLeo/ __ Places I\'ve vlogged around Greece! Astypalea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtjDa0iOfPk Mani: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K9czpid2fg Paros: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp2OGVg2Evk&t=3s Evia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IqvrEOpGcE __ faq\'s: Where can I find a list of ethical brands? ☞ Right here! http://kristenleotsakou.blogspot.gr/p/ethical-brands.html __ *This is not a sponsored video...


text:
Lingenfelter is now offering packages for your 2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray to bring your horsepower up to 750 or even 1,000 employing the use of 417 cubic-inch engines – one equipped with a supercharger and the other with twin turbochargers. Though the price of either package has yet to be determined, you better start counting your pennies, ladies and gents.
The first package produces 750 horsepower with a Magnuson TVS2300 Supercharger mated to a 417 cubic-inch LT1, while the second package has a twin-turbo LT1, making 1,000 horsepower. Pricing will include the removal, inspection, and disassembly of the engine and the preparation of the custom LT1 aluminum block. The list of modifications is extensive, and both builds require the deletion of factory Active Fuel Management (AFM) and variable cam timing system.
Each package comes complete with: JE forged aluminum pistons, Total Seal premium file-fit rings, Callies forged steel crankshaft, Oliver billet 4340 forged steel I-beam connecting rods, heavy-duty rod and main bearings, and a computer balanced rotating assembly, Lingenfelter CNC ported and polished LT1 cylinder heads, OEM hollow stem 2.13-inch intake valves and 1.59-inch diameter exhaust valves, three-angle valve job, hand blending of valve seats, CC chambers, surface, set spring heights and assembly, Comp Cams valve springs and seals, Lingenfelter supercharger hydraulic roller camshaft by Comp Cams, a ported and polished throttle body, and a 160-degree thermostat. Each package's fuel system is upgraded to support the added horsepower.
While the supercharged package features a Magnuson Heartbeat TVS2300 intercooled supercharger system, the twin-turbo option comes complete with a Lingenfelter Gen-2 twin-turbo system featuring dual Garrett true ball bearing turbochargers, which are liquid cooled and engine oil lubricated. Lingenfelter uses a proprietary compressor and exhaust housing combination with integral wastegates, super high efficiency liquid-to-air chargecooler, high-efficiency liquid-to-air heat exchanger, coolant tank and pump assembly, and 304 stainless steel 4-into-1 custom exhaust manifolds and turbo outlets. Lingenfelter turbocharger scavenge pump and turbo oil drain reservoir, custom molded silicone air ducts, and two K&N 360 degree conical air filters, as well as stainless steel and ceramic heat shields and stainless clamps, round out the list.
All necessary gaskets, fluids, and bolts are provided with both packages, as is professional assembly and engine installation. Engine testing and expert ECM tuning, as well as baseline and post-build chassis dyno testing are included with a three year/36,000-mile warranty for the supercharged, and one year/12,000-mile warranty for the turbocharged package. Each individual Corvette is given a four-wheel alignment, wash and detail, and a full tank of 93 octane fuel before delivery.
Lingenfelter claims that even with all the added horsepower, the Corvettes retain excellent drivability and the highway mileage is not adversely affected.
Each completed Corvette is documented with a Lingenfelter certificate of authenticity and badged with Lingenfelter chrome on the fender, interior, and under-hood. A normal installation takes about four to six weeks for the supercharged package and eight to ten weeks for the twin-turbo package, in addition to a four week notification prior to the build, but this can fluctuate based on current production levels.
Visit www.lingenfelter.com for more information.


text:
A full in-depth and hands on course with excellent tuition
The Letterpress course provided by the University of the Arts London, College of...more
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text:
LONDON — Prince Harry has spent the night in a giant freezer to simulate the conditions he will face when he treks to the South Pole in November.
The 29-year-old royal, who will race with a team of injured British servicemen and women against groups from the United States and the Commonwealth, spent around 20 hours in a cold chamber where he was subjected to temperatures of -35 Celsius (-31 Fahrenheit), with wind speeds of 45 miles per hour.
Alongside four teammates — all amputees who lost limbs after sustaining injuries in Afghanistan — Harry tested the clothing he will wear on the 200-mile (320-kilometer) expedition and learned how to avoid frostbite.
When asked Tuesday what the worst part of his overnight experience was, Harry joked: "Going in."
The challenging expedition is set to begin in late November and is expected to last about 15 days. The teams plan to trek between nine and 12 miles each day.
Actors Alexander Skarsgard from the "True Blood" series and Dominic West of "The Wire" will also participate in the race.


text:
Return to Transcripts main page
Dealing with the Country's Deficit; Healthcare Reform
Aired November 14, 2010 - 15:00 ET
ALI VELSHI, CNN HOST: The government you want versus the government you're willing to pay for. Welcome to YOUR MONEY, I'm Ali Velshi; Christine Romans joins me in a moment to break down what cuts President Obama's bipartisan deficit commission is proposing. How it is going to affect you. But first I want to bring in CNNs chief national correspondent John King who hosts "John King, USA," airs every week night at 7:00 pm Eastern. John, the proposal calls for $4 trillion, $4 trillion in cuts to the deficit. This CNN National Exit Poll found that voters felt reducing the deficit was the highest priority for this next Congress, higher than creating jobs, higher than cutting taxes. John does this mean that a politician could actually get away with either raising taxes or cutting programs if it means a serious reduction in the deficit and a reduction in the debt? JOHN KING, HOST, CNNS "JOHN KING, USA:" My friend, welcome to Washington. Yes, we wish that were the case. Already, you saw the initial reaction. From the left it was dead on arrival because it touches Medicare and Social Security. From the right it was dead on arrival because it has revenue increases, meaning tax increases. And so you have instant polarization, which is the reason we haven't dealt with any of these big issues whether it is the deficit or entitlements for about a quarter of a century now. Bill Clinton tried couldn't get much done, George W. Bush tried, couldn't get much done. Because both parties immediately retreat into their ideological special interest bunkers that is why they try to have this Ali it's like a base commission. You have to have an up or down vote in the Congress. They won't get a majority for this report for that. So we'll see going forward but the early reaction tells you quite a bit. VELSHI: All right. But at least the discussion is happening and hopefully continues to happen. Let me just give our viewers a sense of the debt. The deficit is the yearly shortfall between how much revenue the government comes in and how much they spent. The accumulation of those deficits is the national debt. Here we are right now. Debt is about 60 percent. U.S. debt is about 60 percent of the GDP that is the size of the whole economy. That's particularly high. It's not double our normal historical levels but it is pretty high. Now look what happens under current law. If nothing changes, follow the red line with me. You'll see that our deficit -- our debt will continue to grow all the way out to 2040. We're going to be crossing 80 percent of GDP. But current law is going to change. Things are changing. If it did change based on policies that we're expecting, follow the light blue line with me all the way out we cross, we're getting to 200 percent of GDP. Can you imagine if your debt were double the size of your entire economy? I mean at 100 percent you're basically looking at bankruptcy. Now the Deficit Commission that we're talking about. Take a look at this. This is the dark blue line, under their proposals, if the proposals that they suggest go through you will see the debt actually dropping to under 40 percent of GDP by 2040. David Walker, you've seen him on our show. David Walker is the founder and CEO of The Come Back America Initiative, he is also the former U.S. controller general and he is a deficit hawk. David, for all the complaining about this whole thing, by 2040 if you enacted all the proposals in this commission you'd still be at 40 percent of GDP for our national debt which is higher than people think it should be. DAVID WALKER, FOUNDER & CEO, THE COME BACK AMERICA INITIATIVE: That's right, Ali. In fact, when you look at truth in accounting, we're already over 60 percent of GDP with public debt you mentioned. That's only the second time in the history of the United States we've been that high. The only other time was World War II. If you count what we owe Social Security and Medicare we're 92 percent of GDP already. We're only three years away from where Greece was when they had their crisis. We have a problem. The fact the far right and the far left have a problem with the proposal is good news because the answer is in the sensible center. VELSHI: Christine, there are a lot of cuts here. John was saying this is why everybody gets into their ideological bunkers. Let's talk about cuts; defense gets cut just like everything else. To bring military savings up to $100 billion in 2015, here is what the panel is recommending. Freezing pay, including noncombat pay in the ranks, cutting procurements, the military actually ends up buying less and closing overseas military bases by a third. That's the Pentagon side of things. Take a look at domestic spending. The panel is recommending freezing government pay by -- freezing government pay and cutting the workforce, the government workforce, also eliminating all earmarks. This is what the critics have called pork. Although as we know, earmarks don't amount to a whole lot of difference in the federal budget. Then there's the issue of taxes. The panel says to reform and simplify, cut tax rates into three rates, but also cut important some deductions including for many people with big mortgages the mortgage interest deduction. There is also a proposal to raise the gas tax by $0.15 a gallon. Christine, the president asked for tough cuts. Everything had to be on the table. This is going to be a hard sell and its alienated people with any of these interests. CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN HOST, YOUR MONEY: It has. And I agree with David Walker that so many people are alienated and it shows that maybe they struck a nerve here. How does the president sell it? In one way it maybe gives the president and Congress some cover, if you can get this commission to propose these tough cuts and sell it to America people and if you look we've got to do this. But listen here is what budget analysts say, if you don't do this now, take for the gas tax, for example, you won't have a job to drive to in 25 years where you're putting gas in your car or you won't be able to afford the car to put the gas in. These are the things that have to happen now so we can have a vibrant economy down the road. We have to pay for what we have already spent and make sure that we do it in a way that doesn't hurt economy and recovery right now but and the time has come. That's what the president and Congress have to sell to American people. VELSHI: Diane Swonk is the chief economist with Mesirow Financial. Diane we have a few issues here, we want to make sure that this commission doesn't end up like the 9/11 commission where nobody does anything. But that danger really does exist. They were told do what you have to do to figure out an answer to this debt and deficit question. Did they overreach to the point, as John suggests, it might be dead on arrival? DIANE SWONK, CHIEF ECONOMIST, MESIROW FINANCIAL: You know I think no matter what they did was going to be dead on arrival. I think John points out something really important, what the American people think they want and the reality of what that actually means for their lives are two different things. The gap in bridging that is very difficult. And in fact I agree with David I mean I still think the commission fell short in terms of what they could have done. They didn't want to overkill and sort of go where they thought they really needed to go to deal with the real structural deficit out there. This really doesn't have much on entitlements over the longer haul. But on the other side of it they were trying not to go so far that they wouldn't get any negotiation. At the end of the day, the background research on this Pull and Pearson Research (ph) says we need have new budget accords; we need to have new rules that Congress has to act. That's what is lacking in all this. We can have all the commissions in the world and point out the commissions to advise us but if we don't have rules in which we have to get Congress to actually be disciplined to have a discussion, they are going to continue to act like children. I really am kind of ready to give the whole Congress a time-out at this point. ROMANS: A time-out. But if you could somehow so that when they overspent they have automatic tax increases. Right, Diane? You automatically have triggers that when we -- SWONK: Spending freezes. Absolutely. ROMANS: So that they had to -- that would also give them the political cover as well. They could say to the constituents, look, these are the rules. Because nobody wants to take the blame at the voting booth for actually doing the things that the people at the voting booth say they want done. VELSHI: One of the things that is going on here, a proposed increase in the retirement age from 67 to 69. We saw what's going on in Europe, in England, protests -- SWONK: But it is over decades Ali. I mean -- come on, how much lower can you do it? VELSHI: People who are going to be affected by this will have 30 or 40 years to plan for it. SWONK: Yes. VELSHI: John, who carries this ball and tries to get it through Congress? KING: The president says he will carry the ball Ali and he says he will try to get both sides to listen. Look this is a town that is dictated by the politics of the moment. And something just happened in the midterm elections that I believe is a significant obstacle unfortunately to having a grown-up conversation about the issues you're talking about. And that is for the first time Republicans won the elderly vote, the senior vote by a big margin, it was a huge shift toward the Republicans. So will they the Republicans who have said that reforming Social Security and Medicare is critical to deficit reduction and long term structural fiscal sanity in Washington will they now be willing to take the risk of alienating those voters they just won over. If you're the Democrats you just lost the elderly vote, you have long said you wouldn't do this, you would stand up and fight this, well you now think the way to get them back is to say no, we will not raise the retirement age, no we will not subject more income to taxation. Short-term politics of this are unfortunately right in the middle, right in the way, a giant speed bump if not road block. VELSHI: OK, hold the thought. We're going to take a quick break; we're going to continue with all of you here. Let's continue this discussion. We know we have to cut the deficit but why? What would change in your life if we did not actually do anything about this? I know David Walker has some thoughts on this so does Christine. We'll talk about that in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) VELSHI: The economy is issue number one for Americans. It has been for about three years now. But here is something interesting. The deficit has overtaken jobs as the number one concern for Americans who voted in last weeks mid term elections. I want to ask David Walker a question about this. David, let's look at these projections about the national debt in the United States. If we do nothing, it stays online and by 2035 or 2040, we're at 80 percent of our GDP, 80 percent of what we create economically as a nation, our debt will be at that level. If things continue the way they are going and current policies are enacted, which are going to cost us more money, look at where that line goes way up above 200 percent. Here is my question for you, David. I know what joblessness is all about. I know people who have lost jobs. What happens? Tell me what it feels like to have deficits and debts going the way of this line chart. What does that actually mean? How do I feel it? What happens to me as a person in this country? WALKER: What it means over time, not now, but over time if we don't correct our course is much higher interest rates, much higher inflation, a dramatic decline on the value of the dollar, higher unemployment, lower economic growth, and lower standard of living for our children and grandchildren. Look, Ali, American people get it. Washington is a lag indicator. These surveys about Social Security and taxes are incredibly superficial. I've been to 440 states, hundreds of thousands people talking. I'm in Chicago today. People get it. They want leadership. They want truth. They want tough choices and it's time they got it. VELSHI: Diane, let me ask you this. How much debt should a country have? Should we have no debt at all? Is there a certain amount of debt that's OK as a percentage of GDP? Where should it be? SWONK: That's the million dollar question that no one has the exact answer to, alls we know is that we have too much debt now and we are on the wrong trajectory. That said we have reserve currency as well. We've been given extraordinary privileges in the world with the U.S. dollar being a reserve currency. So not only does rising debt cause all of the things, and I agree 100 percent with what David is saying, a debt crisis may be sooner rather than later as some on the commission were quoted saying could have been news on an other nice slow news day to cause a crisis in the financial markets in the next two to three years. VELSHI: All right. John, the issue here is that we know that this is what people are concerned about. Someone is going to have to have an answer. Is this going to become the biggest issue of the presidential election? KING: I think it will be for the next two years and into the next presidential election. David Walker is dead right the American people are ahead of their government and their politicians on this. Because Ali you know this, over the past two or three years every family in America has had to make incredibly difficult choices and do things they didn't want to do. And so they look at Washington and they say why won't you do things that you don't want to do, why don't you break your rules and do something about this and be grownups? VELSHI: John, the bottom line is we've had sacred cows, things that were never going to be touched. But people in their own homes have had to deal with those sacred cows. So I guess it's time that the government does, too. KING: But the politicians don't trust each other. They often don't trust the very voters that just sent them here to Washington. The trust deficit between the Democrats and the Republicans is what gets in the way here. Because they think they will go into a room and cut a deal and then in the next campaign somebody will run an ad that says Ali Velshi just raised your taxes, he is going to make grandma work until she is 70, and he froze military pay for our heroes overseas. That is what they see; they see the short term politics of these attack ads. They won't get in the room and make grown-up decisions. The American people look out and say we have to do this, why can't you. It is the perfect environment for Perot like independent movement however the one thing the two parties agree on is making it hard for there to be a third party. ROMANS: But it also makes it sound like we can all just sit here and watch Congress drive us into a ditch. It makes me feel very powerless sort of if so many people and the American people say they are so worried about this John but you can't change the DNA of Washington. VELSHI: Even after a midterm election like the one we just had. KING: It is why the president tried to set this up so that you force Congress to have an up or down vote. Everybody has to do it together. Essentially you all walk the plank together. But if they can't get the fourteen votes for this one report, there will be a couple of other proposals coming down the road just in a minute, that won't happen, and when that doesn't happen look, the new Republican House does not trust the president of the United States. And many Republicans think that their best effort is to carry this debate over into the next presidential election where they think they can win the White House and have a favorable political climate. Politically they might be right. But to the structural issues you are all talking about, everybody knows the sooner we deal with this, the easier it is, it is hard but the sooner the better, but this town does not seem capable of doing big things at the moment. VELSHI: I hear you. John, your show every week day at 7:00 pm Eastern right here on CNN, "JK USA" thanks for joining us. The health care battle is over, right? Well no, it isn't. The Republicans want to repeal the health care bill. But that might not be possible. So they have another plan and I'm going to tell you about it when we come back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) VELSHI: The results of the midterm elections could bring changes to your health care coverage because Republicans are trying to dismantle President Obama's health care reform. Dana Bash is CNNs senior congressional correspondent, Dana, while repealing the legislation entirely is not likely, given that the Republicans only have control of the House, they can fight health care reform in other ways by passing legislation or blocking funding. What are they planning to do? DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. I just got off the phone with a senior Republican source who used this term, death by a thousands cuts. They know full well just as you said that they don't have the votes to fulfill their campaign promise to fully repeal. But one thing that they do have in Congress is the power of the purse. For example, there is money that is required to put forward this legislation. For example, hiring IRS agents to do that. They can try to block that funding. They can try to block funding to implement specific regulations. So they are going to try to do that one by one. Still having said they can't pass it, I will tell you that they are going to try. In fact I was told that the very first month Republicans have the majority they are at least going to push that repeal bill forward just to say politically look we can do it and we did it in the House. VELSHI: Christine, put aside the politics for a second, although one can really never do that, we've been talking about the rise in the deficit and ways to curb spending, is health care on the table for cuts, if I want to continue that analogy? ROMANS: When you look at the deficit reduction plan that come forward this week, yes, health care is in there, because the government is a huge consumer of health care. Here are a couple of things that are on the table for discussion for how to get down the governments bill in health care. First of all, the doc fix, how much are you going to pay doctors? Are you doing to pay doctors for defensive medicine? Also, the military, health care in the military. Tri-care, the military health care system was kept out of health care reform. But it's right there in that draft proposal for how to cut the deficit, moving more of the cost of health care onto military retirees. All of these things still being talked about, not all of them very popular at all, I will tell you. So that's where politics come right back in. VELSHI: Our friend Andrew Rubin is the VP of Clinical Affairs at NYU Langone Medical Center, he is also the host of Sirius XM Doctor Radio, Andrew what are some of the benefits available to Americans now as a result of the health care reform that was passed? That those could be at stake as well depending how the Republicans move forward. ANDREW RUBIN, NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER: They can be at stake. The American public likes a lot of the things that have kicked in so far. You know covering the dependent age children up to age 26. You know tax credits for small businesses to provide insurance for their employees when they have fewer than 50 employees. Closing the Medicare doughnut hole, the portion of the drug expense that seniors pay themselves out of pocket this year. The elimination of lifetime caps on insurance payouts. These are big things that the public really likes. VELSHI: Dana was just talking about how the Republicans can try and cut funding or not let some of the new initiatives that haven't been put into place not happen because they won't fund them. How much of this debate comes from how to pay for these protections? Is the law that has been put into place funded? RUBIN: So health care reform is paid for. Insurance reform is paid for but it is paid for by very unpopular items which are easy to go after. Quite frankly I'm not sure everybody understands it. Taxes on high income individuals and families, tax on these so called Cadillac plans, these are the expensive insurance plans, forcing corporations to provide insurance for their employees or make them pay a penalty. There's a lot of easy targets for any party to go after if you don't like health care reform. VELSHI: Now Dana, this health care reform, it was a signature policy of this administration, of this Democratic Congress that was just defeated. How do Democrats who like health care, how do Americans who like the benefits that Andrew was just talking about, how do they fight back against Republicans who want to dismantle it? BASH: You know what? When hearing Democrats say is the same thing we heard them say during the campaign, that they have to do a better a job, basically what Andrew just said, explaining it in plain English, this is what is going to help you; this is what you should like about it. It's not just big bad government as Republicans are pointed out there taking over the health care system. So that's going to be their big challenge. Look if they didn't do it before with the bully pulpit and control of Congress, get that message out there, it's going to be unclear how they are going to do it when they have the Republican rhetoric very much louder to battle against. VELSHI: We remember those town hall meetings; we remember all that yelling, and the White House lost control of that message right from the beginning. So maybe round two might be more successful. Dana thanks so much, good to see you. BASH: Thank you. VELSHI: Andrew good to see you as well. It is the showdown in Seoul or was it. Did global leaders make any decisions after their long trek to South Korea for the G-20? Richard Quest joins the conversation after the break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) VELSHI: The G-20 Economic Summit this week in Seoul, Korea, the group of 20, includes these countries you see in red. They are 20 countries, they are the world's biggest or fastest growing economies and together they represent 85 percent of the world's economic output, 85 percent of the world's GDP. We always talk about that. China and the U.S. and their currencies are particularly in the spotlight this year. The Chinese Yuan, the America dollar competing currencies. The Chinese are accusing the U.S. and, by the way, vice versa, of driving each other's currency down. Driving your own currency down. Why would a country want to keep its currency low? When the Chinese currency is worth less, Chinese products can be sold for less abroad. Last month alone, China sold $27 billion more to the world, it exported $27 billion more than it actually imported. For years in the United States it's been the other way around. The U.S. has imported far more than it sold to other countries. In September that difference was $44 billion. The U.S. imported $44 billion more than it exported. The Federal Reserve decided last week to pump more money into the U.S. economy by buying up treasury bills. We described that as QE 2, quantitative easing. That has lowered the value of the U.S. dollar as expected. When you take all that money and you put it into the economy it makes that U.S. dollar worth less money. Now most people only think about currency when it effects their decisions to take a trip or things like this. VELSHI: But this currency battle, war what ever you want to call it, how does this trickle down, how does it affect regular people? ROMANS: Currency affects jobs and I mean that's the fundamental battle here right now. Because a weaker currency allows you to export your stuff. When you are exporting more stuff that means your factories are going, your mines are going, your industrial output is up and you're shipping things around the world and that's helping you. The question here is are all these countries around the world trying to drive down their countries so that they can give their export machines a little bit of an edge and who does that hurt in the process. That is what they are squabbling about here. VELSHI: Now Richard Quest the host of CNNIs "Quest means Business" joins me now from Abu Dhabi, which is only halfway to Seoul because I suspect he didn't think that whole G-20 was going to be worth the trip. Richard, President Obama said that this week in Seoul the best thing that the United States can do for the world economy is to grow because the U.S. is a huge engine for other country's growth. Is that true? RICHARD QUEST, CNNI S HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUISNESS:" Absolutely. The U.S. president's words were completely and utterly accurate. There is no doubt as the consumer of last resort when the going gets tough the Americans go shopping. Until now, of course, in this recovery that has not happened. But the reality is the U.S. economy is in no structural position to enjoy that sort of fast recovery the president talks about. Hence, the need to massage it with all these other things, like currencies, a GE 2. This the communique. It is three pages long. Frankly, you and I, Christine, we've all plowed through more than enough of these. I've never read a more irrelevant and frankly more pathetic description for a communique. VELSHI: Bottom line is they punted on decisions. Christine you were at a G-20 in Pittsburgh last year. There was a strong feeling then. We were in the midst of that crisis. We still felt like the crisis, the world had come together. They were going to be coordinated in their efforts to prop up the world's economy. Central bankers were making deals with each other. It feels like this year it's everyone for themselves. ROMANS: I completely agree. You're absolutely right Richard that in the annals of communique speaks. They tried very hard not to say what everyone wanted to hear here. I mean it is a question of do you talk about competitive evaluations of currencies which no one wants and making real arrestment on that or do you talk about fixing global imbalances which are still there in spades or do you say we agree to agree on something down the road. Things happen slowly in diplomacy. After last year in Pittsburgh Ali, I thought that you would have the world talking more in one voice. VELSHI: And they weren't doing that, Richard. QUEST: The problem is, there have been these great moments in history like Breton Woods after the second World War when the nations have come together, the G-20 in Washington, in London and in Philadelphia -- sorry, Pittsburgh, when they came tamed together to try and solve these problems. What they are now doing is tinkering at the edges. The House isn't burning but it is clearly moldering somewhere in the basement. And the real risk Ali is if they don't start dealing with these imbalances as the president of the World Bank has said, as more and more people are saying, eventually those embers will be set afire again. ROMANS: Let's be clear those imbalances are, China saves too much exports to much. United States spends too much and imports too much. Europe needs to invest more. That's exactly what happened before the crisis. Many people said those huge -- magnetism of these big imbalances, structural imbalances are what created the whole problem in the first place that allowed the housing crisis to erupt and it's all still there. VELSHI: Richard, good to see you my friend. Try to bring a little more energy next time you join us. We'll take a break. Bacon, cereal, coffee, sounds like a great way to start your day if you can afford it. Rising commodity prices are taking a big bite out of your breakfast. I'm going to talk about that next. But first from the world of finance to styling pets. Stephanie Elam has the story of a Wall Street veteran who turned his career upside down in this week's "Turnaround." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After two decades on Wall Street, Eric Diaz traded his suit and tie for tails and paws and he couldn't be happier. ERIC DIAZ, AUSSIE PET MOBILE FRANCHISE OWNER: I woke up one morning and said, I don't want anything to do with the financial business anymore. I want to do something different that's totally unrelated to money. ELAM: Eric took an early retirement package from Merrill Lynch. After equal parts researching and soul searching he took the career leap from being a corporate employee to a franchise owner of Aussie Pet Mobile, a mobile grooming company. DIAZ: And now I own my own business. You have to have the business knowledge to be able to do so. You're doing to get a nice bath there. Good girl. My territory is all of Hudson County, New Jersey, which calls for about seven vans. The franchise afforded me the opportunity to go at a slow pace and get one van at a time until I built up a client base. ELAM: His client based has grown to over 400 furry customers in just a year and a half and he says demand isn't slowing down. DIAZ: We call you and you come and groom. ELAM: Eric credits the franchise model with his success. DIAZ: The franchise is well established. They have a name for themselves, a brand for themselves, they have a current system that is working and in place. Their marketing team is already established and available. My ultimate hope is that I'm able to have a team of groomers with at least five to seven vans to service my community and my territory. ELAM: And he's working toward that goal one fuzzy client at a time. Stephanie Elam, CNN, New York. (END VIDEO CLIP) VELSHI: From what you eat to what you wear, your cost of living is increasing. Tom Jackson is an agriculture economist at IHS Global Insight. Tom coffee, wheat, sugar, cotton, why are we paying more for these things? TOM JACKSON, AGRICULTURE ECONOMIST, IHS GLOBAL INSIGHT: Well I think part of it is a function of the weakening of the dollar. For all this to be happening all at once, I do think there's a correlation that these commodities are being used as a hedge really more against a weakening dollar as much as a hedge against inflation. VELSHI: Christine, how much of it is plain old supply and demand? I know in some cases we've seen with the recession ending more people buying cotton then we've had less cotton production. ROMANS: Some is. I mean you have China as a huge consumer, India is a huge consumer. We're talking about oil that is always a factor there. But looking in the U.S., gas demand is actually down a little bit. You do have this rush into these commodities. You also have I think a drought in Russia. You've got cold, wet weather for coffee. All kinds of different things coming together, so the usual supply and demand things against this new backdrop of a weak dollar. Boom, you get an explosion in commodities. VELSHI: We've seen this play out with oil in the past. Let's bring in Jeff Rubin. Jeff we've talked to him a lot. He is the author of "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller." Jeff, oil prices moving higher as well. Again, tell me the story there. Is this global demand because the world's economies are getting better? Is it a hedge because money can be made in oil? What's going on? JEFF RUBIN, ECONOMIST: Well, I think we're going to find, Ali that the same consumers that drove oil to triple digit prices in the last cycle are going to do it again. That's not going to be the U.S. consumer or, indeed, any of the OECD economies. China is already almost at 9 million barrels a day. In the next couple of years, we're going to see what happened in coal 10 years ago happen in oil, which the developing world now is consuming more than the developed world. In a world where the oil supply is hardly growing then consuming oil becomes what we call a zero sum gain. Which means that if China is going to consume more, countries like America will have to consume less. VELSHI: So if you're sitting home and thinking all right you know so my gas prices are going to go up, and then there are these commodity prices that might go up, but ultimately that doesn't mean inflation for the whole economy, Jeff, it ultimately does mean inflation for the whole economy. Because if food prices are going up and energy prices are going up that works its way through to almost everything we spend money on. RUBIN: That's exactly what happened last cycle, Ali, when inflation went from 1 to 5.5 percent and the Fed fund rate had to rise and blew up the subprime mortgage market virtually all that inflation was coming from two components of the CPI, oil and food, just like we're seeing again. VELSHI: Tom, what happens when commodity prices for food increase? Do we find people backing off a little bit, buying less of it, or are we talking about things that people can't really choose to get out of their lives? JACKSON: I think you do see some adjustment in consumer behavior, especially in the current environment. Really this time around it's not the U.S. consumer that's driving these higher prices that much. Margins have been squeezed an awful lot between the wholesale and retail level already. That's going to be the big tug-of-war especially in 2011 is who is going to win that battle. Certainly consumers are fighting back a lot more than they probably did. VELSHI: Someone is going to have to absorb any of these increases. It's a good discussion. Guys, thanks very much. Jeff good to see you again. Tom thanks very much for being with us as well. OK. Let's talk gold. Three questions. One, did you miss your chance to get in? Two, are these high prices of gold here to stay? Three, what can you do with gold that you own? We'll have the answers to those questions coming up next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) VELSHI: Welcome back to YOUR MONEY. Take a look at this blue line on the chart. This is the S&P 500, a broad-based stock index that you may have mutual funds that mimic those in your 401(k). If you go back to 2005, the S&P 500 is basically down roughly 1.75 percent over the past five years. Take a look at the red line, that's gold. If you had put your money in a fund that tracks the price of gold over the same time period our return would be substantially higher, about 200 percent. You might look at this and say gold seems like a sure bet. But this is always the question we have. Gold topping $1400 an ounce this week. Does that mean it's too late? Does that mean you should be getting in? What are you supposed to do? Let's bring in Stephen Leeb he is the author of "Game Over" and several other books. He is a friend of our show. Stephen what do you do now? You are not a gold investor should you be starting now? STEPHEN LEEB, AUTHOR, "GAME OVER:" Yes, I would start now Ali, but not go in whole hog. I mean what I would look to do is buy some now and maybe buy some more if you get a correction of 5 to 10 percent. I would aim to get at least 20 percent of your assets into gold. ROMANS: Twenty percent, really? LEEB: And for me Christine, if you would have asked me this question 15 years ago, I would have said, what do you mean by gold. They are all nuts. I'm not a gold bug by nature. But this is what the world is giving you right now. When you see a chart like you just presented, that's not an accident. I mean gold is a major reflection of economic trends that are happening in the world and that are not really changing. And you just have to, you know, face reality. I mean maybe someday, and I hope someday soon, I'll be able to say it changed. We have growth; we have real substantial economic growth and get out of all your gold. I would love to be able to say that. VELSHI: You don't think now? LEEB: No. I don't. ROMANS: I man you always also say you need to have a portion of your portfolio in these things as a hedge against what's happening elsewhere. But one thing that I worry about is the people getting in now when the real smart people who made a lot of money over the last year and a half are all getting out. Like you could really get slaughtered if there's a pullback in gold here and you put too much of your nonrisk money into it. LEEB: Right. Well, first of all, I mean that's absolutely true. I mean, gold unlike stocks are more than stocks are volatile. Any investment, virtually any investment is volatile and gold is more volatile than most. Would I be surprised, Christine and Ali if gold went down 15 percent to let's say $1,200? Not at all. ROMANS: But you would buy it? LEEB: I would absolutely buy it. Unless I saw something really fundamentally changing in this country. Unless I saw that dip, not as so much a dip, a natural correction, but really a reflection of an underlying fundamental change. Then I'd be glad to say I misled you, you should not have bought it at $1,400, don't buy more, get out of what you did, go back into the stock market and you know look forward to wonderful times. VELSHI: One of things we talk about, is that gold, people hold it because it's easy to get rid of and it is easy to exchange, it is a hard currency but there are a whole lot of people going into these stores that are popping up all across America with their jewelry and their trinkets and they're getting a very poor return on it when they go sell it. If you have gold and you wanted to sell it, what are you supposed to do? LEEB: First of all, I mean, you've got to shop around. If you have, like jewelry. If that's what you're talking about? Wedding ring, like this, I want to get rid of it. No, I don't want to get rid of it. I would do a lot of research on the Internet. I mean just common sense. I would not go to your typical guy on this street or that street. I would really look on the Internet, find -- there must be some -- it is out of my area of expertise, but there must be agencies or organizations that endorse particular people that say, yes, they can buy it. I mean if you're buying gold at Tiffany's, that's a bad mistake. ROMANS: True. LEEB: I men, unless, you want that little blue box. Whatever. It's not a good -- it's marked up 300, 400 percent. If you want to buy gold, the reverse of it, you want the same thing. Go to the Internet. Find credible gold dealers. Make sure it's not being marked up. If you want to sell gold, credible people are out there. VELSHI: Right. LEEB: But you can - yes Ali, you can absolutely get murdered doing something like that. Just don't do it willy-nilly and you know, it's a terrible mistake. Really do a lot of research. ROMANS: You're going to hock your wedding ring you better make sure you get a good price for it. LEEB: Yes. VELSHI: All right. Good to talk to you, as always. Thanks. We'll stay on this topic. I imagine we'll be talking about gold for a long time. $88,000 in debt and all of a sudden debt-free, it took him three years to do it, it can be done. Smart is the new rich. We'll tell you how, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) VELSHI: From $88,000 in debt to debt-free in three years. Sounds unrealistic right? But Christine, it's actually a very, very real story. ROMANS: It is an amazing story. I met this couple who had $88.000 in credit card debt, all kinds of debt and they made a decision that they were going to cut down that debt. They had a five-year plan and they got out of it in three years. It's possible. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS (voice over): There are more than a dozen accounts here that you had to close off. DON CARROLL, PAID OFF $88,000 DEBT: Oh, yes. CAROL CARROLL, PAID OFF $88,000 DEBT: Yes. ROMANS: Three years ago Carol and Don Carroll were $88,000 in debt. Today, they're debt-free. D. CARROLL: It wasn't like we went, let's go buy a Mazaradi. All it takes is one little pickup to start this horrible, horrible snowball effect going downhill. ROMANS: The Carroll's spent every penny and then some on credit cards, gas cards, and medical bills even though they had health insurance. Then Don lost his job. You were literally near a nervous breakdown over these bills? C. CARROLL: When you can't sleep it's just -- it's just -- it gets to you. D. CARROLL: Yes. C. CARROLL: And that was -- that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I stopped sleeping. ROMANS: They did not want to file for bankruptcy. C. CARROLL: We made the debt. We should pay for it. ROMANS: A nonprofit credit counselor put the Carroll's on a five-year payment plan. They finished in just over three. GAIL CUNNINGHAM, NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR CREDIT COUNSELING: I think if there is a silver lining to the recession it is that it's refocused people's attention on their own personal finances. I think they are ready to move back over into the driver's seat. ROMANS: So how did the Carroll's do it? D. CARROLL: You just have to get organized. I don't know if you really call it having less. It's just not having it immediately. You learn to live with what you need. Not with what you want. ROMANS: What is your message for people who might see your story and think, wow? I have $40,000, $50,000 $60,000 in credit card debt. I will never get out from under this. D. CARROLL: Never say never. C. CARROLL: It is totally fixable. But you have to take the steps to say, I need help. (END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: The Carroll's used a nonprofit credit counselor who helped them with a pretty elaborate payment plan and they really stuck to it following each one of these lines a real flow chart of all their debts and whittling them down. The bottom line is for everyday items, the Carroll's now only buy something if they absolutely need it and they have the cash on hand to pay for it. Four million Americans sought debt counseling from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. That's a lot of folks in this boat and there are others who are not sleeping at night who haven't sought help yet. The average income was $38,800, the average debt, Ali was $27,000. Talk about America's debt to income load, 70 percent of total household income the average number of credit cards in these households, 5.7 credit cards. These people were amazing. VELSHI: I love that story. ROMANS: They never wanted to file for bankruptcy. She said we made the debt, we went out to dinner, we ordered food, and we went on vacation. VELSHI: It's organization. And that feeling of overwhelm -- we hear it all the time. But tackling it sitting down and understanding it. There are resources available. Get that credit counseling that is fantastic. I really like that. You have a full chapter on this in your book. ROMANS: I do because I have this challenge. This debt free and three, I mean can you be credit card debt-free in three years? Do you think you can do it? Believe it or not, lots of people can and I profiled people and how they do it. There are some pretty easy steps, if you're organized, they are easy steps. You can get out of from under that debt. VELSHI: Get the book, "Smart is the new Rich," because smart is the new rich. And Christine's written all about it. That wraps it up for this show. But you can keep in touch with us on twitter, Christine and I read every message we get, @Ali Velshi and @Christine Romans. We are here every weekend, Saturday's at 1:00 pm Eastern, Sunday's at 3:00 and you can also log-in 24/7 to CNNMONEY.com. Have a great weekend.


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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg made his "awesome announcement" today as promised telling users that the site is now offering a video chat feature.
Around 10 a.m. PST (1 p.m. EST) at the company's headquarters in Paolo Alto, California, Facebook announced a partnership with Skype that will integrate video chat directly into the site's platform.
While not confirmed, there are reports that the site will offer the widely popular group chats.
Further information is forthcoming and a select number of users were given an invitation to the attend today's live event.
Also On 97.9 The Box:
comments – add yours


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Austria? Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Austria? Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General Europe Forum View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message athenssoestJoined: 24 Dec 2009Posts: 41Location: middle of nowhere United States Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:11 pm Post subject: Austria? Does anyone here know anything about teacher opportunities in Austria (particularly freelancing)? I can find absolutely nothing about it anywhere. The local book stores and libraries don't even have travel books about Austria. Thanks! Back to top renovatioJoined: 21 Mar 2010Posts: 24 Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 3:30 am Post subject: My advice...just go. One of my good friends went over there 2 years ago and with no experience or degree he landed a job teaching English in a school in Austria making 400 euro a week. He lied a little but did a good job, and taught there for about 6 months. You can also live in Hungry which is what he did and live very inexpensively. You should be able to find something about the schools there before you go. Call them and send them your CV. People on these types of forums will mostly be cynical, and if you listen too hard you won't go anywhere. Good luck! Back to top ETAJoined: 14 Jun 2010Posts: 60 Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:44 pm Post subject: Renovatio, What school did your friend work for? Also was it in a nice city like Vienna or somewhere in the middle of nowhere boonedocks village? Back to top renovatioJoined: 21 Mar 2010Posts: 24 Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:00 pm Post subject: He worked in Vienna, but he live in Hungry. I don't know the name of the school. Back to top spiral78Joined: 05 Apr 2004Posts: 11518Location: On a Short Leash Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 8:16 pm Post subject: HungAry. They are not starving Back to top niffreeJoined: 30 Jun 2009Posts: 5 Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:26 am Post subject: Austria It's so close to Hungary to Austria that he could commute to work? Interesting! Back to top General DisarrayJoined: 23 Jun 2010Posts: 54Location: Kent Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:33 pm Post subject: renovatio wrote: He worked in Vienna, but he live in Hungry. I don't know the name of the school. What was his name?? I may well know him, if we worked for the same company. to Niffree - Working between Austria and Hungary will only work if the company/school you work for will pay for travel and hotel/rent while you are in Austria, otherwise there is no chance of it happening. ah just saw this thread is over 2 years old!! Back to top scot47Joined: 10 Jan 2003Posts: 15327 Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:14 pm Post subject: Auistria ceased to be part of Grossdeutschland 67 years ago. It would be better to post this on the "Europe" forum. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General Europe Forum All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group Teaching Jobs in China


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Used Book in Good Condition
An Introduction to the Mathematics of Finance: A Deterministic Approach, Second edition, offers a highly illustrated introduction to mathematical finance, with a special emphasis on interest rates. This revision of the McCutcheon-Scott classic follows the core subjects covered by the first professional exam required of UK actuaries, the CT1 exam. It realigns the table of contents with the CT1 exam and includes sample questions from past exams of both The Actuarial Profession and the CFA Institute. With a wealth of solved problems and interesting applications, An Introduction to the Mathematics of Finance stands alone in its ability to address the needs of its primary target audience, the actuarial student.


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4play2nite necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 17 diseños de 7 diseñadores freelance.
Hello, we are a new adult couples social site still in development. Something like Facebook or Myspace, except all adult. The site is developed around a couples exploration of sexuality.
The site is very upscale and member focused! We pride everything we do in insuring anyone under 18 is kept out and all members feel safe and have fun while exploring. We have real Dr.'s which write articles and participate in answering questions for the community.
I used this site to design the logo and was very happy, so I'm back!!
Our audience is very rounded... 18 - 60+. The site is developed for couples exploring their sexuality or wanting to improve there sex life, but singles of course can learn and share too.
I'm looking for two-three flash marquee/banners. 500 wide x 250 tall. They don't need to be really fancy, just add a little flare and look professional.
The color scheme is red, white, grey... but that doesn't necessarily mean other colors will not work.
One marquee should be related to our video contest- Details: Video contest, one upload per premium member, members vote on winning videos, cash winnings for top 5 entries, large cash potential (depends on entries). Example: 100,000 entries = Approximately $50,000 cash pot. See contest rules for details.
Second marqee should be related to joining the site (no costing stuff added)- Details: Adult couples social networking site, real Dr.'s, video sharing, photo sharing, polls, forums, blogs, contests, etc... All wrapped around improving ones sex life.
Third marquee should be related to joining the site (membership costing structure included)- Details: Membership discounts increase as length of membership purchase increases. Example: 1 year purchase is 25% cheaper than paying by the month. Pre-launch membership purchase discount even greater! Etc...
Look at http://www.4play2nite.com for the current splash page and here is a link to my public Skydrive with a few images and screen shots of the website and psd & eps files. http://cid-1206fa82e640be56.skydriv…spx/Public


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6:00 pm
Land Girls Annie develops a relationship with an Italian POW then gets a serious shock. Bea receives an unexpected marriage proposal. Nancy and Joyce finish raising money for a new Spitfire but not before Nancy receives a questionable proposal. Part 4 of 5G
7:00 pm
Inspector Morse's Oxford Antony Richards, a leading authority on the "Inspector Morse" book and television series, interviews author Colin Dexter, actor Kevin Shately (Lewis), composer Barrington Pheloung and producers Ted Childs, Chris Burt and Michele Buck. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first of 13 seasons of the television series starring the late John Thaw, the shifting scene travels throughout the university and town where Morse lived and worked.G
8:00 pm
Masterpiece Mystery! "Wallander, Series III - The Dogs of Riga" After a raft with the bodies of two tortured Latvians is found in Swedish waters, a police major arrives from Latvia's capital, Riga, to investigate. He too is found dead. Wallander goes to Riga himself where he and the major's widow are embroiled in a dangerous search for files documenting high-level corruption.G
9:30 pm
New Tricks "The Crazy Gang" When Gerry Standing loses a poker game, bookie Michael Jacobs offers him a chance to clear his debt by finding out what happened to Jacobs' father, Joe, who died after being mugged outside Walthamstow Stadium in 1983. The key to the mystery appears to be tied into the disappearance of a champion greyhound in the early 1980s.G
10:30 pm
Vera (Apt) "The Crow Trap" A murder at a remote cottage takes DI Vera Stanhope back to a place full of childhood memories and an unsolved case from her earlier career. Delving into the local politics surrounding a controversial proposal to dig a quarry, the detective team finds motives in the unlikeliest of places, shadowy liaisons and conflicting sympathies.G


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DEAR ABBY: I just found out my husband was arrested for being with a hooker. My in-laws (whom I love and adore) bailed him out of jail. No one said a word about it to me. I don't know how to confront all of them with the fact that I know about this "dirty little secret." What should I do? — Betrayed Wife
DEAR BETRAYED: First, visit your gynecologist and ask to be treated for every STD known to man.
Then invite your in-laws to a "family dinner," tell them the cat is out of the bag and ask why this was kept from you. And while you're at it, ask your mother-in-law (whom you love and adore) how SHE would feel if your father-in-law had possibly exposed her to an STD and it had been kept from her. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Make him do it
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DEAR ABBY: I'll bet this is an issue in many homes. When my son "Chet" graduated from high school, we gave him a very nice graduation party, which included his friends and family. He received many gifts.
I gave my son thank-you cards, stamps, and a detailed list of whom to send the cards to. So far, he has refused. Chet is normally thoughtful and considerate. I don't know what to do.
I'm embarrassed by his lack of gratitude. I have told him we have received thank-yous from his friends and that the cards can be brief. Should I send the thank-you notes myself, or just let it go? — Embarrassed Mom in California
DEAR MOM: If the amount of mail I receive from readers complaining that their gifts are not acknowledged is an accurate barometer, your problem is very common. Without being confrontational, ask your son why he refuses to thank the people who gave him gifts. If the answer is he doesn't know what to say and he's embarrassed that he has procrastinated, offer to help him by making suggestions. You're right; the thank-yous don't have to be lengthy. But DO NOT write them for him. Chet is a big boy and the responsibility is his.
Chained to grandkids
DEAR ABBY: I am a divorced, single woman in my 50s. I love my grandchildren dearly but am faced with a dilemma. I work full time and take my grandchildren some nights and on the one day I have off, usually on weekends.
I can't plan things on a weekend without feeling I have made it difficult for my son and his wife to find someone to watch their children. Her mom, a stay-at-home wife, watches them several days a week.
I want to continue spending time with my grandkids, but I also want the freedom to be there when I choose to be. I realize finding a sitter you can afford and trust to watch your children is a challenge. I have tried talking to my son, but it doesn't seem to get through to him. I know I need to do something, but what? I'm afraid I won't see the kids at all if I take a stand. — Lady on the Lake in Michigan
DEAR LADY: Check your calendar and plan some time for yourself one or two weekends a month. Then tell your son and his wife which ones you will be available. Free baby-sitting services are hard to come by, and you are not giving yourself enough credit.
If the unspoken threat is that it's "all or nothing," then, frankly, you should step back further and let your son and daughter-in-law shoulder even more responsibility for the children they brought into this world.


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Weekend Recap: Sneak peek
Hi loves,
Well Easter weekend came and went and I survived hosting the event.
We had beautiful weather and my little pups spent the majority of the weekend al fresco.
Bear: Ok so Bear looks a bit scary in the picture with all those teeth starring back at you, but I just had to share this picture. First off he LOVES that stick. Carries it around all of the place and is constantly trying to bring it inside. Second look at how he uses his paws like hands to hold down the stick. So cute!
Moo: How cute is he? I got Moo as a Christmas present from Jon when I was 21. It was love at first sight. I found him at a pet store that I would visit in the mall during my breaks from Nordstrom's. I would take him out to play, and yes I named him before he was mine. I stopped going to the store, because I didn't want to go in one day and find him sold. Then low and behold Christmas Eve I opened up my gift and this little face pops up.
* He is also the main star on my blog header!
Now while they were playing I was inside playing the Hostess with the Mostess. All went as planned, everyone enjoyed the food and company and this lady forgot to take any pictures!
Don't fret though this morning I took some shots of the dining room so that you could get a little sneak peek of the space.
Close up of the chairs:
Shot of the grass cloth wallpaper and newly painted white!
I still need a new lighting fixture, window treatments, artwork and a server, but we are almost there!
How did your weekend's go? Have you eaten your fill of peeps? I know I did. I used them for a centerpiece yesterday and I've slowly been finishing them off.
Labels: weekend recap


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The Use of Flow Analysis in Foreign Exchange: Explanatory Analysis
Centre for Economic Policy Research, 2002 - Banks and banking - 29 pages
From inside the book
4 pages matching noise traders in this book
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Analysis in Foreign analysis is positively analysis of flows banks cent chartism Cheung Coefficient completely correlation of flow customer business customer deals dealers and fund Discussion Papers Economics efficient market hypothesis efficient markets Email evidence Exchange Rate Dynamics expect flow users foreign exchange markets fundamental analysis fundamental and technical fundamental information FX dealers Fund FX markets Gehrig Goswell Road importance of flow information types institutional characteristics intensive international fund management investors level of significance market makers market microstructure market participants negatively related noise traders Number of responses PANEL Positive correlation positively related questionnaire Rank correlation rational investors redistribution refer to level relevance response rate responses in squared reveal role of flow Section seigniorage semi-fundamental information semi-fundamental private information share of customer Significance p-value sources of information Stars refer superior position systematic Table Taylor and Allen technical analysis three competing propositions trading viewpoint of proposition


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I saw those too at TRU. They were mixed with the older blue box design. Still no figures. Target is down to a single battle droid in vintage and they still refuse to stock!
I'm going to open these slowly, as it will be the fall before new stuff hits.
I've been on figure overload lately, as I decided to grab everything I missed this year from different sources. Usually I wait 6 months before buying stuff of Ebay, but I really was just so bored with no new figs, that I had to get something.I got Ponda Baba, Death Squad Commander, Hoth Rebel Guy, the "Internet Only" wave, and a few others...Kithaba. I haven't even opened most of them but I have to say, the ones that are open are excellent. Hasbro has never made better product.I'm going to open these slowly, as it will be the fall before new stuff hits.
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Stocks continued to grind out record high after record high in the second quarter. Low interest rates, low inflation and steady growth are often cited by market bulls as the fundamental tailwind for the market even as they acknowledge that valuations are getting a bit stretched.
In a note, David Kotok of Cumberland Advisors says it might be time to up cash holdings in the face of geopolitical risk, but offers a concise list of reasons why stocks continued to rally in the second quarter and still look attractive compared to other asset classes:
1. The short-term interest rate remains close to zero.
2. Long-term government bond rates fell when they were expected to rise worldwide.
3. Reports of worldwide inflation continued at very low levels in most jurisdictions. In Europe, the inflation rate is now recorded at 0.50%.
4. Central bank policies continue to be expansive. Even though the Federal Reserve is tapering, it is still expanding excess reserves and acquiring assets onto its balance sheet.
5. The federal deficit continues to shrink. It has gone from a run rate of $1.4 trillion at its peak to an annualized run rate of $400 billion, and the number is falling.
6. The growing U.S. energy self-sufficiency is evolving and is resulting in shrinking trade and current-account deficits. We do not import as much oil and energy as we used to. We produce much more. The trends continue in that direction. That means that dollars do not flow abroad; therefore, those dollars do not have to be attracted back to the U.S. by higher interest rates or other investment returns.
Those factors continue to support equity prices, Kotok writes, and on a comparative and relative basis, stocks \"still seem attractive.\" He expects slow growth and low inflation to continue to support U.S. earnings growth. That said, he notes that while Cumberland was fully invested for most of the quarter, geopolitical risk is on the rise. \"To be more prudent, we have raised some cash reserve during the second half of June,\" he said.
–William Watts
Follow William on Twitter @wlwatts
More from MarketWatch:
Bullard: Markets think Fed is more dovish than it is
10 things snack food companies won\'t tell you


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Clearly, iOS is a massive, continuing success. But a couple recent headlines got us thinking about improvements Apple could make to the overall iOS experience: Path was publicly harangued after it was discovered that its app uploaded the entirety of users' address books to Path's servers. Developer Anton Sinelnikov's apps were pulled from the App Store - not just for being ripoffs of other apps, but for being terrible ones, at that.
Those stories and others got us thinking: With just a few small changes, Apple could make iOS and the App Store markedly better.
Mission: Permission
iOS is exceedingly careful about protecting your location privacy. Apps that want to use your geographic location must seek your permission first. You can enable or disable location permission for apps any time after the fact too, by visiting Location Services in the Settings app.
But if an app wants to access the entire contents of your address book, it can do so freely, even transmitting that data to a remote Web server and calling your ex-girlfriend to tell her you still have feelings for her. That was the focus of the recent Path kerfuffle wherein it was discovered that the social networking app would do just that, save for calling your ex - allegedly. Path apologised for its address book snagging, claimed to have wiped its entire database gathered from said snagging, and released an update to its app that seeks your approval before uploading your address book (to better help you connect with other friends who use the service).
This kerfuffle should never have been able to kerfuff in the first place, though. Apple ought to put the same privacy pop-up restriction in place before apps can get at your personal data you store with iOS's built-in apps, as well as providing granular controls for your personal data, just like it does for location. That wouldn't hamper apps that need access to your address book or calendar in the slightest, just like it doesn't hamper apps that need to know your location now. Rather, it would simply keep your own personal data safer, and let you decide who gets to do what with it.
Demo expert
You've heard great things about that app - Angry Vintage Photo Filter Zombies with Friends! - but you're not sure you're ready to pony up the whole £1.99 it costs. If you're not laughing right now, that's because you know it to be true. Wouldn't it be great if you could try out an iOS app before buying it?
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Right now, it's up to the developer to provide either a free version of an app with fewer features or other restrictions, or to distribute a free app that users can try out, then buy the full features via in-app purchase. That's frustrating, to put it lightly. Software demo versions are a tried-and-true tradition, and a great way to let prospective users decide whether or not a particular app is really their cup of tea.
When developers submit their apps to the store, Apple ought to allow them to select what kind of demo version they want to offer - timed, limited to a certain number of launches, feature restricted, and so forth - and then implement a way for those conditions to be monitored by iOS. That takes the onus off the developers, and encourages users to download apps freely, and then buy only the ones they really want.
Oh, and let's not forget to clearly mark demos for users - we're thinking the same sort of sash that gets used on new Newsstand issues. And make it easy for users to upgrade from a demo version to the full version with a tap of a button, something both developers and users will send their heartfelt thanks to Cupertino.
There's a cynical downside to Apple implementing such a solution: The current approach requires that you spend money on apps whether you'll like them or not, whereas the approach we're proposing might mean folks spend less cash by avoiding apps that turn out to not be right for them. Let's take the optimistic view instead here, Apple: Maybe folks will start buying more apps if they needn't fear they're about to waste two New Jersey Turnpike toll payments on a possible lemon. Plus, it's a great way for users to avoid apps with, shall we say, limited functionality that are designed more to part unsuspecting consumers with their cash than to provide a useful service.
Upgrading on a curve
Earlier this week, Tapbots released Tweetbot 2.0 for iPhone and Tweetbot for iPad. Each version costs three bucks.
That means that folks who already owned Tweetbot for iPhone scored a free upgrade to Tweetbot 2.0, but still needed to cough up another £1.99 if they wanted to buy the entirely separate Tweetbot for iPad app. We have no problem with Tapbots charging customers for brand new functionality that came out of brand new development and included brand new features (chief among them, "iPad support.") But why should we have to buy two separate versions of the app?
Because Tapbots had no real alternative. Ideally, the company could charge existing customers £1.99 to upgrade to a newly-universal Tweebot app, but force entirely new customers to pony up £3.98 instead. Unfortunately, however, Apple doesn't allow such pricing options in the App Store.
This is not a problem that in-app purchases can solve, for a variety of reasons. (For one, what would an app in need of an iPad-friendly in-app upgrade show when you first ran it on an iPad? An iPhone-sized interface? A blank screen pointing you towards the in-app upgrade button? Good luck getting Apple to approve that.)
Paying money to upgrade software isn't a new concept; we're used to it. Right now, Apple's seeming suggestion is to launch new standalone apps each time developers want to release a major upgrade - but that's obviously no solution either. When the Tweetie app (the one that predated, and eventually became, Twitter's official app) went from version 1.0 to version 2.0, Tweetie 2.0 was a standalone purchase, separate from the initial app. That meant no incentive pricing for owners of the first version, which is hardly a customer-friendly approach--but what else can developers do?
One gets the sense that Apple would prefer to leave its App Store simpler, with nary a notion of paid upgrades. But one further gets the sense that this approach doesn't benefit consumers in the long term. And as the App Store gets more mature, developers face an unpleasant choice: Keep rolling out free updates, or alienate customers by charging for all-new versions.
Let's make a deal
Along those lines, it would be handy if developers had more flexible control over the pricing of their apps. Sure, right now they can drop the price for a limited time, and advertise that on their site or in the app's description, or hand out redeem codes that allow a limited number of people to download a free copy of the app - but that's a pale shadow of the incentives that app makers have long been able to offer for Mac OS offerings.
Imagine if developers could give out coupons to reward their users and allow them to try a new app at a price break. Or partner up with other developers to offer some sort of cross-promotion so that when you buy Studio A's new app, you get 20 percent off an app from B Productions.
We know well that many users like buying bundles of apps, so why not give developers an opportunity to team up with others, or even just create a package deal for their own applications? The App Store is a vibrant economy; there's no point in handcuffing developers who are looking to build their own business while also delighting consumers with great deals.


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Free events are always free! If you charge for your tickets, we'll collect a tiny per ticket fee, charged to your credit card at the end of each month.
We recommended EventWax to a client last year and they've loved using it for a number of events. We love it as they never get in touch with us with any questions about how to use it. Simple, affordable, intuitive and effective.
I have used EventWax annually for our New Year's Eve party with great success. For all events, having an alphabetized and pre-paid guest list has made the check-in process simple for both the customer and my staff.
Up to now, we have used EventWax exclusively for booking our classes. We will soon be adding some salon style events and film screenings and plan to use EventWax to manage the reservations for those too.