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Of all of the memorable imitations Joe Piscopo did during his stint on Saturday Night Live — Ted Koppel announcing Buckwheats shooting, or a monotonous Andy Rooney — his signature is arguably his swinging Frank Sinatra.

Ironically, if hed had his way, it might never have seen the light of day.

“I did it for my audition, but I didnt want to do it (on the show). I said My father will get upset! And I was afraid of offending Frank Sinatra,” says Piscopo, pausing in the middle of a massive Italian feast at Tequestas Evo restaurant. “But they had me do it once, and then ordered two more (sketches). So I wrote Mr. Sinatra a letter saying Youre my hero. He was so warm, always.”

Its hard to say whether the New Jersey-born comic and singer would have made a splash during his 1980-84 stint on SNL without his Chairman of the Board-approved Sinatra imitation, especially in memorable sketches such as a caustically funny duet with Eddie Murphys Stevie Wonder on Ebony and Ivory (“I am black, and you are white/you are blind as a bat and I have sight”).

But its a fair guess that he wouldnt be doing a tribute to Sinatra at this weekends Feast of Little Italy in Abacoa. Its an act that has carried Piscopo, 59, from TV stardom to a nice career as a bandleader and proud Italian spreading the importance of his heritage through music and laughs.

“Im the child of immigrants. My grandparents couldnt speak the language. They faced discrimination,” says Piscopo, who has played similar festivals around the country, and has been the grand marshal of the Columbus Day Parade in New York City. “My father worked really hard, and wanted me to be a lawyer. But I messed it up and went into show business.”

Piscopos show at the Feast involves music, comedy and some memories of his career on SNL and more — “I tell all the inside stories, and weve got a killer band,” he says.

At Evo, he sits at the head of a long table featuring a revolving selection of Italian specialties — meatballs, crispy calamari, red wine and all the warm bread you can handle — telling stories about his respect for Ol Blue Eyes, the unmistakable connection between his heritage and food, and stories of his SNL days.

And though he never rose to the galactic career heights of some of his contemporaries, especially Murphy, his place in the pop culture consciousness, particularly of Generation X, is as clear as the giddy looks on the faces of his dinner companions.

Mostly guys in their 40s, they gaze goofily and fondly across their appetizers, completing Piscopos various lines from SNL sketches before he does. (They beam when he breaks into an impromptu line from The Lady Is A Tramp, and gleefully repeat his Koppel-esque melodramatic enunciation of the name of the fictional Buckwheats shooter, John David Stutts, just like they used to do in home room or at the bus stop.)

“Were proud to have him,” says Joe Piazza, one of the spokesmen for the festival, and a fan. “That generation that he touched, everybody knows him.”

The festival, Piazza says, is a celebration of the tradition, resilience, and, in this case, deliciousness of Italian culture. Food is a perfect way to relate that — “Its such a big part of our heritage. Theres something so basic about breaking bread, to welcome people into our homes and form a bond.”

Piscopo agrees.

“There are a lot of Italians in Jupiter — this is the biggest Italian festival in Florida,” he says. “But theyre everywhere. I got called to do one in Wheeling, West Virginia, and I asked Are there any Italians in Wheeling, West Virginia? But we had 4,000 people show up! And they had fried lasagna.”

A lot of Piscopos act has roots in his SNL days, although he finds that in the case of Sinatra, “the older I get, the less makeup I need,” he says wryly.

He joined the cast in 1980, as part of a group that essentially replaced the shows original “Not Ready For Prime Time Players,” including Dan Akyroyd, whom he calls “the captain of Saturday Night Live.” The pressure, of course, was high to make an impression in the shadow of that cast.

Piscopo marvels at some of the stuff they got away with, like that Buckwheat sketch that satirized the constant news coverage of the assassination of John Lennon and the attempted assasination of President Ronald Reagan, just a few years after those events.

“Eddie and I had to get everything approved. You had to do the run-through around 9:30, and then the producers would slice and dice (to choose what made it on air),” he remembers. “I used to tell Eddie, Keep it clean. We had no (tape) delay. We knew that being big on that show would enable you to keep working. There were some guys who became mega-stars, and some who were never heard from again.”

And hes still a fan of the show, including go-to comedienne Kristen Wiig — “Shes like Gilda Radner” he says of her versatility.

Hes also a fan of his home state, but not so much of some of the current pop culture trends coming out of it.

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Consider getting a home energy audit if you want to reduce your bills.
This can help you find out just how efficient you are being with your
money, and whether there are ways to decrease your energy usage and
costs.

If you cannot believe how high your electricity bill is, it may be time
to consider a home energy audit. This should tell you how efficient your
house is, and how you can possibly save money on your electric bill
every month. This process alone will not save you money, but if you
start putting into practice certain tips, you can certainly start seeing
lower utility bills every month.

If you already have little extra money, it makes sense to try to perform
the home energy audit on your own. If it does not go well, you can
always hire a professional to do it the right way. You can get started
on your own by simply comparing the last year of monthly utility bills,
checking to see if you have used more electricity in certain months, and
trying to pinpoint exactly why. In some cases, your utility company
simply raised rates, which means that the increase in bills is not your
fault, but you can still combat it by conserving electricity. There are
various websites that allow you to compare your bill to your neighbors
to find out if you and your house are more or less energy-conscious than
others.

You might opt to have a professional perform the home energy audit. Not
only can this professional determine how efficient your house is when it
comes to using natural resources, but he or she can also find gaps in
the house that can air leaks, missing insulation, and other ways that
your residence may not be as efficient as it could be. At the end of the
audit, you can expect to get various tips for saving money on your
utility bill, all based on your specific circumstances. You may also get
suggestions on what appliances to purchase to reduce your monthly
bills.

Some utility companies offer this kind of service to customers in order
to help them save energy. However, you may have to hire an expert on
your own, especially if you want to make sure you get an unbiased look
at your residence. It is up to you to take any advice you are given and
implement it, from adding insulation and fixing leaks to purchasing
better appliances. This may require spending a little extra money
upfront, but you should find soon enough that the changes are worth it
since you can decrease your bills in the long run.

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If you own your own small business chances are you know very little about the laws and regulations that you encounter on a day to day basis. Understanding the legal issues that concerns small businesses it is vital to your business’ success. The small business association suggests that all small business owners take a few legal courses to understand the legal issues you may come up against. However many small businesses ignore this advice and suffer consequences that could have been avoided.

There are many web sites that offer legal advice for the small business owner. Here are just a few situations that may arise where you should know your legal rights. In all these situations you may find it necessary to contact an experienced corporate attorney.

For most business transactions you want to create and sign a contract. Contracts or service agreements allows you to define what your services or products entail. Service agreements are an important way that you can protect yourself and your business. Don’t overlook this important aspect of small businesses.

Start by listing the ‘scope’ of the service. For instance, cleaning a home would take 2-hours. In those 2-hours, list ‘what’ service and ‘how’ long it will take. Include anything that may be a special request. Excluding a portion of the service could be a costly mistake. Drafting a contract takes time, but it is necessary.

As a small business you may or may not have several employees working for you. The termination of an employee is a touchy subject but may be necessary at some point in time. You should be clear on employee termination laws and regulations.

Disgruntled ex employees may threaten to sue you with a wrongful dismissal suit or similar legal action. It is vital that you know your rights and what you can do in this type of situation.

If you need some additional help many small businesses choose to hire independent contractors. Hiring independent contractors can seem like a simple choice since you’re not responsible for reporting their earnings to the IRS.

You should know that some jobs are actually considered to be an employee’s job regardless if it is done by an independent contractor or not. The IRS has its own definitions that you should be aware of before hiring any independent contractor. Protect yourself and your business and be fully aware of any legal ramifications before making any business decisions.

When starting your business you need to know how your business is classified. You may be a sole proprietor or perhaps in a partnership. Each of these designations carries its own legal ramifications. For instance as a sole proprietor you are vulnerable to legal action taken against your company.

Start a business as a L.L.C. (Limited Liability Corporation) instead. This will eliminate the risk of loosing personal funds due to allegations in a lawsuit.

No matter what sector your company is in you need to be concerned with intellectual property issues. It is important that you know and understand the term and issues surrounding copyrights, registered trademarks, confidentiality agreements, and invention assignment agreements.

Record Keeping – Improper record keeping can cause serious problems. Accurate accounting records are essential if the IRS is the least bit suspicious about the company’s financial records. Invest in a bookkeeper or an accounting program to make it easier to keep account of your daily transactions. Also, organize files to be readily accessible in case of an IRS audit.

Experienced Corporate Attorney – No matter what entity a business operates under, a growing business will face issues that require the service of an experienced attorney. Unfortunately, cost is a huge issue for most small business owners. Corporate attorneys do charge a much larger sum for their services.

Do your research and compare fees. The long term relationship you build with your corporate attorney will have its value. All businesses should make an investment in a “good” corporate attorney.

Without a doubt, a business should run erring on the side of caution. Choosing to operate without the proper knowledge on business laws and business ethics, will lead to disaster. Check with an attorney before pursuing a business and start on the right foot.

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Catatonic type schizophrenia
Patients with this subtype of Schizophrenia may exhibit extremes of behavior including catatonia. Some may allow their posture to be rearranged, holding the new position (catalepsy or waxy flexibility). Others may imitate sounds (echolalia) or movements (echopraxia) of others. At times, some patients may explode into an excited, activated state marked by purposeless ad repetitive movements.
The catatonic type is rare today, and probably reflected an advanced stage of schizophrenia before the advent of modern treatment methods.
Disorganized type schizophrenia
A form of schizophrenia that is characterized by a disorganized behavior and disorganized speech. Their affect may be flat or inappropriate.
This type involves a disturbance in behavior, communication, and thought. Usually these patients show a variety of eccentric characteristics such as unusual clothing or peculiar gestures.
Paranoid type schizophrenia
Delusions and auditory hallucinations predominate in patients with this subtype of schizophrenia while their affective and cognitive functioning remains relatively intact. This type of patient often has highly elaborate delusions of persecution or personal grandeur. However, the patient may appear rather normal until he or she becomes entangled in typical argumentativeness and suspiciousness.
Residual type schizophrenia
A form of schizophrenia that is characterized by a previous diagnosis of schizophrenia, but no longer having any of the prominent psychotic symptoms. There are some remaining symptoms of the disorder however, such as eccentric behavior, emotional blunting, illogical thinking, or social withdrawal.
In the residual type of schizophrenia, the patient has had at least one episode of schizophrenia. If delusions or hallucinations are present, they are not prominent, and are not accompanied by strong affect.
Undifferentiated type schizophrenia
This subtype of schizophrenia applies to patients who fail to meet the criteria for the other subtypes but clearly suffer from this mental disorder.
The patient suffers from pronounced psychotic symptoms, which may not fit in any other specific category or more than one.
bio =
For more information about schizophrenia, visit The Schizophrenia Info Center
David Chandler
For your FREE Stock Market Trading Mini Course:
“What The Wall Street Hot Shots Won’t Tell You!” go to: The Stock Market Genie

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A long-awaited audit of Schuylkill Countys financial records found 22 “material weaknesses,” leading county officials to call on Controller Melinda Kantner to immediately implement major reforms in her office.

The countys external auditor, Pottsville accountant Sam Deegan, officially unveiled his audit at a meeting Friday afternoon in the courthouse.

Among the 22 material weaknesses – an accounting synonym for serious problems and systematic failures – the most damning, officials said, has nothing to do with money and everything to do with attitude.

“There is only minimal cooperation between the controller and the controllers office with management,” reads a section of the audit. “The controller and staff need to be more professional and cooperative in their working relationships.”

A red flag

Deegan said the accounting errors in Kantners office are a “red flag for something bad to happen,” adding that the poor records mean it is possible no one would know if money was stolen.

However, of the 22 weaknesses, Deegan stressed that no money is missing and there is nothing fraudulent happening in Kantners office.

Most of the weaknesses center on bills or revenues being recorded in the wrong time period. He said those mistakes have led to the countys books not following generally accepted accounting principles.

Kantner was not at Fridays meeting, which included Deegan, his staff, the three county commissioners, county administrator Mark Scarbinsky and other members of the countys financial team.

After the meeting, Kantner said she had not yet read Deegans audit.

“Im hoping maybe over the weekend and the beginning of next week we can get a chance to look at that,” she said.

Scarbinsky said Kantner was not invited to the meeting, which he called an “informational session.”

Kantner said that many of the weaknesses are the result of her office being provided with incomplete or inaccurate information from other county departments or agencies, particularly records related to federal grant money.

“If theres a problem with those federal grants … thats not our responsibility. That would be the responsibility of the department head,” she said.

County officials stressed that while a more centralized system of tracking grants is needed, the ultimate responsibility for accurate financial records falls on Kantner.

During his 10 months of auditing, Deegan said he and his staff identified 136 adjustments which had to be made. Those adjustments total nearly $100 million, Deegan said.

“Thats excessive,” Deegan said. “We want to start now. We want to come back and show them how to do these journal entries. Lets go over these findings one by one.”

Kantner said it is “typical” for outside auditors to find errors or inaccuracies that must be corrected. Other county officials said the sheer number of mistakes – and, more importantly, the fact that almost $100 million in taxpayer money is involved – is deeply disturbing.

Commissioners seek action

The commissioners want corrective action to be taken immediately. Among other reforms, Deegan suggested Kantner and her staff begin attending more accounting classes.

Kantner said she would welcome that, if the commissioners increase her budget to pay for those classes.

This is Deegans first year auditing Schuylkill County. The audit is mandated by federal law, as any entity – a government body or a nonprofit agency – receiving more than $500,000 in federal dollars must be audited by an outside agency.

Deegan replaced the countys former 18-year auditor, Zelenkofske Axelrod and Co., Jenkintown.

Since beginning his work in January, Deegan and Kantner have been at odds, with each accusing the other of not being committed to the job. During those disputes, multiple other county officials have sided with Deegan.

Deegans contract runs for four years. He will begin auditing the 2010 books in January, giving officials fewer than two months to figure out how to deal with the 22 material weaknesses.

“Whats the next step in the process?” Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier asked Deegan during the meeting.

“The next step in the process is to pray to God that this lady cooperates,” Deegan said of Kantner. “I am willing to do anything. I am not here to judge this woman. I am not against this woman. I dont think shes an evil person. Were here to do the job. Ive tried good cop, bad cop. Ive tried to be nice. I dont mind being nice and getting slapped in the face … but I want it to work.”

Kantner, on the other hand, said Deegans “lack of professionalism” is the root of the volatile situation that has developed over the past 10 months. As an example, she said she was not provided with draft copies of the audit reports before Fridays meeting, as has been past practice.

Deegan said that over the past month, he dropped off multiple draft copies of the audit with county administration.

Kantner maintains she did not see those drafts, a fact county officials explained at the meeting.

“To have this distraction, which is her (Kantners) problem, become our problem and become something that we have to referee … is absolutely ludicrous,” commissioners Chairwoman Mantura M. Gallagher said at the meeting. “This is not a conventional year. We have to get this in and submitted as quickly as possible. We didnt have the luxury of giving it to the controller any earlier than we received it. There was no time for her to have it weeks in advance, even days in advance.”

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Glasgow has got plenty of venues available on rent for all kinds of corporate meetings. If you are planning to have an annual general meeting at Glasgow, you can hire Glasgow venues for private meetings, board meetings, private and public film screenings product launches and other corporate events. For every event, Glasgow venue will be prepared to meet your needs.
These facilities are one of its kind and able to accommodate several hundred delegates for a conference. It enjoys soaring popularity for the sole reason that it is not only easily accessible by private transportation but also by public modes. With the best in technological audiovisual development, your needs will be catered for when you hire Glasgow business meeting venue, no matter how large your team will be. Luxurious well cushioned chairs form part of the quay’s sitting facilities all for the comfort of the users. Close to the cinema complex is a casino and a hotel for the accommodation alongside other entertainment facilities for all ages.
Some of the world class facilities that have been put together in Glasgow auditoriums include multiple screens, the biggest of which can accommodate more than 400 people, also having enough facilities for the disabled. It does not matter which season of the year it is, Glasgow venues have enough air conditioning for your comfort. If you are looking for a venue to organize a small meeting, you can hire one of the multiple screens. The screens are small enough to accommodate ninety plus people and usually have space for the disabled as well. All the sitting spaces are accessible by the disabled, and this has made it a special choice of conferencing facilities.
If you hire Glasgow venue as your conference location, you will not be disappointed with the performance of your presentation; thanks to the big screen technology has been put to use to ensure that all the presentations come to life. You can have your presentations on the big screen, and you will rest assured that all your delegates will participate thanks to the good sound system. This is a perfect location for a product launch, company presentation as well as satellite conferencing.
No conference or product screening is complete without food and drink for the delegates, and this is provided for with prior arrangement. You can customize the meals as well as the refreshments beforehand. The professionals will take care of all meals and the mid-conference refreshments for all the delegates. Alternatively, you can opt for the restaurants in the complex with more than enough of meal varieties for all.
For anyone driving to such a venue, you need not worry about the parking spaces as there are more than 1000 parking spaces for you. 200 of these parking spaces are located in a multi-storied car park that is a recent addition to the facilities of the venue. Accompanying the disabled persons’ facilities at the hire Glasgow venues are disabled persons toilets and parking spaces, which are indicated as preserved for the disabled.Glasgow has got plenty of venues available on rent for all kinds of corporate meetings. If you are planning to have an annual general meeting at Glasgow, you can hire Glasgow venues for private meetings, board meetings, private and public film screenings product launches and other corporate events. For every event, Glasgow venue will be prepared to meet your needs.
These facilities are one of its kind and able to accommodate several hundred delegates for a conference. It enjoys soaring popularity for the sole reason that it is not only easily accessible by private transportation but also by public modes. With the best in technological audiovisual development, your needs will be catered for when you hire Glasgow business meeting venue, no matter how large your team will be. Luxurious well cushioned chairs form part of the quay’s sitting facilities all for the comfort of the users. Close to the cinema complex is a casino and a hotel for the accommodation alongside other entertainment facilities for all ages.
Some of the world class facilities that have been put together in Glasgow auditoriums include multiple screens, the biggest of which can accommodate more than 400 people, also having enough facilities for the disabled. It does not matter which season of the year it is, Glasgow venues have enough air conditioning for your comfort. If you are looking for a venue to organize a small meeting, you can hire one of the multiple screens. The screens are small enough to accommodate ninety plus people and usually have space for the disabled as well. All the sitting spaces are accessible by the disabled, and this has made it a special choice of conferencing facilities.
If you hire Glasgow venue as your conference location, you will not be disappointed with the performance of your presentation; thanks to the big screen technology has been put to use to ensure that all the presentations come to life. You can have your presentations on the big screen, and you will rest assured that all your delegates will participate thanks to the good sound system. This is a perfect location for a product launch, company presentation as well as satellite conferencing.
No conference or product screening is complete without food and drink for the delegates, and this is provided for with prior arrangement. You can customize the meals as well as the refreshments beforehand. The professionals will take care of all meals and the mid-conference refreshments for all the delegates. Alternatively, you can opt for the restaurants in the complex with more than enough of meal varieties for all.
For anyone driving to such a venue, you need not worry about the parking spaces as there are more than 1000 parking spaces for you. 200 of these parking spaces are located in a multi-storied car park that is a recent addition to the facilities of the venue. Accompanying the disabled persons’ facilities at the hire Glasgow venues are disabled persons toilets and parking spaces, which are indicated as preserved for the disabled.
If you want to hire venues for holding all kinds of meetings at affordable rates at Glasgow, you can visit our venue hire Glasgow

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Audit software can give you a competitive edge against your competitors in business. It can also streamline your operations to improve business efficiency in the workplace.

One of the many problems which auditors face today is the lack of time they have to spend on many of their client’s files and as their workload increases, their time decreases.  Through the introduction of audit software as a daily tool, an auditor not only increases their level of efficiency, but that increased efficiency lends to an increase in cost savings to the client.Audit software doesn’t simply provide an auditor with a business tool; it needs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness to each and every auditor.  There are many aspects of audit software which require fulfillment in order to be considered cost effective.  Some of these important factors that are required to be fulfilled in any auditing software include: data extraction and analysis, fraud detection and prevention, network security, automated work papers, continuous monitoring and e-commerce abilities.Each of these components of any audit software requires to be fulfilled as the world becomes more technically advanced; but one thing that is common with any auditor is that not one real audit software program is able to incorporate all the tools they require as some use such products as Monarch to extract the audit data and use Access to filter and present the reports to the clients.  For instance, in the insurance industry, some internal auditors use AOL and Easytrieve as tools for their auditing needs.If an auditor works within the fraud detection industry, they are using audit software on a much more extensive basis and fare more proactively; leaving the need for audit software companies to evolve according to the industry it is looking to service.  As would be surmised, there are not many audit software products on the market which specifically meets this industry need and many auditors in this field use ACL, IDEA and DATAS.One area which is not often considered part of the auditing committee or auditing department is network security, as most companies are under the belief that this is an IT departmental issue.  This thought process is changing as audit software such as Cyber-Cop Scanner is making a front and center appearance in many establishments as internal audit departments begin to rethink their department’s need for involvement.It is important to ensure that whatever type of audit software that is used, the importance is that it enables all the features of office productivity. Along with enhanced security features.  More auditors look toward data extraction and analysis tools as primary factors in engaging in auditing software; above all it would be apparent that audit software is only as effective as what can be gained from the human component of the audit software.  The ability for internal audit to be able to effectively audit the auditee’s changing technological advancements is a primary concern for auditors.The right tools are the cornerstone of any audit software package, but in order to truly become a paperless audit environment, the right software tools are essential in order to relieve some of the burden of the auditor’s daily task in representing the audited.

By materials of Article Factory

Interested in American Idol and want to start your own office pool but are unsure how to get started? Running an American Idol pool in your office can really bring the troops together regardless of their interest level in the show. While playing in one is fun, starting your own American Idol Office Pool can be a daunting task.
Scoring Points in an American Idol Office Pool
The purpose of any office pool is to score the most points, and an American Idol Pool is no different. Every Office Pool requires scoring events that are compelling and contribute to the enjoyment of participation. For an American Idol Office Pool, one of the most popular methods of scoring involves the following three components:
1. Weekly Elimination
2. Bonus Questions
3. Overall Winner
The American Idol show begins with several weeks of auditions, so it is best to start your pool when the contestant number is down to the final 12 or even final 24. Before that point, it can be difficult to recognize the contestants or determine favorites.
Weekly Elimination
For any Office Pool it is critical to choose events where the results provide the greatest variety of outcomes. Choosing the winner of a football game, for example, provides only 2 outcomes and will only split your players into two groups. The more variety you find, the more enjoyable the pool is for everyone. In American Idol Pools, the most obvious scoring event is when contestants are eliminated. While it may seem there are still only two outcomes here, creating a dynamic scoring system can dramatically change the diversity in the results.
To achieve this, scoring can be handled in a variety of ways, including 1) static point value (e.g. 5 points for correctly guessing who is eliminated); 2) probability weighting (e.g. 5 points for obvious contestants, 10 points for less obvious, 15 points for contenders); or 3) player-controlled weighting (e.g. player puts 1 point on contestant A, 2 points on B, etc.)
Because of the limited number of events to score, a weighting system works best for American Idol Pools. One popular model involves assigning points to the contestant who your members think will be eliminated. This method provides for the most variability among competing members in the pool and keeps results interesting.
Bonus Questions
In addition to awarding points on elimination, some pools like to use bonus so that members feel an interaction with the show. The key to bonus questions is that they be about events that are integral to the American Idol television show and have a limited number of answers. For example:
* Who will be the first person to be declared safe ?
* Name a singer in the bottom three who doesn’t go home?
* Will a boy or a girl go home tonight?
Setting point value for Bonus Questions can be difficult, so follow this simple rule of thumb: award more points for risk takers but not so much that weekly elimination points are made irrelevant.
Overall Winner
The final method of scoring points in an American Idol Pool is for correctly predicting the Overall Winner. Clearly, if someone is able to predict the overall winner while there are still 12 or even 24 contestants that should be worth a lot of points�”and it adds to the fun each week for everyone playing along.
Are the Points Balanced?
When setting up an American Idol Office Pool, the philosophy should center on increasing the enjoyment of the show, while keeping as many pool players interested in the competition as possible. Try not to hand out so many points for an overall pick that anyone that loses theirs drops out of the race. Don’t set bonus question points to be so valuable that weekly elimination selections aren’t worth the effort. Balance points to try to ensure the largest percentage of the membership remains interested and engaged.
Keeping Really Bad Predictors Interested
What about those people in the pool that after 2 weeks feel they have already fallen too far back to even bother? A strategy that works well to keep everyone interested is to award a small prize to the person who scores the least number of points. This way, halfway through the season when their overall winner pick is already out and they are too far behind to see a way to win, they can start intentionally picking poorly. It’s harder than it looks!
Conclusion
Participating in an American Idol Office Pool can be a lot of fun, and running one doesn’t have to be a burden. An American Idol Office Pool should be designed to enhance the experience of the show for fans and non-fans alike. Remember to create an engaging point system for relevant events, spice things up with bonus questions about the show, evaluate your point balance and find ways to keep most of the people interested throughout the whole season.

Jim Grosch & Kevin McHugh founders of funofficepools.com have managed office pools for over 10 years before starting funofficepools.com, a site developed to help with the laborious day-to-day tasks of managing popular office pools. Today, the site hosts American Idol Office Pools, Dancing with the Stars Office Pools, CBS Survivor Office Pools and College Football & NFL Office Pools.


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A large part of the success of any company comes from the job done by its accounting department. This financial sector of the industry analyzes financial information and prepares financial reports to determine or maintain record of assets, liabilities, profit and loss, tax liability, or other financial activities within an organization. In other words, accountants crunch numbers to ensure that the financial aspect of a company is at its best. Accounting Programs are in demand as companies need more and more people.
While we often associate accounting with tax time, accountants are responsible for much more than just filling out your tax forms at the end of the year. These professionals have a multitude of tasks within small businesses, large companies or in the personal finances of individuals. At the base of their jobs, accountants keep records that document every financial aspect of the company so that problem areas can be pinpointed and corrected. They also handle payrolls and sales, perform audits, analyze a business’s ledger and operations, develop budgets, prepare forms and manuals for accounting and bookkeeping personnel, advise in areas such as compensation, employee health care benefits, the design of accounting and data processing systems and more; investigate bankruptcies, and much more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most accountants made between $42,520 and $71,960 a year in 2006. The lowest-paid accountants earned less than $34,470, while the highest-paid earned $94,050 a year. Centennial offers Accounting Programs, Business Accounting Program, and Business Administration Training.
There are a few qualities that will help to make a person a successful accountant. Of course, mathematical aptitude and strong analytical skills top the list of must-have attributes. Second, as accounting is an exceptionally time-sensitive job (especially when it comes to employee compensation), these professionals should also possess organizational and multitasking skills. Another attribute of a successful accountant is being detail-oriented. In this profession, small errors such as the incorrect placement of a decimal point can result in big financial losses. Lastly, accountants should be comfortable with their ability to use spreadsheets and database programs. They should also have familiarity with common accounting software.
Luckily, there is a program that teaches all those skills and more. Centennial College’s three-year Business Administration – Accounting program provides the rigorous training that students need to be successful. By offering courses in financial accounting, management accounting, taxation auditing, corporate finance and computers, students are guaranteed to have well-rounded knowledge by the end of the program. The topics that are covered serve to help students develop a strong foundation in problem solving, communications, math, analysis and other business functions. Classes are taught in lab environments that are fully equipped with an integrated network of computer systems so any computer courses are hands-on, allowing students to develop proficiencies with industry standard accounting software such as Simply Accounting and ACCPAC for Windows and SAP. Another aspect of the Business Administration – Accounting program that ensures student success is flexibility in curriculum design. For more important features, check out the Accounting program’s benefits page, which also has information on its educational partners.
To enjoy all that the Business Administration – Accounting program has to offer, students must present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older during the application process. They must also possess the compulsory English 12C or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11C, M or U or 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent.


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Rayonier announced that Mark E. Gaumond has been elected to its board of directors, effective immediately.

According to a release, Gaumond retired earlier this year as senior vice chair – markets, of Ernst & Young, where he oversaw the assurance, tax, transaction and advisory service lines in the Americas region. Previously, he was the managing partner of the firms San Francisco office. Prior to joining Ernst & Young in 2002, Gaumond spent more than 25 years with Arthur Andersen LLP, where he served as the audit partner for several multi-national companies operating in a variety of industries.

“We are delighted to have Mark join our board. His 35 years of managerial, financial and accounting experience will be an excellent resource,” said Lee M. Thomas, chairman and CEO.

Rayonier is an international forest products company with three core businesses: Timber, Real Estate and Performance Fibers. The company owns, leases or manages 2.5 million acres of timber and land in the United States and New Zealand. The companys holdings include approximately 200,000 acres with residential and commercial development potential along the Interstate 95 corridor between Savannah, Ga., and Daytona Beach, Fla. Its Performance Fibers business is a producers of specialty cellulose fibers. Approximately 45 percent of the companys sales are outside the U.S. to customers in approximately 40 countries. Rayonier is structured as a real estate investment trust.

More Information:

rayonier.com

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