The Other Side of Life 24/7: 07/20/10

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Unemployment: Report Says Jobs Hole Could Persist For A Decade (CHART)

Image by What What via Flickr

Define a "more horrifying chart" than that one on the jobless recovery or double dip recession (whatever we're officially in!). A "lost decade" - ask Japan how that is working out?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Good luck to all in finding a job, but you'd better start thinking about how you can strike out on your own to make your own future, rather than waiting on a call or email for a job that likely is simply not there!

David http://wyld-about-money.blogspot.com/

BTW: HERE"S THAT GRAPHIC IN BIGGER FORM FOR MIDDLE-AGED EYES! SEE:

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A Taste of Ghana: A Recipe for Jollof Rice

This overview of Ghana was prepared by Michaela B. Baker while an International Management student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Introduction

Ghana is a small country in Western Africa that offers something for everyone. If you are looking for a place enriched with hospitality, warm weather, and beautiful scenery Ghana is the place to go. Architectural beauty can be found in Accra from several centuries of work. There are also many castles, palaces, kingdoms, and lighthouses to visit such as the Cape Coast Castle which was built for the trade of gold and timber but was later used for the trans-Atlantic slave trade where slaves were housed until they were shipped off. For music lovers, learning authentic African drumming and dancing can be an adventure. The numerous beaches are a great place to relax and have a good time. For nature and wildlife lovers, there are many national parks, conservations, and sanctuaries throughout the country where elephants, hippos, monkeys, birds, and many other animals can be found along with the wetlands, rainforests, and waterfalls. Ghana is a great place to come have an experience of a lifetime.

Country Information
· Geographic Facts
Here are three geographic facts about Ghana:
1. Ghana is located in Western Africa; it is bordering the Gulf of Guinea, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. The surface area of the country is 92,100 sq miles (238,837 sq km); that makes it approximately the size of the state of Oregon.
2. There are two seasons: wet and dry. Rainy season for the north is from March to November while the south is from April to mid-November. It has a warm climate due to being only a few degrees north of the equator.
3. For the most part, the country has flat plains with some low hills. The coastline consists of a sandy shore in which several streams and rivers go through while the north is covered in high plains. The south central and southwest region is covered by a forested plateau which is home of the Kwahu Plateau and Ashanti uplands. The eastern region has hilly ranges where Mount Afadjato, the highest point in Ghana can be found on the Akuapim-Togo ranges.

· 3 “Serious” Facts
Here are three serious facts about Ghana:
1. The area was settled by Africans and Europeans in 1482 but did not have imposed British rule until 1874. On March 6, 1957, Ghana became the first colony in sub-Saharan Africa to become independent, in which it broke away from the United Kingdom and finally became a constitutional democracy on April 28, 1992. They are also based on the English common law.
2. Gold has been exported since the medieval times, in which it received its name the Gold Coast. Ghana is presently Africa’s second largest gold producer. They are also Africa’s third largest aluminum and manganese ore producer. Ghana contributes a significant amount to the production of bauxite and diamonds.
3. The flag consists of red, gold, and green with a black star which became their flag in 1957. The red represents all the blood that was shed in order to achieve independence; the gold represents the mineral wealth of the country; the green represents the rich agriculture, and the black star is the symbol of African emancipation.

· 3 “Fun” Facts
Here are three serious facts about Ghana:
1. Ghana is the home of the world’s largest man-made lake, Lake Volta. It was created in 1964 through construction of the Akosombo dam. It is an asset for transportation and hydroelectricity and covers over 3200 square miles.
2. Akwaaba is the expression for “Welcome!” It is the Land of Sunshine with the reputation of the friendliest people in Africa, so do not be surprised if you ask someone for directions and they stop what they are doing to show you to your destination, even if it is not close.
3. The word “Ghana” means “warrior king,” which originated from the name of the kings in the Ghana Empire during the medieval times. The Ghana Empire was located 500 miles north west of modern Ghana. The motto of Ghana is “Freedom and Justice.”

· A “Potpourri” Item
Here are some unusual facts about Ghana:
1. The people of Ghana believe in fully utilizing the animals that they kill for food. They eat pretty much all parts of the animal, including the bones. The bones are eaten to get to the bone marrow which is a good source of calcium. The bone marrow has so much calcium since the chickens grow to maturity before they are slaughtered.
2. W.E.B. Du Bois was a leader in the Pan-African movement; the first intergovernmental conference was in Accra, Ghana in 1958. The purpose of this movement was to create independence for African nations while bringing unity among blacks around the world. There is a W.E.B. Du Bois memorial center dedicated to the history of the Pan-African movement and the efforts of W.E.B. Du Bois.

Food Information

Ingredients:
- 2 medium size onions
- 3 medium size gingers
- 2 pieces of garlic
- 3 jalapenos (optional)
- 1 habanero pepper (optional)
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
- 2 pounds of rice
- 2 shrimp cubes or dry shrimp powder
- 1 tsp dry crayfish powder
- All purpose seasoning
- Salt
- Cooking oil
- Vegetables of choice (carrots, corn, peas, etc)
- Meat of choice (optional)

Place a large pot on stove to warm up with approximately 6 table spoons of cooking oil of your choice in the pot. Chop 1 ½ onions, 2 bell peppers, and the 3 gingers to place in a blender with the 2 pieces of garlic, habanero pepper, a jalapeno, a can of crushed tomatoes, can of tomato sauce, 2 shrimp cubes, dry crayfish powder and few dashes of all purpose seasoning. Then blend until in a liquid form and well mixed. Then place the contents from the blender in the pot. Place a lid over the pot to cook the sauce and stir frequently. This will cook for 45 minutes to an hour until it appears to have no water, it should appear to be dry and more like a paste. The rice is then added and stirred into the paste with a little bit of water added. Cover with a lid and place the heat between medium and low then let cook for 30 minutes. Continue to stir while cooking. Once the rice is halfway cooked, place the vegetables of your choice in the dish and add water as needed. Place the lid back on and continue to cook until the rice and vegetables are cooked; this should take about 20 minutes. Once the dish is complete, you may add any cooked meats of your choice such as corned beef or chicken. The key is to add seasoning and pepper to taste.

· My Kitchen Story

I learned about this dish from my boyfriend who had prepared it for me on various occasions. My boyfriend and his sister, whom are both from Ghana, began to teach me how to cook this dish on the night I am about to talk about. The first thing I did was chop the peppers, onions, and ginger. My boyfriend kept telling me to be careful and not cut myself when chopping the ingredients since my chopping skills are limited. I placed the ingredients in the blender and began to blend. Once it starts to blend together, I tasted it to see if anymore ingredients needed to be added to taste. I placed the pot on the burner on high and added the oil. It warmed up and I added the ingredients from the blender in the pot. I stirred about every five to ten minutes; when going to stir I at first left it on the hot burner while stirring. I quickly learned that the mixture would bubble and spill out of the pot to create a mess. Even though I stirred every five to ten minutes it was not enough because the mixture still kept burning on the bottom of the pot. So I had to scrap the bottom of the pot and spoon out the burned parts. So stir more than you normally would to save yourself from scrapping a pot while cooking. I also would taste the mixture as it cooked so I could add any additional seasoning to taste. The sauce mixture continued to cook and then I rinsed the rice to add to the pot. Once again continue to stir. Once the rice was halfway cooked I added my sliced vegetables and additional peppers (carrots, jalapenos, peas). It continued to cook until done. Then I added the chicken I had earlier cooked on the grill. I then served it to my family and my boyfriend’s family. I did receive the same feedback from everyone which was that it tasted amazing. I was surprised I was even able to get my two sisters to like it since they have very selective taste buds.

Contact Info: To contact the author of “A Taste of Ghana: A Recipe for Jollof Rice,” please email Bryanne7680@aol.com

BIOGRAPHY

David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/) and international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).

AN INVITATION TO WORK WITH US, TODAY!

If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today at dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.

A Taste of Ghana: A Recipe for Jollof Rice

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A Taste of Turkey: A Recipe for Iki Renkli Kurabiye

This overview of Turkey was prepared by Jessica M. Washington while a Finance student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Introduction

The English word “Turkish” comes from the ancient Turkish word Türk, and in Turkey, the name of the country is Türkiye. Turkey’s neighbors are Greece and Bulgaria to the west, Russia, Ukraine, and Romania to the north and northwest (through the Black Sea), Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, and Syria and Iraq to the south. Turkey in Europe comprises an area about equal to the state of Massachusetts. Turkey in Asia is about the size of Texas. The food that I have chosen to make is Double Coloured Cookies (Iki Renkle Kurabiye), which is very common in this country.

Country Information
· Geographic Facts
Here are three geographic facts about Turkey:
1. Turkey occupies Asia Minor and a small portion of Europe. Its area is 301,382 square miles (814,578 square kilometers).
2. Turkey has 4,454 miles of coastline and its interior consists of mountains, hills, valleys, and a high central plateau.
3. Turkey is at the northeast end of the Mediterranean Sea in southeast Europe and southwest Asia. To the north is the Black Sea and to the west is the Aegean Sea.

· 3 “Serious” Facts
Here are three serious facts about Turkey:
1. The Ottoman Turks first appeared in the early 13th century, subjugating Turkish and Mongol bands pressing against the eastern borders of Byzantium.
2. The annual population increase fell in 1998 after decades of annual growth. The population was estimated at 64,566,511, with 65 percent of the people living in urban areas and 35 percent in some thirty-five thousand villages.
3. The Ottoman Empire (Turks) stretches from the Persian Gulf to western Algeria

· 3 “Fun” Facts
Here are three serious facts about Turkey:
1. The Turks language was influenced by Persian and Arabic after the ninth century, when Turks began moving into the Middle East and converting to Islam.
2. Housing styles in small towns and villages are determined by tradition, family structure, environment, local building materials, and income.
3. The Turkish military effectively controls the country.

· A “Potpourri” Item
Here is an unusual fact (or two or three) about Turkey:
1. In the winter, many Turks eat a breakfast of bread with hot soup. In the warmer seasons, they commonly eat bread and jam, hard- or soft-boiled eggs, a white cheese made from sheep’s milk, salty olives, and warm milk or hot tea with milk.
2. Turkish beverages include tea drunk throughout the day, thick coffee usually taken after a meal, ayran (buttermilk), boza (a fermented bulgur drink taken in the winter), and rakî (an aniseed-flavored brandy usually mixed with water).
3. In Turkey, carbonated drinks have become popular with young people, and beer gardens in major cities have become hangouts for men.

Food Information

· Recipe

o 250 gr butter/margarine, softened at room temperature
o ½ cup canola oil
o 1 cup powdered sugar
o 1 tsp vanilla powder/extract
o 1 cup starch (any kind)
o 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
o 3-4 tbsp cocoa

Combine margarine/butter with powdered sugar and knead with your hands. Stir in canola oil, vanilla and starch. Continue kneading and add flour. You’ll get a soft cookie dough. You do not have to use all the flour if you already got the softness in dough.
Separate the dough into two pieces. Then, add the cocoa in one piece and knead the dough well enough to dissolve cocoa evenly. Flatten both of the dough pieces with roller. Make two pieces of flat and long dough. Then, place them on top of each other and roll them up, so you’ll get a long roll. Cut walnut size pieces from the roll and make ball shapes with your palms. Place them over a greased oven tray leaving some room in between. Store them in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. Bake them in a preheated 325-340F (160-170C) oven for about 25 minutes. Take them out before getting pink. Let them cool over a cooling rack and serve.
Source: http://www.turkishfoodandrecipes.com/2010/01/double-coloured-cookies-iki-renkli.html

· My Kitchen Story

My kitchen experience was very frustrating. The recipe was very simple, but nothing was working out for me. The first time I tried baking the cookies they came out flat and I knew that was not right. After trying to make the second batch I grow aggravated. So I decided to call my sister to come by and helped me with this project. Although the cookies were still a little flat; her batch worked out better than mine. As a result, these double coloured cookies were a difficult task for me, but I’m quite sure the class will enjoy these scrumptious delights.

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Contact Info: To contact the author of “A Taste of Turkey: A Recipe for Iki Renkli Kurabiye,” please email jessica.washington-3@selu.edu

BIOGRAPHY
David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/) and international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).

AN INVITATION TO WORK WITH US, TODAY!
If you enjoyed this publication, why not make one of your own with us! Are you a college or university student from anywhere in the world who would be interested in publishing your work in an edited online journal appropriate to your topic? Such a move can help put muscle into your resume and make a great impression on potential employers and graduate schools (and needless to say – and perhaps most importantly in the age in which we live – likely be the first thing that companies/universities view about you when “Googling” you)! If so, we can help you get that first publication for free (and more if you desire)! Visit Wyld Publishing Services (http://wyldpublishingservice.yolasite.com/) for details. We can work with you to publish your quality essays, research articles/papers, reviews, etc. – and even audio and visual media and PowerPoint presentations – given our network of edited publications and relationship with publishers around the world who want to work with you and your work. Contact us today at dwyld.kwu@gmail.com.

Read more:
A Taste of Turkey: A Recipe for Iki Renkli Kurabiye

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Millions Today, Billions Tomorrow: A Report on Reverse Auction Implementation at The Department of Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services he...

Image via Wikipedia

The success stories simply keep coming on reverse auctions: Dan Gordon, the OMB’s Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Testifies before the Senate and Highlights the Experience of the Department of Health and Human Services and Its “Electronic Commodities Store”.

Let’s throw “another shrimp on the barbie, “log on the fire,” or whatever metaphor you would personally use to describe how to add another success story about the Obama Administration’s emphasis to move agencies to use reverse auctions as part of their overall procurement strategies to not only save taxpayer dollars, but just as importantly, add transparency and enhance competition in the massive world of federal procurement.

Last week, Dan Gordon, who serves as the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy for The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), testified before the U.S. Senate’s Committee and Task Force on Government Performance. The hearing was an update on the progress being made on the OMB’s efforts to help federal agencies meet the Obama Administration’s targets for tens of billions in procurement savings and process reforms. If you’ll recall, the President issued a mandate in March 2009 calling on federal agencies to save $19 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, rising to a target of $40 billion by FY2011.

Mr. Gordon reported that “two promising cost-savings trends have already emerged” and one of these was the fact that “agencies are driving competition by using innovative buying tools such as online reverse auctions.” While we here at the Reverse Auction Research Center (http://reverseauctionresearch.blogspot.com) have previously spotlighted the work being done by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service – a part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (See: http://bizcovering.com/business/how-to-revolutionize-governmental-buying-the-customs-and-border-protection-service-blazes-the-way-in-the-federal-sector-with-reverse-auction-buying/), on this occasion, Mr. Gordon spoke of the savings achieved by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). He reported that:

* Online reverse auctions

Agencies are increasingly obtaining the economies and efficiencies made possible by conducting web-based “e-procurements.” In particular, agencies are using electronic reverse auctions, where vendors use an online site to bid prices down to win an agency’s work, in order to generate greater competition. This practice is helping agencies obtain lower prices, especially on their purchases of commercial off-the-shelf products, and these web-based tools have become a routine part of how we conduct procurements in the 21st century: agencies conducted thousands of electronic reverse auctions last year. The Department of Health and Human Services, for example, offers on-line reverse auction services to customers who use its “Electronic Commodities Store” (ECS) – a government-wide acquisition contract for IT hardware and software products. Last year, agencies placing orders under ECS using reverse auctions reduced their costs by roughly 17 percent. Beyond the immediate savings, electronic reverse auctions provide a convenient way for agencies to maintain documentation of each auction online for use in the development of better price estimates and purchasing strategies for future requirements.

Analysis

This is truly becoming the ultimate “Win-Win” scenario for the federal government and more importantly, for taxpayers. Everywhere reverse auctions have been used in the public sector, from the largest users in national and state governments to even the smallest towns, we have seen reverse auctions produce significant dollar savings and – with the capabilities we find being offered by third-party auction providers today – significant improvements in the transparency and intensity of the competition for government contracts. It is a laudable effort being undertaken by not just the Obama Administration, but all in the many “procurement shops” in the various federal agencies that are joining forces for this cause, which Mr. Gordon framed as:
Our current fiscal challenges underscore the importance of maximizing the effectiveness of every tax dollar we spend. With approximately one of every six of these dollars going to contractors, it is imperative that federal contracts provide the best value for the taxpayer.

Thus, whatever your political stripes, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Tea of Green Partier, Libertarian, etc. and whether you are from a Blue State, Red State, or even a Purple State, to back the move toward greater use of reverse auctions. This effort to shift more and more federal procurement spending to being competed through online reverse auctions, which has saved – in documented terms – hundreds of millions already – may well save tens of billions of precious taxpayer dollars in ensuing fiscal years! Therefore, the impact of greater use of this new, yet proven, e-procurement tool to be able to actually cut the federal budget deficit and/or to be able to continue to fund necessary federal services may well be huge over the next few years.

We here at the the Reverse Auction Research Center (http://reverseauctionresearch.blogspot.com/) will keep monitoring these efforts. And if you are involved in federal procurement efforts in any agency, please contact us to share your success story online with our ever-increasing readership.
Source: Senate Budget Committee Hearing, TMC News, July 19, 2010 (http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2010/07/19/4907345.htm).

* Note, you can read his entire testimony in a .pdf file at budget.senate.gov/democratic/testimony/2010/Gordon_testimony_715.pdf.

Biography

David C. Wyld (dwyld@selu.edu) is the Director of the Reverse Auction Research Center (http://reverseauctionresearch.blogspot.com/). He currently serves as the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a noted expert on reverse auctions and e-procurement topics, being widely published on the topic and a recognized academic expert/consultant/speaker in the area.

Read more:
Millions Today, Billions Tomorrow: A Report on Reverse Auction Implementation at The Department of Health and Human Services

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From the Reverse Auction Research Center: http://reverseauctionresearch.blogspot.com/

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