America's Rich Scale Back On Charity - Business Insider

The wealthiest American households have certainly scaled back on charitable giving in the past few years, but they're anything but a bunch of tight wads.

Of households that earned more than $200,000 in 2011, 95 percent donated to at least one charity, according to the 2012 Bank of America Study of HIgh Net Worth Philanthropy. Charitable giving made up about 9 percent of their total wealth in all.

That's a 3 percent drop from a peak of 98 percent in 2009, but still 30 percent more than the 65 percent or so less well-heeled Americans who contribute.

In dollars and cents, America's richest families donated $52,770 on average, down about 9 percent from 2009's high of $56,621.

But rather than just mailing checks, it turns out wealthier Americans have been putting more stock in active volunteering. Nearly 90 percent of high earning households volunteered in 2011, a healthy 10 percent surge over 2009. More than one-third contributed 200 hours or more.?

Most households contribute to several causes, but the vast majority favor education and basic needs, which receive funds from about 80 percent of high income families. More than two-thirds take an interest in arts and culture as well.

However, religion is still king when it comes to attracting high worth donors. More than 35 percent of wealthy households gave the biggest chunk of change to religious organizations, with education drawing funds from 10 percent fewer donors.

Oddly enough, more wealthy donors are seeking outside guidance on where to channel their cash than ever. Forty percent admitted they asked at least one advisor (usually an accountant) for advice on charitable giving. Much of that might have to do with where their cash is going. Of those who donated to donor-advised funds, foundations and charitable trusts, about one-third went to a bank or trust company for advice first.

See Also: 21 ways rich people think differently >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/americas-richest-families-scale-back-on-charitable-giving-2012-10

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11 haunted hotels to sleep in this Halloween [PICs] | Matador Network

Not too late to book a room at one of these places for the night of October 31.

1

Castle Leslie - Glaslough, Ireland

Castle Leslie and its 1,000-acre estate has been a part of the Leslie family since the 16th century. Now a luxury resort, the castle still receives occasional visits from much older members of the Leslie family. The Red Room, where Norman Leslie was once seen rifling through a chest of drawers in the middle of the night in 1914 (which wouldn't have been so strange had he not been killed a few weeks earlier in WWI), and other master bedrooms in the castle are available for guests to book. Try sleeping in the Mauve Room, which Lady Constance Leslie looks after. She passed away in 1925, but kindly still checks in to levitate the bed every now and then. Photo: Sean MacEntee

2

Queen Mary - Long Beach, California, USA

The Queen Mary was known as one of the most celebrated luxury liners before its tenure as a stealthy grey troopship during WWII. Now docked as a hotel, it's rumored to house some 600 different ghosts. Its checkered past may account for the odd mix included in that count: a lady in white who dances in the Queens Saloon to music only she can hear; kids who drowned in the pool who've returned to make phantom splashing sounds and otherwise bother guests; 1930s-style swimwear-clad women who sloppily leave wet footprints in the pool area; sailors who died aboard the Curacoa, a ship that was torn in half during a collision with the Queen Mary in 1942; and a guy that looks like Kevin Spacey. Photo: Eric C Bryan

3

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - Alberta, Canada

Since its inception in the late 1800s, the Banff Springs Hotel has been subject to hauntings. Rushed remodeling early in its history led to the accidental creation of a small room with no windows or doors. The error was walled up and erased from blueprints, but the "Secret Room" wasn't content with being forgotten -- it was the center of rumored paranormal activity until 1926, when it was destroyed in a fire. Once that section of the hotel was rebuilt without the error, the reports of hauntings there stopped. Taking their place, however, were a helpful spirit named Sam the Bellhop, who assists guests arriving at the hotel; a ghost bride who wanders around aimlessly; and the spirit of a murdered little girl who makes uncleanable fingerprints in the mirror in room 873 with her freaky, clammy child-ghost hands. Photo: LipBomb

4

Heathman Hotel - Portland, Oregon, USA

Legend states that a guest of the Heathman Hotel once jumped from the window of room 703 and now haunts all the rooms in the path of his death-fall to earth. Despite assurances from completely reliable visiting psychics that the hauntings are of the friendly type, some unlucky guests feel otherwise -- particularly the man who claims to have heard menacing heavy breathing while in bed, and felt the sheets wrap tightly around him, constricting his movement. Upon escaping the attack, he turned the lights on to see both his heavy suitcases flying across the room toward him and the shadow of a man running into the closet. Security found nobody else in the room. Photo: Merelymel13

5

Hotel Alex Johnson - Rapid City, South Dakota, USA

The Hotel Alex Johnson was built in 1927. The hauntings that occur here are traced back to a woman who jumped from her window in room 812. Despite protests from close friends and family that she'd never have committed suicide, her death was ruled as such, and her case was closed. Many believe that the "Lady in White" at the Hotel Alex Johnson is the young woman, walking the hallways in search of her killer. While the hauntings near room 812 are creepy, they're relatively tame compared to the reports of more ominous activity in other areas of the hotel, including an aggressive, growling spirit who pushes and bites guests. The hotel insists the hauntings are harmless, and encourages ghost-curious visitors to check out the Haunted Room Package. Maybe the complimentary gift certificate for Paddy O'Neill's will help ease the fear. Photo: swanksalot

6

Hotel Provincial - New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Despite its proximity to both Bourbon Street AND Brad and Angelina's house, I'd be a little spooked about sleeping in a building where people once commonly died tragic and painful deaths. An old Confederate hospital, the Hotel Provincial is rumored to be haunted by ghosts of moaning, dying soldiers and their stoic caretakers. Building 5 is said to be the most haunted, with one room that's occasionally occupied by a music-loving spirit-soldier who won't stop changing your radio to WTIX-FM 94.3 (the oldies rock station) while asking you to please tell Diane that he has to go. Photo: traceyrobinson

7

Jamaica Inn - Cornwall, England

The history of the Jamaica Inn as a smugglers' hideout is fitting for the type of ghostly encounters guests have reported here. In addition to being awoken by the standard disembodied footsteps, inn-goers here have to put up with the noisy clatter of long-dead horses and the heavy metal rims of invisible carriages outside their windows. Jamaica Inn employees also report sounds of agitated conversations in an unidentifiable language, and the presence of a man who sits by the wall in front of the inn, slighting passersby and staring into nothingness before rudely dissolving into thin air. The most "active" areas are said to be the Smuggler's Bar, the museum, upstairs in the bedrooms (particularly room 5), and the old generator room, which is now the hotel's reception area -- so everywhere, basically. Photo: PhotoOptik

8

Crescent Hotel - Eureka Springs, Arkansas, USA

Built in 1886, the Crescent Hotel attracts history buffs and those looking for a relaxing vacation surrounded by gardens, spas, and extremely scary ghosts. Most famously, a "mischievous" spirit nicknamed Michael messes with guests by reaching through bathroom mirrors at people, screaming in terror above their beds, and banging menacingly on the walls. The hotel also once served as a cancer hospital (the medicine provided was natural spring water, so it's safe to say a lot of people died here), and supernatural evidence of its past life remains: A nurse dressed in white is occasionally seen pushing an occupied gurney around the third floor. She's only spotted after 11pm, which was the time nurses would remove the dead from their rooms. Ghosts pushing other dead ghosts past my hotel room? Count me out. Photo: doug_wertman

9

Hotel del Coronado - Coronado, California, USA

Once a celebrated hotel frequented by celebrities, presidents, and famous-people watchers, the Hotel del Coronado is a landmark known for its luxurious history. As most hotels that have been around for over a hundred years do, the Del has its own mysterious legend: In 1892, a young woman checked into room 302 under the name "Lottie Bernard." She seemed upset and ill, and carried no luggage with her. One morning, the woman was found dead near the back stairs of the hotel. Her mysterious death was ruled a suicide, and she was finally identified as Kate Morgan. Kate's restless specter now spends her time engaging in ghostly activities like turning televisions on and off, flushing toilets, opening and closing doors, and rearranging items on the hotel's gift shop shelves. Photo: peyri

10

Langham Hotel - London, England

Since its opening in 1865, the Langham Hotel has held a number of titles, including Europe's first "grand hotel," the first hotel with a hydraulic lift, and now, one of London's most haunted destinations. Most ghost stories and reports of paranormal activity at the Langham happen on the third floor, especially in room 333. In 1973, a BBC employee was sleeping the room when he was roused by the light of a big glowy ball hovering in his room. Confused, he watched as the ball took on the shape of a man in Edwardian garb. In addition to the ball-man, other ghosts that plague hotel guests and staff include a well-dressed man who looks like his legs end some 2 feet below the ground (apparently the floors were lower back then), the ghost of Napoleon III, a guy with a gaping wound on his face, and a butler with holey socks wandering the hallways. Photo: Pikesville

11

Grand Hyatt - Taipei, Taiwan

The Grand Hyatt in Taipei looks like a perfectly normal luxury hotel, but the grounds it was built on were once used to torture, execute, and bury political prisoners. As a result, the hotel was plagued with extremely unhappy ghosts wandering the hallways, making noises, and occasionally shaking a guest or two by the leg while they rested in bed. Nothing a little feng shui can't handle: The Hyatt hired experts to help realign the chi in the hotel and added sacred scrolls to the lobby, which have reportedly helped to combat the flow of middle-of-the-night checkouts from terrified guests. Photo: || UggBoy?UggGirl || PHOTO || WORLD || TRAVEL ||

Source: http://matadornetwork.com/nights/11-haunted-hotels-to-sleep-in-this-halloween-pics/

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First Person: How My Best Friend Helped Me Through Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Yahoo News asked women who have had breast cancer or are going through treatment to write about the people in their lives who stood by them and cared for them. Here's one story.

FIRST PERSON | Never in a million years, did I think breast cancer would happen to me. I never would've thought that a routine yearly check-up would reveal such ugly results. It didn't run in my family. I didn't feel or see a lump during any of my self-exams. So, I was completely shocked when my gynecologist expressed concern and wanted to me to get a mammogram.

I was scared. I was worried. I felt alone.

I didn't feel comfortable sharing the news with just anybody. I also couldn't share my feelings with my family. A few years prior, my sister had cancer, and it put my aging parents on an emotional roller coaster. I couldn't do this to them... again.

I did have a friend who had been through a similar experience with a family member, so one day over lunch, I felt safe to disclose my scariest secret. I'm glad I did. She was understanding, supportive, and compassionate.

It was what I needed. I didn't need a million questions. I didn't need to hear a reactive response. I didn't want to hear "Did you try this? Did you do this?" type of questions. I just wanted to be heard with love and understanding. She listened as I cried. Being that type of friend meant the world to me.

Throughout 2007, I had several mammograms, MRIs, and even a biopsy. She was there with me every step of the way. She went with me to almost every appointment and if she couldn't make it, she would meet me for lunch or after work. When I found out I had to have surgery, she took a week off from work to take care of me. I remember we would camp out in front of my TV watching Lifetime movies and eating chocolate cupcakes that she'd baked.

Through this experience, she became my "breast friend." After my surgery and successful post-op appointment, I remember we celebrated by taking a short road trip. We both felt triumphant. My post tests showed I was cancer-free and continue to be free and clear.

My friend, Dawn, passed away in an accident in 2009, but her life on this earth was invaluable to me. I will never forget the love and compassion she showed during a time I needed someone the most. The memories that we shared together will always be cherished.

-- Suzanna L. Kroften, 38, Tampa, Fla.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-person-best-friend-helped-breast-cancer-213200949.html

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Improving Self Control: Brain Study on How Affirmation Works ...

Self affirmation theory, first proposed by Claude Steele in 1988, suggests that when a new belief threatens our point of view, we protect our integrity by reminding ourselves who we are. Under this model, self-affirmation helps us tame confirmation bias, which often causes us to be blind to ideas that threaten our existing world view.

By falling back on this sense of integrity, we allow ourselves to be more open to new ideas without feeling as though we are jeopardizing who we are.

The model may sound a bit ?touchy-feely,? but many psychological studies have demonstrated how self-affirmation can help improve our performance on various tasks in experimental studies. Unfortunately, very little of this research has focused on what is actually happening in the brain, until now.

The experiment was led by Lisa Legault of Clarkson University with researchers from the University of Toronto Scarborough?and?Johns Hopkins University.

Because self-affirmation allows us to be more open to threatening ideas, they set out to discover whether this meant we would be more open to our own errors, and if this had something to do with the better performance seen in previous studies.

They also wanted to find out if this effect could be measured in the brain itself through a?phenomenon?called ?error related negativity.? This brain wave, more concisely called an ERN, is a well known electrical activity spike that happens in your brain after you make an error. Remarkably, these spikes occur even if you aren?t consciously aware of an error, although the spikes are smaller in this case.

The anterior cingulate cortex is highlighted

Previous MRI experiments suggest that ERN probably starts in a part of your brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, located between your forehead and the center of your brain.?This part of the brain is vital for all kinds of functions, including regulating blood pressure and heartbeat, as well as more ?human? things like empathy, decision making, emotion, and reward.

To test the theory, 38 undergrads were asked to rate 6 values according to their importance. Half were asked to write why their highest ranked value was important to them, a form of self-affirmation. The other half were asked to write why their highest ranked value wasn?t that important to them, which would reduce their sense of self-affirmation.

Afterward, the participants were hooked up to an EEG while they played a simple computer game. The game would push the ?go? button when they saw the letter M, and not push the button when they saw the letter W. To reinforce the effect, if they failed to push the button, or missed their chance, they saw the word ?Wrong!? on the screen.

As previous experiments would suggest, the ones who went through the self-affirmation task did better at the game.

More interestingly, they experienced larger ERN spikes when they made an error. After controlling for everything else, they verified that this larger ERN spike was the most likely cause of improved performance.

In other words, feeling self-affirmed actually means you are more aware of the errors you have made, more receptive to them, and more willing to change your approach in order to correct the errors.

Related:

Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive?Psychology?to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment

Source: http://trendingsideways.com/index.php/improving-self-control-brain-study-on-how-affirmation-works/

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Reader Questions Answered: Very Itchy Dog; Desperate Cat Owner ...

Q: When we purchased our 8-week-old German Shepherd, we were told he was very healthy. However, he's suffered from an unbelievable skin condition, constantly scratching his stomach, genitals and ears. We've taken him to a dermatologist and to our veterinarian many times, but all they say is he should undergo "scratch tests" that would cost thousands of dollars -- and that might not even help. We can't afford the tests. This dog also suffers from clogged anal glands. We love him enough to put him out of his misery. We know he must be uncomfortable. What would you advise? -- S.M., Cyberspace

A: Euthanizing any pet is a very personal decision, but in this instance, it would seem to be a tragedy. "In very young dogs, the most likely explanations (for what you describe) are food allergies and/or scabies. They are both 100 percent treatable," says Dr. Dunbar Gram, a veterinary dermatologist in Richmond, VA.

Scabies or sarcoptic mange is caused by mites and is contagious (to other pets). Some dogs may show symptoms, some not. If scabies is identified, other dogs at the breeder where you purchased yours may have had the problem. Gram adds, "Scabies can be hard to find, but it's not unreasonable to treat thinking they may be there."

Gram says that testing for food allergies can cost several hundred dollars (but not thousands, as you suggest). Most importantly, it probably isn't necessary. A more cost-effective option would be to put your dog on a food trial, using an appropriate hypoallergenic diet recommended by your veterinarian. During a food trial, your dog would eat nothing except the suggested "special" diet for two months -- no treats, no table snacks.

It's true that such "special" diets are more expensive than most over-the-counter food brands. However, working with a veterinary dermatologist has several advantages, one being that together you may be able to pinpoint the allergen (if there is one, keeping in mind that mites might be the problem, or a contributing factor).

As for the anal gland issue, Gram wonders if your dog is licking back there because his rear-end itches (as a result of food allergies), or if there are truly unrelated anal gland problems. If so, these can be treated.

My hope is that your dog can enjoy an itch-free happy life and you can help make that happen without breaking the bank.

?

Q: I'm desperate for answers. Baby, our 7-year-old, 16-pound cat was very healthy, then she began to leak a black liquid from her rectum, which developed into a vaginal infection. The problem creates an odor, though it's not like "poo." I brought Baby to the vet, but I've now spent $750 and they still can't find a thing. These trips to the vet are so stressful that Baby has to be sedated. Dry food is always available, and Baby gets canned food in the morning. Her stools are always soft. The only suggestion from my vet is that I see a specialist, but that's too expensive. Any other ideas? -- M.J.S., Las Vegas, NV

A: One hint as to the problem may be Baby's girth. Dr. Vicki Thayer, president of the non-profit Winn Feline Foundation and past president of American Association of Feline Practitioners, says, "Of course, you'll have a happier, healthier cat overall if you and your veterinarian can develop a weight-loss program. This would likely include cutting out the free feeding (leaving food out all the time), transitioning to only canned food (a low carbohydrate choice) and beginning an exercise regimen."

Thayer says it's possible Baby isn't able to groom around her rear end because she can't reach (her tummy gets in the way), and with weight and age, she may be developing arthritis so reaching back to groom hurts.

Since Baby's problem doesn't generate a smell like "poo," clogged anal glands is the likely answer, says Thayer, of Lebanon, OR. Your veterinarian can offer advice, depending on whether or not the glands are infected.

?

Q: Our cat, Eddie, loves to attack the rolls of toilet paper in our bathrooms. He chews off big chunks of paper and unravels the paper, creating a huge mess. We've had to resort to not hanging toilet paper on the holder. How can we stop Eddie's annoying habit? -- C.L. Boca Raton, FL

A: Eddie needs a life. Give him more interesting activities, although this might be a challenge now that playing with the toilet paper has become his favorite sport.

Hang some self-play cat toys from door frames and door knobs around the house. You could also add some free-standing toys that move when cats touch them. Rub the new toys in catnip to attract Eddie. Meanwhile, close your bathroom doors or remove the toilet paper from the rolls when you leave the house.

Many self-play toys are available at pet stores and online. You can also make your own. For example, take a wire coat hanger and tie a string to one end with a hanging mouse toy or cork (from a wine bottle), then attach the toy to a door knob. Another idea: Scattering a few plastic lids from milk cartons on the floor. NHL players may be on strike, but your cat can still play hockey! Rotate Eddie's toys periodically.

I also like toys in which you can hide kibble or food; they provide a kind of occupational therapy for pets. A new line is available from Aikiou.

To help Eddie use up some of his excess energy, when you are home, use a fishing pole-type toy to play with him daily.

Wiping out Eddie's toilet paper habit is serious business. If he's actually ingesting some of that paper or bit of the toilet paper tubes, this could be dangerous, potentially causing a gastrointestinal obstruction.

?Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services

Filed under: cats, dogs, veterinary health

Tags: American Association of Feline Practitioners, cat behavior, cat health, cloged anal glands, dog health, Dr. Dunbar Gram, Dr. Vicki Thayer, food allergies, itchy dog, sarcoptic mange, Seve Dale archives, Winn Feline Foundation

Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/steve-dales-pet-world/2012/10/reader-questions-answered-very-itchy-dog-desperate-cat-owner-cat-unrolls-toilet-paper/

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Video: Why Ohio matters

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49543101/

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The Manager's Guide: 6 B Maslow's Theory of Needs Continued

Self-actualization- Achieving an organization with 80 percent or more of the workers need for self-actualization fulfilled is the objective effective leaders strive for. The result is hard working and happy workers. The manager has to spend very little time on discipline problems, suppressing false rumors and similar non value added work. One key to satisfying the self-actualization need is, first, ensure that all subordinate needs are satisfied (Maslow?s first argument) and then empower workers to have control over the processes involved in their job. This is not as simple as it sounds. If a manager just says to workers that they are empowered they have far different definitions of what this means than the manager intends.

Effective empowerment required that workers be trained in process improvement techniques because otherwise empowered workers make changes in their work processes that are likely to be counterproductive, as is discussed in later lectures on process improvement. Effective empowerment also requires careful definition and effective communication of the boundaries of the empowerment. These boundaries are likely to be process and perhaps even worker dependent. It takes some experience to get them right and it is better to start with tighter than necessary boundaries and loosen them as time and results indicate that looser boundaries are warranted. The objective is to provide sufficient empowerment that the workers feel they have adequate control to implement changes that make their jobs easier, improve the quality of their work products, reduce costs or otherwise improve the processes they control. The later lectures on process improvement will help students understand more of the issues involved in defining boundaries for empowerment. Assuming workers are empowered and functioning as intended they make significant improvements in their job processes over time. They naturally expect to be rewarded for this good work. Ataboy?s are necessary and sufficient up to a point but eventually workers expect and deserve more. In today?s flat and lean organizations there are not many promotions available to reward good work. The effective leader must be creative in developing career paths that are rewarding for workers and beneficial for the organization. Expanding job scope and lateral moves are positive for both the organization and worker as long as proper training is provided to prepare the worker for new responsibilities. Empowerment, effective career planning and fair pay increases are necessary for self-actualization but not quite sufficient. Workers need to feel that their work is important and that their organization?s mission is worthy of their efforts. Workers understand that most organizations have a goal of making profits but they expect broader and more meaningful missions. Defining an organization?s mission is a strategic issue and therefore typically not within the job description of the people studying this course. Low and mid-level managers can make sure they understand the organization?s mission and communicate it to their workers. There are a variety of worthy missions that inspire most workers. For example, it?s easy for space and defense organizations or health care because most people are inspired by being part of a major space project, supporting the defense of their country or improving health care. Consumer goods and service organizations need to provide their workers with the opportunity to participate in a meaningful way in worthy missions such as environmental improvements, social issues or community services. This is becoming easier as awareness grows that business organizations can contribute in ways that are win-win, i.e. win for the organization and win for society. An article by Tim Simmons of the Raleigh News & Observer quotes Rich Leimsides, director of the Center for Business Education in New York. Leimsides says that there is a noticeable increase in the number of executives who see a link between environmental practices, social issues and bigger profits. Obvious examples include saving energy and thereby reducing costs while helping with global warming; reducing wastes saves money and helps the environment. Major manufactures like Ford and GM are now investing in buildings that meet green standards and save money. If you are unfortunate enough to work for an organization that does not have a mission that is inspiring then you need to define objectives for your group that are compatible with the overall organization?s mission and offer inspiration to your group. Remember that you need to involve the group in defining new objectives. Otherwise they are not likely to feel the inspiration you expect. You need your management?s approval for any budget or company time that is to be invested for environmental, community or social issues. You should be ready to defend why you think it is important to have your organization involved in a broader mission and why it makes sense to the overall enterprise. Make sure you introduce your plan in a way that the workers feel you are giving them an opportunity not an obligation. Single working parents are likely fully committed and may lose their feeling of belongingness if they feel they are being coerced to join in some volunteer activity that they don?t have time for. An important thing for managers is to ?walk their talk? with respect to missions. It is demotivating to employees to listen to their boss say great things about the organization?s commitment to the environment or to a social issue and then watch the boss ignore obvious opportunities to act on the commitment. Pay as it relates to Maslow Pay increases impact several needs ranging from safety to self-actualization and therefore require significant management attention. Few low and mid-level managers have control over the budgets available for pay increases. However, these managers do influence the relative increases given to their subordinates. This task is one that can have negative or neutral results. It isn?t likely to result in all workers being happier no matter how hard the manager works on achieving fairness. The best way to avoid negative motivation and achieve at least neutral results is to be as fair as possible. This isn?t easy because the manager simply doesn?t have enough information to be absolutely fair. This is because work performance is the convolution of the workers? efforts and skills with the quality of the work processes, which can be good or bad independent of the skills or efforts of the workers. I?ll discuss three approaches but I can?t claim any of these are completely fair or provide sound arguments for one over the other. A good source of further study is chapter 14 of Brian Joiner?s book Fourth Generation Management. Two principles to follow in planning pay increases for workers are avoid de-motivators and avoid judgments based on only one year?s work or one job assignment. Brian Joiner calls rankings, ratings and forced distributions great demoralizers. People don?t believe these actions, which always have winners and losers, are fair, especially if their personal ranking, rating or distribution results in their receiving a smaller pay increase than coworkers they know. If you work in a large enterprise your human resources department likely has curves of pay vs. time (years of experience or time in grade) for the enterprise?s various salary grades. An approach I have used in such cases is to give pay increases that keep people on the appropriate curve as best you can with the budget you are allocated. This approach avoids ratings, rankings and forced distributions and it keeps pay close to the prevailing market assuming the enterprise?s curves are based on the market. The primary flaw in this approach is that each person receives an arbitrary increase, which the manager perceives as fair but the fairness is not always apparent to workers that receive smaller increases than their coworkers. If your enterprise does not have such curves you can develop them yourself, a difficult task, or use an alternate approach to allocating pay increases. An approach recommended by some management experts is to divide the workers into three groups. Admittedly this is a forced distribution but minimally arbitrary. One group contains the few workers who have consistently demonstrated outstanding work in their last three or four assignments, typically over more than one year. Another group contains the few who have consistently demonstrated unsatisfactory work in their last three or four assignments. The idea is that over sufficient time the quality of the work of an individual can be separated from the effects of the system influencing the worker. One assignment or even one year is usually not enough for a manager to be able to make a fair assessment of a workers performance independent of the system. The remaining workers, which should be most of the workers in the organization being evaluated, are in a middle group. The group consistently demonstrating outstanding work receive promotions, increases in pay grade and/or a larger than average share of the available budget for increases in pay. The group consistently demonstrating less than satisfactory performance receives no or less than an average share of the available budget for increases in pay. The middle group shares the remaining budget equally by percentage increases with the objective being to keep workers? pay competitive with the market for their education and experience. The belief is that those consistently demonstrating unsatisfactory work know their performance is less than desired and understand why they receive little or no pay increases. The three group method is reasonably fair but has flaws in addition to being a forced distribution. First it does not address pay discrepancies that exist from history. It is not unusual to be managing an organization made up of individuals of different ages, different education, different years of experience and different job experience as well as different job performance. These collective differences often lead to people with similar backgrounds and capabilities receiving quite different pay. This obviously isn?t fair and eventually people learn of such unfair situations and are demotivated. The effective leader does the analysis to reveal such situations and works with the personnel department to eliminate them. Sometimes this can take a few years but it is necessary to prevent workers being demotivated due to unfair pay discrepancies. A second flaw is it does not address the senior person who has been in the same job for a long time and has reached the maximum market rate for that position. If the person does not warrant a promotion or desire a transfer to a higher paying position then that person should receive less pay than most others in order to keep within the bounds of competitive pay for the position. These cases must be dealt with on an individual basis. A third flaw is that the few individuals receiving less pay due to unsatisfactory work over several assignments are demotivated, which is likely to lead to even less satisfactory performance. Some would argue that it is better to give the same increases to the unsatisfactory workers as to most other workers to avoid demotivating the unsatisfactory workers. This is the third approach and it isn?t a perfect solution either as workers that are performing satisfactorily are likely to see it as unfair to them. I do not have the data or experience to argue which approach is best

Exercise 1

1.???? How is need fulfillment correlated with effectiveness? 2.???? Which needs are satisfied with money? 3.???? What are the effects of individual rewards? Team rewards? 4.???? What is the effect of excessive job stress? 5.???? Define the likely problems experienced by a worker that is not moving forward in Maslow?s hierarchy for each stage of the hierarchy. 6.???? Define a management strategy or action that is likely to help a worker move from each stage to the stage on its right.

Exercise 2

1.?? Pick at random four of your direct reports or peers that are typical of your organization. Assess each one against Maslow?s hierarchy of needs by determining the highest need that you believe is fulfilled for that individual. This gives you another measure of the health of your organization. If three or four have achieved self-actualization then your organization is most likely nearly as productive as it can be except for improving work processes. If two or more have safety or belongingness needs unfulfilled then your organization is not healthy and is most likely not nearly as productive as it could be. 2.?? If your results show less than three out of four with self-actualization needs fulfilled then write down a draft plan on what you need to do to improve the motivation of your organization. Reread the lecture if you don?t have ideas on what to do. You don?t need to start working on your plan yet but keep the plan handy so that you can review it later as part of developing a more comprehensive action plan. If you find that the pace of blog posts isn?t compatible with the pace you? would like to maintain in studying this material you can buy the book ?The Manager?s Guide for Effective Leadership? at: or hard copy or for nook at: or hard copy or E-book at:

Source: http://themanagersguide.blogspot.com/2012/10/6-b-maslows-theory-of-needs-continued.html

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Are There Regulations That Prohibit Giving A Loan On ... - Realtor.com

Q: I am interested in a foreclosure property being sold ?as is?. The bank that owns the house (it is a mobile with land) has already pre-approved me for a loan. I gave them an offer that included providing a water heater. They asked for a counter offer with my ?best and final offer?. I want to take out the water heater because I have a friend that works on houses and can give me a good deal. My agent says I need to leave it in because they can?t give a loan on a house without a water heater. It is not an FHA loan. Can I have her take out the water heater? (there is another offer on the property and her agency is handling that offer too) ? Thanks
?Anonymous, Peoria, IL

A: Generally a water heater will be required for financing (health & safety issue) and in many cases the bank that owns the home will put one in if required for financing, check with the underwriter.

One strategy could be to take the water heater requirement out of the contract and then when your lender requires it for a loan, ask the seller to repair/replace, but your agent will know the best strategy for your area and situation.

good luck!
Teri Andrews Murch is a Realtor? with Lyon Real Estate in Auburn, CA.

Are you interested in having a qualified REALTOR answer your questions? Click through to Ask a REALTOR? now.

Are you a REALTOR who would like to answer consumer questions? Click through to become an Ask a REALTOR? participant.

Related posts:

1. Who Determines The Closing Date?
2. Does The Type Of Loan Matter On A Short Sale Offer?
3. If I Couldn?t Buy A Home With One Bank, Should I Try Another?
4. How Do I Go About Buying A Government-Owned House?
5. Are There Types Of Creative Financing That Can Minimize A Down Payment?

Source: http://www.realtor.com/blogs/2012/10/23/are-there-regulations-that-prohibit-giving-a-loan-on-a-house-without-a-water-heater/

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Fleming's Sweet Charity cocktail supports Leukemia & Lymphoma ...

Cocktail for a cause: the Sweet Charity

Fleming?s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar announces its latest cocktail for a cause: the ?Sweet Charity.? For the entire month of October, 100 percent?of the sales of ?Sweet Charity? will be donated to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the world?s largest voluntary non-profit health agency dedicated to funding blood cancer research. The cocktail will be featured on Fleming?s popular ?5 for $6 ?til 7? bar menu and available after 7 pm for $9.95.

Created by Fleming?s Director of Wine Maeve Pesquera, the new ?Sweet Charity? cocktail is elegant and floral combining Lillet Rose infused wine, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and soda water, served over ice in a wine glass with a raspberry garnish.

?Each year, Fleming?s is proud to donate to a cause we feel passionately about, and this year is no exception. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is near and dear to many of our guests. Last year?s Cocktail for a Cause benefited breast cancer research and raised over $60,000. This year we hope to top that.? says Pesquera.

Fleming?s Director of Wine Maeve Pesquera

About Fleming?s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Nationally acclaimed Fleming?s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar offers the best in steakhouse dining ? Prime meats and chops, fresh fish and poultry, generous salads and side orders ? with a unique wine list known as the Fleming?s 100,? which features over 100 wines served by the glass. Fleming?s was launched in Newport Beach, California, in 1998 by successful restaurant industry veterans Paul Fleming and Bill Allen. Today there are 64 restaurants nationwide. Fleming?s is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including Wine Enthusiast?s annual Award of Distinction and Wine Spectator?s annual Award of Excellence. For more information about Fleming?s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and the Fleming?s 100, please visit FlemingsSteakhouse.com.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world?s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin?s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.lls.org or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. www.lls.org.

Source: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_food_blog/2012/10/fleming%E2%80%99s-sweet-charity-cocktail-supports-leukemia-lymphoma-society.html

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AT&T revenue, subscriber growth miss Wall Street view

(Reuters) - AT&T Inc posted third-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates as it added fewer customers than expected, citing a shortage of the latest Apple Inc iPhone.

The No. 2 U.S. mobile service provider said it had 151,000 net new subscribers in the quarter, compared with the average expectation for 358,000, according to five analysts contacted by Reuters.

Its bigger rival, Verizon Wireless, added 1.5 million subscribers in the quarter.

AT&T said a shortage of the latest iPhone, which went on sale in the last week of the quarter, meant that the vast majority of third-quarter iPhone sales went to existing customers, stunting its growth of new customers.

Slow customer growth likely helped the company post better-than-expected earnings for the quarter as new customers come with a hefty cost for wireless service providers.

AT&T's profit rose to $3.64 billion, or 63 cents per share, from $3.62 billion, or 61 cents per share, and was 3 cents ahead of Wall Street expectations, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

However, revenue fell to $31.46 billion from $31.48 billion and missed the analysts' average estimate of $31.59 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The company also raised its target for 2012 free cash flow by $2 billion to $18 billion.

Verizon Wireless is a venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/t-revenue-falls-slightly-misses-wall-street-view-114254339--finance.html

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The Meadows Castle Rock Homes for Sale: New Castle Rock - Trulia

With the continuing availability of the $100 down payment program on all Denver HUD homes, we've been seeing most HUD homes sell incredibly fast. We expect that to be the case with the latest offering in the limited market for Castle Rock foreclosures.

This home was just listed in The Meadows Castle Rock neighborhood. This 1,400+ square foot ranch home backs to a greenbelt, has slab granite counter tops and is in good shape. Check out our site for more photos and a virtual tour.

Again, Castle Rock foreclosures are moving very quickly, so if you think this could be the home for you, call us today to schedule a showing at 303-726-1874.

The Meadows Castle Rock Homes for Sale:

HUD Owned Home 3821 dinosaur st castle rock 80109 $224,000.00

Beds: 2 Fin Sq Ft: 1418 Baths: 2 Year: 2006 Acres:0.10 # of Photos Avail: 5 V-tour Available: Yes MLS #: 1137937 Listing Office: the colorado real estate co.

Broker Remarks: hud owned, sold as is by electronic bid. 10-day sealed bids due by 10/28/12 @ 11:59pm cst; bids due daily thereafter. fh... more...

Our team can help you navigate the confusing and ever changing world of Denver HUD homes and foreclosures. The bidding process for each bank can be different and you need a knowledgeable agent in your corner to help you make winning bids. Call our team today at 303-726-1874 to learn more about the process.

Source: http://www.trulia.com/blog/petrelliteam/2012/10/the_meadows_castle_rock_homes_for_sale_new_castle_rock_foreclosure

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Installing a Movie Theater in Your Home | Zillow Blog

By John Donegan

If you have a family of film enthusiasts, it may make sense to invest in a home movie theater. Although it initially sounds like an extravagant expenditure, a home theater does add a great deal of value to your home, and the installation may be more affordable than you imagine. Depending on your carpentry skills, you may want to hire a handyman to assist with the renovation. Also, the installation process takes awhile, so you might want to use a self-storage finder to locate a storage locker for your excess furniture during the construction.

Space

When selecting a location, be sure to choose a space in the home that is a good distance from your bedrooms, especially if you have young children. Generally speaking, the room needs to be at least 20 feet by 13 feet and should not have many windows. After you locate an adequately sized, remote room for your theater, it?s time to focus on the acoustics.

If you do have windows in the room, you?ll need to hang heavy curtains over them in order to contain the sound. Also, the ceiling will require a couple of layers of fiberglass insulation, and the walls need acoustic boards placed over them. After you nail the acoustic boards into the wall, place a thin layer of carpeting on top. The floor should only have a thin layer of carpeting; wood or tile flooring will definitely not do the trick.

Seats

Although specialty retailers offer home theater seats, these can be quite pricey. If you don?t want to spring for the heavy-duty theater seats, you can always bring in a comfortable couch or reclining chairs from another part of your home. If you do go the theater seat route and decide to build multiple rows of seating, the general rule is that the platform between the rows needs to be at least a foot high.

Lights

Despite the obvious fact that films are viewed in the dark, you?ll need lights in your theater. It?s particularly luxurious to install dimmable lights, especially ones that can be adjusted via a remote.

Screen

When it comes to your screen, you have many different choices: HDTV, LED TV or HD projector. Of these options, an HD projector is by far the cheapest route, and it offers a unique feel to the room. Projectors retail between $500 and $1,000, but you?ll also need to purchase a projector screen; unless of course you decide to project directly off the wall, which isn?t recommended. There are fixed-frame screens and pull-down screens, both of which work equally well.

Sound

No home theater is complete without surround sound. Although a salesman may try to force a 7.1 surround sound system on you, a 5.1 surround system is more than adequate. Retailing for about $400, these systems generally include five speakers and a subwoofer.

D?cor

Perhaps the most fun part of building a home theater is coming up with a thematic interior design that fits your family?s taste. Framed movie posters are nice, but don?t be afraid to think outside of the box. For example, if you have a house full of sci-fi fans, consider a Steampunk aesthetic throughout. On the other hand, if your family loves Westerns, maybe a country-western motif would work. If you?re watching John Wayne on Friday nights, a mounted deer or a rifle on the wall wouldn?t necessarily be over the top.

Related:

John Donegan is a writer at SpareFoot, the online marketplace where you can find and reserve a self-storage unit with comparison shopping tools that show real-time availability and exclusive deals. John lives in Austin, TX and occasionally directs videos for rap artists.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2012-10-23/installing-a-movie-theater-in-your-home/

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Report: Zynga shutters Boston, Austin, and Chicago studios, lays off over 100 employees

While Apple was busy introducing new devices and updating its existing ones this morning, Facebook game creator Zynga was apparently relieving itself of several studios worth of employees. Several reports on Twitter indicate that Zynga is cutting its Boston, Austin, and Chicago studios; our colleagues at Joystiq spoke with a Zynga Austin employee who confirmed at least two of his location's teams were let go (The Ville and Zynga Bingo teams). Further reports on The Verge indicate that "more than 100" employees were let go as a result of the Austin layoffs. TechCrunch is reporting the full shut down of Zynga's Boston studio, which was apparently working on an unannounced title before being closed. The company's San Francisco location -- its headquarters -- has yet to be affected, nor have employees heard anything from upper management.

Notoriously, Austin-developed The Ville is the root of an ongoing lawsuit between game publishing giant Electronic Arts, wherein EA alleges The Ville too closely resembles its own Facebook game, The Sims Social. Beyond the lawsuit, Zynga's faced declining stock value since its IPO, and the $200 million purchase of Draw Something developer OMGPOP remains a sticking point for investors. The company is slated to release its quarterly earnings tomorrow, which are expected to be down for another quarter. We reached out to the company for comment, but have yet to hear back as of publishing.

Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Software

Report: Zynga shutters Boston, Austin, and Chicago studios, lays off over 100 employees originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Justin Maxwell  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/NQymdSO4xmw/

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Preventive law becomes preventive medicine

Public release date: 22-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Gina DiGravio
gina.digravio@bmc.org
617-638-8480
Boston University Medical Center

(Boston) - In a commentary to appear in the Oct. 22 issue of the journal Pediatrics, Barry Zuckerman, MD, the Joel and Barbara Alpert Professor of Pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, discusses how by working together, lawyers and physicians potentially can close the gap in health disparities that persist even in universal health care coverage.

While the relationship between poverty and poor health is complex, access to basic needs like adequate housing and nutrition, appropriate education and personal safety is well documented to improve health trajectories.

According to Zuckerman the article by Beck, et al in Pediatrics represents a special example of how a multidisciplinary approach to social determinants of health initiated from a primary care setting can address poor housing conditions and reduce risk for asthma for individual patients and for a population. "When families do not receive the benefits or protections of certain laws, their health can be undermined. The consequences can be treated medically, but their upstream causes are social and are more effectively addressed using legal strategies," said Zuckerman.

A recent report estimates that 50 to 85 percent of health center users between 10 and 17 million people experience unmet legal needs, many of which impact their health. Most at-risk individuals may not know that their problems have legal solutions. Medical-Legal Partnerships, founded by Zuckerman at Boston Medical Center in 1993 for children, helps parents navigate the complex government and legal systems that often hold solutions for many social determinants of poor health.

"The health care team's role is to identify early unmet legal needs that cause or exacerbate child health problems. Once identified, lawyers bring critical skills to complement the expertise of the health care team," explained Zuckerman.

By reducing the impact of legal determinants that affect health, this creative partnership in clinical settings will compliment increased access to health care provided by recent health care reforms.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 22-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Gina DiGravio
gina.digravio@bmc.org
617-638-8480
Boston University Medical Center

(Boston) - In a commentary to appear in the Oct. 22 issue of the journal Pediatrics, Barry Zuckerman, MD, the Joel and Barbara Alpert Professor of Pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, discusses how by working together, lawyers and physicians potentially can close the gap in health disparities that persist even in universal health care coverage.

While the relationship between poverty and poor health is complex, access to basic needs like adequate housing and nutrition, appropriate education and personal safety is well documented to improve health trajectories.

According to Zuckerman the article by Beck, et al in Pediatrics represents a special example of how a multidisciplinary approach to social determinants of health initiated from a primary care setting can address poor housing conditions and reduce risk for asthma for individual patients and for a population. "When families do not receive the benefits or protections of certain laws, their health can be undermined. The consequences can be treated medically, but their upstream causes are social and are more effectively addressed using legal strategies," said Zuckerman.

A recent report estimates that 50 to 85 percent of health center users between 10 and 17 million people experience unmet legal needs, many of which impact their health. Most at-risk individuals may not know that their problems have legal solutions. Medical-Legal Partnerships, founded by Zuckerman at Boston Medical Center in 1993 for children, helps parents navigate the complex government and legal systems that often hold solutions for many social determinants of poor health.

"The health care team's role is to identify early unmet legal needs that cause or exacerbate child health problems. Once identified, lawyers bring critical skills to complement the expertise of the health care team," explained Zuckerman.

By reducing the impact of legal determinants that affect health, this creative partnership in clinical settings will compliment increased access to health care provided by recent health care reforms.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/bumc-plb102212.php

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Antique Living Room Home Improvement | Trend Decoration

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Publised: October 21st, 2012 Category: Living Room
Tags: elegant Dining Room Design, elegant Living Room Design, elegant Living Room Design Ideas
Author: Jul
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Antique Living Room Home Improvement

Spirit of Living Room design mix all of style in these inspiring space and equipped with touch of dazzling accent. What do you think about dazzling Elegant Kitchen Design with exciting concept that give us an inspiration to upgrade our home Living Room concept. Trendy, the design above is unique result of good Living Room tone, this Antique Living Room Home Improvement is related with elegant Living Room Design Ideas that we have write some time ago. Using simple accent and ornament surely will embellish your Living Room. The designer has put on this Charm interpreting of Antique Living Room Home Improvement inspired by modern Living Room design and Elegant Kitchen Design, showing a Charm style.

If you like this Living Room touch we are recommend you to check out the Beautiful Living Room below. Need more idea? get the another Great Living Room trend similar with Antique Living Room Home Improvement in Elegant Living Room Furniture topic.

Dramatic Bedroom Lighting Decorating With Antique Designs

Source: http://www.trendecoration.com/antique-living-room-home-improvement.html

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Judge blocks Arizona law that bars funding to Planned Parenthood

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Documents add to evidence of Libya security fears

Members of Congress as well as the former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign are raising new issues about the Benghazi attack and how it was reported to the public. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.

By NBC News and news services

House Republicans stepped up criticism of President Barack Obama on Friday over the deadly Sept. 11 attack on the U.S mission in Benghazi, Libya, releasing 166 pages of unclassified documents and photos that they said show administration officials repeatedly rejected ?requests for increased security despite escalating violence ? (and) systematically decreased existing security to dangerous and ineffective levels.?

The release of the documents, which came just days before Obama and Republican Mitt Romney discuss U.S. foreign policy in their last debate before the Nov. 6 presidential election, added to the political furor over the administration?s actions preceding the late-night attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, which claimed the life of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

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Many of the documents released by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa and National Security Subcommittee Chairman Jason Chaffetz had previously been made public, but others provided new evidence of growing concern about the security situation in Benghazi, and Libya in general.

One, a June 25 memo from Stevens, referred to incidents in Benghazi in which local elements attacked foreigners and specifically mentioned signs of growing al-Qaida sympathies in the city.

??(A) national security official shared his private opinion that the attacks were the work of extremists who are opposed to western influence in Libya,? Stevens wrote. ?A number of local contacts agreed, noting that Islamic extremism appears to be on the rise in eastern Libya and the al-Qaida flag has been spotted several times flying over government buildings and training facilities in Derna (a city east of Benghazi). Other contacts disagree however suggesting that the attacks could be the work of pro-Gadhafi loyalists or individuals who have been politically and financially marginalized by the (Transitional National Council)."

Another document, a cable dated Sept. 11 and sent to the State Department by U.S. Embassy personnel in Tripoli only hours before militant Islamists attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, indicated that staff had growing concerns over security provided by Libyan militias.

?Host nation security support is lacking and cannot be depended on to provide a safe and secure environment for the diplomatic mission,? it said in part.

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In a letter to Obama, Issa, R-Calif., and Chaffetz, R-Utah, demanded the president fully answer questions about the administration?s response to the concerns.

"The American people deserve nothing less than a full explanation from this administration about these events, including why the repeated warnings about a worsening security situation appear to have been ignored by this administration,? it said. ?Americans also deserve a complete explanation about your administration's decision to accelerate a normalized presence in Libya at what now appears to be at the cost of endangering American lives.?

The senior Democrat on the committee, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., issued a statement in which he accused Issa and Chaffetz of attempting to use the tragedy to score political points.

Issa's letter "completely ignores sworn testimony provided to the committee, recklessly omits contradictory information from the very same documents it quotes, irresponsibly promotes inaccurate information, and makes numerous allegations with no evidence to substantiate them," he wrote.

Ben Curtis / AP file

U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans died in the attack on the U.S. consulate Benghazi, LIbya.

Separately, a senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke with NBC News on condition of anonymity, said Friday that investigators still have not uncovered any evidence that the attack was preplanned.

"No one is ruling out the idea that some of the attackers may have aspired to attack the U.S. in Benghazi," the official said. "However, right now, there isn't any intelligence that the attackers preplanned their assault days or weeks in advance.? The bulk of available information supports the early assessment that the attackers launched their assault? opportunistically after they learned about the violence at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. Of course, other factors may also have motivated participation in the attack."?

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State Department spokesman Mark Toner also cautioned that investigators are still piecing together events that led to the attack.

"An independent board is conducting a thorough review of the assault on our post in Benghazi,? he said. ?Once we have the board's comprehensive account of what happened, findings and recommendations, we can fully address these matters."

The release of the documents came after the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said they would continue to press the administration to explain why U.S. spy agencies and government spokesmen initially played down suspected al-Qaida links to the consulate attack.

More to Benghazi attacks than surface at debate

Immediately after the Benghazi attack, U.S. spy agencies produced conflicting reports on who was behind them, U.S. officials said. Most said extremists with possible al-Qaida ties were involved. But a few reports, which the Obama administration emphasized in public statements, said the attacks could have been spontaneous protests against a U.S.-made anti-Muslim video.

Ultimately, the office of the Director of National Intelligence, the top U.S. intelligence authority, declared that the events were a "deliberate and organized terrorist attack" carried out by "extremists" affiliated with or sympathetic to al-Qaida.

Several prominent Republicans are accusing the White House of either covering up, or bungling initial reports about the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya. Former Defense Secretary William Cohen joins Andrea Mitchell Reports to discuss the investigation.

On Thursday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said both intelligence and security problems may have played a role in the attack.

"There's no question but that it was a terrorist attack, there is no question but that the security was inadequate and I think that there is no question that we need to work on our intelligence," Feinstein told KCBS-TV.

Clinton refuses to assign blame for Benghazi attacks?

When asked why the U.S. government initially played down the role of Islamic militants, she said: "I think what happened was the director of intelligence, who is a very good individual, put out some speaking points on the initial intelligence assessment. I think that was possibly a mistake."

But the committee's Republican vice chairman, Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, questioned whether administration officials deliberately omitted possible references to al-Qaida involvement in talking points about the Benghazi attacks.

"Talking points distributed by the administration are nearly identical to intelligence assessments within hours of the attack, except in one important way: the intelligence judgment that the attackers had ties to al-Qaida was excluded from the public points," Chambliss said in a statement on Friday.

"The administration omitted the known links to al-Qaida at almost every opportunity ... Whether this was an intentional effort by the administration to downplay the role of terrorist groups, especially al-Qaida, is one of the many issues the Senate Intelligence Committee must examine," he said.

NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell and NBC News producers Catherine Chomiak, Rich Gardella and Libby Leist and Reuters news service contributed to this report.?

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/19/14563362-documents-add-to-evidence-of-security-fears-before-attack-on-us-consulate-in-benghazi?lite

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