College Students Is Good News For College Students

The Citibank Students Cards cater to the needs of students and is more than a debit card for the students. One among them is the Citi MTv Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students, which facilitates particularly those college students who pay off their credit card balance on time and manage to keep the balance low.
Benefits Of The Card
The Citi MTv Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students promises to be a rewarding experience for the students with high GPA's. Higher GPA's will give you higher points. The Thank You points that you earn can be utilized for MTv merchandise, airline tickets, gift cards and CDs.
The credit card enables you to achieve a solid education and gain smart spending. The card has a reasonable annual percentage rate (APR) convenient for building a good credit. You can also avail the opportunity to use your points towards MTv special events and for other fun purposes.
Absence of any annual fee makes it easier for the student to save money. The card enables students view/check their accounts and pay the bills online. The card also has provisions for theft protection as well as travel insurance. In case, you live away from your home, the Citi MTv Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students gives you the option of visiting your family and avail a discount on the airline tickets.
Other Benefits
The card comes handy if you require quick cash or desire to save a balance on another high interest-rate credit card. Moreover, you can avail of a 0% annual percentage rate (APR) on the balance transfers and a 0% interest rate on the cash advances for the initial six months.
Each and every purchase you make with the card enables you to obtain points. You can conveniently earn 5 points for spending 1 dollar at your favorite haunts, like video rental stores, bookstores, restaurants, record stores and movie theatres. For purchases elsewhere, you can earn one point for spending one dollar with the card.
The Thank You Redemption Network of the Citi MTv Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students further makes it possible for you to earn 2000 Thank You points twice a year for possessing a good GPA. You can, however, earn a maximum of 75000 points each year. The rewards expire in the duration of 5 years.
You can save 10% at the MTV store in New York City and mtvshop.mtv.com. If you are able to make timely full payments each month, you will be receiving 20 free of interest days in each billing cycle.
Bonus Points
The card brings for you other advantages like many Internet account related services, emergency card and cash replacement, lost and stolen card reporting, auto rental insurance and legal as well as medical referral services.
It also gives the cardholder the facilities like free access to credit education tips and tools, lost luggage assistance, fraud and security protection services, discounts on auto rentals, up to $1000000 travel accident insurance and more privileges.

News Flash

One problem I see with so many discussions about politics, culture, the economy and other areas is the refusal of people on all sides of the issues to accept the reality of change. Whether it's liberals or conservatives, materialists or followers of religions, they tend to blame the "other side" for the situation and seem intent on returning to a time when things were supposedly better.

The terms "old paradigm" and "new paradigm" get thrown around quite a bit, and they can mean many things. A paradigm, however, generally refers to something significant and fundamental rather than just a minor or secondary aspect of something. So let's look at some areas where the old paradigm is simply not going to return no matter what anybody does, no matter who gets elected and no matter how much we try to deny it:

*** The Economy -jobs that were created for the industrial age are fading fast.

*** The Environment - regardless of the cause, the climate appears to be changing.

*** Culture -the "nuclear family," a world of distinct and separate nations and races; these are already anachronistic concepts.

*** Dogma -politics, economics, nationalism & religion are increasingly irrelevant.

None of the above are exactly revelations. Everyone sees this occurring right before our eyes, but the problem is that hardly anyone accepts that it's really happening and that it's irreversible. I propose that, rather than see such things as problems, we take them as axioms for the times we're living in and look for ways to make the best of them. If we explore these phenomena in more detail, we can see that this isn't so hard to do. In fact, when we really look at it, we should be glad all of this is happening!

As I write this, there are spreading protests in the U.S., called Occupy Wall Street.

As thousands protest economic inequality and hardship, conservatives condemn the protestors as socialists, anarchists or just lazy hippies (this is from reading actual message boards!). At the same time, we're approaching an extremely divisive presidential election where Democrats and Republicans hurl accusations and insults back and forth.

Both sides talk about the economy as though it was either possible or desirable to go back in time -specifically to the post-World War ll era where the industrial economy was expanding and the United States was the dominant power. The fact is, these days are gone forever, and, more importantly, why should we even mourn them?

Both corporate capitalism and socialism are based on an industrial age model that is less and less relevant. Rather than asking whether we should trust Big Business or Big Government to solve our problems, is it not time to come up with viable, grassroots alternatives? In fact, the very idea of economics in the traditional sense, or a monolithic abstraction known as "The Economy" should perhaps be abandoned.

Granted, when people are facing difficult economic times, unemployment is a frightening prospect -or reality. Yet, let's be honest. How many people really want to work in a factory or in an office cubicle? Yet these are the archetypal jobs that were created in the industrial age. Regardless of the reigning political ideology, the structure of employment is based on hierarchy, mass production,centralization and conformity.

The same, of course, is true for modern education, whether public or private. Education is simply preparation for a job in the industrial age economy. The prevailing, widespread cynicism regarding modern institutions may be largely due to an underlying, mostly unconscious realization that none of these institutions really belongs here anymore.

The apparent mindlessness and narcissism of contemporary popular culture is easy to dismiss as either a symptom of a culture in decline, or perhaps as a conspiracy on the part of the power elite to divert people from what's really happening. Yet, another way to look at it is as a reaction and escape from the even more mindless prison of bureaucracy, irrational laws and norms, corporate "culture" and a world where few actually believe in the outmoded habits they are compelled to repeat day after day.

When it comes to energy and the environment, it's largely a matter of making use of emerging technologies that replace the oil based paradigm. This may or may not leave room for the personal automobile as the dominant form of transportation. At the very least, it would seem that this mode of getting around will have to be sharply curtailed -not by the big government so dreaded by conservatives and libertarians (with some justification), but by the reality of diminishing supplies of oil and rapidly expanding populations.

Global warming or, more accurately, climate change, appears to be a reality, whether or not it's primarily caused by humans (this is still highly debatable, even though it's heresy to say this in many circles). Here's another area where a paradigm shift in perception is necessary. Rather than denying the reality of climate change (i.e. conservatives) or pretending it's still possible to reverse it (i.e. liberals, many environmentalists), why not start accepting it and looking for ways to minimize the harm and, in some cases, actually benefit from it?

I am no scientist, but common sense dictates that an overall increase in the average temperature can't be all bad. And those aspects of climate change that clearly do have harmful effects -e.g. unstable weather patterns, increased hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.- must be dealt with, and resources must be allocated to prepare for such events.

The realms of culture and dogma are closely related, and it's clear that the ideologies, categories and belief systems of previous centuries are not going to be able to guide us much further into this millennium. Defining oneself based on race, religion or country of origin is becoming increasingly untenable in a world where conversations -as well as business transactions- can be conducted instantly via smart phone, Skype or Twitter messages.

The emerging global culture is hard to define, but it will have to be some kind of smorgasbord -an even bigger melting pot than the one America was supposed to embody. As people travel and emigrate more and more (whether legally or illegally), intermarry with people of other races and religions, and people with wildly different and often opposing beliefs are forced to live in close proximity to one another, the idea of a single, dominant ideology or dogma becomes impossible.

It's now time to stop trying to prop up aspects of the old paradigm that cannot be revived -and that no longer serve us anyway. It's time to question many of the sacred cows of modern society, including the corporation, education as an institution, the modern medical model, the nation state, and even that most sacred of modern cows, money. Not that these institutions will be abolished in some kind of Marxist-style revolution. They are, rather, in the process of either dying a natural death or morphing into new and more appropriate (for this time) forms.

There was a time in the not so distant past when none of these things existed in anything resembling their present form. Most likely, whether we like it or not, none of them will exist in their present forms in the not very distant future. Rather than seeing this as something to dread, portending the end of the world, why not see it as the end of an outdated paradigm?

The Best Education Place for a Child

Mukand Lal Public School is situated at Sarojini Colony in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana. It was founded by the Seth family in January 1998 in memory of Mr. Seth Mukand Lal, to perpetuate and kindle the Mukandian philosophy of love and service in its students. Seth Mukand Lal, a strict follower of Mahatma Gandhi, practised the Gandhian philosophy all through his life. At Mukand Lal Public School the objective is to build students who will be life long learners, who observe their surroundings, investigate through exploration, question what they observe, reason and finally come to a conclusion rationally.
These faculties are built through story telling, visual impact, the creative use of CDs, flash cards, Video films, IT and field visits. Project based work and group discussions make classrooms the hub of activities. A hands on approach to math, science and social studies is coupled with an equal emphasis on languages for a balanced approach to learning. A day in school begins with a prayer where the National Anthem is an integral part of the morning assembly followed by the thought for the day, news headlines, interesting facts, and the recitation of poems after which the normal classes begin.
The School enrolls students from Pre-Nursery to the 10 + 2 stage. The curriculum is designed to develop the rational and analytical faculties of these young children. The school offers Art, Music, Dance, Sports and various co - curricular activities, of which Physical Education and Games are an integral part. The school believes that learning should be stress- free and full of pleasure. Various clubs have been formed with a view to facilitate the students. There are a host of weekly inter-house activities which has led to an increase in student participation.
The activities in Classes I, II and III, are designed to sharpen creativity, curiosity, competence, analytical and problem solving skills, communication skills and self-expression in the child. The students choose between Sanskrit Punjabi as their third Indian language from Classes IV, to VIII. The other subjects taught include English, Math, Hindi, and General Science, Social Sciences, Computers and Environmental education. The students of classes IX and X have to study the following subjects: English, Hindi, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Science and Information Technology for the All India Secondary School Exam conducted by the CBSE. The library is well rich with a number of reference books and the reading in Library also forms an integral part of the curriculum of all the students.

Financial Education and the Share Market

When the stock market falls, it scares people away, causes them concern, and worries them if they thinking about buying stocks and shares. That makes sense, as essentially your money is going to go the way of a rat on a sinking ship, straight into the deep blue ocean, never to be seen again. When the stock market is rising and the profits are easy to make, people become less wary, perhaps hear stories of other people making a profit, and thinking they can to make some easy money on the stock market. People's perceptions are constantly changing depending on certain factors, and that is why many people make mistakes in the share market.
As the share market rises, the media will often start speaking about the growth and profits made by people, as well as companies speaking out about their profits, projected profits and how much their shareholders. This speaks to a lot of people who are either struggling for cash, have debts to repay, have a family they want to more time to spend with them, or just want to make large amounts of money in a quick amount of time. The problem is that when the market is rising, it is going to fall at some time, and many average or first time investors won't see this coming. Their first few losses will come as a shock, and if they aren't careful all their invested money could be lost before they realize anything is amiss.
Read Books and Educate Yourself
Before anyone begins investing, buying, selling and trading on the stock market, it is highly recommended, no matter your situations or what you've heard other people have experienced with shares, that you do your research from various books, online sources, and possibly also starting a course in the stock market and shares. Many people think that trading in the stock market is more luck than skill, however, like all professions and careers, it requires a lot of previous knowledge to be able to 'read' the stock market, and be able to have some idea of how to predict what 'trends' are happening at the time. Like an accountant, marine biologist, session musician, essentially any specialist job, being involved in the stock market takes education and learning from various sources for many years.
Know and Understand the Language
The stock market has its own language and terminology that can cause confusion to untrained people. Do you know what it means to 'read the stock market', have you heard about the 'trends' and have no idea what it means? Do you know what a 'raging bull market is', or a 'bear market'? Likely you've heard these terms before in the news, whether in print or on television. Hearing the words used are one thing, but actually knowing what they mean to you and the share market is quite important. It's like going to a foreign country and just knowing enough to ask for a train ticket and order a meal, you'll be able to get yourself from A to B, but you won't be able to have any meaningful conversations with the locals.

Start Your Investment Education Today

Reforms taking place in public pension plans for the state of Utah should be regarded as a wakeup call for the rest of the nation. Despite the fact that it is in better fiscal shape than many other states, after the market drop in 2008, Utah found itself with a $6.5 billion funding gap in its pension plan. Knowing they could not meet the state's obligations to its future retirees, officials put reforms into place last year that will affect all new hires.
One reform enacted was to do away with the old defined benefit retirement plan and replace it with a 401(k)-style plan. Although the defined benefit plan will still be available, the state's contributions to that plan will be limited to just 10%, effectively steering investors towards the 401(k) plan. Drastic measures were needed and drastic measures were prudently taken. Look for other states to follow suit.
In recent years, more and more private businesses have switched from defined benefit plans to 401(k)-style plans. The auto-enrollment features on many of these new plans put employees into the stock market right off the bat. With states and municipalities now getting on the 401(k) bandwagon, one thing is certain: more people with no prior knowledge of investing are being thrust into the role of "portfolio manager." Instead of having someone else look after your retirement account, you suddenly have a pressing need to learn how to invest wisely.
The good news is that for the most part, a 401(k) plan offers a lot of advantages over the defined benefit plan, such as:

1. the ability to "take your plan with you" if you change jobs
2. the ability to borrow or withdraw money from your plan in case of an emergency
3. your plan can not have its funds "robbed" by cash-strapped companies in lean times

Ironically the biggest advantage is the one that will scare most of you to death: the ability to manage your own investments. It should be the advantage you embrace.
As a "new" investor, you will have 2 choices when it comes to your retirement account. You can hire a fee-based financial advisor to guide you in making your investment decisions or you can learn how to invest on your own. Either choice, if well-researched and followed through, will produce good results. While hiring a professional advisor may sound like a "no-brainer" to an individual with no investing experience, learning to invest on your own should not be ruled out entirely.
There is no doubt that this changing retirement/investment landscape is going to be a challenge. Most of you working folks barely find enough time to take care of your daily chores. Now you are being told that you must learn to become an investor or at least learn how to hire one!
The truth is, gaining a working knowledge of basic investing principles is not rocket science. It can be boring, but it does not have to be complicated. With the amount of free investment information available today, you decide how steep the learning curve will be. Rest assured, it will not be as steep as you have been led to believe.
Consider this:

• Chances are you are not a Master Chef, but you probably do a great job of feeding your family each day.
• You may not be a Certified Mechanic, but you can change your oil, rotate your tires or replace a tail light if needed.
• Perhaps you do not have a Master's Degree in education, but you are smart enough to help your kids with their school projects.

Likewise you do not have to be a Certified Market Technician to be able invest wisely. All you have to do is get busy. Try not to think of this new task as a "chore," but as an opportunity and a great opportunity at that. This is your money. This is your future. Start taking charge of it today.

Importance of Educating the Masses About Smart Grid

A recent study conducted by Market Strategies International, involving 1,168 participants from across the US, shows that smart grid and smart meters are still lesser known concepts in the country.
The smart grid is basically a network that creates the possibility of saving energy resources. While the debate about safety and accuracy of smart meters, a key component of the smarter grid, is still going on, there may be a bigger area of concern for energy providers interested in transforming the grid.
This area is the knowledge and understanding of the smarter grid and smart meters. This article will specifically be about the US as the facts presented in the following lines are taken from a survey involving only US citizens.
In the survey, those who did not know very much or anything at all about the smart grid made up 79% of the total. Similarly, those who did not know or didn't understand advanced meters constituted 76% of the surveyed.
While lack of awareness about these technologies is an area where utilities may need to pay more attention, the good news for them is that providing knowledge about the technologies resulted in positive feedback for them from the participants.
After receiving an explanation about the smart grid and smart meters, 3/4 of the participants said that these technologies should be implemented on a priority basis in the coming 1-5 years. And 2/3 supported deployment of these technologies by their utilities if the cost was in the $6 to $10 range; however, the results were very not very different at higher or lower costs.
Based on these answers, we can say that educating people about the smart grid will be helpful for utilities in gaining support.
However, the education should cover all aspects of the smarter grid. Instances where smart meter installation was stopped after customer backlash have already occurred in the country.

General News About Associate Degree Programs Online

Associate degrees typically require two years to complete. Earning an associate degree in a specialized area serves as an opportunity to get entry level jobs. Many associate degree programs are available online, supporting you to study whenever and from wherever you want. You can choose an associate of arts degree, associate of applied science degree or associate of science program online, according to your interest and prior schooling.
Online associate degree programs in business and management, aid you to get higher rewarding job options. Online degree programs take less time than a traditional degree program to complete. It trains you in business communications, financial management, marketing, business law and many other related topics. You can choose a specialized field like agricultural business, automotive management, e-business or international business.
If you have an interest in careers in the health industry, online associate degree programs in health science are right for you. You can learn how to manage medical records and health care facilities in the course. If you are interested in physical therapy or personal training, you can choose an associate program in health science with personal training specialization. You can find plenty of job opportunities immediately after earning this degree.
It is always advisable to join an accredited institution, as the associate degree certificates offered by them have higher value. You can also expect quality education. Accreditation is a crucial aspect in online education. It is prudent to check whether the college or university offering online associate programs recruit instructors who have experience in the real world. Some instructors deliver the offline instructions via email. You can listen to them and learn your lessons easily. You can interact with the instructor via email and chat. The advanced technologies used by online institutions aid you to enhance your knowledge in your specialized field. The associate degree certificates awarded by them enjoy great recognition among employers.