www.EmploymentCrossing.com Agriculture futures were lower in midday trading Friday on the Chicago Board of Trade, according to the Associated Press. Wheat for December delivery fell 12 cents to $5.26 a bushel; December corn lost 9.5 cents to $4 a bushel; December oats dropped 7.25 cents to $2.3225 a bushel; and November soybeans fell 11.5 cents to $9.225 a bushel. Beef and pork futures were higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. October live cattle gained 1.25 cents to 94.75 cents a pound; October feeder cattle rose 0.85 cent to 98.7 cents a pound; October lean hogs advanced 0.1 cent to 56.1 cents a pound; and February pork bellies rose 0.25 cent to 87 cents a pound.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: employmentcrossing videos agriculture animals livestock corn wheat trading
Added: Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:26:14 GMT

www.EmploymentCrossing.com Several minor earthquakes gave the Dallas-Fort Worth area and some Oklahoma residents a surprising Halloween scare. No injuries or damage have been reported. A 2.5-magnitude earthquake at 11:25 pm Thursday hit near Grand Prairie, and a 3.0 was recorded at 12:01 am today in Irving, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Irving police received 911 calls from about 25 people saying they felt the quakes. Nearly 180 miles north of Dallas, in McCloud, Oklahoma, a 3.1 quake was reported a mere five minutes after the Dallas quake, at 11:30 am. No injuries or damage were reported there, either. USGS geophysicist Jessica Sigala said they consider the earthquakes in the two states to be separate events because they occurred so far apart in distance and time. Preceding Thursday’s quakes, the most recent earthquake in Texas occurred in April, shaking parts of South Texas with a 3.7 magnitude.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: employmentcrossing.com dallas-fort worth Oklahoma earthquake Halloween scare 2.5 magnitude grand prairie geological survey irving 911 mccloud geophysicist
Added: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:58:14 GMT

www.EmploymentCrossing.com Swedish researchers recently looked at 20 years of records to assess the positives and negatives of Daylight Savings. Studies showed that turning your clock back an hour may actually prove to be beneficial for your heart. Researchers compared the number of heart attacks recorded after clocks were either set back or moved forward an hour and discovered that the number dipped dramatically when people received an extra hour of sleep. Moving clocks forward in the Spring, however, appeared to have the opposite affect with more reported heart attacks, particularly over the first three days of the week following the time change. Dr. Lori Mosca, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, was not involved in the research, but claims that increased sleep can have a very positive affect on cardiovascular health.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: www.employmentcrossing.com videos Lori Mosca cardiology Swedish heart attacks daylight savings
Added: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:24:40 GMT

http://www.EmploymentCrossing.com The AM Best annual review of the auditor and actuarial markets shows that in 2007, the top firms in the United States and Canada remained dominant. The market for actuarial firms continued to grow, with a higher percentage of insurers using external actuaries in 2007 compared with the previous year. The study encompasses 2007 statutory filings submitted to AM Best for almost 4,000 US and Canadian insurance companies. AM Best found that 319 independent accounting firms provided annual audits for 3,885 insurers. The actuarial market was composed of 180 external firms providing 2,023 opinions; 1,476 companies declaring use of internal actuaries. The audit market share of the Big Four -- PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, and KPMG -- remained flat in 2007, at 96% of net premiums written. Also, the use of external actuaries versus internal or affiliated actuarial opinions grew over the past four years, to 57.8% in 2007, from 53.6% of the total companies in 2004. In both the auditor and actuarial markets, there is a higher concentration of firms representing property/casualty insurers than life/health insurers. Founded in 1899, Oldwick, New Jersey’s AM Best is a global full-service credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: www.employmentcrossing videos actuarial AM Best Oldwick New Jersey Big Four Ernst & Young
Added: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:10:57 GMT

A recall on Monday of nearly 1.6 million cribs, triggered by the suffocations of two 8-month-old infants, has prompted a government agency to urge parents to inspect older drop-side cribs for safety problems, according to the associated press. Both of the suffocations involved infants who got stuck in a gap created when the movable side came off of its guide track. The incidents, which involved Delta Enterprises cribs, were related to safety pegs that are supposed to prevent the drop side from lowering too far and slipping off the track. If these pegs are not installed or if they fail to work, the drop-side can detach and create a dangerous gap where babies can get stuck. "We ask parents to inspect your crib from time to time and tighten up the hardware," Nancy Nord, acting head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said in an interview Tuesday. "It's very important that parents understand they need to inspect the integrity of the hardware." One 8-month-old infant died because the safety pegs were missing and the crib's side detached, leaving a gap. The infant got stuck in the gap and suffocated. In the second case, another 8-month-old child died in a similar way after a spring-loaded safety peg failed and allowed the side to detach. Nord urged parents to make sure that moving parts on cribs are functioning smoothly and securely and cautioned them not to try makeshift repairs. The Delta Enterprises recall included 985,000 drop-side cribs of various models, because of the potential for missing safety pegs. These cribs were manufactured in Taiwan and Indonesia and sold by major retailers including Wal-Mart, Kmart and Target.com, between January 1995 and September 2007. The recall also included 600,000 cribs of various models with spring-loaded safety pegs. These cribs were manufactured in China and sold between January 2000 and January 2007. The recall doesn't affect any cribs now in retail inventory. The company will offer consumers replacement safety peg

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: www.employmentcrossing crib safety suffocations delta enterprises safety pegs nancy nord consumer product safety commission infant suffocation
Added: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:47:03 GMT

http://www.EmploymentCrossing.com California has saved $56 billion in electricity costs and created 1.5 million jobs over 35 years by using energy more efficiently than other states, according to a new study. The report released Monday by the University of California, Berkeley found that state policies that boost energy efficiency aren't just good for the environment, they're also good for the economy. "Energy efficiency is very good for real incomes, purchasing power and job creation," the study's author, UC Berkeley economics professor David Roland-Holst, told the Associated Press. "Energy efficiency has really helped us stimulate the economy." Roland-Holst analyzed the economic impacts of government policies enacted since the early 1970s that have made California the country's most energy-efficient state. California was among the first states to create energy-efficiency standards for new homes, buildings and household appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. The average Californian now uses about 40 percent less electricity than the average American. The UC Berkeley study also est8imated that California’s plan to aggressively cut carbon emissions could create 400,000 new jobs and increase household incomes by up to $48 billion annually by 2020.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: EmploymentCrossing.com videos California Energy Green electricity power University of California Berkeley income job creation energy-efficiency carbon emissions environment health economy household appliances refrigerators
Added: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:56:40 GMT

The fried foods, salty snacks and meats that are staples of the Western diet account for about 30 percent of heart attack risk across the world, a new report suggests. Meanwhile, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, the so-called "Prudent" diet, is tied a low risk of heart attack, according to the study, published in the Oct. 21 issue of Circulation. The research, which looked at dietary habits in 52 countries, found people who ate a Western diet had a 35 percent greater risk of having a heart attack compared to those who ate little or no fried foods and meat. Those who followed a "Prudent" diet had a 30 percent lower risk of heart attack compared to those who went light on fruits and vegetables. The authors also looked at an "Oriental" diet, rich in tofu, soy and other sauces, and found it did not increase or decrease the risk of a heart attack. Previous studies have reached similar conclusions about the "Prudent" and Western diet in the United States and Europe, but did not include the Oriental pattern of eating. While some components of the Oriental diet may protect against heart trouble, the higher sodium content of sauces counter that benefit. "This study indicates that the same relationships that are observed in Western countries exist in different regions of the world," study senior author Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at McMaster University and director of the Population Health Research Institute at Hamilton Health Sciences in Ontario, said in an American Heart Association news release. The Canadian researchers analyzed risk factors in food choices and the risk of heart attack in about 16,000 people in 52 countries. Almost 6,000 people had heart attacks, while the rest had no known heart disease.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: employmentcrossing.com western diet heart attack prudent diet circulation oriental diet soy sauce sodium salim yusuf American heart association
Added: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:58:23 GMT

EmploymentCrossing A new umbrella organization for veterinary specialty practices may take shape by next year, after plans made at a meeting held in Boulder, Colorado last month. The veterinary specialty practice consolidation initiative comprises a group of 60 veterinary specialty practice owners and executives representing 38 businesses. They met for three days to discuss the current challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Challenges include expensive equipment costs, a limited pool of qualified job candidates, and practices making the transition to a larger scale of operation. Dr. Dwight Gaudet, managing partner for Veterinary Surgical Associates and Veterinary Medical Specialists in Concord, California, says consolidation allows greater leverage in negotiating purchases of supplies and contracts with insurance companies or other benefit providers, as well as assistance in developing a training and recruitment process. "The very high expense of specialty facilities and equipment, such as CT scanners or MRIs or linear accelerators, those are big factors for large specialty hospitals. Hopefully this effort will address those issues from a financial position," Dr. Gaudet said. It is not uncommon to now see specialty practice hospitals with staff numbers more than 200, or those that have gross revenues from $10 million to $20 million a year in gross revenues; a select few are starting to reach the $30 million mark, Gaudet said. The new organization will launch sometime in 2009, with initial membership to include up to a dozen practices having cumulative gross revenues in excess of $170 million. Plans are to expand the group by about four new practices each year thereafter. Existing similar organizations for veterinary specialty practices include the VCA Animal Hospitals network, the Veterinary Specialty Practice Alliance, and the Veterinary Specialists in Private Practice group.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: www.employmentcrossing.com videos veterinaryscience Boulder Colorado Dwight Gaudet CT scanners MRIs
Added: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:09:25 GMT

The Golden State has issued its final draft of a comprehensive plan to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels, according to the Los Angeles Times. New regulations will shrink the per capita carbon footprint of Californians by an average of four tons per year over the next 12 years; curb electricity use through energy-efficient buildings and appliances; and discourage urban sprawl to cut traffic. The plan will force auto manufacturers to make cleaner cars, require utilities to build more solar and wind plants, and compel industries to hike energy efficiency to unprecedented levels. "Despite a difficult economy, it is important that we move forward," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, adding that the plan would result in "tens of thousands more jobs and a boost to California's gross domestic production." California's climate blueprint will slash the state's emissions about 15% below today's level at a time when a consensus of scientists say that global warming is shrinking the state's water supplies, intensifying wildfires, and stressing plant and animal populations. California's plan was immediately attacked by a coalition of businesses, led by the California Manufacturers and Technology Association and the California Chamber of Commerce, which said the rules would result in "billions of dollars of increased energy costs." Environmentalists praised the blueprint as "an economic stimulus plan" that could spur a "clean tech" economy similar to Silicon Valley's technological boom.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: EmploymentCrossing.com videos California green greenhouse gas emissions cleaner energy efficient California Manufacturers and Technology Association California Chamber of Commerce
Added: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:29:55 GMT

In the Chinese province of Liaoning scientists and locals have been surprised to find that a breed of lobsters has turned up a curious blue color! The reason for such color change has been a cause for debate, but many believe that these lobsters have a variation of Albinism, which in humans is expressed as a genetic condition which halts the production of color producing pigments in hair, skin and eyes. Albinism in animals usually results in a white color, so the apparent reason for the bluish tinge of these creatures remains a mystery. Blue is a rare color in the animal kingdom and scientists are concerned that such coloring will make these lobsters more evident to potential predators, thereby endangering them and decreasing there already low numbers.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: www.employmentcrossing.com videos lobster blue lobster China veterinary predator albanism
Added: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:17:26 GMT

Fire in Tujunga www.employmentcrossing.com Sunday in little Tujunga Canyon a wildfire broke out today near Sunland and grew to 2,066 acres, destroying a home and prompting the evacuation of 1,200 people, as firefighters tried to get it contained before it could be fanned by oncoming Santa Ana winds, fire officials said. Called the "Little T Fire" by some agencies and the "Marek Fire" by others, the blaze started about 2 a.m. near a shooting range in the Angeles National Forest in Little Tujunga Canyon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Wind gusts above 50 mph in the rugged canyons east of the San Fernando Valley spread the flames west towards ranches and houses in three heavily- forested canyons, then along the foothills parallel to the Foothill (210) Freeway. San Fernando Valley and Westside residents were advised by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities today because of smoke from the Little Tujunga Fire. The advisory is in effect for areas where residents can see or smell smoke in their neighborhoods, said AQMD spokesperson Sam Atwood. Atwood said that in areas directly impacted by smoke, people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should remain indoors. Residents were told to keep windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot inside. In those cases, he said, persons should seek alternate shelter. Persons were also advised to, if available, run the air conditioner, keep the fresh air intake closed and keep the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke inside, AQMD advised. For more information on jobs in your area, click here.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: Tujunga Canyon wildfire evacuation firefighters Little T Fire Marek Fire shooting range Angeles National Forest aqmd Sam Atwood Pollution warning
Added: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:16:09 GMT

EmploymentCrossing.com Hybrid Technologies, Inc., emerging leaders in the development and marketing of lithium-powered products worldwide, took part in the 2008 ALT Expo. Hybrid Technologies provided over 75 test drives of its popular LiV(TM) FLASH, an electric version of the BMW Mini Cooper, at the ALT Expo where it received positive reviews from test drivers. Impressed by the power and performance of the vehicle, the environmentally-friendly crowd found the vehicles a firm solution to today's fuel crisis. Following the ALT Expo, Hybrid Technologies moved their LiV(TM) FLASH to a fundraiser held at the home of director Chris Paine. Hybrid Technologies, Inc. is a development technology company that focuses its resources and efforts on the development and marketing of lithium-powered vehicles and products, as well as on commercial and residential properties.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: EmploymentCrossing.com videos Hybrid Technologies Inc. lithium power lithium products ALT Expo Hybrid vehicles
Added: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:06:38 GMT

Www.EnvironmentalCrossing.Com Has Great Source For Latest News on Fire in Tujunga in Florida, California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Brooklyn, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Houston

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: environmentalcrossing news fire in tujunga florida illinois california new york texas brooklyn chicago minneapolis and houston
Added: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:09:06 GMT

EmploymentCrossing.com Limiting car and power-plant emissions in Beijing and in other large, polluted cities may raise global temperatures instead of lowering them, a German scientist warns. Aerosols have a cooling effect on the Earth, countering global warming linked to carbon dioxide, according to Hans-Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research. A drop in aerosols in the atmosphere could cause a rapid rise in temperatures, he said. Airborne pollutants act as an umbrella worldwide while CO2 provides insulation, trapping heat attempting to escape into the atmosphere. A rise in temperature because of declines in aerosols in the atmosphere can be offset by slashing CO2 emissions, he said. By not reducing carbon output, humanity "is closing the last door we have through which we can possibly influence the global climate," Schellnhuber said.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: www.employmentcrossing.com video environment earth atmosphere global warming CO2 carbon output
Added: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:59:38 GMT

EmploymentCrossing.com Queens Councilman Tony Avella has proposed a resolution to force the Board of Education to comply with New York state law requiring schools to teach about animal rights, the Sun reports. "The way we treat animals, our fellow neighbors, this is all part of being a member of today's modern society," Mr. Avella told the paper. "It's a benefit to the community and to the city to understand each other's needs and, in this case, those of animals." Councilman Avella recently called for a ban on horse-drawn carriages in the city. "There have been more accidents, there have been more horses who have died or been put to sleep and the situation is only getting worse," Councilman Avella said. After years of fighting to restrict the traditional industry, concerned animal rights activists are pushing to abolish it. There are over 200 licensed carriage horses in the city, and the practice is heavily regulated. Ian McKeever, who owns the Shamrock Stables, says the industry has an excellent safety record. He says the councilman, a mayoral candidate, is just looking for publicity. Mayor Bloomberg supports the industry, saying it's part of what defines New York City.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: www.employmentcrossing.com video horses Councilman Avella New York City Mayor Bloomberg animal rights carriages
Added: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:42:16 GMT

EmploymentCrossing.com Rhode Island has chosen Deepwater Wind to build a $1 billion dollar offshore wind farm. The Ocean State offered the contract as part of an initiative to get 15% of its electricity from wind power. Republican governor Donald Carcieri touted the project's potential to bring "green collar" jobs to the state, and position it as a leader in an emerging clean energy technology. Part of the deal includes a provision that the Deepwater Wind build a $1.5 billion manufacturing plant in Rhode Island that promises 800 jobs at an average annual salary of $60 million. While wind power produces only 1% of U.S. electricity today, some estimate it could produce as much as 20% by 2030. Rhode Island is among the states to have set a renewable energy mandate that 20% of electricity come from renewable sources by 2020. Barack Obama's energy plan includes a mandate that utilities generate 25% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: Deepwater Wind Rhode Island wind farm wind power electricity green Donald Carcieri Republican clean energy technology new jobs manufacturing plant 2030 Barack Obama renewable
Added: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:33:07 GMT

www.EmploymentCrossing.com Despite nationwide increases in the unemployment rate, the city of Tulsa saw joblessness drop 3.8 percent in August, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. That compares with 4.0 percent in July and 4.2 percent in June. A year ago at the same time, the seven-county metro area's jobless rate was 4.0 percent. The U.S. jobless rate grew to 6.1 percent in August. "The underlying tightness in the market is going to keep us filling key jobs," Bob Ball of the Tulsa Metro Chamber told the Tulsa World web site. The Tulsa metro area added 1,700 non-farm jobs in August, giving it a total of 425,700 jobs. But that’s still a loss of 2,600 jobs from August 2007. The area’s health care sector is looking to fill jobs. Engineers, designers and specialized accountants also are needed. Tulsa is the second-largest city in Oklahoma and the 45th-largest in the United States. It has a population of 384,000.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: Tulsa OK jobless rate drops hiring in Tulsa Oklahoma Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
Added: Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:42:44 GMT

www.EmploymentCrossing.com The holiday hiring phase seems to be less than usual according to a survey conducted by SnagAjob.com, a website for part time and full time employees. According to the statistics hiring should be down 33 percent less than last year. The suggestion is if you are looking for holiday work the objective is to get started now. The earlier you start the more likely you are to up your chances of being hired. “While the economy is obviously having an effect on hiring, there are jobs out there,” says Shawn Boyer, CEO of SnagAJob.com, “You just have to be aggressive and use all the tools at your disposal to separate yourself from the crowd, starting off by applying now. Job-seekers will have to do their homework, be willing to work flexible hours and go in with a great attitude because that’s what employers most desire.”

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: Holiday jobs hiring work snagajob.com Shawn Boyer CEO
Added: Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:35:09 GMT

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www.EmploymentCrossing.com Today the US House of Representatives passed the "Travel Promotion Act of 2008," which would create thousands of new jobs and spur economic growth nationwide by attracting millions of additional international travelers to the United States. In recent years, foreign tourists have found ever-changing security policies and negative foreign press coverage to be a deterrent to visiting the United States. "We now call on the U.S. Senate to act quickly to reverse the decline in overseas visitation to the United States and utilize the power of travel to strengthen the American economy,” said lobbyist Roger Dow of the Travel Industry Association or TIA. H.R. 3232 establishes a public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier international travel destination and to communicate U.S. security and entry policies. The bill specifies that travel promotion would be provided at no cost to U.S. taxpayers, by private sector contributions and a modest fee on foreign travelers. Two million fewer overseas travelers visited the United States in 2007 than in 2000. The decline in overseas travel since 9/11 has cost America 46 million visitors, $140 billion in lost visitor spending and $23 billion in lost tax revenue, according to the TIA.

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: International Travel tourist travel to the United States foregn tourists TIA
Added: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:20:47 GMT

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http://www.EmploymentCrossing.com An Internet juggernaut and a multinational technology conglomerate are teaming up to fight global warming. California’s Google, famous for its slogan “Don’t be evil,” and Connecticut’s General Electric are joining forces to promote a greener US electric power grid and clean energy. The companies will work together on green energy technologies, and lobby political leaders to support what they call "visionary policies" on renewable energy. "Both companies believe that our economic, environmental and security challenges require that we use electricity more efficiently, generate it from cleaner sources, and electrify our transportation fleet," the firms said in a joint release. Google has launched a series of clean energy initiatives that include investing in geothermal, solar and wind-generated electricity. They have a team of engineers working on creating "renewable energy cheaper than coal.” Google says benefits of renewable electricity can't fully be realized without updating US power transmission lines into a "smart grid," that lets people track and control what types of power they use and when. Smart power grids would allow people to recharge electric cars at times of day when demand is low, or enable them to sell solar energy back to utility companies. Major automobile makers have announced they will market plug-in electric cars in the United States no later than 2010

Author: environcrossing
Keywords: EmploymentCrossing.com videos Google General Electric Greener Electric Power electric cars renewable electricity economic environmental security visionary policies smart power grids geothermal electricity solar generated electricity wind generated electicity
Added: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:38:03 GMT