Father’s Day is June 17, and it can be a bit of a perplexing task for me to find the perfect gifts for my dad and brothers.
When I asked Pops what he wanted for Father’s Day, he said, “Oh, nothing.” Of course, “nothing” does not work for me. It’s not in my nature to give “nothing” on this kind of day.
According to the Library of Congress, the first Mother’s Day was celebrated in 1914, but a holiday celebrating fathers did not become official until 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson declared that the third Sunday in June would be Father’s Day. President Richard Nixon made this proclamation permanent in 1972.
To continue in that spirit of national recognition for the greatness of dads, I have put together some gift-giving ideas for four styles of dads.
The epicurean
The way to a man’s heart is arguably through his stomach, so a gift of fine dining makes sense.
In last week’s Red Plum flier, I found a $4 off coupon for two dinners at Red Lobster, which is one of my father and mother’s favorite restaurants. Therefore, I will treat both of them to a relaxing dinner when I visit Colorado later this summer. (I also “liked” Red Lobster on Facebook for more news and a special offers from the restaurant chain.)
My brother, Matthew, is a fantastic chef, and I am always looking for recipes that will appeal to both him and his 3-year-old son, Orin. I went online to Amazon.com and found Ian Knauer’s “The Farm: Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food,” which has garnered accolades from some of the top chefs in the nation. A former cook in the Gourmet test kitchen, Knauer is well-known for recipes making the best of seasonal produce. His inspiration? The Pennsylvania farm that has been in his family since the 18th century.
I have no doubt the Brick Chicken with Corn and Basil Salad, for instance, will satiate the taste buds of my brother and my adorable nephew — who has quite the sophisticated palette for his young age.
Barnes and Noble, Books & Co., Target, HomeGoods, just to mention a few retailers, also have cookbooks worthy of the dad who likes to don a chef’s apron.
If your budget is limited, then definitely check out Cold Stone Creamery and its sweet deals just in time for Father’s Day. The ice-cream parlor has just introduced its Retro Classics, including a classic root beer float and hot fudge sundae. (Go online to www.Cold StoneCreamery.com for the location nearest you.)
The dapper dad
No matter what station in life a man might be at, he most likely wants to dress smartly and be well-groomed.
Therefore, I am happy to report almost every men’s apparel store is offering some kind of shopping incentive for Father’s Day. Target, Old Navy, Kmart and Gap stores, for example, have some great casual collections, and Macy’s is doling out some fab ideas for Father’s Day presents in the attire arena.
Don’t forget: Some men enjoy a little pampering, too. At Von Maur, the upscale department store, Jack Black body-care collections are being promoted.
Sporty dad
For the golfers on my shopping list, I found a really cool accessory: the Golf Towel with Germ Shield. The dual-sided design gives Dad two towels in one: the golf side is for his clubs and equipment; while the skin side is for him. The Germ Shield layer is sandwiched between two luxurious layers of 100 percent pure cotton terry to create a protective barrier between his skin and the dirt, chemicals and fertilizers used on golf courses. Visit TowelMate.com to order.
Men’s health and fitness magazines, too, make splendid gifts. For more ideas, visit discount magazine subscription sites such as www.SpeedyMags.com.
The gadget geek
I perused the Apple.com site and was thrilled to read about the sheer awesomeness of the iPad with Retina display. (OK, I admit I am a geek.) If you order an iPad or an iPad2 from the Apple site, you will receive not only free shipping but also free engraving on the tablets, which start from $499.
For the music aficionado on your Father’s Day list, check out Beats by Dr. Dre “high-definition” headphones. They aren’t cheap (from $199), but most any serious music lover or musician will no doubt be eternally grateful for this gift. I found the headphones available online at Walmart and www.Amazon.com.
Power tools, Shop-Vacs, grills, high-definition TVs, DVD collections, at such stores as Lowe’s, Best Buy, HHGregg and Sears, also would be welcome in the workshops and offices of men who tinker around. (Consider gift cards to take the guesswork out of deciding what dad might enjoy this holiday.)
Of course, if your budget is limited, your dad will understand — and appreciate — a phone call, a handmade card, a hug or any heartfelt gesture. Some things truly are priceless.
Robin McMacken is a writer, designer and National Academy of Sports Medicine and Aerobics and Fitness Association of America-certified personal trainer. Follow her on Twitter at Robin_McMacken.
Debt crisis: Spain requests bailout to save its banks, its government confirms - Daily Telegraph
Mr de Guindos spoke after ministers from across the shared currency nations on Saturday embarked on a conference call to outline a rescue deal.
"The amount on the table at the moment is as much as up to €100bn but this hasn't been decided yet," a senior EU official told AFP during the nearly three-hour call. The money will come with conditions attached entailing a "clean-up of the financial sector", the source said.
The Swedish prime minister signalled the package would be in that region. "There was a question of more than €80bn," Fredrik Reinfeldt said in a radio interview. "It is in fact a question of one of the biggest financial rescues in recent history."
Spain had come under pressure from the European Central Bank, Germany and Netherlands to move before Greek elections on 17 June, amid fears that political chaos in Greece and the weakness of Spanish banks could threaten the euro's financial stability.
"There is a need to ensure that the euro-area is properly ringfenced and protected from possible Greek fallout and that means strengthening Spain's banks," said an official.
Pressure for eurozone action to stem the escalating crisis was increased by a warning from Moody's overnight that Spain's need for help to refinance its banks and an exit from the euro by Greece could lead to additional credit rating downgrades for the region.
EU sources have indicated that the final deal is unlikely to be agreed until the June 21 meeting of eurogroup of finance ministers in Luxembourg. Negotiations will focus on the terms and conditions of the aid from the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) as Spain resists a full scale EU-IMF bailout programme such as those in Portugal, Ireland or Greece.
However, they will be guided by an International Monetary Fund report published late on Friday saying while Spain's largest banks had enough capital to withstand further deterioration, several banks would need to increase capital buffers by at least €40bn, adding it could be more with restructuring costs and reclassification of loans. The report had been expected on Monday.
Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Deputy Director of the IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department, said: “Going forward, it will be critical to communicate clearly the strategy for providing a credible backstop for capital shortfalls — a backstop that experience shows it is better to overestimate than underestimate."
Fitch, which cut Spain’s credit rating by three notches on Thursday, estimates the country's banks will need up to €100bn, while JP Morgan said the full requirement could be as much as €350bn.
Vitor Constancio, vice president of the ECB, said: “It is expected that Spain will make a request for assistance, exclusively for bank recapitalisation ... Spanish banks have recapitalisation needs, therefore a solution must be found quickly to calm the markets.”
The euro's existing EFSF bailout fund allows bailouts to be used for banks without a full austerity programme administered by the EU-IMF's troika, dubbed the "men in black" by Spanish ministers.
While Spain, which is regarded by the EU as on track with its economic policies, will escape an unpopular and intrusive troika programme, it will not escape having the EU aid added to its national balance sheet, compounding its fiscal problems.
On Friday, US President Barack Obama demanded European leaders act “right now” in an impatient and forceful message. He said there was “a path out of the crisis” if only leaders would take the “decisive actions” needed.
“The focus must be on strengthening the banks, like we did in 2008,” he said. “EU leaders are in discussions about that and they are going in the right direction.”
Giant private firm to take on 600 West Sussex council jobs - The Argus.co.uk
Giant private firm to take on 600 West Sussex council jobs
2:00pm Saturday 9th June 2012 in News By Neil Vowles
A giant private sector firm has been chosen to take on hundreds of council jobs and run back-office services in a deal worth up to £154 million.
West Sussex County Council has confirmed Capita as its preferred bidder for a huge outsourcing project that will see responsibility for payroll, human resources, finance, procurement and office services transfer to the firm.
About 600 council staff would transfer to Capita later this year as part of the ten-year agreement which could eventually see 800 staff swap employers.
The deal is set to save the council £5.8 million over the next three years as part of total planned cost savings of £79 million.
Opposition councillors have raised concerns about what safeguards will be put in place if savings are not met and departments have to be brought back in-house.
The contract is expected to be formally signed by the end of the month and would start at the beginning of September.
Parallels have been drawn with joint venture company Somerset One, which was set up in 2007 by Somerset County Council, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Avon and Somerset police and IBM to modernise the local authorities’ business processes.
Earlier this year, Somerset decided to bring 160 HR advisory, development and learning jobs back in-house after making losses of £31.5 million.
Liberal Democrat councillor James Walsh said: “This is not dissimilar to the Somerset arrangement.
“I want to have assurances that the contract will be precise and specific, and that it will be subject to close monitoring by elected councillors of all parties in West Sussex.”
A West Sussex County Council spokesman said: “It would not be appropriate for us to comment on decisions made by Somerset County Council. They were outsourcing a different set of services.
“We have followed rigorous procedures in procuring a partner to work with us.
“Levels of performance, standards and service have been identified as part of this process, and will be carefully monitored throughout the life of the contract.”
A Capita spokeswoman said: “We are thrilled at the prospect of working with West Sussex County Council and look forward to supporting the council in delivering services.”
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TIME TO SHUT OFF THE FAT CAT'S MONEY MACHINE - American Reporter
TIME TO SHUT OFF THE FAT CAT'S MONEY MACHINE
by Randolph T. Holhut
American Reporter Correspondent
Dummerston, Vt.
February 7, 2009
Printable version of this story
DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- On Friday, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said what a lot of us are thinking about Wall Street fat cats and how they are taking federal bailout money while handing out bonuses and pay raises to themselves.
"They don't get it," she said. "These people are idiots. You can't use taxpayer money to pay out $18 billion in bonuses...What planet are these people on?"
McCaskill said those words on the Senate floor as she proposed legislation to cap executive pay at any company getting federal bailout money at $400,000, or the U.S. president's salary.
"Right now, they're on the hook to us," said McCaskill. "And they owe us something more than a fancy waste basket and a $15-million dollar jet. They owe us some common sense."
Granted, my senator, Bernie Sanders, was saying this sort of thing last year. But since he is a socialist from Vermont, nobody paid attention to him. But as it usually happens, it takes some time for the Democrats to catch up to Bernie.
Capping executive pay at banks and other institutions that take federal bailout money is an idea whose time has come. That's why the Obama Administration announced Wednesday a plan to impose a cap of $500,000 for top executives at companies that receive large amounts of bailout money. Under the plan, executives would also be barred from receiving any bonuses above their base pay, except for normal stock dividends.
Let's review how we got to this point. The federal Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the Treasury Department has handed out $293 billion to shore up banks such as Bank of America and Citigroup and insurer American International Group. U.S. automakers General Motors and Chrysler also got TARP money. Recipients of government funds must follow rules limiting executive pay, but they haven't been enforced with any sort of vigor.
Despite a down economy, Wall Street financial firms handed out $18.4 billion in bonuses to employees - even though the government had to save the companies from collapsing. That $18.4 billion is roughly the same amount given out during the boom years in the mid-2000s. Last week, President Obama used words such as "outrageous," "shameful" and "the height of irresponsibility" to describe this largesse.
The Wall Streeters certainly didn't like what President Obama was saying. "I think President Obama painted everyone with a broad stroke," Brian McCaffrey, a Wall Street lawyer, told The New York Times last week. "The way we pay our taxes is bonuses. The only way that we'll get any of our bailout money back is from taxes on bonuses. I think bonuses should be looked at on a case by case basis, or you turn into a socialist."
Of course, the financial folks love socialism when the government gives them money. But suggest that the federal bailout money be used to stimulate lending rather than pay bonus, and you're Karl Marx incarnate.
"On Main Street, 'bonus' sounds like a gift," Larry Meyers, who works for an Italian securities firm, said to the Times. "But it's part of the compensation structure of Wall Street. Say I'm a banker and I created $30 million. I should get a part of that."
Using that line of reasoning, if your poor judgment and greed resulted in the loss of $30 million for the bank, those losses should come out of your pocket. Of course, things don't actually work that way. We've seen case after case of people who have destroyed companies, yet walked away with their pockets stuffed with money.
Given the shaky state of the U.S. banking industry, Citigroup, Bank of America and other major banks have no choice but to take federal bailout money. The government shouldn't have to offer the CEOs a bribe. That's why Obama's proposal is a good one. If you're going to take the government's money to keep your firm from going bankrupt, you should have to abide by the government's terms for executive compensation. Don't like the terms? Don't take the money.
Remember, this is our money being handed out to the fat cats. The least the Treasury Department can do is ensure that this money is being used productively.
Randolph T. Holhut, a journalist in New England for nearly 30 year, edited "The George Seldes Reader" (Barricade Books). Write him at randyholhut@yahoo.com, and read his blog about The Harvard Classics, updated daily at http://hclassics15.blogspot.com.
Copyright 2012 Joe Shea The American Reporter. All Rights Reserved.
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