Tips To Choose a Credible iPhone Apps Development Company

There is a neck-to-neck competition between different smartphone platforms, to survive a rapidly growing mobile market. However, Apple's iOS platform is definitely ahead of its competitors by the virtue of its amazing features. iPhone is a device running on the iOS platform that contain certain in-built features, which help in developing some of the most remarkable apps (that were downloaded more than 25 billion times from the iTunes Store).

Hence, getting custom iPhone apps developed is an excellent opportunity to earn tremendous profits. You as a client can opt for any reputed iPhone apps development company that has the potential to provide qualitative apps as per your needs and get maximum return on investment.

Here are some quick tips that will help you choose the right company:

Technical expertise - The developers should all be well-qualified and have sound technical knowhow of the iPhone tools and technologies such as - Cocoa framework, Objective C, Xcode, iPhone SDK etc. They should also have domain expertise to develop applications across different verticals using these techniques.

Experience - The app developers should have sufficient experience in iOS and Mac OS X platforms and you can also check their portfolio to see kind of applications they have already developed in the past.

Developers registered with the iTunes store - Make sure that the developers of the company you are planning to work with are registered with the iTunes beforehand. It means that they are serious about app development and they might have worked on other iPhone app projects in the past.

Quick turnaround time - Check whether the company has a history of providing a quick turnaround time or not.

Confidentiality - The company must follow stringent methods for the purpose of security such as NDA, a secure server and other similar criteria to make sure that your project is kept confidential throughout.

Clarity in concepts - Any well-known company that is reputed for providing iPhone apps development services, should have programming teams with clarity in various iPhone concepts to understand your requirements well.

Meets your budget constraints - Go for a company that gives you an estimation of time and money in advance so that you can check whether it meets your budget or not.

You can never go wrong in selecting a suitable company if you rely on these tips. Many a times, the developer teams in such companies also look after other aspects like - marketing and promotion of your apps, ensuring maximum ROI for your brand or business.

Perceptive Mobile Apps is a leading mobile app development company known for development of enterprise business apps for iPhone, iPad and Android platforms.

Scoring Happiness

What would you life be like if all of your goals were reached in such a short time after you set them? You can imagine that you will be quite contempt and ecstatic knowing you accomplished something so quickly. Also, you can imagine how much you would be benefiting the people around you that see you complete your goals so quickly. They will feel quite happy for you and you will feel very happy for yourself. Obviously, everyone wants to complete their goals in the best possible, so all I can do is suggest two character traits that will most likely lead you to having your goals transformed into a reality.

These two very important character traits are Enthusiasm and Persistence. Try to think of all the times you were enthusiastic about something and remember how big of an impact your enthusiasm had on you and the people around you. If you can't think of a time where you were enthusiastic then think of a time you had someone you were close with that was enthusiastic and think of how it had an impact on you. Enthusiasm is very contagious. You need to allow yourself to tap into that endless fountain of energy.

One of the main reasons people do not end up completing their goals is because they give up too easily and too soon. When you increase your level of persistence you are enabling yourself to complete your goals. For example, if you have a goal that you want to find the meaning of happiness, or the definition on what it means to be happy, and you aren't persistent than you will never complete your goal. If you give up then you wont figure out how to be happy. Your enthusiasm transforms into persistence. The more enthusiastic you are about something the more you will be persistent in pursuing that goal. Without these two character traits you wont be able to complete your goals.

If you knew you were able to complete any goal you set which goal would you choose to complete? Remember, you cant get side-tracked or loose focus on what you are trying to accomplish and achieve. Your level of happiness depends on how persistent you will be. You can't give up on being happy, it is a way of life, it is the one goal you definitely want to complete. When you combine your enthusiasm and persistence there is no telling what you can accomplish.

If you liked this article then be sure to read more like this at HappinessDirect.com

Wildlife of Treasure Island Florida

Treasure Island, Florida is a beautiful beach teeming with wide variety of wildlife. From the sea life to the reptiles, there is an abundance of creatures for the nature-lover to enjoy. Whether you are in the mood to simply view the beach's animal community or want to hook some of the local fish, Treasure Island is a great place to feed your desires. Many of the species can be observed without ever having to leave the shore, but those who venture out on boats run into an even wider range of amazing creatures.

Fish - With Treasure Island being a beach community, there are obviously quite a variety of species lurking around the waters. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the best places to spend a day either snorkeling and looking at all the underwater creatures or sitting with your pole catching some of these delicious fish. Some of the species of fish that are normally found in these waters include:

GrouperSnapperKingfishCobiaPermitFlounderPompanoTarponBarracudaBlacktip SharksSpanish Mackeral

Mammals - There are much more than just fish roaming around the Treasure Island area. There are a variety of mammals that call this lovely beach community their home as well. Many people love to come to St Pete to catch a glimpse of the beautiful dolphins and manatees. Dolphins are one of the most sought after attractions of many tourists visiting the area. The good part is that most of the tourists are in luck because catching a view of a dolphin around Treasure Island is extremely easy. The dolphins love the play and show off in the water and are usually even easy to spot from the beach. When out on a boat in the summer months, it is not unusual for a pod of dolphins to swim behind your boat. Manatees are another creature that people always love to fit into their sightseeing. While slightly more elusive than the dolphin, it is not rare to catch a glimpse of one of these "sea cows".

Reptiles - There are a wide variety of reptiles that call this area of Florida home. There are upwards of 45 different species of snakes in the state of Florida, both venomous and non-venomous. Florida is also home to a few varieties of sea turtles, the most common of which is the Loggerhead Turtle. Florida beaches are home to 80% of the Loggerheads in the US and as many as 68,000 nests can be found in Florida each year!

With an abundance of wildlife around the state, Florida can be a wonderful place to observe nature. Treasure Island and the Gulf Coast have a unique group of animals and no one who loves nature should miss these beautiful creatures. Always remember not to disturb the wildlife and allow them to live and breed naturally, so many generations in the future can enjoy their beauty.

Take a vacation in Treasure Island, Florida and enjoy a multitude of wildlife. Consider staying in a Treasure Island, Florida resort on your vacation.

Bird Watching in Treasure Island Florida

Treasure Island, Florida is a wonderful place to observe some of the most magnificent wildlife in the country. Bird watching or birding is a very popular attraction to many people because of the variety of species that call these shores home. Actually, the area can serve as a good place to observe birds that may not be indigenous to the area. Many birds' migration patterns run through this region. There are some lovely shorebirds that can be spotted along this stretch of coast and it is recommended that every birder take some time to enjoy these species.

There is also a collective effort in the community to make sure these birds last for future generations, so always make sure to be careful and never disturb these creatures' natural habitats. Many of Florida's species are on the brink of peril and people should always make sure to enjoy the wildlife, while making sure to preserve the natural order.

Laughing Gull - During a trip to Treasure Island, you will no doubt see plenty of gulls. These birds are everywhere and will do their best to acquire some of the lunch you have brought to the beach, so be careful. If you plan to feed the gulls, make sure to do it away from other beachgoers because these birds will flock around you and it may perturb the other guests of the beach.

Willet/Sandpiper - The Willet is another very common species that can be found along Treasure Island's shores. This bird is part of the Sandpiper family and can be easily viewed combing the beach in search of food. The Willet's population declined in the early twentieth century due to hunting but has increased since that time. While steadily increasing in population, the Willet is considered to still be somewhat at risk.

Black Skimmer - These birds are a beautiful sight and can be seen flying low over the waters and skimming the lower part of their bill into the water in order to catch food, which is how they got their name. The Black Skimmer has a black back with a white underside and is very distinct with their bright orange bill that has a black front edge.

Terns - There are 3 varieties of Tern that can be found around Treasure Island. The Royal Tern is an orange-billed variety and can only be found near saltwater. The Royal Tern is found around Treasure Island in the winter months and does not breed in the area. The Gull-Billed Tern is also found along this stretch of coastal waters. These terns have a black bill and look similar to gulls, hence the name. This tern does breed in this area and can be found here in the summer months. Last but not least is the Least Tern is the smallest of the American tern varieties. These terns also breed in the area and can be found during the summer months.

American Oystercatcher - These birds breed in the area and can be found walking along the beach in search of food year-round. The bird is large for a shorebird and has a bright red bill and long legs. In the 19th century, they became locally extinct in the northeast due to hunting and egg-collecting, but then became protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

Snowy Egret - This is a beautiful white heron that can be found around fresh water, as well as coastal regions like Treasure Island. This bird can be very easy to identify quickly because of their long black legs and yellow feet. The Snowy Egret has beautiful plumage during breeding season; these birds were sought after by market hunters which depleted the population to a dangerous level. These birds became protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as well.

Great Blue Heron - These birds can be found all over the country and are extremely common in Florida year-round. They can be found throughout the entire state around fresh and saltwater. They are the largest American herons and are tall with long legs. The Great Blue Heron will walk slowly in shallow water while searching for food until they dive their head quickly to snag fish.

Brown Pelican - Brown Pelicans can be found year-round in Treasure Island and are very distinct birds. Many tourists enjoy to get photos of these birds as they sit floating on the water or when they dive to catch fish. These pelicans are unique from other 6 species because they are the only dark pelicans. They are also the only pelican that dives from the air into the water in order to catch their food.

White Ibis - These birds are found throughout the year in Treasure Island and are distinguished by their white body and bright red legs and bills. These birds also have black wingtips that usually only be seen while they are in flight. The White Ibis can be viewed while foraging along the coast for small crustaceans and crayfish.

Great Egret - This bird is also known as the Great White Heron or the Great White Egret. These birds are tall (up to 3.3 feet!) and all white with yellow bills. The Great Egret can be found in Treasure Island year-round and can be found feeding in shallow water on frogs, fish, and sometimes lizards. These birds are one of the most beautiful and majestic species that the Treasure Island area has to offer birders.

Come to Florida and enjoy watching birds while staying in a Treasure Island resort and make sure to look for Treasure Island resort specials for your vacation.

The Samsung Galaxy S III Could Be the Best Android Phone Released in the US in 2012

It's easy to look at the specs for the SGS3 and wonder why anyone would need it. When you hear that a device has a dual core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB ROM (expandable to 48GB) you'd think you were talking about a computer and not a phone. In reality you're speaking about both as phones are used less and less to actually speak to people as it is to communicate with people in a myriad of ways. Your phone now powers you to send text messages, pictures, videos, and connect with people all over the world in record speed. The pictures that you take aren't the same as they were when webcams became popular or even when digital cameras first launched. The 8MP sensor on the SGS3 enables you to capture pictures that will make you wonder why you'd want to ever carry around a traditional digital camera or camcorder.

While all of these hardware innovations sound great, the real place where this phone points to the future is in the software. Traditionally Android phone makers looked at only using a skin to differentiate their phone from others available on the market. Samsung has taken it a step further and integrated a lot of special apps to make their phones stand out. S Voice may not seem like anything special but the reality is that there are a lot of times when typing on your phone just isn't as quick as you'd like it to be. Instead of searching or setting appointments in your phone, you can have S Voice do it for you. While it's true that voice commands aren't anything new to Android no other manufacturer has brought it to the forefront of the device like Samsung is doing with the Galaxy S III. The phone also has the option to use its camera to check and see if you're looking at your phone to ensure that it doesn't turn off the screen even after it has timed out. These little things, along with the powerful hardware which make it happen is what is separating the Galaxy S III from other phones currently available and which will hit the market in the months to come.

There is another piece to what is making the Galaxy S III so successful and that is how it is following Apple's approach to device launches. Apple is well known for putting together great devices with great software and releasing them to people all around the world at the same time. Samsung is doing the same thing here and that will only make people want to buy the phone since they don't feel slighted by a company who releases in a few countries and then waits months to follow up in America. This points to the increased sway Samsung has developed with the phone carriers in the US. If the carriers didn't want to do it, they wouldn't as we've seen time and time again with other phones in the past.

The real question is if people who buy this phone and get stuck on a 24 month contract with their carrier will stay happy or will Apple's latest phone keep people on the sidelines until a side by side comparison can be done. No one knows when a new iPhone will be made available but the reality is that in the meantime Samsung will do everything in its power to get their phones in the hands of more people and away from their competitors whether it's LG, HTC or Apple.

Chance is the editor at http://www.all4glte.com/ which covers the latest in 4G LTE phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S III, tablets, and other devices which use 4G LTE connectivity in the United States.

How Mobile Cloud Computing Benefits Development and Usage of Mobile Apps

Mobile cloud computing provides many advantages for application developers as well as their end-users. It is a boon for corporate users in particular, that do not have enough capital to invest upfront on required hardware and software.

Mobile applications have made smartphones "smart". The first wave of mobile apps were native apps, however with the increase in Internet capabilities for mobile devices, apps became faster and more powerful, as it was no longer necessary to manage the data storage and processing within the application.

Cloud computing changed mobile application development forever. With benefits like low initial investment, ease of adoption, scalability and elasticity, operational efficiency and large overall cost savings, it didn't take long for mobile app developers to adopt cloud computing.

Cloud computing offers the performance and flexibility that mobile app developers require. Because smartphones and tablets with advanced browsers are capable of accessing stored applications remotely in the cloud, developers can now build apps one time and deploy them across multiple platforms, including iPhones, iPads, Android devices, etc. In short order, more innovative and useful apps were developed more quickly and cost effectively. With this, the smartphone and app markets began to grow at a remarkable rate that shows no signs of slowing.

Advantages to the users
With cloud-based apps, mobile users do not need high-end hardware and infrastructure to run or maintain mobile apps. Businesses are able to pass along the reduced cost of development to their users, while improving the functionality of data sharing, and offering features like collaboration that were not previously feasible. All told, users with any Internet-enabled device can run many more apps and more powerful apps than ever before, at little or no cost.

Advantages to the developers
The advantages of cloud computing for mobile app developers are most pronounced. One, cost savings. Developers need not invest heavily in building infrastructure and resources. Cloud computing provides instant access to scalable mobile application tools for building mobile and tablet apps. Two, cross-platform app development. Developers can now build an app once and deploy across multiple platforms. And of course, building once and deploying to many devices dramatically reduces the cost of developing apps. Three, deploying apps to app stores and web sites is much easier. For example, developers can avoid device manufacturers or carrier app stores to distribute their apps, and publish them on their own private channels.

The future of mobile apps in the cloud
Despite the many advantages, cloud-based mobile apps will remain hampered by the limitation of wireless bandwidth capacity and intermittent network availability. We expect this will be a short-term problem as new developments in wireless technology are announced every day. In the meantime, alternate techniques like usage of HTML5, which does local caching, enable offline use of apps.

Overall, mobile cloud computing is strong and growing fast. When the limitations on connectivity are resolved, it will become the major player in development and usage of mobile apps.

Application Craft is the world's finest 100% cloud based development environment for mobile, tablet and desktop. If you are looking for a good ' mobile development platform ', we are a solid choice. Our IDE runs in your browser without plugins and despite being browser-based, it has all the power of a full-featured desktop application. Sign up now and build your first app free using our mobile application development tools.

Secretary Chu Launches First-Ever “Apps for Energy” Challenge

Secretary Chu Launches First-Ever “Apps for Energy” Challenge | Department of Energy Skip to main content Energy.gov Find information about your town or city. Search form Search Energy.gov Public ServicesTax Credits, Rebates & SavingsHomesVehiclesBuilding DesignManufacturingNational Security & SafetyEnergy EconomyFunding OpportunitiesState & Local GovernmentScience & InnovationScience & TechnologyScience EducationInnovationEnergy SourcesEnergy UsageEnergy EfficiencyMissionNews & BlogMaps & DataAbout UsFor Staff & ContractorsOfficesAll OfficesProgram OfficesStaff OfficesLabs & Technology CentersOperations OfficesPower Marketing AdministrationOther Agencies You are hereHome Secretary Chu Launches First-Ever “Apps for Energy” Challenge March 23, 2012 - 9:49am Addthis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to help consumers save money by saving energy, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu launched yesterday the Department’s first-ever “Apps for Energy” competition.  “Apps for Energy” will challenge innovative software developers to build new apps – for mobile phones, computers, tablets, software programs and more – that utilize data from major utility companies to help consumers and businesses use less energy and save money. The competition will begin April 5, offering $100,000 in cash prizes sponsored by the Energy Department and interested companies. This new initiative is part of the Administration's broader efforts to make government more open and to engage the American people in new ways.  “Apps for Energy” will work closely with the Energy Department’s recently revamped website www.Energy.gov that offers new tools and resources to help consumers connect with the Department on an interactive, dynamic information platform.

“Our top priority is to help consumers save money on their energy bills by providing them with easy access to data on how they use energy in their homes,” said Secretary Chu. “Apps for Energy will challenge our nation’s talented software developers to create apps that provide energy usage data in the most comprehensive and accessible formats.”

Developers competing in “Apps for Energy” will create apps that are designed to make the best use of the data provided through the President’s Green Button initiative, which today announced that nine major utilities and electricity suppliers are committing to providing more than 15 million households access to data about their own energy use. Learn more about the announcement HERE.

Specifically, as part of "Apps for Energy:"

Starting today, members of the public are invited to submit their ideas for apps to apps@hq.doe.gov. The best app ideas will be featured on Energy.gov and used to inspire developers who are participating in the competition. Learn more HERE.On April 5, the Department will release the official rules and begin accepting submissions. Submissions can be any kind of software application, including apps for the web, personal computers, mobile devices, or any software broadly available to the public.May 15 is the last day to submit an app design. Following the close of submissions, an internal review and public vote will take place.Winners will be announced in late May and will receive cash prizes that in total equate to $100,000 and are sponsored by the Energy Department, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Itron Inc., and Gridwise Alliance.

Learn more detail about the “Apps for Energy” challenge HERE.

The President’s Green Button initiative, is an Administration-led effort with utility companies based on a simple, common-sense goal: provide electricity customers with easy access to their energy usage data in a consumer-friendly and computer-friendly format via a “Green Button” on electric utilities’ website. Learn more about the initiative HERE.

News Media Contact: (202) 586-4940

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Political Mirroring Techniques, Mass Media Propaganda, And Seventh Grade Debating Tactics

Recently, there have been two interesting comments by President Obama in the same week as he starts his political re-election campaign. First, he stated that he was confident that the Supreme Court would uphold ObamaCare and stated that the Supreme Court ought not "legislate from the bench" and he also stated that the GOP budge was that of "rightist radicals," so basically, whatever the political opposition says, Obama says the exact opposite back at them, as if holding up a mirror. It's an old juvenile debating trick - in fact, I think I learned that one in the Junior High debating class actually?

Interestingly enough, you know who else does this extremely well - Ahmadinejad in Iran. He does it with everything, no matter what anyone says about his actions, he says the same thing about his opponents. When the US says it has been testing a better bunker buster, he puts out a news release that he has a new anti-aircraft missile, high-speed underwater torpedo, indigenous built fifth generation stealth fighter, or is planning new war games in the Straits of Hormuz.

You know who else does well at this mirroring political rhetoric - Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, he also does it all the time, it must drive his opponents nuts, I bet? Indeed, the best way to get false leaders to stop playing these childish games is really simple. Call them on it, and state in the media that this is a false-debating point, mirroring trick and that those who are unfit to lead use it early and often to deflect their own leadership failures. Once everyone sees through it, it no longer works in the media. Once you take a mega-phone, teleprompter, sounding board, soap box, or media from such a leader, everyone just stops listening.

You see, here is the deal - first, the President of the United States and leader of the Free World has a responsibility to answer for his actions, and failures. Blaming others isn't going to be enough anymore, we need leadership. Our country is too important to avoid questions and deflect responsibility. Whereas, other leaders of the world may get away with it for a short period, it does not belong here, we are better than that, and we need a leader who can stand above it all and lead.

If we reduce the responsibilities of the Oval Office to mere sound bites and media "gotchas" we are no better than the rest, in that case our commander in chief has forfeited our right to lead here and we've forfeited our right to lead abroad. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative eBooks on 2012 Politics. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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Major Cold War Cleanup Milestone Reached at the Savannah River Site

Major Cold War Cleanup Milestone Reached at the Savannah River Site | Department of Energy Skip to main content Energy.gov Find information about your town or city. Search form Search Energy.gov Public ServicesTax Credits, Rebates & SavingsHomesVehiclesBuilding DesignManufacturingNational Security & SafetyEnergy EconomyFunding OpportunitiesState & Local GovernmentScience & InnovationScience & TechnologyScience EducationInnovationEnergy SourcesEnergy UsageEnergy EfficiencyMissionNews & BlogMaps & DataAbout UsFor Staff & ContractorsOfficesAll OfficesProgram OfficesStaff OfficesLabs & Technology CentersOperations OfficesPower Marketing AdministrationOther Agencies You are hereHome Major Cold War Cleanup Milestone Reached at the Savannah River Site March 29, 2012 - 10:37am Addthis

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Energy Department announced it has reached a major milestone in the Department’s efforts to clean up the Cold War legacy at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina, laying the groundwork for closing two underground storage tanks that previously held radioactive liquid waste from nuclear weapons production at SRS.  The determination signed by Energy Secretary Steven Chu paves the way for SRS to begin closing the massive tanks that make up the F Tank Farm.  The site will start this year by closing two tanks that pose the greatest risk to the environment - Tanks 18 and 19.  These tank closures will be the first DOE tanks closed nationwide since 2007, the first closed at SRS in 15 years, and some of the largest underground storage tanks closed by the Department to date.

Under Secretary for Nuclear Security at the Department of Energy Thomas D’Agostino made the announcement on a press conference call today with Karen Patterson, Chair of the South Carolina Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council.

“Today, we are able to announce a major milestone as we continue to clean up the legacy of the Cold War at the Savannah River Site and work to meet our responsibility to the citizens of South Carolina,” said Secretary Chu. “The Department of Energy, federal and state regulators, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the local community all played a key role in arriving at this important decision. As a result of these efforts and significant collaboration over many years, we are now able to move forward to safely, effectively and efficiently clean up and close these massive tanks.”

“South Carolina has looked forward to this day for a long time. We appreciate the dedication of everyone involved with the project, and the positive working relationships among all the entities – without genuine dedication and a positive approach, success would have been much more difficult. We also greatly appreciate that South Carolina and local stakeholders were included in all aspects of the process. The result is a good decision that we hope means many more successful tank closures in the near future,” said Chairwoman Patterson.

About 70 SRS, contractor, and construction employees are working on the final closing of Tanks 18 and 19, which is expected to take about five months. The work will include up to six cement trucks an hour, working eight hours a day, five days a week, pouring more than 3 million gallons of grout to fill the waste tanks.  Each tank originally held about 1.3 million gallons of radioactive hazardous waste, or enough to fill nearly two Olympic-sized swimming pools. 

Workers have removed more than 99 percent of the liquid waste in the tanks.  Tanks 18 and 19 will now be grouted, or filled with a cement-like material, to ensure the remaining residual waste film is immobilized and poses little to no future risk to the environment or the public.

SRS was constructed in the early 1950s to produce basic materials used in the fabrication of nuclear weapons in support of our nation's defense programs.  Tanks 18 and 19, two of the many nuclear facilities constructed at the site to support the United States Cold War effort, were built in the late 1950s to store radioactive liquid waste generated through the site’s nuclear weapons material processing.

The determination announced today allows SRS to complete cleanup and closure of Tanks 18 and 19 by the end of this year and the remaining 18 tanks in the F Tank Farm over the next several years as they are emptied and cleaned.  Prior to the decision, the Department and SRS conducted extensive technical environmental analysis, public review and comment, and consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The state of South Carolina and the Environmental Protection Agency were also included in and supportive of the decision to close the tanks.

The SRS FTF 3116 Waste Determination, its Basis, and the Supplement Analysis can be viewed HERE.

News Media Contact: (202) 586-4940

Addthis Related Articles A Milestone for Savannah River Site Energy Secretary Chu Announces $1.615 Billion in Recovery Act Funding for Environmental Cleanup in South Carolina Under Secretary D’Agostino to Host Conference Call Announcing Major Milestone at the Savannah River Site What We Do For You Energy EconomyEnergy Economy InnovationInnovation Nuclear Security & SafetyNuclear Security & Safety Energy.gov Careers & InternshipsContact UsEmail Updates Popular Topics SavingsHeating & CoolingIndustrial Heating & CoolingSolarHome WeatherizationAppliances & ElectronicsAbout this siteWeb PoliciesPrivacyNo Fear ActInformation QualityOpen GovEnergy DepartmentBudget & PerformanceDirectives, Delegations & RequirementsFOIAInspector GeneralPrivacy ProgramSmall BusinessFederal GovernmentThe White HouseUSA.gov

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Dropping Stuff: A Human Frustration!

Don't you hate to drop things?

I do.

How many times a day, a week, a year, do you drop stuff? Could be your toothbrush, your morning pill, the coffee spoon, a coin, an earring, a contact, a pencil, a sheet of paper, the T.V. remote, a credit card----whew, and it goes on and on during your day. And guess what? Gravity exists, so don't expect it to float back into your hands. You have to bend that back, droop that neck and pick it up. Drop, pick-it-up, drop, pick-it-up!

Spilling is a first cousin to dropping, and because liquids seek its lowest level, it ends down there, where I've got to stoop and clean the mess. Those of you who have small children, multiple the spill factor ten times.

And what happens if I drop something that is breakable, the stuff I pick up is many-fold with its shattered pieces---longer stooping, and more time on my knees. Sometimes, I find myself saying a little prayer while in this position.

Dropping stuff has a domino effect. Follow along please. I have been dropping stuff for years and let's assume you are over thirty years old (did you ever see a teenager pick up a penny they dropped, or the clothes off their bedroom floor). O.K., back to this domino thing. After thousands of times dropping and picking up stuff, I develop a strong dislike toward this human fallibility. I curse under my breath, doesn't matter, it's still a sin---check the Ten Commandments list. My spouse, boss or friend, tells me to "get a grip." We argue. Then a comment is made that starts off with, "kiss my buttocks," and pretty soon I'm in "anger management" classes or in a confessional booth, discussing that commandment list.

No, it doesn't stop here, that domino continues to tip over the next one. After thousands of drops and pickups; my back and neck aches, and blood pressure elevates. Off to the doctor I go. He writes a prescription that causes side effects that makes me too relaxed, and guess what? I'm now dropping stuff twice my normal rate. So, I see a chiropractor. I'm manipulated, cracked, and spinal stretched and on my way out, I drop my car keys, pick up a quarter someone dropped (reflex response), and drop my sunglasses.

I remind myself, the words of Epictetus, and the famous philosopher, "It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." Really neat philosophy, huh? Well, Epictetus, I gave it a try, and I still perceive dropping stuff, picking up stuff to be a pain of my human existence.

So, I surrender to the God-of-the-Drops, and form an image of the day I no longer drop things. It's not a pleasant image, as I recall the expression, "he just dropped dead." At last, I don't have to pick me up. Well, at that moment, paying my taxes and the drop-and-pick-up rituals, end.

Amen brother and sister, amen.

Retired psychologist and academician with thirty-five years of experience working with children, teens, and their families. Currently, author of two nonfiction books written for the layperson; A Guide for Effective Psychotherapy (a consumer's guide for understanding mental health services) and Give Teens a Break! (a positive look at teens). My passion remains the same, the growth and mental welfare of our children. Please visit my website: http://www.johnmorella.com/

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Time for Obama to Butt Out of Obamacare

Talk about chutzpah. The same chief executive who refused to provide a speck of guidance to one branch of government in crafting his signature legislation is now threatening another branch of government not to overturn it.

Does President Obama believe in the separation of powers? You wouldn't know it from his intemperate comments Monday on the legal challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which the Supreme Court is now deliberating. Just days after skeptical justices subjected administration lawyers and their opponents to a historic six hours of questioning, and just as the judges were retreating to contemplate the competing claims in private, Obama stood up in the Rose Garden and loudly warned the nine "unelected" rubes that they'd better get this one right.

Obama declared that overturning his health care law would be "unprecedented" and "extraordinary"-which is funny, because that's what a lot of people have been saying about his health care law.

What with his haranguing of the justices over their Citizens United decision and his veiled threats over Obamacare, we haven't had a president interfere this much with the Supreme Court since FDR. (Apparently Obama's intimidation tactics aren't strong enough for Representative James Clyburn, who wants the president to campaign against the Supreme Court this fall.)

Can anyone recall an instance of one faction of the Supreme Court instructing a sitting president which laws to veto? How about a Congressional caucus telling the Chief Justice which cases to turn down?

One federal appeals court is so rattled by Obama's posturing that it is requiring his Justice Department to submit a brief by Thursday noon outlining whether and when it believes the Supreme Court has the authority to overturn federal legislation.

In his address Monday, Obama blithely threw around the term "judicial activism," suggesting that the Supreme Court justices would be guilty of practicing it if they overturned Obamacare. But judicial activism doesn't mean "making decisions the other side doesn't like."

The justices' sworn oath is to uphold the Constitution. Conservative complaints of judicial activism refer to cases in which justices override the Constitution while upholding or striking down laws that suit their political preferences.

Conservatives have focused obsessively on the constitutionality of the law since Day 1, in particular the propriety of requiring people to enter commercial contracts against their will by purchasing health insurance in the private market.

Judicial activists, including Obamacare supporters, ignore the constitutionality of laws, unless they are forced by their opponents to concoct phony, sophistic defenses invoking the Constitution, in which they typically claim that whatever it is they're proposing-banning guns, preventing violence against women-is covered by the Interstate Commerce Clause.

When was the last time you heard a Republican legislator respond, when asked about the constitutionality of a law he had proposed, "Are you serious?" as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi did when queried about Obamacare? How about a Republican announcing, as Illinois Democrat and former Congressman Phil Hare did at an Obamacare townhall meeting, "I don't worry about the Constitution"?

(The left needs to get its story straight on whether the Supreme Court may ever consider the constitutionality of legislation. Liberal Dahlia Lithwick, for example, claims that Congress can pass anything it wants, whether constitutional or not, because the Supreme Court will assess its constitutionality and strike it down if need be. This was two years ago, back when blinkered Democrats didn't think there was any chance the Supreme Court would hear the case against Obamacare, much less overrule it. On the other hand, fellow Slate writer Jamal Greene recently argued that the Supreme Court should eschew its constitutional function and let Obamacare stand, because two branches of government have already weighed in.)

In case the "unprecedented" and "judicial activist" arguments weren't convincing, Obama also crowed that the law had been passed by "a strong majority" of Congress-by which he meant a sputtering, cobbled-together Frankenstein's monster of reluctant coalitions that had to be bribed, deceived, and threatened into compliance. (The 2010 Republican midterm election landslide, though-that was nothing special!)

Meanwhile we've learned that the American public is solidly on the conservative justices' side, with 72% endorsing the notion that the individual mandate is unconstitutional. This includes over 50% of Republicans, Independents, Democrats, voters who oppose the law, and voters who support the law. How's that for "a strong majority"?

Obama's chance to offer input on his namesake legislation has long since passed. It's time for him to get out of the way and accept the court's-and the public's-verdict on the disastrous legislation he recklessly set in motion.

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