Former President Bush moved out of intensive care

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2006 file photo, former President George H.W. Bush delivers the keynote speech before receiving an honorary Doctor of Public Administration degree at Suffolk University in Boston. A spokesman says Bush's condition continues to improve and that he was moved Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, Pool, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2006 file photo, former President George H.W. Bush delivers the keynote speech before receiving an honorary Doctor of Public Administration degree at Suffolk University in Boston. A spokesman says Bush's condition continues to improve and that he was moved Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, Pool, File)

HOUSTON (AP) ? Former President George H.W. Bush's condition continued to improve Saturday, prompting doctors to move him out of intensive care, a spokesman said.

"President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved today from the intensive care unit to a regular patient room at The Methodist Hospital to continue his recovery," family spokesman Jim McGrath said Saturday. "The Bushes thank everyone for their prayers and good wishes."

Bush was hospitalized Nov. 23 for treatment of a bronchitis-related cough. He was moved to intensive care at the Houston hospital on Dec. 23 after he developed a fever.

On Friday, McGrath said Bush had improved since arriving in the ICU. He said he was alert and in good spirits and was even doing some singing.

McGrath said Saturday morning that future updates on Bush's condition would be made as warranted.

Bush, the 41st president, is the country's oldest living former president by a few months.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-29-Bush%20Hospitalized/id-bdf03427fb3e43c9ad17f4af07d8cb0f

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10 best-paying jobs for community college graduates

16 min.

Jenna Goudreau , Forbes

With college tuition costs skyrocketing???an estimated $1 trillion in student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt in the U.S.???many families are rethinking the traditional path to career success. As it turns out, a four-year college degree isn?t the only way to land a good-paying job. A recent?study?by financial literacy website?NerdWallet, based on forecasts by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, reveals that jobs requiring only a two-year associate?s degree will have the highest average growth through 2020.

?The common, accepted advice is to go to school for four years or longer, but there are great opportunities to go for less time and still get a high return on your investment,? says Joseph Audette, VP of financial literacy and education?at NerdWallet. ?It?s not just about going to college. It?s about going with a plan for success.?

The average growth rate of all jobs by 2020 is just 14 percent, while high-growth jobs requiring an associate?s degree will grow by an average of 35 percent. At the same time, associate?s degrees have the shortest payback period. Lower tuition rates coupled with high median earnings on the job means these graduates pay off their tuition in just two years, on average.

Furthermore, many of the jobs that require only an associate?s degree pay more than those requiring a bachelor?s or master?s. ?Why go through additional years of school and have more debt when the job isn?t going to be paying as much?? asks Audette.

According to Nerdwallet?s analysis of the 10 best-paying jobs for associate?s degree holders,?air traffic controllers?come out on top, earning a median salary of $108,000. These students must attend a Federal Aviation Administration certified school and receive long-term on-the-job training. However, while it is very well paid, it?s also stressful and not expected to be a high-growth job.

When comparing the lists of the highest-paying jobs and the fastest-growing jobs that require only an associate?s degree, three jobs emerge as the best.?Registered nurses?earn a median of $65,000 and will grow by 26 percent, with a whopping 3.5 million jobs projected for 2020.?Medical sonographers, who administer ultrasounds, earn $64,000 a year and will grow by 44 percent, and?dental hygienists?earn $68,000 and will grow by 38 percent.

Many of these jobs are health?care and engineering support positions, driven by the aging baby boomer population and the increasing automation of technology and manufacturing machinery. Hiring more support positions versus highly trained professionals is more cost-efficient for employers, says Audette, who expects the trend to continue over the next few decades.

The full list of the 10 best-paying jobs:

No. 1: Air Traffic Controllers
Median Salary: $108,040
Job Description: Coordinate the flight paths of planes.

No. 2: Construction Managers ? ?
Median Salary: $83,860
Job Description: Plan and supervise construction projects.

No. 3: Radiation Therapists ? ?
Median Salary: $74,980
Job Description: Administer radiation treatments to patients suffering from cancer and other diseases.

No. 4: Nuclear Medicine Technologists ? ?
Median Salary: $68,560
Job Description: Scan patients, and prepare and administer radioactive drugs.

No. 5: Dental Hygienists ? ?
Median Salary: $68,250
Job Description: Clean teeth, examine patients and provide preventative dental care.

No. 6: Nuclear Technicians ? ?
Median Salary: $68,090
Job Description: Assist physicists and engineers with nuclear research and nuclear production.

No. 7: Registered Nurses ? ?
Median Salary: $64,690
Job Description: Provide and coordinate patient care.

No. 8: Diagnostic Medical Sonographers ? ?
Median Salary: $64,380
Job Description: Administer sonograms to diagnose medical conditions.

No. 9: Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians ? ?
Median Salary: $58,080
Job Description: Operate and maintain equipment used in aircraft and spacecraft production.

No. 10: Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technicians ? ?
Median Salary: $56,040
Job Description: Help engineers design and develop electronic equipment.

More from Forbes:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/10-best-paying-jobs-community-college-graduates-1C7753003

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'Les Mis?rables': Why musical-haters will like it

'Les Mis?rables' has appealed to a lot of critics and has already racked up awards nominations, but it can also win over those who wouldn't be caught dead at a musical.

By Molly Driscoll,?Staff Writer / December 28, 2012

'Les Miserables' stars Hugh Jackman (l.) and Anne Hathaway (r.).

Universal Pictures/AP

Enlarge

For months, musical fans have been praising the casting decisions (Hugh Jackman! Anne Hathaway! Oh, fine, Russell Crowe), devouring trailers, and nodding with approval over the awards praise showered upon the film version of ?Les Mis?rables? by the Screen Actors Guild and the Hollywood Foreign Press.

Skip to next paragraph Molly Driscoll

Staff writer

Molly Driscoll is a Books and the Culture staff writer.

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So there?s no fear that the big-screen adaptation of ?Les Mis? will appeal to them, those super-fans who can tell you that Colm Wilkinson was the original Jean Valjean in London and can recite every separate part of ensemble number ?One Day More.? They?ll be turning out to the theater in droves to see their beloved story of a French revolution and the people who are affected by it and will hum along to the songs under their breath as they soak in the vocal performances.

But you know who else should give the movie a chance? People who hate musicals.

There is a (fairly large) group of people to whom simply the word ?musical? is enough to conjure up shuddering. Singing, like people do on ?Glee?? And over-emoting and wearing over-the-top costumes? Count them out. They?ll be watching TV (not ?Glee?).

But I know of several people who view going to see a musical as on par with a tooth extraction who, through accident or being forced to go, saw the stage version of ?Les Mis.? I, the eager fan, asked them how they liked it, and got positive responses from all of them. ?It was? good? was the main reaction, almost all with a surprised tone.

And the reason that ?Les Mis?rables? can win over musical-allergic theatergoers is that it?s not glitzy. It?s not glamorous. There are no kick lines, no spangly outfits, no drawn-out dance numbers. It is the story of various people struggling to survive in nineteenth century France that happens to have some musical numbers attached.

The story is powerful enough that the book by Victor Hugo was a classic long before the musical came along ? some may complain that revolutionary student Marius and protagonist Jean Valjean?s adoptive daughter Cosette aren?t especially deep characters, and they?re right. But everyone remembers Jean Valjean himself, the escaped convict, and his moral struggles and the ruthless Inspector Javert who pursues him, certain that no criminal can be a good man and vice versa.

And the music?s just gorgeous ? if you simply like music that sounds beautiful, it will win you over, whether or not you?re a musical fan. (It will also get stuck in your head, especially the anthemic ?Do You Hear the People Sing?,? so beware.)?

Anyone who?s read the novel will know this beforehand, but it?s pretty darn good at subverting the happy ending most people associate with musicals, also. Let?s just say the show has a pretty high body count.

It?s a serious story about people struggling with almost insurmountable problems ? things like getting food and finding a job and when it?s right to stand up to your government. One character, Fantine, is forced to become a prostitute because she has no other options. Not exactly musical fun time, is it?

So yes, they sing. But give it a chance beyond that. There are no sequins ? I promise.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/1-1D1CGS8oI/Les-Miserables-Why-musical-haters-will-like-it

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SMALL BUSINESS OWNER'S DILEMMA ? The Burning Platform

ThePessimisticChemist says:

Times are getting rougher in this area. My company does a LOT of business overseas, so we are still doing very well, but the blue collar jobs are taking a beating.

I feel bad when we turn away someone fully qualified for a position, but they wouldn?t want the pay anyways. Most are ex-union and want 25-50% more pay for the same work as people who have never been in a union before.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 15?0

28th December 2012 at 5:11 pm

Hope@ZeroKelvin says:

What a timely cartoon.

Since the election, about 75% of my patients have been asking me if I will still be around once Obamacare kicks in over the next few years.

I say that I don?t know, I just soldier on every day, that I am more worried about the economic collapse of the country, that I?ll hang on as long as I can but I am not optimistic.

I either get tears of acknowledgement of how screwed we are or looks of blank astonishment.

At this point, I hand out my little American flag pins (which I tell them to wear upside down indicating a nation in distress) and a little card with all my favorite websites on it, also the names/phones of our CONgresscritters.

Trying to spread my gospel of Embrace The Doom, one person at a time.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 24?1

28th December 2012 at 5:29 pm

Muck About says:

Attention llpoh!!

Paying attention? Listen up and act accordingly. I closed my own ?small business? 3 years ago just to avoid excessive taxes. Fuck ?em. They?ll keep spending any income they get until they get no more. Then they?ll spend more that the Fed gives them (now happening) until that won?t work anymore (maybe 2013).

Starve the beast. Stop paying taxes. Collect Free Shit from as many sources as you can.

Break the bastards and let?s start over from a lower baseline..

MA

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 9?1

28th December 2012 at 7:17 pm

Administrator says:

Muck

How are you feeling? We haven?t heard from you for a few days.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 9?0

28th December 2012 at 7:21 pm

The Watchdog says:

@HZK,
Aside from TBP, what other web sites are on your little card?
ZeroHedge, Mish, King World News, The Onion?

Like or Dislike: 3?0

28th December 2012 at 7:44 pm

Llpoh says:

Muck ? already putting in plans for option number two. My prediction is for an exodus of small- business owners from their businesses. Despair will over-take them. Get out while the getting is less bad. No way in hell I am going broke just in order to keep my employees employed another year or three. I do not run a business for their benefit, which will come as a shock to them. At least to those that have ever given it a single thought.

I have always been pleased that what I do has provided a social good. Not any longer ? I no longer get to share in the good, but only suffer the bad. Screw it.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 16?0

28th December 2012 at 10:00 pm

Administrator says:

llpoh

I?m guessing your employees don?t frequent TBP.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 11?0

28th December 2012 at 10:12 pm

Chronic Agitator says:

Timely cartoon Indeed! For the time being I do not have to be concerned with Obama care because I have less than 50 employees but year after year gross revenue continues to deteriorate. If sales go any lower I will have no choice but to become ?Arnold?s Rug? as the old yellow pages advertisements used to say. Going back to a one man show would have it?s benefits but I have staff who need jobs, although, I believe most of them think it will be easy to go elsewhere.

Even though it is very stress full, I keep holding on?hoping that I can do a magical turn around but month by month it is getting less likely. Although it is possible, I like to think I am not to blame for everything in my company going to shit?maybe that is why I keep coming back to TBP because I want to feel like I am not responsible for all of this clusterfuck economy we have. [Rant Off- Temporarily] Be Safe FFs.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 10?0

28th December 2012 at 10:22 pm

Chronic Agitator says:

Lloph? I like your fucking attitude?really!

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 6?0

28th December 2012 at 10:24 pm

Llpoh says:

Admin ? I suspect not. Too bad for them.

CA ? it is very important to abandon ship while the ship is still floating. If you wait too long, you can go down with it. I appreciate the kind words.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 7?0

28th December 2012 at 10:29 pm

crazyivan says:

?CA ? it is very important to abandon ship while the ship is still floating.? -llpoh

A good Captain will always get off a ? ?Brace For Impact? message.

A better Captain will admit to boarding passengers, that he has a very strong stinging pain in his penis, but assures that the flight will not be affected.

The best Captain will give everyone a parachute and say ?good luck you fuckers, I love you all?

Like or Dislike: 3?0

28th December 2012 at 11:23 pm

John says:

On a positive note, the 47+M food stamps recipients at the end of 2012 truly believe, that their Obama/Chase EBT card will buy em Walmart can food all the way through in 2013.

Like or Dislike: 3?0

28th December 2012 at 12:31 am

SSS says:

Hope said, ?Since the election, about 75% of my patients have been asking me if I will still be around once Obamacare kicks in over the next few years.?

Let me tell you what I said to my urologist after my last visit, Hope, and she is just as concerned as you are on the impact of Obamacare on her medical practice. I told her that I WILL PAY OUT OF MY POCKET WHATEVER IT COSTS FOR HER TO SEE AND TREAT ME AS A PATIENT PLUS WHATEVER SHE CONSIDERS AS A FAIR PROFIT FOR HER SERVICES. AND I WILL DO IT IN CASH.

She looked at me, smiled, and said thank you. Not every patient will say that, Hope, but I did because I can ?? and mean it. I predict that there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people like me who will gladly participate in a black market of payments to our doctors just to keep them solvent and us as their patients because we can afford it.

And here?s to any government fucksticks that may be monitoring this site. Saying that you might break the law through payments under the table is a lot different than actually breaking the law. Have fun in adding me to your watch list.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 8?0

28th December 2012 at 12:39 am

SSS says:

?SMALL BUSINESS OWNER?S DILEMMA?
?-title of article

Admin,

Gee, I always thought it was spelled dilemna, with an n and not 2 m?s. I?m sure you will straighten out this incredible spelling controversy in a New York minute.

(Imbedded secret writing comment invisible to Admin. Dilemma with 2 m?s is the accepted form, but dilemna popped up somewhere in the past, and no one can figure out where it came from. Probably another CIA plot. Anyway, let?s all watch Admin struggle with this challenge.)

Like or Dislike: 2?0

28th December 2012 at 1:00 am

Llpoh says:

SSS ? unfortunately, that will only be a de facto tax on you, and will be in the end nothing but a transfer payment to those receiving free shit. Your doctor will be able to continue seeing subsidized patients off of your dime. I will only do what you are proposing if the doctor is entirely out of the system, otherwise it will be a tax on me. Obama would be oh so grateful to have us subsidize his system by paying the difference personally.

Re under the table, that transaction has nothing to do with you ? entirely up to the receiver to declare or otherwise. You are paying in legal tender so end of story. You did not ask for a receipt ? no law broken there.

Like or Dislike: 3?0

28th December 2012 at 1:01 am

Llpoh says:

BTW I never ask for a receipt for personal services and always try to pay in cash. I am not interested in how people keep their books.

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 6?0

28th December 2012 at 1:05 am

Leobeer says:

My employees never saw it coming although the signs were clearly there. They suspected something ?was up? but couldn?t work it out for themselves. I would have told them in advance but my exit strategy to get out cleanly and legally required secrecy and they couldn?t be trusted to keep their mouths shut.

Good luck, Llpoh

Well-loved. Like or Dislike: 7?0

28th December 2012 at 2:50 am

Stan says:

My patients ask me the same thing. I tell them to take 2 shots of vodka and call me in the morning.

Then pay the receptionist 100 bucks and get the hell out!!

Like or Dislike: 2?1

28th December 2012 at 4:25 am

Chatham Police says:

SSS

Don?t worry. You were already on our watchlist. We consider you a traitor for frequenting this anarchist anti-American website.

We will round up all of you when the time is right.

Like or Dislike: 4?0

28th December 2012 at 7:34 am

TeresaE says:

Only the luckier business owners are in this position.

For quite a few, it is make it, or not, there is no get out while the getting is good.

And, of course, there are still a number that as long as ?this? or ?that? does not apply to them, they will do nothing and see nothing and care naught.

I tell those I know that they are next up. Today it is employers over 50, tomorrow, we?ll see. Just like I tell my ?successful? teachers and government contractors that they are the ?rich? their preferred leaders keep talking about. Only a matter of time.

Fear not CONgress is ready to help us out. The pricks are talking about raising minimum wage again (thus cutting the purchasing power of my employee?s wages and business too), apparently they got word about the thousands of companies that are reducing their employees hours to avoid O?care. Always ready to lend the little guy a hand by giving him a dime and costing him a dollar.

And it isn?t just O?care. It is the dozens and dozens and dozens of new regulations, laws, rules, fines, penalties (now including prison! for failure to file a form! it?s great to be a rich business guy!), costs, that seem to be hitting us daily.

The constant erosion of everything you do is not exactly productive, nor conducive to ideas of growth and riches. More like a constant dark cloud forcing you to find ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, cut back, refuse. My company is being begged to take on a huge production order which eventually will end up in the one of the Big 3. The Big 3 pays like crap, force you to hold massive amounts of specialty inventory and ultimately, force many of their suppliers (my customer) into bankruptcy whom take their suppliers (me) along for the ride.

So, money from sale is iffy, at best and now add to it the prohibitive cost of the Michigan Business Tax, the additional & ever growing costs of increasing employment, the added property tax (and inspectors) that come with adding a machine, not to mention the purchasing (and kick to the cash flow at the highest tax time of year) of six months of pricey stainless, and we passed.

Decisions like that. What is the sense of adding another head when all it means is adding another opportunity for some government agency to be up my ass and take their ever-growing percentage of ?profits? with them?

It is just plain fucking disheartening to be an employer in this country. And yet the sheeple believe Washington is creating jobs for them. Good luck with that.

Like or Dislike: 3?0

28th December 2012 at 10:26 am

Buckhed says:

I told my doc I?d pay him in silver..he liked that !

Like or Dislike: 2?0

28th December 2012 at 10:26 am

flash says:

Maybe SB owners should contact Jamie Dimon to get the # to his lobbyist cuz the SB lobby ain?t worth a po? rat?s ass.
All political vermin are for sale and youse got to pay to continue to play.
And, it?s a simple as that.

Like or Dislike: 1?0

28th December 2012 at 10:39 am

Source: http://www.theburningplatform.com/?p=46356

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