Why the dollar will keep falling

by john keepek

Earlier this week, given the choice between defending the dollar and saving the stock market, Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke did what you'd expect of any acolyte of Alan Greenspan.

He ditched the dollar without a second's regret. The quarter-point interest rate cut took the greenback to a new record low against the euro, while the pound has hit a new 26year-high above the $2.08 mark.

With the US housing market continuing to weaken, and the economic outlook darkening by the day, there's not much hope for a lasting dollar rebound. After all, broadly speaking, a currency is just a reflection of the strength of a country's economy. Without a decent interest rate to prop it up, foreign investors will become less and less interested in holding onto dollars.

There was some dissent however - one member of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) wanted to keep rates at 4.75%. Such rebellion is unusual in the States, unlike our own somewhat tempestuous Bank of England meetings.

HOU TO CASH IN ON THE WEAK DOLLAR

Record highs for gold and petrol
It's little wonder that some FOMC members are worried, the price of both oil and gold are testing record levels - a sure warning sign of inflation. But the gains in oil and gold are about so much more than mere dollar weakness.

The dollar's decline has of course sent the price of oil and gold higher. Both are priced in dollars - if the supply of dollars rises, and the supply of gold and oil stays broadly the same, then the dollar price of each rises.

But neither commodities' strong gains are purely down to dollar weakness. The pundits have been out in force recently to carp about the oil price being fuelled purely by speculation. Oil cartel Opec said it has never seen the price so disconnected from the supply. And Goldman Sachs recently issued a report suggesting that the price is set to fall back.

All this downbeat speculation took its toll on the oil price yesterday - at least, until the latest US inventories data for last week was published. Everyone had been expecting crude stocks to rise by about 600,000 barrels - in fact, they fell by 3.9 million barrels.

This sent the oil price to a new high of over $95 a barrel in New York, while Brent headed above $90 a barrel once again. Most analysts reckon there's very little now to stop oil going to $100 a barrel.

GOLD- THE ULTIMATE INVESTMENT?

History repeating
It's the usual story with the oil market. Stocks could well rebound next week and prices may fall. Unless something else happens. Like a bomb on a pipeline, or escalated tension in some part of the Middle East, or a tropical storm picking up somewhere inside the Gulf of Mexico.

At the moment, the oil market is jittery and looking for any excuse to push higher.

Of course, betting on the short-term movements of the markets is exactly that - pure gambling. But in the long-term, it seems pretty certain that we can rely on the oil price averaging much more than the $40-a-barrel that until very recently almost every analyst expected it to return to.

OIL PRICES IN DEPTH

Inflation to rise
High oil prices have a lot of knock-on consequences. Inflationary pressure is one.

Expensive oil prices don't just have an impact in terms of energy use - they are also forcing up the price of food. Both corn and soyabeans rose in tandem with oil, on speculation that rising oil costs will drive up demand for biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

A side effect of that, of course, is that your breakfast, lunch and dinner also becomes more expensive - particularly as the supermarkets you buy them from also rely on trucks to transport the goods and energy to light and heat their premises.

So even with all the fiddling that politicians inflict on inflation figures it will be hard to hide the fact many aspects of our lives just continue to become ever more expensive. The rising gold price is evidence investors are coming to understand that.

Nothing goes up in a straight line forever and it's quite possible that there might be a correction in gold in the near future. Does that matter? Well, not really. It may mean that now's not the best time to top up your holdings - but then again, if you believe, as I do, that inflation will continue to rise, and gold could go above $1,000 an ounce in the not-too-distant future, then who cares if you buy at $800 now and it dips?

And even though it's priced in dollars, the yellow metal has still been a good investment for British buyers this year. It's risen 28% or so in dollar terms in the last year - but it's still climbed 18% in sterling terms and is sitting at around £380 an ounce.

A collection of research papers touts the promise of neuroeconomics.

Traditional economic theory assumes that human beings behave rationally. That is, that they understand their own preferences, make perfectly consistent choices over time, and try to maximize their own well-being. The idea has some validity: traditional economic theory is good at predicting some market behaviors, such as how the demand for products like gasoline will change after a tax hike. But it's not very good at describing more-complex phenomena like stock-price fluctuations or why people gamble against the odds.

The problem, of course, is that people don't always behave rationally. They make decisions based on fear, greed, and envy. They buy plasma TVs and luxury vehicles they can't afford. They don't save enough for retirement. They indulge in risky behavior such as gambling. Economists understand this as well as anyone, but in order to keep their mathematical models tractable, they make simplifying assumptions. Then they try to adjust their equations by adding terms that account for "irrational" behavior. But if economists could develop models that accounted for the subtleties of the human brain, they might be able to predict very complex behaviors more accurately. This, in turn, might have any number of practical applications: investment bankers could hedge against financial euphoria like the Internet boom; advertisers could sell products more winningly.

The idea that understanding the brain can inform economics is controversial but not new; for 20 years, behavioral economists have argued that psychology should have a greater influence on the development of economic models. What is new is the use of technology: economists, like other researchers, now have at their disposal powerful tools for observing the brain at work. The most popular tool, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), has been around since the late 1980s; but only in the past few years has it been used to study decision-making, which is the crux of economic theory.

The result is the emerging field of "neuroeconomics." A flurry of recent papers in scientific and economic journals -- reviewed in the Journal of Economic Literature by Caltech economics professor Colin Camerer and colleagues -- shows how researchers are using the neural basis of decision-making to develop new economic models. At the January meeting of the American Economic Association, the world's largest economics conference, the neuroeconomics sessions were reportedly standing room only. The hope seems to be that biological research will finally help economists make sense of irrationality.

Take recent brain-imaging experiments by Princeton University psychologist Samuel McClure. In the journal Science, ­McClure and colleagues report that when subjects choose short-term monetary rewards, different regions of the brain are active than when they choose long-term ones. People don't "discount" future rewards according to a simple scheme, as many economists have suggested. It seems the brain actually makes short-term and long-term forecasts in different ways. The challenge for economists lies in translating this sort of scientific insight into, say, predictive models of how people plan purchases or make retirement fund decisions.

If successful, neuroeconomics could help unify the social sciences and natural sciences -- all with great societal impact. "We are at the very beginning of something radically new," says Daniel Kahneman, the Princeton University psychologist who won the 2002 Nobel Prize in economics. "Technologically, we can expect that within the next decade or two there will be huge developments. The network of knowledge about the brain is expanding at a tremendous rate. That will certainly affect marketing and political psychology, and it could create a common database that nobody will want to ignore."

Economic Impacts of Smoke-Free Enviroments

As businesses and places of public accommodation increasingly consider implementing smoke-free policies, questions arise concerning the economic impact of such policies. These same concerns are presented when communities propose smoke-free ordinances. Likewise, questions arise about the economic impact on employers of continuing to allow smoking in the workplace or in public places.

In this section of the SFELP web site, we have provided links to authoritative articles and studies which address various issues concerning the economic impact of smoke-free policies and laws. These articles focus both on the impact on employers/businesses of adopting smoke-free policies and on the economic impact of not having smoke-free policies, since there are clear costs to employers and businesses which continue to permit smoking.

Additional materials will be added to this site on a regular basis.

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SMOKE-FREE POLICIES ON BUSINESSES, INCLUDING RESTAURANTS & BARS

Businesses which consider adopting smoke-free policies, particularly hospitality industry businesses such as restaurants and bars, are concerned about the economic impact of such policies on their businesses. Likewise, when communities or states propose adopting smoke-free ordinances or regulations, business owners, policymakers and the public are concerned about the possible economic effects of such policies. While the tobacco industry has for years stated that smoke-free policies will reduce customer patronage of smoke-free businesses, there are no credible, scientific studies that support these claims. We have attempted, below, to compile scientifically reliable reports, and articles about such reports, which examine these issues.

Economic Effects of Environmental Tobacco Smoke

This major new study of the above title was released in August, 2005 by the Society of Actuaries. The study was authored by Donald Behan, Michael Eriksen and Yijia Lin. It states environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has been shown to be associated with increases in rates of cancer, morbid conditions of the respiratory and cardiovascular system and increases in the rates of spontaneous abortion and perinatal mortality. The authors combine exposure data, data on increased morbidity and medical and indirect cost data, all derived from published reports, to estimate the total economic cost of ETS exposure in the United States. Total annual costs for conditions with well-documented increases in morbidity, excluding economic losses related to pregnancy and the newborn, are estimated at over $5 billion in direct medical costs and over $5 billion in indirect costs. To access the full 94-page study, in pdf format, click above.

Impact of a Smoking Ban on Restaurant and Bar Revenues -- El Paso, Texas, 2002

This report from the Feb. 27, 2004 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report published by CDC found the following: Smoke-free indoor air ordinances protect employees and customers from secondhand smoke exposure, which is associated with increased risks for heart disease and lung cancer in adults and respiratory disease in children. As of January 2004, five states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, and New York) and 72 municipalities in the United States had passed laws that prohibit smoking in almost all workplaces, restaurants, and bars. On January 2, 2002, El Paso, Texas (2000 population: 563,662), implemented an ordinance banning smoking in all public places and workplaces, including restaurants and bars. The El Paso smoking ban is the strongest smoke-free indoor air ordinance in Texas and includes stipulations for enforcement of the ban by firefighting and law enforcement agencies, with fines of up to $500 for ordinance violations. To assess whether the El Paso smoking ban affected restaurant and bar revenues, the Texas Department of Health (TDH) and CDC analyzed sales tax and mixed-beverage tax data during the 12 years preceding and 1 year after the smoking ban was implemented. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which determined that no statistically significant changes in restaurant and bar revenues occurred after the smoking ban took effect. These findings are consistent with those from studies of smoking bans in other U.S. cities. Local public health officials can use these data to support implementation of smoke-free environments as recommended by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Editorial Note: No decline in total restaurant or bar revenues occurred in El Paso, Texas, after the city's smoking ban was implemented on January 2, 2002. These findings are consistent with the results of studies in other municipalities that determined smoke-free indoor air ordinances had no effect on restaurant revenues. Despite claims that these laws especially might reduce alcoholic beverage revenues, the mixed-beverage revenue analyses indicate that sales of alcoholic beverages were not affected by the El Paso smoking ban. Click above to access the full report.

Major new review of the quality of studies on the economic effects of smoke-free policies on the hospitality industry

A major study was released in February, 2003 in Tobacco Control Journal which assessed the quality of various studies on the economic effects of smoke-free policies on the hospitality industry. The study, by Scollo, Lal, Hyland & Glantz, found that no-smoking policies in restaurants and bars don't harm business, despite concerted efforts by the tobacco industry to prove otherwise. The researchers trawled online databases and print references for all studies produced on the economic impact of smoking bans in bars and restaurants up to the end of August 2002. They included unpublished tobacco industry research, and in total, assessed the findings of 97 studies. The quality of the studies concluding that smoking bans adversely affected revenues, was poor, the authors found. These studies were four times as likely to use subjective rather than objective measures to estimate impact, and they were 20 times as likely not to be peer reviewed. Further, all the studies concluding that smoking restrictions harmed the hospitality industry were funded by the tobacco industry or its allies; none were funded by sources that were clearly independent of the tobacco industry. Only one of the 31 industry funded studies had been published in a peer reviewed journal compared with almost 40% of those funded from other sources. And none of the industry studies met all the accepted criteria for quality, compared with over a third (35%) of those funded from other sources. None of the 21 quality studies reported a negative impact, while four reported that bans had a positive effect on sales. On the basis of the quality of the evidence, fears that smoking bans in bars and restaurants eat into revenues are unfounded, stated the authors. And policy makers wishing to reduce exposure of employees and patrons to the dangers of secondhand tobacco smoke should be reassured by these findings, said the authors. To access the study, click above.

Summary of Studies Assessing the Impact of Smoking Restrictions on the Hospitality Industry

This analysis -- prepared by Michelle Scollo and Anita Lal, of VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control in Melbourne, Australia -- examined most of the major, reputable studies of the economic impact of smoking restrictions on restaurants, bars and related facilities. The authors concluded that no negative economic impact from smoking bans in restaurants and bars was indicated by the studies which based their findings on taxable sales receipts. For the full analysis in pdf format, click above.

Australian Study Finds Restaurants Have Few Problems with Customer Compliance with Smoking Bans & Receive Favorable Responses from Patrons

In a study released in May, 2001 in the Medical Journal of Australia, researchers examined compliance with smoking bans in restaurants in Sidney and Melbourne and found that smoking bans imposed by law actually reduced compliance problems versus the experience with voluntary smoking bans in Melbourne. The study found that smoke-free restaurants do not require "smoking police" to gain compliance with smoking bans and attract more favorable than unfavorable comments from patrons; further, smoking bans do not adversely affect customer patronage. Click above for the full journal article.

Former head of NEW YORK RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION Supports Smoking Bans

In the April 16, 2001 issue of Nation's Restaurant News, Michael O'Neal, in the "Opinion" section states the following: "I have been active in several restaurant associations for the past 35 years. I've served as president of the New York State Restaurant Association as well as president of the New York City chapter. I was a member of the board of the National Restaurant Association for nine years and have been an honorary director for 17 years. I've lobbied on the side of the restaurant industry for all of those years in New York; Albany, N.Y.; and Washington, D.C. Always I had the plight of the small-business man in mind. Having said that, I feel strongly that it is pro-business and pro-health to eliminate smoking in all workplaces, including restaurants. Smoke-free workplace legislation does not hurt business." He goes on to present his view that restaurants and their associations should be leading the fight for smoking bans, not fighting them. His statement is a strong endorsement, from an unusual source. Click above for his full opinion piece.

RESTAURANT UNION PRESIDENT Endorses Smoke-Free Restaurant Laws as Good for Employees and for Economic Impact on Restaurant Business

On February 26, 2001, the President of San Francisco's Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union wrote a letter endorsing the passage of smoke-free restaurant laws. His support was based on the experience of having lived for five years with smoke-free laws. He said that many hospitality-based unions had feared such laws initially out of concern about the economic impact they might have on the restaurant business and, thereby, on the jobs of restaurant employees. He stated that his union has discovered that smoke-free laws are good for business and that they hold down medical costs, as well as reduce lost work time. He concludes by stating that this is a worker's rights issue as well, because no worker should have to breath someone else's smoke in order to hold a job. For the full letter of support, click above.

San Luis Obispo CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Supports Smoke-Free Legislation Based on their Experience with Local Smoke-Free Law

On January 29, 2001, the President/CEO of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce in California sent a letter to Nebraska state Senators urging them to support bills to make all workplaces smoke-free. The support of the Chamber of Commerce was based on their experience in San Luis Obispo, which they say was the first city in the world to ban smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurants. While they had been fearful of such a law initially, they have found that, since the law was enacted in 1990, "the effects have been extremely positive." They have found that the number of eating and drinking establishments in the city have grown, taxable transactions in these places have eclipsed statewide levels, the number of tourists have grown exponentially, and the transient occupancy taxes collected are at a record high. In fact, they believe the law has been a positive draw to the city for tourists. They also found that restaurants just outside of the city ended up voluntarily going smoke-free in order to compete effectively. Click above for full letter from the Chamber president.

73% of California Bar Patrons Support Smoke-Free Law

On October 16, 2000, the results were released of an independent statewide survey in California by respected polling firm, Field Research Corporation, which found that 73% of those bar patrons polled approved of the California law prohibiting them from smoking in bars. This is a dramatic 24% increase from the 59% level when the law took effect in 1998. Further, the poll, conducted in June/July, 2000, found that 75% of bar patrons say that a smoke-free environment in clubs, bars, lounges and restaurants with bars is "very important" or "somewhat important" to them. In addition, 72% of bar patrons say they are concerned about the effects of secondhand smoke on their health. Other key survey findings include the following: 91% of bar patrons either go to bars more often or have not changed their bar-going behavior as a result of the smoking ban; 87% of bar patrons say they enjoy visiting bars as much or more due to the ban; on average, bar patrons are staying longer at bars than prior to the smoking ban; and, support for the ban has almost doubled among smokers since it went into effect in 1998, increasing from 24% to 44 %. The survey provides strong evidence that the warnings that such smoking bans will hurt business, often uttered by the tobacco and hospitality industries, are based on smoke, not substance. For a press release from the California Department of Health Services, which includes a link to bar graph charts in pdf, click above; for a news story click here.

Dr. Glantz's Critique of Tobacco Industry-sponsored Economic Impact Studies

On August 23, 2000, Dr. Stanton Glantz of the University of California at San Francisco released this critique of recent studies by John Dunham of Philip Morris and Michael Marlow of California Polytechnic University which purport to demonstrate that smoke-free restaurant laws will hurt revenues for the hospitality industry. The critique by Dr. Glantz points out the many flaws in the papers written by Dunham and Marlow, and Glantz warns that these papers are almost certain to be used by the forces opposed to smoke-free environments laws. Glantz also points out that all scientifically credible studies show the revenues are not reduced by smoke-free laws, and, in most cases, they increase following passage of such laws.

Tourism & Hotel Revenues Before & After Passage of Smoke-Free Restaurant Ordinances.

This May 26, 1999 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed hotel revenues and tourism rates before and after passage of 100% smoke-free restaurant ordinances versus overall U.S. hotel revenues. The study found that smoke-free ordinances do not appear to adversely affect, and may increase, tourist business.

The Impact of Smoke-Free Restaurant Laws.

The entire January, 1999 issue of the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice was devoted to articles analyzing the impact of smoke-free restaurant laws. Six articles examine the effects of the New York City Smoke-Free Air Act on the city's hospitality industry. Three other articles describe findings on the impact of smoke-free laws passed in Massachusetts. Data from taxable sales receipts, surveys of consumers and restaurateurs, employment statistics, and complaint data presented in the articles showed the following: smoke-free restaurant laws do not cause adverse economic consequences; people support such laws; and restaurant owners are able to comply with relative ease to these laws. While these articles are not accessible online, copies of the full journal issue are available for $25 from the publisher by calling 1-800-638-8437.

The Effect of Ordinances Requiring Smoke-Free Restaurants & Bars on Revenues: A Follow-up.

This is a link to a pdf of the full text for this article in the October, 1997 issue of the American Journal of Public Health in which the authors examined sales tax data for 15 U.S. cities and counties which had passed smoke-free restaurant and/or bar ordinances. The results updated earlier data and found, as had the earlier study, that the smoke-free ordinances did not adversely affect restaurant or bar sales. Click the main title link above to access the article.

Environmental Tobacco Smoke Regulations Have Not Hurt Restaurant Sales in North Carolina

This article analyzed the economic impact of local ordinances in North Carolina -- obviously, a large tobacco-producing and using state -- which restricted smoking in restaurants. The analysis found that the implementation of stringent ETS regulations had no adverse economic impact on restaurant sales in the five North Carolina counties with the strongest ordinance

Assessment of the Impact of a 100% Smoke-Free Ordinance on Restaurant Sales - West Lake Hills, Texas, 1992-1994.

This article reviewed the economic impact of a 100% smoke-free ordinance in West Lake Hills, Texas (a suburb of Austin) which was effective on June 1, 1993 and which required 100% smoke-free environments in all commercial establishments to which the public has access, including all restaurants and restaurants with bar areas. The report analyzed sales data before and after implementation of the smoke-free law and found that total sales in the restaurants did not decrease after implementation of the law. These findings, the editorial to the article notes, are consistent with similar findings in other locations which have adopted smoke-free restaurant ordinances.

COSTS TO EMPLOYERS OF ALLOWING SMOKING IN THE WORKPLACE

Allowing smoking in the workplace has a number of hidden - and not so hidden - costs to the employer associated with it. Among these costs are: higher medical insurance premiums; more worker's compensation claims; lost worker time and productivity due to smoking breaks; absenteeism due to tobacco-related illnesses; smoking-related fires; etc. Further, as described in other sections of this web site, there are many legal liability issues for employers which are directly related to smoking in the workplace. Many of these costs - and liability issues - can be avoided or mitigated by the adoption of smoke-free policies. The following are links to articles which discuss these issues.

Economic Effects of Environmental Tobacco Smoke

This major new study of the above title was released in August, 2005 by the Society of Actuaries. The study was authored by Donald Behan, Michael Eriksen and Yijia Lin. It states environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has been shown to be associated with increases in rates of cancer, morbid conditions of the respiratory and cardiovascular system and increases in the rates of spontaneous abortion and perinatal mortality. The authors combine exposure data, data on increased morbidity and medical and indirect cost data, all derived from published reports, to estimate the total economic cost of ETS exposure in the United States. Total annual costs for conditions with well-documented increases in morbidity, excluding economic losses related to pregnancy and the newborn, are estimated at over $5 billion in direct medical costs and over $5 billion in indirect costs. To access the full 94-page study, in pdf format, click above.

Report: The Economic Impact of Secondhand Smoke on the Health of Residents, and Employee Smoking Business Costs in Marion County, Indiana in the year 2000

The above report is dated February, 2002 and was issued on May 30, 2002. The study estimated the health costs of secondhand smoke exposure to residents of Marion County, Indiana and the economic impact of employee smoking on businesses in Marion County. Combined, the costs of health care and the costs of premature loss of life for diseases attributed to secondhand smoke in Marion County were estimated to be at least $56.2 million in the year 2000. To access the full 36 page report, in pdf format, click above.

Smoking Among Healthy Young Adults is Associated with Increased Hospitalisations & Lost Workdays

A study published in the December, 2000 issue of Tobacco Control journal titled "Short Term Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Hospitalisation and Associated Lost Workdays in a Young Healthy Population" found that "current cigarette smoking accounted for substantial fractions of hospitalisations and lost workdays, particularly among men." This study, which analyzed health data for almost 88,000 young men and women in the U.S. Army between 1987 and 1998, found that, "among men, current smoking was associated with a 30% increase in risk of being hospitalised for causes other than injury, and, among women, current smokers had a 25% increased risk of hospitalisation for conditions not related to injury or pregnancy." The study also found that "current smoking was associated with a 60% increase in risk of lost workdays among men and a 15% increase in risk of lost workdays among women." As a result, the rate ratios for hospitalisations and lost workdays attributable to current smoking (i.e., population attributable fraction or PAF) were 7.5% for men and 5.0% for women for hospitalisations, and 14.1% for men and 3.0% for women for lost workdays. Further, the study authors suggest that these PAFs may be underestimates. These findings provide strong evidence of the value of having workers who are not smokers and of encouraging current smokers to quit by having no smoking policies and providing easy access to nicotine addiction treatment resources. The authors state, "all other factors being equal, if the entire active duty U.S. Army population became never smokers, the number of lost days not related to injury among men might drop by as much as 18.3% in under 2 1/2 years." Click above for full study.

Workplace Smoking: Trends, Issues & Strategies

This link to a Canadian report titled "Workplace Smoking: Trends, Issues & Strategies" provides extensive information about smoking and smoking policies in the workplace, including: data on differences in smoking rates in small versus large companies; the impact of smoking restrictions; the economics of workplace smoking restrictions; and more.

Canadian Board reports Smokers Cost Employers more than $2400 a Year: Link to full report

A news article on January 17, 2001 reported that, according to a recent Conference Board of Canada study, the average smoking employee costs an employer more than $2,400 a year in lost productivity. Smokers call in sick about two more days a year than non-smokers. On average, they cost company drug plans twice as much as non-smokers. It costs employers money to create ventilated designated smoking areas for them. But the biggest drain on the bottom line comes from those little cigarette breaks. At the rate of 30 minutes a day, the average smoking employee racks up a whopping 18 days a year in time-outs for smokes. What can employers do? The Conference Board suggests they can improve their bottom line by offering employees a smoking cessation program. Such programs take many forms. The Lung Association of Nova Scotia's successful Quit 4 Good program costs $150 per employee. The investment is well worth the return, the Board says. In fact, Cancer Care Nova Scotia, in a recent report, documented that for every dollar an employer spent on a cessation program, they would get a $4 return. A cessation program might include coverage for smoking cessation drugs in the employee health benefits package, an in-house educational program or behavior modification program, partial or full compensation for participation in an external program, contests, challenges or other incentives. News article is no longer available online. Click above for link to full report.

Costs of Employee Smoking in the Workplace in Scotland.

This is a link to the abstract of a May, 2000 article in Tobacco Control Journal which examined the costs of smoking in the workplace, and the potential cost savings to the employer if smoke-free policies and/or smoking cessation programs were instituted.

Smoking Breaks by Employees Average 39 Minutes Daily in Michigan.

A February, 2000 survey in Michigan found that the average employee who smokes takes three smoking breaks each workday averaging 13 minutes for each break. If these employees are paid an average of $13 an hour, Michigan employers spend about $1.7

Ciuman Berdasarkan Zodiak

Ternyata bukan cuma masalah kepribadian saja yang bisa ditilik lewat astrologi. Karena yang namanya gaya berciuman seseorang pun, baik itu yang romantis, hangat atau bahkan kasar sekalipun, bisa diketahui lewat bintangnya.

Penasaran ingin segera mencocokkan bintang dengan gaya berciuman Anda? Simak saja yang berikut ini:

Aries
Orang-orang Aries ternyata memiliki gaya berciuman yang cepat dan penuh dengan nafsu. Tapi sayangnya ciuman dahsyat tersebut biasanya cepat pula selesainya.

Taurus
Berbeda dengan mereka yang berada di bawah naungan Aries, dimana ciuman mereka umumnya berlangsung sangat perlahan, tidak tergesa-gesa, tenang, penuh kemesraan dan berlangsung terus… terus… dan terus.

Gemini
Orang-orang Gemini konon merupakan pribadi yang hangat dan ceria. Tidak heran jika gaya berciuman mereka terkadang diselingi oleh senyuman bahkan juga tawa lebar. Asyiknya, sifat warga Gemini yang terkenal gemar melakukan sesuatu yang baru itu pun dilakukannya dalam melakukan ciuman. Jadi banyak kejutannya!

Cancer
Warga Cancer memang terkenal dengan sikapnya yang hati-hati, agak tertutup dan cenderung ingin selalu dilindungi. Tak heran jika dalam urusan berciuman mereka lebih suka melakukannya dengan lembut, hangat, dan seperti tidak mau lepas saja!

Leo
Orang-orang Leo yang terkenal keras dan tegas ternyata memiliki gaya berciuman yang liar, tanpa malu-malu, bahkan tidak segan-segan untuk menggigit dan mencakar! Pun warga bintang berlambang singa ini ternyata sangat senang jika mendapat pujian dari pasangannya, utamanya pujian atas gairahnya yang luar biasa.

Virgo
Warga Virgo memiliki gaya berciuman yang halus, lembut, rapi, sampai-sampai sang pasangan pun bakal terkesima dibuatnya.

Libra
Gaya berciuman warga Libra konon kurang hangat! Kenapa? Karena mereka pada umumnya terlalu khawatir dengan urusan macam-macam di luar hasrat mereka. Belum lagi, mereka gemar menghela nafas di tengah-tengah ciuman.

Scorpio
Percaya atau tidak, orang-orang di bawah naungan Scorpio rupanya tidak terlalu suka dengan ciuman. Karenanya, jangan kaget apabila dalam sebuah hubungan intim mereka kerap melewatkan aktifitas yang satu itu dan lebih suka langsung menuju sasaran.

Sagitarius
Hmmm.berbahagialah Anda yang berbintang Sagitarius atau pun yang memiliki pasangan dengan bintang ini. Pasalnya, mereka yang berbintang dengan lambang busur panah ini memiliki gaya berciuman yang mengejutkan, spontan, dan menggairahkan. Tak heran jika konon banyak orang yang menanti-nanti ciuman ala si Sagitarius ini.

Capricorn
Ciuman-ciuman yang didaratkan oleh orang-orang berbintang Capricorn kabarnya sangat-sangat romantis. Bahkan saking romantisnya, ciuman ala mereka kerap menjadi obat pembunuh stress!

Aquarius
Sesuai dengan lambangnya, air, warga Aquarius ternyata memiliki ciuman yang basah dan agak serabutan. Selain itu, pada saat ciuman berlangsung mereka umumnya cenderung membuka mata lebar-lebar.

Pisces
Orang-orang dengan bintang berlambang ikan ini memiliki gaya berciuman pandangan mata tajam, penuh nafsu dan gairah, serta wow … berlangsung cukup lama!

Mengatasi Pasangan Cemburu

Hubungan yang indah dan harmonis dalam suatu keluarga atau mungkin dalam suatu hubungan persahabatan, partner kerja bahkan dengan kekasih pun bisa sirna gara-gara bibit cemburu. Bahkan mungkin sahabat Anda atau kekasih Anda menjelek-jelekan diri Anda dihadapan orang lain.

Cemburu dapat diartikan berpindahnya rasa kasih sayang ke orang lain atau ke suatu benda yang membuat Anda merasa dinomor-duakan bahkan mungkin dianggap tak ada. Jika ada orang yang belum pernah merasakan cemburu berarti ia belum pernah merasakan arti kata 'cinta'. Ia belum pernah merasakan cinta karena ia belum pernah memperhatikan orang lain.

Alasan pasangan Anda cemburu, mungkin saja karena pengalaman masa lalu. Dimana ia kurang diperhatikan atau bahkan ditinggalkan orang-tuanya. Dan bisa juga karena ia pernah ditipu oleh mantan kekasih atau sahabat dekatnya.

Ciri-ciri orang yang cemburu, ia akan bersifat possesif, menanyakan segala hal dengan sedetail mungkin, mengkomentari banyak hal terutama hal-hal fisik dan juga kemampuan intelektual.

Jika Anda mengalami hal tersebut, tak perlu panik, berikut beberapa cara jitu menghadapi pasangan yang lagi cemburu:

1. Jangan mengkomentari setiap kekhawatirannya dengan emosi tapi Anda harus tetap tenang.
2. Berikan waktu yang lebih untuk pasangan Anda supaya ia bisa tenang pula dan dapat berpikiran secara logis.
3. Berikan jaminan kepada pasangan Anda bahwa Anda berkomitmen sungguh-sungguh.

Jika diperhatikan lebih dalam lagi maka dibelakang rasa cemburu adalah rasa takut. Coba identifikasikan rasa ketakutan pasangan Anda. Apa sebabnya kemudian diskusikan dengan pasangan Anda. Setelah di diskusikan maka akan ada dua kemungkinan kondisi yang terjadi:

1. Pasangan Anda atau Anda sendiri menyadari bahwa apa yang sedang terjadi dapat membawa dampak buruk dan berkeinginan untuk mengubahnya.
2. Salah satu dari pasangan telah menyadari namun ada 1 pihak yang tidak ingin mengubahnya. Maka Anda harus mendiskusikan bagaimana hubungan Anda selanjutnya.

Untuk menjalin hubungan sukses Anda dan pasangan harus bisa menyisihkan waktu untuk saling berbicara, mendengarkan perasaan pasangan Anda dan mengekspresikan keinginan masing-masing tanpa rasa takut.

Tips Cantik - Bebas Jerawat

Jagung Muda selain enak dimakan sebagai sayuran, juga bisa dimanfaatkan

sebagai obat alternatif menyembuhkan bintik-bintik bekas cacar atau

bekas luka. Jerawat yang tidak terlalu parah, tetapi tentunya mengganggu kecantikan

wajah Anda bukan?

Berikut adalah tips-nya :

Ambil jagung muda yang telah dikupas dan dibersihkan dari

rambut-rambutnya.Untuk bahan campuran, ambil daun pepaya secukupnya dan tumbuk hingga halus.

Jagung muda yang sudah dibersihkan tadi kemudian diparut dan setelah

Selesai,

campurkan dengan tumbukan daun pepaya.

Aduk sampai rata, kemudian oleskan pada bintik-bintik jerawat atau

bekas-bekas cacar yang mengganggu.

Oleskan setiap hari untuk mendapatkan hasil maksimal

Catatan MODERATOR:

Tips semacam ini belum dilakukan pengujian dan dinyatakan sesaui dg

berbagai kondisi kulit yg ada pada manusia.

getah pepaya adalah corosif items, jadi bila anda ingin mencoba,

supaya berhati2lah terhadap kemungkinan iritasi, crack, atau bahkan

terjadi eksim utk kondisi kulit tertentu.

5 Tips for Beautiful and Healthy Skin

Do you want healthy, beautiful skin that glows? Then follow these 5 steps to 

keep your skin in the best shape possible:

1. Protect your skin from ultra violet (UV) light.

A little bit of sunlight is good for your overall health, but too much exposure 

to UV rays can quickly cause significant damage to your skin. Overexposure to 

sunlight actually makes your skin age faster, leading to wrinkles, spots, and 

even cancer. Be sure to apply a good sunscreen whenever you know you're going 

to be outdoors for longer than 10 minutes.

2. Stay hydrated with green tea.

You probably already know that drinking lots of water is important for overall 

beauty and health. But you may not know that drinking unsweetened green tea is 

much better than water alone. Green tea not only tastes better than plain water 

(making it easier to drink throughout the day) but it's also loaded with 

polyphenols. These powerful antioxidants fight free-radical damage throughout 

the body and help keep your skin, the body's largest organ, young and beautiful.

3. Eat a very "clean" diet.

A clean diet is one based around raw vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts. For 

protein stick with soy/tofu, eggs and small amounts of fish and lean poultry. 

Always choose organic and/or grass-fed meat when possible. Also, you may want 

to increase your intake of high-sulfur foods (e.g., garlic, onions, asparagus, 

and eggs) as sulfur has been shown to help keep the skin smooth and youthful. 

Obviously, all sugar, flour, and fried foods should be avoided.

4. Eat plenty of healthy fat.

Unrefined, cold-pressed flax seed oil, extra-virgin olive oil, organic virgin 

coconut oil, cold water fish oils, and avocado all contain super-healthy fats 

that support optimum skin health. These powerful fats should make up about 

20-30% of your daily calorie intake.

5. Moisturize often.

People who moisturize their skin on a daily basis usually have the best looking 

skin. Fortunately there are many ways to moisturize. Just find a few you like 

and always choose natural options when possible. A great way to moisturize and 

nourish dry skin is to mash up an avocado, mix in a few drops of 

freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and spread over freshly-cleaned skin. Leave it on 

for about 20 minutes then rinse off, splashing the skin alternately with cold 

and warm water.

Mengintip Karakter Seseorang Melalui Zodiak

Setiap individu pasti terlahir dengan sifat dan karakter yang berbeda, tak hanya ditentukan dari tahun, bulan, hari, jam, weton (hari kelahiran orang Jawa) dan shio, kali ini kita mencoba mengupas karakter 'bagaimana dan siapakah Anda' dibalik zodiak yang menaungi Anda?

ARIES

* Batu Kelahiran: Berlian
* Yang Anda sukai: Orang yang tulus, kebebasan, kesibukan, tertawa terhadap lelucon dan film seram (kadang-kadang).
* Yang tidak Anda sukai: Gosip, rekan yang gampang berubah mood, dipandang remeh, dan Anda sangat benci kebohongan.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Memimpin kelompok, mendorong diri anda sendiri sampai batas, dan membuat keputusan yang rumit.
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda adalah orang yang sensitif dan lembut, dengan keinginan besar untuk hidup dan mencintai. Anda bermimpi untuk memiliki sekelompok teman, lingkungan yang menyenangkan dan liburan yang penuh petualangan liar.
* Karir Anda: Pilihlah pekerjaan di penerbitan, dunia hiburan, atau dakilah tangga menuju puncak pimpinan. Dimanapun anda bertugas untuk menangani proyek yang menarik dan menantang.
* Busana: Pakaian ketat dengan warna yang menyala (terutama merah) akan nampak indah pada diri anda - begitu juga pakaian sporty atau apapun yang lagi ngetrend. Baju yang mengembang dan kecewekan tidak akan cocok untuk gaya anda.
* Sebagai teman: Tipe yang ramah dan fokus, anda ingin semua orang bahagia. Anda tidak tahan dengan ketidak jujuran atau orang yang membicarakan anda dibelakang anda, dan anda tidak malu mengkonfrontasi mereka jika mereka membicarakan anda seperti itu.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda memimpin hubungan, menggoda pacar Anda dengan ciuman penuh gelora dan terkadang meremas pantat cowok Anda dengan sembunyi-sembunyi. Jika dia memang menginginkan Anda, maka ia akan membalas dengan kencan hot dan berbagai hadiah.
* Jika cowok Anda Aries: Ia tidak suka selalu 'ada', jadi terkadang biarkanlah ia bebas dan berpura-puralah bahwa pada saat itu ia memang benar-benar bebas. Puji dia dengan mengatakan bahwa ia cerdas, hebat, dan menarik, dan ia akan memakan semua pujian itu. Tetapi berhati-hatilah dengan emosinya, ia akan sangat mengerikan jika marah. Bermainlah dengan tenang sampai ia ikut mendingin dan tunggu sampai ia meminta maaf. Pasti dia yang salah kan?

TAURUS

* Batu Kelahiran: Zamrud
* Yang Anda sukai: Makanan enak, pakaian mewah, pijat, alam, dan digelitik (dengan lembut)
* Yang tidak Anda sukai: Jeans belel, orang yang suka memaksa, musik hingar-bingar, dan diburu waktu.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Menciptakan sesuatu yang indah dari hal remeh - misalnya memasak, seni, atau berkebun
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda butuh tahu bahwa banyak orang menyukai anda dan membutuhkan mereka untuk menunjukkan rasa suka itu. Anda memang bukan orang yang suka pamer, tetapi Anda suka diperhatikan dan senang dipuji. Secara diam-diam Anda pandai pandai menghasilkan uang.
* Karir Anda: Pikirkan mengenai uang, alam, dan keindahan. Pilihlah antara bankir, seni, akutansi, musik, dan berkebun
* Busana: Anda lebih tertarik dengan kenyamanan daripada penampilan layaknya supermodel. Anda menikmati berbelanja pakaian, tetapi tidaks suka menghamburkan banyak uang untuk belanja. Anda suka baju yang indah dan sepatu yang menarik adalah keharusan bagi anda. Walaupun Anda ingin tampil menarik, tetapi Anda tidak suka pakaian anda menarik perhatian. Anda menyukai baju dengan potongan sederhana, dan tidak terlalu ketat dengan kain yang bernuansa lembut dan alami.
* Sebagai teman: Sebagai teman yang menyenangkan dan setia, teman dekat anda selalu dapat bergantung pada anda ketika segalanya menjadi berat. Keras kepala luar biasa, Anda akan susah meminta maaf, tetapi Anda selalu akan berusaha menjaga hubungan. Dan anda tidak pernah melupakan hari ulang tahun teman.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda membutuhkan suasana romantis seperti ikan membutuhkan air. Makanan enak, pelukan hangat, dan gunungan bunga akan membuat Anda leleh. Setia dan pengertian, Anda akan mengharapkan cowok Anda setia juga. Jika ia selingkuh, maka bahaya segera menantinya.
* Jika cowok Anda Taurus: Usahakan Anda selalu tampil menarik untuk kencan. Tipe ini memiliki gaya yang baik dan selalu menghargai usaha Anda untuk melakukan itu semua. Jangan terburu-buru, ia menikmati waktu berciuman, makan, atau sekedar ngobrol. Sabarlah atau Anda akan membuat dia ketakutan. Cowok Taurus memang selalu pelan-pelan, tetapi mereka layak ditunggu.

GEMINI

* Batu Kelahiran: Mutiara atau batu bulan.
* Yang Anda sukai: Percapakan menarik, film konyol, wisata ke tempat baru dan bertemu orang baru, dan menjadi orang yang pertama antri untuk mendapat CD atau trend mode terbaru.
* Yang tidak Anda sukai: Disuruh-suruh, dilarang melakukan sesuatu, dan orang yang duduk ditempat Anda selama berjam-jam tanpa berkata apapun.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Mengatur pesta, memikirkan ide brilian untuk berbagai proyek, dan melakukan enam pekerjaan sekaligus (sibuk)
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda selaku berusaha mencari tempat, petualangan atau orang baru yang menarik untuk merangsang otak anda yang tidak pernah beristirahat. Anda ingin terlibat dengan apapun, dan benci ditinggal sendirian.
* Karir Anda: Pikirkanlah untuk memiliki karir di bidang teknologi komputer, sutradara, atau suntiklah adrenalin dalam diri Anda untuk menjadi penampil di sirkus, misalnya.
* Busana: Dalam hal ini, sebagai mana dengan hal yang lain, Anda menyukai ekstrimitas. Suatu saat, Anda akan ke kota dengan baju asal, atau terkadang Anda akan berdandan habis-habisan. Kuning adalah warna Anda, tetapi kenyataanya Anda tampil menarik dengan warna-warna cerah. Anda benar-benar tidak pandai memilih sepatu, tetapi karena Anda terbiasa melangkah cepat, Anda mungkin akan lebih menyukai sepatu yang tidak terlalu banyak gaya.
* Sebagai seorang teman: Anda adalah orang yang sangat menyenangkan. Banyak orang menyukai rasa humor anda dan percakapan yang diwarnai gelak tawa. Anda selalu ingin mencoba sesuatu yang baru, anda adalah sumber keramaian dalam suatu pesta, dan rekan-rekan anda selalu menganggap anda luar biasa.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda sangat mudah bosan, maka cowok anda lebih baik orang yang suka memberi kejutan. Pintar dan cerdas, Anda akan segera menolak orang yang tidak mampu menyamai magnet mental Anda, tetapi berhati-hatilah dengan lidah tajam anda dan belajarlah untuk sabar. Tidak semua orang secerdas Anda!
* Jika cowok anda Gemini: Belajarlah berpikir mandiri. Ia suka bermain kata-kata dengan Anda, jadi maka sebaiknya Anda harus menanggapinya setiap saat. Walaupun tidak terlalu terfokus secara fisik, tetapi ia tetap adalah orang yang suka merayu dan dikelilingi cewek. Jadi janganlah malu untuk jual mahal. Ia akan segera menyambar tantangan itu

CANCER

* Batu kelahiran: Mirah Delima
* Yang Anda sukai: Menghabiskan waktu dirumah, berkumpul bersama keluarga, membuat pizza bersama teman-teman, dan mendengarkan musik lembut.
* Yang tidak Anda sukai: Film keras, orang yang meneriaki Anda, dan dikecewakan oleh orang yang Anda sayangi.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Memuji orang lain, menjadi pendengar yang baik, dan menjadi rekan yang dipercaya dan setia
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda ingin ketenangan lebih dari segalanya. Rumah sangatlah penting untuk Anda dan jika ada permasahalan keluarga, Anda akan mudah putus asa.
* Karir Anda: Menjadi musisi, jurnalis, dekorator interior, ataupun chef.
* Busana: Orang Cancer cenderung memiliki selera sederhana: baju longgar dengan kain natural dan warna gelap. Anda lebih menyukai baju yang tidak repot dipakai, tetapi tidak berarti Anda tidak suka untuk membuatnya tampak glamor, terutama ketika mood Anda sedang pas.
* Sebagai teman: Anda adalah orang yang lembut yang mungkin akan sangat posesif kepada teman Anda. Jika seseorang membuat Anda kecewa, anda mungkin akan ngambek selama berhari-hari. Tetapi jika Anda merasa aman, maka pribadi Anda yang murah hari akan segera mengambil alih, dan teman Anda akan dimanjakan habis-habisan.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda sensitif dan mudah sekali berubah mood, maka Anda akan sangat menikmati godaan dan ciuman untuk membuat anda selalu bahagia. Anda cukup tertutup, dan Anda pertama kali sering malu untuk mengungkap perasaan Anda, tetapi sekali Anda berhasil di'panas'kan, maka cowok Anda akan tahu segalanya mengenai Anda.
* Jika cowok Anda Cancer: Hati-hati. Ia memiliki hati yang ultra-lembut yang gampang patah. Ia bukan tipe orang yang suka berpetualangan seru, ia menikmati waktu bersama Anda dan akan sedikit menempel pada anda ketika anda ingin bertualang sendiri.

LEO

* Batu kelahiran: Onyx bintang
* Yang anda sukai: Warna cerah, tertawa terbahak, dan menjadi pusat perhatian.
* Yang tidak anda sukai: Malam yang membosankan, dilarang-larang melakukan sesuatu, dan dicueki
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Memamerkan sisi terbaik Anda di pesta-pesta dan panggung, memotivasi orang ketika mereka merasa bosan dan menjadi relawan pertama dalam misi berbahaya.
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda butuh dihargai atas semua kerja Anda. Sangat membantu, walaupun anda juga cenderung sombong, Anda akan melakukan apapun bagi mereka yang anda sukai, selama mereka menyirami anda dengan perhatian dan ucapan terima kasih.
* Karir Anda: Sutradara film, arsitek, fotografer, dan administratur olahraga
* Busana: Anda menyukai busana, tetapi lebih cenderung untuk mencampur barang yang sudah Anda miliki dengan barang baru. Hal inilah yang terkadang membuat Anda nampak 'khusus' tetapi Anda tidak peduli dengan hal ini, walaupun kadang orang sampai terbelalak. Anda tertarik dengan semua yang berkilauan. Anda dapat tampil konservatif jika memang dibutuhkan, tetapi idealnya anda suka terlihat sedikit 'cemerlang'
* Sebagai teman: Anda pemimpin alami. Teman-teman Anda berkumpul di sekeliling Anda menyerap energi Anda seperti ngengat tertarik kepada nyala api. Hati-hati dengan kepala besar Anda, tidak ada orang yang suka egomania. Tonjolkan sisi murah hati anda, dan ingatlah, kesombongan selalu muncul sebelum kejatuhan.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Cerdas, berani, dan menantang, kemanapun anda pergi, orang akan memperhatikan Anda. Bagaikan bunga yang tidak pernah layu, anda sangat bergairah dan setia dalam percintaan, tetapi Anda mengharapkan cowok Anda memuja Anda. Anda menuntut perhatian dan sangat mungkin tiba-tiba ngambek selama berhari-hari jika Anda merasa kurang diperhatikan.
* Jika cowok Anda Leo: Hati-hatilah, orang ini sangat hot! Sombong tetapi percaya diri, ia akan membuat Anda melayang bagaikan seorang putri. Katakan kepadanya betapa ia berarti bagi Anda, maka ia akan 'mendengkur bagaikan kucing gemuk'. Jika Anda lupa mengatakannya, maka ia akan 'mencakari semua perabot Anda karena marah'. Cowok Leo percaya bahwa ia adalah raja.

VIRGO

* Batu kelahiran: Saffir
* Yang Anda sukai: Memperhatikan detil, memecahkan masalah rumit dan menyelesaikan pekerjaan tepat waktu.
* Yang Anda tidak sukai: Orang yang bengong dan pemalas, percakapan yang nggak ada artinya dan teman yang tidak dapat memutuskan kemana mereka akan pergi minum kopi.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Mengatur proyek, memenuhi deadline, menjauhi masalah dan tetap 'memandang kedepan' ketika semua orang kebingungan
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda berharap bahwa dunia diatur oleh para Virgo, karena, jika hal ini terjadi, tidak lagi akan ada antrian panjang di mall dan tidak akan ada komputer yang crash. Kekacauan membingungkan Anda.
* Karir Anda: Perhatian terhadap detil adalah kemampuan Anda, maka Anda akan hebat jika menjadi antropologis, polisi, agen rahasia atau editor majalah.
* Busana: Anda suka tampil trendi, tetapi Anda tidak akan memakai baju yang Anda tahu tidak pantas untuk Anda. Anda suka tampil rapi, dan bersih - bahkan jika Anda tampil sesembrono mungkin, jeans baggy Anda akan tersetrika rapi! Anda sangat menikmati baju sederhana, namun terkadang juga tampil dalam busana berenda-renda dan rumit.
* Sebagai teman: Anda orang yang baik, suka membantu, namun memiliki sisi yang suka pedas mengkritik. Anda memilih teman dengan hati-hati dan lebih memilih kualitas diatas kuantitas. Cobalah jangan menghakimi rekan Anda terlalu keras. Tidak semua orang sebersih, dan serapih Anda.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Lupakanlah kartu yang membuat orang menangis, juga boneka Teddy. Cewek Virgo cenderung praktis, jujur, dan mengharapkan standar tinggi dari cowok mereka. Anda selalu berusaha keras mempertahankan hubungan, karena Anda tidak percaya dengan kegagalan, maka dia sangat beruntung mendapat seseorang yang begitu berdedikasi seperti Anda di sisinya.
* Jika cowok Anda Virgo: Jangan memainkan permainan emosional dengan dia, sebagaimanapun Anda bosan. Ia lebih suka menggunakan otaknya, bukan hatinya, untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan hubungan, maka berusalah selalu jujur dan jelas tentang apa yang Anda ingini darinya. Ia juga mengharap hal yang sama dari Anda, maka jangan terlalu tajam, dan jangan berbelit-belit.

LIBRA

* Batu Kelahiran: Opal atau aquamarine
* Yang anda sukai: Ornamen cantik, mainan lucu, suasana romantis dan nyala lilin.
* Yang tidak anda sukai: Game komputer yang keras, gulat, mode tahun lalu, dan sendirian
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Menyelesaikan masalah antar teman, selalu berusaha melihat kedua sisi cerita, dan berada diantara teman dan hal-hal indah.
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda ingin mencari pasangan jiwa Anda. Orang yang akan membuat Anda melayang dan mengendarai kuda bersama menuju matahari terbenam. Cinta dan hubungan adalah hal yang sangat berarti untuk Anda.
* Karir Anda: Sesuai dengan pribadi Anda yang mengasihi, pilihlah ilmu kedokteran hewan, mengajar, atau pengobatan.
* Busana: Anda suka baju yang bernuansa seksi dan feminin. Anda suka baju yang berenda dan berbunga-bunga tetapi Anda tidak akan mengenakannya kalau baju itu tidak sedang mode. Anda tampak cantik dalam berbagai warna, baik dari merah cerah ke warna-warna lembut pastel. Anda lebih menyukai perhiasan yang berbeda. Anda tidak akan pernah menyukai tiara!
* Sebagai seorang teman
* Anda akan mencoba sejauh mungkin untuk menghindari pertengkaran, dan sangat membenci pecahnya persahabatan. Teman Anda menemukan bahwa anda orang yang menarik dan objektif, tetapi mereka akan frustasi ketika Anda tidak dapat memutuskan. Tetapi sebagian besar menerima anda sebagai orang yang baik dan dapat dipercaya.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda suka mejadi bagian dari pasangan, dan akan mencoba menjaga hubungan tetap nyaman dan tenang. Pertengkaran sangat mengganggu Anda, sehingga Anda akan cenderung menghindari permasalahan, dan cenderung menyelesaikannya. Anda orang yang sangat berbahagia ketika semuanya nampak indah, dan Anda akan menangis jika semuanya tidak.
* Jika cowok Anda Libra: Anda dapat mengharapkan bahwa ia akan menjadi pendengar yang baik, tetapi beri dia kesempatan untuk mengungkapkan apa yang dia pikirkan. Cowok Libra cenderung kesulitan membuat keputusan sulit, maka pelajarilah cara mengenali mood-nya dan usahakan Anda yang berinisiatif menentukan tempt kencan, dan lain-lain. Ia akan segera bertekuk lutut jika anda berhati-hati menjaganya.

SCORPIO

* Batu Kelahiran: Topaz
* Yang anda sukai: Novel misteri, makan malam ditengah cahaya lilin, dan mengetahui urusan orang lain.
* Yang tidak anda sukai: Orang yang menyaingi anda, mengungkap rahasia Anda terdalam, dan ditanyai pertanyaan yang memalukan.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Mencari tahu apa yang mengganggu orang lain, mengangkat diri Anda sendiri ketika anda jatuh, dan menantang diri Anda sendiri untuk mencoba hal baru.
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda menikmati menemukan rahasia dunia sekitar Anda dan Anda akan berusaha keras untuk mensukseskan hidup Anda. Anda ingin sekali mencapai puncak dan biasanya Anda berhasil
* Karir Anda: Keluarkanlah kepribadian 'ratu drama' Anda dengan menjadi aktor, manajer hotel, PR atau pemilik restoran.
* Busana: Dibawah pengaruh Pluto, planet transformasi, Anda suka mengubah citra diri anda sesering mungkin. Anda cenderung menyukai pakaian kasual yang nyaman, tetapi Anda lebih tertarik ke varietas yang ketat dan sedkikit mulur daripada penampilan baggy. Citra Anda secara keseluruhan adalah smart, dan elegan, dan Anda cenderung pintar untuk membuat semua yang anda pakai nampak orisinil
* Sebagai teman: Anda benar-benar hidup, teman yang menyenangkan yang menikmati percakapan mendalam dan gosip. Rekan Anda akan segera tahu bahwa membicarakan Anda di belakang anda adalah sangat terlarang. Anda berharap teman Anda untuk setia dan Anda akan mencambuk mereka dengan lidah anda jika mereka membuat Anda kecewa.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda adalah penggoda seksi, memancarkan pesona dan kecerdasan. Cowok Anda terpikat oleh magnet Anda, tetapi mereka akan merasa bahwa anda tertutup dan posesif. Anda akan cemburu luar biasa jika ia melihat orang lain, dan akan tanpa ragu memutuskan dia jika dia tidak setia.
* Jika cowok Anda Scorpio: Cowok ini cenderung sedikit misterius dan sangat suka bermain-main untuk menguji kesetiaan Anda. Ia ingin mencari apa yang mengganggu Anda dan tahu persis bagaimana me'nekan tombol' anda. Biarkanlah ia bersenang-senang, tetapi pastikan untuk mengatakan kepadanya jika ia sudah terlalu jauh.

SAGITARIUS

* Batu kelahiran: Turquoise atau lapis lazuli
* Yang anda sukai: Wisata ke luar negeri, menonton filem komedi dan belajar hal baru yang beresiko tinggi, misalnya bungee jumping atau menyelam
* Yang tidak anda sukai: Kehidupan rutin, tinggal di kota yang sama sepanjang hidup anda, nonton film yang diputar ulang, dan makanan yang membosankan.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Menginspirasi orang untuk mengatasi ketakutan mereka, memenangkan pertengkaran dan tersenyum ketika Anda berada ditengah orang yang berwajah murung.
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda adalah jiwa pengelana yang penuh keinginan petualangan dan bepergian. Dimanapun Anda berada, akan selalu ada tempat lain yang ingin anda kunjungi walaupun hanya untuk sehari- dua hari. Anda benci 'terpenjara'
* Karir Anda: Instruktur ski, jurnalis olahraga, manager personalia, pengacara, atau pekerja sosial.
* Busana: Dalam hal ini Anda selalu berubah, Anda bisa tampi dengan pakaian kusam, dalam balutan sweater lama yang penuh noda dan celana pendek kuno; kemudian menit berikutnya akan akan tampil dengan busana persta, lengkap dengan scarf bulu dan perhiasan berkilauan. Secara umum, Anda lebih suka tampil kasual, karena Anda lebih memilih kenyamanan
* Sebagai teman: Anda jujur dan mengatakan apa yang ada dikepala Andatanpa takut-takut. Teman anda suka kepribadian Anda yang sederhana, dan seringkali akan mencari Anda ketika mereka membutuhkan teman untuk bersenang-senang dan bertualang. Anda tidak tertarik bergosip dan akan marah jika hanya hal itu yang muncul sebagai topik percakapan.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda selalu penuh tawa, menggoda cowok anda dengan kehausan Anda akan petualangan. Ia akan menghargai kepribadian anda yang membumi dan mencintai dengan setulus hati. Sebagai teman yang menyenangkan, Anda tidak terlalu menuntut dan menikmati hubungan yang sederhana.
* Jika cowok Anda Sagitarius: Gemar bertualang dan cenderung sombing, ia menyukai bepergian dan menginginkan Anda untuk menyertainya dalam perjalanannya. Santailah, dan nikmati saja bertualang dengan karakter manis ini. Ia seringkali resah, maka usahakanlah untuk melihat dan melakukan hal baru sebagai ganti sekedar berdiam diri di sofa tiap malam.

CAPRICORN

* Batu Kelahiran: Gamet
* Yang anda sukai: Memiliki tujuan jelas dan mencapainya, menenangkan keadaan kacau dan meraih kesuksesan dan ketenaran melalui kerja keras.
* Yang tidak anda sukai: Orang malas yang menghindari tanggung jawab, nganggur sepanjang akhir minggu, dan terpaksa mnegubah rencana di saat terakhir.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Menemukan apa yang terbaik dari diri anda dan mengejar mimpi anda diam-diam.
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda percaya untuk memiliki rencana dan akan bekerja sampai subuh untuk mencapai apa yang Anda inginkan. Anda tidak dapat mengerti orang yang tidak memiliki rencana apapun. "Bagaimana mereka dapat bersenang-senang jika mereka tidak tahu apa yang mereka inginkan?"
* Karir Anda: Bekerja keras adalah sifat alami Anda, maka pertimbangkan pekerjaan seperti mengajar, bercocok tanam, arsitektur, dan perbankan.
* Busana: Anda tampil luar biasa mengenakan busana rapi. Busana sexi yang menggoda juga akan nampak cocok sekali untuk Anda. Begitu juga sepatu atau boot yang berkilap
* Sebagai teman: Anda butuh waktu untuk membentuk pertemanan yang kuat. Tenang dan dapat dipercaya, teman Anda mengagumi Anda karena pembawaan anda yang berani dalam pekerjaan dan hidup pada umumnya. Seorang organisatoris yang baik, teman anda akan merasa senang jika ada Anda disekitar ketika suasana menjadi kacau.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Bekerja tanpa henti adalah satu-satunya hal yang menghalangi Anda mendapatkan cinta. Anda menganggap hidup terlalu serius. Paksakan diri Anda untuk rileks dengan cowok Anda, dan dia akan mengetahui bahwa Anda sebenarnya sosok yang manis dan penuh pengertian. Liburan bersama juga akan mempererat ikatan anda berdua.
* Jika cowok Anda Capricorn: Jangan pernah menghalangi tujuannya. Ia tahu kemana ia melangkah dan akan membawa Anda bersamanya jika Anda mengijinkannya melakukan pekerjaannya. Membantunya meraih mimpiya juga akan membuat Anda semakin disayanginya. Dan ia juga akan mendorong Anda melakukan yang terbaik dari diri Anda.

AQUARIUS

* Batu kelahiran: Amethyst
* Yang Anda sukai: Melawan aturan, membagikan ide baru dan mencoba berbagai gaya rambut baru yang 'gila'
* Yang tidak Anda sukai: Terjebak dalam rutinitas, penyiksaan hewan, dan polusi pada planet ini.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Menemukan hal baru dan mencari ide brilian untuk membuat dunia menjadi lebih baik
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda sangat peduli terhadap planet Anda dan semua orang didalamnya. Keinginan terbesar Anda adalah untuk memerangi kemiskinan, perang dan polusi. Jika orang lain bisa melakukannya, maka Andapun bisa.
* Karir Anda: Penemu, jurnalis TV, refleksologis, dan ahli komputer.
* Busana: Anda seorang yang individual, namun gaya. Anda suka pakaian etnis dan mencintai warna cerah (terutama biru dan torquise). Anda sering memakai warna cemerlang, sehingga orang menertawakan Anda, tetapi beberapa minggu kemudian, mereka meniru Anda.
* Sebagai teman: Anda akan melintasi api dan menelan kaki kodok untuk teman Anda. Menjadi teman yang baik adalah kemampuan Andayang terbaik dan walaupun mereka pikir Anda sedikit gampang marah, mereka menyukai anda karena anda sangat manis dan pribadi paling menyenangkan di planet ini.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda menginginkan seorang cowok sebagai teman dekat, jadi Anda akan mencari seseorang yang dapat selalu bersama dan juga pandai mencium. Kebebasan sangatlah penting bagi Anda, jadi cowok yang selalu menempel atau selalu ingin perhatian 24 jam penuh tidak akan bisa lama berhubungan dengan Anda.
* Jika cowok Anda Aquarius: Cowok semacam ini sangat peduli akan lingkungan, orang miskin, dan keadaan dunia. Ia orang yang baik, sedikit konyol, maka jangan berharap Anda akan menerima romansa penuh ciuman.

PISCES

* Batu kelahiran: Mirah darah
* Yang Anda sukai: Opera sabun, matahari terbenam yang indah, perapian, dan perayaan yang hangat seperti misalnya Natal
* Yang tidak Anda sukai: Sumpah serapah berlebihan, ketiak bau, dan orang yang berjingkrakan disekitar Anda.
* Kemampuan terbaik Anda: Membuat keputusan dengan mendengarkan suara hati Anda, bukan kepala Anda, dan menangkap getaran negatif begitu anda memasuki suatu ruangan
* Diri Anda yang dalam: Anda adalah seorang pemimpi, bukan perencana. Dunia Anda akan sempurna jika orang lain yang menangani detilnya dan Anda dibiarkan duduk di bawah pohon, sambil menulis buku atau sesuatu yang lain.
* Karir Anda: Kurator seni, desainer lanskap, penerjemah atau penulis.
* Busana: Anda memiliki kemampuan yang menyebabkan pakaian sejelek apapun akan nampak keren jika anda pakai. Anda terkadang bisa tampil belel karena kemampuan Anda ini. Pakaian yang longgar dan melambai adalah favorit Anda.
* Sebagai teman: Terkadang anda tersesat dalam pemikiran Anda sendiri, yang terkadang membuat anda frustasi, tetapi teman seperti Anda memiliki kepribadian yang mudah dan ramah. Anda bukanlah orang yang suka mengguncang kapal, Anda lebih suka terhanyut arus dan tidak keberatan untuk mengubah rencana supaya sesuai dengan rekan-rekan Anda.
* Sebagai pacar (cewek): Anda pemimpi dan romantis. Hidup dalam dunia kecil Anda sendiri, Anda suka menatap mata cowok Anda tanpa berkata apapun. Bagaikan selembut mentega, cowok Anda akan mencintai anda yang sentimental dam merasakan bahwa Andaa sangat menarik.
* Jika cowok Anda Pisces: Bagaikan sesosok raksasa lembut, tipe cowok ini artistik dan melihat Anda sebagi inspirasi kreatif bagi dirinya. Jangan terkejut jika tiba-tiba ia mempersembahkan puisi, game komputer, pohon atau film untuk anda. Ia akan menyirami Anda dengan kata-kata manis dan pelukan, dan benar-benar percaya bahwa andalah putri cantiknya.

Practicing Law in the Games Business

5 steps to prepare for a legal career in games

The interactive games industry has emerged as the glamour entertainment segment of the new century.

Like the movie business of the 1930's, and the recorded music business of the 1970's, interactive games is seen as the exciting, creative, sexy, and fun place to be.

MBA candidates who ten years ago wanted to produce movies or be rap moguls, now want to run games companies. Superstar programmers and designers have made it cool to study math and science.

Lawyers and law students also have their eyes and hearts set on careers in the field. Hardly a week goes by that I am not contacted by a law student, bar exam candidate, or recent graduate seeking advice on what steps to take to prepare for a legal career in games.

In responding to these requests, I have collected advice I received as a law student from an early professional mentor. It helped me when I was in my formative stages, still rings very true today, and can help young colleagues as they make decisions that move them forward in their careers.

1. Your goal in law school should be to become the best lawyer you can, not the best “games lawyer” .

Don't focus on any area of specialization in law school. Take a wide range of courses. Get a general law school education. Courses such as copyright, trademarks, or entertainment law may be valuable electives, but focus on the meat of the coursework. Games industry lawyers need to know and understand corporations, agency and partnership, secured transactions, finance, securities law, sales, family law (clients have domestic problems, too), tax, real estate (you may be called on to negotiate a commercial lease or more!), and conflicts of law; as well as have a good understanding of the most core of law school courses: civil procedure, Constitutional law, torts, contracts, legal research and writing, and criminal law.

The risk of becoming too specialized in school is you do not really know in what areas you will be called upon to practice. The wider your areas of expertise, the more valuable you may turn out to be.

2. There is a great need for legal services – you can help fill it!

There is a much greater need for legal services than the ability of clients to pay for them. Make yourself available. Network. Volunteer. Join the IGDA and get involved in your local chapters. Join your local bar association(s). Attend industry events. Get to know your colleagues. Look for opportunities to hang out in places where developers congregate. Start-ups in the games industry are always long on talent, ambition, and dreams, and short on cash. But we know all too well they need capable representation.

If you are working at a law firm, find out its policies regarding pro-bono or low cost legal services. You may be able to bring in clients under a special law firm program. If none exists, consider representation on your own time.

When someone asks for help, dive in and make yourself indispensable! When I was getting started, I never wanted to turn away a client for financial reasons. Working with young companies is a great way to start and build a practice. But the responsibility is on your shoulders to always provide quality representation.

3. Never Stop Learning.

Read the literature of your field. Become familiar with the IGDA Contract Walk-Through, and IGDA IP Rights White Paper for practical information. Take part in continuing legal education over a broad range of areas. Look for specialized courses in games industry and IP areas. National providers like Practicing Law Institute and Law Seminars International have offerings that cover the games industry. Attend GDC. All this can make you more valuable to your clients and brings you into contact with leaders in their fields.

4. Never forget you are a professional.

The practice of law is a profession --- and you are a professional. To me, an important difference between a profession and a business is that a professional is not motivated primarily by money. The primary goal for a lawyer is to help his or her clients achieve their objectives to the fullest extent possible under the law. Don't make any commitments you can not keep. Understand and respect your clients' needs. Learn and practice the rules of professional responsibility as adopted in your state. Treat everyone with grace. Scrupulously maintain secrets and confidences. It's cool to be a games industry lawyer, but don't go yacking away about your clients' businesses or projects. Always be aware of potential conflicts of interest (they are more plentiful than you might think!).

A bar association leader told me once that when lawyers die, they are buried at six feet like everyone else, but their caskets sink a few feet deeper. That is because of the weight of the secrets and confidences they take to the grave.

5. Your most valuable possession is your reputation – the next most valuable is your license to practice law.

If you are a good lawyer, word will get around. The respect and admiration you receive from your friends, professional colleagues, and clients can lead to referrals and new opportunities.

Your reputation for integrity will help people choose you for representation.

Building a games industry practice is no different from building a practice in any other field. It takes patience, hard work, contacts, networking, and time. But if you follow the suggestions above, and give it a go, you might be surprised to find yourself someday soon representing successful clients in the industry you love!

So Much for Economic Principle

Apple Computer's persistence defies the law of increasing returns.

By J. Bradford DeLong

I have been buying Macintoshes since 1984. And except for the very first one, I thought each new Mac would be my last - that Apple Computer would soon be out of business, or at least in a clear death spiral. After all, the laws of economics have been against the company almost since its founding. For starters, the rule of network effects dictates that where standards matter, a single one tends to win out: advantage Microsoft and the Wintel camp. And the rule of increasing returns says that economies of scale lead to even greater economies of scale: Microsoft again.

Most value added by Apple comes from its operating systems. In software, as your sales volume goes up, your per-unit costs go down: Bigger sales mean not just larger profits but much, much larger profits. Apple's market share, meanwhile, has been in constant decline, even as its profit margins have risen. Today, Microsoft's operating systems are used by 92 percent of desktop computers worldwide; Apple's share is 5 percent.

With each Mac I bought, I watched as more independent programmers wrote for Microsoft first, and Apple second - if at all. I saw the latest and greatest software appear first on Microsoft machines, and six months later on Apple machines -�if at all. I saw Microsoft's ability to hire very talented programmers show itself in the improved quality of Windows software. And I expected Apple to enter a death spiral.

Yet here Apple stands, still making money, generating buzz, out-innovating its competitors, and otherwise defying economic expectation. And if news reports are to be believed, it is even contemplating buying Universal Music, the biggest label in the land. No matter if the rumored negotiations come to nothing; the fact that it's even possible is a tribute to Apple's resilience. It's still a force to be reckoned with.

And I'm still buying Macintoshes.

Somewhere, my visualization of the Cosmic All - my grasp of the Iron Laws of Dynamic Economies of Scale - was wrong, very wrong. Why?

First, and perhaps most important: Joel Klein of the Clinton Justice Department. With the DOJ attempting to break up Microsoft for antitrust violations, Redmond quickly made it a top priority to keep competitors ostensibly healthy. This meant helping Apple remain afloat with a $150 million investment in 1998. Microsoft also poured money into making sure that Macintoshes running Microsoft Office could easily interoperate with Windows machines. And it poured still more money into making sure that Internet Explorer for the Macintosh was in no way inferior to the Windows version. Without Microsoft's assistance, I think Apple would have been shuttered.

Second: Apple has managed to stay even with, or slightly ahead of, Microsoft in system software. When Microsoft largely closed the software quality gap vis-�-vis Macintosh a decade ago, I'd have bet that Windows would become a much higher-quality OS. After all, Microsoft throws at least 10 times more programming resources at operating systems. It can employ 20 times as many system-software programmers at the same per-unit cost as Apple. But Apple's vertically integrated approach offers a hidden advantage. By setting design and performance specifications of Macintosh hardware, writing system software becomes easier. There are fewer variables to contend with and less testing and debugging required. Such a controlled environment produces excellent code quickly at lower overall cost.

The company has a third powerful advantage: It's gotten its hooks into the open source movement. Mac OS X is a graphical user interface, a set of utilities and programming tools, and a few world-class user applications - iTunes, iMovie - running on top of a Unix core. This is important, because Unix is the native language of the Internet and of the world's programming culture. One of the unexpected side benefits of the Internet is that it's now possible to write and maintain first-rate software - think Linux itself, or the Apache Web server -�by using the Internet to coordinate what is essentially the spare-time contributions of thousands of programmers. Today, the latest and greatest software is as likely to be an open source project, or a for-profit effort built on top of open source code, as it is a commercial application built to run on Windows. And if its native language is Unix, the second-class implementation is now more likely to be on Windows than on Apple.

As long as the world's programmers continue to speak Unix, Apple's economic future - one perhaps greater than that of a niche player given the rumblings surrounding its apparent bid for Universal - is secure. I doubt that my current Mac will be my last.