Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Early Childhood Development Education: Encouraging Parents And Teachers To Continue Learning

Early Childhood Development Education: Encouraging Parents and Teachers to Continue Learning

The early years of a child's life are so important for their development. Teachers and parents are being encouraged to seek out resources, to help the children in their care learn and grow, in an age appropriate method based on their development. Researchers in the field of early childhood development education view parents and teachers as an integral part of the learning process. Even from the first two years of life, a child needs to be nurtured into developing his or her own sense of self. The building of a child's identify will shape his or her early childhood development education throughout schooling, and well into the workforce as an adult. In addition to providing exceptionally trained and professional childcare providers, educational institute programs should emphasize links with home, family, and culture. By using developmentally appropriate practice, and culturally appropriate practice, education can support families in addition to the child being cared for.

A young child needs his or her early childhood development education to provide nurturing role models, healthy nutrition and stimulus and interaction to lay the foundation for future success. Attention and affection will build the child's emotional wellness, while age appropriate fitness, rest, and activities, will provide a healthy body to harbor a strong mind.

Early childhood education development training is a service provided to educational institutes, to train teachers and childcare providers, equipping them with a more thorough understanding of developmental stages in a young child's learning process. With adult education on topics in early childhood development education, and better programs implemented in schools, children will be able to learn and retain knowledge at a pace that is appropriate for their age, and developmental level.

Early Childhood Development Education Builds on Developmental Domains

The developmental domains in early childhood education: social, physical, intellectual, communicative, cognitive and emotional, can be nurtured through books, games, and activities from the pre-school age. In the past many pre-elementary school years were spent without a focus on education. With the research that has been put into early childhood development education over the past two decades, it is now well known that a child's care provider can be assisting in the development of young children, from before their first birthday.

Parents and teachers can play an active role in their children's development, by reading books on early childhood development education, and by reading past presentations and publications by leaders in the education field. A consulting service is a recommended path toward better early childhood developmental education. Competency assessments are a way for a parent to help their child learn based on his or her strengths and weaknesses. Lifelong Learn is a child consultancy service and early childhood development educators. They offer a number or services including: books for children along with associated resources, and adult learning, presentations, workshops, consultancy and publications to teach childcare providers effective methods of teaching and raising young children.

Visit Lifelong Learn for more information on their early childhood development education services.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Mysterious Mass Deaths Continue

Numerous locals woke to discover hundreds dead birds, convinced it was just some more of the rash of mysterious mass deaths that have taken place around the globe in the early part of 2011.

The United States government quickly took responsibility for killing hundreds of birds in Yankton, South Dakota.

Posing a danger to the animals and farm workers, five thousand birds were defecating in the feed meal of a feedlot. USDA decided to poison the birds with bait, laced with poison DCR-1339.

Officials had not expected the birds to fly nearly 10 kilometres, before succumbing to the poison.

Normal reports of mass deaths average around 3.4 per week. The beginning of 2011 has seen this number greatly exceeded globally. Authorities say the deaths are not connected, but have both local authorities and scientists baffled.

They include:
United States of America

2 million fish died in Maryland from extreme cold, overpopulation and lack of oxygen
200 cows on a farm in Wisconsin. It is believed pneumonia, infectious bovine rhino tracheitisor, or some other highly infectious disease, may have caused the deaths
500 small birds fell from the skies in Louisiana.
In Arkansas 5000 blackbirds were supposedly traumatized from New Year Eve fireworks, causing the birds to crash into stationary objects
100,000 dead bottom-feeding drum fish washed up on river banks, also in Arkansas. Disease is thought to be the cause
Wildlife veterinarian says an estimated 450 birds died near Baton Rouge from flying into a power line
Charleston residents found 100s of dead jellyfish and starfish wash up on shore. Extreme cold was blamed
Lack of oxygen is believed to have caused the death of 1000s of gizzard fish found on Chicagos lakeshore
In Louisiana around 500 blackbirds and starlings littered a small stretch of highway
Around 100 grackles fell on the side of a California highway and 300 in Alabama
New Jersey, Massachusetts and South Carolina had to cope with millions of dead fish following record-breaking cold temperatures
10-20,000 gizzard shad were found dead in Lake Meredith, Texas, due to toxic algae bloom
Kentucky also reported mass roadside deaths. Many believe that a semi-truck or some other vehicle was responsible for the deaths, as the birds appeared to have broken beaks and backs
200 birds were found dead on a highway bridge in Texas
some other of fish died in Spruce Creek in Florida
Dozens of pelicans have washed ashore, shot, bludgeoned and decapitated in North Carolina. These deaths were obviously human originated
70 bats found dead in Arizona had been shot with a BB gun.

Canada:
Just across the border from Detroit, in Sarnia, Ontario, on the St. Clair River, hundreds of shad fish washed-up dead
On a farm near Quebec City around 80 pigeons died

Haiti:
On the beach in Haiti dozens of dead fish washed up

Brazil:
Approximately 500 dead penguins washed up on the coasts of Brazil. Scientists believe the animals starved to death
200 tons of mainly sardines washed up on beaches in Paranagua, Brazil

Japan:
Hundreds of dead fish found on the beaches

Asia:
1000s of fish died in Indias Yamuna River. Dumping of industrial waste and chemicals were thought to be the cause
Naklua Canal, Thailand, thousands of sucker fish died
150 tonnes of red tilapias died in Don Thap, Vietnam on 41 fish farms through polluted water from ebb tides, which lowered the oxygen levels in the overcrowded pens

Middle East:
In the Iranian sector of the Caspian Sea, Iran, mass fish deaths were reported

New Zealand:
While a carpet of dead fish floated out at sea, hundreds of dead snapper washed ashore on the Coromandel beaches in New Zealand

Australia:
Tens of thousands of fish died in Jarvis Bay. The weeks of heavy rain are being blamed

Europe:
In England 40,000 crabs washed up on the beaches, believed to have died from extreme cold
Approximately 100 jackdaws died in Sweden from what appeared to be external blows causing internal bleeding
100's of dead fish were discovered in a pond in Manchester, England
In Italy nearly 1,000 pigeons and turtle doves fell out of the sky. Possible cause was poisoning, or lack of oxygen.
Italy also saw dozens of starlings die after overeating grapes left over from the wine-making season
Romania also experienced hundred of deaths as birds, believed to have died from alcohol poisoning from an overdose of left over grapes.

Greg Butcher, director of bird conservation at the Audubon Society, said "Mass bird die-offs can be caused by starvation, storms, disease, pesticide, collision with man-made structures or human disturbance ... Initial findings indicate that these are isolated incidents that were probably caused by disturbance and disorientation."

In numerous instances the cause of death may never be clearly known. Many people are beginning to ask if this is the commencement of the fulfillment of various prophecies in the Bible? Someone has dubbed it 'aflockalypse', while conspiracy theorists blame government experiments. There are some scientists who believe that recent events may be a world-wide disaster, or caused by testing of biological weapons.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Insurance Continuing Education Online - Group LTC Plans

With Group LTC Insurance, some of the conventional features of group plans remain intact while other features are more similar to individual insurance policies.  First of all, the policies might actually be individual LTCI policies.  If so, the policies are fully "portable" if the employee leaves the plan and need not be converted in the traditional way.  Optionally, the employer‑sponsored LTCI plan may be set up like other group coverages, requiring employees who want to continue the insurance to convert to individual policies within a certain period after termination.  (This is called a conversion privilege and not all group insurance plans offer it.)


 


WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR GROUP COVERAGE?

A feature that sets group LTCI coverage apart from other types of group insurance is who may be covered.  Most plans are offered not only to employees and their spouses, but also to the parents of both parties and, sometimes, to children and to retired workers.  In most cases, employees are exempt from medical underwriting ‑ they won't have to have a medical exam ‑ but it is likely that other family members must have some type of medical screening.  Know the requirements for policies marketed because some insurers require medical underwriting for all parties, including employees, while other group plans might not require medical information about any of the parties.  In some cases, even if medical underwriting is required, it is less stringent than for individual policies, especially for older parents.  The NAIC's shopper's guide encourages older people to investigate their children's Group LTCI coverage if available, indicating that, while medical screening is likely, group coverage might be more advantageous than individual policies.


 


The age at which individuals may purchase employer‑sponsored LTCI coverage is often earlier than the age minimums for individual policies.  Typical existing plans specify ages 30, 35 and 40 as the minimums and at least one plan designed by a large corporation is offered to 20‑year‑olds.  While there are individual policies insuring at these earlier ages, they are fairly rare.

Upper age limits vary considerably but generally are similar to individual policies, ages 79 to 85 being typical maximums for purchasing coverage.
WHAT ARE BENEFITS & OTHER PROVISIONS RE: INDIVIDUAL PLANS?

Employer‑sponsored LTC Insurance may be virtually identical to individual policies marketed.  In fact, this would apply to the policy discussed in the Pseudo-Group discussion later in this text.  Most offer a range of daily benefit amounts, benefit periods and elimination periods.  One should always be aware that in many of the existing plans, the employer has worked with the insurance company to decide on the range of features from which employees can choose.


While the employee makes the final choice, the options available may be pre‑selected and, therefore, more limited than with an individual policy.


As for the availability of other benefits and provisions that are found in individual policies, group LTCI plans vary considerably but there is a trend toward including more benefits.  Some existing employer‑sponsored plans include or make available inflation protection, Nonforfeiture or return of premium features, death benefits, reinstatement, restoration of benefits, home care benefits, and others.  Group plans usually pay for care at several levels, have no prior institutionalization requirements, and cover care for Alzheimer's and other organic brain disease.  Exclusions and pre‑existing conditions limits are similar to those in individual policies.


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Monday, December 6, 2010

Registered Preparer Continuing Education Requirements

The IRS is making sweeping changes in the tax preparation industry in order to ensure that only qualified individuals serve the public. Preparers will now have to obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), accrue a certain amount of continuing professional education (CPE) and pay the annual .25 fee.


Registration Guidelines


Every individual that would like process tax returns after December 30, 2010, will need to obtain a PTIN. The requirement is all encompassing, so it applies to employees of tax preparing businesses as well. For those that already have a PTIN, registration into the new IRS system is still required in order renew the number. Registration capabilities are expected to begin in the middle of September 2010.


Competency Testing


Competency testing must be completed (and successfully passed) in order to receive a PTIN.

It provides an individual the ability to complete Form 1040 series returns. Two different tests will need to be taken within 3 years, which will cover:

Wage & Non Business 1040


Wage and Small Business 1040 (Schedules C, E, F and related forms)


The exams are scheduled to be available in the middle of 2011. In the future, the IRS plans to have additional testing and instructions for other forms.


At this time, the IRS has not yet determined the mandatory passing score for the competency testing. Other details, such as the components of the exam, testing procedures, locations and the applicable fee have not yet been established either. However, a registrant will have the ability to take the test an unlimited number of times.


Any person that does not complete this requirement within the designated period will have their PTIN deactivated and will be taken off the list of registered preparers.


Continuing Professional Education CPE


Each PTIN holder will need to complete 15 hours of tax CPE in order to maintain his or her registration in the IRS public database.

It is important to note that tax preparers should wait until January 1, 2011 to begin accruing their CPE credits, as any tax courses taken before this date will be ineligible to meet the IRS requirement. The curriculum must consist of 10 hours of Federal Tax Law, 3 hours of Tax Changes/Updates and 2 hours of Ethics CPE.

Exceptions


An exception to the mandatory testing exists for attorneys, enrolled agents and CPAs (enrolled actuaries and enrolled retirement plan agents are included only if their tax preparations are within their limited practice area). It is important to note that if one of these types of practitioners is not active and in good standing, then they will be subject to competency testing.


To qualify for an exemption to the CPE requirement, a tax return preparer must be an attorney, CPA, enrolled actuary or enrolled retirement plan agent. Registered or licensed public accountants in certain states are deemed to hold the same rights as a CPA and do not have to take the exam or meet the CPE requirements.