The Mind of a Strategist - Special Birthday Profile Write Up

THE MIND OF A STRATEGIST - A NEW PHASE!!!

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY PROFILE

Celebrating the birthday of Aina Segun Aina, 2017 National Vice President in charge of North East District 1.
Born 30th June, 1984 in Ayinke house (Ikeja General Hospital), Lagos State. He had his early life and education in Lagos from High Gate Nursery and Primary School, Oshodi to Ajao Estate Grammar School then Holy Saviors College, Isolo. Briefly attended Obafemi Awolowo University for an Ordinary Diploma in Computer Science and Engineering before proceeding to University of Ilorin where he received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Computer Science then Ladoke Akintola University of Technology for a Post Graduate Diploma in Management Technology.
With an ICT background and interest in professional development, he obtained various professional affiliations and certifications in diverse fields CISCO Certified Network Associate, Project Management Professional, CISCO Academy Certified Instructor Program, as well as Management Proficiency Certification.


With a passion for entrepreneurship, Aina has been involved in starting up as well as development of a few businesses within the last few years, with core competence and expertise in the fields of Information, Communications and Technology; Solar and other forms of Renewable Energy, and other fields. He runs a book Company, Qriocity Systems Global Limited which has been in existence since 2012 - The company specializes in Bulk Book purchases and supply of professional titles as well as setting up libraries and information resource centers for institutions and corporate organizations.

Member of a couple of organizations including the prestigious Project Management Institute, Nigeria Institute of Management, The Brains Chess Club, Abuja Lawn Tennis Club, Nigeria Computer Society etc
Aina got his knowledge of JCI through a road mapping project of OAU Jaycees donated to the OAU staff quarters in Ile-ife and proceeded to join the organization in University of Ilorin in 2004 and was appointed Director, Special Duties the same year. He held several positions and served in committees viz; Committee on Motherless babies and school for handicap project in 2005, constitution review committee in 2005, Secretary 2005, Executive Vice President 2006, General Legal Council 2007 and then Local Organization President in 2008.

At the 2008 Collegiate Conference held in Bauchi State, he was elected the Collegiate Vice Chairman in charge of South West of Nigeria for 2009.
Proceeded to join the city chapter, JCI ASO in 2011, appointed secretary in 2012, Director of Training in 2013, elected Executive Vice President in 2014 and Local Organization President in 2015 (Host President of the National Convention for that year). in 2016 he served on the National Board under President Olatunji Oyeyemi as Director, Civil Societies, Government and Corporate Relations and currently serves as National Vice President.

A consistent JCI career for over a decade, he has developed a training career that empowers him to train at various level in and out of the organization and has served as Assistant Head Coach as well as Head Coach at Academies across the country.

Aina is married to his long time companion whom he introduced to JCI back in school and was inducted and served as Director of Business and then Director of Convention of JCI Nigeria University of Ilorin between 2007 and 2008. They are blessed with two lovely kids.

In celebration of a rich, outstanding and passionate JCI career; we say hearty cheers to a quintessential active citizen.

Take #YourBestShot: A guide to optimum performance for sustainable development

Running a Successful JCI Enterprise

Hi mates, trust you are all having a great time in the new year, it’s quite a hazy weather here in the FCT. I hope you wake up to this and many more motivation for speed, action, creativity, drive, disruptive mindset and a reawakened passion in your many endeavors.

When running a JCI organization, what readily defines our course of action is the term “Voluntary” and “non-profit”, this tend to demystify performance, quest for perfection, excellence and that extra effort at taking #YouBbestShot in most JCI tasks. Now, let’s transform our mind to that man on the spot in a multinational corporation doing the same responsibility you are given in your JCI enterprise.

 

CASE STUDY; let’s trade places with an employee responsible for organizing the annual general meeting for SPDC, Shell Petroleum Development Company. Now, take a deep dive into what you, in your present state and level would put into this endeavor to achieve the expected outcome, from conception, planning, executing, reporting and closing the project.

Now, let’s come back here, how would you handle a similar job in JCI, remember this is a multinational enterprise in as many countries, perhaps bigger than SPDC in terms of global spread and local reach.

I’m sure one factor that would come in the way of our thoughts in trading places with the SPDC guy would be “do you know how much resources he has to execute the same task and how much bucks he gets paid at SPDC?”

Okay, that notwithstanding, let’s remain here still. Do you know if you take #YourBestShot within limited resources and perform excellently well, you would have outperformed the man who did averagely in the midst of excesses? Do we get paid for what we do? Yes! Shocked? Yes we get paid… perhaps we’re paid in a different coin. Yes because, the SPDC man might be motivated by the money he gets paid, but what actually makes him is the amount of human capital investment on him. Now, a typical organization such as this never gives you a chance to come in and prove your worth, you must prove it before you get in there, you know what that means in today’s highly competitive world? Then, while in there, weary of empowering you lest you start looking for greater challenges elsewhere and go away with all their investment in you, they give you just enough to make you deliver what they expect from you. What truly stands you out, promote you and keep you moving on is that which you invest in yourself.

Now, JCI method is such that it pays the next organization that you find yourself in rather than JCI itself. Without prior experience or expectations, JCI gives you the opportunity to do just what that SPDC man did at no cost or remuneration, with higher risk of failure, if you passionately take your best shots here at whatever level you are in the organization, make all the mistakes you can make, use all the tools you can get as well as take opportunity to partner and access resources by yourself, take #YourBestShot, adopt best practices (popularly referred to as “ASO Standard” in my local organization), raise your stakes, keep your head up, shoulders high and look at your duties here from the broader perspectives, it is amazing what you would achieve now and in the sometime of tomorrow as well as out there.

One more thing, JCI does not allow you repeat same office twice, so you are not expected to come and do it better for the organization all over again, but take the knowledge and experience out there to be different from the average man, to “be better”.

Another thing, haven’t completed a task, you take on a new one and keep developing your competences across various departments in diverse fields from all walks of life. This is another unique opportunity you find only in the Junior Chamber movement while responsibilities at workplaces are limited to your field, and you hardly find opportunity to work in different departments as often as you would in JCI. This is a unique opportunity at being globally integrated, disruptive in nature, innovative beyond imagination, genuine, generous and versatile beyond your actual level of experience or qualification.

JCI is a global franchise handed to everyone upon attaining membership, change your perspectives from the JCI you see locally around you, take a look at the big picture of a giant organization of the young and the great, giving you an opportunity to be a world citizen with a global mindset, create your own JCI inside of you devoid from expectations from other members or formations, undertake giant strides that far exceed your actual performance level, “think local, act global” tanking #YourBestShot every time.

If you make best use of your time in the organization and run every task and responsibility effectively in the JCI enterprise with #YourBestShot; it’s amazing what you would accomplish out there. So think again… ain’t you actually getting paid?

Now, I believe you have a better definition of what JCI is, let’s live the values and creed over again… It’s a turning point for every single one of us!

Permit me to introduce you to this special bug which will is trending in the wake of the new year…

 Futch is about to turn a bullet in his head into a shot in your arm, all the ammunition you need to make significant changes in your life and career - you’ll come out with a load of ideas that will aim you toward the top every time you take your best shot.

He says, "so I’m uniquely qualified. I’ve had a bunch of them." More than once he’s watched his best-laid plans backfire, leaving him bleeding, bruised, or beaten up — but wiser for the experience.

Key Lessons                                                     

w  Which battlefield lessons can save your career;

w  How to set your sights on "the crucial shot;"

w  When to "pull the trigger" to maximize a situation;

w  Why complaining about bad times might misfire;

w  How to focus on your feedback thermostat;

w  How to ricochet a minor opportunity into a major success.

This training is conveyed by Aina Segun Aina and designed by a consortium of special trainers from different walks of life; based on the book, Take Your Best Shot: Turning Situations Into Opportunities by Ken Futch

In the New Year, everyone is in need of a tool such as this as a guide to optimum performance in their organizations, institutions, enterprise, and other endeavors. This tool teaches us to Be prepared, Be alert, Be In-depth, Be Practical, Be Smart, Be Creative, Be Innovative, Be Strategic, and Be Systematic; gives us a good taste for Research, enable us Share Ideas, Go the Extra Mile, Apply Finesse, Be Professional and Minimize Conflicts by Choosing your Battles Wisely.

Now, let’s encourage one another to #YourBestShot

©Aina Segun Aina

@ainasegunaina

www.ainasegunaina@blogspot.com

Book Review: Wars, Guns and Votes: Democracy in Dangerous Places by Paul Collier

Wars, Guns and Votes: Democracy in Dangerous Places

Author: Collier, Paul

Paperback: 255 pages
Publisher: Vintage Books USA (February 1, 2010)
Language: English

ISBN-13: 978-0099523512
BISAC Categories:
- Political Science | Comparative Politics
- Political Science | Political Ideologies | Democracy
- Social Science | Developing & Emerging Countries
- Social Science | Anthropology | Cultural


Publisher Marketing:
Award-winning author Paul Collier investigates the violence and poverty in the countries at the bottom of the world economy. He argues that, although there are many problems, these can be rectified, and he outlines what must be done to bring about long-term peace and stability.


Contributor Bio:  Collier, Paul
Paul Collier is a professor of economics at Oxford University. He is the author of The Bottom Billion, which won the Lionel Gelber Prize and the Arthur Ross Book Award of the Council on Foreign Relations. He lives in Oxford, England.

In this accessible and very sensible analysis, Collier (The Bottom Billion) argues that the spread of democracy after the end of the Cold War has not actually made the world a safer place, as the West has promoted the wrong features of democracy: the façade rather than the essential infrastructure. The author hypothesizes that an insistence on elections without a system of checks and balances has led to widespread corruption, nations mired in ethnic politics and economic underperformance. Collier examines the effect of civil wars, coups and rebellions on burgeoning democracies, founding all arguments on methodology and data sets that provide a hard, quantitative view of political violence. While many of his observations are insightful and occasionally prescient, his analysis weakens when it strays from the data and enters more theoretical territory. However, the author maintains an approachable style and reaches beyond jargon to provide a highly readable account of the complex realities facing the developing world. Collier's suggestions are pragmatic, and although they may incense ideologues, most readers will connect with this common sense approach matched with obvious expertise. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"Very important ideas based on extremely thorough empirical research...put him in the same camp as real heavyweights such as the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz" -- Misha Glenny Guardian "Collier comes up with very concrete proposals and some ingenious solutions" The Times "Collier knows Africa intimately... It is hard to be unmoved by his anger about the world's blindness to realities, and his passion to do things better" -- Max Hastings Sunday Times "With its verve, wit and lateral thinking, this is a book that changes its readers' horizons" Observer "It is always a pleasure to discover Paul Collier's latest thoughts...always illuminating and grounded in rigorous social science...it's gripping stuff" -- Allister Heath Literary Review

I believe Nigeria Would have something to learn from this!


Aina Segun Aina
Books and Library Services
Qriocity Systems Global Ltd
www.qriocitysystems.com
07089024098

BOOK REVIEW: MODERN MONETARY MACROECONOMICS: A NEW PARADIGM FOR ECONOMIC POLICY

Title:             MODERN MONETARY MACROECONOMICS: A NEW PARADIGM FOR ECONOMIC POLICY (NEW DIRECTIONS IN MODERN ECONOMICS)

Authors:               Claude Gnos and Sergio Rossi

ISBN:                    847200354   EAN: 9781847200358

Publisher:            Edward Elgar Publishing

Price:                    N36, 500.00

Binding:               Hardcover

Pub Date:             January 30, 2013

Copyright Date:   2012

Subject Area:       Business & Economics | Economics | Macroeconomics

Physical Info:       328 pages

Store:                    To obtain a copy, CLICK HERE, call 07089024098 or mail qriocity@live.com

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

This timely book uses cutting-edge research to analyse the fundamental causes of economic and financial crises, and illustrates the macroeconomic foundations required for future economic policymaking in order to avoid these crises.

The expert contributors take a critical approach to monetary analysis, providing elements for a new paradigm of economic policymaking at both national and international levels. Major issues are explored, including: inflation, capital accumulation, and involuntary unemployment, sovereign debts and interest payment, and the euro-area crises.

Opening new lines of research in the economic and financial crises, this book will prove a fascinating read for academics, students, professionals and researchers in the field of economics. Monetary policymakers, central bank officials and international financial organizations will also find this book to be an invaluable resource.

Claude Gnos is a Senior Research Associate in the center for monetary and financial studies at the University of Burgundry, Dijon, France and in the International Economic Policy Institute at Laurentian University, Canada.

Sergio Rossi is a Full Professor of Economics at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

CONTENTS

Introduction - 1

Claude Gnos and Sergio Rossi

PART 1: A NEW ANALYTICAL APPROACH

11.     19 - Relative prices are undermined are undermined by a mathematical error

Bernard Schmitt

22.      39 - Towards a macroeconomic approach to macroeconomics - 

Alvaro Cencini

PART 2: DOMESTIC ISSUES AND ECONOMIC POLICIES

33.       71 - Money, effective demand, and profits

Bernard Schmitt

44.      100 - Labour, wages and non-wage incomes

Jean-Luc Bailly

55.     134 -  Inflation and the circuit of income

Xavier Bradley and Pierre Piegay

66.      166 - The unemployment issue 

Claude Gnos

77.     193 -  Is there a common sense to economic and financial crises? 

Alvaro Cencini

PART 3: INTERNATIONAL ISSUES AND ECONOMIC POLICES

88.      231 - The monetary-structural origin of TARGET2 imbalances across Euroland

Sergio Rossi

99.      239 - Sovereign debt and interest payments

Bernard Schmitt

110.   261 - World monetary disorders: the “mystery of the missing surplus”

and of the “missing capital outflow”    

Alvaro Cincini and Mauro Citraro

Show off next week as you would on 26th of July, 2020

Junior Chamber International

(Worldwide Federation of young active citizens)

Come as you would on 26th of July, 2020.

As Part of the individual development opportunities of the Junior Chamber International, we develop people to consciously take steps towards overcoming their limits, taking their best shots and achieving more every time and in every endeavor.

In achieving this, Junior Chamber International ASO invites all and sundry to her July monthly General Assembly which this time is thrown open to the public due to its unique feature in addressing the major aspect of individual development, GOAL SETTING, GOAL GETTING!!!

More often than not, we are always on the move and picking up tasks on a daily basis as we move on, we embark on daily routine or pick up activities as they come by. This event is offering everyone an opportunity to stop and check, to evaluate those activities to determine if they actually equal growth, or just motion with no actual progress. Then, encourage people to actually set goals and work towards their goals both on a short term and long term basis.

Ahead of this event, every participant is expected to STOP and CHECK the following;

·         Do I actually have a set of goals I am working towards?

·         What’s my roadmap and how do I benchmark?

·         Am I actually growing or just making money?

·         Am I actually racing towards any particular goal or just on the move?

·         5 Years from now, precisely 26th July, 2020. How would I introduce myself?

That last question is the main focus of the event on 26th July, 2015 at Sokoto Room, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Come as you would on 26th of July, 2020.

Set those goals now and let them drive you on!!!

Next week Sunday, 26th July 2020, I’m your host at this event Aina Segun Aina, Chairman/CEO Qriocity Group a multinational project management consortium, recently elected member of House of Representatives. I’ll love to meet you…

Envision it, Achieve it!

CLICK HERE to register

The Bush Family Tree

Five generations of an American dynasty
By Daniel Nasaw


Jeb Bush will be a candidate for president during the 2016 election, but the Bushes and their relatives have been at the heart of American business and politics for more than a century. Through five wealthy and powerful generations, the families of George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Pierce have produced investment bankers, a magazine publishing executive, a state supreme court justice, a railroad industrialist, a senator, two governors, and, of course, two presidents. Now, Jeb Bush hopes to be the third. Take a look at the faces below to explore the Bush family tree with their profile below. 

Samuel Prescott Bush

• Born 1863
• Died 1948
• Married to Flora Sheldon

Samuel Bush was the first of the family’s modern era to achieve wealth. Born in New Jersey, he got an engineering degree from the Stevens Institute of Technology and began a long career in the railroad industry. His work brought him to Ohio, where he settled in Columbus and eventually rose to become president of Buckeye Steel Castings, an industrial manufacturer. A Democrat, Samuel Bush served as president of the National Association of Manufacturers, was a charter member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and founded an anti-tax group.

Flora Sheldon

• Born 1872
• Died 1920
• Married to Samuel Prescott Bush

Flora Sheldon, the daughter of a Columbus merchant and banker, married Samuel Bush in 1894. She was killed in a car accident in 1920.

George Herbert Walker

• Born 1874
• Died 1953
• Married to Loulie Wear

George Herbert Walker was an investment banker who founded the family vacation home in Kennebunkport, Me., where the first President Bush entertained world leaders. He was born in St. Louis to a successful Catholic family and educated in Britain. He founded a firm in St. Louis and later moved his family to New York to run W. A. Harriman & Co., a precursor to Brown Brothers Harriman. Mr. Walker enjoyed the New York high life -- he owned Rolls Royces, ate and drank lavishly and employed two butlers. As president of the U.S. Golf Association, he donated the trophy for the Walker Cup competition.

Loulie Wear

• Born 1874
• Died 1961
• Married to George Herbert Walker

Loulie Wear was born in St. Louis, Mo., and married George Herbert Walker in 1899. A biographer of the Bush family describes her as patient in the face of her husband's foul temper, criticism and domineering manner.

James Robinson

• Born 1868
• Died 1932
• Married to Lula Flickinger

Born to settlers of Union County, Ohio, James Robinson was a prominent lawyer who rose to become a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. After his death, he was eulogized by his colleagues on the bar as having a “high and comprehensive conception of the judicial function and a generous understanding of the fundamental principles on which our American institutions rest.”

Lula Flickinger

• Born 1875
• Married to James Robinson  

Prescott Sheldon Bush

Investment Banker, U.S. Senator

• Born 1895
• Died 1972
• Married to Dorothy Walker

Prescott Bush was born in Columbus and moved east to attend St. George’s boarding school in Newport, R.I. After graduating from Yale, Bush served as a captain in an artillery unit in World War I in France. Prescott Bush entered the investment banking business, in 1931 becoming a partner at the newly formed Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. After years in part-time local politics in Greenwich, Conn., Bush was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican in 1952 to serve out the term of a Democrat who died. He was re-elected in 1956, and after a single full term retired to resume his career in investment banking.

Dorothy Walker

• Born 1901
• Died 1992
• Married to Prescott Sheldon Bush

Born into privilege, Dorothy Walker was educated at Miss Porter’s School in Connecticut. She married Prescott Bush in 1921. She was a distinguished athlete and valued self-effacement and good manners, once chastising her son, then vice president, for reading the printed text as Ronald Reagan delivered a speech.

Marvin Pierce

Magazine Publisher

• Born 1893
• Died 1969
• Married to Pauline Robinson

Marvin Pierce, a distant relation of 14th president Franklin Pierce, was a senior executive at the McCall Corp., a publisher of women’s magazines. Like just about every other figure on the Bush family tree, he was an accomplished athlete, winning renown for his achievements at Miami University in Ohio. He settled in Rye, N.Y., a tony suburb of New York. But his success was marred by terrible tragedy – in September 1949, he ran his car off the road to the train station. He was injured and his wife Pauline Robinson, Barbara Pierce's mother, was killed. In June 1952, he married journalist Willa Gray Martin.

Pauline Robinson

• Born 1896
• Died 1949
• Married to Marvin Pierce

Born in Ohio, Pauline Robinson met Marvin Pierce while the latter was a student at Miami University and she was studying to become a teacher. Pauline was described by a biographer of Barbara Bush as a bit of a spendthrift who doted on Barbara’s elder sister while treating her more coldly. In September 1949, Pauline was riding to the train station with her husband so that she could drive the car home after dropping him off, when a bone china coffee cup she had placed on the seat between them began to tip. When Marvin Pierce reached for the cup to steady it, the car ran off the side of the road and crashed into a tree and a stone wall. He was injured and she was killed.

George Herbert Walker Bush

• Born June 12, 1924
• Married to Barbara Pierce

George Herbert Walker Bush grew up in Greenwich, Conn., where his family had a driver and handyman, a cook, and maids. At Phillips Academy prep school, he was a middling student but a star athlete. He joined the Navy on his 18th birthday, trained as a pilot and deployed to the Pacific, where his plane was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft fire. After Yale, he moved to Texas to enter the oil business. In 1966 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Later he was chairman of the Republican National Committee, ambassador to the U.N., chief diplomat in China and director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In 1980, he was elected vice president under Ronald Reagan, and in 1988, president.

Barbara Pierce

• Born June 8, 1925
• Married to George Herbert Walker Bush

The first Bush first lady was born in New York and raised in Rye, a Westchester County suburb. In 1941, she met George H. W. Bush at a dance in Greenwich, Conn. They married in January 1945. Barbara moved with George Bush as his career in the oil business and later politics took him around the country and beyond. In the White House, she devoted herself to promoting adult literacy. As recently as 2013, Mrs. Bush seemed reluctant to throw herself behind her son Jeb’s presidential ambitions, but in March 2015 her name was attached to a Jeb Bush fundraising letter.

George Walker Bush

U.S. President, Texas Governor

• Born July 6, 1946
• Married to Laura Welch

George W. Bush was born in New Haven, Conn. Raised in Texas, he followed his father and grandfather to Yale and served in the Texas Air National Guard. After earning a business degree from Harvard, he married Laura Welch, worked in the oil business and was an owner of the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball team. Bush was elected governor of Texas in 1994. In 2000, he was elected president despite losing the popular vote to Vice President Al Gore. In 2004, he was decisively re-elected.

Laura Welch

Former First Lady

• Born Nov. 4, 1946
• Married to George Walker Bush

The second Bush first lady hails from Midland, Texas, where her husband also grew up. She worked as a school teacher and librarian before marrying George W. Bush. The couple have two daughters, twins Barbara and Jenna.

Robin Bush

• Born Dec. 20, 1949
• Died Oct. 11, 1953

Pauline Robinson “Robin” Bush died of leukemia at age three, seven months after waking one morning pale and lethargic with bruises on her legs. Her death devastated the family, and in its aftermath, her mother Barbara Bush’s hair began to turn gray though she was just 28 year old.

John Ellis "Jeb" Bush

• Born Feb. 11, 1953
• Married to Columba Garnica

Jeb Bush followed his father to Phillips Academy in Andover. While on a study-abroad program in Mexico, he met Columba Garnica Gallo. The couple married three years later. Bush attended the University of Texas. Later, the family moved to Venezuela, where he worked for a bank. He settled in Florida, where he worked for his father's 1980 and 1988 presidential campaigns, in real estate and banking, and served as Florida secretary of commerce under Gov. Bob Martinez. He was elected governor on his second try, in 1998, and won re-election in 2002. After leaving office in 2007, Bush returned to the business world, serving on corporate boards and holding ownership stakes in a consulting and investment firms.

Columba Garnica

• Born Aug. 17, 1953
• Married to John Ellis "Jeb" Bush

Columba Garnica de Gallo Bush hails from Leon, Mexico, and met Jeb Bush while he was a student there. The daughter of a farmer, she became a U.S. citizen in the 1980s. She shies from the spotlight and takes on few of the public duties customary to a political wife. As first lady of Florida, she became an advocate for domestic abuse victims.

Neil Mallon Bush

Businessman

• Born Jan. 22, 1955

Named for Neil Mallon, his father’s mentor in the oil business, Neil Bush settled in Colorado after working on his father’s 1980 presidential campaign. He soon became embroiled in the savings and loan scandal. The Silverado Banking, Savings and Loan Association, of which he was an outside director, collapsed in 1988, costing the government about $1 billion to bail out depositors. Neil Bush and his partners ultimately agreed to pay $49.5 million to settle an FDIC civil suit alleging negligence and insider dealings. Today Neil Bush sits on corporate boards and is chairman of the Points of Light Foundation, a non-profit founded by his father that promotes volunteerism.

Marvin Pierce Bush

Businessman

• Born Oct. 22, 1956

The youngest of the Bush sons, Marvin has also kept the lowest profile. He went to the University of Virginia and has worked as a businessman, investment manager and corporate board member. As his brother’s tenure in the White House ended, Marvin Bush helped establish the George W Bush presidential library.

Doro Bush

• Born Aug. 18, 1959

The youngest child of President George H.W. Bush, known as Doro, spent part of her adolescence in New York City while her father was ambassador to the U.N. Bashful about her family’s station, she was driven to school by a chauffeur but asked to be dropped off down the street, according to a biography. She has a sociology degree from Boston College. She lived for a time in Maine, where she worked for the Maine tourism office, and later moved to Washington, where she worked at a hospital.

Barbara Pierce Bush

• Born Nov. 25, 1981

Barbara Pierce Bush was seven when her grandfather was sworn in as president, and 19 when her parents moved into the Executive Mansion. At that point, she was a student at Yale, the alma mater of her father, grandfather and great-grandfather. In 2008 she co-founded the non-profit Global Health Corps. On Inauguration Day in January 2009, she and her twin sister, Jenna, penned an article in The Wall Street Journal offering warm advice to the Obama girls (“Have fun and enjoy your childhood in such a magical place to live and play”).

Jenna Welch Bush

• Born Nov. 25, 1981

Jenna Bush Hager was seven when her grandfather was sworn in as president and 19, and a freshman at the University of Texas when her parents moved into the White House. She was married in 2008 to Henry Chase Hager, the son of a former Virginia lieutenant governor, and in 2009 was hired as a special correspondent on NBC’s “Today” show.

George Prescott Bush

Texas Land Commissioner

• Born April 24, 1976

George Prescott Bush was born in Texas, attended Rice University in Houston, and later law school at the University of Texas. He taught school in Miami, served as an officer in the U.S. Navy reserve, worked in private equity and at an investment firm, according to a campaign biography, before following his forbears into politics. In November, he was elected Texas land commissioner.

Noelle Bush

• Born July 26, 1977

John Ellis Bush Jr

• Born Dec. 13, 1983

Photos: Getty Images, George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Ohio Supreme Court, Ancestry.com/U.S. State Department, Stevens Institute of Technology


Source: http://graphics.wsj.com/jeb-bush-family-tree/?mod=e2tw

FIFTY GREAT BOOKS FOR KIDS TO READ THIS SUMMER

FIFTY GREAT BOOKS FOR KIDS TO READ THIS SUMMER

By Valerie Strauss May 30

Here, from Scholastic Instructor, is a list of 50 great books for kids to read over the summer. The list, which was assembled with the help of teachers and others, offers books that will appeal to students from pre-K through eighth grade. Categories of books are humor, fantasy and adventure, nonfiction, realistic fiction, magic and mystery, picture books.

HUMOR

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

By Kelly Jones, illustrated by Katie Kath. Grades 4–6.

In letters to her dearly departed abuelita and others, Sophie worries about missing L.A., her dad’s unemployment, and poultry thieves. Her voice rings true in this tale of family, adventure, and raising chickens.

Return to Augie Hobble

By Lane Smith. Grades 4–7.

“This has a little bit of everything: twisted fairy tales, werewolves, bullies, and humor.”

—Karen Arendt, librarian, T. J. Connor Elementary, Scottsville, NY

The Terrible Two

By Jory John and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kevin Cornell. Grades 4–6.

Far be it from us to condone pranking, but if we were to, we’d recommend this very funny manual on the art. Plus, there are cows, goofy drawings, shouting principals, and other stuff preteens will find hilarious.

Petlandia

By Peter Hannan. Grades 2–5.

A fiendish alpha cat, her dim-witted canine nemesis, and a lovesick hamster declare independence from humans and form the nation of Petlandia. Power struggles ensue as rats, snakes, and even fleas demand a voice. Sublimely immature.

Frank Einstein and the ¬Electro-Finger

By Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Brian Biggs. Grades 3–6.

“It has action and adventure, it’s graphic-intensive, and it has a superhero vibe. I just won’t mention the science part too loudly.” —Kendra Patterson, librarian, Andrews (TX) Middle School

Cassidy’s Guide to Everyday Etiquette (and Obfuscation)

By Sue Stauffacher. Grades 3–7.

Worst Summer Ever? That’s what it looks like to tomboy Cassidy, who is dreading the five weeks she must spend in etiquette classes. Not to mention her mother’s tendency to use words like obfuscation.

Dragons at Crumbling Castle

By Terry Pratchett. Grades 4–7.

From the fertile imagination of the late best-selling author comes a ridiculously droll collection of stories that are one part Roald Dahl, one part Monty Python, and the rest pure Pratchett.

Rude Cakes

By Rowboat Watkins. Grades K–2.

This pretty pink cake is a nasty piece of work—pushy and rude—until it’s taught a lesson about manners by a goofy troupe of colorful Cyclopses.

FANTASY AND ADVENTURE

Circus Mirandus

By Cassie Beasley. Grades 4–8.

“Some books take readers to different places or let us experience fantastical lands, but Circus Mirandus brings the magic to our world.” —Jen Vincent, coordinator of instructional technology, School District U-46, Elgin, IL

Last of the Sandwalkers

By Jay Hosler. Grades 4–7.

In this funny, adventure-filled graphic novel deeply rooted in science, a society of beetles, led by young scientist Lucy, explores the precarious desert world outside its palm tree.

Ratscalibur

By Josh Lieb. Grades 3–7.

With his super-heightened sense of smell (chicken bones—yum!) and a magical spork dubbed Ratscalibur in hand, kid-turned-rat Joey fights to save a kingdom of fellow rats.

The Princess in Black

By Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Grades K–3.

Princesses in black are bored by teatime, gallop breakneck on jet-black ponies (not pink-maned unicorns), and rescue boys from monsters. Finally, the perfect role-model princess!

Nightbird

By Alice Hoffman. Grades 5–8.

In a place where monsters might be real, 12-year-old Twig stores up her hurts “as if they were a tower made of fallen stars”—until she finds a friend to help her break a curse and release her family’s secrets.

Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures

By Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater. Grades 3–6.

High-strung unicorns and lilac-horned Pomeranians are a few of Pip’s allies as she battles villains like government functionary Mrs. Dreadbatch in this fantastical field guide to magical creatures.

The Lost Track of Time

By Paige Britt, illustrated by Lee White. Grades 4–7.

“For fans of The Phantom Tollbooth, Alice in Wonderland, puns, space-time continuums, philosophy, and, most of all, those who know the value of a good idea, this book is a must-read.” —Brian Wyzlic, teacher, Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, Marine City, MI

Interstellar Cinderella

By Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Meg Hunt. Grades K–3.

Antimatter hammers and sonic socket wrenches are the tools a space-age Cinderella uses to win the heart of the prince—and the happy ending involves her agreeing to be his chief mechanic, not his royal bride.

NONFICTION

Welcome to the Neighborwood

By Shawn Sheehy. Grades K–2.

This intricate pop-up book explores the dwellings of seven animals that share the same forest home.

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

By Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Sean Qualls. Grades K–3.

Emmanuel was born with only one functioning leg, but that didn’t stop him from achieving great things. As a child, he hopped to school two miles each way; as an adult, he bicycled 400 miles across Ghana for disability awareness.

Gingerbread for Liberty!: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution

By Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch.  Grades 1–4.

Young history buffs will love this story about a Philadelphia baker who helped change the course of the Revolutionary War with gingerbread—and kindness.

Growing up Pedro

By Matt Tavares. Grades 2–5.

This picture-book bio captures the struggles, and the deep brotherly bond, of MLB legends Pedro and Ramón Martinez—from their impoverished upbringing in the Dominican Republic to their glory days in the big leagues.

A Nest Is Noisy

By Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long. Grades K–3.

Whether it’s the foamy home of a frog or the sandy one of a sea turtle, this book reminds readers that all nests bustle with activity.

Why’d They Wear That?: Fashion As the Mirror of History

By Sarah Albee. Grades 5–8.

Ever wonder why ruff collars became all the rage during the Renaissance or how sneakers came to be? Learn from this detailed account of fashion through the ages.

The Founding Fathers!: The Horse-Ridin’, Fiddle-Playin’, Book-Readin’, Gun-Totin’ ¬Gentlemen Who Started America

By Jonah Winter, illustrated by Barry Blitt. Grades 3–5.

“Kids will love learning about the early leaders of our country, and the good, the bad, and the ugly character traits of each one.” —Holly Mueller, fifth- and sixth-grade ELA gifted intervention specialist, Kings Local School District (OH)

I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives

By Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda, with Liz Welch. Grades 6–8.

Caitlin and Martin lived a world apart—she in the U.S., he in Zimbabwe—but they were brought together by a pen pal exchange that lasted six years. This uplifting memoir will have students reaching for their pens.

REALISTIC FICTION

A Handful of Stars

By Cynthia Lord. Grades 3–7.

“Lord weaves themes of acceptance, friendship, and bravery into a novel that also celebrates the beauty of nature and the richness that animal companions bring to our lives.” —Jennifer Brittin, K–5 media teacher, Warren E. Sooy Jr. Elementary School, Hammonton, NJ

The Penderwicks in Spring

By Jeanne Birdsall. Grades 3–7.

The fourth installment of this series finds the Penderwicks with a new sibling named Lydia. It’s an endearing story about friendship and family.

Listen, Slowly

By Thanhhà Lai. Grades 5–8.

On a trip to Vietnam, California-born protagonist Mai struggles to find a balance between the culture she was raised in and her family’s roots. Unlike Lai’s award-winningInside Out and Back Again, this story is told in prose instead of poetry, but it’s equally as powerful.

Gone Crazy in Alabama

By Rita Williams-Garcia. Grades 4–6.

The award-winning author rounds out a trilogy about three sisters as they travel from Brooklyn to Alabama to visit their grandmother.

Dear Hank Williams

By Kimberly Willis Holt. Grades 4–7.

Eleven-year-old Tate P. Ellerbee writes a series of letters to country music star Hank Williams as part of a class assignment in a relatable story of family, tragedy, and love.

Ice Cream Summer

By Peter Sís. Grades K–3.

Sís cleverly slips lessons on history, vocabulary, and math into this tale of summer fun as Joe narrates everything he’s learned in a letter to his grandfather.

The Way Home Looks Now

By Wendy Wan-Long Shang. Grades 4–7.

Amid family loss, a boy turns to baseball in hopes of bringing some normalcy back to his homelife. This touching story is more than a sports book—it’s a testament to the healing power of family.

Fish in a Tree

By Linda Mullaly Hunt. Grades 4–7.

Ally struggles with dyslexia, which she covers up with troublemaking antics. Mr. Daniels—who reminds his students of the maxim that no one should “judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree”—is a wonderful role model.

Lost in the Sun

By Lisa Graff. Grades 5–8.

Perfect for students preparing for middle school, Graff’s latest is all about making a fresh start. Trent struggles with a tragic accident in his past while trying to start anew.

MAGIC & MYSTERY

The Island of Dr. Libris

By Chris Grabenstein. Grades 3–7.

Stuck at an old cabin with a broken iPhone, 12-year-old Billy braces himself for a boring summer—until he opens a book.

Echo

By Pam Muñoz Ryan. Grades 5–9.

Set before and during WWII, this magical tale follows an enchanted harmonica and the lives it touches as it travels through space and time.

Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective: The Sweetest Heist in History

By Octavia Spencer. Grades 4–7.

“The diverse cast of characters solves an intriguing mystery that is more interesting than ones in many clue-oriented books.” —Karen Yingling, teacher-librarian, Blendon Middle School, Westerville, OH

Pieces and Players

By Blue Balliett. Grades 3–7.

Thirteen masterpieces go missing from a museum, and finding the perpetrator might be tough—but it’s nothing compared with becoming a teenager.

Smashie McPerter and the Mystery of Room 11

By N. Griffin, illustrated by Kate Hindley. Grades 2–5.

When Room 11’s hamster goes missing, Smashie and best friend Dontel are on the case. Great for developing logical reasoning skills.

Wiilliam & the Missing ¬Masterpiece

By Helen Hancocks. Grades K–2.

Crisis in Paris: The Mona Cheesa is missing! William, cat detective, agrees to put his vacation on hold and use his observational skills to save the day.

Honey

By Sarah Weeks. Grades 3–7.

When Melody overhears her widowed father calling someone “honey,” she sets out to track down the mystery woman—and discovers a connection to her mother.

Bayou Magic

By Jewell Parker Rhodes. Grades 3–7.

New Orleans native Maddy is nervous about spending a summer with her grandmother, but she soon discovers the magic of the bayou—and her own ancestors.

Book Scavenger

By Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. Grades 4–9.

Emily’s family is always moving. One constant: Book Scavenger, a game where players solve puzzles to find books. When the game’s creator is attacked, Emily embarks on the ultimate scavenger hunt.

PICTURE BOOKS

Last Stop on Market Street

By Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson. Grades 2–5.

CJ’s nana helps him see beyond poverty to the beauty around them. De la Peña tackles questions of class and privilege in a way that will resonate.

Sea Rex

By Molly Idle. Grades K–1.

Cordelia enjoys a day of fun with her little brother, a basket of beach supplies, and a few dinosaurs. Kids will absorb summer safety tips while laughing out loud at Idle’s subtle humor.

An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns

By Betsy R. Rosenthal, illustrated by Jago. Grades K–3.

“Who could resist the shiver of sharks with their scarves and hats? I highly recommend this for any language arts class.” —Suzanne Costner, library media specialist, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN

Duncan the Story Dragon

By Amanda Driscoll. Grades K–2.

Duncan has a problem: He loves to read, but when he gets excited, his fire-breath burns the story up!

Marilyn’s Monster

By Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Matt Phelan. Grades K–3.

In a world where every kid has his or her own monster, Marilyn hasn’t found hers yet. Rather than wait as told, she sets off to find her monster—and prove that it doesn’t always pay to play by the rules.

999 frogs and a Little Brother

By Ken Kimura, illustrated by Yasunari Murakami. Grades K–2.

When the smallest tadpole in the family meets a baby crayfish, he is thrilled to be mistaken for the crayfish’s big brother. What begins as a funny misunderstanding becomes a sweet friendship.

How to Read a Story

By Kate Messner, illustrated by Mark Siegel. Grades K–3.

Messner takes young readers from the library shelf to “the end” with time-tested tips such as “Find a cozy reading spot…just be careful not to get stuck.” What better way to get kids excited about reading?

Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music

By Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael López. Grades K–3.

Based on a true story, this vibrant book stars a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who dreamed of playing the drums at a time when female drummers were taboo. The poetic verse has a beat of its own.

Cell phone radiation: A self-defense guide (What precautions can I take to reduce exposure to cell phone radiation?)

What precautions can I take to reduce exposure to cell phone radiation?


• Don't put your cell phone right next to your body. Moving a cell phone even an inch from the body can greatly reduce radiation exposure. Signal strength falls off as the square of the distance to the source. This means that if you double the distance to the source, which is the cell phone to your head, the signal strength would be four times less, since two squared is four. If you triple the distance, the signal strength would be nine times less, and so on. At 10 times the distance between the cell phone and your head, the signal strength is 100 times less, and at 100 times the distance, it would be 10,000 times less.


• Keep conversations short. The less you talk on your cell phone, the less exposure to radiation you will have. So by keeping voice conversations short, you're limiting your exposure.


• Use a headset. Experts recommend using either a wired headset or a Bluetooth headset. While you may still be exposed to some radiation using either type of headset, it's still a lot less than holding the phone to your ear. If you do use a Bluetooth headset, I'd recommend taking it out of your ear when you're not using it. There's no need to continue to expose yourself to low levels of electromagnetic radiation when you don't need to, since we still don't know the long-term effects of radiation exposure at these low levels.


• Use the speaker phone function of the cell phone. For the same reason you'd use a headset, using a speaker phone is another good option. It keeps the cell phone away from your body, and you don't have to worry about using a headset. Of course, the downside is that everyone around you will hear your conversation, so this may only be something you do when you're at home or somewhere private.


• Turn your cell phone off when you are not using it. For example, turn off your phone when you go to sleep at night. Or at the very least turn off the cellular radio in your phone. Many smartphones, such as the iPhone, allow you to put your phone in "airplane mode." This shuts down the cellular radio portion of your phone. You can also turn off the Wi-Fi radio, too, just to be safe.


• Avoid using your cell phone in places where you get a poor signal. Many consumers also don't realize that cell phones emit different amounts of radiation depending on where they are with respect to a wireless operator's cell phone tower. Cell phones are constantly communicating with cell phone towers, but the further away the subscriber is from the cell tower, the weaker the signal. In order to connect to the cell tower, the device must boost its power, which increases the amount of radiation emitted. This means that if you get poor reception in your basement, you should move upstairs to your living room, where you have better reception, to talk on your cell phone. Tawkon's Friedlander noted that a minute of talk time in a "red zone," where the radiation is likely higher because of a poor cell phone signal, is equivalent to the amount of exposure you'd get talking on the phone for three hours in a "green zone," where reception is good and the radiation emitted from a cell phone is much less.


• Text, IM, or use the Net more than talking on your phone. When you're texting or using your phone to access the Internet, you aren't holding it up to your head the same way you would if you were talking on it. So texting and using other forms of communication that don't require you to put the phone to your head or right next to your body are good ways to reduce exposure.


• Carry your cell phone in your purse or backpack instead of in your pocket. Again, it's all about creating distance between you and your cell phone. So if you carry your phone away from your body, then you are reducing your exposure.


I've heard device makers warn that cell phones shouldn't be held too close to your head. Is this true?

User manuals from most cell phones suggest keeping the phone a certain distance from your head rather than pressed up against your ear. The iPhone 4 manual says: "When using iPhone near your body for voice calls or for wireless data transmission over a cellular network, keep iPhone at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) away from the body, and only use carrying cases, belt clips, or holders that do not have metal parts and that maintain at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) separation between iPhone and the body."


Many people have interpreted this as a warning from Apple about keeping the device a certain distance from your body. But the disclosure is written that way because that is how the cell phones are actually tested.

In the testing procedures the FCC uses to certify that cell phones don't exceed the 1.6 watts per kilogram SAR limit, the commission chose to test the phones at a distance of between 0.59 inches and 0.98 inches (1.5cm to 2.5cm) from the body. It also tests the devices in a "body-worn" configuration and specifies that this should be done with the device in a belt clip or holster. If a belt clip or holster was not supplied with the phone, the FCC has told testers to assume a separation distance of between 0.59 inches and 0.98 inches (1.5 cm to 2.5 cm) during a test.
In other words, the FCC's testing protocol does not test for phones that are broadcasting at full power while inside your pants pocket or pushed up against your ear, two of the most likely ways cell phones are actually used.
Given the current testing guidelines, it's hard to say whether cell phones sold in the U.S. would exceed 1.6 watts per kilogram if they were in a pocket or against your ear. But officials at the FCC have said that there is enough of a cushion built in to the current standard that they believe that all cell phones in the U.S. are safe.


I've seen advertisements for cell phone radiation shields that supposedly block cell phones from emitting radiation. Do these shields work?

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, says that manufacturer claims regarding so-called "shields" are mostly baseless.
According to the FTC, there is no scientific proof that these "shields" significantly reduce RF radiation exposure from cell phones. The agency warns that some of the shield products that claim to block radiation from the earpiece or another part of the phone can interfere with the phone's voice signal, which may cause the device to use even more power to communicate with cell phone towers. And this could lead to the cell phone emitting even more radiation.


What about the app from Tawkon that was mentioned earlier in this article? Is that app useful in reducing radiation exposure?

The Tawkon app supposedly monitors the SAR level and alerts users when it gets above a certain limit. To be honest, I don't know how accurate the Tawkon application is. There are a lot of factors that go into calculating the SAR level of a phone at any given moment. But the company claims its application uses an algorithm that measures your SAR by using the phone's GPS technology and accelerometers to gauge the position and proximity of the device to the body to determine the amount of radiation that's being absorbed by the person using the phone.


The company is also using anonymous information culled from its users to provide free access to a radiation map, powered by Google Maps, that makes radiation exposure levels publicly available to users worldwide.
The app also provides an in-home or office map that lets users predict where radiation would be the lowest and highest, based on their individual usage. The idea is that given this information, consumers can choose to use their mobile phones in areas where radiation is the lowest, or they can reduce exposure in areas with more radiation by using a headset. The app also provides personal statistics based on usage that give wireless subscribers an indication of how much radiation they've likely been exposed to during the last call, day, week, month, or six months.
So assuming that the way it measures SAR is accurate, the Tawkon application could provide you with more information about when and where your phone is likely to emit more radiation, and then it allows you to decide how you will change your behavior to minimize exposure.


Tawkon initially released its app for Research In Motion's BlackBerry operating system. And now it offers the app for the Google Android OS. The company submitted its app to the iPhone App Store, but it was rejected. However, iPhone customers can still use the app if they jailbreak their phone and get the app through Cydia, a software application for iOS devices that lets a user find and download software for jailbroken iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads.
Because the application must be tested and calibrated for each individual piece of hardware, it is not yet available for every BlackBerry or Android device. So potential users should check Tawkon's Web site for device availability.
The app can either be purchased from the BlackBerry App World or Android Market for $9.99, or users can get the app for free if they agree to accept mobile advertisements. The iPhone app for jailbroken devices is free and does not include
advertisements.


Are children at an increased risk for cell phone radiation exposure and its effects?

Many experts believe that if risks exist owing to cell phone radiation, children will likely be affected more than adults. There are a couple of reasons for this. For one, children today are likely to begin using cell phones at a much younger age than their parents did, which means they will be exposed to this low-power radiation for a much longer period of time over their lifespan than today's adults.
And secondly, children have smaller heads and thinner skulls than adults. And as a result, radiation is believed to penetrate more deeply into children than adults. What's more, cell phones may have a greater effect on children's brains because their brains are still developing.
Some researchers have suggested that children might be more likely to suffer from memory loss, sleeping disorders, and headaches as a result of cell phone radiation exposure, as well as be at increased risk of some cancers later in life. Several countries, including Russia, Germany, France, Israel, Finland, and the United Kingdom, have issued warnings against children using cell phones.
In the U.S., meanwhile, efforts to require warning labels or requirements to provide more information about the SAR of a particular phone at the point of sale have so far been largely unsuccessful. Check out CNET Reviews editor Kent German's recent story that surveys the current state of cell phone radiation warning legislation.


Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20068419-266/cell-phone-radiation-a-self-defense-guide-faq/#ixzz1OZtL92Hq