Online Features
Business & Careers
Considering self-employment? Career fields with double-digit growth
(BPT) - Americans were born to make lemonade. If you have any doubt about the resiliency of U.S. workers, consider the many reports that indicate millions of Americans are turning life’s lemon of layoffs into an opportunity to work for themselves. With unemployment rates still high, many people are looking to self-emplo...
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The beauty of upcycling
(BPT) - Everything old is new again. At least that’s a simplistic take on the tenets of upcycling, which translates to giving renewed purpose to something others send to landfills. For consumers with a passion for do-it-yourself projects, and the boards on Pinterest to prove it, upcycling has taken root. Some ideas are ...
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Small businesses accelerating growth in 2013 with cloud computing
(BPT) - Small businesses seem optimistic about increasing sales and hiring in 2013 and are looking to squeeze more productivity out of limited time, staffing and resources. For these reasons, finding the right business tools that can grow with you but also work well with the tools you already use are essential to helpi...
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The new year welcomes a new generation of inspiration
(BPT) - In 2012, the world watched as women made historic gains in everything from Congress, with an all-time high of 20 women in the U.S. Senate – to the field, where they’ve won 100 total gold medals at the Olympics. In 2013, MAKERS.com moves us to reflect on the important advances made by women in years past to in...
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Setting up a home office that fuels productivity
(BPT) - One of the biggest mistakes businesspeople make is assuming that working from home will automatically result in a higher level of productivity. Unless you carefully construct your home office environment, you may find that working from home is less productive than you anticipated. Staples, the world’s largest o...
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Where the tech jobs are: in the 'clouds'
(BPT) - The sky is the limit for cloud computing as it continues to drive job growth – garnering interest from Main Street, Wall Street, corporations and governments. A 2012 Microsoft-commissioned report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) indicated that spending on cloud services will generate nearly 14 milli...
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Keep your home safe and warm this winter
(BPT) - This is the time of year when homes need a little TLC as winter’s harsh weather can batter windows, assault rooftops and damage pipes. Luckily, there are several easy tasks to include on home maintenance checklists and most of them are no-cost and low-cost chores that could end up saving homeowners big bucks. “...
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Active duty military: 'We'd do it again'
(BPT) - If you could start over again, would you make the same decision? According to a recent survey, 78 percent of active duty military personnel say a resounding “yes.” When you think of the sacrifices that our men and women in uniform have made, especially in recent years, this overwhelming positive response may seem odd. But when you consider the dedication to duty and our nation that they exhibit, it’s not all that surprising. Yet, as war efforts draw down and the military reduces the...
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After the offer - negotiating your way to a better salary
(BPT) - Your job search has finally paid off. After all the networking events, resume re-dos and mock and real interviews, you finally got an offer for the job you wanted. So now what? Do you just take it or do you dare negotiate? “You should always negotiate a higher salary,” say Vanessa Jackson, assistant director of...
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Five tips to get the best deal on the right tax software
(BPT) - Finding the right tax software can be just as important to ensuring the best possible return as making sure you have all the necessary documents and information. And when you factor in all the different tax software products available and the associated costs, finding the right program can be just as complicated...
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Let technology make this holiday season and 2013 the happiest of all
(BPT) - If you run a small business, you know that the holiday season is a busy but exciting time of year. It’s a time to reflect on the past year’s successes while considering ways to improve your processes for the coming year. As you look forward, it makes sense to take some time to consider how making a few technolog...
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By Andy Sullivan and Kim Dixon WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The outgoing head of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service angered Republican lawmakers on Friday by resisting their demands that he identify who at the tax-collection agency had inappropriately targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny. But during the first hearing into a growing IRS scandal that could preoccupy Washington for months, Republicans did learn that a top official in President Barack Obama's administration knew that the IRS was looking into targeting by the tax agency nearly a year ago. ...
By Joanne von Alroth SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (Reuters) - The Illinois Senate on Friday voted to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which if signed into law would make it the second-most-populous state in the nation after California to allow the drug's use for medical purposes. The bill, approved by the Illinois House in April, now moves to Governor Pat Quinn's desk to await his signature. Quinn has indicated he is sympathetic to the bill, especially as it would benefit injured veterans. "We fully expect Gov. ...
By Michelle McLoughlin FAIRFIELD, Connecticut (Reuters) - A commuter train traveling eastbound from New York City derailed near the Connecticut suburb of Fairfield during the evening rush hour on Friday and collided with a westbound commuter train, injuring up to 60 people, three critically, officials said. The collision of the two Metro North trains forced Amtrak to shut down service indefinitely between New York and Boston, the national railroad said. Three people were critically injured and 60 people were transported to area hospitals, police said. ...