OLeary flying high as personal taxi service firm remains profitable

By Gordon Deegan

Monday, July 09, 2012

Tillingdale Ltds financial performance last year may not be enough to persuade Michael OLeary to leave the airline business anytime soon, but the Ryanair bosss taxi firm remains profitable.

The firm provides a personal taxi service to Mr OLeary and the figures show that its accumulated profits increased by more than 7% from 582,637 to 624,144 last year.

Mr OLeary and his wife, Anita, are Tillingdale Ltds directors and the firm provides a taxi service for Mr OLeary to his workplace at Ryanairs Dublin Airport headquaraters from his home in Mullingar.

Mr OLearys purchase of a taxi plate sparked outrage and amusement in 2003, allowing the Ryanair chief executive to travel to work on the 174km round trip in taxi and bus lanes.

However, the enterprise is perfectly legal as long as Mr OLearys journeys are metered and the vehicle has a driver present.

The company established in 2000 and which also provides horse breeding services is wholly owned by the OLearys.

Tillingdales cash decreased from 813,197 to 547,218 in the 12 months to the end of August last year. But, in spite of the drop in cash, the firms balance sheet strengthened with net assets increasing from 582,640 to 624,147. This followed a large drop in the companys creditors, decreasing from 482,162 to 204,590.

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O’Leary flying high as personal taxi service firm remains profitable

PALO ALTO, CA--(Marketwire -07/09/12)- HP (HPQ) today expanded its all-in-one desktop PC portfolio with business and consumer designs that deliver multimedia-rich performance, trusted reliability and enhanced security in a small footprint.

The new all-in-ones are designed as cost-, space- and energy-efficient alternatives to a traditional desktop and monitor combination for consumers and businesses, including government, healthcare, education and retail customers. The new lineup also includes touch-enabled solutions for businesses, building on 30 years of touch-technology innovation for convenient and intuitive computing.

"Customers have been asking for all-in-one PC designs that do not compromise on performance, reliability or security," said Emilio Ghilardi, vice president, PC Division, Americas, HP. "With these sleek, elegant designs and powerful options, HP continues to innovate to meet the needs of a growing marketplace."

Products announced today are:

"All-in-one PCs are expected to grow in popularity, accounting for 27 percent(1) of worldwide desktop PC sales by 2016," said Danielle Levitas, group vice president, IDC. "In a recent commercial PC buyer study in the United States, IDC found that the purchase intent for all-in-ones was up across the range of small to large businesses. This trend puts vendors with a broad offering of all-in-one products and options -- like HP -- in a very good position to meet that growing commercial demand."

Smart designs for accelerated business efficiency The HP Compaq Elite 8300 All-in-One Business PC, HP's most powerful and multimedia-rich all-in-one PC, provides demanding enterprise users with proven performance and the option for intuitive touch experiences. An attractive, space-efficient solution ideal for customer-facing work areas, kiosks and more, the PC features a 23-inch diagonal, full high-definition (HD)(2) display with an optional built-in 2-megapixel (MP) webcam and dual microphone array. SRS Premium Sound PRO also comes standard for high-frequency definition in a variety of listening environments.

Powered by third- and second-generation Intel Core vPro processors(3, 4) that provide outstanding performance, the HP Compaq Elite 8300 All-in-One offers Intel HD Graphics or a choice of discrete graphics to enhance imagery and multimedia capabilities. Intel Smart Response Technology disk cache solution(5) also delivers a level of performance normally associated with solid state drives, while retaining the data-storage capacity of today's large hard disk drives.

With its added touch functionality, the HP Compaq Elite 8300 Touch All-in-One employs multitouch, optical technology for interactive healthcare, retail and other applications. The multitouch technology recognizes simultaneous input from two fingers to enable the use of gestures, and the onboard suite of HP touch-enabled software provides interaction with files, media and productivity applications.

The HP Compaq Elite 8300 Touch All-in-One provides a solution for healthcare patients to conveniently enter personal data and for students to stay engaged. Both of the space-saving HP Compaq Elite 8300 models also feature VESA-compatible mounting,(6) which allows retail business to save valuable floor space and lets manufacturing facilities deploy systems in easily accessible areas without cluttering work space.

The HP Compaq Pro 6300 All-in-One Business PC is a mainstream business-class all-in-one designed for reliable and consistent computing. The non-touch PC sports third- and second-generation Intel Core processors(3) with optional discrete graphics for solid performance and simple manageability for growing business environments, including government organizations. It offers a 21.5-inch diagonal, full HD,(2) LED-backlit display, internal stereo speakers and optional 2MP webcam.

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HP Expands All-in-One PC Portfolio, Offering Businesses and Consumers Performance, Reliability and Security

Team SCANs 16U team is nationally recognized as one of the countrys top teams, but the 15U group isnt far behind.

The Bronx-based team traveled to Madison, N.J. for the Elite Proving Grounds tournament and came away champions. The group, which also included players from the 14U group, won the championship game against a tough Team IZOD team based out of northern New Jersey, 59-52. SCAN also defeated Team Philly Triple Threat in the semi-finals while Team Izod defeated The City to advance to the final.

SCAN was led in double figures by point guard Bryce Aiken, shooting guard Devonte Green and forwards Cheik Diallo and Thomas Bryant. The 6'9 Diallo, who attends Our Savior New American, was awarded the tournament MVP for his efforts in the championship game, recording a near triple double.

SCAN received huge contributions from Chancellor Ellis, Temple Gibbs, Unique McLean, Dondre Rhoden, Matt Zignorski, and Austrian Robinson. Head Coach Oswald Cross, flanked by assistants Sean MacIsaac, Howie Joseph and Carom Carmichael, were happy with the teams overall effort, unselfishness and defensive intensity.

"It's great to see such talented group of individuals put aside their own personal stats and accolades for the greater good of the team, Cross said. It's what we as coaches try to preach and it showed today and hopefully stays the same throughout the remainder of the summer.

The team has enjoyed great success during the spring portion of their season and hopes that this championship gives them a great head of steam heading into the July live recruiting period. The 2015 team is scheduled to play in showcases in Springfield, Mass., South Carolina and Las Vegas. The 2016 group, meanwhile, will head down to Orlando, Fla. for the AAU Nationals.

zbraziller@nypost.com

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Adding to program's recent success, SCAN 15's win Elite Proving Grounds

Lesley Young, Special to The Commercial Appeal

Cheryl Schlitt, 49, of Germantown transformed from a stay-at-home mom who wore a size 23, to boxing six days a week, slipping into a size 8, and becoming her trainer's professional boxing sponsor as Boxer Girl.

Before: "I had been overweight forever," said Cheryl Schlitt, with daughter Megan.

For 20 years Cheryl Schlitt was a typical stay-at-home mom.

She raised two children, volunteered at St. George's Independent School, and led the PTA.

She was also a size 23.

"I had been overweight forever," said Schlitt, 49, of Germantown.

Once her kids went away to college, she viewed her status as a mother a little differently.

"I was not going to be a dumpy college mom," she said.

Little did she know that seeking out the help of a personal trainer would lead her not only to boxing six days a week, but also to becoming a prizefight sponsor.

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Success Story: Boxing routine turns 'princess' into puncher

Dr. Linda J. Ferguson is an author, speaker, coach, and seminar leader to support people leading a joyful and awakened spiritual life. Linda's website contains videos, meditations, affirmations, and other useful resources for spiritual growth and personal development. Readers can also find inspiring and informative ideas at Linda's blog to enrich their spirituality for everyday living .

Dr. Ferguson is author of two books The Path for Greatness: Work as Spiritual Service and Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand: Awakening Soul Consciousness for the New Millennium. Readers often find the exercises at the end of every chapter very valuable and practical. They can apply the ideas immediately in their life and see results.

Linda has conducted three national book tours, presented at national conferences, and conducted worship services to inspired and appreciative audiences. Linda also leads Shamanic Journeys, spiritual study groups, and retreats for people who want to dive deeper into the insights and ideas offered in her books on spiritual growth and transformation.

Dr. Ferguson has developed a seven step process of Transformational EmpowermentTM, for personal mastery. She developed this powerful process of manifesting and creating positive life changes from her own life experiences, her work with her coaching clients, and her study of mysticism.

She uses the spiritual principles found in her Transformational EmpowermentTM process in her coaching practice so that her clients are able to more effectively move through their important life changes. Her coaching provides a structured and consistent venue so that people can make positive changes in their life easily and confidently.

Linda has been on radio interviews and has featured articles in Interbeing, a journal of personal and professional mastery. She also writes a weekly blog to support people's desire to integrate their spiritual life with their professional life.

Dr. Ferguson earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University (I.U.-Bloomington) in Organizational Behavior with a Masters also from I.U. studying Social Psychology. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology and management. Linda did her coach training in 2004 from Coach Training Alliance, completed her certification in Team Coaching, and has CCE credits from International Coach Federation (ICF).

In 1994 she traveled abroad for six months to Asia, Australia, Israel, and Europe before moving to Virginia where she currently lives. Her personal spiritual practice includes daily prayer and meditation, Sufi Dances of Universal Peace, Integral Yoga, Native American Sweat Lodges and other Earth-based ceremonies.

Could you please tell us a bit about your book? The story? The characters?

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Interview: Dr. Linda J. Ferguson, Ph.D, Author of Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand: Awakening Soul Consciousness for ...

IT has been a hectic two months for SME Corp Malaysia and at a personal level, I feel like I have just ended a roller-coaster ride, with quadruple loops!

We finally closed off the seven series of Jom Niaga, followed by SMIDEX, Asean-India SME Conference and SME Week at end of last month. After these roadshows, consumer fairs and trade exhibitions, we were pleasantly honoured with a visit from our new Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa, to our new premises at Platinum Sentral, barely 10 days after he took office. It gives me great pleasure to announce that we were his first "Turun Padang" destination.

Going down memory lane, as the pioneer group, consisting of eleven employees, to start the Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation (SMIDEC), SME Corp Malaysia has indeed come long way since its inception in 1996. SMIDEC was then tasked to spur the development of small and medium industries (SMIs) through the provision of financial assistance, advisory services, market access and other support programmes, very much skewed towards the manufacturing sector.

A new chapter unfolded when the National SME Development Council (NSDC), the highest policy-making body on SME development chaired by the prime minister, was set up in 2004. Our mandate was heightened to spearhead the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, formulating policies and coordinating implementation of development programmes across the 15 ministries and more than 60 agencies in all economic sectors.

It was only in 2009 that SMIDEC was rebranded to SME Corp Malaysia.

Looking back, before the National SME Development Council (NSDC) was set up in 2004, there was no specific policy or framework for the overall development of SMEs in our nation. However, in the recent years, we have made progress in that the growth from our SMEs has consistently outperformed the average economic growth of the overall gross national products (GDP). While our GDP is growing at an average of 4.9 per cent per annum, the SMEs were growing at a rate of 6.8 per cent per annum.

It is indeed a phenomenal progress, considering it was only eight short years that policies and programmes were coordinated among ministries and agencies, with the aim of streamlining efforts, optimising resources, reducing duplication as well as guiding stakeholders to ensure greater effectiveness of the delivery of government programmes. Policy initiatives introduced by NSDC have yielded positive results and were the key factors for the higher growth trajectory of SMEs between 2004 and 2010.

Yet, exciting times have not come to a halt and we are now on the road to another transformational journey that will bring us into a more intense phase. The SME Masterplan 2012-2020 will be the growth accelerator for SMEs to achieve the desired 41 per cent contribution to the GDP, 62 per cent in employment share and 25 per cent of exports by 2020.

Considered as a "living document", the SME Masterplan focuses on creating an enabling business ecosystem to accelerate and expedite the growth of SMEs. The plan lays out policy direction of SMEs across all economic sectors, including specific strategic areas, through the year 2020 in line with the aspirations of becoming a high-income nation.

A total of 32 initiatives comprising six high-impact programmes have been identified under the SME Masterplan. These programmes will be implemented by a lead ministry/agency and coordinated by SME Corp Malaysia to ensure that these programmes, along with the other complementary initiatives, will achieve the intended goals, measured through an outcome-based approach.

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On new journey, guided by the Plan

ARLINGTON --

General registration under way at John Tyler

General registration for classes at John Tyler Community College's fall semester starts today and runs through Aug. 17.

A complete list of fall classes may be found at http://www.jtcc.edu/schedule.

Students already enrolled at the college may register online at http://www.jtcc.edu, using the Student Information System found in myTyler. They also may register in person at the Chester Campus, 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, or the Midlothian Campus, 800 Charter Colony Parkway.

Hours for in-person registration are as follows:

Chester campus: Mondays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Midlothian campus: Mondays through Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuition and fees are $124.50 per credit hour for Virginia residents and $316.60 per credit hour for out-of-state residents. All students must pay a comprehensive fee of $25. Tuition and fees must be paid the week a student registers.

Individuals interested in attending John Tyler but not enrolled at the college must first submit an application for admission. The application for admission may be found online at http://www.jtcc.edu, or it may be picked up at the Chester or Midlothian campuses. There is no application fee.

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Education news for Monday, July 9

By Lucy Kite

PUBLISHED: 07:04 EST, 8 July 2012 | UPDATED: 07:41 EST, 8 July 2012

Formentera is a hop and a skip from hedonistic Ibiza and the destination for my week of bliss. There is no airport here the only person with enough land to build one has chosen not to for fear of ruining the island.

So after a 30-minute boat trip from Ibiza Town and a short taxi ride, I find myself at the Gecko Beach Club. It is the island's premiere luxury hotel and home to young, beautiful bar staff, bleached wood rooms, palm-tree-lined gardens and me, for the next four days.

Into the groove: Lucy (front of shot) is put through her paces by instructor Jax

This isn't your typical yoga retreat. Here there is food, fun and as much guilt-free wine as you desire. But you don't come on a break like this unless you need to be nurtured, recharged and feel human again.

The therapy begins at the first class that afternoon, where we are told to stop thinking and start feeling. If that means I'll end up looking like our teacher Jax May Lysycia (supermodel/mermaid), then count me in.

Jax takes her nervous students, who range from yoga virgins to advanced teachers, through a two-hour session and by the end we feel amazing and starving hungry, ready for dinner.

The food here is fairly basic for the yoga group not quite birdseed but certainly vegetarian but it's tasty and we feel better for it, if not a bit smug for being so healthy. I slope off for an early night and the best sleep I've had in weeks.

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Yoga retreats: Feeling better in Formentera, just a hop from Ibiza

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WmXM6A9sV0

07-07-2012 22:52 It takes someone quite ordinary at first to master extraordinary by Jm Liddy Hello ! how are you? I am on here to try to help everyone eat better and exercise If you need any help with that email me or call (607) 483-8445 please do notforget to eat raw organic fruit (focusing on the fruit) vegetables (especially dark leafy greens) nuts and seeds and exercise two hours or two miles (walking) a day everyday huge hugs remember you are loved huge hugs dedicating all my videos to my mom who passed on to Heaven April 24, 2012 She will be enormously missed.

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June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health dancing in orange top

Don't Sweat It is a monthly Health & Fitness feature that gives you quick exercises and fitness tips that make living a healthier lifestyle simple. In this issue: activities to do at the office that are easy to incorporate into your busy schedule.

This week, we traveled to Gibson's Gym in Washington Township, N.J., and spoke to Scott Handley, a personal trainer with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.

"Everybody should bring one of these to work," Handley joked while holding a fitness ball. While that would be a good solution to increase exercise at work, the giant ball might not be easily concealed under your desk.

So, Handley gave us a few tips for what you can do at work for a quick fitness fix.

How to: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lift your heels off the floor and hold until you feel a stretch in your calf muscles. Put heels down. Repeat.

Repeat: For 90 seconds to two minutes.

Benefits: This exercise targets the calf muscles. It is a great way to activate muscles while sitting at a desk or typing, Handley says.

Runner's Pose:

How to: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, and run in place.

Repeat: At 30-second intervals.

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Don't Sweat It: Exercise tips for the office