On the surface, this case gives new meaning to "boss from hell."

According to papers filed with the New York State Division of Human Rights, employee Deborah Stevens worked for the billion-dollar Atlantic Automotive Group (AAG) dealership. When she learned her supervisor, Brucia, needed a kidney transplant, she volunteered hers.

Although her kidney didn't prove a match, they worked out an arrangement where Stevens donated her kidney and this elevated Brucia on the donor list and she received a timely transplant.

After the surgery, Brucia said "thanks more than I can ever say." However, the prior positive work relationship disintegrated. According to Stevens, the boss who formerly praised her and to whom she'd given a life-saving gift "started treating me horribly, viciously, inhumanely."

On a day when supervisor Brucia was home recuperating and Stevens left work because she felt ill, Stevens said Brucia called her asking, "Why aren't you at work? You can't come and go as you please." In later encounters, Stevens said Brucia added, "don't expect to be treated special because of what you did for me."

When Stevens told Brucia about her continuing medical issues, Brucia allegedly responded, "I don't care; sounds like a personal problem." Stevens said when she cried, Brucia sent her out of the office.

When Stevens contacted the company's human resources department officer, Jeff Peck, she reported Peck confirmed her co-workers felt Brucia was "torturing" her. Peck convened a meeting between Brucia and Stevens. At this meeting, Brucia critiqued Stevens' work performance. Stevens alleged Peck told Stevens the situation was "too personal." Later, Stevens said she heard that although she was a great employee, the company stood behind her manager.

Gradually, supervisor Brucia removed Stevens' responsibilities, ultimately demoting her by banishment to a high-crime dealership informally called "Siberia," 50 miles from her home. This added 100 miles of commute time to an already pressured working mom and gave her a new boss who said "here come the fake tears" when Stevens cried.

Stevens sought psychiatric and legal advice. Shortly after Stevens' attorney sent a letter to AAG concerning Stevens' mental stress, they offered Stevens a return to her former work location but then fired her. Stevens plans to sue AAG for disability-related discrimination and retaliation.

This situation, which appears wrong on so many levels, inspires the desire to hang a company that didn't adequately accommodate a medically challenged employee who had given so much to a supervisor. Further, it illuminates traps employees and employers may fall into.

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Lynne Curry: Draw line between personal, work lives

Spike Lee will direct a six-performance run of "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth" on Broadway opening Aug. 2. "It is an honor to work with Spike Lee," Tyson said in a statement. "I have always admired his work. Sharing the highlights and lowlights of my life with New York is especially important to me as I was born and raised in Brooklyn. I am thrilled to bring the story of Undisputed Truth to Broadway." The work is billed as "a rare, personal look inside the life and mind of one of the most feared men ever to wear the heavyweight crown ... This riveting one-man show goes beyond the headlines, behind the scenes and between the lines to deliver a must-see theatrical knockout." Tyson appeared at a press event announcing the Broadway engagement with Lee. The autobiographical piece was written by Randy Johnson and Tyson's wife, Kiki Tyson. Tyson and his wife are listed as executive producers along with Adam Steck. ARENA FOOTBALL --The Arena Football League and the AFL Players Union reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, with the outline of the deal being approved on a conference call Saturday night. "It's a great feeling that it's done. Now we can focus on rebuilding the brand," Orlando Predators managing partner Brett Bouchy told the Orlando Sentinel. Under the new five-year agreement that runs through 2013, the minimum player salary will increase to more than $800 per game and continue to increase during the CBA. NHL ---St. Louis Blues' defenseman Barret Jackman was expected to be a hot commodity in NHL free agency, but he's not going to make it to the open market. The Blues signed Jackman to a three-year contract Monday, and the deal is expected to be worth at least $9.5 million over the length of the deal. Jackman, 31, was the 17th overall pick in 1999 and has spent his entire career with the Blues. He dressed in 81 games for the Blues last season recording one goal, 13 points and 57 penalty minutes while tying for second on the club with a plus-20 rating and leading the team overall in blocked shots (153) and shorthanded time on ice per game (3:26). GOLF ---Tiger Woods' return to the British Open after skipping last year's event has the 14-time major champion in a familiar position according to oddsmakers: the favorite to win at 141st British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Anne's Golf Club, scheduled to be played July 19-22. According to Las Vegas Superbook, Woods is the 10-1 favorite ahead of Rory McIlroy (12-1), Lee Westwood (12-1) and U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson (40- COLLEGE BASKETBALL ---Notre Dame announced men's basketball coach Mike Brey has agreed to contract extension through the 2014-2015 season. Brey, 53, just completed his 12th season with the Fighting Irish and has a record of 124-75 at Notre Dame. He has won at least 21 games each of the past six seasons. Brey, a former Duke assistant coach hired by Mike Krzyzewski in 1987, came to Notre Dame from Delaware, where he'd posted a 99-52 career record, including two NCAA Tournament trips. SOCCER ---Jesus Nava scored a late goal to give Spain a 1-0 victory over Croatia in Gdansk, Poland, ensuring the Spaniards a spot in the quarterfinals of the European Championships. Croatia needed a victory to advance. Italy needed a victory to reach the quarterfinals and it got just that with a 2-0 win over Ireland in Posnan, Poland. TENNIS ---David Nalbandian was fined $12,560 by the Association of Tennis Professionals on Monday, had to forfeit his $57,350 in prize money and is facing an assault complaint, all for kicking an advertising board in anger that caused a line judge to be injured, resulting in Nalbandian being disqualified in the finals of the Queen's Club tournament in London on Sunday, the Guardian newspaper reported. Metropolitan police told the Guardian that it will investigate the matter but would not reveal who made the complaint. The line judge in question, Andrew McDougall, sustained a bloody shin when the wooden barrier around the linesman shattered when Nalbandian kicked it after he made an error in his match against Marin Cilic. McDougall was treated at Queen's Club on Sunday but did not require any hospital attention, and was back at work officiating at another tournament on Monday. NBA ---Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who spent time in prison for gambling on games, received $1.3 million from a Florida jury in a civil suit against a company that published a memoir about his life in the NBA. The memoir "Personal Foul: A First-Person account of the Scandal that Rocked the NBA," was published by Shawna Vercher and her now-defunct company VTi Group. Donaghy claimed Vercher pocketed nearly $250,000 in revenue from the book. She claimed Donaghy threatened her and her vendors.

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Press Box: Spike Lee will direct Broadway performance about Tyson

Your phone might be smart. But is it smart enough to replace your financial adviser?

As consumers ditch checkbooks and spreadsheets for services that let them pay bills and monitor their net worth online, a growing number of companies are betting they will choose to receive financial advice not only on their computers but also, increasingly, on their mobile devices.

Finovate, a conference series that showcases new financial applications, expects nearly 200 companies to present at its events this year -- nearly 10 times as many as in 2007. The company, which holds confabs in New York, San Francisco and Europe, will host its first-ever event in Asia in November.

The new web and mobile apps all pull data from the "cloud," that grand repository of storage in the sky. Taken together, the apps hold the potential to disrupt the personal-finance industry by offering new ways to help consumers stick to budgets, stay on top of their portfolios and reduce investment-management fees.

At the same time, critics warn, the apps also could pose security or privacy risks, and, by helping people automate their personal-finance decisions, could foster complacency.

Nonetheless, venture capitalists are betting big. In the first quarter, they gave $150 million in venture-capital funding to companies that have presented at Finovate, more than twice as much as they gave in the first quarter last year.

Their goal: to fund the next Mint.com, which launched five years ago and now boasts more than 9 million users. Its free service, which allows users to aggregate bank and investment information in one place through its website and mobile app (on iPhone and Android) and provides advice on ways to save, took direct aim at desktop personal-finance software such as Intuit (INTU)'s Quicken and Microsoft Money. In 2009, Intuit bought Mint for $170 million. Microsoft (MSFT) discontinued Money that same year.

The newer services aim to replace traditional financial advisers, or to expand on Mint and similar offerings by tapping into the latest research in behavioral finance to ensure you stick to your spending plans.

For example, HelloWallet (apps for iPhone and Android), which debuted last year and now has 350,000 participants, compares a user's spending and savings habits to those of people of similar ages and income levels. The company claims its average participant has increased his or her monthly contribution to savings by 80%.

The services don't always work as smoothly as advertised. Ginger Dean, 30 years old, of Washington, says many of the 10 personal-finance services she has used have experienced occasional glitches that prevent her from immediately updating her account information. When it comes to bill payments, she says, "I feel a lot safer with my bank."

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The Best New Personal Finance Apps

KnowlEdge Series

Leaders in every sector, every function, every size of organisation are increasingly trying to fix what they see as problems of consistency between local teams and those at Headquarters. For example:

Often, organizations respond by creating processes to ensure consistency to subsequently makes the problem disappear. However, the problem does not go away which is characteristic of dilemmas, recurring themes that dont seem to respond to the clear-cut fixes.

This interactive webcast is infused with small group activities to provide frequent opportunities for you to share personal experiences, ask questions and try out ideas and new behaviours in a safe and confidential setting. The process is engaging, fun, experiential and effective. You will examine real-life examples of business situations to clarify the concepts presented.

30 May, 2012 10:30 AM EST [10:30], 04:30 PM CET [16:30], 03:30 PM GMT [15:30] | 01 hr

In Part 1, participants will explore:

Allyson Stewart-Allen Director International Marketing Partners Ltd

Allyson Stewart-Allen is an internationally-recognised marketing advisor who helps leading brands to successfully trade globally.

An accomplished speaker, broadcaster and author, Allyson founded International Marketing Partners to help cli...

Lee Turlington Vice President of Global Product Patagonia

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Think Global, Act Local: Strategies for Success

As owner of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft is used to success. However, Kraft has found some of his own personal success -- away from Gillette Stadium.

Columbia University announced on Monday that Kraft will be inducted in the 2012 class of the Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Kraft earned a bachelor's degree in history and economics from Columbia in 1963. Kraft was a member of the freshman football team in 1959 and the varsity lightweight football team in 1960, earning two letters in football. An injury ended his playing career early in his junior year.

As an alumnus, Kraft has remained active at Columbia, serving as a University trustee for two six-year terms. He was awarded the Alexander Hamilton Medal, the highest honor for a member of the Columbia community, in late 2004.

The induction ceremony will be held Thursday, October 18, 2012 at the Low Memorial Library on Columbia University's Morningside campus. Tickets to the ceremony and black-tie dinner are available by calling Cathleen Clark at (212) 851-9610.

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Robert Kraft to Be Inducted to Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame

SALINAS, Calif., June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

What: Tecnificate, filmed live May 19, was a conference featuring Spanish-speaking businesspersons who share exciting examples of how to leverage Internet technology to grow business. The day proved to be motivational while focusing on the power of new media technology in personal and professional development. Speaker presentations were captured on video and are now available online.

Who: Speakers: Ariel Coro - TV personality and founder of Tutecnologia.com Nancy Rosales - Owner of "Neveria Abel 1950" (markets Latin flavored ice cream online) Becky Krinsky - Co-Owner and founder of "Recipes for Life" Tayde Aburto - Founder of the Hispanic Chamber of e-Commerce Diego Cardenas - Small business owner and Radio/TV personality Francisco Rojas - Small business consultant and marketing strategist

When: Available online as of Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Where: Link: http://nsp.performedia.com/tecnificate Click 'register' and then click 'log in'

Why: Business growth today is driven by the effective use of the Internet and 20% of adult Californians consider Spanish their primary language. This type of Community College outreach will positively impact the California economy both domestically and internationally where Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world next to Mandarin.

ABOUT

The Tecnificate series was launched over a year ago and was the brainchild of Ariel Coro, Tu Technologia, and Steve Wright, iima4biz Initiative Director, Economic & Workforce Development Program, CA Community Colleges. The videos available online are from the third Tecnificate held at Hartnell College in Salinas, CA. Two prior Tecnificate events were held in the Los Angeles area. Tecnificate events have drawn hundreds of attendees from hundreds of miles away. Very few events in California serve the need of the "Spanish speaking technorati" who could have a huge impact on the future California economy.

Ariel Coro is the event producer, Technology Expert for the Hispanic community and author of the new book, El Salto - aprovecha las nuevas tecnologias y alcanza tu potencial (The leap - leverage new technologies and reach your potential). Coro is the host of Tu Tecnologia, a Spanish language broadcast TV segment that educates Hispanic families on the latest technology and autos. His technology column is featured in La Opinion and El Diario La Prensa and is syndicated nationally.

Steve Wright, MBA, MS Telecommunications is the iima4biz Initiative Director, Economic & Workforce Development Program, California Community Colleges. With over 15 years developing technology based economic development projects, Steve leads the iima4biz Initiative with a goal to stimulate California small business growth thru advanced utilization of the Internet. A companion program in English, the iima4biz workshop, is now available online at http://www.web4biz.org.

Link:
Successful Spanish Language Technology Conference, Tecnificate, Educates Spanish-speaking Businesspersons on How to ...

NEW YORK, June 18,2012 /PRNewswire/ --HBA Global Expo & Conference will feature the latest innovations and technologies for product development teams to source for manufacturing their beauty and personal care brands. These new products, along with many more, will be displayed at the event taking place June 19-21, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120618/NY26415 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120426/NY95610LOGO )

Celebrating its 20th year, HBA Global is the most important product development source -- from concept to market -- for the cosmetics, personal care, skin care, fragrance and wellness industries and features a comprehensive educational program, exhibits floor and networking activities.

The new PROMENS ECOsolution ECO-Friendly "bag-in-bottle" AIR-FREE airless bottle systems, and their wide selection of plastic jar products and roll-ons will be showcased by ABA Packaging Corporation. As the exclusive US sales team for the OEKAbeauty, ABA Packaging will also feature innovative mascara, lip-gloss and lipstick packaging as well as luxurious glass from quality sources around the world, wood caps and compacts made from sustainable lumber species. For close to three decades ABA Packaging Corporation has been a trusted full service stocking supplier of primary packaging components for cosmetic, personal care, fragrance, and spa-line product applications. For more information visit ABA Packaging in Booth: 443 or go to http://www.ABAPackaging.com or call 631-758-4200.

Since 1997, The Filling Station, http://www.thefillingstation.net, has been performing first rate tube and small item filling and pack-out and will be part of the Innovations in Tubes Pavilion at HBA Global. The Filling Station's experienced labor force and seasoned packaging officials work from start to finish to reduce waste and provide the best finished product.

Omni Bio Solutions a new emerging leader in growth factor (GF) skin care products is introducing their new skin and hair line called J bio at HBA Global Expo in Booth: 1632. Developed from medical application and then introduced into topical skincare, this state of the art, patent cell formula will change what is expected from anti-aging products. Growth factors are key signaling elements that are vital to maintaining a youthful and vibrant look while reversing the oxidative damage of the sun, environment and toxic stress. Growth factor technology is also being used successfully for encouraging healthy hair growth, reducing the appearance of scars, supporting the skin during post procedure healing and shortening the time of burn wounds. For more information go to: http://www.jbioserum.com

A supplier of Innovative Automation and Feeding Solutions to a diverse range of industries including food & beverage, cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceutical, healthcare, medical, plastics, aeronautic and metal manufacturing, Orientech will be exhibiting at HBA Global in Booth: 1073. They will be spotlighting their latest turnkey technology for syringe includes filling; inspection; labeling and packaging. Orientech partners with its customers to optimize productivity and efficiency enabling them to be more competitive. Orientech's http://www.orientech.com success is a result of extensive in-depth expertise based on more than 25 years of experience in the design, manufacture and integration of flexible, precision assembly systems, and feeding systems.

Precious Cosmetics http://www.preciouscosmetics.com is a contract manufacturing and filling facility for all types of high quality skin care, hair care, color cosmetics and spa products and will be in Booth: 1468. Precious Cosmetics continually invests in upgrading and expanding in-house manufacturing capabilities to meet customers' needs. Precious Cosmetics has a broad range of manufacturing kettles and tanks and can manufacture customer formulations or customized Precious Cosmetics formulations. Sami Mikhail, president of Precious Cosmetics is a skilled chemist and formulator with many years of formulation experience for some of the best health and beauty manufactures including Lancome, Revlon, AM Cosmetics and Cosmetic Manufacturing Resources.

Natural formulations from a leading Canadian manufacturer, Scents Alive, will be in booth: 1468. A highly skilled Canadian formulator and manufacturer of natural cosmetic products and natural candles, Scents Alive in Booth: 1468, support retail brands or products used the spa environment. From shampoos and conditioners to washes scrubs, clays, hydrating and massaging creams and lotions and anti-aging products... Scents Alive can help. If you are looking for Natural candles for your brand or to enhance your spa environment -- Scents Alive can help with their proprietary blends of 100% natural clean and long burning Vegewax. For more information call Laura Sinclair at 905-880-9423 laura@scentsalive.com http://www.scentsalive.com

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New Anti-Aging Skin Care, Primary Packaging, Natural Formulations, Custom Automation & Contract Manufacturing On ...

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPEbXS-p2C0

18-06-2012 09:15 Discusses how online learning provides flexibility and 24/7 accessibility, fits within a busy schedule, and the need for time management.

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Learning On Your Time - Video

HAWTHORNE, N.Y., June 18, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmartPros Ltd. (SPRO), a leader in the field of accredited professional education and corporate training, and Villanova University's College of Engineering, ranked in the top 10 engineering schools in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, today announced an agreement for SmartPros' Engineering division to distribute Villanova's online, self-paced PE Review Course in Power for Electrical Engineers.

Villanova College of Engineering offers a one-of-a-kind PE Review Course in Power for Electrical Engineers and is the most comprehensive online PE review course in electrical power in the country. The PE Review Course in Power for Electrical Engineers will be integrated into SmartPros' Engineering eCampus(TM), which allows a learner to access course lectures, examples, problems and solutions, as well as customize the lectures to their own learning style and needs. The course has over 100 hours of online learning created by Dr. Frank Mercede, PE, member of the Villanova faculty, who is well known in the electrical power profession as a consultant, designer and educator.

"Villanova College of Engineering is recognized as a leader in engineering education and a pioneer in advancing online education not only in the U.S., but worldwide. We believe that teaming with Villanova to distribute their online PE Review Course in Power for Electrical Engineers emphasizes our commitment to providing world-class engineering professional education," said Allen Greene, SmartPros' Chairman and CEO. "We feel that Villanova's online review course will fit in well with our other leading online PE review courses, and help serve the growing demand for the electrical engineering PE designation."

Villanova's PE Review Course in Power for Electrical Engineers is immediately available for any individual or engineering firm looking for a quality, time-efficient, and cost-effective method to prepare for the PE exam.

"Villanova is proud to become a partner with SmartPros," said Jeff Schwarz, Director of E-Learning, Villanova University, College of Engineering. "We feel that their model and format will be an excellent platform for our electrical PE review content. We believe that this will be a valuable tool for members of the engineering community."

"We feel that offering the Villanova electrical PE review course is a logical step to addressing the growing continuing education needs of the electrical engineering, utilities, energy and green engineering markets," said Mark Luciano, Vice President of SmartPros Engineering. "It fits well with our new Engineering eCampus(TM) Learning Management System strategy to offer enterprise-wide learning solutions to the engineering community."

SmartPros Engineering offers FE and PE review courses in civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental and chemical engineering in a variety of learning formats in both online or self-study guides, as well as online continuing education for PDH credits. SmartPros' engineering education is available today at http://www.engineering.smartpros.com.

About Villanova College of Engineering

The Villanova University, College of Engineering, began instruction in 1905 under the name of the School of Technology. It was the fourth engineering program to be established at a Catholic school of higher education in the United States (after The Catholic University of America, 1896, Manhattan College, 1896, and the University of Notre Dame, 1897). The major goal of a Villanova engineering education is: "To provide students with the opportunity to develop a greater technical competence in the chosen area of study." The engineering faculty strives to develop a professional attitude in students; namely, the desire to grow intellectually through the continual search for and use of knowledge, and the motivation to become active, articulate and socially aware citizens. The College of Engineering is committed to its responsibility to develop, collect and disseminate new knowledge in the engineering field and related areas. The College of Engineering offers disciplines in the fields of chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Our Undergraduate Program offers bachelor degrees in all five disciplines. Our Five-Year Program offers combined bachelor and master's degrees in all 5 disciplines as well as Water Resources, Environmental Engineering, and Sustainable Engineering. Our Graduate Program offers master's degrees in all five disciplines as well as Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. Our Doctoral Program offers a Ph.D. in Engineering. Research/thesis topics are based upon the mutual interest of the student and their faculty advisor. Example areas of study include: Thermal Management of Electronics, Robotic and Electromechanical Systems, Automotive Systems, Signal Processing, Radar, Communications Systems, Environmental Protection, and Biotechnology. Our Distance Education Program offers four full online degrees as well as two online certificates.

About Dr. Frank Mercede, P.E.

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SmartPros(R) Announces Agreement With Villanova University's College of Engineering to Distribute an Online PE Review ...

Leading online education portal offers free e-books on college planning and pursuing a career after graduation

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IndiaEducation.com, Indias largest online education portal, has published the first two installments of its new ongoing series of college- and career-focused e-books. Both the "Complete 2012 Guide to Colleges and Universities in India" and the Complete 2012 Guide to Starting a Career in India or Abroad e-books are free and available for instant download.

Whether youre a student with well-defined goals or someone who doesnt know where to begin, our new e-books provide an excellent starting point

India has an estimated 144 million adults between 18 and 23 years old, the target age group for higher education. Although many of these young men and women pass their XII standard exams, few submit college applications. According to the Institute for Integrated Rural Development (IIRD), in 2011, only 12.4 percent of secondary students across India attended college despite the country's more than 26,000 postsecondary institutions.

"Planning for college and a career are big decisions in a young persons life, shared Nina Bhanap, spokesperson for IndiaEducation.com. Being able to provide high quality, accurate and timely resources and materials to assist students and graduates is just one way that we can help with the process.

Highlights from the college and career e-books:

Whether youre a student with well-defined goals or someone who doesnt know where to begin, our new e-books provide an excellent starting point, said Bhanap. Ultimately, we hope to be an online resource that is not only reliable, but also informative and beneficial for our visitors.

For more information on these e-books, including the site's next e-book entitled "The 2012 Beginner's Guide to Online Education," visit IndiaEducation.com and follow @NNEindia on Twitter and Facebook.

About IndiaEducation.com

IndiaEducation.com is part of the National Network of Education (NNE), one of Indias largest online education portals. IndiaEducation.com is the definitive source for XI and XII standard exam results and provides education news, alerts and guidance to current and future college students in India and abroad. IndiaEducation.com is owned and operated by QuinStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ: QNST), one of the largest Internet marketing and media companies in the world. QuinStreet is committed to providing consumers and businesses with the information they need to research, find and select the products, services and brands that meet their needs. The company is a leader in visitor-friendly marketing practices. For more information, please visit QuinStreet.com.

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IndiaEducation.com Launches Free e-Book Series for College Students and New Graduates