WASHINGTON - Even in a flailing economy, many Texans in Congress have seen their personal net worth swell - and 17 of the state's 34 representatives on Capitol Hill have emerged from the recession with money in the millions.

"It's to be expected that members of Congress would see their holdings recover more quickly than ordinary Americans," says Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University. "They arrive in Congress better educated and wealthier than their constituents - and with established careers."

The median change was a 25 percent gain in delegation members' net worth over the latest four-year period - a far better performance than the 11 percent loss in value suffered by financial holdings tracked by Standard and Poor's 500 Index.

Of the U.S. senators and Congress members who represent the greater Houston area, 8 of 11 showed increases in personal wealth.

The exceptions are Republican Sen.Kay Bailey Hutchison, whose net worth dropped by 33 percent since the end of 2006 to an estimated $5.2 million at the end of 2010; U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, whose net worth dropped 21 percent to $1.4 million; and U.S. Rep. Gene Green, a Houston Democrat who slipped 20 percent from $656,004 to an estimated $522,503.

Four Houston-area House members made the millionaire's cut: Republican Michael McCaul, with an estimated $380 million; Democrat Al Green, with an estimated $4.5 million; Republican Ron Paul, with an estimated $3.6 million; and Olson.

McCaul's holdings make him the second wealthiest member of Congress, in large part due to the financial status of his wife, Linda Mays McCaul, who received money transfers from her father, Clear Channel Communications Chairman Lowry Mays. McCaul's estimated net worth grew from almost $47 million in 2007 to $380 million in 2010.

Data from center

"A lot of members are wealthy to start with and wealthy people are more likely to have a financial adviser looking over their assets to ensure that they take advantage of opportunities," says Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics and who has tracked tracks lawmakers' finances.

Past studies by Georgia State scholar Alan Ziobrowski found lawmakers' portfolios often outperform constituents' holdings.

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Many Texas congressional leaders got richer during the recession

Long-serving Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis [ Images ] has announced that he will make a special donation to the Yuvraj Singh [ Images ] Foundation.

Kallis made the announcement as Cricket South Africa [ Images ] (CSA) declared that Kallis is to be honoured at a special T20 international between India [ Images ] and South Africa at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on March 30.

"I would also like to announce that I will be making a personal donation to the Yuvraj Singh Foundation. As we all know Yuvraj is going through a difficult time at the moment battling a serious illness and I went through a similar experience when my own father died of cancer at a relatively young age," Kallis said.

"I am sure the entire Proteas' squad and indeed the Cricket South Africa family joins me in wishing him a speedy recovery."

"This match is a follow-up to last year's successful T20 match at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban," said Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive Gerald Majola, adding that agreement had been reached with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to make this an annual fixture.

"We want to make this a Jacques Kallis evening in which we acknowledge his huge contribution to the Proteas and South African cricket generally as player, role model and mentor," Majola said.

The inaugural match in January 2011 was a glittering affair preceded by a Bollywood concert featuring Shahrukh Khan [ Images ], Anil Kapoor [ Images ], Priyanka Chopra [ Images ] and Shahid Kapur [ Images ].

It brought to an end a year of festivities to celebrate the arrival of the first Indian indentured labourers to South Africa 150 years earlier.

Kallis said he felt humbled and honoured to be given this tribute.

"It is something I really appreciate. Cricket South Africa has given me wonderful opportunities to live the dream I have had from the moment I picked up a cricket bat for the first time."

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Kallis to make personal donation to Yuvraj Singh Foundation

By

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, March 5, 2012, 8:47 AM

Updated Monday, March 5, 2012, 8:56 AM

Lindsay Lohan hosting "Saturday Night Live"

Photo by Google Images

The 'Mean Girls' actress - who has endured several stints in rehab and a string of legal problems in recent years - kicked off the show by referring to her stint under house arrest in the opening monologue.

She joked: "Wait, so the alarm goes off if I leave the stage?"

'Bridesmaids' actress Kristen Wiig also mocked the guest host, giving her a hug that turned into a body search for illicit substances, quipping "she's clean" at the end.

In another sketch, she donned a bandana to play a prisoner trying to scare three boys of a life of crime, and made reference to her arrest last year for stealing a necklace.

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Lindsay Lohan poked fun at her troubled personal life when she hosted 'Saturday Night Live'

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel insists he still has room for improvement despite enjoying arguably his best season at the club.

The Slovakia centre-back has put in numerous commanding performances and has also weighed in with four goals this season, more than doubling his tally from the previous four years. But the 27-year-old believes there is still plenty more to come from him as he looks to build on his recent run of good form.

"For the last few months I have been pleased with my performances," he said. "There is no reason for it. I have just tried to do my best and not put too much pressure on myself. It helps that the team is doing well too. When the team is playing at a high level, it gives everybody confidence to reach their levels.

"Experience has a lot to do with it. As you get older you learn how to deal with success and failure and I feel a lot more confident in my ability to make the right decisions. In the last 18 months a lot has changed and I think everybody agrees that it has changed for the better.

"Nobody is complete. You see players older than me trying to get better and that inspires you. You see people like Bellars (Craig Bellamy); ones who give everything every day.

"He has been very successful for a long time but he still wants to be the best. You have to have that attitude. I am 27 now and I think I can still improve."

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Skrtel happy with personal improvement

FORTUNE -- The latest installment of Applemania debuts this Wednesday, when Apple is expect to unveil another wonders of consumer gadgetry. The Apple-obsessed world expects an iPad 3. But then that same community was crestfallen not to receive an iPhone 5 in October. (Mere consumers, meanwhile, snapped up 37 million iPhones the following quarter, including the clearly-magical-enough iPhone 4S.) Apple's tease to journalists in anticipation of the March 7 event in San Francisco -- "We have something you really have to see. And touch." -- might just as likely signal a revamped iPod Touch. Or perhaps we'll be able to fondle an Apple TV remote-control device.

Whatever. The fact is that all eyes once again will be focused on the world's most valuable company. Those eyes have watched Apple's (AAPL) every move for years now, of course. Yet what's remarkable is how little the competition catches on, or catches up, to Apple's ways. Yes, Apple is special. And no, not every company can and should be like Apple, at least not in every way. But there are key aspects of the Apple playbook that other companies absolutely should emulate. Here are three:

MORE:The secrets Apple keeps

Say no more often. Steve Jobs was fond of saying that saying no was harder -- and more important -- than saying yes. Apple said no to making personal digital assistants, in the 90s that is. It said no for years to making a telephone-- until it said yes. Apple refused to focus on selling to businesses. It wouldn't put a USB port on the first iPad. And so on. While not every company can achieve Apple's level of Zen by rejecting seemingly good business opportunities, there isn't a company out there that wouldn't benefit by more rigorously asking itself: "Have we absolutely satisfied ourselves that we have said yes for the right reasons?" How many companies pursue revenue opportunities that any new recruit knows the company is doing to make money rather than delight customers. (An example: Jobs ridiculed the PC industry for years for the margin-boosting "crapware" that comes loaded on a PC. The crap remains.) It takes real courage to say no. But it's not like top executives aren't being compensated for brave action.

Focus your message better. Whatever Apple unveils this week, you can be sure it will be succinctly explained and that the explanation will be summarized in a short, pithy expression. The iPod was a thousand songs in your pocket. The iPhone was the best iPod Apple had made as well as a phone with a Web browser. When Steve Jobs showed the iPad 2 he stressed repeatedly that we were living in a post-PC world. How convenient for the company leading the tablet computer revolution. Other companies muddle their message, in part by allowing multiple spokespeople to deliver it. Apple sharply limits the messengers of its sharply crafted message. The result is that its customers repeat Apple's lines exactly as Apple crafts them. It's the ultimate feedback loop.

MORE:Why Apple will pay a dividend

Make products, not money. It is counterintuitive, and almost unbelievable, but Apple's way is the antithesis of the revenue optimization of the rest of the business world. Of course Apple wants to make money, and of course profits are important. (It registered an astounding $13 billion in profits last quarter.) But Apple doesn't approach a new product from the perspective of how much money it will make. Instead, it dreams up what will be a product its own people want to use, and then its sets about making the product. Only later will Apple apply the typical levers of business -- pricing, market penetration, etc. -- to its product plans. It's similar in tone and spirit to the career advice that wise older people give to inexperienced younger people: Do what you love, and the money will follow.

Adam Lashinsky's book,Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired--and Secretive---Company Really Works, was published in January by Grand Central Publishing.

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Secrets to Apple's success

LETTERS

Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

Joe Hockey's story of his refugee family making good in postwar Australia is indeed inspiring (''Politics of division will kill ambition'', March 5). However, Mr Hockey fails to mention that during those years rates of taxation for companies and wealthy individuals in this country were vastly greater than they are today. Thanks in large measure to this revenue, and a less hysterical approach to public debt, governments were able to build the infrastructure and provide the services that underpinned the long postwar boom.

Without this economic and social environment, people like the Hockeys would likely have found Australia a far tougher place to prosper. For today's wealthy elite and their political representatives to constantly demand ever-lower taxation not only smacks of selfishness but also of short-sightedness.

Geoff Saunders Jamberoo

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Mr Hockey misses the point. Swan and others, myself included, do not object to outstanding individual achievement and success. The objection is to the abuse of power, not the success itself.

Simeon Glasson Bondi

As one of his constituents, I feel disappointed that Joe Hockey has trotted out the ''envy'' card again in the discussion about the contributions of mining magnates to Australian society.

Nobody denies people the fruits of their success but there is an issue of equity. The Australian people, not just these individuals and their families, shareholders, employees and some parts of their communities, should receive a more substantial part of what belongs to ''our common wealth'', to provide for the common good now and in the future. The land belongs to all, not to companies or individual states.

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True success lies in making a real contribution

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As the United States Supreme Court this month hears arguments involving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, one industry leader believes that personal accountability may ultimately be the driver in the success or failure of any healthcare-related reform.

Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the individual mandate, America will not really get its healthcare shop in order until people realize that everyone has a personal, financial and societal responsibility to do what they can to make the healthcare system work better, said Peter Saravis, CEO of Evive Health. That means acknowledging that this notion that everyone has an unlimited right to healthcare without also having some accountability for their own lifestyle and health habits is simply not sustainable.

Saravis believes that real change will occur when people not only accept personal responsibility but when they are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed healthcare decisions. Providing access to care is obviously important, but it is not enough unless people have the information and motivation to change behavior and take action, he says. More than any governmental legislation or political intervention, providing people with the information and tools they need to make intelligent decisions regarding health and lifestyle habits for themselves and their families is the greatest consumer protection of all.

Toward that end, an increasing number of employers and health plans routinely offer affordable health, fitness and wellness programs to help Americans get healthier, manage chronic disease and lower health costs. An industry frustration however is that not enough people participate in these programs, which Saravis attributes to a myriad of reasons including lack of time, feelings of being overwhelmed, low education or health literacy levels, cultural or logistical issues, poor health, or an inability to understand the value of preventive services.

To overcome these barriers Saravis says that employers and health plans need to not only provide information regarding health and access to programs, but must become smarter and more creative in how they engage their employees or members to truly participate. Fortunately, he says, there are now proven-effective methods to help motivate people to take action. And when they do, studies have shown a significant increase in employee health and an equally significant decrease in employers healthcare costs, says Saravis.

We as a society should be concerned with maintaining and improving ongoing health rather than just treating episodic illness, he continues. If you look at some of the most common causes of death in the United States lung cancer, coronary disease, AIDS, diabetes, respiratory disease, pneumonia you realize how many of these could be greatly affected, and in some cases controlled, not by more healthcare legislation but through a heightened awareness on the part of consumers and a thoughtful and intelligent change in lifestyle.

About Evive Health

Evive Health is the leading innovator in designing personalized communication tools that motivate individuals to engage in health and wellness enhancement activities that improve their health, lower healthcare costs, and lead to a happier and healthier lifestyle. For more information, visit http://www.evivehealth.com or call 312-374-9150.

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CEO of Evive Health Calls “Personal Accountability” the Key to the Success of Healthcare Reform

European regulators have expressed concern over a report that apps are being developed for Google Android with the purpose of mining personal data and passing it on to advertisers.

Around a quarter of all mobile users in the UK use devices running Android, and around 100m apps were downloaded in January alone.

People typically give apps permission to access other parts of their handset when they download them, but a Channel 4 News report yesterday claimed that many developers are 'handing on' these permissions to advertisers.

MWR Infosecurity, which was commissioned by Channel 4 to investigate the development of 'rogue' apps, found that many popular free services were engaged in the practice.

"We found that a lot of the free applications in the top 50 apps list are using advertising inside the applications and that the permission that you grant to these applications is also granted to the advertiser," said an MWR Infosecurity spokesperson.

"If users knew about this I think they would be concerned about it but at the moment I don't think they are aware of the situation and how widely their information can be used."

The code found by MWR Infosecurity gave advertising networks access to contacts, calendar and location. It allegedly came from a large US ad network called MobClix, although the firm has not yet responded to the report.

Channel 4 took the findings to Viviane Reding, the vice president of the European Commission, who is currently trying to push through EU-wide reforms to data protection policies.

"This really concerns me, and this is against the law because nobody has the right to get your personal data without you agreeing to this," said Reding of the report.

"Maybe you want somebody to get this data and agree and it's fine. You're an adult and you can do whatever you want. But normally you have no idea what others are doing with your data."

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Android apps 'handing personal data to advertisers'

PwC kicks off first-ever Personal Brand Week in Canada

TORONTO, March 5, 2012 /CNW/ - The millennial generation (born between 1980-2000) are entering employment in great numbers and will form 50% of the global workforce by 2020 according to a recent PwC report, Millennials at work - Reshaping the workplace. To help university and college students stand out from a sea of graduates looking to land their first job, PwC Canada launched its inaugural Personal Brand Week today with the hopes of helping students build their personal brand for professional success.

A personal brand is the 'X' factor that differentiates a person from other job candidates. It begins with being self aware of one's achievements, knowledge, skills and outlook on goals. Presentation is key and with the current techno-savvy generation, it's about the interactions and presence job candidates have in person as well as online.

"It's important for students to accurately portray themselves online as they would in-person," says Mr. Davidson, Talent Acquisition Manager, Campus, at PwC Canada. "Having a profile you wouldn't be ashamed to show your parents on all of the major social networksLinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google Profilesis the first step in managing your online reputation."

Indeed, one of the defining characteristics of the millennial age group is their affinity with the digital world. The millennial report indicated that 41% of millennials prefer to communicate electronically at work than face-to-face.

Likewise, candidates can view companies' social media tools to learn more about an organization. "A company website, blog, Facebook or LinkedIn page can help applicants discover more about its corporate values, work environment, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices," says Mr. Davidson.

Millennials are a diverse group made up of individuals from different ethnic, educational and socio-economic backgrounds. Organizations must recognize and accommodate this diversity within the work environment.

According to the millennial report in 2008, 88% of respondents questioned said they were looking for an employer with CSR values that reflected their own. The brands that appeal to young people as consumers include those that stress their environment and social record, are the same brands that appeal to them as employers.

Networking like it's your job

While some millennials (72%) have made compromises to get into work during the economic downturn, networking has become an essential tool to connect students to the right professional contacts in this uncertain climate.

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Personal branding - The golden ticket for grads aiming to land their first job

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Real Software, creator of object-oriented, cross-platform software development tools for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and the web, today announced its Apps for Income campaign to provide 20,000 free Real Studio Personal licenses to unemployed workers worldwide. App development has created 466,000 jobs in the United States since 2007,according to a recent report released by technology trade group TechNet. Real Softwares flagship product, Real Studio, allows people with little or no software development expertise to easily create a wide range of applications that have proven to be primary or supplemental income sources for thousands of Real Software users.

Under the terms of the Apps for Income program, people need only provide Real Software proof of unemployment and some basic background information to receive a complimentary license for Real Studio Personal Edition. These users will receive full access to Real Softwares online customer service tools, which include email with support specialists, training videos and user forums.

With the global economy remaining sluggish, we feel that offering Real Studio for free is a great way to give people struggling to find work the chance to create their own opportunities, said Geoff Perlman, Real Software founder and CEO. After hearing so many wonderful success stories over the years of our users who developed apps that became their careers, we are striving to encourage innovation from people who have great ideas but dont know how to make them a reality.

Apps for Income Program Details:

About Real Studio

Real Studio is a full-featured cross-platform software development tool suited to creating a wide range of applications. Real Studio Personal Edition for Windows, Linux or Mac OS X is geared for hobbyists and students. Real Studio Professional Edition is required for cross-platform (Mac OS X, Windows and Linux) compilation. Real Studio Web Edition is the fastest and easiest way to create and deploy web applications.

About Real Software

Real Software provides Real Studio, a cross-platform web, desktop, and console development tool. Real Software was founded in 1996 and is based in Austin, Texas. For more information visit http://www.realsoftware.com or call 866.825.2114.

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Real Software Provides 20,000 Free Development Licenses to the Unemployed Worldwide