Do Diet Foods Lead to Weight Gain?

Do Diet Foods Lead to Weight Gain?
Wednesday, Aug. 08, 2007 By ALICE PARK Lowered carbohydrate snack foods.
Scott Olson / Getty
Article ToolsPrintEmailReprintsSphereAddThisRSS If you think you're cutting calories by eating diet or low-calorie versions of your favorite foods, think again. A new study by Canadian scientists published in the journal Obesity suggests that our bodies can't be fooled that easily.

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Led by David Pierce, researchers at the University of Alberta studied the eating habits of young rats, and found that they tended to overeat when they were fed "diet" foods. Though the new study was conducted in animals, it adds to a growing body of research in humans that suggests a diet-foods paradox: the more low-calorie (or even zero-calorie) sodas and foods you consume, the more your body demands payback for the calories it was deprived.

Pierce and his team started with the assumption that animals, and young animals in particular, are adapted to crave high-calorie foods that are packed with fat and carbohydrates, the crucial biological fuel that rapidly growing juveniles need. Using classic Pavlovian conditioning techniques, Pierce trained his rats to associate low-calorie foods with a "diet" taste, and high-calorie foods with a different taste. So, when the rats were fed a high-calorie food that had been flavored with the diet taste, their brains assumed that their bodies were running low on calories. These animals then overate at their next meal in an effort to refuel and make up for the lost energy. "Animals have the ability to sense the caloric value of food they take in," says Pierce. "We found out that an animal can learn to use flavors to predict calories in an attempt to achieve energy balance."

This same phenomenon could explain similar results in recent studies of dieters, says Pierce. Two years ago, scientists at the University of Texas reported in an eight-year study that for every can of diet soda that a person drank, he raised his risk of being overweight by 41%, compared to a 30% increase in drinkers of regular, sugared drinks. Earlier this year, another study of diet-soda drinkers came to a similar conclusion, this time about metabolic syndrome, the dangerous constellation of risk factors, such as obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, that increases the likelihood of heart disease. In this report, part of the 60-year-old Framingham Heart Study, researchers found that soda drinkers, regardless of whether they consumed diet or regular beverages, had a 48% higher risk of metabolic syndrome than non-soda drinkers.

At the time, even the study authors conceded that it was impossible to implicate diet drinks completely, since it's possible that those who drank low-calorie beverages were already overweight or at higher risk of metabolic syndrome, and chose the diet drinks in an effort to get healthier. But Pierce's work hints that a more basic, biological mechanism may be at work. The animals in his study were able to predict the amount of calories in a food based on taste, demonstrating that the body uses cues like taste and texture to make sure it's getting enough fuel. Just as Pierce's rats were fooled into thinking they hadn't absorbed enough calories after eating diet chow, people are preprogrammed to anticipate sugary, high-calorie fulfillment when drinking a soda or noshing on a sweet-tasting snack. So, the diet versions of these foods may leave them unsatisfied, driving them to eat more to make up the difference.

All of this emerging work could make the food and beverage industry, which has invested billions in diet and low-calorie versions of almost every food imaginable, a bit uneasy. "This study simply defies common sense," wrote Dr. Richard Adamson, scientific consultant to the American Beverage Association, in a prepared statement responding to the study. "To suggest that foods and beverages with zero calories contribute to weight gain contradicts the overwhelming body of scientific evidence that supports that they can help you reduce calories and maintain a healthy weight."

Dr. Ramachandran Vasan, lead author of the Framingham study, however, notes, "A zero-calorie drink could produce a metabolic response if it is sweet. It can condition you to develop a preference for sweet things, which can lead to weight gain or metabolic syndrome. So something that is sweet could produce a metabolic effect even if it doesn't have a whole lot of calories.

"
Of course, none of the studies has yet proved that diet foods or beverages actually cause weight gain or heart disease; they have merely found an intriguing association, which scientists are still trying to explain. Well, nobody ever said counting calories was easy.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1650860,00.html

Asia's Richest Women Dies in Mystery

Asia's richest woman, Nina Wang, dies By Donny Kwok
Wed Apr 4, 7:07 AM ET



HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asia's richest woman, Nina Wang, has died of an unspecified illness after reports she had been battling cancer, leaving unanswered questions over her estimated $4.2 billion (2.1 billion pound) fortune.

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Known for her signature pigtails and nicknamed "little sweetie" by the local media, Wang, 69, won a court case in 2005 for her late husband's business empire in a case filled with tales of adultery, kidnapping and murder.

The Hong Kong heiress, whose maiden name was Kung, was reported by local newspapers to be suffering from cancer, but that was never officially confirmed.

"Chinachem Group's chairwoman Nina Wang Kung passed away on April 3 and the details of the funeral will be announced later," her personal assistant, Ringo Wong, told Reuters by telephone.

Wang's company, Hong Kong's largest private property developer, Chinachem Group, confirmed in a statement that she died on Tuesday.

Wang, ranked by Forbes Magazine as Asia's 35th richest person, had no children but is survived by at least one brother and reportedly other siblings.

Lawyer Wong Tak-sing said under Hong Kong law Nina Wang's brothers and sisters could apply to inherit her fortune if she did not have a will. Wang's nieces or nephews could share the wealth as well if their parents had died.

Wang successfully battled her father-in-law for a multi-billion dollar estate left by her late husband Teddy Wang, a property tycoon who vanished more than a decade ago.

KIDNAPPED

Central to the marathon probate case was a handwritten will that Wang said was penned and signed by Teddy in March 1990, a month before he was kidnapped and never seen again. Some reports at the time said Teddy was gagged and bound and thrown out to sea from a Chinese "sampan" boat.

Teddy was also kidnapped in 1983 when his car was hijacked, and only released -- left in an iron box at the side of a road -- after Nina paid an $11 million ransom.

Born in Shanghai, Wang went to Hong Kong in 1955 to rejoin Teddy, who ran a pharmaceuticals and vinyl business before starting to dabble in property. By the 1980s the couple were part of the booming city's glitterati.

Hong Kong newspapers reported late last year that Wang had ovarian cancer that had spread to her liver and other organs, and had been admitted to hospital for chemotherapy.

Two firms, in which Nina Wang held stakes, saw their stock prices fall on Wednesday. Fashion retailer ENM Holdings dropped 14 percent, while China Solar Energy Holdings Ltd. lost 2.63 percent.

Wang was also a strategic investor in CITIC 1616, which jumped 67 percent on its market debut the day she died, and was up 1.86 percent on Wednesday.


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Pet Food Contaminated with Rat Poison, Cancer Drug

Rat poison found in tainted pet food By MARK JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
46 minutes ago



ALBANY, N.Y. - Rat poison was found in pet food blamed for the deaths of at least 17 cats and dogs, but scientists said Friday they still don't know how it got there and predicted more animal deaths would be linked to it.

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After the announcement, the company that produced the food expanded its recall to include all 95 brands of the "cuts and gravy" style food, regardless of when they were produced. The company also said it would take responsibility for pet medical expenses incurred as a result of the food.

The substance in the food was identified as aminopterin, a cancer drug that once was used to induce abortions in the United States and is still used to kill rats in some other countries, state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said.

The federal government prohibits using aminopterin for killing rodents in the U.S. State officials would not speculate on how the poison got into the pet food, but said no criminal investigations had been launched.

The pet deaths led to a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of dog and cat food produced by Menu Foods and sold throughout North America under 95 brand names. Some pets that ate the recalled brands suffered kidney failure, and the company has confirmed the deaths of 15 cats and two dogs.

The latest death, a Yorkshire terrier named Pebbles, occurred Thursday. The dog died of kidney failure after eating some of the food. Her owner, Jeff Kerner, said he was contacting an attorney because he wanted to prevent another pet tragedy.

"Before they put this stuff in the bags, there should be some kind of test," said Kerner, of Sherman Oaks, Calif. "I can't just let it go. Even if they just change the law."

The company expanded the recall — which initially covered only cans and pouches of food packaged from Dec. 3 through March 6 — after the FDA alerted it that some products remained on store shelves.

There is no risk to pet owners from handling the food, officials said.

The Food and Drug Administration has said the investigation into the pet deaths was focused on wheat gluten in the food. The gluten itself would not cause kidney failure, but it could have been contaminated, the FDA said.

Paul Henderson, chief executive of Ontario, Canada-based Menu Foods, confirmed Friday that the wheat gluten was purchased from China.

Bob Rosenberg, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Pest Management Association, said it would be unusual for the wheat to be tainted.

"It would make no sense to spray a crop itself with rodenticide," Rosenberg said, adding that grain shippers typically put bait stations around the perimeter of their storage facilities.

Scientists at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University and at the New York State Food Laboratory tested three cat food samples provided by the manufacturer and found aminopterin in two of them. The two labs are part of a network created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to keep the nation's animals and food supply safe.

"Any amount of this product is too much in food," Hooker said.

Aminopterin is highly toxic in high doses. It inhibits the growth of malignant cells and suppresses the immune system. In dogs and cats, the amount of aminopterin found — 40 parts per million — can cause kidney failure, according to Bruce Akey, director of Cornell's diagnostic center.

"It's there in substantial amounts," Akey said.

Donald Smith, dean of Cornell's veterinary school, said he expected the number of pet deaths to increase. "Based on what we've heard the last couple days, 16 is a low number," Smith said.

Aminopterin is no longer marketed as a cancer drug, but is still used in research, said Andre Rosowsky, a chemist with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Rosowsky speculated that the substance would not show up in pet food "unless somebody put it there."

Henderson said Menu Foods does not believe the food was tampered with because the recalled food came from two different plants, one in Kansas, one in New Jersey. Menu continues to produce food at the two plants.

The company, already facing lawsuits, said Friday it is testing all the ingredients that go into the food.

"We have a lot of work to do, and we are eager to get back to it," Henderson said. "This is a highly unusual substance."

When asked whether there would compensation for medical bills for sick pets, Henderson said "to the extent that we identify that the cause of any expenses incurred are related to the food, Menu will take responsibility for that."

A complete list of the recalled products along with product codes, descriptions and production dates was posted online by Menu Foods and is available at http://tinyurl.com/2pn6mm. The company also designated two phone numbers that pet owners could call for information: (866) 463-6738 and (866) 895-2708.

___

Associated Press writers Andrew Bridges in Washington, Michael Virtanen in Albany and Solvej Schou in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

___

On the Net:

FDA pet food recall information: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html

Menu Foods: http://tinyurl.com/2pn6mm

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Job Rankings

Where the (best) 6-figure jobs are
If keeping more of your paycheck is important to you, some places are much better than others.
By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer
September 29 2006: 9:46 AM EDT


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Making $100,000 or more is nothing to sneeze at.

Only 5 percent of earners in 2004 reported making that much, according to Census data.

WHAT $100K REALLY LOOKS LIKE
16 cities where 6FigureJobs.com and TheLadders.com have had the greatest number of six-figure job listings, and the gross salary required to replicate $100,000 after adjusting for cost-of-living.
CITY SALARY
New York $205,426
San Francisco $179,034
Los Angeles $156,106
San Diego $149,384
Washington, D.C. $141,894
Boston $137,649
Chicago $126,929
Seattle $117,037
Atlanta $102,805
Denver $102,348
Cleveland $101,986
Milwaukee $101,478
Phoenix $97,976
Dallas $93,665
Charlotte $92,991
Houston $88,977


Source: Economist Scott Moody on behalf of the Tax Foundation, using 2005 data from ACCRA. Not included are the effects of taxes and inflation, which can further alter the true value of a 6-figure salary. Not included are the effects of taxes and inflation, which can further alter the true value of a 6-figure salary.


While entering six-figure territory can be a marker of a certain level of success, it's not always a marker of a lot of buying power.

In some cities, a $100,000 salary sounds a lot better than it is because the cost of living is high, taxes are high and, as Murphy's Law would have it, even the rate of inflation runs higher than in other parts of the country.

New York is the clearest example. Its cost of living is double the national average, according to data from ACCRA. Put another way, in New York, $200,000 is the new $100,000 paycheck.

Top 50 best jobs in America
But that $200,000 doesn't really mean you can afford the same lifestyle that $100,000 could buy in lower-cost cities like Cleveland or Denver.

Consider inflation. Over the past 12 months through May, overall inflation in New York metropolitan area was 4.8 percent. In Cleveland, the rate was 3 percent. Drilling down, you also see big differences. The cost of having a roof over your head went up 5.6 percent in New York, while in Cleveland it rose just 0.8 percent.

Next, consider taxes. State and local taxes make a big difference in how much you net, but so, too, does the federal income tax. Earning a nominally higher salary ($200,000 versus $100,000) puts you in a higher tax bracket. J. Scott Moody, chief economist at the Maine Heritage Policy Center working on behalf of the Tax Foundation, notes that a single person making $205,000 in New York would have an effective tax rate of 25.4 percent, paying just over $52,000 in federal income tax, leaving him with $153,000.

If you adjust for cost of living differences, that $205,000 salary would be worth $102,000 in Cleveland or Denver. The effective federal tax rate on that amount would be just 20.4 percent, so you would pay $20,868, with $81,480 left over.

"Even though the two incomes are equivalent in terms of purchasing power, the New Yorker has an effective rate that is 5 percentage points (or 25 percent) higher than the person living in Denver. As a result, the New Yorker suffers a lower level of after-tax purchasing power," Moody said.

Of course, the greatest number of six-figure jobs tend to be in the most pricey and populous cities, but there are also plenty of opportunities in more affordable ones.

We asked job listing sites 6FigureJobs.com and The Ladders.com to provide us with a snapshot of where they have had the greatest number of listings for six-figure jobs in the past two months.

Predictably, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. were in the top 10. But there were also a relatively high number of such jobs in Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Cleveland, Denver, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Houston, Dallas, Minneapolis and Charlotte, NC.

Besides being less costly, there is another big advantage these cities offer if you're in the running to make six figures. To attract talent, companies often will offer the same big salaries that you could earn in New York or San Francisco.

"Whenever top talent is scarce (which is always), salaries offered to those super-producers ignore any geographic pattern that would suggest a lower number," said Jim Brennan, a senior associate at the Economic Research Institute, which specializes in competitive salary surveys. "So if you want to get a key executive, you have to pay world-class dollars."

_______________________________

Interesting six-figure jobs

Tax-friendly places 2006

Best jobs in America

http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/13/pf/six_fig_farthest/index.htm?postversion=2006092909
Six-figure job: Troubleshooting scripts
Script consultants make their living making screenwriters more successful or at least better writers and story pitchers.
By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer
April 20, 2006: 9:53 AM EDT


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – It's been said that in some places you can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone who is writing a screenplay.

For all those aspiring screenwriters -- and for the very well-established ones, too -- there is a growing number of script consultants.

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Auctioneer
Stunt driver
Crime scene cleaner
Matchmaker
Professional organizer
Fashion trend forecaster
Lobbyist
Real estate appraiser
Umpire, groundskeeper and mascot
Video game artist, perfumer and perfusionist
Political pollster, media strategist and opposition researcher
Charter yacht captain, private club manager and pharmacist
Casino manager, chief security officer and medical writer
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Makeup artist, hotel manager and more



Script consultants can help screenwriters get a script into shape before it is marketed to studios and production companies or, in the case of experienced screenwriters, after they've been commissioned to write a screenplay.

Consultants also can help adapt books into scripts. And they may even work with lawyers, doctors, bankers and others with non-E! day jobs to turn an idea into a movie screenplay. Some even offer training in how to make a successful pitch.

Script consultant services range from script evaluation to one-on-one coaching. Evaluations are rendered from both an artistic and a commercial perspective. They typically include a promised number of pages of notes with the consultant's critiques, often a follow-up phone call or meeting between the screenwriter and consultant, and may also include an agreement to re-read the work once changes are made.

The work of script consultant is not one marked by public glory. "Often it's confidential," said Michael Hauge, a script consultant and author of the soon-to-be-published book, "Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds."

Indeed, only the screenwriter gets credit when the credits roll, he noted, although a script consultant's name may appear in the "special thanks to" category on some productions.

Among the rewards of the job are nurturing writers' talent, seeing a script you worked on made into a movie or television show, and knowing that you had an influence on a writer whose career flourishes, said Linda Seger, author of "Making a Good Script Great" and the first-ever script consultant who created the field in 1981.

Beyond movies and television shows, the field of script consulting has branched out to include working with the makers of narrative-driven video games, as well as corporate and educational videos, said Derek Rydall, author of "I Could've Written a Better Movie Than That: How to Make Six Figures as a Script Consultant Even If You're not a Screenwriter."

The field, although growing, is still very small. There is no required training and no official path to becoming a script consultant, but those who do often are either screenwriters themselves, have worked at agencies that represent screenwriters or work in project development for studios or production companies, said John Johnson, executive director of the American Screenwriters Association.

But that wasn't Seger's route. Over the years she amassed a host of graduate degrees in dramatic arts, theology and religion to help her better "understand drama in its overall context as one of the humanities. ... I tend to think that people need training, not just practical but some theoretical, so it's more than just giving opinions," she said in an email written from Europe where she was conducting a series of seminars.

Working well with a writer requires more than technical, artistic and commercial know-how. "When I teach my master class in script consulting, I spend a lot of time training communication methods, because many people know what's wrong with a script, but if one can't communicate that effectively to a writer, and keep the writer's defenses down, one won't be very effective. So I work to make sure the writer sees me as a collaborator, not an adversary," Seger said.

Getting enough work to make six figures consulting on scripts alone is possible but by no means a guarantee. Your chances improve if you also teach classes and write books about script writing and consulting. And once you're well established, as Seger is, you might use your literary expertise as an expert witness in copyright cases.

But in the first few years your consulting fees are likely to be low . Newcomers to the field might charge as little as $50 to $100 for the most basic script evaluation when trying to build up referrals and somewhat more for in-depth analyses, Rydall said.

When you establish a successful track record and reputation, your fees can go up considerably. After two decades Seger, for instance, charges $200 an hour for her time at script meetings (or $1,000/day) and offers packages of services that range from $1,200 to $7,500. Hauge also charges $200 an hour for coaching (or $3,000 for 24 hours' worth), and prices his other coaching and marketing packages from $375 to $3,500.

One key to establishing a successful career in script consulting is to differentiate yourself from others in the field, Seger said. For instance, some consultants highlight their expertise in character, structure or mythology, while others may specialize in selling and marketing scripts.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/19/pf/sixfigs_sixteen_script/index.htm

The Top 50 More jobs: Stats on 166 titles How MONEY picked the best jobs

Rank Career
(click for CNNMoney.com snapshot) Job growth
(10-yr forecast) Average pay
(salary and bonus)
1 Software engineer 46.07% $80,427
2 College professor 31.39% $81,491
3 Financial advisor 25.92% $122,462
4 Human resources manager 23.47% $73,731
5 Physician assistant 49.65% $75,117
6 Market research analyst 20.19% $82,317
7 Computer/IT analyst 36.10% $83,427
8 Real estate appraiser 22.78% $66,216
9 Pharmacist 24.57% $91,998
10 Psychologist 19.14% $66,359
11 Advertising manager 20.34% $107,049
12 Physical therapist 36.74% $54,883
13 Technical writer 23.22% $57,841
14 Chiropractor 22.40% $84,996
15 Medical scientist 34.06% $70,053
16 Physical scientist 12.18% $80,213
17 Engineer 13.38% $76,100
18 Curriculum developer 27.53% $55,793
19 Editor 14.77% $78,242
20 Public relations specialist 22.61% $84,567
21 Sales manager 19.67% $135,903
22 Optometrist 19.73% $93,670
23 Property manager 15.30% $78,375
24 Actuary 23.16% $81,509
25 Writer 17.72% $60,519
26 Social service manager 25.52% $74,584
27 Paralegal 29.75% $61,204
28 Health services manager 22.76% $92,211
29 Advertising sales agent 16.33% $112,683
30 Physician/Surgeon 23.98% $247,536
31 Management analyst 20.12% $63,426
32 Occupational therapist 33.61% $51,973
33 Mental health counselor 27.18% $53,150
34 Landscape architect 19.43% $50,383
35 Biotechnology research scientist 17.05% $66,393
36 Urban planner 15.17% $60,891
37 Lawyer 14.97% $153,923
38 Speech-language pathologist 14.57% $58,329
39 Meeting and convention planner 22.21% $56,072
40 Dietitian/Nutritionist 18.30% $52,244
41 Biological scientist 17.03% $61,317
42 Financial analyst 17.33% $66,203
43 Dentist 13.52% $122,883
44 Accountant 22.43% $62,575
45 Environmental scientist 17.11% $59,027
46 Lab technologist 20.53% $51,502
47 Registered nurse 29.35% $68,872
48 Sales engineer 13.96% $78,875
49 Veterinarian 17.39% $79,923
50 School Administrator 14.55% $73,767
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/top50/index.html
Career
(click for CNNMoney.com snapshot) Job growth
(10-yr forecast) Average pay
(salary and bonus)
Physical therapist assistants 44.20% $42,086
Dental hygienists 43.32% $68,153
Forensic science technicians 36.40% $52,604
Veterinary technologists and technicians 35.32% $29,122
Occupational therapist assistants 34.10% $42,639
Community and social service specialists 31.95% $38,579
Hydrologists 31.57% $68,192
Social and human service assistants 29.68% $52,756
Athletic trainers 29.34% $42,466
Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors 27.07% $41,966
Business operation specialists 27.04% $63,015
Epidemiologists 26.18% $59,505
Medical and public health social workers 25.93% $46,917
Computer and information scientists, research 25.63% $96,797
Marriage and family therapists 25.38% $48,058
Environmental engineering technicians 24.42% $44,405
Rehabilitation counselors 23.93% $49,998
Healthcare practitioners and technical workers 23.84% $60,051
Counselors, all other 23.14% $42,473
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners 22.51% $91,493
Health educators 22.49% $47,726
Social workers 22.02% $43,773
Nuclear medicine technologists 21.48% $66,140
Biochemists and biophysicists 21.03% $76,839
Life scientists, all other 20.63% $91,154
Education, training, and library workers 20.47% $37,418
Coaches and scouts 20.42% $47,412
Industrial-organizational psychologists 20.42% $85,109
Life, physical, and social science technicians 20.03% $48,954
Interpreters and translators 19.88% $38,159
Social workers, all other 19.56% $46,133
Child, family, and school social workers 19.03% $42,340
Directors, religious activities and education 18.51% $73,015
Primary, secondary, and special educations teachers 18.30% $50,289
Cost estimators 18.21% $54,555
Orthotists and prosthetists 17.96% $44,709
Loan counselors 17.66% $35,073
Social science research assistants 17.44% $38,723
Architects, except landscape and naval 17.33% $48,932
Microbiologists 17.22% $59,747
Biological technicians 17.20% $40,394
Occupational health and safety technicians 17.07% $50,492
General and operations managers 17.04% $98,854
Anthropologists and archeologists 17.00% $52,086
Administrative services managers 16.88% $71,585
Commercial pilots 16.81% $98,392
Chefs and head cooks 16.70% $44,176
First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers 16.63% $47,644
Producers and directors 16.60% $45,808
Atmospheric and space scientists 16.55% $107,414
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health 16.27% $41,455
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons 16.18% $211,766
Curators 15.67% $49,420
Embalmers 15.65% $40,914
Adult literacy, remedial education, and GED teachers and instructors 15.63% $48,114
Interior designers 15.54% $50,625
First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives 15.52% $72,048
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators 15.52% $64,079
Cartographers and photogrammetrists 15.26% $55,634
Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators 15.07% $42,533
Therapists, all other 14.97% $49,662
Teachers and instructors 14.90% $36,545
Chief Executives 14.87% $254,643
Financial managers 14.80% $128,910
Educational, vocational, and school counselors 14.79% $42,020
Real estate sales agents 14.69% $27,654
Physical scientists 14.65% $89,151
Financial specialists 14.37% $88,578
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products 14.36% $108,013
Camera operators, television, video, and motion picture 14.22% $49,151
Multi-media artists and animators 14.13% $47,492
Museum Technicians and Conservators 14.13% $40,084
Soil and plant Scientists 13.86% $60,075
Child care workers 13.75% $41,883
Nuclear technicians 13.69% $56,565
Natural sciences managers 13.64% $116,504
Designers, all other 13.61% $49,664
Budget analysts 13.47% $63,835
Agricultural and food science technicians 13.40% $36,080
Archivists 13.36% $44,818
Zoologists and wildlife biologists 12.95% $57,055
Animal scientists 12.91% $52,714
Cooks 12.83% $32,590
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists 12.81% $47,583
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers 12.73% $97,332
Library assistants, clerical 12.52% $38,032
Occupational health and safety specialists 12.44% $73,029
Executive secretaries and administrative assistants 12.40% $70,599
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers 12.39% $80,183
Clergy 12.38% $40,583
Social scientists and related workers, all other 12.33% $68,961
Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes 11.84% $86,218
Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation 11.62% $65,571
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents 11.52% $130,385
Food service managers 11.50% $65,625
Art directors 11.50% $94,662
Food scientists and technologists 10.93% $61,227
Commercial and industrial designers 10.84% $56,104
Astronomers 10.45% $104,691
Music directors and composers 10.45% $49,289
Construction managers 10.37% $74,873
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers 10.32% $53,567
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers 10.08% $81,384
Office and administrative support workers, all other 10.05% $34,876
Psychologists 9.89% $77,734
Broadcast technicians 9.77% $36,736
Electrical and electronics repairers 9.74% $56,644
Electro-mechanical technicians 9.69% $46,501
Financial examiners 9.47% $72,558
Set and exhibit designers 9.29% $57,372
Audiologists 9.14% $57,873
First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers 8.66% $62,394
Aerospace engineering and operations technicians 8.51% $57,086
Fashion designers 8.43% $73,290
Operations research analysts 8.39% $76,595
Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products 8.38% $65,757
Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers 8.29% $63,531
Loan officers 8.26% $76,257
Office managers 8.09% $61,819
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products 8.08% $83,788
Materials scientists 8.01% $81,041
Insurance underwriters 7.95% $56,978
Managers, all other 7.85% $90,790
Farm and home management advisors 7.74% $49,806
Law clerks 7.68% $39,741
Religious workers 7.43% $29,300
Political scientists 7.31% $94,458
Chemists 7.27% $68,749
Legal support workers 7.13% $39,804
Physicists 6.97% $76,759
Purchasing managers 6.96% $77,250
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates 6.91% $101,868
Geographers 6.75% $69,272
Foresters 6.70% $56,233
Funeral directors 6.67% $61,443
Insurance sales agents 6.55% $79,741
Geological and petroleum technicians 6.50% $52,516
Conservation scientists 6.32% $59,108
Mathematical scientists, all other 6.18% $68,852
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks 5.87% $34,858
Recreational therapists 5.72% $40,299
Economists 5.64% $102,565
Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents 5.12% $53,920
Librarians 4.94% $52,977
Reporters and correspondents 4.92% $37,270
Sociologists 4.66% $68,724
Statisticians 4.65% $79,125
Architectural and civil drafters 4.64% $44,213
Insurance claims and policy processing clerks 4.54% $31,721
Chemical technicians 4.44% $47,112
Historians 4.33% $54,629
Broadcast news analysts 4.28% $65,269
Farm, ranch, and other agricultural managers 4.04% $61,020
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers 3.83% $43,843
Credit analysts 3.55% $53,958
Mathematical technicians 3.40% $48,634
Respiratory therapy technicians 3.27% $41,854
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers 2.70% $60,951
Legislators 1.97% $35,234
New accounts clerks 1.73% $32,444
Electrical and electronics drafters 1.22% $60,012
Industrial production managers 0.78% $92,031
Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic -1.18% $45,852
Mathematicians -1.30% $67,053
Fire inspectors and investigators -5.51% $52,659
Semiconductor processors -7.50% $35,482

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/other_jobs/index.html
Special report:
Your Job 2007 Full coverage

How we picked the best jobs
We started with growing fields...and then started cutting.
April 12, 2006: 10:03 AM EDT


NEW YORK (MONEY) - To find the best jobs in America, MONEY Magazine and Salary.com, a leading provider of employee compensation data and software, began by assembling a list of positions that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will grow at an above-average rate over 10 years and that require at least a bachelor's degree.

Using Salary.com compensation data, we eliminated jobs with average pay below $50,000; total employment of less than 15,000; dangerous work environments; or fewer than 800 annual job openings, including both new and replacement positions.

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Next we rated positions by stress levels, flexibility in hours and working environment, creativity, and how easy it is to enter and advance in the field.

We then ranked the jobs, giving double weight to compensation and percentage growth. Data for the top 50 appear here. Any job that fell in the bottom third of two job-satisfaction categories, or in the pay or growth category, was removed from consideration for the top 10.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/10/pf/bestjobs_howwepicked/index.htm

100 Best Companies to Work For 2007 2006


Google: The New No. 1
Shooting straight to the top in its first appearance on our list, the Best Company to Work For in America sets the standard for Silicon Valley and beyond. (more)
Life inside Google
Google is famous for its unique company culture. Here's a quick peek at some of the fun. (more)

• A day in the life of a 'Googler'
Google's gourmet food
The cuisine at Google's 11 cafeterias on its Mountain View, Calif., campus is not only fabulous, it's free. Bon appetit! (more)

• The perks of being a Googler Why Google is No. 1
'Yes, you're going to work, but you're also going to have fun as well...'

• Google's meteoric rise
Can you pass the Google test?
How much do you know about the Best Company to Work For in America? (more)

• Working in the Googleplex



The winners circle...
See the full list of America's top 100 employers, including detailed company profiles and contact information. Plus, post your thoughts on the winners in our Best Companies blog. (more)
1. Google 6. Network Appliance
2. Genentech 7. S.C. Johnson & Son
3. Wegmans Food Markets 8. Boston Consulting Grp.
4. Container Store 9. Methodist Hospital Sys.
5. Whole Foods Market 10. W.L. Gore & Associates
• See the full list




Best employers in your state
California is home to the most companies on this year's list. See the top employers near you (including interactive maps) and the best places to live nearby. (more)
• California • Texas
• New York • See the rest



Best benefits
From generous health-care plans to free grocery delivery, these companies are standouts when it comes to the great perks they offer employees. (more)
• Health care • Telecommuting
• Child care • Sabbaticals
• Work-life balance • Unusual perks



Top-paying companies
Associates at Nixon Peabody take home an average $181,099 total compensation annually. See which other top employers offer big paychecks. (more)
• Biggest bonuses



More Stories
So you wanna work at Google?
Think you have what it takes to get a job at the world's hottest tech company? Better study our do's and don'ts. (more)
Gallery
How 5 winners keep their stars happy
Here's what innovative employers are doing to make sure top employees, from the mom to the techie, stay satisfied. (more)

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The most diversity
An interactive look at which of the 100 Best Companies, by industry, have the most women and minorities. (LAUNCH)
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2007/index.html
100 Best Companies to Work For
Life inside Google
By Adam Lashinsky


Employees enjoy the "college-like" atmosphere at Google. 1 of 9

Search and enjoy
Life for Google employees at the Mountain View campus is like college. It feels like the brainiest university imaginable - one in which every kid can afford a sports car (though geeky hybrids are cooler here than hot rods).

Here the shabbily dressed engineers always will be the big men (and, yes, women) on campus. "Hard-core geeks are here because there's no place they'd rather be," says Dennis Hwang, a Google Webmaster.

Another similarity to college: New Googlers (Nooglers, in Google parlance) tend to pile on the "Google 15" when confronted with all the free food.

Full list: 100 Best Companies to Work For
MORE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 MORE
100 Best Companies to Work For
The perks of being a Googler
By Adam Lashinsky

1 of 9

Bon Appétit
At Google it always comes back to the food. Google runs 11 free gourmet cafeterias at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, and offers all its employees free gourmet meals.

In addition to its cafés, Google has snack rooms which contain various cereals, candy, nuts, yogurt, carrots, fresh fruit and other snacks, and dozens of different drinks including soda and make-your-own cappuccino. Says co-founder Sergey Brin: "The cafés have always been pretty healthy, but the snacks are not, and the efforts to fix that have been remarkably challenging." Though company lore has it that Brin and co-founder Larry Page believe no worker should be more than 150 feet from a food source, clearly not all food is equal. "A lot of people like their M&Ms. But the easy access is actually what's bad for them," he says.

Of course, when it comes to America's new Best Company to Work For, the food is, well, just the appetizer.

Full list: 100 Best Companies to Work For
100 Best Companies to Work For
The perks of being a Googler
By Adam Lashinsky

1 of 9

Bon Appétit
At Google it always comes back to the food. Google runs 11 free gourmet cafeterias at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, and offers all its employees free gourmet meals.

In addition to its cafés, Google has snack rooms which contain various cereals, candy, nuts, yogurt, carrots, fresh fruit and other snacks, and dozens of different drinks including soda and make-your-own cappuccino. Says co-founder Sergey Brin: "The cafés have always been pretty healthy, but the snacks are not, and the efforts to fix that have been remarkably challenging." Though company lore has it that Brin and co-founder Larry Page believe no worker should be more than 150 feet from a food source, clearly not all food is equal. "A lot of people like their M&Ms. But the easy access is actually what's bad for them," he says.

Of course, when it comes to America's new Best Company to Work For, the food is, well, just the appetizer.

Full list: 100 Best Companies to Work For
100 Best Companies to Work For
The perks of being a Googler
By Adam Lashinsky

1 of 9

Bon Appétit
At Google it always comes back to the food. Google runs 11 free gourmet cafeterias at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, and offers all its employees free gourmet meals.

In addition to its cafés, Google has snack rooms which contain various cereals, candy, nuts, yogurt, carrots, fresh fruit and other snacks, and dozens of different drinks including soda and make-your-own cappuccino. Says co-founder Sergey Brin: "The cafés have always been pretty healthy, but the snacks are not, and the efforts to fix that have been remarkably challenging." Though company lore has it that Brin and co-founder Larry Page believe no worker should be more than 150 feet from a food source, clearly not all food is equal. "A lot of people like their M&Ms. But the easy access is actually what's bad for them," he says.

Of course, when it comes to America's new Best Company to Work For, the food is, well, just the appetizer.

Full list: 100 Best Companies to Work For
100 Best Companies to Work For 2007

Full list
Best benefits
Job growth Companies
Pay
Turnover States
Bonus
Women Size
All stars
Minorities

Full list
Rank Company Job growth % Company size U.S. employees
1 Google 67 Medium 6,500
2 Genentech 25 Medium 9,979
3 Wegmans Food Markets 8 Large 33,737
4 Container Store 14 Medium 2,866
5 Whole Foods Market 15 Large 37,806
6 Network Appliance 33 Medium 3,553
7 S.C. Johnson & Son 0 Medium 3,400
8 Boston Consulting Grp. 15 Small 1,434
9 Methodist Hospital Sys. 5 Medium 9,424
10 W.L. Gore & Associates 9 Medium 4,945
11 Cisco Systems 3 Large 27,493
12 David Weekley Homes 19 Small 1,622
13 Nugget Market 1 Small 1,099
14 Qualcomm 17 Medium 8,860
15 American Century Invest. 1 Small 1,783
16 Starbucks Coffee 15 Large 109,873
17 Quicken Loans 19 Medium 3,512
18 Station Casinos 27 Large 13,957
19 Alston & Bird 6 Small 1,598
20 QuikTrip 0 Medium 7,833
21 Griffin Hospital 6 Small 1,098
22 Valero Energy 12 Large 18,730
23 Vision Service Plan 3 Small 1,968
24 Nordstrom 6 Large 48,374
25 Ernst & Young 6 Large 24,995
26 Arnold & Porter -8 Small 1,292
27 Recreational Equip. (REI) 16 Medium 8,522
28 Kimley-Horn & Assoc. 23 Small 2,173
29 Edward Jones 2 Large 30,326
30 Russell Investment Grp. 12 Small 1,206
31 Adobe Systems 33 Medium 3,604
32 Plante & Moran 11 Small 1,501
33 Intuit 6 Medium 6,889
34 Umpqua Bank 8 Small 1,435
35 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta 7 Medium 5,256
36 Goldman Sachs 6 Large 12,542
37 Northwest Community Hospital 7 Medium 3,299
38 Robert W. Baird -2 Small 2,080
39 J.M. Smucker -4 Medium 2,853
40 Amgen 21 Large 13,554
41 JM Family Enterprises 8 Medium 4,452
42 PCL Construction 19 Medium 3,020
43 Genzyme 10 Medium 5,920
44 Yahoo 26 Medium 6,840
45 Bain & Co. 11 Small 1,370
46 First Horizon National -6 Large 12,491
47 American Fidelity Assur. -2 Small 1,358
48 SAS Institute 2 Medium 5,239
49 Nixon Peabody 2 Small 1,511
50 Microsoft 13 Large 44,298
51 Stew Leonard's 5 Small 1,899
52 OhioHealth 7 Large 10,836
53 Four Seasons Hotels 10 Large 11,584
54 Baptist Health Care 0 Medium 4,095
55 Dow Corning 8 Medium 4,052
56 Granite Construction 7 Medium 4,662
57 Publix Super Markets 6 Large 136,863
58 PricewaterhouseCoopers 8 Large 28,463
59 Pella 9 Medium 9,331
60 MITRE 3 Medium 5,759
61 SRA International 21 Medium 4,861
62 Mayo Clinic 4 Large 39,457
63 Booz Allen Hamilton 8 Large 16,691
64 Perkins Coie -1 Small 1,519
65 Alcon Laboratories 4 Medium 6,460
66 Jones Lang LaSalle 26 Medium 7,812
67 HomeBanc Mortgage -2 Small 1,312
68 Procter & Gamble 2 Large 34,142
69 Nike 5 Large 13,664
70 Paychex 9 Large 10,911
71 AstraZeneca 1 Large 12,263
72 Medtronic 8 Large 21,648
73 Aflac 7 Medium 4,326
74 American Express -4 Large 29,145
75 Quad/Graphics -1 Large 10,099
76 Deloitte & Touche USA 9 Large 34,011
77 Principal Financial Grp. 3 Large 13,075
78 Timberland 6 Small 2,016
79 TDIndustries 4 Small 1,345
80 Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Ntwrk. 12 Medium 7,838
81 Baptist Health S. Florida 4 Medium 9,446
82 CDW 8 Medium 4,293
83 EOG Resources 17 Small 1,181
84 Capital One Financial 59 Large 19,047
85 Standard Pacific 25 Medium 2,856
86 National Instruments 6 Small 2,294
87 Texas Instruments -7 Large 15,274
88 CarMax 10 Large 12,553
89 Marriott International -1 Large 124,350
90 Men's Wearhouse 4 Large 11,508
91 Memorial Health 10 Medium 4,685
92 Bright Horizons 4 Large 14,164
93 Milliken 1 Medium 9,500
94 Bingham McCutchen 4 Small 1,618
95 Vanguard 6 Large 11,410
96 IKEA North America 21 Large 11,157
97 KPMG 4 Large 21,042
98 Synovus 4 Large 12,474
99 A.G. Edwards 1 Large 15,794
100 Stanley 6 Small 2,309

From the January 22, 2007 issue
Notes:
N.A.: Not available. U.S. employees includes part-timers as of time of survey. Job growth, new jobs, and voluntary turnover are full-time only. Revenues are for 2005 or latest fiscal year. All data based on U.S. employees.
* Average annual pay: yearly pay rate plus additional cash compensation for the largest classification of salaried and hourly employees.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2007/full_list/
Best compensation

Salaried employees Hourly employees

Rank Company Best companies rank Most common job title Average
annual pay*
1 Nixon Peabody 49 Associate Attorney $181,099
2 Bingham McCutchen 94 Associate $180,050
3 Alston & Bird 19 Associate Attorney $166,300
4 Adobe Systems 31 Senior Computer Scientist $161,127
5 Arnold & Porter 26 Associates $155,929
6 EOG Resources 83 Engineer $145,750
7 Perkins Coie 64 Associate $142,027
8 SRA International 61 Project Manager $129,642
9 Boston Consulting Grp. 8 Consultant $129,071
10 Goldman Sachs 36 Other Exempt (Analyst, Program Analyst and Associate) $129,000
11 Network Appliance 6 MTS Software 4 $129,000
12 Yahoo 44 Technical Yahoo Senior $126,000
13 Cisco Systems 11 Software Engineer IV $123,021
14 Microsoft 50 Software Developer $118,500
15 Jones Lang LaSalle 66 Vice President $116,566
16 Robert W. Baird 38 Financial Analyst $116,000
17 Kimley-Horn & Assoc. 28 Project Manager $115,938
18 MITRE 60 Lead Information Systems Engineer $112,656
19 Texas Instruments 87 Electrical Design Engineer $109,223
20 American Century Invest. 15 Programmer/Analyst Specialist $105,000
21 S.C. Johnson & Son 7 Sr. Research Scientist $104,192
22 Publix Super Markets 57 Store Manager $103,981
23 Dow Corning 55 Supply Chain $102,093
24 Alcon Laboratories 65 Sales Representative $100,998
25 Booz Allen Hamilton 63 Associate $100,800
26 Capital One Financial 84 Project Manager $100,393
27 American Express 74 Project Manager-Technologies $99,221
28 Nugget Market 13 Store Director $98,833
29 AstraZeneca 71 Pharmaceutical Sales Specialist $97,835
30 SAS Institute 48 Systems developer $97,276
31 Ernst & Young 25 Manager - a client serving position $95,905
32 Qualcomm 14 Engineer, Senior $95,345
33 Baptist Health S. Florida 81 Assistant Manager, Patient Care $93,498
34 Principal Financial Grp. 77 IT Application Analyst Sr. $93,419
35 Paychex 70 Sales Representative $91,774
36 Vision Service Plan 23 Application Developer III $90,296
37 Medtronic 72 Engineer $89,985
38 PCL Construction 42 Superintendent $88,300
39 Recreational Equip. (REI) 27 Retail Store Manager $87,519
40 Procter & Gamble 68 Production Department Manager $87,400
41 Valero Energy 22 IS Specialist $86,915
42 Methodist Hospital Sys. 9 Manager, Nursing $86,783
43 David Weekley Homes 12 Sales Consultant $86,659
44 PricewaterhouseCoopers 58 Manager/Supervisor $86,307
45 Genzyme 43 Researcher/Scientist $85,973
46 Memorial Health 91 Registered Nurse Clinical Mgr $83,170
47 Quicken Loans 17 Mortgage Banker $82,000
48 Northwest Community Hospital 37 Clinical Coordinator $81,224
49 Men's Wearhouse 90 Professional (Information & Technology) $80,289
50 Deloitte & Touche USA 76 Senior/Senior Consultant $77,011
51 Genentech 2 Research Associate $76,000
52 Edward Jones 29 Senior Programmer Analyst $75,616
53 Whole Foods Market 5 Associate Store Team Leader $72,894
54 A.G. Edwards 99 Headquarters Management & Professional Support $71,548
55 National Instruments 86 Engineer 2 Staff $69,866
56 TDIndustries 79 Superintendent $69,706
57 Standard Pacific 85 Construction Manager $69,400
58 First Horizon National 46 Enterprise Technician $68,926
59 OhioHealth 52 Case Manager $68,755
60 Granite Construction 56 Engineering $67,497
61 Synovus 98 Program Analyst $67,491
62 Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Ntwrk. 80 Patient Care Coordinator $66,565
63 Plante & Moran 32 Auditor $65,000
64 Milliken 93 Product/Process Improvement $62,000
65 Stew Leonard's 51 Store Manager $60,870
66 QuikTrip 20 Store Manager $60,525
67 CarMax 88 Buyers $59,385
68 CDW 82 Account Manager $58,520
69 IKEA North America 96 Sales Manager $58,487
70 Aflac 73 Supervisor $57,363
71 Pella 59 Department Manager $57,172
72 Stanley 100 Systems Analyst II $56,867
73 Timberland 78 Manager Store Sales $54,453
74 Marriott International 89 Sales Manager $54,274
75 KPMG 97 Associate $53,880
76 Bright Horizons 92 Director $53,000
77 J.M. Smucker 39 Production Supervisor $51,713
78 HomeBanc Mortgage 67 Underwriters $51,624
79 Umpqua Bank 34 Store Manager $50,078
80 Baptist Health Care 54 Manager $48,921
81 Nordstrom 24 Sales Department Manager $48,500
82 Wegmans Food Markets 3 Store Department Manager $47,775
83 Four Seasons Hotels 53 Assistant Food & Beverage Manager $47,256
84 Starbucks Coffee 16 Store Manager $43,598
85 Station Casinos 18 Casino Floorperson $43,427
86 Container Store 4 Store Sales $42,630
87 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta 35 Business Operations Coordinator $42,354
88 Nike 69 MGR/Department/Retail $39,128
89 JM Family Enterprises 41 Operations Account Representative $36,350
90 American Fidelity Assur. 47 Account Representative $33,559

From the January 22, 2007 issue
Notes:
*For employees in that role
Notes:
N.A.: Not available. U.S. employees includes part-timers as of time of survey. Job growth, new jobs, and voluntary turnover are full-time only. Revenues are for 2005 or latest fiscal year. All data based on U.S. employees.
* Average annual pay: yearly pay rate plus additional cash compensation for the largest classification of salaried and hourly employees.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2007/pay/
Best compensation

Salaried employees Hourly employees

Rank Company Best companies
rank Most common job title Average
annual pay*
1 Valero Energy 22 Technician IV $84,141
2 Methodist Hospital Sys. 9 Registered Nurse-Clinical Colleague $75,776
3 Adobe Systems 31 Senior Administrative Assistant $70,569
4 Nixon Peabody 49 Secretary $68,857
5 Bingham McCutchen 94 Legal Secretary $68,807
6 Memorial Health 91 Registered Nurse $68,297
7 Griffin Hospital 21 RN - Nurse $67,619
8 Northwest Community Hospital 37 Acute Care Staff Nurse $67,246
9 Baptist Health S. Florida 81 Clinical Nurse 1 $66,631
10 PCL Construction 42 Carpenter $65,382
11 Qualcomm 14 IT Engineer $63,686
12 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta 35 Staff Nurse Colleague $63,228
13 EOG Resources 83 Lease Operator $62,645
14 Alston & Bird 19 Legal Secretary $62,100
15 Jones Lang LaSalle 66 Technician $61,897
16 Boston Consulting Grp. 8 Executive Assistant $59,251
17 Perkins Coie 64 Legal Secretary $58,807
18 Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Ntwrk. 80 Registered Nurse $58,575
19 Cisco Systems 11 Sales Administrator $58,069
20 Booz Allen Hamilton 63 Executive Assistant $57,900
21 Genzyme 43 Cytogenetic Technicians/Technologists $57,670
22 Arnold & Porter 26 Legal Secretaries $56,764
23 Network Appliance 6 Administrative Assistant 3 $56,200
24 Station Casinos 18 Table Games Dealer $55,688
25 OhioHealth 52 Registered Nurse $55,574
26 Ernst & Young 25 Administrative Assistant $55,324
27 Genentech 2 Manufacturing Technician- Bioprocess $54,900
28 Quicken Loans 17 Client Care Specialist $53,797
29 Dow Corning 55 Supply Chain $52,802
30 Microsoft 50 Administrative Support $52,560
31 PricewaterhouseCoopers 58 Executive Assistant $52,278
32 Deloitte & Touche USA 76 Administrative assistant $51,666
33 Baptist Health Care 54 Registered Nurse $50,860
34 MITRE 60 Technical Project Support III $50,687
35 CarMax 88 Technicians $48,766
36 S.C. Johnson & Son 7 Admin Assistant $48,734
37 Procter & Gamble 68 Technician $48,673
38 First Horizon National 46 Loan Processor $45,361
39 TDIndustries 79 Skilled Craftperson $45,180
40 Kimley-Horn & Assoc. 28 Clerical $43,868
41 SAS Institute 48 Office administrator $43,379
42 KPMG 97 Administrative Assistant $42,178
43 SRA International 61 Administrative Assistant $41,814
44 Pella 59 Assembler $41,398
45 Texas Instruments 87 Wafer Fab Specialist $40,990
46 Yahoo 44 Customer Care Agent I $40,840
47 QuikTrip 20 Night Assistant Manager $40,483
48 CDW 82 Pick Pack $39,764
49 David Weekley Homes 12 Builder Service Representative $38,924
50 A.G. Edwards 99 Branch Support Employee $38,597
51 American Express 74 Travel Counselor $38,340
52 Milliken 93 Senior Machine Operator $38,000
53 Robert W. Baird 38 Client Relationship Assistant $37,900
54 Alcon Laboratories 65 Operator $37,433
55 Vision Service Plan 23 Customer Service Representative II $36,074
56 HomeBanc Mortgage 67 Customer Service Specialist $35,988
57 Starbucks Coffee 16 Coordinator II $35,680
58 Paychex 70 Payroll Specialist $35,246
59 Nordstrom 24 Salesperson $35,200
60 AstraZeneca 71 Product Operator $35,131
61 Plante & Moran 32 Secretary $34,825
62 Medtronic 72 Assembler $34,144
63 Nugget Market 13 Checker $33,722
64 J.M. Smucker 39 Customer Service Representative $33,346
65 National Instruments 86 Administrative Specialist 2 $33,111
66 Capital One Financial 84 Risk Associate $32,836
67 Nike 69 Material Handling Assistant $32,764
68 Men's Wearhouse 90 Full-time tailors $32,741
69 Granite Construction 56 Journeyman $31,777
70 Edward Jones 29 Branch Office Administrator $31,078
71 Stew Leonard's 51 Production Assistant $31,033
72 American Fidelity Assur. 47 Representative, Customer Service II $30,612
73 Container Store 4 Distribution Center $30,508
74 American Century Invest. 15 Account Representative $30,000
75 JM Family Enterprises 41 Customer Account Representative $29,824
76 Standard Pacific 85 Sales Assistant $29,585
77 Principal Financial Grp. 77 Account Representative I $28,613
78 Whole Foods Market 5 Service Team Member $27,803
79 Aflac 73 Customer Service Specialist II $27,458
80 Publix Super Markets 57 Grocery Stock Clerk $27,353
81 Timberland 78 Assistant Manager Sales $26,858
82 Wegmans Food Markets 3 Customer Service $26,586
83 Umpqua Bank 34 Universal Associate $26,162
84 Four Seasons Hotels 53 AM Guest Room Attendant $25,842
85 Bright Horizons 92 Teacher $24,675
86 Stanley 100 Passport Associate 1 $24,400
87 Marriott International 89 Housekeeper $23,407
88 Recreational Equip. (REI) 27 Retail Sales Specialist $22,453
89 Synovus 98 Machine Operator 1 $22,451
90 IKEA North America 96 Sales Coworker $15,415

From the January 22, 2007 issue
Notes:
*For employees in that role

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2007/pay/hourly.html

Degree-Salary Equivalency

Most lucrative degrees for college grads
Survey finds best job market in 4 years, with most college majors seeing salary growth and some students receiving multiple job offers.
By Rob Kelley, CNNMoney.com staff writer
October 27 2006: 12:42 PM EDT


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Employers continue to boost starting salaries for the Class of 2006, which is enjoying the strongest job market in four years, according to a recent survey.

The biggest beneficiaries are graduates who majored in information sciences and systems: they are taking home 7.5 percent more than they did last year, according to the Fall 2006 edition of Salary Survey, a quarterly report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Quiz Take the quiz

Will you succeed in your new job? Whether you're changing positions mid-career or starting your first real job out of college, new hires face common pitfalls. Do you know how to avoid them?

1. Five minutes from now, you will step on to an elevator whose only other passenger is your company's CEO, whom you haven't met before. You are most likely to:
Be completely tongue-tied and say nothing.
Introduce yourself and give a 30-second summary of the work you're doing and why you're excited about it.
Chat about the weather.



Employers have made a strong effort to attract college seniors and new grads through on-campus recruiting, career fairs, information sessions, and intern and co-op recruiting, according to NACE.

Top 50: Companies with most entry-level jobs for grads
"These salary increases combined with the results of a recent poll of Salary Survey participants indicate that 2005-06 has been the best job market in the past four years," said NACE executive director Marilyn Mackes in a statement.

According to the survey, majors that have seen some of the biggest increases in average starting salaries are:

Information sciences and systems: Up 7.5 percent to $47,182

Economics/finance: Up 6.2 percent to $44,588

Civil engineering: Up 5.3 percent to $46,084

Chemical engineering: Up 4.9 percent to $56,269

Accounting: Up 4.6 percent to $44,928

Business administration/management: Up 4.2 percent to $41,155

History: Up 4.2 percent to $33,071

For others, modest increases, some declines
Other majors also experienced slightly higher entry-level offers, but the increases from last year's offers didn't outpace inflation.

Mechanical engineering: Up 3.3 percent to $51,732

Electrical engineering: Up 2.9 percent to $53,500

Psychology: Up 1 percent to $30,369

Computer science: Up 0.3 percent to $50,744

Political science and government: Up 0.3 percent to $33,094

And in a few cases, starting offers actually declined. This was true for a few of the liberal arts majors, which only saw a 0.2 percent increase overall as a category.

English: Down 0.2 percent to $31,385

Sociology: Down 0.9 percent to $31,096

100 Top MBA Employers

Student loans: A life sentence

Where the (best) 6-figure jobs are


http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/27/pf/college/lucrative_degree/index.htm?postversion=2006102712

Most lucrative degrees for 2007 grads
Marketing, business administration and engineering students see the biggest increases in average starting offers.
By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer
February 8 2007: 1:24 PM EST


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- With less than four months to go before saying sayonara to the quad for good, the class of 2007 is finding it easier than recent classes to get their foot in the work world.

Employers have said they expect to hire 17.4 percent more college grads than they did last year, and in many instances they plan to pay them more, too, according to a survey released this week by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

The students faring the best are marketing and business administration majors.

The average starting offer for seniors majoring in marketing is up 14 percent from last year to $41,323.

Those majoring in business administration are seeing a 9.2 percent jump to $43,523 in average starting salaries.

Others who are seeing pay increases, albeit some far more modest than others, are seniors majoring in:

Mechanical engineering: Up 7.7 percent to $54,587
Chemical engineering: Up 7.4 percent to $60,054
Management information systems: Up 5.5 percent to $46,568
Civil engineering: Up 4.8 percent to $47,145
Electrical engineering: Up 3.2 percent to $54,599
Computer science: Up 2 percent to $51,070
Accounting: Up 1.7 percent to $46,508
There are no prior year comparisons for two majors because in prior NACE surveys they were grouped together as one. However, based on prior years' average starting offers in the category (in 2006 it was $45,191), NACE characterized these average starting salaries as "respectable."

Finance: $47,905
Economics: $51,631
There have been slight decreases in the average starting salary offers for just a few majors, but NACE notes that given that it's still early in the hiring season and the job market is strong for college grads, salary offers may improve in the next few months:

Logistics/Materials management: Down 1.8 percent to $43,294
Liberal arts (including psychology, political science history, English): Down 1.1 percent to $30,502
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http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/08/pf/college/lucrative_degrees_winter07/index.htm

Samonella in Dog Food?

BJ'S Wholesale Club Issues Recall of 'Berkley & Jensen' Full-Cut Pig Ears Dog Treats Because of Potential for Salmonella Contaminationadvertisement

Related information E-mail this article Print-friendly version Discuss this articleStocks mentioned in this articleBJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (BJ) Stock Quote, Chart, News
All PRNewswire NewsNATICK, Mass., March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is recalling its 25-count packages of "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats with no lot number and only the expiration advisory "BEST IF USED BY 2009" (without referencing a specific month) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious infections in dogs, and, if there is cross contamination, young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Confirmatory testing is ongoing but until the testing is final, consumers should immediately stop feeding the treats to their pets.


Related newsStocks End Mixed on Economic DataUnemployment Rate Dips to 4.5 PercentNew Century Among Wall Street's MoversBusiness Events Sceheduled for This WeekProduct Recalls
Salmonella can potentially be transferred to people handling these dog treats, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Dogs that become ill from Salmonella generally will have a fever and diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus. Affected animals may seem more tired that usual, and may have vomiting. Some dogs do not have diarrhea, but will have decreased appetite, fever and excess salivation. If your dog has consumed the recalled product and is exhibiting these signs, please contact your veterinarian.

The potential for contamination was noted after testing revealed the potential presence of Salmonella in a 25-count package of "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats.

There have been no confirmed illnesses to date. These products have been removed from sale while the problem is being investigated.

BJ's members who purchased "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats between January 1, 2006 through March 8, 2007 should discontinue use of the product and may return the unused portion to any BJ's Wholesale Club for a full refund. Consumers who have further questions may contact BJ's toll free Member Care line at 1-800-BJS-CLUB.

For more information on Salmonella, please visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Web site at www.FDA.gov.

About BJ's Wholesale Club

Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern United States. The Company currently operates 172 Clubs and 96 gas stations in 16 states. For more information about BJ's Wholesale Club, please visit www.bjs.com.

Copyright 2007 PRNewswire
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=PR&Date=20070309&ID=6596069&Symbol=BJ

The Secret of "Freebies"

The Basics
Is free stuff on the Net really free?
Read the firsthand accounts of those who clicked when their screens popped up offers for free iPods, laptops, trips, tickets and software. Here's what they really got and what they learned.

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Article Tools
E-mail to a friendTools IndexPrint-friendly versionSite MapDiscuss in a Message BoardArticle IndexBy Bankrate.com
You've seen the Internet ads: Click here to get your free laptop computer, iPod, trip to Bermuda . . .

Ever wondered what would happen if you tried to claim the freebie?

Generally, you'd end up earning the reward by answering surveys, completing product offers or referring friends.

To find out if the process proved worth the effort, we polled our newsletter readers for a week and asked about their experience with answering ads for free merchandise. Most responded that the freebie turned out to be anything but free.

Here is a sampling of the letters we received.

The free iPod that cost me
"I responded to a free iPod ad. After several requests to sign up for various services, I realized that the free iPod was not free at all. The killing part is, I actually did commit to a few services and have been billed for them, but because I got caught in a loop of pop-up windows and surveys, I became frustrated and did not follow through to get the free iPod.

"I keep saying that I am going contact someone about it, but being the procrastinator that I am, I just haven't gotten around to it yet." -- Rhonda

Free cell phone! What free cell phone?
"Free stuff, what a joke.

"After going through 11 questionnaires and saying no to all, you finally get to the last, and they say you must at least pick two items in order to be able to get whatever they are giving away.

"For instance, I answered a free cell phone ad and went through 11-12 questionnaires and at first it says no obligation to buy anything, but when I got to the last I must at least try magazines for 30 days and they're hoping I will forget to cancel before the 30 days. And the kicker was once I agreed to the free trial of magazines, they never ever mentioned the free cell phone again, and I will be watching and waiting to see what they do to my credit card and if I get the phone, and then that's when I will sue the company for 100 times the amount of the phone and the magazines.

More from MSN Money and Bankrate.com
How to quit the gym (or anything)
When is a freebie offer really free?
How to say NO! to anything or anyone
Have a frugal tip? Share it to win $100
5 reasons you overspend online
Internet scams to watch for in 2007


"By the way, once you give one company your credit card number you get charged $1 to $4.95 on your card, for other items I never heard of before and have to take the time to call them and get them to remove it.

"There should be a law against this thing." -- Bob

Free spam! Act now!
"Yes, they are all scams. There is always a 'short' questionnaire. You always have to answer many, many questions if you want this or that. You always have to give your e-mail address and other information. You always have to check 'yes' for at least one in order to qualify and continue. If you ever get to the end after 45 minutes or so -- yeah, short -- you end up having to buy or sign up for something or your name is put into a lottery for a chance to win. I, in my stupidity, have done this several times. Always thinking maybe this one is legit. Not! I have never gotten the free product or the free gift card, groceries, movie tickets, etc. Then your e-mail is bombarded with hundreds of advertisements that you can never seem to stop unless you change your e-mail address. What a deal. Moral of this story is: Nothing is free." -- Jean

Video: Are 'free' iPods worth the trouble?
"I filled out the questionnaire online for a $50 gift certificate for dinner at a well-known restaurant chain. They ask for your name and the rest of your personal information and e-mail address. Then the questionnaire opens up a new page and asks you if you would be interested in e-mails for specials on items that you could use in your life. You fill that page out then here comes another page with more questions. After about five pages I gave up. It just wouldn't quit. It was like a stupid carrot that they had hanging out there that you could never reach. I turned my computer off and said, 'Forget that!' After that I didn't check my e-mail for about a week and when I did I had over 200 spam messages, even sex ones. I never did get a dinner certificate. I had to close that e-mail account because the spam garbage would not quit. Moral of the story: There is no free lunch on the Internet." -- Sascha

"I have responded twice to freebie ads, using an alternative e-mail address and within 24 hours received hundreds of spam e-mails -- and no free anything. My perception is the purpose is to get folks to reply and then have access to their e-mail addresses." -- Bea

"After I gave my e-mail address and answered all the questions, I was informed that I had to order (buy) one item from several areas in order to receive the freebie. I canceled the 'adventure' and have been inundated with junk mail ever since. Never again. Big scam for addresses to sell, etc." -- Anita

Complete the never-ending survey
"I tried to win a few of those free products, but I am convinced they are the biggest fraud out there. For example, I spent three hours filling out questionnaires only to find out they never end, and the couple of times I got to the end they wanted me to buy something and you know what that means: They are asking for your credit card information.

"They are scam artists." -- Randy

Free (with shipping and handling)
"I purchased some software from a company that advertises if you pay for shipping you get four software titles for free.

"A few weeks later I got a $49 charge on my account. I looked up the company on the Web and none of the links I found went to the company. I tried the phone number that showed up on my statement and they simply tell you they are not available and to try back later before they hang up on you. So dissatisfied, I searched the Internet a little more only to find I wasn't the only one to be scammed. Turns out that they never tell you that you are signing up for a subscription but send you software and you have a short time frame to return it or be charged. Total scam." -- Kendal

Free (with Social Security and credit card numbers)
"I was scammed. The 'free' gift required my participation in at least six 'promotions,' each of which required signing up for a trial membership and/or paying shipping and handling fees for the information. Plus I was asked to provide credit card and Social Security numbers -- too much sensitive, private and personal information.

"The 'free' gift was never realized, and I felt scammed." -- Edward

Free (with purchase)
"Yes, I've answered ads for 'free' products. Please note the quote marks -- they're intentional. Many of the Internet freebies have extremely long forms to fill out, complete with a host of ads you need to reply 'not interested' to or else you'll receive hundreds of solicitations from various companies.

"The 'gift certificates' offered for sometimes hundreds of dollars almost always involve purchasing something, somewhere along the line or becoming a trial member of something. At which point you need to pay for your subscription or membership upfront, with the caveat it's 'fully refundable' within strict parameters. As the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch!

"I do have to say that once I responded to an ad promising a free, expensive pet product in exchange for a 15-question survey. I was pleasantly surprised in its briefness and the fact that the product arrived in less than two weeks and was truly what had been offered -- an item worth about $100 retail! That was the one and only time I can say I was satisfied, and beyond what I expected!" -- Linda

This article was reported and written by Leslie McFadden for Bankrate.com.

Published March 9, 2007http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ConsumerActionGuide/IsFreeStuffOnTheNetReallyFree.aspx

Northwestern Mutual Internship Top-Rated by Vault

Internship Experts at Vault, Inc. Name Northwestern Mutual a Top 10 program for Eleventh Straight Year
MILWAUKEE, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- For the eleventh consecutive year, the Northwestern Mutual internship program has been named a top ten program by the internship experts at Vault, Inc. The Northwestern Mutual Financial Network joins The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and INROADS as the only programs to be named top ten internships since the debut of the Vault Guide to Top Internships was released in 1996.

"We're honored that our internship program has again been named a top ten program by the experts at Vault, Inc.," says Michael Van Grinsven, director of the Northwestern Mutual Internship program. "It is a testament to the company's commitment to our future leaders, but more importantly a reflection on the dedicated and talented students that gain a world-class experience in the program."

The Vault Guide to Internships, 2007, bases its internship rankings on a variety of factors, including substantive work, compensation, real-world experiences, selectivity, subjective expertise and how internships with the company are perceived to potential employers.

A financial representative intern with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network gains the same knowledge and training as full-time representatives, learning the basics of the insurance and financial services industry. They are compensated on a performance-based system, and provided mentoring and support from seasoned veterans throughout the office.

Since 1967, more than 20,000 students have gained valuable knowledge regarding the business and financial world through the internship program with Northwestern Mutual. Annually, the program offers internships to more than 1,000 students, a number that the company intends to double over the coming years.

"As we celebrate our 40th anniversary of the internship program in 2007, we're thrilled to see the program continue to grow and be such a beneficial experience to thousands of students across the country. This program lays the foundation for tomorrow's leaders at Northwestern Mutual or in other professions students pursue," notes Van Grinsven, himself an alumnus of the internship program.

In fact, 25 percent of Managing Partners, Managing Directors and Field Directors with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network started their career as interns, and 20 percent of the company's top producing financial representatives started as interns. For more information about the internship program, visit http://www.internship.nmfn.com/ or http://www.nminternship.com/.

The Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, the marketing name for the sales and distribution arm of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (Northwestern Mutual), provides expert guidance on insurance, investment products and services, retirement and estate analysis, education funding and employee benefits.

Northwestern Mutual, the nation's largest direct provider of individual life insurance, according to statistics compiled from A. M. Best data, has always received the best possible insurance financial strength ratings from Standard & Poor's, Fitch Ratings, A. M. Best and Moody's. For 23 years, a FORTUNE magazine survey has named Northwestern Mutual "Most Admired" in its industry. The company has also been recognized as one of the "50 Best Companies to Sell For," by Selling Power magazine (2006).

The company, its subsidiaries and affiliates are also providers of annuities, mutual funds, long-term care insurance and disability income insurance. Among its affiliated companies are those that comprise the Russell Investment Group, which provide investment management and advisory services; Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS), a wholly-owned company of Northwestern Mutual, broker-dealer and member NASD and SIPC; and Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, a wholly-owned company of Northwestern Mutual, limited purpose federal savings bank and a registered investment adviser which provides financial planning, investment management and trust services. A subsidiary, Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, offers long-term care insurance. Further information on Northwestern Mutual, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, can be found at: http://www.nmfn.com/.

SOURCE: Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

CONTACT: Jean Towell, +1-800-323-7033,
mediarelations@northwesternmutual.com

Web site: http://www.nmfn.com/
http://www.internship.nmfn.com/

Investers Upbeat for Next Year

As Doubts on Economy Grow,
Stock Investors Stay Upbeat
By JOHN HARWOOD
March 7, 2007; Page A6

WASHINGTON -- Americans have become more pessimistic about the health of the economy, but investors remain confident about stocks despite recent market fluctuations.

A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll of American adults shows a significant decline in economic confidence since the year began. About 31% of Americans now expect the economy to get worse over the next year, double the proportion who said so in January.

Yet a smaller group of Americans with some stock-market investments remains bullish. Among those who say they have at least $5,000 in the market, 46% expect the market to move higher over the next year, while just 16% expect the market to fall. One-third expect the market to stay the same.

Investors "don't appear to be particularly shaken," says Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the Journal/NBC survey with Republican counterpart Neil Newhouse. But lagging spirits about the economy overall, Mr. Hart added, show the broader public mood is "anything but great."

WALL STREET JOURNAL VIDEO



WSJ's John Harwood discusses the latest poll, noting greater-than-expected resilience in the investor community.The telephone poll of 1,007 adults was conducted March 2-5, following turbulence in American financial markets; the margin of error is 3.1 percentage points. About 45% of respondents say they have at least $5,000 invested in stocks and mutual funds, while 48% say they don't.

Last week's drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average was linked to market declines in Asia. That followed remarks by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan signaling the possibility of a U.S. economic recession.

Whether influenced by reporting of Mr. Greenspan's remarks, or simply by their own experience, Americans as a whole are growing gloomier. Last fall, a month before the 2006 elections, American voters split evenly on whether the economy would get better or worse; by January, a slight plurality expected better times.

But now, the poll shows, just 16% expect the economy to strengthen while 31% expect it to weaken. About half of respondents say the economy will remain "about the same."

By contrast, self-described investors show confidence the value of their holdings will appreciate. The 46% who envision a rising market is slightly below the 55% who did in January 2003, and the 56% who did in July 2002.

But it exceeds the 35% expressing bullishness at the outset of the Bush administration -- as the economy was heading toward recession, and for the final three years of the Clinton administration. In Oct. 1999, 30% of Americans expected markets to rise, 26% expected them to fall, and 39% expected them to remain about the same.

Write to John Harwood at john.harwood@wsj.com

Mortgage Apps Up as Rates Decline

Press Release - Weekly Application Survey

PRINT | E-Mail

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: 03/07/07 Refinance Applications Jump As Mortgage Rates Decline
Source: MBA
Date: 3/7/2007
Contacts:
Name: Phone: Email:
Aleis Stokes (202) 557-2741 astokes@mortgagebankers.org


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7, 2007) — The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending March 2, 2007. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, was 671.6, an increase of 7.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from 626.1 one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 19.9 percent compared with the previous week and was up 15.6 percent compared with the same week one year earlier.
The Refinance Index increased 15 percent to 2234.2 from 1943.5 the previous week and the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 1 percent to 405.3 from 401.3 one week earlier. The seasonally adjusted Conventional Index increased 7.7 percent to 1000.4 from 928.9 the previous week, and the seasonally adjusted Government Index increased 1.8 percent to 123.5 from 121.3 the previous week.

The four week moving average for the seasonally adjusted Market Index is up 1.7 percent to 636 from 625.6. The four week moving average is up slightly to 397.2 from 397 for the Purchase Index, while this average is up 3.7 percent to 2032.6 from 1959.9 for the Refinance Index.

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 46.1 percent of total applications from 43.2 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 21.4 from 21.1 percent of total applications from the previous week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 6.04 percent from 6.16 percent, with points increasing to 1.27 from 1.05 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value (LTV) ratio loans. This is the lowest rate since December 08, 2006.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 5.73 from 5.84 percent, with points increasing to 1.24 from 1.19 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. This is the lowest rate since December 1, 2006.

The average contract interest rate for one-year ARMs decreased to 5.79 from 5.92 percent, with points increasing to 0.8 from 0.77 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.

**SPECIAL NOTES**

The survey covers approximately 50 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage originations, and has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100.


###

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the national association representing the real estate finance industry, an industry that employs more than 500,000 people in virtually every community in the country. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the association works to ensure the continued strength of the nation’s residential and commercial real estate markets; to expand homeownership and extend access to affordable housing to all Americans. MBA promotes fair and ethical lending practices and fosters professional excellence among real estate finance employees through a wide range of educational programs and a variety of publications. Its membership of over 3,000 companies includes all elements of real estate finance: mortgage companies, mortgage brokers, commercial banks, thrifts, Wall Street conduits, life insurance companies and others in the mortgage lending field. For additional information, visit MBA’s Web site: www.mortgagebankers.org.



http://www.mortgagebankers.org/NewsandMedia/PressCenter/50675.htm

Philanthropy's Good for Business and Community

Philanthropy: Good for business and the community
Aflac Chairman, CEO Amos picks up major award for cancer center work
BY ANDREA HERNANDEZ and TONY ADAMS
Staff Writers

Special to the Ledger-Enquirer
Aflac Chairman Dan Amos is shown with Payton Samples during an Atlanta Braves outing for the families from the Aflac Cancer Center. Helping children with cancer, funding scholarships for students, sprucing up the houses of military "heroes," and building an arts and cultural center downtown. They're all so different, yet they are classic examples of philanthropy by the Columbus business community.

Today is National Corporate Philanthropy Day. But it really isn't something accomplished in a day, a week, a month or a year -- it's a long-term commitment over generations.

"The large businesses are enormously generous and they give a lot of money. They also give employee time, and they give of their own credibility," said Betsy Covington, executive director of The Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley. "These are hallmarks for companies out to promote big pictures for the community."

One major player in this era of social responsibility was honored Saturday night with the honoring of Aflac Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dan Amos. The executive, which has ridden the popular Aflac duck's tail feathers to consistent profits, received the 2007 Star Award from the Atlanta chapter of Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.

The non-profit organization -- which helps critically ill children and their families cope through entertainment, education and other activities -- recognized Amos and the company for its long list of philanthropic contributions and efforts, including Aflac's overall $30 million contribution to the Aflac Cancer Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Amos' personal contribution of more than $3 million.

Aflac's philanthropy

In 2006, Aflac and The Aflac Foundation -- headed by Amos' wife, Kathelen -- shelled out more than $5.9 million for charitable causes.

At the supplemental insurance company, employees participate in a variety of company-backed volunteer projects and events, including Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life, Columbus State University's servant leadership program, and a summer reading program at Columbus Public Library.

Last year, employees volunteered a total of 5,724 hours.

They are also invited to fundraisers for juvenile diabetes, pediatric cancer and other causes -- many of which are proposed by the employees themselves.

"Really, it starts at the top," said Audrey Tillman, senior vice president and director of corporate services. "You look at the work in the community the Amos brothers did; you look at what Dan and Kathelen are doing right now -- that's not surprising to any of the employees because it's filtered throughout our organization."

On a national level, pediatric cancer is a particular focus for Aflac, which also has a cancer center in its name in Atlanta. Last year, more than $3.5 million of total donations went to the cause.

Since 1995, Aflac field force agents have contributed more than $17 million toward pediatric cancer treatment and research.

"Money doesn't save your life, but it can save someone else's through research," Amos said. "You're really encouraging people for the future."

The cause particularly strikes a cord with a supplemental insurance company familiar with the taxing costs of medical care.

"So many of our employees are touched by cancer diagnosis, and pediatric, in particular, is underfunded," said Buffy Swinehart, manager of cause marketing and philanthropy at Aflac. "Being part of a health-care industry, it just makes sense to us."

Seeking 'returnsin the future'

"Businesses contribute to their community for many reasons, and some are altruistic and some aren't," Covington said.

Corporate giving could yield something in return -- although not necessarily in the form of funds or business deals.

"I don't view people or companies who are giving as giving handouts. I view it as making investments in what you care about," Covington said. "And if your investments are in your community... you're hoping for returns in the future."

Amos said this is especially applicable in regard to education.

"The quality of our work force depends on how good an education they get," Amos said. "The vast majority of employees are educated right in Columbus, Ga., so what Columbus Tech or Columbus State does is very important."

In January, Dan and Kathelen announced a $1 million donation to Columbus Technical College's campaign to develop health-care professionals.

Swinehart said company-wide employee volunteerism also promotes a loyal work force at Aflac.

"It's part of our social responsibility," Amos said. "Our first and foremost responsibility is to give a great return to our shareholders. Then, we also want to make it a good place for our employees."

Improving the quality of life -- from promoting cultural events to supporting education -- can entice employees to stay and reduce turnover, Amos said.

It's that quality of life that has kept Brian Abeyta, Aflac's second vice president of information technology, at the company. Abeyta has participated in a number of Aflac volunteer projects, including Relay for Life and the CSU servant-leadership program. He has also raised more than $8,000 for the Aflac Cancer Center through marathon and Ironman triathlon sponsorships.

Abeyta -- whose volunteer work is mostly done during his off hours -- said time management is key for balancing work and volunteering. And making time pays off.

"It gives me a better sense of community," said Abeyta, who moved to Columbus from Atlanta in 2001. "That's something that was important to me when I moved to Columbus -- to see my fingerprints on the community."

United Way andscholarships

Corporate philanthropy indeed takes many forms throughout the area. There is giving to the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, a campaign that raises money for several dozen agencies and organizations.

For instance, TSYS, the electronic payment processor and a subsidiary of bankholding firm Synovus Financial Corp., is a huge contributor to United Way, having raised $1.1 million in the 2006 campaign.

The bulk of that, about $800,000, was pledged to local charities, while the remainder was donated at TSYS offices in Tempe, Ariz., Atlanta, Boise, Idaho, and St. Catharines, Ontario.

Columbus-based Synovus and TSYS also have the Jack Parker Scholarship Program, named in honor of the late Jack B. Parker, whose career with Synovus spanned 44 years. Gathering money in a grass-roots way to fund the education of staffers' children, the program awarded 100 scholarships totaling more than $190,000.

Since its inception in 1988, the foundation has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships.

"The money is raised by employees," said TSYS spokesman Eric Bruner. "They do lots of little fundraisers all year long, and it's a respectable sum of money for a scholarship program that started that way."

Unlike Aflac, which makes big donations to medical causes and issues, Bruner said TSYS is geared more toward community-based giving and causes.

"We're making community building-type investments because our people live here, our corporate home is here, all of the people that work here live here, and they intend for Columbus to be a nice place to live, raising the quality of life," he said.

Foundations playmajor role

There's also the Synovus Foundation, which was incorporated in 1998 to decide what groups and organizations receive money for worthwhile activities and projects. Its roots date back to 1969, with the founding of CB&T Charitable Trust.

Examples of its philanthropic donations throughout the area in recent years include:

• $140,000 for a new technology center at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation in Warm Springs, Ga.

• Partial funding of a $1.25 million endowment for LaGrange College in LaGrange, Ga.

• Helping to fund a $2.5 million endowment to start up the Chattahoochee Valley Community Foundation.

• $100,000 for the construction of a Columbus Hospice in-patient care center.

• $30,000 to help launch a credit union in the struggling Beallwood area of Columbus.

• $100,000 to construct a new Easter Seals facility on the north side of Columbus.

On a larger scale is the Bradley-Turner Foundation, which takes a low-key approach to donating money throughout the community. The foundation's funding comes from the businesses W.C. Bradley Co., Synovus, Columbus Bank & Trust, and investments through the years, including stock in soft drink giant Coca-Cola.

Examples of its giving in recent years include:

• $25 million to the Columbus State University Foundation capital campaign that helped fund the arts and theater facilities in downtown

• $6.5 million to the National Infantry Museum being constructed on the border of Columbus and Fort Benning. Schuster Enterprises, the local Burger King operator, also donated $1 million.

• $20 million to help construct the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts downtown.

• $4 million to the University of Georgia Terry College of Business to pay for student programs in the Institute for Leadership Advancement.

At the time of the UGA gift in 2001, it was reported that the Bradley-Turner Foundation had donated more than $150 million to cultural, educational and religious organizations since 1943.

Charity workgood for business

Although Columbus Bank & Trust Co., a Synovus affiliate, raised $91,500 for United Way, Helen Johnson believes local philanthropy goes far beyond the dollar signs. The vice president of community development with CB&T says it's about volunteering time. For instance, the Habitat for Humanity and House of Heroes programs, aimed at constructing and remodeling housing, respectively, are popular with employees.

"Our team members love working for a company that they can be proud of what the company's doing," she said. "That cannot be discounted in today's workplace because people like to be part of something that they feel hits the overall good."

CB&T and Synovus Foundation receive plenty of requests for charitable contributions, Johnson said. Areas that get plenty of consideration include arts and culture, children and youth, community enrichment, education and human services, such as those with medical needs.

"But the questions we almost always ask: Does it address an under-served group -- usually economically -- and will this program that we're going to support help improve their situation," she said.

And, yes, CB&T does foster the notion that donating time and money throughout Columbus is good business and does benefit the financial bottom line, Johnson said. It's part of the company's philosophy and strategy -- trying to always keep the community's major needs in mind.

"On a business side, it's the right thing for us to do because we've made our money here," she said. "If the community's not successful, we're not successful, and we know that. We also know that we want to keep the community strong, so our corporate donations are looked at strictly at reinvesting in this community. We do that based on programs that will help the most people, that will enrich their lives, that will help education, that will help them grow financially."

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