ABC's O'Brian named Al-Jazeera America president

NEW YORK: Al-Jazeera America said Monday it will bring in a quartet of veteran U.S. television news executives, led by ABC's Kate O'Brian as president, to run the new cable news network and pinpointed Aug. 20 as the launch date.

Ehab Al Shahibi, executive director for international operations for Al-Jazeera and the man who has overseen development of the American outlet, is the interim chief executive officer.

Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, formed in 1996, has expanded quickly around the world but struggled to gain access to U.S. cable and satellite systems. At the beginning of this year, it bought former Vice President Al Gore's Current TV, giving the company access to some 50 million homes initially, and began to set up a network specifically for the U.S. audience.

O'Brian has worked at ABC News for three decades, and since 2007 has been the network's senior vice president for news, leading its breaking news coverage.

"She is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist who fully understands what Americans want to see and hear when they watch the news," said Mostefa Souag, acting director general of the Al-Jazeera Media Network. "Kate has the vision, tenacity and integrity to ensure that Al-Jazeera America will quickly become the success we expect it to be."

Three other Americans who have extensive experience in television news, but aren't working there currently, will join Al-Jazeera as senior vice presidents.

David Doss, a producer for news shows at ABC and NBC News who had most recently been producing broadcasts for Anderson Cooper at CNN, will be in charge of news programming.

Marcy McGinnis, currently teaching journalism at Stony Brook University, will be responsible for news gathering, similar to a job she held at CBS News a decade ago.

Shannon High-Bassalik has run local news operations, worked at MSNBC and most recently produced CNN's morning news show before it was remodeled. She will be in charge of documentaries and programs.

Al-Jazeera has announced that a handful of familiar names to American viewers - Sheila MacVicar, Ali Velshi and Soledad O'Brien - will be doing on-air work for the network. The network also has said it will air a regular newsmagazine, "America Tonight," on weeknights.

O'Brian started work at ABC more than 30 years ago as an intern at "20/20." ABC News President Ben Sherwood wrote to his staff on Monday that "I will miss the sound of her voice, urgent and measured, calling in the middle of the night, when news is breaking somewhere around the world."

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Jul-22/224681-abcs-obrian-named-al-jazeera-america-president.ashx

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US home sales dipped 1.2 percent in June

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. sales of previously occupied homes dipped in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.08 million in June but remain near a 3?-year high.

The National Association of Realtors said Monday that sales dipped last month from an annual rate of 5.14 million in May. The NAR revised down May's sales, but they were still the highest since November 2009.

Despite last month's dip, sales are up 15.2 percent from a year ago. Home sales have recovered since early last year, buoyed by job gains and low mortgage rates.

Still, mortgage rates have surged in recent weeks over concern that the Federal Reserve could slow its bond-buying programs this year. The Fed's bond purchases have helped keep long-term interest rates low.

Higher mortgage rates slowed sales of higher-priced homes in states such as California and New York, the Realtors group said.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage leapt to 4.46 percent by the end of June from 3.81 percent at the end of May. The rate was 4.37 percent last week.

Most economists aren't yet worried that the higher rates will undercut the housing recovery. Mortgage rates are still at historically low levels, and home prices remain relatively affordable despite rising in the past year. In addition, higher mortgage rates could encourage potential buyers to come off the sidelines and purchase homes before rates rise further.

But many of those buyers may be frustrated by the small number of available homes, which has helped push up prices. The number of homes for sale rose 3.3 percent in May to 2.2 million, the second straight increase. But inventories are still 10 percent below year-ago levels.

Another obstacle is a lack of first-time buyers, who usually drive healthy markets. They made up only 28 percent of buyers in May, below the 40 percent that is typical. Since the housing bubble burst more than six years ago, banks have imposed tighter credit conditions and required larger down payments. That's made it harder for first-time buyers to qualify for mortgages.

The strength in housing this year has offset weaknesses elsewhere in the economy, like manufacturing and business investment. Rising home sales lead to more spending at furniture and home supply stores.

Homebuilders have also stepped up construction in the past year, creating more construction jobs. In June, they applied for permits to build single-family homes at the fastest pace in five years.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-home-sales-dipped-1-2-percent-june-140949317.html

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Jared Padalecki Expecting Second Child

The Supernatural star, 31, and his wife Genevieve Cortese are expecting their second child together, his manager confirms to PEOPLE.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/6Bzw-KemfWk/

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Writer's Fun Zone ? Blog Archive Novelists, How to Get Speaking ...

In this article, I want to cover how to get speaking engagements for novelists.?Yep, that?s right, standing up and talking to people, live. Lots of us writers are introverts, but the funny thing about introverts is that we often make good teachers. Since it?s hard often for us writers to toot our own horn, think of your speaking gig as a teaching event. That way it?ll be a lot easier to present yourself. But have us talk about topics we love and we can talk for a long time. Right?!

So, how do you get such gigs and why would you want to?

Let?s start with the why. Aside from the need you may have to teach (I have that need!), speaking engagements help you increase your list, expand your readership, and ?yes! ??sell books.

For example, when I speak on writing topics, my goal is to teach, to sell my writing books and also to sell my novel. I never know what people will purchase, so I bring everything.

Next let?s look at what topics to cover.

Topics

To add speaking gigs into your marketing strategy and actions, first decide what topics you?d like to speak about, and who the ideal audiences are for your topics. Some authors I know talk only on one subject. For example, Vanessa Kier, romantic suspense author, presents on technology tools for writers. (http://www.vanessakier.com). Other authors can speak on several topics. Shelley Adina presents on World Building, Craft, and Self-Publishing (http://www.shelleyadina.com/); Sophie Littlefield talks about writing crime and productivity. (http://sophielittlefield.com) You may also notice that what you can and want to talk about will change over time, as your expertise grows and changes, like I use to just talk about Creativity & Beginning a Book and now present on Finishing a Book, Promoting a Book.

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Your Audience

Next, pinpoint the audience for your main topics. Many authors I know speak only to other authors, helping them with craft, publishing, marketing, and with their subject matter expertise. Other authors find ways to speak directly to their target audiences. For example, Rachael Herron has spoken to knitters about her books because they feature knitting. (http://www.yarnagogo.com/)

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Prepare Your Pitch

To prepare to request to speak or to respond to requests, I recommend you draft a one-paragraph blurb on your talk, bullet points of what people will learn, and a have a short bio at the ready. I?ll explain each point.

1) Create a title for your talk that focuses on the result or experience you?re planning to deliver. Some popular titles start with ?How to?? ?10 Ways to?? (or 3, 5, or 7), or starting with a verb like ?Finding??, ?Discovering??, ?Uncovering?? Also, I?ve seen talks titled the expert subject matter of the talk, like ?Swords in the Middle Ages.?

Example: ?Develop and Strengthen Voice and Style for Fiction Writers?

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2) A one-paragraph blurb on your talk: There are 4 parts to this pitch paragraph.

1. An acknowledgment of the present state of your audience. Here?s a template you can use: ?Many people think that?.? For example, ?For many fiction writers developing voice and style are mysterious affairs, beyond the reach of mere mortals. What is voice and style anyway??

2. A twist on what your audience normally thinks that represents what your main unique perspective on the topic. A template for this language: ?But actually?? An example, following what I shared above: ?Actually, as Stephen King says, writers can learn to excavate their unique voice and style ? elements that make your writing uniquely yours.?

3. Three to five bullet points on your talk that also highlights who will be speaking, like ?In this hands-on workshop, teacher and author, [name] will share with you??

Example: ?In this hour-long hands-on talk by award-winning novelist and Creativity Coach for Writers, Beth Barany, you?ll explore:

????????????????? the key elements to identifying and strengthening your natural voice

????????????????? the difference between voice and style and how they intersect

????????????????? what style choices you can make

????????????????? where voice comes from

????????????????? and more!?

4. The purpose of the talk. What people will talk away with. The gist of the talk. Like: ?You?ll get (answer their deepest desire as it relates to your topic)?? Example: ?Come uncover tips, tools, and techniques to develop and strengthen your voice and to integrate them into your writing practice. Join us!?

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Put it all together and you get this, based on a talk I gave March 2013:

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Develop and Strengthen Voice and Style for Fiction Writers

For many fiction writers developing voice and style are mysterious affairs, beyond the reach of mere mortals. What is voice and style anyway? Actually, as Stephen King says, writers can learn to excavate their unique voice and style ? elements that make your writing uniquely yours.

In this hour-long hands-on talk by award-winning novelist and Creativity Coach for Writers, Beth Barany, you?ll explore:

????????????????? the key elements to identifying and strengthening your natural voice

????????????????? the difference between voice and style and how they intersect

????????????????? what style choices you can make

????????????????? where voice comes from

????????????????? and more!

Come uncover tips, tools, and techniques to develop and strengthen your voice and to integrate them into your writing practice.?Join us!

Lastly, you?ll want to draft a short awesome bio that highlights your expertise, answering the question ?Why should I listen to you??, shares your humanity, and lastly lets people know how to stay in touch. For an in-depth article on how to craft your awesome short bio, you can check out an article I wrote in March 2013 on the topic here: How To Create An Awesome Short Bio by Beth Barany: http://bigheartsunite.com/create-short-bio/.

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Tips to Keep in Mind

Some practical tips: If you?d like speaking to be an ongoing part of your book marketing, then post that fact on your site or blog. Post the topics you speak on, your speaker?s bio, and even a sample blurb. Some writers create Media Kits or Speaker Kits to make it easy for people to follow up with them. Examples of media kits and speakers pages: Rachael Herron (http://www.yarnagogo.com/), Jane Porter (http://www.janeporter.com/workshops.php#eventkit), Beth Barany (http://www.bethbarany.com/events.html), Shelley Adina (http://www.shelleyadina.com/contact.php#speaking).

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To Get Speaking Gigs

To get gigs, talk to other writers you know who?ve done events and ask them for referrals. Ask at your local writing organizations and at sister organizations. Also, consider where your audience already congregates and ask there. Once someone expresses interests in your topic, send them your event blurb and speaker bio.

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Preparation for Your Talk

Once you?ve got a speaking gig, in the days beforehand prepare by gathering your supplies ? mailing list sign up sheets, books, cash for change and/or SquareUp (https://squareup.com/) tool to take credit cards with your smart phone; extra pens; easel (optional).

Promote your upcoming event by posting it on your site/blog, sharing it on social media, and telling your writing buddies about it.

Also, prepare your talk! I rehearse the day ahead and do another run through the day of, often during my drive there.

Don?t forget follow up! This includes celebrating a job well done, and adding people to your mailing list, depositing your earnings, and tracking books sold. You may also want to share photos and stories about your event after the fact.

Good luck with your speaking gigs, and above all, have fun!

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? 2013 Beth Barany

Beth Barany raves about kick ass heroines, magic and love, on her site: http://author.bethbarany.com and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/beth_barany. Her latest romance novella is ?Touchstone of Love? in the collection, Gargoyle: Three Enchanting Romance Novellas.

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LA Galaxy Academy Director Peter Vagenas seeks to develop a new crop of Galaxy players through the Academy

CARSON, Calif. ? When Peter Vagenas was a young soccer player growing up in Pasadena, Calif., the dream of a professional soccer career seemed farfetched. After all, it was not until 1996?when Vagenas graduated from Saint Francis High School? that a professional soccer league existed in the United States.

Now after completing a professional career that spanned 12 years, the 35-year-old is looking to provide a future for the elite soccer playing youth of Southern California. Vagenas was named the club?s Academy Director in June, placing him in charge of the club?s youth setup, which has existed since 2008.

Although Vagenas took the position a month ago, he began to discuss the possibility of taking up a role within the club with Galaxy President, and former Academy Director, Chris Klein while he was still playing.

?I always knew that I wanted to be involved with the Galaxy in some capacity, so when the opportunity presented itself it was an easy decision for a number of reasons,? Vagenas told LAGalaxy.com ?I had a long history with the club, being a kid from Pasadena and growing up in the area and being able to make the transition to the local professional team is something that I?ve taken great pride in. The ability to help kids realize their dreams from this area, like I did mine, is at the heart of what I?m trying to do.?

Overseeing Vagenas? in his bid to develop the Galaxy?s newest crop of talent is the club?s Technical Director Jovan Kirovski. Vagenas? former teammate with the Galaxy during the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Kirovski has been a frequent presence at academy functions including spearheading the creation of an Under-23 squad this summer.

As the pair looks to build the Galaxy Academy, they are in constant communication with Vagenas admitting that he speaks to Kirovski ?more than any person in [his] life at the moment.? However, that doesn?t mean that the two friends can?t have lively discussions about academy strategy and tactics.

?The lines are clear that he?s the technical director, so I want Jovan?s hands all over the Academy like it should be,? said Vagenas. ?At the end of the day, Jovan is responsible for the biggest transition, which is getting players to the first team. We see eye to eye on a lot of things, but I think that we can be productive and disagree at times. That being said, we both realize the potential of this academy.?

Vagenas has already sought about recreating the Galaxy Academy in his own image with the hiring of former Chivas USA Under-16 head coach Mike Munoz. The Galaxy?s newest academy coach was a teammate of Vagenas with the Galaxy during the 2008 season, and also coached at Chivas while his new boss was in the midst of his final playing days.

The addition of Munoz was important to Vagenas? plans with the Galaxy Academy as he readily admits that the club has aspirations of assembling the ?best staff in the United States.? The desire to work with the club goes both ways; however, as Munoz readily admits that once he had the opportunity to work with Vagenas, he jumped at the chance. ?????

?I?m very excited about Pete being the Academy Director,? Munoz told LAGalaxy.com. ?I loved his vision for this club and where he wants to take the Academy, especially with the full support of [Galaxy head coach and general manager] Bruce Arena and Jovan Kirovski. It was a no-brainer after that.?

While it?s the oldest age groups (Under-18 and Under-16 especially) that get the lion share of the attention from the media due to their proximity to the first team, Vagenas is quick to stress that the youngest players in the Academy are the most important. This means that the Academy Director is in contact with U-12 and U-13 Technical Director Mauricio Cienfuegos and U-14 head coach Ante Razov.

With the goal of reaching players at the youngest age possible and moving them forward in the Galaxy environment, Vagenas believes that the Academy will be able to produce the best quality players to contribute to the first team.?

?Being that our Academy is relatively young, the point is to be able to build in your system, so the most important ages are your base teams which are your younger groups,? said Vagenas. ?If you can get these kids at an impressionable age, like we?re trying to do, starting with our U-12s and establish the tangible stuff that they can see leads up to our first team then it can be easier for them to transition as they get older.? For us to be able to train kids at 10 or 11-years-old and assimilate them into this environment that we?re creating, it should serve as a natural progression.

As he looks to develop future Galaxy players from Pasadena or Inglewood, Bell or San Fernando, Vagenas believes that he?s ready for the challenge ahead. ?

?The honest truth is that we are all fortunate to be part of the LA Galaxy. We are the biggest club in MLS. And as was my aspiration as a teenager when MLS started; everyone wants to be a part of MLS,? said Vagenas. ?In that aspect, we have a lot of interest heading our way, but that also puts a huge burden on our shoulders because we have to live up to those standards, but it?s our goal that kids do not slip through the cracks.?

Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com

Source: http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2013/07/la-galaxy-academy-director-peter-vagenas-seeks-develop-new-crop-galaxy-players-through-

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President to Talk Economy in Summer Series

WASHINGTON - Drawing renewed attention to the economy, President Barack Obama will return this week to an Illinois college where he once spelled out a vision for an expanded and strengthened middle class as a freshman U.S. senator, long before the Great Recession would test his presidency.

The address Wednesday at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., will be the first in a new series of economic speeches that White House aides say Obama intends to deliver over the next several weeks ahead of key budget deadlines in the fall. A new fiscal year begins in October, and the government will soon hit its borrowing limit.

The speech comes just a week before Congress is scheduled to leave for its monthlong August recess and is designed to build public pressure on lawmakers in hopes of averting the showdowns over taxes and spending that have characterized past budget debates.

In his economic pitch, Obama will talk about efforts to expand manufacturing, sign up the uninsured for health care coverage, revitalize the housing industry and broaden educational opportunities for preschoolers and college students. He will also promote the economic benefits of an immigration overhaul.

The White House is promoting the speech as part of an arc of economic messages from the president that began at Knox College in 2005, when Obama was in his first year in the Senate. Since then, Obama has sought to raise the profile of his economic agenda with periodic speeches, including one at Georgetown University in Washington in 2009 and one in Osawatomie, Kan., in 2011. The White House posted a video highlighting Obama's previous economic addresses.

Obama's focus on the economy comes as he has experienced a degree of success with the Senate, which passed an overhaul of immigration laws and unclogged a Republican blockade against several presidential nominations. It also reflects a belief at the White House that the administration has been able to manage a series of confrontations with Congress over the Internal Revenue Service, phone surveillance of Americans and the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Source: http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/587732.html

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Longtime College of Lake County Foundation executive director retires

Article updated: 7/23/2013 11:15 AM

	Bill Devore ?
	Bill Devore has retired as executive director of College of Lake County Foundation. His job duty included this surprise announcement to Dick and Nettie Galla of a new $35,000 scholarship fund that their family organized to honor the couple. ? Courtesy of College of Lake County

Bill Devore has retired after a lengthy and distinguished career as executive director for the College of Lake County Foundation.

Devore, 65, of Beach Park, won't be idle in his retirement that started in late June. He won election as Benton Township clerk in April and will work part time as a consultant for the Evanston-based Alford Group, which assists nonprofit organizations with tasks such as fundraising, board development and strategic planning.

In addition, Devore said he may get involved in an orphanage project in Kenya. He'll also set aside some time for fun in retirement.

"I plan to play a few rounds of golf, do a little traveling and spend a little more time in Scottsdale, Ariz.," Devore said.

CLC Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises money to help the college offer greater access to education and cultural enrichment for Lake County residents. It works to fund needs that are beyond the school's budget as determined by CLC's board of trustees.

Money raised by the foundation is used to back student scholarships, faculty and staff projects, cultural arts and facility needs. Devore became the foundation's executive director in October 1996.

Following is a question-and-answer session with Devore.

Q: How did you come to the CLC Foundation?

A: I had been involved with the CLC Foundation's Keith Ryan Scholarship Fund and Sports Banquet, since its inception in 1989, and was made aware that the college was looking for a new executive director for its foundation in the summer of 1996. At that time I was the director of the Victory Hospital Foundation in Waukegan.

Q: What are some accomplishments you are most proud of over your tenure?

A: During my 17 years at CLC, the foundation raised approximately $2 million (from) 1996 to 1999 to help fund the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, a $15 million project; won several awards from state and national fundraising organizations for innovative fundraising programs; quadrupled the foundation's total asset base; increased scholarship funding from $100,000 a year to approximately $700,000 a year currently; sponsored several very successful special event fundraising golf outings and scholarship galas in Lake County and Chicago; and launched the current "Changing Lives" scholarship campaign, which soon will reach $2 million in total gifts and pledges.

Q: How much of a challenge was it trying to get donors or people to attend fundraising events during the economic downturn?

A: I believe when you have a cause worth supporting, with the right approach and the right message, funds can be raised even during difficult times. Our donors were always generous in their support of our initiatives, and so we did not experience some of the difficulties in raising money that some other organizations may have.

Q: Scholarship awards are a big part of the foundation. Do you see that as an even more vital role looking ahead?

A: Yes, I do. With a student population of over 18,000 students at all three of CLC's campuses, there are many students who have financial need. That is the reason we launched the "Changing Lives" campaign. We felt if we could raise more money, we would be able to assist many more students. Student scholarships have been the primary focus of the CLC Foundation board of directors for many years, and I'm sure that will not change in the future.

Q: Will you have input for a new executive director?

A: No, I will not.

Q: How do you see the immediate and long-term future of the foundation?

A: I believe that both the immediate and long-term future of the CLC Foundation are very bright, due to the outstanding staff that still remains and the excellent leadership of the CLC Foundation board of directors, under the guidance of current president, Joanna Rolek, executive director of the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce. The foundation board understands the importance of continuing to raise additional funds in support of the educational goals of the college, and I know they will stay true to that mission in the years to come.

Source: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130723/news/707239855/

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