Tuesday

Nepal - Richest in White Gold (Hydropower), Still a Dark State

http://www.nepalasiacenter.com/paper-3.html
http://www.nepalasiacenter.com/

Solution for Nepal’s Present Power Crisis

By Saroj K. Joshi, P.E., PhD
saroj@kathmandu.org

Where are we heading? We are only talking about and expecting the reduction of the number of hours of power cut per day. In fact this is not the solutionfor the present power crisis. It is already in the eleventh hour, however not too late to act. It is also time to think about a long term, permanent solution.

The recent improvements due to the power supply; about 70MW from the mid-Marshyangdi Hydroelectric Project, and 15MW because the government stopped uninterrupted power supply for VIP, and also due to the increase in temperature, which will increase the water level that increases the efficiency of existing power plants like Kulekhani and others.

More crises are inevitable if the NEA and the government do not take proper actions, right now. That should include the construction of short; medium and long range hydropower generation plants as well as adequate transmission lines. All of the existing 132kV to 220 kV (where required) are highly recommended for an upgrade and the existing ring (transmission line in Kathmandu Valley) of lower-kV needs to be upgraded to a higher level, at least the next level. That way it will bring down technical losses to some extent. It also needs to be studied and worked jointly with the Indian grid system beside the existing agreement and grid connections along the Nepalese-Indian border, for the future exchange of power supply, for mutual benefit will always be necessary either to increase sales or in importing power. Particularly this will be of concern for the future. See more information about power sharing with India below.

Power Generation and the Potential Market:

There is possible power generation of the 457-MW Upper -Tamakoshi, 30-MW Chamelia and 60-MW Kulekhani III among others, which according to the NEA is underway. If it takes place right away usually it will take 5-7 yrs. That means there is some hope to meet the growing annual load demand of 10.2%. But the NEA or the government must continue planning for other short, medium and long range terms of hydropower generation. If we (Nepal) can negotiate with India we can generate all the potential hydropower and supply both in-house and in India and neighboring countries. India has approximately 33000 MW /yr. But Nepal needs to conduct negotiations with both the Indian government and private parties; 90% of Indian power producers are private parties. On the other hand we (Nepal) shall work with foreign investors and encourage them to invest in the hydropower sector besides just working with the Asian and World Banks and other donors. Such steps will drastically improve not only the power sector but also the economy as a whole. To invite foreign investors we must provide them an attractive market, as well as ways to repatriate their investment with adequate policies.

Why Nepal is a Dark State?

There are lots of reports and information, which are not only ignored but neglected, by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the Government of Nepal that have turned Nepal into a dark state. This counts only 40% of the population, where as 60% of the people still have no access in the existing electrical grid. In other words they are still in darkness, where little solar technology may be accessible to villagers, which is still not found in significant amounts. Wind power once implemented, is now a complete failure.

So it is not only the question of the power cut crisis which we are facing but the real issue must be the electrification of the entire nation. We need to look at other strategies for adequate planning and migrating policies to bring the spread of villagers together as required for building a new Nepal. Meetings, speeches and planning will not count unless leaders, planners and concerned authorities will act together for the good of all.

The main goal of the NEA and the government should be focused on the hydropower (white gold) of different sizes as described above. Top priorities should be given to the public sector and to improving the Hydropower Development Policy of 1992. Bureaucracy and corruption not only bring power cuts but it dooms the long-term future development of Nepal.

It is time to start new culture of transparency, dynamic policy and smart negotiations within the country and with foreign countries, donors, the Asian Bank, the World Bank and others for the better future of Nepal and her people. It is time to put the country first, leaders and negotiators must not put themselves first; they must put Nepal first. That is the bottom line. We shall turn Nepal into an ideal country without corruption and discrimination. It is time to unite together and to respect the differences amongst ourselves which are required to implement laws and policies effectively.

Rich Hydro-Power Potential (White Gold) Scenario; Serious Consumption of Wood Fuel:

Nepal has approximately 42,000 MW out of 85,000 MW economically feasible per some experts.

However, the present situation is that Nepal has developed only about 600 MW of hydropower; only about 40% of Nepal’s population has access to electricity. Most of the power plants in Nepal utilize run-of-the-river hydroelectricity, with energy available in excess of the in-country demand during the monsoon season and deficits during the dry season. Nepal’s electricity generation is dominated by hydropower, though in the entire scenario of energy use of the country, the electricity is a tiny fraction, only 1% of energy need is fulfilled by electricity. The bulk of the energy need is dominated by fuel wood (68%), agricultural waste (15%), animal dung (8%) and imported fossil fuel (8%). With this scenario we can confidently say that a severe power crisis is affecting only the major cities and industries affecting 40% of people of Nepal; still we are keeping 60% of Nepalese in darkness not counting the limited access to solar/bio-gas which are not significant.

We should not only be talking about the 40% of people with access to electricity but all the people. We need to think and act to make electrification of the whole country possible by using hydropower as a backbone for the development of the nation. This is possible and we need to point the nation in that direction. We must leave behind 60% of the people who still do not have access to the electrical power grid. Power cuts have serious consequences as not only the 40% of people with electricity suffer but industries and the nation as a whole are in trouble. We can not take steps backward in this competitive world but we definitely need to move forward and we must not forget the backbone of Nepal is white gold and that is one of the main resources we have in boosting the economy of the country. It is time to wake-up.

Tentative Cost of Projects Based on Examples; Can we afford them and what shall we do?

The total power generation of the 600 MW Sun-Kosi 1, which will be about $2500 per 1kW generation cost. So we know it will cost about 1.5 billion dollars; about the size of 600MW and about 400MW like Tamar about 1 billion dollars. Turnkey project completion will be about 7 yrs including feasibility studies to the completion.

The NEA is also planning the generations that include the 457-MW Upper -Tamakoshi, 30-MW Chamelia and 60-MW Kulekhani III among others per recent comment.

Here we are talking approximately about 1.14 billion 75 million dollars for Chamelia. We need about 150 million dollars for Kulekhani Projects. So funding is crucial and the NEA and the Nepalese government must work intensively on it.

If it can be generated within 5-7 yrs, it can meet the demand and may give min. surplus of about 47 MW during the summertime however in the wintertime we need to have face with the power cut as we still may not be able to peak demand load.

As we have the potential hydropower for development there is always a potential consumer, if the country can achieve political stability this will help move towards the industrialization of the country and then the whole scenario will change and there will be sudden increase in peak load demand that will be more than 10.2% annually. So we have to be prepared for such possible scenario also.

Recommendations for Planning and Controlling the Consumption of Energy:

Load Forecasting:

Forecasting of power requirements found a minimum of about a 6% error. I wrote my thesis, “Power System Planning” in 1986 using Nepal as an example and defended it successfully at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute, Ukraine. That time the margin of error was a lot higher, however it seems error on forecasting has been reduced. I had foreseen the current power crisis back in 1986; however, it is not too late to work on it since we still can make it, if we act swiftly in building hydro-power plants.

Leakage Control:

There are a few things we have to look at seriously; for example leakage of electricity in Nepal is about 24%-25% per NEA. We need to bring losses down; we need to bring the tariff down (unit-cost kilo-watt/hr). Also we need to have public awareness modern watt-meters that will help to have adequate control. India has a big theft rate and stolen electricity in India amounts to nearly 1.5% of GDP. However stolen electricity in China is only 3% or less of the GDP. Nepal can improve and achieve some goals in reducing electricity theft.

Cluster analysis may be great tool to use for reducing leakage beside technical and other options.

An Energy Compliance Code:

An Energy Compliance Code needs to be introduced in densely populated, developed areas that may apply both Industrial/Commercial and Residential Sectors that will have some control of energy consumptions as well as help to provide only optimum energy for the consumer. This new compliance will provide not only an energy saving policy but it will also play in major role in fighting back the energy crisis.

Here is an example of the Title 24 compliance code from the state of California in the United States. The Title 24 compliance code exists both in the Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering fields; it states that no electrical engineers or mechanical engineers are allowed to design lighting and energy consumptions to be more than the set rules by Title 24.

For a commercial building in an office you can use only 1.2 watt/square foot (sf), for corridor/toilet only 0.6 watt/sf, restaurant 1.6 watt/sf, lobby 1.1 watt/sf, retail store 1.6 watt/sf, this is just one simple example. Also there is a new rebate policy if someone can generate solar energy and if clients have excess energy this energy can be sent to the utility grid providing rebate policy. NEA can initiate such projects and encourage the NEA customers.

Electrical retrofit will be another issue; implementing a policy to replace all the existing lighting and encouraging clients of the NEA to begin using energy efficient light fixtures such as energy efficient fluorescent compact fixtures, bringing mandatory rules for using time-clock/Photo-Cell/Occupancy sensor for exterior and interior lighting control for commercial buildings, industrial facilities and large residential buildings, school, colleges, universities.

How to Provide Power to Remote Places?

One survey conducted by the Center for Renewable Energy shows that about 96,000 of the total 4.1 million households in Nepal live in total darkness during the night without access to any source of energy that could produce light. Another 2.4 million households depend solely on oil-wick tukis (kerosene lamps that are dim) which release fumes that are both harmful to human health and add to greenhouse gas emissions.

There are possibilities to begin using solar power that will definitely improve the health of villagers and give them an opportunity to have at least some light. However there is still a tough question, shall we go for solar tuki (as recommended by renewable energy groups) or should the country adopt a new policy re-grouping migration policy that not only looks at the adequate supply of lighting but the entire socio-economic structure based on possible agriculture and the development of light industries exploiting hydropower.

Regarding wind-power there are possibilities in Nepal. Here is one report which shows that Kagbeni

(as a pilot study) is evaluated for less than 1 MW wind power. But it is also felt that, only in the

Kagbeni area, there is feasibility of more than 25 MW of wind power. In the past we have installed two small wind-power stations which were complete failures due to technical unreliability and such things cannot be repeated. America and other technically advanced nations have shown the reliability of such power stations.

So although hydropower/micro-hydropower plants come first in possible remote areas one should look at renewable energy and the cost and then compare them to hydropower generation and begin work in the right direction. We should not rule out that we must have several approaches for building a new Nepal through electrification of the entire country.

Recommendations to Resolve the Current Power Crisis:

Many experts on Nepal have tried to give immediate solutions, but here are some of my personal recommendations for the present crisis:

1. There is an existing power exchange agreement between Nepal and India in the boarder areas for up to 150 MW. It is stated that there could be an arrangement to trade seasonally as available; in the agreement, power for certain periods of the year from Nepal to the border areas for up to 150 MW. Depending on this agreement we must negotiate with India for support in increasing the power sharing range which can be gradually paid back after signing a new contract for mutual benefit with mutual agreement. We need at least another 100-150MW additional power sharing at the present time.

2. Alternatives can be a temporary diesel plant of about 100MW just to match the current peak demand. We should minimize the usage of diesel plants which are expensive and not environmentally friendly.

3. Identify immediately short, medium and long range potential hydropower plants that can be started immediately; such as short range projects between 100MW-500MW and complete within 5-7 yrs. The NEA and the government must work with neighboring countries like China and India and the private sector.

4. Attract private parties both domestic and foreign. The private sector needs to be an important stakeholder in the entire process as well as collaborating with both domestic and foreign parties.

5. An independent regulator is needed to oversee generation, transmission and distribution of electricity thorough the country. This encompasses greater importance when power is to be traded across international borders.

6. Sound regulatory and policy reforms are required to attract both national and foreign investors. Sound reforms allow for purchasing power and the selling and sharing of technology and services in India.

7. Hydropower development in Nepal needs to take advantage of well developed capital markets, the technical capacity and power markets of India as well as other nations.

8. Studies and plans for alternative energies such as wind and solar need to be conducted. But the MAJOR goal needs to be hydropower development. Nepal is the second richest in hydropower potential after Brazil but first in hydro-power potential density; that we must not forget.

References:

1. Ph.D. thesis of Saroj K. Joshi, Power System Planning, 1986, Kiev Polytechnic Institute, 1986

2. SEA Power Development Project, 1997

3. HMG/Nepal: 10th Five Year Plan (2002- 2007)

4. HMG/Nepal: Electricity Act 1992

5. HMG/Nepal: Electricity Regulation 1993

6. Nepal Solar Tukis bring light for all, Renewable energy.com, December 07, 2005

6. HMG/Nepal: Hydropower Development Policy 1992 and 2001

7. Indian Electricity Act – 2003 and Nepal India Cooperation on Hydropower (NICOH) final report

8. Wind Power Development in Kagbeni Area, Mustang from view point of Geological and Meteorological Concerns, Paper presented in fourth Nepal Geological Congress, April 9 to 11, 2004.

9. Title 24 Energy Code, California, USA, 2005 Standard

at 8:36 AM 0 comments

Sunday

Technical scholarship of around $27,000

The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) and the Verizon Foundation are proud to offer the 2009 NAAAP/Verizon Scholarship program for Asian-American college students. The 2008-2009 program makes available $27,000 in scholarship funding for up to six selected applicants for educational purposes.

We invite you to read more about our new scholarship program and the application process below.

The Application and Recommendations must be submitted online only
The general deadline for the scholarship applications is Saturday, January 31, 2009 by 11:59 p.m. (EST). However, if your major or area of study is one of the below, your deadline is extended to Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 11:59 P.M. EST:

  • Computer Electronics
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Information Systems
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Information Technology
  • Management Information Systems
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Network Administration

Please view our Frequently Asked Questions page to see commonly asked questions. If you have a question and don't see it listed here, please contact us at scholarship@naaap.org

Procedure for Students

Download the 2009 NAAAP/Verizon scholarship application. You will need Microsoft Excel 2000 or above to use the application template. The instructions for naming the file naming are provided. Email the complete file to scholarship@naaap.org.

Please email recommendation letters to scholarship@naaap.org in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. We recommend that the recommendation letters be submitted separately from the application.

Procedure for Recommenders

Two Letters of Recommendation are required.

  1. Academic School Teacher/Advisor
  2. Community Service Leader/Organizer

Eligibility:

  • Full-time student at an accredited college/university (United States)
  • Student in undergraduate studies as a sophomore (effective Feb. 1)
  • Must have 30 credit hours or more
  • Must have a cumulative GPA 3.00 or higher
  • Must be Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander
  • Must be a permanent resident or U.S. citizen

All Applications will be reviewed by the NAAAP National Scholarship Committee.
A personal or telephone interview may be scheduled.

Notification: Final scholarship winners will be notified during the 4th week of February 2009. Additional information may be required before completing the award process.

at 10:48 AM 0 comments

Thursday

8 Tuition-Free Colleges

by Scott Allen, http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/22573.html

Buzz up!on Yahoo!

During difficult economic times, the cost of higher education leaves many students wondering if they can afford to go to college. For those who want to avoid being saddled with huge loans, the U.S. government offers one of the best deals around: Enroll at one of the five service academies tuition-free and receive free room and board. (And you thought the Grand Slam promotion at Denny’s was cool.) But if military service isn’t for you, here are eight other schools that offer tuition-free educations:
1. College of the Ozarks

ozarks.jpgSeveral schools
share the “Linebacker U” and “Quarterback U” monikers in reference to the NFL talent that their college football programs produce, but the only “Hard Work U” is located in Point Lookout, Missouri. In 1973, a Wall Street Journal reporter bestowed that title on the College of the Ozarks, where students pay no tuition and work at least 15 hours a week at a campus work station. Jobs are taken seriously at the school of 1,400; students are graded on their work performance in addition to their academics.

History: In 1906, Presbyterian missionary James Forsythe helped open the School of the Ozarks to provide a Christian high school education to children in the Ozarks region, which spans parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The school added a two-year junior college 50 years later and completed its transition to a four-year college program in 1965. The school was renamed College of the Ozarks in 1990 and has established itself as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the Midwest.

Notable: College of the Ozarks was No. 4 on the Princeton Review’s list of the top 10 Stone-Cold Sober schools in 2008.

Famous Alum: Actress and model April Scott, who played Daisy Duke in the straight-to-DVD prequel of Dukes of Hazzard – Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning. Scott has also appeared in Entourage, as a briefcase-toting model on Deal or No Deal, and on various magazine covers.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Silver Dollar City, an amusement park in nearby Branson, Mo., harkens back to simpler times with its 1880s theme. In addition to thrills, roller coasters at the park offer scenic views of the Ozarks.
2. Deep Springs College

dsfarm.jpgDeep Springs is a two-year, all-male liberal arts college located on a cattle ranch and alfalfa farm in the Inyo-White Mountains of California’s High Desert. To get an idea of just how isolated the school is, consider the explanation for its policy forbidding smoking in any of the school’s buildings or near hay bales: “We’re 45 minutes from the nearest emergency services, so a fire could be disastrous.” Every student admitted – 10 to 15 per year – receives free tuition, room, and board, and works at least 20 hours a week on the ranch. The manual labor ranges from washing dishes to milking cows. Most students complete their degrees at prestigious four-year schools after leaving Deep Springs.

History: Deep Springs was founded by Lucien Lucius Nunn, a pioneer in electrical engineering who helped design the Ontario Power Plant at Niagara Falls. While working for the Telluride Power Company, which provided power to gold mines, Nunn invited young men to work for him in exchange for an education. The work-study program became known as the Telluride Institute in 1905. Nunn was driven out of the company in 1912 by a powerful stockholder who believed Nunn’s unconventional means of attracting workers was detrimental to the business. Nunn decided to start a completely new educational endeavor at Deep Springs, which admitted its first class of 20 in 1917.

Notable: Academics, labor, and self-governance are the three pillars of the Deep Springs experience. Students have a say in what subjects to study, what professors to hire, and even what applicants to admit.

Famous Alum: William T. Vollmann, a novelist and journalist with a propensity for writing about dangerous firsthand experiences, including a trip into Afghanistan with the Mujahideen in 1982. Vollmann has written more than 20 books, including Europe Central, which won the 2005 National Book Award for Fiction.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Given that students are generally prohibited from leaving the ranch during the semester, online shopping via the somewhat reliable Internet connection is one of the only viable options.
3. UC-Irvine School of Law, Class of ’12

UCI.jpg

In an effort to attract the best and brightest students for its inaugural class, the UC Irvine School of Law is offering a free ride to all 60 students admitted this fall. Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional law scholar, told reporters, “Our goal is to be a top-20 law school from the first time we are ranked.” By early February, the number of applicants at California’s first new public law school in 40 years had topped 1,000. The school will rely on grants and donations to cover the estimated $6 million it will cost to put each of the students in the first class through the program.

History: There is some precedent for a professional school offering free tuition to its inaugural class. In 2008, the Central Florida College of Medicine received nearly 3,000 applicants after offering the same deal to each member of its inaugural class.

Notable: Chemerinsky, an adamant defender of the separation of church and state, as well as abortion rights, was hired, fired amid political pressure from conservatives one week later, and then rehired as Irvine’s law school dean in 2007.

Famous Alum: You? It’s not too late to apply.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: In-N-Out burgers. Lots and lots of In-N-Out burgers.
4. Berea College

berea_college.jpgThanks to a large endowment, every student admitted to Berea College in Kentucky receives a full-tuition scholarship valued at more than $90,000. Students are required to work at least 10 hours a week in one of more than 140 departments, and while room, board, and books are not covered, the work-study program enables some of the 1,500 students to lighten their financial load even more. Berea offers degrees in 28 fields.

History: Berea was founded in 1855 by Rev. John Fee – an ironic name for the founder of a tuition-free college if there ever was one – as the first interracial and coed college in the South. Classes at the school were fully integrated until the Kentucky Legislature passed a law in 1904 that prohibited school integration. The law was amended in 1950 to allow integrated education above the high school level and Berea returned to its roots, becoming the first school in Kentucky to re-open its doors to African-Americans.

Notable: Berea’s motto is “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.”

Famous Alum: Carter G. Woodson, an African-American historian, journalist, and author. After graduating with a Bachelor of Literature degree from Berea, Woodson earned his PhD and taught at Howard University. He pioneered the celebration of “Negro History Week” in 1926, which would serve as the precursor to “Black History Month” as we know it today.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Berea is home to the Kentucky Artisan Center, a 25,000-square-foot facility that showcases Kentucky-made arts and crafts in a variety of exhibits.
5. Olin College of Engineering

college9.jpgOlin College is a school of 300 in Neeedham, Mass., where every admitted student receives four years of free tuition valued at $130,000. The school is funded by a $400 million grant from the F.W. Olin Foundation and ranks as one of the top undergraduate engineering programs in the country. There is great emphasis placed on philanthropy at Olin; students are encouraged to develop creative ideas that address societal needs and help make the world a better place.

History: The school is named for Franklin W. Olin, who founded the Olin Corporation and made a fortune selling ammunition. Olin was a great philanthropist, too. Since 1938, the F.W. Olin Foundation has contributed more than $300 million in grants to colleges and universities throughout the country. The same foundation financed the development of Olin College, which was completed in 2002. The school graduated its first class in 2006.

Notable: Indicative of the entrepreneurial spirit of the school, six Olin students are taking a year off to develop educational Internet software – think Google Docs meets Facebook – for local middle school students. The students expect the software, which will include built-in features that allow parents and teachers to interact with and monitor their students’ work, to be operational by mid-April.

Famous Alum: He’s not exactly famous, but Alex Dorsk does have a cleverly titled blog chronicling his time aboard a research vessel with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Honor the legacy of F.W. Olin, who played two years of professional baseball after graduating from Cornell, with a trip to Fenway Park in nearby Boston.
6. Cooper Union

cooper.jpgLocated in Manhattan, Cooper Union offers degree programs in art, architecture, and engineering, and every admitted student receives four years of free tuition valued at $130,000. According to a recent article in the New York Times, applications for early decision to the school were up 70 percent this year. The admissions rate at Cooper Union is about 8 percent, while the enrollment is a little more than 900. The Cooper Union endowment is valued at nearly $600 million.

History: Peter Cooper, who invented the first locomotive in the United States, believed that education of the highest quality should be “as free as air and water,” so he founded Cooper Union in 1858. Cooper’s greatest legacy may have come 14 years earlier, when he received the first American patent for powdered gelatin. A cough syrup manufacturer bought the patent from Cooper, developed a prepackaged gelatin dessert, and named it Jell-O in 1897.

Notable: The Great Hall on the Cooper Union campus has been the site of several historic speeches. Abraham Lincoln outlined his views on slavery – namely that he didn’t want to see it spread – in a famous address there, while Mark Twain spoke at the school’s inauguration.

Famous Alum: Milton Glaser, who founded New York Magazine and designed the ubiquitous I Love New York logo.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Fifth Avenue is a start.
7. Curtis Institute of Music

curtis.jpg

Like Juillard, the Curtis Institute of Music is considered one of the most prestigious performing arts conservatories in the world. Unlike Juillard, tuition at Curtis is free. Every student admitted to the school of 160 in Philadelphia is provided a full scholarship, and all piano, harpsichord, composition, and conducting majors are lent Steinway grand pianos. As part of their training, students at Curtis host over 100 public concerts each year, and receive one-on-one instruction from the musically accomplished faculty.

History: Mary Louise Curtis Bok founded the Curtis Institute in 1924 as a place for talented young performers to prepare for careers as professional musicians. She named the school in honor of her father, Cyrus Curtis, the founder of Ladies Home Journal and a fellow music lover.

Notable: According to the school’s Web site, 17 percent of the principal chairs in America’s top 25 orchestras and four music directorships in the top 50 are held by Curtis-trained musicians. More than sixty alumni have performed with the Metropolitan Opera.

Famous Alum: Anthony McGill, a member of the Metropolitan Opera and the clarinetist in the quartet that played at Barack Obama’s Inauguration last month. Also: Leonard Bernstein.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Buy a membership to the Franklin Institute to supplement your musical education.
8. Alice Lloyd College

alice.jpgAll students at Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Ky., are required to work at least 10 hours per week in exchange for free tuition. Students who need additional financial aid to pay for room and board may work up to 15 hours per week. Jobs at the school of 550 are assigned based on a student’s work experience and personal preference.

History: Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd, a former publisher and editor of The Cambridge Press, moved from Boston to Eastern Kentucky in 1916. With the help of June Buchanan, Lloyd chartered what was then called Caney Junior College in 1923. The school became an accredited four-year college in 1980.

Notable: The call letters for Alice Lloyd College’s non-commercial radio station, which has broadcast inspirational programming around the clock since 1998, are WWJD-FM.

Famous Alum: Carl D. Perkins, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 until his death in 1984. Perkins’s legacy lives on in the form of the Perkins Loan, a need-based Federal student loan.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Elk were introduced to Kentucky in 1997 as part of a restoration project and Knott County, which includes Pippa Passes, is now known as the elk capital of the East. Tours are available through several outlets.

at 1:18 PM 0 comments

Sunday

USTA and Pacific Northwest USTA



Our section includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Northern Idaho - above the 45th parallel - and British Columbia, Canada, making it the largest geographical section of the United States Tennis Association. Over 23,000 members and 200 volunteers make up the backbone for grassroots tennis in the region. We strive for excellence and are dedicated to serving tennis enthusiasts throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Please visit our website often as we will have frequent updates on tennis news and events throughout the Pacific Northwest. Don't forget to sign up for our e-newsletter that will bring you even more local tennis news (simply click here to sign up). Your comments are always welcome so please feel free to email the USTA Pacific Northwest at info@pnw.usta.com so that we are able to bring you the best website possible.

Pacific Northwest
4840 SW Western Ave.
Ste. 300
Beaverton, OR 97005-3430
(503) 520-1877
FAX:(503) 520-0133
info@pnw.usta.com

http://www.pnw.usta.com/

http://www.usta.com/

Mission Statement: To Promote and Develop the Growth of Tennis
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for the sport of tennis and the recognized leader in promoting and developing the sport’s growth on every level in the United States, from local communities to the crown jewel of the professional game, the US Open.

Established in 1881, the USTA is a progressive and diverse not-for-profit organization whose volunteers, professional staff, and financial resources support a single mission: to promote and develop the growth of tennis.

The USTA is the largest tennis organization in the world, with 17 geographical sections, more than 700,000 individual members and 7,000 organizational members, thousands of volunteers, and a professional staff dedicated to growing the game.

Community Tennis
Community Tennis strives to grow tennis at every level with a goal of making the game accessible to everyone. It supports a wide range of programs designed to help people learn the game, play the game, and benefit from its many health/fitness and social benefits.

Community Tennis is also working hand in hand with the USTA’s seventeen sections, committed volunteers, and industry partners on the largest new player initiative that tennis, or any other sport, has ever conducted—to promote the benefits of tennis to new players and drive them to one of the thousands of Tennis Welcome Center facilities across the country that offer introductory group lessons and playing opportunities for new or lapsed players.

Professional Tennis
Professional Tennis manages all aspects of the USTA’s involvement in the professional sport, including the US Open — the world’s largest attended annual sporting event — and the Olympus US Open Series, which links 9 summer tournaments to the US Open.

It also oversees three professional tour events, 94 Pro Circuit events nationwide, all operations of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center — the world’s largest public tennis facility and home of the US Open — and it manages and selects the U.S. teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympics, and the Paralympic Games.

Designed to operate as a true sports marketing, entertainment and media group, Professional Tennis generates — through television, sponsorship, ticket sales, merchandising, membership, and advanced media — the revenue for funding the USTA mission and works to increase the popularity of the pro game to positively affect player participation.

USTA Player Development
USTA Player Development facilitates the development of world-class American champions by providing promising players with access to the best training, coaching, and competition. This mission is facilitated through enhanced coaching education programs, top supplemental coaching in men’s and women’s tennis, and junior competition programs on the national and international level.

USTA Pro Circuit
The USTA Pro Circuit, the world’s largest professional tour for tennis development, provides the next generation of American champions with the opportunity to play against world-class competition without having to travel abroad.

Diversity
Embracing diversity and encouraging multicultural outreach efforts is essential to achieving the USTA mission to grow the sport of tennis. The USTA is committed to fostering a tennis environment that is more inclusive and inviting to all people. In working to expand the image of tennis, the USTA is focused on broadening and increasing multicultural participation in the sport and serving as a model for all organizations that aspire to successful growth and an inclusive environment.

at 10:39 AM 26 comments

Thursday

The Foundation of a Better Life

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the values that make a difference in our communities. We create public service campaigns that model the benefits of a life lived by positive values. In turn, we hope to inspire people to make values a part of their own lives, and then to communicate the benefits to others.

http://www.forbetterlife.org/

Values

VALUES. NO MATTER WHERE WE LIVE, WE LIVE BY VALUES. AND BECAUSE THEY ARE WORTH MORE WHEN WE PASS THEM ON, THE FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER LIFE CHOSE THESE VALUES TO SHARE. EXPLORE EACH ONE HERE.

at 11:20 PM 0 comments

Monday

USTA College Scholarships

USTA College Scholarships

Apply for USTA Pacific Northwest and
USTA Serves college scholarships, Player Incentive Award
The application for the USTA Pacific Northwest Glenn Lovett College Scholarship is now available. The section scholarship was renamed last year in honor of former USTA Pacific Northwest Secretary-Treasurer Glenn Lovett who passed away in November of 2007. Glenn was an avid tennis player and volunteer who contributed critical advice, a positive attitude and good humor during his tenure on the USTA Pacific Northwest Board of Directors.

Criteria for those applying for the section scholarship is as follows:
• Current membership in the USTA Pacific Northwest Section (USTA/PNW).
• Participation as a tennis player in the USTA/PNW.
• Personal character, strong values, community involvement and good sportsmanship.
• Financial need.

High school seniors graudating in 2009 are encouraged to apply. Please click here to view and print the USTA college scholarship application form. Please click here to view and print the 2009 college scholarship application directions and information.

NOTE: By completing and submitting this scholarship application to the USTA/PNW office, you will be considered for the USTA Pacific Northwest Glenn Lovett College Scholarship as well as the USTA Serves (formerly known as the USTA Tennis & Education Foundation) college scholarships that you choose to select on your application (please see descriptions of each below). There is only one (1) application that is used for all scholarships.

All applicants will assemble and submit, in one envelope, the application, required supporting documentation, and a current photograph. All endorsements and transcripts must be submitted in sealed envelopes with the endorser’s or guidance counselor’s signature over the seal.

USTA Serves college scholarships

In addition to those offered by the USTA/PNW, the following scholarships are being awarded through USTA Serves:
• Marian Wood Baird Scholarship
• Dwight F. Davis Memorial Scholarship
• Dwight Mosley Scholarship
• College Education Scholarship
• Eve Kraft Education & College Scholarship
• College Text Book Scholarship

Please click here to view a chart that lists the specific qualifications for each of the above scholarships. You can also refer to the 2009 USTA Serves College Scholarship Program information sheet for a complete description of each the scholarships that are available.

Applications for both the USTA/PNW Glenn Lovett College Scholarship and USTA Serves college scholarships must be postmarked by February 9, 2009.

Mail all completed applications to:

USTA Pacific Northwest
Attn: Scholarship Application
4840 SW Western Ave, Suite #300
Beaverton, OR 97005

If you have any questions during the application process please feel free to contact USTA/PNW Communications Coordinator Hillary Moore by email at moore@pnw.usta.com or by phone at (503) 520-1877, x21.

at 7:49 PM 0 comments

Thursday

29 Ways to Save More Money During The Recession

Not sure how you'll survive the current economic crisis? Stick to these 29 money basics and you'll thrive anytime.

By Beth Kobliner
From Reader's Digest
Check out our online money guide for mortgage advice, calculators and more.

The financial gurus will be debating for years how we got into the mess we're in-and how we'll get out of it. But while the talking heads are talking, you'd like to know how to shore up your resources so you won't have to worry about every little hiccup in the stock market. Here are time-tested strategies you can master—how to spend less, reduce your debt, make the most of your tax breaks, and finance your retirement. The idea, says William Speciale, a Boston-based adviser with the financial planning firm Calibre, is to focus on what you can control: "Little steps can really make a huge difference."

Taxes
Forget the short form. Most taxpayers-65 percent of us, to be specific-just take the standard deduction. But you may save money by itemizing your deductible expenses. It doesn't matter if you use an online program (like turbotax.intuit.com or completetax.com), a current tax guide, or a storefront preparer. Out-of-pocket health care charges, business expenses (including some for job searches), and charitable donations are just a few of the items you may be able to deduct. Fill out the long form, known as the 1040, and compare numbers. If your total deductions are greater than $5,450 (the standard deduction for 2008 for a single person) or $10,900 (for a married couple filing jointly), you'll save money by itemizing when you file.

Your kids should file a tax return. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doesn't care how old they are. If they earn more than $5,450 in a given year (in wages and/or interest income), they have to file-even if you claim them as dependents. And if they make less than that, they should still file because they'll get back all the money their employer withheld. Help them fill out the paperwork. It's a great learning experience that may earn them some extra cash. Avoid a tax refund. You may feel giddy knowing you'll get a check from the IRS this spring, but you shouldn't. Getting money back means you're essentially lending money, interest free, to the government for the year. Better to have that cash in your account than lend it to Uncle Sam. So if you've been getting big refunds or have had a big life change (a marriage, a baby, a divorce, a radical increase or decrease in income), adjust the withholding allowances on your W-4 form. You can do that for your 2009 taxes now at irs.gov. Use the withholding calculator to determine the correct figure for you. Then print a new W-4, fill it out, and give it to your payroll department.

Avoid "rapid refund" programs. Sure, they sound great. After all, what can be better than getting your money fast? A tax-prep chain might try to get you to agree to one of these "instant" or "anticipation" options. Don't take the bait. This is not your refund. It's a loan—and a very high-interest loan at that. The average for 2008 was 123 percent. If you file electronically, even if it's through a tax chain, the IRS will deposit your refund directly into your bank account within a week or two.

Checking and Savings
Make sure your free checking is really free. A lot of banks advertise it, but read the fine print. If the minimum balance is steep-thousands of dollars, in some cases—look for a bank with no minimum requirement. This could save $100 a year or more. Bankrate.com is a good site for comparing accounts. (And don't waste $2 on ATM withdrawals at another bank's machines.)

Bank online. You'll be surprised how easy it is to pay bills, transfer funds, save automatically, and keep track of it all. In fact, gathering records at tax time will be a cinch. And by setting up the automatic bill-payment option, you'll help protect your credit score. Banking online is actually safer than banking at a brick-and-mortar institution. Banks have spent a fortune to make sure their sites are among the most secure on the Internet. Besides, most cases of identity theft happen the old-fashioned way—by crooks who raid your mailbox.

Keep your money in supersafe places. Aim to amass at least six months of emergency expenses, in case you lose your job or become disabled. Where's the best place to keep it? FDIC-insured bank savings, CD, and money market accounts are still three of the most secure places. (The government recently increased the limit it will insure to $250,000 per account until December 31, 2009.) Money market funds that invest in Treasury bills are supersafe, too, but low yielding. Internet banks and credit unions tend to pay higher interest rates, but go to fdic.gov and check to make sure they offer the same government-insured guarantee. Look into Series I bonds, or I bonds, which are just as safe and are guaranteed to keep up with inflation. They're also free from state and local taxes (and possibly federal tax, if you use them for college costs). The downside? You can't redeem them for at least a year. And if you cash them in before five years, there's a small penalty. Other savings options, including corporate and tax-exempt money market funds, are a bit riskier. Compare yields at cranedata.us.
Debt
Cut up your extra credit cards. But don't close the accounts. Yes, it's smart to reduce your temptation to splurge by destroying your cards. But if you actually cancel them, it could hurt your credit rating. Here's why: Lenders worry about how close you are to using all the credit available to you. If you close an account, you lose its credit line. As a result, you are using a greater portion of the reduced amount you can now borrow. How many cards do you need? While the average American household has nine, two or three active cards should be plenty.

Pay your bills on time. A single late payment means that you could pay a much higher interest rate on any future loans and on your existing credit card accounts. That's because even one missed payment can lower your credit score by as much as 100 points. That plunge means that lenders view you as a risky customer. If you're shopping around for a mortgage, you could end up paying as much as a full percentage point more. That's an increase that could ultimately cost you tens of thousands of dollars in interest. Set up automatic payments to make sure you're never late on your major bills. The sooner you can show lenders you're back on track, the better.

Pay $10 more each month. Most American households keep their credit balances at around $2,000, but about 10 to 15 percent carry balances that are $9,000 or higher. If you paid the minimum $224 required on that $9,000 balance each month, it would take you 31 years and over $13,000 in interest to pay it off. Increasing your payment by just $10 a month, to $234, until you've paid off the balance would save you $8,900. And you'd get rid of the debt in five years. (To check your own balances, try the calculator at bankrate.com.)

Put your savings to work. Many people who are deep in debt usually have some savings stashed in a bank account. They argue that they don't want to use their hard-earned savings to pay off debt. But do the math: It would make sense to keep the money in savings only if the bank is paying you an interest rate higher than the one your credit cards charge. Paying off a card with an interest rate of 13 percent is the equivalent of earning 13 percent interest on your money after taxes. There are no savings or investment options with that kind of guarantee. Experts caution that you still want to keep emergency cash on hand. A good rule is to take 5 percent of your paycheck to pay off debt and put an additional 5 percent into savings.

Pay more on your mortgage. You may have heard that because the interest is tax deductible, a mortgage is a good debt. But even if you're getting a tax break, you're still paying interest—and the longer you've had the mortgage, the smaller the tax break (because you pay less interest each year). As with all debt, paying it off sooner is better. So once you've paid off your credit cards and other high-rate debt, go ahead and add an extra payment each year (or spread it out over 12 months). If you do that over the life of a 30-year fixed loan with a rate of 6 percent, you'll shave roughly 20 percent off the total interest you pay. On a $150,000 mortgage, that means saving about $26,000.

Reduce your credit card interest rate. It may be time to get nervy with the credit card companies. If you pay your bill on time and your credit card company still raises your rates or lowers your limits, call the company's toll-free number (ask for the retention department) and explain that you're thinking of taking your business elsewhere. You may reap a rate reduction. No matter what you've heard about the current credit crunch, banks are still motivated to keep good customers. And check your accounts often. These days, banks are increasing rates even on good customers.

Get your credit report for free. You're entitled to one free report from each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) every year. Beware, though. Many sites advertising "free credit reports" are actually fronts for companies trying to sell you services—credit monitoring, debt consolidation, credit repair-most of which you don't need. The reports are free, but you'll be automatically signed up and billed for these products. Get your reports from annualcreditreport.com, which is sponsored by the three bureaus and the Federal Trade Commission. You can purchase extras on this site, too, but just stick with the free reports. If you want to see your credit scores (a numerical representation of how good a credit risk you are), you'll have to pay $48 at myfico.com.

Insurance
Shop around for car insurance. An online search and a few phone calls can turn up vastly different rates in the same area. You'll also want to ask about lesser-known breaks. For example, even if your kids are grown and out of the house, they might be able to get a substantial discount if they insure their cars through the company you use. One place to start is carinsurance.com. Once you've found the best rate, ask your insurance agent if he or she can match it.

Sign up for an FSA. Many employers offer flexible spending accounts as a way to set aside part of your salary for health care and child-care costs. You can pay for everything from Band-Aids to orthodontic work with pretax money, which translates into a discount of about 30 percent or more, depending on your tax bracket. But plan carefully. If you don't use all the money in your account within the year (at many companies, you have until March 15 of the following year to submit receipts), you lose whatever's left.

Keep grown kids on your health insurance policy. If you're going to end up lending (or giving) your children money for coverage, it's much cheaper to keep them on your policy as long as possible. In some states, you can do this until they are 26, whether they're still in school or not. (New Jersey will give you until they turn 30.) Some states require proof that they are single, without children, and that they live in the same state as you. For the rules where you live, go to statecoverage.net. Even if your state doesn't mandate extended coverage, your plan might, so call your human resources department for details.

Hold off on that long-term-care insurance. The soaring cost of extended nursing care has prompted many people in their 40s and 50s to sign up for long-term-care insurance in order to lock in a rate. It's true that the premiums go up as you get older, but not by the huge amount you might expect. According to data collected by America's Health Insurance Plans, a 65-year-old may end up paying just $126 more a year than someone who bought a policy at age 55. During those ten years, that person would spend close to $19,000 on coverage, even though he or she probably won't need it until age 83 or so (if at all). Depending on your health, the best time to buy is between 60 and 65. Until then, make retirement savings the priority, not long-term-care insurance.

Sign up for disability insurance. It helps protect your income in the event you become unable to work for a long period. Ideally, you should have enough to replace 60 to 70 percent of your salary. If your company plan doesn't provide this much coverage, consider buying more on your own. It can be costly, but it's worth it if you can afford it. Visit affordableinsuranceprotection.com or unum.com for quotes.

Think twice about life insurance. If you don't have dependents, you may not need it. If you do have kids or other dependents, you're probably better off with term life insurance until, say, your children are grown and can take care of themselves. It's generally less expensive than whole-life or other types of policies that build up value until you die or cash them in. Agents will tell you that whole-life insurance is a good investment because your money builds up tax-free, but these policies often have very high fees. You're better off putting that money toward your 401(k) and IRA instead. To comparison shop for term life policies, try term4sale.com.

Write your will. Although no one likes to think about dying, you need to. A will doesn't have to be a fancy contract that teams of lawyers slave over. It's just a written record of whom you want to entrust your kids and assets to when you die. You can write one using a simple boilerplate form and then sign it in the presence of witnesses (usually two people who aren't named in the will). The legal publishing company Nolo has a good template and instructions you can download for less than $25. (These templates are valid in all states except Louisiana. Of course, if your situation is complicated or you'd like a professional to look it over, consult an attorney. You can search for lawyers by state at actec.org.) You'll also want to make sure all the beneficiaries on your life insurance policies and bank and retirement accounts are up-to-date.
Retirement
Contribute to your company's 401(k). If your company matches funds, sign up. This will be the best investment you can possibly make. Typically, a company will kick in 50 cents for every dollar you save, up to 6 percent of your salary. That's the equivalent of earning an immediate 50 percent return-a rate you can't get anywhere. Yet incredibly, one in three American workers who are eligible isn't taking full advantage of it. With the matching funds, you can more than double the size of your 401(k) in 20 years, even if the stock market remains flat. For a family making $44,000, your contribution may cost you as little as $30 a week, money you won't even miss after a while.

Put retirement savings ahead of college savings. This sounds crazy to parents who need to come up with tuition money well before it's time to retire. But because of the tax breaks and the flexibility of retirement accounts, you're much better off contributing to a 401(k) or an IRA and taking out loans for college. Many people don't realize that the contributions you put in Roth IRAs can be withdrawn free of penalties at any time. That's very different from the college savings plans, called 529s, that smack you with a significant penalty if the money is not used for college. Another plus: Most schools don't count money in your retirement accounts when assessing how much financial aid they'll offer you. (For more detailed advice, check out Kalman Chany's book, Paying for College Without Going Broke.) Once you've saved the maximum amount that the government allows in your retirement accounts, then research 529 plans at savingforcollege.com.

Say no to company stock. Think of Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, and Enron. All were once on top, but when they went under, many employees were left without jobs and with retirement accounts that were overloaded with worthless company stock. You already have a huge stake in the company because you depend on it for your paycheck. Don't risk your retirement money as well. If your employer offers company stock as a 401(k) option, don't take it. If you get company stock as part of your matching-funds plan, sell it as soon as you're allowed to and switch that money into some other type of investment. Ask your HR representative for details.

Don't worry about Social Security. You've probably heard the dire predictions that anyone younger than 35 can't expect to collect Social Security. Even in bleak economic scenarios, though, Social Security will probably pay you 65 to 80 percent of your currently promised benefits. And with some fairly modest changes—like raising the retirement age or increasing payroll taxes for anyone earning more than $250,000 annually-the system can be shored up for decades to come. Make sure you're saving enough so you don't have to count on the program for your entire retirement income.

Stay away from individual stocks. In spite of what you may hear from your cousin the broker, buying the stock of a single company is generally not wise. It's essentially putting all your eggs in one basket-and paying broker fees that could eat up your earnings. In fact, you don't really need a broker. Instead of buying individual stocks, invest directly in mutual funds, which spread your dollars among a group of stocks. It's usually safer, cheaper, and simpler. But remember, you should do this only with money you can invest long term and can afford to lose in the short term.

Stick with index funds. You'll want to go with a special type of mutual fund called an index fund, which buys a little piece of each of the companies that make up established market benchmarks like the S&P 500. One of the best-kept secrets of investing is that in the long run, index funds perform at least as well as the funds that charge high fees and have a professional stock picker making the choices. And how are index funds doing these days? As of early December, they had actually lost less than the average stock fund run by the so-called experts. For a list of low-cost index funds, go to vanguard.com or fidelity.com.

Don't buy investment products from your bank. Banks sell a wide range of mutual funds, annuities, and individual stocks and bonds. These aren't FDIC-insured, and they tend to be more expensive than what you could get elsewhere because banks usually charge high sales commissions. Buy directly from mutual fund companies instead. Go with companies like Vanguard or Fidelity, which charge low fees and no commissions.

Build a portfolio. The rule of thumb is to put 50 percent of your long-term savings in stocks and 30 percent in bonds and keep 20 percent available in cash (that means in a savings or money market account where you can withdraw it at a moment's notice). In tough times especially, getting the right mix will depend on the risk you're willing to take and how soon you'll need your money. Stocks are generally more risky than bonds, but there are exceptions. For example, bonds issued by companies that are in questionable financial health-called junk bonds or, more euphemistically, high-yield bonds are a lot riskier than, say, stock in utility companies. Financialengines.com, which charges about $40 for a three-month subscription, is a great site for calculating the right mix.

Bonus Tip
Take care of your health. Eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. Says Rutgers finance professor Barbara O'Neill, "The last thing you want in a financial crisis is huge medical bills."

Keep Your Money Safe
Supersafe
  • FDIC-insured bank savings, CD, and money market accounts
  • FDIC-insured credit unions
  • Series I bonds
  • Money market funds that invest in Treasury bills

Somewhat Riskier: Corporate and tax-exempt money market mutual funds

Riskiest: Bank investment products not FDIC-insured Individual stocks

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Learn More
A clip-and-save guide to the sites in this feature.

Taxes

Checking and Savings Debt Insurance Retirement

at 10:37 PM 3 comments

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