Ed Hughes, Natick Real Estate

RISMEDIA, September 14, 2010--Despite the economy's sluggish recovery, a new national survey from Weber Shandwick with KRC Research found that nearly seven in 10 Americans (69 percent) have an optimistic outlook about their household finances for the next two years. Nearly one quarter (23 percent) are very optimistic.

Since the downturn two years ago, the vast majority of Americans (81 percent) say they are more responsible with their household's money today than two years ago, with nearly half (46 percent) considering themselves much more responsible. Many indicated they've changed their financial habits, including buying items on sale (80 percent), becoming more concerned about saving money (78 percent) and learning how to budget better (68 percent). In fact, Americans say they are more likely today to be "saving as much as possible" than before the financial downturn (42 percent vs. 33 percent, respectively).

Moreover, six in 10 report they are likely to continue the savings and spending patterns they started when the downturn began as soon as the economy recovers.

Women, on average, are more optimistic than men about their household financial future over the next two years (72 percent vs. 65 percent, respectively), more likely than men to have turned to family for help managing their finances over the past two years (59 percent vs. 50 percent), and more likely than men to feel in more control of their household's financial destiny today compared to two years ago (35 percent vs. 27 percent).

Few Americans relied on the help of an expert over the last two years. The survey found that a small segment leaned more than usual on financial advisors (19 percent) or their banks (17 percent) to help manage their household budget or finances.

"On the second anniversary of the financial collapse, Americans have a mostly positive outlook on their financial futures although many report not feeling in control just yet. Interestingly, few have turned to professional resources for help. This begs the question of what can be done differently by financial institutions, advisors and others to effectively promote the resources available to empower Americans," said Barbara Iverson, president of Weber Shandwick's Financial Services practice group.

Financial services organizations should consider how they can turn their customers' optimism into empowerment by helping them budget better and making financial advisors more available to answer questions. Engaging customers online may be one area for the financial industry to further explore. While only 17 percent of Americans in the survey reported using social media during the past two years to obtain information on managing their finances, the nationwide trend of social media usage is rising exponentially.

"Done well, a social media presence puts a face on an organization and helps engender trust, confidence and a sense of community," Iverson said. "Building a strong following on networks such as Facebook and Twitter can also help financial services organizations address customer dissatisfaction and mistrust. In our survey, nine percent of Americans posted or tweeted comments or complaints about their finances online. While these 'badvocates' represent a small group, their potential to cause damage to their financial institutions could be considerable."

By Stephanie Andre

RISMEDIA, September 13, 2010-This year has certainly flown by, and now, with fall around the corner, it's a great time to start prepping your home for the cooler months. From water leaks to the chimney, it's better to be ready for the cold season...before it hits.

Here, State Farm offers up some fall maintenance tips for your home:

Check all window and door locks for proper operation
* Windows that can be opened by breaking the glass and unlocking them, are less effective deterrents to criminals. Check with the hardware store for window lock alternatives.
* All exterior doors should have deadbolt locks.

Make sure there are working nightlights at the top and bottom of all stairs
Other safety ideas for stairs:
* Tile and painted wood or concrete stairs can be slippery when wet or when a person's shoes are wet. Resurface the treads with slip-resistant strips near the stair nosing.
* All stairs of at least three risers should have a handrail.
* Do not store items on the stairs.

Have a heating professional check your heating system every year
Woodburning stove connector pipes and chimneys should be inspected by a certified chimney sweep at least annually.

Replace your furnace filter
Furnace filters need to be replaced frequently to allow your heating and cooling systems to operate properly.

Run all gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel tank is empty
By doing this, you are removing flammable liquid storage from your garage. At the same time, make sure you aren't storing dirty, oily rags in a pile. They can ignite spontaneously.

Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the flues and check your fireplace damper
Soot and creosote, which build up inside the chimney, can ignite when a fire is lit in the fireplace.

Remove bird nests from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures
Bird nests on top of light fixtures are a fire hazard. Bird nests in chimney flues can prevent a proper venting of combustion gases and can catch fire from sparks. You should exercise great caution when working on your roof or consider hiring a qualified professional to take care of any work that needs to be done.

Make sure the caulking around doors and windows is adequate to reduce heat/cooling loss
Check glazing for loose or missing putty or glazing compound. This will also help reduce water damage to the windows and door frames.

Make sure that the caulking around your bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water from seeping into the sub-flooring

Check for cracked or missing caulk around the base of your toilet, bath tub, and bathroom cabinets. Properly sealing gaps between your bathroom fixtures and flooring material can prevent damage.

By Robert Gavin Globe Staff / September 12, 2010

The state's labor market has only begun to recover from a deep recession, but job seekers can look forward to prospects that are much improved from a year ago. Massachusetts is enjoying broad-based employment growth and its strongest economic recovery in nearly 30 years. Over the past six months, the state has added 60,000 jobs, easily outpacing the rate of national job growth and quickly regaining more than one-third of the nearly 170,000 jobs lost in the recent recession.

"The outlook is very encouraging,'' said Joanne Goldstein, state secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. "We're seeing it in the data, and anecdotally, we're hearing more and more about people who are applying for jobs, getting call backs, interviews, and even jobs.''

That, of course, is a dramatic improvement from 2009, when employers slashed jobs by the tens of thousands and the unemployment rate climbed more than 2 percentage points before peaking in January at 9.5 percent, a 33-year-high.

Since January, the state has added jobs every month. Private employment has grown at a 4 percent annual rate, about three times the national pace, while the state unemployment rate has declined to 9 percent - a half-point below the US average.

"There are people getting jobs, and job growth has been strong,'' said Alan Clayton-Matthews, an economics professor at Northeastern University.

Massachusetts has been helped by an economy that depends more on technology, health care, and education, and less on construction, housing, and consumer goods, which were hardest hit in the recent recession. Although battered, the state's key industries emerged from the downturn largely intact.

Education services, which includes colleges and universities, has experienced the strongest job growth over the past year, increasing employment by 7 percent, according to state statistics. Jobs in technology sectors expanded between 1 and 2 percent. Health care employment grew by about 1 percent. Hotel and restaurant employment increased by about 5 percent.

At Winter, Wyman Cos., a Waltham staffing firm, job orders have surged 77 percent from a year ago, with the strongest demand from the technology, pharmaceutical, and health science industries, said Scott Ragusa, president of the firm's contract business. In a particularly hopeful sign, Ragusa added, companies are also seeking to hire recruiters.

Companies tend to hire recruiters only when they have several openings, Ragusa said, and orders to fill recruiting jobs have jumped more 60 percent since last summer.

"It's definitely different than last year, when we were losing people faster than we were adding them,'' said Ragusa. "It's night and day.''

Still, said Ragusa, many employers are hiring cautiously, concerned about the durability of the recovery. Over the past several weeks, the national economy has slowed considerably as the impact of federal stimulus programs has faded, and Massachusetts is likely to follow, according to economists.

Unemployment remains stubbornly high, both nationally and in Massachusetts.

Competition for jobs is also fierce, especially in hard-hit industries such as manufacturing, construction, and retail, said Clayton-Matthews, the Northeastern professor. Even though these sectors have rebounded in recent months, there are still far more unemployed workers than jobs.

Massachusetts construction firms, for example, shed 35,000 jobs, or about one in four, during the recession. So far, the sector as regained fewer than 7,000 jobs, while unemployment in many building trades remains above 20 percent.

Continuing decadeslong trends, said Clayton-Matthews, the greatest job opportunities will come in technology- and knowledge-based industries that demand higher levels of education and skills. But Goldstein, the state labor secretary, stressed that these industries not only need scientists and engineers, but also support staff.

"The PhD in biochemistry still needs someone to work in the lab, order equipment, and run the computer,'' said Goldstein.

Many of these jobs require skills and education beyond high school, Goldstein said, and many job seekers might benefit from additional education and training through university, community college, and other programs. Information about such programs is available at the One-Stop Career Centers throughout the state.

Despite the improved outlook, Goldstein acknowledged that the labor market remains tough. She urged job seekers to use all resources available, include career centers, support groups, and professional networks. Most important, she said, "Have hope and determination.''

Robert Gavin can be reached at rgavin@globe.com.

By Stephanie Andre

RISMEDIA, September 10, 2010--Now that fall is fast approaching, it's time to start thinking about preparing your lawn for the winter months and even the spring.

According to TruGreen, it's important that homeowners understand how to care for their lawns, trees and shrubs in fall before the end of the growing season. The experts at TruGreen offer five fall green space tips to homeowners to better prepare their outdoor living rooms for spring's vigorous growth.

ASSESS
Thoroughly walk your property and inspect lawn, trees and shrubs as these plants prepare for dormancy in late fall and early winter. Identify problem areas in need of treatment, pruning or replacement. Note patchy areas, where grass has thinned out or is in need of valuable nutrients and appears as light green. Also look for weed and pest infestations and overgrown shrubs and trees, especially those with the potential for interfering with roof and power lines. Consider a qualified expert, such as TruGreen, to properly gauge your lawn and landscape needs.

AERATE & PRUNE
Help your lawn breathe through fall core aeration to strengthen roots and to prepare for a hardy spring workout. Conduct corrective pruning of trees and shrubs in fall to enhance plant appearance and vigor, and thin rather than top-shear and overgrown shrubs and flowering trees to preserve their overall shape.

REPLACE
Fall's favorable weather conditions, as well as moist and warm soil temperatures, create the ideal opportunity for successful seeding of bare lawn areas and overseeding of healthy grass to improve your lawn thickness and density. Replace dead or floundering plants in fall for a healthier landscape and improved curb appeal in spring.

MOW & MULCH
Mow your lawn into the fall and avoid removing more than one-third of the leaf blades with each cut. Return grass clippings and back to the soil for added lawn nutrients and use tree leaf compost to nourish plants.

FEED
A good fall feeding gives roots of lawns, trees and shrubs the energy needed to prepare for a healthy spring green revival. Keep fertilizer on target to prevent run-off and sweep fertilizer granules that may reach pavement back onto your lawn. Use a trained specialist, such as TruGreen, for insect and disease control measures customized to your region to help trees and shrubs thrive.

RISMEDIA, September 9, 2010--Cyberbullying has quickly turned into a pandemic on the web, causing severe emotional and psychological pain to children. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, over 40% of all teenagers with Internet access have reported being bullied online.

Cyberbullies seek to terrorize or humiliate perceived enemies and rivals under the cloak of anonymity, and with the proliferation of social media tools and multiple points of connection to the Web, they have an ever-expanding array of opportunities to achieve their goals. This activity presents a daunting challenge to parents who want to ensure their children's safety in today's technology-driven communications environment. Simple tips that worked in the past are fast-becoming ineffective: it's no longer sufficient to block access to specific websites, messaging programs, social networks, or computer use altogether.

Parents can gain important insights into their children's digital lives by communicating with them about this important topic, and better monitoring their web, email and mobile phone activity. Here are 10 tips for parents to help protect their children from cyberbullies and other online dangers:

1. Start by talking with your children about their online activities and the dangers of cyberbullying - set their expectations by discussing your views on monitoring their Internet and smartphone use

2. Set up Google Alerts to monitor mentions of your children's names on the Web

3. Friend your children on Facebook and monitor their privacy settings so you are able to view their profile and activity

4. In addition to Facebook, cyberbullies use other social networking sites like Twitter to post hateful messages. Familiarize yourself with these sites and set up an account to enable you to routinely search what others are saying about your kids

5. Inform teachers if you suspect your child is being cyberbullied. Teachers are among the first to notice important changes in children's behavior, and it's possible the bully may be a classmate

6. Consider implementing parental monitoring software on your home computers and children's smartphones

7. Many school districts also now use computer monitoring software on all classroom computers. Check with your school principal, PTA or school board to ensure these tools are in use at your child's school

8. Prohibit your children from having multiple e-mail addresses, screennames and social networking accounts

9. Prohibit your children from using geolocation tools and apps on Facebook and smartphones

10. Always be observant as your children use electronic communications tools. Changes in habits, such as frequency and timing of use, mood swings and other indicators, could be a sign that your child is being bullied or a target of other online mischief