sodere

World-Cup predicting Paul the Octopus died.

The English-born Paul died of natural causes in his tank Tuesday at the aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany. He gained fame by predicting all seven of Germany's World Cup wins and Spain's victory over the Netherlands in the final.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/27/successor-to-paul-the-oct_n_774747.html

Top 5 USA universities that accept Ethiopian students for under graduate and graduate (Masters) studies

1. Maharishi University of Management, Iowa
www.mum.edu

2. University of Northern Virginia, Virginia State
www.unva.edu

Is It Better to Buy or Rent? - Interactive Graphic - NYTimes.com

Is It Better to Buy or Rent? - Interactive Graphic - NYTimes.com: "t."

Investing Basics | Learn to Invest Money | How to Invest

Sir Alex Ferguson take on Rooney's deal

Spartak Moskva vs. Chelsea

Spartak Moskva v Chelsea
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Arsenal v FC Shakhtar Donetsk

Arsenal v FC Shakhtar Donetsk
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Wayne Rooney signs five-year Manchester United deal

HP's IPad Killer is on Sale

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What is a Treasury Bill - T-Bill?

A short-term debt obligation backed by the a government (Eg. In this case Ethiopia government) with a maturity of less than one year. In US, T-bills are sold in denominations of $1,000 up to a maximum purchase of $5 million and commonly have maturities of one month (four weeks), three months (13 weeks) or six months (26 weeks).

T-bills are issued through a competitive bidding process at a discount from par, which means that rather than paying fixed interest payments like conventional bonds, the appreciation of the bond provides the return to the holder.

For example, let's say you buy a 13-week T-bill priced at $9,800. Essentially, the U.S. government (and its nearly bulletproof credit rating) writes you an IOU(I owe you) (a note saying that the government owe you money) for $10,000 that it agrees to pay back in three months. You will not receive regular payments as you would with a coupon bond, for example. Instead, the appreciation - and, therefore, the value to you - comes from the difference between the discounted value you originally paid and the amount you receive back ($10,000). In this case, the T-bill pays a 2.04% interest rate ($200/$9,800 = 2.04%) over a three-month period.
Source:Investopedia

Kechen Bunna

The funniest moment of international football

The proposal

Kebede wrote:

Most worthy of your estimation
After a long consideration
Please consider my application
To become your relation
As to my educational qualification
It is no exaggeration or fabrication
That I have passed my matriculation
Without any hesitation
What do you say to the solemnisation?
On your approval of the application
You will get my picture for adoration
I shall make further preparation
And such obligation is worthy of consideration
To the joy of our joint dissimilation
Thanking you in anticipation
To remain victim of your fascination

AND
Almaz replied:

Dear Mr victim of my fascination
Congratulation of your lengthy narration
Of course full of affection
Aimed at an affiliation
I find a fine explanation of your ambition.
You have passed your matriculation
No further education?
So improve your situation
Post graduate is the minimum qualification
A fat salary as remuneration
Mercedes or BMW for transportation
A villa in Bole for accommodation
And before taking your photo for circulation
Undergo beautification
Stop botheration
No touched by your affection.

Price database

A total of 184 prices have been compiled under nine broad categories: consumer goods; services; construction and building materials; machinery and vehicle rentals; fuel, water & energy prices; freight

charges; urban land lease prices; residential houses sale & rent prices; and wages & salaries.

Download the price database.

Mutual Fund and Fund Manager

Imagine this scenario: You have only $500 to invest. You believe that it's risky to invest in only one stock, but you also know that you shouldn't and can't spread yourself too thin with that amount of money.

Watch out for Scholarship Scams

Scholarship Scams

Updated on Thursday 30 September 2010

Scholarships are a great way for international students to obtain financial aid that is, essentially free, as you would never need to pay a scholarship back. For this reason scholarships are very popular, and there are some companies/ individuals that will prey on students eagerness to obtain a scholarship to scam them out of money. To protect yourself there are many things you can look out for that should send alarm bells ringing when looking for a scholarship:

How to spot a scholarship scam?

The best way to guard yourself from a scholarship scam is to know what the main scams are and how they work:

Money up front/ Application Fee

Whenever you are applying for a scholarship never send money up front or pay an application fee, you should not have to send money to an organisation to get a scholarship. These organisations will most likely just pocket the money and you will never hear from them again<

Loan Fees

You should be careful of companies that ask for a loan fee before they will disburse and money to you. Real loan companies will add fees to your loan balance which you repay over time and will never make you pay a fee upfront.

Guaranteed Scholarships

Never trust a company that advertises that they will guarantee to get you a scholarship. These companies will ask for a fee and may even offer a money back guarantee but will never get you a scholarship. Legitimate services will never say they guarantee to get your scholarship.

Company/ Scholarship Names

If you see a scholarship service or company that is using words like "official", "national", "government" or other governmental or official sounding names be careful. They are most probably trying to sound official to cover up the scam

How to protect yourself?

There are few rules you should follow when searching for scholarships that will help you avoid being scammed. They include:

Too good to be true?

If an offer or scholarship sounds too good to be true, it usually is! If you think something is just too good then sit back and do a little more research as things that sound too good to be true, usually are.

Never pay money

You should never give any money out to companies to cover things like application fees, service fees or really for any reason. Legitimate scholarships will be free to apply and will not ask you to pay money to get money - it does not work like that.

Contact them

If you have a scholarship offer that is asking for money up front or you want to make sure they are real contact them personally and make sure you can get hold of them by phone and ask for their physical address and any other information you want. Real companies will be glad to hand this information out and scam organisations will be hesitate to do this.

Get References

Do some checks on the company or organisation that is offering the scholarship, for example use google to check their name (if someone has been scammed by them you will probably see their name online somewhere about it. Also check the country company directory for that organisation, for example all UK companies have to be registered and you can search them online for free.

At the end of the day, the best advice that anyone could give to find a legitimate scholarship is to use your time to search yourself for a scholarship. Scholarships will not fall into your lap and there is no quick and easy way to finding one - so just use your time wisely and follow the rules above and you should be fine!

Legitimate Scholarship Resources

As you might have noticed by now, one of the main themes is that there is never any need to pay money out to find or get a scholarship.
Internationalstudent.com

Chinese are the number one international students in US.

Posted on December 2nd, 2010 by InternationalStudentGuru

On November 15, the Institute of International Education released its annual Open Doors Report on international students in the US, showing the total number of international students in the US at 690,923, an all-time high and 3% more than last year. However the most dramatic figure was the 30% growth in the number of Chinese students in the US, to a total of almost 128,000, leapfrogging India to claim the top spot. China has recently been second to India in the number of international students studying in the US, but no longer, as the number of Indian students grew modestly to about 105,000.

According to the report, the economy held back overall growth to a lower rate than in recent years, notwithstanding the growth in Chinese students as well as a surge in students from Saudi Arabia. However, the number of students declined from about half of the top 25 sending countries.

Here’s the top 10 sending countries with number of students this year and percent growth from last year:

1   China   127,628      29.9%
2   India            104,897        1.6%
3   South Korea   72,153        -3.9%
4   Canada          28,145      -5.2%
5   Taiwan             26,685    -4.9%
6   Japan               24,842      -15.1%
7   Saudi Arabia 15,810        24.9%
8   Mexico             13,450   -9.4%
9   Vietnam           13,112      2.3%
10   Turkey           12,397    2.0%

The University of Southern California again hosted the most international students, with 7,987 international students on campus. Next in line are the University of Illinois – Urbana – Champaign (7,287), New York University (7,276), Purdue University (6,903) and Columbia University (6,833).

Finding Scholarships on the Internet – What to Look for in a Scholarship Search Service

Okay, so you are ready to tackle that daunting task of finding scholarships to pay for college. And you want to use the Internet to expedite the search process. But there are so many scholarship search services out there – which ones should you use? How do you know what qualities and features to look for in a scholarship search service? And how do you avoid getting scammed while looking for awards? Use the following guide to determine what to look for and to assist you in finding the service that will best fit your scholarship search needs.

Profile Matches Are Key: First and foremost, find a scholarship search service that has sophisticated matching technology. A good scholarship search service will match the personal information you provide to them with scholarships that you are eligible to apply for. This will minimize the time you spend browsing through lists of awards, and will give you more time to actually work on the application process itself. Beware of simple keyword search services or services that only ask a few questions about your background. Many such services will return hundreds of scholarships for you to wade through, wasting valuable time that you simply don't have. Look for services with easy-to-use, thorough profile pages that generate results closely matched to your profile.

Up-to-Date Scholarship Information: Secondly, find a scholarship search service that provides accurate and up-to-date scholarship information. Reading requirements for scholarship programs from two years ago will not help you at all; in fact, using outdated information will simply slow your progress in actually securing scholarship funding for college. Remember, you need to find a service that offers scholarship information for the current academic year. Don't waste your time on websites with out-dated contact lists, broken application links, and discontinued programs.

Focus on Finding Scholarships: Remember, the primary purpose of any scholarship search service should be to help you find scholarships. Avoid overly commercial websites that seem to focus instead on advertising and student offers, giveaways and subscriptions. Also, avoid sites that inundate you with annoying pop-up ads and unwanted email solicitations. You should not have to deal with numerous interruptions while you are using the scholarship search tool.

An Easy Process: Make sure the service is set up to save you time. If you take the time to fill out the profile, make sure the information is saved so you don't have to start from scratch each time you want to look for more scholarships. Also, make sure there is a way to edit and update your profile, in case you change your major or improve your test scores or change your mind about the college or university you want to attend. Search services with such customer-oriented features will save you time and frustration in the search process, and that's what you should be aiming for…saving time, avoiding scams, and finding money to pay for college!

Scholarshipexperts.com

Is you best friend a Wuss?

Searching for Scholarship

Financing a US college degree is a significant hurdle, even for most Americans. However, as a foreign student / international student, you must prove in advance that you can pay for your college studies before you can obtain a student visa to study in the United States. More than likely, you will need to pursue some form of financial aid, including scholarships.

The cost of tuition varies dramatically at US colleges and universities from as little as $7000 a year at some schools to $40,000 a year and beyond at others. You may notice that State supported colleges and universities (separate from private colleges and universities) typically offer lower tuition fees to residents of their own State. For example, at the University of Virginia, the college tuition cost in 2010-2011 for a student (full-time undergraduate) who qualified as a resident of Virginia was $10,836 a year (in-state tuition), while the college tuition cost for a non-resident of the State (even for a US citizen) was $33,782 a year. Being a resident (in-state), obviously, can make college costs much less expensive, but as a foreign student / international student, you cannot initially take advantage of these lower college tuition fees. In addition to college tuition, you will also have costs for room, board (meals), and books.
Financial Aid and Scholarship Help from Colleges and Universities
You certainly should make inquiries about financial aid and scholarships for international students / foreign students with the US colleges and universities to which you are applying. While many US colleges offer little aid to foreign undergraduate students (unless you happen to be an extraordinary athlete), some schools do offer scholarships for international students, or have special programs to help foreign students / international students find financial aid and scholarships. For example, Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, says it seeks a student population which is culturally, economically, socially and geographically diverse, and the institution works to support students who would not otherwise have the resources to enroll. During the 2008-2009 academic year, Lewis & Clark awarded over a million dollars in college financial aid to international students, 60 percent of whom received financial aid. Approximately 45 financial aid awards are made to new international students in the college each fall. The average financial aid award at the college in the 2009-2010 academic year was approximately $20,000.

A list of direct links to financial aid offices for various US colleges and universities is listed here at Yahoo. Individual schools are more likely to offer grants and scholarships for international students / foreign students who prove themselves superior in their fields of study.

Graduate students should have more luck finding financial aid, as graduate and teaching assistantships and fellowships are offered to students with proven academic records, regardless of whether they are foreign students / international students or US citizens. Even if you are applying for graduate studies, however, some schools will not consider you for a fellowship or assistantship until your second year of study.
Finding Scholarships for International Students / Foreign Students in the US
While there are many scholarships for study in the USA, they often require US citizenship or at least US residency. If you find a college scholarship that interests you, the first thing you should do is to look at the scholarship requirements and determine if you must be a US citizen. There is financial aid available for international students / foreign students to study in the US, but it takes initiative and determination to find. Some places that have specific information on scholarships for international students / foreign students studying in the US include:

Scholarship Experts has a special database of scholarships for international students. This is a service of financial aid professionals, who find the most appropriate scholarships for your situation. Although this is a paid service, the company prides itself on saving you time by having the most up to date listing of awards, which are reviewed annually.

Financial Aid for Undergraduate International Students (NAFSA) provides tips and lists sources of additional information

International Education Financial Aid Website allows international students to search for scholarships based on field of study

Rotary International Scholarships

Government Financial Aid: Grants & Loans
You may see, and schools may send you, information about state and federal (national) government financial aid. Before you take the time to apply, be sure to determine whether the government financial aid is available to international students / foreign students. Unfortunately, federal and state government grants and loans generally do not apply to foreign students / international students studying in the United States. For more information about federal financial aid, see US Federal Government Financial Aid for Foreign Students. For more information about state financial aid, contact the appropriate state (click here for a list of state education agencies).

Other Sources of Financial Aid and Scholarships for International Students
It does not hurt to be creative in your search for financial aid or scholarships to study in the USA. You may have luck researching grants or loans in your own country for study abroad. Also, some international agencies such as the United Nations and the World Council of Churches offer financial aid for international students who wish to study in the United States, but competition is tough for student financial aid from large agencies such as these.

What interests you? What clubs, churches, or civic groups are you a member of? It is certainly worth your time to research groups in your own country that may offer college scholarships to individuals with your interests, your ideals, or your ethnic background. You may be surprised what you find, and you will certainly increase your chances of getting a scholarship since you will be applying for scholarships for which you are uniquely qualified.

Be sure to see US Educational Advising Centers in Your Country: Study in USA for resources and organizations in your own country that can provide guidance with financial aid and scholarships.

More Websites to Help Find Scholarships for International Students to Study in the US
Here are more places on the web that can help you search for financial aid and scholarships for international students to study in US:

FastWEB Use FastWeb's free scholarship search to find information on more than 600,000 scholarships. Asks you questions to determine your background, including hobbies and interests, and then searches for appropriate financial aid for you. It will even email you information about financial aid that may suit your needs, as it becomes available.

eduPASS is a site providing comprehensive information to foreign students / international students wishing to study in the United States.

Mach 25 allows you to search for scholarships based upon your age, nationality, interest and club memberships, as well as other characteristics.

Lots of important information found in www.ForeignBorn.com

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