Y Gen Out Loud » Gen Y

Gen Y using 3-thong approach to finding love

Tamara Bell — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:27:23 +0000

Harlan Cohen is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Naked Roommate series. And his new book, Getting Naked: Five Steps to Finding the Love of Your Life (While Fully Clothed & Totally Sober) has just been released by St. Martin’s Press.

Harlan joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about his three-thong approach to ensuring that Gen Y are physically, emotionally, and spiritually comfortable to take risks and find their perfect mate. He also points out the importance of being willing to speak and hear the truth when embarking on a lasting relationship.

MORE ABOUT HARLAN COHEN

Harlan Cohen, author, Getting Naked

In addition to bestselling author, Harlan is a professional speaker and nationally syndicated advice columnist. The Chicago resident has been featured as an expert in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Real Simple, Seventeen, and Psychology Today, talking about issues that affect Gen Y such as college life, dating, relationships, risk taking, leadership, and a variety of other topics.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

BONUS!

Listen as Harlan reads an excerpt from Getting Naked (audiobook courtesy of Macmillan Audio).

Has the Credit CARD Act protected Gen Y consumers?

Tamara Bell — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:33:37 +0000

It’s been two years since the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act went into effect. It was supposed to stop the predatory policies that banks were using to lure middle- and lower-income Americans, including college students, into deeper debt while lining their own pockets. But how successful has it been in helping Gen Y in changing attitudes about credit card usage and overcoming indebtedness?

Eboni S. Nelson, a University of South Carolina law professor, joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to break down the specifics of the CARD Act and how effective it has been in protecting the next generation’s financial futures. She also provides tips on how Gen Y can use credit cards wisely as well as how those in trouble can fix their credit problems now.

MORE ABOUT EBONI S. NELSON

Eboni S. Nelson, law professor, University of South Carolina

Eboni S. Nelson is a University of South Carolina law professor who teaches Contracts, Commercial Law, and Consumer Law. Her analysis of the Credit CARD Act of 2009 in protecting young consumers appeared in the April issue of the Banking & Financial Services Policy Report.

Prior to joining the faculty, she taught Commercial Law and Texas Consumer Law at Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston. Eboni’s interests include education law and policy, specifically the intersection of consumer law and education issues, and her scholarly articles have appeared in numerous legal journals such as the Utah Law Review, the Villanova Law Review, and the University of Miami Law Review.

Graduating summa cum laude from Wake Forest University, Eboni received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she served as a teaching assistant and tutor for law school classes. After graduating from Harvard, she practiced employee benefits in the Houston office of Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

Dissecting the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Julia Michaels — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:04:21 +0000

The Supreme Court is hearing challenges to the federal health care law, but few understand what’s really inside this controversial policy.

It has been two years since President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, initiating a wave of controversy that has so far failed to ebb. This week the U.S. Supreme Court will spend several days hearing arguments for and against the constitutionality of the law. Despite having strong feelings about the law, few Americans have actually read the 906-page bill in its entirety. Political pundits of every ideological variation have exploited our confusion by selectively highlighting or concealing certain provisions of the law. We may be very familiar with the talking points, but the facts are somewhat harder to find.

The most contentious provision in the Act is the requirement for individuals to maintain “minimum essential health care coverage,” which is frequently referred to as the “individual mandate.” This provision will be the first to be taken up by the Supreme Court, as many believe that requiring individuals to purchase a product is unconstitutional. It is certainly true that the law requires everyone (with a few exceptions) to purchase health insurance, although the options for coverage vary. A person can maintain coverage through Medicare or Medicaid, if eligible, an employer-sponsored health plan, an individual market plan, or any other health plan that covers at least 60 percent of costs. Still, if you are uninsured, the requirement isn’t due to take effect until January 2014.

What happens to individuals who don’t purchase a health plan? The act establishes a penalty, which must be reported on income tax returns, on individuals who can afford health insurance but fail to purchase it for themselves. There are a number of complex calculations for assessing this fee, but for most individuals it will be an amount equal to one-twelfth of 0.5 percent of an individual’s income, beginning in 2014 (the percentage is gradually raised in 2015 and again in 2016 where it rests at one-twelfth of 2 percent).

Other well-publicized features of the law include the requirement that each state establish their own Health Insurance Exchange Program. Each exchange will be a competitive marketplace administered by either a non-profit organization or a government agency that will allow consumers to compare and purchase health insurance plans. Consumers aren’t required to purchase a plan from the exchange, but each state must establish the exchange itself. If a state fails to do so by 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will step in and create one for the state.

At this point, you may be wondering: how does all of this affect me personally? Maybe you already have health insurance through your university, your employer, or your parents. Maybe you’re uninsured and apprehensive about what will happen to you. In either case, take note: the health care law contains a number of provisions that have consequences for those of us in Generation Y. First and foremost, the age at which you are no longer covered by your parents’ health insurance plan has been raised to 26, provided that you remain unmarried. Secondly, those of us just starting out in our careers that have incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty line can claim a discount of up to two-thirds of the cost of co-pays and deductibles. The act also prohibits insurers from refusing to cover individuals with preexisting medical conditions, and from basing eligibility for health insurance on a person’s medical history, genetic information, or claims history. In a similar vein, once you have coverage, your insurer cannot drop you from the plan for any reason unless there is evidence of fraud.

It’s important to note that there are certain things the health care law does not do. Among the most frequently discussed provisions is the exemption for undocumented immigrants and prisoners. Neither group is included in the definition of a “qualified individual” who is eligible to purchase a health plan through the exchange. Consequently, they will neither be included in the individual mandate nor be eligible to purchase a plan through the health insurance exchange. Certain other individuals are also exempt from the individual mandate. They include: people who have conflicts of religious conscience, members of health care sharing ministries, individuals for whom the cost of coverage would exceed 8 percent of their income, and people living below the federal poverty line. Individuals who have suffered a “hardship” may also be exempt from the penalty for failing to purchase insurance, depending on how that hardship is interpreted by the HHS Secretary.

In its final form, the law states that no health plan is required to cover abortion services, although a plan may choose to provide such coverage if desired. Each state is also authorized to enact laws prohibiting health insurance coverage of abortion.

If you’re concerned about what will happen to you if you ignore the penalty for failing to purchase insurance, don’t get too imaginative: taxpayers cannot be criminally prosecuted or have their property seized if they don’t pay the fine. Finally, the law states that no person will be required to end his or her coverage under any health insurance plan if the person was enrolled by the date the Act became law.

To learn more about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and provisions that may affect you, read the full summary at Project Vote Smart or call 1-888-VOTE-SMART.

Gen Y and eating disorders

Tamara Bell — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:11:00 +0000

It is estimated that 8 million Americans have an eating disorder, with 1 million of those being males. And although eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, only 1 in 10 people currently receive treatment.

Valerie Savage, founder of For Women’s Sake, an Austin, Texas-based counseling facility that focuses on women suffering from disordered eating, stress/anxiety, and depression, joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how Gen Y suffering from eating disorders can be taught healthy coping mechanisms for when they are overwhelmed with the pressures of college or first jobs. She also discusses the role of the media and Internet in distorting real body images and how family can reinforce positive self-identities.

MORE ABOUT VALERIE SAVAGE

Valerie Savage, founder, For Women's Sake

Valerie Savage is founder of For Women’s Sake, an Austin, Texas-based counseling facility that focuses on women suffering from disordered eating, stress/anxiety, depression, and marital conflict.

A graduate from St. Edwards’ University in Austin with a Master of Arts in Counseling, Valerie recently completed the requirements as a Licensed Professional Counselor. In addition to her private practice, Valerie is a member of the Austin Eating Disorder Specialists and is a program therapist leading groups at Cedar Springs Austin Eating Disorder Treatment Center.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

Gen Y taking meandering path to entrepreneurship

Tamara Bell — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:33:48 +0000

Josh Allan Dykstra, the March Y Gen Entrepreneur, is founder of Strengths Doctors, a Los Angeles-based consulting firm that helps leaders design energizing work environments.

Josh joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how Gen Y who want to become entrepreneurs should start by finding the place where their talents, passions, and life experiences intersect. He also discusses how taking a meandering path to your dream career may be the best course to follow.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JOSH ALLAN DYKSTRA

Josh Allan Dykstra, work revolutionary , author, speaker

A work revolutionary, author, and speaker, Josh Allan Dykstra is founder of Strengths Doctors, a Los Angeles-based consulting firm that helps leaders design energizing work environments.

He has an eclectic work background in a variety of industries, from Fortune 500 companies like Apple, Starbucks, and Viacom/CBS to startups, nonprofits, and government agencies.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with both a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Leadership and an MBA in Executive Leadership, Josh is author of a soon-to-be released book about the changing world of work and thriving in the emerging economy called Igniting the Invisible Tribe: Designing An Organization That Doesn’t Suck.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

The Y Gen Entrepreneurs series, which airs the second Wednesday of each month, is sponsored by Constant Contact, a leading provider of email marketing, event marketing, online surveys, and social media marketing to small businesses, associations and nonprofits. Click here for more information.

Gen Y finding their space in “app economy”

Tamara Bell — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:58:45 +0000

Facebook and mobile technology applications are incredibly popular, but did you know that, according to a University of Maryland study, last year they added more than 182,000 new jobs and contributed about $12.19 billion in wages and benefits to our economy?

To share with us more information about what’s been dubbed the “App Economy,” we have Scott Williamson, co-founder of Mondico, a Los Angeles-based publisher of online games and social applications. Scott joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to discuss how Gen Y can find their space in the growing app industry. He also talks about the future of apps as they become more integrated into new and interesting places beyond our mobile devices.

MORE ABOUT SCOTT WILLIAMSON

Scott Williamson, co-founder, Mondico

Scott Williamson is co-founder of Mondico, a Los Angeles-based publisher of online games and social applications. With over 15 years experience building and leading Internet companies, Scott develops the strategies and software architecture for Mondico’s sites.

Prior to Mondico, Scott was co-founder and Managing Director of Threshold Interactive, a leading digital agency in Los Angeles. At Threshold, Scott oversaw trend-setting online campaigns and digital initiatives for several leading companies and brands, including Nestlé Butterfinger and Waters, Honda, Sony, and Disney.

After graduating with an Engineering degree from Montreal’s McGill University, Scott went on to receive an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

Going for broke: could GOP convention elect nominee?

Julia Michaels — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:13:43 +0000

It’s the eve of Super Tuesday, the day on which the largest number of states holds their primary elections or caucuses. This year 10 states will have contests tomorrow, and given the high number of delegates at stake, the day could prove decisive for one lucky candidate. But what if it doesn’t? What if, come Wednesday morning, all four GOP candidates are still in the game and no clear frontrunner has emerged?

There is a possibility that the final four Republican presidential candidates will face a long, hard slog to the convention, if they choose to run that gauntlet together. Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul have shown no indication that they will drop out, and Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are trapped in a dead heat, battling tooth and nail for every last delegate. At this time, it’s unclear whether or not one candidate will be able to pick up enough delegates to win. This uncertainty has sparked speculation of a brokered convention among political journalists and pundits. But just what is a “brokered convention,” exactly?

A brokered convention is a last-ditch effort for a party to select its presidential nominee if none of the candidates have been able to garner enough delegates to secure the nomination. Put simply, it’s a free-for-all: delegates that have been pledged to a specific candidate are released from their commitments and are free to support whichever candidate they choose. Delegates form coalitions among themselves and lobby others to join their camp in support of a specific candidate.

In order for a convention to become brokered, all attending delegates must first cast an initial vote to determine if one candidate will receive the majority of votes. If no candidate has a majority, the brokering begins. The vote may be repeated any number of times until one individual secures enough support. For the Republican contest this year, a total of 1,144 delegates are needed to win.

In addition, at a brokered convention the race is opened to other candidates, allowing any individual who would like to run for president to throw his (or her) hat into the ring. Some commentators have speculated that a prominent Republican politician, such as Jeb Bush or Sarah Palin, may try to join the race. But a surprise nominee would face an extraordinary challenge: after the initial excitement associated with upsetting the political apple cart has worn off, the newly-minted presidential nominee must raise money, hire campaign staff, and woo voters in only a few short months before the November general election — a tall order for even the most well-connected politician!

Believe it or not, the phenomenon of a previously-unknown candidate winning the party’s nomination has happened before. One oft-cited example from history is the 1924 Democratic National Convention, during which controversy over whether or not alcohol should remain prohibited led to a political boxing match. This fight so exhausted the official candidates that a political nobody, John W. Davis, was able to nab the nomination. Unfortunately for Davis, he didn’t have enough time to campaign and lost to Calvin Coolidge. A similar situation occurred at the Republican National Convention in 1948, when New York Gov. John Dewey was selected in a brokered convention to run against Harry Truman — and lost.

It seems as though it would be unlikely for any nominee who emerges from such a process to actually win the presidency, but in fact this scenario has occurred too. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the man who led the nation during the Great Depression and World War II, survived the brokering ordeal at the 1932 Democratic National Convention and went on to win the presidency not only that year, but again in 1936, 1940, and 1944 as well (President Roosevelt has been the only president to be elected to four terms and is likely to be the last, as Congress amended the Constitution in 1951 to establish the now-familiar two-term limit for U.S. presidents).

Although brokered conventions were once commonplace, they have become rare (the last one was in 1952). Why? One reason is that over the past half-century, most primary elections have been so decisive that the convention itself is really just a formality. Running for president costs so much money that many candidates give up if they don’t think that they will gain enough delegates to win. The resulting “bandwagon” effect, when supporters of the candidates who dropped out throw their money and energy behind the declared front-runner, is usually sufficient to ensure victory. Even in cases where the nomination was in doubt (such as the 2008 Democratic primary between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama), the existence of “superdelegates” has helped parties avoid the brokering process. The Democratic Party was the first party to set aside such delegates back in 1984. The preferences of superdelegates are unknown, so when their votes are added into the equation they usually push one candidate to the front of the pack.

If you live in a state with a primary election on Tuesday, or if your state still has not held a primary or caucus, take some time to learn more about the candidates. A complete list of 2012 presidential candidates can be found at Project Vote Smart, as well as voter registration information for each state.

SXSW accelerates Gen Y’s learning curve

Tamara Bell — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:25:43 +0000

Twenty-five years ago, Austin hosted the first SXSW Music Conference and Festival as a way to reach out to the music industry across the world and show them what the Central Texas town had to offer. Today, with the addition of film and interactive conferences, it has become the place to be for thousands of people who want to meet and share ideas that change the world.

To provide insight into one of the premier events of the Interactive Conference, we have Chris Valentine, producer of SXSW Accelerator, which showcases the Internet’s newest startups and innovations from around the globe. Chris joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how Gen Y entrepreneurs attending the conference will benefit from conversations with the best and brightest business people from all generations. He also explains the importance of perfecting your elevator pitch at both your start up phase and as your company grows.

MORE ABOUT CHRIS VALENTINE

Chris Valentine, producer, SXSW Accelerator

Chris Valentine is the producer of SXSW Accelerator, a marquee event of the Interactive Conference, which showcases the Internet’s newest startups and innovations from around the globe. He’s also overseeing the newly-created Startup Village, a program that brings together and highlights the startup programming for the SXSW Interactive Conference.

In his spare time, Chris is CEO and founder of Adeo Interactive, a full service digital marketing/event planning firm. Using his experience in event production and marketing, Chris also promotes events for tech/non-profit clients that include Turner Entertainment, Busby Foundation, Big Austin, and Engage Digital Media.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

The payroll tax cut extension and you

Chris Copsey — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Rewind your memory back a few months to last fall when a battle was brewing between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. The issue was over extending the payroll tax cut that had been in place and was set to expire. After much haranguing from both sides, an agreement was made to extend the provision for another few months, essentially kicking the can down the road.

Well, recently we’ve found ourselves where that can landed, and to many onlookers’ surprise, there wasn’t much of a dust-up. The payroll tax cut was extended through the end of 2012, thereby saving some money in everybody’s paychecks. But what was all the fuss about in the first place? And why was there such controversy over a plan that extended the payroll tax cut for 3 months but an extension for almost an entire year gets wide bipartisan support?

Before we answer these questions, it’s important to know what the payroll tax cut is and why it was controversial: in every paycheck that you receive the Feds take money out to pay for Social Security and a few other programs. The payroll tax cut dropped the amount taken out by 2 percent, thereby giving you a little bit of a boost in your paycheck. Had the cut not been extended, that 2 percent cut would have been re-applied and that boost in your paycheck would be gone.

In December, Democrats seized the opportunity to steal lines from the traditionally Republican issue position of not raising taxes on Americans during a recession. Republicans, a little perplexed at having to rationalize being against a tax cut that the Democrats were for, pointed to the fact that if the payroll tax cut, which wasn’t paid for or offset, was extended then more debt would be added to our country’s already struggling economy.

After an intense and very public debate, Republicans blinked first, and a deal was hatched in the Senate to temporarily extend the tax cut until February. Everyone then high-tailed it out of Washington for winter break.

Low and behold, February came, and many were expecting more of the same rhetoric from the fall. However, in a move that would surprise even the most cynical of observers, a deal was made to extend the provision throughout the end of the year. The bill then passed both the House and the Senate by a relatively overwhelming majority.

Still, there was much opposition to this extension. Many Republicans and Democrats, in mirroring the bipartisan support of the bill, disagreed with the plan, which included other provisions like lowering the retirement benefits of newly hired federal workers. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) went so far as to say that the current Congress “is on the path to being the most anti-Federal worker Congress that I’ve served in.”

Other bill opponents argued that the tax cut wasn’t paid for, and would drive the nation even farther into debt. Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) stated that the cut “is unfunded and adds upwards of $89 billion to the deficit. Our debt has reached crisis level, and we can’t continue to spend money we don’t have and borrow from foreign creditors.”

In the end, neither of these arguments were enough to stifle the passage of the bill.

So why the turnaround among Republicans this time round? There are a few things to look at. The first is that Congress is not held in the highest regard among voters, and in the battle last winter over the payroll tax cut, Republicans were viewed both by political pundits and the public to have been on the losing side of the fight. They didn’t want to go through that again, so they took this one on the chin while vowing to fight another day.

The second is something that is on the minds of every politician in Washington — it’s an election year. Nine months from now the folks on Capitol Hill will have to stand before the voters and plead for re-election. By passing the bill without as much furor this time, Republicans have been able to cut their losses sooner, and not have the battle play in the midst of a Presidential Primary. They also get the advantage of saying that they were against raising taxes on Americans during a recession.

However, even those Republicans who voted for the extension were quick to note that while they voted for the bill, the overall impact of President Obama and Congressional Democrats’ policies were the reasons why people need tax relief in the first place. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) conceded that while he voted for the bill, “this is an economic relief bill — not a growth bill. The only reason the provisions at the core of this measure are even necessary is because the president’s economic policies have failed.”

So while many people can enjoy the extra dough in their paychecks, leaders in Washington are probably breathing a sigh of relief that the bill passed and the firestorm of last winter did not happen again. At least, until next year, when the bill is set to expire…

Gen Y giving gifts of memories

Tamara Bell — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:18:58 +0000

In a world where “I want it, I buy it” seems to be the mantra of more than just the rich, buying the ideal gift for any occasion can bring unwanted stress to the generations.

But how can you alleviate that stress while giving your family and friends presents they will treasure, all within your budget?

Sheri Bridges, Associate Professor of Marketing at Wake Forest University, joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to discuss how Gen Y can make memory-based gifts through shared activities and experiences that show family and friends how important they are to them. She also provides tips for older generations on gift ideas that Gen Y will appreciate and value for years to come.

MORE ABOUT SHERI BRIDGES, PH.D.

Dr. Sheri Bridges, Associate Professor of Marketing, Wake Forest University

Sheri Bridges is Associate Professor of Marketing at Wake Forest University. Faculty director of the university’s retail marketing center, her expertise includes branding and consumer behavior. Dr. Bridges received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications and her Master’s degree in International Management Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas. She has a Ph.D. in Marketing from Stanford University.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

Des Moines to D.C.: the long road to the White House

Jake Michaels — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:12:34 +0000

The presidential primary season, during which potential candidates vie for their party’s nomination to be the next leader of the free world, is upon us once again. Candidates are bickering, politicking and mudslinging their way from state to state. The full spectacle is published, televised and tweeted into American homes, and those living in battleground states suddenly find themselves courted by a collection of presidential hopefuls vying for their support. Many are asking themselves, “How many times are we supposed to vote for the president, anyway?”

The purpose of primary elections is for citizens in each state to choose delegates for each political party’s national convention, during which the presidential nominee will be formally selected. Perhaps the most surprising fact about primary elections is that the process is not described in the U.S. Constitution or U.S. Code, but has developed solely to meet the needs of political parties. The assignment of delegates differs by state in accordance with each party’s bylaws, but the two most commonly used methods are the caucus and the primary election. Although the ultimate goal of both methods is the same in most cases, there are some significant differences between the two.

A caucus is simply a meeting of members or supporters of a political party. Caucuses are run by the political parties themselves and are restricted to supporters of each party. During these events, attendees cast unofficial “straw” ballots for their preferred presidential candidate. These ballots, which may simply be handwritten scraps of paper, are tallied at the end of the event. In addition, delegates are chosen to represent the state’s interests at the national party convention. Prospective delegates are identified as favorable to a specific candidate or uncommitted. After discussion and debate an informal vote is taken to determine which delegates should be chosen. States that generally hold caucuses include Iowa, Nevada, and Minnesota, among others.

Unlike a caucus, a primary election is carried out by state and local governments. Voters select their preferred candidate from an official, secret ballot that contains a list of all eligible candidates, and these ballots are collected and counted by state-supervised election officials. However, some states require voters to select the names of potential delegates to the national convention. As with the general election, voters must be registered in order to vote in the primary. States that hold primary elections include New Hampshire, New York, Montana, and the majority of other states.

During the primary process, voters select delegates who will be the ones actually responsible for choosing their party’s candidate for president. Through the series of caucuses and primaries that are held by states from January to June in an election year, delegates for the parties’ national conventions are selected. When these delegates meet at their respective party’s national convention to officially choose the presidential nominee, a simple majority of delegate support for a candidate is needed in order for that candidate to win the party’s nomination.

There are two types of delegates: pledged and unpledged. The difference between the two is simple. Pledged delegates openly indicate to voters which candidate they support, while unpledged delegates are not required to disclose their preferences. Unpledged delegates are often referred to as “super delegates” for their unusual power to swing the vote in one direction or another.

Both the Democratic and the Republican caucuses and primaries allocate delegates in one of the following ways: winner-take-all, proportional allocation, or via a convention. In a winner-take-all system, the candidate who receives the most votes is awarded all of that state’s delegates. In a proportional system, delegates are awarded to several candidates in proportion to the number of votes each candidate received. For example, imagine a state with 10 delegates and 3 candidates. If 60% of voters supported candidate X, 20% supported candidate Y, and 20% supported candidate Z, candidate X would receive 6 delegates and candidates Y and Z would each receive 2 delegates. The Republican Party gives states the choice of using either the winner-take-all or the proportional method. The Democratic Party, on the other hand, always uses the proportional method to assign delegates.

Conventions are larger meetings held after the statewide caucuses have been completed, during which the appointed delegates officially choose their party’s candidate. Delegates to the state convention are chosen at each local caucus meeting, and often must travel to the state convention site in order to represent their communities.

Although the objective of the primary election process is to give voters some input into the process of selecting a presidential nominee, there are certain restrictions on who can participate in caucuses or primaries. There are two types of primary elections: closed and open. In a closed primary election, only those voters who are officially registered with the party may vote in that party’s primary. Some states carry out open primary elections, in which voters are allowed to participate in either the Democratic or the Republican primary (but not both!) regardless of their party affiliation. Very rarely are voters allowed to vote in both the Republican and Democratic primaries; this is called a blanket primary.

The primary election process is complex and may vary from state to state, and from party to party. For more detailed information, contact your state’s board of elections. For specific questions regarding all 2012 presidential candidates, check out Project Vote Smart’s website.

Gen Y entrepreneurs trusting their vibe

Tamara Bell — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:21:33 +0000

Paige Burton, the February Y Gen Entrepreneur, is founder of a coaching and consulting business called Vibes Matter, which specializes in providing positive vibes, professional support, and guidance to DIY creators, self-care junkies, and free spirits.

Paige joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how young entrepreneurs should trust their authentic vibe when creating and growing their ventures. She also discusses the importance of self-discovery when branding your own business.

MORE ABOUT PAIGE BURTON

Paige Burton, founder, Vibes Matter

Out of a mission to place passion in action, Paige Burton started a coaching and consulting business called Vibes Matter. She specializes in providing positive vibes, professional support, and guidance to DIY creators, self-care junkies, and free spirits.

A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Journalism and Economics Management, Paige received her Masters of Film and Television Production from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Today, the trained journalist, filmmaker, and personal development coach is “Keeping it Weird” in Austin, Texas.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

Gen Y leading the readers revolution

Tamara Bell — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:24:05 +0000

According to a recent Pew Research survey, the number of Americans who have a tablet or e-reader jumped from 18% in December to 29% in January. But what does that mean for the future of the publishing industry and books in general?

To explain how technology is helping to create avid readers among the next generation, we have as our guest Laurie McLean, a literary agent with Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents. Laurie joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how Gen Y readers, through new platforms from companies like Apple and Amazon, are leading the discovery of new writers, while young authors are pushing past traditional publishers to have their voices heard. She also shares her predictions for changes to the publishing industry in 2012.

MORE ABOUT LAURIE MCLEAN

Laurie McLean, literary agent, Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents

Laurie McLean is an agent at Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco. She represents adult genre fiction (romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, westerns, mystery, suspense, thrillers, etc.) as well as children’s middle grade and young adult books.

For more than 20 years Laurie ran an eponymous public relations agency in California’s Silicon Valley. She is wise in the ways of marketing and publicity, negotiation, editing and a host of other business-critical areas. She is also a novelist herself, so she can empathize with the author’s journey to and through publication.

She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the State University of New York and a Master’s Degree at Syracuse University’s prestigious Newhouse School of Journalism. Laurie also is Dean of the San Francisco Writers University.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

Gen Y helping others help themselves

Tamara Bell — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:27:30 +0000

Vanessa Carter is the Director of Campus Microfinance Alliance, a coalition of nearly a dozen student-run microfinance groups that have already lent more than $350,000 to disadvantaged entrepreneurs who need it most.

Now, they are expanding the program even further. The Alliance has launched a new campaign, “Lend for America,” a summer internship that provides hands-on lessons for college students to learn how to start microfinance organizations in their campus communities.

Vanessa joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how Gen Y’s confidence and open-mindedness in solving problems can positively impact job creation in their communities. She also explains the potential of microfinance loans to build those strong businesses needed to revitalize the economy.

MORE ABOUT VANESSA CARTER

Vanessa Carter, Director, Campus Microfinance Alliance

Prior to joining Campus Microfinance Alliance, Vanessa worked with Credit Builders Alliance, where she managed services to help nonprofit loan funds offer credit reporting as a tool to build credit for consumers, as well as helped to build ThinkImpact, a social enterprise that connects students with rural villages in Kenya and South Africa to build social businesses.

Vanessa is a recipient of the Projects for Peace fellowship and spent the summer of 2008 establishing a community center in South Africa to improve access to entrepreneurial opportunities for women.

Vanessa graduated with a B.A. in International Relations and Government from Claremont McKenna College.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

Optimism a key to successful Gen Y entrepreneurs

Tamara Bell — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:41:05 +0000

Sammy Shreibati, the January Y Gen Entrepreneur, is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of SaveUp, a free rewards program to help people save money and get out of debt.

Sammy joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how working first at a small business can be a good learning experience for Gen Y wanting to start their own companies. He also discusses how optimism and belief in yourself are keys to long-term success.

MORE ABOUT SAMMY SHREIBATI

Sammy Shreibati, co-founder, SaveUp

Sammy Shreibati is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of SaveUp, a free rewards program to help people save money and get out of debt. Previously, Sammy was the Director of Engineering at PrepMe, an education company dedicated to bringing high quality, customized learning to students across the world. He helped PrepMe grow from a bootstrapped startup in his garage to a venture-backed online education company.

While at Stanford University, the San Francisco resident studied Electrical Engineering with an emphasis on computer design.

You can listen to the show below or you can download it as a podcast from our iTunes page. And you can find us on WomensRadio.

The Y Gen Entrepreneurs series, which airs the second Wednesday of each month, is sponsored by Constant Contact, a leading provider of email marketing, event marketing, and online surveys to small businesses, associations and nonprofits. Click here for more information.