Computer Programming And Software Engineering Programs
By Christine Thomas
Computer software engineering has become a career of choice for many people considering its dynamic nature and exciting well-paying career opportunities.  It is a branch

House Democrats ban earmarks for private contractors
House Democratic leaders banned Wednesday the practice of doling out multimillion-dollar, no-bid contracts to private contractors, a move that will shake up the lobbying industry that has come to rely on securing these so-called earmarks for their corporate clients.


Ahead of industry blitz, Obama takes message to St. Louis
President Obama heads to St. Louis on Wednesday afternoon for another sleeves-rolled-up speech on the need for health-care reform as industry groups prepare a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign against his signature initiative.


House Ways and Means Chairman Levin says job creation will be top priority
As he takes the reins of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Sander M. Levin is vowing to raise the profile of a once-powerful panel that, in recent years, has been overshadowed by the ethics troubles of its previous chairman, Rep. Charles B. Rangel.


Bank of America changes overdraft policy; SEC takes on market rumors




Wall Street's role in Greek crisis should be no surprise
As I look at the uproar over Wall Street's role in the Greek crisis, one of the things I find most surprising is that anyone is surprised about Wall Street's conduct. You're upset that the Street helped Greece hide some of its debt and then began making bets that the debt wouldn't be paid? Welcome...


Are unemployment benefits no longer temporary?
Millions of Americans have been forced to rely on unemployment payments for extended periods as the nation struggles through its longest period of high joblessness in a generation, and critics are taking aim, saying that the Depression-era program created as a temporary bridge for laid-off worker...


Greece seeks U.S. help regulating speculators
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will seek President Obama's support at the White House on Tuesday for a European campaign to crack down on global financial speculation that critics say has exacerbated Europe's worst debt crisis in decades.


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Northrop halts pursuit of tanker contract
Defense giant Northrop Grumman said Monday that it is pulling out of the $40 billion competition to build aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force, a move that defense analysts and procurement specialists say leaves its rival Boeing as the likely winner.



AIG sells Alico unit to MetLife for $15.5 billion
American International Group announced Monday the sale of one of its major global insurance units to MetLife for $15.5 billion, the latest step in the insurance giant's quest to pay down its massive debt to U.S. taxpayers.


Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington
Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform.


Senate jobs bill moves toward final vote
The Senate's latest jobs bill cleared a key procedural hurdle Tuesday, with the chamber voting to limit debate on a $150 billion package of tax-break extensions and aid for the unemployed.


House Democrats seek to limit earmarks to show commitment to ethics
Seeking to reclaim the reform mantle amid a series of scandals, House Democratic leaders are advocating a move that would shake up the multibillion-dollar practice of awarding no-bid contracts known as congressional earmarks.



FDA says Basic Food Flavors knew plant was contaminated with salmonella
The company at the heart of a growing recall of processed foods knew that its plant was contaminated with salmonella but continued to make a flavoring and sell it to foodmakers around the country, according to inspectors at the Food and Drug Administration.


Federal regulators debunk rumors of short-selling ban
Federal regulators shot down rumors in the financial markets Tuesday afternoon that they were planning to ban short-selling of stocks in which the government has a stake.


D.C. law firm Arent Fox names Mark M. Katz new chairman
The Washington law firm Arent Fox said Monday that it has named longtime partner Mark M. Katz as its new chairman, a leadership change that comes as the legal sector copes with an economic downturn that has curtailed business and prompted layoffs.


Obama launches attack on health insurance companies
The White House is mounting a stinging, sustained broadside against health insurance rate increases as President Obama and his aides enter what they hope will be the final stretch of a year-long political war over health-care reform.



U.S. cotton subsidies spur trade sanctions in Brazil
BRAZIL


Video Vault, cult movie rental favorite, to close in April
Another video rental store might have been content to boast a "Horror" section, but Alexandria's Video Vault always catered to far more specialized tastes.


What is a credit default swap?
That's part of what Greece's prime minister, George Papandreou, blames for his country's financial crisis. A credit default swap is a form of insurance on bonds that investors buy and sell. When it looks like a bond issuer might have trouble paying, its CDS prices soar because the bonds are more...


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Toyota demo counters claim of electronic acceleration glitch
Embattled Japanese auto giant Toyota launched a broad counter-attack on Monday aimed at refuting research that suggests electronics may be at the heart of runaway acceleration problems that have led the automaker to recall more than 6 million vehicles.



Analysis finds uneasy mix in auto industry and regulation
Dozens of former federal officials are playing leading roles in helping carmakers handle federal investigations of auto defects, including those for Toyota's runaway-acceleration problems.


A ski bum turns his love of the slopes into a living
Chris Chapman owns an Anne Arundel County business that sounds deceptively simple. It brings him a comfortable six-figure income on more than $1 million in revenue, allows him to employ a handful of relatives and is built around a sport he loves.


Foreign Digest: Pakistan, Iran, China, Guantanamo, Dubai, Haiti
Pakistan The Pakistani Taliban, an umbrella militant group that had been weakened in recent months, staged a forceful resurgence Monday with an attack that killed at least 12 in the heartland city of Lahore. As the workday began, a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-packed truck into an unmarked...


Disney allows Cablevision to resume showing WABC-7 as revenue negotiations continue
ABC returned to the televisions of Cablevision's 3 million New York area subscribers late Sunday, allowing viewers to catch most of the Academy Awards. But the companies didn't say whether they had ended their tense and bitter impasse over how much the cable operator should pay Walt Disney Co., t...



With bank credit frozen, small U.S. businesses starting to turn to microlenders
Ryan Fochler's life changed six years ago when he left his job in the computer industry to buy an Arlington County-based dog-walking business with $50,000 in personal savings and a home-equity line of credit. The firm grew quickly, with revenue more than doubling each year. By 2008, Fochler was r...


Icelanders reject full repayment to British, Dutch caught in bank collapse
LONDON -- Icelanders this weekend resoundingly rejected a plan to reimburse overseas depositors after the failure of an online Icelandic bank, a rare public referendum on the repayment of a foreign liability that could fuel further concerns over debt problems in Europe.


Bankruptcy law doesn't restrict free speech, Supreme Court says
A federal law that bars attorneys from telling clients who are contemplating bankruptcy to take on more debt is not an unconstitutional restriction on the free-speech rights of lawyers, the Supreme Court decided Monday.


Obama nominates Robert A. Harding to lead TSA
President Obama nominated retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert A. Harding on Monday to lead the Transportation Security Administration, selecting someone unknown to the aviation industry and federal unions to lead one of the government's most visible agencies.



Second Life's virtual money can become real-life cash
Dana Moore sells rain. He sells a lot of it, for about a buck per reusable storm.


INSIDER TRANSACTIONS



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U.S. reportedly gives billions to firms doing business with Iran
The U.S. government, while pushing for tougher sanctions against Tehran, has given $107 billion in the past 10 years to U.S. and foreign companies doing business in Iran, much of it in the energy sector, the New York Times reported in its Sunday editions.


Key vacancies give Obama a chance to steer financial reform
President Obama has the chance during his first term to appoint leaders for each of the federal agencies that oversee banks, an important opportunity to reshape the government's approach to regulation even as the White House struggles to push structural reforms through the Senate.



APPOINTMENTS
A-T Solutions of Vienna named Paul McQuillan , former president of Leonie Industries, executive vice president of business development.


Is the job market actually improving? JOLTS data may tell.
After a spurt of major economic data last week, most of it moderate to positive, this week will offer something of a breather.


Face Time: Local tech events
MONDAY Job Search Support Group. A four-week workshop on practical job-search techniques also offers support and inspiration from others to help face the challenges of finding a job in the current economy. 10:30 to noon, 401 N. Washington St., Suite 100, Rockville. Sponsor: Montgomery County...


Bankruptcy filings in Virginia, Maryland and the District
These companies recently filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court's local clerk of court offices.



Neil's Must Reads
Elected officials like to look toward sexy new industries such as clean energy technology as answers for job creation. But a McKinsey Global Institute study argues that the actual number of jobs created by such industries is small, and leaders may be better off looking to more conventional service...


New at the Top: Chris Pettingill, RHI Executive Search
The first job I landed after finishing school was at a community college, where I helped students find jobs. The community in which I worked had been experiencing high unemployment. But I was determined.



Position : Group managing director at RHI Executive Search, a D.C.-based company.


Big brands can be inept at defusing blog storms over recalls
In the past few days, we've seen product recalls for more than 1.5 million General Motors and Nissan automobiles for, respectively, faulty power steering and defective brakes. Closer to home, 1,000 "climate control" footrests, made by company based in Itasca, Ill., called Fellowes, were taken out...



Color of Money Challenge: Soon-to-be-former inmates ready to rebuild their lives
Stephanie Harris's management and sales skills helped her earn $3,000 for just six or seven hours of work on a "good" day.


Washington lawyer Bob Barnett is the force behind many political book deals
In "I, Alex Cross," the new bestseller set in Washington by James Patterson, fictional detective Alex Cross scans the ego wall in the office of a senator he's investigating:


Financial reform bill likely to lose measure to protect Main Street investors
When financial reform legislation finally lands on the Senate floor, a provision that advocates call the single most important item for Main Street investors will probably have been banished from the ponderous bill.


Iowa governor faces tough reelection as another state sours on incumbents
MASON CITY, IOWA -- Republican Terry Branstad's lines have a familiar ring as he campaigns to return to the governor's office after 11 years away. He blasts the incumbent Democrat for "mismanagement," promising an "economic comeback" and the end of "more government than we can afford."



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Post Tech: ABC goes dark for New York Cablevision subscribers
Just after the stroke of midnight, 3 million Cablevision viewers in the New York area lost their ABC channels because of an impasse by the cable operator and broadcaster to resolve their feud over transmission fees.


Frank Ahrens: Why it's so hard for Toyota to find out what's wrong
I won't lie to you: I was not a good engineering student. That's one of the reasons I went into journalism. But I managed to acquire a bachelor of sciences in mechanical engineering, and the recent Toyota hearings on Capitol Hill brought back a lot of memories. Specifically, memories about how...


Billionaire Bubble: Ten players in the local tech scene look back, a decade later, at the frenzied days of the Internet boom and its fateful bust
Ten players from the local technology scene look back at the Internet boom and bust.


GM to reinstate 600 dealerships slated to close
General Motors said Friday that it will reinstate more than half the 1,100 dealerships it had planned to close, after a vigorous campaign waged by dealers against the closings.



House committees seek more answers from Toyota
Separate House committees are demanding more information from Toyota and government regulators after executives from the embattled Japanese automaker appear to have given conflicting answers about the causes of runaway vehicle acceleration plaguing the company.


Rep. Barney Frank warns of Fannie, Freddie risks
An influential voice on Capitol Hill has unexpectedly called into question the safety of investing in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, raising the specter that investors who have lent money to the two firms or bought their mortgage-backed securities could one day suffer losses.


Despite winter storms, February job figures better than expected
A few feet of snow in February was not enough to impede the steady healing of the job market, according to data released Friday that showed the U.S. economy's tepid recovery remained on track.


Haiti faces colossal and costly cleanup before it can rebuild
Before Haiti and international donors can rebuild this devastated city, they must first destroy it.



Friends share in D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's good fortune
Before Adrian M. Fenty was elected D.C. mayor in 2006, Sinclair Skinner lived in a worn, two-story brick home on Georgia Avenue NW above his dry cleaning business, a venture that collapsed in financial ruin.


Financial pros offer strategies for financing a Roth conversion
Q: Should we borrow to pay the tax on a Roth IRA conversion?


Things to think about when considering a Roth conversion
Good news: You're eligible. Until now, only taxpayers with incomes of $100,000 or less were permitted to convert a traditional retirement account to a Roth IRA. But the income-eligibility limit on Roth conversions disappeared Jan. 1 (income-eligibility limits on contributions remain in effect). So...


Converting IRA to a Roth could affect college financial aid
Q: I'd like to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth, but my son will be going to college soon. Will converting the IRA affect our chances of getting financial aid?



2010 Color of Money Challenge: Stephanie Harris
Stephanie Harris Age: 27 Background: Harris was raised in a middle-income home with parents who expected her to do well. "I had a great childhood with family values," she said. "When the street lights came on, we couldn't leave the alley behind our house." Harris, who said she was an honors stud...


D.C. to be first U.S. city to give away free female condoms to fight HIV/AIDS
The District will become the first city in the United States to distribute female condoms free, part of a project that will make 500,000 of them available in beauty salons, convenience stores and high schools in parts of the city with high HIV rates.


Merkel offers no aid to Greece; Frank wants banks to drop 'piggyback' mortgages
German Chancellor Angela Merkel avoided giving debt-plagued Greece a commitment of financial assistance Friday, as Athens was rattled by more strikes and violent protests by unions outraged by harsh economic austerity measures.


In e-mails, lobbyists perceive ties between campaign cash, earmarks
Lobbyists and corporate officials talked bluntly in e-mail exchanges about connections between making generous campaign donations and securing federal funds through members of an important House Appropriations subcommittee, according to not-yet-public documents reviewed by ethics investigators.



National debt to be higher than White House forecast, CBO says
President Obama's proposed budget would add more than $9.7 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, congressional budget analysts said Friday. Proposed tax cuts for the middle class account for nearly a third of that shortfall.


Federal regulators seize Waterfield Bank in Germantown
Federal regulators seized Waterfield Bank in Germantown on Friday night and announced that the institution would be closed after a one-month period to allow customers to remove their deposits.


Va. broadband provider RCN accepts Boston equity firm's acquisition offer
Herndon-based RCN announced Friday that it has agreed to be acquired by a private-equity investment firm in a transaction valued at $1.2 billion.


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House passes $15 billion jobs bill
After stalling briefly, the Democrats' jobs agenda regained momentum on Thursday as the House passed one measure designed to boost employment and the Senate pressed forward on a more ambitious bill that is expected to come to a vote next week.



Treasury's bailout overseer shifts course from 'too big to fail'
A senior Treasury Department official overseeing the financial bailout told a congressional panel Thursday that the government is not providing a blanket guarantee that it will save institutions deemed too big to fail.


AIG units settle lending discrimination allegations
AIG Federal Savings Bank and Wilmington Finance settled Justice Department claims that they broke the law by allowing wholesale mortgage brokers to charge higher direct broker fees to black borrowers.


2010 Color of Money Challenge: Christine Foote
Christine Foote Age: 33 Background: Foote grew up in a middle-income family in Wicomico County, Md. She has a 14-year-old daughter, Samantha.


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Greek debt crisis could raise problems for U.S. and other countries
Greece's economy is about the same size as that of Massachusetts. The Mediterranean nation ranks 63rd among buyers of U.S. exports. Athens is 5,139 miles from Washington.



Starting over
A look at the two Maryland women who have agreed to let columnist Michelle Singletary advise them as they leave prison and start new lives.


A new real estate cost to watch for: Developer's private transfer fee
How about this for a new and ingenious real estate money machine? Every time a house sells during the next 99 years, 1 percent of the price goes back to the original developer or is shared among investor partners. Ka-ching!


More U.S. drivers complain after Toyota makes fixes; Boeing bids on tanker
More Toyota drivers in the United States say their cars have sped up by themselves even after being fixed to correct the problem.


Ciena's loss grows on acquisition costs
Telecommunications equipment maker Ciena of Linthicum, Md., said it lost $53.3 million in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $24.8 million in the comparable period a year earlier, as it recorded costs from its pending acquisition of part of Nortel Networks.



The recession has hurt many people's credit scores. How to fix it?
The recession may have done a number on your credit score, even if it spurred you to reform spendthrift ways and cut up your credit cards. For many, the drops have come at the same time that lenders have tightened their standards and demanded higher scores to get the best interest rates.


Pricey real estate deals in Dubai raise questions about Azerbaijan's president
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Even by the standards of a city that celebrates extravagance, it was a spectacular shopping spree: In just two weeks early last year, an 11-year-old boy from Azerbaijan became the owner of nine waterfront mansions.


Economic recovery seen in retail sales, manufacturing
The U.S. economy showed continued signs of recovery early this year, according to data released Thursday, with retail sales rising sharply and manufacturing posting its fifth straight monthly gain.


Levin urges Pentagon to rethink plans for $1 billion in new Blackwater contracts
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee has issued a strong warning to the Defense Department over plans to award $1 billion in new contracts to the firm formerly known as Blackwater, accusing managers of the private security company of lying to win lucrative jobs in Afghanistan.



Treasury sells Bank of America warrants for $1.54 billion
The Treasury Department said Thursday that it sold its warrants to buy Bank of America stock for $1.54 billion, fetching a much higher price than what market analysts and federal officials expected.


Lawmakers move to restrain EPA on climate change
As climate change legislation stalled in the Senate, the Obama administration noted that it had a workable -- although admittedly unwieldy -- Plan B. If Congress wouldn't cap U.S. emissions, officials said, the Environmental Protection Agency would do it instead.


Orbital Sciences to buy General Dynamics' satellite unit
Dulles-based Orbital Sciences said Thursday that it will pay $55 million in cash to buy a satellite subsidiary of Falls Church-based General Dynamics.


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HBO plans TV movie on 2008 financial meltdown
HBO plans to make a television movie about the 2008 financial meltdown, based on the book "Too Big to Fail" by a New York Times journalist, the cable network said on Thursday.



FDA warns of salmonella risk from common flavor enhancer
Thousands of types of processed foods -- including many varieties of soups, chips, hot dogs and salad dressings -- may pose a health threat because they contain a flavor enhancer that could be contaminated with salmonella, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.


Post-quake looting challenges Chile's perceptions of social progress
CONCEPCION, CHILE -- In a country considered safe, democratic and increasingly egalitarian, the stores were sacked.


U.S. criticized on Iran sanctions
The Obama administration is pushing to carve out an exemption for China and other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council from legislation pending in the Senate and the House that would tighten sanctions on companies doing business in Iran, administration and congressional sources said.


European Union reacts favorably to $6.5 billion austerity plan from Greece
ATHENS -- With creditors demanding solutions to the Greek debt crisis and the financial world increasingly on edge, Athens on Wednesday moved to freeze pensions, cut civil service salaries and slap new taxes on everything from cigarettes and alcohol to fuel and precious gems.



Transcript reveals anger of AIG employees toward politicians, public
During the national furor that erupted last year after American International Group paid more than $165 million in bonuses, the voices of those vilified for receiving the payments remained silent, at least in public.


Trial of American puts spotlight on the business of 'state secrets' in China
BEIJING -- Officially, the trial of American geologist Xue Feng is about state secrets. He's accused of exporting sensitive information abroad for helping his Colorado-based employer buy a database about China's oil industry.


Economic indicators are mixed after heavy snow season
Just when you thought the mess from the February snowstorms was over, it has started to obscure a clear understanding of how the economy is doing.


Fed proposes limits on credit card penalty fees
The Federal Reserve proposed restrictions Wednesday on penalty fees that credit card issuers can charge consumers, including limiting the amount of late fees.



Health reform that won't break the bank
Obama's health reform won't break the bank.


Salmonella prompts processed-food recall
Thousands of types of processed foods -- including many varieties of soups, chips, frozen dinners, hot dogs and salad dressings -- may pose a health threat because they contain a flavor enhancer that could be contaminated with salmonella, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.


FreeCreditReport.com isn't free; you want AnnualCreditReport.com
Beginning April 1, when you go online to view your federally mandated free annual credit reports, you'll get exactly what you came for. Hopefully.


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FDA warns 17 food companies of misleading claims on labels
In an unusually broad crackdown, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notified 17 food companies, including major brands such as Gerber and Nestle, that they have violated federal laws by making false or misleading claims on their product packaging.



Four Democratic senators aim to halt stimulus wind project
A group of Democratic senators called Wednesday for the government to halt a federal stimulus program aimed at building wind farms and other clean-energy projects, arguing that too much of the money spent so far has gone to create jobs overseas.


Obama calls for reconciliation to prevent filibuster on health-care reform
President Obama's endorsement Wednesday of a risky legislative maneuver to complete health-care legislation sent Democratic leaders scrambling to settle policy disputes and assemble the votes necessary for passage in the coming weeks.


As Democrats seek to push through health bill, Obama reaches out to Republicans
As Democrats on Capitol Hill prepared a risky effort to muscle sweeping health-care legislation to final passage, President Obama on Tuesday made a last gambit to split Republicans on the issue, proposing to incorporate a handful of GOP ideas into his signature domestic initiative.


Obama administration plans to close International Labor Comparisons office
Like a scorekeeper for the world, a tiny unit within the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks globalization's winners and losers, and the results are not always pretty for the United States. Manufacturing jobs here, for example, have fallen faster since 1979 than in Canada, Germany or Japan....



Business digest: Apple sues HTC over iPhone patents
Apple, increasingly facing tougher competition in the market for smartphones, sued the Taiwanese phonemaker HTC, accusing it of violating patents related to the iPhone.


Md. seeks better coordination of 'middle-skill' jobs training
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley called Tuesday for more training efforts to prepare the workforce to meet an expected surge in jobs requiring certification beyond a high school diploma but less than a bachelor's degree.


Government may mandate 'brake-override' systems; Toyota announces sales drop
The federal government may recommend that automakers include "brake-override" systems in all new vehicles to avert the sort of runaway acceleration that has been reported in several popular Toyota models and linked to a growing number of fatal accidents.

of computer science that deals with design, documentation, development and management of software.  Some of the subjects that will be offered by a programming school will include internet programming, application development, database development, custom business applications and web development.
I am but a person with an intense desire for self-expression that is a true devotee of pure intellect; the dream should at least ensure that place in the intellectual community in which my voice is an influential individual. The passion for the expression of thoughts and thirst for knowledge are the driving forces behind my motivation. The ruling is an inspiration of Julius Caesar, I am proud to own! I came, I saw, I conquered! Presently writing about digital art school and online education.