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Fulcrum Diversified Absolute Return:
Fulcrum Diversified Absolute Return ("DAR") is a multi-asset strategy that aims to produce long-term absolute returns in all market conditions over rolling five-year periods, with lower volatility than equity markets and in excess of inflation. Investments are sought with a focus on liquidity and are multi-asset in nature; with exposure across equity, fixed income, currency, and commodity markets globally.
About Us:
Founded by Gavyn Davies and Andrew Stevens in 2004, Fulcrum Asset Management is an independently owned investment management company and the Advisor to the Fulcrum Diversified Absolute Return Fund. Our clients include institutions, pension funds, charities, endowments, families and private clients investing across a broad range of strategies.
Our disciplined investment process is driven by an experienced and stable multi-asset investment team with a long history of working together in a collaborative environment. We manage both absolute and relative return strategies across major liquid assets globally.
Headquartered in London with an additional office in New York, Fulcrum has over eighty employees, eight of whom are partners and own the firm.
Andrew Stevens, Co-Founder
Andrew is Chief Executive of Fulcrum, a member of the Fulcrum Investment Committee and Head of the Risk Committee. Previously, Andrew was at Goldman Sachs (1992-2004) in the Equities Division then Investment Management Division, where he invested across all asset classes. Andrew worked for Burns Fry in New York, Mergers & Acquisitions (1988-1990). Andrew has an MBA from Harvard Business School (1992) and a BA in Finance from Georgetown University (1988).
Gavyn Davies, Co-Founder
Gavyn is Chairman of Fulcrum and Head of the Fulcrum Investment Committee. Gavyn was Chairman of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) from 2001-2004. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1986 and was a Partner from 1988 to 2001. He was also the firm's Chief Economist over that period and Chairman of the Research Department. Gavyn was a member of H.M.Treasury Independent Forecasting Panel (1992-1997). He began as an Economist, first with Phillips and Drew (1979-1981) then Simon and Coates (1981-1986.) Gavyn graduated in Economics from St. John's College, Cambridge in 1972. This was followed by two years of research at Balliol College Oxford. He joined the Government's Policy Unit as an Economist (1974) and was an Economic Policy Adviser to the British Prime Minister (1976-1979).
Suhail Shaikh, Chief Investment Officer
Suhail is Chief Investment Officer of Fulcrum and has been member of the Fulcrum Investment Committee since joining the firm in 2005. Prior to Fulcrum, Suhail spent five years within the Investment Management Division of Goldman Sachs, where he specialised in tactical asset allocation and portfolio construction. Suhail graduated from the London School of Economics in 2000 and has been a CFA charterholder since 2003.
Research is at the core of our investment process. Read commentary and insights from the Fulcrum Investment Team.
Fulcrum Asset Management LP
350 Park Avenue
13th floor
New York
Tel: +1 646 837 6110


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Nearly half of all women between the ages of 25 and 29 have never been married, up from about a quarter of that age group in 1986, according to a report released Wednesday by the Census Bureau.
The report, which highlighted shifting patterns of marriage and divorce since the 1940s, was based on decades of Census data and a survey of about 55,000 adults in 2009.
Among the changes found in the research is the rising median age of first marriages, which in 1950 was 23 for men and 20 for women. In 2009, it was 28 for men and 26 for women.
Divorce rates have leveled off after reaching a high around 1980, the report said. In 2009, about 35 percent of women 40 to 49 had divorced, down from 40 percent in 1996.
The report also gave figures for the number of times people married in their lifetimes, based on the survey conducted in 2009. About half of all those interviewed had been married only once, the report found. An additional 12 percent had been married twice, and just 3 percent had been married three or more times.
Marriages were more susceptible to divorce in the early years, the report said. About 10 percent of first marriages ended in divorce within five years, the report said, although the proportion was just 3 percent for Asians and 7 percent for Hispanics. Blacks and whites had similar proportions.
Among those who had married a second time by 2009, the median age at the second marriage was 36 for men and 33 for women, the report found.
First marriages that end in divorce last a median of eight years for men and for women. The median length of second marriages was similar.
Half of the men and women who remarried after a first divorce did so within four years, the report said.

subset: commoncrawl


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City View
An open-minded perspective guides Kairos Shen '87 in planning Boston's architectural future.
It's dusk as Kairos Shen '87 takes in a panoramic view of Boston's harbor. "I can see the Custom House Tower, the airport, the new Rose Kennedy Greenway parks, the steeples of the North End, the Bunker Hill Monument, and the spires on the Leonard Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge. It's a spectacular view," he says.
The view from the ninth and top floor of Boston's City Hall comes gratis with his job as chief planner for the city. Shen was appointed to the position in January 2008 by Mayor Thomas Menino. Shen is also director of planning for the Boston Redevelopment Authority, where he has worked for 15 years and been director for seven.
Shen, who obtained a master's in architecture from MIT, says he doesn't have a single vision for the city's future buildings: "Any great city has to embody multiple visions in terms of architectural style and expression. That's how you get richness. We're lucky [in Boston] because of the way the land and districts were developed. Historically, there were predominant ways of building, with predominant use of materials and heights that give a consistent fabric. Brick provides a backdrop here with more contemporary materials offset against that backdrop. I don't think you can say, 'this is what buildings ought to look like,' and apply them. A principle I abide by is to be open-minded," says Shen, who was born in Hong Kong to parents of Chinese ancestry and received U.S. citizenship in 2003.
Although always careful to ensure that his personal taste in architecture does not affect his job to approve, deny, or ask for changes to a proposal, he does let his preferences show in the office furniture. An avid chair collector, he brought in a Charles Eames chair and a Hans Wegner chair.
"Our job in the planning office is to make sure a proposal for a building acknowledges and respects its place within the larger urban fabric and supports and contributes to the city's urban life and character," says Shen, sitting in his Aeron desk chair that was made by Herman Miller and designed by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf.
"My colleagues and I have developed a set of principles that seem to work pretty well. A colleague of mine can start a design and development review process, and I can join in later and be following the same themes my colleagues pursued," says Shen, who was a lead planner of the South Boston Waterfront, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the preservation and additions to Fenway Park, and Harvard's new Boston campus.
Shen says an average day's work consists of a plethora of meetings inside City Hall with developers, planners, architects, and community activists; numerous phone conversations; and almost daily meetings with Mayor Menino in his fifth-floor office. About twice a week, Shen attends community meetings to listen to citizens' comments on upcoming plans. He says he prefers these face-to-face interactions, waiting until around 6 p.m. to answer e-mails or review drawings. He tries to leave the office for home by 8 p.m.
He shares that home with wife Christine Pilcavage, an international development and public health adviser. They married last June at the Saarinen Chapel on the MIT campus. "We planned the wedding together. I designed the wedding invitation, which included an abstract drawing I created of the Harry Bertoia sculpture behind the altar in the MIT chapel," he says.
To take a break from his job, Shen spends time working on a summer home in New Hampshire, which he and Christine share with Mike Miele '87, Shen's freshman roommate, and his family. Shen and Miele maintain a strong friendship.
When Shen walks the streets of Boston, he reminds himself that each of the structures around him is an artifact. "You can learn something about the culture, the building process, the client, and the architect, even if you only encountered the building, and never saw the drawings or learned how it was built. Some buildings deliberately negate or reject their role in the city, others embrace it," Shen says. "But to know that this artifact was constructed and built according to principles that were documented in drawings, makes architecture very objective. There are many objective criteria you can use to evaluate architecture as good or bad.
"If people criticize a decision I make on behalf of the public, instead of hearing people say, 'Mr. Shen is just exercising his opinions,' I prefer to hear, 'Mr. Shen is exercising his judgment that is based on a body of knowledge.'"


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Charles Bukowski, cult American writer and legendary drinker, was a chronicler of the dispossessed and lowlife. The poet, short story writer, and novelist who died in 1994 described the sordid lives of poor, dropout alcoholics in mid-late 20th century Los Angeles. He is also known as being one of the most acerbic writers in American fiction and his famous 1975 novel "Factotum", which is part of the Henry Chinaski series, inspired numerous younger novelists and artists including Koji Udo — designer of the Japanese menswear brand which shares the same name.
Udo doesn't indulge in the shallowness often associated with the fashion world. Each collection since the brand was founded in 2004 has taken inspiration from artists, musicians, and cultural figures. More recently, he has sourced collection themes found during his travels around the world. Reference points have included Franz Kafka, the tradition and modernity found in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, The Beatles' original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, and the 60s/70s hippie trail from Europe to Asia – specifically the materials and colors of Nepal (for S/S11 collection "Exile.")
Factotum focuses on a tailored military look with an emphasis on "real clothes" which can be worn from season to season. The label has five key lines — basic, collection, denim, accessories, and the recently introduced Femme womenswear project. Stocked in numerous boutiques up and down Japan and in some of the best international menswear stores –such as Tangs in Singapore and Lorenzo and Blackbird in the U.S. – Factotum has been one of the most successful and acclaimed exports of contemporary Japanese menswear.
The flagship store, in Tokyo's cool Daikanyama neighborhood, first opened its doors in 2006 but was subsequently renovated and reopened in August 2008. Simple, fresh and welcoming, the space, according to the brand, is designed to be comfortable and relaxing and perfect for making yourself feel at home. Udo decorates the walls with the specific season's visuals and key inspirations as well as art and photography books, copies of Bukowski's novels and poems and antique furniture. The store also carries the brand's complete apparel and accessories lines as well as selected one-off merchandise and collaborative items.
Factotum Info
- Address: 11-3 Uguisudani, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0032 Japan
- Tel/Fax: 03-5459-9779
- Map: Factotum Shop List
- Online: Factotum Official Website
Article text by Paul McInnes and all photos by Will Robb.
About the author:
Paul McInnes is a fashion and arts journalist based in Tokyo. He is the fashion editor (menswear) and contributing arts editor of The Japan Times. He is also the Tokyo editor of Sportswear International and contributes to publications such as High Fashion, Dazed Digital, JC Report and Japanese Streets. He has also been interviewed for TV including NHK's Tokyo Fashion Express and lifestyle magazines such as Metropolis and Kaleidoscope magazine.
About the photographer:
As long as he is behind his camera Will is a happy man. He has photographed everything from the slums of Bangkok to the catwalks of Tokyo. He is a contract photographer for Lonely Planet, his images and photo essays have appeared in Time Out, The Japan Times, Sportswear International and a variety of other newspapers, magazines and guidebooks around the world and his photo essays from Iraq for The Griffith Review even earned him a mention in the Australian book review of the year in 2006. In addition to his media related work, Will also shoots events, portraits, weddings and the occasional CD cover. Whatever he's working on, he always writes about his jobs and how he goes about them at Will Robb Photography.


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Characters: Mister Smith and othersRating: G
Words: 232
revised story: January 2016
He was sitting in the old, worn, plush armchair and felt ill at ease. Too many people. Too much cheerfulness. He preferred to be alone and was here only because of Erin. The woman hadn't been willing to let go, so he had finally given in. But he wished the evening would be over rather sooner than later.
A movie event. Erin's idea, of course. She had convinced Marcus to revive the small cinema in Thunder Mountain.
"It's a waste of resources", Marcus had protested first.
"But everyone needs something to look forward to," Erin had answered. "Life can't always be fear and pain! People need to learn how to laugh again."
She could be very convincing and finally, Markus had given in. Now almost everyone from the mountain was here, even Jeremiah and Kurdy, Lee and Gina ... even Marcus had promised to come. The air felt energized, but in a good way. They would get to watch a movie - a real movie in a real cinema. Some of them were so young that they had never been in a cinema before. For some hours, they would forget the hard life, the daily fight for surviving. Lively conversations, laughter and cheerfulness filled the room.
Only Smith felt alone. The urge to grab his backpack and sneak away almost got overwhelming. But it was too late, the lights went out ...


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You may have come across expert advice where it was suggested that using wireless networks, as can be found in airports and other public places, is a bad idea. Well if you have, the expert may be right. The reason is that these network types are regarded as unsecure. Basically, an unsecured network is one where you do not need to type in a password before you can gain access to it. All you need to do is to find the network with your device, and start browsing the web. Most Wi-Fi and Mi-Fi networks are secured these days.
Types of Wireless Network
There are two main kinds of wireless network that you can access.
- The first is the ad-hoc network
- The second is the usual access point networks.
With ad-hoc networks, devices are connected to one another while the traditional access point networks connect to a central router. If you connect any two devices together without using any kind of physical hardware, then you have set up an ad-hoc network. An access point network however, needs hardware to work properly.
So in essence, the free public network that can be found in most airports are normally ad-hoc networks, as you are connected to another computer any time you hook up. As soon as you are connected, your device is immediately setup to broadcast the wireless network signal to any device close to you, and potentially, your private data (if someone skilled nearby cares to take a look).
Reasons Unsecured Networks are a Risk
We've just seen one pretty major reason why a free unrestricted network is a bad idea. Here are a few more scenarios you should consider.
Let's say you are out at your local coffee shop. To pass the time you get on the free network available to check your email and maybe spend a few minutes on twitter and Facebook. On the surface, this looks like an ideal way to enjoy your downtime, but it is not always so. Public places like these are where hackers sit waiting for the right time for them to initiate a middleman attack on unsuspecting victims. Some good hackers will be able to gain access to your passwords, bank accounts, emails and any other thing they can find.
A Postal Service Analogy
It is just like writing a letter and dropping it off in a mailbox for the post office workers to pick up and deliver to the specified address. If the post box is open someone could pick up the letter before the mail man comes. This is what can be referred to as a middleman attack. This is the same thing that plays out digitally when a hacker gains access to your computer. He will be able to view your passwords, read your messages and keep an eye on any other thing you do over the network. People who are worst hit are usually those that use a single password for everything they do online. We hear people complain of these sorts of situations on a daily basis.
How Can You Avoid Attacks?
Today, most free wireless network providers are going away from the ad-hoc network mode of operation. If however, you find yourself using a network where you are not required to enter a password to gain access, do the following:
Ask the provider if they have provisions for a secured connection. Surfing the web over a secured network encrypts data as it travels to and from your computer. With this, it will become harder for the hacker to access your data, as the encrypted data will appear scrambled to him. Of course, this is not fail proof, but if the hacker doesn't have any special interest in breaking into your device he will move on to his next victim.
While surfing the web keep an eye on the address bar of your web browser. If the address starts with "https" it indicates that your data is encrypted between your computer and the website you are visiting. If you go on a network that requires personal details and it doesn't have this level of protection then you are prone to a phishing attack.
Do not conduct any form of financial transaction over public internet. This includes online banking, making purchases with a credit card, using e-money portals like PayPal, Liberty Reserve etc. Visiting any of these websites on a free wireless network is huge risk that must never be taken, no matter how pressing the need.
If possible, only use time spent on free wireless networks to stream video or online radio. This gives the hacker very little to work with.
Consider getting separate passwords for most sites you visit. You can have a password for social network sites you are part of, separate password for your email addresses and another password for websites you hold membership with. This way, you are not at 100% risk if someone manages to get hold of your Twitter password for instance. Also try and make all of your passwords really strong. You can use any of the numerous web based services to generate passwords for yourself and then save them on your phone in special password apps. Copying and pasting passwords where possible also prevents you from coming under key logger attacks.
Mi-Fi and the Threat of Hacking
Mi-Fi devices are erroneously considered easy to hack. This is not the case. In fact, the threat of security breach on these devices is very minimal and thus you can comfortably do all your online activity without worry. To be on the safe side though:
- Do not turn on your GPS while surfing the web
- Install an up-to-date antivirus software
- Update your web browser with every new release
- Turn on the anti-phishing option
- Turn off your Mi-Fi device when not in use
- If you are vigilant you won't need to be worried about security threats while using wireless networks over Wi-Fi or Mi-Fi.
Make the Most of Your WiFi
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Poor Elijah's Almanack: Class and culture
Reformers always rank problem-solving high on their list of skills schools should teach. Unfortunately, it's never been something reformers themselves have been good at.
Their long-term breach with common sense explains why reformers respond to low math skills by prescribing algebra for students who can't dependably multiply. It's why they address declining achievement by raising the standards too many students are already failing to meet. It's why they address student failure by simply outlawing it. It's why they propose to fix unsafe schools by restricting schools' power to remove the students who make them unsafe.
The last time public education successfully responded to an academic crisis, Sputnik was in space and mushroom clouds were on the horizon. Americans abruptly realized that we needed to shake our postwar complacency and teach students more math and science. A generation later in 1983 A Nation at Risk warned that the pass/fail, open classroom, student-centered, content-and-discipline-light reforms of the 1970s had "squandered the gains in student achievement made in the wake of the Sputnik challenge." Reformers met Risk's conclusion that we had "lost sight of the basic purposes of schooling" by persisting in the same reforms that had brought us to the brink of education disaster. We're still headed over that same cliff.
Schools have also grappled with social issues. When we addressed segregation and education equity in the 1960s, the quality of American public education wasn't the problem. The task was to extend that high-quality education to more students, regardless of race or class. Unfortunately, in the process we compromised the quality of public education itself.
For example, because readiness and achievement placed many minority students in lower ability classes, we eliminated ability grouping altogether. Then we compounded our error by instituting instructional gimmicks like mastery learning and cooperative groups to orchestrate the fiction that one teacher could effectively and efficiently teach students with vastly different abilities and interests at the same time in the same class. "Differentiated instruction" is the latest incarnation of this smoke-and-mirrors trick.
No Child Left Behind was launched to eliminate disparities in achievement among rich, poor, white, and minority students. That's why NCLB chopped students up into ethnic and economic subgroups and imposed sanctions on schools when just one subgroup failed.
Like many reformers, current law, regulationsb and initiatives continue to track deficiencies in ethnic and income groups' achievement. Officials are reluctant to blame national policies or society at large for those deficiencies and even more unwilling to hold members of the subgroups themselves responsible for their performance. So once again schools become the scapegoat. Once again education policy and practice are compromised to suit a social and political agenda.
Enter the enlightened "culturally responsive teacher" who rejects "the myth of the culture of poverty." According to advocates, the myth is that many "students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds" experience home conditions and share certain attitudes that hamper their academic achievement. Of course, before reformers condemned this idea as a myth, it was their justification for eliminating ability grouping, adding social services to school programs, and reducing academic and disciplinary expectations.
It's neither accurate nor helpful to stereotype students, even though advocates don't hesitate to stereotype teachers like me as "complicit" in "gross inequities." I've dealt with enough middle-class students who lacked intelligence and ambition, as well as enough poor kids who excelled academically and personally, to know that race and family finances don't dictate how a student will perform in the classroom or in life. But the fact is your parents' income and education level, their attitudes toward school, how many books you have in your house — and how many parents — and how often you see an eye doctor tend to affect how early and how well you'll learn to read.
You can't argue that "poor people suffer disproportionately" from problems that "limit their abilities to achieve" while you also argue that foreseeing and acknowledging the effects of those problems amounts to "classism" and "prejudice." According to proponents, the effect of poverty and class is real enough that schools must adapt to it but simultaneously not real enough that we can say it matters. Teachers must never have different expectations for poor children, but they simultaneously must be willing to expect and accept different things from them.
By reformers' standards, it's appropriate to concentrate on immigration when you're teaching immigrant children, even if that denies them a full survey and understanding of American history. Culturalists endorse using math class as a forum for discussing income redistribution, even if it means spending less time on math. They accept Black English Vernacular as equal to "so-called standard English," even if that leaves students at a culturally-based linguistic disadvantage.
There's nothing wrong with political agendas when you're voting. But our positions on "housing and health care, living-wage jobs," and "environmental injustice" can't be allowed to infect how we teach reading or quadratic equations.
Outside the preservation of certain unalienable rights, politics shouldn't govern how or what we teach. And my political views shouldn't stand as a litmus test of whether I'm a good teacher.
A senator named McCarthy should have taught us that a long time ago.
As for what our students are and aren't learning, we can't expect schools to overcome all the obstacles we as individuals and as a society can't.
We can hope, though, that in their efforts to make things better, schools don't in the end make them worse.
Peter Berger teaches English in Weathersfield, Vermont. Poor Elijah would be pleased to answer letters addressed to him in care of the editor.


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Searching for Quality Roof Repairs? Call today (803)566-8577! Let us take care of your Roof Repair Replacements! With satisfaction guaranteed with every job, you can trust us to get the job done right! We have the qualities you need to ensure you get the best value for your dollar. Residential Roof Professional services We are roof contractors who are skilled and have many years of experience. We provide Residential Roof Services to our local community and beyond. Let us take care of your home's roofing needs from minor leaks to major roof replacements. Take care of your home by letting us be the ones to take care of your roof. We put our best effort into our work so we can guarantee you quality you can always count on. We've got you covered whether you have asphalt shingle, tile, metal, or tar, or need work on a flat roof, or need water proofing or leak repair.


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How Did My Arkansas Legislator Vote?
Every Arkansas state Senator and Representative LOVE to tell you about his or her legislative record. But some don't want you to see how they voted because the votes are contrary to the picture they try to paint during election time.
Other legislators welcome you seeing their votes because they have worked hard for you, and it helps them get the word out.
Whether your Representative and Senator have a strong or weak voting record on economic freedom issues, you deserve to know how YOUR legislators vote.
About the PDFs below:
- We include some committee votes. Some of the most significant votes of the legislature are committee votes. Legislators have long used committees as a place to kill good legislation without the public knowing who is responsible.
- We categorized votes based on importance. Why? Because bills vary in scope and importance.
- We didn't include social issues. Conduit for Action's role is to focus primarily on economic freedom issues. If you also want to review votes on social issues, we suggest checking out the Family Council which is known as the most reputable Arkansas organization for evaluation of legislation on social issues.
How did your state Senator and state Representative vote on important economic freedom issues? Take a look at the voting records below by clicking the hyperlinked PDFs.


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We work successfully with people in your situation. And, from experience, we know that in order to be successful in an executive search, you first must have a strategy in place. Otherwise, you will find yourself blindly searching the job boards and talking with recruiters about positions that are well beneath your qualifications.
So, if you are in an active career search, or even contemplating one, it is important that you first understand the Executive Job Market as it stands in the last half of 2019.
Sign up for our free report, written by Tammy Kabell in July 2019, to get access to her knowledge of what the job market looks like; not just your standard Bureau of Labor Statistics info, but knowledge gained from working deeply within the job market for over 16 years.
Learn about today's executive job market in this FREE playbook.


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BFO1300 – 26,000 Minutes
Standard Podcast [ 20:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
The Fat One celebrates LITTLE show #1,300 with voice letters, a restaurant review and lots of entries into the #1 Fan Contest. Happy Day-Off-from-the-Coalmine Day.
5 Comments
HatM wrote on January 21st, 2013 at 4:21 pm:
What? Nobody's listening or commenting to congratulate you for your 260000 minutes of silence? I bet the moment has been stolen for a more important event. Happy 1300. Wasn't that the Middle Ages? Still too much left.
KathyBacon wrote on January 21st, 2013 at 9:33 pm:
They're all calling in to vote for bacon! Much more important 😛
kim beaver wrote on January 22nd, 2013 at 5:31 am:
Oh my gosh, that's quite an accomplishment
Team Bacon wrote on January 22nd, 2013 at 6:41 am:
What can I say? I support the cuter girl in this race!
Go Bacon!
Arthur (AmeriNZ) wrote on January 24th, 2013 at 9:55 pm:
Thank you for the birthday wishes! You could have sent a bottle of Tanqueray, though… 🙂


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With Lok Sabha polls not too far away, Congress President Sonia Gandhi signalled that the ambitious Food Security and Land Acquisition Acts brought in by the Centre would give a new deal to the people, especially the farmers and the poor.
"For the benefit of farmers, the historic Land Acquisition Act was passed by the Centre. Now, nobody can forcibly grab land from poor farmers. Further, it is now mandatory that land can only be acquired with the consent of farmers and after paying the adequate prices," Sonia said during a day-long visit to her parliamentary constituency of Rae Bareli.
She was speaking at the foundation stone-laying function for a rail wheel plant in her constituency's Lalganj.
Turning to the Food Security Bill, the Congress President said that "despite all the obstacles, troubles and hindrances, we could get the bill passed in Parliament".
The Act will benefit 75 per cent of the rural and 50 per cent of the urban population of Uttar Pradesh, she said.
"At present, Centre gives about 66 lakh tonnes of foodgrain to Uttar Pradesh; after implementation of the Act, the state's share will increase to 96 lakh tonnes. Thus, 80 per cent of the rural and 60 per cent of the urban population in UP will be able to get foodgrain at subsidised rates," she said.
But there were still many issues left to be solved, she added. "I want to tell you that we are doing whatever possible for the people here with honesty and sincerity," she said.
Railways and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd have entered into an agreement for setting up a forged wheel plant at Lalganj at an investment of Rs 1,100 crore in the first phase.
The project promises about 600 jobs while 2,000 others would benefit indirectly. The railways will lease 40 acres to the RINL for 30 years to set up the factory. The factory will produce one lakh forged wheels annually to cater to the demand from LHB coaches and high-speed locos.


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(Cherry Hill, N.J.) – Cherry Hill has been awarded a $140,641 recycling tonnage grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Mayor Chuck Cahn has announced.
The Township's award is the eighth-largest allotment of its kind in the state, up two spots from 2011; it is the highest amount awarded in South Jersey. The grant total was based on the amount of recycled material collected in the Township in 2010.
"This is wonderful news, and, in my mind, is proof that doing the right thing really does pay off," Cahn said. "We save money for every ton of material that we keep out of our landfills and incinerators, and now we're actually bringing in revenue in the form of this grant. It's a win for the Township, our residents, and, of course, the environment."
The grant program is part of New Jersey's Recycling Enhancement Act (REA), and funding comes from a $3-per-ton tax on trash taken to disposal facilities. This year, the DEP noted that Cherry Hill was one of just 10 municipalities whose grant totals were greater than the REA taxes they paid.
Cherry Hill's overall recycling rate stands at 66 percent, significantly higher than the statewide average of about 40 percent. The DEP encourages municipalities to maintain a rate of at least 50 percent.
Residential recycling has grown tremendously in Cherry Hill in the last five years: In 2007, curbside recycling totaled 7,411 tons. By 2011, curbside recycling collection totaled 10,405 tons – and that number represents just a fraction of the Township's overall rate. The overall recycling rate includes single-stream curbside recycling; leaves and other yard waste; recycled wood; electronic waste, oil and tires deposited at the Department of Public Works; appliances and other "white goods"; and commercial recycling as reported by area waste haulers.
Mayor Cahn said the continued growth of the Township's recycling rate is proof that residents and businesses alike have embraced recycling as an important part of their lives.
"These numbers reflect a true community-wide effort, and everyone who lives and works in this Township should be proud," Mayor Cahn said. "With that said, today's announcement presents an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the cause; to challenge ourselves to increase our totals even more as we move forward."
Residents with questions about the Township's recycling efforts can contact the Department of Public Works for more information at (856) 424-4422, or visit the Municipal website at www.CherryHill-NJ.com.


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Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings are now compulsory for all people seeking to start family court proceedings about finances on divorce or children matters, unless they are exempt from the requirement.
The government's aim in introducing MIAMS is to raise awareness of family mediation as a cost-effective and positive way of resolving family issues without involving the courts.
The mediator conducting the MIAMs must hold the appropriate accreditation as set by the Family Mediation Council; this means having attained full accreditation as a 'Family Mediation Council Accredited' mediator (FMCA).
The MIAMs meeting will give you the opportunity to talk about your dispute in confidence with the mediator and learn more about how mediation works and how it may be able to assist you in reaching an agreement. You will hear about the benefits of mediation and about other appropriate forms of dispute resolution
Your MIAMs meeting will take about an hour. You can come along on your own although it is possible that the mediator will invite your spouse or partner to attend either with you or separately.
Following the MIAMs meeting the mediator can complete the mediator section of Form A for financial matters or Form C100 for child matters.


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Nancy Bjorkman
Nancy Bjorkman began as the ultimate homeschool skeptic. But now, after 20+ years teaching her own four children, she has become the "go-to lady" for many and a champion of the cause. She is a certified teacher and has spoken at homeschool conferences in over 10 states where she is known for her enthusiasm, energy, and encouragement. Having graduated all of her children, Nancy finds it exciting to have graduated herself to being a mentor for other homeschool families. Though she stays busy as a bookstore owner, mentor, and speaker, her favorite times are spent with her growing family (grandkids – yeah!). She and her husband own HEPPNER'S LEGACY, a homeschool store in Elk River, Minnesota, where they delight in ministering to the unique needs of families year round, and where parents say, "Come for the books. Stay for the therapy.™"


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There is a tsunami of bad news flooding over our minds on a daily basis. The news comes to us in 24-hour cycles with updates at the top of every hour. The waves of negative information by way of social media are happening virtually every minute of every day. Rarely is the news good. Is it any wonder that so many people surrender to feeling hopeless?
Hopelessness is the father of addictions, broken relationships and it ultimately can bring you to the place where you lose your will to live. But, there is good news for the hopeless and this good news has a name. His name is Jesus.
Hope in Jesus shines brightest when the hour is the darkest.
Hope in Jesus motivates when discouragement comes.
Hope in Jesus give you energy when you are tired.
Hope in Jesus sings when all melodies are gone.
Hope in Jesus climbs over obstacles that appear to be impossible.
Hope in Jesus presses you forward when can't think of a reason to go on.
This March at ABT we will talk about how to be at peace in the midst of the storms of life. Only real hope based on real truth can carry you through and beyond the negatives that are drowning you. Together we will find that HOPE LIVES in Jesus.


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The possibility of Central Nervous System regeneration after acute trauma is arguably one of the most interesting fields of neurosurgical research. In this article, authors evaluate the therapeutic role of nAG protein in the healing of an acute spinal injury in a rat model. Motor recovery scores, MRI signals and histopathology evaluations demonstrate a significant improvement in experimental subjects. Since nAG protein reduces gliosis, reduces vacuole and granulation tissue formation and enhances neuro-restoration, it is a promising candidate for assisting the recovery of acute spinal trauma.
Read the article


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The Latest Workplace Violence Resources for Employers
About 3 min
The October publication of the Workplace Violence Prevention eReport was just released from the National Institution for the Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc. The publication includes several reports of workplace violence incidents and includes education resources to better prepare employers and the public in case of an unthinkable act of violence in the workplace.
States, cities, and schools are being proactive these days and are offering resources for the public to prepare and to act quickly in an active shooter situation. The West Virginia Bureau of Risk and Insurance Management offers free training for both public and private employers to reduce potential risks. The program emphasizes the "run, hide, and fight" tactic, which was introduced in a video created by the City of Houston. The video demonstrates scenarios of what to do during an active shooter situation. Even institutions such as Penn State University are creating video segments to help campus students learn the latest tactics for survival during a shooter event, which are covered in the Workplace Violence Prevention eReport.
The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted a survey, released in February of 2012, "SHRM Survey Findings: Workplace Violence". The survey uncovered that 36% of employer respondents reported incidents of workplace violence. An incident of workplace violence is defined as "an assault and other violent acts or threats that occur in or are related to the workplace and entail a substantial risk of physical or emotional harm to individuals or damage to company resources or capabilities. Workplace violence may involve employees, clients, and vendors of affected organization as well as those who do not have a relationship with the organization but who may know the intended victims." The study provides further insight into the experiences of employers as it relates to workplace violence.
In 2011, The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and ASIS International published the "Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention Standard" in collaboration with the American National Standards Institute, Inc. This Standard provides an overview of protocols, procedures, and policies that any organization can adopt to help identify and prevent threatening behavior and violence affecting the workplace. The publication outlines how to better address and resolve threats and violence that have already occurred. EBI's Chief Knowledge Officer, Robert Capwell, was one of the contributing authors of this Standard. The publication includes employment background screening and drug testing as a preventative technique in reducing the threats of potential workplace violence. You can purchase the Standard directly from SHRM, ASIS, or online retailers.
Employment Background Investigations Inc. works with employers on a global scale to develop and administer comprehensive pre employment criminal background check programs. We are committed to providing employers and our readers with valuable education and resources on changing legislation, cutting-edge, and compliant solutions to meet federal, state, local, and international mandatory legal guidelines. EBI is not providing legal advice or counsel and nothing provided in this publication should be deemed as legal guidance or advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel to determine their responsibilities or if they have questions on any information provided by EBI.


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The UK economy is firmly on the road to recovery, according to a report out today.
The economy appears to be entering a sustained upturn, with UK business output expectations at their highest for more than a year, the BDO Business Trends Report said.
However, with growth steady, but still below trend, the Bank of England is likely to keep rates on hold until the economic outlook is clearer, the study added.
Douglas McWilliams, chief executive of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said the report showed improvement in both output and optimism.
"The latest BDO 'poll of polls' confirms that, with signs of recovery in the world economy, the economic climate for UK businesses is continuing to improve", he said.
Recovery in world markets appears to have had a knock-on effect on optimism in the UK, the report said.
The BDO optimism index increased by 0.3 points this month to 98.7 - its highest level since April last year.
The index implies that annualised growth in the first quarter next year will be 1.6 per cent.
The BDO output index has increased by 0.5 points to 99.7, reflecting higher exports due to weaker sterling and signs of recovery across European economies.
This increase implied annualised growth in output of 1.9 per cent in the final quarter of the year, still below the rate the Chancellor would need to meet his growth targets.
The index predicts core inflation of 1.8 per cent for the second quarter of next year - well below the Bank of England's targets.
Recent upward revisions to GDP figures for the first half of the year, coupled with this month's increase in the output index, means an interest rate cut before Christmas looks unlikely, BDO said.


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Can You Trust Your Meter Reading?
If you open an electric bill from your energy supplier and your jaw hits the floor because it's so outrageously high, there are many explanations. Perhaps you really have increased your energy use exponentially within a short period of time, or maybe you have a faulty electricity meter. Your meter is attached to the home and measures how much electricity you consume in units called kilowatt hours. When your meter readings are off, you might pay too much or too little for your energy use. Here are some ways to identify a faulty meter and what you can do if you have one.
Increased Bill
The first indication of a faulty meter will be an extraordinarily high energy bill. Before you assume that a meter problem is to blame, assess the other possibilities. If you recently changed your billing cycle, for instance, this bill may cover a longer period of time than previous bills did. Water use is also a very large factor to consider. If you have been watering your garden with a hose or had extra houseguests taking showers, your electricity bill can be significantly higher. A leaking sink tap or toilet can waste more than 100 litres of water per week, which wastes energy, especially if the leak has hot water.
Comparing Bills
Different times of the year lead to different energy expenses; for instance, in the winter when the lights are on longer and your heat is up high your bill naturally increases. To get a true sense of a problem with your bill, compare the suspicious bill with one from the same time last year. If you still see a huge difference that usage habits can't account for, you can better suspect that a faulty meter may be at play. Look at the kWh (kilowatt hours) data between the two bills. When the kWh number is too high for reason you should take further investigatory steps.
Begin Tracking
Start to take manual readings of your meter each month. If the kWh measurement goes down again, you may have indeed just had a high electricity usage during the time period of the suspicious bill. However, if the readings remain higher than your past bills suggest are normal, it's time to report the issue to your energy supplier. Keep a documented copy of your readings, both written and photographic if possible. This will make for a stronger case if you want to request a refund from your energy company in the future.
Request a Check Meter
When you contact your electricity provider, ask that they install a check meter next to your existing electric meter. This will record your energy use, and can be compared against your current meter to see if any discrepancies exist. When the check meter detects less energy use than your regular meter, a faulty meter is confirmed. At this point your meter will need to be either repaired or replaced.
Get an Official Test
If you are unhappy with the results of the check test, you can also request an official test. In this case your energy supplier will carry out a battery of inspections on the meter itself, not just comparing it to another meter. While you will more than likely be responsible for the cost of this test, if the meter is in fact faulty you can expect to be refunded the money paid. If your meter is in fact bad, it will be replaced with a new one and your energy bills should return to normal. Make sure that you're not overcharged for the time period where the bad meter was in place. During the time when you're awaiting test results, you should continue to pay something to your energy supplier, if only the portion of the bill you estimate is accurate.
A faulty electricity meter is a costly problem that should be remedied as soon as possible. Don't ignore several inexplicable high bills, as this will merely lead to a bigger dispute with your electricity supplier in the future. Begin your tracking efforts the same month that you notice a problem and inform your electricity provider about your meter readings so they are aware of the potential need for a meter check.
Monitor Electricity Usage
Amazon Price: $93.00 Buy Now
(price as of Dec 14, 2013)


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WELLSVILLE – The Lady Lions were in control for the most part when they made their way to Wayland-Cohocton back on Dec. 6. But a late second half surge by the Lady Eagles lifted them to a three-point win at home.
The second half surge was something head coach Al Best looked back to before entering Wednesday's rematch with Wellsville.
"It was enough for them to sort of feel like we were coming alive," he said. "It's really interesting, we had the same type of game as the last. We were down 10 in the first quarter, and we're down eight or nine in the second, and we didn't get going until the third or fourth. The girls knew ahead of time that this was going to be a tough game."
A little over a month has passed since the two rivals have met, and a lot has changed since that point. The Lady Lions have been on a roll as of late, winning six of their last seven contests, while the Lady Eagles have not let go of the gas pedal, earning seven straight wins entering Wednesday.
After Wellsville's strong start, Wayland-Cohocton found its groove in the second quarter, holding Wellsville to just a single basket in the stanza. Despite the Lady Lions closing the gap in the third, the Lady Eagles pulled away with a late fourth quarter run to pick up their eighth straight win with a 48-38 victory.
It was a hot start for the Lady Lions (8-3). After Madison Gregorius got Wayland-Cohocton on the board with an and-one, Wellsville went off on a 10-0 run headed by Jana Whitehouse and Regan Marsh, who both collected four points each along the way.
The Lady Eagles (11-2) finished the stanza with seven of the last nine, including four straight from Alex Button that saw Wellsville's lead shrink from seven to just two at the end of the first.
"It wasn't an overly explosive quarter by either team, but we played good defense in spurts," said Wellsville coach Michelle Alvord. "We know what they can do with the ball, but offensively, we couldn't get the boards after we got the good looks. We got some stops, but we couldn't capitalize."
The momentum began to shift Wayland-Cohocton's way in the second quarter, despite no baskets being recording for the first 2:30 of the stanza. The press provided by the Lady Eagles proved to be a huge factor in the team's 9-2 run. A pair of big shots from Button and a deep trey from Maggie McAllister saw the lead by grow to six at the half.
"We had a couple good looks, but later the shots didn't fall," said Alvord. "We were a little passive on offense, but we played hard. We couldn't get the offensive rebounding. They held Jordyn scoreless in the first half, and that really caused some problems."
Both teams came out of the locker room with a back-and-forth battle in the third, after Wellsville started off on a 5-0 run to tie the game at 21. When the tie reached 25 each on the scoreboard, the Lady Eagles held the Lady Lions in check for the rest of the stanza, as they accounted for a 7-2 run to lead by four.
The momentum weighed down in favor of Wayland-Cohocton in the final eight minutes of play, as they branched their lead to double digits near the midway mark with help from a dagger on the outside from Mackenzie Johnson, and a pair of charity stripe shots on the next transition.
"It was a little more concentration on the defensive end," Best said. "We're looking for consistency, and earlier we didn't have that. It really helped us down the end, after paying for it. You have four other people scoring in the fourth quarter besides Alex, and when she gets hot, everyone else does. That's what makes this team have a chance to be better."
Jordyn Pettit scored all 12 of Wellsville's fourth quarter points. She would finish with 19 points.
But in the end, Wayland-Cohocton finished the contest with seven straight points before Pettit broke the run late in the stanza.
"Wellsville is a solid ball club, and they're good enough to beat people, good teams. It just took everything we had to do to take the control at the end," Best said.
Button finished with a game-high 20 point evening to lead Wayland-Cohocton, who move to 11-2 on the season with eight straight wins under their belt. McAllister and Leaha Langerman each added eight for the Lady Eagles.
"I'm pretty happy with my girls at this point," said Best. "We have seven players, our eighth has a foot injury. The JV team has six, and they're good enough that they can practice with us. It's meaningful for both teams. As long as we can keep the 13 or 14 players, it works out well for everybody. Right now, this team has been a pleasure to coach."
Jana Whitehouse netted eight points, all in the first half for the Lions. Regan Marsh chipped in five.
The Lady Eagles jump right back into action on Friday, and aim for their ninth straight win, as they host a huge showdown with Hornell. As for Wellsville, the Lions return home on Tuesday, when Letchworth comes to town.
Wayland-Cohocton 12 9 9 18 – 48
Wellsville 14 2 10 12 – 38
WAY-CO: Maggie McAllister 3 1-2 8, Madison Gregorius 1 1-1 3, Leaha Langerman 3 1-3 8, Delaney Brehm 1 2-2 4, Mackenzie Johnson 2 0-0 5, Alex Button 7 5-7 20. Totals: 17 10-15 48.
WELLSVILLE: Taylor Adams 1 0-0 2, Jana Whitehouse 4 0-0 8, Jordyn Pettit 7 5-7 19, Milla Litzburg 1 0-0 2, Regan Marsh 1 3-4 5, Mattie Buckley 1 0-0 2. Totals: 15 8-11 38.
3-point goals: Way-Co 4 (McAllister, Langerman, Johnson, Button).
Total Fouls: Way-Co 11, Wellsville 14. Fouled out: None.


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First thank you to the Scintillating Simple SUN newspaper for drawing my attention to this man and telling me what I should think about him. The link leads to the original article.
"See you later, Britain hater" "Evil Abu Hamza faces trial in U.S.
A European Court ruling means the hook-handed cleric's extradition to the US on terror charges can go ahead as it will NOT breach his human rights.
Barring a last-ditch appeal, it means victory for The Sun's eight-year campaign to kick him out."
Fuming Hamza will land in a pitiless prison after being flown from Britain to America, it emerged last night."
"Hamza — jailed here in 2006 after being convicted of soliciting the murder of non-Muslims and inciting racial hatred."
The SUN the most racist paper in the land observed. I wonder if he really solicited murder? Of course the printed his entire speech in full for their readers. NOT. I wonder what he has to say about it soon we shall never know and he will be forgotten.
Given that the Sun is a newspaper for the simple, I decided to look a little deeper myself into a man now being sent to the USA where no doubt he will be tortured for many years for no apparent reason other than the satisfaction of a few simple minded subcontracted interrogators looking to earn a wage, who never read the CIA interrogation manuals or at least totally failed to understand that interrogation isn't just beating people up until they sign the statements you have written for them. For more on abuse of torture click on this link. Abuse of Torture
Since I expect all these YouTube videos to be censored very rapidly I suggest you take a look now.
In the first is this man talking sense and not hate. Yes he is angry about what the US and UK have done but so are we all. He does not appear to pronounce or provoke senseless violence. At the time Muslims were being subjected to a barrage of hate propaganda culminating in the "Minister warns of "inbred" Muslims, front page headline of the Sunday Times 10 Feb 2008. No doubt the Nazis published similar warnings about the Jews on the front pages of their Sunday papers. (See Islamophobia Watch) So watch the video and see if you feel threatened. I don't and I am a white European Athiest. What this man appears to be doing is exercising his right to free speech, remember that.
PROVE ME WRONG PLEASE send me something that shows that this man deserves torture for the rest of his life and I will eat my words. Come on, the pen is mightier than the sword.
The Sickness of Racism by Sheikh Abu Hamza Al Masri
The interview below appears to be an extraordinary distortion of this man's statements by the interviewer are shocking to say the least. Unless of course you don't know that he was probably fighting on the side of the British in Afghanistan. That he was defending Muslims in Croatia. He did not once say he was aligned with the hostage takers in Yeman he simply said he could contact the hostage takers and negotiate. He does not seem an unreasonable man. He is open to discussion unlike some others! Of course negotiation does not sell arms.
Sheikh Abu Hamza - London Tonight Yemen
© Tom de Havas 2011. The information under this section is my own work it may be reproduced without modification but must include this notice.
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