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There are a number of ways that you can lower your used car loan rate. All it takes is just a little resourcefulness and knowing how the loan rate works. One way to reduce your auto loan interest rate is to have a good credit record. Generally, people with good credit history are considered low credit risk and therefore pose low risks to the lenders money. That is why they are allowed to enjoy a lower used vehicle loan interest rate. To increase your credit rating, you need to do the following: pay off any current debts, make monthly payments for debts that you can fully pay off and put money into your savings account. Your savings deposit will help your credit score since this serves as your pool of funds in case of emergency.
Another way to reduce your car loan rate is to pay a bigger down payment on your used vehicle purchase. The lesser amount you borrow, the lower car loan interest you will have to pay. Still another way to lower the used vehicle interest rate is through refinancing. Refinancing a car loan is for people who already have a car loan. Refinancing companies pay your current balance. In turn, you are expected to make monthly payments to the refinancing company for a lesser interest rate.
Another thing to consider in used car loan rates is the Federal Funds Rate. Although direct correlation between Federal Funds Rate and used car loan rate could not be proven but changes in short-term cost of money do affect the used car loan rate. Although short-term loans are affected by the higher Federal Funds Rate to a certain degree what actually fund these loans are the locally-gathered deposits. The local deposits in the form of time deposits are where the lenders obtain funds or are called the cost of obtaining funds. These costs of funds are the interest you get for time deposits. As the lenders cost of funds increases, the rates on short-term loans also increases. Lenders need to attract both depositors and borrowers in order to make money. The drifting of rates is the cause why Federal Reserve moves are made from six months to a year to be fully realized in the economy which could contribute to an increase in the used car loan rate. Since used car loan rates vary from lender to lender, you should scout around for the best interest rate before choosing a lender. You have a variety of choices among banks, credit unions, dealerships and online used car loans.
Taking advantage of a used car loan is actually a good way to establish a good credit reputation. You can build credit through your car loan. A good credit standing will qualify you to buy more expensive things such as a brand new car or a house in the future. Not only that with the good credit you have established in your used car loan, you will also be able to avail of lower interest rates should you apply for a loan again. To have your used vehicle loan approved you need to get a credit report check done, meet requirements for the used car like mileage, good appearance and road worthiness. These factors will enable the lender to determine the worth of the used car.


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September 10, 2013
Records in the park.
14 comments:
I want one of those hats so bad! They always look so cute on you girls. Is there anyway I could place a custom order to have you pick up one of those bad boys for me in Bangkok if you come across one?ReplyDelete
Lovely outfit and great pictures! :)ReplyDelete
Lovely pics!ReplyDelete
Have a great week!
xoxo Carly
cute outfits! Looks like it was a fun day!.ReplyDelete
That´s amazing!!!ReplyDelete
And I love your outfits. You two are georgeous! Xx
That looks like so much fun...ReplyDelete
What a great way to spend the day! You both look so sweet. And Erin, that hat!ReplyDelete
Aw these pictures are so sweet. I LOVE that yellow coat from Zara.ReplyDelete
- April
The sorbet orange is to die for! Markets are the best - have you been to Beijing? The Silk Market is a sight to behold!ReplyDelete
- Minh
Love the black flats they are so cute!ReplyDelete
I absolutely love Stef's entire outfit! So effortlessly chic :) And Erin's coat is a dream piece!! - LeithReplyDelete
It looks like a lovely way to spend your day :)ReplyDelete
I love your floral dresses!
- Anonymous10:57 PM, September 23, 2013
Where did you find your portable record player? I've been looking for a reliable and vintage/retro one for a while, and that one is so darling! Also, you ladies have great taste in music. :)ReplyDelete
wow such awesome photos, very inspirational :)ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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This net page would not be possible to create without the assistance from hundreds of helpers all over the World. If you have information you would like to share with me, question or simply want to ask a question, please post it here. Thank you!
If the border of the Russian Federation would change I think we would learn about that in the news. But the enclave is found on the map Belarus' 1:750.000 published by Trivium on 2 Oct 2004, where it also says the map is copyrighted by the Geodetic and "Kartografii" committe of Belarus Government 1997-2005.
According to translate.google on Russian Wikipedia we read today:
Sankovo-Bear - enclave (exclave), administratively belongs to the Bryansk region, surrounded on all sides by the territory Dobrush district of Gomel region of Belarus.
Villages Sankovo and Bear were organized by Russian immigrants, who purchased at the beginning of XX century land Bear Dubrava and Sanin Glade, an area of about 4,5 km ² (454 hectares) from a local landowner Shvedova.
In 1926, with the elimination of Gomel province, the area was attributed to Novozybkov county Bryansk province of the RSFSR. From the enclave to the border with Russia - about 800 meters impassable swamps.
During the Great Patriotic War, the villagers went to the guerrillas, and settlements were almost completely destroyed by German fascist invaders. After the war the number of inhabitants of the enclave more than 500 people, but after the Chernobyl accident area was one of the most polluted. By the beginning of 1990 in the enclave had lived less than 100 people . In the XXI century, the territory has no permanent population, in 1999 abolished and municipalities themselves. Nevertheless, this area still belongs to the urban settlement Vyshkovskomu Zlynkovskogo district of the Bryansk region (postal code - 243622).
The enclave is found a large Cretaceous deposits .


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This Day In Music History
September 15th
1968 - The Doors are forced to perform without Jim Morrison at a concert in Amsterdam. While Jefferson Airplane was performing 'Plastic Fantastic Lover', Morrison, stoned on some hash given to him by a fan, appeared on stage and began dancing. As the group played faster and faster, Morrison spun around wildly until he finally fell senseless on the stage at Marty Balin's feet. Morrison was unable to perform his set and was hospitalized while keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, was forced to sing all the vocals.
1978 - Bob Dylan kicks off the longest US tour of his career in Augusta, Maine, playing the first night of sixty-five gigs in sixty-two cities.
1997 - U2 is ordered by a French court to pay roughly $32,000 to a 34 year old man after he lost his hearing from standing too close to a loudspeaker at a U2 concert in 1993.
2008 - Pink Floyd original keyboard player and founder member Rick Wright dies at the age of 65 from cancer. Wright appeared on their first album, 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'. Just three years prior to his death the full band reunited, for the first time in 24 years, at the Live 8 charity concert in London.


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Communication Is Key
At Gallagher Uniform we understand that communication is the key to keeping our relationships moving in the right direction. Here are some of the tools we use to communicate with YOU!
Route Service Representatives – your RSR will be at your account every week to service your rental needs.
- Every RSR is equipped with a handheld computer, G-Trak on the Go, so that they always have the details of your account available should you have questions.
- New orders, cancels, size changes, replacements and repairs can all be entered right on-site!
- Your RSR is always available to take your phone call or respond to your email with their handheld computer, G-Trak on the Go!
Route Service Supervisor – A dedicated RSS will be assigned specifically to your company.
- You will talk to the same person every time you call or email us!
- Your RSR and RSS are in constant communication daily – this team approach helps us make sure you get the best service possible!
- Your RSS will visit you on a routine basis to see how things look and listen to your feedback.
- Route Service Supervisors will perform G-Reviews on a predetermined schedule.
Service Boards – posted on site, so we can communicate directly with uniform wearers.
- Service Request Cards will be available for employees to fill out should they need a repair made to their garment.
- An orientation form will be posted for new hires to learn how the uniform program works.
- A communication flyer will display the name of your RSR and RSS, their phone numbers and email addresses.
- Should there be a change in your delivery needed due to a holiday, we'll be sure to post a flyer announcing the change.


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Product search results for brand:Hudson Onslow: (1 to 9 of 9)
Order by: Relevance | Price: Low to High, High to Low
H&O Cowl Neck 3/4 Sleeve Dress
Specially designed by Suzi. This flattering chiffon cowl-neck dress is crafted in our new and exclusive semi-digital print. This exciting new painting method allows the elegant shades of blue to shine through this beautiful floral design. Bias-cut with...
H&O Waterfall Blouse
Crafted in a sophisticated textured georgette fabric, this elegant edge-to-edge three-quarter sleeve blouse has a stylish waterfall front. Perfect teamed with our matching skirt or simply with a pair of smart trousers for an easy, chic outfit.
Hudson & Onslow Cowl Neck Print Blouse
This beautiful blouse is designed by Suzi in our exclusive and elegant chiffon rose print. A sophisticated cowl-neck, flattering short sleeves and full lining in a soft jersey fabric means this blouse offers your wardrobe a touch of wearable luxury.
Hudson & Onslow Print Dress Length 48in
Bias-cut in floaty chiffon and crafted from our exclusive print, this flattering dress is simply stunning. Designed by Suzi with a sophisticated double layer sleeve and fully lined in a soft jersey for comfort.
Hudson & Onslow Print Skirt Length 32in
Our floaty chiffon skirt is designed with elasticated waistband for comfort and fashioned from our exclusive rose print fabric. Bias-cut with frill panels to hem for a perfect swish!
Hudson & Onslow Sweater with Flowers
Our beautiful sweater has been crafted in an elegant fine knit yarn. The delicate tonal petals to the neckline add a touch of feminine style.
Hudson & Onslow Tailored Skirt
A beautifully tailored skirt designed in panels to create an elegant silhouette. Side-zip fastening and elastication for comfort and style.
Print Skirt With Satin Trim Length 32in
The vibrant colours in our exclusive pansy print make this skirt a striking addition to any wardrobe. Crafted in flattering panels with satin piping for a beautifully fluid full skirt and designed with waist elastication for comfort and fit. Fully lined.
Tailored Jacket With Print Scarf
Elegant tailored jacket crafted in a beautiful soft-handle fabric with flattering one-button detail. Comes complete with detachable print scarf. Fully lined.
Still looking? Check these outlets
Nothing found, try another search


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How do you determine what the tone quality of a singer's voice should be?
A singer's tone should be determined by his or her own individual vocal anatomy and not a predetermined ideal held by a teacher – or the student, for that matter! It should be a blend of the top, middle, and bottom resonance qualities that results when the singer's larynx remains in a relaxed, stable position.
What about breathing? Doesn't correct breathing play an important part in your ability to produce good tone?


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Sunday train trial a success
PUBLISHED: 13:03 21 November 2012
A trial which has seen Sunday train services doubled in number has been branded as 'very encouraging'.
The first pilot half-hourly Sunday rail service between Exmouth and Exeter has been well received by passengers, says a spokesman for the line's users.
A count of passengers on the first Sunday of the six-week trial has been hailed as a success.
Tony Day, chairman of the Avocet Line Rail Users Group (ALRUG) said: "Our figures show that the new trains in the timetable were used right from the start, with a significant overall increase in the number travelling, compared to the previous week when the service was only every hour. Passengers we spoke to very much welcome a more frequent service – and hope, like us, that a successful pilot will result in this becoming permanent."
The trial has been made possible by Community Rail funding, with further support from Devon County Council.
First Great Western will run additional trains each Sunday from November 18 to December 23 to give a half hourly service between 10am and 6pm.
Lympstone and Halsdon county councillor Bernard Hughes was on hand to "flag away" an additional train with a borrowed green flag.
Cllr Hughes, chairman of the Devon and Exeter Rail Project Working Party, said "These extra trains running through to St David's will make connections with the main line much easier – as well as benefitting Christmas shoppers in Exmouth and Exeter.
"If the trial proves successful then Devon will work with the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, ALRUG and the train operating company to consider further such improvements. Our aim is to see enhanced rail capacity across the Exeter travel to work area."
The additional train services are being part funded by the Department for Transport, Network Rail and Association of Community Rail Partnerships through the Designated Community Rail Development Fund.


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Ask, answer and talk about our products
For the past two days the Internet has been mostly very poor here in Cairns North. But the TPG report says there are no issues.
A SpeedTest, when it can connect at all, ranges from full speed (for me anyway) down to 1.89 Mbps download, 0.67 Mbps upload.
Oh, in trying to report this here, the connection has dropped out twice.
Good eve @peter3193,
Welcome to TPG Community!
We've run some remote test and was not able to detect any fault on the NBN network. Your modem session has been stable for more than 1 week now. You might need to give your modem a quick rest for it to perform much better again.
Please turn Off the modem for a few secs then turn if back On. Let's see if it's going to do the trick.
Keep us posted on what will happen.
Kind regards,
Well the tests you ran were not adequate for my location. I contacted TPG and they did a test and agreed there was a problem upstream of my modem. Issued ticket #8411902. They resolved whatever was the problem yesterday and its been stable for 24 hours. Ticket was closed today.
Hi @peter3193,
Apologies for the confusion. I've managed to pull up the account that has the escalated fault ticket and it shows that the connection has gone stable now after the remote testings and investigation done by our Engineering Team. Kindly continue to monitor the connection. If the issue still persists, please don't hesitate to let us know.


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We are delighted to present the inaugural edition of NAFTA NEWS, a periodic newsletter offering important information and insight as the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement takes shape in 2017. NAFTA NEWS is produced by three of North America's leading government relations and public affairs consulting firms, Manatt Jones Global Strategies; Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP; and TACTIX Government Relations and Public Affairs.
Through Manatt's and ManattJones' offices in Washington, D.C., and Mexico City, and TACTIX' head office in Ottawa, the firms are collaborating to provide their respective clients with the critical information and experienced judgment global companies and North American industry associations need to help navigate the choppy NAFTA waters. Each edition of NAFTA NEWS will provide our readers with need-to-know information and political insights from the three NAFTA national capital cities.
The Liberal Party of Canada did not include NAFTA negotiations in its 2015 election platform, and NAFTA was not on the new government's radar screen upon taking office that fall. To wit, NAFTA was not mentioned in the Dec. 4, 2015, Speech from the Throne, and the mandate letters provided by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to the then-minister of foreign affairs and minister of international trade made no reference to NAFTA. Things changed dramatically on Nov. 8, 2016.
In light of the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, managing the Canada-U.S. relationship quickly became Prime Minister Trudeau's most significant file. To that end, a "surgical" Cabinet shuffle was executed in early January 2017, placing the Honorable Chrystia Freeland as the new minister of foreign affairs. Astute government watchers noticed with interest that Minister Freeland, formerly the minister of international trade, retained her responsibilities for managing the Canada-U.S. file, including trade relations. Normally, Canada-U.S. trade would be within the purview of the international trade minister.
Moreover, signaling the critical importance of the Canada-U.S. relationship on Canadian economic interests, the Prime Minister's Office bolstered its ranks by bringing Minister Freeland's trusted chief of staff at International Trade, Brian Clow, into the PMO to coordinate Canada-U.S. relations. Clow leads a small, tightly knit PMO team.
The bipartisan approach taken by the government is another key indicator of the prime minister's focus on the Canada-U.S. relationship. Former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, whose government signed the original Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and negotiated the trilateral NAFTA, has been called upon to deploy his impressive Rolodex in pressing the Canadian case in Washington, D.C., and in the U.S. business community. Mulroney's personal relationships include President Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Last month Mulroney briefed, and no doubt advised, the Cabinet Committee on Canada- United States Relations, chaired by the Hon. Marc Garneau, on his findings and recommended approach to managing this file. Furthermore, provincial premiers of varying political hue have been deployed to D.C. and to key state capitals to remind American decision-makers and influencers of the importance of the Canada-U.S. trade relationship south of the 49th parallel.
Although by no means exhaustive of the key Canadian players on the Canada-U.S. file, the following offers a thumbnail sketch of four individuals who will have central roles as NAFTA negotiations commence in 2017.
Targeting Vulnerabilities to Change Behaviour
Hon. Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P.: A well-known journalist and author before jumping into the political arena, Freeland received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University before continuing her studies on a Rhodes Scholarship at the University of Oxford. After completing her studies, she worked as a journalist for the Financial Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, The Globe and Mail, and Thomson Reuters, where she was a managing director of the company. Freeland has an impressive number of contacts and relationships in both the American business community and U.S. political circles.
Steve Verheul: Verheul has been appointed as Canada's chief trade negotiator for NAFTA. He brings an impressive international trade résumé to the NAFTA negotiating table. In early 2009, Verheul was appointed as Canada's chief trade negotiator for trade relations between Canada and the European Union (CETA), successfully concluding the CETA negotiations that recently received parliamentary approval. Prior to that, he worked in international trade policy at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada from 1989 to 2009, where he worked on the initial NAFTA negotiations, the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations and the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.
Brian Clow: Clow is the director of Canada-U.S. relations in the PMO. Before taking on this assignment earlier this year, he served as chief of staff to then-Minister of International Trade Freeland. Hailing from Toronto, Clow worked on Kathleen Wynne's campaign to lead the Liberal Party of Ontario, subsequently serving as Premier Wynne's executive director of issues management and legislative affairs at Queen's Park. He then transitioned to the federal Liberal Party, working as a researcher in the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition under then- Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, and subsequently as a key organizer for the 2015 federal election campaign, tasked with issues management and rapid response for Justin Trudeau.
Hon. Andrew Leslie, P.C., M.P.: Leslie was elected as the Liberal member of Parliament, representing Orléans, in 2015. He initially held the role of chief government whip but, as part of Prime Minister Trudeau's intense focus on Canada-U.S. relations, in early 2017 he was appointed parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, with special responsibilities for Canada-U.S. relations. Leslie enjoyed a decorated 35-year career with the Canadian Armed Forces, during which he built important relationships with American military leadership. His military career included a variety of command and staff positions in numerous overseas postings with the U.N. and NATO. General Leslie served on international missions, including leading troops in Germany, Cyprus, the former Yugoslavia and, most recently, Afghanistan. In 2006, he became chief of the land staff/army commander and in 2011 was appointed the chief of transformation, where he served until his retirement from the military.
Mexico was facing economic and political challenges prior to the candidacy and election of Donald Trump. Sluggish growth and lower-than-expected oil prices led to reduced tax revenue and subsequent budget cuts. Furthermore, the popularity ratings of President Enrique Peña Nieto (EPN) have fallen to historic lows. Thus, the sense of uncertainty that already pervaded Mexico was exacerbated by President Trump´s rhetoric, especially comments related to the construction of a border wall (paid for by Mexico); changes in policy to facilitate the deportation of millions of immigrants; statements in favor of a border adjustment tax; and most importantly, a promise to renegotiate or withdraw from NAFTA. Together these developments have taken the peso on a wild ride, led ratings agencies to give Mexico a negative outlook and created a broad climate of uncertainty in the country.
Recognizing that the North American economy has changed since NAFTA was negotiated in the early 1990s, Mexico has long been open to modernizing the agreement and had hoped to use passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to achieve this outcome. When President Trump officially withdrew the United States from the TPP, the renegotiation of NAFTA provided the only viable opportunity to update this critical agreement.
In the face of U.S. threats against Mexican interests, Mexican public opinion has been unified in its demands that the Peña Nieto administration not yield to Trump's pressure, despite the internal political, economic and social challenges facing President Peña Nieto. The Mexican administration has been quite consistent in its public statements that Mexico will not accept the unilateral imposition of changes to NAFTA by the United States and would, if necessary, allow the agreement to end rather than accepting diminished trade provisions. The constant Mexican admonition to "do no harm" has been echoed by the business communities in all three countries. Defending the long-established cross-border supply chains, especially for the automotive sector, and underscoring the value of North American production will be Mexico's top priorities.
Mexico is of course highly dependent on the United States; roughly 80% of the country's exports flow north, including manufactured goods that cross the border numerous times prior to completion and products assembled in Mexico from U.S.- or other foreign-sourced inputs. Nevertheless, prior to and especially following Trump's threat to withdraw, Mexico has conducted a broad outreach campaign to underscore that the trade relationship is not one- sided, with particular focus on agriculture-reliant states in the U.S. Midwest that would suffer significant harm from a return to WTO-bound tariff rates for their exports. Further, EPN has instructed his secretary of economy to seek opportunities to diversify Mexico's export markets, with particular focus on Argentina, Brazil, the Pacific Alliance and Asia, and to explore increased agricultural imports from Argentina and Brazil. A similar effort has been promoted within the Mexican Congress.
Though the Mexican government had not planned on a renegotiation, it has a number of seasoned trade negotiators on which to rely. Not only did the same team negotiate the TPP, but Mexico has more free trade agreements with more countries than any other country. Key members of the Mexican team include:
Secretary for Foreign Relations Luis Videgaray: As one of Peña Nieto's closest advisors, Videgaray will play a gatekeeper role in the negotiations. By reviewing all decisions, he hopes to ensure that Mexico's positions reflect interagency consensus. Videgaray has developed a close relationship with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has been tasked with managing the U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship. It was Videgaray who orchestrated Trump's August 2016 visit to Mexico, which was at the time widely criticized.
Secretary of Economy Idelfonso Guajardo: Guajardo is a longtime government official and also served in the Congress. He has been Peña Nieto's secretary of the economy since the inauguration in 2012. He is the direct counterpart to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and will officially lead the Mexican delegation. Guajardo is an experienced negotiator who will aggressively defend Mexican interests while also working to find compromises where possible, as evidenced through his leadership of the Mexican TPP delegation.
Ambassador Geronimo Gutierrez: As Mexico's ambassador in Washington, Gutierrez will play a prominent role during the negotiations and when the revised agreement goes before the U.S. Congress. Gutierrez was the managing director of the North American Development Bank (NADBank), the latest in a long series of North American-related government positions he has held throughout his career, including as undersecretary for North America at Mexico's foreign ministry (SRE). This experience made him an ideal choice to be ambassador, and he has been a strong advocate in Washington for his country since assuming his position earlier this year.
Private Sector Advisors: A number of former NAFTA negotiators and Mexican trade officials are providing advice to the Peña Nieto administration from positions in the private sector. Herminio Blanco was the chief NAFTA negotiator and played a leading role in its approval by the U.S. Congress. Luis de la Calle is a former undersecretary for international trade (2000–02) and a frequent commentator on trade issues. Jaime Zabludovsky is another former NAFTA negotiator who now serves as chairman of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations. Moises Kalach leads the business community's engagement with the Mexican government; he played the same role during the TPP negotiations. All will provide advice to the current Mexican team and will be crucial to gaining approval and acceptance for a renegotiated NAFTA within the Congress and civil society. United States
During the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, international trade agreements, especially NAFTA, and the U.S. trade deficit received more attention than in many years. The subsequent election of Donald Trump, a candidate who opposed U.S. ratification of the TPP and called NAFTA one of the worst trade deals ever negotiated, raised the possibility that the United States would withdraw from the NAFTA agreement. Within days of his inauguration, Trump formally withdrew from the TPP and has repeated his calls for the renegotiation of NAFTA.
Despite the clear rhetorical focus on trade and NAFTA, Washington observers and insiders alike most often use the word "uncertainty" to describe the prevailing mood. The reasons include a lack of clarity from the Trump administration on its overall objectives for a renegotiation of the NAFTA agreement (and a brief threat to withdraw in late April), very public disagreements within the White House regarding how to approach NAFTA and trade more generally, and, until recently, the absence of a confirmed U.S. trade representative (USTR). The administration's top priorities for NAFTA renegotiation are the trade deficit, rules of origin, digital trade/e- commerce and customs barriers. The administration's expectation is to move quickly before the 2018 election season.
The Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Act, which allows the administration to present a new or renegotiated trade agreement to the Congress for an up or down vote, requires that the administration officially notify the Congress of its intentions 90 days before negotiations commence. The administration notified Congress on May 18 of its intent to renegotiate the agreement with identical letters to House and Senate leadership; negotiations can now commence as soon as Aug. 16. The current TPA applies to agreements reached before July 1, 2018, with a possible extension to July 1, 2021.
Of the many administration officials, including the president, who will have a key role in the negotiations, four stand out as critical players in the current development of a U.S. negotiating position.
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross: Since his nomination, and especially in the absence of a confirmed USTR until recently, Ross has played a much larger role than is traditional for the commerce secretary. Ross has taken a hard line on bilateral disputes, including those regarding dairy and lumber with Canada and sugar with Mexico. He also has been very clear in his view that the United States has been taken advantage of in its free trade agreements.
USTR Robert Lighthizer: Now confirmed, Lighthizer will likely reassert his agency's traditional role as the chief trade negotiator. Lighthizer has dedicated his private practice to anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) cases and is a strong proponent of an enhanced focus on enforcement.
National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn: Cohn is one of a number of Trump administration officials who previously worked at Goldman Sachs. Cohn in fact is a former president and COO of the firm. Cohn is a leader of the pro-trade faction within the White House and prevailed over Peter Navarro in late April when Trump threatened NAFTA withdrawal. Cohn was also chosen to present the president's tax reform proposal along with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, underscoring his central role in economic policy.
USTR General Counsel Stephen Vaughn: As acting USTR before Lighthizer's confirmation, Vaughn played a leading role along with Wilbur Ross in the initial congressional consultations regarding NAFTA renegotiation. Like Lighthizer, Vaughn is an AD/CVD attorney and well-known advocate of government support for manufacturing.
The following comments recently shared with us are indicative of the general state of play:
With national elections centering on partisan gridlock and discontent with the old ways of doing business in Washington, lobbying and policy advocacy are undergoing dramatic changes. In today's environment of hyperscrutinized decisions and actions, unprecedented partisan standoffs, and social media, only the most legislatively astute and politically savvy lobbyists are succeeding. Getting your voice heard above the din requires an experienced advocacy team that's adept at executing targeted government relations campaigns.
Our successes are rooted in our government backgrounds. Many of us have enjoyed highly successful careers in public service—as elected officials, political advisors, top staff or nationally recognized operatives. We believe clients are best served by a post-partisan government affairs team. We've developed and implemented winning strategies on the Hill regardless of which party holds a majority in the House or Senate. And we've enlisted administration support regardless of which party holds the presidency. Our team is known for strategic thinking and the ability to execute. It's a product of our public service careers, an arena where the standard of success is the ability to develop and formulate a strategy, from conception to endgame, and then deliver on it.
For further information, visit: Manatt Federal Government Affairs and Public Policy
ManattJones Global Strategies LLC is a strategic consulting firm with over 16 years of experience providing senior government and corporate executives with intelligence, advice and stakeholder engagement support to drive market entry and business expansion efforts in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Likewise, as a consulting subsidiary of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP, we are able to seamlessly connect Latin American clients to the full range of legal and consulting services of this top-ranked U.S. law firm.
From our offices in Mexico City, Monterrey (Nuevo Leon), Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., our truly binational andbiliterate team has deep regional expertise and an invaluable presence on the ground. We have a proven track record of success, expert knowledge of the market and regulatory environment, and connections at the highest levels of business and politics. In addition, we will work with local strategic partners and business associations to support your business when necessary.
For further information, visit Manatt Jones Global Strategies
TACTIX is a strategic advisor to leading Canadian and Fortune 500 companies. Since 1996, TACTIX' highly skilled professionals have created innovative solutions to complex government relations threats and opportunities, helping clients achieve their business objectives and deliver results for executive leadership and shareholders.
TACTIX delivers sound judgment, with integrity and insight. With office locations in Ottawa and Toronto, and with trusted associates in other key provincial capitals to be called upon as required to meet client needs, our senior strategic advisors have considerable expertise and experience dealing with governments across Canada.
This newsletter has been prepared by TACTIX Government Relations and Public Affairs; ManattJones Global Strategies, LLC; and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, to provide information on recent developments of interest to our readers. It is not intended to provide legal advice for a specific situation or to create an attorney-client relationship.


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Zambi would like to thank our generous individuals and companies for their continued support.
Allen Linz
Peter von Sperl
Eugene Marchese
Gil Baron
Planning a corporate team building activity?
You're probably looking for two things: a specific objective that's important to your organisation, and an activity that your staff – even the skeptical ones – will actually enjoy, rather than spending the day rolling their eyes.
A team is an important, dynamic unit working together to achieve success in accomplishing a goal. What determines how effectively a team will work together? Lots of things. To create an autonomous, hard-working, high-producing group of individuals is challenging, and there are many factors that will influence your team's success.
"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift."
For available dates and more information email Donna firstname.lastname@example.com
The Big Challenge


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I thought The Master was probably the best film last year, and really under appreciated. I find all of Christoper Nolan's films very stiff and dull. I agree they are different filmmakers under different sets of circumstances. And what is with the scores in Nolan's films? I just watched the last Batman one he did the other day and the score just pounds your ears into submission, and not in a good way. It's just this heavy strain of melodrama constantly feeding every dull scene in such a manipulative way. I thought the second half of Inception was decent but still a very dull film.


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Hello Everyone! I'm sharing on the Miss Kate Cuttable's Blog today. I recently went to a scrapbook weekend and created lots of fun layouts using Miss Kate files. This layout includes a cut that is one of my favorites!
Before we check it out don't forget to grab the Freebie of the Day.
Here is my Puppy Layout....
Instead of using a title I decided to make the SVG cut my focus on the layout.
I used the Puppy File.
Here's the cut on my layout...
Thanks for stopping by today :)


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More than 350 national and international ads, worked with the bollywood stars, sports personalities and a leading name as a creative director; that is Avinash Nanda for you! He was also one of the judges of 'Mu Miss Odisha Beauty Pageant 2014' with Bollywood's Gaurav Chopra, Ileana D'Cruz and Archita Sahu.
Bhuaneswar born Avinash Nanda is now all set to create a record with his upcoming movie 'Two Desires & A Dream' starring worlds first ever quadriplegic actor Jitendra Biswal & the very talented Mumbai based model Swapna Pati. The shooting of the film which started in the mid of 2015 is now becoming a center of discussion in the B-Town.
The 35-minute short film focused on a person with extreme disability and how he develops a beautiful relationship with a normal girl. With the progress of the film it has turned into a 90 minute full length movie with an amazing story line. Even bollywood's one of the most versatile actor Boman Irani tweeted himself up on the request.
Wish you the very best Jitendra! https://t.co/JZVL1jPedD
— Boman Irani (@bomanirani) October 18, 2016
Bollywood actors like Preeti Jhangiani, Hemant Choudhury, Aryan Vaid and Brijendra Kala are also starcasted in the movie. Watch The Trailer Below.


text: Arborguy 7 Report post Posted April 28, 2016 Although this topic has been covered many times i would like to voice my current situations and options. I have recently purchased a manual 328i e36 msport coupe. After changing springs i found that all but one shocks are pretty much poked My original plan was to buy Bilstein B8 shocks and purchase springs down the line to end up with a quality suspension setup and not require a LVV cert and will great on the road and the occasional track day. Since i have discovered that my car is actually not factory manual transmission. After checking the VIN online and having a look under the shift boot there appears to be wiring for what i presume to be the automatic trans controls. As far as i understand the car would require a LVV certification for the manual conversion (even through the car just passed a WOF last week). My car also seems to have a lean to the drivers side at the front and rear which i would presume be caused by softening springs ( not dead shocks as far as i am aware?). Having weighed up my options i would like some advice from those who have personal experience with the setups i am considering. I currently have jamex springs in the car (I presume they are of the super low flavor) and a spare set of what i believe are Msport springs. Bilstein B8 shocks. $250 each for rears and $370 each per front strut = $1240 for the set from speed factor Second hand bilstein shocks of a Bimmersport member that i may be able to be rebuilt and re-valved + unknown at this stage Koni sports. Was quoted over $500 each per front strut so a lot more than i am willing to spend on shocks alone! $1600+ Brand new BC Gold Coilovers for $1250-$1500. Brand new D2 Coilovers. 9kg front 9.5kg rear for $1000 Brand new. Presuming i go down the cheaper coilover route i will being getting a certification that i believe i would anyway as the car has been manual converted. Having driven plenty of cars on similar suspension the ride is something i can manage but i don't want to completely ruin my ride as i intend on doing less than 5 track days a year. keeping in mind this car is only driven after work and on weekend. Plenty of spirited windy roads! I was originally intent on bilstiens but then i would would likely have to buy EWibach springs to have the suspension i desire ending up costing about $1750 for the B8 shocks and springs.... This still leaves me with no certification. I also fear that the end result may be either too low or not low enough! I did also run re-valved Bilstein shocks and Neuspeed race springs in my old Integra type R and loved it! Coilovers seem to offer the adjustable ride hide and adjustable damping that i would be after however i don't want my ride to be ruined. By current setup is standard shocks with Jamex Springs (i have msport springs in my garage), Style 66 wheels (17x8 +20 and 17x9 +26) 225/45 on the front and the same on the rear however i do want to run 245/45 one the rear (i would hate to buy bilstien shocks and Eibach springs only for my tyres to rub around corners i i have to change my wheel and tyre setup to suit whereas coilvers i could adjust the height and rebound. I'm sure there is wealth of knoledge, opinions and experience so please offer any advise you can before i fork out for a new setup, the the cheaper D2's mean i would be able to spend extra money replacing a few bushes that are worn or on their way out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Romeo Teodor Cristina, Hanganu Flavia, Romeu Lazar, Adriana Constantin, Camelia Tulcan, Doru Morar, Ducu S. Stef, Hutu Ioan. . Prevalence of steroid hormone residues by GC-MS/MS screening in animal matrices in Romania. Romanian Biotechnological Letters , 22(1), pp. 12555-1256, 2017.
The aim of this one year survey study was to assess, the prevalence of steroid hormones residues in the aim of National Residue Control Plan. GC-MS/MS in urine, serum, liver and muscle tissue in conformity with SOP ARO / 492-2006, respectively SOP ARO / 534-2008 was performed on 273 samples. Samples were purified using a one-step cleaning, detection being performed to a Varian 320-MS GC-MS/MS spectrophotometer (able to identify and confirm the matrix presence at 0.5 μg.kg-1 or 0.5 μg.L-1), the CCα values
for most compounds being between 0.1-0.3 μg.kg-1 or μg.L-1. The percentage of analyzed samples/species was: 40.29% poultry; 34.43%, cattle; 22.71% swine; 1.43% sheep and goats and respectively 1.09% equines. From total number of samples analyzed for detection of natural or synthetic steroid hormones/category, considered in this study, regardless of the matrix (urine, serum, and muscle tissue), 0.36% of samples were for medroxyprogesterone, 12.09% for estradiol, 31.5% for nortestosterone, respectively 56.05% for trenbolone. Samples analyzed / animal species were compliant for: medroxyprogesterone, estradiol, testosterone and trenbolone-cloud. In the case of estradiol, values identified were between 0.01-0.03 ppb for β fraction and of 0.01-0.06 ppb, for α fraction, but below detection limit of the method used.
steroid hormones, residues, GC-MS/MS screening, animal matrices
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Romeo Teodor Cristina


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Welcome to NTK SSRP
NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.), Inc. is pleased to introduce our Salvage Sensor Recovery Program (SSRP) to all professional technicians. NTK Oxygen Sensors is a brand within the NGK Spark Plug (U.S.A.), Inc. product lineup.
NGK developed the SSRP program to encourage responsible practices in the automotive aftermarket by promoting the recovery of replaced oxygen sensors. NGK's SSRP program will reward technicians who recover oxygen sensors similar to the box top program rewards offered to technicians for collecting UPC codes. SSRP is designed for those who choose to reduce, re-use and recycle.
Technicians collect thirty (30) replaced oxygen sensors and mail them postage paid to NGK. Once we receive and verify the contents of the package, we will then mail you a $15.00 gift card.


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Following the success of Introduction To Morningstar Style Box, I thought it might be a good idea to start writing more introductory level articles about investing. In this introduction to investing in the stock market series of articles, I will attempt to answer three basic questions:
A stock is basically a share of ownership in a corporation. When you buy 1 share of Microsoft you own a tiny fraction of the company (approximately 1/8,400,000,000) — so I really meant it when I said tiny. In other words, to own 1% of Microsoft, you would have to own about 84 million shares, or approximately $2.2 billion worth of Microsoft stocks (as of 4/20/2011).
Fundamentally, there are two ways that you can make money in the stock market.
Often, we speak of the stock market as if it's a singular entity that exists somewhere. In fact, there are many physical stock markets, called stock exchanges. Two well-known stock exchanges in the United States are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ).
Other major stock exchanges include:
You can see a more comprehensive list of major stock exchanges at Wikipedia.
When you hear the newscaster report the "Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 400 points," he is referring to what we called a stock market index. There are many stock indices around the world, and the most well-known ones in the United States are:
There are many stock market indices from around the world, for example:
I hope this series of articles help you understand the concepts stock, stock market, and stock market index a little better. As a follow up to this article, I'd like to recommend: Practical Investing Guide For Beginners. If you hands on investing is not for you, you can also check out investing for beginners using Betterment.
Reviewed and updated April 20, 2011.
Great article and introduction. To speak to Kevin's point above, if you approach stock picking from a value basis, your investing becomes less speculative. Rather, you are looking for stocks that are priced inaccurately low (remember, the stock market is not perfect) given the company fundamentals and growth expectations. Of course, there is always risk, but careful selection with thorough research can minimize this risk. This is a longer-term investment strategy.
Great post and very informative. People just need to remember that investing in the stock market is more like speculating than true investing. Even with dividend paying stocks, you are buying an equity position in a company and equity is only worth what people "think" it is worth.
Unlike income producing assets or known returns, equities can lose all their value overnight or triple in that same timeframe – based on people's perceptions. That being said, some equity is entities is less risky than others simply because they have been around longer. But don't be fooled by this either. GM stock is now trading at levels not seen since the early 1970's. That means the company has receded in value since then – not grown.
Great post though to help with the unraveling of what it means to be investing in the stock market.
I've been looking forward to a series of posts like this for awhile. Looking forward to the rest of the posts! As a beginner, it's very daunting to try to understand the stock market, especially with just a little bit of income to invest.
Great way to put into perspective with 1 percent of Microsoft. I always wondered how many shares one percent was and had to laugh when I found out here that it was 93 million shares.
But indeed, purchasing a share means ownership. In a sense, you are taking responsibility for your company's action which is why we vote at the meetings if we approve or disapprove of the direction the company is heading in.
Now only if we could vote on the company's discretionary funds and dividend payouts…
Looking forward to reading more.
Great article about the stock market. It's too bad the Dow is headed for a 200 point drop today and moving towards a 3-month low.


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Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) got a budget deal passed through the House of Representatives on Thursday, but he continued to alienate some of the Republican base in the process by doubling down on criticism of conservative groups.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Boehner, who is in his term as Speaker of the House, said that conservative groups opposing the budget deal are "using our members" and "using the American people."
Those comments have been called a "line in the sand" against conservative groups and have drawn praise from moderate Republicans, including former Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-LA), who referred to the groups as the "Flat Earth Society."
Conservative groups quickly fired back at Boehner, saying that the deal is a surrender by Republicans on spending and the promise of spending cuts in the future is dubious, at best.
But Boehner doubled down on the criticism on Thursday, shortly before the vote on the budget deal, after a question from a reporter about his comments from the previous day.
"Well, frankly, I think they're misleading their followers, pushing members into places they don't want to be," Boehner told the reporter. "And, frankly, I think that they've lost all credibility."
Boehner then derided the groups for the push to fund Obamacare in September and October, the result of which was a government shutdown. "You know, they pushed us into this fight to defund Obamacare and to shutdown the government," said Boehner. "Most of you know, and my members know, that wasn't exactly the strategy I had in mind."
"But if you'll recall, the day before the government reopened, one of the people at one of these groups stood up and said, 'Well, we never thought it would work.' Are you kidding me?!" he added. That particular comment drew laughter from reporters in the room.
Boehner said that he is "as conservative as anybody" in Congress and he not violated any conservative principle. "Not once," he said. When asked if he wanted conservative groups to stand down on the budget deal, Boehner dismissively replied, "I don't care what they do."
Boehner may not care what these groups do, but he should. His comments are ill-advised because he isn't just alienating groups he needs to help turnout voters next year, but also may have strained his standing with some of his members. Ben Domenech, editor of The Federalist, reported via Twitter that "[s]taffers for people who backed the plan are NOT happy about Boehner's comments."
FreedomWorks, one of the groups that opposes the budget agreement and will key vote against it, fired back at Boehner and openly questioned his credibility to make any sort of promises that the deal will reduce deficits.
"Speaker Boehner may not care about what fiscally conservative groups do, but grassroots Americans still care about what he's doing in Washington. When it comes to 'credibility,' actions speak louder than words," said Matt Kibbe, President and CEO of FreedomWorks. "And right now, it looks like the Speaker is leading the charge for spending increases and recruiting Democrat votes in the House to help get it done.
"The math is not that complicated. They are spending another $63 billion that we don't have. The American people deserve to have a voice in this process, especially since we are going to be the ones to foot the bill," he added.
The budget — referred to in this space as the "Republican Surrender Act of 2013" — rolls back $63 billion of spending cuts, agreed upon in the bipartisan Budget Control Act of 2011 and sets discretionary spending levels for FY 2014 and FY 2015 at $1.012 trillion and $1.013 trillion.
The agreement will supposedly achieve the $23 billion in purported deficit reduction through increased fees (ie. taxes) on airline passengers and various changes to minor government programs and larger contributions from federal employees to their pensions. The rollback in the sequester is put on the backend of the 10-year budget window. That's a problem because a lot could change over that time.
"During this time, we will have had one, possibly two more presidents, and we will have had four different elected congresses with little-to-no ownership of this current deal," wrote Jason Yaworske at Heritage Action. "The cuts in this bill are so back loaded that a full 55 percent of the cuts ($47 billion out of $85 billion) occur in just the last two years."
The deficit reduction this bill brings isn't responsible way to achieve this end. First, it raises taxes, no matter how Boehner and others want to spin it. The other costs savings measures, such as mandating some agencies not to spend excess money from accounts, should have been done anyway.
Thirdly, federal pensions need to be reformed and whatever costs savings are achieved through that shouldn't be used to finance new spending, which is, unfortunately, what this deal does.
Lastly, this budget deal provides a framework for future concessions on sequester spending. Assume Republicans don't take the Senate in 2014, House Republicans will face the same doomsday type rhetoric again and again until the much-needed spending cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act are rendered meaningless.
The battle is now in the Senate, there's nothing that can be done about the vote that occurred yesterday in the House. Thankfully, many Republicans in the upper chamber are skeptical of the deal, though, there will probably be enough support from Senate Democrats will probably ram it through.


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At EY-Parthenon, we look at many software companies in due diligence engagements for technology-oriented investors. These companies span many vertical market sectors, including health care IT, SMB office software, various enterprise application subsectors, financial services, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) and human capital management (HCM). There is a lot of commonality across these companies, which leads to the question, "What makes a good software company?"
At the top level, revenues, income in the form of EBIDTA and year-over-year (YoY) revenue growth are familiar metrics that define a good company. Everyone wants a $100m revenue company with 90% gross margins, 40% EBITDA margins and 20% growth of the top line YoY. But drill down a little further, and there are other elements that make a good software company that are worth exploring in more detail.
In this multi-part article, we look at the deeper elements that go into a good software company, how we assess them and some potential pitfalls that companies fall into. While the bottom line is financial, these sometimes less-tangible traits help measure a company's ability to grow into a company whose financial performance can meet or exceed top-tier metrics.
Business model
The preeminent business model for installed software has been the perpetual license with an annual fee for maintenance and updates, typically 20% of base license cost. Over time, as companies have moved to software as a service (SaaS), where software is delivered as a web-based application running on the vendor's servers (or in the public cloud), the model has moved to a subscription basis on an annual or multiyear (typically three-year) basis.
The move away from perpetual licensing means that companies are not limited to the 20% annual maintenance fee and can move to a recurring revenue model, which supports smoother growth, as opposed to large chunks of up-front revenue for perpetual licenses.
Product road map
An area of importance for investors is the product road map, or a company's plan for future product evolution and growth. The road map is often owned by the product management organization or jointly with the R&D organization. Typically, there is a near-term product road map covering a rolling 12 to 18 months of product development, and a long-term road map, which looks out three to five years. The near-term road map is often more tactical, addressing immediate demands of the market with new features, integration with other products and services, and projects to improve performance or scalability. The long-term road map should be strategic, looking at adding new capabilities, expanding markets, and confirming long-term sustainability and growth of the product.
We often see road maps that are either too tactical, focused only on immediate needs and customer demands, or too vague in terms of things that can actually be achieved economically and in a reasonable time frame. Obviously, the near-term road map should be more detailed in terms of actual features and delivery dates, but long-term road maps need to be articulated with a certain amount of credibility about the company's ability to execute on them.
We look at the quality of the product road map and, in particular, its ability to support the company's growth plan.
A good company will:
- Have a detailed product road map outlined by quarter for the next 12 to 18 months
- Develop a rolling product calendar covering the next six quarters
- Balance short-term customer needs, infrastructure projects (sometimes referred to as technical debt remediation) and product growth opportunities
- Have a strategic two- or three-year long-term road map that connects to the company's growth plan and can be credibly executed
- Have a product portfolio management process that evaluates and prioritizes potential additions to the product road map
Product architecture
Architecture is the high-level design or structure of a product. It is owned by the R&D organization, usually headed by a chief architect and supported by product architects attached to the development teams.
Architecture provides the "rules of the road" for building applications. It confirms that the technology stack (programming languages, frameworks, tools and services) is consistent and vetted for fit for purpose. It governs the type of solutions that developers can propose and implement, which ultimately controls product maintainability, performance, scalability and ability to evolve to meet future needs without requiring a wholesale rewrite.
There are many aspects of architecture that come into play in developing a product or a suite of products:
- Choice of tech stack
- Choice of architectural pattern or overall structure
- Definition of a governance process for selecting new third-party or open source licensed software used in the product
- Definition of an architectural review process that verifies that proposed solutions conform to the "rules of the road" set out for developing new solutions
Good software companies have a strong architectural practice that tends to these aspects. This is especially important for larger companies that have multiple products and companies that grow through acquisition. But even for smaller, single-product companies, good architecture makes the difference between a company that can grow smoothly and strategically with positive EBITDA, and one that is "a mess" and stuck with a disparate set of products that cannot be integrated or evolve for growth without significant investment in rewriting code.
The best companies, and particularly companies with multiple products, have an architecture review board that is chaired by the CTO or chief architect and includes architects or senior developers from each of the product teams.
Let's look at each of the aspects of architecture in more detail.
Tech stack
The tech stack is the programming language, supporting frameworks, databases and other third-party services that are used to develop the product. The tech stack is an important choice early in the life cycle of the product. There are many tech stacks in use today in modern software development. At some level, it doesn't really matter which stack is chosen. Successful products have been built in different stacks, there are pros and cons with all of them, and personal preference and experience of the development teams is often a guiding factor in the choice.
The most important things relative to the tech stack are arguably as follows:
- It is widely used – mainstream programming languages mean it's easier to find good developers, often the most critical resource in a software company.
- It has good fit for purpose – a high throughput financial application has different needs than a large-scale web application, etc.
- It is able to support product scalability and evolution – can the tech stack chosen carry the company through many years of growth and technology change?
One of the biggest issues that larger companies face, especially those that have grown through acquisition, is that there are multiple tech stacks in use in different parts of the company and different products (and sometimes in the same product). This can lead to "siloing" of the R&D organization. Developers in different tech stacks cannot be easily moved from one product to another. Sometimes, however, this cannot be avoided. A red flag is a proliferation of languages and tech stacks within one company or within a product.
Architectural patterns
A well-architected software product conforms to a well-known architectural pattern. Examples of architectural patterns are Service-Oriented Architectures (SOAs), multi-tier architectures and parallel processing architectures. These patterns have been developed over time to fit particular types of applications. They control the ability of the product to scale and to evolve.
For example, in a loosely coupled architecture, different components of the software do not have internal dependencies on one another, meaning that they can be developed somewhat independently and integrated based on a set of contracts, or rules for how they interact. Older, tightly coupled architectures mean that there is more shared assumption about how the pieces work together, and they are less easy to evolve.
With the proliferation of web-based SaaS applications, SOAs have become common. An SOA fosters a number of positive attributes in creating applications: separation of presentation (user interface) from business logic and common services, like data persistence, loose coupling and move of application infrastructure to the cloud (i.e., a public Infrastructure as a service, such as Amazon Web Services). Most mobile applications are built on an underlying SOA.
Software companies with legacy products that have not kept up-to-date with modern architectural patterns like SOA are harder to evolve and costlier to maintain. These include older client and server architectures, such as thick client desktop applications that have more dependencies between client and server components, mainframe-based applications (though mainframes can play as back-end processors in more modern SOA systems), batch-oriented applications, and older-style web applications with dated web application servers. Often, these older architectures must be replaced by wholesale rewrites or hybrid evolution strategies that can be quite costly.
The "-ilities" – assessing the architecture
When we evaluate product architectures, we assess a number of factors that bear on the quality of the architecture:
- Scalability – how does the product scale with usage?
- Extensibility – how easy is it to extend or enhance product functionality without rewriting the underlying platform or re-architecting it?
- "Integratability" – how easy is it to integrate with other products or to use third-party products within the application?
- Reliability – how reliable is the application based on architectural factors?
- Maintainability – how easy is the software to maintain over time and keep up-to-date with underlying operating system, database or other middleware changes?
- Reusability – can code and services that make up the application be reused in other products of the family?
- Security – has attention been paid to data security, penetration by malicious parties and access controls in the architecture?
- Complexity – how complex is the architecture of the application, and are there many moving parts and complicated interfaces?
We also look at use of open source and third-party software in the product (see below), use of well-known architecture patterns and adherence to standards when evaluating an architecture.
All of these architectural factors bear on how much it will cost to maintain and evolve the software, and how it will respond to growth in usage over time.
Client customization
One other important aspect of cost to maintain, evolve and grow a software product that is particular to enterprise software applications is client customization. Large-scale applications that have significant implementation costs will often include customizations that are specific to client needs. These can be as simple as placing a client logo on a login banner, to customizing user interface screens for particular customer needs, to supporting specific business processing rules that vary by customer. Especially in legacy installed products, client customization can result in a significant amount of custom code that must be maintained as the product is evolved. This can be a barrier to moving to new technology platforms or just having customers adopt updated versions of the product.
If client customization features are designed into the product, they can be built in such a way as to be portable when the software is upgraded or evolved. For example, there are third-party software "rules engines" that can allow sets of "if-then-else"-style business rules that support custom business logic in a way that can be supported by business analysts rather than requiring extensive bespoke product code modification. User interface customization mechanisms that allow different fields to be suppressed, customer logos and design themes can also limit the impact of these types of customizations.
Products that require a lot of custom development to support client customizations can be difficult to adapt and modernize without high costs.
Technical debt
Technical debt remediation is work that is required to keep software systems up-to-date that does not include upgrading or adding to functionality. It may include updating for current versions' third-party software components, such as databases, operating systems and application servers. It may also include the need to rewrite software systems to replace older, out-of-date architectures such as those discussed above. Technical debt is typically measured by the amount of effort required to perform these types of tasks, either in terms of man-months or dollar costs.
All software systems develop technical debt over time. Paying off technical debt is analogous to maintaining a house: to stay in good repair, a house must be painted regularly, the roof must be replaced over time, and systems in the house, like the heating system, must be kept up-to-date. It is important for software companies to keep track of technical debt and to have a process in place to prioritize the retirement of technical debt alongside functional enhancements in the product road map.
When we evaluate a software company, we look at both the amount of technical debt that has accumulated around the product, as well as the processes for managing the debt. A good company has a manageable amount of technical debt and good processes for managing and retiring debt. The architecture team is usually the responsible organization for defining and running this process.
Large amounts of technical debt may require a purchaser to increase R&D investment, especially if the debt impedes the ability for the company to evolve the product for growth. Companies that do not have processes to track technical debt may have increased financial, product and support risk.
In Part II of this article, we will address open source software, governance, hosting and security, organization and process of the R&D organization, software development life cycle, and testing.
EYG no. 011580-18Gbl
Learn more about the EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group.


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16 March 2016
Review: 'If We Lived Here' by Lindsey J. Palmer (2015)
After three years of dating and trading nights at their respective New York City apartments, Emma Feit and Nick O'Hare are moving in together. Or they will be, as soon as they find the right place. For two happily-in-love professionals--Nick's a teacher, Emma tutors college-bound teens--with good credit and stellar references, how hard can it be? As it turns out, very--in ways that are completely unexpected.
Suddenly Emma is filled with questions about cohabiting, about giving up her freedom--not to mention about who's going to clean the toilet. And while her best friend plans a dream wedding to her wealthy fiancé, and her older brother settles into suburban bliss, Emma must figure out what home means to her--and how on earth to get there.
I don't know what it is exactly but as soon as I first laid eyes on the book cover of Lindsey J. Palmer's 'If We Lived Here', which was first released in March 2015, I knew this was a book I wanted to read. Maybe it's just the cute house key chain or the pretty home in the background, but luckily the blurb also sounded interesting and I was curious to check out Lindsey J. Palmer's work. I managed to get a review copy of the book through NetGalley (thanks to the publisher!), and while it took me a bit of time to finally sit down with the book, I was excited to give 'If We Lived Here' a chance!
After having been together for roughly three years, thirty-somethings Emma Feit and Nick O'Hare are ready for the next step: finding a new place and moving in together. However, the search for the perfect New York apartment, within a particular budget, isn't the easiest task, especially not when you're doing it next to a full-time job. While Nick is a primary school teacher, Emma tutors high school students who are in the middle of their college application process, which already demands a lot of her time. However, Emma is determined to find that amazing apartment for her and Nick, even when doubt comes around the corner and both of them start to wonder whether this is really what they want.
Lindsey J. Palmer's 'If We Lived Here' is a contemporary story focusing on a topic many readers will be able to relate to: moving in together, and both the positive and negative experiences that come with it. Emma and Nick are ready to take the next step in their relationship, but while they are both excited to find their own perfect apartment and start building their lives together, the decision also comes with uncertainty and fear; will this really work, is this the person I really want to be with? The author has certainly managed to give a realistic portrayal of a modern-day relationship, and I liked both Emma and Nick and found myself rooting for them to make it work together. The author's writing style flowed easily and was comfortable to read, even though I wouldn't have minded a bit more dialogue.
While I liked the basic plotline of this novel and the characters, I couldn't help but feel as if not much was really going on to keep my attention. The story is told from both Emma's and Nick's perspective, but it seemed like it didn't really have a purpose. I would personally have loved more focus on Emma's best friend's wedding or Emma's job helping high school students with their college applications (which would make a great novel in itself, I think); something else next to the search for their new home. On the whole, though, I thought 'If We Lived Here' was an honest, well-written and realistic contemporary women's fiction read that was definitely promising and entertaining at times; it just didn't completely live up to my own expectations of the novel.
For more information about this book:
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Posted by
Jody - A Spoonful of Happy Endings
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MCSE Private Cloud: Microsoft Cloud Certification
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Course guide
Qualification: MCSE Private Cloud: Microsoft Cloud Certification
Study time: Full time – seven to ten days | Part time – two to three months
Vendor: Microsoft
Student support: Personal Success Advisor and Expert Mentors
Prerequisites: MCSA Server 2012
Assessment: Exam based – 70-246 + 70-247
Resources: Internet access and email
Ideal for: Server administrators, systems programmers and network managers
70-246: Monitoring and operating a private cloud with system center 2012
- Private cloud overview
- Deploying cloud services
- Monitoring cloud services
- Service management
- Problem management
- Backup and recovery
- Compliance
- SLAs widgets + dashboards
70-247: Configuring and deploying a private cloud with system center
- VMM overview
- Extending + maintaining
- Application delivery
- Building private clouds servers
- Monitoring servers
- Service management
- Automation
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Actor Charlie Sheen has sold a home in Sherman Oaks for $6.6 million in an off-market transaction, public records show. He bought the house from filmmaker Mike Medavoy four years ago for about $7 million.
Set on about half an acre in guard-gated Mulholland Estates, the two-story Mediterranean was built in 1998 and has six bedrooms and nine bathrooms in more than 9,000 square feet of living space.
The house opens to a two-story entry with a sweeping wrought iron staircase. A formal living room with a fireplace, a dining room, a library/den and a center-island kitchen are among common areas.
A fireplace and private balcony highlight the second-floor master suite.
Rows of French doors connect indoor-outdoor living spaces including a heated veranda. A swimming pool with a raised spa, a built-in barbecue, formal landscaping and an expanse of grass complete the grounds.
Sheen, 50, publicly acknowledged last month that he has been HIV-positive for four years. He said he decided to reveal his condition in order to end a spate of extortion threats from members of his inner circle.
The son of Martin Sheen, he starred in the television sitcoms "Anger Management," "Two and a Half Men" and "Spin City." "Major League" (1989) and "Money Talks" (1997) are among his film credits.
He owns other property in the Los Angeles area, including homes in Beverly Hills and Malibu.
Twitter: @NJLeitereg


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1 Bedroom
Fees Apply find out more
A one bedroomed town house with electric heating. The accommodation comprises of kitchen, lounge/diner with stairs off, bedroom and bathroom with shower over the bath. Outside there is a garden to the side and front.
Property features:
For more information please call our Rutland Street office on 0116 275 63 60 or fill out the form below...
If you would like to apply for one of the properties we have available, please download and complete the application form below. Then email or drop it in to us to complete the application.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a guide that potential tenants get before renting a property. It shows how efficiently a home uses energy, the cost of running a home and recommendations of how to improve the energy efficiency of the property.


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The former head of Merril Lynch takes on HR pros and their biggest common errors – from stack rankings to disrespect
Sallie Krawcheck spent almost 20 years taking on the financial world, working her way to executive positions in some of the world's biggest financial institutions, and now she's taken on HR claiming she's exposing their biggest mistakes.
So what's rankling Krawcheck? Here are the top issues she outlined on LinkedIn
Stack Rankings combined with anonymous 360 degree reviews
"[S]tack rankings that impact compensation and job security, combined with anonymous 360 degree performance reviews? It's a sure-fire recipe for work intrigue, passive-aggressive behavior and back-stabbing."
Treat people disrespectfully when you fire them
"It can be everything from firing someone while he was on vacation with his family… giving someone less than 30 minutes' notice from telling them they're fired, to issuing the public announcement… to minimizing the impact of lay-offs."
Talk ill of people who leave the company
"Some folks just can't seem to help themselves on this one. As soon as a colleague – and particularly a direct report – jumps ship for a competitor, out comes the old 'he's not a real loss'… it makes the employees left wonder if they are "just about to be fired" themselves."
Give slap-dash performance reviews
"Amongst all the files I received on first promotion to manager was the write-up of my own performance review from the prior year. In reading it, I realized that I remembered many of the exact words that my boss had used. As a result, I have tried to be very thoughtful about the performance reviews, going so far as to script many of them. This way the messages were crisp, rather than just the words that came to my mind at the moment."
Hire people just like yourself
"I have heard numerous times, "We don't have the luxury of hiring someone who's different.' Smart boards will push their managers to change their mindsets from the more typical standard of 'hire the best person for the job' to 'put together the best team.' Maybe the point is subtle, but the best team is often one that complements each other; it is not a set of clones of each other, no matter how brilliant or accomplished each individual is."
What common HR mistakes do you see on a regular basis?


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America's third largest city, Chicago, signed a five-year plan Wednesday with eight Chinese cities to promote cooperation in advanced manufacturing and innovative technologies.
The deal, named 2018-2023 Key Sectors Joint Work Plan, was signed at a forum held in Beijing and hailed as a milestone by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel who led a delegation to visit China for closer business ties.
"An open, confident, cooperative and competitive relationship is something we seek," Emanuel said at the 2018 China-Chicago Gateway Cities Investment Cooperation Forum.
Trade between Chicago and China has grown 100 percent since signing the cooperation deal five years ago between the city and major Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai, the mayor said.
"Chicago started something and embarked on a different road five years ago," he said. "If we do this right..., the rain will disappear, the sun will come out, and something beautiful will grow."
Li Chenggang, China's assistant commerce minister, said at the forum that the Chicago delegation's visit displayed support for free trade and opposition to protectionism.
"Under the current situation, the visit showed U.S. local governments and industries are confident in the future of China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation."


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WINDER – Morgan Wages, 18, died Thursday, February 14, 2013.
She was born in Clarke County, the daughter of Susan Wages of Winder. She was a member of the Winder First Baptist Church and a 2012 graduate of Winder Barrow High School.
Survivors in addition to her mother include her grandmother, Carolyn Wages, Winder; aunts, Nan Fortner and Lucretia Carder, both of Winder; uncle, Perry Wages, Winder; and cousins, Nicholas Fortner; Camden, Jeremy and Courtney Fortner; Gavin and Dylan Carder; and Dalton Wages.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, February 17, at 2 p.m., from the Winder First Baptist Church with John Talley officiating. Burial will be in Barrow Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Saturday, February 16, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Smith Funeral Home, Winder, is in charge of arrangements.
Morgan Wages (2-14-13)
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Under-19s Start Preparation
The national 18-man youth squad began preparation for this year's regional under-19 cricket competition in Jamaica with two hectic practice sessions over the weekend.
The 18-man squad, announced by the selectors last Tuesday, had batting and bowling and fielding practice on the concrete surface of the National Gymnasium on Saturday and Sunday under the watchful eyes of new coach Wayne Jackson, manager Carl Moore and chairman of the junior selection panel Lennox Hunte.
The inclement weather has made turf practice impossible and according to Moore, the 18 players short-listed will have their next practice session this weekend.
The squad will then be encamped at the Guyana Cricket Board Hostel from July 6. The final 14-man squad to travel to Jamaica will be selected during the three-week encampment period.
This year's competition which runs from July 25 to August 30 will involve defending three-day champions Leewards Islands, one-day winners, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, host Jamaica, Windward Islands and Guyana and like last year, will include both a three-day and one-day competition. The last time the competition was held in Jamaica (1996) Guyana took the title.
The four Guyanese players on the West Indies President's X1 female under-23 cricket team also practiced with the under-19 players over the weekend.
Anabelle Lewis (Tucber Park Berbice), Indomatie Gordial (Unity East Coast Demerara), Triholder Marshall (Buxton, East Coast Demerara) and Tracy Glasgow (Malteenoes, Georgetown) are the Guyanese on the president's X1 team for the regional under-23 female competition which is scheduled for Trinidad from July 2-6. Gordial is the captain of the team which will be coached by Guyana female coach Ava Baker of Buxton.
Meanwhile, there were no real surprises in the 18-man squad announced by the selectors even though the omission of fast bowler Quinsen Nedd who played in last year's competition raised a few eyebrows. The selection of two leg spinners was also a bit unexpected.
However, the national youth three-man selection panel must be commended for picking a very good squad especially since only two trial matches were possible due to rain.
The practice sessions over the weekend were well organized by the manager and coach and even though most of the batsmen seemed a bit rusty due to their lack of cricket because of the heavy rainfall here over the last month, the youths all seemed eager to work on their game and fitness.
Jackson, a former national under-15 coach, said he was pleased with the weekend's sessions and said he will be trying to identify areas of weakness in the players so that those areas can be worked on as preparations for Jamaica continue.
He is hoping for a break in the weather so that some turf work can be done before the team departs for Reggae country. Both the coach and the manager were disappointed with the level of fitness of most of the players.
"Even though the weather has been bad and there has been very little cricket recently I would have though that the players would have been working on their personal fitness on their own time," said Jackson.
"I don't think players who are aspiring to represent their country should wait on the cricket board to organize training sessions for them.
This is something the players should be doing all year round and not only when an inter-county or regional competition is approaching," the coach opined.
He added that this is not only a problem at the youth level but at the senior level also.
Six players with previous experience at the national under-19 level have been retained in the 18-man squad which will be led by former Guyana under-15 left arm spinner 16 year-old Sauid Drepaul. Former West Indies under-15 left hander Assad Fudadin is the vice captain.
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