text:
Ikat Print Matte Jersey Halter
Style: 570080129
Out of Stock
Lightweight jersey halter borders a diamond ikat print in stripes brightened with summer's Flame red and Blossom pink. 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex. Machine wash. Imported.
- Contoured stretch fit.
- Long halter ties. Elasticized back. Banded bottom can be bloused.
- Hits at the lower hip (26" from shoulder).
Read more… Read less…


text:
Man Slashed In Face By 350-lb Assailant In Gay Hate Crime At Greenwich Village McDonald's
New York Police are looking for a 5'10," 350-lb African- American man in his mid-to-late 30s, who insulted a 22-year-old with gay slurs and then slashed him about the face, neck, back and elbows at a McDonald's in New York's Greenwich Village.
So, there's a lot happening in this scenario. First of all, there's this McDonald's that is "notorious" for violent attacks.
According to the New York Daily News:
In March, five men brawled outside the same McDonald's and video of the fight was posted on YouTube.
Last October, a McDonald's employee used a pipe to beat two women who ran around the cashier's counter and attacked him. The worker was arrested but later cleared by a grand jury.
And in March 2011, 26-year-old Damian Furtch was also attacked and badly beaten, allegedly by a man who didn't like that he was wearing pink shoelaces.
Why this particular McDonald's? Why the West Village? Would the Burger King in Midtown not let them have it their way?
This most recent violent incident, the fourth in 18 months, happened Wednesday night around 7 pm when the suspect started berating an unidentified man. Police say the attacker then pulled out a razor and cut the victim in the face, neck, back and elbows. The victim was later treated at Bellevue Hospital.
The NYPD has released a video surveillance photo and says anyone with info regarding the suspect's identity should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. Anyone facing a similar incident should contact New York's Anti-Violence Project on their hotline at 212-714-1141 or visit the AVP website to report violence anonymously.
@Aidan8: Your comment about how it HAS changed amounts to the understatement of the year.
Can you imagine a situation where on Christopher street, the street where the gay pride movement began, having to place search lights in two sections of it because of the homeless kids who prowl the streets at night? Those kids have ransacked two businesses this year so far and are the main reason why the beautiful, recently reconstructed Christopher street pier closes at midnight instead of being open 24/7.
I do not condone violence but I must say that the incident where the two lesbians crawled over the counter and thought they were going beat up a hard working McDonalds worker made me laugh when they got just what they asked for. He beat the living crap out of them and they welled deserved it. I noticed the last few years that the fireworks that go on after the annual gay pride celebration on the pier is void of white faces at night. It is all black and the majority of the time the police forces the entire crowd to leave the village afterward due to the violence that started occuring about two or three years ago.
A shame indeed it is.
@Bob LaBlah: Took long enough for the racist loonies to show up.
@Bob LaBlah: Took long enough for the ra cist loonies to show up.
What was Rush Limbaugh doing in New York? And, in black-face?
That is quite a disturbing list of events in one area…Maybe someone's selling LSD next door or maybe, as suggested, it's just turned into a bad neighborhood…When the gays spread their wings and leave the nest, they don't really get a say on who follows.
Being black, left-handed or being gay is just as natural. It is a sometimes rare occurrence to fall in Love and to hold that person in your heart and be loved in return … it is something that should be celebrated! If it's between two guys or two girls — all the better. It takes even more courage to defend that LOVE!
The evil writings in Leviticus 18:22 … against gays – depict: "P" … "priestly rules" & expanded by the pope; homophobes and religious frauds … to attack the gay community and never meant to apply to the public — but to priests. Leviticus was written long after Moses — 600BC.
There is no scientific evidence to prove any of the cross related bogus elements of christianity and other religions. Our early human ancestors; on this earth … go back more than 6 million years … 5,996,000 years before the Greeks, Romans and the Jews. Christianity is basically a 2012 year old fictional cult.
In the year 300 AD when Emperor Constantine, who to some was the first pope; went on to fabricate & market Christianity!
Christianity is a fantasy; which turned out to be one of the most hateful & evil concoctions ever perpetrated on the world.
It is written; so therefore it shall be? We are the chosen people? Such a wicked fantasy. To see the religious lunatics manipulate government and our lives is shameful.
The pope and churches fully aware that Leviticus 18:22 applies to priests only … refuse to remove this stigma … maliciously persecuting gays. Kids are being bullied into suicide …!
@Aidan8: What caused the change?
@Ogre Magi: Not sure really. Many of the downtown neighborhoods have changed a lot over the same time period. (E. Village and especially Tribeca, for example) When I was in law school (OK, I'm dating myself here) twenty years ago, the West Village was still very "neighborhoody" and safe. (or at least it felt safe to me) Then we saw more and more rough crowds hanging around Christopher and elsewhere and a big increase in street crime. Residents avoiding certain streets at night was not the norm. Now it is. I guess you can't expect any part of the city to stay the same forever, but it's sad to see once safe very gay-friendly neighborhoods get ugly.
@Aidan8: Are the rough crowds gay or straight?
The West Side Highway and the area on 6th near the subway stations and basketball court have not been "safe" for a long long time. Poor kids of color take the trains downtown and treat anyone who is not one of "them" with contempt and disdain. The residents of the west village, both old and new are treated like they are the problem.
Pity the foolish white guy who will "pick up" one of the street crowd, he is likely to get rolled.
Snatch and grab has been a huge problem with small retail shops in the WV. A crowd of kids just storms in, grabs what they can and then runs out.
No one cares what color anyone is, what people care about is behavior, and if the behavior of people who can best be described as "black" is a problem, that is not racist that is a fact. And trust me I have heard plenty of gay black and latino men refer to the WV crowd as "ghetto."
This really drives home the point that there must be healthier places to eat.If I am in N.Y.C. the last place I would want to eat is McDonalds.I'm certain that one could find a fresh Bagel with lox cream cheese and tomato. I understand that New York City has some of the best Delis in the U.S.
@Ogre Magi: It appears to me, in part based upon anti-gay slurs and violence, that the rough crowds are largely young straight people from outside the neighborhood. There's always been a big bridge-and-tunnel presence here, but if you ask any resident they will tell you this is very very different. I hate to use the word "thug" but that's the word that comes to mind. And the broken windows, trash, noise, and street crime go along with it.
Uh oh! I might have to start eating at the Chic-Fil-A across the street!
It's because they moved the tombstones, but didnt' move the bodies.
It's because they moved the tombstones, but didnt' move the bodies.
Is this Governor Cristie in Black Face drags?…
During the 1990's, THE NEUTRAL ZONE,an LGBTQ safe space run by the Greenwich Village Youth Council, which I volunteered with had nightly Neighborhood patrols of youth along West St. and Christopher. It also offered space for youth to congregate without being harassed. But the lack of funding and support cut that program and youth had nowhere but the street. The gentrification of the Village, West Side Highway GREENWAY and police neglect/abuse have left little for youth there except the Center a mile away from the docks.
This incident is more likely just the underbelly of rage at those who appear more fortunate. or bad bath salts again.
Mentally ill – this does not sound like a gay bashing
@Rockery: "GAY, OR NOT GAY BASHING" it`s a mental poverty, behavior that we all know about, so well..
I have lived at a Christopher street address for over 30 years. I remember walking home at late night from working a hospital shift… 1970s … I would be greeted by every imaginable clown , from a dealer etc but that environment was in this area at that time not a person would travel down here and a part of that mystique I liked and the reason I lived here. Over the years and especially the past 10-15 years it has become a haven for the wealthy. I paid $350/ mOnth and now these condos are selling for millions. Well money has arrived, along with the people who think they can make everything go their way… they already got the Gay Pride Festival after the parade changed to 10 blocks north and much shorter whether you liked it or not… these kids.btw are not all black see money that they will never have in their lifetimes..that part has changed drastically from the 70s. We always had a mixture of Gay people but the closing of leather bars etc meant no reason for anyone to come down here but the kids remain. … I have to say that attacks I have seen from my window( like purses during the day ) take place so fast , that if you blink your eyes you miss it… is it the economy? I have to say yes. I used to get " bottled" by the Jersey guys by car. You got used to that but I want to say with all those seedy elements around me,I felt safe coming home because they always looked out for each other …I have to say this add this incident to the history of bashes, including myself… but looking at his picture they may be abnormalities within that brain of his. Also add that police presence is not in cars anymore, nor by foot. A light placement. Is supposed to do what.. Run up our tax bill. The poor Economy IHits the poorest first in so many ways that we are not even aware and I'll just add that NYC had my close friend hospitalized for 5 seperate incidents for attempting suicide(a result of no work , loosing apt, no family help, I took him in for 4 months) and this is jumping in the Hudson Rivet. Well the fifth time he succeeded.
For some years I have been involved with a charity that works to help the homeless street kids the above posters mention. They are mostly LGBT and all have background stories that would make a stone cry. They have had to survive on the street the best way they can, often from early teenage.Yes, they can be rowdy and yes, they can be often guilty of all sorts of petty crimes. They have been given little or no reason to respect "society" or even the so-called LGBT community, very few of whom lift a finger to help them. There are a handful of dedicated people at several charities – such as Ali Forney Center, Village Cares and New Alternatives, that give their very best to help these kids get a life together but the number of kids in desperate need is simply overwhelming. Dozens of kids are helped. Thousands are not.And BTW, these kids come in all colors and from all types of backgrounds. When I hear the complaints of older gays who live in or frequent the Christopher St. area about these kids I have to ask "what have YOU done to help?" Obstreperous, badly mannered, weirdly outfitted and all, these are OUR kids – these are LGBT youth. A community that does not care for its children does not deserve equality. Volunteer – there are many openings. Write a check – even small sums help. Reach out. Start by going to the websites: http://www.newalternativesnyc.org is a good place to begin. And don't expect to be treated like "Lady Bountiful" either. These kids aren't choir boys/girls, respectfully tugging their forelocks and saying "oh thank you kind sir, for the bowl of gruel." But for all that, they're just kids and they need the help of people who really care.
A lot of these kids are painfully aware of the gay class system that now exist as gay becomes more mainstream. Gone are the days where everyone was in the same boat. When I look at depictions of older faggots, it tends to seem a little more colorful than what happens today. Those black and Latino gay kids stand out because they don't fit into the blandness that gentrification has brought to the village. Coupled with rich yuppies, gay and straight, being the primary residents of the are, and it's easy to see why these kids are a problem. They no space to just be them without feeling the judgement from the white elite that now watch over their every move. This won't stop as long as there is such inequality. Sad thing is, more and more I notice those older faggots in the village and chelsea give zero fucks about the gay youth in the city and I believe a lot of that has to do with blacks and Latinos being the most visible and populous force of our gay youth. It's almost as if their goal wasn't gay acceptance, but to assimilated into white culture, and fuck everyone who isn't.
"Can you imagine a situation where on Christopher street, the street where the gay pride movement began, having to place search lights in two sections of it because of the homeless kids who prowl the streets at night?"
'Ohhhhh, those 'homeless kids'! Don't they have somewhere else to go?!'
The answer is usually "NO, they don't."
Rather than b*itch and cry about these "dreadful" kids and how they are ruining the neighborhood and interfering with business, how about getting your priorities straight? These human beings are MUCH more important than a few broken windows or the limits on your nightlife. Self-absorption is a disease! Geeeez…….
Full story here: http://www.queerty.com/gay-hate-crime-greenwich-village-mcdonalds-20120921/#ixzz27Db47F4e
I just want to point out what wasn't mentioned in this post… that the attacker was originally yelling at a trans woman. That the boyfriend was the boyfriend of a trans woman and therefore, not technically gay (I'm sure you all have your own opinions on that). That this wasn't mentioned in the article (and it's very obviously explained and shown in the Daily News article) makes me question the OP's intent with posting this story. The only reason the boyfriend was attacked in this case was because he stood up for his girlfriend. The attacker was on the verge of attacking her and the boyfriend stepped in.
Trans women have been attacked at MANY McDonalds… one was murdered after leaving one by Penn Station, another was physically attacked by staff while in the bathroom stall at a different McDonald's and, more recently, the Polis attack at a McDonald's near Baltimore where the staff stood by and watched (and filmed the attack and put it up on YouTube as a laugh). That's only the tip of the iceberg. WIth the exception of the Polis attack, all of these attacks were done by adult men. I lived in NYC from 1980 through 1991, was mugged, attacked several times and, believe me, the city is a lot safer now than it was then (I'm not saying it isn't overly gentrified and economically/racially polarized… of course it is). The genuine reality is, trans women and gender variant gay men get attacked… A LOT. And society has yet to do anything about it other than some very ineffective hate crime legislation.
I recall a study on density of population done at my college. Seems the more dense the population, the greater the likelihood of physical violence for space, resources and mates. NYC is classic. It follows the pattern exactly. The richer the borough, the more green spaces, more jobs, larger apartments and more law enforcement. The poorer the borough, the opposite. Then combine the proximity. Put Poor near Rich, give the 'youth' easy access, bridges,subways and highways, and you have a perfect storm for violence and theft, muggings and robberys. Toss in the Gay/Str8 factor, and you up the violence.
I like NYC, for access to the arts, culture and innovation. However, I enjoy my dose from 500 Park, and venture out in the daylight, or by the hotels car and driver. I live in South Central Texas, where my living area is 3600 sqft, on one acre, with garage, pool, and lovely gardens. That is the best of both worlds. This queer lives on the third coast…and why anyone chooses to live in NYC is beyond me..unless they have the income of Croesus.
A lot of these kids are painfully aware of the gay class system that now exist as gay becomes more mainstream. Gone are the days where everyone was in the same boat. When I look at depictions of older gays, it tends to seem a little more colorful than what happens today. Those black and Latino gay kids stand out because they don't fit into the blandness that gentrification has brought to the village. Coupled with rich yuppies, gay and straight, being the primary residents of the area, and it's easy to see why these kids are a problem. They have no space to just be them without feeling the judgement from the white elite that now watch over their every move. This won't stop as long as there is such inequality. Sad thing is, more and more I notice those older gay guy in the village and chelsea give zero fucks about the gay youth in the city and I believe a lot of that has to do with blacks and Latinos being the most visible and populous force of our gay youth. It's almost as if their goal wasn't gay acceptance, but to assimilated into white culture, and screw everyone who isn't.
It's appalling that the liberal mainstream media hides black-on-gay crimes. Does it fear that the liberal coalition will break apart if such crimes are exposed?
Black culture is very homophobic to the point of it threatening our lives. Time to fight back.
"Black culture is very homophobic to the point of it threatening our lives. Time to fight back," he said, before donning his white hood.
@tidalpool: Really, San Antonio is on the "third coast"? That's like calling Phoenix and Atlanta seaports.
Anyway – how many illegal immigrants do have working on your little plantation there? You're such an admirable "job creator"!
I would love to see these kids of all colors unite (they were trying at the very beginning of the opening of the Hudson River Park)…in fact that park marks one main reason the kids came down from everywhere, babies in carriages at 2 AM in the Summer etc..but the budget of the park is dwindling and they have literally "let it go"..BTW: that park is not a part of the city, it makes it's own rules..it's a trust but all you need to do is walk down to Battery Park City on the water(once you hit Stuyvesant high school and make the turn…that's a whole other money situation"Battery Park Association" and the difference in maintenance is amazing,they are NOT a part of our mess!..they don't water from Battery Park all the way up in to the 50s..disgusting..we used to have beautiful Beach Roses blooming,in the center of the roadway and when a gust of wind came down my street,the fragrance would be in my studio..I love flowers..also the park already has an AIDS monuments…at Charles street,on top of a hill, very simple slab of curved granite ,on top of a small slope, we don't need that "eyesore" going up near St Vincents Hospital(RIP)..all POLITICAL to show compassion for the hospital that took care of the very first AIDS victims in NYC.. everything's not watered,no one cares enough in those million dollar condos that see it, to donate some cash to clean it up, the WORSE is BARRY DILLER'S designed by Frank Gehry glass offices..it's white ,shaped like a sailboat..not a penny is given to clean it up..up near the 23st piers…we have returned to the PIERS That were crumbling and then tore down…but I am all for these young kids to organize .I put my time in at the Gay Center (13 Street)with whatever is needed to be done…hopefully it helps onePERSON of whatever sexuality!.. these young people also need to put in work but they're here for fun, meet up with friends…sounds to me what I used to do before moving here :-) there is not ONE simple solution to this answer…but I will be out there with these young people if they decide to contrive something to move them away
BTW: the small Leather Fair on Weehawken Street (the smallest street in NYC)one block off the Hudson Park..it was next to the bar and the street is so small and no one can see anything unless they walk up to it..they had it cordoned off from either end..the "muttant" parents got together and deemed this inappropriate and canceled their permit…that has to be at least 10 years ago…this is not Folsom East..just needed to dd to my comments..Winter is coming buy the young kids still come…maybe their home is mesed up, who knows..but I wish they would use the Gay center for something…they don't seek help until they get SICK..and there lies another major problem
and all this "letting go" of the maintenance of the park may be one reason they think that they will not come back..well that doesn't work, they came when the piers were falling in the water :-)this is HEAVEN to them watered or NOT watered!
Ok that's all for now…

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sales of the latest instalment of Call of Duty have topped one billion dollars (NZ$1.3bn) barely more than two weeks after its release, the company that produces the wildly popular military shooter video game said yesterday.
Activision Blizzard said that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 hit the billion-dollar mark 16 days after its November 8th release, breaking by one day a money-making record set by the hit 3-D film Avatar in the year 2009.
"Call of Duty has become that rare entertainment franchise that transcends its own genre," Activision Publishing chief executive Eric Hirshberg said in a release. "Every year, new people are drawn into Call of Duty."
The game has attracted more than 30 million players, with six million people having registered to play with or against one another online, according to Activision.
Fans lined up at stores around the world to purchase the military first-person shooter game, the eighth title in the Call of Duty franchise.
The game, which was developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, picks up the storyline from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and segues into World War 3.
Versions of the game are available for the three major consoles and personal computers.


text:
Stocks vs. Bonds: Why and When?
by Jason Brady
There are many different sources of information about the benefits and limitations of asset allocation.
Effectively, when individuals or professionals try to put together a portfolio, the question of "how much should I own of what?" is often a crucial first step. However, increasingly investors are focusing on goals beyond or in addition to total return. One of the tenets of modern portfolio theory (MPT) says that in a frictionless world (no taxes, transaction costs, etc.), investors shouldn't care about the source of their return and that income (dividends, bond coupons, etc.) is the same as capital appreciation (price movement).
Portfolio Allocation and Income-Producing Investments
In the messy world of actually putting money to work in the marketplace, however, investors have generally moved beyond a world where individual assets are found along a so-called "efficient frontier." Increasingly, investors are looking for solutions to specific problems, which may or may not include an asset allocation framework dictated by MPT. One of those problems is that of finding income. As demographics globally move toward a greater proportion of older individuals in developed markets, and expected life spans get longer, the need and desire for income-producing investments has increased dramatically. This is, in my view, part of the reason why many of those same developed markets have tiny "risk-free" rates of return. The income available from very low credit-risk instruments such as U.S. Treasuries and German bunds is at historic lows.
A growing body of theoretical and practical research also has highlighted the benefit of dividend-paying stocks as both an attractive total return option as well as a source of income return. Dividend-paying stocks tend to grow their earnings per share over time faster than non-dividend payers. This is quite counterintuitive (how is it possible to give away more, reinvest less, but then make more?), but is a key component to the overall strong returns of dividend payers over time.
Bonds and dividend-paying stocks share the significant advantage of having the tailwind of compounding income. While bond yields are low, even a small (but steady) income return compounds well over time. Investors tend to think of arithmetic returns, not geometric (compounded) returns, because multiplying decimals in your head is much harder and less intuitive than adding. As a result, the drumbeat of a solid income stream is often underappreciated.
But while there are significant advantages to income-producing securities, and a growing appreciation for that income, investors still confront what many consider a basic question: bonds or stocks?
There are many significant differences between these two asset classes, and we'll detail them shortly, but I'd suggest that, at the end of the day, the name on the asset class ("Bond" or "Stock") doesn't capture the wide variety of potential investments, and it shouldn't even be the first question that individual investors try to answer. Bonds come in a bewildering variety, from corporates to governments to asset-backed securities. There are municipal bonds that are federally tax-exempt. There are non–U.S. dollar bonds that add the complexity of a currency return to U.S. dollar–based investors. The investible bond universe is well over $65 trillion. To assume there is just one kind of bond is a fallacy that will hamper any investor's potential return.
Stocks, too, have a wide variety of risk/reward profiles. Dividend-paying stocks are often considered somehow less risky than non-dividend payers. But in 2008, many dividend-paying sectors went down dramatically. So assuming that a dividend is enough to protect you from volatility will also lead to a poor investment experience.
The key is to remember that the best way to characterize any investment is to consider its individual merits, as opposed to classifying and pigeonholing every investment into a preconceived category.
Similarities and Differences
All this said, let's consider at least some broad characteristics that many fixed-income investments share in contrast to equity investments: tax treatment, a maturity date and probable volatility (both up and down).
We've already mentioned tax-exempt "munis" that are a special category of fixed-income investments used to fund local and state governments, as well as some specific projects deemed to be valuable to those same governments. In general, however, the tax treatment of fixed income is worse than that of equities. Income from bonds is generally considered "income" as opposed to "dividends" or "capital gains." In the current tax regime (which may, and probably will, change at any moment), dividends and long-term capital gains are generally given a lower tax rate than income. This can have a significant effect on an investor's total, real return. Good tax advice may be more valuable to an individual investor than any amount of good investment advice that doesn't take taxes into account.
The fact that bonds mature on a specific date is another significant difference between bonds and stocks. While stocks require a "greater fool" to sell and realize any investment gain, bonds mature. This can make a dramatic difference not only in the structure of the investment, but also in the psychology of holding it. Many investors used to tell me that if they don't need to sell a bond, then they don't care what the price is. I don't hear that as often since the 2008/2009 fixed-income meltdown, but certainly the belief that you will receive the promised yield return makes investors hold on to fixed-income investments longer.
Because non-dividend stock returns are dependent on capital gains, a down trade in price for stock investors often seems more menacing than for bond investors. The smartest man I know, a good friend with an impeccable resume and several advanced degrees, exclaimed to me during the meltdown in 2008 that shares of Apple Inc. (AAPL) were cheap at $100 per share. As a computer science Ph.D., he had a very good working knowledge of their product set and believed strongly that they would continue their success. Not an avid investor, he said that he had bought stock.
A month or so later, as the ugliness in risky assets continued, he was upset about the performance of his stock. In fact, he said that as soon as the price returned to his purchase price, he would sell it. I of course urged him to either sell it today if he no longer felt that Apple was a good investment or hold it until he felt that the price reflected the value of the company (easy to say, very difficult to do—I'm not a great friend). Still, it was interesting to see an extremely intelligent person anchor his possible outcomes solely on his original purchase price, guaranteeing, at best, a flat total return on any investment that goes down.
In addition to the psychological impact, the difference in the certainty of the income return of each of these securities is significant. With bonds, the income return is guaranteed by the entity. If the entity does not pay, the bond is in default and usually the bondholder has some remedy against the entity. For example, if a corporate bond does not pay, bondholders have the right to force the company into bankruptcy, where they usually have the ability to take over the company. (This is subject to the priority of payments: Senior bondholders, have a higher claim than junior bondholders, who have a higher claim than equity investors, as is shown in Figure 1). With dividend-paying stocks, however, the question of payment is not just about ability to pay, but also about willingness. If a company does not wish to pay its dividend for any number of reasons, the stockholder has no remedy other than trying to sell the stock (usually then at a lower level, given that dividends are generally desirable).
The relative volatility and return asymmetry of bonds versus stocks is also an important differentiator. While there are clearly fixed-income securities that move in price quite dramatically (junk bonds were down as an asset class nearly 40% at one point in 2008, while 30-year U.S. Treasuries were up by the same amount), overall the volatility in bonds is significantly less than that in stocks. When prognosticators recently talked of a "bond bubble" as rates fell (and continued to fall despite many predictions of a dramatic increase), they intimated that investors would take large losses. However, most bonds are reasonably high quality, and so most losses would be more about opportunity cost and interest rate risk than complete loss of principal.
As an example, the most common index for U.S. bond investors, the Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond index, currently yields 1.87%. If rates were to move up about two percentage points (a very dramatic move and unlikely in the short term), with the Barclays Capital Aggregate index having a duration of 4.99 years, the index would lose approximately 10% in price (price loss = duration × rise in yield). The yield cushion currently available in the market is very low, so the income return of 1.87% over the course of a year would not do much to offset that loss, but an 8.13% loss is not catastrophic. This is especially true as the likely course of equities in this case (as part of a larger portfolio of both stocks and bonds) would be higher, as investors move out of the high-quality bond universe to take on more risk or economic conditions improve such that the Federal Reserve can raise rates and the prospect for equity investments is better. The point is that, as a whole, fixed-income returns generally move with less violence than equities. Higher-quality fixed income has recently moved higher in price when conditions are worse, providing a buffer for investors. Equities, on the other hand (along with low-quality fixed income), have moved lower in price as conditions worsen (as you might expect). This pro-cyclicality makes the volatility of the asset class doubly problematic, as not only do investors have to suffer large changes in price, but prices also move down just as investors are more vulnerable in other parts of their financial conditions.
This volatility paints a poor picture of stocks, but the flip side of that volatility is that stocks actually have significant upside, whereas bonds do not. With a portfolio of 10 stocks, half of those stocks can go to zero and the investor still has chance at a good, even great, return if the other five stocks more than double. In fixed income, if half of your portfolio has significant credit trouble, there is very little way that you can come out ahead, especially with current low market yields. So, in general, investors in bonds are making a trade-off versus investing in stocks. With a bond, the likelihood of a loss is lower, and overall volatility is also lower. However, if you have a loss, it's very difficult to recover that loss with gains from the rest of your portfolio. This makes diversification in bonds that much more important.
Balancing Safety and Income
So, with some knowledge of the differences between stocks and bonds, how do investors create the best portfolio to generate income with some eye toward safety? Traditional asset allocation would suggest that with lower volatility and lower potential return, bonds play the role of ballast to a portfolio while stocks provide the potential for greater return with greater risk. On the income side alone, stocks today tend to pay a higher rate than fixed income (there are a number of company-specific examples of this in several sectors including telecom, financials and consumer staples), which furthers the thought that stocks are useful for performance and bonds are useful for balance. This income advantage for stocks was normal for most of the first part of the 1900s, and investors perhaps should demand more income return when there is uncertainty about that return, but nevertheless it increases the attractiveness of stocks in this low-yield environment.
Ultimately, though, the traditional single axis of risk/reward is far too limited in its analysis, especially given current market conditions. Because the traditional safe haven of high-quality fixed income (e.g., high-grade corporates, agency mortgages and U.S. Treasuries) has had a good performance history over the past 30 years, investors feel comfortable with that sector as "safe." Equities, particularly emerging market and international equities, seem very risky.
But the traditional single axis of risk shown in Figure 2 does not take into account a number of risks that have been a big part of most investor's experience.
One key example of a big risk to investors that does not show up in this concept of risk and reward is a possible inflationary scenario. Current Federal Reserve (and global central bank) policies are designed to stimulate demand in order to stem the possibility of deflation. Large government debt loads globally are going to be difficult to pay, especially if nominal prices decline. Remember that inflation is good for entities that are in debt (they pay off their debt with devalued currency), whereas deflation is a disaster (they have to pay off the same debt level with less income). Given high global debt levels, policymakers have a huge incentive to avoid deflation (although Japan over the last 25 years and other developed countries over the last three to four years have not been tremendously successful in this goal). If we get an inflationary environment, the risk to U.S. Treasuries and other forms of high-quality fixed income would be very high. Yields below 1.8% (nominal and pretax) do not provide a tremendous amount of cushion for an inflationary environment.
Stocks, in previous inflationary environments, have provided significantly better real returns than fixed-rate bonds, given that companies often have at least some power to raise prices and revenues in line with higher costs. While I don't see a huge amount of inflation in the near future (in fact, recently reported prices in the U.S. have been notably lower), betting heavily on the Federal Reserve to be unsuccessful over the medium to long term is fairly risky.
And that risk is the point: If there is risk in something with the prospect of very little return (high-quality bonds), then the traditional view that those positions will save investors is insufficient. Even within stocks, we've already discussed that dividend-paying sectors in 2008 were some of the worst performers globally. In a "stagflation" world (low growth, inflation), growth equities may in fact be the least-risky asset class.
High-quality fixed income, even in an environment of low yields and some significant risk (from inflation or better economic outcomes), is not an asset class that investors should completely avoid. If riskier securities lose significant value, high-quality fixed income can help offset those losses, though I doubt there will be huge gains from here. But as an asset class in and of itself, it is hard to recommend strongly a group of bonds that are at all-time low yields.
The choice between stocks and bonds for income, or even for total return, misses the point that within those asset classes, the variation among individual assets is enormous.
In many cases, investors group "bonds" as a monolithic asset class [especially, oddly, in their 401(k) plans], despite the fact that there are huge variations between different bond investments in both risk and potential reward. Furthermore, the current low-yield environment engendered by global central bank policy has complicated the traditional risk/reward axis that holds that high-quality fixed income is safe and emerging market stocks are risky.
Investors need to know what they own, and why they own it and have a broader concept of where both risk and reward might come from.
Patrick Roszel from KS posted over 4 years ago:
i liked the write up. While most of our members probably understood the basic concept, she got down to the nitty/gritty and it helps me to review it. Chasing yield even in the high yield end of the fixed income universe seems RISKY for a 78 year old every time uncle Ben speaks I come to the conclusion that we have a few more years to benefit as long as we are ready to change course when things change.
Thomas Wides from OH posted over 4 years ago:
Dividend producng stocks are many different animals. Utilities thrive on low interest and deflationary environment.Pharma is a growth area, staples seem to me to be good in a deflationary and oils in an inflationary. It seems as long as we have business cycles they tend to offset one another. My question is has the fed and ecb outlawed the cycle?
Thomas Hutchison from VA posted over 4 years ago:
The article is worth review. I cannot escape the sense that serious inflation is in our future with all the QEs, etc; the onlly question is how soon we must pay the piper.
James Bushnell from FL posted over 4 years ago:
I have a number of muni bonds, bought years ago, that pay around 4%, and I will hold them to maturity. But I don't see any sense in buying new low-risk bonds like US Treasuries, as long as the yields are below the inflation rate. to what purpose? Currently you will lose purchasing power,and longer range inflation will kill their purchasing power when they mature. I didn't sell many of my stocks during the recent crash, and most came back nicely. But now I only buy stocks with a dividend higher than the inflation rate.
Harold Marrett from NY posted over 4 years ago:
I have 100 shares of stock in XYZ company bought at $100 per share. I have automatic reinvestment of my dividends. The company pays $1 in dividends. The price is automatically adjusted down by $1 so the price is now $99. Now I have 101 shares at $99 and $1 left over. After paying taxes I am worse off. Where is the dividend helping me?
Fernando Arias from IN posted 2 months ago:
I am a young investor and I would like to know how accurate is this article as today.
Bryan Martz from OH posted about 1 month ago:
Fernando, This article is accurate and timeless. Go to Vanguard.com and go to education site for excellent updated articles


text:
Blanc Double-Roll Cropped Jean
Style: 570077961
Out of Stock
Supple denim capri glitzed with embroidery and a generous helping of faceted crystals. Gently faded for a well-loved look, with the ease of a double-rolled cuff to adjust the length. 73% Cotton, 14% Rayon, 11% Polyester, 2% Lycra® spandex. Hand wash; line dry. Imported.
- Blanc. Our universal fit. Eased through the hip and thigh, sits just below the waist.
- Slim cropped leg.
- Medium wash.
- Two-toned stitching throughout. Front zip with signature shank. Faded seat.
- "Feel beautiful" inside the waistband.
- Pockets lined in a hand designed print.
- Inseams: cuffed 24", straight 26.5".
Read more… Read less…


text:
What's Happened To Wonder? The Bliss Of Confusion
By editor • May 28, 2013
Originally published on May 28, 2013 2:12 pm
As children, we are allowed to be confused, lost, and full of wonder. As adults in the age of Google, we are expected to project confidence, knowledge and understanding. Ta-Nehisi Coates, senior editor for The Atlantic, talks about how learning a foreign language reignited his imagination.


text:
SNAP-tag fusion proteins can be expressed by transient or by stable transfection. For expression of fusion proteins with the SNAP-tag, refer to instructions supplied with the SNAP-tag plasmids. For cell culture and transfection methods, refer to established protocols.
Dissolve one vial of SNAP-tag substrate (50 nmol) in 50 µl of DMSO to give a solution of 1 mM SNAP-tag substrate in DMSO. Mix by vortexing for 10 minutes until all the SNAP-tag substrate is dissolved. Store this stock solution in the dark at 4°C, or for extended storage at -20°C. Different stock concentrations can be made, depending on your requirements. The substrate is soluble up to at least 10 mM.
Save your favorite products by clicking Add to My NEB, making re-ordering and remembering what you need quick and simple.
Returning to use the same tools or tables often?
Click Add to My NEB to save the links and view as often as you like.
Find great application content?
Click Add to My NEB to save and impress your labmates with your knowledge.
Keep track of any other pages you find useful by clicking Add to My NEB.


text:
Kamisama Kiss
The God Catches A Cold
Episode 6 | TV-PG
Nanami stays home with a cold while Tomoe goes to school disguised as her in order to keep her attendance rate from slipping. Mizuki takes advantage of Tomoe's absence to pay Nanami a visit.
Dub Expires: 08-31-2014
Official Site: www.funimation.com/shows/kamisama-kissHide Details


text:
Hi--I've read in the LLL FAQ that if food comes out looking undigested, it can be a sign that baby is not ready for solids. My daughter is 6 months old and seems really ready to eat. I just started feeding her some banana mashed up with breastmilk, and I notice that there are some lumpy lil banana bits in her poop.
I would not say that the banana is coming out totally undigested or anything--the poop just looks different than the breastmilk poop. So--I guess what I'm asking is: does this sound normal? We have a history of food allergies in our family so I'm wary about stressing her intestines out here. But she does seem ready to eat and seems to enjoy it


text:
As we showed recently, some of the most famous people in the world have photographs in their past that cast them in an entirely new light that sort of ruins everything you ever thought about them. We asked you to use the magic of image manipulation to do the same for some of our favorite fictional characters. The winner is below, but first the runners up ...
24Entry by Trishkabibble
23Entry by Kanklefest
by Kanklefest


text:
South Dakota
"The Mount Rushmore State"
South Dakota Souvenirs | South Dakota State Bear | South Dakota Stuffed Bears
South Dakota was the 40th state in the USA; it became a state on November 2, 1889. The state is divided by the Missouri River, a major waterway and North America's longest river. Located near the city of Keystone is the Mount Rushmore National Monument. The carved sculpture covers 1,278.45 acres and is 5,725 feet above sea level. Below you can see all of the available South Dakota stuffed bears. Our plush bears are manufactured by Symbolz®, Souvies®, and Peace Pals®. Choose your favorite state bear and South Dakota souvenirs and add them to your cart.


text:
Strength & Conditioning Coach
New England Revolution
Nick Downing is in his third season as the New England Revolution's strength and conditioning coach, a position that was created with the hiring of head coach Jay Heaps. This is Downing's second go-around with the club, having previously played for the Revs more than a decade ago.
In his current position, Downing is responsible for developing and enhancing the Revolution players' speed, strength and endurance, as well as their overall conditioning and fitness in conjunction with both the coaching and medical staffs. Through an integrated approach – including weight training, cardiovascular training, plyometrics, and nutrition – Downing has created both position-specific and individual programs to help the Revs emerge as of Major League Soccer's most fit teams.
As a player, Downing joined the Revolution in 2001 after the club drafted him in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft following a stand-out three-year career at Maryland, where he was a national player of the year finalist as a junior. He made 17 appearances with the Revs between 2001 and 2002, before he spent the 2003 season on loan to the Portland Timbers, then of the USL A-League (now USL PRO). In 2004, he played his final professional season with the Charleston Battery (USL A-League), before retiring at the end of the season.
Following his playing career, Downing transitioned into the fitness profession, earning certifications from the National Strength & Conditioning Association, USA Track & Field, Functional Movement Systems and Kettlebell Concepts.
He has worked in the metro Boston area since 2005 as a fitness professional, most recently at Pure Performance Training in Needham, Mass. His clientele has included professional soccer, hockey and football players, collegiate athletes, marathoners and tri-athletes. Downing specializes in sport-specific training, including soccer-specific skill development.
Downing is a former member of the U.S. Soccer youth national team program, playing on both the U.S. Under-17 and Under-20 teams, serving as team captain at the 1997 FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Egypt. Before attending Maryland, Downing was the 1998 Gatorade national player of the year in boys soccer.
Downing and his wife, Kelly, have two daughters Lily (4) and Ella (2).


text:
My baby is one month old now..She is EBF and her weight gain seems to be okay. She gives a lot of wet diapers (7 - 8). Until 3 weeks she used to poop 2 - 3 times. After that, she stopped pooping for a good 2 days. So after 2 days we stimulated her by using Qtip and that did work. She did poop a lot.
But again she stopped pooping. And we keep stimulating her using Qtip after 2 days and it did work. Its a little more than a week now and she poops only if we keep stimulating and does not poop on her own. One thing that we noticed is that she is very gassy. We give Mylicon for that. Although gassy, she does not poop.
I am very concerned.
Has anyone experienced this problem. Please share your ideas!


text:
Click on photo to see gallery.
Located in eastern Nebraska north of Omaha, and serving Washington County and surrounding communities, the Blair Soccer Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing excellence in soccer instruction and character-building experiences for competitive, recreational and micro soccer players. Boys and girls programs are available for youth players ages 4 and up.
Call 402-426-0066 for updates on games, weather and field conditions.


text:
Randy Erler is heading back to school.
He is the first volunteer to take part in a new program at Southern Bluffs Elementary School called Cool C.A.T.S. It stands for 'Caring About Terrific Students.'
The program encourages more people to volunteer in school.
"We can't do so many of the things that we want to do if we don't have that human resource," said Lisa Schreiner, Southern Bluffs Elementary School principal.
But they're not looking for just anyone to volunteer their time. They are looking for men. The Cool C.A.T.S. program is similar to one you may have already heard of called Watch D.O.G.S.
"At Southern Bluffs we are the Bobcats," said Matt Thornton, Cool C.A.T.S. parent coordinator. "So, dogs and cats don't necessarily get along so well. We decided to go with the cats. And, therefore, it came about- Caring About Terrific Students."
Thornton is hoping to see an increase in the number of male role models.
"There's not as many male teachers at this age," said Thornton. "So, it's good to have them in the school, walking the hallways, in the lunch room, at the recess."
"I think a school is a microcosm of the world," said Shreiner. "And not everybody has the benefit of having a dad or a grandfather. I mean, families are spread apart now. And so to have that, another male figure in their life of someone to talk to and just connect with in a different way, is really important."
Volunteers like Randy will also be able to work with students in class on reading, spelling and math concepts. A relationship which will be beneficial for the students and fun for the volunteer.


text:
Shooting death of National Guard member investigatedApril 29,2014The Associated Press
ESSEX - Police investigating the shooting death of a man who served with the Vermont Army National Guard say a second person was involved.
Forty-four-year Kryn Miner of Essex Junction died Friday of a gunshot wound.
Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan tells said it's being investigated "as a death by shooting of an individual by another."
The Vermont State Police crime lab is assisting in the investigation.
Miner was with the guard during its 2010 deployment to Afghanistan.
Maj. Christopher Gookin, a Vermont National Guard spokesman, said Miner held the position of chief warrant officer 2 and was assigned to the headquarters company of the Guard's 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.MORE IN This Just InWASHINGTON Long-term U.S. Full StoryMONTPELIER The Vermont attorney generals office says drug companies have complied with a state... Full StoryMOUNT HOLLY At its meeting next week, the Mount Holly Select Board will consider an ordinance... Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed


text:
Shop the best in running shoes from top brands like Nike, Brooks, New Balance, Asics, Merrell and The North face.
DenaliOutdoor.com features all the best outdoor gear Denali and Trailblazer stores have to offer. Located in Connecticut and Rhode Island and open 7 days a week, you will find a huge selection of The North Face, Patagonia, Merrell, UGG, Marmot, New Balance, Nike and more. Visit our locations page to find the Denali or Trailblazer near you!
866-451-3795 - Customer Service Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-3pm EST or email firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Palm Beach Money
Tag: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan
Choppy waters surrounding Japan ?
- 1:20 am Saturday, May 25th, 2013 by Dian Vujovich
Having a country component added to your portfolio can be rewarding. Take Japan, for instance. Their market has been on a tear with some funds up over 100 percent in the past year. And then it happened—as it always and eventually does— things changed.
Over the past seven months, Japan's Nikkei Index has been up about 80 percent. Then on Thursday, in one single day, it fell 7.3 percent. That's the worst one-day drop for that index since the country suffered a horrific earthquake in March 2011.
That said, if a sizable one day drop is enough to scare you out of a [More]


text:
The latest news buzz surrounds the flu epidemic that is sweeping the U.S. Currently, 47 states have wide-spread flu activity, with increasing cases and death tolls climbing. The most affected population is infants, the elderly, and those with already compromised immune systems. However, we ALL (as in the the entire world) should be concerned with this recent outbreak because according to the World Health Organization, "We know another [influenza] pandemic is inevitable…It is coming. And when this happens, we also know that we are unlikely to have enough drugs, vaccines, health-care workers and hospital capacity to cope in an ideal way."
The tv show, The Doctors, did a special episode yesterday regarding the outbreak, reporting that hospitals are over-flowing with patients, people are becoming "sicker" than usual and more deaths are occurring. The show's host Dr. Travis Stork and his guest doctors all pushed prevention by way of getting the flu vaccine, with only one doctor recommending healthy habits all year by advising individuals to eat right, exercise, properly manage stress and to get plenty of sleep.
As I watched the show, I just kept thinking about that lone doctor that mentioned healthy habits year-round to combat illness and I recalled a chapter from Jonathan Safran Foer's book, "Eating Animals," in where he discusses influenza and worldwide pandemics. Health authorities have come to a consensus that an influenza pandemic is inevitable and that it will stem from new viruses that move between farmed animals and humans, zoonotic diseases.
And when you stop and think about it, the notion of an influenza pandemic being borne from the world's farmed animals is not hard to imagine. The world's birds (domestic and wild) harbor the full spectrum of flu strains and when you look at the current ways of raising these animals for food – genetically manipulated, deformed, drugged, over crowded, and stressed living in waste-coated cages/rooms with no access to fresh air, sunlight, or natural food sources – these practices are anything BUT healthy.
Studies show that chickens and turkeys consumers are purchasing at grocery stores are contaminated with E. coli, salmonella, and campylobacter (a deadly pathogen), among other nasty things like feces, chlorine and antibiotics. Overwhelmingly, food borne illnesses come from animal products, with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reporting poultry as the largest culprit. Studies show that even organic and antibiotic-free chicken have pathogens present at the time of consumer purchase. The CDC reports, 76 million cases of food borne illnesses in the U.S. every year.
On the other side of the coin, we are feeding livestock 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics every year for nontherapeutic reasons, and most of those are illegal in the European Union. America's food system is the perfect breeding ground for creating drug resistant pathogens or "superbugs." Not to mention, we are a sicker nation more prone to illness with heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity at all time highs (all of which have been linked to diets consisting heavily of animal products). The country's increase in demand for animal protein has come at the ultimate price – our health. Jonathan Safran Foer sums it up best, "When we eat factory-farmed meat we live, literally, on tortured flesh. Increasingly, that tortured flesh is becoming our own."
Fortunately, the good news is there's a cure! Adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet improves human health, eliminates animal suffering and improves the health of the planet. Reducing your intake of saturated fat, animal hormones (and antibiotics), and cholesterol found in animal products and increasing your intake of vitamins and minerals found in plant foods, you fuel your body for optimal health so it can effectively fight off disease. Coupling a vegan diet with regular exercise, proper stress management and plenty of sleep is what the doctor ordered in preventing the flu and other illnesses. Live well this cold and flu season and all year. For more information on adopting a vegan diet and taking back your health, please visit LiveVegan.org.
Safran Foer, Jonathan. Eating Animals. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 2009. Print.