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Come to the PreSonuSphere Conference and Party!
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 5, 2011 – PreSonus™ invites you to join us on November 19, 2011, for PreSonuSphere 2011, a very special all-day user's conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Focusing on tips, techniques, and applications for PreSonus' Studio One™ v2 DAW software and StudioLive™-series digital mixers, the first annual PreSonuSphere conference will include guest lectures and demos by such luminaries as EM/Harmony Central editorial director Craig Anderton, front-of-house engineering legend Ace Baker, renowned worship-team trainer Doug Gould, veteran journalist and engineer Mike Rivers, TV- and film-music producer and songwriter Rhett Mouton, and PreSonus technology evangelist Byron Gaither.
You'll meet and talk shop with many of the key people who create PreSonus products. Talk tech with President/Founder/Chief Strategy Officer Jim Odom, Chief Technology Officer Bob Tudor, Digital Products Manager Scott Harrell, and VP of Sales and PreSonus video star Rick Naqvi. Find out how Studio One really works by asking the programming titans who lead the Studio One development team: Wolfgang Kundrus and Matthias Juwan, PreSonus Software Ltd's Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer, respectively.
It is no secret that we know how to party in southern Louisiana, and PreSonuSphere 2011 is going to be a blast to remember. It all happens at the gorgeous Shaw Center for the Arts in historic downtown Baton Rouge. (They use the StudioLive 24.4.2.) We'll kick off with a Cajun dinner party with bar and live music on the evening of November 18.
The main conference on November 19 features presentations in two adjacent rooms: one devoted to StudioLive and the other to our newly released Studio One 2. Pick and choose your sessions. Later, via snail mail, you'll get video DVDs of all PreSonuSphere proceedings, so you can still "attend" sessions that were happening at the same time next door.
To gauge attendance commitment, we're asking for a $20 registration fee ($25 at the door). But in exchange, you get $40 or more worth of goodies, including a commemorative t-shirt, pads and pens, take-home reference materials, a free breakfast and Cajun dinner, plus beverage tickets and the aforementioned DVDs. We've even arranged special rates with the beautiful, nearby Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge Downtown Riverfront. And it's all walking distance from great restaurants, historical sites, museums, and the mighty Mississippi River. Don't miss it!
For more information and to sign up for PreSonuSphere, please visit www.presonus.com/presonusphere.
About PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. - Founded in 1995, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc., is a leading designer and manufacturer of audio-recording software, hardware, and related accessories. PreSonus's software, microphone preamps, signal processors, digital audio interfaces, mixers, control surfaces, and other products are used worldwide for recording, sound reinforcement, broadcast, sound design, and Internet audio.


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The small amount that have ripened though have been plump and sweet, but i had to be quick to pick them as the wasps also like them too.
However there are signs more fruit coming so i am keeping my fingers crossed that it will ripen to a good size later on in the season.
This year the weather seems to be topsy turvy as my rhubarb didn't come to much in the spring and now late in the season its growing like mad again.
The tree is around ten years old and situated on a south facing hedge which has suited so far. That's the trouble with growing fruit and veg it all depends on the seasonal weather conditions.
One fig that the wasps didn't get

subset: commoncrawl


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Thanks for grabbing this Neil!! #Repost @neiltherockstar ・・・ @cryssloves kicking off the show tonight @plan_b_moncton #ThemPipes @kilmoreband @leadmule @themotorleague #Moncton
A video posted by Crystal Porter (@cryssloves) on Jul 10, 2016 at 1:17pm PDT
Hi!, The Instagram clip was awesome, I really loved it. Thanks for sharing.Jen - Pressure Cookers HQ


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Testing shows no cases of chronic wasting disease in North Dakota
March 12, 2013 at 07:20 AM
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota wildlife officials reported no cases of chronic wasting disease after testing deer that were killed in the 2012 hunting season.
The Associated Press
Chronic wasting is a fatal disease in members of the deer family. The state Game and Fish Department began monitoring it in 2002.
Wildlife veterinarians looked into samples taken from more than 1,300 deer in the western third of the state in 2012.
Officials say three mule deer in state history have tested positive, one each in 2009, 2010 and 2011. All three were within 15 miles of each other.
More than 23,000 deer, elk and moose have tested negative for the disease.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


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Meals: Dinner
Arrival To San Francisco International Airport – After Immigration Our Representative Will Greet You In Arrival Hall And Proceed For Transfer To Hotel. After Check-In And Some Relaxation We Will Proceed To Drive San Jose – Santa Clara Which Is The Hub And Origin Of Cyber High-Tech City Of Information Technology. Afternoon We Will Take The Lunch At Restaurant. Then Spend Your Rest Day In Santa Clara Learning About The Technology That Made Silicon Valley Famous. Begin By Visiting The Intel Museum And Intel Museum Store Where You Will Be Introduced To The Micro-Miniature World Of Computer Chips. Hands-On Exhibits Offer An In-Depth View Of How Computer Chips Are Made And Used In Our Everyday Lives. From There, Spend An Hour Or More Touring Through The Three Levels Of The Tech Museum Of Innovation. The Tech's Major Themed Galleries Are Packed Full Of Unique, Interactive Exhibit's Detailing Technology's Exciting Future. End Your Day In Silicon Valley At The World Class Nasa Ames Exploration Center Or Tour Stanford University. One Hour Walking Tours Of The Main Campus Are Available. Admission Is Free To The Intel Museum And Nasa Ames. Overnight Stay In San Jose / San Francisco.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
After Breakfast At The Hotel We Will Proceed To Visit Most Famous Entertainment Is California's Great America Has The Region's Best Variety Of Coasters And Exhilarating Rides, Plus Concerts, Festivals, And Special Events. The Park Offers The Most Kids' Rides And The Most Water Rides In The Region, Plus Planet Snoopy, Including A Chance To Meet Snoopy, Charlie Brown, And Other Peanut's Characters. It Is The Only Theme Park In California To Offer A Complete Water Park Inside - Free With Admission. In October, Don't Miss The Theme Park's Halloween Haunt, Voted The Number One Halloween Event In The World By Amusement Today. Overnight Stay In San Jose / San Francisco.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
After Breakfast At The Hotel, This Day Have Special Technical Tours To World Famous Googleplex – Where You Can Explore The Guided Tour By Google Authorized Person, Then Half Day Take A View Of The Working Place Of Facebook Headquarter Respective To Entry Authority By Headquarter. Shop Silicon Valley At World-Class Outlet Centers, Upscale Shopping Malls, Or Electronic Superstores. Spend Hours Browsing Through The Largest Collection Of Manufacturer And Off-Price Outlets In Northern California At The Great Mall Of The Bay Area. From There, It's Just A Short Drive To The Valley's Most Upscale Shopping Malls: Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair And Santana Row. Overnight Stay In San Jose / San Francisco.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Today After The Breakfast Again We Will Proceed To The Beautiful Gardens, Adobe Walls, And California's Oldest Institution Of Higher Learning Can Be Found At Mission Santa Clara De Asis, The Eighth Of The 21 World Famous California Missions. Founded In 1777 By The Franciscans, Mission Santa Clara De Asis Was Dedicated By Father Junipero Serra. Later, The Jesuits Opened A School On The Mission Site, Which Is Now Santa Clara University. After Your Tour Through The Mission, See The Surrounding Mission Gardens. The Garden's Pale Yellow Banksia Rose And Purple Wisteria Date To The 1800's As Do The Olive Trees On-Site. Allow 1 Hour. Time Permitting, Visit Other Santa Clara Heritage/Historical Sites& Take The Click Of Headquarters Of Microsoft, Apple, Pay Pal. In The Late Evening, We Will Proceed To Back In Hotel. Overnight Stay In San Jose / San Francisco.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Today We Proceed On A Sightseeing Tour Of San Francisco. You Will Visit The Famous Golden Gate Bridge, With The World's Highest Bridge Towers. Continue On To Twin Peaks, Lombard Street, Cable Car, Pier 39, Nob Hill, Civic Center, Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, Palace Of Fine Arts & Other Highlights. Overnight Stay In San Francisco.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Depart In The Morning For Your Flight To Las Vegas. On Arrival, Transfer To Your Hotel. In The Evening, We Proceed For The City Tour In Las Vegas Experiencing The Spectacular Colorful Dancing Fountain Water Fountains Of The Bellagio, The Pirate Ships At Treasure Island, Stratosphere Tower, Downtown Vegas, And Of Course Fremont Street, Where Over 12 Million Lights Create A Free Show With Pumping Music. Overnight Stay In Las Vegas.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Spend The Day At Leisure Or Take The Grand Canyon Tour Bus or Air (Optional). Don't Forget The New Wonder Of The West The Skywalk, In The Evening, Take The Las Vegas Night Flight (Optional), A Helicopter Ride Over Dazzling Night-Time Vegas, Take In A Fabulous Show Or Visit Any Of The Free Shows Such As The Sirens Of Treasure Island And Much More. Overnight Stay In Las Vegas.
Meals: Breakfast
Today We Finish Our Trip And Get Ready To Fly Back Home Or To The Next Destination
|03, 07, 10,14, 17, 21, 24, 28
|01, 05, 08, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29
|02, 05, 09, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 (Moon soon special)
|02, 06, 09, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
|03, 07, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31 (Diwali group)
|01, 04, 08, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29 (Honeymoon special)
|02, 06, 09, 13, 16, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30 (Christmas & Honeymoon)
Customized Tour Cost as per client's requirement Package
All payments towards the tour cost must be made by the client to the company in accordance with the procedure and time frame mentioned herein below. All payments made within 10 days prior to the tour departure date will have to be paid in cash / Demand Draft. Customer PAN number is mandatory for all transactions. Payments made towards the foreign exchange component of your tour will be calculated as per the ROE (rate of exchange) of that given day.
Payment Procedure Minimum Per Person Payment to be made by the client
At the time of booking
INR 30,000 per person*
Within 15 days prior to departure of the Tour
100% of the Total Tour Cost
Kindly Read Carefully below Important Notes :
There will be American or continental breakfast serve at the hotel and ATPL cannot make any changes in the spread served. Lunch/dinner wherever provided on tour is on pre-set menus by the restaurants. The meal type selected by the passenger such as Jain / Veg /Non-Veg is subject to availability at restaurants or airlines. If Meals are missed out by passenger due to late or nonarrival on given time or mentioned restaurant there will be no refund/compensation for the same.
2. VEHICLES / SEATING ARRANGEMENT: In case of coach breakdown, ATPL will make every efforts to fix the problem but please note there will be no refund or monetary compensation for inconvenience cause or any missed portion of the itinerary, it is advisable not to leave your belongings behind at the time of disembarking/leaving the coach. ATPL will not be responsible or liable in case of loss of such items from the coach. All baggage and valuables or your passport in all circumstances will be the responsibility of the passenger. On tours, coach or vehicle used for transfer purposes including local sightseeing. There is no specific seat allocation and will be on first cum first serve basis. If Flight / Cruise / Coach Transfers / Sight scene missed out due to weather conditions/traffic jam / Security Check in or any unavoidable circumstances, ATPL will not be responsible for the same.
3.VISA: Passenger should hold valid travel documents, Passport and visas during tour. It will be the passenger's responsibility to provide a complete set of documents for the visa required by the embassy/consulate before 1 month from departure date or as advised by the Company. In case of the visa application made by passenger or by the Company on his/her behalf is rejected by the consulate due to inadequate supporting documents or late submission of document or for whatever reason where the visa could not be processed ATPL will not be responsible for the visas & Visa fees and tour booking amount will be non-refundable. Due to any clerical error regarding name, attachment of wrong photograph, duration and type of visa (single/multiple entry) occurring on passport, refusal of visas on arrival or delays in visa procedure ATPL will not liable for any compensation. Passport is required to be courier to different cities for visas, Company would forward them by reputed courier. In case of any transmission delays or loss of passport arising in such transmission Company would not be responsible to compensate the same.
4. AIRLINES: ATPL does not reserve any rights for seat selection in airlines. The internal airline used for package are LCC, no food will be served on board. It allows 20 KG Check-in Luggage and 07 KG Cabin Luggage. Additional baggage weight charged will be borne by the passenger. In case of any circumstances, if Airlines get delay or cancel their flight or If guest/group miss further connection of flights during their connecting flight for the international sector ATPL will not be responsible due to any reason for the same.
5. HOTELS: If accommodation is not available in the mentioned hotel due to reason beyond our control. ATPL will make best efforts to shift passenger to a similar category hotel. No complaints or claims shall be made by the client in this respect. Also in case of the passenger are upgraded to a higher category room due to non-availability of STANDARD Room ATPL will not be liable to provide the same category room to other Guest.
6. During sight scene, the vehicle will go up to permissible point only. From that point, any arrangement to be made at extra cost have to be borne by passengers.
7. Check-in time is 14:00 Hrs. and Check out time is 12:00 Hrs. and guest have to pay one-night additional charge for early check-in or late checkout.
8. Tour will be followed by itinerary and timing strictly. ATPL Tour Manager has the right to change the itinerary on the tours with the concern of the Head office due to unavoidable circumstances. Tour itinerary cannot be changed as per the passenger convenience.
9. In case of any Deportation / Arrest / Due to Immigration and Custom Clearance ATPL will not be legally responsible for any claim. There will be no refund for the tour package.
10. Optional sight scene have to be booked in advance paying an additional cost. There will be no refund / no change against the same.
11. Service will be given in exchange for Original Vouchers/itinerary only.
12. Akshar Travels will not be responsible for any kind of services & compensation in case of Death, accident, injury or any loss of baggage. All tourists advised to insure them-self by International Tourist Insurance or Mediclaim for any emergency during foreign Tour.
13. All Tourists are requested to check, watch & confirm Airlines Schedule Departure Time. In case of re-scheduling or cancellation of airlines/flight, if have any query requested to contact concern airlines.
14. There is no refund for any unutilized services.
15. Passengers traveling on international tour must reach the airport at least 3 hours before the departure time.
16. Please read all the general Terms and Conditions and Cancellation Policy before book your tour/package.
17. For Children Travelling Without Parents Under Age Of 18 Years Need To Provide Noc Affidavit On Twenty Rupees Stamp Paper.
18. If a guest who has booked a group tour wishes to deviate from the tour schedule before or after the tour, she/he can do so by paying an additional cost.
19. For Individual Bookings, Guests on an Indian Tour can co-ordinate with the driver of the car/coach. Guests on a World tour can co-ordinate with ground handling agents to plan the next day's visit and sightseeing program. The car/coach has specific time limits within which it operates coach.


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The way rates are calculated, especially on Waiheke, is clearly iniquitous. The system could hardly be better designed to drive out long-term residents who happen to be middle- and low-income New Zealanders and cannot afford huge rates. People who bought properties many years ago for the proverbial axe and blanket now find themselves on properties with very high market values, which have then been over-inflated by the Auckland City Council's dodgy valuations. Living in their own homes thus becomes difficult or impossible. The piffling 25% rebate now patronisingly allowed to farms that were never intended to be subdivided, but were rated as if they were, does little to remedy the evil.
I think rates should be set in a radically different way (and I see nothing in the Rating & Valuation Act or the Local Government (Rating) Act that could prevent it). We should set them on improved values not capital values (also referred to as market values). That would be much fairer (especially if $3 million dollars were not being trucked off the island to prop up Auckland's empire and contribute to its roads), because the value of your improvements is usually closely related to your income.
If I were setting up a rating system I would divide the total needed to administer the island by the number of properties to get the average rates payment for each, then work out a threshold improved value and use a scale based on that to adjust the average up or down for each property.
For example, if the rates-take for the 6425 properties on Waiheke Island was to be the same under an improved-value system as it is under the present market-value system, i.e., $10.436 million, which is an average per property of $1624, the same average would be needed for the average improved value--but the spread would be very different, favouring low- and middle-income households. Quotable Value's figures show the improved average to be $180,131, so that would be the threshold. Therefore calculating your entire rates would be simple matter of dividing your improved value by 110.92. The rates for properties whose improved value was below $180,131 would thus be less than $1624 and those above it more. So someone in a modest, fifty-year-old cottage on Palm Beach would pay rates just on the value of the cottage, not on the millions the entire property would now in theory fetch on the market. If it was worth, say, $30,000, that average $1624 would drop to a comfortable $270. Conversely, someone in a house worth $10 million would pay $90,155.
If the rates-take needed for Waiheke was $12.85 million, the average rates would need to be $2000, making the divisor 85.66. In that case someone in a $30,000 cottage would pay $350 in rates, and someone in a $10-million-dollar house $116,731.
Compare the market-value and improved-value systems with three real examples, using properties in Palm Beach. The Auckland City Council's present hideously complicated system for residential properties on Waiheke is to multiply the 'market rental value' (5% of the so-called market value) by 0.039448, then add in the uniform annual-general charge and a long list of other bits and pieces. Quotable Value's figures show the average capital value for all types of residences on the island to be $635,127. The first example has a capital value very near that--$620,000, made up of a land value of $450,000 and an improved value of $170,000. It was rated a total of $1668 in 2007/2008. Under the improved-value scheme outlined above, it would have been rated $170,000 divided by 110.92, i.e., a total of $1532. The second example has a capital value of $460,000, but because it only has a shed on it its improved value is $10,000. Under the present system it is rated $1115. Under the improved-value system it would be rated $90. The third example is a cottage that was valued at $1.4 million by the Auckland City Council, but on appeal that was reduced to $920,000 (to be wrong by $480,000 is some error!). The land value is $800,000 and the improved value $120,000. At present it is rated $2333. Under the improved-value system it would be rated $1082 (although if the improved valuation were done properly that modest cottage would never be valued at $120.000).
Great Barrier's average improved value for its 1418 properties is $133,199. If that was used in the same way as for Waiheke, by using the same divisors, the average rates would be either $1200 or $1554, which would bring in a total of $1.702 million or $2.204 million.
The rates for unimproved land would obviously have to be calculated differently. Square area would be a prime factor, perhaps using a formula that involved an adjustment on market value followed by one to make the result fair when set beside the rates for improved land. The threshold to use could be reckoned on the reckoned market value per square metre, thus creating a multiplier of value based on area.
One way of arriving at the rates for unimproved residential properties would be to work out their average size, call that the threshold and thus the size that attracted the average rate ($1624 or $2000 in the above examples). That would give an average per square metre, which would give the base figure. Location/market values in adjacent improved properties could then be used to adjust that.
So if, for example, 1000 square metres was found to be the average size of residential properties on the island, and there were two adjacent properties, one of 1000 square metres with an improved value of $180,131 and the other an unimproved one of 800 square metres, and the registered value of the improved one was $360,232 and of the unimproved one $120,000. The improved one, for a rate-take of $12.85 million, would have to be rated at $2000 because it had the average improved value. So with its improvement it would have been rated at $2 per square metre. Taking that rate over the boundary to the unimproved property would give a base figure also of $2 a square metre and thus a total of $1600, but that would then be multiplied by 120/360 to give $533. Something along those lines would give a fair balance of public costs.
Farms could also be rated on improved value, which might include the value of livestock averaged over a year, with perhaps an adjustment downwards to take into account the employment generated and the value of that to the island. But whatever formula was used for rural land would have to be seen to be fair when set beside residential rates.
This system would eliminate what is driving low- and middle-income families and individuals off the island. A beneficial side-effect would be to discourage huge, expensive palaces, thus preventing the island's character from sliding into the tasteless yuppie abyss.
That effect can and should be strengthened by adding a graduated scale to the improved-value system, making, say, the divisor go down 4% of the original 110.92 as the improved value multiplies. That would proportionally increase the rates for the upmarket properties, which would also be fairer. Thus, for example, rates for a property with an improved value of $2.7 million, which is fifteen times the base average of $180,131, would have the divisor reduced by 15*4%, thus reducing the basic 110.92 by 15 lots of 4.4367 to 44.368. That would raise the rates on that property to $60,855 rather than the unfairly low $23,440 it would have if it were rated on the same basis as that shed in Palm Beach. That process would obviously have to have a limit, so the divisor might be set to bottom out at, say, 20, a value that would make the rates on a $10,000,000 house $500,000.
Adding that graduated scale into the mix would obviously further reduce the rates imposed on low- and middle-income groups, because the rates-take needed would be more easily satisfied. So that would turn the calculation into a two-stage process. The first would be as above (dividing your improved value by the appropriate divisor) followed by an across-the-board adjustment to reduce the rates-take to the total required. If, for example, in the first stage the total added up to $15 million and only $10 million was required, all individual rates would then be multiplied by 10/15.
Silly question: Why is the assumption always made, and always believed to be true, that rates have to go up? What are they, hot-air balloons? Manufacturers fight to get their costs down. Councils should too.


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External grants to support teaching, scholarship, and educational programs are available from government agencies, private foundations, professional organizations, and corporations.
Grant Forward
You can look for private and government funding across all disciplines through the Grant Forward database.
Members of the SPU community may access Grant Forward using any campus computer. No special log-in or password is required. However, if off-campus, you must first be signed onto the SPU network via VPN.
Setting up a personal search profile with the Grant Forward Alert Service allows you to run searches for grants based on key words, geographic focus or areas of interest. Each search produces a list of available grants with links to the calls for proposals. Grant Forward will automatically run your search profile at specified intervals (e.g. monthly) to alert you of upcoming funding opportunities in your areas of interest. Unlike general searches, you will need to create a username and password to access personal search profiles. Click here for a helpful user guide.
Finding Federal Grants
Grants.gov provides information on finding grants around the country. They will help you identify the right grant for you, as well as providing helpful information about applying for a grant.
Foundation Center
The Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed.
The Grantsmanship Center
The Grantsmanship Center's goal is to help private and public nonprofits make better communities. Through their website, you will find trainings on receiving grants, information about giving foundations by state, and many other useful grant tools. Click here to see the top giving foundations in Washington State.
Washington State Charitable Trust Directory
The Charitable Trust Directory provides detailed information about various Washington State trusts and foundations.


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Aspiring writers, as well as experienced ones know the struggles of writing a book. It could be a total mess, having too many typos and problems with grammar and structure, or it could be an overnight success. Either way, creating your own novel is not something you just muster out of thin air. But it's not all doom and gloom, especially if you have the creative chops and passion for writing. So if you are an aspiring author, but has absolutely no idea on where to begin, here is a handy guide to help you in creating an outline for your very own book.
Every story contains five basic but important elements which are: the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution. These essential elements keep the story running smoothly and allow the action to develop in a logical way that the reader can follow according to Katie Kazoo.
Also known as the central element to every good story, characters are the individuals that the story is about. Authors should introduce the characters in the story with enough information that the reader can visualize each person. This is achieved by providing detailed descriptions of a character's physical attributes and personality traits. Every story should have a main character. The main character determines the way the plot will develop and is usually who will solve the problem the story centers upon. In most young adult novels, the concept of having a protagonist and an antagonist is very common, but it is not exactly necessary to make your story interesting to read. All it takes is an active imagination and an out-of-the-box thinking. However, the other supporting characters are also very important because they supply additional details, explanations, or actions. All characters should stay true to the author's descriptions throughout the story so that the reader can understand and believe the action that is taking place—and perhaps even predict which character may do what's next.
This aspect is where the story unfolds. The setting is the location of the action. An author should describe the environment or surroundings of the story in such detail that the reader feels that he or she can picture the scene. Although sky is the limit in this element, everyday settings can help a reader to better visualize the story and feel connected to the plot. There is no harm in venturing out your comfort zone once in a while. Take the great J.K. Rowling for instance. How she came up with Harry Potter and all its amazing details, amazing is an understatement.
Now that you have your characters and setting, now it is finally time to dictate how your story unfolds. The plot is the actual story around which the entire book is based. Plots should have a very clear beginning, middle, and end— with all the necessary descriptions and suspense called exposition, so that the reader can make sense of the action and follow along from start to finish. If you watch Filipino TV dramas, you will notice a lot of overused, cliche plots that tend to get too predictable to the point it just gets boring. These kinds of plots that Filipino directors normally go for are the reason why I discourage people to avoid watching them: The baby-switching catastrophe plot, The protagonist never dies plot, The wedding ending plot, The rugs to riches and riches to rags plot, The character abuse plot, The love triangle plot, The amnesia plot, and the common "mistress" plot.
Every good story will always have a conflict that needs to be resolved. The plot is centered on this conflict and the ways in which the characters attempt to resolve the problem. When the story's action becomes the most exciting, right before the resolution, it is called the climax.
After the rain comes the rainbow. Here is the part of the story where the readers have hung up for so long comes to a close. The solution to the problem is the way the action is resolved. But not every resolution gets a happy ending because not everyone believes in one. It is important that the resolution fit the rest of the story in tone and creativity and solve all parts of the conflict.
Just like outlining a speech, books would need a very different outline since the elements involved are more sophisticated than that of a speech. Take note that book outlining for non-fiction varies greatly from that of creating an outline for your story for a novel. This kind of outline will require character development, an evolution of plot points, and resolution of conflict. Whatever story or book that you intend to write, the ultimatum remains the same—organization and pre-planning in writing for a great and cohesive book.
Normally, authors would write stories by hand in a notebook before transferring it to Microsoft Word since it's more interesting that way. But yes, start typing your thoughts in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel. Create a table and organize and summarize your key points and plot. Afterwards, make a separate section for characters and themes, and an additional section with relevant research.
For this, all you need is a blank wall and a box of Post-It notes. Carry a pad of Post-Its with you wherever you go, and noodle your book on the fly. Write your ideas and inspiration on your Post-Its when the mood strikes you. Next, mark the Post-Its containing words, snippets, doodles, and phrases to the wall. After a week of this exercise, organize these words into a story outline form.
The Snowflake Method was created by fiction writing coach Randy Ingermanson based on the notion, "Good fiction doesn't just happen. It's designed." The process of the snowflake method focuses on starting small, then expanding. For example, you'd start with one line from your book, then add a paragraph, then add a chapter.
If you've ever written a term paper or thesis, then you're probably familiar with the skeletal outline. You'll begin by laying out your narrative points in the order they would appear in your story, which involves a broad 7-step story arch. This gives you a big picture idea of the flow of your story, so you can adjust your story and add subplots for maximum impact.
If you're that impatient to jump right into the fun part—writing!—or you are not so sure exactly how to format your novel outline, then a pre-formatted template outline might be your solution. A fill-in-the-blank novel outline can help you develop your plot, characters, and ideas without getting bogged down with the notion of striving for "proper" outline form.
Sometimes looking at the problem from a different angle can give you the answer to the question. The same applies to outlining. Reverse outlining is exactly what it sounds like: Write down how your novel ends. Then once you know the ending, outline backwards to get to that happy (Or sad? You're the author!) ending.
And as this article ends, there is no right or wrong way how to start writing your story. The only important thing to is to ensure the story does reach its end.


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Band of Horses is playing behind me, offering up a tune called "I Go To the Barn Because I Like The." Gotta love a run-on sentence of a song title. Anyway ... it's the closest they've ever got to the pastoral friendliness of My Morning Jacket. No use being copycats. It's nice and quiet and amazing. It's nicely amazing. I've opened my window wide after seeing how fierce the wind was blowing on its other side, only then discovering that it had chased the sunshine away and gave this portion, this minute section of my life some bright grey. It's brilliant. It's a still life painting gone fidgety. And now, now that I've caught nature in the act and am all caught up in observing, the swaying trees have paused. The dancing has stopped, but not entirely. It's slowed. And then it's blowing again. And not. The music tries pretty desperately to keep up, offer up a music video with no need of editing and Everything All The Time gives me another pretty polished gem in "St. Augustine." It silences the wind some.
This is all I need right now to keep my spirits lit up and light and jubilant. I mean that.


text: Cleansing is the most basic step in any skin care routine. At Skin Authority, we think of this step as your BeautyWorkout warm-up. With so many cleansing options these days (cleansers, oils, scrubs, pads, wipes, brushes, etc.) it is more confusing than ever to know how you should be washing your face to get the best results and the most effective cleanse. This is the first of a three-part series that will give you the tools you need to find the facial cleansing routine that is right for you. Part 1: The Basics Part 2: Cleansing Like A Pro Part 3: Resurfacing Transformation Part 1: The Basics Why Cleanse? Cleansing is the most fundamental step to healthy skin. Even though you think you should be able to lather up with soap, give a good scrub, and rub dry, those methods will imbalance and irritate your skin rather than help. The skin on your face … Continue reading


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It's way past time to send the greedy SOB's at those 'Too Big to Fail' Wall Street casinos packing, hopefully to the nearest federal penitentiary, where they can serve the rest of their sorry ass lives in solitary confinement, except those lucky ones who get sent to the death house.
It's also way past time to shut down the illegally formed Federal Reserve, run by narcissistic JEW money grubbers who have been robbing Americans blind for nearly 100 years. Shut them down, return the power to create debt-free currency to the Congress and have each state form it's own state owned bank, like North Dakota, who is doing quite fine even though the rest of the nation is mired in a never-ending financial depression.
What North Dakota's bank is doing doesn't require a college degree in economics to understand. That bank is reinvesting money deposited back into the state's housing, businesses and industries, and not using it to gamble on risky, high-stake ventures that usually implode, leaving the taxpayer to pick up the bill while the bankers get bailed out with YOUR money.
What's Happening in your State?
Find out by clicking on the map. Are you interested in starting a county-owned bank? Visit our new county bank webpage here.5 Depressing Ways That 1%'s Huge Profits Have Broken the Back of America
Public Banks are ...
• Viable solutions to the present economic crises in US states.
• Counter-cyclical, meaning they are capable of reducing the negative impact of recessions, because they can make money available for local governments and businesses precisely when private banks decrease lending.
• Potentially available to any-sized government or community able to meet the requirements for setting up a bank.
• Owned by the people of a state or community.
• Economically sustainable, because they operate transparently according to applicable banking regulations
• Able to offset pressures for tax increases with returned credit income to the community.
• Ready sources of affordable credit for local governments, eliminating the need for large "rainy day" funds.
• Required to promote the public interest, as defined in their charters.
• Constitutional, as ruled by the U.S. Supreme Court
... and are not
• Operated by politicians; rather, they are run by professional bankers.
• Boondoggles for bank executives; rather, their employees are salaried public servants (paid by the state, with a transparent pay structure) who would likely not earn bonuses, commissions or fees for generating loans.
• Speculative ventures that maximize profits in the short term, without regard to the long-term interests of the public.
Common Misperceptions of Public Banking
In every venue in which PBI has presented the case for public banking, we have heard very similar counter arguments against it. Read them here.
Did You Know ...?
Public banking was first introduced to the middle colonies in America by the Quakers in the original colony of Pennsylvania. Read about it on page 442 of Ben Franklin's memoirs. Other colonial governments also established publicly-owned banks. The concept was later embraced by the State of North Dakota, the only state to currently operate its own bank.
As of the spring of 2010, North Dakota was also the only state sporting a major budget surplus; it had the lowest unemployment and default rates in the country; and it had the most community banks per capita, suggesting that the presence of a state-owned bank has helped, not hurt, the local banks. More ...


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Noise and its effect on people around us seems to be becoming a bigger concern, especially on public transport or in public spaces.
Last week, LBC reported the incident of a woman attacked on a Tube train after asking another passenger to turn down the volume when watching a video on his mobile phone.
While intrusion into other people's space has always been tricky on crowded Tube trains, mobile devices add the new dimension of noise to this.
What is acceptable?
What is entertaining to some people can be annoying to others. Some want to be entertained, while others want to travel in silence.
Trains on the national rail network have 'quiet coaches' to try to ensure those who enjoy quiet are not disturbed, but should anyone subject others to noise, whether it be music, film or TV soundtracks or loud phone conversations, that they don't want to hear?
We think it is courteous to be considerate of others by keeping the volume down or listening through headphones.
What are your thoughts?


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Households continue to be the main driver of credit growth
- Details
- Category: Economic Releases
- Created: 26 January 2018
|Banking Sector Developments October 2017
|Oct 17
|Sep 17
|Aug 17
|Jul 17
|Deposit rate (%) *
|Lending rate (%) *
|Total Deposits (T$m)
|Total Lending (T$m) ^
|New Commitments (T$m)
|Broad Money (T$m)
* Weighted Average calculated as a function of interest rate and volume of deposits and loans (also note revisions have been made to deposit and lending rates data)
Total banks' lending increased by $1.1 million (0.3%) over October to $418.1 million. This was driven solely by lending to households, offsetting the lending to businesses. Annually, total banks' lending increased by $49.9 million (13.5%) driven by rises in lending to both households and businesses. However, households continued to remain the most significant contributor to the annual movement.
Lending extended by non-bank financial institutions increased over the month by $2.5 million (1.7%) and over the year by $18.5 million (14.2%) to $148.3 million. This continued to be driven by more household loans extended by the South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) offsetting a fall in government on-lent loans.
Business Lending
Over October, total banks' lending to businesses declined slightly by $0.1 million (0.1%) to $180.7 million. This was mainly due to a decline of $4.0 million (%) in the agriculture sector partially offset by increases in the fisheries, tourism, and wholesale and retail sectors. Over the year, business lending increased by $17.6 million (10.8%). This was driven mainly by an increase in lending to the wholesale and retail, services, and manufacturing sectors which rose respectively by $11.5 million (38.6%), $6.7 million (42.6%), and $5.9 million (37.8%). This was also partially offset by declines in the agriculture and mining and quarrying sectors. The GDL throughout the year continued to support credit growth and the economic activities in these sectors. With the inclusion of government on-lent loans, business lending rose by $16.5 million (7.6%) reflecting repayments for government on-lent loans.
Household Lending
Household loans rose over October by $1.3 million (0.6%) to a new record high of $236.4 million. This was led solely by an increase of $1.9 million (1.1%) for housing loans, offsetting respective declines of $0.6 million (1.0%) and $0.01 million (0.8%) in other personal and vehicle loans. Over the year, bank's lending to households increased by $32.6 million (16.0%). This was resulting yet again to a significant increase of $30.6 million (21.0%) in housing loans. Other personal loans and vehicle loans also contributed to the yearly rise by $1.8 million (3.2%) and 0.1 million (20.4%) respectively. Import payments for construction materials and vehicles increased over the year supporting the annual rise in housing and vehicle loans. The consistent rise in household loans continued to reflect constantly increasing demand of households and their continued capacity to access loans. Furthermore, lending from non-bank financial institutions to households rose by $19.6 million (25.5%) reflecting higher personal loans made over the year.
Other Lending
Other loans from banks declined over the month and over the year by $0.1 million (7.6%) and $0.3 million (22.6%) respectively. Both movements resulted from decreases in lending within the non-profit institutions sector.
Non-performing loans
Banks' total non-performing loans fell by $1.1 million (6.5%) over October and over the year by $1.6 million (9.2%) to $15.5 million. The monthly decline resulted from lower non-performing business loans mainly for the tourism sector. Over the year, the decrease in non-performing loans resulted also from settlements of non-performing business loans. The non-performing loans represented 3.7% of total loans as at the end of October 2017 compared to 4.0% last month, and 4.6% in October 2016.
Total bank deposits increased over October by $14.4 million (2.6%) to $569.4 million. This was largely due to an increase in demand deposits of $13.7 million which was attributed to increase in deposits by businesses and private individuals. Time deposits also contributed to the monthly rise by $1.6 million (0.7%). Both these respective increases offset the decline in savings deposits over October.
Annually, total bank deposits increased by $72.6 million (14.6%) reflecting rises in all deposit categories. Time deposits contributed the most to the annual rise by $37.3 million. This was driven mainly by investments of Digicel in Government shares for Tonga Cable Limited and rising time deposit balances in other depository institutions abroad. Demand deposits and saving deposits followed increasing respectively by $30.6 million and $4.7 million. The increase in demand deposits stemmed from growth in Government deposits, public enterprises, and private individuals. Receipt of government's budget support funds contributed to this increase as well as improved government revenue collection throughout the year. The rise in savings deposits were due to higher deposits mainly made by churches, private businesses, and individuals.
Interest Rate Spread
The weighted average interest rate spread widened over October by 15.1 basis points (from 5.665%) and over the year by 12.4 basis points (from 5.691%) to 5.816%. The monthly increase was a result of an increase in the weighted average lending rate outweighing the decrease in the weighted average deposit rate. The weighted average lending rate rose by 12.4 basis points (from 7.85% to 7.98%) solely due to higher lending rates for households (applied to rates for housing, vehicles, and other personal loans). Lending rates for businesses rose also and applied to loans for the agriculture, manufacturing, and construction sectors. The weighted average deposit rate declined by 2.6 basis points (from 2.19% to 2.16%) over the month due to lower term deposit rates. Savings deposit and demand deposit rates however increased.
Over the year, the weighted average interest rate spread widened due to a greater increase in the weighted average lending rate outweighing the fall in the weighted average deposit rate. The weighted average lending rate increased by 10.4 basis points and applied to lending rates for households whilst business lending rates declined. Higher household lending rates applied for other housing, vehicles, and other personal loans. These lower interest rates supported the higher credit growth within the private sector and also household loans over the year. The weighted average deposit rate declined by 2.0 basis points due to lower term deposit rates.
Broad money
Over October, broad money increased by $3.9 million (0.7%) to $553.6 million. This was due to a significant rise in net foreign assets offsetting a decline in net domestic assets. Net foreign assets increased by $14.2 million (3.4%) mainly as a result of a $10.5 million (2.6%) rise in the official foreign reserves. In addition, other foreign assets contributed to the monthly increase by $5.2 million (12.3%). Net domestic assets decreased by $10.4 million (7.9%) mainly as a result of a decrease in net domestic credit, specifically for public sector and private businesses.
Over the year, broad money increased by $52.5 million (10.5%) driven solely by a significant rise of $58.1 million (15.5%) in net foreign assets offsetting a decline in net domestic assets. The rise in net foreign assets resulted largely to a $46.5 million (12.7%) increase in foreign reserves over the year. Budget support funding received during the year contributed to the higher foreign reserves and corresponded to the increase in net foreign assets.
Liquidity (reserve money)1 in the banking system increased over the month by $9.0 million (3.2%) to $292.0 million. This stemmed largely an increase of $9.3 million (5.9%) in deposits by the commercial banks to the Reserve Bank vault outweighing a slight decline in currency in circulation. The banks' total loans to deposit ratio reflected this and fell in October to 73.4% from 75.1% last month. This was due to an increase of $14.4 million (2.6%) in deposits outweighing the increase in lending of $1.1 million (0.3%). The loans to deposits ratio of banks continue to remain below the minimum 80% loans to deposits ratio which indicates excess liquidity in the banking system remains and that there is capacity for further lending by the banks.
Over the year, the banking system liquidity rose by $24.4 million (9.1%) as a result of respective increases of $28.8 million (125.5%) and $12.0 million (19.7%) in required reserves (statutory required deposits) and in currency in circulation. These rises had offset a withdrawal of $16.3 million (8.9%) by the commercial banks from the Reserve Bank's vault. Overall, the yearly movements indicate improvement towards the revised Statutory Required Deposit ratio from 5% to 10% which was effective in July 2017.
The banks' prospects for credit growth remains positive and the Reserve Bank's projection is supported by improving economic conditions, business confidence, and annual (one-off) events taking place throughout the financial year. Therefore, a 15% credit growth is expected in the year to June 2018 supported by the level of competition between banks in term of housing loans also the accommodative monetary policy to utilize the excess liquidity to encourage lending in order to support economic activity.
The Reserve Bank will continue to closely monitor the credit growth and broad money movements to ensure financial and macroeconomic stability are maintained and that there is no overheating in the economy.
1 - Liquidity in the banking system (reserve money) is a sum of currency in circulation, exchange settlement account balances, and required reserve deposits.
Economics Department
National Reserve Bank of Tonga
Telephone: (676) 24057
Fax: (676) 24201
|Banking Sector Development - September 2017
Released on 15 December 2017 | 458 KB - Download a copy of the full report.
|See more Banking Sector Development releases.


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Send in the Chickenosaurus! or: Why I do trust Jack Horner
Franken-chicken! –chickosaurus! –evidence and memory perists! –great meal! –how nourishing for minds
By Carlos Augusto Chamarelli
Oh just look who decided to make an article. Things have been pretty slow on my side due to a lot of recent troubles, but I finally gathered enough willpower to post about something I've been meaning to write about: Jack Horner's greatest ambition of creating dinosaurs.
Yes, that might be confusing/shocking for those who remember my previous statement that I'm against some of his theories (and contrary to my friends' skepticism, I do intend in making more posts about them), but this time I'll write about him in a positive light because even myself have to admit that I'm looking forward for the results of his experiment.
But first I'd like to point out how amusing and slightly hypocritical it is for Jack Horner try to recreate dinosaurs in the first place, since, you know, he was one of the advisors for the movie adaptations…
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Call Us 1-800-829-7876
The Protective Rain Guard itself is comprised of two components; the metal reinforced - vinyl coated channel that mounts directly to your Security Boss pet door frame and the overhang portion that is a soft pliable rubber polymer that maintains it's shape and should provide many years of use. The Protective Rain Guards are only available in a dark brown color, this helps minimize any dirt or water markings to keep your pet door looking it's best.
The reason we offer a soft, pliable Rain Guard is purely a matter of safety. This becomes very important in door installations. If you were to open your door that you have installed a rigid or metal rain protector, there is a possibility that you could walk close enough to the door to gash or cut your leg. Smaller children playing around the pet door may cut or hurt themselves with a metal or rigid overhang. The Rain Guard by Security Boss is completely safe for you or your children who may be playing near the pet door, the soft pliable overhang cannot cause any injury or harm
Note: When installing a pet door you will always want to try choose an area that is protected from direct weather as much as possible. The Protective Rain Guard is an accessory that helps aids the overall function of the MaxSeal Pet door.
Security Boss Manufacturing LLC is dedicated to providing products that operate beyond expectations and provide the customer with long years of satisfaction. The MaxSeal Pet Door lines are designed so that you can maintain your pet door indefinitely.


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Netball NSW has confirmed the players who have been selected in the 2016 NSW 17/U Development Squad, which will again be overseen by Head Coach Leonie-Stewart Weeks.
Introduced by Netball NSW in 2014, the 17/U Development Squad provides an opportunity for identified athletes who didn't make the final twelve for this year's NSW 17/U State Team to continue their development in a High Performance environment.
The 2016 NSW 17/U Development Squad will have an identical training schedule as their 17/U State Team counterparts, which will include match play in the lead up to the National Netball Championship in April.
On making the announcement, Netball NSW General Manager – High Performance Anna Longman said the NSW 17/U Development Squad plays a significant role in the pathway of the State's emerging talent.
"The calibre of players coming through the NSW pathway continues to improve and increase, and it's important we provide development opportunities for these gifted athletes," said Longman.
"As we've already seen over the past two years, athletes selected in the 17/U Development Squad have gone onto be named in State Teams; further supporting the initial vision of the concept.
"We hope to see many of this year's 17/U Development Squad challenging for places in the Netball NSW High Performance program in future years," concluded Longman.
2016 NSW 17/U Development Squad
Alexandra BOLTON – Sutherland Shire
Lili GORMAN-BROWN – Sutherland Shire
Angela CLOERAINE – Manly Warringah
Madison HILTON – Gosford
Claire HUDSON – Camden & District
Carly LEEMBRUGGEN – Gosford
Ricki McCRAY – Sutherland Shire
Leigh MYERS – Ku-ring-gai
Kayla NAKHOUL – Manly Warringah
Eve Parker – Manly Warringah
Isabella PICKUP – Randwick
Charlotte RALEIGH – Armidale District
Tara RIGNEY – Northern Suburbs
Angela WILLIAMS – Newcastle
NSW 17/U Development Squad Coaching and Support Staff
Head Coach: Leonie Stewart-Weeks (Eastwood Ryde)
Assistant Coach: Kirstie Fuller (Armidale)


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|Previous Close
|67.18 x 800
|69.00 x 1400
|Day's Range
|67.07 - 68.87
|52 Week Range
|57.51 - 76.41
|Avg. Volume
|Market Cap
|Beta (5Y Monthly)
|PE Ratio (TTM)
|Earnings Date
|Jan 23, 2020 - Jan 27, 2020
|Forward Dividend & Yield
|1.72 (2.56%)
|Ex-Dividend Date
|1y Target Est
Cresco Labs Inc. said Thursday it has raised $50 million in a sale-and-leaseback deal of its Lincoln, Illinois facility with GreenAcreage Real Estate Corp. The agreement, which will not dilute its shares, will allow the company to operate the property as a licensed medical and recreational cannabis grow facility in time for the full legalization of adult-use cannabis in Illinois in January. That market is expected to reach $2 billion to $4 billion in sales once it reaches maturity. Cresco had cash and cash equivalents of $73.7 million at the end of the third quarter, along with a working capital position of $144.6 million and zero debt. It has already entered a sale-and-leaseback agreement for its Marshall, Michigan and Yellow Springs, Ohio facilities for $38 million. U.S.-listed shares were not active premarket, but have fallen 11% in 2019, while the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF has fallen 32% and the S&P 500 has gained 25%.
Colgate (CL) is grappling with weak margins and adverse impacts of foreign currency. Nevertheless, its innovation plans, savings program and expansion strategies bode well.
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: ExxonMobil, Starbucks, Diageo, Fidelity National Information Services and Colgate-Palmolive
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Some Cresco Labs Inc. (CNSX:CL) shareholders are probably rather concerned to see the share price fall 40% over the...
While investing in any of the retail stocks could reward investors throughout Cyber Week, a diverse approach in a basket form can also be a great choice.
Colgate-Palmolive (CL) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.
It seems that the masses and most of the financial media hate hedge funds and what they do, but why is this hatred of hedge funds so prominent? At the end of the day, these asset management firms do not gamble the hard-earned money of the people who are on the edge of poverty. Truth […]
Cresco Labs Inc. reported revenue Tuesday that missed Wall Street expectations. The weed producer reported a third-quarter net loss of $8.6 million, versus net income of $1.2 million in the year-ago quarter. Cresco did not report a per-share earnings figure. Revenue rose to $36.2 million from $12.7 million a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet expected sales of $37.9 million. U.S. traded shares of Cresco Labs have dropped 14% this year, as the S&P 500 index has gained 25%. The ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF has fallen 32% this year. Cresco shares closed up 0.7% in regular trading Tuesday.
Cresco Labs said Tuesday it has terminated the acquisition of VidaCann Ltd. announced in March in a deal that would have cost it $120 million. Chicago-based Cresco Labs said the decision was made to conserve cash as it works to accelerate top and bottom-line growth. The company has also signed an agreement for a sale-and-leaseback of two properties in Ohio and Michigan that will allow it to raise $38 million in non-dilutive financing. "The team and operations at VidaCann are phenomenal, but with a focus on managing our cost of capital, and insuring the most efficient and highest return on invested capital, the ability to deploy resources to other, existing, Cresco markets that are widely considered some of the top markets in the US, like Illinois, Pennsylvania, California and Nevada, has to take priority," Chief Executive and co-Founder Charlie Bachtell said in a statement. The company is the latest to drop a planned acquisition as the cannabis sector has been hurt by the slower-than-expected development of the legal market in Canada and the U.S. U.S.-listed shares were not active premarket, but have fallen 15% in 2019, while the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF has fallen 31% and the S&P 500 has gained 25%.
Q3 2019 Colgate-Palmolive Co Earnings Call
Colgate-Palmolive Co. will share the intellectual property of its new fully-recyclable toothpaste tube with competitors, a move that comes as the home-goods industry faces mounting pressure from eco-conscious shoppers.
Colgate-Palmolive Company received a U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) 2019 Leadership Award in recognition of exemplary work and leadership in the green building industry. Colgate was honored for this achievement at the USGBC's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo on November 20, marking a significant milestone in Colgate's ongoing commitment to sustainable business practices.
Colgate-Palmolive has begun the switch to a first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube and now wants to enlist other companies to follow its lead. Last week, Colgate delivered to retailers the first tube recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) -- Antiplaque & Whitening toothpaste under the Company's Tom's of Maine brand. Tom's will complete the switch in 2020, when the Colgate brand will start the transition in Europe and North America.
Colgate-Palmolive Group President, Latin America & Asia Pacific, Panagiotis Tsourapas, will participate in a fireside chat at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
Soap & Cleaning Materials Stock Outlook Buoyant on Innovation
The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use...
Even though the U.S.-China trade war is seemingly easing, it could flare back up again at any time. As a result, many investors are still looking for defensive stocks to buy now. Of course, in the most extreme example, you can elect to go all into cash. However, history has proven that to be the worst thing to do. Instead, this is a good time to consider dividend aristocrats.First, market uncertainty incentivizes stable dividend stocks to buy now. How so? Passive-income generating companies typically perform better than high-flying growth names during bearish phases. For one thing, investors can still collect their payouts even if their portfolio isn't doing too well. Moreover, organizations that have a history of consistent payouts tend to be levered toward secular or otherwise steady industries.And there's no better paragon of stability than dividend aristocrats. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, dividend aristocrats have three main requirements: they must be equities traded in the S&P 500, have 25 years-plus of dividend increases and meet size/liquidity benchmarks.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Large-Cap Stocks to Give a Wide Berth However, a word of caution. Just because you put dividend aristocrats in your list of stocks to buy now doesn't guarantee a smooth ride. If the markets turn volatile, you can expect virtually all names to incur red ink.But the major selling point is magnitude. With dividend aristocrats, you're limiting your potential losses due to the robustness of the target company. Better yet, the volatility provides a rare discount for these stalwarts of industry.So with that in mind, here are eight stocks to buy now with a long track record of payouts: Stocks to Buy: McDonald's (MCD)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 2.6%I'm going to start my list of stocks to buy now with a name I was wrong about: McDonald's (NYSE:MCD). One of the reasons why I didn't like MCD stock was that the Golden Arches apparently wasn't winning over millennials. But recently, I started eating out at McDonald's, and I discovered that the real fundamentals don't match the "paper" data.For instance, the McDonald's app is incredibly convenient. You order what you want on your phone and go up to the counter or the drive-thru. Very quickly, their employees deliver your selected items. And let's talk about the drive-thru: it's lightning-quick, even with rows of waiting cars. That's a major plus for MCD stock.Finally, McDonald's is a proud member of the dividend aristocrats. It has increased its payout consistently over a 43-year period. If a downturn were to impact the markets, MCD stock is a name you'll want to own. Colgate-Palmolive (CL)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 2.6%When you're on the hunt for stable stocks to buy now, you don't want to get too cute. Instead, you'll want to go with a proven name like Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL). The investment thesis for CL stock is straightforward and simple. Even in times of recession, people still need to brush their teeth. Thus, I expect a steady revenue stream no matter what happens in the coming months and years. * 7 Large-Cap Stocks to Give a Wide Berth I believe CL stock will give you excellent protection over the coming months. Keep in mind that Colgate-Palmolive has increased their dividends for 55 years. That's an impressive feat, even compared to other dividend aristocrats. Further, it's a status that management won't give up without a fight. Cardinal Health (CAH)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 3.6%In recent years, the healthcare sector has suffered a black eye from a public relations standpoint. Thus, it's no surprise that many companies in this segment have faltered. However, I'd consider putting Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) on your list of stocks to buy now. Unlike other players in this broad category, CAH stock is strongly levered to secular demand.In other words, Cardinal Health has a wide range of professional medical products. They run the gamut from anesthesia-related equipment to laboratory products down to something as mundane as gloves. While medical technology is always improving, some things will always remain the same. For these everyday concerns in the medical field, Cardinal Health has folks covered. Ultimately, that's a great catalyst for CAH stock.Another factor is that the company very much belongs on the list of dividend aristocrats. While the exact number of dividend increases causes some disagreement, CAH is included in the Proshares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (BATS:NOBL). And whatever the case, it has reliably raised dividends for at least the last 14 years. Aflac (AFL)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 2%Simply put, Aflac (NYSE:AFL) is a great company with an incredibly relevant service. As you no doubt have learned through their quirky commercials, Aflac specializes in supplemental insurance. Essentially, their range of products protect you financially from incidents that "regular" insurance doesn't cover or cover adequately. Plus, their solutions represent an incremental cost for much peace of mind, bolstering the case for AFL stock.And while most millennials probably think they're invincible, many will encounter situations that give them a reality check. Additionally, they may hear horror stories about how coverage gaps financially ruined one of their peers. Whatever the case, Aflac, and by logical deduction, AFL stock, has opportunities to rise through word of mouth. * 7 Large-Cap Stocks to Give a Wide Berth Finally, Aflac is one of the most stable stocks to buy now among dividend aristocrats. Kimberly-Clark (KMB)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 3.1%I don't always prepare for recessions. But when I do, I take a long look at Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB). If you're concerned about a prolonged downturn in the U.S. or global economy, you'll also want to consider KMB stock. As with Colgate-Palmolive, the bullish argument here is very simple: even in recessions, people need to use the bathroom.And without getting graphic, people also need to take care of themselves after a lengthy session with the porcelain throne. Kimberly-Clark offers some of the best products for this endeavor, and I speak from personal experience. Moreover, the company has other family-care products. If you think about it, KMB stock is truly a cradle-to-grave investment.Kimberly-Clark has traded among dividend aristocrats for 46 years. That makes its shares one of the stocks to buy now in my book. Chevron (CVX)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 3.9%With the U.S. and China trading barbs and sanctions, it's no surprise that oil companies like Chevron (NYSE:CVX) fell. On surface level, CVX stock currently faces two major headwinds. First, global volatility means lower demand overall for energy. Second, the push for clean and renewable energies makes CVX stock appear antiquated, and perhaps soon approaching irrelevancy.Admittedly, the first point is going to be a major distraction for Chevron. However, even in the middle of a recession, people still require transportation. Thus, I don't see demand falling completely off the cliff. On the second point, I believe green energy is more a gimmick than a practical reality. Our infrastructure is simply not ready to accommodate innovations like electric vehicles on a mass scale. * 7 Large-Cap Stocks to Give a Wide Berth Granted, CVX stock is a risky play among this list of stocks to buy now. That said, the trade war dynamic should drive shares to an attractive discount. At that point, I think Chevron becomes a bargain because the world still needs fossil-fuel-based energy. AT&T (T)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 5.2%With AT&T (NYSE:T), we're really getting into the riskier side of the dividend stocks to buy now. I say this for a couple of reasons. One, with a yield of 5.2%, sustainability becomes a concern. Second, and a perfect segue, the dividend payout ratio for T stock is on-paper astronomical. Therefore, many bears anticipate that AT&T will lose its status as one of the key dividend aristocrats.However, it's important to point out that telecoms usually have extremely large depreciation and amortization costs. That artificially depresses earnings, which makes the high payout ratio somewhat deceptive. Still, I concede the point that T stock is saddled with an unprecedented debt level. Its big-moat, slow-growth narrative is distracting, especially when we may be headed toward a recession.That said, this criticism focuses on the headline print. In reality, AT&T is one of very few companies that have the resources and know-how to roll out the 5G network. And because we're in a tech cold war with international adversaries, I see the government supporting T stock big time. 3M (MMM)Source: Shutterstock Dividend Yield: 3.4%Last on my list of stocks to buy now is applied-sciences firm 3M (NYSE:MMM). After providing largely steady gains over the last several decades, MMM stock is in trouble. Hitting a peak around February of 2018, shares have formed an ugly bearish trend channel. Efforts to time the bottom have badly bruised speculators.Surely, I'm not alone when I say that I dislike the phrase "this time, it's different." It's almost bad karma to use those words when discussing an investment thesis. However, I genuinely believe that with MMM stock, this is a valid descriptor.One of the toughest challenges for MMM stock is that the underlying company didn't have a relevant product. That calculus has changed with their latest "Flex & Seal Shipping Roll." Essentially, this is a customizable shipping package that doesn't require tape or other cumbersome equipment.Looking at the video demonstration of Flex & Seal, I think it's a game-changer for retail. By logical deduction, then, it's a game-changer for MMM stock.As of this writing, Josh Enomoto is long T stock. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Large-Cap Stocks to Give a Wide Berth * 7 Potential New Stocks That Should Not Go Public * 5 Chinese Stocks to Buy Surging Higher The post 8 Dividend Aristocrat Stocks to Buy Now appeared first on InvestorPlace.
Procter & Gamble shares moved higher after the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings, but traders will be keeping an eye on these levels.
Last month, Charlotte's Web announced that it would partner with Nielsen to guide US retail companies on the growth of the CBD (cannabidiol) space.
Evidence of the increasing effects of climate change is building, as are the investing opportunities and changes in consumer habits linked to environmental concerns and resource use. Here are select dispatches about the companies responding to customer demands and climate risk, the ESG investors and their advisers, and the policy-makers, enterprising individuals and scientists preparing for tomorrow. BreakFreeFromPlastic, a three-year-old organization of some 1,800 members working to tackle plastic pollution has called in the volunteers that tally top plastic polluters by brand, and the amount of refuse clogging the world's waterways remains alarming.
A stricter version of the current ratio, for those who need to know which short-term assets are available to meet current liabilities Continue reading...
Stocks rallied Friday, with the benchmark S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite indexes notching new closing records, after the Labor Department estimated the U.S. economy added 128,000 new jobs in October and upwardly revised its estimate of job growth in September and August.
Cannabis stocks were mostly lower Thursday, led by Curaleaf Holdings, after the company became the latest to scale back a previously announced acquisition in the wake of a massive re-rating of the sector in the past few months.
Earnings continue to take center stage on Friday, ably supported by the twists and turns of the U.S.-China trade war.


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Temukan harga terbaik untuk setiap produk Traveloka yang Anda butuhkan. Michael did mention to me months in the past in a non-public e-mail that Smileykins and Tallcotton had been nothing to do with him in any respect. I imagine him. I believe Smileykins and Tallcotton were employed by someone else for some other reason. They could be here for numerous causes. I've discovered them each to be good to me these days, however it was an actual cat struggle in the beginning. To be trustworthy I do not let the reasoning behind why people come to this weblog distract me from the reality. It did in the beginning, however not anymore.
This class is dedicated to all things travel. From one of the best ways to pack your baggage to intensive city and hotel guides. Travel is a large a part of my life with my husband, Thomas, and we have grown to like the journey collectively as a lot as we enjoy the exploring the vacation spot. We have at all times cherished increasing our horizons and discovering new cultures. We frequently travel together around twenty occasions a 12 months, discovering the perfect ways to scout, plan, book, and pack our bags in the process. I really like working out my outfits prematurely and packing in such a manner that my suitcase feels as organized as my closet while I'm away.
Individuals say, 'Mary, it's good to take a break from this.' But it surely's not like I can overlook about this now. I've numerous associates with this, and they're all extremely sick. Their neurological problems are getting worse. I've got to see this through. It is a mission. I do not know. … I believe it's fear-based mostly behavior. It does seem like a bit neurotic, except you notice what is the driving pressure. The love of my kids and the concern of an unknown disease.
No offense to you in any respect here Tallcotton, however I have skilled the symptoms of Morgellons for approach too lengthy. My mind is free of mind altering drugs. I wish I might take them, however I cannot on account of this disease. The tail-end of spring promises warm, travel-pleasant climate, beautiful flower blooms, top-down street journeys and famous sporting events like the Kentucky Derby. Principally, it's the perfect time to shake off any lingering winter frost and get out of town.
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As you may have heard recently in the news, the UK has been granted an extension to remain in the European Union until 31 January 2020, with the option to leave before this date.
The Brexit extension provides certainty that people will be able to continue to travel to the European Union exactly as they do today, at least until the end of January 2020.
• All current arrangements for travel will remain as they are
• You will be able to move through UK ports and airports, as usual, using the EU/EEA passport gates
• You will still have access to state medical care in any EU country as long as you have an up to date European Health Insurance Card
• You won't need an International Driving Permit, and if you are taking your own car, you won't need a Green Card for insurance
• All consumer rights and benefits from EU laws will also remain including airline compensation for cancellation or delays, and the ability to use your mobile phone abroad without additional charges.
Latest news for school groups travelling through the Port of Dover
Following a meeting last week at which the potential impact of a no-deal Brexit on school groups travelling through the Port of Dover was discussed, we have been given to understand that:
• Dover Port Authorities believe checks at passport control on both sides will remain unchanged. Other than the need to have a minimum of 6 months validity on British passports there is no change to the paperwork required by passengers
• Dover Port Authorities believe the volume of empty freight vehicles moving through the port, combined with the fact that a large proportion of freight using the port will be sent through large haulage companies who have made all the necessary contingency plans, should help reduce the risk of delay to passenger traffic
• Dover Port Authorities have detailed contingency arrangements in place should delays arise as a result of additional checks to freight traffic. These include arrangements whereby, subject to where the group is waiting, either the ferry operator, Port of Dover or Highways Agency will assist with the provision of water, refreshment and access to toilets
To help make your journey as easy and stress-free as possible, we will be contacting those of our customers who are due to travel through the Port of Dover to remind them to check that every member of the group has a minimum of 6 months validity on their passport. We will also be recommending that groups take extra water and refreshments on the coach just in case waiting times should be a little longer than usual.
If the Government agrees on a deal on or before 31 January 2020, the UK will enter a transition period and everything will continue to remain the same. Meaning you can continue to travel as you do now.
There is still a possibility that the UK could leave the EU at the end of January without a deal, so we will continue to monitor the information and guidance provided by travel industry experts, organisations like ABTA and the UK Government and pick out what we believe is relevant for you.
Here are some useful links you may wish to look at if you would like to know more:
EU confirms visa-free travel after Brexit
The Brexit extension provides certainty about travel arrangements for Summer
Immigration and Border Processes
Passport office
Check a Passport - to see if your passport is valid for your destination


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What is secure7
- Our cyber-security systems and engineers can see the traffic as raw code as it comes in
- They can control and stop the traffic at any stage once it enters the secure7 solution after identifying unknown patterns, malicious or bad code. These potentially damaging intrusions are then filtered from the system.
secure7 Video
✔ Only Solution of its type currently available on the market.
✔ Protects online facing services at all levels from external denial of service attacks to secure access to your database.
✔ Dedicated security centre - Proactive monitoring of the entire solution 24x7.
✔ Learn and Design - Using our high touch consultancy service we can maximise the security of the solution provided to the client.
✔ Simplifying security - Managing a high security solution is very complex and time consuming.
✔ vCloud.ie monitor, manage and simplify the entire solution on the client's behalf.
vCloud.ie's secure7 solution
vCloud.ie is the only company in Ireland that focuses solely on Business continuity and our services extend to both the domestic Irish market as well as International markets. vCloud.ie have offices in Ireland, the UK and Poland. We have 2 datacentres - one in Cork and the other in Poland with 100% up-time record. Our customers range in size, some of our largest clients producing sales in excess of 1 billion euro annually. We provide a high touch, white glove, non-intrusive, tailored service that molds our Business Continuity solutions around the clients unique business requirements. We have added secure7 to our portfolio of Business Continuity based on customer requirements.


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Super Power SP 125 Price in Pakistan 2018 = PKR. 75,000/.
Super Power SP 125 price in Pakistan latest new model features specifications detail shape pics complete here. Super power SP-125 is the new model in SP range. It is one of those models that are modified to newest time technologies. It is assuming one of the best bikes that Pirani Group of companies has introduced in the market. The company has held its head high in dealing for two-wheelers and three-wheelers and Super power SP-125 being the newest model in two wheelers.
Super Power SP 125 Price in Pakistan 2018 New Model Shape Specs Features Pics Detail
Super Power SP 125 Specifications and Features:
With the price of PKR 75,000 in the market Super power SP-125 has following specifications that make it the best amongst bikes.
- Engine of bike is Single Cylinder and4 Stroke technologies that are accompanied wit hair-cooling property. The model of engine is SP-125.
- Bore-Stroke of the bike is 56.5 x 49.5 (mm)
- Piston Displacement of bike that makes up for another good feature is 124 cc
- Compression Ratio of the bike is best being 9:1
- Maximum Power that the bike takes is 8.0/8500(kw/r/min)
- Transmission System in the bike is Chain Drive.
- Ignition Type that makes it super good and classy is C.D.I
- Starter System is not much modified and is Kick starter.
- Total L x W x H of the bike is 2045x680x1120
- Ground Clearance of the bike is 175
- Dry Weight of bike is 120 KG which makes it a heavy bike but also perfect for the people who are not used to drive heavy bikes.
- Brakes on Front/Rear both are Drum
- Tire size of Front is 2.75- 18
- Tire size of Rear is 3.25- 18
- Fuel Tank Capacity (L) 12
- Engine Oil Capacity is 1.1 L which is lesser than many other bikes making it economical for people.
- Load Capacity that the bike an bear easily is 150 KG making it the best one for the people.
- Speed on which the bike drives is 90 KM
- Battery of 12 Volts is used in the bike.
With the better performance and reliability the bike Super power SP-125 is the one that is getting ahead of technology. The Italian technology merger has really made this bike a phenomenal one and the inspiration for many other bike companies to bring in market something more like it. The maximized torque and international standard quality is what sets Pirani bikes apart and make them the leaders of two-wheelers that are the bikes. The older version of bikes has been wonders of their time and Super power SP-125 is the new innovation.
Super Power SP 125 Price in Pakistan 2018 latest model with features specification detail new shape mileage fuel efficiency information here. If you have any superb idea for SP 125 new model then must share in comments section below.


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American Express Platinum Credit Card Reviews & Info
Contact Information
- Telephone: 1-800-528-4800
- E-Mail: Online chat from the card's main homepage
- Mailing Address: American Express P.O.Box 981540 El Paso, TX 79998-1540
Join others who state they own this card.
The American Express Platinum Credit Card is issued by American Express Centurion Bank. This personal card offers incredible benefits for hotel reservations, airlines, entertainment and more to its cardholders. The card has a $450 annual fee but does not include any foreign transactional fees.
Card Information
$200 Airline Fee Credit. Complimentary access to over 900 airport lounges, including The Centurion lounge network, Delta Sky Clubs, and Airspace Lounges.
Limitless rewards on travel, hotels, and entertainment reserved to Cardholders upon Membership.
Signup Bonus
40,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $3,000 in purchases during the first 3 months after the opening of the account.
Annual Fee
Cash Advance APR
Late Payment Fee
Up to $37
Purchases APR
None. All charges are due upon your periodic statement.


text: The Fargo (formerly Small Town Skateshop) had changed their name and launched a new indoor skatepark. In the past, images for Small Town were based on symbols of the town they reside in (DeKalb, Ill known mainly for their corn production). I wanted Fargo to have a more powerful image that went beyond the small town feel. My idea was to depict something powerful rising from the ashes of their former self. Also, since the indoor park is a haven for skateboarders during the winter, I also wanted to portray overcoming the chilliness of the Midwest winters.


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Breast Reconstruction
Breast reconstruction involves rebuilding a breast shape after breast surgery using an implant or tissue from another part of the body. It may involve several operations.
Breast reconstruction can sometimes be done at the same time as a mastectomy (immediate reconstruction) or it may be done later (delayed reconstruction). Some women choose to have surgery to the other breast as well so that both breasts look similar.
Benefits of breast reconstruction
One of the benefits of a breast reconstruction is that there's no need to wear a breast prosthesis. Having a breast reconstruction can also help to reduce feelings of grief or loss after breast surgery and can lead to fewer sexual or self-esteem problems. Some women say that having a breast reconstruction means they are reminded less about their illness.
Deciding about breast reconstruction
It's important for women to have realistic expectations about breast reconstruction. This includes understanding what's involved and how the breast might look afterwards. When deciding about breast reconstruction, it's important to bear in mind that the new breast will not look and feel like the old one. Depending on the type of reconstruction there may be scars on the breast and on other parts of the body.
Things to think about include:
- the cost of surgery
- the recovery time
- whether an expert surgeon is available to do the operation
- what other treatments may be needed.
Talking to other women who have had breast reconstructions or looking at photographs of women who have had similar operations can be helpful.
Breast reconstruction using implants
Advantages of breast reconstruction using an implant:
- the operation is relatively simple
- hospital stays and recovery periods are usually quite short
- surgery and scarring is only in and around the breast area.
Disadvantages of breast reconstruction using an implant:
- the reconstructed breast may not be as natural looking as with other types of breast reconstruction
- scar tissue can form around the implant making the breast feel firm and uncomfortable
- the implant may have to be replaced later, or removed if there is an infection
- radiotherapy after an implant may cause the tissue around the implant to become harder and may make the implant appear smaller with time.