text:
2008 Scion xB
After being introduced just four years ago, the boxy Scion xB has been totally redesigned for 2008. Scion says that owners wanted their xBs to be bigger. Since it takes three years to produce a new car, the requests to expand the box must have started coming early.
The new xB is indeed a bigger box, but it doesn't look so much like a box any more. And it isn't, as the increased length reduces the squareness. The styling is considerably improved. Plastic surgery on the chin has made a huge difference, and the other edges and angles are much softer, making the xB more attractive and less funny looking.
It's also less distinctive than before, but it's still distinctive compared to other cars of this size. Utility-wise, it's like the Honda Fit (front-wheel drive, five-door with good cargo space), but now it looks more like the Honda Element.
The new xB is 12 inches longer, on a wheelbase that's just 4 inches longer; this means bigger overhangs, which goes against the trend, as most new vehicles increase the wheelbase more than the length, efficient packaging that increases stability. The xB is 2.8 inches wider, though, and that adds stability. And the wheels have been increased in size to 16 inches, allowing larger disc brakes, front and rear. The xB's brakes are very good.
The xB features electric power steering, which does away with belts, pulleys and fluid. It's quite nimble and fun to drive around town.
The bigger box provides an increase in cargo capacity, but 4.6 inches of legroom has been lost in the front seat, from 45.3 inches down to 40.7; in the rear, the legroom remains the same. So if Scion redesigned the xB to satisfy customers, it must have been those buyers who use the xB as cute little utility vans, not those who carry passengers. The front seats recline almost fully, and the 60/40 rear seats drop flat with one easy pull of a lever.
Not visible, but just as significant, is the whopping 50 percent increase in power. The xB now uses the same 2.4-liter engine that powers the quick tC Coupe. It makes 155 horsepower, an increase of no less than 55 over the 1.5-liter engine in the 2004-2007 xB. The engine employs all of Toyota's considerable variable valve timing technology (VVT-i), and gets 22/28 miles per gallon, at the EPA's ULEV-II (ultra-low) emissions ratings. The old xB got 30/34, but comparisons are difficult to make because the 2.4-liter engine has so much more horsepower, and because now the mileage is measured by the new 2008 EPA standards, which are more realistic than before.
Two transmissions are available, a four-speed automatic with manual shifting, and a five-speed manual. The automatic shifts well, but with only four speeds it kicks down a lot, especially from fourth to third. The xB would be smoother with a five-speed automatic, but that's not available.
Model Lineup
With all Scions, there is just one model but a million options. That's the Scion personalization theme. The xB with manual transmission is $15,650 and automatic $16,600.
Standard equipment on the xB includes charcoal fabric interior, air conditioning, cruise control, information display, 160-watt Pioneer audio system with iPod and auxiliary connection, tilt steering wheel with audio controls, remote keyless entry, power side mirrors with turn signal indicators, power windows, and door locks, halogen headlamps, tinted glass, 16-inch steel wheels with wheelcovers.
Options include alloy wheels ($795), rear spoiler ($423), navigation system ($2010) and rear seat DVD entertainment system with 7-inch screens in the back of the front headrests ($1599). For those desiring high performance, Scion dealers sell many TRD (Toyota Racing Development) parts, from superchargers to suspension items to aerodynamic kits.
Safety features include Vehicle Stability Control with Traction Control, anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist, a tire pressure monitor, frontal and front side airbags, and side curtain airbags.
Believe it or not, the Scion xB sort of has the limo look going for it. Maybe even a gangster look, like a sedan from the '20s. It's that new roofline with the thick C-pillar that's located all the way at the back of the car, and the uninterrupted dark tinted windows. The roof-to-floor B-pillar is hidden between the doors, covered by parts of the black frames around the windows.
There's also a subtle 1.5-inch taper from the height of the windows at the front of the front window to the rear of the rear window, adding to the effect of reducing the squareness and making the xB look longer. The optional rear spoiler, as on our test xB, extends the roofline even more.
A new face vastly improves the looks of the xB from head-on, the three-quarter front angle, or side view. The old chin stuck out from under a thin grille, but the new unit is cohesive, still with a thin black grille but it's almost flush with the bumper below it. The headlamps are more shapely now, swept back, although they stick out at the sides, like bubbles. Below the thick plastic bumper under the grille, there's another black grille that sucks in air for the bottom of the radiator. At each side there are thin vertical black rubber things, apparently meant to be faux air intakes for brakes. They lend depth to the otherwise massive and flat valance.
The longer body, wide C-pillar, rounded fender flares and loss of the protruding chin make the xB look less square, from any angle.
Interior Features
The interior feels as changed as the exterior looks. There might have been a big loss in front seat legroom, but the driver still has a commanding view of the road. That's exceptional if not unique, for a car of this size. The short nose, big windshield, elevatable driver's seat, and far-away dashboard create this feel. You become aware of the distance to the windshield when you reach to adjust the rearview mirror, which is quite a stretch from your shoulder. The glass is upright, it doesn't sweep back.
There's less of a stretch from the front-seat passenger's knees to the good-sized glovebox. It's mounted low so it folds down, possibly on the passenger's shins. Above the glovebox there is a long thin tray which might be useful if it had a liner that offered some grip, instead of the hard slick vinyl.
Charcoal is the only color for the fabric seats, which are comfortable and well bolstered, although they're shapeless and light on padding in the rear. The fabric isn't as sturdy, outdoorsy or cool as that in the Mazda3, but charcoal makes the most of the cloth. The xB seats five. The three kids who rode in the rear seat of our xB didn't have a problem, but three adults would. Two adults wouldn't be uncomfortable though, because you can easily slide your feet up under the front seats.
For rear seat passengers, there are two cupholders that pop out of the back of the console between the front seats, a bottle holder in each door, and clever trays under the rear seats for storage of flat things like books and portfolios.
That wide C-pillar that enhances the exterior styling creates a blind spot when pulling out onto the highway at a 45-degree angle. Even knowing it was there and trying to peer around it, we managed to pull out in front of a car we couldn't see.
There are no gauges directly in front of the driver, which is a bit weird; but the row of four of them on the dashboard just to the right of the steering wheel makes up for it, because they're good. At the far left, is the information display, revealing things like fuel mileage and range. Then comes the clock, which is highly readable, unlike so many, the color is orange and it has an eave to reduce being washed out by sunlight. The digital speedometer is excellent, with big numbers that are, like the clock, eminently readable. Beyond these are the gas gauge and temperature gauge.
Scion has added a lot of sound dampening material to the xB, and it seems like most of it must be in the firewall. Or else the engine is just quiet. You can't hear much engine noise, maybe because it's drowned out by the tire noise. You have to turn the volume of the 160-watt Pioneer sound system up, running at higher speeds.
Our xB was equipped with the $2010 navigation system, which incorporated the audio system. We longed for simpler controls. But we were thankful for the steering wheel controls for the audio system, which could adjust volume, set the band or mode, and move between the preset stations.
We were also thankful for the halogen high beams during two fast one-hour runs on a dark, winding and lonely freeway. But the flipside was that the projector low beams are treacherously weak. And for some reason there's only one backup light, on the driver's side. Is it a Scion styling thing, like one earring or something?
Scion has put special effort into the air conditioning, and it shows. Four round vents on the dash quietly and quickly blast out cold air.
The automatic shift lever comes out of the center stack at a 45-degree angle, an ergonomic improvement introduced by Honda. The door handles, however, show little thought about ergonomics. They're horizontal, thin, barely two inches long, and tapered to a point.
Most of the slim space between the seats is taken by two fixed cupholders, a slot for a cellphone, and the parking brake lever, leaving room for only a small console compartment re
Driving Impressions
The 2.4-liter engine borrowed from the sporty Scion tC might not move the xB out of econobox territory, but it certainly powers the xB to the front of the field. Just think, all you owners of 2004-2007 xBs: 50 percent more horsepower.
In terms of fuel economy, our average 26.0 miles per gallon over 420 miles, most of it leadfoot running on the freeway. The 2008 EPA measurements say 22/28 mpg City/Highway for the xB, so we were right on the money. The xB falls under new EPA test procedures, which are closer to reality than the pre-2008 procedures.
Throttle response is excellent, and, unlike the xD, it's steady. You get a lot of smooth acceleration out of just a little bit of pressing down of your foot. The revs climb right up through the numbers on the tach, until the transmission upshifts at 6100 or 6200 rpm (even if it's in manual mode). The engine doesn't feel like it's working hard, it feels like it's loving every chance it gets to leap between 3000 rpm and 6000 rpm.
Just don't forget that the Scion xB is not a sports car. We passed a truck going uphill on a two-lane, and with our foot on the floor we wished for even more quickness. Or maybe it was the five-speed manual transmission we were wishing for. Or a five-speed automatic.
The four-speed automatic kicks down a lot. This might be an annoyance if the xB weren't so eager about wanting to zoom forward. Every time it kicks down to third, it's happy. Give it a bit more gas at 75 mph on the freeway, and it kicks down to third and tries to get you up to 85, even if you hadn't quite intended to go that fast.
Seventy miles per hour in fourth gear is a comfortably low rev range, so there's lots of room for the engine to play, without screaming. The engine makes its peak torque of 162 pound-feet at 4000 rpm, and you can feel the engine come on there.
It's fun and nimble to drive around town. The electric power steering gives good feedback to the steering wheel, and the extra 12 inches of length is not an issue.
The great brakes add to the around-town fun, not because you use them hard in the city, but because they're smooth, tight and responsive, with pedal pressure that's just right. And when you need them, they'll be there. The front and rear rotors are both big for a small car, about 11 inches, and the front rotors are ventilated so they stay cooler under hard use. The rear brakes on the former xB were drums, so four-wheel discs are an upgrade. They're equipped with ABS, of course, and with EBD, which balances the front and rear forces, and Brake Assist, which gives more braking than you asked for. Basically, sensors read your foot and overrule your brain.
If you take the xB out on back roads to play, don't expect the manual mode to be very manual; about half the time it doesn't listen to the driver. Also, if you plan to drive the corners hard, you'll want to invest in TRD suspension components from your Scion dealer. The xB wasn't made for that. The wheels jounce around on bumpy surfaces.
But worse than that, the ride isn't quite up to sharp spots on the freeway. There's a stretch we often drive that has a row of steel expansion strips over some uphill-downhill curves, and at 75 mph the xB had us going "oomph" over the worst of them. These sharp jolts occurred in other places. It wears on you, in short order.
The all-new Scion xB is very different than the previous model. It's longer, wider, faster, and less quirky looking. It offers some fine features, including a good fabric interior and 60/40 rear seats that easily fold flat, creating an excellent cargo compartment behind the front seats. From the driver's seat, the xB provides an unusually high feeling of command for a small car. It's nimble, fun to drive, and the brakes are outstanding, although the ride can be jagged over certain types of bumps.
Sam Moses drove the xB in the Columbia River Gorge before filing this report to NewCarTestDrive.com.
|Model Line Overview
|Model lineup:
|Scion xB with manual transmission ($15,650); with automatic ($16,600)
|158-hp 2.4-liter inline four
|5-speed manual; 4-speed automatic
|Safety equipment (standard):
|frontal airbags, side-impact airbags in front doors, curtain airbags; Vehicle Stability Control, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, tire-pressure monitor
|Safety equipment (optional):
|Basic warranty:
|3 years/36,000 miles
|Assembled in:
|Tasumi, Japan
|Specifications As Tested
|Model tested (MSPR):
|Scion xB automatic ($16,600)
|Standard equipment:
|charcoal fabric interior, air conditioning, power steering, power disc brakes, power windows, power locks, power doors, power mirrors, cruise control, 16-inch steel wheels with wheelcovers, information display, halogen headlamps, tinted glass, 160-watt Pioneer audio system with iPod and auxiliary connection, tilt steering wheel with audio controls, remote keyless entry
|Options as tested (MSPR):
|interior light kit with cupholder illumination ($299), alloy wheels ($795), rear spoiler ($423), illuminated door sills ($249), rear bumper applique ($69), carpeted floor mats ($155), navigation system ($2010), C-pillar storage with nets ($129), Scion security ($469), DVD headrests with monitors ($1599)
|Destination charge:
|Gas guzzler tax:
|Price as tested (MSPR):
|front-wheel drive
|2.4-liter dohc 164-valve four-cylinder
|Horsepower (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|158 @ 6000
|Torque (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|162 @ 4000
|4-speed automatic
|EPA fuel economy, city/hwy:
|22/28 mpg
|102.4 in.
|167.3/69.3/64.7 in.
|Track, f/r:
|60.0/59.8 in.
|Turning circle:
|34.8 ft.
|Seating Capacity:
|Head/hip/leg room, f:
|40.4/52.7/40.7 in.
|Head/hip/leg room, m:
|Head/hip/leg room, r:
|41.2/46.7/38.0 in.
|Cargo volume:
|21.7 cu. ft.
|Towing capacity:
|Suspension, f:
|independent MacPherson strut
|Suspension, r:
|torsion beam
|Ground clearance:
|5.1 in.
|Curb weigth:
|3086 lbs.
|Brakes, f/r:
|disc/disc with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist
|Fuel capacity:
|14.0 gal.
|Unless otherwise indicated, specifications refer to test vehicle. All prices are manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSPR) effective as of June 15, 2007.Prices do not include manufacturer's destination and delivery charges. N/A: Information not available or not applicable. Manufacturer Info Sources: - www.scion.com
Related Vehicles
You must be logged in to post a comment Login


text:
Homeless Myths
1. Most homeless people are middle-aged men. For many, the word "homeless" conjures up images of scraggly men standing on street corners holding cardboard signs. The face of homelessness is changing. In fact, the fastest growing segments of the homeless population are women and families with children.
2. Homeless people need to "just get a job". Getting a job is a challenge for most people in these days, and incredibly difficult for a homeless person. Most lack clean clothes, showers, transportation, a permanent address and phone number. Others have a criminal past, learning disabilities and lack of education that holds them down. Even if they find work, their low income often cannot sustain them.
3. Homeless people are dangerous. Homelessness is often associated with drugs, alcohol, violence and crime. So yes, life on the streets can be perilous for homeless men and women. But very few crimes are committed by homeless people against those of us who try to help them. The attitude we see most often from homeless men and women is gratitude.
4. Homeless people are lazy. Surviving on the street takes more work than we realize. Homeless men and women are often sleep-deprived, cold, wet, and sick. Their minds, hearts and bodies are exhausted. Though help is available, they may have no idea where to begin navigating the maze of social service agencies and bureaucracy. With no transportation and little money, they can spend all day getting to food and maybe an appointment before they need to search for a safe place to sleep. And they do this while lugging their precious few possessions along with them in a bag or backpack. It is not a life of ease.
5. People are homeless by choice. No one starts life with a goal of becoming homeless. People lose jobs and then housing. Women run away to the street to escape domestic violence. Many people have experienced significant trauma and simply cannot cope with life. Others struggle with mental illness, depression or post-traumatic stress. Yes, poor choices can contribute to homelessness. But outside circumstances strongly influence those choices.
6. If homeless people wanted to, they could pull themselves out of it. Once a man or woman loses a job or a home, getting those things back can feel nearly impossible. Imagine trying to get a job when you have no address to put on a resume, no phone number, no shower and no clean-pressed clothes. Often, things like legal issues, criminal history, mental illness, physical and emotional health hinder progress even more.
7. Providing food and shelter only enables people to remain homeless. Food and shelter are essentials for life. By offering these and other outreach services, like restrooms and mail service, we build relationships with people in need. Then we're able to offer them something more through our recovery programs, like counseling, addiction recovery, emotional healing, spiritual guidance, education, life skills and job training.
8. If we provide sufficient affordable housing, homelessness will end. Putting a roof over the head of a deeply hurting person will not heal emotional wounds, break addiction, create relational stability or establish healthy life skills. Housing can help people who are homeless due to poverty. But it can be a shallow and temporary solution for the many people who are homeless because they are unable to function in a "normal" life.
9. Homelessness will never happen to me. Talk to the hundreds of homeless men and women we serve each day and they'll tell you that they never intended or expected to become homeless. They've had solid jobs, houses and families. But at some point, life fell apart. They are desperate for a way back home.
10. Homelessness will never end. Many U.S. cities have established ambitious goals
with 10-year plans to end homelessness. While these plans to provide housing and
better centralized services to homeless people are important in reducing the scope
and duration of homelessness, they will not completely eliminate it everywhere for
all time.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Telma Hopkins: Roots
Telma Hopkins participated as a guest on my radio show "Topically Yours,â€? on BlakeRadio.com, Rainbow Soul.Â
We talked about her role on Roots: The Second Generation, an award
winning mini-series due to air Sunday, July 8th through Sunday, July
15th as part of TV One's 30th Anniversary's telecast of Alex Haley's
popular book "Roots.â€?Â
A marathon showing of the first six parts will run from noon to
midnight on Saturday, July 14th. After it runs one night, the
same episode will air the following day at noon. Cast members such as
Leslie Uggams, LaVar Burton, Ben Vereen, Lou Gossett, Jr., Lynn Moody,
et al, will host segments and talk about how "Roots� impacted their
Roots followed the generations of a slave family from Africa in the
1700s through the Civil War up until Haley traced his roots back to
Africa. The epic program which won an Emmy, Golden Globe, and
Peabody Award aired 30 years ago. During that time, the saga had
a stunning impact and touched the conscious of America.Â
"Roots was my first acting job,� stated Telma. "I was primarily a
singer. My agent introduced me to black casting director, Rubin
Cannon, who was casting the film. I had already seen the first
Roots. Cannon asked me to read for the sequel Roots: The Second
"I had never auditioned before and was scared.  I got the
role,� remarked the comedic actress. "People began tracing their
families. My sister attempted to do our family tree and traced my
grandmother's side of the family but it became hard to trace both sides
of the family so we never completed it,� explained Telma who was born
in Louieville, Kentucky and later moved to Detroit as a child.
"Detroit had cars and music and lots of talent contests. I
auditioned for Motown but was too young. My group was sent to Golden
World Studio. The studio hired us that day and we started singing
background. Tony Orlando wanted to put a singing group together
and heard about my group. He called me but I was working with Isaac
Hayes. At the time I wasn't interested. It took a lot for Tony to
get me to leave Isaac. Tony was very persistent and finally he
convinced me to try it. I told him if he took me and my best
friend, Joyce to Europe I would do it. Our first tour was in
Europe and Joyce and I became Dawn. We were billed as Tony
Orlando and Dawn,� reminisced the singer/actress. Their song "Tie
A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree,� became a hit.
"Yellow Ribbon was really about a guy in prison who wanted to know
whether his lady would take him back so he told her to tie a yellow
ribbon around an oak tree to give him a sign he could come home,�
explained Hopkins. "The song became popular with soldiers.Â
It took on a life of its own. It became synonymous with bringing
the boys home during Viet Nam. And now we are engaged in the Iraq
war. This is another war that is taking kids from their families.Â
There is something wrong with that because these young people don't
know if they will return. Some are young parents. What
happens to all those fatherless/motherless babies? This war is an
endless quagmire with no end in sight. We just keep sending our kids
into this bottomless pit,� remarked the former star of "Bosom Buddy,�
"Gimme A Break� and "Family Matters.�
"Singing was great but I like the normalcy of acting,� claimed the
daredevil who actually rode a bike across a high wire. "Singing
kept me on the road and I missed events in my son's life. That
was heartbreaking. Acting is stable and I can come home every
night. "I did the "Odd Coupleâ€? before I did "Bosom Buddies.Â
Tom Hanks starred in that show.  "I had a sense of humor as
a child. My grandmother would tell me stop being so silly and be
more serious. After I got my first comedic role and made money,
grandmother bragged to everyone,� chuckled Telma, who played Aunt
Rachel and show mom to Bryton McClure who played her son on "Family
Matters.� "I'm proud of Bryton,� said Hopkins about her former TV son
who recently won an Emmy for his role on "The Young & The Restless�
soap opera. "He is a good actor and singer who still calls me his
pretend Mommy,â€? said Telma proudly.Â
Ms. Hopkins has appeared on "Chicken Soup for the Soul,� "ER, �
"Suddenly Susan,� "Any Day Now� and "Half and Half.� A
humanitarian Telma brought awareness about arthritis through her
association with "Act On Arthritis,� an organization that informs the
public about the disease. She works with AIDS babies and via her
association with the PTA, reminds parents to get involved in their
children's education. "There is so many ways to help. Sometimes
you think you can't do enough. I mentored a young boy and I saw the
difference I made in his life,� remarked Telma who is presently working
on producing a spiritually based talk show hosted by women of color and
representing diverse women of all ages. The talented actress does
voice over work and is looking forward to producing artistic projects.
"I advise viewers to check out www.tvoneonline.com or
http://www.tv-one.tv for information about the upcoming Roots series,�
suggested Telma. "Roots� and its sequel "Roots: The Next Generation� is
a piece of our history that will never get lost. "Roots� should
make us proud, serve to motive us and reminds us to stand strong
because we are survivors.�
To subscribe to or advertise in New York's leading Pan African weekly
investigative newspaper, please call (212) 481-7745 or send a note to
"Speaking Truth To Empower.�
Latest comments
Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...


text:
Ice Rink InformationName: Ice Rink InformationDate: February 18, 2019Event Description:
Cleveland Outdoor warming house will open today (Wednesday, December 26) at 12:00 pm. The Cleveland Warming House hours will be 12; 00 pm - 8:00pm on non-school days and 3:30 pm-8:00 pm on school days. (New Year?s Eve 12:00 pm-4:00 pm & Closed New Year?s Day)
Channing Rink does not have a warming house but the ice will be ready to skate on Friday, December 28th with the rink lights on a timer. The nets will be placed on the ice on Friday.
Lake Alice's warming house will only be open on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays beginning on Friday, January 4th. Lights will be on a timer beginning Monday, December 31, Lake Alice is for pleasure skating only and there will be no nets placed on the rink.
The Community Arena has open skate and open hockey times available throughout the season as well - please check out our monthly schedule at https://www.ci.fergus-falls.mn.us/ on the parks and recreation page under facilities under the Community Arena tab for an arena schedule, or swing by our office at 340 Friberg Ave to pick up the schedule.


text:
Lets begin at the beginning.
His Excellency Mohamed Amin Didi was our first president and he is said to be the founder of the present "Republic" that Maldives is. Many important initiatives like formal education, creation of main roads in the islands are credited to him. However His Excellency's rule was short lived and was brutally murdered by a mob. Despite his revolutionary and progressive governance, he does not associate himself with the common men and was elitist in appearance and style. It maybe one of his undoings of which clearly there were many. Mahatma Gandi was also educated but in Oxford and yet, to associate with the common populace, he wore clothes like a beggar. At that time Amin Didi was in power, few men in the 'republic' had the wherewithal to wear a shirt or anything to cover their bodies. Yet Amin Didi always wore either military uniforms or western attire…
Ibrahim Nasir was the second president after a brief spell of kingdom of Hassan Fareed. Ibrahim Nasir was a president brought to power by the elitist power brokers in Male' and was not well loved or respected during his whole reign. Nor did he need love or popularity of the common people as he based his rule on fear and intimidation. Its said that he did not use bodyguards and walked the streets of Male' alone and unattended yet it was common knowledge that His Excellency was not a person to be messed with. At the time his dictatorship only knew force, violence and torture to solve most of the cases. At the time political dissenters disappearances were not uncommon and prison inmates were routinely tortured sometimes to death. The most poignant example of Nasir's notoriousness was shown on the occasion when he depopulated the island of Thinadhoo because Thinadhoo islanders allied themselves with the short-lived Suvadive government.
The current government's effort to portray Nasir as a proper president making best of a rough situation, not as a dictator seems to be an effort to chip away the popularity of his predecessor Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom. Its commonly used tactic in politics to discredit an entity by presenting competing further entities which seems to be the case.
In the short lived Suvadive government (in Addu), the president was Afif Didi and he reigned in tumultuous times. During the short reign of Suvadiva, they were able to do pretty much everything a new country aught to do save perhaps the efforts to consolidate on what was achieved and to move forward. There were many reasons for their failure and on a personal level Afif Didi was more popular, loved and respected by his countrymen than any other. Most of the factors that lead to their ultimate defeat of the Suvadive Republic were possibly beyond their power. The involvement of the British and the Male' government's unwilling to let go of the souther three islands were certainly factors. The leadership of Afeef Didi on a personal level was impeccable but there were elements of aristocracy and elitism which would not have gone down well with the freedom loving masses.
Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom comes from an aristocratic family in Male' and was pushed into presidential hot seat (it was much colder then…) by the favor of his predecessor Nasir. Under his rule lots of good and bad things happened and the list of his presidential mistakes were indeed long. Although a lot of propaganda goes both ways, the fact that he nurtured a personality cult and was a nepotist is true. Further mistakes would involve curbing freedom of expression, imprisonment and harassment of the Ulema. One of the most damning things for which Maumoon will be remembered is for his extravagant life style which is summed up in the gold decorated toilet in the Presidential Palace at Theemuge.
The incumbent president Mohamed Nasheed entered to the list of the presidents on popular vote after defeating his predecessor Maumoon in the first "real ballots" this country has seen (possibly) for the first time. Prior to coming power, he was a constant (and consistent) thorn for Maumoon's government, forming a broad based popular opposition and basically twisting the Maumoon's arm while he was still in power. After coming to power with a coalition of partners, Anni was lauded for his prudent economic policies which in his own words were in a state of jaahiliyya. It might be too early to state the full list of Anni's presidential mistakes but there are indications that the once grass-roots president is loosing touch with the roots and bowing to pressure from the elitists in his party. The issues are social and religious which Anni used not to dictate in principle but at the insistence of the aristocracy and his inner circle of party members, the president is getting into uncertain waters. Adhaalth party which is the political partner of ruling MDP, consists of the most respected religious leaders of the country is increasing coming under pressure from the elitist camp in MDP which is basically trying to set the agenda on how Anni operates. It maybe Anni's undoing for letting this vocal minority influence his relationship with Adhaalath Party which is in a position to make or break who will ask for votes come the next election.
enumerating the mistakes:
1) Signing agreements and pacts with Israel which by world's consensus is the most roguish state currently in existence. This is the same country which uses the passports UK citizens to murder people in other countries despite the fact UK is the country which actually gave birth to Israel and is closest to them save the US.
2) Trying to legalize sale of wine in inhabited islands which was revoked by mass protests. The front for the issue was city hotel business but was actually done to placate the wishes of the MDP party backers who were linked with the Holiday Inn hotel in Male'.
3) Seeking help for Islamic sharia from Germany which is ironic as this country is still respected by world's Muslims as one of the few surviving 100% Muslim countries in the world. The idea is not actually to seek help for sharia but perhaps some financial gains which was given cold shoulder by Germany, as Islam and Europe do not mix. Its currently not acceptable political language in Europe to talk about Islam to the chancellor.
4) Aligning with and giving his moral backing and support to a vocal minority of secular elitists from his party activists and others. Democratic principles is firmly on the side of majority and the majority of this country still has not signed up to secularism.


text:
Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn made his pitch to Cincinnati football coach Butch Jones on Monday.
``A productive day,'' is how Bohn described the meetings that lasted about six hours at Folsom Field, the Buffaloes' football stadium.
Jones is Bohn's top target in his search to replace Jon Embree, who was fired last week with three years left on his contract after going 4-21 in two seasons.
Jones and his wife, Barbara, flew back to Cincinnati on Monday night after spending most of the day meeting with Bohn and other Colorado officials.
The Denver Post said a decision whether to leave Cincinnati for Boulder, Colo., is expected on Tuesday.
Jones is scheduled to meet with the media in Cincinnati on Tuesday to discuss the Bearcats' upcoming bowl game.
Jones also is being courted by Purdue. He met with Boilermakers officials Sunday in a quick trip to the West Lafayette, Ind., campus.
Among those in attendance at the meetings on the Colorado campus were Jones' agent, Trace Armstrong, university president Bruce Benson and school chancellor Phil DiStefano.
The Buffaloes are reportedly ready to offer Jones $13.5 million over five years, a hefty jump from the less than $1 million annual salary Embree received. That would make Jones the highest-paid coach in school history.
Jones, who made about $1.5 million this season, is 50-27 as a head coach, including 23-14 in three seasons at Cincinnati. The Bearcats (9-3) are preparing to face Duke (6-6) in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 27 in Charlotte, N.C.
Jones followed Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly at Cincinnati and also at Central Michigan, where Jones was 27-13 in three seasons beginning in 2004.
AP Freelancer Monica Costello in Boulder, Colo., contributed to this report.
Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter:http://twitter.com/arniestapleton


text:
San Antonio, TX – Although many Texans may find filling out Form 205, Certificate of Formation for Limited Liability Company, to be difficult, the Texas LLC Guide has revolutionized the way people view filling out this form. The Texas LLC Guide explains to readers in detail about how to fill out the form properly. Interested business owners should visit http://texasllc.org or watch this short and informational video for more information.
For business owners who need to file a Certificate of Formation, the Texas LLC Guide can be extremely helpful. Many people get confused when filling out the form and end up paying an attorney to help them with the process. However, not only will this be very expensive, but the business owner will still have to help fill out the form since the owner is the only person who knows all the information about the business. With help from the Texas LLC Guide, any business owner will be able to fill out the Certificate of Formation for much less.
For more information, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl-ceaQBik8
The Texas LLC Guide was created by Kris Rivenburgh, a Texas attorney and business owner. He decided to create the Texas LLC Guide, because many free guides were not helpful or detailed enough and paid services were overpriced and were not very helpful either. The Texas LLC Guide is written in plain English, so most people will be able to understand it. It also contains actual screenshots of the Form 205, so that it is easy for readers to follow along without getting confused. Not only does the guide explain common questions, but it also informs the reader about what to consider before answering the questions.
The Texas LLC Guide is easy to access and comes in a convenient downloadable and readable PDF. Business owners should purchase access to the guide and then will receive access to the PDF document. The PDF also contains information on how to meet the requisite formalities required to maintain the LLC so that it protects a business owner's personal assets.
The Texas LLC Guide helps business owners understand the difference between the Certificate of Formation and the Operating Agreement. Although this guide does not contain an Operating Agreement, it does contain a link to a book on Amazon that has standard Operating Agreement templates. The Texas LLC Guide only takes about 30 minutes to read through, and Kris Rivenburgh is able to respond to emails asking for further clarification of something in the Texas Guide LLC.
In addition to being inexpensive, the Texas Guide LLC is also very helpful to business owners who need to fill out a Form 205, making it one of the most simple and easy options on the market. With directions from this guide, business owners can save a ton of money by not having to hire an attorney to help them fill out the form.
Media Contact
Company Name: Texas LLC Guide
Contact Person: Kris Rivenburgh
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: (800) 638-7930
City: San Antonio
State: Texas 78279
Country: United States
Website: https://www.facebook.com/texasllc


text:
Earnings for the financial services sector improved an average of 53% in the quarter ended March 31, according to data compiled by Reuters. This was down from an 85% average EPS jump in the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2012.
Sales for financial services firms moved up 20% on average in Q1 2013, after improvement of more than 50% in Q4 2012. The sector's 12-month sales growth rate is 12% on average, as of March 31.
The financial-services sector's earnings-per-share growth rate over the past five years is about 27%, Reuters says. Sales momentum has averaged around 14% for the same period.
Morgan Stanley and Bank of America had strong improvements in their quarterly results. Stifel Nicolaus, meanwhile, saw its results negatively impacted by several large acquisitions.
Here are 12 companies, ranked in terms of how they out- or underperformed their broker-dealer rivals.
(Check out last quarter's winners and losers in 12 Best & Worst Broker-Dealers: Q4 Earnings at AdvisorOne.)
12th Place
St. Louis-based Stifel Nicolaus had net income of $14.62 million, or $0.21 per share, in Q1'13 vs. $34.8 million, or $0.55 per share, a year earlier. This represents a drop of 58% in earnings and 62% in EPS.
Stifel's net revenues, though, grew close to 6% year over year to $441.8 million, compared with $400.3 million for the first quarter of 2012. Its total global wealth management operations accounted for $267 million of sales, while the private-client segment produced $158.3 million of revenue.
Two items significantly impacted GAAP results for the latest quarter: a noncash after-tax charge of $19.2 million, or $0.28 per share, related to stock awards issued in connection with the acquisition of KBW, an investment bank and broker-dealer, and after-tax expenses of $6.1 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, associated with buying both KBW and the investment bank Miller Buckfire, according to the company.
Stifel has about 2,063 financial advisors, up 50 from last year and 22 from the prior quarter.
11th Place
UBS (UBS) had a first-quarter net profit of 988 million Swiss francs ($1.06 billion), or 0.26 Swiss francs ($0.28) per share, down slightly from 1.035 billion Swiss francs ($1.11 billion) a year ago, or 0.27 Swiss francs ($0.29) per share—beating analysts' estimates.
This represents a drop in earnings of 4.5% and an EPS decline of 3.7%, which is a huge improvement for the firm. In Q4'12, the global bank lost 2.2 billion Swiss francs (or about $2.4 billion), due to LIBOR troubles and related issues.
"While it is too early to declare victory, we have shown our business model works in practice," said UBS Group CEO Sergio P. Ermotti in a press release.
The company says the Wealth Management Americas unit "achieved another record profit and strong net new money inflows." The Americas operations reported adjusted quarterly profits before tax of $262 million in the first quarter of 2013, compared with $219 million in the prior quarter.
The number of UBS financial advisors in the Americas is 7,065, up 6 from the prior quarter and 50 from a year ago. Client assets under management total $936 billion versus $885 as of Dec. 31 and $851 billion as of March 31, 2012. 10th Place
TD Ameritrade (AMTD) reported a 5% rise in profits for the first quarter: $144 million vs. $137 million a year ago, citing 11% client asset growth for the second fiscal quarter. Earnings per share were $0.26 compared with $0.25 a year ago, an improvement of 4%.
The company reported net second-quarter revenues of $679 million, 55% of which were asset-based, vs. $673 million a year ago. Average investor client trades per day totaled roughly 378,000, versus 387,571 a year ago.
Net new client assets were $12.9 billion versus $10.8 billion a year ago.
TD Ameritrade said it had fee-based revenue of $62 million, up 38% year over year, as well as client assets of about $517 billion.
"While retail investor sentiment has improved, a large number of investors remain cautious in this environment, and yet we continue to execute well against our strategy and on the items we can control," said Fred Tomczyk, president and CEO, in a statement.
9th Place
Goldman Sachs said its first-quarter earnings were up 7% as net income hit $2.26 billion in the first quarter, up from last year's $2.11 billion.
Diluted earnings per common share was $4.29 compared with $3.92 for the first quarter of 2012—a 9% jump—while revenue rose 1% to $10.09 billion.
"We are pleased with our performance for the quarter," said Chairman and CEO Lloyd C. Blankfein, in a press release. "Our strong client franchise across our businesses drove generally solid results. Still, the potential for macroeconomic instability was felt in the quarter and constrained overall corporate and investor activity. We continue to be very focused on controlling our costs and efficiently managing our capital."
In terms of sales by segment, the company said its institutional client-services group increased revenue 10% year over year to $5.1 billion; investing and lending revenue grew 8% to $2.1 billion, while investment management sales rose 12% to $1.3 billion. Investment banking revenues jumped 36% to $1.57 billion in Q1'13.
8th Place
Raymond James had net income for the quarter ended March 31 of $80 million—up 16% from $69 million a year ago. On an EPS basis, its results improved 8% to $0.56 per share vs. $0.52 per share in the year-ago period. (Excluding special items, earnings were $0.68 per share on net income of $96.5 million.)
Revenues for the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based broker-dealer were $1.14 billion, a jump of 31% from the year-ago period. The sales results topped analysts' expectations and reflect, in part, the addition of results produced by some 900 advisors and other employees of Morgan Keegan, which the company acquired last year.
The Private Client Group reported fees-and-commissions growth of about 31% over last year to $615.2 million. Sales for the group were $726.8 million, an increase of 28% year over year. Pre-tax income for the group grew 14% from last year to $52.7 million.
The headcount for advisors in PCG worldwide was 6,297—up from 6,289 as of Dec. 31 and 5,396 a year before. In the United States, the unit includes 5,431 independent and employee reps, a slight increase from 5,427 in the earlier quarter and a jump of about 900 from 4,532 in March 2012 (before the Morgan Keegan purchase).
Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC), the nation's largest mortgage lender, reported $5.17 billion in profits, up 22% from last year's $4.25 million, with EPS of $0.92 vs. $0.75 a year ago, a jump of 23%.
Its retail-brokerage operations had client assets of $1.3 trillion, up 7% from the prior year. Managed-account assets increased $46 billion, or 16%, from the prior year, driven by strong net flows and market performance, the bank says.
The unit also experienced strong deposit growth, with average balances up 13% from a year earlier.
The wealth management segment had client assets of $208 billion, a 3% year-over-year boost, with average deposit balances up 7%.
Total revenue at Wells was down 1.7% to $21.26 billion after the bank took a 2.6% hit to its mortgage business, and low interest rates hurt profitability despite an 8% rise in deposits, analysts said.
"Wells Fargo delivered outstanding first-quarter 2013 results for our shareholders," said Chairman and CEO John Stumpf in a statement. "Quarterly earnings and EPS increased at double-digit rates compared with first-quarter 2012, while loans and deposits demonstrated continued growth in a challenging economic environment."
Wells' Wealth, Brokerage and Retirement unit reported net income of $337 million, up 14% from a year ago but down 3% from Q412. Client assets for the retail brokerage were $1.3 trillion, up 5% quarter on quarter and up 7% year on year.
Financial advisors in the retail brokerage were reported at 15,354, flat from Q4'12 and up 1% from a year ago.
Managed-account assets increased $46 billion, or 16%, from the prior year, driven by strong net flows and market performance, the bank says. The unit also experienced strong deposit growth, with average balances up 13% from a year earlier.
6th Place
Citigroup (C) reported a first-quarter profit of $3.8 billion, or $1.23 a share, topping analysts' estimates by $0.05, thanks to its ability to cut costs and unload troubled assets. These results represented a 31% improvement in net income and a roughly 30% jump in EPS.
The bank also reported higher revenue of $20.5 billion vs. estimates of $20.2 billion, noting particular success in its investment-banking unit. After adjustments, the company reported a profit of $4 billion on revenue of $20.8 billion.
"Achieving consistent, high-quality earnings is one of my top priorities, and these results are encouraging," Michael L. Corbat, the bank's CEO, said in a statement. "During the quarter, we benefited from seasonally strong results in our markets businesses, sustained momentum in investment banking, continued year-over-year growth in loans and deposits in Citicorp, and a more favorable credit environment."
5th Place
JPMorgan Chase & Co., the nation's largest bank, saw a 33% rise in profits to a record $6.53 billion over last year's $4.92 billion. Meanwhile, earnings per share of $1.59 jumped 34% from $1.19 in the year-ago quarter.
"JPMorgan Chase had a very good start to the year," said Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon in a statement. "All our businesses had strong performance, and our client franchises did exceptionally well."
However, Dimon acknowledged continued weak spots in the economy that were a drag on the bank's performance.
Separately, J.P. Morgan Asset Management saw its 16th consecutive quarter of positive net long-term client flows at a record $31 billion for Q1 and record assets under supervision at $2.2 trillion, with loan balances up 27% to a record $81.4 billion.
JPAM reported a 1% quarter-on-quarter loss in client advisors to 2,797 from 2,821 but a 2% rise in retirement planning services participants, to 2.01 million from 1.96 million.
The asset management unit also reported a 1% year-on-year loss in advisors, who numbered 2,832 in Q1 2012, but a 4% rise in retirement participants from 1.93 million to the current 2.01 million.
4th Place
LPL Financial produced net income of $54.7 million, or $0.51 a share, vs. $41.2 million, or $0.37 a share—a 33% jump in earnings and an EPS increase of 38%. (On an adjusted basis, net income was $68.1 million, or $0.64 a share, vs. $63.2 million, or $0.56 a share.)
The independent broker-dealer said it had net revenue of $974.8 million for the first quarter of 2013, up 8% from a year ago.
The total number of advisors affiliated with LPL rose by about 3% year over year from 12,962 to 13,377. It also added 25 reps since Jan. 1. The broker-dealer's level of total advisory and brokerage assets jumped 11% to $394 billion, while the level of assets on its fee-based platforms grew close to 18% to $130.2 billion.
Net new advisory assets, excluding market movement, were $3 billion for the first quarter.
Assets under custody on LPL's independent RIA platform grew 72.3% to $46.7 billion as of March 31. These operations now include 199 RIA firms, compared with $27.1 billion and 152 RIA firms a year ago.
"This is a significant level of outperformance," said CFO Dan Arnold in an interview with AdvisorOne. "While the hybrid-RIA platform is growing from a smaller base [than the corporate RIA platform], it's proving very popular with RIAs run by advisors. It's another way for advisors to plug into LPL's models and should continue to outpace other areas' growth rates."
3rd Place
Ameriprise Financial first-quarter net income increased 37% to $336 million, up from $245 million a year ago. Its EPS was $1.58, representing a 49% increase from $1.05 a year earlier. Operating earnings, which exclude one-time items, increased to $1.59 a share from $1.45.
Net revenue on an operating basis grew roughly 4% to $2.6 billion, and rose 5.1% to $2.69 billion on a fully reported basis.
Assets under management and administration rose 5% to $708 billion, which the company said was a record.
Operating revenue in the advice and management business rose 7% to $1.02 billion from $954 million a year before. Pretax income for the unit jumped 39% to $131 million on an operating basis.
The number of Ameriprise reps, three-fourths of whom are independent, was 9,777 vs. 9,744 a year ago and 9,767 in the prior quarter. Retention of independent or franchisee reps was 94%, while retention of employee reps in the period was 91%.
Average fees and commissions per advisor stood at $104,000 for the quarter.
2nd Place
Morgan Stanley (MS) said income from continuing operations applicable to Morgan Stanley was $1 billion, or $0.50 per share, compared with a loss of $79 million, or a loss of $0.05 per share, for the year-ago period.
While it's true that you can't calculate a proper percentage increase from a negative number, the dollar amount of Morgan Stanley's turnaround is substantial, so we have ranked the wirehouse No. 2.
Net sales were $8.2 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, compared with revenues of $6.9 billion a year ago. Excluding a debt-value adjustment of $317 million, net revenues for the current quarter were $8.5 billion compared with $8.9 billion a year ago and income from continuing operations applicable to Morgan Stanley was $1.2 billion, or $0.61 per share, compared with income of $1.4 billion, or $0.71 per share a year ago.
"Morgan Stanley demonstrated solid momentum across the firm this quarter, consistent with the strategic objectives we laid out at the beginning of the year," said Chairman and CEO James Gorman in a press release.
Morgan Stanley's Global Wealth Management Group reported pretax income from continuing operations of $597 million compared with $403 million in the first quarter of last year. The quarter's pretax margin was 17% versus 12% a year ago.
Net income for the first quarter of 2013 was $255 million, up 29% from the year-ago quarter.
In terms of the unit's advisor headcount, Morgan Stanley had 16,284 reps as of March 30 versus 16,352 as of Dec. 31 and 16,726 as of March 30, 2012—a 3% year-over-year decline (or a loss of 442 advisors).
1st Place
Bank of America said it had net income of $2.6 billion, or $0.20 per share, for the first quarter of 2013, compared with $653 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2012. These strong results gave the firm a nearly 300% jump in earnings and a 566% increase in EPS.
Revenue, net of interest expense, rose 5% to $23.7 billion from $22.5 billion a year ago.
"Our strategy of connecting our customers to all we can do for them is working," said CEO Brian Moynihan, in a press release. "Solid increases in loan growth to small businesses and middle-market companies, four straight quarters of steady growth in mortgage originations, record earnings in wealth management, and another quarter near the top in investment banking fees show we are balanced, focused and moving forward."
Yearly advisor productivity at Merrill Lynch, as measured by fees and commissions, stood at $971,000 vs. $891,000 a year ago. The firm's number of financial advisors was 16,084 versus 16,692 a year ago and 16,411 in the prior quarter.
Global Wealth and Investment Management, which includes Merrill Lynch, saw its net income rise 31% from the first quarter of 2012 and 25% from the prior period to $720 million. Revenue for the unit was $4.42 billion, up from $4.15 billion a year ago and $4.19 billion in the earlier quarter.
"Revenue increased 7% from the year-ago quarter to $4.4 billion, driven by higher asset management fees related to higher market levels and long-term AUM flows, higher transactional revenue and higher net interest income," the company said in a statement. "The pretax margin was a record 26% for the first quarter of 2013, up from 21% in the year-ago quarter."
Total assets under management were $2.25 trillion, with about $1.83 billion held in Merrill Lynch client accounts.
Check out more Top 10 lists and these related stories from AdvisorOne:
- 12 Best & Worst Broker-Dealers: Q4 Earnings
- Is Your Broker-Dealer a Screaming Eagle or a Box Wine?
- The 2013 Broker-Dealer Reference Guide
- The 2013 Broker-Dealer Presidents' Poll
(CORRECTION: Because of an error in calculating the rankings, Morgan Stanley was ranked No. 1 and Bank of America was ranked No. 2. It should be the reverse, with Bank of America ranked No. 1.)