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Under the Hood: This is the first in a series of articles in which we explore investing, retirement and wealth management issues that your clients may address to you. Written by experts such as advisor Mike Patton, we'll go 'under the hood' to provide some education for advisors but also talking points for use with your clients.
Over the past few years we've seen an explosion in reverse mortgage advertising. Celebrities such as Fred Thompson and The Fonz (Henry Winkler) have relentlessly touted the benefits of these financial instruments as a way to solve the income problem of retirees. A private REIT, Reverse Mortgage Investment Trust, is reported to have raised $230 million this year, betting on a market resurgence of reverse mortgages, which suffered a sharp decline coincident with the housing crisis.
Are these tools as beneficial as Fred and The Fonz claim? We'll discuss how they work, how they're taxed and what you, as an advisor, need to know to advise your clients who may ask you about reverse mortgages.
How They Work
A reverse mortgage is a tool which allows a homeowner to withdraw equity from his home. It does not involve a sale of the home, hence, ownership is never relinquished. The marketplace for reverse mortgages is fairly consolidated. As much as 95% of all reverse mortgages are written through a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), regulated by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and available only through an approved Federal Housing Administration (FHA) lender. To qualify for a HECM reverse mortgage, the following criteria must be met:
1) The homeowner must be at least age 62. If the property is owned jointly, the youngest titleholder must be at least 62.
2) The property must be a single family dwelling, an approved FHA condo, or a multiple family home which contains at least two but not more than four units.
3) The home must be the primary residence of, and occupied by, the homeowner.
4) If the home is leveraged, the equity in the home must be sufficient to pay off all mortgages, liens or legal obligations against the property.
To satisfy the residence rule, the homeowner must reside in the home for at least 183 days per year and confirm this by signing an Annual Occupancy Certificate. If this is a problem due to the homeowner's health or work situation, the homeowner must notify his Servicer. If the homeowner is out of the home for 12 consecutive months, the loan could be in default.
If the homeowner rented the property, it would no longer be considered his primary residence, and the loan would be in default. Also, the homeowner must continue to pay insurance and property taxes and maintain the property in accordance with FHA requirements.
The Proceeds
Money received from a reverse mortgage is considered to be a loan, and as such, is not subject to income tax. In addition, the maximum amount a homeowner may receive from a HECM reverse mortgage is based primarily on the:
1) appraised value of the home
2) age of the individual (or couple)
3) prevailing interest rates
4) government-imposed lending limits.
Who benefits most, an older or younger person? Assuming all else is equal, an older person will be able to receive a larger benefit each month. However, if a younger person establishes a reverse mortgage, and does not draw upon the line of credit, they will benefit more than an older person. This is because the line of credit will grow and the amount which may be withdrawn will be greater than if an older person did the same. (Note: The original content in this paragraph has been edited to more accurately reflect whether a younger or older person would benefit most from a reverse mortgage.-Ed.)
The funds can also be structured in a variety of ways, including:
1) a lump sum
2) a monthly payment
3) a line of credit
4) some combination of each.
The income may be paid out over the lifetime of the homeowner (and spouse, if the home is owned jointly) or for a specified number of years.
Expiration of Program
What happens if the homeowner dies? What if the homeowner is placed in a nursing home or assisted living facility? One of the requirements of a reverse mortgage is that the homeowner continues to reside in the property. Under the criteria listed above, the homeowner would thus fail to meet these criteria and the loan would need to be repaid. If the homeowner didn't have the financial resources to repay the loan, the home would have to be sold. After the home was sold, any surplus which remains after repaying the loan would accrue to the homeowner or to his estate.
However, what if there wasn't enough equity to repay the loan when it was sold? The lender would request reimbursement from the FHA. In short, other than the home itself, no other assets would be attached to the agreement.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, reverse mortgages are fairly complex instruments and as such, should not be implemented without due consideration and proper guidance. Fortunately, there are a number of resources available such as the website of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA). This Washington, D.C.-based organization exists to educate consumers and train lenders on the pros and cons of reverse mortgages. For more about reverse mortgages, visit www.reversemortgages.com.
Although, this may be a good idea for some clients, there are many issues to consider prior to entering into a reverse mortgage agreement. Prudence dictates that you learn as much as you can and recommend them only as a part of the client's overall plan. It's best not to wait until a client runs out of money before implementing this strategy. Since there is usually no annual fee to maintain a reverse mortgage as a line of credit, why not establish it in advance? Then it will be available if needed.
For additional information on reverse mortgages, see this 2013 ThinkAdvisor article:
What Advisors Need to Know About the New Reverse Mortgage Rules
Got a topic about which you'd like us to look Under the Hood?
Send your suggestions to Liana Roberts at [email protected].


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Final assault tank blitz: Armed tank games
Final assault tank blitz: Armed tank games - take an armored tank across the battle field, hide from enemies in location wrinkles and shoot from powerful weapons. Feel what it's like to be a real tank driver in this exciting Android game. Take your tank from the hangar and start fighting against much more numerous enemy...read more

subset: commoncrawl


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64" Ethanol Black Smart C-Shaped Fireplace Insert
Product Description
|The SFB4800-C Smart Ethanol Burning C-Shaped Firebox is the latest in patented fireplace technology by Ignis Development. Ideal for installation in a smaller space or custom case good, this ethanol fireplace insert was built with the utmost in safety and quality in mind. And now is available with Smart Electronic Burner.
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Library & circulation
The Hoover Institution Library is housed in Hoover Tower. Visitors should register at the loan desk on the tower's main floor by filling out a registration form, presenting photo identification, and agreeing to the rules for use of materials. Non-Stanford visitors may use materials on site. Borrowing privileges are available to Stanford affiliates, as well as to cooperative card holders from participating California universities. Visit the Hoover Institution Library & Archives website for details.


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Are You Drinking Autumnally?
I moved to San Francisco from NYC in late June, and I have to say, seasons here are...confusing. July and August were pleasant enough, warmer than usual, I hear, and my spot in the Mission is perfect for sitting in the sun and watching the fog roll over other, less-lucky neighborhoods. Then I did a bit of traveling, to Germany's wine country and Oregon's fish-and-chips country, and arrived home in October and found out that it was summer. Like, sunburn weather, bonfire on the beach whether—iced coffee, not hot toddy weather.
It's confused my drinking habits a bit. While part of me is eager to make the switch to rye and bourbon, it still feels like wheat beer season around here. (Luckily, I'll always have milkshakes.)
Many of us eat seasonally without even thinking about it: tomato salads when the tomatoes are good, tomato soup when they're not, oatmeal for cold mornings, peaches for hot ones. But do you drink seasonally? Are you starting to reach for stouts and porters? Or do you stick with a gin and tonic no matter what the weather? Do you get excited for pumpkin beer and stirred autumnal cocktails, or could you care less?
About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is the editor of Serious Eats: Drinks. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Hurricane Sandy shakes up Section III playoff schedule
It is every high school team's dream to still be playing at this time of the year. The Section III playoffs are an exciting time for soccer, field hockey and football players as well as cross country runners.
Those dreams are on hold for now due to Hurricane Sandy.
The biggest fall storm to hit the east coast in years caused Monday's Class C-2 girls soccer semifinal between No. 5 seed Morrisville-Eaton and No. 1 seed Bishop Grimes to be postponed until October 30 at the least. It was supposed to begin at 6:00 p.m. Monday at CBA but has been switched to a 6:30 p.m. start, though still at CBA. If the weather's effect worsens there is the chance Camden's Class A semifinal with Jamesville-DeWitt will be postponed on Tuesday, as would other scheduled events.
"I wish I was playing tonight," said M-E coach Duane LeBlanc after realizing a second delay Tuesday would have his team playing Wednesday with the C-2 finals looming Thursday for the victor. "If you win you'd have to play back to back. That's not a good situation for anyone. I would love to see this clear out by 3:00 Tuesday."
As would all involved. But no one can control how much rain the hurricane will bring or what damage is done that would affect games.
"You're going to have to be bigger than the weather," LeBlanc said. "You're going to be wet. My bench I'm concerned with being cold coming in, having to be a force on field."
Whatever happens, it's the same for both teams.
"I'm not overly concerned," said Camden coach Robert Wilson. "I'll take what comes. As far as conditioning, they're in shape and ready to play for our brand of soccer. If it (weather) plays a factor, both teams are exposed to it."
Cross country, field hockey and football aren't scheduled to compete until week's end, so the storm won't have as much an effect on those sports. Still, it does change things.
"It's (about) keeping fresh," M-E field hockey coach Patti Vaughan said. "I wanted to jump right back into it."
Who could blame her, especially after M-E's stunning 4-0 upset of top-seeded Mount Markham in the semifinals on October 27. M-E faces New York Mills for the Class D title at noon Saturday at Cicero-North Syracuse.
Vaughan has no say about the weather or when school closes, so she takes what comes her way.
"When you can't go out, you practice in the gym. The gym's not bad. I've done that lots of times. (And) we'd like to get on turf before (finals) one or two times."
(Weather's) nothing can control, so you do your best."
As do the people running the tourneys. Peter Lautensack, an engineer from Oswego, has been the chairman for Section III girls soccer for a few years and isn't too concerned about getting all the games in.
"We've dealt with (bad) weather before," Lautensack said Monday afternoon after finishing the adjustments to the schedule for his sport. "And we have more all-weather fields in central New York than before to make it happen."


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Call for Media: launch of Mars500 mission on 3 June in Moscow
ESA PR 10-2010 The first full-duration simulation of a human mission to Mars is about to begin. After closing the hatch, the crew of six will remain in their 'spacecraft' for 520 days. The media are invited to witness the 'launch' of this historic Mars500 mission.
The 520-day simulated mission to Mars will start on 3 June, when the isolation facility is sealed and the international crew start their record-breaking experiment.
The crew will basically live and work like astronauts on the International Space Station, with maintenance work, scientific experiments and daily exercise. They will follow a seven-day week, with two days off, except when special and emergency situations are simulated.
There are six crewmembers plus a Russian backup: ESA-selected Diego Urbina (Italian/Colombian, age 27) and Romain Charles (French, 31); Sukhrob Kamolov (32), Alexey Sitev (38), Alexandr Smoleevskiy (33) and Mikhail Sinelnikov (37) from Russia; and Wang Yue (26) from China.
Housed in Russia's Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) in Moscow, the 550 m³ sealed space mockup includes an interplanetary spaceship, a Mars lander and a martian landscape.
3 June
11:00 registration of media
12:00 press conference starts
76A, Khoroshevskoe shosse
Moscow, Russia
The crew will enter the facility after the press conference; they will not be available again for individual interviews after the plenary Q&A session.
Accreditation for the press conference is obligatory. The deadline is 31 May and the limited number of places are reserved on first-come basis. Please note the Russian visa regulations if coming from other countries.
For accreditation, please provide name, media affiliation, Russian visa number and contact information to firstname.lastname@example.com


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Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Australian History and other Australian topics.
Elizabeth II, 1926–, queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1952–), elder daughter and successor of George VI. At age 18 she was made a State Counsellor, a confidante of the king. During World War II she trained as a junior subaltern (second lieutenant) in the women's services. On Nov. 20, 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, duke of Edinburgh (see Edinburgh, Prince Philip Mountbatten, duke of). They were in Kenya (en route for a tour of Australia and New Zealand) when the king died (Feb. 6, 1952) and Elizabeth succeeded to the throne. Her coronation, on June 2, 1953, was the first to be televised.
An extremely popular queen, Elizabeth has traveled more extensively than any previous British monarch. Throughout her reign, expanded media coverage has brought the monarchy closer to the British people. Although the queen, who in public is formal and unemotional, continues to be greatly admired and respected, since the mid-1980s a barrage of tabloid reports about her children and their spouses has seriously tarnished the royal image. In 1992 she celebrated her 40th year on the throne, but it was also a year in which part of Windsor Castle suffered a devastating fire; her son Prince Andrew (b. 1960) separated from his wife, the former Sarah Ferguson (they were divorced in 1996); her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced; and her son and heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Princess Diana separated (they were divorced in 1996). Elizabeth's youngest son is Prince Edward (b. 1964). In 1992 Elizabeth, the wealthiest woman in England, agreed to pay income tax for the first time. She was widely criticized for her seeming insensitivity in the days following Princess Diana's death.
See E. Longford, The Queen (1984); S. Bradford, Elizabeth (1996); B. Pimlott, The Queen (1997).
|Guru Spotlight
|Kristle Jones


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Inge Morath made her first trip along the Danube River in 1958, but was unable to complete the journey then. Not until the fall of the Berlin Wall, in 1989, would she successfully cross the borders that, during the 1950s, politics had made impassable to most photojournalists. Thus, the first trip, as she later wrote, "turned into many trips. Shorter or longer ones depending on bureaucratic whims and my pecuniary situation."
To follow the meanderings of the river, and to photograph its storied tributaries, became a passion for Morath; the grand voyage of a lifetime, on which she always discovered something new wherever and whenever she visited. This gallery includes just a few of the many photographs Morath made through the decades, until her last trip in 2001.
This summer, nine photographers will take turns driving a mobile art gallery from July 7 to August 11 -- housed in an 18-wheeler -- along the Danube River, from the Black Forest to the Black Sea, amassing a collection of visual stories in the spirit of the celebrated Danube series created by Inge Morath across five decades. Between 1958 and 2001, the Austrian-born Morath (1923-2002) chronicled the people and the ever-changing landscape along the great river; Danube Revisited is both a tribute to and a broadening of her monumental project.
The seeds for Danube Revisited were planted in 2012 when a conversation between Inge Morath Award winners Lurdes R. Basolí, Olivia Arthur and Emily Schiffer turned to a problem many photographers face: the fact that the subjects of documentary projects rarely get to see their likenesses in the works' final exhibitions.
"We were in Austria showing our work at the gallery that represents Inge, and the gallery's founders, who knew her well, gave us a real sense of how special she was," explains Schiffer. "They had planned the logistics for her project along the Danube, and told us stories about Inge's genuine human connection with her subjects, which enabled her to turn cultural or bureaucratic barriers into adventures. We wanted to take Inge's images back to the Danube, and to honor her legacy by creating new work inspired by hers." The award winners imagined a traveling gallery that would both return Morath's images to their origins and promote the under-represented female voice and eye in a field long dominated by men.
The three were given Morath's unpublished diaries from her journey along the Danube.
"Reading her diaries was like being given a window into Inge's soul," says Basolí. "She writes so beautifully. After reading them and 'meeting' her there was no way we could avoid making our idea real."
They invited the other Morath award winners to be part of the project, and almost all of them are on board.
The mobile gallery will feature Morath's photographs of the region, returning her pictures to their sources and engaging communities with their own histories. Along the way, the nine photographers (with three of their young children in tow) will produce new work influenced by the same landscapes and people that inspired Morath.
"We want to celebrate the women who dedicate their lives to documentary photography," explains Claire Martin, who has spent the past two years developing the project with Arthur, Basolí and Schiffer, "and it's important to us that the mothers in our group don't have to choose between their work and their children."
The award winners will also seek out substantive documentary work about life along the Danube created by women who know the region best. "We don't want to presume ourselves as authorities in unfamiliar cultures. We want to promote and celebrate the work by female photographers in the Danube region who can best portray their culture and communities," says Arthur. Four female professional photographers from the region will be on the trip, and local cultural institutions will host the truck-gallery, artist talks and portfolio reviews of aspiring local female photographers.
Danube Revisited will culminate in a large-scale exhibition produced by Fundación Telefónica, pairing Morath's Danube work with the new images, a book published by Fotohof and a documentary feature film about the tour.
The Inge Morath Award is an annual grant judged and funded by the members of Magnum Photos to honor the legacy of Inge Morath, the first female member of the agency. The Inge Morath Truck Project is a collaboration between the nine award-winning photographers, The Inge Morath Foundation, and Fotohof Gallery, which facilitated Inge Morath's journey along the Danube. Support is also being provided by the Magnum Foundation, Spedition Ebeling Truck Company and Fundación Telefonica.
Jennifer Gandin Le is a writer, photographer, and small business owner living in Austin, TX.
Read more about the Kickstarter campaign to support the project here


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So, it is in the fire and furnace of struggle that a people and their leaders are tested and tempered and that human freedom and flourishing are grounded and grow. Thus, Douglass says, "The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims, have been born of earnest struggle." It is in this struggle for human liberty or freedom, then, that real leaders of the people emerge. And again this leadership of the people in struggle is markedly different from holding a leading, prominent or directive position in a given field, i.e., sociology, economics, art, athletics, entertainment, or literature. This holds also for the field of politics which calls for representation, but not necessarily leadership in the sense offered here. For to represent politically is simply to act in a constituency's name but not always in their interests. Thus, representation does not carry with it a strong sense of leadership, as U.S. political practice most often demonstrates.
In the classical African ethical tradition of Maat and the modern African ethical tradition of Malcolm X and Mary McLeod Bethune, leadership is a self-determined commitment and capacity to mark out and show the way, to guide and go before and along with, to instruct, inspire and aid in the self-development of the people as self-conscious agents of their own life, liberation and flourishing. The ancient Egyptian word for this is "seshem" which carries with it a profound sense of ethical obligation and poses leadership as a moral vocation as expressed in the Books of Wise Instructions in the Husia.
Douglass, speaking of struggle, makes his famous statement that "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." Applying this maxim to leadership, we can paraphrase to say "without struggle, there is, also, no progressive leadership." There is only compromise, disadvantaged deal-making behind closed doors or shamelessly in the open. For without a commitment to struggle, there is a tendency to accommodate rather than confront, plead rather than demand and attempt to deny and disguise the obvious disadvantage of negotiating from a position of weakness rather than of power emanating from an aware, active and united people.
Douglass goes on to say that those who seek freedom and yet denounce, disapprove or discourage struggle want success without the sacrifice required for it. He, thus, reminded the leaders and petitioners to the powerful that the rain that waters the fields of freedom requires the thunder and lightning of struggle, that the seeds of freedom can only be sown and flourish by first plowing up and overturning the ground in which they must grow and that the ocean of possibilities of a free life can only come with "the awful roar of its many waters", a powerful metaphor for the awesome freedom cry of the masses in unrestrained and earnest struggle.
Following this reasoning, it is a fundamental and enduring Kawaida contention that the definitive solution to all our problems, especially our oppression, the overarching source of most, if not all, of them, can only be achieved in the disciplined and transformative process and practice of struggle. In a word, regardless of all other ideas and efforts applied to socially and personally generated problems, at the base and center of any solution-directed strategy must be struggle. The questions of reinforcing and rebuilding family and male/female relations, securing dignity-affirming work and decent wages, obtaining adequate health care and housing, bringing young Black men home from the self-destructive war against themselves, and cultivating quality leadership and liberating thought and practice that bring forth from us the best and most beautiful, all depend on our struggle against our weaknesses, and against the complex and savage oppression that causes, cultivates, aggravates, feeds and fosters these problems.
Douglass also reminds us that we are our own liberators and must, as a matter of self-determination and self-respect, lead and wage our own struggle, regardless of the number and sincerity of our allies. He says, "The general sentiment of mankind is, that a man who will not fight for himself, when he has the means to do so, is not worth being fought for by others, and this is a just sentiment. For a man who does not value freedom for himself will never value it for others, nor put himself to any inconvenience to gain it for others." And those others are first and foremost of our people.
This brings us to another core and defining concept of leadership, the deep-rooted love of our people and the caring commitment to them and faith in them that this contains and requires. It is this caring commitment and faith that become the moral measure of leadership and the key to our progress as a people. As Mary McLeod Bethune states in her Sixth Legacy, Faith, "the measure of our progress as a race is in precise relation to the depth of the faith in our people held by our leaders." This faith, she suggests, is of benefit not only to the people but also to the leaders, who because of it are strengthened in their readiness and resolve to sacrifice and struggle in the interest of the people. Thus, paraphrasing Douglass, quality leadership moves us beyond polishing and hugging the chains of oppression and holding coats for White folks to summoning the thunder, lightning and heavy rain of resistance and overturning the social and societal soil in which the seeds of freedom are sown, brought to fruition and secured for the ongoing good of the world.
Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor of Africana Studies, California State University-Long Beach, Chair of The Organization Us, Creator of Kwanzaa, and author of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture. www.MaulanaKarenga.org; www.Us-Organization.org; www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org.


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Thanks to all who supported our Superbowl squares
Welcome to the Cork Boston GFC website.
We field both intermediate and junior B mens football teams in the Boston championship.
Our teams feature Boston-based Irish and American players as well as players from all over Ireland.
New players of all grades and experience are always welcome to join our club
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Summer aromatherapy blends. While we all love to have fun in the sun, the warm season does bring along its own set of fun-spoilers like bugs, sunburn, rashes and exhaustion. However, with Aromandina's therapeutic essential oils to the rescue, there's no reason why we should worry about all that at all! Summer can be a lot more enjoyable and trouble-free with Aromandina's SUMMER SURVIVAL KIT. Whether you are on vacation or going about your routine business, essential oils can help you stay cool, active, energized and healthy.
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
During summer, rashes, sunburns, allergies, infections and insect-bites are as common as sunshine. Cool-off your skin and your senses with RESPIRO ALLERGY CALM (also available in a convenient, easy-to-carry ROLL-ON bottle). This blend is especially helpful in soothing irritated or inflamed skin and also promotes faster healing of burns, bruises and blisters. RESPIRO ALLERGY CALM is an effective blend of essential oils like Amni Visnaga, Hyssop, Chamomile, Lavender, Niaouli and Palo Santo – all of which possess calming and anti-inflammatory properties. Keep this handy at all times to fight away the unpleasant surprises life throws up every now and then.
No More Travel Troubles
Summer is an ideal time to head for a long vacation or go camping with your family. Very often, long hours of travel can take a toll on your health and cause travel sickness, heat exhaustion, dehydration, fever, fatigue and headaches. Don't let fatigue dampen your spirits – protect yourself and your family from the heat with VIGOR MEMORIA and VIGOR ALERTA BODY MIST. These two blends contain energizing and invigorating ingredients like Spearmint, Peppermint, Cardamom, Eucalyptus and Rosemary that improve concentration and keep the senses fresh and alert. Wherever you go or whatever you do, these products will prove to be great companions.
Have a Bug-Free Summer
Bugs and mosquitoes can ruin even the most pleasant summer day. Apart from being extremely annoying, they are capable of spreading infections and diseases. Teach these pesky things a lesson with the BUZZ-OFF INSECT REPELLENT AROMATHERAPY SPRAY and they will never bug you again.
Here is what our clients are saying about Buzz-Off!:
"Buzz Off is just what we have been asking for! Safe, effective bug repellent with a pleasant scent we tested it out camping and no pests! The poodle loves it too!! Thank you Cristina" "We had a barbecue tonight and I don't have to tell you here in Georgia about the bugs! I brought the Buzz-Off spray for everyone to use, they loved it and loved the way it smelled as well and how easy it was to apply. Thank you for such a wonderful product."
"Summers in Georgia are a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other biting insects. I was delighted to hear that Aromandina developed a "healthy" bug spray and jumped at the chance to try it. I was not disappointed! Not only does the product smell great, but it's a perfect solution for keeping the bugs away! Not one little nibble occurred while outside! I can easily recommend Buzz-Off to our clients and know that they won't be disappointed in the integrity of this great product! Kudos to Aromandina!"© 2009, Cristina Proano-Carrion, Aromandina LLC
This information is based on traditional use of aromatherapy and it does not intend to diagnose or treat any condition. This information should not be used as a substitute for medical counseling with a health care professional. No part of this article may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit written permission of Aromandina.


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Thanks for sharing, Nick... Hmm, just the Maul brothers and Mandalorians so far... and the Etas. Not much of a teaser, to get me excited, but I was hoping for some saber action or some bounty hunters. I'm sure we'll see those soon enough.
"Just show the characters fans go crazy for Maul and Mandalorians."In reality, those episodes will air in March of 2013.
I was just re-watching the trailer, and I couldn't spot any astromech droids. Some of the seatbacks in the Mandalorian ship cockpit look like some kind of a dome, but that's the closest thing I saw to an R2 unit.
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Signs that the United States and China might reach an agreement in trade talks and news of a tentative deal to avoid another government shutdown in Washington helped push world stock markets and bond yields broadly higher Tuesday.
Tokyo's Nikkei set the tone with a 2.6 percent rally, its best day of the year, while the Stoxx 600 index of European shares gained nearly 0.5 percent.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 372.65 points, or 1.49 percent, to 25,425.76, the S&P 500 gained 34.93 points, or 1.29 percent, to 2,744.73 and the Nasdaq Composite added 106.71 points, or 1.46 percent, to 7,414.62.
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe gained 1.17 percent.
U.S. and Chinese officials expressed hopes that the new round of talks, which began in Beijing on Monday, would bring them closer to easing their nearly year-long trade war.
Beijing and Washington are trying to hammer out a deal before a March 1 deadline, without which U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports are scheduled to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent.
"There will be no winner in a trade war. So at some point they will likely strike a deal," said Mutsumi Kagawa, chief global strategist at Rakuten Securities in Tokyo.
In Washington, U.S. lawmakers reached a tentative deal on border security funding, though aides cautioned that it did not contain the $5.7 billion President Donald Trump wants to build a wall on the Mexican border.
"What investors are taking from this is that the government stays open; whether or not Trump signs on the deal is secondary," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities in New York.
The dollar, meanwhile, slipped but remained near a two-month high after notching its longest winning streak - eight days straight - in two years.
The dollar index fell 0.36 percent, with the euro up 0.49 percent to $1.133.
The optimism that another government shutdown in the world's largest economy would be averted and trade tensions between the United States and China were easing helped push bond yields higher as investors traded out of safety plays.
Benchmark 10-year notes last fell 6/32 in price to yield 2.6823 percent, up from 2.661 percent late on Monday.
In commodity markets, oil prices jumped up as traders weighed support from OPEC-led supply restraint and a slowdown in the global economy. U.S. crude rose 2 percent to $53.49 per barrel and Brent gained 2. percent to $62.77.
(GRAPHIC: Global assets in 2019 - tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl)
(GRAPHIC: World FX rates in 2019 - tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh)
(GRAPHIC: MSCI All Country World Index Market Cap - tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j)
Reporting by David Randall; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Dan Grebler
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Car review: Cadillac makes a right turn with 2013 ATS
Let's get down to brass tacks. Cadillac's all-new compact sedan, the 2013 ATS, is not a better car than its target, the BMW 3 Series.
This single, lonely aspect of the ATS is all that matters to trunkfuls of self-proclaimed automotive cognoscenti gathering in car clubs and Internet chat rooms across the country. Their amusement will overflow at the latest challenger to BMW's decades-long hold on the sports-sedan scepter.
Not so fast. Despite its flaws, the thrill of the ATS' drive is an impressive feat, and the car itself is a massive step in the right direction. Which is good, because frankly, it has to be.
This is Cadillac's first post-bankruptcy baby, a look at what General Motors' luxury division can do when it starts with a clean sheet of paper to design a car with global ambitions. It may come with an American accent, but it needs to speak to buyers in China and Europe as well. Much of Cadillac's image and future hinges on how well the ATS, which starts at $34,885, resonates at home and abroad.
So it's a good thing that this car's two strongest suits, its handling and its design, translate into every language.
Visually, the ATS is a win. Although the look has deliberately been kept demure so as to appeal to the widest international audience, it's still a handsome car. A set of narrow headlamps curve up the front quarter panel and over the wheel well. These are highlighted by LED daytime running lights that give the car a nice touch of flair and bravado.
Meanwhile, the back will look familiar to anyone who's sat behind other recent Cadillacs such as the larger CTS or XTS. A short trunk lid is capped off by an LED panel across the back. Under the long vertical taillights and the rear bumper sits a diffuser that wraps around a pair of exhaust tips.
The ATS' handling is another W. Through tight, twisty switchbacks or open, undulating tarmac, this is a lively, confident mover. The ATS is a proper rear-wheel-drive car, de rigueur for the sports sedan segment that also includes Mercedes' C-Class, Lexus' IS and Infiniti's G37. (All-wheel-drive is a $2,000 option.)
GM says it went to great lengths to keep the weight of the car down to around 3,400 pounds, and it shows in how astutely the car changes direction, doing so with precision and neutral poise.
Also laudable is how stable and solid the car feels at a variety of speeds. Finally, GM engineers took seriously the task of creating a viable alternative to cars bred in the land of the autobahn. You can put a lot of lipstick on a pig of a chassis, but when pushed hard it will still squeal. The ATS had none of that.
The Premium ATS I tested is clearly the most performance-oriented model of the lot, with options such as a mechanical limited-slip differential, summer performance tires and an adaptive suspension called Magnetic Ride Control.
Surprisingly, the fancy suspension's Sport mode was more of a detriment to the car's handling as it clattered about over mildly rough roads. The ATS' chassis is an already-delicious cake; these performance add-ons were just unnecessary icing.
Unfortunately, it's here that the ATS' attack on all things 3 Series begins to wither.
Moving my loaded $46,205 tester was the mid-level engine. It's a 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four cylinder that makes 272 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. There's some initial turbo lag and the car is down on power at low rpm, but the car will scoot toward the horizon and its 7,000-rpm redline once this engine gets a little momentum behind it. Also, things tend to get noisy when the car is going at full tilt — and it's not the most pleasing sound.
This engine choice is bookended by a forgettable 202-horsepower four-cylinder power plant on the base ATS, and a wonderfully linear 321-horsepower V-6 as the top option. A six-speed automatic transmission is your only choice with these engines.
A six-speed auto is also the standard gearbox with the turbo, but Cadillac does offer a six-speed manual with this engine. In an indication of just how prevalent automatic transmissions are, the automatic comes standard and the DIY version comes at a discount of $1,475. This engine/manual transmission combination is rated at 21 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway. In my week with the car I averaged 23.6 mpg in mixed driving.
The details of this manual transmission left something to be desired. The shifter felt excessively notchy as it moved between the gates, and from neutral it was alarmingly easy to slip the car into reverse instead of first. Also, the ratio of the second and third gears meant that ample power during spirited driving was possible only if you kept the car in second and let the engine drone on.
A driver in the Bimmer doesn't have to contend with these issues; both the engine and transmission in the 328i are Roy Orbison smooth. And the ATS' oversights go beyond the mechanics of the car. The trunk is the smallest in its class by 2 cubic feet. The rear seats fit tallish passengers, but are hard to get in and out of because of small door openings. Rear visibility is poor.
But the flaws reach critical mass when you get to the ATS' dashboard. Nearly all turbo and V-6 models come with a touch-screen infotainment system to control the navigation, stereo, phone and climate functions. It's called CUE (Cadillac User Experience), and as I discovered with Caddy's larger XTS sedan, it needs to sit in time out until it's ready to play nice.
Although the system is designed to look and work like an iPad, it doesn't. Imagine your tablet is bouncing around an arm's length away, failing to respond to your touches as you pilot 11/2 tons of metal down the road. It's not an ideal experience. Counterintuitive menus and the navigation system's circuitous routing tendencies make things worse.
Steering-wheel-mounted controls offer some respite, but they shouldn't be necessary, nor do they make things easier for a passenger trying to use the system. Sure, it gets a little easier with regular use, but so does riding a unicycle, and that doesn't mean it's a good way to get around.
CUE's shortcomings and the other interior foibles, combined with minor miscues by the engine and transmission, mean ATS fails to upset the BMW 3-Series as a complete package. But what's easy to overlook is that although this Cadillac has faults, they are in execution rather than in philosophy.
The car's design and chassis shine. This is important because these are the areas of any car that demand from a company huge amounts of money and commitment to get right. The ATS' successes are huge steps in the slow process of shifting Cadillac's image to a more nuanced and contemporary brand.
Thus, the ATS is the right dish from the right recipe. Now the company just needs to fiddle with the seasoning. Starting with less CUE.
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If you've ever wondered how to use the potentiometer on the MakerShield (available in the Maker Shed) to control a servo with an Arduino, wonder no more. Now there is a simple tutorial to show you how on Make: Projects!
Servos are very useful things; they provide precise movement in 180 degrees of motion. This guide will show you how to hook a servo up to your Arduino and use the potentiometer on the MakerShield to control it.
All the parts you need are available in the Ultimate Microcontroller Pack. There's just something fascinating about seeing a servo rotate to a position dictated by your fingertips!


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MONCTON, N.B. - A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to uttering a threat to cause death to peace officers and was released from jail on conditions, including one that prohibits him from having any contact with a man charged with first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of three RCMP officers in Moncton, N.B.
Jasper John Stam, 24, was charged June 9 for an incident that occurred between May 10 and 18. Stam will be sentenced in Moncton provincial court on Sept. 9.
The RCMP have said the charge against Stam is not linked to their investigation into the fatal shootings of constables Fabrice Georges Gevaudan, Douglas James Larche and Dave Joseph Ross on June 4.
Justin Bourque, 24, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He is also charged with two counts of attempted murder after two other officers were hurt in the shootings.
Stam, wearing a plaid jacket with his brown hair pulled back into a small ponytail, put on a pair of glasses in court and paid close attention to the proceedings.
No agreed statement of facts was presented and no details of the threat were discussed in court.
Asked by Judge Anne Dugas-Horsman if he understood the charge against him and whether his plea was given voluntarily, Stam replied: "Yes."
Defence lawyer Jean Cormier said after lengthy discussions with the Crown, his client decided to plead guilty.
Outside court, Cormier said the charge was slightly amended to make it clear that Stam didn't actually speak to a peace officer when he made the death threat. But he declined to provide further details.
"It is something that will be elaborated upon during the sentencing," he said.
As for the no-contact order involving Bourque, Cormier declined to explain why it was needed or what connection the two men might share.
"I think that will become more obvious on Sept. 9," he said. "The police said ... that this alleged incident of threats, which has been admitted to, was not related to the Bourque incident that we're aware of. I will not go any further than that."
He said he has advised his client not to speak to the media and he suggested that Stam is coping well despite the intense scrutiny surrounding his case.
"He understands the court process," Cormier said. "He accepted it. I believe that his attitude is actually quite positive, considering where he was."
Under the conditions of his release, Stam is prohibited from having direct or indirect access to the Internet and he must not acquire or possess any firearms or prohibited weapons.
Stam has been placed under house arrest at his home in Moncton. After giving the RCMP 48 hours notice, Stam can leave his home for work, medical appointments, meetings with his lawyer and to attend religious services.
He must also get a landline telephone and give the number to the RCMP within the next 10 days. Stam must answer his phone and present himself at the door of his home whenever the Mounties are checking on his compliance with the conditions.
"He accepts all of these conditions and is willing to comply," Cormier told the court.
Dugas-Horsman ordered a pre-sentence report.
Cormier said the maximum penalty for the offence is five years in prison, but he doubts the maximum sentence will be imposed.
A Jasper Stam is "friends" with Bourque on Facebook and supported the young man in a post dated June 7, describing him as "one of the most respectable of my friends."
He also wrote: "he did not do anyone who deserved respect any wrong, not ever."
The Canadian Press has not confirmed that the Jasper Stam who pleaded guilty Wednesday made the comments on Facebook.


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(Updated May 2019)
Denmark was once at the forefront of nuclear research and had planned on building nuclear power plants. However, in 1985, the Danish parliament passed a resolution that nuclear power plants would not be built in the country and there is currently no move to reverse this situation.
In 2016, Denmark generated 30.5 TWh of electricity gross, 8.9 TWh (29%) of this from coal, 2.2 TWh (7%) from gas, 5.6 TWh (18%) from biofuels/waste,12.8 TWh (42%) from wind, and 0.7 TWh from solar PV (IEA figures). These figures however may be misleading since Denmark is neither unified electrically nor isolated – East Denmark (Zeeland) and West Denmark (Jutland & Funen) are connecteda only by a 500 MWe link and each is part of a major grid system. East Denmark is part of the Nordic grid and is not synchronized with the main continental zone. Total generating capacity was 14.3 GWe at end of 2016.
In 2016, 9.9 TWh was exported and 15.0 TWh imported, comprising 2.2 TWh (net) imported from Germany and 5.1 TWh (net) from Norway, and net exports to Sweden of 2.2 TWh. (Norway's power is 95% from hydro.) Per capita electricity use is about 5400 kWh/yr and has been largely unchanged since 1990. In 2007, household electricity prices in Denmark were the highest in the world and, along with Germany, the country currently has the highest prices in Europeb.
Energinet.dk is the transmission system operator and owner of the main electrical infrastructure in Denmark. It took over in 2005 from Elkraft in East Denmark, and Eltra in West Denmark. Ørsted is the main power producer, 60% government-owned from late 2013, and with significant offshore wind capacity. (DONG Energy divested oil and gas – the ONG part of its name – and become Ørsted in 2017.)
New offshore wind capacity projects include Ørsted's Borkum Riffgrund 1 (320 MWe), Gode Wind (582 MWe) Duddon Sands (389 MWe – 50% with the UK), and Krieger Flak (600 MWe) by 2020. Onshore wind is subsidized up to DKK 0.58/kWh (€78/MWh), offshore varies: Horns Rev 2 gets DKK 0.518/kWh on top of market price, Rodsand 2 gets DKK 0.629 above market and Anholt DKK 1.051/kWh above market.
Robust connection between Norway's hydro turbines and West Denmark's wind turbines holds the key to successful exploitation of wind for Denmark, and the German and Swedish connections are nearly as importantc. The power imported from Sweden (5.2 TWh in 2011, 2.7 TWh in 2010, 3.8 TWh in 2009, 6.6 TWh in 2008, 5.0 TWh in 2007, 1.7 TWh in 2006, 7.6 TWh in 2005) is almost half nuclear and half hydro. The power imported from Germany (2.9 TWh in 2011, 6.4 TWh in 2010, 3.6 TWh in 2009, 1.4 TWh in 2008, 1.5 TWh in 2007, 4.0 TWh in 2006, 0.6 TWh in 2005) is largely generated by brown coal and nuclear power. (Germany itself imports 9 to 20 TWh/yr from France, which is 75% nuclear.) Norway is almost all hydro.
Hence nuclear power provides an essential part of Denmark's electricity. In 2011, with imports of 2.9 TWh from Germany and 5.2 TWh from Sweden, it would seem that about 3.5TWh used was nuclear – nearly 11% of total final consumption, and one third of the domestic consumption from wind. This fluctuates year to year, mainly due to NordPool prices, and Energinet.dk analysis showed 1% nuclear in 2010, 7% in 2011 and 14% in 2012.
At the end of 2014, total installed capacity in Denmark was 13.6 GWe, of which 8.1 GWe was thermal generation (mainly fossil fuel-fired) and 4.9 GWe wind turbines. At the end of 2015 wind capacity was 5.1 GWe, 3.8 GWe onshore and 1.3 GWe offshore, the majority in West Denmark (mostly onshore). West Denmark (the main peninsula part) is the most intensely wind-turbined part of the planet. When it is producing, this power must be taken by the grid. In 2015, the capacity factor for Denmark's wind capacity was 30.5% due to favourable conditions.
The wind turbines depend heavily for their effective utilization on over 30 GWe of hydro capacity in Norway, over 1.7 GWe of which can be dispatched promptly when wind power is unavailable in West Denmark. The Skagerrak HVDC link is owned and operated by Statnett in Norway, and Energinet.dk in Denmark. Hence, there is a natural and felicitous interdependence between West Denmark's wind and Norway's hydro. With good winds, power can be exported back to Norway and there conserve hydro potentiale. This explains why the net import-export balance of electricity with Norway is very variablef.
Although over 40% of electricity is produced by wind, the country's use of this electricity is much lower. A 2009 report by Danish policy think tank CEPOS estimates that Denmark consumes around half of its wind-generated electricity on averageg, 1. Wind power is heavily subsidized by Denmark but, because this power is exported at the spot price, the subsidies are effectively exported. Moreover, the countries that the wind-generated power is exported to – mainly Norway and Sweden – are largely carbon neutral in regard to power generation, so Denmark's exported wind power does not save carbon dioxide emissions, instead displacing carbon neutral generation. On the other hand, wind power consumed within Denmark lowers fossil generation in the country.
Danish fossil fuel generation is also lowered during 'wet' years in Scandinavia, since the greater hydropower capacity in the north (particularly Norway) becomes more economic than Denmark's thermal generation. In 'dry' years, when Norway and Sweden need to import more electricity, thermal generation in Denmark is higher. For example, total Danish electricity generation was 42.9 billion kWh in 2006 – a dry year – and dropped in subsequent wetter years. This accounts for thermal generation in Denmark being higher in 2006 (33.6 billion kWh) than subsequently, and net exports being higher in 2006 than in following years.
Electricity generation in Denmark (TWh)3
IEA Electricity Information 2018
The year 2007 also happened to be a particularly 'windy' year, driving the price of electricity down; in that year there were even 83 hours when the spot price was zero and the exported power was given away. Early in 2009, Nord Pool announced that from October the spot floor price for surplus power would drop from zero to minus 20 Euro cents/kWh. In other words, wind generators producing power in periods of low demand will have to pay the network to take it. Nord Pool stated: "A negative price floor has been in demand for some time – especially from participants trading Elspot in the Danish bidding areas. In situations with high wind feed in Denmark there have been incidents where sales bids have been curtailed at price €0. Curtailment of sales may give an imbalance cost for the affected seller and thus creates a willingness to pay in order to deliver power in the market."4 This has increased the negative effect on the economics of wind power in Denmark, since a significant amount of its wind power production is affected.
In 2014 wind provided 39% of the country's electricity, and in 2014 this rose to 42%, from almost 5 GWe of capacity. Energinet said that in 1460 of 8760 hours during the year (17% of time), wind output exceeded demand, requiring export to Norway, Sweden and Germany. Imports were from Norway and Germany.
Denmark has had a wide range of incentives for renewables and particularly wind energy, accounting for nearly one-third of total wholesale electricity prices. Apart from the Purchase Obligation (PO) for renewables providing an effective subsidy, there is a further economic cost borne by power utilities' customers. When there is a drop in wind, back-up power is bought from the Nordic power pool at the going rate. Similarly, any surplus electricity is sold to the pool, though it is deemed to be non-PO power. The net effect of this has been increased costs as wind capacity expanded.
There is broad agreement on energy policy across the main political parties. In 1999, Parliament overwhelmingly agreed to electricity reform, which aimed to introduce competition to the sector, and promote renewable sources of generation and carbon dioxide reduction measures5. Electricity policy has been updated since then, always with large parliamentary majorities. Early in 2008, the main political parties concluded an agreement on Danish energy policy for 2008-2011. The policy set a 20% renewable energy target with respect to gross energy consumption by 2011 and energy savings measures, as well as increased subsidies for new wind turbines6. Beyond this, the government planned in 2007 to have renewables accounting for at least 30% of energy consumption by 2020.7 The current target is 50% of electricity from wind in 2020. This level was achieved over one month in December 2013.
The nuclear power industry owes much to Denmark, in particular to the physicist Niels Bohr (1885-1962), who received the 1922 Nobel Prize for Physics "for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them." In 1921, Bohr established the Institute for theoretical Physics (renamed the Niels Bohr Institute in 1965), where nuclear fission was verified experimentally for the first time in early 1939.
Denmark had three nuclear research reactors, which started up between 1957 and 1960, at the Risø National Laboratory north of Roskilde on the island of Zeeland. DR-1, a 2kWt homogeneous unit from 1957, stopped operating in 2001 and was fully decommissioned in 2006. A 5 MWt pool reactor (DR-2) closed in 1975, and a 10 MWt heavy water reactor (DR-3) closed in 2000. Fuel fabrication facilities for DR-2 and DR-3 were closed in 2002.
The Risø National Laboratory was incorporated into the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and is now known as the Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy. Although fission research at Risø has stopped, nuclear research (including fusion) still continues and its Hevesy Laboratory houses a cyclotron, which is used for radioactive isotope production.
Used fuel from the DR-2 and DR-3 research reactors has been returned to the USAh, but the country still has some low- and intermediate-level (LILW) radioactive waste that will require disposal8. This waste is stored at Risø pending the selection and construction of a LILW final repository.
With decommissioning of the three research reactors set to be completed in 2018, the government has been seeking to identify a final repository site for the 5000 cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste and the 233 kg of spent uranium fuel.
Initially, 22 areas were identified as possible final repositories for the waste generated over the past 50 years. This narrowed down to six sites based on a geological assessment in a 300-year perspective, and a final selection was due about 2012, but has been deferred indefinitely, while the prospects of exporting the waste are explored. The cost of establishing a permanent depository is expected to be somewhere between 180 and 500 million kroner, in addition to the estimated one billion kroner expenses for the decommissioning the reactors.
Intermediate-level waste will be put in a two-layered metallic cylinder, the two layers separated by 5 cm layer of concrete. The cylinder itself is wrapped into a concrete container and placed some 30 metres underground.
Greenland Minerals & Energy acquired the Kvanefjeld rare earths and uranium project in Greenland in 2007, and proceeding towards development of it, including the 228,000 tonnes of uranium, 32,800 tU as reserves. Start-up costs for a 3 Mtpa plant are estimated at $1121 million for mine, concentrator and refinery, plus $240 million for infrastructure in the May 2015 feasibility study.
In November 2012 the Greenland government voted unanimously to support the project, including uranium, and in October 2013 it repealed the long-standing policy banning uranium development. It noted that it is Denmark's responsibility to ensure that international conventions, such as non-proliferation, are respected, since Greenland remains part of the kingdom of Denmark and its defence and foreign policies are still determined by Copenhagen. Denmark is pursuing this, and both states expect to have a cooperation agreement for the mining and export of uranium finalized in 2015. The Additional Protocol to Denmark's safeguards agreement with IAEA, specifically for Greenland, entered into force in March 2013.
In January 2016 the governments of Denmark and Greenland reached agreements concerning the export control and security of uranium and other radioactive substances from Greenland and the definition of competencies in the raw materials sector. The Danish parliament passed legislation on safeguards and export controls in June 2016, assuming responsibility for the application of international safeguards. Corresponding legislation was passed by the Greenland parliament in May. This creates the legal framework for uranium exports from Greenland. EU regulations form the basis for legislation on safeguards and dual-use export controls, along with a joint Danish-Greenland commitment to observe the highest international standards such as those practised in Australia and Canada. This means that all Greenland uranium will be exported under bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements similar to those in Australia and Canada, and applying under Euratom, as well as being under IAEA safeguards.
Denmark has a safeguards agreement with the IAEA in force, and an Additional Protocol in force since 2004. It has also signed and ratified an Additional Protocol for Greenland, in force since March 2013.
Though Greenland is independent in respect to mining, international obligations such as safeguards arrangements for uranium exports will be handled by Denmark, as outlined above.
See also Kvanefjeld section of Uranium from Rare Earths Deposits paper.
a. East Denmark's power system is synchronized with the Nordic system, and that of West Denmark's is synchronized with the continental European system. East and West Denmark are connected only through a 500 MW DC cable completed in 2010. [Back]
b. Electricity prices for Danish household consumers in 2008 were 39.6 US cents per kWh, according to the International Energy Agency. By 2018, household prices were 32.5 US cents per kWh (see for example Key World Energy Statistics 2018 published by the International Energy Agency). [Back]
c. Trade from West Denmark is through the 1700 MW Skagerrak HVDC connector to Norway, a 740 MW DC link to Sweden, and a 1780 MW AC connection to Germany (in the southbound direction; northbound, the transmission capacity is about 1500 MW, depending on congestion in the surrounding grids). This may rise to 3 GWe in each direction from 2021. From East Denmark there is a 600 MW DC connector to Germany and a 1900 MW AC link to Sweden. A 700 MWe, 500 kV HVDC Light link is being built to supplement the Norway connection, and a 700 MWe link to Netherlands is planned. [Back]
e. There is some controversy over the question as to how much of Denmark's wind is consumed within its borders. However, rises and falls in wind generated electricity appear to be accompanied by corresponding rises and falls in exports. But this is not the complete picture: there are also corresponding falls and rises in Denmark's thermal generation. [Back]
f. Net imports/exports between Denmark and Norway vary considerably. In 2003, Denmark exported 3.82 billion kWh net to Norway; in 2004, 2.30 billion kWh net export; in 2005, 4.25 billion kWh net import; 2006, 1.19 billion kWh net export; 2007, 2.82 billion kWh net import. [Back]
g. Criticism of Danish wind power always attracts controversy, and the CEPOS report (see Reference 1 below) is no exception. Soon after its publication, the findings were countered by a report by the CEESA (Coherent Energy and Environmental System Analysis) Research Project2 (see www.ceesa.dk).
It should be noted that the CEPOS report was funded by American Institute of Energy Research (see www.instituteforenergyresearch.org) and seems to be aimed at addressing the analogy made by President Barack Obama in his 22 April 2009 Earth Day speech, where he cited the example of Denmark and claimed that, by 2030, the USA could generate 20% of its electricity from wind. [Back]
h. Denmark has a small amount of used fuel from the DR-1 reactor. The government hopes to dispose of this in an international repository but, should such a solution not be found, this used fuel would be disposed of in a Danish low- and intermediate-level waste repository. [Back]
1. Wind Energy – The Case of Denmark, CEPOS (Center for Politiske Studier, Center for Political Studies), September 2009 [Back]
2. Danish Wind Power – Export and Cost, CEESA (Coherent Energy and Environmental System Analysis) Research Project (February 2010) [Back]
3. Environmental Report 2008, Energinet.dk (July 2008); Environmental Report 2007, Energinet.dk (July 2007); IEA data for 2008-11 [Back]
4. No.16/2009 Nord Pool Spot implements negative price floor in Elspot from October 2009, Nord Pool Spot AS market news (4 February 2009)
5. Web page on The five bills on the Danish electricity reform, as adopted by Folketinget on 28 May 1999 on the Danish Energy Agency website (www.ens.dk); Denmark - Regulatory Reform in Electricity: 1999, OECD Country Studies (December 2000) [Back]
6. Web page on Agreements on Danish energy policy on the Danish Energy Agency website (www.ens.dk) [Back]
7. A visionary Danish energy policy 2025, Ministry of Transport and Energy (January 2007) [Back]
8. National Report from Denmark, National Board of Health and National Institute of Radiation Protection, 7-307-40-8/1 (October 2008), presented at the Third Review Meeting of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management held on 11-22 May 2009 [Back]
Danish Energy Agency website
Energinet.dk website
Risø DTU website
Website of Paul-Frederik Bach, Consultant in Development of Energy Systems


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Thanks to everyone who made MA Jump$tart's Teach the Teacher Program in June a great success!
The MA Jump$tart Coalition, partnered with Fidelity Investments and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to offer a content-based teacher training event in the area of personal finance. This unique training opportunity was conducted using the Jump$tart Teacher Training Alliance Model. Attendees received professional credit hours for attending this event. High school and college educators also had the opportunity to earn their W!SE Certification in Personal Finance by taking and passing the W!SE Certification in Personal Finance Test!
The Mission of the Massachusetts Jump$tart Coalition is to:
- – Promote the teaching of personal finance in PreK-12 classrooms.
- – Improve teachers' personal level of financial literacy.
- – Introduce teachers to new information, techniques, and resources and to help them bring personal finance into their classrooms.


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Baldacci on target with thriller
Characters are complex, tales a bit disjointed
David Baldacci Grand Central Publishing
In David Baldacci's latest thriller, The Target, master assassins Will Robie and his partner, Jessica Reel, are supposedly given a clean slate by the government on the condition that they take an assignment that is — in reality — a suicide mission.
The president knows it could mean his impeachment if they are caught. Evan Tucker, the head of the CIA, doubts they can follow orders and would prefer to see them die before they take the assignment. He throws them into the Burner Box, a high-tech training facility that is notorious for breaking agents, both physically and mentally. Tucker tosses the absolute worst at them, and they soon discover that surviving the torture is the easy part of their mission.
While they are struggling to pass the ever-increasing brutal tests lobbed at them, a man in another part of the country awaits his fate on death row. However, he is dying from lung cancer, and he persuades his doctor to look up his daughter, who was placed in witness protection years earlier, so he can tell her goodbye.
He has an ulterior motive, and while his doctor contemplates contacting the authorities, in another part of the world, a North Korean assassin receives a dangerous mission with worldchanging ramifications.
Robie and Reel are complex characters, and anything they do is a pleasure to follow. However, the adventures are extremely short and somewhat disjointed from the rest of the story, making it appear that the missions were short stories that Baldacci shoved in with the rest of the story and characters. That aside, Baldacci knows how to get readers to turn the pages, and he's in top form here.
The Target


text: Shortly before 7 a.m. ET this morning, SpaceX engineers in Hawthorne, California, will be watching their monitors as the Dragon spacecraft makes its final approach to the International Space Station. As the on-board Draco thrusters make a final few bursts to maneuver towards the ISS, another team of SpaceX engineers in McGregor, Texas, will be watching to see if the small engines they tested extensively will perform as expected and steer the spacecraft within reach of the station's robotic arm. Many of those same engineers are undoubtedly also busy reviewing data and images from Sunday's launch. About 79 seconds after lift-off, one of the nine Merlin rocket engines suffered a failure and had to be shut down during the ascent. That same engine had been fired on a test stand above the central Texas grasslands and performed perfectly before it was even considered to be counted on for Sunday's launch. But as SpaceX is fond of reminding us, this is rocket science and things don't always go as planned While SpaceX builds all of its own rocket engines and thrusters at its Hawthorne headquarters, before they can fly, they must pass through McGregor where the company tests each new engine off of the assembly line, as well as those being developed for future missions to orbit and beyond. McGregor is like many small towns in Texas. It is located just south of the once anonymous town of Crawford and McGregor High School's football stadium features a fair amount of seating for a town of less than 5,000. But there is one thing McGregor residents experience that is unlike any other Texas town. Every so often its inhabitants hear and feel the rumble of rocket engines as the air around them pulses courtesy of one of the biggest employers in town. And SpaceX is expanding. "We're building more test stands because we're ramping up production, because we have this big manifest in front of us," says SpaceX spokeswoman Kirstin Grantham. The seven test stands are in constant operation. The facility in McGregor currently operates 18 hours a day, six days a week. Engines are fired, stages are pushed and pulled, and Dragon capsules are taken apart and inspected. The company's headquarters and factory in sunny southern California gets a lot of the attention, but most of the noisy, dirty and critical testing work is done just outside this small central Texas town nestled in amid the farm fields. Above is the biggest, loudest test performed in McGregor. All nine Merlin engines are tested as a complete first-stage unit just as they will be used during launch. And everybody in town knows when the testing takes place. UPDATE - At 9:03 a.m. ET the Dragon spacecraft was successfully attached to the International Space Station. Photo: SpaceXBefore the first stage is tested as a unit, each Merlin engine goes through its own battery of exams. Here, the main test stands for the Merlin engines can be seen in between trial runs. The blue stand in the middle is used for testing the Merlin engine employed during the second stage of the ascent. On the left is a double test stand where one engine can be tested while another is being prepared for firing. The large white tanks hold the water used for sound suppression and cooling. Photo: Jason Paur/WiredAnother view of the second stage test stand, also known as the "M-Vac" stand, before the blue surrounding structure was added. Here a second stage engine is being tested. The second stage of the rocket uses a single Merlin engine to boost the Dragon once the first stage has delivered into space, which is why the engine is tested first in a vacuum environment. Photo: SpaceXThe "flame bucket" can be found at the bottom of each test stand. The steel pipe structure floods the area with water during test firings to suppress the noise and to serve as a coolant. A similar device is used on the launch pad in Cape Canaveral. Photo: Jason Paur/WiredThe Falcon 9 that launched on Sunday uses Merlin 1C engines that produce 125,000 pounds of thrust – apiece – at sea level. A new Merlin 1D engine can be seen during a test firing. The 1D will generate 147,000 pounds of thrust at sea level and will have the highest thrust-to-weight ratio of any rocket engine ever used. The Merlin 1D is scheduled to be used on Falcon 9 launches in 2013 and beyond in geosynchronous transfer orbits. Photo: SpaceXIn addition to testing the larger Merlin engines that power the first and second stage of the Falcon 9, the smaller Draco thrusters are also tested in McGregor. The Dragon spacecraft comes equipped with 18 Draco thrusters that are used for maneuvering during orbit and re-entry. Each of the Dracos (and soon the upgraded Super Dracos), are tested individually in a "space vacuum" chamber. The thrusters are tested in very short pulses, similar to how they are used during flights. Because so little propellant is necessary for these extremely short pulses, during the testing three lasers are used to measure the change in propellant. The lasers can be seen near the top of the flat metal panel, above the black insulation. The propellant is known as a hypergolic propellant, meaning the mixture of monomethyl hydrozene and nitrogen tetroxide (one on each side of the vacuum chamber) spontaneously combust when they come in contact with each other. As the propellants pass through a finger-sized glass tube on the test stand, the lasers measure the level of the meniscus with sub-millimeter precision. Photo: Jason Paur/WiredInside the space vacuum chamber a Draco thruster glows during a test firing. Photo: SpaceXIn addition to testing in the space vacuum chamber, Dracos are also developed on a nearby outdoor test stand. Engineers can use the software that will control the Dragon to test-fire the thrusters and analyze the pulse firings to better tune the maneuvers that will take place in orbit. During maneuvers, the thrusters are often pulsed for fractions of a second. During the last flight to the ISS, the thrusters could be seen pulsing as the Dragon maneuvered away from the station. SpaceX says it's similar to a shotgun blast each time the thruster is fired, both in the amount of fuel used and the thrust produced. Here a quad of Draco thrusters can be seen during test firings on the stand in McGregor. Photo: SpaceXDuring re-entry – and potentially during a future manned launch aborts – the Dracos will be used for longer periods than normal during orbital maneuvering, often many seconds at a time. In the photo above, a Super Draco is tested on the outdoor stand during a long-duration firing. The "shock diamond" pattern in the exhaust plume is created due to the pressure difference between the exhaust and outside air. The same thrusters that will be used for orbital maneuvering in short pulses will also provide the thrust for several seconds to almost instantaneously push the Dragon capsule clear and away from the Falcon 9 rocket if a launch was to be aborted during lift-off or on ascent. Photo: SpaceXThere are still signs of the Cold War climate in McGregor left over from when the facility was built for the Navy in 1960. Some offices, along with control rooms where a myriad of screens allow engineers to carefully monitor each and every engine and structure test, are housed in a partially buried bunker. The structure could stand in as a movie set in some post-apocalyptic thriller. It even has a vault door several feet thick. The "block house" was the only habitable building when SpaceX took over the facility in 2003. And it had the only bathroom. So in those early days it housed not only offices and control rooms, but also the fabrication shop, machine shop and any other job that needed to protect occupants from the heat. Photo: Jason Paur/WiredAfter the Navy built the block house in 1960 it was filled with room-sized computers and tape drives connected to copper wires that transmitted a few hundred channels of data from a single test stand. Much of the early ICBM testing was done here as well as the first stage of the Minuteman missile. Photo: Jason Paur/WiredToday the building has been upgraded and redecorated. Each of the six control rooms can handle both Merlin and Draco thruster testing. Young engineers in T-shirts and jeans watch three computer screens each as well as a main display at the front of the room as thousands of channels of data are fed through fiber-optic cables from seven test stands running 18 hours a day and six days a week. And with a massive backlog of launches on the books, SpaceX's testing facility is only going to get busier. On the day we visited, one of the new Super Draco thrusters was being tested. The firing lasted just two seconds, and the team averages at least one engine test per day. The pace will pick up in the coming months. Photo: Jason Paur/WiredWhen you work at a rocket testing facility, it's easy to recycle some of the equipment to make unique furniture for the offices. Around 160 people work at SpaceX's McGregor test facility and near these cubicles photos from engine testing decorate the "Hall of Flame." Photo: Jason Paur/WiredIn addition to testing engines in McGregor, SpaceX also puts other parts of the Falcon 9 and Dragon through their paces. The structures are pushed, pulled and shaken. In this photo, the Dragon spacecraft is tested on one of the structural testing stands.The Dragon capsules return to McGregor after each flight for post mission analysis. The Dragon used on the first mission to the ISS sits in the simply named 'Dragon Building' after its historic flight in May. The building is a nondescript steel structure that could be mistaken for something a rancher would keep his farm equipment. The SpaceX technicians and engineers carefully inspect the capsule, taking much of it apart to analyze how everything worked during the flight. During our visit, the outer panels on the lower third of the spacecraft were removed and the team was inspecting the Draco thrusters and associated systems including the foil wrapped propellant tanks which are slightly larger than basketballs. We weren't able to take pictures of the outside of partially disassembled Dragon, but above is how it looked when it arrived after its mission to the ISS. The heat shield shows asymmetric burn marks from re-entry, with one side receiving less of the heat and showing less discoloration. This side is seen above and is the area that contains the avionics and cargo door, and is more protected from the 3,000 to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit experienced during re-entry. The heat shield material is a very low-density ceramic that's easy to mar with the push of a fingernail. Photo: SpaceXThe inside of the Dragon capsules are also inspected and dissected. Here a technician works on removing one of three avionics boxes that houses the antennas and voice communications. At this point, only the cargo had been removed from the Dragon that went to the ISS. Inside the Dragon, more of SpaceX's "eye on the future" could be seen. Though not visible on the outside (or in this picture), the Dragon does have windows installed for future manned missions. Despite looking rather cramped, the Dragon will be able to seat seven, and an entire Russian Soyuz capsule could fit inside. Photo: Jason Paur/WiredThis rather unassuming building is where Falcon 9 rockets are assembled after the components are tested. The plain structure houses the rocket, and during our visit the fifth Falcon 9 was sitting inside ready to be disassembled again before being shipped to Cape Canaveral where it will be used for the second commercial resupply mission sometime later this year or in early 2013. Inside you have to carefully navigate a mishmash of cooling and ventilation hoses that cover the floor next to the Falcon 9 rocket. Giving the rocket a good knock, it's surprising how thin and lightweight the structure sounds – more like a thin barrel than something designed to endure space flight. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take any photos inside the building. Outside the hangar is part of an interstage sitting on a trailer. The insterstage connects the first and second stage (and covers the second stage Merlin engine). Photo: Jason Paur/WiredThe largest testing stand is the tripod that is used for testing the first stage with all nine Merlin engines (seen in the opening image). Situated right next to the road, the large test stand also serves as a psuedo-billboard for the McGregor facility. Photo: Jason Paur/Wired


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Some Auburn residents urged to boil water after water main break caused by construction crew
AUBURN, Maine (AP) � Some residents of Auburn are being urged to boil their tap water before using it for cooking or drinking after a water main break sent millions of gallons gushing into the street.
The break Monday afternoon was caused by a construction crew that hit the 16-inch water pipe while preparing for the upcoming installation of a gas main.
Water District Superintendent John Storer said the break on Court Street occurred near Russell Avenue drained about three million gallons in an hour. Residents witnessed a geyser for part of that time.
As of Monday evening, about 30 area homes were still without water and residents were urged to boil their water until further notice.


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Out of stock
Item Condition: Brand New
Quantity: 1 Drum Kit
Colour: see picture
Approximate size: BASS drum is 9cm. Overall approx 30cm
Each drum kit has been made by talented craftsmen who have a passion for their work like no other. You can be assured that each and every drum kit is of the highest quality.
Please note that all our drum kits are created for display use only, they do not play music and Mad Mini Guitars is in no way associated with any artist or drum kit manufacturer.
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Lenso Wheel Repair and Lenso Wheel Refurbishment
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Fantastic, I thank you for this guidanceFast_Eddie wrote:Hi, for future reference all you need to look at is the composer.json file and it will show the path needed to install. for User Maps it is:
I encounter the exact same problem except that I can see a broken image marker for every position. Any way to fix this?thecaretaker1 wrote:Can anyone help, I'm currently on version 0.1.3 and want to update to the latest version 2.2. Although everything seems to work alright, I've no markers showing on the main map. Nothing I seem to do will fix this. I've got the marker showing in individual profiles, just nothing on the main map.
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'CC_US' => 'United States',


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- D.C. Current
Fannie, Freddie, Zombie
- Order Reprints
- Print Article
Here's the financial equivalent of the popular Twilight vampire franchise: Politicians are sucking the blood out of resurgent mortgage guarantors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rather than returning them in good health to the private sector, where they belong. Washington is using their money in its budget-cap games, leaving the duo in a state of perpetual weakness, like the living dead, imprisoned in the government's ill-named "conservatorship" program.
A number of profit-minded investors that have taken positions in the preferred shares of the formerly distressed mortgage companies are pushing an alternative. The politicians, they claim, are blowing an opportunity both to generate at least $100 billion in deficit reduction from a spinoff to the public and to significantly limit the government's footprint in the mortgage market. Recall that in last month's budget, President Barack Obama took a huge political risk in calling for the sale of the government-owned Tennessee Valley Authority for about $25 billion to help reduce the deficit.
The financial acumen of these investors—which include hedge funds Paulson & Co.; Claren Road Asset Management, owned by the Carlyle Group; and Perry Capital—stands in stark contrast to their seeming naiveté about Washington. No matter how sensible on paper, their investment is unlikely to succeed. As one of my D.C. sources quipped, "Congress can't fix the Post Office, let alone Fannie and Freddie."
I've heard the investors' spiel. It's a good one. They envision two well-capitalized, debt-free, prime-mortgage guaranty corporations operating without government safety nets. Proceeds from the wind-down of mortgage-backed securities now on the books would pay off debt.
The government injected $187 billion into Fannie (ticker: FNMA) and Freddie (FMCC) after their collapse in 2008 in return for special preferred stock. At year-end 2012, the Treasury had received $65 billion in dividends, leaving a balance of $122 billion. The administration estimates that if the two remain in conservatorship for 10 more years, Treasury will get its money back—plus $50 billion—assuming housing's recovery continues. The investors argue that the companies have recovered and, like General Motors (GM) and AIG (AIG), should be turned loose. Based on combined 2012 pretax profits of $28 billion and a conservative 6.5 price/earnings ratio, the two could easily raise $182 billion in the stock market, according to the investors. If the government converted its preferred shares into a 79.9% common stock interest and sold it, then it would receive at least $145 billion. An eight- to-10-times multiple is more likely, generating $200 billion to $250 billion.
Subtracting Uncle Sam's proceeds from a $182 billion stock sale would leave $35 billion for holders of the $33 billion par value in old preferred shares and common stock. If they received their allocation ahead of the common, they'd realize a 100% recovery. Thus, the hedge funds and other vulture investors who bought preferred for $2 to $4 would receive $25, a great payday, to be sure.
Alas, Fannie and Freddie have loss carry-forwards valued at about $60 billion. Left on their books, it's counted as equity capital. The vampires in the administration and on Capitol Hill want Fannie and Freddie to transfer that credit to Treasury for use in deficit reduction. Treasury also continues to sweep capital out of both companies every quarter for its preferred dividends, keeping them weak. And they call this a conservatorship. I call it a vampire's blood bank.
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Summertime in the early 1950s. Willa and her older sister Joan would like to have a relaxing time at their summer home together with their mom. But the mother has a new lover, Eugene, and to the girls' surprise, Eugene has invited his two sons to spend the summer with them. Kenneth and Patrick are slightly older than the girls immediately attract their attention. No, they definitely are not like brothers and sisters, Joan and Kenneth quickly fall for each other. For Willa and Patrick things are not that easy. Over the next years, they regularly meet and between Willa and Patrick a strange connection is formed. On the one hand, the boy can arouse feelings in her, but on the other, what he is doing to her repels her and she senses that his behaviour is far from being normal and acceptable. But what is there she can to about it? It will take years until she can free herself.
"Demi-God" – according to the Merriam-Webster definition, it is a mythological being with more power than a mortal but less than a god or a person so outstanding as to seem to approach the divine. For all female members of the family, the male counterparts are somehow demi-gods, at least in so far as they cannot refrain from their attraction. The mother is charmed by Eugene, Joan falls for Kenneth and also Willa has a special liking for Patrick. It is not quite clear what makes those three that outstanding, but their appeal is obvious. They can exert power over the women in different ways, but it is only Patrick how openly abuses this.
Before coming to this, what I liked especially about the novel was the atmosphere. You can sense immediately that Eliza Robertson is great at creating certain moods and you actually can feel this carefree time of being young during summer holidays when the days seem endless, when the sun is shining and when there are no worries and fears. I also appreciated her characters, first of all the mother who is neither completely stereotypical but nevertheless clearly represents a certain kind of woman of her time. In the focus of the novel are the girls and their relationship. It is not always easy to be sisters, at times they can confide in each other, at others they can't. Yet, there is something like unconditional love between them, if one needs the other, she can surely count on her.
In this nice and loving ambiance now enters the evil that can be found in human beings. To name it openly, the novel is about sexual abuse, about menacing and exerting power over a weaker person. Willa is first too young, then unsure of how to react and how to qualify what happens to her. It is not the all bad and awful situation – this is what makes the novel especially impressive. It only happens at single instances, partly, she isn't even sure if she did actually refuse it or even contributed to it happening. This makes it even more awful, because the girl is left alone with her feelings and worries. She plays normal and hides what has happened. It does not take much to imagine that there might be millions of girls out there suffering from the same abuse and feeling helpless and powerless.
Thus, the novel takes up a very serious topic and hopefully some readers might recognize that what Willa is going through is far from acceptable and can find a way of seeking help if they are in need.


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We're here in the in between. Winter is on its way out but Spring still feels a world away. We've seen the same offenders in our vegetable drawers for months and I, for one, am ready for a change. But the frozen rain and threats of snow persist, keeping the asparagus from venturing out of the earth and the Rhubarb from turning to its ready-to-use ruby red (unless it's green rhubarb).
Within our current limited resources I'm trying to make our salads a bit more exciting. And as is often the case I find a bit of restriction a great exercise in creativity. I'm constantly looking for new flavor combinations and new methods of cooking the same ingredients I've been working with for months.
I've always been a fan of salad. I find comfort in knowing I'm not alone. It really wasn't until I started stretching my imagination and moving beyond greens doused in blue cheese dressing (although, at times, nothing can be better) that salads started to really inspire me. Now I find myself dreaming of salads and enjoying them daily.
If I'm having this much fun with them now, imagine what Summer will bring.
Orange Salad with Cocoa Nibs // Grilled Zucchini Salad // Avocado Salad with Warm Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Orange Salad with Cocoa Nibs
serves 1
1 orange
2 Tablespoons cocoa nibs
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons aged balsamic
2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper
Carefully cut the rind of the orange off, taking as much of the white pith as you can. Cut the orange in rounds.
In a small bowl add the spinach and place the orange rounds on top. Sprinkle with the cocoa nibs and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immediately.
Grilled Zucchini Salad
serves one
2 small zucchini
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (I used basil, mint, tarragon, and cilantro)
salt and pepper
lemon juice
Using a mandoline (or a steady hand and sharp knife) very thinly slice the zucchini.
Toss the zucchini in olive oil and salt and pepper.
On a hot grill pan or indoor grill, sear the zucchini until dark marks appear, about 30 seconds. Flip over and repeat on the other side.
Toss the grilled zucchini in a bowl with the fresh herbs and a hefty squeeze of lemon. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Avocado Salad with warm Jalapeno vinaigrette
serves 2
¼ cup coconut oil
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
½ to 1 sliced Jalapeno, deseeded (depending on how spicy you want it)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 avocado
greens (spinach, cress, arugula, cilantro) or 1 cup cooked quinoa
In a skillet add the coconut oil and shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until just golden around the edges. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more then turn off heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and lime juice.
Pour ½ of the warm vinaigrette over half of an avocado that is sitting on greens.
If using quinoa stir some of the vinaigrette in the quinoa. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in chopped cilantro and cubed avocado.