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Command reference – Configuration attributes
Configuration attributes documentation for Carousel Viewer.
Any configuration command can be set in URL or using setParam() , or setParams() , or both, API methods. Any config attribute can be also specified in the server-side configuration record.
Some configuration commands may be prefixed with the class name or instance name of corresponding Viewer SDK component. An instance name of the component is dynamic and depends on the ID of the viewer container DOM element passed to setContainerId() API method. Documentation includes an optional prefix for such commands. For example, zoomstep command is documented as follows:
which means that you can use this command as:
- fmt (short syntax)
- CarouselView.fmt (qualified with component class name)
- cont_carouselView.fmt (qualified with component ID, assuming cont is the ID of the container element)


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As you may know, the threshold for taxing estates in Massachusetts is $1 million, much less than the current $11.58 million threshold for federal estate taxes (in 2020). In addition, unlike the federal estate tax which only taxes the excess over the threshold, if an estate exceeds $1 million the entire amount above $40,000 is taxed. Fortunately, the rate is substantially less, ranging from 0.8% to 16%, whereas the federal rate is 40%. Here are the Massachusetts estate tax rates:
|Estate Size
|Tax Rate
|$40,001 - $90,000
|$90,001 - $140,000
|$140,001 - $240,000
|$240,001 - $440,000
|$440,001 - $640,000
|$640,001 - $840,000
|$840,001 - $1,040,000
|$1,040,001 - $1,540,000
|$1,540,001 - $2,040,000
|$2,040,001 - $2,540,000
|$2,540,000 - $3,040,000
|$3,040,001 - $3,540,000
|$3,540,001 - $4,040,000
|$4,040,001 - $5,040,000
|$5,040,001 - $6,040,000
|$6,040,001 - $7,040,000
|$7,040,001 - $8,040,000
|$8,040,001 - $9,040,000
|$9,040,001 - $10,040,000
|Above $10,040,000
The tax on a $1 million estate is about $36,500. That won't bankrupt the heirs, but the marginal tax on the difference between a $990,000 estate and a $1,010,000 estate can be significant, meaning that it behooves Massachusetts residents whose assets total just a bit above $1 million to get below that threshold before they dies if they can take such a step at that time.
Interestingly, while the tax rate between $1 million and $1.5 million is 6.4%, the effective tax rate can be as much as 25% since a $1.2 million estate will pay about $50,000 in taxes and a $990,000 estate will pay zero.
So, what about making larger gifts to get below the $1 million threshold? Here's where the interplay between Massachusetts and federal gift taxes gets interesting (at least for those of us who practice in this area; did anyone say anything about "nerds"?).
The Federal Gift Tax
While the federal system is set up to tax certain gifts, Massachusetts does not tax gifts at all . However, Massachusetts includes federally taxable gifts in determining whether the decedent's estate exceeds the $1 million threshold. Confused? Here's a longer explanation:
Many people have heard that gifts are limited to $15,000 per recipient per year. (Some people think it's $10,000, which was the amount for a long time.) But that's not true. The rule is that if you give anyone more than $15,000 in a year ($30,000 if you're married, including both spouses' gifts to the individual) then you are supposed to report the gift to the IRS. So, for instance, if you give your daughter $115,000 to help her with the downpayment on her house, you are supposed to report a taxable gift of $100,000. But you don't have to pay a gift tax. That only occurs once all of your taxable gifts added together exceed the federal estate tax threshold of $11.58 million (in 2020). The other effect of this taxable gift is that it comes back in in determining the federal tax on your estate. Instead of being able to give away $11.58 million tax free at death, the gift uses up some of your estate tax credit, meaning that after helping your daughter with her house purchase you will be able to give away only $11.3 million tax free at death. And if you're married, it reduces your combined credit from $22.8 million to $22.7 million.
Obviously, at these limits, the federal estate and gift taxes only affect a small number of the richest Americans. The $15,000 mentioned above is an exemption to the normal gift tax reporting rule. You don't have to report gifts of up to $15,000 per recipient per year ($30,000 for a married couple). However, the reality is unless you have a very large estate, there will be no penalty even if you make gifts of more than $15,000 and don't report them to the IRS. That said, they could come into play on your Massachusetts estate tax return.
The Massachusetts Estate Tax Threshold
While your gifts of more than $15,000 a year are probably irrelevant for federal tax purposes, they get added back into your estate for purposes of determining whether your Massachusetts estate exceeds the $1 million threshold and will be taxed. So, for instance, if your estate totals $850,000 but a year prior to your death you gave each of your two children $115,000 during the same year, your estate will be deemed to total $1,050,000 for purposes of determining whether it's taxable—the $850,000 you have at death plus the $200,000 you made in taxable gifts to your children. In other words, because your estate plus your taxable gifts exceed $1 million, your estate will be subject to a Massachusetts estate tax, but only the $850,000 actually in the estate will be taxed.
Here's another example of how this can work:
Jon Adams has $1.25 million. He gives $115,000 to each of his three children and then dies with an estate of $900,000. In preparing his estate tax return, the children must add back in their $300,000 in "taxable" gifts to determine whether he has a taxable estate. However, they need only pay taxes on the $900,000 remaining. So this saves some money in taxes, but not everything, reducing the tax from approximately $50,000 on a $1.2 million estate to approximately $28,000 on a $900,000 estate.
If, instead of making these large gifts to his children all at once, Jon had given them $15,000 each over several years to reduce his estate below $1 million, the gifts would not be added back in and his estate would not be subject to tax (saving both taxes and legal fees to prepare the estate tax return).
While the Massachusetts estate tax rate is significantly lower than the federal rate, it can often be reduced or avoided entirely through judicious and timely gifting.
Related posts:

subset: commoncrawl


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Principal to Principal
Principal to Principal: Conversations in Servant Leadership and School Transformation takes the reader into the real world of school leadership, as a retiring elementary principal and his successor engage in a 12-month mentoring partnership. Packed with emotion and the complexities of the twenty-first century school, the story weaves in and out of the day-by-day transformation that can take place when past paradigms and traditions are challenged, and students are put first. The unleashed potential of the servant leadership model, and the critical importance of core values, vision, and strategic change are addressed with passion and intensity as the two colleagues discover together how fast a school can really change_if the human resources are all focused on the same goal: creating a great school that meets the variety of needs of every child it serves_no exceptions.


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We are proud of our partners and our initiatives with them.
United Friends of the Children
OnlyRoses are officially partnered with United Friends of the Children. United Friends of the Children empowers current and former foster youth on their journey to self-sufficiency through service-enriched education and housing programs, advocacy, and consistent relationships with a community of people who care.
To celebrate this partnership we will be donating 50% of all US sales from the Beverly Hills Only Bouquet to their organisation.
Maria Shriver and The Women's Alzheimer's MovementOnlyRoses is proud to support The Women's Alzheimer's Movement, and its Move For Minds initiative, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). The Women's Alzheimer's MovementTM is a non-profit organization founded by Maria Shriver, that increases awareness about the disproportionate impact Alzheimer's has on women, informs the public about the connection between lifestyle and brain health, and raises funds for gender-based research institutions across the country. EIF, established in 1942, harnesses the collective power of the entertainment industry to generate awareness and funds for critical health, educational and social issues.
To mark this collaboration OnlyRoses will be donating 50% of the price of the Lavender Infinite Rose Silver Cube purchased at the OnlyRoses Beverly Hills store and online to these wonderful causes for one year, commencing from April 15th, 2018!


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Copper Creek Single-Family Residential Development
This 19-lot residential land development project consists of estate lots ranging in size from 3.00 acres to 11.0 acres on over 100-acres in scenic Marshall Township, Allegheny County.
The development tasks for this property included complying with Marshall Township Land Development Ordinances, County and State mandates for the access roadway to State highway and stormwater management and erosion & sedimentation control plan regulations.
The project was completed on-time and met the needs of the Owner/Developer with respect to maintaining the natural integrity of the land.
Project Gallery
Recent Projects
Interstate 80, Section 364 Butler and Clarion Counties, PA
Southern Beltway, SR 0576, Section 55B Between MP S-11.17 and MP S-14.31 Cecil Township, PA
Torchlight Intersection Menallen Township, PA
Hempfield Park – Ball Field, Parking Renovations and Dog Park Hempfield, PA
View All Projects


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On Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., the youngest of St. Matthew's parishoners (age 3 to 5th grade) gather in the size-appropriate Children's Chapel to say prayers and sing classic Christian and Christian-themed songs. Some of our favorites are "Come Go with Me to That Land" and "Rise and Shine and Give God Your Glory, Glory," but we've also worked on more secular tunes from the 70's such as the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun," and Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready." Mostly we're interested in connecting with the children and helping them appreciate the joy of singing in church.
We teach the children tunes using large lyric boards combined with representative images while musically enthusiastic parishioners accompany them by singing and playing instruments. Most of the learning is actually rote, and we find that the youngest children know the tunes fairly well by the time they "graduate" to the big church.
Some of our most energetic services are the monthly communion services when our youngest parishioners are joined by the not-yet-confirmed youth (below 8th grade) who return to celebrate the Eucharist in a slightly extended chapel service. The singing at these services can reach a fevered pitch as the church fills to capacity and the older children sing (and sometimes shout!) the songs they remember from their earliest days in church.
And finally, several times a year, the children are invited to sing a song in the main church giving them the opportunity to learn a classic from the hymnal, perform for the congregation, and participate in the ceremony. Some of our standards include: "All Things Bring and Beautiful," "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God," "We Gather Together," and "Silent Night." If you are looking for something to soften a heart hardened by this world, hearing these sweet young voices sing these classic melodies is a good place to start.
It's a pretty fun way to kick off Sunday morning, so please come by. You (and most importantly, your kids) will be happy you did.
Pastoral Care
St. Mary's
Nursery Care
Church School
Youth Group
Adult Class
St. Matthew's Preschool
Make a Gift Now
Make a Pledge
Planned Giving
Memorials & Flowers
Bedell Fund
Email Us
Contact Us
(914) 234-9636


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Chaired by Financial Times Group journalists, the invitation-only FT Investment Expert Copenhagen invitation only conference will gather CEOs, CIOs and portfolio managers from Denmark's leading asset owners to share their insights into how they plan to be creative in their search for returns.
Investment Expert Copenhagen 2017
Creativity in the search for yield
Speakers include:
Anders Schelde
MP Pension
Mikko Mursula
Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company
Anders Damgaard
PFA Pension
Presented by
Lead Sponsor
Full Overview
Keeping an open mind will be top priority for investors in the coming year. As fast changing political dynamics dominate, the global economy looks ahead to a period of uncertainty and opportunity driven by Donald Trump's Presidency, elections across Europe, Brexit and interest rate volatility. In markets faced with more questions than answers, the hunt for yield is increasing pressure on investors to reposition their portfolios and rethink their appetite for risk.
Chaired by Financial Times Group journalists, the FT's Investment Expert Copenhagen invitation only conference will address the major issues facing asset owners as they plan their portfolios.
- What is the outlook for US growth and reflation under the new regime?
- Which asset classes will deliver amid all the volatility – will infrastructure prove the bright spot in 2017?
- As politics takes centre stage in Europe, how will markets react?
- What are the opportunities and challenges ahead for China, India and other emerging markets as trade dynamics change?
- How are credit markets likely to perform as central bank policies diverge globally?
- Is now the time to reconsider the balance between passive and active strategies and how important is sustainable and impact investing in today's market?
Join us in Copenhagen on 16th May to meet your fellow CEOs, CIOs and portfolio managers from Denmark's leading asset owners, and share their insights into how they plan to be creative in their search for returns.
Speakers (11)
Anders Schelde
Anders Schelde is the CIO of at MP Pension since November 2017, where he and his team oversees the management of the scheme's EUR 115bn investment portfolio. All of the portfolio is managed under one unconstrained investment strategy with a risk profile more or less similar to a 50:50 balanced fund. MP is the 11th largest pension fund Denmark, and it manages the pension assets of public-sector psychologists as well as public-sector university and upper secondary school employees with academic degrees. Before joining MP, Mr Schelde worked at Nordea Wealth Management for 18 years, where he started his career as portfolio manager before taking on various roles within general management of the business. For the last 8 years with Nordea, Mr Schelde was the CIO at Nordea Life and Pension, Denmark. He holds an MSc in Economics and an MBA.
Mikko Mursula
Mikko Mursula is Chief Investment Officer of Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company, a position he has held since 2015. He was previously Chief Executive Officer at FIM Oyj, Head of Asset Management and Securities Broking Business at S Bank, and Managing Director at FIM Asset Management. Between 2000 and 2010 he served, at various times, as Head of Listed Securities, Head of Equities and Portfolio Manager, Equities at Ilmarinen. Before that Mr Mursula was a Partner, Institutional Sales at AG Private Bankers and a Broker in Equities and Derivatives at OP Stock Securities. He started his career as an auditor with KPMG. Mr Mursula holds an MSc in Economics from the Helsinki School of Economics.
Anders Damgaard
Anders Damgaard is Group CFO and responsible for the Actuarial Department, Finance, Investment and Risk, including the companies PFA Asset Management, and PFA Ejendomme. Before joining PFA on 1st December 2014, Mr Damgaard was Executive Vice President and Global Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking at Danske Bank. Prior to his employment with Danske Bank, he was Assistant Professor of Finance at the University of Southern Denmark. Mr Damgaard chairs the Board of Directors of PFA Asset Management, PFA Ejendomme and PFA Kapitalforening, and he is a member of the Boards of Danmarks Skibskredit and SE Blue Equity Management A/S. He holds an MSc in Mathematics-Economics from Aarhus University and a PhD in Finance.
Anders Svennesen
Anders Svennesen is Chief Investment Officer and member of the executive board of directors at Danica Pension. He is also CIO at Danske Bank Asset Management. Mr Svennesen joined Danica in December 2014 with responsibility for implementing a new investment strategy which should bring Danica's return back in top of the market. In February 2017 Danske Bank Asset Management and Danica Pension – both part of Danske Bank Wealth Management – joined forces on investments. Before joining Danica he was at ATP for 14 years, where he among other things focused on portfolio construction, risk premia strategies and allocation of risk across different asset classes. His last position at ATP was Co-CIO Investments. Mr Svennesen started his career as economist at the Central Bank of Denmark and holds a Master of Science in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Copenhagen.
Niels Lynggård Hansen
Niels Lynggård Hansen is Director, Head of Economics and Monetary Policy at Danmarks Nationalbank. He joined Danmarks Nationalbank in 1994 and has since worked in different areas such as government debt management, economic modeling and analysis, statistics, forecasting and monetary policy analysis. Over the years he has also taught several courses for the economics program of the University of Copenhagen on topics such as macroeconomics, growth theory, microeconomics, macroeconometric modeling and forecasting and monetary economics. Mr Lynggård Hansen holds a degree in economics from the University of Copenhagen and a Masters from Groupe de Recherche en Economie Quantitative et Econometrie (GREQE) at Université d'Aix-Marseille, as well as a PhD in economics from the University of Aarhus.
Karsten Kjeldsen
Karsten Kjeldsen is CIO at the Danish pension fund Industriens Pension. He has long track record in the institutional investment community both in Copenhagen and in London. He joined Industriens Pension in 2016. Prior to this, Mr Kjeldsen was Head of Advisory & Trading in Nordea Life Pension where he optimized the core ALM strategies for traditional portfolios in all the Nordic countries and delivered very strong proprietary results in fixed income and credit. He was previously Head of Fixed Income Risk at SEB Pension, and before that worked at Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase. Mr Kjeldsen holds an MSc in Applied Economics from Copenhagen Business School, and a Financial Risk Manager certification from the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP).
Jeff Bakalar
Jeff Bakalar is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at the Voya Senior Loan Group. He is also Manager of the NN Investment Partners Senior Loan Strategy and NN (L) Flex Senior Loans Fund. Mr Bakalar has more than 31 years' experience in investment. He joined Voya (formerly ING Investment Management) in 1998 , became head of the senior loan group in 2000 and now serves the Chairman of its investment committee. Mr Bakalar is a current member of the board of directors of the Loan Syndications and Trading Association. He holds an MBA from DePaul University.
Colm McDonagh
Colm McDonagh joined Insight Investment in November 2008 as Head of Emerging Market Fixed Income, responsible for all emerging debt strategies. Prior to joining Insight his previous roles included partner at Hydra Capital Management (an emerging market fixed income boutique) and Head of Global Emerging Market Debt at Aberdeen Asset Management. He began his career at Bank of America in 1996 as an emerging market Eurobond trader. Mr McDonagh has invested across the wide spectrum of the asset class through long only and alternative strategies. He holds a BBLS honours degree in Finance and Law from University College, Dublin.
Frank Meijer
Frank Meijer joined Aegon Asset Management in 2005 and serves as head of the European ABS and Mortgage team, lead portfolio manager of the European ABS funds and the AeAM Dutch Mortgage Fund. He is also a member of the Asset Liability Committee of Aegon Bank and a permanent guest lecturer at the Amsterdam VU University. Prior to his current role, he was also responsible for the Quant Group and has set up the Structured Credit Desk. Before joining Aegon, Mr Meijer worked at ABN AMRO in the Credit Risk Modelling & Product department. He holds an MSc in Physics, cum laude, from University of Groningen and a PhD in Physics from Delft University of Technology.
Rupert Watson
Rupert Watson is Partner and Head of Asset Allocation for Mercer's Fiduciary Management business in Europe. He joined Mercer in May 2013 and is responsible for the asset allocation strategy of our discretionary mandates. He manages clients' growth portfolios as well as the Mercer Diversified Growth fund. Prior to joining Mercer, Rupert was Head of Asset Allocation at Skandia Investment Group and previously worked as a fund manager at Black River Asset Management, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Investec Asset Management and Merrill Lynch Investment Management. Rupert began his career at the Bank of England. Rupert holds degree in economics from Edinburgh University. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Jesper Kirstein
Jesper Kirstein is the CEO of Kirstein A/S which was founded in 1993. Kirstein A/S has three business areas: Financial Market Research, Investment and Pension and Search and Selection. Mr Kirstein's long industry experience gives him a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Nordic investors as well as Danish and international asset managers. Prior to setting up Kirstein A/S, his previous employment included positions as stockbroker manager and bank manager. He holds a MSc degree in Economics from the University of Copenhagen and completed further study at Stanford University and INSEAD in Paris, France.
Chair and Moderator (2)
Owen Walker
Owen Walker is an award-winning journalist who has covered business and investment issues in the US, UK and Europe. He is Asset Management Correspondent with the Financial Times, having previously served as Commissioning Editor in the Special Reports team. Prior to that he edited special FT publications on corporate governance, retail investment and pension scheme management. He has served as trustee on the board of the Pearson Group Pension Plan and was a committee member of the Association of Member Nominated Trustees. Owen is author of a book on activist investors, Barbarians in the Boardroom, which was published in 2016.
Attracta Mooney
Attracta Mooney is the Investment Correspondent for the Financial Times, where she writes about the asset management industry for the paper and for FTfm, the FT's investment management section. She was previously a senior reporter at Ignites Europe, an FT news services covering the retail fund industry.
Agenda - 16th May
8:00amRegistration and Networking
9:00amOpening Remarks
Owen Walker, Commissioning Editor, Special Reports, Financial Times
9:10amKeynote Opening Address: Navigating the long term vs the short term
Anders Schelde, Chief Investment Officer, Nordea Life and Pensions
9:40amCIO Panel: Investing in the Trump and Brexit era
The global economy is at a turning point as markets adjust to the implications of new regime in the US, Brexit negotiations, European elections and more. How can institutional investors navigate this unpredictable landscape and position their portfolios to capture yield whilst managing tail risks? How will President Trump's proposed rebalancing of fiscal and monetary policy impact US investments and what will the spillover effects be for markets in the rest of the world? What is the outlook for equity and fixed income investments in the Eurozone as the region faces into a period of political uncertainty? As attitudes to risk and opportunity change, are investors shifting allocations in favour of more unconventional asset classes like infrastructure, property and high yield investments?
Introduced by: Niels Lynggård Hansen, Director,Head of Economics and Monetary Policy, National Bank of Denmark
Karsten Kjeldsen, Chief Investment Officer, Industriens Pension
Jesper Kirstein, CEO, Kirstein
Anders Svennesen, Chief Investment Officer, Danica Pension
Moderator: Owen Walker, Commissioning Editor, Special Reports, Financial Times
10:30amRefreshments and networking
11:00amThe Asset Class Debate – Which sectors will deliver in the next 12 months?
In the current environment, what is the outlook for yield across the spectrum of asset classes? Which has the best potential and what are the most effective strategies to boost returns? This session will provide in-depth analysis on the sectors and products forecast to generate income in 2017, and will feature focused insights from leading experts.
11:00-11:25 Finding opportunities in emerging market debt
Colm McDonagh, Head of Emerging Market Fixed Income, Insight Investment
Interviewer: Attracta Mooney, Asset Management Reporter, Financial Times
11:25-11:50 Exploring the outlook for senior bank loans
Jeff Bakalar, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Senior Loan Group, Voya
Interviewer: Owen Walker, Commissioning Editor, Special Reports, Financial Times
11:50-12.15 Analysing alternative fixed income investments including Asset Backed Securities and Dutch mortgages
Frank Meijer, Head of European ABS and Mortgage Team, Aegon Asset Management
Interviewer: Attracta Mooney, Asset Management Reporter, Financial Times
12:15pmPanel: The outlook for emerging markets
The resilience of emerging market investments is likely to come under question in the year ahead as economies absorb the implications of a stronger dollar, the prospect of higher US interest rates and uncertainty around global trade flows. Which emerging economies hold the best potential for yield and how should investors manage their political risk exposure to this major asset class? Is Russia the 'Trump Trade' for developing markets and how is this likely to play out in the long-term term?
Anders Damgaard, Group Chief Financial Officer, PFA Pension
Mikko Mursula, Chief Investment Officer, Ilmarinen
Rupert Watson, Head of Asset Allocation, Mercer
Moderator: Attracta Mooney, Asset Management Reporter, Financial Times
12:55pmClosing remarks
Owen Walker, Commissioning Editor, Special Reports, Financial Times
Who Attends?
Financial Times Live has a reputation for delivering very senior board level audiences to attend a wide range of world class thought-leadership events across the globe for nearly 40 years. This event has been produced to meet the needs of institutional investors, senior executives and other investment professionals, from:
Pension Funds
Insurance Firms
Family Offices
Wealth Managers
Capital Management Firms
Within these areas limited places are available, free of charge, to the following professionals:
Chief Investment Officers
Heads of Investment / Asset Allocation
Pension Scheme Managers
Head of Funds / Fund Managers
Portfolio Managers
Investment Committee Members
A limited number of complimentary places are available to senior industry professionals and subject to publishers approval.
"Good and relevant panel composition" - Claus Møller, Carnegie Investment Bank
"Very strong speaker base" - Jens Brøgger, Topdanmark Livsforsikring A/S
"Highly relevant speakers and interesting people attending" - Steen Skaarup Herup, International Insurance Agency
Organisers (2)
Part of the Financial Times Group, MandateWire provides European, North American and Asian money managers with rapid, reliable and high-value business intelligence on institutional asset flows - helping them to win the race for mandates. Although MandateWire fully covers the public domain, its value lies in the information it sources from private funds - information that's extremely hard to find elsewhere.
FTfm is the touchstone for the global fund management industry. It provides news, trend analysis, interviews, debate and thought leadership to the world's top asset managers and institutional investors, as well as prices.
Distributed every Monday throughout Europe and Asia, with a monthly US edition, it is unique in the market place, delivering focused editorial with a huge distribution.FTfm is read by institutional and professional investors, analysts, traders, C-Suite executives, consultants and other corporates and professionals interested in the global asset management industry.
FTfm is also available online at www.ft.com/ftfm. FTfm's extra online content includes video interviews with industry members; Q&As with key figures; Comment & Opinion, where readers can discuss FT editorial. Readers can also register for the free weekly FTfm email update.
For our advertisers, it provides access to the World's leading asset managers and investors.
Lead Sponsors (3)
We are an active investment manager focused exclusively on those areas in which we can offer value to our clients, with a compelling proposition that among others includes fixed income, alternative fixed income, liability-driven and multi-asset investing. Drawing on our considerable Solvency II expertise, analytical tools and proprietary research, our specialist solutions teams provide off-the shelf and customized investment strategies and solutions for our clients. With our innovative investment strategies Aegon Asset Management is well positioned to optimize returns for both European pension funds and insurance companies under Solvency II capital rules.
We use our global investment management expertise to help our clients manage their financial future with a focus on excellence, trust and partnership. Institutional and private investors entrust us to manage approximately €345 billion worldwide (Q4 2015).
NN Investment Partners is the asset manager of NN Group N.V., a publicly traded company head-quartered in The Hague, The Netherlands. NN Investment Partners in aggregate manages approximately EUR 245 bln* (USD 280 bln*) in assets for institutions and individual investors worldwide, employs over 1,200 staff and is active in 15 countries across Europe, U.S., Latin America, Asia and Middle East.
* Figures as of 30 June 2017, € 51 bln relates to the AuM of Delta Lloyd Asset Management following the merger with Delta Lloyd which became effective on June 1st 2017.
Insight Investment has built a unique investment platform that delivers outcome-oriented investment solutions. Our clients are among the most sophisticated institutional investors in the world and include leading insurers, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and corporations. Our investment strategies include fixed income portfolios focusing on assets ranging from conventional sovereign and corporate bonds to emerging market debt and illiquid credit. Our strategies are designed to evolve dynamically to meet changing needs and stay ahead of market and regulatory developments.
Exhibitor (1)
About Investment Managers
AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is an active, long-term, global, multi-asset investor. We work with clients today to provide the solutions they need to help build a better tomorrow for their investments, while creating a positive change for the world in which we all live. With approximately €801 billion in assets under management as at end of December 2019, AXA IM employs over 2,360 employees around the world and operates out of 28 offices across 20 countries. AXA IM is part of the AXA Group, a world leader in financial protection and wealth management.
Media Partner (1)
Savvy Investor is the world's best research platform for institutional investors. The site's dedicated research team curates and publishes the best investment white papers, bringing them together into one place, for your ease of use. Savvy Investor is made up of fifty topics, including an Institutional Asset Management section, as well as powerful search functionality.
Having launched in 2015, Savvy Investor has already grown to have over 16,000 members, with 200 more joining each week. All members are verified as Institutional Investors and Service Providers, with most of the membership comprising asset owners, asset managers and investment consultants. Our engagement levels relate directly to the personalised experience our members receive. Every month, over 12,000 white papers are downloaded from Savvy Investor – far more than any other comparable platform.
Registration is completely free. When you sign up, you will select the topics that you wish to follow. These preferences are then used to personalize your weekly newsletter, as well as your home page.


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Rev Heidi works best with couples who desire a meaningful wedding ceremony that reflects their personal values and beliefs. She officiates 2 types of wedding ceremonies: a spiritual ceremony with mention of God/Spirit/the Divine (your choice of words), or a "love" ceremony where the focus is on the power of love. Rev Heidi does not officiate civil ceremonies. She supports marriage equality.
Rev Heidi can also officiate the following ceremonies: Unity Candle Ceremony, Unity Sand Ceremony, Breaking the Glass Ceremony, Jumping the Broom Ceremony, Handfasting Ceremony, Invocation of the Four Directions Ceremony, Vow Renewal, Burning Bowl Ceremony (for releasing the past and setting intention of the future), Full Moon or New Moon Ceremony, Solstice/Equinox Ceremony (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter), Smudging Ceremony (clearing and blessing with the smoke of burning herbs).
I would recommend Rev. Heidi DuPree to anyone. She was so helpful, nice and easy to work with. My husband and I appreciate all she did to make our day special. She helped to ease some of my wedding planning stress by helping us find a venue we both loved. Thanks so much Heidi! ~ Lisa
Heidi was a fabulous officiant for our wedding. She helped us craft a unique spiritual ceremony that was perfect for our families' different religious backgrounds. She was also extremely responsive and helped us by handling marriage license paperwork and even bringing a small PA system. We were lucky to have found Heidi and highly recommend her! ~ Jay
We couldn't have been more pleased with everything Heidi did to make our wedding so special and full of positive energy. She went above and beyond to make sure everything went as smoothly, and stress-free, as possible throughout the entire process (from the vow creation to the wedding service). I would absolutely recommend her officiant services - she is amazing! ~ Cindy
Ceremony is a healing practice found in spiritual traditions throughout history. The use of ceremony and ritual is vital in connecting with our spirituality on a regular basis for health and healing.
A nondenominational, ordained healing minister since 1996, Rev Heidi DuPree approaches weddings and ceremonies with the same energy as her healing clients - with unconditional respect, professionalism and reverence. As an energy healing therapist, Heidi is trained to hold sacred space for your special day. She is honored to use her award-winning writing skills to help you design a ceremony that honors and celebrates your life event, big or small.
The use of her wireless PA system for your ceremony is included in the officiant fee. It works with an mp3 player, iPod or smart phone for ceremony music and includes microphones for your readers.
If you see a listing for Heidi on a wedding website, please contact her directly at firstname.lastname@example.com To schedule a ceremony, send an email with the date, time and location of the event.
For PRICING SHEET, click HERE, and HERE for more reviews and pictures on Wedding Wire.


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Professor Christiane Kuhl, Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Germany and colleagues studied 7319 women over a five-year period who had been referred to an academic breast centre. The women received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in addition to conventional mammography for diagnostic assessment and screening, with the aim of discovering the sensitivity of each method for diagnosing ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
Mammograms and MRI scans were then assessed independently by different radiologists, and the relative sensitivity of each method of detection was assessed by comparing the biological profiles of mammography-detected DCIS with those of MRI-detected DCIS.
The researchers found that of 167 women who had a diagnosis of DCIS, 153 (92 percent) were diagnosed by MRI compared with 93 (56 percent) diagnosed by mammography. Whereas the sensitivity of MRI for diagnosing DCIS increased with nuclear grade, that of mammography decreased.
Of 89 women diagnosed with "high grade" DCIS, 87 (98 percent) were diagnosed by MRI, but only 46 (52 percent) by mammography. Accordingly, almost half (48 percent) were missed by mammography but diagnosed by MRI alone.
They also found that age, menopausal status, personal or family history of breast cancer, and breast density of women with MRI-only diagnosed disease did not differ significantly from those of women with mammography-diagnosed DCIS. The higher sensitivity of MRI was not associated with an unduly high number of false positive diagnoses - the positive predictive value of both methods was comparable, with 55 percent for mammography, and 59 percent for MRI.
The authors conclude: "Our study suggests that the sensitivity of film screen or digital mammography for diagnosing DCIS is limited. MRI could help improve the ability to diagnose DCIS, especially DCIS with high nuclear grade."
MEDICA.de; Source: The Lancet


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Ultimaker (3D Printer) Ordered!
Update: This article will be updated occasionally with new information as I run across it….
Gonna be a long 4 to 6 weeks…
I just ordered an Ultimaker 3D printer after a few weeks of on and off research into the subject of 3D printing. It has a 4 to 6 week lead time.
I chose the Ultimaker over the RepRap Mendel/Prusa, MakerBot, and UP! Personal Portable 3D Printer for a few reasons:
– Larger build envelope than the Makerbot and faster, too.
-Â Extremely precise print capabilities.
-Â Less finicky than the Mendel, so it seems from the various forums, etc.
-Â The Netfabb software seems to be well regarded.
-Â Elegant print head design.
-Â Highly customizable, open source hardware / software / platform.
-Â PLA preferred (PLA is Polylactic Acid and is a biodegradable, non-toxic, material)
Any of the 3D printers would have been a good choice and each of the ones not chosen have advantages; the makerbot has an automatic object ejector for continuous duty printing, the UP! is a really nice design (easy to use), and the RepRap has an awesome community supporting it that has built a very versatile/customizable platform.
There are, of course, a large number of commercial printers. The UP! is about the cheapest of the lot and pricing ranges right on up to $unobtanium. Extrusion based printing is not the only solution, either, by any means, but it is currently the most accessible, as far as I can tell.
In the end, the elegant extruder design, overall machine design, speed and — most importantly — accuracy of the Ultimaker won out. I suspect I'll eventually build a 3D printer of some sort, possibly a RepRap, or, at the least, print parts for someone else and help them put it together. Seems like a fun project and, overall, 3D printing is likely to be a huge industry in the coming years.
I have about a zillion little projects around the house that I can knock off with a 3D printer:
-Â new shower bar end cap so the shower door doesn't bump into it
– proper clips to hold the art glass in the cabinet doors throughout the kitchen (the glass is a nonstandard thickness)
– seal for my bike light
– Lens hoods for my various lenses
-Â seed baskets for an AeroGarden (found a 7 hole one for $5 at a garage sale)
-Â seed/grow baskets for a homebrew aeroponics/aquaponics system I'm contemplating (I want fresh salad all winter long, thanks!)
– iPad stand
-Â various cable keepers
– deflector for the front of a meat grinder to keep it from squirting blood everywhere
– fully customized project boxes
-Â custom Legos
– custom LED/CFL lighting fixtures
-Â Fractals
– whatever the hell Roger wants to print
That last one is the most important. I can only imagine how awesome it would have been to have a 3D printer when I was 11 years old. Should be a great educational tool for him. It'll also be fun to put it together with him. He is both a talented solderer and totally enjoyed putting together the Egg-Bot (speaking of — I wonder if I can print the mechanics for a new, larger, Egg-Bot).
There was a Kickstarter for Printrbot: Your First 3D Printer. I bought into that at the $424 level; I should receive everything to make one, save for the parts that I'll need to print on the Ultimaker.
The goal isn't to have 2 3D printers, but to use the Printrbot as a hacking target for some other ideas I have.
To answer some questions:
Are you taking third party orders? I have a homebrew mount for my mobile phone in my car made out of foamboard that I would love to have a less-ghetto version. Can you build up a 3-D model from basic geometrics shapes and print that without a physical model?
Sure and Yes, you can. There are all kinds of ways to build up printable models. You can start with just about any of the models on Thingiverse. Or you can use any of a number of third party tools, both in the drawing realm and in the algorithmic/parametric realm, to generate models. The trick will be to learn how to produce models that are both usable and print well; there are limits to how much overhang and the like you can have.
(Ooh! Cool! Custom Lego!)
Do you have an estimate of how much the PLA plastic costs for some of the items on your list?
It looks like PLA is pretty much a commodity item and the price is varying day by day. I picked up two 5 lbs reels (one black, one white) for ~$60/each. I don't yet know how far that will go, but I do know that it is largely a function of the models being printed, how "solid" the interiors need to be (which is largely dictated by model) and, of course, how many times I screw up!
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EMS Category 1 CE and Auxiliary Course Funding Program
The Tidewater EMS Council, Inc. seeks proposals from qualified EMS educators, organizations and jurisdictions ("vendors") to plan and conduct Category 1 EMS continuing education courses and/or EMS auxiliary courses throughout the Tidewater EMS region. The council intends to contract with one or more vendors or optionally employ individuals to plan and conduct these courses. Funding associated with this program is available for approved courses conducted between August 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018.
The full Request for Proposals is available at: pdf TEMS Request for Proposals EMS CE and Auxiliary Courses rev 6 27 17 (143 KB) . Please review the RFP in its entirety prior to submitting proposals. Any future revisions to the RFP along with questions and answers will be posted on this website. An electronic proposal submission form is available here.
Read more: EMS Category 1 CE and Auxiliary Course Funding Program


text: 60 Day Junk Play Challenge Scavenger hunts are fun! Throw one each week for a year! Get it here: 52 PRINTABLE PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNTS!Welcome back! Stay up to date with all news and ideas for your toddlers! Subscribe to our newsletter! DAY #21 – ALUMINIUM (TIN) FOIL Featured on a picture: Aluminium Foil Man 20 Fine Motoric Activities with Aluminium Foil Safari Crafts and Activities Night Time Sky with Playful Preschool Airplane Junk Model Drawing on Foil Reusable Surface DAY #22 – PAPER BAGS Featured on a picture: Paper Bag Handprint Fish Kid-Made Kite: Craft for a Windy Day Color Scavenger Hunt Activity – Learning Spanish Color Activity The Very Hungry Caterpillar Craft and Activities DAY #23 – CALENDARS Featured on a picture:4 Ways to Create Puzzles from Old Calendars Games to Play Using Old Calendar DAY #24 – KID'S ARTWORK Featured on a picture: Handprint Flowers from Kid's Art DAY #25 – JUNK MAIL Featured on a picture: Spring Collage Shapes Munchkin and Moms DAY #26 – PLASTIC EGGS Featured on a picture: Easter Egg Color Match and Stack Easter Egg Fun for babies and Toddlers Fun with Easter Eggs! {Sendory Play Activity and Egg Decorating} Simple Science: Color Mixing with Easter Eggs Homemade Maracas – Recycled Craft for Cinco de Mayo Painting with Plastic Easter Eggs DAY #27 – MAGAZINES Featured on a picture: Tic Tac Toe from Magazines Green is The New Black! Recycling Crafts for the Earth Day Easy Cardboard Tree Craft for Small World Play How to Make Paper Snowflakes with Kids Earth Collage STEAM Project for Kids Cute Paper Leave Bring Fall Beauty Inside DAY #28 – POLYSTYRENE TRAY Featured on a picture: How to Make Your Own Constellation Hand Sewing for Kids: Heart and Star Decoration Recycle and Create: Polystyrene Shape and Color Boats DAY #29 – MILK BOTTLE Featured on a picture: DIY Watering Can Recycled Watering Can DAY #30 – TAKEAWAY LIDS Featured on a picture: DIY Sewing Cards Click here to see junk play activities for next 10 days! Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. Email Address I'd like to receive the free email course. Subscribe Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6


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I have been following Virident for a long time (e.g. https://www.percona.com/blog/2010/06/15/virident-tachion-new-player-on-flash-pci-e-cards-market/). They have great PCIe Flash cards based on SLC NAND.
I always thought that Virident needed to come up with an MLC card, and I am happy to see they have finally done so.
At Virident's request, I performed an evaluation of their MLC card to assess how it handles MySQL workload. As I am very satisfied with the results, I wish to share my findings in this post.
But first, I wish to offer an overview of the card.
Virident FlashMax Cards are available in 1TB and 1.4TB usable capacities (the models names are M1000 and M1400)
These specified sizes are already available for end users.
I evaluated M1400 (1.4TB size) model, which I will discuss:
Because Virident has competition in the SSD market, they have stated their goals to distinguish themselves from their competitors:
- Stability of performance: That is to minimize variations in throughput
- Better response times: This is very important for database performance and I appreciate that Virident has made this a priority.
- Performance at full capacity: As we know, SSD-based cards have special characteristics; the throughput declines when space utilization increases. Virident's design/programming minimizes this decline.
- RAID5 on the card: The card comes with RAID5 support on the card to give better protection.
To deal with a throughput decline, all Flash cards have reserved space. The 1.4TB card, that I have, internally holds 2TB worth of space.
This additional space is used for two purposes:
- 1. To amortize write-intensive workloads, by using additional space.
- 2. To have replacements for failed MLC modules. When one MLC module fails, it is marked as unused, and gets replaced by one from the pool of reserved modules.
Internally, Virident uses 25nm Intel NAND Flash MLC modules, this is the same technology that Intel uses for the Intel SSD 320 cards. 25nm modules allow the user a greater capacity, Physically you can place
more GBs into a given area. However, the drawback is that 25nm has worse reading and writing latencies, compared to previous generations. However, I have yet to determine how this affects MySQL workloads.
Virident has provided the following price list:
- M1000 (1000GB Usable) – $13,000
- M1400 (1400GB Usable) – $18,200
- This amounts to $13/GB
Second, it is important to compare the performance of Virident FlashMAX MLC with available competing solutions.
It is fair to say Fusion-io ioDrive Duo 1.28TB MLC is the most well-known and most advanced competitor in the market.
I had a chance to administer a head-to-head comparison of sysbench and tpcc-mysql workloads between FlashMAX 1.4TB and ioDrive Duo 1.28TB.
It is important to highlight that Fusion-io ioDrive Duo is based on 34nm NAND technology, which is a full generation behind the 25nm NAND. However at this point, I have no access to Fusion-io ioDrive2, which is based on 25nm NAND.
Another important factor is that ioDrive Duo is actually two cards visible in the OS, and the user needs to use a software RAID. For Virident all 1400GB shows up as one single drive so no software RAID is necessary.
To compare performances I ran sysbench oltp and tpcc-mysql benchmarks. I will present the results
for sysbench oltp (with full report available later) below, and the results for tpcc-mysql in a followup post.
For sysbench, I used our multi-tables sysbench implementation with 256 tables and 10,000,000 rows each. This is a total of around 630GB of data, which allows one to adequately fill both cards in comparison.
Some hardware used in benchmarks include:
- Server: Cisco UCS C250, running Oracle Linux 6.1 and Percona Server 5.5.15
- Client: HP ProLiant DL380 G6, sysbench v5
Of course, our Percona Server was optimized for Flash cards, with variations for two settings.
I tested combinations of innodb_buffer_pool_size=120GB, 174GB and innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit=1, 2.
The results in this post are for case innodb_buffer_pool_size=174GB and innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit=1
As in all my recent benchmarks, I use long runs of 1 hour each with measurements every 10 seconds. This methodology allows me to observe trends and the stability of the performance on graphs.
The first graph represents throughput in transactions per second for different amounts of user threads (more is better). More concentrated dots represent less variance and better stability of throughput.
A tabular format, for throughput I use a median of measurements for last 1800 seconds in each run:
|Card / Threads / tps
|Fusion-io ioDrive Duo
|Virident FlashMAX
In order to examine the details of how throughput varies we have taken 32 threads and examined the timeline graph for each one:
While you can see that with Virident FlashMAX we have a pretty stable line of around 975 tps, the Fusion-io ioDrive Duo has a variance of 700-800 tps.
My conclusions are as follows:
- It is great to see another player on MLC Flash cards market.
- It is also great that Virident focuses on stability of performance for competitive advantage.
- Beside stability, we also see better throughput in MySQL using the Virident FlashMAX card for every thread count. On 32-64 threads we have about a 35-40% advantage of using Virident FlashMAX.
DISCLOSURE: This review was done as part of our consulting practice for which we compensated by Virident. However, this review was written independently of Virident, and reflects our opinion of this product.
The full report is available there


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« Advice for New Teachers: Bring About Change | Main | The Kids Are All Right »
4 Reasons the Arts Are the Most Important Academic Discipline
Don't you love the title? "Most important!"
Of course, I don't believe any academic subject is the "most important" (and wouldn't want to host a fiery discussion with teachers, parents or policymakers, ranking disciplines from "most important" to "barely matters").
For arts teachers, however, this is an ongoing, contentious, core issue in their pedagogical practice: What is the value of what I do? How do I share my conviction that the arts are essential in the lives of children? Why does artistic expression typically carry less weight than other fields and specialties? Why is it seen as disposable, when resources are scarce?
Research that measures the impact of listening to Mozart before taking a test doesn't interest me, mostly because standardized testing data is so flawed as a tool for assessing value in a child's development. Students don't need "exposure" to the arts as a means of ratcheting up their other skills. They need immersion in viewing, listening and creating. They need to dance, to paint, to sing and to get hooked on the songs from Hamilton.
Here are some solid reasons to include music and art in every school experience:
1. Music keeps the mind sharp, serving as a challenging cognitive exercise. It also feeds the soul, develops character, and boosts creativity. Music doesn't discriminate between race, income, or social status. It benefits children equally.
2. Art is an outlet for students to say—peacefully and powerfully—what needs to be said about human rights. It is ironic when lawmakers find a student painting intimidating, especially when it is hanging in the very center of political power in this nation. Art can be a focal point for civic engagement and civic dialogue, even when the subject matter is controversial. Ask yourself: Why was this painting so threatening to lawmakers?
3. The arts are healing. In a nation with a rapidly aging population, the arts provide an outlet for joy and community-building, as well as preserving health and well-being.
4. We need the arts to learn from the past. All of us need to interface with the sights and sounds of another time, another mindset.
I would rather see all teens using their artistic creativity to express their worries and fears about this country, than an endless video parade of school security guards roughing up high school students who speak out.
Take your broken heart and make it art. That's what Carrie Fisher said—and did. Let's start with children, in school.


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Daredevil is one of those shows it took me a while to get into, but once I was hooked I was totally addicted. Made as part of the Netflix Marvel series, which link subtly but directly into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil initially caught audiences with its visceral fight scenes, high production quality and troubled hero. Here was a superhero show that actually took the genre seriously, and to a certain extent, had more in common with Christopher Nolan's Dark Night Trilogy than Joss Whedon's brightly coloured Avengers movie. It showed a darker, deeper side to the MCU that had been sorely lacking, and provided it in a way only television could.
I love movies, but television and Netflix have always been my preferred medium to watch. There's a wonderful quote that says something along the lines of, "You get to see the lives of movie characters through a window, television characters you invite into your home." You get to see the ups and downs of characters on television, not just their heroic moments but their personal ones. You share every crisis of faith, every water cooler conversation and every in-joke, and Daredevil does this better than almost any other show. Why? Daredevil doesn't just show you the ups and downs of its hero, it also shows you, in great detail, the life of its villain, Wilson Fisk.
At the beginning of the show, the villainous power of Fisk is demonstrated through his manipulations and right-hand man, James Wesley, but as more of the person is revealed through his interactions with Wesley and his love interest, Vanessa, a more complex picture is shown. The closer Matt Murdock gets to crossing the boundary from hero to villain, the more Fisk seems twistedly heroic. Here is someone who is genuinely convinced what he's doing is not only right but is the only way to save his city. He doesn't care what he has to do, or how many laws he has to break, as long as the city is ultimately made a safer, better place.
The absolute brilliance of the first season of Daredevil is showing how close villain and hero are to each other in terms of beliefs. This could have very easily been told from Fisk's point of view showing Daredevil as the vigilante villain. The near-perfect execution of this symmetry is what makes Daredevil such compulsive viewing. I found myself caring more about the villain that I did the hero in many of the episodes, and that is a truly incredible feat.
But like any good show, the second series cannot repeat the same story as the first. Instead, Daredevil chooses to build on its already developing theme of the line between hero and villain, this time by introducing two more vigilantes to the show; the gun-toting Frank Castle and the mysterious Elektra Natchios. Both of these new faces have a very different approach to Matt Murdoch's "no kill" policy, in fact, Castle spends the first four episodes gunning down every gang member and criminal he comes across. As Daredevil is confronted and challenged by these other vigilantes, he begins to ask himself the same two question the audience has been asking since series one: "Is Daredevil really a hero?" and "How far is too far to go in the protection of the greater good?"
While Elektra and Castle are both incredibly compelling characters, and the show is better for their existence, but it's interesting that the questions they pose to Daredevil are ones Wilson Fisk spends the time before and during the first series asking both himself and his nemesis. He doesn't need to fight on the rooftops, or infiltrate parties to bring justice, he simply orders people to do it for him, but he is still bringing a form of vigilante justice to Hell's Kitchen.
It's wonderful to have a show available that asks the questions that most superhero media (outside of comics) doesn't ask. What actually makes a hero? What is the difference between them and the villain? Daredevil and Fisk's relationship doesn't provide the answer, really, but the question is out there for the audience to decide.


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In college, I took a sociology class. It was one of my favorite courses because I've always been curious about human behavior. When we reached the section on nature vs. nurture, I was enthralled. It made me give some serious thought to the biological and environmental factors that shaped my personality.
Although I rarely saw my father as a child, I discovered that I not only shared a physical resemblance, but I also shared many of his personality traits. Like my father, I'm an introvert who enjoys solitude and introspection. I also inherited his creativity. Unbeknownst to me, my father liked to draw and play the guitar. He showed me some of his sketches when I was a teenager, and his talent impressed me. When I started taking guitar lessons as an adult, he visited me and told me stories about his playing days. The most interesting trait that I picked up from him is his wanderlust. The reason I rarely saw him as a child was because of his passion for seeing and doing new things. He was a truck driver, who constantly moved across the country. Like him, I have also moved around a lot. I've lived in seven states and visited nearly 40. I've also managed to travel to 11 countries around the world.
It's intriguing to see how my father's traits have been passed down to me. But even more interesting is discovering traits that I've inherited from my father's father. I never met my grandfather, but I have researched him through genealogy sites. He was a reporter in the Army during World War II. This astonished me because I make my living as a writer. His Army records also revealed that he was my same height and weight….Read the rest of the post on my blog at Goldfish Smiles.


text: Purses, bags, call them however you want, become an indispensable accessory for every woman, being our right hand most of the time. So, we have to know how to match them and to give them the right place in our outfit. You have to know that a simple handbag can …Read More »


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Your NRA-ILA has learned that anti-gun legislators are planning to make amendments to House Bill 1387 in order to make it seem less outrageous. This legislation remains an affront to law-abiding gun owners in Washington State and the NRA remains opposed to House Bill 1387 and any anti-gun amendment that is made. Please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee and politely urge them to staunchly OPPOSE House Bill 1387 outright.
House Bill 1387 would impose an annual registration and licensing system on the most popular and commonly owned semi-automatic firearms sold today by classifying them as "assault weapons." In addition, it would prohibit the sale and transfer of standard capacity ammunition magazines labeling them as "large-capacity magazines." The transfer and sale of these firearms and magazines would be prohibited to anyone other than a federally licensed firearms dealer, a gunsmith or to law enforcement for destruction.
Also pending a vote in the House Judiciary Committee is House Bill 1122. HB 1122 would mandate that firearm owners lock up their firearms at all times when not in use. This legislation is vaguely written and could potentially subject law-abiding gun owners to gross misdemeanor penalties, including huge fees and potential imprisonment, if they don't lock their firearms up and render them useless for any self-defense scenario.
It is important that you please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to OPPOSE House Bill 1387 and House Bill 1122. You can also call 1-800-562-6000 to contact your state legislators in opposition to these gun control bills.


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Home > Derbyshire > Weston On
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NEW YORK (AP) — Global stocks are surging Monday morning as investors grow more hopeful that Britain will remain in the European Union. In the U.S., banks are climbing along with interest rates and energy companies are rising with the price of oil.
KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 251 points, or 1.4 percent, to 17,926 as of 10:30 a.m. Eastern time. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 27 points, or 1.3 percent, to 2,098. The Nasdaq composite gained 76 points, or 1.6 percent, to 4,876. Stocks had fallen for six days out of the last seven.
BRITISH VOTE: The latest opinion polls and the betting markets suggest it's more likely Britain will stay in the European Union than leave when citizens vote on the issue Thursday. Investors have worried about the outcome of the vote in recent weeks. The vote is expected to be close.
BANKS BREAK OUT: Bond prices dropped as investors moved money out of ultra-safe assets. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 1.67 percent from 1.61 percent late Friday. That's an encouraging sign for banks since bond yields are used to set interest rates on many kinds of loans including mortgages, and banks will be able to make more money from lending as rates increase. JPMorgan Chase added $1.27, or 2 percent, to $63.55 and Bank of America gained 38 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $13.78.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 91 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $48.89 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 93 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $50.10 a barrel in London. U.S. crude jumped almost 4 percent Friday to break a six-day losing streak.
Among energy stocks, Chevron rose $1.33, or 1.3 percent, to $102.90 and EOG Resources picked up $2.07, or 2.6 percent, to $82.96.
HEAVY METAL: Machinery companies climbed. General Electric rose 45 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $31.05 while aerospace company Boeing added $3.61, or 2.8 percent, to $133.43 and Honeywell advanced $2.08, or 1.8 percent, to $118.
SPECIAL DELIVERY: FedEx rose after the federal government moved to dismiss charges against the shipping company. Prosecutors had planned to charge FedEx with knowingly delivering illegal prescription drugs to dealers and addicts, but late Friday the government dropped the case. The trial was set to begin Monday. FedEx jumped $3.58, or 2.2 percent, to $165.83.
THUMBS UP: A strong opening weekend for its film "Finding Dory" sent Disney higher. The Pixar sequel grossed $136 million in North American theaters. That was more than analysts expected and the most for an animated movie. Disney stock climbed $1.52, or 1.5 percent, to $100.52.
ALL THAT GLITTERS: Gold prices have rallied recently but lost almost 1 percent Monday morning. Newmont Mining fell 65 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $35.
OVERSEAS: Britain's FTSE 100 leaped 2.9 percent and France's CAC 40 rose 3.3 percent. Germany's DAX rocketed 3.4 percent higher. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index surged 2.3 percent. South Korea's Kospi climbed 1.4 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 1.7 percent.
CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 104.48 yen from 104.23 yen and the euro rose to $1.1347 from $1.1275. The pound jumped to $1.4647 from $1.4375.
AP Markets Writer Marley Jay can be reached at http://twitter.com/MarleyJayAP . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/marley-jay


text: Warlock works as a Information Security Professional. He has quite a few global certifications to his name such as CEH, CHFI, OSCP and ISO 27001 Lead Implementer. He has experience in penetration testing, social engineering, password cracking and malware obfuscation. He is also involved with various organizations to help them in strengthening the security of their applications and infrastructure.


text: Anna Månsson Regional Manager Technical Documentation Solutions Started at Etteplan in January 2013 "I studied at Karlstad University where I got my Master's degree in Energy and Environmental Technology. After graduation I stayed in Karlstad where I worked for some time, but not for long, before I decided to try something different and applied for a position at Etteplan in Gothenburg. What interested me in the particular position, "Vehicle Climate Control Engineering", was the combination of climate systems, in which I already had experience, and cars, which I had come to find very exciting. I have always been interested in the functionality of things; what causes natural phenomena, the construction of technical devises and such. During my second year at Etteplan I helped developing specialized equipment for testing and evaluating air conditioning systems in cars. Following the project I was asked to take on the role as department manager, which I happily did. My work as department manager includes leading a team and finding new and interesting assignments for us. I often gain insight in, for me, new technical areas, which is something I enjoy a lot. A current example is a project with a new customer who works in Medicinal Technology and which I find most interesting to be a part of! Working at Etteplan there are many possibilities for personal development and increased responsibilities. I am happy to see that these opportunities are often offered to graduates and as I quite recently graduated myself I appreciate all the support I have received from the management!"


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After a very productive year in 2014, where I was able to meet and surpass most of my goals, its time for me to set my goals for 2015. Here are the main financial goals for me:
Goals for 2015
- Total Passive Income of $5,500 – While our portfolio and other sources of passive income generated close to $5000 in passive income in 2014, we aren't setting our sights sky high in 2015 as we want to focus a bit more on debt repayment in 2015 (more on this below). For a breakdown, I want to achieve $3000 in dividend income and $2500 in "other" passive income.
- Focus on reducing debt (mortgage) – As new home owners, our focus will be to paying down more than the minimum mortgage amount.
- Maintain a 3-5% cash position in my portfolio – Over the course of last couple of months, I have been caught with great investing opportunities, but very little in cash of my portfolio as I have been fully or near-fully invested. I would want to avoid this in the future, by maintaining a 3-5% cash allocation in my portfolio.
- Re-balance portfolio with my wife's portfolio integrated – This is a leftover item from 2014. We did not complete the integration in moving from mutual funds to ETFs. We are hoping to complete this early in 2015.
- Take atleast one finance related e-course – I took an accounting e-course on Coursera in 2013 and really enjoyed it (and learned a lot). I want to further my education and take atleast one finance related e-course in 2015.
- Write an e-book – This has been one of my long term goals, and I think I want to take a first crack at it in 2015. I look forward to learning and exploring and all the experience that comes with launching an e-book.
Have you set your goals for 2015 yet? What are your thoughts on my goals here. Leave a comment below – as I appreciate your feedback.


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Watch "Kiss the Ground" on Netflix Singapore
- Netflix Release:
- September 24 2020
- Actors:
- Woody Harrelson
- Categories:
- Science & Nature Docs, Nature & Ecology Documentaries, US Movies
- Creator(s):
- Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell
Netflix Countries:
Pakistan, Argentina, Egypt, Russia, United Kingdom, Portugal, Thailand, Norway, Spain, Mexico, Philippines, Denmark, Finland, South Africa, France, Switzerland, New Zealand, Italy, Israel, USA, India, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Australia, Austria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Ireland, Brazil, Sweden, South Korea, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Panama, Bangladesh, Canada, Japan
How to watch Kiss the Ground on Netflix Singapore!
"Kiss the Ground" arrived on Netflix Singapore on September 24 2020, and is still available for streaming for Singaporean Netflix users.
Interested in learning how to change your Netflix country so that you can watch what Netflix shows people in other countries? Did you know there are thousands of additional movies and shows you can unlock no matter where you live?Change your Netflix Country
We'll keep checking Netflix Singapore for Kiss the Ground, and this page will be updated with any changes.
Science experts and celebrity activists unpack the ways in which the earth's soil may be the key to combating climate change and preserving the planet. To stop climate change, the focus has been on fixing the air above us. But the dirt beneath our feet is just as critical.Watch on Netflix
Woody Harrelson
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House, Broken Tee
$ 18.00
$ 26.00
House, Bound. House, Divided. House, Broken.
Two-headed eagle with blinders, jesses, and riding crops. Inspired by the captive bald eagles paraded during nationally televised events, as well as our two party system that is at war with itself.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
- Main graphic on front, logo on back
- Silkscreened, white discharge on black
- 100% premium 4.3 ounce ring-spun cotton
- Exceptionally smooth and comfortable
- Slim athletic fit, unisex fine jersey tee
Image is approx 12 x 16 inches, shown on a Medium
Made in the USA with Los Angeles Apparel or American Apparel Blanks
Printed locally by Lucky Prints
Discharge inks remove the actual pigment from the shirt, as opposed to leaving a heavy film on the surface of the shirt. The result is a perfectly smooth and breathable shirt.
Copyright Dark Ops, LLC


text: Boyz N Da Hood is an American Southern gangsta rap group from Atlanta, Georgia. They are currently signed to Sean Combs's Bad Boy Records. A new album, Back N Da Hood, is planned for release in 2011. They have collaborated several times with fellow Atlanta, Georgia artist Yung Joc. Read More


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Sebastian Vettel controlled the Canadian Grand Prix to win his third race of 2013, having lapped all bar his nearest four rivals.
The German led away from the start and, apart from during the pit stop phase, led the way.
Vettel survived a couple of scares, firstly when he touched the wall at Turn 4 and later on when he ran wide at the first corner.
Fernando Alonso finished in second place, while Lewis Hamilton secured third.
Mark Webber was fourth, ahead of Nico Rosberg and Jean-Eric Vergne, who claimed his best ever Formula 1 result.
Paul di Resta stayed out and made his sole stop on Lap 57 to beat Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen.
Adrian Sutil took the final stop despite a drive through penalty for ignoring blue flags.
McLaren failed to score a point for the first time since 2009.
Qualifying star Valtteri Bottas held on to sixth place early on but slipped to fourteenth at the finish.
It was a bad day for Sauber. Nico Hulkenberg retired after contact with Giedo van der Garde, while Esteban Gutierrez crashed out with four laps remaining.
Van der Garde also made contact when being lapped by Webber.


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Diploma of Project Management is designed for people wanting to succeed in delivering projects across a number of industries in a variety of context such as leading new growth strategies, changing systems, restructuring teams or launching marketing events.
Develop the knowledge and skills to effectively lead a project through from start to finish - including all aspects of a project from budget setting and tracking progress to managing development, controlling communication and managing human resources.
Through our expert trainers and real-life case study approach, our graduates are job-ready faster.
You will also have the opportunity to study for a globally recognised Project Management certification for FREE. Exclusive to Greenwich College students, save $1200 and join our Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification preparation course.
BSBPMG511 Manage project scope
BSBPMG512 Manage project time
BSBPMG513 Manage project quality
BSBPMG514 Manage project cost
BSBPMG515 Manage project human resources
BSBPMG516 Manage project information and communication
BSBPMG517 Manage project risk
BSBPMG521 Manage project integration
BSBINN502 Build and sustain an innovative work environment
BSBMGT516 Facilitate Continuous Improvement
BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability
BSBWOR502 Lead and manage team effectiveness
Career Opportunities:
Project Manager (generic), Project Manager (industry specific), Project Leader, Project Team Leader, Project Contract Manager and more..
Social Media
Role Play
Field Trips
Expert trainers with extensive industry experience and regular professional development – to better prepare you for a career in Project Management.
Greenwich Management College's Diploma of Project Management features extensive use of real-life case studies to support learning, delivering valuable insights and applications to Australian business.
Gain direct entry to leading Australian Universities and Colleges and receive credits towards related study – without having to complete an entry exam.
Choose from weekday evening or weekend classes - so you can work and experience the best of Sydney and Melbourne while you study.
Course Commencement
There are 6 intakes per year.
Course Duration
Courses are 52 weeks
at 20 hours per week.
Entry Requirements
Display entry requirements


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Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool: Alexandre Lacazette strike saves Unai Emery's unbeaten run during entertaining top four clash
PUBLISHED: 19:23 03 November 2018
©2018 Danny Loo Photography - all rights reserved
Arsenal hosted Liverpool at the Emirates on Saturday. Read on for Layth Yousif's match report.
James Milner drilled home a second half-goal to put Liverpool 1-0 up against Arsenal before Alexandre Lacazette equalised nine minutes before the break at a noisy Emirates on Saturday evening.
Second played fourth in the late kick-off in North London as both sides showed excellent attacking intent, even if it was hard to understand how the teams went into the break goalless.
Jurgen Klopp's side looked lively but were matched by Unai Emery's Gunners as the pair had to settle for a point each in an enthralling match played in an excellent spirit.
Hector Bellerin recovered from a muscle injury which caused him to miss the second half of the 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace last Sunday while Bernd Leno was reinstated as No1 keeper after Petr Cech featuring in the 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Blackpool on Wednesday.
Sead Kolasinac returned at left-back with Nacho Monreal still short of fitness along with Sokratis while Matteo Guendouzi was suspended after his sending-off against the Tangerines.
Liverpool were still missing Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita while star forward Mo Salah wore protective strapping on an inflamed wrist tendon as the Reds looked to consolidate second place behind leaders Manchester City, with the home side four points behind prior to kick-off.
The statistics betrayed exactly why Arsenal sides have failed to challenge for the title over the last few years. With only three wins in their last 27 matches against top six opposition no side could maintain a push for glory with those sort of numbers.
Nor could a run of six games without a win against the Merseysiders be considered as anything other than poor form, even if they were still six short of their record number of matches when seeking victory against the Reds.
That said, as ever with stats, there are exceptions to the rule, most notably with 11 home league wins out of the previous 13 at the Emirates stretching back to March.
A lot has changed since that dreadful 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City back in early spring on the coldest night in decades in front of no more than 25,000 hardy souls in North London. Not least the fact that Emery has reinvigorated the club from top to bottom.
A winning run of 11 consecutive matches – to make it 12 games unbeaten after the hard-fought draw at Selhurst Park ended the best run of wins since November 1987 – of course helped, but it was the optimism the former PSG boss has brought to the Gunners that has so energised the fans.
The noise levels at the start of the match were evidence of that as the home side made the livelier opening, without ever threatening Liverpool's record-priced goalkeeper Alison.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan could have scored on 15 minutes when the lively Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang whipped in a cross for the Armenian. The 29-year-old showed bravery to angle the ball towards the direction of the goal as Alisson came charging towards him in a futile bid to punch the ball away.
Unfortunately for the attacker his effort tricked inches wide while also getting clattered for good measure. However, his efforts were appreciated by fans – as were Aubameyang's.
The Frenchman has settled in well at Arsenal, directly contributing 22 goals from his 23 starts for the club since signing in the January transfer window for a record £56 million from Borussia Dortmund - including five assists on top of 17 strikes.
He looked lively in the opening period, at one stage swapping flanks in order to breach the Liverpool backline.
Leno did well to block Virgil Van Dijk when faced with the approaching defensive giant after a perceptive through ball from Salah, while at the other end Bellerin went close with a powerful low shot, before Alexandre Lacazette pulled a low drive just wide.
Van Dijk then angled a header that came off the bar after outjumping Rob Holding but somehow the sides went into the break goalless in a match high on attacking intent.
Klopp's side went 1-0 ahead on 61 minutes after James Milner drilled in a powerful low shot after Sadio Mane's cross was palmed into his path.
Arsenal could have replied through moments later following Lucas Torreira driving forward before unleashing a shot that Alisson did well to block.
Van Dijk could have doubled the lead after a free header in the box that Leno did well to tip over.
The visitors were left to rue not taking that chance as Lacazette curled his shot past the Brazilian keeper and into the net to send the majority of the Emirates crowd home happy with a point against Klopp's title challengers as they made it 13 games without defeat.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Islington Gazette. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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Hapara's Teacher Dashboard automates the distribution/collection of Google resources. The tools were built in a collaborative fashion to solve the knowledge management challenges teachers face when going all in with Google Apps.
Browse the Menu Search the Menu Rating Process Student Data Privacy Usage Reporting Contact Admin
©2016 Denver Public Schools


text: I can access all my apps and browse the internet with both the stock and dolphin browsers. When I access my browsers I get either the "web page not found" android message or "server failed to communicate" message every time. Earlier on, it actually allowed me to connect to the Google home page but then gave the very same error messages as soon as I clicked on any link at all. Please help me.


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04/09/2019EMS DB Comparer for MySQL version 4.3.4 released
We are pleased to announce the new minor version of DB Comparer for MySQL- the powerful tool for comparing MySQL databases and discovering differences in their structure.
You can download EMS DB Comparer for MySQL at:
What's new in DB Comparer for MySQL 4.3.4?
- JSON parameter in functions was sometimes displayed incorrectly. Fixed now.
- NOT NULL option for TIMESTAMP fields is now synchronized correctly.
- Script for fields order was generated regardless of the corresponding option state. Fixed now.
- Functions and procedures were not compared correctly on different server versions with INFORMATION_SCHEMA used. Fixed now.
- Object Definition windows can be hided\opened from the main menu now.
- Default settings didn't reset the folder to localization files. Fixed now.
- Error window in SQL script editor saves custom size now.
- Other minor fixes and improvements.
We hope you'll enjoy working with our products!


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California Chefs to Wield Their Spatulas in Fight Over Foie Gras Ban
Thomas Keller, of the French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., is among the chefs opposed to the state's coming ban on foie gras.
By JESSE McKINLEY Published: April 30, 2012 NEW YORK TIMES
A collection of some of California's best-known chefs, including four-star celebrities like Thomas Keller, began a full-course press on the state's legislators on Monday, hoping to prevent a long-simmering ban on foie gras from taking effect on July 1.
The group, which calls itself the Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards, delivered a charter statement to lawmakers in Sacramento, advocating a wide variety of new animal-friendly commitments, including cage-free birds and hand feeding, to replace the current law, which would effectively bar foie gras from the state's menus.
"We want to create a humane market," said Rob Black, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, a member of the coalition. "Not a black market."
The ban would prohibit the production and sale of any product derived from force feeding birds to enlarge their livers beyond normal size -- the only way to mass produce the fatty French-inflected delicacy. The law was passed in 2004 but had a seven-and-a-half-year grace period. It is the nation's first such law to pass.
Nate Ballard, a spokesman for the coalition, said that members planned to follow the statement with personal visits to legislators this week, taking them to supper, if they are interested.
"The chefs are going to invite lawmakers to foie gras dinner in their districts, all over the state," Mr. Ballard said.
Regardless of one's tastes in food, supporters of the ban have long argued that it is necessary to prevent cruelty to ducks and geese. They say the animals suffer physical and emotional damage from force feeding, a process known as gavage.
"It's not about foie gras," said John Burton, a former California legislator who wrote the law. "It's about inhumane treatment of those birds."
Of course, California is no stranger to food fights. In 2008, voters approved a ban on restrictive cages for veal cattle, pigs and hens, and last year Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that forbade the sale or possession of shark fins, an Asian delicacy.
The foie gras ban, signed by Mr. Brown's predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has seemed to signal the end for Sonoma-Artisan Foie Gras, the state's only producer, whose owner, Guillermo Gonzalez, said he would shut down on June 30.
In the months leading up to the ban, restaurateurs have been increasingly vocal about their opposition.
Greg Daniels, who runs Haven Gastropub in Pasadena, Calif., said he feared it could result in the diminishment of the state's reputation as an adventurous and first-rate place to eat.
"I think the culinary landscape of California will change much more than anybody is realizing," Mr. Daniels said.
That reputation is carried by the likes of Mr. Keller, whose flagship restaurant, the French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., is on the bucket list of many of the food obsessed. Last month, Mr. Keller issued a statement saying simply that his restaurant group would abide by the law when it took effect.
But on Monday, Mr. Keller's name was also among the more than 100 other chefs signing on to a raft of new promises regarding the production of foie gras, including a commitment to feeding methods that do not "harm the animal in any way."
All this seemed disingenuous to animal rights activists like Bryan Pease, a lawyer and founder of the Animal Protection and Rescue League, in San Diego, which has been protesting in front of restaurants where foie gras is still served, something he said was necessary to educate the public about the ban.
"We want people to know it's not this weird thing about banning duck liver," he said. "It's the force feeding that's being targeted."


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Our land on Hawai'i is a place of collaboration and shared growth. There are times in our lives when we are overflowing and have a lot to give, and times in our lives when we need support.
We invite short-term residencies as a garden or farm worker, or as a Pujari (who tends to the tiny temples, arranging flowers and keeping blessing energy), or as a kitchen witch or working with us on small scale, high value agriculture.
We're a non-profit organization, and welcome the involvement and support of like minded leaders and thinkers.
Financial support and material support are welcomed.


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Ashley is a qualified Architect who approached the Society in October 2011 as a last resort. He had been working as an Architect until 2009 when he contracted a neurological disease called myelitis which left him partially paralysed. He had recently been made redundant so he had to cope with the uncertainty of lost income and the effects of a possibly life changing illness.
He spent time in hospital receiving treatment and then rehabilitation. Although his health did gradually improve, Ashley was still unable to work and was faced with increasing financial pressures as a consequence.
After struggling to manage for two years Ashley contacted the Society for support as he realised that he was unable to meet the payments for his increasing mortgage as well as supporting his young teenage son. The benefits he was entitled to from the State were not adequate to meet his basic living needs once he had paid his mortgage and he contacted the ABS out of desperation when he realised that he was at risk of being homeless. Although unable to work, Ashley received no extra money from the State in order to help him cope with the challenges of his illness and additional expenses such as transport and help in the home.
We have been able to help financially with a small regular grant and assistance towards his housing costs. We have also covered the cost of his telephone line rental which he would otherwise have had to cancel but which he needs in case of emergencies. As well as the financial support Ashley maintains regular contact with our Welfare Officers who are always able to help and advise and has said that he does not know what he would have done without the support and assistance from the ABS.
Ashley remains at risk of a relapse as he still has numbness in his lower legs which worsens when he is stressed. With the support of the Society, however he has been able to remain in his own home for the time being and his son stays with him during the week when he attends a nearby college. Ashley continues to depend upon the support of the Society in order to meet his basic needs especially at a time when the cost of living is increasing and there is pressure on the benefits system. He is far from "out of the woods" but feels that the support of the Society, which he has asked to be given as a loan rather than a gift, is a lifeline.