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October 2008 | Issue 4
Australia: Government Focuses on Enhancing Financial System Stability
The new measure includes the following components:
Deposit Insurance. The federal government plans to establish a deposit insurance system by 2009 in an effort to increase financial system's stability. The post-event funded system will provide individual depositors with payments based on amounts on deposit up to a $20,000 cap within weeks of a financial institution's failure.
National credit regulation. State governments have agreed to a federal takeover of all consumer credit regulation starting in 2010. The new provision would cover mortgage and non-mortgage providers, finance brokers and other intermediaries.
Basel II. Mutual institutions are subject to strict new governance and risk management requirements following Australia's decision to apply Basel II to all banking institutions, regardless of their size, structure or operations.
Money laundering and terrorism financing. Credit unions are expanding their account identification, monitoring and reporting procedures following the passage of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.
Member registers. New national regulations are expected to provide greater protection to details held on mutual member registers. The changes will also allow credit union boards to review proposed communication with members in advance.
Source: Abacus - Australian Mutuals, www.abacus.org.au
Great Britain: New Proposed Legislation Will Allow Credit Unions to Expand Membership and Services
The British government in July published proposals for secondary legislation with the potential to have a significant impact on credit unions. The proposed changes include major reforms to field-of-membership legislation that will allow credit unions to serve more than one member group. Under the new proposals credit unions will also be able to provide services to organizations and pay interest rather than dividends on savings.
Proposals are being consulted upon until mid-October. The Association of British Credit Unions hopes that the changes will be in place by the mid-2009. The Financial Services Authority, which regulates British credit unions, will be consulting on changes to regulation to bring this into line with new legislation later in the year.
Reference link: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/0/D/consult_lro230708.pdf
Source: ABCUL, www.abcul.org
Ireland: Government Increases Deposit Guarantee Limit to €100,000 per Depositor
The Irish government will increase the statutory limit for the deposit guarantee for credit unions, banks and building societies from €20,000 to €100,000 per depositor per institution. The cover will apply to 100% of each individual's deposit.
In announcing the decision, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said "I want it to be known that the government is confident about the strength and resilience of the Irish financial system. The Central Bank and financial regulator have stressed the soundness and stability of the Irish financial system. This measure provides additional reassurance to depositors in Ireland that their savings are safe. The new guarantee level is now among the highest in the EU."
Given the uncertainty caused by the turbulence in international financial markets over the last week, Lenihan believed it was necessary to announce the measure, which has been under consideration for some time.
Source: www.finance.gov.ie
New Zealand: New Bill Empowers Reserve Bank to Regulate Credit Unions
In late 2006, New Zealand's Ministry of Economic Development issued a series of nine discussion documents regarding regulatory reforms for financial products and providers. The New Zealand Association of Credit Unions (NZACU) has consulted with officials and provided comment letters on the papers, specifically one combining non-bank deposit-taking institutions, including finance companies, credit unions and building societies, into a single category.
NZACU's position underlined the unique nature of credit union operations and the service they provide to members in New Zealand. Nonetheless, credit unions will now be regulated by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ).
New Zealand has a unique regulatory model whereby frontline monitoring is performed by legally designated Trustee Corporations, and this will continue under the new legislation. Parliament passed the bill empowering RBNZ to regulate the non-bank deposit-taking sector on Sept. 3. Key legislative requirements include the financial rating of institutions with more than $10 million in assets; documentation of and compliance with risk management policies; and a minimum capitalization of $2 million. As the result of intensive lobbying, the Cabinet has agreed in principle that credit unions may be exempt from the minimum capital rule. However, credit unions will continue to comply with the capital ratio requirements.
This fall, NZACU expects an announcement regarding reforms to Act 1982, which severely restricts credit union operations. The new reforms will address issues affecting the governance of mutuals, friendly societies and credit unions.
Other changes include reforms concerning financial advisors, financial service provider registration and criteria for officials and executive staff. These reforms will likely require dispute resolution organization availability for all financial institution customers and members. Criteria for registration of directors and senior management will include criminal and credit verifications.
Source: NZACU, www.nzacu.org.nz
Romania: National Bank of Romania Limits Debt Level to 20% of an Individual's Income
On August 8, 2008, National Bank of Romania (NBR) issued Regulation 11/2008 amending NBR Regulation 3/2007 on the limitation of credit risk for individuals. The amended regulation seeks to encourage healthy management of finances by creating the following requirements for financial institutions to follow before granting credit:
- Proof of income as shown in an employer-generated financial document;
- Limitation of total credit granted by all financial institutions to 20% of borrower income as earned during the previous year.
The new regulation aims to prevent a common Romanian banking practice of judging creditworthiness by evaluating only three months' income prior to borrowing. One of the new regulation's risks is that it could limit credit opportunities for individuals with income fluctuations throughout the year. From a microfinance point of view, low-income individuals may not have proper proof of income to qualify for loans. Romanian credit unions and banks were required to notify NBR about their implementation of these requirements by Oct. 2.
Source: Development Finance, www.dfintl.com; DevFinance Listserv: firstname.lastname@example.com
South Africa
The South African National Treasury, with WOCCU assistance, is in the process of designing a deposit insurance system for cooperative banks.
United States: Senate Passes Rescue Package with Deposit Insurance Boost
The U.S. Senate voted to approve a multi-billion dollar financial rescue package that included a temporary increase in federal share and deposit insurance coverage.
The $700-billion rescue plan is expected to be taken up by the U.S. House Friday and, if passed, quickly sent to the President's desk for his signature transforming the bill to public law.
Under the deposit insurance provisions, the current $100,000 limit on share and deposit accounts would be raised for one year to $250,000.
The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) supported that increase and sent letters to President George W. Bush, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and members of Congress Monday urging them to make sure to include credit unions in any plans for increased deposit insurance coverage.
CUNA President/CEO Dan Mica said of the Senate's vote, "It is important to America's credit unions that they have parity with banks in any increase in federal deposit insurance coverage. We are pleased to see this goal achieved in the Senate's financial rescue legislation."
Mica added that another CUNA goal has been to ensure credit unions have access, if needed, to the legislation's relief measures for troubled assets.
"By providing this access, the Senate legislation is careful not to place credit unions at a disadvantage. CUNA will continue to press for similar treatment in the House as it resumes its consideration of this legislation," Mica said.
The overall rescue bill-intended to shore up the nation's economy in light of such factors as the current mortgage crisis and wildly fluctuating activity on Wall Street-would allocate up to $700 billion to the U.S. Treasury Department to buy up mortgage-backed securities whose values have dropped or become hard to sell.
The package gives the government an ownership share in the companies that participate in the program, an element that was missing from earlier rescue drafts. This provision makes it so taxpayers could benefit from any increased value in the securities created by the government's support.
Source: CUNA News Now article: www.cuna.org/newsnow/08/wash100108-5.html?ref=hed
United States: Government Places Mortgage Companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into Conservatorship
Earlier this month the U.S. federal government placed the government-sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into government conservatorship, effectively seizing management of the mortgage companies, expressly guaranteeing their bond issuances and making it likely that the U.S. Treasury will invest billions of dollars in the organizations to maintain their solvency. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are corporations chartered by the U.S. federal government to provide liquidity to the U.S. mortgage lending market and promote affordable housing by buying mortgages from banks and credit unions, securitizing those loans into bonds, and insuring those bonds against losses resulting from defaults in the underlying mortgage loans. They hold or insure more than $5 trillion in U.S. mortgage debt and had lost more than $10 billion combined since early 2007. Prior to the government takeover, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had severely impaired capital positions resulting from losses on mortgages and had been unable to raise sufficient new capital from private investors.
This government intervention is a positive development for the U.S. credit union system because the continued existence of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ensures the continued liquidity of the U.S. secondary mortgage market. In addition, government intervention is a positive development for the numerous financial institutions worldwide, including many U.S. credit unions, which invested in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bonds.
Link to the Treasury Secretary's statement on the intervention: www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp1129.htm
CUNA News Now articles:
Source: CUNA, www.cuna.coop
World News: WOCCU Publishes Model Regulations for Credit Unions and Credit Union Regulation and Supervision Technical Guide
Model Regulations for Credit Unions, a companion piece to WOCCU's Model Law for Credit Unions, is designed to aid credit union movement leaders, regulators and policy makers with the development of sound and appropriate credit union regulations. Model Regulations is expected to serve as a catalyst to countries seeking credit union-specific regulations and aid in their development. As such, the regulations are meant to serve as guidelines for adaptation rather than policy prescriptions.
Model Regulations is divided into six main sections: 1) prudential regulations and operational regulations; 2) administrative regulations; 3) enforcement regulations; 4) general accounting and audit regulations; 5) deposit insurance; and 6) consumer protection regulations. Each main section is further divided into a series of regulations. WOCCU recognizes the difficulty in establishing a single set of regulations applicable across various countries and cultures. As such, these regulations may be adapted to country contexts and environments without sacrificing safety and soundness.
WOCCU has also developed a Regulations Matrix which compares regulatory environments of 18 world credit union sectors that have formal supervision or are striving for international standards.
To download a copy of the Model Regulations please visit: www.woccu.org/bestpractices/legreg
For a copy of the Credit Union Regulation and Supervision Technical Guide click on the following linck: www.woccu.org/bestpractices/techguides
World News: IASB Reconsiders CU Exposure Standards Based on WOCCU Recommendation
On Sept. 10 the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) agreed to reconsider the application of its International Financial Reporting Standards to credit unions based on a comment letter submitted earlier this year by World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU). The letter was among just a handful of submissions IASB addressed out of 100 questions it received during its Sept. 10 webcast.
According to the letter, sent April 4 by Dave Grace, WOCCU's vice president of association services, certain provisions in the IASB-proposed accounting standards for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could be detrimental to credit unions. WOCCU's greatest concerns, according to Grace, were the draft's failure to clearly identify to whom the standards apply and to sufficiently simplify reporting requirements for smaller institutions.
"Excluding credit unions from the scope of the SME standards and requiring adherence to the full International Financial Reporting Standards is both impractical and counter to the IASB's intention of making accounting requirements more accessible to smaller non-listed institutions," Grace said in his letter to IASB board member Thomas E. Jones.
IASB has indicated that credit unions take public deposits, requiring that members be given access to full International Financial Reporting Standards, as opposed to the simplified SME standards. Nonetheless, IASB agreed during the webcast to reconsider whether or not credit unions would fit within the scope of those who use the SME reporting standards.
"IASB's reconsideration of its standards is rare as a rulemaking body," Grace said. "We consider the move a strong vote of confidence in the global credit union movement."
Grace's April letter carefully articulated application to entities that hold assets "for a broad group of outsiders, such as a bank, insurance entity, securities broker/dealer, pension fund, mutual fund or investment banking entity." Failure to include credit unions in the list may imply inclusion in full International Financial Reporting Standards, which could create insurmountable hurdles for many SMEs.
IASB is expected to respond to WOCCU's recommendation by the end of the year. WOCCU will be working with its member organizations and other interested parties to mobilize support for IASB's reconsideration of its standards.
To view the letter's full text, please visit the WOCCU Website's advocacy section at www.woccu.org/memberserv/advocacy/positionpapers
Source: WOCCU, www.woccu.org/press/releases?id=1517
World News: African Credit Union Regulators to Convene in South Africa
Credit union regulators from nine African countries will gather November 24 and 25 for the second annual Roundtable to be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria, South Africa. WOCCU and the Canadian Cooperative Association are sponsoring this event co-hosted by the National Treasury of South Africa.
The workshop's purpose is to gather senior officials from the ministry of finance, central banks, ministry of cooperatives and the savings and credit co-operative (SACCO) industry for a focused and practical discussion of how to legislate, regulate and supervise financial co-operatives. The roundtable will include two full days of informative sessions and networking
Global and regional regulators' meetings are organized by WOCCU each year to bring regulators together to discuss current and emerging issues, as well as risks facing financial cooperatives. The first Latin American regulators' roundtable was held this past August in Guatemala with supervisors from 10 countries.
Source: WOCCU, www.woccu.org
World News: October 16th is International Credit Union Day
Who owns your credit union? You do! As not-for-profit, democratically controlled, member-owned cooperatives, credit unions exist to serve their members. This year's International Credit Union Day® (ICU Day) theme, It Belongs to MeTM, celebrates the economic democracy and equal ownership rights of each credit union member. At credit unions throughout the world, every customer is both a member AND an owner. Learn more by reading the news release announcing this year's theme.
The excitement of ICU Day arrives on the same Thursday every October, when credit unions around the world together celebrate the spirit of the credit union movement. It is a day to honor those who have dedicated their lives to the movement, to recognize the hard work of credit union staff and volunteers and to show appreciation to our members.
Use this day to raise awareness about the great work that credit unions are doing and give members the opportunity to get more involved! Credit unions and associations from Kentucky to Kenya and from Alberta to Azerbaijan celebrate the day with open houses, contests and picnics. For more ideas on how to celebrate, click here.
World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) has provided its members with ICU Day materials for more than 30 years. This year, we've again joined Credit Union National Association (CUNA), the trade association representing credit unions in the United States, to create a variety of resources to help you prepare and celebrate. ICU Day graphics are available to download below, and you can find sample promotional materials by clicking the tab to the left called Sample PR Materials.
Happy International Credit Union Day!
For more information or questions about ICU Day, contact Lindsay Seabrook, firstname.lastname@example.com or (608) 395-2014.
Source: WOCCU, www.woccu.org/events/icuday


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Difference between revisions of "PDE/API Tools/User Guide"
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Revision as of 23:35, 7 January 2008
Current State
API tooling is still under construction and currently lives in the PDE incubator project. This guide is intended to be an example of how we intend developers to use API tooling rather than how it is used today. Some form of the tooling will be avilable in Eclipse 3.4, starting with the M5 milestone build.
API tooling bundles (plug-ins) are not avialable as binary downloads. You have to build the plug-ins yourself if you want to use them. See Getting the Source Code for help on getting and building the bundles.
API Tooling Setup
API tooling provides a builder that reports API usage and binary compatibility errors in the workspace. You must configure bundles that you want API tooling to report errors on and you must define an API profile that can be used as an API baseline (i.e. workspace projects are compared to the baseline in order to report binary compatibility errors, missing @since tags, incorrect version numbers, etc.).
Define an API Baseline
An API baseline defines the state you want to compare your development workspace bundles against for the purposes of binary compatibility, bundle version numbers, and @since tags. For example, if you are developing bundles for Eclipse 3.4, you will use Eclipse 3.3 as your baseline.
API profiles are managed on the Plug-in Development > API Profiles preference page. Here you can create, edit, and delete API profiles. You can select one profile as the 'default' profile - this is the profile that will be used as the baseline.
Use the New... button to open a wizard to define a profile. Any Eclipse SDK can be used as a profile simply by giving it a name and version and specifying the root location of the plug-ins.
Note: Currently, Eclipse builds do not contain API description metadata that assists API tooling. This information will be added to builds sometime during the 3.4 development cycle. An SDK can be used as a profile/baseline without the metadata, although this may cause some extra problems to appear in the workspace (for example compatability errors). We also intend to produce special versions of older builds (for example, Eclipse 3.3) that contain some API description metadata in them.
Configure Bundles for API Tooling
API tooling provides a builder that analyzes bundles and reports API errors. You need to configure existing projects to use the builder (this effectively adds the "API Tooling" nature to your project). As well, you need to describe the API of your bundle. Special API Javadoc tags can be placed on classes, interfaces, and methods to describe their API (@noimplement, @noinstantiate, @noextend).
Note: API tooling can insert Javadoc tags into source code based on existing component.xml files.
Using the PDE Tools > API Tooling Setup... action to configure your projects.
A dialog appears allowing you to select projects you want to setup for API tooling.
Note: By default, component.xml files are deleted from your workspace after corresponding Javadoc tags are inserted into source code. There is a checkbox to disable this option.
After pressing finish, Javadoc tags will be inserted and the API Tooling nature (and buidler) will be added to your projects. API problems will now appear in the workspace where appropriate. You should manually examine your source code after tags have been inserted to ensure correctness.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dr. Janne Lindqvist's privacy project together with his colleagues Jason Hong and Joy Zhang at Carnegie Mellon University was featured on MIT Technology review. With today's smartphone platforms, users do not understand privacy ramifications of their installed applications, which is also why a recent FTC report has called for understandable privacy disclosures for mobile platforms. The project provides for better privacy disclosures for mobile phone users by using novel crowdsourcing techniques and user interface designs.
The link to the article is: http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/40036/
Dr. Janne Lindqvist is an Assistant Research Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and member of WINLAB,. More info on his activities is available at http://www.winlab.rutgers.edu/~janne/


text: (The following statement was released by the rating agency) SEOUL/SYDNEY, November 22 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has assigned DBS Bank Ltd.'s (AA-/Stable/F1+) Series 6 EUR500 million mortgage covered bonds a rating of 'AAA'. The Outlook is Stable. The Series 6 bonds are due November 2024, and have a 12-month extension period. This issuance brings total outstanding covered bonds on issue out of DBS's covered bonds programme to the equivalent of SGD5.0 billion. KEY RATING DRIVERS The programme's rating is based on DBS's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'AA-', an IDR uplift of zero notches, a payment continuity uplift (PCU) of six notches, a recovery uplift of one notch and the asset percentage (AP) of 85.0% used in the programme's asset coverage test, which Fitch relies upon in its analysis. The relied-upon AP equals Fitch's 'AAA' breakeven AP and corresponds to an 'AA+' tested rating on a probability of default basis and a one-notch recovery uplift. The recovery uplift was capped at one notch as the programme is significantly exposed to foreign-exchange risk in the recoveries given default of the covered bonds. This is because the assets are denominated in Singapore dollars, while the covered bonds issued are denominated in other currencies. Currency risk is hedged for the length of the liabilities, but we expect those hedges to terminate in the event of a covered bond default so that the longer-dated Singapore-dollar asset cash flows would provide recoveries in a different currency than the initial covered bond. The Outlook on the covered bond rating reflects the Stable Outlook on DBS's Long-Term IDR and a four-notch buffer against downgrade of the issuer's IDR. Based on our cash flow analysis of the cover pool at 9 October 2017, the 'AAA' breakeven AP of 85.0% is equivalent to a breakeven overcollateralisation (OC) of 17.6%. This is driven by the asset disposal loss of 17.4%, which reflects the significant asset and liability mismatches in the programme, with the weighted-average (WA) life of the cover assets at 11.9 years and the liabilities at 3.5 years. The credit loss component contributes 3.4% to breakeven OC, and the cash flow component reduces it by 3.1% due to the available excess spread modelled by Fitch in the programme. DBS has incorporated new assets into the cover pool on 23 October 2017, which almost doubles the size of the existing cover pool. The characteristics of the newly incorporated loans and their cash flows are broadly in line with that of the previously published cover pool. Hence, Fitch's breakeven OC and its components are as described above. Fitch applied a variation to the APAC Residential Mortgage Rating Criteria, which does not include an analytical treatment for asset basis risk. Fitch deems the risk relevant to the enhancement level of DBS's programme as 49.3% of the cover pool's mortgage assets are linked to floating rate market-linked indices. The indices are: the one-month, three-month and 12-month Singapore Interbank Offered Rate (SIBOR) and the three-month Swap Offer Rate (SOR), all of which reset at regular intervals. Fitch bases its assumption on the one-month SOR, as this is the index used for the liability swaps on the issued covered bonds. We deduct 7bp on average from the mortgages' spreads linked to the market rates described above, based on our analysis of the historical movement of the market indices over 17 years. There is no rating impact from this criteria variation. RATING SENSITIVITIES The 'AAA' rating on DBS Bank Ltd.'s (DBS) mortgage covered bonds are vulnerable to a downgrade if the relied-upon asset percentage (AP), used in the asset coverage test, rises above Fitch's 'AAA' breakeven AP of 85.0% or if the bank's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) falls below 'BBB+'. If the AP in the programme rises to the maximum 97% AP allowed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the rating on the programme would be downgraded to 'AA', one notch above the bank's IDR. Fitch's 'AAA' breakeven AP for the covered bond rating will be affected, among other things, by the profile of the cover assets relative to outstanding covered bonds, which can change over time, even in the absence of new issuance. Therefore, it cannot be assumed that the 'AAA' breakeven AP, which maintains the covered bond rating, will remain stable over time. Contact: Primary Analyst Keum Hee Oh Director +82 2 3278 8373 Fitch Australia Pty Ltd, Korea Branch 9F, 97 Uisadang-daero Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul, 07327 South Korea Secondary Analyst Claire Heaton Senior Director +61 2 8256 0361 Committee Chairperson Carmen Munoz Senior Director +34 93 323 8408 - The source of information used to assess these ratings was DBS. The issuer has informed Fitch that not all relevant underlying information used in the analysis of the rated bonds is public. Media Relations: Leslie Tan, Singapore, Tel: +65 67 96 7234, Email: email@example.com; Wai-Lun Wan, Hong Kong, Tel: +852 2263 9935, Email: email@example.com. Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com Applicable Criteria APAC Residential Mortgage Rating Criteria (pub. 14 Jul 2017) here Covered Bonds Rating Criteria (pub. 30 Oct 2017) here Fitch's Cover Assets Refinancing Spread Level (RSL) Assumptions - Excel File (pub. 30 Oct 2017) here Global Bank Rating Criteria (pub. 25 Nov 2016) here Structured Finance and Covered Bonds Counterparty Rating Criteria (pub. 23 May 2017) here Structured Finance and Covered Bonds Counterparty Rating Criteria: Derivative Addendum (pub. 23 May 2017) here Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form here Solicitation Status here Endorsement Policy here ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: here. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEB SITE AT WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA, AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE, AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF THIS SITE. DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS RELEVANT INTERESTS ARE AVAILABLE here. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. Copyright © 2017 by Fitch Ratings, Inc., Fitch Ratings Ltd. and its subsidiaries. 33 Whitehall Street, NY, NY 10004. Telephone: 1-800-753-4824, (212) 908-0500. Fax: (212) 480-4435. Reproduction or retransmission in whole or in part is prohibited except by permission. All rights reserved. In issuing and maintaining its ratings and in making other reports (including forecast information), Fitch relies on factual information it receives from issuers and underwriters and from other sources Fitch believes to be credible. Fitch conducts a reasonable investigation of the factual information relied upon by it in accordance with its ratings methodology, and obtains reasonable verification of that information from independent sources, to the extent such sources are available for a given security or in a given jurisdiction. The manner of Fitch's factual investigation and the scope of the third-party verification it obtains will vary depending on the nature of the rated security and its issuer, the requirements and practices in the jurisdiction in which the rated security is offered and sold and/or the issuer is located, the availability and nature of relevant public information, access to the management of the issuer and its advisers, the availability of pre-existing third-party verifications such as audit reports, agreed-upon procedures letters, appraisals, actuarial reports, engineering reports, legal opinions and other reports provided by third parties, the availability of independent and competent third- party verification sources with respect to the particular security or in the particular jurisdiction of the issuer, and a variety of other factors. Users of Fitch's ratings and reports should understand that neither an enhanced factual investigation nor any third-party verification can ensure that all of the information Fitch relies on in connection with a rating or a report will be accurate and complete. Ultimately, the issuer and its advisers are responsible for the accuracy of the information they provide to Fitch and to the market in offering documents and other reports. In issuing its ratings and its reports, Fitch must rely on the work of experts, including independent auditors with respect to financial statements and attorneys with respect to legal and tax matters. Further, ratings and forecasts of financial and other information are inherently forward-looking and embody assumptions and predictions about future events that by their nature cannot be verified as facts. As a result, despite any verification of current facts, ratings and forecasts can be affected by future events or conditions that were not anticipated at the time a rating or forecast was issued or affirmed. The information in this report is provided "as is" without any representation or warranty of any kind, and Fitch does not represent or warrant that the report or any of its contents will meet any of the requirements of a recipient of the report. A Fitch rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a security. This opinion and reports made by Fitch are based on established criteria and methodologies that Fitch is continuously evaluating and updating. Therefore, ratings and reports are the collective work product of Fitch and no individual, or group of individuals, is solely responsible for a rating or a report. The rating does not address the risk of loss due to risks other than credit risk, unless such risk is specifically mentioned. Fitch is not engaged in the offer or sale of any security. All Fitch reports have shared authorship. Individuals identified in a Fitch report were involved in, but are not solely responsible for, the opinions stated therein. The individuals are named for contact purposes only. A report providing a Fitch rating is neither a prospectus nor a substitute for the information assembled, verified and presented to investors by the issuer and its agents in connection with the sale of the securities. Ratings may be changed or withdrawn at any time for any reason in the sole discretion of Fitch. Fitch does not provide investment advice of any sort. Ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Ratings do not comment on the adequacy of market price, the suitability of any security for a particular investor, or the tax-exempt nature or taxability of payments made in respect to any security. Fitch receives fees from issuers, insurers, guarantors, other obligors, and underwriters for rating securities. Such fees generally vary from US$1,000 to US$750,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent) per issue. In certain cases, Fitch will rate all or a number of issues issued by a particular issuer, or insured or guaranteed by a particular insurer or guarantor, for a single annual fee. Such fees are expected to vary from US$10,000 to US$1,500,000 (or the applicable currency equivalent). The assignment, publication, or dissemination of a rating by Fitch shall not constitute a consent by Fitch to use its name as an expert in connection with any registration statement filed under the United States securities laws, the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000 of the United Kingdom, or the securities laws of any particular jurisdiction. Due to the relative efficiency of electronic publishing and distribution, Fitch research may be available to electronic subscribers up to three days earlier than to print subscribers. For Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and South Korea only: Fitch Australia Pty Ltd holds an Australian financial services license (AFS license no. 337123) which authorizes it to provide credit ratings to wholesale clients only. Credit ratings information published by Fitch is not intended to be used by persons who are retail clients within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001


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SAN ANTONIO – An article on a speech by Neal Gillen at the Texas Cotton Association annual meeting in San Antonio should have listed Illinois as a state that might be hotly contested in the upcoming U.S. Senate races.
The story indicated Gillen, executive vice president of the Washington-based ACSA, believed that Republicans might have difficulty holding on to the Senate race in Arizona where Sen. John McCain, the incumbent, currently holds an 80 percent approval rating.
The quotes from the article, which appeared on southwestfarmpress.com and Farm Press Daily, should have read as follows.
"While the Republicans barely control the Senate with a 51 to 49 majority, the number of Democrat seats up for election and the retirement of popular incumbents will work against the Democrats in 2004. There will be 34 Senate races this year, 19 seats are held by Democrats and the Republicans hold 15. Ten of the 19 Democrat seats are in states that President Bush won in 2000, while only three of the 15 Republican seats will be contested in states won by Gore.
"At this time the Republicans have three seats open, in Colorado, Illinois and Oklahoma, given the retirements of Ben "Nighthorse" Campbell, R-Colo.; Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill.; and Don Nickles, R-Okla. The Democrats, however, have five open seats in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina due to the retirements of Bob Graham, D-Fla.; Zell Miller, D-Ga.; John Breaux, D-La.; John Edwards, D-N.C.; and Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, D-S.C.
"While it may prove difficult for the Republicans to hold the Colorado and Illinois seats, the Oklahoma seat should remain in Republican hands. The Republicans have a good chance of winning the seats being vacated in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and they will be competitive in the Florida and Louisiana races.
"The Republicans should gain a minimum of one seat, but with the right candidates and a favorable trend could gain upwards of three seats. Keep in mind that this is how the Senate situation looks today. It can, and it will change, and the presidential election could be a controlling factor."
"We sincerely regret the error and any disservice to Mr. Gillen and Senator McCain," said Ron Smith, editor of southwestfarmpress.com.


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Grand Rapids
Western Michigan : Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids [13] is in Western Michigan, in the United States of America.
Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan with a population of just under 200,000 in the city limits, and nearly 600,000 in the surrounding county. The federal West Michigan metropolitan area, which includes Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Holland (and some intervening farmland), has 1,325,000 people.
Get in
Gerald R. Ford International Airport (IATA: GRR), [14]. The airport for Grand Rapids and Kent County with daily flights (sometimes several) from most of the country's major hubs. Although it has customs facilities for direct international flights, in practice it has very few. Most flights are on Delta Air Lines, connecting through the Delta hub in nearby Detroit. There are non-stop flights to Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport from the following cities (some cities may be seasonal or only offer service certain days of the week): Atlanta, Las Vegas, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis St Paul, New York, Orlando, Toronto, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Newark, Fort Lauderdale and Washington.
Major highways to Grand Rapids include I-196 (from the Chicago area), I-96 (from Muskegon, or from Lansing/Detroit), and US-131 (from Kalamazoo, or from northern Michigan).
Amtrak offers daily evening train service from Chicago's Union Station on its Pere Marquette run. Greyhound also offers bus service to Grand Rapids from various Michigan cities.
Get around
Like most mid-sized U.S. cities, an automobile is the most convenient means of getting around, with convenient free parking available most places outside of downtown. Parking downtown can be inconvenient and somewhat costly on weekdays and during major events (e.g. arena concerts). Walking within the immediate downtown area is pleasant enough in good weather, and generally safe.
Several taxi companies operate in the city, and cabs can be picked up at designated locations such as the airport, or by calling their dispatcher; cabs are usually not hailed on the street, except around the time bars close on weekends. Pedicabs are also becoming popular within the downtown area, currently operating during special events and weekend evenings.
"The Rapid" bus service [15] has a terminal downtown, and routes throughout the city and its suburbs, running early mornings through late evenings on weekdays. Several routes run with less frequent service on Saturdays and Sundays. The buses are clean, safe, and generally on-time.
Street addresses identify the quadrant of the city by adding NW, NE, SW, or SE after the full street name. This is the same system used by Washington, D.C., but Grand Rapids doesn't have the capital's confusing system of alphabetic and numerical street names. There are a few numbered streets just northwest of downtown, but most of the numbered streets are from 28th Street and out on the south side; the far north side instead has Three Mile Road, Four Mile Road, etc. Generally speaking, east-west roads are called "Street" and north-south roads are called "Avenue",
Interwoven bicycle paths and trails make getting around by bike within the city simple. The city website[16] has bike route maps to make finding your way around easy.
There are a lot of ethnic festivals during warmer months and are most often held at the downtown Calder Plaza.
There are several enclosed shopping malls and retail centers in the city and its suburbs - most notably Woodland Mall in the southeast, Rivertown Crossing in the southwest, and Knapp's Corner in the northeast - but they feature much the same stores as similar malls in other cities, so they are mostly of interest to local shoppers and those from less urban areas without such resources.
Get out
The lakeside communities of Holland and Grand Haven lie half an hour to the west, with the arty/restaurant/shopping mecca of Saugatuck slightly further, but worth the drive.


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The Neosho City Council voted on first reading Tuesday evening to update several city codes to meet current regulations.
The Neosho City Council voted on first reading Tuesday evening to update several city codes to meet current regulations.
John Harrington, the city's code enforcement officer, said the proposed changes to codes including building, mechanical and electrical ordinances came about after a routine review from the International Organization for Standardization.
"Currently, we use a 2003 building code and a 2002 national electric code," Harrington said. "That, for the ISO review, is out of date. They like for each city to be in at least two revisions of the current code."
He said the current code is the 2012 version, and that the books are revised every three years.
Harrington proposed that the city update to the 2009 version, which would allow the city's codes to fall within the ISO requirement, while at the same time minimize the amount of changes necessary to current city codes.
Harrington said he appealed the ISO's findings, which allowed the review to be set aside for one year, and gave the city time to correct the problems found.
He said the proposed changes will not affect homeowners currently unless they begin work that requires a city permit, at which time certain updates would need to be made to meet the new proposed standards.
He said many of the new requirements relate to energy conservation.
"Where a lot of the changes are, as we go up through the years, is going to be more geared towards energy efficiency," Harrington said.
He said all new homes would be required to have programmable thermostats, and at least 50 percent of all light bulbs installed in new homes would have to be at least a CFL or energy efficient bulb, gas pool heaters could no longer have a pilot light and must be on a timer, heated pools must have a pool cover to reduce evaporation and insulation thickness on homes would be required to increase.
Changes would also include the requirement that each new home, or home seeking a permit for residential work, that has an attached garage or uses fossil fuel would be required to install a carbon monoxide detector.
Steve Hart, the city's mayor pro tem, noted that several older homes in town would not be able to qualify under some of the revised codes.
However, Harrington said only new construction and those homes seeking a permit for residential work would be affected by the changes.
"It's whatever is being worked on that's being affected, that is what would have to be changed," Harrington said.
"I want people to know we're not implementing codes that they're going to have to go out here and spend a lot of money on," Hart added. "If someone's getting a permit, that's when this comes into effect."
Harrington said once the city gives final approval to the proposed changes, the codes will not need revised again for at least five years.
"It's important to note that we're behind the times," said mayor Richard Davidson. "This should have been done a few years ago. We're just bringing Neosho into the current code and meeting what Joplin does, what everybody else has to do."
In addition to the code changes, the ISO's review also found a problem with the city's appeals process.
"We have a board of [appeals] and currently we have one member," Harrington said. "We've had only one member for quite awhile, we've been unable to fill this board. ISO's question was, 'In the case of someone disagrees with the decision the building inspections department makes, it states go to the board of [appeals],' whereas we have not enough members on that board to even make a decision."
Harrington proposed that the board of appeals be eliminated and that future appeals be sent to the board of adjustments instead.
The city's requirements for single-family home construction permits were also reviewed. Harrington said currently the city requires a plot plan showing setbacks, a building application and a small drawing of what will be done, while the ISO requires that more detailed information be provided.
The ISO review also brought about some minor modifications in the city code, including that one copy of the code book be kept with the city's building inspector, as opposed to three copies with the city clerk, as it had previously read.
The language of the code book was also changed to make the building inspector responsible for assigning an address, as opposed to the city collector, a position which does not exist in Neosho.
In other business:
• Council voted to approve a bid of $7,066.13 from HD Supply for water repair parts, to restock the public works department on parts used to repair water mains, services and to set meters.
• The council voted to award a bid to Ed Roehr Safety Products, of St. Louis, for six vehicle light bars and four siren switch box systems for the Neosho Police Department. The light bars are priced at $1,175, while the switch box systems are set at $718. The police department was awarded funding for safety equipment through an LLEBG block grant. The grant is a 10 percent match program and will require a $1,000 match from the City of Neosho, which is included in the department's budget. The total bid from Ed Roehr Safety Products comes in at $9,997.
• Council members approved the disbursement of $660 from the city's hotel/motel tax fund to support the printing and distribution of the 2013 Neosho/Newton County Walking and Driving Tour of the Murals brochures.
• Council voted on final reading to approve an adjustment to the information technology budget, to decrease the amount spent on professional IT services by $30,200 and add $34,202.50 for salary, cell phone allowance, social security, retirement, health insurance and workers compensation for the city's recently hired junior IT employee.
• Council members voted to approve an amendment to the city's electric service agreement with Empire District Electric to replace a streetlight at the intersection of Hickory and Lafayette. This action allows the size of the bulb to be changed from 7,000 MV to 6,000L HPS, and will increase the monthly payment by 53 cents.
• Council approved an aviation project consultant agreement with H.W. Lochner, Inc. to update the property map at Hugh Robinson Memorial Airport. On July 3, 2012 the council voted to authorize Davidson to execute a contract between the City of Neosho and the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission to provide state block grant funds to fund the updates to the property map.
• Announced vacancies that exist on the airport industrial development board; board of adjustments/zoning; economic development sales tax committee; historic district commission and the planning and zoning commission. If interested, please call city hall at 451-8050.


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Penguin publishing announced that it will pull its Kindle compatible ebook titles from all libraries using OverDrive. See article from Library Journal and posting on OverDrive blog. San Francisco Public Library will still have access to the titles purchased in EPUB and PDF formats but the popular Kindle format has been disabled for Penguin titles.
For San Francisco Public Library's OverDrive users, this means that holds on Kindle format eBooks published by Penguin Group cannot be fulfilled at this time. We are hoping that in the near future OverDrive will restore access to Kindle editions of Penguin titles.
Penguin USA also will not provide libraries with new titles in any ebook format for the foreseeable future. That means libraries will not be able to purchase frontline Penguin titles from OverDrive. OverDrive is actively working with Penguin on this issue and is hopeful Penguin will agree to restore access to new titles and Kindle availability as soon as possible.
SFPL apologizes for this service disruption for Kindle eBook users and we will provide updated information as we receive it.


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As a younger more impressionable design enthusiast would say: " I DIE!"
via lorismarazzi.com
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This exhibition just ended, but what an amazing digital recreation of this remote region from the South of France! This beautiful multimedia installation was created by New York artist Doug Aitken
Described by Aitken as "land art for the electronic age," Altered Earth: Arles, City of Moving Images explores the relationship between, man, technology, and nature. AND... there's an app for that!
Installed in the Grand Hall of the Parc des Aterliers in Southern
France, the commission comprises giant cinematic screens that have been
hung from the ceiling to appear as though they are hovering. Each screen
projects its own ever-changing journey through the Arles region at
random, providing the viewer with "an almost holographic view of the
physical landscape."
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Researching videos for a new Accessory Design class I am writing I came across this video. It gave me so much satisfaction to watch something made by hands. There is something magical about carving the wood and stretching the leather and making an object you can wear. I have so much respect for anybody who spends 30 years to get something right!
The Last Clog Maker in England from Artisan Media on Vimeo.
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This our second story from Derrick Jones, who had the opportunity to spend time with Greek photographer and artist Nikos Rakkas:
Nikos Rakkas has recently traveled to my hometown of Rome to take part in an exhibition devoted to photography of the deep and sensual.At The Room gallery in Rome the mix was eclectic.photography
from all over europe and each offering a different perspective on
emotion mixed with fashion. Nikos seems to grab the essence of the dark
mood of Greek youth. Full of turmoil, want, anger, frustration, sex,
energy... All portraits in these series, but what Nikos does best is
trick you.He teaches you this somber story only after he draws you in with light, color and a subject in the photos which are beautiful.
wouldn't expect such a deep rooted opera from Nikos if you consider
some of his most famous works using Play-mobil. But then again, don't be
fooled. These light hearted, ironic works may not be of the fashion
oriented kind but they still reflect society more than any second skin
would.A family of a passionate culture visiting another, Nikos
and his family stayed on in Rome and we spent time enjoying the
differences but finding many similarities in the two.As they told
stories of the changes and the fear happening in Greece one listened
with heavy heart but with the underlined fear that we too were next and
that no one is safe from the economic cancer spreading.
Derrick J Jones
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I'm sure you've seen the troubling news coming from Greece again and again about riots and economic crisis, but what does it mean for the creative industries? Photogrpahers? Fashion designers? How are they adapting and surviving during these difficult times? Some of these personal stories are brought to you in th enext two posts by our Italian corespondent Derrick Jones.
It had been a good year since I had stepped foot in Athens for work. It all came back to me quickly. The passion, the sounds and the heat!I reunited with some friends that I hadn't seen in awhile. It was one of those memorable moments of life. A build up of panic, stress and worry mixed with memories that brought the final occasion to a dramatic head. What changed was the face of Athens. Many store fronts black and empty. Foot traffic to them fell to an all time low. Conversations over a freddo cappuccino no longer of glamour and vice but all turning to the turmoil of the troubled culture. Demonstrations, violence, fear, these are the daily occurrences that should bring a people to their knees but I can attest from personal experience that it makes a people grow. The pride and the desire to be seen for their passion and talent and not just as stereotypical victims of a global crisis is a force to be dealt with.And after a long 3 years I met again with Spyridon. As I approached the table where we decided to meet, his towering presence reminded me of the first time we met. In many ways it was the same. Such a dark strong figure, I thought. What would his story be?
Femininity, elegance,integrity and all the natural aspects that a woman was born with. Spyridon had managed not only to keep this philosophy during these trying times but also to evolve it. He is always true to his beliefs and never swayed by negativity. Instead he uses it much like an alternative fuel to feed his creations.
The innovative folds and fabrics, the goddess like drinks of water who wear his gowns set in front of a familiar and iconic back drop. In this past year Spyridon has received a lot of press and attention for his work and it is easy to see why. When you don't know where your culture is headed and you feel it will be lost, Spyridon will show you an image of a world that he has created to remind you that all is not lost and never will be.
Derrick Jones
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Feeling inspired by the upcoming hurricane Sandy, combined with full moon and a nor-easter, this project by Stéphanie Baechler seemed appropriate. It has the windblown look and diconstructed feel, but refined with a solid concept. To put it in her own words: The starting point for her project was formations, shapes and material
combinations that resulted from the accidental rather than the conscious.
via: http://stephaniebaechler.com/
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Sydney Seltzer's thesis fashion collection was inspired by her journal and how obsessively she writes in it. She has been writing in these books for years now and has a total of six of them. After looking at them she realized that they have become progressively more obsessive and controlled. She would write down what she had to do for the day and scribble it out perfectly on each page. For this collection she started thinking about the idea of control, and how she uses these books as a way to have some sort of "control" in her own life because a lot of things are so chaotic. To bring the concept into my thesis she focused on the idea of control vs. chaos. Control through color, line, and mimicked shapes. She created shapes with minimal seams or shapes that the wearer can change or control herself. The clothes are all monochromatic, building up in color and many pieces have a way of unwrapping or can be altered. I have shoes that can unsnap and convert into boots and everything has a fold or loop that is mimicking the shape of the pattern.
Sydney was winner in the SAGA fur competition and had the opportunity to visit their Design Centre in Finland, where she learned creative techniques to work with fur. Below is one of the garments she created through that epxerience.
Sydney Seltzer is a graduate from the Fashion Design BFA program at Parsons The New School for Design and can be reached at: selts821 {at} newschool.edu
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Nicole Ghosn is a fashion design graduate from the fashion design BFA program at Parsons. Her thesis is a crochet-based collection, titled: "From mother to daughter." Her collection reminded me of my grandmother's craftsmanship and it transported me right back to my own childhood. Nicole's inspiration came to her during a summer she spent in Northern Lebanon, where her family has its roots. Having grown up all over the world, in cities, with modern values she felt disconnected from her family's roots and tradition. Nicole discovered the crochet table covers that had moved houses and countries with her family, and realized she had never really paid attention to them. Her mom told her how her grandmother and great grandmothers had made them by hand for their family and homes. This was a craft that had traditionally been taught from mother to daughter, and continued through generations, but it had skipped her.So with this thesis collection NIcole decided to bridge the gap between generations and breathe new life to the crochet tradition that had been in her family for generations. She taught herself to crochet, inspired by the patterns of her ancestors, and used modern silhouettes that connected her forgotten heritage with her present.
Nicole was sponsored by the shoe polytechnic in Italy, and had the opportunity to visit the school and the factories outside of Venice this past January. They created 6 prototypes for her: two designs, in three colorways each. The inspiration for these shoes is again her summer house in Northern Lebanon, specifically back in the early stages of its construction, and the scaffolding used. This first shoe has a stepped cantilever heel; and the second a shifted heel. The braided leather component adds texture to the upper of the shoe. The shoes are meant to anchor the looks, through their structure as well as the use of darker colors.
You can find out more about Nicole Ghosn at her website KnittyLittleThings.com
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Here is part two of the Parsons fashion design thesis show - graduating class of 2012.
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This is already old news as it happened last week and we all know how fast fashion trends come and go. But I think it is never too late to recognize the talent of the Parsons fashion graduates who have worked on their collections for a full year... blood, sweat and tears. And I swear I have seen it all and more. The Parsons Annual Gala Benefit show happened last night and I am enclosing some of my favorites in this post. In the next couple of weeks I'll feature some of my favorite collections as they happened through the thesis judging panels, but first here are some of my favorite shots from last night's benefit gala fashion show:
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The Jermichael Finley self-promotional tour continues, making another impressive claim Monday on Twitter:
260lbs w 10% Body Fat. #IWillRiseAgain
— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) February 17, 2014
Finley is listed on the Packers' roster as being 247 lbs.
This comes on the heels of last week's report that the free-agent-to-be will be fully healed in four to eight weeks, according to his agent.
And it follows the interview from about three weeks ago when Finley said there's a 99.9 percent his doctor will clear him for contact.
While the Finley camp is doing their best to inflate the tight's end's perceived value about three weeks before the start of free agency, it doesn't much matter what they think or say. In the end, it only matters what NFL team doctors and their respective front offices think about Finley and his chances to return from a serious neck injury and spinal-fusion surgery.
The Packers have been reluctant to clear players with injuries higher up their spine, such as safety Nick Collins, who had surgery on the C3/C4 vertebrae––thought to be the same as Finley.
Any team that clears Finley for contact must then decide how much financial risk they're willing to take on a player coming off injury.
Some teams may be more willing to sign Finley to a one-year prove-it contract, but then again, all it takes is one team to offer more years and more guaranteed money to provide a more attractive destination.
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About Personalized Planet
When it comes to gifts, Personalized Planet has something for everyone. No, really. The custom-gift mecca offers personalized tokens for all kinds of occasions, from birthdays and weddings to dog birthdays and dog weddings. Popular items include cocktail shakers emblazoned with recipients' initials, personalized children's blankets in adorable animal shapes, and hanging canvases bearing names and heart-warming quotations. As various holidays roll around, Personalized Planet unveils holiday-specific gifts, such as Valentine's Day artwork and pillows.


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Qur'āns of the Umayyads: a First Overview
Publisher Brill
The Noble Quran with a Russian Translation
Publisher The Center for Translation of the Holy Qurān
Expressing our gratitude to all researchers who have submitted their works unfortunately, none of them met the jury's requirements to win the award. However, we were so pleased to announce the following treaties worthy of appreciation: Title: The Position of Experience in Scientific methodology of Avicenna Title: Reading Avicenna's Approach on the Necessity of Nature Laws with regard to contemporary Essentialism
At this ceremony, the secretariat of the Book of the Year World Award, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and President Rouhani gave speeches and the awards of selected winners were presented.
his year, after the primary selection of more than 2000 books in different fields of Islamic and Iranian Studies, 208 books were assessed, from which 9 books entered the final stage of evaluation.
As a side event at the International Conference of "the Thousand Year School of Shia", some of the outstanding researchers in Iranian-Islamic studies who were the winners of the 24th World Award for Book of the Year including Josef Van Ess, Desmond Durkin Meisterernst, Gerhard Bowering, and Wolfram Kleiss were honored.
Abstract submission deadline: 06-11-2017•Final paper sending deadline: 06-12-2017 Date of conference and venue: December 2017/ Iran Book House Institute
In order to identify and introduce valuable books on Iranian studies in the Indian subcontinent countries, the Secretariat of the World Award for Book of the Year of the I.R.I will hold the 2nd Regional Book Award ceremony for the first published books during the last two years 2015-2016. Entries must have been published in the Indian subcontinent, i.e. the southern region of Asia.
The 1st Regional Book Award ceremony was held in Moscow in the presence of Russian scientific figures on Islamic and Iranian studies, Iranian scholars, and cultural officials of Iran. Award presentation and honoring ceremony for the winners of the 1st contest for "Islamic-Iranian Book of the Year" in Russian speaking countries was held in the amphitheater hall of Rudomino Library for Foreign Literature (No. 1, Nikoloyamskaya St., Moscow) on December 1st, 2016.
In order to identify and introduce valuable books on Iranian and Islamic studies in the Russian-speaking countries, the Secretariat of the World Award for Book of the Year of the I.R.I will hold the 1st Triennial Regional Book Award ceremony for the first published books in Russian language during the last two years 2014-2015. Entries must have been published in Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States.


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To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Might want to read this: http://x264dev.multimedia.cx/?p=541
Funny you mention that. How is it possible that source image has more compression artifacts than their WEBP version? I noticed this on image 5. Control-+ until the images are enlarged and look on the left at the yellow bricks. On the JPEG version you can't make out the individual bricks, but on the WEBP version you can. I noticed this on most images here. Most JPEG edge artifacts are gone on their WEBP counterparts. Even if the originals are just scaled down, you should still always see less detail on recompressed images.
I guess they didn't use the JPEG on the left hand side to create the WebP on the right, I guess they just used the same source picture to create both.
EDIT: Apart from being a logical explanation, this would also be the thing that makes the most sense, as they want to compare both codecs with each other.
Edited 2010-10-01 15:17 UTC


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Luxurious and sensual - a place where dreams can come true and where fantasies can become reality.
Just 95 rooms, suites and unique Over Water Villas, in a secluded estate enjoying stunning views over the cobalt blue sea and outlying islands of Koh Samui.
Luxuriate in sumptuous, spacious accommodation, double-seater Chromo Therapy Jacuzzis, Blitz Rain Shower Columns with acupuncture jet sprays, over-sized beds furnished with custom made mattresses, selections from our pillow menu and the finest 500 thread Egyptian cotton. Nothing is left to chance to ensure your comfort.
Enjoy LCD Televisions with 40 interactive TV Channels, Micro DVD components, a full Deluxe Mini Bar and Wi-Fi, IDD Cordless telephones for your convenience, air conditioning and 3.2-metre high ceilings with ceiling fans. For the ultimate luxury, check in to one of Thailand's only Over Water Villas.
At Med@KC Fusion our French Chef offers a great fusion of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine and the restaurant provides sea views. Indulge in the Gastronomique menu at our Wine Cellar and Cigar Bistro or simply let our chefs create an unforgettable evening for you and that special someone in the comfort of your own Over Water Villa.
And don't forget to try Koh Samui's only Dead Sea Water Spa.


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As a design resource, we know the constant time constraints that building and remodeling project put on managers, designers and architects. While we prefer you to consult with a sales rep at a local Florida Tile dealer or distributor who is the most knowledgeable about our products, we realize that some things can't wait. This is why we have made our entire product line available to you through our sample program. Whether it is for a residential or commercial project, we want you to specify a Florida Tile product and we want to provide all the resources and tools to accomplish that.
We have two simple ways to order, via email through the easy to use link below, or by contacting us directly. Also due to shipping constraints, there is a limit to 3 samples per day. All orders placed before 2PM EST will ship the following day.
Any size or color floor or wall tile can be ordered through this program. The tiles will be pulled from the Sample Warehouse and not from the general inventory of the distribution center, so shade and caliber may not reflect current inventory.
Samples are shipped the next business day via UPS ground and generally have a 2 to 3 day delivery time. Because we ship free of charge, we do not have an expedited delivery option. If you need samples expedited, or if you wish to order deco, mosaic or trim samples, please contact your local sales rep or consult our distributor locator to find a store near you. Florida Tile only offers samples to addresses in the United States and Canada.
By placing a sample order, you are giving consent for a Florida Tile represenative to contact you regarding our products.


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Rowan's Place in the World
Name: Rowan
Location: Sydney, Australia
When my daughter Peta surprised me with the news of her pregnancy I instantly started thinking about styling the nursery at my house, a two storey Italianate house in the inner city suburb of Ashfield. Soon we knew we were having a boy, that's when I got started.
The first wall art I bought for Rowan (we had already named him) was a 2D map artwork (Australian designer). It was perfect since my inspiration for the room was always going to be about Rowan's place in the world. How we would teach him that the world is made up of many cultures and people and each person is unique. Rowan is a lucky boy to be born in such a diverse country and with education and patience we can make the world a wonderful place.
The world map wall paper is from 'The wall sticker company' The globe mobil is from ABC Kitchen in NYC. A Vintage map of Australia is from my old school classroom.
Well done - thanks Roberta! Readers, visit Roberta at her online clothing boutique Rowantree Design and blog.
(Images: Roberta Eaton)


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I live in Pgh, but am orig from Buffalo. I cant believe Pgh isnt gonna bulild a new arena here. Not just for the Pens, but for everything else. HSBC Arena has brought alot of money into Buffalo which IMO is more financially strapped than Pgh. Buffalo found a way to build an arena why cant Pgh?? The Isle of Capris deal is such a sweet deal, A FREE ARENA but all of the old men that run this city only know Steelers and Pirates. All of the other deals have alot of intangibles. Rendell could care less about Pgh let alone the Pens. I will be at that rally Saturday (I'll be the guy sporting my Sabres jersey though). I'm gonna wear my Buffalo gear just to show that people that dont even like the Pens support the Isle of Capris/Mario deal deal.
On another note. IMO if the Steelers win the SB alot of the city wont care if the Pens leave (meaning the fair weather fans), but if they lose thats just gonna add to the hunger of this city wanting to win a championship. Would you sacrifice a SB win to keep the Pens here???
Regardless I dont wanna see the Pens leave, and I know you guys dont wanna see the Steelers lose but you may not be able to have your cake and eat it too.


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ICD-9 Diagnosis Code 801.09
Cl skull base fx-concuss
Diagnosis Code 801.09
Short Description: Cl skull base fx-concuss
Long Description: Closed fracture of base of skull without mention of intra cranial injury, with concussion, unspecified
This is the 2014 version of the ICD-9-CM diagnosis code 801.09
Code Classification
Injury and poisoning (800–999)
Fracture of skull (800-804)
- 801 Fracture of base of skull
- Fracture of skull (800-804)
Information for Medical Professionals
The ICD-10 and ICD-9 GEMs are used to facilitate linking between the diagnosis codes in ICD-9-CM and the new ICD-10-CM code set. The GEMs are the raw material from which providers, health information vendors and payers can derive specific applied mappings to meet their needs.
- - (approximate) Approximate Flag
The approximate flag is on, indicating that the relationship between the code in the source system and the code in the target system is an approximate equivalent.
- Closed fracture of base of skull with concussion
Information for Patients
Also called: Brain concussion
A concussion is a type of brain injury. It's the most minor form. Technically, a concussion is a short loss of normal brain function in response to a head injury. But people often use it to describe any minor injury to the head or brain.
Concussions are a common type of sports injury. You can also have one if you suffer a blow to the head or hit your head after a fall.
Symptoms of a concussion may not start right away; they may start days or weeks after the injury. Symptoms may include a headache or neck pain. You may also have nausea, ringing in your ears, dizziness, or tiredness. You may feel dazed or not your normal self for several days or weeks after the injury. Consult your health care professional if any of your symptoms get worse, or if you have more serious symptoms such as
- Seizures
- Trouble walking or sleeping
- Weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
Doctors use a neurologic exam and imaging tests to diagnose a concussion. Most people recover fully after a concussion, but it can take some time. Rest is very important after a concussion because it helps the brain to heal.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Concussion
- Concussion - adults - discharge
- Concussion - child - discharge
- Facts about Concussion and Brain Injury (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Preventing head injuries in children
[Read More]
Head Injuries
Also called: Cranial injuries, Skull fractures, Skull injuries
Chances are you've bumped your head before. Usually, the injury is minor because your skull is hard and it protects your brain. But other head injuries can be more severe, such as a skull fracture, concussion, or traumatic brain injury.
Head injuries can be open or closed. A closed injury does not break through the skull. With an open, or penetrating, injury, an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Closed injuries are not always less severe than open injuries.
Some common causes of head injuries are falls, motor vehicle accidents, violence, and sports injuries.
It is important to know the warning signs of a moderate or severe head injury. Get help immediately if the injured person has
- A headache that gets worse or does not go away
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Convulsions or seizures
- An inability to wake up
- Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
- Slurred speech
- Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
- Loss of coordination
- Increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation
NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Head injury - first aid
- Skull fracture
[Read More]


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28 new indictments in NY Police, Fire, Jail Guards and others in Disability fraud case
A sprawling criminal case accusing more than 100 retired firefighters, police officers, jail guards and others of scamming the Social Security disability system ensnared 28 more people with charges Tuesday, including sons of some alleged ringleaders.
The case already involved 106 people and $22 million in what the Manhattan district attorney's office says were ill-gotten psychiatric disability benefits. Prosecutors had estimated, when unveiling the case last month, that it ultimately could encompass hundreds of people and as much as $400 million.
"These defendants are accused of gaming the system by lying about their lifestyle," DA Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said in a statement Tuesday. "Their lies were repetitive and extensive."
The retirees are accused of falsely claiming they had depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or other psychological problems so crushing they couldn't work. Many recipients were advised to link their supposed symptoms to 9/11, prosecutors say.
Yet some led lives that baldly contradicted their claims — running a martial-arts studio, flying helicopters, traveling overseas, and more, according to prosecutors.
The new allegations are similar: faking psychiatric problems to get Social Security disability benefits. Prosecutors say many recipients were advised to link their supposed symptoms to 9/11.
Two new defendants — Saverio "Sam" Esposito, 48, and Douglas Hale, 53 — are charged with collecting benefits in a fraud their fathers allegedly steered.
Esposito's lawyer, Kira Treyvus, had no immediate comment.
Douglas Hale asserts his innocence, lawyer Keith O'Halloran, said.
"We look forward to fighting these charges in court," O'Halloran said.
The defendants' fathers, retired police officer Joseph Esposito and benefits consultant Thomas Hale, are among four men accused of coaching the retirees on how to fake symptoms and taking tens of thousands of dollars in secret kickbacks. All four deny the allegations.
Two benefits recipients have pleaded guilty since their arrests in the first wave of charges last month.


text:
Whether you're vegan, vegetarian or just ready for a delicious sandwich, our new artisan creations deliver!
Artisan Sandwich Menu Pricing:
All sandwiches are served with a side of Native Sun Macaroni Salad.
Vegetarian Banh Mi: $5.99
Seared Ahi Tuna Sandwich: $7.99
Balsamic Portobello with Arugula Salad Sandwich: $5.99
Cheese Steak Sandwich (Not currently available in the Mandarin Store): $7.99
Ahi Tuna Melt: $7.99


text:
I just wanted to see how many different kinds of people we got going on this site :D
Just give a holler and let everyone know what area you represent!
I'm from Brampton, but for the sake of simplicity I'll say Toronto! WOO!
Views: 24775
Welcome to A/N, TOC. I graduated SPC when the land between Pinellas Park and Largo was vacant. I'm now in CA's Napa County. No mosquitos here.
Eastern Shore of Maryland
New York City stands up!
I'm still in Centerville,Texas.. Hunkered down and armed to the teeth..Good on all of you..
Born and raised near Maidstone, Kent, England. Went to Uni in Liverpool (also England) and currently live in Billericay, Essex (also England).
I am from Fairfax,VA. Anyone else from the Northern Virginia area?
I am from Fairfax,VA. Are there other members from the Northern Virginia area on this site?
Wenatchee, WA
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Helsinki, Finland.
© 2018 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by


text:
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, OH (FOX19) - A Butler County teen is charged with attempted murder and aggravated arson after deputies say he hatched and executed a plot to harm his parents.
Crews were called to the 7100 block of Tarragon Ct. Wednesday night to put out a house fire.
When they arrived, deputies found resident Perry Simon, 50, outside of the house where he had jumped from the second story window, breaking both of his legs.
His wife, Sharon Simon, 56, escaped her second story bedroom with the help of Liberty Township fire crews and deputies. She suffered smoke inhalation.
The Simons were both transported to West Chester Medical Center.
Officers say the couple thought their 16-year-old son was still inside the home so fire crews began to search. They didn't find the teen. Deputies say he had tied his parents' bedroom door shut, started a fire outside their door, stole his dad's car and left the scene.
The teen was tracked down a short time later. Sheriff Jones says the teen confessed, showing no remorse.
"He said something like that he was going to freak out or do something crazy. I saw it, and my reaction was just like 'oh that is just like the normal post'," said Logan Haynes, a sophomore at Lakota West High School. "I didn't think he would do something like this."
Haynes showed FOX19's Cory Stark the Facebook post the by the 16-year-old juvenile. The post was from 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, just a few hours before attempting to kill his parents, which read: "I'm so pissed at everything I'm boutta be wreckless."
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones says the juvenile had a well thought out plan that included crude drawings and a motive behind his attempt to kill his parent.
"It's not much. It's no different than your parents telling you, 'you can't do this, you can't do that.' Nothing bizarre," said Jones when asked about the motive.
Sheriff Jones and friends say the 16-year-old was an honor student and didn't have a criminal record, but friends say he often talked about hating his parents.
"It's sad, no one should ever get to the point where they have to burn down their parents. It's just awful," said Beck. "I hope he gets help. I really do."
"Now looking at how bad it was, I mean he burned down a house trying to kill his parents. That's pretty serious," said Haynes.
Haynes and his friend Andrew Fath say some kids in high school tweet or post on social media sites every 10 to 15 minutes, and it's common to see something that some people may think is alarming, but it's hard to tell if it's a sign of something bigger.
"I see my friends post stuff on there all the time about how they're going to go crazy and freak out, and I'm just like this is my friend. I know them. I don't think they're going to do anything that crazy. But somebody I don't know when they're being serious. I don't know it can turn out bad," Haynes added.
Fath says especially with so many incidents of bullying in high schools across the nation, he thinks extra monitoring of student's social media accounts from the schools or parents would help to catch warning signs. However, too much is unrealistic.
"If a school called you down for every little post that you have it would then it would just be like social media would be dead," said Fath.
Haynes says it's scary because the post from the Lakota West junior wasn't even out of the ordinary.
He's been charged with two counts of Attempted Murder and one count of Aggravated Arson. Sheriff Jones said at a news conference that he plans to press for the teen to be tried as an adult.
The teen suspect was taken into custody and is being held at the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center.
Copyright 2013 WXIX. All rights reserved.


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Mazda6 Lease Questions
romil01 Posts: 75I went to a Mazda dealership this morning before they were open. They had a 2014 Mazda6 sitting outside with no sticker on it. It was the Soul Red Metallica color that Mazda has used in almost all the promo photos, and man was that a beautiful car. Easily the best looking midsize sedan available, even when compared to the Fusion or Sonata. I can't wait to go back and test drive one when they are actually on sale and they have more stock to choose from. This one appeared to be loaded from looking inside the window.0
Car Man, can you help me out? What is the mazda residual and mf at 36 months, 10K per year, for the above car (MSRP $22,520 incl. destination)
Appreciate it, Car Man. Thanks!0
ref: 340
Hope you know that these 2013's are going for 4-5k below msrp since the 2014 is now visible at dealerships. time for a deal...0
Yes, got a quote at $17.4, but can probably do better. Thanks, Pegasus. Lease deal not quite as good. The price in the lease is about $17.8 (before acq and doc).0
With the new model hype starting over the 2014 mazda6, I am looking at finding a deal on a 2013 loaded V-6 model. Can you provide the MF and residual % for a standard 12k/year lease on the s Grand Touring model?0
Mazda has a lease deal showing for each trim level of the 2013 Mazda6. For the 2013 s Grand Touring, it is shown as follows-
$337/mo for 36mos
$2,127 due at lease signing
12k miles per year
Based on MSRP of $30,785
Includes $2700 Leasing Bonus Cash and $850 Dealer Contribution.
Residual at lease end- $13,057
I've found a VERY tempting deal on a 2012 Mazda6 at one of the dealers here in metro Atlanta. I went yesterday to check it out and take a test drive...and they let me bring it home for a "48-hour test drive". So I have it until Monday.
It is a 2012 Mazda6 s Grand Touring, Silver/Black, Technology Package & Navigation System- MSRP- $34,390, MY PRICE- $24,499 + Sales Tax! That is $9,891 off MSRP...or 29% off! As of now, I plan on buying it on Monday instead of returning it! =)2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT0
Hi romil01 Yes, Mazda did just introduce the lease program for the 2014 model a little while ago. Chase's January buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36-month lease of a 2014 Mazda6 i Sport with 15,000 miles per year are .00168 and 60% for consumers who qualify for its top credit tier.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
Greetings pegasus17. Chase's January buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36-month lease of a 2013 Mazda6 S Grand Touring with 12,000 miles per year are .00005 to .00060 (it varies by region) and 49% for consumers who qualify for its top credit tier.
There is a $2,700 cash incentive on leases of this car right now.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
Hi hondaman38. Chase's January buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36-month lease of a 2013 Mazda6 i Sport Sedan with an automatic transmission and 10,000 miles per year are .00005 to .00060 (it varies by region) and 51% for consumers who qualify for its top credit tier.
When negotiating your deal, make sure to take advantage of the $2,700 cash incentive that is currently available on leases of this car.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
Hey pegasus17. I just answered your post a few seconds ago. Please scroll up for my response. Thanks and have a great day!
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
nvnick1 Posts: 9Carman -
Can you provide the current MF & residual for the '14 6 Touring here in Indianapolis? That's for a 36 mo, 12k miles/yr lease. Mazda recently announced that they were adding the manual transmission to the Touring car (currently only available in the base Sport model); does your crystal ball know when it will be released??? As always, thanks Carman!0
Certainly nvnick1. Chase's March buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36-month lease of a 2014 Mazda6 Touring Sedan with 12,000 miles per year are .00168 and 58% for consumers who qualify for its top credit tier.
Currently the manual trans is only available on the Sport. I'm not sure when it will be available on the Touring model.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
austinite23 Posts: 18Hi,
I am getting a 39mo lease (10k mi a year) with $0 down for touring with navigation package for $350 a month. I'm not sure how good of a deal this is...going to check out a couple of other cars but if anyone can tell me if this is a good price, i'd appreciate it.
You need to find out the residual, money factor and capitalized cost of the car as well as any fees included or not included in the capitalized cost. Any reputable dealer will tell you if you ask. You can't comparison shop on monthly lease amounts. You could go to ten dealers and nine give you one price and the tenth gives you a price $100 lower. You think you just got a great deal, but you put the numbers into a calculator and you find out the lowest lease quote actually priced the car out at abover MSRP.0
Perhaps I am missing something, but what you have stated doesn't make sense. Why should the buyer care if the lowest lease quote actually priced the car out above MSRP? First of all I don't think this is likely, since generally the higher the selling price the higher the lease (generally).
But secondly, the buyer is only concerned with how much money he is putting down and how much the monthly payment will be while meeting the desired terms of the lease (lentth and miles per year).
So if Dealer X is meeting my terms at the lowest monthly lease rate, but on paper the selling price is higher, I don't care if the dealer is making more money on the deal as long as I am paying LESS than at another dealer.0
Hi Car_man,
Would you please provide the leasing information for a 2014 Mazda 6 Sport Automatic for zip 66502 in Kansas? This would be for 36 months at 12,000 miles/year. Feature, economy, & price wise, I'm thinking it might be a better deal than a Mazda 3 i Touring HB & wanted to compare.
You are missing quite a bit and that is the reason a dealer would love to have you walk into their showroom.
Let's say you saw a car with an MSRP of $26,000 but with a selling price of $25,000 advertised by several dealers. Based on that, you would figure you could probably get the car for under $25,000 but worst case the full $25,000.
However, you are interested in leasing and visit three dealers. Two quote you $350 a month and the other $340. $325 is in your budget, so after some haggling, you knock it down to $325 a month and go home happy. Now, to calculate a lease payment, you need the residual, money factor, MSRP and selling price of the car. We know the MSRP of this car so let's use some typical residuals and money factors (60% and .00125) to back into the selling price. To get to a $350 monthly payment using these figures, the selling price would be $26,300. The $340 payment means they are selling you the car at MSRP. The $325 payment you bargained for means a selling price $25,500. I walk into any of the dealers, ask what the residual and money factors are and then ask for their lease amount. I put them into my calculator and tell them you are charging me more than the $25,000 advertised price. If I use a selling price of $25,000, the payment would be $312 so they say, oops, we must have made a mistake, of course we will use the $25,000 selling price. So you are happy with the $325 and I'm even happier. They are lots of people out there who would never think of paying MSRP for a car but haven't realized they actually did when they leased their car.0
and since your second point mentions using a down payment, I just want to add that unlike a purchase, where it's a good idea to put down as much as possible, it's the exact opposite with a lease. Should the car be stolen or totalled, you will not get back any of the money paid at inception. Yes, you would be paying a little more in interest but that should be considered really cheap insurance. You put down $5K on a lease to lower your payment by about $150/month and the car is stolen, you are out the $5K.0
Hey will_ksu. I see that you're looking at multiple Mazdas .
Chase's April buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36-month lease of a 2014 Mazda6 Sport with an automatic transmission and 12,000 miles per year are .00073 and 62% for consumers who qualify for its top credit tier.
Good luck and let us know which one you decide to go with.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
Thanks so much! It's still up in the air, but factoring in insurance, fuel, monthly payments, and taxes, it looks as though the Mazda6 Sport Auto is extremely comparable to a Mazda3 i Touring Auto HB with Preferred Package. For the Mazda6, fuel economy is comparable, insurance and payments are slightly cheaper, and property taxes are slightly higher. All this for a newer model year with a brand new design with more room and more power and equivalent features. It's definitely going to come down to how each one drives.
I know this month has barely begun, but any chance of guessing how they'll change the rates in May?
You're very welcome will_ksu. It's difficult to say what the May programs will be like at this time.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
You made a great post and I want to acknowledge that. However, I am very familiar with leasing. I have a spreadsheet in which I enter money factor, residual value, etc and I determine the monthly payments in advance based on what I am looking to pay for the car.
I think I skipped a step when I interpreted your post. I assumed that someone would always calculate the selling price beforehand. So in your scenario, if a dealer comes up $100 less than my calculated payment for the same car with the same equipment as other dealers, then I wouldn't really care how he is getting it done.
That being said, this scenario is unlikely because either I would had miscalculated my numbers terribly wrong or the dealer did. Math is math as much as I hate it. So I would surely double check my figures before committing.
Finally, I have also found that dealer MF and Residual numbers are sometimes different than numbers obtained here. Whether that's lying by the dealer who knows, but sometimes their figures are not te same so their calculations are different. This is assuming top-tier credit.0
Car_man I have several questions:
Are these numbers for the 2014 Mazda6 Touring the same for April as March?
Also, could you post the April MF and Residual for a the Touring, 36 months, but with 10K miles per year?
I notice you mentioned Chase, but Mazda's website mentions Mazda Capital Services. Are the numbers the same regardless?
Do you know the acquisition fee for the Mazda6? Is the security deposit the same as the first month's payment?
I have been looking at the Sport model and it seems to have everything that I am looking for already standard.
So could you please post the money factor and residual value of a the 2014 Mazda6 Sport Automatic with both 10K and 12K miles?
Very informative stuff here..
I was recently offered on the sport model automatic based on msrp of 23340 ( MSRP on mazdausa.com is 22495...)
15k miles per year, rebate 1000, cash down 1000
total payment 281.31 (includes tax)
Residual 60% 14,004 and net cap cost 22732
Can this deal get better? I'm doing further research, and would appreciate any input0
Are you aware of the lease 'promo/special' for April on the 2014 Sport AT?
It's a 36-month lease, $1999 due at signing (includes 1st mo & acquisition fees), $229/month (plus taxes, title and fees).
It allows 12k miles per year with $0.15/mile overage. MSRP is $23,290 including destination and payment is based on Cap Cost of $21,515.
Purchase option at end of lease is $14,207. Dealer participation required, as is top-tier credit.
You mention a $1000 rebate, is that the Owner Loyalty Incentive or something else?
I'm not sure if this will help at all or not, but just thought I'd throw it out there....2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT0
I wasn't aware until now. Thank you, for informing me, as it gives me leverage . But, I just got another offer from another dealer who I think may have closed the deal, if everything goes smoothly during the actual purchase.
257.60 a month w/ 1K downpayment and 1k owner royalty (for anyone w/ a mazda at your address)
based on 21919 (w/ rebate) + 595 acquisition fee.0
Glad I could help! It's actually $1989 due at signing and $219/month in some markets.
But the $257/mo OTD is sounding pretty sweet! What color (interior and exterior) are you getting?2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT0
This is a very vague question, but I'm only looking for a vague, ballpark answer...
I'm helping a friend of the family find a new car before the lease experies on her 2010 Infiniti in a few weeks and she turns it in.
She loves the Mazda6 i Grand Touring and plans to lease again. She is 60-years old, credit score in the 780+ range and owns a Physical Therapy practice that cleared over $200k last year.
Currently, cash flow is a bit of an issue, but it will return to normal in less than two months. She just had some MAJOR unplanned expenditures (over $15k) very recently. So she would like to keep the amount due at lease signing as low as possible.
1- What is the least down payment she could expect to pay on a 36-month lease on a 2014 Mazda6 Grand Touring?
Any chance of $1000 due at signign (which I know typically includes first month payment).
2- What is a ballpark estimate for the monthly payment on a 2014 GT 36-month lease? Is $350 realistic? Or $400/mo?
I just need a very general idea, can I tell her a payment between $300 and $400 is doable?
She is in love with the Mazda6 and so am I. I also have a 2012 CX-9 GT and just gave my nephew my beloved 2006 Mazda3 5-door for his 15th b-day!
If we can't make the Mazda6 lease work out, Acura is currently running $0 down lease specials on a lot of models. The godawful TL 3.5 'Base' is $390/month for 36mos with $0 down, but a TSX Tech 4-door is also $390 with $0 down.
The TSX SportWagon is $360/mo, same term, $0 down and the TSX 'Base' 4-door is $330/mo.
The TSX Wagon would be my (distant) 2nd pick after the Mazda6....
HELP me out guys! I'm just dont' want to pursue the Mazdat6 any further and get her hopes up if it isn't financially realistic for her!2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT0
Hey biggbrother. Chase's April buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36-month lease of a 2014 Mazda6 Touring with 10,000 miles per year now vary by region. In some areas the money factor is .00073. In other areas it's .00045. If you tell me what state you are in I can tell you what factor is available in your area.
The residual value for this lease would be 59% everywhere.
Mazda Capital Services is just the brand name that Mazda uses for leases that it runs through Chase.
Chase charges a $595 acquisition fee on every Mazda that it leases. I think that you will probably be able to get your vehicle's security deposit waived.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0