text:
PDIC sells Davao bank's properties
Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. said Tuesday it successfully sold several properties of closed All Asia Bank Corp. in Davao City for P55.6 million.
The state-run deposit insurer said 61 properties were sold outright during the bidding on Aug. 1 while three properties were sold via negotiated sale.
PDIC is trying to sell 71 corporate real properties and 59 real properties of the closed bank with minimum disposal price of P243.9 million.
The agency said it was planning to conduct other public biddings before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, PDIC said it would start servicing the deposit insurance claims of depositors of the closed Banco Batangan, a rural bank based in Batangas.
The Bangko Sentral's Monetary Board placed Banco Batangan under the receivership of PDIC on June 21. The two-branch bank had 2,411 depositors with total claims of P114 million as of end-2011.
PDIC said depositors with aggregate account balances of P10,000 and below were not required to file their deposit insurance claims with the agency, provided their addresses in the bank's records were complete and updated and had no outstanding obligations with the closed bank.
Depositors with account balances above P10,000 are required to file their claims on their respective appointment dates.
PDIC said it would conduct the onsite claims settlement operations on Aug. 14 to 21. Claims will be processed at the PDIC office in Makati City while payment of insured deposits will be sent through mail.
Depositors who were not able to file their claims during the claims settlement period may submit their claims personally at the PDIC office at the 4th floor of SSS Building on Ayala Avenue corner Rufino Street in Makati starting Sept. 3.
PDIC said when filing deposit insurance claims, depositors should present the duly accomplished claim form and claim status sheet, original and photocopy of evidence of deposit, and original and photocopy of two valid photo-bearing IDs with signature of the depositor.
Bennett College Interim President: School Will Be Community Focused
Greensboro, NC — Bennett College was founded on service and community engagement but some alumni believe somewhere along the way new students and some alumni have lost sight of that.
Dr. Esther Terry, the schools interim president, has told the group, she wants to bring the school back to its roots.
News2 spoke with some alumni Sunday who told us they are anxious to see the change and ready to help.
Dr. Terry, along with dozens of alumni held what they call The Long Walk Sunday on the college campus to affirm the promise and rededicate themselves to their alma mater.
Dressed in all white, the group accompanied Dr. Terry from her house to the schools chapel for the service.
This day is so overwhelming; it is so heart fulfilling to see all of us back here, all of us supporting our college, said Dr. Lisa Johnson, an alumna of the school.
The Long Walk is about 500 steps from the presidents home to the chapel. Traditionally, the president is accompanied by at least 500 alumnae as part of the ceremony.
Wanda Mobley, the schools spokesperson, says the walk is symbolic of the schools entrance into a new phase inits 139-year history.
We want to be more of a community presence, we want the community to know Bennett is here for them as they have been here for us over the last 139 years, she said. We want to be, you know, join some clubs and organizations and we want those clubs and organizations to partner with us and come on our campus.
Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins and Councilwoman Yvonne Johnson were at the education service.
The school reports the alumni association contributed $900,000 in just the past academic year to support efforts at the college.
Alums have that foundation of being engaged and a part of the community and making change occur, and I think its important because the students need to continue that legacy, said Dr. Karen Martin-Jones, an alumna.
Dr. Esther Terry is the first alumni to lead Bennett College. She was named interim president after Dr. Julianne Malveux resigned in May of this year.
WFMY News 2
Property Business in Philippines Also for Young, Not-So-Rich
Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) (Source: Michelle V. Remo Asia News Network (MCT) With interest rates at historic lows and supply being abundant, the time is ripe for investing in real properties in the Philippines.
Contrary to common notion that it is fit only for big enterprises and the extremely rich, the property business is also something the young professionals and the not-so-rich can engage in.
While an individual is young, that is the best time to start building one's property portfolio, Carl Dy, Property sales coach and Ayala Land Premier sales director, told SundayBiz.
Ayala Land Premier is the developer of the group's most expensive projects.
At 34, Carl already has several properties in his portfolio from which he earns extra income, mostly from rent.
The property sector in the Philippines has continually grown over the past three years as evidenced by the growing number of condominium buildings among other real assets.
Because Asia is seen to continue driving global economic growth in the years to come, emerging markets in the region like the Philippines are expected to be keeping a robust growth as well.
Carl says that at a time of economic boom, the property sector is one of those that benefit the most. As incomes rise, he says, demand for properties grows as well.
Given this backdrop, he says, business-minded individuals should easily see the income opportunity over the medium to long term from investing in real properties.
Stars are aligned right now. Because of the economic boom in Asia, the benefits are trickling down to the Philippines. Almost all sectors are enjoying good business, and the property sector is not exempted, Carl says.
Carl, who grew up in Binondo in Manila seeing his parents run a hardware, says even a young professional like himself can engage in the property business. The business is actually much easier than other types, he opines, as it requires less management effort compared to, say, running a restaurant.
Medium to long-term return
However, Carl says, running a property business requires patience as far as generating income is concerned. Unlike other businesses that could generate profits within the short term, the property business is meant for those who have the patience to wait over the medium to long term to generate significant income.
For instance, one way to earn from the property business is to buy a piece of land, let its value appreciate over the years, and then sell it. He says the increase in the price of land can be significant over the years. Such a strategy does not entail too much management effort, but requires the skill of waiting, he says.
Another way to earn from the property business is to buy an asset -be it a house and lot, a townhouse, or a condominium -and have it rented.
A young, self-supporting professional may not be able to buy a property in cash, and so what he can do is pay for the property in installment basis.
He may not earn significant income in the initial years, Carl says, especially since monthly amortization is still being paid. The income generated from rental of the property will mostly be used to pay for the amortisation, he adds.
But once the years of amortisation are over, Carl says, the owner may fully enjoy passive income from his property, the value of which will have already increased significantly over the years.
Consumer be Wary Series: Searching for New Homes Online Fraught with …
San Diego, CA, August 05, 2012 –(PR.com)– Mountain Trust Realty, Inc. (www.MountainTrustRealty.com) and Mountain Trust Mortgage, Inc. (www.MountainTrustMortgage.com) have embarked upon a consumer awareness campaign to ensure that prospective home buyers and home sellers know that while there are many avenues for researching real properties available for sale, the most timely and reliable information can only come direct from a qualified real estate professional.
Increasing numbers of consumers have been turning to websites on the internet to research potential properties available for sale to see if they can eliminate the need to contact a real estate professional to help them to find a new home, or alternately, to first screen properties to then contact real estate professionals to assist with viewing them. Unfortunately for many consumers, knowledgeable Realtors know that many properties listed this way have frequently already been sold.
Many consumers are unaware that professional real estate agents pay dues to subscribe to an exclusive internal online multiple listing service (MLS) that is only available to member professionals, and which lists all current properties actually available for sale.
Sarah Smith, a professional Realtor who has run into the issue with a number of past clients notes: In order to make the best home purchasing decisions, timeliness and accuracy with regard to data is key. Many services on the internet today are a great way for consumers to conduct a preliminary survey of general market conditions. But when one is ready to move forward with a home sale or purchase, its important to contact a qualified real estate professional to find the best choices actually still available.
Gary Cooper, President of Mountain Trust Realty and Mountain Trust Mortgage, a recognized real estate industry consumer advocate, agrees: These other online services may be getting their info from the real estate industrys own internal database, but unfortunately, their databases are not regulated by any state or federal agency for maintaining accuracy. The listing service we use is highly regulated. That means that it is current, up-to-date, complete, and covers all listings available, from active listings, to homes in escrow, to homes that have been sold. This highly accurate data can further present a much more accurate picture of the overall market and home values in very specific locations. All members of this service Must follow strict guidelines in inputting amp; updating or face losing membership.
Smith and Cooper both note that while this database technology can be a great enabler, at the end of the day, when one is ready to commit to becoming a truly serious buyer, its best to hire an experienced, knowledgeable professional to get a thoroughly accurate take on the market.
Unfortunately, Cooper observes, like most everything in life, if you expect to do otherwise and get something for nothing…you often wind up getting exactly what you paid for.
About the Companies
Mountain Trust Realty and Mortgage Trust Mortgage are a full service lender and a real estate company uniquely positioned to provide clients with one-stop real estate shopping services conveniently located under one roof. Mountain Trust Mortgage has consistently been awarded an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau since we first registered with them nearly ten years ago. Our highly seasoned, vetted team of brokers and agents are specifically trained to actively listen to clients needs, identify relevant issues, and advise them with regard to a wide range of solutions that are in their best interests. We take pride in placing our clients best interests ahead of our own. Whether discussing potential loan modifications, refinancing as a last resort, or even short sales, our highly knowledgeable, talented team enjoy helping home buyers and sellers respond to what can often seem like daunting challenges with complete information, sensitivity, professionalism, and pride.
For more information, or to request a free initial consultation, call 858-376-1299.
Or go to www.mountaintrustrealy.com or www.mountaintrustmortgage.com
Gary Cooper, President
Mountain Trust Realty
Mountain Trust Mortgage
Short-listed assets: The JBC's unlucky 7
Note: The following is a companion piece to the story Transparency amp; the new CJ: Will Gods of Padre Faura bare SALNs at last?
PRESIDENT Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III said it best when he declared dissatisfaction over the shortlist of chief justice candidates that was handed to him by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) over a fortnight ago.
Indeed, despite the hoopla about the live television coverage of the public interviews, citizens fielding questions via email, Twitter, and Facebook, the JBCs recently concluded selection process can apparently stand vast improvement.
Among other things, the JBC could do with a more thorough check of the wealth and possible conflicts of interests of those vying for posts in the judiciary and especially of those aspiring to become the countrys chief magistrate.
Apart from findings on the assets of new Chief Justice Maria Lourdes PA Sereno that raise questions, PCIJs research on the seven other short-listed candidates for the position follow:
Antonio T. Carpio. Considered by many as Serenos closest rival for chief justice, the high tribunals most senior member is still listed as a stockholder on record in the documents of at least three companies in the latest reverse search of the PCIJ this month: Techtrade AsiaPhil Inc. (General Information Sheet or GIS filed in 2012), One Bush Financial Advisors amp; Mgt. Inc. (GIS for 1997), and Philippine Arsenal Corporation, (1998 Primary License).
But as late as June 2010 when the PCIJ first called his attention to it the name Antonio T. Carpio was still enrolled as either incorporator, board member, or stockholder of at least 68 various corporate entities, according to the PCIJs reverse search of SEC records.
In the case of One Bush, Carpios reply letter to the PCIJ dated June 3, 2010, said the 375 shares worth P37,500 in ATCs name per 1997 GIS belong to former client.
For Philippine Arsenal Corp., he said, the 10 nominal shares worth P1,000 per 1998 articles of incorporation belong to former client. By the PCIJs verification, this company includes Severo Tuason, half-brother of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, as a major stockholder.
For Techtrade, Carpio said, the 50 nominal shares worth P5,000 in ATCs name belong to former client; inadvertently not updated.
As for the other firms, Carpio had told the PCIJ they were all or mostly his clients or that of the law firm that he co-founded, the Carpio Villaraza Cruz Law (CVC Law), or simply The Firm in legal circles.
Last week, the PCIJ emailed and faxed a letter to Carpio to inquire about the identities of the former clients in whose names he said he had nominal shares in Techtrade and Philippine Arsenal Corp. He has not replied as yet.
Meanwhile, two other companies Carpio Dev. Corp. and Bersol Dev. Corp. — were supposedly formed for Carpio family, did not operate, no assets and formed for Bernardo and Sol Carpio, parents, did not operate, assets are co-owned by heirs of Bernardo and Sol Carpio, respectively.
Three entities were also listed by Carpio in his reply to be owned by CVC Law: Foreign Business SVCS Corp., Corporate Reorganization Consultants, Inc. and Arcatrade Intl. Corp.
Carpios divestment from the CVC law on Oct. 25, 2001 the day after he was appointed to the Supreme Court has been reported in The Firms amended SEC papers. Yet, neither The Firm nor the SEC has records showing how much Carpio actually raised from his divestment from The Firm, who acquired his shares, and whether Carpio reflected the amount he raised from the divestment in his SALN and tax declaration for the year 2001, the year he entered the high court.
Bowing to public clamor for the justices to bare their SALNs during the impeachment trial of Renato Corona, Carpio and Sereno had separately disclosed summaries of their SALNs in January 2012.
Carpio had reported to have assets of P47,344,928.00 and liabilities of P75,000, for a net worth of P47,269,928.00 as of the year 2010.
Francis H. Jardeleza: First appointed by President Aquino as Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon on July 7, 2011, Jardeleza was named solicitor general six months later in February 2012. In his quick, short stint in public service, he should have already filed three SALNs upon assumption as Deputy Ombudsman on July 2011, as of December 2011, and upon assumption as Solicitor General in February 2012. His first two SALNs should have been filed with the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and the third, with the Office of the President.
The PCIJ was able to obtain Jardelezas July 2011 and Dec. 2011 SALN from the CSC. It has a pending request for Jardelezas Feb. 2012 SALN with the Malacantilde;ang Records Office, whose staff confirmed that the document is with the office.
Jardeleza had served as Corporate Secretary, General Counsel, and Compliance Officer of the diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corporation (SMC) until June 2011, according to published reports of the company.
He was designated to serve as compliance officer in 2006 to insure adherence to corporate governance principles and best practices, by no less than SMC board chairman and chief executive officer at the time, Eduardo lsquo;DandingM. Cojuangco Jr., uncle of President Aquino.
The GIS for 2011 of an SMC subsidiary, San Miguel Beverages Inc., still lists Jardeleza as a stockholder as of June 14, 2011, or just three weeks before he was named Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon on July 7, 2011.
The SALNs Jardeleza filed as of July 2011 and December 2011 make no mention of his interests in SMC anymore. Also, a subsequent GIS form that SMC submitted to the SEC on July 9, 2012 no longer lists Jardeleza as a stockholder.
In his December 2011 SALN, Jardeleza does not specify in which companies or instruments he has trust, fixed income, equity investments, and club shares that he valued at a total of exactly P160,000,000.00. He also names himself and wife Concepcion as having business interests and financial connections in a company that he does not identify, although he says it involves lease of residential property.
As of his December 2011 SALN, the solicitor general has a declared net worth of P221.62 million. It includes 13 pieces of real properties (house and lot, condominium units, salt bed, fishpond, riceland, etc) worth P58.94 million, personal and other properties worth P169.69 million, and liabilities of P7.02 million, representing a housing loan with the BPI Family Savings Bank.
Roberto A. Abad. The second most senior associate justice of the Supreme Court is still listed as a stockholder in the documents of two companies: Neo-Prex Trading Corp. and Omni
Prex Inc.
For the PCIJ story on the assets of the justices that ran in June 2010, Abad sent a reply letter dated May 28, 2010 in which he described these two companies as family corporations where I remain a stockholder.
There were other companies in which Abads name has been listed in the SEC records. In response to specific queries, Abad had written the PCIJ: I have no recollection of AS Business Solutions, Inc., Triad Business Assistance Inc, Filtropic Aqua Farms Resources Inc., OB Trading Corp., and Philippine World College, Inc.
I have been in private practice of law for 23 years before my appointment and I may have been included as nominal stockholder by my clients but I have no recollection of actively taking part in their management, Abad added. It is also possible that the stockholder is my namesake because in my experience, there are at least two Roberto Abads. The other one is also a lawyer.
But Abad also acknowledged that Roberto A. Abad amp; Associates 1 and Roberto A. Abad amp; Associates 2, and Abad amp; Associates are the names of my law firm where I was the senior partner.
My cousin asked permission to use my name for the foundation, Rosendo O Subido Sr. Charities for Poor Children giving harelipped children free surgery, Abad said. Communio Et Mission Formation Institute is an adult catechesis organization where I am a director still. But AM Integrals, Inc. is a messengerial company where I already sold my shares sometime in the 1980s.
Associate Justice Arturo D. Brion. His latest available SALN on file with PCIJ dates back to 2006, when he was labor and employment secretary. At the time, Brion declared he had 12 real properties worth P34.5 million, cash in bank of US$25,000 and P40,000, receivables of US$30,000, and liabilities of US$10,000 (loan from Erasmo Brion) and P500,000. He reported his net worth at P39.15 million at the time, six years ago.
His real properties included five pieces of agricultural lands that he said were inheritance properties of his wife, Antonietta A. Brion, and one agricultural land and one house and lot that he said were donations.
Brions 2006 SALN also bared that his wife was then working as Court Attorney IV with the Court of Appeals, while his brother Job D. Brion was health officer of San Pablo City.
Associate Justice Teresita L. de Castro. Her latest available SALN on file with the PCIJ is as an associate justice of the Sandiganbayan in 2003. At the time, she reported having six real property assets worth only P1,041,000 (two houses and four lots in Paranaque acquired from 1983 to 1997), personal and other properties worth P2.34 million more or less, and liabilities of approximately 2M.
She did not fill out the line indicated for her net worth although the amounts she enrolled would bring it to P1.39 million only.
De Castro disclosed under the section for business interests and financial connections that her husband Eduardo de Castro was connected with the Goldlane Taxi company as of 1997. She also said that her half-brother Eduardo L. Leonardo was then working as executive assistant with the Sandiganbayan, and her daughter Christine Genevieve, executive assistant at the Court of Appeals.
Cesar L. Villanueva. The chairman of the Governance Commission for GOCCs (government-owned and controlled corporations) or GCG had also served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Makati Medical Center, Clark Development Corp., Clark International Airport Corp., and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Kapampangan Development Foundation.
The PCIJ has no copy of Villanuevas SALNs as chairman of GCG.
Villanueva is also listed as incorporator of the Philippine Association of Law Schools, Inc. in its 2010 articles of incorporation and by-laws. The Law School listed under Villanueva is the Ateneo de Manila University in Rockwell Center, Makati City.
As well, he is listed as incorporator of the Ateneo Class 81 Blue Legal, Inc. in its 2005 articles of incorporation and by-laws. Villanuevas address is the same address identified in the articles of incorporation of the Philippine Association of Law Schools, which is Villa Gloria Subdivision in Angeles City.
The GCG was constituted under Republic Act No. 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011 to act as a central advisory, monitoring, and oversight body with authority to formulate, implement and coordinate policies for GOCCs, government financial institutions, government instrumentalities with corporate powers, and government corporate entities. The Budget and Finance secretaries are ex-officio members of the GCG.
Ronaldo lsquo;Ronnie B. Zamora. In his SALN for the year 2009, his latest on record dated April 29, 2010, or weeks before he ended his term in the 14th Congress, Zamora did not declare a single company in which he has business interests and financial connections. But PCIJs reverse search and public disclosure records of companies in which he and elder brothers Manuel and Salvador II have significant equity interests show that Congressman Zamora had for years already been well connected to many corporate interests.
The ex-congressman from San Juan who had also served as executive secretary of former President Joseph Estrada is board chairman of Cagdianao Mining Corp. or CMC, which registered with the SEC on July 25, 1997 as a 100%-owned subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp., where he also sits as a board member. CMC is primarily engaged in the exploration, mining and exporting of nickel ore located in Cagdianao, Dinagat.
The congressmans brother Salvador II made a P5-million contribution to President Aquinos election campaign in May 2010. It was received on March 2, 2010.
In the same election period, Congressman Zamora served as a campaign strategist of Nacionalista Party presidential candidate and Sen. Manuel B. Villar, Aquinos rival candidate.
A certain Ronaldo B. Zamora is listed as stockholder of Jaguar Security amp; Investigation Agency, Inc. in the General Information Sheet (GIS) of the company for the years 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Zamoras listed address in the GIS (Ayala Heights, Quezon City) is different from the one listed in his SALNs (Greenhills, San Juan City). Both documents show the same Taxpayers Identification Number or TIN (105-549-511), however.
If the Ronaldo B. Zamora listed in Jaguars GIS is the same Ronaldo B. Zamora being referred to, by all indications the former congressman did not declare Jaguar Security amp; Investigation Agency Inc. in his 2008 and 2009 SALNs.
Interestingly, Jaguars 2012 GIS, which the SEC received on May 17, 2012, no longer lists Ronaldo B. Zamora as a stockholder.
In another company, Plus Properties, Inc., Zamora is also listed as board member and stockholder in its 2011 and 1997 GIS only. Zamoras address in the 2011 GIS (7 Lopez Jaena St, Ayala Heights Village, Old Balara, Quezon City) is different from the one listed on his SALNs (Greenhills, San Juan City), but the TIN is the same in both documents. The PCIJ does not have the 2011 and 1997 SALNS of Zamora.
Yet another company, Equinox MDSG Corp., in its 1983 primary license, enrolls a certain Ronaldo B. Zamora with address at 52 Van Buren Street, Greenhills, San Juan, MM as stockholder. Zamoras address in his 2001 SALN is 22Van Buren St., North Greenhills, San Juan. The two documents bear similar signatures.
These gray matters about the state of wealth of the chief justice nominees remain unsettled issues pending the disclosure of the SALNs particularly of the incumbent justices, and the two other nominees from the Executive branch. With research by Rowena F. Caronan, PCIJ, August 2012
14% Dividend Yield, Heavy Insider Buying Make This mREIT A Strong Buy
Two Harbors Investment (TWO) was one of the mortgage REITs that we considered in our mREITs portfolio. Among the mREITs in the portfolio, Two Harbors continues to be the only REIT that positioned its assets portfolio in a way that enabled the company to earn the highest interest rate spread of 3.6%. Amid the non-existent interest rate environment, it offers an attractive dividend yield of 14%. The stock, when compared to its peers, is valued at a slight premium. The companys alternative investment strategy, and the blend of agency, non-agency, fixed-rate, and adjustable-rate mortgages make the stock an ideal diversified investment. These reasons, and the heavy insider buying witnessed during the current year, make us bullish on the stock.
Company Overview and Asset Portfolio Composition
Two Harbors Investment is one of the rarely followed mid-cap hybrid US REITs, which aims to primarily invest in residential mortgage-backed securities for which principal and interest payments are guaranteed by any government-sponsored agency. It also seeks to invest in non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and residential mortgage loans. As part of a diversification approach, the company also invests in single and multifamily residential real properties in the US This is another reason why we have classified it as a hybrid REIT. The property is rented in order to generate income. Over the last five quarters, approximately 81% of the companys asset portfolio was composed up of agency MBS, most of which (approximately 82%) were fixed rate, while the remaining are adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). The companys exposure to ARMs reduces its sensitivity toward interest rates and prepayments risk; however, the sensitivity from either is not totally eliminated. The company uses short-term investments, particularly repurchase agreements, which are float-rate debt instruments used to fund its assets portfolio.
Recent Quarters Performance Review
The company earned a net interest spread of 3.6% during the second quarter of the current year, 30bps below what it earned during the first quarter. This was the lowest in the past four quarters. In comparison, both Annaly Capital (NLY) and American Capital (AGNC) posted a net interest spread of 1.54% and 1.65%, respectively. This is largely due to the fact that Two Harbors invests in high yielding non-agency securities, while Annaly Capital and American Capital exclusively invest in agency securities only. Like Annaly Capital and American Capital, the spread for Two Harbors declined largely due to the flattening of the yield curve. Due to the continuous efforts made by the Fed, the yield curve flattened, decreasing the yields on the assets that these mortgage REITs earned. An asset yield of 4.6%, which Two Harbors earned on its residential mortgage-backed securities, declined by 30bps compared to the linked quarter. This was lowest since the last year. At the same time, the company seemed to not have benefited from the declining short-term interest rates, as its cost of borrowing remained flat at 1% when compared to the previous quarter. This is still below the 1.5% and 1.08% costs of borrowing for Annaly Capital and American Capital , respectively.
Net interest income for the company during the second quarter surged to $90.4 million, up from $36.9 million during the prior year. Net interest income surged primarily due to a 161% surge in interest income coming from available-for-sale securities. Interest expense for the quarter surged to $15.5 million from $3.8 million in the first quarter.
Alternative Investments
US housing is bottoming. This represents an attractive investment opportunity, and as an alternative investment, the company has been purchasing properties, including foreclosed homes, to be rented out. The company purchased homes worth $48 million in July, bringing total homes purchases since the beginning of the year to $120 million. Fitch is reluctant to give Two Harbors the best credit ratings owing to limited performance data for the sector and individual property management firms. Analysts at Fitch further state that data on market rents, rent roll histories, vacancy rates, and supply and demand also have limited availability. If the rest of the credit rating agencies follow, the company might have difficulty raising debt in the future.
Insider Buying
The following graph illustrates how heavy insider buying has been witnessed since the beginning of the year. A total of 115,500 shares were purchased by some of the top executives of the company, reflecting their bullish sentiments on the companys future.
Click to enlarge image.
Source: Insider-Monitor.
Risks and Their Mitigation
Like all mREITs, Two Harbors asset portfolio is subject to interest rate risk, prepayment risk, changes in home prices, and defaults by homeowners. However, the blend of agency and non-agency securities in the assets portfolio enables Two Harbors to reduce most of these risks. The company does not expect housing prices to stabilize fully during 2012. This, combined with the stubbornly high unemployment rate of 8.3%, lead the management to expect no significant acceleration in prepayments in 2012. However, we believe the Feds continuous efforts to flatten the yield curve through Operation Twist, its maturity extension program, and the government-sponsored Home Affordable Refinance Program HARP, have the potential to significantly affect the companys prepayment expectations.
The current economic situation validates the optimism over further easing by the Federal Reserve Bank. In the event of such easing, interest rates are expected to decrease further. In such a scenario, if interest rates decline by 50bps, Two Harbors, in its latest quarter filing to the SEC, mentions a 3.8% (or $14.9 million) decline in net interest income. At the same time, the value of total net assets will increase by $12.5 million.
As part of the companys investment strategy, the management deploys moderate debt in the capital structure, which is reflected in its leverage ratio of 4.8 times. This is in comparison to 3.4 times, 7.85 times and 8.66 times for MFA Financials (MFA), American Capital Agency, and Capstead Mortgage (CMO), respectively. The company maintains relations with 23 different counterparties for its funding requirements in order to reduce its counterparty risk. Besides having domestic counterparties, the company has relations with international counterparties in Europe and Asia. European counterparties constitute over 32% of the entire funding requirements of the company, while approximately 40% of the funding requirements are covered by international counterparties. Where this strategy reduces counterparty risk, it increases risk stemming from the European debt crisis. If the crisis worsens, Two Harbors could face a funding shortfall and might have to seek funding from other counterparties.
Dividends and Share-Repurchase Program
Mortgage REITs in the US are well-known for their enormous shareholder distributions in terms of dividends, and TWO is no exception. In the prevailing nonexistent interest rate environment, Two Harbors stock offers a massive dividend yield of 14% as compared to 1.71% offered by a 10-year US treasury.
Besides, the company aims to distributed wealth among its shareholders through its share repurchase program. The management is authorized to repurchase 10 million shares of its common stock.
The stock, with a YTD performance of 24%, is trading close to its 52-week high and has a P/B value multiple of 1.15 times. The stock trades at a slight premium of 5.5%, 8.5%, and 8.5% when compared to Invesco Mortgage Capital (IVR), Capstead Mortgage and Annaly Capital, respectively.
Based on the above analysis, we recommend yield-hungry investors to buy the stock and reap the benefits of its sufficiently attractive dividend yield. The company employs moderate leverage giving it more room to increase debt to support its dividend distributions in the short term, and magnify results. This, however, should constitute a small part of the entire mREITs portfolio, and to better diversify the mREITs portfolio we recommend buying American Capital Agency and Annaly Capital.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
Business relationship disclosure: The article has been written by Qineqts Financials Analyst. Qineqt is not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). Qineqt has no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Guest column: Less income, higher auto insurance premiums demonstrate need …
By Pete Kuhnmuench
Its time to change. Michigan has the highest mandated auto insurance medical benefit in the country. No other state comes close to requiring the unlimited, lifetime medical benefits that Michigan law requires all policyholders buy. A recent study showing Michigan motorists are paying a higher percentage of their household income on auto insurance than those in other states demonstrates its time to reform this expensive, unsustainable high-benefit system.
Prop 33 Cheat Sheet: Auto Insurance Rates Based on Driver History
News gt; Ballot Brief gt;
Elections 2012 gt; Propositions gt; Prop 33 Cheat Sheet: Auto Insurance Rates Based on Driver History
THE RUPEE: dollar slips
OPEN MARKET RATES: The rupee, however, dropped by 40 paisa versus euro for buying and selling at Rs 115.00 and Rs 116.00, respectively. At the weekend euro posted its first weekly drop against dollar and yen in three weeks on Friday as investors refocused on the uncertainty surrounding possible European Central Bank action to contain the debt crisis and deteriorating growth in the euro zone.
A weaker-than-expected rise in Chinese exports, which followed disappointing German data earlier this week, stoked concerns about global economic growth. That boosted the safe-haven dollar and yen and pressured commodity-linked currencies such as the Australian and Canadian dollars.
Open Market Rates: InterBank Market for Dollar on Saturday.
RUPEE IN LAHORE: The Pak rupee stayed unchanged on buying side while it gained five-paisa on selling side in relation to the greenback in the local currency market on Saturday.
According to the currency dealers, the dollar commenced trading at its Friday closing of Rs 94.20 and Rs 94.50 as its buying and selling rates, respectively. There was no visible change in the dollars value during the days trading. However, at the end of trading, it was closed at Rs 94.20 and Rs 94.45 on buying and selling sides, respectively, the dealers said.
The rupee-pound sterling parity remained unchanged amid sluggish trading trend in the open market. The pound was traded at its overnight closing of Rs 146.50 and Rs 147.30 on buying and selling counters, respectively, they added.
RUPEE IN ISLAMABAD AND RAWALPINDI: The rupee-dollar parity remained unchanged on the open currency markets of Islamabad and Rawalpindi here on Saturday.
The dollar opened at Rs 94.2 (buying) and Rs 94.3 (selling) against same last rate. It did not observe further change in the evening session and closed at Rs 94.2 (buying) and Rs 94.3 (selling).
Pound Sterling opened at Rs 146 (buying) and Rs 146.5 (selling) against same overnight value. It did not observe further change in the evening session and closed at Rs 146 (buying) and Rs 146.5 (selling).
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Price Insurance Urges Illinois Parents to Review College-Bound Children's Auto …
Illinois-based insurance agency provides auto insurance education for parents with college-bound children.
Lake Forest, Illinois (PRWEB) August 16, 2012
Local Illinois insurance agency, Price Insurance, provides auto insurance advice to the parents of college-bound children. The agency encourages parents to review their children's car insurance policies, especially if freshman will be leaving their car behind for the first year.
Many times, college campuses do not permit freshman students to have cars on campus. This rule is mainly due to the lack of space on school grounds. If a campus with a population of 20,000+, such as Eastern Illinois University, allowed all students to have a car on campus, there would be no room to move.
If this is the case, parents are responsible for notifying their insurance agency. Why? Here are a few reasons why it is important to let an agent know about a college-bound child:
- An agency may be able to "suspend" car insurance while a student driver attends college that is 100 or more miles from home.
- Student drivers may be eligible for a "low mileage" discount, especially if the car will only be driven once the child is home on break.
Those students who are able to take a car to campus should still speak with an agent. Depending on the location of the school and where the car will be parked, the premium may be affected. The bottom line: Always inform insurance agents of changes.
Parents should understand that it is not wise to cancel car coverage all together. While it may seem like a good idea to get rid of the car insurance policy on a car that is not being driven, this could backfire once a child is home for winter or holiday break. Without car insurance, any accidents, issues or damages will not be covered. Luckily, the agents at Price Insurance are ready to help residents with this change. The Illinois insurance agency is committed to securing its clients, whether parents or students, with the appropriate coverage for an affordable price.
About Price Insurance:
Price Insurance was founded by Paul T. Price in the 1920's. It is a fourth generation insurance agency and has been family-owned and operated since 1937. Over the years, the agency has built a solid network of carriers, allowing the staff to build detailed, unique and affordable Illinois insurance packages. Local residents looking for a wide variety of personal and commercial insurance in Illinois should turn to Price Insurance for high-quality protection and service.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/8/prweb9804692.htm


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July 5, 1942 - July 2, 2017
Service Date: July 7, 2017
Funeral Home Nepean - Garden Chapel
Peacefully surrounded by family at the Queensway Carleton Hospital on July 2, 2017 just shy of her 75th birthday. Beloved mother of Brenda (David) Ford, Brian (Heather), Betty (Gary Starkey) and Bonnie (Idris Maloba). Loving grandmother of 8 grandchildren. Dear sister of Grace Graham, Bruce (Diane) Skimming and Jimmy (Diana) Skimming. Predeceased by her parents James and Mary Jane Skimming and survived by her former husband George and many nieces and nephews. Friends may visit at the Garden Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes 3440 Richmond Road, Nepean on Friday, July 7, 2017 from 10:30 a.m. until service time in the chapel at 11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated.

subset: commoncrawl


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Disability Insurance from RBC Insurance
RBC Insurance has four Disability Insurance Plans
1. Professional Series policy provides a long-term individual disability income protection to fee-for-service /non-salaried professionals, consultants as well as other high income professionals and executives who work in corporate business settings. With Professional Series' extensive benefit options, you can closely match policy coverage to your particular needs…Know more about Disability Insurance.
2. Quantum Series takes a different approach to providing long-term individual disability income protection to fee-for-service professionals and consultants as well as other high income professionals and executives who work in corporate business settings. Quantum policy is a guaranteed renewable policy until age 65, with a loss of earnings definition of disability, integration of benefits and a focus on rehabilitation. Learn more about the Quantum Series and get quotes to help.
3. Foundation Series policy offers comprehensive long-term total individual disability income protection with a wide selection of optional benefits (e.g. long-term and short term partial disability benefits, FIO, COLA). The selection of benefits is suitable for a wide variety of people such as business owners, employees, blue-collar workers, farmers and the middle income market. The Foundation Series is non-cancellable to age 65. Build a strong foundation of living benefits…know more.
4. Bridge Series policy closes the gap between traditional disability insurance products, such as The Foundation Series™ policy, and non-traditional products, such as The Edge* product. It offers comprehensive long-term total disability protection priced by occupational class and with a wide selection of optional benefits (e.g. long-term and short-term partial disability benefits, FIO, COLA). Bridge Series policy is guaranteed renewable until age sixty-five. Build a bridge of financial security by contacting us.
Different Definitions of Disability
Unlike Life Insurance which is quite straightforward, Disability Insurance can be a little more complicated and technical. One of the things important to understand in a Disability Insurance policy the definition of Disability. There are three most common definitions of total disability used in injury and illness insurance contracts are….
Disability Insurance : Its importance and significance
- For someone under 65, there is 60% more likelihood to become disabled than to die without any ailment.
- The second leading cause of bankruptcy in Canada, behind over extension of credit, is a disability of some kind. An injury or an illness leads to a disability which generally creates an inability to work in your regular occupation. This could lead to serious financial problems like a reduction in income, liquidation of assets and further bankruptcies…..


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The Gaz-67b is a vehicle designed solely for transportation, they were general purpose 4-wheel drives made by the Soviet Union during WWII.
[edit] In Game
In Call of Duty: United Offensive, the Gaz-67b is the Soviet Union's main transportation vehicle. It can hold three people; a driver, a gunner and a passenger. Just watch out for tanks and enemies with anti-tank weapons; they'll destroy you in no time flat.
If you feel like using it as a taxi, get in and honk the horn. That usually attracts somebody that needs a ride. When they get in, ask them where they want to go and drive them there.


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[previous chapter] [start from the beginning] "I know you're exhausted, Nathalie, but there's something I want to tell you."
Oh boy, exhausted wasn't the word. She was beat. So much she didn't care if the sun rose next morning or not. She was drained. She couldn't even manage to answer him, she just nodded.
"I've never been so proud of you, you know that? You have been so strong these past two weeks, you put me to shame. You are so precious to me; I want to hold you and never let you go."
She managed a smile. "Well, now, let's not go crazy, it's not that bad."
He looked at her, saying nothing.
"Well, it's just… I actually do want to go crazy."
"Oh, really. What crazy do you have in mind? Because at the moment, the only crazy thing I'm thinking about is how much I'd love a cream soda…"
"Cream soda?!?" What the hell was that about?
"Yeah. Cream soda. I used to love them as a kid. I'd probably hate them now; it's nothing but awful sugar and artificial flavours. But still, I want one."
There was suddenly a spark in his eye. "Oh yeah? What would you give to get one right now?"
"Anything you want."
"OK, that's a deal. Marry me."
"Marry me."
"You're serious?"
"Never been more serious in my whole life."
"But why?"
"Is that a no?"
"No! It's not a no. Oh gosh, I'm screwing this up, am I…"
"I wasn't sure what to expect, but I am at some point hoping for a yes…"
She threw herself at him. "You're crazy!"
"I know."
"And yes, I will marry you."


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Our Price: £23.99
Very simple and elegant mask hand covered in a midnight blue glitter on a flexible coton lined Italian mask base.
The side is decorated with an array of small dark rich blue feathers and dark blue rhinstones.
Limited Edition design. Ties with ribbons as standard. Customise with a wooden stick below
Standard size suitable for most face shapes. If you require a custom petite shape then please request in the Order Notes at checkout or e-mail us.
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High Gi Low Gl Foods
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Sensory Room for Adults With DD
$175 of $4,995 goal
Raised by 4 people in 30 months
New Concepts for Living is a non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
We were founded in 1981 by a group of families who had children with developmental disabilities. As the parents began to age, they had less physical ability to handle the demanding needs of their children. And, naturally, they worried about the future of their children if anything were to happen to them.
Our first group home opened in 1986 and, in present day, we operate 10 group homes with 3 more nearing completion. The individuals in our homes receive 24/7 care and attention 365 days a year. We currently house a total of 60 residents and growing. The homes are, in part, funded by the State of New Jersey, however we have not seen an increase in funding in over 10 years as operating costs continue to rise.
We also operate a day program located in Rochelle Park, NJ. The foundation of our day program is to provide our clients with skills and experiences that they would not have otherwise, while cultivating their cognitive and social development. Our day program offers behavioral services to our clients with a focus on conflict resolution skills, and improving their independence and self worth. We also offer a variety of therapies including psycho therapy, group therapy, pet therapy, and even couples therapy. In our day program, our clients learn skills, such as time and money management, that help them integrate into community roles. We also assist some of our clients with job training and placement.
We instill positive community values to our clients. We frequently take field trips with our clients to volunteer at places like our local Veteran's hospital, Goodwill, and the Salvation Army. We feel that creating a loop pattern of helping people aids in strengthening our community. Our goal is to keep growing, keep helping, and keep strengthening. This is where our donors come in!
With all of the growing that our agency is doing, we need assistance accomodating the needs of our clients and our facility. We need basic items such as chairs for our lunch room and class areas. What triggered me to start this page was our desire to provide our clients with a multi-sensory calming environment. We are in need of an upgrade to our current calming room. All that lives in our calming room now is an aging bean bag chair, a couch and a landscape painting. We would like to have a bubble tube and mirror along with a more serene lighting option and projector in our calming room. Items such as these, will greatly reduce the anxiety, and behavioral episodes that our clients experience. It will provide the residents and staff alike with a lift in morale.
We do not have a timeline for this project, however we would hope to provide this for our clients as soon as we can.
For more information on our agency as well as news on our activities and upcoming events please visit www.ncfl.net or like us on Facebook at facebook.com/newconceptsforliving and on Twitter @_newconcepts_. Please feel free to call 201.843.3427 or email Matt at firstname.lastname@example.com for more information on our agency and our cause.
On behalf of the individuals that have dedicated their life's work to bettering the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and the amazing individuals we serve...Thank you for considering donating to New Concepts for Living.
Update 3
21 months agoShare
Please help us reach our goal so that we can continue to provide our residents with the best possible care.
Update 2
29 months agoShare
We still need help to build our sensory room. Please consider making a donation. Big or small...everything helps. Thank you!
Update 1
30 months agoShare
Thank you to our donors. Every dollar gets us closer to our goal!
Be the first to leave a comment on this campaign.


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We were delighted to discover that 'The Secret' has been featured on the Glamour Magazine Website in their fast beauty section and is currently the product that consumers have voted they are Most In Love with! Click here to find out what they said.
We have also had our products reviewed by the lovely Sherrie who runs the gorgeous beauty blog 'Mirror mirror on the wall'. Click here to follow the blog and find out what Sherrie thought about our products!
Those of you that follow us on Facebook and Twitter will probably already know that we were at the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham from the 3rd to the 8th of December - we did talk about it quite a lot! It was our first year at the show so we were very excited about exhibiting (and perhaps a little nervous).
We are happy to report that the show went really well - it was lovely to meet so many of you that we have been chatting to, and to introduce others to the brand and let them sample the range! We also picked up some lovely purchases from the other brands exhibiting including some lovely Models Own products that we will no doubt rave about in another post! If you couldn't make it to the show here are pictures of our gorgeous little stand and the catwalk show that went on throughout the week:
If you want to see more you can view a little video of what went on during day one of the show here.
Please tag yourself in our pictures if you were photographed as one of our Clothes Show 2010 Hula Hunnies!
And last (but certainly not least) thank you all of you for following our blog and helping make this such an exciting time for us!
So did any of you come along to the show and what did you think of it?


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Tips for finding a job overseas
When I decided to take the plunge and move abroad, I did not know that it would be one of the best decisions in my life. But at that very moment, I stood on the crossroads of uncertainty, wondering over such mundane things as 'What am I going to do when money runs out?', 'Who will hire an immigrant like me?', 'What are the job perspectives for a non-native English speaker?'
Looking back at those doubts, I want to say to my past self: hey, chill! Even if you fail to find your dream job, moving to live abroad will be a rewarding and possibly life-changing experience anyway.
It's necessary to admit to yourself that miracles happen as soon as you leave your comfort zone.
When my boyfriend and I made that radical decision to move overseas and both quit our well paid jobs, I was preparing myself to accept lower pay, entry-level job, fewer responsibilities and less stability once I'm in a foreign country. However, luck was on our side, as he got a call about a month before we were supposed to leave, and got an offer in Australia, which came a little bit out of the blue and very convenient for both of us.
This is what I learned while looking for a job overseas.
Before moving abroad
Research the geography — Not all cities have opportunities in all markets and industries. You need to know the SME and large companies that recruit and what they do. For example, Australia has federal jobs (mostly reserved to citizens), mining companies (coal, iron extraction) in Brisbane and a few Tech jobs and FMCG in Sydney. Arts is stuff of Melbourne, while Gold Coast hires people who work in wildlife conservation and research. Singapore has almost everything! In US, Dallas is all about aviation, Austin and SF is Tech, NY is banking and design, LA in entertainment, Cincinnati is Manufacturing, Florida focus on aviation and exports to South America, DC has government jobs etc. It's a bit of a stereotype, I know, but it definitely helps to maximize your chances to find a job as you usually don't know the market and big company names of your host country, especially if you haven't studied there!
Go Global — If you are working in an international organization in your home country, you can ask for a transfer position (safe but very long process!) Note: you need to be in the company in your home country for at least 12 month to apply for a L1 (transfer visa) to the US. If you are willing to join a small company from the European Union, you can always suggest them to develop their business in the host country (eg. public-private partnerships, Business France).
Online Networking — Never underestimate networking. One of the scariest parts of moving to a foreign country is that you have to start from scratch with all the network you've built back home, all those people that would help you get into places, score job interviews, find new openings. So be ready: have a Linkedin profile (Pay for Linkedin Premium to contact people at least 6 months before). Do not ask them for jobs. Participate in groups discussions, congratulate people when they change jobs, propose to help finding potential new hire etc, discuss each other's life projects and professional and personal accomplishments. It's not an interview, it is friendly and enjoyable communication through professional (social) network. It should be as pleasant (or more) as surfing on Facebook.
Ask your friends — Before moving abroad, ask around. Share your desire to live overseas with other people. Chances are they know someone who knows someone who has been living in this country… Note: do not share too much information about your plans as the conversation may end up in endless arguments about what it's like to quit a stable job and move overseas. You don't need that.
Get certified — Education systems vary a lot among countries and you will probably have to get additional trainings or certifications (eg. translation of diplomas, TOEIC or TOEFL). Also, don't dismiss teaching jobs. Teaching your own language can be a quick revenue stream before finding a suitable job, but is becoming more and more competitive, although the market is still inexhaustible.
Cultures & Languages — Avoid nationality cliché (at least when speaking in public). Sense of humour, narrative and rhetoric are generally acceptable among native people. So be very cautious but still genuine and sincere. Don't hurry to be understood and accepted. Always give the benefit of the doubt (not once but twice). Language is worth investing or at least investigating into. Most jobs prefer to hire someone with the knowledge of local language or ability to learn fast. If you do not know the local language, do not waste time applying to small businesses which operate in their local language and target large corporations. While working in large corporations, get to know local specifics and management style.
Tools & Figureoutable mindset — Find out how locals get hired around here. Global job seeking websites may not bring you satisfying results, online recruitment practices may not be as mainstream as it is in the US. Some countries in South Asia use more Viadeo than Linkedin. Do your research. Google local job seeking groups on social networks, find out the country's websites for job listings. Finally, in some places nothing works better than the word of mouth, and you might just get hired after you've arrived and made some local connections.
Visas — Work visas are not your problem if you've already been hired and your legal status has been taken care of by the company. But if you are moving to work abroad in a freelance capacity, or planning to look for a job on the spot, have a look at the local immigration laws. This can be one of the most stressful parts of your journey. For countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, that offer working holiday visas, you have to apply from your home country. Be aware of the underlying requirements of each visa. In the US, you can always find an intern / trainee position (J1 visa), ask for free legal advice online or ask questions to consulate. Be aware of scams!
Once in your host country
Networking, networking and networking — Go to as many events as possible in your city. Get some tips from Matador Network and subscribe to Internations (Albatros membership is cheap) and Meetup social network. Check the Chambers of Commerce website. Be willing to go out and talk about yourself and repeat the same personal story over and over again. Have a "catch-up lunch" with people you are in touch on Linkedin. Learn about local sports. (I hate that too, but well…). Bear in mind that some companies might look for your language abilities. (hint: google your dream job description followed by "Italian speaking"). Your language is a competitive advantage for some multinational companies.
Contact a Recruitment agency — in order to prepare for interviews. Do as many interviews as possible even if you are not enthusiastic about the job! Some companies publish "fake" jobs to find out what types of candidates are available. Candidates should be able to sound out the types of companies and interviews available as well. Who knows, it can actually turn out to be a great opportunity after all! And they also will proofread your CV as job titles differ from one place to another and you might need to modify something along the way.
Learn the language — obviously. Not only the standard email sentence "looking forward to talking to you soon" or "I shall get back to you ASAP", but you will need to learn to understand and speak "slang in a loud Irish Pub". Good luck.
Learn about exciting topics such as: immigration law, tax, retirement plan and personal finance. Are you resident for tax purposes? Are you allowed to leave the country while changing visa? Did you register for Social Security within 30 day? Exciting! When it comes to personal finance, be curious!
Example: most credit cards in France are considered debit cards in the US as you spend the money you own. While in the US, a credit card allows you to spend money you "borrow" from the bank. Yep. This is capitalism.
Know your worth — Know your selling points: you are smart, you've got a degree, you've got a certificate, you speak this and that language, you've traveled on several continents, you adapt easily to new surroundings and cultural differences do not scare you, you have recommendations from your former employer, your CV printed out and on a USB, maybe even a bunch of business cards. You will be a valuable addition to their international team. And repeat this again.
Most importantly
Remind yourself as often as possible why you started this journey. Totally worth it.
Useful links
Originally published at lanaventura.wordpress.com on July 5, 2015.


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It's a scary world when countries become riskier than companies.
Rocky Humbert responds:
I'm probably being dense, but I still don't follow your logic. You first sentence doesn't address my point about what's happening in the PIIGS right now — sovereigns are being shut out of the bond market, but blue chip borrowers are conducting business (pretty much) as usual. The rising sovereign interest rate seemingly is becoming less and less relevant to the conduct of business to business lending. In pointing out this 7-sigma phenomenon in a private correspondence with a very knowledgeable spec this morning — that this is a a very different world than we've seen for the past 40 years — the spec replied, "[This is closer to ]the world that JP Morgan inhabited, where sovereign credits were more risky than sound companies and the banks bailed out the Treasuries. I grasp what you mean in the context of not-owning-risky assets when things seem uncertain. However, this is a mindbending paradox. The risk is arising from the riskless asset. So if the riskless asset is becoming more risky, does it follow that the risky assets are proportionally more risky? Because if you sell the risky asset because you're scared of the riskless asset, do you buy the riskless asset even though it's becoming risky even though it's what made you sell the risky asset to begin with???


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On Tuesday, Radio Shack notified 400-450 employees BY E-MAIL that they were losing their jobs. This has, understandably, drawn a lot of criticism in the media. One blogger I think nailed it when she described the action thusly: "Disgraceful."
I thought Radio Shack was skirting the bottom of the ethics barrel when they charge exorbitant prices on remote control cars during December, only to discount them 70% the day after Christmas. But, no, this one exceeds my wildest expectations. I'm just wondering what routes for notification that they rejected before deciding on e-mail?
Here's what I think they considered first but eventually ruled out.
- Giving employee layoff or choice of their crappy merchandise.
- Mandatory participation in game show called "Guess Who's Unemployed?"
- Use of literal firing squad, blindfolds, cigarettes, etc.
- Developing a page on their corporate web site called, "Do you have a job today?" where employees can go daily to look for their names on a hit list.
- Wheel of layoffs. Similar to the wheel of savings, you see at Carnival Shoes, except that instead sections being marked $5 off or "Buy one Get one free," there are people's names.
- Notification by way of carrier pigeons wearing black wing bands.
- Singing telegrams.
- Spontaneous combustion when laid-off employee unknowingly tries to use his key card.
- Television notification, right after the Lotto numbers
- Delivering layoff notification in same envelope as draft notification.
Full Bio
Toni Bowers is the former Managing Editor of TechRepublic and is the award-winning blogger of the Career Management blog. She has edited newsletters, books, and web sites pertaining to software, IT career, and IT management issues.


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words & images lauren howe
The quinoa field had been attacked by ticonas, little green caterpillars that eat away at the crop, gobbling up half the grain and leaving it with a white appearance. Ten minutes earlier, rural farmers remarked about the pest attacking a neighboring parcel, but they did not imagine that the outbreak would also spread to their plot. The farmers had sprayed pesticide once this season when the quinoa plants were coming up, but now it seemed that every single plant was infested with the ticonas.
My hosts walked around inspecting the fields. Meanwhile, I stood by one plant and gingerly peeled off about thirty ticonas from the leaves, stem, and panicle.
The farmers gathered branches from small shrubs and lit a fire. They began to chant prayers with the necessary accessories: small ornaments molded into different shapes (for offerings to Pachamama, the sun, moon, wind, etc.) and two, one-liter bottles of Huari beer. I could make out a few words of their mutterings, which included, "Mother Earth, please do not let our other parcels be infested by pests." They were practically begging Pachamama to save the remainder of their crop as they shook beer bottles, popped them open like champagne, and sprayed the foam over the quinoa. We each took turns pouring alcohol on the fire, which left a satisfying sizzling sound.
I am spending four days in the Bolivian village of Santuario de Quillacas, about an hour outside of Challapata on the road to Pampa Aullagas and Salinas de Garci Mendoza. Quillacas, founded in 1501, serves as the political center of the Quillacas municipality, a once larger conglomeration of surrounding communities ranging from as far as the Chilean border to the Bolivian cities of Cochabamba and Sucre in the valleys. It was once a thriving hub where they used to mine gold and copper from the surrounding hillsides.
I was hosted by Willy, the president of the "social control" branch of the local government, and his older sister Fidencia. As we look out over the surrounding quinoa fields and as far as the two mountains that shroud Potosí in the distance, we are sitting at the top of the bell tower of Quillacas' lone church, in fact built by Argentineans in the early 1800s per the Spanish. As Willy recounts the history of this sleepy village, I imagine gauchos from Argentina and traders from Peru and Chile on horseback, passing through and spending the night in one of the dilapidated homes along the road. Apparently, the main road continues to be of great importance in linking the Chilean border to points east in Bolivia.
I am here assisting my hosts in the field as they begin to harvest the most mature plants. Yet when we walked past the Bolivian neighbors working, it was as if I was literally transported back in time to the Ladakhi village of Likir. The Bolivian Altiplano reminds me of Ladakh, the northern Indian region where I spent five weeks, two on a barley farm assisting with the harvest and threshing. The Ladakhi and Altiplano landscape are similar: barren, vast, and mountainous with high altitudes, sapphire blue skies, and a scorching sun.
The quinoa plants had been cut and set into neat piles on the ground. The Bolivian quinueros (quinoa farmers) proceeded to scoop up the heaps and were stacking them in teepee-like structures to dry. This was exactly what we had to do in Likir with the barley. Perhaps it is a traditional practice characteristic of all grains, but I found it strangely comforting, as if I already was familiar with the rhythms of harvesting this Andean pseudo-cereal.
This familiarity certainly eased the process. We woke at 5:30 in the morning and were in the fields before daybreak, able to watch the sun slowly ascend over the hills and pierce through the morning fog. I quickly discover how starting early is much preferred as the high altitude magnifies the heat and noontime sun. Soon, I developed blisters on my hands as we used the hoz or sickle to cut the quinoa from the base. This is a much-improved method over ripping out the entire stock, roots intact, as farmers did many years ago. Not only does it reduce erosion, but it also assists in maintaining organic matter in the soil.
Hand-harvesting quinoa is rhythmic and cutting with the sickle requires a certain technique, one I have yet to master but have undoubtedly improved in three days. But after a long day of blisters, sunburns, and sweat-filled labor, I also realize how far we still have to go with improving the harvesting process, which is where appropriate technology and mechanization comes in: machines that can ease drudgery but not entirely displace labor or disturb long-standing cultural practices.
There was something incredibly special about walking back home under the stars and moonlight after a day working in the field. Although we only harvested about a quarter of a hectare, it was hard, rewarding work. I was donning a shawl and wide-brimmed bucket hat that belong to my Cholita host. In that moment, I felt very Bolivian.
After leaving my hosts in Quillacas, I offered to compensate them for lodging and food, but referencing our previous conversations, Fidencia just smiled and said, "No, it's ayni," referring to reciprocal labor exchange that used to characterize the agricultural systems of most villages.
I wish that I could get all of these stakeholders into a room. Farmers think that the government and NGOs aren't helping them enough. The government thinks they are doing a ton. From my interviews and experiences, NGOs seem to be very helpful with technical support, but private businesses think that NGOs are just doing theoretical studies and not actually helping farmers in a practical manner. Farmers' associations think that private business have all the power and neglect to offer technical support or credit (when they actually are in the case of the company Andean Naturals), while businesses think that farmers are holding out and manipulating prices (e.g., CABOLQUI and CECAOT said the exact opposite). Meanwhile, in the eyes of both farmers and private enterprises, middlemen seem to be scheming and profiteering off everyone by speculating on prices, contributing to the contraband and illegal quinoa trafficking in Peru, and taking advantage of farmers' desperation for cash.
On the contrary, I've read academic studies that position intermediaries as a necessary "evil" in the system, and that in some cases actually contribute positively to the local economy by "breaking" rural isolation and providing farmers with household provisions, mobile banking services, and a sales outlet for unwanted quinoa byproducts. Everyone seems to doubt each other when, in reality, perhaps if everyone sat in the same room, then maybe they could see the truth: how each other's activities are making real impact with immense potential for synergy and collaboration in strategic planning for the future, for the longevity and sustainability of quinoa in Bolivia for generations to come.
Quinoa can change the world. I feel like I've fallen in love with the crop. I love the way quinoa looks when the sun rises or sets behind it, illuminating the panicle and giving it a soft iridescence. If I were to go on a date with quinoa, it'd be spent drinking quinoa beer, eating quinoa salad with cranberries, walnuts, roasted carrots and avocados with a lemon poppy seed dressing, and finishing that off with quinoa chocolate chip cookies for dessert while watching the documentary Mother Grain. Something about this ancient Andean pseudo-cereal resonates strongly with me.
While I have sometimes felt a disconnect with the culture, food, and people of Bolivia, quinoa has more than compensated. As a unique agent of agricultural development, quinoa has the potential to help eradicate global hunger and uplift thousands of small farmers. According to the Vice President of Bolivia, "Quinoa is a treasure, a grain of gold that can be the salvation of Bolivia and of the world." It will be fascinating to see what the future has in store for quinoa, or alternatively, what quinoa has in store for the future.


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Monthly Archives: September 2013
Wish Me Luck
Dearest friends, I'm sorry that I must be off for uncertain time due to my business in searching new job and place to stay, but I promise once I have settled I will come back here. Now all I … Continue reading
Cee's fun Foto Challenge : All In One Color
Beauty of the rainbow is created by some of color layers but this time Cee make those each color brings another beauty to another mood and sensation and here are my shot for this challenge 😀 Thanks to :
Weekly Photo Challenge – An Unusual POV
Well, an unusual POV, for me it will be easy to understand this category as 'framing photography' even so I still doubt if my interpretation is correct. Whatever it is unusual point of view has brought me these kind of … Continue reading
Weekly Photo Challenge – Sea
What a nice place! But unfortunately it has been for years I don't go to the beach to see the beautiful of the blue sea. This time Sara Rosso come up with this idea for this week challenge and it … Continue reading


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Cosimo Flat-Weave Wool Rug
The fastest way to add tile style to any room. Offered in easy-to-coordinate colors, this wool flat-weave rug has casual patterning that's interesting but not overwhelming -- with heathered yarns for extra dimension. And it's reversible for extra wear. * Classic design and a modern color sense translate beautifully to all decors * 100% wool * Whipstitched edges * Imported
Price: $68.00 - $458.00
Sedona Stripe Flat-Weave Wool Rug
Customer Rating:0.0/5
This handwoven flat-weave wool rug anchors any room with soft colors and subtle stripe patterning. Ideal for high-traffic areas. * 100% wool * Reversible for twice the wear * Imported
Price: $88.00 - $798.00
Kota Flat-Weave Rug by Dash & Albert
Define any space with gorgeous geometry in an easy-to-match neutral palette. This handmade flat-weave rug is an inviting blend of wool and cotton -- with a touch of metallic for subtle shine. * By Dash & Albert * Pattern features a diamond grid inlaid with diamonds, and finished with stacked-diamond detailing at both ends * The neutral ground has natural striations for extra depth and dimension...
Price: $98.00 - $1198.00
Ashley Woven Rug
This soft, handwoven wool rug features dimensional cables for subtle textural patterning throughout the house. * Handwoven from wool blend * Finished with short fringe at both ends * Imported
Price: Was $498.00 - $978.00
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Duvall Handwoven Wool Rug
A warm, welcoming addition to any space from the front entry to the master bedroom, this flat-weave wool rug charms with soft plushness. Handwoven in a beautiful basketweave jacquard, its variegated yarns add depth and dimension. * Reversible for twice the wear * Wool/nylon/polyester * Imported
Price: $68.00 - $428.00
Winter Fair Isle Wool Rug
Customer Rating:0.0/5
Woven with sophisticated patterning inspired by traditional ski sweaters, our latest Fair Isle design adds folkloric charm to winter and holiday decorating. * Flat-weave construction; wool/cotton/nylon * Soft heathered ground, with snowy Fair Isle patterning and a touch of holiday red * Designed to complement our whimsical holiday bedding and decor * Detailed with clean selvedge sides; hemmed at ei...
Price: $98.00 - $178.00


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4 Crocodile (Imox or Imix): Meaning of the Mayan Nahual
Crocodile's core meanings are turbulence, instability, nourishment and raw creative power. It can be a good time to establish a new foundation, keeping in mind the potential for instability and unexpected setbacks. Watch our for deception and manipulation on Crocodile days.
Meaning of the Number
The number 4 is halfway to the top of the wave of the 13-day trecena, gathering strength and momentum in terms of cosmic meanings and astrological attributes. This is a well-balanced number that provides
support to your actions the same way the four legs of a table give support.
Researched and written in Guatemala, The Mayan Calendar User's Guide reveals astrological techniques and secrets never before published in the English language.
Order The Mayan Calendar User's Guide. (Ebook for PC, Mac, Kindle, I-Phone, smart phones)


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Cairn Sites at the Mouth of Turkey Creek, Cherokee County, Kansas
Author(s): Richard A. Marshall
Year: 1962
This resource is a citation record only, the Center for Digital Antiquity does not have a copy of this document. The information in this record has been migrated into tDAR from the National Archaeological Database Reports Module (NADB-R) and updated. Most NADB-R records consist of a document citation and other metadata but do not have the documents themselves uploaded.
If you have a digital copy of the document and would like to have it curated in tDAR, please contact us at email@example.com.
Cite this Record
Cairn Sites at the Mouth of Turkey Creek, Cherokee County, Kansas. Richard A. Marshall. Missouri Archaeological Society Newsletter. 158: 3-5. 1962 ( tDAR id: 242910)
This Resource is Part of the Following Collections
Geographic Keywords
20021 (Fips Code) • Cherokee (County) • Kansas (State / Territory) • North America (Continent) • United States of America (Country)
Spatial Coverage
min long: -95.075; min lat: 36.999 ; max long: -94.618; max lat: 37.34 ;
Record Identifiers
NADB document id number(s): 670369
NADB citation id number(s): 000000268917


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The thuja green giant variety of arborvitae is a fast-growing evergreen that has become very popular for hedges and privacy screens. Young trees often grow more than 3 feet per year and readily adapt to soils ranging from clay to loam. Green giant thujas are very-low-maintenance plants and can reach heights of 50 to 60 feet if not pruned.
Plant your thujas in direct sunlight if possible, although these trees will tolerate partial shade as well. If planting for a hedge or screen the trees should be spaced 4 to 8 feet apart. Closer spacing will limit the height of mature trees.
Water the tree thoroughly when planted. In most areas rainfall is adequate for thujas, but hand watering is needed during dry spells. Keep the roots of young trees moist at all times before and during planting as they can quickly die if allowed to dry out completely.
Prune your green giants only if you are training them as a hedge. As landscape plants, these trees naturally maintain a narrow column-type shape without pruning or shaping.
Fertilize your trees sparingly if at all. Green giant thujas are hardy and can usually obtain sufficient nutrients from most types of soil. Do not fertilize thujas when planted or during the first year of growth to avoid potential root burn. If you decide to fertilize, use a balanced slow-release formula and apply in early spring and fall.
Apply a 3 to 4 inch layer of mulch around the base of the tree as far out as the drip line. Wood chips or shredded bark are good materials to use. Keep the mulch at least 6 inches away from the trunk to avoid rot problems. The mulch will help the keep water near to the roots and keep weeds and grass at bay.


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IT'S enough to make anyone want to stay at home.
Abusive drivers, restless children and traffic gridlock are just some of the hazards facing motorists this bank holiday weekend, according to a new survey.
With millions of extra cars due on the roads over Whitsun, drivers can expect to get lost at least twice and be prepared for their children to start crying within 35 minutes of setting off.
The little darlings will also start to ask "Are we nearly there yet?" on average just 45 minutes into the journey.
The survey by motor insurance company Axa is the first of its kind to try to uncover the reality of holiday motoring, and follows face-to-face interviews with drivers at motorway service stations across Britain over the May Day Bank Holiday.
The holiday driving audit found that drivers can expect to spend between 30 minutes and two hours in traffic jams during their bank holiday journey.
The M25 is the most feared motorway, followed by the M6, the M1 and the M4 into Wales.
And while three in four travellers are likely to carry fruit pastilles and mints on journeys to arm themselves against the road ahead, they are just as likely to feel nauseous after consuming a pack and half of sweets per car.
As many as 23% drivers travelled with their vision partly obscured by luggage, clothes or bedding, while most (75%) had no packing strategy except just "throwing it all in at the last minute."
Forty-three per cent of children on the move had an argument in the back seat with 29% ending up crying.
The survey found that 28% of Bank Holiday travellers tend to take flasks of tea with them, and that the most popular nursery sing-along tune in a car to keep their spirits up was The Wheels on the Bus.
And with weather forecasters predicting the coming holiday weekend will be a typical damp British bank holiday, there's likely to be plenty of scope for even more singing.
"Unfortunately the great escape doesn't always end up being either great or an escape," said Carole Easton, customer relations manager for Axa Insurance yesterday.
"Holidays, which are intended to be happy stressbusters, can so often end up in tears and tantrums when they involve long journeys."
To add to drivers' woes, the AA predicts that bank holiday misery for motorists could be made even worse as a result of a number of football play-offs being staged at the Millennium Stadium over the weekend.
It expects around 45,000 Sheffield and Lincoln fans to travel to Cardiff for the play-offs on Saturday and Monday causing congestion around the capital city.
Alison Birkett of the AA advised those taking to the road over the bank holiday to be prepared for extra traffic, listen to local radio stations for news of any hold ups and try and travel out of peak times to beat the queues.
"A lot of motorists tend to get frustrated with the behaviour of other motorists. Our advice is to consciously decide before getting into the car that you're going to leave your problems outside.
"Take along a favourite tape or CD and get plenty of fresh air.
"People tend to head off to DIY centres and shopping malls when bad weather strikes on a bank holiday, so if you find that you get easily frustrated keep away from busy areas such as these. DIY and driving are two of the most heated subjects to fire an argument."
Preliminary weather forecasts yesterday show that travellers are in for a typical wet British bank holiday.
Rachel Vine, forecaster for the PA weather centre, said Saturday would be quite windy with showers and longer spells of rain arriving from the west.
And although the winds would die down on Sunday, there would still be a lot of cloud about and one or two heavy showers.
Monday will be no more cheerful with rain sweeping in again from the west and expected to affect all of Wales by midday.
"Temperatures will reach a high of 16C (61C) in sheltered spots such as Swansea and Gower but they will generally be between 12C and 14C (54F to 57F), a couple of degrees below normal for the time of year," she said.


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Thank you for your interest in Northstar Tennis at Northstar California Resort.
The tennis program at Northstar was established over 40 years ago, and since then, thousands of visitors to Northstar California have enjoyed a variety of tennis offerings, from professional tennis lessons to group camps (for adults and children), all designed to provide a thrilling summer activity while improving your game.
We've grown the program through our attention to proper tennis technique, exciting and unique tennis instruction, and a commitment to providing instructors who will not only help with your forehand, but who will make you smile while they do. Last year we taught over 2,000 guests and provided over 100 camps.
For the past 30 years, the tennis program was run by Zeke Straw, with Guillaume Tonelli serving as the head professional for the past eight years. In fall 2016, Zeke Straw retired and Guillaume Tonelli has been chosen as the new tennis director at Northstar California. We look forward to continuing the long tradition of exemplary tennis instruction at Northstar California for years to come!
A little about the resort…
Northstar California was founded as a ski resort in 1972 and has developed into one of the most unique and picturesque resort location in northern California, offering a fantastic variety of outdoor and indoor activities, all year round.
The resort at Northstar California has changed a lot in recent years. The village at the center of the resort has been modernized and now includes restaurants of all kinds, shopping (for winter and summer products alike), and many activities for children and adults (ice skating, bungee trampoline and ropes challenge, live music, fire pits, etc), all of which make Northstar California the perfect family getaway location.
With the addition of the Ritz Carlton and Hyatt properties, Northstar California has been recognized as one of the best resorts in the country.
In the summer months, Northstar California offers tennis camps and lessons, as well as a variety of other activities, including downhill mountain biking, pickleball, golf, hiking trails, swimming, fitness, massages, and more.


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India : At the end of the first innings, India has scored 172 / 7 in 20.0 overs against South Africa.
Shikhar Dhawan was top scorer in India with 47 runs in 40 balls.
Other notable players were Suresh Raina and Hardik Pandya who scored 43 runs in 27 balls and 21 runs in 17 balls respectively.
Junior Dala of South Africa bowled well and took 3 wickets.Another bowler who bowled well was Chris Morris who took 2 wickets.
Scorecard Innings 1 :
South Africa(Bowling)
The second innings is about to begin in few minutes with South Africa batting and India on the field.PrevNext
This page gives you the detailed report of latest news. Click on above links to get more information related to the news.


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Multifaceted and Leading Nurse from Tennessee, Cheryl Ruth Barnes, RN, Portrayed in Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare
November 28, 2014 Leave a comment
The International Nurses Association and Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare proudly announce the addition of Cheryl Ruth Barnes, RN, as an honorable member of the nursing community of Tennessee. Featuring 13 years in the healthcare industry with a special focus on hospice care, Cheryl has permanently displayed the commitment, vision, and skills required to be recognized as a Top Nurse in her challenging field.
Cheryl joined AseraCare Hospice in Mckenzie, Tennessee, as Clinical Case Manager and RN Case Manager in 2013. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, AseraCare is recognized among the premier providers of home health and hospice services in the nation. It also includes AseraCare Hospice, which delivers patients a full spectrum of services, including physician, nursing, therapy, social work, counseling, personal and spiritual care. The highly qualified team of AseraCare Hospice treats patients with respect, compassion, kindness and support on their end-of-life journey. Prior to her current work, Cheryl served as a Nurse Consult with St. Vincent New Hope, now New Hope of Indiana, in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she coordinated care for individuals physically/mentally challenged. Working with people with disabilities has given her a different perspective on life. Within AseraCare Hospice, she remains involved in staffing training. Cheryl was a Medication Class Instructor at St. Vincent's Hospital.
Cheryl joined the official ranks of registered nurses in 2001 when she completed her studies and training at Marian University. A member of the national Student Nurses Association, she is also the recipient of the Nursing 2000 Award, Hearst Grant (St. Vincent Scholarship) and Shirley Friedman Award. In her spare time, she volunteers as a mentor and tutor and also as a clown at St. Vincent's Hospital. She enjoys reading nursing publications also she is also passionate about gardening.
To find out more about Cheryl Ruth Barnes, please visit www.aseracare.com. Also be sure to look out for her upcoming publication in Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare.
To find a Doctor by Specialty and Zip Code, please visit www.findatopdoc.com and book your appointment online instantly.


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The city provides opportunities for lessons, fitness classes, swim teams, certifications, rental opportunities for parties and plenty of time for fun in the pool.
Northglenn Recreation Center Pool
The Northglenn Recreation Center is open year-round, complete with swimming lanes and a diving board. Entry into the recreation center provides access to the pool.
The pool also hosts drop-in fitness classes.
Kiwanis Pool
Kiwanis Pool, an outside facility, is open roughly between Memorial Day and Labor Day every year.
Lessons and programs are also available in the morning and evening.
Swim Teams
The City of Northglenn has two swim teams: the Snappers and Fusion. The Snappers is a recreation swimming program offered to youth ages 6 to 18 years old with limited competitive swimming experience, although they must have basic knowledge of swimming freestyle, the backstroke and breaststroke. The Fusion is a competitive swim team with more advanced swimming prowess, affiliated with USA Swimming.
The city offers a number of classes for any age or experience, from a baby's first time in the water to strong-swimming adults. Private lessons are also available.
A schedule and registration opportunity for all of the city's aquatics classes and programs can be accessed by going to the city's RecTrac online recreation registration system.
Register for Swimming Classes
Winter 2018 Aquatics Schedule Related Information


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hmmm, what's this, it's anger I see, I thought we tabled this feeling completely. no, no, the Heart says, it's help we will need, for long has everyone slept, the Dark, far extends does its reach.
you there, yes you, Lion, Love is your strength, Light is your fire, and in Anger, a Righteous Shield for the battle that will be.
balance, I thought, shouldn't balance, it be? you balance right now but push on because the dark it runs deep.
so roar of Love, shine your Light, and let your Anger resonate at the dark for the time is upon us for all to no longer sleep.


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Q: Is the GEF part of the Granby Public School system?
A: No. The GEF is an all volunteer, non profit 501(c)(3) organization that is separate from the school system.
Q: When was the GEF established?
A: In 2000.
Q: Who are the "Friends of the Foundation"?
A: The Friends are community members, like yourself, who participate in volunteer opportunities by assisting the GEF with its many activities throughout the year.
Q: Do you have to be a teacher to apply for a grant?
A: No. The GEF accepts grant proposals from any nonprofit organization. If you are not affiliated with a nonprofit, you may contact the GEF for help in partnering with an appropriate organization for your project.
Q: What is the Arts Endowment?
A: The Arts Endowment has been established as a permanent source of funding for quality arts programming that will expose multiple generations of our community to exemplary works of art in all forms.
Q: What has the GEF accomplished?
A: The GEF funded and established the Salmon Brook Ecology Center ($350,000), created the Arts Endowment ($200,000), and has awarded approximately $100,000 in Community Grants.


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We recently heard some rumored specifications on the new Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom, and now it would appear that Samsung may make the handset official this week.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom will come with Android 4.4 KitKat and is said to feature a 4.8 inch display with a HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.
Other rumored specifications on the Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom include a 20 megapixel camera and a 2 megapixel front facing camera.
The handset is expected to be powered by a 1.5GHz quad core processor and will apparently come with 2GB of RAM, the handset is said to come with a range of camera apps.
As yet there is no official word from Samsung on when the new Samsung Galaxy S5 will be announced, hopefully we should have some more details on the handset next week.
Source IntoMobileFiled Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Technology News


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End Water Poverty, "an international campaign to end the global injustice that causes millions to live without access to clean water and sanitation" has come out with the Advocacy Guide: UN High-Level Plenary on the MDGs to help "organise lobbying activities in order to influence the outcome of the UN's MDG+10 Summit in September 2010."
The Millennium Development Goals or the MDGs set by the Heads of the State in 2000 to achieve targets to end world poverty by 2015 will be gathering this year (20-22 September 2010) in New York to "review progress made to date, and agree to a plan to accelerate progress in the remaining five years."
There are several targets under the MDG which may remain unachievable by 2015 like the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). According to End Water Poverty campaing, this sanitation MDG target "example, will not be met on current trends in Sub-Saharan Africa until the 23rd Century." However, it is expected that such off-track issues will be considered in 2010 summit and renewed focus will be made to achieve these targets. In such a context, End Water Poverty sees an opportunity to launch campaigning at both national and international level to advocate for the issues relating to water and sanitation.
The Advocacy Guide seeks to accelerate efforts for achieving MDGs and invest particularly in sanitation "as part of a comprehensive approach to tackling poverty, hunger and ill-health." The guide outlines the calls for action in this context and also lists out some relevant strategies for undertaking the advocacy of these issues. From influencing governments to holding poverty hearings, there are some interesting approaches for organizations networking together for this movement.
Download the advocacy guide from this link.


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Very Aussie 'The Voice' contestant charms judges with constant use of the word 'flamin'
As most Australians live along the coast in urban areas, it's not often someone as "ocker" as the guy in Crocodile Dundee comes along. But when they do, the people love it.
The Voice Australia has unearthed Sam Hale and as well as being quitessentially "Aussie," he's quite an impressive singer, as evidenced in his take on Shawn Mullins' "Lullaby."
But it seems like most of the attention was on Hale's slang-heavy musings, which basically means he loves dropping the word "flamin'" into sentences — something only Alf Stewart from local soap opera Home and Away does, and he's not even a real person.
Is Hale even a real person? Surely not.
Seal, who is one of the judges on the show, is a pretty big fan of how Hale speaks. Why wouldn't you be? "It's perfect … do you think you could coach me to speak like that?" Seal asks Hale. It's not as easy as it looks.
Meanwhile, Kelly Rowland is confused and delighted, saying "I'm just trying to understand what you're saying."
And hey, viewers seem to like him too. See folks, this is how you win friends — just use the word "flamin'" a whole bunch of times.
@TheVoiceAU @Seal Hands down, 100% the funniest guy ever on The Voice Australia!!! 😂Great singer as well but what a pissser!!😆
— Peter Alexander (@petebillyrod94) April 30, 2017


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So I went exploring in the loft...
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24 October 2012, 13:58
Unregistered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Copenhagen / DK
Age: 38
Posts: 3,770
It sounds unlikely that all 30 disks are completely dead. You didn't format them all before you put them away and then forgot about it?
When you put in the disk, do you hear multiple clicks from the drive before the kickstart screen returns, or does it show again immediately?
Since you had a leaking battery, I would suspect that it could have caused some broken connections between the drive and the 8520 chips. I would do a detailed visual inspection of the area around the two 8520 chips and towards the floppy connector and check for miscolored tracks or black vias (should all be shiny silver colored).
If you can't find anything visually, the next step should probably be to try another disk drive. PC drives won't work directly, but any Amiga drive could be used for the test, if you can find one to borrow.
You cannot use a USB PC floppy drive for reading or testing Amiga disks.
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Current Events!June 12, 2008
Anyone up for heated internet conversation?
Let's share links to and opinions on interesting and significant current events that are happening this summer!
Is Hillary the best choice for VP?
Can something be done to curb food prices?
Should President Bush be impeached?
What's up with subsidizing big oil companies?
Got an opinion? Post it to the Current Events Page to get the convo started!
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