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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Santander Holdings USA was one of two banks whose capital plans were objected to by the Federal Reserve in its Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR). Another 28 banks passed the review, including Ally Financial, Capital One, Chase and Wells Fargo.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve reported that its Board of Governors objected to the capital plans of Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation and Santander "due to widespread and substantial weaknesses across their capital planning processes."
"The Board of Governors objected to Santander's CCAR 2015 capital plan on qualitative grounds because of widespread and critical deficiencies across the BHC [bank holding company]'s capital planning processes," the report read, in part. "Specific deficiencies were identified in a number of key areas, including governance, internal controls, risk identification and risk management, management information systems (MIS), and assumptions and analysis that support the BHC's capital planning processes."
Now in its fifth year, the CCAR evaluates the capital planning processes of the country's largest bank holding companies in part by conducting stress tests to determine a bank's common equity capital ratio — which compares high-quality capital to risk-weighted assets. In a news release issued March 5, Santander revealed that it expected its capital ratio to be above minimum requirements under the Federal Reserve's hypothetical severely adverse economic scenario.
"The companies' internal results under the severely adverse scenario also showed continued resilience through the forecast horizon," Santander stated in its release. "Using the companies' internal models and processes, Santander Bank's Tier 1 common ratio under the severely adverse scenario would decline from 13.4% at September 30, 2014, to 10.2% at December 31, 2016. The Bank's benchmark capital ratio would therefore remain above the minimum regulatory requirement of 5%."
The bank did pass the regulator's stress test in the severely adverse scenario, but opted to make voluntarily adjustments to its planned capital actions.
The Federal Reserve noted in its press release that while it did not object to the capital plan of Bank of America Corporation, it requested that the institution submit a new capital plan by the end of the third quarter to address certain weaknesses in its capital planning processes.
U.S. firms have substantially increased their capital since the first round of stress tests led by the Federal Reserve in 2009, the press release noted. The common equity capital ratio of the 31 bank holding companies in the 2015 CCAR has more than doubled from 5.5% in the first quarter of 2009 to 12.5% in the fourth quarter of 2014, reflecting an increase in common equity capital of more than $641 billion to $1.1 trillion during the same period.
The firms, collectively, are projecting that they will continue building capital from the second quarter of 2015 through the second quarter of 2016. The 31 institutions tested this year represent more than 80% of assets held by domestic bank holding companies, or $14 trillion as of the fourth quarter of 2014.


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Invention of the movable comb hive
Early forms of honey collecting entailed the destruction of the entire colony when the honey was harvested. The wild hive was crudely broken into, using smoke to suppress the bees, the honeycombs were torn out and smashed up — along with the eggs, larvae and honey they contained. The liquid honey from the destroyed brood nest was crudely strained through a sieve or basket. This was destructive and unhygienic, but for hunter-gatherer societies this did not matter, since the honey was generally consumed immediately and there were always more wild colonies to exploit. However, in settled societies, the destruction of the bee colony meant the loss of a valuable resource; this drawback persisted until the 19th Century, which made beekeeping both inefficient and something of a "stop and start" activity. There could be no continuity of production and no possibility of selective breeding, since each bee colony was destroyed at harvest time, along with its precious queen. During the medieval period abbeys and monasteries were centers of beekeeping, since beeswax was highly prized for candles and fermented honey was used to make alcoholic mead in areas of Europe where vines would not grow.
The 19th Century saw a revolution in beekeeping practice through the invention and perfection of the movable comb hive by Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth, an Italian immigrant to the United States. Langstroth was the first person to make practical use of Huber's earlier discovery that there was a specific spatial measurement between the wax combs, later called "the bee space", which bees would not block with wax, but kept as a free passage. Having determined this "bee space" (between 5 and 8 mm), Langstroth then designed a series of wooden frames within a rectangular hive box, carefully maintaining the correct space between successive frames, and found that the bees would build parallel honeycombs in the box without bonding them to each other or to the hive walls. This enables the beekeeper to slide any frame out of the hive for inspection, without harming the bees or the comb, protecting the eggs, larvae and pupae contained within the cells. It also meant that combs containing honey could be gently removed and the honey extracted without destroying the comb. The emptied honey combs could then be returned to the bees intact for refilling. Langstroth's classic book, The Hive and Honey-bee, published in 1853, described his rediscovery of the bee space and the development of his patent movable comb hive.
The invention of the movable-comb-hive fostered the growth of commercial honey production on a large scale in both Europe and the USA.
Evolution of hive designs
Langstroth's design for moveable comb hives was seized upon by apiarists and inventors on both sides of the Atlantic and a wide range of moveable comb hives were designed and perfected in England, France, Germany and the United States. Classic designs evolved in each country: Dadant hives and Langstroth hives are still dominant in the USA; in France the De-Layens trough-hive became popular and in the UK a British National Hive became standard as late as the 1930s although in Scotland the smaller Smith hive is still popular. In some Scandinavian countries and in Russia the traditional trough hive persisted until late in the 20th Century and is still kept in some areas. However, the Langstroth and Dadant designs remain ubiquitous in the USA and also in many parts of Europe, though Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France and Italy all have their own national hive designs. Regional variations of hive evolved to reflect the climate, floral productivity and the reproductive characteristics of the various subspecies of native honey bee in each bio-region.
The differences in hive dimensions are insignificant in comparison to the common factors in all these hives: they are all square or rectangular; they all use moveable wooden frames; they all consist of a floor, brood-box, honey-super, crown-board and roof. Hives have traditionally been constructed of cedar, pine, or cypress wood, but in recent years hives made from injection molded dense polystyrene have become increasingly important.
Hives also use queen excluders between the brood-box and honey supers to keep the queen from laying eggs in cells next to those containing honey intended for consumption. Also, with the advent in the 20th century of mite pests, hive floors are often replaced for part of (or the whole) year with a wire mesh and removable tray

subset: commoncrawl


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Assateague Coastal Trust
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The Assateague Coastal Trust's mission is to promote and encourage the protection of the health, productivity, and sustainability of the coastal bays watershed of Delmarva through advocacy, conservation, and education.
The Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland & Virginia) coastal area is a fragile, constantly changing ecosystem. Maintaining the health of this ecosystem is critical to preserving the way of life that is unique to the shore.


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Good Morning
Today we are sharing Sandra's creation using Paper Mache hot air balloon and decorating with Graphic 45 Come away with Me Paper Kit.
You can find these products on the Personal Impressions website. There is a stockist locator on the home page to find a stockist near you.
Thank you for visiting Today!


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Covering the Broncos for the Denver Post has been a dream
A few months ago, when my parents finally made me move several bins of my childhood belongings out of their home near Ft. Collins, I discovered original copies of The Denver Post sports section, dated Jan. 26 and Jan. 27, 1998 — the days immediately following the Broncos' first Super Bowl championship.
I was 16 years old and a writer on my high school newspaper when I saved those papers. (The next year, I would write my first Broncos' article — a story about a group of boys at my high school who formed their own club that met every Monday morning to break down Broncos' games. Pulitzer-worthy stuff, I'm sure.)
Discovering those newspapers this summer was a reminder that I was, indeed, living a dream. If you would have told 16 year old me that I would, just 15 years later, be working for that very newspaper, alongside several of the writers whose bylines graced those pages, I certainly would not have believed you.
That's why today is bittersweet for me.
This is the final piece I will write for The Denver Post. On Monday, I start a new job as a Denver-based NFL writer for USA TODAY Sports. I will be at the Broncos' next game, Oct. 28 against the New Orleans Saints, but I won't be in my familiar seat in the press box alongside my colleagues Mike Klis, Jeff Legwold, Woody Paige and Mark Kiszla.
My four and a half years at The Denver Post have come at one of the most interesting times in Broncos history. I covered three head coaches (Mike Shanahan, Josh McDaniels and John Fox), four starting quarterbacks (Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning) and five defensive coordinators. I was there for one of the franchise's lowest points (2010, just before McDaniels was fired) and one of the greatest (the overtime playoff win against Pittsburgh in January).
In my first month at the paper, I wrote about the other side of Brandon Marshall after uncovering a series of previously-untold stories of sordid off-field issues. I covered the Broncos' historic 2008 collapse — you remember, they had a four game lead in the AFC West with four games left — and Mike Shanahan's subsequent firing.
I was there for every minute of the saga Mike Klis dubbed "McJayGate" in the spring of 2009, one of the most bizarre coach-player feuds in the history of the league. That season brought a 6-0 start and 2-8 finish.
The next offseason brought the end of Marshall's time in Denver and the start of the Tim Tebow era.
Being along for the Tebow Experiment is unlike anything I had previously experienced (despite covering his Heisman season at Florida in 2007) and unlike anything I will probably ever cover again in my career. I'm fortunate to have been able to be along for that ride — and to have been allowed, as a beat writer, not to have had to choose sides. What Tebow brought to the Broncos, and their fans, last year was one of the best stories this city has ever seen.
And now I leave the Post as the Broncos are beginning of what looks like it could be a tremendous ride with Peyton Manning. I will still be at Dove Valley and Sports Authority Field at Mile High (and a number of road cities, as well) as this story plays out.
I leave the Post a stronger writer and reporter than I was when I arrived in 2008, thanks to an amazing group of colleagues.
That starts with Mike Klis, who I am happy to consider a mentor and a friend. I might be biased on this one, but there is no better beat guy in all of the NFL than Klis. I have learned so much invaluable knowledge about the inner workings of the game from Jeff Legwold, who has forgotten more about the NFL than most people will ever know. I have worked for a great team of editors: Dave Wright, Scott Monserud, Dave Krause and Torin Berge, who have all challenged me and provided a tremendous amount of guidance and support.
Columnists Mark Kiszla and Woody Paige have been mentors as well, and have taught me much about writing with confidence and creating a unique voice.
Social media was in its infancy when I joined the Post in 2008, and I'm happy to have been among the first reporters on our staff to embrace the medium. Twitter especially has been a tremendous outlet to connect directly with you readers and Broncos fans. I hope that you will continue to stick with me, as well as with The Denver Post's team of Broncos' writers, moving forward. You can find me on Twitter at @bylindsayhjones.
So, thank you, Denver Post for this tremendous opportunity over the last 4.5 years to write about the sport I love in the city I love. And thank you, Denver Post readers, for inspiring me and challenging me to always do more. I'm looking forward to this next step in my career, but I will never forget where this NFL journey started for me.


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09 March 2016
The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 31.66 points or 1.14% higher to 2810.43, taking the year-to-date performance to -2.51%.
The top active stocks today were Ezra, which gained 20.00%, DBS, which gained 0.73%, SingTel, which gained 1.34%, Keppel Corp, which gained 3.99% and Noble, with a 3.33% fall.
The FTSE ST Mid Cap Index gained 0.54%, while the FTSE ST Small Cap Index rose 1.32%.
The outperforming sectors today were represented by the FTSE ST Oil & Gas Index, which rose 4.43%. The two biggest stocks of the Index - Keppel Corp and Sembcorp Industries – ended 3.99% higher and 5.52% higher respectively.
The underperforming sector was the FTSE ST Industrials Index, which slipped 0.49%. Jardine Matheson Holdings shares declined 1.24% and Jardine Strategic Holdings declined 2.50%.
The three most active Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) by value today were:
SPDR Gold Shares (-1.49%)
IS MSCI India 100 (+1.11%)
DBXT MSCI Indonesia Etf 10 (unchanged)
The three most active Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) by value were:
Capitamall Trust (+0.47%)
Ascendas REIT (+1.28%)
Capitacom Trust (+1.06%)
The most active index warrants by value today were:
HSI19800MBeCW160330 (+1.65%)
HSI19600MBePW160428 (-1.49%)
HSI20200MBeCW160428 (+9.38%)
The most active stock warrants by value today were:
KepCorp MBeCW161212 (+13.79%)
DBS MB eCW160711 (+6.45%)
NKY 18000MBeCW160610 (-4.67%)
For real time price updates throughout the course of the trading day, investors can access and sort market information here.
Singapore Stock Market
Wednesday Tuesday
*ST Index 2,810.43 +31.66 2,778.77 -44.74
Volume: 2,021M 2,595.3M
Value: $1,204.1M $1,389.6M
Gainers/Losers: 243/147 128/304
Daily Market Commentary (Securities)
9 March 2016
The FBM KLCI index lost 1.51 points or 0.09% on Wednesday. The Finance Index fell 0.39% to 14284.22 points, the Properties Index up 0.13% to 1134.21 points and the Plantation Index rose 0.18% to 7854.01 points. The market traded within a range of 9.42 points between an intra-day high of 1686.35 and a low of 1676.93 during the session.
Actively traded stocks include AAX-WA, AAX, AIRASIA, XOX, SUNZEN-WB, EKA, HSI-HT , CHINHIN, SKH and SONA-WA. Trading volume decreased to 1826.93 mil shares worth RM1900.66 mil as compared to Tuesday's 2005.63 mil shares worth RM2065.80 mil.
Leading Movers were GENTING (+33 sen to RM8.68), MISC (+15 sen to RM8.85), GENM (+5 sen to RM4.29), YTL (+1 sen to RM1.59) and HLBANK (+8 sen to RM13.18). Lagging Movers were PETCHEM (-13 sen to RM6.73), MAXIS (-8 sen to RM6.30), WPRTS (-4 sen to RM4.00), MAYBANK (-8 sen to RM8.70) and UMW (-6 sen to RM6.97). Market breadth was positive with 446 gainers as compared to 341 losers.
The KLCI ended marginally lower at 1686.35 points amid overnight losses in Wall Street. Market breadth was negative as investors were cautious on absence of fresh positive leads.
Trading Summary
As of 9 March 2016 Unit: M.Baht
Type Buy Sell Net
Institution 3,521.73 4,752.20 -1,230.47
Proprietary 7,716.30 6,554.71 1,161.59
Foreign 16,931.44 16,437.12 494.32
Individual 28,052.74 28,478.18 -425.44
Total Trading Value 56,222.21 M.Baht
Vietnam index drops 0.5 pct; banks lead loss
Vietnam's benchmark VN Index .VNI closed down 0.52 percent on Wednesday, with banks leading the decliners and big caps moving mixed in volatile trade.
Half of the country's listed lenders headed south, including Vietcombank VCB.HM , Vietnam's second-biggest firm by market value, dropped 0.48 percent and BIDV BID.HM lost 2.25 percent.
Over 125.2 million shares changed hand, much below the five-day average of 141.6 million.
Here is a snapshot of the VN Index .VNI at the close
VN Index 571.71
SE Asia Stocks-Malaysia trims losses after cenbank keeps rate as expected
Southeast Asian stock markets were mixed on Wednesday, with Malaysia trimming most early losses after the central bank maintained its policy rate as expected while stocks in Thailand gained more than 1 percent on foreign buying.
Kuala Lumpur's composite index .KLSE ended 0.09 percent lower, with foreign investors buying shares for a ninth straight day.
Malaysia's central bank maintained its key interest rate at 3.25 percent on Wednesday as expected, and kept unchanged a reserve requirement ratio that it cut in January.
The Thai SET index .SETI climbed 1.2 percent as energy shares such as PTT Global Chemical PTTGC.BK and IRPC IRPC.BK
rose in line with oil prices.
Foreign investors bought Malaysian and Thai shares worth a net 147 million ringgit ($36 million) and 494 million baht ($14million), respectively.
Singapore .STI rebounded 1.1 percent after two days of losses while Vietnam .VNI fell for a second day, with banks leading the decliners. Indonesia was closed for a public holiday, reopening on Thursday.
Market Current Prev Close Pct Move
Singapore 2810.43 2778.77 +1.14
Kuala Lumpur 1686.35 1687.86 -0.09
Bangkok 1390.66 1374.62 +1.17
Manila 6948.18 6915.51 +0.47
Ho Chi Minh 571.71 574.71 -0.52
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It's all that you've dreamed of and craved for in the past months: your baby sleeping more than just few hours at night without waking up crying and wanting milk or cuddles or who knows what they want or need, probably not even themselves sometimes!
That moment has finally arrived! Baby is really sleeping long hours!
However somehow you are not. Wide awake, changing side, trying different positions, maybe wearing an eye mask, counting, tying some good old breathing and relaxation techniques, repeating to yourself "Just Sleep Please!" but nothing, still awake!!
Here's 5 possible reasons why :
- You think it's too good to be true and s/he will probably wake up as soon as you close your eyes so why even bother trying
- You can't believe you finally have hours for yourself and the adrenaline is so much that even if you are in bed you really are too euphoric to sleep, you could just start jumping & dancing around
- Your lovely baby is sleeping like an angel, yes but in your bed occupying all your space!
- You keep thinking about the million things you could do like cleaning, ironing, organising something, watching a full movie without interruptions, doing your nails and the list goes on.. that you never really have time to do and potentially have time to do now - just the thought of it makes you active even if you are just exhausted
- Your darling partner is snoring so loudly that despite being dead tired you would just need to be deaf to be able to fall asleep
In any case: don't despair, don't stress out, it will make it just worse!
We have a trick that will probably work - why not trying?
We have a trick that will probably work - why not trying?
What you need to do is one thing: visualise!


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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is on sale in the United Kingdom today, but those looking to get the game on Steam will notice that it's suddenly not on the storefront. The game recently blipped out of existence, and nobody's willing to give any comment on why.
Previous games to do this include Dragon Age and Brink, although Brink would later reappear. No idea if Space Marine is coming back, but PC fans can still nab a UK version via Direct2Drive and Gamersgate for £35. Interestingly, ShopTo.net is selling Steam codes for a very adequate £23, so that's an option too.
It still surprises me that we get issues like this. An industry as technologically cutting-edge as videogames and people still can't get their heads around the notion of a global market. International screw-ups shouldn't still be happening.
Space Marine's Mysterious Steam UK Absence [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
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Europe urgently needs a 150 billion-euro ($166 billion) bailout fund to recapitalize its beleaguered banks, particularly those in Italy, Deutsche Bank AG's chief economist said in an interview with Welt am Sonntag.
"Europe is extremely sick and must start dealing with its problems extremely quickly, or else there may be an accident," Deutsche Bank's David Folkerts-Landau said, according to the newspaper. "I'm no doomsday prophet, I am a realist."
With Italian banks weighed down by 360 billion euros of soured loans, the government has been sounding out regulators on ways to shore up lenders amid a renewed selloff after Britain voted to leave the European Union. Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, a former member of the European Central Bank's executive board who now chairs Societe Generale SA, said Wednesday that Italy's banking crisis could spread to the rest of Europe and rules limiting state aid to lenders should be reconsidered to prevent greater upheaval.
"I do not expect a second financial crisis like in 2008," Folkerts-Landau said, according to Welt. "The banks are much more stable today and have more equity. What we face this time is a slow, long downward spiral."
Also, cleanse and boost in 2020 by supercharging your body with our all-new combo pack now available at 50% Off!


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The Guam Youth Sports Association promotes an active lifestyle that allows young athletes to test their physical abilities as well as learn important values such as teamwork, leadership, and discipline. GYSA offers a variety of sports activities that are both fun and challenging.
Additional Phone # (671) 564-1845
Youth Sports & Fitness Registration Requirements
- Navy Child & Youth Programs Registration Form
- Youth Sports and Fitness Registration Form
- Parent's Association for Youth Sports (PAYS) Certificate
- Navy Child & Youth Programs Inclusion Plan from Physician
- Copy of Child's Birth Certificate or Passport


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As a Walmart Preferred Service Provider, Premium provides merchandising solutions for a wide range of Walmart suppliers.
Walmart's merchandising services program is designed to help drive sales, leverage costs, increase efficiencies and improve the customer experience.
In-store merchandising providers deliver Walmart-dedicated service models that yield higher accountability, quality and consistency in stores.
How we got here
Privately owned and operated with integrity, Premium's transparent, transactional business model ensures our clients only pay for the work performed.
Data drives everything we do, from analytics to out of stock alerts. And with a name like Premium, we foster quality work by being people-led and tech-empowered.
We're moving forward by moving beyond what's expected thanks to a spirit of innovation, thought leadership and value found nowhere else.
Contact us to learn more about our Walmart-dedicated model.
Are you ready to win at Walmart?
A soft landing for Samsung sales professionals.
Transitioning a team in four weeks.SEE HOW WE DID IT


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After the National Archives I went to see the butter at the Natural History Museum.
Here's a little more about it:
Take a stroll among live butterflies and exotic plants! Located adjacent to Partners in Evolution, this tropical oasis offers visitors a rare opportunity to get close to a variety of living butterflies from all over the world.What an amazing place. The pictures will show just how amazing.


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Cassini Plunges Through Saturn Moon Enceladus' Icy Spray
NASA's unmanned Cassini spacecraft has survived its closest-ever dive through the icy spray coming from Saturn's moon Enceladus. The probe skimmed 49 kilometres above the moon's southern polar region. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
Extraordinary UFO Encounter In Western Australia
Introduction By Keith Basterfield This post presents details of what can only be described as an extraordinary close encounter, with photographs, and official intervention, near the base, at Exmouth, Western Australia, in 1992/1993. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
Centaurs: The Solar system's Most Mysterious Objects
Out beyond the orbit of Jupiter, centaurs roam – small objects that share could be planets, comets or asteroids. Or maybe a little of each. In this article Jane McKinney on these weird little guys! (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
The Biggest Thing In The Universe Shouldn't Exist
What's the biggest known structure in the universe? Astronomers used to think it was a "filament" of galaxies known as the Sloan Great Wall. But recent research suggests a different structure is even bigger. (more…)Read MoreView Comments (1)
Astronauts Sleep In Padded Broom Closets & Velcro Their Heads
After months of intense training and a white-knuckled trip through the ozone layer at nine times the speed of a rifle bullet, you can bet that NASA astronauts need to bank some rest. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
I Want To Have The First Baby On Mars
Maggie Lieu, who wants to have a baby on Mars, is among five Britons short-listed for an ambitious project to establish a colony on the planet. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but its true. (more…)Read MoreView Comments (1)
Surprising Discovery Of Oxygen In Comet's Atmosphere
The biggest surprise so far in the chemical analysis of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko's atmosphere is the high proportion of oxygen molecules. This may overturn a lot of current theories (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
Black Hole Shows Amazing Flare
The baffling and strange behaviors of black holes have become somewhat less mysterious recently, with new observations from NASA's Explorer missions Swift and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
NASA Moon Buggy Saved By Scrap Dealer
A prototype lunar rover that was sold to a scrapyard and reported by NASA to be lost has now been found and may be heading to auction. NASA have a history of sloppy inventory logging. (more…)Read MoreView Comments (1)
A 'Triple Treat' In The Morning Sky
What's in the night sky this week? Glad you asked! There's plenty, and a big surprise I'll tell you about shortly! But first, armed with your binoculars, find a nice dark place away from the glare of the street lights. (more…)Read MoreView Comments (2)
US Astronaut Moon Watch Sells For $1.6 Million
An exceptionally rare watch worn by an American astronaut on the Moon which bears remnants of lunar material has sold for more than $1.6 million, a US auction house said Friday. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
Space Booze, Anyone? This Comet Is Spewing Alcohol
It appears the solar system is ready to let loose a little bit. Scientists say a comet near the sun is giving off large amounts of alcohol. But this is more than just good news for those looking to whip up some space wine. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
New Private Spaceflight Company Ready In 2017
Oct. 26, 2015 – World View, the commercial spaceflight company, has successfully completed a major milestone test flight this past weekend, keeping the company on track to meet its 2017 goal. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
Study – Most Earth-Like Worlds Are Yet To Be Born
Since 2009, NASA has been using the Kepler space observatory to survey our region of the Milky Way in the hope of finding an Earth-like planet suitable for humans.It's put there - somewhere! (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment
Aussies Detect White Dwarf Star Destroying Solar System
AN Aussie planet watcher has detected what can only be described as The Walking Dead of the astronomy world. Many strange objects have been found but this is massive destruction. (more…)Read MoreView Comments (2)
When Rocks First Fell From The Sky
On November 7, 1492, people around the Alsatian city of Ensisheim heard an explosion, accompanied by crashes of thunder. (more…)Read MoreLeave a Comment


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Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Thank you for your generosity!
Please find below the following ways in which you can donate to ENHK.
- Please use our donation envelope and put it in the offering bags during our Sunday Service
- Please make your cheque payable to "Every Nation Church, Hong Kong, Limited"
ATM/Internet Transfer
Every Nation Church, Hong Kong, Limited
- Please send through a copy of your payment record so that we can issue you a tax receipt
Tax Exemptions
We are registered with the Hong Kong government as a not for profit company, and therefore all donations made to the church are processed as tax-deductable donations within Hong Kong. Please ensure that you provide your correct details to us for all payments so that we can issue you with the relevant receipt.


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Maternity Leave. What is not to love – no work stresses, no drive or train commute, no work wear.. just time at home with your baby, coffees and catch ups, This Morning on in the background, sitting in the garden in the Summer, keeping cosy in the winter – what is there to complain about.
Well for some including myself, you can become a bit plagued by loneliness. When pregnant, I was in two minds whether to do an NCT course or not but in the end we opted not to. I was really naive.. I had the attitude ' I have my friends, I don't need anymore' and I understand that it almost sounds quite arrogant but it's true in the sense that any spare time I did have I wanted to focus on the friends I already had. In hindsight, I do think I would have benefited from NCT. For the first few months me and my little man were in our own little bubble but as we neared the 7 month mark I started to struggle a bit. One of my girls was amazing and booked the odd day off when she could but obviously I couldn't depend on having that every week. Sometimes I would go 5 days without having physical contact with anyone but my partner. Poor sod, it became a weekly ritual on a Sunday me begging him to 'pull a sicky' the next day.
For me inparticular, not being around people was a bit of a struggle. I thrive off being around people and I am a bit needy by nature. I mean, dont't get me wrong, I love my own company but to a point! I craved girly time with like minded people. I would go for coffees and I would feel envious when I would see other Mums and their babies together. I found it difficult sometimes because I wanted to talk to fellow mums to bounce thoughts and feelings off of. Sometimes I felt like I was going crazy because I just wanted to talk to another Mum to see if they had gone/was going through the same thing.
All of this actually contributed to me starting a blog because I wanted to help other people.
When I heard about 'MUSH' I really liked the idea of it but I just felt a bit silly. I don't know why but I felt nervous. In some ways I am confident but in others I can be extremely vulnerable about putting myself out there – the dreaded fear of rejection Becoming a mum, without a mum
but then I thought, you know what.. if my friends and a million other people out there can be brave and bold enough to use 'Tinder' then why can't I do this. So, I set up my profile and I was all set to go! The only thing is that I didn't get to the point of pursuing a meet up but this is purely because I was due back to work and would't have the time – typical. My only regret is that I hadn't discovered this earlier on in my Maternity Leave because I really think that would have helped me. I loved my Maternity Leave but towards the end I kind of sunk into myself a bit and became a serious 'over thinker' not to mention a serial snapchatter 😉
I love everything that this app stands for and I really would advise anyone who is in the same situation to be brave enough to download, set up and get meeting some Mamas. It pretty much works how Tinder does (I believe) in the sense that it picks up profiles in a certain radius of where you live. It matches you up with kids of the same ages who are into the same sort of thing.
It is a free app, downloadable on both IPhone and Andriod – so no excuses. I mean come on girls, who doesn't like an excuse for tea and cake 😉


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hibachi and wood
{ 3 comments… add one }
April 26, 2014, 9:35 pm
Hi Linda,
I enjoy your blog, and dream of one day having a garden as productive as yours.
Have you used the hibachi much? We also have access to a lot of wood that looks like your barrow load.If you're having success with your hibachi, it seems like a good way to use up the small branches.
April 27, 2014, 10:48 am
Thanks for the speedy reply. I'll give it a go to use the resource that I have to throw off the road, instead of buying gas 🙂


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Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit are an English folk rock band signed to Transgressive Records. They are fronted by Johnny Flynn (also known as Joe Flynn), an actor, poet and songwriter who cites W.B. Yeats and Shakespeare among his influences. He is a member of the 'Propeller' theatre troupe, acting in several plays including Twelfth Night.
Their second album Been Listening was released through Transgressive Records on 7 June 2010, and was accompanied with worldwide touring. The record followed the debut album, A Larum released in the summer of 2008, and the Sweet William EP, which was released in the winter of 2009.


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Cloud Nation today announced the launch of its Cloud Solutions Portal designed to allow MSPs (VARs) to deliver enterprise quality cloud solutions to small and medium size businesses.
Co-founded by industry veterans Tom Poole and Harry Brelsford, the Company's announcement builds on a legacy of fostering the growth of IT professionals. An award-winning entrepreneur, Poole was involved in developing industry-leading B2C and B2B online communities. Over the last decade, Brelsford has grown SMB Nation into the largest independent community of SMB IT Professionals in North America
Because cloud computing is completely changing the way SMBs manage their data, communications and infrastructure, during 2012, members of the SMB Nation community began asking both Poole and Brelsford three basic questions:
1. How do we learn more about the cloud?
2. What solutions are available to help us work with clients interested in the cloud?
3. How do you make money in the cloud?
These questions, coupled with the fact that cloud computing is expected to be a $176 billion dollar business by 2015, led Poole and Brelsford to join together to work on delivering a leading cloud platform for the SMB Nation community, which is based on more than just technology—it also includes education, certification, a unified billing platform and significant sales and marketing support.
The launch of the Company's Cloud Solutions Portal is also an opportunity for MSPs and VARs to reserve a Founding Membership within this new Portal. As a Founding Member of Cloud Nation, you will have the ability to participate and have access to the following components:
· Exclusive entry into our unique "all-in-one" cloud platform, available only to members.
· Technical and business education to get you started in cloud consulting.
· 100% Channel Friendly Platform.
· Margins between 15% and 30% monthly.
· Access to our unified billing engine, designed specifically for cloud based businesses.
· Member-to-member referrals (an easy and effective way to grow your business).
· A personalized, custom-built website.
According to some estimates, the number of small businesses embracing cloud computing will triple over the next three years. Recent surveys indicate that small and medium sized businesses are becoming increasingly frustrated when looking for an all-in-one cloud solution. With six out of 10 small businesses always willing to consider cloud solutions and four out of 10 preferring them, Cloud Nation's announcement today appears to be timely.
"We are extremely excited about the platform we've developed over the last year. It is the result of significant input from our technology partners, our community of IT Professionals, and small and medium size businesses. They were all frustrated with the cloud ecosystem and we thank them very much for their guidance in the creation of Cloud Nation," Poole said in a press statement released this morning.
Members of the SMB Nation community have also been excited about the anticipated launch of Cloud Nation's Portal. "The effort required to put together Cloud Nation's platform simply isn't in the reach of your typical IT Professional. The effort it would take to negotiate deals with top technology partners, develop a platform to deliver unified solutions and then create the support platform to service is mind-numbing," said Jay Weiss, CEO of Los Angeles-based Computer HMO, and longtime SMB Nation member. "In this industry, the only constant is change. For us to develop and manage diverse products ourselves is just not in the cards. Cloud Nation has delivered a simple and elegant solution that unites the cloud eco-ystem. I'm excited and glad I've gotten in on the ground floor."
To learn more about Cloud Nation, go to www.cloudnation.co, or call (800) 550-1424. You can also go to: http://secure.cloudnation.co/whitepaper/ to download our free white paper, which discusses why cloud is one of the biggest business opportunities available today.


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Come stroll along our Village Marketplace for some special holiday shopping
at these great vendors:
Cookie Corner: A shop full of delicious, festive cookies and sweets.
Designer Cash & Carry: Holiday and seasonal decorations mixed with traditional items for home,
office or special gifts.
Merry Mercantile: A shop for your Fantasy of Trees 2017 apparel, toys, gifts and swag.
Personalized Ornaments: Take home a specialty ornament with free personalization.
Santa's Warehouse: This shop features "previously loved" Fantasy of Trees decorations
from years past and new items at bargain prices.
Secret Santa: Personal shopping for children is a tradition in this shop. Kids can purchase
gifts of their choice, ranging from $1 to $5, for loved ones.
A group of hand-selected vendors will provide a specialty shopping experience.
Itchin' To Stitch Embroidery: Get on-the-spot monograms on backpacks, purses, totes, hair bows and more.
Joy to the World: The boutique shop introduces the Glitter Crunch Box. Each $59 box contains
an exclusive European, handcrafted, blown glass ornament, along with other
holiday treats. You can also sign up for a Glitter Crunch Box monthly
subscription for the ornament lover on your Christmas list.
Just For You: Stand out. Be different. The women on your list will appreciate the unique
clothing, jewelry and handbags found in this store.
Masquerade Jewelry: Get the hottest trends in fashion jewelry and accessories to help you
dazzle at any event, selected by Children's Hospital Volunteers. Everything
is only $5.
My Kind of Lovely: From cocktail dresses and handbags to game day gear and graphic tees,
you'll find a large selection of gift items inside this boutique shop.
The Final Touch Gift Wrap: Get all your holiday purchases decked out in the finest wrappings. This
designer wrapping spot will make your gifts stand out under the tree.
Visit our new Vendor Village located on the Second Floor of the Knoxville
Convention Center!
LuLaRoe: Where fashion meets comfort, LuLaRoe features colorful leggings, skirts
and dresses with unique patterns. This shop is all about looking great
and being comfortable.
Ironic, LLC: This Knoxville-based store offers unique iron home décor and gifts,
including game day signs, and seasonal iron pieces. Gifts, candles and
clothing are also available.
Sparkle and Sawdust: This shop sparkles with vintage, handmade jewelry and handmade wooden home
Pennington Home: This Sweetwater-based boutique offers fine art, stationary, baby gifts,
and the finishing details to make your house a beautiful home.
Calligraphy by Lindsey: This specialty boutique showcases home décor with a craftsman's
touch. Each piece is lovingly hand lettered.


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Centennial Beach
Centennial Beach
For generations, Centennial Beach has been the local "swimming hole" for many Naperville residents and their guests. It's a great place to meet friends, gather with family, or simply relax and enjoy. Jump into summer as you swim in Centennial Beach's historic stone quarry. It's not a swimming pool, it's not a lake, but a swimming experience like no other! Wade into the zero-depth entry and swim to depths of 15 feet.
As part of the Naperville Park District, Centennial Beach offers many programs swimming lessons, springboard diving, fitness programs, adult float, special needs nights, water polo and mudrats swim team. In addition, Centennial Beach offer amenities such as Adirondack chairs, bag toss areas, a centennial grill, diving boards, deep water area, family washrooms, floating rafts, handicap access, life vests, lockers, open grass area, picnic tables, sand play area, sand volleyball, showers, waterslide and zero depth entry.
See our website for special/daily hours.


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Today is a hugely significant day in the 307-year history of the constitution of the United Kingdom, as we all now know the result of the Scottish referendum. The vote has come back in favour of No and the Kingdom remains United.
We thought it was worth looking back over those years into the mists of time to explore a key figure in the creation of that Union – the life and reign of Queen Anne, the last Stuart Queen and the first monarch of Great Britain. Events during Queen Anne's reign have a significance that still resonates today and the Act of Union in 1707 could be considered the most significant, and a legacy that now lives on.
To find out more about her life, reign, death and legacy, read our Queen Anne Blog Series: Part 1 The Early Years of Queen Anne – Part 2 The Rising Years of Queen Anne – Part 3 The Reigning Years of Queen Anne – Part 4 The Final Years of Queen Anne.
On the reverse, a design by Mark Richards FRBS to commemorate Queen Anne. On the obverse, the effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS. As such, The 300th Anniversary of the Death of Queen Anne £5 coin features portraits of both the first queen of Great Britain and the reigning queen of the United Kingdom.


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New for 2019, the KT5024 is NexTool's latest offering. A few elements we've seen, along with a few new ones to round off the tool. Let's see what it is all about.
Despite being a recent entry in our world, the Roxon KS may seem familiar to some. It should. We've seen the crisp design elements, tanto blade, and monster scissors before. Bearing an undeniable resemblance to its chubbier sibling, let's take a closer look at the S501.
This weekend we are celebrating my birthday by giving away THREE of the new AXEM 4.0 extreme survival multitools produced by the all new Italian multitool company called Steel Life! As you probably know already, The Multitool.org Store is the official North American distributor for Steel Life products and we are really looking forward to putting this one to the test!
In the off chance you have not yet seen it, CRKT has released a new plier based multitool, the Technician:
2017 is here and with it comes a desire to know what day it is- and now you can do that with our Multitool.org 2017 Calendar featuring photos from our members!
Over the years many tools have been released, and thus we thought it important to maintain some sort of timeline to show you when each of them started.
Today we have officially launched the Multitool.org Multitool Minute- a video review section designed to give someone an overview of each tool and a reccomendation for use, all in just a minute!
With all of the excitement currently centering (no pun intended) around the Gerber Center-Drive you may have missed that SOG has begun hinting about some new cool stuff they will be releasing soon.
Today's market is filled with off brand Multi-tools, most of them are copies, clones of Leatherman's butterfly style pliers or Swiss Army knife style pocket knife. The Piranha Multi-tool is an exception, it has interesting design but shockingly, no one claim the credit of designing such tool.
What kind of people would write collect and review multitools? Quite simple really- we are designers and do-ers, outdoors types and indoor types, mechanics, doctors, problem solvers and problem makers. As such, we have, as a world spanning community, put every type, size and version of multitool, multifunction knife, pocket knife and all related products to every test we could manage in as many places and environments as there are.


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You will receive a new supplement dispenser with every shipment unless you opt not to.
And you can always change any options by signing into your account. Please contact our customer care representatives with any questions.
If you have any further questions, concerns, or need additional help, please feel free to reach out. Our knowledgeable support team is happy to assist you. To get in touch, please use one of the contact options below:
- You can open a ticket
- Email us at email@example.com
- Call us at +1 (800) 983-3887
- Live Chat


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Installation and Updates
Instructions for Use
- System Requirements View system requirements and list of supported devices.
- Get Adobe Reader
ePSS for iPad
The Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) is an application designed to help primary care clinicians identify the screening, counseling, and preventive medication services that are appropriate for their patients.
The ePSS for iPad is based on the current recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and can be searched by specific patient characteristics, such as age, sex, and selected behavioral risk factors.
Key Features:
- Search and browse the USPSTF recommendations
- View Tools for Primary Care Clinicians
- User friendly interface customized for iPad
- Search for recommendations by keyword text (keywords are highlighted in the search results)
- Bookmark any recommendations or topics for later viewing
- Save Search feature provides quick access to routinely viewed recommendations
- Automatic update of ePSS recommendations data on application launch (wireless or WiFi internet connection required)
- Print or email recommendations or saved search results
- ePSS Recommendations Rx: Print or email patient specific customized recommendations
New Features:
- View All tab on the Search Results page
- Browse by Grade
Download and Installation:
Touch on the following icon to begin download from the Apple App Store.


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Welcome to the Dalry Primary School Parent Council
We are a group of parents of children who currently attend Dalry Primary School, and we meet regularly during term time to discuss and solve issues, and raise funds to help the school to continue to be the wonderful primary school it is.
Any parent of a child or children who currently attends the school is welcome to come to Parent Council meetings.
Parent Helpers need to help keep Breakfast Club going!
Currently Michelle Smith is running Breakfast Club on her own. We need volunteers to help out from 8.15AM to 9AM once a fortnight. Due to budget constraints if we do not manage to run the Club with volunteers BREAKFAST CLUB WILL EITHER HAVE TO CLOSE OR START CHARGING. If you think you can help please email the Parent Council on firstname.lastname@example.com or pop into the Breakfast Club in the dining hall and fill in a sign up form.
What Does the Parent Council Do?
In general the role of the Parent Council is to:
• represent the views of parents on wider issues (not individual cases, this should still be discussed with the class teacher in the first instance)
• report back to the parents in the school
• raise funds that will directly benefit the school and pupils
Keeping in touch with Parent Council Activities
Email: email@example.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DalryprimaryPC
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@DalryPC
Meetings usually last 1 to one and half hours.
Day Meetings held after school at 3.30pm.
Evening Meetings held at 6.30pm within the school.
For details of the next scheduled parent council meeting check this link.
If you have something that you want discussed at the next meeting but are unable to attend, you can email your comments to email@example.com and someone will read out your email on your behalf and provide you with feedback.
Dalry Primary School PC Fund-raising Events
Parent Council's Burns Supper


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Kuva 1. Principle and cross-section of a tunable MOEMS FPI filter (a) and picture of a visible-range FPI chip with optical aperture at rest-wavelength in blue (~430 nm) (b)
Anna Rissanen, Heikki Saari
Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) are tunable optical filters that enable miniaturisation of spectrometers into small hand-held sensors for use in various applications.
FPI filter structures can be manufactured for wavelengths ranging from UV-visible to thermal infrared, with both MEMS-based large-volume processing methods and piezo-actuated filter assembly in small-to-medium volume. Our technology is robust, small and mass–producible, and facilitates high-performance sensing in a cost-effective way.
Optical spectroscopy is an attractive measurement method for various applications, enabling identification and characterisation of materials, gases and substances based on their unique spectral fingerprints in a non-contact, selective manner. Fabry-Perot interferometers are structures that function as active, tunable wavelength filters in small, robust and light-weight microspectrometers and hyperspectral imagers. These filters can be combined with different types of detectors and optical light sources to realise optical sensors and instruments for spectroscopic analysis, with applications ranging from gas sensors to hand-held instruments.
The Fabry-Perot interferometer consists of two reflective mirror surfaces, typically thin film Bragg reflectors, with a gap between the mirrors and integrated electrodes within the membrane structure. The passband wavelength of the filter is tuned by adjusting the distance between the mirrors. The figure below shows the principle of Fabry-Perot interferometer operation and an image of a realised MOEMS FPI chip with rest-wavelength (no applied tuning voltage) at 430 nm (visible colour blue).
Our FPI technology is distinguished by two different manufacturing platforms: optical MEMS-based chips (MOEMS FPI) and the separately assembled high-performance piezo-actuated tunable filter structures (Piezo FPI), shown in Figure 2. These two platforms have enabled us to develop sensing solutions for both high-volume MOEMS applications and customised high-performance PFPI optical instruments.
When produced in large volume with MEMS manufacturing methods, the potential low cost of the individual FPI chip allows the discovery of novel spectral sensing applications in which use of current bench-top spectrometers has been prevented by high price and sheer bulk.
A unique feature of VTT's FPI compared to other microspectrometer technologies is the size of the optical apertures, which we can make large enough to enable replacement of typical single-point detectors behind the optical filter with imaging detectors. This combines spectroscopy with imaging to create hyperspectral cameras. Here the piezo-actuated FPI technology – with its large optical apertures and the ease in which spectrometer performance specification can be customised for high-performance UAV, space, process measurement, security and medical applications – has proven especially suitable. Besides allowing multiple applications in both point-spectroscopy and imaging, the optical aperture also offers a price reduction benefit for optical sensing instruments. Whereas grating-based microspectrometers require linear array detectors that can be prohibitively expensive, especially with the need for cooling in the infrared, FPI functions with a single detector element. This can mean a difference of several thousands of euros in the final price.
Figure 2. Packaged microspectrometers: MOEMS module for large production
volumes (a) and piezo-actuated FPI module for small-to-medium-volume production (b).
VTT has been active in recent years both in the development of application-based measurement instrument solutions and in the highly research-oriented manufacturing and process integration of optical MEMS (MOEMS). Gases, liquids or substances have unique spectral fingerprints that are situated in different parts of the spectrum of light; thus by developing MEMS solutions for various wavelengths it becomes possible to produce sensors that can detect different substances. Development of the process integration technology enables the customisation of filter structures in terms of optical specifications based on different application requirements. By carefully selecting thin-film materials, process steps and conditions, it is possible to create MOEMS FPI process platforms for devices sensing in various wavelength ranges.
VTT's journey with optical MEMS (MOEMS) Fabry-Perot interferometers began in the 1990s with the development of Vaisala's Carbocap ® carbon dioxide gas sensor, which operates in the mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range [1]. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and the use of molecular IR spectrum absorption, has been employed extensively in identifying substances based on their characteristic optical fingerprints, and as the basis of non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensors consisting of light source, absorption path, wavelength-selective optical filter and detector. MOEMS FPIs enable efficient realisation of low-cost, stable NIR microspectrometers for NDIR sensors as a single-beam, multi-wavelength approach that allows measurement of multiple spectral points with only one detector and a single light source. The benefits of using such a setup compared to several separate detectors include very good long-term stability and high selectivity. Potential markets for microspectrometers have been growing rapidly in recent years, leading to concentrated development of several MOEMS microfabrication process platforms aimed at realising filter elements for various applications and wavelength ranges, from UV-visible to thermal IR (Figure 3).
In 2008, VTT set out to develop a novel NIR microspectrometer process platform for a sensor aimed at automotive industry measurement [2]. Our technology's main competitive advantage in the NIR range –monolithic surface-micromachined MOEMS construction based on tensioned membranes – creates structures with excellent robustness, withstanding up to 18,000 G of shock impact [3] while being insensitive to vibrational effects that may distort the optical measurements. This high robustness is based on surface-micromachining and gives VTT's MOEMS near-infrared (NIR) microspectrometer technology a clear lead over the competing miniaturised spectrometer solutions [4] that are commercially available. Robustness is especially important for applications with vibration and movement, such as automotive, mobile and hand-held sensors, where elements with movable mass parts or grating-based microspectrometers with line detectors cannot necessarily meet performance requirements.
Figure 3. MOEMS FPI platforms from visible, near- and mid-infrared (IR) to thermal.
With visible wavelengths, the thickness of the thin films within the FPI mirrors decreases because the optical thickness must be a quarter of the wavelength ( λ/4). This increases the requirements for the thin film materials used, and demands the ability to control the deposition process in terms of film thickness, uniformity and conformality. With the emergence of atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology, VTT in 2010 created the first visible wavelength Fabry-Perot interferometers, providing significantly improved resolution compared to previous FPI devices in this wavelength range [5]. Although grating-based microspectrometers are available for visible light, these devices are unsuitable for imaging applications and have a non-monolithic fabrication process. Further improvements included increased optical aperture size [6] for realising hand-held imaging instruments (Figure4) [7], and demonstration of a monolithically integrated ultra-compact chip spectrometer [8].
Development of optical MEMS development over the past two years has focused on the longer thermal IR wavelength, which shows high potential for analysing various gases and for some novel imaging-based applications. Here, the challenge is to obtain a good optical contrast between the thin film materials in order to show high resolution. We presented a unique FPI structure in which the mirrors consist of silicon and air, creating a large range of operation and showing significant improvement over other tunable filters in this wavelength range [10, 11]. Our innovation received a nomination for Highlight of the Year 2012 from the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering.
We recently demonstrated the first FPI chips for low NIR, the wavelength region between visible and near-infrared [11]. One advantage of this visible/lower NIR range is the opportunity to employ low-cost silicon-based detectors that offer a sensitive and cost-efficient detection option in comparison to thermopiles and InGaAs detectors. Miniature hand-held hyperspectral imagers measuring in the lower NIR range offer sensing potential for various health applications, such as skin cancer, endoscopy, oxygen saturation of tissue (diabetes) and analysis for example of teeth, skin and veins.
Figure 4. Hand-held hyperspectral camera.
Figure 5. Hydrocarbon gas analyser.
Over recent years, we have aimed to demonstrate the benefits of FPI technology by building demonstrators and instruments that target different applications. MOEMS microspectrometers have been used in compact hydrocarbon analysers [12] (Figure 5) and to demonstrate gas sensing (for example acetone) in thermal IR [13]. Our latest technology for gas analysers includes highly sensitive large-aperture piezo-FPI platforms for mid IR [14]; the first demonstration operates between wavelengths of 4–5 µm, while the second platform is for correlation spectroscopy where the interferometer provides a comb-like transmission pattern mimicking absorption of diatomic molecules at the wavelength range of 4.7–4.8 µm.
Hyperspectral cameras combine two powerful analysis features: spatial image data and spectral data. Current hyperspectral imaging instruments on the market are typically very expensive, often costing between $50 000 and $100 000. VTT's hyperspectral cameras are small, hand-held and much lower in cost, especially if mass-manufactured. The size and price range sets the potential for finding completely new applications for the technology. VTT's hyperspectral cameras have already found their way into several applications, including unmanned aerial vehicles for agriculture-, forest and environmental monitoring [15, 16], the Nanosatellite Aalto-1 mission [17], crime scene investigation [18] and industrial chemical imaging. Medical applications for spectral cameras are especially interesting: results from a fundus camera in the detection of glaucoma and diabetes [19] are already promising, while there is further promise in a hyperspectral camera for skin cancer detection [20]. VTT has also developed a single UV-FPI with filtering performance sufficient to allow detection of minute traces. No such device has previously been built. The Swedish Defence Research Agency FOI has collaborated with VTT in developing a system capable of precise selection of Raman shifts in combination with high out-of-band blocking, working in the UV range where no comparable filtering systems are commercially available [21]. The system shown in Figure 6 is based on VTT-developed compact, high resolution (~0.2 nm @ FWHM) UV-FPI. The stable operation of the UV-FPI module under varying environmental conditions is arranged by controlling the temperature of the module and using the closed loop control of the FPI air gap based on capacitive measurement.
Figure 6. Standoff Raman imaging system.
Our ultimate goal is to create business from FPI technology and to build international value chains that profit Finnish industry. A further aim of creating growing business and new workplaces in Finland will be boosted by the launch in spring 2014 of a VTT spin-off, Spectral Engines, offering near- and mid-IR point spectral sensors targeted at industrial process control, gas sensing and portable field analysers. By the end of this year, VTT is scheduled to start a project with Finnish industrial partners, including VTT Memsfab, for increasing production volumes of the NIR FPI elements to large-volume automotive scale production capability. Miniaturising spectrometers to instruments that can be hand-held allows the creation of solutions both for high-performance space- and medical applications and for addressing the large-volume consumer markets within health & wellness and the Internet of Things. Spectral imaging for consumer devices might very well be the next big new business opportunity – products that employ smart mobile devices to detect skin cancer, for example, are already within reach.
Heikki Saari
Heikki Saari completed his MSc Engineering degree at the Helsinki University of Technology, Department of Technical Physics, in 1980, and his doctoral theses in 1996. He has been the principal scientist in a number of space and remote sensing instrument development projects.
His work has been published in more than 60 scientific journals, and he has six patents. Dr Saari's areas of interest include hyper-spectral camera technology and applications, MOEMS sensor applications, and drone and nanosatellite spectral camera technology. Dr Saari is currently the Principal Scientist in VTT's MOEMS and BioMEMS Instruments team.
Anna Rissanen is the Team Leader of VTT's MOEMS and BioMEMS Instruments team. She completed her MSc Engineering degree at the Helsinki University of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering, in 2003, and her doctoral thesis on biomicrosystems at Aalto University in 2012. Her research area covers the design of optical MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometric structures and process integration development, and interdisciplinary research. Dr Rissanen's work has been published in more than 22 scientific journals, and she has multiple patentable inventions.
[1] Blomberg, M., Torkkeli, A., Lehto, A., Helenelund, C., Viitasalo, M., "Electrically tuneable micromachined fabry-perot interferometer in gas analysis", Physica Scripta. Vol. T69, 119 – 121, (1997).
[2] Antila J., Miranto, A., Mäkynen, J., Laamanen, M., Rissanen, A., Blomberg, M., Saari, H., Malinen, J., "MEMS and piezo actuator based Fabry-Perot interferometer technologies and applications at VTT", Proc. SPIE 7680, 76800U (2010).
[3] Rissanen, A., Broas, M., Hokka, J., Mattila, T.; Antila, J., Laamanen, M., Saari, H., "Robustness and reliability of MOEMS for miniature spectrometers", Proc. SPIE 8614, 861409 (2013).
[4] Antila, J., Tuohiniemi, M., Rissanen, A., Kantojärvi, U., Lahti, M., Viherkanto, K., Kaarre, M. and Malinen, J. "MEMS- and MOEMS-Based Near-Infrared Spectrometers". Encyclopedia of Analytical Chemistry. 1–36. (2014).
[5] Blomberg, M., Kattelus, H., Miranto, A., "Electrically tunable surface micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometer for visible light", Sen. Act. A, Vol. 162 ( 2), 184 – 188, (2010).
[6] Rissanen, A., Akujärvi, A., Antila, J., Blomberg, M., Saari, H., "MOEMS miniature spectrometers using tunable Fabry- Perot interferometers", J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS 11(2), 023003/1 – 6 (2012).
[7] Antila, J., Kantojärvi, U., Mannila, R., Rissanen, A., Näkki, I., Ollila, J., Saari, H., "Spectral imaging device based on a tuneable MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer", Proc. SPIE 8374, 8374-15 (2012).
[8] Rissanen, A., Kantojärvi, U., Blomberg, M., Antila, J., Eränen, S., "Monolithically integrated microspectrometer-on-chip based on tunable visible light MEMS FPI", Sens. Act., A, Vol. 182, 130 – 135, (2012).
[9] Tuohiniemi, M., Blomberg, M., Akujärvi, A., Antila, J., Saari, H., "Optical transmission performance of a surface-micromachined Fabry-Pérot interferometer for thermal infrared", J. Micromech. Microeng. Vol. 22(11), 115004, (2012).
[10] Tuohiniemi, M., Näsilä, A., Mäkynen, J., "Characterization of the tuning performance of a micro-machined Fabry-Pérot interferometer for thermal infrared", J. Micromech. Microeng. Vol. 23 (7), 075011, (2013).
[11] Rissanen A., Mannila, R., Tuohiniemi M., Akujärvi, A., Antila, J., "Tunable MOEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer for miniaturized spectral sensing in near-infrared", Proc. SPIE 8977, 89770X (2014).
[12] Mannila R., Tuohiniemi , M., Mäkynen, J., Näkki, I., Antila, J., "Hydrocarbon gas detection with microelectromechanical Fabry-Perot interferometer", Proc. SPIE 8726, 872608 (2013).
[13] Mäkynen , J., Tuohiniemi, M., Näsilä, A., Mannila, R., Antila, J., "MEMS Fabry-Perot interferometer-based spectrometer demonstrator for 7.5 μm to 9.5 μm wavelength range", Proc. SPIE 8977, 89770U (2014).
[14] Kantojärvi, U., Varpula, A., Antila, T., Holmlund, C., Mäkynen, J., Näsilä, A., Mannila, R., Rissanen, A., Antila, J., Disch, R., Waldmann, T., "Compact large-aperture Fabry-Perot interferometer modules for gas spectroscopy at mid-IR", Proc. SPIE. 8992, 89920C. (2014).
[15] Saari, H., Pölönen, I., Salo, H., Honkavaara, E., Hakala, T., "Miniaturized hyperspectral imager calibration and UAV flight campaigns", Proc. SPIE 8889, 88891O (2013).
[16] Pölönen, I., Saari, H., Kaivosoja, J., Honkavaara, E., Pesonen, L., "Hyperspectral imaging based biomass and nitrogen content estimations from light-weight UAV", Proc. SPIE 8887, 88870J (2013).
[17] Mannila, R., Näsilä, A., Viherkanto, K., Holmlund, C., Näkki, I., "Spectral imager based on Fabry-Perot interferometer for Aalto-1 nanosatellite", Proc. SPIE 8870, 887002 (2013).
[18] Kuula, J., Pölönen, I., Puupponen, H.-H., Selander, T., Reinikainen, T., "Using VIS/NIR and IR spectral cameras for detecting and separating crime scene details", Proc. SPIE 8359, 83590P (2012).
[19] Kaarre, M., Kivi, S., Panouillot, P.-E., Saari, H., Mäkynen, J., Sorri, I., Juuti, M., AIP Conf. Proc., Vol. 1537, 231 – 237 (2013).
[20] Saari H., Neittaanmäki-Perttu, N., Pölönen, I., " VTT's hyperspectral camera shows promising results in detection of skin field cancerization", VTT press release 26.2.2014, http://www.vtt.fi/news/2014/26022014_hyperspektrikamera.jsp?lang=en
[21] Glimtoft, M., Bååth, P., Östmark , H., Saari, H., Mäkynen, J., Näsilä, A., "Towards eye-safe standoff Raman imaging systems", accepted paper, SPIE Proceedings 9072, (2014).


text: I have long been searching for an alternative theory method for my string players. There are purely theoretical methods (Ultimate Music Theory), and Keyboard Specific methods (Snell Fundamentals), but few (and incomplete) methods for the string player. The biggest hurdle for a beginning string player is understand how their instrument relates to the music written… Read more »


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Learn the Importance of Crowdfunding education and how new capital raising policies are going to change the way we can all invest in Startups.
Each day more opportunities are arising for new and technologically advanced ways for startups to raise capital. Unlike the world of the past these investment opportunities are no longer only available to VC's, Angels and Bankers alone. Now entrepreneurs can access the crowd, in fact the entire world for funding on crowdfunding websites. And soon we will all be able to acquire equity in those companies as well.
On April 5th 2012 when president Obama signed Title lll into law (the Crowdfunding bill) it changed the startup game for ever.
No longer are Startups and small business owners forced to depend solely upon those sources for capital to launch or expand products, services and innovation that our society really needs. Now, the general public also gets a say in whether or not such dreams materialize.
By using crowdfunding, innovators and entrepreneurs can now pre-market their ideas to supportive people who want to see these products and ideas come to life. Once the final rules are established and made public by the SEC we will all be able to have a chance at owning a piece of those new companies as well.
For example, Oculus Rift which is a virtual reality device, raised $2.4 million on Kickstarter from 9,522 backers who contributed money receiving a variety of different perks. But one thing those backers didn't get was any stock, a real piece of the action which was pretty amazing when just two years later Facebook bought the company for $2 billion dollars. Imagine what could have happened to those backers if Title lll were available to that company as another way to raise capital.
It was just two years ago when home-automation company SmartThings also began life as a Kickstarter project. With an initial goal of $250,000, it raised $1,209,423 from 5,694 backers. The company then raised an additional $15.5 million in venture capital, including a $12.5 million Series A round of funding.
On Aug 14th of this year Samsung scooped up SmartThings for a reported $200 million dollars. Imagine what could have happened to all those backers if Title lll were available to those companies as another way to raise capital, and they had used it? Thousands of average Americans who have never had a chance at these kinds of investments could have seen unimaginable returns.
Well this will all be a reality soon, but it will only be valuable to all of us if we educate both entrepreneurs on the requirements and they get started on the work to be compliant with the new laws. We also need to teach entrepreneurs how to build enough targeted social capital for a successful campaign.
People need to know that it's hard work to be successful at crowdfunding but if you're willing to learn (and get prepared ahead of time), you can make incredible things happen with the right knowledge and tools.
You and your business will need to attract followers, fans and positive awareness. This is not an "If you build it they will come" type scenario, but more like "If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it make a sound?" In this sense, you'll need to make a lot of carefully calibrated noises in the presence of many receptive people.
At the same time we need to spread awareness of this new opportunity to 100's of millions of Americans that they should make searching out quality Deal flow for an investment a part of their daily /weekly online routine just like they do when checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. Someday crowdfunding will become part of our DNA in the same way.
However, since there is cap of $1,000,000 every 12 months on the amount each company can raise using Tittle lll, there could be a stampede of investors trying to get in on the best quality deals with the greatest possibility to provide a happy exit , and or the ability to bring the social impact and change to our cities and towns we need even more.
To tackle the task of educating both groups we are very excited to be working with UP Global to invite the Startup community to the 3rd Annual Global Crowdfunding Convention and Bootcamp in Las Vegas on Oct 23rd-25th #GCCB2014 to help with providing such education.
Since the signing of the Jobs Act on April 5th, 2012, demand for information and clarity on issuer compliance rules has skyrocketed. Entrepreneurs and startups lawyers, accountants and educators, mentors, government officials all professionals need to know what steps they should be taking now to successfully help launch a compliant ready crowdfund investing campaign and build a crowd of enthusiastic investors.
This three day convention now in its third year is the perfect place to get quick answers and usable information to help get started now.
With crowdfunding still in its infancy, it's critical that entrepreneurs know who & where to turn to for answers in this emerging industry. At this time they may not even be aware of the urgency or what will be required by them once it's legal to use this new offering to raise capital, so the education process needs to start now no matter how they want to participate and benefit from as this new multi-billion dollar industry continues to grow.
Entrepreneurs trying to make sense of what equity (and all types of) crowdfunding is all about can confidently find answers by attending #GCCB2014 knowing it's a trusted source, acknowledged & supported by industry leaders and experts who have been heavily involved in setting the stage for this new method from the start.
About The Author:
Ruth E. Hedges is one of the original pioneers of the legislation which ultimately became the JOBS Act. In 2010 she worked with Congressional leaders and other industry change-evangelists to move what was originally the Entrepreneurs Access to Capital Act through Congress to its eventual signing as Title lll (the Crowdfunding bill) in the JOBS Act, and was honored with an invitation to the White House for its Crowdfunding Champions of Change event. She has gone on to create the largest annual crowdfunding conference in the world, which started in 2012 and is hosted every October.
In 2012, Ruth also became a founding Board member of the Governance committee for the Crowdfunding Professional Association (CFPA), a founding Board member of the CrowdFund Intermediary Regulatory Advocates (CFIRA), and launched Global Crowdfunding Day to help promote industry awareness. She is also the CEO of Crowdfunding Roadmap, an innovative SaaS platform for businesses to use in preparing to raise capital, and Crowdfunding College which is an educational course and a foundation for industry professionals to learn to get certified in Title ll and Title lll of Jobs Act as CCFP's (Certified Crowdfunding Professionals).
As an industry expert Ruth has been interviewed or quoted in over 42 major publications, and was selected to teach the first university-level course on securities crowdfunding at UNLV. She is also passionate about giving back to the community and has been featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the New York Times, the LA times, and People magazine for her work with Oxfam America and the Hollywood Hunger Banquets. She was on the Second Century Campaign board and helped raise over $16 million to build the new Union Rescue Mission, and is the recipient of the Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles for that work. Ruth has been featured on ABC and the Financial News Network program "American Entrepreneur".


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MOBILE -- The tip of the Spearhead emerged Thursday, followed by the rest of it.
Austal USA rolled its first joint high-speed vessel, the future USNS Spearhead, out of the shed where it was being put together onto a dry dock floating in the Mobile River. The high-speed transport was floated down to BAE Systems, where it is scheduled to be put into the water Sunday.
Austal spokesman Craig Hooper said that the ship is almost 90 percent complete and is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy early next year, a delay from the previously announced goal of December. After being launched from the dry dock, tugs will tow the Spearhead back upriver to Austal, where it will be completed and readied for sea trials this fall, first by the Australian-owned shipyard and then by the Navy.
"Launch is an event that signifies a high level of readiness," Joe Rella, president and chief operating officer of Austal USA, said in a statement. "The incident-free roll-out today reflects extremely well on the Austal JHSV team."
Spearhead is scheduled to be christened Sept. 17. It is the first JHSV in a $1.6 billion, 10-ship contract awarded to Austal in 2008. The Navy ultimately wants dozens more. Along with the littoral combat ship, the transport work is a cornerstone of Austal's expansion. The shipyard already has 2,300 workers, making it the largest industrial employer in southwest Alabama.
The ship emerged from the bay where it was welded together much faster than when Austal launched its first littoral combat ship. That's because the shipbuilder changed the way it was moved. Instead of welding together rails and moving the vessel on railroad wheels, Austal used the same transporters it employs to haul prefabricated sections of ships from its module manufacturing facility to the assembly bay.
The twin hulls of Spearhead rested on ship stands in the assembly shed, and were lifted by the heavy-duty transporters, including a number that Austal rented just for the roll-out. The wheeled vehicles then drove out a ramp onto BAE's dry dock 17 and set the ship stands down. The operation moved much more quickly than the rail method, with the dry dock pushing off for BAE by early afternoon.
Austal started work on the catamaran in December 2009, ceremonially laying the keel in July. The lightly armored ship has much in common with high-speed ferries that Austal has built for civilian use, both in Mobile and Australia.
The JHSV can carry soldiers and cargo at an average speed of 40 mph, and when it arrives, vehicles will be able to roll off even in shallow-water ports with minimal facilities. The non-combat vessel, which Rella has called the "pickup truck of the sea," will replace smaller, slower transports used by the military.


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10 Causes Why People Are Poor
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Creativity Summit 2016, 10 video presentations
Creativity Summit 2016, video presentations
These videos are presentations from an international Creativity Summit held at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in December 2016. There are 10 pecha kucha style presentations, 3 keynotes, and 1 panel -- all great tools for teaching, researching, and understanding creativity in education
The 2016 Creativity Summit in Melbourne Australia was co-sponsored by the Australian Research Council, the Australian Association of Research in Education (AARE), and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). The co-convenors were Anne Harris, Sue Davis, Kim Snepvangers and Leon de Bruin. These original videos and a description of the summit were first published in the journalDepartures in Critical Qualitative Research. Video credits: Alta Truden.
Reference: Harris, A., Davis, S., Snepvangers, K., and de Bruin, L. (2017). 'Creative Formats, Creative Futures'. In Departures in Critical Qualitative Research, Vol 6, No 2, pp 48-61. ISSN: 2333-9489.


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African History; The Atlantic World; History of Slavery and Emancipation; Gender and Sexuality; Social and Cultural History
564 Park Hall
Buffalo NY, 14260
Phone: (716) 645-8415
HIS 143: Global Inequality and Power
HIS 213: Modern Africa: Globalization and Imperialism Since 1800
HIS 218: African States and Civilizations to 1800
HIS 331: Christian and Muslim Communities in Africa
HIS 403/418: Comparative Slavery: Africa, America and the Caribbean
HIS 419: Readings in African History: Slavery, Imperialism, Gender/Sexuality, and Urbanization
HIS 506: The North and South Atlantic Core Seminar
HIS 549: Women, Gender and Sexuality in Africa
I am working on a book entitled, "Emergent Masculinities: Gendered Power and Social Change in the Biafra Atlantic Age," which demonstrates how the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria made sense of, and domesticated broad changes in, the Atlantic world economy over 170-year period, through shifting local articulations of hegemonic masculinity. Bight of Biafra's trans-Atlantic engagements in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries transformed gender identities, ushering a shift from a pre-colonial period characterized by female breadwinners and more powerful female political institutions, to a proto-colonial period of male domination.
Emergent Masculinities: Gendered Power and Social Change in the Biafran Atlantic Age (Ohio University Press, [October] 2019)
Research Encyclopedia
"African Masculinities," Oxford Research Encyclopedia of African History (Spring 2019)
Articles in Refereed Journals
"Performing Ogaranya: Kalu Ezelu Uwaoma, Male Slavery and Freedom Politics in Southeastern Nigeria, c.1860-1940," Journal of West African History, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Spring 2017): 27-60.
"Female Masculinities, Dissident Sexuality and the Material Politics of Gender in Early Twentieth-Century Igboland," The Journal of Women's History Vol. 29, No. 4 (Winter 2017): 35-60
"Judith Van Allen, 'Sitting on a Man, and the Foundation of Igbo Women's Studies," Journal of West African History Vol. 3, No. 2 (Fall 2017): 156-165.
Book Chapter
"Matriliny, Masculinity, and Contested Gendered Definitions of Ethnic Identity and Power in Nineteenth-Century Southeastern Nigeria," in Gendering Ethnicity in African Women's Lives, ed. J. B. Shetler (University of Wisconsin Press, 2015), 233-264.
Book Review
Review of Political Organization in Nigeria Since the Late Stone Age: A History of the Igbo People, by John. N. Oriji, Journal of West African History, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Summer 2018): 129-131.
Film Documentary: "Historical Ethnography with the Ohafia-Igbo: Gendered Power and Social Change in the Biafran Atlantic Age." (June 2015).


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Though the financial crisis of 2008 is now nearly a decade behind us, we still see its impact in the global and U.S. economies alike today. As we begin 2017, we reflect on the economic trends of the recovery period of the last seven years: slow and underwhelming growth, low labor market participation, and high cost of urban living. Now that "recovery" is over, things have returned mostly to normal, and growth peeters out, economic growth will be significantly more difficult to achieve. As we face the new year, we can anticipate certain trends based on past few years.
Back to "Normal"
At the end of 2016, economic growth has returned to its normal level. Since September 2015, unemployment has not been over 5 percent, and reaching a low of 4.6 percent in November 2016. GDP has also been steadily growing, but not impressively; when the figure is adjusted for inflation and population growth, from the third quarter of 2015 to that of 2016, GDP grew 0.8 percent. Private domestic investment grew to 17 percent during the recovery period, but has plateaued since then. With 16 to 17 percent GDP, investment is just barely treading water. Increasing domestic investment will be a high priority for policymakers.
Additionally, labor market participation has not recovered from the recession. This can partially be accounted for due to baby boomer retirement: those who were born in 1951 turned 65 last year. However, the younger population is also less likely to either be working or looking for work when compared to workers before the financial crisis. One of the main challenges for policymakers will be this low participation in the labor force.
The one exception to the relative normalcy the economy has returned to in monetary policy. For years, inflation remains below the two percent target set out by the Fed. As a result, the Fed has left their policies in recovery positions, where they will likely remain until inflation is two percent.
For a recovered economy, the GDP has been reasonable; however, it is far below what was expected before the recession. In previous recessions and depressions, GDP bounced back to what it had been previously. For example, after the Great Depression, incomes returned to normal from before the crash, and the economy continued to thrive for the next two decades. In the current economic environment, however, growth is lower and slower than this trend. The recovery from this recession has been disappointing because it has been slower than anticipated, and it did not return to normal in line with the historical precedent.
At the beginning of 2009, the CBO predicted that the economy would grow at more than 3.5 percent a year for four years starting in 2011, and would produce $20 trillion in 2016. In 2016, output actually was below $19 trillion. This equates to a 7.5 percent income loss for investors and workers in the U.S.
As a result, the BCO has down downgraded expectations for the future of the U.S. economy. In 2017, it anticipates production to be $19.4 trillion, as opposed to the $21 trillion they predicted in 2009. In 2009, they predicted the business sector would grow 24 percent before 2017; now, they estimate 14 percent growth.
This lack of growth can be attributed to the combination of three factors: low productivity, low capital, and low labor. The lack of productivity growth is a direct explanation of this output loss. Indirectly, it also explains that lower productivity means lower ROI, which reduces output as investors shy away.
Wage Growth
Though economic growth has been underwhelming, wages have picked up. However, this is lower than anticipated, and wage growth in 2015 to 2016 can be partially attributed to energy prices dropping.
General average compensation is mostly determined by labor productivity. The link between compensation growth and labor productivity has been established for decades. Labor productivity is determined by the amount of capital production per worker and the total factor productivity. Total factor productivity is a combination of technology, regulatory waste, market flexibility, and management practices.
Potential labor force productivity estimates by the CBO suggests that certain factors have stifled wage growth: low productivity growth and low investment. In 2009, the potential of labor productivity was predicted to grow by 18 percent by this time. This estimate has now been dropped to 10 percent.
In 2017, policymakers must focus on raising wage growth by focusing on how to increase labor productivity. This can be done two ways. One, promote investment production cutting the marginal tax rate on new investments. Additionally, reforming regulations can help by lowering the number of anti-competition policies because these discourage investors. Alternatively, policymakers can boost wage growth by increasing total factor productivity growth; however, this is easier said than done. To get productivity even back to before the financial crisis would be a feat, but there is no single action that can be taken to increase productivity.
Productivity is largely determined outside of policy. However, the most promising action that policymakers can take is regulatory reform. The issue is that there are few significant enough regulations that could improve the economy through change alone. It must be done over multiple sectors and through all levels of government.
The Labor Market
There are fewer Americans working today than there were before the recession. This is true even when excluding retired people or students. However, labor force participation did grow after the growth of real wages in 2015. In 2017, the optimistic view is that wage growth will continue and more non-working people will get off the bench and start contributing to the economy.
Much of what has transformed in the economy is due to two factors: changes in traditional family dynamics, and the implementation of certain public assistance programs. The traditional nuclear family of the U.S. up until as recently as 1980 has depicted men as the breadwinners of the family. Both the fact that male-dominated professions were higher income and the impact of the social expectation contributed to the strength of men in the labor force. Men were forced to stay at their jobs, even if wages fell, because it was required for their family.
Now, women work much more than they ever have, and many households are headed by females. There are now more single moms than ever, or women as the sole breadwinners of the family. There are also substantially more two-income households that come with lifestyles that require both spouses to work. Now, fewer men are committed to the labor force. Without a high enough wage, they have other options, such as living off their spouse or partner.
There are also an increased number of people living on disability insurance, permanently detaching from the productive economy. Therefore, in 2017, welfare reform must be a high priority for policymakers, particularly in regards to disability insurance. As it is, welfare programs penalize working; easing these restrictions means that more people could start to work, supplement with welfare, and slowly transition off of it. Additionally, housing assistance discourages marriage; eliminating penalties for marriage may encourage people to combine incomes, enabling them to get off of these social programs.
Increased Cost of Living
The value of workers' wages is dependent on the prices of their purchases. With increased regulation and restrictions on trade, U.S. prices have elevated. These policies could stifle the economic growth of 2017.
On a federal level, increasing tariffs on energy, a proposed solution, would raise consumer costs, again stifling the benefits of economic growth for Americans. On the state and local levels, there are also regulations in place that are set to continue to raise prices. For example, in 2016, New York City places limits on short-term home rentals. These regulations lower incomes, increase costs, and decrease flexibility in the market.
On both coasts, limits of residential construction are increasing the cost of living. In Silicon Valley, the ever-growing technology sector is not having the economic growth impact it should due to regulation on construction and urban growth in the area. Historically, when a thriving industry is in a certain city, it translates into shared prosperity. Now, local laws that limit development and population density prevent the economic growth of these cities. Working-class renters are in turn priced out of the housing market and forced to move. Yes, these regulations have other benefits that can be widely shared. However, these benefits are often narrowly focused, only aiding in the constituencies of those who have power and oppose reform.
Living standards are heavily impacted by these regulations. In 2015, the Heritage Foundation published a report that found that the average household was set back $4,440 per year due to just 12 regulations. Though there has been little improvement since then, Congress did repeal the crude oil exports ban, which brought that list of regulations down to 11. In order to foster economic growth in 2017, policymakers at all levels need to prioritize deregulating consumer markets; most important, housing, transportation, and energy.
In conclusion, while the U.S. economy did recover from the recession, the results have been underwhelming. There are fewer jobs, fewer workers, lower incomes, and higher prices than anticipated due to history. Today, people are more content to not contribute to the labor force and to not invest, leading to dragging economic growth.
Since the 2008 financial crisis, the fixes put into place by policy makers have failed, including stimulus spending, bailouts, large deficits, and financial market regulation. These attempts have not increased investment or economic participation in general, and the cost of living question has not been addressed for the majority of the country.
Going forward in 2017, it is imperative for policy makers to increase investment incentives, reengage non-workers into the economy, and lower the cost of living. With the right policies and the united efforts of investors, workers, and inventors, income growth can be restored to pre-recession levels, and the average household income will rise. Additionally, regulatory reform aimed at lowering the cost of living may also increase income for the average American.
At Meraglim™, our unique combination of risk assessment software and a panel of experts allows you to predict financial market moves before anyone else. If you want to learn more about how our team can help yours, contact us today.


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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued a consultation paper on 15 June 2016, proposing continuous financial disclosures and other continuous disclosures to be made by Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) registered under the SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014 (InvIT Regulations).
Continuing with its recommendations, SEBI on 8 July 2016, issued a consultation paper proposing the following:
This issue of IFRS Notes aims to provide an overview of the SEBI consultation paper.
To access the text of the SEBI consultation paper, please click here.
© 2020 KPMG, an Indian Registered Partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved.
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