text:
What Earnings Calls Foreshadowed About the 2008 Financial Crisis
A Banking Sector Case Study
In hindsight, everybody knows how and why the 2008 financial crisis unfolded. From The Big Short to the innumerable reports that have been published, we can see the signs leading up to the financial crisis. Among the critiques of the limitations of economic models are the lack of better understanding and inclusion of human factors in finance trading. The addition of psychological science can speak to this category of limitations, not just at the level of the market, but at the level of company management.
In the last 40 years, tools that analyze text have been developed by academics and applied in military intelligence settings. Some of these tools can be applied to systematically quantify what drives leaders and understand their thought processes. These quantified values have been shown to increase the accuracy of forecasts of future outcomes. To determine if useful insights could be generated from these techniques when applied in a financial setting, Distill Analytics conducted an analysis of three major Wall Street banks: Lehman Brothers Holding, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America. Our analysis covered the period of time from 2002 to 2016. To limit the bias in the analysis, the banks were anonymized and dates were hidden from the analysts.
Our findings include:
- In the early 2000's, each of the banks displayed unique psychometric patterns. Lehman Brothers' low volatility suggested a stable and controlled executive team, but one that may have prioritized streamlined approaches the goals that they set. Goldman Sachs presented much higher volatility in its scores. Our metrics showed a dynamic team that engaged in complex reasoning, considering a wide range of dimensions and perspectives. Lastly, Bank of America presented a moderately consistent pattern and had indications of a forward thinking team.
- Our data reveals that despite their previous differences, all three banks displayed a similar, unexpected pattern beginning in 2006. During their biggest stock price boom in late 2006, early 2007 we saw uncharacteristic declines in two key metrics, Excellence and Cognition, that normally increase when companies are experiencing success.
- What's more interesting are the differences between Lehman Brothers, which ultimately collapsed, and the two surviving banks, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs.
- In the two quarters before their collapse, Lehman recorded an abnormal spike in two metrics that had previously been entirely absent in the preceding six years of analysis, Vulnerability in March 2008 and Impact in June 2008. The sudden introduction of these metrics indicated a dramatic inflection point in the way leadership was communicating.
- Unlike Bank of America or Goldman Sachs, in the face of a rapidly declining stock price, the Cognition score of Lehman Brothers did not rally and remained below its six year average. An increased Cognition score indicates an executive team looking for alternatives and searching for solutions, while a sustained low Cognition score reveals a team under stress.
By applying new psychometric technology to the text of quarterly earnings calls, Distill Analytics can provide an additional perspective into the teams leading these key players in the financial crisis.
Contact us to find out more details about this analysis, our metrics, and what Distill Analytics can do for you.
the Metrics:
Excellence: Measures the internal motivations for success or the desire for improvements
Impact: Measures internal motivations for impact and influence
Vulnerability: Measures interpersonal warmth
Cognition: Measures mental processes, decision making state and stress level


text:
The fishing picked up this weekend with several anglers netting good multiple catches. Highlights as follows.
On Damsel plenty of bream to 8lb were coming out. Andy caught a 21lb common from the margin and Nick a 15-14. Ryan Clay bagged 7 to 18lb while Brain Robertson had an 18lb common and a tench.
Carp Lake saw James catch a 16 and 17lb. Zak caught a15lb, Aaron Blakeman a 17lb. Colin Ruff had 2 to 20-11, Ray 2 to 16-08 and Brandon 5 to 16lb. Darren Eyles caught a 17-08 common, Ray bagged 5 to 16lb, Dave netted 11 to 18lb and Paul 9 to 22-07. Dale took 2 to 19lb and Liam 2 to 12lb, 2 bream and a 7-06 PB tench.
On Becks Nathan bagged 11 to 18-12 lb and Mark Hook had an early morning 19lb. Craig Reeves netted a19lb common, Ben a 16lb common. Daniel took 4 to 18lb. Ben Bowler had 4 carp to 19-04 on a zig with black foam plus 2 bream at 10-04 and 10-07. Cliff caught 5 to 13-08
On Winters Paul Coles netted 5 to 28-07 including 3 other twenties. Mark Taylor had 2 to 17lb. On his first time on Winters Vlad caught his PB at 26lb in the margin on maggot
Booneys saw Luke catch 2 to 16-05, Nathan Croft an 18lb off the top and Royston 3 to 21-10 on plastics.
For more information head over to: http://manorfarmfishing.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
If you're Barack Obama and you're in the market for a swing set, what do you look for?
Five things: safety, of course; then quality—no junk for the First Kids; made in the U.S. of A, you betcha; fourth is price—keepin' it real; and finally, environmental kosherness. These are your main criteria because you care about your daughters' well-being and about the example you set for the rest of us.
So what do the American people who aren't president make of the choice of a Rainbow Play Systems cedar and North American redwood set with four standard swings plus tire swing, slide, fort, climbing wall, climbing ropes and matching picnic table, as reported by The Associated Press last week?
Some of you scoff and say there are more important things to talk about, like the imminent end of the world. In response, I will simply point out that you regularly pick your nose, so shut up.
Where were we?
Our president champions responsible child-rearing, thriftiness, buying American and being mindful of the environmental impact of consumer choices, so we want to see how he's living up to his own standards regarding the critical lawn-amusement-apparatus issue.
First of all, Rainbow Play Systems gets high marks from users. I could find only glowing reviews: "The kids just love it"; "I would recommend them"; "100% satisfied"; "an investment in fun for many years"; and so forth.
Second, the reviewers all mention the durability of the sets, and aside from a chain recall eight years ago, Rainbow has a good safety reputation. According to its website, Rainbow is "the most trusted brand name in wooden swing sets," and that is no faint praise. (Rather, it is tooting one's own horn.)
Third, Rainbow Play Systems' backyard playtopias are manufactured right smack dab near the middle of America in South Dakota, atop Mt. Rushmore in a factory built inside the giant, sculpted granite moustache of Theodore Roosevelt. Well, in South Dakota, anyway.
Fourth, the Obama kids' American Palace model can be purchased from Toys R Us for less than $2,000—not even close to big bucks in the swing-set universe, and not even the most expensive Rainbow model. God forbid the girls should browse the 'net and get a load of the Megasized King Kong Castle Tarantula. The American Palace may be the envy of the recently foreclosed-upon, but it's rather modest considering what the prez could afford.
Finally, it can't help but flip your tree-hugging switch to hear that the structures are made of fancy cedar and redwood—redwood! But would you rather our kids had nothing to play with but invisible friends and actual trees? I think not. And since the appropriately named Palace swing set passes the other four measures of presidential worthiness, let's now investigate its environmentaliness:
The most trusted name in swing sets boasts that "when purchasing a Rainbow Play System, you are making the environmentally responsible choice. Rainbow Play Systems, Inc. is proud to be using lumber, America's greatest renewable resource!" It sources its lumber from suppliers who adhere to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
This is reassuring to Inhabitot.com, a website focused on sustainable design for kids, which argues that yes, you can go greener than redwood, but the Obamas have made a "good choice in putting the spotlight on an American company that is championing the use of sustainable materials while keeping their products at a somewhat attainable price."
On the other hand, a lot of people who care about forests claim that the Sustainable Forestry Initiative is in fact a scheme by industry to skirt Forest Stewardship Council certification requirements. Because it's funded by the world's largest wood processing and paper companies, goes the argument, the SFI can't be trusted as serious stewards of our precious forests. So, is Rainbow playing along with this alleged greenwashing or are they, and the president, being hoodwinked by big timber?
According to The Chicago Tribune, the president considered six manufacturers of swing sets before giving Rainbow the ultimate nod. The Tribune didn't mention the contenders, but let's hunt the cyberspace playground for a better swing set:
1. Woodlawn Swing Sets. Look a lot like Rainbow's. Made of pine. More costly. No discussion of where they're made or of forestry practices, other than "pine is better than redwood."
2. Adventure Playsets. Claim to be sustainable cedar, but nothing to back it up. sold at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. Could be made in China.
3. Play Mart Playgrounds. Recycled plastic. Quality. Cool. Even tell you how many milk jugs were used in each swing set. But conspicuous absence of "made in the U.S.A." statement and offices listed in Saipan and Singapore suggest that this would be a no-go for the "O."
4. Cedarworks Play Sets. The most attractive. Made without redwood, but no discussion of forestry practices. They compost their sawdust and such, but the green claim could be stronger.
5. Gorilla Play Sets. Seem cheaply made. Sold at Wal-Mart. Have a "presidential sale" on the website to steal Rainbow's thunder. Fail.
So, did the president make the right choice? There doesn't seem to be a much better one out there. But I can tell you one good choice he couldn't make: the local playground.
Can you imagine a world in which a president's daughters could swing and climb and run and laugh in a public park without being surrounded by Secret Service agents, mobs of photographers, reporters, autograph-seekers and celebrity-worshippers? Me, neither. Write to email@example.com and email@example.com.


text:
Now May Be a Good Time for Stock Investors to Look Abroad
Underperformance for the past 10 years has created compelling valuations for foreign stocks, some advisers say
It may be time for investors to increase their exposure to foreign stocks.
Thanks to years of underperformance relative to their U.S. brethren, foreign stocks are relatively cheap, some experts say. They point to the fact that while the S&P 500 index has risen an annualized 10.8% over the past 10 years, the MSCI EAFE Index, which measures developed countries outside the U.S. and Canada, has risen only 3.9%, and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index 5.3%. The foreign increases are in dollar terms....


text:
RSS Feeds
This user hasn't shared any biographical information
Homepage: http://www.watertopfarm.co.uk
Jan 7th
Posted by Patsy and Terry McBride (email@example.com) in News
4 comments
Hi everyone and welcome to 2019. One or two exciting new developments for the new season!
Our new Watertop 9 hole golf"course" will Tee Off this season. Great for mums, dads, children and everyone in between.
We will also be launching our new Monster Tunnel Slide…over 40′ of underground slide. Yet another unique activity to Watertop.
We have also changed the way we are charging when you arrive at Watertop. Your admission charge now includes a session on the Pedal Karts, a session on the Golf Course, unlimited access to the Monster Slide and of course access to the small More >
Caravans and Camping 2019:
Pitches available Easter through to Halloween.
**please note the farm activities etc are not always available at the same time as caravan/camping**
See camping and caravan page for details.
Opening times for ACTIVITIES 2019:
April20th -28th inc (Easter)
May 4th - 6th inc.
May 25th - May 27th inc.
June.. Weekends only
July and August Daily
Season finishes August 25th
Farm closed from 26th August onwards
Caravan and camping still available to Halloween
11.00am - 5:30pm
£3.50/person (includes admission, 1 session on pedal karts, 1 session of new watertop golf, unlimited use of new Monster slide, all walks, small animals and shearing demo (when available)
( other activities at extra charge)
Caravans and Tents:
Open: Easter - Halloween


text:
We're counting the days until our big office move!/
In less than two weeks we will be settling into our new studio space at Queen Square House, Bath.
It's been great to welcome so many new staff members over the past few months. However things have started to feel a little cramped; we've become accustomed to shuffling up and sharing desks. Good job we're a friendly bunch.
We're all certainly ready to move to our bigger premises on 8 February.
Right now the contractors are working their magic in the space we'll soon call home. Walls are going up, cables are being laid, a kitchen is being fitted, and a shower room is going in for all our cyclists. It's going to be great!


text:
From Collin County to Denton Country, we cover all the places of Plano Texas. No matter where you are we have you covered. Locksmith Plano provide you complete commercial, residential and auto Locksmith Plano services. There are hundreds of locksmiths around Plano but if you do not want to waste your time and money then, we are here for you. We are famous for providing expert advice and fair price on the auto, commercial and residential security related issues. While hundreds of clients are relying on us for the service of their office, residence and vehicles the only thing that is constant for us is our customer satisfaction.
We are local Locksmith Plano Company and we know that reputation is the foundation of every business. Plano is our home and residents are our family members. We want the best for the people living here as well. As a member of Plano, we feel obliged for serving every resident the top quality service at the lowest possible price in this area.
Why choose us as your Locksmith Plano?
There are many locksmith companies around but why choose us to assist you in providing the locksmith services.
1. We have not started our business long ago but within this short time, we have gained the love and respect of the people living around. So, you can understand what quality of service we are providing to the residents of Plano.
2. We have a very experienced group of locksmiths. The senior most locksmiths have a minimum experience of 35 years in this field and the junior locksmiths have at least 5 to 10 years of working experience. This clearly says how good they are with locksmithing.
3. We provide fastest possible service. Suppose, you need an emergency locksmith. Just let us know and we will reach the place within 15 to 20 minutes. All you need to do is call our hotline and provide us with your location. Our technician will reach you in no time and take you out without breaking the door or window,
4. We have a very affordable rate compared to any other locksmith service in this town. Of course, there are companies who are providing lesser price but our quality hundred times better than them and we can guarantee you this. We never advertise any unrealistic price just to get a deal with the client. There are many locksmiths who will quote you a 15 dollars service over phone but after providing the service, they will give you a bill of 150 dollars. This is not our case; we will charge you according to you need and requirement. We even provide the clients with a free quote before starting the work so that they know what the total cost would be.
These are the reason for which you should choose Locksmith Plano to provide you high-quality locksmithing service.
For additional information about the products and services, you can call or email us. We are available 24/7 t provide you the best service of Plano.


text:
Maundy Thursday is...
- Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. The word maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning "commandment." The focus of this day is on the new commandment Jesus gave to his disciples to love one another as he loved them.
- Maundy Thursday also recalls the last supper (you've probably seen the painting) Jesus had with his disciples. "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'" -Luke 22: 19-20
- The last supper took place during Passover, the commemoration of God's delivering the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12). Passover is still observed by Jewish people the world over during a seven-day celebration. Part of the present-day Jewish Passover is the Seder, a special meal that came into practice more than 1000 years ago. Not to be confused with Communion, the Seder is a Jewish ritual. However, the Seder is a Jewish celebration of freedom that can help Christians understand Judaism and gain a deeper respect for our Old Testament roots.
(All that info was poached from Debbie Trafton O'Neal's book, Before and After Easter)
So, on Maundy Thursday--we'll gather. We'll eat. We'll remember. We'll break bread. We'll love. Put it on your calendar. Want to help organize the meal? (Oh, yes you do!) Talk to Jodi.


text:
Daily Living
End Times
Press_On's Blog Replies
Post a New Blog
Vote on Press_On as a helpful ChristiaNet blogger by clicking this
. Currently
Press_On has 17 votes
. The higher the number of votes the more helpful this blogger is considered by the ChristiaNet community.
Christians With Depression
My illness is diagnosed as chemical imbalance related. I am nearly 66 and have done well in my life in spite of many hardships that depression had made more difficult to deal with.
It has actually helped me to love and understand the Lord better and has given me the tools and compassion to help those struggling so hard against depression.
I appreciate your comments, Monk Brendan.
Not to say that every case is strictly medical, but this is my personal experience.
Christians With Depression
I have personal experience with this as well. Cluny is dead on correct. Thank you, sir.
A Burping Demon
I predict that there will be far more questions directed to you than speculative answers.
Some specific details from you would be very helpful.
Vain Thinking Of Men
Because, as human beings, it is against our nature.
Saturday Is Day To Worship
Never mind the Saturday thing. If you are in an abusive relationship with a narcissistic person, get out of it IMMEDIATELY! Cease all contact.
This person is "right" no mater what. To them, it doesn't matter what you think, you're always going to be wrong and they won't let you forget it.
Is God Omni-Present
Possibly He appeared on the scene for the benefit of Moses and the people, like it might make a bigger impact to show up in person.
Kind of like a parent saying to the child "Don't make me come down there!" Rather gets the point across more succinctly if mom or dad actually shows up.
What Is A Terrorist
Does the frustrating behavior of unwanted relatives and neighbors, especially younger ones, count?
Prayer For Healing
Praying for you, Cluny
Christians During The Tribulation
I used to believe in the rapture theory wholeheartedly, but after studying the issue more closely I do not feel that the rapture will happen, at least until the end of the tribulation.
I'd really like it to be true......to escape and be done with it. I am concerned that many rapture believers will not be prepared to endure the terrible things the tribulation will bring upon them. Hence, a great falling away.
If the pre-trib rapture happens...wonderful! I will gladly be wrong. But I don't feel it wise to count
on it.
An Apology Please
I truly hope my post was not misconstrued. It was meant as the greatest compliment. You did rightly, you did well.
An Apology Please
Though I have not personally affected, I greatly admire and respect your sincere humility. Blessings.
It's one thing to be convicted of wrong behavior, sit in the corner, mumble "I'm sorry, God, I'm sorry, God." all by yourself, while contemplating one's navel to get rid of guilt, then continue on one's merry way like nothing happened. This costs one nothing. Quite another to confront the offended party(ies), offer a sincere apology and do whatever one can to rectify the situation in a tangible way.
Being a bit sarcastic, here. Just making the point that this godly behavior among Christians is rare.
Prayer For Darlene NOW
Wonderful news, Darlene!
Prayer For Darlene NOW
Prayers for you, Darlene. May all turn out well.
Adam Eve Free Will
I agree, Monk Brendan.
Anti-Depressants Stopped Working
I am praying heartily for you, brother. Be strong in the Lord.
I have had to take antidepressants since the diagnosis in 1988. They stopped working in 2000 which was a horrible year for me. Finally got back on track until last January when I began reducing meds with the Lord's blessing and my doctor's supervision. So far so good.
I also commend you for taking responsibility for your own perceived bad words and attitude (though I have not noticed it) in your posts. Many people refuse to control rheir tongues and would never think if apologizing. Blessings.
Copyright© 2017 ChristiaNet®. All Rights Reserved.


text:
An Indiana teacher says he lost his job after he refused to follow his school district's policy concerning "transgender" students — those who claim the gender opposite of their biological sex.
John Kluge, who has served as an orchestra teacher at Brownsburg, Indiana's high school for the last four years, says that the school district requires teachers to call transgender students by their gender-preference names rather than their birth names — a policy Kluge says violates his religious convictions, as well as his First Amendment free speech guarantees.
Kluge said the policy forced him to "encourage students in what I believe is something that's a dangerous lifestyle." He added, "I'm fine to teach students with other beliefs, but the fact that teachers are being compelled to speak a certain way is the scary thing."
While the Brownsburg school district said that the 28-year-old Kluge willingly submitted his resignation, Kluge insists he only submitted a tentative resignation because the district had threatened to fire him with only three weeks remaining in the school year — assumedly over his refusal to follow the district's transgender student policy.
As reported by the Indianapolis Star, Kluge "handed in a letter of resignation with instructions not to submit the letter until May 29, after the school year ended. On May 25, the last student day at Brownsburg Schools, Kluge said he asked to withdraw the letter."
Instead, according to Kluge, immediately after he submitted his "tentative" resignation, the district locked him out of his school e-mail and posted his teaching position on its employment site. "They're acting as if I have resigned," Kluge said, "even though ... I still want to work here."
According to the district's transgender policy guide, published by the conservative Indiana Family Institute, a transgender student at Brownsburg High School must have written consent from both parents, as well as a doctor, before teachers and staff are required to call the student by a transgender name rather than a birth name.
Earlier in the school year, Kluge had reached an agreement with the school district that allowed him to call all students — transgender and otherwise — by their last names as a compromise to the controversial policy. "Kluge said it seemed like a fine compromise," reported the Indianapolis Star. "He did not explain to students why he only used last names this past year. 'I wanted to present an environment where I wasn't going to push one way or the other,' he said."
But later in the year, the district told Kluge that he would not be allowed to use last names with students in the next school year, a decision that led to an impasse with the district and his apparent job termination.
The Indiana Family Institute is supporting Kluge in his efforts to retain his teaching position, and has launched a letter-writing campaign urging concerned citizens to e-mail Brownsburg school board members and ask them to allow Kluge to return to his teaching position next year.
In a statement Kluge said, "I view my responsibility to students in my community as more than just helping them become the best musicians they can be, though I certainly devote a considerable amount of time and effort to that worthy goal. I wish to remain a teacher in good standing with the administration. However, as much as I love my job and would desire to keep it, I cannot take actions that could encourage harm to the students in my care and provide a poor example for others. I ultimately must submit my conscience to a higher authority."
Image: Clipart.com


text:
Write Persuasive Proposals
Whether you are a facility manager, property manager or a supplier, writing RFP's, writing responses to RFP's and evaluating them is an important part of the supplier / client relationship.
Suppliers can do their clients a favor by writing better proposals that are easier to evaluate, provide the info they need and let them differentiate you from your competition. Writing proposals is tough, but with the right techniques, you can improve your success.
This 1 day workshop is being made available to the public for the first time through Conestoga College's School of Business continuing education in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. The Workshop is based on the upcoming book "Win More Business ... Write Better Proposals".
Any supplier can benefit from this workshop, whether you respond to large RFP's or write small proposal responses. Even commercial property managers and FM outsourcing companies can benefit.
Win More Business by Writing Persuasive Proposals
Learn strategic techniques for developing winning proposals and simple methods you can use to write more compelling, persuasive proposals that get your client's attention and win more business. Whether you write short informal proposals or respond to large structured Request for Proposals, improve your chances with this workshop.
- Learn to gather the right background information, analyze your competition, assess your client's real needs and develop a strategic approach.
- Determine how to structure your information, ideas and solutions so the client clearly sees your benefits and is more likely to evaluate you higher.
- Identify how to write your proposal with straight forward, easy to read language and wording that gets your message across in a compelling, easy to read proposal.
This Workhop is being delivered on October 21st in Kitchener, Ontario and Nov 18th in Guelph, Ontario at Conestoga College. For registration information, click here » Registration
For more information on the workshop or the upcoming book, email me.
Now Available!
"Managing Facilities & Real Estate : 50 Strategies, approaches and Leading Practices"
Over 500 pages. Available in Soft Cover or Hard Cover version.
Order your copy today from Amazon or direct from the Author (click the book image).


text:
Thank you all for frequenting my website, appreciating my art and supporting my journey as an artist. I am looking forward to creating and sharing new works in 2017!!
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: December 2INVITATION TO: Art For The Holidays - "Bicycles In Snow"
Later Event: January 23Drawn To Stitch: Exhibit & Fundraiser


text:
First Brokerage company
First Brokerage is a successful Georgian company. From the very first day of existence, it tries to instill new, high-level standards of real-estate service in our country.
The design for the updated webpage was created in Omedia. The mission of the new site is to showcase spaces which the First Brokerage clients have put up for sale or rent. This is exactly why the visual side of the site has to be ultimately pleasant and convenient for any user.


text:
This picture will find her place easy in some health relative business, architecture studio, dentist waiting room, or even yoga studio too. If you are an amateur of landscape photography, this print could fit easy also in your living room or Air Bnb appartement in order to bring an elegant and glamour touch on your walls.
20 in stock


text:
America SCORES Cleveland combines soccer, creative writing and service learning to measurably improve fitness, literacy and community engagement in over 500 Cleveland youth through partnerships with nine Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, a newly-launched high school alumni program and summer collaborations. America SCORES' innovative tri-curricular approach effectively demonstrates to young people how physical activity, creativity and teamwork promote a sound body, mind and heart.
Nov 15, 2018
© 2019 Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


text:
Primary tabs
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: Maguindanao province, Cotabato city southeast to Lake Buluan; Soccsksargen region: North Cotabato province, south central area from Dillian to Kayaga; South Cotabato province, northern tip; central Sultan Kudarat province west of Lake Buluan.
5 (Developing). Statutory language of provincial identity in North Cotabato and 3 other Mindanao provinces (1991, ACFLC Section 3(f)).
VSO; prepositions; genitives after noun heads; articles, adjectives, and numerals before noun heads; relatives after noun heads; question word in sentence-initial position; markers that relate to the affixation of the verb, or the form of the pronoun, make the verbal complements obvious; affixes do not indicate case of noun phrases; verb affixes mark number; ergativity; passives; causatives; comparatives; CV, CVC; nontonal.
Literacy rate in L2: 60%. Taught in selected Grade 1 classrooms. Literature. Videos. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1991–2010.
Latin script [Latn].


text:
Advantages to Home Ownership
1/16/2012 by Gary Gregg
There are many advantages for most homeowners. One of the most obvious is the ability to modify or improve the property to suit the needs and the taste of the homeowner. Even if you just want to choose your own interior paint colors or re-landscape the yard, you may be reluctant to invest the time and money to improve your landlord's property.
However, if it is your own home, even extensive upgrades like remodeling a kitchen or adding a screened porch may make good sense and most likely will add to the property's value. If it's your home and you want to knock out a wall or add a swimming pool, have at it! You can customize the home—it's yours. A future article will discuss which remodeling jobs add or detract from the value of a home.
A second advantage is knowing that you cannot receive a letter telling you that you have to move. You own your home. You have no landlord. If the home needs a repair, it's your responsibility—but you aren't at the mercy of a landlord who may not get around to fixing your problem for a while.
A third advantage to owning is a feeling of stability and belonging to the community. Homeowners are more likely to participate in school and community affairs and to take pride in how the neighborhood looks, in activities available to children, and in local politics that affect their lives. Homeowners are more likely to vote in elections, to volunteer and contribute to worthwhile events and charities. Perhaps it is because they feel more "settled" and renters feel more transient.
Realtors sometimes use the phrase "shows pride of ownership" when describing a listing. As a homeowner I can attest to the real sense of pride one has in a well-cared for home. Whether it's a manicured landscape with flowering bushes or a tastefully painted exterior, you'll enjoy the feeling. Become a homeowner, enjoy the advantages, and take pride in your home!


text:
Developers warn council they're counting on west LRT as rapid bus gets lifeline
Two Beaverbrook partners warned council Monday they've already invested $100 million to create a high-density, mixed-use village on the future west LRT line.
Change rails to fancy buses on this route and it will break faith with the development community, councillors heard.
"That significantly changes our investment and that's a concern to us," said Salima Kherij, a developer who made a presentation to city council's executive committee Monday. The west leg is potentially just six months away from procurement; phase one of their West Block development at 142 Street is already under construction.
The debate makes her anxious. "If you're committing to transit-oriented development, you need certainty."
Developers trust and will build projects around tracks on the ground, said business partner Ryan Smith. "You've got to complete this (LRT) network so people can see the true benefit."
The bus-rapid transit (BRT) versus light rail debate during the election campaign became serious Monday with councillors finally getting the chance to question administration on the options.
During the campaign, some candidates said buses in a dedicated lane are a better option for the west line to improve transit quickly and avoid the traffic snarls of the Metro line.
City officials say that kind of bus infrastructure is 20 per cent less expensive to build but 20 per cent more expensive to operate than a train and has a lower ridership capacity. It also is less likely to inspire the kind of high-density development council says it wants around stations to reduce sprawl.
But as of Monday evening, BRT was still an option for Edmonton, even for the west line.
Bus-rapid transit still an option
Coun. Tim Cartmell gave notice he intends to bring a motion to council next Tuesday to request a full cost comparison.
"I just want to get the information out there. I'm not at all saying it must be BRT."
If his motion is approved, city officials would break down for council exactly how much LRT costs for each segment of the line, for the tracks, overhead lines, structure components and vehicles. Officials would compare that, and operating procedures, to BRT.
Council are expected to vote on a final west-end plan March 21.
Council's executive committee also booked a public hearing for March 21, when members of the public can comment on details of the west line plan, such as grade separation and location of stations.
They're hoping the provincial budget in April will confirm funding.
Funding could end debate
Mayor Don Iveson said his mind is clear. "Rail is imminent to the west. I ran on that," he said. "The time has come to make definitive decisions about proceeding."
Even Coun. Mike Nickel, who has criticized the city for being "dogmatic" in its commitment to LRT, said rail makes sense for the west leg if the provincial dollars come through.
"Would you throw back 80-cent dollars?" he said, referencing major financial commitments from Ottawa and the province. Council won't opt for BRT in the west, he said: "I don't think there's enough votes on council for that."
Rapid transit for the northwest
Meanwhile, Coun. Michael Walters started to push for BRT options in the northwest, arguing that part of the city needs immediate transit improvement but doesn't have the ridership for LRT.
A bus bridge over Yellowhead Trail and the Calder CN Rail yards could give northwest residents a 30-minute commute downtown, or at least to the end of the Metro line at NAIT.
The south end of the city is growing so fast it will likely need the south LRT extension plus a BRT option down a parallel route to divert riders heading to the university. Otherwise, trains from the south could be at crush capacity before they reach Century Park, said the southwest councillor.
"There's 9,000 people that (will be) living there because we promised them LRT out their front door and it's full by the time it gets to them?" Walters said. "We really need to think ahead on this one."


text:
The concept of living lifestyle is changed in recent years. Nowadays, most of the people prefer custom home over already build homes. People love to customize their homes to make their home different from others and make them as per needs. It is necessary to hire professional to build your home because they properly utilize resources and give you best outcome in a very short period of time. Finding best Huntsville AL home builders is a very difficult task for the layman without consulting any professional.
Easy access to the internet makes our lifestyle easier than ever before. There are many different builders are available on the internet, all of them promise to give you best services but most of them fail to provide. Legacy homes is an online website which offers a wide range of services to their customers at very competitive prices. The main benefit of hiring such professional is they have a team of expert technicians and builders with many years of experience in this business. The team of professional is well-trained with proper certification in construction.
Legacy homes is a united state based home builder and use the latest equipment in building a custom home. All these products are made of a high-quality raw material which is reliable and durable. They are basically famous for their creative and innovative home with stunning design and amenities for many years. Legacy home has won lots of award in the world. The team is capable of handling projects of any sizes and needs, you just have to call to them for hiring the team will reach you with the best equipment
You can hire them at very affordable prices as compared to another counterpart. You can visit their official website and click on www.legacyhomesal.com to learn more about them.


text:
Collective Impact
Youth CI Workshop 1 - Online Webinar (Webex)
Workshop for Teams
Youth CI is pleased to offer an Ontario-wide Collective Impact Workshop 1
Collective Impact Workshop 1 is designed to support a team of leaders from the same community (usually representing 4 or more organizations) who have committed to working on a common issue focused and have confirmed the support of a core group of organizations. Collectives will likely have identified their common population-level impact goal, and should be at the early stages of identifying population-level outcomes.
The workshop will help teams of leaders to:
- Articulate and refine population level outcome goals that they wish to achieve;
- Develop a hypothesis of the activities required to begin achieving those outcomes (e.g. a theory of change);
- Identify how they will test (and improve) their theory of change;
- Build a community engagement strategy that ensures key stakeholders and other leaders are part of the change process;
- Develop a 4-6 month strategy to deepen engagement on the issue, and advance activities to test a collective hypothesis
This online workshop will be delivered in two parts. Part A will take place on April 19th, 2016, and Part B will take place on May 10th, 2016. Between Parts A and B in May 2016, each team will arrange a time to discuss their progress with workshop facilitator Sally Fazal. Participating organizations are expected to attend both parts of the workshop.
The Innoweave Collective Impact Workshop 1 builds on the Innoweave Introduction to Collective Impact webinar. You are encouraged to register for the webinar webinar on March 24th, 2016, or view this pre-recorded webinar online prior to submitting your application to the workshop.
Event details:
- When: September 14th, 2016 (1:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET) and October 5th, 2016 (1:00 pm ET - 4:00 pm ET). Participants are expected to attend both parts of the workshop. The workshop will include a brief preliminary call with Youth CI staff before Part A and interim coaching support between parts 1 and 2.
- Where: Online via Cisco WebEx. Participation details will be provided to all participating teams. Teams must be gethered in the same location to log into webex.
Teams approved to participate in the workshop will be asked to participate in a brief kick-off meeting with Innoweave before part A of the workshop.
If you have any questions, please contact us at mailto:email@example.com


text: oral pontine reticular nucleus BAMS:PRNr BAMS:PnO BIRNLEX:875 DHBA:12494 FMA:72468 HBA:9166 MBA:552 The oral pontine reticular nucleus is delineated from its caudal brother, with which it shares its first three names. This nucleus tapers into the lower mesencephalic reticular formation and contains sporadic giant cells. Different populations of the pontis oralis have displayed discharge patterns which coordinate with phasic movements to and from paradoxical sleep. From this information it has been implied that the n.r. pontis oralis is involved in the mediation of changing to and from REM sleep. [WP,unvetted]. UBERON:0002999 nucleus reticularis pontis oralis pontine reticular nucleus rostral part pontine reticular nucleus, oral part pontine reticular nucleus, rostral part uberon nucleus of pontine reticular formation


text:
The University Grants Commission (UGC) with a view to bring uniformity and transparency within and across the system of higher education in the country, its 521st Meeting held on 22nd February, 2017 has decided to direct all the universities and educational institutions to introduce identification mechanisms like students' photographs and Aadhaar numbers besides other security features in degrees and certificates awarded by the Institutions.
UGC noticing the ill-effects and malpractices of forging mark-sheets and degrees, with the aid of technology has issued this directive to the Institution to introduce security features in the marksheets and certificates issued by university to students. According to UGC, such features, are useful for the purposes of verification and curbing duplication.
According to UGC, the identification mechanisms should include inscribe the name of the institution, mode of delivery (regular, part-time or distance), affixing photograph and Unique lD/Aadhaar number in students' certificates. The idea behind this directive to associate the identity of the student with the document, as the marksheets / degrees are used several times in life of a person for various purposes.
UGC has asked Universities to ensure that the details are mentioned correctly in the academic certificates and has further urged the Universities to implement the changes at the earliest in the interests of students.
Well done UGC!
Fake degrees are a big problem in India. There are several cases involving falsification of degrees. This initiative will certainly help in reducing academic corruption. Similarly, verification of educational credentials is a huge task in India because of the voluminous number of students, colleges and Universities.
But, my question is what happened to the Academic Repository? Is that not enough? Why duplication of exercise in an attempt to avoid duplication?
All the efforts should lead to creating the repository, as the present directive will cater only to the awardees henceforth, but what about the passouts?, Academic Repository is the answer, I think the Government has taken some steps, but it needs realisation.
Ravi Bhardwaj


text:
January 9, 2017
Back to the old grind but starting out this quarter in the bakery instead of the kitchen. My last quarter will be filled with breads, pastries, and new flavorful desserts and confections.
As organization goes, I was emailed a copy of the weekly menu detailing how the next couple of days were to go and what was expected. This week, Kayla and I compile ingredients for our Pan Rustic bread, sourdough starter, Pecan Pralines, Benne Wafers, 500 Cream Puffs for the Governor's Inaugural Ball on Wednesday, Caramel and Chocolate sauce for garnish purposes, and finally mise en place Bread Pudding, Peach Cobbler, and Chess Pie in little 4-in. tart dishes. Full schedule considering that I leave at 10:30 am on Wednesday to head down to Olympia to help cater for the Ball. It will be a long affair, most likely 22 hours or so…what a day it will be but I am extremely excited to go to something more formal than normal. It is always a delight to experience new things and meet new people (I have learned this since graduating high school.)
The morning took a little longer to start than expected; I think just getting back into the swing of a schedule and time management after a long and much-needed holiday is a little difficult. But, we were able to build our sourdough starter no problem, we moved onto the grueling task of scooping pate choux into little balls to bake off for cream puffs. Now it would have been a lot worse if I was the only one scooping, but thank goodness for Kayla. I don't relish the thought of ever spending a day on my own with the schedule we have. Next priority was mise en placing for our pecan pralines and benne wafers, both of which took no time at all to assemble. The pecan pralines were created using a caramel sauce with vanilla and pecans folded in after the cool down stage and then dropped onto a waxed sheet pan to form a delicious, sugary appetizer. The benne wafers (benne literally meaning sesame seed in Italian) were basically made from butter combined with flour, brown sugar, salt, vanilla and egg with toasted sesame seeds. I only ended up using half the dough to bake for this week and the other half went into the freezer for future reference. They both turned out pretty nice for our first attempt.
We then worked the rest of the day on mise en placing our banana pudding, peach cobbler, and mixing some tart dough for our chess pie. Tomorrow we will be working on angel food cake and blind baking our tarts, on top of feeding our sourdough and mixing our Pan Rustic poolish with our final dough
Nothing too stressful happened during the course of the day except that it seemed hard to get into a rhythm of sorts. As the quarter progresses, I hope that my time management and efficiency can step up their game and become great pals. But having Kayla in class with me all day is a treat I cannot pass up because of her funny sense of humor and willingness to learn. 🙂


text:
By Charlene Shields
Notes from the White County Historical Society as they appear in "The Carmi Times."
Copyright ©2000 by "The Carmi Times" Permission to reprint granted to Cindy Birk Conley and the ILGenWeb by Tammy Knox, editor, "The Carmi Times."
Vignettes from the past
HALL, TUGGLE, WYNN--Seeking information on my great-grandmother, Mary E. Hall Tuggle Wynn. First marriage: Joseph Tuggle, six children. Second marriage: James Wynn on Dec. 9, 1896. 1910 Census showed Mary living with three of her Tuggle children in Maunie.
Two of her siblings were Cora and Dora Hall. Cora married John Jacques about 1887 and lived in Concord.
I'm looking for my great-grandmother's date of death, burial place and generally what happened to her. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Shirley Tuggle Ingram, Route 3, Box 134B, Albion, IL 62806. Phone 1-618-445-4013.
It always takes me forever to look something up in old newspapers because I get sidetracked reading lots of other items of interest. So it happened when I was looking for an obituary in the Jan. 28, 1892 Carmi Courier. (A year's subscription was $1.25.)
I couldn't help noticing that many of the local columnists mentioned how many people were ill with La Grippe (flu). An item from the German Settlement mentioned the La Grippe was raging in that community. It also mentioned sleighing was the order of the day. The Concord correspondent said the river was frozen over.
I noted some school news. From Iron came the news teacher A. M. Kurby had adjourned school last week owing to the inclemency of the weather and the bad condition of the old log cabin school house.
From Stokes Chapel we learn the school is progressing nicely under the management of Prof. J. W. Oldham, one of the best teachers in the country.
The Hadden teacher, G. L. Newman, reported 21 days taught in January, with an enrollment of 33 pupils, average daily attendance 15. "Those perfect in attendance and good deportment are: Willie and Charley Boehringer, George Seitz, and Mary Garner." Parents and patrons are respectfully invited to visit the school.
From the German Settlement news came the following report: There was a spelling match at Frieberger last Thursday night. Program: 7 to 7:15, singing by school; 7:15 to 9:15, spelling by school; 9:15 to 10, intermission; 10 to 10:55, ciphering match by school; 10:55 to 11:10, speech by William Hubele; 11:10 to 11:25, speech by Jake Lichtenburger Jr.; 11:25 to 11:45, speech by Jacob Maurer; 11:45 to 12, temperance lecture by Miss Minnie Cox, after which we all of us returned to our respective homes feeling it was well to be there. (I can't help but wonder how much attention that last speech received at that hour!)
From Brownsville came the news that "our enterprising merchant, J. S. Ketcham, shipped 500 rabbits to Chicago one day recently."
Another from the German Settlement: Now for the
benefit of Johnny Pfister and others just starting out, we will attempt
to give a definition of a kiss. A kiss is an anatomical juxtaposition
two arbiscularious muscles in a state of contraction.
Gen Lib typed 1/18/00 Barry's mac
Return to the White County ILGenWeb Page
The Coordinator for the White County, Illinois ILGenWeb page is Cindy Birk Conley
Copyright © 2000 byCindy Birk Conley, all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information.


text:
By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—THE NigerianArmy has extended its ongoing operation in Taraba State, following the crisis between herdsmen and natives in the state.
The Army said the operation, code-named Exercise Ayem Akpatuma which was launched on February 20 in some states including Taraba, has been extended for two months in Taraba State to further consolidate on the gains achieved so far.
Besides, the Army said in a statement by its spokesman, Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, that the decision to extend the operation followed calls by well-meaning Nigerians.
The Army said the extension will facilitate its effort of ridding the affected areas of militants and other criminal elements, calling on the "public, particularly residents of Taraba, to cooperate with the troops by giving useful and timely information to enable them carry out their constitutional duties effectively."


text: I mean seriously look at all that water they're throwing on her. I don't understand it, but it makes for some cool fucking photos. That's cosplayer Felicia2809 and that's her Injustice: Gods Among Us Catwoman costume. I didn't care for the game, but I like the costumes and cosplay that have come from it.


text:
A world where I get to do voice-over is more fun.
My world just got funner.
Back in the 80's my work with two comedy acts led to a series of comedy and children's albums. By the mid-2000's I'd done radio, audio books ("Get paid to read?!"), and the now-classic Zondervan Dramatized Audio Bible, for which I narrated most of the Psalms as King David.
I've always had huge respect for great voice-over artists. They are the people who invade our lives without us ever knowing their names.
Except for perhaps one: Don LaFontaine. Don't know the name? You know his voice. And you know his signature line, "In a world where…" He was the most successful voice-over artist of all time.
Shortly after we moved to Burbank, California, my daughter Beth enrolled in gymnastics. When I came to pick her up one day, she and her new flipping, leaping, cartwheeling buddy Skye insisted that she sleep over at Skye's house–that night!
Two hours later we motored up the hill. And further up. And further up. Until we reached a multi-million dollar mansion with a 180° panoramic view of Hollywood. Skye's dad, a down-to-earth bald dude in loafers welcomed us, then introduced us to Skye's mom, a wonderful pop/R&B singer named Nita, and their other "golden children" (racially mixed). I still love that term–and the attitude that goes with it.
Skye's dad and I talked while she and Beth ran off to play. And then something clicked. First name: Don. Last name: LaFontaine. Holy…! This was the freakin' Pope of voice-over, Don LaFontaine!
Every time Beth and Skye hung out, Don and I hung out. We sat in his recording studio basement–directly wired to the studios and television networks–and talked showbiz. The only nuisance: about every 20 minutes Don would be interrupted by a buzzer. He'd say, "Excuse me," and slip into his booth to record a one or two sentence line for, say, CBS ("Tonight on Touched by an Angel you'll be touched!"), then pop back in. Once I asked, "How much did you just make?" He shrugged and said, "I don't know. $15 or 20 thousand–my agent handles that."
There has never been another Don LaFontaine.
A few years after we relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, Don passed away. I'm so grateful for the brief time I got to spend with "the golden voice."
I recently started doing voice-over work for a video advertising company in Cincinnati called Epipheo.
So my world just got a little funner.
Here's an animated promo I did for a New Zealand employment agency last month (I'm the voice of the jerky Ricky Gervais-lite boss).
This one's for you, Don!


text:
Savor Beauty + Spa Privacy Policy
What information do we collect?
We collect information from you when you register on our site, place an order, subscribe to our newsletter, book a service, respond to a survey or fill out a form.
When ordering, registering or reserving a service on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your: name, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number or credit card information. You may, however, visit our site anonymously.
What do we use your information for?
Any of the information we collect from you may be used in one of the following ways:
To personalize your experience (your information helps us to better respond to your individual needs)
To improve our website (we continually strive to improve our website offerings based on the information and feedback we receive from you)
To improve customer service (your information helps us to more effectively respond to your customer service requests and support needs)
To process transactions
Your information, whether public or private, will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or given to any other company for any reason whatsoever, without your consent, other than for the express purpose of delivering the purchased product or service requested.
To administer a contest, promotion, survey or other site feature
To send periodic emails
The email address you provide for order processing, will only be used to send you information and updates pertaining to your order.
If you decide to opt-in to our mailing list, you will receive emails that may include company news, updates, related product or service information, etc.
How do we protect your information?
We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information when you place an order or access your personal information.
We offer the use of a secure server. All supplied sensitive/credit information is transmitted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and then encrypted into our Payment gateway providers database only to be accessible by those authorized with special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential.
After a transaction, your private information (credit cards, social security numbers, financials, etc.) will not be kept on file for more than 60 days.
Do we use cookies?
Yes (Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computers hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the sites or service providers systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information
We use cookies to help us remember and process the items in your shopping cart and understand and save your preferences for future visits.
If you prefer, you can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies via your browser settings. Like most websites, if you turn your cookies off, some of our services may not function properly. However, you can still place orders by contacting customer service.
Do we disclose any information to outside parties?
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential.
For example, we use Shopify to power our online store--you can read more about how Shopify uses your Personal Information here. We also use Google Analytics to help us understand how our customers use the Site--you can read more about how Google uses your Personal Information here. You can also opt-out of Google Analytics here.
We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.
As described above, we use your Personal Information to provide you with targeted advertisements or marketing communications we believe may be of interest to you. For more information about how targeted advertising works, you can visit the Network Advertising Initiative's ("NAI") educational page.
You can opt out of targeted advertising by:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=ads
GOOGLE: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/anonymous
Additionally, you can opt out of some of these services by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out portal.
Third party links
Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third party products or services on our website. These third party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.
Your Rights
If you are a European resident, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted. If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us through the contact information below.
Additionally, if you are a European resident we note that we are processing your information in order to fulfill contracts we might have with you (for example if you make an order through the Site), or otherwise to pursue our legitimate business interests listed above. Additionally, please note that your information will be transferred outside of Europe, including to Canada and the United States.
Data Retention
When you place an order through the Site, we will maintain your Order Information for our records unless and until you ask us to delete this information.
Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance
We are in compliance with the requirements of COPPA (Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act), we do not collect any information from anyone under 13 years of age. Our website, products and services are all directed to people who are at least 13 years old or older.
Terms and Conditions
Please also visit our Terms and Conditions section establishing the use, disclaimers, and limitations of liability governing the use of our website at www.savorbeauty.com
Changes to our Privacy Policy
If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on this page. This policy was last modified on 5.24.18.
Contacting Us
If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below.
Savor Beauty, Inc.
448 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10024


text:
I ride in a basket boat in Hoi An
I ride in a basket boat in Hoi An
I visit one of Hoi An's lovely beaches.
I visit Tam Coc, Vietnam's gorgeous "Ha Long Bay on Land"
My first experience eating pho in Vietnam.
I try Vietnam's iconically delicious sandwich.
August 2015
Of the more comical excursions during our travels was swan paddle-boating in Hanoi.
I wander the streets of Vietnam's second largest city. Photos, stories, and bucket list sucesses
My experience flying in to Vietnam, and my first (ever) experience dealing with culture shock.


text:
UK tax authorities have issued fines for 115 senior finance directors in the last year, a 150 per cent rise from five years ago and a sign HM Revenue & Customs is standing its ground in efforts to hold executives personally responsible for corporate failings.
Tax lawyers and accounting professionals have become increasingly concerned about what they call HMRC's "trigger-happy" approach towards chief financial officers of Britain's largest companies; all those fined work for companies with annual revenues of more than £200m or assets of more than £2bn.
But HMRC has defended targeting the executives personally, saying it was an effective way of ensuring corporate books are properly maintained.
"It is crucial that senior accounting officers take responsibility for their organisation's accounting systems, and HMRC will impose penalties where they fall short or fail to provide the relevant documentation," said an HMRC spokesperson.
The rise in fines has come since the government was given new powers in 2009 to target individuals in senior finance roles. The so-called Senior Accounting Officer regime enables HMRC to fine executives up to £5,000 for failing to ensure "appropriate tax accounting arrangements".
The tax authority initially adopted a light-touch approach, but has used increasingly aggressive tactics over the past three years, according to Jason Collins, partner at Pinsent Masons. Although a sharp increase since 2012, fines issued during the 12 months to the end of March actually fell from the previous year, when 181 were issued.
"HMRC is going after the most senior people it can, without exceptions," Mr Collins said. "Putting finance directors in the line of fire is a definite escalation of HMRC's tactics."
Executives in the financial services and retail sectors received the highest number of fines last year, with 16 penalties each. The energy sector saw the largest increase in individuals fined, from nine to 14.
HMRC's tactics have also come in for criticism from the judiciary, with a tribunal in August criticising the tax authority for going after executives regardless of whether they work for small or large companies.
In that ruling, the first legal challenge to the HMRC's authority, Kreeson Thathiah, former finance director of privately owned Lenlyn Group, which includes the International Currency Exchange, successfully appealed against two £5,000 fines issued by HMRC for his oversight of tax accounting practices in 2011-13.
"Effectively it was assumed that any company [caught by the regime] should be held to the same standard," wrote the judge overseeing the case. "In my view there is a significant distinction between a company with a small finance team that is just over the qualifying company threshold and a major financial institution with a large tax department."
Mark Stapleton, a partner at the Dechert law firm, said the ruling left many with the impression that "perhaps HMRC were too 'trigger-happy' in levying the penalties".
David Harkness, tax partner at the law firm Clifford Chance, said pressure from HMRC on finance directors and the growing focus on personal liability was worrying clients.
"It is almost inevitable that sometimes errors will occur and although the legislation provides a defence where there is a 'reasonable excuse', there is a worry that HMRC will not accept that excuses are reasonable," Mr Harkness said.
"It would be helpful if HMRC could be more open about how the SAO regime is working, and why fines are being awarded. It is an area of concern to clients."
Get alerts on Accountancy when a new story is published


text:
Search for dissertations about: "Effects"
Showing result 1 - 5 of 13321 swedish dissertations containing the word Effects.
1. Transport and environment incentive policy instruments : effects and interactionsUniversity dissertation from Örebro : Örebro universitet
Abstract : This dissertation studies issues related to the evaluation of the effects and interactions of transport and environmental incentive policy instruments. Essay 1: Green cars sterilize congestion charges: a model analysis of the reduced impact of Stockholm road tolls calibrates a modal-choice model with data from the Stockholm road toll and uses it to study the sensitivity of congestion toll effects to some seemly subtle changes in the toll system design and external circumstances. READ MORE
2. Hormone replacement therapy benefits and adverse effectsUniversity dissertation from Umeå : Umeå university
Abstract : Background: Numerous studies have shown that estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is an effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms, insomnia and vaginal dryness. Beneficial effects have also been shown on lipid patterns and on the incidence of osteoporotic fractures. READ MORE
3. Dance Intervention for Adolescent Girls with Internalizing Problems Effects and ExperiencesUniversity dissertation from Örebro : Örebro university
Abstract : Globally, psychological health problems are currently among the most serious public health challenges. Adolescent girls suffer from internalizing problems, such as somatic symptoms and mental health problems, at higher rates than in decades. READ MORE
4. Electrical Bioimpedance Cerebral Monitoring Effects of HypoxiaUniversity dissertation from Gothenburg : Chalmers Reproservice
Abstract : Electrical bioimpedance spectroscopy is one way to study the electrical properties of biological matter. Different applications of electrical bioimpedance measurements have already been used in both research and clinical scenarios i.e. impedance plethysmography, total body water contents, etc. READ MORE
5. Lipoprotein lipase in hemodialysis patients and healthy controls effects of heparinUniversity dissertation from Gothenburg : Chalmers Reproservice
Abstract : Mortality from cardiovascular disease in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) is 10 to 20 times greater than in the general population. One major risk factor is renal dyslipidemia, characterised by an impaired catabolism of triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoproteins with accumulation of atherogenic remnant particles. READ MORE


text:
Topics: medicare insurance, Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement Plans, medicare advantage, Medicare Part A, Medicare Part D, senior news, Retirement, Medicare Part B, Medicare Part C, medicare supplements explained, Medicare Supplement, senior community, seniors, medicare supplemental insurance, What are Medicare Supplements?, What are Medicare Advantage Plans?, 2019, life, Medicare future, news
Topics: Turning 65, Medicare Part D, senior news, Medicare Part C, senior community, seniors, Original Medicare, Medicare B, Medicare A, Senior Blogs, medicare questions, initial enrollment period, creditable coverage, healthcare, medicare qualifications, medicare eligibility, healthcare coverage, smart, medicare card, aging, medicare marketplace, TSS Fans, marketplace
Did you know with the new year comes new changes to Medicare? With the changes to Medicare for 2018 recently being announced we are going to share what this means for you.
Topics: Medicare Part A, Medicare Part D, Medicare Premiums, Medicare Part B, medicare costs, Medicare Coverage, Compare Medicare Plans, Changes to Medicare
If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D prescription drug plan you will want to keep your eyes peeled for your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) that will be arriving in your mailbox sometime before the end of September.
An ANOC is a notice that health plans send to their members every year to notify them of any cost, benefit or service area changes that will take effect on January 1st of the following year.
Topics: Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Part D, Original Medicare, Annual Notice of Change, ANOC Package, medicare eligibility, medicare advantage plan
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently released a report stating that the average basic Part D premium amount for 2018 is estimated to be $33.50 per month.
This projected average premium is a slight decrease from the average monthly premium in 2017 which is $34.70.
This meager decrease represents the continued stability of Part D premiums.
Topics: Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Part D, Original Medicare, Part D Premiums
Prescription drug prices in the United States are among some of the highest in the world. This is why it is imperative that you have proper prescription drug coverage once you become eligible for Medicare. Depending on how you decide to receive your Medicare benefits, if your plan does not include Part D drug coverage, you must sign up for it separately.
Topics: prescription drug coverage, Medicare Part D, Medicare Premiums, Prescription drug plans, medicare penalties
Working past traditional retirement age used to be uncommon. Now there are far more Americans aged 65 and older in the workforce than there were 3 decades ago. The number of employed Americans rose by 35% between 2011 and 2016 according to a December 2017 study completed by Senior Living. Medicare used to be only thought of as retirement health insurance, but many who qualify may not be retired at all.
Topics: Part B, Medicare, Medicare Part A, Medicare Part D, Part A, Retirement, Medicare Part B, how medicare works, Part D, Medicare Coverage, Employer Insurance, COBRA, What is COBRA?, creditable coverage, medicare eligibility, group coverage
Medicare is a the federal health insurance program for people aged 65 and older, certain younger people plagued by a disability, and those with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD is permanent kidney failure that requires dialysis or a transplant). While Medicare helps qualified people with some of their medical expenses, those enrolled in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) will still have to pay coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles for covered services. Part B also comes with a premium amount of $134 a month for the year 2017. Some essential health services and products are not covered at all. All of this could be frightening for someone on a fixed income. We are here to let you know that there are some options that may be available to Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes. Many may be eligible to receive additional help for important doctors, prescriptions and needed services.
Topics: www.medicare.gov, SLMB, Medicare, medicare advantage, Medicare Part A, Medicare Part D, low-income, Medicare Part B, Medicare Part C, QI, Extra Help, QMB, medicare solutions, Prescription drug plans
In part 3 of our 6 part series on the types of Medicare Advantage plans we tackle the subject of Medicare PPO's. PPO, or Preferred Provider Organizations, must offer all the same benefits as Original Medicare Part A and Part B. Here's a quick recap:
Topics: prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage plans, medicare advantage, Medicare Part D, Medicare Premiums, Prescription drug plans, What is Medicare Part D?, What are Medicare Advantage Plans?, ppo
Diabetes is a lifelong disease that affects the way the body handles glucose, a type of sugar, in the blood. There are about 27 million people in the United States with diabetes, approximately 25% of those are people aged 60 and over. Living with diabetes as you get older can pose some unique challenges, but with proper care it can be effectively managed. Those who struggle with not only their chronic illness but also with the rising cost of prescription drugs used to treat them know that it is very important to have good prescription drug coverage.
Topics: Medicare, medicare advantage, Medicare Part D, diabetes, Medicare Part B, Prescription drug plans, Medicare Coverage, Compare Medicare Plans, What is Medicare Part D?, What is Medicare Advantage?, What is Medicare Part B?, what does medicare cover?


text:
1960s Berry Felt and Feather Hat
1960s berry red wool felt hat with navy and red feathers.
Additional Info
Vintage 1960s berry wool felt hat with jewel tone feathers and burgundy netting. It has a thin grosgrain ribbon band and a tiny bow accent in the back. In good condition -- no stains or holes. There are a few nibbled spots to the wool and feathers, but they are barely noticeable. It has a 1" brim, a 4.5" crown, and the interior circumference is 21 3/8".


text:
Why you need a RETREAT to REFILL (based upon why I know I need one)
It doesn't stop, and it feels like too much. You're spinning in a world of teaching classes and privates, commuting, eating on the run and balancing your home life. How are you supposed to dig into your energy reserves on a daily basis to share that energy with your students without the occasional self care refill? I can tell you that in my personal experience, I burnout. For me, burnout looks like feeling uninspired in my teaching, resentful of my schedule and unable to be truly present like I want to with my family. Being completely honest. So in order for me to do my job to the best of my ability, I really need to take care of me first, then those around me including my students. This is why Francesca and I decided to put our first ever retreat experience together.
Here are 4 Reasons Why YOU Need to RETREAT to REFILL:
Taking a walk in nature can calm the nervous system. Studies show that immersing yourself in nature allows the brain to reset, stress hormones levels to decrease, and awareness of oneself to increase. One of the postulated mechanisms being discussed is that this allows the prefrontal cortex, the brain's command center, to dial down and rest, like an overused muscle. Dialing down to settle in will be the goal of the mellow movement component of this retreat. You may even increase your creativity while on retreat, as further science shows that nature provides happiness, which leads to creative thought, and is also the medicine for the persistent grind and connection to technology. If you need to read more, this article, in National Geographic, is full of research that further convinced me.
We all know that our brain clears out the clutter while we sleep and that we learn and synthesize information best after a good night's sleep, but why? A new study out of Switzerland demonstrates that "poor sleep keeps the the brain's synapses excited and blocks the brains ability to learn". Picture yourself waking up from a restful night of sleep far away from all your typical distractions, ready to learn new material and incorporate into your body at once.
Connection with others according to the Dahli Llama and Desmod Tutu in the truly inspiring, "The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World" is the number one fuel for creating and maintaining joy within our lives. Being able to connect with oneself, in order to understand and relate to others reminds us that we are all connected in our journey together and brings satisfaction and happiness. Come grow this with us.
This is why Francesca and I designed the structure of the retreat the way we did. You get a dose of didactic, scientific physiyoga knowledge in the form of a 2 hour workshop with me, and then you get to immediately apply it into your practice. For me, that's the best way to learn, and for my students, that's where they come up with their best ideas and questions. We will navigate the nervous system, investigate how foot and ankle kinematics affect the rest of the body from the ground up, and dive deep into how the core functions as a canister.
Hope to see you there. Info below.
With love.


text:
Spring officially sprung on March 20, 2013 and now is the perfect time to begin prepping for the season ahead. From refreshing your decor and removing winter layers to performing needed home maintenance. The tasks on this checklist will get your house ready for spring inside and out.
Viewing entries tagged


text:
There have been times when Content and Design have felt like an odd couple. Writers extolling the importance of words and message whilst Designers seek to overhaul and create ways to make everything look more effective. But recent years have shown us the virtue agile content – ways in which content works with other disciplines in partnership to maximize everything that's on the web. Working together makes sense.
Design and content
Design has the capacity to enthrall, move and motivate but design which doesn't connect with content or context can often miss the mark. The danger, as the Design Council put it is that we can get "bowled over" by a sleek design. "It might look impressive but the reason you're appointing an agency is to establish a design that will best suit the needs of your users, rather than use on that looks good."
Creating as part of the Modernista movement of the early 20th Century, Gaudi figured out that harmony was a key factor in design. Harmony of light and shade, harmony of materials, harmony too of a design with a story and it's setting. His architecture in Barcelona has become synonymous with the city – it connects and doesn't just stand alone.
Over time I've found Gaudi has become an incredible metaphor for the marriage of content and design that I believe in so passionately.
Learning from Gaudi
If you take a walk around Barcelona you can't help but notice Gaudi. His work is everywhere. Creative lamposts, beautiful apartment buildings, parks and even a massive Cathedral La Sagraia Familia.
If you took this walk with your eyes open to learn I think there are some clear factors which can inform us about content and design.
Technical creativity works best with a clear purpose.
Gaudi was an innovator, he embraced new ideas but there was always a message behind them. In his Sagradia Familia Cathedral he uses nature as a model for design, yet also realises that nature speaks of the creator of which the Cathedral is all about.
"those who look for the laws of nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the creator"
Do our innovations in web design actually aid the content which sits at the centre of a website? How can innovation amplify and enhance content?
Embracing design principles.
Gaudi loved to explore principles from other disciplines. He worked with geometry, he learnt from artistic movements, he explored concepts such as the use of space in Islamic art and design. One of Gaudi's passions was colour. He saw how use of colour could enhance design features and draw the eye.
"Colour in certain places has the great value of making the outlines and structural plains even more energetic"
For our websites we can do the same with ideas such as Gestalt's theories of proximity. Design principles can sit alongside things like typography and images as ways to draw attention to content.
Understand the context
Gaudi went to extraordinary lengths to understand the context of his work. For example he spent time with the dying and bereaved in a hospital to understand their emotions before a part of a design around the death of Lazarus. When challenged about the length of time the cathedral project was taking his simple reply was
"Don't worry my client isn't in a hurry"
How much will we seek to understand the context of organisations and clients we work with? Gaudi realised that content is about people and sought to understand what they understood about concepts he worked with.
3D Models
Most striking of all to me is that Gaudi never worked with drawings. Design for him began with 3D models and here he began to grapple with the realities of what he had – materials and space but also with the content and messages behind his work. His work was always practical, like the lampposts that are dotted through Barcelona. But he would engage with content first and create from it. This is the same concept Space to Breathe takes with web design, to begin with users and organisations and with the content they have. We can all learn a lot from the way Gaudi created with content as an inspiration and ethos, not just bricks and mortar.
This presentation was given in 2015 at the ContentStrategy Meetup in London and was produced in partnership with Worthers Media. You can see the slides on WorthersMedia.


text:
#Memories: Light the corners of my newsfeed & that one time I accidentally candy flipped
I'm equal parts fascinated and freaked out by the "On This Day" memory feature on Facebook. Some days I care to check, others not ... today's featured event made me smile. Mostly because, at the time, I couldn't say the whole story.
(Since am revisiting this story I am going to write to the same song that I wrote to the first go round.)
Maestro ...
<tangent> It's funny, the other day I had drinks with a tech buddy of mine that just moved here from SF, and somewhere towards the end of the night he goes "you're not at all what I expected you to be based on your sites."
Eh, I said wondering where this was going ...
You're not this self absorbed sexual deviant like I thought you would be. You're really easy to talk to.
I smiled, knowing he was half right. People always make assumptions and have their opinions. I do what I do because I like doing it. K, story. </tangent>
This morning, I woke up to this in my Facebook feed ...
Yep, that's me getting hog tied in front of a big group of my friends (and about 50 other people).
Click here to read the original post
I was on OKC at the time, and was talking to this gentleman whom had a fetish for S&M. He wanted to dominate me, yet our schedules never synced up. Then, a few days later (also on OKC) I met this OTHER guy (via a phone call conversation before trivia), whom also had the same fetish and said he needed to "hypnotize" me before we could met.
Whatever's clever I said with an audible eye roll ...
I don't remember exactly what happened, but all I know was that night I wasn't impressed, went to trivia, and he then started to read Talk Nerdy and threw this shit fit and threatened to sue me if I used his screenshots. (I always, always, always blacked out names, but kept the content.)
I do not under any circumstances stand for being threatened, so as a "fuck you" I said I'll make a video and paraphrase.
I then filmed this ...
It was COMPLETELY coincidental that at the time he continued his messaging. I couldn't make this shit up if I tried, let alone actually capture it on film.
(22,000 views and a whole lot of negative comments later -did I mention that I don't care?) I was still interested in pursuing this curiosity, so I hit up my gf Misti (whom at the time was known for being the nerdiest girl in porn - now no longer), and she connected me to the twitter feed of Bar Sinister and we got on the guest list for an S&M party they were hosting.
At the time, I was going to fly solo and just see what happened - but as I got started talking to my friends about it they were interested too, and suddenly one became 10.
While we were there (before I volunteered for the demonstration), one of my buddies stops me by the restroom and asked if I wanted to roll aka take ecstasy. (Which I had done previously a handful of times - more on that in a second.)
IN, I said taking the pill excited that I was going off to never never land.
I drank OJ that night (which apparently helps with the effects of rolling) choosing to stay away from alcohol (dehydration on this drug is no bueno).
About a half an hour to an hour into it, he came up to me feeling my arm. (Your senses go BANANAS when you're "rolling.")
Anything? he asked.
Can't feel it, I said.
He then said the one sentence you should never say when taking drugs ...
"It must not be working, let me give you another one."
I then did the one thing you should never do while taking drugs ...
I took damn the second pill.
It wasn't until I was being tied up that my senses started to heighten.
I vividly remember the Dom slamming me down (while tied up), and as my chin hit the cold steel I started to fuckinnnnngggg ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
Holy shit, I thought trying to control my breath in front of literally the whole room. (I also only told one of my friends that I had taken anything. Everyone else was clueless.)
The Dom then slapped my ass to the beat of Kiss by Prince and for the first time in my life I actually started to hallucinate. It was like I could see the lyrics to the song floating in front of my face, IN FRONT OF THE DAMN CROWD!!
I never experienced this before, I thought.
When I was done, I grabbed my phone to text a friend who wanted to stop by.
I then looked down at my screen and could see things popping out. It was like the avatars came to life and started to talk to me in this beautiful, colorful rainbow.
WOOAHHHHH, I said looking at my one buddy (whom was also on whatever fucking planet I was on), do you see that too?
He shook his head as we giggled.
At that time, I had never done any sort of psychedelics so this was SERIOUSLY tripping me out.
What is this, I said to my friend?
It's new, he said. It's called a candy flip. (Ecstasy and LSD)
CANDDYYYYYYYYYYY, I said picturing Homer Simpson gleefully dancing ...
Looking back, I should have been pissed at him, but at the time I didn't care. I was rolling harder than I had ever rolled, and this feeling was both magical and colorful.
My friends btw figured out at this point what was going on (due to being barely coherent), and we all decided to head back to my place to not be around people. (Safer that way.)
THE TREE, I said upon arriving home and staring at the very colorful Christmas tree.
Like literally staring ... at a fucking tree ... for like ten minutes.
I then went to go and get something from my room (as everyone started to come in), and in doing so I must have knocked over some water.
My very high instinct was to say fuck it and sit down and play in the water.
So I did.
(I love being naked.)
My roommate then came in (for however long I was on the ground) asking if I was okay.
I'm always okaaayyyyyy I reply back, very happy to be alive.
She wasn't partaking, but couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous I looked.
SHH, leave me be, I said as I continued to watch things move around my room in colorful fluidity.
<tangent> People don't believe it, but I truly am an introvert. Well, an extroverted introvert. I don't get energized from people or crowds. On the contrary, I have to pump myself up for it. When I'm high or even really drunk, I get painfully quiet and want to go to bed and watch youtube videos. </tangent>
Sometime later, I got up from the water, and decided to place my bare chest on the outside of our heater.
SO WARMMMMM, I said so happy to be alive.
My friends couldn't stop laughing.
"Jen is literally the happiest little kid when she is high," said one friend.
A bunch of us had a little make out party at that point as we watched Usher stare at us from the OnDemand Music Channel. (No sex, just making out which feels really good when you're rolling.)
"He's judging us!!" someone said as we all started laughing.
We then started talking about creativity, consciousness, tech, trends ... typical discussions among a bunch of nerds from different walks of life.
At this point, the sun was starting to come up, and I was STILL rolling.
FUCK, this is long, I thought.
I then tried to put myself to sleep (solo), and had made the now unfortunate mistake of purchasing new sheets the week before.
Checkered sheets.
My brain and stomach on drugs saw that and said no ... no ... NOOOOOOOO!!!!
I barely made it to the bathroom in time.
It took about a full 24 hours later to feel like everything was "out of my system."
At the time, I thought it was great and a hilarious story, but would never do it again.
See, in my mid 20s, I did a drug a year on my birthday. I had tried pot right after high school, and had done coke a handful of times when I was 21 (am not a fan. I clean on coke; I want to organize things, and be really quiet. I truly do not understand that drug. Different folks different strokes, er lines?).
I always always always did research beforehand (including print outs) of warning signs, reactions, and even studied the HOLY SHIT YOU'RE GOING TO DIE side effects. I was very prepared, and it was something I did just for myself to say I did it and I'm over it.
At 24 I tried E for the first time, but it wasn't until I was 25 that I learned what "rolling" actually was, and then subsequently spent three days in a hot tub with a spirithood.
Actual photo taken during said "roll" ...
Couch surfing was fun. Crazy scary, but fun.
Anywho, a few birthdays later, I tried shrooms and that was another wonderful mistake.
I was with my friend, and two of her friends (presumably she was trying to set me up with one of them. Didn't happen.).
We had gone to a fancy dinner at Perch in downtown, followed by a night out at the Abbey (popular gay club with fantastic dancing and dancers).
Everyone knew that we were going to try shrooms (I learned about that whole full disclosure thing at this point), and my gf agreed to try it with me. (She was the one that actually got them. I am too naive to know where to even start or how much to pay.)
So, we take the first bit at dinner. It tastes like chocolate dirt with a slight scent of cow manure. (We did edibles.)
Gross, I said consuming the edible. About an hour later, we again did the one thing that you should never do when you're on drugs ...
Take more.
By the time that we got to the (also) very colorful Abbey I was TRIPPPIIINNNNGGG. It was a lot mellower than the candy flip, but I couldn't stop commenting on the colors.
I was at beauty level plastic bag circa American Beauty ...
... when in reality I was really staring at crappy twinkling Christmas lights.
Anyway, we were there for about an hour and the guys bought us bottles of champagne with sparklers, and (because it was my birthday) I got pulled up on stage, given a shot, and handcuffed (apparently this is a theme) while the crowd sang Happy Birthday to me.
Well, when they gave me the shot they put it on the ground requiring me to get down on my knees (again while handcuffed meaning no hands).
OPEN WIDE, said the performer.
I go to place my mouth around the shot glass and it hits me like a bolt of lighting. Holy crap, I thought. I am tripping really hard.
I then try to take the shot, but for some reason cannot swallow (keep your mind up to the gutter people). I start shaking it trying to get my throat to open, and nothing was happening. I then put the shot down after only able to do half of it (which was really like being on stage spilling a shot all over yourself). Because I think they thought I was super drunk, they didn't press the issue, and I was released back to my friends.
HOLY SHIT, I said admitting what had happened.
I then got a text from a good friend of mine and long time crush.
(I met him when we were both being introduced to Harrison Ford at the Extraordinary Measures premiere. I thought he was super hot so I turned around and said we have the coolest story on how we met, so we need to become best friends. Hi, I'm Jen. We're still friends.)
FREE-ELLE (how he says my name). Of course I would look up, and you would be on stage.
JAVIER, I said excited. Come find me. I am by the colorful tree. It's the one with all the colors. You know ...
??? he texted back
I then scanned the crowd trying to find him, but unfortunately he had left.
I explained later what happened, and he laughed saying, of course you were on shrooms at the Abbey Free-elle.
After that, I haven't done anything else. I've had friends try DMT and experiment with ayahuasca ceremonies. I might do one of those, but for now am pretty pleased with all the things I got to check off my life list.
How many people can say that they were hog tied while candy flipping?