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HEIGHT 5'9" WEIGHT 175 lbs
John Daly graduated from Plattsburgh State University with a bachelors degree in Public Relations and Advertising. He ran track and field while in college and was all-American in the decathlon in 2007.
Daly's gym coach's son competed in luge and was scouting new talent in his class. Daly tried out during one of the screening events hosted near his home and made the development team. Once he was in Lake Placid for training, he saw the sport of skeleton and quickly made the switch. He began competing in the sport of skeleton in 2001 and steadily climbed his way to the national team. Daly made his first Olympic team in 2010, and is a medal hopeful for 2014.
Daly considers his entire family his support team: his mother, father, brother, sister, and his Aunt Sabina have "all been there from the beginning." His dad spent years driving Daly from Long Island to Lake Placid so he could train for the sport. "I know without a doubt I wouldn't have become an Olympian without the support of my family," Daly said.
Daly has two quotes that inspire him. The first is, "Don't let your fears block your dreams." He was scared to try a BMX section when he raced, and one of the pros at a competition told him that as a kid he always recited that quote to help him face his fears. The second quote is, "You can't choose the hand you're dealt in life, but you have to play it."
Social Sites: Facebook
- 2010 Olympic Winter Games - 17th with a total time of 3:34.01
- 2016-2017 European Cup - 5th in St. Moritz (1/17)
- 2016-2017 North American Cup - GOLD in Park City #1 (1/17); GOLD in Park City #2 (1/17)
- 2013-2014 World Cup - 16th in Calgary (11/13), 15th in Park City (12/13), 4th in Lake Placid (12/13), 5th in Winterberg (1/14), 23rd in St. Moritz #1 (1/14), 9th in St. Moritz #2 (1/14), 5th in Igls (1/14), 23rd in St. Mortiz #1 (1/10), 9th in St Moritz #2 (1/12), 5th in Igls (1/18), 12th in Koenigssee (1/24)
- 2012-2013 World Cup
-4th in Lake Placid (11/12), 7th in Park City (11/12), 19th in Whistler (11/12), 11th in Winterberg (12/12), 9th in La Plagne (12/12), 20th in Altenberg (1/13), 11th in Koenigssee (1/13), 16th in Igls (1/13), GOLD in St. Moritz World Championship team event (2/13), 5th in St. Moritz World Championships (2/13), 4th in Sochi (2/13)
- 2011-2012 World Cup
-DSQ in Igls (11/11), 22nd in La Plagne (11/11), 14th in Winterberg (11/11), 24th in Altenberg (12/11), 17th in Koenigssee (12/11), 6th in St. Moritz (1/12), 5th in Calgary (1/12), 8th in Lake Placid World Championships (2/12)
- 2011-2012 Intercontinental Cup
-GOLD in Calgary #1 (2/12), SILVER in Calgary # (2/12)
- SILVER at 2011 National Championships
- 10th overall in 2010-2011 World Cup
-19th in Whistler (11/10), 10th in Calgary (12/10), 8th in Park City (12/10), 10th in Lake Placid (12/10), 16th in Igls (1/11), 6th in Winterberg (1/11), 5th in St. Moritz (1/11), 18th in Cesana (1/11), 17th at World Championships in Koenigssee (2/11)
- 2010 Skeleton Athlete of the Year
- 2010 Skeleton Athletes' Choice Award Winner
- 2010 Skeleton Rookie of the Year
- 2009-2010 Intercontinental Cup
-GOLD in Lake Placid (1/10), GOLD in Calgary #1 (1/10), GOLD in Calgary #2 (1/10), GOLD in Park City (1/10)
- 2009-2010 America's Cup
-GOLD in Lake Placid #1 (12/09), GOLD in Lake Placid #2 (12/09)
- 14th overall in 2009-2010 World Cup
-14th in Park City (11/09), 11th in Lake Placid (11/09), 22nd in Cesana (12/09), 20th in Winterberg (12/09)
- 7th overall in 2008-2009 America's Cup
-SILVER in Park City #1 (11/1), BRONZE in Lake Placid #1 (11/21), 8th in Lake Placid #2 (11/22), BRONZE in Lake Placid #3 (4/3)
- 2nd overall in 2008-2009 European Cup
-SILVER in Winterberg (12/5), BRONZE in Altenberg EC #1 (12/12), SILVER in Altenberg EC #2 (12/13), 6th in Igls EC #1 (12/20), GOLD in Igls EC #2 (12/21), GOLD in St. Moritz (1/22), BRONZE in Cesana (1/31)
John Daly Wins 2 Gold Medals At First Skeleton Competitions Since 2014 Olympics
Brandon Penny Jan. 08, 2017
Daly won both North American Cup races held in Park City, Utah.
John Daly Returns To Skeleton With One Goal In Mind: An Olympic Medal
Brandon Penny Nov. 23, 2016
After heartbreaking performance in Sochi, Daly returns to end his career on a different note.
Sweet 16: Team USA And NCAA Go Hand In Hand
Dave Royse March 25, 2015
Here are 16 ways in which college sports have benefitted Team USA.
Top 14 Of 2014: Coolest Team USA Photos
Dec. 27, 2014
Team USA athletes and fans made 2014 a photographer's dream. Check out some of the best photographs of the year.
U.S. Skeleton Team In Rebuilding Phase
Karen Rosen Dec. 10, 2014
With two of the five U.S. Olympic skeleton racers from the Sochi Games hanging up their sleds and another undergoing surgery, the track is clear for new talent to emerge.
U.S. Olympic Skeleton Team: The Anatomy Of A Team
Doug Williams July 30, 2014
The Olympians finished in an unplanned five-way tie for the Athletes' Choice Award
Team USA's Celebrity Crushes
Lisa Costantini July 09, 2014
Gracie Gold, Erin Hamlin and 11 more athletes reveal their celebrity crushes
Meet Team USA's Class Of 2014
Lisa Costantini June 18, 2014
From class clown to cutest couple, we crown this year's most memorable athletes
Tristan Gale And Lea Ann Parsley | Great Moments In Team USA History
April 09, 2014
Gale and Parsley went 1-2 in women's skeleton at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Games
Gallery: Medal Moments In Skeleton
Feb. 20, 2014
View Team USA skeleton athletes and their medal moments


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I'll take that bet
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D- Outer Space) has made a prediction that just doesn't ring true for me.
"I predict that by November those who voted for healthcare will find it an asset and those who voted against it will find it a liability," Schumer said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Uh, yeah, I don't think so.
Anyone been following the first effect of this bill? Billions of dollars in new charges against the earnings of businesses who were able, previously, to write off a subisdy and all of health care coverage they paid (for prescription drugs for retirees) that they can no longer do.
Now you're probably saying, "libertarian dude – I thought you were against all government subsidies". I am. And there's nothing different about this. I'm actually rather pleased to see the subsidy ended. However that's not the point of the post. This development runs counter to two promises the administration and Congress made concerning this bill -a) your coverage wouldn't change and b) it would cost less.
In fact, given the fact that accounting laws require companies to immediately restate their earnings when the law changes and they take on an increased tax burden. What the likes of AT&T, Deere and Caterpillar are doing is complying. That means a) if you work for AT&T or the others your coverage will change (most likely it will end and they'll end up on Medicare's much less generous drug program) and b) it will cost more.
How much more? Well, if you look at the loss Caterpillar will take, it works out to about $1,200 dollars per employee. That 100 million they're talking about in increased cost has to be made up somewhere. If that's true about all large companies – even those with union contracts which aren't ending anytime soon – then that equals one heck of a lot of PO'd pensioners. Certainly not a good sign for those that voted for this, is it?
As I covered previously, Verizon has sent word to its employees that coverage may cost more. That gives the company a couple of choices – it can maintain the level of coverage and raise the price to meet the increased cost, or it can cut benefits to match the present cost. Either way, either a) or b) end up being incorrect.
This has Democrats a little flustered. And Henry Waxman, (D-Odius) has decided that these evil corporations must answer to him for this since all those billions in charges they're having to take against earning wasn't the intent of this legislation – so he's going to have hearings to get to the bottom of this. After all, according to Waxman, in the letter he sent to these businessmen their findings just can't be right (I mean, face it, these businesses want to take a hit against earnings of billions of dollars just to show the Dems up, huh?):
"They also appear to conflict with independent analyses. … The Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers from leading U.S. companies, asserted in November 2009 that health care reform could reduce predicted health insurance cost trends for businesses by more than $3,000 per employee over the next 10 years…"
You've got to love it – Waxman's strongest case is an association comprised of some CEOs who "asserted" – got that? "asserted" – that health care reform "could" – again, "could" – reduce cost trends.
In other words, instead of actually doing the work of checking with authoratative sources that could have actually run the numbers and vetted the requirements of the law, he, Waxman, went with the assertions of a bunch of CEOs because they said what he wanted them to say. Reminds you a bit of the IPCC, doesn't it?
Another entity with a bit more credibility has actually taken a look at the law and its impact and come up with this interpretation:
The Employee Benefit Research Institute says this exclusion—equal to 28% of the cost of a drug plan—will run taxpayers $665 per person next year, while the same Medicare coverage would cost $1,209.
In a $5.4 billion revenue grab, Democrats decided that this $665 fillip should be subject to the ordinary corporate income tax of 35%. Most consulting firms and independent analysts say the higher costs will induce some companies to drop drug coverage, which could affect about five million retirees and 3,500 businesses.
And that brings us back to Schumer. Why does Schumer think that it will be all unicorns and rainbows for those who voted for this monstrosity?
"It's going to become more popular and here's why," Schumer said. "The lies that have been spread, they vanish because you see what's in the bill."
"The No. 1 lie that bothers people is that you'll lose your insurance if you have it now and are pretty happy with it," Schumer said.
Yeah, well, so far, not so good on that front, huh Chuck?
And fyi – polls aren't supporting the Schumer claim either. Most are running against the bill. The one mentioned in the article with the Schumer quotes has it 50-46 against. My guess is that was before the news broke about the charge offs and the effect on pensions.
But hey, it's all theirs now and they can whistle past the graveyard if they want too – it's not going to change what happens in November one bit.
About That Caterpillar Story
President Obama has been waving a quote from Jim Owens, CEO of Caterpillar, "said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off."
Asked if the stimulus package would be able to stop the 22,000 layoffs or not, Owens said, "I think realistically no. The truth is we're going to have more layoffs before we start hiring again"
"It is going to take some time before that stimulus bill" means re-hiring, he said.
Amateur hour continues.

subset: commoncrawl


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iHerb Customer Reviews
Savings of: $6.13 (44% off)
It works, BUT be careful!
Posted by Reviewer2314859 on Nov 16, 2013
I started taking these tablets because I suspected I had zinc deficiency and YES i have it. I started taking ONE tablet every night and then one night I made a huuuuuuuuuge mistake and took these on an empty stomach, oh boy, you have no idea how much I regret that. It's like I was having a baaaad hangover and had drank a bottle of vodka, that's how sick and naseous I felt. so DON'T TAKE THESE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH, GOT IT?! So ok, now this DOES work, if I take it everyday for a month I will see a huge difference on my nails, libido and less hairloss. So I recomend but i think 50 mg is too strong! And since our bodies don't store zinc, we have to take it everyday to see results, so i think I'll try a different one.
I take this for any copper imbalance
Posted by Reviewer1841961 on Apr 15, 2009
50mg, will balance high copper levels, which I think causes my moodiness and irritability during PMS. Works great - but don't forget to take it - once every morning.
Posted by Reviewer2269050 on Jul 29, 2009
I love all the NOW products I use. They are all GMP approved. I also use the Selenium which I have taken for years zinc and selenium for anti-aging. I will be 61 in September and no one believes me when I tell them that.
Great product!
Posted by Reviewer1220656 on Oct 20, 2008
I just recently switched to these from another Zinc supplement I'd been using and this increased my zinc level within 2 weeks whereas the other took 2 years and didn't do anything! This is a Fantastic Zinc supplement.
Posted by Reviewer2131764 on May 20, 2009
This product is highly recommended to my skin improved a lot.
Great supp
Posted by 5076829913697543179 on Nov 25, 2013
This supplement works great at reducing cortisol when it is too high. Also good for calming your adrenals and balance your zinc/copper ratio. Very good for libido and dreaming as well. Just don't take too much of it to keep the balance right. If you plan taking it daily avoid eating your copper foods with it or take a 2mg copper supplement. If you take it at night you might oversleep. WARNING : Never take it on empty stomach! Or prepare for painful stomach cramps.
Tiny pills but many benefits!!
Posted by 5673638387120516014 on Aug 22, 2012
I had my whole family take this thing and immediately they started showing improvements. This gotta be the most underrated supplement. Creates a powerful line of defense for your immune system. I do wonder if this can even prevent cancer. If you have sensitive stomach take half.
Posted by alvinlky on Mar 17, 2015
Excellent supplements at a very affordable price.
Excellent / Highly Recommended
Posted by Reviewer1313641 on Nov 25, 2009
Good stuff against flu.
Very effective
Posted by Reviewer1687289 on Jul 07, 2010
I have a clearer skin after 2 weeks of use. Take 1 with evening meal. Prevents m'y skin from breaking out. I only havé an occasionnal pimple here and there now while i had started to get more breakout. A few weeks ago. I had bought this for this acné rash to disappear and i got the results i wanted! I Will keep using it...


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Tag Archives: House of JC Le Roux
Bubbly and Sweet Treats
11 Junposted by admin
Categories: Stellenbosch
Tags: Activity, Bubbles, House of JC Le Roux, MCC
Comments: 0
'Remember gentlemen, it's not just France we are fighting for,
it's Champagne!' ~ Winston Churchill, WWI .
Imagine what Winston Chruchill would have said if he only new that positioned in the charming Devon Valley lies the House of JC Le Roux, where bubbly and sweet delicacies are offered simultaneously.
The passion of bubbles has excited much thirst, and JC Le Roux as the first South African cellar dedicated solely to making sparkling wine has excited many a grape just plain fizzy.
The specialised 'Bubbly and Sweet Delights' tastings, pairs five different JC Le Roux sparkling wines with five home-made sweets crafted by Rodé Handmade Confectionery with natural ingredients. Delight, indulge, sip, savour; repeat. Nougat dipped in dark chocolate meets the nutty biscuit qualities of the elegant Methodé Cape Classic (MCC) Pinot Noir bubbles. The acidity of the bubbly elevates the honey and almond flavours while the berry notes complement the cocoa. The red berries and floral characteristics of the Pinot Noir Rosé bubbly is enhanced by the subtleties of the rosewater Turkish Delight. A bubbly palate of pear and litchi flavours with creamy notes and tones is tasted in the Le Valleé (MCC) which is accompanied by praline and pecan nougat arousing honey and nut notes.
Caramel coated cashew nuts enhances the tropical fruity tones of the La Fleurette rosé sparkling wine. Vanilla Fudge paired with Le Domaine bubbles cuts a mouthful of sweetness with tropical and floral influences. Bottled magic and tastes to sparkle over. Bubbles meet bliss; pop a cork, toast a flute and nibble on sweetness.


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Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (218 votes).
In short: Early on a Saturday was great timing for us Sunday workers whgo usually miss out on races. Marshalls and organisation made it a great start to the weekend. Thank you.Date of review: March 8, 2010
In short: Terrific race complete with a flat course, excellent organisation and great value for money!Date of review: March 7, 2010
In short: Well-organised, low-key, enjoyable, multi-lap raceDate of review: March 7, 2010
In short: Marshals are great and course well set up - but can be a hard slog running same laps past the finish line - shame that for the slower finishers like me the water ran out when we had got to the finish line. Date of review: March 6, 2010
In short: Fast, excellent organisation but dull - grit your teeth for the 8am start!In full: I'm not a slouch as a runner, but I'm certainly not a pro - on this race though the standard of runner was very high. To do this 10 mile race requires a bit of dedication. You'll arrive at a blustery Battersea Park in time for the 8am start, then do 6 monotonous laps around a park - it's certainly not uplifting! However, the organisation and the marshalls were fantastic - well worth the effort as a training run or going for that PB!Date of review: March 6, 2010
In short: Round and round we go !!In full: Well organised by Run and Become and very friendly marshalling. Running 5 laps of Battersea park is pretty monotonous to be fair and not to everyone's taste though. But at least I got to see #48 again ;-)) Running past the finish funnel continually is a little demoralising ;)Date of review: March 6, 2010
In short: The RunAndBecome races are always a pleasureIn full: The Self Transcendence races organised by Run and Become are always a pleasure - very friendly marshalling (and always nice to recognise the faces from the shop). Running 5 laps in Battersea park for a 10 miler might not be to everyone's taste though. You have to run 4 times past the finish line before you actually have made it ;)Date of review: March 6, 2010
In short: Very useful race, although the laps are aways a bit hamsterishDate of review: October 5, 2009
Date of review: October 3, 2009
In short: Really friendly race with great PB and prize potential!Date of review: October 3, 2009
Visit the official Runner's World page
Follow Runner's World on Twitter
Click here
Other Natmag-Rodale Sites
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Injury Clinics
About Runner's World


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Thor-Lo Original Low Cut Tennis Padded Socks
Product Information:
Thor-Lo® Original Low Cut Tennis Padded Socks socks feature the exclusive THOR.LON® construction to wick away moisture better than ever before. Thick cushioning in the ball/heel of the sock offers maximum blister, impact and shear protection while the extended cushioning over the toes allows for maximum protection during fast stops and starts. Choose the Thor-Lo® Original Low Cut Tennis Padded Socks to up your game.
- Exclusive THOR.LON® construction wicks moisture
- Thick cushioning in the ball/heel provides impact protection
- Extended cushioning over toes protects from injury
- Flat knit at instep for better, more secure fit
- Low profile toe seam doesn't rub or irritate
- Perfect for tennis players seeking a comfortable fit
- Style: TMX-13, TMX-11
- Made in the USA
- Thor-Lo
- Sock Size: Medium = Shoe Size: Men's 5.5-8.5, Women's 6.5-10
- Sock Size: Large = Shoe Size: Men's 9-12.5, Women's 10.5-13
Country of Origin: United StatesWeb ID: 4413622
Customer Reviews:
Rated 4.6 out of 5�by 23 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5�by gene The best padded tennis sock I have been looking all over for this sock and I finally found it at Dicks. Since I first bought it last month I have ordered three more online. October 19, 2016
Rated 5 out of 5�by Bronald Product was perfect for my use Perfect for tennis, great fit and comfortable I have tried other socks and feel the Thor Lo brand is comfortable and great support September 11, 2016
Rated 5 out of 5�by George405 Well made and cushiony I have only worn these socks through one wash cycle so I can't comment on their longevity. I can say that they appear well-made and fit true to size. They are very cushiony without being overly hot. However, be careful with shoe sizing because if your shoes just fit perfectly with average thickness socks, they may fit too snugly with these Thor-Los July 3, 2016
Rated 5 out of 5�by Weavie The best of the best for all of the sports that I play and comfort that I demand I have used these great socks for tennis , golf , running and lounging.They are my choice for use at home instead of slippers and I use use the black golf socks with suits . To be exact I always have 20 pair in use at all times and they are the only socks that touch my feet . A couple of pair of Thorlos make a perfect gift for that athlete in your family for any special day ; Father's Day , Mother's Day , Birthdays or being in the hospital for extreme comfort .I have used and loved these socks for decades . An extreme Thorlo Advocate May 15, 2016
Rated 4 out of 5�by Newts design Wish the Thor-Lo Mini Crews had been in the store. I like to see what I buy. Socks really last a long time. My only negative comment is that when they arrived the design was different than what I was accustomed too. The numbers, old packaging and new, matched but the new sock has a cuff at the top and the old just comes up straight. Much more appealing look. January 30, 2016
Rated 5 out of 5�by Ox Good cushioning and sweat absorbsion Wanted to purchase the hi-crew sock, but the store only had the Lo Mini available. I have to wear a brace on my left foot and prefer the higher sock over the mini so that the brace doesn't touch my lower leg. July 28, 2015
Rated 3 out of 5�by gailboot Thor-Lo Socks I've bought them before and truly hope they've improved since then. After a few months the crew portion gets all stretched out and doesn't return even after washing. Other than that, I really like the cushion these socks provide. June 9, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5�by Hary Cushy tennis sock This is the sock that prevents me from getting blisters. May 19, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5�by ARCADIA888 Well Made Sock I am impressed by the quality and fabric of this sock. It is very comfortable and I highly recommend it. April 29, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5�by jp Product good but pricy The socks fit comfortably and did everything I expected and as I wear and wash them I will know more however they are pricy and unless these are the best and most comfortable socks ever I may not spend the extra money to buy another pair. We will see! October 22, 2014


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United States Marine Corps: Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome
February 13, 2013
Lt. Col. Ralph Hernandez, assistant chief of staff for advertising at the United States Marine Corps, and Marshall Lauck, chief operating officer at J. Walter Thompson, discussed how the U.S. Marine Corps is utilizing social media for recruitment and shared highlights from their "Toward the Sounds of Chaos" campaign.
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You may already be a member. Find out if your company is already an ANA member.


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Consumers' Guide to Legal Help
West Virginia
All across the nation, foreclosure rates are skyrocketing to new heights. Listed below are several resources that can connect you to local, state and national organizations and bar associations that can help you if you are one of the many individuals facing foreclosure. Don't wait until it's too late.
State & Public Service Sources
National Sources
AARP.org Foreclosure Information
ABA Section of Taxation
ABA Section on Real Property, Trust and Estate Law
Consumer Action - Avoiding Foreclosure
Federal Trade Commission - Mortgage Info
HUD - Find a Housing Counselor
HUD - General Foreclosure Information
HUD - Help for Homeowners Facing the Loss of Their Home
HUD - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Homeownership Preservation Foundation - Foreclosure Help and Hope
Homeownership Preservation Foundation - Foreclosure Information
Housing Policy - Foreclosure and Equity Loss
National Governors Association - State Mortgage Assistance and Refinance Programs
NeighborWorks America
NeighborWorks America - Center for Foreclosure Solutions
Self-Help.org Subprime Response
About Us/Disclaimer |
Terms of Use
American Bar Association © Copyright Statement


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We know how important it is for your loved ones to receive their chocolate gifts on time! For delivery by Valentine's Day, be sure to place your online order by the timelines below.
Your order will ship via FedEx to ensure it arrives in pristine condition!
Our Concierge offers an enhanced service for customers who desire a specific delivery date a week or more in the future. To take advantage of this service please contact our Concierge at 415.826.2868 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Overnight shipping rates will apply.
We are happy to introduce new flat rate shipping based on the shipping service you choose! No matter how much Recchiuti you get, you'll always get one flat rate.
FedEx has permission to leave packages at the recipient's address if no one is there to sign for it; however FedEx may require a signature for delivery, in which case the recipient will need to follow up with FedEx. Recchiuti Confections is NOT responsible for packages stolen or damaged after they are delivered to the address specified by the customer. We suggest shipping to a daytime/business location when possible. We offer FedEx's 'Signature Required for Delivery' service. You can select this option on the checkout page for an additional charge of $3.50. If you select, "Signature Required for Delivery," your package will not be delivered unless it is signed for. If no one is present, FedEx will make two more attempts before they return the package to us. Recchiuti Confections will not refund purchases if the product is damaged or melted after the first delivery attempt or if it is returned to us by FedEx.
Because chocolate can be quite temperamental to ship, we include ice packs in orders going to warm climate at no charge to you!
When your order ships, you will receive an email which includes your tracking number via FedEx.com. If you have trouble tracking your order, please give us a call and we can assist your in contacting FedEx.


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Konfidence Ltd
Konfidence is your one-stop shop for Baby Swimming, Buoyancy and Beachwear essentials. Value for money and high quality products for your children, all year round. We are the designer, manufacturer and distributor of the Konfidence range. So superb customer service and top quality products are what you will receive when buying from Konfidence. Our baby swimming range is used worldwide and is recommended by many leading baby swim schools here in the UK.
Products available all year round;
- A comprehensive baby swimming range including - Babywarma™ Wetsuits, Poncho Towels, Paddler Pools Socks, Baby changers and lots more
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Visit us on-line today and see all the fantastic lines we have to offer.


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Geographic Range
Eudyptes sclateri breed on the Antipodes and Bounty Islands with smaller numbers observed to breed on the Auckland and Campbell Islands. While not breeding, Eudyptes sclateri inhabit the subantarctic oceans, although the exact location during non-breeding months is unknown (Houston 1998).
Biogeographic Regions: Oceanic Islands; Oceanic Islands :: Native; Arctic Ocean; Arctic Ocean :: Native


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Is Now the Time to Get That Mortgage?
They probably should, but not because mortgage rates will spike. Instead, borrowers might want to beat fee increases this coming spring from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , the two firms that back most new mortgages. The hike could add thousands of dollars to your closing costs.
The smart money says mortgage rates will probably drift up, but slowly; the Fed's decision to cut back on its bond-buying program has been expected for some time and is baked into current mortgage prices.
In fact, the financial markets were thrilled last week when the Federal Open Market Committee said the taper would take all of next year to reduce the monthly bond purchases, now at $85 billion a month, to zero. Those purchases have been designed to keep long-term interest rates low.
The FOMC also signaled that it probably would not start raising short-term rates for two years. So not many experts foresee a spike in loan rates.
But Fannie and Freddie, the government-owned companies, are raising a key fee to offset risks and help a government effort to rekindle the market for loans that are not backed by these two firms. As a result, closing costs will rise as lenders work the new fees into loan prices, perhaps as soon as March.
The fee, called a "risk based premium" or "loan level pricing adjustment" will be large enough to more than offset the elimination of another fee, the Adverse Market Delivery Charge of 0.25% of the loan amount. The new fees will be higher for borrowers with low credit scores or who make low down payments.
An example prepared by HSH.com, the mortgage information service, shows the effect on a borrower with a good credit score of 740 who puts 20% down. Currently, that borrower would be charged $250 each in AMDC and LLPA for every $100,000 borrowed, for a total of $500.
With the changes, the AMDC fee will disappear but be replaced by a 1.5% LLPA, for a total of $1,500 per $100,000. That could raise the losing costs on a $300,000 loan by $3,000.
While borrowers with higher credit scores will pay slightly less, the size of the down payment is a bigger factor in setting the fee level. That's because a lower ratio between the loan amount and the home's value reduces the lender's risk of loss in a foreclosure .
A borrower with a 740 credit score would pay a 1.5% fee with a down payment of 15% or less, but only 0.75% with a 20% down payment. If that buyer could increase his or her credit score to 779, the fee would still be 0.75%. with 20% down.


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Financial regulation: The year ahead
From Solvency II, Basel III and CRD IV to AIFM, the RDR and Fatca, new regulation will drastically reshape how the finance industry functions and is supervised. Financial News tracks the key developments expected this year.
• January
The Retail Distribution Review – a key part of UK regulators' push to improve consumer protection for retail investors – took effect on January 1, banning financial advisers from taking commissions from fund managers in exchange for recommending their wares to clients.
In Europe, authorities are on the verge of agreeing on CRD IV, a directive aimed at boosting bank capital and liquidity. Further details including the timing of implementation over the next few years will be decided after initial approval. Clifford Smout, co-head of the Deloitte Centre for Regulatory Strategy, said: "The capital and liquidity regime is likely to be agreed in Europe relatively soon. However, it's one thing to finalise rules, another to implement them instantaneously. Typically something like this requires at least 12 months, and I don't think this will truly be up and running until 2014."
In the pensions industry, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority will launch an impact assessment concerning the Solvency II capital adequacy package and report its findings in June. In the meantime, Eiopa has issued an opinion on interim measures that member states should put in place, given that Solvency II is not expected to be fully implemented and applicable until 2015 or 2016.
The measures are expected to cover the system of governance (including forward-looking assessment of risk), pre-application of internal models and supervisory reporting. Eiopa is to issue guidelines early in the year to national bodies on how to embed these measures. It will open a consultation on them in the spring. National authorities will be expected to have those aspects of the directive covered by the interim measures, in place from the start of 2014.
Victoria Sander, a partner in the insurance team at Linklaters, said: "The authorities seem to be pressing ahead with the most settled aspects of the directive without waiting for full implementation, which may well be a welcome move for the insurance industry in the UK, given that it has spent a lot of time and resource on preparation and compliance ahead of the new rules. It may also help to provide some much-needed certainty during the interim period. That said, the timeframe looks quite tight."
Hugh Savill, director of prudential regulation at the Association of British Insurers, warned: "There is a risk Eiopa over-reaches itself if its approach requires insurers to bring in capital requirements and balance sheets ahead of time. Pressing ahead with early Solvency II reporting requirements would be an extra unnecessary burden on the industry."
Meanwhile, an Esma consultation on guidelines for national regulators on how to assess interoperability arrangements for central counterparty clearing under Emir closes on January 31.
• February
European authorities could approve the full legal framework of Emir, the regulation governing trade reporting requirements and clearing rules for over-the-counter derivatives. Esma will then start determining which OTC derivatives will be subject to the clearing rules. Market participants expect the likely adoption and application of the rules from April.
Consultation by the Financial Services Authority on the prudential regime for alternative investment fund managers and the regime for depositories closes at the start of February, with a second consultation due later, before a policy statement covering both is issued in June.
This month will also mark the deadline for responses to the FSA's discussion paper on proposed changes to the regulation and supervision of benchmark rates, which resulted from the Wheatley Review of Libor last year.
• March
This month is the deadline for the European Commission to issue further details on resolution regimes for non-bank financial institutions, including central counterparties, central securities depositories and systemic insurance companies.
A detailed draft is also expected on plans to make the European Central Bank the single supervisor of 200 big banks across the EU, a further step towards the holy grail of a single rulebook, that was agreed by finance ministers in December. It is not likely to be implemented until at least March 2014, or whenever the ECB is ready to assume its new duties.
On the single rulebook, Harvey Knight, a partner in law firm Withers, said: "The dynamic between UK and European regulation will be interesting. The FSA was the strongest national regulator, but it is being split in two and will have different rulebooks. In Europe, meanwhile, they are moving closer to a single rulebook, with the ECB and three European sub-regulators."
• April
The Financial Services Act, which breaks up the UK's tripartite regulatory system, will come into force, handing the Bank of England new powers to supervise banks and replacing the FSA with the Prudential Regulatory Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority. The Act will cover changes relating to Libor. The FSA is consulting on benchmark regulation and supervision until January or February, and could publish a policy statement in March.
Andrew Oldland QC, a partner at Michelmores, said: "The FCA's focus will be much more on culture and governance, and I expect them to go after a couple of big scalps. The greater accountability of directors is the biggest change."
Laura Cox, regulatory partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: "The FCA and PRA are keen to make their mark. Because they've already had the informal split, a lot of work has been done already so they'll be quick off the mark."
Meanwhile, Ucits V, an update to the existing directive covering undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities, which tackles depository functions, remuneration policies and sanctions, will be considered at a European Parliament plenary session. The European Commission will also publish proposed legislation for Ucits VI, covering issues such as product rules and liquidity management.
• May
The European Parliament is expected to vote at a plenary session on European Commission proposals for fund managers to create key information documents, or KIDs, aimed at better informing retail investors about their investments.
• June
The final wording of the Volcker Rule, banning US banks from proprietary trading and restricting their investments in private equity and hedge funds, is expected to be agreed by US regulators by mid-year. In December last year, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said the intent was to try to get it done "early in 2013".
• July
The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive, introducing a framework for the direct regulation and supervision of the alternative fund industry, will come into effect on July 1, and the UK must implement the rules that month. Delayed final rules were published in December 2012.
• August
Esma is expected to publish technical standards in the wake of CRA III rules for credit rating agencies, due in the third quarter.
• September
By the end of the third quarter the UK authorities will publish a thematic review of anti-money laundering, and anti-bribery and corruption systems and controls required for asset management firms. Lawyers have cited previous thematic reviews as precursors to the UK regulator initiating action against firms. The Financial Stability Board, which consulted at the end of 2012 on possible ways to strengthen oversight and regulation of the shadow banking sector, is expected to publish its final recommendations on that issue. Subsequent work will focus on best-implementation procedures.
• October
The likely deadline for central counterparties to apply to European authorities for permission to clear under the Emir regime. With final technical standards still to be penned, though, it is unlikely that clearing requirements will be in operation until 2014.
• November
The revised Markets in Financial Instruments Directive and regulation, introducing new rules for organised trading facilities and algorithmic trading, is set to be considered at trialogue early in 2013, but agreement is not expected until late in the year. It is expected to take effect around 2015, a similar timeframe to the revised Market Abuse Directive, or MAD, and Market Abuse Regime, or MAR, which are at the final-text stage.
Once approved, the European Securities and Market Association is expected to publish technical standards supporting MAD and MAR late this year.
• December
Further measures to combat tax evasion by US taxpayers with offshore accounts are expected. Fatca will come into force in January 2014, requiring non-US financial institutions to collect data and report on their US clients to the Internal Revenue Service, with non-compliance incurring a 30% withholding tax on clients' US-sourced income.
Jay Rubinstein, a partner at law firm Withers, said: "Fatca is the IRS's way of trying to curb abuses of tax compliance by firing a bazooka and an atomic bomb at foreign firms serving those customers."
-- Defining the acronyms
AIFM: The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive will harmonise regulation, the oversight of and requirements for alternative investment funds such as hedge funds and private equity
CRD IV/Basel: The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's tighter requirements on minimum capital and liquidity for banks will be incorporated into European legislation through the Capital Requirements Directive IV
Emir: The European Market Infrastructure Regulation is aimed at boosting transparency and cutting risks in the derivatives sector
Fatca: The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act in the US targets non-US financial institutions to prevent tax evasion by US citizens and residents through offshore accounts
Mifid II: The revised Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, and Mifir, the regulation element that accompanies it, together form Mifid II, a review of a 2007 directive concerning financial markets trading in Europe. Mifid II addresses gaps in the original directive and developments since the financial crisis
Solvency II: A European directive aimed at harmonising rules on the minimum levels of solvency, or financial resources, that insurers and reinsurers must have to cover their risk exposure


text:
Debates of Feb. 14th, 1997
House of Commons Hansard #130 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was children.
- Divorce Act
- Order Of Military Merit
- Lynn Larose
- World School Championships
- Pensions
- Youth Employment Strategy
- Banks
- National Flag Of Canada Day
- Divorce Act
- Quebec Arts Week
- Student Assistance Reform Initiative
- Team Canada
- Aéroports De Montréal
- Edward James
- Liberal Party Nomination Process
- Canada-Take It To Heart
- Canada Post
- Nomination Meetings
- Family Resource Centres
- Point Of Order
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Culture
- Somalia Inquiry
- Aéroports De Montréal
- Somalia Inquiry
- Hyundai Plant In Bromont
- Employment Equity
- Somalia Inquiry
- Telecommunications
- Employment
- Pensions
- Canada Pension Plan
- Lower Churchill Development Corporation Limited
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Committees Of The House
- Bank Act
- Committees Of The House
- Petitions
- Questions On The Order Paper
- Divorce Act
- Points Of Order
- Divorce Act
- Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
- Nuclear Liability Act
Oral Question Period
An hon. member
Oral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
I heard a no.
Routine Proceedings
Paul Martin Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I am tabling draft legislation to establish the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and to amend the Canada pension plan, the Old Age Security Act, and to make consequential amendments to other acts.
Canada Pension Plan
Routine Proceedings
Paul Martin Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, today it is my privilege to table draft legislation that secures the future of the Canada pension plan. These measures are the result of the review of the Canada pension plan which the federal and provincial governments have conducted over the past year.
As joint stewards with the provinces, we are obliged to do all we can to make sure that the plan is there for Canadians, those who retire and those workers who become disabled during their careers. We believe that Canadians should be able to count on Canada pension plan benefits and that is why we have worked so hard to make sure that they can.
The problems facing the CPP are fundamental. The chief actuary of the plan has shown that, without changes, the CPP fund will run out of money in less than 20 years. Without changes, contribution rates would have to increase from under 6 per cent today to over 14 per cent to cover escalating costs.
In other words, younger generations would have to pay more than twice as much as now-and get no more for it. This is not fair. This is not affordable.
The problem, quite simply, is that the Canada pension plan, as it is now, is not sustainable in the longer term at costs which are fair to future generations of Canadians. This has led some to say that we should dismantle the CPP.
Let me say unequivocally that neither the federal government nor the provinces believe that anyone would be well served by that. Nor do Canadians. They told us during the public consultations that we and the provinces held across the country last spring that they want the Canada pension plan preserved.
Canadians asked their government: first, to preserve it; second, to strengthen its financing; third, to improve the fund's investment practices and reduce its costs. In other words, they said not tinker with the CPP. Make sure it is there for us. That is exactly what we have done.
The options we have considered in the course of our review required difficult choices, but we have come up with a strong and balanced package that will ensure the Canada pension plan is there when Canadians need it. We have done this in a way that has preserved a number of important features Canadians asked us specifically to protect.
All retired pensioners or anyone over the age of 65 as of December 31, 1997 are not affected by the proposed changes. Anyone currently receiving disability benefits, survivor benefits or combined benefits is also not affected. All benefits under the Canada pension plan will remain fully indexed to inflation. The ages of retirement, early, normal or late, remain unchanged.
Let me outline what has been done. The agreement makes a fundamental change in the financing of the plan. It would move from pay as you go to fuller funding to build a much larger reserve. The fund now is equivalent in value to about two years of benefits and is declining. With fuller funding, it will grow to about five years of benefits. It will be invested in a diversified portfolio of securities to earn higher returns and to help pay for benefits as Canada's population ages.
Canadians also told us to stop giving governments exclusive access to CPP funds. We have done that. Governments have agreed to limit their access and to pay interest at market rates. Canadians told us we should not allow contribution rates to go over 10 per cent. We heard them.
Contribution rates will rise over the next six years to 9.9 per cent and remain steady thereafter. This is far less than the projected rate of over 14 per cent that the chief actuary said would have been required if these changes had not been made.
Several measures have made it possible to keep contribution rates to 9.9 per cent. Let me mention a number of them. The year's basic exemption, the first $3,500 of earnings on which no CPP contributions are paid, will remain at the current level. Retirement pensions will be calculated on the five year average of the year's maximum pensionable earnings at the time of retirement instead of the three year average. The administration of disability benefits is being improved to ensure that benefits go only to those who are eligible under the legislation.
Retirement pensions for disability beneficiaries will be based on maximum pensionable earnings at the time of disablement and then indexed to age 65 by prices instead of wages.
New rules will be used to calculate combined pensions for people receiving both disability and survivor benefits, or retirement and survivor benefits. The death benefit will provide 6 months of retirement pension to a maximum of $2,500.
A stronger labour force attachment text will be required to obtain disability coverage-contributions will be required in 4 out of the last 6 years prior to claiming benefits.
These proposed changes are moderate and balanced. They will slow the growth of escalating costs. However, Canadians told us to go easy on changes to benefits and we have.
Finally, Canadians told us to treat them like members of a pension plan. We are going to do that. Public accountability will be strengthened. Canadians will receive annual reports on their CPP accounts as soon as possible and federal-provincial reviews will be required every three years rather than every five years.
With the exception of a small additional increase in the contribution rate for 1997, these proposed changes will come into effect in 1998 once legislation is passed.
The changes to secure the CPP are supported by the federal government and the provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
We regret that we were unable to get unanimous support, and that two provinces felt they were unable to join the agreement. However, the requirement to achieve the support of two-thirds of the provinces with two-thirds of the population has been met.
It is fair to say that all the options to secure the CPP had a fair hearing. Some were introduced, however, after the public consultations were over. The door is open to those ideas, along with several important issues that were beyond the scope of this review.
Let me emphasize, our first goal was to assure the fundamental security of the Canada pension plan and we have done that. This is something with which governments have failed to come to grips for over a decade.
We are now in a position to begin discussing other issues and we will do so as soon as possible. They include adding mandatory credit splitting during marriage, reviewing survivor benefits to make sure that they reflect changing realities in today's families, looking at the work to retirement transition, including the possibility of providing partial CPP pensions during that period. We will look at British Columbia's proposal to expand CPP coverage up the income scale.
Canada's retirement income system is not alone in facing challenges from an aging population and increasing longevity. However, almost no other industrialized country in the world has done as much as Canada has to come to grips with these problems.
The government promised to make the retirement income system secure for Canadians. We are well on the way to doing it.
The CPP is one of the three pillars of our retirement income system. Old age security and the guaranteed income supplement also provide public pensions for seniors. We have taken action to make these programs secure and sustainable as well.
The new seniors benefit announced in the 1996 budget will consolidate the OAS and the GIS into one benefit, beginning in the year 2001. This new benefit is designed to help those most in need and will protect low and modest income Canadians.
The third pillar is tax assisted savings for retirement such as registered pension plans or registered retirement savings plans. We will continue to provide generous incentives for Canadians to save for their own retirement years.
In summary, all three pillars of Canada's retirement income system are being placed on a secure and a sustainable footing. Canadians can rest assured that the pension system, as they know it, can be counted on by them and by generations to come.
I would like to thank my colleague for his work on this file.
Canada Pension Plan
Routine Proceedings
12:10 p.m.
Roger Pomerleau Anjou—Rivière-Des-Prairies, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure, speaking on behalf of my colleagues and the Bloc Quebecois, to respond today to the draft legislation to amend the Canada pension plan that was just introduced by the minister.
On the whole,, we welcome this announcement although, as usual, there are some aspects that give us cause for concern. We are very much aware, as the chief actuary of the plan has said, that the problems facing the CPP are fundamental and that without changes, the CPP fund will run out of money in less than 20 years. Without changes, contribution rates would have to increase from 6 per cent to 14 per cent.
I would like to go over briefly most of the measures contained in this draft legislation and comment accordingly.
One of the measures being proposed, the first one, is that anyone currently receiving survivor, disability or combined benefits and anyone over the age of 65 as of December 31 is not affected by the proposed changes. This is, of course, a pre-election measure, and we realize the minister does not want to give anyone the impression they will be affected immediately. However, those in the plan later on will be affected.
The second measure is that all benefits under the CPP will remain fully indexed to inflation. This is very good news. In this respect, the federal government is following Quebec's example. In fact, Quebec agrees with the federal government on this score. Only two provinces do not.
Every time Quebec has managed to defend its interests satisfactorily-we saw this in the harmonization of the GST, and we see it again today in this draft legislation-Quebec has always been among the first to agree with measures that support the interests of our citizens.
Measure number three is that the ages of retirement-normal, early or late-remain unchanged. There is no problem here, of course. The fund now is equivalent in value to about two years of benefits. With fuller funding, it will grow to about five years of benefits, and we agree with the minister that this will guarantee the system's viability.
Contribution rates will rise over the next six years to 9.9 per cent in 2003 and remain steady thereafter. This is another measure which, we believe, guarantees the system's viability in the long term. The basic exemption, the first $3,500 of earnings on which no CPP contributions are paid, will remain at the current level. There is no problem here either.
Retirement pensions will be calculated on the five-year average of the year's maximum pensionable earnings instead of the three-year average. Some criticism here. This represents a small loss for beneficiaries, since the five-year average will usually be slightly less than the three-year average.
Another measure is the improvement of the administration of disability benefits. In a recent report, the auditor general was critical of the way these benefits were administered and pointed to Quebec as an example of what should be done. Quebec was right again. We applaud the decision of the Minister of Finance to do things the right way. However, we will have to wait and see how this works out in the bill.
Another measure is that disability benefits will be indexed by prices instead of wages. Here again, we have a complaint. This penalizes beneficiaries to some extent, because prices tend not to change as quickly as wages.
New rules will be used to calculate combined pensions for people receiving both disability and survivor benefits or retirement and survivor benefits. This is very bad news.
Let us take the example of a woman receiving benefits after the death of her husband and who then becomes disabled. She is therefore entitled to disability benefits. Under the current plan, she receives both benefits. Under the new rules, there will be a limit on the amount she can receive. In real terms, it could mean she would receive $800 a month instead of $1,200. It seems unfair to penalize people who are in such unfortunate situations this way.
Death benefits will be equivalent to six months of pension or $2,500, whichever is less. At first glance, that does not seem to pose a problem.
More active participation will also be required. Eligibility for disability benefits will require a person to have contributed during four of the six years preceding an application for benefits. Another downer. We will have to see what the witnesses before the Standing Committee on Finance have to say about the consequences of this measure. At first glance, it looks like a good number of contributors will be dropped from the plan and will thus have paid for naught.
Canadians will also be receiving an annual statement from the Canada Pension Plan. This of course is a good idea. Canadians and Quebecers should always be given a statement of what happens in their files.
A federal-provincial examination will be conducted every three years instead of every five. We also agree with this measure.
As the minister pointed out, there are three pillars to the Canadian retirement income system: the Canada Pension Plan, the Old Age Security together with the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and the tax incentives for retirement savings, namely RRSPs.
Where the rub lies is with the second pillar. The Bloc Quebecois will vigorously oppose the proposal to replace these two benefits with a single benefit for seniors in 2001.
The finance minister's proposal discourages saving by penalizing Quebecers and Canadians who have put money away for their old age, because the benefit will be reduced by an amount proportionate to their retirement income.
The Bloc Quebecois promised to battle the federal government on this every inch of the way, provided of course that Quebec is still part of Canada in 2002.
The Bloc Quebecois' position on the third pillar, RRSPs, is outlined in the analysis of personal tax expenditures released by the Bloc in early February. We think it is not fair to Quebecers and Canadians for a $1,000 investment in an RRSP to generate $313 in
federal tax savings for those who earn more than $100,000, while the same $1,000 investment in an RRSP will only generate a $175 tax saving for someone earning $30,000 or less.
As an alternative to the RRSP tax deduction, we have proposed a $268 across-the-board tax credit; this is the only fair and equitable way to encourage all taxpayers to save for their retirement.
This pretty well sums up for now our reaction to the tabling of this draft bill. Naturally, we will follow it as it goes through all the different stages and will gladly offer comments along the way.
Canada Pension Plan
Routine Proceedings
12:20 p.m.
Ian McClelland Edmonton Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, today Canadians from coast to coast must be feeling a terrible chill as the shadow of the most regressive tax increase ever to hit our country has just been announced by the Minister of Finance.
Today the government announced the fact that it is going to be increasing the current Canada pension plan payroll tax from 5.85 per cent of earnings to 9.9 per cent. This is a huge increase in personal taxes, taxes that come out at the payroll, taxes that come out before income taxes are paid, taxes that come out even before Canadians get a chance to pay the GST. No matter how we slice it, this is a tax increase to Canadians.
If this were a pension plan, as people understand or contemplate pension plans, it may not be that bad, people providing for their future, but that is not what it is. For example, today if you pay 5.8 per cent of your salary in order to get a pension of $8,724.90 which is the maximum Canada pension plan, you would get $8,724.96 in pension. After the changes are made, you and your employer will have the opportunity to pay $3,193.36 to get the same $8,000. You are paying $3,200 a year to get approximately $9,000 in pension.
Does that make any sense? This is RRSP season. If the government were selling mutual funds, and the government said to each individual taxpayer: "We have this great new plan. This new plan means that you and your employer will get to pay $3,200 a year in premiums and for that you will receive about $9,000 a year", the taxpayer would laugh because it does not make any sense at all. That is the basic problem with this plan. It does not give to the person who owns the plan and puts the money into the plan, the individual Canadian, a balanced, decent and honest return on their invested money.
The government has said it is conscious of the negative impact that payroll taxes have on jobs. This is a historical fact. It is on record. The government has said and has evidenced that in recognition of that, it will reduce the employment insurance premiums by the magnificent sum of 10 cents per $100 of earned income.
To put the increase into context, this increase in payroll taxes is $4.10 per $100 of income. So the government giveth and the government taketh away. When the government taketh away, is it balanced? I think not. And there again is the problem. Canadians are taxed to death. We cannot look at any individual tax alone. We have to look at the cumulative effect on our economy. The tax grab is an anchor that sucks the lifeblood out of our economy.
When the payroll taxes go up for the individual and for the employer-as they will in this circumstance, after six years the tax will go up to $651.90 each-where does that money come from? The employer says: "We have been contributing $1,889.56 per employee annually but now we have to contribute $3,193.36. Where are we going to get that money? Can we raise our prices? No we cannot". We live in a competitive world. It shrinks profit. The shrunk profit means there is less money to reinvest in our economy. What does that mean? It means fewer jobs.
If we want to see what is going to happen to our economy as a direct result of this tax grab because of the fact that we have mismanaged the pension funds over the last 36 years, just watch the unemployment rate rise after this kicks in. What is going to happen? Businesses are going to do the only thing they can do in order to get by. They are going to lay off staff because there is no other way to get money. How can businesses survive when a government thinks of them as a bottomless pit of resources? It just does not happen.
The hon. member opposite used to be a highly placed member of the Toronto Dominion Bank. The Toronto Dominion Bank is going to look at all of those businesses and say: "Gosh, you have 100 employees. Do you realize you are going to have to come up with some $90,000 a year more just to cover the Canada pension plan premiums? Where are you going to get that money? More money will have to be injected into your business".
They businesses are going to say: "But wait a minute. We cannot automatically assume that business is going to increase so the only thing we can do is lay people off or not hire them". That is the problem with this. We must inculcuate a sense of fiscal responsibility within all governments.
When the government says to someone that it is investing this money on his behalf, I ask hon. members and I ask Canadians, what person in their right mind would ask a government that is $600 billion in debt to be his investment adviser? Only a government that is $600 billion in debt could say with a straight face to Canadians: "Give us $3,200 of your money each year and we will invest it for you. For that, after your retirement, you will get almost $9,000 a year". Give me a break.
Anybody investing in even the most moderate RRSP would know that a privately managed investment plan would return more than double the same amount over the same period of time. How can the government possibly look Canadians in the face and say that this is a good deal? It is not a good deal. It is a tragedy.
It is a tragedy for all Canadians because once again the government instead of facing reality is saying: "We can get ourselves out of this problem by increasing taxes". Every time you increase taxes, you poke another hole in the lifeboat of the economy. It makes it harder to keep our national finances in shape.
We as a government and governments all over the country have fiduciary responsibility to our children and to their children to live within our means. That does not mean sucking money out of the country by means of a payroll surtax to lend to other governments at below market rates and make ourselves look better today at the expense of future generations.
The government has no reason to be pleased about this tax increase which will negatively influence employment. It will be terribly detrimental to the employment of young Canadians, especially the most vulnerable young Canadians, those trying to get into the workforce for the first time.
There is no excuse for the fiscal mismanagement of our country, our pension plans and our money which has brought us to the situation we are in today.
Canada Pension Plan
Routine Proceedings
12:30 p.m.
The Deputy Speaker
Is there unanimous consent to return to the tabling of documents?
Canada Pension Plan
Routine Proceedings
12:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Lower Churchill Development Corporation Limited
Routine Proceedings
12:30 p.m.
Dauphin—Swan River
Marlene Cowling Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I am pleased to table, in both official languages, the 1995 annual report of the Lower Churchill Development Corporation Limited.
Interparliamentary Delegations
Routine Proceedings
12:30 p.m.
John English Kitchener, ON
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association on the meeting of the Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE held in Vienna, Austria, January 16 and 17, 1997.
Committees Of The House
Routine Proceedings
12:30 p.m.
Bob Kilger Stormont—Dundas, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 55th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership of the Standing Committee on Industry.
If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 55th report later this day.
Bank Act
Routine Proceedings
12:30 p.m.
Scarborough East
Doug Peters for the Minister of Finance
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-82, an act to amend certain laws relating to financial institutions.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Committees Of The House
Routine Proceedings
12:30 p.m.
Bob Kilger Stormont—Dundas, ON
Mr. Speaker, with leave of the House, I move, seconded by the hon. member for Dartmouth, that the 55th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.
(Motion agreed to.)
Routine Proceedings
February 14th, 1997 / 12:30 p.m.
Maurice Bernier Mégantic—Compton—Stanstead, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of submitting a petition signed by 44 constituents. This petition is timely, since the budget will be delivered in a few days and also because the Minister of Finance happened to be with us when it was signed. This petition points to the level of taxes on gasoline. The petitioners ask Parliament and the Minister of Finance not to raise the federal excise tax on gasoline in the upcoming federal budget.
I do hope this government gets my constituents' message.
Routine Proceedings
12:35 p.m.
René Laurin Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition signed by 273 people in my riding, who are asking Parliament to pass a law that would impose a ceiling on the interest
rates paid on credit cards issued to consumers by banks and major retailers, based on the Bank of Canada rate.


text:
by Anton Shilov
OCZ Technology, a popular supplier of premium computer components and advanced memory products, has unveiled the world's first "do-it-yourself" (DIY) netbook, which end-users can configure themselves. While the product seems to be rather interesting, it does not exactly fit into typical netbook framework of low-cost low-performance sub-notebook.
OCZ's Neutrino netbook barebone features 10" screen and, according to the company, allows end-user to install memory, hard disk drive or solid state drive based on demand and preferences. It is unknown whether OCZ will provide an option to choose between factory-installed single-core and dual-core Intel Atom processor, but that would be a tremendously useful feature for enthusiasts. It is also not clear whether OCZ Neutrino is based on the rather outdate Intel 945 GSE core-logic platform with DirectX 9-class graphics or utilizes the newest Intel GN40 chipset with DirectX 10-supporting graphics core.
The new DIY initiative from OCZ proves that netbook category has become rather popular on the market and even suppliers of advanced components sold at premium price believe that their customers may be interested in customizable netbooks.
"Proving that good things come in small packages, the Neutrino packs a huge punch for on-the-go traveling, educational, home use, or any user looking for a physically light computer but heavy on the useful applications and functionality," OCZ said in a statement.
OCZ Neutrino barebone is expected to emerge in the U.S. sometime in Q2 2009.


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sunday 9.30 to 12.30 (european standard time)
and for you all, who speak german so fluently and don't receive it, you can listen to it online:
Moderator: Mike
Berkeleyan wrote:Klaus has ever been a great, trusted friend of the fab four since their early days in Hamburg. And what a terrific bass player he was !
He was such a great session man in the 70's, so much in demand for famous rocksters, that I wonder why he vanished from the musical scene in the 80's.
Berkeleyan wrote:Yeah Klaus is a fantastic artist - as a graphic designer, illustrator and musician. The Beatles really hit one (of many) jackpots when they got to talking with Klaus and Astrid, when the two of them went to see them play in Hamburg.
But anyway, I don't know if he's retired or not. He's not that old for it, he's about 62-64, I presume. But he's definitely avoided the headlines (or the headlines have avoided him) in the last 10 or so years.....
WAD, B'.Berkeleyan wrote:It would be great if he decided to write a book....
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The world's No. 3 supplier of personal computers – Acer Group – plans to become a significant player on the market of smartphones on the next few years, the company said at a recent briefing. Provided that Acer is successful with its smartphones, the move will further strengthen positions of the company in general and may open the door for further convergence between PCs and handsets.
Aymar de Lencquesaing, president of Acer's smart handheld business unit, said that the company expects to have a 6% - 7% share on the market of smartphones and to ship 20 million units annually by 2012, reports Financial Times. The prediction is quite bold to say at least as with 7% of the market Acer will have to leave behind such companies like HTC (own brand only), Fujitsu, Sony Ericsson and so on.
Acer entered the smartphones business earlier this year with four models powered by Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system and plans to expand its range with other devices by the end of the year. At least one of the company's smartphones due in 2009 will be based by Google Android environment.
In Q1 2009 the market of smartphones was dominated by Nokia (41.2%), Research in Motion (19.9%), Apple (10%), HTC (5.4%) and Fujitsu (3.8%) with total available market reaching 36.4 million of units, reports Gartner market research firm. By contrast, the market of all mobile phones totalled 269.1 million devices. But while worldwide mobile phone sales dropped 8.6% from Q1 2009, smartphone sales increased 12.7% annually.
It is interesting to note that Asustek Computer, one of the main rivals of Acer, also develops smartphones and yet another manufacturer of computers and components from Taiwan – Gigabyte Technology – does the same. Perhaps, in the future these three companies will be able to further converge their notebooks and smartphones in terms of design, functionality or just bundle both into one package.
According to Mr. Lencquesaing, only about 300 million of the world's 4 billion mobile phone users are using smartphones now. But Acer believes that sooner or later cell phones will transform into smartphones.
"It's not at all a question of whether they will shift, it's a question of when," said president of Acer's smart handheld business unit.
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Pure comfort in a knit you'll call "ridiculously soft" at first touch. With a shelf bra for light support, this easy-to-wear A-line silhouette has a modern hi-low hem. Team with the Soft Jersey Cover Up.
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- 95% Rayon, 5% Spandex. Machine wash, cold. Imported.
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Simply Right Sensitivity Infant Formula (48 oz.)
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- Simply Right Sensitivity is a milk-based, low lactose*infant formula for babies experiencing fussiness or gas related to lactose intolerance. Simply Right Sensitive provides complete nutrition for your baby's growth and development. It is fortified with iron and contains all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients required for baby's first year. Compare Simply Right Sensitivity to Similac Sensitive.
- For infants 0-12 months
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FootJoy Men's WeatherSof Golf Glove - 2 Pack - Prior Generation
Product Information:
Engineered for long-lasting durability, the FootJoy® WeatherSof® Glove is the perfect addition to your game. Made with a cabretta leather palm patch and thumb, this glove offers a softer feel and added durability, and the PowerNet mesh insert enhances breathability, keeping your hands cool as the season temperatures rise. The 3-directional tab closure ensures a secure fit and maximizes comfort.
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text: LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE CURRICULAR GUIDE Millwright Certificate of Achievement Curriculum Code: 0154 (Effective Fall 2001 - Summer 2006) A millwright installs, maintains and cares for mechanical equipment in a plant, factory or mill. This program prepares an individual for an entry- level position. PREREQUISITES Students should see the "Course Descriptions" section of this catalog or the Course Schedule for course prerequisite information. Basic skills assessment and advising information may be found on page 8 of this catalog. INFORMATION Contact the Technology Careers Department, Gannon Vocational-Technical Center, Room 1380, telephone number (517) 483-1336. REQUIREMENTS TOTAL: 33 CREDITS CODE TITLE CREDIT HOURS BLDT 103 Structural Blueprint Reading 4 EMTA 100 Medical First Responder 4 MACH 105 Machine Tool Survey 3 MACH 135 Metallurgy and Heat Treat 4 MATH 114 Technical Math I 4 MFGM 101 Industrial Hydraulics 4 MFGM 110 Machine Maintenance I 4 MFGM 111 Machine Maintenance II 4 MFGM 125 Rigging 2 LIMITED CHOICE REQUIREMENTS TOTAL: 3-4 CREDITS Complete the indicated number of credits from each CHOICE listed below. CHOICE 1: Building Related 3-4 Credits BLDT 100 Introduction to Construction 3 BLDT 121 Residential Framing 4 CIVL 120 Surveying 4 MINIMUM TOTAL 36 SUGGESTED COURSE SEQUENCE Students should see course descriptions to find out when departments plan to offer courses. Students who for any reason are unable to follow the course sequence suggested below (for example, those who are part-time, have transferred in courses from another school, or have prerequisites to fulfill) should contact an academic advisor or counselor for help with adjustments. I II III EMTA 100 BLDT 103 MFGM 111 MACH 105 MACH 135 Lim.Ch. MATH 114 MFGM 110 MFGM 101 MFGM 125


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recommended by Barb M, keyboard and folk music specialist The word "lent," is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten,… read moreJanuary 11th
recommended by Jen Sper, School Choral Music Specialist The Resonant Male Singer by Jacob Narverud An inspired and fresh… read more
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Title: Pie In The Face Polka
Voicing/Format: Concert Band
Publisher: Hal Leonard Publishing Corp
Composer: Mancini, Henry
Arranger: Vinson, Johnnie
Catalog #: 04003140
Grade: 4
Series: Clarinet W/Band
Description: Clarinet W/Band Price: $65.00


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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Can you elaborate further on what the bottom of the dough should look like?
Question 1) On robin Hood web site, both flour (all-purpose and bread type) have 4g of protein... so how can they have different percentage of proteins ?
Question 2) What do you mean by "emergency dough levels"
Would you mind sharing with us what your profession is.....thanks.
I am a structural engineer ! Amateur Photograph and foodie on the weekend as an hobby !


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Hi all,
Has anyone any experience with the Lyric Mic System with a steel resonator guitar? I have a Recording King Tri-Cone which I thought might benefit...
Hi all,
Has anyone any experience with the Lyric Mic System with a steel resonator guitar? I have a Recording King Tri-Cone which I thought might benefit...
Hi Rick,
We are actually working on something to that end, right now. However, without any modification, I can say that the Lyric mic sounds horrible when attached directly to the Reso Cone. The preamp, battery and mic placement are all problems by themselves inside a resonator.
We are working on some ideas, so stay tuned. I wouldn't recommend using the current Lyric on a resonator though.
Hi there,I know alot of people would be interested in a Lyric style set-up for resonator guitar, are they still working on such a system as this? I think this would be the ultimate way to amplify reso guitars,
We have some ideas in the works. I'm not sure exactly when anything will be available though.
Thanks for the update Caleb, I have a felling it would be worth wait!
I reckon the Lyric mic would need to be located above the cone at the neck position smack dab in the middle of the 'f' holes on a standard reso duolian style steel guitar - the problem is the volume control - you'd need to make a clip in one along the lines of Korg's new rim tuner to fit in the 'f' hole I think...... the input could fit in a lot of spots on the body and there's loadsa room for the battery pack. The main issue is the length of the wiring.......isn't it?
Or an alternative suggestion would be to have preamp module be an external plug in - male to male connection - or use a proprietary plug one end to safe guard your sales!
I'm in the queue to buy one!
Due to the way the mic works, placing it on the top between the f-holes actually doesn't work very well. We've actually had to do some pretty extensive modifications in order to get the mic to work.
I can't say much about how we have been able to make it work, but there are definitely a lot of things to consider. The battery, volume control, preamp, etc. are all components that would either need to be fitted into the instrument, or left in an external box.
I'm looking to upgrade a wooden spider bridge dobro that has a passive Fishman (oops... F word) cone transducer now. I'm not opposed to adding a battery box and either a side mount preamp, or volume, bass & treble up near the neck on the bass side of the guitar. Since this thread is a little old now, are there any updates that can be discussed?
Hey Tonedog,
We haven't made any updates to the Lyric since this thread was started. So it would still be a very complicated process to make the Lyric work in a Dobro.
Due to all of the small variations from instrument to instrument, you would be pretty much on your own if you decided to attempt it. You would be the pioneer.
Thanks Caleb.


text:
Last Activity: 03-06-2014 04:04 AM
About Me
- About KnoxBioBenz
- Biography
- I started fly-fishing two years ago and I am definitely still in the "learning phase"
- Location
- Knoxville, TN
- Interests
- Wrenching on my 1984MB 300TurboDiesel. Also I make Biodiesel in the newly formed Biodiesel Co-Op.
- Occupation
- Advertising/Marketing and a little school in the part-time.


text:
How to Spot an Owl in Sunriver
Sunriver Resort is surrounded by millions of acres of national forest land, hundreds of rivers and streams and miles of high desert country to the east. So wildlife sightings are extremely common here. But some creatures are a little more elusive than others, such as the Great Horned Owl. We received a good tip from one of our Facebook followers, James Barnett today on how to spot a tree with an owl in it. "Look at the ground. If you see an abnormal amount of shaved conifer cone, look up. There may be an owl."
Our Director of Agronomy spotted these two baby Great Horned Owls the other day in a tree near Crosswater.
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text: Definitely a seductive and sexy hairdo! Curls on a short mane simply has that attractive and hipnotique effect where you cannot walk by without noticing! So to all the lucky ladies that have natural curls why not cut off a little length and try something different such as this style!


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International Students Weekly Bulletin
Free Chinese Language Classes
The Chinese students and scholar association opens Chinese language class for free, to anyone who is interested in learning Chinese language and culture. Our classes are students volunteering, teaching, and tutoring, in an open atmosphere. We welcome everyone who wants to know more information about China. We have had taught for several years. Please come if you have time on Sunday afternoons!
For more information please send an e-mail to: Jingjing Wang firstname.lastname@example.com
It's FREE!
Time: 4:00-5:30pm, Sundays (Feb.3,10,17,24; Mar.3,24; Apri.7,14,21,28)
Location: room 102, Stewart Hall, St. Cloud State University
720 4th AVE S, St. Cloud, MN 56301
Thank you!
* If you would like your message to be considered for the Weekly Bulletin, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com with a description of the event. Messages must be received by Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.


text:
Schemes invest directly in small hedge funds
Large pension schemes are investing directly with hedge fund managers that would once have been considered too small and risky to deal with. And they are typically demanding a share in the manager's revenue or even its equity.
Within the past few months, the Universities Superannuation Scheme has invested money with a small hedge fund manager and is taking a revenue share.
A large European pension fund is set to commit $250m to backing small managers.
In keeping with the trend of the past decade, many institutional investors are now avoiding fund of funds managers even for investments in small funds. Instead, they are either making direct investments on their own or using investment consultants to do it for them.
Damien Loveday, global head of hedge fund research at Towers Watson, said: "Very large institutions are thinking about direct investments in smaller hedge funds if the institution has a big team, is comfortable with the potential for losses and can invest across a wide number of managers.
"It's symptomatic of a trend that has been evolving over the last 10 years. Those institutional investors that have been investing off their own bat have now got the bulk of their core portfolio implemented and well structured, so now they can invest with managers with more hair on them – ones that are a lot more complex and need more work to understand."
Matteo Perruccio, chief executive of Hermes BPK, a fund of hedge funds manager owned by BT's pension scheme, said: "Pension funds have noticed that there's evidence of smaller funds generating better returns and that talented new managers are appearing."
A well-selected portfolio of funds run by smaller managers – with less than $1bn under management – plus some financial interest in the manager, could make three to seven percentage points a year more than the average hedge fund, according to Perruccio.
However, it is no trivial matter for a pension scheme to invest directly in a "hairy" hedge fund and take a financial interest in its manager. Mike Daley, a director of Seattle-based private equity firm Northern Lights, said: "It takes a lot of babysitting. You're part of their management company, there's more process, more understanding required, and more involvement than most institutional investors want."
Last year, Northern Lights and Hermes BPK set up a venture to address these problems, and have launched an "acceleration capital" fund, a fund of hedge funds aiming to bring venture capital backing to about a dozen small managers. Daley said: "We will be closing on $250m from a large European pension fund before the end of the year, and intend to deploy capital by the end of the year or very early next year."
The asset management subsidiary of ABP, the Netherlands' largest pension scheme, adopted its own approach to seeding three years ago by launching a seeding business, IMQubator. The scheme made a €250m anchor investment in IMQubator's fund of hedge funds aimed at backing startup managers. It chose this route in preference to investing in one of the 30 or so seed capital funds run by third-party managers.
An investment officer at one large institutional investor said he was put off not just by seeders' fees but also their focus on finding star managers of the future and that their portfolios were often dominated by just one or two hedge fund strategies. He said: "We want to optimise the returns of our overall hedge fund programme. We couldn't find a seeder that fitted."
Towers Watson, an investment consultant that constructs hedge fund portfolios for clients, said its delegated hedge fund client performance composite had outperformed the average fund of hedge funds (the Hedge Fund Research's HFRI fund of funds composite index) by an average of 4.5 percentage points a year since inception in 2007, with less volatility. This has included small managers, with assets as low as $200m.
However, some remain unconvinced that investing in small hedge funds is worthwhile. Robert Coke, who runs the alternative investments arm at The Wellcome Foundation, said: "For every one that works out there's one that doesn't and you're no better off than sticking with existing managers. In the cold light of day, where we're investing $50m to $100m, seeding doesn't really work for us."


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Hello all,
I have a question and was hoping some of you out there would be kind enough to answer it for me. My question is: How important is beautiful packaging to you? I am asking this, because I have a tea website and when I ship products, I use tons of bubble wrap to ensure that nothing gets damaged. It isn't pretty, but it is effective. I see that other companies use very pretty packaging, but it adds to the cost of the products, as well as it isn't as safe. What do you think? Would you prefer the beautiful packaging, which would add to the cost, or just the basics?
Thank you for your time.


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Again, we have an attractive woman with lustrious hair. It is long and dark. She has lots of volume at the top where her hair has been piled high in front.The cut is long. It appears to be slightly wavy.A nice casual dark hair color that looks great.
Sanrizz International Salon Hair: Sanrizz Artistic Team Mua: Lee Pearson Photography: David Goldman Styling: Rachel Bakewell


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Comedian George Wallace (House of Payne, The Parkers)
* Additional fees apply. No coupon or promo codes necessary to enjoy the displayed discount price.
The last date listed for Comedian George Wallace was Saturday April 26, 2014 / 10:00pm.
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Comedy Legend Andrew Dice Clay at Tropicana
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Andrew Dice Clay pulls no punches, breaks every rule and shocks audiences with his signature brand… More
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Featured review from Danaboo
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As always, George Wallace was HILARIOUS! I was glad I purchased the VIP seats. We were right next to the stage and felt part of the show. If you are ever are in the mood for sore cheeks from laughing, go see George!
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Great show, great seats. He is ultimate well rounded comedian. He lets you know upfront, that he is gonna talk about everything and everybody.. Kinda like Rickles in the 60's. Absolute must see for all
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We had excellent seats- we were practically on the stage! George Wallace is a extraordinary comic who connects with his audience. He joked about everyday events that we had all experienced. The laughter never stopped. If you want to have a good...continued
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George Wallace is a very polished comic with a downhome flavor. The material was mostly new and current. If you'er in Las Vegas he's worth seeing. Be sure to stay to the end as George always has a suprise ending for the crowd
Quotes & Highlights
"The new Mr. Las Vegas." —Las Vegas Review-Journal
"The reason so many people are repeat visitors to this show is because Wallace's gifted improvisation makes it one of those rare shows that really is different every time you see it." —Las Vegas Weekly
"This is the best comedy shows in town, bar none." --AccessVegas.com
"The appeal of Wallace is his ability to connect with everyone, no matter how old they are or where they're from." —Vegas.com
Check out George Wallce's website.
Wallace, who has been selling out comedy clubs and concert venues all over the country, derives his comedy from the everyday and simply shares moments of life. He finds humor everywhere he turns — from media to relationships to dialogue cliches. At all costs, he avoids standard opening lines and is known to be an ace at reading an audience. Among other comics, Wallace is known as "the guy who can roll the room over if it's dead."