text:
Instituto Cultural Minerva
Institute of Brazilian Issues
The George Washington University
The Brazilian Payment System: The Need for a Real Time Gross
Settlement System
Paula Cristina Seixas Camanho de Assis
Washington, D. C.
I - Introduction
II - The Structure of Brazilian Financial Sector
III - Payment Instruments and Networks
IV - The Organization of Brazil's Payment System
V - Brazilian Payment System Needs
VI - Large Values Transfer Systems
VII - Study of a Brazilian RTGS System
VIII - Conclusion
IX - References
I - Introduction:
The financial system is one of the most important inventions of modern society. Its primary aim is to move funds from people who save to people who borrow to buy goods and services and to make investments in new equipment and facilities so that the global economy can grow and increase the standard of living enjoyed by citizens.
The great importance of the financial system can be illustrated by reviewing its different functions. The financial system in a modern economy has seven basic functions:
An efficient system is essential in any economy and determines, to some extent, its growth. Over the last two decades, central banks have tended to play a more important role in payment systems. There are several reasons for this changes. The most important are:
The objective of this paper is to describe the main characteristics of the Brazilian payment system in terms of its payment instruments and organization, focusing on the role of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) to promote its stability and efficiency.
II - The Structure of the Brazilian Financial Sector:
Regulation and Supervision Entities:
Supervised Institutions (each followed by its supervisory entity):
III - Payment Instruments and Networks:
The key feature of a payment system is the way payments are effected. The principal payment instruments used in Brazil are cash, checks, collection orders, and Documents of Credit - DOCs. Networks include direct deposit and direct debit services, ATMs, credit cards, and home banking services:
As with developing countries, cash remains a significant part of the payment system, especially in the consumer sector. Because the central bank does not have an extensive branch network, the Banco do Brasil provides coin and currency delivery and collections for the country's banks. Settlement for coin and currency activities are made on a same-day basis through the reserves maintained at the central bank. The central bank does not verify the adequacy of reserves before currency shipments are made.
Checks are the most widely used payment instrument in Brazil, and are used as a means of making immediate payment and as a form of credit. Small value checks (less than R$130) represent a large percentage of the total volume of checks cleared but only a small one of the value.
During the period of hyperinflation, savings were very limited. Consumers had incentive to consume rapidly before inflation raised the price of goods and services. Because of limited availability of consumer credit through the banking system, retail merchants would often let clients buy goods on time by letting them pay for items with a series of three to four checks, all but one of which were postdated. The merchant would submit each of the postdated checks for collection on the agreed upon date (usually monthly to coincide with receipt of the consumers payroll payment). This practice was not limited to high ticket items, but was used for purchases as small as R$20.
Collection Orders ("Bloquetos"):
Collection Orders, called "Bloquetos", are barcoded remittance documents used to make bill payments, and are handled much like European GIRO payments. A client receiving a "bloqueto" (bill for goods or services) takes it to a bank and pays cash or writes a check to authorize payment though his/her account. Banks charge the payee a fee. The collecting bank captures the bar code information, key in the amount, and clear the item electronically.
A Document of Credit or DOC is used to make interbank credit payments; intrabank transfers of funds between different accounts of a client, and client payments when accounts are kept at the same banking institution by both parties to a transfer. All DOCs are electronic and are processed only by banks, although they can be initiated in paper form by a client. That is, in either case, they are truncated locally and cleared and settled electronically through the national clearinghouse.
Direct deposit and direct debit services:
Direct deposit and direct debit services exist in Brazil, although not on an interbank basis. Both the paying and receiving parties must have accounts at the same bank. To facilitate bill paying, utility companies often maintain accounts at several major banks.
ATMs, debit cards and electronic checks:
Competition for ATM transactions is fierce in Brazil, and all of the major banks operate their own ATM networks, with as many as 600 ATMs not shared with other banks. Shared ATM networks do exist, but are used largely by the smaller banks participating in the network. The state-owned banks also have a network that is shared only by state owned banks. The reliance on proprietary ATM networks would appear to be expensive for the banks to maintain, and reduces the level of client convenience. About 11,000 ATMs are available 14 hours per day, 55,000 cash dispensing machines at supermarkets and additional 53,000 serving machines are available at bank branches. A large percentage of banking services (as high as 50 percent for the larger banks) are provided on a self-service basis. Debit cards (with PIN) offer online or next-day electronic check services.
Credit cards:
Credit card use in Brazil is low but growing. Because of the historically high levels of inflation, merchants received deep discounts on their credit card merchant deposits to allow for the float associated with the monthly billing cycle, and were thus reluctant to accept payment by credit card. With the reduction in inflation, credit card payments are becoming more acceptable. Debit cards (with PIN) offer online or next-day electronic check services.
Home banking services:
Brazil's major private banks are very sophisticated in their home banking service offerings. Many target the nation's affluent consumer class, recognizing that members of this class are often both technologically literate and concerned about managing their financial position. Several banks offer products such as home banking via a personal computer and the number of subscribers (580.000 clients) and the level of subscriber usage appear to be growing rapidly. Many banks are still test marketing such products, however, and do not currently attempt to recover the cost of the product through service charges. Payments initiated through home or telephone banking are processed electronically on an interbank basis (e.g., through a DOC). Phone banking is also widely used as 63 percent of bank branches offer this service to over 23 million clients.
IV - The Organization of Brazil's Payment System:
Brazil's payment system includes several different systems and institutions. The system is highly automated, with separate systems for clearing and settling checks and credit payments (clearinghouses), government securities (SELIC), private securities, state, local and municipal securities (CETIP), government payments, and foreign exchange.
Central Bank:
The Central Bank of Brazil serves two principal functions in the payment system. By law, the central bank has regulatory authority over the payment system, and is responsible for all regulations and standards for payment systems. The central bank also provides interbank settlement services for all payment activity in the country, since, banks in Brazil are precluded by law from holding (correspondent) balances with each other. The central bank also sets the fees for electronic clearing and currency deliveries, and has the authority to approve other clearinghouse fees.
Each bank maintains a single reserve account at the central head office in Brasilia, where about 240 such accounts are maintained. Reserve requirements are high (currently 83 percent of demand deposits and 20 percent on other deposits) as are penalties for reserve deficiencies so that reserve deficiencies are rare.
In certain cases banks are permitted to hold a voluntary account with Banco do Brasil. Funds in this account count toward reserve requirements, and can be used only for currency and coin transactions.
The central bank does not make the market for foreign exchange, nor is it involved in the settlement of the foreign currency leg (generally U.S. dollars). It does settle the domestic currency leg of foreign exchange transactions on behalf of Brazilian banks, and conducts foreign exchange transactions on its own behalf..
Banco do Brasil:
Because the central bank does not have an extensive branch network, Banco do Brasil provides coin and currency delivery and collecting to the country's banks. Settlement for coin and currency activity are made on a same-day basis through the reserves maintained at the central bank. The central bank does not verify the adequacy of reserves before currency shipments are made.
Banco do Brasil, a state-owned commercial bank, is authorized by law to operate the clearinghouses, and thus serves as the primary operator of the nation's payment system. Since 1969 Banco do Brasil has been operating the Regional Integrated Clearing System for checks (SIRC). Over the years, the bank has expanded the type of payment instruments cleared, expanding into "bloquetos" and DOCs in the 1970s, fostered the integration of the check clearing system with the introduction of the National Clearing System (CNC) in 1983, and promoted increasing automation of the clearing operation with the Electronic Clearing (CEL) in 1988 and more recently with the electronic DOC.
Commercial banks receive an interim report from Banco do Brasil with the partial result of the clearing, as well as a final report at the closing of the clearing cycle, informing them of changes in the balances of their reserve accounts at the central bank (which can be checked on line through SISBACEN). The aim is to achieve an automated closing of the clearing involving exchange of documents (FAC) as well as the electronic clearing being tried in São Paulo (FACEL) in order to increase the speed, simplify the process, avoid inconsistencies and mistakes. Banco do Brasil maintains a unique centralized reserve account at the central bank in Brasília and sends the information for final posting of these accounts.
SIRC and CEL:
The net settlement position for each clearinghouse is computed by Banco do Brasil. Brazil's clearinghouse network is made up of four types of clearinghouses:
All banks must be represented at the national clearinghouse either directly (in the case of the 46 largest banks by volume of documents cleared) or indirectly (represented by a participating bank or one of the four banking associations). Banco do Brazil is also represented at the national clearinghouse, for a total of 51 seats representing the 240 banks in the system. Settlement for clearinghouses activity is made on a multilateral net basis through the reserves held at the central bank. The national clearinghouse in São Paulo provides clearing and settlement services for all nonlocal /regional checks and for all collection bloquetos and DOCs.
Both the regional (local and SIRC) and national clearinghouses have two daily exchanges for clearing documents. The first session deals with the physical exchange of documents (listing number and amounts) and/or electronic information (for noncheck payment instruments) among participating banks; the second session deals with returned documents. The sending bank is entirely responsible for the accuracy of the information delivered to the payer bank through the operator.
The primary clearing operates between 5:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. for high value checks deposited that day. These items are settled on a net basis in next day funds (t+1). The second exchange occurs between about 11:00 a.m. and noon, and processes low value checks from the previous day. This settlement is made on a net basis in same day funds with next day finality. Returned items can be exchanged during either of the daily or evening exchanges. DOCs and "bloquetos" are exchanged only during the night session.
The "clearing cycle" starts with the clearing session in the evening and the evening session for returned items. The combined result (partial clearing) amended by the daylight special clearing session (for checks under R$ 130) and the daylight session for returned items completes the cycle, yielding the final clearing balance for each participant (DRC), which will affect its reserve account at the central bank
Checks are exchanged and cleared locally when both the bank of first deposit and the paying bank have a branch within the local clearing area, regardless of the location of the branch of the paying bank on which the check is drawn. If both the depositing and the paying banks are in the same local clearing area, the checks are exchanged and settled on a net basis through the banks' reserve accounts. It is then the responsibility of the paying bank to get the check to the branch on which the check is drawn for signature verification purposes. The settlement for the item will be next day for all local items, but the returned item deadline-and hence the hold put on the depositing client's funds-will depend on the distance between the point of deposit and the check writer's branch. The typical deadlines for returned items are next day for local items and three to six days for nonlocal items.
If the depositing and paying banks do not have branches in the same local clearing area, the checks are sent to the nearest regional clearinghouse. If both banks have branches there, the checks are exchange and settlement takes place the next day, as with local items. If the paying bank does not have an office in the regional clearing area (SIRC), the checks drawn on that bank are sent to the national clearinghouse in São Paulo. There, all banks must participate in the clearing. Hence for the São Paulo area, all checks are local and settled next day. As with locally cleared items, checks drawn on branches outside of São Paulo will have returned item deadlines and holds on client accounts based upon the time is takes to return the check to the paying branch for signature verification (typically three to six days).
Each clearinghouse computes its own net settlement and each settlement is transmitted to the national clearinghouse, which computes a single nationwide net settlement for transmission to the central bank for posting to the reserve accounts.
The Special System of Custody and Liquidation of Federal Securities (SELIC) is an electronic system controlled and operated by the central bank of Brazil to register transactions and maintain in book-entry form federal bonds and bills issued by the Treasury and the central bank. It also registers transactions in securities issued by state and local governments. SELIC settles on a same-day net basis through the central bank. The electronic system keeps the record of purchases and sales and the inventory of securities under the name of each of the 240 banks and 1,000 nonbank financial institutions linked to the system and enables same day settlement of transactions through the reserve accounts of the central bank. Since intermediaries have on average 10 to 15 accounts, SELIC handles over 4,500 client accounts. All securities were dematerialized in 1977, when SELIC recalled all paper-based securities, reissuing them in electronic form.
The SELIC system operates from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, recording about 10,000 transactions, worth about R$70 billion, each day. SELIC also keeps track of interest and redemption payments and public offerings, and updates the respective reserve accounts of the participating financial institutions at the end of the day. A significant concentration of transaction volume occurs at the end of the day. Settlement for SELIC transactions is made on a net basis at the end of the day. Only banks can participate in the settlement; nonbank direct participants must settle through a bank.
SELIC has three subsystems: the free movement subsystem, the special movement subsystem and the financial liquidation subsystem. Under the free movement subsystem normal transactions (buying, selling, and borrowing or lending of securities) are processed and the title to the securities transacted is updated on-line by the system. The special movement subsystem handles securities that are immobilized as a result of liens or guarantees offered pursuant to a legal or regulatory requirement, and includes securities kept as part of the banks' legal reserve requirements. These reserves are modified based on the liquidation by the central bank of the different reserve requirements calculated over a variety of deposits and loans collected or granted by banks at the end of each reserve period. The financial liquidation subsystem handles the transfer of funds among the banks' reserve accounts at the central bank resulting from the operations in the other two subsystems.
At the and of each day SELIC determines and reports to participants the net daily balance of the operations and the new starting position of each institution (Final Financial Position Report). SELIC also reports to each institution the record of transactions of the custodian bank (the net securities position, reflecting the algebraic sum of operations processed on their own account), as well as the account of transactions processed on behalf of clients and subcustodian banks. SELIC does not have intraday overdraft monitoring and control capabilities.
In 1993, the central bank authorized commercial banks, multiple service banks with commercial portfolios, and savings banks to register through SELIC interbank transactions affecting their reserve positions at the central bank with same day settlement (next day finality), without a corresponding movement in their securities position (although most interbank transactions are collateralized). These money market operations are known as interbank deposits. The minimum term for such deposits is 1 day on preset operations and ninety days on postset operations.
SELIC users include primary issuers of securities (the national Treasury, the central bank and state and local governments) and all participants in the secondary market (the central bank; commercial, multiple service, investment, development, and savings banks; credit, finance, and investment institutions; leasing companies; mortgage companies and mutual funds; and any other entities authorized by the central bank to operate in the market).
In the event of technical failure, SELIC can use CETIP as a backup (for capacity reasons SELIC cannot backup CETIP).
Central Custody and Financial Clearing of Securities (CETIP), a private securities trading and transfer system, was launched in 1986. The system is operated as a nonprofit organization by its 747 owners, which include most banking and nonbanking financial institutions in Brazil. It is subject to supervision by the central bank. CETIP handles transactions of more than 1,200 participants, processing about 20,000 transactions worth about R$53 billion a day. It also handles more than 120.000 request for information daily.
CETIP centers around three integrated modules: custody (in electronic book-entry form), trading (with buyers and sellers keying their operations into the system for crosschecking and confirmation purposes) and financial clearing (through a clearing bank designated by each participant).
Membership in the CETIP is open to all financial institutions authorized by the central bank. In addition to the Rio head office CETIP has three other branches (São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre ). Its hours of operation are from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with the clearing information sent to the central bank in electronic form at 11:00 p.m. to debit/credit banks' next day reserves. In case of failure by one of he participants there is an unwinding procedure for transactions undertaken on the participant's own account (transactions on behalf of clients are final). Delivery versus payment (DVP) is achieved in (t+1) when final settlement takes place. Securities lending is not allowed (i.e., no free transfer of securities). As in SELIC's case, CETIP does not have intraday monitoring and control capabilities.
CETIP is used to buy and sell state and municipal debt, corporate bonds, and bank certificates of deposits (CDs), gold transactions, posting of debentures, foreign exchange transactions, mortgages, and to transfer reserves in next day funds for the settlement of stock exchange and commodities and futures exchange transactions. All CETIP securities are held in book-entry form and require confirmation of the transaction from both the buyer and the seller.
With the adoption in 1987 of a new integrated system of financial administration of the funds of the federal government (SIAFI) and the adoption of a single consolidated Treasury account at the central bank (at the end of 1988), the operations of the government were significantly centralized and streamlined. The accounting information flows through the SIAFI to over 5,000 administrative units of the government linked to a computer network through which the appropriations made by the Treasury to the ministries are allocated and sent. When these units need to make payments they issue "banking orders" through the agency of Banco do Brasil, where they keep their accounts. The consolidated information is transmitted by Banco do Brasil to the Central Bank, which debits the single Treasury account and credits the funds to Banco do Brasil, which transfers the money to the agency where the administrative unit making the payment has its account. The administrative units then make their payments. Taxes paid at bank branches are sent to the bank's head office to be transferred to the central bank, which credits the Treasury account.
The information System of the Central Bank (SISBACEN) provides 24-hour a day access to a vast amount of information produced by the central bank. The system has about 60,000 authorized users, including all units of the central bank, 1,118 financial institutions, and 183 government agencies. The main subsystems include over 500 databases, including central bank directives, general information, exchange rates, interest rates, and economic data. SISBACEN integrated to other domestic (including SELIC, CETIP, SIAFI, SERPRO, and SISCOMEX), and international (SWIFT) networks. SISBACEN in also used for foreign exchange trading.
V - Brazilian Payment System Needs:
Payment systems are a key part of the infrastructure supporting economic activity. Without an efficient method of exchanging payment, commercial activity would be severely constrained. On the other side, problems in individual financial institutions may well first be manifested in the payment system. The payment system can then transmit this instability from one institution to another. Good payment system design can contain these effects but bad payment systems design can exacerbate them. So central banks have an interest in payment system design to reduce the risk of a domino effect, i.e., one bank failure causing other failures.
The table above resumes the Brazilian payment and settlement system, describing the clearing system, settlement timing and settlement mechanism of each payment instrument.
The following Figures show each amount (value and volume) of the documents that are processed in the Brazilian clearinghouses. They also show the proportion between the value and the volume of each payment type.
The DOCs are easily identified as the "best mechanism" the Brazilian financial market found to settle its large-value transactions. They represent a very small volume of transactions but with a very large value associated to them. And, as it is shown in the table, these transactions are electronically made but, as well as the high value checks, are settled on a net basis in next day funds (t+1).
During the past ten years a number of countries have decided to introduce Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Systems for large-value interbank funds transfers. In the Group of Ten (G-10), all countries are now using RTGS systems, once Canada has recently started its operation. Moreover, the central banks of the European Union have collectively decided that every EU member state should have an RTGS system for large-value transfers and that these domestic RTGS systems should be linked together to form a pan-EU RTGS system (the TARGET system) in order to support stage three of economic and monetary union.
The use of RTGS is also growing outside those groups. For example, RTGS systems are already in operation in the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Korea and Thailand, and it is reported that, among others, Australia, China, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia will introduce RTGS systems in the near future. The question is: why not Brazil? The data prove the need and the rapid advances in information technology increase the possibility of a real-time payment processing.
VI - Large-Value Transfer Systems:
The safe and efficient operation of large-value transfer systems has a bearing not only on the markets they directly serve but on a nation's whole financial system. In addition, large-value transfer systems have an international role to play, as they, in combination, provide the ultimate settlement vehicle for important cross-border markets in multiple currencies. The international goods and financial markets depend critically on national large-value transfer systems to settle obligations in the currencies in which trading is conducted.
For these reasons, the design and operation of large-value transfer systems are major concerns for policymakers and banking practitioners. In developed market economies, attention has recently been focused on strengthening these systems. Establishing at least a rudimentary large-value payment capability is a priority in developing market economies because it is needed to support emerging financial markets and will help to create conditions for improved execution of monetary policy by the central bank.
Different payment mechanisms can be distinguished by the businesses they support and the clients they serve, as reflected in the value of the payments processed. As a result of the wide variation in the value of payments, payment mechanisms have become quite highly specialized.
In general, the interbank, securities, and business-to-business, or wholesale markets, give rise to payments whose large size and critical timing place them in the category of large-value payments. Participants in these markets naturally seek bank payment services and payment mechanisms that can meet their needs for reliability, security, accuracy, and timeliness. To meet these needs, specialized large-value transfer systems have evolved.
Models of Large-Value Transfer Systems:
Three general models of large-value transfer systems will be exemplified here. The distinctions among them are related to the following characteristics:
The first general model of a large-value transfers system is a gross settlement system operated by the central bank without intraday credit (loans that have a duration shorter than one business day; say, a few minutes or hours). In a gross settlement system operated by the central bank, agreement to honor a payment order when the funds in the account of the paying bank are insufficient to settle the payment results in an extension of credit. This is so regardless of whether the paying bank would fully fund the payment before the end of the business day, that is, repay the intraday loan. In the general model where the central bank does not agree to provide credit, a payment order will be honored only if funds are on deposit at the time the payment order is made. Otherwise, the payment order is returned to the originator (rejected) or help until covering funds become available during the day (pended or queued). This type of system implies real-time computer processing and operational controls that permit the central bank to prevent use of intraday credit. An example of such a system is the Swiss Interbank Clearing System.
The second general model of a large-value transfer system is a gross settlement system operated by the central bank with intraday credit. In this model, the central bank will honor payment orders during the day even if an ordering bank's account does not contain sufficient funds to settle the transfer. Intraday credit is generally provided with the expectation that the covering funds will be deposited in the account before the end the business day. The central bank's willingness to extend intraday credit, however, is not unlimited. Financial and operational controls will be employed to govern the amount of intraday credit extended. An example of such a system is the Fedwire funds transfer system in the United States.
The third general model of a large-value transfer system is a deferred net settlement system. In such a system, settlement does not occur payment-by-payment, but at designated times during the day. Between-or at-designated settlement times, payments exchanged between banks are multilaterally netted, resulting in one net obligation for each net debtor bank that is due at settlement time.
Netting systems act to reduce, perhaps significantly, the intraday liquidity needed to settle large payments. In a netting system, these liquidity needs are met by the de facto extension of credit among participants in the system. However, this credit is extended by the originators and receivers of payments over the system, not by the operator of the system. Some deferred net settlement systems are operated by the central bank, whereas others are operated by the private sector. An example of the former type of system is BOJ-NET in Japan. An example of a privately operated system is CHIPS in the United States.
Swiss Interbank Clearing System (SIC):
SIC is the best example of a gross settlement system providing final settlement in central bank money without any extension of intraday credit whatsoever. From its inception in 1987, is was designed as a no-overdraft system. It operates on the principle that all payment orders will be processed only if they can be fully funded from a bank's account held at the Swiss National Bank. If funding is not available, the payment order will be queued and held until covering funds become available, up to the end of the operating day. At the end of the operating day, payment orders in the queues are canceled
The table is a simple numerical example of how SIC functions. Assume an opening of business balance in the account of the bank of 10 monetary units. Assume further that the first transaction of the day is the receipt of a payment order equal to 20 monetary units. Because SIC is a gross settlement system, the bank's current balance held at the Swiss National Bank is immediately increased to 30 monetary units. The second transaction is an order to pay 30. Because there are sufficient balances in the account at the Swiss National Bank, this payment order is accepted and settled immediately, reducing the current account balance with the Swiss National Bank to zero. The third transaction is an order to pay 10 monetary units. In the instance, the amount settled is zero, as the Swiss National Bank will not agree to process the transaction because there are insufficient funds in the account to settle the payment order. Instead, the transaction is placed in queue, resulting in an unsettled balance of minus 10. Finally, the fourth and last transaction of the operating day is the receipt of 20 monetary units. The receipt of 20 monetary units is settled immediately and results in a positive account balance of 20, which triggers release of the one payment order in the queue and elimination of the unsettled balance of 10. The end-of-day result of this activity is a current account balance of 10 and an unsettled balance of zero.
The SIC system is designed to process as many payment orders as possible following the principle "by priority level and first-in, first-out for a given priority level". The amount of funds held in the account of the originating institution must be sufficient to cover the payment that is at the head of the queue of unfunded payment orders, should such a queue exist. If there are unsettled balances outstanding at the end of the SIC business day, the payments in the queue will be purged, and the institution will be forced to resubmit the orders on the following day. An institution is, however, permitted to attach a priority to a payment order in its SIC queue.
One important feature of SIC is that the institution designated as the intended receiver is notified of the amount of pending receipts. Further notification is received when a payment order is settled. In the numerical example discussed above, therefore, the intended receiving institution is informed of the amount of the third transaction, an order to pay 10, at the time the order is made. Only after the fourth transaction of the day, however, does the receiving institution receive funds and notification that the payment order is settled. Perhaps as important, institutions can use a real-time inquiry feature to monitor the current status of all payment messages.
Fedwire began in 1918 as a simple telegraph system that was used to transfer balances between accounts held at Federal Reserve Banks. Settlement is final when the Federal Reserve Bank holding the account of the originating institution agrees to process a payment order. The Federal Reserve permits daylight overdrafts over Fedwire, within limits. Institutions are expected to perform a self-assessment of their creditworthiness and operational capabilities and to establish a Fedwire cap, which is based on a multiple of their tier 1 capital, if they have overdrafts that are large in relation to their capital.
In the numerical example illustrated in the next table, the opening of business balance held at the Federal Reserve Bank is again 10 monetary units. The first transaction is the receipt of a Fedwire transfer of 20 monetary units, which is immediately settled and reflected in the account balance at the Federal Reserve Bank, which is increased to 30. The second transaction of the Fedewire day is a payment order of 30, which draws the account balance down to zero.
This example assumes that the originating bank's debit cap is 12 monetary units. Consequently, the third transaction of the day, which is a payment order of 10, is processed by the Federal Reserve and settled immediately, even though this payment order results in a negative account balance of minus 10. The cap is not binding because the amount of the payment order does not exceed the debit cap. By agreeing to process the payment order, the Federal Reserve essentially agrees to lend intraday funds to the bank originating the payment so that the transaction can be settled.
The fourth transaction of the day is the receipt of 20 monetary units, which rebuilds the account balance to 10 and extinguishes the intraday loan. The fifth transaction of the day is a payment order of 25. In this case, the positive current balance in the Federal Reserve Bank account (10 monetary units) combined with the institution's cap (12 monetary units) results in total capacity of 22 monetary units, an amount insufficient to settle the transaction, which is valued at 25 monetary units. Assuming, for the moment, that the Federal Reserve Bank monitors the institution in real time, the transaction will not be settled but will either be (a) rejected back to the sender or, (b) pended for subsequent processing once the account is funded. Because the payment order of 25 cannot be funded, unsettled balances in the system (assuming that the transaction is pended) equal minus 25 monetary units.
Finally, the Fedwire day ends with the sixth transaction, which is the receipt of 5 monetary units. The positive account balance increases to 15, which, combined with the cap, increases capacity to 27 monetary units, an amount sufficient to fund the pending transaction of 25 even though the result is a negative balance of minus 2. If the Fedwire day ends and the institution's balance is negative, as in this example, the implication is that the institution was unable to raise funds in the market to meet its Fedwire payment obligations for the day. The institution must then obtain a discount window loan from the Federal Reserve to bring its account into balance.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System has decided to price intraday overdrafts incurred by depository institutions using Fedwire. Pricing of intraday overdrafts is an extremely complex subject and raises a host of legal, operational, and monetary control issues. Pricing became effective in April 1994.
The operation of SIC and Fedwire highlights an important contrast between systems that do and do not provide credit. In particular, a "no-overdraft" system like SIC imposes tighter liquidity management constraints on banks than does Fedwire, through which the central bank provides intraday credit. Banks and other financial market participants that place a premium on timely settlement are likely to describe a no-overdraft system as being less efficient than a system like Fedwire, which permits intraday overdrafts. Their intraday credit needs cannot currently be efficiently met except through the payment mechanism they use. In short, the SIC system does not "lubricate" the payment system with intraday credit, and consequently many transactions are queued. In contrast, the Federal Reserve has historically been a generous provider of intraday credit over Fedwire, and Fedwire caps have historically not been binding.
Although Fedwire may be more efficient in terms of the timeliness of settlement for interbank transactions, this enhanced efficiency comes at a cost. The cost takes the form of the increased credit risk absorbed by the Federal Reserve in operating Fedwire. Moreover, because the abundant intraday credit has been provided free, banks have overused intraday overdrafts provided by the Federal Reserve, resulting in the absorption by the central bank of a certain amount of credit risk that should more appropriately be shouldered by the private sector.
The Bank of Japan is somewhat special among central bank operators of large-value transfer systems because it supports two distinctively different system, both operating under the name BOJ-NET. On the one hand, BOJ-NET offers, like SIC, a gross real-time settlement service without intraday overdrafts. BOJ-NET is, however, different from SIC in that, if sufficient funds are not available in the account to settle the obligation, the payment order is automatically rejected, rather than queued.
The gross, real-time, no-overdraft service provided over BOJ-NET is not heavily used in comparison with the other services provided by the Bank of Japan. More heavily used by banks and other financial firms holding accounts at the Bank of Japan is the BOJ-NET designated-time net settlement system, which is estimated to handle 50 times the transfer volume that the gross real-time BOJ-NET system handles. The following table has a numerical example illustrating the operation of this system.
Assume again that an institution, this time using the BOJ-NET designated-time settlement, has an opening of business balance in its account at the Bank of Japan of 10 monetary units. The first transaction of the day is the receipt of 20 monetary units and, because this is a designated-time system, the amount settled is zero - the account balance remains unchanged at 10, and total unsettled balances increase from zero to 20 monetary units. Next, assume that a payment order valued at 30 is originated. Again, there are no changes in the account balance, there is no final settlement associated with the transaction, but the unsettled net balance of the institution in question falls to minus 10 monetary units. The process is repeated for a payment order of 10 with the unsettled net balance falling further to minus 20 monetary units. Finally, the last transaction before the designated time is the receipt of a payment valued at 25 monetary units, which increases the net unsettled balance to 5. Accordingly, at the designated settlement time, the total net amount to be settled for the institution is 5, which increases its balance in the settlement account of the Bank of Japan to 15, while unsettled balances fall to zero.
There are no formal procedures currently in place for the BOJ-NET designated-time net settlement system to address an institution's inability to meet its settlement obligation. The Bank of Japan has discretion to provide the institution in question with credit or to delete the institution's payment orders from the settlement. Although this room for discretion gives the central bank flexibility in forestalling systemic disruption of financial markets, it may invite moral hazard among participating institutions if central bank credits are expected to be granted easily.
Clearing House Interbank Payments System (CHIPS):
The Clearing House Interbank Payments System is operated by the New York Clearing House and processes primarily international payments. The last numerical example could apply to CHIPS, as CHIPS operates under a netting arrangement similar to the BOJ-NET designated-time net settlement system. CHIPS differs from BOJ-NET in that there is one end-of-day settlement, not a series of designated settlement times during the day. Moreover, CHIPS is a privately operated payment system in which final settlement is a achieved by funds transfer on Fedwire. CHIPS operations are governed by a set of risk controls that have been adopted by its members. In particular, CHIPS participants have adopted a system of bilateral credit limits and sender net debit caps that limit both individual participant exposure and the entire system's vulnerability to credit risk.
Under CHIPS bilateral credit limits, each participant establishes the maximum net amount it is willing to receive from another participant and this limit is enforced automatically, in real time, by the CHIPS computer system. Further, there is a sender net debit cap in place that limits the amount that any one participant can owe to the entire CHIPS system. Each participant's sender net debit cap is equal to 5 percent of the sum of the bilateral credit limits established by each of its counterparties in CHIPS. Essentially, then, participants are able to limit their exposures bilaterally to participants they judge to be questionable financial condition and, in the process, the entire CHIPS system's exposure to that participant is limited.
All CHIPS participants agree to participate in a scheme for guaranteeing the daily settlement, if a participant with a large settlement obligation ever fails to meet that obligation. The settlement guarantee is combined with a loss-sharing arrangement to govern the distribution of the burden of funding a failure to settle among the members of CHIPS. CHIPS maintains significant liquidity to permit the mobilization of cash on very short notice to allow the system to settle in a timely fashion if a participant unexpectedly fails to meet its net debit obligation. The liquidity arrangements include a pool of U.S. Government securities collateral held in escrow at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The next table is a profile of the four systems above described, which comprise SIC, Fedwire, BOJ-NET and CHIPS.
VII - Study of a Brazilian RTGS System:
The Department of Banking Operations of the Central Bank of Brazil - DEBAN is developing a project to introduce a RTGS in Brazil called STER - Electronic Transfer of Reserves System, which mechanism is based on the development of a payment subsystem to transfer funds in real-time by voluntary deposits.
STER comprehends the creation of a sub-account from the Banking Reserves Account (BRA) where the transfers are allowed, always ordered by the title-holder of the sub-account, from this sub-account to its own BRA or to another same nature sub-account of another financial institution.
The figure above describes the procedures to Client 1 make a same-day payment to Client 2. In the previous day of the transaction (t-1), Bank A has to provide its Voluntary Deposits Sub-Account (VDSA) with sufficient funds to support all the next day (t+0) operations, that execute the following steps:
Client 1 (current account at Bank A) makes a transfer to Client 2 (current account at Bank B):
The study has also defined some rules to prevent risk:
The idea of the STER creation is extremely recent. The studies are still in a primary stage and there are too many aspects to be largely discussed before its implementation. Unfortunately, the financial crisis that has affected Asia, and more recently Brazil, has slowed down all this process. Nowadays, the efforts of the Brazilian Government are especially directed to recover the economy. However, the studies of the Central Bank in this area must continue, once the issue of ensuring an efficient mechanism for supporting economic activity is one of its main functions.
VIII - Conclusion:
Brazilian Payment System is highly efficient in terms of speed, reliability and client convenience. There are questions, however, about whether the risk control measures are adequate, given the high volumes and values of funds transferred through the payment system.
Despite the sophistication of its payment system, Brazil lacks a system that facilitates the intraday movement of funds between bank clients. SELIC operates in a same day settlement mode but is not a pure funds transfer system, as security ownership must be transferred along with the funds. Under certain circumstances CETIP will allow a pure funds transfer system, but CETIP transfers next day funds with two day finality, and DOCs, checks and "bloquetos" are all settled in next day funds. Also, DOCs were "elected" by the financial market as the best large-value transfer payment instrument.
Thus, the creation of an online real time funds transfer system is one of the goals that the Central Bank needs to achieve in the new future. Its efforts in this direction were slowed down by exogenous variables, but progress still continues to be made.
Finally, this paper expects to have achieved its objective of describing the Brazilian Payment System, seen by the central bank's perspective, and locating the more recent studies Central Bank is developing in the large-value transfers area in the context.
IX - References:
Central Bank Governor's Symposium. Payment Systems in Global Perspective: Some Views from the Central Bank Main Report. Bank of England - Centre for Central Banking Studies, 1998.
Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems of the central banks of the Group of Ten countries. Real-Time Gross Settlement Systems. Bank for International Settlements, 1997.
Marciano, José Antonio. Banco Central de la Reserva de Peru Conferencia Reforma del Sistema de Pagos. Banco Central do Brasil and Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, 1998.
DEBAN - Departamento de Operações Bancárias do Banco Central do Brasil / NUPES - Núcleo de Pesquisa. Relatórios diversos sobre o sistema STER. Banco Central do Brasil, 1998.
Listfield, Robert and Montes-Negret, Fernando. Brazil's Efficient Payment System. A Legacy of High Inflation. The World Bank Financial Sector Development Department, 1996.
Rose, Peter S.. Money and Capital Markets - Financial Institutions and Instruments in a Global Marketplace. IRWIN.
Paula Cristina Seixas Oliveira de Assis
Formada em Engenharia Civil pela Universidade de Brasília, a bolsista é funcionária do Banco Central do Brasil onde opera, como analista, na Divisão de Reservas Bancárias e na Divisão de Operações Bancárias.


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6 unexpected heart-healthy snacks
By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D., February 9, 2010 - 11:46am
Brierley asks: What are your favorite heart-healthy foods?
As I was reading this I was finishing my bowl of turmeric popcorn. I like it better than parmesan cheese and turmeric helps protect against cancer. Instead of sprinkling cheese on the popcorn, try turmeric. My other favorite is Breyer's Yeast - you might want to transition from the cheese with this and then move over to the turmeric when you are ready for a change. Both are yummy. I also use a pump spray to add a light coat of olive oil that is very satisfying.
— Anonymous
02/19/2010 - 12:36am
This is great, these are foods I eat almost everyday. My father had two heart attacks by the time he was 60. Now, tell me why icecream can be good for me! I really love this website, can't afford the magazine subscription right now, so this allows me to try to eat better and feed my family a more nutritious diet. Thanks so much for all the great recipes and information that is on the site. Penny Sawdye
— Anonymous
02/19/2010 - 8:08am
I am very happy how my body is shaping up – it looks firmer, my posture is improved, and I feel more in shape. My husband and son both commented that they really see the difference. I am less tired, sleeping better, and more hopeful and focused. My confidence and self-esteem has improved, and I worry less and enjoy life more. Thank you for everything! Try it now! http://if1s.com?117
— Anonymous
10/22/2010 - 10:54am
What my favorite heart healthy are trail mix. I think that this is a heart healthy food because it contains fruit nut and other kinds of things, Also it helps me get energy and makes me healthy and stronger.
— Anonymous
11/10/2011 - 1:14pm
nuts yogurt oatmeal
— Anonymous
12/22/2011 - 3:12pm
Hi Brierley,
I also suffer from high cholesterol and other heart problems, and like your husband, have become conscious of eating heart-healthy foods. This is a very interesting list which can at least introduce some variety and fun into a heart-healthy diet. One of the interesting points you raise is the link between gum disease and heart health; something everyone at risk should be aware of. Brush, floss and have regular cleanings at the dentist --- something I personally have neglected over the years.
My personal favorite heart-healthy snacks include hummus and salsa on Wasa bread; dried mangos (I love any dried fruit!); I love grapes, and then finally, and a bowl of heart healthy high-fiber cereal with soy-milk.
Kind regards,
— Anonymous
04/26/2012 - 12:29pm
Great article with a lot of facts!
Coenzyme Q10 (also known as ubiquinone) is a vitamin-like,
oil-soluble nutritional factor that is located primarily in mitochondria,
— Anonymous
05/28/2012 - 8:30am
Thank you for the info.
— Anonymous
06/01/2012 - 12:47am
A lot of people think avocados are bad for you but they are the super fruit for the heart....
— Anonymous
08/13/2013 - 12:10am
I love Yogurt. I am not a fan of 'light' or fat free yogurts. They're just not a natural whole food. I like to add fresh fruit, nuts, and granola or a crunchy good Kashi to my yogurt. It's a great snack and a satisfying breakfast as well.
— Anonymous
02/03/2014 - 11:18am

subset: commoncrawl


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What would you like to do?
What is treatment for heel pain?
Heel pain without any trauma is usually due to deficiency of caicium and vitamin D. Try it. If you have diabetes also, then must control it and take sufficient doses of vitamin B complex and chromium picolinate and zinc and manganese. plantar fascitis, crack of calcaneus, Achile tendonitis and calf muscle spasm may also cuse heel pain. Use good cushion in shoes. Use local poultice with standard antiinflammatory Ayurvedic or Allopathic medicaments. Massage calf muscles.
23 people found this useful
Was this answer useful?
Thanks for the feedback!
How do you relieve heel pain?
Use an orthopaedic heel insert that raises your heel slightly.
Is heel pain a symptom of arthritis?
It could be, but only if you have arthritis in your heel. If they pain is very persistent, it is likely a good idea to consult a physician who will be able to tell you if it's… arthritis for sure or not.
How do you relive heel spur pain?
Heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are treated by measures that decrease the associated inflammation and avoid reinjury. Local ice applications both reduce pain and inflammation…. Physical therapy methods, including stretching exercises, are used to treat and prevent plantar fasciitis. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or injections of cortisone, are often helpful. Orthotic devices or shoe inserts are used to take pressure off plantar spurs (donut-shaped insert), and heel lifts can reduce stress on the Achilles tendon to relieve painful spurs at the back of the heel. Similarly, sports running shoes with soft, cushioned soles can be helpful in reducing irritation of inflamed tissues from both plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. Infrequently, surgery is performed on chronically inflamed spurs. http://www.medicinenet.com/heel_spurs/article.htm
What causes pain in the heels of your feet?
I had two heel spurs, one in each heel. I suffered terribly for about 5 years, and I worked in a hospital ?.. No- one knew about these at the time I was in pain, till I bought… two Orthotics half way ones, and used them every-time I was on my feet. It took about three months for the pain to go. The heel spurs (they are a bone that looks like a claw.) they stay, but the inflammation around the heel spur goes. It's the only thing that helped get rid of mine, without having an operation or injections. Do not wear tight fitting or high heeled shoes . You could also buy full fitting shoes but a half a size bigger to be able to take the Orthotic comfortably. Try and use Trainers with the orthotics in at all times. Therapeutic treatment of heel pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis, Heel spurs, and related discomforts use Heel Orthotics. The orthotic helps lift the Plantar Fasciitis directly beneath the part of the foot where the heel meets the arch of the foot. These help the heel's natural fat pad, and provides natural structural reinforcement to prevent collapse of the mid foot. You can buy them from a chemist, the ones you have fitted, cost an arm and a leg. So make inquiries first about the cost. I hope this information helps everyone who has this very painful affliction. Believe me it REALLY WORKS... It certainly did for me.
What is causing pain in the heel?
Stress fracture, Plantar Fasciitis, Fat pad atrophy, Bursitis, Tarsal tunnel syndro, Sever's disease, Achilles tendonosis etc. Check medfoot.com to get ideas on causes of …heel pain.
What is the treatment for heel spurs?
To understand how to get rid of heel spurs, it is important to understand how heel spurs develop. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body but may also be the most d…eficient. The amount of calcium that we absorb from our food varies widely. Our age is one factor. An adolescent may absorb up to 75% of the calcium obtained from foods, while in adults the maximum absorption rate ranges from 20% to 30%. Even though our bones feel solid and seem permanent they're just like any other body tissue - they're constantly being broken down and formed again. In an adult, 20 percent of bone calcium is withdrawn from bones and replaced each year. Thus, every five years the bones are renewed. Calcium is found in the extra cellular fluids and soft tissues of the body where it is vital to normal cell functioning. Much of the calcium in soft tissues is concentrated in muscle, although it is contained in the membrane and cytoplasm of every cell. When the body is deficient of calcium it begins to leach calcium from the bones. In many people this happens to be in the heel of the foot or some other weak area of the body. As the calcium is being leached, it forms an eruption (similar to a volcano). This eruption is the bone spur. Many people that have suffered from bone spurs found relief when they properly supplemented their diet daily with "good" calcium. They found that providing their body with "good" calcium along with other vital minerals stopped the "leaching process" (calcium deficiency) thus allowing the bone spur to shrink down and eventually disappear. With the bone spur gone, the surrounding damage from the spur is able to heal also. Important: The calcium+ must be carefully formulated to be easily digested to accomplish the "good" calcium environment in building healthy body/bone cells. Many people have eliminated heel spurs without surgery by supplementing their diet with a good calcium formula.
Can excess sugar cause heel pain?
You may be referring to gout. Refined sugar doesn't help but the bigger culprits would be alcohol, meats, shellfish, organ meats, and rapid weight loss. Anything that produces… purines or increases uric acid levels must be avoided. Drinking pure cherry juice helps some people with gout.
How do you stop foot pain in heel?
To alleviate foot pain in the heel, applying ice to the area affected will help. Combining this method with anti-inflammatory over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or… aspirin.
What Causes of heel pain and gout?
causes of heel pain can include gout or stress fracture, bone tumors, nerve entrapment or thinning of the fat pad beneath the heel. Gout is a type of arthritis cau…sed by the reaction of the body to needle-like crystals of uric acid that accumulate in joint spaces. This reaction causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in the affected joint, most commonly the big toe. Certain types of proteins are not properly processed by people with gout and the proteins end up causing an increase in the uric acid mentioned in a previous answer. Often these specific proteins cannot be completely avoided. In that case, specific medications have been discovered that can help you dissolve the uric acid crystals. While gout in the big toe is most common, crystals can accumulate anywhere and can cause kidney damage. Foods high in purines should be avoided by victims of gout. The disease "Gout" is the result of having too much uric acid in the blood stream. When uric acid in the blood reaches saturation point, fine sharp crystals of urate are formed and deposited in the tissues of the body, these crystals are particularly prone to settle in the synovial fluid and joint linings, (synovial lining) of the peripheral joints of the body. When this takes place it is followed by joint inflammation and pain (arthritis). Hard lumps of uric acid can settle in and around the joints leading to chronic disease that can also cause joint destruction, decreased kidney function, and kidney stones. Uric acid is formed by the breakdown of purines that make up a part of many of the foods we eat. If the body is unable to eliminate enough uric acid then this can result in attacks of painful arthritis (gout attack), kidney stones, and blockage of the kidney filtering tubules with uric acid crystals, this in turn can lead to kidney failure. However, some people may only develop hyperuricemia or elevated blood uric acid levels and not end up with arthritis or kidney problems.
Can gout cause pain in your heel?
causes of heel pain can include gout or stress fracture, bone tumors, nerve entrapment or thinning of the fat pad beneath the heel.
How can you overcome from heel pain?
I used to suffer from heel pain, but can controll it by the following: 1. wear good arch support shoes 2. Stretch your calf muscles a few times every day. … 3. Freeze a water bottle and roll it under you feet for 5 minutes at a time 4. Make sure you stretch out you feet before you step down upon waking up. 5. NO flip flops...no matter how hot it is outside. 6. Lose weight if you are very overweight.
How can you relieve a heel pain?
What i used to do in highschool football is use epson salt and soak the heel in hot water. You should then ice it down and rub the heel inbetween. Repeat this process over and… over until your heels feel better
What is cause of pain inthe heel?
A strained Achilles tendon would cause heel pain. Just take it easy for a few days and the pain should go away and be sure to stretch it out good before doing much running.
What iss the treatment for heel spurs?
i had a exray done on both fee i have a bone spur at the back of my heel keeping me from walking well , they are like little hooks at the back of the heel causing my acill…ius tendon to hurt what can i do except surgery.. help
How do you stop heel pain after running?
tape your ankle ... :)
How do you reduce heel pain?
There are many ways to reduce heel pains. Regular exercises are helpful to reduce pains. Always Walk on smooth surface and try to avoid walking on uneven walking surfaces.… There are more benefits of Physical therapy to reduce heel pains. Make use of custom shoes. Regular checkup from foot specialist is important. Medfoot.com is best source to get information on heel pains.
In Health
Why do people have pain on their heel?
its when pressure is applied to the heel a stabbing pain is emitted from it. there are a few names for it an one is policemans heel


text:
Book Talk-Dinosaur digger disappearance sparks murder mystery
By Nick Olivari
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta receives a short video clip by email but the closing image of a severed ear is enough to start her investigating the disappearance of a woman paleontologist from a dinosaur dig 2,000 miles away in Alberta, Canada.
Patricia Cornwell's new book, "The Bone Bed", which was released this month, is the 20th novel featuring the currently Massachusetts-based Scarpetta and her cast of supporting characters.
Scarpetta is initially puzzled by the video but soon suspects a connection to gruesome crimes much closer to home even as she deals with problems in her closest personal circle.
Award winning Cornwell, 56, is the former director of applied forensic science at the National Forensic Academy and a member of the Advisory Board for the Forensic Sciences Training Program at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New York City.
The author of 19 previous Scarpetta novels and five non-Scarpetta books, the Miami-born Cornwell lives in Boston with her partner and their four-year old British bull dog "Tram".
Cornwell talked to Reuters about her affection for Scarpetta and the inspiration and ideas for her books.
Q: How did you arrive at the Scarpetta series?
A: "Scarpetta walked into my life in the 1980's at a time no one wanted to write about these things and she has evolved over the years. She is a character I enjoy working with and I am not bored with her." Continued...


text:
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|Photographic prints
|Pessoa Denominada:
|William S Burroughs; Ira Cohen; Ornette Coleman; Bill Devore; John Giorno; Brion Gysin; Robert LaVigne
|Tipo de Material:
|Gráfico, Fotografia, Foto
|Tipo de Documento
|Material visual
|Todos os Autores / Contribuintes:
Ira Cohen
|Número OCLC:
|Title devised by cataloger.
Most of the photographic prints signed by the photographer on the rectos and manuscript captions on the versos.
|5 photographic prints : black and white ; 20.4 x 25.2 cm or smaller
Photographs of artists created by Ira Cohen, circa 1980-1988. Images include a mylar portrait of photographer Bill Devore, circa 1980; two group portraits consisting of author William S. Burroughs, author and painter Brion Gysin, and jazz musician Ornette Coleman (one portrait created using a prismatic filer) at the opening of the Caravan of Dreams performing arts center in Fort Worth, Texas, in September 1983; an image of Burroughs and poet John Giorno standing at urinals in a restroom at a premiere of a film, circa 1983; and a portrait of artist Robert LaVigne, July 1988.
Críticas contribuídas por usuários
Ítens Similares
- Burroughs, William S., -- 1914-1997 -- Portraits.
- Cohen, Ira.
- Coleman, Ornette -- Portraits.
- Devore, Bill -- Portraits.
- Giorno, John -- Portraits.
- Gysin, Brion -- Portraits.
- LaVigne, Robert, -- 1928-2014 -- Portraits.
- Artists, American -- Portraits.
- Authors, American -- 20th century -- Portraits.
- Jazz musicians -- 20th century -- Portraits.
- Poets, American -- 20th century -- Portraits.


text:
Homeless residents in Abbotsford, B.C., plan to sue the Fraser Valley city, and its police force, for what it says has been a campaign of harassment and discrimination against them.
Last month, Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman publicly apologized after city workers dumped chicken manure near a homeless encampment in an apparent effort to drive out its residents. Around the same time, police were accused of slashing the tents of homeless people and releasing bear spray on their belongings.
A group of homeless individuals decided to take legal action after a meeting this week. As of Wednesday, about 10 people had asked Pivot Legal Society to represent them in property damage claims, said lawyer D.J. Larkin.
Pivot will also represent another group, led by community outreach organization 5 and 2 Ministries on behalf of homeless people, in a human-rights complaint regarding harassment and discrimination. The complaint will focus more on seeking a "systemic solution," Ms. Larkin said.
"They are looking for a human rights tribunal to say, 'Yes, homeless people need to be respected and protected the same way anyone else is in the community.' "
Complainants in the first civil suit allege police illegally destroyed their property.
"One client has come to us and said he had a tent that was about $700 – that's his home, that's where he lives – that was destroyed," Ms. Larkin said. "Another client indicated that he was asked to move along, because the city didn't want him sleeping where he was sleeping, and he agreed to move along. But while he was moving his belongings – he couldn't carry it all at once – the city came in and threw everything out."
Others allege police used bear spray on them and their belongings, Ms. Larkin said. They are all seeking monetary compensation.
The allegations surfaced in June, when 5 and 2 Ministries raised them in an Abbotsford social development advisory committee meeting. In response, the police department promptly contacted the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) and launched its own internal investigation, which is continuing, said Abbotsford Police Constable Ian MacDonald.
"We took the allegations seriously in the first instance and that's why we asked for OPCC oversight," he said. "This is not a slight in any way [against] Pivot, but I think, in good faith, hopefully, the public will see that we took this issue seriously as soon as we heard it."
Last month, the city issued an apology amid public outrage for using chicken manure to disperse a homeless encampment.
City manager George Murray issued a statement apologizing and taking "full responsibility for the manner in which we dealt with this incident." Mayor Banman visited the site and told media he was "embarrassed, deeply ashamed and sorry for what happened" and that the city was reviewing how the decision was made.
The City of Abbotsford declined to comment on the matter on Tuesday.
"At this point, this is an ongoing legal issue," spokeswoman Rhonda Livingstone said in an e-mail.Report Typo/Error
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text:
Friday, October 16, 2015
Sparrows' bedtime
This was recorded as the flock of sparrows that roost in a large pyracantha bush in my front garden settle down for the night.
Posted by Margaret Nelson at 9:29 pm 4 comments:
Friday, October 02, 2015
Ban the Bomb
Horrified by what had happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I joined CND as a teenager on Merseyside. My dad didn't approve. Some of my friends were in the Committee of 100, which he definitely didn't approve of. I had to sneak out of the house in the early morning to meet my best friend Ann before joining a coachload of CND people in Liverpool, off to demonstrate outside the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool. The Scouse sculptor, Arthur Dooley, was on his hands and knees with a hammer and nails in the coach, making placards for us to wave. We assembled on the beach in Blackpool, where Canon Collins and others spoke from a flatbed truck until the incoming tide threatened to wash them away. My father had got wind of my plans and forbade me to go, hence the early departure. He'd have locked me in my room if the lock wasn't stuck open with several layers of paint. I was spared a row when I got home because Mum and Dad had visitors, and didn't want a scene.
Ann and I continued to demonstrate. In the Easter holiday of 1960 we pretended to go youth hostelling in North Wales but went on the Aldermaston march instead, with me dodging the news cameras so my dad wouldn't see me in the Daily Mail, his newspaper of choice. We leafleted patrons leaving the local cinema after Dr Strangelove, Stanley Kupbrik's black comedy about nuclear weapons.
By 1962 I'd left home to work as a farm labourer. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 I was living on a small dairy farm outside Flint, in North Wales. My boss's wife, a primary school teacher, was convinced that we'd all perish in a nuclear holocaust at any minute and her paranoia was contagious. She'd stocked up with whitewash and brown paper to protect the windows against a nuclear blast, and rehearsed our survival strategy. The eldest two children were away at boarding school, and she fretted about bringing them home. As we were having breakfast one morning, her youngest son strolled into the kitchen in his pyjamas and asked, "Mummy, what's that big red glow in the sky?" Terrified that it was a bomb over Liverpool, my boss's wife rushed to look through the landing window. To everyone's relief, it was only the sunrise.
53 years later, I wouldn't have expected to be discussing the same issue again, but Jeremy Corbyn's statement that he wouldn't press the nuclear button has prompted a hoo-ha. It's absurd. One pro-nuclear advocate on Twitter told me that the nuclear deterrent has kept the peace for the last 70 years. Apart from the fact that a nuclear "deterrent" wasn't part of anyone's arsenal until the 1950s and was mainly connected to the Cold War, there's no evidence that it's a deterrence now, since the formation of the European Union, the demise of the USSR, and the increase in terrorism. What good would a nuclear bomb have been post-9/11? Former Tory Defence Secretary Michael Portillo called for our nuclear arsenal to be scrapped ten years ago. Simon Jenkins in the Guardian wrote,
I can recall no head of the army and no serious academic strategist with any time for the Trident missile. It was a great hunk of useless weaponry. It was merely a token of support for an American nuclear response, though one that made Britain vulnerable to a nuclear exchange. No modern danger, such as from terrorism, is deterred by Trident (any more than Galtieri had been in the Falklands or Saddam in Iraq). But the money was spent and the rest of the defence budget had to suffer constant cuts – and soldiers left ill-equipped – to pay for it.So why Corbyn's Defence Secretary Maria Eagle should say that his remarks were "unhelpful" beats me. When it comes to nuclear weapons, Corbyn's a realist. Those Labour Party people who regard his stance as unhelpful need their heads testing.
Posted by Margaret Nelson at 12:23 pm 2 comments:
Labels: Ban the Bomb, CND, Corbyn, nuclear weapons
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text:
Abraham, mate of the ship VOC Middelburg, sailed from Batavia in 1781. When they reach Cape Town they learnt that Holland was at war with Britain, so they decided to hide in Saldanha Bay on the West Coast until the British fleet had passed them and then carry on to Holland.
Unfortunately the British were advise where they were and sailed into Saldanha. Abraham, as instructed, beached Middelburg and blew her up by setting a fuse in the powder magazine. He escaped to Cape Town, where the Dutch population welcomed him. He apparently had managed to bring off his money and goods from the ship, as he prospered in Africa.
See the tree by looking in Surnames.


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a place for zinesters - writers and readers
"Meeeeble" plushie toy.
Made from recycled materials...
aka: gotta love the Op Shop.
Machine stitched.
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They will charge you for everything they possibly can and their carry on regulations are plain stupid! Even if you pay for oversized carry on they will try to convince you it is too big and that you need to pay more. The comfort of flight is terrible and again you have to pay for everything. I am surprised they don't charge to use the restrooms on their flights. This was one of the worst cheap European airlines I used and I will never use them again. I rather pay extra, have comfort of travel… Read Full Review
Written on: 05/09/2013 by kokochanel (1 review written)
what a trashy company that wizz , I wish that something exists at all ... canceling of flights and no information until the last minute ... to hell with them, I will not be recommending them ever even if they were for free !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!… Read Full Review
Written on: 26/08/2013 by UlasT (1 review written)
At first, it seems to be a suitable option to fly from Gdansk to Hamburg with this company. Yet, we couldn't check-in online. Other day we had to pay quite much money for the check-in(much more than stated on web-site). As for the luggages, you may go on the board just with a back-pack otherwise it won't suit their standars definetely! So we had to pay another big amount for the luggages. So when we were on the plane, there were plenty of places to sit together(we were brothers), but they said… Read Full Review
Written on: 14/08/2013 by kernkraft (1 review written)
They have no concept of discretion, customer service or value for money. My luggage was 1(!) cm too wide because of the wheel sticking out after my duty-free shopping. That cost me £30, I hope that these awful people go out of business in no time. Trust me, take the coach! Also, avoid Debrecen! They take border control, body-searching so seriously, that you will wonder whether you are in some banana republic. WIZZAIR - NEVER AGAIN!!!… Read Full Review
Written on: 06/08/2013
We bought the tickets with my friend (tickets bought together and we suppose to travel together). Same day of the flight i paid for a cabin baggage(56x45x25m) 800 czk kroun for both direction knowing that my bag being a little bigger than the small size. IT WAS THE LAST MINUTE to flight, bus was waiting for the last passangers including me and my friend.. Before the last boarding card control place responsible named TEREZKA(Learnt she is working company named MENZIES TICKETING with the CODE… Read Full Review
Written on: 23/07/2013 by sofia1 (1 review written)
Our flight was from Sofia to Einthoven. We made online check in one day before our flight (2.07.2013) but the Wizz air desk in the Sofia insisted to charge check in amount 20 Euro per person. We did not have only a print of our check in. We did not find anybody for complaint there so we had to pay 40 Euro for two pages print. Exactly the place which I paid 40 Euro there was a printer but they did not use it for us. After coming back we ask for reimbursement this amount back unfortunately… Read Full Review
Written on: 16/07/2013
Travel was for my wife + 2 daughters, all with Premium Plus reservations (incl. 3 checked bags + 3 large cabin bags). I purchased WizzAir's Premium Plus package for everyone so that they could check their bags and stow the girl's 2 violins in the overhead bins. Upon arrival at BUD, the check-in agent claimed that my daughters violins were 3 cm longer than allowed for large cabin bags. These were child-sized violins, so think small cases. My wife was then charged $352.75 USD to purchase 2… Read Full Review
Written on: 06/08/2013
faced the same stuation difference was i declined to pay that money (same size issue max 2-3cm) and i couldnt travel(they were so serious if i dont pay i cant leave the country) eventually i said i will pay they offered me to pay in Czech Krouns or credit card.(offered them to pay in euros assuming that we are at Europe they said NO)
They werent kind at all. I guess reason was they tought i am a Turist here and leaving the country and i have to pay. But they mistaken i leave here and i am planing to go court and ask for compensation..
Written on: 14/07/2013
Myself and my sister Valentina Dimitrov had a highly unpleasant experience with Wizzair on a flight we were planning to take on May 31 fro London Luton to Bucurest Otopenie (08:25am flight). The ladies at the gate closed the gate door before we could enter the plane. Their reasoning was that we were not obedient and it was her decision who to let into the plane or not. She said: "For the official records you have missed the flight." When I asked her for her name initially, she denied giving it… Read Full Review
Written on: 20/06/2013 by SergioM (1 review written)
The handbag policy of this guys is simply ridiculous. The size of the allowed bag is so small that you will be always paying 30€ more. I have been using the same bag in Ryanair (considered to be strict on this area) without any issue. So,avoid the airline if you are carriying anything else than a beakfast box. Simply silly anti-marketing policy… Read Full Review
Written on: 11/06/2013
You'll think you've found a cheap flight. Until you get to the airport..... Delays for hours with no notice or even information about cancellations, baggage fees are deceitful- the online specifications say one thing but the baggage checking cages at the airport are smaller than the online dimensions so you have to pay, staff members make themselves scarce so as not to have to help anyone, difficult to communicate with staff members at all (saw people trying to speak to them in gestures)… Read Full Review
Written on: 19/05/2013
extremly bad service and all policy created in order to mislead passenger, earn as muchg money as possible by"extra services", bad ground support on Eindhoven Airport (tehy only receive money for all kind of "fees" but do not help customer in any way). totaly unfair and not decent complain and claim policy. It costed me 550eur (I might get back 485 ever...) to: - try to fly twice - loos completely retourflight, since I did not leave - pay "seat protection fee" do not get re-directed, get… Read Full Review
Written on: 11/05/2013 by Verhoof (1 review written)
Wizzair moved my flight from Budapest to Eindhoven "for commercial reasons" from a flight time in the afternoon to 6 am in the morning in the night before. As this changed flight was useless for me, I chose the option to cancel the flight. According to Wizzair the ticket costs should be reimbursed in this case. More than eight weeks later and 4 calls to the call centre I still have not received my money. The reasoning is constantly changing: At first there was allegedly some mistake in data… Read Full Review
Written on: 19/05/2013
my costs: 550eur and I will get back 65eur (ever...).
extremly bad and misleading company.
all flight conditions, website and the way Eindhoven airport 9in my case) functions is calculated on maximal income with minimal costs. WIzzair earns the most if passenger does not fly: lugagefee they keep, even if there was no Luggage transpprted, "seat protecion fee"is higher than most of the Wizzair ticket prices, and if you mss one flight do not expect that they will re-direct you in a normal way. also: even if it is clear that a fligh can not be uses no money bacjk whatsoever...
raely BAD company
Written on: 01/05/2013
Have flown from various airports in Romania (Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, Bucharest) to destinations in central and western Europe. Always a nice experience - on time, nice service on board (reasonable prices for a soft drink), and best of all found great prices. I wish they offered more destinations though, or better frequencies… Read Full Review
Written on: 15/04/2013
I have nothing but words of disappointment for this airline. It never arrives or leaves on time, and they don't even offer a reasonable explanation. I even had to wait 7 hour for my flight to leave! They are not reliable and I would not recommend it to anyone. You can more wisely pay a bigger amount of money and you will be guaranteed the fact that you will leave on time and everything will be fine. If not extremely unpleasant situations WILL occur… Read Full Review
Written on: 10/04/2013 by tacktick (1 review written)
Waiting for 30 minutes for someone to answer my call! And each minute costs a fortune. They have sent me a receipt without my name on it, and i need it to refund my money. I wrote like 5 emails and called a dozen times. No contact with anyone from the company - for days now... This will be the last time to fly with Wizz for sure. What an amateur company they seem to be… Read Full Review
Written on: 06/04/2013
I had a email with the special offer 20% discount which was from 5th - 7th April 2013 i checked the price yesterday (5th) which the prices where so so, checked today (6th) only to find... yes they still have 20% off but the have raised the price, i dont understand how they can give a special offer and and increase the price over night, WHY whats changed has the price of fuel rised over night... I have used Wizz in the past to fly to Belgrade which i remember when when they first started… Read Full Review
Written on: 27/03/2013
I have had nothing but trouble with this company! I am so upset and fed up with them!I bought a ticket online and paid by bank transfer as their card option didn't work.Didn't received the ticked and when I called their overpriced customer centre I have learnt that they didn;t received the full amount as per booking.I faxed them my bank statement showing the full amount left my bank account,but they kept their opinion.Fed up about calling and calling them again I agreed to pay the… Read Full Review
Written on: 05/03/2013
I am very satisfied with the service proveded overall. Had no issues when purchasing the ticket or when I was traveling. Was flying SKP-DTM-SKP. Part of the cabin crew was macedonian and dunno why I did not like their attitude, gestures, postures. I would defo reccommend it… Read Full Review
Written on: 17/02/2013
First of all I was asked to pay 13£ to print a ticket (one sheet of paper) I have asked the team member whether there is a possibility to do it somewhere and she lied to me that there isn't , I could have printed it for 1£ like 20meters from the check in, staff members very rude!!!!!… Read Full Review
Written on: 14/02/2013
On-line booking was not working properly.. I tried to buy a ticket for myself and my son, I couldn't enter my name in the top field (the field was greyed) so I wrote my name in the bottom field. I had as well problem to use my maestro card to pay about 10 Euro less.. few days ago the same card was working fine.. finally I paid by Visa but I forgot to enter/change my son's name. I ended up with two the same names (my name). Wizzair on-line booking has no any kind of review data before payment so… Read Full Review
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Nov. 27, 2012
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The University of Tennessee women's golf team welcomes Hannah Pietila to the Lady Vol family.
Pietila, a Brighton, Mich., native, captured 10 crowns in 12 tournaments last year, and has served as captain of her high school team for the past two seasons.
"Hannah will be a great addition to our program," head coach Judi Pavon said. "She is a great player with a great personality and strong work ethic. I am excited to have our first set of sisters on our team. She is a very powerful player and will make a big impact on our team."
Pietila is a three-time All-County Girls Golfer of the Year and a four-time all-state selection. She was picked to the Super Team this past season for the second year in a row as she led the Bulldogs to division, conference and regional titles with a fifth-place finish at the Division I state finals.
On the junior level, Pietila has competed in the U.S. Girls Junior Championship, and tied for first at the FCWT Championship. She also placed in the top 32 at the 2009 GAM Women's Amateur.
Pietila joins Lucia Polo as the class of 2013 signees for the Lady Vols.


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Trying something new...Technique Thread Ideas
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January 19th, 2009, 09:19 PM
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build a pinhole camera and record an image with it.
shoot 10 head and shoulder portraits of strangers. no zoom or cropping allowed.
do a light study of an outdoor object over the course of 24 hrs.
record 100 diff. images of one object.
photograph an object in an out of the ordinary setting. (example: hotdogs. shot in bookcase, in a flower arrangement, etc)
depth of field study
shutter speed study
f-sop study
I did stuff like this for 3 yrs while studying fine art b&w. I've also taught courses to a few diff art classes at various middle and high schools. I've got tons of assignment ideas to share.
Once we get past the basics, we could get into stuff like studio lighting w/ a single source (using gobos and reflectors), or manipulating lighting on a white and/or black box to produce a diff. exposure on each side. (black on one side, white on one side and 18% grey on one side.)
First assignment though, if you want to REALLY learn photography would be to read three books by Ansel Adams called "The Negative" "The Camera" and "The Print".
All of my post neg. manipulation was done by hand, but some photoshop technique stuff (no filters allowed) might be fun. Hand coloring, tinting, burn/dodge, etc.
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I noticed the following in the Regular License terms..
"For example: You license a website theme containing icons. You can delete unwanted icons from the theme. But you can't extract an icon to use outside of the theme. "
If you purchase two regular themes, but want to mix and match the icons amongst both the licensed themes from themeforest, would that be acceptable as both are under the same license terms or are they treated differently?
Thank you,
James Morris


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|Mortgage Lifters and other heirlooms ripen in the humid summer sun, 2012.
During my twenty years in Southern California, I've gotten used to our mediterranean climate. I no longer flinch (much) when I feel my flesh burning within ten seconds of hitting the hot summer sun. I wear sunglasses year-round and keep myself pretty covered up most of the time. I'm not complaining. Living in Southern California certainly has its advantages, like buying fresh fruits and vegetables year round and picking lemons off a backyard tree. But somehow today, as I watered our garden and picked beans, basil, and tomatoes for dinner, I felt happy to be here. And happy that I was able to give my girls a glimpse of-- no, a full-body immersion-- into a humid Southern summer. (In a strange turn of events, Virginians have recently experienced the scorching hot temperatures that are our summer norm.)
One thing both places have in common is a good climate for growing tomatoes. This morning picked all of our ripe tomatoes (mostly Mortgage Lifters) for a fresh tomato-corn soup we'll be having for dinner. This soup says summer-- and home-- to me more than almost any food I can imagine. But it is not my home in Virginia that I think of when I make this soup, it's the home I've created with my husband, daughters, and stepson here in California.
I made a version of this soup as part of the first meal I ever cooked for the man who would eventually become my husband. There's no pressure like cooking for a date for the first time, but I planned that meal as I do many meals-- by wandering around the farmer's market. It was early summer and I was excited to discover the first ripe tomatoes of the season. I made this soup as an expression of my love of fresh food and new beginnings. Unfortunately, I didn't know that my "date" hated soup. It amuses me now to think of him lifting his spoon for the first bite of his most detested food-- except for ice cream, which I served for dessert. But that's another story. My husband swears I've converted him to a love of soup, at least this soup. We eat it several times each summer and remember our first home-cooked meal together. This soup now tastes like home to me.


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I'm just your average Joe, who dabbles in PC's and Mac's, rides a motorcycle and lives in the UK. I've been playing 'Thief' for over 10 years and have played almost every mission released.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
Some picture of my entry into the Darkmod Haloween contest.


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Community kitchen fires at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, are burning dimly since the government announced an LPG cylinder subsidy cap of six per year and market prices from the seventh.
The kitchen in the state-run hospital that caters to the cooking needs of patients' kin requires over 45 LPG cylinders per month so most cylinders will now be brought at market rates well over Rs 800, around a 100 per cent jump from the subsidised rate of Rs 440.
From September 28, each person using the cooking facilities is also paying a steep 100 per cent-plus jump in per-hour rate. From Rs 12, each person is paying Rs 27 per hour to use the LPG gas stove per hour.
Community kitchen operator Ram Lakhan told The Telegraph that since then, the number of users has seen an equally sharp decline ' from 200 to 250 a day to 70 to 75 since cooking rates were hiked.
Most people who use the community kitchen are from needy sections of society. Neither can they afford private medical care for their relatives nor buy food for themselves from local eateries. If patients require specific diet, these relatives ' usually wives and mothers ' cook what is required at the kitchen.
But with every paisa needing to be accounted for, these people can ill-afford the luxury of this more-than-double hike in cooking rates.
"It is really too much," said user Bhuglu Mahto of Tatisilway. "Now, time is money at the community kitchen. I have stopped cooking vegetables and boil rice, dal and alu chokha all together."
Sugia Devi of Simdega who used to cook for her husband admitted at RIMS can't afford it anymore. "I go to the Dal Bhaat Kendra started by the chief minister on RIMS campus. I get one hot meal for just Rs 5. Paying Rs 27 per hour for fuel at the RIMS community kitchen is just too much," she said.
The community kitchen, a first-of-its-kind facility in eastern India, was inaugurated at RIMS on June 28, 2010, so that family members of poor patients could rustle up healthy, home-style food and save money.
When the system was started under the corporate social responsibility of IOCL, the charge was only Rs 2 for every 15 minutes. Now, it is Rs 7 for every 15 minutes or Rs 27 per hour.
The kitchen, on the ground floor of the RIMS, remains open from 7am to 9pm and has the facility of running water.
The users don't have to bring their own oven, as the kitchen has around 40. But reports of stoves without knobs or pan supports robbed this facility of much of its convenience.
The steep rise in hourly rates is the final blow.


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Constitutional conventions have been rewritten to prevent an outgoing prime minister offering his or her resignation to the Queen before a new government has been formed.
Sir Gus O'Donnell, the head of the civil service, today published the first attempt to codify the rules of government into a "cabinet manual" that is being seen as the first step towards a written constitution. It sets out everything from the way cabinet should work to how governments are formed in the case of a hung parliament.
Compared to an earlier draft, the document makes it even more explicit that the Queen should be kept out of the formation of the new government in a hung parliament, to avoid accusations of political interference. But it also suggests that the situation whereby the losing prime minister can force the formation of a new government by offering his or her resignation before a coalition is fully formed should not occur again.
This follows accusations that Gordon Brown offered his resignation to the palace before David Cameron and Nick Clegg were ready to form a government.
The document says: "The incumbent prime minister is not expected to resign until it is clear that there is someone else who should be asked to form a government because they are better placed to command the confidence of the House of Commons and that information has been communicated to the sovereign."
The first draft of the chapter on government formation was published before the election, to guide the subsequent handling of the hung parliament. But that has now been revised to place greater emphasis on the responsibility of the losing prime minister to remain in office and let the talks run their course.
Martin Argles, the Guardian photographer who covered Brown's last days in office, reported how he told Clegg: "I can't hold on any longer, Nick. I've got to go to the palace. The country expects me to do that."
David Laws, the Liberal Democrat MP who was at the heart of the coalition talks in May, claimed that they were forced to lead Brown to believe that there was a chance of a Lib-Lab coalition in order to prevent him going to the palace to offer his resignation too soon and risk a constitutional crisis whereby Britain was left without a prime minister.
O'Donnell said: "It is intended to be a living document, and will be updated to take account of any changes in the processes of government and constitutional reforms."


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A Word in Season
The Contagious Bonds of Faith and Friendship
Faith is caught not taught. That pithy adage describes my own conversion to Christ as a teen. I was raised in a Christian home, but I did not as yet own my faith. Though I knew about Christ, I did not know him.
The witness of a few close friends won me over, although at first what attracted me had more to do with what they did, more than what they said.
My heart yearned for what they had—authentic love for one another born of respect, not competition or social status. They walked together with an easy regard for the uniqueness of the other, characterized by a building up, not a tearing down. Their joy radiated from boon companionships. A community ethic rooted in teamwork brought compassionate service to others.
There was a warm fire about them. And I needed to know its source.
Jesus said, "I have called you friends" (John 15:15).
Friends! The God of the Universe wants to be friends with us. God took on a permanent partnership with his creatures, not only by taking on flesh in the Incarnation, but by longing to share our company so that one day we might share his.
God, the mighty friend—refuge and rock, consoler and confidant, healer and lover—caught my attention, and I have never been the same. Once "caught," I couldn't wait to be "taught" about the faith of the friends of God.
I imagine the first Apostles responded to the message of Jesus in much the same way.
Jesus was a welcomed guest in the life of his friends. He often stayed at their homes. He ate with them, walked with them, prayed with them and for them. He ministered to their families. Jesus set a high bar for friendship, in word and deed; its blessings are inclusive and expansive, because the nature of a blessing is never stagnant. It is meant to spill over and be shared.
Friendship with Christ is dynamic. It is sweet communion with God and others; it challenges every believer to be more than just receivers of his gifts, but givers too. And Jesus empowers friends to serve others with a share of his very own love and grace.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another (John 13:35).
The friendly love of Jesus is not stingy. It is generous and lavish without being pretentious. It has the power to heal and renew. It is magnanimous and steadfast. It is pleasing, true, and beautiful, not cheap or superficial. It is strong, honest, and chaste. And that's what makes it so very attractive.
Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus. And what friends we can be in Jesus! The Apostles, martyrs, and saints bear this out.
I've read enough saints' biographies to know that healthy long-term friendships, and loving human connections maintained over the long term, produce powerful transformations in others. It is no wonder that the faith of one saint influences and evangelizes future saints. Their lives give birth to imitation or prodigy.
St. Francis of Assisi had famous followers in St. Clare, St. Anthony, and St. Bonaventure. St Clare's friendship edified St. Agnes of Prague. St. Ambrose mentored St. Augustine. St. Albert the Great was teacher to St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Francis de Sales was friend to St. Jane Frances de Chantal.
Pat Gohn is a Catholic writer, speaker, and the host of the Among Women Podcast and blog. Her book Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious: Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood is published by Ave Maria Press. Subscribe to "A Word in Season" via email or RSS.