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- "60 tons of fun. A heavily-armored battle tank with a 1,500hp turbine engine and a 120mm cannon, the Rhino delivers a hell of a lot of bang for your buck. Much like its namesake, the Rhino is slow on the turn, surprisingly fast on the charge, and generally terrifying to anyone in the vicinity. One of the few vehicles still manufactured in America. Great for doomsday preppers."
- ―Warstock Cache & Carry webpage
The Rhino is the name of an armored fighting vehicle appearing since Grand Theft Auto III, commonly referred to by players and police chatters simply as the Tank. The Rhino has subsequently appeared in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and Grand Theft Auto V.
Like its predecessor in Grand Theft Auto 2, the Rhino appears when the player attains a six star wanted rating. In all games, the Rhino can be avoided without much difficulty because of its slow speed and bad handling, but it's extremely deadly if the player attempts engaging one, and the soldier driving it always carries strong weapons. Also, when successfully stolen, authorities can bust the player due to the Rhino's slow speed. When it hits a vehicle, the vehicle most of the time explodes straight away; if not, it starts to burn instead, in Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars however, this does not happen. Although the Rhino has a cannon it is never used by law enforcement, this however is changed in GTA Chinatown Wars as the Army will fire the cannon which causes massive damage to, and usually kills, the player. The Rhino is practically invincible to small arms fire and crashes; and only Satchel Charges, Dozens of other explosives and rockets and the Police Maverick's mounted gun can cause damage to it. Also, flame weapons (such as the molotov cocktails and flamethrower) can also be used to inflict damage. Note that it is also possible to destroy a tank with conventional ordnance, but it will take very long to destroy one. In GTA Liberty City Stories, if you can get the Rhino up and onto the tracks of the subway or the El-Train, the subway train or the El-Train will destroy the tank on impact.
In GTA: San Andreas and GTA: Liberty City Stories, it's possible to carjack a Rhino and even store one in a safehouse garage. Vice City Stories removes the ability to carjack the Rhino and unlike the other games where a Rhino spawn point is found, the tank is locked until a certain mission is completed (and even then the PS2 version of the game keeps the Rhino locked).
In GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories, the Rhino does not appear to be based off of any real life military vehicle. However in the front, does bear ressemblance to the 6 wheeled M93 Fox reconassaince vehicle, while the sides belongs to Panhard ERC 90. However its features also resemble the seemingly original but chunky design reminiscent of a modified M3 Stuart, but with a front that more closely resembles that of an M4 Sherman. Because of it's heavy construction, with doors on both sides that can be easily damaged with even the slightest hit, and a truck-style 3-axle drivetrain with easily seen wheels, The turret can only be rotated by pressing buttons, which makes precise shooting almost impossible.
In its original appearance in GTA III, the Rhino assumes a stark appearance with little detail on its armored body. The GTA Vice City rendition, however, saw the addition of a variety of equipment to the vehicle, as well as the enlargement of the turret's barrel. While the GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories variants follow the design cues of the GTA III and GTA Vice City renditions, with the turret barrel of GTA Liberty Stories rendition even being of the same size and length as that in GTA Vice City, though the GTA Vice City Stories variant is even longer.
In GTA San Andreas, the Rhino looks like an M1 Abrams and it is much more realistic than its predecessors. It is colored beige (desert camouflage), has a normal tank entrance in front and a new drive-train with smaller and more plentiful wheels, leading to even more of an increase in it's realism. It also has a new steering system, which finally allows the player to make very tight turns. The turret is operated with the mouse or right thumb-stick (PlayStation 2), which allows the player to shoot directly at the target; however, this does mean the Rhino can no longer simply fire backwards to deter pursuit while the camera still faces forwards for steering. The Rhino in GTA San Andreas is also heavy enough to literally push aircraft, making a Rhino an ideal vehicle to push the destroyed Andromada from "Stowaway".
Interestingly enough, none of the pre-GTA IV versions have caterpillar tracks, unlike their real world counterparts; this is likely due to tracks being too complex for the game's engine to render. In one of GTA IV's DLCs, The Lost and Damned, the text files for a Rhino tank are included, even though it never appears in game.
The Rhino does not appear in Grand Theft Auto IV; this is assumed to be because of Rockstar's goal of making GTA IV more realistic than previous games. However, it is replaced with the APC in The Ballad of Gay Tony and GTA Chinatown Wars reintroduces the Rhino with an appearance similar to the M7 Priest . The GTA Chinatown Wars' Rhino bears the distinction of being the first Rhino to ever be depicted as having tracks.
The Rhino returns in Grand Theft Auto V, resembling the German Leopard 2A3, and like GTA Chinatown Wars, is depicted as having tracks, making it overall the most realistic rendition of the vehicle in the series despite being modelled after a Non-American Military vehicle. It has a tank cannon and a unusabe MG. Like the SA model, there is a hatch to the driver, but in the left side of the tank. The turret is again controlled by the right thumb-stick with more accuracy than before, enabling it to turn really quicky or aim at pursuing helicopters above.
Performance and durability
|First Rhino
|Second Rhino
|Green camouflage
|Desert camouflage
|Handling of this tank is terrible. Even at low speeds its turns are horribly wide. Unlike the normal tank it has very poor acceleration, when maximum speed is normal for this kind of tank. It has a working handbrake, but because of its wide turning radius and dual rear axles it is difficult to tighten turns with it. Tank is quite bouncy, so its wheels easily lose contact with ground. Its small ground clearance, bouncy suspension and low torque makes this tank very poor when driving off-road, or even through small barriers.
|This tank has 2 steering modes: normal allows it to make turns a little better than trucks, and extra, activated with handbrake button, allows to make extra tight turns. It has little better off-road abilities, but it is still far from perfect. It has better acceleration and grip, but it still cannot go through high obstacles. It handles better on road. The turret now points to where the player's camera is pointed, making it difficult to aim in some circumstances. It has no lights or sirens.
In GTA III and GTA Vice City, the Rhino is bullet-proof and explosion-proof and as such it is immune to all weapons except the flamethrower and molotovs. In GTA San Andreas, the Rhino is still a tough vehicle, however, after colliding several times with other tanks, it will start smoking and explode. While driving the Rhino, one should be careful not to drive through the flames left behind by vehicles that have exploded, as these will set the Rhino on fire doing massive damage and usually destroying it. In Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the Rhino is immune to bullets but can still be destroyed by fire and about 10-15 hits from another Rhino's cannon or explosives.
Due to the introduction of treads for GTA Chinatown War's Rhino, the tank gains another a minor advantage in that it can turn while in a stationary position. The durability of the game's Rhino, however, is turned down a notch, being more vulnerable to explosive damage than previous renditions; a pristine Rhino will begin burning as a whole after receiving seven direct hits from a Rocket Launcher or another Rhino's turret.
While GTA V's Rhino is still very powerful, is not completely indestructible and can be destroyed if it gets caught near too many explosions or if one of the tracks gets caught on fire, which is a fairly rare occurrence. Large amounts of smoke coming out the back engine is a sign that the Rhino is losing power, and can be avoided more by staying away from fire and explosions as much as possible. The tracks allow it to turn reasonable well, though the tires can sometimes be shot out which can make it's handling more difficult.
In the tank, the player can perform vigilante missions, which means catching and killing suspects. The Rhino isn't necessarily the best vehicle to do this mission (especially not in games where the Hunter is available) because the player risks increasing his own wanted level at an accelerated rate due to the tank's penchant for collateral damage. On the other hand, if the player cannot complete the missions with the other, comparatively flimsy police vehicles, the Rhino might be better. If the player can intercept the enemy vehicles, rather than chasing them, the player may be able to strike the targets with the tank instead of firing on them. This method cuts down on the wanted level the player receives, which may help him avoid having to fight the military on some occasions.
In GTA Vice City, there is a mission in which the player has to steal a tank, Sir, Yes Sir!. Its doors are closed, so the player needs to wait until the driver hops out to buy some doughnuts, or kill the soldier on top of the tank. This tank has a self-destruct mechanism which the player must disable before it destroys the tank. In GTA Liberty City Stories, during the mission "Shogun Showdown", the Yakuza are storing weapons in a warehouse and along with that Toni Cipriani finds a Rhino which he later destroys by detonating it with a bomb. In GTA Chinatown Wars, during the mission Deadly Xin, Xin Shan has the player use a NOOSE Rhino parked at Francis International Airport to create havoc, diverting the police from his own machinations.
In GTA: San Andreas and GTA: Liberty City Stories, the player can use the Rhino to complete the Vigilante side-mission. Given its near-indestructibility and ability to destroy vehicles on contact, it is considered the easiest vehicle with which to complete the mission, even taking into account its slow speed.
- Spawns at Phil Cassidy's Army Surplus in Rockford after completion of The Exchange.
- Military officers pursue the player at a 6-star wanted level.
- Can be spawned using cheats.
GTA Vice City
- Can be found inside the Fort Baxter Air Base after having collected 90 hidden packages.
- Can be encountered during a 6-star wanted level.
- Driven by the military during the mission Sir, Yes Sir!.
- Can be spawned using cheats.
GTA San Andreas
- Available inside Area 69.
- Will spawn underneath the overpass going above the end of Grove Street after 100% is achieved.
- Can be spawned using cheats
- The military will pursue CJ at a six-star wanted level, sometimes using Rhinos.
GTA Liberty City Stories
- Spawns in Fort Staunton when 100% is achieved.
- Spawns during the 6 star wanted level.
- Stolen from the Yakuza compound and destroyed by Toni in the mission Shogun Showdown.
GTA Vice City Stories
- Inside the Fort Baxter military base, it is there from the beginning of the game but unlocked only when the mission Over The Top is done. This also applies to Rhinos that spawn under a 6-star wanted level; they are only unlocked after Over The Top. Note: this does not seem to apply to the original PS2 version of the game as the Rhinos remain inaccessible, even after completing Over the Top, but in the double pack version, the Rhinos are almost always unlocked.
- Driven by the army whan the player gets a 6 star wanted level. Like all other games in the 3D Universe, its hard to get without cheats(Or 100% completion(you can get a Rhino after Over the Top as said in the previous note, But to get a Rhino from the military with a wanted level you need to know the Rhino sniping trick(same as the Helicopter sniping trick))).
GTA Chinatown Wars
- Available for purchase from the Auto Merchant when the main story is complete, at $10000.
- Can be found in a fenced-off warehouse area at the southern end of Francis International Airport; activates Fast Tracks. Players will warp outside a parked Rhino at the starting point regardless of whether or not the player completes or fails the mission (Note: To be used normally, the Rhino must be entered, before the player quits the side mission and reenter the Rhino quickly, or start a Vigilante or taxi mission and entering the Rhino).
- Driven by military when the player gets a 6 star wanted level.
- Can be found at Fort Zancudo. The military will use Rhinos to shoot at the player once inside the base.
- Can be bought for $3,000,000 from Warstock Cache & Carry.
- The army will use Rhinos to attempt to kill Trevor in the army Rampage.
- Can be found at Sandy Shores Airfield hangar. The player must be using Trevor to gain access to the airfield.
- Can be found at the Los Santos International Airport hangar. The hangar must be purchased first by either Michael or Franklin.
- In GTA San Andreas, the vehicle is completely bulletproof and near to explosion-proof, requiring more than 12 hits from a rocket launcher and 5 hits from a Hydra. It is vulnerable to fire, however.
- It is impossible to pop the tires of the Rhino.
- The Rhino was originally supposed to return in Grand Theft Auto IV and The Lost and Damned. It was cut as a result of the games' focus on realism and believability.
- In real life, a battle tank was used only a few times in history for law enforcement functions in the United States, most notably the 1993 siege in Waco, TX. Like in the Waco siege, the military in the 3D Universe did not use the tanks cannon.
- Sometimes a glitch occurs in GTA San Andreas, where the player is flying and has full six stars, an NPC-controlled Rhino may randomly jump up in the sky and be spinning around very fast.
- Low-detailed LOD models of the Rhino in GTA San Andreas appear to assume a design more similar to older Rhinos. This difference is apparent when the player views one of the tanks from afar.
- The Rhinos in both GTA San Andreas and GTA Vice City fire rounds similar to air burst rounds. The main differences are the way the rounds will explode on contact but if fired into the air they will detonate in mid air.
- Despite its size, it is possible to successfully park (and therefore save) the Rhino inside the Johnson House garage in GTA San Andreas, and possibly others.
- A glitch that involves one of the health cheats in San Andreas creates a whole new axle dead center in the drive train. (confirmed in the PS2 version)
- Sometimes in GTA Vice City, GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories when you use a cheat to spawn a Rhino while standing on the road it will sometimes spawn on top of you and trap the protagonist inside the Rhino. The only way to get out the Rhino is to suicide or reload a save file, but no damage is dealt on the player.
- In GTA V, the Rhino has a desert camouflage pattern instead of the traditional plain green or beige, making it the most colorful, yet realistic in the series.
- In Grand Theft Auto V the Rhino is best used when at an open environment such as an airport.
- The Rhino is the strongest vehicle in Grand Theft Auto V and offers a lot of protection against explosive weapons.
- The Rhino may be tough but it does have its limits. If using the Rhino's main gun make sure to aim away from the ground as firing too close to the Rhino could cause it to explode.
- The Rhino in Grand Theft Auto V can run over and crush small cars, resulting in it exploding under The Rhino. The player should be cautious about this as driving over many small cars may cause The Rhino itself to explode.
- The grenade launcher in-game appears to fire fragmentation rounds, which in reality would have little to no effect against tank armor; this is probably done for balancing purposes.
- The description says that the tank is one of the few vehicles still made in America, when the tank itself is actually based on a German vehicle.
- The Rhino Tank made an appearance in C&C: Red Alert 2 and its expansion (Yuri's Revenge), used by the Soviets.
- The Rhino in Grand Theft Auto V is the fastest Rhino in the series, going a little below a Sanchez.
- Like its GTA: San Andreas predecessor, it fires air burst rounds which explode mid air after a short period of time if they do not hit a solid object.
See also
- Tank, GTA1, GTA2 and GTA Advance equivalents.
- Royal Pain, GTA London 1969 equivalent.
- Tiger Tank, GTA London 1961 equivalent.
- APC, The Ballad of Gay Tony equivalent.


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If you like pot pies, then you're going to love my Texas Pioneer Beef Pot Pie recipe! This week the Texas Beef Council asked me to come up with my own healthy beef recipe using the tips I presented in Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3. So for Week 4 I decided to use a pot pie recipe that I make for my family about once per month–Texas Pioneer Beef Pot Pie.
But first, here's some tips for make eating at home more nutritious and fun for the kids!
Nutrition Tips
Fantastic Family Meals
Make the most of family mealtime with these five easy tips:
- Enjoy one more family mealtime every week! Take a quick inventory of how many times you usually eat together as a family and look for easy ways to add one more family meal to your weekly schedule. If evenings are too hectic for a family dinner, set aside time for a weekend breakfast or lunch. After a month or two of this new pattern, you can then add another family meal each week until you are enjoying mealtime together most days of the week.
- Enjoy tasty menus for family meals! If you think putting a meal together had to be complicated or time-consuming, think again! The best meals are simple, delicious and planned together. Let everyone choose a favorite menu. Even small children can pick a main dish (like tacos or pasta), a vegetable (green salad or cooked carrots), and fruit for dessert (sliced apples or a fruit salad).
- Set an appealing table for family meals! Food is just one important part of mealtime. There are really easy ways to set the mood for a relaxed time around the table. A little extra attention to the actual table setting can add a lot to mealtime atmosphere. Go for a theme night like taco salad and Mexican fiesta décor using leftover souvenirs from your trip to Cancun or have one of the children make a centerpiece by folding colored construction paper.
- Enjoy conversation at the table! The conversations families have while eating together offer many benefits. Children learn new words from adults and adults are able to share the values with the next generation. Choose topics that are positive and allow everyone to talk. Even toddlers like to discuss topics like "what is your favorite color" or "what made you laugh today".
- Enjoy distraction-free meals TVs, DVDs, multiple phone calls and text messaging can distract anyone making it difficult to eat or carry on a conversation. The solution is simple: Declare mealtime an electronics-free zone (except for an emergency, of course). Imagine that you are dining at a nice restaurant and play some soothing background music at low volume. It will be much more relaxing for everyone to be unplugged, especially you!
Now for the beef pot pie recipe which I know you're going to love!
Texas Pioneer Beef Pot Pie
4 small carrots, sliced
1 potato, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
4 T instant potatoes
2 1/2 cups beef broth or juices (you may add water to reach 2 1/2 cups)
2 cups beef roast or stewing meat, cut into bite sized pieces and sauteed
Texas Pioneer Pastry
1 cup flour (I use whole wheat since I have wheat berries and a grinder at home, milk will need to be increased slightly)
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 t sugar
1/4 c butter
1/4 cup milk
Place vegetables in saucepan and cover with water. Cover and cook until tender (about 20 minutes). Drain. Mix in broth and beef and heat until hot. Add instant potatoes until desired thickness is achieved. Turn off heat. Pour into pie plate.
Make Pioneer Pastry. Sift the dry ingredients together and cut in shortening. Stir in milk to make a soft dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and place on top of filling, crimping at the edges. Make several slits in dough.
Bake at 425 F for 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

subset: commoncrawl


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An insider's view of what is really happening in the Harris County Criminal Courts
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Rachel Palmer's Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center
What is even more bizarre is the title of the business.
She apparently filed as "Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center."
Um, okay.
Most of you know that Rachel's beloved husband, Don Hooper, started a knock-off version of my blog a few months ago. I'm not going to link to it, because it is grossly inaccurate to the point of being libelous and the spelling and grammar is mind-numbingly bad. Seriously, I was going to sign him up for a Hooked on Phonics class as a peace offering. That being said, I have found that the best way to deal with an idiot is to ignore him.
Hooper had been making noises about "taking Murray's blog" for awhile. I guess that he and Rachel decided to make it all official by getting the DBA. I don't know what exactly their goal was. Maybe Rachel just wanted to see if exercising her 1st Amendment Right felt as good as exercising her 5th?
Mark Bennett did a post this morning with his thoughts on Rachel's entrepreneurship. Who knows what Rachel and Don are up to?
I sincerely doubt that Rachel is attempting to take credit for my blog. We aren't exactly best friends, in case you haven't noticed. She probably wouldn't want to explain to Pat Lykos why she would be so desperately trying to affiliate herself with a blog that is so critical of the Lykos' Administration.
More likely, she was just trying to pave the way for Don to create his knock-off blog.
What is interesting, however, is that Don's blog bashes not only me, but Rachel's fellow prosecutors and several sitting judges, as well. It bashes them harshly. It is my understanding that some of the half-assed attempts by the Upper-Administration of the D.A.'s Office to get Don to tone it down have been rebuffed by him. He doesn't work for Pat Lykos, after all.
But the new business entity of "Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center" doesn't have Don Hooper's name on it.
It has the name of Harris County Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ann Palmer.
The Lykos Administration has been very clear that they don't like it when their prosecutors talk on blogs. When Scott Pope was a prosecutor, he left a relatively innocent comment on Mark Bennett's blog that said nothing bad about the Administration. He was called to the 6th Floor and admonished for daring to sign his name. A few months ago, a prosecutor was disciplined for defending himself against a defense attorney's public criticisms on the Chronicle. Even David Benzion was apparently told to stifle his comments on my blog after he posted something here a while back.
Yet here we have prosecutor Rachel Palmer affiliating herself with Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center in writing -- bashing judges and prosecutors with impunity.
Doesn't it seem like there is something wrong with this picture?
22 comments:
You know, it looks like she may have filed a false affidavit--that form requires you to certify that you are the owner of that business and nobody else is.
- April 17, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Quit bashing Rachel. I love her.
I too filed some DBA's today.
dba The Harris County District Attorney's office
dba Defending People
dba Scott Pope for President
Doesn't mean crap. She may think she can try to sue you for some sort of cybersquatting but that won't fly either.
Doesn't the operations manual say you can't act as a lawyer outside of the DAs office? (no moon lighting)
- April 17, 2012 at 3:33 PM
Rage - please share.
- April 17, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Share what? Look up the form on the county clerk's website. She what she had to sign. I couldn't find the form itself though. Be interesting to see if it's her signature or someone else's.
- April 17, 2012 at 3:43 PM
This is all that is on the clerk's site:
20120109 10 1 241850428
- April 17, 2012 at 3:53 PM
Rage d/b/a "Micropenile Encephalopathy" was filed at the district clerk's office this morning and lists Poe Elementary at the primary business address.
What's up with that?
Just Sayin'
- April 17, 2012 at 4:24 PM
Per office policy 2.51: "All employees should recognize that their primary work duty and responsibility is to the Office of the District Attorney. No employment should be permitted to infringe on this obligation. Any request to begin outside employment should be submitted on the form that follows (Request for Approval of Outside Employment). It should be submitted through the employee's supervisors to the First Assistant."
So Jim, did you approve this? If not, what do you I tend to do about it. Rumor is you spoke to Lana about her blatant violation if office policy and did nothing. What are you going to do with this one? Promote Rachel to Bureau Chief. (Benizon can you please pass this along to Jim. Thanks!)
- April 17, 2012 at 6:50 PM
- Mark Bennett said...
I was seriously going to file a DBA for "Office of the District Attorney," but then I read the form and decided that while Ms. Palmer might be politically connected enough to avoid prosecution for tampering with a government record, I am probably not.
- April 17, 2012 at 7:59 PM
I hope Womble is reading this, since he is connected in the movie biz, I'm sure this deal playing out in the DA's office can be the next Tarentino movie...you simply cannot make this shit up.....
- April 17, 2012 at 8:21 PM
I was wondering when Rachel Palmer will be assigned to the guard house on the north end of the Washburn Tunnel?
- April 17, 2012 at 10:01 PM
Mark, you forget. Bill moore is the division chief of public integrity where that investigation would come out of. You'd be safe.
- April 17, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Don/Rachel - filing a DBA doesn't give you legal right to a web domain. Apples and Oranges. Morons.
- April 18, 2012 at 9:46 AM
I'd be beyond pissed if I were you. Now, a reasonable person who accidentally goes to Don's version of "Life..." might mistake HIS lack of English grammar and basic sentence structure for yours.
- April 18, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Im' going two kick you're ass in the head to head to head competition be-tween my blog and yours'. Get ready too eggsperience be-ing lamb-basted on a daily bases. When the Honorroll Judge Patricia Lykos wins the what-cha-ma-call it thing in May, you will sea the power of the written word on full display.
- April 18, 2012 at 10:05 AM
I don't need to pay no stinkin child support. After all, if you were my kid, would you want your friends to know it?
- April 18, 2012 at 10:22 AM
My god this has sunk to an incredibly depressing and embarrassing level.
- April 18, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Umm, who gives a shit? Filing a dba means nothing.
May 29th can't get here fast enough.
- April 18, 2012 at 3:10 PM
Bless her heart. Somebody needs to show her how to get a UPS box for public records. Maybe she can ask her dear friend Lana who was at least smart enough to base her campaign out of the UPS store on Memorial and Westcott.
Oh, and someone should explain the concept of domain names as well, poor dear.
- April 18, 2012 at 5:44 PM
I needed a good laugh, thanks for that one.
And whoever is that high quality DBA, of course you can fire people for constitutional stuff. You can't scream obscenities. You have to wear pants. You can't pass out Bibles. Not because it's not allowed by the constitution but it's not allowed by WORK.
- April 18, 2012 at 5:56 PM
If there was ever an argument to be made that America's public schools are failing, one needs only to direct an English teacher to Don Hooper's version of "Life...". I am the person he refers to as "Kim Jessup" on his site. However, I am not Kim Jessup. All I asked him was: if his wife was as ugly in person as she is on televions, why he doesn't have lawyers review his grammar along with his DBA filings, and if he plans on supporting the children that he and RP (vomit) may have some day in the future. I guess that's no more repugnant than attacking a judicial candidate's KIDS! If Don wants to have an intellectual debate about complex issues in the criminal justice system, well, never mind.
- April 20, 2012 at 8:55 AM
Anon 8:55
good question about Don supporting future children with RP. Every time I read his rants about pro-life I want to scream - this from a man who doesn't support his 2 children from his first marraige or his child conceived out of wedlock. Apparently he's much more concerned about the unborn than his personal responsiblity for his 3 living children. Can you say HYPOCRACY at it's worst...
- April 20, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Anon 8:55
Great question to Don about supporting possible children with RP. Every time he starts a rant about other people's supposed bad behavior and pro-life tests for candidates I want to scream "Hypocrite"! What kind of man fights endless court battles to deny child support to his 2 children from his first marraige and his 1 child from a previous relationship but calls out others for not meeting his moral "standards" - oh sorry - forgot who we were talking about for a minute.
- April 20, 2012 at 1:03 PM


text:
Forums: Index > Administration > Achievements
I thought I'd see if anyone was interested in having this new feature activated. I don't know how many people here want points and badges and whatnot for doing what they already do, but people do love shiny things and grinding to get them :-) - TarkisFlux 18:13, August 5, 2010 (UTC)
- Could be cool, but I think a big downside would be a sense of elitism about the badges, so might not be that good of an idea. Still, I'm fairly ambivalent about the whole thing, so doesn't especially matter to me either way. --Ghostwheel 18:23, August 5, 2010 (UTC)
- I'm not really a fan, my vote is no. Surgo 22:01, August 5, 2010 (UTC)
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
The primary motivation among environmentalists for developing wind energy is legitimate concern about the effects of climate change. Wind is alleged to provide important relief from the emission of carbon dioxide from electricity production. But without this alleged benefit, wind's unpredictability, cost, environmental damage and intrusiveness would make it a poor choice. The Maryland General Assembly has debated offshore wind's merits for two sessions but has not been persuaded to approve a way to finance a facility, and is about to debate it once again.
Wind's advocates dissemble three critical factors about clean energy. First, they brush aside wind power's primary weakness by denying its need for a way to overcome its unpredictability. They argue that by building wind plants over wide areas, wind in one region will take up the slack when it fails in another. We've heard statements like: "If the wind dies off Maryland's coast, the wind off South Carolina's will replace it." Wind occasionally dies over very large areas, so to make the electricity supply reliable, every region would have to be equipped to supply all the other regions, which would be very uneconomical.
This view is supported in several reports from the National Academy of Science and National Academy of Engineering (among the most respected of professional organizations) and the Department of Energy (in a report co-authored by staff of the National Renewable Energy Lab). These state that when wind capacity approaches the market share mandated by the typical Renewable Portfolio Standard, "renewable sources of power ... would ... require fast-responding backup generation and/or storage capacity, such as that provided by natural gas combustion turbines, hydropower, or storage technologies," and that "non-wind generation is needed to maintain system reliability when winds are low." Natural gas turbines produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide; hydropower is not an option in the East, and is environmentally damaging wherever it is used; and storage technologies are a long way off — and may never materialize.
Secondly, the Academies' reports state that carbon dioxide emissions must ultimately be reduced to essentially zero because it is removed from the atmosphere extremely slowly. For example: "emissions reductions larger than about 80 percent ... are required to approximately stabilize carbon dioxide concentrations for a century or so and even greater reductions in emissions would be required in the longer term." Gas turbines cannot be used by a zero-carbon society in the long term.
The third point, and one denied by many renewables advocates, is that nuclear power is essential for building a carbon-free society. The Academies reports state: "Nuclear power is one of the key options for meeting large-scale electricity demand without producing [greenhouse gases]," and "Nuclear power is an established technology that could meet a significant portion of the world's energy needs."
Building nuclear reactors may be unpalatable to some, but most opposition to nuclear power results from exaggerated fear of small doses of radiation from accidents at reactors or spent fuel storage facilities. This risk, which is small, must be compared to the risk from continued climate change. Severe heat waves in Europe in 2003 and 2010 and high-intensity hurricanes, combined, have already resulted in about 120,000 premature deaths. There is no credible scientific evidence that the accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima will have caused remotely that many premature deaths. Had construction of reactors not been virtually stopped for the past 30 years, these climate-related deaths might not have occurred, because the unbuilt reactors would have offset a significant fraction of carbon dioxide emissions.
Climate science now proposes that it will take thousands of years to abate the effects of climate change once they occur, meaning that we cannot afford to delay becoming a carbon-free society. Environmental advocates are doing a disservice by downplaying wind power's weaknesses while exaggerating nuclear power's danger.
By issuing 20-year extensions of operating licenses for many reactors built about 40 years ago, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has acknowledged their safety and durability. By turning to nuclear power, we won't have to wait for the unpredictable appearance of the technologies essential for the full implementation of wind power. Our decision makers would do more good trying to find a way to build a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs.
Norman Meadow is a retired principal research scientist in the Johns Hopkins University's Department of Biology and is first vice president of the Maryland Conservation Council. His email is email@example.com.


text:
- Original title : Out of the Furnace
- Film Note : -movie_rating-
- Duration of movie : 116
- Movie Genre : Crime, Drama, Thriller,
- Status : Released
- Vote Count : 126
- Youtube Id : -youtube_id-
- Release Date of film : 2013-12-06
- Languages spoken : English
- Average rate : 6.5
- Tagline : Sometimes your battles choose you.
- Societies of production : Energy Entertainment
- Christian Bale Character (Russell Baze)
- Zoe Saldana Character (Lena Taylor)
- Woody Harrelson Character (Harlan DeGroat)
- Sam Shepard Character (Gerald 'Red' Baze)
- Willem Dafoe Character (John Petty)
- Forest Whitaker Character (Chief Wesley Barnes)
- Casey Affleck Character (Rodney Baze Jr.)
- Boyd Holbrook Character (Tattooed Guy)
- Tom Bower Character (Dan Dugan)
- Mark Kubr Character (SWAT Team)
- Gordon Michaels Character (Bergen County Officer)
- Jack Erdie Character (Meth Guy)
- Efka Kvaraciejus Character (Brady)
- Nancy Mosser Character (Woman at Drive In)
Out of the Furnace Synopsis:
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text:
Benefits-enrolled employees who participate in the Take Care of Your Health Initiative will receive a $100 cash reward for completing the wellness profile and biometric screening, and agreeing to the preventive physical exam certification, according to Susan Basso, vice president for Human Resources. Those who complete those steps and whose spouse or same-sex domestic partner also completes the wellness profile and agrees to the preventive physical exam certification will receive $150.
"This is being done as a way of recognizing the many benefits-enrolled employees who are participating in the initiative, in light of the suspension of the penalty that originally had been tied to non-participation," Basso said.
The cash reward will be distributed via direct deposit through payroll in January 2014.
Based on privacy and security concerns expressed by some, the Employee Benefits Division website now includes detailed instructions about how employees may delete their account in WebMD Health Services. By permanently deleting the WebMD Health Services account, all data accessible to you through the use of WebMD Health Services tools will be removed from their servers. For detailed instructions on how to delete the WebMD Health Services account and wellness profile, visit http://ohr.psu.edu/benefits/benefits-enrollment/take-care-of-your-health... online.
"It is important to note that if an employee, or the employee's spouse or same-sex partner chooses to delete the WebMD Health Services account, the employee will not be eligible for the cash reward," Basso said.
On Sept. 18, President Rodney Erickson announced the suspension of the $100 per month penalty for employees who fail to participate in the Take Care of Your Health Initiative, saying his administration has clearly heard the concerns from faculty and staff on the issue. At the same time, he said the University is committed to recognizing in an appropriate way the many employees who have participated in the wellness profile, biometric screening and physical attestation. For details, visit http://news.psu.edu/story/288132/2013/09/18/administration/penn-state-su... online.
To receive the reward, the Take Care of Your Health Initiative steps will need to be completed by Nov. 22. Biometric screening appointments are still available through Oct. 8 at University Park. Employees who are unable to attend a biometric screening session may elect to have their physician complete and submit a "Physician Derived Results" form. The form is available until Oct. 8 at http://ohr.psu.edu/assets/benefits/forms/PSUPDR.pdf online; deadline for submission is Oct. 25.
The Take Care of Your Health Initiative was implemented to help lower health care costs by allowing employees to better understand their health and health risks. In addition, the aggregate data collected would inform the University about potential opportunities to improve employee benefits or provide important health services. Although the Take Care of Your Health penalty has been suspended, University officials hope employees who are participating will gain valuable knowledge regarding their health and better understand the resources available for them. In addition, the aggregate data will be valuable for managing the population as a whole. The University will never have access to individual data, and Highmark and WebMD Health Services both follow all required protocols regarding the safety and privacy of personal health information.
Employees should direct questions to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Advisors' unique business challenge today: To replace older clients drawing down their portfolios with young clients accumulating wealth. And though they may have attracted the older ones in an old-fashioned way, they must fashion new approaches to the young.
Or as John Rourke, CEO of Gotham Tech Labs, succinctly put it: "Everyone's living online. You can't cold-call people anymore. This is the world we live in now."
Rourke is one of three cutting-edge entrepreneur panelists at the MarketCounsel annual conference in a session devoted to how next-gen advisors can find clients through innovative marketing.
Rourke, together with Justin Wisz, CEO of Vestorly, and Bill Okun, president of Relationship Science, described how their firms' approaches can take advisors further than LinkedIn or Facebook.
Wisz kicked off the session with a warning to advisors about the insufficiency of email, social media marketing or traditional marketing campaigns.
"It gets your message out there but it doesn't boomerang," he says.
In an effort to go beyond static websites and mere posts, Vestorly offers what Wisz calls "personalized content discovery experiences" — essentially a dynamic news feed.
That, he says, is the new expectation of people trolling the web. "I can get curated content from my advisor because I want to know what he thinks about this article in Forbes or The Economist," Wisz says, adding that Vestorly can "capture leads, help get new clients and generate client referrals."
Using Vestorly, an advisor can say he wants articles on the Top 5 places to retire, for example, and the site will draw from all around the Web to create a targeted news feed.
"They experience the web through your lenses," Wisz says.
The average person views more than 80 pages of Web content a day and has an average of three shares a day, Wisz says. And it is those sharing experiences that can generate leads, he says.
"Vestorly can help you understand how is this guy [who is sharing] related to me.
"We can see what they viewed; how many times they viewed it; what else they're viewing. We can pull in their email, their phone number … home loan data; Experian data; it's all on the web," he says. "You have to interpret data yourself."
An advisor can program the tool to let him know when, say, a viewer has read five articles on the feed and meets certain pre-selected criteria, and then get in touch.
A second novel approach to digital marketing came from Relationship Science, whose business premise is that "relationship capital is the most underutilized asset," according to Bill Okun, the firm's president.
Relationship Science, which panel moderator Marion Asnes described as "LinkedIn on steroids," is designed to help businesspeople leverage relationships they already have in order to get in front of hard-to-reach people.
The tool starts with Relationship Science's "curated database," augmented with algorithms that would help an advisor find out how close he is to ideal prospects.
"It answers 'how do we get in touch?' We leave it to you go figure out an artful way to get the introduction. We just show the path," Okun said, adding: "It should lead to warm introductions."
Okun, who built his career at Standard & Poor's Capital IQ, repeatedly stressed the privacy of the process.
"We don't touch your contacts," he said. "We just use it to identify relationships."
Okun said Relationship Science differs from other marketing approaches that are oriented toward daily tasks. "We're more strategic," he said. "We require people who want to dig in the system."
The third innovation highlighted at the MarketCounsel panel was a customer relationship management approach to getting online clients, and indeed Gotham Tech Labs is the third CRM that veteran entrepreneur John Rourke has built.
In this go-round, Rourke was seeking to apply modern social design into two apps that would help connect investors to financial advisors.
The first of those two apps is called Wealthbase. Its approach is to embed Q&A widgets on consumer websites that enable financial experts to provide answers to questions consumers might have on, say, bitcoin.
By engaging the widget, consumers will come to Gotham's site. The firm will white-label their system so that its clients, be it large broker-dealers or RIAs, can use it.
"An advisor can claim questions and can establish two-way private one-on-one conversations," Rourke says. While the consumer's anonymity is protected, he can elect to schedule a consultation with the advisor.
Weathbase debuts in March.
For advisors who can't wait that long, Rourke has a second social CRM for advisors premiering in February that is designed to provide a simpler user experience.
Called Wealthbox, the app is designed to feel like LinkedIn or Twitter, something most advisors are likely to be familiar with. It tracks prospects and clients and eases collaboration. While not a Q&A platform like Wealthbase, it has some Q&A-type features, he said.
Rourke says his apps complement the other two presented at the session, and express his philosophy that "if it requires too much training, it probably won't work; if it is understandable to the advisor, it probably will work."
The serial CRM entrepreneur says he got his start cold-calling at Bear Stearns in the '80s, and while that method does not work in a digital world, Wealthbase functions as cold-calling did "at the enterprise level."
A potential hazard for Rourke and his two co-panelists operating at the cutting edge is working in an industry that can be resistant to what he termed the online world's "electronic intimacy."
But Rourke cautioned against such hesitancy: "The compliance issues around it will sort themselves out," he said. "If products like this don't take place in the industry, the industry will be in trouble."
Check out these related stories on ThinkAdvisor:


text:
Of course I agreed, I was honoured and delighted. What a this was coup for Australia to have an ordinary citizen in this lineup! I informed my co-presenters,Marie and AC, completed the Familysearch "Release to Record" form, and asked my co-presenters to do the same. As the Rootstech people asked us to keep this secret we did.
As the weeks went by and there was no more mention of livestreaming from the organizers I thought that our session had probably not made the cut. After all there is a huge group of very competent and inspiring speakers on the Rootstech program. Why would they select for livestreaming a little granny from downunder with a strange turn of phrase and an even stranger accent?
Then a couple of weeks ago Randy Seaver wrote in a blog post "While the live-streamed sessions have not been positively identified, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that they will all be shown from Hall 1 (because that is where the Keynotes will be, and the live-streamed sessions were shown from Hall 1 the past two years)." This put the cat amongst the pigeons as I knew that my session was to be in Hall 1 and if Randy was right in his predictions I was about to be thrown on the world's geneastage. I have been nervously awaiting an announcement from Rootstech to see if I had really made the cut.
I have trouble with timezones but I think that this will mean I will be on air on Friday 22 March at 8:00 am Sydney time. I used the Time and Date converter at http://www.timeanddate.com to confirm this. You may wish to check it for your location.


text: AUV62-MR Auv system for Mine Reconaissance Contact James Lawless Senior Sales Director Email Phone +61 2 6267 0208 Mobile +61 414 567 546 With its modular design, Saab's AUV62-MR offers a level of flexibility that is superior to conventional alternatives such as vessels with a hull-mounted or towed sensor. As a complete, autonomous system fully equipped for military purposes, the AUV62-MR is the modern choice for Mine Countermeasures (MCM). By removing men from the minefield, the vehicle provides a safe underwater solution that is capable of adapting to changing threats during naval operations. Last updated: 09 July 2020 • 06:35


text:
Until recently, Python and Ruby were ahead of Perl when it came to developing web applications. Now, thanks to the work of the plackists, we're right back up there again. By the time I could have become proficient Python + WSGI, Plack and PSGI will be equally good, or better.
So, yeah, when it comes to libraries, we are the champions. Okay, there might be a couple of utilities like Rake and Capistrano that haven't been duplicated yet, but I'm sure someone is working on it1.
However, there is a reason why you might want to use Python or Ruby ahead of Perl. And that is Google App Engine and heroku. If you have an idea for a web app, you can get started for $0. I know about perl-appengine but it seems to be moribund.
With Perl, if shared hosting is enough for you, a half-decent plan costs $6/month which is $72/year. More likely, you would want a VPS so you can install Plack and Starman which will cost closer to $20 – $25 / month or $240 – $300 / year.
Okay, so it isn't a reason why I personally would use Python or Ruby over Perl – my free time is somewhat valuable to me. But if you're getting started and you're not sure which of the big three scripting languages to choose, it is a strike against Perl.
1. And if they're not, I don't need 'em anyway


text:
100% Nylon
Measurements: SIZE XL
Length:24" Waist:30" Bust:32"
All items priced below $300 are fully refundable up to 14 days from purchase.
Items more than $300 are subject to case by case returns up to 14 days.
The item must be unworn, show no signs of use or wear.
If items are damaged when you receive the item, please email or text us immediately with a picture.
Text @ 214-444-9482. Please include your name and email used for the order. This is not a call line.
- All items from the sale category are final sale. These items can not be returned for refund or exchange.
Nonrefundable items
- Returned items from the following categories are not accepted.
- ( Cosmetics, Undergarments, Hosiery: If items from these categories are shipped back they are subject to 20% restocking fee )
Full Refund
- All returns are accepted as long as the request is made to return the item within 14 days of receiving the merchandise.
- Once approved we will generate the FREE USPS prepaid label for U.S.A. Customers, we will email you with the label attached.
- International Customers Orders are refundable case by case up to 14 Days. Returning the item will be considered case by case.
- Print the label, attach it to any box/package and return the items.
- You will have 14 days to send the item back for full refund once they receive the free return label from you.
- The package will be returned directly to our warehouse.
- Once we receive the items back we will process the return and refund the balance back to your account.
- Please note free return labels are available for items being shipped within 48 continental states only.
Return Email us at email@example.com
Shipping policy
U.S.A. Free shipping on orders $50 or more. Flat Rate $10.95 for orders less than $50.
We ship anywhere serviced by USPS.
International Customers will pay a flat rate $40 shipping fee.
International Customers must live in an area serviced by DHL, UPS, or FedEx.
Most orders will arrive within 5-7 Days Via USPS PRIORITY or FIRST CLASS.
You will receive the tracking information within the 7-Day time period.
Most items are warehouse in U.S.A. Some orders are warehoused in Australia or Europe. These items typically these items will be noted with the expected shipping time period in the item description.
Contact us with firstname.lastname@example.com for more details.


text:
Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.
Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.
Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.
from notes by Richard Stokes © 2008
extrait des notes rédigées par Richard Stokes © 2008
Français: Hypérion
aus dem Begleittext von Richard Stokes © 2008
Deutsch: Renate Wendel
|Rossini: Soirées musicales
Rossini's Soirées musicales and Péchés de vieillesse were the musical fruits of salon evenings held weekly in his Parisian home. Elegant, charming and often delicately ironic, these songs for various voices are the perfect exemplar of 'salon music', ...» More
|Souvenirs de Venise
'This fizzing multilingual Venetian 'Souvenir' slips down as gratefully as Prosecco on a hot day' (BBC Music Magazine)
'This is a good chance to hear one of the world's finest and most versatile tenors accompanied by one of the world's leading accompanists' (American R ...» More


text:
MEDINA, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2018--
International Inc. (NYSE:RPM) today reported record sales, net
income and diluted earnings per share for its fiscal 2018 second quarter
ended November 30, 2017. Sales increased 10.5% and net income of $95.5
million, or $0.70 per diluted share, compared to a year-ago net loss of
$70.9 million, or loss of $0.54 per diluted share. The fiscal 2017
second-quarter results included a $188.3 million pre-tax ($129.2 million
or $0.97 per diluted share, after-tax) impairment charge. The fiscal
2017 second-quarter results also included a charge of $12.3 million, or
$0.09 per share, which had no tax impact, related to the decision to
exit an industrial segment business in the Middle East.
Second-Quarter Results
Net sales of $1.32 billion were up 10.5% over the $1.19 billion reported
a year ago. Organic sales improved 4.2% and acquisition growth added
4.7%. Foreign currency translation increased sales by 1.6%. Net income
of $95.5 million compares to last year's adjusted net income of $70.5
million. Earnings per diluted share of $0.70 in the current quarter,
which included a $0.09 per diluted share tax benefit relative to last
year's tax rate, compare to an adjusted $0.52 per diluted share last
year. Earnings per diluted share increased 34.6% from last year's
adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.52, and increased 17.3%
excluding the $0.09 per diluted share tax benefit. Income before income
taxes (IBT) of $109.2 million compares to a loss before income taxes of
$106.9 million reported in the fiscal 2017 second quarter. RPM's
consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of $131.8 million
compare to a consolidated loss before interest and taxes of $86.4
million reported in the fiscal 2017 second quarter. Excluding the
year-ago charges, RPM's consolidated EBIT for the fiscal 2018 second
quarter improved 15.4% over $114.2 million in the fiscal 2017 second
quarter. The EBIT improvement of 15.4% included the cost savings benefit
in "Corporate/Other" expenses of $11.1 million from lower pension,
healthcare, acquisition-related expenses and professional fees.
"We were very pleased with RPM's results during the fiscal second
quarter. Our strategically balanced business model performed as intended
with strength in our industrial and specialty businesses offsetting
weakness in our consumer segment. Sales growth was strong across all
three of our business segments, with a balance of organic and
acquisition growth. We are also seeing the benefits of last year's
product line acquisitions and cost reduction efforts on improved
leverage, which more than offset higher raw material costs that have
negatively impacted gross profit margins," stated Frank C. Sullivan,
chairman and chief executive officer.
Second-Quarter Segment Sales and Earnings
During the fiscal 2018 second quarter, industrial segment sales
increased 11.0%, to $702.9 million from $633.4 million in the fiscal
2017 second quarter. Organic sales improved 5.4%, while acquisition
growth added 3.3%. Foreign currency translation increased sales by 2.3%.
IBT for the industrial segment increased 34.6%, to $67.7 million from
$50.3 million in the fiscal 2017 second quarter. Industrial segment EBIT
increased 34.5%, to $70.2 million from $52.2 million in the fiscal 2017
second quarter. Industrial segment EBIT was up 8.9% over an adjusted
$64.5 million in the fiscal 2017 second quarter, excluding last year's
charge to exit a Middle Eastern flooring business.
"Our strong organic sales growth of 5.4% in the industrial segment was
driven by North American roofing and those businesses providing polymer
flooring to commercial and industrial markets. We also saw a slight
rebound in our companies serving the oil and gas industry, which
reported positive organic year-over-year sales growth for the first time
in three years. We continue to see mixed results from our industrial
businesses in Europe, while Latin American industrial operations,
particularly in Brazil, continue to struggle. EBIT margins were
negatively impacted by higher raw material costs and unfavorable
transactional foreign currency exchange," Sullivan stated.
RPM's fiscal 2018 second-quarter consumer segment sales increased 11.1%,
to $415.4 million from $373.8 million a year ago. Organic sales
increased 3.0%, while acquisition growth added 7.3%. Foreign currency
translation increased sales by 0.8%. The consumer segment had IBT of
$45.1 million, compared to a loss before income taxes of $140.6 million
in the fiscal 2017 second quarter. The segment reported EBIT of $45.2
million, compared to a loss before interest and taxes of $140.6 million
reported last year. EBIT was off 5.3% from an adjusted $47.7 million in
the fiscal 2017 second quarter, which excludes the impairment charge
related to RPM's consumer nail enamel business.
"During the quarter, we saw a sharp uptick in business from caulks and
sealants products, as well as some international markets. The segment
also benefited from last year's acquisitions of Touch 'N Foam in the
U.S. and SPS in Europe. The decline in EBIT resulted from higher raw
material costs and unfavorable manufacturing absorption and product
mix," stated Sullivan.
Second-quarter sales for the specialty segment increased 7.4%, to $197.1
million from $183.6 million in the fiscal 2017 second quarter. Organic
growth was 2.8%, while acquisitions added 3.8%. Foreign currency
translation increased sales by 0.8%. IBT for the specialty segment
increased 10.5%, to $34.4 million from $31.2 million in the fiscal 2017
second quarter. Specialty segment EBIT improved 10.8%, to $34.4 million
from $31.0 million a year ago.
"We experienced strong growth in many of our specialty segment product
lines, particularly U.S.-based restoration service businesses, with
higher than normal sales volumes into the hurricane impacted regions
prior to and after the storms, as well as powder coatings and wood
finishes, after overcoming lost sales from last year's closure of an
unprofitable European business and recent patent expiration. We were
able to mitigate the negative impact of the patent expiration by
retaining most of our larger customers," Sullivan stated.
Cash Flow and Financial Position
For the first half of fiscal 2018, cash from operations was $115.2
million, compared to $158.7 million a year ago. Capital expenditures of
$45.3 million compared to $48.0 million during the first half of last
year. Total debt at November 30, 2017 was $2.14 billion, compared to
$1.64 billion at November 30, 2016 and $2.1 billion at May 31, 2017.
RPM's net (of cash) debt-to-total capitalization ratio was 53.8%,
compared to 52.8% at November 30, 2016. At November 30, 2017, liquidity
stood at $971.7 million, including cash of $267.9 million and $703.8
million in long-term committed available credit.
First-Half Sales and Earnings
Fiscal 2018 first-half net sales improved 8.9%, to $2.66 billion from
$2.44 billion during the first six months of fiscal 2017. Organic growth
was 2.5%, acquisitions added 5.5% and positive foreign currency
translation added 0.9%. Net income improved 406.4%, to $211.9 million
from $41.8 million in the fiscal 2017 first half. Diluted earnings per
share were $1.56, up 387.5% from $0.32 a year ago. IBT of $264.5 million
was up 535.5% over the $41.6 million reported in the fiscal 2017 first
half. EBIT of $309.4 million was 281.8% above the $81.0 million reported
last year. Excluding the impairment and Middle East business exit charge
in fiscal 2017, fiscal 2018 first half EBIT was up 9.9% over an adjusted
$281.6 million last year.
First-Half Segment Sales and Earnings
RPM's industrial segment fiscal 2018 first-half sales were up 9.4%, to
$1.43 billion from $1.31 billion in the fiscal 2017 first half. Organic
sales increased 3.8%, while acquisition growth added 4.2%. Foreign
currency translation increased sales by 1.4%. IBT for the industrial
segment increased 12.2%, to $156.6 million from $139.6 million in fiscal
2017. EBIT of $161.7 million was up 12.8% from $143.3 million in the
first half last year. Excluding the Middle East business exit charge
last year, industrial segment EBIT increased 3.9%, from $155.6 million a
year ago.
First-half sales for the consumer segment improved 8.9%, to $842.6
million from $773.7 million a year ago. Organic sales were flat, but
acquisition growth added 8.5% and foreign currency translation increased
sales by 0.4%. The consumer segment reported IBT of $117.5 million,
compared to a loss before interest and taxes of $70.5 million in the
year-ago first half. EBIT of $117.8 million compares to a loss before
interest and taxes in the fiscal 2017 second quarter of $70.5 million.
Consumer segment EBIT was essentially flat to an adjusted EBIT of $117.8
million last year, excluding the impairment charge.
Specialty segment sales grew 7.1%, to $385.6 million from $359.9 million
in the 2017 first half. Organic growth was 2.9%, while acquisitions
added 3.9%. Foreign currency translation increased sales by 0.3%. IBT
for the specialty segment increased 9.6%, to $67.6 million from $61.7
million in fiscal 2017. For the first half of fiscal 2018, specialty
segment EBIT increased 9.8%, to $67.4 million from $61.4 million a year
Business Outlook
"In our industrial segment, we expect steady results during the second
half of the fiscal year from our North American commercial
construction-related businesses, aided by higher sales in regions
impacted by hurricanes, as well as continued positive results from our
businesses serving the oil and gas markets. Our business in Brazil seems
to have bottomed out and should be neutral in the back half. Overall,
the global economy is improving and currency translation is favorable.
Additionally, we are driving improved operating leverage throughout the
entire industrial segment by continually pursuing additional cost
savings and efficiencies. With this global backdrop, industrial segment
sales growth for the balance of the fiscal year should be in the
upper-single-digit range," stated Sullivan.
"In the consumer segment, we expect sales growth in the
low-to-mid-single-digit range during the back half of the fiscal year.
Most of the growth will be organic, as last year's acquisitions
annualize their purchase date during the third quarter. We plan to
invest in our great brands by stepping up advertising and promotional
activity in the spring sell-in season and, therefore, expect back-half
earnings results to be fairly flat to last year in this segment," he
"In the specialty segment, we expect sales growth in the
low-single-digit range during the back half of the fiscal year. This,
too, will be mostly organic as last year's acquisitions also annualize
their purchase date during the third quarter. We will continue to face
headwinds from the patent expiration through the first quarter of fiscal
2019," he stated.
"In aggregate, our operations have performed in line with our
expectations when we issued our fiscal 2018 guidance back in July, and
we would expect this trend to generally continue in the back half of
this fiscal year. In regard to our taxes, our 19.6% effective tax rate
for the first six months has been better than expected. We approved and
completed certain foreign legal entity restructurings that resulted in
the recognition of favorable discrete tax benefits that reduces our
annual effective tax rate from the rate utilized for our current EPS
guidance," Sullivan stated.
"With the enactment of new federal tax legislation two weeks ago, there
is a corporate rate reduction from 35% to 21%. The corporate rate
reduction is effective for us as of January 1, 2018 and accordingly will
reduce our current fiscal year federal statutory rate to a blended rate
of approximately 29.2%. This is expected to further reduce RPM's
effective tax rate this year by two to three percentage points, adding
approximately $0.10 per diluted share to our fiscal 2018 outlook.
Additionally, in the third quarter we expect to record a discrete tax
adjustment for the impact of the rate change on our deferred tax assets
and liabilities, as well as the impact of the transition tax on deferred
foreign earnings," stated Sullivan. "Excluding this one-time discrete
tax adjustment resulting from the new federal tax legislation, we are
increasing our full-year fiscal 2018 EPS guidance to a range of $3.00 to
$3.10 per share."
Webcast and Conference Call Information
Management will host a conference call to discuss these results
beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST today. The call can be accessed by dialing
888-771-4371 or 847-585-4405 for international callers. Participants are
asked to call the assigned number approximately 10 minutes before the
conference call begins. The call, which will last approximately one
hour, will be open to the public, but only financial analysts will be
permitted to ask questions. The media and all other participants will be
in a listen-only mode.
For those unable to listen to the live call, a replay will be available
from approximately 12:30 p.m. EST on January 4, 2018 until 11:59 p.m.
EST on January 11, 2018. The replay can be accessed by dialing
888-843-7419 or 630-652-3042 for international callers. The access code
is 46126264. The call also will be available both live and for replay,
and as a written transcript, via the RPM web site at www.RPMinc.com.
About RPM
RPM International Inc. owns subsidiaries that are world leaders in
specialty coatings, sealants, building materials and related services
across three segments. RPM's industrial products include roofing
systems, sealants, corrosion control coatings, flooring coatings and
other construction chemicals. Industrial companies include Stonhard,
Chemical and RPM
Belgium Vandex. RPM's consumer products are used by professionals
and do-it-yourselfers for home maintenance and improvement and by
hobbyists. Consumer brands include Rust-Oleum,
and Testors.
RPM's specialty products include industrial cleaners, colorants,
exterior finishes, specialty OEM coatings, edible coatings, restoration
services equipment and specialty glazes for the pharmaceutical and food
industries. Specialty segment companies include Day-Glo,
Wood Finishes, Mantrose-Haeuser,
Brands, Kop-Coat
and TCI.
Additional details can be found at www.rpminc.com
and by following RPM on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RPMintl.
For more information, contact Barry M. Slifstein, vice president –
investor relations, at 330-273-5090 or email@example.com.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information
To supplement the financial information presented in accordance with
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States ("GAAP")
in this earnings release, we use EBIT, a non-GAAP financial measure.
EBIT is defined as earnings (loss) before interest and taxes. We
evaluate the profit performance of our segments based on income before
income taxes, but also look to EBIT as a performance evaluation measure
because interest expense is essentially related to acquisitions, as
opposed to segment operations. For that reason, we believe EBIT is also
useful to investors as a metric in their investment decisions. EBIT
should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than,
income before income taxes as determined in accordance with GAAP, since
EBIT omits the impact of interest in determining operating performance,
which represent items necessary to our continued operations, given our
level of indebtedness. Nonetheless, EBIT is a key measure expected by
and useful to our fixed income investors, rating agencies and the
banking community all of whom believe, and we concur, that this measure
is critical to the capital markets' analysis of our segments' core
operating performance. We also evaluate EBIT because it is clear that
movements in EBIT impact our ability to attract financing. Our
underwriters and bankers consistently require inclusion of this measure
in offering memoranda in conjunction with any debt underwriting or bank
financing. EBIT may not be indicative of our historical operating
results, nor is it meant to be predictive of potential future results.
See the financial statement section of this earnings release for a
reconciliation of EBIT to income before income taxes.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" relating to our
business. These forward-looking statements, or other statements made by
us, are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future
events impacting us, and are subject to uncertainties and factors
(including those specified below) which are difficult to predict and, in
many instances, are beyond our control. As a result, our actual results
could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any such
forward-looking statements. These uncertainties and factors include (a)
global markets and general economic conditions, including uncertainties
surrounding the volatility in financial markets, the availability of
capital and the effect of changes in interest rates, and the viability
of banks and other financial institutions; (b) the prices, supply and
capacity of raw materials, including assorted pigments, resins, solvents
and other natural gas- and oil-based materials; packaging, including
plastic containers; and transportation services, including fuel
surcharges; (c) continued growth in demand for our products; (d) legal,
environmental and litigation risks inherent in our construction and
chemicals businesses and risks related to the adequacy of our insurance
coverage for such matters; (e) the effect of changes in interest rates;
(f) the effect of fluctuations in currency exchange rates upon our
foreign operations; (g) the effect of non-currency risks of investing in
and conducting operations in foreign countries, including those relating
to domestic and international political, social, economic and regulatory
factors; (h) risks and uncertainties associated with our ongoing
acquisition and divestiture activities; (i) risks related to the
adequacy of our contingent liability reserves; and (j) other risks
detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including the risk factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended May 31, 2017, as the same may be updated from time to
time. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise
any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or
circumstances that arise after the date of this release.
Interest income (expense), net includes the combination of
interest income (expense) and investment income (expense), net.
EBIT is defined as earnings (loss) before interest and taxes. We
evaluate the profit performance of our segments based on income
before income taxes, but also look to EBIT as a performance
evaluation measure because interest expense is essentially related
to acquisitions, as opposed to segment operations. For that
reason, we believe EBIT is also useful to investors as a metric in
their investment decisions. EBIT should not be considered an
alternative to, or more meaningful than, income before income
taxes as determined in accordance with GAAP, since EBIT omits the
impact of interest in determining operating performance, which
represent items necessary to our continued operations, given our
level of indebtedness. Nonetheless, EBIT is a key measure expected
by and useful to our fixed income investors, rating agencies and
the banking community all of whom believe, and we concur, that
this measure is critical to the capital markets' analysis of our
segments' core operating performance. We also evaluate EBIT
because it is clear that movements in EBIT impact our ability to
attract financing. Our underwriters and bankers consistently
require inclusion of this measure in offering memoranda in
conjunction with any debt underwriting or bank financing. EBIT may
not be indicative of our historical operating results, nor is it
meant to be predictive of potential future results.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180104005369/en/
Source: RPM International Inc.
RPM International Inc.Barry M. Slifstein, 330-273-5090vice
president – investor email@example.com
RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM) owns subsidiaries that are world leaders in coatings, sealants, building materials and related services. From homes to precious landmarks worldwide, their brands are trusted by consumers and professionals alike to protect, improve and beautify. Among its leading consumer brands are Rust-Oleum, DAP and Zinsser. Learn more about RPM brands >>
RPM is a compelling long-term investment.
The percent by which RPM's 10-year total return has bested the S&P 500. More reasons >>
Get the latest news and financial information on why RPM is a good investment Download investor kit >>
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text:
Make(redirected from make do)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Financial, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
Related to make do: make do and mend
v. 1) to create something. 2) to sign a check, promissory note, bill of exchange or some other note which guarantees, promises or orders payment of money. (See: maker, check, promissory note, bill of exchange)
TO MAKE. English law. To perform or execute; as to make his law, is to perform that law which a man had bound himself to do; that is, to clear himself of an action commenced against him, by his oath, and the oaths of his neighbors. Old Nat. Br. 161. To make default, is to fail to appear in proper time. To make oath, is to swear according to the form prescribed by law.


text:
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text:
Happiness just got cheaper
It sounds like something out of a Monty Python bit, but several years back a study was released pointing out that "satisfaction with one's station in life" (PhD speak for happiness) can be achieved with the magical monetary number of $75,000 a year.
As we near that amount of yearly income we generally become more jovial and satisfied. Though once we pass this threshold there is no discernable jump in our happiness. Not that we become unhappy once we start making more than $75k a year, just not much more happier/content than we already would be.
I'm glad we have people who do studies like this, or else how would we know that higher incomes lead to a more satisfying life?
But do not fear if you are in a job where $75k a year is not something you are likely to see.
According to new analysis of the 2009 data, when you take into account the cost of living in each state, your happiness could be as low as $66,000 a year.
Now, be ready to get some happy folks, as adjusted happiness in Texas is so cheap, they're practically giving it away.
Check out the slideshow to find out the magic happy income number for all 50 states.


text:
C.D.S. Newsletter December 2011
In this issue ...
- CO2-Based Demand-Controlled Ventilation in TRACE 700
- Single-Zone VAV System Coming Soon to TRACE 700
- TRACE 700 Design Reports: A Quick Reference Guide
- Courses Available for LEED Credential Maintenance
- Frequently Asked Support Question
C02-Based Demand-Controlled Ventilation in TRACE 700
CO2-Based Demand-Controlled Ventilation (DCV) calculates the hourly
CO2 level in each space and then determines the required outdoor air
quantity. The hourly CO2 value is a function of the space volume, the
number of people, the ventilation airflow into the space, and the CO2
level of the previous hour. The amount of CO2 generated by breathing
varies with the people activity level, which is a direct function of
the People Sensible+Latent values entered. TRACE calculates the CO2
generated per person and uses the weather location to determine
ambient CO2 levels. The default ambient CO2 level for all weather
locations is set at 400 ppm and can be changed through the weather
overrides button options under the "Select Weather
Information" section of the program. The hourly space CO2 level
calculation ignores any effect due to infiltration.
How to Model CO2 Sensors in TRACE 700
CO2 sensors can be modeled in TRACE by following these steps:
Step 1: On the Rooms tab of Create Rooms (or on the thermostat template), select a CO2 Sensor location (either Room or None) for the rooms that will have demand-control ventilation control.
Step 2: On the Airflows tab of Create Rooms, select Yes in the Apply ASHRAE Std 62.1-2004/2007 field and enter the appropriate information to properly describe space level ventilation requirements.
Step 3: On the Selection tab of Create Systems, click the Advanced button. Select the option ASHRAE Std 62.1-2004/2007 w/ Vent Reset in the System Ventilation Flag field.
Note: System-level ventilation reset is required for the system to be able to handle zone-level demand-control ventilation.
Step 4: At the bottom of the screen, select the desired C02-based DCV option (None, Proportional Control, or Single Setpoint).
When Proportional Control is selected, the outdoor air controller will adjust the outdoor air intake flow proportionally between the minimum ventilation flow and the design ventilation flow.
When Single Setpoint is selected, the intake airflow is adjusted to maintain the indoor CO2 concentration at the minimum CO2 concentration in the space for any population. If the OA damper reaches the minimum outdoor air intake flow and the population in the zone continues to drop, the OA damper remains at the minimum outdoor air intake flow as specified in the DCV Minimum OA Intake field on the Create Rooms – Airflows screen.
The CO2 DCV controls have no effect on the Design calculations. During the System Simulation, the CO2 DCV controls are disabled during economizer operation.
Additional Resources
For additional information on DCV, refer to the following resources:
- For a detailed explanation of what DCV is, and/or how to model it in TRACE 700, click here.
- Engineers Newsletter, volume 34-5, "CO2-Based Demand-Controlled Ventilation with ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004"
- Engineers Newsletter Live, "CO2-Based Demand-Controlled Ventilation"
Single-Zone VAV System Coming Soon to TRACE 700
In the continued effort to provide our customers with the latest
HVAC design functionality, the next update for TRACE™ 700 will feature
a single-zone VAV system type. Single-zone VAV is a prescriptive
requirement of ASHRAE 90.1-2010 18.104.22.168, and 90.1-2010 will be a
prerequisite to achieve LEED 2012 certification. Effective January 1,
2012, both ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and California Code Title 24-2008
extend the requirement for the inclusion of VAV to single-zone DX
units ≥ 110,000 Btu/h. The TRACE update will be available in the first
quarter of 2012.
To receive e-mail notifications about TRACE updates, subscribe on the C.D.S. News page. Updates are made available from the Download Center.
For more information about the requirements, refer to the
- ASHRAE 90.1 addenda [PDF] (refer to addendum n on p. 50)
- California Code Title 24 [PDF] (refer to Section 144-L on p. 108)
TRACE 700 Design Reports: A Quick Reference Guide
TRACE has several design reports that provide detailed information
about the cooling/heating loads, airflow capacities, ASHRAE Standard
62.1 calculations and much more. To help you determine which report
contains the information you need, we've created a quick reference
guide that describes each design report.
Quick Reference Guide: TRACE 700 Design Reports [PDF]
Courses Available for LEED Credential Maintenance
On-demand courses are available on the Trane.com Continuing
Education offering, including courses that qualify for 1.5
LEED-specific continuing education (CE) hours from the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC). As part of USGBC's credential maintenance
program, LEED APs are required to earn 30 CE hours biennially, 6 of
which must be LEED-specific. View the course offerings at www.trane.com/continuingeducation.
Course Spotlight: High-Performance VAV Systems
This course will discuss design and control strategies that can significantly reduce energy use and ensure proper ventilation in VAV systems. Topics include ventilation system design and control, optimized VAV system controls, cold air distribution, and other energy‐saving strategies. [Runtime 75 minutes]
What is the difference between block load vs. sum of the peaks?
Block sizing methodology is commonly used for VAV systems. It
considers the design load profiles for individual spaces that make up
the zone or system and finds the collective maximum load that will
occur at any time. TRACE will then determine fan and/or coil sizes
based on this maximum simultaneous load.
Sum-of-Peaks sizing methodology determines the fan and/or coil sizes based on the sum of the individual spaces' maximum loads that make up the zone or system. This methodology is most commonly used for constant-volume systems.
C.D.S. Newsletter April 2012
C.D.S. Newsletter September 2011


text:
When You Dream in Short Stories
Just sort of a fuzzly, flesh-colored oval, yeah?
You know what are fans? Fantastic. Not just because they are enthusiastic, and supportive, and all the other great fan traits, but because they can do something I can't. Fans can see character's faces.
Not me. I can many a thing about a written character, everything from clothes, to gestures, to hair color/cut/style. Height; I can see height. But I never get a clear bead on a face. Not for characters I read, and not even for characters I write. It's a really bizarre thing. If there's kissing, I can see the profile of a cheek, lips, maybe a shadow of chin, or nose, but I don't see eyes. If there's crying, I don't see mouths. My brain has quadri-sected (new word, own it) faces. Only the action-relevant quadrants appear in my mind's eye. It's like having a really sharp telescope that won't focus out of more than half a face at a time.
But, oh my gosh, fans! You guys are glorious! My friend Kara is an artist, so her whole reader world is images matching up with words in her head. My friend Denise will read a character I've written, and then DISAGREE WITH ME* about what he or she looks like, and I love that. You have no idea how envious that makes me. Fans read a character, and picture him or her. Fans see a character and say, "This character should be played by this actor/actress/puppy dog in order to fit my mental idea of said character." That's wondrous.
Then again, as long as I'm getting all the emotions the scene in meant to evoke, isn't it okay? It is. It really is. My little vague, flesh-colored ovals serve me pretty well, and in fact, it helps me to be open to the physical and visual interpretations of others, readers of my works, or works we both read. So, if you're ever in the position to ask me, "Who would you cast as "Character Character," just expect the best answer you'll get is a general approximation, based on puzzle piece glimpses of features jammed together from scenes all over. And we should both be cool with that, because I'm not blowing you off, or patronizing you. I'm just sharin', y'know?
*Holy Rainbow Suspenders, Batman! How much have we argued about Tristan? She thinks almost all of my casting possibilities/visual aids are too pretty boy, and I think most of hers look like meatheads. But we love each other. We try to find compromise. I think the closest we got was a young Travis van Winkle.


text:
Excellencies,Distinguished Colleagues,Friends,
It is my great pleasure to speak at the opening of this 35th Session of ECLAC. As many of you know, we at UNCTAD are marking our 50th anniversary this year and it seems especially appropriate to be here in Latin America with ECLAC addressing the theme of equality and sustainable development just weeks before we hold our celebrations. The histories of both our organizations are closely inter-twined, most notably through the inspiration and thinking of Raúl Prebisch, your second Executive-Secretary and our first Secretary-General.
Our shared desire to address economic and social inequalities was evident from the beginning. At UNCTAD I in 1964, member States recognized that development, "which implies a complex of structural changes in the economic and social environment in which men live, is for the benefit of the people as a whole." They warned: "If privilege, extremes of wealth and poverty, and social injustice persist, then the goal of development is lost."
Fifty years on, the context for development has changed in many ways; perhaps most profoundly with the addition of environmental constraints and challenges. However, the challenge of inequality not only remains but has, if anything, become even sharper. One only needs to look to the recent headlines provoked by Oxfam`s discovery that 85 billionaires are as wealthy as the bottom half of the world`s population, or to the intellectual excitement that has surrounded the publication of the French economist Thomas Piketty`s book on Capital in the 21st Century. Indeed, today, even the International Monetary Fund has come around to the view, long-held by UNCTAD and ECLAC, that reducing inequality is good for growth and development.
That view implies that we should see inequality less as the outcome of irresistible forces of globalization or technological change, and more as the product of social pressures and political choices. In recent years, Latin American policy makers have been pioneering innovative approaches to tackling inequality, and with real results. As you are all aware, Latin America stands out as the world's only region where inequality is narrowing, albeit from very high levels. Economic growth, based in part on expanded trading opportunities, has combined with increased social spending to lift a significant share of the Latin America's people out of poverty. A number of Latin American countries, as well as ECLAC, have carried on the Prebisch tradition of innovative development thinking in this regard. The region's Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programmes that tie direct cash transfers to school attendance or medical check-ups have laid the ground for extending social protection to a broader segment of the population. Investment in education has increased skills, helping to narrow wage gaps and expand the middle class.
But Latin American countries have not only reduced inequality, they have also embarked upon building a spirit of social solidarity, that itself is good for sustainable development. Many countries in the region have strengthened provisions for collective bargaining by workers and have also raised their minimum wages. There has also been a willingness to use counter-cyclical macroeconomic policy to mitigate potential adverse consequences of external shocks. The broad lesson we take from recent Latin American experience -- and it is one that is very much in the Prebisch tradition -- is that building a sustainable future requires an integrated policy framework which combines economic, social and, of course, environmental, policies.
ECLAC itself is making a valuable contribution to efforts to promote equality and social inclusion through its research and policy work - the latest of which is the publication for this meeting: Compacts for Equality: Towards a Sustainable Future. In calling for Latin America to break with past decades and put equality at the centre of policymaking, ECLAC is outlining a compelling vision for a new relationship between the state, the market and society.
For as Executive Secretary Barcena has pointed out, despite the region's recent progress in reducing poverty and inequality, big gaps remain. In Latin America, 5 per cent of total income goes to the poorest 20 per cent, while 47 per cent still goes to the wealthiest 20 per cent. Moreover, many people live only just above the poverty line, putting them at risk should the economic climate shift due to external shocks.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In an increasingly interdependent world, reducing inequality and promoting inclusive and sustainable development depends on cooperation across borders and regions. This was the view of our member States when UNCTAD was founded and it remains equally relevant today.
However, as I alluded to earlier, today's development landscape is very different from that of 1964. The divisions between North and South have blurred as a number of emerging economies - some in this region - have experienced unprecedented growth. The expansion of South-South trade and cooperation has altered relations between countries and regions, even if it has not fully spared developing and emerging economies the ramifications of crises and decisions emanating from the developed world. In charting development paths, it is clear that developing countries have much to learn from each other and that one-size-fits-all is not an option.
In looking at experiences and current situations in Latin American countries, there are challenges to inclusive and sustainable development shared by others elsewhere in the world. These include premature deindustrialization and the lack of decent jobs in the formal economy, boom and bust cycles linked to unregulated financial markets, underinvestment in infrastructure, a dangerous tendency to short-term thinking by policy elites, and the threat of the "middle-income trap". Moreover, in the face of a changing climate, it is necessary to improve environmental sustainability in a way that does not undermine economic growth.
A critical issue for policy makers across the developing world is how to strengthen the links between structural transformation, job creation and productivity growth. Sustainability without development is not an option for most developing countries, including in this region. Policies need to be designed with a view to fostering structural transformation patterns that accelerate the generation of not just more jobs, but more productive and better jobs.
Productive jobs lead to higher levels of income, reduced poverty, an improved standard of living and stronger domestic demand. This expands markets, which are, of course, an incentive for business to undertake investments. This in turn accelerates productivity growth and helps to close a virtuous development circle. Better jobs include those with strong social protection, but also high technology and skills content; these offer workers opportunities to acquire new knowledge and technological competences. In turn, this enhances the complexity and diversity of the knowledge base of the labour force, which is an essential ingredient for accelerating inclusive growth.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This concern with structural transformation is on the forefront of our agenda at UNCTAD, where we advocate an integrated approach to trade and development. I am aware that researchers in both our institutions have been examining, or I should say re-examining, the role that industrial policy can play in helping to transform economies.
I am also happy to say that the technical cooperation with Latin American countries and ECLAC that marked the early days of UNCTAD is beginning to thrive again today, and spans a range of trade and development areas. Let me briefly mention a few specifics.
In trade, our ASYCUDA programme, which helps countries to computerize and simplify their customs clearance processes, has activities in 11 ECLAC member States and five Associate members. In addition to the successful automation of customs clearance in all these countries, last year the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank reported that Dominica, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago reduced clearance times for imports and/or exports due to ASYCUDA.
Our DMFAS technical cooperation programme assists Latin American countries in managing external, domestic and private debt and assessing risk. The Ministries of Finance and/or Central Banks of 14 ECLAC countries actively use DMFAS software and we are involved in training and capacity building in the region.
In some cases, technical assistance begun by UNCTAD in Latin America has also served as a basis for work elsewhere. For example, our Competition and Consumer Protection for Latin America programme, or COMPAL, has been replicated in West Africa and is serving as a basis for a new global programme.
In economic policymaking, UNCTAD and ECLAC are working together with other development partners to explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding closer monetary and financial cooperation in this region. We envisage carrying forward this type of policy-oriented partnership with ECLAC to help countries in other regions learn from this experience.
In the coming months and years we must work even more closely together as one UN in support of a post 2015 Development Agenda. Allow me to assure the Member States of ECLAC, and our colleagues in the ECLAC Secretariat, that UNCTAD stands ready to work together to help countries in Latin America design more inclusive and sustainable development paths to match the specific challenges of this region. We also welcome the opportunity to help share this region`s successes, particularly in fighting inequality, with the Member States of UNCTAD from other regions. As Executive Secretary Barcena has keenly observed : "We must boost equality to grow and grow to boost equality." Let us honour the memory of Raúl Prebisch and the legacy he has left both our organisations by working together more closely to achieve "prosperity for all." He would, I am sure, expect no less.
Thank you.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
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