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The Morning Call
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Classical Net
The Internet's Premier Classical Music Source
Diane Wittry
Slovak State Philharmonic, Košice/Diane Wittry
Spoken introduction by Wittry: 4:48; Mist 16:30
Music Rental: Theodore Presser Company
Piźazz Music availability: www.dianewittry.com $6 + S&H
This exciting – and beautiful – new tone poem, written on the Island of Elba in the Mediterranean, where Napoleon was exiled, is meant to evoke a sense of early morning by the sea, which typically is misty there. The piece could be called impressionistic but it is not at all like Debussy's La Mer, or Sibelius' Oceanides. Harmonically, it is "centered around diminished chords" and the tritone, Wittry says. There is some aleatoric disruption of timing by the strings. A trumpet is used as "an antagonist," its "haunting cry" meant to be "a reminder of things unsettled." The orchestration includes unusual instruments and effects: large and small "rain sticks," which are hollow and pierced bamboo pieces, water pans with actual falling water, and flutes and trumpets without sounded notes but with the sound of air blown through them, as well as wind chimes. There is a full complement of woodwinds and brass, harp, timpani, glockenspiel and suspended cymbal, in addition to strings.
All of this may suggest a work more strange-sounding than it is; the special effects blend well into the whole context. The work begins with very low and very high tones, giving a growly fog-horn effect. It growls later also. There are sustained chords, a drum roll, some trills, some swelling legato melody and some tinkly and shimmering sounds. Before the midpoint a persistent eight note melodic figure becomes noticeable. It undulates, becomes mysterious, yields to shorter melodic figures. A scary moment yields to a quiet bassoon and then a flute.
Dynamics are wide-ranging, sometimes louder than one might associate with mist. Turning the recorded volume lower than the level of the spoken introduction may preserve the illusion of a quiet morning.
I became aware of the existence of this piece after helping as a volunteer usher very recently for a young person's concert by the Milwaukee Symphony. The concert had a Halloween theme; the audience was a full house of exceptionally well-behaved elementary school children, and the conductor was Diane Wittry, of whom I had never heard and who received no local publicity. Ms. Wittry was not only a very good conductor but was superb with children. Before playing Grieg's Hall of the Mountain King she explained the context of the selection within the play and confessed that she needed a chorus, didn't have one, and asked who would like to be part of one. The response was enthusiastic. As it happened no singing was needed, just the rapid, repeat of a short phrase, in English, "Catch him." After the briefest conceivable rehearsal, just the request, "faster," and the prompt of a big flash card from the stage, hundreds of young voices were added to the orchestral sound in perfect unison timing. Their achievement won high praise from the podium. After this I had to know who Wittry was, so I located her website, and found that she is Music Director of the Allentown Symphony and the Norwalk Symphony. This recording was listed, and I decided to send for it. If you listen to it too I am convinced you will not regret it.
Copyright © 2009 by R. James Tobin


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President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande hold a joint press conference at 12 p.m. ET. PBS NewsHour will live stream their speeches.
WASHINGTON — Lauding the "enduring alliance" between the United States and France, President Barack Obama on Tuesday welcomed President Francois Hollande to the White House for a lavish state visit. The highly anticipated trip is taking place amid swirling speculation on both sides of the Atlantic about problems in Hollande's personal life.
On a cold February morning, Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and a military honor guard welcomed Hollande as he arrived on the South Lawn of the White House. The two leaders shook hands before a cheering crowd, many waving American and French flags, and greeted two American military veterans who served in France during World War II.
Obama and Hollande both highlighted the long-standing ties between their nations and the key role they have played in shaping their respective histories.
"We stand here because of each other," Obama said. "We owe our freedom to each other."
Hollande, alternating between French and English, echoed those comments, saying "Each of our countries knows what it owes to each other – its freedom."
Following the arrival ceremony, Obama and Hollande headed to the Oval Office for policy meetings on Iran, Syria and rising extremism in Northern Africa. Later Tuesday, the Obamas will fete Hollande at a grand state dinner attended by more than 300 dignitaries and celebrities.
Despite the array of pressing foreign policy concerns on tap for Tuesday's talks, much of the focus surrounding Hollande's state visit has been on the French leader's romantic woes. The 59-year-old ended his relationship last month with girlfriend and French first lady Valerie Trierweiler after it was revealed that he was having an affair with an actress. Hollande showed up in Washington without a guest to accompany him during his two days of events.
The White House has carefully avoided any mention of Hollande's personal drama and has moved forward with a grand welcome reserved only for America's closest allies. Obama warmly referred to Hollande as a friend during the welcome ceremony and the two leaders traded jokes about the chilly temperatures in the nation's capital.
"Few places warm the heart like Paris in the spring," Obama said. "Today we're going to do our best with Washington in the winter."
Following their policy discussions Tuesday, Obama and Hollande will hold a news conference with U.S. and French reporters. The leaders will seek to project a renewed relationship between their countries after hitting a low point more than a decade ago over France's staunch opposition to the American-led war in Iraq.
In something of a role reversal, it's now France that has staked out a more muscular military posture, with the White House gladly playing a supportive role. France took the lead in recent military endeavors in Libya and Mali, while the U.S. contributed equipment and assistance with logistics and intelligence. And when the U.S. looked to be on the brink of a military strike against Syria following a chemical weapons attack there last year, France was the only European ally ready to join that effort.
High on the agenda for Tuesday's talks with be international nuclear negotiations with Iran. The U.S. and France, along with Britain, Germany, Russia and China, signed an interim agreement with Iran late last year that halts progress on the Islamic republic's nuclear program in exchange for easing international sanctions. Talks on a final deal begin next week in Vienna, Austria.
The Obama administration has been irked by the intense interest French businesses have shown in Iran since the sanctions were eased. More than 100 French executives visited Tehran last week, a trip Secretary of State John Kerry told his counterparts in Paris was "not helpful."
Obama and Hollande will also review international policy toward Syria, which has done little to jar Syrian President Bashar Assad from office or end the bloody civil war. An agreement to strip Syria of its chemical weapons stockpiles is being carried out, though there are concerns on both sides of the Atlantic that Syria is stalling on its obligations. Peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition forces have gained no traction.
White House officials said the two leaders would also discuss the global economy and climate change.
Hollande arrived in Washington on Monday and joined Obama for a trip to Monticello, the Virginia estate owned by Thomas Jefferson. The former American president also served as a diplomat to France and the White House cast the visit as a symbol of the two nations' shared history.

subset: commoncrawl


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Economics is a study of choices – it studies how individuals, companies and governments faced with certain constraints and incentives make choices to achieve their goals and how others are impacted by these choices.
Economics is distinguished not so much by the questions it asks, but by the methods it uses in answering them – the so called "economic way of thinking." Economics students at Manchester don't learn a set of facts, but rather transferrable skills – analytical skills, critical thinking and communication techniques – that are valuable in a wide variety of careers such as business, finance, politics, law and more, as well as for problem-solving in everyday life situations.
Manchester Econ students experience hands-on learning and research not often found at other institutions. In addition to opportunities to present research at professional conferences, they publish the Wabash County Economic Report, a three-year internship using research and applied economics that includes rich experiences on and off campus. Projects such as these give you a head start using actual data to come up with effective solutions – the kinds of things employers value most.
An innovative curriculum employs game theory, philosophy, and behavioral economics, further expanding your understanding of economics as to how it connects to so many real-world situations.
If you're not interested in majoring in Economics, consider a minor in this field. It takes 20 hours to add this valuable coursework to most majors, and only 10 for Accounting and Business majors.
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Review the Title IX policy


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"I'm a Keeper" Pink Infant Bodysuit / One-piece
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*If you order today, we ship it today! (unless it is late at night or Sunday, then we'll get it out tomorrow... :)


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Rising Mortgage Rates to Squeeze Pricey Markets First
Buying a home will remain a better deal than renting in every major U.S. housing market as long as mortgage rates remain below 5.2%, according to an analysis prepared by Trulia, the online real-estate site.
This means that while rising interest rates will dent affordability, the recent increase in rates to more than 4% isn't expected to choke off housing activity.
Mortgage rates rose to 4.15% last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, up from 4.07% the week before and a low of 3.59% last month. Applications for refinancing rose by 5% last week but were 11% below where they were three weeks ago. Applications for home purchases also rose by 5% for the week and stood 14% above their year-earlier levels.


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Log in to your Red Hat account
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Luke Latham
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Integration tests ensure that an app's components function correctly at a level that includes the app's supporting infrastructure, such as the database, file system, and network. ASP.NET Core supports integration tests using a unit test framework with a test web host and an in-memory test server.
This topic assumes a basic understanding of unit tests. If unfamiliar with test concepts, see the Unit Testing in .NET Core and .NET Standard topic and its linked content.
View or download sample code ( how to download )
The sample app is a Razor Pages app and assumes a basic understanding of Razor Pages. If unfamiliar with Razor Pages, see the following topics:
Integration tests evaluate an app's components on a broader level than unit tests . Unit tests are used to test isolated software components, such as individual class methods. Integration tests confirm that two or more app components work together to produce an expected result, possibly including every component required to fully process a request.
These broader tests are used to test the app's infrastructure and whole framework, often including the following components:
Unit tests use fabricated components, known as fakes or mock objects , in place of infrastructure components.
In contrast to unit tests, integration tests:
Therefore, limit the use of integration tests to the most important infrastructure scenarios. If a behavior can be tested using either a unit test or an integration test, choose the unit test.
Don't write integration tests for every possible permutation of data and file access with databases and file systems. Regardless of how many places across an app interact with databases and file systems, a focused set of read, write, update, and delete integration tests are usually capable of adequately testing database and file system components. Use unit tests for routine tests of method logic that interact with these components. In unit tests, the use of infrastructure fakes/mocks result in faster test execution.
In discussions of integration tests, the tested project is frequently called the , or "SUT" for short.
Integration tests in ASP.NET Core require the following:
Integration tests follow a sequence of events that include the usual Arrange , Act , and Assert test steps:
Usually, the test web host is configured differently than the app's normal web host for the test runs. For example, a different database or different app settings might be used for the tests.
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Why Liberalism Failed by Patrick J. Deneen Yale University Press, 2018, 248 pages
O ne of the central themes of Tocqueville's thought is that a political movement, or (at a later stage) a political regime, may be undone by its very success. 1 University of Notre Dame professor Patrick J. Deneen shows himself to be a worthy successor of Tocqueville by updating his teacher's theme, applying it neither to democratic revolution nor to steady-state democracy, but to liberalism. In a cutting style that sustains its momentum throughout, Deneen addresses the widespread sense that liberalism is visibly teetering, and demonstrates with great power that the very successes of liberalism have undermined its own foundations.
By itself this would be enough to make the book a triumph. It is therefore churlish to wish for more, yet, I will play the churl. At the stage of diagnosis, Deneen is masterful; at the stage of prescription, he relapses into liberalism (or more accurately, as I will explain, into liberalism's false image of itself). At the stage of diagnosis, Deneen proves beyond a reasonable doubt that liberalism claims to eschew comprehensive substantive theories of the good, yet inevitably embeds and enforces just such a comprehensive substantive theory, based on a particular and erroneous anthropology. At the stage of prescription, puzzlingly, Deneen tries to eschew any competing comprehensive theory and plumps for a vague communitarian localism, which can finally exist only at the sufferance of the aggressive liberal state. In that sense the diagnosis itself undercuts the prescription, suggesting that the retreat into local communities is at best a precarious maneuver.
Given this complaint, I will undertake a kind of Deneen fan fiction, offering an alternative ending to the book—one that is, I believe, more consistent with Deneen's own argument. In the alternate ending, rather than retreating to a nostalgic localism, nonliberal actors strategically locate themselves within liberal institutions and work to undo the liberalism of the state from within. These actors possess a substantive comprehensive theory of the good, and seize opportunities to bring about its fulfillment through and by means of the very institutional machinery that the liberal state has providentially created. Then and only then will the liberal state, reintegrated from within, finally and truly become a victim of its own success.
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Parent Company: Website: monese.com Launched: 2013 Employees: 66 HQ Location: United Kingdom Notable Features: Current account with a contactless prepaid debit card, free international payments, and PFM budgeting + savings tools.
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Traffic Safety
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
links, and links to related Merit Badges and Boy Scout Awards.
Traffic Safety teaches great life skills. ◄ Prev - Next ►
|Traffic Safety merit badge
|BSA Advancement ID:
|Requirements revision:
|Latest pamphlet revision:
Traffic Safety requirements
View the change list (history) of these requirements. The text of these requirements may be locked. In that case, they can only be edited by an administrator.
Please note any errors found in the above requirements on this article's Talk Page.
Requirement resources
1a. Top Ten Driving Mistakes Teenagers Make - Center for Disease Control: Teen Drivers - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Teenage Driver Statistics
1b. Driving and Alcohol - CDC: Impaired Driving - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Blood Alcohol Statistics
1c. Highway Design A CalTrans education course.
1c. Museum of Dumb Highway Design What happens when design factors are not considered.
1d. Distracted and Fatigued Driving from NHTSA
2a. Center for Disease Control: Safety Belts
2b. Nine Car Safety Features to Look For When Buying a Car
3a. Video: Check and Replace Lights
3b. Video: Checking Car Tire Pressure - Video: How to Put Air in a Tire - Video: How to Check Tire Pressure
3c. Tread Wear - Tires & Wheels: Checking Tire Tread
3d. How to Tell if Your Wiper Blades Need to be Replaced - Video: Car Detailing - Video: Exterior Car Detail Tips
4a. Stopping Distances
4c. Manual of Traffic Signs All about traffic signs, including sections on shapes and colors.
5b. Young Driver's Guide to Freeway Driving
5b. TeenDriving.com
Related awards
- Automotive Maintenance overlaps several Traffic Safety requirements.
- The Webelos Handyman Activity Badge also includes Automotive Maintenance requirements.
Emergency Preparedness Awards
|Emergency Preparedness-related awards
Personal Development Awards
|Personal development-related awards
See also
|General Merit Badge information
- Crime Prevention, Emergency Preparedness, Safety and Traffic Safety share similar requirements.
External links


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A fine selection of unusual Percussion Effects and more.
Content: Analog Synthesizer Percussion FX and Filter Zaps created with Minimoog, MonoPoly, digital Synthesizer Percussion FX created with SCI Prophet VS and Korg Prophecy, Bells, Chimes, Clock, Ethnic Bowls and Gongs, Atmos, synthetic White Noise, Orchestral Hits and short Effects, Bizarre Noises and Loops, 80s Home Organ Drums, FM Synthesizer Percussion, Zaps, Acoustic and Electric Instruments one-shots, Human Percussion and Voice Effects, Synthesizer Instruments one-shots. In total over 700 extraordinary one-shot samples for unusual, technoid and experimental beats and rhythms.
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The National Weather Service took the highly unusual step of issuing a tornado warning today for parts of Los Angeles County after Doppler radar indicated that a tornado "rotation signature" was spotted in West Covina at 3:24 a.m., and was moving north at 25 miles per hour.
The tornado warning, along with a severe thunderstorm warning, was slated to continue through 4 a.m. today for east central Los Angeles County. It was canceled at 4:09 a.m.
Any possible tornado was likely to affect Covina, Charter Oak, San Dimas and Glendora, the NWS reported in its 3:24 a.m. advisory.
"It began showing a rotation signature on Doppler radar indicative of a tornado," the NWS said of the weather system. "When a tornado warning is issued based on Doppler radar, it means that strong rotation has been detected in the storm.
"A tornado may already be on the ground, or is expected to develop shortly," the advisory continued. "If you are in the path of this dangerous storm, move indoors and to the lowest level of the building. Stay away from windows. If driving, do not seek shelter under a highway overpass."
There were no indications that any further tornado warnings were to be issued at 6 a.m.


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wafla needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 107 designs submitted by 36 freelance designers.
BabyBloop is a hip deal-of-the-day commerce site for baby and child products. The logo is the primary design element on a simple layout, and will probably be displayed against a white or light background.
BabyBloop is a "deal of the day" ecommerce site that sells highly-discounted clearance products relating to infants, children, and parenting. (Other "deal of day" sites can be found at http://www.dodtracker.com/ but Woot.com is a famous example.)
BabyBloop is a hip, wholesome, modern business identity that exists completely online. There is no brick-and-mortar side to the business. Our shoppers are internet-savvy mommies and daddys, who use BabyBloop to find save money on essential products, or to purchase cool new items they wouldn't ordinarily buy. Our shoppers return every day to find what the new deal is, and tell their friends to visit too. BabyBloop sells discounted or clearance toys, bathing products, clothes, diapers, etc.--anything and everything related to infants, children, parents, and parenting.
- Modern logo design
- Is "fun"
- Evokes motherhood, parenthood, childhood
- The look should be more organic than mechanic; more "farmer's market" than "corporate headquarters"
- Should seem wholesome rather than chic. It can be hip but not too unorthodox or avant-garde -- e.g., we need it to be accessible
- Should not look too bad on black&white printed invoices
- Glowing, glassy, or balloony styles are fine -- if the other criteria is met - Will display against a white or light background
- Hopefully the letters "babybloop.com" can be integrated with the design or placed near it
- A logo that is nothing but a crazy font, like Woot, eBay or Yahoo... unless it really works
- A logo that is "flat" or cliparty -- it should somehow seem to pop out from the page.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Earlier this year I saw Alton Brown's show on oatmeal. All my previous attempts at making steel-cut oats had failed to impress, but his recipe produced a wonderful dish that has since been a staple. But that left me wondering why oats are such a niche grain: breakfast cereal, cookie filler and granola grain.
Alton's trick to cooking steel-cut oats is to delay the addition of salt, because it seals the starch in the grain. If allowed to escape, the starch forms a creamy sauce, just like Arborio rice in risotto. It seemed like that was just what I needed for my stew.
The experiment was a success. The oats didn't lose their texture, as rice sometimes does, and the starch thickened the sauce, but never felt like glue, as flour sometimes does. The dish also has the benefit of being wheat and gluten free (except for trace elements that might have been introduced while processing the oats), a plus for several people I know.
The following recipe fits easily into a large latte' mug.
- Half a small yellow onion, diced.
- Two small zucchini, diced.
- 1/2 C grilled lamb, diced.
- 1/4 C steel-cut oats.
- 1 1/2-2 C chicken broth.
- Olive oil.
Add the lamb, toss, then add enough stock to cover the ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for fifteen minutes. Taste the stew and season as needed. I put a lot of spices on my grilled lamb, so I added just a little salt at this point. Cover and simmer until the oats are tender, another 10-15 minutes.
I also have some leftover chuck roast. Perhaps I'll try the same again tomorrow with that instead of the lamb.


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European Commission
Brussels, 12 June 2013
New disclosure requirements for the extractive industry and loggers of primary forests in the Accounting (and Transparency) Directives (Country by Country Reporting) – frequently asked questions
The new Accounting Directive, repealing the Fourth and Seventh Accounting Directives on Annual and Consolidated Accounts (78/660/EEC and 83/349/EEC) introduces a new obligation for large extractive and logging companies to report the payments they make to governments (the so called country by country reporting-CBCR). Reporting would also be carried out on a project basis, where payments have been attributed to specific projects. The Accounting Directive regulates the information provided in the financial statements of all limited liability companies which are registered in the European Economic Area (EEA).
In order to ensure a level playing field between companies, the same disclosure requirement has been incorporated in the proposal to revise the Transparency Directive (2004/109/EC). This includes all companies which are listed on EU regulated markets even if they are not registered in the EEA and incorporated in a third country.
The Directive introduces a new obligation for listed and large non-listed extractive and logging companies to report all material payments to governments broken down by country and by project, when these payments have been attributed to a specific project. The following types of payments shall be reported:
3. What are the main objectives of the new disclosure requirement?
The new disclosure requirement will improve the transparency of payments made to governments all over the world by the extractive and logging industries. Such disclosure will provide civil society in resource-rich countries with the information needed to hold governments to account for any income made through the exploitation of natural resources, and also to promote the adoption of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in these same countries. The information disclosed on payments to governments will be publicly available to all stakeholders either through the stock market information repository or the business registry in the country of incorporation (in the same way as financial statements are made available).
4. What is EITI? How does it compare with the Accounting Directive?
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a voluntary initiative with the objective of improving transparency and accountability in countries rich in oil, gas, and mineral resources. Once a host country endorses the initiative, the EITI process is mandatory for all extractive industry operators (including those that are state-owned) operating within that country.
The EU mandatory disclosure requirement will complement the EITI efforts by legally requiring companies registered or listed in the EU to disclose payments to governments along the same lines as EITI. In doing so, the ultimate objective is to contribute to the strengthening of the EITI and to extend its scope to all resource-rich countries.
5. Why did the Commission propose to introduce such a system?
The Commission responded to international developments in this field, in particular the inclusion of a requirement to report payments to governments in the Dodd Frank Act in the United States. In order to enforce this legislation, final implementing rules were adopted on 22 August 2012 by the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).
In September 2010, the European Parliament made a request to the European Commission for action in this area. In May 2010, President Barroso publicly expressed the Commission's willingness to propose legislation mandating disclosure requirements for extractive industry companies.
6. What types of companies will be required to disclose payments to governments on a country by country basis?
The Directive introduces a disclosure requirement for payments to governments by listed and large1 non-listed companies with activities in the extractive industry and the logging of primary forests.2
Both of these industries are often associated with a great source of wealth in resource-rich developing countries. By disclosing payments to governments by the extractive and forestry industries, communities in resource-rich countries will be better informed about government income from licensing such activity and whether the cost to society from losing the natural resource is adequately compensated.
Targeting both listed and large non-listed companies will create a level playing field in the EU. It reflects the fact that large non-listed companies can potentially make significant payments to governments in the countries in which they operate.
7. How will the requirement benefit stakeholders in resource-rich countries?
The reporting of payments to government by the extractive and logging industries will provide civil society with significantly more information on what specifically is paid by EU companies to host governments in exchange for the right to extract the relevant countries' natural resources.
By requiring disclosure of payments at a project level, where those payments had been attributed to a specific project and were material, local communities will have insight into what governments were being paid by EU multinationals for exploiting local oil/gas fields, mineral deposits and forests. This will also allow these communities to better demand that government accounts for how the money had been spent locally. Civil society will be in a position to question whether the contracts entered into between the government and extractive and logging companies had delivered adequate value to society and government.
8. Will such disclosure requirements not harm the competitiveness of EU business?
The text agreed by the European Parliament and the Council maintains the balanced approach proposed by the Commission. EU companies will be required to report payments to governments (e.g. taxes on profits, royalties, bonuses) on a country and project basis where those payments had been attributed to a specific project, and with appropriate thresholds. The threshold below which reporting is not mandatory is set at €100 000 within a financial year, including a single payment as well as a series of related payments.
The reporting on a project basis will be possible on the basis of companies' current reporting structures: the defintion of project covers the operational activities governed by a single contract (or similar legal agreements) that form the basis for payment liabilities with a government. Multiple agreements could nevertheless be considered as one project, provided that they are substantially interconnected.
Given that some extractive industry multi-nationals have already voluntarily decided to disclose some payments to governments, the Commission considers that the effect on the competitiveness of EU extractive and logging companies will be limited. Moreover, the system will be reviewed and modified, as appropriate, within three years after the expiration of the deadline for transposition of the legislation by Member States , taking into account, inter alia, international developments and the competitiveness of EU industry, as well as the scope of the reporting obligations and the modalities of the reporting on a project basis.
In the framework of such review, the Commission may also consider extending the obligation to other industry sectors.
9. How do the EU requirements for country by country reporting differ from the US obligations within the Dodd Frank Act?
The EU disclosure requirements are broadly similar to the US Dodd Frank Act requirements, but go further in two respects. Firstly, the EU logging industry is within the scope of the proposed reporting requirement in addition to the oil, gas and mining industries (in the US only the oil, gas and mining sectors are covered). Secondly, the EU rules will apply to large unlisted companies, as well as listed companies, whereas the US rules are restricted to listed extractive companies only.
10. Does this Directive include conflict minerals disclosure requirement?
No, conflict minerals disclosure requirements are not covered by the Directive. However, according to the Directive, the Commission will have to review the feasibility of introducing such obligations within three years after the expiration of the deadline for transposition of this legislation by the Member States. Such review will consider, inter alia, the introduction of an obligation to carry out due diligence when sourcing minerals, in order to ensure that supply chains have no connection to conflict parties and respect the EITI and OECD recommendations on responsible supply chain management.
On 29 March 2013 the Commission launched a public consultation on a possible EU initiative on responsible sourcing of minerals originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. 3
Moreover, the Commission supports the Kimberley Process (Kimberley Process Certification System Certification - KPCS), which requires participating countries to certify that imported or exported rough diamonds are not conflict diamonds. The Kimberley Process has had considerable success, even though there is still scope for improvement in the system (e.g. improvement in controls in some countries).
11. What about the CBCR requirement recently introduced in the CRD IV (capital requirements) Package?
In March 2013 the EU institutions reached agreement on the CRD IV/CRR Package (see MEMO/13/272). In this context, it was agreed to introduce limited country by country reporting requirements for institutions regulated under the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD IV).
These disclosure requirements are, in a first stage, limited to the names, the number of employees and the turnover in each country of operation. Unless significant negative effects are identified and the disclosure obligations are deferred by delegated act, they will also extend to other information, such as profit or loss before tax, tax on profits or loss, and public subsidies received.
The scope of application of the CBCR requirement agreed under the Accounting Directive is, in contrast, limited to the extractive and logging industries and does not cover institutions regulated under CRD IV.
12. Is the EU undertaking any action to further promote transparency in the context of the G8 activities?
In the final Declaration of the G8 Summit in Deauville of May 2011 G8 governments committed to "setting in place transparency laws and regulations or to promoting voluntary standards that require or encourage oil, gas, and mining companies to disclose the payments they make to governments."
The new rules on country by country reporting represent an important step towards delivering on that commitment and helps deepen the G8's special commitment to Africa. Moreover, the EU will continue supporting any action aiming at raising global standards for transparency and fighting corruption, including the promotion of EITI and the progress towards a common global reporting standard.
13. Will companies that already publish a report on the basis of equivalent legal requirements in third countries (e.g. the US) be exempted from the disclosure requirement?
The new rules introduce an "equivalence clause" which would allow companies to publish a report on the basis of the mandatory requirements of a third country, provided that these are considered equivalent to the EU requirement. The power to adopt such equivalence decisions, on the basis of specific criteria concerning, e.g. the content and frequency of the reporting obligation, is delegated to the Commission. This provision aims at eliminating the administrative burden that could stem from double or multiple reporting obligations, whilst safeguarding the objective of the Directive.
More information:
See also MEMO/13/540 (Accounting Directive) and MEMO/13/544 (Transparency Directive.
The Accounting Directive defines a large company as one which exceeds two of the three following criteria: Turnover €40 million; total assets €20 million and employees 250.
Concession-based logging of natural and semi-natural forests.
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San Francisco just unveiled a plan to host the 34th America's Cup yacht race with an epic new amphitheater set on the bay. Proposed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the plan is based on revitalizing disused piers between the Bay Bridge and the ballpark. In addition to renovating this part of the city, the project boasts an array of sustainable design features such as rainwater harvesting and a huge sail-like canopy covered in solar cells. The incorporation of green design seems obvious for an event that is based on harnessing the wind.
The long abandoned piers are adjacent to a booming mixed-use area just south of downtown. The city's proposal for the America's Cup event provides the properties, which will require seismic retrofits, breakwater features, and other major improvements. The revived waterfront will be anchored by a huge public amphitheater designed by the SF offices of SOM to emulate the aesthetic of a sail. Solar electric panels will be incorporated into the tensile net canopy, which will provide a daylit shelter for thousands of onlookers. A mast made from recycled wood will keep the rig aloft. To starboard the of the facility will be the media faculties and to port will be series of new wharfs for the racing teams and yachtsmen.
America's Cup is the oldest currently awarded sporting trophy in the world and is the world's third largest sporting event. The winning team and host of the cup, BMW Oracle, is based at the Golden Gate Yacht Club just across the city, and they get final word in which city the race event will take place.
Via SFGate


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Warren Resources Inc. (WRES) was one of the Russell 2000's biggest losers for Monday February 01 as the stock slid 6.25% to $0.15, a loss of $-0.01 per share. Starting at an opening price of $0.16 a share, the stock traded between $0.15 and $0.18 over the course of the trading day. Volume was 1.27 million shares over 979 trades, against an average daily volume of 776,675 shares and a total float of 85.2 million.
The losses send Warren Resources Inc. down to a market cap of $12.78 million. In the last year, Warren Resources Inc. has traded between $1.50 and $0.10, and its 50-day SMA is currently $0.19 and 200-day SMA is $0.50.
Warren Resources Inc is engaged in the exploration, development & production of domestic onshore crude oil & gas reserves. It develops the waterflood oil recovery properties in the Wilmington field within the Los Angeles Basin of California.
Warren Resources Inc. is based out of New York, NY and has some 87 employees. Its CEO is James A. Watt.
For a complete fundamental analysis analysis of Warren Resources Inc., check out Equities.com's Stock Valuation Analysis report for WRES. To see the latest independent stock recommendations from Equities.com's analysts, visit our Research section.
The Russell 2000 is one of the leading indices tracking small-cap companies in the United States. It's maintained by Russell Investments, an industry leader in creating and maintaining indices, and consists of the smallest 2000 stocks from the broader Russell 3000 index.
Russell's indices differ from traditional indices like the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) or S&P 500, whose members are selected by committee, because they base membership entirely on an objective, rules based methodology. The 3,000 largest companies by market cap make up the Russell 3000, with the 2,000 smaller companies making up the Russell 2000. It's a simple approach that gives a broad, unbiased look at the small-cap market as a whole.
For more news on the financial markets, go to Equities.com. Also, learn more about our independent proprietary equity research reports and our robust do-it-yourself Stock Valuation Analysis reports in our Research section.
All data provided by QuoteMedia and was accurate as of 4:30PM ET.
DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer
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But Anadarko Basin faces declining production as drilling slows By Richard Rostad, analyst, Oil & Gas 360 Oil & Gas 360 has released its latest Effective Rig Count, evaluating the state of drilling activity and reported production from the major shale basins. The Effective Rig Count continued to slide in February, dropping by 33 to 2,782. This indicates that it would[Read More…]


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California Department of Transportation
Date: March 11, 2013
District: 4 - Oakland
Contact: Bob Haus
Phone: (510) 286-5576
Caltrans Announces Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Devil's Slide Tunnels
MONTARA - Caltrans announces it will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 25 for the Devil's Slide Tunnels on Highway 1, the state's first new highway tunnels to open in nearly 50 years, in San Mateo County.
"Everyone at Caltrans is eagerly looking forward to the opening of the new tunnels," said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. "The days of washed out highways, prolonged closures and stranded communities will finally be behind us."
The $439 million project features two new bores, one northbound and one southbound, on Highway 1 between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay. The new tunnels will bypass a section of Highway 1 that has been plagued by numerous rock slides, mud slides, and slipouts over the past several decades. Many of these slides and slipouts forced Caltrans to close the road for extended periods of time. The long-term closures had a devastating effect on the local economies.
Caltrans District 4 Director Bijan Sartipi said, "We take great pride in this project, not only for the relief it will bring to the local communities, but also for the great care we took in preserving the surrounding environment. Both the tunnels and the new bridges were designed to have the lowest impact possible."
Once the ceremony, which begins at 11 a.m., is finished, construction crews will finish the final reconfiguration of the roads leading to and from the new tunnels. The tunnels will open to traffic later that evening.
For more information about the tunnel, please visit our web page at:
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seattle | Internet searching
seattle ( Found: 235 records )
The 6th Republic: Creative Liberation
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826CHI is a nonprofit tutoring & writing center, located at 1276 N Milwaukee Ave in Chicago.
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Aldebaran Web Design provides Seattle and beyond with professional small business web design. Website development services include: custom website design, ecommerce, website maintenance, SEO, content management, traffic tracking, and blogs.
Amy MacKinnon s debut novel, TETHERED, is published by Shaye Areheart Books/Random House. Her essays have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Boston Globe, Seattle Times, and on NPR affiliates and This American Life.
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Gateway to the social networking profiles and online presences of Andre Tan, a UX/UI architect and interactive art director based in the Seattle area.
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Andru Edwards is the CEO of Gear Live Media, and the man behind Seattle Mind Camp. This is his blog.
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A Ovest di Paperino, blog di un Italiano a Redmond di non solo cazzate
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Ask Chewie. He knows. Ask the magic pug eight ball and find out what livin the pug life is all about. A pug dog blog, offering photos to change your way of life.
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I'm Brian Warren. I try to Be Good Not Bad.
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Bethany United Church of Christ, in the Beacon Hill community of Seattle, brings a message of inclusion and the good news of God.
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Bret Douglass is a Seattle-based photographer, illustrator, designer, and web page designer.
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A photography blog located in Seattle WA by Brian S Chen. Post and photos
from everywhere I go.
Hello. This is my linkdump.
Seattle s very own original Funk Band Bump Kitchen is a blend of musical flavors that marinates in your ears for days on end. Stay up to date on the latest Bump Kitchen news and events.
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This cookie mold has many carved animals and other designs. This mold was used to produce the very small cookies used in worship. The only cookie board of its type I have ever owned. I'm sorry I do not know the wood.
Wood: Unknown
Province: Tibet
Dimensions: 2" x 16" x 1"
Price: $1,200