text:
Home Research & Statistics Perspective
- Industry Research
- Investor Research
- Fact Book
- Mutual Fund Ownership
- Closed-End Fund Ownership
- Mutual Fund Shareholders' Use of Information
- Mutual Fund Shareholders' Use of Financial Advisers
- Equity Ownership In America
- U.S. Households' Views on Retirement Saving
- IRA Investors
- The IRA Investor Database™
- Defined Contribution Plan Investors
- EBRI & ICI 401(k) Database
- Households Saving for College
- Retirement Research
- Statistics
U.S. EMERGING MARKET FUNDS: HOT MONEY OR STABLE SOURCE OF INVESTMENT CAPITAL? by John Rea1 Summary Over the past decade, developing nations have increasingly used debt and equity securities in place of bank loans to finance the expansion of their economies. As a result, securities of emerging countries have become an important asset class for private investors, including U.S. mutual funds. In the process, concern has arisen that foreign investors generally, and U.S. mutual funds specifically, might be sources of "hot money." In other words, according to this theory, portfolio managers and shareholders might run at the first sign of trouble in a developing economy, and thereby further disrupt its capital markets during a period of financial stress. Although such actions by mutual fund investors or fund portfolio managers have not occurred in U.S. financial markets, some have suggested the high volatility of emerging markets, coupled with the newness of their capital markets, makes them more sus- ceptible to destabilizing investment flows relative to U.S. capital markets. In order to shed light on this issue, this article considers the pattern of investments in emerging markets by U.S. mutual funds during the 1990s. More specifically, it tracks the net Volume 2, Number 6 December 1996 Perspective is a series of occasional papers published by the Investment Company Institute, the national association of the American investment company industry. Paul Schott Stevens, executive editor; Sue Duncan, managing editor. INVESTMENT COMPANY INSTITUTE PERSPECTIVE Investment Company Institute 1401 H STREET, NW SUITE 1200 WASHINGTON, DC 20005 202/326-5800l l l 1 Chief Economist and Vice President (Research) of the Investment Company Institute (ICI). The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Mary Podesta, Associate Counsel, ICI; Kathy Rabon-Summers, formerly Director of Industry Studies, ICI; and Ian Wilson of Emerging Market Funds Research, Inc., in preparing this report. Research assistance provided by Tom Sampson. flows of new cash to U.S. emerging market equity funds from 1991 through early 1996 and the portfolio investments in 23 emerging countries by 13 large U.S. emerging market equity funds from 1993 to 1995. The principal findings are summarized below: For the period 1991-96, shareholders in U.S. emerging market equity funds did not redeem shares in large volume during periods of foreign market weakness. In fact, the net inflow of new cash continued during some periods in which equity prices in emerging markets moved sharply lower. In other periods of market downturns, such as the Mexican peso crisis in late 1994, outflows were small and short-lived, and inflows resumed even as equity prices declined further. During the 1993-95 period of high volatility in emerging markets, portfolio managers from a sample of large U.S. emerging market equity funds generally did not shift investments between countries in a manner that would exacerbate price swings. Indeed, for the period examined, the managers quite frequently bought shares at times when share prices were falling and sold in rising markets. Moreover, when portfolio liquidations of securities in falling markets did occur, they typically were small relative to the size of the positions taken. Background In the past decade, less developed countries have made considerable progress in establishing and strengthening domestic capital markets. As a result, the share of world market capitalization accounted for by emerging markets grew from 3.7 percent in 1986 to 10.7 percent in 1995. 2 Over the same time, U.S. investors have come to view securities issued by companies in emerging nations as a new and attractive asset class. These securities typically offer higher potential investment returns and represent opportunities for further portfolio diversifi- cation, as returns on these securities have low correlations with those in developed markets. U.S. investors accordingly have increased their portfolio exposure to developing nations. For example, in 1995, about one third of U.S. holdings of foreign securities were in less developed countries. 2 2 "Emerging markets" include all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, all countries in Asia (except Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore), all countries in Africa and the Middle East (except Israel), all former Eastern bloc countries, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Greece, Portugal, and Turkey. U.S. mutual funds shared in the trend toward increased overseas investing. Assets of international and global mutual funds grew from just $16 billion in 1986 to a record $285 bil- lion in June 1996, of which about 10 percent was in emerging markets funds.3 Another $27 billion was invested in international and global closed-end funds in 1995, with approximately $15 billion, or 56 percent, identified as invested in emerging market funds. The increased presence of U.S. mutual funds in emerging markets has raised concern about their potential to destabilize financial markets in developing economies. This concern has two dimensions. One is that mutual fund shareholders might redeem their shares abruptly, forcing mutual funds en masse to liquidate securities and, in the process, placing downward pressure on securities prices. The second is that, even in the absence of share- holder redemptions, fund portfolio managers might suddenly reallocate investments on a large scale from one country to another, causing securities prices to fall sharply in the coun- try subject to the liquidation. This article examines the record in the 1990s for evidence of instability in emerging financial markets by focusing on both shareholder flows and portfolio activity of U.S. emerg- ing market stock funds.4 The examination is confined to this period because only recently have emerging market mutual funds become significant investors in developing economies. As recently as the end of 1992, assets of emerging market equity funds represented only 3 percent of the value of equity in emerging markets available for foreign ownership, whereas this figure had reached nearly 10 percent by the end of February 1996.5 Moreover, prices of equities in these markets exhibited considerable volatility during the period, providing an excellent backdrop in which to analyze the extent to which shareholder flows and fund port- folio investments coincided with sharp movements in equity prices. 3 3 International mutual funds invest in securities of companies located outside of the U.S. In contrast, global mutual funds invest in securities traded worldwide, including those of U.S. issuers. Emerging market equity funds include those that invest in a single country or region (such as Latin America), as well as those that invest in the broad range of emerging market countries. 4 International and global funds also have invested significantly in developing economies, as have some domestic funds. The analysis, however, excludes these funds because of the difficulty in associating fund flows with differ- ent types of investments. 5 The source of this data is ING Baring Securities. Shareholder Investment Activity in Emerging Market Funds The measure used to examine the investment patterns of shareholders in emerging market equity funds and their responses to market developments is the net flow of new cash to these funds—that is, sales of mutual fund shares to investors (other than through reinvested distributions) less redemptions plus net exchanges by shareholders. A positive value of net flow indicates that shareholders on balance made new investments in emerging market funds, thereby providing cash for the funds to purchase additional securities. A negative value indicates that shareholders on balance withdrew cash, thereby reducing the resources available for investments in emerging markets.6 The monthly net flow for U.S. emerging market equity mutual funds is used for the analysis.7 FIGURE 1 Assets and Cumulative Net Flows of Emerging Market Equity Funds (millions of dollars, 1991-96, monthly) Sources: Fund Data - Micropal ICDI, Market Returns - International Finance Corporation 4 6 Such an outflow may cause mutual funds to liquidate securities, but whether sales of portfolio securities actually occur depends upon the amount of cash assets available to meet the outflow and the portfolio strategy of investment managers. Nonetheless, an outflow is an important indicator of potential pressure on securities prices. 7 The source of the data is Emerging Markets Funds Research, Inc. Net flows are estimated by subtracting the performance component from the change in net asset value. For the period January 1991 through February 1996, the net flows of new cash from shareholders to emerging market equity funds accounted for much of the growth of the assets of these funds (Figure 1). Virtually all of the asset growth for the five-year period came from the net flow into these funds rather than from asset appreciation, even though the total return on emerging market funds was a healthy 16 percent per annum. Impor- tantly, at times, new cash flows to these funds ran counter to movements in share prices in these markets, and thus helped to maintain the level of investment in these funds and offered stability to these markets. Emerging market equity funds experienced monthly inflows from January 1991 through February 1994 (Figure 2). The monthly inflows were substantial, ranging from 2.4 percent to 27.3 percent of the preceding month's assets. Moreover, the persistence of the inflows occurred even when monthly returns in emerging markets turned negative. For example, the IFCI composite index of equity prices in emerging markets declined 16.5 percent FIGURE 2 Net Flow of New Cash to Emerging Market Stock Funds as a Percent of Assets and the Percent Change in the IFCI Composite Index of Equity Prices in Emerging Markets (1991-96) Sources: Fund Data - Micropal ICDI, Market Returns - International Finance Corporation Net Flow Change in IFCI Composite Index 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 Dec-90 Jun-91 Dec-91 Jun-92 Dec-92 Jun-93 Dec-93 Jun-94 Dec-94 Jun-95 Dec-95 5 between April 1992 and September 1992, yet emerging market funds experienced an inflow in each of the five months.8 This period included the month of June when the IFCI index fell 10.3 percent but the inflow of new cash was 27.3 percent of assets at the end of May. For the entire five-month period, the cumulative inflow was 60 percent of assets at the end of April. Since the end of 1993, mutual fund investors have, on occasion, withdrawn funds from emerging markets when securities prices declined, but the outflows were generally small relative to the price swings. The first such outflow in the sample period occurred in March 1994 when securities markets worldwide experienced heightened volatility owing to a tight- ening of monetary policy in the United States. Given the 10.1 percent decrease in the IFCI index in March, the outflow was modest, amounting to only about 4.3 percent of assets. Fur- thermore, the outflow was short-lived—inflows resumed in April, even though stock prices in emerging markets continued to drift downward through June of that year. In late 1994 and early 1995, emerging market funds again experienced outflows, but they were remarkably small in view of market developments. The IFCI index of emerging market equity prices dropped 3.3 percent in October 1994. This negative return was fol- lowed by a small outflow in November that amounted to 1.1 percent of assets at the end of October. The Mexican peso crisis in late December accelerated the downward movement in the IFCI index, which fell 22.5 percent over December 1994 and January 1995. Despite the sharp drop in securities prices, the two-month outflow in December and January was less than that in November. Inflows resumed in February, and in April alone exceeded the sum of outflows between November and January.9 The IFCI index of emerging market equity prices continued to decline through March 1995 and, as a result, posted six consecutive monthly decreases on the way to a cumulative 29.1 percent drop between September 1994 and March 1995. The cumulative outflow in November, December, and January, however, amounted to only 2.4 percent of average assets for the three months. Moreover, when combined with inflows in February and March, 6 8 The International Finance Corporation Investible (IFCI) indexes are the most widely used performance measures for equity markets in developing countries. These indexes are weighted by capitalization and take into account restrictions on foreign investors. Both the IFCI Price and Total Return Indexes are available by region and by composite. 9 For further discussion of the response of mutual fund owners to the Mexican peso crisis, see Marcis, West, and Leonard-Chambers, "Mutual Fund Shareholder Response to Market Disruptions," Perspective, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Invest- ment Company Institute, July 1995). emerging market equity funds experienced a cumulative outflow over the five months of only 1.4 percent of average assets. A final round of outflows occurred between August 1995 and November 1995. During this period, the IFCI index of emerging market equity prices declined about 7.6 percent, but as in two previous periods of falling securities prices, the magnitude of the outflow was small, amounting to 2.7 percent of assets. Despite the outflows that occurred at a few points during the two-year period from March 1994 to February 1996, shareholders continued to invest substantial amounts in emerging market equity funds. The cumulative net inflow during this period was $8.3 bil- lion or 44 percent of assets at the beginning of the period. Not only did the investment occur during a period of substantial volatility, but it also occurred in the presence of a 15 percent decline in the IFCI index. Thus, the weight of the evidence from the examination of shareholder activity suggests that mutual fund investors have taken a long-term view to investing in emerging market funds. Over the five-year period, shareholders made substantial new investments despite considerable short-term volatility in returns. Although investors tended in the past two years to redeem small portions of their holdings as markets weakened, subsequent invest- ments more than offset redemptions. These responses of shareholders in emerging market funds to market developments and their long-term investment horizon are very much in line with other evidence of general mutual fund shareholder behavior.10 Portfolio Activity of Emerging Market Equity Funds Precipitate liquidations of securities by managers of mutual fund portfolios also are a potential source of financial instability in emerging markets. To determine how fund portfolio managers have reacted to market volatility, the investment activity of a group of 13 U.S. emerging market equity funds is examined for the period September 1993 through December 1995.11 For each fund in the sample, the net purchase of equity securities is estimated each quarter for each emerging market country held in the portfolio. The quarterly estimates of net purchases are then 7 10 See Marcis, West, and Leonard-Chambers, "Mutual Fund Shareholder Response to Market Disruptions"; and Rea and Marcis, "Mutual Fund Shareholder Activity During U.S. Stock Market Cycles, 1944-95," Perspective, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Investment Company Institute, March 1996). 11 This sample of global emerging market equity funds includes three closed-end funds and ten open-end funds. FIGURE 3 Net Purchases of Stocks by 13 Emerging Market Funds, by Country (millions of dollars, 1993:Q4 - 1995:Q4) 1993 1994 1995 Country Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total China 52 -7 11 96 71 35 7 21 55 342 Hong Kong 233 -11 -79 -23 45 94 103 -4 -40 319 India 87 79 111 128 82 63 72 121 34 777 Indonesia 8 47 16 91 31 -31 62 118 -14 328 Korea 128 76 -21 62 -61 34 44 178 -77 364 Malaysia 83 66 -60 207 -47 12 130 -85 -68 238 Pakistan 12 4 -10 57 52 5 -16 21 9 134 Philippines -127 53 -30 17 78 -17 9 105 -34 54 Singapore 53 -16 -14 36 -72 12 -32 37 -12 -8 Sri Lanka 1 3 -3 3 -3 5 -2 1 -5 0 Taiwan 5 37 14 6 -10 11 54 130 -19 228 Thailand -175 70 16 75 26 -114 77 -52 2 -76 Argentina 101 48 31 46 44 32 104 -51 -27 328 Brazil 240 -189 141 -606 -103 -303 11 115 3 -691 Chile 34 32 -38 -1 -39 -5 -104 7 30 -83 Colombia 4 52 -14 7 2 -8 -3 6 -6 40 Mexico 254 166 44 95 -184 -161 36 20 111 380 Peru 3.7 10 7.4 25 10 -1 -25 0 -17 13 Venezuela 17 16 -8 2 -2 11 1 2 7 46 Greece 42 7 3 -1 5 12 -12 48 -34 99 Portugal 18 17 -21 16 2.6 -13 21 22 1.9 64 S. Africa 7 27 3 67 91 87 73 83 -24 414 Turkey -34 -34 41 -17 15 -10 25 26 9 20 Total 1,046 554 142 387 64 -252 635 870 -114 3,330 Source: Micropal Emerging Market Fund Monitor. Figures represent estimated net purchases of emerging market stocks by the 13 funds surveyed. Net flows are calculated by taking the difference between the beginning-of-quarter and end-of-quarter value of holdings for each country, adjusted for the market performance of the country's stock market. IFC Investible Indexes were used for each country except Hong Kong and Singapore (Morgan Stanley Indexes) and South Africa (Baring Securities Index). Figures may not necessarily add due to rounding. 8 aggregated across the 13 funds by country. Altogether, there are net purchase estimates for 23 emerging market countries. 12 Although the small sample of funds and the short timeframe are important limitations to the analysis, an examination of the portfolio activity of these funds should, for several reasons, provide insight into the response of fund asset managers to developments in emerg- ing markets. The 13 funds accounted for about 30 percent of the assets of U.S. emerging market equity funds at the end of 1995. Furthermore, the time period under consideration contains three episodes of significant declines in equity prices—early 1994, late 1994, and the fall of 1995—the combination of which provides a dynamic setting in which to study the responses of fund portfolio managers. A variety of evidence indicates that the 13 funds have been a stable and consistent source of finance in emerging markets. Over the entire nine-quarter period, these funds made net purchases of $3.3 billion of equity securities in emerging markets (Figure 3). In only two quarters, 1995:Q1 and 1995:Q4, were the funds net sellers of securities, but these net sales were low, amounting to less than 2 percent of the total assets of the 13 funds in the quarter preceding the net sales. Furthermore, the 13 funds did not liquidate securities during either the first or second quarter of 1994 when financial markets were highly volatile. In addition, over the entire period, the 13 fund companies made net investments in 19 of the 23 countries. In the four countries for which net sales occurred—Brazil, Chile, Singa- pore, and Thailand—the dollar value of investments nonetheless increased significantly between the end of September 1993 and the end of December 1995 (Figure 4). In percentage terms, the increases ranged from 52 percent to 64 percent (not shown). The evident long-run investment commitment does not mean that these funds did not make sizable portfolio adjustments on a quarterly basis. The pattern of quarterly net pur- chases of securities, however, does not reveal a bias in investment activity that would consistently cause or add to downward movements in securities prices within individual countries. To the contrary, of the six largest quarterly net sales of securities for individual countries, which ranged from 31.1 percent to 42.4 percent of holdings, the top five occurred during quarters of sharply higher equity prices (Figure 5). For example, in the second quar- ter of 1995, the 13 funds overall liquidated 42.4 percent of their holdings of securities in Chile, but the net sales occurred during a quarter in which stock prices in Chile rose 26.5 9 12 The estimates are formed by adjusting the quarterly change in asset holdings for price changes. FIGURE 4 Market Value of Portfolio Investment of 13 Emerging Market Funds, by Country (millions of dollars, end of period) Country Sept. 1993 Dec. 1995 Net New Investment between Sept. 1995 and Dec. 1995 China 34 268 234 Hong Kong 240 740 500 India 138 704 566 Indonesia 250 686 436 Korea 258 758 500 Malaysia 419 796 377 Pakistan 24 130 106 Philippines 390 710 321 Singapore 114 173 59 Sri Lanka 20 18 -3 Taiwan 55 325 270 Thailand 420 690 270 Argentina 295 751 456 Brazil 1,043 1,691 648 Chile 132 208 76 Colombia 3 44 40 Mexico 857 1,066 210 Peru 16 71 55 Venezuela 17 51 34 Greece 140 289 149 Portugal 122 214 92 South Africa 4 532 528 Turkey 331 313 -18 Source: Micropal Emerging Market Fund Monitor. Figures represent estimated net purchases of emerging market stocks by the 13 funds surveyed. Net flows are calculated by taking the difference between the beginning-of-quarter and end-of-quarter value of holdings for each country, adjusted for the market performance of the country's stock market. IFC Investible Indexes were used for each country except Hong Kong and Singapore (Morgan Stanley Indexes) and South Africa (Baring Securities Index). Figures might not necessarily add due to rounding. 10 percent. The only exception occurred for Singapore in the fourth quarter of 1994. In this case, however, the equity index declined less than 1 percent, while net sales were 31.1 percent. Although the funds tended to make large-scale sales during periods of rising securities prices, they did sell securities on a number of occasions during periods of market weakness. These sales, however, were generally small, especially given the magnitude of the drops in stock prices. For example, in those quarters in which a country market index declined by at least 10 percent, the largest net sale of securities by the 13 funds was in Brazil for only 14.3 percent of holdings (Figure 6). This net sale occurred in the first quarter of 1995, as stock prices in Brazil declined 32.0 percent. There were also 13 other instances of quarterly price declines in excess of 10 percent, and for these, net sales as a percentage of assets ranged from 1.2 percent to 13.1 percent. For all 14 cases, net sales averaged 7.8 percent. For compari- son, the quarterly decreases in the country stock price indexes ranged from 11.1 percent to 54.2 percent and averaged 26.3 percent. Even measured over two quarters, net sales of securities were not typically large despite significant quarterly declines in stock prices. Again focusing only on those quarters in which a country stock price index dropped at least 10 percent, there were 14 instances in FIGURE 5 Net Stock Purchases by 13 Emerging Market Funds, by Order of Largest One-quarter Net Sale and Change in Total Return Index Net Purchase Change in (percent of previous Total Return Index Country Quarter period assets) (percent) Chile 1995:Q2 -42.4 26.5 Thailand 1993:Q4 -41.6 76.7 Brazil 1994:Q3 -39.6 80.0 Philippines 1993:Q4 -32.6 75.4 Peru 1995:Q2 -31.4 37.1 Singapore 1994:Q4 -31.1 -0.6 Source: Micropal Emerging Market Fund Monitor; International Finance Corporation; Morgan Stanley Capital International. Figures represent estimated net purchases of emerging market stocks by the 13 funds surveyed. Net flows are calculated by taking the difference between the beginning-of-quarter and end-of-quarter value of holdings for each country, adjusted for the market performance of the country's stock market. IFC Investible Indexes were used for each country except Hong Kong and Singapore (Morgan Stanley Indexes) and South Africa (Baring Securities Index). 11 which net sales cumulatively took place over two quarters starting with the one in which the country index declined and extending to the subsequent quarter (Figure 7). The two largest instances of net sales over a six-month period were 39.6 percent for Brazil in 1994:Q2- Q3 and 31.4 percent for Peru in 1995:Q1-Q2. In both cases, the selling of securities largely or totally occurred in the subsequent quarter when stock prices rose. In the remaining 12 instances, net sales over the six-month period averaged 11.8 percent and ranged from 1.4 percent to 21.0 percent. None of these percentages indicates a wholesale liquidation of invest- ment positions. FIGURE 6 Net Stock Purchases by 13 Emerging Market Funds During Quarter for Which Total Return Index Declined at Least 10 Percent Change in Total Net Purchases Return Index (percent of previous Country Quarter (percent) period assets) Brazil 1995:Q1 -32.0 -14.3 Mexico 1995:Q1 -41.3 -13.1 Venezuela 1994:Q2 -41.0 -12.1 Portugal 1994:Q2 -15.5 -10.4 Turkey 1994:Q1 -54.2 -9.5 Mexico 1994:Q4 -38.1 -9.1 Sri Lanka 1994:Q4 -16.7 -8.4 Korea 1995:Q4 -11.1 -8.3 Singapore 1994:Q1 -12.3 -7.4 China 1994:Q1 -33.3 -5.3 Malaysia 1994:Q4 -13.4 -5.0 Brazil 1994:Q4 -14.7 -4.0 Hong Kong 1994:Q1 -23.6 -1.5 Peru 1995:Q1 -20.8 -1.2 Sources: Net flows data - Micropal Emerging Market Fund Monitor. Market returns - International Finance Corporation. Figures represent estimated net purchases of emerging market stocks by the 13 funds surveyed. Net flows are calculated by taking the difference between the beginning-of-quarter and end-of-quarter value of holdings for each country, adjusted for the market performance of the country's stock market. IFC Investible Indexes were used for each country except Hong Kong and Singapore (Morgan Stanley Indexes) and South Africa (Baring Securities Index). 12 Indeed, sharply lower stock prices have not always been associated with sales of securi- ties by fund portfolio managers. For example, the sample period contains six instances in which an index of stock prices for a single country declined over 20 percent within a quar- ter, yet the 13 funds collectively made net purchases of securities in the quarter in which the price declines occurred (Figure 8). The net acquisitions ranged from 6.5 percent to 33.3 percent of portfolio holdings. FIGURE 7 Net Stock Purchases of 13 Emerging Market Funds by Largest Net Sales Over a Two-quarter Period and Change in Total Return Index Net Purchases (Percent of Previous Period Assets) Country Initial Quarter Initial Quarter Subsequent Total for Two Change in Total Quarter Quarters Return Index in Initial Quarter (percent) Brazil 1994:Q2 -21.4 8.1 -39.6 -34.7 Peru 1995:Q1 -20.8 -1.2 -31.4 -32.2 Mexico 1994:Q4 -38.1 -9.1 -13.1 -21.0 Brazil 1994:Q4 -14.7 -4.0 -14.3 -17.7 Sri Lanka 1995:Q3 -16.9 3.0 -19.8 -17.4 Hong Kong 1994:Q1 -23.6 -1.5 -13.8 -15.1 Singapore 1994:Q1 -12.3 -7.4 -7.9 -14.7 Brazil 1995:Q1 -32.0 -14.3 0.8 -13.6 Thailand 1994:Q4 -11.6 3.1 -14.8 -12.2 Pakistan 1995:Q1 -19.9 3.2 -11.5 -8.7 Mexico 1995:Q1 -41.3 -13.1 5.4 -8.4 Venezuela 1994:Q2 -41.0 -12.1 5.0 -7.7 Malaysia 1994:Q4 -13.4 -5.0 1.5 -3.6 Portugal 1994:Q2 -15.5 -10.4 10.1 -1.4 Sources: Net flows data - Micropal Emerging Market Fund Monitor. Market returns - International Finance Corporation and Morgan Stanley Capital International. Figures represent estimated net purchases of emerging market stocks by the 13 funds surveyed. Net flows are calculated by taking the difference between the beginning-of-quarter and end-of-quarter value of holdings for each country, adjusted for the market performance of the country's stock market. IFC Investible Indexes were used for each country except Hong Kong and Singapore (Morgan Stanley Indexes) and South Africa (Baring Securities Index). 13 In sum, the findings from the examination of the portfolio activity of the 13 emerging market funds does not reveal a pattern of investment activity that tended consistently to contribute to market movements through the selling of securities during falling markets and the buying of securities during rising markets. In fact, the funds quite frequently did just the opposite. Furthermore, liquidations of securities that occurred during periods of market weakness typically were small relative to the size of the positions. Finally, over the long run, the funds have tended to maintain significant investments in a broad range of countries, which is not surprising, given the long-run commitment that mutual fund share- holders appear to have in investing in emerging market funds. FIGURE 8 Quarters with Large Declines in Equity Indexes During Which 13 Emerging Market Funds Made Net Stock Purchases Country Quarter Change in Total Net Purchases Return Index (percent of previous (percent) period assets) Thailand 1994:Q1 -28.0 10.6 China 1994:Q4 -27.9 33.3 Malaysia 1994:Q1 -26.7 9.0 Philippines 1994:Q1 -23.3 8.1 Argentina 1994:Q4 -22.3 6.5 Brazil 1994:Q2 -21.4 8.1 Sources: Net flows data - Micropal Emerging Market Fund Monitor. Market returns - International Finance Corporation and Morgan Stanley Capital International. Figures represent estimated net purchases of emerging market stocks by the 13 funds surveyed. Net flows are calculated by taking the difference between the beginning-of-quarter and end-of-quarter value of holdings for each country, adjusted for the market performance of the country's stock market. IFC Investible Indexes were used for each country except Hong Kong and Singapore (Morgan Stanley Indexes) and South Africa (Baring Securities Index). 14 1401 H Street, NW Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20005-2148 Copyright © 1996 Investment Company Institute INVESTMENT COMPANY INSTITUTE Institute viewpoints and research on a variety of issues may be obtained by ordering back issues of Perspective. Contact the Institute's Publishing Department at 202/326-5881. Vol. 1, No. 1, July 1995: " Mutual Fund Shareholder Response to Market Disruptions" Vol. 1, No. 2, November 1995: " Improving Mutual Fund Risk Disclosure" Vol. 2, No. 1, January 1996: " Mutual Fund Regulation: Forging a New Federal and State Partnership" Vol. 2, No. 2, March 1996: " Mutual Fund Shareholder Activity During U.S. Stock Market Cycles, 1944-95" Vol. 2, No. 3, April 1996: " The Coming Crisis in Social Security" Vol. 2, No. 4, May 1996: " Investing the Assets of the Social Security Trust Funds in Equity Securities: An Analysis" Vol. 2, No. 5, June 1996: " Helping America Save for the Future" Although information or data provided by independent sources is believed to be reliable, the Investment Company Institute is not responsible for its accuracy, complete- ness, or timeliness. Opinions expressed by independent sources are not necessarily those of the Institute. If you have questions or comments about this material, please contact the source directly.
Copyright © 2018 by the Investment Company Institute


text:
Cardiff City Officially Sign Bothroyd !!
Cardiff City have completed, yes 100% completed, the signing of Wolves striker Jay Bothroyd for a fee of around £300k. The striker was a guest last Friday as we drew 0-0 with Ajax and has been strongly tipped with a move since then to bolster our attacking options.
However, Cardiff City fans were rightly wary after the debacles of Fowler and Bent but can now rest assured that Bothroyd HAS signed a deal, and is now officially a Bluebirds player.
The former Blackburn Rovers and Coventry City striker has undoubted talent but has struggled with consistency and temperament. He is a physical presence at 6'3' but also has good skill and a fair amount of pace.
Bothroyd looks likely to feature in our final pre-season game 'on that bonny pitch in' Chasetown and could yet win a place in the starting line-up against Southampton on Saturday. He is vying with Thompson and Paul Parry to partner likely starter Ross McCormack.
A huge relief to finally bring in a striker, and whilst not the big money, big name - Bothroyd seems a useful acquisition. If Dave Jones can continue his decent history of getting the best from players - we could have an exciting strikeforce for this season.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Neknomination videos 'do not breach' Facebook rules
Pat Rabbitte urged social networking firm to ban pages promoting drinking game
Facebook screengrab of a page promoting the Neknomination drinking game
Social networking site Facebook has said videos of people participating in the "Neknomination" drinking game do not breach its rules or community standards.
Minister for Communication Pat Rabbitte had earlier called on Facebook to introduce a ban on pages promoting the game, which has been linked to the death of a young man in Co Carlow at the weekend.
Mr Rabbitte demanded that Facebook act after charities and health professionals called for the game to be stopped.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny today appealed to young people to boycott the game as it "could end your life".
It is understood that Facebook was reviewing videos linked to the craze but that the posting of such material is not a breach of its rules or "community standards".
Facebook says it prohibits content deemed to be directly harmful but allows content that is offensive or controverisal.
Harmful content is defined by Facebook as "anything organising real world violence, theft, or property destruction, or that directly inflicts emotional distress on a specific private individual (e.g. bullying)."
A spokesman for Facebook said: "At Facebook we try to be a platform where people can share freely whilst still protecting the rights of others. We do not tolerate content which is directly harmful, for example bullying, but controversial or offensive behavior is not necessarily against our rules.
"We encourage people to report things to us which they feel breaks our rules so we can review and take action on a case by case basis. We also give people the ability to remove themselves from an uncomfortable conversation through tools such as untagging and blocking."
'Stupid ruse'
Mr Rabbitte said the first responsibility was with young people falling for a "stupid ruse". He added: "But it would be helpful if Facebook agreed to take down pages, which promote a stupid and silly phenomenon."
Facebook have issued guidelines that are available on the website if people want a post removed from the site. Users can remove a tag linking a post to them, report the post or ask their friend to remove it from Facebook.
Watch a video about how to untag yourself here:https://www.facebook.com/help/www/140906109319589
People can also quickly use their Activity Log – their private record of everything they are tagged in on Facebook – to hide the post from their Timeline.
Facebook added that branded alcohol content, which includes official pages, posts, sponsored stories and adverts, is not visible to people under the age of 18 in Ireland.
Judge warns
Meanwhile, a High Court judge has said if internet drinking contests continue, they will result in a "tsunami" of homicide and rape prosecutions before his court. Mr Justice Paul Carney was speaking as he was sentencing a 38-year-old Waterford man who, after drinking six to seven pints of Budweiser, raped an acquaintance having offered her a lift home from their local nightclub.
Mr Justice Carney said it was the latest case in a long line in which young men with no previous convictions, from good families take a quantity of drink they are not used to and "end up the following morning facing responsibility for a homicide or a rape and it seems to be a lottery as to which it is going to be".
"It's a male phenomenon," he continued before he added "if the current internet drinking contest takes hold, it is going to result in a tsunami of homicide and rape prosecutions coming before this court".
Alcohol debate
Speaking at NUI Galway, Mr Kenny also said he agreed with calls for a serious debate on alcohol consumption in Ireland.
Mr Kenny said he was "distraught" to hear the comments of the father of Carlow student Jonny Byrne, who died in the river Barrow after participating in a "Neknomination" drinking challenge on Saturday night last.
"This is not a game," Mr Kenny said. "And young people regardless of their connections with social media should just give up this…It's not any kind of personal challenge to their benefit. This has the most horrific consequences."
Mr Kenny said that Minister of State for Health Alex White was finalising his work for presentation to Government on the sale of alcohol and its use.
"In many cases, it's the use of alcohol and substance abuse that really creates havoc with young people's lives, and it's very unfortunate that in normal everyday situations that all of these people carry on," he said. "Things can get out of hand and tragedies follow upon it."
Patrick Byrne, a brother of Jonny Byrne from Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, who died after takaing part in a Neknomination challenge, today took to Facebook to express his frustration and ask others not to take part in the game.
"My young 19-year-old brother died tonight in the middle of his nomination... he thought he had to try and beat the competition, after he necked his pint, he jumped into the river. If people have any decency and respect they will refrain from anymore of this stupid nek nomination". He also changed his profile page to say "Stop 'Neknomination' Before it's too Late. Share This."
Deaths predicted
Pressure groups, health agencies, ministers and interest groups all spoke out over the last 24 hours urging young people not to get involved in the practice. Professor Frank Murray, of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, said more deaths are likely from such extreme binge drinking. "The loss of a young person is tragic; never more so when it is completely avoidable. Sadly, this extreme binge drinking will likely lead to more deaths," he said.
Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald warned young people are putting their lives at risk with their attitude to drink.
The Vintners' Federation of Ireland said the craze is wrong and dangerous and it undermines efforts to implement the sensible and responsible enjoyment of alcohol. "On the one hand, we would appeal to Facebook and indeed all social media platforms to take the necessary action to have it discontinued. On the other hand, we would appeal to the individual to take a greater degree of responsibility for their own actions," the group said.
Additional reporting PA


text:
Posted by ramtuff on September 19, 2012 at 17:59:32 from (184.108.40.206):
In Reply to: Re: Water well pump pressure switch problem posted by old on September 19, 2012 at 17:06:36:
I know how people are?I got a very sassy answer on a question about broken forks a couple weeks ago.Was'nt going to fix them,have a good of factory forks for my loader.According to that guy i was a complete idiot.Had a lot of respect for that fellow.Since that I've read alot of his answers.He is very negative on most of his comebacks.
Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Optional Video Title:
Optional Video Embed:
Advanced Posting Options
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.


text:
Now You See Me (US - DVD R1 | BD RA)
Summit has specs for an extended version of Louis Leterrier's latest movie...
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg
Released: 3rd September 2013
Further Details:
Louis Leterrier's
Now You See Meis coming to extended edition Blu-ray and theatrical edition DVD from Summit and Lionsgate.
The Blu-ray/DVD/UV Combo Pack will feature:
- 1080p, 2.40:1 video.
- DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 & Dolby Digital 2.0 English and dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish audio.
- Extended Director's Cut featuring 16 Minutes of never-before-seen footage.
- Audio Commentary with Producer Bobby Cohen and Director Louis Leterrier (theatrical cut only).
- Now You See Me Revealed featurette.
- A Brief History of Magic featurette.
- Deleted Scenes.
The DVD/UV Combo Pack will feature:
- Anamorphic 2.40:1 video.
- Dolby Digial 5.1 English and Spanish audio.
- Audio Commentary with Producer Bobby Cohen and Director Louis Leterrier.
- A Brief History of Magic featurette.
Quote: The Four Horsemen, a magic super-group led by the charismatic J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), perform a pair of high-tech, high-profile magic shows. First amazing audiences by remotely robbing a Paris bank while in Las Vegas, and then exposing a white-collar criminal and funneling his millions into the audience members' bank accounts, baffling the authorities. FBI Special Agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) is determined to make the magicians pay for their crimes—and to stop them before they pull off what promises to be an even more audacious heist. But he's forced to partner with Alma (Mélanie Laurent), an Interpol detective about whom he is instantly suspicious. Out of desperation, he turns to a famed magic debunker, who claims the Paris bank trick was actually a meticulously planned illusion. Dylan and Alma begin to wonder if the Horsemen have an outside point person. If so, finding him (or her) would be the key to ending the magicians' crime spree. But who could it be? Or…could it really be…magic?
News by Gabriel Powers
Follow our updates
Thrilling Reviews
Raid: Redemption, The US - BD RA/B Triangle (Tie Saam Gok) UK - DVD R2 Hole, The US - BD RA Green Room US - BD RA Rise of the Planet of the Apes US - BD RA
Hot News
Star Wars: The Last Jedi US - DVD R1 | BD RA Two Jess Franco Movies from Severin US - DVD R1 | BD RA Batman Ninja US - DVD R1 | BD RA Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle US - DVD R1 | BD RA Father Figures US - DVD R1 | BD RA
Hot Reviews
Eaten Alive! US - BD RA Diabolical Dr. Z, The US - BD RA Drag Me to Hell US - BD RA Blade of the Immortal US - BD RA Threads US - BD RA
Most Talked About
Blade Runner 2049 US - BD RA Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle US - DVD R1 | BD RA Pitch Perfect 3 US - DVD R1 | BD RA Arrow Video April Announcements US - DVD R1 | BD RA Grease: 40th Anniversary Edition US - BD RA


text:
Fashion Face-Off: Britney Spears vs. Blake Livelyby Free Britney at . Comments
It's two of our favorite stars looking fabulous in our latest Fashion Face-Off.
In a somewhat rare red carpet appearance, the incomparable Britney Spears showed off her nicely toned physique in a citrine Herve Leger bandage dress at the Southern Style St. Bernard Project event in Beverly Hills.
Meanwhile, Gossip Girl star and face of Chanel Blake Lively flaunted showed off her legs with a sequined dinner jacket at the brand's cruise collection show.
Who looked best? Vote below!
Who looked better, Britney Spears or Blake Lively? Decide the winner of THG's latest Fashion Face-off here! View Poll »


text:
Swedish Pizza & Baking House
Vientiane, Laos
Swedish Pizza & Baking House Vientiane Reviews
2 reviews
Tasty... Apr 02, 2010
They have two restaurants in Vientiane, one near the That Luang Stupa and another downtown (anou).
Really love their Calzone. This is the Pizza place to go to in Laos.
They have various types of pizzas and are really popular among the local it seems.
Their overall menu is great!
Pizza, pizza, pizza I say...
Join TravBuddy to leave comments, meet new friends and share travel tips!
Related Travel Blogs About Swedish Pizza & Baking House
I woke up at 6 AM and went to the balcony of the guesthouse. My jaws dropped, I couldn't believe what I saw. It was a beautiful morning where all the rock hills were covered by fog. I ran back to m…Baking House. Isn't that weird having Swedish Pizza in Vientiane?.. Hugo and Gerrit told us about their experience…


text:
What Was the Hand Up Gala?
The Hand Up Gala was both an annual fundraiser for NEOCH as well as the Bishop William Cosgrove Center as a dignity-affirming fine dining experience for 200 members of the homeless population of Cleveland from 2010 to 2014. First held in 2010, the Hand Up Gala raises money for NEOCH's Outreach Program and the Bishop William Cosgrove Center meal and day shelter services. This outreach program is designed to greatly reduce the number of people living outside in Downtown Cleveland. Through efforts of this Outreach Program, NEOCH has reduced the number of people living on the streets in Downtown Cleveland from hundreds each night at the turn of the century to about twenty-five individuals every night currently. The Cosgrove Center has served over 2 million meals, provided a safe haven to hundreds of thousands, and inspired hope in a just and compassionate manner to hundreds every day. Thus, the fundraising effort of this event is essential for the wellness of the community.
The Bishop William Cosgrove Center is providing help and creating hope to families struggling with their housing today and for the last 20 years. Their staff have provided over 2 million meals since their founding in 1994. They provide referrals, housing assistance, and identification to hundreds of Clevelanders. They offer breakfast and lunch to hundreds of thousands of hungry people and assist those with supportive services as they work to find their way back to stability. The Cosgrove Center is a respite from the heat and the freezing cold and a meeting place for other community groups to provide assistance and a shoulder to cry on or a hand up to low income individuals.
For the past five years, the Hand Up Gala has provided the opportunity for homeless people to experience excellent cuisine and a fine dining atmosphere. Three chefs have donated their time and talents to make this event special. In addition, homeless people were served by local celebrities, politicians as well as Board Members of Diocese of Cleveland Catholic Charities and NEOCH. The last event was October 18, 2013, with NEOCH and the Bishop Cosgrove Center co-sponsoring this event. We have some amazing florists in the community who will help to make this event extra special. We need your assistance to make this event successful. Also, check out the photos from previous years. We have had the LMM Central Kitchen Head Chef Matt Barnes participate. Before that we had John Aldewereld from the Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Cleveland as our lead chef. The 2013 event featured the culinary work of Sharon Delk of the Cosgrove Center who planned, prepared and coordinated the meal. The fund raiser has raised thousands of dollars for each agency, but more importantly has offered an amazing meal to hundreds of people every year.
In 2014, we hosted the event in October 17, 2014. We will celebrate 20 years of the Bishop Cosgrove Center with all the volunteers, music and the fine dining atmosphere.
The Hand Up Gala is a fund raiser for two homeless social service and social justice organizations. Every donation is appreciated for this important event. All donations go to the two charities, and not to the cost of the meal or the fund raiser.
We are also putting together an advertisement book marking the 20 years of the Cosgrove Center. If you would like to thank the staff and agency for all they do in the community click here.
Slideshow for Previous Gala Dinners
- The 2010 event photos are available here.
- The 2011 event photos are available here.
- The 2012 event photos are available here.
- The 2013 event photos are available here.
- Photo Gallery for 2014 Gala #1 here
- Photo Gallery for 2014 Gala #2 here
You can also donate directly on our website by clicking to donate go here and mark "Hand Up Gala" in the purpose line.


text: There are few things you can put into your home that will give it the sparkle and cheer of a beautiful suncatcher or piece of art glass! Prior to founding Cockatoo Creations, I spent years decorating homes and have seen the magic that is created when the sun's rays pass through a colorful suncatcher. As you browse through the offerings on this site, be assured that I have chosen each keeping in mind both quality and price so that you have the very best options from which to choose. Click here to discover tips about selecting the right bird suncatchers for your location.


text:
6 comments posted · 0 followers · following 0
389 weeks ago @ Design Happens - Freebie Fridays: Emmo ... · 0 replies · +1 points
I want a combination of my microwave, toaster, toaster oven and oven. I hate having all of the above in my kitchen, it would be nice to eliminate at least half of them but still keep the uniqueness of each.
406 weeks ago @ HGTV Dream Home - HGTV Dream Home 2011 L... · 1 reply · +1 points
New Hampshire - The Granite State - Live Free Or Die
417 weeks ago @ Design Happens - Design With Dooce · 0 replies · 0 points
Or a Target/Walmart budget even.
417 weeks ago @ Design Happens - Design With Dooce · 0 replies · 0 points
I need somebody, anybody to do an entire segment on accessorizing!! I can paint, pick rugs, pick furniture and lighting, but I can never pick the finishing pieces to my satisfaction.
419 weeks ago @ Design Happens - Freebie Fridays: Trace... · 0 replies · +1 points
Wondered why previous owners wallpapered the bathroom ceiling??? Upon removal discovered ceiling was ruined due to bathroom on floor above. Lovely, take down drywall, pay for bathroom repair, put up new ceiling. EXPENSIVE
419 weeks ago @ HGTV Green Home - Framing and Foundation · 0 replies · +1 points
Definitely a wine cellar and a tv room, but most of all another bedroom would be terrific, I have a huge family and 2 bedrooms are just not going to cut it.


text:
Calcutta is truly a melting pot of cultures and communities… truly a kaleidoscope of various shades, flavors and sights that make Calcutta what it is today! This tour will help you understand a little bit of India and how so many religions and faith form the very fabric which is India. Find out amongst others about the Chinese who made Calcutta their home and gave Calcutta its amazing Chinese food. Find out the oldest surviving Christian tomb in the city, walk into synagogues which have stood for centuries within whose walls time still stands still. Taste local food and witness life as it unfolds right in front of you. Discover amazing facts about the Parsis and find hidden gems in the middle of nowhere.
So many cultures and so many communities co-existing side by side, reminds one of the famous 1982 number one by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder – Ebony and Ivory.
Come and see the various communities that made Calcutta their home on this tour with us.
Special Instructions:
Wear comfortable footwear. Since we would be visiting a few religious places it is recommended that you wear conservative clothes and carry a scarf or handkerchief to cover the head where required. We recommend an early morning start to avoid noise, heat and chaos and to appreciate the beauty of this place.
Recommended start times:
Summers : 6:00 a.m. Winters : 6:30 a.m.
This tour is available throughout the year.
Duration of tour:
Approximately 3 hours.
Meeting point:
Indian Airlines city office, Central Avenue. See map
A basic shared tour will cost INR 1,750 (adults) & INR 1,000 (children below 12 years)
without pickup and INR 2,350 (adults) & INR 1,350 (children below 12 years) with pickup.
You need a minimum of 2 people to book the tour.
An exclusive tour can be yours for INR 3,500 (adults) & INR 2,000 (children below 12 years)
without pickup and INR 4,500 (adults) & INR 2,700 (children below 12 years) with pickup.
You need a minimum of 2 people to book the tour.
Cancellation policy : Full refund 1 week prior. No refund if less notice is given.
Note : Note: A shared tour is one which may have more people from other groups joining in while in an exclusive tour it will be limited to your own group.
Water, some local snacks and all entries.
Some of the neighborhoods and places we cover on this tour include Bow Barracks, Zoroastrian Fire Temple, Old Chinatown, Old Jewish neighborhoods, Jain Temple, Portuguese Church, Armenian Church and the Chitpur neighborhood.


text:
(Re)invented: Lessons from NESCBWI 2016
I returned from my very first NESCBWI (New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conference two weeks ago. I went into the conference excited and nervous, feelings not unlike those I experienced before going to summer camp or a new school. I expected to learn a lot, and I did, although not always the things I expected. Here are some of my overall take-aways.
- An author's an author, no matter how small. Okay, so this was a joint Dr. Seuss and NESCBWI lesson. I heard some fabulous authors and illustrators speak. I felt daunted by their success, their ever-growing lists of publications, their awards, their name recognition. But by the end of the conference I noticed a common theme running through their speeches: they've all experienced self-doubt at some point in their career, and often in between books. Whether you've just published your first book or your ninth, you start all over again on the next one. At some point that new project will try to break your heart, be it at the writing, querying, revising, or post-publication stage, or possibly (but hopefully not) at all of them! That doesn't mean you're less of an author. It means you ARE an author.
- It's all about balance. It was tempting to attend only workshops on subjects I already love. However, I realized through trial and error that balancing those close-to-home workshop topics with ones less familiar kept my creativity sparking and my wheels turning.
- Get uncomfortable. Likewise, whether attending a workshop on a topic that was out of my comfort zone or doing something like reading at an open mic event, I felt most energized and excited in the places I felt the least comfortable.
- Be kind. One keynote speaker mentioned he tries to be kind. The conference in general made me remember, for the thousandth time in my life, what a big difference kindness makes. Whether it was fellow writers telling me how much they liked my book or manuscript, or friends and hotel employees helping me find places to pump (fist bump to all the working nursing mamas out there!), those moments that glowed as they happened still glow now. I tried and am still trying to make some of those moments for others, too. That reminder to be kind never grows old for me.
- Make stories, not mistakes. At the end of a long first conference (and travel) day I realized I'd been walking around with a lint sheet stuck to my bottom for the entire day. It was at that point I decided to laugh and said, "I make stories, not mistakes." So let me tell you about the time I walked around with a lint sheet stuck to rear end for an entire day…
- Drink water. Lots of it. I thought I'd learned this years ago, but I battled a migraine after an accidentally dehydrated first afternoon. All that excitement! Oops.
- Kidlit authors and illustrators are fun. Enough said.
- Take the energy and run. After I returned home I could have just collapsed. Well, no, I couldn't have. My supervisors (ages 3.5 years & 18 months) would not have allowed it. But all that travel time and conference adrenaline caught up with me fast once I walked back in my door. I count myself lucky that I happened to have a school visit coming up one week later. It kept me motivated to open up my conference notes and get to work right away. I wanted to incorporate some of the fabulous ideas and information I'd learned. As soon as I cracked that binder open my to-do list grew. I had e-mails to write, events to plan, and stories to write. Plus that presentation to fine tune and practice. (I knew all those years of public speaking contests and theater classes would come in handy some day!) If I or my boys had allowed my collapse, I might have let a lot slide. Instead, I have a presentation I feel great about, new connections online and in real life who make my writing gig feel a little less isolating, schemes afoot, and stories simmering.
- (Re)invent yourself. The conference theme, "(Re)invention," struck a chord with me. Beforehand, I had this vague sense of an impending comeuppance. Even before the conference I noticed that a new writer friend and I had both thought the other belonged in some way that the other one didn't. I soon learned that "imposter syndrome" is a common symptom of being a writer. My (re)invention was just that, a re-identification, recreation, and recognition of myself as an author, a writer, and a member of a particularly fabulous and quirky group of people.
Thank you to all of the conference organizers, especially co-directors Josh Funk, Heather Kelly, and Marilyn Salerno, as well as speakers and workshop presenters, including Anna Staniszewski, Jane Yolen, Wendy Mass, Jen Malone, Ammi-Joan Paquette, Patrick Carman, Zaneta Jung, Tara Lazar, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Mary E. Cronin & Bonnie Jackman, Colby Sharp, Matt Forrest Esenwine, and Amitha Knight. And to the hotel employee who opened a locked door for me rather than making me trudge back to the jam-packed elevator. You all inspired me! Here's to an imaginative year ahead!
What are some favorite events or sources of inspiration in your professional life? What have they taught you?


text:
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FinalFourPack #CollectiveBias Coca-Cola is a corporate champion of the NCAA.
Watching sports has become a favorite past time that I share with my my son. Of course when you watch sports, food is the perfect addition to the game!! It's hard to believe that its already time for NCAA® March Madness. I love to use my slow cooker for now worry cooking on game day and BBQ chicken is the perfect food when there is a big game on! We headed to Walmart to get some game day food and as we walked in to the store we found the new Coca Cola 4 packs for $1.25 right up front!! Michael being quite the bargain hunter decided we had to get 4 four packs for $5. Who was I to say no to a great deal like this!! We loved theses special Coca-Cola NCAA® Final Four Packs that are available at Walmart !! The flavors for these packs are Coke Zero, Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke! Michael is an inspiring chef and was a big part in the decision to use Coke Zero as the "secret ingredient" to his Slow Cooker BBQ chicken. He loaded us up on four packs as we headed thru the store for our recipe ingredients and we headed home to make the the chicken.
These are seriously the easiest thing to make in the world!! We bought a package of chicken legs to make this since its the kids favoritel. We put them into a gallon zipper plastic bag with soy sauce and a squirt of lemon juice. We let them chill in the fridge to soak for a bit and to add flavor to them. Michael used the tongs to carefully pull the legs out of the bag, he insisted if we dumped the soy sauce in it would make a huge mess. We used an original flavor of bbq sauce, I was worried honey would make it too sweet. My husband said he would love to try this with a spicy BBQ sauce. You can use any flavor or brand of BBQ sauce your family will enjoy.
We sprayed our slow cooker with non stick spray and put the marinated chicken in the pot. We then covered the legs with the sauce and the Coke Zero. We had a fun conversation about how the Coke Zero and the bbq sauce had the reaction together. Michael mixed the sauce up before we turned on the slow cooker on low and let them cook.
The result of Micheal's secret ingredient in the BBQ chicken was AMAZING!! The chicken were so flavorful and juicy as well as super easy to make. There was no remembering to flip them and we only stirred them once about half way through at about the three hour mark. I was worried about the sauce burning and of course Michael wanted to see the chicken cooking progress.
Be sure to keep in touch with Coca Cola on social media:
- Follow on Twitter: @CokeZero & @CocaCola
- Follow On Pinterest: Coca Cola & Coca Cola Zer0
- Follow on Instagram: Coca Cola &Coke Zero
- Follow on Facebook: Coca Cola & Coca Cola Zero
Be sure to check out finalfourpack.com for more great ways to celebrate with these four packs!
Please share the National Coke Zero Final Four Selfie contest. You can upload a selfie with a Coca-Cola product on the site below, and be entered to win 2016 NCAA Final Four tickets. Afterwards, you can go on the site to find your selfie and see all of the others!
Coca Cola #FinalFourPack Walmart Sweepstakes – $1,000 in Prizing
- 1 Small Bottle of Soy Sauce
- Lemon Juice
- Chicken
- BBQ Sauce
- Can of Coke Zero
- Marinate your chicken in a zipper plastic bag with soy sauce and a squirt of lemon juice
- Spray your slow cooker with non stick spray
- Place chicken in slow cooker
- Cover in bbq sauce and coke zero
- Cook on low for about 6 hours and be sure to watch them to not over cook
Latest posts by Jenny (see all)
- Easy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad - February 20, 2018
- Easy Low Carb Keto Bagels - February 17, 2018
- Why Give Jewelry From 7 Charming Sisters As A Gift Plus 15% off Promo Code!!! - February 13, 2018


text: The Military Memorial Museum is a subdivision of the Nelson Museum of the West (a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation) located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The collection began with the goal of acquiring uniforms, saddles, firearms and sabers depicting all of the enlisted and officers of the U.S. Cavalry from the Civil War to 1943 when the horse Cavalry was disbanded. The Museum has met the goal and expanded the collection far beyond the Cavalry. The collection is now inclusive of other branches of service in the Army including artillery, infantry, medical and Army Air Corps. Special collections of 1902 and 1938 Dress uniforms are also included. The collection of uniforms used by the Air Service, Air Corps and Air Force is broad and very complete. Beginning with the air service uniforms of 1912 the collection shows all types of Air Force uniforms used to the present day. Uniforms owned by Army and Air Force General Officers featured in our collection also includes all uniform types authorized to be worn by General Officers in the United States Air Force and the United States Army since 1942. Recently acquired have been numerous uniforms worn by the Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and numerous uniforms worn by the Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Army. One of our goals of the Museum is to provide to serious collectors and interested parties a collection made available to them that will help them meet their research goals. We hope you enjoy this website and we solicit your comments.


text:
Rifle Section Page:
These rifle parts represent the epitome of 18th century rifle making technology. In addition to being authentic in every aspect, the parts benefit from the latest in 20th century technology in the quality of materials and workmanship.
Tools needed for assembly include standard screwdrivers, small flat chisel, hand drill and bits, fine wood rasp, assorted files and sandpaper.
Buckeye Barrels, LLC is now our exclusive barrel supplier. Buckeye Barrels is located within Jim Chambers Flintlocks' workshop so your entire kit order can be placed at one time and the availability of all your order determined immediately.
Buckeye Barrels, LLC carries all barrels to fit our kits from the following barrel makers: Rice Barrel Company, Long Hammock Barrels, and W.E. Rayl, Inc.. Buckeye Barrels is also in the process of building an inventory in an effort to try and reduce the long wait times currently experienced when ordering. If you desire a specific maker, please call for availability prior to ordering otherwise your barrel may come from any of the four companies.
All barrels are top quality and traditionally styled. All barrels are swamped (tapered and flared) with round groove. The barrel tenons and the front sight dovetails are already cut. The barrel comes with the breech plug installed and an extra long tang for you to shape or shorten to your preference.
All locks are designed and produced by Jim Chambers from high quality carbon steel. These locks are designed to have that much sought after English lock feel and action. Each lock is precision assembled and all parts are heat treated for long, reliable service.
We use quality northern curly maple with figure throughout the stock. If you prefer an even fancier piece of wood we can provide that at additional cost, or we can use your wood at a discount. Walnut or cherry wood is also available, and most stocks can be ordered with an optional sliding wood patchbox. We maintain an inventory of 50-70 stocks at all times.
The hardware is designed and manufactured exclusively for these rifles out of soft yellow brass--no hard-to-work bronze as is used in other rifles. The parts package comes with all screws, pins, rivets, springs, etc., required for assembly. We also offer an optional finishing kit that includes stock stain, stock finish and browning solution.
The following pages showcase ten rifle models to choose from.


text:
When it comes to company's management – the hardest thing to control is projects stages. More often we have to cope with hundreds of reports and records to discover the best worker, total count amount of deals signed and so on.
This is why companies keep searching for innovative technologies that make their lives easier. Certain systems to keep all bases in one place adding new updates when needed and keeping in touch with any company member in one click.
Finding the best CRM tools boosts companies' productivity and gets team building progress on much higher level.
All departments work like one sound mechanism when they are aware of what is going on with other groups. They can do their work simultaneously finishing it before deadlines.
They have all needed data in front of their eyes being able to operate any files without using additional hosting services or file lockers.
The most popular CRM tool is known as Bitrix24. This smart system contains popular features of famous social networks in business format.
Short profile
No exterior information, just name, post, date of birth and a photo. Later managers can decorate profiles, honoring outstanding contribution in company's development with special badges honoris causa.
Such award is visible for the whole company or just for some part of it depending on chosen settings.
Regular timeline
This field resembles any other social network timeline. Although its updates, images, and posts contain only working information. No sweet kitties or bunny pictures – just serious business issues.
People are free o start discussions in comments. It usually brings fantastic results letting coworkers solve all the urgent questions instantly getting involved in such chats.
They often offer original solutions when excited with such discussions, making serious big leaps in their work.
'Like' button is also available. An easy method to demonstrate silent support to any object they are interested in.
Boss control
The whole database is under control of company leaders. It is fully protected from leaks or spies. Bitrix24 makes all inner information spread before your eyes. You can check any activity of the project.
Feel free to leave your marks on any post you like or dislike. Leave announcements or invite employees to events – in just a few mouse clicks.
It is as easy as Facebook, but for business purpose only.
No need to use any other messengers now. Feel free to ban any other within your office. Bitrix24 users can start exchanging messages with any other person in the system. Chat option is available as well. Invite as many people as you wish in your conversation.
If for some reason a worker cannot access his profile – Bitrix24 can email him all chat copies you would love to share.
This app is available for PCs and Smartphones. They do not take much place and are easy to handle even when users are in a rush.
If you are still thinking about purchasing a nice CRM for your office – stop hesitating. Such software has helped millions of companies all over the world to cope with their daily tasks faster.


text:
The necrosisv1.21.zip file you have requested: User Interface Mods / Class / Warlock / Necrosis - 330.86kb is not available. Perhaps try browsing all files for the game World of Warcraft and upload any files you want to share or are missing. This is the only information we could locate:
Has a graphical shard count display; mouse over to see a tooltip which tells you useful information.Has soulstone, healthstone, spellstone, and firestone buttons which do multiple functions.Soulstone Use 1: Create Soulstone Use 2: Apply to target Healthstone Use 1: Create Healthstone Use 2: If target is player initiate trade, otherwise use on self if hurt Spellstone Use 1: Create Spellstone Use 2: Equip Spellstone Use 3: Unequip Spellstone Firestone Use 1: Create Firestone Use 2: Equip Firestone Use 3: Unequip Firestone (Note: If you enter game/refresh ui with a Spellstone/Firestone equipped, it will search through your bags for and off-hand item to switch with.)Options menu for total customization of addon.Soulshard ManagementEnable|Disable - Move Soulshards to the designated bag.Enable|Disable - Destroy Soulshards when the bag is full.Spell ManagementTells you when soulstone has worn off.Tells your raid/party to right click when casting Ritual of Summoning.Enable|Disable - Alert me when I enter Shadow Trance and show button.Enable|Disable - Display spell timer button and list. (Partially complete; in development)Enable|Disable - Display stone buttons.Demon ManagementEnable|Disable - Send heal request if my demon is low on health.Enable|Disable - Have demon initiate attack when I enter combat.Enable|Disable - Have your demon use it's spells automatically. (Partially complete; in development)Enable|Disable - Have demon follow my focus in combat.Enable|Disable - Have demon avoid breakable spells, fleeing, and immune targets.
We recommend you return to the download list and browse the links from there. If the problem persists, contact us with the details.


text:
Since I have been in practice, medicine has changed drastically over the years. Technology and improved practice standards have given way to great changes in the care of patients. When I first started in medicine, there were no electronic charts, most notes were handwritten, and computers were not a standard part of practice. CT scans were relatively new and the MRI scan was not yet invented. Medical students were trained to do a comprehensive history and then a physical exam. Part of the history had to include a detailed account of how the condition the patient has had developed over time. Another part was a detailed exam, including looking at the patient, often with minimal clothes obscuring the body. These are very simple things – listening to a story and looking at the patient.
Unfortunately, many doctors have lost the skill to be able to evaluate a patient. Oftentimes the patient has a classic story to tell and it fits exactly to a particular medical problem. Just spending a couple of minutes listening and asking some questions will lead you to the solution, and it probably matches a common or uncommon medical problem. After many years in practice, looking and listening to a patient tells most of the story of what is wrong. Adding a physical exam will fill in the missing parts most of the time. The fancy diagnostic studies usually are a confirmation of the problem.
Relying On Technology
Many doctors are now trained using technology. The patient history is on the computer and the first thoughts are what do the studies indicate. If the picture (imaging) shows problems, then that must be what is wrong. Treating a test or picture can be okay, but the body has a remarkable way to adapt to changes, and the true problem is usually more complex then the picture and the way to navigate to a solution is to stop and ask the patient what is wrong, then correlate to an exam and picture.
Last week being old school paid off. A new patient showed up at my office frustrated that she had years of pain and no explanation. The patient had been everywhere, including the Holy Grail –The Mayo Clinic – and still no answer on what was wrong. The patient did have a confusing history, but it was important and the details gave the clues. Watching the patient walk and looking at her legs and arms was truly remarkable. The patient was in her 20's and was significantly weak with loss of muscle bulk.
She had a significantly abnormal exam and likely had a serious muscle and nerve disorder. If the previous physicians only took the time, they would have figured out there was a problem and could have guided the patient towards better solutions years ago. Now, hopefully the patient can get the right diagnosis and help. It may take time and a few more tests, but an answer can be found. One of the best skills a doctor can have is the ability to listen and look at a patient. It is simple, but medicine has changed and doctors are rarely paid to take the time to do the basics.


text:
Product Description
Knit Pillow Pattern
Pillow Birch Trees
Pattern is for knit design shown on front of pillow. Back of pillow is a 16 x 16 1/2″ square piece of material. *Optional knit back pattern is included.
170 yards of worsted weight yarn for front
150 yards of worsted weight yarn for back*
50 yards of black worsted weight Yarn
5 yards of red worsted weight yarn
16 x 16 1/2″ piece of cotton or wool material for back*
16″ Pillow form
yarn bobbins
Size 5 needles
3 1 1/2″ buttons
darning needle
sewing thread


text:
windsoriteDOTca presents a look at local candidates for Ontario's 2011 Fall Provincial Election. Descriptions of candidates are provided by publicly available information and parties are presented alphabetically.
Bilingual in both official languages, Justin Levesque, has studies Sociology at the University of Windsor. He currently makes his home in Tecumseh, Ontario and would be pleased to represent his community at Queen's Park this fall as a Green MPP.
Justin graduated from L'Essor Highschool in 2006. In 2002 began working for the Windsor Star, he worked there for a year. Then in 2007 began working for Quality Safety Systems. From 2008 to 2009 he worked for Mr. Goodlawn. He also currently works as a Teaching Assistant for the University of Windsor.
Justin has volunteered with the Criminal Justice Society, and the John Howard Society. For the past 3 years he has been a baseball player with the Windsor Athletic Association, and for 2 years was a Coach for Forster Football. Since 2006 he has been the chairman of Tecumseh Baseball Action Team.
Connect With Justin
EMAIL: [email protected]


text:
Welcome to AWC's online library of Legislative Bulletin and CityVoice news articles and other updates.
Published on Monday, February 23, 2015
HB 1745 and SB 5668, bills establishing a Washington State Voting Rights Act (VRA), both saw executive action taken last week and are making their way through the Legislature. SB 5668 was passed out of committee on February 20 with no amendments and sent to the Rules Committee for second reading. HB 1745 was passed out of committee on February 18 and referred to Rules. However, it did see amendments.
Those amendments are favorable to cities, and we appreciate the sponsors noting our concerns and making changes. They include:
AWC remains concerned with other provisions of the bill and will continue to monitor its progress and provide updates as they occur. For a full list of these concerns see our previous Bulletin article on the VRA. Questions about the Voting Rights Act should be directed to Victoria Lincoln.
Search Legislative issue areas by clicking on the topic areas listed below. Find Legislative Bulletin articles, CityVoice articles, and other updates.
AWC Board of Directors
Get involved
Media center
Contact us
Cityvision magazine
Legislative Bulletin
Employee Benefit Trust
Risk Management Service Agency
Workers Comp Retro
Drug & Alcohol Consortium
AWC Annual Conference
City Action Days
Healthy Worksite Summit
Labor Relations Institute
Member Expo
Partner with AWC
Associate Members
AWC Center for Quality Communities
Municipal Research and Services Center
National League of Cities


text:
London 2012 Vivid Posters
Olympics had really evolved for so long from having games which mainly features combat and chariot racing events to a variety of game competitions where 200 nations participate. Seven years ago, the next 2012 Summer Olympic Games, which is officially known as the Games of the XXX Olympiad was awarded to London and is most advertised by these print posters as London 2012. Many Olympics fanatics have been collecting posters from the start and these ones may now be included in their search for the current Olympic games that is happening right now. These posters captures some of the most brilliant events by the enlisted 10,500 athletes from various countries. It is visible that it is not only the activities which evolved in this famous international sport competition but so do posters that shows every single event that has taken place in each year. So now take a few glimpse of some vivid posters of the ongoing Olympics 2012.


text:
- This event has passed.
2017 Empower the Immigrant Woman Trailblazer Gala
March 18, 2017 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Event Navigation
Join Empower the Immigrant Woman and keynote speaker, University of Maine School of Law's Dean, Danielle Conway, as we celebrate our communities' Trailblazers in red carpet style!
There will be music by the Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus, dance and many inspirational moments!


text:
In our tradition Curanderismo, we keep in our home, office, or in our altar during ceremonies and rituals a basket or a bowl that contains something we call Ceremonial Rice for the purposes of absorbing any negative energy coming from emotions, worries, frustrations, etc., or any other kind of negative energy.
This Ceremonial Rice is prepared during a special ceremony to empower the properties of its ingredients. It contains rice, salt, 17 different herbs, oils, and minerals.
How to use it:
- Smudge a basket, plate, bowl, or any container that you want to keep your rice.
- Use a whole bag for ceremonies and busy places like a big family or workplace. Use half a bag if your family is small or if it is just for you doing the spiritual practices.
- Close your eyes, and take three deep breaths.
- Bring in your spiritual helpers like spiritual guides, spiritual protectors, and ask them to empower the rice.
- Place your hands over the bowl containing the rice, and allow the spiritual energies from God come to you through your hands to the rice.
- When you feel it is charged it is ready.
- Place it at the entrance of your home, office, or at the center of the altar and allow the bowl to absorb the energies of its surroundings.
- When the bowl feels too heavy discard the Ceremonial Rice offering it to mother earth, and use a new batch of Ceremonial Rice.


text:
Ms. Yedda Q. Ye
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Monday-Friday, 9:30am-12:00pm and 1:30pm-6:00pm
If any suggestions/comments/complain, please send email to: firstname.lastname@example.com and cc the email to the conference email box as well.
MEAMT 2017 Best Paper Awards
Best Paper A006
Dr. Mieow Kee Chan
SEGi University, Malaysia
Paper Title:The performance of double layer structure membrane prepared from flowing coagulant
Best Student Paper A1002
Shah Abdul Wahid
Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, South Korea
Paper Title: Effect of CaMgSn ternary phase on the aging process and mechanical properties of Mg-Sn-Zn alloy
MEAMT 2017 Best Reviewers
Thanks for every committee member help us review the manuscript.
Dr. Mohd Yuhazri Bin Yaakob FROM Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka,Malaysia has been nominated as the best reviewer of MEAMT 2017!
Prof. Mu-Chun Wang,Minghsin Univ. of Science and Technology, Taiwan has been nominated as the best reviewer of MEAMT 2017!
Prof. Tetsu Mitsumata, Niigata University Ikarashi, Japan has been nominated as the best reviewer of MEAMT 2017!
Oral Presentation Guidelines
· Oral presentations of volunteered papers are 17 minutes with 3 minutes for discussion(20 minutes in total for Q&A.)
· All presenters must bring their PowerPoint/PDF presentation on a USB memory key one hour before their presentation to have it pre‐loaded on the session computers. Individual presentations then begin with the click of a mouse.


text:
TO ALL MEMBERS. Sony Digital Camera Forums will PERMANENTLY CLOSE DOWN within the coming weeks. I (AScot) will post more details later.
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Ascot- I would suggest (if I may) that if somebody has a request or needs help that the answer is directly posted in the relevant thread with a reference under the request where the answer is? This would avoid posting double? Stef.
Do you think we could get a stickied thread about working with raw, and all the little ins and outs of it.As i just played with my first raw image last night in CS3 and was blown away by all the sliders and curves and buttons and histograms and color-o-gramsbut i did end up with an interesting picture in the end color wise, some sort of warm black and white.anyways what i am basically asking for is a thread / lessons to guide the uninciated such as myself through the misteries of RAW in the hopes that it will become less intimidating and more of a usefull tool.Thanks


text:
It's been almost two months now since PHP 5.3 has come on the scene, bringing not only many performance and stability improvements to the language, but also several new features that bring new capabilities to the language. The list of features added includes:
- Namespaces are probably one of the most sought after and debated features in PHP history, this enables you to namespace your variables, functions, classes, and constants to avoid naming collisions of having everything defined in the global scope.
- Closures are a feature that is popular in many functional languages as well as in Javascript, and allow you to define "throw-away" functions that are bound to a variable. The flexibility with this feature means you can pass functions as arguments to functions, defining these functions without having to worry about them needing to be in the global scope as well ( and in the process "throw" them away when they are no longer needed ).
- Late Static Binding give you more options when subclassing static methods and properties, enabling developers to resolve class references at run-time rather than compile-time.
- Circular garbage collection which will help memory usage in many complex objects ( we at Sugar are really excited about this ).
- Better Windows support, including VC9 builds which offer better performance than the standard VC6 built binaries ( big benefits to anyone deploying on Windows here ).
- Inclusion of the phar extension, which allows you to package an entire application inside an single file similar to JAR files in Java ( something else we are looking at here at Sugar ).
So with all these new features, it seems like moving to PHP 5.3 is a no brainer. The PHP project provides guides related to backwards incompatible changes and deprecated features for those upgrading from PHP 5.2, which cover most of things users upgrading their codebases to work with PHP 5.3 should look for as part of the migration. Here at Sugar we're beginning internal testing on PHP 5.3 for future versions of SugarCRM, in the process making adjustments to the product as needed to ensure smooth sailing under the new version of PHP.
How many other developers have converted their applications to support PHP 5.3? Has it been easy, or have you had difficulty in readying you code? Sound off in the comments with your experiences.


text:
It's official: Monkeys are the new black. The earrings above are sold out at net-a-porter, even though they just appeared on the website. Shit! Time waits for no man at net-a-porter.
This monkey necklace is also sold out! You've just saved $1,220. Net-a-porter says: Amedeo's monkey cameo is a wonderfully unique adornment. Wear it to lend antique appeal to summer tops and skirts.
I could argue that nothing would lend antique appeal to "tops and shorts" unless they were made in the 19th century but why bother.
Start curating your monkey-themed crap asap! Don't say I didn't warn you.


text:
MLB Twitter Account Goes "Members Only"
I just got this email today from Major League Baseball about their @MLB Twitter account going "members only" for six hours today. Take a look:
What do you think of this? As of around 10AM when I received this email, their account had 2,435,207 followers. I will check back at 11AM and 12PM to see what type of lift they've gotten. And of course, I'm going to keep an eye on their account during the "members only" period to see what types of contests and give-aways they end up running. Maybe you should do the same!
11AM Update: 2,438,202 followers (Increase of 2,995) – Also forgot to mention they are using the hashtag #mlbmembersonly for this initiative.
12:20PM Update: 2,440,765 followers (Increase of 5,558) – And here's the temporary look of their Twitter page. They did actually lock the page, so only followers can receive see their updates at this time.
1:15PM Update: Three giveaway style contests so far based on tweeting specific phrases. Prizes have been 2013 All-Star Game tickets, 2013 opening day tickets and three 2013 MLB.tv subscriptions.
1:50PM Update: The number of followers is still increasing, up to 2,442,734 now, but their account is locked. In theory, any requests to follow the account at this time would need to be approved by hand. That causes two problems here. One is that I feel bad for the intern having to approve each request. But more importantly, this campaign isn't as exclusive as it sounded at first. I felt that this was positioned not just to drive new followers before the "lockdown" began, but more importantly to give some unique value to their Twitter audience that was already following them. By taking on new followers during this six hour window, it's really not much different than standard Twitter-based giveaways.
2:40PM Update: Up to 2,443,322 followers, an increase of 8,115 since 10AM this morning. We've also had additional giveaways (two $300 gift cards and more opening day tickets), and we've confirmed that they are approving new followers by hand throughout the event.
Friday Morning Update: The @MLB account now has 2,443,434 followers, for a total increase of 8,227, which isn't much more than their count from 2:40PM yesterday, so you can confidently attribute that entire lift to this promotion. Additional giveaway prizes included custom t-shirt jerseys, more $300 MLB Shop gift cards, more 2013 opening day tickets, more 2013 MLB.tv subscriptions, and finally, tickets to the World Series. Once they "unlocked" the account, they also shared a 30% discount code for MLB Shop that expires today at noon.
According to topsy.com, it looks like the #mlbmembersonly hashtag had 4,160 mentions yesterday and the @MLB account itself was mentioned 5,376 times. I don't know what their expectations were, so its hard to say if this would be considered successful or not, but I give them a lot of credit from trying a different approach. I think next time, it would be fun to see more engaging elements to the contest rather than just driving "copy and paste" tweeting, which I heard from a few people ended up being a bit of an annoyance to see all throughout their Twitter feed yesterday.


text:
Homeless Families, Cloaked in NormalityBy ALAN FEUER February 3, 2012 New York Times
ON the sixth day she was homeless, Tonya Lewis overslept. She woke in the dark, in Room 6E at the 93rd Avenue Family Residence, a privately run shelter in Jamaica, Queens. It was 4:45 a.m. She was already running late.
Rousting her children — Unique, 15, and Jacaery, 2 — from their beds, Ms. Lewis got them dressed and started shoving DVDs and diapers into two bulging tote bags. When the boys were ready — sleepy, sullen, hoodied, backpacked, in hats and winter jackets — she pushed them out the door ("Come on, we gotta go!") to begin their daily routine.
It went like this:
They took the Q54 bus five stops to the J train. They took the J train 14 stops to Broadway Junction station. Unique hopped off and transferred to the C train, then the S train, then walked a distance to his classes at the High School for Global Citizenship in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Ms. Lewis, with Jacaery (pronounced Juh-CARE-ee) still in tow, transferred from the J to the L train. She took the L to the B6 bus in Brooklyn, which she rode to East New York, where she worked for an hour, and then reversed course — the B6 to the L to the J — to get Jacaery to his day care center in Bedford-Stuyvesant by 9.
All told, the odyssey required four hours, six trips on the subway and three trips on the bus, and suggests the changing nature of homelessness in New York. Unlike in the 1980s, when the crisis was defined by AIDS patients or men who slept on church steps, these days it has become more likely that a seemingly ordinary family, rushing about on public transportation with Elmo bags and video games, could be without a home.
Of New York's more than 40,000 homeless people in shelters — enough to fill the stands at Citi Field — about three-quarters now belong to families like the Lewises and are cloaked in a deceptive, superficial normalcy. They do not sleep outside or on cots on armory floors. By and large, their shoes are good; some have smartphones. Many get up each morning and leave the shelter to go to work or to school. Their hardships — poverty, unemployment, a marathon commute — exist out of sight.
Underlying this transition is a cascade of events, both economic and political. For the past three years, city officials say, 30 percent of New Yorkers seeking shelter have done so because of evictions, many connected to the financial crisis. (Domestic violence and overcrowding were other chief reasons.) At the same time, a disagreement over money between city and state officials last spring led to the cessation of a rent-subsidy program designed to shift the homeless from shelters into apartments. For the first time in 30 years, there is no city policy in place to help move the homeless into permanent homes.
MS. LEWIS, a health care aide, was evicted last month from her home in Far Rockaway, Queens. She was working full time for Able Health Care Services of New York, making about $500 a week tending to an autistic man. In August, because of cuts in Medicaid, her hours were reduced by half. Six weeks ago, she separated from her husband, Gregory Pitters, a maintenance man, who, before he lost his own job, earned $600 a week. On top of this, the $1,000 rent subsidy Ms. Lewis was receiving from the city, through the now-defunct program Advantage, ran out. Her apartment, a small two-bedroom, rented for $1,200 a month. She now makes $210 a week. She owes her landlord $4,280. The problem was mathematical, she said: "I can't afford the rent."
She was in Brooklyn, on Halsey Street and Broadway, where Jacaery was in tears, when she said this. He often throws a tantrum when his mother leaves him at day care. At the center, a cheerful place with cubby holes and construction-paper cutouts, an attendant flung Jacaery over her shoulder. He wept and wailed and kicked his legs as his mother walked away.
At 38, Ms. Lewis has three sons with three men. She rarely sees the father of her oldest child, Tarrick, who is 19 and lives in Brooklyn with her mother, Delores Lewis, and one of her younger brothers. Unique's father died years ago and, as a rule, is not discussed. Ms. Lewis said she hoped to work things out with Mr. Pitters, Jacaery's father, who is living with his mother in the Bronx. "We're in this situation partly because of him," she said. "He apologized. But like I said, 'Apologies are not acceptable right now.' "
She was back on Broadway, headed for her agency's office, when her cellphone rang. It was a former boyfriend, Gary Wade, who was recently released from the Dutchess County jail. Mr. Wade wanted to meet Ms. Lewis at the Halsey Street J stop; at the station, he demanded her assistance in tracking down a lawyer who had represented him before he went to jail. The lawyer had his watch, he said, and his "very expensive Cartier glasses."
Ms. Lewis bought Mr. Wade a MetroCard, hoping he might go away. Instead, he tagged along as she ran errands: dropping off her timecard in Downtown Brooklyn and riding the A train to the end of Queens, where she visited a welfare office to pick up documents she needed for a new apartment.
On the train, she briefly fell ill, sweating, breathless. Mr. Wade ignored her.
He refused to leave until someone bought him lunch. It was 12:30 p.m. Ms. Lewis could not get rid of him.
THERE was a time when the shelter system in New York was unquestionably Dickensian. Families slept overnight on benches at the Emergency Assistance Unit, a notorious intake office in the Bronx. Many were placed in rat-infested welfare hotels. A vicious legal battle between the city and advocates left even picayune details of shelter operation — the availability of milk-bottle warmers, for example — up to the courts.
These days, families seeking shelter appear at the Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing Office, a gleaming modern building, also in the Bronx, with artwork on the walls and an airport-like "departure lounge." Advocates say that policies put in place by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg have made it harder to gain entrance to the system, but for those who do get in, the intake process generally lasts 6 to 10 hours, and most families find a place the day they apply. One-third end up in city-run shelters, including some hotels, another third are placed in privately run facilities, like the one the Lewises entered in Queens, which has 54 units, each about 700 square feet, each with its own kitchen and bathroom.
A family stays in a shelter an average of nine months, but there is no restriction on the length of stay. Rules encourage people to move on: families are not allowed to bring in their own furniture or decorate the walls. The city tries to place families near parents' jobs and children's schools, but it does not always succeed. On the ground floor of the shelter that housed the Lewises is an office where caseworkers help residents manage welfare benefits and improve their résumés in hopes of finding better work.
The problem is: How do families get out of a shelter once they get there?
In 2004, Mr. Bloomberg announced an ambitious plan to reduce homelessness by two-thirds over five years by building housing units, by putting more restrictions on those trying to enter the system and, most controversially, by no longer giving homeless families priority in receiving public housing or what is known as Section 8 assistance, which gives people federal vouchers under which they pay no more than 30 percent of their income for privately rented apartments.
At the time, officials said that other New Yorkers at risk of being homeless — the disabled, for example, or former foster children — should have first claim on available public housing. (Each year, 5,000 to 6,000 public-housing units turn over and are sought by more than 100,000 people on a seven-year waiting list.) They also said that because Section 8 vouchers were in short supply, families were entering shelters as a shortcut to obtaining them. Once the practice ended, the argument went, the number of homeless people entering the system would decrease.
That didn't happen. At 40,000 people, New York's shelter population is higher than it has ever been. (In 2001, when it hit 25,000, the city's commissioner of homeless services was quoted in The New York Times as calling it "a temporary crisis.") On any given night, 6,000 homeless men and 2,000 homeless women bed down in facilities for single people, and an additional 15,000 parents and 17,000 children sleep in family shelters. Then there are the individuals living on the streets whom the city counted last week in its annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate. (The numbers will be available in March.)
In place of Section 8 priority, Mr. Bloomberg established the Housing Stability Plus program, which provided five years of rent subsidies that declined in value 20 percent each year. In 2007, he introduced Advantage, which Ms. Lewis was using. The $140 million-a-year program offered two-year subsidies of about $1,000 a month, but only if recipients received job training or worked. The state and federal governments supplied two-thirds of the financing for Advantage, while the city administered it.
"I don't believe for a second that every family in shelter needs a permanent housing subsidy," said Robert V. Hess, who served as the commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services from 2006 to 2010. "What many people need is an opportunity to get back on their feet and develop their own income. Over time, they can build savings and move into their own homes."
In June, however, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, citing budget problems, cut the state's financing for Advantage, and because the city would not pick up its portion, the program was discontinued. Among those arguing for the end of Advantage was the Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy group that has long supported homeless people. While it might seem counterintuitive, the coalition lobbied against Advantage in hopes of pushing the city into again offering the homeless priority for public housing and Section 8 vouchers, of which about 4,000 become available each year.
The situation has led to litigation. The Legal Aid Society sued the city in 2011 to prevent it from ending benefits for the last 8,000 families still enrolled in Advantage. On Friday, a judge lifted an injunction that had forced the city to keep paying benefits. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for this week.