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Archive for the 'credit' Category
The New York Stock Exchange reduces its listing requirements from $25 million in minimum market capitalization to $15 million. They call it temporary, but how long is "temporary"?
The new Secretary of the US Treasury Master Geithner and boss of the boss of the IRS intentionally underpaid his taxes for a series of 4 straight years, and when he was caught on two of the years, properly paid for only two of the four years. Only when he was in the nomination process to be Secretary did he make good to the IRS for the balance he underpaid. (Oh, by the way, he must have perjured himself under oath in saying "Oh, I forgot." But that is a story for another day.)
Not to beat on Master Geithner but, Master Geithner, even before earning the Senate's blessing to carry on the irrational and inconsistent policies of the Goldman Sachs Governmental Programs (aka Paulson and Friends), has begun a new WAR with China. He has explicitly stated verbally and in writing that China is manipulating their currency. Meaning that He and Our New Fearless Leader President Obama believe that the Yuan is undervalued relative to the dollar, as China has stepped in over the past year and stopped its long-term appreciation against the dollar. Any Econ 101 C grader or better knows that it China did not brindle its Yuan, then the value of their US $ investments would fall, their appetite for US Treasuries (at a time when we desperately need them to buy $3 trillion USD of our bonds) would collapse. Their banks would become troubled and their economy, rather than being on a growth mode and trying to stabilize would be thrown into a state of chaos, not dissimilar to that of out own. WHY WOULD HE TRY TO TAKE THEM DOWN WITH US? WHAT IS THE BENEFIT?
China is considered one of the global leaders in capitalism!!! With the recent and further steps in US Socialization and Nationalization of Companies, Industries and Spreading of Wealth, China is better looking than we are. (Unless the mirror we use is warped, fogged and scratched!)
NY State's new Senator to the US Congress is a Democrat with Strong Republican traits (oh, I almost wrote "taints".) A committed member of the NRA, advent opponent of gun control, an anti-fan of the GLBT and others groups, and an ardent "non-compromiser". At least she we know she won't be toeing any party lines as she goes in!
Russia can shut down its gas pipelines supplying Central and Western Europe and hold them at ransom, as we saw over the past two weeks.
Unofficial underemployment in the US is at an all time high in excess of 20% currently and projected to hit 28% before this thing turns.
Detroit will stop building and designing cars for car buyers but instead to please their political owners and our new industry/political czars or dictators.
After the worst year in the stock markets' history, the US markets continue to plunge in the first three weeks of the new year. So much for the optimism from a new administration and "Hope and Change".
Mortgage rates on the conforming 30 year have increased almost 0.5% even though Uncle Sam and his family members have been talking about moving it lower. (What, are they now powerless? Or are their capabilities limited or muted?)
Please help me out. Add some additional ideas, as I know I have only touched on the tip of an iceberg.
Also check out http://alphainventions.com/ a great website for all new posts!
Ge, which had for all intents and purposes closed down GE Capital, its finance division, in November, has finally announced layoffs.
Back in November, GE very quietly announced that it would not be doing any financing through GE Capital, except to only the highest rated credit risks. They completely killed their Senior Bank Lending programs, their Health Care Financing, their trade financing and reviewing of most new deals.
Their announcement came as a surprise to Wall Street investment bankers, who had come to rely on GE Capital as the leading source for Senior Bank Debt when doing M&A. With GE out of the market, hundreds of deals died on the table in the 4th quarter.
GE had inidicated they would review their position re GE Capital and new lending in the first quarter. They had made some remarks in a news release, but it was very unclear as to what steps they were taking.
With the layoffs announced today, comprising of 11,000 highly paid financial professionals (15% of the employees of GE Capital), GE's intentions and expected operations are quite clear.
GE Capital, which had once generated approximately half of GE's net income, will be no more as we knew it. Thus, GE's earnings, as we knew them, will be no more.
The main questions that still exist have to do with the level of potential write-offs that exist on GE Capital's balance sheet.
Also check out http://alphainventions.com/ a great website for all new posts!
In his article, which you can read at http://www.forbes.com/manufacturing/forbes/2009/0202/031.html?story_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fforbes%2F2009%2F0202%2F031.html&username=MoneyAssistant&email=dijana.howard%40gmail.com&title=General+Manager
you will note that he is very optimistic about the future of the industry. He firmly believes and I agree with him that 10-15 years from now, there will be more auto companies, rather than less. He believes that though the changes are traumatic, the ultimate outcome will be beneficial. The future industry will be stronger, more diverse, offer a greater variation of vehicle with various energy sources, and greater flexibility in environmental compatibility.
I agree, we have much to look forward to. After, we get through the current economic storms.
Amazingly, the US Department of labor reported only 524,000 jobs were lost in December. The market was almost overjoyed, as they had expected a number in the range of 650,000 to 750,000. The 524,000 did not include the "revision" to the prior months numbers downward by 154,000. Thus, adding the 154k to the 524k, one may come to a sum of 678,000, right in line with the nightmare expectations.
There is also further distortion due to a "birth-death" quotient applied by the Department of Labor, but we will not get into that here, except to say that it is currently making the reported numbers look better than they really are, rather than worse.
Other very weak numbers not reported in the headlines include:
Average workweek has declined to 33.3 hours among all employed workers in December. This is the lowest number of hours worked since Uncle Sam started watching these numbers in 1964. (Some economists anticipate that this number will correlate to another 500,000 job losses in the coming months.)
Since January 1, nine calendar days ago and 6 business days ago, major employers (those with 5,000 plus employees each) have announced job cuts of more than 30,000. On a daily basis this is an average run rate of 5,000 per day, or annualized rate of additional 1.1 million of job cuts!
Some may say that the run rate of 1.1 million is less than half of the newly unemployed of 2.5 million fellow Americans in the US during 2008, but there are numerous other facets as well.
Keep in mind, when an unemployed worker takes a job at because they must at 30%, 50% or 75% of their former compensation, they are no longer statistically unemployed.
Key numbers to continue to watch includes average compensation per hour, average numbers of hours worked, and the U6 unemployment numbers which reflect a much broader and economically relevant calculation of the unemployment levels.
Also check out http://alphainventions.com/ a great website for all new posts!
Thanks for reading and feel free to comment and link to this blog for more great insight!
Citi yesterday agreed to "cramdowns" for resetting mortgage amounts and rates for troubled borrowers.
Politicians all across America declared that this was a breakthrough, etc.
One would not think it at all surprising though, given the $45 billion pumped into Citi by our great Uncle, and our Uncle's willingness to absorb more than $300 billion of future Citi losses.
Socialism clearly has some benefits. With a tight leash (like Citi is on), the master can dictate many things.
It is amazing of late to watch the news wires and see the number of successful business people who are committing suicide due to the "Red Plague" and its economic chaos.
Yesterday, we read the Steven Good of the Sheldon Good Real Estate Auction house committed suicide.
The day before we read that Adolf Merckle, one of Germany's wealthiest men, committed suicide as his business conglomerate began having finance problems brought on the the credit crisis and the global economic slow down.
There have been hedge fund managers in the US and England who have given up hope and have left their families, as well as Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, a private investor and aristocrat who trusted Madoff with his family fortune and the fortunes of his clients.
All these men have been successful, powerful, professionals with years of experience, as well as diverse skill sets.
The question is "Is the situation so dire as there is no escape, no hope, no solution?" We should hope and pray not.
If these men, at apexes in their careers and industries, have no hope, what about you and me? What about those folks being forced from their homes? The unemployed, the folks with credit way over their heads, the people whose life is more of a daily struggle than a "success story".
Each should be thankful. Irregardless of how dire seems appear, there are always solutions, answers and ways of resolving things, without "escaping to the next world".
This will get better, they always do. This time is no different in that regard. There will be opportunities ahead. Staying alive is important to future success!
Today's Wall Street Journal had a small article buried within the paper which once again demonstrated how screwed up our American Government/Financial Systems are.
See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123094029211850265.html
Fannie Mae announced on Monday that it is raising its fees to lenders for guaranteeing or buying certain mortgages. The article notes that the fees will increase to 3.25% of the loan amounts after April 1st, from the current 1.25%.
At a time when our Federal government is spending billions to buy up mortgage paper with the effect of lowering market rates for conforming mortgages, the two agencies now under conservatorship have the gaul to raise the fees. This has the same impact of adding 2 points to a mortgage or stepping the rates back up.
The Federal Housing Agency spokesperson has stated that they will review the public's objections to the rate increase.
Crazy, but believable…………… Help us Barney Frank!!!!
Lending Club Review: A Leading Peer To Peer Lending Network
by Stacey Doyle on January 2, 2009
Our review on Lending Club, a leading peer to peer lending and borrowing social network.
Because of updated credit card regulations, fewer people are qualifying for traditional credit and loans. And now that the subprime loan industry has slowed down, people may be taking a second look at P2P lending. We've covered Prosper here sometime in the past, so we thought about reviewing its other competitors — especially as the economy has turned. Case in point? Lending Club, one of the leading companies behind the practice of P2P lending.
As the economy continues to worsen and banks tighten, P2P lending will continue to fill a need within the marketplace.
Please share your comments and experiences….
Congrats to Chip for taking such a dire subject and injecting a sense of humor and a bit of hope.
From our perspective at MoneyAssistant.org there is a ton of pain ahead. In addition to expected spikes in unemployment and further underemployment, tightened credit and higher interest rates, and expected deficits at all levels of government, housing and other asset values are continuing lower.
With an expected $2 trillion of consumer debt defaults over the coming year, many of us will either be in various modes of workouts with our lenders, creditors and governments.
There is much to fear out there in the business community. This is evidenced by continued severe tightness of credit markets, recent bond issues by some fairly solid companies at rates between 13% and 16%, the bond markets pricing in default levels of 12%+ (more than 1 in 10 large companies are expected to go bust), and corporate valuations that are at 60% of values just 12 months back.
Thankfully, Uncle Sam has put bailouts, restructurings, recapitalizations, and HOPE into the current language of our economic chaos (I refer to it as the Red Plague.) If they will expand the circle from Wall Street, Banks, Detroit, to include Main Street and its small businesses and the consumers/homeowners, we may all survive and be in better shape at the end of this ordeal.
See https://guruatmoneyassistant.wordpress.com for additional comments and thoughts.
Refer to http://www.moneyassistant.org for resources and additional information
More on Economy
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Great article.
Lots of risk and parallels, but fortunately (hopefully) different due to FDIC protection of depositors and fast government intervention.
See additional thoughts at https://guruatmoneyassistant.wordpress.com
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
The author is right on target!!
With real unemployment continuing to rise, corporate and private bankruptcies spiking, earnings levels eroding tremendously, asset values tumbling, and credit severely restricted, the "tide" must first recede before it turns and begins to improve. Things are continuing to get worse. Thus, they can not, on average, get better. We must wait and then let the tide reverse.
In addition to coordinated intervention by the governments and cooperation from our financial institutions, we must be patient….
The challenge is to financially survive while being patient.
Two Wall Street Journal columns jump from their website today.
After Dow's Collapse, Guarded Hope
After the U.S. stock market's third-worst year in more than a century, many investors are hoping for a turnaround in 2009. But considering the pain that has continued for more than a year, they are reluctant to bet on it.
Stimulus Versus Recession
The U.S. is preparing massive efforts to battle the twin threats of deep recession and deflation in 2009. The results will affect the investment climate for years to come.
These two observations are right on target, but the impact and implications so grand, that the folks at the WSJ should be shouting from the building tops in Manhattan, Greenwich, The Hamptons, and DC.
First, it should not be understated but the International Monetary Fund had estimated financial security losses in the range of $1.4 trillion as of this past October. To date, US institutions have only written off less than $800 billion! The IMF estimates were before the $50 billion evaporation of Madoff assets and the severe financial market declines of late October and November.
Additionally, there have been several estimates in the area of $2 trillion for the total losses to be expected by the inability of the "two pillars" of homeowners/credit users and small businesses to obtain any lifelines quickly and without "strings" of steel to further sink them. The lifelines are not appearing on Uncle Sam's drawing boards at the moment, which means that we should not count on them in the near future. Uh, oh!!
Current LIBOR based mortgage rates are in the area of 2.25% currently for up to $2 million!!! The rates are less than the average yield of a local CD for a few months. Fixed rate conforming mortgages are at less than 5% for 30 years. We can expect mortgage rates to further decline as the Fed continues to intervene in the market for Fannie and Freddie securities. (They have billions of $ in their pockets to manipulate the market and lower the rates further.) Unfortunately, other than the variable LIBOR loans, jumbo fixed mortgages are still in the range of 8% or so. Because the government is ignoring this sector of the market, there has been only increases in the rates as the riskiness of the credits have increased.
Banks are demanding more collateral, rather than less. In a time of declining asset values, with collateral worth less, fewer and fewer are able to meet the stricter lending requirements. Where is Super Paulson and our Hero Bernacke when we need them???????? Will HOPE and CHANGE help? Or should we turn to God as our only salvation?
Today's WSJ made the analogy of an individual escaping from a very painful marriage. The journalist stated that this individual would be very likely to resist remarrying. The journalist paralleled the experience to a stock investor during 2008 and their fear of buying stocks in 2009. I thought this very appropriate.
In a world of great interconnection, with great uncertainties, the need for faith and confidence in systems and governments, unified and coordinated efforts are crucial. Given all we have seen from our government over the past year and years, can we have confidence? Should we have hope?
Given the way America has been raped and brutalized by Wall Street, can we have faith in the Heroes of Capitalism to save us?
Please share your thoughts and ideas………
According to a press release, "The Federation of Small Businesses is . . . calling on the Government, the banks, local councils and consumers to play their part during the year by providing support to small businesses in fighting regulation, accessing finance and maintaining cash flow to buck the increasing trend of business closures."
The Federation for Small Businesses needs to do more than just issue a press release.
The government has financed the banks, protected Wall Street and back stopped the auto industry, but government and our political and financial leaders have ignored the needs and potential catastrophic impact of the small business failure.
Limiting interest rates is just one limited step. Encouraging banks to lend, promoting a major SBA program similar to "HOPE for Homes", encouraging lenders to extend credit rather than reduce amounts available, are but a few of the many steps they could take.
The FSB is to be commended, but at the same time must call upon the communities across the US to mobilize and lobby Uncle Sam to work to protect our small businesses, their employees, and the core of the American Economy.
As a small business owner suffering from a reduction in income levels due to the recession, I am very familiar with the shortage of credit for small businesses. It impacts the small businesses directly, as credit cards and other signature loans are their liquidity lifeblood. Also, customers and clients rely on credit to purchase services and products and with credit levels being reduced and credit needs not being fulfilled, consumption and purchase levels are down significantly.
Much comes back to the Federal Government and their missteps regarding the TARP and providing capital to our banks. One would think that the government bailout would have helped the small businesses indirectly, but then again, nothing has been as "one would have thought" over the past 6 months.
Today's Wall Street Journal cites the anticipation of looming "mortgage cram-downs", as a result of the failure of government's steps to cease the increase in foreclosures.
The article notes that there are 7.5 million homes underwater currently and that foreclosures are expected to exceed 8.1 million over the next four years!!!! It also notes that Congress was hoping to help 400,000 homeowners through its latest program, "Hope for Homeowners", but only 357 have applied for the program to date.
Sounds like one of the pillars we discussed yesterday on this blog is still not being secured!!! Unless action is taken, we will see the Red Plague sweep the homeowners and consumers downriver, like the banks and Wall Street firms were washed away this past year.
Unfortunately, the free market and refinancing will not solve the liquidity crunch paralyzing the homeowner/consumer pillar and the small business pillar.
Some insight and real hope are desperately needed. And fast!
Now that the government has bailed out Wall Street, the Banks, the insurance companies, the auto makers, and countless others, the real question is "Is it enough?" What needs to be done to get our economy back on track? Are we on the verge of being "back on track"?
The latest Forbes magazine refers to the "Depression on the Fourth Quarter" and is cautiously optimistic about improvements possibly already underway. They refer to their Chirps Index and are hopeful.
See http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0112/037.html
The index referred to above is a great index. Its optimism is refreshing and encouraging. We all hope that things get better from here.
After all the government assistance and economic support, there are two pillars of our economy which are still faltering. One pillar is comprised of the over-leveraged homeowners and consumers who have no option to refi their mortgages at today's attractive rates due to excessive declines in the values of their homes or in their credit scores.
The other pillar that has seen no support from political or economic leadership is the small business owners. Millions of small businesses were decimated in the Mini Depression of the 4th Q, due to revenue fall offs of 10-90% and the drawing down or elimination of available credit by those "saved" by Uncle Sam. Many of these millions of small businesses, employing between 1 and 10 employees are on the verge of closing their doors, filing personal and corporate bankruptcy and becoming wards of the economic state. As the US economy and its economic growth over the past 20 years has been powered by our small businesses, their mass genocide due to the economic environment will be costly and painful.
There is an estimated $2 trillion of potential defaults and write-offs that could result from further deterioration of the remaining two pillars.
Hopefully, new leadership in DC will force the hand of the beneficiaries of the government's handouts and cheap money to assist (1) the homeowners and consumers and (2)the small businesses of America.
If these two pillars falter then the "Chirps" the new index is hearing are just echoes of chirps from the past.
The following was written by a friend. I thought it unfortunately appropriate for this holiday…………
Christmas eve… All the presents are wrapped and hidden from the kids. All, meaning one for each kid. For me, I hope I do not get anything. Not that I do not want anything, but because I know the money would be better spent on food or gas or books for the kids over the next week or two.
This is the first Christmas without money, without credit, without cash…. It feels horrible. I know we are not alone. That helps a bit, but still…. It is Christmas, a time for gifts and joy.
Holiday sales are a great opportunity to buy some gifts, but only if I had spare money. The money I have I need for food and necessities, not toys and games and things to throw away. As I look through our local paper this morning, I see many advertisements for 50% to 75% off. So what…. Even if it were 90% off, I would not buy do to the reasons noted above. Yeh, they can give it to me for free, but I am not a charity case, just someone impacted by the economic collapse of 2008 and the credit crunch.
I am sure tomorrow will be filled with joy and Love. The kids will really appreciate the few gifts they receive. Maybe even more than in past years, as they now understand how tight the money is.
We do have much to be thankful for, and that is really what we will focus on… Fortunately, good health, smart and good kids, a regular paycheck (though it is way too small), and health insurance…. plus much more, I am sure.
It has been a very different holiday season, and tomorrow will be a very different Christmas. It is all part of life. Struggles, success, failure, agony, money, no money, abundance and famine, etc… I am hopeful for the future, not necessarily tomorrow, but maybe the proverbial "day after tomorrow". We can only be hopeful, and also thankful…..
God bless.
2007 and the first half of 2008 were marked by hyper inflation, on a global scale. Is this all but forgotten? There were fears the world would run out of oil and gas and market prices reflected those fears. All the corn in the world was being consumed by the soda makers and the ethanol refineries, leaving no corn left for food. Because of the corn prices skyrocketing, the price per pound of beef, pork and fish bounded higher. The global effects caused rice prices in Asia to move higher by 150% and the prices of bread in South Africa rose to beyond the reach of the typical laborers.
About the same time, the fear that there was not enough copper, steel, cement and investment bankers forced pricing on a global scale higher and higher. The US dollar was devaluing because the US did not produce anything that was to be needed by a commodity hungary world, but for our corn and ethanol, and investment bankers.
How the world has changed in less than 6 months!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pricing on all commodities, except gold, has crumbled. Oil is trading at less than 30% of it's July pricing. Prices of copper, steal, wood, cardboard, and other commodities have stumbled. Mergers are being called off. Capital expansion plans cut. Factories closed and layoffs announced, daily.
The global movement of capital, the life blood of economic vitality, has ceased. All that follows the flow of capital has ceased as well. Demand for goods, not only in the US but around the globe, is off by 20+%, forcing prices down further.
All that capital is looking for homes and has found it in the US Treasuries, for the time being. Thus, the yields on Treasuries has crashed to unheard of lows.
We went from the cycle of fear regarding inflation to the publicized fear of deflation. The Fed is afraid. The media is afraid. The world has become afraid, and PE Obama and his team are afraid.
The fear is that consumers will defer purchases, as they await further reductions in pricing. This has been documented today as "already occurring" per the Wall Street Journal. The percentage of ordinary folks who state they are done holiday shopping is down from last year. People claim they have been waiting for more sales and lower pricing.
I can tell you what people have been waiting for. It is the same reason US (and foreign) car sales have plummeted since September. It is the same reason people are eating out less. It is the same reason that the wealthy are drinking only one expensive bottle of wine at dinner, rather than three!
People do not want to spend money. They are deferring spending out of fear, not waiting for lower prices. People are waiting for money before they spend (a) what they do not have, (b) what they have lost in the markets, or (c) what they have lost to theft, fraud or incompetence of the Treasury, Wall Street, Madoff, Peterson, the Greenwich Hedge Funds, or Dubai real estate.
People are not waiting for lower prices!!! They are waiting for money!!! They are waiting for credit! They are waiting for some positive economic news! News that indicates the worst is behind us. News that the markets will get better. News that the ranks of the unemployed will go down, that compensation will go up, that layoff are a thing of the past.
We are seeing in pockets of real estate markets, no matter how low the price goes, inventory is not clearing. Condos that in Naples, Florida, for example, once sold at $350,000, went to market at $250,000, were reduced to $150,000 and the owner would gladly sell it at $100,000 to relocate to see her grandchildren. That's not happening though. No takers. There are six other units in the same building with similar stories, and other stories like it from Miami, to NY, to LA and Michigan and everywhere in between.
People do not want to spend. Many people can not spend. Many must wait to spend. It is not a question of pricing, they are not looking to get more for less, they are looking to buy something only when absolutely needed, and when they have the excess $ to purchase. Otherwise they will go without………………
The Road Will Be Long, With Many (a) Winding Turn(s)………..
The Red Plague spreads further. The virus embeds and morphs…………………
If the world is literally flooded with dollars, why is it near impossible to refinance a home or refinance and restructure outstanding consumer credit?
Merrill Lynch is offering a Libor based adjustable rate mortgage for up to $2,000,000 for the current rate of 2.375% with NO POINTS!!!! How many are applying? Very few.
Why? Loan to Value requirements have dropped by on average 20% while appraised home values have tumbled as well. Additionally, if the home is located in a state where the values are declining, then the penalty box of "declining market" is applied and the LTV limits are reduced further.
Credit card companies continue to reduce available credit. Analysts expect that the US will see credit line reductions of $2 trillion dollars in 2009. They also expect credit card rates to continue to sky rocket rather than decline in parallel with the Libor, prime and the Fed funds rate.
Hence, headlines may be deceptive.
With the further expected declines in employment levels and compensation, as well as further tightening of credit and increases in cost of consumer credit, there likely is significantly more pain to come for the consumer-class and homeowner-class ignored to this point buy the bailout plans and liquidity programs of the wealthy rulers in DC and their Wall Street financiers.
Happy Holidays!!!
With the skyrocketing unemployment, there are many out there espousing the need for the government to provide tax credit to employers, encouraging employment….
Unemployment is only part of the issue. Underemployment is the full issue. As part and parcel to the Red Plague of losses, credit freezes, staffing cuts and cost reductions, compensation levels at all levels of the employment chain are falling for 70% of the populace. Over time is being cut, bonuses eliminated and spending allowances and benefits slashed.
Many of those who have not lost jobs, do not fear unemployment. They instead fear significant reductions in their incomes.
Thus, supporting staffing levels and compensation levels, as well as spending levels, are all needed in the grand scheme of supporting consumerism and halting the spread of the Red Plague.
With credit lines continuing to be cut, banks not negotiating outstanding loans, and new loans only being extended to those who do not need the money, there is but ONE QUESTION: WHERE IS THE MONEY?
How can $340 billion have not have any impact? How can Paulson and Congress let the greed of the banks and institutions destroy whatever remaining confidence Americans had in the government?
As Dr. Michael Savage has said, the US has just witnessed the greatest legal theft of $340 billion in the history of the world. The only beneficiaries have been the creditors, shareholders and CEOs of those institutions receiving the $. Please show me examples of the Americans and Main Street who have benefited!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paulson, Bernacke, Bush and our favorites Pelosi, Reid, and VP Cheney are all to be blamed. The should be held accountable for the fraud they have perpetuated on the American Taxpayers. We have been duped.
Those without jobs, those who have lost and will lose their jobs and credit, will pay. Pelosi, Reid, Cheney, Bush, Bernacke and Paulson can continue to dance all day until the sun sets and beyond, while we all suffer from the Red Plague they have contributed in spreading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tell me your thoughts…………
Yesterday's Wall Street Journal reported that the number of miles driven in America had fallen by 8.9 billion miles or 3.5% in October 2008 versus October 2007. The Department of Transportation reported that this was the largest decline for the month of October since 1971. They noted that this decline came despite the fact that gas prices have declined from above $4 per gallon to less than $2 over the past 4 months.
The Federal Tramsportation Secretary, Ms. Mary Peters, was quoted as follows: "The fact that the trend persists even as gas prices are dropping confrims that American's traveling habits are fundamentally changing."
What??????????? Since when do a few months when the world is in a state of economic and social chaos make a "trend"? What about other factors besides "Americans' Passion to Drive"?
Does Ms. Peters know and understand that unemployment levels across the country are tremendously elevated? Has she read or heard anywhere that many hundreds of thousands and more are threateden with job loss? Has she been informed by her brilliant staff that the volume of new car purchased have crashed? That the equivalent of more than 2 million cars are being retired off of the American roads?
Has she heard the pundits and "talking morons" saying "The American People have voted. And, they have voted they do not want GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles?"
Has she thought about the connection between consumer credit and vehicle usage, whether for personal enjoyment purposes, business travel, or shopping? With available credit lines being reduced cumulatively by hundreds of billions of dollars and interest rates on cards rising to up to 35% per year, might these things have an impact on driving patterns?
Would one (with any clue) conclude that with all these changes going on in the economic and cultural climate, that the use of one's car and the miles driven may be impacted? Would one consider these changes permanent (which in my mind is defined as "set forever")?
I think not. But then again, I am not in DC and nor am I a "leader".
Maybe President-Elect Obama will select his DC Leaders based on intellect, ability, reading comprehension, and their understanding of the area they are to oversee? Would that be asking too much? Might that have a positive influence on the future of America?
May God help us!

subset: commoncrawl


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You can see one of the brightest computerized Christmas music displays in Northeast Florida.
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The show hours are Sunday-Thursday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The show is located in Hilliard on the corner of 9th Avenue and Georgia Avenue.
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This article is from the archive of our partner .
Michael Phelps, who retired from swimming following last year's London Olympics, is coming back! At least, that's what one Fort Myers anchorman is insisting:
EXCLUSIVE: I have confirmed that Michael Phelps is planning a comeback. nbc-2.com/story/22286148…— Peter Busch (@peterbuschTV) May 17, 2013
@yahooforde @espn Michael Phelps is coming back. nbc-2.com/story/22286148…— Peter Busch (@peterbuschTV) May 18, 2013
And the swimming world was thrilled!
Rumors confirmed!@michaelphelps is planning a comeback! @peterbuschtv fb.me/252ZgpE9I— SwimmingWorld (@SwimmingWorld) May 17, 2013
According to the short article, Phelps will "begin training this weekend at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs" in an effort to compete in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. Or maybe he's just trying to score his own E! reality show.
Or maybe he isn't coming back after all. At least, that's what some guy named Michael Phelps is saying:
Why do I keep getting texts about coming back? Do ppl really believe everything they hear or read? There are ... m.tmi.me/VVJFR— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) May 18, 2013
Then again, Phelps' tweet didn't specifically say yes or no, did it? And Peter Busch insists that his reporting was sound:
Phelps just sent tweet insinuating that he's not coming back, but I feel very confident with my info. Guess we'll see.— Peter Busch (@peterbuschTV) May 18, 2013
At the very least, we have confirmation that Phelps does, from time to time, still swim:
Lifeguarded for and swam with Michael phelps at work today. I love my job #interlachen instagram.com/p/ZbWhfEDxw8/— Stephen Timmes (@stephen_timmes) May 17, 2013
As of this writing, the 2016 Olympic games are 1,174 days away.
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
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Where to go in Portugal
The south-facing coast of the Algarve is the country's tourist epicentre and justifiably so – it is here that you'll find the archetypal picturesque Portuguese cove beaches, fringed by rock stacks and gentle cliffs, and it doesn't take much to escape the high-rise resorts and golf courses. If it's beaches you're after, however, you have almost the entire west coast of the country to choose from. There are expansive stretches of sand not only on the Algarve's western coast, but also in the southern Alentejo, on the coast around Lisbon and north to Figueira da Foz, and along the Minho coast north to the Spanish border.
Many of these beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and are rarely busy even in high summer, but as they face the full power of the Atlantic, they can be dangerous for swimming. It's no big surprise then that many attract serious surfers instead, with Peniche, Figueira da Foz and Nazaré all major surf destinations.
The south of the country is dominated by the enormous Alentejo region, whose wide-open spaces, country estates, olive plantations and vineyards invite long drives and leisurely exploration. Here you'll find a Mediterranean-type climate, sun-drenched, whitewashed villages bedecked with flowers and, in early summer, every spire and treetop capped by a stork's nest. Closer to Lisbon is the flat hinterland of the Ribatejo, breeding ground for Portugal's finest horses and for the bulls that still fight in bullrings around the country. Beyond, lies the historic heartland of Estremadura (now part of the Centro district), whose closely grouped towns feature some of Portugal's most famous monuments.
The north of Portugal feels immediately different, and far less Mediterranean in look and temperament – the rolling hills are green and lush, and the coastline cooler, even in summer. Terraced vineyards cling to the steep slopes of the Douro River, its valley shadowed by one of Europe's most memorable train rides. At the far north of the Porto e Norte district lie the remote towns and villages of Trás-os-Montes, while to the west Peneda-Gerês is Portugal's only national park, a surprisingly verdant landscape of wooded mountains and gushing streams.
Standout city is, of course, Lisbon, with its dazzling hilltop and riverside location and alluring mix of old-world charm and modern flair. It's not too much of a stretch to describe it as one of Europe's must-see capitals, though the charms – and wines – of Porto, wedged into the Douro river valley, also make an excellent case for a long weekend city break. Other Portuguese towns and cities might not have the same profile, but they are both historical and beautiful – like Guimarães, the country's first capital, the religious centre of Braga, the handsome university town of Coimbra, and Évora, another university town with Roman antecedents.
Beyond these attractions, how long have you got? Because in just about every town and village there's a surprise to be discovered. Likeable Tomar is home to the impressive headquarters of the Knights Templar, while Aveiro is an unexpected treat, set on a series of canals lined with colourful houses. There are sumptuous monasteries and abbeys at Batalha, Mafra and Alcobaça and extraordinary fortified towns at Almeida, Elvas and Bragança; while in Fatima, Portugal boasts one of the world's most revered Catholic shrines.
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Summary and Keywords
The facial appearance of political candidates provides information to voters that can be vital to the impression-formation process. Traditionally, psychological research in the field of appearance-based politics has concentrated on investigating whether politicians' physical appearance impacts perceptions of them. Recently, the focus has shifted from examining whether facial cues matter for impression formation to determining (1) which facial cues matter for voters' perceptions of politicians and (2) how such visual cues are utilized within the political decision-making process. This shift in research focus has ushered in an appreciation of facial competence and physical attractiveness, and it has been marked by a renewed interest in studying how gender stereotypes impact the influence of politician appearance on perceptions of male and female politicians. In addition, this renewed interest in studying underlying mechanisms in appearance-based politics has spurred on research that includes a broader range of downstream consequences such as evaluations of leadership potential, voting behavior, and even basic political party affiliation categorizations.
Keywords: appearance-based politics, person perception, social perception, political psychology, gender, social vision, gender stereotypes
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Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn and Costa, is one of the UK's largest occupiers with around 2,800 hotels, restaurants and coffee shops in the UK.
Backed by the strength and assurance of a FTSE 100 company with more than 270 years' trading history, both businesses are expanding and looking for more sites to support growth.
Premier Inn – together with the newly-introduced hub by Premier Inn format – has a growth target of 85,000 bedrooms by 2020 with requirements nationwide.
Costa is actively seeking more excellent locations across the country.
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Can Anxiety Be Prevented?
Dr. Jeff Szymanski answers the question: 'Can Anxiety Be Prevented?'
-- Question: Can anxiety be prevented?
Answer: This is a tricky question because you have to separate out adaptive anxiety and maladaptive anxiety. You actually don't want to prevent adaptive anxiety.
Adaptive anxiety is your brain is telling you that there's a real danger or threat in your environment. That is, you walk into the street and a car's coming at you. Your anxiety in that situation protects you -- it gets you to run, get out of the situation. In fact, in some performance-based situations, athletes, musicians, etc., report that moderate levels of anxiety can enhance their performance. This will enhance performance or it protects you -- it's part of our ability to survive. So, that's anxiety that works for us.
So a lot of times what people are saying is "I want to prevent the anxiety that is unreasonable or out of proportion." But when you treat your anxiety as the enemy -- to be prevented, to be gotten rid of, to be pushed away -- even if you can find certain strategies that will allow that to happen in the short term, you can get away from your anxiety -- unfortunately over time with maladaptive anxiety, you can increase your anxiety if you try to prevent it or get away from it.
I'm not saying necessarily just to endure high levels of anxiety. If you are having high levels of anxiety, you should get some help for that.
You should also learn different ways to manage or cope with that anxiety. So you can learn relaxation skills, you can learn better social skills to manage social situations, or you can just use rehearsal. If you're going to give a presentation, rehearsing a presentation ahead of time can reduce your anxiety. So anxiety management or finding ways to reduce the intensity of anxiety is a much better strategy.
Again, if your anxiety is feeling so bad that you have to get away from it or prevent it from occurring, you might want to seek help from a primary care physician or mental health professional.
Next: Can An Anxiety Disorder Be Prevented?
Previous: Are Any Anxiety Disorders Curable Or Are They Chronic Conditions?


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LA Fashion Photographer Shaun Alexander Photo Video Channel on Vimeo Full of Fashion, advertising, editorial photography and more.
See The hottest Fashion models, top fashion designers such as Dior, John Galliano, Bebe, Guess and more
Azada Collection by Shaun Alexander see more fashion photos http://www.shaunalexander.net
For the past 25 Years I have been asked over and over by models, photographers, fashion designers or simply fashion lovers, If I could ever share my inside and techniques with them.
Finally the time has come and I am honored and proud to announce the launch of my photography workshops worldwide
Private online classes are also available upon request
for more info please contact us at
or call us at 310 213 7700
I hope to see you soon
Shaun Alexander
Haute Couture Photography high fashion photography conceptual photography
Fashion photography
Fashion photography is an insidious profession. In art, it is what sex-appeal is to love. Artifice can be a dangerous thing; when misapplied, the results are vulgar and tawdry. Its correct use depends on instinct. It is up to the fashion photographer to create an illusion. In doing so, he is not behaving with dishonesty, but when properly invoked, the result is not merely an illusion; rather, it makes the observer see what he wishes to see. (C. Beaton and G. Buckland, The Magic Image, 1975)
Since its inception in the 1880s, the fashion photograph has generated criticism. Some photographers consider it too commercial, an impure application of the art form. It has sometimes been dismissed as frivolous and criticized for promoting negative stereotypes. Yet it has generated some of the most widely recognizable, provocative, and enduring imagery of our time.
The development of the half-tone printing process enabled photographs to be printed on the same page as text without affecting image clarity even when reproduced en masse. This new technology marked the birth of the modern fashion magazine aesthetic. Initially, perhaps surprisingly, it was the couturiers who found photographing their garments contentious: a photograph could be a gift for plagiarists. At the other extreme, applied photography was deemed too 'real' a means of documentation, unable to idealize the female form like the drawn fashion plate.
There was an initial overlap between late 19th-century celebrity portraiture and the fashion photograph: for example, the Parisian Reutlinger studio's cabinet picture of Cléo de Mérode in an amazing hat, c. 1895, and the same firm's haute couture photographs of a decade later. Already far more stylish, however, was the work of Adolphe de Meyer, who reinvented the staged formality and ornate settings of 19th-century fashion illustration. A member of the pictorialist Linked Ring Brotherhood, he used backlighting, soft focus, props, and painted backdrops to express a baroque sensibility that was perfectly articulated in his portrait of Helen Lee Worthing (1920). In 1914 he became chief fashion photographer for Vogue, then in 1922 for Harper's Bazaar.
The models in early fashion photographs were most frequently society ladies and theatre and screen actresses rather than women working as living mannequins. After the First World War, de Meyer's visual idiom fell out of favour as a modernist aesthetic took root. The influence was pervasive, introducing a greater emphasis on sleekness and line, epitomized by art deco's streamlining effect. The advent of sportswear and dresses without foundation garments signalled more fluid and experimental poses and compositions. Associated primarily with Edward Steichen and Man Ray, the new style of fashion photography rejected rococo props for geometry, haughty froideur for character, and staid convention for avant-garde devices like solarization and multiple exposure. Steichen's first fashion photographs—designs by Paul Poiret—had appeared in a 1911 edition of Art et décoration, among the first periodicals to feature fashion photography. In the late 1920s and 1930s the use of small, hand-held cameras allowed far greater compositional flexibility and work out of doors. (By this time, the major fashion magazines were shifting decisively towards photography and away from other forms of illustration.) An inspired decision by the new editor of Harper's, Carmel Snow, in 1933 was to hire the Hungarian sports photographer Martin Munkácsi, who introduced a new style of dynamic outdoor sportiness that was to prove highly influential. A subsequent Harper's acquisition was Louise Dahl-Wolfe, also a devotee of outdoor subjects who from 1937 began working in colour. (Later she joined Sports Illustrated.)
Photographers such as George Hoyningen-Huene and Horst P. Horst were influenced by Surrealism. The former's early style owed much to Steichen's use of light. He began his career making backdrops for Vogue's Paris studio in 1925, where Steichen was then working. As his style evolved, it grew to encompass architectonic symbols of Greek classicism, not unlike the canvasses of the Surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico. Carefully structured compositions were of paramount importance for the photographer. The same was true of his colleague and friend Horst, who initially trained under the modernist architect Le Corbusier. Creator of one of Vogue's best-known photographs, Mainbocher Corset (1939), Horst's complex images appeared effortlessly graceful, often with a striking use of shadow. His signature style owed much to Hoyningen-Huene but was distinguished by inventive photomontage and trompe-l'œil effects.
Erwin Blumenfeld created a heretofore unseen type of visual intrigue in the fashion photograph. Techniques such as 'bleaching' and composite printing, which he personally refined in the darkroom, are much copied today. Blumenfeld also broke new ground in perspective by using a wide-angle lens on the new Hasselblad camera. The ubiquity of his work in fashion magazines of the 1940s and 1950s reflected a shift in fashion's audience away from its former social exclusivity. However, although creative photography promoted high fashion through its increased visibility in magazines, it did not make the garments any more widely accessible. Instead, it generated what are now regarded as aspirational images. Blumenfeld said of the fashion photographer's role, 'we are responsible for the tastes of tomorrow. Our pictures are the essence of a page, and every page has to have its own face, its own spirit, to catch millions of eyes, as otherwise it is only a scrap of paper.' Whereas earlier in the century fashion photography's images of aristocratic and society ladies had largely circulated in the sitters' own social milieu, mid-century work increasingly aimed to create visions of luxury and exclusiveness for a mass public.
In both his portraits of royalty and high society and his fashion photography, Cecil Beaton combined formality and fairy-tale glamour. He was first hired as a Vogue cartoonist in 1928. Influenced by the appeal of Hollywood films, he reinterpreted many of de Meyer's rigid stylistic hallmarks for the mid-20th century with graceful, theatrical refinement. Another British master of the elegant, luxurious image, especially when his wife Wenda Rogerson was the model, was Norman Parkinson (like Beaton, also a successful society and royal portraitist). He often used outdoor locations, conveying pleasure and indulgence in faraway locales which epitomized the light-hearted fun and indulgence of fashion. In the 1950s elegance—even excess—revived with the end of wartime rationing and 'make-do-and-mend'. Today, photographers like Elaine Constantine pay homage to the Parkinson vision with a signature style conveying visual delight.
In the USA, Irving Penn and Richard Avedon were the undisputed stars of 1950s fashion photography. They produced such iconic pictures as Avedon's Dovima in an Evening Dress by Dior with Elephants of the Cirque d'Hiver (1959) and Penn's 1947 Vogue cover of the twelve most photographed models. This latter image would later influence cover layouts of magazines like Vanity Fair by Annie Leibovitz, as well as signalling the beginning of the late 20th-century cult of the supermodel.
From the late 1950s, many fashion magazines broadened their editorial scope. Queen, for example, began publishing photojournalism and documentary work. A degree of social realism characterized the work of London's 'Terrible Three', David Bailey, Brian Duffy, and Terence Donovan (all former assistants of the fashion photographer John French), who recorded the youthful and seemingly spontaneous essence of 1960s London with visions of accessible, girl-next-door models like Jean Shrimpton, Penelope Tree, and Twiggy. But in the 1960s Avedon travelled through the American South to photograph the Civil Rights Movement, and later documented the anti-war protests taking place across the USA. Penn was commissioned by Vogue in 1974 to produce a series of portraits entitled 'Worlds in a Small Room', representing various socio-economic and ethnic groups. This was a high-profile, if tokenistic, acknowledgement of global issues and the world outside the fashion industry. It was taken further in the 1980s by Oliviero Toscani, who used disturbing images (his own and other people's) of war and AIDS to assault the consumer and promote Benetton. Often deliberately ambiguous, these pictures played on up-to-the-minute relevance and shock value rather than timeless associations of sophistication.
Helmut Newton's confrontational image making was defined by androgyny and sexual titillation bordering at times on the pornographic. His images were particularly contentious because they often conflated representations of female empowerment and female objectification. In some ways, Newton continued the sex and death aesthetic perfected by Guy Bourdin in his campaigns for Charles Jourdan shoes. Though best remembered for his dark interpretations of sexuality, images frequently cropped to effectively sever the female body, Bourdin also created a portfolio of sublime and playful works such as 'Santé' (1970) during his tenure at Paris Vogue.
By the 1970s and 1980s, the growing interest in fitness and thus in beautifully toned bodies was increasingly exploited to sell clothing and cosmetics. Men's fashion also became an increasingly lucrative branch of the business. Bruce Weber's (b. 1946) voyeuristic, often homoerotic qualities, as seen in his Calvin Klein campaigns, were typical of the period. Herb Ritts began his career as a celebrity photographer in the early 1970s, later specializing in nudes. Also active during this period, Deborah Turbeville (b. 1938) consciously referenced the past, inspired by the landscape of her native New England as well as by the pointillistic, soft-focus approach of early 20th-century photographers.
Today many fashion photographers, such as Mario Testino (b. 1954), are as famous as the celebrities who pose for them. The cult of the star fashion photographer began in earnest in 1966 with Antonioni's cult film Blowup; Avedon had already inspired Funny Face (1957). Steven Meisel, known for his trademark stylistic versatility, came to attention in 1992 for Madonna's book Sex. Nick Knight's (b. 1958) innovative digital work explores the limits of post-production and new media, and confronts issues of racism, ageism, and size-ism in fashion image making. Corinne Day tapped into the 1990s generation of disaffected youth and music cultures in London-based magazines like i-D, The Face, and Dazed & Confused. By photographing so-called 'waif' models like Kate Moss, Day was applauded for rupturing the cult of unattainable beauty, but criticized for allegedly glamorizing 'heroin chic' and eating disorders. David LaChapelle (b. 1969) was first hired by Andy Warhol to photograph for Interview magazine. His hyperreal and kitsch pictures of models and celebrities, in highly saturated colours, often challenge conventional notions of taste and decency. Yet his images point up the true purpose of a fashion photograph: to present an idealized, illusionistic vision that the viewer, literally, wishes to buy into.
Fashion Photographers Blog page for Fashion lovers and fashion experts, fashion magazines industry, fashion models, Fashion agencies and anyone with the love and passion for fashion.
Feel free to ad your comments and posts that are related to this blog. Please visit Shaun Alexander Photography page for more info: http://www.shaunalexander.net


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EMERYVILLE, Calif. (KGO/CNN) - An off-duty officer in California is recovering from his injuries after a group of teenagers allegedly kicked, punched and choked him at a shopping mall.
Authorities say surveillance video shows a young woman approach a group of teenagers on the night of Black Friday at the Bay Street Mall in Emeryville, California. She claimed the group stole her cell phone from her 30 minutes earlier and demanded they give it back.
The group of eight allegedly began violently shoving her. An off-duty officer with the California Highway Patrol witnessed the incident and intervened on the woman's behalf.
Police say the group then began to attack the off-duty officer. He was punched, kicked and choked to the point where he lost consciousness. When he regained consciousness, he used pepper spray on the suspects.
Police employed by a nearby Apple store responded to the attack. Two juveniles, a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old, were arrested. Six others remain at large.
The off-duty officer eventually drove himself to a hospital. He is recovering from his injuries.
The investigation is ongoing.
"We're trying to get as much video as we can from witnesses that were there that may have recorded it on their cell phone," said Detective Jaime Pardo with the Emeryville Police Department.
Copyright 2019 KGO, Emeryville Police Department via CNN. All rights reserved.


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Hi guys,
First of all I want to apologize for posting this thread again, but I do really need help with this.
I couldn't solve the problem yet and I don't understand why this could be happening, so PLEASE if anyone of you have an idea about why is this happening I would apreciate your help very much.
The authentication I'm using in my website is WINDOWS.
The error I'm getting is :
Hi everybody,
I'm having this problem again but in another application.
The application was build with ASP.NET and VB.NET, the problem is, when I press the LogOut button, I'm getting an error in the Bottom left corner of Interner Explorer and the error is :
Line: 80
Char: 13
Error: Invalid Pointer
Code: 0
URL: "the url of my website"
The code under the LogOut button is:
The most weird problem is that this error occurs on some IE but on others it work correctly !!!
I've checked the version of my colleague's IE, and the version and the service packs that are installed and are the same !
The version is: 6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_grd.050301-1519CO
Cipher Strenght: 128-bit
Product ID: xxxxxxxx
Update Versions:; SP2;
I really don't understand what's going on !
Is it possible it's a problem on the IIS coniguration ?
Thank you all !


text:
Tajikistan Overview
Tajikistantəjĭkĭstän´ [key], officially Republic of Tajikistan, republic (2015 est. pop. 8,192,000), 55,251 sq mi (143,100 sq km), central Asia. It borders on China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, Kyrgyzstan in the north, and Uzbekistan in the west and northwest. Dushanbe is the capital and largest city.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- Economy
- Government
- Land and People
- History
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: CIS and Baltic Political Geography


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Monica Kropidlowski
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Monica Kropidlowski is an adjunct professor of music and the staff accompanist at SXU, where she also teaches studio and class piano. She holds a masters of music in piano performance from Northwestern University, is the organist/choir director for Church of the Holy Nativity and teaches private piano lessons in the Beverly area.
As a professional accompanist for Saint Xavier University, Kropidlowski has rehearsed and performed with SXU's vocal ensembles, including the "Women of Distinction," University Chorale, Women's and Men's ensembles. She accompanies both student and professional recitals, and is the accompanist for the SXU "Opera in an Hour" high school outreach program.
- Applied Piano
- Class Piano
- Studio Accompanist
- University Chorale
- Opera Workshop Accompanist


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DETROIT (AP) — One team has the reigning MVP and another player who just won the Triple Crown.
The Oakland Athletics will try to counter all that by sending — who else? — a rookie to the mound.
"We've been the 'David' all year," A's right-hander Jarrod Parker said. "I think obviously it's a role and an image that we've kind of taken on and been able to embrace and it's fun."
Parker will start against Detroit ace Justin Verlander in Game 1 of the division series Saturday night. The AL Central-champion Tigers are making their second straight playoff appearance, but Oakland emerged as one of the game's biggest surprises by winning the AL West.
Now the A's have to contend with Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera — the Detroit third baseman who might win the American League MVP after Verlander took the award last year.
"We know we've got a great ballclub. We know what we have in the clubhouse," Cabrera said. "We know we're going to face a very hot team like Oakland. They play unbelievable baseball right now."
Cabrera hit .330 with 44 home runs and 139 RBIs to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1967. But he wasn't the only big story in the closing days of the regular season. The A's rallied to win the AL West, edging Texas by one game when they beat the Rangers on the final day.
Not bad for a team that had the lowest opening day payroll in the majors. Oakland got 56 homers and 54 wins from a cast of rookies that included Parker (13-8) and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Rookie left-hander Tommy Milone, who matched Parker with 13 wins, is slated to start Game 2.
"Obviously with Verlander going Game 1, you've got to be on your game," Parker said. "We have a lot of left-handed bats that are hot right now, and I think that's one thing we've got going for us."
Outfielder Josh Reddick, one of Oakland's left-handed hitters, hit 32 home runs this year.
The series will start with two games in Detroit, where the weather can be a factor this time of year. In 2006, the Tigers swept the A's in the AL championship series, and there were snow flurries at Comerica on a workout day between games. It rained a bit Friday, but the forecast for Saturday looked clear.
That was good news for Verlander (17-8), the powerful right-hander who had two playoff starts cut short by rain last year.
"I saw a little bit of rain today, but I saw actually on my Twitter of all places that it's not — no rain in the forecast for tomorrow," Verlander said.
Verlander led the majors in strikeouts this year, and Max Scherzer — Detroit's Game 4 starter — finished second. That could be an asset for the Tigers, especially since Oakland struck out more than any other team. Detroit hasn't been very good defensively in 2012, but if the A's aren't making consistent contact, it might not matter.
The Tigers are expected to start Doug Fister in Game 2, followed by Anibal Sanchez. Scherzer, who was bothered by a right shoulder issue down the stretch, threw four innings in the regular-season finale Wednesday — after twisting his right ankle two nights earlier in the celebration after Detroit clinched the division. The Tigers are content to wait until Game 4 to start him.
"The Scherzer situation — coming off a little bit of the ankle situation and the shoulder — we decided that would be the best way to go," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "It would also — just by pitching him, Sanchez in front of Scherzer — would keep Sanchez from keeping off too long."
The A's begin the postseason days after the death of reliever Pat Neshek's newborn son. Neshek is back with the team for this series.
"As soon as I got out there and started playing catch, it takes your mind off all the bad stuff," Neshek told reporters. "It's a good way of healing. . I don't think we'll ever get over it, but this is a good way to put the pieces back together."


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9 Memory Tricks for Daily Life
Losing your keys doesn't necessarily mean you're losing your mind. Some forgetfulness is just a symptom of being distracted, not a sign of serious cognitive decline.
Deterring Dementia
It's natural to worry about memory loss and cognitive decline as you age. But getting older isn't all doom and gloom. "While many of us worry that our minds will not be as sharp or that we will develop a serious memory disorder as we grow older, in fact the science shows that there are steps we can take to keep our minds vital and to reduce our risk for dementia," says Cynthia R. Green, PhD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and creator of the mental-fitness program Total Brain Health. Also, serious memory loss in people ages 65 to 74 isn't as common as you might think. About 15 percent of that group are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. But Alzheimer's disease and other dementias do become more common after age 85, affecting approximately one in three seniors in that age group.
Repeat New Names
As is the case with many other scenarios that evoke fears of memory loss, drawing a blank on a new acquaintance's name is often due to being distracted by the many other things you learn about a person when you first meet. Dr. Green suggests trying several memory-boosting techniques, including repeating the name several times, connecting the name to something or someone you already know, or creating a very short story in your head to give the name special meaning.
Keep Your Keys in the Same Spot
Almost everyone forgets where they put their keys once in a while, but older people may worry that this is a sign of cognitive decline or another senior health issue. In reality, it's more commonly an issue of not paying attention. When you walk in the door with your hands full, the phone ringing, the dog barking, and so on, it's easy to get distracted and to drop everything without thinking about it. One memory-boosting tip is to be consistent. "Put your keys in the same location each time so you are practicing this memory," suggests Jeffrey Cummings, MD, director of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health at the Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas.
Use Visualization to Locate Your Parking Spot
Forgetting where you parked the car can also make you think you're experiencing the first signs of dementia. But just as with keys, it's more often a symptom of not noting the exact location in the first place. Try this the next time you park: "Create an association or a silly visual image that can help jog your memory," says Jena Kravitz, PsyD, a clinical neuropsychologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. "For example, if you parked on level 2C, you might create an image of two gigantic cows sitting on top of your car." Writing down the location or sending yourself a text message are two other ways to help you remember and find where you left your vehicle.
Set Alerts for Your Anniversary
Forgetting birthdays and other special occasions can be a huge source of worry for seniors. Often this may be the result of simply having too many things to remember or being bombarded by too many messages. Highlighting important dates in red on a calendar or in a datebook can help. Another option is using the calendar feature on your computer or cell phone to alert you to these special events.
Create Mnemonic Devices for Important Numbers
Having difficulty remembering things like your license-plate number isn't just a problem for older adults. Train your brain by learning the number in chunks or by using a mnemonic device. "If you like chunking, you can choose to remember two to three digits at a time," says Dr. Kravitz. "If you are more creative, you can create a mnemonic. For example, '4MNJ532' could be translated into '4 My Neighbor Jen who has 532 cars.'"
Absorb What You Read
Even if you don't worry about memory loss and other senior health conditions, you could benefit from better recall of what you read. In her book Total Memory Workout: 8 Easy Steps to Maximum Memory Fitness, Green details her SING Technique: "Stop (take a pause), Identify the main point (look to the critical main point of what you just read), Never mind the details (details matter but first you have to get the heart of the story), and Get the gist (the gist of the story is the main point plus one or two critical details)."
Imagine Your Grocery List
If you want to challenge your mind, try keeping a list of your desired grocery items in your head. It will strengthen your cognitive skills — and help the next time you're at the supermarket. Kravitz recommends categorizing the items into dairy, meat, fruit, and so on. This works even better if there are equal numbers of items in each category, and if there aren't too many foods on the list.
Retrace Your Steps
Who hasn't gone into a room to get something and forgotten why they're there? Blame a lack of focus. "If this is a recurring problem, repeat what it is you are going there for over and over," says Charles Puchta, founder of the Aging America Resources Care Ministry. "Another thing people can do is retrace their steps either in their minds or physically. For example, what were they just doing that made them need or want something from a different room?"
Keep Tabs on Your To-Do List
In this age of extreme multitasking, it can be hard even for people without memory loss or cognitive decline to remember everything they have to do, especially when they can't do it as they think of it. Here's how to stay on top if, when talking on the phone or sitting in a doctor's office, you remember that you have to accomplish something important. "The key in remembering to do this important task is to set your reminder immediately," Kravitz says. "If you wait to set a reminder at a later time, you will likely forget." Consider calling your voice mail, sending yourself a text, or simply writing yourself a reminder note as soon as you think of the to-be-completed task.


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Anderson Fastpitch RockeTech Bat
The Anderson RockeTech FP Fastpitch Softball Bat is designed specifically for the diamond sports enthusiast – and unlike composites that gradually rise to a short-lived maximum potential - their design and use of high-performance materials and components, will deliver superior performance and will maintain a solid feel throughout product life. Anderson has strengthened the taper of the RockeTech softball bat this year to improve durability.
Before Anderson Bat Company's PowerArch design, there were two basic schools of thought for a multi-wall interface configuration. The first was that bat walls are loosely fit with a space that is filled with a viscous medium so the walls flex consecutively … or one and then (or into) the other. The second was that bat walls would fit snugly, and have constant contact so the walls would flex simultaneously.
Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages. The outside shell/inside sleeve with a space had better overall performance, but was more susceptible to denting. The outside sleeve/inside shell with constant contact was a little more durable, but traded overall performance. Both designs had two separate walls of equal thickness. The trade-off is reasonable because the performance/durability differences were relatively small but certainly measurable.
The Anderson PowerArch combined the two schools of thought. By having a series of opposing arches where there is intermittent constant contact and alternating separation between walls, it allows the walls to flex both independently and concurrently. It allows for a differentiation in wall thicknesses that improves the shortcomings of the above design forms.
The RockeTech, by design-necessity, is considered more of an end-loaded bat. It has more end-load and a higher MOI than the TechZilla. It is also more responsive at lower speeds to compensate for the bat speed lost due to the end-load and resulting MOI.
The new Anderson RockeTech Fastpitch Bat is one you wont want to miss!
Anderson RockeTech Softball Bat Features:
|Product Specs
|Product Info
|Length To Weight:
|Minus 9 Ounce
|Model Year:


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As an INFJ, I spend a lot of time gathering information and intel (consciously and sub so), and also analyzing/questioning/pondering, etc. I do a lot of this silently so most people wouldn't notice my brain is constantly playing 20 questions / 1,000,000 answers. Sometimes, though, my brain gives me a break and I only think, like, half as much as usual and contemplate silly things that make me laugh. Lucky you, today is that day.
I wandered near the bathroom at work, a teeny half bath that I don't like to use because there's a man who uses it (enough said). It caught my eye today, though, because I could see through the mostly open door that the toilet paper fairy arrived and apparently went berserk. There's a new roll on the spinny holder thingy with a bit dangling downward, what's left of the old roll propped on top of that against the wall, a new roll sitting on the toilet tank, and two rolls on the shelf above the toilet. You're asking now, too: what's with all the TP?
- Someone had Mexican and is expecting to spend a LOT of time in there.
- We have a cat I don't know about here. Entertainment!
- The man wants the bathroom to have that lived in look he perhaps has at home?
Then I realized — I put the two rolls on the shelf above the toilet (along with a roll of paper towels). But what if only Tall Tara and Also Tall Sara are the only ones who can reach that shelf?
For all the contemplating I do, I hadn't contemplated that people shorter than we might not be able to reach that shelf (I didn't do it on purpose, I swear).
And yes, my one coworker's name is mine except for the first letter and dontcha know that causes all kinds of confusion with staff and clients alike. Sometimes, she's called Tara and I'm called Sara. We decided to fuse our names. She likes STara, but I prefer TSara, pronounced Sara — the T is silent.
After contemplating that for a time, my mind flitted to my French studies. Duo at Duolingo and I spend a lot of time together. I'm doing well, but I'm curious about the French conversations I've heard in the past as Duo has me spending an inordinate amount of time on the following phrases:
- Je suis un garçon (or Je suis une fille).
- Je suis une femme (or Je suis un homme).
- Tu es un garçon (or Tu es une fille).
Just how much time do French-speaking people spend walking around saying I am a boy/girl, I am a woman/man, You are a boy/girl? When can I discuss my deep feelings for fromage and croissant? Curieuse.
You may be contemplating the following and will be interested to know that indeed I had to look up how to spell berserk but did not have to look up inordinate.
I could spend an inordinate amount of time trying to come up with a super clever ending for this post, but alas, I haven't had lunch yet so all cylinders are NOT firing. I'll just end this here then and bid you adieu. This is TSara, une femme, signing off.


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Pirna, not far from Dresden, is the birthplace of the indulgence preacher and inquisitor Johann Tetzel. Tetzel's actions caused Luther to nail his 95 theses to the door of the castle church and is thus considered a key figure in Reformation.
The infamous saying "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs" is attributed to him. Tetzel, who became a Dominican friar and antagonist of Luther, was born in 1465 at no. 19 Schmiedestrasse in Pirna. The house is still lived in today but can be viewed from the outside.
Despite being the birthplace of Johann Tetzel, the town of Pirna became Protestant in 1539. Antonius Lauterbach, a friend and student of Martin Luther, was Pirna's first Protestant priest and the dean at St. Mary's Church. The church is one of the largest late-Gothic hall churches in Saxony.
Pirna is a picture-postcard town: the silhouette of the striking church spires are set against the vineyards of the Dresden Elbe Valley. Lovingly restored period houses with magnificent gables and bay windows line the cobbled streets and lanes of the town. It's no coincidence that in the 18th century the famous Italian painter Bernardo Bellotto, known as Canaletto, painted more scenes of Pirna than of Dresden.
Kaks kasulikku klahvikombinatsiooni brauseris suumimiseks:
Suurendamine: +
Vähendamine: +
Täpsemat teavet saate, kui klõpsate brauseri pakkuja ikoonile:


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Handcuffed Celebrity of the Day: George Clooney, his father Nick, congressman Jim Moran (D-VA), and NAACP President Ben Jealous were among several people arrested this morning at a protest outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington.
The Associated Press reports that they were escorted to the back of a US Secret Service van.
Clooney has long been a vocal adversary of the government in Khartoum, which he accuses of perpetrating humanitarian crimes against its own people.
Earlier this week, Clooney spoke at a Congressional hearing, where he testified that "a campaign of murder" was taking place in Sudan, and warned of "a real humanitarian disaster" if something wasn't done within the next few months.


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Innoquest launches texture analyser for semi-solid food
The patent-pending SpotOn Consistometer therefore bridges the gap between analog measurements, which require an experienced operator, and a conventional benchtop texture analyser, which is used in laboratories.
Innoquest president Bill Hughes said the equipment could be used to test a variety of different foods. "It can be used to quickly measure the texture of shortening, margarine, butter, cheese, icing, paste, dough, peanut butter and more."
It combines precision force, depth and temperature sensors with a microprocessor and a digital reading that enables a display of averages and standard deviation.
Penetration force, depth and temperature
Using a precision load cell and non-contact depth sensor, the device simultaneously measures penetration force, penetration depth and the temperature of an entire sample, not just the surface.
It also can also display instantaneous penetration speed, which provides the operator with guidance for repeatable results. All the data gained from readings can also be downloaded to a spreadsheet program for analysis and plotting.
"The Consistometer is handheld, enabling on-the-spot measurements, and is simple to operate through self-teaching features," Hughes said. "It also includes PC software for full data recall and custom configuration to your application."
Innovative nature
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has given Innoquest an AE50 award in recognition of the innovative nature of the device.
ASABE described it as "one of the year's most innovative designs in engineering products or systems for the food and agriculture industries".
Companies from across the globe submit entries for the awards and up to the best 50 products are chosen by a panel of international engineering experts.


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Java, C/C++ or C#, Which Is Better?
This article is "Part 2" of the series: "How To Become A Productive Computer Programmer".
In today's article we are going to review three (3) of the most popular programming languages: Java, C#, Visual Basic, C/C++ using their speed of execution, level of difficulty and portability of code.
After reading today's article, you will be able to determine the suitability, usefulness or productivity of these programming languages for today's computer programmers!
Is C/C++ the Best Programming Language?
The C programming language was standardized in the early 70s for the UNIX operating system (and not Windows) by Dennis Ritchie.