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To see Maria the Corgi rush across an elementary school field to meet a class full of kids, you would think this little dog has always known happiness and fun times, but the drag bag protecting her useless back legs betrays the truth.
Long before she moved to Michigan and started visiting school kids, Maria was rescued by police in North Carolina.
"She was found during a drug raid, with her feet tied and bound with rope and tape, and her back was broken," explains Melissa Borden, the owner and founder of The Devoted Barn, a farm-style animal sanctuary where Maria now lives.
Authorities suspected Maria would have been used as bait in a dog-fighting operation if they hadn't found her during the raid. Luckily, they got to her before that could happen. Her extensive injuries were caused by humans, not dogs.
Maria was taken to a shelter in North Carolina, and then pulled from that shelter by an Indiana-based rescue, who underestimated the amount of care a dog with Maria's injuries needs. That's when Borden was contacted at The Devoted Barn.
"We take in just the extreme cases of cruelty and neglect," says Borden, whose rescue and rehabilitation facility welcomes dogs, cats, and all kinds of farm animals, some of whom were rescued from horrific hoarding and abuse cases.
"Maria clearly fit into our mission, and I knew we could provide her with the best life possible."
Borden knew her barn would be a great home for Maria, who was not seen as adoptable because she can't control her bowel or bladder and refuses to wear a diaper.
"Only when she's at a school can I keep a diaper on her," says Borden, who built a room in the barn especially for Maria, renovating an old horse stall and installing a tile floor that Maria can easily scoot around on and that barn staff can easily clean.
"She has a couch in her room, with a ramp, so people can sit on her couch with her and she can go up there," explains Borden, who adds that fluffy blankets are Maria's favorite thing in the world. The dog gets a fresh, clean blanket daily.
Of course, Maria spends plenty of time outside her room, and she loves to run around the farm in her drag bag and play with Borden's kids.
"Right away, the first day I had her home, two of my my kids came home from school, and she just loved that," says Borden, who remembers noting the instant connection Maria had with young people.
"As we got to know her, we got to know her personality more, and it just became clear that her purpose was to teach kids."
Teaching kids is exactly what Maria is doing these days when she accompanies Borden to elementary schools in Detroit. During lessons about having compassion for those with different abilities, Borden first introduces the kids to Maria while the dog is zooming around in her drag bag. Then, Borden will move the Corgi to her wheelchair.
"It's a really good visual for kids to see that even though we see her as disabled, she doesn't see herself as disabled. She's no different than any other dog in her mind, and we shouldn't treat her like she's any different. It's the same for kids with disabilities; they're no different than anybody else."
Borden and Maria also teach lessons about the impact of dog fighting. According to Borden, the practice is common in some parts of Detroit — so common that four and five year old kids can correctly define what a bait dog is.
"I want to put a face to it, a face that they can relate to," says Borden.
Maria's charming and kid-friendly personality makes her the perfect ambassador to educate against dog fighting. Her role as an advocate was recently captured in a YouTube video released by the World Animal Awareness Society, which offers free lesson plans for other animal advocates wishing to educate school kids on pet guardianship.
The video follows Maria and Borden as they visit Dixon Educational Learning Academy in Detroit. Maria lapped up all the attention while Borden explained why Maria's back legs don't work.
"One of the kids at that particular school was really concerned that it hurt her to move, and he was almost in tears because he was really concerned about her being in pain. I always tell them, 'Don't feel sorry for her now. She loves her life. She's gotten over what happened to her,' which is another really good message for kids."
Maria's message of resilience is being spread even when she's not visiting schools. The Devoted Barn is open to the public, and visitors often stop by to check out the adoptable animals and visit with the barn residents, like Maria.
"Everyone who hears her story leaves with tears in their eyes," says Borden, "but now she really is just a happy, happy dog."
Read more Monday Miracles on Dogster:
- Zoe Goes From the Euthanasia List to Winning an AKC Therapy Dog Award
- Starbuck the Tripod Pit Bull Defies Expectations and Stereotypes
- Parvo Survivor Chloe Goes From Flea Market to Philanthropy
About the Author: Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer in Alberta, Canada. Her beloved Ghost Cat was once her only animal, but the addition of a second cat, Specter, and the dog duo of GhostBuster and Marshmallow make her fur family complete. Sixteen paws is definitely enough. Heather is also a wife, a bad cook, and a former TV journalist. Some of her friends have hidden her feed because of an excess of cat pictures. If you don't mind cat pictures, you can follow her on Twitter; she also posts pet GIFs on Google+.


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(Note: Last updated 7/21/08. All updates are posted at the Free UDL Tech Toolkit Wiki. I no longer update this post).
My passion is to remove the obstacles to learning for all students and these free tools offer opportunities for struggling learners that promote academic success. When material is digital or electronic, it is flexible and accessible. It is our responsibility as educators to provide materials that promote success. Please encourage all educators to consider using these free tools.
When Congress reauthorized IDEA in 1997, they added the provision that ALL students on IEPs must now be considered for assistive technology. (As Dave Edyburn pointed out, 4 million more students were now eligible to be considered for AT. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 96% of students with disabilities attend schools within their districts which is the high-incidence population.)
Unfortunately, this was another unfunded mandate.
Unfortunately, this is a provision that is frequently ignored (in my experience).
Many teachers believe that assistive technology has to cost money, typically a lot of money. They tell me they are afraid to bring up AT at team meetings for that reason. Other teachers tell me that particular software or hardware is available but no one knows how to use it so it just sits in a closet, unused. Sometimes, teachers who were trained to use particular tools or devices have left the district and no one else is interested in learning how to integrate the AT. A common complaint is that the software is too complicated or there are technical issues that prevent implementation.
I hear many more issues but none of this helps our struggling learners. It's time for a change and there is no better time than now with the ubiquitous open source and Web 2.0 tools that are readily available. Change is centered upon Universal Design for Learning (UDL) which proproses that multiple methods of :
- Representation
- Engagement
- Expression
Change is also centered on FREE tools that are already readily available in the classroom or that are easily accessed by Internet download.
I have assembled a number of free resources that I believe should be on every classroom computer to promote learning for all students based upon principles of UDL. These tools provide improved access and accommodate for learner differences. Additionally, they are fun and engaging!
Free Text-to-Speech (Why? Two reasons - 1. It is essential for struggling readers; when text is digital it is now accessible and 2. it supports the writing process, especially when editing and revising work)
- WordTalk - a free text-to-speech program for the PC that works within WORD and Outlook and highlights each word that is read. Includes a talking spell checker and a talking thesaurus. Watch this teachertube.com video that I created to learn how to use it. It's best to watch it full screen.
- Natural Reader - another free text-to-speech software program which converts any written text to speech (Word, pdf, websites, emails)
- Click,Speak - a free Firefox extension that reads the Internet and highlights phrases and sentences as it reads
- PowerTalk - free text-to-speech for PowerPoint presentations
- Talklets - make any website talk, embed in your website, blog or wiki
- Read The Words - Register first, upload file or choose text or website to read, a recording is generated which you can listen to online or download to an mp3 player, upload to a blog, etc. Very Cool tool worth letting your students explore.
- Spoken Text - online text-to-speech MP3 converter
- YakIToMe! - Listen to important documents, PowerPoint presentations, emails, RSS feeds, blogs and novels. YAKiToMe! is multi-lingual (English, Spanish, French ...) and brings you the world's best text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis technologies. Easily converts to podcasts.
Free Speech-to-Text
- It is built into Office 2003 for Windows and VISTA. Explore it.
- StarFall - Pre-K - 2nd grade online activities that promote literacy
- GenieBooks - Decodable books in Powerpoint
- Story Line Online - Listen to stories read by Screen Actors Guild members - follow along with the text
- Planet eBooks - Free classic literature to download (middle school and up)
- Cast UDL Book Builder - Check out a previous post to learn about this free online tool for creating digital books with embedded prompts.
- UDL Editions - Leveled support for seven texts geared for ages 10 and up
- Poetry Foundation - free resource to find poetry by category, by name, by title, by author, or by first line. It's digital, attach a voice and it's now accessible!
- Bubbl.us - free brainstorming and organizing tool
- Mindomo - online mind-mapping tool, easily share with others
- Belvedere - designed for k-12 population
- CMAP - concept maps
- Free Mind - mind-mapping tool
- Mindomo - mind-mapping tool
- MindMeister - online collaborative graphic organizing tool
- Exploratree - thinking guides and more (definitely worth exploring)
- Dabbleboard - freehand graphic organizer and visual whiteboard, fun and easy to use
- Ginger Spelling - "Ginger provides an automatic spell checker, through an intelligent automatic context-based correction of spelling mistakes and misused words." Excellent correction, currently in beta, available for download for use within Microsoft Word. Add this to your classroom computers and tell your students about it so they can download it to their home computers.(PC only)
- Ghotit - an online contextual spell checker service, a great spell checker for students with LDs! Tell them to add it to their home computers.
- Wacky Web Tales - an online "madlib" tool
- Writing Fix - Interactive Writing Prompts
- Read/write/think - Interactive digital activities (click the student materials link and then click the interactive links - there are many to choose from)
- Our Story, Mnemograph - collaborative, online Time Line tools
- ToonDoo - Online comic strip creator
- Math Playground - excellent site for Math activities for K - 8, make sure to explore the Mathcasts. Mathcasts allow students to review math when THEY need to.
- Thinking Blocks - a creative, interactive math resource to help students understand how to solve word problems. Watch the video here to learn how to use it.
- GraphCalc - Online Graphing Calculator
- National Library of Virtual Manipulatives - a library of uniquely interactive, web-based virtual manipulatives or concept tutorials, mostly in the form of Java applets, for mathematics instruction (K-12 emphasis)
Study Skills Tools
- CueCard - an electronic flashcard program download with multiple features including ability to import audio and graphics. Keeps track of correct responses and can be printed out.
- Study Stack - create interactive web-based flashcards or use ones that are already created; if you use stacks that are already created, check them first as there are errors in several of the created stacks.
- Flash Card Machine - allows the user to create interactive web-based study flash cards.
- Flash Card Friends - online, interactive flash cards
- Quizlet - described as an online tool for learning vocabulary
- Awesome Highlighter - tool that highlights text on a web page; save the URL or email it
- Create note taking templates in Word
- Use "Power of Color" within Word (background color, highlighting color and font color tools) to reinforce concepts, to determine salient points and for review
- Use the "Organizational Chart" in the Diagram Gallery that is part of the Drawing Toolbar in Word to reinforce concepts and relationships which promotes learning.
- In Word, press the Alt tab + mouse click within a word to access the Research pane. When you are online, you will instantly get a definition of the word.
- UDL Strategy Tutor
- Bib Me - Bibliography Maker
- Google Docs and Spreadsheets - allows students to collaborate on work from any computer including while at home
- Zoho - full suite of online, collaboration tools - word processor, presentation, notetaking (can insert audio), spreadsheets, planner. Worth exploring!
- Go 2 Web 2.0 - here you will find every Web 2.0 application imaginable. There are tools for everything. Constantly updated!
- Web 2.0 Tools - (These tools especially benefit the learner with reading, organizational or attentional issues as the material can be easily retrieved, read or listened to online)
- Wikis - provide group collaboration opportunities and study guides
- Blogs - provide opportunities for written expression without time constraints and can use text-to-speech, spell check, grammar check etc. before posting. Blogs are great for students who are less vocal IN class, for a variety of reasons, but still want a chance to participate in discussions
- Podcasts/videocasts
- Web-based social bookmarking tools such as Delicious or Portaportal - create class favorites that your students can retrieve anywhere to help them study
- Multimedia and Digital Storytelling Tools
- Voice Thread - capture audio for online digital storytelling. THIS IS A MUST HAVE! The pro version is free to K-12 educators.
- Photo Story 3 for Windows - you will be amazed at how quickly you can create slide shows or movies from your class photos. Upload your photos in seconds, easily add music and you have a year end presentation of your class activities. MANY other uses.
- ScrapBlog - Create online multimedia scrapbooks from your text, video, audio and photos
- Flip Books - Create online multimedia scrapbooks from your text and photos
- Animoto - create fully customized videos of user-selected images and music almost instantaneously. The web appliciaiotn does all the work once you select your images and audio. This one is so cool!
- Building Wings: How I Made it Through School - A free "Readers Theater Implementation Toolkit" accompanies this autobiography by Don Johnston "which helps learners take charge of their learning potential!" Learned about this from Valerie who left a comment.
- Project Spectrum - Google Sketchup Tutorial for use with students on the Autism Spectrum
- ZacBrowser - Web Browser designed by a grandfather for his grandson who is on the Autism Spectrum. Appropriate for young children or those with developmental disabilities
- Do to Learn - Free Feelings and Emotions Games, excellent for social skills instruction, also check out the Fire Safety and Street Safety songs for students with cognitive disabilities
- Yackpack - audio email or free live conferencing
- Eyejot - "Video messaging in a blink," video email tool
- Better Fonts - Dafonts - free fonts
- PDF Creator or Cute pdf - free PDF conversion tools
- Diigo - a powerful social annotation research tool, with highlighting features
- Cast UDL Lesson Builder - provides educators with models and tools to create and adapt lessons that increase access and participation in the general education curriculum for all students.
- Checklists - linear alternative to rubrics, easily create guides for students' projects.
- Visual Schedules - best for younger students.
- Note Star - helps organize notes and bibliographies for essays and research papers.
- Imagine Symbols - 4000 free realistic symbols. Import these into your clip art folder for easy access.
- Audacity - Free, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds
- Jott - Use a cell phone to send emails or voice messages, great for students to send themselves reminders, homework assignments, to-do lists, summaries of class instruction ,etc. This can be an effective strategy for students with executive function, organization or written output issues. Check out additional ideas here in this blog post.
- Click N Type Virtual On Screen Keyboard
- Pics4Learning - copyright friendly image library for teachers and students
- Create customized lined paper using the Line tool within the Drawing Toolbar within Word. Give students the choice of lined paper within your classrooms including mid-lined paper.
- Customize the toolbar in Word; remove extraneous icons on the Standard and Formatting Toolbars and add the "Insert Sound Object" icon so that it is readily available for student or teacher use. (There are numerous options for this "Power of Voice" feature - this is a very powerful tool!)
- Enlarge the icons on your customized toolbar in Word
- Embed verbal prompts in your documents for student support.

subset: commoncrawl


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Get on top of your money with the new ANZ App
LIBOR Transition Customer Frequently Asked Questions
(May 2020)
These Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) should be read in conjunction with ANZ's "LIBOR Transition Customer Presentation". This presentation is available through your ANZ representative.
ANZ believes the information contained in these FAQs to be accurate as at the date on the cover page. ANZ is not obliged to update the information or notify any person should any information contained in these FAQs cease to be correct. The information contained in these FAQs is high level and intended a summary only and should not be relied on as being current, complete or exhaustive. This information has not been prepared specifically for you or taking into account your particular circumstances.
The information is not intended in any manner, and should not be interpreted, as ANZ providing advice to you. LIBOR Transition is a constantly evolving topic, and this means information quickly becomes out of date. Make sure you keep yourself up to date and informed on transition issues using current information.
The contents of these FAQs have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority.
The London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR) is known as the "most important number in the world". It underpins about USD400 trillion worth of financial contracts globally, ranging from complex derivatives to home loans and credit cards. Despite once being the most important number in the world, LIBOR is on the way out. From the end of 2021, LIBOR is expected to become part of financial market history. How, you might ask, can such a vital rate stop being available? What rate will be used instead? What does this change mean for you? These FAQs set the scene and provide some background to the transition away from LIBOR.
Since the financial crisis in 2008, shrinking underlying transaction volumes and a reduction in the number of contributing LIBOR panel banks has resulted in systemic risk concerns about LIBOR. LIBOR's demise was set when the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which oversees the administrator of LIBOR, announced it would stop compelling panel banks to submit LIBOR estimates at the end of 2021. As a result, it is expected that LIBOR will cease being published.The FCA confirmed in March 2020 this timeline has not changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
None of my products, transactions or services reference LIBOR. Do I need to worry about LIBOR cessation?
Work is being done around the world to reform LIBOR and other benchmark rates. Even if your financial products, transactions or services do not reference LIBOR, you do need to consider the reforms being undertaken in other benchmark rates. For example, you may be asked to amend your contracts to include fallback language for non-LIBOR rates.
LIBOR is published in five currencies – USD, GBP, JPY, EUR, and CHF. Instead of LIBOR, each country has determined what alternative overnight risk free rate (RFR) will apply. The RFR for each of the LIBOR currencies is set out in the table below:
SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate)
SONIA (Sterling Overnight Index Average)
TONAR (Tokyo Overnight Average Rate)
€STR (Euro Short Term Rate)
SARON (Swiss Average Overnight Rate)
There are four IBOR benchmark rates that will also need to be replaced due to their dependency on USD LIBOR.
The replacement rate for SGD SOR is the Singapore Overnight Rate Average (SORA) and for THB THBFIX it is the Thai Overnight Repurchase Rate (THOR). The replacement rates for INR MIFOR and PHP PHIREF are still in development.
Australia and New Zealand have adopted a "multiple rate approach".
In Australia, BBSW (Bank Bill Swap Rate) (and the Bank Bill Swap Bid Rate (BBSY)) will co-exist with the Reserve Bank of Australia's Cash Rate (commonly known as AONIA (AUD Overnight Index Average)). AONIA is the alternative RFR for the Australian dollar.
In New Zealand, BKBM (Bank Bill Benchmark Rate) will co-exist with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's Official Cash Rate (OCR). The OCR is the alternative RFR for the New Zealand dollar.
As markets transition away from using LIBOR to RFRs, there may be some corresponding movement away from LIBOR to these RFRs. This will depend on how international markets for products such as cross currency swaps end up transitioning away from LIBOR.
Derivative Fallbacks
Fallback language refers to the contractual provisions that set out the process to be followed in the event LIBOR (or any other benchmark rate) is not available. The language acts as a how-to guide for identifying a replacement rate if LIBOR is not available.
Generally, existing fallbacks for LIBOR in derivative contracts are only intended to apply when LIBOR is temporarily unavailable. When this happens, the fallback is to call for a dealer poll of quotes. If LIBOR is permanently discontinued, it is likely that major dealers would be unwilling and/or unable to quote a rate. Even if quotes were available in the near-term after a permanent discontinuation, it is unlikely they would be available for each future reset date over the remaining term of long-dated contracts. It is also likely that quotes could vary materially across the market.
ISDA will be updating the 2006 ISDA Definitions for the LIBOR fallbacks. Each affected currency will have a specific set of fallbacks. Generally, the structure of the proposed fallback waterfall for LIBOR is:
- Adjusted RFR (i.e. overnight daily compounded RFR + spread adjustment)
- Recommended replacement rate for RFR (as formally recommended by the central bank or other supervisor)
- Central bank rate + spread adjustment
ISDA is expected to publish the LIBOR fallbacks during Q2 2020. The effective date for LIBOR fallbacks is expected to be four months after the publication date. Any new derivative trades using the 2006 ISDA Definitions entered into after the effective date will automatically include the new LIBOR fallbacks.
Derivative trades entered into before the effective date will not automatically include these LIBOR fallbacks. ISDA will release a Protocol at the same time as updating the 2006 ISDA Definitions to cover this legacy trade population. Both parties must adhere to the Protocol for the LIBOR fallbacks to apply to the legacy trades. If one party does not adhere to the Protocol then the existing fallbacks remain unless the parties separately agree to the applicable LIBOR fallbacks for their trade. This approach will take a lot longer.
Parties need to consider a range of issues such as the effect of the Protocol on the transaction, or if the derivative is linked to, or hedges, a related loan facility or other cash product, how the fallbacks will affect that product, what fallbacks are contained in that product, and the impact on the hedge.
RFRs are overnight rates and do not include a term structure or credit spread. RFRs are also risk-free (or nearly risk-free) and may be secured or unsecured. By contrast, LIBOR is forward-looking and is an unsecured term rate quoted for different tenors. LIBOR also includes a bank credit risk component. Because LIBOR and RFRs are not economically equivalent, to account for the economic difference between LIBOR and the RFRs, a spread adjustment is needed.
The spread adjustment for derivatives will be a static number that is calculated once the LIBOR cessation event is publicly announced. The spread adjustment for derivatives will be based on the 5-year median of the LIBOR-RFR spread. The spread adjustment is added to the RFR rate and is intended to minimise the difference between the RFR and the LIBOR rate.
AUD BBSW, CAD CDOR, CHF LIBOR, EUR LIBOR/EURIBOR, GBP LIBOR, HKD HIBOR, JPY LIBOR/TIBOR/Euroyen TIBOR, USD LIBOR.
Other currencies will be addressed by ISDA in separate definition updates.
Derivatives in Other Currencies
In countries like Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, new overnight RFRs are being published, but the existing benchmark rates will continue. While there is a lesser risk of a permanent cessation event for benchmark rates in these countries' currencies, market liquidity may shift into using the new RFR. Contractual fallbacks will need to be made more robust for these currencies over time.
Operationalising the Derivative Fallbacks
Bloomberg has been selected by ISDA to publish the spread adjustment for derivatives. Bloomberg will publish the RFR, the spread adjustment, and the all-in rate for selected tenors.
No. While the LIBOR fallbacks are intended to produce a result that is comparable to LIBOR, unlike LIBOR which includes credit and term premium that change over time, the RFR spread adjustment is fixed and will not reflect changing market conditions.
ANZ is currently reviewing drafts of the Supplements to the 2006 ISDA Definitions for the LIBOR fallbacks and the Protocol.
The Protocol is the way in which ISDA enables adhering parties to amend derivative transactions and agreements with other adhering parties. The Protocol applies to derivative transactions and agreements entered into before the effective date of the LIBOR fallback changes to the 2006 ISDA Definitions. Counterparties may exclude agreements (including confirmations) from the operation of the Protocol by written agreement. The operational impact of some agreements being covered by the Protocol and others not (and needing bilateral amendment to include robust fallbacks) needs to be carefully considered by the parties.
Pre-cessation Triggers
A permanent cessation trigger is an announcement by an administrator of the benchmark or a regulator that the benchmark will no longer be published from a particular date. A pre-cessation trigger is an announcement by a regulator that LIBOR is no longer representative but where the benchmark rate is still being published.
Yes. Industry consensus was to include both permanent and pre-cessation fallbacks in the amended 2006 ISDA Definitions for LIBOR.
Cross Currency Derivatives
The Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) has published recommendations for interdealer cross-currency swap market conventions. The recommended conventions cover:
- RFR-RFR cross-currency swaps
- RFR-LIBOR cross-currency swaps
- Potential fallbacks for cross-currency swaps referencing LIBOR.
The USD floating leg will change to daily compounded SOFR. In the dealer-to-dealer market, a non-USD floating leg may reference the RFR if there is one or IBOR if there isn't, i.e.
- A EUR/USD floating/floating XCCY may be quoted: €STR/SOFR
- An AUD/USD floating/floating XCCY may be quoted: AONIA/SOFR
- A SGD/USD floating/floating XCCY may be quoted: SORA/SOFR
In the dealer-to-customer market it maybe the same as the interbank market or it can be IBOR to RFR.
- An AUD/USD floating/floating XCCY may be quoted: BBSW/SOFR
This will depend on customer needs.
Currently the other leg would stay as an IBOR. ISDA is considering providing a template to allow both legs to move to their fallbacks in the event one leg has a cessation event.
Credit Support Annexes
The current overnight benchmark for the major currencies is used to pay the margin interest rate (known as Price Aligned Interest or PAI). This matches the currency for the eligible collateral being posted. For example the Effective Fed Funds Rate (EFFR) is used as the PAI rate on the posting of USD cash collateral. This rate is also the discount rate used to value the trade. Similarly, when it comes to posting of EUR cash collateral, EONIA is the PAI rate and the discount rate.
The central clearing houses (LCH, CME etc.) are planning to switch from EFFR to SOFR for discounting and PAI in October 2020 and from EONIA to €STR in July 2020. These changes may result in an increased demand to amend CSA's to reflect these new benchmarks to minimise any discounting basis risks.
Note: CSAs that reference EONIA will have to be renegotiated to reference €STR, as EONIA will be discontinued at the end of 2021.
Loan Fallbacks
Because there is a lack of industry standard documentation across lending products, fallback provisions vary from deal to deal, and some contracts may not contain fallback provisions at all. Where they are included usually the waterfall of fallbacks is as follows:
Generally existing loan fallbacks only apply when a rate becomes temporarily unavailable (the "Screen Rate" being the relevant benchmark rate).
The market recognises legacy fallback options were not intended to cater for a permanent cessation scenario. In particular, because the fallbacks themselves are based on LIBOR rates they do not work once LIBOR is permanently discontinued and replaced by a rate that is calculated on a different methodology entirely. Existing fallbacks also do not include the ability to adjust credit spreads to "re-balance" the economic equation.
In the loans and cash products space, there is no industry standard suite of agreements equivalent to ISDA Master Agreements. Facility Agreements are negotiated on a deal-by-deal basis. That said, lending documents that reference IBOR rates follow similar conventions – interest is comprised of LIBOR plus a margin, interest periods are selected by the borrower and the rate is set at the beginning of the relevant interest period, with the interest payment falling due at the end of that period.
Because of the structural differences between LIBOR and RFRs, it is not a simple case of "like for like" substitution. During the early stages of the transition to RFRs, this is going to create challenges, particularly in syndicated loans where multiple financial institutions will need to agree on rate calculation methodologies and fallbacks. This will be even more pronounced for multi-currency facilities as RFRs for different currencies may have different characteristics and may be published at different times.
The expectation is that as RFRs begin to gain market acceptance, RFR market conventions will emerge. Template documentation will be published by loan industry bodies to reflect that market consensus. In the meantime, loan industry bodies have published consultation drafts for market participants to consider and use in one-off transactions (where the lender and customer are both ready to use RFR).
What language has been published by industry bodies to assist with the transition from LIBOR to RFR for loan products?
Provisions have been included in loan contracts to accommodate LIBOR cessation.
- Screen Rate Replacement language. The European Loan Market Association (LMA) and the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA) published the so-called "replacement of screen rate" rider for insertion into primarily syndicated and club agreements.
- LMA's Exposure Drafts. The LMA has published exposure drafts of single-currency facility agreements for sterling and US dollars with pricing based on RFRs (SONIA/SOFR) calculated on an in arrear basis with a "lag" period. These drafts do not provide fallback language for existing LIBOR deals, but are intended to facilitate discussions about how new deals based on RFRs will be documented and priced. The proposed rate waterfall in the exposure drafts is as follows:
The clauses in the rider do not include alternative fallback rates, but are intended to serve as an acknowledgement between the parties that if a benchmark rate cessation trigger event occurs (for example, the benchmark is discontinued or is no longer deemed to be representative or appropriate for calculating interest), the parties will agree an alternative benchmark rate and make the necessary changes to the contractual arrangements, and to the economics of their transaction, to implement it.
In syndicated loans, the provisions are also intended to simplify the amendment process by lowering the consent threshold. ANZ has been incorporating "replacement of screen rate" provisions into new and amended lending documents since late November 2018.
The "Primary Screen Rate" is essentially an externally produced compounded average of the RFR made available by an information provider. There is currently no Primary Screen Rate for any LIBOR currency.
The LMA is requesting feedback from the market on commercial issues raised in the drafts and commentary document accompanying them, and ANZ will be monitoring any published responses or the LMA's observations from feedback received on the drafts.
The ARRC in the US is responsible for the transition away from USD LIBOR to SOFR. The ARRC has published suggested fallback provisions for use in bilateral facilities, syndicated facilities, floating rate notes and securitisations.
RFRs are overnight rates and do not include a term structure or credit spread. RFRs are also risk-free (or nearly risk-free) and may be secured or unsecured. By contrast, LIBOR is forward-looking and is an unsecured term rate quoted for different tenors. LIBOR also includes a bank credit risk component. Because LIBOR and RFRs are not economically equivalent, to account for the economic difference between LIBOR and the RFRs, a spread adjustment is needed.
The UK Working Group on Sterling Risk-Free Reference Rates (for GBP LIBOR) and the ARRC (for USD LIBOR) has consulted with industry on the credit spread adjustment applicable to loans. There are outstanding be used a cessation. Both consultations identified a strong consensus in favour of the approach adopted by ISDA (i.e. the historical 5 year median of the LIBOR-RFR spread).
Forward Looking Term Rates
A forward-looking term rate is one that is fixed and publicly available at the beginning of an interest period and is quoted for a range of different maturities. The primary example of such a rate is LIBOR.
By way of contrast, RFRs are backward looking overnight rates. This means interest is calculated daily using the relevant overnight rate and cannot be calculated in advance.
The UK Working Group on Sterling Risk-Free Reference Rates has said that market participants should not wait for forward-looking term rates to become available, although they have also said that forward-looking term rates may be more appropriate than overnight RFRs for a limited number of products and customer types.
Provisional SONIA forward-looking term rates are forecast to be available by Q3 2020. SOFR forward-looking term rates are not expected to be available until mid-2021. There is no certainty term rates will be published. It is also unknown whether forward-looking term rates will be endorsed by regulators or if forward-looking term rates will be available in other currencies.
At this stage, due to the uncertainty as to whether and when forward-looking term rates might be available and whether they will be endorsed by regulators, market participants are preparing for a transition from LIBOR rates to RFRs on the basis that no forward-looking term rates will be available.
Unless the product requires discounting (like trade receivables), you may want to consider planning for loan facilities to use compounding overnight rates.
Operationalising The Loan Fallbacks
Will LMA/APLMA/ARRC and ISDA co-ordinate on the fallback terms such that loans and hedges can match?
While industry bodies representing the loan market and ISDA are trying to establish consistency across product types, their members may have differing views on product specific requirements (e.g. first fallback for loans is a forward- looking term RFR (if one exists)).
Parties to loan documents that reference a LIBOR rate will have to agree and document amendments to their loan documents to reference alternative rates and/or robust fallbacks. This may take time.
Loan Documentation
Various loan and other market associations are consulting market participants with a view of developing guidance on the transition from LIBOR to RFRs. The process for replacing LIBOR with RFRs may be driven by either the borrower or the lender.
Once the most appropriate strategy for transitioning has been agreed between the borrower and the lender (and will most likely follow guidance from the relevant loan market association and be dependent on the emergence of market conventions), the facility agreement will need to be amended to reflect the RFR-related amendments. The specific transition process will depend on the terms of each facility agreement and will therefore need to be managed on a case by case basis.
Various loan and other market associations are consulting market participants with a view of developing guidance on the transition from LIBOR to RFRs. The process for replacing LIBOR with RFRs may be driven by either the borrower or one or more syndicate banks and will be coordinated by the facility agent.
Once the most appropriate strategy for transitioning has been agreed (and will most likely follow guidance from the relevant loan market association and be dependent on the emergence of market conventions), the syndicated facility agreement (SFA) will need to be amended to reflect the RFR-related amendments.
We expect that most SFAs entered into (or amended and/or restated) since the end of 2018 will allow LIBOR replacement amendments to be approved by the majority lenders. However, the specific transition process will depend on the terms of each SFA and will therefore need to be managed on a case by case basis.
Various loan and other market associations are consulting market participants with a view of developing guidance on the transition from LIBOR to RFRs. The process for replacing LIBOR with RFRs in a club deal (i.e. a multi-lender deal arranged by the borrower that does not involve a syndication process) involving a common terms deed may be driven by either the borrower or one or more of the lenders.
Once the most appropriate strategy for transitioning has been agreed (and will most likely follow guidance from the relevant loan market association and be dependent on the emergence of market conventions), the facility agreement and/or the common terms deed will need to be amended to reflect the RFR-related amendments. The specific transition process will depend on the terms of each facility agreement and (to the extent relevant) the common terms deed and will therefore need to be managed on a case by case basis.
If the common terms deed also needs to be amended, other lenders and the agent (if applicable) may also need to be involved in the process.
Trade Products
Products that require discounting like trade receivables and payables may need forward- looking term rates. However, it is unclear whether forward-looking term rates will be available in time. The industry is still assessing the appropriate solution for these products.
Floating Rate Notes
A FRN that references a RFR may function differently from a LIBOR referencing FRN. Investors in LIBOR based FRNs are compensated with higher coupon payments when wholesale funding costs rise. However, FRNs referencing the RFRs may not deliver this outcome. In times of crisis coupon payments may fall due to the RFR being closely aligned to the official cash rate.
This depends on the terms that govern the FRN. In the UK, the bond market uses consent solicitation to seek bondholder consent to amend the terms of LIBOR referenced FRN. For GBP FRN issues, the level of bondholder consent is generally 75% to amend the applicable interest rate. By comparison, USD FRN issues typically require 100% bondholder consent to amend the applicable interest rate. FRN issuers need to take this into account when considering how to amend the applicable interest rate for their outstanding FRN.The ARRC has proposed a legislative solution to address USD LIBOR cessation (this includes the amendment of New York law governed FRNs). This is only a proposal.
The ARRC has published recommended fallback contract language and guidance notes for FRNs. Guiding principles for fallback provisions have been issued by the European Central Bank for Euro area risk free rates.
RFR Impacts
SOFR is a combination of 3 overnight US Treasury repo rates. The repo rate is the rate at which investors offer banks overnight loans using US Treasuries as collateral. As SOFR is a repo rate, SOFR has been volatile at times when the underlying US Treasury repo market is also volatile. SOFR can experience spikes at quarter and year end because of bank balance sheet repositioning. These one day spikes typically reverse soon afterwards.
Contracts that reference SOFR use an average of the daily rate over a fixed period rather than a single day's rate. Average SOFR is typically less volatile than LIBOR.
LIBOR is a forward-looking term rate (i.e. the rate and the interest amount due are known at the start of the interest period but the interest payment is not made until the end of the period). This gives borrowers cash flow certainty in advance of the interest payment for a particular interest period.
For example, in the case of a 3 month interest period, borrowers know 3 months in advance of an interest payment date what the interest payment amount will be on the interest payment date.
Daily RFRs work differently. To calculate the interest amount payable, all of the daily rate fixings for the interest period need to be known beforehand. The final interest amount can only be calculated at the end of the period. A borrower will not know at the beginning of the interest period what interest amount is payable on the interest payment date. Cash flow certainty will be significantly reduced compared to a LIBOR instrument. Industry is considering a number of options such as backward shifting the observation period for a certain number of business days for the calculation of interest to try to alleviate this issue.
Other Options
Alternatives include changing to a fixed rate, using an alternative base rate or using the lender's cost of funds rate. However these rates may not be suitable for your particular circumstance.
Value Transfer
To minimise the value transfer an adjustment spread can be added to the RFR rate. Given the lack of transactions referencing RFRs at this stage, it is difficult to comment on the effectiveness of particular spread adjustment methodologies (as they are largely untested) in addressing the value transfer, and concerns associated with this. The concerns are equally applicable to both ANZ and the customer.
Hedge Accounting
How does the transition from LIBOR to RFR affect hedge accounting? Are there any impacts from a tax perspective?
ANZ is not able to provide you with legal, tax or accounting advice. You should seek independent legal, accounting and tax advice on the transition from LIBOR to RFR.
Potential differences in fallback methodology between different product types may complicate the transition. The impact of a transition of any products that are linked (such as a loan and hedge) must be carefully considered.
System Readiness
Customers should look at their existing loan, trade, derivative and accounting systems to ensure they can support the calculations of the new RFRs. System upgrades can typically take a long time, so any upgrade work should be prioritised.
The change to RFR for each affected currency is developing at different speeds. The transition may occur in rolling stages as liquidity builds in the RFR for each currency so that a transition can take place. Product and infrastructure development is also quite fragmented. This may impact the timing of the transition.
ANZ is conducting due diligence to review and confirm how LIBOR and other IBORs are used in ANZ products or services. It is not yet possible to accurately determine the precise impact on all parties until replacement rates (and any necessary spread adjustments) are confirmed at industry level and until more information is known on the timing of the changes.
Closely monitoring the market, participating in industry consultations and preparing for an orderly transition are priorities for ANZ.
ANZ's current view is that derivatives are most likely to lead the way in transition from a product perspective. It's unlikely much will happen before the end of Q2 2020 as the market waits the finalisation of the ISDA LIBOR fallbacks and the publication of the Protocol.
For cash products, the expectation is that as alternative rates begin to gain market acceptance, there will be an emergence of a market consensus on the mechanics of those rates, with new conventions emerging. Template documentation will be published by industry working groups (e.g. LMA or (in the US) ARRC) to reflect that market consensus that will be ready for use in deals. In the meantime, loan industry bodies have, and will continue to, publish consultation drafts for market participants to consider, and will publish the outcomes of those consultations.
When central clearing houses move to SOFR discounting in October 2020, this may provide more liquidity in the market place. Subject to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK regulator is pushing for the end of GBP LIBOR product selling/origination by Q3 2020. This timing may change.
2020 will be a critical year for the transition, during which market conventions are expected to be established, infrastructure/systems upgraded and documentation to be published that will assist with the contractual aspects of the move away from IBOR rates.
Following that, and particularly from Q1 2021, ANZ anticipates that the momentum in the transition will pick up significantly.
Moving too early or too late comes with associated risks and costs. Ideally to switch to RFR, you would want to have:
- sufficient liquidity in the RFR
- a system to calculate daily compounded RFR
- legal agreements with the relevant mechanics for calculating RFRs and robust fallbacks
You have completed your internal review and assessment. How can you progress to the next step (establish dialogue with counterparties, banks)? How can you move things forward?
Currently, there are a number of outstanding industry issues that need to be resolved. Monitoring these issues for resolution and waiting for optimal liquidity conditions may be the be course of action. Early communication of your preparedness with ANZ will allow for more efficient transitioning.


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Slow Simmer Chili
From Rock and Roll Comfort Cooking
Chili originated in San Antonio, Texas during the 1820s, and since then distinctive regional variations have developed. This hearty version is packed with the rich, slow-simmered flavor of an authentic Texas " bowl of red."
Slow Simmer Chili
3 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and diced
1 or 2 jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
One 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 poblano chili, roasted, peeled, and diced (see note)
4 cups beef broth
1 bottle (12 oz) lager beer
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Shredded Cheddar cheese , chopped red onion, and sour cream for garnish (optional)
Makes 10 to 12 servingsCook's Tips:
Roast the chili on a grill, over the flame of a gas stove, or under a preheated broiler until charred on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the skin with your fingers or a small, sharp knife. Core and seed.
FromRock and Roll Comfort Cooking by Sharon O'Connor


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With all the 'but first coffee' memes, t-shirts and mugs that we see in our everyday life, it's only natural to feel that coffee is the best way to kick start our day. Coffee is high in antioxidants, and of course, a comforting way to kick off the morning, so it's often a natural choice for many to start the day, even before our morning Daily Shake. However, if we want to switch up our routine and try something new there are a number of ways that we can start our day with a clear head, taking a sip of one of the many alternatives to coffee.
Here are some of our top alternatives to the morning coffee fix:
Matcha green tea is a healthy alternative to our regular caffeine fix, but will still give us an energy boost that helps us jump start our day. It's packed with antioxidants that help us to not only gain our focus in the morning, but also lead to clear skin and aid in fighting off illness.
Although we can find antioxidants in many fruits in vegetables it has a high amount of an unique set of antioxidants called Catechins that are the most powerful. This antioxidant is the most known for its disease-fighting properties. We have an amazing Matcha Latte recipe you can make it at home!
Yerba Mate is a little known source of caffeine but it can make us even more alert than our regular java. Best-selling author of 'The four hour work week', Tim Ferriss has even been said to find Yerba Mate his preferred 'brain-enhancing' substance.
Additionally, Yerba Mate contains a variety of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, magnesium and more.
When trying to cut down on regular coffee and caffeine intake, hot water and ginger is a great way to kick off our morning. After a long night's sleep with at least 8 hours of fasting after our last meal, kick-starting our metabolism with a cup of hot water first thing in the morning is exactly what our body needs for our metabolism to get running.
Ginger is a natural ingredient that promotes and stimulates metabolism, so we often find it used in many diet and fat-burning supplements. This will keep our digestive system on a high for the rest of the day.
Cacao powder with maca in a hot chocolate-like drink, is one of my favorite morning picks. I discovered this concoction last year when I was on the 21-Day Clean Program cleanse. Cacao powder has naturally occurring caffeine. Maca is a root that provides a natural energy boost, helps to increase stamina, and also provides our body with vitamins and additional minerals.
Here is a great recipe for the Maca Hot Chocolate:
- 2 and ½ cups nut milk (coconut or almond)
- 4 tablespoons raw cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon of maca powder
- 2 dates pitted
- Pinch of salt
- Cinnamon to taste (optional)
Having this hot drink in the morning is a great way to boost our natural energy levels while also having minimal impact on our digestive system.
If we don't consume caffeine, or we're trying to kick the habit, starting our day with a head-start on our hydration might be all we need to have a clear head to begin our day. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated but don't actually realize it, so if we're opting to keep the first drink of the day very simple, a tall glass of water is always a good choice.
Staying hydrated can help minimize daily annoyances like headaches, or lack of focus. This study showed clear results that when adults were properly hydrated, their focus and reaction times to projects within the study improved dramatically. Starting our day with water helps us to be able to hit the amount of water intake that we should be getting every single day.
Written by Reese Evans


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|The Little Rose that Could
Truth be told,
Tucked up close to a window reflecting the sun,
|The Little Rose that Could
That is a fab rose...I love the color..how interesting those microclimates...I found a couple of rose buds in some areas in the garden..with the warm temps I may see another rose or 2 on those climbers...ReplyDelete
That is EXACTLY the color rose I want for my husband! (His favorite flower is an orange rose.) What kind of rose is it? It is beautiful! And I am very impressed that it is still going in the snowy weather!ReplyDelete
I am also thankful for those lessons learned. Where would we be without them?ReplyDelete
Indie, it's actually a no name rose tree I bought from Costco several years ago. It thrills me every year. Last year one of the blooms was shaped like a heart.ReplyDelete
The petal formation of that rose is so pretty. It has such intricate detail. The determination found in some plants is just amazing. It's been a clear lesson this year to see the sheer will of these plants to survive during this horrid drought and yours during such cold. Amazing lessons, indeed!ReplyDelete
That is a lovely bloom. Love the formation of petals.
Sunray Gardens
Welcome to my gardens!
Your comments are the sweet nectar that keeps me posting.
So glad you stopped by!


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Your Source
For Information
We want to help you understand the law and how it will affect you.
The Affordable Care Act works to help people get health coverage and to lower overall costs. Find out how health care mandates may impact you, whether you're insured through your employer or you buy your own plan.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has significantly changed the U.S. health care system, bringing guaranteed issue of coverage, tax credits, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Here's what Kansans like you need to know right now:
The ACA provides greater access to health insurance by making it possible for anyone, regardless of their current or previous health condition, to purchase health insurance. It also mandates that all plans offered on the Marketplace include the same essential health benefits and preventive services.
No matter what plan you purchase, you are guaranteed to have essential health benefits including coverage for: ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance abuse disorders, prescription drugs, rehabilitative and habilitative services, laboratory services, preventive and wellness services, chronic disease management, and pediatric services, including oral and vision care.
Plans sold on the Marketplace also include preventive services you can receive with no cost-sharing involved. So things like breast and colon cancer screenings, screening for diabetes, blood pressure and high cholesterol, and routine vaccinations will all be provided without you having to pay a copay, deductible or coinsurance as long as the primary purpose of the visit was for the recommended preventive service.
A number of Kansans will qualify for government assistance through an Advanced Premium Tax Credit or cost-sharing reductions. The tax credit is applied directly to your monthly payments.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas provides many options to help put you in control of your health care. When you choose a health insurance plan, you want to get the most out of your health care dollars. That is why you can purchase a plan directly from us with a short application process you can complete online!
If you're eligible for a tax credit, you'll need to go through the Marketplace. Benefits and pricing are the same, and you will have several options to consider.
Health insurance plans offered through the Marketplace and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas have different levels of coverage called "Metal Levels." Levels are defined by the amount you pay in monthly premiums and how much your plan pays when you need care.
Open enrollment is only available Nov. 1 until Dec. 15 each year. During all other times of the year, you will be able to get coverage under special enrollment periods, but only for life changing events such as:
The premium tax credit is an advance, refundable tax credit designed to help eligible individuals and families with low or moderate income afford health insurance purchased through the Marketplace. You can choose to have the credit paid in advance to your insurance company to lower what you pay for your monthly premiums, or you can claim all of the credit when you file your tax return for the year.
The benefit levels of many government assistance programs are based on federal poverty levels (FPL). You would be eligible for tax credits if your income falls between 100 percent and 400 percent of the FPL.
You are eligible for the premium tax credit if you meet all of the following requirements:
Healthcare.gov - Health and Human Services' site dedicated to health care reform and home of the Health Insurance Marketplace
IRS.gov - Learn about tax implications associated with health care reform
Kaiser Family Foundation - Health policy, research and analysis tied to health care reform
Employer Responsibility Under the Affordable Care Act - As of 2015, larger employers will face penalties if they don't make affordable health benefits coverage available. This flowchart illustrates how those employer responsibilities work.
Health Insurance Marketplace calculator - Helpful tool from KFF that illustrates how tax credits will be calculated
Kansas Insurance Department - Find details specific to the State of Kansas Health Insurance Marketplace
WhiteHouse.gov - Special section on health care reform from the White House
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association - Perspectives and information from the national association


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What kind of 36-year old sleazeball has an affair with a teenage girl? Joey. That's him over on the left.
Unfortunately, the girl he was seeing was a nutball herself. Amy Fisher was young Jewish girl who, when she was 16, damaged her parents' car. She took the car to Joey's shop and asked him to fix it without telling her parents so she wouldn't get in trouble. Joey, sensing an opportunity, agreed to do that. And more. After fixing the car, Joey returned it to 16-year old Amy and hit on her. The two started having sex. Frequently.
Miraculously, even though a bullet entered her skull, Mary Jo survived. Without any damage. She had a bullet lodged in her brain but it didn't harm her.
The story became a huge media sensation. Everyone had an opinion on who was right and who was wrong. Since sexism and the cultural stereotypes of Italian-American men and Jewish women were prevalent then, people expressed their views with reference to these ideas.
Amy plead guilty to attempted murder and ended up serving seven years. Joey was charged with statutory rape (since Amy was a minor) and served six months in prison. Both exploited their popularity with books, paid interviews, paid appearances, etc. Later on, both did ignoble things like Amy starting a porn website and Joey, in a celebrity match, boxed a female pro wrestler. Joey also spent more time in prison for insurance fraud and soliciting a prostitute.
For over a decade, whenever I'd mention to anyone that I came from Long Island, they'd go -- "Oh, do you know Joey Buttafuoco?" And I'd cringe. Joey and Amy are nobody's choice for representative of their hometown.
Have you heard this story?


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Welcome to my ramen dream... Currently being interpreted in Ramen Burger Land... Looking for a good slurp? Email me ! - Keizo
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
A day of ramen with sushiday...
Allison and Son from sushiday.com and fridgg.com were in town and after several months of forming a friendship on twitter, we finally got to meet! It's always fun to meet other bloggers, especially when they come from my hometown in Cali. All I got to say is that they are awesomely cool peeps! I only wish we could have met up sooner.
After exchanging a few emails with Allison during the past week, we finally arranged a way to meet on my day off. She wanted to go eat ramen so what better place to take them than the Shinyokohama Raumen Museum.
If you recall, last year around this time I was in the midst of my dream ramen journey--the journey that catapulted me into the dream that I am currently living. It's been over a year since I've been back, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
The newest ramen shop in the museum is Chuuka Soba Sakamoto from Kasaoka, Okayama. As you can probably guess, that was the first target on my list.
Any shop with the words Chuuka Soba in their name always piques my interest.
This deep shoyu ramen topped with chicken chashu was great! Since Sakamoto is my mom's maiden name, it almost felt like this ramen was family.
The next stop was Kurume Taiho, the second newest shop in the museum. I was interested to see how it held up to the honten in Kyushu and I was very disappointed to say the least.
The porkiness was definitely not the same.
Our third and final stop was Ryushanhai--a ramen that I crave on a daily basis.
Now this was some satisfying s***! Perhaps I'll take a week off and head out to Yamagata next month.
After the museum we decided to stop by Kawasaki on our way home to eat more ramen! Just kidding. We were all pretty full so we ended up roaming around the nearby mall.
But it looked like hundreds of other people had the same idea.
Later that evening, I met up with my friend Dragon (yup that's his name) for some drinks in Kabukicho. He was visiting from LA and I wanted to show him a good time.
The night ended fittingly at Bassanova where we ate some bomb ass ramen on my day off. This was one day that I'll never forget. Thanks to everyone that made it possible.
4 comments:
Thank you again for meeting up with us, we had so much fun! It was really great to finally meet you in person. Definitely going to have to meet up again next time we're both in the same area. :)ReplyDelete
Let me know before you come to yamagata. if you come on the 23rd, there will be a nomikai. ryu shang hai closes at 7pm or when the soup runs out....whichever is first.ReplyDelete
by the way, i don't know why my identity is posted as "franca" wtf is that????ReplyDelete
this is james in yonezawa.
- AnonymousApril 22, 2010 at 10:08 PM
You've now made me realized my life is woefully incomplete because I have no friends named after mythical beasts.ReplyDelete
I want a friend named Dragon.
But the first bowl. Man, I am such a sucker for saturated colors on the plate or in this case bowl, because that broth looks bananas as does the green onions...just a super dark kelly over the typical almost translucent lime.
very nice.
But in the first Ryushanhai pic; what's the red ball @ 11 o'clock and an inch in from the rim. Ume or something else? And what about it made you want to eat it every day?
Just curious and just thankful for you sharing...


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Star Trek Play Arts Kai Kirk and Spock Figures from Square Enix
From the time an action figure idea is first decided on to the time it is delivered to the consumer is quite a long time. Case and point – Square Enix first displayed their Star Trek Play Arts Kai Kirk and Spock figures at San Diego Comic-Con 2013, and now this August the figures are finally going to be delivered.
Both of the figures are based on their appearances in Star Trek Into Darkness and come equipped with a phaser, communicator, a belt, interchangeable hands and more. These fully articulated action figures stand about 10 inches tall and should be available this August for about $90.


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Relief Rally: Senators As Feckless As the Rest of Us at Stock Picking
We examine the stock trading behavior and returns of U.S. senators from 2012-March 2020. Stocks purchased by senators on average slightly underperform stocks in the same industry and size (market cap) categories by 11 basis points, 28 basis points and 17 basis points at the 1, 3, and 6-month time horizons. Stocks sold by senators underperform slightly for the first three months and then outperform slightly (a statistically insignificant 14 basis points) at the one year mark. We find no evidence that senators have industry specific stock picking ability related to their committee assignments. Neither Republican nor Democratic senators are skilled at picking stocks to buy, while stocks sold by Republican senators underperform by 50 basis points over three months. Stocks sold following the January 24th COVID-19 briefing do underperform the market by a statistically significant 9 percent while stocks purchased during this period underperform by 3 percent. Our findings contrast somewhat with recent news reports and studies of pre-STOCK Act (2012) returns, though are consistent with Eggers and Hainmueller (2013).
We thank Ranjan Sehgal for superb research assistance. Belmont and Van Hoek are at Dartmouth College. Sacerdote is at Dartmouth and National Bureau of Economic Research and the Jameel Poverty Action Lab. Corresponding author: email@example.com, 6106 Rockefeller, Hanover NH 03755. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.


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Ranch Style House Plans
Comfort All on One LevelFinding a variety of great ranch style house plans online makes it easier to discover your dream home. Ranch homes offer the distinct advantage of having everything you need on one floor and styles have progressed greatly since its popularity after WWII.
We've found some interesting and exciting plans online from Family Home Plans that Mary and I are sure you will enjoy discovering. Although simple in design, roof styles vary making ranch homes interesting and of course, perfect for porches!
Would you like to get more details of these plans? Great!
Simply go here and jot down the plan numbers you see with some of our pictures.
Here you'll find an assortment of ranch style house plans and floor layouts along with a video and pictures to help you find the ranch home plan of your liking.
Architecturally beautiful ranch style home plan - Family Home Plans Plan 95979Everything is on one level except the bonus room.
The expansive front porch is ideal for relaxing or entertaining. In addition, the open floor plan with a beautiful kitchen and 8 foot long island makes for very comfortable living space.
Ranch style home kitchen plan - Family Home Plans Plan 98267
Check Out This Neat Home Plan VideoThis ranch home has 2336 square feet and includes a 44 foot long front porch! Check out the inside too:
Plan #59214
Tongue and groove porch ceiling - Plan #98267
Plan #98267
More Ranch Style House PlansRanch home plans are one-story house plans and typically range from one-story square to rectangular, L shaped, or U shaped designs.
It should be noted that although less expensive to build than other house designs, ranch homes tend to have a larger foundation and roof area which can increase the comparative cost to other home styles.
Ranch homes remain very popular and have a unique history in the U.S. having created affordable housing for many.
Here are a few of our favorite ranch style homes; click on the photo or link for more detailed information.
Cottage Ranch Home Plan
Quaint Cottage Ranch-Family Home Plans 76335This ranch house plan has what we call a patio porch which adds lots of appeal and great outdoor living space.
English Cottage Ranch Home Plan
Fanciful English cottage appeal - Plan #59024Note the wide front steps that make the exterior entrance appear more grand. Note how this plan maximizes all useable space the and spacious utility room. Even includes space for a home office.
Plan #59024
Country Ranch Home PlanThis country style "ranch" home with inviting front porch offers plenty of exciting features.
If the country kitchen, screen porch, large family room, and awesome master suite weren't enough, you also get sitting areas in the master bedroom along with magnificent cooking island in the kitchen.
Family Home Plans Plan 74834
Plan #74834
Southern Living Ranch Home PlanThere's nothing quite like the charm of an expansive front porch just waiting to be decorated for holidays and other family events; this ranch style home plan fits the bill.
Enjoy 467 square feet of porch! Plan #25102A wonderfully large front porch and over 1800 square feet of living space.
Plan #25102
Contemporary Ranch Home PlanWe like the look of this more contemporary ranch style home plan. Although it doesn't have a large front porch, the home has an appeal all of its own.
Roof line allows for high interior ceilings - Plan #73141
Plan #73141
Search House PlansIf you see a house plan you like on our site, jot down the plan # and have it handy for when you visit Family Home Plans. They have a wonderful collection of plans and many can be modified to fit your needs. Search to your heart's content.
Are you looking specifically for a PORCH PLAN? Great, then please take a look at these porch plans they offer (very popular with our readers!)
Looking for GARAGE PLANS? Great, then please take a look at these garage plans they offer We may receive a commission if you purchase a plan through our link. The price is the same to you. See our full affiliate disclosure policy.
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Beyond is an old school 2d rpg with modern features. Beyond content will mostly be generated randomly or by players.
Game will contain lots of grinding(I don't know why people shun it, it's brilliant!).
The goal is to create unique rpg experience for android and desktop players.
I'm developing game alone, meaning that I have done all the graphics and coding by myself(I will update the game as frequently as I can, but I'm sure you can understant if update doesn't show up every day).
Playable demo & instructions at Palikka.net !
Main point of this article is to show current process of character generator.
However I will also open up the 'class' system the game will have.
Class system in Beyond wont be limited to one class(such as warrior/monk) but the player will be able to make his own class by combining diffirent paths( such as berserker, trickster, warlock ) and create the character he wants to play. By contributing skill points to these various paths the player will get spells( ie.lets say you had 10 points in blood magic, 6 in berserker, which would yield skill called bloodrage).
Well, you will learn more in upcoming updates :).
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Updated, game doesn't crash anymore upon starting the adventore.- Saving, custom characters, paths - see the full changelog at website.
Added an update with bugfixes. *armor attribute(fix) *dps(fix) *item generator(fix) *also modified hair colors
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Fixed bug that froze game upon start.
Entrance exams finally over, no I can continue with beyond.
I will add an update later with several bugfixes(armor, item generating etc)
And it's up!
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Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life! Every woman wants to look her best and have the memories last a lifetime through beautiful photos. Here are four important tips that you can follow in order to have the perfect makeup on your big day.
1) Start early with clearing up your skin.
Clear skin is the ultimate base for a beautiful face of makeup! Whether you are doing your makeup yourself or have hired a makeup artist, you will be happy to have taken the time to work on your skin care routine. Try to get regular professional facials monthly for at least a few months leading up to the big day. However, make sure not to get any extractions for at least a month before to prevent any irritation or redness. Also remember to keep a strict regimen of washing your face daily and using the proper toners, moisturizers, etc. for your skin.
2) Make sure that you have white teeth.
Bright, white teeth will make sure that your lipstick stands out on your wedding day. Aim to cut out teeth staining drinks like dark wine or coffee for a few weeks before the event. There are a few great ways that you can work on gaining back white teeth! Some ways include natural remedies, at home whitening kits, or even professional whitening.
3) Find the right makeup artist and do a trial round!
One of the most important things you can do is to find a makeup artist that you love. Don't just settle on the first one you find, but instead interview a few different artists. Choose the one that you feel will best be able to bring your dream wedding day make up to fruition and who matches your style. Ask them to do a trial run or two with ample enough time before the wedding to make any changes or work out kinks.
4) Hide any last-minute breakouts.
We all know that wedding planning can be stressful and sleep can be lost, especially the last few days before the event! A surprise pimple or two may pop up here and there, so it's important to have a plan to hide those uninvited guests. Make sure that your wedding day makeup kit includes a concealer to dab on for any problem areas. Top with some translucent powder and nobody will even know the difference!
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Rhode Island
Gov. Charles Warren Lippitt
- May 29, 1895 - May 25, 1897
- Republican
- October 8, 1846
- April 4, 1924
- Rhode Island
- Brown University
- Married Margaret Barbara Farnum; six children
CHARLES WARREN LIPPITT was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from Brown University in 1865, did post-graduate work, and traveled before joining his father's cotton and woolen manufacturing firm. During his father's gubernatorial term, he served as chief of staff. He was President of the Providence Board of Trade from 1881 to 1883, the Providence Commercial Club in 1884, and the Social Manufacturing Company from 1891 to 1901. He also was an officer of the Rhode Island National Bank of Providence from 1891 to 1901, Chairman of the Republican State Convention in 1894, and President of the Brown University Alumni Association in 1897. He ran for governor supporting the interests of industry and social order, advocating protective tariffs and licensing of liquor sales. During his gubernatorial administration, the cornerstone of the new State House in Providence was laid, electors rejected a proposed amendment to the state constitution to hold biennial elections, the office of State Record Commissioner was created, and married women were permitted to make contracts. After completing his gubernatorial service, Lippitt remained active in numerous civic and social organizations.
Mohr, Ralph S. Governors for Three Hundred Years (1638-1954): Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.State of Rhode Island, Graves Registration Committee, August 1954.
The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Vol. 9. New York: James T. White & Company.
Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 4. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.


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Terms of Reference
"Trainer for training of teachers about specific education needs of the students with Down syndrome and the utilization of mathematical program Numicon"
General Information
Established on March 4, 2007, DSK is non-governmental organization, with status association, founded by parents of the children and persons with Down syndrome (SD).
DSK as a national, multi-ethnic organization, its mission is to increase the dignity of individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
Mission: promotion, respect and protection of the rights of individuals with Down syndrome in Kosovo and of their family.
DSK reached to mobilize 920 families and its member, to organize initiative about the promotion of the rights of individuals with Down syndrome and persons with disability, to provide professional services which affect the welfare and the improvement of the life standard.
DSK coordinated local coalition of eight (8) NGOs for person with disability, called OKTAGON. Down Syndrome Kosova is member of European Down Syndrome Association (EDSA) and Down Syndrome International, these two organizations includesindividuals and organizations all over the world and engages to improve the life quality for individuals with Down syndrome in all over the world and to promote their rights for acceptance and inclusiveness.
During these years, DSK reached to build up cooperation with many state institution as Ministry if Education, Science and Technology; Social Welfare Ministry; municipality of Pristina; of Prizren; of Ferizaj; of Gjakova; of Mitrovica. Also collaboration with the Clinical University Center of Kosovo, Department of Genetics and Gynecology and private clinics and laboratory which operates in Kosovo.
Down Syndrome Kosova is seeking to engage a professional-trainer (expert in special education needs, specifically of students with Down syndrome) with experience in similar issues in the teaching field and working with students with special needs, with purpose to build capacities for educative staff about the special education need of students with Down Syndrome and the utilization of mathematical program Numicon.
Training will be held in 3 municipalities of Kosovo (Pristina, Gjakovë and Gjilan), for 25 teachers of I-IX classes / for municipality, in total 75 teachers. Down Syndrome Kosova and Save the Children are working in the thematic program in the field of training for teachers with the purpose of developing academic skills of students with Down Syndrome.
Necessary qualification:
- University diploma in Education, Psychology or similar field in social sciences.
- Master qualification
- Professional/nonformal education in this field is an advantage;
- Documentation of work experience in trainings and their implementations which is focused in the fields of trainings with teachers;
- Knowledge about the special education needs of children with Down syndrome;
- Knowledge of mathematical program Numicon, the utilization and the application of this program withstudents with Down syndrome.
- High analyticand communicative skills.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
From the recruit trainer is expected to:
- Develop materials of training modules for participants in consultation with responsible staff of Down Syndrome Kosova and Save the Children;
- Prepare necessary extra material for training including training agenda, with agreement and preliminary consultations with responsible staff of Down Syndrome Kosova and Save the Children;
- Leads the training in a general way, clarifies and elaborates the thematic and relevant terms of special education needs of students with Down syndrome and mathematical program Numicon;
- Organizes discussions through methods ''brain storming'', group work and presentation about topics that are included in agenda.
- Delivers the draft of written report, including objectives, work realization within (5) work days from training;
- Delivers the final written report to Down Syndrome Kosova, within (5) work days after having received and incorporated potential comments from Down Syndrome Kosova and Save the Children in Kosovo.
Engagment of trainer:
The trainer will be engaged by service contract from Down Syndrome Kosova. In this contract in a specific way will be defined the points which are not included in this document.
|Preparing the methodology work for training (Methodology, agenda, questionnaires before and after training and other necessary materials)
|1 day
|Training with teachers of classes I-IX in five municipalities (Pristina, Gjakovë and Gjilan)
|3 days
|Preparation and delivery of written report
|1 day
|4 days
Payment Conditions:
The payment of trainer will be based on the conditions of service contract which will be prepared from Down Syndrome Kosova and it will be signed from the trainer. The payment will be done through bank transaction in Euro valute. The payment will be done after finishing successfully the modules, training and delivery of written report, approved from Down Syndrome Kosova.
Based on Kosovo laws, Down Syndrome Kosova is obliged to do the payment of taxes (pension) from 10% of bruto amount, while for persons who belongs to non-resident entities, and don't have permanent units in Kosovo the retention rate is 5%.
Documents and application procedure:
- Copy of University Diploma;
- A draft proposal about work methodology for this commitment, including the planning of methodology development and training;
- A letter which includes the expertise and experience in the training field about applying the program Numicon;
- Curriculum Vitae (CV);
- Financial Purposal*
- *Financial request will be detailed about every each working that will be realized, here it should be included, information resources, procedures and techiques of preparing methodologies, trainings, writing reports and a tentative plan of work.
Applications should be sentvia e-mail address: email@example.com with subject Application: Training for teachers of students with educative special needs with Down Syndrome and mathematical program Numicon.
The deadline of submission of application: 30/05/2019
Only successful candidated will be contacted!


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Titanic-eating bacteria, a jumping cockroach, the king of the leeches and a fish that looks like a pancake.
These are just a few of the diverse creatures voted into the top ten list of new species discovered in 2010.
The list was decided by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and a committee of taxonomists from around the world.
The species span the globe in distribution, and vary from microscopic bacteria to a two-metre long lizard.
ASU entomologist Quentin Wheeler says the list draws attention to the amount of work required in the field of species identification.
"We can only realistically aspire to sustainable biodiversity if we first learn what species exist to begin with," he said.
"Our best guess is that all species discovered since 1758 represent less than 20% of the kinds of plants and animals inhabiting planet Earth. A reasonable estimate is that 10 million species remain to be described, named, and classified before the diversity and complexity of the biosphere is understood"
"It is in our own self-interest as we face the challenges of living on a rapidly changing planet that we understand the origin and 3.8 billion year history of evolution."
The Top Ten
Darwin's bark spider
How it made the Top Ten: This orb-weaving spider builds the largest orb-style webs known to science. Webs of this species have been found spanning rivers, streams and lakes with "bridgelines" reaching up to 25m in length and total web size reaching up to 2.8m2. The silk spun by these spiders has an average toughness of 250MJ/m3 with the highest measured at 520MJ/ m3. This makes it "the toughest biological material ever studied, over ten times stronger than a similarly-sized piece of Kevlar" and more than two times stronger than any other known spider silk. The unusual behaviors of this new species will allow us to understand size dimorphism, mate guarding, and self castration (among others).
Eternal light mushroom
How it made the Top Ten: This new species, collected from some of the last remaining Atlantic forest habitat near São Paulo, Brazil, emits very bright yellowish green light 24 hours per day from its gel-covered stems. DNA sequences of this species from five gene regions are helping us understand the origin and evolution of bioluminescence in the fungi. Of the estimated 1.5 million species of fungi on earth, only 71 species are known to be bioluminescence and Mycena luxaeterna is one of the most visually striking species.
Halomonas titanicae
How it made the Top Ten: This new species of iron-oxide consuming bacteria was discovered on a rusticle from the RMS Titanic. Studies show that it sticks to steel surfaces creating knob-like mounds of corrosion products that have contributed, along with other microorganisms, to the deterioration process of the Titanic's metal. This will eventually lead to the Titanic's disappearance. This bacterium could be useful to perform studies related to the disposal of old naval and merchant ships that have sunk in the deep ocean.
Sierra Madre Forest Monitor
How it made the Top Ten: This large arboreal frugivorous lizard of the genus Varanus can only be found in the Northern Sierra Madre Forest, Luzon Island, Philippines. The forest monitor lizard can grow to more than two metres in length but weighs only about ten kilograms. It is brightly coloured with stripes of gold flecks. Its scaly body and legs are a blue-black mottled with pale yellow-green dots and its tail is marked in alternating segments of black and green. It is quite astounding to think that something this size has eluded biologists that surveyed the area possibly because it spent most of its time in trees. However, it was known to the local hunters and is already a flagship for conservation in the Philippines.
Glomeremus orchidophilus
How it made the Top Ten: This species is the only pollinator of the rare/endangered orchid Angraecum cadetii on Réunion island (South Western Indian Ocean), representing the first clearly-supported case of orthopteran-mediated pollination in flowering plants.
Walter's Duiker
How it made the Top Ten: This new duiker from West Africa was first encountered at a bushmeat market. It is a surprising find because "The discovery of a new species from a well-studied group of animals in the context of bushmeat exploitation is a sobering reminder of the mammalian species that remain to be described, even within those that are being exploited on a daily basis for food or ritual activities." The taxonomic description of Philantomba walteri should facilitate research into its ecology and behaviour, as well as its conservation.
Tyrannobdella rex
How it made the Top Ten: This T. rex leech was discovered feeding from the nasal mucous membrane of a little girl in Perú. Its name, Tyrannobdella rex, means "tyrant leech king." It is unusual because it is the only known species of leech with a "single armed jaw with such large teeth."
Psathyrella aquatica
How it made the Top Ten: This is the first report of a mushroom species fruiting underwater.
How it made the Top Ten: This new species of cockroach exhibits unusual morphology. It has legs that are highly modified for jumping. Prior to its discovery jumping cockroaches were only known from the Late Jurassic period. This extant cockroach has jumping ability that is on par with grasshoppers. In addition to the leg modifications, it has hemispherical shaped eyes that protrude from the sides of the head instead of kidney shaped and the antennae have an additional fixation point to help stabilise them during jumping.
Louisiana Pancake Batfish
How it made the Top Ten: This species was discovered just before the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 and its entire known distribution is in the region of the spill. It is also a remarkably hideous (in a good way) animal. It is flat like a pancake, spiky, hops on its fins and has huge bulging eyes.
Image text courtesy of the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University.
See an expert's reaction to this list here.


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Antonya Karmelle Johnson
Member in Good Standing
Eligible to Practice Law in Florida
Office of the State Attorney
201 SE 6th St Ste 665
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-3334
Office: 954-831-8584
Cell: 954-831-8584 - No Text Messages
Florida A&M University, College of Law, 2006
|Class III - Leadership Academy Fellows (15-16)(ME)
Criminal Law
Office of the State Attorney
Government attorney
The Find a Lawyer directory is provided as a public service. The Florida Bar maintains limited basic information about lawyers licensed to practice in the state (e.g., name, address, year of birth, gender, law schools attended, admission year). However, The Florida Bar allows individual attorneys the opportunity to add personal and professional information to the directory. The lawyer is solely responsible for reviewing and updating any additional information in the directory. The lawyer's added information is not reviewed by The Bar for accuracy and The Bar makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied. The Florida Bar, its Board of Governors, employees, and agents are not responsible for the accuracy of that additional information. Publication of lawyers' contact information in this listing does not mean the lawyers have agreed to receive unsolicited communications in any form. Unauthorized use of this data may result in civil or criminal penalties. The Find a Lawyer directory is not a lawyer referral service.


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With the ever-increasing use of mobile devices, corporations must stay in tune with its consumerization, implementing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy to ensure the security of all parties involved—the employee and the corporation. Corporations can net significant benefits from a BYOD program, taking into consideration critical factors like securing the appropriate network capability and boosting employee productivity. With careful attention to the critical elements involved with a BYOD policy that secure success, corporations can come out on top, with increased sales revenue, workplace productivity and innovation leading the way.
To learn more, read the whole white paper:
Securing Your Network in the Age of BYOD – White Paper


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Churches around the world will be observing Churches' Week of Action on Food from 11-17 October as hunger is a stark reality for 26.4 percent of the world's population. The theme of the World Food Day, which falls on 16 October this year, is "Grow, Nourish, Sustain Together."
Two billion people are experiencing moderate or severe levels of food insecurity.
But ten months into the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 35 million cases reported worldwide, and more than 1.03 million lives lost due to the disease, access to food and livelihoods for people around the world has become increasingly difficult.
The number of people facing acute food insecurity is expected to nearly double to 265 million in 2020, from 135 million in 2019. The pandemic is impacting 60% of the world's workforce-2 billion workers-who are in informal employment. Eighty percent of them are in sub-Saharan Africa, where most do not have access to a social safety net.
It is also estimated that an additional 140 million people will be thrown into living in extreme poverty on less than US$1.90 per day in 2020.
"If there is no work-there is no food," said Celine Osukwu, member of the International Reference Group of WCC Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance and the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, EDAN. "People of faith, deeply rooted in their communities, are responding heroically to this crisis."
Osukwu recalled the episode of Jesus feeding the multitude, (Matthew 14:13-21). "We have no excuses but to respond to this crisis together, sharing what we have, in faith, to ensure that all are fed, leaving nobody behind, and with no food being wasted," she said.
During the week, churches will be finding ways to encourage people to "get back to the basics" and promote agro-ecological food production that is local, diverse and has a minimal negative impact on the earth and people.
Dr Manoj Kurian, coordinator of the WCC Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance said "Let us ensure that small farmers and indigenous peoples have access to seeds, land, water, resources and markets. Let us share resources in solidarity and care for each other, ensuring that all people are entitled to adequate, affordable and nutritious food.