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Some times in life we have to do things we don't necessarily want to do. You get thrown curve balls and life gives ya some challenges. The curve ball we were thrown this summer came from our neighbor. There is no need to get into the details of that ordeal, but suffice it to say that it was in our best interests to build a better fence… To tweak a Robert Frost quote, "Better fences, make better neighbors." We are looking at this curve ball as a blessing. On our homestead we really try to find the rainbows in the storm, so to speak. We also always try to learn something. So this project is a perfect UnSchooling project! This post isn't a "How To" or "DIY" post. It is more a post about "Our Journey". So, sit back and enjoy the crazy adventure!
The first thing we had to do was clear the fence line of all the big stumps, trees, weeds and the broken rusty fence that needed to be replace. Tom used a come-a-long to help with yanking all that out. The come-a-long really made this chore fast and easy!
After all the big debris was cleared, Tom busted out his new toy for clearing the weeds and other mess that grows along the fence line. Tom loves his propane torch! And I can't blame him. Fire can be a lot of fun when used properly!
The next step was digging the holes for the post. We did this in sections. Day 1 we dug 5 holes and filled them with the concrete. Stoney really enjoyed helping with mixing the concrete and helping shovel it into the wholes. On this day we got an unexpected storm so we were dealing with an exciting game of Beat the Rain! On Day 2 we all jumped into high gear and dug and filled the last 5 holes. We also got the holes filled with concrete and poles inserted and straight.
After the cement had set for 24 hours we started stretching the fence. I am convinced that you never have enough fingers to stretch and pull and yank and then place the nuts and bolts. It was a chore but we did get it all stretched in one evening. Pretty big accomplishment, I thought.
So one of the challenges we had were gates. We went ahead and tried to take a short cut with just buying a gate, but it didn't work out how we had hoped. Because of the side walk and the house, we had to move the poles farther apart than we had originally planned. No big deal, except the short cut had actually caused us more time spent in finishing the fenced in yard. We had to take the gate back and purchase items to build a gate.
So since we look at every hurdle as a learning experience, Samari, actually, took on the gate challenge. With Tom's assistance, she cut the poles, double checked measurements, attached the hardware to the gate and hung the gate with Tom's guidance and help. She did a fantastic job! And now, there is a bit of a challenge for our furry and feathered critters to escape.
The next gate hurdle we had was on the drive way side. The gate was here when we bought the property so we didn't have to spend money on making the gate. But as you can see, there were some issues with this side and we had to get creative. So first we had to come up with an idea to block off from the house to the pole. Then we also had to close the gap between the pole and the gate. The gate also scraped the ground when you opened and closed the gate. So some minor issues really. The scraping of the gate was something we had to use our heads to figure out. We had to figure out which ways to point the hinges in order to pull the weight of the gate upwards so it didn't scrape. The gate is pretty long so it was a bunch of lifting and turning and maneuvering the hinges in order to get it the right height. But after about 10 minutes, we had it figured out. (I didn't think 10 minutes was too bad to figure it out, personally).
So to close the gap between the gate and the pole we decided to attach another terminal post to the already existing post. We used a step drill bit to make the holes in the poles and then we bolted the new pole to the already existing pole. One problem solved! We decided to just stretch a piece of fence from the pole to the house and drill into the concrete to hold the fence in place. This part cost more money than we would have liked. We had to buy a special bit to drill into the concrete and then we had to buy the concrete anchor bolts to hold the fence in place. The real kicker was when we had to buy the washes to go around the bolts to hold the fence into place. WE ONLY NEEDED LIKE 4-6 (just in case we lost one) The washers only came in 75 count at the hardware store for the size that we really needed. All well, I know we will find other places to use them over the coming years, as long as we don't lose them in the mean time.
Even though we weren't expecting to put in a fence at this time, we are finding some nice benefits with it. 1- It was a great UnSchooling project for the kids. 2- Even though our dogs are never outside with out us, if we have to run inside for a second, we don't have to wait for them to get inside, just to come right back out. 3- It keeps the neighborhood riff raff out. From the trespassing of the neighbors lawn care guy (who apparently doesn't know the difference between grass and food) and the trash that was always blowing into our yard… those issues are brought down quite a bit. And 4- When we are outside in the evening and it is starting to get dark, we can sit a little more relaxed because the dogs will have a harder time roaming out to the front yard, now that the gates were up. We were always calling them back (and funny enough, they were usually sitting under our chair or in a shadow, so we didn't realize they were right with us anyway.) We could have looked at this as a huge pain in the butt and taking funds that we didn't budget for. But instead we are enjoying the blessings as they happen.


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Eastern Massachusetts
Varied, and then some
She is young and strong Her future lies before her and she is ready
Spring will come to tell of forgotten procedures in autumn gardens
when winter wind blows electric blankets nourish hot chocolate dreams
Wow, Tink. I didn't realize your previous haiku was based on a real experience. I'm glad you're finally getting back to normal. some days are like that if it can go wrong, it will best to stay in bed
Thanks, Tink. I agree that centering can be gimmicky, but I thought it worked here because of the major differences in line length.
coffee floods desktop important papers ruined no lunch break today
Sometimes It Gets Better
Dee2 replied to Dee2's topic in Member PoetryThanks, Tink. It's already tagged. I wrote it some ago for a Writing.com challenge. And I figured, hey, it's poetry. Why not post it on a poetry site.
church bells
Dee2 replied to Terry L shuff's topic in Member PoetryIn the wake of too many mass shootings, my first thought was that this referred to one of those. I absorbed the words without counting syllables, and didn't even notice the haiku form. Unless the writer is meeting a requirement to use a specific form, I think the power of the words should override the importance of the form. And I surprise myself with that attitude, because I enjoy following specific forms. Guess I'm just feeling cantankerous.
morning dew wets fur matted stinky mess of hair day begins poorly
Thanks, Tony. I grew up in central NY, but my wife and I have lived in Franklin, MA for 24 years (after 15 years bouncing from Boston to Framingham, Watertown, Sharon, and Norfolk). And coffee/brunch sounds good. Dan
Dee2 started following You and I and Sometimes It Gets Better
Sometimes It Gets Better
Dee2 posted a topic in Member PoetryA poem in Balassi form (bbaccadda, with syllable counts 6/6/7/6/6/7/6/6/7) We met on a blind date. She was half an hour late, but I was even later. We had not much to say. Her eyes oft went astray. I think she liked the waiter. But I remained polite, and did my best that night not to aggravate her. The evening was too long. The chemistry, all wrong. We both welcomed our parting. But days after we dined, she wouldn't leave my mind. I felt a passion starting. I broke down and called her, which I think appalled her. Her coldness left me smarting. But I would not take "no." She'd set my heart aglow, with no sane explanation. I begged her for a chance to kindle a romance, through mutual stimulation of body, heart, and soul. 'Twas my romantic goal. But I feared her damnation. So I was shocked when she agreed to go with me to the bistro where we'd met. The date was not the worst; a big step from the first; a delightful tete-a-tete. It's now been thirty years since getting past our fears, and each year gets better yet.
Snow on epiphany morning
Dee2 replied to dcmarti1's topic in Member PoetryInteresting pattern, bouncing between depressing (stark and white, empty) and welcoming (fresh coffee, breakfast). I liked the added IKEA stanza and the change from 'uncurtained' (simply descriptive) to 'naked' (poetic and a bit dangerous). p.s. I'm commenting before I read any other comments, so please forgive me if I repeated what someone else said.
Dee2 replied to rhymeguy's topic in Member PoetryAt the time you wrote this, the title suggested a specific event, as Tinker implied. Reading it today, I immediately thought of a certain pseudo-president. As for hate and pity, I have to admit that I have felt both from time to time, and I think it was okay to feel that way as long as I kept it to myself. It's hard not to hate the haters. And, as you said, it's hard to be at peace with everyone.
5 hours before dawn.
Dee2 replied to douglas's topic in Member PoetryWhether one has not yet gone to bed or has awakened and cannot get back to sleep, the dead of night provides a time for the mind to toss and turn, to ponder one's successes and failures, to agonize over past mistakes and plan for a future that avoids those speed bumps. Your title alone pulled me into that world.
You and I
Dee2 posted a topic in Member PoetryYou say what I need to hear, which is one of the reasons I love you. A word, A look, A touch, A feeling that you understand what I'm feeling and you understand what I'm wanting and you know that I understand you in much the same way. The way you look at me when we go out somewhere, to a party, or maybe to dinner, where others will see us and think, "They look happy together." And we'll know that they're right.
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Didn't obtain what you ended up on the lookout for?magnifying glassPlease aid Some others by serving to us do greater.Suggest a company
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Where This Meets That
In 2002, Christy and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary weekend at the inaugural Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
With something like 70 "jam-centric" bands and over 70,000 people camping together across three days, it was the closest thing to the original Woodstock that we could ever hope to attend, and it was magical.
We always enjoyed seeing live music together, but as parents it had become difficult to go see all the bands we wanted to see anymore. Bonnaroo gave us the opportunity to see them all on a single weekend, and they were all on top of their game.
That weekend introduced us to many new artists, like Umphrey's McGee, who was the very first act we caught. They performed Rush's classic YYZ to send me through the roof almost immediately. We also had a blast being introduced to the music of pedal steel minister Robert Randolph and the Family Band, who squeezed amazing energy out of a sun-roasted crowd.
But the real treats came after the sun went down. Jam-geeks moe. claimed the festival as their own, performing an epic Saturday midnight to Sunday sunrise set that took each of their 15 songs performed to incredible heights. Walking back to our tent as the sun peaked over the trees (and the band playing on), I knew I had just seen the best show of my life.
It was a short-lived distinction. The final night of the festival saw Phish frontman Trey Anastasio's ensemble take the stage beneath a full moon and absolutely owned it. I was still a little sore that Phish wasn't together at the time, but his performance that night almost made me forget that other band. Just like that, Anastasio was once again heading up the best live act around.
In years since, the event has included many great acts that I have seen before, from Wilco and Widespread Panic, to Radiohead, Pearl Jam, and, yes, Phish, as well as many others I have so far not, like The Black Crowes, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, My Morning Jacket, Beastie Boys, Arcade Fire, and too many others to list.
This year's Bonnaroo is just days away, and Sir Paul McCartney and Tom Petty will join the ranks of other classic artists like Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, and Bruce Springsteen, who have played the festival, along with countless other lesser known performers hoping to add their own names to the legend.
Despite great temptation to do so and many close calls, I've never returned to Bonnaroo, but that only makes the memories of that first one so much sweeter. So, to help conjure the Bonnaroo spirit ahead of Bonnaroo 2013, here is a high-octane jam from Trey Anastasio's 2002 full moon performance of "Push on 'til the Day".
Are you going to Bonnaroo? Or have you ever been? Share a comment below.


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The actor resigned from the 10-member committee set up by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal to review the proposed amendments in Copyright Act following differences with some members. The actor resigned after he reportedly had heated exchanges with lyricist Javed Akhtar and others over the issue of royalties in a meeting between producers and writers.Aamir, on the side of the producers, said that a song's popularity depended on the star it was picturised on and not on the lyricist's efforts, much to the annoyance of Akhtar, who said that song Papa Kehte Hai became a hit even when Aamir was a newcomer in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.
Dr.Tabrez Ahmad,
Associate Professor of Law,
KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India,
Website: www.site.technolexindia.com
Blog: http://tabrezahmad.technolexindia.com http://iplexindia.blogspot.com
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/tabrezahmad7.
Blogs: http://www.blogger.com/profile/15337756250055596327
Blog: http://drtabrez.wordpress.com
Research Papers: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=1189281


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Triple-A Omaha came back to beat Nashville, 4-2. The Storm Chasers split the four-game series and now welcome New Orleans to town for three games.
Down 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Omaha tied the game with two outs on an error and two batters later, Bubba Starling drove in the go ahead run. Garin Cecchini hit a solo home run in the 8th inning to provide some insurance.
Brian Flynn earned the victory in relief, as he stranded a runner in the seventh. Storm Chasers starter Luke Farrell allowed two runs on seven hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out a career-tying ten batters.
Double-A NW Arkansas won their second straight over first place Springfield, 8-0.
The Naturals scored four runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Donnie Dewees hit a two-run home run to cap the scoring. Dewees went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
The story of the night was Naturals starter Corey Ray. He earned his fourth victory with a complete game shutout. He allowed just four hits while striking out four. Ray threw just 88 pitches, 60 for strikes. Prior to tonight, Ray had never thrown more than 7.2 innings in a professional game.
Jack Lopez went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Jose Sanchez made his 2017 debut, starting as the DH and batting ninth. He went 1-for-4.
High-Wilmington needed 15 innings to beat visiting Buies Creek, 4-3. After having Wednesday off, they may have killed their bullpen for the weekend after burning four relievers (with just two arms left).
With two on and one out in the bottom of the 15th inning, Roman Collins doubled to center field with his first hit of the game to drive in Jecksson Flores to finally end the game five hours after it started.
Franco Terrero earned his first win of the season, pitching four scoreless innings of relief. He allowed three hits and three walks while striking out three. Terrero threw a season-high 55 pitches (37 for strikes) and induced six ground outs.
The Blue Rocks scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and had a chance to win it with the bases loaded and one out, but DJ Burt and Anderson Miller struck out to send the game into extra innings.
The Blue Rocks were held to one hit (a Nicky Lopez RBI triple in the 2nd inning) until the bottom of the ninth when Wander Franco singled with one out.
The Blue Rocks pinch ran for Chris DeVito in the 8th inning after he walked with one out. It backfired at the time, as Chase Vallot struck out and pinch runner Jecksson Flores was thrown out trying to steal second base to end the inning. Flores then flied out to start the tenth (he ended up going 2-for-3).
*Outfielder Brandon Downes was not in the lineup after being replaced on defense Tuesday night at Down East. Scott Blewett did not make the start, despite being listed as the starter following Tuesday night's victory. Blewett is not listed as a starter in the next three games either.
Low-A Lexington was swept in Columbia, losing the finale, 8-0. The Legends now head to Hickory for four games, as they dropped to 7.5 games back of first place.
The Legends collected just four singles, two from Angelo Castellano.
Travis Eckert took the loss, as he allowed four runs on on six hits, a walk, and a hit batter over four innings.


text: TCRLA_Public/151208.mbx T R O U B L E D C O M P A N Y R E P O R T E R L A T I N A M E R I C A Tuesday, December 8, 2015, Vol. 16, No. 242 HeadlinesB O L I V I ABANCO PYME: Moody's Affirms Ba3 LT Global LC Deposit RatingBOLIVIA: To Invest $6.3BB Through 2020 to Boost Power ProductionB R A Z I LBTG PACTUAL: Obtains $1.6 Billion Credit LineGERDAU SA: Slumps Most Since 2011 on Corruption Probe ReportMEGA ENERGIA: Moody's Withdraw C/C.br RatingMRS LOGISTICA: S&P Affirms 'BB+' Rating & Revises Outlook to Neg.SAMARCO MINERACAO: Moody's Lowers CFR to Caa1; Outlook NegativeC A Y M A N I S L A N D S3G SPECIAL: Shareholder Receives Wind-Up ReportBASKET INVESTMENTS: Commences Liquidation ProceedingsCFIP OVERSEAS: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 8EMM PTC: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 22ICHIBAN CORPORATION: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-UpINTARCIA FORESITE: Commences Liquidation ProceedingsOFFSHORE GROUP: Moody's Lowers CFR to Ca on Bankruptcy FilingPALACE COMPANY: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 22PHILIPPINE NEW: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-UpPLAKA LTD: Commences Liquidation ProceedingsSEABISCUIT HOLDINGS: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-UpTEOREMA ALTERNATIVE: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 10UB FUNDS: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-UpWOLVERINE NEWCO: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-UpD O M I N I C ADOMINICA: Lost 90% of GDP Due to Climate Change, Says World BankD O M I N I C A N R E P U B L I CDOMINICAN REP: Price of Diesel Falls, Gasoline, Gases UnchangedJ A M A I C ADIGICEL GROUP: Acquires Controlling Interest in Prism HoldingsX X X X X X X X XLATAM: Moody's Says Global & Regional Forces Weaken Credit Quality - - - - -=============B O L I V I A=============BANCO PYME: Moody's Affirms Ba3 LT Global LC Deposit Rating-----------------------------------------------------------Moody's Latin America Agente de Calificacion de Riesgo hasaffirmed Banco Pyme Los Andes Procredit S.A. (PLA)'s Ba3 globalscale and Aa1.bo national scale local currency deposit ratingswith a negative outlook and also affirmed PLA's foreign currencydeposit ratings at B1/Aa2.bo in global and national scalerespectively, with stable outlook. Moody's affirmed PLA's short-term deposit ratings at Not Prime/BO-1 in the global and nationalscale respectively.These ratings and assessments were affirmed: Standalone Baseline Credit Assessment: ba3 Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment: ba3 Long Term Global Local Currency Deposit Rating: Ba3, negative outlook Long Term Global Foreign Currency Deposit Rating: B1, stable outlook Long Term Bolivian National Scale Local Currency Deposit Rating: Aa1.bo Long Term Bolivian National Scale Foreign Currency Deposit Rating: Aa2.bo Short Term Global Local and Foreign Currency Deposit Rating: Not Prime Short Term National Scale Local and Foreign Currency Deposit Rating: BO-1RATINGS RATIONALEIn affirming PLA's ratings, Moody's considered the bank'sstrategy, which has been focusing on shifting their portfoliotowards SME lenders and reducing exposure to microfinance loans,thus increasing its average loan ticket, so as to gradually reduceadministrative costs and improve its poor efficiency metrics. Thebank has conservative risk management practices, in line withthose of its parent Procredit AG, which have resulted in lowdelinquency levels despite its narrow focus on relatively riskymarket segments. Also, PLA maintains strong capitalization ratiosand adequate reserve coverage which should enable to absorbpotential losses in adverse circumstances, as well as stablefunding and liquidity indicators.In maintaining the negative outlook on local currency depositratings, Moody's considered the upward trend in the non-performingloan ratio observed since 2012, which has driven an increase inloan loss provisions and a consequent decrease in profitability,which has dropped sharply this year. In addition, the bank'searning generation capacity continues to face pressure as a resultof lending rate caps and deposit rate floors. It remains to beseen how effectively these earnings pressures will be offset byimprovements to operating efficiency.With an adjusted Tangible Common Equity on Risk Weighted Assetsratio at 12.9%, capital remains strong, and supports the banksconservative lending growth strategy. PLA also maintainsrelatively high deposit granularity and with deposits representing80% of total liabilities, has limited dependence on credit linesand parent funding. Liquid banking assets accounted for 21% ofthe bank's tangible banking assets as of September 2015, which ishigher than its peers.The ratings could face downward pressure if the governmentregulations or operating environment negatively affect theentity's asset quality and profitability. Given the currentnegative outlook on the bank's ratings, upward pressure inunlikely in the short term. However, the outlook could be revisedto stable if the bank's earnings rebound to historical levels andasset quality does not deteriorate.Banco Los Andes Procredit S.A. is headquartered in Santa Cruz dela Sierra, Bolivia, and had BOB 5.18 billion in assets, BOB 3.66billion in deposits, and BOB 588 million in shareholders' equityas of September 2015.BOLIVIA: To Invest $6.3BB Through 2020 to Boost Power Production----------------------------------------------------------------EFE News reports that Bolivia's government said it would investsome $6.3 billion through 2020 to boost the Andean nation'sinstalled power capacity to some 4,800 megawatts -- up from 1,800MW at present -- with a view to exporting electricity.Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera unveiled theinvestment figure during a seminar at the Oruro TechnicalUniversity, where he explained the government's plan to transformBolivia into the Southern Cone's energy hub, the report relates.The report notes that Mr. Linera justified President Evo Morales'decision to make a push for electricity production rather thanfocus exclusively on exports of natural gas, which Boliviacurrently sells to Brazil and Argentina.Bolivia presently receives around $5 per million British ThermalUnits -- which measure thermal energy -- on its natural gasexports, whereas if that same quantity of BTUs were used toproduce electricity for export the earnings would double, the vicepresident said, the report relays.In recent months, the price of Bolivia's natural gas has plummeteddue to a sharp drop in the price of petroleum, used as a referenceprice for its contracts with Argentina and Brazil, the reportdiscloses.In the first 10 months of 2015, Bolivia earned $3.45 billion onits exports of natural gas and small quantities of petroleum, down39 percent from the $5.64 billion it earned in January-October2014, the Bolivian Statistics Institute said, the report relays.Investments in electricity will be earmarked to boost productionof hydroelectric, thermoelectric, wind and solar energies, amongother sources, the report adds.===========B R A Z I L===========BTG PACTUAL: Obtains $1.6 Billion Credit Line---------------------------------------------EFE News reports that Brazilian investment bank Banco BTG PactualS.A., whose now former CEO was arrested as part of a wide-rangingcorruption probe centered on state-controlled oil companyPetrobras, has obtained a $1.6 billion credit line from thenation's FGC deposit-guarantee fund that will ensure it can meetits financial obligations.The Sao-Paulo based bank said in a regulatory filing that it wouldbe able to immediately access the credit line, which was approvedby FGC's board and is guaranteed by part of BTG Pactual's loanportfolio and assets belonging to its controlling shareholders,according to EFE News.The report notes that the goal of the credit line is to"strengthen the liquidity required for the normal operations ofthe institution," BTG said.In a separate filing, the bank said its board was "interviewinginternational law firms to conduct an investigation into variousmatters that have been reported in the press in the context of(last week's) arrest of Mr. Andre Santos Esteves," theinstitution's co-founder and erstwhile chief executive, the reportrelays.A committee consisting mainly of independent board members willoversee and direct the investigation by the law firm, which was tobe chosen by Dec. 7, the report notes.The report relays that Mr. Esteves, who was arrested on Nov. 25 inconnection with a $2 billion corruption scandal centered on stateoil company Petrobras, resigned as BTG's chairman and CEO a fewdays later and then ceded control of the investment bank toseveral senior partners via a share swap.The report notes that Mr. Esteves, one of Brazil's 20 wealthiestindividuals, was taken into custody in the same operation thatresulted in the arrest of Sen. Delcidio Amaral, until then leaderof the pro-government bloc in the upper chamber of Congress.Prosecutors say Mr. Esteves financially backed Amaral in hiseffort to offer hush money to Nestor Cervero, a former Petrobrasexecutive sentenced to a dozen years in prison on corruption andmoney-laundering charges, the report discloses.The banker and the senator purportedly wanted to dissuade Mr.Cervero from testifying about bribes they allegedly paid him adecade ago, the report relays.The report says that Mr. Cervero played a pivotal role inPetrobras' controversial 2006 purchase of a refinery in Pasadena,Texas.Petrobras paid Astra Oil $1.18 billion for the refinery a yearafter the Belgian-based company acquired it for just $42.5million, the report adds. * * *As reported in the Troubled Company Reporter-Latin America onDec. 4, 2015, Moody's Investors Service downgraded Banco BTGPactual S.A.'s baseline credit assessment (BCA) to ba2 from baa3,and its ratings, including the long-term global local- andforeign-currency deposit ratings to Ba2 from Baa3; the short-termglobal local- and foreign-currency deposit ratings to Not Primefrom Prime-3; the senior unsecured MTN program (foreign currency)rating to (P)Ba2 from(P)Baa3; and the long-term Brazilian nationalscale deposit rating to A1.br from Aa1.br.GERDAU SA: Slumps Most Since 2011 on Corruption Probe Report------------------------------------------------------------Denyse Godoy at Bloomberg News reports that Gerdau SA slumped themost in four years after a report that it was mentioned in a graftprobe.Shares fell 9.6 percent on Dec. 5, the most since August 2011, toBRL5.44 as trading volume was 40 percent above the average of thepast three months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.The final report from a Congress committee that investigated analleged bribe scheme to avoid payment of taxes mentions Gerdauamong the companies benefited, newspaper Jornal do Comercio said,citing the report, Bloomberg News discloses.The steelmaker said in an e-mailed response to questions that itnever made any illicit payments to officials.Investors are concerned the investigation could lead to penaltiesincluding fines, according to Rafael Ohmachi, an analyst at thebrokerage Guide Investimentos, Bloomberg News says."That concern is weighing over the stocks Dec. 5," Mr. Ohmachisaid from Sao Paulo, the report relays. "It also adds to thegeneral distrust regarding the Brazilian markets. Investors feelvery uncomfortable with so many scandals," Mr. Ohmachi added.Brazil's benchmark stock gauge fell 2.2 percent Dec. 4 onspeculation the political crisis that has paralyzed LatinAmerica's biggest economy is nowhere near the end, Bloomberg Newsnotes.The lower house leader, Eduardo Cunha, accepted a request toimpeach President Dilma Rousseff that argues she illegallyfinanced her re-election campaign and broke the fiscal law byoverspending this year and last, the report relays. Mr. Cunhahimself faces a possible congressional ethics probe because ofallegations that he lied about the existence of overseas banksaccounts, adds the report. Both Mr. Cunha and President Rousseffdeny any wrongdoing.Goldman Sachs Group Inc. warned that Latin America's biggesteconomy is entering "an outright depression," says Bloomberg.Political turmoil, fueled by a corruption investigation thatentangled politicians, state-controlled oil producer PetroleoBrasileiro SA and the country's biggest builders, has preventedthe government from getting approval for measures intended toshore up the budget and restore growth, it notes.As reported in the Troubled Company Reporter-Latin America onMarch 25, 2011, Moody's Investors Service has placed under reviewfor possible upgrade the Ba1 global scale corporate family ratingsof Gerdau S.A. and Gerdau Ameristeel Corporation, following theannouncement of a primary equity issuance by Gerdau of aboutBRL3.8 billion to BRL4.2 billion, likely to be concluded duringApril 2011.MEGA ENERGIA: Moody's Withdraw C/C.br Rating--------------------------------------------Moody's America Latina Ltda. withdrew the ratings of Mega EnergiaLoccao e Administrcao de Bens S.A. (C/C.br).RATINGS RATIONALEMoody's has withdrawn the rating because it believes it hasinsufficient or otherwise inadequate information to support themaintenance of the rating.The withdrawal follows Mega Energia inability to deliver itsaudited financial statement for its fiscal year ending December2014.The last rating action on Mega Energia was taken on 15 January2015 when Moody's downgraded the company's corporate family ratingto C/C.br from Caa1/Caa1.br with a stable outlook.Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mega Energia is a localprovider of equipment rental, including crane, heavy vehicles,natural gas compressors and energy generators. The companyoperates mainly in the city of Rio de Janeiro (Baa3 stable).MRS LOGISTICA: S&P Affirms 'BB+' Rating & Revises Outlook to Neg.-----------------------------------------------------------------Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has affirmed its 'BB+' globalscale and 'brAA+' national scale ratings on MRS Logistica S.A. Atthe same time, S&P revised its outlook on these ratings tonegative from stable. S&P has also affirmed its 'brAA+' nationalscale issue-level rating on MRS's senior unsecured debt. The '3'recovery rating on MRS's debt, which reflects S&P's expectationsof meaningful recovery (50%-70%; the lower band of the range) onthe company's senior unsecured debentures, remains unchanged.The ratings on MRS reflect its sound operating efficiency andstrategic importance to its controlling shareholders, which arealso MRS's main clients, as well as its manageable debt levels.However, MRS is a regulated concession that generates 100% of itsrevenues in the domestic markets, which exposes it to governmentalsanctions and to its clients' ability to continue to producewithout disruptions amid a hypothetical sovereign stress scenario.Therefore, S&P has limited MRS's ratings to that of the 'BB+'sovereign foreign currency rating and now revising the company'soutlook to negative to mirror the outlook on the sovereign rating.To assess the possibility of a company having a higher rating thanthe sovereign, S&P applies a stress test to the former's liquidityin a hypothetical scenario of sovereign default. For MRS, S&Passumes its transported volumes would be volatile because ameaningful portion of its contracted volumes come from clientsthat have weaker credit quality than the Brazilian sovereign, suchas Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. (Usiminas;B+/Negative/--) and Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN;BB-/Negative/--). This could also affect timeliness ofreceivables payment. Furthermore, despite MRS's protectivecontractual clauses that allow it to pass through some costincreases to its tariffs, S&P assumes that it could face delays inthe approval of tariff increase with its main clients. S&P'sstress scenario for a higher rating than that on the sovereignalso includes these assumptions: -- The stressed year of 2016. -- Brazilian GDP contracts 10% in 2016. -- Average and end of period foreign exchange rates doubling in 2016 to R$8.20/$1.00 and R$8.4/$1.00, respectively. -- Inflation rate at 13% in Brazil in 2016, raising some costs and expenses. -- If the sovereign were to be in default, S&P assumes some of MRS's clients would also be in financial difficulties. In that sense, S&P reduced the expected iron volumes that MRS would transport for riskier companies to 0 metric tons from 4 million tons for Usiminas and 20 million tons from 30 million tons for CSN. S&P assumes that MRS's other clients, Vale S.A. and Gerdau S.A., would continue to produce and MRS would transport their full volumes with no disruptions. -- MRS' general cargo to remain fairly stable in 2016 because there's a large and pulverized client base. -- Flat tariffs for general cargo in 2016. -- Tariff increase of 13% for iron ore (main cargo and clients, which are also MRS's shareholders) due to the company's contractual clauses that would allow for material cost increases to be passed through upon negotiations with clients. In this sense, S&P believes MRS can negotiate tariff increases at least once every quarter, resulting in pass through of 75% of cost increases on average. -- Diesel prices to increase by 50% as a result of currency depreciation. -- No currency effect on MRS's dollar-denominated debt because it's fully hedged (interest and principal). -- Minimal capital spending of about R$250 million. -- Doubling of interest rates for floating debt, which accounts for about 70% of MRS's total bank debt. -- No dividend payments. -- MRS would be able to access only 67% of its cash position, given haircuts on local bank deposits and investment types, and banking institutions would likely also be in distress.As a result of this stressed scenario, MRS's funds from operations(FFO) would decline by 34% in the stressed year. In addition, itsliquidity would deteriorate and cash sources won't exceed uses.This would mean that MRS would struggle to comply with its debtservice on timely basis. In addition, although not part of S&P'sstressed scenario, it believes that MRS's regulated status alsoexposes it to potential government or regulatory interferences,which could change the terms of the company's concessioncontracts.SAMARCO MINERACAO: Moody's Lowers CFR to Caa1; Outlook Negative---------------------------------------------------------------Moody's Investors Service has downgraded to Caa1 from Ba1 thecorporate family rating of Samarco Mineracao S.A. and the ratingsof its senior unsecured notes due 2022, 2023 and 2024. Theoutlook was changed to negative. This rating action concludes thereview for downgrade initiated on Nov. 10, 2015, following theaccident at the Germano site in Minas Gerais.Ratings Downgraded:Issuer: Samarco Mineracao S.A. Corporate Family Rating: to Caa1 (from Ba1) USD 1,000 million Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022: to Caa1 (from Ba1) USD 700 million Senior Unsecured Notes due 2023: to Caa1 (from Ba1) USD 500 million Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024: to Caa1 (from Ba1) Outlook, Changed To Negative From Rating Under ReviewRATINGS RATIONALEThe downgrade to Caa1 reflects the continued uncertainties aboutSamarco's ability to resume operations and our concern overliquidity pressures resulting from fines, penalties and claimsrelated to the accident with Samarco's dams in the state of MinasGerais on Nov. 5, 2015, as well as potential covenant breaches onits outstanding debt.Since the accident, Samarco's operations at the mines andbeneficiation plants are suspended and the company's finalproducts' (pellets) inventories available for sale should finishin the next few months. Given the severe environmentalimplications from the tailings dam breach at the Germano complex,Moody's believes it is uncertain whether the company will be ableto regain the license to resume operations in Minas Gerais.Therefore, Samarco's ability to meet its obligations remainsjeopardized until alternatives are implemented. Besides, theextent of the environmental and civil liabilities that the companycould face remains uncertain.While operations are suspended, the company contemplatesalternatives that include the sale of energy and logisticsservices. Still, Moody's expects the company's liquidity toremain tight until it is able to resume production, which mayleave the company with insufficient cash flow to service its debtand other cash needs, including clean up, recovery andrehabilitation costs. On the other hand, if Samarco is able toresume production in the short term, it will immediately benefitfrom its fully-integrated operations, which has supported itssolid profitability through the years.The negative outlook reflects pressure on the company's ratingthat will persist until its operational and liquidity risks areresolved.An upward rating movement would require Samarco to resumeproduction, or find alternatives that could avoid a liquidityshortfall, including support from shareholders. AlthoughSamarco's shareholders have indicated their support to the companyin the response effort and are committed with the environmentalremediation of affected areas, it is highly uncertain whetherthere could be additional financial support.The ratings could suffer additional negative pressure if there ismaterial deterioration in the company's liquidity position orSamarco is unable to meet its financial obligations on a timelybasis or fails to renegotiate existing covenants on its debtinstruments.The principal methodology used in this rating was Global MiningIndustry published in August 2014.Samarco Mineracao S.A. is one of the largest exporters of seaborneiron ore pellets worldwide with operations located in EspiritoSanto and Minas Gerais, in the Southeast region of Brazil. Thecompany has a fully integrated business model with an installedcapacity to produce 30.5 million pellets annually. In the lasttwelve months ended June 2015, Samarco had BRL 7.3 billion (USD2.7 billion) in revenues spread across clients in North America,Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe, with a 21% globalmarket share.==========================C A Y M A N I S L A N D S==========================3G SPECIAL: Shareholder Receives Wind-Up Report-----------------------------------------------The shareholder of 3G Special Situations Partners, Ltd received onDec. 2, 2015, the liquidator's report on the company's wind-upproceedings and property disposal.The company commenced liquidation proceedings on Oct. 23, 2015.The company's liquidators are: E. Andrew Hersant Christopher Humphries Stuarts Walker Hersant Humphries 36A Dr. Roy's Drive, George Town P.O. Box 2510, Grand Cayman KY1-1104 Cayman IslandsBASKET INVESTMENTS: Commences Liquidation Proceedings-----------------------------------------------------On Oct. 27, 2015, the sole shareholder of Basket Investments Ltd.resolved to voluntarily liquidate the company's business.Only creditors who were able to file their proofs of debt byNov. 30, 2015, will be included in the company's dividenddistribution.The company's liquidator is: Maricorp Services Ltd. c/o Steven J. Barrie P.O. Box 2075 Grand Cayman KY1-1105 Cayman Islands Telephone: 345-949-9710CFIP OVERSEAS: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 8---------------------------------------------------The creditors of CFIP Overseas Fund, Ltd are required to filetheir proofs of debt by Dec. 8, 2015, to be included in thecompany's dividend distribution.The company commenced liquidation proceedings on Oct. 26, 2015.The company's liquidator is: Krys Global VL Services Limited KRyS Global, Governors Square Building 6, 2nd Floor 23 Lime Tree Bay Avenue P.O. Box 31237 Grand Cayman KY1-1205 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 947 4700EMM PTC: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 22----------------------------------------------The creditors of EMM PTC are required to file their proofs of debtby Dec. 22, 2015, to be included in the company's dividenddistribution.The company commenced liquidation proceedings on Oct. 29, 2015.The company's liquidator is: Lion International Management Limited Craigmuir Chambers Road Town Tortola VG 1110 British Virgin Islands c/o Mr. Philip C Pedro HSBC International Trustee Limited Compass Point 9 Bermudiana Road Hamilton HM 11 Bermuda Telephone: (441) 299-6482 Facsimile: (441) 299-6526ICHIBAN CORPORATION: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-Up---------------------------------------------------On Oct. 29, 2015, the sole shareholder of The Ichiban Corporationresolved to voluntarily wind up the company's operations.Only creditors who were able to file their proofs of debt byDec. 7, 2015, will be included in the company's dividenddistribution.The company's liquidator is: Morval Bank & Trust Cayman Ltd. Telephone: +1 (345) 949-9808 P.O. Box 30622 Grand Cayman KY1-1203 Cayman IslandsINTARCIA FORESITE: Commences Liquidation Proceedings----------------------------------------------------On Oct. 15, 2015, the shareholders of Intarcia Foresite CP, Ltd.resolved to voluntarily liquidate the company's business.Creditors are required to file their proofs of debt to be includedin the company's dividend distribution.The company's liquidator is: James B. Tananbaum Telephone: +1 (345) 949 8599 Facsimile: +1 (345) 949 4451 Harneys Services (Cayman) Limited Harbour Place, 4th Floor 103 South Church Street P.O. Box 10240 Grand Cayman KY1-1002 Cayman IslandsOFFSHORE GROUP: Moody's Lowers CFR to Ca on Bankruptcy Filing-------------------------------------------------------------Moody's Investors Service downgraded Offshore Group InvestmentLimited's (OGIL) Probability of Default Rating (PDR) to D-PD fromCaa3-PD, Corporate Family Rating (CFR) to Ca from Caa3 and thesenior secured term loans and senior secured notes each to Ca fromCaa3. In addition, the Speculative Grade Liquidity (SGL) RatingSGL-4 and the negative rating outlook were maintained. Thisaction follows OGIL's announcement that it filed voluntarypetitions in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Districtof Delaware seeking relief under the provisions of chapter 11 oftitle 11 of the United States Code to pursue a pre-packagedchapter 11 plan of reorganization.Downgrades:Issuer: Offshore Group Investment Limited Probability of Default Rating (PDR), Downgraded to D-PD from Caa3-PD Corporate Family Rating (Local Currency), Downgraded to Ca from Caa3 Senior Secured Bank Credit Facility (Foreign Currency), Downgraded to Ca (LGD4) from Caa3 (LGD4) Senior Secured Regular Bond/Debenture (Foreign Currency), Downgraded to Ca (LGD4) from Caa3 (LGD4)Ratings and Outlook to be withdrawn in the near future: Corporate Family Rating (Local Currency), Ca Probability of Default Rating (PDR), D-PD Senior Secured Bank Credit Facility (Foreign Currency), Ca Senior Secured Regular Bond/Debenture (Foreign Currency), Ca Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating, SGL-4Outlook, NegativeRATINGS RATIONALEThe downgrade of PDR to D-PD is a result of the Bankruptcy courtfiling. The downgrade of the CFR to Ca as well as the seniorsecured term loans ($324 million of 2017 term loans and $341million of 2019 term loans) and senior secured notes ($1,087million of 7.5% notes and $728 million of 7.125% notes) to Careflect Moody's view of the potential overall recovery of 30%-40%.Shortly following this rating action, Moody's will withdraw OGIL'sratings consistent with Moody's practice for companies operatingunder the purview of the bankruptcy courts wherein informationflow typically becomes much more limited.The principal methodology used in these ratings was GlobalOilfield Services Industry Rating Methodology published inDecember 2014.OGIL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vantage -- an internationaloffshore drilling contractor that was incorporated in the CaymanIslands in 2007.PALACE COMPANY: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 22-----------------------------------------------------The creditors of Palace Company Limited are required to file theirproofs of debt by Dec. 22, 2015, to be included in the company'sdividend distribution.The company commenced liquidation proceedings on Oct. 28, 2015.The company's liquidator is: Lion International Management Limited Craigmuir Chambers Road Town Tortola VG 1110 British Virgin Islands c/o Mr. Philip C Pedro HSBC International Trustee Limited Compass Point, 9 Bermudiana Road Hamilton HM 11 Bermuda Telephone: (441) 299-6482 Facsimile: (441) 299-6526PHILIPPINE NEW: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-Up----------------------------------------------On Oct. 29, 2015, the sole shareholder of Philippine New GrowthFund resolved to voluntarily wind up the company's operations.Creditors are required to file their proofs of debt to be includedin the company's dividend distribution.The company's liquidator is: Koji Sugitomo c/o Charlotte Bradshaw Telephone: +852 3656 6034 Central Tower, 11th Floor 28 Queen's Road Central Hong KongPLAKA LTD: Commences Liquidation Proceedings--------------------------------------------On Oct. 16, 2015, the shareholder of Plaka Ltd. resolved tovoluntarily liquidate the company's business.Only creditors who were able to file their proofs of debt byNov. 24, 2015, will be included in the company's dividenddistribution.The company's liquidator is: Amicorp Cayman Fiduciary Limited The Grand Pavilion Commercial Centre, 2nd Floor 802 West Bay Road P.O. Box 10655 Grand Cayman KY1-1006 Cayman Islands c/o Nicole Ebanks-Sloley Telephone: (345) 943-6055SEABISCUIT HOLDINGS: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-Up---------------------------------------------------On Oct. 28, 2015, the sole shareholder of Seabiscuit HoldingsLimited resolved to voluntarily wind up the company's operations.Creditors are required to file their proofs of debt to be includedin the company's dividend distribution.The company's liquidators are: Probitas Limited Equitas Limited Clifton House, 75 Fort Street P.O. Box 1350 Grand Cayman KY1-1108 Cayman IslandsTEOREMA ALTERNATIVE: Creditors' Proofs of Debt Due Dec. 10----------------------------------------------------------The creditors of Teorema Alternative Strategies Fund are requiredto file their proofs of debt by Dec. 10, 2015, to be included inthe company's dividend distribution.The company commenced liquidation proceedings on Oct. 28, 2015.The company's liquidator is: CDL Company Ltd. P.O. Box 31106 Grand Cayman KY1-1205 Cayman IslandsUB FUNDS: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-Up----------------------------------------On Oct. 29, 2015, the shareholders of UB Funds SPC Ltd. resolvedto voluntarily wind up the company's operations.Creditors are required to file their proofs of debt to be includedin the company's dividend distribution.The company's liquidator is: Koji Sugitomo c/o Charlotte Bradshaw Telephone: +852 3656 6034 Ogier Central Tower, 11th Floor 28 Queen's Road Central Hong KongWOLVERINE NEWCO: Placed Under Voluntary Wind-Up-----------------------------------------------On Oct. 20, 2015, the sole shareholder of Wolverine Newco Cayman,Ltd. resolved to voluntarily wind up the company's operations.Only creditors who were able to file their proofs of debt byDec. 1, 2015, will be included in the company's dividenddistribution.The company's liquidator is: Krause Global B.V Beursplein 37, Ruimte 504 3011AA Rotterdam Telephone: (616) 866-7331 Facsimile: (616) 866-5625===============D O M I N I C A===============DOMINICA: Lost 90% of GDP Due to Climate Change, Says World Bank----------------------------------------------------------------Caribbean360.com reports that tropical Storm Erika wiped out 90per cent of Dominica's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according tothe rapid damage and impact assessment conducted by the island'sgovernment in collaboration with the World Bank, United Nations,and other development partners with funding support from the EUand the World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction andRecovery.The intense rainfall arrived after an unusual dry season, and thecombination of cracks in the soil and torrential rains triggeredlandslides and slope failures, causing major damage to roads,bridges, houses and agricultural land, according toCaribbean360.com.In just a few hours, the strong winds and rains destroyed criticalinfrastructure that took the small nation of about 70,000 peoplemore than five years of normal investment for the country, thereport notes.The total damage and loss was estimated at US$483 million, saysCaribbean360.com.The event took place just two months ago and killed 11 people,cutting off electricity and water supply on the island and closingdown the airport, the report relates. For a small economy,recently bolstered by a recovery of the tourism sector in theregion, this represents a major economic set back, the reportnotes.Caribbean360.com discloses that more and more, small island statessuch as Dominica are being confronted with extreme weather events.Many scientists are attributing the increase in the number andstrength of hurricanes and storms to global warming.World Bank study "Turn Down the Heat," says the number of severehurricanes is projected to increase by 40 per cent, with doublethe intensity of the current, as warming rises by 2 degreesCelsius and up to 80 per cent in case of a 4 degrees Celsiuswarming, the report relays. This, together with sea-level rise,will have devastating impacts, especially on the Caribbean, notesCaribbean360.com.Increasing exposure to natural disasters represents a real threatto development prospects in the Caribbean, the report says. Thishas become the top priority for Caribbean governments that areparticipating in the international climate negotiations in thelead-up to the COP 21 Paris conference at the end of the month,the report notes. It is also at the heart of the countries'development planning supported by development partners, the reportsays.An earlier study from the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk InsuranceFacility (CCRIF) showed that annual expected losses from wind,storm surge and inland flooding amount to up to 6 per cent of GDPin some countries, the report relays. Climate change has thepotential to greatly exacerbate these risks, and could increaseexpected losses by 1-3 per cent of GDP by 2030, the report says.According to Caribbean360.com, as Dominica sets its priorities forrecovery and reconstruction, the focus is now on building climateresilient infrastructure and preparing investments to reduceflooding and landslide risks. This also means being betterprepared with a trained crisis response team and early warningsystems in place, but also establishing a broad based catastropherisk financing strategy to provide insurance and help the mostvulnerable protect their livelihood against extreme weatherevents, the report relays.The government of the Commonwealth of Dominica organized apledging conference with donors to garner additional support tohelp shore up the island and preserve the hard-won socio economicgains achieved over the last decade, the report discloses.The report notes that following the conference, Prime MinisterSkerrit said, "We believe that it is not only about cutting roads,building houses and giving somebody a key. . . . I'll be thefirst to say, as I've said before, that we do not have therequisite expertise on the island to guide us in that directiontherefore we are relying heavily on our partners all of whom haveindicated their keen interest and intention to provide us withthat level of support and guidance."These are common goals shared by many small island countries inthe region, the report notes. Now the question is whether theParis agreement will provide additional instruments to respond tothe growing threat of climate change in the Caribbean, adds thereport.===================================D O M I N I C A N R E P U B L I C===================================DOMINICAN REP: Price of Diesel Falls, Gasoline, Gases Unchanged---------------------------------------------------------------Dominican Today reports that the Industry and Commerce Ministryposted the fuel prices for the week from December 5 to 11, whenpremium gasoline remains at RD$185.40 and regular at RD$167.90 pergallon.Optimum diesel will cost RD$146.20, or RD$1.80 lower; regulardiesel will sell for RD$133.40, or RD$3.00 less; avtur will costRD$95.00, or RD$1.60 less; kerosene will cost RD$118.40, orRD$1.70 less and fuel oil will cost RD$71.48, or RD$1.46 lower pergallon, according to Dominican Today.The report relays that propane gas will still cost RD$81.00 pergallon while natural remains at RD$25.58 per cubic meter.The Central Bank's average posted exchange rate of RD$45.46 perdollar was used to calculate all fuel price, the report adds.=============J A M A I C A=============DIGICEL GROUP: Acquires Controlling Interest in Prism Holdings--------------------------------------------------------------Trinidad and Tobago Newsday reports that Digicel Group hasacquired a controlling interest in financial services powerhouse,Prism Holdings, for an undisclosed sum, as announced on Dec. 2.Established in 1993 in Barbados by Edward Ince and Mike Parris,Prism Holdings is a privately held business to business companyoperating in 22 countries with regional headquarters in Barbados,and offices in The Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago,according to Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.The report notes that Prism provides payment systems, informationmanagement, data centre services, loyalty processing and financialtransactional processing.According to the report, Digicel Group Chief Executive Officer,Colm Delves, said; "As we continue to expand our range of productsand services consistent with the convergence of digitalcommunications, we are delighted to welcome Prism to the Digicelfamily. Edward and Mike have done a tremendous job in makingPrism a highly successful pan-Caribbean business, and we lookforward to working with them and their team to grow the business,and expand the range of products and services."Expressing their delight at the deal, co-Managing Directors ofPrism Holdings, Edward Ince and Mike Parris, who will be stayingin their positions, commented; "This move means accelerated growthfor our business. It gives us the ability to take advantage ofbigger opportunities coming down the track. Digicel Group is theright strategic partner for us, and we are looking forward togrowing together," the report adds. * * *As reported in the Troubled Company Reporter-Latin America onMay 25, 2015, Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings of DigicelGroup Limited (DGL) and its subsidiaries Digicel Limited (DL) andDigicel International Finance Limited (DIFL), collectivelyreferred to as 'Digicel' as follows.DGL -- Long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'B' with a Stable Outlook; -- USD 2.5 billion 8.25% senior subordinated notes due 2020 at 'B-/RR5'; -- USD 1 billion 7.125% senior unsecured notes due 2022 at 'B -/RR5'.DL -- Long-term IDR at 'B' with a Stable Outlook; -- USD 250 million 7% senior notes due 2020 at 'B/RR4'; -- USD 1.3 billion 6% senior notes due 2021 at 'B/RR4'; -- USD 925 million 6.75% senior notes due 2023 at 'B/RR4';DIFL -- Long-term IDR at 'B' with a Stable Outlook; -- Senior secured credit facility at 'B+/RR3'.=================X X X X X X X X X=================LATAM: Moody's Says Global & Regional Forces Weaken Credit Quality------------------------------------------------------------------Muted global growth expectations, slowing growth in China, weakeconomic conditions in Europe and the prospect of a US interestrate hike will pressure credit conditions for non-financialcorporates in Latin America in 2016, says Moody's InvestorsService.At the regional level, the recessionary environment and politicalinstability in Brazil, volatility in the commodities markets andcurrency depreciation throughout the region will continue to hurtcompanies' profitability.Compounding the risks to companies, slowing growth in LatinAmerica and the prospect of higher yields in the US will divertinvestor capital out of the region, according to "Non-FinancialCorporates -- Latin America: 2016 Outlook - Global and RegionalStresses Strain Credit Quality."As a result, funding conditions will continue tighten. Moody'snotes that rated bond issuance in 2015 came in well below previousyears' levels."A liquidity cushion will be more important than ever for LatinAmerican companies in this tighter funding environment," saysMarianna Waltz, Moody's Managing Director for the CorporateFinance team in Latin America. "Brazil in particular facesseverely restricted market access."The exposure of non-financial corporates in the region to the oiland gas sector, and base metals price conditions will continue tolimit their performance in 2016, as Moody's does not expectcommodities prices to recover in the near term. Companies in thepulp/paper and protein sectors are better-positioned and will havestronger credit quality."These headwinds have already weakened the credit metrics of thecompanies we rate," said Waltz. "And in some instances there islittle that companies can do to improve credit quality, sincethese factors are largely outside of their control." ***********Monday's edition of the TCR-LA delivers a list of indicativeprices for bond issues that reportedly trade well below par.Prices are obtained by TCR-LA editors from a variety of outsidesources during the prior week we think are reliable. Thosesources may not, however, be complete or accurate. The MondayBond Pricing table is compiled on the Friday prior to publication.Prices reported are not intended to reflect actual trades. Pricesfor actual trades are probably different. Our objective is toshare information, not make markets in publicly traded securities.Nothing in the TCR-LA constitutes an offer or solicitation to buyor sell any security of any kind. It is likely that some entityaffiliated with a TCR-LA editor holds some position in theissuers' public debt and equity securities about which we report.Tuesday's edition of the TCR-LA features a list of companies withinsolvent balance sheets obtained by our editors based on thelatest balance sheets publicly available a day prior topublication. At first glance, this list may look like thedefinitive compilation of stocks that are ideal to sell short.Don't be fooled. Assets, for example, reported at historical costnet of depreciation may understate the true value of a firm'sassets. A company may establish reserves on its balance sheet forliabilities that may never materialize. The prices at whichequity securities trade in public market are determined by morethan a balance sheet solvency test.Submissions about insolvency-related conferences are encouraged.Send announcements to email@example.com ***********S U B S C R I P T I O N I N F O R M A T I O NTroubled Company Reporter-Latin America is a daily newsletterco-published by Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc., FairlessHills, Pennsylvania, USA, and Beard Group, Inc., Washington, D.C.,USA, Marites O. Claro, Joy A. Agravante, Rousel Elaine T.Fernandez, Valerie U. Pascual, Julie Anne L. Toledo, and Peter A.Chapman, Editors.Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. ISSN 1529-2746.This material is copyrighted and any commercial use, resale orpublication in any form (including e-mail forwarding, electronicre-mailing and photocopying) is strictly prohibited without priorwritten permission of the publishers.Information contained herein is obtained from sources believed tobe reliable, but is not guaranteed.The TCR Latin America subscription rate is US$775 per half-year,delivered via e-mail. Additional e-mail subscriptions for membersof the same firm for the term of the initial subscription orbalance thereof are US$25 each. For subscription information,contact Peter A. Chapman at 215-945-7000 or Nina Novak at202-362-8552. * * * End of Transmission * * *


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Almost inevitably, every guy had one or, more often than not, multiple pictures at a theme park.And if they were over 25, I couldn't help but find that more than mildly disconcerting.They traded phone numbers and talked daily before scheduling a date at Ciao Bella, an Italian restaurant that reminded them of the memorable spaghetti scene in "Lady and the Tramp."The two headed to a beach — sans a magic carpet ride — and watched bunnies nibble on grass while talking all things Disney.That night, Guy asked permission to hold her hand and give her a kiss. The couple exchanged vows at their version of a Disney wedding in Bellingham, Wash.It's a small world after all, but not every Disney fanatic finds it easy to pair up with the Mickey or Minnie of his or her dreams.
The dating site, which is unaffiliated with the Disney company, registers new members by asking which parks are closest to them, whether they currently hold an annual pass, and if they're looking for a romantic relationship, friendship, or a "Park Pal."It determines compatibility between users by asking them to check boxes indicating favorite Disney songs, Disney shopping habits, and "Disney nerd level." "All the normal sites," Tavres told , "don't have Disney questions."Membership is free as long as you're simply looking at profiles and photos.And while you don't have to answer the questions to start matching, you do have to account for the usual basics, including your age, what you're looking for, and some less usual information... as my profile picture, but I realized that if I was going to score a date, I'd have to keep it real.So I went through some of my suggested matches' pics to see what played well with Disney fans.If Tinder wasn't a wild enough experience, Mouse has your name all over it.The dating site is serious business stating, "Traditional Internet dating sites don't understand the passion people have for all things Disney. The site notes you can search for your fellow , the concept was thought up by Disney fan Dave Tavres.


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Sherborne 029 Keswick Standard Leather Manual Recliner
Although we operate online, we are very much a traditional retailer at heart and we love talking to our customers. So if you're planning on paying with Euros be sure to touch base with us first – We offer an Exceptional Exchange Rate!
Sherborne 029 Keswick Standard Leather Manual Recliner
- Key Features
- Comfort: Exceptional Comfort
- Finish: Leather
- Seating: Fibre-Filled Back Cushion & Full-Width Chaise Seating
- Type of Recliner: Leather Manual Recliner
- Size: Standard
- Catch: Choice of Finger-Release Catch or Handle Release
- Additional Features: Lift-Off Back
- Guarantee: Sherborne Personal 5 Year Guarantee
Sherborne 029 Keswick Standard Leather Manual Recliner
The Sherborne 029 Keswick Standard Leather Manual Recliner is a modern and stylish standard recliner also available in small and royale sizes. Designed for exceptional comfort, with soft, stylish arms, this recliner has a fibre-filled back cushion and full-width chaise seating.
The Sherborne 029 Keswick Standard Leather Manual Recliner is part of the Sherborne Collection of Upholstered Recliners.
With its Beautifully Contoured Shape, this Modern Leather Recliner is designed for Exceptional Comfort. Featuring Soft, Stylish Arms, this model benefits from a Fibre-Filled Back Cushion and Full-Width Chaise Seating.
Available with a Choice of Finger-Release Catch or Handle Release, which can also be supplied for Left-Handed Use, Sherborne's Leather Recliners can be ordered with Glides for use on solid flooring.
Supplied with a Lift-Off Back for ease of delivery, the Sherborne 029 Keswick Standard Leather Manual Recliner is also available in a Choice of Soft Covers and is complete with a Personal 5 Year Guarantee for added peace of mind.
Not only that, but the Sherborne 029 Keswick Standard Leather Manual Recliner falls within our Free Delivery Zone benefiting from Free Delivery throughout Northern Ireland and Counties Monaghan, Louth and Dublin.
Has a Recliner Chair been recommended to you or a family member for health reasons? If so, and you live in Northern Ireland request a letter from your Doctor and we'll Zero Rate The Vat on your purchase! Yes, you will not need to pay the 20% VAT!
Additional Services:
- Bed assembly service - FREE(only applies to divan beds)
- Removal & recycle of your old divan bed or mattress - FREE


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to IAU
Symposium 241
Symposium 241
Abstract details
Extragalactic Star Cluster in Merging/Interactive GalaxiesGelys Trancho, Francois Schweizer, Nate Bastian, Bryan Miller
Studies of globular cluster systems play a critical role in our understanding of galaxy formation. Imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope has revealed that young star clusters are formed copiously in galaxy mergers, strengthening theories in which giant elliptical galaxies are formed by the merger of spirals (e.g.\ Whitmore et al.\1993; Miller et al.\ 1997; Zepf et al.\ 1999; Ashman \& Zepf 1992). However, the formation and evolution of globular cluster systems is still not well understood. Ages and metallicities of the clusters are uncertain either because of degeneracy in the broad-band colors or due to variable reddening. Also, the luminosity function of the young clusters, which depends critically on the metallicities and ages of the clusters, appears to be singe power-laws while the luminosity function of old clusters has a well-defined break. Either there is signicant dynamical evolution of the cluster systems or metallicity affects the mass function of forming clusters. Spectroscopy of these clusters are needed to improve the metallicity and age measurements and to study the kinematics of young cluster systems. Therefore, we have obtained spectra of two dozen of young star clusters in each merging/interactive galaxies (NGC3256, NGC4038, NGC6872, Stefan's Quintet) using GMOS-S. We will present the results of metallicities, ages, and velocities of these star clusters in each merger obtained from the MOS spectroscopy, using the Lick indices system in combination with the SSP models.


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Silver Chips Online
Athlete of the Week: Matthew Morris, Cross Country
By Stacy Mathew, Online Opinions and Features Editor
October 17, 2011
Sophomore Matthew Morris sees the finish line after rounding the curve at Wheaton Regional Park. Now that the target has been spotted, Morris sprints to the end, paying no attention to the runners to the front, back, left or right of him. After crossing the finish line, Morris collapses on the ground, satisfied with his performance.
Isabel Hendrix
Sophomore Matthew Morris, a talented runner and a cross country star, stands in his running shoes on the edge of Blair's practice field.
Morris shows that hard work and perseverance breed success. Although Morris is only a sophomore, he usually places first for the boys' cross country team. He has been on the team since last year and tries to practice running as much as he can. "I improved a lot since last year, probably because I ran a lot over the summer," Morris says.
Morris also displays great sportsmanship at every meet and always tries to do his personal best. He believes that his teammates are a huge part of his success as a runner. "Cross country is a really tight knit family. We're all awesome and help each other out," Morris says.
Morris started off the season by coming in first for the boys at Wheaton Regional Park with an outstanding time of 18:35. According to head coach James Demma, Morris regularly has fast races and is even a record-breaker. "He broke the record on the Springbrook course that was held by another ex-Blair runner back in 1991," he says.
Surprised and flattered by his achievement, Morris took it upon himself to aim for an even higher goal. "What I really want to do is go under 17 minutes for a 5k," Morris says.
Morris plans to pursue cross country throughout the rest of his high school career. "Cross country is just an awesome sport, I really enjoy it," he says.
Editor's Note: Matthew Morris is a member of Silver Chips Print Art Staff.


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In the previous article, I mentioned about the importance of choosing the right business intelligence solution for your requirement. However it is to be noted that there cannot be a defined set of rules for selecting BI solution primarily because each requirement is unique. Hence selection of BI solution is more about knowing the capabilities, strengths and weakness of the key software solutions and picking the one supporting the requirements most.
In the subsequent articles in this series I will post my evaluation findings and compare some common BI tools. It is impractical to list all the solutions at once and hence I will pick one tool at a time.
The first one in the list is one of the key BI solutions provider – SAP BusinessObjects
Note: The recommendations in this series are based on my experience with these tools over the years. If you have comments, questions or looking for advice on your specific business requirements, feel free to post here or write to my email.
SAP Crystal Reports – One of the most popular and traditional BI solution. Starting from its origin in the early nineties, the software evolved amid acquisitions by different companies.
- Traditional tabular data reports, cross tab reports
- Charts, line graphs
- Export capabilities – csv, excel, pdf, and many more
- Programming interface
- Client side reports and server based web reports
- Rich design environment and control over the formatting and layout
- It provides flexibility to connect to a wide variety of data sources.
- Rich configuration and formatting options.
- Well established scripting syntax and SDK for programmers; large developer base with the crystal syntax skills.
- Low cost licensing. Remember it finally comes to what you need and how much you need to spend.
- Traditional BI interface and report layout.
- Visualizations are good; it does not feature much support for interactivity and dynamic charts like new generation BI solutions such as Tableau which are way ahead in this area.
- Developer dependency for customizations
- No support for BI dashboards (Note : SAP Dashboard in the complete BI suite support this capability)
- Larger developer dependency for most of your data handling and summarizations in the background.
- I have noticed performance issues when there are sub reports which contain large volume of data.
SAP BusinessObjects BI Suite: If the specific requirement that you have is of clean formatted reporting capability, you can go for SAP Crystal Report. However if the requirements are of diverse nature including mobile app support, dashboard etc, you may want to look other solutions which comes as part of SAP BusinessObjects BI suite which includes SAP Lumira (interactive visualizations and storytelling), SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards (dynamic reporting), Web Intelligence, BusinessObjects Mobile in addition to Crystal reports.
Note: The recommendations in this series are based on my experience with these tools over the years. If you have comments, questions or looking for advice on your specific business requirements, feel free to post here or write to my email.


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Good Morning Everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know what I've been up to lately!! A few weeks ago I was in Topeka at the Big Buck Classic!! While, there the staff at Russell County Eco Devo & CVB and I promoted Russell County hunting, fishing and the attractions!! We want people to come visit our beautiful county and enjoy their time here. It was a wonderful three days at the Big Buck Classic it was busy from the time the doors open until the time the doors closed!!! We talked to lots of interested people and handed a lot of information out!


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Quick Details
- Place of Origin: Zhejiang, China (Mainland)
- Brand Name: JIALONG
- Model Number: H804A-80
- Type: Machining Parts
- Material: Stainless steel
- Plating: can choose
- Certification: API
Packaging & Delivery
|Packaging Details
|Delivery Time
|7 days after received the payment
Specifications1.Material : Stainless Steel
2.Diameter :3"/4"
3.Pressure :0.6Mpa
4.Open method:Mechanical
5.Temperature range:-20 -- +150
1. Bottom Valve
Emergency Shut Valve is installed on the bottom of the tanker, the top parts is tightly sealed inside the tanker. When pipeline or valve is broken suddenly, it will keep the tanker still tightly sealed to avoid the fuel leaking out to improve the safety during transportation. The main body is made of 304 Stainless Steel under the precision die casting with the advantage of simple structure, longer service life,easy servicing,ect.It can be made of 316 Stainless Steel if need. But please inform us before order.
2. Benefit and Feature
* 45 degree Angle Design, to be installed under one side of the tanker, can be operated manually.
* Butterfly Valve can be installed with valve,easy for operation.
* Teflon Resin Coated O-Ring to improve its service life.
3. Installment drawing
4. Others
H804A-80DFL Bottom Valve
Export with 3" external threaded flange
H804A-80DFY Bottom Valve
Export with 3" male coupler flange
Option:Butterfly Valve With PTFE Gasket ,can resist most acid or alkali.


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12/6/09- Last night we viewed Big River the latest documentary from Producer Aaron Wolf. It starts with an interview with Iowa Farmer Chuck Piatt just after the great Midwest soil erosion disaster in Spring of 2008. He confirms that the Corn Belt has lost half its topsoil in the last 50 years. An interview with Yale professor discusses atrazine one of the dominant pesticides used in modern industrial farming and its connection along with other industrial farming chemicals to high incidence of cancer in industrial farming areas. High concentrations of atrazine were also reported in Delmarva waters by USGS in 33circular 1228. Ian and Curt then proceed downstream to the DesMoine water treatment plant which is removing high levels of nitrate particularly dangerous to young children. We eventually arrive at the Gulf where watermen are increasingly dredging up dead species which is putting them out of business. Nancy Rabalias is interviewed. You may remember that she was interviewed by PBS on increasing Gulf Hypoxia due corn/ethanol a tape of this interview can be found archived under the Water Tab. I thought it interesting that delegations of fishermen have reached out to Iowa Farmers for help in stopping the chemicals coming down the Mississippi. Wes Jackson is also interviewed in this film.
Submitted by Donald Kerstetter


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Living Area: 44-90 sqm
Land Area: 3,600 sqm
This Condominium Development is fully complete. The location is only 5 minutes walk to the beach and 5 minutes to shopping centre. Excellent management and facilities including large car park and pool with sundeck set in nice gardens. The available units are currently selling on average at 2.5 M baht per unit. Many foreign quota still available. The units are very functional and will suit property buyers looking for something similar to a big hotel room but with good rental yield potential due to great location. The units can be sold at current market rate of 25% more than current advertized rate thus turning a 25% profit.
[click on any image below]


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How do you know when a mix is finished?
Have you ever felt like a mix session would never end? As if you could forever be making minor adjustments to levels, EQ or effects settings? Do you sometimes find yourself unable to decide over a 0.5dB level change for a channel? Do you wonder if anyone will notice, whether it even matters?
Creative direction
One of the biggest reasons people get lost in the mix is a lack of creative direction.
The term 'Creative direction' might sound obtuse, but it's really quite simple. Creative direction is the vision for the song. It is the idea (or set of ideas) that set the direction for all the creative decisions in the production process. It can be defined in terms of adjectives (such as dark, dry, urgent, mysterious, etc), or it can be defined in terms of musical reference points (such as "Beatles-esque vocal harmonies with Lady Gaga instrumentation and a lead singer like Thom Yorke").
Without creative direction, all you've got guiding you is 'does it sound cool?'. And if you're in this hole, it's no wonder you'll never finish. There's always another cool sound around the corner. There always another way to make anything sound cooler.
Exploring tools
Another reason people take forever to finish a mix is that they waste too much time exploring their tools. Here's a bad analogy:
Your toilet is broken.
One plumber has a truck filled with tools, and feels the need to try every tool for every task – just to see which tool might work the best.
Another plumber has a smaller toolbox filled with a few hand-picked items that are versatile. This plumber also knows every tool in the toolbox extremely well and knows exactly which tool to use for each task.
Which plumber would you choose to fix your broken toilet?
Of course, there's a time and place for exploring your tools. But this isn't when you're trying to Get Things Done. You need to separate 'work' from 'play'. Exploration time is important, but it's just as important to do it in a (mind)space separate from actual projects and productivity. That way you free yourself from the expectation of making any progress on project work, and your project work isn't bogged down by exploration.
Adjust once
Do you ever find yourself setting and EQ for a channel, then coming back to it over and over again? Or maybe it's a compressor. Or reverb. If you keep coming back to revise your settings, it means you didn't get it right the first time. And you probably didn't get it right the first time because you didn't understand what settings would be needed to make the track work in the mix.
Unfortunately, there's no easy fix to this. Not even a change in attitude. All it takes is experience. The more mixes you do, the better you'll be at predicting what you need to do on each channel in order to put the mix together.
It might help to think of mixing as having a conversation with the music. Like any conversation, the more you listen the more effective your own words (mix settings) will be. The more you talk (adjust settings), the greater the risk that your words will be irrelevant to the other person (the music).


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I had a hellish day at work today. High rep snatches were not going to cut the mustard – I needed a different type of stimulation so gave myself this beasting.The numbers aren't that great (especially deadlift weight and reps). It was just what I needed though – volume. I'll focus on snatching in earnest after next week's rest. Joint mobility
16kg KB TGU/windmill combo – 3R/3L (alt sides) L-sit/tuck planche/press to shoulder stand – 2,2,2 24kg KB OA jerk – as many in 5mins = 25R/25L
Rest 2 1/2 minutes
64kg deadlift – as many in 5mins = 31


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Gorgeous Tudor home w/ Little Spokane River & mountain views. Main floor living, cozy family room w/ box beamed ceiling & fireplace. Stone pathway winds through English courtyard gardens w/picket fence, flowers, fruit, vegetables & hedges. Radiant floor heat and energy efficient ICF foundation and walls, high speed internet for working from home! Property consists of 3 lots, and barn setup. It is within walking distance to the PO, country store, and community park. Outside entry to potential wine cellar!
Listing courtesy of SARMLS / RE/MAX of SpokaneSelling Office: Professional Realty Services.
Listings last updated . All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.


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This cover would receive more stars if only they had chosen to go literal and just featured a big block of cheese. Like shiny, platicky Velveeta.
For the uninformed, Joel Osteen is the "pastor" of the largest "church" in the US. Other well-known pastor/authors typically do not feature themselves on their book covers, which is a good call considering that The Good Lord doesn't feature Himself on the cover of his book. But Mr. Osteen (70% hair) leaves no doubt here as to the authorship of his book.
I can only imagine the content is as bad as the cover. Maybe that's judge-y of me, but that's kind of the point here.
8 stars for the level of confidence in his hair.


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It's that time again ladies and gents...
The Washington Nationals have asked Barry Obama to throw out the first ball for the inauguration of the 2010 baseball season.
The team says Monday it will mark the 100th anniversary of the first time a president tossed an opening day first pitch — William Howard Taft did it on April 14, 1910.
It also will be the first time Obama attends a game at Nationals Park.
For those who don't remember...last year old noodle arm embarrassed himself mightily. And no, he couldn't even reach the plate.
Which of course then leads to the question...should a man in the prime of his life who cannot throw a baseball sixty and a half feet be running the free world.
(The answer is of course fucking not. Dig up old Taft and even HE could throw that far)


text: Just found this great website where you can enter your blog URL, or any text you like, and they will create a spiffy little graphic of the most common words that you can use however you like! So much fun. Maybe I'll try to do one of these a week. Will be interesting to compare them.


text: I have been working very hard to prepare for the 5k walk on the 10th of Feb. and of course I am worried about it. This week my knees have felt like painful sand bags are encasing them and I can hardly walk with the pain. I have still kept to walking 1 mile a day but I wish there was less pain involved. Don't worry my friends I have made an appointment to see my doc this Friday to see what can be done.


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If Stacey Poole will ever wears this purple dress to a party I can guarantee her plenty of attention. The men will will look with admiration and the women with jealousy. But for know Stacey wears it for our eyes only and we get a little (actually it's quite big) bonus too :)
Posts tagged with 'purple'
Anna Beck and Darcie Dolce
Here's one of the always sensual Anna Beck. She certainly doesn't waste any time here. Our top heavy friend takes off her purple top, grants us a full frontal look at the impressive tits and once fully naked Anna grabs her favourite toy... Gallery.
At DDF Darcie Dolce has an intimate meeting with her blonde friend Savannah Stevens... Trailer and pics.
Kylie of Busty Britain
New at Busty Britain is this tanned brunned (with blue eyes) going by the name of Kylie K. (there's another Kylie K. at Cosmid). In this debut shoot she takes off her purple lingerie in the bedroom and shows us the intimate parts of her body.
Rachel at Busty Britain
We know this blonde best as Rachael of Downblouse Jerk, but she aslo did shoots for Spin Chix and Only Tease. Now we can also add Busty Britain to the list, there she takes off her sexy purple lingerie.
She's a passionate lover
The shot of Jazmyn's big tits hanging out of her puple sweater alone already justifies a post. But you should know by now that when this sizzling mature Latina is around hardcore is never far away. And that is exactly what goes in Jazmyn's 14th (!) scene for Bangbros.
Lillian Faye oh yeah!
I've been eagerly looking forward to the second set of Lillian Faye without a doubt one of the most impressive newcomers of last year. And still I almost can't believe my eyes... amazing big boobs on such a small framed girl. Now enjoy her stripping out of her purple underwear. .. The small framed and heavy chested Lillian Faye


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Combined, these nine languages represent more than 478,000 people that now have an Audio Bible available in their heart language.
Albuquerque, NM (PRWEB) December 12, 2011
Faith Comes By Hearing has added nine new language recordings to their catalog of Audio Scriptures. The new releases are:
- Avokaya – South Sudan
- Kapsiki – Cameroon
- Konso – Ethiopia
- Latin – Vatican City State
- Luwo – South Sudan
- Ndogo – South Sudan
- Palauan – Palau
- Takia – Papua New Guinea
- Tuwali Ifugao – Philippines
Combined, these nine languages represent more than 478,000 people that now have an Audio Bible available in their heart language. These recordings are possible because of dedicated translation work by: Wycliffe Bible Translators, The Bible League, United Bible Societies, and the Bible Societies of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, and Sudan.
The Latin recording was done in partnership with Vatican Press for use in Catholic seminaries, parishes, and personal individual study around the world.
Faith Comes By Hearing is also releasing a second Portuguese recording this month. It is a European version that will join the current Brazilian recording to better reach the more than 177 million people who share Portuguese as their heart language.
The ministry's catalog, the single largest resource of Audio Bibles in the world, now features a total of 610 languages. Spoken in more than 185 countries, these recordings represent a potential outreach to more than 5 billion people.
Faith Comes By Hearing offers free access to Audio Bibles through streaming and podcasts, while the Bible.is app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices now offers access to both audio and written Bibles in more than 600 languages.
For those areas that do not yet have regular access to the Internet or mobile devices, Faith Comes By Hearing continues to reach out by providing Audio New Testaments on solar-powered Proclaimers for listening groups. As of September 2011, more than 290,000 Proclaimers are proclaiming God's Word around the world.
In 2012, Faith Comes By Hearing will celebrate its 40th year in ministry, continuing to focus on their mission to record and provide Audio New Testaments in every translated language, making the fulfillment of the Great Commission a reality.


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Print copies apply to US ONLY.
When I began working with my cover artist for the CORE Shadow Trilogy, I wasn't sure what route to go…straight suspense, sexy, or a combination of both. The cover artist sent me a few suggestions, and while they weren't bad, they didn't fit the books. So, one Sunday morning I spent a couple of hours going through photos. When I found these really cool shadowy pictures, I knew I had to pass them along to my gal and see if she could do something with them. Boy, did she ever. The first book, Shadow of Danger, has a definite suspense vibe. The second book, Shadow of Perception, is a great blend of romance and suspense. The third book in the series? Well, I just couldn't resist. I loved the photo I'd found and loved what my cover artist was able to do with it. This cover has a bit of creepy, suspenseful vibe, minus the romance. But, it works with the series (you can see it here: http://www.kristinemason.net).
The whole clichéd "don't judge a book by its cover" is—in my humble opinion—bogus. When you open up your Kindle, iPad, Nook or whatever ereader you're using, what's the first thing you see? The cover. If it grabs you, you'll read through the book summary/blurb, then maybe be enticed enough to either buy the book or at least read the sample. I'm curious to know…how many of you judge a book by its cover?
Chicago investigative reporter, Eden Risk, receives an unmarked envelope containing a postcard ordering her to watch the enclosed DVD…or someone else dies. No Police. After Eden watches the DVD, a gruesome, horrifying surgery, she turns to the private criminal investigation agency, CORE, for help. Only she hadn't expected that help to come with a catch. Her former lover, Hudson Patterson, has been assigned to the case.
Hudson would rather have another CORE agent handle the investigation. Two years ago, he'd screwed things up with Eden…bad. And as more DVDs arrive, Eden and Hudson find themselves not only knee-deep in a twisted investigation, but forced to deal with their past, and the love they'd tried to deny.
Hero's POV:
Hudson cleared his throat and eyed Eden's cat. "I've only seen cats that size at the zoo or in the jungle. What the hell is it? Besides big and ugly."
"Don't talk like that." She cupped Fabio's only ear. "He's sensitive."
Eden had to have snapped at some point during the past two years. Literally. Since when did this woman, this no bullshit, headstrong woman, become all sensitive?
"Whatever, Dr. Doolittle," he said, hiding his irritation. She could let her guard down, shed her hard as nails persona for a frickin' cat, but she'd never bothered to make the effort with him. During those months they'd been together, she'd come willingly to his bed, or she'd invite him to hers. Their pillow talk had been fun and sexy. They had exchanged stories, but never secrets. And after a while, that had bothered him. For the first time…ever, he'd been intrigued by a woman and he'd begun to trust enough to want to give more of himself than he'd ever been willing to in the past. Unfortunately, despite the intimate moments they'd shared, she had kept herself guarded. Instead of trying to find a way to break through her barriers, he'd gone and screwed everything up with her. He'd regretted that night for over two years. And the mistake she'd promised him she would never forgive.
About the Author:
When I'm not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I'm chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.
Author Links:
(Note: I'm not responsible for the contents of this post, including the guest post, the excerpt and the links, as all of the above were provided to me by Goddess Fish Promotions.) ~Punya