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The Captive President
Wednesday, February 8, 2006; 1:18 PM
President Bush almost never hears criticism to his face. Certainly not in public.
But yesterday, at the widely-watched funeral of civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, a fidgety president had no choice but to sit quietly and listen as several speakers reproached him for not having learned the lessons that King and her martyred husband, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., spent their lives teaching.
The Rev. Joseph Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with King's husband, opened his eulogy with this question: "How marvelous presidents and governors come to mourn and praise, but in the morning, will words become deeds that meet needs?"
Then he read a poem about King: "She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism and war. She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar. We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew and we knew that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor."
Former President Jimmy Carter, who has emerged as one of Bush's harshest scolds, called attention to the "secret government wiretapping" of Rev. King, in what the cheering audience recognized as a reference to the current domestic spying controversy.
Carter added: "The struggle for equal rights is not over. We only have to recall the color of the faces of those in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, those who are most devastated by Katrina to know that there are not yet equal opportunities for all Americans."
Bush and his aides are known for going to great lengths to avoid such public confrontations.
Bush has broken with presidential tradition by boycotting the annual NAACP convention. After his administration came under fire for its bungling response to Hurricane Katrina, Bush reached out to black leaders -- but only in closed-door meetings cloaked in secrecy. (See my December 9 and December 22 columns.)
And while Bush trumpets his new-found closeness with former President Bill Clinton, who never criticizes him to his face, he has until now scrupulously avoided giving Carter any opportunity to lecture him about morality.
So it was truly an unprecedented moment for the president.
But was it appropriate to take advantage of Bush's attempt to reach out to the African-American community to publicly berate him? Bush, after all, changed his schedule to attend and deliver his own gracious, if bland, tribute .
"I've come today to offer the sympathy of our entire nation at the passing of a woman who worked to make our nation whole," Bush said, before sitting down and getting his ears boxed.


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How to Organize Your Art Supplies
Rainy days sometimes inspire me to organize and we've been having a lot of them lately. One of my personal messy areas is my art studio. While a bit of chaos might spark some creativity, there are certain kinds of disorganization that, for me, aren't conducive to working. Whether you are an artist, a quilter or an occasional crafter, you might find some of my observations and product recommendations useful when setting up and organizing your own space.
Now I'm not going to go Marie Kondo on my studio or anything, but there's nothing worse than not being able to find the right color paint, or unintentionally stroking a dark charcoal pencil over some carefully modulated graphite just because all of my various pencils were jumbled together in a drawer. I keep my graphite separate from my charcoal and my paint types separate, as well as loosely organizing them by color. And yes, I also like to organize by brand.
Brushes are another important studio accessory that require special care, storage and organizing. I like to store water media brushes separately from oil brushes so that I don't inadvertently get oil residue in acrylic paint or ruin a hog bristle with acrylic. Storing brushes upright in jars keeps the bristles from getting damaged but when I'm cleaning them, I lay them flat on a towel so that the water or solvent doesn't sit inside the ferrule. Once they've dried overnight, I store them upright in appropriate jars according to size and style, i.e. flats, filberts, points and so on.
You may not be aware of this but kitchen lazy Susans are absolutely great for holding art supplies including brushes, mediums and other items. They're available in a range of sizes and materials, including some double-tiered models. I use them to store small paint bottles and love the accessibility.
Because I work in a lot of media, I find drawers to be a great way to stash a lot of stuff. If you have a dedicated art or craft room, tabourets or similar furniture are great for keeping things organized. This colorful ten-drawer storage unit is easy to assemble, lightweight and has a flat top that's great for storing brush basins, brushes or other items. Convenient wheels make it easy to move where you most need it and at only 13 inches wide, it takes up little space while providing a lot of storage in its 12 x 15-inch drawers.
For storing larger, heavy paint jars, this beefier cart fits the bill with roomy 15.875 x 11.5 x 2.5-inch drawers. It comes in black or white and also includes wheels for easy mobility. Recessed handles are non-obtrusive while making it easy to access the contents. The opaque, close-fitting drawers make for a clean appearance although you may want to add your own labels so you can quickly find your supplies.
If you're lacking floor space, you might like this smaller 3-drawer storage unit that fits nicely on a desk, table or shelf. It has three drawers and clear plastic so you can easily identify the contents. It's 9 inches wide by 12 inches deep, making it great for storing small drawings or standard-sized paper. Multiple units arranged side by side will give you a surprising amount of storage for paper, paints or other art supplies.
If you like to make work onsite, you might need a portable storage solution for your art supplies. This 5-compartment storage tote is perfect for storing inks, pencils, brushes, polymer clay and a host of other supplies. Even though I mostly work out of my studio, I have several of these for holding odds and ends. They're inexpensive and easy to tuck on a shelf, which is great if you don't have a dedicated art and craft space for your supplies. Just bring it out on your Sunday painting day and return to its shelf once you're done. Of course, these are also great for art students taking classes or working on location.
There are some supplies that are better stored right under your work area so you can just grab them when you need them—especially when drawing is your medium. A well-equipped drafting table is essential to an organized studio. This wooden drafting table comes with a full-length drawer with five compartments for pastels, pencils, measuring tools and other supplies. The wood design is so attractive that even if you don't have a studio, you might not mind dedicating a corner of a room for working. The table has an adjustable work surface to suit your preference. Organize-It has a large selection of drawing and drafting tables, some with stools and onboard storage.
When planning your work space, here are a few other considerations–consider the light source and windows when setting up your work area. You want to get maximum light on your work. If you are painting, consider some shelving that allows you to store your canvases upright. freedomRail is a flexible shelving storage system and you could easily build your own custom craft or art storage in a couple of hours. Purchasing modular storage units, whether it's small drawers or a freedomRail system allows you to grow as your hobby or profession grows. Buy what you need now and add to it when you need to.
Most importantly, plan and organize the space that fosters your creativity, whether it's through some feng shui, or just paying attention to how you work and what feels good. And remember that organizing is creative too. Check out our Organize-It Blog post for more on creativity and organizing. Have fun!
*Tip: sometimes a simple plastic shoe box is a great place to dump little odds and ends…

subset: commoncrawl


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Words that end in ahpanhes
Found 1 words that end in ahpanhes. Browse our Scrabble Word Finder, Words With Friends cheat dictionary, and WordHub word solver to find words that end with ahpanhes. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words containing ahpanhes
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The world renowned drag artist, Taylor Mac, has made his mark as a New York City based playwright, actor and singer among other titles. Originally from Stockton, Calif., Mac is a theatre aficionado, activist and outsider advocate.
With 17 critically acclaimed plays already under his belt, Mac has taken to the stage in theatres around the world and across the country; bringing a sort of unconventional glamour and rebellion to his fabulous performances. His acts are an homage to gender-bending vaudeville artists of the 1970s, exposing audiences to the wide gender possibilities that exist in theatre.
This time Mac is bringing his internationally award winning show called "A 24-Decade History of Popular Music" to Kingsbury Hall on Saturday, Jan. 14. The act was five years in the making and in its original form is an astonishing 24 hours of nonstop popular music from 1776 to 2016, consisting of 246 songs in total. The performance at Kingsbury Hall will be condensed into a survey of popular music from 1946 – 1976, spanning the Civil Rights Movement to the Stonewall Riots.
Taylor Mac's performance is presented in partnership with the Office of Equity and Diversity and will initiate Martin Luther King Jr. Week at the U.
"A 24-Decade History of Popular Music: 1946 – 1976" will be showing at Kingsbury Hall on Jan. 14 at 7:30 pm. U student tickets are $5 with a U ID and U staff/faculty save 10% with their U ID. See further ticket information here.


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Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy
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What Is Shockwave Therapy?
Trigger point shock wave therapy (TPST) is a highly efficient, non-surgical treatment for chronic pain in the musculoskeletal system.
Richard Wolf, one of the innovators in medical technology worldwide for more than 100 years, has developed a new pain therapy device. Extracorporeal shock waves have been used in the treatment of chronic pain since the '90s.
The heart of the WellWave is the ergonomic planar therapy source. As a powerful system for pain therapy, it significantly expands the range of application in cases of myofascial pain syndrome:
- Cervical spine
- Upper extremities
- Pectoral girdle
- Hip region
- Thoracic and lumbar spine
- Lower extremities
Thanks to the wide range of applications of shock wave therapy, the WellWave is an excellent addition to any modern, progressive practice.
Common Conditions Treated by Shockwave Therapy
- Plantar Fascitis / Heel Pain / Heel Spur
- Elbow pain ex. tennis or golfer's elbow
- Shoulder pain ex. shoulder calification's
- Achilles tendon pain – Achilles Tendonopathy
- Patellar tendonitis ex. jumper's knee or Osgood-Schlatters disease
- Myofascial Trigger points/muscle tension
- Chronic neck and back pain
- Trigger Points
- Sprain/Strains
- Shin Splints
- Knee Pain
- Whiplash
- Bursitis
- Tennis Elbow
- Stress Fractures
- Non-Healing Ulcers
- Scar Tissue Treatment
- Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
Benefits of Shockwave Therapy*
- Non-surgical treatment
- Accelerates healing
- No side effects
- Coverage available from most insurance companies
Shockwave Facts
Shock waves are audible high-energy sound waves. They have been employed in the medical world since around 1980, initially used to disintegrate kidney stones, for instance. With our modern pain therapy, the shock wave generator conducts energy to the painful body regions, where healing capacities then take place.
How Do Shockwaves Work?
The healing process is accelerated by activating the body's self-healing powers. The shock waves stimulate new vessel blood formation or "neovascularization" to the damaged area leading to blood circulation and metabolism, where damaged tissue will gradually regenerate and eventually heal.
What Are The Possible Side Effects/Complications?
The extracorporeal wave has virtually no risks or side effects. In some cases, patients may experience some minor discomfort, which may continue for a few days. Similar to what you may experience after a full day's work or intense exercise.
What Is the Expected Progress?
The beneficial effects of ESWT are often experienced after only 3 to 5 treatments. Some patients report immediate relief after the treatment although it can take potentially up to 4 weeks for pain relief to begin and between 9 to 12 weeks to see the positive benefits. Studies demonstrate the most significant healing is between 6 and 9 weeks. This procedure can possibly reduce pain and potentially restore mobility.
How Is The Treatment Performed?
The pain region is localized and discussed with the patient. A coupling gel is then applied to the treatment area, where the hand piece will be placed on the region to generate shock waves. The applicator is moved in a circular motion over the pain region for the duration of the treatment. The shock waves are converted into sound energy once the kinetic energy hits the body's immovable tissues. Each session takes between 5 and 15 minutes depending on the disorder being treated and is scheduled at weekly intervals.
Why Consider ESWT?
ESWT has a proven success rate that is equal to or greater than that of traditional methods and without the risks, complications and lengthy recovery time. ESWT does not require anesthesia, requires minimal amount of time, patients can weight bear immediately, and return to normal activity within a few days of the procedure.
- Does not require anesthesia
- Patients can be treated on both sides at the same time if the condition requires
- Patients are immediately full weight bearing
- Fast, safe and effective
- Patients are evaluated for success after 12 weeks
- Decrease pain and increase function
- No incision; no risk of infection at the treatment site; no scarring
- Future treatment options are not limited
- Cost effective
At Shephard Health we are Always accepting New Patients!
Call Us at (403) 543-7499 to book your Shockwave Therapy appointment today!


text: A 31-year old male patient presented with complaints of palpitations, dizziness and recurrent episodes of syncope. 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed manifest ventricular preexcitation which suggested Wolff Parkinson White (WPW) syndrome. Moreover, incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) and 3-mm ST segment elevation ending with inverted T-waves in V2 are consistent with coved-type (Type 1) Brugada pattern. Electrophysiological study (EPS) was performed and during mapping, the earliest ventricular activation with the shortest AV interval was found to be on mitral annulus posterolateral site. After successful radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of the accessory pathway, the Brugada pattern on the ECG changed which pushed us to perform ajmaline provocation test. With the administration of ajmaline, type 1 Brugada ECG pattern occured. Considering the probable symptom combinations of these two coexisted syndromes and the presence of recurrent syncope episodes of the patient, programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS) was performed and after ventricular fibrillation (VF) induced. Therefore, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) was implanted soonafter.


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Released: February 1978
Pages: Original hardback version had 336 pages. The 2011 Anchor Books paperback I'll be reading has 505 pages.
Screen adaptations: It's a short story collection, so here goes:
"Children of the Corn" 1984 and again in 2009 (for the SyFy network).
"Cat's Eye," 1985, an anthology film that included adaptations of "Quitters, Inc." and "The Ledge."
"Maximum Overdrive," 1985, based on "Trucks" (also adapted in 1997 for the USA Network) and directed by King.
"Graveyard Shift," 1990.
"The Mangler," 1995, directed by Tobe Hooper.
"Sometimes They Come Back," 1991. Not bad but avoid name-only sequels. Just like with the handful of awful "Children of the Corn" sequels.
The story "Battleground" was adapted as part of TNT's "Nightmares & Dreamscapes" series. For more on that adaptation, check this out.
Connections: "Jerusalem's Lot" and "One for the Road" are about that small town in Maine that gets taken over by vampires. "The Last Rung on the Ladder" features a much younger version of a saintly old woman from The Stand. Speaking of that upcoming behemoth, "Night Surf" is its precursor.
Our fourth book in the Constant Reading Project is Night Shift, and it's the first collection of King's short stories, many of which were published in men's magazines in the early 1970s. These are the grisly tales of ne'er-do-wells that would have been right at home in the pulp mags of the 1920s and '30s, only much more graphic, such as "Battleground" and "Quitters, Inc." There are also more sentimental pieces such as "The Last Rung on the Ladder" and "The Woman in the Room."
King was young and desperate when these stories were written, so it's a great point of comparison to how his works matures over time but stays much the same.
With all that said, time's a-wasting, back to reading.


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Behold of the newest invention from Sweden. It doesn't come in flat cardboard box, but in a fancy composite materials finishing on the back of a Canadian designed business jet. The Saab/Bombardier GlobalEye 6000 is about to make stealth technology, like of the Lockheed Martin F-35 and the Irkut T-50, obsolete.
Or at least that is what Micael Johansson, head of Saab's business area Electronic Defence Systems, is telling these days. The GlobalEye will automatically detect and track air and surface targets over a huge area, both on land, at sea and in the air.
'Stealthy' aircraft
Ground surveillance of moving vehicles can be conducted through long-range, wide-area ground moving target indication (GMTI) radar modes. The GlobalEye system can track very low-observable air and sea targets, including 'stealthy' aircraft, cruise missiles or submarine periscopes, even in heavy clutter and jamming environments.
"GlobalEye is a game changer that delivers a unique swing-role capability for simultaneous air, maritime and ground surveillance in a single solution, with the ability to change role dynamically, while airborne during any mission," says Johansson.
Saab Erieye
The new radar system is marketed on the back of a Bombardier Global 6000 business jet. It is the successor of the Saab Erieye, of which 22 have been delivered on different aircraft to various countries: Brazil (5 R-99 (Embraer E145/Saab Erieye)), Greece (4 EMB-145H (Embraer E145/Saab Erieye), Pakistan (4 Saab Erieye 2000 (Saab 2000), United Arab Emirates (2 Saab 2000 Erieye, plus 2 Bombardier Global 6000/Erieye ordered), Saudi Arabia (2 Saab 2000 Erieye (Saab 2000), Sweden (2 Saab S 100D (Saab 340/Saab Erieye)), Thailand (2 S 100B (Saab 340/Saab Erieye), Mexico (1 E-99 (Embraer E145/Saab Erieye).
United Arab Emirates AEW&C
The United Arab Emirates will be the first to field a version of the new radar mounted onto the Global 6000, of an order placed in November 2015. Although there is some criticism in Swedish parliament against selling the AEW&C system to countries at war (the UAE fights in Yemen), the deal is considered to go through.
© 2016 Airheadsfly.com editor Marcel Burger
Featured image: Computer rendering of the new Swedish-Canadian Saab/Bombardier GlobalEye 6000 (Image © Saab AB)


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Our next step up from the Easy Riders. The Pedal On guided ride keeps the same slow pace but it takes in longer distances. This allows us to take in more of your local area and gets you fitter by riding for longer. As usual the rides are marshalled and risk assessed so you needn't worry about punctures or navigating high speed or busy roads and no-one gets left behind. Bikes & helmets are available from the Hub to rent for the duration of the ride completely free of charge and we will usually include a cafe stop.
The ride starts at the the Hub every Thursday morning at 10:00am, please get down a little early so we can set-off at 10.


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Vinyl record releases, 45s & LPS, local to Kansas and the surrounding Kansas City Area Metro area. Archived and discussed.
Monday, January 12, 2015
The Life and Times Lost Bees Slimstyle 2014
I don't do year end of lists. First, because I'm sure there's something I'd miss and second, because I can't afford enough new records to make an accurate judgement to begin with. Regardless, this is one of my favorites out of the few things I did pick up from this year. It's Shiner-esque power, ultra-mathy beats, and focused sound is spot-on throughout this LP. When you think it gets a bit too Radiohead-y and pretentious, the band just crashes down on drums and guitar, when you think it's going to get to 90's for you, they drop in enough electronics to keep it interesting.
Unfortunately, I think this album is going relatively unnoticed. Sure, the band appears to have the zine-famous thing down. The reviews are decent and there's always a mention of Allen Epley's Shiner work. But, I don't think it's going to be given the chance to set the world ablaze.
Truthfully, this band is now too old to be cool. Seriously, Shiner was like 20 years ago. It's like the Police in 1978 trying to fool everyone into thinking they were punk. The kids looked at them and said they were too good at their instruments to fit in. That's just as true with The Life and Times, they're too good to fit in. They're too proficient, they're too talented, and they got way too many cool tricks to be fitting in with the young, indie-rock crowd. The kids can't keep up with this, it's got dad skills (you know, the way your dad can beat you in 'HORSE' on a basketball court).
And that's probably just fine. Leave this for the Shiner fans and anybody with an open-mind. They're the ones that deserve it.
Ice Cream Eyes
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We are proud to announce the 1st Annual HR Tech Startup Pitchfest this year in Las Vegas.
We are accepting requests from sponsor organizations. Please contact: Rebecca McKenna, email@example.com.
Preliminary Rounds: Pitchfest Theater, Exhibit Hall, Booth #1540
|Tuesday, September 11
|5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
|Wednesday, September 12
|10:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 3 - 4 p.m.
In each round, ten participating companies will have three minutes to present, then two minutes to answer questions from the judges.
Of the ten companies presenting in each preliminary round, two from each round will be selected to go on to the Pitchfest final!
Final Round: Pitchfest Theater, Exhibit Hall, Booth #1540
|Thursday, September 13
|10 - 11 a.m.
Each of the six companies in the final round will have five minutes to present and two to three minutes to answer questions from the judges.
A unique panel of judges will be seated for each round, including the final round. Judges are selected from a broad range of backgrounds in HR technology. Judges' input will be limited to questions asked of the participants and any comments made after each presentation.
Each round will include audience voting. The audience vote will count for 30 percent of a participant's final score and the judges' votes will count for 70 percent of the final score. The total score earned by each company will determine which six companies will advance to the finals.
One winner will be selected during the final round and will go on to present in a conference session that afternoon — The Next Great HR Tech Company. They will also receive exhibit space at the 2019 HR Technology conference.
HRT has partnered with Randstad Innovation Fund to offer a single $25,000 prize to the winner of the first annual competition, as well as a $5,000 diversity prize.
Prize Sponsor:
Any exhibiting HR Technology Conference startup can submit an application for participation in the Pitchfest, whether your idea is at the concept stage, is being piloted or if your company is already operating. We're seeking innovative products and services from startups worldwide. All participants have an equal chance of winning.
All submissions will be reviewed by a panel made up of representatives from the HR Technology Conference and Human Resource Executive® Magazine. The panel will select 30 companies to participate in the Pitchfest preliminary rounds.


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Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute ham steak until heated through and browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer ham steak to platter, keep warm. Add heavy cream to skillet and reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Add mustard and simmer 1 minute. Add cooked spaetzle and toss to coat.
Top ham steak with mustard cream spaetzle.
In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a thick batter. You will probably not need all 3 cups.
Using a metal colander set over a pot of boiling, salted water, press spaetzle batter through holes directly into water.
When spaetzle are cooked through, they will float to surface, about 5 minutes. Scoop up with a slotted spoon and drain well as they cook or drain all at once.
Check Out Our
Get a sneak-peek of the new Food Network recipe page and give us your feedback.See it Now!


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DineAbility's "Yelp Help!" prepares you to handle that pesky amateur food-critic site: Yelp. Yelp can be your best friend or in some cases, your worst nightmare that keeps you up at night. We want you to sleep tight, so consider this service.[/h3]
Package Contents*
- Learn how to manage your Yelp site (Yelp Help! Guide)
- Receive a Yelp Help! Report* - a comprehensive breakdown of your Yelp site
- Receive 1 month of weekly Yelp monitoring - stay up-to-date and learn how to monitor
Yelp Help Strategy
Yelp Help + Monitoring
The "Yelp Help! Guide" focuses on how to address poor Yelp reviews and how to manage your Yelp site.
[br][clear] The "Yelp Help! Report" contains examples of Yelp feedback posts, breaks down a sample of pre-categorized sentiments from food, service, décor, and general, provides workable strategies and solutions, and provides final analysis from Elite reviewers and "regulars." Elite reviewers are determined by Yelp. "Regulars" are subjectively determined by DineAbility based on context of post.
[br][clear] The "1 month of weekly Yelp monitoring" will be in the form of a weekly report card. It will detail the newest Yelp reviews, DineAbility's interpretation of the review, and our recommendations.


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First Aid Acton Sign
First Aid Acton Sign
This sign allows you to get your message across clearly and effectively. It is manufactured from rigid plastic or self adhesive vinyl and available in the size 250x300mm
It is suitable to be fixed and mounted on the doors, walls and other surfaces of hotels, warehouses, apartment blocks, kitchens and labs.
Rigid Plastic (300x250mm) £ 10.39 Rigid Plastic (300x250mm)
Self Adhesive Vinyl (300x250mm) £ 6.19 Self Adhesive Vinyl (300x250mm)£6.19 to £10.39


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Size Guide
Shipping & Returns
an updated logo look, this short sleeve t-shirt is made with soft cotton, a crewneck, an oversized contrast color stacked logo at the hem and seaming details.
- Calvin Klein Jeans
- stacked logo muscle tee
- contrast stacked logo on the front
- soft cotton for breathable, all day comfort
- crewneck + short sleeves
- straight hem, topstitching + seaming details
Fit & Sizing
- fits true to size
- model is 5'9" + wearing a size small
Fabric & Care
- machine wash
- 100% cotton
- imported
Style Number
Universal Style Number
Most items leave warehouse within 1-2 full business days except where otherwise noted. Shipping restrictions may apply.* Shipping costs for rugs are calculated in checkout.
Returns must be made within 30 days of the shipment date. In order to process your return, items must be unworn and tags must be attached. Clearance and final sale items are not eligible for a return, refund or credit. Once a return is received, it takes 7-14 business days to process and 3-5 business days for the refund to be credited to the payment method used at the time of purchase.


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New Pieces:
Spirit Level - Greg Dulli on the "Spookiness" of new Afghan Whigs album, In Spades. I really enjoyed this conversation with Greg, one of my favourite songwriters, talking about the deep levels where these excellent new songs came from.
"Goldfrapp: Electromysticism". Spoke with Will & Alison about their rather excellent new record, Silver Eye. This piece also ran in the Spring 2017 issue of Under The Radar.
'We Need Voices': Gerard Way on His DC Comics Imprint 'Young Animal', Music, and Making Art To Make A Difference.
Select Pieces:
'The Comet Of Chaland' (for the Humanoids blog) - There isn't much information available in English on the excellent French comics artist, Yves Chaland, who died far too young at the age of 33 back in 1990. I decided to rectify this and spoke to Hanco Kolk, Joost Swarte, Luc Cornillon, Didier Pasamonik, and Bruno Lecigne to give a picture of his life and work.
Tongue Of The Dragon: A Look At Welsh-Language Outsider Pop (for The Quietus)
The Curious Case Of Colonel Sun: Kingsley Amis' Missing Bond Novel (for The Quietus)
King Of Songs: Steve Kilbey's Tarot Deck (for Red Bull Music Academy)
Sort Out Your Psyche!: Mikey Georgeson Discusses The Civilised Scene (for The Quietus) - one of my favourite songwriters and a fascinating conversation about the unconscious and creativity
The Fall And Rise Of Martin Newell And The Cleaners From Venus (for The Quietus) - another of my favourite songwriters. I was very pleased - after discovering the Cleaners the summer before during a bout of insomnia surfing the blogs for new music at 3 AM - to be able to write an account of Martin's work-to-date, finally starting to be recognized with the Captured Tracks re-releases and help to introduce him to a wider audience.
A Righteous Tale: My Review of Julian Cope's 'One Three One' novel (for The Quietus)
Psychedelic Brilliance: The Teardrop Explodes' Marvelous Origin Story (for The Quietus) - chatting to the band members about that issue of 'Daredevil' where they found their band name
'Must...Remember....': 40 Years of Humanoids (for The Quietus) - a look at the company that brought us 'The Incal', and so much more...


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|Please note: This article is about the shugenja school. For other uses of the term, please see Student of the Tao (disambiguation).
The Student of the Tao was a shugenja who researched the Tao of Shinsei to unlock the inherent spiritual powers that laid within every person, his first steps on the road to enlightenment. With this new awareness of the world, he was able to perform kiho. [1]
Known Techniques Edit
External Links Edit
- Student of the Tao (Dawn of the Empire)
- ↑ Four Winds, p. 8
|This Brotherhood of Shinsei related article is a stub. That means that it has been started, but is incomplete. You can help by adding to the information here.


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How to start exercising
5-minute read
The saying 'no pain, no gain' is a myth. Some activity is better than none, and more is better than a little, but you don't have to exercise to the point of collapse to get a health benefit.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
Some helpful tips to get started
- Make time to be physically active and schedule it as you would an appointment.
- Set a date for when you will start. Write the date down and stick to it.
- Make an activity planner so you can put the times and days you will do each activity.
- Set short-term and long-term goals. Make your goals specific, measurable and achievable. Rather than a vague goal like 'I will get fit', try 'I will walk every day for 10 minutes after meals' or 'I will get on and off the bus/train two stops away from my usual stop'.
- Build up gradually. If you are starting a new activity or have been inactive for some time, start at a level that you can manage easily and gradually build up.
- Choose activities that are right for you. Do something that you enjoy or go for something different you've always wanted to try, such as walking, jogging, joining a team sport, taking a group fitness class, dancing and swimming.
- Plan physical activity with others. This can help you stick to your plan and achieve your goals.
- Join a walking group. Walking groups are an enjoyable way to get active and provide an opportunity to socialise and meet new people.
- Get back on your bike with AustCycle. AustCycle provides cycling courses for people who want to ride bikes for recreation and transport. Courses are run by trained teachers who help participants improve their riding skills and safety, and encourage them to ride more often.
- Try some strength training by joining a Lift for Life program. Lift for Life is a strength training program designed specifically for people with, or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Do not give up before you start to see the benefits. Be patient and keep at it.
- Have fun! Physical activity can make you feel good about yourself and it's a good opportunity to have fun with other people or enjoy some time to yourself.
Walk rather than rest on escalators... or better still, use the stairs.
Finding time to get active
Everyone leads busy lives nowadays and it can seem hard to find time for physical activity. Try to look for opportunities to build as much physical activity into everyday activities as you can. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Rather than spend five minutes circling a car park looking for that 'perfect space' right near the entrance, park five minutes away and spend that time walking instead.
- If you arrive at a bus or tram stop early, why not make use of the time to walk to the next stop?
- Walk rather than rest on escalators – it's quicker so you'll actually save time. Or better still, use the stairs.
- Work in the garden – get into some energetic gardening activities like digging, shifting soil, and mowing the lawn to raise your heart rate.
- Clean the house! Activities like vacuuming, cleaning windows and scrubbing floors that raise your heart rate are all good examples of moderate activity.
- Park further away from work (or get off public transport a few stops early). If you walk for 10 minutes to and from work, you'll have done 20 minutes without even noticing. Add a 10-minute brisk walk (or more!) at lunch time and you've met the guidelines for the day.
Tips to keep you going
- Buy yourself a pedometer – a gadget which when worn on your hip counts how many steps you take. Use this to motivate you to keep increasing your daily steps. 10,000 steps is a website dedicated to motivating people to build up to 10,000 steps a day.
- Walk or cycle instead of using the car for short trips.
- If you have to drive, park further away from your destination or get off the bus, train or tram one stop early.
- Catch up with friends by walking together rather than meeting for coffee or a meal.
- Visit your local library or community centre and check for local community activities.
- Join a gym with a friend, and use the time to catch up and keep active. Find yourself a registered gym, fitness centre, health club or personal training studio through Health and Fitness Industry Association, Fitness Australia.
Getting active with your family
- Play actively with your children – kick a footy around, skip, jump on the trampoline.
- Go on a family bike ride.
- Take your dog (or the neighbour's dog) for a walk.
- If possible, walk to school with your children or park further from the school and walk part of the way.
- Buy a fitness DVD and get the whole family to join in – a great way to have a laugh and be active.
Getting active at work
- Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in the car or at work and you will always be ready for a walk or run.
- Take the stairs rather than the lift, or walk rather than rest on escalators.
- Go for a short walk during your lunch break.
- Start a walking group with work colleagues or friends and stick to a routine of certain days or times to go out together.
- If you work in an office, try to avoid long periods of sitting and get up as frequently as you can.
- Walk the long way to the bathroom and kitchen/canteen.
- Park the car further away from work or get on and off the bus/tram/train at a stop that is further away.
If you are pregnant, have been previously inactive, or suffer from any medical conditions, it is recommended that you seek medical advice before commencing vigorous physical activity.
For best results in achieving a healthier lifestyle and reducing your risk of developing a chronic disease combine physical activity with healthy eating.
Last reviewed: October 2016


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Map of 685 E. College Parkway, Carson City, NV 89706, 35
School data provided by GreatSchools
"Ahhh" is what you'll say when you walk through the door of this large two bedroom floor plan. As you enter through the entry hall your are treated to a very large living room with a large 6 foot window on the back wall. There is also the ability to have a beautiful fluted column, tile faced fireplace should you choose the third floor. Off of the living room you will notice a bayed dining area that has 5 windows including a french door that leads out to the patio and patio closet. The kitchen is very open with a generous amount of cabinet and counter space. Both bedrooms have attached full bathrooms and walk-in closets. The secondary bath also gives access off of the entry hall. A set of bi-folding doors close off the washer and dryer area. With all of the space and light, this truly is a home you will never want to leave!
This apartment is a 2 bedroom place listed for $1039 per month. The building is located in Carson City.
This listing is no longer active as of November 1st, 2013.


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Edition 2014
The Route
Experience the entire process of biobanking from start to finish
Part of the conference program is an interactive sequence of displays where participants can observe the biobanking process step by step. The route starts with filling out and signing an informed consent and continues with steps of sample collection, preparation, storage and analysis. The dissemination of results is also integrated as part of the Route. The samples and data in the Route will travel as a chain of different activities and processes. This year, in addition to blood/ DNA samples, a clinical tissue banks in operation will be illustrated.
The steps of the Route
The research process:
- Ethics & Regulation: ethics and law as regulations and pre-requisites for biobank research.
- Biobanking practice & Pre-analytics: the whole process around collection, distribution and storage (freezers, robotics, sample tracking systems, etc.). After samples have been collected and sent to a biobank, samples are registered in a system before processing and storage. This pre-analytical step includes aliquotation into barcoded storage tubes and DNA/RNA extraction.
- Sample Analysis: the step to show how instruments for genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and transcriptomics are used to analyze the samples.
- Data Analysis: statistical analysis.
- Dissemination: suitable media, open access vs. privacy, nanopublications, high throughput data, biobank research impact factor.
- Autoscribe
- Becton Dickinson
- Elpro-Nordic
- Fenno Medical Oy - Co-exhibitor FluidX
- FluidX
- HAMILTON Robotics
- Illumina
- LiCONiC UK
- Modul-Bio
- Oy AGA Ab
- P3G - Public Population Project in Genomics and Society
- PerkinElmer
- Promega
- Software Point
- Sysmex
- Taylor Wharton
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
Idea labs
The inspiration for this session format comes from the World Economic Forum meeting, where idea labs are used to create an interactive discussion between the session participants coming from very different backgrounds. Similarly, at the HandsOn: Biobanks 2014 conference, we want to stimulate discussion about burning topics with relevance for the biobanking field by inviting experts in this area to lead the interactive 'idea lab' sessions.
How the Idea labs work
1. Moderator introduces the theme and concept (5 min)
The moderator gives a short introduction to the whole 'idea lab' session by presenting the overall theme of the session and by explaining in brief how the session is going to work. No slides are needed. The moderator then introduces each presenter, and leads the process (see below).
2. Presenter: Topic and provocative question (5 min per presenter, 20 min in total)
Each presenter gets up to 5 minutes to present his or her topic. Slides with photos or other illustrations may enhance the presentation, but bullet point-type slides filled with text is discouraged. The presenter should finish the talk with an interesting or provocative question that can stimulate to discussion.
3. Group discussions (30 min)
After the presentations (usually three to four presentations), all participants of the 'Idea Lab' choose one of the topics to continue to discuss about. The groups gather in the corners of the room around a whiteboard or a poster.
4. Summary of group discussions (5 min per group, total 15-20 min)
The purpose of this last part of the Idea Lab is to summarize the four group discussions. All participants gather around one whiteboard/poster at the time and listen to the presentation from that group.
Ethics & Legal Science Café
Take part or listen to heated discussions on burning issues relating to ethical and legal issues. We will have discussions on:
- Results from research as part of healthcare
- Public-Private-Partnership: rules and ethical aspects
Meet the experts
There will a special time slot implemented into the HOBB 2014 program for you to have a chance to meet the experts related to the biobanking field. Stay tuned for more information as the HOBB 2014 program will become available.


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This was supposed to be my month of scary movies. Let's see how that turned out, shall we?
1) Dolphin Tale
2) Dream House
3) Real Steel
4) The Stratton Story
5) Smokin' Aces
6) Footloose (2011)
7) Footloose (1984)
8) Top Gun
9) She's the Man – PT loved this. I ended up buying it for her while she was in town visiting.
10) The Three Musketeers (2011) - I promise I'll post on this soon.
11) The Three Musketeers (1993)
12) 127 Hours
13) Anonymous
14) Paranormal Activity 3
15) Saw
16) 1408 – A good portion of it anyway. The DVR wasn't working correctly.
17) Halloween
So, all in all, there was only one movie that necessitated my hiding behind my hands because of scary scenes. I did hide behind my hands for a couple parts of Saw but only because they were gross. The toilet scene about did me in. Blech!


text: Yeah so my minecraft server is lacking in the member department, help out a fellow temper and play! Ill just repost my topic from the minecraft forums. NEW SERVER 24/7 /w Regular Maintenance days (Wednesday) Xeology Server - World Ameril http://xeology.servegame.com Welcome, So you are interested in joining the Xeology Server. You're a step away from having fun in an awesome community! Visit the website listed at the top and bottom to receive the IP address to play! Here are some things you should know . . . Features -TeamSpeak Server ( nether.servegame.com ) -Working Nether Server (LINKED) -Forums -Website -hMod -Non-Premium -Many Plugins -Friendly Community -Dynamic Map (FULL FEATURED MAP SYSTEM) http://map.servegame.com User Permissions -Non-Registered Members can do what ever they want under the rules outside of protected areas. -Registered members obtain the right to build in the 58 Sector City Xeta City and are have more build options (water buckets etc, etc) -No special process for becoming registered, just ask an admin! Registration of a Password This server requests you register a password to protect your account on our server because it is offline and if we didn't people could login as you without a password (NOT GOOD) But we have your back! Town And Nations -Get 10 people who wish to form a town and you have an admin will make you one. -Get 5 towns who want a Nation and an admin will form you one. RuneCraft Use Magic and Runes to do wondrous things, visit the main thread and get a complete list of fun runes to use! viewtopic.php?f=1012&t=29244 NPCS and Quests Talk to NPC's by hitting them with a book, also receive quests this way, use /quest to check quest information! Ask an admin for a book! The Nether The Nether is easy, just go through a portal at Magi Fort and click a block. You will disconnect, at this point type in earth.servegame.com:25566 and you will be in Hell. YOU MUST LOGIN TO THE SERVER YOU LOGGED OUT OF. To switch back just repeat on other side! Parties Party with your friends easily to enjoy grouped Mining and PVE/PVP. Use /party new to start a new party and use /party add/kick/disband to manage it! MoveCraft Make boats and aircraft with /boat sail or /aircraft pilot and take off! Mail System Use /mail to manage in-game mail! Cuboid Protection Protect your creations with /protect! MAGIC Find magic spells and use them with /cast! Ready to join? Visit us at http://xeology.servegame.com to get the IP address to connect!


text:
Summer Job Opening
May 31, 2017 by Sister Ancilla
Filed under Uncategorized
Temporary Landscape Assistant Position:
This position
- approximately 24-28 hours per week at a minimum of $ 10.00 per hour, depending upon experience.
- would involve the usage of a
- riding lawn mower,
- push lawn mower,
- grass trimming,
- trimming shrubs and
- some painting and/or staining of trim-work.
The position runs from the first week of June until September 15th.
Application available here for download. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Mark Cummings
608-782-5440, ext. 247


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Sarvānandakaraṇam1 edition - first published in 1999
The initial point of our fixed zodiac and Ayana manjari with appendices1 edition - first published in 1935
A guide to the observatory at Ujjain1 edition - first published in 1932
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Eutelsat Communications to Propose Appointment of Two New Independent Board Members at General Assembly of 8 November
PARIS, October 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
At the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) on 8 November 2012, shareholders will be invited to vote on the appointment of two new independent Board members: Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun, a Moroccan national, and Elisabetta Oliveri, an Italian national.
Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun is a Director of the Holmarcom Group and CEO of its largest subsidiary, Les Eaux Minérales d'Oulmès, specialised in water and bottling. In May 2012, she became the first woman to head Morocco's employers' union, the Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc and the first woman appointed to this position in the MENA region. She is also a board member of the National Central and Reserve Bank of Morocco (Bank Al Maghrib) and Chairwoman of the Euro-Mediterranean Center of Mediation and Arbitration (CEMA).
Elisabetta Oliveri is CEO of Gruppo Fabbri Vignola, an industrial and international leader in machines and films for the food packaging sector. Her previous executive positions have included CEO of the SIRTI group, the Italian leader in network engineering, and Business Development Manager at Marconi. She is also a Board member of Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso, Azienda Trasporti Milano and SNAM (ENI Group).
The addition of these two nominees to the Eutelsat Board of Directors would increase its number to ten, of which three women and six independent directors of five different nationalities, thereby confirming the Group's commitment to gender and cultural diversity.
About Eutelsat Communications
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A. With capacity commercialised on 29 satellites that provide coverage across Europe, as well as the Middle East, Africa and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators. As of 30 June 2012 Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 4,250 television channels to over 200 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates high speed Internet services through teleports in France and Italy that serve consumers, enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ just over 750 commercial, technical and operational professionals. This culturally diverse staff comprises employees from 30 countries. http://www.eutelsat.com
SOURCE Eutelsat Communications


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Last week we looked at the iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Canada Index ETF (XFC), one of a trio of new ETFs based on multifactor indexes from MSCI. Recall that we found a few surprises in our analysis: a large part of the index's performance could not be explained by the size, value, momentum and quality factors. Now let's see how the US and international multifactor indexes hold up to the same analysis.
iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor USA Index ETF (XFS)
My first issue with the iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor USA Index ETF (XFS) is that its underlying index doesn't use a broad-market parent index (like the MSCI USA IMI Index). Instead, its universe is the MSCI USA Index, which excludes small cap companies. A multifactor ETF that tilts towards small companies is going to have a hard time doing so when their parent index contains only large and mid cap companies. iShares argues that mid cap companies have also historically outperformed large cap companies in the US, so we'll leave it at that.
The management fees on this product are 0.45%, making it 6-7 times more expensive than the broad market iShares Core S&P U.S. Total Market Index ETF (XUU). XUU also tracks an index that includes 3,817 stocks, while XFS tracks an index of only 135 stocks.
The tracking error of the MSCI USA Diversified Multiple-Factor Index has been lower than most of the other single factor indices, so this should also help investors with their behavioural biases.
Monthly Tracking Error to Index: January 1999 to December 2015
Sources: MSCI, Dimensional Returns 2.0
A 5-factor regression analysis of the multiple-factor index reveals an unexplained alpha of 0.47%, though this is nowhere near as troubling as it was in our Canadian example. Although the index did not have a heavy size or momentum tilt, it did include a healthy dose of value (+0.14) and quality (+0.27), as we should expect.
5-Factor Regression Results: January 1999 to December 2015
*Data shaded in light grey have a t-stat greater than 2, which indicates a statistically significant result
Sources: MSCI, AQR Data Library
While the regression analysis showed few surprises, I do find it odd that none of the individual factor indices outperformed the multiple-factor index over the measurement period. As you can see in the table below, the individual factor indexes had annualized returns no higher than 7.41%. Yet somehow the multi-factor index returned 7.88%. This could be due to a rebalancing bonus of some kind, but the amount just seems high. (Imagine a portfolio of ETFs that earned a higher return than every one of its individual holdings.) Also, the largest tilt in the multiple-factor index was to the quality factor, and yet this was the worst performing individual factor index of the group, at 5.42%.
Performance Summary: January 1999 to December 2015
iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor EAFE Index ETF (XFI)
Similar to XFS, the iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor EAFE Index ETF (XFI) sorts its stocks from an index that excludes small cap companies.
The management fees on XFI are also 0.45%, which is roughly double the cost of the broad-market iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF). XEF also tracks an index of 3,164 stocks, while XFI includes just 209 companies.
The tracking error of the MSCI EAFE Diversified Multiple-Factor Index relative to the broad-market index is the lowest of the three multiple-factor indices, at 1.15%. It is also lower than any of the individual MSCI factor indices listed below. This should lead to fewer cases of regret among investors who have become accustomed to plain-vanilla indexing.
The 5-factor regression showed a significant tilt towards all factors except momentum. Nothing else in the results really jumped out as being out of place:
If you've made it this far, you've probably already made the decision to stick with your low-cost, plain-vanilla indexing strategy. Factor investing is enticing, but as we've seen with these multifactor indexes, it can be difficult to put into practice. If you use a factor-based ETF that claims to capture the premiums from value or momentum stocks, for example, it's hard to know whether you're getting what you've been promised. Do you really want to be running 5-factor regressions as part of your due diligence process?
These strategies also have more turnover than a passive strategy (MSCI estimates their global multiple-factor portfolio turnover at 40.1%, relative to 3.1% for their global passive index strategy). In taxable accounts, this increased turnover could result in higher capital gains distributions and lower after-tax returns. I still recommend choosing a strategy that you are comfortable with and that is easy to understand.
So you've read all about the benefits of index investing. Your portfolio is dirt cheap and broadly diversified. Heck, you've even stopped checking your portfolio value on a daily basis. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, ETF providers drop a bombshell by claiming there may be a smarter way to invest.
Traditional index investing is clearly not dumb, but it can sometimes feel that way. There's a lot of academic research out there that has shown certain risk factors have historically generated higher returns than the market. By tilting towards any of these factors in your portfolio, you have the potential for market beating returns. Even better, by combining a number of these factors into your portfolio, you may enjoy a smoother ride in your pursuit of outperformance.
Based on this idea, iShares has created three multifactor equity ETFs (Canada, US and International), which follow the MSCI Diversified Multi-Factor Indexes. Instead of tilting towards a single factor, these indices combine four well-researched factors: value, momentum, size and quality. Let's start by taking a closer look at the Canadian version. I'll look at the US and international multifactor indexes in my next blog.
iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Canada Index ETF (XFC)
With a management fee of 0.45%, you'll pay 9 times more to hold the iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Canada Index ETF (XFC), compared to its plain-vanilla counterpart, the iShares Core S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF (XIC). You'll also reduce your stock holdings by a third, from 240 companies to 81 companies.
Tracking error to the index is always an issue with any active strategy (and yes, factor investing is arguably an active strategy). One behavioural issue I've found with factor investing is the tendency to constantly compare your returns to the index. If your investment strategy strays too far below the index returns, you may be tempted to abandon it. By combining factors together into a single fund, it may help reduce the tracking error of the fund relative to the index (and help investors avoid making any knee-jerk reactions).
If we calculate the monthly tracking error of the single and multiple-factor MSCI indices relative to the MSCI Canada IMI Index ("the market"), we find that the MSCI Canada IMI Select Diversified Multiple-Factor Index tracking error is similar or lower than nearly all of the individual factor indices (with the exception of the quality index).
No factor discussion would be complete without a regression analysis. I know that most of my blog readers hate these things. But the fact is, this statistical technique is the best way to measure whether a factor-based index is behaving the way you would expect.
In the tables below, I've compared the regression results for a broad-market index with those of the multiple-factor index. For each factor (size, value, momentum, quality) the amounts for the multiple-factor index should be higher than the broad-market index—this indicates the factor tilt. In this analysis, "alpha" represents the portion of the returns explained by something other than that factor tilt. So if the multi-factor strategy performs as expected, you should expect an alpha of zero.
Although the Canadian multiple-factor index had significant tilts towards momentum (+0.07), quality (+0.07) and size (+0.21), it had a negative tilt toward value (-0.03). That's hard to explain. Also, since size was its biggest factor tilt, I would have expected to see outperformance of smaller companies over the measurement period. But if we review the index performance in the chart above, we find that smaller companies returned about 7.06%, while the market returned 7.24% (whoops).
Things get even more confusing. The unexplained alpha over the period was a whopping 2.41% per year. These results make me question whether there is something else driving the back-tested multiple-factor outperformance – if this is the case, investors may not be receiving a true multiple-factor Canadian equity ETF.
*Data shaded in light grey have a t-stat greater than 2, which indicates a statistically significant result Sources: MSCI, AQR Data Library
A number of readers have asked me what I think about Paul Merriman's Ultimate Buy-and-Hold Portfolio. It sure does have a nice ring to it (placing the word "ultimate" before anything tends to have that effect). Merriman believes that you can increase the expected return of a simple Couch Potato portfolio by adding more small-cap and value companies to the mix. This is not a new idea – for decades now, academics have known about the historical small-cap and value premiums. Notable fund companies, like Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA), have even created products based on their research.
Although Merriman's articles are written from a US perspective, we can take his concepts and apply a Canadian spin to them. First, let's take a look at a balanced Couch Potato portfolio (similar to my 40FI-60EQ model ETF portfolio). You can see that the equity mix is made up of 20% Canadian stocks, 20% US stocks, 16% international stocks and 4% emerging markets stocks.
Couch Potato Balanced Portfolio
Portfolios are rebalanced annually
We'll then divide each equity region into four equal parts, consisting of large-cap blend, large-cap value, small-cap blend and small-cap value companies. Merriman usually includes real estate investment trusts (REITs) in his model portfolios as well, but I've excluded them so that we can view the small-cap and value effects in isolation).
Paul Merriman Balanced Portfolio
Comparing the performance of the two portfolios, we find that the Couch Potato portfolio has outperformed the Merriman portfolio over the 1, 3 and 5 year periods ending December 31, 2015. Both portfolios performed similarly over 10 years. The Merriman portfolio started to shine after 15 years, beating the Couch Potato portfolio on average by about 1% each year.
Portfolio Performance: January 2001 to December 2015
Sources: MSCI Indices, FTSE TMX and Russell indices courtesy of Dimensional Returns 2.0
There are a few insights that can be gained from this example. First, 15 years is a long time to wait for higher expected returns (with absolutely no guarantee of higher returns than the index). There is a huge behavioural argument against straying from the index for any active strategy.
Second, Merriman's portfolio is much more complex than the Couch Potato portfolio. It contains 12 additional holdings, which must be managed as new cash is added to the portfolio and rebalancing opportunities arise. ETFs that have a similar value and small-cap tilt may not even be available to DIY investors.
Third, these figures are before any fees or taxes. If Merriman's portfolio could be theoretically constructed using readily available ETFs, the ongoing costs would likely be higher than a Couch Potato portfolio.
What if I still want to invest like Paul Merriman?
For DIY investors, I always recommend keeping things simple and sticking with a Couch Potato portfolio. Trying to piece together the necessary ETF parts like a mad scientist could result in a portfolio abomination. Much like Victor Frankenstein, you may end up abandoning your monster shortly after its creation.
If you have an advisor that has access to DFA funds, there is a relatively easy way to create a Paul Merriman portfolio. For each equity region, simply have your advisor mix about 1 part broad-market ETFs with 2 parts DFA Vector Funds – by doing this, you'll end up with a decent Merriman clone. I've included the weights of the indices below – you'll notice these are very similar to the model DFA portfolios that some of our clients invest in.
DFA Balanced Portfolio
The DFA portfolio performance below is nearly identical to the Merriman portfolio performance. I've also included an additional graph showing the growth of $1 for each of the portfolios. The blue line representing the DFA portfolio is barely distinguishable from the brown line representing the Merriman portfolio.
Sources: MSCI Indices, DFA, FTSE TMX and Russell indices courtesy of Dimensional Returns 2.0
Dan Bortolotti's recent blog post raised a number of questions from his readers concerning the impact of foreign withholding taxes within a corporate account. This is a hot topic, as many successful professionals are choosing to save within their corporation. Couch Potato investors often allocate 40% or more to foreign stocks, so it's important for them to grasp these tax concepts before implementing their own portfolio.
Foreign interest income vs. foreign dividend income
The taxation of foreign income is often lumped into the "interest income" category, but this is not entirely accurate. Foreign interest income (the kind that is generally not subject to foreign withholding taxes) is taxed in a similar manner to Canadian interest income in a corporation. So holding a tax-efficient global bond fund in your corporate account should be just fine.
Foreign dividend income, on the other hand, can affect the amount of corporate taxes that are refundable when dividends are paid to you as a shareholder. For Couch potato investors, this foreign dividend income is typically received on a quarterly basis from your US, international and emerging markets equity ETFs. Foreign dividends are not specifically the issue – it is technically the foreign non-business income tax credit that throws a wrench into the refundable tax calculation.
In order to better understand the taxation of foreign dividend income in a corporation, we'll start with the calculation of Part I tax, and move to the calculation of the refundable portion of Part I tax. We'll then follow the dividend income out of the corporation and into the personal hands of the shareholder in order to calculate the overall taxes paid. To make the math easier, we'll use $10,000 as our foreign dividend income figure, and assume a 15% withholding tax rate on the income (or $1,500).
Part I tax calculation
Similar to the corporate taxation of interest income, there is a base federal tax amount of 38%, along with an additional refundable tax of 6.67% (this has been increased to 10.67% in 2016). A federal tax reduction of 10% is then applied, and the foreign non-business income taxes paid are offset by the foreign non-business income tax credit of 15%. This results in Part I tax payable of 19.67% (38% + 6.67% - 10% - 15%).
Once we include provincial tax of 11.5% (for an Ontario corporation), our total taxes payable increase to 31.17% (19.67% + 11.5%). As we had initially paid 15% foreign withholding tax on the dividend income, this amount should also be included in order to calculate our total taxes. This equals 46.17% (31.17% + 15%), which is the combined federal/provincial tax rate for passive investment income earned within an Ontario corporation in 2015 (this amount is increasing to 50.17% in 2016).
Part I Tax Calculation
Source: CCH Corporate TaxPrep Software
Refundable portion of Part I tax
A portion of Part I taxes are refundable when dividends are ultimately paid out of the corporation to the shareholder. For interest income, the refundable amount is 26.67% (increasing to 30.67% in 2016). In our example below, the tax refund is only 15.24% of the dividend income. As mentioned earlier, this difference is due to the foreign non-business income tax credit. The refundable amount of tax would change depending on the withholding tax rate levied on the foreign dividends (for example, if you held an international equity ETF that withheld 12% instead of 15%, the refundable amount would differ).
Refundable portion of Part I tax calculation
Personal Tax Calculation
Of the $4,617 of total taxes paid on our $10,000 of foreign dividend income, $3,093 is non-refundable, and $1,524 is refundable when sufficient dividends are paid out to the shareholder. Since the after-tax corporate income is $5,383 ($10,000 - $3,093 - $1,524), there is currently $6,907 available to distribute to the shareholder ($5,383 after-tax corporate income + $1,524 refundable taxes).
If we assume that the distribution is in the form of a non-eligible dividend paid to an Ontario resident in the highest tax bracket, their personal taxes would be $2,772 in 2015 ($6,907 non-eligible dividend × 40.13% tax on non-eligible dividends). This would leave them with $4,135 of after-tax income ($6,907 - $2,772). I've illustrated the concepts in the chart below (adapted from Jamie Golombek's 2014 article).
Foreign dividend income earned in a corporation in Ontario in 2015
Sources: Adapted from In Good Company: Retaining investment income in your corporation, Deloitte 2015 Top marginal income tax rates for individuals
The overall taxes paid on the $10,000 of foreign dividend income was $5,865 ($3,093 non-refundable corporate tax + $2,772 personal tax) or 58.65%, which is 9.12% higher than the top 49.53% tax rate in 2015 which would apply for an Ontario resident that earned the foreign dividend income personally.
This would suggest that an investor may be better off investing in foreign equities outside of their corporate account (i.e. in personal non-registered accounts, RRSPs, TFSAs, etc.). For investors who are comfortable with swap-based ETFs (such the Horizons S&P 500 Index ETF (HXS)), this may also be a suitable option, as the fund does not distribute foreign dividend income, and will therefore avoid foreign withholding taxes and the offsetting credit.


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When Dodgy Dave met Uncle Joe
I had a bit of a twitter exchange with David Aaronovitch the other day. I went into it with some trepidation because I thought some troll might pop up to derail the thread, simply insult Dave's interlocutor or even come out as a zionist sympathiser having been anti-zionist in the past. I even thought that Dave himself might be on good form but it was not to be.
It all started when I noticed an unremarkable tweet from @ejhchess to @Flying_Rodent:
It all started when I noticed an unremarkable tweet from @ejhchess to @Flying_Rodent:
Justin Horton @ejhchess Follow
@flying_rodent A friend of yours is engaging in logic https://twitter.com/DAaronovitch/status/502514527184117760 …
From David Aaronovitch's "logical" tweet I saw Dave angrily challenging someone called i was id (@iwasid to "Find me a single thing either of us has said or written that supports right-wing racism anywhere. One."
Well as coincidence would have it I noticed something Dave had written only the day before for the Jewish Chronicle that I thought was racist so, with some trepidation (see above) I mentioned it in a tweet:
David Aaronovitch @DAaronovitch
To which Dave replied:
Well as coincidence would have it I noticed something Dave had written only the day before for the Jewish Chronicle that I thought was racist so, with some trepidation (see above) I mentioned it in a tweet:
David Aaronovitch @DAaronovitch
@iwasid Find me a single thing either of us has said or written that supports right-wing racism anywhere. One. @Dannythefink @Brian_Whit
.@DAaronovitch this looks like a crude right wing racist generalisation "new minorities now hate old ones" http://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate/columnists/121642/nows-not-time-pack-suitcase-and-leave-uk … @iwasid
To which Dave replied:
David Aaronovitch @DAaronovitch Follow
@jewssf It only looks like that to you, Mark, because that's what you want to see.
To which I responded:
Jews Sans Frontieres @jewssf Follow
And another guy joined in:
.@DAaronovitch your statement "new minorities now hate the old ones" is racist for all to see http://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate/columnists/121642/nows-not-time-pack-suitcase-and-leave-uk … not just me
And another guy joined in:
And Dave responded, warming to his subjectivity theme:
At this point it started to look like he wasn't simply being slippery, he really didn't know what was racist about generalising about whole minority groups so I explained:
Now he did start to get slippery:
Yes I did know it was about France but how does that change anything?
I also mentioned that his last tweet was a non sequitur but now tetchiness was setting in as a nerve seems to have been struck:
Wow! What was that all about? How does using "surely" amount to Stalinism? Reading back I wish I hadn't used the word surely because it should have been clear by then that he really didn't know that his generalisation was racist. Also I if I didn't say "surely" I could have put the apostrophe in "countrys" making it "country's". Still never mind, it was worth the bad grammer to see Aaro lose it like a complete idiot.
It must have been while I was tweeting something else that Aaro tweeted to a @rico_hands and me that "You retweeted this earlier: "The Zionist Jews own all the Media the Film Industry and are all Corrupt." It didn't look like a comment I'd approve of and I said so and Aaro said it wasn't me, it was that Rico chap. I know some people put all their addressees at the beginning of a tweet but if you're making an accusation you should only put the target of the accusation at the beginning and other addressees at the end. Just a word on protocol because people can get the wrong idea. Anyway, I asked Aaro for a link and he told me it wasn't me that retweeted it. So that was nice.
But I still responded to the stalinist thing:
So now he tried to modify what he actually said:
Now actually I don't think that's much better but is better in that it's not a generalisation. But it is a rather bland assertion and it's devoid of any analysis as to what he means by antisemitism or any explanation as to why he thinks it's the case but anyway back I came still focused on the undeniably (though he did deny it) racist generalisation:
Noticing that Aaro's reference to antisemitism meant that he was alluding to Jews when he said "old ones", I asked then what he meant by "new minorities" but heard no more from him.
Now all the while this was going on I was surprised that no one came along to help Aaro dig himself out of the hole he had dug. None came until that Gerasite/Unrepentant Jacobin chap, Jamie Palmer appeared with this little gem:
I just couldn't be bothered with him and I was truly feeling too sorry for Aaro to point that Jacobin's use of the word "also" meant that he was agreeing with me, that what Aaro had written was indeed a racist generalisation (also). Aaro smartly ignored the "supportive" tweet too and he was promoting the young Gerasite only recently
But what of the statement itself? "Ethnic hatred has become a basic element in the everyday life of Israeli youth". Of itself, it isn't making a generalisation. As it stands it could simply be a reference to the racist environment that Israeli youth inhabits. I found its origin just now. It's a Ha'aretz headline.
Of course, Ha'aretz is an Israeli newspaper. Israelis are not a minority in Israel so the headline wasn't even about a minority. So a great help Aaro's protégé turned out to be. He confirmed my own point about Aaro's racist generalisation and lifted a Ha'aretz headline out of context. I'm sure he'll go far but he and Aaro have to bear in mind that context is all.


text:
'Do just as you please, my dear,' replied Mrs. Allen, with
the most placid indifference. Catherine took the advice, and
ran off to get ready. In a very few minutes she reappeared,
having scarcely allowed the two others time enough to get
through a few short sentences in her praise, after Thorpe
had procured Mrs. Allen's admiration of his gig; and then
receiving her friend's parting good wishes, they both hurried downstairs.
'My dearest creature,' cried Isabella, to
whom the duty of friendship immediately called her before
she could get into the carriage, 'you have been at least three
hours getting ready. I was afraid you were ill. What a de-
lightful ball we had last night. I have a thousand things to
say to you; but make haste and get in, for I long to be off.'
Catherine followed her orders and turned away, but not
too soon to hear her friend exclaim aloud to James, 'What a
sweet girl she is! I quite dote on her.'
'You will not be frightened, Miss Morland,' said Thorpe
as he handed her in, 'if my horse should dance about a lit-
tle at first setting off. He will, most likely, give a plunge or
two, and perhaps take the rest for a minute; but he will soon
know his master. He is full of spirits, playful as can be, but
there is no vice in him.'
Catherine did not think the portrait a very inviting one,
but it was too late to retreat, and she was too young to own
herself frightened; so, resigning herself to her fate, and
trusting to the animal's boasted knowledge of its owner, she
sat peaceably down.
Catherine, though she could not help wondering that with such
perfect command of his horse, he should think it neces-
sary to alarm her with a relation of its tricks, congratulated
herself sincerely on being under the care of so excellent a
coachman; and perceiving that the animal continued to go
on in the same quiet manner, without showing the smallest
propensity towards any unpleasant vivacity.
A silence of several minutes succeeded their first short dialogue;
it was broken by Thorpe's saying very abruptly, 'Old Allen is as
rich as a Jew — is not he?' Catherine did not understand
him — and he repeated his question, adding in explanation,
'Old Allen, the man you are with.'
'Oh! Mr. Allen, you mean. Yes, I believe, he is very rich.'
'And no children at all?'
'No — not any.'
'A famous thing for his next heirs. He is your godfather,
is not he?'
'My godfather! No.'
'But you are always very much with them.'
Thorpe's ideas then all reverted to the merits of his own
equipage, and she was called on to admire the spirit and
freedom with which his horse moved along, and the ease
which his paces, as well as the excellence of the springs, gave
the motion of the carriage. She followed him in all his admi-
ration as well as she could. To go before or beyond him was
impossible. His knowledge and her ignorance of the subject,
his rapidity of expression, and her diffidence of herself put
that out of her power; she could strike out nothing new in
commendation, but she readily echoed whatever he chose to
All the rest of his conversation, or rather talk, began and ended
with himself and his own concerns. He told her of horses which
he had bought for a trifle and sold for incredible sums; of racing
matches, in which his judgment had infallibly foretold the winner; of
shooting parties, in which he had killed more birds (though
without having one good shot) than all his companions together.
Little as Catherine was in the habit of judging for herself,
and unfixed as were her general notions of what men ought
to be, she could not entirely repress a doubt, while she bore
with the effusions of his endless conceit, of his being alto-
gether completely agreeable. It was a bold surmise, for he
was Isabella's brother; and she had been assured by James
that his manners would recommend him to all her sex;
but in spite of this, the extreme weariness of his company,
which crept over her before they had been out an hour, and
which continued unceasingly to increase till they stopped
in Pulteney Street again, induced her, in some small degree,
to resist such high authority, and to distrust his powers of
To be continued
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The Ultimate Books of Pi
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If you live in a country that charges VAT (EU), then this is added at checkout. This tax will, unfortunately, make the books slightly more expensive depending on where you live.
Where can I request a refund?
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Why eBooks?
The Raspberry Pi is always evolving this causes many tutorials to become broken over time. With the Ultimate Books of Pi being eBooks we're able to fix the tutorials whenever an issue appears. We can then just update you to the new version, so you no longer have broken tutorials.
Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi foundation. The books is not endorsed nor affiliated with the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Arduino is a trademark of Arduino AG. The mini-book is not endorsed nor affiliated with Arduino AG.
Testimonials are collected from user feedback via the website comment system.


text:
Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland have joined "The Leisure Seeker", a road movie about a retired couple who embark on an adventure in a Winnebago, reports Deadline.
Based on Michael Zadoorian's novel, the film is being directed by Paulo Virzi from a script by Francesca Archibugi and Francesco Piccolo.
Fabrizio Donvito, Benedetto Habib, and Marco Cohen produce for Indiana Production, with Alessandro Mascheroni, Daniel Campos Pavoncelli and Dov Mamann serving as exec producers. Rai Cinema is also producing along with David Grumbach and Mathieu Robine from BAC Films.
Noomi Rapace will star in science-fiction thriller "Boy".
Jonas Arnby is on board to helm from Mattson Tomlin's 2015 Black List script.
The story centers on "a teenage boy who is born with special abilities and spends his childhood switching names and cities to keep his identity hidden. When his conservative, suburban neighborhood discovers the risk he poses and blames him for a mass, tragic event, he and his mother must flee from the authorities who are looking to destroy him and seek the trust and support of an underground rebellion group" (via Variety).
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Greg Kinnear and Emma Roberts will star in director Peter Flinth's psychological thriller "Spinning Man."
Matthew Aldrich penned the script based on George Harrar's novel.
Coster-Waldau will play a philosophy professor who becomes the prime suspect in the disappearance of a high school cheerleader. Kinnear will play the detective assigned to the investigation. Roberts will play the professor's most prized student.
Keith Arnold will produce with Ellen Wander.
Jeremy Irons and Jack Huston will star in father/son buddy-comedy "An Actor Prepares".
Steve Clark is directing from a script he co-wrote with Thomas Moffett.
In the road-trip comedy, Atticus Smith (Jeremy Irons) is a highly celebrated actor, whose spectacular career is matched only by his rugged good looks and effortless, devilish charm. Atticus' estranged son, Paul (Jack Huston), is nothing like his philandering, drinking, devil-may-care father. He is a feminist and professor (specializing in Women filmmakers) who is devoted to his partner Clementine. Paul has wanted nothing to do with his father after he be broke up the marriage to Paul's mother.
But when a medical condition forces Atticus to hitch a ride from Los Angeles to New York to be at his daughter's wedding, Paul becomes his only option. And so begins their madcap, odd couple journey across the United States. The farther they go on their journey, and the more crazy adventures they share, the closer they come together until the scoundrel and the do-gooder see that they might not be as different from one another as they think.
Lucas Till has signed on to headline director John Swetnam's sci-fier "Spectrum".
Swetnam will also produce through his Mad Horse Films with VFX producer Sean Cushing of Cantina Creative, and Till. Tom Sullivan is executive producing.
After inventing a technology that not only proves the existence of ghosts, but can actually see them, Spectrum tells the chilling tale of a renowned scientist's final experiment on a human test subject that goes horribly wrong. Decades later, when his son Connor (Till) and a group of colleagues discover the secret high-tech laboratory where the experiment took place, they find themselves battling a vengeful force like no other.
Joel Kinnaman has been tapped to star in Netflix's sci-fi series "Altered Carbon".
Miguel Sapochnik will direct the first episode of the 10-ep series which is based on Richard K. Morgan's 2002 novel.
According to Variety, "the futuristic series is set in the 25th century when the human mind has been digitized and the soul is transferable from one body to the next. Kinnaman will play Takeshi Kovacs, a former elite interstellar warrior known as an Envoy who has been imprisoned for 500 years and is downloaded into a future he had tried to stop. If he can solve a single murder in a world where technology has made death nearly obsolete, he'll get a chance at a new life on Earth."
Courtney Love and Joey King will headline "The Possibility Of Fireflies", director Deborah Chow's adaptation of Dominique Paul's book.
Set in 1989 in suburban Maryland, the story follows Ellie Roma (King), a precocious teenager who dreams of becoming a writer but must cope with her chaotic, self-destructive mother Susanna (Love) and a volatile metal-head sister, Gwen. When Ellie falls in love with her older neighbor, aspiring singer Leo, she gets caught up in the allure of the freedom his lifestyle represents and must make a decision that will change her life forever. – via Deadline.


text:
Q: What is the purpose of the RADAR?
A: The Radar is only for those things which are DUE or PAST DUE for things that still need to be done. You can view ALL Activities in either the Calendar or the Activities tab if you wish to see them all. The purpose of the RADAR to let you know what items are due NOW.


text:
End of the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival has finally drawn to a close and in doing so has just had an hour long celebration of fireworks and music. Being Scotland it was cold and rainy this evening, so I decided to stay in the warm in my house, snuggle up with a blanket and a cup of tea and watch the fireworks from the city panorama provided through my loft skylight.
In case you guys missed it, here is a wee photo for you…
Click on the photo and you will be taken to a slideshow of pics from tonight's event.


text:
Some kinds of music are best enjoyed by the fireplace, whilst snuggled up in a fluffy quilt, cuddling a large mug of frothy cocoa. But instead, we head out to the Royal Albert Hall on a crisp, cold Friday November evening to see Rumer sing. She takes the first 'half' of a concert (actually a set of 7 songs – or most of an album's worth) at the start of Jools Holland's London date.
Rumer asks us to take her as she is …. well here goes, for someone who wants to sing about love, I think she comes across a tad sulky. There is moody, and there is cool and there is, obviously, smooth. But Sarah Joyce (Rumer) is a sulk.
I guess if you're reading this, you're perhaps one of the hundreds of cultured and knowledgeable music fans who joined me to fill what Jools Hollands describes as 'an oversized Cake' – the sacred space of the Royal Albert Hall – for an evening of Rhythm & Blues. But the start of what was to be a bumper jamboree bag of groovy boogie and blues based fun was slightly flattened, in my opinion, by the early slow combustion provided by Rumer.
But I assume that you, like me, also enjoy a slice of smooth jazz, a dash of light soul, and a glimmer of velvety voice thrown against a lightly painted background. And so you would certainly have been amazed by that astounding elderberry and ginger voice, white chocolate soup and tinged with bitter, smoky herbs. Rumer's voice is mesmerizing. And I can officially declare that the search for the Holy Grail is now over – here is a voice that is truly equal to that of Karen Carpenter.
But Rumer and her band are not bootleg-carpenters. And she is not here to bring you cover songs, like a mere tribute artist. And it was not always jazz and blues for this London-based singer. She has been singing for her supper for a while now, and she has paid for her keep. Her singing career took off when she started singing as 'Sarah Prentice' with the indie folk band 'La Honda' at the start of the decade. After that she was discovered by Burt Bacharach, whisked over to California, and began a slow metamorphosis towards unravelling into what she has become- the newly discovered Queen of MOR radio. She started work with the greatly appreciated Brit composer Steve Brown (he wrote the score for the musical 'Spend Spend Spend'. ) He shares some of the songwriting credits with Rumer on her 'Seasons of my Soul' album.
On stage, in a silky black dress, next to a glossy black grand piano, Rumer is dwarfed by the immensity of the setting. She tends to sing through her fringe. There is no movement from her except from her expressive hands that seem to be gently lifting each note, with perfect balance. She seems to be painfully shy on stage, like a delicate fawn caught in the spotlight. And this is the main problem with Rumer. On recording or on air, those luscious vocals and deep notes cannot be beaten. But on stage, before a huge crowd, she delivers neither the 'pizz' or the 'azz' that we are used to from a live performer. Take platinum selling Sade for example. She slinks across the stage like a panther lady hunting. She glows and she shines. Or Karen carpenter herself. Joyously thumping that drum set. Illuminating the stage, hypnotically swaying like a cobra. And what about Aretha? She is just a powerhouse of energy and spectacle. But Rumer's act is all about minimalism and moody control. She sings as if she were using some kind of hidden mental strength. She wants to control your mind with her vapours. Non moving, non contentious, non confrontational. And ultimately, I'm afraid, non exciting.
Her big numbers were the tracks that have been given airplay. 'Slow' insinuates itself into your brain like a niggling worm, eventually coming out of your body in a breathy hum. Evocative of a long slow train journey to nowhere, this song is full of dark shades and woody textures. It is a fine song and very polished. 'Aretha', another single, takes us a little higher and has a touch more gaiety about it, but also has it's dark places; "I don't want to go to school …. Cos' they don't understand me, and the place is cruel." This is a magnificent and confident song and it deserves a wider recognition.
But my favourite Rumer song is 'Thankful'. This is syrupy and gorgeously nostalgic. It is very personal. Looking at life through a strawberry lens, it also weeps loss and regret in every note. The sweet rhythm and the tender melody create a melancholy atmosphere that takes you way back to the days of the Andy Williams Show or seated besides Val Doonican as he gently rocks.
So Rumer's material is full of fires, fog and falling leaves. Like an applejar full of nostalgia and sweet soulful regrets. Her voice is like melted Ferrero Rocher – rich, elegant, dark, oozing. Her delivery is smooth and sophisticated. Lingering perfection. But as I dared to say, on stage, she is a little sullen.
© Neil_Mach
November 2010
live music
rock music