text:
As the category creator and world leader in healthy chocolate, the true vision of Xoçai is to transform and improve individual lives worldwide through its exclusive and healthy chocolate products.
One such unique element is XoVita™, a proprietary high-antioxidant blend of cacao, açaí berries and blueberries, an ingredient combination exclusive to Xoçai. This proprietary and exclusive high-antioxidant blend is utilized in all of Xoçai products and provides a wide-ranging class of nutrients, vitamins and health benefits. XoVita™ consistently contributes to the findings that all of Xocai's products contain the highest ORAC (antioxidant-measuring test) and flavonoid rich products available today.
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Reference Videos:
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I'm Adam Green, and I am creating a new team of serious leaders at Rain International, one of the fastest growing direct marketing companies in the world. We sell industry-leading seed-based nutrition products for an active lifestyle in Lafayette, Phoenix, AZ, Oregon, and Maryland. I am seeking experienced network marketing leaders in the Indianapolis, IN area.
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Seed nutrition is not only one of the most sustainable sources of food energy on the planet, it also supports a uniquely active lifestyle for athletes, active adults, and people constantly on the go. Click the phone icon below to call me right now…


text:
Former Borinquen FCU CEO Gets At Least Seven Years in Prison
Ignacio Morales, former CEO of the $7 million Borinquen Federal Credit Union, will spend more than seven years in federal prison for embezzling $2.3 million and causing the Philadelphia institution's 2011 collapse.
Morales was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick in Philadelphia. He also ordered Morales to pay $2.3 million in restitution to the NCUA and to pay restitution to the IRS of $7.3 million.
Morales pleaded guilty in September to fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, failing false income tax returns and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
Federal prosecutors said Morales used his position as the credit union's CEO to embezzle more than $2.3 million of BFCU funds through a variety of schemes from 2006 to 2011.
He also cashed hundreds of fraudulent U.S. tax refund checks through BFCU, keeping 20% of each check.
Prosecuting Attorney Arlene Fisk told the court that at one time, Morales was earning $50,000 a month in kickbacks from just one person who cashed nearly a dozen fake checks per week.
Morales also took $600,000 from the credit union to purchase $1.2 million in real estate for personal use and stole $700,000 from a member who deposited $1.7 million at the credit union.
He generated fake statements and misapplied credit union funds to pay dividends on the stolen funds to hide the crime, according to court records.
Additionally, he admitted to several other serious crimes in which he abused his role as credit union CEO. Court documents revealed he withdrew more than half a million dollars from the credit union in an attempt to purchase 15 kilograms cocaine. Morales admitted in court that he intended to use his share of profits from the drugs to cover up his crimes and throw regulators off his trail.
The NCUA issued a cease-and-desist order against the institution on June 6, 2011, and ordered it to obtain a CPA audit as well as verify member accounts and reconcile financial statements. It was placed into conservatorship June 24. On July 8, the NCUA liquidated the institution and the $1.4 billion TruMark Financial Credit Union of Trevose, Pa. assumed what was left.
Borinquen was chartered in 1974 by a Catholic social service organization and served 8,600 members as of June 2011, according to an NCUA release. The low-income credit union served mostly Spanish-speaking members.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
For 2018-01-17 00:00:00
- Retail: $45.99
- PS.net Price: $24.99
- Sale Price: $21.95 each
Precision-Targeted Sleep Support for Athletes
|Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
|(Posted on 7/18/2017)


text:
RufasGate is a combination of the Portal and Sokoban games. Using stargate terminology, there are Zero Point Modules (ZPMs) that power the portal guns, which in turn create the two ends of a temporary and short range wormhole, a shortcut through space-time, that allows obstacles to be bypassed. In order to empower the portal guns, all cylindrical ZPMs must be bumped onto their base receptacles. There are currently only four levels, and no way to save a game. RufasGate is also a testbed for learning/illustrating various modern OpenGL techniques including cubemaps, water reflections, sound, and glsl shader capabilities. And for anyone planning to use SDL2, it illustrates key-mapping, to get improved keyboard responsiveness from SDL.
Langer is an object oriented, rule based programming language. Its interpreter is shipped as a Python library. It was created to express behavior strategies, has a simple syntax based on languages like Python and C, and was designed to be convenient and readable for a programmer, but it can be easily used in genetic programming as well.
"Farspice, a melange odyssey" is an action game with some strategic elements. The goal of the game is to store in your base as much as possible of harvested spice (melange). You must defend the spice from many alien waves around many planets. You can sell the saved spice to buy weapons or upgrades for your base.
Beat Back the Horde is a rhythm-time strategy game for Android 2.2 and up, focusing on fast-paced placing of units while tapping to the beat! Build up combos to spawn Über Units! It is playable in single-player mode, or in multi-player mode over Bluetooth, and can be learned in a minute and played for hours. It includes many achievements to unlock, five songs to master, adjustable difficulty single-player AI, and particle effects.
The Grind is a simple game about avoiding responsibility at work. The goal is to acquire as little work (as few "to-dos") as possible throughout your 9-5 workday. Wander around the cubicles and hide from the men in suits - if they're coming your way, that means they want to give you work! Use the arrow keys to move, space to start, and escape to exit.
WarTactical is a wargame in which each screen pixel corresponds to 10 feet of ground area, instead of splitting the field into hexagons. You can play a game against the computer or play a simple random setup. Dice are rolled when you attack, and this result is added to modifiers that are derived from the situation, such as whether the unit is pinned or how much armor it has, as well as what terrain it's on. You need to stay in contact with your HQ (leader) to move far. WW2 (or Modern) units like artillery, infantry, LMGs, paratroopers, cars, and HQ (leaders) are available. Modules are being developed to represent different time periods of war.
Gigalomania is a 2D real time strategy game that is a clone of Mega-Lo-Mania. The gameplay consists of researching and developing new technology with which to conquer your enemies, from rocks and sticks to nuclear weapons and spaceships. You can advance through ten different ages, from the stone age to the future. There are 28 different maps to play through. The game is still under development, but is entirely playable in its current state.
0 A.D. (pronounced "zero ey-dee") is a cross-platform real-time strategy (RTS) game of ancient warfare. It's a historically-based war/economy game that allows players to relive or rewrite the history of ancient civilizations, each depicted at their peak of economic growth and military prowess.
Golem Python Framework is a Python game framework for developing and learning. It can assist a student of programming by providing opportunities to write programs with interestingly visible effects, despite their simplicity. Golem provides a Web-based interface that can be used even by very early students to learn the basics of thinking with computer code by teaching a visible character on the screen to perform various tasks. Golem is based on Python, and allows a student to use all of Python's features. It attempts to hide the intimidating face that computer programming can present. Learners who are too advanced for the Web interface can use Golem as a powerful Python development framework that is effective for developing cross-platform 2D games.


text:
State police identified the dead as Cloe and Anastasia Meredith of Pangburn. Their ages weren't known.
Sleet had collected on Arkansas Highway 36 prior to the accident, according to a state police report. Four people were injured, including the 24-year-old driver of the car that slid.
The deaths were the only ones reported Wednesday morning by Arkansas state police since a snowstorm struck Christmas afternoon. Two pedestrian deaths in Pine Bluff on Christmas occurred before the winter weather began.


text:
It's been a rough year for Palm. The
company has been hit with staggering losses, it hasn't
been able to move inventory, and executives have
been bailing left and right. However, there appears to be light
at the end of the tunnel.
HP just announced today that it plans
to acquire Palm for $1.2 billion USD. Most in the tech community were
begging for HTC to snap up the struggling smartphone maker, but
in the end, it was HP that prevailed.
Palm shareholders stand to get $5.70
per share in the deal, which is a pretty nice premium considering
that the stock closed at $4.65 on Tuesday.
"We're thrilled by HP's vote of
confidence in Palm's technological leadership, which delivered Palm
webOS and iconic products such as the Palm Pre. HP's longstanding
culture of innovation, scale and global operating resources make it
the perfect partner to rapidly accelerate the growth of webOS,"
said Palm Chairman and CEO Jon Rubinstein. "We look forward to
working with HP to continue to deliver industry-leading mobile
experiences to our customers and business partners."
"Palm's innovative operating
system provides an ideal platform to expand HP's mobility strategy
and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected
devices," continued Todd Bradley, executive vice president of
HP's Personal Systems Group. "And, Palm possesses significant IP
assets and has a highly skilled team. The smartphone market is large,
profitable and rapidly growing, and companies that can provide an
integrated device and experience command a higher share. Advances in
mobility are offering significant opportunities, and HP intends to be
a leader in this market."For those that were wondering, Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein will be sticking around after the acquisition.
With Dell seemingly
prepared for World War III with a slew of new Android and Windows
Phone 7 phones on the way, it should be interesting to see what
archrival HP will do with Palm's technology in the coming months and


text:
This dataset is maintained and distributed by the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), the criminal justice archive within ICPSR. NACJD is primarily sponsored by three agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice: the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
National Incident-Based Reporting System, 2011: Extract Files (ICPSR 34603)
Principal Investigator(s): National Archive of Criminal Justice Data
The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is a part of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR), administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The extract files version of NIBRS was created to simplify working with NIBRS data. Data management issues with NIBRS are significant, especially when two or more segment levels are being merged. These issues require skills separate from data analysis. NIBRS data as formatted by the FBI are stored in a single file. These data are organized by various segment levels (record types). There are six main segment levels: administrative, offense, property, victim, offender, and arrestee. Each segment level has a different length and layout. There are other segment levels that occur with less frequency than the six main levels. Significant computing resources are necessary to work with the data in its single-file format. In addition, the user must be sophisticated in working with data in complex file types. For these reasons and the desire to facilitate the use of NIBRS data, ICPSR created the extract files. The data are not a representative sample of crime in the United States.
Series: National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) Series
Access Notes
The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.
WARNING: This study is over 150MB in size and may take several minutes to download on a typical internet connection.
Study Description
National Archive of Criminal Justice Data. National Incident-Based Reporting System, 2011: Extract Files. ICPSR34603-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2014-01-03. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR34603.v1
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR34603.v1
Export Citation:
- RIS (generic format for RefWorks, EndNote, etc.)
- EndNote XML (EndNote X4.0.1 or higher)
This study was funded by:
- United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Federal Bureau of Investigation
Scope of Study
Subject Terms: arrests, crime, crime rates, crime reporting, law enforcement agencies, national crime statistics (USA), offenders, offenses, property crime, Uniform Crime Reports, victims, violent crime
Smallest Geographic Unit: city
Geographic Coverage: United States
- 2011
- 2011
Unit of Observation: Dataset one - Incident, Dataset two - Victim, Dataset three - Offender, Dataset four - Arrestee
Universe: Law enforcement agencies in the United States participating in the National Incident-Based Reporting System.
Mode of Data Collection: record abstracts
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Created variable labels and/or value labels.
- Standardized missing values.
- Performed recodes and/or calculated derived variables.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 2014-01-03
Related Publications
- List all ~26 citations associated with this study
- View citations for the entire series
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Export Study-level metadata (does not include variable-level metadata)
If you're looking for collection-level metadata rather than an individual metadata record, please visit our Metadata Records page.


text:
Ramirez Named Chair by Mountain West League
More than 525 people attended Mountain West Credit Union Association's annual convention in Phoenix, Ariz. earlier this month when the MWCUA board of directors elected Robert Ramirez, president/CEO of the $1.1 billion Vantage West Credit Union in Tucson, as the new chair of the board.
The board also elected Susan Frank, president/CEO of the $3.1 billion Desert Schools Federal Credit Union in Phoenix, Ariz., as vice chair of the board, John Uchida, president/CEO of the $102 million Space Age Federal Credit Union in Aurora, Colo., as treasurer, and Jim Yates, president/CEO of the $47 million First Education Federal Credit Union in Cheyenne, Wyo., as secretary.
Other re-elected board members were Dan Desmond, president/CEO of the $791 million TruWest Credit Union in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Walt Marx, president/CEO of the $43 million College Credit Union in Greeley, Colo. Newly elected board members were Doug Ferraro, president/CEO of the $2.4 billion Bellco Credit Union in Greenwood Village, Colo., and Dan Kester, president/CEO of the $265 million Sooper Credit Union in Denver, Colo.
Mike Williams, president/CEO of the $108 million Colorado Credit Union in Littleton, completed his term as MWCUA chair and was recognized for his accomplishments.
"I want to thank Mike for his steadfast leadership and guiding hand," said Scott Earl, MWCUA president/CEO. "He was the right person at the right time to put the association together. "I will always be grateful for all his hard work and I am especially grateful for his friendship."
At the convention's annual awards dinner, MWCUA presented its Volunteer of the Year award to Dale Rutt, board member and past chair of Sooper Credit Union, for his service and belief in the credit union movement. The second award, the 2013 Professional of the Year, was presented to Mark Lau, president/CEO of the $126 million Denver Fire Federal Credit Union. This award recognizes an individual whose leadership and accomplishments have made significant contributions to their credit union, the credit union movement and the communities they serve.
Advocacy awards were presented to Colorado Credit Union as the Advocacy Team of the Year. Ana Corona, branch manager of the $231 million A.E.A Federal Credit Union in Yuma, Ariz., was awarded the Legislative & Political Coordinator of the Year for MWCA. She also won the Arizona LPC of the Year award. The Colorado LPC of the Year went to Eva Gaudio, senior vice president of Governmental and Student Relations at the $1.2 billion Elevations Credit Union in Boulder, Colo. Steve Higginson, president/CEO of the $102 million Reliant Federal Credit Union in Casper, Wyoming, received the Wyoming LPC of the Year award.
For the second year, a group of young professionals participated in the conference. This year's young professional program was sponsored by the Arizona Youth Involvement Network and the MWCUA. Eighteen young professionals participated in all of the convention Friday's activities and attended extra mentor sessions.
The convention's Children's Miracle Network breakfast featured a special guest, Miss Arizona, Piper Stoeckel, who presented credit unions with recognition awards for their fundraising efforts. Top fundraising credit unions recognized were the $19 million Alhambra Credit Union in Phoenix, Ariz., the $168 million Altier Credit Union in Tempe, Ariz., the $397 million Arizona Central Credit Union in Phoenix, and the $552 million Credit Union of Denver in Lakewood, Colo.


text:
Loan Demand Steady, Rising Across Fed's Districts
Both commercial real estate and residential loans are on the rise in nearly all of the 12 Federal Reserve districts.
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Va., San Francisco and St. Louis make up the Fed's 12 districts.
According to the Fed's Beige Book released Wednesday, banks reported strong demand for CRE loans in the Cleveland, Richmond and Kansas City districts.
Auto lending also increased in the Cleveland and Atlanta districts while Philadelphia and Dallas cited growth in energy-related loan demand.
San Francisco continued to report a slowdown in venture capital and private equity activity, but contacts noted an increase in the number of private technology companies moving toward an IPO, the Beige Book reported.
Meanwhile, asset quality improved at banks in the Philadelphia, Kansas City and San Francisco districts. Philadelphia, Richmond, Atlanta and San Francisco lenders reported high competition for qualified borrowers, according to the Fed.
Borrowing standards were reported to have been loosened in some districts. Atlanta contacts noted additional loan capacity, but continued to be cautious with loan activity.
Cleveland bankers considered cost cutting measures, including layoffs, due to shrinking net interest margins, the Fed said.
New York contacts indicated a decrease in loan spreads for all loan categories, particularly residential mortgages, and bankers in the Chicago district said that very few mortgage originations were being kept on their balance sheets and that interest rate swaps were being utilized to hedge against a potential rise in interest rates.
Bankers were generally optimistic about future activity in the Philadelphia and Dallas districts for the near term, but Atlanta bankers expected activity to ease toward the middle of the year.
Analysis of the Fed's districts was prepared at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and based on information collected on or before Feb. 22.
The Fed's Beige Book is available online.


text:
It's been a fast paced start to the year for Apple. The electronics superpower has rolled out a new laptop, new desktops, and even a new iPod Shuffle -- priced for the recession at $79. However, what would normally make for another record setting start of the year for Apple is fast turning south as fears of the recession has sent customers fleeing from Apple's pricey luxury lineup.
After seeing its sales growth surpassed by PCs for the first time in months in January, the latest figures show that February was far worse for Apple. The NPD Group has released its sales figures for the month and they are worse than even Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster's pessimistic forecast.
Both iPod and Mac sales were down 16 percent year-to-year. The worst predicted by analysts was around a 4 percent drop. Analysts were somewhat predicting the drop as last February was a particularly good month for Apple, and Apple only released its new desktops and iPod in March.
Munster's new predictions place total iPod sales for the quarter ending in March at around 9 to 10 million units. He predicts that 2 to 2.2 million Mac computers will ship in the same period. The Street is predicting 9.5 million iPods. These figures are not significantly worse than last year, and represent analyst optimism that Apple's new products will lead to a strong March.
Thus, the real test for Apple will be how its sales have fared at the end of March. While January was a letdown and February was undeniably downward trending for Apple, a strong March could salvage an otherwise rocky quarter.
One potential ace in Apple's sleeve is the announcement of the iPhone OS version 3.0 later today. No one knows quite when Apple will release the new OS, but many are speculating wildly, including guessing at new hardware (every past x.0 release has been accompanied by new hardware). Big news could stave off the Wall Street wolves for a little while, even if Apple's sales disappoint.


text:
In the words of President George W. Bush, "Is our children learning?"
If by "child" he was referring to the government's tech efforts, the answer would be yes. However, what it has learned, what changes and policies have been implemented during President Bush's administration are a complex and lengthy topic to consider as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office.
Some of the changes were superficial. The Whitehouse.gov got a makeover and relaunch this week. Some of the recent tech legislative provisions passed through were considered somewhat trivial.
However, other changes were big. President Bush's use of warrantless wiretaps and push for immunity for cooperating telecoms struck many as government playing big brother. Law enforcement without regulation or responsibility, they argue could quickly go astray. Vice President Dick Cheney and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales were among Bush's close allies to take the opposite stance, arguing the executive had the power to enforce laws without the necessity of regulation at times. Mr. Gonzales stated, "The president has the inherent authority under the Constitution, as commander-in-chief, to engage in this kind of activity."
President Bush also tried to push through legislation which would provide the beginnings of a renewed focus on cybersecurity. While recent war games have shown the country woefully prepared for an organized cyber assault, progress was made in this arena.
Bush showed support for copyright protection efforts. Under his administration, the RIAA was encouraged to carry out its aggressive campaign, which generated much public attention, but ultimately failed to curb piracy.
On other subjects, though President Bush voiced its opinion, but deferred to Congress. President Bush opposed auctioning the wireless spectrum, but he allowed the Federal Communications Commission Chief, Kevin Martin, whom he appointed, to proceed with an auction anyway. Bush also opposed legislating net neutrality, but again Mr. Martin sided against his boss and pushed through changes.
President Bush will also be remembered for his bailout of the automotive industry, an integral part of the U.S. tech industry. Some point out that with this bailout and others, combined with the government takeover of Fannie and Freddie May, Bush brought elements of mild socialism to the U.S.
President Bush also sided with bipartisan efforts in Congress to sign into law new fuel economy standards and provide tax incentives to alternative energy firms. And he set the nation's sights on the Moon, encouraging NASA to undertake the ambitious Ares program to return to the moon. Under Bush's presidency the internet was also kept tax free on a federal level.
Ultimately the only broad conclusion one can draw from President Bush's tech legacy is that it is complex and likely a sign of things to come. With President-elect Barack Obama set to take office and push an ambitious new tech-oriented agenda, the torch has been passed, and it appears that the government's tech efforts will only grow. Whether this will entail a continuation of President Bush's championed expanded role of government, or a more regulation laissez-faire, but financially supportive approach to the tech industry, though remains to be seen.


text:
Screening Guidelines
The purpose of screening is early diagnosis and treatment. Screening tests are given to people without current symptoms, but who may be at high risk for certain diseases or conditions.
At this time, there are no screening guidelines or test for genital herpes. A doctor may recommend screening if you are at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases, such as:
- Having multiple sex partners
- Having HIV infection
- Having a past history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Men who have sex with men who are at high risk of HIV infection
People who have had multiple sex partners should consider screening for STDs even if there is not a specific guideline.
Women who are pregnant and near labor will be asked about their history and be examined for any sores in the genital area. A test may also be done to find out if the virus is present. This is especially important at the time of labor to avoid spreading the virus to the baby.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: James Cornell, MD
- Review Date: 06/2016 -
- Update Date: 06/06/2016 -


text:
Covercraft Polycotton Car Cover C16803PD
- Our Price: $225.00
- Shipping:FREE SHIPPING
- Part Number: C16803PD
- Rating: (6)
Polycotton Car Cover
- Part #: C16803PD
- with 2 Mirror Pockets
$225.00Free Shipping
Select your vehicle details above to ensure item compatibility.
- The Covercraft Polycotton Car Cover is made for reliable indoor protection
- Unique blend fabric - polyester provides water and sun resistance, while cotton sits easy on your vehicle's finish
- Mildew- and rot-resistant fabric is also breathable, so trapped heat and condensation can escape
- Seams are double-stitched and overlapping for superior strength and protection
- Neoprene elastic hems in the front and rear help secure the cover in place
- Custom-designed to your exact year, make, and model vehicle
- Non-scratched, reinforced grommets accommodate for a tie down (included) or cable lock (sold separately)
- 90-Day Warranty
Wrap your vehicle with the Covercraft Polycotton Car Cover and protect it with the best of both worlds. This cover is made from both polyester for resistance to sunlight and moisture, and cotton fibers that are easy on your paint. For indoor or occasional outdoor use, this cover is the way to go.
Each Covercraft Polycotton Car Cover is custom-stitched to your exact vehicle to ensure a perfect fit. It's made with double-stitched seams that offer unbeatabe strength, and the breathable material lets moisture and heat evaporate from under the cover. The Covercraft Poly-Cotton material is also resistant to mildew and rot. Plus, elastic neoprene hems help hold the cover in place, and there are durable grommets for use with a tie-down or locking cable.
Guard your vehicle from indoor and light outdoor hazards with the versatile Covercraft Polycotton Car Cover. Backed by a 90-Day Warranty.
Covercraft C16803PD fits:
- 2007-2017 Mitsubishi Outlander
There are no reviews for this application.
See All Covercraft Polycotton Car Cover Reviews.


text:
Tuesday, November 13, 2012 - Filip and Martin - Screen Test RAW - FULL CONTACT
Latest Sets at MaleFeet4U.com
Our previews from malefeet4u.com today are Lukas Pribyl and Paco Mlaticka. Both guys are great looking models. You can see their full shoots at www.malefeet4u.com.
If you haven't recently checked out the foot site, now is a good time to do so, Franky as completely redesigned it.
Also, thanks for the photo and video suggestions for foot fetish shoots. Please keep them coming by writing email@example.com
|Lukas Pribyl
Open Lukas Pribyl MaleFeet4U.com Set
More about Lukas Pribyl - MaleFeet4U.com ...
|Paco Mlaticka
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More about Paco Mlaticka - MaleFeet4U.com ...
The End of William Higgins Newsletter


text:
The world of online gaming has always been a battleground -- not just between the teams in-game, but between those who play by the rules and those who break them. Cheating and hacking swings the balance of the game, griefing plagues many an MMO, and a degree of foul language is almost expected for online games that might be played by anyone over the age of thirteen.
Publishers like Valve have fought back with the Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) system and Bungie continued by tying their official forum accounts into the popular Halo series with a ban at the forums negating the user's ability to use the matchmaking service. Now Electronic Arts has stepped up enforcement to the next level, with threats of revoking the online ability of a user's entire game library.
A post by EA Community Moderator Aaron "Apoc" Kaufman outlines the significantly higher threat carried by a ban from the official forums:
Your forum account will be directly tied to your Master EA Account, so if we ban you on the forums, you would be banned from the game as well since the login process is the same. And you'd actually be banned from your other EA games as well since it's all tied to your account.
Your forum account will be directly tied to your Master EA Account, so if we ban you on the forums, you would be banned from the game as well since the login process is the same. And you'd actually be banned from your other EA games as well since it's all tied to your account.
While some players may rejoice at the idea of delivering a metaphorical dose of chlorine to the online-gaming swimming pool, many others might remember a fairly well-publicized incident from a little over a month ago, where Spore users speaking out against the SecuROM DRM were threatened with a ban. While EA claimed "miscommunication" caused this inappropriate threat, and assurances were made that users "... are not going to lose (their) game for posting a comment" it certainly seems that promise was reneged on.
Currently, losing an EA Master Account will mean that the associated games will be unplayable through official EA servers. In the case of single-player games, the offline mode will still be accessible - however, titles such as Spore will no longer be able to receive content updates.
While it certainly seems easy enough to avoid the trouble by not joining or posting on the EA forums, your in-game actions can get you in trouble as well. Many a forum posting -- not on the official EA forums, natch -- has sprung up where a user has reported their Spore account suddenly suspended, after their latest creation was reported as particularly offensive.
Until EA clarifies the issue, as was previously done with regards to the DRM postings, it might be best for those with a penchant for Rick Astley videos to keep their hands off the keyboard.


text:
D'Banj aka Kokomaster has reenacted his dominance in not only in the NIgerian music industry but Africa as a whole. The entertainer, toppled other African musicians including Fally Ipupa, Wizkid, Davido, Banky W and Iyanya in World Music Awards to grab "World …
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In defense of her late husband, Mrs Decontee Sawyerr, widow of Late Patrick Sawyerr, the Liberian man who came into Nigeria with the deadly Ebola virus, has said her sick husband risked all to come to Nigeria because he believed …
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A newly wedded Lagos nurse has been tested positive to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) 22 days after the first case of the virus was recorded. She was among the people that had direct contact to the importer of the virus into Nigeria, the late …
Fashola Orders Reversal Of LASU Fees
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has directed the immediate reversal of the school fees of Lagos State University, LASU, which was increased by the government to what it was as far back as 2011. Governor Fashola gave the directive today …
STRANGE!!! Parents Sue Son To Court For Refusing To Get A Job
A Chinese couple have gone to extreme lengths in a bid to force their adult son to get a job – they have taken him to court. Xu Qing, 29, has refused to work ever since leaving university, claiming that …
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011 - Fanda Modry's Czech Up
Latest Updates at WilliamHiggins.com
Fanda Modry's Czech Up also features Dr Artur Lafek and Sister Ivan Mukovsky. Fanda attends the clinic to have an injury to his hand inspected but Artur decides a full Czech Up is needed, so Fanda strips off and puts on a surgical gown, assisted by Ivan. Fanda then climbs on to the inspection chair to have his chest and back tested by Artur. Then as Artur takes his blood pressure Ivan is soothing Fanda, by stroking his abs, and very soon he starts to kiss Fanda and play with his dick. Artur sits and watches, stroking his dick at the same time. It is not long before Fanda and Artur are rock hard. Ivan goes down on Fanda's dick while Artur strokes his and licks Fanda's foot, before rubbing his dick all over it. Then he moves over and gives Fanda a taste of cock too, which he laps up. Ivan sees that and wants some of Artur's dick to, as it looks so good throbbing in Fanda's mouth, so he sucks it as well. Artur, though, has other ideas and soon sits on the chair himself and invites Fanda to sit on his rock hard dick, which he does very well. So well in fact that he is soon bouncing up and down on it while sucking on Ivan. A change of position allows Artur to continue fucking and Ivan goes down and sucks on Fanda at the same time. A further change has Fanda on his back with Artur's dick pumping in and out of his ass as Ivan fucks his face. All too soon Ivan is ready and the pop shots begin with him squirting over Fanda's face, and Fanda then sucking him clean. Artur pulls out and shoots all over Fanda's balls, followed quickly by Fanda letting go his load too. This is a very good Czech Up, and a very good initiation for Fanda.
Sascha Borodin is a very cute looking guy who had done a few shoots, including a Wank Party, which gave him enough of an insight into male-male action that he agreed to go all the way for the very first time. We paired him with Ivan Cakovsky, the ever reliable top, who just loves performing. The guys start off by kissing a while before Sascha's jeans are shucked down a llittle to allow Ivan to suck his dick, which he does and quite soon Sascha is hard as a rock. Ivan really knows how to suck on the cock and balls, and gives Sascha a very good blow job, removing the jeans completely in the process. Then Ivan gets up on his knees and Sascha returns the favor, sucking on Ivan's already hard dick. He does very well at it too. After he has sucked Ivan a while they move into position for a 69, with Ivan on top. He then pulls Sascha's ass in the air so he can access his hole, for some rimming and fingering. When Ivan feels that the hole is sufficiently open they change position and Ivan slides his dick into Sascha's waiting hole, and starts to fuck him, nice and deep. Sascha, for his part, takes it very well even though he is feeling every stroke. Ivan then moves Sascha into a spoon position and slides it in again, and this position allows him to go even deeper. A further change sees Sascha sitting on Ivan's rampant dick, and riding up and down on it, with his own dick bouncing as he goes. One final position, with Ivan able to get his dick really deep, is enough for Ivan to be ready to cum and he spurts a hot load over Sascha's chest, swiftly followed by Sascha's own load. This is a very good scene, with Sascha showing us that he can be a very good bottom, and Ivan, as always, vindicating our choice of him as a top. A very good match up indeed.
Sascha Borodin is 18 years old and comes, originally, from Russia. He is now in Prague studying Travel Management. He enjoys snowboarding, tennis and fitness. Sascha is such a good looking guy, and with a nice fit body too. He looks great in his shorts and tee-shirt as this video starts, and he soon loses the shirt to show off his chest. Then he begins to drop the shorts, turning around as he does so, and we see his cute little ass. He spreads the cheeks so that we get a good look at his hole, which opens very nicely as he spreads. When he turns around again we see that his dick is rock hard and is pointing skywards, with a very nice upward turn to it as well. Then he shucks the shorts and is standing there in all his naked glory, wanking on his dick. Next he lays down and a helping hand arrives to caress his body and play with his dick, wanking on it and feeling his balls. Then, with the dick stiff as a board, the hands migrate to Sascha's sweeet little pucker, and a finger slides in and out, changing fingers and then introducing a vibrator which slides in very nicely indeed. Finally the hands wank on Sascha's dick till he blows a very nice load, which Sascha smears over his body as it lands. I really enjoyed this video, and Sascha has gone on to do some full contact work since this was shot. He is a very good model indeed.
Rado Zuzka is aged 30 and lives in Melnik, and Olda Stocek is from Marianske Lazne and is aged 21. Two great looking guys, so we decided to take them out on location and shoot them noth together for a session stills shoot. It was a lovely sunny day, and the location by a lake was the perfect place for two such hunky guys to strip down and show us what they look like naked. There are some wonderful stills in this shoot, that show both Rado and Olda off very well indeed. Rado has done some further shoots for us, and will do a body worship this week. We are working on getting Olda to go further. In the meantime I will look forward to seeing the erotic video shoot, with both guys, very soon.


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Waist Deep With Eero, DCP And The Spy Crew
A "Waist Deep Snow Session" was just a clever name when Spy announced the contest months back, but it came true. We've been buried above the belt in some of the best powder on earth at Island Lake Catskiing since we stepped foot out of the cat. Ten lucky shop workers scored the four-day trip of pow and paradise deep in the Lizard Range of the Canadian Rockies. Snowboarding storyteller, iconic photographer, and Island Lake co-founder Mark Gallup even showed up to greet the crew and point out secret spots from the heyday. And it wouldn't be complete without riders Eero Niemela and DCP who joined in, too.
In the fog filled windows of the red, Piston Bully snowcats over the past three days all I've heard is amped rambling about riding. "Best!" "Most!" "Sickest!" The crew has been so hyped they're running out of superlatives to describe the shredding. Slinging goggles could get you here, or even the just being the lucky one, like Willy Wonka and the golden wrapper, could put you in pow laps here, too. Some riders came straight from Jersey and dove right into fourteen runs. Some came from Michigan, like Matt Proulx, "It's the steepest and deepest pow I've ever ridden. When you're shredding fast in snow deeper than your face, it's just insane. It's a fantasy world here."
It's hard not to gloat, really. Pillows droop everywhere. Stumps, logs, rolls and gladed trees line the basin, snacks are ready in the cat, the tunes are cranked and the diesels beasts transport you through a network of high alpine roads all day. Beers wait for you at the end of the day, and we can't even begin to talk about the food and lodge(s).
The current state is good. But the place has history. Craig Kelly? Terje Haakonsen? Jake Blattner? Jason Ford? These are the riders who came here year after year and built the scene. It's really an honor to be here. "The 418 spring pipe session here in 2002, up in the bowl, that was so sick!" DCP told me while we rambled in the living room of our lodge one afternoon. There's a reason people have been coming here for years, and it's still falling from the sky by the billions as I tap these keys.
The place is legendary. The food is beyond delectable. Our back legs are burnt, our powder grins are becoming permanent and the stoke is all time as the snow keeps falling. But there's one question: What will Spy call this event next year? Nipple Deep? I hope so…..


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Personalized Baby Cupcakes for Her, Set of 9
- Personalization
- Exclusive
- Vendor Shipped
Easy, hassle-free returns online and in-store for eligible items.Learn More
- Summary
Celebrate the sweetness of a newborn baby girl with our special cupcake sampler from Chicago's More® boutique bakeshop. Showcasing three delectable variations on classic chocolate and vanilla, these generously sized treats are topped with playful fondant decorations. Artisan bakers handcraft the cupcakes in small batches, combining the very best ingredients with plenty of love. Cupcakes are custom-decorated with the phrase "Welcome baby" and the child's name (up to 8 letters).
More®: Deep, dark Belgian chocolate cake with Valrhona chocolate ganache and a cream center.
Vanilla Valrhona: Vanilla cake filled with a Valrhona chocolate mousse, covered with vanilla bean buttercream frosting.
Chocolate Vanilla: The best of both worlds—a cake flavored with both vanilla and chocolate, topped with a vanilla buttercream icing.
- Nine cupcakes: (2 Vanilla Valrhona, 4 Chocolate Vanilla, and 3 More® Cupcakes).
- 2 3/4" diam., 2 1/2" high.
- Shipped frozen.
- Made in USA.
- Use & Care
Receiving Instructions:
- The cupcakes ship frozen with dry ice, which may have evaporated during shipment. This is normal. Please take care not to touch any remaining dry ice with bare hands. Upon receipt, store the cupcakes at room temperature, where they will keep for up to 2 days. If not serving immediately, place the cupcakes in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 1 month. We do not recommend refrigerating the cupcakes.
To Serve:
- If the cupcakes are frozen, remove them from the freezer approximately 2 to 3 hours prior to serving, and allow to come to room temperature. The cupcakes are best enjoyed at room temperature.
- Ingredients
- More®: Granulated sugar, egg white, corn syrup, salt, wheat flour, all-purpose white flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry powder cocoa, whole egg, vanilla extract, milk, canola vegetable oil, 62% dark chocolate, butter, heavy cream, Red #40.
- Vanilla Valrhona: Milk, wheat all-purpose white flour, granulated sugar, butter, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, 62% dark chocolate, heavy cream, water, egg, white, vanilla bean paste.
- Chocolate Vanilla: Wheat all-purpose white flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa dry powder, whole egg, vanilla extract, milk, canola vegetable oil, granulated sugar, water, egg white, butter, vanilla bean paste, Red #40.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
Please allow up to two weeks for processing and delivery of perishable items, which are shipped two-day delivery to ensure freshness. Perishable items are not eligible for rush shipping.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned. View Full Returns Policy.


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What is a Low-Fiber/Low-Residue Diet?
A low-fiber/low-residue diet limits the amount of dietary fiber and residue-providing food in your diet. Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plants that cannot be digested. Residue is the undigested part of food that makes up stool. Limiting dietary fiber and residue reduces the amount of food that passes through the large intestine.
Why Should I Follow a Low-Fiber/Low-Residue Diet?
This diet may be recommended if you have gastrointestinal distress or discomfort, or if your gastrointestinal system needs to rest. Conditions that may require a low-fiber/low-residue diet include ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. It may also be prescribed as a transitional diet following certain types of surgery and if you are undergoing radiation therapy to the abdomen.
Low-Fiber/Low-Residue Diet Basics
Fiber is found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. While you can still eat some foods with fiber on this diet, high-fiber foods need to be limited. Ask your doctor or registered dietitian about how many grams of fiber you can have per day.
To decrease residue, you will need to limit your intake of fiber-containing foods, milk and milk products, and caffeine. The standard low-residue diet allows 2 cups of milk or milk products per day. You may need to avoid milk if you are lactose intolerant.
Because this diet restricts many nutrient-rich foods, it may not meet all of your vitamin and mineral requirements. Talk to your doctor or registered dietitian about whether you would benefit from a vitamin supplement.
Eating Guide for a Low-Fiber/Low-Residue Diet
- Refined breads, crackers, cereals, pancakes, and waffles with less than 0.5 grams fiber per serving
- Pasta like macaroni, noodles, spaghetti
- White rice
- Whole-grain breads and crackers like whole wheat, pumpernickel, rye, cornbread
- Whole-grain pancakes and waffles
- Whole-grain cereals like bran, oatmeal, granola
- Breads and cereals with seeds, nuts, or dried fruits
- Whole-grain pasta
- Brown or rice
- Well-cooked and canned vegetables without skin or seeds
- Lettuce
- Vegetable juice without pulp or seeds
- Raw vegetables
- Cooked peas, winter squash, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, baked beans, and corn
- Vegetable sauces like tomato sauce
- Vegetable skins like potato skin
- Canned or cooked fruit with skin (except canned pineapple)
- Applesauce
- Ripe bananas
- Ripe cantaloupe and honeydew melon
- Fruit juices without pulp
- Raw fruit
- Dried fruit
- Prune juice
- Canned pineapple
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese, cottage cheese
- Ice cream
- Soy, almond, and rice milk
- Lactose-free milk
- Note: Limit milk and milk products to no more than 2 cups per day.
- Milk products with fruit, seeds, or nuts
- More than 2 cups of milk or milk products per day
- Milk and milk products if you are lactose intolerant
- Milk products with dried fruit, seeds, or nuts
- Well-cooked or tender beef, lamb, ham, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish, and organ meats
- Eggs
- Smooth nut butters
- Tough meats
- Meat with seeds like salami
- Dried beans or peas
- Seeds and nuts
- Oil
- Mayonnaise
- Salad dressings without seeds
- Salad dressings with seeds
- Butter, margarine
- Plain cakes, cookies, and pies made with allowed fruits and no nuts
- Ice cream and frozen yogurt (within 2 cup allowance)
- Plain sherbet and fruit ice
- Plain hard candy
- Candy, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods made with whole grains, seeds, nuts, coconut, or dried fruit
- Strained soups
- Plain gravy
- Jelly, honey, syrup
- Plain candy
- Salt, pepper, and herbs
- Ketchup
- Carbonated beverages
- Marmalade, jam, or preserves
- Popcorn
- Pickles
- Coconut
- Coffee
- Tea
When shopping for food, read food labels:
- Look for products made with refined flour.
- Avoid products with "whole grain" on the packaging.
- Avoid foods with the word "whole" at the beginning of the ingredient list (like whole-wheat flour).
- Remove skins of fruits and vegetables before cooking.
- Limit intake of fatty foods as these can increase residue.
- Work with a dietitian to create a meal plan for you.
- Reviewer: Dianne Scheinberg Rishikof MS, RD, LDN
- Review Date: 05/2017 -
- Update Date: 11/17/2014 -


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Giving new purpose to youth amid desperate need
American Idol's Kris Allen, host of this year's True Spirit of Christmas tour, writes about his experiences on his first day in Nairobi, Kenya, as he travels with World Vision to see how gifts donated through our Gift Catalog help change the lives of children and families in need.
* * *
When I go on a trip like this, I never know what to expect.
Yes, there are schedules (which usually get thrown out the window once I get there), and yes, I can always expect to be out of my comfort zone. But there are always things that will happen and people whom I will encounter who will completely blow my mind.
This trip has been no different.
Yesterday, we went to the slums of Nairobi. It was exactly what you think of when you think of a "slum." Sandy streets. Small houses made of old tin roofing. Kids playing soccer in a sandy field with a deflated soccer ball caked in mud.
But right in the middle of all of this was a place that seemed different -- not different in its appearance, but different in the life that was emanating from the people and children there.
Zakale is the Swahili word for making new again what has been discarded. An inspiring man in the community named John wanted to use this idea to change the way teens sought purpose in their lives. He has given them options other than just being on the streets of Nairobi, including dance, art, and soccer.
We spent most of our time at the place where they make different pieces of art and jewelry from recycled materials that they have found on the street: Beautiful necklaces made of glass beads, ornaments in the shape of animals made from copper wire, earrings made of magazine covers.
They tried to teach me how to make some of the stuff, and I completely failed. The boy who was showing me kept saying that it was easy. No, it wasn't.
Milton, 28, was the manager of this particular place, and I asked him to tell me his story.
He was a thug. His friends were thugs. They did things that were really hard for him to recount: things that brought tears to his eyes and would have to mine as well, but I was trying to keep it together.
Immediately, the tears subsided when Milton spoke of John and how he rescued him from the streets of Nairobi -- how he took him in and gave him a purpose. He has been with Zakale now for 10 years, managing and making this jewelry that people all over the world can buy.
The best part of the whole day was at the end. I wanted to get some of the jewelry as Christmas presents for my family. I picked out a particular necklace that caught my eye. I went up to Milton and asked him how much. He answered with a huge smile that I hadn't seen from him all day.
I was wondering why he was so happy that I picked this particular one. He humbly told me that this was one that he had made himself. Out of the hundreds of necklaces that were on display, I happened to pick one that Milton had made. It seemed to make his day -- but what he probably doesn't know is that hearing his story and getting to know him the little that I did in the couple hours we spent together made my whole trip.
And this was just the first day.
This Christmas, make a donation to World Vision's Maximum Impact Fund to help where needed most -- and receive a beautiful set of handmade Zakale wire and bead ornaments from Nairobi. It's the perfect gift for a loved one -- or you!


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Small Core Providers Pile On Plug-Ins: Print Preview
Fiserv and Symitar dominate the discussions around credit union core systems, but many smaller providers are nipping at the heels of the core giants.
Part 1 of this series detailed the players in the field.
Here, part 2 looks at how the niche players are positioning their offerings.
Probably the single biggest problem facing core system providers that aren't Fiserv or Symitar is that, for them, the struggle is to seem part of the 21st century conversation. Core systems, in their guts, generally are over 20 years of age–frequently much older–so this is a mature IT solution that has been commoditized.
Where there is profit to be made it is in the add-ons, the plug-ins that upgrade the core, said Tom Berdan, a vice president at Lake Mary, Fla.-based Harland Financial Solutions, who oversees the company's core systems, PhoenixEFE and UltraData, which are found in around 385 credit unions, generally institutions with under $250 million in assets.
(Click on image at left to expand.)
At Harland, Berdan said there is a considerable push to stand out by tweaking its cores to do a good job of detecting anomalous behavior in a member account that may be linked to crime such as elder fraud or account takeover.
He said that these kinds of frauds are becoming an ever bigger concern to credit union executives and regulators, and he suspects the volume of such criminal activity will shoot up as EMV implementation in 2015 prompts fraudsters to seek out new vulnerabilities. In his mind, the Harland core can become a part of the solution and that he believes may win credit union customers.
FIS is a huge financial tech company. "We do business with 85% of credit unions," said Jerry Nissen, a vice president. But it is an also ran in cores with around 308 credit unions customers, mainly smaller institutions, according to Callahan. The company wants to change that and, per Nissen, it feels it may have a timely card to play in its Miser core, mainly aimed at institutions bigger than $250 million. That's because Miser has its roots in the banking world and integral to its structure are strengths in managing business lending.
"Our challenge is market awareness. What we have been doing is a lot of innovation–channel integration and tight integration with mobile, online, e-wallets," Nissen said. "Miser is unique, it is very powerful. We still have a large presence in banking. We have one institution that is $45 billion running on it."
Nissen, incidentally, also said FIS has been upgrading its Mercury core, aimed at smaller credit unions. "We have been adding functionality," said Nissen, who acknowledged that thus far FIS is not seeing a boost in traction among credit unions, meaning new adoptions are thin.
UltraData, Miser, Mercury–these are well-proven cores. That is not the so at Corelation. There, the question on prospects' minds is, Is it really going to work? That, said Theresa Benavidez, was the constant refrain from prospects in the early months of Corelation, the San Diego-based developer of one of the industry's few truly new core systems.
Benavidez serves as president of the company and, she said, Corelation now has 14 credit unions under contract. "Credit unions come to us because they want a core provider where they are heard. They don't want to be told which add-on modules they need to buy. They want their credit union to be important."
A Corelation plus, per Benavidez, is that it is truly open. Other cores claim openness, she said, but with Corelation the credit union truly calls the shots when it comes to integrating add on services. "A year from now we will have at least five more credit unions on our core. We are growing," she said.
Immense changes may be in the near-term future for core systems, particularly in smaller credit unions, and this is for two compelling reasons. To survive, most of those institutions will need, and quickly, to offer a fleshed out lineup of banking services right down to mobile remote-deposit capture, real-time person to person payments, mobile banking and the rest of the high tech goodies offered by big banks. Those small institutions also want to pare their costs in operating cores, an expense that more are grumbling about.
The two forces seem contradictory. But they just may be driving sweeping innovation.
At My CU Services, a CUSO owned by Mid -Atlantic Corporate Credit Union in Middletown, Pa., COO Howard Stein said that CUSO "is actively looking at offering core as a service, especially to smaller credit unions." He defined smaller as under $100 million in assets.
Stein said that in his opinion "there is no question many credit unions are overpaying for their cores. We believe we could drive down the expenses."
My CU Services, accordingly, is now looking for a core system that it might buy, tweak and build in new tools such as mobile and online banking, said Stein.
Meantime, over at EPL, Senior Vice President David Gibbard ponders the viability of a hosted solution. "That's the trend. To get what they want, credit unions are beginning to move away from in-house solutions."
The key advantages of hosted solutions, already offered in various flavors by several providers but take up has been slow, is that in effect core is outsourced to the provider who, at all times, can be held accountable for keeping the system running and up to date. Because the system is shared, rather than owned outright, costs may also be lower while functionality is higher.
"For credit unions with under $750 million in assets, it makes more economic sense to do core functions in the cloud, in a hosted environment," said Gibbard.
How long will it take to transition to a point where most credit unions are in fact in hosted cores? Gibbard shrugged. The average core contract is five to seven years, he said. Every year, perhaps 1,000 credit unions could swap cores. How many will?
"Credit unions that want to survive need to pull their heads out of the sand," Gibbard said.


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CUNA Mutual Asks Court to Order Bank to Buy Back Failed Mortgage Securities
CUNA Mutual Group this week asked the U.S. Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to issue an order that would require RBS Securities Inc. to buy back $72 million in failed residential mortgage-backed securities.
The securities were sold to CUMIS Insurance Society and MEMBERS Life Insurance Co., both subsidiaries of CUNA Mutual in Madison, Wis.
Between 2004 and 2007, CUNA Mutual said RBS "induced" it to buy 15 certificates in 10 separate RMBS offerings by making representations about the credit quality of the pools of mortgage loans collateralizing those RMBS, according to the CUNA Mutual's complaint.
CUNA Mutual said it relied on RBS's quantitative representations in deciding to purchase 15 certificates in the 10 separate RMBS offerings. After CUNA Mutual's purchases, all 10 of the securities performed poorly and the 15 certificates have since lost much of their value, according to the complaint.
CUNA Mutual said it is seeking to recover $72 million, the amount it would take for RBS to buy back the failed RMBS.
Before it filed the lawsuit, CUNA Mutual said it commissioned a forensic investigation of the loan pools collateralizing the 10 RMBS to test the accuracy of RBS's quantitative representations. It sampled 17,949 loans from each transaction and conducted a retroactive appraisal using valuation models and historical data to test RBS's representations about LTV and CLTV ratios. CUNA Mutual also analyzed public records to test RBS's representations about owner occupancy rates.
CUNA Mutual said its investigation revealed that RBS's quantitative representations in the offering documents of the 10 RMBS were false at the time they were made. Specifically, RBS "dramatically understated the LTV or CLTV ratios of the loan pools underlying the 10 RMBS."
In its motion filed on Thursday, CUNA Mutual said CUMIS invoked a right of rescission that would require RBS Securities buy back the RMBS.
Phil Tschudy, CUNA Mutual media relations manager, confirmed with Credit Union Times on Friday the company did indeed file the motion but said the company did not have any additional comment.


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8 Life Stage-Appropriate Credit Union Programs
Credit unions want to be there for their members from birth through retirement, and designing niche financial programs especially for key points in life — childhood, teenage years, young adulthood and retirement, for example — is an effective way to build an active, engaged group of members.
Here are eight examples of life stage-appropriate programs currently in place at credit unions, all of which draw their targeted groups in with incentives, from treasure chest prizes to loan discounts to local merchant coupons. Then, feel free to tell us about your credit union's creative life stage-oriented offering in the comments section below.
Dollar Dog Kids Club
Advertising cute cartoon characters is usually a foolproof way to grab the attention of children, and that's the idea behind the Dollar Dog Kids Club, a savings and financial literacy program that features a superhero dog. A number of credit unions are snagging new members at an early age through the program, which was created by Pennsylvania-based marketing and business development company Marketing Partners Inc.
Parents and grandparents of children ages 12 and under can sign their tots up for a Dollar Dog Kids Club savings account with an initial deposit of at least $5. Kids can then look forward to collecting prizes as they make more deposits, as well as participating in contests and events that teach basic financial literacy concepts. Club membership also includes access to the online "clubhouse," where kids can play games as they learn about money.
Kirby Kangaroo Kids Club
This campaign's concepts are similar to the Dollar Dog Kids Club, but its mascot is a kangaroo named Kirby. Child members of participating credit unions (ages 12 and under) can make deposits into their very own savings accounts to earn "bucks" that are exchangeable for prizes, receive a membership card and newsletter, and attend kid-friendly activities and events.
The Kirby Kangaroo Kids Club, developed and maintained by the Credit Union Association of New Mexico, also promotes investing early in life, as some credit unions advertise a share account as one of the club's offerings. On the club's website, kids can find jokes, printable coloring pages, and stories and games that aim to teach personal finance basics.
Not Your Mama's Account at Vantage CU
Created for the 18-to-25 set by the $710.7 million Vantage Credit Union in Bridgeton, Mo., this free checking product aims to attract Gen Y members with age-appropriate features. The account encourages saving with Swipe2Save, which allows account holders to choose an amount for an automatic transfer into their savings account with each debit transaction. They can also set a low balance threshold to discontinue transfers when their account balances become too low.
The Not Your Mama's Account's online banking features include personal financial management tools, social media feeds, and local merchant ads and coupons. The "Oops NSF Fee" rebate allows one overdraft fee rebate every six months, and the account also comes with unlimited PIN-based POS fee rebates, granted the member is enrolled in e-statements and makes at least one electronic deposit of $250 per month.
Other incentives for Not Your Mama's Account holders include "tweetMyMoney" mobile banking access via Twitter, a savings of $200 on first mortgage closing costs and a free gift with a qualified insurance quote. Vantage CU said it will soon introduce remote deposit capture services to the account.
Teen Advantage Club at Genisys CU
Teenagers-only clubs abound at credit unions across the country. One of them is the Teen Advantage Club at the $1.4 billion Genisys Credit Union of Auburn Hills, Mich., which is for members ages 13 to 17 and intends to educate this age group about money management.
Club membership includes an official card and certificate, entry into quarterly drawings for prizes, a quarterly newsletter containing information about personal finance and Genisys CU's activities and contests, monthly checking and quarterly share savings account statements, a direct deposit offering called eAllowance, and access to a free, online money management tool and information-packed website.
Genisys CU uses the club to promote a number of other teen-friendly offerings, including several savings products, a private student loan, a young adult Visa card and a first-time auto loan. The credit union also encourages teens to give back to their communities — on the Teen Advantage Club website, young members can learn how to get involved with Genisys CU-sponsored community events.
Youth Products at Alta Vista CU
Some credit unions want to ensure they've covered all their bases in the youth market by offering a suite of products geared toward specific age groups — either their own, unique creations or "canned" products made available through a third party. At the $141.5 million, Redlands, Calif.-based Alta Vista Credit Union, for example, members ages 6 and under can join the Vista Savers Club, kids ages 7 to 13 can get into the M3 Money Club, and teens and young adults ages 14 to 21 can open Next Generation accounts.
The youngest of the bunch can open their first savings accounts with an initial deposit of $25. Members of the M3 Money Club are also welcome to open a savings account, plus receive a membership card and quarterly newsletter, learn about personal finance on an interactive website, and participate in events and contests.
The Next Generation account comes with its own website filled with articles on topics such as starting a business, getting a part-time job and buying a first car. The young adult package also includes access to savings accounts and educational workshops, and members ages 16 and older are eligible for a checking account, debit card, first-time Visa card and auto loan.
First-Time Home Buyer Programs at PenFed CU, SECU and Columbia Community CU
Helping members realize the dream of homeownership is one way credit unions live up to their cooperative philosophies. Many have developed programs exclusively for first-time home buyers, and in an economy that remains sluggish, members are taking full advantage of them.
The $15 billion Pentagon Federal Credit Union of Alexandria, Va.'s PenFed Foundation offers the Dream Makers Program, a down payment grant for members of the military. To qualify, borrowers must also have a gross annual income of $55,000 or less or make 80% or less of their area's median income.
Another large credit union, the $25 billion State Employees' Credit Union in Raleigh, N.C., has a first-time home buyers' mortgage for members who have not owned a home in the past three years, new employees of a North Carolina state agency or public school system, and existing employees who are relocating to accept a new job with the state, the credit union said. Participants may receive financing for up to 100% of their home's purchase price and a $1,000 advance to help with closing costs.
The $872 million Columbia Community Credit Union in Vancouver, Wash. demonstrates a third example of a first-time home buyer program. It offers a Fannie Mae-sponsored program for novice home buyers who have little saved for a down payment, as well as FHA-insured loans and counseling programs.
Newlywed Club at Box Elder County CU
First comes love, then comes ... a credit union program just for newlyweds. At the $86.9 million, Brigham City, Utah-based Box Elder County Credit Union, about-to-be-hitched couples can sign up for the Newlywed Club, which includes a wedding registry and coupon service.
As part of the Newlywed Club wedding registry service, the credit union advertises members' registries on its website and in a local newspaper free of charge, allows couples' friends and family members to send cash gifts and stores the names of gift-givers for newlyweds to view at a later time.
Participating couples can even have their names, photos and wedding dates posted to the Box Elder County CU website.
Senior Program at Service CU
While senior citizens are an unlikely group for credit unions to target in their marketing efforts, a product designed especially for this age bracket is well-deserved. One example is at the $2.2 billion, Portsmouth, N.H.-based Service Credit Union, where members ages 62 and older can benefit from the credit union's Senior Program.
Senior Program participants are not required to meet a minimum account balance or annual income, but they must maintain a direct deposit of their income into a credit union account, including their Social Security and retirement payments. Benefits of the program include advance direct deposit payments, access to high-yielding savings accounts and share certificates, and a 0.5% discount on consumer loans and credit cards.
Participants are also entitled to no-fee checking, as well as online banking, online bill pay, e-statement, mobile banking and remote deposit capture services.


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light recent data breaches like AT&T's accidental
release of 100,000+ iPad customers' email addresses
(including both Democratic and Republican politicians), some in the
software industry and government are pushing for tougher privacy
Among those companies pushing for improvements is
Microsoft. Peter Cullen, chief privacy strategist for Microsoft
Corp, speaking at the Family Online Safety Institute's annual
conference, states, "Information is the currency of growth, but
it's also increasingly become the currency of crime. People
have very high expectations when it comes to companies in terms of
how they collect, use, store and most importantly protect their
Its unacceptable for internet service
providers and wireless carriers to let data be stolen or sell private
data, he believes.
Online reputation-management company
ReputationDefender founder, Michael Fertik, told a government panel recently that some people are suggesting that the U.S. government step up and force ISPs to
give customers an easy to use interface to control what kinds of
personal data they want to allow to be collected -- the strategy employed by European regulators. He argues
that most customers don't even realize that online media companies (e.g. Facebook, Google) are tracking their
online behavior. In a conversation with Reuters he
states, "It's remarkable how deep the data sets are about each
of us, and it's disturbing."
While data miners like Google and Yahoo
in cutting
its data retention times, the companies regularly
collect data on users' "private" internet
activities -- particularly web searches. That data could
increasingly land some users in trouble. For example, health
insurers are investigating using mined search data to monitor how
often users frequent fast food restaurants, increasing premiums
accordingly. And some private investigation firms want to use
searches for dating sites to ID infidelity.
Mr. Fertik says
that expecting advertising-driven companies to self-censor when there's
profit to be made is a questionable proposition. He stated to us, "It is impossible to run a digital media company and care deeply about privacy."
Microsoft, despite doing some data mining of its own, earned Mr. Fertik's praise. The key differentiation, as he sees it, is that Microsoft does not make the majority of its profits from advertising and thus has far less to lose from protecting privacy than its rivals. He commented to us, "Microsoft and IBM dont make most of their money off advertising, so there's [little] tension between money and privacy."
He also tells us that he supports legislation to make it easier to opt out of data mining, stating, "It should be easier to opt out."
Congress is currently debating the proposal of new
privacy laws that could offer users new protections in an
increasingly web-connected world. The idea has some support
with both parties -- and some opposition from members of both
parties, as well. Amy Mushahwar, a data privacy and security
attorney at Reed Smith LLP, states, "This is a much less
partisan issue that still has the potential for movement."
privacy advocates are concerned, though that the U.S. Congress might
use a "privacy" bill as a Trojan horse to sneak
in increased
anti-piracy provisions and proposed warrantless
government monitoring of U.S. citizens online.
Updated: Nov 12, 2010 2:20 p.m.
There was some ambiguity in the interview Mr. Fertik gave Reuters, regarding whether he was directing his comments towards Microsoft. We briefly interviewed him and have gained more perspective on his opinions.
Mr. Fertik made it clear to us that actually he holds a positive opinion of Microsoft and that he does not give negative comments about specific companies -- only positive ones. When giving critical comments he refers in generalities like "media companies". It is, however, pretty easy to figure out who the biggest-advertising driven forces on the internet are, so the remarks aren't too cryptic.
ReputationDefender is a company users can pay to remove their personal information from mining database and to lock those databases from collecting future information on their activities.


text:
Two Fort Worth Credit Unions to Merge
Fort Worth Telco Credit Union announced that it will merge with Fort Worth-based EECU, effective May 31.
"EECU has a long-standing relationship with Fort Worth Telco Credit Union and its leadership," said Lonnie Nicholson, president/CEO of EECU. "The decision to merge seemed like a natural extension of the relationship between the two credit unions. We are excited to enhance the products, services and delivery options provided to Telco's members."
EECU serves more than 167,000 members.
"We feel this merger will be extremely beneficial to our members as they will have access to resources not currently available to them," said Ron Reed, Fort Worth Telco Credit Union president. "Having been our neighbor in Fort Worth for 33 years, we're confident in EECU's commitment to upholding the high standards of service our members are used to."
The merger, which is already in progress and scheduled for completion on May 31, will transfer the approximately 5,000 Fort Worth Telco Credit Union member accounts, which include checking and savings deposits and loans, to EECU.
EECU was founded in 1934 to serve the financial needs of Fort Worth teachers. Today it holds assets of more than $1.4 billion. Fort Worth Telco has assets of $41.4 million.


text:
Diplomatic Enclave, Arabian Gulf Street, P.O. Box 1450, Safat-13015, Kuwait. Phone: 22530600, 22530612 - 14 Fax: 22546958, 22571192, 22573910, 22573902
The Embassy
Embassy Officers
Working Hours & Holidays
Right to Information
Contact Embassy
Site Map
Passport & Attestation Service
Visa, PIO, OCI Service
Other Services
Facilitation Centre
Advisory for Indian workers in Kuwait
Mandatory submission of bank guarantee of US$ 2500/- by employers for employing an Indian female domestic worker
Minimum Wages Schedule
Bilateral Relations
Fact Sheet
Economic & Commerce
India-Kuwait Trade and Economic Relations
Doing Business in India
Investment in India
Business Opportunities in Kuwait
India Investment Projects
Tenders (Kuwait & India)
Exhibitions / Business Opportunities in India
Indian Community
Indian Community
Mandatory submission of bank guarantee of US$ 2500/- by employers for employing an Indian female domestic worker
Advisory for Indian workers in Kuwait
Disposal of Mortal Remains of Indian Nationals
Enrolment of Overseas Electors
Overseas Indians Facilitation Centre (OIFC)
Register your Association
Press & Media
Press Releases
Embassy Announcements
Photo Gallery
Mortal Remains
Other Media
How to Reach Embassy
Location Map
How to Reach Embassy
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 9 January 2017
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January every year to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India. Since 2003, every year the Government of India holds the PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS in India to provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the Government and people of the land of their ancestors for mutually beneficial activities. All Indians residing in Kuwait have been contributing richly in their own way to the growing relations in all spheres between India and Kuwait.
2. To mark the occasion, the Embassy of India will be commemorating Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2017 (PBD 2017) at its auditorium on Monday, 9 January 2017 from 1400-1600 hrs under the theme ' Redefining engagement with Indian Diaspora '. All non- resident and visiting Indians, PIO and OCI card holders and their friends in Kuwait are cordially invited to participate for a meaningful discussion on the issues related to the Indian Diaspora.
26 December 2016
Consular Services
Passport & Attestation Service
Visa, PIO, OCI Service
Other Services
Facilitation Centre
Air India has a rich mix of wide and narrow body aircrafts ranging from Boeing 747, Dreamliners, Airbus 320 to smaller CRJ-700 aircrafts. It has a wide network flying to 31 international and 59 domestic destinations over 4 continents. It connects many more destinations through code-share arrangements with various airlines.
LIC (international) BSC(c) is a subsidiary of LIC of India, a corporation established through an act of Gov. of India. LIC(International) started its activities in Kuwait in the year 1996 through its chief agent M/S.Warba Insurance Co.SAK, later in the year 2006, expanded by opening the marketing office of M/S.Warba Insurance Co.SAK, at Fahaheel.
Jet Airways, is India's premier international airline and was founded in 1993. Over the years Jet Airways has constantly endeavoured to give the world a world-class airline and has been recognised and honoured constantly for this.
The Oriental Insurance Company Limited is one of the 4 Public Sectors (Government) Insurance Company's of India, one of the four giants in Insurance World of India. Since, 1947 Oriental is underwriting a large number of risks starting from cattle to space, through its more than 1000 Offices in India.
New India Assurance Co Ltd, is a 100 % Govt of India owned multinational General Insurance Company operating in 27 countries and headquartered at Mumbai, India. Our global business crossed Rs.16000 Cr.
TCIL, a prime engineering and consultancy company, is a wholly owned Government of India Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India.
Diplomatic Enclave, Arabian Gulf Street, P.O. Box 1450, Safat-13015, Kuwait.
Consular Services working hours: 7.30 AM. to 4.30 P.M (Sunday to Thursday),
Embassy timing: 8.30 A.M. to 5.30 P.M
Telephone Numbers: (00-965) 22530600, 22530612 - 14
Fax Number: (00-965) 22546958, 22571192, 22573910, 22573902
Site Visitors :
© Embassy of India, Kuwait 2013. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Google announced its new
near-field communications (NFC) mobile payment system, "Google
Wallet," this afternoon in New York.
NFC technology is a short-range wireless technology that allows mobile users to
pay for everyday purchases at a register using their cell phones. This new
technology, which eliminates the need for cash or credit cards, works by
tapping the mobile device at a register. An NFC-enabled mobile device has a NFC
chip that contains the users financial account information, and when the user
taps the device, the chip interacts with the register and allows for payment.
Back in March of this year, Google decided to hop on the NFC mobile payment
bandwagon as well. It announced that it was testing a mobile payment service in
San Francisco and New York stores using special cash register systems designed
by VeriFone Systems Inc. Google estimated that its mobile payments service
would take about four months to
But only a little over two months later, Google has announced its NFC mobile
payments service, "Google Wallet," and gave
a demonstration of the new app today.
Google has partnered with Sprint, Citi, MasterCard and First Data to introduce
its new mobile wallet. The system will support Citi MasterCard and a Google Prepaid
Card at first, which can be funded by most payment cards, and from there on
out, users can use their mobile device to pay for purchases wherever MasterCard
PayPass is accepted.
Google Wallet allows users to store credit cards, loyalty cards, gift cards and
offers. When the device is used to make a purchase, the app automatically
redeems offers and earns loyalty points for the user. Google Wallet will also
sync a user's Google Offers, which
can be redeemed at participating SingleTap merchants via NFC or by presenting a
barcode at checkout.
"Google Wallet is a key part of our ongoing effort to improve shopping for
both businesses and consumers," said The Official Google Blog. "It's aimed
at making it easier for you to pay for and save on the goods you want, while
giving merchants more ways to offer coupons and loyalty programs to customers,
as well as bridging the gap between online and offline commerce."
Google Wallet will initially be compatible only with Sprint's Nexus S 4G by
Google. But Google plans to apply compatibility to other phones in the future.
Google Wallet is still undergoing field testing at the moment, but will be
released soon, according to The Official Google Blog.
Many tech
companies have incorporated NFC technology into their mobile devices, and are
now negotiating deals with credit card companies to allow users to utilize the
new technology to its maximum potential. For instance, Verizon Wireless,
AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA joined forces with Discover Financial Services'
national payment network to form Isis. Isis is also looking to embrace other
credit card giants like Visa and MasterCard.


text:
Free agents benefiting from game's growth
By Mike Bauman / MLB.com
As the Winter Meetings closed at the sprawling Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, the biggest names of the 2012-13 offseason, including Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke, were still unsigned.
Winter Meetings Action
|Day 4: Dec. 6
|P Koji Uehara
|Deal with BOS
|IF Ian Stewart
|1-year deal with CHC
|OF Ben Revere
|Traded to PHI
|P Vance Worley
|Traded to MIN
|Day 3: Dec. 5
|SP Joe Blanton
|2-year deal with LAA
|OF Nate Schierholtz
|1-year deal with CHC
|SP Jeff Francis
|1-year deal with COL
|RP Randy Choate
|3-year deal with STL
|RP Sean Burnett
|2-year deal with LAA
|OF Jason Bay
|1-year deal with SEA
|3B Eric Chavez
|1-year deal with ARI
|OF Nate McLouth
|1-year deal with BAL
|IF Jeff Keppinger
|3-year deal with CWS
|Day 2: Dec. 4
|SS Yunel Escobar
|Traded to TB
|P Wilton Lopez
|Traded to COL
|OF Shane Victorino
|3-year-deal with BOS
|OF Eric Hinske
|1-year-deal with ARI
|SP Dan Haren
|1-year-deal with WAS
|Day 1: Dec. 3
|1B James Loney
|1-year-deal with TB
|SP Jason Marquis
|1-year deal with SD
|C Mike Napoli
|3-year deal with BOS
|OF Angel Pagan
|4-year deal with SF
|RP Joakim Soria
|2-year deal with TEX
|C Geovany Soto
|1-year deal with TEX
|C Eli Whiteside
|Claimed by TOR
But some presumably mid-range free agents already have cashed in and made considerably more than might have been expected in the process.
Why? This is an extraordinarily prosperous time for baseball. Years of record and near-record attendance figures have been accompanied by record-shattering media rights deals, at both the local and national level. Franchise values have soared. Despite a national economy that is in a prolonged recovery mode, baseball has been something like recession-proof.
Revenue sharing and the luxury tax have made more money available to more clubs, thus creating more potential buyers for free agents. Combine these positive economic factors with the relatively slight level of available talent -- particularly available pitching talent -- and you get a recipe for salary escalation.
Agent Scott Boras happily discussed these developments with reporters on Wednesday.
"We've got vastly new revenues in the game," Boras said. "We're probably going to be a $9 [billion] industry and rising beyond that. Because of that, every team in baseball can afford quality mid-level players and even franchise players.
"And so one thing that is very different than what we've seen -- I've been through about four or five revenue-changing periods, each six or seven years -- the value of a performance seven years before is now worth 40-50 percent more than it was then."
Examining some of the intermediate-sized free agents on the current market, it was a good time to be available. And it still is. For instance:
Torii Hunter signed with the Tigers for two years, $26 million. It is now believed that, in terms of maximizing his return, he may have signed too early, before the market reached its actual higher level. Hunter is 37, but he still has impressive skills and he is a terrific clubhouse presence. He could help Detroit take that final step.
One of the reasons that Hunter's deal looks modest was the contract signed by another outfielder, Shane Victorino, for three years and $39 million from the Boston Red Sox. Victorino was an admirable player on some very good Phillies teams, but he is coming off the least-productive season of his career.
Since the Red Sox were fortunate enough to have the Dodgers take roughly $260 million in unlikable contracts off their hands, Boston has no shortage of funds. The Red Sox are spreading those around.
Designated hitter David Ortiz got a two-year deal for $26 million, but he wants to finish his career in Boston, and this contract generates nary a blink. Catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli will receive a three-year, $39 million deal, pending a physical. Napoli has right-handed power and is an ideal Fenway Park match in that sense. But he is coming off an unimpressive season and he won't provide world-class defense no matter where he plays.
Outfielder Johnny Gomes got $10 million over two years from the Red Sox. These are not big numbers, and Gomes is widely regarded as a positive clubhouse presence. But he has been a platoon player against left-handed pitching.
Outfielder B.J. Upton had the biggest haul to date, receiving a five-year, $75 million contract from the Atlanta Braves. Nobody disputes Upton's talent, but his previous career with the Rays was not one of unbroken achievement.
The Giants didn't waste any time or skimp on the cash in re-signing center fielder Angel Pagan. The price always goes up when you contribute to a World Series championship, and Pagan went all the way to $40 million over four years. It's a nice, round number, but Napoli and Victorino have higher annual average salaries. This is favored terminology among baseball people now, although mere mortals might want $40 million rather than $39 million.
Postseason hero Marco Scutaro received a three-year, $20 million contract from the Giants. Scutaro is 37, but given his absolutely essential contributions after being traded from Colorado, retaining him seems eminently logical.
The real salary escalation may occur on the pitching side, where the demand easily exceeds the supply. As Boras put it:
"I think we've met with I don't know how many teams the last three days, but every team is telling you [they] need a starter."
Hiroki Kuroda had a fine 2012, and he got a one-year deal for $15 million, plus incentives, to stay with the Yankees. Jake Peavy, talented but oft-injured, received $29 million over two years, plus a vesting option for 2015, to remain with the White Sox. Jeremy Guthrie salvaged his situation with a strong second half in '12, and he was rewarded with a three-year, $25 million contract from the Royals.
Relievers were also beneficiaries of the flourishing baseball economy. Closer Brandon League got $22.5 million over three years from the Dodgers. Jonathan Broxton received a similar deal from the Reds -- three years, $21 million. He will close if Aroldis Chapman moves to the rotation. If Chapman stays as closer, Broxton will be an extremely well-paid setup man.
The Giants kept Jeremy Affeldt with a three-year, $18 million contract, setting a standard for accomplished left-handed setup men.
There are more, but a clear picture emerges. The healthy baseball economy has translated into a very lucrative market for free agents, even without the Yankees being major players.
Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
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