text:
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.
It is possible to develop rosacea with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing rosacea. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.
Common risk factors for rosacea include:
Women develop rosacea somewhat more frequently than men, although men are more prone to developing severe rosacea. These observations may be due in part to the fact that women are more likely to see a doctor than men. Men are more likely to seek medical attention only after the condition reaches advanced stages.
Rosacea tends to develop in adults between the ages of 30 and 60 years of age. In women, some cases of rosacea occur around the onset of menopause.
Family Members with Rosacea
A tendency to develop rosacea may be inherited. It can often be found in several members of the same family.
Fair Skin
Although rosacea can develop in people of any skin color, it tends to occur most often in people with fair skin.
Sun Exposure
Exposure to the sun may cause skin and blood vessel damage, especially on the face. This may increase the risk of developing rosacea.
History of Acne
A history of acne, especially with cysts, is associated with an increased risk of rosacea.
Ethnic Background
While the disorder can occur in all ethnic groups, it has been found to be prevalent among people of English, Scottish, Scandinavian, and Northern or Eastern European ancestry.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD
- Review Date: 12/2015 -
- Update Date: 12/28/2015 -


text:
VolCorp Reports $2.1 Million Profit Despite Merger Expenses
The $1.18 billion Volunteer Corporate Credit Union on Friday released unaudited year-end financial results that show a net profit despite a merger with West Virginia Corporate CU that produced the usual non-recurring charges.
VolCorp said in a release that the merger, finalized Feb. 1, 2012, was the most significant contributor to a decrease in net income compared to 2011's financials: $2.1 million in 2012 compared to $2.6 million the prior year. Additionally, ROA was just 0.15% in 2012, compared to 0.22% in 2011.
However, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Merry told Credit Union Times that VolCorp has "fully absorbed" the non-recurring merger expenses as of year-end. Additionally, members received nearly $600,000 worth of cash dividends in 2012, representing 28% of VolCorp's net income and a 1% return on perpetual contributed capital.
Net worth as of Dec. 31, 2012, stood at $70.4 million, or 5.33% of total assets, which exceeds the NCUA's 5% minimum requirement for well capitalized status. VolCorp also reported $9.3 million in retained earnings.
Net unrealized losses on securities were $183,348 as of Dec. 31, a decrease of $1,966,574 (91 per cent) from year-end 2011.
"In this environment, continuing to provide the service our members expect and paying a strong capital dividend while taking on the merger expenses is something of which we are proud and we feel bodes well for the future of our credit union members whom we are here to serve," Merry said.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Please post three reviews (or two reviews and one review replacement) by the end of the month.
Approved activities that will replace your third review are:
- SPEW Buddies
- Class Activity at Hogwarts
- Category Patrolling Project
- Story or Drabble Challenges
- Review Award Committee Duties
- Participation in SPEW Spooky Swap
Please remember to complete at least one monthly activity and specify which in your post – this can be either a response to the Monthly Discussion or Monthly Drabble Challenge, or a review for our Featured Author.
Also, please don't post in this thread until you have at least one review to link to - it gets kind of spammy otherwise.
All reviews and monthly activites must be completed and posted by August 31st.


text:
General Overview
Narcolepsy is a neurologic disorder characterized by frequent, involuntary, episodes of sleeping during the day. Sleep attacks may occur while driving, talking, or working.
- What is narcolepsy?
- What are the risk factors?
- What are the symptoms?
- How is it diagnosed?
- How is it treated?
- What are the screening tests?
- How can I reduce my risk?
- What should I ask my healthcare provider about narcolepsy?


text:
Around this time of year I often map out all of the teams close to us in the standings, and see who needs to win/lose what games for us to get into the playoffs (no, there is no point many years.)
This year, with all the anticipation for the draft class of 2012, i've been anxiously watching who loses!
As it stands today:
1. Charlotte: 7-50. Bottom spot, but it's so rare that the team with the most balls actually gets #1.
2. Washington: 14-44
3. New Orleans: 16-42
-That's the bottom three, with almost 100% certainty. After that, there is a glut.
4. Sacramento: 19-40. Opponents (OKC, Portland, Spurs, OKC, Bobcats, OKC, Lakers) = 2 winnable
5. Toronto: 20-39. (Boston, ATL, ATL, HEAT, Pistons, Bucks, Nets) = 2 winnable
6. Cleveland: 19-37. (Pacers, Wiz, Magic, Pistons, sixers, knicks, spurs, griz, wiz, bulls) = 3 winnable
7. New Jersey: 21-38. (sixers, celtics, HEAT, knicks, bucks, sixers, Raps) = 1 winnable
8/9. Golden State and Detroit both have 22 wins, and I don't see us passing them at this point.
Yes, any team can win any night in the NBA - especially if some teams rest stars for the playoffs, but that's the scene.
My prediction? Cleveland and New Jersey stay ahead of us ... Sacramento stays behind ... 5th spot (SAME spot we were in when we rose to #1 in the lottery to grab Bargnani)


text:
Franklin & Marshall News
Click here to shop all Franklin & Marshall clothing from Footasylum
The Franklin and Marshall UK Revolution
The Franklin and Marshall brand is taking the UK high street by storm.
Franklin and Marshall Sale at Footasylum
Take advantage of Footasylum's fantastic sale while you can.
Keep Warm this Autumn with Franklin and Marshall Hoodies
Look good and stray warm with track and field inspired hoodies from Franklin and Marshall.
Supporting Sporting Talent with Franklin and Marshall
Franklin and Marshall clothing are supporting sporting talent throughout the globe with their unwavering dedication to athletic apparel and continuing commitment to partnering sporting events.
Old School Fashion from Franklin and Marshall
Revive that old school style with Franklin and Marshall clothing that lets you step back in time to an era of college pride, team spirit and bright vivacious fashions that inspired success in every student.
Chill Out with Laidback Loungewear from Franklin and Marshall
You can chill out in college-cool fashions with laidback loungewear from Franklin and Marshall with its vintage-inspired collection of heritage clothing that makes relaxing uber-stylish.
Express Yourself with Vintage Athletics from Franklin and Marshall
Franklin and Marshall is continually at the forefront of athletic fashion with their laidback vintage clothing range that is deliberately in a constant state of flux; searching for personalised clothing that expresses your individuality.
Franklin Marshall – Stay Campus Cool This Spring
Franklin Marshall clothing could help you keep your campus cool this coming spring with a range of vibrant vintage apparel that recreates the laidback look of college heritage sportswear.
Brand New AW10 Collection from Franklin & Marshall
Franklin & Marshall's Brand New AW10 Collection is classic vintage clothing at its best.
Get Ready, Set and Paddle up with Franklin & Marshall
Franklin & Marshall is well known amongst those, well, in the know, as one of the coolest sports and street wear labels around. They have an eye for turning a vintage look into something beautifully modern, sharp and on trend, something your parents might recognise but still 'out there' enough to be youthful and cutting edge.
Franklin & Marshall is more than just a clothing company, as its recent Jump One event shows.
Franklin & Marshall – Preppy is Back
Can the Franklin and Marshall college look cash in on the new trend for preppy styles?
Franklin & Marshall - College Fashion Takes Off
Thanks to hit American TV show Glee and the publishing phenomenon that is the Twilight series of books, American high school and college fashion is officially in.
Franklin & Marshall - Be a Sport
Franklin & Marshall is the brand inspired by American College style, it's not surprising that they're a sporting success.
Franklin & Marshall - The 70s Sweatshirt
Franklin & Marshall may be based in the Verona hills, but its inspiration is very much rooted in American college sweatshirts.
Franklin & Marshall Gets Down and Dirty
With their sponsorship of an Italian rugby team, Franklin & Marshall shows that it's a brand not afraid to get its hands dirty.


text:
Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger in an
interview [Google translation] with Der
Spiegel said
that American electronics maker Apple needs to immediately adopt
more transparency . She stated, "Users of iPhones
and other GPS devices must be aware of what kind of information about
them is being collected."She said that Apple must
"immediately make clear" what information it plans to
collect. She says that Apple must "open its databases to
German data protection authorities" and make it clear how long
it intends to keep user data.The announcement comes in the
wake of changes to Apple's privacy policy, which indicate that Apple
may be tracking
and storing users' locations via GPS. That could allow the
company to better target its ads, leading to more lucrative revenue
and new opportunities, but it would also create privacy
concerns.While it's clear that you can opt out of
allowing third-party
(non-Apple) apps to collect location data, it's unclear if
you can completely opt out of Apple's mobile device tracking plan or
exactly what that plan is (the legal language merely suggests that
Apple has the opportunity to make use of
tracking).Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger says it would be
"unthinkable" for Apple to track users' locations or
collect info to try to detect their personalities. She states,
"Apple has the obligation to properly implement the transparency
so often promised by (CEO) Steve Jobs."Apple
faces government
inquiries in the U.S. over privacy and antitrust
concerns.Meanwhile, other companies are struggling with
Germany's progressive stance on
privacy. Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger has directed recent
criticism against the world's largest social network, Facebook.
She firmly disagrees with the site's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, in his
belief that users no
longer care about privacy. She recently quit the site
over privacy
concerns.Google also recently apologized to
Germans for "accidentally" collecting
personal data sent by consumers over wireless networks.


text:
Constituent Update - September 13, 2013
LIMS-Direct to Replace LEARN
FSIS Notice 46-13, issued July 11, 2013, is announcing the Laboratory Information Management System-Direct (LIMS-Direct) reporting application that is replacing Laboratory Electronic Application for Results Notification (LEARN) for reporting FSIS' laboratory sample status and testing results.
On Sept. 16, 2013, "Welcome to LIMS-Direct" letters will be sent to establishments' e-mails that have a PHIS profile marked for receiving lab sample results. This will enable establishments to receive laboratory sample results. For two consecutive weeks, management will receive an e-mail from LIMS-Direct and one from LEARN that contains duplicate sampling results information. These e-mails will be used as "tests" to ensure that LIMS-Direct is properly sending notifications. LEARN will be available to FSIS personnel until Oct. 1, 2013.
Direct link to Notice 46-13 is at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/5b0032c1-5b4e-4cca-b2f8-f82d383945b2/46-13.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=5b0032c1-5b4e-4cca-b2f8-f82d383945b2.
The LIMS-Direct User Guide can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/77c3f296-5357-4625-81fc-a564a3a3f04a/LIMS-Direct-UserManual-0713.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.
Nationwide Survey on Carcass Baseline
FSIS will launch a 12-month Nationwide Beef and Veal Carcass Baseline Survey (B-VCBS) to sample establishments that slaughter and process beef and veal carcasses. During this survey, FSIS will collect samples from the carcasses of steers, heifers, cows, bulls, stag, dairy cows, and veal at two locations in the slaughter process, immediately after hide removal (pre-evisceration) and at pre-chill (after all anti-microbial interventions). This study will provide FSIS the data on percent positives and quantitative levels of select foodborne bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella sp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, non-O157 Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) and levels of indicator bacteria, including total bacteria (aerobic plate count), generic E. coli, coliforms and Enterobacteriaceae. Data obtained from B-VCBS will be used for the estimation of the national prevalence of select pathogens, assessment of slaughter dressing procedures and process control, development of performance guidelines and for other policy considerations.
The study design and sampling plan for B-VCBS has been posted at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/5057f4ef-f924-422c-bafe-771b1ead78e4/Beef-Veal-Carcass-Baseline-Study-Design.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.
During the shakedown phase of this study, FSIS will accept comments from all stakeholders. Based on stakeholder input, FSIS may consider adjustments to the final study design and sampling plan, within the confines of feasibility and time. FSIS will initiate the shakedown phase (training period) of the B-VCBS in October 2013. During this phase, FSIS will prepare its personnel for the actual study, further refine the eligibility of the beef and veal carcass slaughter plants for inclusion in the study, and identify necessary modifications to the survey and design before conducting the actual 12-month survey.
NACMCF Subcommittee to Meet
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) Subcommittee on the Study of Microbiological Criteria as Indicators of Process Control or Insanitary Conditions will hold public meetings on Tuesday - Thursday, Sept. 17-19, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Patriots Plaza III, 355 E St., S.W., First Floor (Conference Room), Washington, DC.
The purpose of these meetings is to develop guidance to assist the Department of Defense (DOD) in refining its microbiological criteria and other criteria for evaluating process control and insanitary conditions at the point of production. The NACMCF will focus on both raw and ready-to-eat food products and will evaluate both pathogens and other indicators of insanitary conditions. Updated standards will assist DOD in their evaluation on whether products that are destined for U.S. military personnel and produced under certain circumstances are safe and wholesome. The information gleaned from this project will assist all U.S. food safety agencies.
If you would like to attend these meetings, please contact Advisory Committee Specialist Karen Thomas at 202-690-6620 or e-mail email@example.com. Please note that due to increased security measures at Patriots Plaza III, all persons wishing to attend must RSVP in advance.
Get Answers at AskFSIS
AskFSIS is a web-based technology and policy question-and-answer forum on topics such as exporting, labeling, inspection, programs and procedures. In addition, AskFSIS offers Really Simple Syndication feeds that link back to the Q&As. Visit http://askfsis.custhelp.com/ to view recently posted topics
Food Safety Information Available During Severe Weather
We practice basic safe food handling in our daily lives, but obtaining and storing food safely becomes more challenging during a power outage or natural disasters. Residents with questions about the safety of their food as a result of weather damage and power outages are encouraged to call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (888-MPHotline or 888-674-6854), available in English and Spanish Monday - Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
Ask Karen, FSIS' virtual food safety representative, is available in English and Spanish 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with answers to nearly 1,500 food safety questions. Ask Karen app can be downloaded for free for iOS and Android devices.
Visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/emergency-preparedness/keep-your-food-safe-during-emergencies/ct_index for more information.
Visit the Food Safety Discovery Zone
Visit the USDA Food Safety Discovery Zone today and tomorrow at the Hartwood Days Festival in Fredericksburg, Va., and at The Great Frederick Fair in Frederick, Md., Sept. 15-21, 2013. For times and more information on upcoming events, go to http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/usda-food-safety-discovery-zone-mobile/event-schedule-by-date/fsdz-events-by-date.
Export Requirement
The Library of Export Requirements has been updated to reflect changes in export requirements for the following areas:
- Taiwan
Complete information can be found at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/exporting-products.
HIKE Pre-scenario Available Online
FSIS has made available the Humane Interactive Knowledge Exchange (HIKE) scenario, "A Corrective Action Stun" DH 02-13 for comment through September 2013. The HIKE addresses the actions taken by FSIS for a failed stunning attempt by the establishment who immediately performs a corrective action stun.
The reason for posting this HIKE for comment is to provide inspection personnel, industry, consumers and others the opportunity to review and comment on the HIKE prior to its posting as a final document.
The scenario can be viewed on FSIS' website at the followings links:
Main page: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/inspection/workforce-training/hike-scenarios/hike-for-comment.
Direct link: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/inspection/workforce-training/hike-scenarios/2013/hike-02-13.
FSIS Policy Updates
FSIS issues notices and directives to protect public health. All notices and directives are available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulations. The following policy updates were recently issued:
Notice 63-13, Public Health Regulations for Use in Scheduling Food Safety Assessments
Notice 64-13, Inspection Responsibilities and Authorities for Reducing Slaughter or Evisceration Line Speed
Notice 65-13, Verification Testing for Non-O157 Shiga-Toxin Producing Escherichia Coli (Non-O157 STEC) in Imported Product under the MT51 Sampling Program
Directive 8080-1, Recall of Meat and Poultry Products
Update: FSIS Testing for E. coli
FSIS posts bi-weekly updates for the agency's raw ground beef E. coli sampling program. Included are testing results of raw ground beef component samples for E. coli O157:H7 and STECs from FSIS routine and follow-up sampling programs. Also featured is data for non-O157 STECs by each non-O157 STEC serogroup.
To review testing results, go to http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/data-collection-and-reports/microbiology/ec/testing-program-for-e-coli-o157h7-and-non-o157-stec/.
Update: on FSIS Testing for Metals
The FSIS Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook method, "Determination of Metals by ICP-MS and ICP-OES (Optical Emission Spectrometry)," has been updated. This method has been extended to several additional metals. With this update, the following 17 metals can be assessed in products of interest: aluminum, barium, boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, strontium, thallium, vanadium and zinc. This method will be posted to the FSIS Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook once finalized. The agency intends to begin using this method after October 1, 2013.
To review the revisions to the guidebook, visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/science/laboratories-and-procedures/guidebooks-and-methods/chemistry-laboratory-guidebook/chemistry-laboratory-guidebook.
Follow Us On Twitter
Find food safety information for at-risk people, along with tips and resources to keep consumers and other interested groups informed of the latest agency news and events. Follow FSIS on Twitter at www.twitter.com/USDAFoodSafety.


text:
This study is maintained and distributed by the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA), the aging program within ICPSR. NACDA is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Heath (NIH).
Survey and Assessment of Vietnamese Youth (SAVY), 2003 (ICPSR 24387)
Principal Investigator(s): Vietnamese Ministry of Health; General Statistics Office of Vietnam
The Survey and Assessment of Vietnamese Youth (SAVY) is the first national survey on adolescents and youth to evaluate health status and other important development issues of the group of married and unmarried young people aged 14-25 from ethnic, rural, and urban areas of 42 provinces across Vietnam. The study provides detailed analysis and disaggregation of data for comparison purposes of specific groups including young men and women, rural and urban youth, married and unmarried young people, and young people of differing education levels. The survey was designed to assess education, employment, health and reproductive behavior and other development issues of adolescent and young people including HIV/AIDS, substance use, injuries, and violence. SAVY also explored young people's perceptions and attitudes as well as their future expectations.
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.
ASCII + SAS Setup SPSS Setup Stata Setup
Study Description
Vietnamese Ministry of Health, and General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Survey and Assessment of Vietnamese Youth (SAVY), 2003. ICPSR24387-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2009-01-13. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR24387.v1
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR24387.v1
Export Citation:
- RIS (generic format for RefWorks, EndNote, etc.)
- EndNote XML (EndNote X4.0.1 or higher)
This study was funded by:
- United Nations Children's Fund
- World Health Organization
Scope of Study
Subject Terms: abortion, AIDS, alcohol consumption, attitudes, birth control, child abuse, depression (psychology), drug use, economic conditions, education, families, health, HIV, homophobia, homosexuality, job opportunities, life plans, marital satisfaction, marital status, pregnancy, prenatal care, sexual attitudes, sexual behavior, sexually transmitted disease, smoking, World Health Organization, youths
Geographic Coverage: Global, Vietnam (Socialist Republic)
- 2003-10--2004-01
- 2003-10--2004-01
Unit of Observation: individual
Universe: Persons aged 14-25 inclusive, born between 1979 and 1989, living in households in selected Enumeration Areas (EAs) across Vietnam.
Spelling for this study maintains a European (UK) English standard as given by the original questionnaire.
Sample: Nine thousand households that had any youth aged 14-25 were chosen for SAVY. These households were expected to contain about 10,000 youth. This sample was drawn randomly from the sample of 45,000 households of the 2002 Vietnam Household Standard Living Survey (VHLSS) conducted by the General Statistics Office (G50) of Vietnam, under the technical guidance of the World Bank.
Weight: The data contains a weight variable (WEIGHT) that should be used in analyzing the data.
Mode of Data Collection: computer-assisted self interview (CASI), face-to-face interview, self-enumerated questionnaire
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.
- Created online analysis version with question text.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 2009-01-13
Related Publications
Metadata Exports
- Citations exports are provided above.
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:
Explorer 6 was a well-liked browser that helped expand Microsoft
browser market share to epic proportions (it has since slid
to about 60 percent following the international success of
Mozilla's Firefox). However, perhaps it was a
little too good. Many companies and individual users liked it
so much that almost nine years later they still use the dinosaur of a
browser. And surprisingly some of the tech world's biggest
names -- including Adobe Software and Google – use the browser not
only for compatibility testing, but for daily browsing needs as
well.The danger of using such badly outdated software was
brought into focus when Google and others were struck
by hackers exploiting a flaw in Internet Explorer. The
latest version of IE -- IE 8 -- was at substantially lower risk,
thanks to its memory protections.Now Google has reportedly
released an internal memo saying that the company will no longer
use or
support Internet
Explorer 6. Writes Google:
plan to begin phasing out support of these older browsers on the
Google Docs suite and the Google Sites editor on March 1, 2010. After
that point, certain functionality within these applications may have
higher latency and may not work correctly in these older browsers.
Later in 2010, we will start to phase out support for these browsers
for Google Mail and Google Calendar.Google Apps will continue
to support Internet Explorer 7.0 and above, Firefox 3.0 and above,
Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.Starting
this week, users on these older browsers will see a message in Google
Docs and the Google Sites editor explaining this change and asking
them to upgrade their browser. We will also alert you again closer to
March 1 to remind you of this change.
decision to drop IE 6 support both internally and publicly
is a rather bold move by Google. In January Net Applications
showed IE 6 to still be clinging to 20.06 percent market share --
almost as much as the newer IE 7. By abandoning support for 20
percent of users, Google is pressuring users to switch to newer
browsers -- something Microsoft has long been pleading
customers and IT admins to do, even if it hasn't tried
forcing their hands. Google also risks alienating customers,
though, who continue to cling to the ancient browser.


text:
NIADA's National Quality Dealer Award Winner Is Not Above Taking Risks To Make His Neighborhood, His Dealership, And His Industry A Better Place
There's not much that scares Robert Milligan.
Whether it's opening his own buy-here, pay-here lot, asking his father to use his life's savings to bail out his fledgling business, adopting three special-needs children, or rallying fellow car dealers against a dangerous class-action lawsuit, the 44-year-old Milligan is a fearless risk taker who believes that hard work can overcome any challenge.
Just don't ask him to split wood. Milligan and his father spent so many countless hours splitting logs and selling and stacking the wood just to pay the bills during the first year of his dealership that Milligan might rather you burn down his house than ask him for firewood.
Robert Milligan
of Dallas, TX
"I don't even want a wood-burning fireplace in my house," Milligan says with a smile.
His perseverance and boundless energy has not only allowed him to build a company that sold more than 1,000 vehicles last year, but also take active leadership roles in the used car industry, numerous charities and economic development in the impoverished area of southeast Dallas where his dealerships are located. It is for all those many accomplishments that Milligan was named NIADA's National Quality Dealer for 2004 at the 58 th NIADA Annual Convention & Expo in Dallas this past June.
Being completely unprepared to give an acceptance was one of the few things that scared him.
"My heart was pounding and I tried to scribble some thoughts on a napkin before I had to go up there," he says. "It's a great honor, but I was completely surprised."
Perhaps Milligan shouldn't have been too surprised since he has been honored many times for his contributions to different groups and associations. One contribution, however, may have set Milligan apart from the other dealers vying for the national Quality Dealer of the Year Award. And it is a contribution that many of those same dealers could owe him gratitude.
In 2001, 126 owners of buy-here, pay-here car lots in Texas were named as defendants in a lawsuit that charged them with improperly including deferred sales tax payments in customer finance charges. The attorneys for the plaintiffs were setting the stage to create a class-action lawsuit that potentially could have included every used car dealer in the state, which in turn could have led to a national case involving the entire industry.
"It was one of the biggest things we've had working around here in a long time," says Jackie Gill , executive director of the Texas IADA. "It could have put a lot of dealers out of business."
Milligan was among the first Texas IADA leaders to recognize the danger in the lawsuit and quickly sprang to action to challenge the suit before the stakes got any bigger. He created and co-chaired the Texas Dealer Defense Task Force. The task force hopscotched across Texas , meeting with other independent dealers in effort to educate them on the issue and raise money to fight the lawsuit. Recently, the lawsuit officially was denied class action status and all the dealers were released from the action.
"For months that's nearly all we did," Milligan says. "We raised about $1.5 million in eight months and hired the best class-action defense attorneys. But it wasn't a hard sell with the other dealers.. It was an easy sell. They (the plaintiffs) didn't believe we would have this kind of unity and that we would fight like this. I think they thought we would settle, but they misunderstood our willingness to take risks...but that's all we do. Every minute of every day. Every deal we do is risk."
Risk is a recurring theme with Milligan. He is absolutely unafraid of risking his time or money or even his family stability if the reward is big enough or important enough. In many ways, he is the quintessential entrepreneur.
Milligan has become a leading advocate for economic re-development in the southeast section of Dallas where his business located and is active in chamber of commerce for the low-income area. Frustrated by repeated failures to attract any kind of recreation or entertainment venues to the low-income area, Milligan decided to take on the challenge himself. He and his family recently turned a closed bowling alley into a state-of-the-art roller skating rink. The What's Hot Fun Center was a $2 million project that features rows of television screens, a sophisticated computerized lighting system, a playroom for younger children, scores of video games and a large snack bar.
"Kids down here haven't had any place to go for a long time," says Milligan, who doesn't even live in the area, "so we decided to do it ourselves. It's taken awhile, but everyone feels safe coming here. At first, parents would bring their kids and then hang around. Now, we see parents bringing kids and just dropping them off and the kids are entertained for hours."
Such risk-taking extends to his personal life also. For many years, Milligan and his wife Theresa served a foster parents through the Texas Baptist Home. At one point, the Milligans, who have a 17-year-old son, were taking care of six foster children at once, some of whom were severely troubled. The Milligans since have adopted three siblings - Kristian, 4, Victoria , 5, and Alexis 7, - who had suffered years of neglect while living with different families and relatives.
Milligan credits Theresa, a registered nurse, for having an unlimited amount of compassion.
"It's not me. It's her," he says. "She would give everything we own if she thought it would help someone."
Milligan isn't sure where he learned his tolerance for risk. It wasn't from his father James, whom he described as "very conservative." In fact, Milligan wonders if it wasn't watching his dad play it safe with his career that turned him in the other direction. James Milligan worked for 27 years for Woolco, mostly serving as a turn-around specialist, hopping from store to store across the country. The Canadian company abruptly closed all the stores in 1983, leaving James unemployed.
"My dad was kind of living the America dream," Milligan says. "Go to work every day. Earn a small salary. Come home to your family. And then he heard on the radio that he was unemployed. That was pretty traumatic."
While Milligan may be more aggressive than his father, he credits his dad with teaching him a strong work ethic.
"He always said that we weren't blessed with brains so we had to work harder," Milligan says. "Work is the answer to it all. He told me: 'All you got is your word and your back. And if you tell someone you're going to do something, you do it."
The elder Milligan then purchased a White's Home and Auto Store, which was primarily an auto parts and service store which Robert helped manage. White's moved the Milligans to Dallas when that company also suddenly shut down. Fortunately for the Milligans, they were paid their entire salaries which left them with a small nest egg.
The 25-year-old Milligan was left casting about for a career.
"I had some friends working for a car dealership and they said 'Why don't try selling cars. You like to talk a lot.,' so I did," Milligan says. He went to work for a Ford dealership and it wasn't long before he and a co-worker began to plot opening their own used car lot. Using his small nest egg, Milligan leased 600-square-feet on South Buckner Boulevard , a stretch of busy road with dozens of used car lots, and a bought a dozen vehicles.
His former co-worker never joined him.
Milligan soon was left scratching his head after every one of the high-mileage cars sold for $500 down and he had no other income while he waited for the monthly payments to begin rolling in.
"It became pretty clear that I hadn't thought this all the way through," Milligan says, recalling his dismay at looking out at his empty car lot. "I wasn't smart enough to know how stupid I was. I had sold all the cars, but that had just basically turned my $20,000 into $6,000 of down payments and that didn't last very long. I almost financed myself right out of the car business, so I had to call my Dad and he brought in his nest egg of about $30,000, which was a very, very major investment for him and we did the same thing. It was pretty bleak looking."
Not knowing what else to do, he and his father bought more cars and then quickly sold them, simply hoping they could hold on until the monthly payments started coming. With the Christmas holidays soon approaching, they bought Christmas trees on credit and sold them from the car lot. When those were gone, they noticed that construction companies clearing land were paying to dump felled trees so the Milligan offered the back acres of the lot to anyone needing to dump the trees. That's when they began splitting and cutting wood to sell as firewood.
The Milligans scraped together a living, gradually expanding the lot with a 500-square-foot repair shop, and then buying property next door so that PBR Cars covered a full city block.
The lot was prospering, but not enough to support to two families so Milligan went to work for new car dealership as a buy-here, pay-here manager. He soon went to work for a loan purchasing company and purchased some $50 million worth of notes, learning the nuances of the business.
In 1997, Milligan returned full time to the family's car lot and for the next three years, PBR grew at a compound rate of 30 percent, selling 150 to 200 cars a month.
"For a long time we used to think if we could just get to 80 notes then we would really be making it big," Milligan says. "Now we're carrying 1,000 and I think we really need to get to 1,500."
Milligan's dealerships deal strictly in high mileage, low cost vehicles. Most of his customers, he says, are at the end of the line.
"It's usually us or walk," Milligan says. "We don't really use credit as a criteria. We know they all have bad credit. We just want references. We want to know how close to the truth are they telling us. We try to verify their residence and employment and if we think we can find them, we'll sell them a car.
"Probably 90 to 95 percent of people intend on paying for their car on time, but almost none do. What changes, we don't know."
He has sold more than 5,000 cars over the years and he knows it is a fine line between collecting and repossessing.
"When you start out it's like a teeter-totter," Milligan says, holding a red Sharpie pen between his thumb and forefinger to illustrate. "It's an even balance. You have their down payment and they have your car. But then they miss a payment and the teeter-totter starts to lean and it's not level. We try not to let it lean to far because if they got to far behind, it's not their car anymore. We'll work with them just about any way we can, because once it's tipped, once they don't feel like it's their car, it's over. They'll promise you anything. They'll hide from you. It doesn't matter how much they've already paid you, they just think they can save money to buy their next car. We try to keep it so they can see a light at the end of the tunnel because if we don't, it's over."
As an example, Milligan turns to his computer and quickly pulls up the account of a customer. Screen after screen shows the woman's history of chronically late payments, and then skipping some. Twice Milligan reworks her deal so that he won't lose her as a customer until she finally pays off the $5,000 balance. Not only did he not give up on her and repossess the car, he sold her family another and one to her brother-in-law.
Milligan says he knows it would be easier to invest, say, $15,000 in one car and sell it to a buyer with good credit, but he simply prefers buying eight or 10 cars for the same $15,000 and have the chance to make 10 times the profit.
"It's all about the multiples of math," Milligans says. "It's a high-risk, high-yield business."
It's working well for Milligans. Along with the three dealerships, he owns a retail shopping center where he rents space to a paint and body shop, oil change facility, transmission repair shop and an auto stereo center. Located next door to his main dealership, the businesses ensure his customers have access to quick service.
Milligan is active in the Dallas County Automobile Dealers Association, serving as a vice president, and is long-time member of the Texas IADA, and NIADA. Milligan says one of the industry's biggest problems is the negative reputation used car dealers have with the general public. Improving that reputation can be done, he says.
"Get involved in the community," Milligan says. "Most used car dealers are pretty decent guys. If somehow we get involved in our local communities then people can see that we're honest, hard-working businessmen."
Website Created By:


text:
Bradford-Scott Lands Iowa Credit Union
The $35 million, 6,200-member Lennox Employees Credit Union in Marshalltown, Iowa, will be converting its core processing onto the Sharetec system through Bradford-Scott Data Corp. of Indianapolis, the company said.
"We want a more reliable system with better integration and value. Sharetec also offers remote signature capabilities to allow us to serve our out-of-town members faster and more efficiently," said Gary McKibbin, CEO of Lennox Employees CU, in a statement.
Matt Isger, regional director of Bradford-Scott, said, "Lennox Employees Credit Union wants to focus more on their members and less time on their system. It is a good fit for us both."
Bradford-Scott is one of four regional owner-distributors of the Sharetec system, which the company said is now in use by more than 300 credit unions.
Lennox Employees CU currently runs on the Fiserv CUSA platform now in place at about 430 credit unions, according to the Technology Survey from Callahan & Associates.


text:
While some Uchiha seem pretty koo, they are quite boring and predictable in most fights, except for Madara.
However, there were some many other OP KA users the could have been even more BA and who I really wish had the shine instead, as Kish could have really done something crazy with them.
Ex) Haku- there were so many possible techniques that his character couls have used, making him the most BA shinobi in the series.
The Spider Guy from the hidden sound, with some Spider SM haha
Guren (filler or not) I feel in love with her character and ability instantly, abd probably the strongest females shown in the show.
I'm just babbling and dreaming a bit, but these characters would have been more interesting and a few others I cant think of right now.


text:
AMD's graphics division has released ATI Catalyst 9.3 drivers with full support for Windows 7, including Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 1.1 compliance for ATI Radeon HD 4000, 3000, and 2000 series of graphics cards.
All future ATI Catalyst postings will deliver one single unified driver for both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, allowing Windows 7 beta testers the convenience of swapping back and forth between the two operating systems without the hassle of multiple drivers which may have differing builds.
Gaming performance has also been improved for Windows 7, increasing its lead over Windows Vista. Catalyst 9.3 supports the Direct2D API introduced in Windows 7, which could improve everything from ClearType text rendering to hardware-accelerated vector graphics. Improved Folding@Home scores are also promised for ATI Radeon HD 4000, 3000, and 2000 series of graphics cards.
AMD also noted that the Windows Vista HDMI audio driver is now automatically included in the ATI Catalyst 9.3 package, but will only be installed if the AMD graphics accelerator has an HDMI display connector and there is no 3rd party HDMI audio driver installed.
It does not feature support for DirectX 11 as there are no cards to support it. However, DirectX 11 is built using DirectX 10.1 as a foundation, which AMD has a lot of experience with. DX11 is expected to be a major focal point for game developers, riding on the popularity of the unreleased Windows 7 operating system. 64-bit gaming is also expected to increase, since the majority of Windows 7 shipments will be of the 64-bit variety.
Previous Catalyst releases this year have included OpenGL 3.0 support and a 20% improvement in Crysis.
ATI's Catalyst drivers are released monthly, with a focus on bug fixes and improved program compatibility. 64-bit drivers are also available for Windows. Catalyst drivers can be found here.


text:
After serving as interim president/CEO of Delta Community Credit Union since Jan. 1, Hank Halter has been named the permanent president/CEO, the cooperative announced Monday.
"Over the last three months, I've been able to meet and work with the talented group of leaders and employees who have made Delta Community one of the strongest and highly respected credit unions in the country," Halter said.
"Our employees believe deeply in our mission to provide outstanding value and exceptional service on the deposit and loan products and services people use every day," Halter added.
Halter succeeds Rick Foley, who retired in December 2012 after eight years at the helm and 26 years of service at the $4.3 billion Delta Community in Atlanta.
Jim Diffley, chairman of Delta Community's board of directors, said the board took the time it needed to do an extensive search for a leader who could build on the credit union's success and unique culture.
"We interviewed some very experienced candidates but ultimately came back to Hank as our first choice for the job," Diffley said. "During his interim appointment, Hank demonstrated strong leadership skills and established an excellent working relationship with the credit union's management team and employees."
A certified public accountant, Halter worked at Delta Air Lines from 1998 to 2012. He served in a number of finance positions there before being promoted to chief financial officer in 2008, according to Delta Community.
Prior to Delta Air Lines, Halter worked at American Airlines and Ernst & Young.
In addition to Delta Community's board, he also serves on the board of directors of Erickson Air-Crane where he is chairman of their audit committee, and the Atlanta Police Foundation.
Halter holds a bachelor of science degree in accountancy from Villanova University and a master of business administration degree from Duke University.
Founded in 1940, Delta Community serves more than 270,000 members.


text:
Madison, Wis., Mayor Honored for MBL Support
Madison Mayor Paul Soglin was recently honored by members of the Madison Area Chapter of the Wisconsin Credit Union League for his efforts to drum up mayoral support for credit union member business lending legislation.
Soglin convinced a bipartisan group of 187 mayors nationwide who are members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors to pass a resolution in support of the bill in June.
"Mayor Soglin understands that credit unions can fill today's huge void for business credit because they have billions available to lend, a 100-year history of making business loans safely, the support of federal regulators and the support of 84% of Wisconsin voters who, like Forbes magazine, see this as an absolute no-brainer," said Brett Thompson, president/CEO of the Wisconsin Credit Union League.
Senate Bill 2231 and its companion bill in the House, H.R. 1418, would increase the current cap on credit union business lending from 12.25% of assets to 27.5%. Supporters like CUNA say in the first year alone, the cap increase would make available $14 billion in new credit and 157,000 new jobs nationwide.
In Wisconsin, the league said Monday in a release it would provide $458 million in new credit and create almost 5,000 jobs.
Madison-based credit union leaders Kim Sponem, president/CEO of the $1.9 billion Summit Credit Union, and Paul Kundert, president/CEO of the $1.6 billion University of Wisconsin Credit Union, educated Soglin about the bill.
Sponem presented the mayor with a plaque during the chapter meeting and expressed appreciation for his efforts to pass the resolution.
The Conference of Mayors joins more than 30 organizations supporting the measure, including groups representing small businesses, the self-employed and the insurance, textile, realty, construction, automotive and technology industries.


text:
Mesa Verde National Park will host its 2012 Annual Holiday Open House from 4 to 9 p.m. in the Chapin Mesa headquarters area today (Dec. 6).
There will be special tours, luminaries, musical entertainment, night sky interpretation and refreshments. Ranger-guided tours of Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling in the park, will be presented at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Spruce Tree House is also available for self-guided tours from 4 to 9 p.m. Luminaries will glow along the pathways throughout the headquarters area, a National Historic Landmark District, and along the trail to Spruce Tree House. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight.
No park entrance fee will be charged after 4 p.m. today
The Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum will remain open until 9 p.m. There will be musical entertainment in the museum auditorium throughout the evening. The schedule of performances is as follows:
Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum Auditorium
4:30 to 5 p.m. William Yazzie, traditional Native American flute and drum
5 to 5:45 p.m. Meadowlark, contemporary folk rock
5:50 to 6:20 p.m. Silver Echos Flute Choir, holiday music
6:25 to 7:15 p.m. Four Corners Community Band, holiday music
7:25 to 8:25 p.m. Wild Mountain Music, bluegrass
Spruce Tree Terrace Cafe
6:15 to 6:45 p.m. William Yazzie, traditional Native American flute and drum
Spruce Tree House Trail
5:30 to 6 p.m. William Yazzie, traditional Native American flute and drum
6 to 7:30 p.m. Fort Lewis College Bala Sinem Choir, traditional Native American drum and chant
The non-profit Mesa Verde Museum Association (MVMA) Museum Store will be open highlighting the sale of books, posters, puppets, historic photographs, and great holiday gifts as well as in-store specials. Proceeds benefit Mesa Verde National Park.
Attendance at the Open House is free. Refreshments will be provided by ARAMARK, Mesa Verde Company, City Market- Cortez, and the Mesa Verde Museum Association.


text:
CONCACAF hosts INTERPOL-FIFA Integrity in Sport workshop
NEW YORK CITY, USA – More than 30 delegates from football, government and law enforcement in Canada and the United States attended the INTERPOL-FIFA Integrity in Sport workshop co-hosted by CONCACAF in New York City.
The purpose of the two-day conference (24 and 25 January), entitled 'Tackling Match-Fixing and Corruption in Soccer', was to increase awareness and understanding of the key intrinsic issues of match-fixing in soccer, as well as to examine the multitude of characteristics associated with such activity.
"It is an honour for me to open this session organized by INTERPOL and FIFA, and co-hosted by CONCACAF, to emphasize the imminent priority this issue represents not only to the United States, Canada and the CONCACAF region but also to international football as a whole," said CONCACAF General Secretary, Enrique Sanz.
"At CONCACAF we are determined to educate, identify, prevent and provide appropriate disciplinary sanctions to all professionals involved in any unethical and unlawful behaviour that would undermine the legitimate nature of the game."
Over the two days, presentations were made by INTERPOL, FIFA and Early Warning System (a company established to monitor matches and to safeguard the integrity of football). Additionally, each national association and other participants shared their experiences and concerns related to match fixing.
"This workshop has the goal to raise awareness of the key contemporary match-fixing issues and threats in football, and to identify good practice and areas for development. The goal is to bring together players, referees, coaches, sports associations, betting regulators and law enforcement to improve individuals' awareness and understanding of corruption in football, understand the strategies used by its perpetrators and learn some methods to recognize, resist and report them," said Shawn Bray, Head of INTERPOL's National Central Bureau in Washington.
"Match manipulation in football must be tackled in the strongest possible way and we are glad that CONCACAF is taking a proactive approach on this subject," said Serge Dumortier, Senior Security Manager at FIFA. "We must take all the steps necessary to safeguard the integrity of our sport."
A series of instructional sessions were conducted during the workshop, with topics including an overview of the betting industry, identification of match-fixing threats, governance, education and prevention.
"The football family must certainly be an intrinsic part of the battle against match-fixing through education, surveillance and sanction. However, we mustn't forget to work in partnership with all other affected sports, governments, media, fans and society as a whole," concluded CONCACAF General Secretary Sanz.
This is the second INTERPOL-FIFA Integrity in Sport workshop hosted by CONCACAF in the region. The first was held in August of 2012 in Guatemala City for all members of the Central American Football Union (UNCAF).


text:
According to the SEC's study of investment advisors and broker-dealers released in January 2011, there were 11,888 firms registered with the Commission as of September 30, 2010. At that time, there were over 15,000 state-registered advisory firms. Those figures will change dramatically as many investment advisors make the transition from SEC to state registration. According to Carlo V. di Florio's remarks at the IA Watch Annual IA Compliance Best Practices Seminar on March 21, 2011, approximately 4,100 RIAs will switch from SEC to state registration. Assuming these predictions are accurate, approximately 19,000 RIAs will be state registered.
Section 410 of the Dodd-Frank Act raised the asset under management threshold from $25 million to $100 million. As we saw in Regulatory Oversight of Investment Advisors, RIAs managing less than 100 million may choose to become or remain SEC-registered if they are required to register with fifteen or more states. Prior to the Dodd-Frank Act, this option was not available unless an advisor had to register in at least thirty states.
The Switch from SEC to State Registration
The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) launched a coordinated review program on November 29, 2011, for RIAs switching from federal to state securities regulatory oversight. According to Jack E. Herstein, NASAA President and Assistant Director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Bureau of Securities, "This initiative provides investment advisers registering in multiple states with an easier way to navigate the switch to state registration and gives states an opportunity to coordinate and resolve issues about potential problems with applicants." The program is available to advisors who are currently registered with the SEC and now required to register in four to fourteen states. In the press release, Herstein observed that advisors registered in fifteen or more states can retain their SEC registrations.
The new rules implementing the Dodd-Frank Act create a buffer zone for mid-sized advisors who have regulatory assets under management that fluctuate around the $100 million threshold. The new rules also permit advisors to wait until their assets hit $110 million before the firm must register with the Commission. Once registered, however, RIAs need not withdraw registration until the firm's regulatory assets under management fall below $90 million. The term "regulatory assets under management" replaces the old term, which was simply "assets under management."
Now that more RIAs are transitioning from SEC to state registration, these firms may be subject to different regulations. Each state is likely to have specific rules that must be followed, which sometimes apply to both SEC and state-registered investment advisors.
How the Transition Impacts SEC-Registered Advisors
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (NSMIA) established the parameters for regulatory oversight, so the SEC and the states would not infringe on each other's jurisdictions. Until the Dodd-Frank Act, the SEC was usually responsible for overseeing RIAs with assets under management that exceeded $25 million. Now that the assets under management threshold has increased to $100 million, the SEC has jurisdiction over large advisory firms while states oversee most small and mid-sized advisors.
Despite NSMIA, SEC-registered investment advisors may be required to provide state securities regulators with copies of documents filed with the Commission, a process referred to as notice-filing. An SEC-registered investment advisor must notice-file in the state where its principal office is located and in other states where the firm has an office. An SEC-registered firm must also notice-file where it exceeds the cap on clients established by the state, even though it has no office there.
SEC-registered firms that transition to state registration are facing new compliance rules. In an article in Compliance Insights/2011 entitled "Changes Loom for RIAs Under State Supervision," TD Ameritrade Institutional pointed out certain pitfalls that RIAs under state regulation might face. An RIA that was previously SEC-registered might need to:
- be ready for more frequent examinations if the state securities agency is adequately staffed;
- send out client invoices, because states typically require firms to send invoice statements directly to clients;
- pay higher fees and penalties, because states will be under pressure to raise revenue;
- amend their advisory agreements and other documents to conform with state requirements; and
- adjust to net capital requirements.
Generally, advisory firms that take custody of clients' assets, or have discretion over their accounts, are expected to maintain a capital cushion and must typically provide a balance sheet when registering. As we will see in Do's and Don'ts of Advisory Contracts, RIAs with discretion solely assume investment authority over clients' accounts and are not required to seek approval before making trades.
State Registration Requirements
Suppose a Pittsburgh-based RIA is registered in Pennsylvania but one of its biggest clients moves to Florida. Because there is a national de minimis standard established by Section 222 of the Investment Advisers Act, the RIA may not need to register in Florida. Based upon the de minimis standard, a state may not require registration, licensing, or qualification of an investment advisor if the firm:
- does not have a place of business in the state; and
- has had fewer than six clients who are residents of the state during the preceding twelve month period.
If that Pittsburgh-based RIA does open a Florida office or has six clients in the state, the firm must register there. It is important to note that this is a rolling twelve-month period, not a calendar year.
An RIA that has six or more clients in several states must register in each of them. To facilitate the registration process, the Self-Regulatory Organization for Independent Investment Advisers created a web tool to guide RIAs. The organization launched a website in December, 2011, that provides the registration requirements for each state (http://sroiia-us.org/state-registration-information-for-investment-advisers/).
In certain states such as Texas, registration is required before an RIA takes on its first client. If the RIA does not have an office in Texas and has fewer than six clients, however, a full registration is not required and the RIA must make a special notice filing. In the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of the Texas State Securities Board's web site, registration staff addressed the de minimis issue:
"22.2.A.9 Q: Didn't NSMIA create a national de minimis exemption from investment adviser registration?
23.A: Yes. If an investment adviser does not have a place of business (See FAQ 2.A.10) located in Texas and, during the preceding 12-month period, had no more than 5 clients (See FAQ 2.A.11) who are Texas residents, the investment adviser is not required to register with the Texas Securities Commissioner. See Rule 116.1(b)(2)(A). However, a notice filing and fee is required. See Rule 116.1(b)(2)(C) and FAQ 2.A.12. This is satisfied by filing Form ADV through the IARD system for the firm as well as filing Form U-4 for each investment adviser representative through the CRD system."
Which Securities Regulator Oversees an RIA Registered in Several States
Typically, examinations of state-registered investment advisors are conducted by the state where the RIA's principal office is located. Section 222 stipulates that an RIA may not enforce a higher minimum net capital requirement or any bond in excess of the amount required by the state in which the firm maintains its principal place of business. An RIA's home state net capital requirement preempts that of another jurisdiction where the advisor is registered. This applies even if an RIA's home state does not impose a minimum net capital or bonding requirement. Furthermore, an RIA is only obligated to comply with its home state's books and records rule.
Surprisingly, a state-registered investment advisor in Florida recently received notification that a desk audit would be conducted by Michigan. A desk audit is conducted remotely by securities examiners instead of visiting the RIA's offices. Although a desk audit is not unusual, it is out-of-the-ordinary for an RIA to be examined by a regulator in a state where the firm is registered but does not have a place of business.
An examination of an RIA with its principal office in another state might be less surprising if it was scheduled in response to a complaint. It is also more common where there is a coordinated examination of an RIA by several states in which the firm is registered. In this particular case, the examination was part of Michigan's efforts to examine all RIAs registered in the state. Michigan requested numerous documents and files, including copies of the RIA's most recent financial statements. The RIA was required to send a balance sheet, trial balance, and income statements for the last three years. The advisor was also required to send copies of all bank statements relating to the advisory business for the last twelve months. If other states adopt the same practice, state-registered RIAs will face a significant compliance burden by being subjected to multiple examinations.
NASAA View on RIA's Fiduciary Obligations
In the Investment Adviser Guide published by NASAA, the organization pointed out that some prohibited practices should be obvious and others are not. For example, it should be obvious that RIAs may not engage in any activity that acts as a fraud or deceit on clients.
According to NASAA's Investment Adviser Guide, RIAs should avoid the following practices:
- Acting as an issuer or affiliate of a securities issuer
- Recommending unregistered, non-exempt securities or the use of unlicensed broker-dealers
- Charging unreasonable fees
- Using contracts and contractual language, like hedge clauses, which seek to limit or negate an advisor's legal liability
- Limiting a client's ability to pursue a civil case or arbitration
- Borrowing from or lending money to clients
- Failing to disclose to all clients, not just a select few, that fee discounts are available
An RIA may offer fee discounts, such as charging a lower rate to clients with a larger amount to invest. These discounts must be disclosed to every client in the RIA's Form ADV disclosure brochure, which we will discuss in The New and Improved Form ADV.
When state examiners review an RIA's books and records, they will be on the lookout for these kinds of prohibited practices. Examiners will also be scrutinizing the firm's books and records for undisclosed or misrepresented conflicts of interest. Furthermore, examiners will be on the lookout for unethical business practices committed by RIAs.
Unethical Business Practices
Among its other responsibilities, NASAA formulates model rules that are used by state legislators in drafting securities legislation. While some states will adopt NASAA's model rules in their entirety, others tweak them and pass their own version of a particular regulation. RIAs facing the prospect of state oversight should familiarize themselves with NASAA's model rule entitled, "Unethical Business Practices Of Investment Advisers, Investment Adviser Representatives, And Federal Covered Advisers." NASAA's model rule lists a number of unethical business practices (Table 1-1).
Table 2-1
NASAA Unethical Business Practices of Investment Advisers, Investment Adviser Representatives, and Federal Covered Advisers
While the extent and nature of this duty varies according to the nature of the relationship between an investment adviser or an investment adviser representative and its clients and the circumstances of each case, an investment adviser, an investment adviser representative or a federal covered adviser shall not engage in unethical business practices, including the following:
|Recommending unsuitable investments;
|Exercising any discretionary power without obtaining written discretionary authority from the client;
|Trading excessively;
|Placing an order to purchase or sell a security for a client's account without authority to do so;
|Placing an order to purchase or sell a security for a client's account based on the instruction of a third party without first having obtained a written third-party trading authorization from the client;
|Borrowing money or securities from a client unless the client is a broker-dealer, an affiliate of the RIA, or a financial institution engaged in the business of loaning funds;
|Loaning money to a client unless the RIA is a financial institution engaged in the business of loaning funds or the client is an affiliate of the RIA;
|Misrepresenting the advisor's qualifications, fees, or services to clients and prospective clients;
|Providing a report or recommendation to any advisory client prepared by someone other than the advisor without disclosing that fact;
|Charging an unreasonable fee to a client;
|Failing to disclose in writing any material conflict of interest to clients;
|Guaranteeing a specific result;
|Publishing non-compliant advertising;
|Disclosing a client's identity, affairs, or investments unless required by law to do so or the client consents to that disclosure;
|Violating the Custody Rule;
|Entering into, extending or renewing an advisory contract that is not in writing or does not disclose the services to be provided, the term, the advisory fee, the formula for computing the fee, the amount of prepaid fee to be returned in the event of termination or non-performance, whether it grants discretionary power, and that no assignment shall be made without the consent of the other party;
|Failing to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information;
|Entering into, extending, or renewing any advisory contract that is contrary to the provisions of Section 205 of the Investment Advisers Act;
|Using an advisory contract that forces any person to waive compliance with the Investment Advisers Act or a rule prohibiting unethical business practices;
|Engaging in any act, practice, or course of business which is fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative; and
|Engaging in any act or conduct, indirectly or through another person, which would be unlawful for that person to do directly.
States may add to the list of unethical business practices to prevent misconduct they believe will hurt investors. It is now an unethical business practice in states such as Washington to use any term or abbreviation in a misleading manner, such as stating or implying that a person has special expertise, certification, or training in financial planning. This unethical business practice includes the misleading use of a senior-specific certification or designation.
NASAA's model rule also emphasizes the importance of full disclosure. In addition to the lengthy list of unethical business practices, the model rule states that, "Engaging in other conduct such as non-disclosure, incomplete disclosure, or deceptive practices shall be deemed an unethical business practice."
Disclosure of Risks and Conflicts of Interest
An important component of an RIA's fiduciary duty is the firm's obligation to provide full disclosure of risks and conflicts of interest. NASAA's Investment Adviser Guide points out a number of areas where full disclosure is imperative, such as when the:
- RIA or its employees are also acting as a broker-dealer;
- RIA is receiving compensation for transactions, including 12b-1 fees;
- RIA receives any type of compensation from any source for soliciting or referring clients to another adviser or a broker-dealer; and
- RIA receives hidden service charges, wrap fees, or expenses reimbursed by other parties.
According to NASAA, state securities examiners view these issues from the client's perspective. The burden of proof is on the RIA to demonstrate that the firm has made full disclosure.
Lending or Borrowing Money
As noted in NASAA's model rule and its Investment Adviser Guide, RIAs should not lend money to a client or borrow money or securities from that person. The SEC will also look harshly upon RIAs who borrow or lend money to clients.
Borrowing or lending money to a client is a breach of the fiduciary obligations that RIAs owe to their clients, and neither should clients loan money to their RIA. Unfortunately, an advisor may rationalize that a loan benefits both parties if the RIA is willing to pay a higher interest rate than the client is earning from certain investments. In truth, however, the advisor is exploiting confidential information regarding the client's finances gained from the advisory relationship. To secure the loan, the RIA might not disclose all of the reasons why the transaction is inadvisable. The advisor may not be a credit-worthy borrower and might encounter problems in paying the money back, which would adversely affect the client.
The RIA might manage the client's funds differently in view of the loan, and the situation would make it very difficult to give totally objective advice. Similarly, if an RIA lends money to a client, the firm might manage the portfolio differently knowing that its own funds are at risk.
The Big Picture
As we will see in Registration Requirements for Investment Advisor Representatives (IARs), states may impose licensing or registration requirements on IARs doing business in their jurisdictions. Those requirements usually apply, even if the IAR works for an SEC-registered firm. Nevertheless, states may investigate and prosecute fraud committed by any IAR in their jurisdictions, even if the individual works for an SEC-registered firm. Normally, however, oversight of an IAR working for an SEC-registered firm is the Commission's responsibility. The state will typically notify the Commission if it learns about misconduct by an IAR for an SEC-registered firm.
State securities regulators are likely to take harsh action against RIAs and IARs involved in unethical business practices, such as borrowing money from or lending money to clients. These violations may result in fines or other sanctions. In some cases, it may be grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of an IAR's registration.
Section 206 of the Investment Advisers Act is the general anti-fraud provision governing RIAs. It gives rise to the fiduciary duties owed to advisory clients. Whether an RIA is state or SEC-registered, the firm owes a fiduciary obligation to put clients' interests ahead of its own. An RIA or IAR may not engage in any act, practice, or course of business, which is fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative.
The line between unethical and ethical business practices may not always be clear. Nevertheless, RIAs and IARs can avoid misconduct if they focus on their fiduciary duties at all times. One helpful tool is to implement and enforce thorough policies and procedures that establish ethical business practices. Whether required to do so or not, firms should implement a code of ethics to ensure that IARs and associated persons live up to the standards expected by securities regulators.


text:
Download / Installation Procedures
1. Download the file. For the location where the file is saved, check the computer settings.
2. Double-click the downloaded file and mount it on the Disk Image.
3. Double-click the mounted Disk Image.
4. Double-click the packaged file in the folder. Installation starts automatically.
English | Spanish | German | Danish | Finnish | French | Italian | Japanese | Korean | Dutch | Norwegian | Polish | Portuguese | Russian | Northern Sami | TC | Chinese
- The security of software has been enhanced.
- This file is for OS X 10.6 or earlier versions only. For details, refer to the OS information given in the contents.
- OS X Mavericks v10.9 has been added as a supported OS.
The following problem has been rectified:
- The ink level information is not displayed in [Supply Levels] when the printer driver is upgraded to v10.67.1.0.
- OS X Mountain Lion (v10.8) has been added as a supported OS.
[Ver. 10.51.2.0]
- OS X v.10.7 has been added as a supported OS.
- The internal modules have been updated.
- In the [Quality & Media] panel, the display of the options of [Print Quality] has been changed from the radio button to the drop-down menu.
OS X Snow Leopard v10.6.8
OS X Leopard v10.5.8
1.[OS X v10.5, 10.6]
When overwriting the old version, the version number of the driver displayed in [Options & supplies] of [Print & Fax] may not be updated.
In the [Print & Fax] window, click the "+" button to register the queue of the applicable driver again after clicking the "-" button to delete the queue of the applicable driver.
2.[OS X v10.5, 10.6]
The numbers in Start time / End time in Quiet Mode of Canon IJ Printer Utilities may not be changed when users specify them on the keyboard.
(Preventive action)
Specify the time using the arrow buttons.
3.[OS X v10.5, 10.6]
When ColorSync is selected in Color Matching, no operation can be performed in Color Options. All the items other than Sample Type are grayed out.
4.[OS X v10.5, 10.6]
When printing using AirMac via USB cable, the print speed may become slow.
(Case 1) Application: Preview
(Case 2) Application: Text Editor
Print time
OS X v10.5.8
(Case 1) CUPS driver: Approx. 9 min. Legacy driver: Approx. 1 min.
(Case 2) CUPS driver: Approx. 30 sec. Legacy driver: Approx. 30 sec.
OS X v10.6.8
(Case 1) CUPS driver: Approx. 8 min.
(Case 2) CUPS driver: Approx. 5 min.
5.[OS X v10.5]
In OS X v10.5, [Supply Levels] is not supported.
6.[OS X v10.5]
Printing using Bluetooth connection cannot be performed.


text:
It's not a philosophical statement, it's a practical statement. What do you propose to work with (in a Dhamma sense), if not your experiences?binocular wrote:But this is just a step away from solipsism!mikenz66 wrote:I agree with Chownah and Reflection that all we have to work with is our experience
These questions of reality might not be a waste of time in some cases, but I think they are very often a waste of time in the contexts I specified (e.g. making measurements in a lab). They are a waste of time when they take time and effort away from useful action. And I don't think that such philosophical analysis is central to the point of the Buddha's teachings.binocular wrote:It's not a "waste of time." It's acknowledging the assumptions one works with. It is sometimes indeed counterproductive to do so, but the solution isn't to take them for granted. It's by taking things for granted that we can get into all kinds of problems.To me, any attempt to confirm or deny that there is a "real world" misses the point. That most of us, in ordinary life, or in more technical areas such as science, use a working model that there is something out there, and that is what we are measuring or experiencing, and use language that builds in that assumption. We don't necessarily take it seriously, but we don't waste time thinking:
"I will go into the laboratory and measure the wavelength of this light that may or may not be real with this apparatus that also may or may not be real. And, by the way, my very concept of wavelength is built on the assumption of ..."


text:
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, doctoral, and professional degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. School of Health Professions | 3601 4th Street, MS 6294 | Lubbock, TX 79430 T: 806.743.3220 | F: 806.743.2994 firstname.lastname@example.com
Online Institutional Resumes
Campus Webmasters | Site Policies | Mental Health Resources | Accessibility | Equal Opportunity
State of Texas Web Site | SAO Fraud Reporting | DMCA Compliance | Compliance Hotline | Texas Homeland Security | TTUHSC Energy Conservation Report
TTUHSC Home | Texas Tech University System | Texas Tech University | TTUHSC at El Paso | Angelo State University
©2017 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | All Rights Reserved


text:
Lovewell New CFO/EVP at California Credit Union
The $1.1 billion California Credit Union in Glendale, Calif., has named the Mark Lovewell as its new executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Lovewell brings more than 27 years of commercial and consumer banking experience to the Los Angeles credit union, including stints as principal at MJL Capital Advisors and senior vice president/chief financial officer for Stanford Credit Union, his new employer said.
Lovewell is a member of the California Certified Public Accountants Society and has served as a CFO task force member for the California & Nevada Credit Union League.
He earned a bachelor's of science degree in finance and economics from Columbus University and an MBA from Heritt-Watt University, California CU said.
Former CFO Donald Pistulka has retired, the credit union said.


text:
TDECU Touts Record Year in Housing Finance
The $2 billion, 168,000-member Texas Dow Employees Credit Union in Lake Jackson, Texas, said it had a record year in housing finance in 2012.
The credit union, which has moved aggressively into the Houston market, reported that the almost 300% increase in mortgage loans over 2011 came through the efforts of TDECU Real Estate, its affiliated realty firm. The increase was from into 464 contracts worth over $62.5 million in volume.
TDECU Real Estate credited its agents' work and its Real Estate Rewards Program which, among other things, rebates 20% of agent commissions when using one of the credit union's real estate professionals to buy or sell a home.
In 2012, the program rebated $321,000 to members, the credit union said this week.


text:
He's pretty much Kirilenko with hops. I'll take a pass on him. I don't see his offense translating well into the NBA and he already seems turnover prone. Definitely not worth a top 5 pick.
He's pretty much Kirilenko with hops. I'll take a pass on him. I don't see his offense translating well into the NBA and he already seems turnover prone. Definitely not worth a top 5 pick.
Read my blog, The Picket Fence. Guaranteed to make you think or your money back!
Follow me on Twitter.
I have serious doubts that Vesely is being given real consideration at 5. I've obviously got no proof, but this screams smokescreen to me. It's just too early to be taking this kind of insider crap seriously.
No Vesely. Just stop it Chad..
If he was AK-47 "with hops" uh... I'd take him gladly. AK could defend 1-5 in his prime. This guy can't even guard 3s, even when that is a position he could allegedly play.
I am taking this projection lightly, given Ford's usual infatuation with European talent.
What does everyone here expect of this weak draft? this is a two person draft and even the experts say that Irving will be nothing more then solid for his NBA career. There is no way the Raptors are going to get a franchise player in this draft so why not just swing for the fences in the form of a Euro. Or would you really like to draft nothing more then a North American role player like Leonard or Chris Singleton. Vesely IS A EURO BUT HE DOESN"T PLAY LIKE A EURO. Not to mention nearly every prospect needs to work on their D when they get into the NBA.
What I see from Vesely is a 6'11 uber athletic forward who is 21...the kid has not fully developed yet, as a GM I'd rather be developing a young 6'11 SF rather then a young 6'7 SF who spent the last year playing against lesser competition.
Opinionated blog about current NBA news and our very own Toronto Raptors
Most teams who draft based on size and athleticism, with a lack of real skill right now end up drafting busts. As a GM, I'd rather be developing a player who has shown a lot of ability and know how on offense and defense. 6'7" is not small for a SF, it's actually pretty normal.
From what I've read Vesely is an over sized SF and an athletic freak but he can't shoot, can't create on his own and his man to man defense is so bad that teams routinely call iso on him to expose his weaknesses.
If you're a big supporter of Vesely then you're a big supporter of drafting a high risk project. There are guys who will be available at #5 with just as much potential, who are more skilled and less risk.
theres players in the bottom end of the draft id take over vesely. he screams bust to me.
Here's another reason not to pick him....he thinks himself as a PF in the nba. Based on bodyweight alone (215) and no postup moves I have detected, these would be big red flags. Example, Bargs is now very vocal (see The Star) about the fact he is being made to play out of position. Presumably BC dragged him kicking and screaming to sign the 5 yr. deal to play as a centre. Wonder why he did not refuse.
An earlier Q&A chat with Chad Ford on ESPN:
Rob (Toronto):
Q.If you were Bryan Colangelo, who would you pick at #5? Point guard of the future or low post presence?
Chad Ford (1:29 PM):
A.They really need both so ... plus more help at the 3. You take the best player available and make the adjustments ... in free agency. At 5 ... it's probably a Euro ... I know that won't be popular with Raptors fans, but now that Colangelo has an extension, I don't think he's worrying as much.
Read my blog, The Picket Fence. Guaranteed to make you think or your money back!
Follow me on Twitter.
ford is such a maroon sometimes
Read my blog, The Picket Fence. Guaranteed to make you think or your money back!
Follow me on Twitter.
Chad Ford's track record with Euros is so bad I just roll my eyes at this point when he starts talking about some kid he's seen on tape for 5 minutes.
Nikoloz Tskitishvili 2.0, anybody?
Vesely is an Austin Daye 2.0, I'll pass thank you.
-"You cant run from me. I mean, my heart dont bleed Kool-Aid."
-"I aint no diva! I dont have no blond hair, red hair. Im Reggie Evans.
Read my blog, The Picket Fence. Guaranteed to make you think or your money back!
Follow me on Twitter.
Jan Vesely Profile on swishscout.comAt 6'11″, Vesely is an absolutely intriguing European prospect because of his combination of crazy length and leaping ability. He's an aerial act with an excellent vertical leap and often found on the receiving end of the alley-oop. At 240 lb.s already, its hard to imagine that with his wiry thin frame he will be able to put on much more muscle without it affecting his quickness and leaping ability, which is unfortunate. Nonetheless, he uses his athlete gifts very effectively to excel with his great motor and hustle play on both ends of the floor. On offense he's a decent ball handler capable of busting a move on his man and burning him to the basket, but seems to prefer his right hand most of the time. Has a pretty nice crossover, but doesn't seem super confident with his ball skills to go one on one that often. Good quickness driving to the basket, but it often seems like its either dunk or bust, usually opting not to take a runner of pull up jumper if he gets the closed off. Excels in catch and shoot situations by getting open without the ball in his hands and aggressively cutting to the basket or running off screens. When he does get the open look he's more than happy to take it and can knock down the jumper from just about anywhere on the floor. Has an excellent fundamental shot that should ease his adjustment to knocking down the depth of NBA 3. On defense he's a ball hawk and playmaker in getting steals and blocks thanks to his quickness, leaping ability and length. Has keen defensive instincts to hone in on getting help side blocks when his man gets beat, and blocks more perimeter shots than the average defender. Has average lateral quickness for a guy his size, but more than makes up with it in length and motor. Plays hard and aggressive man to man, applying tough pressure defense when his man has the ball and does an excellent job closing out and contesting shooters. Likely will struggle against the better athletes and quicker forwards of the league, but should be fine for the most part. An outstanding rebounder because of his length, athletic gifts, and flat out hustle tracking down loose boards. However, will have to be grittier to be effective in the NBA or will get pushed around and be unable to secure the ball against stronger players who could pry it away from him, which is where adding strength comes in. Developing some moves in the post and has a nice step through move, but not able to capitalize on his size advantage in the post due to a lack of refined moves. Strikes as a player with great hustle and energy in the league, but probably will never be a true star or difference maker down the stretch in big games. Projects mostly as a hustle role player and defensive playmaker, and should be a very good one. He's a versatile player that can find a role on any team with his gifts on both ends of the court and projects as a mid-late lottery pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


text:
Heir, Prince of Cambridge
The "correlation" doesn't proved that it's harder to win games with AB. It shows there is a coincidence. That is, when Bargs scores more than 20 in the sample size used, the Raptors have shown a tendency to lose more.
There is absolutely no statistical/mathematical way to link those two statements. I understand that may be difficult to grasp, when we all see Bargnani not getting rebounds and playing poor help defense on a regular basis, but it's true.
At the same time, there are no stats that can prove that there ISN'T a causal relationship between Bargs scoring 20 and the Raptors losing. It could be true, but it can't be proven with the data we currently have on hand. It may never be able to be proven. And that's why some people object to it being used as substantiated proof that 'Bargs scoring 20 = Raptors losing more'.
Disclaimer (for the nth time): I am NOT, by posting this, trying to defend AB. I'm just saying you should stick to beating him up over things you can say are actually, substantially true/factual. Actually, I'm not saying "you need" to do anything. You can argue his suckage based on whatever spurious criteria you like; but by the same token, don't expect everyone to buy it wholesale or agree with it all without poking some holes in the argument.
Definition of Statistics: The science of producing unreliable facts from reliable figures.
See, that's the problem with drawing conclusions from circumstantial evidence - you can't prove that any one player is the root cause of the outcome in a team game. Present statistics of a highly ineffcient scorer who contributes little else on either end of the court - regardless of the outcomes of games - and I would be much more receptive.
Last edited by CalgaryRapsFan; Fri Mar 8th, 2013 at 01:40 PM.
Definition of Statistics: The science of producing unreliable facts from reliable figures.
But -- OK. I agree. C'mon people, there is PLENTY of evidence to support how bad Bargnani is. Stop being lazy!
Btw in terms of the Win Shares and Ratings and all that -- I agree with what people said about those types of stats -- it's the reason I feel posting rankings (which illustrates how bad Bargnani has been over a course of the last 60 years) instead of just pulling out the individual numbers of a player versus another player. This way it's not about how much worse Bargnani is than the next guy, but rather just how bad he has been against players in NBA history. I don't feel the need to prove Bargnani is worse than Ron Seikaly, or Tim Duncan. My purpose is just to show he's bad.
Last edited by ebrian; Fri Mar 8th, 2013 at 01:54 PM.
your pal,
I was a vocal supporter of his up until his regression this year and I resigned myself long ago to the fact that he and the Raptors need a fresh start without each other, regardless of whatever skill/potential he may have and regardless of whether he may blossom elsewhere.
I also hoped for Bargnani to find his niche among the other talented players on this roster. He hasn't, and that -- his production, I'm talking about, because this stuff about lack of effort etc. falls in the same 'can't prove it' category as the wonky stats-based arguments -- is primarily on him. The *expectations*, though, and the subsequent hate that he hasn't lived up to them, is on those who harbored the expectations, combined with those who raised those expectations. Not on Bargs. I had the expectations, too. But I don't feel a need to pin *my* disappointment on the player. That's on me, and if I choose to rant about it or take a more measured approach is also on me.
Why not more discussion of what they might get for Bargs in the summer, or better yet, just make the assumption he's gone by July and talk about more 'fun' things, like what to do about the REST of the crap on the roster, that is ALSO contributing to a losing situation?
Definition of Statistics: The science of producing unreliable facts from reliable figures.
That was quite the kick of the hornets nest. lol
Lots of good conversation - even if it is over kill.
I'll rewind a bit and say:
Damn, it is quite the coincidence that when Bargnani scores 20 or more this year the Raptors are 0-9. That is very interesting considering his greatest attribute to the team is suppose to be scoring. Hmmmm, I wonder what causes there are to explain this striking coincidence between Raptor losses and Bargnani scoring this season. Is it his inefficiency? Is it the more playing time he gets the worse the defense is shown to statistically be causing his net impact on the court to be negative? Is it because his scoring opportunities come at the expense of higher percentage scoring opportunities for his teammates? I'm not sure what the exact cause is but it is certainly quite the coincidence and certainly adds another circumstantial log to the "Bargnani needs to go fire" which continues to burn ever more intense.
It was unreasonable to expect Bargnani to turn into a franchise-changing megastar, simply because he was drafted 1st overall. But it was reasonable to expect a 7 footer to adequately (another subjective term) rebound and protect the paint.
Some expectations come directly from one's job description. When these are missed, that's when people get upset (and deservedly so).
A similar idea would be plotting the correlation between Steve Nash's assists and a team scoring or winning. There are going to be other factors that determine the whole picture which wont be captured (like if Nash gives up the open 3 point shot for himself to pass to a teammate for 2pts) but that doesn't diminish the fact that when Nash does his primary function well, his team has had greater success. The same cannot be said of Barg's. His primary function hasn't elevated the team to victory.
Heir, Prince of Cambridge
i haven't been able to keep track of this thread..
are we still all in agreement on bargs being shit and needing to go, but arguing the semantics of how we got to that conclusion?
That sounds like passing the buck and a great example of lack of accountability for ones actions.
Sport is about competing to win. Professional sports is about fans paying to see see athletes compete. The declining production of an athlete (assumption made he is healthy and entering his prime) can lead to questioning the competitive nature and motivation. This is especially true, in my opinion, when he has shown the ability to meet and even exceed expectations - albeit in a small sample size of ~50% of games played last season - in the very recent past.
As for talking about what to do about the REST of the crap on the roster, I am not sure that is a fair statement. Now it is certainly circumstantial and hardly evidence of Bargnani being the cause of the following facts but..... the Raptors are:
1) 14-13 when he does not play,
2) 19-18 when he either does not play or comes off the bench (5-5 off the bench),
3) 5-20 when he starts.
Again, I am not saying Bargnani is the cause of the Raptors being 5-20 when he starts. However, it is extremely interesting and quite the coincidence. So at this time I, personally, am not prepared to talk about the rest of the crap on the roster contributing to losing because the rest of the crap on the roster has shown the ability to win more than they lose this season without the presence of Bargnani - albeit it could be just an anomaly or coincidence.
Last edited by mcHAPPY; Fri Mar 8th, 2013 at 02:26 PM.
There are no such expectations about, say, Aaron Gray, though, are there?
You'll say, "but, but Aaron Gray wasn't picked #1? He isn't being paid $10M per year! You can't compare the two!" And you'd be right, pretty much. But they share the same basic "job description", don't they?
Both play the same position. Both are big, tall guys. One was unfairly expected to average 20 and 10, based solely on being picked #1, getting a big extension, and being labelled a franchise/key player by successive coaches and his GM.
If, say, AB had been picked 15th, and averaged 15 and 5 through 7 years, and was making $10M a year, yet he wasn't also propped up with expectations he couldn't EVER meet, would this hate campaign be the same? The only variables that are different are draft position and expectations. Maybe people would complain a bit about his salary. But it's not out of line for that kind of production, so that would be a nitpick complaint.
I think most would be happy(ier?) with having a 7-foot floor-spacer who could be counted on in that way, most likely as a gunner off the bench a la Ryan Anderson or Channing Frye in his PHX days.
That's the basis for my saying the expectations are the responsibility of those who hold them, not the player. It's not excusing lack of production, it's understanding that the expected production may simply be impossible for that player. If he doesn't have the tools to average 8 boards per game, or the instincts to play great help D, he just doesn't have them. Expecting that production when it isn't EVER going to happen is on you.
I suppose some it also has to do with where your expectations come from. In my experience playing and coaching basketball, I've seen players with no end of athletic talent who work their asses off, yet can't seem to grasp floor-spacing and the instinctual side of the game. I've also seen players with no business being on the floor with those same athletes, yet they can hold their own because they have an innate ability to find the right easy pass, or the right spot under the basket for a board, etc. There are skills -- esp. by the time players reach the NBA level -- that can't be taught. I think the areas where Bargs is weakest are those types of skills. Help defense can't be taught; you either can react to evolving situations quickly enough or you can't. Rebounding is similar. It's the same reason a guy like Calderon can thrive with a lack of athleticism and guys like Sebastian Telfair can't find a starting gig anywhere.
In terms of how individuals deal with expectations, sure, you're entitled to get upset, the same way I'm entitled to say, "oh well, THAT sure didn't work out the way I had hoped" and move on to other issues without beating my head against a wall trying to get the player moved out of town.
Definition of Statistics: The science of producing unreliable facts from reliable figures.
Wow, somebody's a tad wound up and unable to get past this. What the heck, I'll play along and go with Matt's spin.
You may have swung me over to these kind of stats being relevant and meaningful thing, so wouldn't it be interesting to formulate them for other players, as I did much earlier, but Matt called it cherry picking because I excluded the games since Rudy arrived. I still think that was valid seeing as the Rudy trade massively changed the complexion of the team and combining TEAM win/loss on both sides of the trade to draw conclusions seems a tad nebulous to me. What the heck, maybe use them both and see if there are any conclusions to be drawn from looking at both scenarios!
Kyle Lowry's "Matt52 Stats" (since I don't know a more appropriate title than the inventor himself) prior to the Jose/ED---> Rudy trade:
As starter:-------- 3-15 .166
Off the bench:---- 7-8 .466
Did not play:------ 7-6 .538
Holy shit! At least before the trade, if Kyle doesn't play, the Raps are a .538 winning percentage, playoff team. When he comes off the bench, we don't do as well as when he's out. Ouch, that's not a good sign. But maybe he needs to be a starter. OUCH, that .166 winning percentage when he starts is a huge sign, isn't it? Maybe it's just a coincidence?
Anyway, Kyle's season total "Matt52 Stat", with additional (since Gay trade) "team win/loss as a starter":
(Take what you will from the "as a starter" is the only category of the 3 that's affected since the trade)
As starter:-------- 11-24 .314
Off the bench:---- 7-8 .466
Did not play:------ 7-6 .538
Well, with the post trade 8-9 record added, Kyle's "Matt52 Stats" improve dramatically in the "as a starter" category, but one has to wonder if that's due to Gay or Lowry, seeing as there is such a dramatic upturn (though still below .500) in the winning percentage as a starter. Can one conclude from this that Kyle needs his best buddy to play reasonably well as a starter? Maybe it's just coincidence, but it sure seems that way. The sad thing is that the overall "Matt52 Stat" still looks really abysmal. Unless it's a coincidence, the team is still at it's best when Lowry doesn't play, a tad worse when he comes off the bench, but fn terrible when he starts.
Again, I am not saying Lowry is the cause of the Raptors being 3-15 without Gay, and 11-24 including Gay's presence, when he starts. However, it is extremely interesting and quite the coincidence. So at this time I, personally, am not prepared to talk about the rest of the crap on the roster contributing to losing because the rest of the crap on the roster has shown the ability to win more than they lose this season without the presence of Lowry - albeit it could be just an anomaly or coincidence.
I've been won over. The "Matt52 Stat" tells an incredible amount and I think fans who want this team to do well should boo Lowry as he steps on the floor, and rise up in daily revolt until he's gone.
Last edited by p00ka; Sat Mar 9th, 2013 at 12:15 PM.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)