text:
Have you heard? There's a royal wedding on Saturday.
Australia, and quite possibly parts of the UK and beyond, seems split between caring deeply and, frankly, not giving a Royal fig.
And that's fine. If you're interested, why not drink it all?
Here's some light reading – from Meghan's family background to wedding day wardrobe speculation to the floral arrangements those in the know are expecting.
And if that's not enough … scroll to the bottom for the quick quiz!
► ALSO: How and when to watch the royal wedding
Will Meghan's dress be daring or demure?
A ball gown fit for a princess? Or a sleek, sexy Hollywood silhouette? Sleeves or off-the-shoulder?
In the countdown to May 19 when Meghan Markle weds Prince Harry at Windsor Castle, speculation continues to grow about the former actor's wedding dress. Even Australian designers are having a guess at the dress which will shape global bridal fashions.
From Hollywood to Royal Family
She's gone from being an actress to joining the Royal family. That's just life as it is for Meghan Markle. How much do you know about Prince Harry's wife-to-be?
Read on ►
Meghan moves from starlet to royal style
Mini skirts, crop tops and fitted dresses have given way to tailored suits and elegant separates as Meghan Markle prepares to become a duchess. Since her engagement to Prince Harry in November, the American actresses' wardrobe has undergone the royal treatment, with hemlines lengthened and conservative looks favoured.
Read on ►
Meghan might wear Aussie design down aisle
As the world waits to see Meghan Markle's wedding dress, an Australian design duo could be busy at work on the gown which will shape bridal trends for years to come. Australian-born, London-based designers Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo of Ralph & Russo are rumoured to be creating Meghan's wedding dress for her May 19 nuptials to Prince Harry.
Harry likely to don uniform on wedding day
He's courted controversy with his outfits in the past but Prince Harry seems most likely to toe the family line and don a military uniform for his wedding to Meghan Markle. The 33-year-old playboy-turned-committed prince resigned from the British Army in 2015 but will likely follow in the sartorial footsteps of his brother, father and grandfather and sport regimentals for his May 19 nuptials.
A guide to Meghan Markle's family
Meghan Markle's family have been under intense media scrutiny since she announced her engagement to Prince Harry in November 2017. Her relatives are in many ways unlikely in-laws for Britain's royal family: Markle's parents are divorced, her half-siblings opinionated, and her father once declared bankruptcy.
Peonies and white roses for royal wedding
St George's Chapel will be decked out with white garden roses, peonies and foxgloves for the royal wedding. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have chosen floral designer Philippa Craddock to create the in-season displays for their big day.
London baker gets started on royal cake
Preparations appear to be underway on the buttercream covered organic lemon elderflower wedding cake being prepared by a east London baker for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Pastry chef Claire Ptak posted the words "and so it begins" on her Instagram account on Tuesday alongside a photograph of six crates of lemons.
Meghan expected to don Welsh gold ring
While everyone expects Prince Harry to slip a Welsh gold wedding ring on the finger of Meghan Markle during their nuptials, he is unlikely to wear one himself. Royal wedding rings worn by brides are traditionally made from Welsh gold but very few men in the monarchy have chosen to don a wedding band.
Tradition for royal wedding bouquet
Tradition dictates that a royal bride's bouquet contains a sprig of myrtle. The custom dates back to Queen Victoria's time when the monarch's daughter, Princess Victoria, carried it among her bridal flowers in 1858.
Royal retreat of Windsor ready for wedding
Few towns are as stereotypically English as Windsor, the bucolic riverside locale where Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle will get married on May 19. And few towns are as pleasing when a warm spring sun bakes off the morning mist. Even the plump white swans on the Thames seem relieved that the long, hard winter is over.
Charles and Di style wedding not for Harry
A fairytale frock and a clutch of royals is probably all Prince Harry's wedding will have in common with the monumental nuptials of his parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. The "wedding of the century" in 1981 drew a global TV audience of 750 million, with two million people turning out on the streets of London to cheer the future king and his young bride.
Politics at heart of royal marriages past
Prince Harry may be marrying an American Hollywood princess but unlike his ancestors theirs is a love match rather than a political one. For centuries members of England's royal family were strategically married off to European royals with the aim of cementing allegiances, mainly to help avoid war but also to reap economic benefits.
Meghan's first wedding a relaxed affair
Staged on a Jamaican beach, with guests dancing the night away barefoot, Meghan Markle's first wedding could not have been more different from her impending royal nuptials. After dating for more than five years, Ms Markle and American producer Trevor Engelson tied the knot in front of dozens of guests in 2011 at the tourist hotspot of Ocho Rios on the island's north coast. The venue is a far cry from Windsor Castle's medieval St George's Chapel.
The modern royal family: how well do you know them?
Are you a right Royal expert or a bit of a casual observer? Take the quiz here.


text:
Last year, as the state faced a severe drought, Gary J. Clark of Childress was struck by the presence of water catchment systems as he traveled through the Hill Country of Texas.
Clark started CETS Rainwater Collection Systems, a company that installs these systems in the Texas Panhandle.
The CETS booth was surrounded by photos of deep tanks positioned to collect rainwater as it trickles down sloped roofs at Saturday's TPBA Remodelers Council Home Improvement Show at Amarillo Civic Center North Exhibit Hall.
Clark said within the first hour of the show, more than a dozen naysayers had approached him, saying that rainfall is too rare in the Panhandle for them to benefit from the systems, but he contends the moisture here is sufficient.
With the precipitation his home in Childress has received in the last six weeks, his own 1,500-gallon tank is full, he said.
"That's the idea, to catch what you can when it's raining," Clark said. "Others see the beauty in it."
Clark described a time in the not-so-distant past when many people owned cisterns, reservoirs for storing water.
"Once they got running water, the idea went away, because (water) was nearly free and easily available," Clark said. "(Rainwater collection) is an old idea with new technology."
CETS' collection systems are tax-free, and the city of Amarillo offers rebates, Clark said, to install the products. That fits into a national theme of encouraging so-called "green" home investments, as federal tax credits were renewed by Congress in January for purchases of items that can improve energy efficiency, including insulation and exterior windows and doors.
"It helps people get more money in their pockets in the long run," said Brandon Pitcock of Woodbridge Home Exteriors, which had a display of vinyl windows in the home show.
While any type of properly installed insulation can lead to energy savings, Mike McGuire of Western Fibers Inc., based in Hollis, Okla., roots for his company's cellulose variety of insulation, made of 85 percent recycled paper. He believes it is safer than foam insulation.
What makes a product "green" may be fairly elusive, as the phrase has become a buzzword in today's increasingly environment-minded world, and as McGuire pointed out, there are no federal standards for green products. However, McGuire's definition is more straightforward.
"Green products are about making the simplest solution work, and they do," he said.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
AdvertisementCLOSE and play
AdvertisementCLOSE and playVisit Site
Thank you for your vote! You have already voted! The video has been added to your member zone favourites.
Thank You! This video has been reported. You have already reported this video! The field is required
X wankoz
Generating download link
Horny Alli and Hot Tara loves to suck big cock on hotel bed
wankoz is waiting for you - register for free instant download!
Horny Alli and Hot Tara loves to suck big cock on hotel bed hd
Added 3 years ago
Duration 8:01
Viewed 651169
by momlesson
Pornstars+ Suggest
Model Name submitted, thank you!
You have already submitted Model Name!
Amateur Anal Anime Asian Ass Babe BBW big dick Big tits Bisexual Black Black hair Blonde Blowjob Brunette Bukkake coed Creampie Cumshots Domination dp Ebony European Fetish Foot Gangbang GF Gonzo Hairy handjob Hardcore HD Homemade Interracial Japanese Kissing Latina Lesbian Lingerie Massage masturbation Mature Milf Orgy Outdoor Playboy Pornstar POV Reality Redhead Rimming solo girl Squirting Stockings teen Toys Vintage


text:
Only hotels in 12304 zip code are listed below. Search for cheap and discount hotel rates in Schenectady, NY for your upcoming leisure or conference / group travel. We list the best 12304 hotels and motels so you can review the Schenectady hotel list below to find the perfect lodging. Hotels in Schenectady county and area code 518 are also listed.
How should we direct your call?


text:
L'ISLE-VERTE, Quebec (AP) — The painstaking search through the iced-over remains of a burned-out Quebec retirement home resumed Saturday morning, with friends and relatives of the missing awaiting news. Just eight bodies of the 32 presumed dead have been recovered.
A massive blaze swept through the three-story building in L'Isle-Verte, about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of Quebec City early Thursday. Quebec Provincial Police Lt. Guy Lapointe at a Saturday news conference lowered the number of missing from about 30 to 24 based on more detailed information.
Officials have formally identified two of the victims, with their names to be released later Saturday.
"The 24 people that are still missing, I think we can assume the worst. We're not going to confirm any deaths until we've actually recovered the remains," Lapointe said.
The cause of the massive blaze that swept through the Residence du Havre was under investigation, and police asked the public for any videos or photos that might yield clues. Lapointe declined to confirm reports that the fire began in the room of a resident who was smoking a cigarette, but said that is one possibility.
Search teams of police, firefighters and coroners slowly and methodically picked their way through the ruins, working in shifts in the extreme cold with temperatures hovering around minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Celsius) Friday.
As crews used steam to melt thick sheets of ice coating the rubble, Marc-Henri Saindon waited for his mother's body to be recovered. Marie-Jeanne Gagnon, five months shy of her 100th birthday, had moved to the home on New Year's Eve, her son said.
"She really liked it there. She was well treated and she had friends there," Saindon said Friday.
Spray from firefighters' hoses left the home resembling a macabre snow palace, the ruins encased in thick white ice dripping with icicles. Workers took a break over night because of the freezing cold.
The tragedy cast such a pall over the village of 1,500 that psychologists were sent door to door.
"This is a horrible tragedy," Mayor Ursule Theriault said.
Witnesses told horrific tales of people trapped and killed by the flames. Many of the 50 or so residents were over 85 and used wheelchairs or walkers. Some had Alzheimer's.
Pascal Fillion, who lives nearby, said he saw someone use a ladder to try to rescue a man cornered on his third-floor balcony. The man was crying out for help before he fell to the ground, engulfed in flames, Fillion said.
"I lost my friends," said Nicole Belanger, who worked at the home part-time for the past four years. "The residents loved us and we loved them."
Quebec Minister of Social Services Veronique Hivon said many of the village's volunteer firefighters had relatives at the retirement home.
"People are in a state of shock," she said. "We want them to know the services are there by going door to door. It's an important building that's a part of their community that just disappeared."
Hivon said the home was up to code and had a proper evacuation plan. A Quebec Health Department document indicates the home which has operated since 1997, had only a partial sprinkler system. The home expanded around 2002, and the sprinklers in the new part of the building triggered the alarm.
The owners of the residence made a public statement Friday for the first time since the fire, offering their condolences to victims' families.
Roch Bernier and Irene Plante thanked firefighters, volunteers and the residence's employees and said they are co-operating fully with authorities.
Father Gilles Frigon, the town's Catholic priest, said he would hold a private Mass for the families of the victims on Sunday and said next Saturday a public memorial with politicians and dignitaries will take place.
The fire came six months after 47 people were killed in the small town of Lac-Megantic, Quebec, when a train carrying oil derailed and exploded.
In 1969, a nursing home fire in the community of Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Quebec, claimed 54 lives.
Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.


text:
4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review
Biggest blaze: Thirty-five to 40-foot flames shoot out of a Still Meadow subdivision home around 11pm October 30 and melt the vinyl siding on nearby homes, according to the Progress. Firefighters responded to the Brownstone Lane home belonging to Earl Burton around 11pm. No one was injured, although the house, assessed at around $400,000, is gutted.
Best example of why smoking can be bad for one's health: An oxygen tank blows up an apartment at the Trail Motel off U.S. 29 October 29. Resident James Paige, who smokes and is on oxygen, is critically injured in the blast and taken to UVA Medical Center.
Best example of why boys, aerosol cans, and matches don't mix: Two Shenandoah County boys are taken to UVA Medical Center October 29 after an aerosol can explodes on their front lawn, WCAV reports.
Best break for former Waynesboro councilor: Dubose Egleston, 55, pleads guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery November 2, dodging a felony charge for an alleged attempted rape of a 27-year old woman September 25, as well as jail time, the Staunton News Leader reports.
Worst shooting: A woman is injured when someone fires into her home in the 900 block of Rives Street around 3am November 1, NBC29 reports.
Worst shootings: A teen couple sitting in a car outside Blue Ridge Commons are shot by a Halloween-mask-wearing man October 29 around 7:30pm and taken to UVA Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Worst news for the 181 local postal workers: A recent study recommends consolidating some operations at the Airport Road facility and moving them to a larger U.S. Postal Services plant in Richmond.
Biggest boost to SPCA budget: The animal shelter presses Charlottesville and Albemarle for funding more in line with industry standards. If approved, the SPCA will get between $4 and $7 per capita instead of the $1.60 local governments currently pay for it to provide pound services. Rachana Dixit has the story in the Progress.
Highest profile bust: Raymond J. Devere-Austin, 76, prolific actor, stuntman, and director of classic TV shows like The Avengers, The Saint, Hawaii Five-O, Hart to Hart, and Magnum, P.I. (and a titled baron), is charged with felony larceny for allegedly taking objects valued at $740.52 from the Antiquer's Mall in Ruckersville, the Progress reports.
Closest proximity to power: The Miller Center of Public Affairs opens a satellite office on K Street in Washington, D.C., to assist its nonpartisan study of the American presidency– and to tap into the 35,000 UVA alums who live in the area.
Best land deal: Charlottesville adds 1.5 acres to Forest Hills Park, courtesy of builder Southern Development.
Most perplexing PAC donations: An organization called the Monticello Business Alliance has contributed to both Rio District candidates for the Albemarle Board of Supervisors–- incumbent David Slutzky and Republican challenger Rodney Thomas–- $7,500 and $5,000 respectively, according to Charlottesville Tomorrow.
Least likely to have her library card renewed: Tracy Bishop, 35, pleads guilty to two counts of grand larceny and one count of breaking and entering the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library on Market Street in June and swiping computers. She'll be sentenced April 27.
Best Lawn bachelor pad: Larry Sabato's Pavilion IV makes the cover of the October 31 Washington Post real estate section, which details the political-junkie-upstairs and period-reception-rooms-below decor.
Luckiest: Joseph Nailler wins $250,000 from an October 27 lottery drawing. The Palmyra man bought the ticket at Harris Teeter in Barracks Road.
Hungriest: Two 400-pound pigs go missing from their bloodstained pen in Augusta County, and believed to be the victims of a bear, according to the News Leader.


text:
Table of Contents
1) Futures Fundamentals: Introduction 2) Futures Fundamentals: A Brief History 3) Futures Fundamentals: How The Market Works 4) Futures Fundamentals: The Players 5) Futures Fundamentals: Characteristics 6) Futures Fundamentals: Strategies 7) Futures Fundamentals: How To Trade 8) Futures Fundamentals: Conclusion
What we know as the futures market of today came from some humble beginnings. Trading in futures originated in Japan during the 18th century and was primarily used for the trading of rice and silk. It wasn't until the 1850s that the U.S. started using futures markets to buy and sell commodities such as cotton, corn and wheat. A futures contract is a type of derivative instrument, or financial contract, in which two parties agree to transact a set of financial instruments or physical commodities for future delivery at a particular price. If you buy a futures contract, you are basically agreeing to buy something that a seller has not yet produced for a set price. But participating in the futures market does not necessarily mean that you will be responsible for receiving or delivering large inventories of physical commodities - remember, buyers and sellers in the futures market primarily enter into futures contracts to hedge risk or speculate rather than to exchange physical goods (which is the primary activity of the cash/spot market). That is why futures are used as financial instruments by not only producers and consumers but also speculators.
The consensus in the investment world is that the futures market is a major financial hub, providing an outlet for intense competition among buyers and sellers and, more importantly, providing a center to manage price risks. The futures market is extremely liquid, risky and complex by nature, but it can be understood if we break down how it functions. While futures are not for the risk-averse, they are useful for a wide range of people. In this tutorial, you'll learn how the futures market works, who uses futures and which strategies will make you a successful trader on the futures market.
A Brief History
Before the North American futures market originated some 150 years ago, farmers would grow their crops and then bring them to market in the hope of selling their inventory. But without any indication of demand, supply often exceeded what was needed and unpurchased crops were left to rot in the streets! Conversely, when a given commodity - wheat, for instance - was out of season, the goods made from it became very expensive because the crop was no longer available. In the mid-19th century, central grain markets were established and a central marketplace was created for farmers to bring their commodities and sell them either for immediate delivery (spot trading) or for forward delivery. The latter contracts - forward contracts - were the forerunners to today's futures contracts. In fact, this concept saved many a farmer the loss of crops and profits and helped stabilize supply and prices in the off-season. Today's futures market is a global marketplace for not only agricultural goods, but also for currencies and financial instruments such as Treasury bonds and securities (securities futures). It's a diverse meeting place of farmers, exporters, importers, manufacturers and speculators. Thanks to modern technology, commodities prices are seen throughout the world, so a Kansas farmer can match a bid from a buyer in Europe.
What Exactly Is a Futures Contract? Let's say, for example, that you decide to subscribe to cable TV. As the buyer, you enter into an agreement with the cable company to receive a specific number of cable channels at a certain price every month for the next year. This contract made with the cable company is similar to a futures contract, in that you have agreed to receive a product at a future date, with the price and terms for delivery already set. You have secured your price for now and the next year - even if the price of cable rises during that time. By entering into this agreement with the cable company, you have reduced your risk of higher prices. That's how the futures market works. Except instead of a cable TV provider, a producer of wheat may be trying to secure a selling price for next season's crop, while a bread maker may be trying to secure a buying price to determine how much bread can be made and at what profit. So the farmer and the bread maker may enter into a futures contract requiring the delivery of 5,000 bushels of grain to the buyer in June at a price of $4 per bushel. By entering into this futures contract, the farmer and the bread maker secure a price that both parties believe will be a fair price in June. It is this contract - and not the grain per se - that can then be bought and sold in the futures market. So, a futures contract is an agreement between two parties: a short position - the party who agrees to deliver a commodity - and a long position - the party who agrees to receive a commodity. In the above scenario, the farmer would be the holder of the short position (agreeing to sell) while the bread maker would be the holder of the long (agreeing to buy). We will talk more about the outlooks of the long and short positions in the section on strategies, but for now it's important to know that every contract involves both positions. In every futures contract, everything is specified: the quantity and quality of the commodity, the specific price per unit, and the date and method of delivery. The price of a futures contract is represented by the agreed-upon price of the underlying commodity or financial instrument that will be delivered in the future. For example, in the above scenario, the price of the contract is 5,000 bushels of grain at a price of $4 per bushel. Profit And Loss - Cash Settlement The profits and losses of a futures contract depend on the daily movements of the market for that contract and are calculated on a daily basis. For example, say the futures contracts for wheat increases to $5 per bushel the day after the above farmer and bread maker enter into their futures contract of $4 per bushel. The farmer, as the holder of the short position, has lost $1 per bushel because the selling price just increased from the future price at which he is obliged to sell his wheat. The bread maker, as the long position, has profited by $1 per bushel because the price he is obliged to pay is less than what the rest of the market is
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 3 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
obliged to pay in the future for wheat. On the day the change occurs, the farmer's account is debited $5,000 ($1 per bushel X 5,000 bushels) and the bread maker's account is credited by $5,000 ($1 per bushel X 5,000 bushels). As the market moves every day, these kinds of adjustments are made accordingly. Unlike the stock market, futures positions are settled on a daily basis, which means that gains and losses from a day's trading are deducted or credited to a person's account each day. In the stock market, the capital gains or losses from movements in price aren't realized until the investor decides to sell the stock or cover his or her short position. As the accounts of the parties in futures contracts are adjusted every day, most transactions in the futures market are settled in cash, and the actual physical commodity is bought or sold in the cash market. Prices in the cash and futures market tend to move parallel to one another, and when a futures contract expires, the prices merge into one price. So on the date either party decides to close out their futures position, the contract will be settled. If the contract was settled at $5 per bushel, the farmer would lose $5,000 on the futures contract and the bread maker would have made $5,000 on the contract. But after the settlement of the futures contract, the bread maker still needs wheat to make bread, so he will in actuality buy his wheat in the cash market (or from a wheat pool) for $5 per bushel (a total of $25,000) because that's the price of wheat in the cash market when he closes out his contract. However, technically, the bread maker's futures profits of $5,000 go towards his purchase, which means he still pays his locked-in price of $4 per bushel ($25,000 - $5,000 = $20,000). The farmer, after also closing out the contract, can sell his wheat on the cash market at $5 per bushel but because of his losses from the futures contract with the bread maker, the farmer still actually receives only $4 per bushel. In other words, the farmer's loss in the futures contract is offset by the higher selling price in the cash market - this is referred to as hedging. Now that you see that a futures contract is really more like a financial position, you can also see that the two parties in the wheat futures contract discussed above could be two speculators rather than a farmer and a bread maker. In such a case, the short speculator would simply have lost $5,000 while the long speculator would have gained that amount. In other words, neither would have to go to the cash market to buy or sell the commodity after the contract expires.) Economic Importance of the Futures Market Because the futures market is both highly active and central to the global marketplace, it's a good source for vital market information and sentiment indicators.
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 4 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
Price Discovery - Due to its highly competitive nature, the futures market has become an important economic tool to determine prices based on today's and tomorrow's estimated amount of supply and demand. Futures market prices depend on a continuous flow of information from around the world and thus require a high amount of transparency. Factors such as weather, war, debt default, refugee displacement, land reclamation and deforestation can all have a major effect on supply and demand and, as a result, the present and future price of a commodity. This kind of information and the way people absorb it constantly changes the price of a commodity. This process is known as price discovery. Risk Reduction - Futures markets are also a place for people to reduce risk when making purchases. Risks are reduced because the price is pre-set, therefore letting participants know how much they will need to buy or sell. This helps reduce the ultimate cost to the retail buyer because with less risk there is less of a chance that manufacturers will jack up prices to make up for profit losses in the cash market.
The Players
The players in the futures market fall into two categories: hedgers and speculators. Hedgers Farmers, manufacturers, importers and exporters can all be hedgers. A hedger buys or sells in the futures market to secure the future price of a commodity intended to be sold at a later date in the cash market. This helps protect against price risks. The holders of the long position in futures contracts (the buyers of the commodity), are trying to secure as low a price as possible. The short holders of the contract (the sellers of the commodity) will want to secure as high a price as possible. The futures contract, however, provides a definite price certainty for both parties, which reduces the risks associated with price volatility. Hedging by means of futures contracts can also be used as a means to lock in an acceptable price margin between the cost of the raw material and the retail cost of the final product sold.
Example: A silversmith must secure a certain amount of silver in six months time for earrings and bracelets that have already
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 5 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
been advertised in an upcoming catalog with specific prices. But what if the price of silver goes up over the next six months? Because the prices of the earrings and bracelets are already set, the extra cost of the silver can't be passed on to the retail buyer, meaning it would be passed on to the silversmith. The silversmith needs to hedge, or minimize her risk against a possible price increase in silver. How? The silversmith would enter the futures market and purchase a silver contract for settlement in six months time (let's say June) at a price of $5 per ounce. At the end of the six months, the price of silver in the cash market is actually $6 per ounce, so the silversmith benefits from the futures contract and escapes the higher price. Had the price of silver declined in the cash market, the silversmith would, in the end, have been better off without the futures contract. At the same time, however, because the silver market is very volatile, the silver maker was still sheltering himself from risk by entering into the futures contract. So that's basically what hedging is: the attempt to minimize risk as much as possible by locking in prices for future purchases and sales. Someone going long in a securities future contract now can hedge against rising equity prices in three months. If at the time of the contract's expiration the equity price has risen, the investor's contract can be closed out at the higher price. The opposite could happen as well: a hedger could go short in a contract today to hedge against declining stock prices in the future. A potato farmer would hedge against lower French fry prices, while a fast food chain would hedge against higher potato prices. A company in need of a loan in six months could hedge against rising interest rates in the future, while a coffee beanery could hedge against rising coffee bean prices next year.
Speculators Other market participants, however, do not aim to minimize risk but rather to benefit from the inherently risky nature of the futures market. These are the speculators, and they aim to profit from the very price change that hedgers are protecting themselves against. Hedgers want to minimize their risk no matter what they're investing in, while speculators want to increase their risk and
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 6 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
therefore maximize their profits. In the futures market, a speculator buying a contract low in order to sell high in the future would most likely be buying that contract from a hedger selling a contract low in anticipation of declining prices in the future. Unlike the hedger, the speculator does not actually seek to own the commodity in question. Rather, he or she will enter the market seeking profits by offsetting rising and declining prices through the buying and selling of contracts. Short Secure a price The now to protect Hedger against future declining prices Secure a price now in The Speculator anticipation of declining prices Long Secure a price now to protect against future rising prices Secure a price now in anticipation of rising prices
In a fast-paced market into which information is continuously being fed, speculators and hedgers bounce off of - and benefit from - each other. The closer it gets to the time of the contract's expiration, the more solid the information entering the market will be regarding the commodity in question. Thus, all can expect a more accurate reflection of supply and demand and the corresponding price. Regulatory Bodies The U.S. futures market is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) an independent agency of the U.S. government. The market is also subject to regulation by the National Futures Association (NFA), a selfregulatory body authorized by the U.S. Congress and subject to CFTC supervision. A broker and/or firm must be registered with the CFTC in order to issue or buy or sell futures contracts. Futures brokers must also be registered with the NFA and the CFTC in order to conduct business. The CFTC has the power to seek criminal prosecution through the Department of Justice in cases of illegal activity, while violations against the NFA's business ethics and code of conduct can permanently bar a company or a person from dealing on the futures exchange. It is imperative for investors wanting to enter the futures market to understand these regulations and make sure that the brokers, traders or companies acting on their behalf are licensed by the CFTC.
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 7 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
In the unfortunate event of conflict or illegal loss, you can look to the NFA for arbitration and appeal to the CFTC for reparations. Know your rights as an investor!
Given the nature of the futures market, the calculation of profit and loss will be slightly different than on a normal stock exchange. Let's take a look at the main concepts: Margins In the futures market, margin has a definition distinct from its definition in the stock market, where margin is the use of borrowed money to purchase securities. In the futures market, margin refers to the initial deposit of "good faith" made into an account in order to enter into a futures contract. This margin is referred to as good faith because it is this money that is used to debit any day-to-day losses. When you open a futures contract, the futures exchange will state a minimum amount of money that you must deposit into your account. This original deposit of money is called the initial margin. When your contract is liquidated, you will be refunded the initial margin plus or minus any gains or losses that occur over the span of the futures contract. In other words, the amount in your margin account changes daily as the market fluctuates in relation to your futures contract. The minimum-level margin is determined by the futures exchange and is usually 5% to 10% of the futures contract. These predetermined initial margin amounts are continuously under review: at times of high market volatility, initial margin requirements can be raised. The initial margin is the minimum amount required to enter into a new futures contract, but the maintenance margin is the lowest amount an account can reach before needing to be replenished. For example, if your margin account drops to a certain level because of a series of daily losses, brokers are required to make a margin call and request that you make an additional deposit into your account to bring the margin back up to the initial amount. Let's say that you had to deposit an initial margin of $1,000 on a contract and the maintenance margin level is $500. A series of losses dropped the value of your account to $400. This would then prompt the broker to make a margin call to you, requesting a deposit of at least an additional $600 to bring the account back up to the initial margin level of $1,000. Word to the wise: when a margin call is made, the funds usually have to be delivered immediately. If they are not, the brokerage can have the right to liquidate your position completely in order to make up for any losses it may have
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 8 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
incurred on your behalf. Leverage: The Double-Edged Sword In the futures market, leverage refers to having control over large cash amounts of commodities with comparatively small levels of capital. In other words, with a relatively small amount of cash, you can enter into a futures contract that is worth much more than you initially have to pay (deposit into your margin account). It is said that in the futures market, more than any other form of investment, price changes are highly leveraged, meaning a small change in a futures price can translate into a huge gain or loss. Futures positions are highly leveraged because the initial margins that are set by the exchanges are relatively small compared to the cash value of the contracts in question (which is part of the reason why the futures market is useful but also very risky). The smaller the margin in relation to the cash value of the futures contract, the higher the leverage. So for an initial margin of $5,000, you may be able to enter into a long position in a futures contract for 30,000 pounds of coffee valued at $50,000, which would be considered highly leveraged investments. You already know that the futures market can be extremely risky and,therefore, not for the faint of heart. This should become more obvious once you understand the arithmetic of leverage. Highly leveraged investments can produce two results: great profits or greater losses. As a result of leverage, if the price of the futures contract moves up even slightly, the profit gain will be large in comparison to the initial margin. However, if the price just inches downwards, that same high leverage will yield huge losses in comparison to the initial margin deposit. For example, say that in anticipation of a rise in stock prices across the board, you buy a futures contract with a margin deposit of $10,000, for an index currently standing at 1300. The value of the contract is worth $250 times the index (e.g. $250 x 1300 = $325,000), meaning that for every point gain or loss, $250 will be gained or lost. If after a couple of months, the index realized a gain of 5%, this would mean the index gained 65 points to stand at 1365. In terms of money, this would mean that you as an investor earned a profit of $16,250 (65 points x $250); a profit of 162%! On the other hand, if the index declined 5%, it would result in a monetary loss of $16,250 - a huge amount compared to the initial margin deposit made to obtain the contract. This means you still have to pay $6,250 out of your pocket to cover your losses. The fact that a small change of 5% to the index could result in such a large profit or loss to the investor (sometimes even more than the initial investment made) is the risky arithmetic of leverage. Consequently, while the value of a commodity or a financial instrument may not exhibit very much price volatility, the same percentage gains and losses are much more dramatic in
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 9 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
futures contracts due to low margins and high leverage. Pricing and Limits As we mentioned before, contracts in the futures market are a result of competitive price discovery. Prices are quoted as they would be in the cash market: in dollars and cents or per unit (gold ounces, bushels, barrels, index points, percentages and so on). Prices on futures contracts, however, have a minimum amount that they can move. These minimums are established by the futures exchanges and are known as ticks. For example, the minimum sum that a bushel of grain can move upwards or downwards in a day is a quarter of one U.S. cent. For futures investors, it's important to understand how the minimum price movement for each commodity will affect the size of the contract in question. If you had a grain contract for 3,000 bushels, a minimum of $7.50 (0.25 cents x 3,000) could be gained or lost on that particular contract in one day. Futures prices also have a price change limit that determines the prices between which the contracts can trade on a daily basis. The price change limit is added to and subtracted from the previous day's close and the results remain the upper and lower price boundary for the day. Say that the price change limit on silver per ounce is $0.25. Yesterday, the price per ounce closed at $5. Today's upper price boundary for silver would be $5.25 and the lower boundary would be $4.75. If at any moment during the day the price of futures contracts for silver reaches either boundary, the exchange shuts down all trading of silver futures for the day. The next day, the new boundaries are again calculated by adding and subtracting $0.25 to the previous day's close. Each day the silver ounce could increase or decrease by $0.25 until an equilibrium price is found. Because trading shuts down if prices reach their daily limits, there may be occasions when it is NOT possible to liquidate an existing futures position at will. The exchange can revise this price limit if it feels it's necessary. It's not uncommon for the exchange to abolish daily price limits in the month that the contract expires (delivery or spot month). This is because trading is often volatile during this month, as sellers and buyers try to obtain the best price possible before the expiration of the contract. In order to avoid any unfair advantages, the CTFC and the futures exchanges impose limits on the total amount of contracts or units of a commodity in which any single person can invest. These are known as position limits and they ensure that no one person can control the market price for a particular commodity.
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 10 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
Essentially, futures contracts try to predict what the value of an index or commodity will be at some date in the future. Speculators in the futures market can use different strategies to take advantage of rising and declining prices. The most common are known as going long, going short and spreads. Going Long When an investor goes long - that is, enters a contract by agreeing to buy and receive delivery of the underlying at a set price - it means that he or she is trying to profit from an anticipated future price increase. For example, let's say that, with an initial margin of $2,000 in June, Joe the speculator buys one September contract of gold at $350 per ounce, for a total of 1,000 ounces or $350,000. By buying in June, Joe is going long, with the expectation that the price of gold will rise by the time the contract expires in September. By August, the price of gold increases by $2 to $352 per ounce and Joe decides to sell the contract in order to realize a profit. The 1,000 ounce contract would now be worth $352,000 and the profit would be $2,000. Given the very high leverage (remember the initial margin was $2,000), by going long, Joe made a 100% profit! Of course, the opposite would be true if the price of gold per ounce had fallen by $2. The speculator would have realized a 100% loss. It's also important to remember that throughout the time that Joe held the contract, the margin may have dropped below the maintenance margin level. He would, therefore, have had to respond to several margin calls, resulting in an even bigger loss or smaller profit. Going Short A speculator who goes short - that is, enters into a futures contract by agreeing to sell and deliver the underlying at a set price - is looking to make a profit from declining price levels. By selling high now, the contract can be repurchased in the future at a lower price, thus generating a profit for the speculator. Let's say that Sara did some research and came to the conclusion that the price of oil was going to decline over the next six months. She could sell a contract today, in November, at the current higher price, and buy it back within the next six months after the price has declined. This strategy is called going short and is used when speculators take advantage of a declining market. Suppose that, with an initial margin deposit of $3,000, Sara sold one May crude oil contract (one contract is equivalent to 1,000 barrels) at $25 per barrel, for a
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 11 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
total value of $25,000. By March, the price of oil had reached $20 per barrel and Sara felt it was time to cash in on her profits. As such, she bought back the contract which was valued at $20,000. By going short, Sara made a profit of $5,000! But again, if Sara's research had not been thorough, and she had made a different decision, her strategy could have ended in a big loss. Spreads As you can see, going long and going short are positions that basically involve the buying or selling of a contract now in order to take advantage of rising or declining prices in the future. Another common strategy used by futures traders is called spreads. Spreads involve taking advantage of the price difference between two different contracts of the same commodity. Spreading is considered to be one of the most conservative forms of trading in the futures market because it is much safer than the trading of long/short (naked) futures contracts. There are many different types of spreads, including: Calendar Spread - This involves the simultaneous purchase and sale of two futures of the same type, having the same price, but different delivery dates. Intermarket Spread - Here the investor, with contracts of the same month, goes long in one market and short in another market. For example, the investor may take Short June Wheat and Long June Pork Bellies. Inter-Exchange Spread - This is any type of spread in which each position is created in different futures exchanges. For example, the investor may create a position in the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE).
How To Trade
At the risk of repeating ourselves, it's important to note that futures trading is not for everyone. You can invest in the futures market in a number of different ways, but before taking the plunge, you must be sure of the amount of risk you're willing to take. As a futures trader, you should have a solid understanding of how the market and contracts function. You'll also need to determine how much time, attention, and research you can dedicate to the investment. Talk to your broker and ask questions before opening a futures account.
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 12 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
Unlike traditional equity traders, futures traders are advised to only use funds that have been earmarked as pure "risk capital"- the risks really are that high. Once you've made the initial decision to enter the market, the next question should be How? Here are three different approaches to consider: Do It Yourself - As an investor, you can trade your own account without the aid or advice of a broker. This involves the most risk because you become responsible for managing funds, ordering trades, maintaining margins, acquiring research and coming up with your own analysis of how the market will move in relation to the commodity in which you've invested. It requires time and complete attention to the market. Open a Managed Account - Another way to participate in the market is by opening a managed account, similar to an equity account. Your broker would have the power to trade on your behalf, following conditions agreed upon when the account was opened. This method could lessen your financial risk because a professional would be making informed decisions on your behalf. However, you would still be responsible for any losses incurred as well as for margin calls. And you'd probably have to pay an extra management fee. Join a Commodity Pool - A third way to enter the market, and one that offers the smallest risk, is to join a commodity pool. Like a mutual fund, the commodity pool is a group of commodities which can be invested in. No one person has an individual account; funds are combined with others and traded as one. The profits and losses are directly proportionate to the amount of money invested. By entering a commodity pool, you also gain the opportunity to invest in diverse types of commodities. You are also not subject to margin calls. However, it is essential that the pool be managed by a skilled broker, because the risks of the futures market are still present in the commodity pool.
Buying and selling in the futures market can seem risky and complicated. As we've already said, futures trading is not for everyone, but it works for a wide range of people. This tutorial has introduced you to the fundamentals of futures. If you want to know more, talk to your broker. Let's review the basics:
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 13 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.
The futures market is a global marketplace, initially created as a place for farmers and merchants to buy and sell commodities for either spot or future delivery. This was done to lessen the risk of both waste and scarcity. Rather than trade in physical commodities, futures markets buy and sell futures contracts, which state the price per unit, type, value, quality and quantity of the commodity in question, as well as the month the contract expires. The players in the futures market are hedgers and speculators. A hedger tries to minimize risk by buying or selling now in an effort to avoid rising or declining prices. Conversely, the speculator will try to profit from the risks by buying or selling now in anticipation of rising or declining prices. The CFTC and the NFA are the regulatory bodies governing and monitoring futures markets in the U.S. It is important to know your rights. Futures accounts are credited or debited daily depending on profits or losses incurred. The futures market is also characterized as being highly leveraged due to its margins; although leverage works as a doubleedged sword. It's important to understand the arithmetic of leverage when calculating profit and loss, as well as the minimum price movements and daily price limits at which contracts can trade. Going long, going short, and spreads are the most common strategies used when trading on the futures market. Once you make the decision to trade in commodities, there are several ways to participate in the futures market. All of them involve risk - some more than others. You can trade your own account, have a managed account or join a commodity pool.
This tutorial can be found at: http://www.investopedia.com/university/futures/ (Page 14 of 14) Copyright 2006, Investopedia.com - All rights reserved.


text:
Lamin-X Rear Bumper Guard - Lamin-X AC1229
Select Your Vehicle
- Part#: AC1229
- Original Price:
- Our Price: $31.31
- Shipping: Free Shipping
- Availability: Usualy ships in 2-3 business days
Lamin-X Bumper Guards
The rear bumper on your car or SUV is consistently vulnerable to damage every time you load or unload cargo items into the trunk or cargo area. Lamin-X bumper guards are constructed utilizing a clear durable material that is laser-cut to accommodate a precise fit that does not modify the shape of the bumper. The invisible film that is incorporated in the clear bras that are manufactured by Lamin-X is also used to construct the bumper guards. This material protects the paint and maintains the original appearance as well. Lamin-X is a US based manufacture that backs its bumper guards and other clear film products with a 5 year limited warranty.
- Constructed utilizing durable material
- Prevent painted surfaces from cargo contact
- Clear design maintains the original appearance
- The shape of the bumper is not affected
- Easy installation
- Vehicle specific applications
- Precise laser-cut technology
- Made in the USA
- Backed with a five year limited warranty
California Residents: Prop 65 WARNING
If this Lamin-X Bumper Guards is not exactly what you are looking for to accessories your 2015-2016 Acura TLX, please don't give up just yet. Our catalog has huge variety of parts and accessories for your Acura TLX.


text:
The W3C has released its "best practices" guidelines for mobile Web application development. According to the W3C, "The goal of this document is to aid the development of rich and dynamic mobile Web applications. It collects the most relevant engineering practices, promoting those that enable a better user experience and warning against those that are considered harmful."
The W3C hopes these guidelines will help developers build browser and OS-agnostic applications for the mobile platform that could lead to the proliferation of Web Apps across mobile devices in 2011.
Among the pearls of web app wisdom imparted in the guidelines are:
Spare the network: Use appropriate Web protocol features to reduce network bottlenecks and latency.
- Use transfer compression.
- Cache resources by fingerprinting resource references.
- Cache AJAX data.
- Minimize external resources.
- Minimize application and data size.
- Use cookies sparingly.
- Do not send cookie information unnecessarily.
- Optimize network requests.
- Avoid redirects.
Remember Web principles: Mobile devices are just one way to access the Web. Generic Web principles also apply to the development of robust mobile Web applications.
- Replicate local data.
- Ensure consistency of state between devices.
- Do not execute unescaped or untrusted JSON data.
- Use fragment IDs to drive application view.
Design for flexibility: Web applications are run in evolving and heterogeneous environments. Flexibility allows you to address more devices and users at reduced cost.
- Design for multiple interaction methods.
- Ensure text flows.
- Prefer server-side detection where possible.
- Use client-side detection when necessary.
- Use device classification to simplify content adaptation.
- Support a non-JavaScript variant if appropriate.
Exploit mobile-specific features: Some Web technologies are particularly relevant to mobile devices. Learn to use them.
- Make telephone numbers "click-to-call".
- Consider mobile-specific technologies for initiating Web applications.
- Use the meta viewport element to identify the desired screen size.
- Use appropriate client-side storage technologies for local data.
Optimize response time: Every detail matters in mobile Web applications and some technical points may significantly boost the overall user experience.
- Aggregate static images into a single composite resource (sprites).
- Include background images inline in CSS style sheets.
- Keep DOM size reasonable.
- Minimize perceived latency.
- Optimize for application start-up time.
The guidelines themselves are fairly brief. According to the W3C, "In a world where the line between mobile and non-mobile is necessarily blurred ... a document that restricts its focus solely to best practices that are uniquely mobile would most likely be very short. With this in mind, the focus of this document is to address those aspects of Web application development for which there are additional, non-trivial concerns associated with the mobile context. This applies equally both to the limitations of the mobile context (e.g. small screen, intermittent connectivity), and also the additional scope and features that should be considered when developing for the mobile context (e.g. device context/location, presence of personal data on the device, etc)."
"I am very excited about this document, which I've already used myself to ensure that the W3C Cheat Sheet, a mobile Web application, works not just on mobile devices, but on all devices," said Dominique Hazael-Massieux, W3C Mobile Web Initiative Lead. "These guidelines include sound advice from real-world Web apps developers, telcos, and browser vendors."
Adam Connors and Bryan Sullivan served as the the editors of the guidelines, with significant contributions from Daniel Appelquist and Scott Hughes from Vodafone, Jo Rabin from dotMobi, Phil Archer and Francois Daoust of the W3C, and Jeff Sonstein from the Rochester Institute of Technology.


text:
Dear Carolyn:
My girlfriend and I celebrated our two-year anniversary last weekend. She spent several hundred dollars on a gift for me, which I really appreciate.
I did not give her a gift because, as a new homeowner, I am somewhat strapped for cash. When I realized her disappointment, I apologized for being an idiot and promised to make it up to her when I am more financially stable.
She countered that if I could take two trips for bachelor parties this summer, I had no excuse not to set money aside for her as well.
Though I started out apologetic, now I"m angry that she is (I feel) telling me how to allocate my money. I also feel pressure to keep apologizing, which I"m tired of doing. What do you think?
— Doghouse Blues
Then stop apologizing, and tell her the truth: Which is …
* That you find her materialistic and demanding, with multi-hundred-dollar expectations of which you want no part?
* That you were just thinking of your own fun and failed to project what she"d want? Maybe you"ve said this already; if you have, then that"s a complete sentence (in the punitive sense). It enables you to say, if you"re pressured to apologize again, "I said I was sorry, and meant it. It bothers me that you seem unsatisfied by that."
* That you didn"t equate these one-time-only, bachelor-party trips with buying things, because you value experiences with people over material gifts? If that"s true, then you either offer an example of such experiences with her, ones that pass a laugh test, or you acknowledge that you haven"t made similar efforts for her. Follow the latter by figuring out whether you value her but have taken her for granted, or simply don"t value her as you do your buddies. Then admit this in a way that doesn"t come as a throat punch.
I should say, before I continue with my flow chart — none of these is intended as an accusation. Everyone values some people above others. It"s what you do with this that can create problems. It isn"t OK to stay in a relationship, for example, with someone you value less than you value partying with your buddies.
Back to truth-candidates, including …
* That you think anniversaries are manufactured milestones? If that"s the case, then you pledge either to mark them henceforth because they matter to her and she matters to you, maybe while letting her know the kind of attention you like best from her … or, if you balk at that, you float the idea of your showing affection your way as she shows it in hers. Which is something you say ONLY (yes I"m shouting) if you actually show affection your way. No declaring yourself "too spontaneous" for gifts and then buying gas-station flowers exactly once a decade while refueling the Porsche she gave you.
I could go on (oh, can I), but by now I expect you have a pretty good idea what actually broke down here.
So — was it an oops you learned from, or is it an epiphany in progress? Your understanding yourself will help you communicate accurately, which tends to be the first step toward getting past something — be it past an ill-fitting relationship or past an episode of hard-way learning a deux.
– – –
The author is an advice columnist for the Washington Post. Email email@example.com, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carolyn.hax or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com.


text:
I have found a way of sharing my riding safety books through Mediafire , I'll post more when I have the time . Enjoy and ride safe ! Observation ... http://www.mediafire.com/?qrydduu3bnql2v7
Sport riding techniques ... http://www.mediafire.com/?3go110mcpxhpua2
Safe riding books for download
Other sites worth your time
1 post • Page 1 of 1
Safe riding books for download
" Don't be discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." ~ Unknown
1 post • Page 1 of 1
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


text:
Highland Park
Fort Thomas, Kentucky 1 course · 9 holes Driving directions
Course reviews
Most votes | Newest first | Oldest first
+0 votes Dean Kirker › June 14, 2013
Two holes appear to have been removed, taking this down to a seven-hole course. The holes are in fair condition, reasonably challengng, and the grounds are well maintained. A solid course for beginners and novices, but there are certainly better courses within a short drive.


text:
The full text of this article is only available to online subscribers.
Are you an online subscriber? Click to login.
Click here to learn more about our subscription options.
If you have a print subscription, you can now add an online subscription at no additional charge! Just email us with your name and mailing address to set it up.
Dear Mom and Dad,
It's Sunday night, a few days before Christmas, and we've been scurrying around getting things ready for the holiday — cleaning, wrapping gifts … Sarah and the girls took a sled down to the brook and collected pine boughs, then they decorated the house, made it look and smell like a festival. I spent half the day in the office getting things ready to take a day off.
STARKSBORO — A Starksboro family is coping in the wake of the loss of their home to a fire on Monday, Sept. 19.
Eric Cota, a longtime employee of the Bristol Road Department and a volunteer firefighter, his wife Catina and their two children, Matthew and Jordyn, were not injured in the fire, but the family lost their two dogs, Rascal and Sheba, to the blaze.
MIDDLEBURY — Addison Central Supervisory Union officials believe that raising healthy and well-adjusted children is a challenge, and that even the most prepared parents sometimes need a little coaching.
With that in mind, ACSU health coordinator Mary Gill and more than dozen other ACSU elementary school teachers, counselors and principals are taking time out of their summer, learning how to help make parents' jobs a little easier.
Subscribe to Online Edition
Online PDF Print Edition
Copyright 2011 Addison Independent | 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, Vt. 05753 | All Rights Reserved
Site Development by Surf New Media


text:
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Out Amid Clashes With Trump
President Donald Trump has reportedly asked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to step down from his post as Secretary of State, the White House announced this morning. CIA Director Mike Pompeo will replace Tillerson as Secretary of State.
The Washington Post reports Trump asked Tillerson to step down last Friday after a tulmultorous turn as America's chief diplomat that was marred by a series of disagreements with Trump over a variety of issues.
Pompeo will replace Tillerson at the State Department and Gina Hapsel - the deputy director at the CIA - will take over as the head of the CIA and will become the first woman to run the agency if she is confirmed.
Trump tweeted the announcement Tuesday morning along with his thanks to Tillerson for his service over the last fourteen months.
"Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!"
At the White House before departing for a scheduled trip to California to tour several border wall prototypes, Trump told reporters that he and Tillerson disagreed on many things, and that Pompeo and he had similar thought processes.
Trump said he appreciated Tillerson's service and that he believes he will be much happier as a private citizen.
In his first comments after his firing, Tillerson thanks the diplomats at the state department for their "honesty and integrity" and the American people for "acts of kindness." Defense Secretary James Mattis was singled out by the former Secretary of State for his partnership and mutual support of diplomacy.
Tillerson did not thank Trump or praise his policies at any point during his departure speech.
Tillerson said he will remain at his post through March 31st, but will delegate all authority to run the State Department to Deputy Secretary John Sullivan. He also said he is committed to an "orderly and smooth transition" to Pompeo.
The shakeup at the State Department comes amid proposed talks and a potential nuclear showdown with North Korea. The Washington Post quotes three White House officials who say Trump felt it was important to make the change now, as he prepares for talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Republican Senator Bob Corker told reporters that he's heard nothing but good things about Pompeo and that he wasn't too concerned about winning confirmation votes from Democrats. He also said that while he has not personally met Pompeo, he knew President Trump thought very highly of him.


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez plans to attend a Cinco de Mayo celebration this week at the vice president's residence in Washington, D.C.
The governor's office said Wednesday that Vice President Joe Biden had invited Martinez to Friday's event.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates an 1862 Mexican military victory against invading French forces.
The Republican governor will leave for the nation's capital late Thursday and return to New Mexico on Saturday.
Martinez traveled with Biden to Rome in March as part of a presidential delegation attending the installation of Pope Francis.
The governor traces her family roots to Mexico. Her great-grandfather was a general who fought with revolutionary leader Pancho Villa and others a century ago to topple the dictatorship of a long-time Mexican president.
Add new comment
Read and share your thoughts on this story


text:
In the future, business people will not need to carry a laptop around with them to get their work done, Microsoft believes.
Instead, smart devices in connected rooms will change their settings according to the person using them, it has predicted.
In a video released on Tuesday, the company presented its vision for what productivity will look like in the next five to 10 years. It's the sort of world where you can walk into a hotel room and the television immediately displays your favourite channel; the alarm clock sets itself to your preferred time to wake up; the coffee machine works out whether you prefer black or white coffee and begins making you a cup; and the nearest tablet becomes your own personal computer, complete with all your files.
Much of the video is based on the idea that powerful computers will be embedded in the world around us. These will be imbued with software-based intelligence to respond to the user's needs, according to Microsoft. In this scenario, a business traveller's glasses translate the audio announcements in a foreign airport to help them find the taxi rank and get a car sent for them.
Screenshot: Jack Clark
Full Bio
Sonja Thompson started at TechRepublic in October 1999. She is a former Senior Editor at TechRepublic.


text:
When Sylvia the baboon lost Sierra, her closest grooming partner and daughter, to a lion, she responded in a way that would be considered very human-like: she looked to friends for support. According to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, baboons physiologically respond to bereavement in ways similar to humans, with an increase in stress hormones called glucocorticoids. Baboons can lower their glucocorticoid levels through friendly social contact, expanding their social network after the loss of specific close companions.
"At the time of Sierra's death, we considered Sylvia to be the queen of mean. She is a very high-ranking, 23 year-old monkey who was, at best, disdainful of females other than Sierra," said Anne Engh, a postdoctoral researcher in Penn's Department of Biology. "With Sierra gone, Sylvia experienced what could only really be described as depression, corresponding with an increase in her glucocorticoid levels."
Engh works with Penn biologist Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth, a professor in Penn's Department of Psychology. For the last 14 years, Cheney and Seyfarth have followed a troop of more than 80 free-ranging baboons in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. Their research explores the mechanisms that might be the basis of primate social relationships and how such relationships may have influenced the development of human social relationships, intelligence and language.
To study the response of stress among baboons, Engh and her colleagues examined the glucocorticoid levels and grooming behavior of females in the troop to see how closely they resemble patterns seen in humans. Their findings were published in a recent article in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Biological Sciences.
Grooming, a friendly behavior where baboons clean each other's fur, is the primary means by which baboons strengthen social bonds. According to Engh, while the death of a close family member was clearly stressful over the short term, the females they studied appeared to compensate for this loss by broadening and strengthening their grooming networks. As they resumed grooming, their glucocorticoid levels returned to normal.
" Without Sierra, Sylvia really had nobody else," Engh said. "So great was her need for social bonding that Sylvia began grooming with a female of a much lower status, behavior that would otherwise be beneath her."
Through her study, Engh was able to track patterns in stress of the female baboons over time through their glucocorticoid levels. Their stress levels increased most often during events when their lives, the lives of their offspring and their social rankings were at risk. The leading cause of death among adult baboons is predation, usually from leopards and lions. The stress levels of female baboons increased most noticeably when a predator killed a close companion, such as a grooming partner or offspring. If they merely witness another baboon die they do not become as agitated.
Story here.


text:
ARLA LaserWorks
Custom Logo Wood Case
Regular price $ 24.99
$ 0.00
Customize this case with your name, monogram letter, or initials!
- FSC Certified Wood
- Solid Wood Backing
- Precise and crisp laser engraved design
- Slim Fit; will not make your phone bulky
- Matte edging protects the sides from scratches and dents
- Comes packaged in reusable biodegradable gift pouch
- We deliver worldwide with tracking
- Custom orders are final sale. We make each phone case to order just for you and for this reason we cannot accept returns or refunds.
- Please double check your spelling. We are not responsible for typos, errors, and misspellings made during checkout.
- Damaged upon arrival items are covered. We take great care in creating and shipping your case. If on the off chance your case arrives damaged, we will take care of it. In order to qualify for a replacement, you must contact us within 3 days of delivery with your order number, and include a photo of the damage. You can reply to your initial order e-mail, or contact us directly at firstname.lastname@example.com
- About "black wood": genuine black ebony wood is critically endangered and illegal for trade. We've come up with the next best thing by coating strong, solid wood, with a thick black coating. Enjoy this sleek black look without worrying about fade and rub-off!


text:
Post by Stefan of Tokyo Whisky Hub
This may not conform to your image of an "old Macallan" but that's one of the things that makes it so interesting: it has retained a certain lightness and youthfulness but, at the same time, there's a depth to it that only decades of gentle maturation in a cask that's not too dominant can bring to a whisky. It comes with a steep price tag (a little over 50,000 yen) but they don't call Macallan the "Rolls Royce" of malts for no reason. Still available at the better liquor stores and in some department stores here.
Monday, April 8, 2013
World Wonders: Macallan 33yo
2 comments:
- Adam said...
It sounds like a very very interesting Macallan. Their 12 year old is a standard bottle in my collection, occasionally being mixed in with the 18 year old. I really need to look into trying some other bottles, from that distiller.
Maybe you mentioned this in your write up, but I did not see it was this a Sherry or Bourbon Hogshead? Looking at its lightness it seems like it could possibly be a bourbon hogshead.
- April 13, 2013 at 9:37 AM
- Stefan said...
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your message. You're right, it's from an ex-bourbon hogshead and it is a really interesting Macallan. It will be available for tasting (with premium vouchers) at Whisky Live / TIBS 2013, so if you're going to the show, be sure to try it there!
- April 13, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Interviews, Misc., Photographer
Interview with Chase Rubin – Professional...
Interview with Blake Rubin
Interviews, Misc.
An interesting interview with Adrian Rubin
Interviews, Misc., Photographer, Travel Blogger
Stephen Andrew Stepaniuk
Interview with Colby Lee Burke –...
Beautiful Places, Dubai, places
Beautiful Places To Visit In Dubai
Car Rental, Misc.
Aircnr – Best car rental platform...
Travel Tips
How To Travel Fast And Easy...
Beautiful Places, Guest Post, Norway, places
Beautiful places in Norway
Croatia, Europe, places
Istria, Croatia
Interview with Specialist Dr Angela Wilson...
Misc., Travel Tips
Cogofly – Don't travel alone anymore
Vietnam excursions and What to Expect...
Bali Weight Loss Retreat in Ubud
Beautiful Places, Europe, Romania
Most Beautiful Places in Romania
transportation, Travel Tips
How To Decorate Your RV For...
Beautiful Places, Guest Post, Spain
Get Ready for Summer NutriTrim BootCamp...
Tourism in Turkey, Turkey
Things you can do in Marmaris...
Guest Post, Misc.
The Downsides of Raising Venture Capital
Flights, Guest Post, Travel Agency
Chemistry Travels & Services
Hotels, Peshawar
Hotels, Hotels in Islamabad


text:
Snooki Moves Out of 'Jersey Shore' House for Upcoming Season
You can take the girl out of the 'Jersey Shore' house, but you just can't take the 'Jersey Shore' house out of the girl. Let's test that theory! Among a few key changes taking place with the upcoming sixth (hopefully last) season of 'Jersey Shore,' it seems at least one housemate is keen to make a change…of address!
TMZ reports that culturally
irrelevant beloved 'Jersey Shore' and soon to be 'Snooki & JWoww' star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi will not spend her sixth season of the show within the walls of the classic 'Jersey Shore' home. Instead the reality star will maintain her own private residence near to the shooting location, for reasons of not letting the show's loud, drunken antics put her pregnancy at risk.
Additionally, Snooki first conceived her baby with fiancee Jionni Lavelle back in December, which means a summer shooting schedule puts the star in position to potentially deliver during filming of the show's sixth season. Because that's something we've all been dying to see.
Snooki's location change will mark one of several changes as the show heads into the sixth season, as fellow notorious partiers Mike "Situation" Sorrentino will also operate alcohol-free, on account of his recent stint in rehab.
What say you, 'Jersey Shore' fans? Can the show be just as good if Snooki maintains a private pad, and if a third of the cast abstains from alcohol? Should this be the last season of the show? Hit us up with your thoughts in the comments!


text:
Three-dimensional printing may have little in common with sustainability—at first blush, anyway—but the rapid-prototyping process has a litany of surprisingly green benefits. The emerging technology, which uses ultraviolet beams to fuse layers of powdered, recyclable thermoplastic into shape, leaves behind virtually no waste. Its localized production and one-size-fits-all approach also racks up markedly fewer travel miles, requires less labor, and compresses fabrication time to a matter of hours, rather than weeks or months.
Designer Jiri Evenhuis, in collaboration with Janne Kyttanen of Freedom of Creation, was the first to toy with the idea of using 3D printers to create textiles. "Instead of producing textiles by the meter, then cutting and sewing them into final products, this concept has the ability to make needle and thread obsolete," Evenhuis has said.
3D printing has the "ability to make needle and thread obsolete," says designer Jiri Evenhuis.
3D printing has the "ability to make needle and thread obsolete," says designer Jiri Evenhuis.
A decade later, designer-researchers like Freedom of Creation in Amsterdam and Philip Delamore at the London College of Fashion are cranking out seamless, flexible textile structures using software that converts three-dimensional body data into skin-conforming fabric structures. The potential for bespoke clothing, tailored to the specific individual, are as abundant as the patterns that can be created, from interlocking Mobius motifs to tightly woven meshes.
Freedom of Creation's 3D textiles are currently display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.


text:
The simple device that could finally allow solar panels to be located where they would get the most sun.
A tech-fix to a grubby problem
Putting solar panels in the Saudi Arabian desert sounds like an obvious thing to do. There's cheap real estate, ample sunshine and the possibility of one of the biggest oil-producing countries transforming itself into one of the biggest producers of solar-energy.
It is something that cannot happen quickly enough. Around a third of the oil pumped in Saudi is used to generate electricity for the country, while demand for power is growing at around 8% a year, the fastest in the region. If these rates continue, some estimates suggest the oil capital of the world may one day become a net importer of oil to power itself. Yes, you read that right- the country with one of the world's largest oil reserves could actually have to import oil.
As a result, the country plans to invest a staggering $109bn over the next 20 years into solar, with the intention of generating more than 30% of their electricity from the sun - up from practically zero today. It is all part of the government's plan to break the country's oil dependency and give it a long term future after the oil reserves eventually run dry.
But if all of this sounds too good to be true, you'd be right. Saudi Arabia's plans have a dirty secret.
Lego build
In just one hour, a desert sandstorm can plaster even the toughest solar panels with a thick layer of residue, reducing their efficiency by upwards of 70-80%. If the panels aren't cleaned almost daily, they become virtually useless.
Most solar installations around the world, large or small, use automated water cleaning devices, or manual labor with hoses to wash them down. But Saudi Arabia is in one of the driest regions on earth. Around 90% of its water supply comes from desalination – converting saltwater to freshwater. It is a very expensive and energy intensive process. Using this precious resource to clean vast arrays of solar panels in the desert would be a waste of the energy they produce, as well as making the economic model more difficult to justify.
So, while there is tremendous potential for harnessing solar energy from desert environments, it has been relatively impractical on a large scale. But that may soon change.
Enter Nomadd, or "no-water mechanical automated dusting device", a waterless solar panel cleaning device designed specifically for use in harsh desert environments. Once a day, Nomadd pushes dust and dirt away from panel surfaces with an automated "dry sweep." It can even clean the thick dust that sticks after a rain shower or sand storm in humid conditions.
"Basically it can clean solar panels without water. It's a brand new solution to a brand new problem," says German-Australian engineer Georg Eitelhuber, a physics teacher at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) in Saudi Arabia, who invented the ingenious device.
"This whole project started with Lego and toilet rolls," Eitelhuber says of his early days prototyping the Nomadd in after-school experiments. "And now the idea's gone up to some pretty high levels in the Saudi government. It's kind of crazy"
Nomadd is as simple, rugged and low-maintenance as possible, with just four major moving parts. Eitelhuber is reluctant to reveal too many details, as he has various patents pending. However, he says the device is designed to run along a bank of solar panels, sweeping away the dust. It is powered by lithium-ion batteries, charged by the array and is able to maneuver over gaps and obstacles between the panels. It can be used as often as desired- either automatically on a schedule, or instantly with the touch of a button in a remote control station.
"This allows the entire array of banks to be cleaned in a short time, which is essential after a sandstorm" says Eitelhuber.
In February, the device won $200,000 from Kaust's Seed Fund, which offers finance and support to students, faculty and staff who want to turn their discoveries into commercial ventures. With the money, Eitelhuber is now testing a full-scale Nomadd designed for larger solar arrays- like the kind planned for Saudi Arabia.
Nomadd's timing couldn't be better, says Ibrahim Faza, the project coordinator of Kaust's Seed Fund. "They are providing a solution at the right time," he says. "Nomadd is very early in the market, because the market is now being planned."
It is a claim supported by Christopher Burghardt of First Solar, one of the world's leading solar solution providers. He says Saudi Arabia's bold solar vision is likely to set off a wave of solar development in the region.
"The Middle East will be one of the major global markets for [photovoltaic] solar in the coming decades," he says. "In particular, Saudi Arabia."
Within the next year, large-scale solar arrays are expected to begin sprouting up in the desert, and Eitelhuber hopes Nomadd will be ready to help kick-start the efforts.
"We think we have the best solution by a long shot to cleaning solar panels in the desert," Eitelhubert claims.
And Saudi Arabia is the just beginning, he says. If it can work there, it can work anywhere.
"It's desert-proof," says Eitelhuber. "Anywhere that has tough conditions that need tough solutions, we're looking there."
If you would like to comment on this article or anything else you have seen on Future, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.


text:
Diane Ashland Larocque
ST. ALBANS / SALISBURY — Diane Ashland Larocque, 63, passed away from the loving arms of her family to the loving arms of her Lord on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008, after a long battle with breast cancer.
She was born on Jan. 29, 1944, to Clifford S. and Laura (Cheney) Ashland in St. Albans.
Diane attended St. Albans schools and graduated from B.F.A. St. Albans in 1962, where she was very active in many programs as a student. She attended the University of Vermont, where she graduated as a math teacher in 1968. Diane then taught math for nearly 30 years, with the majority of that time being spent at Middlebury High School. She also had taught a short time at Burlington High School and in Utica, NY. She enjoyed her career immensely, almost as much as raising her children and kept in contact with many of her former students.
While residing in Salisbury, Diane was a member of the Salisbury Fireman's Auxiliary, served on the Salisbury Elementary School Board for many years and enjoyed local politics. Diane was a member of the Ladies Red Hat Society and the Vermont Retired Teachers Association.
She married Marcel J. Larocque on August 30, 1969, in St. Albans and settled in Salisbury where they raised their family, until moving back to St. Albans in recent years.
In addition to her fabulous and loving husband Marcel of St. Albans, Diane is survived by her two wonderful children, Amy Larocque of Hinesburg and Andre Larocque and his wife, Linda of Salisbury, four adoring grandchildren: Brady (10), Ally (8), Carly (6) and Will (6) who were the spark of her life; her brother Duane Ashland and his wife, Diane from Virginia and their five children: Jane, Diana, Laura, Stephanie and Heidi.
She was predeceased by her Father on Nov. 5, 1975, and her Mother on Dec. 1, 1978.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008, in the Heald Funeral Chapel in St. Albans. Spring interment will be in the St. Albans Bay Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Franklin County Home Health Agency, 3 Home Health Circle, St. Albans, VT 05478. Messages of condolence are welcome at www.healdfuneralhome.com.


text:
***Following are the 8 critical votes in 114th Congress we consider for endorsement. We only endorse and support candidates that are both pro-life and Democrat. Candidates that vote are pledge to support all 8 votes receive a "8 Star Rating" and receive automatic endorsement.
To see how your Member voted, please click here. We only rank Democratic Members since we do not endorse Republicans.
May 13, 2015. H.R. 36 Roll Call Vote #223. The Pain Capable Unborn Protection Act—This was a vote by the House of Representatives to ban abortions after 20 weeks except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of a mother. The House passed the bill by a 242-184 margin. However, when it arrived in the Senate it was defeated when they were unable to get to the 60 votes needed to move the legislation forward.
Why this was important: The US is just one of 7 nations that allows abortion after 20 weeks. Recent studies have indicated that preborn children can feel pain. Further, medical advancements have pushed the viability standard set in law over 40 years ago.
January 22,2015 H.R. 7 Roll Call Vote #45 No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act- This legislation was introduced to prohibit taxpayer funding of elective abortion anywhere in the federal government. The bill passed the House by a 242-179 margin. However, it has not been voted upon by the Senate. It is currently with the Senate Finance Committee.
Why this was important: There is longstanding policy that prohibits taxpayer funding of abortion. However, it has to be added as a rider to every piece of legislation. This would make the ban on public funding of abortion permanent.
February 3, 2015 H.R. 596 Roll Call Vote #58 To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provision in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010- The vote passed the House by a 239-186 margin. However, it did not get the 60 votes needed in the Senate to proceed with the legislation.
Why this is important: The ACA provides access to affordable health care to all families regardless of pre-existing conditions, which is critical if families are to feel supported in bringing children into the world. Repealing the legislation would eliminate lifesaving healthcare for millions of Americans.
September 18, 2015 H.R. 3134 Roll Call Vote #505 Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015- This was a vote to strip Planned Parenthood of all federal funding for one year. Funding would be transferred to community health centers instead. This passed the House by a 241-187 margin but was unable to get to the procedural 60 votes in the Senate to proceed.
Why this is important: Planned Parenthood, the number one abortion provider in the nation, takes money away from Community Health Centers and other health care clinics that provide comprehensive care to women. Almost 80 percent of Planned Parenthood's services are STD Testing/Treatment, contraception, and abortion. DFLA's position is that limited federal funds should be allocated to organizations, such as Community Health Centers, that provide comprehensive healthcare.
July 10, 2015 H.R. 6 Amendment #3 Roll Call Vote #432 21st Century Cures Act- This bill was to reauthorize the National Institute of Health through Fiscal Year 2018 to continue their work and research. Barbara Lee of California introduce an amendment to allow federal funds be used for abortion through the NIH. The amendment was defeated on a 176-245 vote.
Why this is important:There is longstanding policy that prohibits taxpayer funding of abortion. Limited funds should be used to research cures, not pay for abortion.
September 18, 2015 H.R. 3504 Roll Call Vote #506 Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act- This bill required any health care practitioner who is present when a child is born alive following an abortion to give the same care they would to any other newly born child and ensure that the child is immediately admitted to a hospital. This passed the House by a 248-177 margin but has not been acted on in the Senate.
Why this is important: Infants born alive during the abortion procedure have been left to die. This would ensure a standard of care would be given to children born alive.
July 6, 2016. H.R. 5485 Roll Call Vote #364 Grayson Amendment to allow tax subsidized abortion for federal employees- While the House was passing budget bills for Fiscal Year 2017 Congressman Alan Grayson provided an amendment that would change long standing history and allow for taxpayer dollars to be used to pay for abortions for federal employees. The House defeated this amendment as it got 177 yes votes to 245 no votes.
Why this is important: This keeps with the long standing Hyde amendment that prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortions.
July 13, 2016 S 304 Roll Call Vote #364 Amendment to Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act- This amendment was added to prohibit the federal government and state and local governments that receive federal financial assistance for health-related activities penalizing or discriminating against a health care provider based on the provider's refusal to be involved in, or provide coverage for, abortion. This passed the House on a 245-182 vote.
Why this is important: Provides protection to health care providers who have a moral or religous objection to abortion from being forced to be inolved in the abortion process.