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Swingeing budget cuts and growing unemployment are pushing more people into severe depression and drug-dependence, and cutbacks in hospital budgets and healthcare services mean fewer people can see their doctors or access help.
"The picture of health in Greece is concerning," said David Stuckler, a sociologist at Britain's University of Cambridge who reported his findings in the Lancet medical journal.
"We're seeing ... worrisome trends -- a doubling of suicides, rising homicides, a 50 percent rise in HIV infections and people reporting that their health has got worse but they're not going to the doctor even though they felt they needed to."
In the past two years, the Greek government has imposed harsh austerity measures to deal with a debt mountain as the country plummeted into its deepest recession in 40 years and was forced to accept an EU-IMF bailout.
Greece is expected to run out of cash as soon as mid-November. Inspectors from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank -- the so-called "troika" -- are currently assessing whether Athens has fulfilled the criteria for more aid.
In the meantime, businesses are shutting down, the public sector is shrinking and unemployment is running at more than 16 percent. Health budget cuts have also led Greece to slash the prices it will pay for medicines, triggering supply concerns.
Stuckler's team found that suicides rose by 17 percent in 2009 from 2007 and said unofficial data quoted in Greece's parliament point to even greater rises, of 25 to 40 percent.
The data mirror grim local news reports.
In tales that have shocked Athenians, a former businessman was reported to have jumped to his death leaving a note saying the financial crisis drove him to it, and the owner of a small retail firm was found hanging from rope tied to a bridge. His suicide note said simply: "Don't look for other reasons. The economic crisis led me to this."
Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who worked with Stuckler on the Lancet paper, said other struggling European nations should take note.
"The experience of Greece is a warning of what can happen if there are major cuts to healthcare in the face of a recession," he said in a telephone interview.
A previous study by McKee, Stuckler and others in July found suicide rates across Europe rose sharply in the two years to 2009 as the financial crisis drove unemployment up and squeezed incomes. Greece and Ireland were worst hit.
In Monday's paper, the researchers also found a significant increase in HIV infections in Greece in late 2010 and said data suggest that new infections with the virus that causes AIDS will rise by 52 percent this year compared to last.
Rates of heroin use rose by 20 percent in 2009, and at the same time, budget cuts in 2009 and 2010 meant a loss of a third of the country's street-work programmes designed to help drug addicts and provide them with HIV prevention services.
Stuckler said there were reports of some drug users deliberately infecting themselves with HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, to get access to welfare benefits of 700 euros ($940) a month and faster admission into drug substitution programmes. "It's really alarming," he said.
Greece has had a rocky relationship with pharmaceutical companies as a result of the crisis, imposing some of the most draconian price cuts for medicines of any European country, with unpaid bills a further burden for pharmaceutical companies.
Swiss group Roche has stopped delivering cancer drugs to some state-funded Greek hospitals that have not paid their bills, with patients being told to collect medicines from privately run pharmacies as they are more reliable payers.
Roche and other drugmakers have also been forced to accept Greek government bonds instead of cash for some outstanding debts -- a move that is expected to increase bad debt provisions, although Greece accounts for only around 1 percent of the global pharmaceuticals market.


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Director4 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de botón o icono y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 25 diseños de 8 diseñadores freelance.
Sitka Summer Music Festival's "40 for 40th program"
The Sitka Summer Music Festival (http://sitkamusicfestival.org/) has been bringing world-class classical musicians to Alaska since 1972. To celebrate our 40th Anniversary, we have launched the "40 for 40th program". This program invites local business to be
"An official ____________ (eg taxi company, coffee house, etc) of the Sitka Summer Music Festival"
We are bringing in 40 NEW businesses as contributors and we need to recognize them with their own window cling.
We are targeting visitors and customers of the various businesses in a very walkable downtown area in Sitka, Alaska. All customers will be able to see these clings. The Cling design needs to be clean and easy to read/see.
We are also a chamber music organization. Classical music has gotten a bad rap of being for older people so we would like this to be fun and appeal to the families of Sitka. We do not want this to be stuffy. It has got to be fun and appealing to broad range of people. We also want the design to look like it came from us -- a classical music organization -- we want Sitka to know that we bring people to town who spend money.
I would like the window cling to say:
40 for the 40th! (or integrate this into icon)
Design (insert cute program icon)
An official sponsor of the Sitka Summer Music Festival (tag line)
Ideas for execution--
We are a classical music organization, so we are already serious enough. So, we want this to be fun.
We would like a cello in the design
This goofy program is supposed to reminiscent of the "An official sponsor of the 2014 Olympics" type programs so we would like to make fun of those programs
As an example, I like the the way this designer took the high school theme and integrated it into their design: https://99designs.com/logo-design/c…entries/46
I can see something similar with a silly cello instead of a hamburger and the above information.
We, however, only have a small space (a window cling) and therefore, the icon can not be too intricate or busy. We need it to be clean and simple.
We will be using http://www.buildasign.com/Window-Cl…dow-clings
to make the clings. So we need to fit their specs:
"To upload, your Image must meet the following requirements
- Must be less than 20MB in size - Must be an EPS, JPG, TIF, BMP, GIF, PNG file type"
Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the icon.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Clerk's Office is designated as the central filing office in the Commonwealth
for Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) documents which evidence a security interest in
personal property securing payment or performance of an obligation and their amendment,
assignment, and termination.
The UCC-1 Financing Statement and UCC-3 Financing Statement Amendment can be filed
online through SCC eFile. Two options
are available online: enter data into a form using SCC eFile or submit one or more
previously completed forms by PDF upload.
Alternatively, to submit a UCC document for filing by postal mail, please mail it
and a check payable to "State Corporation Commission" to:
UCC Forms
As of July 1, 2013, The International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA) Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) forms are the only forms that the Clerk's Office of the Commission will accept.


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First Niagara Financial Group reported profits of $71.1 million in the second quarter, bouncing back from a $10.9 million loss a year earlier when the Buffalo-based bank was hit by the cost of acquiring HSBC's upstate branches.
In a Friday conference call, Gary M. Crosby, the interim president and chief executive officer, offered few details of the bank's search for a new CEO, other than to say the process was continuing without a specific deadline for making a choice. John Koelmel departed from the job in March, prompting the search for a new permanent CEO.
"In the meantime, we're not missing a beat, as evidenced by our second-quarter results," Crosby said. The search committee is pleased with the "quantity and the quality" of candidates for the position, he said.
Including the dividends it paid on preferred stock, First Niagara reported second-quarter net income available to common stockholders of $63.6 million, compared with an $18.5 million loss a year ago, stemming from the impact of the HSBC deal. Its earnings per share of 18 cents in the second quarter, which ended June 30, met analysts' expectations.
First Niagara's net interest income increased 3.9 percent from a year ago, to $269 million. Its net revenue, which combines net interest income and non-interest income, was $365 million, up 3 percent from the second quarter of 2012.
First Niagara's non-interest expenses fell 32 percent from a year ago, to $235.2 million. The key difference was, a year ago First Niagara incurred $131.5 million in merger and acquisition-related expenses and none in the second quarter.
Total commercial loans increased to $12.6 billion, from $11.2 billion a year ago. First Niagara in the first half of this year has hired 10 additional, experienced commercial lending leaders to help bolster that segment, said Greg Norwood, the bank's chief financial officer.
The bank closed five branches during the quarter, bringing to nine the total it has consolidated since the start of this year.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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My Account
The finest craft products from around the world
Please select a collection in Theme Setting to display the products (Navigation -> Featured Product in Mega Menu)
Please select a collection in Theme Setting to display the products (Sidebar -> Featured Products Sidebar)
Availability In Stock
Brand Leutenegger
Product sizeWidth 43"-44" (112cm-114cm)
Construction100% Cotton
Minimum10 Metres
Based on prints from an antique quilt of the same period,Cumberland County provides a beautiful cross section of popular prints from 1860 to 1880.
With range deal options, please contact your local rep/agent or call our customer service.
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Advertising and Promotion (AdPromo) is now developing a new I.D. for marketing communications, which we could call MADMOBILE. This is recognition of the blending of Social Media, Global Technologies, and 2-way mobile communications. Much has been discussed about what advertising and promotion will get to be. Mobile advertiser/customer engagement and exchange in social media is the big think in AdPromo's quickly changing present and exciting future.
The thinking behind some new innovations is to provide "glocal–(Global Localities) –with—mobile" opportunities for local AdPromo. Those on the forefront for developing these new services are employing their knowledge of changes in consumer behavior, which is being caused by, and satisfied by, the ever-expanding presence of Smartphones and social media.
These give the advertiser and promoter the opportunity for the delivery of local marketing communications. In the past, and still in the present, big business with its big money has used AdPromo to knock out small business. Many small-businesses can now make the most of the opportunity to advertise and promote to specific local targets through mobile "MadPhones" with a smaller, more effective and efficient budget.
In addition, there are recent connectivity innovations that enable customers to learn of a promotion without being in or even near a store, along with advances in Near Field Communications (NFC), receiving contact when they are passing near the brick and mortar store. More and more, retailers are encouraging word-of-mouth referrals by loyal customers, which is helping to build their loyalty through interesting engagements and an active relationship.
For now, customers are able to find advertising and promotions on their phones and tablets. Most importantly, a store can launch its advertising for a promotion in a few minutes, designing the message for today's deals and targeting a specifically valued customer. The opportunity for retailers to present promotions in real time is a salient feature of the New World of MADMOBILE.
Arthur & Peggy Winters co-teach SXB 200 Brand Marketing Communications for Image & Meaning and SXR 050 Intro to Branding: The Art of Customer Bonding.


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FAST & FREE delivery in the contiguous US!
Adirondack Chairs
Adirondack chairs have long been associated with winding down and relaxing. Have a seat outdoors in one of our Adirondack chairs which combine style and comfort to create a modern twist on a timeless design.
Outdoor Adirondack Chairs from POLYWOOD®
All POLYWOOD® Adirondack chairs combine style, beauty, and comfort to create a modern twist on a classic design. The Adirondack chair is the perfect outdoor furniture for decks, patios, poolsides, beachfronts, and balconies.
An Overview of the Adirondack Chair
The Adirondack chair is rightly called a classic. Traditionally made from 11 flat wooden boards, it features a straight back, deep seat, and wide armrests. Although the chair has been around for over a hundred years, the beauty and practicality of its design means it's still styled the same as when Thomas Lee invented it in 1903.
A chair that Lee originally created for visitors to his summer home, the Adirondack has been broadly popular since it went into production in the early twentieth century. Refined in 1938, the newer style of Adirondack is styled for greater comfort, featuring a contoured seat and backrest.
Unique Features of POLYWOOD® Adirondack Chairs
We took the idea of the traditional Adirondack and improved on it, just a little. We're proud to offer many different styles of Adirondack chair including the Classic, South Beach, Palm Coast, Long Island, Quattro, Seashell, and more. In addition to our different designs, our chairs are available in a variety of subtle earth tones and vibrant colors.
Even better, when you're buying POLYWOOD® furniture, you're buying quality. Our unique HDPE lumber is superior to both traditional wood and plastic materials, and it's perfect for your outdoor furniture. POLYWOOD® lumber is completely weather resistant, and unlike wood it won't crack or rot. Color-Stay Technology also protects our lumber from harmful environmental degradation.
Maintenance is a breeze too — you can even leave the furniture outside all year round! POLYWOOD® furniture just requires a wipe down with a damp cloth and gentle soap. If you want the best of the Adirondack chair style in a piece of heirloom furniture that will last for years, POLYWOOD® furniture is the natural choice.
How and Where to Enjoy Your Adirondack Chair
On your deck
The deck is the perfect place for the Adirondack chair. Choose a beautiful brown earth tone to match the color of your deck and relax back into the chair, glass of wine in hand. Imagine as the day draws to a close and you enjoy the sunset, shadows playing across the yard as you unwind from your day.
By the pool
Naturally, our Adirondack chairs are completely waterproof, so why not enjoy them down by the pool? Sunshine beats down, you let out a deep, fulfilled sigh and watch as the kids play, their laughter the perfect complement to the pool party.
On your balcony
Life in the city is busy, so you enjoy those quiet moments sitting in the balcony, watching the world go by. You've chosen a jet-black, folding Adirondack chair to complement your loft apartment. Your chair folds up, so you can stow it away when it's not needed.
Adirondack Chair Buying Guide
Can't decide on what type of Adirondack chair to buy for your patior or backyard? We have a buying guide just for you. Check out our Adirondack Chair Buying Guide over on our blog!


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Today's opinion in Bilski
Justice Kennedy's opinion for the Court today's in Bilski v. Kappos follows the same methodological approach as his prior opinion for a far-broader majority in KSR v. Teleflex. The Court recognizes the value of a test articulated by the Federal Circuit "" here, the "machine or transformation" test "" but rejects it as the exclusive tool for determining patentability. And the Court explained that its holding was not intended to preclude the Federal Circuit's development of additional standards to govern business method patents, so long as they do not impose a rule inconsistent with the statutory text. Indeed, Justice Kennedy went out of his way in his oral statement to commend readers to review the "scholarly" opinions of the Federal Circuit on the issue.
Today's short opinion is principally one of negation "" it rejects an exclusive standard adopted by the en banc Federal Circuit. The Supreme Court concluded that it was sufficient to recognize the patentability of business methods, reject the Federal Circuit's standard standard, and recognize that the particular patent before it was an unpatentable "abstract idea" precluded from patentability by the Court's prior precedents. The Court did not otherwise elaborate on the proper test. Nonetheless, "the machine-or-transformation test is a useful and important clue, and investigative tool, for determining whether some claimed inventions are processes under §101."
The breadth of today's ruling is an open question. Justice Kennedy seemingly suggested that the Court favored the basic patent eligibility "of inventions in the Information Age," including to some extent with respect to "software, advanced diagnostic medicine techniques, and inventions based on linear programming, data compression, and the manipulation of digital signals." But that part of the opinion is only a plurality "" not controlling "" because Justice Scalia did not join that discussion and did not explain his reasons for declining to do so.
Four members of the Court "" one of whom (Justice Stevens) retires effective tomorrow "" stated their clear and broad objections to the patentability of business methods. As later cases reach the Court testing the reach of patentability for such inventions, Elena Kagan's views will accordingly be critical.
The upshot for the time beings is that business method patents survive, and likely are somewhat more patentable than under the Federal Circuit's standard, though how much more so remains opaque. Patent eligibility remains for technological innovations such as software and biomedical advances, although once again it is unclear how broadly that protection will reach.


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Perhaps the most influential topic in Bicycle Quarterly has been our research on the resistance of tires, first published in Vol 5, No. 1 (above). It is not a coincidence that 5 years after that issue was published, professional racers are adopting wider tires and lower pressures. How did all this come about?
My research started after I read a big test of racing tires in the German magazine TOUR in late 2005 (below). As part of their testing, TOUR measured the rolling resistance on a steel drum in a lab setting. They found that the "fastest" tires had half the resistance as the slowest. In real-life terms during a ten-kilometer time trial, the slowest tire (Continental Grand Prix 3000) would take 34 seconds longer than the fastest (a hand-made clincher with a cotton casing). TOUR noted this but did not critically evaluate the relevance of their results: 34 seconds in a short time trial is the difference between winning and 20th place.
Most of us don't spend much time at "time trial" speeds, where wind resistance predominates, so I did a quick calculation to see what this meant for real-world riders. I found that the differences were even more significant. Furthermore, TOUR tested only high-end racing tires. What about the wider tires most of us used? Were we giving up significant speed? We had to find out!
The first thing to check was whether we could replicate TOUR's results on real roads. We thought of a variety of tests, and concluded that a rolldown test had the most promise. Mark Vande Kamp suggested an old soapbox derby track that was perfect: It started steep and then gradually changed to a very gentle slope.
The first step was to get two sets of tires that TOUR had tested: The Deda Tre Giro d'Italia were the fastest in the test, and the Continental Ultra Gatorskins were among the slower tires. On a calm morning, we headed to the soapbox track. Each of us had mounted one of the sets of tires on our bikes. I rolled down the slope while Mark timed me. Then we switched wheels, so I could roll down with the second set of tires, on the same bike. We repeated this several times, and the results were clear: The Deda tires were significantly faster than the Continentals, just as TOUR had predicted.
The next step was to gather all the tires we wanted to test. It was a long list, and we eventually pared it down to 18 tire models. (We later tested additional tires.) To make the testing session more time efficient, we borrowed as many wheels as we could find, so we did not have to mount tires between tests. Then we waited for a perfectly calm day. In Seattle, this usually happens when the weather changes. During sunny days, the wind blows from the north, whereas it switches to the south on rainy days. In between, there are hours of perfect calm. From riding many randonneur brevets, we also knew that around sunrise, there was the greatest chance of no wind. Finally, a day came with a promising weather forecast. Long before dawn, we loaded up two Burley trailers stacked high with wheels, a floor pump, clipboards and everything else we needed.
Then we started our testing. Mark rode up the hill. He held onto a stepladder on the start line, so he would smoothly roll down the hill without wobbling or having to clip into the pedals. He used the same position during each roll-down: hands on the hoods, elbows locked. (We later confirmed in the wind tunnel that this position can be maintained with great consistency.) Two timekeepers recorded Mark's time in the lower section of the run. We ran each tire/pressure combination three times to see how consistent our data was. We also ran the same tires on different wheels to check whether the wheels influenced the results. (They did not.)
We tested and tested all morning. Different tires, the same tires in different widths, the same tires at different pressures. Clinchers, tubulars, racing tires, touring tires, new tires and well-worn tires with thin tread.
We tested the same baseline tire three times during our test session – first, in the middle and last – to see whether conditions had changed. We were lucky: the morning was completely calm. It also was overcast, so temperatures did not change. (We later found that temperature greatly affects the rolling resistance of tires.) One morning was not enough to complete our testing, so we spent many more days on the test track. Sometimes we went out at 4:30 a.m. only to have a light wind spring up. All we could do was go home and hope for better luck next time.
At the end, we had pages and pages of measurements that we formatted for analysis. During our analysis, we found some interesting results:
- The speed differences between our tires were even greater than those tested by TOUR. The fastest tire, the Deda Tre, rolled 20% faster than the slowest, the Rivendell Nifty-Swifty. A 20% difference in on-the-road speed is huge!
- Wider tires roll faster. A Michelin Pro2 Race in 25 mm width was faster than the same tire's 23 mm version, which in turn was faster than the 20 mm version.
- Very high tire pressures don't roll much faster. Above an "adequate" tire pressure, the tire's speed increases only very slightly with higher pressures. This contradicted the tests performed on steel drums, including those by TOUR.
- Tires should not be tested without a rider on the bike. Most of the energy is lost in the rider, as vibrations cause friction in the body's tissues (suspension losses). That is why testing in the lab can be misleading. In the lab, higher pressures roll significantly faster, but on the road, the suspension losses increase with higher pressures and cancel the advantage of the reduced tire deformation.
One important question was still open: Did the results represent real differences in tire performance, or was there too much noise in the data? After all, even slight changes in rider position, a tiny gust of wind, or other factors might influence the results. To check this, Mark, who has a Ph.D. with a Minor in Statistics, did a sophisticated statistical analysis. He found that our results were "statistically significant." (Basically, he compared the data from the three runs of the same tire with the data from different tires. The variations between runs with the same tire were much smaller than the variations between different tires.) This means we really did measure differences in tire performance. (Many studies skip this step, but it's crucially important.)
Our research had profound implications:
- Tire resistance is much more important than previously thought. For most riders, changing the tires is by far the biggest improvement they can make to their bikes' performance. (Aero wheels will improve your bicycle's speed by less than 2%, whereas tires can make a 20% difference.)
- On steel drums, wider tires were slower because they had to run at relatively low pressures. Once we had shown that the high pressures served little benefit, it became clear that on real roads, wider tires are faster, period.
- The secret to a fast tire is a supple casing. Compared to the casing, all other tire factors are relatively unimportant… In the past, many considered a high pressure rating as a sign of a "good, fast" tire. In fact, tires with high pressure ratings tend to need sturdier casings that make the tire slower.
Like most research that calls into question long-held beliefs, our findings first met with much skepticism, but over the years, they have become widely accepted. We used our research to help Grand Bois design supple, wide tires that offer more comfort and better performance than most other tires. Switching to these new tires, my times in randonneur brevets decreased significantly. (I had been riding some of the slower tires in our test!) In addition, I no longer had a hard time keeping up in pacelines. (In a paceline, the air resistance is significantly reduced by drafting, and most of the resistance you have to overcome is rolling resistance.)
Today, even professional racers no longer worry about tire pressure. Their tires now are wider and run at lower pressures than those of most "weekend warriors." And for the rest of us, this research has made it possible to build bikes with comfortable 42 mm tires that are as fast as racing bikes.
There still are some questions about tires that remain to be answered: whether clinchers truly are faster than tubulars; at what point the advantages of wider tires turn into disadvantages (it is unlikely that a 100 mm-wide tire rolls faster than a 50 mm-wide one), and whether tire deflection due to pedaling causes additional resistance when running very low pressures (in our tests, the rider coasted). We have been doing more research, and will report on it in future issues of Bicycle Quarterly.
Further reading:
- Bicycle Quarterly Vol. 5, No. 1: Full report on our testing.
- Bicycle Quarterly Vol. 5, No. 3: Statistical analysis of our tires tests, more tires tested.
- Optimizing your tire pressure for your weight (online sample article from Bicycle Quarterly).
- Bicycle Quarterly Vol. 9, No. 4: Do larger wheels roll faster over bumps? We measure power output with three wheel diameters.
- Bicycle Quarterly Vol. 8, No. 1: Suspension losses measured, and more tires tested on rough and smooth surfaces.
- Bicycle Quarterly Vol. 9, No. 1: Casing construction (threads per inch/tpi) and performance.


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Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BK) reported second-quarter 2011 earnings on Tuesday and slightly beat expectations with earnings per share of $0.59 compared with analysts' consensus EPS of $0.56. Also on Tuesday, the asset manager and custody bank declared a stock dividend of $0.13 per share.
Clearing services revenue from the Pershing unit, which oversees RIA custody, was $290 million in the second quarter, flat against the $290 million it reported in the first quarter but up 21% from the $240 million reported a year ago at this time.
Profits for the parent company rose 11.7% to $735 million in net income versus $658 million in Q2 2010, BNY Mellon's earnings release showed. Q1 2011 net income totaled $625 million. The company's fee revenue and stock market gains both helped bring the firm's assets under custody and management to record levels despite stubbornly low interest rates.
Assets under management rose 22%, with $32 billion of net flows in Q2, while assets under custody and administration rose 21%. This strong performance is an improvement over last quarter, when BNY Mellon missed estimates despite Pershing's strong results.
"Fees and net interest revenue grew nicely over both the prior year and quarter, leading to EPS growth of 9% and 18%, respectively," said Robert P. Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer of BNY Mellon, in a statement. "Expense growth remained high due in part to legal and regulatory costs. We are taking additional actions to reduce expenses."
As a sign of BNY Mellon's strength, no provision was made in Q2 for credit losses in the latest period, compared with a reserve of $20 million a year ago. BNY Mellon is the world's largest custody bank by assets.
The year-over-year increase in Pershing's clearing services revenue reflected the impact of its acquisition of PNC's Global Investment Servicing acquisition, growth in mutual fund assets and positions and new business. The acquisition, which closed in Q3 2010, added approximately $850 billion of funds under administration, nearly $460 billion of custody assets and about 4,400 employees, based mostly in Philadelphia, Boston and Wilmington, Del.
However, Pershing's revenue increase was partially offset by lower transaction volumes and higher money market fee waivers.
In the investment management unit, revenue from wealth management fell 1% in the second quarter, to $163 million versus $164 million in the first quarter, though it rose 7% year-over-year from $153 million in Q2 2010.
Investment management includes services to institutional and retail investors, as well as investment management, wealth and estate planning and private banking solutions to high net worth individuals and families, and foundations and endowments.
Performance fees in investment management stood at $18 million for the quarter, down 5% for the year but up 6% for the quarter.
For more Q2 news, go to AdvisorOne's Earnings Calendar for the Finance Sector.


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Change is difficult
Lasting change is even more difficult
Whether you are an individual, a couple, a family, or an organization, and whether you are looking for a coach, psychotherapist / counselor, or a consultant if you are trying to create lasting change you need someone
- you can trust
- who listens well
- who helps you to explore
- who can go as deep as needed to help overcome obstacles to progress
- who can pay attention to the details while keeping an eye on the big picture
- who feels like a good fit for you and what you are trying to accomplish
- who has the experience, education, and training to help you get from where you are to where you want to be
Please click on the following link if you would like to see if I might be a good fit for you. Please explore the rest of the site to see the services I offer.
I would be happy to talk with you to see if life coaching, executive coaching, individual counseling, individual psychotherapy, or marriage counseling with me would help you. If you contact me, I'd be happy to provide a free consultation.


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PINE A64, First $15 64-Bit Single Board Super Computer
Update 12/14/15 (We're putting it here so it's easier to read) : To help minimize the flooding of our inbox so we can get everyone back to all the questions and concerns... please read our FAQs at the bottom of the page. Most commonly asked is buying more than 1 board and save on shipping. Please just pledge 1 and you can add additional boards after the campaign i over, along with any upgrades accessories you want to add. Thank You. This will help us answer emails and questions a lot faster. Thank you for your support.
PINE A64 is not only a computer, it is a super affordable 64-bit high performance expandable single board computer (SBC). Whether you are an IT professional, electronics hobbyist, student, teacher, hacker, inventor, or just someone who wants to have more flexibility to increase their productivity at work, the PINE A64 is a computer board made for everyone. Enjoy more fun and entertainment at home with endless possibilities.
PINE A64 is Small
PINE A64 is Powerful
The PINE64 CPU is a quad-core ARM A53 64-bit processor that runs at 1.2GHz.
The GPU on the PINE A64 is a dual-core MALI-400 MP2 and runs at 500MHz, capable of 1.1 Gpixel/s throughput. This means the graphics capabilities are slightly higher than the original X-Box's level of performance.
PINE A64 board is powered by the latest 64-bit quad core ARM A53 CPU and delivers up to 20-30% better performance than other 32 bit open source counterparts.
PINE64 is Expandable
Add different hardware interfaces to your PINE A64 as you see fit. Depending on whether you pick the PINE A64 or PINE A64+, the PINE A64 ships defaults with two USB ports, HDMI output, 3.5mm Audio/Mic Output, ethernet port, and two I/O expansion buses. On the more advanced PINE A64+ model, you will receive three additional ports to add optional accessories such as: camera module, touch panel module, and the LCD Panel port.
PINE A64 is Versatile
Add a keyboard and mice and turn PINE A64 into a full Android 5.1 computer to run Chrome Browser, Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, or even watch your favorite shows on YouTube.
Load special versions of Android 5.1 and launch media players to turn this into an advanced Apple TV-like Android product. PINE A64 supports miracast.
Install a touchscreen module and choose from hundreds of thousands of games from the Android store to build your own arcade.
Play your favorite games on the big screen!
Fruit Ninja anyone?
Build a custom enclosure to use the PINE64 in your next innovative project.
PINE A64 is not just a media player, Linux platform, learning tool, or gaming device. It's a full 64-bit, 4K capable, fully expandable, single board supercomputer.
By being so affordable at $15, PINE A64 now opens up doors to new opportunities for everyone. Use it to build just almost anything.
Operating System
Because PINE A64 is an open source platform, you can load anything you want but we suggest to pair PINE A64 with Ubuntu, Android or openHAB IoT. By aligning the PINE A64 to be compatible with these operating systems, you basically get access to over 1.7 Million apps* on the market today, from utilities, games, and media apps.
*Android Apps available today
We're teaming up with great companies! Some of our strategic partners are listed below:
Updatable, Swappable
Unlike many other boards and computers, PINE A64 stores its boot disk on a removable MicroSD card capable of supporting up to 256GB. This allows users to simply update, re-install, or even swap operating systems by simply removing a card and inserting a new one. Additional storage if needed can be added by plugging in a USB thumb drive or external hard drive.
We're More, but Also Less
The typical desktop computer or server will operate anywhere between 75 to 300 watts. The PINE A64 board provides the same power of desktop computing at a mere 2.5 to 3.5 watts. By simply leveraging already existing power efficiency found in table architectures, PINE A64 board is able to save you so much more in power without sacrificing anything in performance. The PINE64 runs on 5V power through MicroUSB or 3.7V battery through on-board power management.
Affordable and Simplified
PINE A64 is an affordable computer that fits in the palm of your hand and plugs into a TV or computer monitor with a standard keyboard and mice. With the support of Ubuntu OS and Android Lollipop, we allow the user to explore the world of computing and programming from beginner to expert with ease.
Learn to program in languages like Python, JSON, HTML and JAVA. Browse the internet and play 4K high-definition videos. Access more than 1.7 million apps on Android's app market and play your favorite games.
The PINE A64 is compatible with different kinds of adapters and accessories available on our PINE64 Shop by adding an Add-On Accessory Board. Add on accessories such as bluetooth adapter, Zwave adapter, dry contact I/O board, camera, sensors, 802.11BGN wifi, and more. By loading the OS on an external MicroSD card, it's easy for you to update and load new files.
We had the pleasure of showing Rackspace Futurist and Tech Blogger Robert Scoble the PINE64 and what did he think?
What Other People Are Saying About Us?
"This board one of the most impressive, inexpensive options for anyone looking to implement high resolution video in their project." – MAKE Magazine
"PINE A64 is a $15, 'high-performance' take on the Raspberry Pi." –Engadget
"The new Pine A64 is a tiny little computer with great big ambitions." – BGR.com
"Not only does the Pine A64 have a higher clock speed, it also has a more advanced architecture, which consumes less power and achieves greater performance." – Tom's Hardware
"The biggest advantage is has is in its support for 64bit software. That means that homebrew hackers, school children and students can all hack together much more impressive applications for the Pine A64 than they can for the Pi 2." –Digital Trends
"It's already turning heads amongst the microcomputing community." –9 to 5 Toys
"The PINE A64 aims to be the most affordable 64-bit single board computer on the market." –Slash Gear
"PINE64 boasts the ability to compute at the same level as a 250-watt supercomputer while only using an amazing 2.5 watts!" –Inquisitr
"The problem with some of these computers, however, is their lack of power. Pine64 Inc. is hoping to change that, with its Pine A64." –Tech Times
"As maker culture continues to gain more momentum with consumers, the 'PINE64' Quad-Core Mini PC is a product that speaks specifically to the DIY consumer that's looking for an enhanced level of customization." –Trend Hunter
"Today, amazingly, you can buy a computer for $8 or less. They're great 32-bit boards, but what if you want 64-bit support? Now it only costs you an extra ten bucks." – Geek.com
"The expandable single-board device runs either Linux or Android and features impressive specs that outshine comparable products by a substantial margin." –Yahoo! Tech
"This 64-Bit Quad-Core Computer costs less than a week of coffees." –PSFK
"What is great about PINE64 is that it's versatile and expandable, but also that it is capable of running almost any modern GNU/Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu, as well as the Android 5.1 mobile operating system, OpenWrt, and openHUB." –Softpedia News
"The new PINE64 mini PC will be capable of running a variety of different operating systems including Android 5.1, Ubuntu Linux, and others and will be available priced at under $20." –Geeky Gadgets
Many tested components made by trusted manufactures can be sold separately on the PINE64 website after Kickstarter. We will be adding more tested components as we go. These components include bluetooth keyboards and mouse that we have tested along with wifi upgrades and different enclosures that our beta testers have been creating. You will be able to download 3D print files, test other modules and even add batteries.
Who Are We & Why Do We Need Your Help?
We're a team of designers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. We've spent the last year developing and designing this $15 computer and we need your support on this open platform. The PINE A64 board will always be $15 and with your support, our manufacturing partners can produce the quantities we need and hopefully even bring the price down.
In addition, with a community of the general public, including inventors, engineers, students, scientists, hobbyists, and even the average consumer, we want this project to reach everyone. Being able to bring minds together, we want to create new products, save costs, and even help the world make a difference. Imagine if we could get a head start in creating the future just by getting a PINE A64 computer into the hands of every child in the world.
We have brought on board industry specialists to help us create this community and hope that everyone can join us to make a difference, one board at a time.
We've Partnered up with Backerkit!
We've partnered up with Backerkit for a smooth, streamline experience for your checkout. Backerkit is a great partner to have to help us coordinate your accessories and upgrades.
GroupGets empowers users to securely join or organize group buys for any existing product. They also create custom accessory hardware and software for some of the products that they carry.
They're a great company to partner up with as they are helping us with tons of engineering and module designs.
Stretch Goal #1 - $1,000,000
Stretch Goal #1 releases an integrated power switch circuit for easy on and off on the board just wire up your own switch. We're going to add this to all the boards free of charge if we reach $1M. (Note - changed from switch to placement for switch due to requests of not integrating a physical switch)
Risks and challenges
This is everyone's biggest fear - capability to manufacture. We have a dedicated team located within an hour drive from the manufacturer so that we can deal with issues that may arise in person and in real time. Our team is staffed with experienced professionals in the sourcing and hardware manufacturing industries. Our expertise and proximity to the factory should be able to mitigate any of the manufacturing issues that may occur. TL Lim has successfully launched multiple media boxes called the Popcorn Hour shipping over half a million units to date while Johnson Jeng has been through the entire manufacturing process multiple times with his other consumer electronics companies. Our combined experiences and issues we have faced in the past allows us to maneuver around problems that may happen during production.
PINE64 will be released as an open platform project allowing others from all around the world contribute and build upon. We have a dedicated forum (http://forum.pine64.org) built to address questions and concerns. We currently have tons of beta testers that are willing to share ideas and help solve problems as a community.
We have asked industry specialists such as Daniel Kottke, #12 employee of Apple, and Kai Kreuzer, Founder of OpenHAB to help with contributing to our forums. Our experienced technical staff is always available via email at firstname.lastname@example.com to assist you with any questions or concerns.
Global Logistics
We are working with highly experienced logistic partners to help us mitigate any issues that may arise with our fulfillment. If shipping issues come up, their expert knowledge will help us navigate through difficulties and help us get PINE64 into your hands. We will be fulfilling from multiple distribution warehouses to reach global coverage and currently plan to ship to every country in the world. TL's previous company Syabas Technologies behind the Popcorn Hour media box has shipped more than half a million units globally.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Funding period
- (45 days)


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Specifically, "The MacQuillans were lords of the territory of the Routes, in co. Antrim, holding their chief residence in the fine old sea-girt castle of Dunluce." MacLysaght agrees "The MacQillans are of Norman- Welsh descent: they settled soon after the invasion in the territory called the Route (co. Antrim.)" [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
One of the first records of the family was Malcolm MacQuillan who died in 1307. Little is known of his heritage, but what we do know is that he was granted safe conduct by the English so he could assail Scottish forces, on Scotland's western seaboard, with his galley fleet. He was part of a fleet of eighteen galleys with 1,000 men who landed near Stranraer, now a town in southwest Scotland in Inch, Dumfries and Galloway. But, this force was quickly overwhelmed by local forces led by Dungal MacDouall. MacQuillan was captured and executed. His head and the heads from two Irish chiefs were sent back to King Edward I.
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Morningside Elementary teacher Wendy Portillo had a vote last week with her class to teach a child a lesson about how his behavior effected his classmates. She felt that maybe if he heard this from someone else besides adults he may grasp the situation better, and respect others in a more proper fashion.
According to Slate:
Alex, who is autistic, was taken to the assistant principal, to whom he promised he would "not kick students, throw crayons, eat crayons, crawl under the table, kick the table of other students ... [or] disrupt the class," according to a police report. (See excerpts below and on the following six pages.) The assistant principal tucked in Alex's shirt, put his "shoes on the right feet and tied them," and sent Alex back to class. During Alex's absence, his teacher, Wendy Portillo, "gathered the students to talk with them" about the youngster's misbehavior.
When Alex returned, Portillo, who has been teaching in Port Lucie for 12 years, directed the youngster to the front of the room and "asked him to listen to what the children didn't like" about him. According to Alex, the children complained that he "eats paper, picks boogers … and bites his shoelaces," and Portillo herself said, "I hate you right now. I don't like you today." (Page 2). Portillo next "polled the class" about whether to let Alex back in (Page 4). Alex lost the class vote, 14-2, and spent the rest of the school day in the nurse's office. That night, Alex "did not eat dinner [and] would not sleep in his own bed." (Page 2).
The day after Alex's kindergarten show trial, his furious mother contacted the police school resource officer to report Portillo for child abuse. The police officer interviewed Alex ("Mrs. Portillo is very mean," Page 2); the teacher ("the students in class were all her priority," Page 3); and several child witnesses (Pages 5 and 6), and in the end concluded there was no "probable cause" for criminal child abuse (Page 6). The St. Lucie County Public School District is still investigating whether any department regulations were violated.
CBS News had this interview with Alex's mom:
In this video the mother stated that after the classroom took a vote 14 to 2 to kick the student out of her classrom, and she said the child, "How do you feel?" The children said he felt sad. She asked him where he was going to go, and the child mentioned the principals office. The teacher said, "They don't want you there!"
Another portion was that his best friend in the class was also asked if Alex should say in the class, and his friend said he wanted him to stay. The teacher then called on that friend a second time, and I'm sure the poor child felt pressured and finally decided to go along with the crowd.
As a parent of a disabled child this interview made me cry. I have been in situations myself in which I felt all I was doing was defending my child's rights as a human, and adminstrators attempted to strip it away.
There are places popping up all over the place showing support for this child, and attempting to show him how special he is! They are sending cards, and having facebooks made. The child is still struggling as he recounts how the different children in that class were asked to one by one tell Alex WHAT they didn't like about him! Then voting to have him removed. The principal telling the mother that the teacher felt she didn't do anything wrong.
It amazes me the cruelity that people can place upon others. We are talking about a child in kindergarden. How do you think this will effect his view of school from this day forward? I can only imagine!
Adventures In Frickintardistan
Have some lively dicussion about this child.
My prayers are with you Alex, and with you as well Ms. Portillo. I don't think you realize how much you took from this child, and I don't CARE how much of a handful he was.


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Artist description:
A REPRODUCTION of Colors in a Rainbow by Jim Warren for the very wonderful and kind, Crystal Moon. Special thanks to R-T who helped fix the moon. :D The original: [Link]
Java Draw Created Sep 02, 2009 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2009 mingu.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
So unique and amazing draw.. 5h coll
Very nice!!! Love how the rainbow stands out like that! :) 5h and faves
very pretty
very pretty (: i love jim warren as well his art is very nice ...and you did a wonderfull job +5 and nothing less
Ohhh~ *Whistles* I'm the 300th rater!!! This is absolutely wonderful!!! 5♥s!
wowowowowow!!!amazing view!!!5/5
Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!! 5/5
This is fantastic. great idea black and white with a color rainbow, wow nice
this is amazing
love this Mingu


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Learn how to paint a work of art to take home while enjoying some coffee, tea, or specialty drinks. Linda Joyce will lead a class through all the steps to make a painting: $30 covers the cost of all materials used for the class as well as the canvas that you will get to take home with you at the end of the night. Come into the coffee house for more info or to sign up for a class.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: February 28Free Horse Seminar
Later Event: March 7Family Brew N' Paint


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Sure, it's nice to cuddle up in front of the television for a movie, but why not go out to see live theater? Small theaters offer some wonderful live performances in spaces almost as cozy as your family room. And the best part of that is you might feel as if you're part of the play.
"I think that people do get an extra dimension of live theater when they are in a smaller venue and they really feel like they're there with the actors," said Steve Stajich, the director of "Auto Parts," which will be presented at the Fremont Centre Theatre in South Pasadena Aug. 22 through Sept. 20.
Stajich says that a large stage can separate the performers from the audience, so it is like going to the movies.
Another advantage of attending a show at an intimate theater is that the actors can offer a more expressive and detailed performance that would be lost in a larger space.
"That intimacy compels the performances to be that more acute and involving," Stajich said.
Some other small theaters across the Los Angeles area include Little Fish Theatre in San Pedro, Long Beach Playhouse's Studio Theatre, the Garage Theatre in Long Beach, Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood and West Valley Playhouse in Canoga Park. Intimate theaters such as these offer an unspoken promise that the audience will be interested and involved through the entire show.
"It starts to get to what live theater can do and does do that makes it really special," Stajich said.
"Auto Parts" is a play consisting of four interrelated parts that are all linked to cars in some way. This is a piece that explores love, sex, murder and other adult topics. What makes "Auto Parts" stand out is that it involves the audience even before the curtain rises. Each evening before the show, theatergoers select the order of its four parts.
"This causes them to have a stake that can be bigger than that they're maybe just interested in the subject matter of any particular play," he said. Choosing the order of the four parts means the audience has had an impact on the performance.
Intimate theaters also are an antidote to the growing presence of the digital experience in our lives. "Small theater potentially could be what people go to when one day they just turn off their iPads and say, 'That's it. I've got to see something with humans.' Small theater can function, among all the other things it is able to do, as an antidote to fatigue of digital content," Stajich said.
Michael Cooper grew up in Chicago and spent many hours in small theaters, which are accepted as mainstream there. Later, he moved to California and ran his own theater company for 25 years. He often directs productions at the Sierra Madre Playhouse, including the upcoming production of "The Lion in Winter" Sept. 27-Nov. 16.
"Smaller theater in general is absolutely fantastic because people like the intimacy," Cooper said. "There's something to be said for the larger theaters also, but the smaller theaters allow creative people, directors, actors, to experiment more with the play and the written word."
Part of the impetus for experimentation lies in the necessity of stripping down a production to accommodate a smaller venue, but the payoff, Cooper said, is the excitement about a show being presented differently.
The Sierra Madre Playhouse is intimate theater as far as the number of seats go, but it has a surprisingly large stage area. Cooper will present "The Lion in Winter" in an open space style as Shakespeare originally indicated in his script. Rather than a fancy, full set, the focus will be on the characters, costumes, lighting and details, allowing for a greater emotional impact of watching King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine clash over their favored successor.
"The biggest challenge is getting audiences to attend a smaller space," Cooper said. "In the economy nowadays, if people are going to save for a night out at the theater, they're going to choose the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson and the well-known title. With the smaller places, the challenge is to get those audiences to see what can be done in a smaller space and get them to return."
It can be a challenge to draw audiences to simple, small theaters in busy cities, Cooper said, because parking can be difficult to find and people who aren't familiar with the area can't plan ahead for dinner before or cocktails after. Sierra Madre is a perfect spot for theater, as it is a safe area with many restaurants and shops and ample free parking.
"People should come to see a great play because it is a great play. Not only is it a great play, it's in a great space," Cooper said.


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State Incentives
The City of Thibodaux is a great place to be for business. We understand however that often times the presence of certain support is required, especially when there are major infrastructure components incorporated into the project. The City of Thibodaux can assist your company in putting together an incentives package that meets your needs. Browse the list of incentives below to learn more.
Also go to www.louisianaforward.com
These business incentives are funded by the State of Louisiana to attract and cultivate business. Find out about the Enterprise Zone, Quality Jobs, Restoration Tax Abatement and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
The LED Board of Commerce & Industry administers these incentives.
Enterprise Zone
The Enterprise Zone (EZ) Program is a JOBS incentive program that provides Louisiana Income and Franchise tax credits to a business hiring a minimum number of net new employees.
- Requires an Advance Notification form.
- Must increase employment by 10% within the first 12 months;
- Or, add at least 5 new jobs in the first two years.
Quality Jobs
The Quality Jobs Program promotes economic development by encouraging businesses to create well-paid jobs.
- Requires an Advance Notification form.
- Must be in one of the following industry clusters: Bio-Science, Manufacturing, IT, Environmental Technology, Food Technology, Advanced Materials or Oil & Gas Field Service;
- Or, must have at least 75% of sales out-of-state;
- Or, must have at least 50% of annual sales out-of-state;
- And, must provide a basic health care insurance plan.
Restoration Tax
The Restoration Tax Abatement (RTA) Program encourages the expansion, restoration, improvement and development of existing commercial structures and owner-occupied residences in specified districts.
- Requires an Advance Notification form.
- Applies to municipalities and local governments to develop existing structures in Downtown Development Districts, Economic Development Districts or Historic Districts.
Industrial Tax
Available exclusively to manufacturers, the Industrial Tax Exemption Program is Louisiana's original incentive program for capital investments.
- Special circumstances may require an Advance Notification form.
- Applies to capital investments for new or existing Louisiana manufacturers only.
Research &
Development Tax
The Research & Development Tax Credit encourages existing businesses with operating facilities in Louisiana to establish or continue research and development activities within the state.
- Applies to businesses that encourage development, growth and expansion within the state;
- And, encourage new and continuing efforts to conduct research and development activities in the state.
The Industry Assistance Program provides a tax exemption when manufacturers and their contractors give preference and priority to Louisiana manufacturers or Louisiana suppliers, engineers, contractors and labor.
- Must be a Louisiana manufacturer with facilities in the state;
- And, maintain current employment;
- And, commit to significant investment to continue doing business in Louisiana.
Tax Equalization
The Tax Equalization Program attracts, retains and encourages the expansion of manufacturing establishments, headquarters, warehousing and distribution establishments to Louisiana that would not do so in Louisiana due to a higher tax burden.
- Must be a manufacturing establishment, headquarters or warehousing and distribution establishment planning an expansion;
- The competing site in another state must offer comparative advantages to Louisiana.
Federal Business Incentives
Federal money has been made available to businesses through such programs as the Gulf Opportunity Zone, Renewal Communities and New Markets Tax Credits Incentives and more.
Renewal Communities (RCs) are distressed areas in urban and rural communities that the federal government has targeted for development and where businesses are eligible for billions of dollars in tax incentives. New Markets Tax Credits
Investors in qualified projects can obtain a tax credit of five or six percent of the amount invested for each year the investment is held, for up to seven years of the credit period.


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Today Zynga transforms FarmVille into a magical wonderland of joy and laughter and joyness with the Enchanted Glen update, now live for players level 15 and up that didn't manage to secure early access. Can I farm ponies now?
According to the Zynga blog post, FarmVille's ninth expansion tells the story of the Sun Fairy Sola, who has fallen into a magical slumber. The only way to restore order is by harnessing the most powerful for in the universe — farming. This makes complete sense to me.
Using the power of farming, players will unlock a variety of new magical crops and animals, including not only winged horses, but winged cows as well. Winged cows.
I love that FarmVille isn't above tearing a massive gaping hole in reality in order to slip in additional content for its dedicated players. Lesser games would have just released a fantasy-themed spin-off. FarmVille transcends physical law to keep its players happy, and that's magic.


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Anyone have a working link to the trailer that played at comic con?
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Anyone have a working link to the trailer that played at comic con?
Fully combined poster. Awesome.
SHIELD heli-carrier looks great.
I love how Hawkeye's just...there... in the full poster.
I'm interested in how the movie will play out. I'm hoping it's longer than most marvel movies as we need to get the plot going, introduce Cap' to the modern age, tie in all the characters, figure out exactly what happened to Banner after the last movie, and give Hawkeye something to...well make him important.
I have a strong feeling Red Skull will make his return to present Earth at the end of the first Avenger movie and will play a role in freeing captured villains in the first movie...and wreak havoc on the second movie....as a super villain team who succeeds in defeating the heroes...and a hero come back on a third sequel. Predictable? Just you watch...it will happen. HOLLYWOOD NEVER FAILS!
Oh and about Hawkeye...I wonder if they will adapt the Black Widow as a double agent scheme just like in the recent cartoon series... that would be fun to watch.
Black Widow is ALWAYS a double agent.
Too bad all Marvel characters aren't in Marvel Studios posession. These movies could be 10X more fun with Cameos all day err day.
Albeit... Reed Richards doesn't need to be in anything. So it's good Fox has the F4. That guy is ridiculous...
Cyclops has taken over the "Douche of the Marvel Universe" title the last couple years.
His character's not too great either.
I like cyclops only because beams. I haven't heard too many positive things about Ultimate Marvel characters except for Peter Parker. Ant Man apparently beats Jan?
Ultimate Kitty Pryde is pretty awesome too.Quote:
I like cyclops only because beams. I haven't heard too many positive things about Ultimate Marvel characters except for Peter Parker. Ant Man apparently beats Jan?
Ultimate Spidey's the only guy from that universe who's actually better than his 616 counterpart currently though (OMD didn't help).
From what I understood from /co/, he only slapped Jan in a mental break down in the old series, but in the Ultimate series, he beat her multiple times, and even put ants on her while she was in wasp form..
that sounds way more harsh.
Either way... it's seems the EMH version is the way to go, if any.
I need to go to a comic shop and just buy the old series... Although, I don't really feel like I'm going to be happy with the results. A lot of the stuff I read about the Marvel universe is just... depressing.
The only thing I remember of Ant-Man is when Dogpool peed on him in a plant at Avengers HQ...and then started chasing him...and then was saved by Sunny, the Sentry Dog.
Ultimate Hank did all that stuff AND sprayed her with roach spray, then sicked the ants at her. But she's dead now. Blob ate her head.
To be fair, everyone in the Ultimate Universe except for Spider-Man and his cast are dicks.
Don't forget Jesus!Thor.
Oh yeah, he was nice enough despite being a bit of a hippie. Well, that and he was reasonably powered (like no fire or time powers).
Ultimate X-men was pretty enjoyable. But for the ultimate universe in general....they just take the worst trait of likable characters and make that all about them. Ultimate Deadpool was simply an unfunny asshole, ultimate Nightcrawler kidnapped Dazzler because she liked Angel, and flipped out on Colossus for being gay. Kinda worked with making Wolverine an asshole..I mean he's treated like a saint in certain versions despite a bad rep. Then of course we get Xavier....my god I just LOATHE Ultimate Xavier.
Ultimate Spider-Man is amazing though.
Really though, the only reason most characters were dickish is because Millar (and Loeb...) wrote a lot of stories. The X-Men cast suddenly became a lot nicer when Vaughan was writing.
--- Update From New Post Merge ---


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The biggest lobster ever caught in Maine, with claws strong enough to snap a man's arm, was released back into the ocean Thursday after being trapped in a shrimp net last week, according to Reuters.
Cushing shrimp fisherman Robert Malone caught the monster crustacean in his nets Friday, said Maine State Aquarium Director Aimee Hayden-Rodriques. Malone gave it to the Department of Marine Resources for its aquarium in Boothbay Harbor, according to the Associated Press.
The beast weighed in at 27 pounds and measured nearly 40 inches long. It was dubbed Rocky because it was caught in the Rockland area, but Hayden-Rodriquez said it could have been named for Rocky the boxer because its claws are big enough to pack quite a punch.
The lobster is the biggest ever brought to the aquarium, surpassing the previous biggest one by 4 pounds. It's downright huge compared to lobsters people eat, which typically weigh between 1 and 2 pounds.
The biggest lobster on record was caught off Nova Scotia and weighed more than 40 pounds.


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FROSTBURG, Md. – The York College softball team lost both games of a doubleheader on the road at Frostburg St. in a Capital Athletic Conference matchup on Wednesday afternoon. The Spartans pushed the first game to eight innings, but fell 4-3. The Spartans then fell 14-5 in six innings in the nightcap.
York now stands at 6-22 overall and 2-4 in the CAC. Frostburg improves to 21-6 overall and 2-1 in the conference.
In the first contest of the day, the Bobcats were the first to strike. Frostburg scored a run in the bottom of the first with an RBI single through the right side of the field.
Both teams had little going on offense for the next few innings. The Spartans struck in the fourth inning to tie up the game 1-1. Payton Hill (Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) singled up the middle, allowing Aryn Johnston (Bowie, Md./Bowie) to score.
Frostburg regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with another RBI single. The Spartans defense came up with a big double play to get the Green and White out of a bases loaded situation.
Sara Thacker (Ijamsville, Md./Urbana) rocketed a shot out to right center field, helping Hannah Hugel (Paoli, Pa./Conestoga) tie up the game in the top of the sixth. Heading into extra innings, the Spartans took their first lead of the day. Sarah Harris (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) singled to the second basemen and Cara Rubinaccio (Boonton, N.J./Morris Knolls) was able to speed home.
The Bobcats were able to dig deep and score two runs in the bottom of the eight inning to clinch the win.
Leading the Spartans on offense was Brooke LaBell (Stanhope, N.J./Lenape Valley) who finished 2-for-3. Hill, Thacker and Harris all were 1-for-4 from the plate and each had an RBI.
Morgan Levine (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) started in the circle for the Spartans. Levine pitched 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, with three walks and one strikeout. Cory Urkuski (Mohnton, Pa./Twin Valley) finished out the remainder of the game and was credited with the loss. Urkuski threw for 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, with one walk and one strikeout.
Pacing the Bobcats on offense was Caitlin Lovend who finished 3-for-4 from the plate and had two RBI's.
Mary Ann Moore earned the win for Frostburg. She pitched all eight innings for the Bobcats, allowing three runs on five hits, with five walks and six strikeouts.
The majority of game two was also very close. The Spartans started out quickly with three runs in the top of the first. York took advantage of an early error by the Bobcats to get on base. Hill had a deep shot out to left center that allowed both Johnston and Hugel to score. Two batters later, Harris notched a single up the middle to help Hill get home.
Frostburg cut the Spartans lead to one in the bottom of the inning, with two runs of their own.
The Spartans struck again in the top of the third with two more runs. Hill recorded another double, helping Johnston to round the bases. Later in the inning, Harris hit a sacrifice fly out to left field, which allowed Kayleen Bell (Herndon, Va./Westfield) to race home. This time, The Bobcats had an answer for the Spartans. Frostburg took advantage of three errors by the Green and White defense to score five runs on four hits in the bottom of the third. With the five runs, the Bobcats took control of the lead 7-5.
The Spartans could not recover from the inning and would not be able to score another run. The Bobcats added one run in the fifth inning and then closed out the game with six runs in the sixth inning.
Hill led the Spartan offense in game two. She finished 3-for-3 from the plate with one run scored and three RBI's.
Levine recorded the loss, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits. Thacker pitched the first .2 innings before Levine came in. Thacker allowed two runs on three hits. Cory Urkuski came in for the final 3.2 innings, allowing nine runs on nine hits, with three walks and one strikeout.
The Bobcats were led on offense by Taylor Vandergrift who finished the game 3-for-3, with five RBI's and three runs.
Starting pitcher, Nicole Bradford, earned the win for the Bobcats. Bradford pitched the first five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks. Moore finished the game, pitching one inning, allowing zero hits.
The Spartans return to action on Saturday for a CAC doubleheader at Mary Washington. Game one is set to start at 12:30 pm.


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Acid Reflux and Chinese Medicine
Acid reflux is a problem which we see in the clinic frequently and it responds very well to acupuncture and herbal therapy.
Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease (GIRD or GERD) occurs when stomach acid inappropriately flows backward into the esophagus. Many people will experience this occasionally. However, for about 25 to 35 percent of the people in the United States, this may become a chronic condition that can dramatically impact their enjoyment of life. The western medical treatment for GERD is to administer pharmaceuticals which either neutralize excessive stomach acid or decrease it's secretion. In the short term, this can be very useful and for occassional heartburn relatively safe. However, over the longer term side effects can become quite problematic. As an example, antacids are generally composed of calcium; aluminum hydroxide; sodium compounds and/or magnesium hydroxide. Side effects from these compounds may include:
- Carbonate: regular high doses may cause alkalosis, which in turn may result in altered excretion of other drugs, and kidney stones. A chemical reaction between the carbonate and hydrochloric acid may produce carbon dioxide gas. This causes gastric distension which may not be well tolerated. Carbon dioxide formation can also lead to headaches and decreased muscle flexibility.
- Aluminum hydroxide: may lead to the formation of insoluble aluminium-phosphate-complexes, with a risk for hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia. Although aluminium has a low gastrointestinal absorption, accumulation may occur in the presence of renal insufficiency. Aluminium-containing drugs may cause constipation.
- Magnesium hydroxide: has laxative properties. Magnesium may accumulate in patients with renal failure leading to hypermagnesemia, with cardiovascular and neurological complications. See Milk of magnesia.
- Sodium: increased intake of sodium may be deleterious for arterial hypertension, heart failure and many renal diseases.
For the proton pump class of drugs, including Nexium, Prilosec, Aciphex, Protonix and several others, acute side effects may include:
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Flatulence
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Rarely, breast enlargement in men and anemia.
Perhaps more concerning is the long term use of these drugs may potentially lead to more signficiant problems including an increased likelihood of infections, nutritional deficiencies and a greater propensity toward dementia.
Acupuncture in the treatment of Acid Reflux:
Acupuncture and Chinese herbology are extremely useful in both managing and effectively treating acid reflux, frequently eliminating it altogether. As in so many situations like this one, an acupuncturist will evaluate the patient on basis of how their body manifests both the disease as well as other health markers. From this evaluation we create a treatment which is tailored to the individual. It is this tailoring which makes for such an effective treatment.
- A recent Japanese article found that acupuncture was extremely effective in eliminating many of the causes of reflux and GERD. The study, which can be read here, found that,
... acupuncture relieves digestive impairment due to stress. This finding suggests that acupuncture is an effective modality for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (indigestion). Dyspepsia usually involves pain of the upper abdomen, bloating and sometimes nausea, heartburn and belching. Dyspepsia is also linked to GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease.
- An NIH funded study, published in the journal, Aliment Pharmacol Therapy, demonstrated that acupuncture was more effective than doubling the proton pump dose in the patient population studied.
- The American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology published a study in which it was demonstrated that acupuncture decreased the stomach sphincter relaxation, which leads to reflux by 40%.
- An interesting research study which demonstrates that GIRD/GERD and chronic sinusitis will often coexist in the same patient. Chinese medicine has long posited the same relationship and we frequently see that in our patients who have one of these problems experience an improvement in the second simultaneously.
- A recent study published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (and which can be read here):
. . . concludes that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of dyspepsia.Researchers examined a total sample size of 712 patients. They were randomly assigned to 6 groups. Group 1 received specific acupuncture points on the stomach (Leg Yangming) meridian. Group 2 received non-specific acupoints on the stomach meridian. Group 3 received acupuncture on alarm points and transport points. Group 4 received acupuncture on the gallbladder (Leg Shaoyang) meridan. Group 5 received sham acupuncture, which uses acupuncture needles applied to non-acupuncture points. Group 6 was administered itopride. Itopride is a drug made for the treatment of dyspepsia and many gastrointestinal disorders. It is a prokinetic benzamide.Patients received 5 acupuncture treatments per week for a period of 4 weeks. Follow-up was documented 12 weeks following the treatment period. All groups improved, however, Group 1 had over a 70 percent success rate. Group 1 received specific acupuncture points on the stomach meridian. The group with the lowest success rate was the sham acupuncture group with only a 34.75 percent improvement. The researchers concluded, "Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of functional dyspepsia, and is superior to non-acupoint puncture. The benefit of acupuncture relies on acupoint specificity."


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About this Quilt
Infinite Possibilities: Red & White Classic Block Variation Quilt Pattern
Named in honor of an influential quilt exhibit and the numerous potential arrangements of its blocks, this classic red and white Infinite Possibilities quilt pattern is a wonderful way to master machine curved piecing. Choose to make the bed size quilt featured in the McCall's Quilting issue shown below, or download the FREE lap size version at the link below.
Download a FREE pattern for a lap size version of this Infinite Possibilties quilt. (Problems downloading our PDF? Check out our troubleshooting tips.)
Skill Level INTERMEDIATE
Finished Size
Bed quilt: 90½˝ x 90½˝
Lap quilt Web Bonus: 60½˝ x 72½˝
Featured Fabrics
John used fabrics by Michael Miller (Cotton Couture Cranberry and Bright White) to make this quilt.
Designer Information
To see more quilts by John Kubiniec visit his blog, bigrigquilting.blogspot.com.
McCall's Lesson!
Our experts show you how to machine piece curves with step-by-step photos and instructions.
Check out our website for…
Library of FREE Quilt Patterns to download from McCallsQuilting.com – click here!
Library of FREE Vintage quilt patterns to download from McCallsQuilting.com – click here!
Alternate Colorway
Sweet 30s repro prints plus black-background dots and small prints give this version of John's design a nostalgic spin.
The Infinite Possibilities lap quilt is fully patterned in the McCall's Quilting March/April 2013 issue shown below. Print (while supplies last) or instant digital download available for purchase at QuiltandSewShop.com.
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ALBANY PARK — Can art inspire peace?
That's the central question behind Ten Thousand Ripples, an ambitious city-wide public art installation conceived by artist Indira Johnson.
Her vision: to locate Buddha-head statues in unexpected places in hopes of sparking conversation about peace.
Albany Park is one of 10 neighborhoods across Chicago participating in the experiment.
A first wave of Buddhas were installed in five neighborhoods last fall, with a second wave coming in spring 2013. Pilsen, Uptown, Little Village and Back of the Yards are among the other chosen locations.
Over the course of two years, Johnson met with numerous community organizations before settling on the eventual hosts for the statues of Buddha, the spiritual leader whose teachings are the foundation of Buddhism.
"We wanted to go into neighborhoods where there were challenges," she said. "We weren't interested in being on Michigan Avenue."
Peace so often is associated with beauty, Johnson noted. Ten Thousand Ripples takes that idea and stands it on its head, attempting to create that same sense of serenity in marginal spaces.
"Can you meditate in your alley?" she asked.
Albany Park Community Center (APCC), the North River Commission (NRC) and Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) teamed up to bring Ten Thousand Ripples to Albany Park.
"We've just learned time and again that artists are able to access our thoughts and emotions and provoke our thinking the way few people can," said Radhika Sharma Gordon, former coordinator of the Safety Net Works program for APCC.
Locations for the Buddhas were determined in part by a series of community meetings where attendees were asked to identify places in the neighborhood where they either felt peaceful or unsafe, according to Rebecca Rico, program coordinator and office manager for NRC.
One of the Buddhas is situated on a vacant lot at the corner of Central Park and Lawrence Avenues "emphasizing the barrenness of some of these large unused spaces," said Gordon.
Another rests inside a planter at the corner of Montrose and Whipple Avenues — "an area that has seen a lot of gang violence," said Rico.
By contrast, a pair of Buddhas can also be found at Global Garden, where a community garden and urban farm have sprung up on the site of a failed development.
The juxtaposition of the starkly white Buddhas against an urban background provides much of the exhibit's visual interest. "It symbolizes something clean and pure over all the crazy nonsense," Rico said.
Mark McKernin, professor and chair of the art department at NEIU, helped install the Buddhas, including two on the school's campus. The statues, crafted from lightweight fiberglass and resin, originally were filled with 100 pounds of sand and secured to the ground with metal spikes.
Thieves were not deterred.
A Buddha located on the South Side was vandalized — "They left the Buddha, they just wanted the stakes for scrap metal," said McKernin — and another was stolen.
"[McKernin] said, 'There's no way anyone can take this.' And...there is a way to take them," said Johnson, who replaced the missing sculpture.
The Buddhas are now attached to 300-pound concrete bases, though Johnson is prepared for the eventuality that more of her artwork may be targeted by bandits.
"We want to document the process," she said. "Why someone was so angry" that they would steal a Buddha. "That's the whole conversation."
In addition to giving the Buddhas a home in their communities, Johnson asked participating organizations to develop programming around the statues that spurred dialogue about peace.
To that end, APCC, with funding raised by Ten Thousand Ripples, placed artists in residence at North River Elementary, where instructors Holly Hutto and Pamela Chermansky of Global Explorers Kids engaged K-5 students once a week in multi-disciplinary art projects connected to the concept of peace.
"We played a lot of different theater games, did some musical meditation," said Chermansky. "A big part of Global Explorers in general is learning how to treat each other with respect, listening, waiting your turn, learning patience."
Conflict resolution was another key message presented to the children.
"At my house, when I see fighting, I help," said 10-year-old Bryan Garcia, who participated in the program.
Near the end of the 10-week course in late December, the students invited the community, including Johnson, to a sort of peace pageant. They played tug of war, joined hands to sing "Let There Be Peace on Earth" and unveiled a "peace tree," festooned with with messages like "no more guns."
Johnson surveyed the scene and said, "I had the seed of an idea and it blossomed. This is exactly what I wanted to happen."
The Buddhas will be in place in Albany Park through March, according to NRC.
For a self-guided tour of Albany Park's Buddhas, the locations are:
Albany Park Community Center, 4730 N. Kimball Ave.
Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave. (2)
Southeast corner of Lawrence and Central Park Avenues
Kimball Plaza, Northeast corner of Lawrence and Kimball Avenues
Northeast corner of Montrose and Whipple Avenues
Global Garden, 2950 W. Lawrence Ave. (2)
Frankenstone Art Center, 3310 W. Foster Ave.
NRC is awaiting approval on a final location along the CTA Brown Line, possibly near the Francisco stop.


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This velvety soft, silicone butt plug by Fun Factory is great for wearing during partner sex, as a warm-up for anal sex, or just for some playtime on your own.
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Despite Miley Cyrus' best efforts to recover from an "absolutely horrible reaction" to medication, the singer has postponed the remainder of her U.S. Bangerz tour dates.
According to a statement on the pop star's website, existing tickets will be honored on the new dates, which include previously cancelled and postponed dates, and the European leg of the tour will go on as planned.
Even though the songbird is understandably upset about staying put in the hospital and not hitting the road, the blond beauty hasn't lost her sense of humor.
"This hospitals full of a bunch of QUACKS (get it??? Quacks) #punnyeveninthehospy #stayinglightlovingandpositive #imissbangerztour #tryingtonotbebitter," the "Adore You" crooner captioned an Instagram selfie, donning a duck-face oxygen mask.
Cyrus also shared the new dates with her Twitter followers.
VIDEO: All the details about Miley Cyrus' hospitalization
Cyrus was set to perform in Nashville on Friday evening and tweeted her frustration about not being able to perform in front of her hometown.
"Sux seeing everyone havin fun in Nashville. My home town & the place I was looking the most forward to. Pissed off @ everything/everyone rn," she wrote.
PHOTOS: Miley Cyrus' wildest concert pics
Rescheduled Bangerz Dates �� 08/01 Uniondale NY 08/02 PhillyPA 08/04 PittsburgPA 08/06 Charlotte NC 08/07 Nashville TN 08/09 LouisvilleKY
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) April 19, 2014


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Big and colorful, this sturdy year 3 quarterly flipchart contains oversize pages and is perfect for preschool teachers to easily present the Bible lesson to their students.
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Answers Bible Curriculum is a three-year Sunday school program that covers the entire Bible in chronological order. It is designed and written to provide answers to the issues that confront today's culture through the media, school, friends, etc. ABC provides a thorough understanding of the authority and primary teachings of Scripture. All ages will be equipped to defend the Bible, and become conformed to the image of Christ, as they apply God's Word in their everyday lives.
Preschool, Grades 1-2, Grades 3-4, Grades 5-6, Junior High, High School, Adult.
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


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Is there a set of patches around for linux kernel that address accuracy of (system, rather than user) process time?
i've heard about RTLinux, but i don't really need the actual real-time scheduling constraints, i just need that the time measurements are accurate. If the process switch slipped by a couple milliseconds, so be it, but i need an accurate measurement of the actual time spent in the current process


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What makes for company culture? Foosball tables and free lunch Fridays? Is it long hours before launch day? Flexible vacation times?
Too often, when people talk about company culture, they fail to differentiate between values and style.
All of the above things are style. Working late, not counting hours, blurring social and work life — that's all how people work. That's not why people work. It's not what makes work meaningful or important. It's not only window dressing, but it can often mask serious culture problems when companies need to deal with style differences as they scale.
For example, if you value working with the best people, you may find that the best people aren't all 24 year olds who can go out until 3am on a weeknight. Your culture should value a baseline of respect, dedication to the task at hand, open communication and quality such that the best performers can thrive no matter what their style.
Values are created by words and actions, by the choices the top people in the company naturally make. They underly every single decision.
Style is a function of activities. Style is either created by rule, programming or just left to happen organically through the whim of the behaviors of your first hires. Values are inherent to who you are.
People either strive for excellence or they don't, for example. You can't have Excellence Day on Fridays.
Be very careful not to let style be your culture, because it never scales and it optimizes for things that don't necessarily dictate success — like hours worked.
Read more posts on This Is Going To Be Big »


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New Mortgage Rules Could Help Latinos, CFPB Says
By: Andrew O'Reilly
With the country still reeling from the aftermath of the housing crisis and the economy in a slow recovery, the federal government's consumer watchdog group introduced a new set of rules Thursday in an attempt to rebuild a shaky housing market and to protect homeowners from defaulting on loans.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) new rules could help Latinos homeowners who have been some of those hardest hit by the housing crisis of the past few years and the goal of the Bureau's new rule is to protect consumers from risky practices that helped cause the crisis., said Moira Vahey, a spokesperson for the CFPB.
"The goal is to make sure people can make payments on their loans," Vahey said. "It's like a guardrail for the mortgage industry."
The keystone of the bureau's new regulations is the Ability-to-Repay rule, which hopes to guarantee that lenders only offer mortgages that consumers can afford. A main cause of the housing market crash, experts say, was the reckless lending to homeowners regardless of their ability to afford the loans.
"Having the important Ability-to-Repay rule in place – indeed, having all of the mortgage rules in place and on sound footing – is an essential foundation for our much-needed recovery in mortgage lending," CFPB Director Richard Cordray said early Thursday. "We believe this rule does exactly what it is supposed to do: It protects consumers and helps strengthen the housing market by rooting out reckless and unsustainable lending, while enabling safer lending."
The Ability-to-Repay rule requires having all potential homeowners provide financial information for lender's verification. To qualify for a loan, borrowers must hold sufficient assets to pay it back.
Along with these two regulations, the rule holds lenders accountable for the consumer's ability to repay both the principal and interest over the long run – not just during the lower introductory period.
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) cautiously praised the CFPB's new rules, saying that while the bureau's announcement did not reflect all of the organization's recommendations, it did craft a better definition of a Qualified Mortgage and makes sure that Latinos are better protected from predatory lenders.
The CFPB defined Qualified Mortgages as a category of loans where borrowers cannot have certain chancy features such as negative-amortization, where the amount owed increases for some period due to the borrower not paying the interest and the unpaid interest getting added to the amount borrowed.
During last year's U.S. presidential campaign, the NCLR and other advocacy groups asked both candidates to stop needless foreclosures, expand affordable rental housing and revive a sustainable path to homeownership.
"Greater numbers of Latinos will become first time homeowners in the years to come, helping both the economic mobility of their families and the prosperity of our nation as a whole," said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. "We commend CFPB for adopting a broad definition of a Qualified Mortgage, which will foster an inclusive housing market for Hispanic families just starting out. The rule will require lenders to be sure borrowers can afford their loans, a commonsense protection that will benefit the entire market."
Loans that would fall under the QM banner would be any home loan purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac along with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Some mortgage brokers, however, don't see the rules positively affecting Latinos anymore than they do any other consumer in the U.S. Unless they are undocumented and thus don't qualify for loans, Latinos are judged on the same standard as anyone else when it comes to getting a mortgage, said John Younes, the owner of Preferred Mortgage Lenders in Davie, Fla.
"I don't see any difference if you're white black, brown, green or yellow." Younes said. "If you don't qualify for a loan, you don't get it."
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What?! 9-Year-Old Accidentally Recieves BJ Sexting Pic! "I Wasn't Ready For That" (Man On The Other Ends Says He;s Just Trying To Sell The Couch)
9 year old gets sext by mistake
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