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I M F S T A F F P O S I T I O N N O T E. Shaping the New Financial System
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1 I M F S T A F F P O S I T I O N N O T E October 3, 2010 SPN/10/15 Shaping the New Financial System José Viñals, Jonathan Fiechter, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Laura Kodres, Aditya Narain, and Marina Moretti I N T E R N A T I O N A L M O N E T A R Y F U N D
2 2 INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND Monetary and Capital Markets Department Shaping the New Financial System Prepared by José Viñals, Jonathan Fiechter, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Laura Kodres, Aditya Narain, and Marina Moretti 1 October 3, 2010 DISCLAIMER: The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and should not be attributed to the IMF, its Executive Board, or its management. JEL Classification Numbers: Keywords: G01, G15, G18, G21, G24, G28 Crises, financial crisis, financial sector supervision and regulation, financial structure, banks, nonbanks, regulation, financial markets Author s Address: 1 The authors would like to thank Tam Bayoumi, Stijn Claessens, Jennifer Elliott, Karl Habermeier, Sean Hagan, Nicole Laframboise, Ross Leckow, David Marston, Inci Otker, Chris Towe, and Financial Oversight Division staff for their helpful suggestions and comments. Moses Kitonga provided able research assistance, and Charmane Ahmed and Sean Culhane provided editorial support.
3 3 Contents Page Executive Summary...4 I. Introduction...6 II. What Needs To Be Fixed?...6 III. Making Individual Firms More Resilient...11 A. Microprudential Regulations: Bank Capital and Liquidity...11 B. Strengthening Supervision...14 C. Resolution...16 IV. Making the Financial System More Resilient...18 A. Regulations for Systemically Important Financial Institutions...18 B. Improving the Resilience of Markets...21 C. Addressing Procyclicality...23 V. Conclusions...24 References...27 Table 1. Phase-In Arrangements for Capital and Liquidity Standards...13 Figures 1. Size of the Financial Sector Growth of Nonbank Financial Institutions in the United States Gaps in Compliance with Select International Regulatory and Supervisory Standards...15 Box 1. A Framework for Enhancing Supervisory Effectiveness...15 Appendix 1. Financial Sector Reform Agenda: IMF Contributions...30
4 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Three years after the onset of the global financial crisis, much has been done to reform the global financial system, but there is much left to accomplish. The regulatory reform agenda agreed by G-20 leaders in 2009 has elevated the discussions to the highest policy level and kept international attention focused on establishing a globally consistent set of rules. Comprehensive reform, once agreed and implemented in full, will have far-reaching implications for the global financial system and the performance of the world economy. In designing the reforms, it is imperative that policymakers keep their focus on the overarching objective of creating a financial system that provides a solid foundation for strong and sustainable economic growth. This paper argues that the current reforms are moving in the right direction, but many policy choices lie ahead nationally and internationally which are both urgent and challenging. Policies need to address not only the risks posed by individual banks but also, importantly, those posed by nonbanks and the system as a whole. The recent proposals of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) represent a substantial improvement in the quality and quantity of bank capital, but these apply only to a subset of the financial system. Real progress is thus needed in several key areas where much has been said, but less accomplished. Prompt progress by the international community is essential to reduce the likelihood and impact of another crisis and to alleviate regulatory uncertainty. According to IMF staff analysis, policymakers need to focus their attention on the following five key goals for financial sector reforms: Ensure a level playing field in regulation. Global coordination is needed to reap the benefits of global finance; foster competition; and minimize the scope for cross-sector and cross-border regulatory arbitrage, which could be damaging to global financial stability. Improve the effectiveness of supervision. Strengthened supervision is a necessary condition if a new cycle of leveraging and excessive risk taking is to be prevented. As a result, supervision needs to be more intensive and intrusive, as well as more focused on cross-border exposures. Develop coherent resolution mechanisms at both national level and for cross-border financial institutions. At the national level, it is critical to have effective policies and procedures for resolving financial institutions in a prompt and orderly manner. The IMF has proposed a financial stability contribution linked to an effective resolution regime to pay for the fiscal cost of any future government support to the financial sector. Given the global reach of financial institutions, the IMF has also proposed an enhanced crossborder coordination framework for resolution to eliminate moral hazard while preserving financial stability. The first step is to focus now on making this approach operational
5 5 among a small set of countries that are home to most cross-border financial institutions. Such an agreement is critical to address the problem of too important to fail. Because of the complexity of the issues involved, moving this work forward will require political commitment at the highest levels. Establish a comprehensive macroprudential framework. Success in achieving financial stability will depend critically on complementing microprudential regulations, which aim to improve the resilience of individual institutions, with effective macroprudential regulations that strengthen the resilience of the financial system as a whole. This will require identifying, monitoring, and addressing systemic risks generated by the individual and collective behavior of firms. Cast a wide net. Reforms must address emerging exposures and risks in the entire financial system, not just the banks. Absent a broader perspective, there is a danger that riskier activities and products will migrate to the less (or un-) regulated segments of the system, as occurred with off balance-sheet investment vehicles during the recent crisis. While the focus of this paper is on the authorities responses to the crisis, private sector ownership of the financial reforms will be key to the successful implementation of the new rules. Business models and practices will need to be aligned with the new financial structure laid out by public policy, risk measurement and management will need to be improved, and boards of directors will need to be equipped with powers to rein in excessive risk taking and be held accountable for it. To the extent that financial reforms succeed in restoring market discipline, by correcting misaligned incentives and enhancing transparency and disclosures, they will have found a powerful ally toward maintaining financial stability.
6 6 I. INTRODUCTION The crisis has provided the impetus for a major overhaul of the financial regulatory system. No other financial crisis since the Great Depression has led to such widespread dislocation in financial markets, with such abrupt consequences for growth and unemployment, and such a rapid and sizable internationally coordinated public sector response. Behind this response was the acknowledgement that these costs have been imposed partly as a result of systemic weaknesses in the regulatory architecture and on the failure of supervisors to rein in the excessive private sector risk taking. The G-20 agenda for financial reform gives both the IMF and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) a key role in maintaining global financial stability and preventing a repeat of the errors preceding the recent crisis. 2 The FSB s role in this process stems from its unique capacity as a forum for the international standard setters and other international bodies, as well as officials from regulatory agencies, central banks, and treasuries of its member countries. The IMF, for its part, also has a unique role to play, given its universal membership, its macro-financial mandate, and its well-established roles in the area of bilateral and multilateral surveillance and technical assistance. This paper makes a case for an oversight framework that ultimately would enhance the stability of the financial system and provide the basis for strong and stable economic growth. It describes the reforms that we think are still needed to achieve this goal. A fundamental principle underlying the analysis provided here is that the private sector plays an important role it is not up to regulators to build the financial system but to influence its direction by providing appropriate rules and incentives. The paper provides a summary of the key vulnerabilities in the run-up to the crisis and lays out a vision for a better future global financial system (Section II). The following two sections take stock of the pace and direction of the current reform agenda and the IMF s contribution to this process: Section III focuses on microprudential policies that aim to make individual firms more resilient, while Section IV discusses macroprudential policies that aim to make the financial system more resilient. Section V concludes. The annex provides a summary of IMF contributions to the regulatory reform agenda. II. WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED? It is now widely recognized that in the run-up to the crisis, there was a significant underappreciation of systemic risk, so much so that many viewed policymakers as having established an era of sustained and stable expansion labeled the Great Moderation. With the benefit of 2 The IMF and the FSB also collaborate on providing early warning to senior policymakers of macroeconomic and financial risks, and the actions needed to address them.
7 7 hindsight, low nominal interest rates, abundant liquidity, and a favorable macroeconomic environment encouraged the private sector to take on ever-increasing risks. Financial institutions provided loans with inadequate checks on borrowers ability to pay and developed new and highly complex financial products in an attempt to extract higher returns. Many financial regulators and supervisors were lulled into complacency and did not respond to the building up of vulnerabilities. As a result, financial systems and transactions became distorted along several dimensions: The financial system grew highly complex and opaque. Lack of transparency and limited disclosure of the types and locations of risks made it difficult to assess the extent of exposures and potential spillovers. This opacity magnified the shock to confidence as the crisis unfolded. As the financial sector expanded as a fraction of GDP (Figure 1), an increasingly large portion of financial activity did not seem to serve the needs of the real economy. The financial system became over-leveraged and heavily interconnected. Short-term incentive structures undermined good governance and encouraged excessive risk taking. Actual leverage was even greater than was apparent, in part because it was embedded in instruments in ways that were not transparent and in part because regulatory requirements did not capture key risks. This meant that capital was inadequate as a buffer against the drop in asset prices. The interconnectedness of institutions meant that the shocks were propagated across the system, both domestically and globally. 3 Liquidity risk was also higher than recognized. Financial firms and key markets relied increasingly on short-term, wholesale funding and took on excessive maturity mismatches while failing to build adequate liquid asset buffers. Large complex institutions enjoyed the benefits of being too important to fail. The lack of market discipline allowed them to borrow at preferential rates, operate with higher levels of leverage, and engage in riskier activities. In addition to traditional capital market instruments, financial intermediation has increasingly shifted to the shadow banking sector. Relatively unregulated nonbank financial institutions and markets thrived in large part because they avoided the more stringent requirements imposed on banks (Figure 2). 3 Haldane and others (2010) report levels of leverage on average of more than 50 times equity among the major global banks at the peak of the boom compared with about 20 times in the late 1990s.
8 8 Figure 1. Size of the Financial Sector (In percent of GDP) Stocks Bonds Bank assets World Stocks Bonds Bank assets European Union Stocks Bonds Bank assets North America Stocks Bonds Bank assets Japan Source: IMF, Global Financial Stability Report, Table 3.
9 9 Figure 2. Growth of Nonbank Financial Institutions in the United States $25 (In trillions of U.S. dollars) $20 Shadow Bank Liabilities $15 Traditional Bank Liabilities $10 $5 $ Source: Pozsar and others (2010) from Flow of Fund Accounts of the United States as of Q (FRB) and FRBNY. Note: Shadow banking liabilities include commercial paper, medium-term notes, asset-backed commercial paper, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements, total return swaps, hybrid and repo/trs conduits, ABS CDOs, ABS CDO-squareds, bonds, capital notes, and 1$ NAV shares (shadow bank deposits ). Some of these distortions are being unwound as part of the deleveraging process. Financial institutions have been re-building capital and liquidity buffers, and have been required to bring some of their off-balance sheet activities back onto their balance sheets. The concern remains, however, that many of the structural characteristics that contributed to the build-up of systemic risks are still in place today. Perhaps most worrisome is that the large-scale public support provided to both large institutions and markets a contingent liability equivalent to about onefourth of advanced economies GDP has exacerbated the moral hazards and perceptions that certain institutions and markets are too important to fail. The challenge, therefore, remains to establish a policy framework that can both sustain growth and reduce the severity of boom-bust cycles. 4 Some argue that less-volatile economic growth is likely to come at a cost in terms of risk-taking opportunities and innovation in the financial system and, therefore, be associated with a lower growth path. But, encouragingly, recent empirical work suggests that the trade-off is nearly absent if the large output costs of financial crises are taken into account. 5 While this may 4 See for instance Kodres and Narain (2010). 5 See BCBS (2010a).
10 10 lead to consistently lower risks and lower returns in the financial system, these need not be associated with substantially lower output in the short term and may yield significant net output gains as well as stability in the medium term. In our view, looking ahead, financial regulatory policies should aim to ensure: 6 financial intermediation that delivers products better geared to satisfy the needs of households and firms; a better-governed and more transparent financial system in terms of corporate structures, instruments, and markets; institutions endowed with higher, better quality, and globally consistent capital and liquidity buffers that weigh systemic risk appropriately and discourage procyclical lending behavior; institutions even systemically important ones that can be resolved in an effective and timely way and with minimum cost to the taxpayer; a financial system that is competitive and allows for ease of entry and exit; and a better understanding and oversight of risks in the nonbank financial sector and greater transparency about the risks that institutions are taking and the protections they are receiving as a result extending the regulatory perimeter to include all systemically important institutions, markets, and instruments. The financial oversight framework should be strengthened to help reach these end-goals in terms of depth, breadth, and global consistency, and comprise five key goals: 7 1. Strong microprudential regulation that is globally coordinated. It should strengthen the resilience of financial institutions, ensure as much as possible a level playing field of regulations, and minimize regulatory arbitrage that could be damaging to global financial stability. 2. Effective supervision. The IMF s work on assessing financial sector standards suggests that countries often lag behind in meeting good practices of supervising key risks, taking corrective action in a timely manner, and enforcing and sanctioning noncompliance. 6 See, for example, IMF (2009). 7 The sixth goal, improving governance and risk management practices in financial institutions is not covered explicitly in this note.
11 11 3. A robust and globally consistent cross-border resolution framework. An enhanced international coordination framework for cross-border resolution is essential. Such a framework is also needed to ensure that financial institutions that are global in life do not become national in death. 4. A macroprudential dimension. Such an approach is needed to reduce the systemic risk contribution of individual institutions and markets, and to encourage the build-up of strong buffers of capital and liquidity in good times, which can be run down during periods of stress. An effective macroprudential framework will depend critically on addressing the flaws in the microprudential regime. 5. A larger regulatory perimeter. The perimeter should be enlarged to cover banks and nonbanks alike, so that weaknesses in the entire financial system can be addressed. Consistency in the application of regulations across different types of financial institutions producing similar products is critical to avoid risk being shifted into the shadows. III. MAKING INDIVIDUAL FIRMS MORE RESILIENT The remainder of this paper examines the current regulatory reform agenda against the goals just laid out for the regulatory framework and what needs to happen to bring it about. Focus of this section is on microprudential measures that aim to make individual financial institutions more resilient, or allow them to fail smoothly. The next section discusses macroprudential policies that aim at making the overall financial system more resilient. A. Microprudential Regulations: Bank Capital and Liquidity Banks entered the crisis with inadequate capital buffers and suffered severe losses, some of which only became evident as events unfolded. From the start of the crisis, the IMF has been providing objective assessments of the size of write-downs in global banks in an effort to keep the international agenda focused on reforming the capital framework for banks. 8 At the core of the reform program endorsed by the G-20 are measures aimed at making individual banks less likely to fail through actions to reduce leverage, build more robust capital and liquidity buffers, and limit maturity mismatches. Key measures proposed by the BCBS include: 9 Improving the quantity and quality of capital, so that it can absorb losses more easily; 8 Global Financial Stability Report ( ). 9 BCBS (2009a and 2009b).
12 12 Ensuring that capital requirements are more closely associated with the risks they are meant to protect against and, in particular, capture more fully market risk, counterparty credit risk, and risk in securitized portfolios; Introducing a leverage ratio as a credible supplementary measure to the risk-based requirements; and Introducing measures to protect against liquidity shortages by holding more assets that could be liquidated rapidly, and lowering rollover risks by limiting asset/liability maturity mismatches and less-secure forms of funding. The IMF has been supportive of BCBS proposals. In particular, the adoption of an enhanced market-risk framework for internal models is critical to reduce incentives for regulatory arbitrage between banking and trading books. Banks are expected to comply with the revised trading book requirements for better risk recognition and capital coverage by end-2011 (originally proposed for end-2010, but subsequently revised). A key concern with the proposals has been whether the reforms would lower the availability, or raise the cost, of credit and, hence, harm economic growth before the recovery is well established. Work on the macroeconomic impact of the reforms, recently published by the BCBS and the FSB and conducted in collaboration with the IMF, suggests that higher bank capital and liquidity requirements would have only a modestly adverse temporary impact on aggregate output and clear net long-term economic benefits. 10 According to the study, a phasing-in period of the reforms over four years would minimize the transitory impact of the reforms on output. The BCBS has finalized certain aspects of the new standards on which there is consensus and has allowed a more gradual phase-in of some aspects that require more calibration work. The leverage ratio will be introduced alongside current regulations on a trial basis starting 2013, with implementation by January On liquidity, the introduction of a new global liquidity standard aimed at ensuring adequately stable funding (Net Stable Funding Ratio) will be delayed until January 2018, which is important to allow for further calibration and refinement although it will extend regulatory uncertainty. This makes it all the more critical to address systemic liquidity risks perhaps the defining characteristic of the crisis to encompass markets, nonbanks, and cross-border issues (see Section IV.B). In this context, the merits of introducing 10 See BCBS (2010) and FSB-BCBS (2010). The Macroeconomic Assessment Group report concludes that, if higher requirements are phased in over four years, each 1 percentage point increase in a bank s actual ratio of tangible common equity to risk-weighted assets will lead to a decline in the level of GDP relative to its baseline path by about 0.2 percent after implementation is completed. The LEI report concludes that the long-term benefits of higher capital and liquidity requirements accrue from reducing the probability of financial crisis and the output losses associated with such crises. The benefits substantially exceed the potential output costs for a range of higher capital and liquidity requirements.
13 13 some type of surcharge or insurance premiums to protect against a system-wide liquidity shortage should be further investigated. We welcome the recent proposals of the BCBS which represent a substantial improvement in the quality and quantity of capital in comparison with the pre-crisis situation (Table 1 provides a summary of the proposals). Common equity will represent a higher proportion of capital and thus allow for greater loss absorption. In particular, the required minimum will increase to 4.5 percent from 2 percent under existing standards and will be complemented by an additional 2.5 percent capital conservation buffer (composed of fully loss absorbing capital) which would restrict distributions as banks approach the minimum. Also, the amount of intangibles and qualified assets that can be included in capital will be limited to 15 percent. 11 Phase in arrangements have been developed to allow banks to move to these higher standards mainly through retention of earnings. Table 1. Phase-In Arrangements for Capital and Liquidity Standards (In percent, shading indicates transition - all dates are as of January 1) Leverage ratio Supervisory monitoring Parallel run Disclosure starts January 1, 2015 Migration to Pillar 1 Minimum common equity capital ratio Capital conservation buffer Minimum common equity plus capital conservation buffer Phase-in deductions from CETI (including amounts exceeding the limit for DTAs, MSRs, and financials) Source: BCBS Minimum Tier 1 capital Minimum total capital Minimum total capital plus conservation buffer Capital instruments that no longer qualify as noncore Tier 1 capital or Tier 2 capital Phased out over 10-year horizon beginning 2013 Liquidity coverage ratio Observation period begins Introduce minimum standard Introduce NSFR Observation period begins minimum standard 11 These include deferred tax assets, mortgage servicing rights, significant investments in common shares of financial institutions, and other intangible assets.
14 14 As the global financial system stabilizes and the world economic recovery is firmly entrenched, phasing out intangibles completely and scaling back the transition period should be considered. This will raise further banking sector resilience to absorb any future shocks that may lie ahead. In our view, it would have been desirable to provide for the eventual exclusion of all intangible assets from capital, and, under the baseline scenario of the World Economic Outlook, shorter phase-in periods would not have placed undue pressure on the banking system and the economy. 12 The longer financial institutions remain with lower buffers, the higher the burden will be on supervisors. B. Strengthening Supervision Since the outset of the crisis, the focus of near-term policy action has been on strengthening the regulatory framework. But regulations are only part of the solution, and it is through supervision that the authorities enforce compliance with the rules. Good supervision requires the ability and the will to act both of which had often been missing in the run-up to the crisis. In no jurisdiction will this ever be an easy task and may require forcing the board of a financial institution to direct management to cease an activity or to replace key managers. Proactive supervision is adaptive to changing conditions and can observe when activities are taking place on the fringe of the regulatory perimeter. The supervisory mandate needs to carry over to systemic concerns supervisory bodies must be given the authority and mandate to act not just when individual institutions pose undue risks, but also when the entire system is behaving in a manner that jeopardizes systemic stability. So far there has been little progress on this front. It is thus encouraging that the Toronto G-20 Summit declared supervision a key pillar of the financial reform agenda and gave an explicit mandate to develop it. This focus on strengthened supervision is very important, not just for banks but for the broader financial system. Indeed, evaluations of national oversight frameworks as part of the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) show that countries often do not meet good practices in supervising key risks, taking timely corrective action, or enforcing and sanctioning noncompliance (Figure 3). 13 Thus, it is critical that supervisory agencies be provided with the mandate; resources; and authority, along with accountability, to carry out their tasks. Adopting guiding principles for supervision would be helpful in this respect, and would support supervisors carrying the burden of preventing a new cycle of leverage and excessive risk taking while the new Basel rules are being phased in (Box 1). 12 The Implications of Regulatory Reform Initiatives for Large Complex Financial Institutions, IMF, forthcoming. 13 See Viñals and others (2010).
15 15 Figure 3. Gaps in Compliance with Select International Regulatory and Supervisory Standards Percentage of Countries not in Compliance Independence Risk Mana gement Abuse of Financial services Remedial Powers Consolidated Supervision Independence Adequate Powers Effective use of Powers Information Sharing Failure of Intermediary Supervisory Authority Corporate Governance On-Site Inspection Group Supervision Risk Management 0 BCP 1.2 Source: IMF. BCP 7 BCP 18 BCP 23 BCP 24 IOSCO 2 IOSCO 3 IOSCO 10 IOSCO 11 IOSCO P24 ICP 3 ICP 9 ICP 13 ICP 17 ICP 18 Box 1. A Framework for Enhancing Supervisory Effectiveness The following framework should guide effective supervision of financial firms (see Viñals et al., 2010). Mandate: Each supervisory agency must have a clear legal mandate to supervise financial institutions and markets, with priority given to maintenance of financial stability and the safety and soundness of the financial system. Resources and capacity: Each supervisory agency must have access to adequate funding arrangements that enables it to make budgetary, staffing, and operational and enforcement decisions without necessitating it to be beholden to any political or commercial interests. Risk assessment: Individually, each supervisory agency must have the capacity to assess risks in its sector and the legal ability to share this information with other domestic regulators and foreign counterparts. Collectively, there should be arrangements at the national level to monitor activities in all segments of the financial systems. Accountability: Supervisors must be required to make regular public reports of their use of resources, key decisions, and of their own evaluation of effectiveness. In addition, they should be subject to an independent evaluation of effectiveness periodically. Supervisory strategy: Supervisors must develop and implement a clear strategy for supervision and have robust internal systems in place to ensure that decision-making processes are well defined and understood; staff is empowered to make judgments and take actions, and individual supervisors are supported in the case of adverse reactions from the supervised entity.
16 16 C. Resolution The failure of Lehman Brothers and the near-failure of other large, cross-border firms demonstrate the need for effective policies and procedures for resolving financial institutions. Well-designed resolution frameworks that allow authorities to address the insolvency of financial institutions not just banks and not just within the national borders are thus necessary ingredients of a strategy to maintain global financial stability. For market discipline to work, orderly resolution must be a credible option. G-20 leaders agreed that public funds should not be used to cover the costs of resolving failing institutions and that the costs of resolution should be borne first by the owners and creditors of the failed institutions, with any shortfalls covered by the industry itself. In response to the request of the G-20 leaders, the IMF has proposed a financial stability contribution linked to a credible and effective resolution mechanism to pay for the fiscal cost of any future government support to the sector. 14 This could either accumulate in a fund to facilitate the resolution of weak institutions or be paid into general revenue. Proposals discussed in international forums BCBS, FSB, and IMF have focused on improving the capacity to resolve large, cross-border financial firms, including: Recovery and resolution plans also called living wills as a tool to identify steps the firm and authorities should take to address contingencies and to improve resolvability in the event of failure; Effective resolution regimes to resolve systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs) in a way that minimizes risks to financial stability and the public sector. This may include statutory powers or contractual arrangements to convert debt into equity or impose haircuts on creditors as an institution approaches insolvency, so that losses are absorbed by the private sector; Cross-border resolution frameworks and burden-sharing arrangements; and Absent an effective cross-border resolution process, the ability of host governments to require foreign banks to operate as stand-alone subsidiaries in their jurisdiction. Recovery and resolution plans are an important step forward and should allow, if properly executed, for better preparedness by individual firms for contingencies and effective resolution by authorities, including by helping identify weaknesses in authorities resolution powers. Resolution plans should also be used to inform action by authorities to deal with institutions that are found to be too complex to resolve. However, the benefits of forcing banks to simplify their structures through stand-alone subsidiaries; removing operational interdependencies; and 14 IMF (2010c).
17 17 linking business products to legal entities as a means of enhancing resolvability, need to be carefully weighed against potential inefficiencies and costs. Discussion is ongoing to develop bail-in procedures that would seek to maintain an institution as a going concern through a reliance on debt-for- equity conversions, achieved either through contract or forcibly through regulatory intervention. While this approach deserves further consideration, it needs to be recognized that it raises a number of complex issues that need to be resolved (e.g., how to avoid the triggering of early termination and acceleration clauses). Further analysis of this and of new capital instruments to encourage private sector involvement (such as convertible capital at the point of non-viability) 15 will be necessary before these can become part of the toolkit for resolution. In any event, these mechanisms should be seen as a complement and not a substitute for the establishment of an effective resolution framework. Reform work on resolution frameworks, particularly cross-border resolution, has yet to gain critical momentum among key global countries. In this context, the IMF has recently proposed a pragmatic approach to cross-border resolution including for nonbanks focused on establishing an enhanced coordination framework, which would be put in place through nonbinding multilateral understandings reached among those countries that are in a position to adhere to the following four elements: 16 Adoption of legislation to permit local authorities to cooperate in an international resolution whenever such cooperation is viewed to be in the interest of creditors and financial stability. Adherence to core coordination standards to ensure that national supervisory and insolvency frameworks are sufficiently robust and harmonized in key areas, and that the treatment of domestic and foreign creditors under national bank insolvency regimes is nondiscriminatory. Agreement on the criteria and parameters that would guide the burden-sharing process among members of the coordination framework. These principles could reflect features, such as the relative systemic importance of the group across jurisdictions; the relative contribution from deposit guarantee schemes or resolution funds; and the relative distribution of losses across jurisdictions. Agreement on procedures for coordinating resolution measures across borders that would enable the resolution process to take place in a rapid and predictable manner. 15 See BCBS (2010b). This proposal converts Tier 2 into Tier 1 capital instrument to enhance the quality of capital. 16 IMF (2010d).
18 18 Our proposed enhanced coordination framework is intended to address a number of fundamental problems. First, many national regimes effectively preclude the authorities from cooperating in an international resolution exercise by requiring that local assets of a foreign bank branch or subsidiary be ring-fenced for the benefit of local creditors. Second, authorities in many countries lack the tools to deal effectively in the early stages with a failing financial institution. Finally, with the recent exception of the Nordic countries, there is no international agreement on principles that would be applied on an institution-by-institution basis to guide burden sharing. Work should now focus on making this approach operational among the seven or eight countries that are home to the majority of cross-border banks, which are also highly interconnected. These countries should follow through on putting in place the above elements with solid determination and by an agreed date (say, by end 2012). This is critical to achieve a more effective and valuepreserving international resolution framework. IV. MAKING THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM MORE RESILIENT The crisis has shown that focusing on the safety and soundness of individual institutions is not enough. Policies must be within a framework that can deal with the system-wide interactions of institutions and markets and their roles vis-à-vis the macroeconomy. As the system is not just the sum of its parts, a macroprudential overlay must accompany the traditional microprudential policy. While this dimension of reform has been acknowledged by the various policymaking bodies, the formulation of reforms has focused mainly on institutions. It is crucial, therefore, that the reform agenda be realigned with a holistic view of the financial system. Since the policy proposals on which to take a firm view are more limited in this area, we outline below the direction needed for this next push to the reform effort. Work on addressing stability of the financial system as a whole tries to address two features of financial systems: (i) the systemic risk arising from financial institutions and their interactions, bilaterally and through markets; and (ii) the tendency for regulations and market practices (and macro policies, to some extent) to behave in a procyclical manner, with system-wide vulnerabilities building up in good times that translate into widespread financial sector losses and real economy stress in bad times. A. Regulations for Systemically Important Financial Institutions Regulatory initiatives to date have sought to improve the existing sets of bank regulations with a view to building up larger individual buffers to withstand shocks. This is important but is not sufficient to address a key lesson from the crisis that the crisis was a global systemic event where some institutions were not only interconnected through bilateral relationships, but also through the markets in which they operate and the instruments they trade. Addressing systemic risks and drawing the right perimeter of regulation requires, as a first task, determining which institutions and markets are systemically important. The IMF has contributed to this work, in partnership with the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the FSB, by
19 19 developing a framework for the assessment of systemic importance. 17 The framework defines systemic risk as a risk of disruption to financial services that (i) is caused by an impairment of all or parts of the financial system; and (ii) has the potential to have serious negative consequences for the real economy. It then identifies three key criteria behind systemic importance: size (the volume of financial services provided by the individual component of the financial system); substitutability (the extent to which other components of the system can provide the same services in the event of a failure); and interconnectedness (linkages with other components of the system). This work has served as a basis for identifying information gaps (see Section B below), as much of the information needed remains unavailable to those overseeing financial stability. Assessments of systemic importance are also instrumental in determining the appropriate boundaries of regulation. 18 Enlarging the regulatory perimeter will help avoid a repeat of build-up of systemic risk outside the boundaries of official oversight. Consistency in the application of regulation across financial sub-sectors producing similar products is equally critical. For instance, money market mutual funds proved to be of systemic importance during the crisis and, to the extent they provide bank-like services and perform maturity transformation like banks, they should be overseen in a manner that is consistent with that of banks. Specific proposals aimed at lowering systemic risk have focused, to date, on SIFIs. A number of measures are under consideration by the FSB and BCBS, which are expected to be finalized in late 2010; a few of them have yet the details needed for full implementation. 19 Prudential requirements. These cover prudential rules that are assessed on an individual institution but reflect the greater risks these institutions pose to the financial system. Within this group are systemic risk-based (solvency) capital surcharges and use of contingent capital instruments. 20 The former uses a measure of an institution s contribution to the risk of the system as a whole to compute additional capital charges. The latter provides an institution with additional loss-bearing capacity and enhances market discipline by automatically converting debt into equity to provide more capital, when needed during periods of stress. Although a critically important issue, there has been much less discussion of the construction or potential effectiveness of surcharges to 17 See IMF-FSB-BIS (2009). 18 See Carvajal and others (2009). 19 Proposals with respect to the resolution of SIFIs are described in Section II.2 above. 20 A specific methodology to compute such a risk-based capital surcharge is proposed in the April 2010 GFSR, based on a network model of interconnectedness of institutions to assess their contribution to systemic risks. A discussion of contingent capital is also included.
20 20 minimize institutions contribution to systemic liquidity risk (via a surcharge or insurance premia based on, perhaps, wholesale funding risks). 21 Systemic levies. Another approach is to link a financial institution s systemic importance to a levy whose receipts could either accumulate in a resolution fund or be paid into general revenue. Such a levy (a financial stability contribution as described in the previous section) can be imposed on all financial institutions, with the rate initially flat but refined over time to reflect institutions riskiness and contributions to systemic risk such as those related to size, inter-connectedness, and substitutability and variations in overall risk over time. 22 Systemic capital surcharges and levies can be structured to induce changes in behavior by discouraging activities that contribute to the build-up of systemic risk. 23 Both a capital charge and a risk-based tax have unique but complementary merits. A key differentiating factor is that capital surcharges remain on institutions balance sheets, thereby strengthening the resilience of the banking sector. By contrast, funds collected under a systemic levy, which could be used to finance a resolution fund, make it more likely that, in the future, the financial system rather than the taxpayer will bear most of the costs of crises. Setting funds aside in advance of a crisis will also allow for risk sharing across time and across all financial institutions. To ensure that funds are not used to bail out institutions, such a contribution should be linked to the development of a credible and effective resolution mechanism. Regarding the use of contingent capital, the jury is still out on whether the overall benefits of this tool outweigh the costs, since the trigger for converting debt to equity prior to the point of nonviability may cause adverse market dynamics. One option is to base the conversion trigger on a combination of market conditions and supervisory stress tests. The rating and pricing of contingent capital instruments, however, will likely be highly complex because of the difficulty of predicting when a trigger event will occur. It is thus necessary to conduct further analytical work in this area as well as on operational aspects, including the implications for the investor base and market dynamics. It is also important to view contingent capital as a complement, not a substitute, for an effective resolution regime. Contingent capital will be most effective in an environment in which the threat of resolution is credible. Structural constraints. These proposals put constraints on size, legal structure, or activities of financial firms to limit the degree of complexity and risk taking, with a view to reducing the probability and impact of an institution s failure. One of the most 21 See Chapter 2 of the October 2010 GFSR ( Systemic Liquidity Risk: The Resilience of Institutions and Markets ) IMF (2010c). 23 As mandated by the G-20, the BCBS, FSB, and IMF have developed a framework to compare proposed regulatory and tax instruments to reduce systemic risk.
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2019 Transit 150 Med Roof 4x2, Empty Cargo Van (Stock #KKA32277)
Vehicle Notes
IPod/MP3 Input, Back-Up Camera. Warranty 5 yrs/60k Miles - Drivetrain Warranty; CLICK NOW!======KEY FEATURES INCLUDE: Back-Up Camera, iPod/MP3 Input. … Third Passenger Door, Keyless Entry, Electronic Stability Control, Bucket Seats, Brake Assist. ======BUY FROM AN AWARD WINNING DEALER: Lithia Ford Lincoln of Fresno has a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience satisfying our customer's needs. Feel free to browse our inventory online, request more information about vehicles, set up a test drive or inquire about financing! Feel free to browse our inventory online, request more information about vehicles, set up a test drive or inquire about financing! Please confirm the accuracy of the included equipment by calling us prior to purchase.
Chassis Details
Stock Number
Stock Type
Transit 150
Drive Train
Vehicle Trim
T-150 148 Med Rf 8600 GVWR Sliding
Vehicle Body
Full-size Cargo Van
Interior Color
Exterior Color Description
Engine Cylinder Count
3.7L V6 Cylinder Engine
Transmission Type
Roof Height
Rear Wheels
Fuel Type
Flex Fuel
Vehicle Options
- 4-Wheel ABS
- 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
- 6-Speed A/T
- Adjustable Steering Wheel
- AM/FM Stereo
- Auto Transmission w/Manual Mode
- Back-Up Camera
- Brake Assist
- Bucket Seats
- Driver Air Bag
- Electronic Stability Control
- Front Tow Hooks
- Full Size Spare Tire
- Gasoline Fuel
- Intermittent Wipers
- iPod/MP3 Input
- Keyless Entry
- Passenger Air Bag
- Passenger Air Bag On/Off Switch
- Power Door Locks
- Power Driver Mirror
- Power Steering
- Power Windows
- Rear Head Air Bag
- Rear Wheel Drive
- Side Head Air Bag
- Steel Wheels
- Third Passenger Door
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
- Tires - Front All-Season
- Tires - Rear All-Season
- V6 Cylinder Engine
- Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers
- Vinyl Seats
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Contact Lithia Ford Fresno for more info.(559) 472-7216
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General Question
How do I find my faith again?
I left the church of my youth after studying some history relating to it and its shady beginning. The religion I was born into was fundamentalist and quite strict (some call it a cult…) and I had a really hard time leaving. In order to be able to leave, I had to get into my head, do a lot of research, and intellectualize my way out.
Now I am having trouble getting out of "research" mode and back into "faith" mode when it comes to my spirituality. I believe there is a God. I truly do. But there are so many "intellectual" issues with the idea, and with the idea of the Bible being true (or any spiritual writings, for that matter!) that I can't reconcile myself with my desire to believe.
I feel very strongly drawn to Catholicism. I have also felt drawn to Protestantism, Hinduism, Paganism, and Druidry. I know that's a weird combination, but I just basically want the truth and am having a hard time finding it.
Does anybody have any ideas on how to get out of my head and find my faith again? Thank you in advance. :-)
54 Answers
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Delicious and Nutritious Meals for Your Littlest Foodie!
My Littlest Foodie LOVES his apples and he's not always a fan of green veggies. To "sneak" some green into this kid's diet I've started to add spinach to his apple sauce and he's none the wiser!
Have you ever seen the Jimmy Kimmel clip "I told my kids I ate all their Halloween candy"? Watch it and you'll understand my "you sneaky mom" reference. It's an oldie, but a goodie! If you haven't seen it, click here if you'd like to check it out on YouTube for a good laugh! Anyway, he has yet to call me out for being a sneaky mom! 🙂
In a small sauce pan, add water and bring to a boil. Add apples and spices (if desired) and allow to stew for 5-7 minutes. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
Transfer cooked apples and spinach mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until cooled and serve to your Littlest Foodie. This recipe can be frozen for up to 2 months.


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Nick Fenske
IMDb: 4.6
124 min
A high school student must hide the fact that he has become pregnant from his family, friends and the school faculty!
Country: USA
Actor: Sean O'Donnell, Alexandria DeBerry, Gary Busey, Stephen Tobolowsky, Michael Eric Reid, Dylan Riley Snyder, J.D. Rudometkin, Eric Wheeler, Nick Fenske, Jesse Miller, Pamela Finney, Cassidy Ann Shaffer, Michael Reep, Jack Shelton, Shelley K. Booker
In the Eyes of a KillerSD
IMDb: 6.6
96 min
Jack Newman lectures at the local University, is preparing for a new life with his fiancée, Gwen, and has finally adapted to the challenges of ...
Country: USA
Actor: Costas Mandylor, Louis Mandylor, Gwendolyn Edwards, James Marshall, Randy Colton, Petri Hawkins-Byrd, Sherry Weston, Shauna Harrington, Valerie Cortopassi, Nick Fenske, Tyler Cook, Jeff Redlick, Bob Krull, Lise Lee Smith, John K. Cortesi


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martes, 20 de enero de 2015
Vivi's Internship
In the third year at my university we have the brilliant opportunity to take credits through an internship in community outreach in a developing country. I, of course, could not miss this opportunity and started looking for internships in South America, my native contingent that I love so much. Para La Tierra immediately offered me different options for my project and so I decided to travel to Paraguay. As part of my project I helped Becca and Jorge in their school visits and the starting of Futuro Paraguayo. Having the kids at the reserve and seeing their enthusiasm for nature was one of my highlights at Laguna Blanca. Starting from November, with the arrival of the first tourist groups I started taking surveys on the weekends, trying to find out what sort of tourist comes to the reserve and what their interests are. That meant working on Sundays while everyone else was enjoying free time, but sometimes I met interesting people and had a nice chat. I soon realised that Paraguayans don't know much about nature and often aren't interested, which makes it exciting when someone does! And those are the people I wanted to reach. People have to be fed with information, they don't look for it, that is my main discovery with the interviews and the ecological station at Laguna Blanca has lot of potential for that. During the other days I followed other interns with their projects, learning about amphibians and reptiles, small mammals, birds, and bigger mammals (monkeys) at the reserve. I had the chance to expand my knowledge that way, and I am really grateful to everyone that helped me achieve that! During my last month I helped Becca with her project, together with Lore (a volunteer from Belgium) we went on daily walks in the Atlantic forest looking for the Capuchins. We ended up creating the "Wospers", an ingenuous device for cutting down the wasp nests from the branches along our trails, which made our days adventurous. I can say it was a successful internship, it was good for my career, for myself (you grow a lot during these experiences!) and for my friend network, I made very important friends that I hopefully will see again somewhere. I send you all much love from Uruguay, where I am still trying to let go and get ready for a new, exciting semester in Zürich, Switzerland! CIAAAOOO Vivi Vivi Magistra Switzerland September-December 2014
Foraging Critters...my internship at PLT
Hi there, my name is Abi and I'm just finishing up my internship here at Para la Tierra. I've been asked to write a blog post about my time here. My project was originally going to compare the foraging habits of small mammals in areas of high and low human-presence; using seeds trays to determine the giving up density (GUD) and from that the perceived risk. Unfortunately, in the areas where that was possible, there weren't enough small mammals foraging the trays for me to get sufficient results. Luckily, another intern (Holly) was regularly catching a variety of small mammals in Sherman traps as part of her project studying how a section of the Cerrado is recovering after a fire. Since wildlife living in a recovering habitat is often more vulnerable to the environment, I decided to look at abiotic factors, such as the average temperature and whether or not that affects the foraging levels each day, and I am currently analysing these results. Drinks around the fire and film nights were great fun in the evenings, as were the Saturday night parties. These parties could be birthday parties, or parties which charge entry to raise money for chicken coops or hospital bills. The people from local towns and villages set up a patch of land with speakers and lights, sell beer and dance. As a break from the reserve (and to renew the date stamp on my tourist visa) I've been on three trips around the country. The first was a trip to the capital city Asuncion with Holly, India and Vivi, the other three Interns. On the 18th November we went on a PLT group trip to the Chaco. The Chaco is described by some as a 'green hell' due to the extreme heat and humidity but despite this, or perhaps because of this, the wildlife is so uniquely varied and rich that we simply had to go for a look. We saw amazing wildlife that is unlikely to be seen on the reserve, the highlights for me included: Capybara, flamingos, armadillos, racoon, crab-eating fox, white-lipped peccaries and a fantastic number of bird species. My third trip took me to Iguazu falls in Argentina with India and Lore to see one of the wonders of the natural world. The falls were unbelievable, and we also got to see Itaipu dam, the second largest hydroelectric dam in the world.
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And yet midsummer keeps recurring, in the form of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Just in the past few months, this ever-popular tale of lovers, actors and fairies has been staged by the theater companies Fuse, Original Practice Shakespeare and Post5, and it'll be up at Portland Center Stage in November.
Now Anita Menon of the Anjali School of Dance has adapted it using Bharatanatyam, a 2,000 year old dance form from India, as well as ballet and Bollywood, hip-hop and tap. The story has been served up in dance before, but perhaps never with this sort of, shall we say, seasoning.
2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, Newmark Theatre, 1111 S.W. Broadway; $24.25 - $35.25, 503-946-7272, anjalidance.com


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The Really Great AbbyShot Blog!
Customer E-mails: June Edition!
A new month brings more excellent e-mails from happy customers! We love hearing from you – please keep those messages coming. We have two great messages (with pictures!) to showcase this month, so here they are:
William, USA
Hi AbbyShot,
Akiyoshi, Japan
I received the coat. It is a splendid article.
This coat makes me feel like deckard.
The size was just good with 36.
I am very happy now.
Arigato gozai mashita.
Akiyoshi (Japan)


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TMC Atlassian health check
Is your Atlassian tooling future-proof? Are your tools running stable and optimal? Are you enjoying all the benefits of your Atlassian tooling? TMC, an Atlassian Enterprise Expert partner, sees many Atlassian users and (system) administrators struggling with the Atlassian environment. Especially in times of change. TMC offers a Health Check for your Atlassian related tooling. During this Health Check TMC will identify possible problem areas. As a result, TMC will give you peace of mind. You will have insight in the (future) vulnerabilities and improvements areas relating to infrastructure, configuration and security of your Atlassian environment.
This Health Check is applicable for:
- Confluence
- Bitbucket (Stash)
- Bamboo
When to consider a Health Check
Users complain that the tooling is running slow
Your company is growing, and you consider to up-scale the use of Atlassian applications
You're taking a new Atlassian tool into the production environment
You've experienced unexpected behavior of the Atlassian application or even an application crash
You would like to merge multiple Atlassian applications, for example 2 JIRA instances to 1 instance
You are unsure how to secure the Atlassian tool
The TMC approach
TMC will analyse your environment and have discussions with stakeholders to:
- Investigate the possible bottlenecks in your
Infrastructure configuration
Application configuration
Security configuration
- Measure the application performance
- Create a Health Check Report with the improvements and tips
TMC offers additional support with regard to implementing the improvements and tips. The Health Check will take 2-4 days. For more information, contact the TMC Health Check team via email@example.com. We will contact you within one business day.
Your benefits
After the TMC Atlassian Health Check, you will have peace of mind because you are aware of the risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities of your Atlassian related tooling. This will enable you to enjoy all the benefits your Atlassian tooling has to offer.


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What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that arose from obscure origins (theorized to be anywhere from the time of the building of King Solomon's Temple to the mid-1600s). Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, and has millions of members. The various forms all share moral and metaphysical ideals, which include a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being. Freemasonry uses the metaphors of operative stonemasons' tools and implements, against the allegorical backdrop of the building of King Solomon's Temple.
The fraternity is administratively organized into Grand Lodges each of which governs its own jurisdiction, which consists of subordinate (or constituent) Lodges. Grand Lodges recognize each other through a process of landmarks and regularity.
Freemasonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegory, illustrated by symbols. Not a religion but religious in character, it is a philosophy of ethical conduct which imparts moral and social virtues and fosters brotherly love. Its tenets have endured since man turned the first pages of civilization. They embody the understanding by which man can transcend ordinary experience and build "a house not made with hands" in harmony with the Great Architect of the universe.
Is Freemasonry a religion?
No. Neither is Freemasonry a religion, nor does it require a religious affiliation. However, Masons worship in congregations of their choice. Some are ordained priests, ministers, or rabbis; many serve in lay capacities; and, others have no affiliation. With origins in post-Reformation England, Freemasonry's allegories and rituals are rooted in Judeo-Christian tradition. They exemplify mankind's universal experience and inculcate an admired moral and ethical value system. With respect to religion, Freemasonry simply teaches the "Fatherhood of God" and the "Brotherhood of Man".
Is Freemasonry a "secret" society?
No. Freemasonry is a fraternity of men who are proud to be known as Masons. Since our inception, the world has known of speculative Freemasonry and its work. Freemasonry does, however, have some secrets, all extending from historic tradition. Our modes of recognition, opening and closing ceremonies, and rituals for conferring the Degrees of Masonry are our only secrets. Thousands of works discussing Masonic history, traditions, craft, and proceedings are widely available to the public.
Masonry/Essex Lodge >


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Popular Searches: Sour Diesel | White Widow | High THC
Variedades Sour Diesel
Sour Diesel is a revitalizing sativa hybrid variety that has fast become an immensely popular strain.
Its lineage is documented quite poorly, but what we do know is that Sour Diesel is a Mexican Sativa crossed with an Afghani indica that some believe was derived from a phenotype of a Chemdawg that was altered and left more potent on the sativa end. Others believe that its phenotype is an unknown skunk strain. Most, though, believe that true Sour Diesel, derives from the original Diesel, but there is always speculation as to how the strain was originally spawned.
Being that its genetics are mostly sativa, Sour Diesel strains are dreamy with a fast working cerebral high and deliver a euphoric feeling that gives it its legendary reputation.
Thanks to the energy it emits, Sour Diesel strains are typically recommended for morning use to assist in getting the day started. While the average THC content of Sour Diesel is 17%, it is not rare to see strains as high as 21%.
Like most sativa plants, Sour Diesel stains grow tall and thin with light green buds that pack an abundance of orange hairs. Sour Diesel's flowering time can range anywhere between fifty-five days and seventy days. It can be grown indoors, but best results can be displayed when Sour Diesel is grown outside.
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CharacteristicsYield 450-550 gr/m2Flowers 10 weeks
CharacteristicsYield 400gr - 500gr/m2Flowers 63 - 77 days
Sativa's Sour Diesel Feminised Seeds - 5
Fora de estoqueCharacteristicsYield 400gr - 500gr/m2Flowers 63 - 77 days
Strawberry Sour Diesel Regular Seeds - 10
Fora de estoqueCharacteristicsThc 19% - 22%Flowers 55 - 60 days
Original Sour Diesel Sementes Feminizadas - 6
Fora de estoqueCharacteristicsYield HighFlowers 8 - 9 weeks
Sour Diesel Feminised Seeds - 5
Fora de estoqueCharacteristicsThc 17.15%Cbd 0.16%Yield 500 - 600 g/m2Flowers 8 - 9 weeks
Original Sour Diesel Sementes Regurales
Fora de estoqueCharacteristicsFlowers 9-10 weeks
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Sour Diesel Feminised Seeds
Fora de estoqueCharacteristicsThc 25%Cbd 0.3%Yield 550 - 600 gr/m2Flowers 70 - 75 days
CharacteristicsYield 450 - 550 gr/m2Flowers 70 days
Super Silver Sour Diesel Haze Feminised Seeds - 5
Fora de estoqueCharacteristicsFlowers 70 - 84 days
Sour Diesel x Memory Loss Regular Seeds - 12
Fora de estoqueCharacteristics


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The National Gallery is one of London's most visited attractions — around six million people come here every year. While they're all staring at Van Gogh's cypress trees, here are some more off-the-beaten-track things to do.
Discover the hidden Leonardo
Lots of classical painters reused their canvasses and it's not unusual for experts to discover sketches beneath the surface of works they acquire. The Virgin of The Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci is one such example. Underneath this famous painting is a completely different preliminary piece — one that was very likely to be painted by Da Vinci himself, rather than any of his assistants. You can only see the first layer with special technology, but head to room 66 and be smug in the knowledge that you're looking at two pictures for the price of one.
Take a life drawing class
Inspired by the art around you? Don't feel awkward when strangers get naked in front of you? The National Gallery offers life drawing classes — so once you've soaked up all the bums, breasts and various other squidgy things this place has to offer, move onto the real thing with a life model. Who knows, you might turn out to be the next Rubens.
Count the nipples
Talking of nudity, in 2011 we counted the nipples on display at the National Gallery. It's possible that the number has changed since then, so maybe it's time for a recount. Who wants to volunteer (we're nippled out)? Fancy a different challenge? There are five monkeys, one squirrel and a tiger in the collection... that will keep you busy until closing.
Take a free tour
The National Gallery offers free 60 minute tours at 11.30am and 2,30pm every day, and at 7pm when their Friday Lates event is running. There's no chance you'll get around all 2,300 works in the collection, but you'll get a brilliant overview of British art history and take in some of the most important works, including The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein by way of Constable and Van Gogh. A crash course in fine art if ever there was one.
Try the oysters
A London gallery restaurant isn't exactly unusual, but it is a rather unique thing to be served Colchester native oysters after you've had a gander at Monet's Japanese Bridge. The National Cafe is a little fancier than most gallery restaurants, and if oysters are just a bit too, er, oystery for you, they also serve a slice of cake and a cuppa.
Get arty on your lunch break
For those of you desperate to break away from the combo of a quick sandwich al desko for lunch, hotfoot it to the gallery at 1pm for their specially scheduled lunchtime art talks. Some are on specific paintings, others, wider themes around the gallery and art. You'll return to work a little bit smarter, and at least 87% more smug when you see your colleagues who haven't left their computers.
Outstay your welcome
Every couple of months the gallery stays open late on a Friday night. So far so typical but to make it stand out from the rest, each night has a different theme. Themes include everything from Renaissance art with sugar crafting, to calligraphy workshops.
Don't have an hour? Perhaps you can spare 10 minutes


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Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|A Mushsnail Tale
Director: Scott Cawthon
Genres: Kids & Family, Animation
NR 2003 0hr 38min
Welcome to Mushsnail, a colorful and magical land full of wonder and adventure! In Mushsnail, the sun always shines and the flowers are always in fullbloom. Snails pull covered wagons and pink flamingos live right next doo... more »
Larger Image
|Director: Scott Cawthon
Genres: Kids & Family, Animation
Sub-Genres: Animation, Animation
Studio: Cawthon Productions
Format: DVD - Color,Full Screen - Animated
DVD Release Date: 01/01/2003
Original Release Date: 01/01/2003
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2003
Release Year: 2003
Run Time: 0hr 38min
Screens: Color,Full Screen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English