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About this Research Topic
Infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites still account for a quarter of deaths worldwide and are ranked as the top cause of death in developing countries and the number one killer of children under the age of five years globally. Rising hospitalization rates for cancer, diabetes and aged care are associated with an increased risk of acquiring infections particularly with multidrug-resistant organisms. We see frequent epidemic outbreaks and are challenged by the rapid spread of infectious agents around the globe. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop new tools and uncover novel therapeutic targets and prophylactic strategies to thwart the economic burden of infectious diseases on the public health systems throughout the world.
The recent development of the CRISPR/Cas9 system as a genome-editing technique has significantly facilitated gene modifications in both host and pathogen cells. Within a few years, researchers have already applied CRISPR/Cas9 across a wide variety of infections with pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. This now enables profound analysis of the molecular mechanisms that are involved in e.g. host-pathogen interactions during infection. Whole genome CRISPR/Cas9 screens have led to the identification of novel regulator proteins that are central for manifestation of infection and thus present novel therapeutic targets. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9 has supported the development of novel antimicrobials and vaccines, opening new avenues both for treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. However, with the rapid advance of CRISPR systems and their versatile applicability as genetic tools, we are still at the beginning of an exciting era that could see further major breakthrough discoveries in infectious disease research.
This Research Topic aims to highlight the valuable contributions CRISPR/Cas9 as genetic tool has made in our understanding of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and parasites as well as their interactions with eukaryotic host cells. We will incorporate reviews and mini reviews, original research reports and method articles to cover the latest findings and advances achieved by utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 in infectious disease research.
Dr Doerflinger is participating as Assistant Topic Editor and as such his actions are overseen by the senior Topic Editors Dr Hartland and Dr Herold.
Keywords: CRISPR/Cas9, infectious disease, pathogenic bacteria, viral infection, whole genome screening
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.


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Treatment of the Shoulder and Knee
What they don't teach you in school: NEW EDITION
Instructional Level: Intermediate, with lecture and lab both days
CE: Shoulder and Knee - ProCert approved for 17 CCUs, NYSED board approved for 15 CEs
Shoulder or Knee - ProCert approved for 8.5 CCUs, NYSED for 7.5 CEs
Course Description: This course addresses one of the most critical opportunities that you face as a clinician. According to information from the National Center for Health Statistics, each year more than 12 million visits are made to physician offices for knee problems and more than 7.5 million for shoulder problems of which 4.1 million were for rotator cuff problems. In 2015, approximately $5 billion was spent on 250,000 ACL injuries alone.
This Shoulder and Knee course is designed to present the most recent and relevant, state of the art information for the treatment of the most unusual and challenging problems of the shoulder and knee joint, things you must know to offer complete, comprehensive treatment options for you patients. The course provides an evidence-based approach to treatment discussing the latest research and more than 600 actual case studies delivered through lecture, demonstration videos, hands-on laboratory sessions, and open discussions. Attendees will have the opportunity to master new and effective evaluation and treatment techniques and implement them immediately into your practice as you learn from the best.
Course Requirements: Lab clothing: tank top or halter top to expose the shoulder, and shorts to expose the knee. Bring a mat (or blanket), a pillow and a large towel for lab table. Also bring a sense of humor, and your brain for some new concepts & thoughts!
Bibliographies: Shoulder Joint Knee Joint
1-Day $249, Both days $399
Out of stock
Presented by: Kevin WilkLearn More

subset: commoncrawl


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Rocketship Wellness
Chiropractor, DC, CCFC, CR
12927 Venice Boulevard(424) 346-8977
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Call Dr. David Allan
Dr. David Allan, D.C. started his health career with reflexology in 1980 and spent several years exploring all the major styles of bodywork and healing. Dr. Allan has created several health systems including Rocketship Wellness™, Reflexatsu™, Auriculotherapy HP™, Musicianship Wellness™, Couples Wellness, and others. In 1985 he began his chiropractic training and received his doctorate in 1990. He is considered a master bodyworker with expertise in Chiropractic, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Structural Integration, Foot care and Orthotics, Nutrition, and Movement Education,
Dr. Allan is a mind-body doctor that utilizes chiropractic methods along with an array of therapies he's learned over the years including but not limited to soft tissue methods like structural integration, postural education, reflexology, auriculotherapy, self-hypnosis and visualization methods, stretching and strengthening techniques, and nutrition.
Dr. Allan knows what to do when you are not feeling your best. He has helped thousands of patients and he is ready to help you. Besides providing excellent treatments, he adds education so problems suffered before will get better. He searches for the root causes of health issues so you won't have to keep coming back for treatments over and over again.
Call or Email Rocketship Wellness for a free consultation now - (424) 346-8977
- Years in Practice: 39 Years
- School: Cleveland Chiropractic
- Year Graduated: 1990
- License and State: DC21458 California
- Cost per Session: $100 - $300
- Sliding Scale: Yes
Pay By: American Express, Cash, Check, Discover, Mastercard, Paypal, Visa
We do not bill for insurance. Of course we would be glad to provide you with a chiropractic statement that you can submit to your insurance.
Email us or call (424) 346-8977 with questions.
Additional Credentials
- Certificate: Certified in Chiropractic Foot Care
- Certificate Date: 1993
- Certificate: American Reflexology Certification Board / A0061
- Certificate Date: 1992
12927 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90066
Los Angeles, California 90066
Call Dr. David Allan(424) 346-8977
- Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Foot Pain
- Nutrition
- Joint Pain
- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Carpal Tunnel
- Diet
- Elbow Pain
- Headache
- Hip Pain
- Movement Education
- Muscle Sprains
- Numbness
- Pinched Nerve
- Posture Education
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Shoulder Pain
- Spinal Pain
- Sports Medicine
- Stress
- Tendonitis
- Tingling
- Weight Loss
- Wellness
- Whiplash
Client Focus
- Preteens / Tweens (11 to 13)
- Adolescents / Teenagers (14 to 19)
- Adults
- Elders (65+)
Treatment Preferences
- Mixing
- Movement Education
- Wellness Education
Treatment Techniques
- Activator Methods
- Auricular
- Auriculotherapy
- Diversified
- Feldenkrais
- Manual Adjusting
- Reflexology
- Traction
- Trigger Point Therapy
Last Modified: 03 Oct 2019


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Premium Commentary & Analysis
Augmented Reality… A New Reality in 2014
Today's hyper connected consumers are truly in control of the media that they consume. Today's marketers must pursue media strategies that deliver holistic integrated communications to drive results. This article explores how printed communications are being combined with augmented reality to increase revenues and response rates.
By Barb Pellow
Published: May 15, 2014


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Economic Data of Guangdong Province
Guangdong Economic and Trade Information-2017
|179 thousand and 700 square kilometers
|111 million 690 thousand (late 2017)
|Cities in the province(Prefecture level city)
|Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Shantou, Chaozhou.
|Gross Domestic Product
|8 trillion and 987 billion 9 million yuan
|Major Industries
|The electronic information industry, the electrical machinery industry, the petrochemical industry, the textile and clothing industry, the food and beverage industry, the building material industry, the forestry, the paper industry, the medicine industry, the automobile and motorcycle industry.
|foreign Direct Investment
|23 billion 349 million dollars (actual use)
|Main Export Products
|Semiconductor, agricultural products, refined oil, cosmetics and skin care products.
|Main Import Products
|Dried fruit,fresh fruit, edible oil, soya bean, rubber, logs
|Export Value of Goods and Services
|4 trillion and 218 billion 680 million yuan
|Import Value of Goods and Services
|2 trillion and 596 billion 910 million yuan
|Number of Passengers
|Number of inbound overnight passengers: 36 million 475 thousand and 600 person times
Number of domestic overnight passengers: 407 million person times
Economic and trade and investment situation between Guangdong and Macao
From January 2017 to November 2017, the total import and export volume of Guangdong and Macao was 109.7 billion. By the end of November 2017, the total number of direct investment projects of Macao in Guangdong was 678, and the direct contract investment was 5 billion 180 million US dollars with the actual use of foreign capital was 521 million dollars.By the end of November 2017, Guangdong has set up 678 investment projects in Macao, with 518 thousand dollars in contracted foreign capital and 52 thousand and 100 US dollars in actual foreign investment.
Economic and trade and investment situation between Guangdong and Portuguese speaking countries
From January 2016 to December 2016, the total import and export volume of Guangdong and Portuguese speaking countries amounted to 9 billion 213 million 150 thousand US dollars. Portuguese speaking countries had 12 investment projects in Guangdong, with 10 million 590 thousand US dollars in contractual foreign capital and 3 million 600 thousand US dollars in actual foreign investment. In 2016, Guangdong totally invested 2 million 970 thousand US dollars in Portuguese speaking countries.
Source of information:
Statistics Bureau of Guangdong Province: http://www.gdstats.gov.cn/
Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province: http://www.gdcom.gov.cn
Guangzhou representative office inquires about information from the Commerce Department of Guangdong Province


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embOS RL78 IAR
embOS for RL78 was developed for and with IAR and can be used with any RL78 device.
Board support packages for different RL78 devices and evaluation boards are included.
Resources and Performance Data
|Memory usage
|Kernel ROM
|Approx. 1700 Bytes
|Kernel RAM
|43 Bytes
|Task RAM: Task control block
|14 Bytes
|Task RAM: Minimum stack size
|14 Bytes
|Context switching time
|251 Cycles (7.8 µs with R5F100LE running at 32 MHz)
|Interrupt latency time
Board support packages
|Evaluation board
|Renesas R5F100LE
|Glyn EVBRL78G13
|Renesas R5F100LE
|Renesas Y-RPB for RL78\G13
|Renesas R5F104PJ
|Renesas Y-RDK for RL78\G14
|Renesas R5F10ELE
|Renesas QB-R5F10ELE Target Board
|Renesas R5F10JGC
|Renesas Starter Kit for RL78\G1C
|Renesas R5F10RLC
|Renesas Starter Kit for RL78\L12
|Renesas R5F10WMG
|Renesas Starter Kit for RL78\L13


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My Blog
Posts for: April, 2016
For major-league slugger Giancarlo Stanton, 2014 was a record-breaking year. After the baseball season ended, he signed a 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins — the biggest deal in sports history. But earlier that same year, Stanton suffered one of the worst accidents in baseball: He was hit in the face by an 88-mph fastball, sustaining multiple fractures, lacerations, and extensive dental damage.
After the accident, Stanton didn't play for the remainder of the season. But now he's back in Spring Training… and he's got a not-so-secret weapon to help protect him against another injury: A custom-made face guard designed to absorb impacts and keep him from suffering further trauma.
As sports fans, we're glad that Stanton was able to overcome his injury and get back in the game. As dentists, we'd like to remind you that you don't have to be a major-league player to feel the harmful effects of a sports injury — and you don't have to look far to find a way to protect yourself. In fact, you can get a custom-made mouthguard right here at the dental office.
Mouthguards have a long tradition in sports like football, boxing, and hockey. But did you know that far more Americans are injured every year playing "non-collision" sports like basketball, baseball — and even bicycling? And it doesn't take a major-league fastball to cause a dental injury: The highest incidence of sports-related dental injuries occurs in 15-to-18-year-old males. In fact, about one-third of all dental injuries among children stem from various types of sports activities. These injuries may result in countless hours being lost from school and work, and cost significant sums for treatment and restoration.
Mouthguards have a proven track record in reducing dental and facial injuries: They are capable of absorbing the energy of a blow to the mouth, and dissipating it in a way that prevents damage to facial structures and teeth. But not all mouthguards are created equal: Custom-fabricated mouthguards, which are produced from an exact model of your mouth made right here in the dental office, offer by far the best protection. They fit better and safeguard the teeth more fully than any off-the-shelf or "boil-and-bite" type can. Plus, they're more comfortable to wear. And let's face it: No mouth guard can protect your teeth if you don't wear it.
What's more, some recent studies indicate that custom-made mouthguards may offer significant protection against concussion. An increasing awareness of the dangers that concussion may pose to athletes is one more reason why we recommend custom-made mouthguards to active people and their families.
To get his face guard, Giancarlo Stanton reportedly went to a specialist sporting-goods manufacturer in Illinois, and paid around $1,000. But you can get a custom-made mouthguard for yourself or your loved ones right at our office for a fraction of that price. And the peace of mind it can give you is… priceless.
If you have questions about custom-made mouthguards, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles "An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry" and "Athletic Mouthguards."
The mark of a great dental restoration is that you can't see it. It's there in plain sight, but others observing your new and improved smile can't tell the difference between the restoration and your natural teeth. Everything looks, well, natural.
That's the great advantage of dental porcelain. A dental technician with technical skill and artistic flair can form this inorganic, ceramic material into a life-like replica of your tooth, with a shape and color that blends in with the rest of your teeth. And because of its strength properties, porcelain restorations can hold up to the normal chewing and biting forces in your mouth, as long as you use prudence when biting down on hard substances.
Porcelain is also highly adaptable to different kinds of restorations. For natural teeth still viable but no longer attractive, porcelain can be the main ingredient in two very popular and effective restorations, the veneer and the crown. Although the porcelain material is the same for both, their construction and application are quite different.
Veneers are very thin laminated layers of dental porcelain custom-colored and shaped for bonding to the outer visible portion of a tooth. They're a great solution for relatively decay-free teeth that have minor to moderate defects like chipping, slight misalignment or heavy staining. They often require some permanent removal of tooth enamel to ensure their appearance isn't too bulky, but causes minimal impact to the tooth.
Crowns, on the other hand, are complete tooth replicas that are bonded in place over an existing tooth like a cap. They're a good choice for teeth in which the root and inner layers are still viable, but the tooth has been significantly damaged by decay or trauma. They're also useful as a protective cover for teeth that have undergone root canal treatment. But unlike the minimal impact of veneers, crowns require significant tooth alterations to accommodate them.
In either case, though, the end result is much the same: both crowns and veneers can be fashioned to precisely mimic the shape, color and texture of natural teeth. In skillful hands, these porcelain restorations can transform your smile for the better and no one but you and your dentist will ever need to know.
If you would like more information on porcelain restorations, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article "Porcelain Crowns & Veneers."


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MRF ZCT has been designed keepin loadability as the focal point. The wide contact patch and rocust construction makes for hih load bearing capabilities. Zig-Zag tread pattern offers confident grip over rough and well-paved roads.
Key Features & Benefits-
- Zig-Zag pattern with sipes provide for confident wet and dry traction
- Wide contact patch makes for good handling and cornering
- Robust construction makes for high loadability
- High rubber content makes for lomg tread life
- Width145
145 is the width in millimetres of the tyres cross section.
- Aspect Ratio80
80 is the Aspect Ratio, it is the ratio of the sidewall height to the cross section width.
- ConstructionR
Radial construction. R stands for radial-ply construction.
- Rim12
12 inches, stands for the diameter of the wheel that the tyre is designed to fit.


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Licensing | About CDE | State Board | Offices | Staff Directory | Careers at CDE
You are here
CPP Eligibility Factor - Unmarried, Teenaged Parents
Clarification of Eligibility Factor
Either parent of the child was less than eighteen years of age and unmarried at the time of the birth of the child. (22-28-106 (1) (a.5) (V) C.R.S.).
Significance of Factor in regards to School Readiness
- Evidence suggests numerous negative developmental consequences associated with teenage pregnancy, for both teen parents and their children. These consequences include reduced educational attainment, greater financial hardship, and less stable marriage patterns for the teen parent. At the child level, poorer health, educational and behavioral outcomes have been noted.
- Children of teenage mothers are generally found to have lower IQ scores and more school adjustment problems. Research also highlights the social-emotional impact of teenage parenthood. Children born to teenage mothers often exhibit greater over activity, hostility, resistive behavior, and lack of impulse control.
- The role of support networks and other interpersonal resources, including but not limited to a spouse, is important as well. Family structure and access to other adults can mitigate the effects associated with teenage childbearing.
How It May Be Documented
- Child's birth certificate
- Agency referral
- Parent report/interview
Research References:
Center for Social Law and Policy. (2007). Early head start and teen parent families: Partnerships for success.
Furstenberg, F. F. Jr., Levine, J. A., Brooks-Gunn, J. (1990). The children of teenage mothers: Patterns of early childbearing in two generations. Family Planning Perspectives, 22, 54-61.
Baldwin, W. & Cain, V. S. (1980). The children of teenage parents. Guttmacher Insitute. Retrieved June 2, 2011 from http://www.jstor.org/pss/2134676
Thornberry, T.P., Smith, C.A., & Howard, G.T. (1997). Risk factors for teenage fatherhood. National Council on Family Relations. Retrieved August 10, 2009 fromhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/353942
Additional Resources for Families and Staff:
Career Education for Teen Parents
Helping the Education System Work for Teen Parents and Their Children
Back to CPP Legislated Eligibility Criteria Page
CPP Coordinator Resources Page


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Even do Valentines Day May be over, dating possibilities and opportunities are always there. So before the romantic feel invading most of us leaves I decided I would make a couple of outfits inspired by what would I wear in different dates scenarios.
Night Out Date:
For a night out date I decided to make my doll look very sexy with a little black dress which is always a no brainer when going out on a date. I feel that if you are going out to somewhere fancy a clutch is a most and to achieve this night out look on stardoll be sure to be on the look for a simple clutch like the one I am wearing which can be dressed up and down.
What I am wearing:
Mesh Panel Dress - Herve Leger Tribute
Black Foldover DvF Purse - Diane von Furstenberg Holiday Tribute
Matte Classic Heels - Otto
Day on the Park Date:
Now another cliche type of date is a casual date on the park. I feel like as a girl if you are going out on a date even if it is to the park you must look put together. So for stardoll I decided to go for mint colors which are sunlight friendly and will look good in a garden background.
What I am wearing:
Greenhouse Embroidered Top - Pretty and Love
Barely Mint Trousers - Voile
Champagne London Clutch - Royalty Store
Gols Tear Shoes - Decades
Museum Semi-Formal Date:
One of my favorite type of dates is the ones where you go out to a museum or an art expo. Its a good way to see if your date has a brain or no. To achieve a casual yet put together look a blazer and heels are a must and on stardoll we have that. Add on glasses to your doll so she looks smarter.
What I am wearing:
Elie Black Handbag - Royalty Store
Silver Moon Heels - Limited Edition
Black Cross Jumpsuit - Rio
Extra Long Modern Blazer - Elle
Cross Over Knot Belt - Apres Ski
Flash Fashion Winner
This weeks winner was daddysgurl, congratulations I really enjoy all the layering and the formal look of this outfit. She wins the title of Fashionista of the Week and a wish list item up to 30sd.
Until next post, Stay gorgeous!
(Yes I am stealing that off Gigi Gorgeous)


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(A) A person licensed by another state or country in the practice of chiropractic may apply under this section for a license to practice chiropractic in this state in lieu of applying under section 4734.20 of the Revised Code. The fee for applying under this section shall be five hundred dollars.
(B) The state chiropractic board may, for good cause, waive all or part of the educational and testing requirements specified under section 4734.20 of the Revised Code and issue a license to an applicant under this section, if the applicant presents satisfactory proof of being licensed to practice chiropractic in another state or country where the requirements for receipt of the license, on the date the license was issued, are considered by the board to be substantially equivalent to those of this chapter. The applicant must meet the same age and moral character requirements that must be met under section 4734.20 of the Revised Code. If the board does not waive all of the educational and testing requirements, the board may require that the applicant complete and receive a score specified by the board on one or more tests administered by the board or by the national board of chiropractic examiners or another testing entity.
Effective Date: 04-10-2001 .


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2Q Small-Balance Lending 'Vigorous'
Tucker, Michael firstname.lastname@example.com
The small-balance lending market remains "vigorous," with loan production accelerating during the second quarter, reported Boxwood Means, Stamford, Conn.
Sub-$5 million commercial and multifamily loan originations totaled $46.4 billion during the quarter, up 15.4 percent from the first quarter, said Boxwood Means Principal Randy Fuchs. Mid-year originations approached $87 billion, just 2.9 percent behind last year's record-setting pace.
"Small-balance lenders, brokers and investors have every reason to be upbeat as vigorous commercial real estate space market conditions remain buoyed by the modest pace of growth in the U.S. economy," Fuchs said. He noted that while improved labor markets, personal income growth and business investment have turned the conversation toward an interest rate increase, a modest interest rate increase will not likely deter most borrowers, who enjoy still-rising property incomes.
Banks led by JPMorgan Chase accounted for 23 percent of total second-quarter small-balance loan origination volume, up 10 basis points from the first quarter, Boxwood Means reported. Private lenders represented the second-largest source. "Banks' strong lending activity and stable market share during the second quarter is encouraging given growing industry concerns over a pullback due to reported tightening in underwriting standards and greater regulatory intervention," Fuchs said. "A majority of banks remain optimistic about loan demand going forward, especially regarding commercial real estate loan growth."
Fuchs said banks currently show "restraint" as they head into a credit-tightening cycle at this late stage of the market expansion. "That will help keep the market from further over-heating and will also likely shift some of the loan demand further toward non-banks, specialty finance and marketplace lenders," he said.
Fuchs noted that the "sweet spot" for this market remains loans below $1 million. "The needs of private buyers and small business real estate owners for smaller loans is always the key driver of this loan space," he said. Loans under $1 million accounted for more than 70 percent of the 53,000 individual deals under $5 million made during the quarter.
Boxwood's price index for properties trading under $5 million across 127 cities rose 0.3 percent in July, its third consecutive monthly increase. Small-cap asset values are now up 3 percent year-over-year. "With prices having increased steadily if modestly for 41 consecutive months, the [small-cap] index has recovered to its December 2008 level," Fuchs said.
Small-cap multifamily prices powered forward, rising a "robust" 0.9 percent in July and 9.2 percent year-over-year as debt capital continued to flow freely to small affordable rental housing investors, Boxwood Means reported. "Low homeownership rates due in part to low affordability, low single-family inventories and changing housing preferences have driven rental vacancies way down and rents straight up--music to the ears of small-balance lenders and investors who also find that competitive supply tilts heavily towards luxury apartment projects and not affordable ones," Fuchs said. He noted that asset prices accelerated even further in the six largest U.S. cities, increasing 1.6 percent in July alone and 12.8 percent from a year earlier.
Boxwood's Small Multifamily Price Index for the 48 largest markets has now recovered 197 percent from its September 2010 trough and hovers 25 percent above its previous 2006 peak.


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Direction Artistique et design graphique à Paris
Co-fondateur et Directeur Artistique de Voxe.org °
Chargé de cours de Typographie, assistant de Muriel Paris, à Penninghen °
Designer de pictogrammes °
Art Direction and Graphic design in Paris
Founding member & Art Director of the award-winning non-profit, Voxe.org °
Lecturer at Penninghen, assisting Muriel Paris °
Pictograms designer °
Voxe is a one-of-a kind neutral political programs comparision website.
It is not only a tool, it is also a community: with over 10 elections covered since 2012, more than 100 contributors from diverse backgrounds took part in the platform: students, journalists, politicians... but most of all, Citizens, passionate about changing the relationship between civil society and politicians. Finally, Voxe is a product of collaboration, both upstream and downstream of the elections, as we work open source: sharing is our trademark. Another proof of this statement is that Voxe's apps have been created thanks to voluntary hackers during a Hackathon.
Visit voxe.org
Museum of emoji
Art made in emoji.
Famous works of art turned into icon-based rebuses.
Museum of emoji on Twitter.
Icon Local
In December 2013, Five by Five and I organized the first French IconLocal in Paris.
The goal of the workshop was to invent a visual vocabulary for the components of open data.
Learn more about the event on The Noun Project blog.


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Auto Industry Bailout
Was the Big 3 Bailout Worth It?
The U.S. government's $80.7 billion bailout of the auto industry lasted from December 2008 to December 2014. The U.S. Department of the Treasury used funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. In the end, taxpayers lost $10.2 billion.
The Big Three automakers asked Congress for help similar to the bank bailout. They warned that General Motors Company and Chrysler LLC faced bankruptcy and the loss of 1 million jobs. The Ford Motor Company didn't need the funds since it had already cut costs. But it asked to be included so it wouldn't suffer by competing with companies who already had government subsidies.
The Treasury Department lent money and bought stock ownership in GM and Chrysler. It provided incentives to spur new car purchases. In effect, the government nationalized GM and Chrysler just as it did Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the American International Group.
Bailout Details
Here's the bailout breakdown. It shows what the government invested. It then shows what Treasury sold the shares for, including what it received in its debt repayment. It then calculates the taxpayer's profit or loss.
|Sold For
|Date Bailout Ended
|$51.0 billion
|$39.7 billion
|-$11.3 billion
|Dec. 9, 2013
|GMAC (Ally)
|$17.2 billion
|$19.6 billion
|+$2.4 billion
|Dec. 18, 2014
|$12.5 billion
|$11.2 billion
|-$1.3 billion
|May 2011
|$80.7 billion
|$70.5 billion
|- $10.2 billion
(Source: "Key Facts," U.S. Department of the Treasury.)
Ford Credit received its bailout from the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility, not TARP. That was a government program for auto, student, and other consumer loans.
The federal government took over GM and Chrysler in March 2009. It fired GM CEO Rick Wagoner and required Chrysler to merge with Italy's Fiat S.p.A. The Obama administration used the take-over to set new auto efficiency standards. That improved air quality and forced U.S. automakers to be more competitive against Japanese and German firms.
Chrysler entered bankruptcy on April 3, 2009. GM followed on June 1. By the end of July, they emerged from bankruptcy reorganization. GM became two separate companies and spun off GMAC into Allied Financial. Chrysler became a brand owned mostly by Fiat. The Treasury Department began selling off its ownership of GM in 2010. Chrysler paid off the last of its loans by 2011.
On December 18, 2014, the Treasury Department ended the bailout. That's when it sold its last remaining shares of Ally Financial, formerly known as General Motors Acceptance Corporation. It had bought them for $17.2 billion to infuse cash into the failing GM subsidiary. The Treasury Department sold the shares for $19.6 billion, making a $2.4 billion profit for taxpayers.
Initial Request
On November 18, 2008, auto execs flew to Washington to plead for an additional $25 billion in TARP funds. Congress had already agreed to lend $25 billion from a program to develop energy efficient vehicles.
Congress refused the automakers' request. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Big Three should return with "... a responsible plan that gives us a realistic chance to get the needed votes." It didn't help the public's opinion of the automakers that the three CEOs flew to DC in corporate jets.
Opponents said GM and Chrysler brought their near-bankruptcy on themselves. They didn't retool for an energy efficient era. They should have cut production, jobs, and dealerships years earlier. Columnist David Brooks said, "...if these companies are not allowed to go bankrupt now, they never will be."
On December 3, 2008, the automakers returned with a larger request. They needed $34 billion: $18 billion for GM, $7 billion for Chrysler, and $9 billion for Ford. This time, Ford's CEO drove to DC.
Congress explored whether a planned bankruptcy reorganization without a bailout was a better alternative. It soon realized that would take too long to implement.
On December 19, 2008, President George W. Bush agreed to a $24.9 billion bailout using TARP: $13.4 billion for GM, $5.5 billion for Chrysler, and $5 billion for GMAC.
In response, the companies promised to fast-track development of energy-efficient vehicles and consolidate operations. GM and Ford agreed to streamline the number of brands they produced. The United Automobile Workers union agreed to accept delayed contributions to a health trust fund for retirees. It also agreed to reduce payments to laid-off workers. The three CEOs agreed to work for $1 a year and sell their corporate jets.
On March 19, 2009, the Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson also approved $5 billion in loans to auto suppliers.
GM and GMAC Bailout Timeline
In 1953, former General Motors President Charles Wilson said, "What's good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa." GM sales hit a peak of 17.296 million vehicles in September 2005. But, as gas prices soared, GM's sales plummeted.
By 2007, Americans found Wilson's statement was no longer true. That's the year Toyota beat GM to become the world's leading automaker. It did so by meeting global demand for smaller cars. While Toyota was building plants in the United States, GM was closing them. Instead of changing, GM offered zero percent financing to sell SUVs and other large vehicles.
It was able to do this through its lending arm, General Motors Acceptance Corporation. It was formed in 1919 to provide loans to General Motors' auto purchases. It expanded to include insurance, online banking, mortgage operations, and commercial finance. Its mortgage operations were full of toxic debt. As a result, title insurer Old Republic announced it would stop insuring GMAC's mortgages.
The initial $18.4 billion bailout was not enough. In April, GM borrowed another $2 billion. On May 2, 2009, GM stock fell below $1 a share for the first time since the Great Depression. That forced it to require another $4.4 billion to stay afloat.
On June 1, 2009, GM entered bankruptcy. It had $82 billion in assets and $172.8 billion in liabilities. That month, sales hit their low point of 9.545 million cars and trucks.
The government lent GM $30.1 billion to fund operations through June and July while it went through bankruptcy reorganization. It also guaranteed GM's extended warranties. In return, it bought 60 percent of the company in warrants for common stock and preferred stock. The Canadian government bought 12 percent. A union health trust received 17.5 percent stock ownership. That was in lieu of the $20 billion needed to cover benefits for 650,000 retirees. Bondholders received 10 percent stock ownership in lieu of $27 billion in bonds. Stockholders lost all their investment.
GM promised to repay the $30 billion loan by 2012 when it planned to break even. The company pledged to cut its debt by $30 billion by converting debt ownership for equity. It agreed to pay union health care benefits to retirees by 2010. It promised to sell its Saab, Saturn, and Hummer divisions, reducing the number of models for sale to 40. It shut down 11 factories, closed 40 percent of its 6,000 dealerships, and cut more than 20,000 jobs.
Government funding also provided the following incentives for new car buyers:
- The government backed all new car warranties.
- The economic stimulus bill allowed new car buyers to deduct all car sales and excise taxes.
- Congress approved TARP-funded subsidies of zero percent financing for some Chrysler vehicles.
The government intended to make GM more efficient. That would allow it to become profitable when sales returned to 10 million vehicles a year. That happened in July 2009, when sales hit 10.758 million.
GM emerged from bankruptcy on July 10, 2009, as two separate companies. Old GM held most of the debt. New GM held the assets, $17 billion in debt, the contract with unions, and its underfunded pension funds. This allowed it to move forward as a profitable company. The new company only has four brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, and Buick. The company sold Saab and discontinued Saturn and Hummer.
In April 2010, New GM repaid its $6.7 billion TARP loan.
In November 2010, Treasury revealed it would sell half its ownership of GM. That sale allowed an initial public offering on the stock market of $33 a share. It had already gotten back $37.2 billion by selling its ownership in GM.
In November 2013, the Treasury Department announced it would sell its remaining 31.1 million shares in GM. In December 2014, Treasury sold its remaining shares in Ally Financial.
Chrysler's Bailout
On January 16, 2009, the Treasury Department approved a $1.5 billion loan for Chrysler Financial. The interest rate for the loans was one point above Libor. In return, Chrysler Financial promised to pay the government $75 million in notes and reduce executive bonuses by 40 percent. As a result, car buyers got zero-percent financing for five years on some models.
Chrysler received $4 billion of the $7 billion bridge loan it originally requested. In return, its owner Cerberus vowed to convert its debt to equity.
Chrysler had also asked for $6 billion from the Energy Department to retool for more energy-efficient vehicles. Chrysler wanted the Big Three to partner with the federal government in a joint venture to develop alternative energy vehicles. That didn't happen, and Chrysler didn't get the loan from the Energy Department. Instead, it pledged to debut an electric vehicle in 2010 and ramp up its production to 500,000 by 2013.
On April 30, 2009, Chrysler filed for bankruptcy. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner agreed to lend it $6 billion to fund operations while in bankruptcy. It emerged as a new company, 58.5 percent of which automaker Fiat S.p.A. of Italy now partly owned. This Fiat-Chrysler merger created the world's sixth-largest automaker. The rest is owned by the United Auto Workers Retiree Medical Benefits Trust. Chrysler closed underperforming dealerships as part of its bankruptcy proceedings.
In May 2011, Chrysler repaid $11.2 billion of its outstanding $12.5 billion in TARP loans six years ahead of schedule. The total cost to taxpayers was $1.3 billion.
In 2013, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne announced plans to take Chrysler public on the New York Stock Exchange. This allowed Fiat to purchase the rest of the company and merge the two into a more competitive global automaker. In October 2014, it was listed under the ticker symbol "FCAU." The new company was called Fiat Chrysler Auto Company N.V. Its 2017 market capitalization was $17 billion.
In 2016, Chrysler spun off its Ferrari division. In 2017, there were rumors that Chrysler might sell its flagship Jeep brand to a Chinese automaker. The company also switched its U.S. plants from cars to trucks and Jeep sport utility vehicles. There are no plans to build electric or self-driving vehicles.
Ford's Bailout
Although Ford did not receive TARP funds, it did receive government loans. These were critical because banks were not lending during the financial crisis. It requested a $9 billion line-of-credit from the government. In return, it pledged to spend $14 billion on new technologies.
On June 23, 2009, Ford received a $5.9 billion loan from the Energy Department's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program. In return, it pledged to accelerate the development of both hybrid and battery-powered vehicles, close dealerships, and sell Volvo. It upgraded factories in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio to produce hybrid vehicles.
Ford used the funds to switch its focus to commercial electric vehicles. In 2016, CEO Mark Fields said, "We want to become a top player in electrified solutions. The company wants to lead…we can win such as with our commercial vehicles."
Eighty-one percent of the funds went to create new efficiency technologies for gas-powered vehicles. For example, they helped fund Ford's aluminum bodies in the F-series pickups. The Congressional Research Service estimated the loans saved 33,000 jobs. Ford will repay this loan by 2022.
Many argue that Ford needed the funds to sustain its cash flow during the recession. Ford says it was in better shape than the other two because it had mortgaged its assets in 2006 to raise $23.6 billion. It used the loans to retool its product lineup to focus on smaller, energy-efficient vehicles. It got the United Automobile Workers to agree it could finance half of a new retiree health care trust with company stock. By April 2009, it retired $9.9 billion of the debt it had taken out in 2006.
Bailout Causes
By December 2008, auto sales had fallen 37 percent in a year. That was 400,000 fewer vehicles or the equivalent of two factories' annual output. GM and Chrysler had the worst decline, while Ford's loss was about the same as industry leaders Honda and Toyota.
At the time of the bailout, the auto industry contributed 3.6 percent, or $500 billion, to U.S. gross domestic product. A 30 percent decline in auto sales translated directly into a 1 percent decrease in economic output.
Many in Congress accused the automakers of not operating competitively for years. The companies had delayed making alternative energy vehicles. Instead, they focused on reaping the profits from gas-guzzling SUVs and Hummers. When sales declined in 2006, they launched zero-percent financing plans to lure buyers. Union members were paid $70 per hour, on average, while new hires made $26 per hour. GM had twice as many brands as needed. It also had twice as many dealerships, thanks to state franchise regulations.
The Impact of the Bailout on the U.S. Economy
The bailout helped create 341,000 additional jobs. Automobile and parts manufacturing employed 1.091 million workers at its April 2006 peak. By June 2009, that number had plummeted 43 percent to 624,000 workers. Dealerships laid off 16 percent of their workforce. Dealership employees fell from a peak of 1.926 million in September 2005 to 1.612 million in February 2010. These figures include foreign automakers as well as the Big Three.
The main purpose of the bailout was to save jobs at GM. But GM had to slash its employment and production anyway. Toyota and Honda continued to increase their U.S. factories, providing jobs for American auto workers.
If there had been no bailout, Ford, Toyota, and Honda would have picked up even more market share. Since they had U.S. plants, they would have increased jobs for Americans once the recession was over. The loss of GM would be like the loss of Pan Am, TWA, and other companies that had a strong American heritage but lost their competitiveness. It would have perhaps tugged at the heartstrings of America but not really hurt the economy. As a result, the auto industry bailout was not critical to the U.S. economy, like the rescue of AIG or the banking system.


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Pakistani students abroad make nation proud
ISLAMABAD, July 6: The Public Affairs section of the US embassy screened Dawn TVs Documentary "Pakistani Students: Learning/Sharing in the USAin Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) on Friday.
The aim of the documentary was to showcase the experiences of Pakistan students in the US, and illustrate the useful impact such experiences have on reshaping the images of the two countries among their people.
Focusing on around five Pakistanis studying in the US, the documentary captured similar stories from students of diverse backgrounds, coming from areas like FATA, Hyderabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Light in tone, it first captured the awkward questions Pakistani students had to face. "Are there roads in Pakistan," "Are the coffee shops there similar to here," and in a more serious vein, "Why don't you cover your face?" and so on.
One American lady revealed that she honestly thought the Pakistani student might bomb the classroom, but that impression changed over time.
Similarly, touching on political overtones, a student, Hammad Ali Khan, said he was worried that once he landed at an airport in US, his green passport would get him harassed by the airport security. But some of the adjustment was culture related. An American teacher stated that students from Pakistan treat professors like god and hesitate to ask questions, but with time they learn that discussion with teachers is encouraged in the American context and open up with time.
Finding halal food can become problematic for students in the US, hence converting them into vegetarians. A student suggested that with tomatoes, chick peas and other ingredients, if one is innovative, an improvised "channa chat" can be made. "Spoken like a true Pakistani," commented one audience member.The students also acknowledged the strengths of both countries. Kiran Rajput from Hyderabad appreciated the respect and freedom given to the minorities to practise their religion in Pakistan and in US.
And Irfan Ullah, a student struggling with polio, shared that there are many opportunities there for the disabled and he is empowered in an environment where he is not treated any less than others. The documentary displayed that students are ambassadors of their respective countries, families and cultures. Some residents of the US realised that not everything their media showed was true as they were confronted only to negativities in the case of Pakistan - drone attacks, suicide bombings - and all the cultural, educational and development aspects were not showered any light on.


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You'd expect content from a digital marketing blog such as Econsultancy to be heavily shared on social networks. But which networks do most Econsultancy readers use for sharing? And what were the most frequently shared posts in 2011?
We performed an analysis of the social visibility of the Econsultancy blog content on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google+ and social bookmarking sites StumbleUpon and Delicious by looking at the weekly data that we collate in our social analytics database.
When we explored the spread of social networks on which the site's content is shared, we found that Twitter seems to be by far the most important, representing more than half (54.52 per cent) of all links shared (using data we analysed for a period covering roughly the last three years).
Take a look at the breakdown underneath:
The 'Social Spread' for Econsultancy blog content
• Twitter – 54.52 per cent
• Stumbleupon – 28.42 per cent
• Facebook (likes, comments, shares) – 8.7 per cent
• Delicious – 6.97 per cent
• Google+ – 1.39 per cent
• LinkedIn – 0.01 per cent
Based on data from the last eight weeks, we found that the site drives around 30,900 links/shares to its content every week on the social networking and bookmarking sites included in our study. Roughly 21,100 of these weekly links are shared on Twitter, about 6,700 on StumbleUpon and about 1,500 on Delicious. Most of the remainder is from Facebook activity – shares, comments and likes. Google+ and LinkedIn seem to be generating few links currently.
Obviously a key reason why you'd want people sharing links from your site in this way is to expose a wider target audience to your content. But it's also worth noting that SEOs try to drive social media links because they want their content seen by bloggers, in the hope that they will link back to it from their own sites to help improve search engine rankings.
Additionally, many SEOs believe that Google and Bing are starting to analyse social media links to help determine the quality of web pages and how highly they should rank in searches. In other words the quality and quantity of social links accumulated by a web page could help improve its search visibility/ranking.
Ok, so what about the most popular Econsultancy posts based on our data relating to the volume of social shares in 2011?
Here's the top 10, according to our analysis (note the social visibility score we use to measure this is based on the total number of social links a web page has scored, while accounting for the different weightings we given to links on different social networks/bookmarking sites):
Ten most socially visible Econsultancy posts in 2011
10 mind-blowing mobile infographics [Social Visibility = 23,654]
The ultimate guide to the Facebook Edgerank algorithm [Social Visibility = 20,091]
SEO tips for Facebook Pages [Social Visibility = 11,841]
10 amazing e-commerce infographics [Social Visibility = 10,326]
Twitter isn't very social: study [Social Visibility = 9,456]
11 ways to measure the value of social media [Social Visibility = 8,718]
20+ Mind-blowing social media statistics: One year later [Social Visibility = 8,086]
Why do consumers abandon online purchases? [Social Visibility = 7,770]
Eight creative uses of QR codes [Social Visibility = 7,101]
10 amazing e-commerce infographics [Social Visibility = 6,592]
A quick look at the top ten confirms that posts that are essentially lists remain ever popular (six out of the top 10 are lists of one kind or another). Three are infographics – which are usually designed specifically with the aim of generating shares. Posts related to online retail/e-commerce are also popular, making up three of the top ten.
And as you'd expect, many of the same posts are also in the top five most shared posts on Twitter:
Five most visible Econsultancy Blogs on Twitter in 2011
10 mind-blowing mobile infographics [Total tweets = 3,920]
The ultimate guide to the Facebook Edgerank algorithm [Total tweets = 3,003]
SEO tips for Facebook Pages [Total tweets = 1,966]
10 amazing e-commerce infographics [Total tweets = 1,701]
Twitter isn't very social: study [Total tweets = 1,564]


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- Narrated by: Napoleon Ryan
- Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
- Release date: 07-08-14
Holy Shit By Summary
Almost everyone swears, or worries about not swearing, from the two-year-old who has just discovered the power of potty mouth to the grandma who wonders why every other word she hears is obscene. Whether they express anger or exhilaration, are meant to insult or to commend, swear words perform a crucial role in language. But swearing is also a uniquely well-suited lens through which to look at history, offering a fascinating record of what people care about on the deepest levels of a culture – what's divine, what's terrifying, and what's taboo.
Holy Sh*t tells the story of two kinds of swearing – obscenities and oaths – from ancient Rome and the Bible to today. With humor and insight, Melissa Mohr takes listeners on a journey to discover how "swearing" has come to include both testifying with your hand on the Bible and calling someone a *#$&!* when they cut you off on the highway. She explores obscenities in ancient Rome – which were remarkably similar to our own – and unearths the history of religious oaths in the Middle Ages, when swearing (or not swearing) an oath was often a matter of life and death.
Holy Sh*t also explains the advancement of civility and corresponding censorship of language in the 18th century, considers the rise of racial slurs after World War II, examines the physiological effects of swearing (increased heart rate and greater pain tolerance), and answers a question that preoccupies the FCC, the US Senate, and anyone who has recently overheard little kids at a playground: are we swearing more now than people did in the past?
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