text:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Freddie Mac FMCC.OB, the No. 2 provider of U.S. mortgage money, on Wednesday said it reaped its second-largest profit ever in the first quarter, a reflection of housing market gains that have taken the steam out of efforts to revamp the nation's home loan system.
The government-controlled company reported net income of $4.6 billion for the first three months of the year, up from $577 million in the year-ago quarter. It cited rising home prices, falling mortgage delinquencies and increased refinance activity for the improved performance.
It was the company's sixth straight quarterly profit and the largest since a $5.7 billion gain in the third quarter of 2002.
"The strong rebound in the housing market ... continues to be reflected in our excellent financial performance," Freddie Mac Chief Executive Officer Donald Layton told reporters on a conference call.
Freddie Mac, which faced insolvency when it was seized by the U.S. government in 2008 along with its larger rival Fannie Mae FNMA.OB, paid $5.8 billion to the U.S. Treasury in the first quarter as a dividend payment under the terms of its government bail-out.
It said it would make another $7 billion payment in June, and suggested it could record gains on $30.1 billion worth of assets it had written down as early as in the second quarter, leading to an even bigger payment.
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which together own or guarantee about half of U.S. home loans, have tapped $187.5 billion in taxpayer aid since being placed in conservatorship.
But they have both returned to profitability, helped by the Federal Reserve's aggressive efforts to lower interest rates.
The swing in their financial fortunes has undercut the urgency the Obama administration and lawmakers have felt to wind them down, particularly given a steady stream of dividends that now totals more than $65 billion.
"There's a mindset of 'Why fiddle with anything now that it's going well?'" said Anthony Sanders, finance professor at George Mason University and a former mortgage bond strategist. "We are seeing the interest waning in doing anything with them."
Lawmakers in Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, think Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should eventually be wound down. However, there is no agreement about what should take their place or how large a role the government should play in making sure mortgage credit is available.
The Obama administration outlined three broad approaches in 2011 for revamping the housing finance system but has stopped short of saying which route it would prefer.
Without some form of a government backstop, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage that many Americans rely on would be exceedingly rare.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not make loans, but provide financing to banks and other lenders by purchasing mortgages, which they either hold or repackage as securities that are sold to investors with guarantee.
The government guarantee they offer makes it hard for private financial firms to compete. So-called private label residential mortgage-backed security issuance has been just $4 billion year to date, compared with $637 billion from government-sponsored enterprises, according to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, a Wall Street lobby group.
Under new bailout terms put in place this year, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae must turn over most of their profits to the government. Previously, the two were required to pay a 10 percent dividend even if they faced a loss, and in some quarters they had to draw on taxpayer funds just to make the payment, even if they had a small increase in net income.
Their return to profitability has allowed them to consider booking gains from so-called deferred tax assets they had written down, which would increase their net worth and lead to large one-time payments to the Treasury.
Freddie Mac decided in the first quarter not to reverse about $30.1 billion in the write-downs of its deferred tax assets, but said it would likely reverse the write-down in either the second or third quarters.
The company has certain requirements and thresholds set up with auditors that it must meet before writing up the assets.
"We could pass that test as early as next quarter," Layton said.
Fannie Mae is weighing whether to reverse a write-down on about $60 billion.
Despite their now steady dividend payments, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will never be able to free themselves of government control under the current terms of their bailout, which do not allow them to build equity or purchase the preferred shares the government has taken.
The White House has estimated taxpayers might end up seeing a $51 billion profit on the federal funds injected in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac if the two companies remain in conservatorship through fiscal year 2023.
Reporting by Margaret Chadbourn; Editing by Tim Ahmann, Maureen Bavdek, Chizu Nomiyama and Dan Grebler


text:
Tony Cheung
The Mail Sent To Taiwanese Kids, 2017
Offered by the gallery
Professional art gallery
Rome - Italy
Work sold with an invoice from the gallery
and a certificate of authenticity
Hand-signed by artist
Print : fine art print
Print on paper
Numbered and limited to 20 copies
Dimensions cm | inch
80 x 56 x 0.2 cm 31.5 x 22 x 0.1 inch
Not framed
Collector's Guide
About the artwork
Giclee printing on paper.
Artsper's galleries deliver artworks worldwide and using specialised carriers.
The artwork is available for pickup from the gallery in ( Roma, Italy) or can be delivered to the address of your choice less than a week after validation of your order. The work is insured during transport, so it's risk-free.
You can pay by credit and debit card, PayPal or bank transfer only in euros. We take fraud very seriously and respect your confidential information, which is why all payments are subject to 3D Secure validation.
Artsper's pledge of quality: We only work with professional galleries and guarantee the authenticity and provenance of our artworks.
Any question about the artwork, the artist or the delivery?
* Mandatory fields
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Tony Cheung, class '87, is an illustrator and designer of Guangzhou, a city in Southern China commonly known as Canton.
In 2011 he graduates from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA) and begins his artistic career with the "Sensitive Words" project. This project was born in 2008 and investigates the subject of Chinese censorship, using the keywords that allow the Beijing government's network filtering mechanism to systematically detect unwelcome discussions about politically sensitive issues, which are finally filtered and censored.
This barrage begins since 2008, a year of strong changes for modern China: the earthquake involving a large part of the country with many deaths, Westernization, Olympic games and Facebook and Youtube censorship for fear of the Chinese government of a revolution like the Jasmin Revolution in Tunisia.
China is now one of the world's greatest superpowers, but there are infinite contradictions within it, one of the most obvious is the coexistence between ancient culture and Chinese education and the new industrialization and globalization. These contradictions are the basis of Tony's illustrations, which reinterpret some characters and aspects of Chinese society in ironic and satirical terms.
Mao, Stalin, Marx are transformed, made new and bizarre and at the same time iconic, using a style that blends American pop culture between the '50s and' 60s, manga and dictatorial culture up to touch upon classical art Japanese. The colors are strong as well as the images that contain eroticism and sensuality together with a strong satirical vein.
Tony, who still lives and works in China, where control of the authorities is still very strong, gives us a cue for interpreting his work ethically. The Chinese Taoist philosophy of WuWei (action without action) develops a concept of "emptiness" as a way to reach the cosmic order and inner peace. For Taoism, excellent action is what is achieved in the absence of motives and in the void of purpose, leaving each action to be produced by following its own spontaneous nature. Man therefore does not have to aspire to actions that are too big and complex, but he must keep in harmony with nature so that the world follows its natural evolution.
Likewise, Tony doesn't call himself an activist, his work is an expression of his vision that must let the spectator be able to reflect independently.
We deliver in United States
All works are packed and shipped by professionals.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Posted by Tim Hanrahan | Date March 7, 2017
My organization, Center for Energy and Environment, works primarily on energy efficiency implementation, research, and policy. I oversee our Engagement and Education team, where we do a lot of stakeholder and technical work to move smart energy ideas into the world faster, and in ways where they will stick. My group focuses a lot on the "people" — the users — and what they need to adopt or advance better energy solutions. Sometimes those are communities wanting to put together an energy plan, professionals who need a technical training process, or outreach to address various implementation barriers. Sometimes we provide those services directly, and sometimes we conduct research to try and understand the opportunities.
Lots of meetings working on big picture impacts on MN Residential Energy use, as well as creating systems and processes to maximize impact economically. We have a residential staff of close to 40 people and are in over 7,000 homes a year (combined NEC/CEE), so making sure we are serving the community as best we can to increase energy efficiency is most of what I focus on day to day. I also do a fair amount of training on Building Science both for NEC/CEE staff as well as outside entities. I'm active on many committees locally and nationally to develop standards and give guidance for the Home Performance Industry. The other main project I am working on is a condensing boiler research project funded by the Department of Commerce through their Conservation Applied Research and Development (CARD) grant program.
Read Tim Hanrahan's Full Bio
View All Posts by Tim Hanrahan
Featured Authors
Dana Rider
Emma Appleman
Digital Communications Specialist
Audrey Partridge
Regulatory Policy Manager
Mike Bull
Director of Policy and External Affairs
Dave Bohac, P.E.
Director of Research
Indoor Air Quality
ACEEE Blog
The Energy Collective
MEEA unplugged
Midwest Energy News
Minneapolis - Downtown
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 560
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 335-5858
St. Paul - Midway
1754 University Avenue West
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 221-4462


text:
Orbita Siena One Rotorwind Watch Winder
Orbita Siena One Rotorwind Watch Winder is a luxurious fully enclosed case with lift-up front and top glass viewing panels in burl wood. The sloped front case houses an easily removable drive module so you may easily change the (optional) batteries. The case is fitted with a beveled glass viewing panel. The bottom surface of the case is covered in suede to prevent damage to fine furniture tops.
- Brand:
- Orbita
- Type:
- Watch Winder
- Gender:
- Unisex
- Material:
- Glass, Wood
Sorry product no longer available
We Offer You
- 100% Secure Shopping
- Conflict Free Diamonds
- Competitive Pricing
- Hand Selected Diamonds
- Jewelry & Watch Experts
- Commitment to Quality
- Free Insured Shipping
- Free 30 Day Returns


text:
Bo's Ice Cream is for Sale
A Seminole Heights landmark, Bo's Ice Cream, is for sale, according to a sign on the property. It noted that after 50 years Bo is retiring. What a shame. I hope whoever buys it keeps selling ice cream and does not tear it down for a Walgreens or something. Of course to recoup the cost of the sale they will have to increase prices and sell of some of the land. It will never be the same!


text:
The Quick-Assessment aims to assist EBRD on evaluation and identification of sustainable energy components in build environment projects as well as compare given project with energy performance benchmarks. The Project addresses public, residential and commercial buildings in the pipeline of Property & Tourism, Transport, Agribusiness, Municipal Teams as well as suitable projects of other Banking Teams of EBRD.
The assignment includes:
Sustainable energy investments are described per the following categories: building fabric; HVAC; lighting; water saving equipment; power supply infrastructure.
Beside the energy performance assessment of the proposed projects and solutions, the project also includes evaluation of possible additional energy efficiency improvement measures:
Client: EBRD
Location: CIS
Duration: 07/2010 – 07/2011
Development and implementation of a combined capacity building and project development programme on Financial Engineering, focusing on the development of complete Business Plans for real, concrete projects through an interactive Training Programme. Participants were from Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovenia. The primary target was to build capacities and skills enabling the participants to develop, arrange financing for, implement and maintain energy efficiency projects and hence contribute to sustainable development.
Location: Pecs and Budapest, Hungary
Client: UN ECE
Duration: 1996 – 1998


text:
Best Songs of 2010 (6-1)
We've reached the end of my Best Songs of 2010. I hope you've enjoyed this little exercise, picked up a few new songs for your ipod, or shit, even got pissed off because you have no idea why I chose any of this shit. LOL. Either way, thanks for reading.
Top six songs of the year after the jump.
Posted on December 31st, 2010 - Filed under Best of 2010 - Songs,Music
Tags :: Atlanta Funk, Best Songs of 2010, Big Boi, black music, Cee-Lo, Daddy Fat Sax, Devon Lee, Dungeon Family, emcee, Erykah Badu, Goodie Mob, hip hop, Hot Heavy & Bad, Joi, Joi Gilliam, Legato Blues Summer, mixtape, Night Train, Novel, R. Kelly, R&B, Ryan Shaw, Sir Lucious Left Foot, soul music, State of Loneliness


text:
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and A Framework for K–12 Science Education articulate a beautiful vision for students. The overarching goal of the standards is a coherent and rigorous science education for all students, enabling them to be critical consumers of science and attain the scientific literacy necessary to be informed citizens able to engage in public discourse and decision making on issues of science, engineering, and technology. For those who are so inspired, attaining proficiency in the standards provides students with the foundation needed to pursue STEM careers (a much-needed cohort in our society). Whereas the vision is clear, there is no single path teachers can follow to implement the Next Generation Science Standards. K–12 teachers who want to play a central role in transforming science teaching and learning need guidance in creating paths along which they can translate the NGSS into strong curricula and inspired instruction.
So, how can teachers build aligned NGSS curricula and instruction? Through individual reflection and productive struggle; conversation and collaboration with science educators nationwide; and partnerships with national, state, and local supporters, teachers can develop and implement a shared vision for classroom teaching and learning in science.
Groups of teachers all over the United States are finding the path to NGSS less daunting when they actively engage in adult learning through reflection on how their new approaches to science teaching are working and are mindful when reviewing resources for implementation. There is always that temptation to look for the easy answers about "How to do the NGSS." But following someone else's plans without thoughtful reflection, analysis, and debate will not enable us to reach our own understanding. Without our own deep understanding, we cannot truly shift our classrooms in a sustained way to the deep thinking and critical perspectives required in NGSS. As authors Eric Brunsell, Deb M. Kneser, and Kevin J. Niemi so effectively state in one of my favorite new resources, Introducing Teachers and Administrators to the NGSS, "the NGSS represents an evolution of our understanding of the standards, not a complete break with the past."
If we develop a deep understanding of the NGSS and build our capacity as teachers to coach students toward independent thinking and lifelong learning, we will be able to use many of our own resources by making revisions and shifts in design, and we will be able to develop our own skills as critical consumers of new resources. The productive struggle of "figuring it out" for ourselves with support from others is what leads to deep understanding. We already know this to be true for our students, so shouldn't we apply the same principles to our own learning? What could we build together if we applied this thinking to ourselves when it comes to NGSS?
Conversation and Collaboration
The NGSS is an opportunity for us to collaborate and have conversations around a national common language. One place I like to find support for my own reflection is the NGSSblogs Project. We started this to elevate the collective conversation, so teachers can build paths to NGSS implementation resulting in empowerment for both teachers and students. Just as we witness in our own classrooms, discourse moves understanding forward. I urge you to share your NGSS experiences, have conversations with the teacher down the hall, in the next district, on the other side of the state. Collaborate with those teachers by sharing your best lesson and work together to braid it into the NGSS. Learn from each other and together. The reflection required for sharing powers your own growth while making your reflections public moves the thinking and learning of others. Imagine the resources we could compile if teachers shared what was working (and not working) with NGSS implementation in their own classrooms? By building together, we can assemble an ever-evolving resource bank of NGSS support. Here are some opportunities for conversation, collaboration, and sharing:
- NGSS Multi Tools Online Community of Teachers
- NGSSPeer Learning Network on Google Plus
- #NGSSchat on Twitter
Partnerships with Classroom Supporters
If the reflection and collaboration supports our deep understanding of the NGSS and opportunities to learn and share together, how can we collectively determine a sense of what is "good enough"? How can we ensure we have quality resources, models, and unit progressions for NGSS teaching and learning? Through partnerships and community support, we can work together to create models of great classroom teaching and learning. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) has been a leader in supporting teachers first in understanding the Next Generation Science Standards themselves and then in understanding how to use the NGSS to transform their science classrooms.
To help science teachers, NSTA has created the NGSS@NSTA Hub—a one-stop shop for a multitude of resources for teachers to design NGSS instruction for classroom learning. Resources include articles, webinars, videos, models—and coming soon, an interactive database to support teacher collaboration. Tools and resources like these provide support for teachers to collaborate and build instruction and curriculum.
Another national supporter, Achieve, Inc., has facilitated work among the 26 lead states in developing the Next Generation Science Standards from the beginning. They continue to support teachers by providing resources and guidance during NGSS implementation. The EQuIP rubric developed by Achieve in a partnership with NSTA, for example, is a tool for determining how closely instructional materials align with the NGSS. An excellent overview on how to use the EQuIP rubric was recently written and gives great advice on How to Select and Design Materials that Align to the Next Generation Science Standards.
Another set of useful tools from Achieve are Evidence Statements. They are a sort of a way to do backwards math—they allow you to visualize the incremental captures of student learning on the path to demonstrating proficiency in performance expectations (PEs). They identify what your lesson is building toward and what still needs to be covered. They provide examples of 3D learning with details on what students should know and be able to do to meet performance expectations. The high school evidence statements have just been released, and middle school and elementary evidence statements are coming soon.
Equipped with all this information and resources, I urge science teachers to remember that they themselves are the most important part of the picture. To reimagine science education, we need more than a set of standards that capture a vision. Teachers are the catalysts for transforming science education; teachers have the practical experience and the day-to-day connections with students to make this happen. National partners like NSTA and Achieve are ready to support us. It is the work of classroom teachers and those who support classroom learning that makes the vision come to fruition. Please become part of the work of building the kind of classroom experience that originally inspired us to become teachers—make your classroom a place of discovery and wonder that leads to investigating the world and building students understanding of the world. The NGSS gives us an opportunity to share our voice, passion, and gifts on a state and national level to help transform science education. What can you contribute to transform science classrooms to support science literacy so we can ensure those we teach today are ready for tomorrow?
Visit www.NGSSPLN.com for more information about a virtual community that is powered by teachers for teachers and allows you to share your talents by becoming part of the conversation.
Tricia Shelton is a High Science Teacher and Teacher Leader with a BS in Biology and MA in Teaching, who has worked for 19 years in Kentucky driven by a passion to help students develop critical and creative thinking skills. Tricia is a 2014 NSTA Distinguished Teaching Award winner for her contributions to and demonstrated excellence in Science Teaching. As a Professional Learning Facilitator and NGSS Implementation Team Leader, Tricia has worked with educators across the United States to develop Best Practices in the Science and Engineering classroom through conference presentations, webinars, coordinating and co- moderating #NGSSchat on Twitter, and virtual and face to face PLC work. Tricia's current Professional Learning Facilitation includes work around the Next Generation Science Standards and helping STEM students develop the 21st Century Skills of critical and creative thinking, collaboration and communication (including Social media and Video) and Project-Based Learning. Since 2011, she has conducted action research in her classroom to develop effective and accessible instructional and assessment strategies incorporating Best Practice in the STEM classroom, including work for the Marzano Research Laboratory. Through a partnership with BenchFly, the premier science video production platform, she works with CEO, Dr. Alan Marnett, to reinvent scientific education and communication with video. Find Shelton on Twitter @TdiShelton.
The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.
Follow NSTA


text:
Who is happy or when is one happy? It is only when one is free – free of physical, mental, financial or social problems. The French philosopher Rousseau said, "Man is born free but is found every where in chains." It can be political, social, physical, intellectual or even mental chain. The worst of all these is the chain of guilt that gives mental stress. It is the feeling of not doing the right thing. But the guilt of sin is the most devastating of all chains. It is the bondage of mind. It affects body, mind and soul. The mystery of it is that one may not be aware of it unless it is shown by the divine power. One may be so immersed in sin that the person may be immune to it. Sin can be dealt with only by God. Different religions have different ways to deal with sin.
The history of man, according to the Bible, can be summarized in three words; creation, fall and restoration. Out of these three, two were the works of God and the third was the result of man's action. God created man for a purpose, but he slipped away from this purpose by his own action of disobedience. Then God worked out a plan to restore man from his fall and bring him back to His fellowship, for which man was created. Out of the 1189 chapters in the Bible two are devoted for the creation story, one for the fall of man and the remaining 1186 chapters are for the restoration of man from his fall and related themes. From this we understand that the restoration of man or his salvation is the most important theme of the Bible. The plan of salvation according to the Bible is the unique and the most easy one.
Jesus Himself is the restoration or Salvation. He came to the world with the message of love. The preparation of His coming, His life, and mission that made an impact on the world are the most outstanding factors of this account. While the Old Testament looks forward to the coming of Christ the restorer or Messiah, the New Testament records his life and teachings on which the Christian faith is founded. Jesus' influence on man's life is evident from the vast literature he has inspired and the mark that He has made on the history of mankind. A close examination of His teachings brings out the profound hope that He promises in the uplift of man from his desperate life-situations. This salvage of man's soul is the message of the gospel. Let us examine how Jesus does this.
Jesus brings salvation by forgiving sin. While all other religions emphasize punishment and revenge for sin, He forgives sin. Sin is directly or indirectly related to the evils that we see in this world. It is the cause of all miseries that we have in this life. Prophet Jeremiah says, "Your sins have withdrawn good things from you" (Jeremiah 5:26). Many think that only breaking the 'Ten commandments' is sin. But James in his epistle says, "To him that knows good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) What is good, then? Any thing that pleases God is good and any thing that does not please God is bad and it is sin. The sin of the first man was that he disobeyed the command of God and displeased Him. Man was punished by sending him away from the Garden of Eden, that is the presence of God. Thus man was separated from God. Sin separates man from God. "It is your sin that separates you from God"(Isaiah 59:2. This separation is the spiritual death. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Sin not only results in spiritual death but also makes one guilty in this present life as well. It takes away the joy and the peace of mind.
But God has promised that He can do away with this sin. He says, "Come, let us reason, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." ((Isaiah 1:18). God provided a way for this act of cleansing from sin. It is accordance with His law. According to it it, it is only possible by atonement. That is, a death must be substituted by another death. Only blood can make the atonement for the soul." (Leviticus 17:11) "With out shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin,"(Hebrews 9:22). This was the reason why Jesus died. He died for the sin of the world once for all. Those who believe in this sacrificial death of Jesus receive the forgiveness of their sins. "Neither by the blood of goat or calves but by his own blood he (Jesus) entered in once to the holy place having obtained the eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). This act of Jesus two thousand years ago is still good. Because of His sacrifice Jesus makes mediation before God His Father for us. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he lives for ever to make intercession for them." (Hebrew's 7:25) This sacrifice of Jesus was the mission of Jesus on the earth. So the basic Christian teaching is on the sacrifice of Jesus and the acceptance of it by faith as the propitiation for our sins. That is, we accept by faith that Jesus died in our place for our sins. This faith gives us confidence and fills us with peace and joy. This is the crux of the Gospel. Jesus said that he came as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). This is the happiest news in the history of man. Jesus is our ransom to free us from the bondage of sin and the condemnation to death. Peter in his Epistle says, "You were redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold…. but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb with out blemish and spot." (1 Peter 1:18, 19)This is the uplifting act of forgiveness by Jesus. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) This gift is a free gift of grace. We are not eligible for this by our action, but in His Grace God sent His only begotten son so that our sins may be forgiven and we may be made free from this depressing, disgusted and devalued life of hopelessness and to be in the joyous eternal fellowship;
We can avail it easily by receiving this by faith. There is only one condition. We must repent of our sin. "Unless you repent, you too will all perish" (Luke 13:3) "Repent and turn to God so that your sin may be wiped." (Acts 3:19) " Now He command all people every where repent" (Acts 17:30) Let us receive this free gift by first repenting and then accepting Jesus and His great sacrifice by faith. This is the fulfillment of the Holy mission of Jesus our Lord and it is the achievement of our long cherished desire. Let us not disappoint our Master and let us not miss this coveted bliss.
This is the season of "Lent", a period separated for self examination by keeping close to God's presence and to see our own weaknesses and repent and accept God's Grace of forgiveness, thus obtaining a spiritual awakening. May God help us.
"His love has no limit; His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He gives and gives and gives again."
– Selected.
– Cherian Kurian


text:
Unsecured loans are a simple and effective financial solution for many people. However you still need to be aware of certain things so here is our make sure guide to the perfect loan.
- Make sure that you ensure the interest rate is fixed. Most loans do have fixed interest rates, but occasionally they can be variable so ensure you see the word 'fixed'.
- Make sure you are aware of the TOTAL amount repayable or the TAR. So many people focus on the APR, however this is just the annual cost of the loan over a year, and is not necessarily an indication of how much you will pay back.
- Make sure that if comparing loans the TAR figures includes all costs, charges and fees so you are able to make an informed decision.
- Make sure you work out the total amount you need to borrow and stick to it. It can often be tempting to borrow more, especially if the monthly payment isn't much different, but remember there will be additional costs and charges the longer the borrowing.
- Make sure you read the terms and conditions. It may be boring but could potentially save you money in the long term. Some unsecured loans allow for over payments without any penalties, and some may even allow you to repay the whole loan early without penalties, so it's worth finding out this information.
- Make sure that you shop around. Unsecured loans aren't only available from the banks. There are numerous lenders that are willing to borrow, so check online. If your credit rating isn't the best then don't let this deter you, there may still be lenders that are prepared to lend to you.
- Make sure that you consider all the alternatives. Could you save the money up perhaps? Or use a credit card? There are lots of 0% deals around at the moment, but again ensure that you are aware of all the terms and conditions, especially what happens if you miss or are late with a repayment. Those with good a good credit rating may also wish to consider peer-to-peer lending like Zopa.com
- Make sure that you understand all additional terms and any add on products. Costs associated with payment protection insurance, late penalties and fees must all be understood by you before you take out the loan.
- Make sure that you understand all the implications of any special offers or deals. Some loans offer 'cashback' or such things as payment holidays, but these may come with a cost which may work for your individual circumstances, so needs to be carefully assessed.


text:
Madhu, Sekhar M and Sivarajan, Kumar N (2000) Routing and Scheduling in Packet Radio Networks. In: 2000 IEEE International Conference on Personal Wireless Communications, 17-20 December, Hyderabad,India, pp. 335-339.
Download (430kB)
A New approach for channel assignment in packet radio networks is presented. To arrive at this: 1) we show the difficulty with traditional graph coloring method for link scheduling. 2) An algorithm for generating maximal independent sets of links is presented. 3) Importance of combined routing and scheduling is shown and an LP problem is formulated for combined routing and scheduling.
|Item Type:
|Conference Paper
|Additional Information:
|Copyright 1990 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.
|Radio network;Scheduling, and graph coloring method;Evacuation
|Division of Electrical Sciences > Electrical Communication Engineering
|Depositing User:
|HS Usha
|Date Deposited:
|27 Feb 2006
|Last Modified:
|19 Sep 2010 04:23
Actions (login required)
|View Item


text:
Hundreds of thousands of people with piles of federal student loan debt had not been too concerned because they were counting on a federal government program that would forgive those loans if they worked at least 10 years in a public service job.
But what happens if the definition of "public service" seemed to change midway through that decade?
On Tuesday, the American Bar Association and four lawyers who thought they qualified filed suit against the Department of Education trying to answer that question. The department had informed several of them that their jobs would make them eligible for loan forgiveness, but they later received letters saying that the ruling had changed.
All four, according to the legal brief, might have picked different jobs, borrowed less or entered different repayment plans had they known the rules would change.
The public service loan-forgiveness program began in 2007, and is available, according to the explanation on the program's website, to employees of governmental organizations, 501(c)(3) nonprofit groups and other groups who hold "qualifying" public service jobs.
People who are not sure whether a position qualifies can fill out a certification form that the Education Department reviews. It encourages borrowers to resubmit it each year, just to make sure they still qualify.
Once employed, borrowers must work full time in a public service job or jobs and keep up their 120 monthly payments over 10 years. No loans have been forgiven yet, because 10 years have not passed since the first borrowers entered the program.
The suit, filed in United States District Court for the District of Columbia, says some borrowers received approval on their certification forms, then, years later, the entity servicing their loans reversed course, effectively ousting them from the program.
It did so retroactively, meaning that none of the previous loan payments counted toward the 120 payments needed to qualify for forgiveness. So if the borrowers took a job that qualified, they would have to start again with accumulating the payments.
The financial consequences are potentially steep, because some of the borrowers were in plans where the monthly payment depended on their income. The payments were sometimes low enough, as a result of their low salaries, that their balances actually increased each month. An increasing balance would not matter if the entire amount due would vanish after a decade, though other forgiveness programs may waive the debt after 20 to 25 total years in repayment. The amount of forgiven debt at that point may count as taxable income, whereas public service loan forgiveness debt does not.
One of the four plaintiffs works for the American Bar Association and another one once did. The third plaintiff's dispute involves his work for the Vietnam Veterans of America, while the fourth works for the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Kelly Leon, assistant press secretary at the Department of Education, said it was "committed to implementing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program in accordance with the final regulations as prescribed by statute." No one there would comment on why, once the department realized its own errors in implementation, it was punishing borrowers by making its rulings retroactive.
Student Loan Calculator
A guide to student loans at various universities, and what it takes after graduation to repay that debt.
Kate Voigt, the plaintiff who works for the immigration association (which is not a party to the suit), faulted the department for not being proactive. It had told her in an email that her job was eligible before it changed its policy two years later.
In December 2014, Ms. Voigt received a letter from Jeff Baker, an Education Department director, which said that the public education services that she provides did not make her eligible for forgiveness unless she had been educating students and families. "We regret any confusion that may have been caused by our earlier opinion," the letter added.
"They had to have seen this coming, that the statute wasn't straightforward and people would need some sort of guidance," Ms. Voigt said. "The fact that they haven't provided any is shocking to me."
The forgiveness program has come under scrutiny for the potential cost to taxpayers of all the forgiven loans. Ms. Voigt's balance is about $240,000.
Isaac Bowers, director of law school engagement and advocacy for Equal Justice Works, said he knew of only a small number of denials like this one.
Still, he worried about how disputes like this or any effort to cap the amount of forgiven debt could affect others who are making career choices.
"I am sure it will make many borrowers feel less certain about their ultimate ability to earn public service loan forgiveness and raise doubts about the requirements of the program," he said. "I think some borrowers will be less likely to commit to long-term public interest careers."


text:
Discover an untouched and pristine place on earth
The Pamir
A region with breathtaking landscaps of countless majestic peaks, azure mountain lakes, and the warm hospitality of the Pamiris.
Pamir Mount-Tour is specialised for trekking and mountaineering in the Pamir Mountains. With our experienced guides we bring you to the remotest sites in the Pamir.
We turn your journey into a safe and unique experience.


text:
Weighed in this morning at 152 pounds, down one pound from yesterday.
Yesterday I stuck to the diet, here's what I ate...
Morning: 1 cup of kefir (110 calories)
Morning: 1 Thomas' English Muffin, Multi-Grain (100 calories)
Afternoon: 4oz of beef jerky (320 calories)
Afternoon: 2 bottles of water (0 calories)
Early evening: 1 package, 170g, of blackberries (73 calories)
Late evening: 1 package, 297g, of cherry tomatoes with hot sauce (75 calories)
Total Calories: 678
I did no exercise yesterday.
Today is my last diet day of the week. Tomorrow we're having a Christmas Eve dinner, and then Friday is Christmas dinner. And then it's the weekend after that. So, I'm planning to do some more exercises, maybe another long walk. I want to get myself down to 150 pounds, and then spend the next four days putting on another 10 pounds again.
This is why I dread holidays, too much feasting.
Lately I've received a lot of beef jerky from jerky manufacturers wanting me to write reviews. Which is good, because it saves me money from having to buy it myself. So, I'm trying to get myself back into the swing of writing reviews every day.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
My Last Diet Day of the Week
Posted by Steve Johnson at Wednesday, December 23, 2009 0 comments Post a Comment
Subscribe to: Post Comments


text:
An "urgent request" for hundreds of Palm Beach County employees to train for hurricane shelter duties was made this week following a decision to end the county's dependence on Red Cross volunteers during storm emergencies.
Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia Baker said in an email to employees Thursday that teams of trained county workers will partner with school district staff to manage the county's 15 shelters.
"We will no longer be relying on Red Cross to perform this function," Baker said. "We must take care of our own and shelters are a critical component of our emergency response system."
Related: Drug overdoses new challenge for hurricane shelters.
The move comes after as many as 20 counties statewide struggled to open and staff shelters during October's Hurricane Matthew — the first time since 2004 and 2005 that widespread evacuations were called for in Florida.
Matthew, which was a Category 4 cyclone as it approached the state, threatened counties from Palm Beach to the Georgia border, forcing areas further inland to open shelters to accommodate people fleeing the coasts.
Check The Palm Beach Post radar map.
Brevard County was one of 20 that called the Florida Division of Emergency Management for shelter workers during Matthew, said Kimberly Prosser, director of Brevard's division of emergency management.
Prosser said the Florida National Guard was forced to staff Brevard's shelters.
"Brevard County will now rely on county employees for this," Prosser said.
A spokesman for the Florida Division of Emergency management said no one was available to answer questions about statewide shelter issues, but that state officials are working to identify any potential staffing problems.
In Palm Beach County, 49,000 people in mobile or manufactured homes, and 90,000 who live on barrier islands or along some areas of the Intracoastal, were asked to evacuate for Matthew.
Nearly 8,000 fled to general population shelters, 184 stayed in a special-needs shelter and 245 went to the pet-friendly shelter at West Boynton Recreation Center.
Download the Palm Beach Post WeatherPlus app here.
Jon VanArnam, deputy Palm Beach County administrator, said there were concerns during Matthew about getting enough Red Cross volunteers for shelters and getting the shelters open in a timely manner.
"The Red Cross has been a great partner," VanArnam said. "But ultimately the responsibility to make all these things work falls under the county so we have to make sure all the shelters can open when we need to open them."
In a statement, the Red Cross said Palm Beach County's decision to open eight shelters during Matthew, followed by another request for five more as evacuations were made mandatory "stretched the capacity of many agencies."
"But the fact remains, that the Red Cross opened and staffed all of the general population shelters requested by the county as well as one pet shelter," the statement said.
Related: No models forecast Matthew's rapid strengthening.
Many of Palm Beach County's more than 6,000 employees already work during hurricanes, such as fire-rescue and utilities workers.
Those not designated to an emergency management post, and who apply for training first, will get choices of shelter assignments. They will be paid based on their exempt status, but VanArnam said the county is usually reimbursed for those costs if a disaster declaration is made.
Challenges with opening and staffing shelters during Matthew were a reoccurring theme at the Governor's Hurricane Conference in May.
Levy County's Emergency Management Director John MacDonald said he stopped relying on the Red Cross before Matthew threatened.
"I won't use them again, ever," MacDonald said during the conference. "We had an instance where they were going to manage the shelter and there was nobody there. I can't afford that."
But Charles Parker, a senior disaster program manager for American Red Cross South Florida, said problems weren't always the fault of the Red Cross. He said the Red Cross was left out of some shelter planning discussions, and, in some cases, learned shelters were opening through media reports.
Still, Bill Johnson, director of Palm Beach County's Emergency Operations Center, said it's unwise to rely wholly on volunteers who worry about their own families during emergencies.
"In this day and age, we are seeing volunteerism decline," Johnson said at the conference. "It's tough when you are a volunteer and you are staring at a Cat 4 storm and you have to ask whether you are going to take care of your stuff and your family. I can see why people may change their minds."
If you haven't yet, join Kim on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.


text:
Assessing B2B Marketing Talent Using the Nine Box Talent Grid
The Nine Box Talent Grid is an excellent tool to help ensure that the right B2B marketing talent is available to meet current and future business objectives.
Most B2B marketing organizations do not effectively assess internal talent and this is unfortunate. Assessing and managing marketing talent is critical since the most valuable asset any company has is its people. Many marketing managers will say they do not have time to adequately manage their teams, there are no processes or systems in place or that those systems are too rigid and difficult to use. One outlier approach is to develop a system or bring in a talent assessment/management practice that worked at a prior company. The problem with this approach is while it may work for one marketing department or group it is not institutionalized so the company cannot fully benefit.
In addition, many approaches to solving this problem die because of the complexity of the program, i.e. too much process, complex systems, extensive training, inconsistent application and analysis.
Best-in-class companies keep it simple and use a simple Nine Box Talent Grid that helps managers and companies:
- Identify and proactively manage talent based on performance and potential
- Customize to their specific needs
- Incorporate with reviews and compensation administration
- Support professional development plans
Why Use the Nine Box Talent Grid
Using the Nine Box Talent Grid enables organizations to effectively evaluate, review and, develop B2B marketing talent.
It's a fact that 50% of organizations do not assess their high performers. However the other 50% that do assess and proactively manage high potential employees perform at the 75th percentile or higher for total shareholder return.
In contrast, organizations that attempt to assess their talent but do it ineffectively experience significant costs:
- The cost of the programs plus the number of hours marketers are in classes or traveling to and from training multiplied by their fully loaded hourly cost
- Turnover costs for employees that leave can be estimated at 1.5 times the fully loaded cost of the employee, i.e. the cost to attract, hire and onboard (Source – SHRM)
- Employee frustration and disengagement costs can be estimated at 30% or $3,400 for every $10,000 of employee salary
The Nine-Box Talent Grid Helps Manage the B2B Marketing Talent Pipeline
Simply put, the Nine Box method identifies those B2B marketing employees that should move up, move laterally or move out.
Even though the Nine Box Talent Grid is a subjective evaluation, it forces the quantification of an subjective assessment. This is a much better approach than relying on intuition or gut feel as those often change throughout the week, month, quarter or year as well as varying from manager to manager.
The Nine Box methodology is preferred over other assessment models because it:
- Provides a common method of assessment for B2B marketers
- Offers a range of classifications that fit the vast majority of labor pools
- Includes recommendations and next steps based on each specific placement
- Utilizes a quick, clean and informative visual to communicate a great deal of information in an intelligent manner
- Helps identify top talent, core talent and under achievers by reducing gut feel and bias based on clear criteria and robust assessment levels
- Enables managers to understand bench strength and how to leverage all talent to better manage their teams
Why it's an Efficient Process
The Nine Box B2B Marketing Talent Grid is all about a Marketer's Potential – aspiration, learning agility, ability, values and engagement – as well as a Marketer's Performance – business results and behaviors.
A B2B Marketer's Potential
Aspiration – a B2B marketer's desire to grow into more challenging roles and take on more work. The frequency that the marketer takes on new challenges and assignments and the marketers willingness to be more mobile across the organization.
Learning Agility – the pace at which a marketer can learn, study, analyze and understand a situation or business problem. It's their desire and passion for learning as well as their ability to apply that learning when faced with a new or challenging situation.
Ability – a marketer's knowledge, skills and attitudes used to carry out their work. This includes technical, functional and emotional/interpersonal skills. It is their track record for delivering results, how they handle more difficult or challenging jobs, and how they reads a situation and make judgments.
Values – the way a marketer conducts themselves in alignment with the organization's values. It is how they role model the company's culture and the degree to which others view them as a natural leader. It is also about how well they build and maintain relationships both internally and externally.
Engagement – the degree to which a marketer is emotionally engaged, connected and committed to their organization and their role. Engaged employees are 1.5 times more likely to accomplish more than what is expected of them. They are also four times more likely state their contributions are directly correlated to the success of the organization. Finally, they are 3.5 times more likely to put in extra hours to improve results.
A B2B Marketer's Performance
Performance reflects the results and achievements of employees..
Business Results
Business results are the B2B marketer's achievements. This is a pretty straight forward historical assessment of what the marketer has achieved and should be both tangible and quantifiable.
Behaviors are the marketer's actions on the job in their efforts to deliver on business results. These are typically observed via competencies which are measurable patterns of knowledge, skills, attributes, and behaviors that specify how a marketer should successfully perform their work
The Importance of Multiple Assessments
Performance reviews and ratings, while useful, should not be the only indicators of performance. Best-in-class organizations use multiple assessments to measure performance including:
- Competency assessments
- 360 reviews
- Performance calibration or ranking sessions
- Interviews
Each combination of potential and performance represents a talent profile and sub group of the B2B Marketers Nine Box Talent Grid. There are three main categories: Top Talent, Core Talent and Underachievers. Within each main group are three sub groups:
Top Talent
- High Performance, High Potential
- High Performance, Medium Potential
- Medium Performance, High Potential
Core Talent
- Medium Performance, Medium Potential
- Medium Performance, Low Potential
- High Performance, Low Potential
- Low Performance, Low Potential
- Low Performance, High Potential
- Low Performance, Medium Potential
Summing Up B2B Marketing Talent
Use the Nine Box Talent Grid and proactively manage your B2B marketing talent to effectively and efficiently execute go-to-market strategies and tactics.
Additional Go to Market Resources Available From Four Quadrant
Pragmatic, Actionable Blog Posts >>
Go to Market Charts for Sales & Marketing >>
Go to Market PowerPoint Slide Gallery >>
Go to Market Planning Templates >>


text:
Hotels in Jena
19 Accommodations in Jena
Hotel Steigenberger EsplanadeJena 420 m from city centre 538 reviews
You'll be centrally located in Jena with a stay at Steigenberger Esplanade Jena, minutes from Zeiss Planetarium. This 4-star hotel is...
Hotel Best Western JenaJena 3.2 km from city centre 109 reviews
Non-smoking rooms are available. Our wellness area is a source of relaxation. Take time out to enjoy all the benefits from our sauna,...
Maxx Hotel JenaJena 5.3 km from city centre 399 reviews
Your day will get off to a great start with an amazing view over the green "Saaletal" river valley or towards the lovingly cultivated...
Hotel Ibis JenaJena 124 m from city centre 238 reviews
You'll be centrally located in Jena with a stay at ibis Jena City Hotel, minutes from Zeiss Planetarium. This hotel is within the region...
Hotel Schwarzer BärJena 421 m from city centre 0 reviews
Business hours of reception: 24 hours In 1990 the Osburg family took over the Hotel Scharzer Bär. It has been completely renovated and...
Hotel OrchideentalJena 5.5 km from city centre 0 reviews
We would like to happily welcome you to the Hotel Haus Orchideental. You can leave your car in one of the many parking spaces while you...
Fair Resort & SpaJena 6.7 km from city centre 0 reviews
Business hours of reception: 24 hours Fair Resort & Spa welcomes you in a pleasant ambience. Whether you are travelling for business or...
Hotel Jembo ParkJena 4.6 km from city centre 0 reviews
Our hotel Jembo Park and the bowling centre are surrounded by a 100-year old extensive park, spreading over 15 000 m². You can reach us...
Akademiehotel JenaJena 1.5 km from city centre 0 reviews
Our whole staff would like to enthusiastically welcome you to the Thüringer Sozialakademie - Tagungshotel. You will find ample parking...
Hotel Scala TurmJena 272 m from city centre 0 reviews
We would like to proudly welcome you to the SCALA Turm Hotel Restaurant. Golf Hotels are easy to find, but they are not all created...
Bed and Breakfast Pension BerthaJena 666 m from city centre 0 reviews
Our entire team would like to happily welcome you to the Pension Bertha. Guests arriving by car are welcome to use the hotel's available...
Hotel Thuringer HofJena 651 m from city centre 10 reviews
Hotel Am ParadiesJena 184 m from city centre 0 reviews
The Team from the "Hotel am Paradies" warmly welcomes you in Jena. The hotel is located in the beautiful Jugendstil building, Villa am...
Hotel Deutsche EicheJena 5.2 km from city centre 0 reviews
Our whole crew would like to cheerfully welcome you to the Gasthof Deutsche Eiche. You will find ample parking for your car and secure...
Hotel Schwarzer BärJena 490 m from city centre 0 reviews
The Schwrzer Bar is a very traditional hotel in Jena with over 500 years of history and famous former guests like Martin Luther and...
Hotel Zur WeintraubeJena 3.9 km from city centre 0 reviews
We would like to warmly welcome you to the Zur Weintraube. Those staying at the hotel are welcome to hire a car directly from our...
Accommodations in JenaEnjoy your stay in Jena. Make your visit to Jena an unforgettable experience by staying in the hotel you deserve. Still don´t know where to stay? At Destinia we offer you a wide variety of hotels in Jena, Germany, so you can choose the one that´s right for you, depending on your expectations and your budget. There are numerous hotels in Jena that are ideal for a business trip, a family holiday, a weekend getaway or an outing with friends in Jena. No matter the reason for your trip, at Destinia, you´ll find the greatest variety of hotels and hostels, always at the best prices, guaranteed. Are you looking for a deluxe hotel in Jena city centre with a spa, Internet access or a pool? Perhaps a hotel that accepts pets or that has a child-care centre? We have that, too. Why not give our hotel finder a try? It´s quick, simple and the most effective way to find the best lodging in this part of Germany. Whether you need a single-occupancy room, double-occupancy room or even a suite, with Destinia´s search engine, you´ll always find the best deals, so all you´ll have to worry about is packing your bags and enjoying your trip to Jena.
Hotels near Jena
You may be interested in
Hotels by theme
In Jena we will have soft rain, warm clothing is recommended. There is going to be a gentle wind which may cause the sensation of being cooler than 8°C.
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday


text:
Mormon missionaries leaving Venezuela amid unrest
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Mormon church has announced that it will pull 152 missionaries out of Venezuela because of unrest in the country.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement late Monday saying missionaries who aren't Venezuelan citizens will be moved to other locations in South America.
The Venezuelan missionaries will stay in frequent communication with their supervisors, and the church is making "every effort" to keep them safe, the church said.
Venezuelan government forces and protesters have faced off for the past month in demonstrations that have at times turned deadly. The Mormon church has one temple and nearly 158,000 members in Venezuela, church statistics show.
Earlier this month, the church pulled 22 missionaries from Ukraine due to civil unrest there. The Salt Lake City-based church has several hundred missionaries and some 11,000 members in Ukraine.
The church said missionaries set to serve in Ukraine who are still in U.S. training centers will be assigned elsewhere pending developments.
Worldwide, the church has about 15 million members and 84,600 missionaries, more proselytizers than at any time in its history.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.


text:
Fo' rizzle, another drizzle?! It's the end of April and it's raining…again! Who's ready for full-time rock steady sunshine? Well, MizMuze is here to help. Close your eyes and let the chillwave sounds of Washed Out take you away.
Ernest Greene aka Washed Out, created this beautiful chillout tune off the Life of Leisure EP, at night in his bedroom while his parents were asleep at their home in Georgia.
The term "chillwave" was actually created in 2009 by Carles of Hipster Runoff in order to describe the Washed Out sound. So let's ride this chillwave until April Showers give way to May Flowers…
Washed Out – Feel It All Around


text:
(NEW YORK) Christian Dior
There's been a youthful air at the haute couture shows in Paris so far: flats paired with evening gowns at Schiaparelli, and a couple of shiny, clubby body-con minis chez Versace. While Raf Simons' collection for Christian Dior has a much different take on youth, it manifested in brief hemlines, baby doll silhouettes, and eyelet-cut chiffons.
Some mini dresses came with eyelet bustles on the hips that eclipsed the dress hemlines. Meanwhile a Fifties-styled full-skirted strapless dress was cut at the calves and done up in a pale shade of baby blue. There were high-waisted swing skirts paired with sleeveless crop tops, and sleek, sexy dark pantsuits peppered with eyelet detailing. Plus, Simons' signature strapless bustier tops made a few cameos, paired with skinny pants. But perhaps the most overtly youthful statement of all were glittery floral sneakers that marched down the runway with all of these delicate garments, hand sewn by les petits mains in the Paris ateliers.
Pretty young things came to check out the show, with Allison Williams, Leelee Sobieski, French actress Olga Kurylenko, and Kate Bosworth perched front row. Per usual, there were two showings of Dior (one for press and one for buyers), highlighting the maison and Simons' importance on the couture circuit. But this year, according to Vogue UK, a third show was staged at Dior's expense for students from major fashion colleges from around the world. Two lucky students from each school were invited to attend, selected from the likes of Central Saint Martins and Condé Nast College. Proof that Simons is not only inspired by youth, but likes to inspire the youth in return.


text:
Find a job or post a job on any of these sites.
Featured Service
Hire expert freelancers for your job, online
Millions of small businesses use freelance jobs on Freelancer to turn their ideas into reality.
Search among thousands of open positions for remote workers on these sites
Make your own schedule with a job found here. A large listing of part-time, telecommuting and freelance jobs. Visit site »
Curated list of remote digital jobs from around the web. Browse a wide selection of jobs for a working nomad. Visit site »
"The leading job board for designers, hackers, and creative pros". Been around since 2005. Visit site »
Find freelance jobs for technical positions such as software engineering, database architecture, business analyst, DevOps and more Visit site »
Make a profile here with your skills and receive job offers
Make a profile here with your skills and receive job offers
Help with your skills on web projects. Design, development, content and promotion are the keywords. Visit site »
For the price of $5 up you make a profile with your skills. Get offers from thousands of user. Visit Site »
Maybe the biggest marketplace for freelancers online. A wide varity of categories to list within. Visit site »
1,5 million members worldwide, 1 million jobs completed, $200 million paid to freelancer. Sign up with your skills. Visit site »


text: LONDON, June 10 (Reuters) - The following FTSE 100 companies will go ex-dividend on Thursday, after which investors will no longer qualify for the latest dividend payout. According to Reuters calculations at current market prices, the effect of the resulting adjustment to prices by market-makers would take 4.54 points off the index. COMPANY (RIC) DIVIDEND STOCK OPTION IMPACT (pence) 3i Group 20 0.76 NMC Health 18.1 0.06 Persimmon 110 1.37 Severn Trent 56.02 0.53 WPP 37.3 1.82 Among FTSE 250 companies going ex-dividend are: COMPANY (RIC) DIVIDEND (pence) 3i Infrastructure 4.325 Assura 0.685 BMO Commercial 0.5 Property Trust Cineworld 13.9 (USc) Electrocomponents 9.5 Ferrexpo 6.6 (USc) Intermediate Capital 35 Group Mediclinic 4.7 Pets At Home 5 Personal Assets Trust 1.4 RHI Magnesita 1.5 (EUR) Shaftesbury 6.96 Templeton Emerging 11 Markets Investment Trust (Reporting by Helen Reid, Editing by Josephine Mason)


text:
As an abbreviation, AMU may refer to:
As an abbreviation, amu may refer to:
Identity may refer to:
Identity (French: L'Identité) is a novel by Franco-Czech writer Milan Kundera, published in 1998. It is possibly his most traditional novel in terms of narrative structure. It's also one of his shortest novels.
Germfree Adolescents is the debut album of English punk rock band X-Ray Spex. It contained the UK hit singles "The Day the World Turned Day-Glo" (No. 23 in April 1978), "Identity" (No. 24 in July 1978) and "Germfree Adolescents" which reached No. 18 in November 1978.
The album received wide acclaim upon its release. In his February 1979 Consumer Guide in the Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau bemoaned the fact that Germfree Adolescents had not been released in the US and praised Poly Styrene's "cheerfully moralistic nursery rhymes", strong melodies and the "irresistible color" of the band's "dubiously tuned one-sax horn section".Trouser Press called it "a masterpiece!"The Rough Guide to Rock calls it a "storming album".
In 1994, The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music named Germfree Adolescents the eighth best punk album of all time. Seven years later, in May 2001, Spin magazine ranked the album number 5 in its "50 Most Essential Punk Records". In March 2003, Mojo magazine ranked the LP number 19 in its 'Top 50 Punk Albums'. The album is listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
As an abbreviation, AMU may refer to:
As an abbreviation, amu may refer to:
Reuters | 07 Dec 2019
Stars and Stripes | 07 Dec 2019
The Independent | 06 Dec 2019
Inquisitr | 07 Dec 2019
Metro UK | 07 Dec 2019
Gulf News | 07 Dec 2019


text:
How Much Does It Cost To Design A Website?
As a web design Manchester agency, this is one of the most common questions prospective clients ask. But the answer is not as easy as it sounds.
Say, you are looking to buy a car. What's the first question that pops in your mind? Will you ask "how much does it cost to buy a car?", or will you ask "what car would fit my budget?"
The cost of a website works in pretty much the same way! Don't simply ask, "how much does it cost to design a website?" Instead, look for a web design Manchester agency that can deliver what you're looking for within your budget.
The cost of your website depends on what you want it to do for you. Sure, web design quotes may vary from designer to designer, but even the quote depends on the features you are looking for.
But, at the end of the day, the price makes a huge difference, so you can make a decision. That's why our web design Manchester team has decided to help you without beating around the bush to give a clear answer to your question, "how much does it cost to design a site?"
So instead of giving you ballpark figures that will only confuse you further, we decided to show you how much it costs to have Blue Whale Media design your website and the features you get in each package. Compare them with any other web design Manchester agency's quote, and you will find ours to be hands down value for money and truly affordable.
Please note that all prices mentioned below exclude hosting fees and optional maintenance plans.
Minke Whale Business In a Box Package at £99 + VAT
This package is perfect when you are looking for a one-page website.
What do you get for that price?
- One page website
- 1 x .co.uk domain name
- 1 x webmail hosted email address
Who is it for?
It is ideal for businesses that already have a full fledged website and are looking for a single page website for a particular product/service or when their website to perform a particular task such as, generate leads. We'd not recommend this as your first website unless you're really strapped for cash.
Bowhead Whale Business In a Box Package at £295 + VAT
This is the perfect website for small businesses that have just one or two services/products to offer. Here's what you get in this package:
- 4 page professionally designed website
- 2 x Domain names – co.uk and .com
- 2 x email addresses on webmail
- Restricted CMS access
Is this for you?
As mentioned above, this package is good for you if you have just one or two products/services. Of the four pages you get, one is the 'homepage', and another is a 'contact us' page. That leaves two pages that you can work with. One could be an 'about us' page and the other could be a 'products/services' page. If you have two products/services, you could have one page for each and skip the dedicated 'about' page.
It entirely depends on you. However, our web design Manchester team would be happy to help you along the way should you choose this package, and help you make the most of this package.
Orca Whale Business In a Box Package at £495 + VAT
For £495 + VAT, the Orca Whale package from Blue Whale Media gives you:
- 8 page professionally designed website
- 2 x Domain names – co.uk and .com
- 1 x email address on webmail
- Complete CMS access
This is our most popular for obvious reasons. For one, you get full CMS access, which means you get complete control over your website and manage it easily without restrictions. Second, you get 8 pages, which gives you a lot of content to work with.
You could have a 'homepage, an 'about us' page, a 'contact us' page, a 'gallery' page to display your past works, a 'testimonials' page, and 3 pages dedicated to your products/services. If you have more products, you could skip the 'gallery' and 'testimonials' page.
As always, the experienced web design Manchester team at Blue Whale Media would be by your side to help you choose the right pages for your brand new website.
In Conclusion
There you go. Those are the 3 most popular packages we have for small businesses. If you are looking for a bespoke website, request a quote here. We would love to discuss your web design project. Contact us today.


text:
Success Tips
Top Five Tips from Students to be Successful in Nursing
You must manage your time well, stay organized, and use a calendar.
Limit the number of hours you work to 16 per week. This will allow you to complete the assignments and really learn the information.
Study EVERY day. Plan to study a minimum of 20-30 minutes EACH day for EACH course. Daily studying will help you retain the information.
Use the resources available to you. This includes clinical faculty, lead teacher, peer mentors, student success, family and friends. They can support and encourage you.
And, to be successful in nursing school and in nursing, stay positive, take care of yourself, and believe in yourself!
Test Taking Skills
To be the most successful on nursing school tests, you must know the material and understand how to apply the information on a test. Good test taking strategies DO NOT replace knowledge, but they can enhance your ability to do well on tests when you are well informed. Review some test taking tips you can use.


text:
Know where you are going so you can get there!
Live For Result: From Purpose to Plan to Destiny (.MOBI version) helps you lay out the course to achieving your God-given purpose in life. You wouldn't go on a trip before first marking your route (or at least, setting the GPS). So, too, you have to set a course for your life. Because you have to know where you are going in order to get there. Live For Results is your beginning to end guide for, first, knowing where you want to go, if you don't already know, Second, charting the best course for getting there through each area of your life, and Lastly, providing strategies to help you navigate obstacles and stay on course so that you continue to reach your goals throughout life. Habakkuk 2:2 says, "Write the vision, make it plain that those who read it will run." A marathon runner studies the course before the race starts so he doesn't get lost or have to stop for directions. When the race starts, he wants only to focus on successfully getting to the finish line. Life is like a marathon. And it's definitely time to run and achieve whatever purpose God has for your life by first knowing your course. (.MOBI version)
2.6MB MOBI Download


text:
In this video filmed in Australia's Sunshine Coast, an amateur filmmaker records a clip of sea foam that has risen up to cover a nearby road. Two friends are heard off-camera discussing a public transportation bus that is slowly making its way through the wall of foam while two traffic cops observe the situation.
About 10 seconds into the video, one of the observers says, "Oh, look, there's a wave."
Except, it's not. What appeared to be a tide of sea foam is actually a previously unseen car plowing through the water. It suddenly bursts through the foam and nearly collides with the two police officers.
There is some mild adult language near the end of the clip, but thankfully no one is hurt in the unusual and entertaining video.


text:
Limited edition of 100
This limited edition silkscreen print puts on centre stage the unique typography created by Central Station Design for the Happy Mondays' album Wrote For Luck; an album cover that became so iconic it is now in use as the band's logo. It is impossible to imagine the Mondays without Central Station Design's imagery, as the team recall: "We were always with the band at rehearsals and recording sessions. They had the same approach to the music as we did to our artwork. We always set out to do something new. We didn't want to look through design books and copy or regurgitate other people's ideas. We wanted to create artwork that reflected our own lives and experiences. We were bored with the way design was supposed to be done, certain criteria to be fulfilled, and sick of looking through type books. So we decided to create our own, colourful free flowin' typography, where words and letters just roll on. It just becomes a shape, a block of colour a typographic painting." There is nothing else quite like it, and this silkscreen print makes a stunning statement. Each print, on a heavyweight Somerset satin paper, is signed in pencil as "Central Station" by Matt, Pat or Karen.
Designed by:
Signed by:
Published by:
Central Station Design
Limited edition of:
Printed by:
Central Station Design
Image size:
27.5 x 31.5 inches
Paper size:
37 x 39 inches
Get on our list


text:
Robbie Keane admits Euro 2016 injury worry "could have been worse"
Republic of Ireland skipper Robbie Keane has admitted he feared the worst when he suffered a calf injury on the eve of the Euro 2016 finals.
The 35-year-old striker is not expected to resume training until the middle of next week at the earliest after damaging the muscle on Saturday, but is confident that if he does not make the opening game against Sweden in Paris on June 13 he will definitely be fit for the clash with Belgium in Bordeaux five days later.
Keane told FAI TV: "Listen, it's never nice when you get injured, but certainly at this stage because of the European Championship. But luckily for me, it's not as bad as I first thought.
"I thought it was going to be a lot longer. They are saying a couple of weeks, which would obviously get me (fit) for the Sweden game, or maybe if I miss that one, I'll definitely be ready for the second game. So it's bad news, but it could have been a lot worse."
Keane did not work with his team-mates at Fota Island in Cork on Thursday morning, but was able to indulge in a game of hurling with staff member Dick Redmond.
Midfielder James McCarthy did train after nursing a hamstring problem last week, but Jonathan Walters was put through his paces in the gym after a knock to a calf muscle.
The squad will head back to Dublin after training on Friday and after a weekend off, reunite on Sunday night before flying to France on Wednesday.
Under Martin O'Neill, preparations appear to have been slightly more relaxed than four years ago, when then manager Giovanni Trapattoni had his players in camp in Dublin and Montecatini before a final warm-up game in Hungary on the way to Poland.
Keane said: "When you are away from your family and you are with the team for a long period of time, sometimes it can be frustrating, it can get boring if players are not playing.
"But one thing I would say about this group is we have some team spirit that keeps the lads together and I think that will stand us in good stead going forward.
"It's certainly something that I'm looking forward to. I've been involved in a couple before, but there seems a great togetherness between everybody, not just the players, but the coaching staff, the backroom staff and everybody.
"People under-estimate that. Certainly from the outside, they think it's about the players and they only see the players who are on the field and the players who are on the bench that get involved.
"But it's way bigger than that, it's about everybody that's involved because everybody keeps everybody together and we are very, very lucky with that."
Who is your sportstar of the year?
Vote in the Irish Independent Sport Star Awards and you could win the ultimate sports prize.
Prizes include, tickets to Ireland's against Scotland in the Six Nations, All Ireland football and hurling final tickets and much more.
Simply click here to register your vote
PA Media


text:
Tynedale deepened Blaydon's relegation worries when they cruised to a 48-15 win in their National Division Three North derby at Crow Trees.
With a worst-case scenario of five facing the drop and a best-case of only three both clubs desperately needed a victory, especially coming off heavy defeats the previous weekend.
But after a semi-spirited opening Blaydon gradually began to unravel. There was only one team in it and Tynedale enjoyed a comfortable 16-3 half-time lead thanks to tries by Alistair Hopps and Ben Duncan and two Phil Belgian penalties to a solitary home penalty by Lee Hogarth.
An opportunist try five minutes into the second half by openside Grant Rastall, which Belgian managed to convert, made it virtually home and dry for Tynedale at 26-3, although Blaydon capitalised on Andrew Robson's sin-binning to run in a try under the posts by Tom McLaren which Hogarth goaled.
However, back to 15 men, Tynedale extended their lead to 31-10 when Duncan crossed for his second and although Graeme Spearman scored an unconverted try on the blindside following a five-metre scrum to make it 31-15, the Northumbrians made sure they had the final word.
First pugnacious centre Barry Hills broke through to score, Belgian converted and then kicked his third penalty before converting the final try of the match by Andrew Murray.
However, it wasn't a must-win situation for Morpeth in North Two East whose main aim when travelling to league leaders Bradford and Bingley with a weakened side was damage limitation.
In the circumstances, it is probably better to draw a veil over the final 97-11 scoreline!
Northern made it two wins over Alnwick in three weeks when they won 23-20 at Greensfield in the Northumberland Senior Cup.
Northern scored two interception tries by Bindman and Macmillan which sandwiched a more conventional effort by Marwick, with Nicholson adding a conversion, drop goal and penalty.
Manners, Smith and Wilson scored for Alnwick, Moses kicking a penalty and one conversion, but Northern were always in front.
In the Northumberland Senior Cup Plate, Berwick cruised into the semi-finals with a 96-0 drubbing of Seghill at Scremerston and there was a similar gulf in the friendly between Ryton and Sunderland, with the former winning 76-3.


text:
I sometimes wonder if people into piercing today have any deep appreciation of the tremendous impact Doug Malloy has had on their lives. Certainly he had predecessors and contemporaries equally as passionate about piercing as he, but what was it that made him the center from which the whole modern piercing movement sprang? ~ Jim Ward, Running the Gauntlet.
Piercing existed before Doug Malloy. We humans have a need to adorn ourselves regardless of our country of origin, devotion to a specific God or Gods or our tribes chosen or born into. The Dyak ampallang, the nathori favored by the Banjara people of India or a suburban parent taking their child to the mall for ear piercings, 1 the need is the same even if the motivation isn't.
Look into the recent past of the western body piercing revival- 1900 on- and you'll find examples of piercings that were performed and healed years before "we" ever thought of them. Rasmus Neilsen's (approximately) 00g Madison piercing was displayed forty years before Madison Stone 2 was born; Jack Yount was piercing nipples in the 1950s and in South Dakota a young body ritual devotee who went on to be known as Fakir Musafar was pushing his body to the limits with piercings and ritual modifications.
So what was it about Doug that brought together the assorted leather men, modern ascetics & primitives, swingers and eccentrics that formed what became the roots of the modern piercing community? His passion and enthusiasm? His seemingly unlimited funds which allowed travel and the free time to meet the piercing devotees who were scattered all over the United States and Europe? Being at the right place at the right time and seeing the potential in the generation that came after him with people like Jim Ward and Fakir Musafar?
Every time I crack open Jim's Running the Gauntlet I find something that inspires me to dig a little deeper, connect with younger piercing fans to remind them of the contributions of people like Doug and Jim and Jack, connect with older folks who were around during the good old days and to do my part to keep the memories alive.
You can order Jim's book here: http://www.runningthegauntlet-book.com
So why did you get pierced? Was there a defining moment where you thought this is for me? PFIQ, Modern Primitives, In the Flesh, BME, SPC? Who was your Doug Malloy?
- Do not get your child's ears pierced at the mall. ↩
- Madison Stone is an American tattoo artist and former adult performer who was known for her distinctive appearance which at the time included having body piercings- something the adult industry looked down on until the 2000s. A surface piercing at the base of the throat became known as a Madison due to the visibility her profession was able to offer it. https://www.instagram.com/madisontattoos ↩


text:
PIRELLI Scorpion Soft Terrain Lite mtb tire 29'' x 2.40'' Tubeless Ready
Ean: 8019227370478
SmartGRIP Compound is a compound that uses the most advanced chemical technologies to obtain two typically antithetical characteristics in the off-road world: mechanical resistance and chemical grip. This formulation allows to reach such a level of performance that it can be used throughout the rubber layer that makes up the tread. The use of a single compound ensures that the performance does not decrease as the wear of the tread increases, a critical characteristic of the multi-layer compounds. Pirelli chooses the best compound for every tread and every size, no compromise between grip and handling on dry and wet roads.
The Scorpion ™ MTB tire structure is optimized for driving style and end-user use. Different combinations of materials, densities, thicknesses and dimensions give life to tires with different driving characteristics, guaranteeing extremely high levels of handling, grip and smoothness on all types of terrain. Under the name of Tailor Development, Pirelli's approach is concentrated on the development and maximization of tire performance in all its dimensions and versions, developing ad-hoc solutions for each single tire in the Scorpion ™ MTB catalog.
Do you often drive your bike on this type of surface? Scorpion ™ MTB Soft terrain is the right choice!
- Sandy bottoms like beaches, desert areas and river beds
- Soft foundations such as snow-covered paths, loose undergrowth, meadows with unbleached grass, white roads with a loose ground and unprepared trails, scree slopes
- Primarily clayey soils and unbaked land
- Race tracks with very loose bottoms, without rocks and asphalt sections