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Gaining Insight into the Relative Contributions of EPA and DHA to Lowering the Risk for Atherothrombotic Disease Incidence
This article at a glance
- Two recent studies have assessed whether either EPA or DHA may be more closely associated to markers of risk for the development and incidence of atherosclerotic disease.
- In elderly Japanese patients at high risk for acute atherothrombotic complications, the serum EPA level was associated with a lower incidence of plaque destabilization and infarction.
- In obese adults 18-70 years old with sub-clinical systemic inflammation, the daily intake of DHA was related to a more marked anti-inflammatory blood profile than EPA intake.
- The studies provide new indications that DHA and EPA may serve different roles to regulate distinct aspects in the temporal development of atherogenesis and acute atherothrombotic coronary disease. Further studies are required to replicate and refine these observations.
When the supplemental dietary intake of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) is discussed, a recommendation for the intake of both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in combination is frequently considered the most prudent. In foods containing omega-3 LCPUFA, mostly of marine origin, both EPA and DHA are present. In many tissues both fatty acids are often present in considerable levels. EPA and DHA are furthermore interrelated metabolically; EPA can be further converted to DHA, although this is generally believed to occur to a very limited extent in humans, and DHA may regulate the levels of EPA by limiting the conversion of EPA to docosapentaenoic acid (DPA ω-3), and/or stimulating the retroconversion of DPA ω-3 back to EPA. On the other hand, EPA and DHA may have distinct functional effects, for example in their ability to modulate triglyceride synthesis and lipoprotein levels in the circulation. The following questions are often raised: "Why does the body employ both EPA and DHA for structural and signaling functions, do they have clearly distinct functions, is one more important than the other, and if so, in which cell types and when?"
A number of intervention studies with purified EPA and DHA has previously provided evidence that both fatty acids impart selective activity on different cardiovascular functions, and which may have different effects on atherosclerosis disease development. Some of the individual hemodynamic and anti-atherogenic effects that have been reported are: i) both EPA and DHA supplementation reduce triglyceride levels, but they have different effects on lipoprotein subclasses, with DHA having more marked effects on increasing HDL2 cholesterol, and increasing LDL particle size, while EPA can lower HDL3 cholesterol (in mildly dyslipidemic individuals, and in type 2 diabetic individuals). ii) DHA has a stronger blood pressure-lowering effect than EPA, iii) DHA improves forearm microcirculatory vascular reactivity, iv) DHA can lower heart rate, v) EPA can lower platelet activation and increase platelet counts, and vi) EPA has a stronger tendency to increase fasting glucose in individuals with mild dyslipidemia. In type 2 diabetic individuals, EPA can increase hepatic glucose output, which may contribute to an impairment of glycemic control. Recently published research shows that questions about the individual roles of EPA and DHA remain of interest to clinical researchers studying heart disease.
The first study was carried out by Iwamatsu and colleagues at the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Dokkyo Medical University School in Togichi, Japan. The researchers addressed the hypothesis that in patients with advanced stages of atherosclerotic coronary disease, EPA and DHA might play a role in decreasing the risk for acute myocardial infarction. In this setting, EPA and DHA are thought to counteract the pro-coagulation and pro-inflammatory role of arachidonic acid (AA) in plaque destabilization, plaque rupture and atherothrombosis. It is not clear, however, if EPA or DHA individually are involved in reducing major coronary events in advanced atherosclerotic disease, or if both fatty acids play a role. In order to gain further insight into the relative involvement of EPA and DHA, a study was carried out to identify which circulating biomarkers of inflammation and blood lipids are associated most prominently with acute coronary syndrome, i.e. the incidence of myocardial infarction and unstable angina, in elderly Japanese patients.
The study focused on a group of 369 individuals (average age 66 years) with suspected or confirmed coronary artery disease and who did not take omega-3 supplements. After diagnostic coronary angiography, patients were classified as having acute coronary syndrome (n=24; patients that had had a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a non-STEMI, or having unstable angina), coronary spastic angina, or diagnosed with chest pain syndrome. To distinguish the latter two conditions, patients underwent an acetylcholine provocation test to determine whether the coronary vascular bed responded with a vasoconstrictor response (spastic angina), or was capable of responding with an endothelium-dependent vasodilator response (and subsequently classified as having chest pain syndrome in the absence of further diagnostic information). Next, the concentrations of several clinical diagnostic indicators were measured in venous blood samples obtained prior to the angiographic evaluation. These also comprised serum fatty acid levels (free and esterified combined), including EPA, DHA and AA, from which the ratios of EPA/AA and DHA/AA were calculated. A majority of patients were reported to have hypertension (74%), diabetes (55%) and dyslipidemia (67%), conditions that were controlled by statin treatment (82%) to lower LDL-cholesterol, and by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (67%) to achieve a lower blood pressure.
The EPA/AA ratio (0.35) was significantly lower in patients with acute coronary syndrome than in patients with non-acute or more stable forms of coronary artery disease (stable angina pectoris, old myocardial infarction, chest pain syndrome, coronary spastic angina). A lower DHA/AA ratio was found for the acute coronary syndrome patients (0.78) only when compared to patients with stable angina (0.95). Patients with acute coronary syndrome furthermore had reduced HDL-cholesterol levels compared to the other patient groups combined. Among the various measured parameters, only the EPA/AA ratio was significantly correlated with acute coronary syndrome. The DHA/AA ratio did not discriminate acute coronary syndrome from other heart disease entities.
The results of the study suggest that in elderly Japanese, the serum EPA to AA level ratio may be predictive of the acute manifestations of coronary atherosclerotic disease in comparison to more stable forms of coronary disease and chest pain. In contrast, at this stage of heart disease development in this population, no relationship between acute coronary syndrome and the DHA/AA ratio was found. A limitation of the study is that although individuals who took omega-3 supplements were excluded from the study, no information was provided about fish consumption of the participants. It was not stated whether the patients were fasted prior to blood sampling. A further limitation is the use of ratios of EPA/AA and DHA/AA, neither of which provides information about whether it is the EPA or DHA, or in fact AA, that are altered.
The second study was performed by Allaire and colleagues at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods at the University Hospital Center of Québec Research Center, at the Department of Preventive and Social medicine, Laval University and at the Québec Heart and Lung Institute, in Canada. In a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled study with a cross-over format, a group of adult men and women (n=154, age 18-70 years) with abdominal obesity and sub-clinical inflammation were randomly assigned to one of three 10-week dietary interventions; i) 2.7 g/day EPA, ii) 2.7 g/day DHA or iii) corn oil (control). Obesity was defined by the International Diabetes Federation, and sub-clinical inflammation by a plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration between 1 and 10 mg/l. The target study group corresponds to a sample of the population with a significantly enhanced risk of developing atherosclerotic lesions over the course of their adult life, with a significantly increased risk of stroke and acute coronary infarction. The subjects enrolled in this study were otherwise healthy.
The study design allowed to obtain information on the possible effects of either supplemental EPA or DHA, in contrast to many previous studies addressing the effects of mixtures of EPA and DHA in various ratios (often in the form of fish oil) on systemic markers of inflammation and cardiometabolic risk. The objective was to compare the effect of EPA, DHA or corn oil on circulating markers of inflammation as primary outcomes. The majority of previous studies that had addressed the effects of PUFA on cardiometabolic health documented changes in markers of inflammation as secondary outcomes. Furthermore, this study was relatively large, increasing the statistical power to detect potential changes that previous studies had not convincingly been able to document. In this study a decrease of 10% in CRP levels was considered of clinical significance.
A total of 154 participants was assigned randomly to one of three treatment phases, EPA, DHA, or corn oil, given daily for ten weeks, each with a nine-week washout period between treatments (no supplements taken). Compliance to supplementation was >96%, as determined by calculating the supplements that were returned to study coordinators at each study visit. Measurement of plasma phospholipid fatty acid composition was also used to monitor compliance, in a randomly selected subsample of participants. Twenty percent of participants dropped out during the study. The results of 123 participants who completed the intervention with DHA, and 121 participants receiving EPA, were compared to placebo.
The analysis of the results provided remarkable insight into the differences between DHA versus EPA supplementation on the studied parameters. Supplementation with EPA led to a reduction in triglycerides, a decrease in IL-6, and a very small increase in LDL cholesterol (compared to control). In contrast, the supplemental DHA intake favored changes in nearly all measured parameters compared to control: a decrease in CRP, IL-6, IL-18 and TNF-α, and an increase in plasma adiponectin. DHA increased total plasma cholesterol level (~3% increase), cholesterol associated with LDL and HDL, and decreased triglycerides. The levels of the LDL-associated apolipoprotein B remained unchanged by supplemental DHA and EPA intake, suggesting that the observed changes in LDL-associated cholesterol were related to lipoprotein size, and not to the number of circulating lipoprotein particles.
When the post-treatment effects of DHA (changes compared to control) were compared head-to-head with those after EPA intake, a significantly stronger influence of DHA was found on IL-18 (decrease), adiponectin (increase), cholesterol (increase in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol), and on triglyceride levels (decrease). No evidence of an effect of sex on the studied inflammation markers was found. In men, but not in women, supplemental DHA intake promoted a significantly larger increase in LDL cholesterol level than did EPA intake.
This study suggests that during adult life the effect of dietary intake of DHA on systemic markers of inflammation may be more marked than that of an equal dose of EPA, as well as a more marked effect on blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides). The authors indicate that new studies are needed to evaluate how these omega-3 LCPUFA-selective activities, in particular those of DHA, may modulate cardiovascular disease development. Following current thinking that atherogenesis is to a significant extent the result of a poorly controlled and chronic inflammation of the vasculature, a sustained level of omega-3 LCPUFA intake may contribute to counteract pro-inflammatory signals associated with the development of coronary disease. However, not much information is currently available on whether both EPA and DHA are needed to modulate chronic inflammation underlying vascular disease, or if DHA may be more important than EPA to reduce atherogenesis, as suggested by the study of Allaire.
Importantly, the levels of two important mediators that were measured, IL-18 and adiponectin, displayed changes with DHA supplementation that corresponded to a shift to an anti-inflammatory profile. IL-18 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that, among other activities, promotes myofibroblast proliferation, a hallmark of atherosclerotic lesion development. IL-18 is produced by the NLRP3 inflammasome, which is activated by diverse inflammatory stimuli. Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory and atheroprotective adipokine that is produced by adipose tissue, for which dysregulated secretion into the circulation is often observed in obesity-associated diseases.
Interestingly, as suggested by the study of Iwamatsu and colleagues, once advanced coronary heart disease has developed and presents itself as an acute coronary syndrome, EPA may be more important than DHA to limit coronary plaque destabilization, erosion and rupture, thrombosis and/or the ensuing ischemia/reperfusion-mediated myocardial tissue damage. At least one mechanism whereby EPA acts to reduce coronary plaque instability is by its incorporation into plaque tissue and exerting a local anti-inflammatory effect, down-regulating the metalloproteases that weaken the plaque structure. The suggestion that EPA is selectively involved in these ultimate steps in acute coronary syndrome is for the moment based on an association, and its role will need be confirmed with a randomized and controlled study in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
The development of prescription omega-3 in Japan has historically focused on EPA and is based on early findings that the intake of highly purified EPA has anti-atherogenic and anti-thrombotic effects, thereby lending support to a role for EPA in lowering acute myocardial infarction risk. A later study also provided indications to the possible contribution by the dietary intake of both DHA and EPA to the lowering of atherosclerosis development in Japanese people. The JELIS study subsequently showed the efficacy of supplemental EPA intake in reducing the risk for major coronary events in hypercholesterolaemic patients, even on a background of significant fish consumption.
The current study by Iwamatsu and colleagues may thus been seen as a further effort to more precisely determine in which types of coronary heart disease EPA is likely to be most effective. It is not clear if the reduction in risk for major coronary events by EPA supplementation may be more pronounced in the Japanese population. A previous study has indicated that on a background of statin treatment, EPA will further decrease the incidence of major coronary events in people with established coronary artery disease, in particular those with a prior history of myocardial infarction. Higher EPA plasma levels, as well as the ratio of EPA to AA, were inversely related to risk of major coronary events, but DHA levels in the circulation were not. In contrast, a recent meta-analysis of pooled prospective and retrospective cohort studies found that both DHA and EPA levels (as well as alpha-linolenic acid and DPA) were similarly associated with a modestly lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease.
Both studies need independent replication to confirm the interesting and possibly important results. Future studies will undoubtedly provide further insight into the individual contributions of specific dietary fatty acids in primary prevention and in reducing clinical events in established cardiovascular disease. That selectivity in activity for individual omega-3 LCPUFAs may indeed exist is further supported by these studies. Supplementation with sufficiently long duration and a high enough daily dose of purified DHA leads to increases in both DHA and EPA (and a decrease in ω-3 DPA) in the circulation (as measured in phospholipids of plasma, platelet and red blood cells). In contrast, the supplementation with EPA markedly raises EPA and ω-3 DPA levels, but does not lead to a raise in DHA levels (in fact, DHA levels in plasma phospholipids may decrease). Such notable differences in fatty acid distribution point out the complexity in the mechanisms of regulation of the interconversion of omega-3 LCPUFA pathway intermediates, and remind us of the challenge to assign specific individual activities at sites of vascular inflammation where coronary vascular lesions develop and progress over long time periods. Well-founded recommendations for optimal intakes of individual fatty acids at precise stages of life and health status may still be many years away from now.
Iwamatsu K, Abe S, Nishida H, Kageyama M, Nasuno T, Sakuma M, Toyoda S, Inoue T. Which has the stronger impact on coronary artery disease, eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid? Hypertens. Res. 2016;39(4):272-275. [PubMed]
Allaire J, Couture P, Leclerc M, Charest A, Marin J, Lepine MC, Talbot D, Tchernof A, Lamarche B. Randomized, crossover, head-to-head comparison of EPA and DHA supplementation to reduce inflammation markers in men and women: the Comparing EPA to DHA Study. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2016; June 8. [PubMed]
Worth Noting
Berge RK, Madsen L, Vaagenes H, Tronstad KJ, Göttlicher M, Rustan AC. In contrast with docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and hypolipidaemic derivatives decrease hepatic synthesis and secretion of triacylglycerol by decreased diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity and stimulation of fatty acid oxidation. Biochem. J. 1999;343(1):191-197. [PubMed]
Cawood AL, Ding R, Napper FL, Young RH, Williams JA, Ward MJ, Gudmundsen O, Vige R, Payne SP, Ye S, Shearman CP, Gallagher PJ, Grimble RF, Calder PC. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from highly concentrated n-3 fatty acid ethyl esters is incorporated into advanced atherosclerotic plaques and higher plaque EPA is associated with decreased plaque inflammation and increased stability. Atherosclerosis 2010;212(1):252-259. [PubMed]
Coronary angiography: http://patient.info/health/coronary-angiography
Del Gobbo LC, Imamura F, Aslibekyan S, Marklund M, Virtanen JK, Wennberg M, Yakoob MY, Chiuve SE, Dela Cruz L, Frazier-Wood AC, et al & Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCe). ω-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acid biomarkers and coronary heart disease: Pooling project of 19 cohort studies. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(8):1155-1166. [PubMed]
Hino A, Adachi H, Toyomasu K, Yoshida N, Enomoto M, Hiratsuka A, Hirai Y, Satoh A, Imaizumi T. Very long chain N-3 fatty acids intake and carotid atherosclerosis: an epidemiological study evaluated by ultrasonography. Atherosclerosis 2004;176(1):145-149. [PubMed]
Itakura H, Yokoyama M, Matsuzaki M, Saito Y, Origasa H, Ishikawa Y, Oikawa S, Sasaki J, Hishida H, Kita T, Kitabatake A, Nakaya N, Sakata T, Shimada K, Shirato K, Matsuzawa Y, JELIS Investigators. Relationships between plasma fatty acid composition and coronary artery disease. J. Atheroscler. Thromb. 2011;18(2):99-107. [PubMed]
Li K, Huang T, Zheng J, Wu K, Li D. Effect of marine-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on C-reactive protein, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha: a meta-analysis. PLoS One 2014;9(2):e88103. [PubMed]
Maenhaut N, Van de Voorde J. Regulation of vascular tone by adipocytes. BMC Med. 2011 9:25. [PubMed]
Matsuzaki M, Yokoyama M, Saito Y, Origasa H, Ishikawa Y, Oikawa S, Sasaki J, Hishida H, Itakura H, Kita T, Kitabatake A, Nakaya N, Sakata T, Shimada K, Shirato K, Matsuzawa Y, JELIS Investigators. Incremental effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on cardiovascular events in statin-treated patients with coronary artery disease. Circ. J. 2009;73(7):1283-1290. [PubMed]
Metabolic syndrome as defined by the International Diabetes Federation: http://www.idf.org/metabolic-syndrome
Mori TA, Woodman RJ. The independent effects of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on cardiovascular risk factors in humans. Curr. Opin. Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care 2006;9:95-104. [PubMed]
Mozaffarian D, Wu JH. (n-3) fatty acids and cardiovascular health: are effects of EPA and DHA shared or complementary? J. Nutr. 2012;142(3):614S-625S. [PubMed]
O'Brien LC, Mezzaroma E, Van Tassell BW, Marchetti C, Carbone S, Abbate A, Toldo S. Interleukin-18 as a therapeutic target in acute myocardial infarction and heart failure. Mol. Med. 2014;20:221-229. [PubMed]
Ohnishi H, Saito Y. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduces cardiovascular events: relationship with the EPA/arachidonic acid ratio. J. Atheroscler. Thromb. 2013;20(12):861-877. [PubMed]
Ozaki E, Campbell M, Doyle SL. Targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome in chronic inflammatory diseases: current perspectives. J. Inflamm. Res. 2015;16(8):15-27. [PubMed]
Tamura Y, Hirai A, Terano T, Yoshida S, Takenaga M, Kitagawa H. Anti-thrombotic and anti-atherogenic action of eicosapentaenoic acid. Jpn. Circ. J. 1987;51(4):471-477. [PubMed]
Tanaka K, Ishikawa Y, Yokoyama M, Origasa H, Matsuzaki M, Saito Y, Matsuzawa Y, Sasaki J, Oikawa S, Hishida H, Itakura H, Kita T, Kitabatake A, Nakaya N, Sakata T, Shimada K, Shirato K,Jelis Investigators J. Reduction in the recurrence of stroke by eicosapentaenoic acid for hypercholesterolemic patients: subanalysis of the JELIS trial. Stroke 2008;39(7):2052-2058. [PubMed]
Yokoyama M, Origasa H, Matsuzaki M, Matsuzawa Y, Saito Y, Ishikawa Y, Oikawa S, Sasaki J, Hishida H, Itakura H, Kita T, Kitabatake A, Nakaya N, Sakata T, Shimada K, Shirato K, JELIS Investigators. Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on major coronary events in hypercholesterolaemic patients (JELIS): a randomised open-label, blinded endpoint analysis. Lancet 2007;369(9567):1090-1098. [PubMed]


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ByRory Jones
Government employees in Dubai were given some good news this week as authorities in the desert emirate announced pay rises for staff of up to 100% of their salary.
Thousands of staff across 32 departments will receive pay rises of between 30% and 100%, depending on their role, and fortuitously, the pay increase will be backdated to June, according to local media reports. So employees will get a six-month bonus in their December pay packets.
Salaries will be doubled for doctors, financial controllers and auditors in financial control departments, as long as the increase does not mean staff are being paid more than 25,000 U.A.E. dirhams ($6,812) per month.
Meanwhile, engineers, legal advisors, financial planners, investment managers, Dubai Ruler's Court employees, internal auditors and university teachers will be paid 50% more, to a maximum AED10,000 per month, media reports said, quoting the Dubai government's human resources department.
This is not the first time government-sector employees, in which the majority of local Emiratis are employed, have received a pay rise. In December 2011, the government ordered a 35% pay increase for government staff, while many employees also received a bonus of 100% of their salaries as part of a salary adjustment process that apparently takes place every two years.
Several countries in the Persian Gulf region tend to pass on to its citizens wealth amassed from oil & gas sales worth hundreds of billions of dollars through various schemes – including providing well-paying government jobs.
That mostly makes sense, as long as the moves by the government don't stifle other initiatives to get citizens working in the private sector and creating jobs through entrepreneurship.
For example, the U.A.E. champions entrepreneurship and the knowledge transfer of global expertize to its citizens from international private-sector companies established on its shores. It is keen to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons and create knowledge-based industries, such as aviation, semi-conductor technologies and renewable energy that empower and educate its citizens.
What's more, Dubai held the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in December last year, the World Entrepreneurship Forum in December this year, and has a body called Dubai SME, which is aimed at promoting small businesses and encouraging citizens to start their own ventures.
The country also has a policy in place called Emiratization that aims to have their citizens employed in both the public and private sector in roles that develop each citizen for the greater good of society, while keeping unemployment rates low. There are similar policies in place in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.
But are these entrepreneurship and Emiratisation initiatives being hampered by the attractive pay increases being offered to Emiratis in the government sector?
On the surface it would seem so. In a September poll conducted by the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, less than one quarter of Emirati job-seekers said they would accept a job in the private sector. Only 30% of Emiratis were even registered with a private-sector job agency, while the study found that 65% of those offered jobs had turned them down because the salaries and privileges were too low.
But some recruiters specialising in Emiratization say the situation is more nuanced. The stereotype that the government sector pays more than the private sector, and therefore attracts Emiratis largely holds true in neighbour Abu Dhabi, but less so in Dubai, where government jobs often pay less than the private sector.
Hamza Zaouali, the managing director of Iris Executives, which recruits only Emiratis for both the government and private sector, says U.A.E. citizens are paid 20% more on average than an expatriate in the same position, yet they are not necessarily driven by money. Instead, they enjoy the culture in the government sector and are attracted to the fewer working hours.
"A big proportion of Emiratis are not interested in the money side of things. The government has shorter working hours and they feel more comfortable when there's a lot of people like them, who understand them and speak the same language as them," Mr. Zaouali said.

subset: commoncrawl


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ABOUT US The story of LIND DNA begins with the family Lind's discoveries of new opportunities with recycled leather and unfolds into a large range of interior collections and export to more than 40 countries. The unique recycled leather is today the bedrock of most of the LIND DNA designs. It has showed outstanding physical characteristics and proved to be not just decorative, but both water repellent, heat resistant, durable, and easy to clean. Local production, use of natural and sustainable materials and impeccable quality are among our founding values. That is why we design, create and produce in Denmark. All our products are born out of sheer passion for subtle design and killer craftsmanship.
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NEW DELHI : With an aim to align the industry requirements with the technical skill set of students, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has developed outcome based, socially and industrially relevant Model Curriculum for Under Graduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) Programme in Engineering and technical subjects e.g. MBA, PGDM, Pharmacy, Architecture etc.
This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Dr. Satya Pal Singh today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.
He said that it allows the students to take electives from the disciplines and cross- disciplines, provision for internship to understand the industry requirements, have hands-on experience and to pursue project work, relevant to industry, in their final year. This is a suggestive curriculum and the concerned University/ Institution is allowed flexibility in readjustment of course/ credits taking in account the local industry needs.
The HRD Minister of State said that the comparison between the institutions following the model curricula and others is not possible at this stage as it is the first year of implementation of model curriculum.


text: I got a message from my Manila Concert Junkies Family that the ticket selling for Celine Dion was already on-going so I immediately checked smtickets site to buy one. I've been wanting to go to Celine Dion's concert with my parents because they were a fan. They literally know Continue Reading


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Finally....Mr. & Mrs. van Herksen are going on a proper honeymoon. After many months of waiting (over 8 months to be exact) JJ and I are leaving on our honeymoon tomorrow! We will be visiting locations that are not on the TOP 10 places to visit on your honeymoon, but we are very excited with our South African road trip and trip to Rwanda. I have to give props to JJ. He has planned the whole trip. You can see a map of our trip above (the map is compliments of my father...he has a lot of free time).
We leave Maputo tomorrow by car and head to Cape Town, South Africa. There will be plenty of stops along the way including stays on the beach, in vineyards, elephant reserves, ostrich farms and much more. On the way back we will drive back from Cape Town to Johannesburg. On the way to Jo'berg we will again have some interesting stops including diamond mines....maybe JJ will surprise me...ha ha ha. From Jo'berg we will fly to Kigali, Rwanda.
Most of you are familiar with Rwanda from movies like Hotel Rwanda and Sometimes in April...both really excellent movies by the way. To tell you the truth that is most of what I know about Rwanda as well. I am looking forward to learn about the country and from the experiences it has had. I can't even imagine what to expect from some of the genocide memorials.
Okay, but this is a honeymoon right...Our friends Jaco and Leontien are there and they have promised us a "Thanksgiving" we will never forget complete with mountain trails, gorillas and beautiful views and hopefully a turkey dinner too. Another movie that was filmed in Rwanda was Gorillas in the Midst. I don't know if I will get as close as Sigourney Weaver, but we will see.
I don't want to divulge too much....then I would have nothing to write about when we get back. I won't be updating the blog or posting pictures during our honeymoon. I have been banned from email and the internet, but I am sure you will survive. I will probably go through withdrawals without email...just kidding...I think.
Until the next posting in about three weeks. And off we go....


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In this new quick tips series we will be joined by Dutch freestyle talent Davy Scheffers who will guide us through the crucial stages of freestyle...
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I hit a slump last month. The kind of slump that could potentially suck the life out of joyful moments and leave you lying on your bed, staring at the ceiling & struggling to find the energy to get up and seek out the happiness in the day. This type of downward slide is not necessarily characteristic of my naturally optimistic, hopeful nature. But I have known these vicissitudes of spirit before. And typically I've known what I need to gain traction and catapult myself out of them. This time felt different. As in, "I really need a new mindset" different.
Have you ever got to a point in your life when you feel like you've made so much progress that you mistakenly fool yourself into thinking that you should be able to slack off a bit and take a well deserved rest? Kind of like the well-loved Aesop's Fable "The Tortoise & the Hare?" Well, in retrospect, I think that in the last few years my mindset has been that of the Hare. Like, "I've put in so much effort and work, I deserve to be lazy for a bit." Well lazy may have turned into sloppy and a bit careless in day-to-day interactions, mindfulness, and things taken for granted.
Enter: Universe.
So here I was, a bit shook up. And definitely humbled. And grasping for a way to get out of my slump. In a moment of clarity I realized that, in addition to other things, I had also become sloppy with my thoughts. Our mind can be tricky and extremely dangerous at times. And if we allow ourselves to be undisciplined in our thoughts, they can easily begin to take on a life of their own. I've found that, for me, this is when my fears, anxieties and angers began to take root in my consciousness. And I despise being controlled by those things. I was in desperate need of a plan.
During one of my early morning runs, I decided to approach the issue of my runaway thoughts much like I'd approach a marathon: I needed practice. I needed strength. I needed training. I decided that, for one week, I would actively work to push away each and every negative thought that crept into my head. It didn't matter if that thought was about me, or someone else, or life in general. I would replace it with a positive. Sounds simple, right? Well. Not so much. You see, we get into these patterns called habits. And yes, you guessed it. They are pretty hard to break. But my goal was to focus on the positive. Nothing more, nothing less.
Day one I woke up to my daughter's nose pressed up against my neck, her arm thrown around me. I listened to her breathing as she slept. I ran my fingers over her little hand. My mind drifted to her brothers- all three of them- who were resting peacefully in their rooms. Healthy, secure, safe. The morning light made its way through the window. I took a deep breath. "Thank you…" I whispered to no one in particular.
Inhale love…exhale anger.
Day two found me driving to work after a hectic morning. I was rushing to make lunches, sign homework papers, and iron shirts before jumping behind the wheel to open the doors of my classroom. Of course, my car was on empty. As I hurriedly pulled into the gas station, I centered: I work less than 7 miles from home, in a career that I love, with co-workers I adore. My work allows me to pay for food to make lunches, and buy the clothes that I ironed this morning. My work gives me purpose, and the ability to give back to my community. "Thank you…" I found myself saying silently.
Inhale gratefulness…exhale ingratitude
Day three began with a mad dash to the airport. My ex (the father of my three youngest children) offered to drive me so I wouldn't have to spend money on a taxi. I gladly accepted. As we made our way along the freeway, I contemplated how far he and I have come. And it made me happy. I boarded the plane to Texas that day feeling certain that all things in life eventually come full circle. Not necessarily when we want, but when life sees fit. And if we're attentive, we'll take notice. And maybe we'll even learn a lesson or two.
Inhale the present…exhale the past
Day four I woke up in a beautiful suite with floor to ceiling windows, overlooking a sunrise on the Colorado River. I had the entire bed to myself. I rolled over onto my stomach, rested my chin in hands, took in the view, and smiled.
On days five & six, I had to put forth constant effort to silence the negativity that was trying to work it's way back in. All those worst-case scenarios, things owed to me, innately sad thoughts that were begging to be dwelled upon. It took a concerted effort not to give them the attention they craved. I picked something productive to think on instead. And I stayed with it.
Inhale confidence…exhale doubt
On day seven, I stepped into my grandparents kitchen in the clothes I had traveled in the day before. The coffee was brewing, and my Nana was absent-mindedly nibbling away at a piece of bread while reading the morning paper. I was well rested and vibrant, on a natural high from the amazing days I had spent in Austin with group of women who are my allies in advocacy and close friends. I had a thoughtful conversation with my grandfather. I went for a long run up in the hills of my hometown. It occurred to me that I felt completely centered and whole. And I attributed that feeling to the week I'd spent mindfully rejecting negative thoughts, and embracing all that is good and positive in my life.
It's been two and a half weeks now, and I keep waiting for this feeling to leave me. But it hasn't yet.
"Thank you" has become my daily mantra. My prayer to life and the world around me. And it's been an incredibly calming affirmation. Simple, yet powerful. Overall, this way of gratefulness is becoming second nature. I've become hyper-aware of every beautiful sight, pleasant interaction, and pleasing sound. And somehow this awareness makes the less tolerable aspects of life seem less grating. I don't know how long I can maintain this state of peace, but I think I like it well enough now that I will actively find a way back to it should I lose my way again sometime down the road.


text: Editorial Editorial Creative (RM) Creative (RF) NFL Content NFL AP Content Advanced search Advanced Search X Advanced Search Portrait of smiling businessman outdoors Overview Get price Portrait of smiling businessman outdoors (Westend61 / AP Images) Use Information Please contact your licensing representative for more on release information. Contributor: RF - Westend61 ID: 19136577822105 License Type: Royalty-Free (RF) Creation Date: May 09, 2019 12:03:04 PM Submission Date: May 16, 2019 04:26:48 PM Photographer: Daniel Ingold Source: WSTRF Credit: Westend61 / AP Images Special Instructions: RF Resolution: 5600 x 3733 3.83 MB Subject: Business travel, Travel, Lifestyle, Business travel, Business Keywords: business life, business world, business person, businesspeople, Business man, Business men, Businessmen, smile, portraits, Labor, Labour, Occupation, Work, job, jobs, profession, professional occupation, business attire, business clothing, delight, enjoyment, Pleasant, pleasure, happy, pleased, mobile, location shot, location shots, outdoor, outdoor shot, outdoor shots, cities, town, towns, urbanity, on the go, on the road, on the way, building, buildings, built structures, day shots, daylight, daylight shot, daylight shots, daytime, Emotions, Feeling, Feelings, Sentiment, Sentiments, optimism, Business Travel, Business Travels, Business Trips, executive travel, confidence, confident, poised, Self-Assurance, Self-Assured, self-confident, competent, Sovereignty, look, seeing, view, viewing, look away, life styles, Journeys, travel, travelling, voyage, Coats, glass facade, big smile, laughing, open smile, Business Casual, smart casual, smart-casual, well dressed, commuters, Facades, Traveler, Travelers, Travellers, side glance, Sideway Glance, sideways glance, glassware, reliable, human, human being, human beings, humans, person, persons, adult, grown-up, grown-ups, grownup, grownups, male, males, men, mature man, 1, one person only, only one person, mature adult, 40 to 50, 40 to 50 years, 40-50, 40s, 45 to 50 years, caucasian appearance, caucasian ethnicity, european, dark-haired, brown haired, brown-haired, brunette, Businessman, smiling, portrait, business, business people, businesswear, Joy, happiness, content, Mobility, urban, on the move, outdoors, day, positive, optimistic, urban scene, Business Trip, copy space, Self-confidence, looking away, lifestyle, journey, Coat, Glass front, toothy smile, smart, commuter, Facade, Traveller, looking sideways, glass, respectable, mature men, one person, 45-50 years, caucasian, brown hair, Switzerland, city, built structure, emotional, Emotion, looking, people, Adults, man, mature adults, 40-50 years, dark hair, Photography, Photo, Photos, Color Image, Colour Image, Color, Colour Transmission Reference: DIGF06486 Byline Title: CTR Usage Notes: Please contact your licensing representative for more on release information. X Message Box Cancel Ok No Yes


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It took nearly 15 minutes for the first goal, but from then on the onslaught never stopped as the Ohio Bobcats (28-7-2) defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers (12-10-5) by a score of 8-1.
The offenses finally started with a simple tap in goal by Garrett Williams off a hard and tight pass by Logan Pfeffer that was nearly waved off until the officials convened and agreed the puck went in before any interference on the goaltender.
"They both played great," coach Jonathan Sheridan said. "I think Pfeff's really stepped up his game the past couple weeks. Willy almost didn't make it to the game, so he better have played well or else he wasn't going to be playing tomorrow. He had a little trouble with traffic, issues coming back with his kid, but they played excellent. I can't speak highly enough for the way Pfeff's been finishing up the year, so hopefully he keeps it going a little bit longer."
In just a minute after that, Tom Whetsel found himself behind the net operating out of the office like Wayne Gretzky used to. He found Joe Breslin sneaking into the slot for a nifty one-timer goal.
To end the first period, the Bobcats put in yet another goal off a well orchestrated fake by Brett Agnew. J.C. Gulch sent the puck along the blue line to Mike Kretz, who surveyed the ice and sent a pass to the opposite corner for Agnew. He faked a shot to make the goaltender do a split and simply roofed it without a problem.
Early on, the second period had a few big chances, but nothing seemed to come together. This is best illustrated by a three-on-one about six minutes in where Matt Hartman rifled the shot just wide of the net. Meanwhile they gave up a few chances back in their own end, but Aaron Alkema was staunch in his return after sustaining a head injury against Robert Morris two weeks ago.
"He looked good," Sheridan said. "He was a little shaky. It was good to see him get roughed up a little bit to see how he was going to respond, and I think he responded well. So it looks like he's going to be back and ready to go for us."
Never worrying, the Bobcats were steadfast and with just under seven minutes remaining in the period, a turnover gave them a similar look. With David Ramos carrying the puck on the right side on the three-on-two, he faked to Whetsel and dropped it back to Breslin coming into the slot. Breslin launched the puck past the blocker of Matthew Schmidlin without giving him a chance to make a save.
The Bobcats added another goal a few minutes later off a sharp angle shot along the goal line from Nathan De La Torre. The puck would go in off the skate of the goaltender as he came just off the post and gave the Bobcats a 5-0 lead.
It couldn't last forever, though. With just 36 seconds remaining in the period, Cole Snyder stole the puck behind the Bobcats net from Tyler Benson, losing his edge and the puck. He put the puck in front for a bang-bang play and Brian Stein punched the puck five-hole for a goal making it 5-1 to end the period.
Both teams surprisingly survived 40 minutes of play without being penalized, but it wouldn't last through the third period. Just over a minute into the period, the first penalty of the game was called on Kretz, but the Panthers were unable to capitalize on the power play.
Just over four minutes left in the game, Kretz launched a shot from the left side that left a juicy rebound in the slot. Breslin capitalized and fired the puck into the back of the net for a hat trick goal. This was his first hat trick of his career, though he sadly wouldn't be keeping the puck afterward.
"Bressy's been going for us the entire year, so it's kind of nice to have him get his hat trick and get a little reward for it," Sheridan said. "Funny, you know, after you get your first goal you get the puck or whatever. Same thing with your first hat trick. The guys didn't grab his puck, so I was telling everyone to grab his puck and it's the puck that's stuck in the rafters. So I told him we got that nice orange ladder over there to go grab it, we'll see if he does."
About three minutes later, Williams scored his second of the evening with a good cut in behind the defense and another tap in from De La Torre and Pfeffer. They would score again two minutes later with Nicholas Hudek getting the goal off assists from Adam Steranko and Vincent Nicolella.
As time wound down both teams took a penalty, leaving the total for the game at three combined. The Bobcats led in shots 41-20 and took home the big 8-1 victory. They'll play their final game of the regular season on Saturday evening once again against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Bird Arena.


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Sponsored by Boston City Councilor Michael F. Flaherty, the Council's Special Committee on Small Businesses, Entrepreneurship and Innovation has scheduled a public hearing to discuss the pros and cons of free-standing sidewalk signs in the neighborhoods.
The hearing comes in response to apparent confusion around the varying regulations that are governed in current zoning code, which reportedly differs on neighborhoods, business districts and sub-districts.
The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 at 2pm in the Council Chambers.


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The Slider add-on creates a simple slider from your ads.
You only have to create a new ad group with the "slider" group type, use the ad weight to set the order of the ads and the delay for which each slide is displayed.
After that you can use the group shortcode, function, a widget or placement to display the slider wherever you want.
The add-on comes without a license key.
You can either get the current version of this add-on for free by signing up to the newsletter or purchase All Access to get support and updates as well.
1. Download Slider Ads for free
Sign up to our newsletter to get the current version of this add-on for free.
2. Get All Access
Get the Slider including support and access to updates.
Current Version: 1.4.6
- This is the first of three ads …
- this is number two …
- ... and after the third ad the slider continues with the first one.
Please note that there are other options to rotate an ad on the same spot. Please see How to rotate ads?
To use the ad slider just go to Advanced Ads > Groups and either create a new ad group or change the type of an existing group to "Ad Slider".
The slider ad group works like the ordered ad group. The ad weight is used to set the order in which the ads appear.
The only new setting is the delay with which each slide is shown.
To display the ad slider just use any of the methods described in the ad groups manual.
Additional Options
The Slider add-on uses the unslider.js script. You can adjust settings like the speed, the animation type (horizontal, vertical) or disable options like autoplay using a WordPress filter. The following is an example you can add to your theme's function.php to adjust speed and animation.
Note: The default animation type has changed to infinite with version 1.4.0 of the Slider Add-On.
Use the code below to let the slider jump back to the first slide – like before version 1.4.0.
function restore_slider_behavior( $settings ) { $settings['infinite'] = 'false'; return $settings; } add_filter( 'advanced-ads-slider-settings', 'restore_slider_behavior' );
The example below shows how to influence the speed of the animation and the animation type. Available animation types are fade and vertical, horizontal (default).
function my_slider_adjustments( $settings ) { $settings['speed'] = 100; // 100 milliseconds $settings['animation'] = "'fade'"; // change animation to fade return $settings; } add_filter( 'advanced-ads-slider-settings', 'my_slider_adjustments' );
Check out the Methods & Options page on unslider.com for more options. [The mentioned link does not work anymore. Please take the web search engine of your choice an look for "unslider script" to get more information.]
In case you want to load the unslider scripts from an external CDN, just add the following line to your wp-config.php .
define( 'ADVANCED_ADS_SLIDER_USE_CDN', true );


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I realize I haven't written anything here for a month. Things have resumed a semblance of normalcy, if "normalcy" means six day work weeks and shuffling four different children between four different Little League teams. Today is the first day I have had off work, except Sundays, since the two days I took off in Holy Week, which were spent frantically running around, trying to get ready for Pascha.
We are back in our house, and facing several decisions: whether to repair the house or pay off the mortgage (we owe very little) and try and sell it as is, or several variations on this basic decision. We are not wise in the ways of the world, and are praying that we do not do anything foolish.
Several years ago I experienced a sudden collapse in health. For about a year I was in bad shape, though I have recovered. What I never recovered was the simple assumption that I could take my health for granted. I am always looking over my shoulder. In a like manner, when one moment your biggest concern is what to eat for Sunday dinner and the next moment you don't know where your family is going to live or how you will shelter them it is hard to return to a sense of well-being. It is difficult to shake the feeling that Something Bad is going to happen at any moment. We were well aware during our ordeal that all around us and around the world people were going through much worse things. We kept reminding ourselves of this truth, and of the many good things that were happening in the midst of it all: the kindness and generosity of our friends, our church, our family, and even of strangers did much to alieve our distress. That said, it was still traumatic and I am only now beginning to feel less anxious. The first few baseball games I could not relax enough to enjoy. Thankfully, I am past that.
But really, feeling like you have no security in this life is not a bad thing, for indeed we do not. We are wayfarers here, and should not feel too at home.
—Daniel Nichols
Now if I can only get being at peace about it down…


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BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office says a Silver Alert issued last night ended when the man they were looking for was found dead.
Investigators say the Leland Police Department issued a Silver Alert for Louis Reda last night. His body was found in his vehicle just outside of the Leland town limits later in the evening.
- Advertisement -
An investigation continues. No foul play is suspected.


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A bond pricing example for finance classes. Shows three ways to price a bond: Brute force, PV of Annuity and PV Lump Sum, and NPV. Good for refresher or Introductory classesEdit Remove Move
An introduction to What bonds are from Khan Academy. more: http://www.khanacademy.org/video?v=44cYyG0LSzQ
Edit Remove Move
A good resource that shows bond pricing, convexity, and more: Bonds contain a number of different characteristics that depend on the issuer, priority, coupon rate, and redemption features. This article shows how to price only the most common types of bonds, such as a government or corporate bond without any embedded options (e.g. not callable, not an MBS).Edit Remove Move
A good look at the changing bond market including size information.
Overview video on bond pricing with examples and semi annual and annual payments. (pretty straight forward)Edit Remove Move
a bit dated but a decent article on how bonds are quoted: Understanding the terms that are fundamental to how bonds are price and quoted.Edit Remove Move
You now have access to an infinite number of bond pricing examples.Edit Remove Move
Class notes and how to price in various calculators and excel.Edit Remove Move


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Today you have the privilege of discovering the recipe that inspired my love of baking and decorating cakes – this Mild Coconut Cake. It is theoretically a coconut cake, but it has such a mild coconut flavor that it appeals to people who don't love coconut. My husband is a great example. He's not a coconut fan, but he LOVES this cake. To discover my other favorite cake recipes and designs, please visit my cake tab.
* Affiliate links provided for your convenience. Anything you purchase through these links helps to support Meaningful Mama and the free resources I provide. Thank you for choosing to support us.
Before I was married, I lived in a cute little brick house and had a lovely neighbor. My neighbor came over one day and asked to borrow my oven for a cake she was making. She left me some extra cake, and I fell in love with it. She gave me her recipe, and today I get to pass along this mild coconut cake to you.
People who love a dense cake especially appreciate this cake. One of the tricks to both the flavor and the texture is the coconut milk. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. This cake pairs perfectly with my favorite buttercream frosting.
Ingredients Needed to Make a Dense & Mild Coconut Cake
7 egg whites
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
4 1/2 cup sifted flour cake (Soft as Silk)
2 1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 1/8 tsp salt
9 oz unsalted butter (2 stick + 1 Tbsp)
How to Make a Dense & Mild Coconut Cake
- Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl, and stir to combine.
- In another bowl, whip softened butter and 1 cup coconut milk. Once combined, add to dry ingredients and blend for 1 1/2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl mix vanilla, egg whites, and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Add to first bowl in three additions, mixing 20 seconds with each addition. Mix for an additional 1 minute at the end.
- Bake at 320 until done, about 40-50 minutes, or until toothpicks come out clean.
Yield: 2 – 8″ x 2″ pans
I recently made a tiered cake, and I double the recipe to accommodate these pans:
- 11″x3″ cake pan – Half filled – This will rise to the full pan and then can be cut in half using a cake leveler.
- 2 – 8″x2″ cake pans – Half filled. Top trimmed using a cake leveler.
- 5″x3″ cake pan – Just over half filled – This will rise to the full pan and then can be cut in half using a cake leveler.
Cupcakes – Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Check at 20 minutes, but probably will take about 25 minutes. Makes 30-35 cupcakes.
Here's a peek at my most recent cake using this recipe (also featured above):
Wanting Top Tips for Cake Making and Decorating?


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Stone Breath – The Night Birds Psalm (2012)
An expanded Stone Breath bring forest hymns and acid folk with long time members Timothy (timeMOTHeye), and Prydwyn being joined by new blood Don Belch (Ninetail), Carin Wagner Sloan (ex-Iditarod), Brooke Elizabeth, and Kira. Guitars, banjos, dulcimers, bouzouki, celtic harp, hand drums, flutes and whistles add the instrumental textures, with haunting harmonies lifting the vocals. The Night Birds Psalm finds Stone Breath looking back thematically to the earth-folk of the early albums, while stepping forward musically, invigorated by new members and new ideas (and some very old ideas as well).
mp3 VBR~253 kbps | 97 MB | UL


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Totally Abandoned
All that I've lived for
Poured out in defeat, at Your precious feet
All that I've longed for
Totally undone, by Your Savior love
You are my Resurrection, You are my life
Jesus, Here is my sacrifice . . .
I am totally abandoned, wrecked at Your feet
I am smitten by forgiveness
Broken and complete
Help me die to my ambitions and my self erected pride
Help me live out on this altar
'till in You I'm crucified
All that I've strived for,
Counted up as loss, nailed to the cross
All that I'd die for
Is found alive in You, the way and the truth
You are my Resurrection, You are my life
Jesus, Here is my sacrifice . . .
Nothing compares to being close to Your heart
Jesus, I want to be where You are . . .
Words & Music by Bill Drake
© 2012 Old Dirt Road Music
Being the "title track" of the album, this song of course has a special place in my heart. For me it ranks up there with Mt. Moriah, Open My Heart, I Was Born To Worship You, and More Than Willing when it comes to songs of commitment that I have been able to write over the years.
This song was written during a very difficult bout with a Kidney Stone – one that I was miraculously delivered from! During the ordeal, I had collapsed on the floor, and a dear friend had come over, and with my wife, lay down with me, and encouraged me to rather embrace the pain, as opposed to fighting it – which I had been doing constantly since that first trip to the ER. She explained it like this – God has ordained that women go through pain in childbirth, and there are seasons where there will be pain – this is the fruit of the fall. God will also deliver. But in the trial, in the season, submit to His sovereignty, His plan, His way (and yeah, if you are engaged in some egregious sin, repent!), and His ultimate provision.
As I lay there, the chorus to this song filled my mind. Later, when I could finally stand up, I played it for my daughters on guitar, as tears streamed down my face. I thought about the fact that I was physically, spiritually, totally 'broken', and yet complete in Christ. In the midst of excruciating pain, He was there, going through it with me, and leading me out of it, all the while teaching me in it.
Interestingly, Gary Witherall's book about his wife's martyrdom was entitled, 'Total Abandon' – and my involvement with the entire Wear The Crown project had highlighted Bonnie's life and death, and massively impacted my life. Even that little connection again to a life to pure worship, dedication, and crucifixion blesses me, for Christianity is less about living well, and more about dying well for Jesus…
Scripture Study: John 12:1-8, 14:6, 11:25, Philippians 3:7-8, Psalm 51:16-17, Romans 5:8, Luke 10:42


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IBE proposes significant changes to governance reform in response to BEIS Green Paper
Removing limited liability would be a nuclear option, but experience shows that nuclear deterrents also work.
17 February 2017: Significant changes to UK corporate governance, including a radical reform of executive pay, are proposed in the response of the Institute of Business Ethics to the current Government Green Paper.
Besides calling for a simplification of executive remuneration through the abolition of complex share rewards and smaller bonuses, the IBE also says company chairmen should be required to make a formal statement each year on how their boards have lived up to the Companies Act requirement to take key stakeholders such as employees, customers and suppliers into account when making decisions.
A radical suggestion is that the government should consider whether the privilege of limited liability should be removed for extreme cases of failure to meet Companies Act obligations. This would make shareholders liable for the company's debts.
Philippa Foster Back CBE, IBE Director, said:
"In our response we have set out a range of measures which we believe should be a practical spur to good governance without generally requiring major new legislative initiatives or compliance costs. The UK generally has a strong record in governance, but we are facing new challenges, including a serious deficit of trust. It is important that the government now follows through on its Green paper initiative.
"Removing limited liability would be a nuclear option, but experience shows that nuclear deterrents also work. This is not a change to be taken in a hurry but we believe it should receive consideration, particularly because it would be an incentive to unlisted companies to act responsibly. Most governance arrangements to date have focused on listed companies."
Contact: For interviews, comments or op-eds please contact
Katherine Bradshaw, Head of Communications email@example.com 07771 517700 or
Alex Johnson, Marketing & Events Manager firstname.lastname@example.com 020 7798 6040
Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Institute of Business Ethics, on Friday 17 February, 2017. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/
Corporate Governance Limited Liability Green Paper Business & Finance Government
Published By
Institute of Business Ethics
020 7798 6040
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EPA's Section Seven Tracking System (SSTS) manages information associated with pesticide-producing and device-producing pesticide establishments. Establishments include:
- Any site where a pesticidal product, active ingredient or device is produced.
- Sites that are independently owned or operated regardless of whether such site is domestic and producing a pesticidal product for export only or whether the site is foreign and producing a pesticidal product for import into the United States (40 CFR §167.3).
- Sites that produce a pesticidal product for use under an Experimental Use Permit, FIFRA Section 18 Emergency Exemption or Section 24(c) Special Local Needs registration, must report (40 CFR §167.20).
- Sites that produce unregistered pesticidal products for export from the United States.


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Architect Manish Banker from 'TAO Architecture Pvt. Ltd.' was invited to Vadodara Design Academy for a guest lecture which was in the loop of the on-going Lecture series on the campus. In the evening, he shared the experience of his professional practice and on the next day, he offered to take students for a sketching trip to the Lakshmi Vilas Palace at Vadodara.
He, along with Architect Amit Sharma who was also a guest at VDA, taught students to select frames for sketching, capture the forms and even sketched himself to teach techniques to make the intricate details. They also joined the students for the tour of the Palace.


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The University of Portsmouth, School of Architecture cordially invite you to the opening of an exhibition of final year architecture student work, 'Studio Vectis' to be held at 30 High Street Newport, Isle of Wight.
The exhibition runs daily from 20th – 30th July 2018 and includes work by Studio MUD Masters students and the projects from the Young Designer's Award for Island school children.
There will be a Private View at 5.30pm on Thursday, 19th July.
Martin Pearce of the School of Architecture shares information about the project and exhibition:
"Working in Newport on the Isle of Wight, we began by analysing the history of the town's growth and development, using a large-scale site model. As with many UK cities the decline of the High Street along with a waning number of people living in town presents challenges for future urban development.
The students developed radical scenarios that set out visions for reimagining the urban future, introducing new activities and events to stimulate a sustainable future for Newport. The second phase of the project extended these visionary futures by taking a series of vacant sites within central Newport. Students developed economically viable housing schemes based around ideas of shared living and communal facilities.
The housing schemes were informed by studying leading co-housing developments and a visit to innovative projects in London. The studio also worked closely with the Isle of Wight Council, and we are grateful to the Assistant Director of Regeneration and the Head of the Planning Department who were involved in the development and review of projects. The final projects demonstrate how the pressing issue of housing might be addressed through creative solutions that build communities and catalyze a sustainable future for Newport and the Isle of Wight."


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The objective of this audit is to determine whether stamps and meter revenue refunds were properly issued, supported, and processed at the Bellmawr, NJ, Main Window.
The OIG's data analytics identified that Bellmawr Main Window had a 128 percent increase in dollars for stamp and meter revenue refunds from April 1 to September 30, 2017, compared to the same period in fiscal year 2016. Of the $72,593 in stamp and meter revenue refunds during the period, the unit recorded $56,335 in Refund Spoiled/Unused Customer Meter Strips and $8,046 in Refund Stamps and Fees.
We audited 100 percent of the stamps and meter revenue refunds issued from April 1 to September 30, 2017.
What the OIG Found
Stamps and meter revenue refunds at the Bellmawr Main Window were not always properly issued, supported, and processed. Of the 162 refunds reviewed, unit personnel:
- Did not properly process 152 refund request forms totaling $59,029. A witness was not present during the destruction of stamped mail pieces.
- Did not properly maintain and support three refunds totaling $5,908included on the daily financial report.
The postmaster stated she signed the refund forms because she was unaware a witness was required when stamped mail pieces are sent to a third party for destruction. Further she stated she was not aware of the requirements for the unit manager or supervisor to review the daily financial report and the related supporting documentation. According to her training record, she completed training related to the daily financial report in May 2014.
The Bellmawr Main Window is at risk for issuing incorrect or unauthorized refunds without proper oversight of the process. From April 1 through September 30, 2017, the Bellmawr Main Window issued $5,908 in questionable refunds because Postal Service policy was not followed.
Because of this audit, management informed us effective March 6, 2018, they implemented procedures to ensure unit management personnel provide oversight and certify the stamped mail piece destruction process. In addition, effective March 1, 2018, unit management reviews the daily financial report and supporting documentation for stamps and meter revenue refunds.
What the OIG Recommended
We recommended management provide refresher training for the Daily Financial Reporting process to the Postmaster, Bellmawr, NJ, Main Window to re-enforce proper procedures relating to reviewing and managing the daily 1412 activities.
Comments (1)
Alice YanesThe Bellmawr NJ post office was not one that I remember being served in and therefore cannot comment on any of what has been included in the report above. If ever I visited the post office in question, it was either to mail a package or to purchase stamps. I have not returned stamps to any post office to my knowledge since residing in New Jersey. Your recommendations seem to be fair and equitable to ensure the staff at this post office are always up to date on ensuing policies and procedures.


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Photos courtesy of Jeremy Deputat/Red Bull Content Pool
Think back to the wildest parties you attended in high school. You're drinking, dancing, flirting, maybe acting like an ass. Now imagine that instead of your friend's parents' house — don't break any tchotkes — you're at a huge sporting arena. Instead of the same few dozen classmates, you're surrounded by thousands of kids from different school districts. Instead of somebody's dad's ancient stereo rig, music's being played on megawatt amps. Instead of drunk teenagers fighting over whose Spotify playlist is on the aux cord, your DJs for the night are a renowned crew of professionals playing cutting-edge mixes.
That's the fantasy LA fixture Dâm-Funk conjures up when remembering the legendary '80s parties thrown by Uncle Jamm's Army, a collective that included electro pioneer Egyptian Lover, future N.W.A. member Arabian Prince, a pre-fame Ice-T, and legendary beatmaker DJ Pooh. With a name inspired by Funkadelic's 1979 album Uncle Jam Wants You, the grass roots crew turned partying into a legitimate business, starting with event planning and eventually moving into pressing their own records. This was the dawn of California's hip-hop and electronic scenes, which would explode into public consciousness once Ice-T and N.W.A. pivoted to harder-edged gangster sounds.
Before all that though, in the early-to-mid '80s, Dâm remembers being a teenager attending these funk blowouts. Given his familiarity with the scene, he was tapped to score new mini-documentary Uncle Jamm's Army: Pioneers of the Modern Party. Produced in collaboration with YoursTruly, the doc is part of Red Bull Music Academy's ongoing series The Note, which explores "vital creative crossroads and engrossing personal journeys that have and continue to shape our sonic landscape in profound ways."
MERRY JANE caught up with Dâm to discuss paying homage to UJA, the impact the crew had on his career, and why nobody truly parties like that anymore. Watch the full Uncle Jamm's Army doc below.
MERRY JANE: Hi Dâm, tell me how you ended up doing the soundtrack for this Uncle Jamm's Army doc?
DÂM FUNK: The cats from YoursTruly, who I go back with, worked on the documentary, and they got me because I respect it; I'm not just some new booty out here scratching the surface or imagining what was going on. I actually was there back in the day. I think they respected that, and whatever happened, decided to let me do the score. I appreciate it because a lot of people look over the fact that I can do these kind of things in the music game. There's a lot of gatekeepers out here these days, and I find it refreshing for myself, and hopefully for the audience, that I can contribute something instead of just the same old gatekeepers doing everything all the time.
Is this your first time doing scoring or soundtrack work?
This is my first one, which is why I'm excited about it. I've been trying to get in that arena for a while, and I'll never forget: one time I had a meeting in Burbank with someone who was done with scoring in the business, this was maybe five years ago. I got sat down and they gave me the most discouraging, ridiculous, pitiless, dooming meeting I've ever had. I'm like, What am I doing here? That's what I came up here for, people discouraging me from doing movies because I'm a street musician?
As time went on, I could see that other cats were getting the opportunity to do this, but there is a glass ceiling in this game. All this is to say, finally, somebody that I had a relationship with, who I respected peer-wise, decided to get me involved in this scoring opportunity. I really had fun doing it, and it was a pleasure to be a part of something with legends I respect like Egyptian Lover and Rodger Clayton. Just to be able to contribute music to something like this is an honor.
Since you have clear familiarity with the artists covered in the doc, did you try to tailor your score to their era and styles?
Yes, that was the plan. I also got some great guidance from the directors. One of the things I wanted to prove by scoring this film was not to be one man on an island— for a lot of my career, I think I've been in that situation. The last few years I've been progressing, trying to relinquish that control over everything that I have, because I've started to learn that when you work with teams, things really come together a lot, and you need that sometimes to see the great vision you have in the gut of it all. With that being said, some of the notes gave me a good idea of where to go. But you know, somebody else might've come in with a Linn drum machine. But I know that you can't do that because it's an 808-based movement. I had to be careful about little things like that, and retool some of the music from that era for different scenes.
What other vintage equipment did you have to replicate that '80s funk sound?
I used nothing but Roland keyboards and drum machines, and then just one other keyboard I usually use for throwback funk stuff. I just used a couple keyboards and a drum machine, and just went for it. No rocket science, just like it was back then.
So what was it like being a kid and going to these Uncle Jamm's Army parties?
I got to experience their first parties before they expanded into other regions of LA, but it was great. People were freakin' — that was when you didn't get in trouble for rubbing up on somebody at a dance — it was like, boy-girl-boy-girl freakin' in a line at these parties. A lot of phone-number-getting, talking to girls for two hours at home. It felt like they were doing parties for teenagers; it wasn't older cats. I kinda felt like [Uncle Jamm's Army] were a little bit older, but it didn't matter. We were just so focused on the girls, and poppin', and partying, that you didn't even trip on what was going on onstage or who was DJing, you just knew you were at an Uncle Jamm's party.
I think it's common for the party music from your teenage years to have a formative impact on you. Once you started getting into music yourself, did anything from this scene stick with you at all?
I guess I took some of the influence whenever I throw a party or am at a party. I'll look at people my generation or younger partying, and they're not partying. What do you mean they're not partying, they're enjoying themselves. Nah, they're not partying. I remember what a party was from when I was growing up. All this standing around, beard-pulling, nodding your head to some wonky beats, I'll look around like, Damn, you motherfuckers don't know what's going on. Then I have to quickly wake myself back up like, Oh okay okay, we're in 2017. It's too cool for school, people don't wanna dance, they just wanna stand there. The guy sets up the laptop and twiddles the knobs, and they like that. Let me just calm down.
That's what I remember from those parties, because there's not that freewheeling party vibe anymore. Of course there are some great parties still, but especially in LA — man, people think they're partying, but he's just standing around just talking, picking somebody's brain, yapping while the song is playing, walking up on the DJ booth and start talking to him. Rodger Clayton and those cats would've bit your head off if you would've tried to have a conversation. You're supposed to be partying! That's what I take away from that era. I try to make the parties that I do a definite party vibe — I've got a microphone, I'm trying to make sure people have fun. I'm not one of the [adopts conspiratorial tone] quiet, Mr. Serious DJ guys, stirring the tension in the air. Some people don't understand what I do because they came up with supernerds who don't have the charisma to rock a party.
So they definitely influenced your performance style, but did Uncle Jamm's music, some of the earliest electro around, impact you at all?
Yeah, some of the music that they were playing influenced us a lot. I loved that uptempo electro-funk sound, It was different than the other styles of funk. That was a fixture in the music that I was growing up with between like '82 and '85, you know that uptempo style of music. But they were influenced by Prince a lot, and Kraftwerk and Afrika Bambaataa. The main influence for me was Prince, but being involved in the style of music that Egypt[ian Lover] and everybody was making, listening to it, and buying the records was great.
It's interesting that guys like Arabian Prince and Ice-T were involved in this, because they soon went on to form the bedrock of gangster rap. You know, like one day Ice-T is doing records like "Body Rock," and then all of a sudden he does "6 'N the Mornin'." What was that like to witness?
That's interesting. It seemed like it happened overnight. You know and accepted it because those were the main guys and when their records dropped you'd see it and people would just kinda hear around. With Ice-T, Dr. Dre with World Class Wrecking Cru, and Uncle Jamm's Army, [local radio station] KDAY supported them so much that they just had the whole city on lockdown. But it seemed like they changed that to the gangster style overnight and people just went right with it. They'd adapted to what was going on in the city at that time, around '85, '86, '87.
But the funk was still there when rap took over. Like when you did 7 Days of Funk with Snoop, it became clear how ingrained was in his career.
Yeah that style is just always been very prevalent in Los Angeles. Even though I liked every style of music — metal, new wave, all kinds of stuff — it's always been there. Whereas disco preceded the East Coast's hip hop culture, funk preceded ours. Blame it on the weather, the car culture, whatever, but we just really enjoy the funk. As far as 7 Days of Funk, we returned to that original funk sound. Every time the West Coast gets away from it — we miss it, we try to emulate other people's stuff, we get influenced — every few years, we always seem to come back to the funk, somehow, someway.
As far as your solo career, what do you have coming up on the horizon?
Recently, I've been laying low just kinda getting [my label] Glydezone together, trying out some different things. I toured Europe in 2017, just to remind people how funk and boogie is supposed to be represented, humbly speaking, from a DJ perspective. It really went well, it hit all over Europe. Now I'm working with Glydezone, I've got my radio show, and I'm just dabbling in other things. I think it's time for another album, this one would be my third in almost ten years. I take a while to make records. The new one is definitely low-key in production right now.
Watch more episodes of "The Note" on Red Bull Music Academy's website.
Follow Patrick Lyons on Twitter.


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From top: US president Donald Trump and former Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the White House last year' Leo Varadkar with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger during a visit to Santa Monica, Los Angeles yesterday; Shane Heneghan
Ahead of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's first visit to the White House this week.
Shane Heneghan writes:
It won't be easy, will it? It's not going to be one of your best photo ops. In fact, it will probably have your liberal east coast fan base up in arms- and shaking hands with the entire Choctaw nation won't change that. It's probably best to concede that the St. Patrick's day rendezvous with the Donald is a necessary evil. But is it?
When your predecessor, John A. Costello, inaugurated this paddy wackery by giving Eisenhower a bowl of shamrock in the 1950s, the atmosphere was very different.
Ireland was going through it's toughest decade economically of the 20th, century and immigration was threatening to push the population below two million. America's economy, by contrast was roaring ahead and national self confidence was still sky high after victory in world war two.
But Taoiseach, you are no John A. Costello and, it goes without saying that Trump is not Ike.
Does it really have to be a given that our head of government has to slavishly kow-tow to the President of the United States on our national holiday every single year regardless of who holds either office?
Surely other countries on the radar would be just as accommodating. I have a few suggestions on your alternatives.
Berlin: You came to power seeking to lead a government of the "European centre" so for Paddy's day why not go to the centre of Europe? Poor auld Angie has had a rough few months putting a coalition together. I know you can sympathise with this and we all know she has a green pants suit she's just dying to wear for the occasion.
London: Not a conventional choice, I grant you. But our Theresa is another women in dire need of a break and could do with putting things into soft focus for a while- it just might help ease the brexit tensions. Plus, if you ask nicely, I'm sure she'll let you see the Hugh Grant staircase again too.
Edinburgh: By contrast you could seek to emphasise older Celtic links as Nicola Sturgeon is hugely popular in Ireland and in general. The optics of a visit to Scotland would just scream "Hey Theresa, I got a hard border for ya, it starts in Berwick-on-Tweed!" Plus a photo of you in a kilt will totes break the internet- you can't buy that.
Paris: We all know you want another chance to spring some more leaving cert French on us and the reflective glow factor from Emmanuel Macron is massive, I don't need to tell you that- but be careful of being burned a la Icarus by flying to close to the sun (king).
Ottowa: You know who you're real ideological soul mate in North America is and he doesn't live on Pennsylvania avenue. We can bet he's got a pair of green socks just waiting for the occasion.
Joking aside, politely refusing to meet Trump for just one year out of his four year term could send a powerful statement around the world about your government's values. Think about it. It might be one of the most powerful diplomatic tools you have at your disposal.
Shane Heneghan is a Brussels-based election and poll watcher. Follow Shane on Twitter: @shaneheneghan
Pics: Rollingnews/Leo Varadkar


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An electrical contractor is needed to operate on a multitude of jobs, from focusing on overhead service lines to fixing the wiring in the building. Which means that he's needed to achieve the right tools that will enable him to handle his work efficiently. An essential facet of electrical jobs are safety and a proven method will be sure that the electrician doesn't experience shock while working. An amount 2 electrician are capable of doing a multitude of tasks and needs both hands and tools to effectively develop a job.
Power And Hands Tools
The ability tools that are offered to electricians today tend to be smaller sized compared to what they was once years back. Tools may either link to electricity via a cord or they may be cordless. Cordless tools are preferred more by electricians since they're easier and provide mobility while working. These power tools make use of a battery that is billed to create power.
Hands tools don't use power and therefore are nowadays designed to make sure that injuries towards the electrician are minimized while working. Injuries while using the hands tools normally occur since there are certain moves that has to be repeated severally.
Fundamental Tools Utilized By Electricians
Pliers are an absolute must have for just about any electrician and also the most generally used would be the needle nose and side cutting pliers. Comfort is a vital characteristic for just about any pliers so the electrician may have a firm grip to allow him execute his work efficiently. An electrical drill is another common tool accustomed to drill into concrete in order to fasten a fixture. The quantity of current utilized on the ability drill is determined by what will be drilled.
Power saws will also be generally utilized by level 2 electricians to be able to cut a number of products. There are various power saws available like the spiral saws, the opening saws and also the portable band saws.
Identifying The Reason For The Issue
An electrical contractor cannot fix an issue until he identifies the reason. He therefore will have to make use of a wire tester to be able to know whether there's electricity flowing with the wires. The wire tester may also measure the effectiveness of the electrical current along with a modern tester can give the electrician an electronic studying.
A continuity tester can be used to check on circuits and fuses which aren't working correctly. A wire tracer can be used to locate wires which can be located from sight for example behind the wall. An electrical contractor may use a multi meter to determine the continuity and current from the electricity that's flowing with the wires.
Tools That Permit Mobility
A ladder is a vital tool for level 2 electricians since they need to achieve overhead service lines or climb to the ceiling. The electrician should make use of a ladder that is made of material that doesn't conduct electrical current for example wood. He'll likewise need proper lighting when working since he'll sometimes need to turn off the ability to be able to work. If he's your dark space, he will have to make use of a hands held or perhaps a mind mounted flash light.
Check out this great website for singapore electrician.


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The Sask K of C Charitable Foundation would like you to say a special prayer for the following Brother Knights, family & friends that have passed away:
These departed individuals are recognized due to a Memorial donation of $50.00 or more in the past month.
To contribute, we ask you to indicate Memorial Donation below. Place the name of the deceased (and his Council, if appropriate) on this attached note together with the name and address of the family member to whom you wish us to mail the recognition certificate.
If Memorial:
Name of Deceased:
Family member where certificate of recognition is sent:


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Your financial health is like a puzzle, with different pieces that fit together to create a complete picture.
One of the most important pieces is your credit history and of course, your credit score. (That's the three-digit number lenders use to determine how likely you are to repay your debts.) FICO scores, the most widely used credit scoring model in the U.S., range from 300 to 850. The average FICO score recently hit an all-time high of 704.
This in-depth guide breaks down everything you need to know about engineering a better credit rating.
Where credit scores come from
Before you can have a credit score, you first need to have a credit report. This is a collection of information about your credit accounts, including who you owe money to, how much you owe, your minimum payments and how long you've been using credit.
FICO scores focus on five specific factors to calculate your credit score:
- 35% of your score is based on payment history
- 30% is based on your amounts owed
- 15% is based on the length of your credit history
- 10% is based on inquiries for new credit
- 10% is based on the types of credit you're using (i.e. loans and credit cards)
Knowing what affects your score can help you adopt the habits that you'll need to build good credit. But what if you're one of the 62 million Americans with a thin credit file?
"A thin credit file just means that you don't have an established credit history," says personal finance expert and Money Crashers contributor David Bakke.
"Maybe you're younger and just have never had a need for credit, or possibly in general you've never signed up for credit cards or taken out a car loan or a home mortgage," says Bakke.
With a thin credit file, you may not have enough credit history to generate a credit score. Fortunately, that's a situation you can remedy. Opening a bank account is a good first step. You can use your account to get a handle on your spending, keep track of bills and start growing your savings. Once you begin using credit, you'll already be in the habit of keeping your spending in check and paying your bills on time. Both of these positive habits can help your score.
How to build credit from scratch
If you're starting from square one with building credit, there are a few different routes you can take. Here's a look at some of the most common ways you can build credit as a beginner:
Secured credit cards
Opening a secured credit card can be a great option to build credit for someone who's new to credit or has a thin credit file, says Steven Millstein, a certified credit counselor and editor of CreditRepairExpert.
"Unlike other credit cards, a secured credit card requires that you make a cash deposit upfront. This deposit will usually be your credit card limit, which serves as collateral if you fail to make payments," Millstein says.
The major pro of a secured credit card is that your payment history and spending can help to establish your credit history. That's because many secured card issuers report your activity to the credit reporting bureaus. With a card limit of only a few hundred dollars, this can keep you from racking up debt.
Credit builder and savings secured loans
Credit builder and savings secured loans offer a slightly different take on building credit.
"These are basically small installment loans where the loan is secured by a certificate of deposit or a savings account," says Jeff Smith, vice president of marketing for Self, which offers credit builder loans.
"As the person repays the loan, the payments are reported to the credit bureaus so they can impact the credit history. At the end of the term, the CD or savings are unlocked and returned to the account-holder."
Essentially, you're repaying a loan to build credit, but you don't get the proceeds of the loan until it's paid in full. That's a reversal from how loans usually work, where you get the money upfront.
There are also other drawbacks to credit builder loans. For example, you may not get immediate funds to make a purchase. On the other hand, this may not matter if your main objective is to build credit.
Become an authorized user
Instead of getting a credit card in your name, you can ask a friend or family member to add you to one of their cards as an authorized user.
"The implication is that their (the main card holders) good credit practices will start to build your credit," Millstein says.
According to Equifax, being an authorized user allows you to make purchases with the card and have the account's activity show up on your credit report. Yet, you're not the one liable for the card's balance. If the primary card holder practices good credit habits, those habits would be reflected in your credit report and score.
There's a catch, however. If the primary card holder falls behind on payments or maxes the card out, this can hurt your credit.
Ask someone to co-sign a loan with you
Co-signing on a personal, student or auto loan is another way to build credit. Unlike being an authorized user, however, you share responsibility for the debt with your co-signer.
Asking someone to co-sign can help you qualify for a loan that you may not be able to obtain on your own. Once you're approved, you can work on repaying the loan and building credit history.
But there is some risk involved. If you default on the loan, both your credit history and that of your co-signer can be damaged. And, this can potentially ruin your relationship, Millstein says.
How long does it take to build credit?
"Building good credit is probably not going to happen overnight and getting a solid credit score as well isn't going to happen immediately," Bakke says.
So, just how soon can you expect to see results?
According to Experian, it can take between three and six months of activity to get enough history on your credit report to calculate a credit score. Millstein says it can take about 12 months to grow a fair credit score, which is in the 580 to 669 range for FICO scores. He says working towards a perfect 850 score, on the other hand, can take several years.
Bottom line? You'll need to be patient and give your good credit habits time to pay off.
Check in with your credit regularly
If you're hard at work on building credit, don't forget to track your progress. You can get your credit report three times a year for free through AnnualCreditReport.com. Free credit monitoring services help you track your score month to month.
In the meantime, set up alerts for your bills and schedule automatic payments through your mobile banking app so you never miss a due date. When you make payments on time and keep your balances low, your credit will eventually improve!


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This NOW with Bill Moyers special report examines how global corporations may be riding high by shortchanging the worlds women. After two decades of the unprecedented opening of world markets, some women have been beneficiaries of globalization, many more are its losers. Today, most of the worlds poor are women - and most of the worlds women are poor. Friday, NOW examines the female face of poverty in three segments:
In WOMENS WORK, NOW delves into the world of laborers in Thailand, where poor battle poor to secure long hours of work and low pay, and finds a hero standing up for her rights against insurmountable odds.
In BROKEN PROMISES, NOW travels to Senegal and inside a seemingly inescapable cycle of poverty to look at how policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have decimated the once-thriving education and healthcare programs and undercut womens chances for a better future.
Bill Moyers interviews Dr. Vandana Shiva, the scientist and activist who has traveled the world challenging the rules of globalization for the last 20 years.
Women's Work Where do women stand today?
Living on two dollars a day.
Resources for research on women, labor and development
Bill Moyers talks with Dr. Vandana Shiva
Understanding Globalization
Talk about the news on the message boards
We've got more resources for teachers
Read the complete
Broken Promises
Producer: Sherry JonesEditor: Jennifer Beman White


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You are here
Cadillac of CVs
WANT a Volkswagen seven-seater but don't want the Touran's S$140K price tag?
There is an alternative and it's called the Volkswagen Caddy 1.4 TSI at S$15K less.
Until now, the Caddy nameplate has been better known here as a light commercial vehicle (LCV). Not anymore.
Currently, Caddy CVs are not sold here and instead, there is a passenger version with three rows of seats.
The latest VW Caddy is a compact MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), updated with the appropriate cosmetic changes.
Your feedback is important to us
Tell us what you think. Email us at email@example.com
The CV association may not be attractive to some but if you don't have any memories of its CV history, you will have no unflattering first impressions.
In fact, some people actually love the styling, with its high roof and rear sliding doors.
Both these features are practical too, as is the high seating position. If you like wearing top hats, the amazing headroom will accommodate this predilection. If you don't, you will get to enjoy an extremely airy cabin.
This airiness also means the rear doors' fixed windows should not be an issue.
For a 1.8-metre tall car, the Caddy is rather short at 4.4 metres, so there isn't too much rear legroom to spare despite the adequate 2,682 mm wheelbase. But because occupants sit upright, this is fine for second-row passengers, who also get the familiar VW folding tray tables.
But third-row passengers should be restricted to children or vertically challenged adults.
The third row is a bench seat for two and it can be folded or totally removed. The latter is a better option because it frees up luggage space although it requires two people to do so. For more legroom and boot space, there is the Caddy Maxi at 470 mm longer with a wheelbase extended by 324 mm to 3,006 mm. But the Maxi also costs S$5,000 more.
Both however have good storage space in the form of a deep overhead parcel shelf and generously sized door and side pockets.
So far, the Caddy sounds like the perfect Volkswagen but this is where the CV connection comes in - the suspension. The Caddy has front MacPherson struts like the Touran. But at the rear, it has a rigid axle with leaf springs. This arrangement is simple and strong but less sophisticated than the Touran's independent four-link rear suspension.
On the road, it doesn't feel much different except when you're cruising at higher speeds on the expressway. The ride comfort is good but the Caddy is not as composed. Neither is the steering as precise as in other small VWs and body roll is evident; you are acutely reminded of your elevated seating position.
Nevertheless, overall handling is more than acceptable, with a cabin that doesn't look any different from a typical VW.
There is a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, although there are no steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.
Alcantara-lined leather seats add an uncharacteristic touch of sporty luxury, while ESP electronic stabilisation programme and front and curtain airbags are standard.
Best of all, the Caddy's construction is solid with good quality materials, even if the latter is a bit hard.
It may be the slightly different alternative but it is also a good value alternative.
Volkswagen Caddy 1.4 TSI
Engine 1,395cc inline-4 turbocharged
Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch DSG
Max power 125 hp @ 5,000-6,000 rpm
Max torque 220 Nm @ 1,500-3,500 rpm
0-100 kmh 10.9 secs
Top speed 183 kmh
CO2 emissions 133 g/km
Average OMV S$25,000
Price from S$124,900 (with COE)
Distributor Volkswagen Group Singapore
Tel 6474-8288