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Singapore banks not headed for Lehman reprise: Piyush
DBS chief executive Piyush Gupta has dismissed the idea that the banks are in another Lehman crisis, joining the chorus from the other two banks in dismissing the markets' fears of a banking meltdown in Singapore.
"Singapore is not a basket case," he said at a results briefing on Monday, adding that the country has strong reserves and a robust financial system, and capital outflows are not as large as some hedge funds have made out.
"The charitable view is that people are misinformed. The less charitable view is that people have an axe to grind," he said.
As the banks come to grips with the impact of low oil prices, they have outlined to investors the efforts taken to restructure lending and sell assets backing certain loans, or have ensured that cashflows from their offshore support customers - their main source of pain - are able to cover debt obligations.
Though the market is pricing in a banking crisis here, non-performing loans (NPLs) are unlikely to hit crisis levels, the banks say. The banks ended 2015 with a significant lift in net interest margin, but are expecting only weak loan growth this year. They will have to ride out the year under uncertain conditions in China and slowing growth at home; DBS, for instance, will slow down its wage growth and hiring, said Mr Gupta.
The banks think bad loans from the region are contained, mainly because counter-party exposure is to the top-tier China banks. Greater China NPL ratios for DBS and OCBC are lower than their respective group NPL ratios.
The stresses from the plunge in oil prices are evident. The oil-and-gas (O&G) portfolio makes up 4 to 6 per cent of the banks' overall loan book. DBS and OCBC each have about 6 per cent in lending to the sector, with the proportion of such loans to the offshore-services segment at 40 per cent for DBS and 47 per cent for OCBC. DBS has S$17 billion in O&G loans, and OCBC, S$12.4 billion.
UOB's loans to upstream companies make up S$3.8 billion, nearly half its S$7.7 billion in total O&G lending, though its total O&G lending is smaller than that of its peers, at 3.6 per cent of total loans. UOB chief Wee Ee Cheong said that if oil prices stay low, 20 per cent of the bank's O&G exposure may show weakness.
DBS said the increase in its fourth-quarter non-performing assets came mainly from two accounts - a fishery company in Hong Kong and an offshore-and-marine company in Singapore. But Mr Gupta said that it has been able to recover parts of the loans by selling or "monetising" the assets backing the loans. The bank is also restructuring loans. "Instead of throwing them to the morgue, we take them to hospital," said Mr Gupta.
All of OCBC's net new NPLs in the last year were from the O&G segment. The bank's focus has been on restructuring the loans. O&G loans are secured against the vessels, but there is no certainty that there would be enough buyers for these vessels if they have to be disposed of to recover part of the loan, said Samuel Tsien, OCBC's group chief executive.
The bank has negotiated the lending terms with O&G support-services players, to ensure that the vessels can be chartered and deployed - even at lower prices. "There's no point in leaving the vessels idle," said Mr Tsien.
Both DBS and OCBC have stress-tested their portfolios at US$20 per barrel. In assessing whether their O&G customers will survive, they have looked at the length of the charter that their customers are committed to. An offshore support firm may be less vulnerable to renegotiation by the oil majors in a short-term charter than in a contract that locks in a much higher price and for longer.
Mr Gupta also said that companies operating in shallow seas can still generate cashflow to pay their debt, and are less badly hit than those in more complex and more expensive deep-sea exploration.
If oil stays at US$20 per barrel for the next two years, the total provisioning impact at DBS would not exceed S$200 million, and will be spread over 2017 and 2018, said Mr Gupta. DBS does not expect more specific provisions for this segment this year.
Analysts have flagged that provisions by banks - a form of reserve taken against earnings - have not kept pace with loan growth, raising concerns that banks are not maintaining their cushions in a timely manner. But Mr Gupta said DBS's budget for provisions in the last two years have matched the reserve needs against bad loans for the last two years.Allowances for the three banks averaged just over 25 basis points (bps) of gross loans for the full year. In 2009, it was 132 bps.
DBS does not expect its NPL ratio to go beyond 1.3 per cent, said Mr Gupta; in 2009, the bank's NPL ratio hit 2.9 per cent. Likewise, OCBC's Mr Tsien said its NPL ratios would not breach the level seen during the global financial crisis, when it peaked at 1.9 per cent.
UOBsaid its NPL ratio may hit 2 per cent. In 2009, it was higher.
DBS's 2015 NPL ratio remained unchanged at 0.9 per cent from 2014 - constant for seven straight quarters. UOB's NPL rose to 1.4 per cent last year, from 1.2 per cent the year before; OCBC's NPL ratio stood at 0.9 per cent, up from 0.6 per cent in 2014.
READ MORE: DBS beats expectations with 20% rise in Q4 profit to S$1 billion
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5th ANNUAL ASTONISHED! WALK AND ROLL PRESENTED BY SCOTIABANK
In harmony with the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities Astonished! hosted a Walk and Roll on December 1, 2019. It was a family-friendly pledge event that was a tremendous success. Funds raised will be used to support the work of Astonished! Thank you to our amazing sponsors, participants, donors, and organizers.

subset: commoncrawl


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The book: Mostly Harmless, by Douglas Adams
The edition: Pan Books paperback, 230 pages with foreword by Dirk Maggs, plus materials from the Douglas Adams archives
The story: the 5th and (very) final chapter of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy", wherein Arthur Dent has to deal with multiple Universes, sandwiches, Elvis Priesley, and his own daughter, about whom he didn't know anything about. (And this is as much as I can write without spoiling this book or the previous ones.)
My experience with the book & my thoughts: since the first Guide book, things get more absurd and more complicated with each book. Still very enjoyable, extremely funny, and genial.
The part with spoilers: I don't think I get how the Grebulons contributed to the Vogons destroying Earth. It has to do with swiveling turrets, but I just don't get it.
What I liked: language, absurd and enjoyable fantasy.
What I didn't like: the ending, and the way things get too complicated and only rely on absurd to glue them together.
Language & writing: I just love the inventiveness of it!
In the author's own words: accidentally, this book explains very well why New York doesn't appeal to me as a touristic destination (although it seems to fascinate almost anyone else):
Tricia loved New York because loving New York was a good career move. It was a good retail move, a good cuisine move, not a good taxi move or a great quality of pavement move, but definitely a career move that ranked amongst the highest and the best. Tricia was a TV anchor person, and New York was where most of the world's TV was anchored.
Also, I love how Adams turns ideas around his little finger:
If you are reading this on planet earth, then:
a) Good luck to you. There is an awful lot of stuff you don't know anything about. […]
b) Don't imagine you know what a computer terminal is.
A computer terminal is not some clunky old television with a typewriter in front of it. It is an interface where the mind and body can connect with the Universe and move bits of it about.
But most of all I love the way he can turn words around his little finger. Like this:
[After a very complicated explanation] "Yes?"
"Y… e… e… s. Ish."
And this:
There were about three other customers in the place, sitting at tables, nursing beers. About three. Some people would say there were exactly three, but it wasn't that kind of place, not the kind of place that you felt like being specific in.
And this:
He wasn't his job to worry about that, though. It was his job to do his job, which was to do his job.
Links to better understand this book:
Random thought: I recently realized that students in Coimbra use their capes in much the same way a hitchhiker should use a towel… for just about anything!
Read this if: if you have read and enjoyed the previous four.
Counts as: Global Reading Challenge – the 7th Continent
"if you are reading this on planet earth, then good luck to you


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And Today, since we are in the middle of a Blizzard--the Blizzard of the Decade they say--here is a winter card! This card is for a swap on SCS hosted by Karly—her Four Seasons Swap and I made one for each! I tried something new for the image—I stamped the tree image once, then without re-inking, I stamped it again on the right and then a third time on the left. So, I stamped off the image twice and I do like the look!
Image—Impression Obsession Winter Trees
Cardstock—Gina K Designs Ivory and All Spruced Up
Ink— SU Handsome Hunter
Accessories—Sizzix Evergreen Embossing folder, Green/Gold Ribbon, Green Button


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Recent Posts
Top Posts & Pages
Tag Archives: road
Road transport in Pakistan
There is next to no training for would be drivers,… and the test is a farce. Licences are invariably obtained through bribery, and as a result there are real dangers on the roads and streets from poor judgement and suicidal … Continue reading
Pakistan : Karakoram Highway
The Karakoram Highway is the highest paved international road in the world. It connects China to Pakistan. On its 1.300 kms journey from Islamabad, Pakistan's modern capital, to Kashgar, a market town in China's most westerly province, the Karakoram Highway … Continue reading
Posted in Pakistan Tagged asia, china, commerce, development, engineering, flagellation, flogging, gilgit, highway, indus valley, karakoram, muharram, muslim festival, northern areas, northern pakistan, pakistan, photographie, photography, road, shia festival Leave a comment
India : burnt alive by the mob
In a village in the state of West Bengal, a 13 year old boy was returning from school on a bicycle when a coal-laden truck rammed him. He died on the spot. The truck sped on for a hundred metres before … Continue reading


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Majik Imaje
Well-Known Member
Nope.. the heat doesn't bother them as much as I thought.Brother, that was my question earlier. If someone from the arctic climate and life comes down some place like Boston in the summer, how do they fare? Not only is the temperature much higher than they're used to, the humidity compounds it. (I'm thinking of when I lived in LA and met someone from Scotland in the summertime. He was very red-faced and sweating profusely, about to have heatstroke.)
Also, their stomachs. No whale blubber, different foods. And their systems are used to overheating.
Just curious. :
Military Intelligence proved that decades ago. Draft an Eskimo from the arctic and throw him into the Jungles of VietNam!!
The live and adapt quite well on Pizza; fries & Cheeseburgers.


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Great Question Steve!
Twenty Two percent of the homeowners who refinanced their mortgages in the second quarter of 2010 paid additional money at closing to lower their principle balance.* This is a great opportunity for homeowners to lower their payments. We call this a CASH – IN refinance! Instead of many homeowners wanting to pull CASH-OUT of their homes in the form of equity – this option allows the homeowner to build equity by investing in their own home. In some cases it helps the homeowner obtain a lower interest rate, a shorter term, avoid private mortgage insurance or make the loan ratio to the value of the home more desirable.
*Source – New York Times (Aug 2010)


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E-Books or Book Books? You may or may not have seen this advertisement from IKEA's 2015 Catalog promotion, but if you haven't I would suggest you click this link and take a look. The quirky commercial touches on some of the benefits of owning the printed catalog in the terms of a digital device,
Commentary & Analysis It's working! Our industry's campaign against the false claims of greenwashing is having an impact. Consumers are starting to see claims like "Go Paperless! Go Green!" as false and misleading, and marketers are changing their tactics. By Heidi Tolliver-Walker Published: September 18, 2018 It's working! Our industry's campaign against the false claims
First off, let me clarify that I am an intern here at L+L Printers. I guess that makes me a bit biased in terms of the value that I place on internships themselves, but it also gives me a unique perspective. After all, you have to know that almost everything else you've heard about hiring


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Whether you're into castles, archaeology, museums and galleries, parks and gardens, distillery tours, historic attractions or a little bit of retail therapy, you'll find a variety of places to visit - whatever your interest.
Not far north of Tain, Dunrobin Castle has an impressive garden for visitors to explore - you can even see falconry demonstrations on the castle lawn featuring golden eagles and peregrine falcons, both resident birds in the Scottish Highlands.
Visit the Seaboard villages as part of the Pictish Trail and discover the mysterious and beautiful carved stones made by the Pictish people who lived in the area from 3rd to 9th centuries AD. The Tarbat Discovery Centre in Portmahomack, housed in the refurbished Old Parish Church, is the site of the only Pictish monastic settlement excavated in Scotland to date. The Centre displays many of the artefacts uncovered during the extensive archaeological investigations of the site along with local exhibitions, parish records, photographic archives and more.
Learn about Tain through Time at the local museum and discover how whisky is made at the Glenmorangie, Balblair and Dalmore distilleries.... In fact, the area is full of interesting towns and villages, all offering a different take on life past and present.
And if you're looking for something to take back as a memento of your visit, something that reflects the artistic and cultural heritage of the area, there are a variety of galleries, studios and craft shops for you to visit, including Tain pottery, Anta in Fearn and Glasstorm - to name but a few.


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Tad Milmine is a Police Officer with the Calgary Police Service and is also the creator of the Internationally-recognized program 'Bullying Ends Here'. Today, Tad shares his heart-breaking story of abuse, neglect, relentless bullying and struggles with mental health all while being locked in a basement for twelve years while growing up. Having 'lived the experience', Tad has taken all of these challenges and managed to turn them into a positive by sharing his story with youth and adults alike all around the world. Tad has been the recipient of many prestigious awards, written the best seller 'Bullying Ends Here – My Life', been a TEDx speaker and keynote speaker at hundreds of schools, prisons, reserves, corporations and churches. To date, Tad's inspirational message is credited with saving 45 young lives and we are thrilled that he is here today to share his story with us.
Cst. Milmine will be speaking at IAWP 2018 on Tuesday August 28th in the afternoon.


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The Hotel Sahyadri Lodge is a budget accommodation in Latur. Known for providing all round amenities it is a good place for budget travellers and backpackers. The hotel helps you to enjoy more than the basic amenities such as breakfast services along with the newspaper. The bar and the restaurant provide sumptuous foods and cuisines along with all kinds of drinks. There is also a lounge with smoking rooms where one can enjoy the leisure time. Also, when one can get luggage storage in case a traveller is carrying too much of luggage with them. In case you are looking to travel to nearby places you get all the information of nearby places such as Hatiibet-Devarjan along with Ashtvinayak Temple with many other places through travel counter. Also, the laundry facility and room service are provided through the hotel. Not only that location of the hotel is near the city which makes it easy for the travellers to visit this hotel.
The hotel accommodation is provided through Non AC and AC rooms along with many other facilities like attached bathroom along with wardrobe and separate sitting area. So, if anyone is looking for a good accommodation at budget prices then they can stay here.


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Whether keeping a club jumping until the break of dawn, introducing new music to the masses or backing up your favorite rapper behind the ones and twos in a jam-packed arena, the DJ keeps his finger on the pulse of rap music. And celebrity DJ Bigga Rankin is one of the most powerful record spinners in the business.
With 61 DJs on his team, he is CEO/founder of one of the most influential DJ crews in the country, Cool Runnings DJs. His promotions expertise has been utilized at such powerhouse labels as Young Jeezy's imprint CTE, Atlantic Records, Def Jam and Interscope.
As well as touring the globe with the likes of Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne, 8Ball & MJG and 2Chainz, Bigga Rankin is rapidly approaching super stardom. His RNR mixtape series has helped to ignite the careers of Plies, Rick Ross, Yo Gotti, B.O.B and Gucci Mane. And in the process, he has collected more music awards than he can keep up with.
"We're record breakers. But we're solid," says Bigga. "They stand by the same things that I came in the game. I don't play no diss records. I don't take no sides in no beef. We don't draw no lines in the sand. We're just here to break records and make superstars."
See below for part one of an exclusive interview with Bigga below.
Email Address


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Bruce Felt, Chief Financial Officer, Domo, explored how technology can be used to orchestrate data distribution and ensure an organization can accomplish its immediate and long-term goals in his presentation to Argyle's CFO membership at the 2017 Chief Financial Officer Leadership Forum in Atlanta on May 18. In his presentation, " The CFO's Guide to Driving the Organization to be Data Driven," Felt described how data and analytics empower data-driven organizations.
According to Felt, the role of the finance professional has evolved over the past few years.
No longer are finance professionals solely responsible for accounting tasks, Felt stated. Conversely, finance professionals are expected to contribute to a business' day-to-day operations and deliver value in all that they do.
"We aren't just bean counters anymore," Felt said. "The world has gotten very complex, and we are expected to be catalysts in the business … and we are expected to be really good operators. It's a lot of responsibility."
Ultimately, data is transformative for all employees within an organization, Felt noted, and how a business collects, manages and analyzes data may dictate its long-term results.
If a company leverages advanced data analytics tools, it may be better equipped than rivals to generate actionable insights, Felt said. Plus, if a business provides unprecedented access to data to all employees, it may be able to help workers gain the insights they need to become more productive and efficient than ever before.
"If you can run a business based on the facts, you can be a really good operator."
For finance professionals, data plays a vital role in how they contribute to a company, Felt noted.
Data-driven finance professionals can obtain insights that they may struggle to generate elsewhere. By doing so, these finance professionals can provide fact-based recommendations to help a company increase its revenues, extend its global reach and much more.
"If you can run a business based on the facts, you can be a really good operator," Felt stated. "If you do that and you're successful, your job will be much more fun, and you'll have a greater impact on your organization."
Although data is readily available to companies, it is important to note that many businesses are using outdated data analysis systems. Thus, these companies likely lack the support they need to maximize the value of the data at their disposal.
"Data is a firehose, and it is just mowing us down," Felt noted. "We just weren't equipped to capture all this data … and the systems that we had in the past were built to collect data and put it all in one place. They just weren't equipped for the stuff that we're trying to do today."
Moreover, companies must be able to capture data in real-time. With real-time data, finance professionals can track and analyze business trends and make more informed decisions, faster than ever before.
"Data has to be real-time," Felt said. "Once you get real-time data … organizations start leaning forward and become more aggressive."
Businesses also must understand the importance of mobility in today's rapidly evolving global marketplace, Felt indicated.
Finance professionals must be able to access data from any location, on any device and at any time. That way, these professionals can capture meaningful insights and foster business improvements without limitations.
"Data has to be mobile," Felt stated. "It needs to be on your phone, and you need to be able to flip through everything that is important. You need to be able to see at-a-glance what is going on with your organization. That way, you can take action all the time."
Today's businesses should realize the full potential of data as well, Felt said.
"Data has to be real-time. Once you get real-time data … organizations start leaning forward and become more aggressive."
Data once was a competitive advantage for many businesses. However, companies now require data that they can transform into actionable insights – without exception.
"I don't think data is a competitive advantage anymore; I think it is mission-critical," Felt noted. "Competitors just don't have a choice anymore. Because a lot of that data is out there, and it's just a question of whether you're going to use it."
Companies must do everything possible to avoid IT bottlenecks, Felt said, to extend the value of data to all levels of a company.
Furthermore, data management is an ongoing process, and companies must continue to search for innovative ways to mine and analyze information.
With effective data analysis, finance professionals can gain deep insights into a wide range of patterns and trends. These professionals then can establish data benchmarks to monitor a company's success over an extended period of time, Felt stated, and understand how they can help a business get the best results possible.
Bruce brings more than 25 years of financial operations and management excellence to Domo. For almost six years, he was CFO of SuccessFactors, guiding the company through a public offering, six acquisitions, and its $3.4 billion sale to SAP. Bruce has served as CFO for LANDesk Software, Auction.com, and Qualix Group. While at Qualix Group, he led its public offering and merger into Legato Systems, a company that was later acquired by EMC. An entrepreneur in his own right, Bruce founded Renaissance Software, serving as its CFO and head of sales. Being Domo CFO gives Bruce an added perk of getting to spend more time with his family at their Park City ski home.


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2017 Annual Reportby Shannon Flanagan-Watson, Board Chair, Alliance for Innovation
To the Alliance Community,
As we reflect on the last year, I invite you to take a moment and celebrate with us the accomplishments we achieved together.
In 2017, we were honored to celebrate our 10th year anniversary as the Alliance for Innovation (AFI), in collaboration with our strategic partners the International City/County Management Association and Arizona State University. We pride ourselves on being a long-term partner for local government organizations in support of your innovation journey. Reflecting on the work completed last year highlights the diverse ways in which we pledge to meet this commitment.
Our annual report spotlights new research projects, regional and organizational workshops, and consortia around key communities of practice in local government innovation. The Alliance held two national annual signature events, the Transforming Local Government (TLG) Conference and BIG Ideas, and virtual learning programs continued to bring peers together to share leading and emerging practices. This past year, AFI also brought together another successful cohort of Innovation Academy graduates, projects, and leadership advances.
We established a partnership with the Public Health National Center for Innovation to customize a signature innovation curriculum for public health professionals. As a new model, the Alliance will expand and deliver innovation curriculums for other public-sector industries in the upcoming year.
As the year came to a close, it also brought the culmination of the career with the retirement of our long-time President and Chief Executive Officer, Karen Thoreson. We are grateful for Karen's dedicated service and tireless passion to foster innovation in our communities over the last decade.
Looking forward, this is an exciting time to be part of the Alliance! We are energized by the regeneration of the organization called Alliance 3.0 which re-positions us as a leader in the innovation space.
In December, the Alliance Board of Directors adopted a new Strategic Framework as part of the Alliance 3.0 which focuses on four key areas:
- Innovation Ecosystem
- Innovation Learning
- Idea Cloud
- Connected Community of Innovators
In February, the Board accepted a new business plan which outlines our approach to advancing this framework and continuing to ensure our members and partners receive the highest value from their engagement with us.
Inspiring and fostering innovation in local government is at the core of our work. Through it all, our members and partners can expect to receive continued excellence from the Alliance team and our network of innovators across North America.
On behalf of the Alliance Board, thank you for your ongoing support of the Alliance and contributions to advancing innovation in your organizations and communities. Our world is a better place as a result of your leadership and innovative work.
As we look to 2018 and beyond, you will see exciting new ways that we will continue to engage with our members, partners and others to chart our pathway forward into the future.
In the spirit of innovation,
Shannon Flanagan-Watson
Alliance for Innovation Board Chair


text: WolfeTV 0 Posted February 19, 2019 I'm hosting a giveaway via Twitter and Twitch! I wanted to give away 2 standard copies of the game but couldn't pre order game copies so instead giving away 2 30$ Microsoft Cards! Which is he value of game or you could even buy Pearls for shop! Giveaway link below! G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Unsettling details of a horrific vehicle crash Wednesday night in west Eugene that left four people dead and a 10-year-old boy clinging to life began to come into focus on Thursday.
The injured boy�s mother was killed in the wreck at the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Bertelsen Road, as were two other children and a 34-year-old Springfield woman.
Police said the Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicle in which the victims rode was headed east on West 11th Avenue about 9:16 p.m. when it collided with a southbound Isuzu Rodeo driven by Matthew N. Ellmers, 24, of Eugene.
The impact which demolished both vehicles caused the Highlander to slam into a utility pole near the intersection�s southeast corner, police said.
Ellmers was listed in serious condition Thursday at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield. His injuries are not life threatening, police said.
Ellmers was alone in his vehicle when the crash occurred.
Police said alcohol may have played a role in the collision, although they are not yet at a point in their investigation where they are ready to assign blame, police spokeswoman Melinda Kletzok said.
The boy injured in the crash was identified as Jakobi Mulgrave, 10, of Springfield. He was listed in critical condition Thursday at Doernbecher Children�s Hospital in Portland.
Police said Jakobi�s mother, Heather Yvonne Mulgrave, 36, of Springfield, died in the wreck. She was behind the wheel of the Highlander when the collision occurred.
Jakobi was riding in the Highlander�s back seat with Jaziah Vermilyea, 10, of Springfield, and Nima Gibba, 11, of Eugene.
Both Jaziah and Nima were killed in the crash, as was Jaziah�s mother, Connie Marie Vermilyea, 34, of Springfield. She was sitting in the vehicle�s front passenger seat, police said.
A section of West 11th Avenue surrounding the crash scene was closed for nearly 10 hours following the collision so police could investigate. Police kept Bertelsen shut down for an even longer period so crews could repair the utility pole damaged when the Highlander slammed into it.
The intersection where the crash happened is controlled by a four-way traffic signal.
Kletzok said investigators are not certain if either driver involved in the wreck ran a red light or was speeding.
Colleen Guthrie, who works at Dari Mart at the intersection�s northeast corner, said her teenage granddaughter was on duty at the convenience store at the time of the wreck.
�She said it shook this building, and this is a cement building,� Guthrie said. �She said it was awful to see the (Highlander) get hit and flip up into the air.�
Multiple-fatality collisions in Eugene are extremely rare.
Kletzok said Eugene police had never investigated a wreck resulting in more than two deaths since the department changed its crash data tracking system in 1978.
�This is very unusual to have happen on a city street,� Kletzok said of Wednesday�s quadruple-fatal wreck. �I think it was a very difficult one for (police and medical) responders.
�They know that a single fatality impacts other lives, but in this particular case, that impact is multiplied,� she said.
Officials say deadly crashes are far more likely to occur in rural areas and on highways because higher speeds and the absence of traffic signals can make for more dangerous conditions.
In 2007 and 2008, five crashes occurred in Oregon in which at least four people died. Four of those happened on rural highways. The fifth was on a rural road in Josephine County, according to officials with the state�s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.


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Picking lines is an art. Do it right and you can pick up free speed, do it wrong and you might end up off track. The key is being creative. That's where following friends or locals can really help you get faster, but just knowing what to look for is also helpful.
One trick the crew at GMBN espouses is trying the high line. They can look scary, but the benefits include smoother lines, better braking, and more space for turning. This technique is also really helpful for hitting switchbacks.
One thing to remember, the GMBN crew is showing this technique for closed-course racing. Don't take it upon yourself to start burning in new lines on your local public trails.


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VI Annual International Conference: «Cross-Border Cooperation: the Russian Federation, the European Union and Norway»:(St.Petersburg, 21-22 September 2010)
On September 21-22, 2010 the VI Annual International Conference "Cross-border cooperation: the Russian Federation, the European Union and Norway" has taken place in Saint-Petersburg.
AEBR Secretary General Martín Guillermo Ramírez had the chance to speak in the first round table on the "Stablishment of a shared strategy for CBC in Northern Europe", together with representatives of the Russian, Finnish and Norwegian national governements, as well as the Nordic Council of Ministers. The AEBR explained its views on the Strategy EU2020, the future EU Cohesion Policy, and the perspectives for the Eastern Partnership regarding territorial cooperation. The Baltic issue and current challenges were also tackled in a lively exchange of views between speakers.
In the following session, the AEBR Secretary General moderated a round table on "New Opportunities for Multilateral Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region", with the participation of the Estonian and Latvian Ministers in charge of territorial issues, and representatives of the Finnish, Lithuanian and Polish Ministries. It can be stated the strong support showed by these national ministries to the development of good CBC concepts and structures.
The Conference was opened by the Minister of Regional Development of the Russian Federation Viktor Basargin. The Minister mentioned in his speech the main approaches of the Russian Federation to the implementation of the projects within the framework of the Programs of cross-border cooperation of European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument.
Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation to the North-West Federal District Ilya Klebanov pointed out that the Programs of cross-border cooperation should be implemented in coordination with the regional development strategies of the subjects located in the North-West Federal District.
One of the main events of the Conference 2010 became the exchange of the ratification documents on the agreements between the Russian Federation and the European Union about financing and implementation of the programs of cross-border cooperation of European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument. In the protocol procedure the Russian Federation was represented by Maksim Travnikov, Deputy Minister for Regional Development, the European Union - by Koos Richelle, Director General of EuropeAid Co-operation Office of the European Commission.
Cross-border collaboration in northern Europe as well as the new opportunities for multilateral cooperation in the Baltic Sea region have formed an agenda for the sessions. Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland - M.Pekkarinen, Minister for Regional Affairs of Estonia - Siim-Valmar Kiisler, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development of Latvia - D.Stake, Vice-Minister of Interior of Lithuania - S.Šiupšinskas, Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland - E.Hamilo, Secretary General of the Association of European Border Regions - M.Guillermo and the representatives of the authorities of Norway and Poland attended the sessions of the Conference.
In 2010 the Conference was focused on the transfrontier co-operation's experience of Saint-Petersburg - the North-West Federal District's capital. The representatives of government and executive authorities of the city recounted about the most interesting projects of interregional cooperation and trends of cross-border cooperation development of Saint-Petersburg.
The new elements of the Russian-European dialog, particularly the Partnership on modernization, made up the topic for the presentation of the officials from the European Commission and the Delegation of the European Union to the Russian Federation.
The legislative basis remains one of the most important conditions for the successful development of cross-border cooperation. The prospects of the adoption and implementation of a law concerning the regulation of this sphere were discussed during the round table, which was chaired by the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Federation and Regional Policy of State Duma - Galina Izotova.
During the rest five round tables the discussions concerning the practical realization of the projects within the programs of cross-border cooperation "Lithuania-Poland-Russia", "Kolarctic", "Karelia", "South-East Finland – Russia", "Estonia – Latvia – Russia" were held. Both the representatives of the governing bodies of the programs and of the authorities of the Russian Federation and neighboring states who are responsible for the programs' realization expressed their views in the discussion.
Scientific justification is an essential element in the development of cross-border cooperation. The presentation of the Center of cross-border and interregional cooperation by the Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg Branch and the exchanging opinions on the research on the role of cross-border cooperation between the European Union and the Russian Federation in the bilateral and multilateral regional programs of economic development programs took place within the Conference.
The bilateral negotiations of the Minister of Regional Development of the Russian Federation V.Basargin and Deputy Minister of Regional Development M.Travnikov with the colleagues from neighboring states were held during the Conference.
Within the framework of the Conference the regular session of the Council on cross-border and interregional cooperation under the Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation to the North-West Federal District was arranged.
The participants of the Conference confessed, that considered issues, quality of discussions reveal the significant professional progress of the Conference as a platform uniting experts in the sphere of cross-border cooperation.
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Pyramid E&C has a legacy of more than 20 years in Engineering and has delivered more than 500 Projects in the Hydrocarbon industry. Our customer base includes several national and international Oil and Gas Production and Refining Companies in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.
We deliver services and solutions to develop Hydrocarbon assets from Concept to Commissioning and Operation. The Hydrocarbon projects are inherently hazardous and investments are large, which make the role of all our Employees and Business partners very important and critical for safety and success of all stakeholders.
Hence commitment to Safety, Quality and ability to deliver are the primary requisites to be successful in Hydrocarbon industry and remain true for Pyramid E&C as well.
The employees at Pyramid E&C are exposed to world class engineering and management skills as well as global industry practices, thus the ambitious personnel can have a great wealth of knowledge in a relatively short time.
Pyramid E&C recognizes the value of professional development and personal growth for employees and has a skill set based structured system for competence development to cover various functional areas e.g.
- Engineering
- Project Management
- Construction Management
- Business Development
- Operations Management
- Financial Management
- Information Systems
As the employees gather experience with the company, leadership development programs are introduced to enable career advancement and organizational growth.
Pyramid E&C provides a full careers lifecycle to an Engineer beginning from design department, progressing into the project management and then into construction, commissioning and operation management. Pyramid E&C has a geographical spread of projects in Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe, thereby providing direct and complete exposure to energy business, supply chain, cultural diversity and an opportunity to learn world's best engineering practices.
Merit and performance are recognized and rewarded in Pyramid E&C. We groom such professionals to be future leaders and attain respectable positions in the global Oil, Gas and Hydrocarbon industry.


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Our Affiliate Program makes it easy for endurance athletes and enthusiasts to turn their passion for sport into commissions. By linking your website, blog, email blast or app to our store, you can earn money for your generous referrals. Apply today to join the program.
Affiliates Can Be (Qualifying Sites)
- Bloggers, Publishers, Freelance Writers and Other Media
- Running, Cycling, Triathlon, OCR or Fitness Sites
- Athlete Forums
- Product Review Sites
- Social Media Sites
- And more, contact us if you aren't sure if you qualify
Program Details
- We offer 15% commission on all sales
- 60-day cookie window, well above industry average
- Affiliate Tools offered on Avantlink cover everything from Banner Ads, Text Ads, Datafeeds and more!
The Perks
- Access to a dedicated Affiliate Program Manager to work directly with you and your account
- Our 60-day Money Back Guarantee offered to customers helps maintain a very high conversion rate
- A simple set of SKUs makes our product very easy to promote
Questions About Our Program?
Contact Dave, Affiliate Marketing Manager
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 970-367-7780
Please note: Program details subject to change. Please refer to our Avantlink Affiliate Page for complete details.


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BikeWeddings.Com on Facebook!
May 29, 2010 at 9:55 pm 1 comment
Yeah, we started a Facebook page, feel free to comment and become a Fan here!
If you haven't seen our main webpage, you can find that at BikeWeddings.com, along with all the information about our bike wedding services. The awesome bike wedding shown on the site was awesomely photographed by the awesome Mr. Steven Lam of Steven Lam Photography, who is also BikeWeddings' awesome exclusive photographer and a big bike nut–check out his blog to see not only his photos but his bikey news as well.
Entry filed under: Uncategorized.
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nice thought bride in bike… I can;t found it in my place
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City of OKCAnimal Welfare Department Menu
The Central Oklahoma Humane Society offers a TNR program for feral cats.
If a member of the community brings a feral cat to OK Humane Place Spay/Neuter Clinic, the cat will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and the individual that trapped the cat returns it to where they were trapped. There is a small cost to the public for this program. The program helps manage free-roaming cat populations without harming them and can eventually lead to a humane end to a cat problem in your neighborhood. Oklahoma City Animal Welfare encourages the public to take part in this program rather than bringing trapped cats to our facility. Trapped cats may be brought to the OK Humane Place Spay/Neuter Clinic for surgery (405-947-7729) between 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM Monday through Friday and will need to be picked up the same day between 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM. The address to the Clinic is 6002 S Western, Oklahoma City, OK 73139. They are in the shopping center on the southeast corner of S Western and SW 59th St.
For more information on other feral cat programs, contact Central Oklahoma Humane Society, Operation Catnip Stillwater or the Community Cat Coalition of Edmond.
You can read more on our printable flyer about feral cats (PDF).


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If you are passionate about gardening or planting trees, you will definitely some good reason to invest in a greenhouse. The main advantage of a greenhouse is that it allows you to grow a wide variety of plants. In addition, it also provides a predictive environment and shelter to your plants. This helps you to protect your plants, especially the delicate ones from the harsh weather conditions. A greenhouse also enables you to germinate your own seeds. In short, having a greenhouse to grow your plants can provide you with a range of benefits. If you are planning to buy a greenhouse to aid your gardening passion then you can check out Aosom.
Things To Consider While Buying A Greenhouse
When it comes to buying a greenhouse, there are a few important things that you need to consider. If you are buying a greenhouse for the first time, this guide may prove to be helpful to you.
- Size
Size is one thing that always matters. You need to buy a greenhouse depending on the amount of space available in your backyard. You may get greenhouses of all shapes and sizes. If you have enough space, you can go for the ones that spread out over a large area. For small backyards, greenhouses that occupy only a small area can prove to be useful.
- Type
There are different types of backyard greenhouse available out there. Greenhouses can be different based on temperature levels. You can get three types of greenhouses hot, warm and cold. You need to pick a greenhouse depending on the outside temperature and also on the requirement of your plants. Hot greenhouses come with a temperature that goes up to 70 degrees whereas cold greenhouses have temperature only ranging between 40 to 45 degrees. As far as warm greenhouses are concerned they have a temperature ranging between 50 to 55 degrees.
- Ventilation
Ventilation is an important factor to consider as it aids in the growth of your plants. Ventilation keeps the greenhouse warm during cold outside temperature and releases the warm air when it gets hot outside.
- Insulation
Depending on the weather in the area you live in, you can decide the type of insulation you need for your plants. For example, in cold areas, you need thicker insulation that will keep your plants warm.
These are some of the important considerations that you need to look into while buying a greenhouse. A greenhouse can help you grow a good yield of food and flower plants.


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Steam Cleaner Pressure Washer
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Select The Correct Premium Tension Wash Machine Hose Pipe.
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Combat stress with the peak-end rule
This blog will help you to turn your stressful PhD experience into a happier one. Instead of remembering difficult situations and the associated negative emotions, you will remember pleasant moments and positive feelings. To achieve this, it is enough to focus on only two moments in your entire day, using the peak-end rule . First I will describe what the peak-end rule is, and then I will describe how to use it to improve your experience at work. At the end of this blog I will give you suggestions how to apply this rule to your personal life as well.
Do you need the peak-end rule?
Our willingness to repeat an experience is based on the remembered pleasure or pain associated with the experience in the past. For instance, if you hurt yourself when you fell off the balance beam during gymnastics class, you likely preferred other apparatuses in the classes that followed. Similarly, your enthusiasm to start your working day is dependent on your memory of previous working days. You will be less eager to go to work when you mostly remember feeling bored at your desk, or frustrated in the lab, or anxious during a meeting with your supervisor. Instead of going to work happily, you may prefer to stay in your bed, procrastinate on social media, or even call in sick. If this is your situation, you definitely want to start enjoying your work more using the peak-end rule.
The peak-end rule and science
The peak-end rule is a psychological rule that states that the memory of an experience is valued by its peak and end moments , while the rest of the experience is ignored. The peak is the most intense (positive or negative) moment, and the end is how the experience ended. The peak-end rule was discovered by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues. Their paper 'When more pain is preferred to less: Adding a better end' was published in 1993 in Psychological Science. They showed that a majority of volunteers preferred a painful experience that lasted longer, but ended more pleasantly, over a shorter painful experience. A similar effect was found in a 2003 study on the experience of colonoscopies, also performed by Kahneman and colleagues. Later it was demonstrated that the peak-end rule does not just apply to the experience of physical pain. A study by Bridgid Finn, published in 2010, demonstrates that the peak-end rule also applies to psychologically demanding situations, like studying. Students were asked to study lists of difficult English-Spanish translations. They preferred a longer list that ended with easier words to a shorter list, and they thought it took them less time to study the longer list. The peak-end rule even applies to your own academic life.
Your graduation ceremony
Academia has (unknowingly) used the peak-end rule to improve the overall experience of PhD training. Every PhD candidate will struggle and face difficult challenges. Extrapolated from the peak-end rule research, graduates are likely to prefer a longer, difficult PhD training with a relatively good ending, to a shorter, difficult PhD training which ends harshly.
Therefore universities offer PhD candidates a pompous, formal, and festive graduation ceremony! The ceremony makes up for the struggles PhD candidates had to go through to get there. The overall memory of their PhD training is immensely improved by the ceremony. Luckily you do not need something as big as a graduation ceremony to improve your PhD experience.
Implementing the peak-end rule and improving your PhD experience
Now that you know about the peak-end rule, you can use it to improve your everyday experiences, starting with work. The two moments to focus on are the peak and the end of your day. The first step is to take look at your experiences at work. Which moments have been the highlights and the low points in your PhD training so far? And how do you feel about the way you usually finish your day at work? You can then apply the peak-end rule to this knowledge to create your own, happy PhD experience. Using two examples I will demonstrate how to do this. In these examples I've followed the assumptions that the peak and end of an experience have a 50/50 impact on the overall experience, and that happiness can be condensed to and expressed in numbers.
Example 1
Maybe having lunch with your colleagues is the usual highlight of your day, and you generally end your day feeling angry with yourself because you did not finish your to-do list (figure 1). In this case the biggest improvement would be to end your day on a happier note. Plan to do enjoyable tasks at the end of your day, and you will feel happier overall.
Small, smart changes to your daily planning can have a large impact on your overall happiness
Example 2
Your typical day includes a particularly unpleasant experiment in the afternoon, after which you end the day making graphs for your thesis, which you enjoy a lot (figure 2). You could reduce the unpleasantness of the experiment by changing techniques, asking colleagues for help, or maybe using the peak-end rule by making the ending of the experiment nicer. This way the peak of your day would shift away from the experiment in the afternoon. Instead, your nice morning would become your peak moment of the day, and your overall experience would become positive.
These two examples show that small, smart changes in your daily planning and approach to activities at work can have a large impact on your overall happiness. Once you've identified the moments that have the biggest impact on your emotional wellbeing at work, you can make small changes to your day that will bring your overall PhD experience to a whole new level of happiness!
Other uses of the peak-end rule
The peak-end rule can be applied in many other ways. The variety of potential applications of the peak-end rule is enormous. Here's a list to inspire you.
– Ask your supervisor to always end your meetings by giving you a compliment
– Never go to bed being angry with your partner
– If you have a particularly unpleasant experience, make sure you treat yourself to a pleasant experience later in the same day, so the positive experience will make up for the negative one
– Go out to do something fun on your free day, and make it memorable
– Just before going to sleep, meditate for a few minutes on all the things you are grateful for that day.
– When exercising, reduce the intensity of the exercise in the last few minutes
– When preparing for a test, plan to study the easiest topics towards the end
– When having guests over, make sure the evening ends with a laugh
– Each morning before going to work, set a positive intention. This will bring your focus to positive peaks, and keep it away from negative peaks.
If you want to know more…
… about coping with chronic stress, you can read all about it here
… about the way coaching could help you improve your PhD experience, check out my homepage
Carousel image made by Jill111 at Pixabay.


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MK Dons Ladies were defeated 3-2 by Chesham United on Wednesday, condemning the Ladies to their fifth straight game without a win.
The Dons took the lead against Chesham inside five minutes through Emily Mann before the vistors equalised seven eight minutes before half-time after the United striker latched onto a long through-ball before finishing past the Dons' keeper.
Things got worse for the Dons when Carissa Kaczorowski landed awkwardly and was taken to hospital after a lengthy delay.
However, seven minutes later the impressive Mann put the home side ahead once again before Chesham scored twice in quick succession to leave the Dons 3-2 down at half-time.
With their minds understandably elsewhere after the injury to Kaczorowski, the Ladies fell even further behind and an unfortunate day was rounded off when Ireland Under-19 international Brodie Betts was carried off injured on her first full return to the team.
After the game, manager John Dyer was left counting the cost of what could have and should have been a triumphant return to winnings ways.
He said: "This was both sides of the football coin for the Ladies.
"We now have two more players on the ever increasing absentee list but some players were superb, in particular Heather McDonnell, Kaye Henton and Emily Mann."


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Get in[edit]
By boat[edit]
Tiburon is served by two ferry companies:
By car[edit]
Take Highway 101 from San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge. The 'Tiburon' exit is about 10 minutes from the bridge. Turn right onto Tiburon Blvd. and follow it all the way to the end of the peninsula (about 15 minutes).
By bus[edit]
The number 19 bus runs from Marin City, further south in Marin, to downtown Tiburon, but not very often (hourly, until about 7:30 in the evening).
Get around[edit]
Downtown Tiburon is great for walking and biking. Parking is available at the Bank of America lot at the stoplight before main street ($5/day), at the Ark Row Parking lot at the end of Main Street ($4/hour), and along Tiburon Blvd. 2-hour street parking is also available, though limited.
See[edit][add listing]
Do[edit][add listing]
Buy[edit][add listing]
Eat[edit][add listing]
Drink[edit][add listing]
Sleep[edit][add listing]


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Chair Professor, Acturial Mathematics and Statistics, Heriot-Watt University
Professor Gareth W. Peters is a Chair Professor of Statistics for Risk and Insurance, at the Department of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics in Heriot-Watt University. He is also the Director of the Scottish Financial Risk Academy (SFRA) and Leader of the Quantitative Risk Solutions (QRS) Lab. Professor Peters has published over 100 peer reviewed articles on risk and insurance modelling, 2 research text books on operational risk and insurance, as well as being the editor and contributor to 3 edited text books on spatial statistics and Monte Carlo methods. He holds positions as an Adjunct Scientist in the Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) since 2009 as well being an Associate Member Oxford-Man Institute in Oxford University since 2012, an Associate Member Systemic Risk Center in London School of Economics since 2014; an Affiliated Prof. School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University PKU,Beijing, China since 2015 and a Visiting Prof. in the Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tokyo, Japan each year since 2010.


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j-j.co.zaSharing thoughts and ideas on business, security and photography
Focusing on People vs Technology in INFOSEC : Additional thoughtsPosted on July 22, 2012
This evening I came across this rather post on Trustedsec.com titled "Focusing on People vs Technology in INFOSEC" and it struck home. Everything in there I agree with. I would suggest you go and read it (link here).
I don't want to plagiarise huge sections of the article, but am quoting fair bits of it below to introduce my own thoughts on the matter. To summarise (and paraphrase):
- Organisations seem happier to invest in technology, such as security products, rather than in people
- Organisations tend to have higher capital expenditure budgets rather than operational (direct expenditure)
- There is generally a lack of people and programmes to support security technology implementations
- There needs to be a much greater focus on people, without the right people product implementations fail
The author then goes on suggest eight steps to consider when building a security programme. These are repeated verbatim below :
- Focus on culture and having a fun environment for your people to work.
- Sending the team to security conferences and additional training events.
- Have a clear and concise roadmap for your team and an understanding of career advancement.
- Focus on building security programs first before ever investing in technology — use technology for automation.
- Work on automating and streamlining processes versus adding additional work on broken ones.
- Staff appropriately and fight for additional headcount where it is needed. Be careful on over hiring.
- Take time out of your day to focus on people and seeing how they are doing and if there is anything you can do.
- Communication. Communication. Communication… Did we say Communication?
I agree with all of the above. There are organisations who want to hire experienced people who can come straight in and do the job, who have all the experience and qualifications, but then don't want to send them on training or want them to learn new skills. I find this to be a very short-sighted view. One of the hardest parts of setting up and running an effective information security team is finding and retaining the high calibre staff which will make it successful.
What will attract the right kinds of people? A learning environment. One where they can come in, be part of a team, have fun, learn new skills, share existing skills and knowledge while making use of these skills and taking themselves to the next level. I have always found that by encouraging people in your team, across all levels, to study, to take on new challenges and to better themselves boosts the confidence and productivity of all. I see a lot of debate around whether CISSP or CISM is the better qualification, or sometimes whether they have any value at all. That is largely irrelevant in my view. I would (and have) encourage my staff to do either. Going through the process helps the inexperienced learn new skills, and gives recognition to those who already have the skills. This is good for self-confidence and career prospects, either in the organisation or outside.
I have also found that by focussing on people and teaming, people will develop loyalty, both to you as a manager and mentor, as well as to the organisation. You are more likely to retain these people longer, and reap the rewards from the investment that has been made, despite the fears that once qualified they will leave. When you have a great learning environment then people will also be attracted to come and work with and for you. Half the battle is then won.
All the grand plans in the world will come to nothing unless you have people who will work with you, support you and enable those plans to come to fruition. There are going to be times when a lot of hard work is required, but, hard work towards a known goal, where you are learning, having fun and being productive doesn't always feel like hard work, and staff will give of their extraordinary efforts willingly. At the same time, don't take them for granted. Small gestures can go a long way.
In all of this, technology is also important. Not so much the technology you end up implementing, but the technology you make available to the staff to experiment, play and learn with. While (mostly) any tool can get the job done, key is making sure that you know those tools intimately. When they are in production it is hard (and dangerous) to play with them, however, having a lab environment with the right hardware, software and connectivity gives the freedom for people to learn and become the best they can be. This also keeps the job fresh and rewarding. Don't forget this when preparing the budget – even though it may appear to be an unnecessary luxury. Be prepared to debate around and defend this portion of the budget just as much as your capex, salaries and training.
@dave_rel1k (I am assuming you wrote the piece), thanks for sharing, and reinforcing for me the important aspects to focus on when building an information security team who can transform the organisation.


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AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Julia Goerges had to come back from a set down and save match points against an inspired Eugenie Bouchard to return to the ASB Classic semifinals.
No.2 seed Goerges, last year's champion, struck 47 winners and fired seven aces to extend her Auckland win-streak in epic fashion, edging through in the marathon 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) encounter.
Both players struggled with the swirling winds, which often made it tough to serve and track the ball in the air.
Read more: Sabalenka storms into Shenzhen semifinals over ailing Sharapova
"I think this was one of the toughest matches I've ever played, and probably the toughest here in Auckland," Goerges told press afterwards. "The winds today were swirling around, coming suddenly and then gone. Chairs flying around, hats, everything. But you cannot do anything about it, you just have to accept it and stay positive about it."
She added, "I think it was, for these conditions, a pretty good match - especially the third set and the tiebreaker. We both made the best out of it. Overall I'm very satisfied.
:The biggest part of my game today was finding solutions, trying to find ways to come back in that third set - which I did really well."
Bouchard, who was vocal before the tournament about "going back to basics" and returning to her "aggressive" style of play, made good on her resolution against Goerges, taking the ball early and hitting clean winners off both wings.
Read more: 'Motivated' Bouchard off to the races in Auckland
The swirling winds in Auckland wreaked havoc on Goerges' serve, but Bouchard seemed unfazed, recording just three unforced errors in the entire set. The Canadian's deep groundstrokes kept Goerges on the back foot, and she was rewarded early on with a break at 3-1.
Goerges couldn't seem to find the answers against Bouchard - she created break points in just one game, and wasn't able to convert - and the unforced errors piled up as the set wore on, 13 in total. Bouchard kept the Goerges serve under pressure in her next two service games - including a break point for the set at 5-2 - before calmly closing out the set.
Impressive play by 🇨🇦@geniebouchard as she takes the first set in Auckland 6-3.@ASB_Classic pic.twitter.com/rq2sdhxphG
— WTA (@WTA) January 4, 2019
Bouchard took her foot off the gas pedal in the second set, however, and the German pounced on the chances. With her serve finally firing, Goerges cut down on her unforced errors and outhit Bouchard with 16 winners to just two in the set.
After staying toe to toe for the first couple of games, Goerges dialled up the pressure, bringing up break chances at 2-2 and then earning her first break of the match at 4-2 after a spectacular backhand down the line. The German dropped just one point after that, and sent them into a deciding set in emphatic fashion.
We're going the distance at the @ASB_Classic! @juliagoerges takes the second set 6-3! pic.twitter.com/BDZSE63kRR
— WTA (@WTA) January 4, 2019
But Goerges' fortunes changed again as Bouchard got back on track - the Canadian built up a daunting 3-0 after claiming an early break with a marathon game. The defending champion rallied, reeling off three games in a row to erase the break and get them back on level terms.
There was little to separate the two players in the games that followed, both fully dialed in as the match reached its critical point. Each player had an answer for everything the other threw her way: Bouchard's booming returns canceled out Goerges' powerful serves, Bouchard fought off break point at 4-4 while Goerges saved match point at 6-5 - sending the match into a tiebreak. Both players brought their best tennis, covering the court beautifully, but it was Goerges who eventually escaped with the victory, converting her third match point in epic fashion to seal the match after two hours and 21 minutes on court.
What a matchpoint from @juliagoerges!
Comes back to top Bouchard, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) @ASB_Classic 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RbYRoXuUrE
— WTA (@WTA) January 4, 2019
"Overall I enjoyed the battle," Goerges said. "It makes you better. These are the kinds of matches that you want ahead of a Grand Slam. Those matches make you better, that's all you can ask for, and that's what I got today.
"I've played [Bouchard] in Luxembourg and I knew that she was already playing much better. She's working very hard, we know she's capable of playing great tennis, so I expected a tough match. What we saw today, I think she's developed totally in the right direction. I'm pretty sure she's going back up the rankings again."
Next up for Goerges, 20-year-old Slovak Viktoria Kuzmova awaits in the semifinals. Kuzmova ended the fairytale Auckland run of American youngster Amanda Anisimova earlier in the day, winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to advance to the final four.


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A Day in the Home
1950s educational film about how to be the perfect housewife
- Description
- Questions & Activities
- Clip Details
- Print All
This film was made for showing in schools to train girls in becoming the perfect housewife. The film portrays the every day chores carried out by an idealised family in an early 1950s Scottish home. The film shows the housewife looking after the baby, getting the children ready for school, setting the table, washing-up, making beds, cleaning, laying the fire, shopping and hoovering.
Questions & Activities
- Why do you think this film was made and who do you think it was aimed at?
- Why do houses need coal?
- Do you think it is a realistic portrayal of family life - why?
- What is significant about the motif of time in the film?
- Why do we see dad burn himself twice whilst undertaking domestic duties?
- What responsibilities do you have that children back then might not have had?
- What is the significance of the words "Baby", "Father", "must" and "of course"?
Make a list of chores that the housewife carries out and the order that she does them.
Housework was a full time activity - find out how people deal with housework today.
Compare how the baby is dressed to what babies wear today.
Compare and contrast with modern meal times.
Count how many jobs the mother does compared to the father.
Find out how long rationing continued after the war. Research and compare the design of the home and the products used today.
Investigate shopping in the past. Debate - this house believes that the family is better off when the mother stays at home.
Create your own instruction manual for how people live today.
Take freeze frames from the clip and create thoughts and dialogue for the characters.
Make an instruction booklet on how to look after a baby for the day.
Research the nuclear family and compare this to how we live today.
Look at patterns in language and words that are used over and over again in the film.
Clip Details
|Record Id
|Resource Rights Holder
|National Library of Scotland
|Project Ref
|School Subject
|Health and Wellbeing, Technologies, Expressive Arts, English, Modern Studies, History
|Subject Matter
|Campbell Harper Films (production company), Joint Production Committee of SEFA and SFC (sponsor)
|Edinburgh, Holyrood
|Black and White, Sound
|Clip Length
|Film Length
|Shirley Valentine.


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Britain's Invisible People
- February 21, 2013
- by
- Matt
Today I went up to Leeds with my daughter. While we were there we visited the Thursday morning drop-in for destitute asylum seekers run by the charity Positive Action for Refugees (PAFRAS). Though PAFRAS isn't a religious organization, its activities are supported by the church, and it holds these weekly sessions in the annexe to St. Aidan's church in the Harehills district, just a mile or so from the designer shops and cafes that have transformed the coal-caked city I remember from my childhood into a consumer hub.
For two hours, anywhere between one hundred and two hundred people can get free food provided by volunteers, some medical advice, and the chance to hang out with other people in the same situation and get a break from the endless waiting room that so many of them are trapped in.
Some of PAFRAS's clients are street homeless. Others have been staying on the floors of friends or volunteers. Most have had their asylum claims rejected, but either can't or won't go back to the countries they came from.
Many of them have been in this situation for years, unable to work or study legally, rent a place to live, marry, start a family. Some have been separated from their families back home through flight and exile. Others have relatives in Europe, who they can't visit, and who can't come and see them.
They come from all over the world, blown by the world's political storms to this bleak corner of Leeds. Today the hall was packed, just as it was three years ago. I met Jafar, an Iraqi writer and journalist who had been imprisoned three times under Saddam Hussein, and who fled Baghdad recently to escape the ongoing violence.
Jafar's daughter is also a writer and a poet, who lives in Egypt. She wanted to come here too to live with her father, but the UK government wouldn't allow it, so now she's applying for a green card in the US instead, and Jafar has no idea when he will see her again.
PAFRAS's clients include many Iranians, who can't return to their country even if they want to, because the Iranian embassy in the UK is currently closed and Iran and the UK have no returns agreement. I was happy to hear that two guys I interviewed back in 2009 got positive decisions at last. One of them was an Iranian named Reza, who had been destitute for ten years when I met him, even though he had two kids in the UK, and now has residency.
The other was Germaine, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who had also spent ten years in legal limbo in Leeds after some of the most traumatic experiences that anyone could imagine, and who has finally been allowed to go to Australia, where his wife and children were also living as refugees.
These happy endings are a personal triumph for them and a tribute to their tenacity, though why anyone should have to go through what they did, God only knows. There is no sure pathway to such 'victories', in the lottery-gauntlet that successive UK governments have established to keep out an imaginary army of 'bogus' asylum seekers who seek to 'abuse' our generosity.
No one knows how many people are in a similar situation. Last September the 'services' company Capita won a contract to seek out 174,000 migrants who have been denied permission to remain in the UK but have disappeared from UKBA's records. Some of them may have left the country. Others will be destitute, and dependent for their survival on their friends or on charities like PAFRAS.
It says a great deal about the kind of government we have, that a company like Capita can make money hunting down and bullying migrants to get out of the country, while charities and NGOs like PAFRAS that deal with destitution are struggling to find funds to keep their services going.
Such are the realities of Britain's 'soft touch', as our cuddly Prime Minister put it the other day. Much of the UK public is completely unaware of the dire circumstances in which destitute asylum seekers find themselves, nor are they likely to be enlightened by reading newspapers that talk only of 'benefit tourists' and asylum seekers living in luxury homes in Hampstead, or listening to cynical politicians with silk ties and smooth tongues who boast of their efforts to kick out 'illegal immigrants' in order to rake in a few more votes.
This is the kind of society we have allowed ourselves to become. The unacknowledged work of PAFRAS and other organizations who perform similar services across the country is a reminder of the kind of society we could be.


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Interview with Ravi Pinto on Lightweight Node.js and Java in the Cloud with the Oracle Application Container Cloud Service at CloudWorld Developer Mumbai.
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My love affair with books began at libraries. Before I could afford to buy books, I could sit around in libraries and read them, carry them home, come back and get more. But if you love books, eventually you need to own some. I was living in my car in New England and wasn't making enough to move indoors, but I had the hatchback of my car set up with a sleeping bag, a pillow and along the sides my little row of science fiction. Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, Carl Sagan and Ursula K. LeGuin. I felt very rich with all of my books. When I met my husband, we compared homeless notes. Where did you put your books in your car? How many did you have? We had both found a used bookstore and started a collection before we had a place of our own.
In college, I spent innumerable hours at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe. It was my third place. I worked and went to school, but on weekends, you could find me reading between bookshelves at Changing Hands, sometimes lying on the floor, and when I left, I'd always have a small stack of books.
When I moved to Los Angeles, I discovered the Dutton's in North Hollywood, Skylight, Book Soup, Vroman's, Sisterhood Bookstore. I was in graduate school, and I had time to read. I discovered Doris Lessing, T. C. Boyle, Toni Morrison and Carolyn See. Going to a bookstore was my own candy store.
When my kids started coming along, I took them to bookstores as well. My daughter hated shopping for clothes, so when nothing fit her, I would drag her to JC Penney with the bribe of books. "If we manage to get two shirts and two jeans," I'd say, you can have four books. Her brothers wanted comic books and graphic novels. Tobi was ready for Harry Potter and then Tolkien and Dumas when she was in middle school. Books were her bribe of choice. She read literally hundreds of books. She read with a flashlight at night, on camping trips, at restaurants and at readings.
We started Red Hen Press when the kids were three and five, so there were lots of readings, mostly at bookstores. We wanted the kids to be quiet so they'd bribe us. Complete silence and no interruptions would cost us five books. Three or four books meant we might be interrupted once or twice. We loved that they loved books. We loved that our kids were surviving having no television and were instead reading, playing games, having conversations, thinking.
That's what independent bookstores still do in the world. They function as a place where thinkers like to hang out. If I were dating online, and thank God I'm not, my first question would be, "What's your favorite bookstore?" That's how I would know where we would meet to think about our lives. My whole romance with my now husband happened at a bookstore called Book Grinders. I'd find him between rows of books, discovering a new Calvino book, uncovering treasures.
For independent publishers, independent bookstores are the place where the conversation starts. If you want your book to be a big deal, if you want everyone to be talking about it, you need to do a lot of bookstore readings at your favorite bookstores, the ones where you hang out, buy your books, attend friends' readings. Independent booksellers are a kitchen for the life of the imagination.
This weekend we went to Warwicks and D.G Wills in La Jolla. My friend Lisa bought me King of the Wind which I read later that day, a book I haven't seen since my childhood. I bought my husband an old copy of Kafka's The Parables. We bought new books and used books.
Whenever my husband and I go to a new town, we find the bookstore, and when we walk in, we feel the town's heart beat, stories happening like waves rushing in, like the universe being born. Every time you enter an independent bookstore, from The Strand in New York, to Elliot Bay and Powells in the Northwest, Vroman's in Pasadena, Tattered Cover in Denver, BookWoman in Austin, you're part of the world of ideas. Where do you find a story, the next big idea, a way up, a way out, a way to connect? Independent bookstores, which is where the intellect meets the imagination. No one is telling you what's cool, what you should read, who you should be. You are a curious traveler, an explorer, and what you're finding is stories and ideas, and if you are dating, here's an idea. Start at a bookstore; wander around between the shelves. If you can't have fun doing that, maybe you shouldn't venture into a bar or a bedroom. The most exciting organ in your body is your brain. Go to a bookstore, find out what your prospective date is thinking.


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Wall Street's Top Analysts Upgrades, Downgrades & Initiations
Daily HeffX-LTN reviews Wall Street analysts research reports to find new investing and trading ideas for our readers. Some reports cover stocks to buy, and others cover stocks to sell or avoid.
Below is a list of Wall Street's Top analysts outlook for Key issues for Thursday, as follows:
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was removed from the Focus List at Citigroup after the firm cited the massive capital return proposed, but there have been about 10 other Key analyst calls early in the morning stepping all over each other to get ahead in the race. The stock traded up Wednesday morning after the company posted huge results that beat analysts' expectations Tuesday after the close, with iPhone sales coming in as expected after many analysts feared a big miss. The 52-wk trading range is 142.20 – 183.50. The consensus price target for the tech giant is at 192.23.
Catchmark Timber Trust Inc. (NYSE:CTT) was started with a Sector Perform rating at RBC. The 52-wk trading range is 10.81 – 13.73. The consensus price objective is 14.
ChemoCentryx Inc. (NASDAQ:CCXI) analysts started with a Buy rating and a price target of 20 at HC Wainwright. That compares with a consensus target at 16. The 52-wk trading range is 5.42 – 15.08.
Heritage Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:HWFA) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray. The stock trades in a 52-wk range of $23 to $33.25. The consensus price target is set at $36.20.
NMI Holdings' (NASDAQ:NMIH) price target raised to 17 from 16.25 at Compass Point. The consensus price target is 20.59, and the 52-wk trading range is 10.10 – 21.92.
US Cellular Corp. (NYSE:USM) analysts raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Raymond James. The 52-wk trading range is 32.06 – 41.82. The consensus price target is 43.
Stay tuned…


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'Amazing' achievement for Somernotes choir
PUBLISHED: 15:00 04 January 2017
A male voice choir which rehearses in a North Somerset village says it is 'elated' after scooping a top prize in one of the area's biggest competitions.
The Somernotes male ensemble practises in Wrington and performs a selection of popular, spiritual and show songs.
The group achieved an outstanding mark when it performed at the Nailsea Festival of Music last month.
The choir, which is formed of members Steve Schmollman, Les Morley, Bernard Tarleton, Peter Bowyer, Stephen Hope and David Kelly, won its class – and achieved the highest mark of the entire festival – with a mark of 91 per cent.
Mr Kelly told the Mercury: "We were all incredibly nervous beforehand but that was nothing compared to the surprise and elation we all felt when announced as group winners, as we were up against three other very good small choirs.
"To then discover we obtained the highest mark in the whole of the festival was an amazing, unexpected bonus."
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Weston Mercury. Click the link in the orange box below for details.


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Wyoming's Rib & Chop House
Sheridan and Cody, Wyoming
Phone: 307-673-4700 (Sheridan) or 307-527-7731 (Cody)
In Sheridan, Wyoming's Rib & Chop House is at the corner of Main and East Alger
In Cody, Wyoming's Rib & Chop House is located at 1367 Sheridan Ave.
Wyoming's Rib and Chop House- Sheridan
Formerly located in the Historic Sheridan Inn, Wyoming's Rib and Chop House has moved to beautiful downtown Sheridan. The restaurant is a favorite of locals, known for a friendly, knowledgeable staff and superb menu selections. Certified Angus hand-cut steaks served on sizzling plates, slow-cooked ribs and fresh seafood, buffalo, ostrich, wild boar: the options are broad and complimented by a full liquor and wine selection. This high energy restaurant has been operating since 2002 and is almost always packed, so call ahead and come early; you won't be disappointed.
Wyoming's Rib and Chop House- Cody
This beautiful little restaurant packs a mean punch. Already famous for their award-winning babyback ribs and incredible steaks, Wyoming's Rib and Chop House-Cody has proudly gained a reputation locally as The Place To Eat. Fresh seafood is flown in several times a week, soups and sauces are made on the spot, and hand-cut Certified Angus Steaks are cooked to order. With their customary full wine, beer and liquor lists, 26 oz. margaritas, beautiful surroundings and friendly high-energy staff, the Rib and Chop House-Cody would have put this town on the map if Buffalo Bill hadn't. In any case, it's given everyone another reason for making the trip to Yellowstone.


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Recently I've noticed that whole life insurance is generally berated by almost everyone in the known universe. Well, most insurance agents really like it but other than that it's pretty easy to count the number of folks who really like whole life insurance.
Obviously, we consider it to be an excellent component to an overall investment strategy, and as such I thought it would be useful to elaborate on a few of the applications that whole life insurance can bring to the table. (this could also apply to other types of permanent insurance as well) And I know I'll get beat up for just mentioning the word investment and life insurance in the same sentence. But considering a properly structured cash value life insurance policy as a portion of your retirement savings, emergency fund, or your kid(s) college fund is a solid plan. We can and continue to prove it everyday in our practice.
What I'd really like to do is elevate the discussion on whole life insurance as a financial tool. No, it's not the Swiss Army knife that quite a few authors make it out to be and it certainly isn't the right fit for everyone. But it is extremely useful for the right person/people and under the right set of circumstances.
I think there should be a more honest intellectual debate on the subject and hopefully we're successfully doing that.
In light of that thought I've picked five myths that I've heard most often in regards to whole life insurance. But alas to talk about all five in one post would be more than anyone (including myself) could bear and I'd really like for our loyal followers to actually come back.
So, I decided to just focus on one myth for today.
Well, this could be true I suppose in some cases. Of course, how does anyone determine if a commission is too high? Isn't that really a relative number?
Here's what I mean.
Just a couple of years ago I sold my house. In fact, we decided it was time for a move at the end of 2009…we couldn't have really picked a worse time right?
At any rate, that's when the stars aligned for us for a whole host of reasons I won't get into here. Needless to say, I knew that the market was flat at best and at worst I could stand to lose a substantial amount of money in the transaction if not executed properly.
So what did I do?
I hired a realtor. Not just any realtor. No, I hired someone who was serious about their work, wasn't afraid to tell me what I needed to do to get the house sold, and didn't float some pie in the sky listing price just to make me feel good. In fact, she's not the kind of person that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy but she is the kind of person that is extremely focused and organized. I knew she would get the job done.
Now, I could have sold the house myself or I could have attempted to beat up on her and get her to lower her 6% commission but I didn't. Why? After all I understand finance and I do have decent negotiating skills.
But what I know is that she's going to spend a significant amount of money marketing my property, getting the right people in the door (the kind of people who can actually BUY the house) and she's going to get it closed. That was valuable to me, it was worth the commission.
I don't believe there's anything inherently evil about commissions. Every person who's in business earns a net profit…at least that's the goal. If they don't they won't be in business very long. The commission my realtor earned is just her gross profit. From that few thousand dollars she had to pay for her office, her transportation, her staff, advertising etc. If she's like most business owners that we work with, probably only 20-25% of that money actually went into her pocket and then she owes taxes on that amount. Not to mention the fact that because of the mortgage underwriting process it took nearly two months from the contract date to the closing date and that included a great deal of time working out the details with the buyer and keeping me in the loop.
I'm not saying you should feel sorry for her, I'm just saying that's the reality of being in business. So, to act as if any person who earns a commission is somehow gouging everyone they do business with is just not a fair assessment.
Now, I will concede that Brandon and I do encounter other agents in competitive situations who really are trying to gouge their clients. They usually justify it to themselves as "I'm worth it" but in our experience they're not. And in truth a properly designed whole life insurance policy(blended with a heavy dose of term insurance and paid up additions) pays significantly less commission to an agent than does a traditional whole insurance policy that doesn't have those components.
Sadly enough, this point has a kernel of truth. A lot of agents that we encounter are driven to sell products that pay them the highest commissions and this can certainly motivate them to recommend strategies that may not be in the best interest of their client. What we typically see is something we've coined as the third dimension of cash value life insurance, I encourage you to read that post if you haven't already, it's one of our best.
You have to realize that a properly structured whole life insurance policy can be extremely flexible. We can modify a contract by adjusting the amount of premium dollar that flows to paid up additions (PUA) via the paid up additions rider, the amount of term insurance that's used in the blend and how long you fund the policy. The PUA contribution is completely optional and really just serves to accelerate the growth of your policy's cash value and subsequently its death benefit. Proper use of paid up additions takes a sluggish, slow growing policy and turns it into a completely viable investment option.
The internal rate of return is nothing to sneeze at. In many cases we see it move north of 5%. Why not consider it as an alternative or portion of your fixed income portfolio?
Why Don't More Agents Take Advantage of the Paid Up Additions Rider?
Well, there's two answers to that question;
1. They don't understand the power of using paid up additions because no one has ever taught them how to use them correctly or
2. Paid up additions don't generate near as much commission for the agent. Sad but true. Example: If a client pays a premium of $10,000 and that's all base premium, no PUAs included, he/she will make anywhere from $7,000 to $9,000. On the other hand, if the agent were to sell the client a policy that had a $2,000 base premium and $8,000 of paid up additions, they'd only make about $2,500-$3500. Now you know.
My point is that a poorly designed policy doesn't make whole life insurance a bad product, it just proves that person you're dealing with doesn't really have YOUR best interest at heart.
As I said, I had originally planned for this post to be something like "Five Common Myths About Whole Life Insurance" but I think I'll save the rest for future posts, in fact, I'll just make it a series.
Brantley is a practicing life insurance agent and has been for over 18 years. After years of trying to sell like his sales managers wanted him to, he discovered that people want to buy life insurance if you actually explain the benefits.