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As usual, he's playing to adoring fans in the media, who rarely ask a discomfiting question. But change may be on the way. Now it's not only conservative blogs and talk radio that are questioning huge conflict-of-interest issues involved in Gore's business and political dealings; the British dailies have now picked up on the matter. In a brief November 3 article bearing the heading, "Al Gore could become world's first carbon billionaire," the Telegraph reported:
Few people have been as vocal about the urgency of global warming and the need to reinvent the way the world produces and consumes energy as Mr. Gore. And few have put as much money behind their advocacy and are as well positioned to profit from this green transformation, if and when it comes.
Last year the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), of which Gore is a partner, invested $75 million in Silver Spring Networks, a small company involved in making "smart grid" technology.
"The deal appeared to pay off in a big way last week," the Telegraph noted, "when the Energy Department announced $3.4 billion in smart grid grants.... Of the total, more than $560 million went to utilities with which Silver Spring has contracts. The move means that venture capital company Kleiner Perkins and its partners, including Mr Gore, could recoup their investment many times over in coming years."
The Guardian, Britain's premier left-wing daily, came out with a similar story on November 3, entitled, "Al Gore's green investments prompt conflict of interest row." The Guardian article reported:
The accusation that Gore is trapped in a conflict of interest has been raised periodically over the past few years. It is a barb popular among climate change sceptics and rightwing bloggers, as well as Republican politicians. Marsha Blackburn, a congressional representative from Gore's home state of Tennessee, tackled him over the issue in April during a subcommittee debate in Congress on the Obama administration's proposed cap-in-trade system for curbing emissions.
She referred to Gore's partnership of Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, a Californian venture capital firm that has put about $1bn into about 40 companies that will be bidding for contracts under the new system. "Is the legislation we are discussing here today something you are going to benefit personally from?" she asked.
Gore, audibly riled, replied that every penny he made from his investments was put back into his non-profit foundation to spread knowledge about the climate challenge.
Unfortunately, neither the Telegraph nor the Guardian dug deeper into the issue. If they had, they (and more importantly, their readers) would have learned that Gore's Silver Spring deal, huge as it is, is but one of many ethically challenged investments the former Vice President has gotten into.
Huge Profits for the Prophet of Doom
There's a lot of green to be made in being "green." Al Gore knows this full well, having jumped, in a few short years, from bourgeoisie wealthy to near super-rich by riding the politically connected green wave he helped to create. A March 6, 2009 Bloomberg News story reports:
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore left the White House seven years ago with less than $2 million in assets, including a Virginia home and the family farm in Tennessee. Now he's making enough to put $35 million in hedge funds and other private partnerships.
The Bloomberg piece continues:
He and Tipper Gore released tax returns for 1998 showing they earned $224,376 that year, less than half the income of President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, news reports at the time said.
Now Gore charges a $175,000 speaking fee and has a net worth "well in excess'' of $100 million.
Al and Tipper have done significantly better than Bill and Hillary did on Hillary's questionable cattle futures trading deals that caused on-going controversy and investigations. Hillary pocketed a mere $60,000 on a few "irregular" trades with shady investment brokers James Blair and Robert Bone. Gore makes three times that in a one-hour speech, and many more times that amount with every new state, federal, and local law that is passed forcing businesses to use technologies (and consumers to buy products) from "green" industries in which Gore and his partners are invested. There's nothing wrong, of course, with making a profit on investments; that's what the free-enterprise system is all about. And that's the facile defense Gore offers when questioned about his mercurial financial rise and his ties to companies that are making sizeable profits (and stand to make much, much more) from the policies he is promoting.
Gore delivered the same pre-fabricated apologia in a recent sit-down interview with the San Francisco Chronicle to promote his new book, Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis.
Typical of the friendly (some might say sycophantic) treatment Gore receives from his green media allies, there were no probing questions by Chronicle reporter Peter Fimrite, who conducted the interview. Here's how the Chronicle presented Gore's investment relationships:
"I have made some investments in the last few years that are in keeping with my beliefs and values. Were I not to do so, these same people would call me a hypocrite," Gore said. "I have delivered the same message for more than 30 years and now I'm in a position to put at least some of my money where my mouth is."
Any reporter worth his salt would have found some way of asking Mr. Gore to explain the glaring facts that seem to show Gore has it backwards. Which is to say, he is putting his mouth where the money is; he is getting fat devouring government pork from the green feed trough. Gore is the founder and chairman of the non-profit Alliance for Climate Protection, which is heavily funded by Gore and his green profiteer partners. The Alliance has announced that it will be spending $300 million over the next three years on its "We Can Solve It" advertising campaign. Gore is the key front man in this fright-peddling operation to scare up public support for more legislation and regulations that will favor "alternative" technologies in which Gore & Co. are invested.
Christopher C. Horner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a free-enterprise think tank, was referring specifically to Gore and his partners when he stated: "There are a bunch of folks that stand to make real money, who have invested a lot in companies that are not worth real money until the agenda that this ad campaign is advocating is achieved."
Fred Lucas makes the same point in an in-depth Capital Research Center report on Gore's investments entitled, "Al Gore's Carbon Empire: Cashing in on Climate Change."
Lucas says it is doubtful "that the green investment portfolio Gore advocates can ever be profitable — unless the federal government enacts the policies Gore lobbies for. History shows green companies are risky business." He quotes financial analyst Bert Ely, who underscores the political — as opposed to market or scientific — forces that are driving Gore's green agenda:
"Wind power, solar and bio-fuels all operate on tax subsidies or purchase requirements," Ely said. "The government stimulates demand. Ely continues, "To the extent that you got some kind of government mandate here, whether it is cap-and-trade or a purchasing requirement, a taxpayer subsidy, to me that's a dicey way to look for a return on a venture. Because what the government giveth it can taketh away — and often does."
And, Lucas notes, "Surprisingly, Kleiner Perkins doesn't disagree. In fact, it uses the argument for sweeping government regulation as a selling point for investing in its funds." He quotes a May 1, 2008 statement of Kleiner Perkins partner John Denniston to investors that acknowledges the key role the politics of fear is playing in making the Gore-type portfolio profitable:
The growing sense of global urgency over our twin crisis — climate change and energy security — is now driving businesses to become green, consumers to demand green and policy makers to drive policies to accelerate the market adoption of green products.The most notorious subsidy is the 51-cent gas credit for ethanol."
Instant Karma (Only $Half-a-billion Plus)
The strategy is working wonderfully for Gore and his KPCB partners thus far. As with the Silver Spring deal, they stand to rake in big profits from the recent $529 million federal government loan awarded to Fisker Automotive, which builds high-priced hybrid sports cars in Finland. You can have one of Fisker's lithium-ion battery-powered Karmas for a mere $89,000 — just the kind of boutique vehicle that celebrities and "green" tycoons love to have in their car collections as a status symbol that vouches for their environmentalist bonafides. (Al Gore was first in line to order one).
Reporting on the Fisker deal, the Wall Street Journal noted:
Fisker's top investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a veteran Silicon Valley venture-capital firm of which Gore is a partner. Employees of KPCB have donated more than $2.2 million to political campaigns, mostly for Democrats, including President Barack Obama and [now Obama's Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton.
According to the Journal, Henrik Fisker "said he pitched the Karma to Mr. Gore at an event hosted by KPCB last year, and that the former vice president almost immediately submitted a down payment for the car." Al Gore was one of the early big-name Democrats to jump on board the Obama bandwagon and has remained closely tied to the administration. Did he unethically (or illegally) use his connections to help secure the Fisker loan? Or the Silver Spring loan? Do these not deserve at least passing scrutiny? After all, half-a-billion here, half-a-billion there, pretty soon you're talking about real money.
Gore can afford the $90K price tag for a Karma out of pocket change, thanks to his newfound wealth. Fisker will use part of its newfound wealth to buy up some former General Motors facilities to begin building the Karma in the United States, thus helping silence critics who have pointed out the lunacy of taking money from a bankrupt American economy to give to a foreign manufacturer of luxury cars for the super rich. Fisker says it can bring the price of a U.S.-made Karma down to $40,000 per unit when it gets production up to higher volume. Which means it still will be way out of reach of the average family budget, not that there would be serious demand for the 5,000 pound car that has an optimal battery range of fifty miles (though promoters say a 2.2-liter GM Ecotec engine will power a generator to keep enough current flowing to add 250 more miles).
Gore's suspect profiteering in the Silver Spring and Fisker deals are but the tip of the iceberg and pale in comparison to the tens of billions to be made by Gore and his partners at KPCB, Capricorn Investment Group LLC, Generation Investment Management, and Goldman Sachs in the sale of carbon credits in a global cap-and-trade regime. Al Gore is the rainmaker they are banking on and the upcoming Copenhagen summit is the stage where they hope he will deliver the climactic performance that will "Seal the Deal" for a global UN climate-change treaty.
Media lap dogs fail to bark
The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, CNN, CBS, NBC, Huffington Post, and other organs of the establishment media cartel that have been all over Sarah Palin and other conservatives for alleged conflicts of interest seem to find nothing even worth investigating in the massive scandal that has developed around Gore's political lobbying and financial operations. All too typical is this Times puff piece from November 2, "Gore's Dual Role: Advocate and Investor."
"Mr. Gore is not a lobbyist," the Times declares, "and he has never asked Congress or the administration for an earmark or policy decision that would directly benefit one of his investments." The Times does not tell us how it knows this and offers no proof to substantiate the claim, but it does go on to tell us "he has been a tireless advocate for policies that would move the country away from the use of coal and oil."
To accentuate it's unquestioning faith in Gore and dispose of lingering questions, the Times piece concludes with Gore's indignant retort to Rep. Marsha Blackburn:
"And, Congresswoman," he added, "if you believe that the reason I have been working on this issue for 30 years is because of greed, you don't know me."
Many of the Times imitators have copied this tactic, quoting Gore's arrogant non-answer to Rep. Blackburn's legitimate inquiry as if it were as self-evidently dispositive as a citation from Holy Writ. Gore does have a point, and this writer would be the first to acknowledge that it is unlikely that greed is the only motivation (or even the primary motivation) of the sainted Oscar-winning, Emmy-winning Nobel Laureate. The Earth-saving, jet-setting Gore (whose Tennessee mansion has a "carbon footprint" 20 times that of the average American family) is a collectivist ideologue who gives every indication of being in the green game for power and prestige as much as (or more than) for the money. He and his fellow globalists want to "transform" the world, to remake it to their own desires. The green path is their road not only to pelf, but also to power.
Photo: AP Images


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The UCSF Department of Psychiatry is nationally recognized for its many outstanding educational programs in medical school, residency programs and clinical fellowships, research fellowships, and continuing medical education.
Find out more about educational opportunities within our department:
- Medical Student Education
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Clinical fellowships
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Research fellowships
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- Health Psychology
- VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and Treatment
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If you are interested in teaching at UCSF, please visit the UCSF Office of Community Based Education.
For teaching opportunities in the Department of Psychiatry, contact Lowell Tong, MD.
Current faculty members interested in improving their teaching skills should visit the School of Medicine faculty development resources webpage.

subset: commoncrawl


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All In The Family... And What I Think About It...
Here I am, driving my car down a scenic byway in Christian County, KY. Isaac took this photo a few days ago.
To be honest, I rather like this photo, not because it shows my great beauty and my mop of hair, but because it shows me doing something I really enjoy -- just motoring along. How happy I look! And do you see the beautiful Kentucky countryside in the background. This photo is a true icon of the real me (one aspect of me, anyway)!
I suppose this post will define me as another of those gas-guzzling Americans, but I love road trips, great and small. I enjoy my car because it takes me places I haven't been before. I'll never see all the backroads and two-lanes in Kentucky (let alone the world,) but I see as much as I can, every chance I get.
I have happy memories of loading up the kids and going for little adventures when they were young. I drove a little gray Dodge truck at that time, and Isaac rode in the middle and Keely rode on the passenger side. Isaac says it was always nice and cozy in the middle. The older the truck got, the more adventurous it became to go places in it, but I won't go into all that!
The kids and I made many road trips together to Kansas (west of Wichita) to visit my parents. They are both gone now, my dad since 1996 and my mom since 1997, so I don't go out to Kansas as often nowadays, though my brother still lives out there.
Keely and Isaac were good little travelers, and they speak of those long drives with nostalgia. They like to talk about the sights we saw along the way and the times we stopped here or there. Keely learned to read the map at a tender age and became my trusty navigator, and Isaac enjoyed having the backseat to himself with his books, Gameboy, etc.
My husband, bless his heart, is not an enthusiastic traveler. He wants to reach the destination and get back home again. It's an inborn tendency, I think.
I find that Dennis and I enjoy our trips together much better if I drive. He relaxes and enjoys the scenery when he's "just along for the ride", and I enjoy driving my chosen route (which may not be the interstate.)
My spell checker is telling me that "backroad" is not really a word, but I disagree.
Related post: A Backroad
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text: Ultrabook™ with discrete graphics and premium design 13.3" ultrabook powered with Intel 4th generation Core™ processors and NVIDIA® GeForce® graphicsFull HD wide-view anti-glare panelStylish backlit keyboardUp to 1TB hard drive or 128GB SSD to accelerate performanceSonicMaster technology co-developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower® increases audio performance with lifelike surround impact Shop Modal header Incredible Beauty Meet Zenbook — the perfectly balanced Ultrabook™ Creating the perfect Ultrabook™ means striking a perfect balance between form and function. Zenbook is carved from a single block of aluminum for a seamless design that's not only beautiful, but durable, too. It's also impossibly thin and extremely light for maximum portability. Lift the lid and inside is a vibrant 13.3-inch Full HD display that brings images to life and makes everything from browsing the web to working with documents an absolute pleasure. 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Bing smart search gives you results from your PC, your apps, and the web. Results are in a clean, graphic view, so you can go where you want right from the search results. Open the Windows Store right from your Start screen to browse and download apps for cooking, photos, sports, news, and more. Incredible Performance All the power you need, and then some Zenbook UX32LN is a high-performance Ultrabook™ in every sense. Its 4th generation Intel® Core™ processor makes light work of the most demanding tasks , and keeps you entertained with your favorite games and HD video, even when you're on the move. Solid-state storage means applications launch in double-quick time and, together with Super Hybrid Engine II technology, boosts battery life and standby time to stretch out the time between recharges. Three USB 3.0 ports support the latest high-speed storage and can recharge mobile devices in double-quick time, while sophisticated thermal management means Zenbook never loses its cool. 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Zenbook UX32LN also has the brand new Bluetooth 4.0 for use with the latest ultra-low power wireless devices, so you can connect to compatible smartphones and tablets without ever having to worry about battery life.


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Check out the latest RPG news | Podcasts | Twitch Streams
All this Chrono Cross music makes me want to go play it, even though I detested it the first time I popped it into my PSX way back when because it was not Chrono Trigger...Maybe I have matured and need to revisit this game on my Vita.
Also tell me more about this... tin roof.
Quote from: Taelus on May 28, 2013, 06:01:52 PMAlso tell me more about this... tin roof.Vanilla ice cream. Chocolate-covered peanuts. Fudge ripple. Basically a sundae on a cone. Best combination.
mint chocolate chip ice cream is the bee's knees.Just found out about the podcast recently or rather decided to finally give it a listen. Great podcast!! I was just really angry(not really) that there were no Breath of fire 3 tunes there because there is one particular track that screams Summer!(atleast for me). That would be To a Distant Place(the 2nd world map theme).I think you guys should definately feature some tunes from Breath of fire 3 in one of the podcasts, I think that game has one of the most awesome soundtracks in any game. Underrated soundtrack for a criminally underrated RPG if you ask me.I really enjoyed the summer episode and will give podcast number 2 a listen because that one seems really cool. Anyway, also great to see some love for Chrono Cross. I think the hate for that game is really idiotic and kinda dumb, I enjoyed it more than Chrono Trigger(not too much but still) for the simple fact that the game has a much deeper story and I think it took a lot of courage to follow the direction that they did with that game. In terms of soundtrack I think they are on the same degree of quality which is godlike quality but I tend to lean a little bit more the Chrono Cross soundtrack.By the way, would visual novel songs be eligible to the podcast? I think you guys should totally do a podcast revolving around atmospheric, mysterious and sort of creepy songs. I think 999's soundtrack would fit really well there, especially songs like binary game and septenary game.You guys should also do a podcast with dramatic and more sad songs, things like "A great warrior" and "sending a dream into the universe" from FF7, "To Zanarkand" from FF10 and "Morphogenetic sorrow" from 999 would fit really well. And of course an episode on Ys music or Falcom music!Sorry for the long post, anyway great podcast and keep up the awesome work.


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joint tenancy with right of survivorship(redirected from Joint tenancy with rights of survivorship)
Also found in: Acronyms.
Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship
The ownership of property for which the co-owners have right of survivorship. In other words, if two or more persons jointly own a property with right of survivorship and one of them dies, the property does not become part of a decedent's estate; rather, the other owner(s) continue to own the property. A married couple may be joint tenants with right of survivorship on their house, for example. Less commonly, two business partners may be joint tenants with right of survivorship on a business property: if two persons own an apartment complex and one of them dies, the whole of the complex belongs to the co-owner, and not the decedent's heirs. It is important to note, however, that the decedent's liabilities may remain attached to the property and the property may be used to pay off creditors, even if the creditor had nothing to do with the property in question.
joint tenancy with right of survivorship (JTWROS)
Asset ownership for two or more persons in which each owner holds an equal share and may give away or sell that share without the permission of the other owner(s). In the event of death, an owner's share is divided equally among the surviving co-owners. Also called right of survivorship. Compare tenancy in common. See also tenancy by the entirety.


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Luxury Home Comfy Microfibre Hair Towel - $11.99 With FREE Shipping
Everyone loves enveloping themselves in a big fluffy towel after a long and luxurious bath, but have you ever tried to wrap your hair in one of those? Your neck feels as though it will fall off under the weight of that heavenly BODY towel. Time to invest in something truly special for your hair. This super cool towel has been designed to dry your hair with very little material and a perfect fit. Simply slip-on this beauty after a shower or bath and you can go about your business until you are ready to style your hair as needed.Highlights


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I have to get Arthur Christmas on DVD as well
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
tonight, I just watched everyone's Christmas favorite, 'Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'.....there's just nothin' like it to bring on that old Christmas spirit, eh?
LOVE the Family Stone Ornamentmaven! I'd have to say it's my favorite movie of all time.
"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas".
Calvin Coolidge
We watched The Thanksgiving House on Hallmark last night (actually had it recorded). It was pretty good.
I love Outdoor Christmas Lights!!
I've been watching Hallmark's Christmas line-up all day
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas


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First Lady Michelle Obama made her first appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Wednesday, where she talked Halloween, disguises, and even laid out her plan to get the late night host to cast his vote on time.
Kimmel, who was the host of this year's White House Correspondent's Dinner, kicked off the segment by talking about how children from various schools come to the White House to trick-or-treat.
"You force vegetables down their throat," Kimmel quipped, poking fun at Michelle Obama's role as a high-profile spokeswoman for healthy eating.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
The talk show host and Obama also talked about Halloween costumes, which prompted the first lady to confide that she sometimes wears a costume of her own when she moves about in public so she doesn't attract attention.
"It's just a warm-up, cap," the first lady said before stopping herself. "Oh, I shouldn't tell my disguise!"
She also took the opportunity during Wednesday's visit to encourage viewers to exercise their right to vote.
"You don't know what will happen on Election Day," Obama said. "We're encouraging people to vote early and to use Election Day to help people get to the polls."
But despite the first lady's encouragement, Kimmel cautioned that come Election Day he might forget to cast his vote.
Michelle Obama took Kimmel's confession in stride and unveiled her president-approved solution, a skit that showed her waking up the late-night host with a bullhorn:
The Obamas have been active on the late-night circuit in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 6 election, with President Obama making recent appearances on "The Tonight Show" and "The Daily Show. "
To see more of Kimmel's interview with the first lady, check out the clip below, courtesy of ABC:


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Financial Success with a Financial Advisor
The 2009 economic situation has made it difficult to plan for the future, and to grow the assets you need to realize that future. Although there are good investments to be made, finding them requires considerable time, skill, and knowledge, as well as access to real-time financial data and other information that is available only to professionals in the financial sector. For most people, the cost of a good financial advisor is more than outweighed by the additional gains that can be realized by relying on a professional, rather than your own intuition. Choosing this advisor may not seem much easier than investing on your own, but with a little work, you can forge a relationship that will bring returns for years to come.
A financial advisor focuses primarily on helping you grow your capital while maintain a desired level of investment income. By creating a portfolio of financial products, including stocks and bonds, options and future, mutual funds, real estate investments, insurance products and annuities. They can also assist with related issues such as financial risk management, retirement and estate planning, and keeping your tax liability as low as possible. A financial planner will assess your personal risk and liability, and make sure you have the insurance coverage you require. They can help you establish a stable cash flow while generating capital for the future projects and a comfortable retirement. An advisor can also help you plan for one-time expenditures such as purchasing a second home, a boat, or other large asset.
The portfolio and plan that your advisor creates for you should be unique to your situation, goals, risk tolerance, and other personal factors. a good financial advisor will take the time to learn who you are and where you are going, rather than push a particular stock or scheme. They should be aware not only of your financial situation, but also have any necessary information about relevant non-financial information, such as a child's chronic medical needs, or having to care for an elderly relative.
Most of us have more financial goals than we can reasonably achieve; we want to retire early, own a second home, put our kids through college, and take extravagant vacations every year. A good financial advisor will offer you a number of different portfolios and plans, each allowing you to achieve some of your goals at the expense of others. For example, you may be able to ensure that your children will go to college, but not retire early as well. You may be able to retire early by forgoing the second home. Your advisor will present the pluses and minuses associated with each plan, and help you prioritize your goals and decide amongst them.
Once you and your advisor have settled on a plan, you should meet on a regular basis to monitor and adjust your portfolio and trajectory. This is especially true if you make any major life changes, such as a divorce, birth of a child, or inherit additional assets. It is vital that you have a relationship with your financial advisor that is built on trust and sound financial advice. If you cannot be honest with your advisor, you cannot expect them to be able to provide the help you need.
Financial advisors work in brokerage houses, public and private investment firms, or may own their own advising firm. Whatever the setting, they earn their keep in a number of ways. They may earn a fee from you for their services, or they may be paid a commission for selling certain financial products. A "fee-only" advisor is often more expensive than a "fee-based" advisor, who also receives commissions from brokerages and other financial institutions. However, fee-only advisors are not financially motivated to sell certain products and therefore may be better able to advocate for their clients. You should always inquire about any commissions your advisor may be receiving when considering their advice.
In the United States, there is no official training to become a "financial advisor." However, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) provides exams which allow a person to gain access to certain financial sectors and carry out certain transactions. For example, in order to act as a stock broker, a person must pass the Series 7 exam; Series 63 (state exam), passing the Series 65 or 66 Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) exams allows a person to take a fee for providing investment advice. Other exams are required to sell property and casualty insurance, and still others to sell life insurance. It is a good idea to check your advisor's credentials with your state licensure body. Your advisor should limit him or herself to those areas in which they are properly qualified.
Trying to plan for your own financial future is extremely challenging; the knowledge and skills required are substantial, the time commitment is daunting, and your moods and emotions can hinder your decision making. A financial advisor can relieve you of many of these burdens, and become your partner and advocate in achieving financial success.
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When I saw the trailer for the first time I was not that keen to watch the movie but after I watched the trailer again in the telly then I realised the beauty and attraction of the movie. The thing for sure, both Nicole and Hugh looked gorgeous in that movie. See it to believe it! For those of you out there who have not yet have the chance to watch the movie, you must grab the opportunity to watch it. It's a must-see movie!
" In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English aristocrat inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier. "
The romantic scene in the movie...
One of the character in the movie...we laughed whenever we saw his scenes - the way he pose/stand...see it yourself! He's f.i.e.r.c.e.


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|Jim Prestel
Jim Prestel was a standout two-sport athlete for Idaho from 1955-59. He played offensive and defensive tackle for the Vandal football team from 1955-59 and played in the post for the basketball team from 1955-60. He earned the basketball team's Jay Gano Award as the most inspirational player as voted by his teammates. He helped the Vandal basketball team put together a 47-40 overall record and led the football team to a 9-18-1 record. He was drafted in 1958 by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round and joined the team in 1960 to start of an eight-season NFL career. He played for the Browns, Vikings, Giants and Redskins.


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One of the most useful characteristics of options is their ability to control risk and achieve a high probability of success when trading impending earnings announcements.
Google will announce third quarter earnings after the market closes on Thursday. It does not take a conspiracy theorist to recognize that the following day, Friday, is the last day to trade October options. Given this timing, options trades can be constructed with near surgical precision to reflect the trader's hypotheses regarding the price reaction to the earnings release.
I thought it would be helpful to review some of the data that an options trader should consider prior to constructing an option trade to profit from this event and to consider some other potential trades.
First, the recent history of stock price move on earnings release must be considered. The reaction of price over the last four quarterly releases has been +8%, +7%, +2% and +3% with the two lowest numbers correlating with the two most recent earnings releases.
The second factor to consider is the information embedded in the current pricing of the options chain. The easiest way to determine the aggregate opinion of the overall option market as it relates to the expected move following the earnings release is to calculate the value of the front month at-the-money straddle discounted by roughly 15%. It is important to recognize that this value is reflective of the anticipated magnitude of the move and gives no information whatsoever on the direction.
In the case of GOOG, closing prices on Monday with GOOG trading around $740 give a value of ($19.90+20.80)*0.85 = $34.60. This equates to roughly a 5% move or a projection with a 68% probability (1 standard deviation) that the price movement will be bounded within this range.
Option positions to trade earnings can be based on two general considerations: directional or non-directional. Directional based trades can be constructed using a variety of approaches, but MUST account for the collapse of implied volatility following earnings release.
To be blunt, this means that simply buying only puts or calls in the front month series is not putting probabilities on your side. Appropriate directional constructions would include vertical spreads, butterflies, and calendars. Each of these trades either mitigates or benefits from the inevitable collapse of implied volatility immediately following the earnings release.
Playing earnings directionally is a difficult game. Recent market history is replete with unanticipated earnings misses and unforeseen earnings blow outs. For those who wish to play these announcements directionally, I feel the major value of an options approach is to control risk crisply since there will inevitably be unpredicted and unpredictable price reactions.
My preference is to use strategies that are profitable over a wide range of prices. The potential constructions in this category include iron condors and double and triple calendars. Such trades do not deliver the overwhelming returns of a correct prediction of price direction, but over a large series of trades result in a high probability of success.
The trade I would like to consider is that of a triple calendar spread. We will buy the December series options, and sell the October series with dramatically increased implied volatility as a result of the impending earnings release.
The GOOG October monthly option chain is displayed below:
The strikes highlighted above would be sold-to-open in this spread while the strikes shown below would be bought-to-open simultaneously to produce the calendar spread discussed above.
The GOOG December monthly option chain is displayed below:
Calendar spreads are usually constructed by selling the near month put or call and buying the same strike in the preceding month. In this case, note that the November options trade with substantially higher implied volatility than do the December options as a result of "bleed over" of the elevated October volatility.
The GOOG Triple Calendar P&L curve is presented below:
This trade is short term and is designed to be closed on this coming Friday (10/19/12). Note that the break even points for the trade are around $670 and $840 respectively. These break even points are outside of a double of the expected move. Based on the current implied volatility driven probabilities, this trade has an approximate 90% chance of successfully producing a profit.
This is not the elusive "free money" trade either. Since we have discussed that trade for several weeks, I think the reader gets the idea there is no such thing. Option trading success comes from constructing high probability trades and executing these trades in sufficient numbers that the statistical law of large numbers delivers the predicted success rates.
A corollary of this is not to "bet the farm" on any one trade. While we typically choose high probability trades, there is no such thing as "free money" and a low probability event cannot be allowed to curtail your trading career.
Happy Trading!
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JW Jones
This material should not be considered investment advice. J.W. Jones is not a registered investment advisor. Under no circumstances should any content from this article or the OptionsTradingSignals.com website be used or interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any type of security or commodity contract. This material is not a solicitation for a trading approach to financial markets. Any investment decisions must in all cases be made by the reader or by his or her registered investment advisor. This information is for educational purposes only.


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NASA / NOAA / Suomi VPP / VIRS / Norman Kuring
This new "Blue Marble" image of Earth was produced by the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA's most recently launched Earth-observing satellite: Suomi NPP. The composite image was assembled from image data captured from a number of swaths of Earth's surface on Jan. 4. The NPP satellite was renamed "Suomi NPP" on January 24, 2012 to honor the late Verner E. Suomi of the University of Wisconsin, who is considered the father of satellite meteorology.
NASA's "Blue Marble" image is one of the best-known high-resolution pictures of our planet. It's even included as one of the default images for Apple's iPhone. Now NASA has released a brand-new "Blue Marble 2012," based on image data from the VIIRS instrument aboard Suomi NPP, the most recently launched Earth-observing satellite.
The Suomi spacecraft was known as the NPOESS Preparatory Project, or NPP, when it was launched last October. This week it was renamed the Suomi NPP — or Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership — to honor the late Verner. E. Suomi, a professor at the University of Wisconsin who became known as the father of satellite meteorology. The $1.5 billion mission is a partnership involving NASA as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Air Force.
Suomi is the first of a new generation of satellites that will provide data for climate research as well as weather prediction. It carries five instruments on board, and the biggest and most important of the five is the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite, or VIIRS. This composite image was built up from swaths of surface image data collected on Jan. 4.
To learn more about Suomi, check out the mission's website. For a huge 8,000-by-8,000-pixel version of Blue Marble 2012, go to the NASA Goddard Photo and Video Flickr gallery. And for a daily dose of Earth imagery, including more pictures from VIIRS, click on over to NASA's Earth Observatory.


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protoU - Khmaoch (2016)
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 12 October 2016 00:02
Band: protoU
Album title: Khmaoch
Release date: 11 October 2016
Label: Cryo Chamber
This time around protoU is holding no bars. Sasha Cats has proven once and for all that she is, in fact, a dark ambient musician. Khmaoch brings the same serene drones and ASMR infused field recordings. But this time there is a definite darkness creeping up from beneath the surface. protoU has taken all the elements that made her first release work and doubled, nay, tripled them. There is a level of detail and precision here which begs the listener to come back over and over again. This time for the field recordings, listening as a story plays out in aural space. Next time for the deep and serene drone work, a perfect accompaniment to meditation or a diversion from insomnia. If there was any question before that protoU was not a perfect fit for Cryo Chamber, that can be put to rest. Khmaoch embodies all the things that a fan could ask for when it comes to dark ambient.
Read a full review HERE


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Saving Advice From Around the Web
A weekly look at personal finance tips and insights others are offering.
Next week, February 25 through March 2, is America Saves Week, an annual national campaign to promote good savings behavior. Thousands of organizations usually participate to encourage people to save more and build wealth. To get a jump-start on the week and get you to start thinking about your savings habits, I rounded up tips from personal finance bloggers on this topic.
Savings vs. Investments -- Do You Know the Difference? [MoneyCrush] "The differences between savings and investing means that it's important to know your objectives for the money, your real level of risk tolerance, and how much time you expect to have before you'll need the money."
10 Reasons Everyone Needs an Emergency Fund [SavingAdvice.com] "A lot of people depend on assets or investments to cover them in the case of an emergency, but assets and investments are not always guaranteed or readily available."
8 Excuses You Can't Use to Avoid Saving for Retirement [Mint.com] "Whatever amount you set aside today, will accumulate for when that distant tomorrow known as 'retirement' arrives."
The Most Powerful Ways to Secure Your Retirement [Get Rich Slowly] "The good news is that a few tweaks here and there can have a large collective impact -- and the sooner you begin tweaking, the better."
Choosing a Retirement Account: What's Available, and What's Best for You? [Wise Bread] "The best place to put your retirement dollars may vary from year to year and change as your retirement portfolio and other assets grow. By understanding the features of various retirement accounts, you can decide what works for you."
The Five (And Only Five) Times it Might be OK to Tap a Retirement Account [Money Under 30] "It might seem like taking money from your retirement account is an easy, even attractive, thing to do -- after all it's your money, right? But there are many pitfalls and adverse consequences for the unwary."


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Father, Daughter to walk in NLU Chicago 2013 commencement
by Mark Donahue
Commencement at NLU is a special time, as families look forward to seeing a student — a son, daughter, sister, brother or parent — walk across the stage and begin a new chapter in life. For one Chicago family this year, that excitement is going to be double.
Vince Woods, 56, and his daughter, Fallon Brooks, 29, will both participate in commencement this Saturday at the Arie Crowne Theater. It will mark the end of a journey that both have said helped them grow closer while preparing them for the future.
"I just think of the irony that I'm her dad, fifty-six, getting my bachelor's degree; she's my child, twenty-nine, getting her master's," Vince said with a laugh, adding that he's very proud of his daughter.
The journey for each to NLU was a little different. Vince saw the importance of pursuing a degree for job security and as way to advancement. He'd already gotten his associate's degree in physical education from a city college and was working as an addiction counselor — a job he did full time while pursuing his Bachelor's in Applied Behavioral Sciences at NLU.
For Fallon, who works part time as a special education aide for high schoolers in the Chicago Public Schools system, she wished to sharpen her skill set beyond her bachelor's studies with a Master's in Education in Early Childhood Administration.
Both said they truly enjoyed their NLU experience. Fallon liked the support she received from faculty and staff, and Vince gained new perspective that has helped him in understanding and communicating with his clients on the job.
"One of the things that really made sense to me at my age is taking a look at your life and, say, something you've been doing for the last forty years and see today you need to change it or take a different look at it," he said. "That was really amazing."
As working adults, both father and daughter also appreciated how their programs gave them flexibility: a full-online cohort M.Ed. for Fallon and a 15-month intensive bachelor's with Saturday classes for Vince. "Once I got in, it was just tailored to my life," he said.
Fallon began her NLU studies first in June 2011, with her father starting in January 2012 — and a new dimension in their relationship emerged, as father and daughter became peers in academics.
"We really just encouraged each other," Fallon said. "It was a lot of hard work, a lot of long nights, but we both really helped each other as best we could. I think it kind of made us grow a lot closer, too."
Vince, a father of three, agreed and said he's had a chance to connect even further with Fallon, who spent a period of time living out of state.
Now both are looking at the next step. Vince was able to turn his new bachelor's into a promotion, as a mental health professional with Human Resources Development Institute in Chicago. Fallon plans to dive back into her work in CPS classrooms, setting her sights on becoming an early childhood education site manager. Ultimately she wants to own her own childcare center.
It's much to be proud of, and a big group of family and friends will be on hand to cheer Vince and Fallon this Saturday. It will be a special feeling, Fallon said, to see her dad in his cap and gown. She couldn't contain a daughter-like giggle.
"I know I'm going to be kind of tickled," she said, "because it's like, 'Oh my god, my dad is walking across the stage.'"


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Hill, New Hampshire
|This article is a stub. Help us to expand it by contributing your knowledge. For county and town page guidelines, visit U.S. County Page Content Suggestions.
Hill is a town in Merrimack county, New Hampshire. It was formed in 1753 and has gone by the following other name/s: New Chester. Its parent county/ies is/are Grafton. For more information, contact the county at P.O. Box 251, Hill 03243. On the attached map, Hill is shown as 4 in Merrimack.
For information about the state of New Hampshire see New Hampshire Family History Research.