text:
Dr Jack's Presenter Showreel (Click The Image)
No comments yetPosted in Dr Jack on TV Radio StageSep 9, 2011
A short film describing neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis's first 3 years in television. As well as science consultancy for the Emmy award winning documentary "The Living Body" on National Geographic / Channel 4 and primetime quiz show Britain's Best Brain on Channel 5, Jack has presented several TV series. His most recent roles do not feature in this showreel, but are described briefly in italics below. This showreel features highlights from Dr Jack's broadcast output up to and including 2010:
Dr Jack co-presented a prime-time SkyOne series called Body Language Secrets (aired 2010-2011) exploring the themes of selling, attraction, winning, laughter, power, lying and money.
Jack's first big break as a presenter came with People Watchers (aired 2008), a BBC2 series exploring the quirks of social psychology via a wide variety of different hidden camera experiments set throughout London.
In his role as the Face of Faraday 2008 Dr Jack presented 4 short films which aired on Teacher's TV and were centred around the theme Technology for Life. These films were specifically created to be played during science lessons across the whole United Kingdom in an effort to encourage 12-16 year old pupils to pursue careers in STEM subjects (i.e. science, technology, engineering and maths.)
Jack hanging out with David Ginola and scenes from the modelling shoot were Naked Britain – another prime time SkyOne series that took a lighthearted look at British attitudes to nudity. Nothing to do with science, but a good opportunity to hone the old interviewing skills.
[Coming soon: Dr Jack is now the resident neuroscientist on ITV1's flagship magazine show This Morning where he presents live monthly items for the brand new "Don't Be A Slave To Your Brain" strand. Jack has also recently appeared in two Channel 4 documentaries presented respectively by Tom Dyckhoff (Secret Life of Buildings) and Tony Robinson (Superstition). THE TECH SHOW on Discovery Science is Jack's first solo presenting gig to air across multiple continents; beaming out across Europe, Africa and the Middle East throughout 2011]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Scott Nelson Art
Artwork by Scott Nelson
WWII Gallery
Dakota Kid II
Noble Peterson was born in 1915. During the thirties Noble and a friend went out to Oregon to look for work. Noble's friend got the idea of joining the army and talked Noble into it. After they took their physical however, Noble passed and now was in the army, his friend failed! Noble joined the army on Nov. 6, 1936 and was put on a ship out of San Francisco and sent to Hawaii for basic training and served in the 19th infantry. Noble served in Hawaii for two and a half years until a shoulder injury caused him to be discharged on June 20, 1939.
When the US entered the war after the Pearl Harbor attack, Noble knew he would be called up for duty so he reenlisted back in the army on March 20, 1942 at the same rank he was in prior service, a corporal. He ended up in a tank unit (11th Armor Battalion) at Ft. Knox KT training new recruits. After a time, Noble's commander put him in for Officers Training School. Not long after, however, Noble was on a weekend pass and due to no fault of his own the bus he came back on was late. The Battalion Commander really came down hard on Noble and really bawled him out. Noble didn't figure he deserved the dressing down he got so when he saw the notice about taking a test in Louisville to be a Air Corp Cadet he decided to try for it. Noble asked his Company Commander for a three day pass and when asked why, he was honest and told him, "to take the Air Corp test." The Captain said "No way." Noble decided to go anyway and used an old pass he had and this got him through the gate. Noble took the bus to Louisville and took the test with about 50 others. After they finished, the papers were taken to be corrected. After about an hour an a half an officer came in and started calling names, Nobles wasn't among them so he thought he hadn't passed but then the officer excused the ones he just called and Noble knew he had made it. Another officer came in and said you are now under the command of the Army Air Corp. Go back to your units and wait to be called. This was on a Friday.
Noble returned to the 11th Armor Battalion and by Monday morning the paperwork had reached the Commanders desk. The Major was so angry he bellered, "SEND PETERSON UP HERE". Noble went to see the Major and the Major said "What the hell are you doing?! Here I have given you a commission on a silver platter and you do this?!" The Major asked Noble why? Noble said, "To better myself sir." With this the Major really blew his top and sent Noble out. Before the day was over Noble was busted down to private and sent to the 12th Battalion.
After a couple weeks Nobles orders came through and he was sent to Nashville Tenn. for Cadet training. This was the start of Nobles service in the Army Air Corp.
Noble Peterson flew two tours of duty – the first in the "Dakota Kid", a P-51C. While at home on leave after his first tour, this plane was shot down in Poland while flown by another pilot during a "shuttle bombing" escort mission.For his second tour Noble flew a brand new P-51D, this plane was named "Dakota Kid II". The "Long Island Kid" below the exhaust refers to Noble's crew chief, Sergeant Robert Coleman, who hailed from New York. Noble belonged to the 355th Fighter Group, 358th Squadron based at Steeple Morden in Cambridgeshire, England.
On 20 July 1944 Captain Noble Peterson, flying Dakota kid, was escorting B-17's returning from a mission over Leipzig, Germany when around 20 ME-109's (Messerschmitts) attacked the bomber formation from the rear. Noble was leading the squadron in that quarter and turned the 358th into the enemy planes. Captain Perterson hit a 109 and it started going down with its engine on fire. The German formation had been broken up and were scattered. Noble climbed, going after another 109 that was darting in and out of cloud cover, when his wing man informed him that the first 109 had straightened out. Noble then dove again and as he came up on the smoking Messerschmitt, the pilot bailed out. Noble came around again and flew by the German that was now safely in his chute. Noble gave him a friendly wave and the German pilot waved back!
Noble flew 106 missions with 500 hours combat flying time.
Noble passed away on March 10, 2009
SOURCES: Personal interview with Noble Peterson, 355th Fighter Group records.
See also the Lemmon paper news article
Print measures 23″ by 18″, Limited edition signed by the Pilot and artist, 350 S/N – $40
50 Artist Proofs – $60 plus shipping Contact the artist
This entry was posted in Stories on July 29, 2013 by scott.
← Last Flight of Mrs. Blue Agony Wagon →
Walter Sharbo, P-47 Wolfpack Pilot
Dick Baron and the German pilot
More Stories on Noble Peterson
Armand Haugstad, Elmo Hanson, self sealing tanks
Ray Wicklander Navy Helldiver Pilot
Drama over Cologne | Scott Nelson Art on M C


- Installer has been replaced.
- "Help" has been shifted to the online manual.
- It has supported 64 bit version of Internet Explorer 11.
- For Internet Explorer 9 or later, the problem, where PDF file created by Easy-WebPrint EX cannot be displayed on My Image Garden, has been rectified.
- Internet Explorer 11 has been supported.
- An item name in Printing Settings has been changed.
Depending on the printing procedure, error message "A virtual printer for Easy-WebPrint EX is not installed" is displayed.
- Internet Explorer 9 has been supported.
- Only when Easy-WebPrint EX is used in Internet Explorer 9, the printer "Canon Inkjet Writer for Easy-WebPrint EX" is created. This is a virtual printer for using Easy-WebPrint EX, and does not have a printing function.
(however, it is not a "must" to replace v1.2.0 with v1.2.1.).
- The "Print & gray text clearly with black" function is added.
- Easy-WebPrint EX can be used when opening a JPEG image using a supported browser.
- A JPEG image can be inserted and edited when editing clips.
- The grid lines can be displayed when editing clips.
White streaks may appear on the print result when performing printing from map website.
- The display functions have been improved so that the display problem will not occur in Clip /Preview.
1.The browsers Easy-WebPrint EX does not support are shown below.
-Internet Explorer 6.0 or less.
-64 bit version of Internet Explorer 7 to 10.
-The browsers other than Internet Explorer (such as Firefox, etc.)When using any of these browsers, Easy-WebPrint EX can be installed, however, the functions of Easy-WebPrint EX are not available.
Install the update program [KB969897].
Switch Internet Explorer8.0 to the Compatibility View, then perform the above operation again.
If InPrivate Filtering is enabled, disable it; then, perform the above operation again.
Set the Internet Explorer link bar ON, the toolbar of Easy-WebPrint EX will be displayed properly.
Re-load the webpage where the characters are not displayed properly, then go to the Preview window.
To print the webpage, specify the print setting in Easy-WebPrint EX.
Click Accessibility in the General tab from Internet Options in Internet Explorer, then select "Ignore font styles specified on webpage."
When initially launching Easy-WebPrint EX, the message prompting to install ".Net Framework" is displayed.
In order to use Easy-WebPrint EX, ".Net Framework" is required. Install it as instructed.
Not compatible. Downgrade to Internet Explorer 7 or 8, or create the clipped data again.
Downgrade to Internet Explorer 7 or 8.
Reader(Standard Windows 8 application.), the blank page is displayed.
"Displays the list of auto clips" button is not displayed on the auto clips screen.
When "Enable Enhanced Protected Mode" is ON, "Paper Size" and "Paper Source" in the dialog of the page settings are displayed in English.
19.The software cannot be used with Microsoft Edge.


text:
Z-Ben CABG beneficiary thanks TMC Iloilo, PhilHealth
Seventy year-old Catalina Balgos of Roxas City didn't know that she has a heart condition until she was admitted in the hospital after feeling unbearable intermittent chest pains.
Balgos is the first patient partner of The Medical City (TMC) Iloilo granted with PhilHealth's Z-Benefit Package for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG).
Her daughter Emily narrated that her mother was first diagnosed with a coronary artery disease last May when they decided to bring her to the hospital after feeling discomfort in her chest.
"She started to feel chest pains last March. It became worst last June," Emily recounted.
"Every three months, she has her regular check-up. However, her heart health was disregarded. We only checked her cholesterol and blood sugar levels but we forgot her heart condition," she added.
Before they were discharged to the hospital, their doctor advised them to go to Manila to seek for a second opinion. However, they were uncertain about it as they don't have relatives there.
Apparently, a friend mentioned about TMC Iloilo offering CABG. They immediately inquired about the said service and upon confirmation, they directly went to the recommended doctor.
"We were advised by Dr. Catoto to undergo an angiogram. He said that we have to undergo CABG. However, we were worried about our finances because it was quite costly. Good thing we were recommended to apply for PhilHealth Z-Benefit Package which has become a big help to us financially," Emily noted.
Under PhilHealth Z-Benefit for CABG, the patient is entitled to a package rate of P550,000 for the entire course of treatment.
The P550,000 benefit package is the second highest benefit package being paid for by PhilHealth which covers drugs and medicines, operating room and professional fees, including mandatory and other services under PhilHealth's 'Z-Benefit' – or those illnesses perceived to be financially and medically catastrophic.
With TMC Iloilo as a Z-Benefit provider for CABG, patient partners are mandatorily provided with services such as pre-operative laboratory tests, medications, blood support, open heart surgery and continuing post-operative care, among others.
TMC Iloilo is the first hospital in Western Visayas to be accredited by PhilHealth for its Z-Benefit Package for CABG.
"We are very thankful to TMC Iloilo for making my mom the first beneficiary of the Z-Ben CABG Package," Emily noted. /TMCI
Beauty & Wellness News & Events


text:
Middlesex academics to edit prestigious Work, Employment & Society Journal
Team from Faculty of Professional and Social Sciences wins tender to be Editorial Team of WES journal for three years
A team of twelve academic staff from three departments of the Middlesex University Faculty of Professional and Social Sciences have won the tender to edit the Work, Employment and Society (WES) journal for three years beginning January 2018.
WES is a leading international peer-reviewed journal of the British Sociological Association, which publishes theoretically informed and original research on the sociology of work. Recently the journal has explored topics such as precarious work, inequality and solidarity.
Dr Elizabeth Cotton is proud the team from Middlesex has been elected to take on such an important role.
"We're delighted to take on this prestigious and exciting journal," she says.
"WES holds a progressive and interdisciplinary space for academics that is very rare and we are committed to maintaining WES' scope and standards. We take very seriously our stewardship of the journal's reputation and we're working hard to establish ourselves as a team that can build on the work of the Editorial Board."
The Middlesex University Editorial Team is committed to using their research experiences and networks to support high-quality sociological research that reflects working people's experiences.
Find out more about WES and see the guidance for authors
Read the full statement from the Middlesex University Work, Employment and Society Editorial Team
Elizabeth Cotton creates practical toolkit for NHS workers
Report finds British employers withholding billions from workers


text:
VHS Review: The Beast
July 01, 2013 Rebekah Herzberg No comments
Wizard Video is a label widely known for their lurid cover art and big boxes. Initially, The Beast was released in a standard slip case with bland cover art. As soon as Wizard Video switched to the big box format, video renters went ape shit and drooled all over the colorful boxes. If you rented horror films from the 1980s, chances are you had your grubby hands on a Wizard Video big box. However, there are only a few I would hold onto. Not all of the films released by the company are that good. DEMONIAC may be my favorite. Also, Charles Band recently 'discovered' several films in an abandoned warehouse so he is re-releasing the films (36 titles) on VHS with the Wizard Video logo. Deem me a hipster all you want, I cannot help but shudder when new comers at Texas Frightmare Weekend that are 20-years-old shout, "Oh this is so cool looking. Where can I buy a VCR to play this?" Normally, I think people are pretty hip in my book when they tell me they collect VHS but this statement rubbed me raw.
Now that I have bored you with the history of Wizard Video, lets get on with the story. So we got this named David running through the woods after an explosion and after the horrified look on his face, we can tell that he's running from something. After he finally makes it out of the woods and onto the highway, a car driven by an unseen force of evil runs over him. DON'T WORRY! David is okay. Another care with actual people in it come to his rescue. A year and a day later David is in a mental institution and undergoing electroshock-therapy. Authorities want answers but nothing seems to evoke a response. David holds onto a cross and feels it's protecting him. A reporter decides it's a slow news day and wants to cover the story, a year later. Meanwhile, these ass holes running the asylum take David's cross away from him. I understand the guy is irate but do you really have to take away his cross?
In the director's chambers, he plays a tape for the reporter that recounts the events leading up to three bodies discovered, which confuses me and you will know why later. The tape reveals that David, his bro friend, and two girls are on their way to meet a doctor at his cabin where he has made a miraculous discovery. The doctor is nowhere to be seen but a mysterious castle appears and HEY, investigating it sounds like a good idea. Who am I kidding? If I saw a castle in the middle of the woods, you bet your sweet ass I will investigate. But that's only because I know ghosts and demons do not exist. However, in film world…. This is a bad idea. On their way to the castle, they hear a creepy, sinister laugh coming from a cave. There's a lot of running in a cave with the screen pitch black. The group meets a crazy old man with a case of the giggles and he leads them to a book. While reading over the book titled "The Bible of Evil" the group enjoys a picnic and it becomes apparent to them that something EVIL is going on and there are several unholy beasts a lurking. Each of these beasts have their own symbol that will keep them away. There's the cross and the star of David. I honestly cannot remember the other symbols and I do not care. I love films that have EVEEEEEEELLLLL books with fun pictures. I wonder if Sam Raimi was inspired by the film because there are several similar characteristics.
The doctor eventually shows up and takes off running with the book then falls to his death and his body disappears. There's a cop in town that has been taunting the group and right away you can tell that something is up with this dude. My paranoia was on spot, the cop on a horse comes across one of the girls and it's hard to put his actions into words. The camera zooms in on his face while he does this weird thing with his lips and slobbers all over her. Eyeliners appears to be smudged all over his eyes as well. He might have raped her if it weren't for her cross scaring him away. It's truly one of the most bizarre scenes I have seen in a low budget monster flick.
The group comes back together in hopes of finding the doctor and answers to their puzzling questions. The castle disappears yet there seems to be an invisible dimension and humungous creatures keep coming after their souls and that book. I will not spoil the ending but it doesn't end well and as far as monster flicks go, there's more than meets the eye. The Beast isn't about a big foot chasing teenagers. It's about an unholy evil conjured up and the Devil who can make as many creatures as he wants.
The poor effects aren't too bad for its time and a budget for under $7, 000. It even paved the way for special effect artists Dave Allen and Dennis Muren's careers. I guess you have to start somewhere. Some actors are stiff and badly dubbed but it ultimately surpasses my expectations and the score is chilling! The opening credits ran a little too long but with that ominous score, it certainly set the mood. There's shaky cam work but what do you expect from a student film?
There are so many films that take an idea or two and beat it to death. The Beast had a lot of interesting ideas going for it. This isn't enough to save it from vanishing into obscurity and deemed a horrible but campy fun B-movie. A lot of heart, not enough substance.
Posted in: Movie Reviews Tags: VHS


Slicing up the bricks into wafers is a delicate operation. Each wafer is up to 15 x 15 cm2 and under a third of a mm (300 µm) thick. Modern solar cell factories use wire saws rather than the internal diameter blade saws previously used for the semiconductor industry. In fact, the semiconductor industry is now moving to the wire saw due to their superior technology.
A large industrial wire saw. The wire sawing is done on the right hand side but the bricks are not loaded yet. The left hand side holds the wire and the control circuitry.
Close up of the wires. The wires are covered with slurry and are wound around the drums. When running the drums spin at high speed and the silicon bricks are pushed down from the top. Move the mouse over the picture for a closer view. The feed wire is just visible coming in the top left of the spool.
Close up of the wire saw with the bricks loaded and ready to go.


Capsiplex PLUS is the advanced variant of Capsiplex slimming pills that have made crazy many celebrities about them with their weight loss properties and numerous positive effects over our health. Capsiplex PLUS was literally sold out in three days when was launched in US.
Capsiplex PLUS is endorsed by doctors due to its simplicity of action and natural content. Thousands of them recommend this high quality supplement to their patients.
What Makes Capsiplex PLUS Different?
You might know that low levels of serotonin released within our body leads to stress, depression, weak immune system, insomnia and stress related food craving. Many of us know that all the above cause obesity.
Balancing your biochemistry by producing proper amount of serotonin improves all these concerns.
I am proud to let you know that Capsiplex PLUS is concentrated on these problems by incorporating 5-HTP component in it and helps you enhancing your lifestyle and your health overall!
The main ingredient of Capsiplex PLUS is Capsicum extract taken from pure chili peppers. After 30 years of research Capsicum ingredient has become one of the safest weight loss solutions with added health benefits.
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) – Enhances mood by inducing the release of hormone serotonin. Serotonin is linked to better ability to cope with stress, sleep and anxiety. Also, due to better mood you are getting perfect control over carb cravings.
Bioperine - Helps you absorb 95% of the ingredients! Boosts Thermogenesis.
Niacin (Vitamin B3) – Niacin stimulates the release of energy from fats, carbs and amino acids and using them to the highest possible level. It has great value for the heart by minimizing bad cholesterol and fat levels in your blood and preventing protein from clotting.
Piperine (extracted from black pepper) – Piperine aids maximum absorption of active nutrients within the cells.
Caffeine Anhydrous – Helps in keeping the energy levels for longer. Caffeine stimulates the breakdown of lipids and the oxidation of fat.
Vitamin C - 200 mg per serving.
All the above ingredients smartly combined together make Capsiplex PLUS a powerful fat burning supplement. There is no need of any special diet or whatsoever while losing weight with Capsiplex. This great product stimulates thermogenesis process naturally.
Thermogenesis means that your body is using fat deposits for energy. You are burning fat without many efforts and gaining amazingly vital energy. Capsicum converts calories into heat instead of storing them as fat.
Thermogenesis is the way how our body utilizes energy to maintain its temperature. The more energy we use the more calories are burned. By stimulating thermogenesis you are melting away calories without the need of exercise.
All natural components (Capsicum, Bioperine, Niacin, Caffeine and Piperine) in Capsiplex 5-HTP Pro are blended in one significantly strong formula for increasing Thermogenesis.
Capsimax Plus blend induces oxygen intake which makes you burn carbohydrates and fat better. It is also aiding faster recovery after exercise.
Fat burner - 278 more calories burned out!
Helps you lose up to 4lbs in your first week.
Any Side Effects of Capsiplex Plus?
There are no stimulants or fillers in it at all. It's 100% natural which makes it so desirable and favored by all those women and men who are aiming for successful fat loss result without harm.
Many of us experienced the burning sensation of chilies. This advanced formula solved the problem by coating the capsules with outer coat. So you can enjoy the effectiveness of capsaicinoids without being afraid of stomach irritation or uncomfortable fiery burning in your mouth.
You might ask me: How does affect my sleep? No problem! The energy you are getting comes naturally.
The only thing about Capsiplex is that it is not suitable for vegetarians and vegans due to the presence of gelatin in it.
Note: Avoid taking weight loss pills during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
For any unanswered questions you might have, visit Capsiplex FAQs.
Simply take one red pill and one blue pill per day preferably in the morning before breakfast. Don't forget to drink water which helps in any weight loss program.
For those of you who are into workingout Capsiplex PLUS provides you with great exercise expenditures when taken 30 minutes before your workout session.
Live chat service available for your questions!
A month supply is $69.23 (£42.99).
Variety choices of discounts offered for you depending on your needs and desire to solve your weight loss issues once and forever.
Order 3 months supply of Capsiplex PLUS and get 1 for free - the most reasonable package that provides you with value.
Get 50% off by adding Capsiplex appetite suppressant to your order. Boost your weight loss!
The manufacturers provide 24/7 customers support.


Shoot Squeaky Dude an email using the form below. I'll read whatever you have to say (questions, comments, feedback, whateverssss).
If you want to send us something funny, please use our humor submission page.
Minneapolis, Minnesota Entertainment and Minnesota Jokes for Minnesotans and the Rest of the Funny World!
Send Squeaky Some Other Minnesota Fun to Put Here.


text:
Q: Need to unload (re-initialise) a previously existing Howl (Howlerjs) every time a new array is passed I'm using howlerjs (https://github.com/goldfire/howler.js) to play sequentially a random array of 12 mp3 files.
I need to reinitialise the howl each time the new array is passed every time I run my randomise() function.
There's a unload() method but I'm unable to make it work.
Could anyone please help?
Here's the code:
// Constants
// Multidimensional array with all (unique) filenames in their columns
const fileName = [
  ["a01", "b01", "c01", "d01", "e01", "f01"],
  ["a02", "b02", "c02", "d02", "e02", "f02"],
  ["a03", "b03", "c03", "d03", "e03", "f03"],
  ["a04", "b04", "c04", "d04", "e04", "f04"],
  ["a05", "b05", "c05", "d05", "e05", "f05"],
  ["a06", "b06", "c06", "d06", "e06", "f06"],
  ["a07", "b07", "c07", "d07", "e07", "f07"],
  ["a08", "b08", "c08", "d08", "e08", "f08"],
  ["a09", "b09", "c09", "d09", "e09", "f09"],
  ["a10", "b10", "c10", "d10", "e10", "f10"],
  ["a11", "b11", "c11", "d11", "e11", "f11"],
  ["a12", "b12", "c12", "d12", "e12", "f12"]
];

// Variables
let randomSelection = [];
let sequence = [];

// Functions
// Randomise array
function randomise() {
  sequence = fileName.map(option => {
    const random = Math.floor(Math.random() * 6);
    return option[random];
  });
  randomSelection = sequence.map(createURL);
  function createURL(fileName) {
    return `assets/audacity/${fileName}.mp3`;
  }
  defineSong();
  console.log(randomSelection);
}

function createSequence(bars) {
  let allHowls = [];
  for (var i = 0; i <= bars; i++) {
    let howl = new Howl({
      src: [randomSelection[i]],
      loop: false
    });
    allHowls.push(howl);
  }
  return allHowls;
}

function defineSong() {
  let isPlaying = false;
  let soundFiles = [];
  if (soundFiles.length) {
    soundFiles.forEach(sound => {
      sound.unload();
    });
  }
  soundFiles = createSequence(12);
  // using var because let isn't in scope
  for (var i = 0; i < soundFiles.length - 1; ++i) {
    soundFiles[i].on(
      "end",
      (function(i) {
        return function() {
          soundFiles[i + 1].play();
        };
      })(i)
    );
  }
  soundFiles[i].on("end", function() {
    isPlaying = false;
  });
  handlers(isPlaying, soundFiles);
}

// Event Listeners
// Grid play event
$(".bar").on("click", function() {
  let id = this.id;
  let barPath = `assets/music/${id}.mp3`;
  let bar = new Audio(barPath);
  bar.play();
});

// Randomise event
$("#btn-randomise").on("click", randomise);

// Play & Pause event
function handlers(playing, soundFiles) {
  let playButton = $("#play-minuetto"),
    pauseButton = $("#pause-button");
  playButton.on("click", function() {
    if (!playing) {
      isPlaying = true;
      soundFiles[0].play();
    }
  });
  pauseButton.on("click", function() {
    if (playing) {
      isPlaying = false;
      soundFiles[0].stop();
    }
  });

}

// Calls randomise() on load to have a valid array in case
// playSong() is called from the page before randomising
randomise();

$(window).on("load", defineSong);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
← Faith leaders speak
Amendment is a tossup – get thee to a polling place →
Vote yes thrashing
Posted on November 5, 2006 by David
Activist groups trying to salvage Ballot Question #1 are clinging to the State Board of Elections "explanation" (actually authored by active amendment proponent, Attorney General Bob McDonnell) like a slowly deflating raft.
Prominent Virginia Republicans and real conservatives like J. Harvie Wilkinson III have dispelled the notion that the amendment is a conservative project, and a press release from an impressive group of faith leaders from every part of Virginia, representing a broad range of mainline denominations, has blown apart the fallacy that there is a single religious position on marriage and other unions.
Having no arguments left, the Some Families Foundation and their supporters have now rested their entire campaign on the dishonest use of this SBE document. They are doing this across the board, beginning with Delegate Bob Marshall trying to create the impression that the SBE explanation and Attorney General advisory opinion will be binding on courts (when Marshall was asked directly during his October 26 debate with Bruce Roemmelt whether he was making a definitive statement that a court would be bound by those documents, he refused to answer). This identical talking point is appearing in letters to the editor; see for instance this offering by Loudoun quasi-professional gay-basher Pat Grigsby, in which she claims that the amendment will not disrupt legal arrangements or change existing law, adding that "(w)hen you go to the polls on November 7th, you will find that the voting information prepared by the Board of Elections, a solidly nonpartisan institution, confirms exactly what I have written."
Exposure of this document's history can be found in the comments section here, and also on this blog here, here, here…heck, just search for "McDonnell."
Now the activist group formed to campaign for the amendment has managed to annoy the State Board of Elections itself. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
In a radio ad, a newspaper column and a news release, the organization has claimed that the State Board of Elections has said that all contract rights will continue to be available to unmarried people.
Jean R. Jensen, secretary of the State Board of Elections, said the board has made no such claim.
She continues,
"The State Board of Elections neither supports, opposes, nor has any authority or responsibility for the content of proposed constitutional amendments or their official explanations."
Jensen also told the Daily Press:
"We have never had an organization take the information that we just publish and turn it into us taking some sort of position."
In a letter last week, Jensen asked va4marriage.org to stop referencing the elections board. The group refused.
The radio ad that the SBE objects to says in part:
"According to the State Board of Elections and the Attorney General, all those rights will continue to be available to all unmarried people."
My question is this: Since the proponents of the amendment clearly find the SBE explanation vital to their campaign, how can they at the same time claim that it's neutral? If it's an expression of their position on the amendment – which they clearly think it is – that must mean that it was written in violation of the requirement that it not contain statements by either proponents or opponents of the amendment.
Somebody has some 'splainin to do.
This entry was posted in Commentary and tagged Conservatism, Faith, GOP, Marshall-Newman Amendment, Pants on Fire, VA "Family" Foundation. Bookmark the permalink.
2 Responses to Vote yes thrashing
Rick Sincere says:
By refusing to change the false claims in its radio ads about the State Board of Elections' position on Ballot Question #1, va4marriage.org threatens the integrity of the Board and undermines the trust the voting public must have in the SBE's capacity for neutrality among parties, candidates, and ballot measures.
Victoria Cobb knows that the language in the SBE brochure is the result of a legislative mandate. She should be ashamed of herself. I thought that Christians believe it is a sin to tell a lie.
Pingback: Equality Loudoun » Contradictions to ponder


text:
Home Personal Finance 4 in 5 Households Will Get a Tax Cut in 2018
4 in 5 Households Will Get a Tax Cut in 2018
Posted by Jackie Cohen on Dec 22nd, 2017 · 0 Comment
Four out of five U.S. households will get a tax cut as a result of the legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law today.
About 15% of households will pay the same amount of taxes that they do under the current law, and 5% would pay more.
Meanwhile, the law also includes a partial repeal of Obamacare by taking away the penalty for not having health insurance. However, this change comes after open enrollment for 2018 coverage already ended with participation rates almost as high as they were last year.
The average household stands to pay about $1,600 less in taxes, a reduction of just over 2%, as a result of the Tax and Jobs Act — according to an analysis by the Tax Policy Center (TPC) of the Brookings Institution.
TPC also found that middle-income taxpayers — described as the middle quintile in the chart above — would pay about $900 less than they do under current law, amounting to a 1.6% reduction in after-tax earnings. However, about 90% of this segment will actually have a tax cut.
Unfortunately, the bottom 20% of the population would see less than half a percentage reduction in their taxes. And 45% of the lowest income households would see no change in their taxes.
Stark Contrast
Yet this is a stark contrast to what the wealthy get: The biggest percentage tax cut is going to households making $308,000 to $733,000 annually. Households making even more than that would enjoy an average tax cut of roughly $50,000 or 3.4% of their after-tax income.
And those in the top 0.1%, who will make $3.4 million or more next year, would get an average tax cut of about $190,000, or 2.7% of their after-tax income.
Apparently a lot of the changes result from one big change the tax code: the doubling of the standard deduction to just over $12,000 — fewer people are expected to itemize their expenses as a result.
More Changes
The new law also:
Reduces tax rates for those who file as single
Ends the personal exemption
Expands the child tax credit
Alters the way the tax code is adjusted for inflation, which TPC says would slowly increase taxes on all households.
Most of the tax cuts expire after 2025, and by 2027, all but the top 1% of earners would return to paying the same taxes they did before the law changed — at that point average tax cut would fall to about $160.
Temporary Cuts
Making the cuts temporary is expected to help minimize the effect the law will have on the federal deficit — and that in turn can send up interest rates. From 2018 to 2027, the deficit is expected to go up by $186 billion from 2018 to 2027, and then decline $415 billion from 2028 to 2037.
One of the biggest concerns about the legislation, ironically, may be that in order to meet its intended goal of simplifying taxes, things might get more complicated. Sole proprietors are one group that might find tax returns more challenging to figure out.
Fortunately, computerized tax software can take the bite out of the complexity but as it stands the vast length of the new law would seem to suggest that it might be difficult for tax preparers and individual filers alike to digest the changes in time for the next tax filing season.
At the very least, this is one tax year when it will be in your best interest to seek help from an accountant rather than try to do your own taxes.
Are you concerned about all the changes to the tax code, readers?
Tags:IRS · law · Legislation · taxes
About Jackie Cohen
View all posts by Jackie Cohen →


These instructions show you how I attach a Lego wheel like this to a motor like this (We call these motors Sanyo copies, because are all similar to the first ones of this type that we saw which were made by Sanyo). Warning: before you go any further, I use a lathe to make the part, so if you don't have a lathe it's going to be very difficult to replicate my technique. Many roboteers just glue their wheels on.
1: Here's a typical Sanyo copy. It's best to get one that rotates at about 300rpm at the voltage that you're going to run it at for (in my opinion) the best balance of speed with control).
2: Here's what to do in reverse order (!) with everything attached.
3: A different angle. The wheel is known as a "Black Tire 30.4 x 14 Offset Tread" and bricklink.com is an excellent way to buy small quantities of spare Lego parts at reasonable prices.
4: Just the wheel this time. In later versions of this design I use a grub screw, which seems to be better at getting very tight: Allen keys let you apply more torque than a Philips screwdriver will.
5: Another angle. I cut the wheel with two slots using a junior hacksaw and then just wiggle the resultant piece of plastic until it breaks off. I then drill a 2mm hole into the plastic and mark the steel collar, so I know where to drill my 1.5mm hole into it later.
6: Finally the collar that does most of the work. I make these on my lathe. External diameter 5mm to fit inside the wheel, inside diameter 3mm to fit over the motor shaft.
I then drill a 1.5mm hole and tap an M2 thread.
I used to machine these out of aluminium but they were too soft and the thread used to strip, so these days I use M8 steel bolts and machine them down.
Also note that Lego and Sanyo are trademarks of their respective owners. This site has no affiliation to either Sanyo or Lego.


Keep up with the latest news and information from the HBA.
The HBA publishes HBA Newsline every other month. The latest issue and a small archive of past issues are included here; all issues are available through the HBA office.


Our series, My Favorite Resource, features interviews with our court ADR friends across the country to learn about their favorite resource. This month, Resource Center Director Nicole Wilmet spoke with Renee Salmon, Legal Assistant for the Minnesota Judicial Branch Alternative Dispute Resolution Program to learn about her favorite resource.
NW: What is one of your favorite ADR resources?
RS: My favorite resource is the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts website www.afccnet.org.
NW: Why do you value this particular resource?
The links are almost always up-to-date and relevant. The resources contained on this site involve primarily family law ADR. It is a centralized place to go for guidelines, best practices, news and updates in ADR nationwide.
You do not have to be a member in order to access the links and resources on this site.
The resources on this website are applicable and relevant for both the public and ADR professionals.
NW: How did you first learn about resource?
RS: I can't remember exactly. I believe I stumbled upon it while researching ADR online. I was already familiar with the association, but was not aware of the vast amounts of helpful resources and articles posted on its site.
NW: For those unfamiliar with this resource, what is one part of this resource that you wouldn't want someone to miss?
RS: The tab on the top of the site called "Resource Center". You will find relevant and up-to-date practice guidelines and standards and resources for both ADR professionals and families in one spot. I have this site in my favorites to refer to when gaining understanding all the flavors of ADR processes used in family law nationwide.
If you have a favorite resource you would like to share, please reach out to our Resource Center Director and Court ADR Connection Editor, Nicole Wilmet at nwilmet@aboutrsi.org!
This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 4th, 2018 at 8:00 am	and is filed under Fun Stuff, My Favorite Resource. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
Q: Recreate/find a Joomla/Community Builder 'Latest Users' module. Dates in MySQL/Joomla When Joomla first sprung up and I moved over from Mambo I remember finding a component called Community Builder (CB) that extends the user-based interface behind Joomla.
I remember a small module I found in CB that displayed a couple of useful details about users that I want to be able to extract from my current project. These details included:

*

*Total users registered

*Total users registered per day

*Total users registered per week

*Total users registered per month

*Latest user registered

*Total visitors to the site

My question is how to recreate something very similar. I've been trying to construct an SQL statement that can manipulate the user table results and compare them to a set criteria eg. find all user's with a 'registerDate' variable within the last week.
The problem that has me lost is how to manipulate and compare a date string that resembles '2008-08-05 07:41:40'

A:
The problem that has me lost is how to manipulate and compare a date string that resembles '2008-08-05 07:41:40'

You can have MySQL turn this into a UNIX timestamp, or you can run it through strtotime.
MySQL:
SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(datetime_field) FROM table

strtotime:
$timestamp = strtotime('2008-08-05 07:41:40');


Career Development matters to society.
We envision a future in which individuals can access meaningful career services throughout their lifespan. We are committed to creating inspiring content, training practitioners, and improving services in a modern way.
What is Modern Career Learning?
Learning is at the core of successful career development with clients.
Modern Career Learning embraces the dynamic mix between Why, What, How, and Where clients learn. It celebrates that there is more than one way to learn. For you to have success with your clients, this mix needs to inform the objectives of a client service, design of career development content, methods used by a career practitioner, and the multi-modal learning environment you blend together.
Knowledge and skills to help you bring Modern Career Learning to life.


Terri Lynn Nicol, 61, of Solon, died Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, at the Solon Nursing Care Center. Celebration of Life Services were held Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Solon United Methodist Church, with burial following in Oakland Cemetery. Visitation was Tuesday, Oct. 24, at Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre in Solon.
Terri was born March 2, 1956, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of William C. and Patricia L. (Hughes) Stodola. She graduated from Cedar Rapids Washington High School, class of 1974. Terri received an Associate's Degree in Neuro Diagnostics from Kirkwood College and a Massage Therapy Degree from Carlson College of Massage Therapy. She was united in marriage to Scott Nicol on March 25, 1997, in Hawaii. Terri worked as a Electro-Neuro Diagnostic Technologist in West Palm Beach, Florida, a Pharmacy Tech for a number of pharmacies, and as a vision/hearing screener with Grant Wood Area Education. She was the owner and operator of Main Street Massage in Solon for many years. Terri was a member of the American Massage Therapy Association and the Solon United Methodist Church. She enjoyed home decorating, her dogs, traveling, hiking, snow skiing, boating, bicycling and most of all spending time with her family.
Terri is survived by her husband, Scott; her sons Luke Poeschl of Iowa City and Tony (Lisa) Nicol of Solon and Shari Miller of Mount Vernon; her father Bill of Johnston; grandchildren Nicolas (Amanda) Thorp, Emilee Miller, Matthew Miller, Makiah Miller, Payton Nicol, Sophie Nicol; two great-grandchildren Kellen Thorp and Reece Thorp; her brother Mike (Kathy) Stodola of Johnston; as well as her nephews Eric, Marc and Scot Stodola.
She was preceded in death by her mother and her grandparents.
Memorials may be directed to either Solon United Methodist Church, Solon Retirement Village or the Alzheimer's Association.


SunTrust Banks, Inc. today reported net income available to common shareholders for the first quarter of 2008 of $283.6 million, or $0.81 per average common diluted share, compared to $513.9 million, or $1.44 per average common diluted share, in the first quarter of 2007. Growth in the balance sheet and core business revenues coupled with disciplined expense management were more than offset by increased credit costs associated with the continued deterioration in the housing market, as well as net mark-to-market valuation losses related to certain asset-backed securities. Positively impacting the quarter were gains from the Company's interest in Visa, Inc. ("Visa") and prior decisions to sell its remaining interest in Lighthouse Investment Partners and certain bank-owned real estate.
"Growth in credit costs associated with the residential real estate correction continued to take a toll in the first quarter; further, the backdrop of emerging recession fears clouds the near-term outlook. However, SunTrust is financially strong, with ample liquidity, adequate capital, and a solid balance sheet, and we are effectively managing through this difficult economic environment. Perhaps most importantly, we are encouraged by underlying progress in key business lines, good deposit and some modest loan growth, and the positive impact of improved expense discipline. Given the success we are achieving in our E2 Efficiency and Productivity program, we have increased our 2008 savings estimate to $500 million, up $150 million from our previous estimate. Economic uncertainty notwithstanding, we remain confident in the validity of our strategies, our execution of those strategies, and the growth potential within our existing businesses and markets," said James M. Wells III, President and Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust.
As the deterioration of residential real estate markets continued in the first quarter of 2008, the Company increased its provision for loan losses to $560 million, increasing the ratio of allowance to total loans outstanding to 1.25% as of March 31, 2008. Annualized net charge-offs for the quarter of 0.97% of average loans were principally related to loans secured by residential real estate. The increase in the allowance for loan and lease losses was also attributable to an increase in expected losses in the existing residential mortgage, home equity lines of credit, and residential construction portfolios.
During the quarter, the Company also recognized approximately $163.7 million in net valuation losses. The losses pertained primarily to mark-to- market valuation adjustments on trading assets and loan warehouses, as well as certain asset-backed securities that are classified as available for sale, net of gains on the Company's public debt carried at fair value and related hedges. The unrealized loss on certain available for sale securities was recognized through earnings, as the assets were deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired, thus triggering an accounting recognition of the losses. The after- tax earnings impact of the net valuation losses was $101.5 million, or $0.29 per diluted common share. Through sales, maturities and pay downs, the Company has reduced its exposure to these distressed assets by over $1.0 billion since the end of 2007, leaving the quarter-end exposure at approximately $1.6 billion. The Company continues to actively evaluate its holdings of these specific securities with an objective of continuing to lower its exposure to such assets.
quarter of 2007 primarily due to higher provision for loan losses.
decline in net interest income.
certain bank-owned branches and office buildings.
not for $35.9 million in higher credit-related expenses.
conjunction with the settlement of certain tax positions.
by growth in NOW and money market account balances.
capital ratio target of 7.5%.
consumer credit, particularly in residential real estate secured loans.
and residential real estate construction loans.
Fully taxable-equivalent revenue was $2,225.3 million for the first quarter of 2008, an increase of 7.6% compared to the first quarter of 2007, driven by gains from the Company's interest in Visa, gains on the sale of certain non-strategic assets, and double digit growth in many of the fee- related core business products. These gains more than offset a slight decline in net interest income and net mark-to-market valuation losses.
Fully taxable-equivalent net interest income was $1,167.8 million in the first quarter of 2008, a decrease of 1.7% from the first quarter of 2007, despite a five basis point improvement in margin, as earning assets declined 4.1% due to a reduction in interest earning trading assets. Both the increase in margin and the decrease in interest earning trading assets were a result of balance sheet management strategies. On a sequential quarter basis, net interest margin was down six basis points. The decline was driven by the impact of benchmark interest rate reductions on earning asset yields that exceeded reductions in rates paid on interest-bearing deposits.
During the quarter, the Company also recorded approximately $287 million in market valuation losses related primarily to investments in asset-backed securities that were acquired in late 2007 and other trading and securitization activities. These losses were recorded primarily in trading account profits and commissions, which declined $62.0 million, or 68.7%, from first quarter of 2007 and also included approximately $240 million of valuation gains recorded on the Company's publicly-traded debt net of associated hedges carried at fair value. In the first quarter of 2007, trading account profit and commissions income included $81.0 million in market valuation gains related to trading assets and liabilities and related hedges that the Company elected to record at fair value. Underlying growth in trading account profit and commissions income in the first quarter of 2008 as compared to the first quarter of 2007 was due to increased core client activity, primarily in derivative sales. Securities gains/losses in the first quarter of 2008 included $64.1 million in market value impairment related primarily to certain asset-backed securities that were classified as available for sale and estimated to be other-than-temporarily impaired at quarter end, triggering accounting recognition of the unrealized loss in current period earnings.
Mortgage production income was $85.5 million in the first quarter of 2008 compared to a loss of $8.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. The increase was due to higher margins on current mortgage production, as well as certain changes in accounting methodologies. Specifically, application of Staff Accounting Bulletin 109 (SAB 109) accelerated the recognition of servicing value to the date of the interest rate lock commitment in 2008, and in connection with the Company's second quarter of 2007 election to record at fair value certain newly-originated mortgage loans held for sale, the recognition of loan fees were accelerated in 2008 to the date of closing. The first quarter of 2008 included $52.6 million in market value declines in mortgages held for sale, while the first quarter of 2007 included $42.2 million of income reductions related to the Company's adoption of the fair value accounting standards and $26.6 million of losses related to Alt-A loan valuations.
In the first quarter of 2008, the Company experienced strong growth in the following noninterest income categories: service charges on deposit accounts increased 12.1%, retail investment services increased 13.8%, card fees increased 14.9%, and investment banking income increased 10.5%. Trust and investment management income decreased 7.6% compared to the first quarter of 2007, which reflects the sale of Lighthouse Investment Partners on January 2, 2008. The first quarter of 2007 results included a $32.3 million gain on sale upon merger of Lighthouse Partners.
Total noninterest expense in the first quarter of 2008 was $1,255.1 million, up $19.1 million, or 1.5%, from the first quarter of 2007 and down $200.2 million, or 13.8%, on a sequential quarter basis as the Company recognized the benefits of its cost savings from the E2 Efficiency and Productivity program. Personnel expenses in the first quarter of 2008 increased $16.1 million, or 2.3%, from the same period in 2007; however, personnel expenses would have declined if not for a $34.5 million impact related to loan origination costs that were deferred prior to the Company's election to record at fair value certain newly-originated mortgage loans held for sale. Total personnel declined from 33,397 as of March 31, 2007 to 31,745 as of March 31, 2008. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, personnel expense increased $32.3 million, or 4.7%, primarily due to the seasonal increase in Company paid payroll taxes and 401(k) matching contributions. Other expenses included in the first quarter of 2008 included an $11.7 million net cost of early retirement of debt and a $35.9 million increase in credit- related expenses such as collection services, valuation losses on other real estate owned, and mortgage fraud related losses. The first quarter of 2008 also included a $39.1 million reversal of a portion of the accrued liability associated with Visa litigation for which the Company recorded $76.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2007.
As of March 31, 2008, SunTrust had total assets of $179.0 billion. Shareholders' equity of $18.4 billion as of March 31, 2008, represented 10.3% of total assets. Book value per common share was $51.26 as of March 31, 2008.
Average loans for the first quarter of 2008 were $123.3 billion, up $1.7 billion, or 1.4%, from the first quarter of 2007. The increase was primarily in commercial loans, as average residential real estate and consumer loans declined as a result of balance sheet management strategies, while construction declined due to slowing residential building activity and Company efforts to reduce exposure. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, average loans were up $2.2 billion, or 7.2%, on a sequential annualized basis, primarily driven by commercial loan growth.
Average consumer and commercial deposits for the first quarter of 2008 were $101.2 billion, up 3.5% from the first quarter of 2007, as increases in NOW and money market deposits were partially offset by declines in demand deposit and savings account balances. Average total brokered and foreign deposits declined 42.1% from the first quarter of 2007, as the Company strategically reduced the size of its earning assets, thereby enabling the reduction of these higher cost funding sources and substantially improving the Company's liquidity position.
On a sequential annualized basis, average consumer and commercial deposits increased 6.1% from the fourth quarter of 2007, driven by growth in NOW and money market account balances as a result of marketing campaigns and customers' increased preference for the safety of insured deposit products. This growth offset declines in demand and savings deposit balances.
The estimated Tier 1 capital, total average shareholders' equity to total average assets, and tangible equity to tangible asset ratios at March 31, 2008, were 7.25%, 10.21%, and 6.53%, respectively. Tier 1 capital decreased 35 basis points compared to March 31, 2007, while the total average shareholders' equity to total average assets and tangible equity to tangible asset ratios increased 45 and 56 basis points, respectively. Compared to December 31, 2007, Tier 1 capital increased 32 basis points due to the issuance of Tier 1 qualifying enhanced trust preferred securities which primarily replaced securities retired in the third and fourth quarters of 2007. The Company's regulatory capital ratios are in excess of the regulatory requirements for well capitalized status. The Company maintains its established Tier 1 capital ratio target of 7.5%.
The Company's current Tier 1 capital level does not include the benefit of the equity value of its common stock holdings in The Coca-Cola Company ("Coke"), as SunTrust does not receive regulatory credit for the equity value of this position. As SunTrust has stated, the Company anticipates completing transactions related to this position in the second quarter of 2008 which will generate approximately $1 billion of Tier 1 capital or approximately 65 basis points of capital. The process that the Company embarked upon in 2007 is designed to result in a regulatory capital benefit from the holdings. In addition, as SunTrust management has indicated, this process is entirely focused on increasing the capital efficiency of this position and does not relate to SunTrust's view of the current value of the Coke stock, nor its positive view of the long-term prospects of the company.
Annualized net charge-offs in the first quarter of 2008 were 0.97% of average loans, up from 0.21% in the first quarter of 2007 and 0.55% in the fourth quarter of 2007. Net charge-offs were $297.2 million in the first quarter of 2008, as compared to $62.9 million in the first quarter of 2007 and $168.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2007. The increase in net charge-offs over the first quarter of 2007 reflects deterioration in consumer credit, particularly in residential real estate secured loans. The increase in net charge-offs in 2008 was most pronounced in home equity and residential mortgages.
Nonperforming loans were $2,068.7 million, or 1.67%, of total loans, as of March 31, 2008, compared to $1,460.3 million, or 1.19%, of total loans, as of December 31, 2007, and $665.1 million, or 0.57%, of total loans, as of March 31, 2007. The increase in nonperforming loans was mainly due to an increase in residential mortgage and real estate construction loans as the overall weakening of the housing markets and economy continued to increase delinquencies.
The allowance for loan and lease losses increased $262.8 million from December 31, 2007, to $1,545.3 million as of March 31, 2008. The increase in the allowance for loan and lease losses was attributable to the deterioration in certain segments of the consumer and residential real estate market, and contributed to the $203.2 million increase in provision for loan losses compared to the fourth quarter of 2007. The allowance for loan and lease losses as of March 31, 2008, represented 1.25% of period-end total loans compared to 1.05% as of December 31, 2007. The allowance for loan and lease losses as of March 31, 2008 represented 75% of period-end nonperforming loans of which over 63% were mortgages secured by residential real estate.
The following discussion details results for SunTrust's four business lines: Retail and Commercial Banking, Wholesale Banking, Mortgage, and Wealth and Investment Management. All revenue is reported on a fully taxable-equivalent basis. Previously, the Company had five business segments. The segment reporting structure was adjusted to align with the recently modified organizational structure that better aligns with serving clients' needs. For the lines of business, results include net interest income which is computed using matched-maturity funds transfer pricing. Further, provision for loan losses is represented by net charge-offs.
SunTrust also reports results for Corporate Other and Treasury, which includes the Treasury department as well as the residual expense associated with operational and support expense allocations. This segment also includes differences created between internal management accounting practices and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, certain matched-maturity funds transfer pricing credits and charges, differences in provision expense compared to net charge-offs, as well as equity and its related impact.
Retail and Commercial Banking net income for the first quarter of 2008 was $96.7 million, a decrease of $107.3 million, or 52.6%, compared to the first quarter of 2007. This decrease was primarily the result of higher provision expense due to home equity related charge-offs, lower net interest income driven by a continued shift in deposit mix and decreased spreads, partially offset by higher noninterest income driven by an increase in service charges on deposits.
Net interest income decreased $81.0 million, or 11.4%, mainly driven by the continued shift in deposit mix and decreased spreads as deposit competition and the interest rate environment encouraged customers to migrate into higher yielding interest-bearing deposits. Average loan balances declined $1.0 billion, or 1.9%, with the movement of Middle Market clients to the Wholesale Banking segment decreasing loans by approximately $2.0 billion. Remaining loan growth was driven by commercial loans and equity lines.
Provision for loan losses increased $129.1 million over the same period in 2007. The provision increase was most pronounced in home equity lines and loans reflecting the negative impact from the current deterioration in certain segments of the consumer portfolio, primarily related to the residential real estate market.
Total noninterest income increased $25.7 million, or 8.8%, from the first quarter of 2007. This increase was driven primarily by an $18.9 million, or 11.4%, increase in service charges on deposits related to both consumer and business accounts.
Total noninterest expense declined $13.2 million, or 2.1%, from the first quarter of 2007 with the transfer of the Middle Market business to Wholesale Banking being responsible for $5.5 million of the decline. The remainder of the decline reflects the continuing impact of expense savings initiatives, offset primarily by investments in the branch distribution network.
Wholesale Banking reported net income of $86.2 million for the first quarter of 2008, a decrease of $6.3 million, or 6.8%, compared to the first quarter of 2007. An increase in net income due to the movement of Middle Market clients into Wholesale Banking was offset by lower net interest income and higher provision for loan losses.
Net interest income decreased $5.7 million, or 4.0%. Average loan balances increased $3.1 billion, or 10.5%, while the corresponding net interest income was virtually unchanged due to a decline in the higher spread residential builder portfolio and increased levels of real estate related nonaccrual loans. The increase in average loan balances includes an approximate $2.0 billion impact from the migration of Middle Market balances to Wholesale Banking. The remainder of Wholesale Banking's loan growth of approximately $1.2 billion, or 4.0%, was despite a $1.9 billion structured asset sale of corporate loans in the first quarter of 2007. The additional loan growth was driven by corporate banking, partially offset by declining loan balances in the residential builder portfolio. Total average deposits were up $3.7 billion, or 79.2%; however, net interest income decreased $3.2 million. Higher cost corporate money market balances increased $3.1 billion while the resulting net interest income increased $1.8 million. Interest income from demand deposits was down $4.6 million due to slightly lower balances and the impact of the lower rate environment on the value of these deposits.
Provision for loan losses was $12.3 million, an increase of $9.5 million from the same period in 2007, driven primarily by higher residential builder related charge-offs.
Total noninterest income increased $4.8 million, or 2.8%. The migration of Middle Market clients into Wholesale Banking accounted for $4.4 million of the growth while the remaining Wholesale Banking increased $0.4 million, or 0.2%. Solid performances in fixed income sales and trading, derivatives, bond originations, structured leasing, and equity capital markets were offset, in part, by lower revenues from securitization and loan syndications, as well as lower income related to the structured asset sale in the first quarter of 2007.
Total noninterest expense increased $8.9 million, or 4.7%. Expense associated with Middle Market relationship management accounted for $5.6 million, or over 60% of the noninterest expense increase. The remaining $3.4 million was driven by higher incentive-based compensation expenses primarily related to increased fixed income and equity sales and trading revenue, increased Affordable Housing related expenses, and higher outside processing costs.
Mortgage reported a net loss of $31.4 million for the first quarter of 2008, a decrease in income of $38.3 million compared to the first quarter of 2007. The decrease resulted from higher credit related costs that were partially offset by the impact of adopting new accounting standards and by higher margins in secondary marketing in the first quarter of 2008.
Net interest income for the first quarter increased $0.9 million, or 0.7%, due to higher income from mortgage loans held for sale, mortgage backed securities and deposits offset by lower income on loans held for investment and increased funding cost of nonearning assets. Total average loans, principally residential mortgage and residential construction loans, decreased $0.4 billion, or 1.2%. The decline in average loans was partially due to the Company's balance sheet management strategies that included the transfer of $4.1 billion of portfolio loans to loans held for sale at the end of first quarter 2007. The effect of the transfer has been substantially offset by new loan originations. Lower loan portfolio balances, declining spreads, and increased nonaccrual loans resulted in lower loan-related net interest income of $15.4 million. Average nonearning assets increased $0.7 billion over the first quarter of 2007. Funding of these assets lowered net interest income by $6.7 million. Average loans held for sale declined $4.3 billion, or 43.4%. However, higher spreads increased net interest income by $14.6 million. Additionally, average investment securities, which were up $3.6 billion, contributed $8.7 million to net interest income, and deposits, which were up $0.3 billion, contributed $1.2 million to net interest income.
Provision for loan losses increased $88.0 million, driven by higher residential mortgage and residential construction charge-offs.
Total noninterest income increased $93.6 million. This increase was driven by the adoption of new accounting standards, which impacted the timing of recognizing origination fees and servicing value and improved secondary marketing margins. The increases were partially offset by valuation adjustments on loans held for sale and lower servicing income. Loan production of $11.7 billion was down $3.1 billion, or 20.9%; however, mortgage production income was up $104.4 million. In 2007, income was reduced by $42.2 million resulting from the adoption of SFAS 157. Additionally, loan fees increased $32.9 million in the first quarter of 2008 due to the recognition of loan fees that were previously deferred prior to the May 2007 fair value election under SFAS 159 for certain newly-originated loans. Newly adopted accounting standards related to the recognition of loan servicing value at the time of interest rate lock commitment in the first quarter of 2008 contributed $18.3 million to production income during the quarter. Servicing income declined $6.0 million, principally due to higher MSR amortization that was only partially offset by higher fees resulting from an increased servicing portfolio. Total loans serviced at March 31, 2008 were $155.5 billion, up 12.1% from March 31, 2007. Noninterest income was also impacted by $8.5 million of net securities losses related to market value impairment on asset-backed securities deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired.
Total noninterest expense increased $67.9 million, or 44.6%. Drivers of the increase were higher loan origination costs, higher operating losses and increased credit costs related to collections and other real estate. Loan origination expense was up $37.0 million due to recognition of loan origination costs on certain newly originated mortgage loans that were previously deferred. Operating losses recorded in the first quarter of 2008 were higher due to loan application fraud from customer misstatements of income or assets primarily on Alt-A products originated in prior periods.
Wealth and Investment Management's net income for the first quarter of 2008 was $104.2 million, an increase of $36.2 million, or 53.1%, compared to the first quarter of 2007. The increase was driven by approximately $33 million of incremental net income generated by the sale of the Company's investment in Lighthouse Partners. In the first quarter of 2007, the Company's investment in Lighthouse Partners generated $22.4 million of net income, which included a $20.1 million after-tax gain resulting from the gain on sale upon merger of Lighthouse Partners into Lighthouse Investment Partners, the entity that was serving as the sub-advisor to the Lighthouse funds. This transaction resulted in the Company maintaining a 24.9% minority interest in the combined entity. In the first quarter 2008, SunTrust recorded a $55.4 million after tax gain on the merger of Lighthouse Investment Partners with HFA Holdings, an Australian fund manager, in exchange for the Company's 24.9% minority interest in the firm. Additional increases in net income primarily resulted from lower noninterest expense and higher retail investment and trust income, offset by lower net interest income primarily from deposits.
Net interest income decreased $10.2 million, or 11.3%, primarily due to a continued shift in deposit mix to higher cost deposits. Average deposits were practically unchanged as declines in demand deposit and certain money market accounts were offset by increases in higher-cost NOW accounts and time deposits. This shift in deposit mix coupled with compressed spreads due to increased competition for deposits resulted in a $7.9 million decrease in net interest income. Average loans decreased $306.1 million, or 3.7%, reducing net interest income $0.4 million. The decline in average loans was driven by lower consumer and commercial real estate balances.
Provision for loan losses increased $4.1 million primarily due to higher home equity, personal credit line and consumer mortgage net charge-offs.
Total noninterest income increased $45.7 million, or 16.0%, compared to the first quarter of 2007 driven by $39.0 million of incremental revenue from the sale of the Company's Lighthouse Partners investment. Retail investment income increased $7.7 million, or 12.4%, due to strong annuity sales and higher recurring managed account fees. Trust income, excluding Lighthouse Partners, increased $4.3 million, or 2.7%. As of March 31, 2008, assets under management were approximately $140.4 billion compared to $137.2 billion as of March 31, 2007. Assets under management include individually managed assets, the Ridgeworth Funds, institutional assets managed by Ridgeworth Capital Management, and participant-directed retirement accounts as of March 31, 2008. SunTrust's total assets under advisement were approximately $248.3 billion, which includes $140.4 billion in assets under management, $63.9 billion in non-managed trust assets, $39.3 billion in retail brokerage assets, and $4.7 billion in non-managed corporate trust assets.
Total noninterest expense decreased $25.4 million, or 9.5%, driven by lower salaries, discretionary expense, and allocated overhead and operations costs, as well as lower structural expense resulting from the sale of Lighthouse Partners.
Corporate Other and Treasury's net income for the first quarter of 2008 was $34.7 million, a decrease of $115.1 million, or 76.8%, compared to the first quarter of 2007 driven by an increased provision for loan losses and securities losses. This decreases was partially offset by an increase in net interest income due to favorable net gains on hedges, an increase in noninterest income due to a gain on the Visa initial public offering, gains from the sale/leaseback of corporate real estate properties, and a decrease in noninterest expenses due to the reversal of a portion of the accrued liability associated with the Visa litigation.
Net interest income in the first quarter of 2008 increased $75.6 million, or 66.1%, over the same period in 2007 mainly due to interest rate hedging activities and an increase in net interest income due to balance sheet management strategies executed in the second quarter of last year. These strategies improved the yield on the securities portfolio and delevered the balance sheet, thereby reducing reliance on higher-cost wholesale funding. Total average assets decreased $8.4 billion, or 26.7%, mainly due to the reduction in size of the investment portfolio. Total average deposits decreased $11.6 billion, or 42.8%, mainly due to a decrease in brokered and foreign deposits, as the Company reduced its reliance on wholesale funding sources.
Provision for loan losses, which predominantly represents the difference between consolidated provision for loan losses and net charge-offs for the lines of business, increased $272.9 million in conjunction with an increase in the allowance for loan losses due to the further deterioration in the residential real estate market and consumer credit quality.
Total noninterest income increased $8.8 million, or 9.4%, in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007. In the first quarter of 2008, the Company recognized approximately $240 million of valuation gains recorded on the Company's publicly traded debt carried at fair value. The Company also realized an $86.3 million gain from the Visa initial public offering and $37.0 million gain from the sale/leaseback of real estate properties. These gains were offset by securities gains/losses in the first quarter of 2008 which included $55.6 million in market value impairment related primarily to certain asset-backed securities that were classified as available for sale and estimated to be other-than-temporarily impaired, triggering accounting recognition of the unrealized loss in current period earnings. There were also an additional $239 million in trading losses in the first quarter of 2008 versus a $74.3 million gain in the first quarter of 2007. These mark-downs reflect the lack of liquidity in the market for these securities and deterioration in the credit quality of some of the underlying assets.
Total noninterest expense decreased $19.1 million compared to the first quarter of 2007. The decrease in expenses was mainly due to a $39.1 million reversal of a portion of the accrued liability associated with the Visa litigation. This decrease was partially offset by the recognition of $11.7 million of net cost related to the early retirement of debt and an increase of $9.8 million in advertising cost related to the "My Cause" advertisement campaign.
Investors are encouraged to review the foregoing summary and discussion of SunTrust's earnings and financial condition in conjunction with the detailed financial tables and information which SunTrust has also published today and SunTrust's forthcoming quarterly report on Form 10-Q. Detailed financial tables and other information are also available on the Company's Web site at www.suntrust.com in the Investor Relations section located under "About SunTrust". This information is also included in a current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC today.
This news release contains certain non-US GAAP financial measures to describe the Company's performance. The reconciliation of those measures to the most directly comparable US GAAP financial measures, and the reasons why SunTrust believes such financial measures may be useful to investors, can be found in the financial information contained in the appendices of this news release.
SunTrust management will host a conference call on April 22, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the earnings results and business trends. Individuals are encouraged to call in beginning at 7:45 a.m. (Eastern Time) by dialing 1-888-972-7805 (Passcode: 1Q08). Individuals calling from outside the United States should dial 1-517-308-9091 (Passcode: 1Q08). A replay of the call will be available beginning April 22, 2008, and ending May 6, 2008, by dialing 1-800-333-1859 (domestic) or 1-402-220-0205 (international).
Alternatively, individuals may listen to the live webcast of the presentation by visiting the SunTrust Web site at www.suntrust.com. The webcast will be hosted under "Investor Relations" located under "About SunTrust" or may be accessed directly from the SunTrust home page by clicking on the earnings-related link, "1st Quarter Earnings Release." Beginning the afternoon of April 22, 2008, listeners may access an archived version of the webcast in the "Webcasts and Presentations" subsection found under "Investor Relations." This webcast will be archived and available for one year. A link to the Investor Relations page is also found in the footer of the SunTrust home page.
SunTrust Banks, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation's largest banking organizations, serving a broad range of consumer, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. The Company operates an extensive branch and ATM network throughout the high-growth Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states and a full array of technology-based, 24-hour delivery channels. The Company also serves customers in selected markets nationally. Its primary businesses include deposit, credit, trust and investment services. Through various subsidiaries the Company provides credit cards, mortgage banking, insurance, brokerage, equipment leasing and capital markets services. SunTrust's Internet address is www.suntrust.com.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Statements that do not describe historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements often include the words "may," "could," "will," "should," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "initiatives," "targets," "potentially," "probably," "projects," "outlook" or similar expressions. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of SunTrust's management, and on information currently available to management, and speak as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on such statements. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause SunTrust's results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the Company's 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K, in the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in the Current Reports filed on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at the Securities and Exchange Commission's internet site (http://www.sec.gov/). Those factors include: (1) adverse changes in general business or economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations; (2) changes in market interest rates or capital markets could adversely affect our revenues and expenses, the value of assets and obligations, costs of capital, or liquidity; (3) the fiscal and monetary policies of the federal government and its agencies could have a material adverse effect on our earnings; (4) changes in securities markets or markets for commercial or residential real estate could harm our revenues and profitability; (5) customers could pursue alternatives to bank deposits, causing us to lose a relatively inexpensive source of funding; (6) customers may decide not to use banks to complete their financial transactions, which could affect net income; (7) we have businesses other than banking, which subjects us to a variety of risks; (8) hurricanes and other natural disasters may adversely affect loan portfolios and operations and increase the cost of doing business; (9) negative public opinion could damage our reputation and adversely impact our business; (10) we rely on other companies for key components of our business infrastructure; (11) we rely on our systems, employees and certain counterparties, and certain failures could materially adversely affect our operations; (12) we depend on the accuracy and completeness of information about clients and counterparties; (13) regulation by federal and state agencies could adversely affect our business, revenues, and profit margins; (14) competition in the financial services industry is intense and could result in losing business or reducing profit margins; (15) future legislation could harm our competitive position; (16) maintaining or increasing market share depends on market acceptance and regulatory approval of new products and services; (17) our ability to receive dividends from our subsidiaries accounts for most of our revenues and could affect our liquidity and ability to pay dividends; (18) significant legal actions could subject us to substantial uninsured liabilities; (19) we have in the past and may in the future pursue acquisitions, which could affect costs and from which we may not be able to realize anticipated benefits; (20) we depend on the expertise of key personnel without whom our operations may suffer; (21) we may be unable to hire or retain additional qualified personnel and recruiting and compensation costs may increase as a result of turnover, both of which may increase costs and reduce profitability and may adversely impact our ability to implement our business strategy; (22) our accounting policies and methods are key to how we report financial condition and results of operations, and may require management to make estimates about matters that are uncertain; (23) changes in our accounting policies or in accounting standards could materially affect how we report our financial results and condition; (24) our stock price can be volatile; (25) our disclosure controls and procedures may fail to prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud; (26) our trading assets and financial instruments carried at fair value expose the Company to certain market risks; (27) weakness in residential property values and mortgage loan markets could adversely affect us; (28) we may be required to repurchase mortgage loans or indemnify mortgage loan purchasers as a result of breaches of representations and warranties, borrower fraud, or certain borrower defaults, which could harm our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition; and (29) we may enter into transactions with off-balance sheet entities affiliated with SunTrust or its subsidiaries which may cause us to recognize current or future losses.
The forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of this date, and SunTrust does not assume any obligation to update such statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those contained in such statements.
FTE basis plus noninterest income.
ratios are estimated as of the earnings release date.
increase tax-exempt interest income to a taxable-equivalent basis.


text:
Posted in Rumor Killers
Daily News Roundup: April 15, 2009
Author: TGRStaff Published Date: 04/15/2009
Today at the wonderful TGR…
Why Dialogue Trees Stink
TGR's Jeffrey Matulef says dialogue trees are not the coolest new thing in video games, and he tells us why.
PC Alliance Loses Blizzard, Gains SecuRom.
This is not a good deal for the PCGA.
No MotionPlus Support Coming to Old Wii Games
Nintendo has announced they have no plans to include the device in older games.
In other news around the information superhighway…
Crash Bandicoot is Back!
Crash Bandicoot was a serious staple for Sony when they released the original PlayStation. Since then, he has starred in numerous games and on numerous platforms. Although lately, he hasn't been the legendary icon that he once was. But now he is now back on top, thanks to the iPhone.
Apple announced that Crash Bandicoot: Nitro Kart is the most popular paid-for video game on their iPhone and iPod Touch. The game is currently at $5.99, and that doesn't seem to be a problem for the popular kart game on the platform as Crash's face sits on the very top of the list.
iPhone scaring Sony and Nintendo?
Trip Hawkins, founder of Digital Chocolate and original founder of Electronic Arts, thinks the iPhone is scaring Nintendo and Sony, according to VentureBeat.
Hawkins claims the iPhone is "freaking out" the major companies. He went on to say the iPhone and the iPod Touch have sold 30 million, and Apple only has one half of one percent in the total market.
Sony and Nintendo may not be freaking out just yet, but based on that, the companies have to be at least looking at Apple as a serious competitor.
Killzone 2 DLC Release Date Announced
We all found out last week that Killzone 2's DLC will be a multiplayer map pack, and it would be due out soon. Well, following up on the announcement, Sony has announced the release date for Killzone 2.
Killzone 2's DLC, Steel and Titanium map pack, will be released on April 30th on PSN. The maps are called Wasteland Bullet and Vesta Cruiser, and Sony also released a couple of videos showing off the new DLC.
For more on the DLC and videos, check out Blend Games.
Banjo Tooie Release Date Announced
We all played the Nintendo 64, and we all played Banjo Tooie. The sequel to Banjo Kazooie was quite a game, and now, it is being re-released for Xbox Live Arcade.
Rare has confirmed today that the updated game will be released on XBLA on April 29th, and has an updated frame rate among other things. TGR will keep you updated with more details as they arrive.
Final Fantasy XIII Gameplay Leaked
There has been a lot of talk in the Final Fantasy world for the last couple of years, and Final Fantasy XIII always seems to make the conversation. I know a lot of you are excited about this game and tired of waiting. But while you are waiting, you should probably check out the new videos of some of the game's footage.
The game footage was leaked in Japan, and has already made the internet. The videos include what looks like the first boss, random battles, and some character dialogue.
If you want to check out the videos, you can see them over at Computer and Video Games official website.
David Reeves retires from Sony Europe
David Reeves, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president, CEO, and co-COO announced his retirement today. Andrew House, CMO and group executive, will be taking the helm and take his place sometime this month.
David Reeves has been at Sony since 1995 and in the UK office since 1999. He then became COO for SCEE in 2003, and CEO in 2005.
Although, there have been rumors of Reeves taking a Senior role at Realtime Worlds in the future, there has been no official word yet.
Author: TGRStaff
Our hard(ly?) working team of inhouse writers and editors; and some orphaned articles are associated with this user.
← Rhythm Heaven Video Game Review
Making Gaming Gayer →


text:
KSmarty
KSmarty's love of music started with his mother sending him to piano lessons at a very young age which he enjoyed only to a certain extent as he preferred to play by ear rather than learning to read the music. As a result he has a keen ear for picking up sound and reproducing which has led him to be able to play other instruments by ear eg rhythm and bass guitars.
In his teenage years, KSmarty formed a band with a few friends, practicing in one of homes but never performed live until many, many years later playing keyboards and singing in a one off performance in 2012.
Being the youngest sibling, KSmarty's music influences came from his brother and sister and this was mainly Reggae Roots and culture from the car stereo and also Lovers Rock. Eventually he would use their stereo with turntable and start building his own record collection.
KSmarty started work in the 1980s, started building in his own stereo at home for personal use and began to get bookings to play at events. After years of borrowing equipment, his brother-in-law gave him a tensai amplifier and, with a few friends, they went into his garage and built their own speaker boxes. That was the start of his Intruder sound system in the early 1990s, which played at anniversaries, parties, weddings and other events around the North West London area, culminating in a successful self promoted Fancy Dress Ball in 2013.
KSmarty spent many years listening to live sound system clash events, working with and assisting other sound systems. Their use of vinyl records gave him an opportunity to appreciate music he had heard years before from the 1960s and 1970s - real 'Rusty Dusty' reggae music. However, as he is used to playing music at many corporate functions, he has a wide range in his collection, capable of satisfying any audience and these you may hear in his Four Seasons shows.
KSmarty is still operating the full sound system today.


Main Global The State of Our Union Is ______ ?
Trump is expected to stand in the House chamber and boast about the state of the US economy. Unfortunately, Joshua has been bullied in school due to his last name. That's because Trump likely will describe his time in office as, in the words of White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday, "two of the most successful years under a first-term president".
Joshua Trump was one of 17 people invited by United States president Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, to attend the event on Tuesday.
Chatter about the possibility of some dramatic announcement during the speech went into high gear earlier in the week, after Trump - using his preferred communication form of insinuation - told CBS on Sunday that he doesn't "like to take things off the table" and "you know, there have been plenty national emergencies called".
Just two days later, Trump signed a bill to bring a (temporary) end to the 35-day shutdown, and the following week, Pelosi extended an invitation for Trump to address Congress on February 5. Despite the shutdown, the USA economy added a robust 304,000 jobs in January, marking 100 straight months of job growth.
That means a "unity" speech would not be a simple declaration that the opposition party needs to come around to the president's way of thinking about everything from the economy to immigration to national security and foreign policy. If he builds his State of the Union around the wall, he will be building it around an issue with little constituency outside the most pro-Trump factions of the Republican party. Trump may also preview plans to hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Johnson and Charles will be two of the 13 guests Trump invited to the State of the Union, and each of them represent one of Trump's talking points and issues. One that is expected to be announced is a new initiative aimed at ending transmissions of HIV by 2030. "He will be asking for bipartisan support to make that happen, " said White House counselor Kellyanne Conway.
The student from DE, who is not related to the president, made news past year after his parents described how other children would chant his surname on the school bus.


Wai Wai Nu is a former political prisoner and the co-founder of Justice for Women. She is also the founder and director of the Women Peace Network Arakan.
She spent seven years as a political prisoner in Burma because of her father's pro-democracy political activism. Since her release from prison in 2012, Wai Wai has dedicated herself to working for democracy and human rights, particularly on behalf of marginalized women and members of her own ethnic group, the minority Rohingya population. She is the co-founder of Justice for Women and the founder and director of the Women Peace Network Arakan. Since joining the Bush Institute's Liberty and Leadership Forum as a member of the inaugural class, Wai Wai has been named to BBC's list of Top 100 Women (2014), featured in international media, and invited to the White House and the U.S. Congress, and named a top 100 global thinker by Foreign Policy Magazine (2015).


text:
Q: repository for Node on a central server How to make Own repository for node package Manager to be used globally within an organisation to avoid security risks, just like we configure repo for maven

A: Check this out: https://github.com/rlidwka/sinopia
Sinopia is a private npm you can create.
I´ve used this module for private repositories and it´s very simple to install. You must configure each client to publish modules to this server. The docs will guide you.
Has support to docker.


Full-cover visibility and upward slanted shelves draw customers in for the latest stories. The frame and shelf fronts are constructed from 3/4" solid oak. Shelves feature dividers to keep items neat and tidy, but are removable to give you the freedom to display a wide range of materials. All racks are predrilled for easy wall mounting with included hardware. All 49"H units can also be used as floor displays by adding the Floor Stand (sold separately).


text:
from allauth.socialaccount.tests import OAuthTestsMixin
from allauth.tests import MockedResponse, TestCase

from .provider import BitbucketProvider

class BitbucketTests(OAuthTestsMixin, TestCase):
    provider_id = BitbucketProvider.id

    def get_mocked_response(self):
        # FIXME: Replace with actual/complete Bitbucket response
        return [MockedResponse(200, r"""
[{"active": true, "email": "raymond.penners@example.com", "primary": true},
 {"active": true, "email": "raymond.penners@example.org", "primary": false}
]
        """),
                MockedResponse(200, r"""
{"repositories": [],
 "user": {"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar.jpg",
           "display_name": "pennersr",
           "first_name": "",
           "is_team": false,
           "last_name": "",
           "resource_uri": "/1.0/users/pennersr",
           "username": "pennersr"}}
 """)]  # noqa

    def test_login(self):
        account = super(BitbucketTests, self).test_login()
        bb_account = account.get_provider_account()
        self.assertEqual(bb_account.get_username(),
                         'pennersr')
        self.assertEqual(bb_account.get_avatar_url(),
                         'https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar.jpg')
        self.assertEqual(bb_account.get_profile_url(),
                         'http://bitbucket.org/pennersr')

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


With its unique story line and great characterization, When Death Draws Near is an intriguing read! Although this is the third Gwen Marcey novel, it is my first time to enjoy Carrie Stuart Parks' storytelling. Drawing from her own expertise, Parks adds exceptional detail to the narrative, and I found the elements of forensic art to be fascinating. Gwen Marcey is a strong character, and I enjoyed her snarky sense of humor and the way she uses it to help lighten the mood of the darker situations she finds herself in. The suspense of this story kept me guessing, and I look forward to reading more Gwen Marcey novels!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own. Click here to read what other bloggers are saying about When Death Draws Near.


text:
Home Andrew Robinson
Program Associate, Leadership and Engagement
Andrew Robinson joined the GWSB Advising Team in August 2018 as a senior academic advisor and now serves as a program associate for Leadership and Engagement. Andrew received his M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine from Boston University and his B.A. in Chinese from Hamilton College — the only other school he is aware of with buff and blue colors and a Continental Soldier mascot. Prior to joining the Advising Team, Andrew worked in career services, clinical mental health, and as a teacher at an international school in Shanghai. Andrew grew up nearby in Baltimore and is, unsurprisingly, passionate about both Old Bay and the TV show The Wire. In his free time, Andrew enjoys running, baking, photography, and spending time with his two dogs, Obi and Arya.


text:
Berkley es una ciudad ubicada en el condado de Oakland en el estado estadounidense de Míchigan. En el Censo de 2010 tenía una población de 14970 habitantes y una densidad poblacional de 2.210,31 personas por km².

Geografía
Berkley se encuentra ubicada en las coordenadas . Según la Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos, Berkley tiene una superficie total de 6.77 km², de la cual 6.77 km² corresponden a tierra firme y (0%) 0 km² es agua.

Demografía
Según el censo de 2010, había 14970 personas residiendo en Berkley. La densidad de población era de 2.210,31 hab./km². De los 14970 habitantes, Berkley estaba compuesto por el 93.25% blancos, el 3.03% eran afroamericanos, el 0.26% eran amerindios, el 1.31% eran asiáticos, el 0.09% eran isleños del Pacífico, el 0.27% eran de otras razas y el 1.8% pertenecían a dos o más razas. Del total de la población el 1.84% eran hispanos o latinos de cualquier raza.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Ciudades de Míchigan
Localidades del condado de Oakland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I'm working on the Tempus games for Button Shy.
And I have a lot of ideas for Plutocracy, Comic Auction, Vanilla, and some new games.
Plus I have to work, and maybe sleep.
My anniversary is coming up. So that should be a nice break from the chaos.


LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska's game with Akron has been cancelled and the Huskers will open the 2018 against Colorado next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Any adjustments to the 2018 football schedule will be announced at a later date.
Nebraska Communications said ticket holders are encouraged to hold on to their tickets from Saturday's game.
Prior to that Fox Sports reported the game would be postponed to Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and that it would be televised on FS1. We now know that report was incorrect.
Nebraska's football game with Akron was suspended at 7:15 p.m. following the opening kickoff due to lightning. The game was continuously delayed due to further lightning sightings.
Any lightning strike within eight miles initiates a 30-minute delay. That clock starts over with every strike inside the eight-mile halo.
"I'm sticking around until they play Purple Rain"