THE FINAL CHAPTERS: WHERE THE HECK IS THE FUNNY FARM?
ALL of my life, I have heard I belong on the "Funny Farm". Here I was thinking everyone thought I was really funny---turns out they really think I am slightly crazy. GUILTY!
During many of my conversations while here in Ruston, there has been a common thread---Life Is NOT Easy! If you think you have a corner on the market of hard and pain---you don't come close. It is a level playing field loaded with players. All of us have our struggles, problems, and kick you in the gut life occurrences. There are many in the same boat--in fact--I don't know how the boat stays afloat! I have never seen anyone who does not have some sort of struggle in life. Not struggling today---wait until tomorrow---it will come.
One other thing I have noticed---in the midst of the most serious conversation--one filled with anguish, disappointment, or grief---somehow we always managed to laugh. And in the midst of tears---we found a thread of hope with our laughter. We always remembered the sweet times--times filled with joy and laughter and the dark somehow lightened with our chuckles.
When I found this lyric, I thought it summed up precisely what I am trying to say. God has given us this marvelous gift of laughter to remind us of the joy of life. What better balm for pain, anger, and dismay than remembering the good, the silly, and the ridiculous. As long as I am able to laugh, I know there is a promise for a brighter day.
I may belong on the funny farm--but there are worse things! I am thankful for God's marvelous gift of laughter and pray I am abundantly blessed with it all the days of my life.
I really don't understand people with a sense of humour. Laughing and joking about everything. I have always been serious and taken things with the sadness and desolate state that the world is in.
For example, the other day a friend of mine was very depressed. Suicidal even. He wanted to go to the library and I drove him there. He asked the librarian for a book on "How to commit suicide". The librarian refused him, because he would not return the book. Isn't this sad?
The first guy orders another shot of tequila. The bartender shakes his head. "You're really aquite the joker when you're drunk, Superman." Sad, isn't it?
I think I was born sad. No sooner did I join this world that the nurse slapped me on the backside. And I hadn't done anything wrong yet. She then saw my face and slapped my dad!!!
I had a very sad childhood. Nothing to joke and laugh at. I was a disappointment to my parents, as I could not do anything well. I was bad at sports and could not swim. We lived by the sea and my dad used to take me out on a boat, lower me gently in the water, and teach me to swim to shore. Somehow, I always got to the shore before the sharks.
I used to play with my parents and siblings hide-and-seek. I used to lean against a tree and count to 100 whilst they hid. I then turned round and searched for them all over Europe.
Often, when I returned home from school I found that my parents had moved house.
In reality, Lulu, life is very sad and there's so little to laugh about. I remember once, on a crowded elevator, someone broke wind. That is so wrong on many levels.
OH, Victor, I managed to keep a straight face until the elevator! Still laughing, Funny Friend!
Wet here!! Inside I am high and dry!
I so look forward to Victor's comments!!


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Visitability
Basic Access to Homes
About Visitability
Examples from 100% Visitable Habitat for Humanity Neighborhood
Traditional Neighborhood Design: Four Solutions
Segregated Townhouses vs. Integrated Townhouses
Quick Guide: Low Costs of Visitability
Visitability Costs Affirmed
Policy Strategies
Is Visitability Legal?
NCIL Testimony: Support of the Inclusive Home Design Act
Responses to Opposition
History: Concrete Change
About Concrete Change
NCIL
Meet the Founder: Eleanor Smith
Eleanor Smith
An Interview with Eleanor Smith of Concrete Change
From the Jan./Feb. 2003 Issue of The Ragged Edge Magazine
"One day in 1986 I was driving around in Atlanta, Georgia, my home city, and I passed through a large development of new homes," says Eleanor Smith, founder of Concrete Change and the U.S. visitability movement. "As always, these homes had steps at every entrance." But on that day, for some reason, Smith found herself looking at the houses differently. "I thought, 'These homes could have all had access!'
"I had driven past inaccessible houses thousands of times since my disability came about at age three, and I had paid the price of this lack of access when I could not go to friends' parties, when I suffered from being unable to use the bathroom when visiting other people's homes." Smith had had great difficulty finding an apartment or home she could rent as well.
Smith thought about it over the next few months, she says, and came to realize that "widespread change in housing construction depended on identifying and publicizing the very few construction barriers that create the most harm: lack of a zero-step entrance, narrow interior doors, and lack of access to a bathroom."
Smith credits her involvement in ADAPT for her epiphany. "Without participating in ADAPT –a lift on every new bus — I would have never had the epiphany of 'a zero-step entrance on every new house.'"
Like the organizer she is, Smith had found a way to name the problem in simple terms that others could understand. "I joined with several other local people with disabilities and we named our organization 'Concrete Change.'"
At the time they weren't using the term "visitability" but simply referring to it as "basic access." She learned of the word from a Japanese architect, a wheelchair user, who told her that in Europe activist had a term for the concept she was espousing: "visitability."
"I was immediately excited about this term," she says. "It automatically makes people think 'every house,' not 'special houses.
"Back then, it was generally taken as an unexamined given that only people who are currently disabled need access features in their homes," she explains. "Any term that shifted that assumption was valuable."
"It defies logic to build new homes that block people out when it's so easy and cheap to build new homes that let people in," says Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D.-Ill.), chief sponsor of the bill in Congress.
Why the bill? "It is currently legal for the U. S government to fund new, totally inaccessible townhouses and single-family homes," Smith explains. "HUD, FEMA, the VA, and other federal agencies do that every day." She calls the move toward federal legislation a "leap forward, a significant leap — because it will get far more people talking and thinking about the idea."
Can visitability become a political, activist movement? It already is. Although advocates have been getting visitability laws passed since the 1990s, in the past year, hundreds of stories about the concept have appeared in the media. Visitability legislation has moved onto the agendas of an increasing number of communities.
Colleagues at a universal design conference a few years ago were told to "watch Eleanor." It seems to have been good advice. Smith, though, ever the organizer, credits others with the growth of the concept — especially the Disability Rights Action Coalition on Housing, or DRACH, a national group that organizes disability advocates nationwide to push not only the national legislation but local efforts as well.
But the strength of the movement, she believes, has been the idea itself. "It is so self-evident that the consequences of the lack of access for people with mobility impairments are so severe — it's not a matter of inconvenience; it's a matter of humiliation, bladder infection. When you see how dire the consequences are, and you see how easy it is to create new houses that don't have these major barriers, then it becomes really ridiculous and outrageous that the barriers continue to be built into new homes."
The key, she says, is that unlike the shift of money from nursing home to in-home services, visitability does not take money from any industry. "Visitability simply does not cost a lot of money." In houses built on concrete slabs, achieving visitability can cost $100 or less per house, says Smith. Houses with crawl spaces can achieve visitability for $500 per house.
But no new idea goes unchallenged. Opponents insist the cost can often be much higher. They also argue the right of private property owners to be free of "government interference." (They forget that fire, plumbing and electric codes that homebuilders routinely follow are also "government interference.")
Smith says the consequences of not building visitable homes "will really will come home to rest" on society in the near future.
"When I see opponents spouting patently incorrect cost data, using the very worst-case scenarios, I think to myself, 'you know, you guys are never going to be rich enough to not live with the consequences of what you're trying to effect here. Only the mega-wealthy or Christopher Reeve can afford to travel constantly with three people to carry them up steps.'
"They're thinking, 'Oh, it won't happen to me,' or 'Oh, I have the money to redo my own house.' Maybe. But not their son's house, not the house of the person they've played poker with for the last three decades. Then what?"
An opponent of a visitability bill in Georgia told Smith "he really couldn't support it. Then, over the summer, his dad had a stroke. The next year he said, 'I see things quite differently now.'" He'd had trouble when his dad came home in getting him up the steps and through the doors. "All it took in his case," said Smith, "was coming home."
Visitability.org is hosted by the National Council on Independent Living and collects resources and information about visitability.
Copyright © 2019 · National Council on Independent Living · Site developement by KH Creative

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Legislature update: antifreeze, equal pay, prescription drugs and more
The Wyoming Legislature took a number of actions on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Here is a round-up of some of Wednesday's activity:
The Senate passed a bill on second reading that amends the sampling requirements for enforcing petroleum and antifreeze standards. The amended language would authorize the periodic collection of samples, but would not mandate yearly sampling as the law currently requires. It adds language to authorize the sampling of petroleum, engine fuel and antifreeze from refinery pipelines, storage and transport tanks as well as intermediate facilities. This would be an addition to the existing language, which specifies taking samples from storage tanks directly used for retail supply. The House previously passed the bill on third reading in January. House Bill 9 can be viewed here.
Governor Mark Gordon signed a bill increasing the maximum fine and imprisonment sentencing guidelines for employers found to be in willful violation of equal pay law. The maximum fine is now $500, increased from $200. The maximum prison sentence is now six months, up from 180 days. House Bill 71 can be viewed here.
The House received a bill for concurrence that increases the annual decal fee for electric and hybrid cars. The bill stipulates that the decal "include the bucking horse and rider emblem". The fee for a plug in electric car decal would increase from $50 to $200. The fee for a hybrid vehicle would be set at $100. If signed, the bill would go into effect July 1. The House and Senate both passed the bill on third reading, but due to Senate amendments to the bill, the House must hold a concurrence vote. House Bill 166 can be viewed here.
The House passed a bill on first reading that would require health care practicioners who prescribe controlled substances to receive continuing training every two years. The bill would also require such prescriptions to be recorded electronically. Practicioners would also be required to search a patients prescription history before issuing new prescriptions. The Senate passed the bill on third reading in January. Senate Floor bill 47 can be viewed here.
All legislative action can be found at the State of Wyoming 65th Legislature website.


Whalers (and other) stuff for sale!
HIGHLIGHTS In 1995 Darren Turcotte records his 300th career NHL point (an assist) vs the New York Rangers. In 1995 Geoff Sanderson records his 100th career NHL assist vs the New York Rangers. In 1995 Mark Janssens plays his 200th career Whalers game, recording an assist vs the New York Rangers.


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2023 Market Outlook
By: John Weitzer, CFA, SVP and Chief Investment Officer
and First Command's Investment Management Team
January 12, 2023 | 18 min. read
A Year in Review.
The Market Outlook is our annual tradition of reflecting on the year just ended and sharing our expectations for economic growth and the performance of financial markets for the year ahead.
As the following snapshot of recent history shows, we have encountered a wide array of environments over the last few years:
Indeed, through a broader lens, in just 5 years we have experienced:
An old normal, characterized by low unemployment, inflation, interest rates, and growth;
A global pandemic and economic shutdown; and,
The thawing of a frozen world, punctuated by a temporary surge in growth, along with a durable rise in inflation and interest rates.
Today, we are attempting to again establish some sense of normalcy in this post-pandemic world, although finding that equilibrium will take time. The cure for the pandemic prescribed by policymakers included an explosion in money supply vis-à-vis massive deficit spending by fiscal authorities, and balance sheet expansion by central banks that almost certainly helped avert a global economic calamity. The cure was not without side effects, however; the most obvious of which has been a surge in prices.
Much of this inflation is still symptomatic of the pandemic itself. While dislocated supply chains have continued to normalize, other economic sectors have been slower to adjust. Wages, for example, remain elevated given a still tight employment landscape, and shelter costs are only now beginning to slow after several years of historic appreciation in housing prices. This has pressed previously accommodative monetary authorities to tighten the money supply by raising interest rates at a nearly unprecedented pace. And that, in turn, has pressured financial assets, including both stocks and bonds, which we will discuss in later sections.
Comments on Our 2022 Estimates
Writing this section of our annual outlook is extremely humbling. Approaching the markets with respect and a spirit of humility has always been prudent, and therefore is ingrained in the timeless principles that govern the way in which we invest the assets entrusted to us by our clients.
While we anticipated a higher level of inflation in 2022, we underappreciated how entrenched it would become, particularly without insight into Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 (which refractured still healing supply chains and disrupted global commodity markets). This, of course, had implications for almost every one of our forecasts, as central banks reacted by rapidly raising interest rates. For the Federal Reserve, this marked a material pivot from projecting no more than three 0.25% interest rate hikes for 2022 at the outset of the year to implementing the equivalent of seventeen 0.25% interest rate increases. So, without further ado:
As already acknowledged, we materially underestimated inflation for the year. We had projected a rate of 3-4%, which was almost double the trend prior to the pandemic. However, inflation based on the headline Consumer Price Index clocked in at 8% for the full year.
Similarly, while we anticipated the beginning of a rate hiking cycle by the Federal Reserve, we underestimated its magnitude by a wide margin, projecting a 2022 Federal Funds year-end rate of 0.5-1.0% versus the actual mark of 4.3%.
Both of these misses planted the seeds for another miss on the 10 Year Treasury rate, which we assumed would rise to 1.75-2.25%. Instead, it ended 2022 at 3.9%.
As financial conditions tightened, economic growth slowed from 2021's rapid pace, which we correctly anticipated. However, we projected it would slow from almost 6% in 2021 to closer to 2.5-3.5%. It actually slowed to 2%.
Despite missing significantly on rate-related forecasts, we did accurately predict the continuation of a tight labor market, calling for an unemployment rate of 3.5-4.5% at year end. Unemployment ended the year at 3.5%. We were also on the spot with our corporate earnings growth forecast. We anticipated aggregate profit growth in the realm of 5-10% for 2022, and actual profit growth is tracking to the mid-single digits.
We expect 2023 to be a transition year bookended by the Fed's aggressive monetary policy in 2022 and by a much more normal economic environment in 2024. We believe that bridging this gap will entail slower growth, elevated interest rates, and higher unemployment.
The US economy is comprised of four major segments: consumer spending, private sector investment, government spending, and net exports. At 70% of the total, consumer spending is by far the largest. Buoyed by robust job growth and bank balances padded by pandemic-related stimulus measures, the consumer continued to spend in 2022 despite steeply rising interest rates and inflation. There are signs, though, that financial pressure is building. Large, consumer-facing companies as varied as Walmart, Chipotle, and Molson-Coors have all noted that they are seeing customers trading down to cheaper substitute products. At the same time, savings as a percentage of disposable income has fallen sharply. Additionally, the Federal Reserve is trying to fight inflation by loosening a tight labor market, which likely means an uptick in unemployment in 2023 and downward pressure on spending. More positively, household balance sheets are still fairly strong in the aggregate, and this could help cushion the economy against some of the negative impact from expected job losses.
Figure 1: Major Segments of the US Economy(1)
Private investment growth slowed from 12% in Q1 2022 to just 2% in Q3 and this part of the economy is likely to weaken further in 2023. With more people working from home, investment in office buildings has been declining since the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and, more recently, home construction has dried up in response to the dramatic increase in mortgage rates. Businesses are still spending on equipment and software, but leading indicators like the Institute of Supply Management's New Orders Index suggest these segments could soften as well.
Government action was crucial to keeping the economy afloat during the pandemic, but writing trillion dollar checks to households, businesses, and state and local governments drove the federal debt to levels not seen since WWII. The return to more normal spending in 2022 was a modest headwind for the economy. Looking ahead, the debt overhang and a split government in Washington suggest that this part of the economy is unlikely to have an outsized impact, negatively or positively, in 2023.
Net exports are a small part of the economy, but are also volatile and can meaningfully impact overall growth in any given year. This segment consistently detracts from GDP, meaning we regularly import more than we export, but fluctuations in the gap between the two can add to or subtract from growth. The difference between exports and imports widened during the pandemic as the US fared better economically than most countries, but that gap has recently begun to shrink. A continued move back toward pre-pandemic levels would provide some support to GDP and help to partially offset weakness elsewhere in the economy.
Figure 2: US Net Exports ($Bn at annual rates)(2)
Putting the pieces together, it seems likely that economic growth will slow in 2023 due to pressure on the consumer and weakness in private investment. The possibility of a recession cannot be discounted but we expect any contraction to be modest due to the lack of any major imbalances in the economy (such as the technology and housing bubbles in 2001 and 2008, respectively) and the fact that private sector balance sheets are generally healthy.
Inflation and Rates
Inflation was the economic story of the year in 2022, as climbing prices provoked aggressive action from the Federal Reserve that rippled through global financial markets, driving stock and bond prices lower. Traditional 60/40 portfolios had one of their worst years on record because, for the first time in a couple of generations, a bear market in stocks was accompanied by rising interest rates as inflation accelerated. What caused all this turmoil? In the end, it comes down to too much money chasing too few goods.
When the pandemic struck, the government flooded the economy with money to keep it afloat. Consumers received direct payments and expanded unemployment benefits, businesses were given loans, many of which were eventually forgiven, and states got billions of dollars in grants. In all, the money supply spiked by over 40%, or more than $6 trillion, in just two years.
Figure 3: United States M2 Money Supply ($ Tn)(3)
While the government was taking unprecedented steps to support demand by providing households and businesses with the means to keep spending, things were changing rapidly on the supply side as well. Production fell as factories either closed or cut back in response to Covid. Goods that were produced had a hard time getting to their destination because much of the global transportation infrastructure was clogged with bottlenecks.
At first there was not much of a response in prices because, early in the pandemic, people refrained from spending due to the high degree of uncertainty surrounding COVID despite easy access to cash. By early 2021, though, vaccines were available, the economy was beginning to open, and any fear on the part of businesses and consumers was subsiding. Pent-up demand accelerated into still-limited supply and the result was a rapid increase in prices that proved to be more than just transitory, as the Federal Reserve had hoped.
Figure 4: Consumer Price Index (Y/Y)(4)
Growth in the most common measure of inflation, the Consumer Price Index, peaked at 9.0% in June and has since begun to decline. We expect this trend to continue through 2023 as demand slows and any remaining supply constraints, particularly in China, are resolved. The Federal Reserve is unlikely to hit its 2% target by the end of the year, however, because some components of inflation are sticky. For example, home and apartment rental prices only reset as leases expire and therefore lag changes in the current market; this impacts the shelter component of the major price indexes. Wages also tend to react slowly to changes in the economy, so elevated labor costs will continue to pressure prices to some degree. Ultimately, we expect inflation to settle in a range of 3 to 4% by the end of 2023, and decline further in 2024.
With inflation running high for close to two years now, it may seem a little puzzling that interest rates have not risen more. At its peak in October, the 10-year Treasury note yielded just 4.2% at a time when consumer prices were up 7.8% year-over-year. Why would an investor buy a security with an expected return so far under the rate of inflation that it looks destined to lose money on a real, inflation-adjusted basis? The answer lies in long-term expectations.
Figure 5: Consumer Price Index (Year-Over-Year) and Long-Term Inflation Expectations (5)
Since bonds mature at some point in the future, the current rate of inflation is not as relevant as the expected rate over the term of the security. In an indication that investors believe the Federal Reserve will ultimately tame high prices, the ten-year inflation expectation has not moved much, rising from 1.7% prior to the pandemic to 2.2% recently. On this basis, the 10-year Treasury note offers a real yield of more than 1.5%, which compares favorably to levels seen since the end of the 2007-2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC).
Figure 6: 10 Year Treasury Rate Decomposed into Inflation Expectations and Real Yield (6)
Because expectations never really became unanchored from the Federal Reserve's 2% target rate, we do not expect this component of the 10-Year rate to move much as inflation declines over the course of 2023. We also believe the real yield will remain above 1% for a couple of reasons. First, starting at the onset of the pandemic, the Fed began purchasing Treasuries and other fixed income securities, as it has at other times since the GFC, to suppress yields and stimulate demand. Starting in June 2022, however, the central bank began reversing this process by pulling back from the market, letting these assets run off its balance sheet and easing downward pressure on rates. Second, elevated interest rate volatility and economic uncertainty means investors are likely to demand a higher real rate to compensate for the additional risk – particularly at a time when even higher rates are available at shorter maturities.
While the market determines interest rates at the intermediate and long end of the yield curve, the Fed controls the short end, where it moved its targeted range for the Federal Funds rate from 0.0% - 0.25% at the beginning of 2022 to 4.25% - 4.5% by its end. Currently, the median projection from the Fed is for this rate to continue higher, to a bit over 5% in the first half of the year. Based on the current tightness in the labor market, we agree that the Federal Funds rate will move higher in the near term. By the second half of the year, though, the economy is likely to be weaker, unemployment higher, and wage pressures abating. In this environment, there is an increasing probability that the central bank may take its first hesitant step towards a more neutral policy stance.
The labor market continued its robust recovery from the depths of the pandemic by adding more than four million jobs in 2022 according to the government's monthly Establishment survey. During this period, the unemployment rate matched its lowest level in more than half a century before ending the year slightly higher. Workers have been emboldened to quit their jobs in larger numbers because, with more than three jobs open for every two people unemployed, they have been able to find higher paying positions. Employment has been so strong, in fact, that some businesses have been "hoarding" labor, or holding onto unnecessary employees because managers are afraid they will not be able to find replacements when they need to. But is this tightness in the labor market too much of a good thing?
Figure 7: Number of Job Openings Per Unemployed Worker (7)
The imbalance in the market is driving workers' wages higher at an accelerated pace. This sounds like a good thing, and it can be. However, in the absence of higher productivity, rising compensation tends to be inflationary, as businesses act to preserve their profit margins by passing along the additional expense to customers by way of higher prices. Unlike commodity price inflation that often cures itself as rising prices attract more supply, higher compensation can lead to a much more intractable wage-price spiral. In this scenario, strong demand for goods and services pushes up prices and a higher cost of living causes workers to demand higher wages. This, in turn, drives up demand and so on in a cycle where wages struggle to keep up with inflation and real, inflation-adjusted incomes stagnate.
Figure 8: Employment Cost Index, (Year-Over-Year) % Chg (8)
The Fed is trying to prevent this sort of harmful feedback loop from taking hold by raising interest rates and slowing the economy enough to alleviate the pressure in the labor market – but not so much as to cause a harmful recession. The challenge is complicated because it's extremely difficult to gauge the timing and extent of any impact on demand from changes in monetary policy. This means that investors should not only factor in a higher unemployment rate next year to account for a looser job market, but also a wider range of possible outcomes given the uncertainty surrounding the timing and impact of higher rates.
Simple math tells us that a stock market's price return is a function of its earnings growth and the change in the price to earnings (P/E) ratio. After soaring in 2021 from pandemic-depressed levels, corporate profit gains slowed markedly in 2022 as margins came under pressure from rising input costs. In the fourth quarter of 2021, S&P 500 earnings per share (or EPS) were up over 25% versus the prior year. However, by Q3 2022 the bottom line was up just 4% despite revenues that advanced at a low double-digit rate.
Looking ahead to 2023, we expect slower sales growth, as the economy and inflation decelerate, accompanied by more profit margin contraction. Together, this unpalatable combination is likely to lead to a weak profit environment. As described in the chart below, margins typically contract as the top-line slows because, due to the fixed nature of many expenses, it takes longer for corporate managers to adjust their cost structure to a slowing business environment than it does for demand to decelerate. (The corollary to this is that when sales growth eventually re-accelerates, earnings and margins can move higher quickly but that looks more like a story for 2024).
Figure 9: S&P 500 Sales Growth and Net Margin (9)
The good news for the market is that stock prices already seem to be anticipating some earnings weakness ahead. The combination of higher profits and lower stock prices in 2022 means the market's trailing P/E ratio declined from close to 25 at the end of 2021 to about 18 today. Another way to view this is through the S&P 500's earnings yield, which is simply the index's earnings divided by its price or, put differently, the inverse of the P/E. On this basis, the S&P 500 yields about 5.6% in earnings for shareholders. If earnings fall as we expect, then the earnings yield would decline closer to 5%, which would still compare favorably to the yield in the Treasury market. In other words, there is room for stocks to absorb lower earnings through higher valuation levels rather than declining prices. Taken together, we believe that pressure on profits combined with a valuation level that has already come down quite a bit adds up to an environment for equity investors that is neither unusually negative nor positive.
Figure 10: S&P 500 Earnings Yield and 10 Year Treasury Rate (10)
Many markets outside the US will also have to contend with slowing growth and margin pressure, but international equities are still interesting for a few reasons. First, coming out of the financial crisis, developed international and emerging markets traded close to the S&P 500 P/E ratio, but since then their relative valuation has been cut to just about two-thirds that of the US. Second, the dollar is expensive versus most currencies, but less aggressive monetary policy in 2023 could spark a decline in the greenback which would benefit the dollar-translated returns of foreign equities. Lastly, the US has a much larger technology sector than international markets and we expect this group's profits to pull back more than most next year, which could benefit the relative earnings strength of markets outside the US.
First Command continuously assesses economic and market conditions. Stock market corrections are inevitable and an accepted risk for the prospect of higher returns. In fact, the average calendar year features at least one 10%+ correction for the S&P 500, and an even steeper bear market (20%+) typically occurs every few years – often without a technical economic recession. Attempting to predict when these corrections will occur is an impractical approach, in our opinion, and is much more frequently the result of luck rather than skill. Keep in mind that timing the market really requires you to make the right call twice: getting out at the right time, and then getting back in before prices rebound. It is often the failure to correctly make that second call that leads to permanent wealth destruction.
For that reason, we at First Command value time in the market versus attempting to time the market, accept volatility as an inherent short-term risk for stock investors, and use it to our advantage to improve market returns. Our Advisors are trained to utilize the wide range of investment options we offer, to ensure that our clients' investments are aligned with their financial plan and, just as importantly, to keep them on plan through inevitable periods of volatility. Experience has taught us that volatility can actually improve financial outcomes, particularly when addressed via a well-designed, globally diversified portfolio that is aligned with your financial plan, investment time horizon, and risk tolerance. If you haven't met with your Financial Advisor recently to review your plan and assess your portfolio, we encourage you to do so at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for the confidence you have placed in First Command.
(1) Bureau of Economic Analysis and First Command.
(3) Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and First Command.
(4) US Bureau of Labor Statistics and First Command.
(5) US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and First Command.
(6) Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, FactSet, and First Command.
(7) US Bureau of Labor Statistics and First Command
(9) Standard and Poor's and First Command.
(10) Standard and Poor's, FactSet, and First Command.
(11)Ned Davis Research Group
The information in this report was prepared by John Weitzer, Chief Investment Officer, Matt Wiley, Vice President of Investment Management, and Dan Murphy, Investment Strategist of First Command. All opinions provided herein represent those of Mr. Weitzer, Mr Wiley and Mr. Murphy as of the date of this report; are for general informational purposes only; and are not intended to predict or guarantee the future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy. All statistics quoted are as of December 31, 2022, unless otherwise noted. First Command does not undertake to advise you of any change in the opinions or the information contained in this report. This report is not intended to be a client specific suitability analysis or recommendation, an offer to participate in any investment, or a recommendation to buy, hold or sell securities. Do not use this report as the sole basis for investment decisions. You should not select an asset class or investment product based on performance alone. You should consider all relevant information, including your existing portfolio, investment objectives, risk tolerance, liquidity needs and investment time horizon. If you require investment advice, please consult with your Financial Advisor. Risk is inherent in the market. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Your investment may be worth more or less than its original cost. Your investment returns will be affected by investment expenses, fees, taxes and other costs.
©2023 First Command Financial Services, Inc. parent of First Command Brokerage Services, Inc (Member SIPC, FINRA), First Command Advisory Services, Inc., First Command Insurance Services, Inc. and First Command Bank. Securities products and brokerage services are provided by First Command Brokerage Services, Inc., a broker-dealer. Financial planning and investment advisory services are provided by First Command Advisory Services, Inc., an investment adviser. Insurance products and services are provided by First Command Insurance Services, Inc. Banking products and services are provided by First Command Bank (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender). Securities are not FDIC insured, have no bank guarantee and may lose value. A financial plan, by itself, cannot assure that retirement or other financial goals will be met.
In the United Kingdom, investment and insurance products and services are offered through First Command Europe Ltd. First Command Europe Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Command Financial Services, Inc. and is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Certain products and services offered in the United States may not be available through First Command Europe Ltd. In Germany, we provide financial planning services through Financial Planners associated with First Command Europe Ltd. 01033
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©2023 First Command Financial Services, Inc. is the parent company of First Command Brokerage Services, Inc. (Member SIPC, FINRA), First Command Advisory Services, Inc., First Command Insurance Services, Inc. and First Command Bank. Securities products and brokerage services are provided by First Command Brokerage Services, Inc., a broker-dealer. Financial planning and investment advisory services are provided by First Command Advisory Services, Inc., an investment adviser. Insurance products and services are provided by First Command Insurance Services, Inc. Banking products and services are provided by First Command Bank (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, Equal Housing Opportunity, NMLS 562238).
Securities are not FDIC insured, have no bank guarantee and may lose value. A financial plan, by itself, cannot assure that retirement or other financial goals will be met.
First Command Financial Services, Inc. and its related entities are not affiliated with, authorized to sell or represent on behalf of or otherwise endorsed by any federal employee benefit program, the U.S. government, the U.S. Armed Forces or any other third-party mentioned on this site.
In the United Kingdom, investment and insurance products and services are offered through First Command Europe Ltd. First Command Europe Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Command Financial Services, Inc. and is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Certain products and services offered in the United States may not be available through First Command Europe Ltd. In Germany, we provide financial planning services through Financial Planners associated with First Command Europe Ltd.
The First Command Educational Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) public charity and is not affiliated with First Command Financial Services, Inc., or any of its affiliated entities.
About the First Command Financial Behaviors Index®
Compiled by Sentient Decision Science, Inc., the First Command Financial Behaviors Index® assesses trends among the American public's financial behaviors, attitudes and intentions through a monthly survey of approximately 530 U.S. consumers aged 25 to 70 with annual household incomes of at least $50,000. Results are reported quarterly. The margin of error is +/- 4.3 percent with a 95 percent level of confidence. To learn more about the First Command Financial Behaviors Index, contact us at marketinginbox@firstcommand.com or visit www.firstcommand.com/about-us/advisor-difference.
About Sentient Decision Science, Inc.
Sentient Decision Science was commissioned by First Command to compile the Financial Behaviors Index®. SDS is a behavioral science and consumer psychology consulting firm with special vertical expertise within the financial services industry. SDS specializes in advanced research methods and statistical analysis of behavioral and attitudinal data.


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, picks the very best selections using greatest quality just for you, and this images is usually one of pictures series inside our ideal photographs gallery concerning Luxury Wood Stairs with White Risers. I am hoping you can as it.
placed by Joshua Hudson from 2019-01-09 09:56:47. To determine almost all photographs inside Luxury Wood Stairs with White Risers images gallery remember to follow this kind of website link.


The aim of this project is making the web more beautiful, fast, and open through great Bengali typographies with one of the fastest Global CDN. Currently, the fonts listed on the left are supported (though more fonts are coming soon).
Core ttf Fonts have been developed by various developers, known developers have been stated above already. We show respect and bow to them.


Speed thrills. Watching an athlete chase down an opponent, or dash away from someone chasing them, is an iconic and exhilarating element of sport around the world. An athlete with acceleration to burn will always raise eyebrows amongst coaches and scouts, and there's no athlete who doesn't want to get faster for his or her sport.
Professional sprinters aren't the only athletes who could benefit from a faster running speed.
I've used the same program for developing faster running speeds in athletes for over fifteen years. The program produces incredible results for any athlete looking for more speed. The specifics of the framework have altered with experience, but the overall framework remains the same.
By following the five steps of this program, the athletes I've trained have found an extra gear when they need it. And even if you're not blessed with good genetics or a long training history, you can too.
We begin with interval training. Luckily for you, the pace starts off slow.
Find yourself a rectangular space of about 30 metres by 50 metres.
Each lap in your space should consist of two 50 metre jogging sections and two 30 metre side skipping, or lateral movement, sections.
Jog for the 50 metres section.
Skip sideways for the 30 metres section.
Do 4 to 6 laps total.
That's it. This phase should be done on a day-on, day-off schedule.
Every runner is different and will take his or her own amount of time to adapt to training stressors. If you have a decent training history, it's likely you can move through this gear quicker than others. Given it's a low stress session, your progression to the next gear can be as little as four days. If you're new to running, you'll need to spend about three months on this phase – and I'm not joking about that. The fibres that make up your tendons and ligaments are made of collagen, and when put under new stress, they take up to three months to adapt and improve enough to handle it.
My general rule is to be able to do this session once, take a day off, then repeat a second time, followed by another day off. If you aren't in pain or sore, you've proven you can tolerate this stress level and can move up a stage.
When you've decided you're ready to step up the speed, find an area of about 150 metres in length. In Australia, that's about the length of an oval football field. The second gear stage uses tempo running: running at a pace that stays consistent from start to finish. There shouldn't be any significant changes to your running speed throughout the 150 metres.
This phase should feel like you're running at about 60-70% pace of your maximal speed. If you don't know what that means for you, here's a simple way to think of it: if you feel like you're jogging, you're going too slow, and if you feel like you're sprinting, you're going too fast.
Run at a tempo for 150 metres. Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 4 times.
Rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Repeat another 4 tempo runs of 150 metres with another 30 seconds of rest.
Rest again for 2 to 3 minutes.
You can stop here, or continue on for another four tempo runs of 150 metres with 30 seconds recovery in between each one. Twelve tempo runs for this session is the absolute maximum. This stage is intended to be done on a day-on, day-off schedule, but you can do cyclic aerobic training and strength training on your day off if you wish.
This phase doesn't need as long an adaptation period for new runners, providing you've taken the right amount of time to build your running base up in the first stage. If you do 12 repetitions of the 150 metres tempo run and you don't feel sore the next day, take a non-running day as per the day-on, day- off schedule, then repeat the session again to make sure the lack of soreness isn't a fluke.
The progressively higher impact forces at work on this program can take time to build up on your tendons and joints, which is why soreness might be delayed. If the soreness isn't a fluke, this phase's duration can be as little as four days. If it is, continue along the schedule until the soreness isn't an issue before moving ahead to the third gear of the program.
This phase is designed to step your pace up to about 75-85% of your maximal speed, moving you out of a "running" gait pattern and into more of a sprinting pattern. Here, you stick to the day-on, day-off schedule with a maximum of 3 running days per week.
These sessions will see you step up to a total of twenty-four runs of 100 metres each in length.
Find a space of around 100 metres in length.
Place a marker at the start, the 40 metres point, the 60 metres point, and the 100 metres point.
This creates three zones – the first is 40 metres, the second is 20 metres, and the final is 40 metres. We'll call them the acceleration zone, the holding-speed zone, and the deceleration zone.
From a standing start, accelerate gradually through the first 40 metres.
Stop accelerating and hold the speed for 20 metres.
Gradually decelerate over the last 40 metres until you come to a complete stop by the final marker.
Take 30 seconds to recover.
Repeat this acceleration-hold-deceleration run 6 times.
Take 3 minutes of full rest.
Let's call this set of splits the (40-20-40) x 6.
That's twenty-four runs in total. Use the same recovery and rest protocol. Take 30 seconds recovery after each run and a full 3 minutes of rest after each batch of 6 runs.
Record your time splits through the zones by having a friend or training partner time you. Alternatively, carry a stopwatch as you run, starting and stopping as you pass the markers of the middle zone. This is important, as progression from this phase depends on your ability to stay within a recommended time range for the middle zone for each split.
The recommended ranges for each zone are below.
This time range is the margin of error allowed between splits. For example, if you run the 20 metre zone in 3 seconds in one split, then 3.6 seconds in the next, you're out of the recommended range by 0.1 seconds. These recommended ranges are to make sure you're not overdoing it and to give an indication of when you can progress to the next phase.
If one of your run split times falls outside of the recommended range for that middle zone, be careful. You get one more run to be able to bring your time back down. If you fall outside the range twice, your session is over.
It's typical for most runners to have completed all twenty-four runs in this session within one to two weeks. If you find you get to twelve runs and you can't keep your speed up for your usual middle zone range, that's perfectly fine. Hold to the day-on, day-off approach and repeat the session until you can do all twenty-four runs within your timed range for the middle zone.


Have you heard? You can watch all 4 Movies in a 1 Day Marathon! Only at AMC theaters in NYC on September 15. Rediscover the complete adventure with all four films back to back on the big screen. That's about 9.5-10 hours of Indy – whoop! Check out Fandango or amc.com for more details.
JUST CHILL . Have a cool time when NYC Parks Summer Movies screens "Happy Feet 2," the animated 2011 sequel about penguins with fancy footwork. 8-10 p.m. Free. Grover Cleveland Park on Stanhope St. between Fairvier Ave. and Grandview Ave., Queens.


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Xiaomi foldable smartphone confirmed in official video
The Xiaomi foldable smartphone is real and it bends on two sides! In an official video today, Xiaomi confirmed that it is indeed working on a foldable smartphone. And unlike other companies, Xiaomi's foldable smartphone actually looks good and works well as far as the software is concerned.
In a Weibo post, Xiaomi's President and co-founder Lin Bin confirmed that his company is indeed working on a foldable smartphone. Today's announcement also confirms the previously leaked video which demonstrated the user interface.
While Lin Bin's video today included usage of the official Twitter app, he also watched a couple of videos. Overall, the video included interaction with UI elements and navigation, which seemed to have worked quite well. However, when Lin Ben folded the two sides of the smartphone, there was a weird UI flex. That being said, the Xiaomi foldable smartphone is still in its prototype stage, so the demonstration was pretty good by those standards. Interestingly enough, this software flex was not visible in the leaked video.
Further elaborating, Lin Bin also stated that his company will consider mass manufacturing the foldable smartphone if there is enough positive feedback from fans and customers. In addition to this, he also revealed that Xiaomi is considering two names for its first foldable smartphone - Mi Dual Flex and Mi Mix Flex. He also called upon fans to send interesting names, and if the suggestions are good enough, Xiaomi might actually end up using one of those names.
Best foldable smartphone implementation so far?
While this might still be too early to call it, Xiaomi's demonstration suggests that it has the best implementation of foldable smartphones so far. The Royole FlexPai that was shown off last year as well as at CES this year has a lot of software glitches and it doesn't rest flat when folded.
Samsung too is working on a foldable smartphone, which is being referred to as the Galaxy F. It features two displays and will cost around $1,770, with availability being extremely limited. Other companies like Oppo, Huawei, LG etc are also said to be working on their own foldable smartphones, which might be unveiled later this year.


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After hung jury, prosecutors to retry 2 in…
After hung jury, prosecutors to retry 2 in murder case
PUBLISHED: April 7, 2009 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 30, 2017 at 12:00 p.m.
PASADENA – Prosecutors said Tuesday they will retry two men accused of killing Temple City teenager Deandre Netter in a 2007 drive-by shooting, after a mistrial was declared.
Jurors on Monday reported they were deadlocked in deliberating murder charges against Christopher Gilbert Lopez and Phillip Adrian Guerra, both of Temple City. The jury voted 8-4 to convict Guerra and voted to acquit Lopez by the same margin.
"The plan is to retry the case," said Deputy District Attorney Donna Hollingsworth.
Lopez and Guerra pleaded not guilty in the slaying of Netter, who was 17 when he was shot and killed as he walked with his twin brother and another boy, Michael Minjarez, along the 5700 block of Golden West Avenue in Temple City.
Netter was shot in the upper body after leaving a Carl's Jr. restaurant at about 11 p.m. July 25, 2007.
The twins were involved in a fight with Lopez and Guerra months before the shooting, according to police investigators.
Before the trial, Minjarez told authorities he saw Lopez and Guerra driving in the car that authorities later said was involved in the shooting, according to a sheriff's investigator.
Detective Joseph Sheehy testified that in August 2007, Minjarez told him he had seen Lopez and Guerra drive by earlier on the day of the shooting, as he and Netter were walking to Carl's Jr.
Minjarez also identified Lopez and Guerra as the culprits in a photo lineup, according to Sheehy.
But on the witness stand, Minjarez said he never saw Lopez and Guerra that day. Prosecutors suggested during the trial that Minjarez changed his testimony to avoid retaliation.
Hollingsworth said Minjarez's reversal did not significantly influence the jury's deadlock.
"That's not a concern about the case," she said. "I think in talking to the jury, I don't believe that was their concern either."
She declined to comment further.
The jury foreman, who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, said jurors who voted to acquit did so mostly because of inconsistencies in the testimony of Netter's twin brother, Dejohn.
Dejohn told police at the scene that his brother saw Lopez and Guerra in the car at the time of the shooting, according to the foreman, who voted to convict.
Three hours later, Dejohn told a homicide detective that he had been the one who saw the pair in the car, the foreman said.
"Nobody on the jury was saying he outright lied, but they said he made himself believe he saw them," he said.
John Raphling, the attorney for Lopez, called the prosecution's decision to retry the case "standard" and reiterated his client's innocence.
"It's a murder case – they're going to retry it," he said. "I don't see that there's any new evidence that they'll have and I believe that the evidence fell short in this case and that there was in fact a misidentification."
Lopez and Guerra are due back in court April 21 for a pretrial hearing.
nathan.mcintire@sgvn.com


Ant-Man and the Wasp. Flintstones go to the movies. Hilarious Children Cartoon.
Brian Coukis The 90's Kid!
Mr. Slate doesn't like to call Fred as "PARTNER"
Jouons à Frankenstein en français!
Neither do I. Keep it Weird!
The Flintstones "Happy Anniversary" video clip.


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Betty Blue () is a 1986 French erotic psychological drama film directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, based on the 1985 novel 37°2 le matin by Philippe Djian. The film stars Béatrice Dalle and Jean-Hugues Anglade. It was the eighth highest-grossing film of 1986 in France.

The film received both a BAFTA and Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 1986.

Plot
Zorg is a thirty-something aspiring writer making a living as a handyman for a community of beach houses in the seaside resort at Gruissan on France's Mediterranean coast. He meets 19-year-old Betty, a volatile and impulsive young woman, and the two begin a passionate affair, living in his borrowed shack on the beach. Following a row with him where she tears apart and smashes up the house, she finds the manuscript of his first novel; she reads it in one long sitting and decides that he is a genius. However, after another argument with his boss, she empties the shack and burns it down. The two decamp to the outskirts of Paris, where her friend Lisa has a small hotel. Betty laboriously types out Zorg's novel and submits it to various publishers. They meet Lisa's new boyfriend Eddy, and the four have many fun times, often fuelled by alcohol. They find work in Eddy's pizzeria, but a fight erupts in which Betty stabs a customer with a fork. Zorg tries to slap her back to her senses.

Though Zorg hides the rejection letters, Betty finds one and, going to the publisher's house, slashes his face. Zorg induces him to drop charges by threatening him with violence, saying that she is the only good thing in his life and she is all he has. Eddy's mother dies and the friends go to the funeral in Marvejols. There, Eddy asks Zorg and Betty if they will live in the dead woman's house and look after her piano shop. Zorg enjoys the quiet provincial life and makes friends with the grocer Bob, his sex-starved wife Annie, and various offbeat characters, but Betty's violent mood swings are a concern. One day, after an irritating comment from Zorg, she punches out a window with her bare hand and goes on a screaming flight through the town. Happiness seems on the horizon when a home test suggests that Betty is pregnant, but a lab test is negative and she sinks into depression and tells him that she is hearing voices talking to her in her head. Zorg, masquerading as a woman, robs an armoured cash collection van delivery headquarters, holding the guards at gunpoint, and tying them up. He attempts to use the money to buy Betty's happiness, but she fails to respond and enacts yet another prosecutable offence by luring a small boy away from his mother and taking him to a toy store. Zorg finds her and they both flee from the authorities as they rush to rescue the boy.

One day, Zorg comes home to find blood all over the place and Betty gone. Bob tells him she has gouged out an eye and is in the hospital. Rushing there, Zorg finds her under heavy sedation and is told to come back the next day. Going home, he receives a phone call from a publisher accepting his manuscript. On his next visit to the hospital, he finds Betty restrained and catatonic. He becomes agitated and a doctor tells him that she will need prolonged treatment and may never recover her sanity. Zorg reacts by blaming her illness on the medication being administered and physically attacks the doctor. He is forcefully ejected from the hospital after a violent struggle with three orderlies. Returning in disguise, he whispers his farewells and smothers Betty with a pillow. Going home, he sits down to continue his current novel, while conversing with his adopted cat, from whom he hears Betty's disembodied voice.

Cast

Production
According to the director Jean-Jacques Beineix, the relationship between Jean-Hugues Anglade and Béatrice Dalle went far beyond a simple professional collaboration. "They were flirting all the time. It's clear that we didn't know if we were in the movie anymore. They lived an extraordinary story."

Release
Betty Blue was distributed in the UK and the US in November 1986 with English subtitles.

A 185-minute director's cut debuted in 2000 with the extra hour allowing Betty's descent into madness to take up more space and her pursuit of motherhood to get more screen time. Zorg's character is explored with several solo vignettes, including his cross-dressing crime spree.

Both the 185-minute Director's Cut and the original theatrical cut were released on blu-ray in 2013 by Second Sight Films. The director's cut was added to The Criterion Collection on DVD and Blu-ray on 19 November 2019.

Reception

Betty Blue received mostly positive reviews from critics. The film holds a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on twenty-seven reviews.

See also

 List of submissions to the 59th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
 List of French submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
 Cinéma du look

References

External links

Betty Blue: The Look of Love an essay by Chelsea Phillips-Carr at the Criterion Collection

1986 films
1986 romantic drama films
1980s erotic drama films
1980s French-language films
1980s psychological drama films
Erotic romance films
Films about self-harm
Films based on French novels
Films directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix
Films scored by Gabriel Yared
Films set in Marseille
French erotic drama films
French psychological drama films
French romantic drama films
Gaumont Film Company films
Murder in films
1980s French films

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Kimble Applications Named to TechNation Future Fifty
Kimble, a high growth UK tech company, one of 24 UK scale-ups inducted into Government programme for 2019
London (27-3-2019) — Today, Kimble Applications, the global leader in professional services automation software (PSA), announces that it has been named to the prestigious Future Fifty programme by TechNation, the Government-funded network setup to make the UK the best place to imagine, start and grow a digital business. It is yet another major milestone for Kimble as it continues its rapid global growth.
Future Fifty is a leading programme that enables the UK's most successful late-stage tech companies to come together, build a powerful and supportive network, and problem-solve with peers. With the help of the tech community, the programme supports these companies in achieving their global ambitions, creating jobs and opportunities across the UK, and inspiring the next generation in Britain's tech ecosystem. This year, 24 companies have been inducted into the programme and will benefit from access to a powerful peer network, a tailored programme of masterclasses to help take businesses to the next level, and direct contact to senior decision-makers in Government.
The Future Fifty alumni include some of the UK's most successful tech companies, including Funding Circle, TransferWise, Dark Trace, Skyscanner, Just Eat, Deliveroo, OnFido, Just Giving, Zoopla and Zopa.
Kimble's recent traction and growth were recognised by the Future Fifty judges this year. The company secured investment last year from Accel-KKR, a leading Silicon Valley technology-focused investment firm and has consistently exceeded 50 per cent revenue growth over the last several years. Kimble significantly ramped up international expansion last year with over 50% of new customers added being in the USA and the company now has 5 offices in the U.S. (Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Park City and San Francisco).
Earlier this month Kimble announced a major coup in the form of former Sage and Micro Focus CEO Stephen Kelly joining its board to further help with its ambitious global growth plans.
Kimble co-founder and CEO Sean Hoban said: "The Future Fifty has been home to many of the UK's tech unicorns and has been a major support for Britain's best scale-ups to move to the next level in both the UK and abroad. The recognition and support on offer from TechNation is a huge win for Kimble and will be another string to our bow as we look to make Kimble one of the UK's most successful tech exports."
About Kimble Applications
Kimble Applications helps professional service organizations run their project-based businesses better. Global leaders in consulting, software and hi-tech such as NTT Data, TCS, Sage and Canon use Kimble to optimize resource utilization, profitability and business scalability. Kimble is the only leading software vendor that focuses exclusively on professional services automation (PSA), putting all its energy into innovating features and easy-to-use functionality that improve team collaboration and efficiency around the key services processes.


Here is the extra update chapter from the new 2013 paperback edition of Bad Pharma. It's a fun romp through the changes that have happened over the past year or so, starring the many ethical professionals in pharma and medicine who have tried to push things forward, and some very shameful denialism from people in positions of "leadership". There are some very interesting imperfections in medicine, they cost lives, and they can all be easily fixed, where there is common sense and good-will.
RandomiseMe: our fun new website that lets anyone design and run a randomised controlled trial.


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National Guard's History
Component Commands
Force Composition
NGGS Structure
National Guard General Inspection
A' Branch
B' Branch
C' Branch
Navy Command
Air Force Command
Army Combat - Compat Support Directorates
Army Support Directorates
Other Directorates - Commands
Research and Informatics
Supply and Transportation
Combat Supply and Ordnance
Deputy Chief
Former Chiefs of National Guard
Conferences - Seminars
Officers' Clubs – House of the Coscript Soldier
Fallen and Missing Officers and Soldiers during the 1974 Turkish invasion
Career Officers and NCOs
Sanitary measures
Contracted NCOs
Free Transportation Program
Military guide for new conscripts
Reserve Force
National Guard legislation
Requisition Property legislation
Obligations of vehicle and machinery owners during requisition exercises
Discharge/Facilitate Process
Physical Assessment Process
Moving to another country
Requisition process of vehicle - machinery
Obligations during duty calls
Armament Safety Instructions
Evaluation of Reserve SF personnel
Points of Special Attention
Signing up to recruit register
Actual time of military service
Conscripts' leave
Reduced Military Service
Categories of reduced military service
Completion of military service
Exemptions/Postponements/Physical Ability Assessment
Physical Ability Assessment
Examination without self presence
Certificates - Exit Permits
Military Service Certificates
Exit Permits
Applications - Forms - Instructions
Mutual Safety and Defense Policy
Organization for Safety and Cooperation in Europe
European Defence Agency
"FINABEL" Coordination Committee
Bilateral Agreements of Defensive Cooperation
Programs and Operations of the EU
Εθιμοτυπική Επίσκεψη ΑΚΑΜ Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου
Δραστηριότητες Διοίκησης Ναυτικού
Δραστηριότητες Μονάδων Στρατού Ξηράς.
Επίσκεψη Υφυπουργού Έρευνας, Καινοτομίας και Ψηφιακής Πολιτικής στο ΓΕΕΦ
Συνεκπαίδευση Δυνάμεων Ειδικών Επιχειρήσεων Ναυτικού Ελλάδας - ΗΠΑ - Κύπρου
Εθιμοτυπική Επίσκεψη ΑΚΑΜ Λιβάνου
Επιχειρησιακή Συνεκπαίδευση Διοίκησης Ναυτικού με Διοίκηση Αεροπορίας της Εθνικής Φρουράς
Επισκέψεις σε Φυλάκια της Εθνικής Φρουράς με την ευκαιρία των εορτών των Χριστουγέννων και της Πρωτοχρονιάς
Ευχές για το νέο έτος
Τελετές προς Τιμήν των Εθνοφυλάκων
Τελετή Απονομής Διαμνημονεύσεων - Μεταλλίων
Άλμα Αλεξιπτωτιστών σε Συνεργασία με τις Ελληνικές Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις
Ο Αρχηγός, Αντιστράτηγος Δημόκριτος Ζερβάκης και το προσωπικό της Εθνικής Φρουράς σας εύχονται Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Χρόνια Πολλά.
Τηλεδιάσκεψη Αξιωματικών της Διεύθυνσης Τεθωρακισμένων με ομολόγους τους των Ισραηλινών Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων
Reflecting on a year of fruitful and constructive cooperation with our allies and friends, we look forward to the strengthening of our partnerships, enhancing security and stability in our region, and a prosperous New Year.
Εθιμοτυπική Επίσκεψη της Διοικήτριας της Ειρηνευτικής Δύναμης
Επισκέψεις Αρχιεπισκόπου Κύπρου σε Φυλάκια της Εθνικής Φρουράς με την ευκαιρία των εορτών των Χριστουγέννων και της Πρωτοχρονιάς
Επιχειρησιακή Εκπαίδευση στον Αγώνα Κατοικημένων Τόπων
Βολές Αντιαρματικών Πυραύλων με Άρματα Τ-80
Συνεκπαίδευση Ιταλικού Αεροπλανοφόρου με 460 ΜΕΔ
Deployability Conference – PESCO's «Network of LogHubs and Support of Operations» Program
The 13th Deployability Conference, as well as a Meeting in the frame of PESCO's Program «Network of LogHubs and Support of Operations» took place on the 11th -12th and 13th -14th of February respectively, in Limassol, Cyprus.
Works of the 13th Annual Deployability Conference of European Union's Military Staff (EUMS), were focused on the role and derived obligations of EU's Global Strategy for strategic deployment.
At the Conference more than 50 representatives participated from 15 Member States, the EU Commission, EEAS, OHQ Greece and Italy as well as from three Multinational Strategic Movement Coordination Centres (AMSCC, MCCE, SALCC). They were organized in workgroups for discussing and evaluating Member State's needs on Military Mobility. Their goal was to achieve progress on the effort for a quicker and more flexible reaction and transfer of support in missions and operations.
The 2nd Meeting in the frame of PESCO's Program "Network of LogHubs and Support of Operations" took place, succeeding a first meeting happening in Germany in September 2018, with participation of more than 30 representatives from 14 Member States.
Meeting's works were focused on the progress made concerning the obligations, as they were set out in Germany and proceed to planning future tasks as they derived from the specific Program.
In his welcoming speech, the Chief of National Guard General Staff, Lieutenant General Ilias LEONTARIS, underlined the crucial role of Logistics on supporting missions and operations. Moreover, he mentioned the Republic of Cyprus' capabilities in assisting such operations. To that end is the participation of the Republic in the program of "Network of LogHubs and Support of Operations" proves its willingness to engage closer with other Member States in this field.
The Director of Logistics Directorate of European Union Military Staff, Brigadier Manuel Gorjon RECIO and staff of state Directorate, visited the Naval Base "Evangelos Florakis" and Airforce Base "Antreas Papantreou".
© 2021 Γενικό Επιτελείο Εθνικής Φρουράς


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Q: How do you access Class object for generics? How can I access Class object for Generics?
Currently, I am doing it this way:
List<String> list= new ArrayList<String>();
list.getClass();

Is this OK? Or, what should be the way?

A: That will return the same as ArrayList.class. Java generics erase the generic type at runtime; in other words, from "list" you'll never know the element type is String. There's a great FAQ on this at
http://www.angelikalanger.com/GenericsFAQ/JavaGenericsFAQ.html

A: It is true that erasure makes it impossible to get the generic type info of a given object, since the generics is only held in the structure of the source code.  However, this does not mean it's impossible to get generic type parameters and in many important cases (e.g. building interfaces to a given class/method) you are able to do this.  If you get hold of a class' elements via reflection, you can get generic information about the declared types used.
For example, get hold of a java.lang.reflect.Method via reflection, and call e.g. getGenericReturnType() on it.  This will return an instance of java.lang.reflect.Type, which can be simply a Class but could also be an instance of ParameterizedType or even WildcardType where appropriate.  Both of these latter cases allow you to see the declared generic types.  I am not aware of any particularly elegant way to handle this other than instanceof checks, but the information is there if you need it.
This can give information on the generics types of fields, of method parameters and return types, and of the class itself (both its own generic parameters and those of its superclass and implemented interfaces).  This can be very useful if you need to do type-safe argument checking for generic methods in a reflective context.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Canal Gelis is produced at Blajan in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Tile of the south, par excellence, it remains the yardstick for all roofing jobs.
The Canal Gelis, with its wide range of colours, continues the architectural tradition of our regions.
The Canal Gelis has moved with the times. It is now compatible with Imerys photovoltaic panels and makes the most of the glorious sunshine of the South-West.


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HomeSo you think you're cultured?T.V
The appeal of the Jeep Renegade TV advertisement in Australia
November 30, 2015 November 30, 2015 Lili Gans T.V
I have always been fascinated by advertising and marketing because it reflects society. By trying to capture our attention advertising informs us about ourselves in the hope that it will appeal to our wallet.
Advertising is a gamble even if it's well researched beforehand. It's no secret that I like the Specsavers ad when the hunky myopic guy rescues a seal believing it to be a young child. The ad is amusing, pleasant to watch and sends the right message. "Go to Specsavers if you're having a problem with your sight." Simple, amusing and effective.
On the contrary, the Ford ad with that prissy little bitchy lady in the blue dress has a counterproductive effect and I have not been an admirer of that ad.
I do like the Jeep Renegade commercial, however, because of its catchy music and great masculine visuals. I've even found the ad on You Tube and am enjoying listening to the band, the X Ambassadors who perform in the ad. It's message is simple. The Jeep Renegade is Now. It is adventurous, sexy, and promises real excitement. Music and product go well together and make their point.
Contrast that with that stupid Ford commercial whose message is lost by poor casting and visuals and you'll understand why some ads work while others fail.
It's a Mitsi ! What is the real message here?
June 8, 2015 July 9, 2015 Lili Gans Society, T.V
Picture this:-
A man and his wife are shopping somewhere in a cheap, crowded market. The woman picks up a garment that she wants to try on so she hands her bag to the man so that he will look after it.
Suddenly, out of the blue, he hears a racket.
Apparently, a group of his mates have shown up in a Mitsubishi and are calling him to join them.
Like the numbskull that he is, the man drops his wife's bag on the dirt ground and runs off to join his pals in the "Mitsi".
Message? The Mitsi (as the car manufacturer is trying to label it) is so tempting that he abandons his wife, loses the bag with all their possessions in it, including cash and passports, and goes off for a drive with a bunch of loonies.
So what is the real message here?
This car, which is not particularly enticing in any way, is meant to appeal to irresponsible idiots with only half a brain.
I strongly suspect that Mitsubishi has latched onto a goldmine with this commercial since there would be no shortage of potential customers in our "brilliant" world.
Latest Ford advertising on Australian TV is annoying
May 17, 2015 May 23, 2015 Lili Gans T.V
There are some TV commercials that are so annoying they become a cult thing. We can't stand them because the actors in them are irritating, dumb or just plain unappealing. But they work on a subconscious level because the people in them strike a chord with the viewers as does the iSelect commercial, for example.
Take the Trivago advertisement for hotel bookings, as another example. An attractive man meets a rather long-nosed plain woman in a hotel and they get together. Every girl's fantasy, you might say. The message is that even a rather ordinary woman can find love in one of the hotels that Trivago lists on its site.
It's not an original concept but it works because it promises romance.
In the same vein the Crown Casino ad promoting a fun weekend for an ordinary couple will work as well because it's the average Aussies who will find something beguiling about romping around in such an environment.
In my opinion, however, the TV commercial for Ford vehicles does not resonate with anyone. Yes, it's annoying because the woman in the ad looks unfriendly as she hops around the set like some sort of manic rabbit. So it's memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.
Does she have any plausible connection with the product, Ford trucks?
Doesn't a tradie just want a truck that works well, is reliable and has some oomph, some vroom and gets the job done? He doesn't really want some prissy female telling him what he should do.
Why does she bounce around so much? Why does she look so harsh and bitchy? Would you visit a Ford showroom or lot or whatever after watching her prance around looking so off-putting?
Granted that these Ford commercials are not directed at me and are not meant to suck me in, I wonder if they have attracted any tradesmen at all.
p.s added on the 24th May
Ford Australia has just announced it will shed about 440 jobs because their cars are not selling. Now I'm not saying it is the fault of the latest Ford ad but it certainly didn't help, did it?
Million Dollar Listings TV shows treat viewers as fools
October 4, 2013 liligans T.V
They call themselves "Hot Listings" or" Million Dollar Listings" but these American TV shows make me squirm. While British TV shows about real estate treat the audience with respect, the American ones are embarrassingly phoney.
Why? Well, it's because they follow a formula of females in very high heels and strident voices dragging some individual around a mansion worth several million with 6 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms which cater for the most incontinent of residents.
And, of course, there's the kitchen which will never be used but which has to contain every appliance that has ever been invented. It's to die for don't ya know with the marble on the bench top which comes from the underbelly of a crag in Africa and costs an arm and a leg. It was shipped in bits and pieces and then stuck together in situ because of its Gargantuan weight.
Are you impressed yet?
Mustn't forget the cellar filled with wine that's too good to drink. And so we exit this stately pleasure dome in Xanadu and admire the infinity pool filled with mineral water from Evian.
Okay, so you're impressed by now. And that would be perfectly understandable, but apparently, according to the producers, it wasn't enough for the viewers. The producers wanted to add some spice, some tension, some "human interest". So they concocted pseudo rivalries between the realtors.
They hate each other. They are bitchy, they gossip, they compete.
And then one of them experiences a major personal catastrophe. His dog dies and his friends attend a canine wake. Will the rival realtor turn up or will he really behave badly? Ho hum…
As if that's not enough drama we have to endure the private musings of another realtor. He is gay and his partner wants to adopt a baby. Alas, he is not sure whether he is ready for such a commitment.
Is this silly soap really necessary?
Quite frankly, I love looking at real estate. I love interior design ideas. I love interesting architecture. That is why I used to enjoy such programmes when they first appeared on TV.
But no longer…
I have been totally turned off by the stupid scripts which pad the shows with personal issues about dead dogs and jealousies and relationships and who cares?
What should have been an interesting insight into the property market in the U.S has turned into a collection of puerile and petulant rivalries along the lines of "Toddlers and Tiaras."
Thank goodness for the British and Australian versions of real estate shows. May they never emulate their ridiculous American counterparts.
A Word of Warning about Actimist by Optrex
September 26, 2013 liligans So you think you're cultured?, T.V
You couldn't help but notice that the promoters of Actimist had decided on a bltiz campaign on TV and in the print media. They were going to push Optrex Actimist eye spray constantly until they saturated the market with this product. They even displayed piles of it in a container in Woolworths.
So how was it different from other eye sprays? Well, you could spray it on your closed eyelids. You could spray it on eyes that had make-up.
And it was perfectly harmless.
What they didn't tell you is that it can cause the eyes to sting quite painfully. It also ran down your face and would streak your eye make-up.
This is what happened to me.
Worse still, after removing all make-up and spraying my eyelids in the evening I would wake up with gunk on my eyelids and have trouble focussing for a few hours.
To prove my point, I stopped using Actimist and had no trouble seeing clearly the next morning.
Of course, it could have been be the case that I was the only person on this planet who experienced problems with Actimist, but somehow I don't believe that I'm so unique. In fact, I came across a review on the internet from a person who had a similar reaction to mine.
That makes two of us, at least.
My advice is when there is a huge marketing programme of a product be wary. You are playing around with your eyesight and that is very risky.
"Final Answer?" How Eddie McGuire prompts contestants in "Hot Seat"
May 15, 2013 liligans So you think you're cultured?, T.V
It's so blatant that I wonder how Eddie McGuire can look himself in the mirror. His quiz show, "Hot Seat," (Channel 9 at 5.30pm weekdays) consists of a set of four possible answers, A,B,C and D. The contestant has to pick the correct answer and then be allowed to move on to the next level.
What Eddie does is to prompt the contestant to make another choice by asking "Final Answer?". This actually means, "pick another answer because this one is wrong."
I know he does this because I have recorded the programme after I became suspicious about the possible manipulation of answers.
There is definitely a discernible pattern in Eddie's responses to the answers. The only exception to this pattern occurs where there is insufficient time to ask "Final Answer?"
It's possible that Mr McGuire is not aware of his habit, but one has to remember that this show is first and foremost "Entertainment" and sometimes its producers just want to keep the ball rolling instead of having a series of drop-outs.
After all, too many losers could mean a fall in ratings.
Why you cannot trust Calypso mangoes
December 24, 2012 liligans Society, T.V, What Pisses me off
I have to speak out about the disgusting TV ad promoting Calypso mangoes. Picture this…
A little old lady is shopping in a supermarket. She pretends to try to reach an item on a high shelf but can't manage it. Why? Because she wants to distract a fellow shopper, an obliging tall man who has Calypso mangoes in his trolley. Why? Because she wants to steal from him.
So when he turns his back on her to reach her item on the top shelf she steals four Calypso mangoes from his trolley and chuckles. To make matters worse, she tells him he is a nice man. So much for the storyline of this TV ad.
Impressed?
Well, I'm pretty turned off by the unethical behaviour of the old woman. She has stolen from the Good Samaritan. She depicts old people as being dishonest. She is certainly giving the wrong message to any child who watches this ad. And in my opinion, she makes me wonder about the ethics of a product that promotes such despicable behaviour.
Are the growers of Calypso mangoes to be trusted when their ad is based on theft? Who approved of this ad? Was it One Harvest itself which is showing it on its web site. Who has the final say as to what is acceptable to be aired on TV?
Or don't they give a damn?
I, for one, do give a damn and will never buy a Calypso mango. It would go against my moral code.


Gerrit is a software developer, Java and web addicted, and always looking for new things to learn. He tries to make the world better by sharing knowledge and ideas. He is co-leader of the JUG Ostfalen and last but not least open source committer.


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Stephen Hough on Tchaikovsky's Piano Concertos
Pianist Stephen Hough talks to BBC Music Magazine as he prepares to play all of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concertos at the 2009 BBC Proms
BBC Music Magazine
Published: July 17, 2009 at 10:30 am
Over the course of this year's Proms you're playing all Tchaikovsky's concertos – how do they compare to each other?
It's a fascinating mix of pieces. Unlike, say Beethoven's five piano concertos which are all roughly equally known and played, with Tchaikovsky you have the most played piano concerto in the repertoire historically, the First; you have another huge concerto which is almost never played – the Second – and which for the first 60 years after Tchaikovsky's death was only ever played in the Alexander Siloti version which is much cut; then you have the last piece he ever wrote, the Third, of which he completed one movement. Then you have this strange piece that I never knew until I started working on the complete works – the Concert Fantasia – which I've fallen very much in love with. It's a wonderful piece full of humour and beautiful melodies. It's a beautiful addition to the repertoire.
Tchaikovsky wasn't a pianist – does this pose any challenges in the piano writing?
Quite significant challenges. Tchaikovsky's concertos do not lie easily under the hand. They're awkwardly written – without that kind of hand-in-glove pianism that you get in someone like in Rachmaninov or Chopin. With Tchaikovsky, it's hewn out of stone. It's a challenge not just to play the notes but make them have some kind of clarity and textural interest. It's very easy for Tchaikovsky's piano music to sound thick, lumpy and opaque. To get a transparency in the middle of that is quite a challenge.
Have you made any unexpected discoveries when working on the four pieces?
The Concert Fantasia, definitely! I played it for the first time this month in Brisbane. I knew it was a good piece but after playing it, it's one I'd like to offer to orchestras and keep in my repertoire. One of my favourite moments is in the first movement. It begins with the piano and orchestra playing together in an opening section that's very much like ballet music – light and graceful, inoffensive and charming. Then the orchestra plays this cadence and it stops, there's this big pause. The piano then plays this absolutely enormous ten-minute-long cadenza. The piece has only lasted about four minutes by this point! The cadenza has a pseudo-serious ending, going slower and slower and softer and softer to finally end on a C major chord, then a D major chord then a third, even longer D major chord. There's another great big pause… and the piece starts all over again as if nothing has happened. It's the most marvellous moment of humour. The orchestra's turning round to the pianist and saying, OK, you've shown off now for ten minutes. We're going to get back to the piece you were playing before the cadenza.
What's special for you about performing at the Proms?
The Proms is still the most spectacular festival for music in the world. I don't think there's any argument about that in the sense that they have more concerts, more repertoire, more interesting ideas and more audience going and so on. It's full of superlatives: superlatives of tradition but also of innovation. Every concert seems to have new ideas while holding onto the traditions people love – the Beethoven Ninth Symphony performance and the Last Night of the Proms. I've never actually attended the First Night of the Proms before so this'll be my first time doing that and I'm very excited about it.
Interview by Rebecca Franks
Stephen Hough will be performing Tchaikovksy's piano concertos at Prom 1 (17 July), Prom 16 (28 July), Prom 31 (8 August), Prom 57 (28 August)
• Keep up-do-date with all that's going on at this year's Proms by reading Tristan Jakob-Hoff's twice-weekly exclusive online BBC Music Proms Diary
• Share your thoughts on this year's Proms on the BBC Music Forum
• Take a look at our exclusive guide to the world's greatest classical music festival in this month's issue
Proms Diary: Welcome!
BBC Music Magazine Forum
Image: Grant Hiroshima


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The winners of the 2018 IET Achievement Medals were announced on Wednesday, 14 November 2018 at The Brewery, Chiswell Street, London. The winners of the Apprentice, Technician and Armed Forces Technician of the Year Awards were also revealed and the Present around the World (PATW) Competition's Global Final winner was chosen live by the audience and a panel of experts.
The IET Achievement Medals recognise individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the advancement of science, engineering or technology.
Find out about nominating for these medals.
Find out more about these awards.


80/20 products are perfect for businesses, groups, and the home-hobbyist alike. Here's a great testimonial from David, who used 80/20 profiles and parts to build a custom CNC machine for his home workshop.
David turned to 80/20 specifically because of how easy it is to use. He didn't have steel welding resources or capabilities or large machining tools; 80/20 products allowed him to "cut on my chop saw which opened up another door for me. I wasn't limited to finding a piece and making it fit. I didn't really need a lot of big tools to make 80/20 work for me." When building the CNC machine David knew he needed "something that was better and more stable…something industrial but adjustable which didn't require nails or shooting screws."
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W&M Libraries Blog
The Ghost of Edmund Mitchell
Posted in: Special Collections
A daguerreotype of a young Baltimore merchant, the first victim of a bitter, homicidal political era, resides in the Special Collections Research Center in Swem Library—a ghostly message from the past.
Basque in the Archives
Down in the belly of Special Collections sits a mysterious blue velvet box. Its contents are simultaneously mundane and bizarre, important for the study of language in Spain, and remarkably unremarkable. The box bears the inscription Matxin de Zalbaren Gutuna, La Carta de Machin de Zalba, 1416. What is it? Why do we have it? What makes it both special and ordinary?
Family Donates Civil War Diary of Henry Alexander Scandrett
This past spring Sharon Summers, Charles W. Scandrett, Janet S. Hunt, Barbara J. Kaufman, and Sandra S. Ellender generously donated the Civil War diary of Henry Alexander Scandrett to the Special Collections Research Center. Scandrett fought for the Union during the war and recorded his experiences in the pocket diary.
Processing Reveals Trading Cards of Decades Past
As a child of the 90's, I'm pretty familiar with trading cards. Pokémon and Yugio cards were all the rage throughout my younger years, but little did I know that trading cards have a much richer history than keeping myself occupied throughout elementary school.
John Marshall Letters Document Writing of George Washington's Biography
In December 2016, David B. Wolf, a New York attorney and collector interested in John Marshall and his biography of George Washington, donated three letters that join an existing collection of John Marshall Papers (Mss.
"From my hand": A letter written by King William III enters Swem Library Special Collections
Printing Anti-Spanish Propaganda for European Purposes
It may seem like Spanish empire in the Americas would have little to do with European politics, but we should not assume that the Atlantic world of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was any less global than our own.
Believable Lies
The island of Taiwan, once commonly known in the West by the Portuguese name of Formosa, has recently resurfaced in the news in connection with the One China policy. In the past it was also a subject of interest, although information coming from Taiwan itself was often scarce.
Propaganda and the Beginnings and End of Spanish America
The arrival of Europeans in the Americas was an event of global importance, and its effect on the people already living here was devastating. That is why in 1552 the Dominican friar Bartolomé de las Casas wrote a book that he called Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias, or A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies.
SCRC's Exhibition Now Open at the Muscarelle Museum of Art
On February 11 the exhibition, Written in Confidence: The Unpublished Letters of James Monroe, opened to the public.
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