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The Point Magazine
Examined Life
Further Materials
An American Masquerade
Inexhaustible Precision
Similar Minds
Shock Value
Love in the Age of the Pickup Artist
Death Is Not the End
Against Advice
It's All Over
Wanting Bad Things
On Being an Arsehole
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Web-Only	| Criticism	| April 18, 2016
Stalin's Finger
by Jacob Mikanowski
In 1949, on the occasion of his seventieth birthday, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia decided to honor Stalin by building a monument to him in Prague. It was going to be the largest statue of its kind in the world. A contest was held to decide who would have the honor of designing it. Every sculptor in Czechoslovakia was required to participate. Most sabotaged their chances on purpose by portraying the great leader in unsuitable poses, smiling or spreading his arms like Jesus. Otakar Švec who learned the art of sculpture as a child from his pastry-chef father, took the extra precaution of getting blind drunk. Unfortunately for him, he won anyway.
For the next four years, party dignitaries visited Švec every week in his studio to offer their advice on his vision. In Švec's design, Stalin stood at the head of a line of people, who symbolized the People. Behind him followed a worker, an agronomist, a female partisan and a Russian soldier. Every time they came, they tried to make Stalin taller, and the followers lower. Construction began, granite blocks were carved, and still the critiques kept coming. Švec's wife couldn't stand the pressure, and committed suicide.
At long last, the monument was done. The night before the unveiling, Švec took a ride to inspect his sculpture. The cab driver told him he wants to show him something. The lady partisan is holding onto the Russian soldiers' fly. "Whoever designed that is going to be shot for sure," he told Švec. He killed himself that same night. For fifty days, no one found his body.
Stalin dies. Khrushchev gives his secret speech. Seven more years pass. Finally, Stalin has to be destroyed. The best explosive expert in the country is brought in to do the job. The party leaders warned him that in blowing up the statue, the honor of the Soviet Union must not be harmed. No explosives in Stalin's head. No shots fired at his body. The job turned into a disaster anyway.
"Seven people all told were killed in the building of it," says a character in Bohumil Hrabal's story 'A Betrayal of Mirrors,' newly translated by Paul Wilson and included in the collection Mr. Kafka and Other Tales from the Time of the Cult. "The first to die was the sculptor who designed it, and the last was a worker's mate who came to work one Monday morning three sheets to the breeze and he put his foot through a board six levels up and fell head first off the scaffolding and smashed his skull on the Generalissimo's little finger."
In the same story, a stonemason, a self-described "good communist," watches the demolition from atop a church scaffold with a heavy heart. To prepare a space for the explosives, he had had to drill holes into Stalin's eyes and heart. When he did so, "It felt as if he were drilling a hole into his own heart because he, the stonemason, loved the Generalissimo, had invested his hopes in him, had lived his life through him, and now he'd not only had to participate in the destruction of his enormous monument, but he'd also had to listen to exhortations to wipe the Generalissimo's picture from his heart, a picture so dear to him he felt he couldn't go on living without it."
Hrabal is one of my favorite writers. For years I've been handing out copies of his superb novels I Served the King of England and Too Loud a Solitude to anyone who would take them. Reading this passage, though, I worried that the subtitle of this new collection would prove to be all too true, that these stories would be nothing more than juvenilia from the time of the cult. But then I read on and realized I needn't have feared. Hrabal is the freest of writers, the one least constrained by anything. Even though the stories in it were written in the early Sixties, well before Czechoslovakia's belated thaw, Mr. Kafka abounds in Hrabal's trademark eccentricity and exuberant love of language spring from every page like weeds growing through cement pavement.
That's not to say there isn't a hint of Stalinism in these tales. Certainly, Mr. Kafka will make a fine gift for those who think that the literature of our time is tragically lacking in technical expertise regarding metallurgy. The stories in Mr. Kafka belong to a lost genre, the production novel, the signature literary form of the Stalinist era. In the typical production novel, an outsider arrives at a factory or construction site and has to figure out how to solve a morale problem or increase productivity: Ivan Alexandrovich has to supervise the building of a hydroelectric plant or Sofia Alexandrovna has to increase production at the textile mill. They are, along with Elizabethan masques and vice-presidential autobiographies, one of the most arid literary genres ever devised.
The stories in Mr. Kafka comply outwardly with this form. Most take place at the Poldi steelworks, an immense factory complex (founded, in an odd twist of fate, by Ludwig Wittgenstein's father) outside Prague where Hrabal worked for several years in the Fifties. They feature strikes, quotas and a constant interest in the mores of factory life. Yet they seethe with the unexpected, and they're also frequently very funny. No other writer is better at finding the comic in the tragic, or the strange in the mundane, than Bohumil Hrabal. Despite the strictures of the early Sixties, all the features of the Hrabalesque cosmos are already here—the trash heap that represents the sum of Western Civilization, the crowd of eccentrics, erotomaniacs and naifs, the quasi-philosophical conversation held by urinals or above slag heaps.
Eccentricity is the governing principle of Hrabal's fiction. It's as if in Prague, the city where Kepler discovered the secret of elliptical orbits, nothing could ever more be allowed to follow a straight line. His novels teem with strange, blissful monomaniacs, isolated simpletons, tavern philosophers and characters that seem to have arrived as shipwrecks from some prior, surreal adventures. Among others, there's a factory foreman who is obsessed with the political valence of poetry written in free verse, a man who powers Prague's first automated cafeteria by crouching inside a lazy Susan, and an exiled Frenchman, a communist agitator, whose real passion is for exotic nude revues.
These outright eccentrics are joined by figures whose out-of-jointness is an accident of their times. It was hard to stay in one place through Czechoslovakia's mid-century cycle of annexations and revolutions. Many of Hrabal's characters have been spun like ping pong balls in the bingo drum of history. In "Strange People," there's a jurist (known only as the Judge) who's been reduced to working in a steel mill. He lives in a tiny apartment he calls his submarine. Every day he brings home bits of wood from the factory, "leftovers from broken crates, small pieces of Russian birch they packed the Russian chrome in, Norwegian oak veneer from the ferrosilicon crates, sometimes pieces of German fir from the nickel crates" and stares in rapture while the names written on them catch fire and dissolve in his little hearth. Far from despairing at his loss of status, the Judge rejoices at his newfound opportunities to engage with an unknown world. "And I think how wonderful it is to have been forced into this situation," he says. Even the dangers of the factory are an opportunity for wonder: the Judge can't help himself from plunging his arm into clouds of greenish vapor and watching with innocent surprise as his shoes split and the clothes fall off his back.
The ghost of Jaroslav Hašek's Švejk, the Czech Sancho Panza, stands behind many of these oddballs. But Švejk's dumbness is a mode of resistance, his obdurate stupidity a weapon of the weak. By contrast, Hrabal's characters don't need weapons. Instead, they lose themselves in wonder at their own selves. Through monomania, errant philosophical speculation and a kind of narrow self-preoccupation with the quirks of their own identity, Hrabal's characters achieve a sort of bliss, satori in the midst of Stalinism.
The Polish journalist Mariusz Szczygieł writes that Hrabal's greatest gift to humanity is a lie, "the lie that everything can be beautiful"—even the ugly, the stupid, the misshapen, the base. Hrabal's characters are forever searching for this kind of illumination amid the mire. They find beauty in the most unlikely sources: in bales of pulped novels, at the mouth of blast furnaces, in the ecstasy of philosophic speculation, in the back rooms of bordellos, and in the act of pissing on one's own shoes.
Perhaps fittingly for such a connoisseur of joy, Hrabal has written what I think is the greatest dinner scene in all of literature (though not the greatest dish—that belongs to Lampedusa's The Leopard). It comes halfway through I Served the King of England. At a dinner in honor of Haile Selassie, his hotel serves a camel stuffed with antelope stuffed with turkey stuffed with fish stuffed with stuffing and hardboiled eggs. "Then something happened that neither I nor anyone else, perhaps not even Mr. Skřivánek, had ever seen before. First, a government counselor, a well-known epicure, was so enraptured with the barbecued camel that he stood up and yelled with an expression of bliss on his face. But it tasted so delicious that not even that yell was enough, so he did what looked like a gymnastics routine, then started pounding his chest, then ate another piece of meat dipped in the sauce."
How far this is from the gloom expected of writing from what was once called the "other Europe." For over half a century, English language literature has been fascinated with imagined dictatorships, despite having very little firsthand knowledge of them. These depictions seem to be everywhere, in Tolkien and The Hunger Games, in Animal Farm and Adam Johnson's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about North Korea, The Orphan Master's Son. All of them share an air of unreality. Perhaps that's natural. After all, the Anglophone world has never faced barnyard revolts, or (Margaret Thatcher notwithstanding) been ruled by orcs. But as a consequence, most of these descriptions of life in totalitarian regimes in English literature remained generally at the level of xenophobic fantasy and milquetoast allegory (I mean, farm animals, my word).
Allegories flatten. They also flatter, which, I think, is the key to their appeal. In showing worlds peopled by monsters, caricatures or literal animals, these works let us peer over the fence at an inverted version of our world even as they urge us to pat ourselves on the back for the manifold pleasures of living in the liberated West. Hrabal does something else, and it's no accident that his books are almost never allegories. Or rather: the scenes and situations in his novels which feel like metaphors come from things he lived through. Hrabal finds his allegories in the world. The factory in "Strange People" is real. So is the paper mill in Too Loud a Solitude, a story rooted in his own experience working in a waste collection point and taking part in the pulping of eight million books after the establishment of Communist rule.
If Mr. Kafka is indeed a postcard from the "time of the cult," it reveals a world in which ideology may have squeezed but in no way extinguished creative life. That doesn't mean that everything in Hrabal's books happened just as he wrote it. The destruction of the Stalin monument, for example, didn't happen quite as he described. As Szczygieł points out, no one could have been killed by falling on Stalin's finger. In the Prague Monument, the dictator's fingers were fused together. At most, the seventh victim was killed by a falling hand. The sculptor really did kill himself, though, and after the explosion, the demolition expert had to be taken to a psychiatric hospital. He had a heart attack after he was released and still refuses to discuss the events of that time. Even in death, it seems, Stalin has a way of driving people crazy.
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What do you do when you find a new bump on your pet? You know from daily patting of your pet exactly how your pet feels. If you feel something unusual it is time to take your pet to the vet! Your veterinarian will determine if the bump is an enlarged lymph node, an abscess, a benign fatty mass, a hematoma (blood-filled pocket) or a cancerous mass. It is important to present your pet to the veterinarian as soon as you feel the unusual bump.
When you have the appointment with your veterinarian your pet will receive a physical exam from nose to tail and the lump will be examined. Sometimes a sampling of cells, called cytology, will be recommended. Your veterinarian will make a recommendation based on the size, color, location, and degree of mobility, sensitivity, and texture of the mass.
A sampling of the cells, or cytology, may reveal that the lump is a benign fatty mass and must be monitored for growth. If a benign mass gets large it may need to be removed. Sometimes the cytology indicates a more dangerous growth such as a melanoma or mast cell tumor. In either case, your veterinarian may determine that a biopsy is necessary.
When our dog Otis was diagnosed via MRI with a pituitary mass my first call was to Dr. Sheri Siegel at New England Veterinary Oncology Group in Waltham. She knew that the most successful protocol to shrink the mass and buy Otis 1 to 3 years more of a good life was 15 daily doses of radiation.
As an aside I can tell you I was very glad that I had pet insurance for Otis. I did not have the cancer rider but the insurance paid for about a third of the cost of the MRI and the treatment. If I had a cancer rider more would have been covered. The insurance we had is now owned by Nationwide. Now I use Trupanion insurance for my pets. Trupanion covered 90% of the cost of some major eye surgery for our elderly Springer Spaniel. Be very careful picking insurance companies. Some companies will consider any illness your pet gets after the waiting period to be a "pre-existing condition" if they get the illness a second time. Even if they never were sick with the disease before you purchased insurance.


Gardening Maintenance in St Louis, MO. Quiet Village Landscaping offers landscape maintenance including gardening services to the Greater St Louis area. When you schedule gardening maintenance with Quiet Village, our team of experts ensure that your St Louis garden is well taken care of! We have the appropriate tools and experience to properly treat your annuals, perennials, and shrubbery to keep your garden thriving all year long. Whether you are looking to get shrubs pruned or additional plants added, the gardening experts of Quiet Village are prepared to assist you. For more information on our gardening maintenance or to schedule gardening maintenance, call us today at (314) 657-7050 or fill out our online contact form.
Quiet Village Landscaping is a licensed and insured landscape design and maintenance company that offers a full range of services including gardening, fertilization, irrigation, edging, lawn renovation, mowing and trimming, weed and pest control, sod installation, and more. We service residential, commercial, and municipal sites throughout St Louis with high-quality gardening services! When you're in need of gardening maintenance services, trust the professionals from Quiet Village to efficiently care for your St Louis garden. We look forward to working with you in developing and maintaing your ideal garden.


Enjoying a Turkish McDonald meal together. Left to right Shengul, Shengul's sister Birgul, Shengul's husband Semih, Nicole and Selda.
Out on the town with our Turkish friends. Left to right Nicole, Shengul, Selda, Shengul's daughter Burcin and Shengul's sister Birgul.
Celebrating Erdal and Sevil's wedding anniversary in Kevin's Bar. Left to right Oktay, Hasan, Zerha, Oktay's wife and Zerha's mother.
Celebrating Erdal and Sevil's wedding anniversary in Kevin's Bar. Left to right Erdal, Sevil, Zeliha and Nicole.
Ahu, Tunc, Alev & Nicole. Everyone enjoys an Efes Beer while Nicole chooses a fruit juice.
Hasan, Nicole & Shengul enjoying a cool drink in Kevin's Bar on a warm evening.


The owner of a fertility clinic used his own sperm to father 49 children, according to DNA tests revealed on Friday. The doctor inseminated his patients with his sperm instead of using or thatthe chosen donor.
Now, one of the children, named Joey, told Dutch broadcaster NOS that he could "finally close the chapter" now that he knew the identity of his father.
Almost 50 children have received closure following years of anguish after they were told their biological father was a doctor who impregnated their mother at his fertility clinic.
But legal representatives for the Karbaat's family argued that judges must respect their clients' right to having a private life.
"Sperm belonging to the late doctor was also distributed to other clinics", Dutch news agency ANP quoted the organisation as saying.


Based on data in OpenStreetMap, here is a list of townlands in the Electoral Division / ED / District Electoral Division of Clontarf East E.
Clontarf East E is in Co.
Clontarf East E is not matched up to Logainm.ie yet.
It is located at 53° 22' 21" N, 6° 11' 56" W.
Clontarf East E has an area of 0.4 km² / 100.1 acres / 0.2 square miles.
Clontarf East E was added to OpenStreetMap on 17 Dec 2014 by brianh.


text:
Q: Make an anchor tag the triggers print action on click I have seen questions similar to this but different enough that I felt I needed to post a new one.
It seems that there is a lot of information on creating a link that will print the browser page, but I need to create an anchor tag that will print a specific file linked in that anchor tag and I'm not sure how to go about this.
A literal example of what's needed:
Print the PDF

The idea is that the user then clicks this link and the print action is automatically implemented.
Any thoughts on how this might be done?
Apologies in advance if this has been answered and I just couldn't find it.

A: You can do this
Print me!

Here is more detailed documentation about this service.
 http://www.pdfprint.it/doc
EDIT:
You can also make users print it from another winodw. Just open new window with your pdf with using  tag and then make it open print options with window.print() automatically.

A: I think you want to print pdf file on clicking the specific words written between the anchor tag. If this is than you have did everything right if the pdf file would be on the index.html location than it will get open automatically. Otherwise you have to set a different location on the anchor tag to specify the same PDF file.
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
<title>Sample</title>

 Drill PDF

Give name drill.pdf to any PDF file and save it in the same location you will save this HTML. It should be working.

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The APA paper writing style is widely used in formatting academic papers. Due to the development of computer technologies, several alterations have been made to this style to adjust it to modern standards. If you need to produce a paper in APA, the following prompts will be of great help to you.
Margins. For a long time, it has been required to set 1 ½-inch margins when formatting academic texts in APA. However, today, it is necessary to set 1-inch margins on all sides.
Font Type and Size. It is necessary to apply Times New Roman 12 pt. to your work.
Spaces. The whole paper has to be double-spaced. Tables, appendices, figures, and footnotes are not an exception. As to the punctuation marks, you need to make a single space after semicolons, commas and colons. Double spacing is to be used after the punctuation marks that finish the sentence.
Indents and Alignments. The alignments have to be left aligned. In this case, the right margin will be uneven.
Short Title and Running Head. According to the APA heading format directions, a running head is placed at the top of all pages throughout the paper. A short title derives from that of your paper and includes two or three words. It is essential to differentiate between the running head and a short title. The former should be left aligned and located at the top of each page, while the latter should be aligned to the right.
High school essay or college papers do not usually require a running head unless it is demanded by your professor. Running heads are obligatory for the papers one intends to publish. The running head should be no more than 50 characters long, spacing and punctuation marks included.
Page numbers should be flush right at 1 inch at the top of the page on the first line of all pages. A cover page is considered the first page of your work.
It should present the title of your work, your name (and those of co-authors), your institutional affiliation and the author note if required. You need to mention your city and state (country) if there is no institutional affiliation.
The text on the title page should be centered. Apply double spacing between the lines if demanded by the instructions. Your name should be also double-spaced and located under the title of your project.
The author note provides data about the department the writer belongs to, acknowledgements and the mailing address so that it is possible to contact the writer in the future.
What is the style of writing a good abstract? This question bothers many students. First, an abstract succinctly summarizes your work. The word count should range between 150 and 250 words organized in a block format. This section should start on a new page right after the title page. The numbers are to be presented as digits.
Start this section on a new page. According to the APA style paragraph formatting standards, the text has to be left-aligned. The first line of each paragraph has to be indented at 5-7 lines from the left margin. No hyphenation is to be used at the end of lines.
Make citations to avoid plagiarism. In order to make a proper essay format, the dates mentioned in the source and its authors(s) have to be cited in the paper body.
The Reference Page should include the sources cited in your work. It should present the author, publication date, source title, and web data, in case the source has been found on the web.
This section should describe the tools used for preparing the paper.
This element is used to support your ideas. The footnotes have to be centered and placed on the first line below the page header. Number footnotes according to the way they are presented in the text.
Tables present statistical data such as age, birth rate, etc. You may use an online APA format essay template to understand how to format an essay appropriately.
Figures illustrate the data presented in the form of charts, graphs, etc. The aim of figures is to demonstrate the direction a specific issue develops in or compare the research findings in relation to constants and variables.
By following the instructions provided above, you will understand how to arrange APA section headings, as well as other paper elements. Still, every time you need to produce an academic work, you should stick to the guidelines provided by your professor. It is better to clarify the points concerning the use of the active and passive voice and other issues. Remember that our writing an APA paper for dummies guide is always available online. Thus, you can refer to it anytime.


text:
WiLabs
Junior Fellowship
GTA Health Equity
Wellesley Institute
Wellesley Institute works in research and policy to improve health and health equity in the GTA through action on the social determinants of health.
& Policy
Building Healthy Communities
Wellesley Junior Fellowships
Home Blog Building Healthy Communities Women and Gender Equity Knowledge Network
Dec 15, 2009 Aziza Mahamoud
Women and Gender Equity Knowledge Network
Web Site: Women and Gender Equity Knowledge Network
Organizational Co-Hubs: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden | Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, India.
Unequal, Unfair, Ineffective and Inefficient Gender Inequity in Health: Why it exists and how we can change it
Author(s): Gita Sen and Piroska Östlin
Summary: This report provides a background of how gender is implicated in and interacts with the social determinants of health, identifying gender relations of power as being one of the most influential social determinants of health. The report outlines differences in health needs and vulnerability to health problems based on gender, how gender norms affect perceptions of health needs, and how gender inequalities ultimately negatively impact the health of both women and men. The effects of globalization on gendered social determinants of health are described. The report also goes into detail about how gender inequalities are also implicated in the politics of health care systems, and in the content and process of health research. The report also documents the actions various government and non-governmental organizations have taken to address these challenges. Included is a description of Health Canada's Women's Health Indicators project which is creating a set of indicators aimed at improving how women's health is measured. The describes a second Health Canada initiative in which it is soliciting research in identified gaps in women's health indicators. The report also makes suggestions as to how gender inequalities might be addressed and mitigated, including a list of seven policy approaches that can address gender inequality in health. It is emphasized that addressing these issues will require actions both inside and beyond the health sector. The report annexes include a list of background papers, and two case studies on Tunisia and South Africa.
Categories: Building Healthy Communities
About Aziza Mahamoud
Aziza is a former Research Associate at the Wellesley Institute (WI), leading the urban health systems modeling projects. Prior to joining WI, she was a Research Associate at the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, where she worked with Dr. Osgood and his team in the Computer Science department. Her research there was primarily focused on building population-level dynamic, computational models of tuberculosis transmission and examining interventions. Before her modeling work, Aziza worked with the Saskatoon Health Region's communicable disease division, conducting surveillance studies on antibiotic resistant infections and developing disease prevention and control policies. Aziza holds a Masters in Public Health degree from University of Saskatchewan's School of Public Health, where she focused on epidemiology and system dynamics, and a B.Sc. in the life sciences from the University of Waterloo. Her research interests include population and public health, syndemics, health disparities, and the application of system dynamics modeling tools to design and evaluate effective population health policies.
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Acknowledgement of Traditional Land
We would like to acknowledge this sacred land on which the Wellesley Institute operates. It has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land is the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.
Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work in the community, on this territory.
Revised by the Elders Circle (Council of Aboriginal Initiatives) on November 6, 2014
In the spirit of equity and inclusion, if we can improve on this statement, please contact us. Thank you.
Temporary Address
26 Wellington St E 12th floor,
Toronto, M5E 1S2
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This workshop is a 3 hour 1-2-1 session or a 4 hour group workshop and is held at our studio in Exeter.
You will need to bring a camera compatible with studio flash, a notebook and a pen.
We'll call you back as soon as possible to discuss your session. Thanks.


Question: Do I have to download anything for my golf league?
Not a thing! All you do is purchase a package, fill out the registration and your exclusive member area will be instantly created. The entire program is immediately available to you and your members. A simulation of what will be created for your league can be seen in the Demo and nothing will be placed on your computer. A server member area that will be updated and maintained by GolfLeague is a feature that will always be included at no extra charge.
Question: How do I set up my online golf league so that members have access?
When filling out your league information, you will create Player profiles for your members. A login ID and Password will automatically be created for each member and a welcome email will be sent to the new member on your behalf if an email is entered into the player profile. The new member can then log in and have instant access. You don't have to do anything extra, GolfLeague does it all for you.
If you load member information without an email address (some members may not have an email), that's ok too. When you go back at a later time and add an email address, the system will automatically send a notification to the member with complete log in information.
Question: Does your golf league software include teams?
We have a great team program. You can create an unlimited number of teams with any number of players on a team. We track the team's performance with a points leader board and/or with a net scores leader board.
Our golf league software also provides for substitutes if you have them. You can also select three different options for automatically handling absent players.
Question: Do I have to load all the golf league member information myself?
Enter limited info (i.e. name & email only) and then ask each member to complete his own information. Since each member has full access to change his or her own information, this is a popular method. It also decreases the time needed to create player profiles. Saving time and avoiding work for the administrator is a major goal of your GolfLeague software.
Enter all information when creating the profile. This will need to be done for members who do not have computers or email addresses.
Finally, if you have information already in a spreadsheet, you can upload all your member information using a CSV file. You will find the information to upload in the "Documents" section of the your golf league web site.
Question: Can golf league members reply to e-mails I send out?
Yes. The system sends the email out but the sender is listed as the administrator. When the member clicks reply on his or her email program, the administrator will receive the reply message.
Question: Does the golf league management software adjust scores for the players?
Yes, the system will automatically adjust scores if you have chosen the option to enter hole by hole scores. Some leagues choose not to enter hole by hole scores but want to enter adjusted scores. In this case, the administrator must enter two numbers: gross score and adjusted score for each round.
Question: What's the right way to adjust golf league scores?
How to adjust scores is entirely up to the league. The adjusted score is often the same as the gross score, they do not have to be different. If you do not want GolfLeague to automatically adjust your scores, we can give you information to help you decide on a fair and equitable adjustment method. The program uses the adjusted score to calculate the handicap so, adjusting scores is an important step.
Question: How do you adjust a 9 hole golf league score?
Well again, it's entirely up to the league how to adjust scores. The GolfLeague staff currently runs two 9-hole leagues however and we are happy to share the way we do it. Click here to see our 9-hole golf league score adjustment method.
Question: How do you assign points to golf league members or teams?
This is another area that is entirely up to the league administration. You can elect to have the software automatically calculate points for you or you can enter points manually after each round. Once again, if you're not sure how points should be calculated, GolfLeague can help you decide on a system that will be fair and competitive for everyone. If you would like to see a sample of league rules, which can give you ideas on how to run your league, just email info@golfleague.us and we'll be happy to send you a sample document of golf league rules. Or better yet, just purchase a package and we can help you get started.
Question: Are there any free services available?
Yes, we do offer a free basic program for up to four players. This version is a fully functional, free online golf league program limited to four players. It can be upgraded at a later date to include additional players and add-on modules. Create a free golf league program here. If you need a different program or would like to set up a free 30 day trial website, simply email GolfLeague with your specific request. Get additional information about free golf league software here.
Question: I haven't found the answers to my golf league software questions. Where else can I look?
Something that sets us apart from our competition is our commitment to helping our customers succeed. The success of your golf league web site is our measurement of success! We will answer your e-mails, talk to you on the telephone and give you sample documents to help you get started. We not only want you to succeed, we want to see you totally satisfied. That´s our commitment to you.
The mission statement of GolfLeague includes the quest to give our customers the best possible online golf league software available. We have only listed some of the more common golf league questions here, but we are more than happy to answer your specific questions. If you have not looked at our site map Here, please check it out. The help files found there can answer additional questions you may have. It is called "on-going" because as we add pages to the golfleague site inside the member area, we try to add information outside the golfleague member area as a resource to potential customers. You can also simply drop us a note on one of the contact links and you'll see on the footer and will reply to your questions within 24 hours.
GolfLeague.us offers online golf league software that provides programs to create teams, flights, individual play and combinations thereof to help you create the perfect Golf League. The software has automatic schedule creation, excellent e-mail communication programs, tee time scheduling, points tracking and much more. We invite you to try our software and offer a 100% money back guarantee.
The GolfLeague.us guarantee allows you to create an online golf league and try it out without any risk. The GolfLeague staff is always available and eager to answer questions and offer help in designing your golf league. All you need do is e-mail us and we will promptly answer your questions and even provide a telephone number if needed where we can discuss your individual golf league needs. So please don't hesitate, contact us today.
if your new to running an online golf league.


text:
China: Head of Interpol Meng Hongwei accused of corruption.
Oct 9, 2018 | Bribery, Politics | 0 |
Interpol President Meng Hongwei, 64, resigned on Sunday. China's Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi said on Monday that Meng is being investigated for allegations of bribery. On Saturday, Interpol said Secretary General had sent an official request to China, seeking to clarify the legal status of its president.
Detaining Meng in this way could jeopardize China's diplomatic relations. Yet their decision to take this path implies that the stakes are high. Meng was appointed vice minister of China's national police by Zhou Yongkang, China's former security czar who was imprisoned after Xi Jinping became leader of China. While being the president of Interpol, Meng maintained his position as China's vice minister of public security.
Earlier this year, Meng had been thrown out of the Public Security Ministry's Communist Party Committee. This indicates that investigations had started.
Interpol has 192-member nations. It facilitates police agencies to collaborate and share resources through a network of national bureaus. It's slated to hold its annual general assembly session in Dubai, from Nov, 18-21. Meng, had lived with his wife and two children in France since being elected Interpol president in 2016 for four years.
Interpol said that the president has little influence over the organisation's day-to-day operations, which are handled by secretary general Jürgen Stock, a German.
The South China Morning Post reported.
PreviousFrance: Former President Nicolas Sarkozy lost his first appeal.
NextMaldives: President Abdulla Yameen's 11th hour- attempt to stay in power.
Kosovo: Deputy PM resigns following corruption charges
Indonesian politicians in new corruption scandal
Colombia: Mysterious death of key witness in construction giant Odebrecht's corruption trial


text:
import type { ISelection } from './Canvas';
export { default } from './Canvas';
export type { ISelection };

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
layout: post
date:	2011-04-11 05:37:00
title:  Posting on LJ....
tags: [archived-posts]
categories: archives
permalink: /:categories/:year/:month/:day/:title/
---
Posting on LJ at the usual times has become nearly impossible. I am unable to post, unable to open friends' posts, and if I finally do, I can't comment.

I do want to support LJ (it's been my first..and deeply satisfying...blog)....but how can I if it gets so tough to post? I am not a techie, who can get around technical difficulties...I'm just an ordinary person who writes her thoughts and experiences as they happen to occur.

I really can't wake up at 5 am every morning just to be able to post to LJ..and my posts on WordPress seem to get updated automatically to my FaceBook page, too.

Hm...will try to continue posting here....


text:
Lough Funshinagh solution 'could take five years'
Written by Dan Dooner on December 1, 2022
Roscommon Garda assaulted in Athlone January 26, 2023
Young inmate found dead at Castlerea Prison January 26, 2023
Roscommon Ulster Bank branch to close on April 21st January 26, 2023
Acting Chief Executive Shane Tiernan told Monday's meeting of Roscommon County Council that the local authority remains committed to finding a solution to flooding at Lough Funshinagh but that it could take up to five years.
Mr. Tiernan said that senior members of the executive had met with OPW officials as recently as last Friday and the local authority was now on a 'slow path' which would involve detailed analysis of the turlough with a view to finding an environmental solution.
He said the Council would be the lead agency and could not rely on changes to existing legislation in the short-term. He added that the National Parks and Wildlife Service had ruled out a de-designation of Lough Funshinagh as a Special Area of Conservation.
"We (OPW and Council) agree that we need to move forward on what I'm calling the slow path, which will be a long and difficult path which will take at least two, but more realistically five years," he said.
The Acting Chief Executive told members that the OPW had committed financial support to finding an environmental solution to the crisis and would also fund the replacement of existing pumps with two high-powered pumps at the turlough this winter.
The OPW, he said, had also undertaken to carry out detailed analysis in order to fill in any "knowledge gaps" concerning the lake.
The Chief Executive said the local authority had continued to work hard behind the scenes and that a steering group, chaired by Mr. Tiernan and an expert working group, chaired by Director of Services Greg O'Donnell, would work to establish all viable solutions with a view to lodging a planning application for future works.
Mr. Tiernan said the work of both groups would be "very complex and detailed" in order to give the Council the "highest chance of success" and it was laden with risk due to the turlough's SAC designation.
He said the expert working group would meet very early in the New Year.
"This is not much consolation for the local residents…all we can do is hope that the lake does not exceed the critical 69-metre level we have identified over the last number of years," he said.
Commenting this week, local councillor Laurence Fallon said: "This is new territory and we now must start at the beginning after we were forced to concede the High Court challenges (by Friends of the Irish Environment) but it is positive that Roscommon County Council are taking the lead," he said.
"It's also positive that we are starting on a pathway which may find a solution. The negative of course is that we don't know what will happen at the end".
Cllr Fallon said he was satisfied that there was now some clarity as to the way forward but said the flooding was still an urgent matter and required all parties to come together to find a solution.
This Week's Digital Edition
ROSCOMMON WEATHER
WPZOOM


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Rain is likely Friday tonight with north winds gusting to around 30 mph. Periods of rain will likely continue Saturday.
Unsettled and stormy weather will continue into the afternoon with highs reaching into the low 70s.
Highs will range from the 40s and 50s near the lake and across southern Michigan to the low 70s far south.
A warmer breeze will increase into the afternoon with highs into the 60s.
Dry weather will return this afternoon along with gradually clearing skies.
Sunday is a First Alert Day as we usher in an all-day soaker. The high only pushes to the mid 40s with gusty winds. Some areas could see over an inch in the rain gauge before midnight Sunday.
Bands of rain will blow through with powerful winds.
A powerful storm system continues to affect the area Thursday night and Friday.
It turns much warmer to the south with highs soaring into the low and middle 70s. It could be 20-30 degrees cooler north with temperatures in the 40s and 50s through late afternoon.
The weekend will be split as Saturday will be dry while there's nearly a 100 percent chance of rain Sunday.
There will be a brief chance of rain showers later into the evening.
Partly to mostly sunny skies will be expected into the afternoon with highs in the low and middle 60s.
It will be a warmer and dry afternoon with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s.
Today's high just below 70° with showers likely late afternoon and overnight.
Sunny skies the temperature in the mid 60s with a light east breeze.
Lighter winds will make for an excellent chance to get outdoors this weekend. Saturday will be pleasant with highs near 70 degrees.
The weekend is here and so is some warmer weather. A chance of rain will develop Sunday.
Highs in the upper 50s with times of a few stray showers and pops of sunshine likely.
The weekend will be a split: some sunshine and some rain likely.
Temperatures today will stay in the low to mid 40s.
The weather is set to turn cold, windy and rainy for Toledo Mud Hens opening day.
Only a few clouds roll into mostly clear skies today as highs climb to the upper 50s and low 60s. Tonight, clouds and cold rain arrive.
Sunshine Wednesday will turn to a cold, winter like rain Thursday. Temperatures will rebound for the weekend.
Highs this afternoon will turn warmer, reaching into the middle and upper 50s.
A slow warm up into the afternoon with mostly sunny skies.
You can expect sunny skies and cold wind gusting up to 25 mph. The windchill will make it feel like it's in the mid 20s.
At the tail end of our rain tonight, we could see a bit of snow.
Some areas could to get more than an inch of rain before the system wraps up Sunday morning.
Sunday we get a break from the rain as it will be a dry and chilly one. Highs will near 40.
By afternoon a cold lake breeze will take over allowing temperatures only in the mid 40s.
Highs near 70 degrees Thursday afternoon will not be repeated anytime soon. Prepare for some rainy and chilly weather heading into the weekend.
Off and on light rain will be possible through the rest of your Thursday, as highs reach again into the upper 50s.
Tonight, rain becomes likely after midnight. This will be the start of several days of spring showers. A chilly setting can be expected especially Friday through Sunday.
Highs will reach into the mid 50s. This will easily be the most comfortable day of the week!
After two straight days of sunny weather, warmer air will finally join the party with highs well into the 50's Wednesday afternoon.
Bright sunshine all morning and into the afternoon with highs in the low and middle 40s.
It won't go down as the warmest last week of March ever but there are more of these sunny, clear sky days ahead.
Clouds will quickly decrease into the afternoon with brighter sunshine arriving.
A cool start to the first full week of spring will eventually give way to mild air and rain chances. Monday will be a cloudy, breezy day with a biting wind off Lake Erie.
Today's high will have a hard time getting to 50 degrees. Expect mostly cloudy skies with gusty winds up to 25 mph in the afternoon. There's a chance of a rain and winter remix before midnight which could carry over into Monday morning.
Rain will move in for your Sunday afternoon.
A brighter day ahead Saturday with mostly sunny skies. Our next system we're watching arrives late Sunday and especially Monday with more clouds, a chilly lake breeze and scattered rain showers.
A gusty and brisk wind will quickly increase with highs only in the upper 30s to near 40 degrees.
Friday's weather will have you reaching for the winter coat and all the accessories.
FIRST ALERT: from winter to spring fever!
Friday will feel wintry especially with strong wind gusts. Brighter weather returns soon.
It will remain cloudy into the early afternoon with a few break for some late day sunshine.
Rain showers will develop into the afternoon and evening as Spring officially arrives.
Rain showers are likely for the beginning of spring.
A chance of rain at midweek, then a nice warm up for the weekend.
It will be partly sunny, dry and pleasant this afternoon with highs near 40 degrees.
It'll be a slow but steady climb this week toward warmer weather.
It'll be a slow but steady climb this week toward warmer weather.
Chance of a light wintry mix later in the afternoon south of Defiance and Bowling Green.
Our four leaf clovers will have snowflakes falling on them Sunday with light St. Patrick's Day snow showers likely.
Enjoy some sunshine today! Temperatures come close to a chilly 40 degrees. Gusty winds are expected.
Winds will be strong and gusty with wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph expected.
A FIRST ALERT DAY has been issued for the risk of strong or possibly severe thunderstorms this afternoon.
Temperatures will soar to around 70 degrees Thursday. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms developing.
A FIRST ALERT DAY has been issued for Thursday due to the threat of strong or severe afternoon storms.
Spring fever will be spreading this week with temperatures climbing. Clouds will increase overnight leading to much less sunshine Wednesday and Thursday.
Brighter sunshine will be expected into the afternoon with highs in the middle 40s.
Spring fever will be spreading this week with temperatures climbing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
A major spring warm up arrive Wednesday with highs rising into the 50s, then possibly shooting toward 70 degrees on Thursday!
Today's winds will continue to calm through the evening and overnight as lows drop into the upper 20s and clouds start to move out.
Major Warm Up This Week!
Wind gusts up to 40 mph could push your car around on the roadways. A wind advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. for southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio.
Today's high is a mild 41 degrees with gusty winds and rain late in the day.
Rain will move in by Saturday evening, with Toledo seeing steady showers near sunset.
The light snow threat will wrap up late morning with partly sunny skies breaking through.
Expect cooler temperatures the next few days! However, a slight warm up over the weekend brings with it the chance of heavy rains.
It will be mostly cloudy and cold this afternoon with highs near the middle 20s.
Extremely cold March weather with highs in the upper teens to near 20 degrees.
The weekend will be warmer with possible rain, especially Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning.
Mostly cloudy skies and much colder this morning with temperatures more like the middle of winter.
Spring Is On Hold This Week. Chilly Days Ahead!
The next few days will test your winter toughness as our minds start demanding spring, winter cold is holding tough. Highs Monday and Tuesday will hover near 20 degrees. Some of the coldest early March weather on record.


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Pornography at work: grounds for dismissal?
Following revelations of the 300,000 attempts to access pornographic websites within parliament, we look at your workplace rights regarding inappropriate sites and images
Philip Landau
Wed 4 Sep 2013 08.22 EDT
Using a work computer to watch pornography could lead to dismissal under the terms of your contract. Photograph: Magdalena Rehova/Alamy
Official records released by the Palace of Westminster's IT chiefs suggest nearly 300,000 "attempts to access websites categorised as pornography" were made from computers within parliament in the past year.
The story raises a question about what happens if you are caught viewing a site your employer deems inappropriate. If MPs, peers and their staff really were trying to access that type of content, should there be repercussions?
There have been examples of disciplinary action being taken for inappropriate use of the internet at work. In 2012, the deputy leader of Leicestershire County Council stepped down after admitting watching hardcore pornography on a work laptop; and it was reported this year that Welsh government data showed 55 staff members had been caught downloading legal pornography on their work computer in the past six years, with 15 disciplined for downloading images showing sex or full nudity.
It is common for employees to use the internet at work for personal use, and most employers are content to let them do so during their lunch break or outside working hours. It clearly goes beyond this for some employees: a recent study has found that up to 14% of the UK's workforce spends half its work hours browsing the internet for non-work-related purposes.
Where personal use is likely to cross the line, however, is where there is a serious misuse of computer, email and internet systems, including accessing pornographic, offensive or obscene websites or distributing emails of this nature.
Most employers would identify such action as a matter of "gross misconduct". What amounts to gross misconduct is behaviour on the part of an employee which is so bad that it destroys the employer/employee relationship, and warrants instant dismissal without notice or pay in lieu of notice. Misconduct can be a "fair reason" for dismissal under employment law.
Employers are always going to be in a stronger position to discipline staff if they have a disciplinary policy which spells out what amounts to gross misconduct in order that they can say you had full notice of what amounted to a wrongdoing.
Most policies will almost certainly cover misuse of the internet and will also state that the list of what can amount to gross misconduct is not exhaustive – thus giving an employer more flexibility when it comes to disciplinary action.
An employer does, however, need to be consistent in their approach to disciplinary action; it cannot, for example, rely on a gross misconduct charge for one person who accesses inappropriate material on the web, but overlook others who have engaged in the same or similar conduct.
Not all cases of internet misuse will amount to gross misconduct, and thus dismissal. An employer will still have to show that a dismissal is within a band of reasonable responses to the misconduct, and if the matter reached an employment tribunal, the tribunal must assess whether dismissal was indeed a reasonable sanction having regard to the mitigating circumstances of the case. In other words, just because it can amount to gross misconduct doesn't mean that dismissal is always an appropriate sanction.
Sometimes, of course, there may be valid reasons why you have tried to access a site that is off-limits. But the safest approach is to make your employer aware first and, if you are not looking for work purposes, wait until you get home.
Are you aware of your employer's internet policy? Do you believe sanctions should be appropriate for accessing the internet in this way? And have genuinely "appropriate" sites ever fallen foul of your workplace filter?
• Philip Landau is an employment lawyer at Landau Zeffertt Weir Solicitors. Follow him on Twitter here.
'Revenge porn' outlawed in California
Fines and jail sentences may be imposed on people who post naked photos of their former partners without permission
Published: 1 Oct 2013
Brain scans of porn addicts: what's wrong with this picture?
Plan to block payments to websites that allow children to view pornography


There are many great training programs available...to help you create a system, find clients, farm areas, ask for referrals however ultimately you need to connect with potential clients and create rapport, trust and confidence in you...you are in a people business. It is vital to understand how to communicate with different people. Your next potential client could be the next person you meet...be prepared.
Transform Strangers into Loyal Clients and Raving Fans.
Are you frustrated because people are saying; no, let me think about, I don't think it's for me, not returning your calls or not taking your real estate suggestions/advice? It may not be the excitement in you or your voice it may be they way you are communicating subconsciously...as you have just discovered listening to the audio.
Those that rely only on their excitement and enthusiasm struggle and sometimes fail while Strategic Communicators succeed massively. Enthusiasm is very important however discover how NLP will make you a Strategic Communicator and accelerate your success.
you grow your business and avoid losing opportunities…guaranteed!
Discover how to understand someone better then they know themselves.
Speaking the language they do.
And I don't mean English, Spanish, French, etc.
I am talking about how they code their experiences through their senses.
And once you know how to do that…you will be able to gain the trust of anyone within minutes.
"You can only see as much as the hole you look though allows you to see. " You stand behind a huge wall, extending to the left and right of you all the way to and over horizons at each end-that-isn't, but you look through a small peephole - and you can only see a small sliver of what's on the other side of the wall, straight ahead of you. (That's the flaw in the in-door peephole as a home security device). This NLP program will knock down the wall and let you see (actually sense) a whole, giant, amazing world of opportunity in Real Estate!
for business, leadership and relationships"
* Learn how to have presence and project confidence so your potential clients feel great about having you advise them.
* Attract clients...easily get referrals because of your NLP communication skills.
* Be acknowledged as an exceptional leader, an expert and trusted adviser...so they naturally pay full commission and feel you are the right person to help them.
* Avoid missing great opportunities.
Discover how to greet someone at an Open House (actually during any meeting) so they feel comfortable and naturally ask for your help. Learn which words to use that will position you as a trusted adviser and not just a sales person.
business and don't know why?
easily make transition from friendship into business.
Are you losing Listings and Buyers and don't know why?
Discover how your motions, words, voice and mindset influence how you are perceived...subconsciously.
Learn how to create instant rapport, trust, and credibility.
Part One - Mindset – how to condition your mind to create instant rapport, see opportunities and have unstoppable confidence. Learn powerful and effective subconscious mindset concepts that will help you easily find and attract clients. Discover how to have the proper mindset for an Open House, Door Knocking, Cold Calling, meetings with prospects and clients, marketing/networking and to create opportunities toward success. Your Mindset (what you think, which causes you to feel confident or nervous and anxious - which ends up being projected to the world) is the foundation of your success. Your Mindset impacts your motion, words, voice and awareness.
Part Two - Contact – how to make a positive first impression and instant rapport...at a subconscious level. Discover how to make someone feel open and relaxed (instant rapport) during an Open House, Door Knocking, during important sales meetings, and while networking. You will become aware of key subconscious communication elements to create instant rapport, trust, confidence and just having everyone feel comfortable with you. You will learn subconscious communication elements like; how you move, how you approach someone, where you stand in front of someone, how you hand them information about you or the home, even how you say their name. Everyone senses consciously and at a subconscious level...out of our awareness and subconsciously it creates feelings...an intuition.
And, which words and phrases to listen for that reveal what motivates a person.
The same applies as with Mindset and Contact...the NLP techniques you will learn will help you even in the brief amount of time while door knocking and cold calling. You will see, hear and sense communication information from your clients and potential clients that reveal how they need to experience your solution. It will be communication information that has always been there however you will know realize what it means and how to use to influence and persuade with integrity.
Part Four - Follow-up – how to regain rapport trust and confidence during a follow up meeting. Learn a communication technique that will make your potential clients feel at ease and eager to meet with you. How to take control of a meeting with just a few words. It could be an important follow up meeting from a call, door knocking, networking event or from a referral...be a Strategic Communicator and avoid losing business...attract great opportunities.
commission....and a loss in confidence and pride.
Effective communication technique to help you motivate others and dissolve their procrastination.
How to persuade a difficult buyer into making a higher offer when needed and appropriate...present the suggestions in their communication and decision style so they understand and agree.
How to create buyer and seller loyalty...sleep peacefully knowing when they meet another sales agent they will be loyal to you.
The first rule of influence is that you must know what will arouse an eager desire (want) in the other person.
In order for them to take the action you want.
Then you must focus on showing them how to get the benefits they desire.
In the NLP program you will learn specific questions and steps to understand a person's needs, wants, desires and motivation.
Mike's approach to effective communication is teaching the art of subconscious communication. Most communication is experienced at a subconscious communication level-out of a person's awareness. Other programs teach the basics like listening skills, eye contact and engagement. Mike takes it beyond the obvious to how you can influence your others (consciously and subconsciously) with your body motion, voice, words and even questions you ask. You will learn how to effectively communicate with customers, team members and peers and take your business to the next level of success.
You will have the ability to influence, inspire and motivate with a new sense of ease. You will have a newfound understanding about others and how best to communicate with them to create trust, confidence and rapport. You will understand how to be charismatic and confident with new contacts and existing clients. Attract new clients and naturally receive referrals.
If you are struggling it is not your fault.
You were not aware of the of the NLP communication tools and strategies that can instantly help you.
In part one of the NLP program you will learn the Mindset of projecting confidence, how to create rapport and just as important you need the mindset of a professional business owner/entrepreneur.
Enthusiasm and excitement can only take just so far...you need additional skills...communication skills.
Stop working harder and harder and start working smarter.
You were drawn here for a reason and your still reading because you feel this new NLP technology can help you.
Preview/Sample of Online Streaming Video Only a few minutes from almost three hours of online video program.
This is a sample of Part Two - Contact.
As a Strategic Communicator you need to know how to make others feel comfortable around you...instantly.
If you're looking for a sales trainer and coach that can give your business the competitive edge, look no further! Mike Aguilera an internationally known trainer and published author has the unique ability to blend humor with practical real life sales techniques and strategies that will help you develop deep rapport, quickly, naturally and effectively. I found his training seminars, webinars and his book "How to develop rapport in 90 seconds or less" extremely valuable. If you're in the customer service industry, you need Mike's training!
I now realized how valuable and powerful the information is in helping me connect with clients and potential clients.
I gained a lot from your class and I will keep using these new skills in my day to day activities as a Realtor.
Learn how to be charismatic....attract referrals.
Know how to follow up....so they know you are a professional and not a needy sales person.
Discover powerful insightful questions to ask....you will instantly know how to present your compelling solution in a way that makes sense to them.
Eliminate the fear of selling with unstoppable confidence techniques...a key mindset element you need to master to avoid losing your dream.
Know how to naturally sell with ease and confidence.....with NLP you will learn how to communicate like a trusted adviser and not a typical sales person (that will make people run away). You will easily attract people and get referrals.
Study, learn and apply NLP in your business so you grow and prosper...make those that did not believe in you jealous and make your friends and family proud.
Getting leads however not converting them into business?
If you invite 5 people to meet with you and only 1 does...this NLP program can help you possibly get or more...or all out of 5 to meet with you...work smarter not harder...Be a Strategic Communicator with NLP.
CEOof Aguilera & Associates, Mike Aguilera is a communication expert specializing in subconscious communication techniques and rapport-building skills for business and leadership. He is a speaker, author of Connect with Anyone in 90 Seconds or Less and The Art of Networking. Mike is also an executive coach and is a frequent guest of radio and TV programs across the country. He has been invited to conduct more than 1,000 international presentations and workshops at major conventions, associations, and companies such as Apple Computer, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, IBM, Netscape/AOL, HP, PG&E, McDonald's Restaurants, Hilton Hotels, Lockheed, and Intel. Mike is a Resource Speaker for the CEO Vistage International group, Certified Seminar Leader (CSL), a Certified Action Coach (CAS), and a Master practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (MNLP), which is an advanced communication system modeled after therapist who achieved amazing results in helping people make rapid changes in their lives.
Is Your Biggest Enemy Fear and Procrastination?
Learn how to eliminate fear and procrastination in Part One of the NLP the Mindset.
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$245 Special Offer - only available for a limited time - Buy Now.
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Contact me should you have any questions about the program. I want you to be completely confident and excited.


text:
The HTC U11 is the most solid phone of 2017 so far
Dismiss the HTC U11 at your peril this year. Here's why.
Daniel Bader
Samsung had yet another juggernaut quarter, selling millions of Galaxy S8s and outselling every other Android manufacturer many times over. For all intents and purposes, the high-end market is a duopoly between the Galaxy and the iPhone, and no effusive story (like this) is going to change consumer behavior.
That fact is perhaps best exemplified by LG's disappointing second quarter, which found the Korean company admitting that its excellent G6 flagship sold below expectations. Smartphones are a commodity, and now that we've entered a stage of maturity in the market — it's hard to buy a bad phone from any company — the same forces play out year after year.
For the last few years, HTC hasn't been inside that gale, and it would be a stretch to call it a force. Despite what I consider to be top-tier flagships in five of the last six years (2015's One M9 was a bad phone whichever way you slice it), HTC can't catch a break. The HTC 10 was a triumphant return to form in 2016, and the HTC U11 is 2017's most solid phone so far. What does that mean? It starts with this:
If the U11 doesn't sell well in 2017, it will have nothing to do with the outright quality of the phone itself. It's a really great phone that does so much right with so few missteps along the way.
Before I used the phone, reading Andrew's take on the phone surprised me. I wasn't taken aback by the fact that HTC delivered another stellar piece of hardware, or that its software was unobtrusive and relatively lightweight. It wasn't a shock to learn that the company didn't need to ride the tiny bezel train to differentiation. What did surprise me was just how seamlessly everything connected — that the criticisms leveled against the U11 largely fall away once you begin to use it.
Having a reliable front fingerprint sensor, after coming from the Galaxy S8, is wonderful. Also wonderful is having a metal phone that doesn't constantly feel like it is going to jello its way out of my hand.
And then there's the camera: this is easily the best camera I've used on a phone to date. It's fast and accurate; it produces great photos in almost every lighting condition. HTC still has one of the best manual modes of any phone maker, and with the U11 it hasn't messed with a good thing. But now it is working with a stellar sensor, a robust stabilization system, and the Snapdragon 835's exemplary image signal processor. Though I was initially skeptical that HTC called the U11's camera an 'UltraPixel', I think the term is justified (as opposed to last year).
This camera is amazing.
Finally, this is a sincerely beautiful phone; to see it in photos doesn't really do it justice. Forget the criticism leveled at the U11's front, since its nondescript status is merely a conduit to the superlative QHD display and easy-to-reach fingerprint sensor. There are fine details, like the colored aluminum around the sides that matches (most of the time) the reflective glass back, glinting in the light like a hyperactive funhouse mirror. I appreciate the subtle curvature of the front and rear glass that curves to meet the colored bezels, and the perfect symmetry that it forms.
When the U Ultra and U Play debuted at CES, I was very concerned about the state of HTC's phone business.
But as good as the U11 is, it's caught in a profoundly disconcerting reality of The American Carrier Cartel. I'm not the first to raise this point, but it's worth re-asserting in the light of the Moto Z2 Force's surprising carrier adoption: HTC is no longer a tier one manufacturer in the U.S., and its brand has almost no clout at the retail level.
Just look at what happened to the HTC 10 after it debuted at T-Mobile — it was quietly cut from the carrier's inventory two months later. It also failed to burn barns at Verizon, which is likely why Sprint was the only U.S. carrier to invest in the U11 this year. I'm not going to be as bold as to say the U11 is a far better phone than, say, the LG G6, but LG has managed to leverage its brand outside of the phone space to ensure its place within it.
So even though you can only buy the HTC U11 from one American carrier, and arguably the least attractive one for most people, the U11 is doing considerably better than last year's HTC 10. We won't know specifics until the company announces its Q2 earnings in mid-August, but things are looking good for the U11, which has received the best reception of any HTC flagship since the One M7 back in 2013. We're not looking at Galaxy S8, or even LG G6, numbers but HTC has grown used to counting in thousands, if low millions, in recent years. Any growth is going to look like a monumentally positive sign come August.
Back to the phone for a moment. When the U Ultra and U Play debuted at CES, we were ready to dismiss the upcoming flagship outright. The U Ultra is not a good product. Sure, it shares some visual similarities, but that's where the family resemblance ends; the U11 is a far more compelling and well-rounded product, and it speaks to the fact that a lot more goes into the creation of a pocket computer than metal, glass, and bits. It all has to work together — properly — and HTC continues to be a leader in that regard.
If you skipped ahead and just want a tl;dr, here it is: dismiss the HTC U11 at your peril this year. There are plenty of reasons to recommend the Galaxy S8, LG G6, OnePlus 5 and myriad other Android devices launched in 2017, but for my money, the most solid, most reliable, most stable, and most enjoyable to use is the HTC U11.
HTC U11 review
HTC U11 specs
Manufacturing the U11: Behind the scenes
Join our U11 forums
HTC U11 vs Galaxy S8
HTC U11 vs LG G6


I'm a "Stay at Home Mom." As you can tell by the title of my blog. You might be asking, "But her kids are older? Why is she a "Stay at Home Mom?"
Well I have actually had a few part time jobs since having kids. And am actually currently looking for another one now. But it is not easy with this economy. And also with hours that won't interfere in my kids schedules.
I stayed home with my kids when they were little. Because I just never wanted to do the "day care" thing. And I also do not have any family members any where close that could ever watch the kids while I'm at work. So that was never an option.
I suppose now that they are older, they could be alone for awhile. But I really want to find a job that could incorporate it all - the best hours, etc.
So for now I am a "Stay at Home Mom." Which I actually don't really like that title. So why did I name my blog that? Well when I created this blog, I wasn't being very creative at the time. And now I'm kind of stuck with it - lol.
Well that's it for now. I may add more to this later.
Hi, thought I would add, I grew up in New England - born in Massachusetts, and lived there for the first 30 years of my life. Then my husband and I moved to New Hampshire and we - along with our kids lived there for almost 12 years.
Then in July of 2011 we moved to Virginia. The company my husband works for transferred to Virginia. So it was in our best interest to move, so he could keep his job. Now we live here, and both of our families all live in Massachusetts. It has been an adjustment. But I really like Virginia. Mostly the weather - lol!
Sometimes I feel like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court , if you know what I mean. Things are definitely different down here. I guess we are Yankees down here in the South! .......to be continued.


Tax planning for homeowners should start well in advance of the April 15 filing deadline each year. If you delay until the last minute, it might be too late to maximize tax credits and tax deductions. These tax tips for homeowners looking ahead to 2010 returns explain some of the things you can do now that'll pay off later on your 1040.
Take a day to formulate a tax plan for the year. Depending on your circumstances, you might want to take advantage of energy tax credits or max out your vacation home deductions. The "What's New in 2010" section of IRS Publication 17 (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/index.html) offers a sneak peek at tax changes that might affect homeowners.
It's time to get cracking if you didn't exhaust your full allotment of residential energy tax credits (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/claim-your-residential-energy-tax-credits/) during 2009. Although tax credits for big projects like residential wind turbines and solar energy systems have no upper limit and are good through 2016, energy tax credits capped at $1,500 expire at the end of 2010. Eligible capped projects include new windows and doors, insulation, roofing, water heaters, HVAC, and biomass stoves.
Here's how it works with capped federal credits: You can earn energy tax credits worth 30% of the cost of qualifying improvements (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index), but the total tax credits can't exceed $1,500 combined for 2009 and 2010. So if you only took, say, $700 worth of capped energy credits on your 2009 tax return, you're still due for another $800 in credits in 2010. Some projects include the cost of installation–a furnace, for example–while others, such as insulation, are limited to the cost of materials.
Use a vacation home wisely, and it'll provide a break from taxes as well as the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The rules on tax deductions for vacation homes (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/tax-deductions-vacation-homes/) can get a bit tricky, but understanding and adhering to them can yield many happy tax returns.
In salute to members of the armed forces serving overseas who want to purchase a home, the IRS is extending a lucrative tax perk for military personnel (http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=215594,00.html). If you spent at least 90 days abroad performing qualified duty between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010, you have an extra year to earn a homebuyer tax credit. In addition to uniformed service members, workers in the Foreign Service and in the intelligence community are eligible.
Thanks to this extension of the homebuyer tax credit (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/claim-your-homebuyer-tax-credits/), qualifying military personnel have until April 30, 2011, to sign a contract on a new home. The deal must close before July 1, 2011. Just like non-military buyers, first-time homebuyers can earn a tax credit worth up to $8,000, and longtime homeowners can earn a credit of up to $6,500. The same income restrictions and $800,000 cap on home prices apply.
You can usually appeal your real estate assessment (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/appeal-your-property-tax-bill/) if you think it's too high. Contact your local assessor's office to find out the procedure, and be prepared to do some research. There's often no charge to request a review of your assessment.
Even if your assessment is accurate and comparable homes are being taxed at the same rate, there might be another route to tax savings. Ask your assessor's office about available property tax exemptions (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/common-property-tax-exemptions/). Local governments often give breaks to seniors, veterans, and the disabled, among others.


text:
Chol HaMoed Trips and the Sukkah
ByYaakov Rich, Editor	Posted on October 5, 2020 October 5, 2020 Updated on October 5, 2020
by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com
It is Motzai Yom Tov of the first days and included in it is the invariable discussion of the Chol HaMo'ed trip. The Chol HaMo'ed trip involves much more than the trip itself–it involves deciding where to go, who exactly goes, and what to do when we get there.
But what about a sukkah?
Do we need to make arrangements for a sukkah in which to eat on the trip? Does it depend upon the type of trip? The question of course only applies to the male members of the family, since the women are exempt from the obligation to eat in the sukkah. (It is a mitzvah for women to eat in the sukkah, but they are not obligated to do so.)
Also, technically, although one can be stringent and avoid eating anything outside of the sukkah, the basic obligation is to eat one's "set meals" in the sukkah. One may eat foods in an arai manner, which means not in a set meal. Certain foods by definition are considered "set meal" foods, such as a mezonos food (foods for which a mezonos berachah must be recited).
There is a fascinating beraisa quoted in the Gemara in Sukkah 26a: Travelers, holchei derachim, who travel in the daytime are exempt from the obligations of sukkah during the day and are obligated at night. Travelers who travel during the night are exempt at night and obligated during the day.
The explanation for this beraisa is found in Rashi: The verse tells us "You shall dwell in sukkos"–just as you dwell in your homes. Just as the entire year one does not refrain from traveling for business purposes, so too during all the days of the holiday that are not Yom Tov the Torah did not require one to avoid travel.
The Shulchan Aruch rules in accordance with this beraisa in Tractate Sukkah. The question arises, however, as to who exactly is included in holchei derachim, travelers. Does it mean anyone? When the family takes its annual trip to the amusement park, are we considered travelers? Unfortunately, not so fast. Some poskim distinguish between a "pleasure" trip and a "true need" trip.
Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt'l (Igros Moshe, O.C. III No. 93), rules that one who takes a pleasure trip is not included in the permissive clause of this beraisa in Sukkah. He rules that people are "holchei derachim" only when traveling for a substantive purpose. Pleasure trips, in Rav Moshe Feinstein's perspective, are not considered substantive enough to exempt one from the mitzvah of Sukkah.
Rav Moshe did make an exception when it comes to traveling to Eretz Yisrael (or another country, for that matter), when the traveler could not make the trip during another time. He writes (Even HaEzer IV 32:8) that if one travels extensively for a short period of time and has no other time to do so, it is not considered a pleasure trip, but rather a "true need" and is therefore permitted.
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt'l, is also quoted as ruling that Chol HaMo'ed pleasure trips on Sukkos do not exempt a person from the obligation to eat in a sukkah (see Sefer Succas HaShaleim, p. 458). This is also the view of Rav Ovadiah Yosef, shlita (Yechaveh Daas 3:47). The Az Nidberu (11:34), however, is lenient and does exempt the pleasure traveler from eating in a sukkah, based on the aforementioned beraisa. But he adds the caveat that when it is easily done, one should seek a sukkah.
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The issue is thus the subject of debate among contemporary poskim. However, if one utilizes the halachic concept of poik chazi mai amah devar–go out and see how the nation conducts itself–one seems to see that the halachah is in accordance with the majority view as expressed by Rav Moshe, Rav Shlomo Zalman, and Rav Ovadiah Yosef. Most men and young boys, when taking Chol HaMo'ed trips, do not pack a mezonos lunch. They generally only eat fruits and shehakols.
There is another issue that this brings up, however. Even though most poskim seem to indicate that one is obligated in the mitzvah of sukkah when on a pleasure trip, there does seem to be some debate on the subject. This brings up the question as to whether the pleasure tripper recites a blessing when eating in the sukkah, since, according to some authorities, he is technically exempt. One is tempted to say that the situation should be no different than the custom of women according to Ashkenazic Jewry: they are exempt, yet they still recite the blessing! If so, the same ruling should also apply to men when they are exempt.
Yet we do find that when it is raining heavily and one eats in the sukkah (aside from the first night), the person eating in the rain should not recite the blessing, because he has the exemption of metzta'eir patur min ha'sukkah–if one is extremely uncomfortable, one is not obligated to eat in the sukkah. This is based on the writings of Acharonim. For example, the Machatzis haShekel, in the beginning of O.C. 639, writes that whoever is exempt from sukkah does not recite a blessing.
It would seem, however, that in this case, it is significantly different, and one would still recite a blessing. The Machatzis haShekel cited earlier may be referring to a case where the person is exempt and is therefore not fully appreciating the mitzvah of sukkah. In such a case, the blessing perhaps should not be recited. When the person falls under the rubric of metzta'er–pained or in a state of great discomfort–he cannot fully appreciate what the mitzvah is all about. Here, however, he is fully appreciating it, in that he is seeking to perform it even when he technically does not have to do so.
How do we fully appreciate the mitzvah of sukkah? By realizing that Hashem is truly the One watching over us constantly: that He did so while we were in the Midbar, with both real booths and the Ananei haKavod, and that He still is watching over us constantly. Our faith, trust, and hope lie solely in Him.
Training Children To Eat In The Sukkah
READ Chevrah Lomdei Mishnah: The Society for Mishnah Study
There is a pasuk in the Torah (Vayikra 23:42) that states, "You shall dwell in booths seven days; all the citizens of Israel shall dwell in booths." The Sifra, the oldest commentary on the book of Vayikra, comments on the word all. "All comes to include the children," states the Sifra.
The Gemara in Sukkah (28b), however, points to a contradiction from the Mishnah on the previous amud. Our Mishnah states that children are exempt from sukkah! How, then, do we understand the derashah found in the Sifra? The Gemara provides a resolution: The Mishnah discusses very young children that have not reached the age of instruction. The Sifra is referring to older children. The obligation, however, is still rabbinic in origin. Why then did the Torah use the word all? It is a Biblical device known as an asmachta, where at times the Torah will hint to a future rabbinic enactment.
Okay, so now we have some kids who are obligated and some who are not. What are the parameters of "the age of instruction?" The Gemara offers two different guidelines. Rabbi Yannai defines it as whether the child is toilet trained: when he uses the facilities, does he still need his mother? Reish Lakish says that the parameters depend upon when he wakes up at night, does he still call out for his mother? These are the parameters for when a child is exempt or obligated.
The question arises as to whether Rabbi Yannai and Reish Lakish are arguing. Rashi (Eiruvin 82b) seems to understand that they are in agreement. The Sefer Mitzvos Gedolos (SMaG), however, seems to understand that these two views are different. (So it seems that Rashi holds that when the child is toilet-trained, he doesn't yell out for his mother in the middle of the night. The SMaG disagrees and holds that one is later than the other. A quick poll of some Five Towns mothers indicates that they hold like Rashi.)
So what is the age? The Shulchan Aruch rules that it is five or six years of age. Most Acharonim understand this to mean that it depends on how sharp the child is.1
Does this mean for both eating and sleeping? The answer seems to be that it is for both.
Which now brings us to an interesting issue, a discussion of which is found in a sefer entitled HaKatan VeHilchosav (cited in BaSukkos Teishvu, p. 161). What happens in the following situation: You have room for only two beds in your sukkah–one bed for you, and one bed for your 12-year-old son. And now, a guest arrives from Israel and stays with you. Do you let your son stay in the house and allow the guest to sleep in the sukkah (hoping he doesn't snore), or do you ask your guest to sleep in the house and have your son sleep in the sukkah as originally planned?
The question pits two halachic issues against each other. The obligation to train your child is your obligation. The obligation for the guest sleeping in the sukkah is someone else's obligation, not yours. Do we say that your obligation of chinuch outweighs your guest's obligation of sleeping in the sukkah? When the question was first posed to Rav Elyashiv, he seemed to indicate that this was indeed the case; your obligation outweighs your guest's obligation–even though your guest's obligation is Biblical, while your obligation in training your child is merely rabbinic!
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However, it seems that Rav Elyashiv changed his mind. Your guest's obligation is actually not just your guest's obligation, but your obligation as well. There is a concept in the Torah called arvus–responsibility for one another. We took an oath at Har Sinai. We as Jews are responsible for the mitzvah observance of all of our fellow Jews.2 The responsibility of arvus is actually a Biblical one, too. Hence, Rav Elyashiv revised his position to rule that the homeowner should allow the guest to sleep in the sukkah and his son should stay in the house.
(One might have taken issue with Rav Elyashiv's revised opinion with the following argument: Just as a lulav and esrog is an expenditure and the concept of arvus does not obligate you to spend money on someone else's obligation, so too one can view the building of a sukkah as an expenditure, and, therefore, one would not be obligated to tell a child not to fulfill the mitzvah so that the guest can. However, to counter this argument, it can be pointed out that there is another mitzvah of chinuch here for one's own child. We can teach our child the very important mitzvah of arvus.)
The lesson is an important one in the notion of arvus, responsibility toward others. Rabbi Moshe Cordevera, in his Tomer Devorah, gives us one insight into the idea of arvus and communal responsibility. He quotes earlier authorities who write that all the neshamos of K'lal Yisrael are in reality one great soul. Each and every one of us possesses a part of that neshamah of K'lal Yisrael and, as a consequence, we are all intimately connected to one another. The verse in the Torah that says ve'ahavta lerei'acha ka'mocha, love your neighbor as yourself, is actually quite true from a physical sense–your neighbor is part of you (see also the Yerushalmi on Nedarim 9:4).
1. The Gemara later points out another contradiction about the exact age. Is it four or five, or is it six? The Gemara resolves this contradiction by differentiating between when the father is in town and when he is out of town.
2. In fact, this is one of the reasons why we can make kiddush for another Jew, when we have made kiddush already. We have never completely fulfilled our obligation of kiddush when there is even one Jew out there who has not yet heard kiddush.
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[url:3d8ocnwz]http://geocities.com/asoiafcasting/[/url:3d8ocnwz] has the picks for various characters some fan made.
The good thing about ASOIAF is that it doesn't need to be heavy on really nice special effects. There aren't big battles that use high powered magic (yea we see some magic but it isn't really handled the same way it is in many fantasy series). Eventually we have dragons to deal with though, but they are still relatively small at the moment so that makes it easier.
But it's not like a TV series about Rome would have magic in it. Fantasy and sci-fi productions tend to aim ambitiously high in terms of spectacle. More than anything else, I'd like to see Stannis' attack on king's landing...but that'll cost.
Making an epic fantasy into a series was a dream of mine as a child. Hope I live to see it.
Series one, wins awards and creates a stir.
I think the reason Rome is such an expensive show (with very little pretty special effects being needed) is the sets. They went all out to make them as nice as they could, and so they are feature film quality sets and thus expensive.
No, they're starting work on it now (although it's not formally comissioned yet, they're writing scripts and starting to look for locations to film in). GRRM himself doesn't expect it on air until 2009 at the earliest. Book 5 should be out in early 2008, so he's got seven years from now to finish Book 6 and eight years from now to finish Book 7, more or less.


text:
Emerging Markets Latin America
Latin American capital markets: Competition for HSBC as it builds in equities
Rob Dwyer
Published on: Friday, February 28, 2014
Itaú strengthens position outside Brazil; equity lull a good time for hiring, says HSBC.
The announcement that Itaú Unibanco is to buy a controlling interest in Chile's Corpbanca confirmed the regional expansion of the big Brazilian banks and demonstrates the tough local competition that HSBC faces as it invests in its Latin American equities business.
At the end of January, Itaú said that it would buy 33.58% of Corpbanca stock with a mix of cash and stock. This makes Itaú the fourth-largest bank in Chile, up from seventh before the deal, and adds substantial assets in Colombia following Corpbanca's acquisition of Helm bank and Santander Colombia.
The deal adds brokerage capabilities for Itaú BBA – the Brazilian bank's investment unit – in Chile and Colombia, but the main boost to market share is for Itaú's retail and corporate businesses.
However, Itaú BBA has been very successful in growing its market share and revenues by leveraging its big corporate balance sheet in Brazil and this acquisition should provide it with a stronger base from which to replicate the strategy outside its home market.
Fantastic move
A competing senior ECM banker with responsibilities for Latin America ex-Brazil believes Itaú Unibanco's acquisition will be a positive for its investment banking unit. "It's a fantastic move for them – it gives them Chile on the retail and brokerage side," he says. "In Colombia they have bought Santander and Helm bank assets and [the latter] was a pretty nice high-net-worth bank with decent brokerage operations – and Santander had everything. It's going to make them tough competitors."
Itaú BBA hired Facundo Vázquez as head of ECM in July 2013, from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Vázquez is based in New York and is tasked with building mandates in the region – including in Mexico.
Itaú BBA is not waiting on an acquisition of a bank in Mexico to build its business and hired an entire research team, headed by Joaquin Ley, from Santander in 2012, on which to base Mexican equities growth. Itaú BBA is also looking for a new head of investment banking to work alongside its CEO of Mexico, Alberto Mulas, and is moving to new offices in Santa Fé.
Reassessment
The growing strength of local competition has been forcing the international banks in the region to reassess their investment banking strategy – in particular in ECM and Brazil where the locals are strongest.
Barclays and Deutsche Bank have reduced headcount in their equities businesses in recent times as strong competition coupled with a dramatic reduction in primary and secondary issuance makes the maintenance of teams of equity bankers expensive. It is in this environment that HSBC has been building its equities team.
In the past four years the bank has hired more than 100 people in the Americas across all equity product areas.
Ben Laidler, head of research for the Americas, HSBC
Key hires include Ben Laidler, who joined as head of research for the Americas in 2012, reporting to Stuart Parkinson, CEO of global research at HSBC. Other key hires include a new head of Brazil equity capital markets (Matias Santa Cruz joined in 2012 from UBS) and a head of equities for Mexico (François Jaubert joined in 2013 and had previously worked at Deutsche Bank).
Laidler has added seven senior analysts and has been rebalancing the business towards having analysts within the local offices in the region to better counter the growing strength of the locals' teams.
HSBC now has research teams in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico – as well as the US – and covers more than 150 stocks. According to Laidler, the dip in the Latin American equities markets has been an advantage to the bank's growth strategy.
"It's a great time to be building a business," says Laidler. "Three years ago it would have been nearly impossible to do what we have achieved in Brazil given the demand for talent, but if you take a counter-cyclical view to hiring, this has just been a fantastic time to build up the business and we have picked up some incredibly talented people."
The investment in HSBC's Latin American equities business mirrors its strategy in Asia and Europe. The bank identified equities as a weakness but believes it can build a top-five equities shop within a few years.
"We weren't anywhere near the scale that we should be for the size of this bank, and there has been a systematic approach to building out the equity business," says O'Leary. "We feel that in the past 18 months that scale has been added for Latin America. Equities is a fairly low-RWA-type business and the returns are still very decent, so it becomes much more attractive to the bank as a whole to have a buoyant equity business. What LatAm has received recently, in terms of investment, just brings the region up to par with Asia and Europe. The market overall is under a bit of stress, but all of our gains are really coming from taking market share rather than from overall market growth. Last year was about hiring, getting the team structured, and this year it's all about taking market share."
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