The report titled "Global Aircraft Engine MRO Market Research Report, 2015 - 2025" from Eon Market Research delivers comprehensive examination of Aircraft Engine MRO industry on global, regional and country level. This report offers a historical market size from 2014 to 2017 and forecast from 2018 to 2024. The report provides market size in terms of volume and value or whichever applicable throughout the forecast period along with CAGR. Global Aircraft Engine MRO Market report helps the readers to find the key trend in the industry such as major demand drivers, restraints and to identify the future opportunities. It provides value chain analysis, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis to cover all the factors affecting this industry.
The competitive landscape offers thorough understandings on company share analysis and major policies implemented by principal industry participants to gain competitive gain over rivals. Portfolio analysis helps to understand product mix of leading companies in the Aircraft Engine MRO industry. Key companies analyzed in the report include Delta TechOps, GE Aviation, Honeywell Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Division, Rolls Royce, Ameco, Eagle Services Asia, Evergreen Technologies, Hong Kong Aero Engine Services, MTU Maintenance, and Singapore Aero Engine Service. The report provides a detailed overview, product portfolio, financials (wherever available), and strategic developments for the companies analyzed in the report.
The Global Aircraft Engine MRO Market report offers detailed segmentation based on product types and applications. Based on product type, it can be segmented as Airframe, Engine, and Component. Based on the application area, Aircraft Engine MRO market can be segmented as Air Transport and Business & General Aviation (BGA).
The report provides detailed information on raw materials suppliers, equipment suppliers, manufacturing cost, capacity, production, profit margin, capacity utilization rate, etc.
The Global Aircraft Engine MRO Market report also covers vast geographical analysis. Key regions analyzed in the global Aircraft Engine MRO market include; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. The country-level analysis covered for U.S., UK, France, Germany, Russia, China, Japan, India, and Brazil. The report provides detailed bifurcation of each segment on global, regional and country level. Moreover, the report is fully customizable and can be furnished as per prospective readers requirements.


text:
BBC Resources Birmingham's graphic design department was commissioned by BBC Network Production to create the titles for the forthcoming television version of legendary radio show Just a Minute. Desig
BBC Resources Birmingham's graphic design department was commissioned by BBC Network Production to create the titles for the forthcoming television version of legendary radio show Just a Minute. Designer Tony Fisher

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Topics - Two-Car Broadside Crash
Mountain View, California
Five Soldiers/Two Civilians Killed
On Bayshore Highway, a four-lane highway near Moffett Air Field 36 miles south of San Francisco, one car crashed broadside into another on February 13, 1954. What resulted was a bloody auto crash in a heavy rain in which five soldiers and two civilians died. There was one survivor. The soldiers were infantry trainees from the 20th Infantry Regiment at Fort Ord, California. The men were bound for a weekend in San Francisco. The civilians were a husband and wife en route to visit their son.
To add information to this page contact Lynnita@thekwe.org.
[This page was made possible by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council.]
Back to Page Contents
Kong, Pvt. Alexander A. (Honolulu, Hawaii) -
Alexander was born February 16, 1933, son of Edward A. Kong (1906-1975) and Rachel Leilehua Akee Kong (1910-1998). His sister was Mrs. Albert (Mokihana Hannah Kong) Medeiros (1934-1993). Alexander is buried in Nuuenu Memorial Park, Honolulu, Hawaii.
LaMadrid, Pvt. Albert (Honolulu, Hawaii) -
Albert was born September 01, 1934. He is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Linthicum, Pvt. Arthur William (Ankeny, Iowa) -
Arthur was born March 06, 1918. He was a World War II and Korean War veteran who was the recipient of a Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal. He is buried in Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa.
Matthews, Pvt. Henry Thomas (Hanford, California) -
Henry was born October 07, 1932 in Oklahoma, a son of Thomas Edward Mathews [sic] (2905-1985) and Arclistia Pearl Chrysler Mathews [sic] (1910-1983). He was the brother of Ellen Virginia Potter (1928-2011), Velma Jean Sotello (1929-2000), Cloys Edward Mathews [sic] (1934-2005) and Clistina Myers (1943-2008). Thomas is buried in Hanford Cemetery, Hanford, California.
Rostege, James (San Francisco, California) -
He and his wife Leona are buried in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, California.
Rostege, Mrs. James (Leona) (San Francisco, California) -
Leona Clara Lloyd Kelly Rostege was born November 27, 1897. She was married to Frank Kelly and they had a son, David Lloyd Kelly (1921-1969).
Vangler, Pvt. Hyman (Seattle, Washington) -
Hyman was born April 03, 1934. He is buried in the Seattle Historic Sephardic Cemetery (Bikur Cholim), Seattle.
Kaplan, Pvt. Gerald (Seattle, Washington) -
© 2002-2016 Korean War Educator. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of material is prohibited.
- Contact Webmaster with questions or comments related to web site layout.
- Contact Lynnita for Korean War questions or similar informational issues.
- Website address: www.koreanwar-educator.org


New data from Hub Entertainment Research highlights how quickly SVOD is supplanting live TV viewing. No surprise that the focus of these changes is in the young, who are now almost completely disengaged from live TV.
In its new report Decoding the Default, Hub says that the average number of TV sources available to each viewer has increased from 3.7 in 2014 to 4.5 in 2018. There are no prizes for guessing from where the growth has come: SVOD services like Netflix and HBO Now.
Between Q4 2014 and Q4 2017, the number of people saying they use an SVOD service increased from 53% to 68.2%. What's more, the number of pay online video services taken by the average US SVOD home stands at 3.8. Averaging the number of SVOD services across all US homes, not just those that take them, yields 2.6 SVOD services per home. Combining the SVOD usage data with the Hub data suggests the average US home has two traditional TV sources (linear TV, DVR, or on-demand) and 2.5 SVOD services.
Hub asked survey participants which TV source they went to by default. Only 39% said live TV was their default, down from 50% in 2013. DVR usage was also down over the same period, from 21% to 14%. Conversely, 22% said Netflix, up from 13% in 2013.
There are many signs that live TV has fallen out of favor with US consumers. The number of cable, satellite, and telco homes has fallen from 99.6 million in 2013 to 92.5 in 2018. In 2011, there were 100 million homes with ESPN. By Q1 2018, that number had fallen to 86 million, losing 500,000 in April 2018 alone.
At the same time, usage of connected TV devices has grown prodigiously. For example, the 20 million active Roku devices delivered 2 hours and 40 minutes a day of streaming media to users in Q1 2018. The average Netflix account delivered 1 hour and 15 minutes of video per day in Q3 2017. In many Roku and Netflix, homes live TV is likely not the first place people turn when they want to watch something.
Hub says that the young are the focus of the shift away from live TV. Just 26% of 18-to-34-year-olds consider live TV as their default service. On the other hand, 35% of them say Netflix is their default TV service.
That said, every age group has moved away from live TV in the last year. For example, the number of 55-and-older adults that consider live TV their default service fell from 66% in 2017 to 56% in 2018. Those in that age citing Netflix as their default increased from 5% to 7%.
The decline in live TV usage by the young has been underway for some time. Between Q2 2014 and Q2 2017, weekly time spent watching live TV among 18-to-24-year-olds fell from 17 hours and 18 minutes a week to 11 hours and 22 minutes, a decline of 34%. Those 65 and older watched almost four-times as a much live TV in Q2 2017 per week as 18-to-24-year-olds.
The decline in TV viewing doesn't only mean that people watch less. They also rely on TV less as a primary source of entertainment.
The trend has progressed so far that most young people are disengaged from live TV.


This is a calendar of yoyo contests around the world. Clicking on a contest name will bring you to any further information we have on the event. This calendar is maintained by YoYoNews, so please email them with any additions or updates!


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Texas 7 Ways at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™
No. 4 Texas Wine in the Champion Wine Garden
No. 3 Texas Food: Everything Fried…
No. 5 Kids at the Livestock…
Jump to…Texas 7 Ways at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™1. Competition as Big as Texas at RODEOHOUSTON®2. Texas Music at RODEOHOUSTON®3. Texas Food: Everything Fried and on a Stick4. Texas Wine in the Champion Wine Garden5. Kids at the Livestock Show from across Texas6. Exhibits and More including the Tour of Texas and School Art from Texas Students7. Texas-Sized Fun at the Carnival
If you're looking for somewhere to relax during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™, look no further than the Champion Wine Garden located in Carruth Plaza. Nestled between NRG Astrodome and NRG Stadium, Carruth Plaza is a tribute to the Show and Texas' Western heritage.
Carruth Plaza – A Tribute to Western Heritage
The plaza's namesake, Allen H. "Buddy" Carruth, is best known around the Houston community for his philanthropic work with The Wortham Foundation and long-time dedication to the Show, including serving as past president and chairman of the board. Thanks to a grant from The Wortham Foundation, Carruth Plaza has evolved into a tranquil oasis offering Show visitors a place to recharge throughout the three-week agricultural fair and exposition.
A diverse assortment of Texas native plants, including cactus, yucca and Live Oak trees, along with eight, large-scale bronze statues — many sculpted by Houston artists — are placed around a soothing stream, allowing for maximum relaxation. During the Show, this Western art sculpture garden is home to live music, dancing and champion wines from the Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition.
Texas Wines Shine during 2017 Wine Competition
The 2017 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition boasted 2,850 entries from nearly 20 different countries and an additional 105 entries from the featured region, Tuscany. Texas wineries were well represented in the competition with 351 entries. One wine stood out from the rest and took home the title of Top Texas Wine — Perdenales Cellars Tempranillo, Texas High Plains, 2014. Kiepersol Vineyards & Winery, the Top Texas Winery, is located on the outskirts of Tyler, Texas.
Houstonians will have the opportunity to sample the winning Texas wines, along with the remaining Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition champions, daily during the Show in the Champion Wine Garden. Bottles and glasses will be sold starting at 4 p.m. Monday – Friday, 11 a.m. on Saturday, and noon on Sunday, March 7–26.
Texas Wine Appreciation Day
Everything's bigger in Texas, including wine production. On Thursday, March 9, the Show will celebrate Texas' rich contribution to wine production in the United States. Texas is currently ranked fifth in the nation among America's wine-producing states, with more than $1.88 billion contributed to the overall economic value of Texas.
What better way to celebrate Texas Wine Appreciation Day than with a glass of Texas wine? Red or white, the Champion Wine Garden has an elite selection of Texas wines to choose from. Wine tastings also are available for guests who wish to sample several wines, at an unbeatable value. The Champion Wine Garden is the perfect spot for relaxation and is located just steps away from the RᴏᴅᴇᴏHᴏᴜsᴛᴏɴ® action.
Admission is free with the purchase of an NRG Park grounds pass or RᴏᴅᴇᴏHᴏᴜsᴛᴏɴ ticket; must be 21 years of age or older to purchase wine. For more information on the Champion Wine Garden, and how to schedule wine tastings and activities in Carruth Plaza, visit rodeohouston.com.
A Food Tour of Southeastern Oklahoma
"Enchilada Queen" Sylvia Casares Shares Her Secrets In A New Cookbook
What Every Texan Should Know About . . .


Primary muscles recruited in skiing are categorized into 5 groups.
First in the chain of command, the feet and ankle muscles are essential in dictating movements of skiing. All lower-body actions in alpine skiing originate with the ankles and feet. Consider all of the subtle motions employed by the feet. Ankle inversion and eversion muscles transfer pressure to the inner and outer edges of the foot, maintaining lateral and medial alignment. These include the calf muscles, the peroneals on the lateral edge of the lower leg, and tibialis anterior, running directly parallel and lateral to the shin bone; all hot-spots for massaging the tired skier leg. These muscles also engage during dorsifelxion and plantarflexion, or pulling up and pushing down the ball of the foot in the ski boot, constant actions in skiing, as we maintain fore/aft balance and support ourselves on uneven terrain.
The quadriceps and hip flexors, or frontal thigh muscles, act together to flex the femur toward the pelvis, ie. pull the knee upward, stabilizing us in a squatting position, such as that employed skiing. The vastus lateralis is the sole muscle of the outer thigh, and its fascia will often adhere to the iliotibial tract (IT band), a superficial sheet of strong fascia with vertical fibers that run up the lateral side of the thigh. This lateral edge of the thigh is a common target area for skiers' massage, as it constantly stabilizes the hip and knee.
Another distinct group of skiing muscles is the hamstring group, which opposes the action of the quads, extending the hip and, most importantly in skiing, flexing, or bending, the knee. Composed of three muscles, smaller than the quadriceps group, they all originate from the ischial tuberosity, or sit-bone, and help absorb shock and protect the ACL.
Further up the chain are the hard-working gluteal muscles. Primary drivers of the hip joint, they are called to action with every bump and turn we take. We feel the work more in the thigh and leg muscles, when in fact the gluteals bear much of the impact, laterally and medially rotating, flexing, extending, adducting and abducting the hip joint/femur. The gluts are engaged with every lower body biomechanical motion in skiing, and resist the powerful forces put on the body gravitationally.
Perhaps least obvious, the core and torso musculature, provide dynamic balance and structural support. The deep core muscles stabilize the lower back while skiers take on varied terrain. The quadratus lumborum, or QL, is a common culprit in lower back pain, as it deeply connects the top of the posterior pelvis to the lowest rib and lumbar vertebrae, stabilizing, flexing and shock-absorbing the impact of the bumps of skiing, yet never noticeably tiring, just tightening. Similarly, the deep and tireless psoas, primary hip flexor and core muscle, contracts and stabilizes, and contributes to lower back pain and tight pelvic and gluteal muscles. The erector spinae group are torso muscles which run up the sides of the spine from the sacrum to the neck, laterally flexing, or bending, the spine, as well as bilaterally extending the spine and torso; keeping us upright.
An additional group to acknowledge is the shoulders and arms. The biceps, triceps, deltoids and rotator cuff muscles all fire when using ski poles, and we especially feel their work at the beginning of the season.
High quality educated massage work, customized for the individual skier, alleviates the tight fatigued musculature from a day on the slopes. Soothing gliding and kneading techniques, combined with hot stones to relax tense muscles and promote circulation, and targeted manipulation of specific areas, including cross-fiber friction, trigger point work, vibration, jostling and passive stretches, will generally loosen and renew your body for another day of fun on the mountain.
For further information or to schedule a massage appointment please contact Alessandra Jacobson at Alison Palmer Physical Therapy and Wellness Center, (970) 729-1737. We are located in the Cimarron Lodge at the bottom of lift 7. Wellness is the full integration of mind, body and spirit.


Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until light and creamy. Gradually add the ice water while beating continuously. Sift the flour, mealie meal, salt and half the baking powder together and fold into the sugar mixture.
Beat the egg whites and the remaining baking powder until soft peaks form. Fold into the batter.
Turn into two greased cake tins of about 20 cm in diameter. Bake for 15-20 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. Halve each cake layer.
Filling: Mix the custard powder with a little milk and set aside. Bring the remaining milk and the salt to boil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the custard mixture, stirring continuously until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla essence and leave to cool. Beat the sugar and butter together, then add the cooled custard. Spread the filling between the cake layers and on top of the cake. Sprinkle biscuit crumbs on top.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two 23 x 13 x 7 cm loaf tins with margarine.
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Break into pieces and arrange on a baking sheet.
Place in a 100°C oven until completely dry. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 50 rusks.
Mix the mealie meal, flour, nuttywheat and salt. Add the chopped dates.
Melt the margarine and honey or syrup.
Beat the eggs and add melted margarine and honey.
Add bicarb to the milk. Mix all together.
Put into greased muffin tins and bake at 180°C for 15-20 mins. Serve with butter.


Below are links to data visualizations, data, publications, country profiles, and other resources from the 2016 update to the Global Burden of Disease Study.
Use this visualization to interact with the GBD estimates, comparing causes, injuries, risks across time, age, and place.
The Data Input Sources Tool allows users to explore GBD 2016 input data sources and retrieve relevant metadata.


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Q: If Statements not being recognized by Xcode I have been developing on a Application that requires the use of If-Statements, however, Xcode seems to skip right over the "If" part of the If-Statement and goes straight into the "Else" part of the If-Statement. It completely ignores the actual restrictions of the If-Statement and avoid them by jumping right over it, it seems. I see this in all my If-statements such as the one below:
if ([strResult isEqualToString:@"1"]) {
    NSLog(@"Logged In!");
} else {
    NSLog(@"Invalid Credentials");
}

I do know for a fact that when I go to the PHP link to check for credentials it does return "1" if they are correct and "0" if it isn't, so I know the variables are correct.
Another Example:
if ([_username.text isEqualToString:@""] || [_password.text isEqualToString:@""]) {
    //Invalid Credentials
}

All help is appreciated! Thank You So Very Much! And Happy New Year!

A: So you know for a fact that some PHP code returns "1"? Do you also know for a fact that this "1" ends up in strResult? No spaces around it? You make the beginner's mistake of thinking that your code is right and something magical stops it from working. Instead your attitude should be: I made a mistake. Where did I make the mistake?
Setting a breakpoint on the if statement would be a good first step to find your bug.
Seriously, if the compiler couldn't get a simple if-statement right, would anybody be using it?

A: I think there is something else wrong.  Your if statement is fine.
I made this version of your code:
//
//  main.m
//  SimpleTest
//

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

int main(int argc, const char * argv[]) {
    @autoreleasepool {
        // insert code here...
        NSLog(@"Hello, World!");

        NSString* strResult = @"0";

        if ([strResult isEqualToString:@"1"]) {
            NSLog(@"Logged In!");
        } else {
            NSLog(@"Invalid Credentials");
        }
    }
    return 0;
}

It prints out "Logged In!" as expected.  If I make the value of strResult "0", it prints out "Invalid Credentials."
So you must have something else going on.  Print out strResult.  What is it?  is it nil?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: HierarchicalDataTemplate for very complex layout Im making a herbal database program and I am having troubles setting up HierarchicalDataTemplates for my main data class.
Tree layout wanted:

*

*Glossary

*

*Category1

*

*Letter (Reduces overall list size)

*

*Entry

*

*Note1

*Note2

*Herbs

*

*Botanical Name

*

*Alphabetical

*

*Letter (Reduces overall list size)

*

*Entry

*By Family

*

*Family

*

*Entry

*Common Name

*

*Letter (Reduces overall list size)

*

*Entry

NOTE: All entries have notes
NOTE2: Letter is a letter of the alphabet for sorting
Ex:

*

*a

*

*apple

*b

*

*bus

Main Class:
Public Class MainSystem
    Public herbs As New Dictionary(Of Integer, herbEntry)
    Public glossary As New Dictionary(Of Integer, glossaryEntry)
End Class

GlossaryEntry:
Public Class glossaryEntry
    Public Property ID As Integer
    Public Property Words As List(Of String) 'Each word is in the format: Catagory/word
    Public Property Notes As SortedDictionary(Of String, String)
End Class

HerbEntry:
Public Class herbEntry
    Public ID As Integer
    Public Property commonName As List(Of String)
    Public Property botanicalName As List(Of String)
    Public Property PlantID As PlantID
End Class

EDIT: Thanks to the link from @AngelWPF I have got the tree displaying my object. But, currently the tree looks like this:

*

*Herbs

*

*Common Name

*

*CommonName item from entry

*Another CommonName item from entry

*Common Name

*

*CommonName item from entry

*Another CommonName item from entry

How can I make this change to match my hierarchy?
XAML:
<UserControl.Resources>
        <HierarchicalDataTemplate  DataType="{x:Type my:herbEntry}">
            <TreeViewItem Header="Common Name"  ItemsSource="{Binding commonName}">

            </TreeViewItem>
        </HierarchicalDataTemplate>
    </UserControl.Resources>
    <Grid>
        <TreeView HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Name="TreeView1" VerticalAlignment="Stretch">
            <TreeViewItem Header="Herbs" ItemsSource="{Binding herbs.Values}"/>
        </TreeView>
    </Grid>

A: This example may guide you to assign different item templates at different levels for each type of bound item ...
Having HierarchicalDataTemplates in a TreeView


The 'rollout' was awesome. We had a five day window of time to set up the systems and we were able to do it in three days plus a half day of training.
Founded in 1933, Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU) is one of the largest financial institutions headquartered in Michigan and the second largest credit union in the state. LMCU employs over 900 professionals and has over 300,000 members, 36 branch locations, and nearly 100 ATMs in West Michigan, East Michigan and Kalamazoo. With $3.7 billion in assets, LMCU has an outstanding 99.53% membership renewal rate.
The company provides a wide range of financial services, from checking accounts to mortgages, commercial loans, insurance and investment services. LMCU's "Anywhere" capability gives anyone in the country the ability to become a member. Customers can access their account from any location around the nation by taking advantage of the "go-anywhere" mobile app.
LMCU has received many accolades — Bauer Financial Group awarded a 5-Star rating for financial safety and soundness, and the company also earned a spot among the National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For™.
LMCU's loyal members trust the company with their valuable, personal information, including Social Security numbers, account numbers and passwords. Keeping this information private and secure is a daily challenge given that financial institutions are the top target of threat actors around the world. Every day, financial institutions put their reputation on the line and are only one incident of data loss or theft away from causing irreparable harm to customers and its viability as a business. Performance and productivity continue to be at risk as well as the battle to defend critical data against external attacks and Insider Threats.
Aaron Christenson is responsible for managing LMCU's security solutions while Chase Busscher is the IT Supervisor. He manages the infrastructure team which includes server administrators, the Help Desk and network crew. They are painfully aware that financial institutions are one of the biggest targets for phishing and other primary and secondary malware attacks.
According to Chase and Aaron, LMCU's previous security solution did not offer unified visibility amongst the products and was lacking in actionable guidance for the IT department. As a result, time management was becoming more inconvenient for active users and administrators. They were spending too many man hours "minding" the system. Time spent repairing and monitoring the network was excessive and critical.
It was crucial to Chase and Aaron for the company to acquire a security solution that maximized IT security effectiveness. LMCU needed unified security across email and the Web that provided the visibility and control needed to manage risks and demonstrate IT security effectiveness against Advanced Threats. By doing this, they would ensure that LMCU would be following proper Data Theft Prevention measures.
LMCU recognized that prior security needed to be enhanced. After evaluating several data security solutions on the market, Aaron and Chase decided to install Forcepoint security.
A unified security solution simplified the user experience to an effective and efficiently-operating system. The installation process was quick and painless. In addition, Forcepoint was able to offer the hands-on support LMCU needed to have the solution up and running as soon as possible.
The IT team at LMCU also understands that the first step toward a successful, long-term security solution is not just about the technology. Creating user awareness and providing guidance on recognizing potential malicious websites/emails is also important — the human element is a major factor in achieving and maintaining successful data security. Forcepoint invested time with LMCU in order to provide users the proper introduction and guidance to the new data security solution.
Since deploying the Forcepoint security solutions, there have been phishing attempts and a few external attempts at data theft that LMCU has been able to prevent.
Aaron and Chase are now able to manage their time more efficiently because of what Forcepoint has provided them.
Forcepoint's unified security also enables LMCU's IT team to change employee habits to reduce risky behavior. It stops users from unknowingly downloading harmful malware through the Web and email channels. More importantly, LMCU users are now informed enough to make appropriate Web and email decisions on their own. Additionally, Aaron and Chase commend Forcepoint for the overall IT help center, providing reliable support in a time-effective manner.
Forcepoint was able to provide LMCU with Web, email, and data security solutions that drastically improved the security level and the IT team's overall effectiveness and efficiency. LMCU needed a unified, proactive and efficient system and Forcepoint security solutions satisfied all of these needs.
Lake Michigan Credit Union has relied on Forcepoint security solutions since 2006.


From Romona Keveza's Fall 2018 Romona collection, this Mikado gown features a V-neckline, fluted chapel-length skirt, and A-line silhouette. The designer paired the dress with a lace cap sleeve shrug.
See the latest Romona wedding dresses.


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AL West trade primer: Houston Astros
The Major League Baseball (MLB) non-waiver trading deadline is barreling down upon us and Seattle Mariners fans are anxious to see what general manager Jerry Dipoto does with the club's roster during his first "deadline season" with the Mariners.
With that in mind, I thought I'd provide a primer for each club in the American League (AL) West division to see where the Mariners and their divisional rivals stand as the August 1 trade deadline approaches.
A word of caution though, the trade market will fluctuate greatly during the next six weeks. Injuries, poor individual performances, and changes in the standings will determine who will be the buyers and sellers in the deadline derby. Moreover, these factors will influence the aggressiveness of all parties involved in the market.
So far, I've discussed the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels. Let's turn our attention to the Houston Astros.
The start of the last two seasons couldn't have been any different for the Astros. Last year, the club started out by logging a 15-7 win-loss record in April, which was good enough to give them a four game lead in the division. This year though, Houston stumbled out of the gate and found themselves sitting in last place with a 7-17 record and seven games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers when April ended.
Despite early setbacks, team management preached patience and it looks like they were right. Since the end of April, Houston has posted a 26-19 record — fourth best in the AL. Yet, when you look at their statistics, it's tough to comprehend how they're doing it.
Yes, they have a young core comprised of three of the brightest young stars in baseball — Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Carlos Correa. However, the team's overall offense hasn't been good all season.
The stats aren't much better during the last month, when they've climbed back to wild card relevance. Astros hitters rank near the bottom of the AL in runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage.
Yet, the club finds themselves closing in on the .500 mark. How have they done it?
Beyond the young studs I've already mentioned, Houston's bullpen has been the best in the AL during the last month. Their relief corps leads the AL in fielding independent pitching (FIP), has surrendered the fewest walks allowed and struck out the most hitters. Moreover, they lead the majors in the FanGraphs version of wins above replacement (fWAR).
Standouts in the 'pen include Will Harris — selected off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014 — and Michael Feliz. Harris has stepped into replace Luke Gregerson as the team's closer and has emerged as one of the best relievers in the majors in 2016. The 22-year-old Feliz has solidified the club's middle relief and the highly heralded Ken Giles, the former closer for the Philadelphia Phillies, has contributed too.
So, what's not working in Houston? Let's start with a rotation that's been okay, but not great.
Staff ace Dallas Keuchel has struggled to regain his 2015 AL Cy Young Award form. To date, the southpaw's walk and extra base hit rates have climbed from last season, as has his FIP.
Lance McCullers, who started the season late due to shoulder soreness experienced during Spring Training, has been productive. However, he's never pitched over 160 innings in a season and could run out of innings by season's end.
Former Seattle Mariner Doug Fister, Collin McHugh, and Mike Fiers have contributed to the rotation and have pitched well during the last month. Still, the starting staff may not be good enough to get Houston to the next level, which would be a deep postseason run. That's especially true if Keuchel doesn't return to his 2015 form.
Catcher is another area that's not a strength. Jason Castro started the season as the Astros' number-one backstop on the depth chart, but the team opted to send designated hitter — and former Atlanta Braves catcher — Evan Gattis to the minor leagues for a week in May so that he could reacquaint himself with the tools of ignorance and help behind the plate.
To date, Gattis has been splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. Finding a full-time replacement behind the plate makes sense, if the club can find someone who's affordable and better than their current options.
First base and third base are two other positions that haven't been productive to date. The Astros rank in the bottom third of the AL in most offensive and defensive categories for both positions.
Tyler White has been the primary first baseman, but he's struggled at the plate and was sent to the minor leagues yesterday. Ideally, the Astros would prefer to have top-prospect A.J. Reed take over.
Unfortunately, for the Astros, the player who comes in at number-35 on the MLB.com Top-100 prospect rankings hasn't been hitting well at Class-AAA Fresno. As of this writing, the Reed has a .252/.342/.485 triple-slash and doesn't appear ready.
For now, Marwin Gonzalez will get the majority of playing time at first base. The switch-hitter has spent time at both corner infield positions and has slashed .259/.301/.400 this season, which is similar to his career averages.
Luis Valbuena has been the primary third baseman, although he's played some first base. The left-handed hitter's slash numbers are league-average, but don't rank favorably against his peers. Of the 25 major league qualified third baseman, he ranks in the bottom 20-percent of every slash category.
Some bloggers have suggested that Houston has an internal option available for third base — Alex Bregman, currently playing at Class-AA Corpus Christi. While the notion of the number-two overall pick in the 2015 draft debuting in the majors makes for a fascinating story, it may not be in the cards.
Bregman is still at Class-AA level though. Even last year's AL Rookie of the Year — Correa — spent time at Class-AAA, although it was just 24 games. Perhaps, the organization will leap frog the MLB.com number-18 overall prospect to the majors. But, he's only played eight games at third base this season and only twice during this month, including yesterday.
That doesn't mean that there's no chance that Bregman doesn't debut with the Astros before September 1 call-ups. He could be an injury replacement for Correa, if there was a need. On the other hand, if management feels that their hitting prospect is ready, they could have him leap frog Class-AAA and ship him directly to the majors in order to improve their run production.
Another option could be Houston turning to Colin Moran, who is currently playing for Class-AAA Fresno and the number-six prospect in their organization. Moran was with the Astros for six games in May and was slashing .289/.352/.410 with Class-AAA Fresno coming into yesterday's play.
Considering the status of the Astros' current roster and their standing in the AL West, how general manager Jeff Luhnow approaches the deadline is intriguing to me. Does he buy or sell?
Luhnow has been aggressive in both roles since taking over in 2011. Last season, he added starting pitchers Mike Fiers and Scott Kazmir and center fielder Carlos Gomez. In the past, he's dealt veterans to pick up prospects and reinforce his system
The Astros general manager could take the same approach as last year and pursue upgrades for the weak areas that I've mentioned, especially if his team continues to win. Still, Houston has many holes to fill. Attempting to satisfy all of them, via the trade market, presents the risk of negatively affecting the organization's long-term plans.
The Astros minor league system is still strong. But, Luhnow had to part with multiple prospects to pick up Gomez, Giles, Fiers, and Kazmir during the last 12 months. Will the 50-year-old baseball executive be willing to sell more of his farm to make a run this year?
Another factor to consider is the impending free agency of Castro, Fister, outfielder Colby Rasmus, and reliever Scott Feldman. Perhaps, Houston attempts to recoup value given away last summer by being a seller this year.
Assuming that Houston continues to play well and doesn't suffer significant injuries, I expect they'll will act as a buyer. Perhaps, they'll part ways with a few prospective free agents to shuffle their roster. But, only if those moves don't affect their competitiveness this season.
Why am I so certain that the Astros will lean forward? The current level of parity in the AL — eight teams are within six games of the wild card — gives every team near the .500 mark at the deadline a chance to earn a wild card berth. Plus, reaching the playoffs is addictive.
Last year, Houston ended a decade-long postseason drought and it's doubtful they'd squander a chance to return to October play in order to preserve their minor league system. That's assuming they continue to win between now and the deadline.
I'm not suggesting that Luhnow should give away his club's future — he won't. Rather, I expect that he'll protect his organization's future, while trying to win now. Playoff windows can quickly close and not reopen for a long time. Luhnow knows that, so do Mariners fans.
AL West trade primer: Oakland Athletics
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The Major League Baseball (MLB) non-waiver trading deadline is barreling down upon us and Seattle Mariners fans are anxious to...


Going for a sweep of Milwaukee and 6 straight wins.
Sun's out about 6 miles north of there.
Forecast shows the storm threat tapering off in the next couple hours. Should be gone by game time tonight.
what do YOU know about the weather???
2-0 Brewers in the 2nd as Adleman is pitching like...Adleman.
I don't really want to watch this...but I will be missing Reds baseball come October 3rd.
October. When a young man's fancy turns to poker.
Thanks for the Venezuela update, Thom.
Oh no, the interview with the 100 year old woman.
Jim Day talking about how hot the 100 year old woman is.
Tim Adleman gives up a two-out HR on 0-2 to Scooter freakin Gennett. 4-0 Brewers.
Scooter now with 5 HR in GABP, other than his home park (18) he doesn't have more than 2 anywhere else.
Linda Antus is ticked because that HR left CincinnatiWho is the lady in the red and white striped shirt they keep showing?
That would be 2 more wins then I had predicted.eight more than I predicted (61-101). Glad I was wrong.


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A master-planned community that features beautiful homes, lush landscaping and a coveted quality of life, First Colony in Sugar Land is one of the best communities in the Houston region. First Colony offers easy access to Downtown Houston and the golden beaches of the Texas Gulf Coast as well as attractive homes for sale, excellent public schools courtesy of the Fort Bend Independent School District and warm, sunny weather year round. Alongside it abundant parkland and close proximity to nearby golf courses, cultural venues and other attractions, First Colony stands out as one of the area's top communities for commuters to Houston, retirees and families alike.
First Colony - Sugar Land TX real estate boasts a prime location near Houston and easy access to many of the area's top amenities and sites of interest. First Colony - Sugar Land TX homes offer appealing, modern designs as well as spacious interiors and cutting-edge amenities. First Colony - Sugar Land homes and other First Colony - Sugar Land real estate options are especially great for families due to their prices well below the national average and for Houston commuters due to their convenient location. First Colony - Sugar Land homes for sale and other First Colony - Sugar Land properties also enjoy affordable interest rates, making them very desirable for homebuyers of all economic means.
The community was developed in 1976 as a master-planned community near Houston. It grew rapidly in the 1990s and 2000s and today is known for its beautiful homes, safe neighborhoods and family-friendly charm, making it one of the most desirable places to live in the area.
The community hosts many parks and public spaces to enjoy throughout the year. Just a few of these include Oyster Creek, Patriot Park, the Heritage Colony Playground and the Austin Park Pool. It's also convenient to a number of nearby golf courses as well as the beautiful parks of Houston and Galveston's acclaimed beaches.
Local attractions include the Fort Bend County Public Library, Sugar Land Town Square and a wide variety of nearby parks, trails and golf courses. First Colony also enjoys easy access to Houston's impress collection of museums, theaters and parks and the gorgeous beaches of the Texas shoreline.
Events in the First Colony area include activities at the Fort Bend County Public Library, the annual Freedom 5K and Family Walk, special events at Sugar Land Town Square and much more year round.
Those interested in homes for sale in First Colony - Sugar Land and other real estate in First Colony - Sugar Land should contact a local real estate agent today. With the Houston area's booming economy and low cost of living, there's never been a better time to become a First Colony - Sugar Land home buyer.


text:
Panama Main Page · World Factbook Main Page
Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help,... See More
Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan (estimated to cost $5.3 billion) to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15. (Show Less)
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
9 00 N, 80 00 W
Total: 75,420 sq km
Area - Comparative:
Slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land Boundaries:
Border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
Coastline:
2,490 km (Rank: 48)
Maritime Claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin
Tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Elevation Extremes:
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m
Natural Resources:
Copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Arable land: 7.26%
Permanent crops: 1.95%
Other: 90.79% (2005)
Irrigated Land:
430 sq km (2008)
Total Renewable Water Resources:
148 cu km (2000)
Freshwater Withdrawal:
Total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%)
Per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural Hazards:
Occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
Environment - Current Issues:
Water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources
Environment - International Agreements:
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - Note:
Strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean
Noun: Panamanian(s)
Adjective: Panamanian
Ethnic Groups:
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%
Spanish (official), English 14%
Note: many Panamanians are bilingual
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
3,460,462 (July 2011 est.)
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 28.6% (male 504,726/female 484,291)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 1,123,777/female 1,098,661)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 115,425/female 133,582) (2011 est.)
Median Age:
Total: 27.5 years
Population Growth Rate:
1.435% (2011 est.)
Birth Rate:
19.43 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Death Rate:
4.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
Net Migration Rate:
-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Urbanization:
Urban population: 75% of total population (2010)
Rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major Cities - Population:
PANAMA CITY (capital) 1.346 million (2009)
Sex Ratio:
At birth: 1.045 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
Maternal Mortality Rate:
71 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
Infant Mortality Rate:
Total: 11.64 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 12.41 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
Life Expectancy At Birth:
Total population: 77.79 years
Male: 75.02 years
Female: 80.68 years (2011 est.)
Total Fertility Rate:
2.45 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Health Expenditures:
8.3% of GDP (2009)
Physicians Density:
1.5 physicians/1,000 population (2000)
Hospital Bed Density:
2.2 beds/1,000 population (2009)
Drinking Water Source:
Urban: 97% of population
Total: 93% of population
Total: 7% of population (2008)
Sanitation Facility Access:
Total: 31% of population (2008)
HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate:
HIV/AIDS - People Living With HIV/AIDS:
20,000 (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - Deaths:
1,500 (2009 est.)
Major Infectious Diseases:
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)
Children Under 5 - Underweight:
3.9% (2008)
Education Expenditures:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Female: 91.2% (2000 census)
Average Years of Schooling:
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2008)
Unemployment, Youth Ages 15-24:
Total: 14.9%
Female: 21.1% (2008)
Country Name:
Conventional long form: Republic of Panama
Conventional short form: Panama
Local long form: Republica de Panama
Local short form: Panama
Government Type:
Constitutional democracy
Name: Panama City
Geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative Divisions:
9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 3 indigenous territories* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Herrera, Kuna Yala*, Los Santos, Ngobe-Bugle*, Panama, Veraguas
Independence:
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain on 28 November 1821)
National Holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1903)
11 October 1972; revised several times
Legal System:
Civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice
International Law Organization Participation:
Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive Branch:
Chief of state: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (not eligible for immediate reelection; president and vice president must sit out two additional terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election last held on 3 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
Election results: Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal elected president; percent of vote - Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal 60%, Balbina HERRERA 38%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 2%
Note: government coalition - CD (Democratic Change), Panamenista, MOLIRENA (Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement), and UP (Patriotic Union Party)
Legislative Branch:
Unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 3 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 26, Panamenista 22, CD 14, UP 4, Independent 2, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1; note - changes in political affiliation now reflect the following seat distribution: as of 1 March 2011 - seats by party - PRD 23, Panamenista 20, CD 23, UP 2, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1
Note: legislators from outlying rural districts chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed for staggered 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of appeal
Political Parties and Leaders:
Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Francisco SANCHEZ Cardenas]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Sergio GONZALEZ-Ruiz]; Panamenista Party [Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party); Patriotic Union Party or UP (combination of the Liberal National Party or PLN and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Milton HENRIQUEZ] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)
Political Pressure Groups and Leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP
International Organization Participation:
BCIE, CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US:
Chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Ernesto JARAMILLO Castillo
Chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
Consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa
Diplomatic Representation From the US:
Chief of mission: Ambassador Phyllis M. POWERS
Embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City
Mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
Telephone: [507] 207-7000
Flag Description:
Divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law
National Symbols:
National Anthem:
Name: "Himno Istemno" (Isthmus Hymn)
Lyrics/music: Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE
Note: adopted 1925
Economy - Overview:
Panama's dollar-based economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for three-quarters of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, logistics, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 25% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are too large to traverse the existing canal. The United States and China are the top users of the Canal. Panama also plans to construct a metro system in Panama City, valued at $1.2 billion and scheduled to be completed by 2014. Panama's booming transportation and logistics services sectors, along with aggressive infrastructure development projects, will likely lead the economy to continued growth in 2011. Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About 30% of the population lives in poverty; however, from 2006 to 2010 poverty was reduced by 10 percentage points, while unemployment dropped from 12% to 6% of the labor force. Panama and the United States signed a Trade Promotion Agreement in June 2007, which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth. Seeking removal from the Organization of Economic Development's gray-list of tax havens, Panama has also recently signed various double taxation treaties with other nations.
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (Official Exchange Rate):
GDP - Real Growth Rate:
GDP - Per Capita (PPP):
$13,000 (2010 est.)
GDP - Composition By Sector:
Agriculture: 4.6%
Labor Force:
1.485 million
Note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2010 est.)
Labor Force - By Occupation:
Agriculture: 17.6%
Industry: 8.8%
Unemployment Rate:
Population Below Poverty Line:
Household Income / Consumption By Share:
Lowest 10%: 1.3%
Distribution of Family Income - Gini Index:
51 (2010 est.)
Investment (Gross Fixed):
Revenues: $6.874 billion
Expenditures: $7.386 billion (2010 est.)
Taxes and Other Revenues:
Budget Surplus / Deficit:
-1.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
Public Debt:
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices):
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate:
7.74% (31 December 2010 est.)
Stock of Money:
$3.764 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of Quasi Money:
$15.84 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of Narrow Money:
$4.404 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of Broad Money:
Stock of Domestic Credit:
$23.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Market Value of Publicly Traded Shares:
Agriculture - Products:
Bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp
Construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
Electricity - Production:
6.546 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Electricity - Production By Source:
Fossil fuel: 37%
Hydro: 61.3%
Nuclear: 0%
Other: 1.7% (2001)
Electricity - Consumption:
Electricity - Exports:
95 million kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - Imports:
Oil - Production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Oil - Consumption:
97,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Oil - Exports:
Oil - Imports:
Oil - Proven Reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
Natural Gas - Production:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
Natural Gas - Consumption:
Natural Gas - Exports:
Natural Gas - Imports:
Natural Gas - Proven Reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
Current Account Balance:
-$2.523 billion (2010 est.)
-$43.5 million (2009 est.)
Note: includes the Colon Free Zone
Exports - Commodities:
Bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
Exports - Partners:
Venezuela 20.6%, South Korea 18.2%, Ecuador 6.3%, India 6.2%, Japan 5.6%, Greece 5.3%, US 5.3% (2010)
Imports - Commodities:
Capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
Imports - Partners:
Japan 25.3%, China 19.6%, Singapore 12.3%, US 10%, South Korea 9.3%, Ecuador 4.1% (2010)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold:
Debt - External:
Exchange Rates:
Convert Panama Balboa to Any Currency
Balboas (PAB) per US dollar -
Note: the balboa exists alongside the dollar and may be used interchangably
Telephones - Main Lines In Use:
Telephones - Cellular:
6.496 million (2010)
General assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed
Domestic: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly
International: country code - 507; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2008)
Broadcast Media:
Multiple privately-owned television networks and a government-owned educational TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; more than 100 commercial radio stations (2007)
Radio Broadcast Stations:
AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television Broadcast Stations:
38 (including repeaters) (1998)
Internet Country Code:
Internet Hosts:
Internet Users:
Airports - With Paved Runways:
Over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 17
Airports - With Unpaved Runways:
Heliports:
Pipelines:
Oil 128 km
Railways:
Total: 76 km
Standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge (2010)
Roadways:
Total: 11,978 km
Paved: 4,300 km
Unpaved: 7,678 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened) (2010)
Merchant Marine:
By type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 2,383, cargo 1,129, carrier 18, chemical tanker 626, combination ore/oil 3, container 751, liquefied gas 192, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 61, petroleum tanker 576, refrigerated cargo 212, roll on/roll off 100, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 282
Foreign-owned: 5,244 (Albania 3, Argentina 7, Australia 5, Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 7, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 2, Bermuda 15, Brazil 3, Bulgaria 6, Burma 3, Canada 5, Chile 17, China 574, Colombia 2, Croatia 2, Cuba 4, Cyprus 8, Denmark 46, Ecuador 6, Egypt 11, Finland 2, France 13, Gabon 1, Germany 27, Gibraltar 1, Greece 402, Hong Kong 125, India 17, Indonesia 14, Iran 5, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 11, Israel 1, Italy 23, Japan 2347, Jordan 13, Kuwait 12, Latvia 4, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 4, Luxembourg 1, Malaysia 12, Maldives 3, Malta 2, Mexico 6, Monaco 14, Morocco 1, Netherlands 8, Nigeria 7, Norway 89, Oman 8, Pakistan 5, Peru 12, Philippines 6, Poland 3, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 2, Russia 39, Saudi Arabia 8, Singapore 79, South Korea 366, Spain 40, Sweden 1, Switzerland 22, Syria 42, Taiwan 337, Tanzania 2, Thailand 6, Tunisia 1, Turkey 79, UAE 83, UK 33, Ukraine 11, US 102, Venezuela 8, Vietnam 37, Yemen 4)
Note: this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag; these ships operate under the laws of the flag state
Registered in other countries: 1 (Honduras 1) (2010)
Balboa, Colon, Cristobal
Military Branches:
No regular military forces; Panamanian public forces include: Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2010)
Manpower Available For Military Service:
Males age 16-49: 890,006 (2010 est.)
Manpower Fit For Military Service:
Males age 16-49: 731,254
Females age 16-49: 728,329 (2010 est.)
Manpower Reaching Militarily Significant Age Annually:
Male: 32,142
Female: 30,879 (2010 est.)
Military Expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006)
Military - Note:
On 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression"
Disputes - International:
Organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama
Illicit Drugs:
Major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem
Trafficking in Persons:
Current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; although some Panamanian women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking in other countries in Latin America and in Europe, most Panamanian trafficking victims are exploited within the country; commercial sexual exploitation of children was greater in rural areas; Panamanian children, mostly young girls, are subjected to domestic servitude; most foreign trafficking victims are adult women from Colombia, neighboring Central American countries, and the Dominican Republic; some victims migrate voluntarily to Panama to work but are subsequently forced into prostitution or domestic servitude
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - authorities established a commission which drafted comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation to bring anti-trafficking laws in line with the 2000 UN Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Protocol; the government identified at least 43 trafficking victims and prosecuted five sex trafficking offenders, and in partnership with civil society and foreign governments, provided training to Panamanian officials; however, Panama continued to lack prohibitions against forced labor in its penal code, and authorities did not convict any trafficking offenders; specialized victim services, particularly for adult victims, remained limited, and authorities did not report using proactive procedures to identify trafficking victims among detained migrants (2011)
Last Updated: December 2011
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(B/.) Panama Balboa (PAB)


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Given the uncomfortable winter cold in Munich and the even more uncomfortable general political climate, being carried off by "La Fille mal gardée", a rural late-summer idyll, in the National Theater was a welcome time-out. Frederick Ashton's work, revived by the Bavarian State Ballet this week, brought us a harvest of good feelings.
This Sunday, on January 22nd, the Bolshoi Ballet will stream "The Sleeping Beauty" live to cinemas all over the world. It is the Petipa-based version that Yuri Grigorovich created in 2011 for the re-opening of the Bolshoi's historic stage which has lavish set designs by Ezio Frigerio and equally sumptuous costumes by Franca Squarciapino. Sunday's cast includes Olga Smirnova as Princess Aurora alongside Semyon Chudin as her Prince. As the Lilac Fairy, Yulia Stepanova will counter Alexei Loparevich's Carabosse.
Can Dance Add to Verdi's "Requiem"?
Yuri Grigorovich's "Spartacus" has four leading characters: Spartacus, the heroic fighter for freedom, his antipode, the Roman consul Crassus, and the two men's lovers, Phrygia and Aegina. The dynamics between the four characters varies depending on the dancers. Having already seen the ballet before Christmas, I was curious as to how the dynamics would be re-balanced by another cast. This time Cuban-born Osiel Gouneo danced Spartacus alongside Ivy Amista as Phrygia. Erik Murzagaliyev replaced the injured Matêj Urban in the role of Crassus. Prisca Zeisel was Crassus's concubine Aegina.
Shortly after Christmas Les Ballets de Monte Carlo revived "La Belle", Jean-Christophe Maillot's version of "La belle au bois dormant", written by Charles Perrault in 1697. Maillot kept his original choreography from 2001 as well as Ernest Pignon-Ernest's set design, but commissioned Jérôme Kaplan for new costumes most of which comically quote details of 16th century fashion. The music is Tchaikovsky's but trimmed to around two hours.


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As the nation struggles, temporary work becomes…
As the nation struggles, temporary work becomes permanent
Hans Horton is a temp worker in finance IT and is implementing a new software program at North Memorial Hospital. Horton was photographed at the Robert Half temp agency, through which he was placed in his job, on Tuesday, July 13, 2010. (Pioneer Press: Scott Takushi)
By Julie Forster | jforster@pioneerpress.com |
PUBLISHED: July 17, 2010 at 11:01 p.m. | UPDATED: November 12, 2015 at 6:58 a.m.
Hans Horton was hired in March at North Memorial Medical Center for a job that combines his skills in finance and information technology. After being laid off late last year, he was thrilled to be working again. Thing is, it's a temporary job, and he has no indication if it will become the permanent gig he covets.
He could be waiting awhile.
While temporary work has been a steppingstone to a permanent job and a new career path in the past, it's shaping up to be a different game as the nation struggles to climb out of the deep hole left by a crippling recession.
Business owners and managers remain in the grips of uncertainty. They remember all too clearly what happened when demand evaporated during the recession, forcing painful layoffs that left an indelible mark, making them more hesitant to add to their payrolls even as the economy has shown signs of recovery.
To meet what they fear may be short-lived increases in orders, companies are turning to the kind of workers that can be cut easily if demand stalls.
As senior regional vice president for Robert Half International, Jim Kwapick often talks to senior-level executives and human resources managers at companies in Minnesota. These days, he's hearing a lot of the same: "We got caught with too many people on the payroll."
Kwapick, who places temp employees in white-collar professions such as accounting, finance and information technology, says clients are reconsidering how they staff their businesses. The aim is to augment a barebones permanent staff with temp workers assigned to specific projects. When the projects are done, the workers move on to the next assignment or out of the company.
That rethink is among the reasons economists are leery that the rise in temporary hiring under way will necessarily be the leading indicator for permanent job creation it has been in the past.
In the past three months, Minnesota has seen year-over-year gains in temp hiring of more than 10 percent. In June, the temp sector was up 12.9 percent, to 44,869. Total employment has lagged, however, nudging out its first year-over-year gain last month in more than two years.
In the two previous recessions in the early 1990s and 2001, a sustained increase in permanent hiring in Minnesota came three to six months after temp hiring began increasing at the current pace. If that holds, businesses could begin adding permanent jobs at a meaningful level by the end of the year, said Rob Grunewald, an associate economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
For now, robust permanent hiring remains elusive. Horton, 40, was surprised he had to take a temp job. In his career past, his odds of getting a job once he landed an interview were very good.
Until this recession, seven interviews had yielded six job offers. The odds have changed. With three interviews for permanent positions following his layoff in November, Horton was certain to get one job offer. But even with a master's degree in accounting and a career in finance and technology, he didn't get one.
"This was totally confusing for me," he said.
When he interviewed at North Memorial, Horton told the hiring manager upfront he wanted a permanent job. An offer came, but it was for a temp job implementing software for the center's finance planning and forecasting. He took it. While there's a chance it could become permanent, there are no guarantees. And for now, there are no benefits.
"The main downside is that a project comes to an end or the funding gets cut, and it's easy for them to say your time here is up," he said.
Still, he said it's better than having months and months roll by without work.
"When you're looking for a job and you're not able to find one and you can't even find one to apply for, it does get frustrating," Horton said. "Just working makes me feel like I'm contributing a lot more, via to an organization to society and to my family."
Even for companies seeing healthy upticks in orders, there's a question of how long the better times will last. While some indicators suggest a moderate recovery is under way, uncertainty remains about the health of the housing sector, the effect of high unemployment and financial developments in Europe regarding government debt.
"Overall uncertainty tends to delay when firms hire," Grunewald said.
Take Control Concepts, a Chanhassen power-controls maker. Demand started to revive late last year, and today, its backlog of orders is on pace with 2000, the company's biggest sales year.
To fill the increasing orders after layoffs last year, the small company hired five temp workers. The intention is to bring them on permanently, but in June, a large client unexpectedly canceled an order. That unnerved the company.
"We don't know if this is the first indicator of what's to come. It's hard to say," said Kathie Eliason, the company's director of administration. "We are just so not sure yet."
Eliason doesn't anticipate that the company will bring anyone on permanently until "maybe" after this year. Making a permanent hire is more costly with health insurance and other benefits. Plus, employers face a hike in unemployment insurance taxes if they have to lay off again. And because of layoffs last year, Control Concepts already has seen a spike in taxes for jobless benefits.
But there's another reason to stop and ponder.
"The layoff process is so emotionally difficult, not only for us but for the employees as well," Eliason said. "If they are still temps, they go back to the agency and hopefully get placed at a different company. It's not so emotionally devastating."
Even the temp firms are on edge. At Express Employment Professionals, which places workers in light industrial firms, orders for temp workers sank 35 percent last year. Permanent placements were down 65 percent. Those are dips that Jim Johnson, owner of three of the franchises, had never experienced before.
Late last year, orders for temps started to pick up. In June, Johnson saw his business double from the same month a year ago.
Yet, the recovery is uneven. Some businesses are still in the tank, while others, mainly in energy and related fields, are enjoying big growth.
"I'll go to one client meeting and they're all excited because they're going gangbusters," he said. "And then the next one, there's just nothing. They say, we're taking Friday off."
Lion Precision Manufacturing, a Shoreview company that makes sensors for the semiconductor industry, has in recent months hired three temporary employees: an electrical engineer and two production workers. The company typically likes to hire temporary workers and, after a try-out period, bring the employees on permanently if it's a good fit
But now, the manufacturer is struggling with a timing question: Is the pickup in demand it's seen sustainable to support permanent hires?
At this point, chief operating officer Shanda Osiecki is not sure. All she knows is that the company has to reach a tipping point where its managers say, "OK, we're comfortable that the volume of revenue or business is sustainable so we do in fact make it a permanent situation."
Julie Forster can be reached at 651-228-5189.
Julie Forster


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Back to Flute Players
Anna McGuigan
Summerland, BC
Flute Player
Travels up to 200 miles
Available for weddings & functions, bringing a mix of classical and well known pieces.
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Born in England, Anna started playing the flute at the age of 6. She received a full scholarship to study at Wells Cathedral School of Music where she studied under Judith Hall of the Royal Opera House. Whilst there, she gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, playing under conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle & Sir Colin (link hidden)na graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire with First Class Honours and a Postgraduate Diploma with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in (link hidden)e has performed in recitals, festivals& competitions across Europe before coming to Canada.
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> >>> files to put classic_abcd in place of the old abcd pass.
> >> mode. Please see details in the JIRA.
> > I'll take a look, but I need to setup a Windows dev environment first.
> 2005) and couldn't get harmony built on either.
> So, I'm stalled trying to reproduce the failure.


text:
Found 693 Documents across 70 Pages (0.079 seconds)
Individual and societal response to sexual betrayal: a view from around the worldJankowiak, William - Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, 2007 - 5 Hypotheses
This study tests several hypotheses that men and women are differentially invested in their partner's sexual fidelity. Using a cross-cultural sample authors analyze women's and men's responses to sexual infidelity.
Related Documents Cite More By Author
A glorious warrior in war: Cross-cultural evidence of honor culture, social rewards for warriors, and intergroup conflictNawata, Kengo - Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 2019 - 4 Hypotheses
Research sampled 143 societies from the Standard Cross Cultural Sample to test the relationship between honor culture, social rewards for warriors, and intergroup conflicts. Using mediation analysis based on multiple regression, and structural equation modeling, the research supported the theory that honor culture was positively associated with intergroup conflict, and that this relationship was mediated by social rewards for warriors.
Paiute sorceryWhiting, Beatrice Blyth - , 1950 - 2 Hypotheses
After studying Paiute society, the author postulates that sorcery may serve as a mechanism for social control in societies lacking superordinate authority justice. In this chapter, the cross-cultural results were presented.
Despotism and differential reproduction: a cross-cultural correlation of conflict asymmetry, hierarchy, and degree of polygynyBetzig, Laura L. - Ethnology and Sociobiology, 1982 - 2 Hypotheses
This article uses a Darwinian approach, predicting that hierarchies persist and increase in social evolution because they increase fitness for individuals at higher levels within the hierarchy who choose to further social assymetry and benefit their fitness at the expense of the greater group. Polygyny is used as the indicator of fitness. Correlations tested support the hypothesis.
The social contexts of apology in dispute settlement: a cross-cultural studyHickson, Letitia - Ethnology, 1986 - 2 Hypotheses
This study focuses on apology as a mechanism for dispute management in relation to hierarchy and child socialization. Significant associations exist between both large, paramount chiefdoms and apology and between adults as caretakers in early childhood and apology.
The socio-cultural context of rape: a cross-cultural studySanday, Peggy Reeves - Journal of Social Issues, 1981 - 4 Hypotheses
This article offers an analysis of the rape of women cross-culturally, positing that rape is present under certain cultural circumstances. The author tests for correlations between rape and aspects of sexual repression, group violence, childrearing, and ideologies of male dominance. There are significant associations between male sexual violence and other types of violence, as well as between rape and ideologies of male dominance.
The birth of the gods; the origin of primitive beliefsSwanson, Guy E. - , 1960 - 10 Hypotheses
This book investigates the origins of supernatural and religious beliefs. The author tests associations between various types of beliefs (e.g. witchcraft, monotheism) and various societal characteristics (e.g. mobility, class stratification). Many hypotheses are supported. Theoretical discussion is included, and the author posits that "the belief in a particular kind of spirit springs from experiences with a type of persisting sovereign group whose area of jurisdiction corresponds to that attributed to the spirit" (175).
Sex, power, and resources: ecological and social correlates of sex differencesLow, Bobbi S. - International Journal of Contemporary Sociology, 1990 - 15 Hypotheses
This article focuses on ecological correlates of sexual division in the control of resources. The author tests several ecological theories put forth by others. Sex coalitions are examined in humans, and sexual dimorphism in resource acquisition and control is discussed.
Political Participation and Long-Term Resilience in Pre-Colombian SocietiesPeregrine, Peter N. - Disaster Prevention and Management, 2017 - 7 Hypotheses
The present study investigates whether there is resilience variability following climate-related disasters in societies that are corporate-oriented, which promote participatory and inclusive structures, and exclusionary-oriented, which limit political authority and power. The findings offer modest support for social resilience theory that more flexible (i.e. more participatory) societies would be more resilient after a disaster than less flexible societies. Although only 5 of 14 correlations are significant, the direction is significant by a binomial sign test.
Herding, Warfare, and a Culture of Honor: Global EvidenceCao, Yiming - NBER Working Paper Series, 2021 - 3 Hypotheses
The authors of this study globally test the culture of honor hypothesis, which proposes that societies with traditional herding practices developed value systems that encourage revenge and violence. Because their livelihood depends on a mobile asset, herders are more vulnerable to theft and may be more likely to turn to violence or aggressiveness to defend their animals. The authors found dependence on herding to be significantly associated with both past and contemporary conflict and punishment.
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Hi folks, so sorry for the long radio silence, but I'll make it up to you soon: Epolitics.com has plenty of articles just bursting to get out, and I can't wait for them to see the light.
Last week New Mexico and Texas, this week Ukraine — life as a consultant has its adventures. I'm in Ukraine to talk at a Future Elections conference, and last night I walked through Maidan Square with a group of people who protested there for days on end four years ago. They took real risks: the police killed somewhere near 100 people, but their bravery brought down Viktor Yanokovich's government and helped to save their democracy.
Yanokovich worked with Paul Manafort to gain power in the first place, and some here blame his divide-and-conquer politics for creating the conditions that led to the long-running war in the east. People are still dying there, and we may have American-style negative politics to thank for it. Sobering.
But the folks I was with last night — all in their 20s — want a democratic Ukraine that's oriented toward the world and West, and they were willing to die to get it. Their spirit is inspiring, and in this time rising hate and divided nations, their dreams and those of people like them around the world are all that will save us. Listen to them, and learn.


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Kanton Radon () je francouzský kanton v departementu Orne v regionu Normandie. Při reorganizaci správního členění reformě kantonů v roce 2014 byl vytvořen z 39 obcí. V květnu 2016 sestával z 37 obcí (vzhledem k procesu slučování některých obcí).

Obce kantonu (květen 2016)

Odkazy

Poznámky

Reference

Radon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia