I wondered how this stitch would work if I crossed the first. I left part of the first bar without wraps(centre) but found it looks better with 2 normal bars. Here are 2 Crossed Bars. It sits nicely , I think I need another camera for better details.
You have made the best use of this stitch!
Thank you, Maureen, for expanding my vision of these stitches.
Thank you Queenie. Considering the stitch experiments you share with others, I'm pleased I can show you one.
Nice variation! I can 'see' this one with added straight stitches to form a secondary pattern – perhaps with a French knot on the end. Would make an interesting flower I think.


text:
The Sinking of the Lusitania
By Debbie Reid
In the early part of the twentieth century, the only way to traverse the Atlantic was by ocean liner. It was a time of fierce competition between rival lines – with passengers expecting not only a speedy crossing, but luxurious accommodations as well. In 1903 the Cunard Line led by Lord Inver Clyde began construction on two fast and luxurious liners to challenge the German vessels that had held the 'Blue Riband' since 1897. The resulting RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania would be a firm reassertion of British supremacy at sea.
Launched at the River Clyde in June 16, 1906, RMS Lusitania was a grand ship and the first of the two sister ships to be launched. At 785 feet in length and 31,550 gross tons, she took the title of largest liner afloat. Her maiden voyage took place September 7, 1907, and in October 1907 she recaptured the coveted 'Blue Riband' from the German liner Deutschland. The Lusitania and the Mauritania were declared by The New York Times 'as unsinkable as ships can be '. The Lusitania was also noted by Sir Charles McLaren as 'the fastest and most powerful cruiser in the world '.
When World War 1 began in the summer of 1914, no one foresaw even the contours of the disaster ahead. "However, as the land offensives ground to a halt and the casualties rose this romantic view of war quickly disappeared". At sea, the war ought in theory to have produced a series of almighty contests between the bristling fleets of battleships. In practice, the German fleet after one major encounter off the coast of Denmark (the battle of Jutland) retreated to part.
The German naval strategy for the remainder was to use their submarines in the Atlantic to starve British into surrender. "This type of submarine warfare had intensely to the level that Admiral Pohl stated that "it will be impossible to avoid danger to the crew of neutral ships". The British, who could claim command of the seas could not cope with German Submarines operating from Kiel to Bremerhaven which had sank over twelve million tons of allied shipping over the course of the war.
There was a dramatic turn in the Atlantic war foot plane with the sinking of the Lusitania by submarine U-20 on the 7th May 1915.
The construction of Lusitania had been financed by generous loans from the British government. In return for the generous loans, the Admiralty could requisition Lusitania or her sister in times of war. At the onset of World War I in August 1914, Lusitania, Mauretania and the newer 'sister ship' Aquitania were all officially requisitioned for war duties. All but Lusitania were given official orders, so Lusitania continued her regular transatlantic passenger services.
May "1st, 1915 had been a very busy day at New York harbour." It was the day The Lusitania would set sail. There was a big turnout of New Yorkers that day. The voyage would consist of large numbers of American citizens setting out for their long destination to Ireland. Unfortunately, German agents had spread rumours that the ship was carrying high explosives which were destined for warfronts.
On Thursday evening, May 6th, the Lusitania received a message from Queenstown that there had been submarines in the area. Lifeboats had been taken out in case of danger. Only twelve miles southwest of the Old Head of Kinsale Lighthouse, off the coast of Ireland, the Lusitania had entered into a war zone. Two-thousand passengers and crew on board the Lusitania had now came under great threat. Lieutenant Walter Schwieger (Captain of the U-20 submarine) was to bring death, woe and desolation on board the ship within the next eighteen minutes. As passengers on deck enjoyed a light breeze as they viewed the shores of Ireland, a disturbance was noticed on the mirror-calm sea off the starboard bow. This was followed by" a thin streak of white foam as a torpedo sped towards the Lusitania and exploded under its bridge".
The first explosion was quickly followed by a second. The ship's bow had begun dipping into the sea. Women and children were to be put safely into lifeboats. Captain Turner eagerly tried to head the doomed Lusitania north towards land, to find her out of control.
An unexpected power cut left the powerless ship in darkness. Panic-stricken passengers came out on deck. As the ship began to sink beneath its feet, Turner stood calmly giving orders to his crew. Husbands and fathers stood tearfully as women and children were lowered onto lifeboats which had capsized when they'd reached the ocean. As the bow dipped to make its final death plunge," the stern rose high in the water and exposed the brass propellers which glinted in the sunlight". Tossed bodies like corks had been shrouded in smoke and steam. Finally, the water flattened and calmed which left a glass-like finish over the tomb of the Lusitania.
While the living cried out for help, the dead drifted by. A steamship Heron and two trawlers gathered up the dead – which later returned to Queenstown with over 100 bodies. "Queenstown became known as the town of "death"." This was due to the ever-increasing numbers of dead bodies which had been recovered from the Lusitania and been put into temporary morgues throughout the town.
In total, 1,198 lives were lost on the Lusitania. Of the drowned, 127 were Americans, 79 were children including 39 infants under the age of two years. 200 corpses were recovered from the sea while the remainder was never found.
The sinking of the Lusitania shocked the United States. President Woodwork Wilson was so affected by the news that he went into seclusion for two days, seeing and talking to no one but family and White House staff. After the sinking, the outpouring of acrimony from the US took the German High Command by surprise and the skilled British propaganda machine did much to inflame public opinion in America against Germany. Cognizant of this perfect opportunity to incite the US into the war, the sinking was loudly proclaimed as "Demonical" and the German Kaiser himself branded, "the Lord of Torture and Bloodshed." The Germans expected as much from a belligerent like Britain, but the volume and vehemence of the American protests took them off guard. There were calls for "action" and the U-boatmen were vilified as "murderers" and "pirates." Nevertheless, even the most indignant shied away from demanding war and indeed, President Wilson declared that there was such a thing as being "too proud to fight." It was the German's failure to realize this fact, and press home their advantage, that was at the heart of Germany's mistake.
In conclusion the sinking of the Royal Mail Ship Lusitania by U-20 on May 7, 1915 was, arguably, one of the most notorious milestones of World War I. Popular history sees the sinking of the Lusitania as the start of the U-boats' attack on British shipping. Some historians assert that "it was the most publicized tragedy of the First World War." Others contend that it was the "major catastrophe" that finally shifted American opinion far enough for the country to seriously entertain the possibility of joining the struggle. However, by far the most serious consequence of the sinking was the reaction of the Germans themselves. Appalled at the violence of the American response to the sinking," the Kaiser called a halt to unrestricted submarine warfare in British waters". Consequently, for the better part of two years, Britain enjoyed a respite from an all-out U-boat offensive, giving her some time to recoup her losses and build up both merchant and naval shipping tonnage, as well as eventually goad the U.S. into the War. This mistake would ultimately cost Germany World War I.
Two reasons for studying the Lusitania are: (1). it's the reason why America entered the World War (2). and because it happened off the Irish coast so it is of interest to Irish people.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Али ибн Яхья аль-Армани — мусульманский военачальник середины IX века армянского происхождения. Вали Армении, Египта и Азербайджана.

Биография
Родился в армянской семье. В 840 году халиф Аббасидов назначил его вали Египта на замену . Позже халиф отправил его на должность командующего обороной пограничных областей халифата в Киликии для противостояния Византийской империи. Он был первым эмиром Тарсуса, который осуществлял практически независимую политику в связи со снижением мощи центрального правительства, занимая этот пост в течение периода с 852/853 года до октября-ноября 862 года. В этой должности Али предпринял несколько летних экспедиций за горы Тавра в Византийскую Анатолию в 851, 852, 853, 856, 859 и 860 годах. В частности в 656 году он присутствовал на процедуре обмена пленными.

В 862 году халиф назначил Али ибн Яхью вали Армянского эмирата и Азербайджана, но в следующем году он пал в бою с византийцами. Вместе с ним погибло 400 человек из возглавляемой им группы войск. После гибели эмира Малатьи  в битве при Лалакаоне в сентябре, известие о смерти Али вызвало беспорядки среди населения Багдада, Самарры и других городов, которое было возмущено бессилием и пассивность правительства. Сын Али Мухаммад позже также служил амиром Тарса с 871/2 по 872/3 или 873/4 года.

По словам арабского писателя и историка X века Аль-Масуди, репутация Али была столь высока, что он был среди тех прославленных мусульман, чьи портреты были выставлены в византийских церквях в знак признания их доблести.

Примечания

Литература

Погибшие в войнах и вооружённых конфликтах
Аббасидские наместники Армении
Аббасидские наместники Египта
Аббасидские наместники Азербайджана
Военачальники IX века
Военачальники Аббасидского халифата

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


SYDNEY • Australia's economy grew at the fastest pace in four years last quarter - underpinned by an export bonanza - even as diminishing inflation pressures spurred the central bank to cut interest rates last month.
Gross domestic product rose 1.1 per cent from three months earlier, when it gained a revised 0.7 per cent. From a year earlier, the economy expanded 3.1 per cent. Expansion was driven by a 4.4 per cent jump in exports; and a 0.7 per cent increase in household spending.
The report is a fillip for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is battling for another term ahead of what is shaping up to be a hard-fought July election.
It is also a snapshot of Australia's economy in the rear-view mirror, a period when the iron ore price jumped amid resurgent demand in China, and unemployment dropped to a 21/2 year low.
The currency jumped half a US cent and rate-cut bets were pared.
The central bank last month ended a one-year policy pause and lowered its benchmark to a record-low 1.75 per cent as disinflation arrived Down Under. The economy's recent strength suggests a follow-up cut is less likely.
"These numbers will validate a bit of caution on the part of the RBA not to ease too aggressively," said Mr Richard Yetsenga, acting chief economist at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group. While the RBA will cut interest rates further, it will not happen until August, he said.
The local dollar advanced after the report, buying 72.53 US cents in Sydney. The Aussie was at 99.87 Singapore cents.
Yesterday's data saw the economy's annual expansion approaching its 30-year average of 3.2 per cent. Weaker trends in population growth and investment suggest a resurgence in productivity will be the only way to counter that, according to National Australia Bank's chief economist Alan Oster.
As the mining boom unwinds, "if nothing else fills the gap, Australia may experience its worst decade of national income growth, and potentially a deterioration in living standards, in nearly half a century", said Mr Oster.
Australia is managing a transition away from mining towards industries like tourism and education that have been buoyed by a weaker currency and record-low wage growth. Treasurer Scott Morrison said: "While the numbers are welcome, we are very conscious of the fragilities that exist in these numbers and our economic plan is designed to address those fragilities. The most significant of those is the need to boost earnings."


text:
History Of The Snowblower The Gilson Snowblower Shop
Except where stated this site is in no way affiliated with any of the products or companies mentioned or depicted within except as noted
So who did invent the snowblower or snowthrower? We need to begin by qualifying that question since there are a number of answers depending on your interest. Some notable firsts would be:
The first machine to clear snow by throwing or blowing it
The first fully mobile snow clearing machine?
The first domestic walk-behind snow blower
The latter is the one people generally think of and have the most interest in. It is also the one that has the most elusive answer.
Chapter 1 So where did it all begin? Looking back in time we need to consider where would there be a need to remove snow while having a source of power available? The need and the enabling power were found on the railways of the U.S. snowbelt and in Canada. The earliest documented art belongs to a Toronto dentist known as J/W Elliot. His 1869 patent #390 design was never built.
The story next takes us to Orangeville Ontario, Canada where we find Orange Jull, a gristmill operator and inventor. In 1884 he applied for a patent and was subsequently granted patent #18506. Jull did not have the means to build and commercialize his invention so he contracted the local Leslie brothers to build the machines.
A Jull/Leslie rotary snowplow
The Jull/Leslie machines were self powered but not self propelled. A locomotive was used to move the machine. The Jull design consisted of 2 large inline fans rotating in opposite directions. The lead fan chewed into and pulverized the snow while blowing it back into the discharge fan, which propelled it into the sky. Due to clogging problems it was simplified to a single fan. Further changes to effectively control the discharge were made including a movable deflector and pitching impeller blades. Production was moved to the Cook locomotive works in several locations. Additional machines were built under license. Finally 5 machines were "home built" by end users with the last one finished in 1971. In all 146 were built.
Later work consisted of fortifying the design to deal with the hazards of the unknown. Tracks were often blocked with fallen trees and other debris that were concealed in the snow. Legend has it that in one case a herd of cattle were trapped and buried under the snow on the rail bed. As the rotary snowplow progressed forward beefsteaks were flying. They remained in production into the 1950s and a few are still in service today. Many survive as museum pieces with an occasional demonstration.
Following his collaboration with the Leslie Brothers Orange Jull went on to create a next generation machine. This design utilized a screw auger to collect the snow. It was not as effective, especially in deep snow and only eleven were ever built. Sadly all have been scrapped.
All of the available photos and drawings of these machines are on enthusiasts sites where they are best viewed.. A Google search using Jull snowblower as keywords will deliver hours of reading and nostalgia. On YouTube you may be able to find " The Return of Rotary #1 ". A search for "rotary snowplow" found this video.
Some neat links:
Library and Archives of Canada
Denver & Rio Grande Western steam rotary snowplows
Rotary Snowplow Survivors
Our next installment finds Arthur Sicard, circa 1894, an 18 year old working on the family dairy farm in Saint-Leonard-de-Port-Maurice, Quebec. Snowstorms being frequent and dairy products being perishable motivated him to find a better snow removal means.
Sicard Snow Remover Snowblower
Motivation found inspiration one day when he saw a new piece of farm machinery called the thresher. If this machine could gather grain perhaps he could use the design to gather and move snow. It wasn't long before he had built and tested his first prototype however it bogged down in snow. His notion was dismissed by those around him and he went on unsupported in his pursuit. He went on to make a life for himself in Montreal until finally in 1925, 31 years later he astonished the people of that city with his "Sicard Snow Remover Snowblower". The first sale was to the nearby town of Outremont, in 1927.
The Sicard name has been synonymous with large snowblowers ever since. My hometown had a Sicard unit mounted to an old Michigan front end loader for several decades.
The curious question then becomes when did the walk behind domestic snowblower emerge? The Toro website makes the claim that Toro introduced the first snowthrower, the Snowhound in 1951. Ariens entered snow moving the market in 1952 with an attachment for it's Yardster series. The Ariens Sno-Thro series was launched in 1960. Simplicty followed in 1962. The earliest confirmed Gilson dates back to 1966. Meanwhile dozens of others launched product lines.This of course is in the context of domestic walk-behind units. If you have an early machine I'd appreciate a picture and brief story. Of all of the archival material I have amassed nothing points to an earlier machine. The 1951 Toro was not the driveway behemoth than many of us use today as can be seen in the photo.
An early Toro Powerhandle
with snowblower attachment
In my Vintage Machine Showcase you can get a sense of the diversity found in the early machines and a search of patents will reveal even more radical designs.
Machines of modern proportions began to emerge in the 1960's. The small-scale brands slowly disappeared and most were gone by the 1980s. The Gilson snow blower line launched in 1966. The full sized gear drives continued to evolve through the decade and with the introduction of the Unitrol machines in 1970 Gilson had 2 full size formats that evolved into the 1980s. The small Gilson single stage models were discontinued after the 1970 model year.
Just as the small scale models were fading away the industry was turned on it's head with the introduction of "personal sized" 2 stroke machines. The models were easy to handle, store and pay for. They pack enough power to handle a significant storm if you are patient enough to let it eat the elephant one bite at a time. Gilson was an early player with some patent action and the Snow-Cannon was a hit.
A 2 cycle Gilson Snow Cannon
Horsepower grew over the years. Early machines were in the 3-4 horsepower range. In 1970 8HP was the big machine. By 1980 most brands included a 10 or even 11 HP machine. Today 13 HP models easy to find.
The 21st century brought power accessories. Manufacturers are offering heated handles, motorized chute rotators and you can find machines that have onboard battery power to allow electric starting when away from household power. While engine powered lighting is nothing new it is becoming far more common.
The other big story is consolidation. Where there used to be scores of suppliers there are now essentially 7. Promotional grade machines (I'm being kind here) are made by MTD, Murray and AYP. Quality machine are built by Simplicity, Ariens, Toro and Honda. Virtually any machine you can find on the market, regardless of the brand is from one of these sources. The exceptions as small players such as attachments for BCS tillers. The age of the mass merchandiser has forced everyone to slash cost in pursuit of market share. The quality brands often sell machines in several tiers with one targeted at the promotional grade competition.
What do the coming decades hold for snowblower users? The market moves slowly. While nearly every homeowner owns a lawn mower the snowblower market is confined to the snowbelt region and many property owners choose not to own such a machine. That being said it is a small piece of the pie that has a hard time attracting R&D money. The basic concepts have been quite stable for along time. Ecology has been a big driver of engine refinements and this is likely to continue. Much of the recent work has been value engineering with most of the benefit going to the manufacturers. The brute strength built into the machines of yesteryear is gone forever. We can only hope that future machines will not be overburdened with fragile accessories. Other than that we will all have to wait and see what blows in the future.
The Gilson Snowblower Shop Home
Page created 1/27/2007 **** Page updated 11/14/07


Forget trying to squeeze your entire party into a DeLorean and trusting some crazy, white-haired man named Doc to take you back to the good ol' days of great music. With one of these great Oldies Bands you'll be dancing and singing along with all the great hits from artists like Elvis, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and ABBA just to name a few. So turn your event into a 50's themed sock hop or an old school rock 'n roll party with Elvis at the forefront by booking an Oldies Music Group today! Search for Oldies Music in Joliet, Illinois above.
Please note that these Oldies Music may also travel to Rockdale, Crest Hill, Elwood, Shorewood, Plainfield, Manhattan, Homer Glen, Channahon, Mokena, Minooka, Lemont, Orland Hills, Frankfort, Divine, Palos Park, Wilmington, Oswego, Monee, Palos Heights, Willowbrook, Burr Ridge, Matteson, Fox Valley, Willow Springs, Montgomery, Clarendon Hills, Diamond, Richton Park, Worth, and Hickory Hills.


text:
De vlag van Bhutan bestaat uit een witte Chinese draak over een gele en oranje achtergrond. De vlag wordt verdeeld door een diagonaal van de linkeronderhoek naar de rechterbovenhoek, zodat deze twee driehoeken vormt. De bovenste driehoek is geel en de onderste oranje. De draak is gecentreerd op de scheidslijn en kijkt weg van de hijszijde.

Deze vlag is, met kleine aanpassingen, in gebruik sinds de negentiende eeuw. De huidige vorm wordt gebruikt sinds 1960 en is op 8 juni 1972 officieel vastgelegd.

Symboliek
De draak vertegenwoordigt Druk, of de Donderdraak, en daarmee de naam van het land in het Tibetaans (Druk Yul of Druk Tsendhen; Land van de (Donder)draak). De draak is in de Chinese mythologie een teken van geluk. De draak heeft juwelen in zijn handen, hetgeen weelde symboliseert. De gele kleur staat voor de seculiere monarchie, terwijl het oranje staat voor het boeddhisme.

De vlag is een van de weinige vlaggen die oranje als een prominente kleur gebruiken en een van de twee nationale vlaggen met een draak; de andere is de vlag van Wales.

Historische vlaggen

Zie ook
 🇧🇹

Cultuur in Bhutan
Bhutan


text:
The Relevance of Gold As A Strategic Asset (2019)
Gold is a highly liquid yet scarce asset, and it is no one's liability. It is bought as a luxury good as much as an investment. As such, gold can play four fundamental roles in a portfolio:
a source of long-term returns
a diversifier that can mitigate losses in times of market stress
a liquid asset with no credit risk that has outperformed fiat currencies
a means to enhance overall portfolio performance.
Our analysis shows that adding 2%, 5% or 10% in gold over the past decade to the average pension fund portfolio would have resulted in higher risk-adjusted returns.
Why gold, why now
Gold is becoming more mainstream. Since 2001, investment demand for gold worldwide has grown, on average, 15% per year. This has been driven in part by the advent of new ways to access the market, such as physical gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but also by the expansion of the middle class in Asia and a renewed focus on effective risk management following the 2008–2009 financial crisis in the US and Europe.
Today, gold is more relevant than ever for institutional investors. While central banks in developed markets are moving to normalise monetary policies – leading to higher interest rates – we believe that investors may still feel the effects of quantitative easing and the prolonged period of low interest rates for years to come.
These policies may have fundamentally altered what it means to manage portfolio risk and could extend the time needed to meet investment objectives.
In response, institutional investors have embraced alternatives to traditional assets such as stocks and bonds. The share of non-traditional assets among global pension funds has increased from 15% in 2007 to 25% in 2017. And in the US this figure is close to 30%.1
Many investors are drawn to gold's role as a diversifier – due to its low correlation to most mainstream assets – and as a hedge against systemic risk and strong stock market pullbacks. Some use it as a store of wealth and as an inflation and currency hedge.
As a strategic asset, gold has historically improved the risk-adjusted returns of portfolios, delivering returns while reducing losses and providing liquidity to meet liabilities in times of market stress.
A source of returns
Gold is not only useful in periods of higher uncertainty. Its price has increased by an average of 10% per year since 1971 when gold began to be freely traded following the collapse of Bretton Woods. And gold's long-term returns have been comparable to stocks and higher than bonds or commodities (Chart 1).2
There is a good reason behind gold's price performance: it trades in a large and liquid market, yet it is scarce.
Mine production has increased by an average of 1.4% per year for the past 20 years. At the same time consumers, investors and central banks have all contributed to higher demand.3
On the consumer side, the combined share of global gold demand from India and China grew from 25% in the early 1990s to more than 50% in recent years.4
Our research shows that expansion of wealth is one of the most important drivers of gold demand over the long run. It has had a positive effect on jewellery, technology, and bar and coin demand – the latter in the form of long-term savings.5
Chart 1: Gold has delivered positive returns over the long run, outperforming key asset classes
Average annual return of key global assets in US dollars*
Sources: Bloomberg, ICE Benchmark Administration, World Gold Council; Disclaimer
*As of 31 December 2018. Computations in US dollars of total return indices for ICE 3-month Treasury, Bloomberg Barclays US Bond Aggregate, MSCI US, EAFE and EM indices, Bloomberg Commodity Index and spot for LBMA Gold Price PM. For compounded annual growth rates see Appendix II.
Additionally, investors have embraced gold-backed ETFs and similar products to get exposure to gold. Gold-backed ETFs have amassed more than 2,400 tonnes (t) of gold worth US$100 billion (bn) since they were first launched in 2003.6
And since 2010 central banks have been net buyers of gold in order to expand their foreign reserves as a means of diversification and safety.
Well above inflation
During the Gold Standard, and subsequently the Bretton Woods system, when the US dollar was backed by and pegged to the price of gold, there was a close link between gold and US inflation. But once gold became free floating US inflation was not its main price driver.
Sure enough, gold returns have outpaced the US consumer price index (CPI) over the long run due to its many sources of demand. Gold has not just preserved capital, it has helped it grow.
Gold has also protected investors against extreme inflation. In years when inflation has been higher than 3% gold's price has increased by 15% on average(Chart 2). Additionally, research by Oxford Economics shows that gold should do well in periods of deflation.7
Chart 2: Gold has historically rallied in periods of high inflation
Gold returns in US dollars as a function of annual inflation*
*Based on y-o-y changes of the LBMA Gold Price and US CPI between 1971 and 2018.
**For each year on the sample, real return = (1+nominal return)/(1+inflation)-1.
A high-quality, hard currency
Over the past century, gold has greatly outperformed all major currencies as a means of exchange (Chart 3). This includes instances when major economies defaulted, sending their currencies spiraling down, as well as after the end of the Gold Standard. One of the reasons for this robust performance is that the available above-ground supply of gold has changed little over time – over the past two decades increasing approximately 1.6% per year through mine production.8 By contrast, fiat money can be printed in unlimited quantities to support monetary policies.
Chart 3: Gold has outperformed all major fiat currencies over time
Relative value between major currencies and gold since 1900*
Sources: Bloomberg, Harold Marcuse – UC Santa Barbara, World Gold Council; Disclaimer
*As of 31 December 2018. Based on the annual average price of a currency relative to the gold price.
**The 'Mark' was the currency of the late German Empire. It was originally known as the Goldmark and backed by gold until 1914. It was known as the Papermark thereafter.
Diversification that works
Although most investors agree about the relevance of diversification, effective diversifiers are not easy to find. Correlations tend to increase as market uncertainty (and volatility) rises, driven in part by risk-on/risk-off investment decisions. Consequently, many so-called diversifiers fail to protect portfolios when investors need it most.
For example, during the 2008–2009 financial crisis, hedge funds, broad commodities and real estate, long deemed portfolio diversifiers, sold off alongside stocks and other risk assets. This was not the case with gold.
Gold historically benefits from flight-to-quality inflows during periods of heightened risk. By providing positive returns and reducing portfolio losses, gold has been especially effective during times of systemic crisis when investors tend to withdraw from stocks.9 Gold has also allowed investors to meet liabilities while less liquid assets in their portfolio were undervalued and possibly mispriced.10
The greater a downturn in stocks and other risk assets, the more negative gold's correlation to these assets becomes (Chart 4).11 But gold's correlation doesn't only work for investors during periods of turmoil.
Due to its dual nature as a luxury good and an investment, gold's long-term price trend is supported by income growth. As such, our research shows that when stocks rally strongly their correlation to gold can increase, driven by the wealth effect and, sometimes, by higher inflation expectations.
Chart 4: Gold's correlation with stocks helps portfolio diversification in good and bad economic times
Correlation between gold and US stock returns in various environments of stocks' performance*
*As of 31 December 2018. Correlations computed using weekly returns based on the Bloomberg Commodity Index and the LBMA Gold Price PM since January 1971. The middle bar corresponds to the unconditional correlation over the full period. The bottom bar corresponds to the correlation conditional on S&P 500 weekly return falling by more than two standard deviations (or 'σ') respectively, while the top bar corresponds to the S&P 500 weekly return increasing by more than two standard deviations. The standard deviation is based on the same weekly returns over the full period.
A deep and liquid market
For large buy-and-hold institutional investors, size and liquidity are important factors when establishing a strategic holding.
Gold benefits from its large, global market. We estimate that physical gold holdings by investors and central banks are worth approximately US$2.9 trillion (tn), with an additional US$400bn in open interest through derivatives traded on exchanges or over-the-counter.12
In addition, the gold market is liquid (Chart 5). Gold trades between US$50bn and US$80bn per day through spot and derivatives contracts over-the-counter. Gold futures trade US$35–50bn per day across various global exchanges. Gold-backed ETFs offer an additional source of liquidity, with the largest US-listed funds trading an average of US$1bn per day.
Chart 5: Gold trades more than many other major financial assets
Average daily trading volumes in US dollars*
Sources: Bloomberg, Bank for International Settlements, UK Debt Management Office (DMO), Germany Finance Agency, Japan Securities Dealers Association, London Bullion Market Association, World Gold Council; Disclaimer
*Based on one-year average trading volumes as of December 2018, except for currencies that correspond to full-year 2016 volumes due to data availability.
**Gold liquidity includes estimates on over-the-counter (OTC) transactions, published statistics on futures exchanges, and gold-backed exchange-traded products. For methodology details visit Goldhub.com.
Enhancing portfolio performance
The combination of all these factors means that adding gold to a portfolio can enhance risk-adjusted returns.
Over the past decade, institutional investors with an asset allocation equivalent to the average US pension fund would have benefitted from including gold in their portfolio. Adding 2%, 5% or 10% in gold would have resulted in higher risk-adjusted returns (Chart 6).
Chart 6: Gold increased the risk-adjusted returns of a hypothetical average pension fund portfolio
Information ratio of a hypothetical average pension fund (PF) portfolio with various allocations to gold*
*Information ratio defined as portfolio return divided by annualised volatility and based on the total return indices and benchmarks listed below using data from December 2008 to December 2018. The composition of the hypothetical average PF portfolio is based on Willis Tower Watson Global Pension Assets Study 2018 and Global Alternatives Survey 2017. It includes a 50% allocation to stocks (30% Russell 3000, 20% MSCI ACWI ex US), 25% allocation to fixed income (22% Barclays US Aggregate, 1% Barclays Global Aggregate ex US, 1% JPMorgan EM Global Bond Index and 2% short-term Treasuries), and 25% alternative assets (9% FTSE REITs Index, 7% HFRI Hedge Fund Index, 7% S&P Private Equity Index and 2% Bloomberg Commodity Index). Gold's performance is based on the LBMA Gold price and the respective 2%, 5% and 10% portfolio allocations come from proportionally reducing all assets.
But studying simulated past performance alone of a hypothetical average portfolio does not allow us to evaluate how much gold investors should add to a portfolio to achieve the maximum benefit.
Asset allocation analysis indicates that, for US dollar- based investors, holding 2% to 10% in gold as part of a well-diversified portfolio can improve performance even more (Chart 7).13 Broadly speaking, the higher the risk in the portfolio – whether in terms of volatility, illiquidity or concentration of assets – the larger the required allocation to gold, within the range in consideration, to offset that risk.
The analysis shows that gold's optimal weight in hypothetical portfolios is statistically significant even if investors assume an annual return for gold between 2% and 4% – well below its actual long-term historical performance (Chart 7).
Our research shows that this is also the case for investors who already hold other inflation-hedging assets, such as inflation-linked bonds,14 as well as for investors who hold alternative assets (e.g., real estate and hedge funds).15
Gold goes beyond commodities
Gold is often lumped together with the commodity complex by investors and investment practitioners alike. Whether as a component in a commodity index (e.g., S&P Goldman Sachs Commodity Index, Bloomberg Commodity Index), one of the securities in an ETF, or as a future trading on a commodity exchange, gold is viewed as a part of this complex.
Gold undoubtedly shares some similarities with commodities. But a detailed look at the make-up of supply and demand highlights that differences outnumber similarities:
the supply of gold is balanced, deep and broad, helping to quell uncertainty and volatility
because gold is not consumed like typical commodities, its above-ground stocks are available for continuous utilisation
gold is used for many purposes and purchased all around the world, reducing its correlation to other assets
gold is both a luxury good and an investment, resulting in more effective downside portfolio protection.
Gold's unique attributes set it apart from the commodity complex. From an empirical perspective, including a distinct allocation to gold has improved the performance of portfolios with passive commodity exposures.16
Chart 7a: Gold can significantly improve risk-adjusted returns of hypothetical portfolios across various levels of risk
(a) Long-run optimal allocations based on asset mix
Sources: World Gold Council; Disclaimer
*Based on monthly total returns from January 1989 to December 2018 of ICE 3-month Treasury, Bloomberg Barclays US Bond Aggregate, Bloomberg Barclays Global Bond Aggregate ex US, MSCI US, EAFE and EM indices, FTSE Nareit Equity REITs Index, Bloomberg Commodity Index and spot returns of LBMA Gold Price PM. Each hypothetical portfolio composition reflects a percentage in stock and alternative assets relative to cash and bonds. For example: 60/40 is a portfolio with 60% in stocks, commodities, REITs and gold, and 40% in cash and bonds. Analysis based on New Frontier Advisors Resampled Efficiency. For more information see Efficient Asset Management: A Practical Guide to Stock Portfolio Optimization and Asset Allocation, Oxford University Press, January 2008.
Chart 7b: Gold can significantly improve risk-adjusted returns of hypothetical portfolios across various levels of risk
(b) Range of gold allocations and the allocation that delivers the maximum risk-adjusted return for each hypothetical portfolio mix*
1Willis Towers Watson, Global Pension Assets Study 2018, February 2018 and Global Alternatives Survey 2017, July 2017.
2For other return metrics and y-o-y performance see Appendix II.
3See Appendix I as well as the demand and supply section of Goldhub.com.
4Ibid.
6As of 31 December 2018. For more information visit Goldub.com.
7Oxford Economics, The impact of inflation and deflation on the case for gold, July 2011.
8See Appendix I as well as the demand and supply section at Goldhub.com.
9See Chart 19 in Appendix II.
10See Chart 20 in Appendix II.
11See also Chart 21 in Appendix II.
12See Chart 8 in Appendix I as well as the holders and trends section at Goldhub.com.
13Analysis based on the re-sampled efficiency methodology developed by Richard and Robert Michaud and praised as a robust alternative to traditional mean-variance optimisation. See Efficient Asset Management: A Practical Guide to Stock Portfolio Optimization and Asset Allocation, Oxford University Press, January 2008.
14Gold as a tactical inflation hedge and long-term strategic asset, July 2009.
15How gold improves alternative asset performance, Gold Investor, Volume 6, June 2014.
16See Gold: A commodity like no other, April 2011, and Gold: metal by design, currency by nature, Gold Investor, Volume 6, June 2014.
Source:GoldHub | World Gold Council
What Will Drive $10,000 Gold | Nick Barisheff
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European Union (EU) with Tanzania organize Business Forum
By Kwabe Ben Last updated Jan 24, 2023
The European Union is one of the largest trading partners of the United Republic of Tanzania and also the largest source of foreign direct investment.
In this context, the EU in cooperation with Tanzania has organized the Business Forum to be held in Dar es Salaam on February 23 and 24, 2023.
This is one of the initiatives to enable the private sector to take advantage of investment opportunities available in Tanzania. For more information and the registration process, please visit https//www.eu-tzbf.com.
Kwabe Ben 251 posts 0 comments
KWABE BEN
Is a Photo-journalist, business/features writer and Investigative journalist with a year's experience in Digital broadcast media.
Change starts with you and I . Embrace it to attain a Just world.
Express and address the truth for its relative.
For a feature story/coverage; email: benjykwabe@gmail.com
MSF Calls on Donors Quick Response To Dagalahey Refugee Camp
Kenya, France To Strengthen Ties for Business Growth
Starlink Satellite Internet Service To Launch in Kenya
KAAO Calls For Embracing of KCAA, Stakeholders Forums
President Ruto Acquires Land for Housing Agenda


The key themes for iLINKS X have been announced and include empower, enhance, connect, innovate and secure.
Join us at iLINKS Innovations 2018 on Thursday 5 July 2018 as we celebrate 70 years of our NHS and showcase the impact changes in technology are having on healthcare. Delegate entry is FREE.
The annual iLINKS Innovations conference and exhibition took place at Aintree Racecourse on Thursday 5 July 2018.
Digit@LL is Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership's Digital Strategy and Roadmap for the next five years.
If you have registered to attend iLINKS Innovations 2018, please book your preferred seminar sessions as soon as possible. Places for each session are limited and will be issued on a first come, first served basis, so please book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you are planning on attending, exhibiting or you are a sponsor of this year's event, you can help show your support and help spread the word by referring to our Support Toolkit.
The sponsors for the 2018 iLINKS Innovations conference and exhibition have been announced as EMIS Health, InterSystems and Samsung.
The key themes for this year's conference and exhibition have now been confirmed as NHS70, Share2Care and Co-designed services.


This 27ft classic powerboat was designed for use on Bangkok's Chao Phraya River and was tooled for GRP and built in Thailand by Pantawee Marine of Pattaya. She has been designed to appeal to both the private market and as a water taxi for Bangkok's hotels. Boat number one was successfully launched in 2003 and is moored in Bangkok.


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S Волос Вероники () — двойная звезда в созвездии Волосы Вероники на расстоянии приблизительно 6425 световых лет (около 1970 парсеков) от Солнца. Видимая звёздная величина звезды — от +12,13m до +10,89m.

Характеристики
Первый компонент — жёлто-белая пульсирующая переменная звезда типа RR Лиры (RRAB)* спектрального класса A6-F7, или F1, или F4. Масса — около 2,548 солнечных, радиус — около 6,57 солнечных, светимость — около 77,241 солнечных. Эффективная температура — около 6564 K.

Второй компонент — коричневый карлик. Масса — около 65,96 юпитерианских. Удалён на 2,043 а.е..

Примечания


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iReach Archive
Themes of Honor, Courage, Family and Sacrifice Emerge in Captivating New Novel
Christopher H. Connor's "Dalriada: The Dawn of a King" shows young adults what it means to display utmost courage and defend one's family
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (PRWEB) January 14, 2019
Author Christopher H. Connor has recently released his new historical fiction, entitled "Dalriada" The Dawn of a King: A Novel of Love, Honor, and Fury," a poignant historical fiction of love, honor and courage about a close-knit family who band together to save their people from the barrage of adversaries seeking to destroy their kingdom and way of life.
As Scotland struggles to emerge in 824 A.D., the people of Dalriada are fighting to endure within a dangerous land where only the most courageous deeds assure survival. While Dalriadans battle for freedom, adversaries advance on every side. Lands to the south and east bring both Briton and Pict while the seas to the north bring the villainous Vikings. The call to the Dalriadans is clear—either fight or die.
Alpin and his sons, Coric and Kenneth, are champions of this calling. But these clansmen need more than swords to save their people. They need the heart of a king. As the men struggle to survive the cunning Picts and savage Vikings, treachery imperils the land and prompts Kenneth to set out on a quest to unite his people.
But can he carry out his task without forsaking his betrothed, Arabella? Now as the future hangs in the balance, Kenneth and the others must rise up to secure their precious freedom before their savage enemies rob them of life, love, and their destiny.
One Amazon reviewer writes about "Dalriada:" "The way faith, and history were weaved together through this fictional account was very enjoyable…Unable to put down."
In this rousing historical tale, a Dalriadan clansman and his sons answer a calling that asks them to sacrifice everything in order to ensure the future of their beloved land and family.
"Dalriada: The Dawn of a King: A Novel of Love, Honor and Fury"
By Christopher H. Connor
ISBN: 9781480858077 (softcover); 9781480858084 (electronic)
Available at the Archway Publishing Online Bookstore and Amazon
Christopher H. Connor lives in Tullahoma, Tennessee, with his wife, Gina, and their four children, Colton, Casen, Cassidy and Caryss. "Dalriada: The Dawn of a King" is his debut novel and the first book in a trilogy. To learn more about Connor and the "Dalriada" trilogy, please visit http://www.dalriadatrilogy.com.
LAVIDGE – Phoenix
Kalin Thomas
kthomas(at)lavidge(dot)com
LAVIDGE


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Leyton M. "Buck" Rogers – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps
Leyton M. "Buck" Rogers, 79, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and infantry officer who was a procurement manager for Washington area laboratories, died of a heart attack June 4, 1998 at a hospital in Daytona Beach, Florida. He moved to Port Orange, Florida, from Springfield, Virginia in 1985.
He was a native of Montpelier, Vermont, and a graduate of Norwich University.
He served in the Pacific during World War II and was later posted to London, Germany and Okinawa. He moved to Washington in 1954.
After he retired in 1960, he worked for Melpar Inc. and Meloy Laboratories.
He was a member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.
His marriage to Ann Timmerman ended in divorce.
Survivors include his wife, Carole Rogers of Port Orange; two sons from his first marriage, Leonard Rogers of Arlington and John Rogers of Burke; two sons from his second marriage, Jeremy Rogers of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Andrew Rogers of Atchison, Kan.; two stepsons, David Holup of Woodbridge and Joseph Holup of Washingtonville, N.Y.; and 10 grandchildren.
ROGERS, LEYTON M. Lt. Col. USMC (Ret.)
On Thursday, June 4, 1998, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Beloved husband of Carole Rogers of Port Orange, FL; loving father of Leonard Rogers of Arlington, VA., John Rogers of Burke, VA., David Holup of Woodbridge, VA., Joseph Holup of Washingtonville, NY, Jeremy Rogers of St. Petersburg, FL and Andrew Rogers of Atchison, KS. Also survived by ten grandchildren. . Services will be held on Wednesday, June 17 at 11 a.m. at Ft. Myer (Old Post) Chapel. Interment Arlington National Cemetery.
Brian D. Rizzolli – Captain, United States Air Force & William B. Satterly – First Lieutenant, United States Air Force
James F. Dickey – Chief Quartermaster Clerk, United States Marine Corps


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Drilling Industry NewsNew ProductsProduct of the Week
Craftsman Produces Wooden Drill Rigs for Gifts, Keepsakes
By Jeremy Verdusco
Lots of National Driller readers have rigs they can play with out on the jobsite. But how many have one to sit handsomely on the bookshelf in the office?
Enter Wooden Classic Wheels. Owner William Jackson produces one-of-a-kind vehicles from quality hardwoods, custom replicas of everything from classic cars to,
This hardwood drill rig is just one example of the work available at Wooden Classic Wheels. Source: Wooden Classic Wheels
yes, drill rigs.
Jackson says he can work on commission to do company vehicles or your favorite rig, and can even laser engrave logos. He can work off plans, design it himself or work off a photo. He's been featured on Chicago's ABC 7 News, and won first place in the Sears National Craftsman Tool Contest for a 1967 VW he designed and built.
He suggests his work as a retirement or anniversary gift for a special employee or manager, or for a family keepsake.
For more information, visit www.woodenclassicwheels.com or call 219-252-3541.
Jeremy joined BNP Media in late 2012 as editor of The Driller. In addition to that role, he now also serves as editorial director of POB and GeoDataPoint. He's worked in publishing since 1997, including stints as a reporter, copy editor, page designer and technical writer.
'Maxi' HDD Rigs Designed for Larger-Scale Horizontal Drilling Jobs
Tips for Leasing, Buying Drilling Rigs
Dust Off Those Classic Drill Rigs
Formulas and Calculations for Drilling, Production, and Workover, 4th Edition
Formulas and Calculations for Drilling Operations, 2nd Edition
Natural and Engineered Solutions for Drinking Water Supplies
Watson Drill Rigs
Watson Drill Rigs is an American-made, American-owned OEM offering a wide-range of drill rigs: 30,000-220,000 ft-lbs. Designed, manufactured and assembled entirely in the USA since 1923. Lineup includes hydraulic & mechanical on crawlers, trucks, cranes, excavators and custom mounts. Dedicated to serving customers with direct sales and lifelong support. Also offers Refurb, Used and Leasing.
Diedrich Drill
Diedrich Drill began serving the drilling industry in 1973. Over the past five decades, we have continued to evolve with constant effort to research and develop new and innovative products to benefit our customers. We go where our rigs are in use to understand the applications and projects of our customers better. Listening to you has enabled us to produce the industry's top line of products in the industry. For drilling rigs, tooling, parts and service, you can depend on Diedrich.
Mobile Drill Intl.
Mobile Drill Intl supplies a full line of new & used drill rigs along with parts & tooling for the Geotechnical & Environmental industries. MDI is structured to not only be a supplier for our customers, but also a resource to assist you with the growth of your business.


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A statistical edge is the logic behind this billionaire's trading strategy. He understands probabilities. You can have a statistical edge, too.
The best way to bring in income from options on a regular basis is by selling vertical call spreads, otherwise known as bear call spreads. Here's a way to learn just how to do it.
Here's a simple strategy to profit from market volatility. If the market stays below a specific price, a price of your choosing, you profit.
After months of research and two years of testing with LIVE trades, I'm pleased to share this options strategy with you. It's called Delta Codes.
Volatility is once again offering us a trading opportunity in which we can produce significant and consistent profits. Here's how.
We've managed to make cumulative returns of 151.7% since I started the using these strategies to trade earnings. Here's how I profited from Starbucks.
Find out how selling options can increase portfolio returns. I use conservative options strategies like selling puts,credit spreads and covered calls.
Learn how to protect profits. Using this strategy, you can insure a stock against a decline without the need to spend much, if any, capital.


Welcome to the Amazing Halloween Giveaway!
big day! It is the time of the year when kids, teens and even adults prepares their best costume to wear on Halloween.
What are your Halloween plans this year? Do you plan to attend a trick or treat event? Or host a party for your family and friends? Share your spooky stories and plans with us and get a chance to win $200 Amazon Gift Card Code!
Allow the rafflecopter widget to load below and enter your entries now!


75115. How Do You Think It Feels?
75192. A Mulher - Chave do Céu ou Porta do Inferno?
Rainbow Fish is torn between his newfoundfriends and a lonely striped fish who is not invited to join in their game. When a hungry shark appears, Rainbow Fish makes a brave decision to help the little stranger.


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There are hundreds of great books on investing and untold websites and blogs. Many are worthwhile reads, many are not, and many are risky schemes, at best.
Yet everything worthwhile you could hope to learn about investing was captured recently by Tom Heath of The Washington Post in a single newspaper column.
In the column, Heath laid out the simple facts about long-term investing, as explained by Warren Buffett in his latest letter to shareholders.
In the letter, Buffett makes a compelling case for what he calls "the American tailwind," the simple idea that investors are not really buying companies when they invest, but an idea: that American prosperity — and the growth of its wealth — is driven by our dedication to the American idea.
Over the course of roughly three human lifetimes, Buffett argues, the United States grew from just four million people to the most powerful nation on earth. That inexorable rise was punctuated by a revolution, a Civil War, the Great Depression and two world wars, yet the American idea persevered.
Our economic growth since 1942, the year of Buffett's first-ever investment, has been "breathtaking," he argues.
A $1 million investment in a tax-free investment, such as a college endowment, would have grown into $5.3 billion, Buffett continued, for a gain of 5,288 for 1.
Surely, you might be thinking, someone out there, some sharp stock operator or person "in the know" did better. And you would be wrong.
"Let me add one additional calculation that I believe will shock you," Buffett wrote.
As Heath says, it's precisely this misplaced faith in stock picking that leads so many of us to disappointment when it comes to investing.
As Buffett elaborated on CNBC, owning a low-cost index fund of the whole stock market is the answer for the vast majority of long-term investors.
America is exceptional in this respect, continued the iconic billionaire, and has been from its very start.
Before you start down the path of "things have changed," consider this: Buffett has told his own lawyers that, upon his passing, his own money left to heirs should be invested in low-cost index funds.
Mitch Tuchman brings the low-cost, scientific investment approach used by elite pensions and endowments to everyday retirement investors through Rebalance. The firm manages retirement accounts with portfolios built by its Investment Advisory Board: Burt Malkiel (Princeton professor who wrote "A Random Walk Down Wall Street"), Charles Ellis (past chair of Yale's Endowment) and Jay Vivian (ran IBM's retirement funds). Follow Mitch on Twitter @MitchellTuchman.


There is no such thing as "real names" on the internet.
I am studying theoretical physics in University of Kentucky. My specialties include high performance computing, data analysis, data visualization, computer programming, digital design, etc. I am also interested in many other things, like typography, photography, playing guitar, and video games.
Welcome to my website, and to the dark world of science, technology, and art.
Did this when I was fiddling with D3.js.


Odyssey of the Mind issued a problem clarification to each long term describing a new kind of spontaneous wherein team members use what is called "Value Cards." I am posting their sample. Have your teams practice in the event it shows up at the state competition or at World Finals.
This problem was called, "I'm Late"
(1) You have 1 minute to think and 5 minutes to respond. You may ask the judges questions; however, time will continue. You are allowed to talk to each other during think time.
(3) If you believe your response is very creative, you should use a card with higher values (hold up higher value card). If you do not think your response is creative, you should choose a card with lower values (hold up lower value card). For example, if you choose this card (hold up 4, 8), you will get 4 points for a common response and 8 points for a creative response. You may use each card only once.
(4) Speak loudly and clearly. Once time begins, it will not be stopped.
(5) You should not repeat a response that has already been given, and you are not allowed to skip your turn. If one member of the team is stuck, the team is stuck.
(6) You will be finished when response time ends or when you have used all of your cards.
The clarification this year indicates that team members may be given paper and pencil to write down their answers during think time and will be allowed to reference their own answers. Again, team members will each be given 5 Value Cards. Cards will reflect the following numbers: Card #1: 1/2; Card #2: 2/4; Card #3: 3/6; Card #4: 4/8; and Card #5: 5/10.


Hardcover. London, John Camden, 2nd, 1867, Book: Good, Dust Jacket: None, 266 pages + 6 pages of ads. Green cloth, spine label with gilt lettering. Hinge cracked. Previous owner's signature. Several black & white plates throughout.


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Fri Nov 27
We count what matters, and violence against people with disability matters
The bouquet held by Bolshy Divas member Jackie Softly represents the people with disability whose accounts of violence and abuse the Senate inquiry heard in Perth, but these are just the tip of the iceberg.AAP/Sarah Motherwell
The Senate inquiry into violence, abuse and neglect against people with disability heard many horrific stories of violence experienced by adults and children with disability. They experience violence at the hands of intimate partners, parents, informal carers, service providers, teachers, medical professionals, co-residents in institutional settings, and others.
Greens senator Rachel Siewert, handing down the report, observed:
One of the issues that is really clear is that we do not have good data around prevalence. We do not collect this data … Yet that is the only way that we can understand what is going on.
This echoes the concerns of Australian disability researchers in submissions to the inquiry.
Data is essential for political accountability. Violence against people with disability – 18% of the Australian population – is endemic, yet data about it is largely missing.
This lack of data impedes the development of effective policies and programs to prevent and respond to violence against people with disability. It also hampers advocacy efforts.
The lack of data lets governments, services and the community – all of us – off the hook.
What do we count now?
It is well recognised internationally that high-quality population-based prevalence data is needed to respond adequately to violence. In Australia, the ABS Personal Safety Survey (PSS) is regarded as the source of the best data on violence.
In 2012, for the first time, the survey included questions about disability. This enabled comparisons to be made between people with and without disability.
The chilling results of a comprehensive analysis of these comparisons were reported at the Population Health Congress in September. These results will soon be published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
Findings included that since 15 years of age:
28% of women with disability reported sexual violence (compared with 15% of other women);
25% of women with disability reported partner violence (compared with 13% of other women);
35% of women with disability reported emotional abuse (compared with 19% of other women); and
men with disability also reported higher levels of sexual violence and partner violence than men without disability, but lower levels than women with disability.
The prevalence of all forms of violence was higher among people with disability.
What counts as violence?
The evidence heard by inquiry chair Rachel Siewert and other senators was horrific, but most of the violence and abuse goes unrecorded.AAP/Sarah Motherwell
But these statistics don't tell the whole story. This is because of how the PSS collects data. The family and other formal and informal carers who people with disability rely on for support may be perpetrators, but the PSS doesn't collect information about that.
People with disability also experience what legal researcher Linda Steele calls "lawful violence". This is violence that against any other person would constitute a serious crime or even torture, but against people with disability is "treatment".
People with disability may be uniquely vulnerable to forms of violence like solitary confinement, forced medication, physical restraint, withholding food, medication or equipment, rough handling and so forth. Yet this is not counted in the PSS.
The survey includes only people living in private dwellings. This leaves out some of the settings in which people with disability are over-represented. That includes group homes, large residential facilities, psychiatric facilities, aged care facilities, prisons and so on. These settings lend themselves to higher levels of violence and abuse.
The PSS also will only run interviews with individuals. This means anyone who requires any support with communication (like Deaf people or people with communication needs) is automatically excluded. It also samples only adults despite international data showing the prevalence of violence against children with disabilities is much higher.
So, while the PSS shows that people with disability are at higher risk of violence than people without disability, the picture is far from complete.
Other mainstream data collections are also inadequate. Child protection data does not report information on disability of either the child or parent/s, despite numerous commitments to do so under the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children. Information about disability is not in the crimes data reported by the Australian Institute of Criminology.
Additionally, our major data collections on disability – the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers and the Disability Services National Minimum Data Set – do not collect information on violence.
That is a missed opportunity the inquiry highlighted. Only at the request of the Senate committee has data from the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline been released. It reflects a problematically low reporting rate when compared, for example, with the new NSW Ombudsman's Reportable Conduct Scheme.
How to make violence against people with disability count
We count what matters, and what matters counts. This is at the heart of accountability. We need information on the types of violence, where it occurs, how often, and who are the perpetrators.
People with disability need to be at the forefront of defining violence to ensure we capture the full complexities of their experiences.
The inquiry recommended questions about disability and violence be included in population surveys conducted by the ABS and recorded in datasets – such as child protection data – held by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
These improvements would help us properly understand the extent of the violence. We could then respond better to the pervasive and hidden human rights violations against some of the most marginalised people in our community.
As Labor senator Claire Moore said in her evidence to the inquiry:
… data is not just evidence that is put out – not just figures and numbers. Data reflects the lived experience of people … Data is the extraction of information that we can do better.
This article was co-authored by Dr Jess Cadwallader, Advocacy Project Manager, Violence Prevention, at People with Disability Australia. It draws in part on her presentation to a symposium on Power and Accountability at the University of Sydney in November 2015.
Further reading: It's time to fix the power dynamics that allowed the abuse of people with disability
Anne Kavanagh receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council. She is a member of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council.
Sally Robinson receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Disability Research Working Group and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses on Child Sexual Abuse. She is a member of the NDIS Intellectual Disability Working Group.
Read more http://theconversation.com/we-count-what-matters-and-violence-against-people-with-disability-matters-51320
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Edición Español
account_balancePolitics
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equalizerTourism
equalizerNation
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gavelNation
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Peru: Francisco Sagasti becomes President of the Republic
Peruvian President Francisco Sagasti delivers his first Address to the Nation from Congress. Photo: ANDINA/Presidency of the Republic
Congress Chairman Francisco R. Sagasti Hochhausler was sworn in as President of the Republic in a Parliament solemn session held on Tuesday afternoon.
Thus, 76-year-old Sagasti Hochhausler has become the new Head of State of Peru until July 28, 2021.
He replaces
resigning Manuel Merino, who stepped down last Sunday —after less than one week in office and amid major protests.
As is known, Sagasti Hochhausler was sworn in as the new head of Parliament on Monday, after winning the election for the Board of Congress.
Given that he has assumed the Presidency of the Republic, Parliament's First Vice Chairwoman Mirtha Vasquez has become Congress' main official.
At the beginning of the solemn session, attendees observed a minute of silence for Inti Sotelo and Bryan Pintado, the young citizens who died during the demonstrations held in Peru last weekend. It must be noted that their relatives were invited to today's ceremony.
The event was held at Parliament headquarters in Lima.
Francisco Rafael Sagasti Hochhausler is an industrial engineer, researcher, author of several books, and has served as a university professor.
He was born in Lima on October 10, 1944, and is 76 years old.
In March 2020, he assumed the post of Congressman of the Republic representing Lima with the Purple Party for the 2020-2021 term.
Previously, he held various positions in the public sector and also in multilateral organizations such as the World Bank.
??En vivo | Francisco Rafael Sagasti Hochhausler juramenta como presidente de la República.
Sigue la transmisión aquí: https://t.co/EHCQTUkMWa pic.twitter.com/xd9y7fQls5
— Presidencia Perú (@presidenciaperu) November 17, 2020
(END) MVB
Chairman of the Board: Carlos Becerra Gutiérrez
General Manager: Gonzalo Ricardo Alegría Varona
Editor-in-Chief: Félix Alberto Paz Quiroz
Telephone: (51-1) 315 0400 Fax: 431 2849
© 2017 Peru News Agency. All Rights reserved.


text:
EUGENIA BURNS HOPE
Atlanta, GA
Lugenia Burns Hope is known as one of the most effective social reformers in the South. She brought about change in her own lifetime and planted seeds that bore fruit in the Civil Rights Movement. Her influence continues to be felt today in organizations such as the Carter Center in Atlanta.
Born in 1871 in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of seven children, Lugenia became an activist at an early age. A change in her family's economic situation forced her to quit school and work full time. She spent 12 years with charitable settlement groups such as Kings Daughters and Hull House in Chicago, Illinois.
In her mid 20s, Lugenia met John Hope, a young theology student at BrownUniversity. They married and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he had accepted a professorship at Roger Williams University. Lugenia became involved in community activities and taught physical education and arts and crafts classes at the university.
After a year, her husband's desire to return to his native Georgia led him to join the faculty of Atlanta Baptist College in Atlanta, later known as Morehouse College. John eventually became the founding president of Atlanta University, the country's first black graduate school. His position gave Lugenia a base of operations as well as social prominence that she used to great advantage.
In Atlanta, Lugenia started working in a neighborhood known as West Fair, close to the College. She recruited Morehouse students to go door-to-door interviewing residents,to learn about the circumstances facing local families. Using the information gathered, Lugenia induced the College to provide space for daycare, kindergartens and recreational facilities. The core group that Lugenia organized was called the Neighborhood Union. It became her most important legacy.
The Neighborhood Union became an international model for community building and race/gender activism. It utilized black students and teachers in colleges to provide services to black that were not offered by any other agency or governmental body, and it helped to organize the community to fight discrimination in education. Its successes enabled the black community to appreciate the importance of being united to overcome odds. As the Neighborhood Union grew, Lugenia acquired a national reputation as a community leader and became a major force challenging racism and initiating interracial cooperation.
Lugenia also worked closely with interchurch groups and women's clubs and joined the struggle to address discriminatory practices relating to YMCA resources. Her activism also extended to include work with The Association of Southern Women forThe Prevention of Lynching, an interracial effort aimed at creating a national bill to prohibit lynching and mandating the prosecution of local law officials that engaged init. Championing states' rights, however, the white leadership of ASWPL successfully opposed federal intervention. Discouraged by her inability to awaken progressive white women to the fact of their own racism, Lugenia asserted:
"It is difficult for me to understand why my white sisters so strenuously object to this honest expression of colored women...After all, when we yield to public opinion and make ourselves say only what we think the public can stand, is there not a danger that we may find ourselves, with our larger view, conceding what those with the narrow view demand?"
As First Vice President of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP she created citizenship schools. These were six-week classes on voting, democracy and the Constitution that were taught by professors at Atlanta University.
Lugenia Hope, the mother of two sons, wife and "First Lady" of Morehouse College,had to balance Lugenia Hope, the social activist and reformer. She sewed her children's clothing and ran her home herself, traveled with her husband nationally and internationally (especially on fund-raising trips), and then served as the voice of poor and powerless African Americans at board and city council meetings. Her refusal to allow injustice to pass unchallenged cost her allies and support, but under her leadership the first African American high school in Atlanta, and the first public housing for African Americans in the country, were established.
Lugenia died in 1947. According to her wishes, her ashes were cast from the tower of Morehouse College.


Starbucks coffee shops are one of the most recognizable — and successful — examples of franchise businesses.
Talking about franchising means talking covering a range of topic, from first becoming a franchisee to how to exit the business. In my experience being a franchisee for 10 years, subsequently selling that business, being elected as an owner representative for the national marketing fund and becoming an area developer, I've filled a variety of roles that have carried with them different responsibilities and given me different viewpoints. Holding all three at the same time meant that keeping my integrity for all stakeholders was a challenge, to say the least, but that integrity is critical for success.
Working within a franchise system means networking, finding ways to cooperate and compete effectively with different sectors and with consideration to different models. I've also held several roles working with channel partners for technology companies, everything from setting up programs to partner development, and it's amazing just how many similarities and experiences can be leveraged.
1) Know yourself – Are you an entrepreneur or looking to buy a job? You can accomplish either with franchising, but you'll need to know what you are looking for first. What are the prerequisite skills you need to maximize potential for success?
2) Research the concept – Do you know why some information, especially negative, may be difficult to find? What are the red flags that should cause you to run? What are the benefits of the franchisee system you are considering?
3) Running a successful operation – Every franchise has rules – what can you do to ensure you are executing to standards? Are you holding the franchiser accountable? What happens if you have a disagreement?
4) Exiting the franchise – Will you need to provide owner financing? What are the pitfalls and ongoing liabilities after transfer?
Being a franchisee is not for everyone. In the upcoming series we will provide an insider's view from the discovery stage onward — including purchasing, operating and finally, exiting the system. On the surface, it may seem fairly straightforward. On the inside, however, the franchiser has the power of knowledge and you will be at a disadvantage. This is not saying the franchiser is bad – it's just a fact. They know more about all areas involved in actually running the business — including your chance of success — based on information across the system. In this series, we will attempt to level the playing field by sharing insider knowledge many systems do not want you to know about.
Tell me about your franchise experiences or ask questions for consideration in this series. Small business – get the inside scoop on franchise systems!


How To Draw Animals - Made Easy!
Learn how to draw different animals with this brilliantly entertaining, easy to follow creativity pack.
This fantastic set has everything needed to make drawing your favourite animals easy. Follow the simple step-by-step instruction book and learn how to draw 28 different animals, including a tiger, whale, monkey and even a meerkat. Practice your animal drawing skills on the handy sketch pad with HB pencil and nine high quality colouring pencils, complete with a sharpener and eraser. Compact in design, portable and ideal for creativity on the go - drawing animals is a skill everyone loves to learn!


On 11 May, we enjoyed an excellent evening at the 'Sound and Vision – Art of the Album' event in the Old Fire Station Gallery, Henley on Thames, where our friend and colleague, Mike Osborn, demonstrated a variety of top-tier sound systems alongside a range of our purification products. Sincerest congratulations to Mike and all who were involved in the coordination of this superb event, and we wish you every success for the future.
We are currently working on a several new and incredibly exciting products which we will be looking to take to market in the very near future. We promise to keep you all updated on these developments, and we hope that you will get in touch with any questions or recommendations in the run-up to launch.
Finally, we will be exhibiting at the North West Audio Show in Cranage Hall, Crewe, between 23 & 24 June. We're looking forward to welcoming you all to our stand, where we will be graphically and dramatically demonstrating the devastating efficiency of our current range of products – and possibly a few prototypes!


text:
Judgement of Paris
Painting Analysis
Pierre Auguste Renoir painted Judgement of Paris during the final stage of his career, beginning the painting in 1913 and finishing it a year later. As an Impressionist, the mythological subject depicted was not something common in the modern painter's work. Judgement of Paris portrays the story of Paris, a shepherd-prince, and his duty to choose one of the goddesses as the most beautiful, handing her a golden apple. In the painting, Renoir depicts Minerva, Venus, and Juno.
The three nude and voluptuous women offer Paris many bribes in exchange for the golden apple, but he eventually chooses Venus and her offer of marrying him to the fairest woman of the mortal world. This woman was Helen of Troy and, according to the myth, because of her new marriage with Paris, the Trojan and Greek army began a terrible war. Modern artists, like the Impressionists, would generally divert from Classic subjects – like mythological stories – as they were often rejected by the Paris Salon.
Although this painting is a portrayal of Greek mythology, Renoir captured many aesthetic influences from the Japanese art. These exotic woodcut prints brought vibrant colors and unusual compositions, a direct opposition from the standards of the Classic Academies. The passion for nature was apparent in the art of the Japanese, something that leads Impressionists to share the same love, as they preferred working en plein air, meaning they painted outdoors. Renoir chose to represent this Classical scene with his Impressionistic style.
In Judgement of Paris, the artist placed all five figures in the forefront of the composition. The three nude goddesses stand next to each other, with Venus in the middle reaching her hand out to grasp the apple. The goddess on the left holds a white fabric partially covering her body, while the woman on the right faces her back to the viewer and holds a red cloth. Paris is on his knees, wearing a golden robe and hat. There is an angel-like figure floating in the top left corner of the canvas, observing the scene. The landscape was painted in a very Impressionistic manner, with dark shades of brown and green on the ground and the trees in the background. Renoir inserts some specks of yellow and white, representing flowers on the floor.
© 1st-Art-Gallery.com 2017 - Present - All Rights Reserved, original content, do not copy without permission.
If you have any request to alter your reproduction of Judgement of Paris, you must email us after placing your order and we'll have an artist contact you. If you have another image of Judgement of Paris that you would like the artist to work from, please include it as an attachment. Otherwise, we will reproduce the above image for you exactly as it is.
Judgement of Paris	Pierre Auguste Renoir


The 1948 Vega Sicilia Unico is a red wine from Ribera del Duero produced by Vega Sicilia produced with tinto fino, tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon from the 1948 vintage. The 1948 Vega Sicilia Unico is the ideal red to combine with foie and bar-b-q. At Uvinum, this red wine scores an average rate of 4 of 5 points.
Raised brick red. With aromas of course reduction for its long residence time in the bottle, so that they must take oxygen before taking it. Being a big jewel, which have well-preserved, we would enter into the wonderful world of wines to be checked in situ evolution and its result state.
If you want to buy 1948 Vega Sicilia Unico, at Uvinum you will find the best prices for Ribera del Duero red wine.	Get it now at Uvinum, 100% safe, fast and easy. We bring you the largest catalog of more than 59.000 products which makes us leaders in the sector of selling wine, beer, and spirits in Europe thanks to more than 38.000 customers who shop at Uvinum.


Morgan Hill is a small community of 26 Carriage Style Homes built by Elliot in 2004 off of New Britain Rd. near the Doylestown Bypass. These large townhomes are about 3,600 - 3,900 sq. ft. with 4 - 5 bedrooms & 3.5 to 4.5 baths. The association fee is approximately $340 per year and there is a one time capital contribution of about $4,080 due at settlement. The association fee covers Common Area Maintenance, Exterior Maintenance, Lawn Maintenance, Snow Removal & Trash Removal.
CB West, Lenape Middle School and Kutz Elementary serve the Morgan Hill Community.
If you would like to be notified when a condo is for sale in Morgan Hill click the link below.


We're home! And we're tired. Though, it isn't because we had to run in and out of seats for our seatfilling stint at the Awards. We actually both had unoccupied seats from which we viewed the whole show without moving from table to table. Yay!
I was told by my friends Anthony and Allison that I was on-camera when "The Office" cast won for best ensemble in a TV Comedy... because I was sitting at their table! My husband Jon was "Russell Crowe" for the night, which he explains in the brief video he posted on his blog. And, like last year, I again made an extensive list of everyone I sat with, spoke with, and saw from a distance.
Overall, I didn't feel like there was as much excitement surrounding the show this year. Jon pointed out that it could be do to the lack of "freshness" in new television series. Because of the writers' strike that began late last Fall, several new shows haven't had enough time on-air to be nominated for awards. Hence, most of the television folks at the show were being nominated for the same categories as last year. We're fans of "Chuck" in particular - anyone else?
How will these winners impact the decisions for the Academy Awards?
I am sooooo JEALOUS! Of all the tables to sit at - you got to sit with THE OFFICE!! Did anyone talk to you? Send me an e-mail with full details when you have a chance!
I would've done a lot of things to be at that table last night.
I am telling everyone that my friend got to hang out with the employees of Dunder Mifflin.
I want details. What they ate, talked about, everything.
I have to admit. The SAG Awards really didn't hold any surprises for me. Just about everyone I expected to win did so.
And it was cool you go to be seat fillers. I have to admit, I've always wanted to go to an awards ceremony.


Lend some sophistication to your wall and go for our beautifully and painstakingly Carved Cow skull Turquoise Dreaming.
As it would not be enough it comes with countless, tribal carvings that were hand-carved all over the front and side sections of this cow skull decor in an elaborate and time consuming process. To upscale its look even more, turquoise and marbled gemstones were added to also bring some shine to it.
The extra large, real horns inject an majestic appearance that is balanced off with the floral inspired design on the forehead of the skull.


text:
Waterloo's Accelerator Centre Graduates Intellijoint Surgical and TitanFile
World renowned for its cultivation of technology entrepreneurship, Waterloo's Accelerator Centre today celebrated the graduation of Intellijoint Surgical and TitanFile from its award-winning tech start-up accelerator program.
Founded by University of Waterloo mechatronics grads Armen Bakirtzian, Andre Hladio and Richard Fanson, Intellijoint Surgical is setting the new standard for surgical hip alignment. Intellijoint's technology provides surgeons with affordable, smart tools that improve precision and accuracy in joint replacement surgery, lowering the possibility of complication and improving patient outcomes.
Intellijoint Surgical received its Health Canada Medical Device License in December 2013, and the company's technology has been used in more than 100 joint replacement surgeries.
TitanFile is on a mission to build better ways for people and companies to communicate securely. The company allows users to easily connect and securely share files from any device, ensuring that privileged information remains private at all times.
TitanFile's technology has been adopted across a wide range of industries, from healthcare for the secure and HIPAA-compliant transfer of patient information, to lawyers for secure collaboration, to educational institutions for secure research collaboration.
"We are incredibly proud to celebrate Intellijoint and TitanFile's graduation from the Accelerator Centre today. Each company has approached its respective market opportunity with tenacity – taking full advantage of the Accelerator Centre's educational programming and unique cross-disciplinary mentorship model to transform their ideas into viable, sustainable businesses," says Gary Pooley, Acting CEO, the Accelerator Centre.


text:
Home Insights Next-Generation Manufacturing Should Place Greater Emphasis on Trade Secret Concerns
Next-Generation Manufacturing Should Place Greater Emphasis on Trade Secret Concerns
23 June 2014 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives Blog
Picking up on our discussion last week about the pending Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2014, recent testimony by Eli Lilly's Vice President and General Patent Counsel, Douglas K. Norman in support of this legislation offers a good example of why a set of enhanced and uniformed laws for the protection of trade secrets in the United States is especially important for fostering the next generation of manufacturing in this country.
Advances in next generation manufacturing are already changing the landscape of how products are developed, manufactured, and brought to market. Fewer products will be manufactured by large-scale assembly lines of people centralized in countries with the lowest labor costs, and instead more products will be manufactured by advanced robotics, 3D printing, nanotechnology, and other next generation technologies.
Because manufacturing will be less dependent on large pools of labor, this will also mean that more products can be manufactured and processed at a greater number of locations around the world – likely either closer to the raw materials or to consumers. In other words, raw materials will not need to be transported to centralized locations for manufacturing, and then transported again to the markets. Vivek Wadhwa's Forbes article "The End of Chinese Manufacturing and rebirth of U.S. Industry" provides a good overview of this change. Manufacturing processes will also be defined less by access to low cost labor and more by continuously improving robotics and manufacturing methods. Because manufacturing will be more dispersed, these proprietary manufacturing processes will also need to be transferred around the world to dispersed manufacturing locations. In sum then, manufacturing will likely be driven more and more by proprietary trade secrets, and these trade secrets will need to be transferred more and more frequently to diverse locations around the world. All of this will require an enhanced and more comprehensive and uniform regime for protection of trade secrets.
As Mr. Norman summarized in his testimony:
"State trade secret laws developed and made sense at a time when misappropriation was largely a local matter. It works well, for instance, when an employee of a local business steals a customer list and takes it to the business down the street. But for companies that operate across state lines and have their trade secrets threatened by competitors around the globe, the array of state laws is inefficient and inadequate for several reasons."
Mr. Norman noted in particular that this new environment makes it difficult for companies to enact trade secret protection plans across an array of different state laws, and that because trade secret theft often crosses state lines, multijurisdictional litigation is hampered by difficulties in cross-jurisdictional discovery and service of process, and that it is also often difficult to get local courts across state lines to act quickly to preserve trade secrets.
All of these concerns are very real and will only increase with the advancing trends in next generation manufacturing. Companies currently or soon to be engaged in next generation manufacturing should take seriously their protection of trade secrets and pay close attention to efforts to update trade secret protection laws not only in the U.S. but around the world. If the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act passes, it may be an important first step in facilitating companies' efforts to do so.