text:
YinYang/istockphoto
Terrible Movies Starring Beloved Actors
Lisa Bornstein
Big Stars, Bad Movies
Don't hold your idols too high — they may disappoint you. Perhaps these celebrated actors were just dying to get out of the house, but the truth is, there are few actors who work frequently and don't make some stinkers. Here are some of our favorite stars and the flicks they made that really aren't worth watching, based on critic scores from Rotten Tomatoes.
Related: Worst Movies of All Time, According to Critics
Tom Clancy's Without Remorse (2021)
Beloved Star: Michael B. Jordan
Critics Score: 44%
Since his child actor origins on "The Wire," Michael B. Jordan has won audience hearts (and found his way to posters on more than a few walls) in such films as "Fruitvale Station," "Black Panther," and "Creed." He kept his rep in this action thriller, but didn't burnish it. "The seething physicality of his star power can't be faked, but the would-be franchise built around it sure can," the AV Club grumbled.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)
Beloved Star: Chris Rock
Prestige horror has had a resurgence with films such as "Get Out," but Chris Rock chose poorly. One of the greatest living stand-ups, Rock has made a name (or a voice) among kids as a voice star of celebrated animated films like "Madagascar" and wowed audiences with his leading role in the fourth season of the TV series "Fargo." Here, though, he stars in a failed attempt to revive the "Saw" franchise. "It's Rock who's the victim here, and he does not escape unharmed," said the Detroit News.
The Woman in the Window (2021)
Beloved Star: Amy Adams
Amy Adams has impressive credentials, having been nominated for an Oscar six times. This turgid thriller probably won't make for a seventh. "While everybody else is trying to act guilty or weird enough to be a possible murder suspect, Adams keeps her head down and plays everything for emotional honesty," the Chicago Tribune said. "It's a losing proposition." Better to check out Adams in such films as "American Hustle" and "Enchanted."
For more fun entertainment stories, please sign up for our free newsletters.
'Aloha' (2015)
Beloved Star: Emma Stone
"Cruella" and "La La Land" star Emma Stone is beloved as America's sharp-edged sweetheart, so what could go wrong? Well, for starters, casting Stone as the part-Hawaiian, part-Chinese lead in this film. Stone herself later apologized, saying, "I've become the butt of many jokes. I've learned on a macro level about the insane history of whitewashing in Hollywood and how prevalent the problem truly is."
'Cats' (2019)
Beloved Star: Idris Elba and Judi Dench
Idris Elba has had audiences swooning and critics cheering since he made his name stateside in HBO's "The Wire" and won over even more fans as Heimdall in the Marvel universe. Judi Dench is an English Dame, a leading light of the stage. Neither of them could salvage this misguided attempt to film Andrew Lloyd Webber's feline musical. The CGI, and the lack of a theater, where things don't have to feel real, had critics guffawing – and not in a good way.
'Righteous Kill' (2008)
Beloved Star: Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino
With three Oscars and 16 nominations between them, you'd be right to expect more from anything starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. Unfortunately, you'd also be sorely disappointed with this serial-killer thriller. "It's not much fun to see these two reduced to Mad TV parodies of themselves," Entertainment Weekly said. "In the right movie, they'd stop coasting on their legends long enough to remind us how they became them."
'The Love Guru' (2008)
Beloved Star: Ben Kingsley
From Gandhi to Guru Tugginmypudha. Ben Kingsley, an acting icon and Oscar winner, fell hard with Mike Myers' 2008 movie about a would-be guru returned to the United States to spread spiritual healing. The movie was widely reviled as loaded with racist caricatures. Kingsley seemed to poke fun at this misstep with his role as Trevor Slattery, an English actor who portrayed a fake terrorist in the Marvel universe, notably "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."
'The Professor' (2018)
Beloved Star: Johnny Depp
For a time, Johnny Depp's acting was so striking, and his charisma so undisputable, that he was frequently compared with his idol, Marlon Brando. And like Brando, Depp has gone off the rails in recent years. "Depp's turbocharged archness is basically the whole show. The actor appears as out of whits to give as the man he's playing, with little interest in enunciating clearly or hiding his self-regard," The New York Times said. Better to revisit Depp in "Donnie Brasco," "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" or even "Pirates of the Caribbean."
'The Emoji Movie' (2017)
Beloved Star: Patrick Stewart
Critics Score: 6%
Picard. Macbeth. Poop. Yes, Patrick Stewart, star of stage and screen, chose to add his name to this literally two-dimensional flop as the Poop Emoji. In Empire magazine said, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." Class act that he is, Stewart even promoted the movie on the Today Show.
Vanquish (2021)
Beloved Star: Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman carries the force of authority for American moviegoers; perhaps that's why so many famous quotes are falsely attributed to him. Following an Oscar nod for playing a vicious thug in 1981's "Street Smart," Freeman established himself as a stately, heroic lead, and we aren't eager for him to return to his baddie roots — especially in a stinker like this one. A former drug mule (Ruby Rose) tries to go clean, but Freeman plays the cop who kidnaps her daughter to force her to play hitman against a variety of gangsters. Better to tune into Freeman as Nelson Mandela in 2009's "Invictus."
Related: Tom Hanks' Most Regrettable Movies
Reclaim (2014)
Beloved Star: John Cusack
An entire generation (X) of moviegoers holds a special place in its collective heart for John Cusack, the star of such '80s touchstones as "Say Anything" and "Eight Men Out." He hasn't quite held up to that reputation in recent years, although a stint last year in "Utopia" was somewhat redeeming. "Reclaim" pretends to be a serious film about child trafficking, but critics just weren't buying it. "This isn't activism; it's by-the-numbers suspense," The New York Times said.
American Siege (2021)
Beloved Star: Bruce Willis
Remember "Moonlighting?" "The Sixth Sense?" "Red?" Hold onto those memories, because 2021 saw not one but three stinkers starring Bruce Willis. He "puts in such a wooden performance playing a washed-up, burnt-out cop that I could have screamed in frustration," the Guardian said.
Best Frozen French Fries
Best Panera Soups
Prepared Family Meals at Costco
7 Quick and Cheap Costco Meals


text:
The Oxford Study Bible Study Bible supplemented with commentary from scholars of various religions.
The Editors' Preface
Preface to the Revised English Bible
Understanding the Bible and its Communities
Reading the Bible
Reading This Bible
The Translation
Aids to Better Understanding
Literary Forms of the Bible
The Bible As a Whole
Types of Books
Genres Within Books
Communities in Context
Historical Contexts of the Biblical Communities
The Historical Context of Ancient Israel
The Historical Context of Early Judaism
The Historical Context of the Early Christian Communities
The Contributions of Archaeology
What Is Biblical Archaeology and What Does It Do?
The Limitations of Biblical Archaeology
The Future of Biblical Archaeology
Literature of the Ancient Near East
The Social World of the Old Testament
The Village and/or City
The Nation or People
The Social World of Israelite Religion
The Social World of the New Testament
Levels of Status
Slave and Free
Friends and Patrons
Honor and Shame
Kinship and Households
Citizens and Aliens
The Social Forms of Early Christianity
The Literature of The Biblical Communities
Communities and Canon
The Bible as a Community Book
Canon and Calendar
The Stabilization of Text and Canon
Text, Canon, and Community
The Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Jewish Literature
The Dead Sea Scrolls
Other Jewish Literature
Early Christian Literature
Collections of Sayings and Miracle Stories
Revelatory Literature
Church Orders
Apostolic Legends
Other Literary Genres
Transmission and Collection
Hebrew Scriptures in Early Post-Biblical Judaism,
Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church
The Bible of the Early Christians
"Ownership" of Scripture
Pagan Critiques of Scripture
Allegorical Interpretation
Non-Allegorical Exegesis
Later Theological Polemic and Scriptural Interpretation
The Communities' Experiences of God
Deity in the Biblical Communities and among their Neighbors
Theological Thought in the Ancient World
Mesopotamian Deities
Egyptian Deities
Syro-Palestinian Deities
Hellenistic Deities
Deity in the Biblical Communities
Torah and Covenant
The Phenomenon of Prophecy
The Cultural Context of Biblical Prophecy
Prophecy in Early Israel
The Canonical Prophets
The Transition to Scripture
The Perspective of Wisdom
Wisdom in Israel
The Theology in Wisdom
Wisdom in Early Christianity
The Apocalyptic Vision
The End of Prophecy and the Rise of Apocalyptic Literature
Apocalyptic Eschatology
Symbolic Visions
Ascent to Heaven
The Sights of Heaven
God's Accessibility
Relationship to God: Public and Private Worship
New Testament Communities
The Biblical Text with Annotations
The J and E Sources
The P Source
The Tetrateuch: JEP
Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch
The First Book of the Chronicles
The Second Book of the Chronicles
The Book of Job
The Book of the Prophet Isaiah
The Book of The Prophet Jeremiah
The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel
The Place and Significance of the Apocrypha
The First Book of Esdras
The Second Book of Esdras
The Rest of the Chapters of the Book of Esther which are found neither in the Hebrew nor in the Syriac
The Wisdom of Solomon
Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
A Letter of Jeremiah
The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three
Daniel and Susanna
Daniel, Bel, and the Snake
The Prayer of Manasseh
The First Book of the Maccabees
The Second Book of the Maccabees
The Letter of Paul to the Romans
The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians
The second letter of Paul to the Corinthians
The Letter of Paul to the Galatians
The Letter of Paul to The Ephesians
The Letter of Paul to the Philippians
The Letter of Paul to the Colossians
The First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians
The Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians
The First Letter of Paul to Timothy
The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy
The Letter of Paul to Titus
The Letter of Paul to Philemon
A Letter to Hebrews
A Letter of James
A Letter of Jude
The Revelation of John
Historical Contexts of the Biblical Communities >
Earliest Israel emerged in a world already old. The Sumerian civilization of ancient Mesopotamia had long vanished, leaving only traces of its legacy in the Assyrian and Babylonian states that followed it. Egypt as well had seen its "age of giants" disappear, its primary remains the grandeur of the colossal monuments and pyramids that endured. In the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1550–1200 B.C.E.) Egypt claimed at least nominal control of Syria-Palestine, control that was often contested and at times arbitrated in uneasy truces with the Hittite and Mitannian powers in eastern Asia Minor. By the thirteenth century this control was more assertion than fact, and new configurations of peoples moved into and emerged from the Canaanite city-states that jostled each other for space in southern Palestine.
Struggles between city-states in Canaan increased as Egyptian control of the area decreased. The Amarna Letters, a corpus of diplomatic exchanges from the reigns of Amenhotep III and IV (ca. 1403–1347 B.C.E.; the latter is better known as Akh-en-Aton), demonstrate that Egypt was losing control of this region and also that intercity warfare was on the increase, augmented by the presence of groups, called "Habiru," who were alienated from the established political structures. Their presence suggests that the increased turmoil in this part of the world was taking its toll on trade and the economy of the region, producing a most unstable situation.
It is not clear what forces and factors account for the emergence of a recognizable state of Israel toward the end of the thirteenth century B.C.E. Such a state is referred to, for example, by the Egyptian Pharaoh Mer-ne-Ptah in a victory stela—a stone slab with an inscription, erected as a monument—that has been dated to 1230 B.C.E. It is clear, however, that earliest Israel shaped itself in conscious contrast to both the royalist imperial structure of Egypt and the characteristic hierarchies of power in the Canaanite city-state system. Both were experienced as oppressive and dehumanizing.
Others as well moved into the area from the outside at this time, especially the so-called "Sea Peoples," whom the Egyptians were barely able to stop at their borders. Some of these Sea Peoples, known as Philistines, settled in five cities near the southern coast of Syria-Palestine, and within a century they were competing with Israel for control of the land. By the time of the death of Israel's first king, Saul of Benjamin, with his sons on Mount Gilboa, these Philistines, possibly in league with the Ammonites to the east of the Jordan river, seemed in control of most of the territory of the Israelite tribes. A note in 1 Samuel suggests that the Israelites had to rely on them for tools and weapons ( 13.19–22 ).
Seen more broadly, the waning of Egyptian authority in the area left a vacuum, disrupting trade as well as economic, social, and political structures. It was not to be the Philistines, however, but Israelites under the leadership of King David who would fill this vacuum. For a time, especially under David's son Solomon, Israel seemed the dominant power in the region. This brief interruption in external control of southern Palestine was a context in which emerged what later Israelites and Jews would view as that nation's "golden age." But a brief resurgence of Egyptian power in 935–934 B.C.E. under the Pharaoh Shishak I, who launched an attempt to reassert Egyptian control of the area, underscored the internal instability of Israel. This instability had been demonstrated a few years before, upon the death of Solomon, when the united country broke apart into two small kingdoms: Israel (also called Ephraim in some of the prophetic books) in the north and Judah in the south. Egypt would not be able, however, to follow up on Shishak's victories and would only be a sporadic player in the power struggles of the next several centuries.
Egypt would remain in Israel's memory, however, as the land of bondage and dehumanization from which Yahweh delivered the people with "signs and portents" (Deut. 26.8 ). This memory formed the basis of Israel's religious confession and self-understanding, and for those influenced by the Hebraic religious traditions Egypt and Pharaoh for centuries to come would symbolize oppressive structures and rulers. Ironically, a last small band of Israelite nationalists would flee back to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them, when they were no longer able to live under Yahweh and the covenant in the land of promise (Jer. 42–44 ).
The Neo-Assyrian empire based in Mesopotamia would for a time be the dominant international force in the lives of the twin kingdoms of Israel and Judah, as well as of other small states in the land that linked Mesopotamia and Egypt. Among these smaller kingdoms, the Damascus-centered Arameans in particular were rivals with northern Israel for control of the region, especially the control of trade and the exchange of goods. Phoenicians to the north of Israel held the Palestinian coast above Mount Carmel. But, since the Phoenician economy was built upon seafaring trade throughout the Mediterranean basin, non-maritime nations like Israel and Aramea competed for the control of land trade and routes.
In fact, for their own benefit the Phoenicians needed to maintain mutually beneficial relations with those around them who might provide both goods for trade and a market for what came through the key port cities of Tyre and Sidon. In periods of relative stability Phoenicia would prosper as a link between land and sea trade, and through Phoenicia both basic and luxury items, as well as less tangible cultural influences, were dispersed throughout the Mediterranean basin. In the period of Israelite King Omri and his son Ahab, for example, relations with the Arameans of Damascus are depicted as tense at best, sometimes breaking into open hostility, while relations with the Phoenicians were sealed by the marriage of Jezebel (daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Phoenician city of Sidon) to King Ahab (1 Kgs. 16.31 ). Behind the quite hostile depiction of her and of this whole era in the books of Kings we can detect a period of prosperity and blending of cultures and religious traditions. Ivory carvings excavated at Samaria and the ivory houses and beds condemned by Amos ( 6.4 ) are physical evidence of pervasive foreign influences mediated by Phoenicia, which proved most attractive to the upper strata in the state of northern Israel. Samaria was no different from Jerusalem, whose temple was designed on Phoenician models by Phoenician architects and artists.
As the Neo-Assyrians consolidated power under a series of able kings in the ninth century B.C.E., it proved possible for the several states in Syria-Palestine to join together in a defense pact in an attempt to check Assyrian advance into their territory. At a battle fought at Qarqar in 853 B.C.E., such a coalition was successful, and we are told in Assyrian records that Ahab of Israel contributed significant military forces to the cause. Such coalitions were the exception rather than the rule, however, and more often than not relations between the states in the region were tense at best and sometimes openly hostile.
To the south, Judah and its capital Jerusalem were not as directly affected by these events, although they were not immune to either foreign influence or regional conflicts and power struggles. Jerusalem lay somewhat off the major routes of commerce, especially since Philistine cities to the west came to control the coastal routes, while Edom and Moab to the east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river controlled the major trade routes that linked Arabia and Egypt through Damascus to the north and east. The Davidic kings of Jerusalem appear to have sat out the battle at Qarqar. Later, however, they found themselves on the defensive against a coalition that united northern Israel and Damascus in another attempt to forge an alliance to thwart Neo- Assyrian incursions into their territory. The siege of Jerusalem in 734–733 B.C.E. demonstrated that as Assyrian pressure increased in the region, even Judah and Jerusalem would not be able to stand aloof from the transformations taking place in the larger contexts in which they lived.
By 722 B.C.E. northern Israel had been overrun by Assyria and incorporated fully into its expanding empire. Judah remained nominally independent but in vassalage to Assyria, responsible for annual payment of tribute and support of military expeditions into the region. Assyria wished to remain secure within the river valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates, which offered no natural protective frontiers (in contrast to the situation of Egypt in the Nile valley). It therefore became Assyrian policy to expand outward, conquering or making vassals of the peoples to the east, north, and west of them. To maintain this far-flung empire, to bolster an economy strained by extensive military expenditures, and especially to sustain the military forces it needed, Assyria had to set its sights on Egypt as a fundamental source of grain.
But for Assyria to secure Egypt, it had to control the corridor into Egypt that was Syria-Palestine. For those with keen foresight, like Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah, it seemed only a matter of time until all the states in this region came under Assyrian domination in some form, ranging from outright conquest and incorporation into its imperial system to some form of vassalage that allowed only nominal independence. These prophets of Yahweh could not rest content with an economic, political, and military analysis of Assyrian expansion; for them such incursions posed as well the fundamental challenge of interpreting these events in theological terms appropriate to Yahwism.
Egypt was not unaware of the Assyrian threat, and from the latter part of the eighth century B.C.E. until the middle decades of the seventh it attempted again and again to encourage the independence of the small states in Syria- Palestine, to serve as a buffer between it and Assyria. Often this support took the form of promises of aid for those who resisted Assyria, promises that were broken more often than they were honored. Egypt came to seem a "splintered cane" (Isa. 36.6 ), providing little support and a potential danger to those who might lean on it.
By the middle of the seventh century B.C.E. Assyria took control of Egypt. Ironically, with this success Assyria overreached itself and within decades it would fall to the combined armies of Media and Babylon. The impending collapse of the Assyrian empire so threatened to alter the configurations of power in the Near East that a somewhat revived Egypt under Pharaoh Neco even sought to come to Assyria's aid shortly before the fall of Nineveh. While the Pharaoh was able to alter the course of Judean political and religious history when he cut down the reforming King Josiah, he could not shore up the last traces of Assyrian rule.
Caught up again in changing balances of power in the Near East, kings of the Davidic dynasty, in Judah and its capital Jerusalem, would once more seek to play one power off against another, but this time they would be crushed in the process. In 598 and 587 B.C.E. Babylon's armies were outside Jerusalem's walls, and in the latter year the city fell, its temple was sacked, its rulers and leading citizens were either executed or exiled. The last vestige of the ancient nation of Israel was taken up into the Babylonian provincial system.
The nation Israel, ranging in form from federation to empire to twin kingdoms and then to one small state, thus lived its life in a shifting matrix of power defined by Egypt at one pole and Assyria and Babylon at the other. Caught between these powers, Israel came into being and then thrived for a brief period as an empire when each pole was relatively weak and unable to assert effective control over the region of Syria-Palestine. With the resurgence of Assyria the small states in the lands between Mesopotamia and the Nile valley attempted to survive as best they could by balancing one power against the other, preserving as much independence as possible. But it was a losing game in the long run for them all, even if the end brought the fall of Egypt to Assyria, Assyria to Babylon, and, as we shall see, Babylon to Persia and a new configuration of power.
Within this shifting matrix ancient Israel felt the impact of its historical context in many ways. While Israel emerged and first took shape in reaction against the Egyptian imperial and Canaanite city-state structures, which it found oppressive and dehumanizing, it adopted much from these structures. From its administrative system to personnel serving in the courts of David and Solomon (2 Sam. 8.16–18; 20.23–26 ), from the ivory houses and beds of northern royalty and nobility to the design and ornamentation of the temple in Jerusalem, ancient Israel was heavily influenced by its historical context. The way in which Israel drew on cultural, religious, economic, social, and political currents of that context is further discernible in important themes and motifs in the earlier (J) and later (P) strata of the Torah (Gen. 1–11 ), in ancient poetic forms preserved in the oldest material in the Bible (Exod. 15.1–8; Judges 5; Psalm 29 ), in early wisdom material (Prov. 22.17–24.22 )–and even in the convenantal forms, terms, and themes that shaped the prophetic and deuteronomic understandings of Israel's relation with its God.
Influences from its near neighbors, and from the more distant and larger powers (often filtered through these nearer neighbors) affected ancient Israelite life and the Hebraic religious tradition in profound ways. Influences sometimes came through emulation and borrowing, as possibly in certain forms of covenant language, or through the adoption of traditions associated with the Canaanite high god El Elyon of Jerusalem, as legitimizing the transition from federation to kingship, especially the Davidic dynasty. The historical context also provided negative elements over against which Israelite tradition defined itself, as, for example, in the reaction against Canaanite traditions associated with the dying and rising fertility god Baal or divine kingship as found in Egypt. In general Israel's reactions to and interactions with its historical contexts were complex, different in distinct eras (a particular openness characterized the time of Solomon), and varied across social strata.
The Yahwism of old Israel was essentially a national religion like the religions of the states around it. It is true that the deity's power could be experienced elsewhere, in the midst of Egyptian oppression, for example, but to be a Yahwist was for all practical purposes to be an Israelite. With the death of the nation it was not inconceivable that the God of Israel had died or been rendered impotent as well, if indeed the people had not been abandoned because of God's anger at their misdeeds (see 2 Kgs. 19.22 ). The struggles of early Jewish communities to shape new lives in fundamentally new historical contexts would counter this theological assessment (see the following section). These communities would also shape new understandings of what it meant to live as the people of God in the larger and often alien world.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Gallup Poll: 53% of Americans Want All or Most Abortions Made Illegal
Share to Email Email Email
By Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
Gallup has released new National polling data on the issue of abortion, and the results are generally unchanged from the findings of previous years.
Typically the Gallup poll has found in majority of Americans oppose all or most abortions even though some Americans who technically take a pro-life position opposing abortion wrongly think they are supposedly pro-choice.
In the past, the Gallup survey has found that roughly half or just over half of Americans oppose all or almost all abortions. The newest polling data is no different.
"In a follow-up question asked of those in the middle 'legal under certain circumstances' group, most of these respondents say it should be legal 'only in a few' rather than in 'most' circumstances," the polling institute reported. "The result is that 43% of Americans say abortion should be legal in all (29%) or most (14%) circumstances, while a majority of 53% say it should be legal in only a few (35%) or no circumstances (18%). No fewer than 51% of Americans have favored more restrictive abortion laws since 1994, when Gallup first asked the follow-up probe of those saying abortion should be legal under certain circumstances."
Americans also believe abortions are morally wrong — another consistently held view over the years.
A separate question in the survey asks Americans whether abortion, along with 22 other behaviors and practices, is morally acceptable or morally wrong. By a slim five-percentage-point margin, 48% to 43%, Americans believe abortion is wrong from a moral perspective. In fact, abortion is the moral issue among those tested on which the public is most closely divided.
The 43% who believe abortion to be morally acceptable matches the percentage who say it should be legal in all or most circumstances.
Since Gallup first measured attitudes about the morality of abortion in 2001, an average of 41% have regarded it as acceptable and 49% as wrong. Though attitudes have fluctuated, at no point have more Americans said abortion is morally acceptable than have said it is morally wrong.
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted May 1-10, 2018, with a random sample of 1,024 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.


text:
Executive Director, Financial Risk Oversight
All OCC employees are required to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status to OCC's Human Resources department, and provide acceptable proof of vaccination status, as applicable. In addition, OCC requires employees who enter one of its offices to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing as a condition of employment, subject to reasonable accommodation.
The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) is the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization. Founded in 1973, OCC is dedicated to promoting stability and market integrity by delivering clearing and settlement services for options, futures and securities lending transactions. As a Systemically Important Financial Market Utility (SIFMU), OCC operates under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. OCC has more than 100 clearing members and provides central counterparty (CCP) clearing and settlement services to 19 exchanges and trading platforms. More information about OCC is available at www.theocc.com.
A highly collaborative and supportive environment developed to encourage work-life balance and employee wellness. Some of these components include:
A hybrid work environment, up to 3 days per week of remote work
Tuition Reimbursement to support your continued education
Student Loan Repayment Assistance
Technology Stipend allowing you to use the device of your choice to connect to our network while working remotely
Generous PTO and Parental leave
Competitive health benefits including medical, dental and vision
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily.
• Provide independent oversight and challenge of OCC's margin, stress, collateral, liquidity, and clearing fund measures produced by Financial Risk Management and the uses of those measures in internal and regulatory reporting
• Recommend revisions to OCC's Risk Appetite and accompanying Risk Tolerance measures (e.g., key risk indicators) with respect to financial risk management, including development of reporting to monitor trends
• Assists the MD of Strategic Risk and Chief Risk Officer (CRO) in re-evaluating the appropriateness of the Framework governing financial risk management and risk measures relative to internal and external conditions
• Draw conclusions, provide independent insights and advise the MD of Strategic Risk and CRO in risk decisioning by utilizing risk reports which measure information against Board approved risk tolerances, risk appetites, and risk trending analyses
• Build positive and collaborative working relationships and partnerships with senior management across OCC and engage in advisory and effective challenge activities
• Manage ad-hoc requests from senior management and regulators to ensure timely and accurate responses
• Remain current with industry financial risk, regulatory areas of focus, and analytical reporting trends
Supervisory Responsibilities:
• Potentially up to three staff members
The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary functions.
• Understanding of OCC products and services and subject matter expertise in margin, stress, collateral, liquidity risk, default management, and clearing fund
• Experience working at another Central Counterparty Clearing (CCP) firm, trading bank or firm, or buy-side firm
• Strong familiarity with Financial Market Utilities in securities and derivatives markets
• Ability to work in a regulated environment, including with the SEC, CFTC, and Federal Reserve; familiarity with the Covered Clearing Agency regulations a plus
• In-depth understanding of risk management practices and methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative risk assessment / analysis and a strong understanding of mitigation strategy concepts
• Demonstrated experience in partnering across First, Second, and Third Lines
• Ability to develop collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
• Strong leadership, project management and organization skills, including the ability to multitask, prioritize, delegate, and manage an effective and growing team
• Demonstrable evidence of specifying, designing, and delivering risk tools from scratch
• Demonstrated record of creativity, independent thinking, and willingness to develop and drive new ideas
• Strong interpersonal skills, written and oral communication skills
• Ability to effectively communicate and present to all levels of the organization, including Management Committee and Regulators
• Microsoft Office proficiency including advanced Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Beginner proficiency with R, Phyton, SQL, or Tableau
• 10 years+ progressive experience in financial risk management or risk consultancy
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Mathematics, or equivalent
Certificates or Licenses:
• One or more professional certifications (e.g., CFA, FRM) (preferred)
When you find a position you're interested in, click the 'Apply' button. Please complete the application and attach your resume.
You will receive an email notification to confirm that we've received your application.
If you are called in for an interview, a representative from OCC will contact you to set up a date, time, and location.
For more information about OCC, please click here.
OCC is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Apply About OCC
REQ-2362
Chicago - 125 S Franklin
Full Time Regular
Posted: Jan. 10, 2022
Step 1 - When you find a position you're interested in, click the 'Apply' button. Please complete the application and attach your resume.
Step 2 - You will receive an email notification to confirm that we've received your application.
Step 3 - If you are called in for an interview, a representative from OCC will contact you to set up a date, time, and location.
Numerous studies have shown that people from groups that are traditionally under-represented in financial services apply to jobs only if they believe they meet 100% of the requirements. We want to break down this mindset to further diversify our workforce.
We encourage you to review our open positions and apply if you think your experience may be a match, even if you do not meet all of the qualifications. Your perspective may be an element we need to continue building innovative solutions to support the markets and market participants we serve.
OCC is a globally recognized entity that clears a multitude of diverse and sophisticated products. We want to reflect this in the diversity of our workforce.
Associate, Collateral Services
Senior Associate, Cyber Defense (Control)


Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing River Plate's forward Rafael Santos Borre, with the Colombian having a €30m release clause in his contract with the Copa Libertadores champions.
According to Marca, Crystal Palace have made contact with the Argentinian club in regards to the availability of Borre, with the view to a summer move to Selhurst Park. It is unclear however as to how successful initial discussions over the player have been.
Borre joined River Plate in 2017 from Atletico Madrid following an unsuccessful stint in in the Spanish capital in which he made no senior appearances for Los Rojiblancos.
Palace manager Roy Hodgson may look towards Borre to solve his striking conundrum, with Christian Benteke, Connor Wickham and Jordan Ayew only managing a single goal between them.
Michy Batshuayi has scored two goals in six appearances since joining the Eagles in January, however it is unclear as to whether Hodgson's side would be able to secure the Belgian on a permanent deal upon the expiry of his current loan deal from Chelsea.


text:
Home / Lists / Peter-Weller / Star-Trek-Voyager / StarTrek / William-Shatner / The Top 14 Deliciously Evil Twins We Love To Hate [Lists]
The Top 14 Deliciously Evil Twins We Love To Hate [Lists]
Maurice Mitchell 12/16/2011 09:30:00 AM Lists, Peter-Weller, Star-Trek-Voyager, StarTrek, William-Shatner
The theme of an evil twin is pretty common. Pretty much every sci-fi and superhero movie has done it, but some have done it with style.
Considering the title of our blog is "The Geek Twins", it's surprising that we've never featured a post on twins, so we now present the top 14 deliciously evil twins of science-fiction.
From mustaches, to goatees to cowboy hats, these are the evil twins we love to hate. I rated them by evilness and facial hair.
1. Mirror Universe Spock from Star Trek: The Original Series
Evil scale: 3
Facial hair: Yes
In one of the greatest Star Trek episodes ever, "Mirror, Mirror" Kirk has a transporter accident that sends him o an evil dimension of the Enterprise. The most evil of them all is the coldly logical Spock. He was even ordered to kill Captain Kirk! In the end, he turned to good, so we have to take points off. Still, Mirror-Spock set the standard for goatees everywhere and has been parodied by everyone from South Park to Futurama.
2. K.A.R.R. from Knight Rider
Facial hair: No
Who knew a car could have an evil twin? In the 80's series Knight Rider K.I.T.T. had a prototype evil twin known as K.A.R.R. (Knight Automated Roving Robot). Voiced by the great Peter Cullen, Transformers Optimus Prime, he wrecked havoc on K.I.T.T. Can a car have facial hair? If it could he would have had a sweet goatee.
3. Black Kryptonite Superman from Superman III
Imagine someone with the power of Superman, but who doesn't shave and lets his suit get dirty. In the movie Superman III, a computer genius (Richard Pryor) creates a synthetic black Kryptonite which turns Superman evil. He gets drunk, starts hitting on women and gets split in two. In a bizarrely Freudian scene he fights and almost kills Clark in a car crusher. Insanely evil. He didn't have a beard, but his five-o'clock shadow was evil enough.
4. Tomax and Xamot from G. I. Joe
When my brother and I were in school the cartoon show G.I. Joe was popular. Of course, people began calling us the "Evil Twin Brothers" even though we were anything but. Ah, the joys of youth. Anyway, the para-military show G.I. Joe had a group of elite evil troopers known as "The Crimson Guard" headed by the evil twin brothers Tomax and Xamot. The most ridiculous palindrome I've ever seen. Is anyone in history ever given their child the name Tomax or Xamot? They could have just called them Bob, but I guess that's not evil enough. Not only were they evil terrorists, but they ran an evil corporation. They didn't have facial hair, but they did have a mirror part in their hair.
5. Lore from Star Trek: The Next Generation
The android Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation was kind, sweet and emotionless. The exact opposite of his prototype brother Lore. At first, Lore seems like a good guy until they find out he was responsible for killing an entire colony. From torturing his brother with emotions to killing innocent people he was one of the worst. He even stole poor blind Geordi's VISOR. He became the leader of a group of Borg before Data was forced to shut him off.
6. Bizarro Clark Kent from Smallville
In the Superman prequel series Smallville, an entity escapes from the Pantom Zone and taking on several forms before taking on a body similar to Clark Kent (Tom Welling). The "Bizarro" Clark goes on to kill and kidnap people in an attempt to get enough Kryptonite to take over the world. He also tried to steal Superman's girlfriend. Pretty evil, but not too much.
7. "New" Dick Solomon from 3rd Rock from the Sun
When the Big Giant Head, played hilariously by William Shatner, on the 90's comedy 3rd Rock from the Sun orders a replacement for Dick. They get a Dick that is more clueless than the original, which is hard to do. Not only is he evil, but clueless when his girlfriend says they should "do it." Now, that's evil.
8. "Low" Lister from Red Dwarf
On the hilarious British sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf the crew accidentally creates two duplicates of the ship and crew known as "high" (good) and "low" (evil). One is inhabited by philosophizing do-gooders, while the other is full of maniacal versions of the crew. Besides the cannibalistic Cat and the S&M Rimmer, the evil Lister is the best. He has the classic facial hair, but also an eye patch and a cowboy hat. How evil is that?!
9. Duplicate Tim from My Favorite Martian
In the 1960s series My Favorite Martian episode "Tim and Tim again" Tim (Bill Bixby) uses his duplicating machine to create a copy that he uses to get out of working. This, by the way, is the number one twin question that annoys me: Did you guys ever switch places at school or work?" Why would I want to do Nigel's work for him? Anyway, it all falls apart when the duplicate uses a personality switcher to turn himself into an evil Tim. He steals Tim's money, takes Tim's girl and wants to expose Uncle Martin's Martian identity to the world. Pretty evil. Or as evil as bill Bixby gets I guess. No facial hair, but given enough time, I'm sure he would have grown one.
10. Harry "Fingers" from Batman (1960s)
When famous pop piano player Liberace did a guest appearance on the Adam West television show Batman he played, Chandell, surprisingly enough, a concert piano player. On the other hand, he has a twin brother who is a gangster known as "Fingers". Fingers started blackmailing Chandell into plotting to murder Bruce Wayne and marry Aunt Harriet. Actually, that's pretty bad. Maybe they were both evil. Anyway, just seeing Liberace play a bad guy makes him one of the greats.
11. Pollux From Flash
In the television series The Flash an evil scientist tries to create a super-soldier by cloning Barry Allen using a clever knife-wielding toy robot. The clone is an exact duplicate of Barry except he's evil and stupid. The scientist sends him on a crime spree which is soon foiled by The Flash. Based loosely on the "Reverse Flash" from the comics this guy was a lightweight. While not technically a twin this guy was bad. No facial hair and only slight evilness puts him near the bottom.
12. Flexo from Futurama
When the crew of the animated series Futurama encounter Bender's brother Flexo, Bending Unit 22 (serial #3370318), they are shocked to learn he has a beard. When a valuable crown is stolen, they go on the hunt for Flexo to uncover the truth. Turns out Bender is the evil twin after all. Still, Flexo has a beard. So, he's automatically more evil.
13. Garthe Knight from Knight Rider
Another one that's not either a twin or a clone. In the television series Knight Rider, Michael Knight had plastic surgery to make him "the man that doesn't exist". Turns out he did exist. The founder of the "Foundation for Law And Government" modeled Michael's face after his evil son Garthe. Garthe caused all kind of trouble for Michael and even created an indestructible semi-truck known as Goliath. Evil and a cool goatee. Gotta love it.
14. Evil EMS Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager
In the two-part episode "Equinox" of Star Trek: Voyager, the Doctor finds that a Emergency Medical Hologram on the USS Equinox had it's ethical subroutines removed. This makes him capable of some truly horrific acts including experimenting on aliens to use them as a source of power for the ship. This is one of the most evil twins, except he doesn't have a beard, so points off.
Who is your favorite evil twin?
William-Shatner
AlexJCavanaugh December 16, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Lore and Data are my favorite.
Carmen Damocles July 30, 2014 at 10:49 AM
As for Superman, even he himself can act like a douche without needing a twin to do it for him.
Happy Trails: The Top 35 Geeky Moments of 2011 [List]
Friends Friday on Saturday: Batman, Doctor Who and...
The Dog Ate My Blog Posts
Are You In Phoenix? Attend the Voyage Trekkers Scr...
Green Lantern (2011) Glows Faintly [Review]
Infographic: The Brief History of Batman Actors [I...
5 Biggest "Star Trek" Moments Aboard the Space Shu...
UPDATE: 'Growing Pains' Star Tracey Gold To Battle...
No One Can Understand Batman or Bane [Video]
Listen to Darth Vader's Original Voice [Video]
Battlestar Galactica Doesn't Need Frakking Phasers...
Friends Friday: Sharktopus By The Numbers, 8-Bit V...
The Ultimate TARDIS Cake [Food]
Women Geeks Love: Felicia Day [Babes]
Which Genre American TV Show Were You Sorriest to ...
Relax to the Soothing Engine Sounds of the Starshi...
7 Biggest Real-life Feuds in Sci-fi
Five Cool Things You Probably Didn't Notice In the...
Which Was The Best Sci-Fi or Action Movie of 2011?...
Fan Turns Home Into Star Wars Convention [News]
Transformers 1-D [Video]
Saturday Morning Watchmen [Video]
Screencaps and Transcript Of The Leaked 'Dark Knig...
The Top 14 Deliciously Evil Twins We Love To Hate ...
Nichelle Nichols: I Could Have Been Spock [News]
Star Wars Meets Futurama [Image]
Caption This: TRON Cat [Contest]
Why Anakin Skywalker Isn't the Hero of "Star Wars"...
Infographic: Captain William Shatner vs. Princess ...
"GI JOE Retaliation" Trailer Online
Should My Son Watch 'Star Wars' in Theatrical or N...
If All the Avengers Showed Butts in the Movie Post...
Brad Pitt's Top Nine Geekiest Moments of Movies an...
Friends Friday: TinTin Review, Baenglish, Moon Dyi...
Women Geeks Love: Wild Child Angelina Jolie [Babes]
Ride Your Stormtrooper Motorcycle Suit [Stuff]
Debate Over Michael Keaton's Batman, Circa 1989 [I...
Top 11 Dinosaurs I Hope Are At the Real Life Dinos...
Alternate Openings for Star Trek: TOS [Image]
December Movie Previews [Movies]
Why 'Star Wars' Darth Vader Is the Worst Villain Ever
If the Predator Was An Ewok [Video]
William Shatner Strikes Back at Carrie Fisher [Video]
Carbon Freeze Chamber in "Empire" Boiled Little Pe...
Friends Friday: Second Blog Award, Great Movies an...
Infographic: The Path To Marvel's 'The Avenger' Mo...


text:
Living in Riga
A comprehensive guide about living well in Riga
Riga is not only a cultural center, with interesting architecture and multiple influences, but also a city just a stone's throw from majestic natural landscapes: living in Riga is a diverse and exciting experience, enriching and adventurous for any expats planning on making Riga their new home!
Life in Riga
Culture in Riga
Named the European Capital of Culture in 2014, Riga is famous for its Art Nouveau architecture, which is iconic throughout Europe. The old town is an essential place to visit when in Riga, and the House of Blackheads is a famous example of the architecture that has made Riga the cultural hub that it is. St. Peter's Church, the Museum of War and the Freedom Monument are also must-see landmarks. The city has produced some world renowned artists such as Janis Rozentals, who portrayed the lives of peasants across the country in the early 20th century, and also painted some famous writers. When it comes to sports, ice hockey is a huge part of the culture, and is massively popular among people living in Riga.
Riga has become a lot more secure for foreigners over the last decade. Avoiding poorly lit streets late at night is sensible for expatriates living in Riga, and keeping an eye on your possessions when walking around busy areas is also wise, because crimes in the city tend to be those of opportunists.
There haven't been any muggings of tourists reported in the last five years. Reports of fraudulent charges against credit or debit cards have also fallen. The number for the police service across the country is 110 so this can be called in case of an emergency, but a number which may offer more support, and more understanding of the English language is +371 67181818, which will take you through to the Riga Tourism Police.
Transportation in Riga
Most expats will fly into Riga International Airport, which is one of the busiest airports across all of Eastern Europe, and is only 10km outside of the city. Buses run regularly between the airport and the city center, but if you are arriving with a lot of luggage, then a taxi will usually be the better choice. It should cost you less than 15 EUR. The very center of the city is not large, and walking is a popular option to take advantage of the cobbled streets. Cars are not allowed in the Old Town, and this area is best explored on foot.
As it is, walking or cycling everywhere all year round is impossible due to the extreme temperatures and snow. There is a tram network in Riga which is very popular for getting into the city center from the outer districts. Buses are also an inexpensive way of getting around. There is an e-ticket card which can be purchased from ticket offices or news kiosks. This is a reloadable card, valid across all forms of public transport in Riga. Fewer people have cars in Riga compared to other cities in Latvia, so a lot of people rely on the public transport links.
Updated on: July 03, 2015
Moving to Riga
Riga is the capital city as well as the economic and cultural hub of Latvia, but still offers a livable and non-metropol...
Working in Riga
Riga, as capital city, is the principal center of business and economy and can offer many opportunities across a wide ra...
Learn more about Latvia
Moving to Latvia
Living in Latvia
Working in Latvia


"The Hudson Help" is an advice column for everyone.
If you need guidance for any problems you may have, ask "Madam Help" and she will provide you with suggestions to make those problems disappear.
Have a problem you didn't see in last month's issue?
If you would like to get advice from Madam Help, please put an anonymous letter in Ms. Faria's mailbox.
Your question may be anonymously addressed in the next issue. Best of luck!


text:
Q: Different ways of computing list length in Prolog Here are 4 different ways of computing list length in Prolog:
:- use_module(library(clpz)).

list_length1([], 0).
list_length1([_|T], N) :-
    N #> 0,
    N1 #= N - 1,
    list_length1(T, N1).

list_length2(A, N) :-
    N #>= 0,
    list_length2(A, 0, N).

list_length2([], N, N).
list_length2([_|T], I, N) :-
    I #< N,
    I1 #= I + 1,
    list_length2(T, I1, N).

list_length3(A, N) :-
    list_length3(A, 0, N).

list_length3([], N, N).
list_length3([_|T], I, N) :-
    I1 is I + 1,
    list_length3(T, I1, N).

list_length4([], 0).
list_length4([_|T], N) :-
    list_length4(T, N0),
    N is N0 + 1.

*

*list_length1 - mathematically straightforward, works in all directions

*list_length2 - not sure what is this good for, created by analogy

*list_length3 - last call optimized, works in one direction only

*list_length4 - recursive, works in one direction

Is there any merit to list_length2 or list_length4?

A:
list_length2 - not sure what is this good for, created by analogy

To better understand the difference between version 1 and 2, consider a generalization of the predicate. A gross generalization. Simply add the facts list_length1(_,_). and list_length2(_, _, _). in front of their definitions. Now from a declarative viewpoint, these definitions get useless. But from a procedural viewpoint we now get some useful hints:
?- list_length1("abc",N).
   true
;  clpz:(_A+1#=N), clpz:(N in 1..sup), clpz:(_A in 0..sup)
;  clpz:(_A+1#=N), clpz:(_B+1#=_A), clpz:(N in 2..sup), clpz:(_A in 1..sup), clpz:(_B in 0..sup)
;  clpz:(_A+1#=N), clpz:(_B+1#=_A), clpz:(_C+1#=_B), clpz:(N in 3..sup), clpz:(_A in 2..sup), clpz:(_B in 1..sup), clpz:(_C in 0..sup)
;  N = 3.
?- list_length2("abc",N).
   clpz:(N in 0..sup)
;  clpz:(N in 1..sup)
;  clpz:(N in 2..sup)
;  clpz:(N in 3..sup)
;  N = 3.

So, version 1 has to create a chain of trivial arithmetical relations and their accompanied variables proportional to the length of the list that will get updated by each further inference and that will get collapsed in the very last moment, whereas version 2 is happy with a single domain (which in this case is infinite) that gets more and more constrained by each step.
(The operations related to I are effectively all trivial (is)/2-computations.)
Try ?- list_length2(L,N), N = 10000. to see the difference performance-wise.
In theory, version 1 could kind of avoid the creation of these trivial relations and update a single variable avoiding the intermediary variables, but so far I have not seen a system capable of doing this. And even if there would be such a system, version 1 would still be slower than version 2 which is just happy with a single variable.

Is there any merit to list_length4?

This version produces answers in a very costly, unnecessarily quadratic manner. For each further answer of list_length4(L, N) it needs time proportional to the length of L. Try, e.g. ?- list_length3(L,N), N = 10000. and compare it to version 4.
And for the mathematical straightforwardness, please consider to use (#)/1 in your programs. So in stead of N #>= 0 just write #N #>= 0.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Gold Standard is a seasoned trio known for infusing vintage jazz & modern hits with fresh electronic beats and arrangements. With music spanning the classic sounds of Frank Sinatra to the latest from The Weeknd, Gold Standard can turn any event into a speakeasy, dance club or both. And, the incorporation of a DJ allows the band to create a non-stop soundtrack for the entire night - from the first guest's arrival to the very last dance.
Stay up on Gold Standard news, events and Vlogs.
We respect your privacy. And your taste in music.


Would reducing debt collector salaries by 50% help ensure your competitive advantage and boost your recovery engine?
Call Center Services International (CCSI) has a proven U.S. Debt Collection Center located in Baja California, Mexico (minutes from San Diego). We have successfully established high performance Collection Centers for many top Firms and Agencies. The advantages of a Baja Center are the abundance of professional, bilingual and FDCPA trained agents that are 50% to 70% less than U.S. based counterparts.
This is not "outsourcing" rather your Baja Collections team becomes an extension of the existing operation and is managed by your team as part of the overall recovery strategy. You maintain control of the processes, agents and, most importantly measure performance in real-time. CCSI is responsible legally and financially for the center and workforce in Mexico.
Please call or visit us at the ACA International Convention & Expo (Booth #430) in Boston, July 19th to 21st to discuss how establishing a Collection Floor with CCSI can help you increase recoveries and bottom-line performance.
Learn more about our world-class debt collection agents!


text:
Read our in-depth Plus500 review 2021 covering Plus500 licenses, trading leverage, deposit, and withdrawal.
Plus500 is on the prestigious list of the FTSE 250 Index.
The prices and fees are close to the market average on the majority of trading pairs.
There is a round-the-clock chat.
Lack and partial absence of research and educational content.
Plus500 Review from Gurus of Trading
This international company suggests a rather simple, intuitive service and a wide choice of CFD tools. It might be less good when it comes to the variety of trading instruments and industry research, but Plus500 is still highly recommended by many experts and their clients.
The official website is done in a minimalist style. It is not that easy to find educational materials, so this platform is not the best option for beginners. FAQ section is present, but it's not that extended. Plus500 remains one of the top members of the Forex market. It was discovered back in 2008. In 2013, it was first listed on the LSE. Five years later, Plus500 showed up in the FTSE250 index. We have analyzed the main features of this site to write an objective review for you.
Key points to consider:
- The company is traded on the London Stock Exchange. To buy its shares, find LSE: PLUS indice.
- Plus500 is on the prestigious list of the FTSE 250 Index, which raises its credibility significantly. It is controlled within 3 tier-1 jurisdictions and 4 tier-2 jurisdictions. It is a low-risk solution for those who wish to trade freely.
- The prices and fees are close to the market average on the majority of trading pairs. Discounts are missing at this service.
- The service looks rather user-welcoming, but it lacks many features like more tools for analysis and learning. It is not simple to earn profits here if you are new to the business.
- Important notice: 72 percent of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with Plus500. That is not the worst result, and many other brokers do way worse. Still, users should consider whether they can afford to take the high risk of losing their money.
Registration is very simple. For a demo account, for instance, you just need to enter your email and password, and you're done. You have immediate access to the Web trading platform. An interesting fact is that users from some CIS countries are denied access to this broker. To register a real account, you must enter your personal data, country of residence, and mobile phone number.
Education and Research Opportunities
You will not notice a large array of academic materials unlike in the case of CMC Markets or IG. Plus500 has just launched a video section, and it is still half-empty. You won't learn much from that.
As for the analysis of the market, there are no Forex daily news or online webinars and conferences. The website only contains an economic calendar and a link to Yahoo Finance. Tech and fundamental analysis content are absent. This part should be improved and extended for sure.
Methods of Deposit and Withdrawal
A welcome bonus of thirty dollars is available to all new users. The minimum amount for opening an account is 100 dollars. Options for both depositing and withdrawing funds are Visa cards, bank transfer, PayPal, Moneybookers, and Skrill. All of them are reliable, time-tested systems.
Trading Terms and Conditions
The broker provides only a couple of account types: a demo version account and a standard trading account. We should then discuss the trading interface.
Let's say, you have opened a demo account. A deposit of 40,000 virtual euros is provided for trading. The company offers its own trading platform for use. There are both browser and mobile versions. The platform is simple and quite easy to use. There are no differences in trading on a demo version and with real cash (except for the adjustment for order execution speed). At the bottom of the platform, there is a button to switch between accounts, which is very convenient. A wide range of indicators is available. The leverage is 1: 300.
More than 2,000 trading instruments are offered for trading, including currency, CFDs on stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrency. The spreads are mostly fixed at Plus500. For example, the spread for the EUR / USD pair is 0.6 pips. Execution of orders with a small delay; of the one-second order. There is the so-called $10 inactivity fee if you have not been trading on the platform for more than three months.
Safety and Security Measures
Plus500 is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA, FRN 509909), the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC, AFSL # 417727), the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC, License No. 250/14), and FSP No. 486026 issued by the FMA in New Zealand. Also, it is audited and controlled by an Authorized Financial Services Provider under license # 47546 issued by FSCA in South Africa. The FCA license guarantees automatic insurance of funds, up to 100% up to £50,000. User funds are held in segregated accounts. The security of personal data and funds is provided by using two-step identification via mail or SMS.
Technical and Customer Support
The support works pretty well. Communication is done mainly by email. It is ticket-based, so you will have to wait for your turn as many users are registered. 36 languages are supported. There is a round-the-clock chat, and that is a big minus. Telephone communication is not offered with rare exceptions.
Plus 500 is a regulated broker. It is a reliable company with a wide range of tools and a simple trading platform. In 2021, the company managed to win such nominations, as Ease of Use (1st place), Trust Score, and Beginners. The biggest drawback is the lack and partial absence of research and educational content. They need more videos. The entrance deposit is among the lowest. We recommend this broker to novice traders and those who value simple and understandable trading methods.


text:
CHRISTADELPHIAN HYMNS PDF
The First Christadelphian Hymn Books 5. Expansion in Division 6. The Reunion 7 . Other Published Music 8. Current Practices and Views of Music 9. Conclusion. Christadelphian. Hymn Book. ORGANIST'S. EDITION. This Hymn Book is available from. Logos Office. Box , Findon,. South Australia Printed by. Christadelphian Hymn Book: The Psalms, Metrical Version, and Hymns and Anthems [Christadelphians] on *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
Author: Grora Fekree
Uploader: Vum
There were 73 new songs added, including some originals. The new members came from churches such as the Methodists and Wesleyans and brought these traditions of hymn singing with them to Christadelphianism.
Christadelphians were to find that they would have to fhristadelphian ten years before they would have their own Christadelphian printed music. The two committees were formed inbut the hymn book was not published and sold until The impact of popular culture on congregational song". However a lot of these hymns had been considered unsuitable for the changed doctrines of hymna new community.
However, even the published hymn books have been challenged and questioned by many in the form of letters, journal articles and books.
Christadelphian hymnals
Brown had written the hymn text Glory and blessing be byas it was included in The Golden Harp, no. Singing hymns with Unitarians. A bill of rights – and obligations – for pastoral musicians.
Possibly, the Leaders of Song were those who could remember the hymn tunes cbristadelphian their previous churches to fit to the new Christadelphian texts. The emphasis placed on text over music demonstrates how important the idea of breaking away from other religions and establishing a new doctrine was for the Christadelphian movement.
From these early days, the community searched for music that would suit their worshipping purposes.
Hymns | Christadelphian Music
This thesis will detail the hymn book publications but will also examine other music being used in individual ecclesia, mainly within Sydney, Australia6. The hymn tune index. Unlike previous hymn compilations, very few announcements and updates were made in the journal to keep members in touch with the gradual arrangements. Dynamics, tempos and phrasing are often indicated within the music.
FORGOTTEN REALMS ELVES OF EVERMEET PDF
John Carter, who was editor of The Christadelphian at the time, set up a committee to compile a suitable praise book, and the result was the Christadelphian Youth Hymnal. Christarelphian completely changes the focus of the hymn from a personal questioning hymn directed to individuals, to a hymn directed to a group of people.
Perhaps many of these christadelpjian were already being used christadelhian ecclesias throughout Great Britain prior to being published in these hymnals. The hymnody of Christadelphians: This debate has been ongoing since the hymn book was published. Christadelphuan history hyjns the Christadelphians In all His works alway.
Subtitled Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs the cover colour was changed to green, the number of songs increased to and the hymns and anthems were no longer in separate sections. The thesis will attempt to follow the history of Christadelphian hymns, including where hymns have been borrowed from, as well as the music and text of Christadelphian origins.
Letters to the editor: Famous hymn-writers and their hymns. This meeting takes place on Sundays at 11am, uniformly throughout the world.
Other Christadelphian hymnals The history of Christadelphian music that has been discussed so far is that which is used by the entire ecclesia at their gatherings throughout each week. Unfortunately, appropriate credit was not given to them and their names did not appear in the hymn books.
Christadelphian hymnals – Wikipedia
Later, two sisters also joined the committee to give advice The new doctrines of the community included the teachings of the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth to set up a Godly kingdom. He announced the intention to produce a new hymn book in October with the statement: This, more than any other reason, probably explains why there are more new hymns in the hymn book.
Two thousand hymn books had to be sold to cover the costs, which was the same amount as the first printing of the hymn book. The texts also imply behaviours, teaching children how to act.
It can be assumed that Leaders of Song did not conduct the congregation at all, particularly during services, as this is currently the fashion in Christadelphianism. Members were beginning to Caldicott, One main example is the use of the two anthems The Lord bless thee and Blessed be Jehovah christadelphain baptisms The same situation exists today, where the music that has been used by Christadelphians in the 20th century is now familiar and any new music that is introduced is as chrlstadelphian as secular because hymmns is unfamiliar.
LIBRO MALINCHE LAURA ESQUIVEL PDF
He also was a leader of song, choosing suitable anthems and hymns, particularly from the Scottish Psalter The musical leaders of each congregation would have borrowed tunes that they personally knew rather than using tunes prescribed in the books.
However, schisms occurred within the Christadelphian movement in Great Britain.
Some of these people had literary and musical qualifications to aide with the compilation of the hymns. It was more important to have doctrinally correct words, as well as hymns on subjects such as the Kingdom of God, which was less prolific in other hymnals. Actually, Christadelphians rely on outside sources for This term has been used by Brian Wilson in his book Sects and Society. Hymn by Ian Hyndman. The aims to find suitable texts led Roberts to have hymn texts form other churches altered, as well as preferring to use Biblical quotations in the forms of anthems and Chdistadelphian Psalms.
Charles Curwen Walker, Many of these dynamic indications are contained within the contemporary hymn book and are still followed by Christadelphian congregations chrristadelphian a similar manner, across the world, for example the baptism anthems The Lord Bless Thee and Blessed be Jehovah.
Christian Church, music of the early.
The community was also given different labels in different countries. And in the time of need be near. Some have worked for the Christadelphian publishing office which was first established by Robert Roberts, who also began The!
COMEDY MONOLOGUES FILETYPE PDF
JOSEPH KERMAN AND GARY TOMLINSON LISTEN PDF
DIFELA TSA SIONE PDF
DAVID DEIDA BLUE TRUTH FREE PDF
6ED1 052 1CC01 0BA6 PDF
LAFCADIO HEARN KWAIDAN PDF
BENEDICTIONALE ROMANUM PDF
LA GITANE ANGELO DEBARRE PDF
CATHERINE BELSEY POSTSTRUCTURALISM A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION PDF


This entry was posted in Guatemala and tagged Photo tour, Tortual Marina. Bookmark the permalink.
I LOVE this! Looks so authentic, and not all modern. Cheap too? Sorry, but did I miss the name of the marina?
Thanks Michelle! I LOVE waking up to these views every morning. MLC, the name of the marina is Tortugal, which I guess is Spanish for turtle. It is very cheap. Only $220/month, or $260 if you're away and they watch over it in your absence.
Thanks for the descriptions and photos of your summer home. It is not at all as I pictured. Your photo captions are always so amusing!
We wish you could come to visit us here. They have nice bungalows for only $30/night. I'm sure you'd be here in a second if grandma was better, but we're glad you're home to look after her.


Nasty woman if you stepped out beyond the kitchen or the bedroom. Nasty if you have a voice and an opinion. Nastier still if you disagree with a man. Nasty for occupying space, having independent aspirations, chasing your dreams. Nasty woman if you own power and authority; nasty, NASTY if you're not submissive and nice. Well, if all that is nasty, then hell yeah, I'm such a nasty woman!


text:
2016 Q3 Global CFO Signals™ has been saved
2016 Q3 Global CFO Signals™ has been removed
An Article Titled 2016 Q3 Global CFO Signals™ already exists in Saved items
2016 Q3 Global CFO Signals™
External shocks; Internal resolve
Over the past year, CFOs have dealt with plenty of surprises—equity market volatility at the beginning of the year, swings in currency and commodity prices, and the unexpected Brexit vote in the UK in June. The 2016 Q3 Global CFO Signals report saw palpable anticipation over the US presidential election outcome.
CFO Sentiment 2016 Q2
Regional perspectives
CFO Sentiment at-a-glance
Global CFO Signals - By the numbers
Follow the CFO Program
How does CFO sentiment in 2016 Q3 break down? What follows is a synopsis by region:
Argentina: Optimism continues to be bouyed
Austria: Mixed confidence levels
Belgium: Persistent focus on investments
China: Worries of further economic turmoil remain
Finland: Uncertainty remains elevated
France: Ready to grow
Germany: Economic prospects unclouded
Ireland: Growth amid global uncertainty
Italy: Weakening economic outlook
Japan: A tempered outlook
Netherlands: Brexit and the return of concern
North America: Tenor of worldwide geopolitics creating concerns
Norway: Rising optimism ahead
Portugal: Reduced confidence promotes risk aversion
Spain: Political instability poses risk to enterprise growth
Sweden: Increased worries about business climate—and business position
Switzerland: Higher growth rates back on the horizon
Turkey: Heightened geopolitical uncertainty
United Kingdom: Brexit looms large
*All numbers in the North American survey with asterisks are averages that have been adjusted to eliminate the effects of stark outliers.
View or download the report for more on CFO sentiment.
The hits just keep on coming.
Over the past year, CFOs have dealt with plenty of surprises—equity market volatility at the beginning of the year, swings in currency and commodity prices, the unexpected Brexit vote in the UK in June, and now the outcome of the US presidential election.
While all of the 19 surveys in the Q3 2016 edition of Global CFO Signals were conducted prior to the US vote, the anticipated impact was palpable. In the North American CFO Signals report, for example, CFOs were asked about the election's expected impact on their companies' performance and business planning. Eighty-five percent said the future performance of their companies would depend at least somewhat on the election's outcome, and 57% said the election was affecting their planning. "There is no doubt we have been underestimating the extent of populist movements," said Patricia Buckley, Managing Director, Economic Policy and Analysis, Deloitte Services LP, adding that "for planning and forecasting purposes we need to consider these impacts."
Others in the Deloitte Global Economist Network, which operates in nine countries, agree. Several countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Netherlands, face upcoming general elections or referendums. Given recent events, it would behoove CFOs to be prepared for the kind of "shocks" that roiled the UK with Brexit and the US with the election, notes Ian Stewart, Chief Economist, Deloitte UK.
Other areas that may offer surprises include the impact on trade policy under the new US administration, and broader questions about the future of de-globalization, which could have significant impacts on business. In addition, the longer-term impacts of Brexit, for example, should not be underplayed. Says Alexander Boersch, Head of Research, Deloitte Germany: "There are many Brexit scenarios, some of them uglier than others," adding that "it is better to be prepared in order to mitigate."
Despite all these overhangs, many CFOs remain upbeat regarding their own companies' indicators. Driven by positive improvements in Germany and France, for example (+12 percentage points (pp) and +13pp, respectively), the outlook for revenues in Europe (the UK being a notable exception), for example, is quite positive; ditto for margins (with the exception of Austria, Switzerland, and the UK). In North America, the expectations for revenues and margin improvements are more muted. On the other hand, capital investment growth expectations, which bottomed out at just 1.7%* in Q1 2016, rose to 5.6%* this quarter—well above the 4.7%* average over the past two years. And in Japan, CFOs' earnings outlook improved, with 48% saying they expect increases, up from 23% in the previous quarter.
Those positive signs are encouraging, according to the economists interviewed. But with so much uncertainty, it is not surprising that risk appetite remains low and defensive strategies are on the upswing in many countries. The corporate sector is no longer constrained by capital, but "by uncertainty and limited opportunities," says Stewart.
Substantial improvements in equity markets and consumer confidence fueled a reversal in several of last quarter's downward trends in North America. Year-over-year growth expectations improved across the board (yet most remain below survey averages), and net optimism came in strong at +30.0 (compared with +1.7 in Q1).
Concerns about oil prices and policy unknowns heading into the November election, however, translated into assessments of the North American economy that were only slightly better than last quarter's survey lows. But CFOs' confidence in Europe remains weak, given both concerns about Britain's potential exit from the EU and other regional challenges. Meanwhile, assessments of China improved, but CFOs began voicing rising concerns about government debt there—and in other regions as well.
The two countries reporting in Asia-Pacific—Australia and Japan—documented very different CFO outlooks. In Australia, for example, better news from China and the associated stabilization of key commodity prices— however modest and fleeting—appear to be supporting an increase in confidence among CFOs. This was despite fears of Brexit and a knife-edge federal election result in that country. In Japan, though, CFOs remain wary despite the victory of the ruling coalition in the Upper House election when the survey was conducted. Their responses seem to indicate that most CFOs do not expect political stability will necessarily lead to improved economic growth. In fact, some 40% of CFOs reported decreased optimism, and 73% reported uncertainty as "high" or "very high."
European results were affected by the fact that two countries (UK and Belgium) conducted their surveys after the Brexit vote, while the other three (Netherlands, Russia, and Switzerland) were surveyed prior. The impact on sentiment was particularly negative in the UK, where uncertainty is at levels last seen during the euro crisis of 2012. Risk appetite took a hit there too, as well as in Belgium, where just 23% of CFOs say now is a good time to take risk onto their balance sheet, down from 38% in the first quarter and 44% a year ago. Meanwhile, among Switzerland's CFOs, there is some good news: for the first time since the end of 2014, a majority of CFOs rate the country's economic prospects over the next 12 months as positive. The same cannot be said for Russia's CFOs, who have their own concerns separate from Brexit, including weakness in the ruble, stress in the financial system, and dwindling consumer demand.
Similarly, among the regions reporting in the annual Sub-Saharan Africa survey, there are significant differences. South African CFOs are somewhat less optimistic about the performance of their companies in 2016, with 57% expecting a slight or significant improvement in performance compared with 61% in 2015. Elsewhere, there has been a drop in optimism among CFOs surveyed in Southern Africa, while CFOs in West Africa and East Africa have a somewhat more positive outlook for their companies in 2016. Many of their risk factors differ too, but currency volatility weighs heavily across the board. And those risks have a significant majority (84% in South Africa alone) of CFOs saying they will focus on improving operational efficiency and process optimization this year.
Such defensive stances may prove prudent. According to Deloitte's economists, while Brexit's fallout may seem contained, there may still be cause for concern.
As growth slows in Europe, adding to slow growth in China and Japan, it may cascade through other regions, says Buckley.
In other words, the hangover may linger.
CFO Signals: Net change in optimism (2016 Q3)
Requires Adobe Reader
Risk appetite
With European optimism barely improving and perceptions of uncertainty remaining elevated, CFOs continue to be risk averse overall with none of the countries reporting a net positive view toward taking greater risk onto their balance sheets. In the UK, the impact of the Brexit vote can once again be seen, with a further deterioration in CFO risk appetite between Q1 and Q3 (-15%). Meanwhile outside of Europe while optimism remains low, it has improved from Q1 2016 in Argentina by 31% and in China with 8% of CFOs reporting more optimism.
Emerging challenges from the Brexit vote, deflationary pressures on the Eurozone, growth challenges in China, and the US presidential election, are giving businesses plenty of uncertainty to worry about. In Europe, perceptions of uncertainty are highest in Germany and the UK, where a net balance of 88% and 87% of CFOs respectively report heightened levels. Meanwhile, in Japan, the number of CFOs who consider the level of uncertainty as "high" or "very high" has decreased to 56%, down from 73% in Q2 and 80% in Q1.
In the US, this quarter's 4.2% expectation for year-over-year revenue growth is up from last quarter's 4.0%, but still among the lowest in the survey's history. The positive averages for revenues in Europe would look even better without the UK's sharp fall in revenue expectations, driven by positive improvements in Germany and France (+12pp and +13pp respectively). Meanwhile, CFOs in Finland, Italy, and Sweden are most optimistic about margins. In line with decreasing levels of uncertainty, 48% percent of Japanese CFOs expect an increase in earnings.
Despite a deterioration from Q1 due to the large post-referendum declines in the UK, the European outlook for hiring over the next 12 months also remains positive. Between the first and third quarters, the employment outlook improved in Austria, Belgium, France, and Finland and, outside the EU, in Switzerland and Turkey. Similarly in North America, this quarter's domestic hiring growth expectation of 2.3%* is well above the 1.1% to 1.4% levels seen over the last year and a half (and Q1 2016's low of 0.6%).
A general theme across surveys is proceeding with caution. In fact, in Austria, Sweden, and the UK, top priorities have changed from expansionary to defensive strategies. The trend is not across the board, however. Notwithstanding the continued importance of cost cutting, 70% of Belgium's CFOs report expansionary strategies are more important than defensive strategies. In addition, nearly 52% of North American CFOs say they are biased toward revenue growth.
With monetary policy remaining accommodating across Europe, CFOs continue to view debt funding favorably. Bank borrowing again dominates the sources of funding for CFOs in Europe, with a net balance of 60%, on a GDP weighted basis, viewing bank borrowing as an attractive source of funding. Meanwhile in North America, 89% percent say debt is currently an attractive financing option (up from 80%), and 42% of public company CFOs view equity financing favorably (up from 30% last quarter).
To access previous Global CFO Signals reports, please visit the "library" page.
Financial Executives


Blogging communities are where a blogger, passionate about their work, comes and adds articles and posts they know are invaluable to the masses. Now imagine a bunch of amazing bloggers all adding their work into that very zone so several people can benefit from varied opinions, advice, outlooks and more. If they're captivated by one or more bloggers they can follow a backlink to that person's own blog.
The potential for business expansion, awareness spreading and traffic flow now becomes less of a possibility and more of a certainty. Here at BlogEngage that's exactly what takes place. Aside from promoting your own content and acquiring a range of fans and followers from the least expected online realms it has features, packages and programs for you to take full advantage of.
Advertising becomes a key addition as well, where you can display your brand for a large turnout of online visitors to see and hopefully click to go.
Interaction takes place on a parallel level to social networking. You get to meet new people simply based on the topics you share or opinions you may put up. Contacting the blogger in question also adds to your benefits to be part of events you can't often find in other online locations.
Why are they going all out, you ask? What does BlogEngage get out of all this? The same thing every other business does, of course, namely exposure and the advertisers who pay to showcase a small window of their work, not to mention the paid subscribers who get plenty for their investment. The main reason why BlogEngage is so popular and we love it, is the number of people it connects on a daily basis.
The content alone is a staggering example of diversity. From things to do, DIY's, famous topics of interest, food, fashion, culture, travel and more, you get a multifaceted view from your seat before the computer.
With avid bloggers from all over sending in their work for the moderators to approve you can expect quality all the way. The name BlogEngage says it all.
It's so you can interact with other people and bloggers themselves using our site as your socializing platform.
If you have comments and ideas, put them up there for all to see. If you have your own business or service to tell the rest of the world about, contact the blogger whose content most inspired you to advertize your work or head to our contact page and query with confidence.
Blogging is fast becoming one of the single most powerful ways to communicate online. Some would say it already has. At BlogEngage you can avail smart and reasonable paid packages which you can check out here (Register at Blog Engage) and see what suits your needs before selecting a viable option.
Social networking is just a click away with cool interactive site layouts and features to keep you interested and coming back for more. The blogging community also brings to you several writers whose words have the potential to make a difference. And it all begins in one online community, BlogEngage.


How to make DIY wreath. This tutorial will help you to make an interior wreath from pieces of fabric. This handmade decorative fabric strip wreath will become a wonderful interior decoration!
Today we'll make an interior wreath from pieces of fabric.
In this case we have 27 inches. The length depends on the wreath size.
Bend the wire forming a ring.
Fix the ends by twisting several times around the base. Shape the ring.
Now decorate the base. Take a fabric strip and tie a knot around the wire. Tie another strip close by. Continue covering the ring.
To fluff the wreath pull up the fabric strips closer to one another.
Tie a wide satin ribbon on the wreath.
Make a bow using a bigger fabric piece.
Tie a knot in the middle.
Tuck the ends into the knot on the back side .
Add hot glue. You can make some stitches to fix them.
We have a big neat bow.
Attach it onto the ribbon.
Perfect! The handmade fabric strip wreath will become a wonderful interior decoration.


text:
Disney's Iger to CES: We Can Compete with Free
By Gigi Sohn
I flew into Las Vegas yesterday, just in time to see Disney CEO Robert Iger talk to several thousand people at CES about his company's digital future. Of course, I was bracing for his comments on copyright – his predecessor, Michael D. Eisner, became famous for saying that piracy was the consumer electronics and computer industry's "killer app" prior to testifying at a Senate hearing on the infamous Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act five years ago. The CBDTPA (rolls off your tongue, doesn't it?) would have required content protection technology in every digital device – kind of like a broadcast flag on steroids.
Thankfully, Robert Iger is no Michael Eisner. While the majority of his presentation promoted Disney and all the platforms the company uses to distribute its content (using people like "Lost" stars Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly and movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer to make the point), Iger addressed the "piracy" issue right off the bat. He said
The best way to combat piracy is to bring content to market on a well-timed, well-priced basis.
In other words, if we give consumers what they want, when and where they want it and at a fair price, they won't steal. And perhaps it is because of this philosophy that Disney had the number one grossing movie of the year (Pirates of the Carribean brought in $423 million), the number one TV show (Grey's Anatomy), and the number one sports network (ESPN), with a website (ESPN.com) that gets 25 million page views on Monday night football game day.
I can only hope that Mr. Iger's industry colleagues and his DC lobbyists are listening and taking notes.


text:
ENCATC Members Talk - The impact of COVID-19 on the Art World and the Art Market
TOPIC #8
The recording and related materials are accessible to the membership in the Members Area.
The ENCATC Members Talk N°8 took place online on 11 September from 14:30 - 15:30 (CEST).
Like many other sectors and spheres of our life, the Art Market has been heavily disrupted by the worldwide impact of the COVID-19 virus, and collectors can expect market shifts to persist for some time.
In these turbulent and extraordinary times, there are some tips and advice for collectors and art lovers to keep in mind to safeguard their art property, as well as information on tax relief legislation in different countries, which should be designed to encourage collectors to make donations.
In conversation with ENCATC members and members from our partners Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) and the Taiwan Association of Cultural Policy Studies (TACPS), for this edition ENCATC invited Nanne Dekking (Founder and CEO of Artory, New York/Berlin and former Chairman of the Board of TEFAF), and two special guests: Agniya Mirgorodskay (Founding Director of the Riga Biennial Foundation) and Maria van Vlodrop (MvVO Art ad Art Show Founder). The Talk was moderated by Yelena Kharitonova, a member of ENCATC and Founder, Caravan Cultura CreAcademy.
There are disruptions in sales channels, since many auctions and Art Fairs are canceled or postponed. Moreover, physical distancing has resulted in challenges to collectors' abilities to physically inspect/transport work.
Many on-line platforms have been launched and the scale of on-line engagement has increased drastically in the last months.
Regardless, collectors acquiring works viewed online have the challenge of ensuring their work will be delivered in good condition and with respect to the agreed time frame and to the physical address.
Many galleries have been closing and are going bankrupt. How are art assets protected from a gallery's creditors? How about art loans to museums?
Also, has cyber-crime ramped-up during the COVID-19 pandemic? What are the challenges in different parts of the world nowadays? How can we draw parallels between September 11th 2000 having an impact on the art markets (in the USA) and challenges nowadays in the US and Europe, as well as in other parts of the world?


Celebrated as one of the great colourists of the 20th century, Raoul Dufy forged his career with vibrant images of the bourgeoisie at play. While rejecting the strict rules of the Paris Salon, Dufy's radical treatment of everyday scenes such as regattas, horse races, receptions and orchestral recitals is too often overlooked. This exhibition looks beyond the joie de vivre of Raoul Dufy's bold colour and calligraphic brushstroke to expose the true genius of this painter of interwar society and his revolutionary take on modernism.


Good: Optional safety and HR modules, single-user and multi-user licenses available, custom implementation packages offered.
Bad: Not compatible with Macs.
Bottom Line: Fully-functional CMMS that is designed for the maintenance professional.
Simplicity Software Technologies sells two CMMS systems: PM Coordinator and Maintenance Coordinator. We will briefly describe PM Coordinator but the focus of the review will be on Maintenance Coordinator.
PM Coordinator has all of the standard CMMS features (work orders, asset management, etc) but doesn't include inventory or purchasing functions.
Maintenance Coordinator, on the other hand, includes inventory and purchasing features, plus all of the other standard CMMS functions. It is split into two editions: Standard and Professional. We explain them more in the Features section below.
Maintenance Coordinator is primarily an on-premised solution but users can optionally purchase an Internet hosting solution. This also includes mobile access from any Windows, Android, or Apple devices.
Simplicity Software Technologies provides training and implementation packages, based on weekly increments. They are listed below. The packages contain basic implementation (maintenance data is entered into the system) and training services. Implementation and training are done at the company's site.
Users can submit a service request online via Simplicity's support page. Simplicity also provides training manuals and videos.
The prices for Maintenance Coordinator is listed below. Please note that the Maintenance Coordinator's data storage is available in either Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server Express.
Please see our Implementation section on prices for implementation and training packages.
Maintenance Coordinator is not compatible with Mac computers.
Simplicity Software Technologies, Inc's founder started his company in 2000 with more than 25 years of experience working with CMMS. His software was originally developed for a small division within a larger company that comprised of 30 mechanics that gave consistent feedback of features they wanted in a CMMS solution. Over time, the CMMS solution became available to a wider range of companies.
Simplicity Software Technologies' mission is to listen to customers – as a result of continuous feedback, the Maintainence Coordinator and the PM Coordinator has gone through eight versions of software upgrades over the years. Their latest versions, Version 8, has been released in Spring 2015.


Do you enjoy fashion collars? Allow your adorable Bullmastiff take joy in wearing such accessories on! Order this high quality leather dog collar with decorations from FDT Artisan. This gear is created for those who just love stylish accessories. In this exceptional collar, your four-legged friend will have more rigid, but handsome look. Your attractive four-legged friend will get the finest treatment when wearing this FDT Artisan collar. Natural leather is gentle and totally safe.
Brass plated traditional buckle will stand out even the hardest dog pulling. Fancy embellishments are brass plated and have impressive shining. Give emphasis to your Bullmastiff's outlook, buy this Artisan exquisite leather collar!
Natural leather was selected to offer maximum comfort and safety while wearing. The material is carefully oiled that prevents it from cracking. Among the benefits of full grain leather are good adjustability, wear-resistance and strength. The layer of leather is thick enough that prevents the tool cracking. It allows you to walk even big and strong dog safely. Rounded and smooth edges of the gear are non-cutting and don't irritate the Bullmastiff's skin. Besides, full grain genuine leather doesn't contain any toxic elements being totally safe.
Speaking about the decorations, they are stylish! Catchy studs are set along the leather strap. These studs are brass plated and, therefore shine with amazing glittering. The embellished design of this FDT Artisan collar is matchless and individual. Due to these studs, this full grain leather dog collar has a spark. That means your Bullmastiff will have his individual and exquisite style .
As for the hardware of this studded natural leather supply, it is brass plated. It matches perfectly with the decorative elements. This covering provides the best safety for the details as it prevents corrosion. The set of fittings consists of a classic elegant buckle and durable D-ring for leash connection. These fittings are easy to use and reliable in service they provide. Add more zest to your four-legged friend's outlook, buy this stunning leather supply!
When ordering this embellished dog collar, you will get a gift package along with it! Don't miss your chance to praise your attractive dog with easy wearing collar made of full grain leather. This is an unusual offer available for our customers! A gift package makes your order look like a present for the canine.