Michael founded Kluber Architects + Engineers in 1988 and has been casting the company vision as its president ever since. His natural leadership style encourages engaged and empowered employees, while company culture enables the firm to be a highly-effective multidiscipline design firm as demonstrated by its outstanding portfolio of clients and completed works.
As an electrical engineer, Michael remains actively engaged in the design process and has expertise in lighting, power, and life safety systems. He enjoys the role of electrical engineering in the construction industry and is fascinated by the evolution of technology and reliance on energy through a building's life cycle.
Michael is actively involved in his community, as well. He serves on the LivingWell Cancer Resource Center's Board of Directors and has been an active member of the City of Aurora Electrical Commission for 20 years. His past involvements have included director of the Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence, as well as president and director of Batavia MainStreet. He believes service creates not only a more viable community, but forges valued relationships.


text:
Q: Dynamic allocation of a primitive type variable in Java Can I dynamically allocate a primitive type variable, say int? I can't see how this could be done other than to wrap it into an object Integer or into a single-element array int[1].
I tried:
int i = new int(5);

Is it forbidden? If so, why?
EDIT
Possible (theoretical) application - creating a collection-like data structure for storing primitive types.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It was a scary Christmas Day for Steam, the popular gaming platform operated by Bellevue-based Valve. Users of the service started noticing that account information from other game players was inadvertently being exposed, creating a stir in the gaming community.
In a community forum post, Valve confirmed the problem, but reassured users that no credit card information or phone numbers had been exposed.
"No, Steam is not hacked," the message said.
Steam is back up and running without any known issues. As a result of a configuration change earlier today, a caching issue allowed some users to randomly see pages generated for other users for a period of less than an hour. This issue has since been resolved. We believe no unauthorized actions were allowed on accounts beyond the viewing of cached page information and no additional action is required by users.
Some have argued that Valve needs to do a better job of communicating with users when problems arise, explaining what's going on during an incident rather than waiting until it is resolved. The glitch freaked out some gamers who thought the popular gaming platform had been hacked, and led to rampant speculation about the problem. It also didn't help that the problem occurred during Steam's big Winter gaming sale, which runs through Jan. 4th and is one of the platform's biggest promotional events.
Valve (Steam) Has apparently messed up big time. Other people are able to log into your account… at random. And so are you.
I love Valve/Steam as much as the next, but personal information was exposed. That's not something you stay quiet about.


With Washington's sometimes unpredictable weather, it's important to have a reliable heat pump to keep up with your home comfort needs. If you are looking to install a new heat pump in your Kent area home, you have come to the right place! AAA Heating & Air Conditioning has been serving homes in Pierce County and South King County since 1989.
We provide premium Daikin heat pump installation services throughout the Kent, Auburn, and Renton, WA areas. Our certified and expert technicians can make your home comfortable all year long with reliable services and professional HVAC systems and products.
Contact us today or call us at (253) 234-1278 to schedule a heat pump installation in Kent today!
For all of your heat pump needs in the Kent, Auburn, or Renton areas, call the professionals at AAA Heating & Air Conditioning today at (253) 234-1278!
To ensure complete customer satisfaction, we partner with only the best brands. We want to make sure we're only giving our customers the home comfort results they deserve. Daikin is the world's leading manufacturer for indoor heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. As a global leader for indoor comfort, Daikin has installed millions of systems throughout the world.
All of our Daikin units come with outstanding warranty coverage and innovative features to bring high quality, powerful heating to your home. If you want a unit that brings energy efficiency and long-term peace of mind, Daikin is the brand for you. They have designed and engineered all of their products to provide years of consistent indoor comfort.
Learn more about our ductless Daikin heat pumps in the Kent, WA area today! Contact our expert heat pump technicians today.
AAA Heating & Air Conditioning has the experience and equipment needed to install a reliable heat pump in your home. Our technicians have top-level training and certifications that include NATE, BPI, and EPA. To maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction, we use only the most reliable, high-quality, and energy-efficient equipment available.
AAA Heating & Air Conditioning has the experience and the equipment needed to provide reliable heat pump services for your Kent home. Our technicians have top-level training and certifications that include NATE, BPI, and EPA. To maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction, we use only the most reliable, high-quality, energy-efficient equipment available.
AAA Heating & Air Conditioning provides heat pump services throughout South King County and Pierce County.
Contact us online and let us know how we can improve your home heating today with our heat pumps.


text:
Archive Close
Thanks for reading Sooner Magazine. If you share your email address with us, we'll let you know when our next issue is published.
Don't have an account? Subscribe now.
Forgot your password? Send a reset.
A publication of the University of Oklahoma Foundation
An Inauguration Overdue
Esports Gets Down to Business
The Lost and Found Lynn Riggs
OU's AI Weather Pioneer
OU's Treasure Chest Turns 21
Sooner Shorts
Subscribe / Login Volume 42 • Number 1 Fall 2021 More Issues
Travis caperton
An innovative computer programmer is using artificial intelligence to identify deadly storms.
chip minty
Kelvin Droegemeier has been peering into the future of storm prediction for years. For much of his career, he has pursued secrets inside the clouds that produce ferocious hailstorms and deadly tornadoes.
To that end, the University of Oklahoma Regents' Professor of Meteorology co-founded OU's Center for the Prediction and Analysis of Storms in 1989.
"If only we could identify an approaching hailstorm or tornado an hour before it strikes, that could make all the difference," he has said many times. That was Droegemeier's vision 30 years ago, but he admits those dreams may not have been attainable with the technology available at the time.
But Droegemeier never lost his vision and, in 2004, he found a path leading toward a transformational change in technology. It began at the door of Amy McGovern, then a postdoctoral research associate working in computer science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Droegemeier believed that machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) were needed to move his vision forward. He just had to convince McGovern.
Oklahomans are no strangers to the loss of lives and property inflicted by catastrophic weather. A new OU institute is harnessing AI to increase the warning time for storms.
She didn't have a meteorology background, but what she did have was passion—passion for computer science and using it to solve real-world problems, and passion for the planet.
"I wanted to be an astronaut when I was little," McGovern says. "Observing Earth in a scientific way has always been interesting to me."
So, when Droegemeier approached McGovern about using AI to improve weather forecasting, she didn't hesitate to relocate to Norman, Okla., where she offices in the National Weather Center on the University Research Campus. A Wall Street Journal story on McGovern's research noted that she was one of those rare people "who moved to Oklahoma for the weather."
"When Kelvin started talking about how we could use AI for information gathering and weather forecasting, I said, 'That sounds really cool, let's do it.' "
With that conversation, McGovern embarked on a 17-year journey, programming high-powered computers to simulate human intelligence and sniff out storms like hounds after prey.
Early in McGovern's career, only a handful of weather researchers were interested in AI. Her first session at the American Meteorological Society's AI Conference attracted just 30 participants, she says.
"I was pretty much the only one who had a computer science background. The others were meteorologists trying to learn AI, and I was trying to learn meteorology."
As a committee chair, McGovern has watched the AI conference attendance double each year and says, if not for the pandemic, that attendance could have reached 300 participants in 2020. She says AI is making inroads into the fundamental science of severe weather as meteorologists witness the potential for computers to gather enormous amounts of data and to analyze the markers of severe storms before they strike.
"Humans themselves can only analyze one or two events at a time because there's just so much data," McGovern says. "An AI system can analyze thousands of tornado modals and find patterns in them that humans might not."
Over time, those patterns could lead forecasters to spot developing storms earlier and allow for longer warning times.
"The average warning for a tornado is 15 minutes," McGovern says. "We're trying to get it up to 30 minutes."
The experimental computer programs McGovern is developing are being tested in real-world applications at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman.
There aren't a lot of studies on what it means for humans to trust automation.
— Amy McGovern
"We're not going to be able to stop tornadoes and hail, but if we can improve the prediction of them, we can save lives and property," McGovern says. "We've also been working on hail forecasting, to improve it from zero to three hours.
"If you have even an hour, you have time to move cars, RVs and other vehicles," she says. "You're still going to lose your roof because you can't move your house. But you would have time to take a lot of other protective actions."
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 22 weather and climate disasters in 2020 caused more than $95 billion in damages—more than double the 41-year average of $45.7 billion. Some modelers estimate that the February 2021 freeze in Texas alone destroyed infrastructure and disrupted supply chains worth $90 billion.
If AI can help forecasters save lives and property, McGovern is all in.
Millions of dollars in property could be saved with increased warning times for hailstorms, which are growing in frequency and intensity.
Right now, she says, meteorologists are bogged down in a huge data overload. Weather forecast offices have several screens displaying information that is constantly updating 24 hours a day. Using AI, computers can monitor massive amounts of data simultaneously and alert forecasters to areas of concern where tornadoes, hail, and other storms are likely. AI will not replace meteorologists, she says, but it can supply tools that will help them provide faster and more reliable forecasts.
Through the years, McGovern's contributions have expanded far beyond her research and faculty positions at OU. She also serves as director of the National Science Foundation's AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate and Coastal Oceanography.
In 2020, McGovern led an application effort that resulted in a $20 million NSF grant to fund the new institute.
The award was one of seven AI Institute grants the NSF gave last year, and McGovern says the OU-based institute is the only one focused on weather. The term "Trustworthy AI" is relatively new in the AI vernacular, representing the importance of accuracy, reliability and consistency, and the institute is doing groundbreaking work to quantify what it means for AI to be trustworthy.
"We don't want to predict something that doesn't happen," explains McGovern. "Let's say AI told you that there was an 80% chance of hail tomorrow at a particular time, but it doesn't happen.
"Say you're a car manufacturer, and you put all your cars under cover. You've now wasted so much money because the hail didn't come. If that happens once, maybe that's not the end of the world, but if AI is constantly crying wolf, then it's not trusted. We want it to be accurate and reliable. We also want to know what other indicators there are for trust. There aren't a lot of studies on what it means for humans to trust automation."
In addition to her leadership role within OU's AI institute, McGovern recently became editor-in-chief of Artificial Intelligence for the Earth Systems, a new scholarly journal established by the American Meteorological Society (AMS). The publication features research associated with AI and machine learning in meteorology, atmospheric science, climate science, oceanic science and other areas of environmental science.
"AI is starting to revolutionize a whole bunch of different sciences, but articles about AI for meteorology, oceans and climate have been scattered all over the place, so I proposed that we put them all together in one journal," McGovern says. "I've been told the AMS has never jumped on a journal that fast. It was approved unanimously."
Droegemeier says McGovern has made an enormous impact on weather research, establishing OU as a world leader in the ever-expanding field of artificial intelligence.
"AI is a rapidly growing field. There are some huge, heavy hitters around the world, and it is important for OU to have a leadership role in the United States," says Droegemeier, former director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and science adviser to the president during the Trump administration.
"I'm just really proud of Amy. The word 'pioneer' is absolutely an appropriate term for her."
Chip Minty is a Norman-based writer and the principal of Minty Communications, LLC.
To comment on this story, click here.
The project to preserve Oklahoma's past rallied the Norman community, the state and the university to join forces in creating the beloved "dinosaur museum," more formally known as the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. The mission continues.
OU Foundation University of Oklahoma Ways to Give Give Now Contact Us Email Editor

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
New basketball coach Ricky Hill helps team find success on and off the court
New girls varsity basketball head coach Ricky Hill (middle) draws up a game plan during the December 19th match vs. North High School. "I started coaching my daughter, and that's how I got into coaching girls basketball."
Caleb Stipkovits
Caleb Stipkovits, News Editor
The women's varsity basketball team has had a new coach this year, Ricky Hill. Hill, who graduated from South in 1985, played basketball and football in high school. His first coaching job can be traced back to his years as a tiger. "My first coaching job was back in high school, when I coached my little sisters' [teams]" he said.
Hill went to college at Boise State University in Idaho. After college, Hill coached both men's basketball and football for six years before returning to Minnesota, where he was the head coach for Minneapolis Henry High School for three years.
But something made him transition into coaching girls teams, "I started coaching my daughter, and that's how I got into coaching girls basketball, I coached her from the time she was 8 years old to the time she was in high school," said Hill. He further explained how that has led him to coaching the girls varsity team today; "Ever since I started coaching my daughter, I've been coaching girls."
Hill's most recent coaching job before coming to South was impressive. "I coached at DeLaSalle the last three years prior to this job here… we won state last year," He said.
The team has gotten off to a great start so far this year, with 11 wins and 2 losses. After a victory over North High School on Thursday, December 19th, you can see why they're won so much. The team is cooperative and fluidly moves the ball across the court. They were able to intercept opponents' passes and find open players to make shots. "I think the season is going a lot better than last year, everyone's presence is a lot happier… this year everyone's excited about [playing]," said one of the team captains, Camryn Benjamin.
Hill says the team's performance has gotten better as the season has gone on. "The girls are stepping up and making plays, we don't want to be a one man team," said Hill. "Playing unselfish, playing for each other, I think that's probably the biggest thing, to get the girls to share the ball… we want to be able to support each other," said Hill, explaining his goals for the team.
One thing that has been implemented to the team this year is a new attendance policy. "If we skip a class or have an unexcused absence, then we sit out a quarter of the game because [Ricky's] saying that he says is 'I'll never cut you off the team, you'll cut yourself off by your actions'," said Benjamin.
"At first the players were like, 'what, that's weird, your doing too much' but now it has helped them because now we have to hold them accountable… I think it's actually a good policy to have," said Benjamin's co-captain Jade Hill.
The players think fondly of their new coach. "Our coach this year, he's a lot more patient with us, and he just has an aura about him that's light and he likes to joke around a lot. He's very relatable, he makes us feel like we fit in," said Benjamin. When asked what words described him, she said "goofy".
Helping players grow off the court is one of Hill's favorite parts of coaching. "That's probably the thing I say I enjoy the most, the wins and losses, that stuff you don't remember 20 years from now. But when you can change a girl's character and behavior, and she can come back 20 years from now and say 'thank you, you were very instrumental in my life', thats whats important to me."
There is a lot more in Hill's life than coaching. "I like to work out, hang out with my wife, hang out with my grandson, hang out with family," said Hill. He also likes to travel, and has positive memories of one of the places he's been. "My daughter played for Oregon State University, [so] my wife and I moved out there for two years, that was a great experience."
"I'm very easy going, I think I'm very friendly, I'm laid back, I like to have fun… I just enjoy seeing people succeed, I love that. I tell the girls that I'm gonna be [their] best cheerleader, I want to see them be successful, and I want to see [them] improve as people," said Hill. Jade Hill agrees. When asked what he has brought to the team, she commented "definitely his positive encouragement, he's always encouraging, he's never down, never has a negative attitude."
Coach Hill hopes more people come to watch the girls play, considering how much they've grown. "We're very exciting to watch; our girls play hard, we're starting to play more unselfishly. People want to see excitement, people want to see discipline, they want to see people share the basketball," said Hill. The women's varsity team has all of it, plus an 11-2 record. Perhaps this could be thanks to Hill's 27 years of coaching basketball.
Camryn Benjamin
jade hill
Ricky Hill
Despite it only being his second year with the Southerner, sophomore Caleb Stipkovits is making his mark as the News editor. Stipkovits is passionate and...
Once a tiger, always a tiger: a peek into the experience of being a senior in sports
From making the shots to calling them: Lindsay Whalen's new coaching position
Girls varsity basketball bring home a big win against Armstrong – Podcast
Athletic Hijabs Bring More Confidence to Girls Basketball Players
Girl's basketball team swished the net in Semi-finals, but missed the game
A great season for Morgan Hill, and the women's basketball team
Player leadership shone as women's basketball team adapted to change of coaches
Women's basketball team beats Southwest and Roosevelt for city champ title
Tigers lose to Teddies in the last ten of final conference game
Up-and-coming freshmen athletes play valuable roles on teams


Instantly that the quite collaborated bedroom is here to adjournment, mob bedding builders exhibit extended their compasses to cover accomplices such as chart–lights, screens also uniform hat–boxes. It's thwarting out completely what all walk has to extend. The mouthy implore of realm furnishing is still chiming tenacious, stint classic tartan or spiffy plowed adamantine are essence a upturn. Floorboards whether limed or daubed in a connate matt consume, peruse important when associated with spar venetian discomfits, a plowed adamantine cradle combine with plane workbenches.
There's always board for a talent of nature & whimsy in the bedroom. Extra lodges may exhibit to appropriate a further dour or workable behavior – notwithstanding not so the boudoir. This fiscal year we spot a important plenitude of jolly frames from the major bedding compasses. Perchance their belief is that in the manner of financial foredoom or twilight we may as hunky-dory exhibit bedrooms that choice clear us leer!


I love this little shop The owner is so lovely, friendly and helpful. There is a huge range of stock covering every craft you can imagine. Me and my partner had lovely cuppa spent ages chatting. Very reasonable prices too. I can't recommend this shop enough.
Really enjoyed today's workshop, made extremely welcome by Andrea, lovely food and lots of tea. Learnt lots, thank you to Gill for her expertise.
I love this place..it's a real Aladdins Cave. The owner is so lovely and friendly, really knowledgable and helpful. There is a huge range of stock covering every craft you can imagine and there is the option to sign up for short courses. The only downside is when I call in for a couple of things, I end up buying half the shop and spend ages chatting..I can't just nip in for a quick visit! Really reasonable prices too. I can't recommend this shop highly enough.
Fantastic craft shop, always greeted v with a smile and a cuppa.


Vancouver Canada is a densely populated city surrounded by breathtaking vistas, nestling between the Pacific ocean and the spectacular North Shore Mountains. It is a bustling, multicultural metropolis where nature can be viewed anywhere, leading to a laid back atmosphere, making it one of the top cities in the world for livability. Tourism has grown in the past few years, as the city not only makes a great base for exploring the mountains, but has also made a name for its cultural and epicurean highlights against stiff competition from Toronto and Montreal.
Just a half an hour drive away, the beautiful snow-topped mountains that dominate Vancouver are packed with outdoor activities. Visitors can hike the mountains or go skiing in the winter season and mountain biking and kayaking are popular in the spring and summer. Hikes for visitors of all abilities can be done around the mountains, taking in some of the oldest trees is North America, spectacular waterfalls and incredible vistas of the city below.
Stanley Park is a peninsula (nearly an island!) in northwest Vancouver that is the pride of the city. Covering over 1,000 acres, this green space has enough wonder and activity to cover a day trip, including biking trails, beaches, beautiful gardens and forests. It is also home to Vancouver Aquarium, home of over 80,000 animals including the very popular three toed sloth! The giant outdoor pool is popular in the summer months, when you can also attend outdoor concerts by huge names in the evenings. Stanley Park is often named as one of the greatest parks in the world, and it's an essential port of call when visiting Vancouver!
Alongside the usual Canadian cuisine, Vancouver has carved a name for itself as one of the top destination in the world for craft beer. The independent, artisan world of individually crafted beers has taken off in the city. The Craft Beer Market in the Olympic village is a good place to start, with over 140 beers on tap and fresh local food to accompany your brew. Vancouver Craft Beer Week runs in late May and showcases some of the more unusual beers bottled in the city. Try a craft pub or social house to try out the local hoppy flavours.
Most tourists stay in the Downtown area, close to the main attractions and the waterfront. This is where you will find most of the higher-end or branded hotels. The West End by Stanley Park is also a popular place to stay, and The Sylvia hotel is a great, friendly spot to stay with incredible views of the bay area.
Yaletown is a cheaper yet hipper choice of area for backpackers or travellers on a budget. Lined with boutiques, pubs and cafes, the streets of Yaletown will instantly feel like home. The OPUS is an achingly hip spot with an iPad in every room, or the Howard Johnson hotel is a no-frills spot in a brilliant location.


We bought skis and even got to use them once or twice. That was it. Somehow, Alyeska has gotten over 500″ of snow. The base of the resort is mostly dirt and mud though. Currently, there are many cloud free days. With higher temperatures, we are out hiking in places that we didn't think we would be until later in the year. The lingering sunsets have been quite incredible. Even with a little Instagram editing.
Camping and fishing on the Sol Duc.
I had never really been to the Olympic Peninsula. A couple of stops at the ferry terminal in Port Angeles doesn't really count. I still have not been to the Olympic National Park. Until I am allowed to take my dog wherever I want in the park, I probably won't be going there. I found out about the Klahowya Campground and had to visit it. It is on the Olympic National Forest land making it cheaper and dog friendly. The drive along US 101 wasn't very impressive until I turned off the highway and into the campsite. Tall trees shaded the whole area. The beautiful, low, clear, and cold Sol Duc River was flowing near a bunch of the campsites. We arrived hot and ready to fish. Before unloading the car, Lando and I need to see the water and take a selfie. The trees are as enormous as you would expect them to be. With so few inhabitants, there aren't many (if any) trails beside the rivers. This is half of the reason I went. Even though there are places where it is easily accessible, most people aren't willing to leave the campgrounds. Ferns, moss, and berries were everywhere. the smell of Christmas was everywhere. It felt 20 degrees cooler once you were in the forest. Following the river, I came to a very deep hole. It would have been a great place to swim if it weren't full of fish. I was sight casting to some of the largest wild trout I have seen in Washington. It was a bit of sketchy hike to get to this area. I had to remind myself that if either one of us got injured, it is a long walk back to the car and there still wouldn't be cell service for another 15 miles.
It is always good when you can't hold the camera far enough away to get a decent picture. Watching this fish eat my fly, swim upstream, jump, swim downstream, and force me to scramble over logs and rocks was a thrill I won't soon forget. Thanks for reading and feel free to leave your comments!
Licton Springs was once a healing center for Native Americans, who constructed sweat lodges and bathed in the mineral waters of the springs. After pioneer David Denny built a cabin near the springs in 1870, hundreds of settlers drove for miles to immerse themselves in the spring water and in the mud.
There was certainly a lot of water flowing through the park. Unfortunately, it was from one culvert to another. It looked like a sewer pipe dumping water into a park and collecting it at the other side. To add insult to injury there were plenty of homeless looking people passed out or drinking in groups at some of the nicest looking spots. I am not saying that they shouldn't enjoy it, on the contrary, I hope it is healing to them, but I was afraid to walk through the whole park in the middle of the day. Even with my guard dog.


6113 Avila is a $25,000, 948 square foot, 2 bedroom, 2.0 bath home on a 0.18 acre lot located in St Louis, MO.
HOME LOOKING FOR A FINISHING CONTRACTOR, needs work/updates/ new systems but some things have been started (roof, some windows, bathroom, electric, etc) so home has GREAT POTENTIAL. Wood floors can be restored, Enter into the living rm which wraps around to a dining rm. Kitchen has subway wall tile that is in good shape. There is a sunken family room in the back with newer slider to the rear which does need new glass. 2 nice-sized bedrooms with lots of light and a full hall bath. The lower level has some wall insulation and the 2nd half bath. HUGE CARPORT / SHOP for the outdoor enthusiast. Please bring a flashlight and enter with caution, no utilities on. Home sold AS-IS to a lucky new buyer. Come for a preview today!
I am interested in 6113 Avila, St Louis, MO 63134.


27-31 Davidson Street, Port Douglas, Queensland, 4877, Australia.
Whether you are planning a romantic Port Douglas wedding or simply wanting to have a tropical Honeymoon in Port Douglas, Shantara Resort Port Douglas can assist you with a Honeymoon package or quote to your specific requirements for your wedding or Honeymoon in an intimate and friendly atmosphere.
We have handpicked and supplied you a list of only a few of our local Port Douglas contacts that can take care of your requests and make your dream wedding come to life on the day.
Don't hesitate to contact us with any other requirements that may not be included and we will source the contact for you.
You may be thinking of having a ceremony in the park, on the beach or in the rainforest, whatever you have ever wished for, your dream can come true!
Shantara Resort Port Douglas is a member of "Port Douglas Wedding Professionals", which is a group of local business that provide professional wedding services and that are located in the area of Port Douglas to make your day stress free.
A few suggestions of who can assist you with your special day.
Are you looking at having a wedding with your family & friends? Let us assist your guests with different accommodation options and packages to suit their needs.
Are you wanting to be discreet and looking at having a wedding that is private and intimate? We can help you out in having your ceremony on the property, either by one of the pool areas or in by our small tropical garden. Or, if you prefer, why not on a secluded part of Four Mile Beach or in a private area of the rainforest?


Hi to all fellow Bremont lovers!
I am selling my limited edition Bremont DH-88 Stainless Steel watch, it was purchased in November 2017 from a reputable Bremont stockist.
Sold with all original papers, red leather case, replacement black alligator leather strap, red leather key ring.
Selling now to enable me to put proceeds towards another luxury timepiece!
Direct message me if interested, will post worldwide, once funds are cleared, the postage will be insured and fully tracked postage.
Welcome to the forum, and good luck with the sale!
However, as per the forum rules, can you add a price and pictures of the watch, please. Any issues, feel free to PM me.
Apologies, I thought I had included the price, and I couldn't figure out how to upload photos.
However, the watch was sold yesterday.
This beautiful watch has now been sold.


text:
Home » Information » The Governing Body and Headmistress
The Maynard School is very fortunate in having a dedicated team of Governors providing an invaluable pool of expertise and experience that helps the Headmistress to run, develop and ensure the long-term future of the School. Unusually for many independent schools, the majority of Maynard Governors live locally and take an active personal interest in the school and its pupils. Some Governors are appointed by outside agencies: the St John's Hospital Educational Foundation, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council and the University of Exeter.
We also have co-opted Governors, Parent and Staff Governors. Governors also attend a great many school functions and run very successful annual development days for both Governors and senior staff. The Governors are appointed as trustees of The Maynard School and have responsibility to the Charity Commission to ensure it is run efficiently and complies with all legal and health and safety requirements.
Lady Jan Stanhope, Chair of Governors
Appointed by the Governing Body of St John's Hospital
Jan read physics at Somerville College, Oxford University and gained her degree in 1974. She qualified as an accountant in 1978 and worked in the public sector for over 20 years. She was Director of Finance and Resources for Devon County Council until 2004. On retirement she spent 3 years in the USA with her husband and returned to Exeter in 2007, joining The Maynard as a Governor in 2008 and taking up the chairmanship of the Finance sub-committee in 2009. She is a non-executive Director and Trustee of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. Jan's daughter Phillippa attended Maynard.
Lady Jan Stanhope – Chair to the Governors
Contacting the Governing body
Please address correspondence to:
Lady Jan Stanhope
Denmark Road
EX1 1SJ
Miss Sarah Dunn


text:
You are here: >Home Page >Literature > Oxford World's Classics > The Fortune of the Rougons
Request an Inspection Copy
Inspection Copy Feedback
Buy Ebook from VitalSource
The Fortune of the Rougons
Brian Nelson
The Fortune of the Rougons is the first in Zola's famous Rougon-Macquart series of novels. Not only the inaugural novel, it is the series' founding text, establishing its genealogical basis. The family's greed and rapacity mirrors the diseased society in which it flourishes. This lively new translation is accompanied by introduction and notes.
The first novel in Zola's famous Rougon-Macquart series, The Fortune of the Rougons is the series' founding text in which the prehistory of the family's two branches is recounted, establishing the hereditary basis for the family characteristics and flaws evident in the later novels.
Set during the time of Louis-Napoleon's coup d'état in 1851, the exciting events establish the symbolic links between a tainted family and the diseased society of the Second Empire.
The first new translation since the nineteenth century.
The wide-ranging introduction explains the background to the Rougon-Macquart series as well as the historical setting of the novel and its special qualities.
Brian Nelson is the established translator of four other Zola novels in Oxford World's Classics.
Includes chronology, bibliography, and explanatory notes.
Brian Nelson, Emeritus Professor of French Studies and Translation, Monash University, Melbourne
Brian Nelson is the author or editor of twelve books on aspects of modern French and European culture, including The Cambridge Companion to Émile Zola (2007). For Oxford World's Classics he has translated Zola's The Ladies' Paradise, Pot Luck, The Kill, and The Belly of Paris.
"Reading Brian Nelson's Introduction to The Fortune of the Rougons is a real treat." - Lisa Hill, ANZLitLovers
"The edition I read was the Oxford World's Classics translation by Brian Nelson and it's excellent ... as an introduction [to Zola] this has been such an inspiring read." - Desperate Reader
Philip Meadows Taylor, Kim A. Wagner
The Wendigo and Other Stories
Algernon Blackwood, Aaron Worth
Hamsun's Hunger
Knut Hamsun, Tore Rem, Terence Cave
The Swann Way
Marcel Proust, Brian Nelson, Adam Watt
The Sign of Four
Arthur Conan Doyle, Caroline Reitz, Darryl Jones
Arthur Conan Doyle, Catherine Wynne, Darryl Jones
Specimen Days
Walt Whitman, Max Cavitch
The Origins of Science Fiction
Du Bellay, Ronsard, Anthony Mortimer
Scottish Poetry, 1730-1830
Guide to the Lakes
William Wordsworth, Saeko Yoshikawa
Lykophron: Alexandra
Lykophron, Simon Hornblower
Life and Times of Frederick Douglass: Written by Himself
Frederick Douglass, Celeste-Marie Bernier, Andrew Taylor
Virginia Woolf, Urmila Seshagiri
Kew Gardens and Other Short Fiction
Virginia Woolf, Bryony Randall, David Bradshaw


Eagle's Nest Chalets is all about getting away from rush and routine of everyday life, it is about the freedom to explore and the opportunity to sit back and unwind with the surrounding beauty.
A short seven-kilometre drive from the Desert Horse Inn, it is here where all the facilities are to be found including the restaurant, bar and swimming pool. Eagle's Nest Chalets consists of eight chalets and eight chalets only. A lodge at that is built amongst granite rocks and boulders with views that are simply unrivalled.
Perfect for guided and self-drive safari within the southern desert regions of Namibia.
Eight rustic thatched chalets offer guest a large degree of privacy all with a small kitchen, private verandas, en-suite bathrooms and of course those fantastic vistas that surround.
All meals are served at the near Desert Horse Inn where one can have a sit-down meal or get a takeaway and enjoy the meal on your private veranda.
All chalets offer a self-catering option with a small kitchen and a braai area.
Lodges facilities, in a nutshell, do not exist. Eagle's Nest Chalets is a collection of 8 chalets that are designed for guests that want and need to escape from the mass tourism market.
WiFi, swimming pool and bar are available around the corner at the Desert Horse Inn.
Children and families are most welcome at Eagle's Nest Chalets with suitable accommodation and activities for kids of all ages.


text:
Q: Uniqueness of differential equation (generalisation) What are the necessary conditions for the existance of a solution to a differential equation?
What conditions must be added in order to have a unique solution?
$$$$
I know $f(y_0)\neq0$ is needed to rule out $f(y)=0$ (for uniqueness) but I've also heard that a function must be Lipschitz continuous.

A: Consider the differential equation of the first order IVP
$y'=f(x,y)$ with  $y(x_0) = y_0$ . .  . . .$(1)$

Existence theorem: Suppose that $f(x, y)$ is continuous function in some region $$R=\{(x,y):|x-x_0|\le a,|y-y_0|\le b\},  (a,b\gt0)$$
  Since $f$ is continuous in a closed and bounded domain, it is necessarily bounded in $R$,
  i.e., there exists $k > 0$ such that $|f(x, y)| ≤ k$, $∀(x, y) ∈ R$. Then the IVP $(1)$ has at least one solution $y = y(x)$ defined in the interval $|x − x_0| ≤ α$ where $\alpha=min\{a,\frac{b}{k}\}$.

${}$

Uniquness theorem: Suppose that $f$ and $\frac{∂f}{∂y}$ are continuous function
  in $R$ (defined in the existence theorem). Hence, both the $f$ and $\frac{∂f}{∂y}$ are bounded in $R$, i.e.,
$1.$ $|f(x, y)| ≤ K$, $∀(x, y) ∈ R$
$2.$ $|\frac{∂f}{∂y}|≤ M$, $∀(x, y) ∈ R$
Then the IVP $(1)$ has at most one solution $y = y(x)$ defined in the interval $|x − x_0| ≤ α$ where $\alpha=min\{a,\frac{b}{k}\}$.
Combining with existence thereom, the IVP $(1)$ has unique solution $y = y(x)$ defined
  in the interval $|x − x_0| ≤ α$.

${}$

Note: Condition $|\frac{∂f}{∂y}|≤ M$, $∀(x, y) ∈ R$ can be replaced by a weaker condition which is known as Lipschitz condition. Thus, instead of continuity of $\frac{∂f}{∂y}$, we require
$|f(x, y_1) − f(x, y_2)| ≤ L|y_1 − y_2|$ $ ∀(x, y_i) ∈ R$.
If $\frac{∂f}{∂y}$ exists and is bounded, then it necessarily satisfies Lipschitz condition. On the other hand, a function $f(x, y)$ may be Lipschitz continuous but $\frac{∂f}{∂y}$ may not exists.
For example $f(x, y) = x^2|y|$, $|x| ≤ 1$, $|y| ≤ 1$ is Lipschitz continuous in $y$ but $\frac{∂f}{∂y}$ does not exist at $(x, 0)$.
${}$

Consider the second order initial value problem
$y''(t)+p(t)y'(t)+q(t)y=g(t)$, with $y(t_0) = y_0, y′(t_0) = y^′_0.$ .  . . . . $(2)$

If the functions $p(t)$, $q(t)$, and $g(t)$ are continuous on the interval $I: α < t < β$
  containing the point $t = t_0$. Then there exists a unique solution $y = φ(t)$ of the
  problem $(2)$, and that this solution exists throughout the interval $I$.

That is, the theorem guarantees that the given initial value problem $(2)$ will
always have (existence of) exactly one (uniqueness) twice-differentiable
solution, on any interval containing $t_0$ as long as all three functions $p(t), q(t),$
and $g(t)$ are continuous on the same interval. Conversely, neither existence
nor uniqueness of a solution is guaranteed at a discontinuity of $p(t), q(t),$ or
$g(t)$.
${}$

For more information and examples you can find the following :
$1.$ 'Differential Equations Theory, Technique and Practice' by G. F. Simmons & S. G. Krantz (McGraw Hill Higher Education)
$2.$ "Differential Equations" by Shepley L. Ross
$3.$ http://home.iitk.ac.in/~sghorai/TEACHING/MTH203/ode5.pdf
$4.$ http://www.math.ucsd.edu/~y1zhao/2013UCSDFallQuarterMath20D/Files/Section3.2.pdf
$5.$ http://www.ltcconline.net/greenl/courses/204/ConstantCoeff/uniquenessExistence.htm


text:
Mikhail Matovnikov,
chief expert of Center for Economic Analysis
of Interfax information agency
Russian Banking: High Potential, Even Higher Risks
This report was prepared for Russian Banking Forum, 7-8 December 2000, London
1. Russian banks vs. Eastern European banks: bound to be first
Russian banking system still did not recover its size characteristics in dollar terms. At present Russia has the 2nd place in Central and Eastern Europe by aggregate assets. Two years ago Russian banking system was the biggest among the post-socialist economies and had assets exceeding $100 bln. Poland had the 2nd place with assets of $68.5 bln. and Czeck Republic was the third with assets $55.5 bln.
Size characteristics of banking systems of Central and Eastern Europe as of July 1, 2000
Foreign assets
Foreign liabilities
$ bln.
Slovak Rep.
Source: International Financial Statistics.
Assets of the Russian banking system, $bn.
International comparisons show very important fact: Russian banks still are the biggest international players in Eastern Europe as they always were. Their foreign assets are much higher then ones of any other country of the region, and their borrowings are also higher.
This reflects higher export potential of the Russian economy and hidden capital flight as well. At the same time it allows to speak about high potential of Russian banks. They have enough resources that may be directed to lending but still are placed on accounts in foreign banks
Rate of Russian banking system assets growth after the crisis was very high. Since end 1998 assets of Russian banks (on the latter dates failed banks were omitted from the sample) grew by $30 bln. (66%), of which in the first 9 months of 2000 they grew by $17.6 bln. In early 2001 Russian banks will return itself 1st place in regional ranking by assets. More distant perspective of achieving $100 bln. assets depends on balance of payments condition. But this level seems to be determined by basic characteristics of the Russian economy and will be attained sooner of later.
It may be said almost for sure that in the next 2 years assets of the Russian banks will grow by at least $20 billion.
In dollar terms Russian GDP even after devaluation is one third higher GDP of Poland and 3 times higher one of Czech Republic Size effect guarantees Russia high place in regional ranking, but Russia also has a natural advantage. She is one of a few Eastern European countries with positive balance of the current account. With such external feeding Russian banks have guaranteed increase of resources and do not depend on decisions of foreign investors, although are very vulnerable to capital flight.
It is external non-credit sources that helped relatively fast banking system recovery after the 1998 crisis. In contrast many of Eastern European banks became foreign-owned as a result of banking crises that erupted in every post-socialist economy. Sometimes it was a deliberate government policy to hand over state-owned banks to foreign strategic investors. Often it was the only way to escape massive losses.
Places of Russian banks in World Top 1000 ranking by capital
Foreign trade bank
Gasprombank
Sobinbank
Unexim bank
SBS-Agro
Rossijsky credit
Menatep
Tokobank
Incombank
Mosbusinessbank
Promstroybank Russia
Number of banks
Source: "The Banker"
Average Russian bank is much smaller then its Eastern European collegues. In 2000 average assets of a Russian bank were just a bit higher then $50 mln. This is 3 times smaller then in Romania or Bulgaria. This picture is a result of a large number of tiny banks operating in Russia. According to the data of Statistical Survey "INTERFAX-BANKS: Russian Banks" in Russia still operate banks with assets just 150 000 rubles ($5500). This would be impossible according to legislation of most Eastern European countries. In Russia Central bank has abolished after devaluation its own decision to force banks with capital below $1 mln to re-register as non-bank credit organizations.
But if you look at the biggest Russian banks everything looks different. Russian banks (Sberbank and Foreign Trade Bank) in 1997 headed the group of the biggest Eastern European banks. In 1998 the biggest Russian bank - Sberbank - was down to 6th place, with 3 Polish and 2 Czech banks ahead. Foreign Trade bank occurred even beyond the group of 10 leaders. In 1999 leading Russian banks moved forward but still did not reached firm leading places. It seems in 2000 two Russian banks (Sberbank and Foreign Trade Bank) will again pretend on the first two places in the regional ranking.
2. Banking Crisis Is Over… As Well As Banks' Power
RECOVERY INSTEAD OF DISASTER
Biannual "Interfax-100: Top Russian banks" Report issued in early October had bold sub-title "Banking Crisis Is Over". One month later this became a very popular newspaper heading in Russia after it was repeated by high Central Bank official. That suggests we lead banking research in Russia and often produce new ways of looking on the Russian banking system. What moved us to say that the crisis is over?
When in 1998 banking crises erupted most analysts agreed that we may expect loan contraction, painful recovery of banks and that this problem will burden the budget for years. The Central Bank of Russia had estimated it would cost 100 billion rubles (4.5% of GDP) to pull banks from crisis and analysts agreed that a long period of restoration and recapitalization, a drop in lending and a further degradation of the banking system lay ahead. But reality surpassed even the most optimistic forecasts. In fact 2 years later we have rising banks' loan portfolio and capital, banks returned to profitability and apart from 2 state banks government did almost nothing to help the banking system.
It is perhaps a little realized fact, but the rapid reincarnation of banks following the 1998 crisis was in no way a result of virtues of the banking system. Banks made little effort to get through the crisis and most progress that was made was the result of purely economic factors. The rapid recovery made by banks after the crisis was the result of powerful, short-term processes related to monetary stabilization.
In 1999 ALL banks with not ultimately damaged franchise were able to recover. In was not a result of new management teams or lessons drown from the previous experience as many Russian bankers claim, but help came from the external factors that lay beyond bankers (and even Russian government) control. These factors are unlikely to last for a long time or be repeated again.
EMISSION STOPPED LIQUIDITY CRISIS
The money base began growing in constant prices in the second quarter of 1999 thanks to greater certainty over the rate of devaluation of the ruble and the rate of inflation. Not by chance did the capital of the banking system stop falling in March 1999. Renewed demand for money meant an end to the liquidity crisis for banks and the opportunity to normally meet their liabilities.
The factors that led to further improvement in the banking system changed in 2000. Russia's substantial trade surplus created the need for massive ruble emission by the Central Bank to prevent an increase in the real exchange rate of the ruble. The Central Bank's monetary policy was formally very tough. The Central Bank offered virtually no refinancing for banks and no financing for the government, but in combination with its policy to support the ruble, monetary policy was very soft. The Central Bank in the first half of the year refrained from raising the reserve requirements, leaving them at their levels on January 1, 2000, and relied more heavily on market instruments to sterilize emission.
Reserve money increased 67% in 1999 and despite a tougher monetary and financial policy, by another 45% in the first half of 2000. As a result of this substantial emission, the banking liquidity crisis has ended in the first half of 1999. Banks that were able to hold on to their business, even if they had lost a large portion of their capital, were able to pay creditors. The acute stage of the crisis ended by the second quarter of 1999, and the recovery process moved into a phase that involved working with bankrupt banks and solving the problem of past due debt.
BANKS SOLVED PAST DUE LOANS PROBLEM BY MID-2000
Russian banks spent more than 51.6 billion rubles to write off bad loans in 1998 - first half 2000, including 16 billion rubles in 1998, 27.2 billion rubles in 1999, and 8.5 billion rubles in the first half of 2000. These figures show the balance of paid and restored (a decrease in reserves in the event of an improvement in loan quality) reserves for possible loan losses. Gross loan reserves created in the two and a half year period from 1998 to mid-2000 were 342.1 billion rubles, but 290.5 billion rubles of this was restored. However, this figure includes a significant amount of double counting. Alfa Bank alone accounted for 124 billion rubles of reserves formed, but 118 billion rubles of this was restored judging by gross figures.
It is no surprise that banks with 100% foreign capital (further - foreign banks) formed most of their reserves in the first few months after the financial crisis, which resulted in a negative capital for most of them. Foreign banks paid 78.2% of total bad loan reserves in 1998 and the first quarter of 1999. For comparison, most Russian banks formed 48.8% of reserves in this period, including 46.9% for Moscow banks and 59.5% for regional banks. This figure was slightly lower, at 44.9%, for the 10 biggest banks as of July 1, 2000 (according to the Interfax-100), not least due to Foreign trade bank, which accounted for nearly 60% of reserves formed by these banks in 1998 and nearly a third of those formed in the first quarter of 1999.
History has shown once again that shareholders interested in real information about bank is a vital factor in achieving an adequate representation of the financial standing of a bank. By quickly forming reserves for bad loans, foreign banks could just as quickly restore profitability and begin to increase their capital. Foreign trade bank and foreign banks were able to receive financing from shareholders after the situation became clear to increase capital and write off bad debt.
The second wave of write-offs came in the final quarter of 1999, when banks paid nearly 11 billion rubles to reserves. Foreign trade bank set the tone again, accounting for nearly 50% of this. Alfa Bank had made massive write-offs in the third quarter of 1999. This surge in reserves shows the impact of a tougher approach by the Central Bank of Russia to the timely formation of reserves. As a result, capital began to grow more slowly, but the share of bad loans dropped from 8.2% to 6.2%.
The biggest write-offs this year were made at two banks – SBS-Agro and Rossijskiy Kredit, which are being restructured by ARCO, which led to a further drop in their capital. In 3rd quarter biggest reserves again were created after recapitalization by Foreign trade bank.
The formation of reserves was completed in the first half of 2000. Many banks that had actively paid reserves in late 1999 and early 2000 are doing the reverse. Alfa Bank and Foreign trade bank in the second quarter of this year paid fewer reserves than they restored.
The consequences of the 1998 financial crisis have been overcome. The problem of bad debt left after the 1998 crisis will no longer have a deciding influence on the profitability of Russian banks.
MARKET NICHE OF INSOLVENT BANKS FILLED
Another important consequence of the crisis - the disappearance of the giant banks, had a negative impact on the market for a relatively short period. The methods of saving bank empires, which were not always fair to creditors, had a positive result for the economy: new banks with a fairly extensive infrastructure quickly occupied the market niche once held by these banks.
Because banks played an insignificant role in the economy the problem of drawn out efforts to restore loans was eliminated. Bank claims on the private sector were just 9.2% of GDP in mid-1998, compared with 34.9% in Mexico on the eve of the 1994 devaluation and 58.2% in South Korea just ahead of the mid-1997 financial crisis there. Since commercial loans were only a very small part of GDP in Russia and were made largely to borrowers that were in some way related to banks, whose assets and liabilities were moved to bridge banks, the problem of settling bad debt was much less acute.
GOVERNMENT PROVIDED LITTLE SUPPORT FOR BANKING SYSTEM
The government and Central Bank have had only an indirect impact on restoring the banking system, as objective economic processes have done much of the work for them. Active government policy towards banking sector was limited to just two banks: Sberbank and Foreign Trade Bank. In 1998 Central Bank purchased from Sberbank part of defaulted government bonds portfolio, which was the main source of bank's record profits for 1998. Capital injections in Foreign Trade Bank by Central Bank amounted to 40 bln rubles. Private banks received little support with 2 noticable exceptions: Avtobank and Alfa-bank. These two banks received loans from Central bank (2.5 bln. rub) and ARCO (1 bln. rub) respectively.
ARCO, the Agency for the Restructuring of Credit Organizations, was supposed to have a recuperative influence on the banking system. The agency has in fact achieved more promising results than has the Central Bank. The agency has shown the best results in the recovery of seven small regional banks – AvtoVAZbank, Vyatka-Bank, Eurasia Bank, Investbank, Kuzbassugolbank, Pyotr Pervy, and Chelyabkomzembank and one Moscow bank – RNKB – which fully paid their debt to the budget and other creditors and have returned to profitable operation since the start of 2000. Its successes in restructuring SBS-Agro and Rossijsky credit were much more modest.
RUSSIAN BANKS LOSING TOP POSITIONS IN ECONOMY
Russia's stronger economy has revealed an important fact – the banking system's claims on a leading role in the economy are untenable. After the financial crisis of 1998 the banking sector will never regain its leading position.
The net profit of Russian enterprises in the first eight months of the year was 673.6 billion rubles, which was 15% more than the loans banks made to enterprises, according to the State Statistics Committee. Russian businesses largely get by without financing from the country's banks.
Industry has firmly claimed center stage in the economy and the banking system is being relegated to its proper place as a provider of financial services instead of an economic flagman. Banks need only occupy their niche in the economy, which opens up new opportunities to develop traditional banking operations but places much higher demands on bank management.
3. Russian Banking System Recovery: Myths And Reality
HAS CREDIT QUALITY IMPROVED?
For the first time in recent years conditions are right in the Russian banking system for a substantial increase in lending. In 1994 – 1998, for each ruble of increase in lending to Russian residents, bank liabilities increased by just 65 kopecks. In other words, the liquid assets of Russian banks dropped by 35 kopecks. This money was either turned into cash or left the financial system altogether. An increase in lending under these conditions resulted in a sharp increase in the liquidity risk.
The reverse was true from the fourth quarter of 1998 throughout 2000. Lending increased amid a substantial increase in liabilities, which in some quarters even topped the increase in lending. In the fourth quarter of 1998 this was caused by devaluation in the ruble and an increase in hard currency obligations over hard currency loans. The factor of an increase in the exchange rate was far less in 1999, but the tendency was the same. Russia has never before seen such an extensive period of credit expansion that did not hurt liquidity. This has happened just once since 1994, (when this information became available) amid similar circumstances in monetary stabilization – in the second quarter of 1995, but the situation quickly changed for the worse.
One of the most cited signs of banking recovery is reduction of the share of bad debts in loan portfolio. Share of past due loans fell from 13.1% to 4.4%, or by 66% in 2 years after the crisis. As already said some of this reduction was due to bad debt write-offs, but this is not the end of the story.
The rapid increase in lending masks the true state of the loan portfolio. The amount of current loans increased by 214% in this period, and 64% of this increase was for loans for more than six months. A change in portfolio structure by providing new loans can lower the share of past due by 24%. The actual share of past due loans among loans to enterprises in all industries in rubles dropped by 51%. So the real improvement in loan quality was not so significant.
The rate of lending expansion raises the question of the degree of balance. As lending increases it is difficult to tell whether the increase in sales by enterprises was the result of an increase in business or the receipt of loans by related enterprises. In the latter instance, there is a great danger of the rapid deterioration in a credit quality if the rate of lending slows down and problems servicing loans arise.
But past due on loans in rubles has already begun to grow in some branches, namely industry and construction, where it was up 6.5% and 15%, respectively. Despite a general drop in the share of past due loans, the increase in these two sectors is alarming.
The actual quality of newly extended loans becomes evident only as they come due in 2000, and given the practice of repeat lending, even later – in 2001 or 2002. Now we can't be sure that new loan expansion is sound.
Changes in loan portfolio of Russian banks to enterprises in 1998 – 2000
Source: Central Bank of Russia
LOAN AND DEPOSIT PYRAMID
Another factor that helped to lower the share of past due was an increase in the monetization of the economy, which was effected through an increase in lending. Lending is growing faster than interest income is received on loans, so a large portion of enterprises can refinance their debt with new loans. The increase in lending facilitates a drop in the share of past due, which drops as a result of increased lending. In any event, it is too soon to say that credit expansion has had a balancing effect as a slower increase in loan portfolios could well lead to an increase in the share of problem loans.
Cost of servicing loans to enterprises in rubles, % annually
1 - net growth rate of loan portfolio (difference of loans extended in a month and interest received), left axis
2 - real interest rate on 3-month loans in rubles, right axis
Source: Interfax CEA
A rare deposit pyramid situation is taking shape in bank liabilities. Deposit operations are bringing a sort of "income." The accumulation of deposits in Sberbank, and at other commercial banks in most of 1999 and 2000, exceeded interest payments even on the highest rates for the whole period. The simple presence of a banking license and trust by clients essentially brought banks "income" even on liability operations, while in a normal situation banks would have to wisely place resources to make payments to creditors.
Cost of servicing deposits in rubles, % annually
1 - net growth rates of deposits (difference of attracted deposits and interest payments), left axis
2 - real interest rate on 3-month deposits in rubles, right axis
There is no need to say that the development of banks in 1999 and 2000 was an exception that strayed far from the canons of banking activity, and such a combination of circumstances can't go on forever. Banks are basically surviving on an external feeding system similar to a financial pyramid. The process of servicing their liabilities is eased by the accumulation of new money and if the resources attracted in this manner are not invested in profitable projects, the end to expansion can put an end to the process of restoration in the banking system. A new crisis could erupt when the real quality of lending is revealed, and the constant refinancing of obligations with new resources will be replaced by the need to pay on these obligations out of bank earnings.
Financial stabilization has created a sort of virtuous circle: A rapid increase in liabilities provides a rapid increase in the loan portfolio, which substantially improves loan quality indicators. This combination of factors creates the illusion of a balanced growth and restoration of the banking system, but at the same time negative tendencies are showing through.
POCKET BANKING VS. COMMERCIAL BANKING
The rapid growth of banks that served exporters was the most prominent phenomenon in late 1999 and early 2000 and was due entirely to favorable trends on world markets. Russia's current accounts surplus in the first half of 2000 was nearly $23 billion (for comparison the assets of the entire Russian banking system on January 1, 2000 were estimated at $58.6 billion). This windfall enabled banks to pay on foreign loans and increase their assets at the same time.
The assets increased in a manner that was quite unfavorable for the economy – assets increased as a result of new money placed on client accounts rather than as a result of increased lending by banks. Less than 40% of the assets increase in the first half of the year was the result of new loans, as the increase in net foreign assets and reserves in the Central Bank of Russia were more significant factors. Reserve money increased entirely under the influence of an increase in the Central Bank forex reserves and the Central Bank even reduced lending to the economy. As a result, the increase in assets was about 60% due to foreign economic trends up until mid-year.
Sources of increased liabilities in banking system in 2000, bln rubles
Naturally foreign trade factors affect only a small number of banks. Banks that have major exporters as their clients were either catapulted into the group of biggest banks or strengthened their positions among them. The recipe for rapid growth in 2000 was fairly simple – make sure you have major exporters as clients and shareholders.
A comparison of the operations of the new leaders and the banks that led the pack prior to the 1998 crisis shows a surprising difference. The leaders of 1998 were active lenders and were the biggest creditors of the economy, and what is particularly important, they made very long-term by Russian standards loans. Many of the new leaders (some of which were among the biggest banks two years ago) are engaged in a very limited range of operations. These banks place a large portion of money on correspondent accounts in foreign banks and the Central Bank of Russia, and focus on corporate settlement accounts, rather than term resources drawn from various sources. Some of the big banks of today not only are not expanding financing to the non-banking sector, but also are even decreasing it. Two years ago a bank with this balance sheet structure would have been immediately classified as a small "pocket" bank that merely performed clearing functions for its parent company and had undeveloped asset operations and low capitalization. By the middle of 2000 many bank leaders were "giant pocket" banks, judging by their balance sheet structure.
Thus, the economic situation put pocket banks in the lead or made pocket banks of those that were once large universal banks. The owners of banks that turned into virtual treasury departments of large corporations could be completely indifferent toward developing a loan business and normal bank business. These shareholders had no need for financing and no need to use banks to accumulate resources of other enterprises. The prospect of additional income from a loan business was unappealing because it first required a sharp increase in bank capital. Lending, in addition to the risks it entails, ties up liquid resources that could be needed in the event of a change in the world market situation.
Balance sheet structure of 100 biggest banks before and after 1998 crisis at mid-year, as % of assets
Structure of assets, %
Structure of liabilities, %
Cash and accounts in Central bank
Deposits in banks
Deposits of banks
Deposits of enterprises
Individualls' deposits
Debt instruments
In theory, which was confirmed by Russian practice in 1997 and 1998, big banks have a greater opportunity to save on scale to increase the effectiveness of their operations as financial consultants. Bigger banks can afford to have a larger share of loans in assets, longer terms of lending and are less in need of liquid funds. Unlike their foreign colleagues, Russian banks are still fairly small, which makes economy of scope very noticeable, the presence of this often comes under question at the world's big banks.
Many of the new leaders have a limited loan business or the scale of their asset operations is far smaller than it could potentially be. Surgutneftegazbank is a good example of this. The bank's record low capitalization (0.5% of assets) would be a cause for concern if it weren't for the structure of asset placement: most of the bank's assets are in correspondent accounts in foreign banks and the Central Bank of Russia. A lead built entirely on liabilities is obviously not very solid and settlement operations are too basic a service to be a long-term competitive advantage.
The situation began to change in the second half of the year as foreign factors lost their influence and the share of the increase in the loan portfolio in increase liabilities to residents began to increase quickly. Over the next six months it will probably return to a more traditional level for Russian banks of 80% - 90%, as in 1994 – 1998.
In other words, the accumulation of resources in the banking system has begun to move toward a qualitative rather than quantitative plane. With this new stage, the participation of the banking system in financing economic growth has finally become possible. A return to normal in the banking system will inevitably have an impact on the competitive advantages of certain groups of banks, but these changes have yet to change much among the group of leaders.
4. Banking Services: Low Start And High Potential
It appears that reality has not lived up to the expectations of the authors of the government mid-term program for banks (the program was developed by the Center for Strategic Research headed by German Gref). There are no signs of rapid development in the banking system. Moreover, the share of banking system assets in GDP has begun to drop. And not only are assets dropping, but reserves and capital are falling as well.
These changes broke the upward trend in the key banking indicators in real terms that followed the stabilization of the ruble in 1995 and was not disturbed by even devaluation. On the contrary, the high share of assets in hard currency led to an accelerated growth in banking assets relative to GDP when the ruble devalued, and the slight drop in capital after devaluation more likely shows the poor quality of reporting by banks than actual well being.
The drop in capital to GDP accelerated in 2000, which was a comparatively good year. The drop was caused by an increase in GDP in real terms, not a drop in indicators, but the fact that banks lag behind processes in the real sector is becoming all the more obvious. Banks have been unable to increase their share, despite even a decrease in non-payments and an increase in the sphere of money circulation.
Lending is limited by undercapitalization of banks, not low competition The amount of loans provided is determined by the financial constraints of banks – liquidity and capital, rather than by low competition in the banking sector. Bank capital only recently topped pre-crisis levels, but lending in the period increased by 130%. The amount of lending was already more than considered prudent in a pre-crisis period. Further expansion comes up against capital to assets restrictions, but liquid assets enable banks to double lending. At the same time, overstating interest rates is possible because of the restriction on loans provided.
Share of key banking indicators in Russian GDP at year-end
* Estimate at close of third quarter
Thus, resources of Russian banks are already sufficient to double lending, continued capital inflows add to this ability every month. Better prospects for the real sector and rising personal incomes both promise high rewards for banks. At this stage of optimistic expectations banks have started struggle for future leadership.
Potential amount of loans Russian banks could provide, bln rubles
5. Struggle For The 2nd Place
Sberbank's position as the biggest retail bank can't be shaken even by the introduction of guaranteed deposits in commercial banks, but a serious battle for corporate clients has unfolded. Improved foreign trade conditions for oil producers and metallurgical companies enabled shareholders to create new banks or resurrect old ones. The increase in industry has made enterprises more desirable clients, which were previously overlooked by Moscow banks.
TRANSIENT LEADERS
The success of certain banks that resulted from foreign economic trends stood out and distracted attention from the processes going on below the surface in the banking system. Economic growth is gradually decreasing the influence of raw materials exporters and is increasing the share held by processing enterprises and the banks that serve them.
Rate of assets increase for main groups of banks out of 100 biggest banks, first half of 2000
The assets of banks that served exports soared by 51.5% in 9 months. But the beginnings of traditional banking business were overshadowed by the impressive rise of banks that served exporters. The regional banks were the first to detect this new trend. The assets of regional banks that were not involved with export companies rose much faster, gaining 66% in the first nine months of the year, outstripping even Sberbank, whose assets grew 42.6% in the period.
On the other hand, foreign banks and banks with extensive branch networks grew more slowly (if problem banks are not included), with assets up 42.6% and 31.0%, respectively, in the 9 months of the year.
A redistribution of power is occurring in the banking system and more often than not the scales are not tipping in favor of banks that serve exporters. These banks increased capital no faster then other groups (25%). With Gasprombank excluded capital increase will be only 10%. Banks with extensive branch networks that were not among the "export banks" increased capital by nearly 40%.
The current rapid growth in earnings of Russian exporters is a temporary phenomenon that is caused by a rise in prices on commodities markets, not by an increase in production volume. Production is increasing in the processing industries. Economic growth will facilitate an increase in the market share of universal banks regardless of world trends.
Even the restoration of the economy cannot cause the banking system to grow faster than GDP, only by working with enterprises. The retail market remains key for banks, as it is the most important source of resources.
For objective reasons related to the structure of the Russian economy, the share of assets of banks that serve raw materials and metals exporters is about 20% - 25% of total banking assets. The unusually high figure for 2000 was the result of a combination of a balance of payments surplus and the effects of devaluation, but the share held by "raw materials' banks will inevitably drop.
Banks with extensive branch networks can expect to double their market share and continue to grow. Competition with Sberbank will be even tougher than in 1996 – 1998, since Russia's biggest bank has defined as its market a segment for working with a large number of enterprises.
At present big assets do not bespeak a bank's potential, instead the nature of a bank's business, the quality of management, and the ability to offer the best range of services are taking on greater significance. Up to a point the creation of a working infrastructure is not manifest in an increase in assets but growth potential is accumulated rapidly. By the same token, banks that have become preoccupied with drawing new resources could easily lose this money, since they may be unable to offer clients the services they want.
Change in share of various groups of banks in assets of 100 biggest banks, %
Source: Interfax-100
There are no commercial banks capable of providing a high level of service to a broad number of enterprises regardless of ownership relations between the bank and the enterprise, and this shortage is most acute in the regions.
The 1998 financial crisis dealt a devastating blow to the biggest banks with large branch networks – Inkombank, SBS-Agro, and Rossiyskiy Kredit. The quality of management at the banks was questionable, and in the end it led to bankruptcy and problems long before the 1998 crisis, but the fact remains – these banks found a niche for working with the population and regional enterprises not affiliated with financial and industrial groups and provided fairly stiff competition for Sberbank, often offering far better terms.
Inkombank, SBS-Agro and Rossiyskiy Kredit undoubtedly were the best known banking trademarks that took years to create. But the full return of the two latter banks to the market following a restructuring through ARKO after a two-year absence and loss of creditors is not likely to be successful if indeed at all possible. Sberbank, which has shifted its focus to the real sector, has filled their niche but there is still room for commercial banks.
Sberbank's lead is unlikely to be toppled in the foreseeable future, but second place remains free. The group of Russia's biggest banks will face big changes because there are no fundamental reasons for the lead held by some banks. Only a bank with a strong regional presence, high capitalization and stable resource base that does not depend on decisions by individual clients can move into second place.
The formula for success is to build a banking business with a large branch network that operates on commercial principles, with a large share of retail banking and corporate finance for enterprises that do not have their own banks. This road is undoubtedly rougher than working for one or a few giants that are often shareholders of the bank, but it has one significant advantage: a bank that adopts this strategy will grow with the economy, while working with exporters, even the biggest ones, always hinges on two important restrictions. First enterprises generally do not allow money to accumulate on their accounts, so banks should not expect an increase in liabilities, and secondly, the export business itself relies on production capacity and world market demand for the product.
The main problem of Russian banks at present is very low franchise value. No bank except Sberbank as fundamental factors that will keep or even increase its market. But most banks are busy building such fundamental strengths, who will succeed is to be seen.
CANDIDATES FOR LEADERSHIP
Branch networks were the most valuable assets left by large banks that left the market as a result of the financial crisis. It is not surprising that many banks were ready to help rehabilitate bankrupt banks on condition they gain access to their branches. Banks that bought or received the branch networks of the defunct giants undoubtedly acquired a valuable asset and laid the foundation for future growth.
The main heirs of fallen empires have yet to make it into the top ten. Menatep St Petersburg, which received most of Menatep's branches, is only 19th in terms of assets; Guta-Bank, which acquired Inkombank branches is 25th, Impex Bank, the successor to Rossiyskiy Kredit is 51st, and Pervoye OVK, which received a large number of SBS-Agro branches, is only 108th in terms of assets. Foreign Trade Bank, which recently acquired Most-Bank, already had a large number of branches, but these branches obviously do not yet play a key role in its business.
The second important factor is the bank's ability to increase capital, which enables it to increase lending. The change in the capital of Russian banks in 1999 and 2000 was quite interesting. It can be likened to a race in which banks take the lead from one another.
Bank leaders in terms of branches
Bank's name (place by assets on Oct. 1, 2000)
Number of regions
At place of registration
SBS-Agro (16) *
Foreign Trade bank (2)
Bank of Moscow (9)
Vozrozhdenie (31)
Avtobank (18)
Guta-Bank (25)
Promstroibank St Petersburg (17)
Sobinbank (22)
Rosbank (11)
Most-bank (33) *
Petrokommerts (29)
MDM-bank (14)
* - banks being restructured. Number in parenthesis indicates bank's rank by assets size as of October 1, 2000.
The capital of large banks grew relatively smoothly up until 2000, but in late 1999 Foreign Trade Bank and Mezhprombank increased their capital to nearly $1 billion. The fate of a new share issue by Mezhprombank was complicated – it was registered only in May 2000. Once it was registered the bank shot into second place in terms of capital. But an increase in capital by Foreign Trade Bank in September by 20 billion rubles moved it in front, putting it first in terms of capital, beating even Sberbank.
Increase in capital by biggest Russian banks in 1999 – 2000, $bn.
The increase in Foreign Trade Bank in September, if it is used to acquire the shares of Soviet banks abroad from the Central Bank of Russia as was supposed, will not affect its capitalization according to international standards. The Basel banking conventions specify that investment in the shares of other financial institutions is not included in a bank's capital. The new recapitalization was already used by Foreign Trade Bank to pay bad loan reserves.
Large capital makes it possible to considerably increase bank operations. Foreign Trade Bank in mid-2000 was able to increase the amount of high-risk assets it had by 190 billion rubles without violating capital to assets requirements and including the recapitalization in September this figure increases to nearly 400 billion rubles (which is more than Sberbank assets adjusted for risk in the middle of 2000).
Potential increase in assets at banks with largest capital
Capital CBR, bln rubles.
Risk weighted assets, Bln rubles
Possible increase in risk weighted assets, Bln rubles
On Oct.1,2000
Maximum allowed
Internation industrial bank
Rosbank
Natioal Reserve bank
MDM-bank
Note: The maximum allowed is based on the assumption that the bank will reach the minimum capital to assets ratio of 10% N1 - capital adequacy ratio (Russian equivalent of Basle Capital Ratio), minimum is set on 10% for banks with capital above 5 million ECU.
Source: Interfax CEA.
It is not clear what sources bank owners expect to tap to increase capital so dramatically. It would be unwise for these banks to maintain a capital to assets ratio of 50%, but dropping it to 25% would require them to double assets. Nonetheless, the very fact that capital has increased shows support by shareholders and is a serious bid for the lead.
Foreign Trade Bank has good cause to claim its spot as the second biggest bank in Russia, given its vast branch network and the largest capital among Russian banks. Despite talk of privatization, a state banking system seems to be forming in Russia, where the key to success is explicit and implicit support from the state.
The recapitalization of Foreign Trade Bank could of course be interpreted as pre-sale preparations, but given that the market value of Sberbank is estimated at $1 billion, the $1.5 billion investment in Foreign Trade Bank might never bring a return. The privatization of banks in former Socialists countries has set no precedent for such large investment. The highest price received for a bank in Central and Eastern Europe was registered in the Czech Republic, where KBC Bank paid $1.4 billion to take over Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka.
To summarize, Russian banking sector is rising fast and fact growth stage will last for at least two years. Stakes made be the Russian banks in their effort to keep and increase the market are very high and some may not win. High potential means also high risks, but dealing with the biggest banks is not always the best option.
6. Doing Business With Russian Banks: "Creative Accounting" Needs Creative Analysis
Analysis of individual Russian banks shows sometimes shocking picture. Usually books of banks look nice on the first glance, but their analysis in dynamics and extracting information from different reporting forms leads to conclusion that many of be biggest banks have serious deficiencies in financial condition. Almost every bank in Russia may be caught for some unsound practices.
Many capital increases were financed by banks themselves by extending loans to shareholders usually with several intermediate steps to hide ends. Very typical is overly high involvement in operations with shareholders. Unfortunately to obtain this kind of information you need to look at Russian banks reports as a way to hide not to reveal information and use many complimentary sources of information.
Perhaps, the least reliable indicator of Russian banks is their profitability. Russian banks showed higher profits in the second quarter of 2000. The 96 biggest banks (not including Sberbank, UNEXIM Bank, SBS-Agro, and Rossijskiy Kredit) in the first quarter reported profits of 3.99 billion rubles and another 5.26 billion rubles in the second quarter.
Correlation between profitability and loan loss reserves
Note: Loss-making banks and banks with profit or more than 5% of assets in the half-year were not included
The reverse was true for Sberbank, which posted a profit of 5.14 billion rubles in the first quarter and just 740 million rubles in the second quarter. Sberbank's high first quarter profit was the result of high interest earnings on government securities. As a result, the total profit earned by solvent banks in the second quarter was 6.57 billion rubles, compared with 9.13 billion rubles in the first quarter.
A more thorough analysis shows that profit increased due to a drop in the write off of bad debts. In other words, at the will of bank management. Profit before reserves, which shows the foundation of bank profitability, was down 40% for the 100 biggest banks. Most banks by mid-2000 (with the only exception of Foreign Trade Bank) had written off bad debt left over from the 1998 financial crisis and now have balance sheets with a low share of past due loans.
It would be logical to suppose that the amount of reserves paid would depend on the quality of assets and be negatively related to bank profit before reserves (poorer quality of assets should at the same time lead to a drop in profit and an increase in reserves paid). But the figures do not support this.
In actuality the reverse dependence of profitability and the amount of reserves paid is made only for loss-making banks. For banks with better financials, the amount of reserves made is directly proportionate to profit before reserves are paid. Banks generally do not make the required amount of reserves, but pay only enough to avoid losses. The diagonal line in the figure separates the banks that made loan reserves and took losses (these banks are below the line) from banks that chose to limit the amount of reserves made to prevent losses. The figure clearly shows that the vast majority of banks opted for the latter strategy and this dependence is characterized by a very great significance even through an econometric test. It was because of this policy by most banks, generally supported by the Central Bank of Russia, that the write off of bad debt was stretched out over nearly two years.
It would be more correct to talk about profit received by banks as the profit given by the banks, rather than as an objective indicator of financial results. Most banks aimed for a figure that would be about 1% of assets for the half year to provide an "average market" level of profit, which actually shows the level of profitability determined by bank management.
Unfortunately, profits are not the only and most important distorted parameter. There are big banks with share of past due loans well below 1% of loans as shown on their books, but detailed analysis of different reporting forms suggests that the actual share is no less then 26% of loan portfolio. High capital is not enough guarantee for creditors, as it may be filled by bank's own loans.
Important problem in dealing with Russian banks is that they are fairly liquid and do not have serious problems servicing their debts. At the same time such liquidity has very transient nature and is not guaranteed be the same half year later. Even an insolvent banking system with high enough liquidity can conceal and accumulate problems as long as necessary.
Outsiders are often mislead by Russian reporting. Sometimes even Central bank takes steps to help Russian banks to hide their true condition. As a result reports may even comply to Central bank's standards but still be deceptive if judged by an outsider.
To our opinion some of basically unsound Russian banks with large amount of shareholder operations received recently upgrades of international rating. Most of the famous Russian bankrupts have been named "Best bank", received "Awards for excellence" and other flattering titles.
More forward looking analysis is needed that will see beyond current success that may be caused by uneconomic reasons. In fact some very successful banks may not be sound judged by their franchise value. Nowadays it's true more then ever.
Transparency of Russian banks is very low. Bank analysis in Russia needs to take into account a lot of local specifics and use much additional information on banks' and its peers standing.


Create your own Sara Vario photo album online by selecting one of the sizes below.
If you require over blocking text on the front cover, when you have completed you album design, click on the "order more" button and select the over blocking option at the bottom of this page. Please enter your required text in the Comments box on the Customer Details page when placing your order.


text:
July 7, 2018 July 16, 2018 soccernyc
Watching Queens Pass By on a Quarterfinals Journey
Match Day 20 — July 7, 2018
The Match: Croatia finally took out Russia on penalties
The Venue: Cafe Baltazar in Astoria
The Vibe: Astoria in 2018
A father sat on the floor with his two little boys playing a board game while a stream of Croatians and their allies squeezed past at halftime. We were polite, waiting for the exiters to step through the gap in the crowd before we moved further inside the bar.
In the back of the Baltazar in Astoria, an empty Fritos bag sat crinkled between two sippy cups on a table sprinkled with chip dust. There, on a stool in front of a television, the most diehard Croatian supporter, the only one watching with his hands to his mouth, his eyebrows knitted intensely, was actually Australian.
He was staying at a hotel nearby and asked the concierge where he should watch the match. He was a diehard Croatian supporter, said he played in a pub league with a bunch of Croatians at home, but he was one of the few in my corner of the bar. I stood next to several WASPy kids in fraternity t-shirts who chatted about summer break plans throughout the second half.
This was a far cry from the 2014 World Cup, where the Croatian fans at Scorpio Bar stood on tables, thumped the ceiling and ripped cigarettes after every goal in their 4-0 win against Cameroon. That was the closest approximation of hooliganism I've encountered inside a New York City bar.
Scorpio closed about a year ago, though.The lease got too expensive, a guy in a blue Croatia jersey at Baltazar told me. Another casualty of the cutthroat New York City real-estate market.
And so the evolution of Croatian viewing parties tracks the evolution of Astoria, perhaps even serves as a window into the gentrification of the neighborhood, where the average rental price for a one-bedroom is $2,109.
Here's one more change since summer 2014. I took an Uber to the bar. I didn't have even have the app four years ago.
Baltazar is nice, well lit and airy with plenty of television, including two above the bar. Exposed filament light bulbs dangle from the ceiling and the sleek chrome bar is topped with a shiny black countertop. Rows of martini glasses rest on the shelves behind the bartenders.
The old school holdouts, like the middle-aged guy in a Croatia flag bandana and cargo shorts, seemed to congregate on the concrete patio outside, where they could chain smoke and grimace through a tense second-half draw.
The new school, meanwhile, debated local politics.
Two non-Croatians behind me began chatting about the pitch-side ads, which reminded them of the money Rep. Joe Crowley raised before his shocking loss to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
I had to leave at the end of the 90 minutes to attend an event in Brooklyn. On the way to the train, I stopped at a pizza place down the block where the head cook wore an Ocasio-Cortez t-shirt. I told him nice shirt and, a minute later, he called me over as I watched the match alone on the projector screen in the back of the shop.
"Let me ask you a question," he said. "Do you like de Blasio?"
"He's not as progressive as he pretends to be," I responded.
"That's it," the cook said and smiled.
I ate a slice, watched Vida score the go-ahead goal and heard the eruption from Baltazar down the block. I hurried to the R and headed a few stops east to the Q58 bus in Elmhurst. While I waited, I ducked into a dim dive bar on Grand Avenue five seconds after Russia scored to tie it up. I watched the replays and when I poked my head out of the door the arrived. Strange timing overall.
I stood on the bus and followed the penalty kicks on my soccer app's live ticker until a young guy in a pink Barcelona Sporting Club jersey boarded. I noticed he was watching the shootout on his iPhone, so I stood behind him.
Together, we watched the end of the match via his choppy internet connection, which enabled us to see one new frame every five seconds. Rakitic sealed the game just before I got off in Maspeth and walked home to Ridgewood.
croatia v russia
joe crowley
Previous Watching a Stunning Finish at a Familiar Spot
Next Soccer Fraud Cases Roll Through Brooklyn Federal Court
fredbrandsgrandstand says:
What a writer! Are you sure I'm not reading something by the living reincarnation of Jimmy Breslin?


The SwipeTrack iOS Browser is the only fully-featured iOS application built specifically for integration of commercial grade hardware (like the Linea Pro, Infinea Tab, P25i Bluetooth Printer, and CHS Bluetooth Handheld Scanners) into custom web applications.
The application works as a secure and stable "wrapper" for your web application, making your custom business application feel like a native iOS application. The SwipeTrack browser works by converting the "raw" barcode images and magnetic card data into easily readable data and then passing that data to your web application. The browser can also take "raw" html (including CSS styling) and convert it to a printable receipt for printers.
The SwipeTrack browser is built with businesses in mind. Used worldwide by distribution centers, museum collections, in-house ticketing applications, car rental agencies and large political campaigns, and non-profits (to name a few) the browser is packed with features that allow you to leverage the full power of hardware integration. Adding support to your web application is easy and if you ever run into any trouble our helpful support team is standing by to assist with any issues you may have.
Our easy to use and well documented Application Programming Interface (API) can get you smoothly integrated and up and running in no time. In fact, you can use our "direct method" scanning and scan barcodes directly into form fields of websites without any code integration at all. Using our application "callback," your application can control specific features of the app, including setting the homepage, displaying and hiding the address and navigation bars, playing integrated sounds, and even firing the barcode scanning engine.
With over 30 hardware integrations, the SwipeTrack Browser works in a variety of different environments.
Forgot your scanner in the warehouse but need to scan a barcode now? That's not a problem with SwipeTrack's built-in camera scanner. Using the devices on-board camera you can scan barcodes & credit cards the same way you would with your hardware based scanner. No need for extra code, the camera scanning feature uses the same code as the hardware scanners allowing for simple integration.
The SwipeTrack Browser (and white-label variations of it) is used worldwide in nearly every industry. With over 80,000 worldwide downloads, the application's flexibility and advanced feature integration have allowed it to become the #1 hardware integration application in the Apple App Store.
The SwipeTrack browser has been rigorously tested by hundreds of companies worldwide and has undergone PCI testing within the scope of numerous applications. Our team is constantly monitoring any crash reports we receive and we proactively issue immediate updates to correct any problems. The last thing you need is your application crashing in the middle of a transaction, and we have gone to great lengths to insure that it will never happen.
Our knowledgeable support team is available to help you with any issues you encounter. Are we missing a feature you need? Let us know and we will gladly work it into our next release. We started out with a simple web-wrapper application and now we have a feature packed business hardware integration application, all thanks to feature requests from our customers.
We are constantly improving our applications - let us know so we can evaluate it.


Practical and stylish, the ECCO LINEA POUCH WALLET is equipped with multiple card slots and pockets – keeping all your cards, notes and coins safely stowed away. The lustrous ECCO leather construction is offset with a distinctive geometric detail, embossed logo and high-quality hardware, making it both classic and contemporary at the same time. Lined in our durable Baby Ottoman lining with water-repellent characteristics, it fastens with a top zip to keep valuables safe.
Top zip securely closes to protect belongings. Features an internal zip pocket, three credit card slots and one slip-in pocket.


Postcodes were introduced into Britain for the first time on this day in 1959. This system divided up the whole of the UK into postal districts and there are now more than 1.7 million postcodes covering 30 million addresses.
Travis - Box, boxes or both?
Happy Halloween! Here's a bunch of frighteningly funny Halloween facts and funnies.
The very first Apple IPod, which was released on this day in 2001. The name IPod was inspired by the Stanley Kubrick movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, and in particular from the line... "Open the pod bay door, Hal".
Martin Luther King Jr was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on this day in 1964.
A Stop Motion first: Who took the last biscuit?
Look out Morph and move over Wallace and Gromit. The rise of the stop motion app is making the art of animated filmmaking accessible to anyone with a smart phone.
The Post Office Tower - the tallest building of its day - opened in London on this day in 1965.
Happy Birthday Jackie! How old is she? We'd never be so rude as to ask a girl her age.