text:
Superbowl Linkfest
February 3, 2008 7:30pm by Barry Ritholtz
Last week's Fed panic, combined with extremes in sentiment, appears to have set at least a tradeable low. Over the past 10 days, from trough to peak, the Dow, S&P and Nasdaq all moved 10% or better.
About half of that came about this week. The Dow gained 536 points, or 4.4%, to 12,743 for its best week since 2003. The S&P 500 also had its biggest weekly gain in ~five years — about 4.9%. The big winners were REITs (+6.3%), and the perenially weak Russell2000 (+6.1%). The Nasdaq ended a five-week losing streak (+3.7%) whlie Global stocks (+3.3%) also did well.
Gold was marginally down for the week (0.2%); Crude oil lost nearly 2%. The dollar added to its woes, falling nearly 3/4 of a %, bringing its shrinkage to 9.2% over the past year.
Barron's Trader column had this to say:
CAN THIS STOCK BOUNCE be trusted? The S&P 500 skidded to its January low accompanied by the kind of heavy selling often seen at stock-market bottoms. For example, the crop of New York Stock Exchange stocks falling to 52-week lows had swelled to 859 — near levels seen in July 2002.
Last week, citing the "sharp decline in the stock market combined with soaring values for high-quality bonds," LPL Financial nudged up its allocation to stocks to 70% from 65% while cutting bonds. A week earlier, Banc of America Securities prodded its stock allocation up five percentage points to 65%. Nearly all Street firms' allocations are still below their peak levels.
Healthy corporate balance sheets, hardly-exorbitant valuations and crouching sovereign wealth funds waiting to pounce all should limit downside stock risk in this correction. Also, "the benefit of emerging markets to the global economy is probably greater than in prior bear markets," notes Goldman Sachs strategist David Kostin.
On the other hand, the correction might eventually prove more severe, since investors are facing the kind of credit degradation not seen in previous pullbacks, and housing prices are still 10% to 30% above fair value. "Declining employment, falling consumer confidence and high oil prices strongly suggest consumer spending will slow," he says. Profit margins near all-time highs of 8.2% also could slip toward the 30-year average of 5%.
Enough Ben Steinery! We have a football game to watch !
• U.S. Stocks Post Biggest Weekly Gain in Five Years U.S. stocks rose the most in five years after the Federal Reserve's second interest rate cut in nine days boosted banks, homebuilders and retailers. (Bloomberg)
• Even With Fresh Rate Cut, a Bear Market Awaits: But when so much is being made about what
the Fed is doing by not only stock-market pundits but also mainstream
news and even politicians, we have to step back to let the dust settle.
From a charting perspective, the stock market is at a very critical
juncture with the Standard & Poor's 500 facing very stiff
resistance (Barron's)
• What Investors Need to Know About Historical Data (TheStreet.com)
• Tiger's Julian Robertson roars again: As I learned in a series of
conversations with Robertson over the past six months, the man once
known as "The Wizard of Wall Street" for the incredible success he had
running his hedge fund firm Tiger Management has been on a magical run
while most of the world wasn't watching. According to returns provided
by Robertson exclusively to Fortune, he earned a stunning 76.7% return
in 2007 managing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of his own money.
(Fortune)
• Financial Sector: More Damage to Come
• The Bubble Bursts:
Our economy is in serious trouble," writes Eric Janszen in the cover
story for the February Harper's. "Both the production-consumption
sector and the FIRE [finance, insurance and real estate] sector know
that a debt-inflation Armageddon is nigh, and both are praying for a
timely miracle, a new bubble to keep the economy from slipping into a
depression." (Harpers)
• Say Farewell To Ben Stein
• Cash of the Titans: You can't lose a fortune unless you have it in the first place. Wall
Street moguls' stock holdings in their own companies lost them a
combined $842 billion since the frothy days of just last year. Who
escaped the least scathed? Citigroup's new CEO, Vikram Pandit, who
didn't get his shares until January 22. (NY Magazine)
• HomeBuilders vs Financials
• The Market's Echo Chamber: Call
it the rise of financial populism. Cramer is its biggest star and, in
some ways, it has fundamentally altered the climate in which the
Federal Reserve makes economic policy. Throughout its history, the Fed
has rarely been popular (the peaceful period in the 1990s under Alan
Greenspan was an exception). People often blame the Fed for recessions
or high interest rates. But traditionally, politicians, business
leaders and unions have been the most vocal critics. (Newsweek)
• "Reports of decoupling have been greatly exaggerated."
• The Bond 'Transformers' Troubles at U.S. bond insurers are forcing industry regulators to rethink a decade-old legal loophole that allowed insurers to venture into the obscure world of derivatives. The housing downturn is threatening to cripple some bond insurers that wrote billions of dollars of guarantees in the past few years on securities backed by risky subprime-mortgage debt. They entered into contracts known as credit-default swaps, which are derivative instruments that require firms to pay out money when a bond defaults. The ability of bond insurers to make good on their guarantees is in question. (WSJ)
• A list of all time Trading losses (wikipedia) It runs out your snafu with Enron, WCOM, LU, PETS was, relatively speaking, minor.
• From the people who brought you Mortgage-iplode-o-meter, comes: Bank Implode
• Down to the Last Drop of Profit Growth:
Stocks are allegedly cheap now, at 17 times 2007 earnings. Unfortunately, the cheapness argument falls on its face once we realize
that pretax profit margins are hovering at an all-time high of 11.9%,
almost 40% above their average of 8.5% since 1980. Once profit margins
revert to their historical mean, the "E" in the P/E equation will
decline. If the market made no price change in response, its P/E would
rise from 17 to 23.8 times trailing earnings. (Barron's)
• For the Fed, Credit Counts More than Stocks: "It is very clear — if it wasn't before — that the Fed is now on a mission," writes David Rosenberg, Merrill Lynch's North American economist. "At no time in the past three decades have we seen 125 basis points of rate cuts in a week."The Fed seems to be looking beyond the rally in equities — perhaps, like us, seeing it as a technical short-covering bounce more than anything else — and focusing on the deterioration in the credit markets," Rosenberg adds. (Barron's)
• Ackman Devoured 140,000 Pages Challenging MBIA Rating: (Bloomberg) — It was the $109,000 photocopying bill that hedge fund manager William Ackman says made him realize how much he'd read and underlined before betting against bond insurer MBIA Inc. in 2002. His law firm charged him for copying 725,000 pages of financial statements and other documents, 140,000 of them about MBIA, to comply with a subpoena. Following New York and U.S. probes of his trading and reports, Ackman persisted in challenging MBIA's AAA credit rating for more than five years, based on his own research. (Bloomberg)
• A Growth Maven's New Favorite: Gold: Compare gold with the value of the Dow Jones and the value of the dollar, it's not up nearly as much as one might think. At most tops in gold, gold and the Dow Jones Industrial Average sell at the same price. Right now, gold is about one-fourteenth the price of the Dow. We are denigrating the value of our currency at a much faster rate than we have in the past. One has to come to decisions on how to protect the value of money. Cash is king in the minds of some people. But the biggest question associated with that decision is what currency do you keep your cash in? (Barron's)
• Has Barton Biggs become a survivalist nut? Dude: Settle the F%$# Down
The Wall of worry continues to build:
• An open letter to the FOMC chair Dear Ben . . .
• IMF Forecasts Global Slowdown As U.S. Provides Primary Drag: The U.S. will skirt a recession this year, the International Monetary Fund predicted, yet American growth will slow sharply enough to drag on economies around the world. In its latest forecast, the IMF said U.S. economic growth will slow to 1.5% in 2008 from 2.2% last year. Largely as a result, the IMF expects world-wide growth to decline to 4.1% this year from 4.9% in 2007. That means, in essence, that the problems caused by the U.S. housing slump and meltdown in the market for subprime mortgages are radiating globally. (WSJ)
• U.S. payrolls: Negative 17,000 + Huge Downward Revisions for 2007
• Fed May Cut Rate Below Inflation, Risking Bubbles — The Federal Reserve may push
interest rates below the pace of inflation this year to avert
the first simultaneous decline in U.S. household wealth and
income since 1974. (Bloomberg)
• BLS Overstated Job Creation by 14.38% in 2007
• Harvard Prof Ricardo Hausmann: Stop behaving as whiner of first resort macroeconomic policy should not be based on a panicky attempt to avoid a 2008 recession at all costs but on a forward-looking strategy that achieves the needed reduction in consumption at the lowest cost in terms of the stable growth. This is not achieved by giving US households a $1,000 cheque by April, a trick that no macroeconomic textbook would argue is particularly effective. If there is fiscal room – a big if, given the weak structural position of the US government and its likely cyclical worsening – it would be better spent in accelerating investments in plant and equipment via accelerated depreciation schemes, to improve the capacity of the economy to keep on growing after the crisis. (FT)
• 4th Q GDP: El Stinko
• The U.S. Economy Faces the Guillotine: The Great Global Market Freak-Out of 2008 has everyone asking whether the United States—already on the road to recession—is entering into a protracted period of economic trouble where jobs will be slashed, prices will continue to rise and the dollar will keep falling; and if so, whether the declining U.S. economy will pull the rest of the world down with it. (Newsweek)
• BE YOUR OWN ECONOMIST
• China's Inflation Hits American Price Tags: China's latest export is inflation. After falling for years, prices of Chinese goods sold in the United States have risen for the last eight months. (NYT)
• Bond Insurers Face Downgrade Despite Call for Delay
• Wall Street Embraces Government to Avoid Recession:
The worst drop in new home sales on record has turned financial leaders
into champions of big government with everyone from Russo to executives
at Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. supporting public
measures to keep the housing market from sinking the economy. It's a
change from Wall Street's usual stance that markets work best without
government interference. "Sentiment can change when there's money on
the line, even in an industry that up to now has been doctrinally
opposed to government having a role in the markets," said Thomas
Schelling, a Nobel laureate in economics who taught at Harvard
University for 30 years. (Bloomberg)
• U.S. sales slowdown hits McDonald's
• In America, land of the bubbles, the next pop will be the biggest: This new ideology is extremely dangerous: It assumes
the American economy can no longer be managed by politicians or Wall
Street quants. The "new economy" has a life of its own, a "Terminator"
from a dark future, an "I, Robot" from Asimov's sci-fi world. Yes, our economy has
become a self-sustaining "bubble-blowing machine" inventing new bubbles
at warp-speed even before the last is buried, in endless reincarnations
of Schumpeter's "creative destruction" cycles. (Marketwatch)
• BusinessWeek cover story: Housing Meltdown: Why home prices could drop 25% more on average before the market finally hits bottom
• More Bogus Numbers from the Mortgage Industry
• I'll Buy Your House If You Buy Mine: Fans say swapping is suited to the current down market, where people are extra nervous about buying a new house before selling their old home. (Real Estate Journal)
• Housing Downturn Takes A Toll On Land Prices for the land beneath the housing bubble have sunk under the weight of the mortgage mess, with vacant lots becoming hard to move.
Property analysts say the quagmire hasn't engulfed nonresidential land, though, and some big investors are still bulls. The ones having the tough time are home builders, banks and small investors who aimed to flip property at a profit. Housing is clearly where it hurts: National home builders bought up land at the peak of the housing boom in July 2005, in an attempt to beat further price increases. But instead of land appreciation, they've seen prices fall all across the U.S. by varying amounts, says Gopal Ahluwalia, vice president of research for the National Association of Home Builders. (IBD)
• Site of the Day: You Walk Away Dot Com
• Applications for Refinancing Mortgages Increase: Homeowners' applications to refinance loans surged again in the
Mortgage Bankers Association's latest survey of filings, rising 22.1% last week
from the previous one. According to the survey, refinancings accounted for 73% of the
total number of mortgage applications filed during the week ended Friday, up
from 66% the previous week. Applications for new mortgages to buy homes decreased by a
seasonally adjusted 17.7% on a week-to-week basis. (Real Estate Journal)
WAR/MEDIA/POLITICS/ENERGY
• Herb Greenberg Calls Out Larry Kudlow
• US Envoy: Iran Gained From US Invasions:
is stronger today because of the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and
Iraq, the American ambassador to the United Nations said Friday. The
2003 invasion of Iraq removed a key rival of Shiite Iran with the
ouster of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated government. Iran has
friendly ties with the Shiites now in power in Iraq. (AP)
With Super Tuesday just 48 hours away, we went heavy on some interesting election articles:
• With most Super Tuesday contests open, independents to play role in picking the winners More than half the states holding presidential contests next month on Super Tuesday allow unaffiliated voters to participate, giving millions of independents a chance to shape what is usually an insider affair among Democratic and Republican loyalists. (AP)
• WTF?!? Ann Coulter endorses Hillary Clinton (YouTube!)
• FundRace2008 makes it easy to search by name or address to see which presidential candidates your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors are contributing to. Or you can see if your favorite celebrity is putting their money where their mouth is.
• Why Republicans Like Obama Barack Obama is not only popular among Democrats, he's also an appealing figure to many Republicans. Former GOP House member Joe Scarborough, now a host on MSNBC, reports that after every important Obama speech, he is inundated with e-mails praising the speech — with most of them coming from Republicans. William Bennett, an influential conservative intellectual, has said favorable things about Obama. So have Rich Lowry of National Review and Peggy Noonan. And so have I. A number of prominent Republicans I know, who would wage a pitched battle against Hillary Clinton, like Obama and would find it hard to generate much enthusiasm in opposing him. What is at the core of Obama's appeal? (WaPo)
• White House 2008: General Election Polling
• The Line on Running Mates: Although neither party has settled on a nominee just yet, the speculation about who will be No. 2 on the ticket has already begun in earnest. Until we have nominees, the vice presidential Line will focus on the likeliest veep picks (in alphabetical order) for the candidates still in the running. Once a nominee for each party is picked, we'll start ranking the VP "candidates" from most likely to least likely to be selected. (The Fix)
• Legacy of Deficits Will Constrain Bush's Successor: Despite his efforts, Mr. Bush failed to work out a deal with Congress to tackle the spiraling costs of government health and retirement programs. The next president, if he or she serves two terms, could find the U.S. government so deeply in hock that it would face losing its Triple-A credit rating, something that has never happened since Moody's Investors Service began grading U.S. securities in 1917.As a result, the ambitions of Mr. Bush's successor to cut taxes, institute universal health care or aid troubled homeowners might have to give way to the reality of soaring costs for Social Security, the Medicare program for the elderly and the Medicaid program for the poor. (Free WSJ)
• In Campaign 2008, Pollsters Are Biggest Losers The expected huge voter turnout in next week's Super Tuesday primaries is likely to cause red faces among pollsters — again. The polling industry missed Hillary Clinton's comeback in New Hampshire, vastly underestimated Barack Obama's victories in Iowa and South Carolina, and overestimated John Edwards's strength in Nevada by a factor of four or five. On the Republican side, John McCain did better in South Carolina than most polls predicted, Mike Huckabee did better in Iowa, and Mitt Romney shredded the predictions in the Nevada caucuses. (WSJ)
• The Microsoft Yahoo (Micro-Hoo!) takeover announcement dominated Friday's news. Here's some interesting writings on the deal:
– Microsoft/Yahoo: Data on Properties vs Search Traffic (Infectious Greed)
– Micro-Hoo!™: Desktop vs Internet (Big Picture)
– Why Yahoo! Can't Fix Microsoft (Forbes)
– Microsoft's Inner Thoughts on Online Advertising (Bits)
– Yahooligans at the Window (Newsweek)
• A Giant Bid That Shows How Tired the Giant Is: This is Microsoft we're talking about, and if its proposed acquisition of Yahoo signals anything, it serves as a confirmation that Microsoft's glory days are in the past. Having failed to challenge Google where it matters most — in online advertising — it has been reduced to bulking up by buying Google's nearest but still distant competitor. In many ways, the company has become exactly what Bill Gates used to fear the most — sluggish, bureaucratic, slow to respond to new forms of competition — just as I.B.M. was when Microsoft convinced that era's tech behemoth to use Microsoft's operating system in its new personal computer. (NYT)
Is the Tipping Point Toast?
• Ditching Vista: How To Downgrade To Windows XP
• WTF California? Sunnyvale homeowners told to cut redwoods that block solar panels
• A company receives a patent for "a mobile entertainment and
communication device" on Monday the 22nd then, at 12:01 a.m. the next
day sues Apple, Nokia, RIM, Sprint, AT&T, HP, Motorola, Helio, HTC,
Sony Ericsson, UTStarcomm, Samsung and a bunch of others.
• Pigs Could Be the Salvation of Diabetes Sufferers (Scientific American)
• Origin of the Specious: Why do neoconservatives doubt Darwin?
• Discovery backs theory oil not 'fossil fuel'
• 100 Posts for Organizing Your Life (bootstrapper)
MUSIC BOOKS MOVIES TV FUN!
• Shelby Lynne's Just A Little Lovin' is a new
album of Dusty Springfield covers sounds — it sounds great. (You can stream most of the album here: Shelby Lynn)
• WGA Strike: An end in sight? (Variety)
• Study says many studies suck
• Sarah Silverman has something to tell Jimmy Kimmel. Just frickin hilarious.
• This is much more than an ordinary retail display page (fun!)
• FailBlog — crude, but amusing . . .
• Ever wonder what 5 feet of snow in 5 days looks like? Check out i90 SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash (flickr)
That's all from the NorthEast, where we gladly take the Giants and 12 . . .
Got a comment, suggestion, link idea? Or do you just have
something on your mind? The linkfest loves to get email! If you've got something to say, send email to thebigpicture [AT] optonline [DOT] net.
Dave commented on Feb 3
BTW… for the record… True dynasties never lose Superbowls (or cheat for that matter).
Congrats Barry.
zero529 commented on Feb 3
I've complained here before about shrinking cartons of ice cream (what?!? a half gallon is now 56 oz?).
Now I've noticed that molasses isn't what it used to be. My jar from a year or two ago says each tablespoon contains 15 g sugar. I bought a new jar today (same brand, etc.) and it now contains just 10 g sugar. It's like my molasses ain't molasses anymore (which is trouble for my basement science). I'm paying for what, 30% more water?
Don't worry, inflation ex-molasses is under control.
John commented on Feb 3
Well, being a Redskins Fan I have to say that tonight I've never routed for the Giant's so hard in my life. Was out at a Superbowl Party (25-30 people) in Virginia and not one (NOT ONE) person was routing for a Patriots win.
Can't imagine why. All the ESPN pundits pro-claiming how the Patriots are (were) the greatest team ever… Having to endure Tom Brady's season long whiny little expressions coming off the field after not scoring a touchdown. Belichek's downright arrogance and demeanor…Tonight he looked like a sore looser.
The Giant's Defense brought pressure all night on Brady — from beginning to end, and Planted his Ass in the Dirt on several occasions. It was good to see Jeff Feagles, Manning and Tom Coughlin get a Superbowl win–especially after the constant berating Coughlin has taken in N.Y.
Greatest Team Ever huh??? Well the Giants just shoveled a HUGE Steaming PIle of DogSh*t onto that theory…
I think a Large Portion of the Country is going to sleep pretty well tonight….
bt commented on Feb 4
Google actively working on scuttling the Micro-Who deal: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/technology/04yahoo.html?hp
Jeff commented on Feb 4
Was there any positive economic news last week? ISM? Durable goods?
If there had been no Birth/death adjustment, what would the error in BLS forecasts have been? Better or worse than 14.38%?
Any progress last week on bond insurers?
Any economists seeing improved prospects?
Any companies seeing good earnings and a normal economy — not just McDonalds? There were a few other reports….
Any chance that the Fed moves might help the economy? For a while before the inflation hits? Any respite before the next bubble?
Are there any stocks or sectors that fit your current views on the economy? Recession play? No tech, no cyclicals? Gold?
Just wondering….
SINGER commented on Feb 4
GEEEEEEEEEEEEE MEN!!!!!!!
wunsacon commented on Feb 4
>> Discovery backs theory oil not 'fossil fuel'
The bio from the "reporter" writing the article on "worldnetdaily":
Jerome R. Corsi is a staff reporter for WND. He received a Ph.D. from Harvard University in political science in 1972 and has written many books and articles, including his latest best-seller, "The Late Great USA." Corsi co-authored with John O'Neill the No. 1 New York Times best-seller, "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry." Other books include "Showdown with Nuclear Iran," "Black Gold Stranglehold: The Myth of Scarcity and the Politics of Oil," which he co-authored with WND columnist Craig. R. Smith, and "Atomic Iran."
Whatever the rate of alleged abiotic oil production, it's certainly not replenishing the stripper wells in Texas or the North Sea oil fields, where folks are next working on exploiting the gas caps now occupying the space where there used to be oil.
I went to theOilDrum.com, to see what they say about abiotic oil. For them, debunking "it's-a-myth-that-oil-is-a-finite-resource" arguments is a frustrating game of whack-a-mole that deters sensible public discussion and policy planning.
Tangentially, this guy reminds me of the editor for a GW "debunker" website, who says GW is junk science. What is that guy's bio? It included work downplaying second-hand smoke on behalf of the tobacco industry. Nice track record. Sure inspires confidence.
ali Beladi commented on Feb 4
MSFT's purchase of Yahoo reminds me of Viacom's stupid purchase of AOL and the subsequent immense destruction of stock holder's Loss of Capital.
1 – GOOG's search technology is the secret to their great rise and becoming the greatest company since Adam and Eve migration from the heavens to Earth.
Niether Yahoo, nor MSFT has such a secret super search technology. Therefore the combination will be cause massive share holder loss. That means MSFT stock holders will see their stock slide to $15 (50% haircut) within two years or less.
May be Bill gates and Balmar are not as smart as they look.
Viacom paid close to $200,000,000 for AOL. They can't even give it away for free today, less than 7 years later.
MSFT is on it's way to becoming an old loser.
Greg0658 commented on Feb 4
has a banner for mycokerewards.commmmmmm
its on my email server too
there outta be a law that if a banner hijacks a website download for more than a second you can send them a bill for your time
Paul in NYC commented on Feb 4
Heh. Patriots still among the best teams ever.
NFC win says the markets are up? Doubt it this year.
TexasHippie commented on Feb 4
Barry, you linked to a nice article about MicroIslet: Pigs Could Be the Salvation of Diabetes Sufferers. Is that the extent of your relationship with MII or are you succesfully influencing their investor relations?
Justin Diamond commented on Feb 16
I was lucky enoough to go the Superbowl, thanks to the great price I got the Superbowl tickets for at Swickets.com.
Giants are Superbowl Champs!!!
Patriots are 18-1.
December 20, 2011 Psy Cycle (Updated)
May 7, 2016 10 Weekend Reads
February 7, 2016 Then and Now: Super I to Super Bowl 50
Street.com redesign
Blog Traffic as a Contrary Market Indicator


Hello there. I will be in Warsaw in April. I want to spend good time and explore the city. Do you have any advice about the food, places, hobbies or events?
I am already checking the travel websites, but if you have any good experiences about the city (which is not popular), please share them here.


Excellent condition. Authentic Bvlgari Bzero1 Silver Watch Black face.
Good condition. Authentic Bvlgari Bvlgari Silver Watch/ Black face.
Good condition. Authentic Prada Tessuto Black Nylon Fringe Sling Bag.


text:
"""
Signals management for the Members app.
"""

##########################################################################
## Imports
##########################################################################

import hashlib

from django.dispatch import receiver
from django.db.models.signals import post_save

from members.models import Profile
from django.contrib.auth.models import User

##########################################################################
## User Post-Save Signals
##########################################################################

@receiver(post_save, sender=User)
def update_user_profile(sender, instance, created, **kwargs):
    """
    Creates a Profile object for the user if it doesn't exist, or updates
    it with new information from the User (e.g. the gravatar).
    """
    ## Compute the email hash
    digest = hashlib.md5(instance.email.lower().encode('utf-8')).hexdigest()

    if created:
        Profile.objects.create(user=instance, email_hash=digest)
    else:
        instance.profile.email_hash = digest
        instance.profile.save()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
It's Illegal, but Poker's Still a Big Deal in Israel
Thousands of Israelis play in tournaments and at illicit events. Texas Hold'em aficionados insist it's a game of skill, but the courts say it's all luck – which makes it illegal.
Lior Lerner
Joe McKeehen of Philadelphia poses with stacks of cash after winning the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, November 2015. Was it all a matter of luck?Credit: AP
If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has his way, Israelis could one day be transfixed in front of slot machines, roulette wheels or bluffing their way to poker victories at home and with the blessing of the law. This week, the Tourism Ministry (with the prime minister's backing) proposed to develop as many as four casinos in the southern resort city of Eilat. But there's one game of chance that is already a popular pastime in Israel – and for many, a livelihood. Even if it's illegal and operating in the shadows, poker is thriving in the Holy Land.
Israel bets on gambling's riches but also fears its ills
State-sponsored gambling: A fool's game
Israel, the online gambling empire where no Israelis can lay a bet
Poker enthusiasts can play online or travel to countries where gambling is legal, such as Malta, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Israeli poker championships are held on ships outside territorial waters, with hundreds of players onboard. Texas Hold'em – the most popular version of the card game – is a big underground business, with events held in private clubs and homes far from the gaze of the law.
"There are two main ways of attending a Texas Hold'em evening," says D., an amateur player in his 20s who works at a startup company and asked not to be identified by name. "Groups of friends organize it, or there are 'clubs' – also called 'parties' – where the games are actually arranged on a fixed schedule. The clubs are apartments given over to poker games; no one really lives in them. The clubs take a percentage, a kind of tax, on the winnings. That's how they make their money."
The clientele is quite varied, recounts D. "You can find ultra-Orthodox Jews, doctors and army officers," he says. "Anyone who comes to an evening like this needs to be aware of the fact he's going to gamble at least several thousand shekels. I spend a lot of time at places like this fairly often, and I have only happened to encounter signs of violence a few times."
"There are people whose entire income is from organizing poker games," says G., who also asked not to be identified by name. "There is also competition. Some of the tournament organizers have lofts, [where] there are fancy parties. The lofts are selective about their clientele – they don't accept just anyone. At the regular parties, people lose their shirts and poker gets a bad name because of them."
Poker is illegal in Israel. However, if the game is being played for its entertainment value alone, is not held at a prohibited location and is limited to a fixed circle of individuals, it will not be treated as criminal activity. Still, the organizers run the risk of three years in prison, while their clients are liable to face as much as a year in jail.
"I made a mistake and agreed to run an illegal tournament for someone," recalls G. "There was a police raid and that's how I found myself at a police station one night. The raids aren't routine – it depends on which police district you're in. There's a sense that, in the Tel Aviv area, the police really dislike poker."
Poker's origins are believed to lie in late 19th-century America, while Texas Hold'em developed in the early 20th century. Texas Hold'em was introduced into Las Vegas casinos in the 1960s, and tournaments have even received airtime on U.S. television.
The person most responsible for the popularity of Texas Hold'em today is probably Chris Moneymaker. An anonymous accounting student at the University of Tennessee and an amateur player, Moneymaker (he insists it's his real name) won the World Series of Poker in 2003. Until then, the championship was a closed club of professional players, but the young man's victory brought the game to the world's attention and turned Moneymaker into a card-playing legend, encouraging other amateurs to get in on the act.
The main dispute over the legality of the game involves whether players can affect their chances of winning, or whether it is purely a game of luck. Under the law, a game is illegal if the result is due to chance rather than ability – an issue that was front and center eight years ago when Eran Rok was convicted of organizing a poker tournament.
Rok, a leading figure in the world of Israeli poker, appealed the verdict and called in Prof. Zvi Gilula of the Hebrew University's statistics department as an expert witness. Texas Hold'em, Gilula told the court, requires a substantial measure of skill and strategic judgment, and on that basis should be legal. Ability is far more important than luck, he asserted. In any event, he noted, the government itself has two gambling monopolies – Mifal Hapayis, the lottery game, and the Toto sports lottery, neither of which requires much skill.
No matter, Rok's conviction was upheld. The court believed that the quality of the player's hand is what determines their chances of winning. As far as the law is concerned, the only relevant evidence is how the game is actually played, not how an expert sees it.
Around the world, the law's attitude toward poker varies. In Denmark, France and Pennsylvania, for example, the courts have ruled that Texas Hold'em is a game based mostly on skill. The game is legal in places such as Australia, Germany and Switzerland. Nevertheless, in most of the United States, online poker is illegal. A 2006 federal law against Internet gambling drove most of the U.S. gambling websites overseas.
Poker enthusiasts might like to see the law changed, but they aren't making much of an effort at doing it. The Israeli Poker Union was formed to promote poker as a sport, but only about 120 people became fee-paying members and the group is now inactive.
Netanyahu's new casino initiative would at last give players a handful of legal venues to play, albeit all of them in distant Eilat.
MK Oren Hazan (Likud) managed a casino in Bulgaria before getting elected to the Knesset last year. His name often comes up as a natural political ally to get poker on the right side of the law, but Hazan says he won't get involved.
"I oppose gambling in Israel, oppose opening a casino, and I would be happy if they closed the lottery and Toto," he says, noting that when he played, it was only in places where it was legal. "Israel is a small country. The first to be harmed by such things are the disadvantaged. If we educate the younger generation to be wary of the dangers of addiction and the negative sides of these games, maybe over the years some of these things can be legalized," he adds.
As part of efforts to legalize Texas Hold'em in Israel, or at least decriminalize its players, poker enthusiasts are trying to enlist the support of high-profile advocates to their cause. One such advocate is Shimon Yaffe, a reserve Israel Air Force pilot who became enamored by the game several years ago and is a judge at Israel Poker Championship competitions in Europe.
"Since it's not legal, we started by playing in private homes," Yaffe recounts. "Then we began organizing social poker events, legal ones, that people can play in pubs instead of clandestinely. We played poker in social settings and spent small sums – the amount people would spend at a pub in any case. In return for the money, the players also got food and drink."
Israeli poker has a bad reputation, Yaffe believes, because it is associated with organized crime and attracts dubious types. "Bridge, for example, is played by the elderly, so its image is different," he notes. "Poker is a game of ability, particularly when we're talking about a round of games and not just one hand. In a tournament there are a lot of hands, so the element of luck is reduced and strategy is critical. Evaluating poker based on one hand is absurd."
To improve their playing skills, enthusiasts attend courses like the one run by the Israeli Poker Academy, which counts 600 graduates since it opened about a year and a half ago.
"Our goal is to give amateur poker players a professional's perspective," says Stas Tishkevich, one of the founders. "We expose the participants to the element of skill in the game, and show them how critical it is to their success."
It's an uphill battle, because it's not just appeal court judges who think the game is all luck. "Just a minority believe that skill has an influence, and even fewer come to study," says Tishkevich. "Most Israelis believe that luck is the decisive factor because most of them simply lose at poker, so it's convenient for them to blame luck rather than skill."
Luck or skill, poker's problem remains that it involves gambling for money – and that inevitably brings with it a host of inseparable social ills, many of which are not recognized by the people suffering from them because, after all, poker and other gambling is "just a game." One example is the 2011 murders of Jerusalem couple Nurit and Noah Maoz. Their son, Daniel – who was sentenced to two life terms – had been trying to get his hands on his inheritance money from his parents after his addiction to Texas Hold'em left him with huge debts.
"We also deal with shopping addiction, but very few people contact us with the problem because people perceive it as something natural and accepted," says Nahum Michaeli, a social worker who manages the treatment unit for victims of alcohol and gambling for the Efshar nonprofit. "That's also the problem with poker," he adds. "Compared to problems like drug addiction, where people come for treatment at an early stage, those who come to us because of cards are usually at the more difficult end point .... Some do so after major complications – because if they still have money, they usually continue to gamble. There are some who have economically ruined their families," says Michaeli.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hey everyone! So as you know, I just recently purchase the J. Crew Tippi Whale Sweater! I have been at a bit of a loss as to what to wear it with, but I think I have solved all my problems after doing a little trial and error. Here's what I've come up with..
E suggested I try the sweater with my pink shorts and I love how they look with the sweater! The outfit is so bright and fun and the gold accessories really add the perfect touch!
And here's just a random outfit in case you are a professional with a schnazzy job and happen to love the sweater as well! Ha!
How would you wear the sweater?
PS- The sweater is not on sale online, but it is marked down to $50 with an extra 30% off in stores!
I love this sweater with the pink shorts! I have those shorts and I love wearing navy with them!


Wiring Diagram Analog Devices One of many hardest automotive repair tasks that the repair or mechanic shop can tackle could be the wiring, or rewiring of the electrical system of the car. The problem essentially is the fact that every car differs. While looking repair, exchange or to remove the wiring in an car, having an accurate and comprehensive wiring plan is important towards the success of the repair job. Many times, there is a technician burdened unnecessarily due to improper or obsolete wiring schematics which can be provided by inappropriate options.
There are lots of solutions that make an effort to provide wiring diagrams towards the mechanic online nowadays. Most times these services have both unfinished or inappropriate diagrams that will probably cost the store lost money time or even maybe case. A botched automotive wiring career is just a mistake that is possibly huge that no honest repairman desires to produce. Utilizing wiring diagrams that are bad is just a surefire recipe for problem. Often these ineffective wiring diagrams are offered freeofcharge, nevertheless as they are generally the report they are printed on, the qualified mechanic is best offered to stay away from them.
The best option should be to use an approved and appropriate wiring plan that is furnished from the trusted source. A superb, proven organization that's a lengthy history of supplying the most up-to -day wiring diagrams available isn't hard to find. Infact, the companies they give are reasonably cheap in comparison to what might occur if a schematic that is negative is used. Many times, a mechanic will not have the time to verify the accuracy of a wiring diagram and may possibly move forward together with the wrong info in hand over a repair job. This is probably an extremely expensive and popularity detrimental scenario and may be avoided by simply adding your confidence using established online supplier and a reputable for automotive repair info and images.


Navigating job boards and searching for employment online can often be a difficult and nerve-racking experience. Not only are there a number of common scams to avoid, but even legitimate postings can have elements of deception that you must identify so that your job search doesn't result in wasted effort. There are many tricks that employers use to downplay the negative attributes of their companies or the positions themselves. You may need to read between the lines to discern whether an opportunity is worth pursuing, but being familiar with some of the common red flags will save you valuable time and minimize your chances of getting fooled.
1)The posting is old or the position is constantly reposted. This is a classic red flag and tops many lists that have been created on the subject. If you notice that the job ad you're reviewing was posted six months or a year ago, it's safe to assume that particular position has already been filled and the hiring manager/recruiter simply neglected to take down the ad.
Another possibility is that the company keeps the opening up because they are just collecting resumes. There are some exceptions, of course. If the posting is for a high-turnover position like a retail or customer service role, it may be a "permapost" job, which means it is always open (translation: the company is always looking for warm bodies). On the other hand, jobs that get reposted over and over again typically indicate that the company has a hard time keeping employees. There may be a rational explanation for why this is the case, or it may just be a horrible place to work. Do you need the paycheck bad enough to find out?
2)Information about company culture is hard to come by or consistently negative. It's fairly commonplace for employers to tout their unique identity in job ads nowadays. The reason for this is two-fold: 1) studies have shown that new hires stay longer if they "fit in" with the office's culture and 2) it's an easy way to weed out potential applicants. For instance, if a job ad mentions that the company "welcomes dogs in the office," odds are good that people who don't like dogs won't apply.
With this in mind, if you come across a job and aren't able to uncover anything about what it's like to work for that business via the ad or the company's website, take that as a warning sign that they're trying to hide something or they don't see the value in cultivating a positive culture. Attempt to find reviews from current and former employees on sites like Glassdoor. You may need to take these criticisms with a grain of salt – it's very easy for a disgruntled worker to submit a negative appraisal – but if you see the same sentiments expressed by many different individuals, it's safe to assume there's at least some validity to their opinions. Do a little extra research so you don't end up wasting your time trying to get a job at a place you'll hate.
3)The posting uses a variety of clichés and loaded phrases. Certain job descriptions include things like "sense of humor preferred," "must be comfortable performing other tasks," "autonomous/self-reliant role," or "often under pressure." Unless there is a logical reason for any of these requirements – say you're answering an ad for a comedy writer, a Jack (or Jane)-of-all-trades, a lighthouse keeper, or a neurosurgeon – you should be wary of ads that only employ vague language.
4)The company advertises "earning potential" rather than a specific salary. Reading the words "make upward of $750K per year" may sound enticing, but remember the old adage: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Unless the position in question is a C-level role (or similarly lucrative job), the only way you will come close to reaching three quarters of a million dollars is by meeting a variety of very specific (and most likely very difficult) objectives. Listing earning potential is also common for sales positions that are commission-based, so if you are looking for something with a fixed base salary, steer clear of these ads. The devil's in the details. Make sure to dig a little deeper before you get too excited by those dollar signs.
5)The posting mentions a long period of unpaid/low-paid training. If you come across an ad that offers on-the-job training, you must find out as soon as possible whether you will be compensated during this instructional period. Some less-than-scrupulous employers attempt to get free or low-cost labor by requiring an extended training period for rather simple positions. This is also a trick used by companies that suffer from high turnover or toxic cultures. By mandating an initial learning phase for new employees, they're really creating a de facto probation period to find out if you'll "last" or if you won't be able to put up with the rigors of the position or the personalities in the department.


After I withdrew her, we deschooled until the fall term began. This year, fourth grade, we agreed on having work every week, namely math, writing, and history, with reading of course. Mostly, we have kept to that workload. If she focused, she could complete each week's work in 2-3 hours, I bet (she doesn't.) She's in a couple co-ops and likes them very much.
My major problem is that for a few months now, all she wants to do is watch TV or play Minecraft. (For us, these things are treats.) She doesn't want to do any of the things she once did and that form a normal part of our life: she doesn't want to go for a hike; she doesn't want to go to the library; she doesn't want to make up stories; she doesn't want to play outside... Again, if it's not a video game or TV, she's not interested.
She will spend hours arguing with endless "NO!"ing and "WHY"ing about necessities (cat care, teeth brushing, etc.) She is like a toddler again only far more stubborn and rude. We argue all the time and in removing privileges, or threatening to, I am clearly not helping change behavior.
We do a lot together and I really try to listen, do what she wants, have fun. I talk to her about ideas, values, and try to get her input on making our HSing better or just find out what she wants to do. She's not interested. Every day is a struggle.
I am a single parent and I work full time so it's quite a juggling act (though I do have a flexible schedule and work quite a bit from home.) We spend a lot of time together and, I think, do a lot that she does like.
I'm beginning to think I will have to send her back to PS: this isn't working and I'm afraid the reason is me. Does anyone have any advice or experience with this type of behavior/problem? Thank you.
Sorry to hear you are having such trouble! Your daughter sounds definitely unhappy and difficult to work with. (Reminds me of my oldest.) A family therapist might help you sort out what is going on with her, since it doesnt seem like it is "just homeschooling" that is affected.
Even if you didnt get a box curriculum, the components you selected muight not work well with her or your family situation. Rethink it.
If homeschool isnt going to work for you, and you want to send her back to public school. there is nothing inherently wrong with that. Just consider that by itself, it wont help the underlying apathy to the things that used to bring her joy, her aversion to household chores, or address her "screen addiction".
You stated that she was bored/miserable in ps. What exactly was going on pertaining to the miserable? I mean, was she being bullied? Or was the bored/miserable 100% the academics and mind-numbing routine?
Also, has she voiced why she doesn't want to do the stuff (hiking, going to library, writing, going outside) she used to? She's 10; is she possibly in the early stages of puberty, possible depression, anxiety?
Sometimes it's hard to strike a balance with homeschool. I'm sure you've got your hands full with hs and working full-time.
Last edited by outskirtsofbs; 02-05-2019 at 12:08 PM.
Sorry to hear things are tough. My DD10 is similar in some ways. Although she loves her learning and always does the work we have agreed on, she does get very argumentative about other things (going for a hike, brushing teeth, unloading the dishwasher etc.).
My DD really struggles with transitions. It is hard work to get her to change her mind from what she is doing or what she had planned (e.g., reading or watching TV) to what we are going to do (e.g., a hike). But once we are actually out there, her behavior does a complete 360 and she is happy and excited. Could that be something your DD has issues with?
I have just been listening to talks on this free, online conference that some may help you. Its only open till 10 pm today Seattle time though. If you search for Bright and Quirky Summit you can register and listen to some of the talks for free. There is a lot about "problem behavior" and how to deal with it. I found the talks by Ross Greene on Day 2, Laura Markham on Day 2, Michelle Garcia on Day 4, Lisa Van Gemert on Day 6, Rachel Busman on Day 6, Patty Whipfler on Day 6 the most helpful for ideas for working on behavior issues. And some of the Day 7 ones helpful for how to face the strain of it as a parent.
Otherwise, I will go back and look at my notes and add some things that resonated for me to this post later.
It's funny, almost every parent knows about the terrible 2's before their child is even born but no one really talks about how 5 year olds have a tendency to be clingy even if they were independent before or how easy going kids, male or female, can suddenly become drama queens at 7 years old or how moody and just a drag to be around sometimes your preteen child can be. My mantra for each of my kids that has passed this threshold became, "I love you to the end of the world and back again, but I don't like how you are behaving right now. Let me know when you are ready to talk about it."
Preteens really do act like toddlers all over again because they are doing the same thing a toddler does, asserting their independence. Toddlers are figuring out they are not an extension of you, they are their own person with free will and so is a preteen. They are exploring their independence and free will as they discover that not only are they a separate person from you but they also have separate thoughts and opinions from you and it is both exciting and scary for them.
But where a toddler has tantrums and meltdowns because they don't have the words to express their emotions yet, preteens tantrums and meltdowns seem more cruel and hard to deal with because they do have the vocabulary to express their feelings but they don't always have the reasoning skills to know what their emotions mean or how to handle them. As adults, if we can learn to look at our preteen's mouthiness and meltdowns the same way we look at toddler tantrums, it can sometimes be easier to extract yourself from the situation so that you can objectively get to the heart of the matter and burn fewer bridges in the relationship.
All that said, your first year of homeschooling, especially if you pulled your child from public school, is a learning adventure for both of you. Your school year will very likely end very differently than it began and that's ok. You say she wants to watch tv or play Minecraft, what if those things were completely unavailable? What if they were "broken" for a month or so? Yes, I would fully prepare myself for an outright revolt at first, but once she realized that those things were unequivocally not an option, how would she entertain herself? Not how would you entertain her, but how would she entertain herself.
Before you try going screen free for a month or more, I would make sure you have plenty of things on hand for her to do, not school work, but perhaps some new art supplies, a cook book she can use on her own or mostly on her own, craft kits, library books on a variety of interesting subjects that don't involve tv or Minecraft (even better would be to get the first book in a series but not the rest of them that way she has reason to want more books from the library). Don't just hand her these items, leave them around the house for her to find when she is looking for something to do. Start some fun household projects like painting her room or going through pictures to make scrapbooks or going through boxes of things that need to be sorted and donated or thrown away or plant a garden. Don't require her to do these things with you, let her see you enjoying yourself doing them and invite her to join you if she seems interested. Start a journal, it could be a reflections journal, a diary, a nature journal or even just a free writing journal. Let her see you writing your journal and if she takes interest, ask her if she wants one of her own. All of these things are educational activities, but none of them resemble school really. Perhaps without the distraction of TV or computer games or the thought of the drudgery of another school lesson, she will be able to find her love of learning again. Homeschooling does not have to look anything like school but every educational activity doesn't have to become a school lesson either, try to find a balance that works for both of you.
Thanks for your ideas/experience, alexsmom. I opted against most structured curricula. Instead, we follow an open(ish) math curriculum and then do some simple history reading and writing. My goal has been to be guided by what she's interested in... Of course, that means she has to have interests. There lies a big part of our issue.
I have been, mostly, doing what you suggest and sitting with her as she does her work. The problem arises when she won't actually do her work and sits there for an hour and fifteen minutes bemoaning the five math problems she has to do. After a few minutes of non-work, I explain that I'm happy to answer questions/help/keep company but only if she's making an effort. Then I get up and do something else and leave her to it until she finally gives in and does it. I don't know how much of it is normal preteen stuff, probably a decent amount, coupled with an inherited family stubbornness, but it is a challenge.
Yes, Outskirtsofbs, I definitely think she's heading into puberty... Seems early but I suppose it's not. In school she didn't have any discernible problems. She did well academically, had lots of friends, did not seem to have any issues. Even she didn't know why she hated it so much, she was just waking up with stomach aches and dread every single day.
She also doesn't know, or at least can't tell me, what she wants now, why she's reluctant/disinterested in doing things that were reliably fun for us. It's a puzzle. I'm happy to keep working to figure it out but it is interrupting family functioning these days-- it's hard to get things done.
I am bummed that I will likely not have time to look up those conference talks before they close tonight! But maybe I can find them somewhere else down the line. (Or something comparable by the speakers.) Thank you for the heads up!
Thanks, MapleHillAcademy. I have absolutely been toying with the idea of a screen-free month. I definitely think it would be eye-opening and force some changes in behavior/ideas. The problem, of course, is that the screen, as I use it, allows me free time to get work done. So when she has an hour of screen time, I have an hour of productivity. Losing that will be hard for her and, possibly, harder for me. I'm still considering it, though, because I think the benefits would be great.
What you're describing sounds like what unschoolers have mentioned and makes real sense to me. I do have lots of stuff around and perhaps if she were not fixated on getting more screen time, she would take advantage. I think you're right, it's just getting myself to do it/stick to it/handle my work before or after she is in bed, no small task!
FWIW - In my experience it has worked best to give set hours (or my DS would be on anytime he had a free minute). Our rules are school work has to be completed, best effort, and not until after dinner (even if school work was finished early). It is kind of a pain to stick to a strict schedule, but it is what needs to be for us.


text:
'Winter Jam In The Ham' Boasts Exciting Lineup For December 22nd December 4, 2017 01:49
Photo by Craig Baird: Home Team Photography
One of Birmingham's most exciting annual traditions, Jam In The Ham, is scheduled to return even earlier than expected this holiday season. The one-day music festival, which began in the summer of 2015, has become a staple in the Birmingham jam/electronic music scene over the past three years. Live & Listen is thrilled to announce that our friends at Big Friendly Productions will introduce the inaugural Winter Jam In The Ham on Friday, December 22nd at Zydeco.
Jam in the Ham is an annual music and arts festival in Birmingham, AL celebrating local music and art. For the first time the festival is adding a winter concert featuring local and regional favorites CBDB, Winston Ramble, Modern Measure, Space Phunk Express, Moglee, Chark, and Party Matrix. Zydeco will host two stages with a ski/mountain theme. Production will be provided by Big Friendly Productions. The local production company will be providing sound, lighting, and LED video for the event. The show will be presented by Live & Listen, Zydeco, Jam in the Ham, and Big Friendly Productions.
General Admission tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show. Doors at 8pm. 18 and up. Tickets are available now and can be purchased by clicking here. Stay tuned in to all of the latest updates by joining the official Facebook event page. See below for a taste of what you can expect from this year's lineup!
Watch CBDB perform "Ground Score" with Kyle Hollingsworth of The String Cheese Incident here:
Watch Winston Ramble perform "Miss You" at WorkPlay here:
Watch Modern Measure's official music video for "Riddle" here:
Watch the official Winter Jam In The Ham promo video here:


text:
Bonyad
Title: Bonyad
Subject: Economy of Iran, Politics of Iran, Astan Quds Razavi, Islam in Iran, Economic history of Iran
Collection: Charities Based in Iran, Consortia, Economy of Iran, Foundations, Foundations by Country, Iranian Society
Islam in Iran
History of Islam in Iran
Islamic conquest of Persia
Islamization of Iran
Islamic Golden Age
Shia conversion of Iran and Azerbaijan
1979 Revolution
Salman the Persian
Shaikh Saduq
Shaikh Kulainy
Hakim al-Nishaburi
Shaykh Tusi
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi
Nasīr al-Dīn al-Tūsī
Abdul-Qadir Gilani
Suhrawardi
Mulla Sadra
Allameh Tabatabaei
Ruhollah Khomeini
Twelvers
Zaidis
Nizaris
Alavids
Sunnis
Qom
Nizamiyya
Hawza
Shu'ubiyya
Commemoration of Ashura
Imam Reza shrine
Ziaratgah
Naqsh-i Jahan Square
Astan Quds Razavi
Imam Khomeini Relief Committee
Bonyad-e Mostazafen va Janbazan
Bonyad Shahid va Omur-e Janbazan
Setad
Bonyads (Persian بنیاد "Foundation") are charitable trusts in Iran that play a major role in Iran's non-petroleum economy, controlling an estimated 20% of Iran's GDP,[1] and channeling revenues to groups supporting the Islamic Republic.[2] Exempt from taxes, they have been called "bloated",[3] and "a major weakness of Iran's economy",[4] and criticized for reaping "huge subsidies from government", while siphoning off production to the lucrative black market and providing limited and inadequate charity to the poor.[3]
Monarchy 1.1
Islamic Republic 1.2
Criticism 2
Unification of Iran's social security system 2.1
Seized assets 2.2
List of major bonyads 3
Founded as royal foundations by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the original bonyads were criticized for providing a "smokescreen of charity" to patronage, economic control, for-profit wheeling and dealing done with the goal of "keep[ing] the Shah in Power."[5] Resembling more a secretive conglomerate than a charitable trust, these bonyads invested heavily in property development, such as the Kish Island resort; but the developments' housing and retail was oriented to the middle and upper classes, rather than the poor and needy.[6]
Islamic Republic
After the 1979 Iranian revolution, the Bonyads were nationalized and renamed with the declared intention of redistributing income to the poor and families of martyrs, i.e. those killed in the service of the country. The assets of many Iranians whose ideas or social positions ran contrary to the new Islamic government were also confiscated and given to the Bonyads without any compensation.
Today, there are over 100 Bonyads,[7] and they are criticized for many of the same reasons as their predecessors. They form tax-exempt, government subsidized, consortiums receiving religious donations and answerable directly (and only) to the Supreme Leader of Iran. The Bonyads are involved in everything from vast soybean and cotton fields to hotels to soft drinks to auto-manufacturing to shipping lines. The most prominent, the Bonyad-e Mostazafen va Janbazan, (Foundation for the Oppressed and Disabled), for example, "controls 20% of the country's production of textiles, 40% of soft drinks, two-thirds of all glass products and a dominant share also in tiles, chemicals, tires, foodstuffs."[8] Some economists argue that its chair, and not the Minister of Finance or president of the Central bank, is considered the most powerful economic post in Iran.[9] In addition to the very large national Bonyads, "almost every Iranian town has its own bonyad", affiliated with local mullahs.[10]
Estimates of how many people the bonyads employ ranges from in excess of 400,000[11] to "as many as 5 million".[4]
Bonyads are criticized as enormously wasteful: overstaffed,[12] corrupt, and generally unprofitable. In 1999 Mohammad Forouzandeh, a former defense minister, reported that 80% of Iran's Bonyad companies were losing money.[12]
Bonyad companies also compete with Iran's unprotected private sector, whose firms complain of the difficulty of competing with bonyad firms whose political connections provide government permits and subsidies which eliminate worries over the need to make a profit in many market sectors. These Bonyads, by their very presence, hamper healthy economic competition, efficient use of capital and other resources, and growth.[7]
Unification of Iran's social security system
As charity organizations they are supposed to provide
Economy of Iran
Iranian society
Charities based in Iran
^ Molavi, Afshin, Soul of Iran, Norton, (2006), p.176
^ a b Roy, Olivier, The Failure of Political Islam by Olivier Roy, translated by Carol Volk, Harvard University Press, 1994, p.139
^ a b Mackey, Sandra Iranians, Persia, Islam, and the soul of a nation, New York : Dutton, c1996 (p.370)
^ a b Katzman, Kenneth. Iran's Bonyads: Economic Strengths and Weaknesses. 6 Aug 2006 accessed 15-May-2009
^ Graham, Robert, Iran : the illusion of power, St. Martin's Press, 1980, p.157, 8
^ Graham, Iran, (1980), p.161
^ a b c "Ahmadinejad's Achilles Heel: The Iranian Economy" by Dr. Abbas Bakhtiar
^ NHH Sam 2007, Destructive Competition
^ Molavi, Afshin, The Soul of Iran, Norton, (2005), p.176
^ a b c The IranianMillionaire mullahs by Paul Klebnikov, July 7, 2003, Originally printed in Forbes, accessed 15-May-2009
^ Abrahamian, Ervand, History of Modern Iran, Columbia University Press, 2008, p.178
^ a b "Business: A mess; Iranian privatisation", The Economist. London: Jul 21, 2001. Vol. 360, Iss. 8231; pg. 51
^ http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/107234.pdf
^ Molavi, Soul of Iran, (2005) p.176
^ World bank: country brief
^ Tehran Times - Poverty in Iran
^ a b "Millionaire Mullahs". Forbes. 2003-07-21. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
Imam Khomeiny Relief Foundation
(Foundation of the Martyrs and the Affairs of Self-Sacrificers)Bonyad Shahid va Isaar-Garaan
Bonyad Shahid va Omur-e Janbazan (Foundation of Martyrs and Veteran Affairs)
(Foundation for the Oppressed and Disabled)Bonyad-e Mostazafan va Janbazan
Bonyad Panzdah Khordad (Foundation of the 15 Khordad)
(Imam Reza Shrine Foundation)Astan Quds Razavi
Annual Review by the Central Bank of Iran, including statistics about social security in Iran.
"A mess." The Economist, July 19, 2001.
"Stunted and Distorted." The Economist, January 16, 2003.
"Still fading, still defiant." The Economist, December 9, 2004.
"Inside Iran's Holy Money Machine." Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2007. Details about the Imam Reza shrine, the largest active bonyad in Iran.
"Bonyad-e Mostazafen va Janbazan, (Foundation for the Oppressed and Disabled)" globalsecurity.org
World Bank Statistics Human development, social and economic indicators for Iran
Iran's Ministry of Welfare and Social Security policies still based on charity
Iran Para-governmental Organizations (bonyads) By Ali A. Saeidi (Source: The Middle East Institute)
Poverty and Inequality since the Revolution By Djavad Salehi-Isfahani (Source: The Middle East Institute)
Iran's Bonyads: Economic Strengths and Weaknesses. Katzman, Kenneth (2006)
Smuggling in Iran
Privatization in Iran
List of Iranian companies
Iranian labor law
International rankings of Iran
Banking in Iran
Health care in Iran
Agriculture in Iran
Mining in Iran
Transport in Iran
Energy in Iran
Taxation in Iran
Shah's family; it operates a wide variety of charitable activities. With a reported $10 billion in assets (2003).[17]
Astan Quds Razavi (Imam Reza shrine Foundation), with $15 billion in assets (2003).[17]
NAJA Cooperation Bonyad
IRGC Cooperation Bonyad
Bonyad Shahid va Omur-e Janbazan (Foundation of Martyrs and Veteran Affairs), one of the biggest with over 100 companies. Provides welfare assistance to families of the Martyrs of the Iran-Iraq war.
Pilgrimage Foundation
Housing Foundation
Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, provides sickness, maternity, and work injury benefits to some workers in the private sector.
List of major bonyads
In the rare instances where courts have ordered the Bonyad Mostazafan to return the properties of individuals whose belongings were unjustly seized, the Bonyad Mostazafan has refused to do so, instead offering to remunerate those individuals at the prices prevalent at the time at which those assets were seized in 1979, effectively denying the legitimate owners over 30 years of lost income and compensating them at only a tiny fraction of the true value of their belongings.
In certain well known instances, such as the confiscation of the properties and assets of the Boroumand family of Esfahan, the Islamic Revolutionary Court judge responsible for unjustly ordering the seizure and confiscation of that family's belongings was identified as a criminal, who was subsequently executed by the Islamic regime on charges of "corruption on earth", yet his confiscation ruling was let to stand.
Seized assets
Rather than charitable organizations, the bonyads have been described as "patronage-oriented holding companies that ensure the channeling of revenues to groups and milieus supporting the regime," but don't help the poor as a class.[2] Another complaint describes them as having kept to their charitable mission for the first decade of the Islamic Republic, but having "increasingly forsaken their social welfare functions for straightforward commercial activities" since the death of Imam Khomeini.[10] Local city and town bonyad have been accused of sometimes using extortionate tehniques to draw the traditional Shia Islamic 20% khums donations from local business owners.[10]


text:
Alexithymia, personality and outcome: a naturalistic study in patients with major depression and anxiety disorders
Alessitimia, personalità e outcome: uno studio naturalistico in pazienti con depressione maggiore e disturbi d'ansia
E. Mori, A. Drago, D. De Ronchi, A. Serretti
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Bologna
Alexithymia is frequently associated with major depression and anxiety disorders, although the association is not completely understood. According to some authors, alexithymia is secondary to depression and is thus a "state-dependent" condition. Others have suggested that alexithymia is a "stable personality trait". Moreover, in the literature alexithymia is considered as a negative prognostic factor in the treatment of major depression and anxiety disorders. In this study, we analyze the presence of alexithymia in patients with major depression and anxiety disorders, and investigate the effects of alexithymia and the interaction between alexithymia and personality traits as a modulator of response to combined treatment.
Thirty-four outpatients with major depression or anxiety disorders underwent pharmacotherapy and individual psychodynamic psychotherapy. Subjects were assessed using the "Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression" (HAM-D) and "Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety" (HAM-A) at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment. Personality traits were assessed with the SCID II. The Toronto Alexithymia 20-item (TAS-20) scale was administered at variable times throughout the period of treatment in addition to further assessment with the HAM-D and HAM-A. Two statistical models were used incorporating alexithymia either as a state or as a trait factor. Outcome was the change in HAM-D and HAMA from baseline after eight weeks of treatment. The predictor was the TAS score. Personality traits were included as a covariant in the model.
55.9% of subjects were diagnosed as alexythimic, 26.5% were borderline alexythimic and 17.6% were not alexythimic. No major differences were seen from the analysis of alexithymia alone, investigated as a modulator of response to anxiety or depressive symptoms either as a trait or as a state factor. On the other hand, the combination of alexithymia (trait model) with dependent personality traits predicted worse outcome considering the HAM-A scores (p = 0.01).
Alexithymia may interfere with response to treatment in subjects suffering from depressive or anxious diseases when combined with personality traits. Further research is needed to confirm the present results.


text:
Stars sing praises of Le Rondin facilities
YOUNGSTERS at Le Rondin had a visit from famous sporting figures yesterday who want to see school facilities updated.
Wooden Spoon Guernsey is raising money to refurbish three sensory rooms and the hydrotherapy pool at Le Rondin School and invited three sporting guests to boost the campaign yesterday. Left to right, former rugby player Ollie Phillips, Mike Tindall, a member of England's Rugby World Cup winning squad of 2003, and former athlete Jamie Baulch. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin)
Pupils had a chance to ask questions of rugby union player Ollie Phillips, sprint athlete Jamie Baulch and former England captain and member of the 2003 Rugby World Cup squad Mike Tindall, before performing songs for their guests, who could not resist singing along.
Mr Tindall, husband of the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips, said it was wonderful to visit the school.
'It wasn't originally on the list but we've managed to squeeze in a visit. Just the energy and how much they love singing is great,' he said.
'It's amazing seeing the great work that all the teachers have done,' said Mr Phillips.
The three were invited over by the Wooden Spoon Guernsey for a day of fundraising for the school to upgrade and refurbish its three sensory rooms and hydrotherapy pool.
Now 15 years old, many aspects of these facilities are no longer usable and the Sensory Project has been established, aiming to raise £150,000 for upgrade and refurbishment work.
'The sensory rooms play a very important role in the life of our school, providing enhanced learning opportunities and therapeutic environments,' said headteacher Paula Sullivan.
'The fundraising campaign will allow us to update the equipment and once again provide state-of-the-art facilities for the children and staff as well as for a variety of community groups who will also make use of the spaces.'
Funds are needed because replacement costs fall outside Education's budget and so charities such as Wooden Spoon Guernsey have stepped in to help.
The Wooden Spoon's mission is to transform the lives of children and young people with a disability or facing disadvantage across the UK and Ireland through the power of rugby.
'The work that the Wooden Spoon do to help children from all walks of life is amazing,' said Mr Tindall, who said it was great to see the island get behind causes such as this.
'In this modern world we live in now and whether it's your own children or not, we can make sure childhood can be filled with fun and laughter.'
As an ambassador and supporter of the Wooden Spoon, Mr Phillips was also delighted to support the day.
'One thing I love about it is it's one of the few charities where money raised goes back into the local community,' he said.
Yvonne Hodder, who was project operation director when the school was developed in 2003, is leading the fundraising effort.
'We are extremely grateful to the Wooden Spoon charity for their support.
'This gives a boost to the campaign both in terms of raising money but also raising awareness of the Sensory Project.'
Sensory rooms consist of the small black room with controlled lighting to benefit the visually impaired, the interactive white room with plenty of tech to help pupils develop and the soft play room where children have a good rough and tumble.
Ryan Galsworthy, 10, Oakley Fletcher, 10 and Kayden Thomson, 11, all enjoyed meeting the three sporting heroes and said the rooms were an important part of school.
Ms Hodder said funds raised were now at £134,000.
AS WELL as the Sensory Project, the Le Rondin School Parents, Staff and Friends Association has also launched the Friends of Le Rondin School scheme.
In order for the school to be able to replace, refurbish and upgrade equipment without the need for extensive fundraising, the scheme is looking for islanders who would like to become friends of the school.
This will involve donating a small amount on a monthly basis so the association can build up reserves to maintain the learning environment of the school.
Anyone wishing to become a friend or to donate towards the Sensory Project fund can contact the school by phone on 268300 or by email at office@lerondin.sch.gg. There are also forms available at the school's reception.
By Charlotte Le Marquand
Charlie Le Marquand


text:
Gunilla Hansson, geb. Cederholm (* 14. November 1939 in Stockholm), ist eine schwedische Illustratorin und Kinderbuchautorin.

Leben und Schaffen
Gunilla Hansson ist die Tochter von Nils Thore Cederholm und Gun Elving. 1955–1961 absolvierte sie eine Ausbildung in Textil-, Werbe- und Buchkunst an der Konstfack. Sie wurde 1961 Grafikdesignerin im Bonnier-Verlag, ab 1965 als freiberufliche Mitarbeiterin. Ihre Bücher wurden u. a. ins Deutsche, Dänische, Norwegische, Finnische, Englische, Spanische, Französische, Färöische und Isländische übersetzt.

Hansson gewann zusammen mit der Autorin Grethe Fagerström den Deutschen Jugendliteraturpreis 1980 für das Buch Peter, Ida und Minimum.

Von 1964 bis 1982 war sie mit dem Autor Hasse Hansson (* 1940) verheiratet, mit dem sie auch zusammenarbeitete.

Werke (Auswahl)
Als Illustratorin:
 Grethe Fagerström (Text) und Gunilla Hansson (Illustration): Peter, Ida und Minimum: Familie Lindström bekommt ein Baby. Ravensburg 1979.

Als Autorin:
 Ein Baby für uns alle! Ravensburg 2002.
 Klara sagt nein. Ravensburg 2001.
 Klaras Schnuller. Ravensburg 1999.
 Weihnachten bei Max und Mia. Ravensburg 1990.
 Mia, komm raus. Ravensburg 1988.
 Gleich sind wir am Wasser. Ravensburg 1988.
 Ein Geschenk für Oma. Ravensburg 1987.
 Gute Nacht hab ich gesagt. Ravensburg 1986.
 Nina. Ravensburg 1981.

Autor
Kinder- und Jugendliteratur
Illustrator (Schweden)
Literatur (Schwedisch)
Schwede
Geboren 1939
Frau

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
GS Caltex to participate in the establishment of UAE crude oil futures exchange
HOME HOME World News
Lee Jun-sung
ADNOC CEO Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber (left) and CEO of GS Caltex CEO Huh Se-hong (right) / Courtesy of GS Caltex
GS Caltex will participate in the establishment of crude oil futures exchange with global energy companies.
GS Caltex made an announcement on Nov. 12 that it has signed an agreement with eight energy companies, including ADNOC, a state-run oil company in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the world's largest exchange group, and British Petroleum (BP), to set up the ICE Abu Dhabi Futures Exchange.
The exchange plans to start the UAE-produced Murban crude futures trading in the first half of next year. Murban crude oil, used by more than 60 oil refiners worldwide, accounted for 17 percent of the 271 million barrels of crude imported by GS Caltex last year.
It is the highest ratio for a single oil breed. GS Energy, the parent company of GS Caltex, has a 3 percent stake in the UAE's land production mine, which produces Murban crude, so that it can produce about 800 million barrels over 40 years.
"Under the regulation on the sulfur content of ships that will take effect in 2020, we will contribute to the active trading of Murban crude, a typical light crude oil that is expected to rise in demand, and increase transparency in trading prices," a GS Caltex official said. "We hope it will also help stabilize oil prices in the future."
Meanwhile, energy companies such as BP, Shell, Total, Vitol, Petrochina, INPEX, JXTG, and PTT, which participated in the establishment of the futures exchange, will also engage in the operation of the exchange, along with GS Caltex.
Lee Jun-sung 다른기사 보기


Delegate Michael Watson, left, listens as Monty Mason speaks during Wednesday evening's 93rd House of Delegates debate at the College William and Mary's McGlothin-Street Hall. ..
There is a troublesome undercurrent in our commonwealth's House of Delegates that makes for some difficult decisions when choosing whether to endorse incumbents who are up for re-election.
The Republican-led House should be commended for votes that have brought some economic order to the state. But the House leadership has become distracted with an almost obsessive focus on social issues leading to divisive laws on guns, abortion and voter ID. In making today's endorsements, we have tried to balance those distractions with actual achievements.
Three local delegates are up for re-election in contested races. The Daily Press is endorsing two incumbents – Republican Mike Watson in the 93rd district and Democrat Mamye BaCote in the 95th – along with one challenger, Democrat Rob Farinholt in the 94th.
We spent a lot of time wrestling with the voting records of Del. Watson and Del. David Yancey, the Republican incumbent in the 94th district.
They voted in favor of the bill that mandated unnecessary ultrasounds for women seeking abortions. They voted to repeal a law limiting citizens to one handgun purchase per month, and they voted to seal public records on concealed carry licenses. They voted for the "personhood" bill granting citizenship to unborn fetuses at all stages of development, theoretically setting up a challenge some forms of birth control. They voted in favor of voter ID laws, despite no evidence that they are necessary, or would achieve much beyond adding one more barrier to minorities who might vote against Republicans.
Dels. Watson and Yancey are first-term legislators, and on each of these bills they voted with their party, perhaps under pressure from Virginia's imperious House Speaker. Both incumbents should be held accountable for those decisions.
But in looking at the body of each man's work, it is evident that Del. Watson has spent his time productively: He helped pass several important pieces of legislation, including a workforce development budget amendment that will help students develop specific skills matched to immediate job openings within the state. He founded the state's first bipartisan Business Development Caucus, which spent time listening to the real concerns of business people across the state; the Virginia Chamber of Commerce named him Freshman Legislator of the Year. One experienced legislator has told us privately that Del. Watson is one of our most promising young delegates, and we tend to agree.
His accomplishments are the direct result of hard work and his ability to build alliances across party lines – a sorely needed skillset among our legislators. We urge him not to let his elders distract him with silly social issues that stray from his strengths as a business owner, his basic decency, and his ability to seek compromise.
We were impressed with Mr. Watson's Democrat challenger, Monty Mason. In discussing issues surrounding the economy and the state's transportation needs, Mr. Mason is professional and articulate. We hope we have not seen the last of him in local or state politics. But this is not the proper time or place for him.
In the 94th district, however, we could not find enough solid accomplishments to overcome Del. Yancey's track record on social issues. When asked about them, his line of reasoning was so convoluted as to become risible. For example, he explained his vote for the personhood bill as an attempt not to restrict birth control or abortions, but to make it easier to prosecute drivers in car accidents that cause miscarriages. He said the voter ID laws were meant as safeguards against identity theft.
Mr. Farinholt, a 33-year-old firefighter and paramedic, is a political newcomer who says he wants to work with legislators from both parties to change "the divisive social agenda in Richmond." His proposal on reserving state contracting jobs to Virginia companies is economically naïve, and we're not sure we buy the Democratic party line against state takeovers of failing public schools. But in other areas we are in agreement, including his support for reforming Standards of Learning to de-emphasize rote memorization, and promoting better job training through the state's community colleges.
There would be a learning curve for Mr. Farinholt, but he is a bright man who can handle some on-the-job training in the legislature.
By contrast, the decision to endorse Rep. BaCote for re-election is relatively easy. She has represented the 95th District since 2004 and remains a popular and respected woman in her community. What she lacks in slick political acumen she makes up with her passionate support of public schools and her willingness to engage members of the opposing party in constructive dialogue.
Rep. BaCote's Republican opponent, Newport News shipyard engineer John Bloom, is a political neophyte who holds very strong opinions – he believes global warming is a lie, all gun laws should be abolished and abortions should be banned without exceptions. We admire his willingness to get involved in the political process, but we cannot get behind his belief that that facts and figures should take precedence over leadership and persuasion in implementing laws. That won't work in a representative democracy.
In endorsing Republican Mike Watson and Democrats Mamye BaCote and Rob Farinholt, we are hopeful they can help the House of Delegates rediscover its focus.


text:
House Foreign Affairs Committee Unanimously Passes Bill to Boost Global Nutrition
Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World celebrates the introduction and passage of the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act (H.R. 4693) by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), and Reps. Young Kim (R-CA) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), has the potential to impact the lives of tens of millions of women and children around the world.
Globally, malnutrition remains among the top risk factors contributing to nearly half of all preventable deaths among children under age five. And without strategic investments and interventions, the devastating impacts of COVID-19 could wind back decades of progress in alleviating maternal and child nutrition. According to recent data, nearly 14 million more children will likely be severely malnourished by next year. Targeted interventions that, among other goals, protect the nutrition of women and children during the critical 1000-day period between a woman's pregnancy and her child's second birthday, are essential for ensuring the development of children's physical and mental health.
At this critical juncture in the history of our nation and world, H.R. 4693 authorizes the U.S. Agency of International Development to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based nutrition strategy to end malnutrition, leveraging coordinated expertise across key U.S. federal agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services, and State Department, among others.
"Due to the persistent advocacy of Bread members and strategic partner coordination, Congress passed a resolution last December that garnered bipartisan support to pave the way for today's victory. The Committee's passage of H.R. 4693 is a major step toward advancing legislation that will improve global nutrition for millions," said Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World. "Courageous U.S. congressional leadership as displayed by the Committee's passage of H.R. 4693 is crucial to further nutrition progress, will derail the impacts of COVID-19, and fulfill God's call and our commitment to end hunger in our lifetime."
Write to CongressAct


No matter what the job is at hand, great tools in the hands of a trained project management professional will lead to exceptional results. But what about providing great tools to an untrained person? Would you expect comparable results? The answer is a resounding NO!If this is true, then why do some people believe that having good project management software tools will make them good project managers and ultimately lead to successful projects? The missing variable in this equation is a sound project management methodology to guide them through the planning and control process. Engraining a sound project management methodology in your organization, supported by a suite of great tools, is the first step towards getting great project results.


Winner of National Neighborhood of the Year!
Harlow Neighbors Association has received the annual national Neighborhood of the Year award given by Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) in May 2013 at the NUSA conference in Minneapolis, MN. The neighborhood was nominated for the work of Feed Hope, which is one of the outcomes from Harlow's Strategic Neighborhood Assessment and Planning (SNAP) project supported by the City of Eugene's Neighborhood Services.
Feed Hope, a joint project between the neighborhood association, area churches and Food for Lane County, served the needs of many elementary school children who, although qualified to receive free or subsidized breakfast and lunches during the school year, had limited access to healthy daytime meals during school breaks. With over 300 volunteers, Feed Hope coordinated donations, packaged and distributed 4,500 healthy, nutritious meals to children in the Harlow neighborhood. The project received a first place in its category Social Revitalization Neighborliness category and then was named Neighborhood of the Year, as the top neighborhood across all categories.
The Harlow Neighborhood is in the area bounded by Interstate 5 on the east, the Willamette River on the south, Coburg Road on the west and Beltline on the north.


Biscoff Cookie Butter is the irresistible, spreadable treat made from Biscoff Cookies. You will love this sweet, creamy, European spread as an alternative to nut butters and chocolate spreads. It's the only cookie butter made with original Biscoff Cookies.


Drawings, paintings and silks from 3 private collections.
Our Hotere retrospective is now up, and there are some beautiful pictures on the wall that have never been out in public before.
The admission fee for this show will help us restore some works on paper that need help with age spots!


ESA Love in the Name of Christ has a few elderly clients in need of yard work. Due to all the rain their yards are very overgrown. Please contact Paula using the information provided to set up a time and get more information.


Flexible & exciting opportunity for CVT!
Pick up hours, learn new skills and see new procedures while working for your current employer.
Alternatively, start a new career with Team Dentistry.
This is an opportunity for the right individual to start a fresh career or to transition more slowly!
We have immediate position open for a CVT, LVT or veterinary technician preparing for the Wisconsin CVT exam.
We have resources to help candidates prepare for the CVT exam.
Our practice is an established two doctor specialist practice focused entirely on Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery In Oshkosh, Glendale (at Lakeshore Veterinary Specialists) and Greenfield (at VCA-Milwaukee ER for Animals).
This position is part time or full time.
The immediate position is in Oshkosh.
We are patient and willing to train.
The position involves primarily patient care before, during and after surgery.
The individual will fax & e mail reports to referring veterinary practices.
We offer free online continuing education through the Veterinary Information Network.
We honor, respect and value our help!


Sure looks like a cool ride. nice capture.
Nice!! I like this effect a lot!! Very beautiful capture!
bien captado el movimiento "barrido" de la moto en segundo plano!
Good job keeping the subject sharp!
Great feeling of speed in this shot!


Our Super Wool™ cerablanket from Thermal Ceramics is /21" thick 8 lb and comes in 50' long x 24" wide rolls (100 sqft.) We sell it by the linear foot.
Super Wool™ is often used to insulate high temperature furnaces, kilns and in the building of gas forges.


Why the need for a rate increase in Falmouth utilities?
The Falmouth City Council had their first reading of an utility rate increase on July 19, 2018. As with all first readings, no vote is required.
They had a second reading at a meeting on July 26, 2018.
The five city council members, Sebastian Ernst, Philis Wait, Amy Hitch, Amy Hurst and Joyce Carson, present voted in favor of both increases.
Councilperson April DeFalco had surgery and was unavailable for either meeting.
According to the article written by Ed Salerno on July 24, Kentucky Utilities had raised electric rates charged to the city of Falmouth effective July 1.
The city is on their last year of a contract with Kentucky Utilities to provide electricity to the city. It expires on May 1, 2019.
"For years, the city had absorbed rate increases like this," said Mayor Ron Stinson.
With a recommendation to build their reserves for problems that arise as wll as funds to maintain lines, council decided to not absorb the rate increase.
Stinson used the last storm as an example. During it, there was a power outage in the city. With the resources they had on hand, the city has they were able to make a temporary fix and get the power restored in quick fashion.
Without the funds to build reserves and purchase switches that get burnt out leading to power outages, they would have to call in an agency to handle the outage. It would be costly and the outage longer.
The increase in electric rates was less than a penny. It was 7/10's of cent raising the rate from $0.099 cents to $0.106 cents per kWh. There was a $1.25 flat fee that was raised, too.
Using 1,000 kWh per billing cycle for comparison, the increase for a regular home would translate to $7. For 1,000 kWh, the bill would be $106.
But with the rate increase occurring in one of the hottest months of the year and during a billing cycle that was four days longer than the previous, the increase in resident's bills were shockingly high.
In comparison, Owen County Electric which supplies the northern portion of Pendleton County charges $0.08245 per kWh. That 1,000 kWh would be $82.45.
With Blue Grass Energy that supplies electricity to portions of the county, for residential and farms they charge $0.07534 for the first 200 kWh, $0.09034 for the next 300 kWh, and $0.10034 for the next 500 kWh. For that 1,000 kWh, the bill would be $92.54.
Kentucky Utilities rate schedule on their website is a little bit more detailed and harder to decipher what 1,000 kWh would cost. They have a Off-Peak Hours rate of only $0.05892 but a On-Peak Hours rate of a whopping $0.27615. On-Peak Hours are defined as 1-5 p.m. on weekdays for the months of April through October. and 7-11 a.m. on weekdays for November through March.
Council member Joyce Carson pointed out that her usage went from 1,076 kWh to 1,480 kWh during the hot days of July leading to her utility bill jumping from $385 to $507.
According to Salerno's article on July 24, the city council was considering several options from a 35 percent to a 50 percent increase.
In the July 26 meeting, they voted for the 50 percent increase raising from $19.03 to $28.55 for the first 2,000 gallons.
The City of Falmouth provides water to both the East Pendleton and Pendleton County Water Districts. In comparison, East Pendleton has a minimum bill of $18.42 for the first 1,000 gallons. A 2,000 gallon usage, like Falmouth charges, would bring the bill to $27.75 or $0.80 lower. They have not had a rate increase since 2013.
Sewer for East Pendleton is a minimum bill of $20.18 for the first 1,000 gallons and a total of $27.33 for 2,000 gallons.
For the Pendleton County Water District, the first 2,000 gallons has a $22.55 minimum bill or $6 less. They have not had a rate increase since 2013.
The City of Falmouth is not regulated by the state and the Public Service Commission and does not have to go through the process to raise utility rates as a Duke Energy or KU would.
Falmouth officials have been meeting with engineers to determine the exact nature of the problems that their water and sewage lines have.
In the July 24 Falmouth Outlook article that first raised the issue of increased utility rates, the city council approved unanimously to move forward with the preliminary engineering report.
Once that is determined, they plan to seek state assistance to help pay for the much-needed renovation project.
According to Kentucky Infrastructure Authority reports dating back three years ago, in order for Falmouth to qualify for the necessary loan money from KIA to complete the makeover of the sewer and water systems. It must increase the revenue from sewer and water receipts by $370,000.
The increased revenue is needed to assure that the city can make the payments on infrastructure loans from KIA.


I got samples of the Shampoo and Conditioner and Leave in conditioner. I hated it and I think it made the red in my colour faded. It also made my hair more dry and less moisturised. Not only that, my hair feels heavier and just rough and dry.


The consultation period has finished re the diversion of pathway for our greenspace access. Thank you to those parents and community members who emailed the legal team with support.
There were a number of objections re the diversion and a planning pack has now gone to The Secretary of State so that a decision can be made. This can take up to ten weeks. Once a decision is made we will know how to proceed.
There are one of two outcomes as far as I am aware.
The first, is that The Secretary of State will grant permission and we go ahead with the fence and pathway. I think given the objections this may not be the case. The second outcome is that The Secretary of State will ask for a public enquiry. This will require school to employ a barrister to hear the enquiry and up to a 45 week wait for the outcome. Let us hope that it is not that long. I know so many of you have worked tirelessly for the children within our care.


text:
package org.apache.activemq.apollo.stomp.test

import java.io.File
import org.apache.activemq.apollo.util.FileSupport._
import org.openqa.selenium.firefox.{FirefoxDriver, FirefoxProfile}

trait FirefoxWebDriverTrait extends WebDriverTrait {
  def create_web_driver(profileDir: File) = {
    var file = profileDir / "firefox"
    file.mkdirs
    val profile = new FirefoxProfile(file);
    new FirefoxDriver(profile)
  }
}